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.

In the blink of an eye the Spring Open House Fundraiser will be upon us. It has been scheduled for Saturday, May 7, from 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. We are desperately seeking volunteers and more importantly, donations for the silent auction. The silent auction is our big money maker and donations are slow thus far. We like to have the bulk of the donations by Friday, April 15. We can use just about anything including but not limited to handcrafted items, artwork, jewelry, purses, gift certificates for goods or services, home decor and pet-related items.

Please consider donating something and perhaps asking your family, friends, and co-workers for donations as well. Donations can be dropped off at The Cat House, at the Petco Adoption Center on Blackstone/Ashlan or even mailed to us at 7120 So. Kings River Rd; Parlier, CA 93648. Donation or volunteer questions can be directed to Tammy Barker at tammy@cathouseonthekings[dot]com. Donations are, of course, tax-deductible.

Speaking of taxes, first time tax prep clients at H & R Block can have $20 donated to The Cat House on the Kings. Simply print the flyer or use referral code 40010001087117 and present it at your appointment. You get your tax return prepared and we get a donation!

But Tickets for An Amazing Quilt!

A spectacular handmade quilt is being raffled off with the winner to be announced at the Open House. Titled “Rainbow Kitties”, this 85”x100”, 100 % cotton quilt is dedicated to all the beloved kitties who have crossed over the Rainbow Bridge. Tickets are just $1 each, and for every 20 you buy, you get one free! Send a check or money order payable to The Cat House on the Kings to 7120 S. Kings River Rd.; Parlier, CA 93648 and mark “Raffle Tickets” in the memo line. Or you can call the office at (559) 638-0030 to purchase tickets with a credit card ($20 min). You need not be present to win, and we will ship the quilt to the winner anywhere in the world.

We Are World Famous!

Thanks mainly to a video produced by an international media company called Barcroft Media, The Cat House on the Kings has garnered a lot of attention lately. Since December, there has been a steady stream of media people. This includes CNN, Inside Edition, and a French filmmaker who followed Lynea around for two days filming her for a real-time reality show. Lynea even got up at 3 a.m. one morning to go on a live morning show in the United Kingdom. There have been documentaries and interviews galore. One UK TV station even titled their piece, “Pussies Galore.” Their somewhat tongue-in-cheek article said, “When she dies, they will probably not be able to get her in the coffin, it will be full of cats.”

On a more local note, California Senator Andy Vidak awarded Lynea and The Cat House on the Kings a Certificate of Recognition for more than 20 years of outstanding service to the people of California. Would have been nice if that came along with a big check, but hey, it is nice to have your life’s work recognized.

The easiest way to keep up on all the latest news is to visit our webpage where all the links are posted for easy access, and be sure to catch this column every month as well.

TNR Updates

Since my last column, I have trapped and fixed 16 cats. One woman wanted help trapping and fixing the neighborhood strays she was feeding. A couple of other cats in the neighborhood got caught up in the trapping, so those people got their cats fixed for free. I would absolutely not be surprised if some people think that I did the wrong thing by fixing someone’s cat without their permission. Since many towns have statutes that say unaltered cats are not to be allowed out of doors, I say I was doing them a huge favor.

A trap and relocate project was initiated after the caretaker called frantic with worry. She had been informed that the property manager of the local shopping center where the McDonald’s is located was going to trap and “get rid of” the homeless cats living there. The cats occasionally lounge on the patio of an adjacent restaurant and someone called the health department. These cats will be relocated to a safer location. We get a lot of requests to “remove and relocate” cats. Most of the time people just want the cats gone because of the “inconvenience.” However, the reality of limited space dictates that only those for whom death is the imminent conclusion, can be relocated.

The Seriously Deluded

If you truly believe that spaying and neutering is wrong, then have I found a website for you. I was forwarded an article that stated in great detail, why spaying and neutering was bad for animals: www.thedogplace.org/Spay-Neuter/INDEX.asp. What I read was a bunch of seriously deluded people who seem to think that animals and humans were biologically the same and how spaying and neutering our pets was a crime against nature. They claim that there is no overpopulation of animals and that altering our pets is all a big plot by veterinarians to make money. This group is the front and center winner for the ‘You Can’t Fix Stupid’ award. Congratulations, your trophy is a lovely statuette of a person with their head up their backside.

Going to Rescue

Nothing makes us as happy as having a rescue come in and take some animals off of our hands. The Green Dog Rescue Project, based in Windsor, CA, is coming to take six dogs. These dogs all have issues that need more attention than The Cat House can provide. The Green Dog Rescue Project will provide the rehabilitation that will enable these dogs to have a better chance of finding a fur-ever home.

Rescue Me Pets came and took several cats and kittens back to Santa Monica. These cats include one I named ‘Sammy.’ His people had moved away and left him behind. When the new renters moved in, the landlord told them the cat had to go. Stunned that the landlord had foisted this responsibility upon him, he called The Cat House for help. With three adopted, special needs children, this family had enough on their plates. Sammy turned out to be a sweet, loving boy who was very confused by the turn of events in his life. We wish him the best and hope he finds the purr-fect home he deserves.

Hopefully another homeless kitty will be chosen by the rescue as well. I was away from home one day when my daughter called to say someone had deposited their cat in our yard. The frightened boy was further traumatized when my dogs tried to chase him. After coaxing him off the roof with treats, he turned out to be a total love bug. I took him to The Cat House and am praying he will be chosen for rescue. This is the third time someone has dumped cats in my yard. I no longer mention to people where I live. I have 15 cats already. Even though I live on 1-1/3 acres, we really have enough cats. We also have seven dogs. Enough. The inn is all filled up.

Abandoned Animals

The Cat House has seen a flurry of abandoned pets in the past few weeks. There were 11 sick kittens left in a box on our doorstep. In separate incidents, a puppy and a dog were both left in the middle of the road. This is a despicable practice that usually results in tragedy because no matter which way they go, the cars are whizzing by, and well, you get the picture. The puppy was sitting down on the centerline when Tammy Barker spotted him as she was leaving work. She scooped him up, and he is safe and warm. The extra expenses are always popping up so any time you can help us out with a donation, we are always deeply appreciative.

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.