The Cat House on the Kings: Wedding Bells & Kitten Season

May 28, 2016 | 2016 Articles, Animal Rescue Adventures, Jackie Dale

Jackie is a part of Cat House On The Kings in Parlier and does a monthly column on the Cat House here at KRL.

Recently rescued kitten

The Cat House on the Kings is operating at a frenzied pace because the kitten season is in full swing. The phone rings nonstop, and there is just not enough room for all the kittens we are asked to take. To say we are overrun with kittens is like saying the ocean is a little bit wet. The local stores are having a hard time keeping up with the demand for formula and kitten bottles. You can preach the spay and neuter gospel, but for some people, lots of people actually, the message is just not getting through. What I now tell people is, “If you don’t fix your cat and she has 5-7 kittens, would you be willing to pay me $42 to take them away?” They nearly always say, “Yes.” So I tell them, “Pay the $42 and fix your cat, because if you don’t make the effort to help yourself now, why do you expect me to help you later?” Stop the madness before it starts!

Setting the Record Straight

A friend recently added me to a local lost and found pet group because she had noticed that someone was bashing The Cat House. The woman’s statement, “If you have cats you want to get rid of, don’t call The Cat House on the Kings because they won’t take them.” She then went on to complain about the surrender fee. I tried to very politely explain that The Cat House was not an animal shelter like the SPCA, that we are a rescue and sanctuary. I explained that the surrender fee is to provide a lifetime of care and is generally utilized by those with a terminal illness, leaving the country, etc. She responded that it isn’t right that only rich people could get rid of their cats. Whoosh, right over her head. After laying out all the facts, several times, she finally said she understood, but then added that I could have explained it better in the beginning. Well, short of drawing pictures for her, I really don’t think that is possible.

Open House Was Awesome!

Open House auction item

The Cat House Open House held on May 7 was a fantastic success! By noon both parking areas were full. The weather was amazing—not too hot and not too cold. The donation pile at the gate was the biggest I’ve ever seen. The auction had the usual array of interesting items, and there were lots of happy bid winners. The boutique had a lot of great items including a “Beware of Cat” doormat that I had my eye on. However, in the tradition of “you snooze, you lose,” someone else bought it first. When my friend at the booth mentioned to the buyer that I had planned to buy the doormat, she said; “Tell her she can come over and wipe her feet on it.” I almost fell over with laughter because that was really funny. Kudos! Enjoy your doormat! I even got my picture taken with the gorgeous Miss Fresno County, Kelsey Schulteis! It was a fun day, seeing old friends, meeting new ones, and raising money to help support all the kitties that depend on us. Thanks to all who came, and we hope to see you again this fall. Next time we will try not to run out of hotdogs!

Wedding Bells At The Cat House

On May 17, a French Canadian couple became the first couple to tie the knot at The Cat House on the Kings. With a somewhat nervous Lynea officiating, the lovebirds, Dominic Husson and Louise Veronneau of Montreal, exchanged their vows next to the pristine Kings River surrounded by dozens of cats. The news media quickly pounced on the story and the newlyweds found themselves a bit of media sensation. My favorite opening line was from Fox 5 of San Diego (fox5sandiego.com), “At most weddings, it would probably be considered impolite, or at least very unusual, if the majority of the guests began to lick themselves.” The feline guests were in fact, on their very best behavior for the nuptials, with nary a hairball in sight.

Newlyweds

Kitten Rescues

As I mentioned earlier, the kittens are coming from all directions. People are abandoning cats and kittens at an alarming rate. We also get calls for kittens orphaned when the mom was killed, kittens found in a dumpster, and one citizen even witnessed a kitten tossed from a moving car. The Cat House took in that kitten and fortunately the injuries were only minor. One call received was from someone who witnessed a man with two children in the car, drive by the river, and toss out a pillowcase full of kittens. Those kittens were also okay and taken in by The Cat House. For that man, it was a less than stellar moment in parenting. We can only hope he treats his children better than that.

Abandoned kittens

One hot afternoon Lynea calls me with an emergency rescue. A young man in Reedley was taking a walk on his break from his job at a nearby pizza parlor and had come upon a large wooden box full of kittens. He called the local police department and was told that they did not handle cats. So he called The Cat House for help. I was summoned and quickly drove to the alley behind a local shopping center. There in the hot sun sat a large wooden crate containing seven kittens. A staple gun had been used to secure a screen to the top of the box. I shudder to think what kind of person would do something so cruel and heinous. They were cleaned up, fed, and evaluated. Soon thereafter, a rescue picked them up, and they were on their way to ‘fur-ever’ homes.

The kitten season is always a financially drain with the need for formula, bottles, kitten food, and medical expenses. Donations are always welcome and encouraged to help pay for these rescues.

I would also like to thank everyone who donated to help pay for Catalina’s cat. His broken leg has healed nicely, and it doesn’t look like amputation will be necessary. When I told Catalina of the donations, she began to cry and said to please thank everyone who was so kind and caring enough to help her out.

Stay tuned for news of an upcoming online fundraiser called “Every Kitten Counts-Every Dollar Counts.” This fundraiser will run from June 20 through July 3. Check our website, www.cathouseonthekings.com or watch for details on our Facebook page.

Check out more animal rescue & pet related articles, including more Cat House columns, in our Pet Perspective section and remember that if you buy an ad in KRL you can designate 10% of the ad price to go to the Cat House.

