by 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.

Poker for Paws is March 10!

Our first order of business is to remind everyone about an upcoming fundraiser here in Fresno. The 2nd Annual Poker for Paws is being hosted by Kyle Kirkland and Club One Casino of Fresno. This fundraiser is significant because Kyle and Club One match the proceeds dollar for dollar. For a $40 buy-in, you receive 3,000 chips with unlimited rebuys of 1,000 chips for $10 until the end of the first break. Here is the perfect opportunity to get dressed up for an evening of fun, food, and prizes! Rumor has it that Lynea will be in attendance in a rare evening venture out. Festivities begin at 7:15 p.m. Located at 1033 Van Ness Ave, Fresno. Save the date, we really hope to see you there! (Must be 21) Free Parking.

Spring Open House

Next up: The Spring Open House which will be held on May 5. Yes, due to your public outcry in opposition of only one open house a year, it has been decided to resurrect the Spring Open House. It never really had time to die because once the word got around about the decision to host only one open house per year, it became quite apparent that our fans and supporters were not happy with that plan. So, on May 5, from 10 a.m.–3 p.m., we will be expect to see your smiling faces at The Cat House on the Kings on Cinco de Meow!

Auction Donations Needed

In the meantime, we need those donations for the silent auction. The silent auction is the biggest source of funds for the open house so we really need for everyone to put on their thinking caps and use their imaginations. Ask friends, family, co-workers if they have something to donate. Handmade items are always popular. Businesses can use the tax deduction and the free publicity. This is also the perfect opportunity to “repurpose” that less than perfect gift you may have received for Christmas. However imperfect the gift was for you, it may be the perfect something to someone else. You know, that one man’s trash is another man’s treasure thing. Yes, it is re-gifting but with a charitable purpose. Just don’t donate a gift and then come to the open house with the person who gave it to you. That could be awkward. Remember, donations are tax-deductible and receipts are provided upon request.

Raffling a Bug

The Valentine’s Day raffle is over and the winner was a gentleman from Texas named Joel P. We are moving right into the next raffle, and it is a biggie, our biggest one yet! Raffle tickets are now on sale for a spiffy red 2006 VW Bug that boasts a mere 45,000 miles. Valued at about $8,000, raffle tickets for this pristine little gem are only $5! The winning ticket will be drawn at the Spring Open House on May 5. You do not need to be present to win, but it might be helpful. The winner is responsible for picking up the car and/or otherwise arranging for transport.

To enter:
Send a check or money order payable in U.S. funds to the Cat House on the Kings, with VW Raffle noted in the memo line. Mailing address: 7120 S. Kings River Road, Parlier, CA 93648. Please remember to include your phone number in case you win.
To use a credit card, simply call our office at (559) 638-0030, Monday through Friday, 9 a.m.-3 p.m. Sorry, but we aren’t allowed to accept raffle ticket payments online. Questions? Send an email to: info@cathouseonthekings[dot]com

Cat Trapper Tales

The Feral Refuge: The refuge I manage has been a busy place. The city kindly allows us to maintain the colony behind a fenced in, locked area. I manage the refuge, securing donations, making sure the caretaker has everything she needs, getting any sick and injured cat’s medical care when needed.

Racoon caught at refuge

However, the fire department has recently taken over the area as a training facility, and we now share the space. We moved the feeding area, and the fire department brought in some cars and flipped one upside down. The fire department really cleaned the place up which was a good thing. They aren’t out there all that much so the cats still have the entire area to roam. We’ve had a lot of trouble with raccoons coming and eating all the cat food. The caretaker has trapped about ten raccoons and relocated them. We also needed to relocate an injured, one-eyed stray. She was not a good candidate for the refuge, so I asked a friend and Cat House board member, Lin Faurie, if she would foster her. She said she would and took her to the vet. She turned out to have a torn leg tendon and needed surgery. Lin and her husband fell in love with the shy little girl and Kismet became a foster keeper.

Kismet

We try to keep the refuge as secret as possible. Although many people know about it, we never publicize it or reveal the location. This is because people like to drop off their unwanted pets thinking this is a good place for them. Sadly, they are mistaken because a house pet is not a good fit for a feral colony. The others will often not allow the newcomer to join the colony, and the cat is frequently attacked. These cats are removed when possible and placed elsewhere. But we should not have to take care of other people’s cat problems. I think we are doing far more than our fair share already. The caretaker goes out to feed the cats 365 days a year, rain or shine.

Feral cats sunning

So we were not thrilled this past week to find that someone had tossed two cats and a bag of cat food, which the cats ripped open, over the very tall fence into the refuge area. One of the cats ran off, yet to be seen, and the other is just hanging around the feeding area. How do we know there was another cat? Because they left a note apologizing for leaving the cats there. Wow, people moan about how they can’t take care of one or two cats? Try taking care of forty-five! Do people really think we need more cats to take care of? Personally, I think that if people would just stop getting pets on a whim, this problem would not be so pervasive. And maybe have a teensy bit of aforethought. Pets need love, food, shelter, visits to the vet, and they poop and make messes. They require some time and effort. Think before you adopt. Really think. And spay/neuter.

Peaches, tossed over fence into feral refuge

So I have meandered through the past month with a trap and spay for a guy in Selma and another for a lady in Reedley. Another Reedley resident needed help trapping a female stray she was trying to befriend. We caught the neighbor’s already-fixed cat. Oops. The next day, another of the same neighbor’s cats. This boy was definitely not fixed. We went to the neighbor who sheepishly admitted he had been meaning to get the cat fixed. I told him that now was his chance. He had to pony up $26, and I would take him in, pick him up, and bring him back. He gave me the money, and it was done.

I picked up a beautiful, friendly adult cat from the shelter in Selma. He had been there for two months with no hope in sight of getting out. So I took him in, named him Fat Tony and off we went to the vet. He has terrible tartar on his teeth resulting in gingivitis. He is on antibiotics and will be getting a cleaning soon. He is the most chill, confident cat I’ve ever seen, nothing fazes him. Hopefully someone will give Fat Tony a chance to be their forever cat.

Fat Tony

I’m extremely pleased that I was finally able to find Miss Homey a forever home as an only cat. Ousted from her former home at the Selma Home Depot, Miss Homey spent five months living with me. She had to be separated from my cats because she hates other cats. Now she has a home in Simi Valley with no other cats and lots of room to run and play. In addition, I placed two beautiful Russian Blues in an upscale Santa Barbara neighborhood for rodent control.

I have started my TNR of thirty cats in nearby rural Dinuba. That is going to take a while as I can only do four at a time, but I’ll plug away until we have spayed or neutered them all. At least the property owners are willing to pay for the cats and are really happy to be tackling this problem before it gets any bigger. The first four cats were three girls, (one pregnant) and a boy.

So, until next month, think about auction donations and save the date for Poker for Paws.

Learn more about the Cat House on their website and you can donate here.

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 25 years, Frank, and their 2 children. Jackie currently writes 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.