I can't believe it is July 4th again! Hopefully Luna will have an easier time this year than she had last year when I didn't have a clue what was going on with her. We'll know soon enough. JoAnne decided no dog adoptions this weekend since it is the 4th with fireworks - she is afraid to put a dog in an new environment and then have it scared by fireworks -- too much. I think the orange cats (brothers) have been adopted - yeah! Because we have a lifetime return policy - if for some reason you can't keep your animal or things aren't working out, you can always bring the animal back -- well, we have had 101 cats returned in the past two months due to people losing their housing or moving in with extended family. So many people just want us to foster for them until they get back on their feet but we just don't have the foster homes to be able to accommodate their requests. It's worrisome because in most cases you just don't know what happens with the animals in the situation. Some of our returned kitties were adopted out 5 - 7 years ago but here they are again. We have two that I named when they were tiny kittens -- the people who adopted them kept their names (Della Street and Perry Mason). They are really nice cats - friendly and calm. Some of the cats come back with pages of explanation and instructions about what they like and don't like. It is just really rough out there right now. It isn't just us, other rescue groups are seeing the same thing. Sigh. I guess the good news is (if there IS good news!!??) is that I have a lot of volunteers at the moment because so many people are looking for work and "trying to stay positive while job hunting by doing something good" -- the cats are the winners with the extra attention so I am absolutely not complaining! Lady (adult cat) is getting stir crazy - I'm about ready to take her into the back room and just let her RUN she is so wacko at the moment. Butters (named for his soft head butts) is getting quieter and quieter - he is such a nice cat and Ramses went out for a bath and came back so soft -- he was feeling somewhat stiff and sticky but now he feels like silk. One of the foster homes took him home and popped him in a bath and then brought him back to the store. So many people have different talents - I've never bathed a cat in my life and have no desire to start. Animals sense weakness, so probably any cat I decide to practice on would just take me out and that would be that.

Where does the time go? Amelia is now established in her new home -- as an only cat with a nice family who do not intend to have any other animals. Per the family, she went right down to the bedroom, jumped on the bed and started purring. The family was thrilled that she settled in so quickly. GOOD!! That is what we like to hear!

I now have two other cats here. They are part-bengel siblings named "Cuff" and "Link". One is very secure and came right up to me, jumped in my lap and started nuzzling me. The other one stayed away from me for 2-3 days but now is comfortable enough to jump up and want attention. They both like the cattery and spend most of their time outside watching life go by.

We are starting kitten season so some of the adult cats at the store have been re-located back to foster homes to make room for the kitten litters. We have three litters in the store right now and more on the way. I told someone who was looking for a new cat about the two orange brothers -- they are now back in a foster home but they have been at the store for awhile. They are beautiful and they are easy-going and mellow. I can't believe they haven't been adopted yet. I guess they will need to wait until kitten season is over before coming back into the store. Several people have asked about them but no new home yet.

McFly is now at the store in a cage out front. I told JoAnne --- umm, I'm not too sure about that placement. I like to have the relaxed cats out front. McFly is cunning - and he is big. One day when I removed the litter pan to clean it - when I put it back into the cage, McFly used it like a jump -- went up on the top of the litter box, bounced onto my shoulder and would have been free in the store if I hadn't grabbed him on my shoulder. He is just so ready to get out of the cage and walk around FREE. The good news is, the volunteer spots are taken care of (again) and we have people who are willing to come in and take the cats to a larger room and let them explore and play a little. That will be so good! Cats are faster than I am -- I was lucky to catch McFly before he escaped!

JoAnne is happy, there was a group that picked up some animals from a shelter that was either closing or for some reason they needed these animals removed immediately. JoAnne took in 13 animals on a Wednesday. We got them spayed/neutered and ready for the weekend adoption and five of them got new homes that next weekend! It is a good feeling :-)

Sweet Amelia is still looking for a home. She is the absolute nicest cat -- when she is by herself. She doesn't get along with either dogs or cats so she is looking for an only-cat home. Because she can't go to the store (other animals are there), she is limited to the website for finding her new space. She is a sweetie but I feel guilty every time I walk past the spare bathroom and hear her pitiful meows because she is lonesome. I visit her morning and evening but it is not the same as having your own family. Sigh...she is getting tired of waiting and I am feeling sympathy -- it's HARD to wait for just the right family. I'm sure they will come along -- sooner rather than later, we hope!

I can't believe it has been this long since I checked in! We have been so busy but that really isn't any excuse. We have our first big litter of kittens (9!!) for the season. They are in one of the foster homes, born on April 1. Kittens are really cute but it is hard to imagine nine in one litter. The largest litter I have fostered had seven kittens and let me tell you, it is hard to shut the door and keep all of the kittens where they are supposed to be, they are such escape artists that usually 1-2 of them would sneak out of the spare bathroom into the hall/livingroom and then I'd have to chase them down -- and kittens are fast!

