Peninsula Friends of Animals

FROM THE HOME FRONT
TALES OF THE SAFE HAVEN KITTIES
WEEK 80: NO TANGLES!

NOTEWORTHY NEWS FROM WILLS

How you doin’?

We had a grrreat adoption this week: Jigsaw and Lucky went home! Isn’t that just the best news? They have a wonderful new family who is taking excellent care of them. They sent us an email letting us know all about how the brothers are doing (they are doing grrreat), and attached photos of ”the boys,” and here they are! Lucky (on the right) now answers to Lucas, and Jigsaw’s (left) new handle is Tracer (that’s someone who practices parlour, a very active sport where you do lots of leaping, running and bouncing off things—purrfect for Jigsaw!)

In other news, I “got” to go to Paw Prince on Thursday and get groomed. I have to tell you that I was NOT looking forward to that—at all—but it actually wasn’t so bad. The amazing part is that when I got back to the shelter, everyone oooh’ed and ahhh’ed over my new do. So I guess it was worth it after all! I smelled kinda funny (peculiar, not ha-ha) for awhile, but now I’m back to my normal cat odor, and all is good.

So … would you all like to meet our Cat Of The Week? Yes? Good answer!

Her name is Loki, which I think is a pretty cute name. This little gal is not only cute; she’s drop-dead gorgeous! She’s a beautiful longhair grey tabby with huge round gold-green eyes. She’s nine years young and looks (and acts) younger. Her person was a mature, loving gentleman who unfortunately passed (which is why she’s here.) He loved her so much that he just couldn’t resist giving her lots of treats—looks to me like a few too many. Anyway, as a result she’s just a tad bit overweight. But the good thing is that she loves to play with her favorite kicker toy and chase the feather wand, and with all that activity, she should be down to fightin’ weight very soon. Not that she is a fighter—it’s just an expression.

And because she’s a longhair, she really needs to be brushed—every day—so she doesn’t get all those nasty tangles. Her fur is very soft and thick and fluffy—you can tell just by looking at her photos—and it’s easy to get tangled. And when Staff has to get the tangles out, well, that’s when Loki’s sunny disposition MAY go south. Can’t say that I blame her! That must hurt a bit. Fortunately, we shorthairs don’t have that problem very often. Which is a good thing, ‘cause I would be so busy trying to get tangles out of my hair that I wouldn’t have time to write this column. And that would be a bad thing!

OK—back to Loki. At her former home, she loved to snuggle next to her person at night, but if that didn’t work out, she didn’t mind sleeping in her own bed. And as far as others in her ideal family, she hasn’t been introduced to children, but she is OK sharing her home with larger dog friends. However, she doesn’t feel the same about cats, and she would definitely prefer not sharing her home with other feline companions. She’s really looking forward to being the Queen Bee in her own home.

I do hope she finds that purrfect furrever home soon. She’s such a great lady!

And it’s a good thing that she has a nice thick (but fluffy) coat, ‘cause the weather is getting colder! And that, my dear readers, is a segue into something the shelter really needs: two oil space heaters. These are grrreat ‘cause they don’t tip over and they don’t get hot enough to burn a kitty’s fur. But they DO give out a lot of heat and are super for heating a room. So if you want to donate something for the kitties, that would be wonderful! We would all appreciate it!

Thanks for listening,

SPATZI (January 12, 2005 – October 14, 2021)

Domestic Shorthair, Male
Color: Brown w/white
Size: large
Born: January 12, 2005
Special needs: renal insufficiency

We are sad to report that our Spatzi crossed the Rainbow Bridge on the evening of October 14, 2021.

Spatzi was a beautiful Siamese mix. His companion of the last ten years has been Spanky, a very handsome tuxedo cat. Two of the gentlest souls you will ever meet, they have been the text book example of well-behaved, loving cats. Spatzi was the more outgoing of the two, often greeting you at the door with a friendly meow and a leg rub. Spanky tends to be more laid back, often lounging in a bed or cat tree. He is easily approachable and loves to be petted and fawned over. Spatzi was in early renal insufficiency and was easily maintained with the fluids he was given twice weekly.

SPANKY

Domestic Shorthair, Male
Color: Black w/White (Tuxedo)
Size: Medium
Born: July 1, 2008 (approx)
Special needs: none

Spanky is a very handsome tuxedo cat. He was bonded to his “brother” companion, Spatzi for ten years until Spatzi crossed the Rainbow Bridge on October 14, 2021. Spanky is one of the gentlest souls you will ever meet. He is the text book example of a well-behaved, loving cat. He tends to be more laid back than his brother was, often lounging in a bed or cat tree. He is easily approachable and loves to be petted and fawned over. Spanky has diabetes and receives twice daily insulin shots, but is quite well regulated. Come and meet this handsome boy and you will discover his purrfect purrsonality for yourself!

FROM THE HOME FRONT
TALES OF THE SAFE HAVEN KITTIES
NOTEWORTHY NEWS FROM WILLS

WEEK 79: SUPER MOM

How you doin’?

This week’s story is all about one of our new moms. Her name is Ella, and she’s such a doll! She’s a little tortie, and one of my very favorite newbies at the shelter.

She began her life on the west side of the Olympic Peninsula. I’m guessing her original family moved, and she ended up outside, living out of dumpsters, which is probably how she developed such a food fetish. When you are left to fend for yourself, food is one of the things you need most.

And like most homeless female felines, she ended up pregnant. Fortunately, she was found in time for PFOA to place her in a foster home, where she had her five kittens. Sadly, one of them died right after it was born, but the remaining four were very healthy, and of course, adorable. Aren’t all kittens?

When the kits were five days old, Ella and her litter were moved to another foster home. I spoke with the new foster mom (my assistant dialed the phone for me), and got an earful about this young super mom kitty.

This lady is an experienced foster mom, but she was in awe of how good a mom Ella was. She nursed her babies consistently the entire time; she never slowed down. When they were very young, she would talk to them with a cute little chirp. As they grew older, she began teaching them skills they needed, and would discipline them, gently, when they deserved it. When they started eating solid food, she took some food from her bowl and put it on the floor in front of the kittens.

Knowing her fixation with food, it was awesome to see her sharing her food with her babies. And she was truly a full-time mom, constantly cleaning them, feeding them, and moving them around.

And speaking of her need for food, her foster mom could not keep her off the counter while she was preparing the meal. And Ella would NOT stay off the table at mealtime. She was very single-minded about food. They finally had to put her in a separate room while they ate.

Ella and her kittens stayed with their foster family until the kittens were 13 weeks old and ready to be adopted. And wouldn’t you know, two of the kittens were adopted by the foster mom, so they never had to leave home! The other two found a fantastic furrever family together. And I got to meet Ella when she came to Safe Haven to find her own furrever home.

Everything the foster mom told me about this little tortie was absolutely right on! She is the sweetest cat ever. She loves to be petted, and goes right up to you for loves.

[Fortunately, she has finally figured out that she no longer has to forage for food. It’s there when it’s supposed to be! And her table manners have improved 100%. She’s developing into the purrfect kitty, and we all like that!

Thanks for listening,

p.s. Mav and Mac are still looking for nice, cat-savvy people to foster them, and I wanted to take this opportunity to share my thoughts about foster families. It seems to me that being a foster parent is one of the hardest and most unselfish tasks one can do for kitties in need. It’s hardest, because people who are capable of fostering kitties are, by definition, people who love and bond with cats. They have made the decision to provide whatever care is necessary to get their feline friends ready for their purrmanent home. When the foster job is complete, they kiss the kitties goodbye and send them off to their new furrever homes.

And it’s unselfish for ‘xactly the same reasons.

Of course, sometimes, like Ella’s kittens, the foster parents get to become the furrever parents, a happy ending for both family and fur friends.

Regardless of how it ends, I doff my chapeau (or would if I had one) to the many foster families who serve our kitties in need.

FAGIN (March, 2003 – September 16, 2021)

FAGIN was born in March, 2003 and had been at Safe Haven since July, 2003. He was a green-eyed, short-haired black male who could best be described as a “big lug” full of love. He would “head butt” and lean into his human and feline friends to show his affection. He liked brushing and belly rubs on occasion, too. Fagin was under dietary restriction, and had been quite successful losing some excess weight. Since 2003, he lived at Barker House with his brother, Thistle.

We are sad to report that on September 16, 2021, Fagin joined his twin brother across the Rainbow Bridge. As much as we will miss Fagin, we know that he will be so happy to be with his brother again, together, forever.

THISTLE (March, 2003 – April 2, 2020)

THISTLE was born in March, 2003 and came to PFOA in July, 2003 with his twin brother, Fagin. He was a sleek, poly-dactyl neutered male with magnificent copper colored eyes and a sweet expression. Thistle especially enjoyed sitting on the back of the couch, both for the view and the closeness to his human friends.

As a special needs kitty, Thistle received regular medication to control his diabetes, kidney failure and hyperthyroidism. Sadly, on April 2, 2020, our beloved Thistle crossed the Rainbow Bridge. He will be very much missed by his past and current caregivers, as well as everyone at PFOA who knew and loved him.

His current caregiver, Tracy, was especially close to him. In her own words, this is how she remembers him.

Fagin & Thistle

“When I got to Barker House, Thistle was a very scared cat. I locked eyes with him on the second day I was there and I was in love. He was such a loving, kind and gentle boy. It took time but the trust he gave me melted me. We would go on walks around the house on the game trail, and say hi to the neighbors and their dogs. Thistle knew I would never let anything happen to him. I got very hard head bonks and cheek rubs on my face. He was a true house panther: sleek and mysterious, beautiful inside and out. I know he tried to stay with me and his brother Fagin. At the end, when he let me know it was time to say goodbye, I promised him I would take care of his brother. Not only did he have diabetes he was in kidney failure and hyperthyroid. We fought hard for a couple of months. I was privileged to spend an amazing 4 years with a truly amazing animal. He will forever have a place in my heart.”

FROM THE HOME FRONT
TALES OF THE SAFE HAVEN KITTIES
NOTEWORTHY NEWS FROM WILLS

WEEK 78: LOOKING FOR FOSTERS

How you doin’?

I’ve got some grrreat news this week, although it’s kind of like old news, since it was announced a couple of weeks ago. PFOA was voted the first runner up in the Best of Peninsula Non-Profits contest, right between the Boys and Girls Club, who was voted best, and Habitat for Humanity, who came in second place. Pretty cool, huh? So thank you, all of you, for voting for us. Your support and confidence in what we are doing means a lot! And when we got the good news, I did my little celebration happy dance. Too bad you all weren’t there to see me. Or maybe that was a good thing!

And now I’d like to tell you about a very special pair of kitties. Their names are Maverick (on the left) and MacGyver (right), and they came to us almost exactly a year ago. They had to leave their home, where they had lived for most of their eight years, ’cause of a divorce situation. That’s so sad! They came with two girl kitties, China and Tiger, who were adopted right away. But Maverick and MacGyver were REALLY shy, and when you’re REALLY shy, you don’t impress visitors looking for kitties. And when you don’t impress people, you don’t get adopted very fast!</span

When Sara, who used to take our photos until she and John had to move, would come to the shelter, she developed quite a bond with the kitties, ‘specially MacGyver. She just emailed us about her experiences with the two boys, and said that she was happy that they would be fostered. And she gave us some tips to pass on to the foster family. She said it would be a good idea for the

humans to get down to the same level with the kitties. MacGyver ‘specially needed her to be at his level, and Sara would crawl around the room with him, petting him and talking to him so he knew she was still there and paying attention. They both liked hearing their names, and she would tell them, over and over again, that they were “good boys!”

We all miss Sara and John! They were so nice, and they really brightened everyone’s day.

So, back to Mav and Mac. For those of you who may not be familiar with fostering, it’s generally a temporary situation. PFOA provides all necessary medicine and other supplies, and covers the cost of vet services. The foster family provides the love and support necessary until

the kitties can find their furrever homes. And when they are ready to be adopted, their new family will have a much easier time bringing them home, and Maverick and MacGyver will be able to adjust to their new digs much faster. It’s really a win-win-win situation.

If you would like to foster these grrreat, but still somewhat shy kitties, please give us a call at Safe Haven. We think you’ll be glad you did!

