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.

Last Day for 2016 Donations
First things first, this is literally the last day to write those tax-deductible donation checks. Donations have been very slow the past few months and funds are at dangerously low levels. Please, please, please, if you have not already done so, please consider making a donation. No donation is too small. The Cat House Facebook page has well over 1 million followers. If even half those people each sent in $1, we would have, well, a boatload of dollars. It costs approximately $100,000 per month to keep The Cat House up and running. We receive no government funding or public monies of any kind. We survive solely on the donations of you, our devoted supporters. That is a precarious existence for a non-profit with 800+ hungry mouths to feed. We are eternally grateful for your support of our mission to save all the fur-babies that we can.

Rescues are Expensive
It has been a busy time of rescues with the two most notable ones being Latte and Holly. Poor Holly was brought to The Cat House by Kings County Animal Control after being shot in the head with a pellet gun. She is tentatively scheduled for surgery as soon as the swelling subsides, probably this week. Holly is a beautiful calico who is responding to her caregivers despite her despicable treatment by a soulless human. Holly’s story was so compelling that several local news stations covered her story.

Holly

Kings County Animal Services is investigating this heinous act of cruelty. Animal abuse is a felony in this state, and this case is being taken very seriously. It has been proven time and time again that people who abuse animals often escalate to abusing people too. Virtually every serial killer in recorded history began by abusing and killing animals.

Gorgeous white Latte was rescued from the mouth of a dog. She suffered a broken leg, a mangled ear, and an injured left eye. The shy Latte is recovering nicely under Lynea’s personal care, but the damage to her eye will likely be permanent.

Latte

A lesson here would be to not allow your dog to run loose. This is a rampant problem that many people think is no big deal. Dogs that kill cats can easily transition to killing small children. The law requires that dogs be under your control AT ALL TIMES. Allowing dogs to run loose, wrecking havoc, is just irresponsible and YOU, the owner, are responsible if your dog causes harm. Dogs should NEVER be allowed to freely roam. That being said, the treatment for these injured fur-babies is extremely costly. Donations towards the care of Holly and Latte would be very much appreciated.

Reedley Has A Leash Law!
While on the subject of irresponsible dog owners, a huge problem is occurring daily down by the river right here in my town of Reedley. There are two women from the nearby senior mobile home park who bring their dogs to the river area daily to exercise. They arrive in golf carts and then sit and visit while allowing their large dogs to roam the park unattended. They both claim that, “Reedley has no leash law” which is NOT true. They have been warned by local animal control to not allow their dogs to run unleashed after witnesses claimed that the dogs were chasing/attacking the stray/feral cats and growling at persons who attempted to stop them. When confronted, the women become very hostile and resort to using vulgar language. It has now come to light that the dogs have in fact, killed several cats in the area, and the dog’s owner has confessed that she has been burying the bodies to avoid being found out. A local business owner reported to me that this person called her to ask for help on how to train her dog to stop killing cats because she was “tired of burying cats.” She was advised to keep her dog on a leash, but apparently this is not the advice she was looking for. It is horrifying to think that people like this can somehow rationalize their bad behavior. Animal control has been notified again and an incident report has (again) been filed. We desperately hope this horrible situation is remedied soon. I also intend to write a letter to the editor of the local paper so that the local public is on notice about this situation.

THANK YOU FOR VOTING!
YOU, our faithful supporters, are the absolute bomb! Thanks to all your votes. The Cat House on the Kings is one of five non-profits who won $50,000 of high quality cat food. Applaws USA makes all natural, additive-free pet foods. Applaws products are available online and also at your local Petco. We are so humbled by your devotion to The Cat House. Thank you! Thank you!! Thank you!!!

Poker 4 Paws
Now that you have that 2017 calendar all ready to go, please make a note on Saturday, February 18 to go play Poker 4 Paws. Club One Casino of Fresno (open 24-7 since 1995) is hosting a fundraiser to benefit The Cat House on the Kings. For $40 you get to buy-in with 3,000 chips. There are unlimited re-buys until the end of the first break. There will also be prizes and raffles! The best part is that Club One is generously matching the proceeds of the fundraiser $1 for $1. For more info text “clubone” to 95495. Visit www.clubonecasino.com or call 559-497-3000. FREE PARKING!

