Weekly Shelter Report

The A/C is repaired at the shelter, for which all humans and animals are grateful.

Chyna, our resident FELV+ cat who lives in the office, is obviously going stir crazy. She was a huge cat when she came to us, and when we put her on the lite food, she ate it with disdain at first, but finally, upon realizing nothing else would be provided, treated it the way she had treated regular food. That meant she went nuts and ate her whole serving in one quick chunk, then begged for more.

Now, she ignores it, and begs for loving and petting. When a chow kitty wants love more than food, you know it is time to get her out of that office and adopted already.

When I cleaned Grady and Prissy's room, I tried my best to keep them both in. I was only partly successful. Grady, master escape artist, did get out. Most caretakers let him out and get it over with, clean the other rooms, and then attempt to corral the troublemaker. I didn't want any nonsense from him tonight, knowing how hard he is to return, so I didn't let him out. I couldn't let him get away with sneaking out, so I went straight for the gardening gloves and made a grab for him. He wasn't expecting a direct attack, and it was over quickly. He's a nice enough cat, but he doesn't like being put back in his room.

Princess and Zeus were their usual ultra-loving selves. Abnormally friendly is how Bigger Girl puts it.

Poor Nacho and Kevynn had a rough day this past week when the morning caretaker accidentally shoved their litter box back up against the wall with the opening facing the wall. The evening caretaker found them almost literally crossing their legs, and they both bolted for the box the moment it was turned. Today, they were doing well.

Frieda is an odd bird. Poor thing can't decide whether or not to be friendly. They are talking about renaming her, and are asking for suggestions. I wrote "Tallulah" on the list of possibilities, but I'm not sure anyone will take me seriously.

Molly was so shy she wouldn't come down from the top shelf in the room. Mouse was anything but a mouse. She is so gregarious, she needs a better name. Poor thing was about 4 months old when she had kittens, and is only a petite 8 month old now, and so friendly I wish we could bottle it and give some to Frieda.

Sparky, Simba, and Curly Sue had apparently broken their truce today. None of them like other cats much, and they usually barely tolerate each other. Today one must have gotten to the breaking point. Curly Sue is nuts anyway, and when she was in a cage was the messiest thing I had ever seen. Sparky and Simba were looking daggers at each other, the water was spilled, and the floor dirty because one of them had messed on it. We could move them back to cages, but it is policy to not leave a healthy animal in a cage more than their week at LuvAPet adoption center, unless we have no other choice. We might have to make an exception.

Angel and Dusty were their usual sweet selves, and now have Corrie, and equally sweet girl, in there with them. None of them are on eye meds right now, but all three have that "weepy eye" syndrome. Any time they are under stress, their calici virus acts up, and they can shed virus for months even after the eye clears up. So, no adoption center for them, being in a cage brings on a bout of virus and yucky looking eyes. They will have to be adopted through Petfinder on the net, or adoption days at the shelter itself.

ZuZu is our only regular cage resident right now, and only until space opens up to move her out. Bigger Girl says she is very unfriendly in the cage, so we are hoping she will turn cheerful when she gets more space. If not, we will have another Frieda on our hands.

Rory is the most gorgeous guy there. His wounds are almost totally healed up, thanks to the loving care and goldenseal wash to keep them clean. This is a bruiser sized guy who is, well, a pussycat. He purrs when you give him a shot. He purred through IVs. He loves petting and is absolutely ravenous most of the time. He was skinny, that is for sure, and has filled out nicely without getting fat at all. He makes that trilling noise when he wants you to quit petting and get on with serving his dinner.

The other day they let him get out of the cage and walk around for the first time. I was told he was beautiful and cute, stretching his legs out and practically moaning with pleasure as he roamed. In another week or so, he will be ready for neutering and put up for adoption.

In the clinic room we have 4 kittens named Bonsai, Shenzi, Mulan, and Shogun. They were dropped at the pet store. Not wild, but not friendly, except Bonsai. They were obviously indoors as they were clean and flea free, but were not played with and properly socialized. Most likely, the irresponsible owner who couldn't be bothered to spay the mama didn't want them handled by other family members so no one would grow attached. That means we have to try to help them learn to be friendly so they can be adoptable. Yes, I will rudely call the owner irresponsible, especially as his/her solution for not bothering with proper care for the mama was to dump the kittens on someone else to take care of. Well ... ah, don't get me started.

Our final current resident is a tiny, sweet, orange tabby and white boy who was found on the side of the highway today, with a broken hind leg. The leg cannot be splinted without the possibility of losing movement in the joint, so he has to be kept still and quiet. No running or jumping, and yes, if he is put on the floor, he runs, putting just the lightest pressure on the hurt foot. So, he is not hurting so badly, and purrs lots when petted, and is obviously just barely weaned. He will be in a large carrier until his leg heals.

So, that is the report from cat central for this week.


Today is

Atomic Bomb Day

Birthday of Isis -- Ancient Egyptian Calendar

Constitution Day -- South Korea

Feast of Our Lady of Mt. Carmel

Hot Dog Night

Ice Cream Cone Day

International Juggling Day

LaPaz Day -- Bolivia

National Corn Fritters Day

Petal-Hopping for Non-Starters Day -- Fairy Calendar

St. Eustathius' Day

Talk to a Telemarketer Day

Tolpuddle Martyrs' Festival -- Dorset, England; through the 18th

Twin-o-Rama -- Cassville, Wisconsin


Birthdays Today

Corey Feldman, 1971
Barry Sanders, 1968
Will Ferrell, 1967
Michael Flatley, 1958
Ginger Rogers, 1911
"Miss Frances" Horwich, 1907
Barbara Stanwyck, 1907
Orville Reddenbacker, 1907
Roald Amundsen, 1872
Mary Baker Eddy, 1821


Today in History

The Islamic Calendar begins, 622
East-West Schism between the Eastern and Western Christian churches begin, 1054
The first banknotes in Europe are issued by the Swedish bank Stockholms Banco, 1661
Manchu Qing Dynasty naval forces under traitorous commander Shi Lang defeat the Kingdom of Tungning in the Battle of Penghu near the Pescadores Islands, 1683
Father Junipero Serra founds California's first mission, Mission San Diego de Alcalá. Over the following decades, it evolves into the city of San Diego, 1769
First performance of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart's opera The Abduction from the Seraglio, 1782
The city of La Paz, in what is today Bolivia, declares its independence from the Spanish Crown, 1809
Emily Stowe becomes the first female physician licensed to practice medicine in Canada, 1880
The world's first parking meter is installed in the Oklahoma capital, Oklahoma City, 1935
The world's first nuclear weapon, the "atom bomb," is detonated in New Mexico, 1945
The storming of the cockpit of the Miss Macao passenger seaplane, operated by a subsidiary of the Cathay Pacific Airways, marks the first aircraft hijacking of a commercial plane, 1948
J.D. Salinger novel The Catcher in the Rye published by Little, Brown and Company, 1951
USS George Washington (SSBN-598) a modified Skipjack class submarine successfully test fires the first Ballistic missile while submerged, 1960
The Mont Blanc Tunnel linking France and Italy opens, 1965
Apollo 11, the first manned space mission to land on the Moon is launched from the Kennedy Space Center at Cape Canaveral, Florida, 1969
Comet Shoemaker-Levy 9 collides with Jupiter (impacts continue until July 22), 1994
John F. Kennedy, Jr., piloting a Piper Saratoga aircraft, dies in a plane mishap over the Atlantic Ocean, off the coast of Martha's Vineyard, along with his wife Carolyn Bessette Kennedy and sister-in-law Lauren Bessette, 1999