Our 400th Post!

400 posts?  Really?  When Tracey first started Animal Shelter Volunteer Life back in December of 2008, we never imagined it would grow to become such a source of joy and encouragement for so many.  Nor did we imagine this little blog would become a portal through which we would make so many amazing friends, and meet so many animal lovers from around the world.

On this occasion, we want to thank you all.  Your love, support and encouragement are such sources of strength and joy, and we are so very fortunate to have you sharing in our adventures, and in the stories about the amazing, adoptable cats who pass through the doors of PAWS.  We're also abundantly thankful for animal advocates everywhere, and places like PAWS that provide safe and loving havens for animals while they wait to find their very own forever homes.

Much love and gratitude, and hugs and headbonks to you all,

Kevin (meowmeowmans), Tracey, Sammy and Moosey, and all the PAWS Cats

Easy Like Sunday - Ashton

Handsome and lovable Ashton is getting in some hammock time while he waits for his new family to pick him up.  He's going home today!  Congratulations to you and your new people, Ashton ... we love you, pal!  :)

Dr. Seuss Day Challenge - Sam I Am

That cat named Sam

That Sam I am

We all love

that cat named Sam

Do we love that cat named Sam?

We sure DO love that cat named Sam

We all love you, Sam-I-am

We thought we'd use the Dr. Seuss Day Challenge to let you know that our Sammy continues to do well after his recent health scare.  He's eating well, he finished his antibiotics, his fur and skin are better, and he's ... well ... he's acting like the sweet senior we all know and love.  Thank you for your love and concern, and Happy Dr. Seuss Day, everybody!

Hugs and headbonks,

 

SAMmy, Moosey, Mom Tracey and Dad Kevin (meowmeowmans)

(Almost) Wordless Wednesday - Three Amigos

Elmer, Lenny and Tony (from top to bottom) truly are best buddies.  Here they are, making good use of one of the shelter's nifty cat condos.

Speaking of the shelter, we were quite honored to be interviewed about PAWS by our friends over at Carmine's Orange Pages. (Thank you so much, Carmine, Milita and Jewel!)  Be sure to check out the interview here. :)

FURever Home Weekend - Happy Dance!

Got plans this weekend?  How about joining us for a big ol' happy dance?  Those of you who know us know that we LOVE celebrating when our kitty friends find forever homes.  And with February already shaping up to be been another amazing adoption month, we're planning to dance right into March! :)

While every adoption story is special, some kitties have stories that are EXTRA special.  Like Oracle, who had been waiting at PAWS for a loving home for FOUR YEARS.  And Roamer, who got his name after he was unceremoniously dumped at PAWS (we found him roaming in the hallway).  And Grey Mama, a semi-feral kitty found as stray after Hurricane Sandy.  And Toni (originally from Puerto Rico, and more recently, from Connecticut), who found herself at PAWS after her human mom sadly passed away.  We're so excited that all these kitties have found their happily-ever-afters.

Here's the full list of the newest PAWS graduates (and stay tuned, because we hear there may be more to come in the coming days!):

Abby
Abe
Amelia
Ashton
Morse
Chloe
Brenna
Derek and Andy (together, from foster)
Grey Mama
Jolie (from foster)
Oracle (after four years!)
Oscar
Panda
Papa Bear and Shy (together, from foster)
Pattycake
Roamer
Tommy and Millie (together)
Toni

Have a great weekend, everybody! :)

(Almost) Wordless Wednesday - Annabella

Beauty, a super sweet disposition and a great sense of humor ... our adoptable pal Annabella has them all!   Come meet her today, and fall in love. :)

Easy Like Sunday - Miles :)

We hope your Sunday is as easy as the one handsome,

gentle and adoptable Miles has planned. :)

Happy Valentine's Day! :)

Sending love, hugs, headbonks, nosetaps and scritches to our friends near and far.

Happy Valentine's Day, everyone!

Sammy, Moosey, Tracey and Kevin

Sammy is Home! :)

Thank you, everybody!  Your purrs, prayers and good thoughts worked!  Our sweet senior kitty Sammy was discharged this afternoon, and is back home.  We're all relieved and overjoyed, even though Moosey's not sure why Sammy smells funny/different. :)

Sammy UTB

Sammy is understandably tired from his ordeal, and is currently sleeping in his mancat cave UTB (under the bed).  He has a bunch of meds (for nausea, upset stomach, an antibiotic, a pain med, etc.) to take for the next few days, but he's good about eating his pill pockets.  The mom and the dad will of course be watching like hawks to make sure he's still doing okay.  Generally, the vets are pleased at how his numbers improved once he got those fluids, and now we are just waiting for a few more test results.  Please purr and pray for Sammy as he continues his recovery, okay?