Thanks for listening,

p.s. Just heard from Staff that the nasty COVID stuff is still around. Guess we have to wait a little longer for our good friends to visit us! What a

bummer! But not to worry – I’ll keep you posted on everything that’s goin’ on here at the shelter! That’s one of the things I do best!!

FROM THE HOME FRONT
TALES OF THE SAFE HAVEN KITTIES
NOTEWORTHY NEWS FROM WILLS

WEEK 77: THE NEW IMPROVED FRED

How you doin’?

I’m pretty sure all of you remember the sad saga of Fred, the kitty who came to us in May. He had been hit by a car, disappeared for a couple of weeks, and finally returned home with a broken jaw. He had to have his jaw wired and 12 teeth extracted. Maybe I should have said that in the reverse order!

This is a photo of Fred taken just after his surgery. I think he was as sad as he looks, and he definitely looks like he was hurting. And since cats usually don’t give you a clue if they feel bad, I think he feels pretty bad!

WAG, our canine rescue organization, set up a GoFundMe page for “Fred the Cat” to help cover the cost of surgery. Wasn’t that grrreat?

So Fred has been in a quiet room downstairs while he recuperates. It’s taken a while, but that was expected. And while he’s been getting all better, his fan club of volunteers at Safe Haven has been giving him all the attention of a rock star, which is very cool, since he is such a deserving cat.

And he has a new position at Safe Haven. You might say he’s my understudy. He is officially the Downstairs Hall Monitor! Which is a good thing, ‘cause it’s not easy for me to get downstairs to perform that very necessary function around here. Actually, I’m not supposed to go downstairs anyway. That’s why they keep the door shut. I wouldn’t have a problem with it, but there are some kitties that just shouldn’t be going up and down stairs any more, ‘cause they might hurt themselves. I’m sure you know who I mean …

So, back to the Hall Monitor. Fred has a grrreat time with this, and he’s really good at it. He patrols the hall, stopping at each door to check out the residents. Of course, all the doors are what’s called full pane, which means that they are mostly glass, and so it’s easy for Fred to peek through the door to make sure all the resident kitties are behaving themselves.

He also keeps an eye on the caretakers. He carries on an intelligent conversation with each of them, making sure they are doing their jobs correctly. He’s a stickler for food preparation (aren’t we all?) so he makes sure they prepare the food for all the downstairs kitties properly. It’s a major task, and Fred knows it has to be done right, ‘cause different kitties need different kinds and amounts of food. Know what I mean?

And let me tell you, this little guy is really cute. I imagine he feels so good to not have his jaw wired any more! He rolls around when he wants attention. One of his favorite things is to play ball with people, and there’s usually someone around who is willing to participate in his little games. Check out the photo now that he’s feeling pretty good. Quite a difference, don’t you think?

It’s just grrreat to see the change in him, and to know that he is finally at the point where he can be adopted. And even though he is FIV positive, he is a very non-aggressive cat, so he’ll be good with another FIV positive kitty.

On another subject: we have some special kitties, like newbies Silver and Dubbs, who need some very specific special foods, specifically:

Tikit Cat Velvet Mousse variety flavors
Regular Tiki Cat variety
Weruva – Cats In The Kitchen Pouches – variety of flavors

The kitties, as well as their caretakers, would really appreciate donations of these foods. They would say MEOOOOOWOW, which (in Cat) means: Thanks for listening!

ELLA

Domestic shorthair, female
Color: Tortie with white
Size: Medium
Age: Young
Special needs: none

Ella was a mom to five kittens who have now all been adopted. Now Mom is ready for her furever home. She would like to have all the attention of a one cat home. She’s a very busy kitty who investigates everything and is also an active, playful girl who will talk to you. She loves people and will sit on your lap for snuggly time. She has unique orange tabby rings at the end of her tail to show off how pretty she is.

BUBBA

Domestic longhair, male
Color: Black
Size: Large
Age: Adult
Special needs: none

Bubba is a stunning longhair male, all black. He was originally adopted from PFOA as a kitten, and lived with Zoe, another cat who was adopted from PFOA. However, Zoe seems to prefer being the only cat (Queen Bee) in her life, and Bubba seems to be good with that. He is quite shy, and we don’t have much more information on him yet. This will be updated when we know more!

FRED

Domestic medium hair, Male
Color: Gray/white
Size: Medium
Age: Adult
Special needs: FIV positive

UPDATE – September, 2021: Fred has recovered very nicely from his surgery, wired jaw and extracted teeth. He is like a new cat! He has a number of followers of his story, so we wanted to update you with how well he is doing. His fan club of volunteers at Safe Haven are giving him all the attention of a rock star, which he so richly deserves. He has a new position at Safe Haven: he’s the downstairs Hall Monitor. He patrols the hall and pauses at each door to see what the resident kitties are up to. He also watches over the caretakers, making sure they are doing their jobs and preparing the food correctly. He carries on a very intelligent conversation with each of them. And he is as cute as he can be. He rolls over when he wants attention and loves it when a willing participant plays ball with him. Quite a different cat from the one who first arrived here in late May!

ORIGINAL STORY: Fred was hit by a car, disappeared for a couple of weeks and finally returned home with a broken jaw. Fred’s jaw had to be wired, and the poor cat also had 12 teeth extracted. The surgery went well, and he went to a foster home to recover. Sadly, the foster home had very playful dogs, and they frightened Fred, so he needed to be placed in a different home. PFOA was contacted, and of course, we agreed to care for him.

Fred is in a quiet room downstairs, all by himself, which is exactly what he needs to recover from his surgery. He has his own hidey-hole under the couch, and will cautiously come out to meet visitors. He is an affectionate boy, and loves to have his ears scratched gently. Fortunately, he is not at all aggressive, because in addition to everything else, Fred is FIV positive.

Fred will not be available to find a new home until at least August/September. His jaw will be wired for two months, and he will need careful evaluation to make sure he is ready for his forever home.

Special thanks to WAG, Sequim’s all-dog rescue organization, who set up a GoFundMe page to help cover the cost of surgery for “Fred the Cat”.

WE’VE GOT MAIL!

September 21, 2021
Dear Danette and the kitty loving care givers at PFOA, I think of you often and miss my visits to Safe Haven. I was sad to hear that Merry has died. Merry was quite a tough old girl with an attitude. She could still be sweet and friendly when the mood suited her. That is what I like about cats. Dogs are an open book. Cats are complicated. 😀

Thank you for all the good care you continue to give cats and kittens in need. I hope to visit you and the kitties sometime in the future. Mary Beth Lagenaur

July 1, 2021
Dear PFOA,

I wanted to share how well BowTie is doing in his new home and include a few pictures.

Upon arriving home from after a long and pretty vocal car ride home, BowTie (Bow for short) exited the carrier and proceeded to calmly meander around the house exploring his new domain. After which he then hopped up on my daughters’ bed, stretched out between her and her friend to receive hours of love, attention and belly rubs. That evening he took turns going between my husband and my laps on the couch, he gave us each equal opportunity to give him love and pets.

His arrival home coincided with record setting temps and our house quickly became very, very uncomfortable and he was showing some stress from the heat. Fortunately my husband’s parents live a short 5 minutes away, have air conditioning and were thrilled to have him. So for the worst of the heat wave, he spent 3 nights in air conditioned bliss with my son coming along as well to chaperone and see to his care. He spent his days on their couch going from lap to lap, getting loved spoiled and possibly a little overfed- we were worried we might not be able to get him back! Bow’s new grandparents really loved having him in their home.

Overall he’s eating, drinking and ‘producing’ quite well and seems completely ‘at one’ with his new forever home. We are so thrilled to have him in our family, it was just what we all needed-to have a furrbaby strolling through the house again and curling up in our laps. Thank you for taking such good care of him and helping him find his new forever home with us.

Thanks for all that you do.

Gratefully,
Jennifer and the whole Dowell family

June 1, 2021
Every Tuesday we celebrate Rascal. What a special day to adopt our beautiful boy. He is my “ sugar”. He is ready to go to bed at 10:00 every night. His blankets are on our bed where he makes “ biscuits “ before settling in for bedtime. At first he was hesitant to get on Ted’s lap. Soon Rascal realized that his dad loved him very much and enjoyed petting him.

We want to thank you and let you know that Rascal is loved, spoiled and enjoying his forever home.

HUGS 🤗

Andrea and Ted

May 29, 2021
hi all,

got a call from a pfoa staffer wanting 2 know how i was doing. she said we could answer by phone or email, & i wanted the latter so i could include the latest fab videos of moi!

unfortunately, pattijeanne must be suffering from stage fright. )-; our folks wanted to capture her unearthing me from an overturned box (a trick we’ve done repeatedly), but she now won’t do same camera. go figure. … hopefully that will change in the near future.

i am GROWINGGROWINGGROWING probably, obviously, as i speak. i really look more like a small cat than a kitten. either i am way older than everyone thought or i am going 2 be way big. my parents are pulling for the latter, but the jury’s still out with my dogs.

speaking of my dogs, yesterday my mom bought me 3 little mice. she threw 1 down, but patti snapped it up. so she thru another 1 down, & patti snapped that 1 up 2. she threw the last 1 down, and patti couldn’t get it without losing the 1st 2. so i thought ‘aha!,’ this 1 is mine. but then linda snapped that 1 up. SO NOT FAIR! what do they think they are? cats?

that said, i think i’m really a dog in cats clothing. i run back and forth with patti +/or linda everywhere they go. all the time. i’m gearing up 2 growl with them 2, every time the ups truck makes an appearance. the dogs don’t seem 2 realize that ups could mean amazon and amazon could mean toys and other good stuff.* but when in rome. … i actually think i might be part horse, too: i actually gallop, rather than run, back and forth. gives new meaning to the expression, thundering hooves.

all & all, everything is going great. only my mom has 1 regret and that’s that i’m not black. i plan to work on that.

take care and hope to see you soon.

xo,
peach

* i will send a snap of my new amazon scratching post. super cute!

cheers & cheerio!
xo, peach

April 5, 2021
I have an Izxy also but even though she looks like your Izzy their personalities are no where alike. Mine hates to be held but loves to be petted on her terms–which means all four feet on the floor. She is rotund and looks like a walking football at times LOL. She is very particular about what she eats liking gravy and not much else in the way of wet food. She does like her treats however. I think she inherited a lot of her mother’s feral characteristics. We love her anyway. I enjoy your mews letters so keep them coming. Your friend, Beverly Brown

April 5, 2021
Great newsletter and great news as well! Thank you for all you do! Vivian Brown

February 10, 2021
Dear Mary Myers, Danette Grady, and all PFOA staff, who make PFOA the wonderful community organization it is. We and our cat, Rosalee, are indebted to you all for your service to us and to the many pet lovers in the greater Sequim and Port Angeles areas. It’s our pleasure to be a part of your “family”.

Best wishes for continued successes, and we hope you all STAY SAFE!! The Covid vaccines are coming! (smile) Love to you all, Loretta and Dick

November 29, 2020
Thank you for all you do, give them all a hug from me! I send $$$ whenever I can. Elaine Burns

November 25, 2020
Thanks to all of you who work tirelessly to help all the dear kitties. We are loving sweet Maggie, adopted from PFOA, and she loves us back. May you keep safe in Love’s warm embrace. Warmly, Julie and Phil Roe and Maggie

November 25, 2020
Thank you very much for all the good and necessary work you continue to do! We adopted our cat, Odie, last year on October 30. He has been a blessing to our family, having a gentle and loving soul. God Bless, Doug and Rita Garcia

October 27, 2020
Hi, I felt like I needed to reach out to y’all and say thank you. I adopted my cat from you 13 years ago. His name was Brillo. He was the best cat in the whole wide world and I cherished every second I had with him. Not sure what else to say but thank you for taking a chance on him and blessing me to adopt him. He will forever be missed and loved. Alexandria Wilson

PURCHASE OUR POTHOLDERS!

