Peru: Campaigning for the rights of cats By Mattia Cabitza BBC, Lima http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-19846516 Hell hath no fury like that of...uh huh. How DARE they! Oh. Go on. Isn't that always the story? Well yeah, that's unpleasant. Try the grey squirrel. The things that people say make them horny... ...the list of things that don't is wayyyyy shorter. And they taste like rabbit.
OK, last night before I fell asleep, I was thinking about cats and a local shelter. I imagined I was a volunteer there and the shelter was pestering me to take home a cat. A couple of hours ago me and my girlfriend were down in the basement, having a cig. I have a fan down there to blow the smoke outside. Now, it's about 35 degrees out, but our oldest cat insists on going outside, and I had just let him out before going downstairs. He's a big cat, nearly 20 pounds, all muscle. It's Fall now, and the apples near our home have fermented, causing birds to fly around drunk. For the last couple weeks the birds have been flying into our windows...happens every year. I go out with a shovel and toss 'em into the bush when I find a dead one. So me and my gf are talking and we hear a *thump* at the window. She said "bird", but I said it sounded more like a small animal...I would know, as I hear the birds hitting all the time. She said "bat" and I said they don't typically do that...but that a fungus I know of, that has decimated bats, should have reached us a couple years ago, so it's not totally impossible. She headed back upstairs while I checked outside to see if I could find out what it was. I saw our cat standing nearby, and thought, "Oh, why the hell did he try to do that?" and also "How dainty for a such a big cat." I said out loud, "Oh, it was just you, huh?" then I heard a "meow!" from next to the house. I called back to it and out jumped a kitten! I called for the girls, they are experts at cat-care, and told them the situation. The kitten was at our door scratching to get in, our cat right behind it. I made sure everyone had a chance to grab at it as I let it in, not wanting it to reach a hiding spot, but it was so tame that wasn't even an issue. It's extremely intelligent, as I tested it in various ways and it passed them all easily. It's also very people-friendly, and it keeps it's claws sheathed when grabbing at a person. We called a few neighbors, who all said they didn't have that kind of cat. The shelter isn't open tomorrow, meaning we're stuck with it for at least another full day. That isn't really an issue, we just don't want to become too attached. This time of year is horrible money-wise, and the kitten looks to be about 5 to 6 months old, right around the time to have it "fixed". We don't have disposable income, and we were just forced to help buy a new stove for my gf's mom. Winter is coming, and heating oil is always hard to pay for. The idea of spending a couple hundred on a cat that's likely to run off at the first chance isn't really bright. That said, we are all suckers for strays. I'll take a few pics tomorrow, if I feel like it lol
Keeping it will be costly (food, shots, monthly flea/tick preventative, vet bills, etc.). If you have a "no-kill" shelter in your area, try taking it there. Otherwise, try placing it in a home where it will be cared for. Most shelters can provide names of people looking to adopt. Look beyond just your local animal shelter. Most cities have several "second chance" type shelters (where they don't euthanize). Try friends and neighbors or try placing a flyer at your shelter until it can be adopted. Many veterinarians also have binders at the counter with pics of animals that can be adopted. See about getting a pic for the binder at one or more vets in your area. It may cost a few bucks in the meantime to care for the cat, but in the long haul it will be cheaper for you and your girlfriend. It would probably be best not to grow attached to it since you don't have disposable income to properly care for it.
We had to keep the kitten here with us for two days, until the Humane Society opened...at 4pm. Really though...4pm to 8pm Monday, Wednesday, and Friday...someone is in need of funding, I think. Republicans run the State...just saying... That wasn't an issue really, though both our cats did not like the kitten. We had called all the neighbors we could think of, but none of them said he was theirs. It was about 3pm when my gf found the owner, by knocking door to door, not an easy task as this is a very rural area, with neighbors spread out thin. So it's back with it's owners now, and my gf didn't have to cry lol
The Copper Country Humane Society (Houghton, MI) is run by non-profit donations. I presume that's the shelter you're referencing. One-hundred-percent of their funding is through fundraising and private donations; not through taxpayer dollars. Perhaps you could donate some money to allow them to stay open longer... Just saying. From their website: The Copper Country Humane Society (CCHS) is a non-profit (501c3) organization that is dedicated to the welfare and humane treatment of animals. CCHS provides the following services for Keweenaw, Baraga and Houghton Counties plus the Keweenaw Bay Indian Community (KBIC). 100% of the money needed for vet care, spay/neuter and medical needs for the 900 animals CCHS cares for annually is raised through monthly fundraising events and private donations. We thank you for all the support. http://www.cchumanesociety.com
