11/05/2012 to 11/11/2012

Relocations and In Take

Our Cats after Release

Phone Calls/Emails You Don’t Want to Get

 

Relocations and In Take:   I placed 8 with in-take at 8…at least it is even!                                           

2          Barn in Sanger

4          Heated Barn in DeSoto

2          Barn in Red Oak

Geez – What Next?

On Wednesday this week, Nancy and I were working in the front rooms organizing the Silent Auction items for the event coming up the day after Thanksgiving. Well, I was on the phone, when Nancy says “Peg – get off the phone – the fire department is here!”. Sure enough, the big fire truck was in front of the house and a fireman was headed to my front door. Unfortunately, a lady bringing us a cat from Flower Mound had been involved in a car accident. They made her go to the hospital (just in case) but there was the issue of what to do with the cat who had been sitting in a flexible carrier on the front seat. The woman was T-boned on that side of the vehicle and the cat ended up on the floor of the car…but seemed to be OK. She asked the firemen to deliver the cat to Barn Cats….so….that is why the big truck came to my house last Wednesday! “Harley” the cat is fine and the lady was released from the hospital that evening. 

Our Cats after Release: 

·         Bells, TX:  This group was 4 from Oklahoma. They are doing well. I did not go onto the property because Gina delivered the equipment to Sherman where she and her husband own some oil changing places. However – I did get a free oil change for the Barn Cats truck!     

·         Red Oak:  Shamu, Caspar, and Ginger (also from Oklahoma) are living in and around the greenhouse catching small mice. The other cats I placed there (two big orange tabbies) are living under the main house and catching RATS! GOOD JOB all around!

·         Argyle:  Michelle and Peppermint are doing well there. 

           

Phone Calls/Emails You Don’t Want to Get: 

Got a call from an elderly lady in Sanger feeding cats that are of breeding age.  GOOD NEWS is that there are only 3. We will take her traps and then will have to do the transport when they are caught.

Thanks for following the Barn Cat Blog.  See you next week.           Peg             

10/29/2012 to 11/04/2012

Relocations and In Take

October Closeout

Our Cats after Release

Phone Calls/Emails You Don’t Want to Get

Relocations and In Take:   I placed 9 with in-take at 2. One of that two was selected by an adoption group on Saturday plus another cat.  “Misty” and “Monkey” will now get safe, in-door homes!

2          Warehouse in Rowlett

1          Deck in Venus

3          Barn in Waxahachie

1          Garage in Lewisville

2          Adoption group

October Closeout:  It was a busy month with 53 placed in 9 Texas counties. 6 of those placed were traded to adoption groups and will get safe, in-door homes…Hercules, Sinbad, Trooper, Nina, Jack, and Eva. 53 puts us at 440 for the year – 20 above yearly totals for the last 2 years.

Counties served in October were:

            Dallas              Ellis                  Grayson           Johnson           Wise

            Denton            Fannin             Hunt                Rockwall

Our Cats after Release: 

·         Rhome, TX:  Remember this place….I got stuck in the mud there! It was DRY on my return trip. All 3 of those cats (GooGoo, Little Captain, Coco Puff) are all sticking around.  The family built them a safe-house in the barn. They roam in the daytime and return at night to their “casa”. They are smart cats. Coming home at night is the very safest thing they can do! 

·         Burleson:  “Dustin” and “Julie” are hanging out in the garage and taking care of business!  YEAH! 

I did not see anyone this week but got the reassurances from the barn/garage owners that all are still there. 

           

Phone Calls/Emails You Don’t Want to Get: 

Seem to be lots of folks trying to place KITTENS this week and/or someone has died and cats need to be placed. So many people that do not realize that sibling WILL BREED! We need to all spread the word - if you get the adults fixed, you will not have a kitten problem! Plus:  Mom can get pregnant while she is nursing.   AHHHHHHHHH!

Thanks for following the Barn Cat Blog.  See you next week.           Peg             

10/22/2012 to 10/28/2012

Relocations and In Take

Our Cats after Release

Phone Calls/Emails You Don’t Want to Get

Cats NOT Placed Last Week -- Update

Relocations and In Take:   I placed 7 this week with in-take at 2.                                                       

3          Barn in Venus

1          Adoption Group

3          Barn in Burleson

Our Cats after Release: 

·         Update from last week:  I did not pick up equipment but I did place cats in Bells and saw Ryan from Ft. Worth. He is living in the barn on a back shelf in a bucket that lies on its’ side. He has a direct route to the outside if challenged in the barn and is doing well. The other orange tabby, Oscar, is also in the barn but I did not see him. Shelley, from ARF, is living in the woods but has become the “supreme snake killer” and the barn owners are very happy about that! 

