Blog the Change for Animals

IS THIS HOW I TAKE A SELFIE?

Sunday Selfies: Week #153

Do you recognize me? I don’t make an appearance very often. I normally don’t call too much attention to myself; though, I have been asking for a bit more attention lately. To find out more about that, please come back on Wordless Wednesday when I will be here again.

Mom was pretty excited a few days ago when she saw Astrid and me touching noses. I didn’t hiss. Astrid didn’t scream. No paws were lifted, and we both walked away with all our furs intact. Mom says that all this hot weather has made us lethargic and uninterested in putting out the effort it takes to have a disagreement. We’ve even been caught sharing the cat tree. Photographic evidence may exist on Dad’s camera. If it does, Astrid or I will share in a future post.

If you are unfamiliar with Astrid’s and my story, you can read this paragraph. I shared my kitty mom with Astrid and her brother who were abandoned as babies. We lived together in a foster home and Mom and Dad adopted us together. Astrid and I were the best of friends and loved each other dearly. Then poof…one day we decided we hated each other. No event prompted this as far as our humans know, and we aren’t talking. Anyhoo, I’m not saying we will be friends again, but we did have a momentary truce.

Now that I have shared my selfie, it is time to share one of your own. All critters and anipals are encouraged and welcome to join. You don’t have to be a pet or domesticated animal. We totally enjoy meeting and greeting new and unusual entrants. The link to add your selfie to the hop is below. You also can find the code there to add the hop to your blog post. If you do this, would you be so kind as to add our badge to your post and/or link back to The Cat on My Head.

Blog the Change for Animals

Yesterday was the day to participate in this event, which encourages bloggers to spread the word about and to inspire others to help animals in need. When Mom remembers, we try to take part. Obviously, she didn’t remember. But Lola and Lexy’s mom, Dawn, from Lola the Rescued Cat, didn’t forget. She wrote a terrific post about PAWS of Connecticut. We definitely think it is worth reading if you haven’t done so. Here’s the link too the post, Pet Animal Welfare Society. Photos of our previous sponsored-cat, Swizzle, and our current sponsored-cat, Charlotte, are included in the post.

Have an easy Sunday everybody. I sure hope it isn’t too hot where you live.

Purrs and paw-pats, Lisbeth (with kisses for my boyfriend Charles)

MEET BRUNO AND BOOP AND HANNAH SHAW

For Blog the Change to Animals I am sharing information about the “Kitten Lady,” Hannah Shaw. Shaw is an orphaned kitten expert. Her days are spent hand-raising the cutest, most vulnerable and tiniest kittens.

Boop (L) and Bruno

The Kitten Lady recently was responsible for saving two orphaned kittens, Bruno and Boop. Bruno was seized by animal control from a cruelty case in Washington D.C. at just five days old. Boop was found in the trash at one week of age by a Good Samaritan. Neither kitten had any surviving litter mates.

After a two-week quarantine to ensure each kitten was free of any contagions, the two five-week-old kittens finally met. Their playdate was documented by famed Philadelphia-based animal photographer Andrew Marttila (Instagram: iamthegreatwent.) The two are now best friends.

A photo series is available at www.KittenLady.org/Playdate. You also can follow Bruno and Boop via Kitten Lady’s social media profiles: Twitter: @kittenxlady; Instagram: @kittenxlady; Facebook.com/kittenxlady and YouTube.com/kittenlady.

Shaw documents the lives off Bruno and Boop and their care via photography and video as part of a nonprofit project that shares her nickname: “Kitten Lady.” Through the project Shaw educates others on how they can help foster orphaned kittens; thus, saving teeny, tiny lives. To learn more about Kitten Lady and learn how you can become an orphaned kitten foster, go to www.KittenLady.org.

Neonatal (under 8 weeks of age), orphaned kittens are one of the most underserved populations by the U.S. shelter system. Due to lack of training and time demands of staff and/or volunteers, most shelters kill unweaned orphaned kittens upon entering the shelter. It is Shaw’s personal mission, and the mission of the Kitten Lady project, to change those statistics.

Kitten Lady additionally provides rescue and adoption services to neonatal kittens in the Washington, DC area. At this time she is accepting adoption applications in the Washington DC area for Bruno and Boop. Strong preference is given to people interested in adopting both kittens together, as they are now a bonded pair.

About Kitten Lady

Kitten Lady is a project of Photographers for Animals, a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization, developed by Hannah Shaw. Kitten Lady’s goal is to change the world for neonatal kittens. Despite popular perception, kittens are an extremely at-risk population, facing tremendous suffering in animal shelters and on the streets. Kitten Lady seeks to advance protections for these vulnerable felines by providing advocacy tools, educational media, and workshops and consultation to individuals and organizations.