Jackie Dale is a freelance writer who lives in Reedley with her husband of 21 years, Frank, and their 2 children. Jackie currently writes for Traffic Magazine and for The Cat House on the Kings Feline Rescue. A former ballerina, Jackie now teaches yoga and fitness classes privately and at local area gyms.

13 Comments

April.H on May 30 at 8:07am

Great! another article for KRL by Jackie Dale, my favorite writer. I’d already seen the news of the French-Canadian couple whose ceremony took place at CHOTK, thanks to fb. Nice to see it featured in KRL, as well. Keep it up, what you’re doing, Jackie dear — your ministrations to cats and people are often amusing – makes them even happier to read about than the sad stories. Blessings to you and yours.
Reply
fred neu on May 31 at 6:20am

Would like to set up monthly donation. How do I do that?

Thank you
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- Jackie Dale on June 1 at 3:06pm
  
  Hi Fred,
  Thanks so much for your support. You can have your bank help you set up a monthly automatic payment. If you have other questions, you can call the office at 559-638-0030.
  Thanks again.
  Reply
SHARON WAINWRIGHT on May 31 at 7:32am

I HAVE TAKEN IN STRAY ANIMALS ALL MY ADULT LIFE BECAUSE THEY BRING SUCH JOY TO MY LIFE. AT PRESENT, I ONLY HAVE TWO CATS, THAT MAY VERY WELL OUTLIVE ME, AS I WILL BE 70 THIS YEAR. (I HAVE HAD AS MANY AS 24 AT ONE TIME). HOW ANYONE, IN THEIR RIGHT MIND, COULD BE SO CRUEL TO AN ANIMAL IS BEYOND MY COMPREHENSION. IF GIVEN A CHANCE, AND A DECENT HOME LIFE, YOUR ANIMAL WILL SHOWER YOU WITH SO MUCH LOVE AND AFFECTION THAT IT WILL OVERWHELM YOU. I APPLAUD CHOTK FOR THEIR SERVICES, AND HAVE DONATED THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS, ALONG WITH TANGIBLE DONATIONS, OVER THE PAST SEVERAL YEARS, TO THEIR CAUSE, AND WILL CONTINUE TO DO SO AS LONG AS I AM ABLE. I KEEP WISHING I WOULD WIN THE POWER BALL LOTTERY, (ESPECIALLY WHEN IT’s WAY UP IN THE MILLIONS), SO THAT I CAN HELP THEM MORE. IF YOU DON’T LIKE ANIMALS, WHY HAVE THEM AND TREAT THEM LIKE DIRT?? IS THAT HOW YOU WERE TREATED WHILE GROWING TO BE AN ADULT? IF SO, THEN BE THE ONE TO CHANGE THE CYCLE. HUMANS WERE GIVEN A HEART FOR A REASON. LISTEN TO IT AND USE IT. YOU KNOW, GOD CREATED ALL THE ANIMALS IN THE WORLD. TREAT THEM THE WAY GOD WANTS YOU TO TREAT HIS CREATIONS. I WOULD BE LOST WITHOUT ALL THE PETS I HAVE HAD THROUGH THE YEARS, DOGS, CATS, RABBITS, RACCOON, BIRDS, BABY ALLIGATOR, ETC., EACH AND EVERY ONE HAS HELD A SPECIAL PLACE IN MY HEART. I HOPE YOU WILL FIND IT IN YOUR HEART TO ADOPT, AND/OR MAKE, DONATIONS TO THE ANIMAL SHELTER OF YOUR CHOOSING, HOPEFULLY, THE CAT HOUSE on the KINGS. (IT’S A GOOD THING THEY ARE IN CALIFORNIA, AND NOT HERE IN FLORIDA, WHERE I LIVE. I WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO RESIST WANTING TO ADOPT THEM ALL.) GOD BLESS THE CHOTHK AND LYNEA AND HER STAFF, FOR ALL THEY DO, AND ALSO FOR ALL THE VOLUNTEERS THAT ARE SO DEDICATED TO THEIR CAUSE.
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- Jackie Dale on June 1 at 3:07pm
  
  Wow, thanks so much for all you do as well Sharon!
  Reply
Terry L. Novack on May 31 at 9:18am

I always enjoy Jackie’s column. Reedley is blessed to have Lynea’s Cat House on the Kings Feline Rescue! Jackie unselfishly gives her valuable time and resources to help the multitudes of felines of Reedley and surrounding areas. Jackie is a very nice person. Many times I can’t believe the issues/people she has to deal with over the course of her volunteering. I can only imagine how frustrating it must be to contend with all of these homeless cats — cats that are here because people are too lazy or ignorant to have their cats or stray cats spayed or neutered. Its such a SIMPLE thing to do. Keep up the good work.
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- Jackie Dale on June 1 at 3:08pm
  
  Thanks Terry, you can be president of my fan club. lol
  Reply
Louella Rehfield on May 31 at 10:18am

I think Cat House on the Kings is the best & I support monthly & via Amazon. Bless you always, love, Louella Rehfield
(No need to reply – you’ve got enough to do)
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- Jackie Dale on June 2 at 8:18am
  
  thanks, I was right here anyways, (wink)
  Reply
Virginia on May 31 at 1:07pm

Bless you Jackie – and The Cat House!
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- Jackie Dale on June 1 at 3:09pm
  
  thanks for reading us every month!
  Reply
Autumn Browne on June 1 at 12:46pm

Jackie, I always enjoy your articles, but this one was the cat’s meow! Thank you for all you do.
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- Jackie Dale on June 2 at 8:17am
  
  Thanks! And you are welcome.
  Reply