Sunday, March 31, 2013

03/25/2013 to 03/31/2013



HOARDERS ARE US!    


Relocations and In Take
March Close Out
Our Cats after Release
Phone Calls/Emails You Don’t Want to Get
Calls you WANT to GET
THANKS to Feral Friends


Relocations and In Take:   21 left this week with intake at 23 – Still going the wrong way! : 
            2          Barn in Oak Leaf (Oscar and Blackie)
            2          Barn in Ovilla (Percy and Zena – Warrior Princess)
            3          Barn in Midlothian (Peg, Tommy, Teddy Jack)
            3          Barn in Prosper (Diane, Dena, Dana)
            3          Barn in Melissa (Crookshanks, Peace, Ginger Snap)
            5          To adoption groups (Kandy, Andrea, Vicky, Raccoon, Pity)
            2          Euthanized – Bummer!  (1 really sick and 1 FELV +)
            1          Neuter and Return (Time)

March Close Out:  It was a good month for us…62 placements in 8 counties:
            Collin               Dallas              Denton            Ellis
            Fannin             Grayson           Johnson           Smith
            …and 1 to CALIFORNIA!   

Our Cats after Release:             
·         Blue Ridge:  One of the torties has escaped from the cage. I think she will stay around because her sister is still caged….HOPE SO! These are two from the Tyler rescue.

·         ADOPTION:  Vivi, Tristi, and Monkey have all been adopted into forever homes….YEAH!  

·         McKinney:  Harley is doing well at the barn in McKinney. I made an appointment to pick up equipment on Friday – BUT – the barn owner had a traffic accident on the way to meet me and – well – still have outstanding equipment there. She was not hurt – GOOD NEWS!

·         Oak Leaf:  Jason is doing well there. He was in the hidey box with his ears pinned back as usual. I think he is so cute! Nipsy, however, has not been seen and may have taken off.   BUMMER! 

·         Oak Leaf:  Keri and Jojo have taken up with the other cats on the property and are doing well.
                               
Phone Calls/Emails You Don’t Want to Get: 
·         Dallas Hoarder (Update):  I have received a total of 18 with 3 still left to be re-trapped. I will begin placing some of these cats this week, I hope.     
  
·         YOU ARE GOING TO LOVE THIS (Update - again):  The 4 friendly cats that I gave to Feral Friends – well –
§  One was NOT pregnant
§  One was pregnant but not far along – litter aborted
§  One was pregnant but the doctor could not tell – opened her up and then sewed her back up – litter on the way
§  One was obviously pregnant and we are waiting for these to “pop”.

Feral Friends has set up a “nursery” for all these pregnant cats!  

·         Keene Hoarder:  We started taking cats from this situation on Monday of this week. Pam with Feral Friends went with me. The house is NOT in bad shape – unlike the Dallas situation – but she is moving in a month. Took over 13 carriers for the inside cats and 4 traps for the outside cats. She got 6 packed up while we were doing a transfer of the Dallas cats to my truck. That was really good news. However, when Pam called to pick up additional cats on Thursday, she had not done anything….oops! Last Monday morning when we were going there at noon, she called me and tried to cancel. I THINK most of these folks are depressed and find it difficult to deal with this type of task. BUT – if they will just get it completed, then this major project is DONE. I am afraid this is going to drag on all of April!  …and, of course, she has no transportation!  

·         Denison:  An elderly lady, who we have worked with before, is now in a rehab facility and will not be allowed to return home. There were 6 cats in the house and 3 outside. Rhonda went over there on Wednesday evening (full moon) AND A MIRACLE HAPPENNED!  She got all 9! I had set up caging in my garage – never put un-tested cats in the house – and we knew from previous experience that there is feline leukemia in that neighborhood. She arrived at my house at 10:30 that night. Of the 9 – all but one tested negative: 
§  1 went to adoption group right away (very pregnant)
§  4 are friendly but may be “older than dirt”
§  3 are feral
§  1 was euthanized – FELV +

Calls you WANT to Get:  Received a call from a barn owner in Ennis that has multiple barns and sheds over 200 acres and wants 9 to 12 cats! YES! Music to my ears! The first three have been scheduled for Tuesday next week and I will look at the rest of the property when I deliver those three. 

THANKS to Feral Friends:  They received a donation of 3 pallets of dry cat food this week and gave us one pallet – MANY THANKS for sharing! Normally we spend about $130 every two weeks on dry cat food – IAMS. The donation was of Hill’s brand – also good stuff! 

Thanks for following the Barn Cats blog.  See you next week!           Peg

Monday, March 25, 2013

03/18/2013 - 03/24/2013



Relocations and In Take
Our Cats after Release
Phone Calls/Emails You Don’t Want to Get


Relocations and In Take:   Placed 15 this week with intake at 22 – OUCH! : 
            1          Bonham Rescue
            2          Blue Ridge (Kristi and Julie)
            3          Tyler (Hope, Hanna, and Toby)
            6          To adoption groups (Vivi, Trista, and 4 teenagers)
            3          Bartonville (Kendra, Kelly, and Henry)

Our Cats after Release:             
·         Wolfe City:  Batman and Mollie went to Wolfe City in December of 2012. Both are doing very well.  
·         Rhome:  Big Blue and Prancer are doing well. One of the dogs got too close to the cage and ended up with a bloody nose – CATS RULE! 
                               