Coloring Books Are A Hit!
Our new coloring books by artist Jenny Swartzbaugh were so popular that they literally flew off the shelves. We actually sold out, re-ordered more, and now we are close to selling out of those as well. You can find the coloring books on our website, www.cathouseonthekings.com/coloringbook, at our gift shop at the sanctuary in Parlier, or at our adoption center at the Petco at Blackstone and Ashlan. Hurry before they are all gone!

Jackie’s Cat Updates
I think I need a name. A fellow rescuer, who re-homes LOTS of cats, and calls his little organization “Cats By The Tracks” because he lives near the railroad tracks. If anyone has a suggestion, let me know. I welcome your input.

So here is what has happened since my last column. I left off in mid-November.

11/16 Someone dumped a cute orange girl by the river. She has been spayed and is currently up for adoption. Her name is Mulan.
11/20 Accepted a blue cream kitten from Second Chance Dog Rescue in Selma. The kitten was sick so she is currently recovering at The Cat House infirmary.
11/21 Trapped the two remaining kittens behind the local CVS and had them, both boys, neutered. They were very wild so they were returned to their home.
11/22 Called to the Villa Rose apartment complex in Selma because of a stray mama cat and her kittens. I was able to catch two kittens, but a third was never found, probably plucked up by a resident. The no cats allowed complex wanted the mom gone as well. I told them that if they wanted help from me, they would need to pay for the spaying of the cat. At that point the cat would be returned unless they wanted to pay an additional $50 to have the cat relocated. The manager replied, “You mean you don’t take them away for free?” Oh boy, that set off the launch sequence for a speech about “Why should I perform a service for free, for a business that can afford to pay?” I was appalled at her gall and point blank asked her if she worked for free. I also told her that the complex could write off the minimal fees on their taxes. When she told me that the residents were ordered not to feed the cat, I knew, but didn’t say out loud, that fee or no fee, I couldn’t in good conscience return the cat.
11/23 Four of the six kittens received from Second Chance in Selma returned from foster care. The foster mom decided to keep two of them. They are still with me awaiting adoption/rescue.

Rescue Lyle found a new home after only 6 days at Petco

11/24 Having left a trap chained to a tree at Villa Rose in Selma and checking it everyday, I finally caught the mom cat. My friend Jack found a home for Lydia in Pescadero where after only one week Lydia’s new owners proudly reported that their new family member had captured her first mouse. I’m still waiting for the promised reimbursement for the spaying fee from Villa Rose.
11/28 I was putting food at the Selma Walmart feeding station when out of nowhere a friendly orange cat appears and starts rubbing my legs. I took him home, got him neutered, vaccinated, etc. and he stayed with me for a month before going to the Petco Adoption Center. Thank you Tammy Barker for taking this sweet boy. He is the most loving cat that it is hard to imagine why someone would throw him away. I know he will be adopted quickly.
12/1 My one-eyed cat from the Selma Best Western has fully recovered and is at my house awaiting a rescue or adoption. Winky has blossomed from a frightened hissy girl to a still shy, but much more loving four month old. She needs a patient home.
12/2 A friend found a tiny, skinny black and white kitten shivering in the middle of the Kingsburg Kmart parking lot. My friend fostered the kitten. It was fixed, and she eventually found it a home with a friend.

Rescued from Kmart parking lot.

12/2-15 Helped a man from Squaw Valley trap and get fixed thus far, fourteen of eighteen cats. I also transported two of his fixed cats to a facility in Ojai that needed some mouse control. My contact in Bakersfield has been and will be, instrumental in helping me place a majority of this man’s cats as well as other ferals as the need dictates.
12/6 Helped a small private rescue in Sanger get some cats fixed.

Gidget made 2 little girls very happy on Christmas morning.

12/13 A small, young female kitten dumped at the river. A friendly, fluffy blue cream, Gidget, was fixed and placed in foster. My friend Jack rose to the occasion again, finding Gidget a home and driving her to Santa Cruz on Christmas Eve. Her new family includes two absolutely ecstatic little girls!

Well, to wind things up…I’m hoping for a slow January, I need a break. I’m hoping to find homes for the five rambunctious kittens I still have here in foster. I want to thank everyone who donated this past year to help with food for the feral refuge and to sponsor my TNR work. I’m humbled by your generosities. I haven’t done a final count, but I believe I am pretty close to the 200 mark of cats TNRed, rescued, re-homed, etc. That is a lot of cats. I saved one of my stories for the next column because I’m out of room and it will need a big, long paragraph to tell the tale. Until next month…

Learn more about the Cat House on their website.

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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.