We are so grateful for all of you.  Your love, support and friendship have been -- and continue to be -- great sources of strength and encouragement.  Thank you!

Love and headbonks,

Dad Kevin, Mom Tracey, Sammy and Moosey

A Visit with Sammy

Can we go home now?  Please?

Tracey and I had a nice visit with Sammy at the emergency veterinary hospital today.  Overall, he seemed pretty alert and active, and it made us happy to watch him eat (KD, with pieces of real chick-hen mixed in!) with his normal enthusiasm.  Of course he got lots of hugs, pets, scritches, snuggles and smooches, too. :)

Nom nom nom...

The vet says Sammy is tolerating the fluid therapy well, his kidney levels are stable.  His blood work looks okay so far, but they will test it again tomorrow (they want to make sure they get accurate readings as he's getting more and more hydrated).  We plan to visit him again tomorrow, and he'll also be having his ultrasound done.  Please purr and pray that the results are "good."

Thank you, everyone.  We appreciate you all so much!

Hugs and headbonks,

Dad Kevin, Mom Tracey and Moosey

Purrs and Prayers for Sammy, Please

Please purr and pray for our own sweet 19 year-old cat Sammy, one of the two kitties who own the folks here at Animal Shelter Volunteer Life.

We had to take Sammy at the emergency veterinary clinic tonight, and he will be there through at least Monday.  He's dehydrated, threw up a few times, and hasn't been eating as well as usual (those who know Sammy know that he is usually a very good eater).  He'll be getting fluid therapy, and they will be checking his bloodwork again in the morning.  We'll visit him tomorrow, but it absolutely broke our hearts to leave him there. :(

Tracey and I (and brother Moosey) love Sammy so very much, and we are very worried and sad.

Thanks, everybody,

Dad Kevin (aka "meowmeowmans"), Mom Tracey, and Moosey

Waiting for the Storm...

Like most everyone in the Northeast, our sweet, handsome and adoptable friend Bailey is on high alert for the arrival of Winter Storm Nemo.  The National Weather Service has issued a blizzard warning for our area, and some models predict we could get between 18 and 24 inches of snow by 1 PM on Saturday.  Me-WOW!  Stay safe and warm, everyone! (* UPDATE - FRIDAY NIGHT: they just upped the amount of snow expected in our area ... now we are expecting between 20 and 36 inches.) 

Tabby Girls on Tuesday

It's Tabby Cat Tuesday, and here are three beautiful tabby ladycats waiting at PAWS for families to call their very own.  These three seniors all have personalities as distinct as their looks, but all are gentle, with lots of love to give. :)

Snuggly Maine Coon mix Penelope is a big and talkative lapcat.

Sweet Sandy is quiet and reserved, and enjoys company and being pet.

Sheba is still getting used to life at the shelter, but she loves being talked to, and being pet.

Easy Like Sunday - Scoots

Handsome, snuggly and adoptable mancat Scoots is taking it easy (with an assist from meowmeowmans). What about you? :)

Have a great Sunday, everybody!

FURever Home Friday :)

Looking to start your weekend with a BIG smile?  Well, you're in luck, because today is FURever Home Friday! :)

(from left) Mufasa, Leo and Maggie

After so many PAWS kitties found families in November and December, we all wondered what the new year would bring.  Well, guess what?  The January 2013 graduating class includes an amazing 21 cats!  Remember Leo And Mufasa?  They've both been adopted!  And what about volunteer favorite, sweet Maggie?  It turns out her new mommy was right under her nose ... Maggie has joined our fellow PAWS volunteer and friend Linda's kitty clan. :)

Here's the full list of January graduates (let the happy dancing commence):

Alexander

Anna

Chi-Lan

Claus

Codi

Everett

FaFa

Franny

Franz

Fritz

Hanz

Hera

Leo

Maggie

Nutmeg

Savannah

Stormy

Sven

Vivian

Zoey and Mufasa (together)

ConCATulations and much love to all of the graduates and their families.  Have a great weekend, everyone!    

Wordless Wednesday - Adoptables!

Check out these pictures of three of our beautiful, adoptable PAWS friends...

Dottie

Annabella

Chloe

Come meet your new best friend today! :)

Easy Like Sunday - Milo

As you can see, our cuddly, adoptable buddy Milo is taking it easy today.

