Sunday, May 22, 2016



Blog 05/16/16 to 05/22/16


BARN CAT BASH, Sunday, June 5, 2016
Bistecca in Highland Village, 5:30
Reservations Required (email to info@barncats.org for an invitation)

Relocations
Our Cats after Release
Bad Calls/Emails:  Garage Cats
BMG (Bitch/Moan/Groan):  Another Group Doing Barning
OMG (Oh My God):  Equipment Pick Up
Auction Items from China and Africa

Relocations and In Take:   We had 11 placements this week.  
4          Shed in Fort Worth (Princess, Gypsy, Penelope, Olive)
2          Greenhouse in Flower Mound (Marbles, Tiger)
2          Adoption Group (Mocha, Sunshine)
3          Barn in Lucas (Bree, Gilmore, Keeper)

Our Cats after Release:
1.     Denton:  Skip and Roddy were placed in this workshop in the Aubrey area.  Turns out they did not get along but Skip is in the workshop and Roddy is elsewhere on the property.  All is well in Denton! 
2.     Howe:  Umi and Chi survived the Howe tornado and are not exploring the area under the container storage shed on the property where the rats are hiding.  The two Great Pyrenees will keep them safe.  Good to know they are earning their keep.
3.     Celina:  We placed Slim here to be a friends for Grace…except he has turned out to be a bully.  The barn owner is thinking about exchanging him for a different cat.  That is fine with us….trap him and let us know!


      
4.   Waxahachie:  Vegas, Chili, and Grasshopper are currently living in a large workshop area in Waxahachie.  The family keeps ducks and chickens so they are going to have rodents.  The “boys” are working hard and no mice have been spotted since there were released.  They are coming and going via an open window with a pool equipment container on one side and a freezer on the other.  EASY ACCESS!    
5.     Flower Mound:  Mouser, Thumper and Memphis went to the shed off a carport in Flower Mound.  The family has fixed a cat door from a shelf (up high) so other critters (raccoons, skunks, etc.) cannot get in.  The “Three Musketeers” are doing well.  The family is concerned with snakes because they back up to core of engineer’s property next to Lake Grapevine.  I would be afraid, too!  Hope our kids take care of the rodents that would attract the snakes.   

Bad Calls/EMAILS:  Garage Cats
An elderly woman has moved into assisted living.  She had 7 cats living in her garage.  All but 2 are sterilized.  The “family” just locked them out into the yard…thanks!  A friend and a neighbor are trying to get them placed.  They have one trap – I will take one a week until this is resolved. 

BMG:  Another Group Doing Barning
The last couple of weeks, I have run across groups who when faced with the “cannot be returned” say they will “barn” those cats.  They have put the word out on social media and placed 3 cats in a barn today.  I wonder:
1.     Do they know the right questions to ask a barn owner?
2.     Do they know what makes a good set up for the cats vs a poor set up?
3.     Do they recommend the property owner have something for coyote control? (Great Pyrenees dog, donkey, or llama)
4.     Do they have a cage set up that gives the cats some room to move around?
5.     Have they inadvertently set up the cats to fail?
The other issue is that no one person is in charge of this process.  Everyone is looking for barns.  The person I spoke with could not say who I should really speak with.  I told her this had been a problem with another group.  I starting getting copied on 10 to 20 emails a day about the same project and I had to get nasty to get that to stop.  Identify a focal point and give that person my contact info – then we shall see…

OMG:  Equipment Pick Up
We have been delayed on all sides by the continuing rain.  If it is a mud hole around the barn, we cannot get in to get our stuff.  ALSO – we advise the barn owners to not release the cats unless there are several dry days in a row.  The cats could lose scent if the ground is wet and they might not be able to figure out how to get back.  I would rather be late picking up the equipment than have the cats lost.  Enough is enough – let’s get some dry days now.  BUT – not this week either!!!!!!!!

Auction Items:  I will feature items from my travels this week.  Below are framed original art pieces from China, some jewelry from Africa, lucky Chinese coins and much more!


 



 
Thanks for following the Barn Cats Blog.          Peg

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