We have so many nice cats at PetsMart right now -- I can't believe Fluffy is still at the store. She is such a sweetie, comes right up and nudges to be pet; she is really good company. Our two large orange cats (brothers) that we adopted out a couple of months ago came back; their adopted owner lost her job and things just fell apart - so they are back at the store. Jelly is at the store in the cage at the top far end. She was one of a pair (the other one was named Peanut Butter) - I'm not sure what happened to Peanut Butter but we only received Jelly for adoption. We have a part Persian named Noodle and another part Persian named Minnie. They are both sweet cats although they both look grumpy (my opinion of Persians). We have three new cats that I haven't actually seen because as usual the first 2-3 days are spent hiding in the litter box or cat hollow. One is named Little Girl - she looks grey and white (what I could see of her anyway), another is black and the third is a cute little tortie.

PetsMart is having an "adoption weekend event" this weekend so hopefully there will be a lot of potential adopters in and looking around. We'd love to send all the kitties home! :-) I'm not sure what dogs we have for adoption at the moment. Whiskey -- what a cutie -- is a whippet/pit bull puppy but she is adopted and now living with a family that includes a full pit bull and a german shepherd. It's good there are two other dogs and room to run with her new family. Whiskey has a lot of puppy energy and it will probably take both dogs to keep her occupied! She is a lovebug. The Chow/Rottweiler mix also was adopted out - wow, you just have to feel for people. The person who released her to us was a Grandma who unexpectedly found herself responsible for her grandkids - then lost her home - then qualified for State housing, and they told her that they accepted animals but when she arrived to move in, they told her that her nine year old Chow/Rottweiler that she had raised from a tiny puppy was not acceptable in the State housing structure. She couldn't not take the apartment because she needed someplace safe for the grandkids. Life is just so difficult sometimes. JoAnne adopted out the last of the cats that she took in from someone with cancer who wanted to have them all placed in good homes before she past away. JoAnne worked really hard on placing those cats -- none of them young -- the last one adopted out was a nine year old tortie. JoAnne said, "Well, at least now I can call her and tell her that her cats have all been placed with really nice families". She felt that way about the woman who had to give up the Chow/Rottweiler, too. What a nice, calm dog -- truly safer than a lot of the smaller dogs they probably accepted into the housing. Talk about heartbreak.

Someone asked me the other night how NWAC is set up and where our "shelter" is located. I had to tell them, we don't have a "shelter" - we operate solely out of foster homes for both the cats and dogs. It is a network of people that has been built up over the years. We are always on the lookout for additional foster homes because, of course, it means we can accept more animals into the "pre-adoption" phase if we have someplace to house them. Animals stay in the foster home(s) until they are either(1) adopted at PetsMart (cats are there 24/7, dogs go in for "adoption afternoons" every-other-weekend from 1-5pm on Saturday and Sunday) or (2) adopted through a listing on PetFinders or our website.

By no means are the animals that come through the one foster home mentioned on this blog all of the animals that are currently available for adoption through NWAC. JoAnne is our Adoption Director; she both accepts animals into NWAC and adopts animals from NWAC. The rest of the NWAC volunteers are usually either foster homes or help clean the cat cages at PetsMart.

We have a lot of great animals just waiting for the right placement and since I'm not fostering additional dogs at the moment; you'll probably start hearing more about the cats!! We'll see...
I need to see who is still down at the store - the cats usually rotate through pretty quickly although we have had Princess for awhile (she is named Princess for a reason). She is a very pretty cat but not one that you can just reach down and pick up right away. Once she knows you, she is great but she usually stays curled up in her little house and doesn't come out to meet and greet people.

Fluffy came back - she is a long haired dark torti and just the sweetest cat. The people who adopted her in April have found out that the woman is pregnant so, Fluffy came back. Fluffy is usually right up at the front of the cage asking for lovin', she won't last long at the store. We accepted eight cats from a woman who is not expected to live much longer -- seven have been adopted and now we have rotated the last one into the store. The cat's name is Shy and she is an older cat -- and not at all happy to be at PetsMart. She has spent more time hiding in the litter box then anywhere else. She is a pretty little brown tabby.

Umm...I guess I'll have to take inventory when I'm at PetsMart tomorrow since I can't remember any of the other cats at the moment.

What a nice surprise. Bear and his family came to PetsMart to visit us yesterday. He has filled out so much and he is so much calmer - I didn't even recognize him at first. He sure knew me, though!! It was great to have him wiggling around in front of me so happy, happy, HAPPY. I told his family that I was absolutely impressed - his coat was glossy, his tummy was well-rounded and he was grinning from ear to ear -- AND, he didn't jump on me and almost knock me down. THAT is a definate improvement. The gentleman said they had Bear in a training class and that things were going really well. It is so nice to have a visit now and then to see progress ...

I took Luna to a behaviorist and she gave me some ideas that we are going to try. No more foster dogs at my house for awhile - and hopefully Amelia will get adopted and out of my bathroom soon. She is a cat that likes company and doesn't get too much right now.

Well - Spring is on it's way -- it was sunny, snowy and hailed today. The forsethya is blooming, the daffodils are almost ready to bloom and the tulips have poked their way up. It's a good time for new beginnings!!

...and it's been three weeks and the volunteers cleaning the cat cages are still working great -- WOW -- it just doesn't get much better than this! :-)

YEAH !! Bear was adopted today - to a couple who have had a Golden Retriever and a Mastiff before - I'm sure they can handle Bear. He is such a nice dog - I hope it is a good match.