Our potholders are POPULAR! They come in a wide variety of colors and patterns, primarily dog and cat prints, flowers, tea and coffee, kitchen and garden themes. They make excellent gifts, or buy them for your own kitchen. They come in sets of two, and are made of sturdy cotton fabrics with a mylar heat-shield center. For pricing, check with the vendor of your choice, listed below. You can find them at:

Bag Ladies of Sequim WA, 161 W. Washington St, Sequim, WA. Contact: Victoria (360) 504-2660 (Wed-Sat, 10am – 5pm)
Hardy’s Market, 10200 Old Olympic Hwy, Sequim, WA 98382, (360) 582-0240 (6am – 9pm daily)
Jardin du Soleil Lavender, 3932 Sequim Dungeness Way in Sequim, (360) 582-1185 (10am – 5pm daily)
Old Post Office Sweets & Gifts, 751 Carlsborg Road in Carlsborg, (360) 681-8014 (Tuesday through Saturday, 8am – 5pm)
Patricia’s Pet Shop, 501 S Lincoln St, Port Angeles, WA 98362, (360) 457-6919 (Mon – Fri, 10am – 6pm; Sat 9am – 5pm)
Purple Haze Lavender Shop, 127 W Washington St, Sequim, WA 98382, (360) 683-1714 (Mon-Fri 9am-5pm; Sat 10am-5pm; Sun 12pm-4pm)
Safe Haven, on Highway 101 between Sequim and Port Angeles, (360) 452-0414 (Tuesday through Saturday, 11am – 4pm)
Sunshine Lavender Farm, 274154 Hwy 101, Sequim, WA 98382 (sells potholders during Lavender Festival)
Wild Birds Unlimited, 275953 Hwy 101 in Gardiner, (360) 797-7100 (9am – 6pm daily)

If you have a favorite fabric and would like to order custom potholders, contact Safe Haven at (360) 452-0414. We will do our very best to accommodate you.

FROM THE HOME FRONT
TALES OF THE SAFE HAVEN KITTIES
NOTEWORTHY NEWS FROM WILLS

WEEK 76: UNCONDITIONAL LOVE

How you doin’?

We think Kee Kee is doin’ very well. She found her wonderful new home last week, and we are all so very happy for her. She was quite shy, especially at the beginning, and it’s not as easy for shy kitties to just come out with a “take me home, please” request. So sometimes it takes longer for the shy ones to find their furrever home. Congrats and lots of love, Kee Kee!

And now I’d like to introduce you to Bubba. He’s an absolutely gorgeously handsome big guy. He is a longhair male cat, all black, with big greenish yellow eyes. He was originally adopted from PFOA as a kitten, and he lived for over eight years with Zoe, who was also adopted from PFOA. Remember Zoe? She’s Queen Gorgeous (Merry told you about her in week 70).

When the two of them had to be returned to PFOA for rehoming, everyone at the shelter naturally assumed that they needed to be adopted as a pair. Not so! While they tolerated each other, and I suppose provided company for each other, these two were anything but bonded. Zoe made it purrfectly clear that she would be much happier being the only kitty in the home. And Bubba has been fine with that. I see his point. He’s quite shy and I suspect Zoe’s Queen Bee purrsonality overwhelmed him. To give you a picture of the kitty dynamics, when I visited them, Zoe would be on the top rung of the cat tree, welcoming attention, and Bubba would be under the blankie on the futon, welcoming the peace and quiet that comes when people (and cats) don’t know you’re there. Of course, he does like people sitting next to him in his man cave, being petted under the blankie!

So now that Zoe has been in her new home almost three weeks, Bubba is a little more relaxed and a little less likely to be hiding. It still takes some doing to get to know him, but let me tell you, this is a cat who is very deserving of someone’s constant, absolute love. I know the right person (or family) for Bubba is out there, and believe me, he’s worth it. This is a cat who will return his people’s love, unconditionally.

And speaking of cats, cat families and the shelter, I do want to remind everyone that we needed to close the shelter again until at least October 5. If you live in the Sequim/Port Angeles area, you probably know that the number of COVID-19 cases is on the rise in our area, and we need to do everything we possibly can to get rid of this horrible virus. So—no visitors unless you are adopting or surrendering a kitty, and that’s by appointment only. And for those of you who depend on our Emergency Pet Food Bank for your animal companions, we are still distributing food, but on an appointment only basis. And you need to be wearing masks and use the hand sanitizer supplied at the front door whenever you come into the shelter.

We hope that this doesn’t last too long, and that we can get this turned around soon so that we can have visitors again. We really miss seeing all of you! Thank you all for understanding our temporary closure and how much we appreciate your continuing support of the kitties.

Thanks for listening,

FROM THE HOME FRONT
TALES OF THE SAFE HAVEN KITTIES
NOTEWORTHY NEWS FROM WILLS

WEEK 75: WHAT A PURR!

How you doin’?

I woke up this morning, looked outside, and what do you know? Finally! We had a little bit of rain last night. It’s been a long time coming. And the ground is still wet, as well as the catios, but that’s OK—we really needed it. And everything feels (and smells) so nice and clean and fresh!

This morning, Simon was one of the first kitties to enjoy the fresh air. He has a favorite hidey-hole type spot out in his catio, where he spends a lot of time during the day just relaxing. Check out the photo!

He’s just a youngster—he came to Safe Haven a couple of months ago, just in time to celebrate his second birthday. We didn’t have a cake or anything—cats don’t really do the party thing—but for milestones like a second birthday there’s always an opportunity for an extra little treat.

He’s a very sweet boy, but when he first got here Simon was pretty scared. It didn’t take him too long to start warming up to people though, ‘specially if they are quiet and gentle. And that boy does appreciate a good gentle petting, unless it’s around his head—he’s still a bit nervous about that. But he gets over the jitters as soon as he figures out he’s dealing with a good person. He’s one smart cookie, that Simon!

He loves his toys—his very favorite is one of the nice bushy feather wands we have around here. I think most of the rooms have at least one! And when he is happy and comfy, he has an incredible purr. It’s wonderful to hear. I tell you, there’s nothing like the loud purring of a contented cat! It just makes all of us want to get up and do our happy dance. (OK—I’m not sure where that came from—it just sorta slipped out!)

From talking with Simon, I think he would like to have a furrever home with a family without young children. He doesn’t like loud noise or fast movement, and those are two of the things that little kids do best! He’s not sure about other animals, either. I think he would be happy not having to share his new family at all.

Before I finish this week’s column, I wanted to mention that the Petco Love Stories deadline is coming up fast. September 20 is the last day to submit a story about how a kitty (or kitties) you’ve adopted from PFOA has changed your life. It’s fun to share your story, and it could really help the PFOA kitties as well. The grand prize for the shelter is $100,000! And considering that we, as well as lots of other animal shelters, have been severely limited in what we could do for fundraising (call it year 2 of COVID-19!), that would be a wonderful gift. And, the top winners get a photo of them and their rescue animal published on the Petco website.

If you’d like to tell your story but need a little help, I’d be happy to volunteer my assistant! She’s a pretty good writer (even though she has a lot of help from me). She didn’t know I was going to volunteer her, but I think she’s OK with it, and after all,

it’s for the kitties!

Thanks for listening,

KEE KEE

Domestic medium hair/Siamese, female
Color: Lynxpoint
Size: Medium
Age: Young
Special needs: none

When Kee Kee first arrived in March of 2021, she had a severe case of shyness and it has taken her a bit longer than most kitties to adapt. This amazing little girl is between 2 and 3 years young. She has a favorite cat tree that she loves to spend time in – it has a hidey hole where she can feel secure – that is her favorite place. Curled up underneath blankets is always good, too. Kee Kee is a cross between a Siamese (probably lynxpoint) and a medium hair tabby. She has bright, beautiful blue eyes and a lovely coat. She is going to be a wonderful companion for just the right person or family, with a little bit of cat experience. She will be happiest without other cats and with no dogs. It will take a little more time to bring her completely out of her shell, but it will be worth the wait. [clearfix]

FROM THE HOME FRONT
TALES OF THE SAFE HAVEN KITTIES
NOTEWORTHY NEWS FROM WILLS

WEEK 74: FORMERLY SEVERELY SHY

How you doin’?

Hey—thanks for the warm welcome last week. We got several nice emails and Facebook posts, and I’m so happy that you all are giving me this opportunity. After all, as I pointed out in my first column, Merry left some very large paws to fill.

I really love it at Safe Haven. I have full time employment here! They pay me with fuzzy toy mice, super delicious meals, and a luxurious private suite, with laundry service (love those big, extra-fluffy towels!), room service, and, best of all, late night yummy snacks.

And I’ve got grrreat news: Remember Zoe from FTHF 70? Queen Gorgeous? Well, Zoe went home last week! She was on hold for her people, ‘cause they were going on vacation and were going to take her home when they got back. But they ended up cancelling their vacation, so Zoe got to go home early! We are all so happy for her.

And now I’d like you all to meet one of the nicest little gals we’ve seen at Safe Haven. Her name is Kee Kee, and she’s been here awhile now, almost six months, but she hasn’t been on the adoptable list until a short while ago. Why, you might ask? Well, I’ll tell you! When she got here she had a severe case of shyness, and it’s taken a bit of time—longer than most kitties—for her to get over that. Actually, she’s still a bit shy, but she’s such a sweetheart that we wanted to let people know how grrreat she is!

This amazing little girl is only about 2 to 3 years old (make that 2-3 years young!) She has a favorite cat tree—it has kind of a hidey hole where she can feel all secure. And when she’s not in the cat tree, she likes to snuggle up under a blanket.

Kee Kee is one of those gorgeous kitties that people are immediately drawn to. She’s a cross between a Siamese and domestic mediumhair kitty, and she’s got bright, beautiful blue eyes. (I love alliteration, don’t you?) She’s going to be a wonderful companion for just the right person or family. Based on what I know about her, I’m thinking that she would love a nice, quiet home with no dogs or other cats. It’s going to take a while to bring her completely out of her shell, so someone with a little bit of cat experience would be ideal. And it’s definitely going to be worth the wait!

So, before I close, I’d like to say thank you to everyone associated with this column for remembering that yesterday was a holiday—Labor Day—and letting me (and my assistant, of course) have the day off!

And since this column is really intended to be the eyes and ears (and paws, too) to keep people posted on what’s going on at Safe Haven, I have to tell you that, because there’s so many new COVID-19 cases in Clallam County (as well as other places, too), the shelter is temporarily closed to our volunteers and visitors until at least October 5. That doesn’t mean that we are not in business, though. (Oh, oh—double negative! My bad!) Staff will make appointments for adoptions and surrenders, and our emergency pet food bank is also open by appointment only. We want to make sure that everyone stays safe, and so we are all doing our part!

Thanks for listening,

MITTENS

Domestic shorthair, female
Color: Brown/White Tabby
Size: Medium
Age: Senior
Special needs: possible hyperthroidism

Mittens is one of the sweetest, most loving mature kitties we’ve seen. Originally adopted from Safe Haven as a kitten, she was returned because her person needed to go into assisted living. She is a gorgeous brown and white tabby with striking markings, and she definitely doesn’t look (or act) her age! She just wants to be cuddled, loved and petted. She is being tested for hyperthroidism, and is otherwise very healthy. After her tests are complete, nothing would please her more than to find her new furrever home.

FROM THE HOME FRONT
TALES OF THE SAFE HAVEN KITTIES
NOTEWORTHY NEWS FROM WILLS

WEEK 73: OUR LITTLE SENIOR

How you doin’?

Like I told you last week, I’m the Gatekeeper. If you’re still in school, or remember what it was like, that’s like the hall monitor. I keep track of everything that goes on here, and I make sure it’s all good. I even have my very own throne! Some people call it “The Captain’s Chair.” I’m the official, or maybe unofficial security force here. Depends on who you talk to. And I’m VERY good at it. I see and hear EVERYTHING that goes on here. That’s especially important with those teenage kittens down the hall. When I see a situation brewing, I step in and they know when I MEOW, I mean business!