Here's hoping YOUR Sunday is as good as Milo's. :)

A FURever Home Friday Happy Tale

In late November 2011, the hearts of the PAWS volunteers and staff were filled with joy as our sweet kitty friend Carter left for his new forever home. We still remember this special boy quite fondly, so you can imagine how excited we were to learn that he is living the high life with a friend of one of our fellow volunteers (Paige)! And even MORE excited when Paige passed along this beautiful message from Alison (Carter's Mom):

I am not, nor have I ever been a cat person and yet, here I sit, the owner of a cat, whose name is Carter.

Throughout my life, I've always identified myself as a 'dog' person. Over the past few years, I used to check out the PAWS dog gallery like other people might search eBay looking for a good deal. After a long dog-sitting stint and much consideration, I realized that I didn't have a lifestyle that would be fair to a dog and sort of half-heartedly gave up on the idea of having a pet. And then my neighbor, a PAWS volunteer, asked if I ever considered adopting a cat.

And the answer to that question, was a resounding no. However, I began to change my mind after a couple of talks about the benefits of cat ownership. Soon, I found myself presented with a few pictures of some cats my neighbor thought I would like. Among those pictures was a cat with a perfect black nose, and black and white markings that kind of reminded me of a cow and not just because he was a little chubby (although he was). I knew that I might just give this cat thing a chance.

Carter had been abandoned about 6 months before I adopted him. Left alone in his pet carrier at a vet's office, there was a note that explained the reason for leaving him was that he was sweet but afraid of people and instead of meowing, he chirped. When I met Carter he was a bit depressed and not easily adjusting to life with the other cats at PAWS. Somewhere during that first meeting, I knew that this cat was meant for me.

Over the past year, Carter has adjusted well to living with a dog person. Each day he gains more confidence and reveals a playful side that I never would have thought he had in him during that first meeting last November. He is still a little chunky but we're working on that. The note was right, he does chirp, but I'm not sure how that is a detractor. While he is somewhat shy of people, he mingles on his own terms when I have company.

For my part, I have joined the ranks of pet owners who take copious pictures of their animals doing something random that probably only I think is cute, forcing friends and family to look at them. Even worse, poor Carter was subjected to having to not only wear a Halloween costume this year but to round out the holiday humiliation, he was also the star of my Christmas card. I could never imagine how much having this little creature in my life would add to it, but I am thankful that Carter is mine, chirping and all.

Thank you on behalf of Carter and myself to all the volunteers at PAWS, for all you do for animals every day.

Thank YOU, Alison, for opening your heart to the "cat thing," and for loving Carter so much (and so well).

Be sure to check out our next FURever Friday post for a roundup of a whole bunch of recent adoptions. Have a great weekend, everybody! :)

(Almost) Wordless Wednesday - Allie

It's shocking to us that sweet and beautiful lapcat Allie is still at PAWS. We sure hope the new year brings her the loving forever home she wants and deserves.

Easy Like Sunday - Roamer

'Sup?

To read more about awesome and adoptable Roamer, click HERE

Happy Sunday, everybody! :)

Fun on Friday!

A while back, we got some terrific homemade kitty toys during the Celestial Kitties' FUNdraiser for our friend Chrystal's private cat rescue.  We brought some of the toys to PAWS, and the kitties LOVE them.  To prove the point, here are Roamer and Toni with a little fun for your Friday...

Roamer: "Check out my bunny-kicking, putting on the bitey style!"

Toni: "Hey, I think there's catnip in this toy!"

Beautiful Toni and handsome Roamer live in the PAWS meeting room, and both are available for adoption.  Come meet them, and fall in love!

Happy Friday, everybody! :)

Tessa on Tuesday - Cat of the Month

Hi Everybuddy!  I'm Tessa, and guess what?  I'm the "PAWS Cat of the Month!"  That means that my adoption fee is just $75 in January!  Oh, and whoever adopts me gets a new best friend AND a special goody bag, too!  Pretty good deal, huh?

Many people are surprised to learn that I've been waiting for a forever home at PAWS for a long time.  Especially when my closest volunteer friends explain that I am a sweet and dainty ladycat who loves catnip, sitting on laps, being pet, and playing with the laser cat toy.  And that I am graceful, and such an amazing jumper that it almost appears that I can fly!  So why am I still here, you ask?  Well, I'm sort of shy and reserved around new people, so potential adopters don't get to see just how special I am.  I just KNOW that if somebuddy gives me a chance, we will be the bestest of friends.

Here's me on my friend Tracey's lap :)

I am about three years old, spayed, microchipped, current on all my vaccinations, and I've tested negative for FeLV and FIV.  I do have a food allergy, but this is something that is easily managed by a prescription food.  I do seem to tolerate non-dominant, easygoing kitties, but would probably do best as an only cat in a quieter home.

