10/21/13 to 10/27/13

Relocations and In Take

Our Cats after Release

Calls/EMAILS You Don’t Want to Get

BMG (Bitch – Moan - Groan)

OMG (Oh My God) 

Relocations and In Take:   Placed 25 this week with intake at 10. 

            8          Workshop in Mineola (8 Hye School Cats)

            3          Barn in Whitesboro (Katie, Billie, Bobby)

            2          Barn in Anna (Tank, Nathan alias Mr. Nasty)

            2          Barn in Trenton (Macie, Kennedy, Elaine)

            6          Bonham Rescue

            4          Honeygrove Rescue

The barn in Anna has some interesting residents:

Hombre, Misty (mom), Jackie (baby)            

Drumstick                               

                                                                  Dumpling

                                   

Cats after Release:  Did not pick up any equipment this week but got a report on one of our cats:  Topper Tabby (now just Topper) is living well in an organic nursery in Frisco.  He sits on the counter and greets customers which gets him lots of “love and kisses”.  He comes when called each evening so he is safe from predators around the property.  He is even now getting along with another cat we put there several years ago – Cristina.   

                    

Calls/EMAILS You Don’t Want to Get:  There are 15 feral cats living in Burleson with an elderly lady.  Her daughter lives in Sherman.  We can take 2 or 3 a week until the situation is resolved but the vet work has to be done first.  If you have elderly parents, think ahead if there are lots of cats or dogs on the property.  Don’t wait for a crisis!   

BMG:   OK – standard intake procedure for Barn Cats is that all the cats have been tested negative for feline leukemia and sterilized with rabies and distemper shots that are current.  A volunteer with a local animal services department wanted us to take 2 cats….so….get the work done and bring them over.  When they arrived, they had NOT been tested or given a distemper shot.  The volunteer told animal services but animal services DID NOT tell the vet clinic.  AND – each very feral cat was wearing an e-collar following her spaying.  How do you get an e-collar off a feral cat?  (sounds like a bad Aggie joke)   I am not sticking my hand in there!  Hummm!  They needed to be knocked out to be tested and given their distemper shot so off they went to All Care to get that done AND remove the e-collars.  Geez!  We have received almost 6,000 cats in the last eleven years and these were the first ever with e-collars.    

OMG:  We had 4 test positive this week and need to be euthanized.  I HATE IT but it is a terrible death.  I just imagine one of these outside and sick and not being able to get to food or water.  I had two of my personal cats die of it in the late 70’s.  IT WAS TERRIBLE!  The vaccine was developed several years later and I was one of the first in line at my vet clinic in San Antonio.  My personal opinion:  Every cat entering a group or shelter should be tested for feline leukemia.  It is so contagious!  Don’t mess with it!                     

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

10/14/13 to 10/20/13

Relocations and In Take

Our Cats after Release

Calls/EMAILS You Don’t Want to Get

BMG (Bitch – Moan - Groan)

OMG (Oh My God)

Halloween Blow-Ups 

Relocations and In Take:   Placed 19 this week with intake at 7. 

            2          Backyard Shed in McKinney (Jan, Jessica)

            2          Room off the Garage in Double Oak (Dagwood, Callie)

            2          Barn in Flower Mound (Janet, Jenny)

            2          Barn in Wylie (Ivy, Sugar)

            2          Barn in Flower Mound (Tootles, Custard)

            9          Bonham Rescue

                                   

Cats after Release: 

1.      Wylie – Mayor and Beatrix have  been spotted on the property but are being illusive.  SO – they asked for 2 additional and Ivy and Sugar went there.

2.      Corinth – Linda and Lulu went to this backyard in Corinth.  The husband built the cedar A-Frame “designer” cat house for them.  WOW! 

The house has steps going up and place for a waterer, food bowl and litter box on the first level.  There are two holes in the front:  lower hole goes in with access to level 2; upper hole goes to level 3.  Level 2 is accessible from the back of the unit.  The girls are enjoying their penthouse in the sky!                                                                   

Calls/EMAILS You Don’t Want to Get:  There are 8 cats at a school location somewhere in the Dallas area.  These 8 cats have been carried for by teachers and staff for several years.  Now a new janitor wants them gone.  One of the teachers is working with Dallas Cat Ladies to get them re-captured (all are spayed/neutered), get them tested and shots updated for Barn Cats.  It has been a slow go because it is raining this week….but hope to get them all in-house and then placed next week. 

BMG:   I have a Square (iPhone attachment for using credit cards) that we use for donations primarily at events.  A person delivering cats asked if she could charge a donation so I got it out.  I have not used it since the June Barn Cat Bash.  WELL – NO WORKIE!   Discovered that I needed to update the operating system on my iPhone – WHAT A MESS!   It took several hours and then I discovered on Saturday that I was not getting any voicemail messages.  ALL THAT TROUBLE and the SQUARE still does not work.  Plan B:  ?????  