We’ve had quite a few adoptions recently, so many that I’m going to show you their photos (except the kittens—I don’t have pics of them yet) and call it good! There’s Peach, Penelope and two of her kittens (Lucy and Ricky), Simba and Timmy (Penelope’s other two kittens), Kozmo and Tiggie (together), and Marie and Toulouse (also together). That’s a lot of togetherness, and we really like that! So here they are:

: Peach

: Penelope

: Kozmo

: Tiggie

: Marie

: Toulouse

And now you get to meet Mittens, my adorable little friend who just became an official senior kitty last year! You know, she’s really a voluptuous girl and is quite the lounge lizard when the sun shines on her patio. She’s a little hesitant when I come out the playroom door to visit her and Philip in their respective snuggle boxes on the wood play structure. As soon as she hears my voice, she comes out for loves so she just needs a little time to get to know people. She’s actually not very large, not in comparison to me! But who is? And for being a newbie senior, she also REALLY doesn’t look her age! We all should look that good at age 11 (that’s 60 in people-years!) And she has one foot, the right front one I think, that has an extra toe. Does that make her one-fourth polydactyl? Actually, I know better. Polydactyl cats have one or more extra toe(s) on one or more paw(s). I was just trying to be funny. Did you laugh?

So, her birthday is in May of 2010, and she came to Safe Haven with her sister in 2011. Both kitties were pregnant, and Mittens had six beautiful kittens. Of course, being a responsible kitty, she stuck around long enough to see all of her offspring adopted. She was so cute and darling that she found a home pretty fast after that, and she lived there for over 8 years. Then her human mom had to go into assisted living, and there was no place for our Mittens. And that’s how she ended up back at Safe Haven.

When she got back, she went in for her vet check (we all do that) and they found that she could have hyperthroidism (high level). So we started treating her for that, and when she went back for a recheck, she had overcompensated, and was now hypo (low level). We have a little more testing and adjusting to do, and then she’ll be ready to go home! I KNOW she would love to find her new home very, very soon. She’s just that kind of girl!

Our vid gal, Nancy, is making a video of Mittens, and by the time you read this it will be posted on the website. So be sure to take a look!

That’s all for this week, folks. Don’t forget about Merry’s Fund. It’s for special needs kitties, just like Merry was. That’s me and Tippy and lots of other special kitties. It’s easy to donate via PayPal, or drop a check in the mail to PFOA. It is for our special care, and is so very much appreciated!

Thanks for listening,

SUPPORT PFOA!

Donate safely through PAYPAL.
PFOA is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, Fed ID # 91-2127240

Or, send your check or money order to:

PFOA
PO Box 404
Sequim, WA 98382

Our rescue animals thank you!

FROM THE HOME FRONT
TALES OF THE SAFE HAVEN KITTIES
NOTEWORTHY NEWS FROM WILLS

WEEK 72: MEET THE GATEKEEPER

To all of Merry’s faithful fans!

I’m sad to tell all of you that Merry crossed the Rainbow Bridge on August 14, just a few hours after penning her last note to all of you. I have to tell you, she was one determined and focused female! Although I didn’t get to know her as well as all of you do (I wasn’t part of the feline office staff until after she left us), I really admired her for everything she did and everything she was. I know she is in a wonderful place—just beyond the rainbow—and that all of us here at Safe Haven will meet up with her again, when it’s our time.

I am so very honored to be selected by Merry to carry on her outstanding column. She left large paws to fill, and I’ll do my very best to live up to her high standards. I’m sure most of you know that Merry was considered what we call a special needs kitty. Over the years she battled many conditions that would have done in a lesser cat. But Merry took it all in stride, and her sunny nature and joie de vivre were an inspiration to all of us.

I really identify with her, because I too am a special needs kitty. I have lymphoma, which is a type of cancer that affects the immune system. It is becoming a little less common, but still accounts for almost one-third of all new kitty cancers. The grrreat people at Safe Haven are making sure that I get all the necessary medications and treatment I need to live comfortably and happily.

I guess I should tell you a little more about myself, since I haven’t met a lot of you who will be reading this. At Safe Haven my “official” role is the Gatekeeper. One of my self-imposed duties is to do several walkabouts every day. I check on my kitten charges in their playroom next door to make sure they aren’t getting too rambunctious. Sometimes they get carried away with kitten wrestling, and someone has to keep an eye on them. That’s me! I also check on the two senior ladies at the end of the hall to make sure the video they are watching is age-appropriate. And then I head down to the office area to check on Tippy. I make sure he is comfortable basking in the sun in the mornings. The last thing I do is walk over to the door to the laundry area and bang on the door with raised paw. Just need to make sure that Staff is keeping busy with their chores.

I’m a pretty hefty guy, and proud of it! I wasn’t always that heavy, though. When I was first adopted from PFOA almost 9 years ago, I was just a little kitten (boy, was I cute!) and as a young adult I looked pretty darn sleek. But now I’m a size large to extra-large (with a really soft heart!) Check out the photo … you’ll see I’m not kidding! I do like my food, but it has to be just the right kind! I’m very picky! I won’t eat just any food, you understand. And I don’t really like the special, pricey prescription diet I have to eat. Staff always puts a little Fancy Feast on top. They think they are fooling me, but I know better. But, so I don’t hurt their feelings, I always clean the plate, and then lick some more to make sure there’s no little crumbs left. And my very favorite things are soft little catnip toys, especially my strawberry (my absolute favorite). Catnip toys bring out my playful nature!

OK—now I’m getting off track, and I don’t like to do that because I am EXTREMELY organized and very detail oriented. And I enjoy the challenge of big words. The point of talking about Merry’s special needs, and my own as well, is that PFOA is starting a special fund for special needs kitties like Merry and me. We are calling it “MERRY’S FUND”. Isn’t that just so appropriate? I think she would be really pleased to know that she is continuing to help other special needs kitties from beyond the rainbow.

You can contribute by sending a check or money order to PFOA, or by using PayPal. In addition to all the stuff that special needs kitties need, it will help pay for that pricey food Staff insists on feeding me! Be sure to specify that your donation goes to MERRY’S FUND! She would be so happy. I think she would say that’s just purrfect!

Thanks for listening,

MERRY (Aug, 2007 – Aug 14, 2021)

When she first came to live at Safe Haven, Merry was an elderly kitty. Because of her extremely friendly nature, we believe she was someone’s pet. Sadly, she ended up in a feral colony, having to fend for herself. At the colony, the wonderful woman who provided food for the cats developed an attachment to her – Merry would hop into her car every time the woman came to feed the cats. During one visit to the colony, our caregiver noticed that another cat with whom she had bonded was missing. She began to fear for the safety of our Merry. She decided that, since Merry had already jumped into her car, she would just drive away and take Merry to safety.

Unable to take her to her own home, our caregiver brought Merry to stay with a relative. Merry was infested with fleas, seriously underweight, and in need of some very necessary, basic care. Before a veterinarian had the opportunity to examine her, Merry got into a minor scuffle with the relative’s dog and disappeared for a few days.

When our caregiver found Merry again, someone had attempted to wrap this poor girl in duct tape! Using coconut oil and tender loving care our caregiver was able to remove the tape, but much of the sticky residue remained, creating mats that had to be removed by shaving her belly.

During her first vet visit Merry was diagnosed with severe hyperthyroidism. PFOA made arrangements to have her treated at the hyperthyroid clinic. Before she could be treated for hyperthyroidism, she was returned to the vet for additional testing. On the second visit the vet found that Merry had fluid in her abdomen. An ultrasound showed a suspicious shadow in her liver that looked like it could be cancer. PFOA originally set her up in our isolation trailer with comfortable beds, cat trees and all the food she could eat. She was then moved to A3 and became roommates with Patrick. After Pat the Cat left, she became one of our most beloved office cats, with a bed next to the printer and easy access to Danette’s laptop.

For the time Merry had remaining, we supported her with steroids and methimazole for her hyperthyroidism, along with all of the love and affection that our staff and dedicated volunteers could provide.

When the COVID-19 pandemic occurred in early 2020, our volunteers, who could not safely come to the shelter, missed the contact with our feline residents. And thus the column, “From the Home Front,” began. In May, Merry began reporting on life at Safe Haven, and continued writing her popular column until the day she said goodbye.

Despite all she had been through Merry was always very affectionate. She loved attention from people, rewarding them with purrs and soft kneads with her paws. Every day with sweet Merry was a gift, and she was with us much longer than we ever expected. In July of 2021, Merry’s health started to fail, and in August we knew that Merry’s time was here. On August 14, 2021, we sadly said goodbye to Merry as she left to cross the Rainbow Bridge. She will be so missed by all of us at PFOA, as well as her many fans and admirers, some of whom had never met her, but only knew her through her writing.

FROM THE HOME FRONT
TALES OF THE SAFE HAVEN KITTIES
BROUGHT TO YOU BY MERRY

WEEK 71: MY TIME

Hi everyone!

Although I haven’t talked about this very much, I’ve been going downhill, health-wise, for a couple of months. Fortunately, up until recently, I’ve felt grrreat!

I arrived at Safe Haven almost four years ago, just before Thanksgiving. I was a stray with no name, and so, ’cause it was the holiday season, my name became Merry. I was pleased—I really like my name. I even got to have a special Christmas photo taken!

I wasn’t in the best of health when I got here. I had severe hyperthyroidism (wow—that’s a long word!) and fluid in my tummy, and the vet also saw a shadow in my liver that might have been cancer. I got treated for the long-word-disease and the other stuff, and I was amazed at how good I felt after that! Then a special vet figured out that I also have heart disease, so I’ve been living with lots of stuff that I came here with. At any rate, I was initially given six weeks, max, to live, so I think I’ve done real good!

And I’m so happy to have spent the rest of my life at my Safe Haven, where I’ve always been loved by the staff and volunteers. Being an office cat, along with Tippy, has been the best ever! I got to see all the volunteers when they come in, and I have staff at my beck and call (whoever thought up that phrase?) I got to sleep next to the printer and walk all over Danette’s laptop. And I got to write to all of you every week for way over a year (my secretary says it’s 67 weeks and I guess she should know!) I couldn’t have asked for a more purrfect life!

So this will be my last time to write to you. I’ve asked my friend Will (we call him Wills) to take over the column for me, and I know he’ll do a grrreat job.

In a day or so, I’ll have crossed the Bridge and get to see my buddies, Patrick and July. I haven’t seen them in quite a while. I’ll miss all of you very much, but I feel that my time to leave is real close. I’ve been slowing down, but I wanted to stay as long as I could ‘cause it’s hard to say …

Goodbye,

SPARKY

Domestic shorthair, Male
Color: Grey tabby
Size: Medium
Age: Young
Special needs: special diet (UTI)

Sparky is a very handsome grey tabby, about three years old. At some point in his short life, he contracted a urinary tract infection (UTI). Unable to keep him in the house due to the infection, his owner initially made a home for him in the garage, where Sparky kept the garage free of mice and other small critters. Finally, his owner brought him to Safe Haven to find a new forever home.

At Safe Haven, Sparky is on a special diet for his UTI, and should be kept on a UA maintenance diet to prevent a recurrence of UTI.

Sparky is a very active kitty who loves to fetch and play hide ‘n seek. The feather wand is one of his favorite toys, and when it isn’t handy, he easily learns new tricks to entertain himself. He loves to be brushed – as often as possible! His absolute favorite thing is his scratching post. He is a natural hunter, and he is fascinated with bugs and moths.

SIMON

Domestic shorthair, male
Color: Brown Tabby
Size: Large
Age: Young
Special needs: none

Simon is a very sweet boy who was initially scared, but gradually warmed up to people after receiving a little gentle attention. He will now be the first to greet people he knows, and will immediately come up and roll around your feet, anticipating a good petting. He is still a little nervous of hands and of being petted around the head, but he gets over all that once he figures out that he’s dealing with a good person. He has an exceptional purr, which he will demonstrate as his comfort level increases. He loves all toys, and he particularly loves a good, bushy feather wand. He enjoys his protected outdoor time, and seems to play well with his kitty roommates. We think he would do well with a family without toddlers or young children, but another cat and possibly a cat-savvy dog would work well.

FROM THE HOME FRONT
TALES OF THE SAFE HAVEN KITTIES
BROUGHT TO YOU BY MERRY

WEEK 70: QUEEN GORGEOUS

Hi everyone!

Oops! I kinda messed up. I wanted to get this out to everyone yesterday so that I could wish all of you a Happy International Cat Day (also known as World Cat Appreciation Day). But, because cats are known to sleep about 70% of the time, I guess I slept through it!