Me being silly!

Thanks for checking me out here.  Come meet me in PURRson at PAWS, okay?

Love,

Tessa

What the Mom and Dad did in NYC!

Hi, it's me, Sammy! As a formerly feral cat myself, I know how difficult it is for kitties living outside, especially during the long, cold winter months.  So I was really happy that the dad and the mom got to join about 200 other cat lovers in New York City Thursday night for a really awesome event called "Architects for Animals."

Get a load of these pictures* of what they saw there!  Those are shelters for the feral cats living in New York City, designed by leading architectural design firms.  Is that not the coolest?

Shelter of empty (insulated) Friskies cat food cans, by The American Street Cat

A kitty high-rise, by Francis Cauffman

A modernist shelter, by M Moser Associates

Shelter by Callison Barteluce Architects

Shelter by Sara Silvestri, of H3 Hardy Collaboration Architecture

The exhibition was held by Architects for Animals and the Mayor’s Alliance for NYC’s Animals to benefit the New York City Feral Cat Initiative.  All of the shelters on display at the event are being donated to existing feral cat colonies around the city. :)

Oh, and as if these tricked out, creative shelters weren't enough excitement for one night, the mom and dad also got to hang out IN PERSON with some of our blogging pals!

That's Mom and Dad in the center of the back row.  They had so much fun meeting (left to right)  Carine, from Texas, a cat in New York; Laura from Squeedunk; Tamar from I Have Cat; and Layla from Cat Wisdom 101!

Have a great day, everyone! :)

(* Photos of the cat shelters courtesy of I Have Cat.  Thanks, Tamar!)

Wordless Wednesday - New Friends

Instagram pictures of Leo, Mufasa and Parsley - three of our new adoptable friends at PAWS.

Leo

Mufasa

Parsley

We'll share more about these three beautiful kittehs in upcoming posts. :)

Easy Like Sunday - Brenna

Sweet and adoptable Brenna is hanging out today in this warm and cozy cat tree.

Happy Sunday, everybody. :)

FURever Home Friday! :)

Hooray!  It's time for our first FURever Home Friday of the year!  In the final days of 2012, some more PAWS cats found homes of their very own, including sweet Jack III!

Jack III

Jack's new family says he "...is doing great! What a sweetie. He is eating, playing, and using the litter box. He didn't last long upstairs and now is free in most of the house when we are home. He retreats to Bran's room when he is startled. He has been within inches of Maple, while she is laying down ... We are enjoying his company so much. He's such a friendly, social guy. Thank you."

The other lucky kitties in the latest graduating class were: 

Augustus and Winter (together)

Brody

 Ivan

Ulrich

Zelda

All in all, 23 PAWS cats were adopted in December. How awesome is that? :)

Just in case you need some more reasons to start your weekend with a smile, get a load of these "Happy Tales!"

JASMINE is settling in! She is sleeping on her new Dad’s desk when he works. She is exploring the house slowly. She lets him pet her frequently for short periods each time. He’s happy with her and thinks she is "the sweetest little cat."

It’s only been about 10 days since she was adopted, but OLIVE is adjusting slowly to her new home, parents and other cat. The existing cat wants to be friends, but Olive is taking it very slowly, not yet sure she is “safe” with him.  She is affectionate with her new parents, though. :)

SHERWOOD adjusted very quickly to his new home. He is getting along very well with his new cat sibling. He is super-affectionate and friendly. According to his new people, he is not a lap cat in the usual sense ... he "likes to use his dad's lap as a springboard." (editor's note: MOL!)

WINDY has adjusted very well and quickly to her new home. The couple who adopted her are really happy with her. They call her their “darling girl,” and say she is very affectionate and cuddly.

KOSMO and KRAMER are “…slowly but surely adjusting to their new home. Kosmo is coming out for affection. Kramer is still hiding a lot, but he is eating and using the litter box." Their new parents love Kosmo and Kramer, and are being very patient with them.

DIMAGGIO's family says he is "...beautiful, and very smart. He enjoys racing around the house, and is loving pulling bows of presents. He is very affectionate, and is settling in very well. We love him."

Have a great weekend, everybody! :)

Happy MEW Year! :)

As you can see, Sammy and Moosey are ringing in 2013 in style.

And all of us here at Animal Shelter Volunteer Life are wishing everyone a New Year filled with an abundance of love, peace and happiness.

Hugs and headbonks,

Kevin, Tracey, Sammy and Moosey, and all the cats at PAWS :)