·         I picked up in Crossroads on Sunday and saw all 4 of the Watauga hoarder cats that I placed there. They are now garage cats. The home owner teaches harp lessons from her home and some of the students have petted some of these cats….amazing! 

·         1 also picked up in Howe where 4 boys from Watauga were placed. They regularly see only one but lots of food is disappearing….so the boys are around. 

           

Phone Calls/Emails You Don’t Want to Get: 

·         OK…when someone calls you CRYING about her cats, you really bend over backwards to help that person. It is usually that someone has died and the cats are going to get left behind with no one to feed them. I called a lady last week and said I have placement for your two cats next Monday. When can you get them over here. She responded for Sunday. Then Sunday came, no cats, I called her. She has now decided that she does not want them placed in the warehouse that I had found….WHAT…A WAREHOUSE! There is no better place for cats….no coyotes, hawks, owls, rattlesnakes, etc., etc. – with heat and AC and the attention  of lots of employees. Well – the cats missed that opportunity ---  BUT – two fabulous cats, Peppermint, from Animal Allies, and Cutesy, from Siamese Rescue, got the opportunity and I am sure will thrive in that environment.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                

Cats NOT Placed Last Week - Update:  The 3 cats I brought back from Corsicanna are now living in Venus.       

Thanks for following the Barn Cat Blog.  See you next week.           Peg             

10/15/2012 to 10/21/2012

Relocations and In Take

Our Cats after Release

Phone Calls/Emails You Don’t Want to Get

Cats NOT Placed

Relocations and In Take:   I placed 14 this week with in-take at 2.                                                       

4          Barn in Bells

4          Adoption Group

1          Adopted

5          Barn in Dallas

Our Cats after Release:  I did not pick up any equipment this week.      

           

Phone Calls/Emails You Don’t Want to Get: 

·         A lady south of Waxahachie has 10 cats that are not sterilized and she does not drive into Dallas. BUT – we got it worked out….she will trap, her son will take them to the Feral Friends clinic on Fridays, and I will pick them up. That sounds like a plan – hope they “get after it”.

·         A guy in North Dallas is dying. He has 2 male cats that are sterilized. I recommended the SPCA – they are indoor cats! He has not called back – hope it worked out.   

Cats NOT Placed:  We make a commitment to our cats…If we get to any barn (no matter how far we travel) and do not think it is a good environment, we DO NOT leave the cats. On Tuesday I drove 2 hours to a location south of Corsicanna. The barn was right next to the road and there was not enough protection from the elements to put up the caging. So, we went to the house…hoping there was a porch or shed…nope! So, the cats and I made the 2-hour return trip. I would just worry about them! We will not set them up to fail.     

Thanks for following the Barn Cat Blog.  See you next week.           Peg             

10/08/2012 to 10/14/2012

Relocations and In Take

Our Cats after Release

Dogs Dumped in Denton County - Update

Phone Calls/Emails You Don’t Want to Get

Relocations and In Take:   I placed 14 this week with in-take at 12.                                                     

3          Barn Red Oak

2          Garage in Burleson

2          Barn #1 in Argyle

2          Barn #2 in Argyle

3          Kittens to an adoption group

2          Barn in Royce City

That barn owner where I wanted to place one last Sunday got delayed. He broke is ankle! Ouch!

Our Cats after Release:  I picked up in Crowley this week but only saw Cole again. Sophie and Faith are around but I did not see them.      

           

Phone Calls/Emails You Don’t Want to Get: 

·         I have been exchanging emails with a lady who (it appears) has separated from her husband and moved into Dallas/Ft. Worth. There are 9 cats…all spayed/neutered but will need to be tested and given current rabies and distemper shots. I offered her caging to get the cats out of danger until I can take them…but...she cannot do that….hummmm! Well, I will take them when I can. 

·         Thursday morning at 8:09, I received a message from a lady being evicted in ONE WEEK with lots of cats that she feeds but has had no money to get them spayed/neutered…but she does not want them euthanized. How many spay/neuter clinics are there in the metroplex? I wonder how we can get the word out to more people so they know the resources they have? If only they could be spayed/neutered and not have so many to deal with. I left her a message but she has not called me back. 