I wanted to share a few feline facts (don’t you just love alliteration?) and maybe it’s not too late to do that. After all, if you’re reading my column, you must like cats – right?

So, since my paws aren’t exactly made for Googling, I asked my secretary to read me a few interesting facts. For example, did you know that the earliest known pet cat lived 9,500 years ago? And that the maximum speed of a house cat is 30 mph? And that an orange cat named Stubbs served as the mayor of Talkeetna, Alaska for almost 20 years? Stubbs is fondly remembered by the residents of the small town: he never raised taxes, there was no sales tax, he didn’t interfere with business, and he was honest. Whatta cat!

And now let me introduce you to another outstanding cat. Her name is Zoe and she’s a real sweetheart. She’s a gorgeous longhair brown and black tabby with the most beautiful tail ever! I mean, totally outstanding, and she’s real proud of it too. Here’s a photo of her really showing it off.

So … more about her purrsonality. She’s kinda quiet and reserved. And ‘cause she’s very independent, she likes to spend lots of time in the top bed of her cat tree, where she alternates napping and keeping an eye on her kitty roommates. She can’t let them get outta hand, y’know! And when she’s not on top of the cat tree, she likes to snuggle under pillows and blankets, so you hafta be real careful where you sit!

She was originally adopted as a young cat in 2013. At the time they also adopted a kitten whom they named Bubba. When they had to be returned to Safe Haven to find a new furrever home, Staff thought they should be adopted as a pair. But Zoe soon made it clear that she is MUCH happier being the Queen Bee of a feline household of one. And Bubba seemed OK with that too. And since Zoe just did graduate to Senior status last year, I think it’s only fair that she have her way—in everything! I know this ’cause I’m a new senior too!

Zoe loves to be brushed—she’s very particular about her appearance—and she will let you know, in no uncertain terms, when she’s done. She doesn’t seem to have much interest in exploring her outdoor play yard. That’s a real good thing, ’cause we have so many critters on the Peninsula with an unhealthy interest in little (or big) kitties. Indoor only is MUCH safer.

And “indoor only” reminds me: I have a request, on behalf of Zoe and all the rest of the Safe Haven kitties. We all have TV’s and DVD players in our playrooms, and it would be real grrreat if we could get a nice variety of gently used fur family-friendly DVD’s (OK, that’s another mouthful!) to watch when the weather gets too hot or too cold and we want to stay inside. Movies with a happy ending are our very favorites! So if you have some DVD’s that you’ve watched a few times and are now on the shelf gathering dust, we’d be happy to have them. We’ll even take care of dusting them! Maybe Zoe can put that nice long fluffy tail to good use!!

Lovingly,

LUCKY

Domestic shorthair, male
Color: Black
Size: Medium
Age: Kitten
Special needs: none

Jigsaw and Lucky are the cutest kittens ever. They are a pair of 4 month-old brothers, very active, and are very closely bonded, so they must be adopted together. They love to play and sleep together. As a matter of fact, it’s a rare sight to see them very far apart. Lucky, the little black kitty, sits at the glass door and watches for people to go by. He catches their attention by standing on his hind legs and tapping on the glass with his front paws. Jigsaw is very content to just sit at the door and let his brother do all the work. He’s sure that will get people’s attention, and they will get visitors to come in and play with them.

: Lucky

JIGSAW

Domestic shorthair, male
Color: Grey & white
Size: Medium
Age: Kitten
Special needs: none

Jigsaw and Lucky are the cutest kittens ever. They are a pair of 4 month-old brothers, very active, and are very closely bonded, so they must be adopted together. They love to play and sleep together. As a matter of fact, it’s a rare sight to see them very far apart. Lucky, the little black kitty, sits at the glass door and watches for people to go by. He catches their attention by standing on his hind legs and tapping on the glass with his front paws. Jigsaw is very content to just sit at the door and let his brother do all the work. He’s sure that will get people’s attention, and they will get visitors to come in and play with them.

ZOE

Domestic longhair, Female
Color: Brown & black tabby
Size: Medium
Age: Senior
Special needs: none

Zoe is a sweetheart! She’s a longhair brown and black tabby with the most gorgeous tail ever – and she’s very proud of it! She is a reserved, quiet, independent kitty, around 10 years young. Although she was adopted with another kitty from PFOA in November of 2013, she really doesn’t care to associate with other cats, and would be best as the Queen Bee and only cat in the family. She loves to be brushed, but will let you know when she’s done. Her favorite spot is at the top of her cat tree, and she doesn’t seem to have a huge interest in the outdoors, so we definitely think she should be an indoor-only kitty. When she’s not on top of the cat tree, she loves to be under pillows and blankets, so people need to be careful where they sit!

.

FROM THE HOME FRONT
TALES OF THE SAFE HAVEN KITTIES
BROUGHT TO YOU BY MERRY

WEEK 69: FELINE OLYMPICS?

Hi everyone!

Y’know, it’s been kinda hot lately! Not so much this last weekend, but we’ve definitely had some real hot days. Relatively speaking. So I want to talk about something that all cat people need to know. It seems to be a common thought that if a cat falls from a high place, they can turn themselves during the fall and always land on their feet.

Well, I’m here to tell you that’s not always so. Lots of people open up their windows in hot weather, ‘specially if they don’t have air conditioning. If your cat has access to a balcony, deck or open window that isn’t high enough, that’s gonna be a big problem. They may not have time to get into the right position if they only fall 2 or 3 stories. And if it’s higher than that, they might be able to land on their feet, but falling from a real high place can do a lot of damage to our bones, and if our legs give out, our head and chest are gonna hit—hard. This happens often enough that our vets have a name for it. It’s called “high-rise syndrome” and it can do some serious, possibly permanent damage. So it’s a good idea to make sure your windows have good, secure screens that your cat can’t push open, and your decks have railings that your cat can’t fall through. And catios are always a good idea!

And now I’d like to introduce you to a pair of the cutest, funniest, most active kittens we’ve seen here in quite a while. They are two brothers named Jigsaw and Lucky, and they just had their 4 month birthday party on July 27.

When people walk by their kitten room, these two are right at the door, Johnny-on-the-spot, competing for attention. Jigsaw is the gray and white one who saves a little time for lap snuggles. Lucky is the black attention-seeking one who stands on his hind legs and paws at the glass most of the time! They are quite a pair, and the more notice they get from people, the happier they are. They are super bonded, so they are looking for a furrever home together—no exceptions!

If we had a Feline Olympics event, these two would be tops on the gymnastics team. You really need to check out their video on our website FTHF page to see what I mean. Their floor routine is grrreat—Lucky’s best skill is his hind-leg handstands at the glass door. And their cat tree event is even better! (I’m sure the Feline Olympics would have a Cat Tree event as part of the gymnastics competition!) Just look at Jigsaw’s dismount! That’s worth a gold medal, as far as I’m concerned! And I should know, since gymnastics are my absolute favorite Olympics event. But just to watch—this 10 year-old body doesn’t quite tolerate that level of activity. We’re talking spectator sport only for yours truly!

And before I forget (wait … what am I saying? I NEVER forget stuff like this!) OK—here’s the deal. We need liquid dish soap and HE (that stands for high efficiency) liquid clothes detergent. And we also have a never-ending need for paper towels. I know some of us kitties are messy at times, but not me! However, we do use a lot of paper towels!! So because our staff and volunteers are real good about cleaning up after all those other kitties, can we get them some more paper towels?

Lovingly,

FROM THE HOME FRONT
TALES OF THE SAFE HAVEN KITTIES
BROUGHT TO YOU BY MERRY

WEEK 68: THE GREAT GREY HUNTER

Hi everyone!

A huge paws up and a big thank you to the volunteers from Airport Gardens for the super landscape repair job they did at Safe Haven. With everything else going on these days, the outside bushes got real large and badly needed some skilled trimming, and there were a bunch of those pesky weeds to take care of too. Plus prob’ly lots of other tasks that needed doing. I’m told that the front of the shelter looks 100% better, but I don’t get outside to see it. But, from the top deck, I can look down at the back of the shelter, and see what a grrreat job they did. Here’s a photo taken from the B4 catio downstairs. Looks pretty nice, huh? Sorry I didn’t have a “before” photo, but I hafta tell you that some people didn’t even know there was a building on the other side of the bushes!

And—great news ‘bout Lavender Weekend from the potholder team! We have 13 volunteers on the team, and between making the potholders, microwave bowls and purses, setting up and taking down the display, selling our products and getting the new phone/credit card system going, they were real busy over the three day weekend! And they made a lot of money to keep us kitties in food and vet care! So a huge THANK YOU to all the team!

And now I’d like to tell you ‘bout Sparky. He’s been at Safe Haven ‘bout a month or so, so he’s been through the 2-week quarantine that all new kitties hafta do, and he’s in his room downstairs now. He’s a grey tabby, ‘bout three years old, and he had adopted his person over two years ago.

He’s a very active kitty. He loves to fetch and play hide ‘n seek. His feather wand is one of his favorite toys, and when it isn’t handy, he learns other tricks real fast. He loves to be brushed, and I bet he would enjoy it as often as possible. And his absolute favorite is his scratching post. I imagine he prob’ly goes through them pretty fast!

He is a natural hunter, and kept the garage at his former home free of mice. He also is verrry interested in bugs and moths, so I imagine his catio here at Safe Haven is pretty much free of creepy/crawlies and flying things.

He had to live in the garage because of his UTI, and his person finally brought him to Safe Haven to find a real good new furrever home. He’s on a special diet right now for his UTI, and prob’ly should be kept on a good UA maintenance diet when he goes to his new home. He’s a super grrreat kitty, and I bet it won’t take him long to find the purrfect new home!

In other news, I do want to mention one real important change at Safe Haven. Y’all know ‘bout this new brand of COVID-19—the Delta variant—that’s spreading real fast. There was an article late last week in the PDN that talked ‘bout this. The title says it all: “Time to mask up again against COVID-19.” So we’re not taking any chances. Starting today (Monday), all staff, volunteers and visitors must wear masks at Safe Haven. And that’s for everyone, whether or not you’ve been vaccinated. We want to “nip this in the bud” so we don’t hafta go thru another lockdown. (That’s another odd saying that I hear people use sometimes, and I finally got a chance to use it!) We kitties can recognize y’all by your smell (no insult intended), and we’ve kinda gotten used to seeing everyone in masks. We sure want to avoid shutting down the shelter again. If we had to do that, we would really miss seeing (and smelling) y’all!

Lovingly,

PRISCILLA

Domestic medium hair, Female
Color: Torbie
Size: Small
Age: Senior
Special needs: none

Priscilla is an absolutely gorgeous torbie with a medium length coat. She’s about 10 years young, and a real sweetheart, who loves and trusts people. And she’s had the worst luck ever in finding, and keeping, a forever home.

Her first home was with a caring lady, but after living with her for some time, her first human mom died. The lady’s sister brought her to live with their mom, but not long after that, the mom died. Then the mom’s caretaker took Priscilla home to live with her, but about a month ago, the caretaker, who was only in her 50’s, passed away from cancer. So Priscilla came to Safe Haven to find a new, and hopefully last, forever home.

Despite the ups and downs of her life, Priscilla is sweet and trusting. She’s very vocal and loves to chatter, but her very favorite thing is being petted. She loves to sit on people’s laps to be petted, and she will often sit on the arm of the chair so she can reach out and pet her person. And if her person is reading a newspaper and not paying enough attention to Priscilla, she will smash her head into the newspaper, letting them know that they are supposed to be petting her.

She will do well in a quiet surrounding, and seems to be happiest indoors. She has been around small dogs, but she doesn’t play with them – she just ignores them. And it’s been five years since she’s lived with another cat, so we think she will be happiest as an only cat.

: Priscilla

FROM THE HOME FRONT
TALES OF THE SAFE HAVEN KITTIES
BROUGHT TO YOU BY MERRY

WEEK 67: PRISCILLA LOVES PETS!

Hi everyone!

Well, this past weekend we had our very first festival booth since COVID. That’s goin’ on two years! And I hafta tell you, it was a great success. We sold lots ‘n lots of potholders, ‘specially the lavender ones, since this was Lavender Weekend. And on behalf of all of my kitty friends, I’d like to purrsonally thank all the volunteers who set up and worked at the booth over the weekend, as well as the Potholder Team who made all the potholders, microwave bowls and little purses that were sold. Y’all are sooo much appreciated! And the money we made this weekend will help with our food and vet care, so it’s a verrry important effort! So, THANK YOU!!!