OMG:  (no entry this week)                             

Halloween Blowups:  Well, it is hard to miss my house these days.  THE CATS ARE OUT!  Many Thanks to volunteers Nancy, Julie, and Heather for getting them set up in the front yard on Saturday.  The trick-or-treat kids love them!  

                   

 

This feral cat is about 4 feet tall and HISSY!                

 

 This one is about 20’…love the long tail!

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

10/07/13 to 10/13/13

Relocations and In Take

Our Cats after Release

Calls/EMAILS You Don’t Want to Get

BMG (Bitch – Moan - Groan)

OMG (Oh My God)

Hoarder

“Catching Some Rays” 

Relocations and In Take:   Placed 28 this week with intake at 23. 

            2          Garage in McKinney (Trouble, Jake)

            1          Adoption Group (Thor)

            1          Sun porch in McKinney (Spot, Shakey)

            17        Valley View Rescue (see below – Hoarder)

1                   Bonham Rescue

2                   Barn in Parker (Izy, Ion)

4          Shed in Heath – Rockwall County (Felix, Oscar, Belinda, Brindle)  

Cats After Release

                       

    1.      Weatherford:  Jackie sent an additional picture of Carlos – doing great in Weatherford.   

                                                                                                                                                                                                         

2.      Dallas:  Miranda and Trouble are doing well along a golf course.  I did not see them cause the homeowner left the equipment on the front porch. 

3.      McKinney:  Lucille and Yoko are living in the woods.  The food continues to disappear but they have not been seen.     

4.      Duncanville:  Ed and Fred are still in the neighborhood.  The homeowner has been them but they are keeping their distance.    

5.      Celina:  Minnie, Mya, and Jake are hiding in the barn.  There are 2 donkeys and 2 Great Pyrenees dogs on the property to keep the predators away. 

            6.      Denton:  Chleo started out in a cage in the garage but has “graduated” to being  

                   indoor/outdoor in this nice home in Denton.  She is getting along GREAT with the family
                   dog –  Clariece.

7.      Denton:  In this barn I placed Morgan and Ebony.  Saw Ebony run out of the building when I arrived.  I left extra food when she comes back. 

8.      Chandler:  Bobbi – now Tinker Bell – is doing great.   Now she is indoor/outdoor (more in than out) – HA HA!   Looking good in East Texas!

 

                 

                                                                                                                                               

Calls/EMAILS You Don’t Want to Get:  KITTENS!  Don’t put kittens in a barn environment.  The hawks carry them off in the daytime and the owls at night.  I have gotten two calls this week from people who contact me THEN get “kittens” from somewhere else.  OK – Now you are out the cost of spay/neuter and shots – that is IF THEY SURVIVE!   We only take cats 8 months and older.  Please don’t set them up to fail!  

BMG:   All you folks out there doing TNR (Trap/Neuter/Return), when you come across FRIENDLY cats that have been abandoned – GET THEM OFF THE STREET.  If they can be a “pet” then they deserve a safe, indoor-only home with a family.  NOT A BARN with hawks, owls, coyotes, packs of wild dogs, rattle snakes and on and on and on.  There are 200-300 adoption groups in the DFW area.  Become associated with one that can help you place these friendly cats.  Don’t leave them on the street to be shot, chased, hit with rocks, etc. from uncaring humans. 

OMG:  Feline Leukemia is very contagious.  Barn Cats, Inc. tests every cat for Feline Leukemia.  It is my understanding that most TNR groups do not test for leukemia.  When you return a “positive” cat to a colony you are potentially returning it to infect the rest of the colony.  TEST and euthanize those positive cats.  It is a terrible death.  Just think about a sick cat, living outside with little shelter, who at some point will have trouble even moving and then the ants CRAWLING ALL OVER IT.  GROSS!   Give them a quiet, simple death.  That is the humane thing to do.     

Hoarder:  Rob with ARF (Animal Rescue Foundation) is working with Barn Cats to finally close out a hoarder situation in Valley View, TX. 

            Trip 1:  Got a nursing mom and 5 kittens.  Then 9 additional kittens. 

            Trip 2:  Got 5 – 4 of which are now at Barn Cats and one that tested positive. 

ARF took the kittens (thank GOD) and we will take the feral adults as they are caught.  The     hoarder (a guy) is relating better to working with Rob – that was a good idea!  

 
“Catching some Rays”:  Nancy and I rearranged the old cat room this week.  We have some additional caging that has doors on the sides…makes for easier cleaning.  Now two of our custom cat trees are in front of the window. 

Valentina, Tess and Bunny (in the back)   

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