Blog 06/30/14 to 07/27/14   THE BLOG IS BACK! 

Relocations and In Take

June Closeout

Our Cats after Release

Bad Calls/Emails:   One Answer at a Time 

BMG (Bitch/Moan/Groan):  Private People

OMG (Oh My God):  Barn Cats at Animal Services

Remembering Larry

Relocations and In Take:   Placed 9 this week with intake at 5.       

4          Adoption Group (Amanda, Randy, Meredith, Oliver)

5          Bonham Rescue

June Closeout:  We placed 77 is June for a first-half-of-2014 of 406.  The cats went to the following North Texas counties:

            Collin               Denton            Ellis                  Fannin

            Grayson           Hunt                Tarrant           

Our Cats after Release:  Picked up equipment in 5 locations this week.        

1.      Flower Mound:  Toby, Peepers, and Baby Girl are living well in this barn.  All have been seen by members of the family. 

2.      Bartonville:  Ginny and Misty came from Denton Animal Services and went to this barn.  I saw both but they ducked away on top of the tack room by the time I got out my phone to take a picture. 

3.      Midlothian:  Ronny, Reba, and Boots are elusive but have been caught on a game camera….sneaky people!  One took up residence in their gazebo on top of the hot tub but the family had to run them out of there.  All are doing well and enjoying their freedom. 

4.      Dallas:  I put up 3 double cages in a garage in Dallas so that the family could move a group of 3 cats from their former residence.  All were moved and have made a good adjustment.  I saw one of them when I picked up the equipment. 

Bad Calls/EMAILS:  One Answer at a Time

On 7/14, a message was left on the barn cat line that one of our cats had been picked up by animal services.  The person calling had given us the cat and it is chipped.  SO – she got called when the chip was read.  HOWEVER, she did not give us any info on WHAT ANIMAL SERVICE location (no city – no nothing!) and then did not call us back with the info.  Now What?  When I returned on 7/21, I called her and she then sent an email…still did not tell us where the cat was found….but she did go get here and said it was a 4 ½ hour drive – WHAT – was the cat in Oklahoma City?  After a couple of emails, I did get the name of the cat.  However, I still did not have the location and also the approximate date she gave us the cat.  OK – many emails later – the cat was placed in Little Elm.  (still no idea why it took 4 ½ hours to drive to Little Elm??)  I had driven by that property about 2 months ago and seen that it was vacant.  I called the company that had a for sale sign in front but they would not tell me anything about the former residents.  My calls were not returned from the person who signed our paperwork.  She had told me in the fall when I picked up the equipment, that the cat was living inside her house….so…good news.  But, now she has moved and turned in the cat to animal services.  You know – we will ALWAYS take back our cats – This one had a happy ending because the cat is back with the original person but I cannot still get any info on the second cat.  OK – there is more…

BMG:  Private People

You know that people contact us requesting cats – we do not call them.  So – I received an email from a lady requesting cats.  She did not include a phone number and/or a location.  With the internet, I get requests from Rhode Island, Michigan, EVERYWHERE!  I have a list of question that I send to barn owners who request cats…city, address, live on the property, etc…general stuff so I can determine the best group of cats to put there if they are in our service area.  This is the response I received back:  “I am on the fence about the cats as well as providing such extensive information about our property.  We are private people and if I decide I want cats, I am going to the pound.”  Fine – no problem but make sure there are spayed/neutered with a negative test for feline leukemia and rabies and distemper shots that are current.  That will be between $200 and $400 at a regular vet clinic….but your choice.  Plus, some pounds will not adopt their cats to outside locations.   

OMG:  Barn Cat at Animal Services

Continuing from “One Answer at a Time”:  About email #8 or so, she asked me if I could take a cat at Lancaster Animal Services that is listed as a barn cat.  She sent a picture but gave no identifying name or registration number and/or a phone number to call.  Also, there is someone who is willing to get the cat neutered, shots, etc.  SO – I called Lancaster AS who was not familiar with the cat in the picture.  Now I called the person who is willing to get him neutered….GUESS WHAT…this cat is NOT in Lancaster…It is in FERRIS!  Geez – what next?  Now I have a cat on hold in Lancaster with no way to get it here.  We will also probably have a problem getting the cat to Lewisville from Ferris.  OH BROTHER – I really have time for this!   

Remembering Larry

The week before the Labor Day weekend in 2009, I received a call from a mentally-challenged man who needed to release his 12-year-old cat.  “We think” his mom had passed away because he was going to live with his sister in Miami and she would not take the cat.  Larry found his friend “Night Rider” in his yard on Christmas Day 12 years before.  He was just big enough to fit in your hand.  Larry and his mom bottle fed the kitten who grew to a very large black cat.  “Night Rider’s” shots were up to date and he was front declawed.  The house was neat and clean and the cat in good shape.  Larry sobbed as we drove away with his friend.  I called the sister to find out if we could deliver the cat to Miami – if it is a financial issue, we will work it out.  NOPE – she started yelling at me from Miami and she did not even need the phone!  Well, that was 5 years ago.  We changed the cat’s name to LARRY in memory of his former owner.  I had to have Larry put to sleep this last Monday, 7/21/2014.  He had diabetes and had been going downhill.  His first years were great with the guy Larry and his last were great with Barn Cats.  He slept with me each night and was a really terrific cat.  I hope human Larry has done as well!  RIP Night Rider Larry!  

“Thanks” for following the Barn Cats Blog.  See you next week!          Peg