We are two artists who care about animal welfare and The Cat House On The Kings and wanted to do something to help.
Magda Szabo is a celebrated and awarded miniature painter. Magda has successfully marketed over 700 paintings of miniatures at the Village Gallery in Maui, Hawaii.
At The Cat House on the Kings, our goal is to place the right cat or kitten in just the right home, and we’re always thrilled to receive adopter feedback that lets us know that we were successful. On the 4th of July, under the “rockets’ red glare,” a sweet kitten named Crackers was born. He was abandoned by his mother and rescued at four days old. His foster mom said he was a “fire cracker” and the name “Crackers” stuck.
In early September, the Creek Fire started in the mountains of Fresno County. Within 10 days, it had exploded to more than 220,000 acres causing widespread evacuations of people and pets from the mountain and foothill communities around Shaver and Huntington Lakes. Fresno County Animal Control (Fresno Humane), in conjunction with the Central California Animal Disaster Team, first set up an emergency shelter at Clovis North High School and then at the Fresno County Fairgrounds.
We interrupt a really hot summer to bring you news and updates about The Cat House on the Kings. This month has been extra toasty, and we get a lot of questions about how Cat House cats (and staff) stay cool during these dog days of summer. First of all, the cats are either indoors or have access to indoor buildings that are air conditioned. Secondly, we also have strategically placed fans and misters in other areas where the cats congregate.
If you have ever gone to your pantry or cupboard looking for something and been disappointed to find that you’ve run out, you will understand what it feels like for The Cat House on the Kings (CHOTK) staff to see our supply of kitten kibble, kitten canned food, cat supplements and other cat supplies dwindling. Bare spots on our storage shelves make us anxious, and we sometimes worry about not having sufficient supplies on hand to use for the hundreds of cats and kittens in our care. CHOTK has an Amazon Wishlist, and we keep it updated with the food and supplies that our staff needs to care for the cats and kittens in our care.
As temperatures increase in the summer, so does the rescue pace at The Cat House on the Kings. The Cat House has two fundraisers that have just started, and we can really, really use your help. First, we have our “Every Kitten Counts” fundraiser that runs now through the first week of July. We’ve rescued about 800 kittens so far this year, and our goal is to raise the equivalent of $35 per kitten to help us offset the incredible costs of providing vaccinations, flea and deworming medication, spaying/neutering, and other vet care, as well as food and litter costs for 800 kittens!
If this were an ordinary year, I would be writing about The Cat House on the King’s Spring Open House which had been scheduled for April 18, before it was canceled due to the global pandemic. I would write about the beautiful weather, the myriad visitors, the dozens of vendors, our amazing silent auction, and how much money we raised to help us provide for the hundreds of senior cats, kittens, special needs cats, and injured cats in our care.
Life hasn’t changed for the hundreds of cats at The Cat House on the Kings. They still wander our 12-acre sanctuary along the Kings River, enjoying the sunshine, the breezes, and the fresh air. They sleep curled in warm beds near our pellet stove in the Big House, and in the dozens of smaller buildings scattered around the property. Every morning, they wait for the arrival of staff for their breakfast of canned food mixed with supplements, as well as for some petting, companionship, and activity. The sameness of their daily routine is comforting to them because they know what each day will bring. The same cannot be said for the staff and volunteers of The Cat House on the Kings, or for the rest of the world.
Doesn’t your living room sofa need a splash of color and whimsy? We think so! This beautiful 62”x53” cotton throw/lap quilt called “Psychedelic Cats” is filled with vibrant, eye-catching colors. The drawing will take place at our Spring Open House on Saturday, April 18, 2020. Raffle tickets are just $1 each. For every 20 tickets you purchase in advance, you will get one free. To enter send a check/money order payable to: The Cat House on the Kings with “RAFFLE TICKETS” in the memo section.
2020 has arrived at The Cat House on the Kings in the form of more living space for the senior cats at our sanctuary. Cat House on the Kings Founder/Director explained that a few months ago (while giving booster shots to the seniors), they realized that they had close to 100 senior cats! Lynea explained that, “a few months ago we took in 40 more cats (mostly seniors) from a woman with health issues, and a rescue in the East Bay that was closing.
