Black and White and Sweet All Over

From my hubby Kevin (the writer):

Even though he’s a very confident kitty, Tay (the all-white guy) can be be startled if he doesn’t see us coming. What's up with the seeming contradiction, you ask? Well, as it turns out, this handsome, sweet and playful boy just happens to be totally deaf. But Mighty Tay doesn’t let such a minor thing stop him from climbing the cat tree in his room with speed and agility, chasing a ball with reckless abandon or telling Tracey and me that he wants to be let out of his cage to stretch his legs! He loves people and seems fine with other (non-aggressive) cats.

Gentle sisters Jezebel and Neko (at right in their picture) are two of our favorite feline pals. These sweet girls look an awful lot alike, but now that we’ve spent a lot of time with them, we’ve learned that it’s actually pretty easy to tell them apart. The first difference is the color of their eyes. Neko -- who is a little more outgoing than her sister -- has beautiful yellow eyes, while Jezebel has amazing orange eyes. Both girls really enjoy being pet, and both (especially Neko) LOVE to play with string toys, which they swat at and leap after with kitten-like energy. Our visits with them are never complete without a session with the long, fleecy string-on-a-stick toy. Their other highly developed skills include keeping each other warm and lounging (see picture). Like all good sisters, Jezebel and Neko are extremely attached to each other, and as such are “a package deal” for any potential adopters. In our opinion, that’s not a bad thing … whoever adopts this pair is getting quite a bargain!

Alexis and Jasper

Today Kevin enjoyed some quality time with Alexis (see left pic) and Jasper (see right pic). He reported that Alexis loves to play with little stuffed mouse toys and her roommate Jasper's tail (through the bars of his cage). She especially likes being held and walked around the room.

Jasper loves people, is very sweet and purrs up a storm. All this boy lives for is someone to give him a warm place to stay with food, water and lots of love. He is such an amazing, gentle soul.

Sadly, both these kitties have Feline Leukemia Virus (FeLV). In addition to FeLV, Jasper has Feline Immunodeficiency Virus (FIV).

These are the sad cases for volunteers ... when an animal comes into the shelter after being on the street for many years, only to be vet-checked and diagnosed with an illness. There is that one ray of hope, however: that a kind and compassionate person (or people) will be searching for just this special type of kitty, to give it a nice home and the love that it's been searching for.

Until next time...

All the PAWS creatures...Big and Small

Two of our favorite kitties are Mr. Big and Michelle.

Mr. Big (left pic) is a really big boy with a really big heart. Kevin spent much time today with this easy-going, mild mannered boy who sat in his lap for almost a half an hour. What made him leave the comfort of Kevin's lap? Why food of course! (:

Michelle (pic on right) is an absolutely adorable tuxedo cat with little white cheeks and beautiful green eyes. She's content to just relax and observe what's going on around the playroom. She likes to lay by people and is really gentle.

That's it for now...

Welcome to PAWS Buddy and Hassie!

Two beautiful cats arrived at PAWS not too long ago, but have made big impressions on the shelter staff and volunteers.

Buddy (picture on left) is a handsome long-haired gray and white cat. He has a gentle personality but seems a little nervous around other cats. That could be because he's pretty new. He likes to sit on laps and be petted, is very photogenic and plays with fleece string toys.

Hassie (two right pictures) is a gorgeous long-haired, dilute calico cat. She has a very confident way about her and she's a total mush...Loves to be held and carried around as if she was your child. She's super sweet and craves attention.

We look forward to continuing to work with them, but most of all, for that day when they and all the other wonderful animals at PAWS leave to live in their forever homes.

Rays of Sunshine During a Tough Time...

I don't know about you all but this economy and the resulting layoffs can really bum a person out. It's so nice to be able to take my mind off things and visit my little buddies at the shelter. It feels so rewarding to dedicate time to these animals - and they really show us in their own little ways just how much they appreciate it.

Yesterday Kevin and I had breakthroughs with both Dylan and Ari.

Dylan (left photo) has been at the shelter for a little while, yet every time Kevin and I would go into his room, he would pretty much keep to himself. Well, yesterday, Kevin was laying on this huge bean bag-like seat and Dylan came up, laid near Kevin and proceeded to inch closer and closer and closer...Eventually he put his paw on Kevin's chest and just laid there...It was so cute.

When Ari (Orange tabby in top right photo) came into the shelter with his brother Artie, they were both very standoffish. In the short time that Ari's been at the shelter he no longer feels the need to run away from people, and now enjoys the petting that both Kevin and I give him. Question...What are Dylan and Ari looking at in this photo?

...Why it's CAT TV! (bottom right) This picture shows how much Dylan and Ari enjoy a little CAT TV time...(:

Thank goodness for the things that make us happy.