Dogs Dumped in Denton County - Update:  The Maltese dogs went to the Flower Mound Animal Shelter. Those dogs were released to adoption groups who can control/interview the folks who adopt them. The only ones left at the shelter were in poor health…most with bad teeth…not unusual for the breed. That Hwy 377 location is NOT in Sanger but in Flower Mound and the cross street was Stonecrest. That area is just south of Argyle but I guess is still a Flower Mound address. The King Charles Spaniels were turned over to the Humane Society of North Texas in Ft. Worth. They have been “adopted” to individuals.  

Thanks for following the Barn Cat Blog.  See you next week.           Peg             

10/01/2012 to 10/07/2012

Relocations and In Take

September Closeout

Our Cats after Release

Dogs Dumped in Denton County

Phone Calls You Don’t Want to Get

Relocations and In Take:   I placed 11 this week and unfortunately, had to euthanize a very sick one. In-take was at 8.                                              

3          Barn in Rhome

4          Barn in Sanger

4          Barn in Howe

I have placement for 1 additional but we are not sure if the barn owner will be back in town from a wedding in time to get it done on Sunday afternoon. Wait and see…

September Close-Out:  I placed 45 in September in 9 north Texas counties. That is 10 more that September of 2011. 

            Collin               Fannin             Parker

            Denton            Grayson           Tarrant

            Ellis                  Johnson           Wise

Our Cats after Release:  I picked up in Rio Vista, Melissa, Van Alstyne, and Bells. I got to see only Snowfall who was placed in Van Alstyne…because he is friendly. He looked really happy and is doing well living in the garage and backyard.     

           

Calls You Don’t Want to Get:   Saturday, 10/6, I received a call from someone in one of the counties we service. Her mom had let cats breed under her trailer for 20 years! Of course, those cats have been in-breeding for all those years. She said some are sick. NOW – mom has moved out and the daughter and son-in-law, who have large dogs, have moved in. In their perfect world, they want someone to swoop in, pick up / trap all these cats and get rid of the problem. I tried to explain that we are on the relocation end but she is unwilling to DO ANYTHING to resolve this problem except let the dogs kill them all!!! 

Dogs Dumped in Denton County:  Did you see that 40 King Charles Spaniels and 50 Maltese dogs were all dumped in Denton County this week? Another breeder gone bad no doubt! Here is the interesting part:  News releases said they were released in Sanger and Flower Mound. The Fox Channel showed a Hwy 377 sign and said Sanger….well…Hwy 377 DOES NOT RUN THROUGH SANGER! So – actually where were these dogs dumped? I may have to do some detective work next week. I need to talk with Flower Mound Animal Services anyway about 2 cats. Hummmmm!  

Thanks for following the Barn Cat Blog.  See you next week.           Peg             

9/24/2012 - 9/30/2012

Relocations and In Take

Full Moon

Our Cats after Release

Phone Calls You Don’t Want to Get:

Relocations and In Take:   We placed 5 this week with in-take at 6…oops…numbers still going the wrong way again!                                                        

2          Greenhouse in Oak Leaf

3          Barn in Rhome

Full Moon:  People bringing in cats were very emotional this week…crying and crying and crying.  The phone calls were not WEIRD, which is unusual for a full moon, but I did get stuck in the mud in Rhome making the cat delivery on Saturday evening. The good news is that the barn owner got me pulled out with his minivan that has a trailer hitch. Rain is good and rain is bad!   

Our Cats after Release:  I did not pick up any equipment this week but hope to have updates next week. Relocations will be completed this week in Bells, Frisco, Crowley, Rio Vista, Melissa, and Van Alstyne. 

           

Calls You Don’t Want to Get: Important Information - Don’t get a cat in a trap THEN begin to make phone calls to get a place to take her/him. You have to make a plan “soup to nuts” – from trapping, to a spay/neuter appointment, to Barn Cats availability BEFORE YOU TRAP! It would be like showing up to a hospital for surgery without having a doctor selected or a room reserved. All cats coming to Barn Cats, Inc. must have:

·         Tested NEGATIVE for feline leukemia

·         Been sterilized

·         Current rabies and distemper shots

Who we take is based on 2 things:

·         Has the vet work been done?

·         Is there space to keep the cat until a barn is identified? 

Folks often offer to purchase a cage for me to take their cat…which means I would have to put it up in my family room, dining room or bedroom but there is just no more room for setting up additional cages. If there is a crisis, you could contact Barn Cats, get on the list and set up caging at your location while waiting for space.

Thanks for following the Barn Cat Blog.  See you next week.           Peg