Phone Calls/Emails You Don’t Want to Get: 
·         Hoarder (Update):  I have received the first 6 from the hoarder. They are in cages behind my sofa in my family room – no room in the cat room. They are very reclusive – I have only seen one since putting them in there. However, they are eating, peeing, and pooping – so I guess all is well.    

·         YOU ARE GOING TO LOVE THIS (Update):  There were 4 cats at that barn where the owner found someone living in the storm cellar. She delivered them to me last Monday at a Starbucks in McKinney…cat swap in a parking lot! All 4 are black or black/white and very friendly. They have gone to Feral Friends for their adoption program. GREAT OPPORTUNITY FOR THEM!

·         Bonham Rescue:  I took one cat from the ladies in Bonham this week. It is a friendly cat and I traded her to an adoption group. She will get a safe, in-door only home now. BUT – I made arrangements to meet one of the Bonham folks half way -- the parking lot of the PetsMart at Hwy 75 and 380 in McKinney. She called me at 10:25 and was at 380 and  I-35-- OOPS – she drove right past me and went many miles out of her way. When she looked at her notes, she realized it was Hwy 75 not I-35 and began the trek back to Hwy 75. I just waited…. Here is the good news:  I had taken my tax info with me and worked to get a bunch of receipts compiled!  

Thanks for following the Barn Cats blog.  See you next week!           Peg

Tuesday, March 19, 2013

03/11/2013 to 03/17/2013



“Happy St. Patrick’s Day”


Relocations and In Take
Our Cats after Release
Phone Calls/Emails You Don’t Want to Get


Relocations and In Take:   9 this week with intake at 3: 
            8          Bonham Rescue
            1          Trap/Neuter/Return

Our Cats after Release:             
·         Lucas:  Goldie – There are 2 Great Pyrenees dogs at this barn. They chase off coyotes which is a very good thing….except….Goldie does not like them. But – he is still around. 

Rachel



·         Wylie:  Brandi and Rachael were released at this barn. Brandi is elusive but Rachael is out and rubbing on the guy’s legs! She hissed at me. “You are not taking me back and putting me in a cage again – SO THERE!” They have cleaned out 5 rodent nests. YOU GO GET UM, Girls!


·       Celeste/Greenville:  Viv and Vivian are doing great. They play all night and set off the movement-reactive lights – HA! The rats are gone and the folks are happy. 
                               
Phone Calls/Emails You Don’t Want to Get: 
·         Hoarder:  While I was out of town, Feral Friends started working with a hoarder in Dallas.  The house is a HOT MESS! A worker cleaned out one room and they started trapping cats, getting them vet’ted, then releasing them in this room with litter boxes, food, water, etc. I will begin taking them this next Friday. There are 22 total.  8 were pregnant! This lady is a former Miss Texas and a first runner up for Miss America…now a cat hoarder! 
·         
         YOU ARE GOING TO LOVE THIS:  I received a call about friendly teenagers that showed up at a barn near Greenville. No one lives there. The house is gone except for a storm cellar and a barn. There “are” horses but the barn owner does not want any cats there especially ones that are friendly. She feels as I do – any friendly cat deserves a safe, in-door home. Well – I am going to take the cats BECAUSE she said (check this out) SHE FOUND SOMEONE LIVING IN THE STORM CELLAR!  WHAT?  A squatter in a storm cellar? 

Thanks for following the Barn Cats blog.  See you next week!           Peg

Thursday, March 14, 2013

03/04/2013 - 03/10/2013

We're Back!!!



Relocations and In Take
Our Cats after Release
Phone Calls/Emails You Don’t Want to Get


Relocations and In Take:   9 this week with intake at 3: 
            3          Bonham Rescue
            3          Adoption Group
            1          Barn in Southern California – WHAT?  (Ava)
            2          Barn in Midlothian (Connie and Sophie)

I guy called from Mansfield. I put 3 cats with him in Mansfield in the fall of last year and all are still around. His employer wants a friendly, single barn cat for their barn in Southern California. OK – I got one!  He was driving to California (straight through – ouch) on Saturday. He has a big dog crate for the cat, a litter box, bed, feeder/water cups….so….why not? Now Ava is a “valley girl”. I emailed the person that gave her to me and he was pleased with this option.                                       

Way to go, Ava!

Our Cats after Release:             
·         No equipment picked up this week BUT I did get an email from the warehouse that took Mama, Moose, and Mr. T.  Mr. T had RUN OUT the first minute given the chance but had been seen around the property. He has now moved into the warehouse and is doing fine.   YEAH!    Mama and Moose are in the office (answering phones, I think). 
                                        
Phone Calls/Emails You Don’t Want to Get: 
·         YOU ARE GOING TO LOVE THIS:  Someone in HOUSTON placed 4 to 6 cats (cannot really tell from her note) with a friend in a barn in Plano. Last time I looked, there are not any or many barns in Plano – wonder if it is Parker…but…  She left them a month’s worth of food and later sent them $150. Hummm – looks like she is still “supporting” these cats. NOW the barn owner (her friend) has run into some financial problems (dog has cancer) and no longer wants to keep these cats….AND….calls them HER CATS! OK – she is 250 miles away and unsure what to do now. I really don’t know what to tell her either. They would need to be re-trapped and re-tested because they have been outside. AND – unsure about this – but I would guess that the barn owner will not help with any of these tasks. More later on this one…  

Thanks for following the Barn Cats blog.  See you next week!           Peg