And now I’d like y’all to meet Priscilla. She’s an absolutely gorgeous torbie with a medium length coat, about 10 years young. She’s a real sweetheart who loves and trusts people. And that’s amazing, considerin’ she’s had the most awful, really terrible time getting (and keeping) a true furrever home!

Her first home was with a real nice lady, but the lady died and so the lady’s sister took Priscilla to live with their mom. Priscilla thought she had found her furrever home—this time. But not too long after that, the mom died too!

So then the mom’s caretaker took Priscilla home to live with her, but—this is so sad—the caretaker (Priscilla’s third mom) died of cancer about a month ago! And she was pretty young—she was only in her 50’s!

Priscilla has been passed around so much—I’m amazed that she is so sweet and trusting. She loves to talk—actually, she chatters—a lot! And petting is really her thing! She loves to be petted and sit in people’s laps. And she really likes to hang out on the arm of the chair so’s she can reach over and pet her person. And if her person isn’t paying enough attention, like, if they are sitting there reading the newspaper, she’ll smash her head into the newspaper to make sure they understand they are s’posed to be petting her. When I saw that, I thought that was pretty cute, and it works real well. It really gets a person’s attention!

I’m thinking she’ll do real well in a quiet surrounding. She seems to me to be pretty much an indoor cat. And prob’ly wants to be an only cat. She’s been around small dogs, but she doesn’t want to play with them—she just ignores them. And she hasn’t lived with another cat for half her life, which is a very long time in cat-years.

I think she’s a doll, and whoever adopts her is gonna get one terrific cat.

Oh, and if y’all are in a giving mood, we could really use some new or slightly used outdoor chair cushions for all of our chairs in our play yards. They would really make it way more comfy for kitty bottoms … and people bottoms too!

Lovingly,

FROM THE HOME FRONT
TALES OF THE SAFE HAVEN KITTIES
BROUGHT TO YOU BY MERRY

WEEK 66: CURIOUS PEACH

Hi everyone!

Guess what? We are having our very first booth since COVID, and it’s for Lavender Weekend! Isn’t that grrreat? It’s at Fleurish Lavender of Lost Mountain Farm, located at 1541 Taylor Cutoff Road in Sequim. You can visit us between 10am and 6pm on Friday, July 16th thru Sunday, July 18th. You’ll get to see our lavender potholders, microwaveable bowls and other handmade lavender pattern items plus lots of other potholders in all sorts of different patterns. This is a purrfect time to buy something for yourselves or your BFF’s and support our kitties too!

And now I’d like y’all to meet one of our newest kitties. His name is Peach, and he’s about five months old, give or take. And don’t ask me what that expression means—I’ve just heard people say it so I thought I’d just sneak it in. He was adopted a couple of months ago and his people really loved him, but he turned out to be a little too much high-energy kitten for them. They were real sad when they had to return him but I think it was prob’ly the best thing, and knowing how much they loved him, I hafta really admire them.

They spent lots of time with Peach, and wrote a real nice email about him after they brought him back, so I’d like to share some of their thoughts with you.

Peach is prob’ly one of the most active kittens ever, as his people found out real fast. He followed his mom everywhere and jumped on every space available. He was into drawers, cabinets and closets. He even got into the dishwasher, washing machine, dryer, fridge, and pantry. They tried closing doors, hoping that would make him lose interest. Not so much! He was always eager to do it all over again.

They started out having Peach sleep in a large bathroom. At first he woke up real early—about 4am—and his mom would go in and feed him and play with him. After a couple of weeks, he was actually sleeping in, if you call 6am “sleeping in.” (I prefer 8ish myself, but that’s just me.) And when his people started letting him sleep with them all night, he would split his time between their bed and the bathroom sink. His people put some towels in the sink to make it nice and comfy. He really loved that sink, and would take naps in it during the day.

And unlike a lot of felines, Peach usually came when he was called. Unless he was busy playing with something. But after all, that’s one of the things kittens do best!

His best buds at his home were his two dog sisters, Pattijeanne and Linda. He loved to play with them, and when the three of them were done romping around the house, they usually curled up together for a nice short nap. Here’s a photo of the three of them—the two dogs make grrreat pillows! Pattijeanne is on the left, and Linda is on the right.

He pretty much left plants alone, except for one particular plant that has long leaves (they call them “fronds”) that move around. So they moved the plant to one of the areas where he wasn’t allowed to go. But, being the smart kitten that he is, Peach figured that one out real fast. He would hide by the door and make a dash past the person who opens it. And he does not forget—anything. If there’s something that he wants to do, he’ll keep trying—for days. This kit is determined!

Let me tell you—Peach is totally fearless and curious about everything. I think he’s pretty smart, too!

And now that he’s back at Safe Haven, he has a nice room with two roommates who are a little younger than he is. They all get along real well and have a good time together. And he has a tall cat tree to climb, and the enclosed catio where he can go outside and enjoy the nice weather. So while he waits for that purrfect furrever home, Peach is having a grrreat time at Safe Haven. I think he’d be happy wherever he is. He entertains himself real well!

Lovingly,

KOZMO

Domestic shorthair, Male
Color: Black w/white under chin
Size: Medium
Age: Young
Special needs: none

Kozmo and Tiggie are a bonded pair—brother and sister—who will have their 4th birthday next month. July 19, to be exact. Their human dad recently passed, and the pair ended up at Safe Haven to find their new forever home. After they arrived, we learned that the pair had been strictly indoor kitties. On the Peninsula, that’s a very good thing. It’s much safer for kitties to be inside, or in a safe catio. They’ve never been around dogs, and haven’t had very good experiences with other cats, so these two should be the only four-legged residents of their new home. It would be great if they could celebrate their 4th birthdays in their new home!

They are both shorthair—Kozmo is black with just a little white spot under his chin. Tiggie is a tortie, a combination of black, orange and a little cream. Kozmo is galooty, which is another term for goofy. Tiggie is a cutie, and very sweet. Kozmo likes being picked up, and comes when he’s called. Tiggie likes attention, and lots of it! Kozmo is very respectful of his sister, who often takes the lead, and he thinks that’s just fine. These two are really well-matched, and belong together for the rest of their lives.

TIGGIE

Domestic shorthair, Female
Color: Tortie
Size: Medium
Age: Young
Special needs: none

Kozmo and Tiggie are a bonded pair—brother and sister—who will have their 4th birthday next month. July 19, to be exact. Their human dad recently passed, and the pair ended up at Safe Haven to find their new forever home. After they arrived, we learned that the pair had been strictly indoor kitties. On the Peninsula, that’s a very good thing. It’s much safer for kitties to be inside, or in a safe catio. They’ve never been around dogs, and haven’t had very good experiences with other cats, so these two should be the only four-legged residents of their new home. It would be great if they could celebrate their 4th birthdays in their new home!

They are both shorthair—Kozmo is black with just a little white spot under his chin. Tiggie is a tortie, a combination of black, orange and a little cream. Kozmo is galooty, which is another term for goofy. Tiggie is a cutie, and very sweet. Kozmo likes being picked up, and comes when he’s called. Tiggie likes attention, and lots of it! Kozmo is very respectful of his sister, who often takes the lead, and he thinks that’s just fine. These two are really well-matched, and belong together for the rest of their lives.

FROM THE HOME FRONT
TALES OF THE SAFE HAVEN KITTIES
BROUGHT TO YOU BY MERRY

WEEK 65: RUDDY ROCKET MAN

Hi everyone!

Wonderful news! We had quite a few adoptions in the last couple of weeks. Four to be exact (unless someone else went home when I wasn’t looking!) And here’s the adopted kitties, in the order they found their new homes:


Bow Tie	Luna	Mark	Bella Bella

Pretty cool, huh? And all of them are happy and much loved!

And now I’d like y’all to meet Rocket Man! Actually, his name is really just Rocket, but he’s a guy cat, and someone at the shelter—don’t remember who or I’d give them appropriate credit—started calling him “Rocket Man” and it kinda fit. ‘Specially since when he first came to the shelter, there was a bit of an error when he was checked in, and he started out life at Safe Haven as “Rockette” – a female!

Shhhh! We can’t talk about that, tho. Rocket is very much a male, and he might not be happy with the error, even though he DOES have real long legs!

Anyway, Rocket is a gorgeous cat. He’s a young Ruddy Abyssinian, and like many Abyssinians (Abys for short) he’s super intelligent, active, always on the go, and very social. One of the things he does best is to jump, and he shows off for visitors by jumping from the top of his cat tree onto their shoulders. He’s so good at jumping that he can easily make it from the floor to the top of his cat tree in a single leap.

And … he’s an escape artist! He can get out of just about anything. Guess we shoulda called him Houdini! The gentleman (Angus) who found him had no trouble picking him up and putting him in a carrier, but when they were in the van going home, Rocket had no problem getting out of the carrier, and ended up sitting on the dashboard staring at Angus!

You can tell how much he likes people ‘cause he gives real nice wet nose kisses and head butts to show his affection, and to let them know how he loves getting attention. Sometimes he can get carried away and give a friendly little nip on the ear! Oops!

He loves to play, prob’ly more than anything else ‘cept maybe eat—he gained some weight ‘cause he was poaching his roommates’ food, but that problem got fixed and now he’s back down to his normal weight. One of his favorite toys is the little red dot (laser pointer in human-speak). And he loves to be entertained—it keeps his mind busy, and that’s important. We can’t have Rocket Man getting bored!

He gets lots of visitors. Angus comes to visit him every week, and Rocket is always real glad to see him. ‘Specially since Angus supplies all his food—Angus calls it “Rocket fuel!”

Just the other day we had new volunteers visit the shelter for the first time. The teenage girl and her mom really loved Rocket Man. They took this photo of him, and their email said “Rocket stood out like a rockstar so we wanted to share this picture with you. What a stunner!” We have to agree! He sure is a stunning cat.

One thing about Abys that I should mention is that they’re not like your average laid-back little cuddly kitty. They are super active and need lots of one-on-one time with their new family. They can’t be left alone all day to entertain themselves ‘cause their people prob’ly wouldn’t be real excited about the results. So it’s important that Rocket’s new home is with an Aby-savvy family!

Lovingly,

FROM THE HOME FRONT
TALES OF THE SAFE HAVEN KITTIES
BROUGHT TO YOU BY MERRY

WEEK 64: GOODBYE TO SARA

Hi everyone!

I have some sad news to tell you. One of our older kitties, Sara, was diagnosed with an inoperable abdominal mass. Staff has been doing everything possible for her, but we all recognize that, hard as it is to say goodbye, sometimes that’s the very best thing you can do for your fur baby. So when our wonderful veterinarian came to Safe Haven last week, she checked Sara’s condition and agreed that it was Sara’s time, and she helped Sara cross the Rainbow Bridge.

Sara and her best buddy, Libby, had arrived at Safe Haven last May, after losing their Dad, Al, who had been diagnosed with Stage 4 cancer. It was a traumatic time for them, ‘cause they had lived with Al almost all of their lives. He had adopted them from a shelter when they were just young kittens, and that was 16 or 17 years ago!

When Al retired in 2019, he moved from his long-time Seattle home to a new home in Port Angeles. One thing about the move concerned him: although Sara was very outgoing and social, Libby was the total opposite—very shy and scared of new things and changes. Al wasn’t sure how he was going to get Libby into the carrier for the move. But one day, Libby went into the carrier all by herself, and curled up all nice and cozy. Al couldn’t believe his eyes, but he was not one to look a gift horse in the mouth! (I wonder where that expression came from?) So Al packed up his cats, grabbed everything he needed, and moved that very night!

Al was a real cat lover, and one of his favorite things to do was to visit Safe Haven and spend time with all the kitties, especially his sweetheart, July, and his good buddy, Tippy. He would pick up each of them and their beds, one at a time, and put the bed next to him on the couch so he could give our kitties little kisses on the head when he came in. He was so devoted that he had Tippy’s calendar photo hanging on his kitchen wall!