About Photographers for Animals

Photographers for Animals is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. Recognizing the impact and influence imagery can have on an audience to take action, Photographers for Animals was founded to promote animal issues and to help organizations utilize opportunities for photography and film. The mission of the organization is to inspire positive change on behalf of animals; to support those helping animals; and to document animals and the efforts being made on their behalf. Its website is www.photographersforanimals.org.

Most information for this post provided by PawsPR ( PawsPR.com ).

BLOG THE CHANGE FOR ANIMALS WITH BARN CAT BUDDIES

As part of Blog the Change, we are excited to share the following information with you from Barn Cat Buddies (Astrid, Lisbeth and Calista Jo’s alma mater).

Thanks to a generous grant from the McCausland Foundation, Barn Cat Buddies announces The FREE Feline FIX! The goal is to spay/neuter/rabies vaccinate approximately 600 felines this winter totally FREE to cat/kitten owners AND caretakers of managed colonies. The mission is to hugely impact the number of litters that would be surrendered to local pounds and shelters this spring and summer.

Making this an incredible offering for cat owners/caretakers is the lack of restrictions to taking advantage of this opportunity.

1. No income requirement.
2. No zip code requirement
3. No limit to the number of cats per household and
4. Open to community (feral) cats as long as a caretaker is feeding and monitoring the cat or colony.

PLEASE NOTE: This grant ONLY covers the cost of a spay or neuter, rabies vaccine and ear tip for cats in traps. The surgeries will be performed at Angels of Assisi (our Santa Kitty Toy Hop recipients). If the Assisi medical staff determines a feline needs additional medical treatment, that is the responsibility of the pet owner. To apply simply call the Barn Cat Buddies hotline at 504-344-8707 ext. 3* do not leave your message on Assisi’s line please.

Please spread the word through social media!

January 15, 2015 by Janet Blue Animal Rescue Backstory Barn Cat Buddies Blog the Change for Animals Roanoke Virginia 23

YOU
For Fiona

It seems like only yesterday…
You were just a kitten.
When I saw your pleading look,
I was completely smitten.

Now at only six years old,
You are getting ready to leave,
Soon you will have your wings.
I’ve already started to grieve.

You’ve fought hard for the past year,
And I’m not ready to say good-bye.
I can’t imagine you not in my life
I am so sad…today I had to cry.

I am grateful and blessed
For my six years with you.
You’ll live in my heart forever.
You’re one of the best ever Kitties Blue.

YESTERDAY

Many yesterdays have passed since
You gained your angel wings. Today
Is six months since you left us behind
To remember and mourn. Our hearts
Continue to hurt, and we miss
You as much as the day you left.
Giulietta whined from the catio
Yesterday as I worked in the yard.
I know you put her up to it. That
Was your way of getting me to,
Allow you to join me as I
Gardened. You were there with me
In spirit. With every meow
I thought of you and how much I miss
Your sweet face and disposition.
In these past few months, many friends
Have traveled your same path in your
paw-steps. I am certain you were
Waiting to greet them with purrs and hugs.
I pray you and your friends are laughing,
Frolicking and having fun together.
Picturing that makes me smile, but
Does not lessen my sadness at your
No longer being here to snuggle
And receive our love, care and kisses.
Fiona, please do not ever forget
You are still and always will be loved.

ONE YEAR MISSING YOU

One year has passed since you flew away,
And I still think of you everyday.
I see your sweet face in my mind’s eye
And wish we’d never had to say good-bye.
It’s nice you’ve sent us kitties needing a family,
But my dearest love, we are now at capacity.
You thought it would take more than one cat
To take your place in our habitat.
We love Cooper Murphy and baby Sawyer dearly
But thinking either could replace you makes me teary.
You were one-of-a-kind and will stay in my heart
Until the day I join you and we’re no longer apart.
When once again I can hold you in my arms
And revel in all your love and feline charms.
Together with you and all who have passed.
I will spend eternity contemplating how blessed
I was to share my life with my furry children,
Each and every one of you one-in-a billion.

UNTIL

I miss you each day.
Until we meet in heaven,
The pain will remain.

ONE OF A KIND

I don’t know how to say good-bye.
I thought you were invincible; though,
You used up many of your nine lives.
You ruled us all with an iron paw;
Never took “no” for an answer
And always got your way.
If not, you’d bark to signal your
Displeasure and sometimes raise a paw.
I always joked that you were bi-polar.
When I told people you were a calico
They immediately understood what I meant.
Today was unnaturally quiet in the house.
Can a home seem empty with eight cats?
I will miss waking up at night to find you
Sitting next to me and staring at me.
I will miss you yelling at us as you did
When you wanted breakfast and dinner.
I will miss watching you lounging and snoozing
On the porch settee on a warm afternoon.
But most of all I will miss your kisses!
When kitten Sawyer befriended you,
We suspect you were imparting your
Wisdom and secrets for controlling us.
Time will tell if he was a good listener.
But whatever he may have learned,
Neither Sawyer nor any other cat
Can or will replace you in our hearts.
Lily Olivia, you were one-of-a-kind.