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.

A Successful Open House

The Cat House on the Kings Open House Fundraiser was a spectacular success. Thanks to the hard work and expert planning of Tammy Barker, the event ran smoothly and lots of money was raised to help support the kitties at the Cat House. Karen Rae did a marvelous job with the auction tables. The auction is really the center point of our open houses; there are always so many wonderful items to bid on that it is hard to decide. You must also compete with a whole bunch of other people who want the same item. I really wanted a super cute leather kitty sofa, but I was not vigilant about checking the bid sheet and lost it at the last minute. I did get some early Christmas shopping done though! Valley Public Television (PBS-Ch. 18) came out to film and aired an episode of the event the following Wednesday, November 6. If you were not able to join us, you can check out what you missed. Just click on this link to watch the segment.

Channel 18 films at Open House

Help Jack Perez AND the Cat House

Jack Perez is the man who brought the Cat House on the Kings to the attention of the world. The video he created for us literally saved us from certain closure. Jack has entered a video about the Cat House into the “Shelter Me Video Contest.” If he wins the contest, the $5,000 first prize is split between Jack and the Cat House. There are 2nd and 3rd place prizes as well, but why bother to mention them when we know we have the capability and fan base to cinch a first place win for Jack? You may vote daily until December 20th. It is quick and easy and we appreciate your support and mouse clicks. Thanks for voting EVERY DAY!

Petco News

The people at Petco are truly amazing. Their support of the Cat House on the Kings seems to have no limit. The Petco Giving Tree Fundraiser is sponsoring a Pictures with Santa event with all proceeds benefiting the Cat House on the Kings. On Saturdays, December 7 and December 14, Santa will be available for pictures at the Blackstone/Ashlan Avenue Petco from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. You can get your pets and/or children’s picture taken with Santa for only $8.95 and support the Cat House too!

We are also participating in the Petco Foundation Tree of Hope fundraiser from November 18 through December 25. Putting a homeless pet on your Christmas list could spell the difference between a pet spending the holidays in a lonely shelter or spending them safe and warm with a brand new family. The Cat House Adoption Center at Petco is selling cat-themed baskets and assorted cat and dog items such as a cat tea set. AND…..the register clerks ask for a donation for the Cat House when shoppers are paying for their purchases or they ask if the customer would like to round up the purchase amount. When the fundraiser is over, the Petco Foundation sends us a check for the total amount raised. Please support this worthy cause!

Petco's Dandelion plays the crowd

We had an unpleasant surprise one recent morning when it was discovered that thieves had entered the Petco store via a hole cut into the roof. The criminals then proceeded to smash through the glass doors of our adoption center. The cats currently residing in the center went fleeing into the main store. The miscreants were after a donation jar filled with cash. After an exhaustive search, the missing cats were found hiding in various corners of the Petco building. The thieves got away.

Reedley TNR Update

We have been steadily working on the Trap-Neuter-Return program in the large Reedley feral cat colony. To date we have trapped and fixed approximately 34 cats, averaging four cats per week and are finally seeing the light at the end of the tunnel. We have been somewhat successful in luring many of the feral cats across the large parking lot to a secure fenced-in area. We are given access to the area to feed and trap and are very grateful for the cooperation we are receiving. The area is very large and has a lot of trees and bushes, good hiding spots, areas of shelter from the elements and a reasonably safe place to feed. Dogs did invade the area through a hole under the fence, so we filled the hole with chunks of concrete.

As we wind up this lengthy project we will move on to another area in town where a small colony is living. Two other spots in town are nearly complete except for a couple of holdouts that simply refuse to enter the traps. Happily we have been fortunate enough to find homes for several young homeless cats and kittens that were obviously not feral.

Feeding time at the feral colony

A journey of a thousand miles begins with but a single step…if everyone fixed their pets, both dogs and cats, there would be so much less heartache about the millions of pets killed every year. Yes, I said millions. According to the Humane Society of the United States, 7 million adoptable cats, dogs, puppies and kittens are killed every year. A harsh truth, but a truth nonetheless. I believe it has come to the point where mandatory spay and neuter is necessary. You can hope people will do the right thing but many simply do not. Some resort to idiotic and/or unlawful behavior. A case in point would be the woman who left two cats in carriers by our mailbox with a note that said she had a new baby and could not care for the cats. We also had a new mother return a dog she had adopted the previous year. Someone left four sick kittens and two adult cats in boxes in our driveway. (Note: We have cameras on the driveway now) It is just heartbreaking. I have five part-time jobs, six dogs, 12 cats and care for my terminally ill adult son. I don’t accept these weak excuses for why they can’t care for their family pet. I believe that it boils down to “being inconvenient”, ignorance, (failure to fix pet) and just plain laziness. Yes, the truth hurts, but so does being abandoned and left to die.

Abandoned by heartless owner, 2 year old Samantha needs a home!

More Ways to Help the Cat House

The Animal Rescue Site continues its Shelter Challenge until December 22. We are currently in 3rd place and I know we can do better. Please vote daily-It really only takes a minute, but collectively those minutes can become a whole lot of cash for the Cat House.

Play Meow Trivia at www.freekibble.com to earn cat food for the Cat House on the Kings. Our last delivery of food weighed 1,800 lbs!

Order Cat House merchandise from our website or visit the Cat House Kitten Quarters where we have a very nice selection of Cat House apparel and Cat House themed items.

While you are there, pick up a S.H.A.R.E.S. card and we get money when you buy groceries. If you send us a stamped, self-addressed envelope, we will mail you a card.

You can advertise your business with Kings River Life Magazine and designate the Cat House to receive 10% of the ad fee. The Cat House on the Kings winter newsletter will be out the first week of December so be on the lookout for it. Please remember to add info@cathouseonthekings[dot]com to your email safe list so that we don’t end up in your junk email box!

Check out KRL’s fun cat filled video from the Cat House on the Kings Open House:

Check out more animal rescue & pet related articles, including more Cat House columns, in our Pet Perspective section.

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.