He liked all of us so much that he chose Safe Haven to be Sara and Libby’s home, in case he had to leave before them, and he provided generously in his will to take care of them for the rest of their lives. And when that time came, they moved into a nice big room on the first floor, with windows, cat trees, toys, and everything a kitty could ask for. Sara and Libby could often be found sitting in their two comfy chairs, side by side, just enjoying life.

Sara was very sweet and loving to everyone. Libby is very shy and was dependent on Sara, but over the last year she gradually formed a few friendships with visitors who spend the time with her. And it was only right and fair that Libby was there at the end, to say goodbye to her lifelong friend and wish her a safe journey across the Bridge. We know that Sara is well and happy, and waiting for her dear friend to join her when the time is right.

Lovingly,

FROM THE HOME FRONT
TALES OF THE SAFE HAVEN KITTIES
BROUGHT TO YOU BY MERRY

SPECIAL EDITION:
CARING FOR CATS IN HOT WEATHER

Hi everyone!

I’ve been hearing about this super hot weather coming to the Peninsula (and lots of other places around the country) this weekend. And you know what hot weather does? It makes everyone VERY uncomfortable. But not only that, it can be real dangerous, ‘specially for your fur babies!

So I wanted to remind all of you about some common-sense ideas to keep your kitties safe when the weather goes bonkers and gets over 100 degrees like it’s gonna do around here.

Don’t let your cat go outside during the heat of the day—between 10am and 4pm seems to be the warmest time in our area.

Keep the house cool for your cat—if you don’t have air conditioning, keep the blinds closed and the curtains shut. Keep the windows shut whenever it’s hotter outside than inside. We are NOT gonna be cool with this, you understand. Cats love to look outside and watch what’s going on, and we’re gonna complain. But y’all know better and—this is hard to admit—there’s some things that y’all are smarter about than we are!

Give us plenty of water, and put bowls of it several places around the house. Most cats don’t tend to drink a lot of water, but if it’s handy, we prob’ly will. ‘Specially if we’re thirsty.

If we sleep a little more than normal, don’t worry. We normally need ‘bout 16 hours of sleep, and if it’s hot, we’re smart enough to nap a little more, rather than running around making ourselves hotter.

And if we groom ourselves a little more than normal, don’t worry ‘bout that either. Grooming is one way we have to keep cool.

And speaking of grooming, if we have any mats or tangles, please brush them out for us. Matted hair gets hot.

But if we start leaving wet paw prints, we are sweating ‘cause that’s where our sweat glands are—on our paws. So we need to drink more water or eat something gooey with lots of moisture. Or you can stroke our fur with a damp cloth. You could even spray cool water on our coat. We prob’ly won’t appreciate being dunked in a tub of water though. That could be hazardous to your health!

And let’s not forget the most important rule about our canine friends: Don’t ever leave your dog in a car, even for a few minutes. Y’all might think that leaving a window open a bit will be OK, but it’s not! When it’s 90 degrees outside a car, in 10 minutes it’s gonna be 109 degrees, and in 30 minutes it goes to 124 degrees!

Of course this applies to cats too—pretty much any fur babies—but you don’t see many cats who like to go for car rides. The idea of riding around in a car is, like, totally icky to us. Not so much with dogs.

If y’all have other ideas about keeping your pets safe during heat waves, be sure to share them with your friends! And stay safe!

Lovingly,

FROM THE HOME FRONT
TALES OF THE SAFE HAVEN KITTIES
BROUGHT TO YOU BY MERRY

WEEK 63: A MATCHED SET

Hi everyone!

Three cheers! We had an adoption this week. Actually, we had two (so does that make it two cheers?) And the kittens that went to their new furrever home are pretty new to the shelter. They were in A4 with their mommy and three other siblings, and I never had a chance to get to know them—I must have been asleep when they arrived! I have to work hard to get my 16 hours sleep every day. I seem to find lots to do besides snooze!

Well, look at me! Off the track again. Anyway, our two adoptees this week are Grace and Purrfect, and they went home together. Pretty cool, huh? And since I was prob’ly snoozing when they arrived and maybe when they left also, that’s about all the info you get about them, other than everyone at the shelter is very happy for them. Oh, and I do have photos, courtesy of Sara, so you can see how cute they are. Grace is on the left, so using my super brain power, that means that Purrfect is on the right!

So now I get to introduce you to Kozmo and Tiggie, our FTHF cats of the week. They are a bonded pair—brother and sister—who will have their 4th birthday next month. July 19, to be exact. Their human dad recently passed, and the pair ended up at Safe Haven, which is a really good thing ’cause Safe Haven is one of the best places for nice young kitties to find new furrever homes.

After they arrived, we learned that the pair had been strictly indoor kitties. And on the Peninsula, that’s a very good thing. There’s entirely too many critters around here, and it’s much safer for nice little kitties to be inside (or in a safe catio, of course!) They’ve never been around dogs, and haven’t had real good ‘speriences with other cats, so we’re thinking these two should be the only four-legged residents of their new home.

And wouldn’t it be grrreat if they were in their new home to celebrate their 4th birthdays?

So … a little info about this cool pair. They are both shorthair—he’s black with just a little white spot under his chin. She’s a tortie. He’s galooty (that’s Kimmie-speak for “goofy.”) She’s a cutie (that’s Merry-speak for adorable). He likes being picked up, and comes when he’s called. She likes attention, and lots of it! He’s very respectful of his sister. She takes the lead on lots of stuff. He thinks that’s just fine.

So, you can tell, these two are really well-matched! A match made in heaven. OK—you know I like to throw in a little sarcasm sometimes!

So now you know all I know about this grrreat little pair. And I’d like to change the subject, and do what I normally do at the end of my columns—ask for “stuff”. In this case, this week’s “stuff” is our desperate need for volunteers to clean our outdoor areas. And the most important area we have is our kitty playrooms and catios. They get kinda grungy over the winter, and now they need their spring cleaning (even tho it is almost summer). It would mean a lot to the kitties, and when you volunteer, you also get to say “hi” to all the resident kitties. So is that a win-win or what?

And one more thing: my secretary reminded me that we usually make sure that we’ve received the annual membership dues from all our members, and we usually do that in April ’cause our annual meeting is usually in May. But … here’s my drum roll … we didn’t have an annual meeting this year ‘cause of … ‘nother drum roll … COVID-19. That nasty disease has turned our world inside out. So I’m supposed to ask y’all if you have sent in your dues for this year (it’s $25/year), and if you haven’t, could you do that? And if you’re not a member, you should consider becoming a member. You get to come to the annual meeting (with lots of good food to eat before the business meeting), you get to vote on PFOA officers and directors and changes to our rules—I think they are called by-laws—and, best of all, your dues helps support us kitties, ‘specially the special needs ones, ‘cause they need more help than most of the kitties.

And I’m a special needs kitty too! At least, I think I am. Everyone says I’m real special!

Lovingly,

FROM THE HOME FRONT
TALES OF THE SAFE HAVEN KITTIES
BROUGHT TO YOU BY MERRY

WEEK 62: FRED CAN REALLY TALK!

Hi everyone!

Looks like we have several shelter kitties almost ready to go to their new homes, but I can’t talk about them yet ’cause they haven’t officially been adopted. But you can bet your booties that I’ll let you know just as soon as the ink is dry on the adoption forms! After all, this is ADOPT A SHELTER CAT MONTH!

Lots of you prob’ly think, based on my weekly column, that we at PFOA are all about finding good homes for our temporary resident kitties. And yes, that’s one of the things we do here. But that’s definitely not everything we do. And sometimes a special kitty comes along that reminds us of the other important work we do, and the great relationships we have with other rescue organizations. And why I am so proud to be a part of PFOA.

That special kitty’s name is Fred. He was hit by a car, disappeared for two weeks, and finally came home with a broken jaw. WAG, our all-dog rescue group, generously set up a GoFundMe page to help cover the cost of surgery for “Fred the Cat” . Fred’s jaw had to be wired so it could heal right, and it’s gonna hafta stay wired for two months! That’s a real long time, ‘specially in cat-months! He also had to have 12 teeth extracted, and all he can eat right now is soft food. The surgery went just fine, and Fred went to a foster home to recover. But Fred is kinda timid, and the foster home had playful dogs that frightened him. So PFOA was contacted, and of course we couldn’t say no! And that’s how Fred got to Safe Haven.

He’s in the downstairs bathroom, all by himself, which is a good thing ‘cause he needs quiet, alone time to recover from his injuries. For those of you who haven’t been in the shelter, the downstairs bathroom is really a special cat room. Yes, it’s a people bathroom, but it’s not used for that any more. It’s got cat-friendly furniture, and there’s even some nice soft bedding in the bathtub!

I got to see Fred when he first came in, and though he was tired, sore, and unhappy, he managed a nice “hello” (that’s “meow” in cat talk) before he was carried downstairs. I was kinda surprised that he could even talk ‘cause I’d heard he had his jaw wired!

People who visit him tell me that he’s doing OK, still very timid and shy, and sometimes they can’t find him ‘cause his hidey-hole is under the couch. And everyone is very careful around Fred—they move very slowly so’s not to scare him, and they talk soft and gentle-like. And Fred will eventually come out of his hidey-hole and have his ears scratched—gently.

And when he is able to go to his new furrever home—which is gonna be a while—he has to have a special home ‘cause, in addition to everything else, he’s FIV-positive! But I think that’s gonna be OK ‘cause he’s not at all aggressive, and with FIV+, that’s a good thing.

And now I’d like to ask a little favor from y’all. Would you like to vote for PFOA for the best non-profit on the Peninsula? OK! To do that, go to the Peninsula Daily News home page and toward the bottom of the page, there’s a “Most Read” list, and at the top of that list is “Best of the Peninsula 2021 nominations on now”. If you click on that, it takes you to the page where you can vote, and at the bottom there’s a Click Here to vote in the Best of Clallam County. You want to choose that one ‘cause PFOA is in Clallam County, but I guess y’all are smart enough that I really didn’t have to say that!

And when you click on the big Services picture, and then scroll down to Non-Profit, it’ll ask you for your email and name and zip code, and then you can write in Peninsula Friends of Animals and click the Vote button! Just like that! Hint: since other people have already voted for us, all you have to do is start typing and “Peninsula Friends of Animals” will pop right up for you to vote!

And while all of us kitties already know PFOA is the very best, it’s nice to hear that others think so too!

Lovingly,

FROM THE HOME FRONT
TALES OF THE SAFE HAVEN KITTIES
BROUGHT TO YOU BY MERRY

WEEK 61: THE BEST OF BOTH WORLDS

Hi everyone!

Nobody went home this past week, but have I gotta deal for you! It’s June, and y’all know what that means? You do? You’re right! June is ADOPT A SHELTER CAT MONTH! This is real important, because shelter cats, as we all know, are some of the most deserving cats and many of them have been through such hard times. When you hear their stories, you just want to yowl! Well, us kitties do, anyway. And we have several new kitties who will be ready to go home soon—prob’ly this month or maybe the next.

And one of our most deserving kitties is the one I’m gonna talk about right now! His name is Bow Tie, and let me tell you, he’s been around! Nancy calls him a “very dapper traveling man” and I can see why. He was originally adopted from a shelter in Arizona, and he’s spent much of his 11 years with three different senior ladies. Each of them absolutely adored him, and he says he felt the same way about each of them! And after his last sweetheart went into a care facility ‘cause she was 105, Bow Tie came to Safe Haven so’s he could find his next home. He’s really hoping that the next home will get to be his last and forever home. I can hardly blame him!

Bow Tie is one of those cats that never met a stranger. Everyone he meets is automatically his new best friend. And he has a lot of best friends here! He’s fun to watch—he follows people from room to room, and he never stops chatting! He loves to be brushed, and I have to say—he has a nice long black and white coat, and it really looks much better after it’s been brushed! And he loves to snuggle in people’s laps. He says that when he lived with each of his ladies, he loved to sleep in their beds, and they loved it too.

Y’know, the way he follows people around, he almost reminds me of a dog. In a good way, you understand. He’s got that streak of devotion and companionship that most people relate to the canine world. They think most of us felines are much more independent, but not Bow Tie! He’ll take as much love and attention as anyone is willing to give. So with Bow Tie, you’re getting the best of both worlds: a devoted, loving companion who uses a litter box instead of having to be let out real early in the morning to do his “thing.”

