by Jackie Dale
June ended with me still having nineteen kittens and one mother cat. The amount of work required to maintain all these cats and still have a nice smelling house is staggering. Up at 6 a.m. to feed and scoop, which takes about two hours. I generally hit the sack around midnight. Why so late? Because in addition to taking care of the kittens, I have a ton of other things to do each day. I have several “side hustles” to pick up some extra cash, a home and yard to maintain, and ongoing TNR projects. You know, a life, lol! But I take my rescue efforts very seriously. I am aware that some people may think I’m “crazy” to do so much work “for nothing.”
by Jackie Dale
The end of May was both uplifting and encouraging even with a hiccup or two. The day after I finished last month’s column, I stopped to feed my small colony and was perturbed to see a kitten. I had not seen any pregnant cats out there. One kitten turned out to be four kittens. They were scared, but it was clear that they were not feral. If they were born feral, there would be no way I would have been able to grab them by hand. Granted, I did have to crawl through some bushes, but I was not leaving any behind. Plus, they were flea-free, very unusual with cats born in the wild.
by Jackie Dale
Kitten season has arrived with its usual tsunami of kittens. In addition, a lot of pregnant cats have come my way. I think this is in part due to two things. Number one is the sheer cost of fixing one’s pet is extremely high. Low cost alternatives are sometimes available but often require traveling, which is an obstacle for some people. I realize that if you can’t afford to fix your pet, you should not get one, but unfortunately, many people don’t have that much forethought.
by Jackie Dale
The Cat House on the Kings needs your help! We’ve rescued almost 700 cats and kittens so far this year, many of whom required extra vet care. Kittens with broken legs, eye issues, dangerous infections, burns, and bites.
by Jackie Dale
The Cat House on the Kings will be holding an online fundraiser from June 26 through July 8 because the unbelievable onslaught of kittens is quickly draining the coffers. Every year you think it will get better because The Cat House has fixed so many cats. But in fact, 2017 has been one of the worst years on record. An astounding number of kittens have come through the door, and people call every single day with kitten problems.
by Connie Smith
Have you ever wanted to spend your days playing with kittens? Do you love the idea of kittens but know you aren’t in a position to adopt a litter knowing they will turn into cats? That was the position I found myself in back in the ‘90s. I was recently unemployed and wanted to do something with my day besides pounding the pavement looking for a job—-that, and I knew it was easier to find a job when you have a job—-so I went down to my local animal shelter and started volunteering.