Oh, and before I finish for this week, I need to ask for—believe it or not—more paper towels! Not for me, you understand. I’m purrfect (but I bet you already knew that!) We need them to clean up after those kitties who are lots messier than I am!

Lovingly,

BOW TIE

Domestic longhair, Male
Color: Black & White/Tuxedo
Size: Medium
Age: Senior
Special needs: none

Bow Tie is a very dapper traveling man. Originally adopted from a shelter in Arizona, he spent a few of his nine lives with three different senior ladies who adored him and whom he adored, as well. After his last sweet friend went into a care facility at the age of 105, Bow Tie came to us hoping to find a home that will be his last!

At 11+ years of age, Bow Tie is in excellent health except for some eating restrictions—-he will need to be on a low fat canned-food diet for the rest of his life. He is one of the most loving and affectionate cats we have ever had–he never meets a stranger. Bow follows you from room to room chatting away, and he loves to snuggle in your lap and your bed. He is a constant and most devoted companion, and he LOVES to be brushed and petted. Almost dog-like in his interactions, Bow Tie would prefer to be an only feline child–just because he wants so much of your time and attention.

If you have a LOT of time and love to give to a most deserving boy, please give us a call to meet Mr. Bow Tie!!

FROM THE HOME FRONT
TALES OF THE SAFE HAVEN KITTIES
BROUGHT TO YOU BY MERRY

WEEK 60: THE CUTEST DUO EVER

Hi everyone!

We didn’t have anyone from the shelter go home this week, but we still have something to celebrate! Y’see, a while back, Ann, one of our founding humans, took in a little three-legged dog named Barley. Now Ann has saved hundreds and hundreds of kitties, and she designed this great cat-friendly home so she could take care of them better. Everyone thinks of her as this wonderful cat person, but she’s really an animal person. So when Barley needed a home, she said “why not?” and that’s how Barley went to live with her. But Barley is quite a handful even for a younger person, and Nancy, our Shelter Director, recognized that and found a real nice furrever home for Barley. He’s gonna live with another three-legged dog and an old cat, two bunnies, and a pair of PFOA kittens that’ll be ready to go home in a couple of months. Barley just adores his new Dad, and follows him around all day when he’s working in the yard. And Barley is really getting a lot of attention, and gets to be real active. And now Ann doesn’t have to chase after him any more, and her cats have their home back, all to themselves. I tell you—it’s a win-win!

And now I’d like to tell you all about this real cute pair of kitties that came to Safe Haven around mid-May. They really are adorable! Their names are Marie and Toulouse, and they’re brother and sister. They are super love bugs and inseparable, so they get to find their furrever home together. They’re just over nine months old, so you can imagine all the energy they have. At that age, most of us are, like, non-stop, 24/7, ’cept that we really have to get our 40 winks in, which translates to a LOT of cat naps. Wonder why they call it 40 winks? If you’re winking, you’re not asleep! Strange!

Marie is the one who looks like a Siamese. She’s a petite little thing, and she loves to snuggle on people’s chests. She’s a very curious kitty, and has to check out every new thing. Bet she had a very busy couple of days when they got to move to their own playroom. Her bestest thing is to be loved, and she loves that!

Toulouse is a lug of a young boy. He’s an orange and white classic tabby (you remember me talking about classic tabbies—they have the swirly marks on their sides). And he has purrfectly lovely swirls! His favorite thing is to play with all the toys in his new room. He takes a running leap, pounces on the toys, and chases toy balls all over the place.

And speaking of toys, if any of you out there can sew and would like to make us some catnip-filled kicker toys, that would be purrfectly meowvelous! OK, ‘nough with the big words. We’d all really like them. We go bonkers for things with catnip, and if we can play with them, that’s the best! And if you were wondering, the reason they call them kicker toys is ‘cause we go nuts over them and grab them and kick them with our back feet—like a bunny kick. It’s a natural reaction for us, as well as grrreat exercise (some of us need that more than others). So if you’d like to help out, you can get some cool ideas from the internet. Just Google “kicker toy”. Ooooh … don’t I sound techy?

Lovingly,

TOULOUSE

Domestic shorthair, Male
Color: Orange & white classic tabby
Size: Medium
Age: Young
Special needs: none
BONDED PAIR TO BE ADOPTED TOGETHER

Toulouse and his sister and best bud Marie were born in August of 2020. The two of them are both love bugs – as affectionate as a pair of kitties can be. Toulouse is a lug of a young boy who pounces and plays with all the toys. He especially likes chasing the balls around the room. Marie loves to investigate all things new. She is a snuggler who cuddles on your chest and loves to be loved. Both brother and sister absolutely love being in a person’s lap. They are playful and used to kind, older children. They are people pleasers, for sure, and are the cutest duo ever!

MARIE

Domestic shorthair, Female
Color: Siamese
Size: Medium
Age: Young
Special needs: none
BONDED PAIR TO BE ADOPTED TOGETHER

Marie and her brother and best bud Toulouse were born in August of 2020. The two of them are both love bugs – as affectionate as a pair of kitties can be. Marie loves to investigate all things new. She is a snuggler who cuddles on your chest and loves to be loved. Toulouse is a lug of a young boy who pounces and plays with all the toys. He especially likes chasing the balls around the room. Both brother and sister absolutely love being in a person’s lap. They are playful and used to kind, older children. They are people pleasers, for sure, and are the cutest duo ever!

FROM THE HOME FRONT
TALES OF THE SAFE HAVEN KITTIES
BROUGHT TO YOU BY MERRY

WEEK 59: MERRY TAKES TIME OUT

Hi everyone!

Well, I figure I’ve gone for over a year now with my weekly column! Time flies when you’re having fun, and boy has this ever been fun. But I just realized I’ve never taken a vacation. What’s up with that??? People get to take vacations so I’m thinking I’m entitled too! Donchthink?

So this week I’m just gonna relay the grrreat news that … drum roll … Orchid got adopted! Isn’t that super fantastic? I remember when she and her friends—the Pole Barn 9—first came here. All of them were so scared of their own shadows, let alone actual people! The first to be adopted was Garland. Then Rhodes found his new home with his favorite kittymate, Lilly. And then Orchid started to come out of her shell. Guess she realized that people aren’t so bad after all. And for the last 3 or 4 weeks she’s been getting friendlier and friendlier. And now she’s in her furrever home and her new family just adores her. What could be better than that?

So I’m gonna leave you with one final Image. It’s vacation time! And that’s when kitties do what kitties do best! It’s nap time. Night all!

Lovingly,

FROM THE HOME FRONT
TALES OF THE SAFE HAVEN KITTIES
BROUGHT TO YOU BY MERRY

WEEK 58: L’IL LOVELY LUNA

Hi everyone!

If last week was a double good news week, you’re gonna love this week ‘cause we had three kitties go home! I just told y’all about Roxy last week, and she’s in her new home as we speak! And there were two other kitties that I never had the chance to tell you about ‘cause they were sorta like a revolving door. Rascal III is a little orange and white kitten—he’s adorable, and it didn’t take him long to go home. His new name is Peach. And he has two small dogs to play with, so we think he’s going to have a great time. He’s about 1/4 the size of each dog, and he rules the roost! And Moonbeam, who’s an adorable little snugglepuss, just did move from quarantine to her playroom, and some people came to visit her and loved her right away, and she went home yesterday!

Which brings us to Luna. She’s just a year old, and she’s sooooo cute! And petite!! And slender!!! I don’t think I was ever that young and petite and slender. (Sigh!) She’s a classic brown tabby, which means that instead of the stripes or spots, she has these gorgeous swirls on each side of her body. We don’t see many classic tabbies at Safe Haven!

She’s real affectionate and loving, and when people give her a head scratch, she prances and makes donuts with her front feet. And she makes the most interesting sound when she talks to people. Instead of it sounding like “meow,” it comes out more like a chirp. And she loves people—even older kids! She says she used to sleep with her people in her first home. And don’t tell, but she also used to jump up on the counters. She may have to fix that little habit—most people I’ve met think that’s a real no-no. I’m not sure why—if they don’t want us up on counters, they should eat on the floor, like us! That’s what I say!

The weather’s been pretty nice around here, and Luna’s been out on her catio a lot. She’s in one of the downstairs playrooms, and she likes to roll around on the concrete patio. And even though she’s in a room all by herself, she says she really likes other kitties, but she’s also good at entertaining herself (she plays fetch a lot) if there’s no other cats or people to play with. I’m thinking that she’s gonna fit into most any family, so she prob’ly won’t be around here too long.

And speaking of cats and families, we have a momma cat who just had four adorable little kittens, and so we really need a foster home to take care of them for about nine weeks, ‘till the kittens are old enough to come to Safe Haven. And we need it IMMEDIATELY. So let us know if you’d like to be a foster family. We had such a great response from the last time we asked, and we’re hoping some of you out there would still like to foster kittens. It’s real important to give the little guys a good start in life. And let me tell you, these kittens are sooo cute and their mom is very sweet and loving. So call or write if you can help with this beautiful new family!

Lovingly,

LUNA

Domestic shorthair, Female
Color: Classic brown tabby
Size: Small
Age: Young
Special needs: none

Luna is a very sweet, petite brown tabby. She has beautiful markings, one of the most beautiful classic tabby swirl pattern we’ve seen in quite some time. She is just about a year old, and her most interesting characteristic is her meow – it’s very soft and more chirpy than meowy. She is great with people, both adults and children – she loves to follow people around the room, and sleep with them. Very affectionate, she prances and makes donuts when people give her a head scratch. She enjoys the company of other cats, but is quite able to entertain herself if no other feline friends are available. She loves to play fetch with her little feather ball. When the weather is nice, she goes outside to her catio and rolls around on the concrete. This little girl is quite ready for her new forever home. So make an appointment to meet Luna. She’s irresistible!

FROM THE HOME FRONT
TALES OF THE SAFE HAVEN KITTIES
BROUGHT TO YOU BY MERRY

WEEK 8: THE GIRLS MOVE DOWNSTAIRS

Hi everyone!

Remember a couple of weeks ago when I reported about all the good news at the shelter? Well, with all the resident kitties leaving for their forever homes, the shelter is … how shall I say … kinda quiet! But, I hear that new friends are on their way to Safe Haven! Room B2 downstairs is empty, ‘cause each of the three bonded pairs (Hollis and Blue, Jackie and Dubbs, and Ariel and Brewster) found their forever home together. So, I’m working my way down the shelter, and find that B3 now has new kitties. Well, maybe not “new” – Lacie, Lucie and Suzie moved from their room upstairs (normally a kitten room) to B3 after Hannah and Bethany left.

If you remember, Bethany was getting fluids twice a week, and everyone felt that she would be happier at Barker House with other kitties like her. And Hannah – she found the nicest home with a lady who is a first-time cat owner and fell head over heels for Hannah. From the reports we get, we think Hannah feels the same way.

OK … back to LL&S. Now that they have moved downstairs, the girls have a wonderful catio where they can spend outdoor time (when it isn’t raining, ‘cause Lucie does NOT like to get her feet wet!) They really love their outdoor time – on the hot days they can roll around and lay on the cool ground. And they have a neighbor in the catio next to them. Garland moved from the Pole Barn building to B4. He’s learned to trust people again and is very friendly and enjoys petting and attention. And, being a very handsome bachelor cat, he naturally attracted the attention of the girls. Well, maybe not ALL of them. Lacie and Suzie have been kinda flirty with him, but Lucie thinks that boys stink and she’s not having anything to do with him.

The girls have had a lot of fun watching the birds and deer in the bushes around the catio. That keeps them very busy, and they spend lots of time doing it.

I hear that they love it when people read to them. But, when they just sit still and listen to books for long periods of time, they don’t really get enough exercise. At least it seems like that. Staff is really careful not to use the “f” word, but all three kitties are just a tad bit pudgy! I think Suzie is doing a little better than her two older sisters – one of the volunteers mentioned that Suzie looked like she had lost a little weight after she moved downstairs. And she is the most active of the three – she loves to play that game with the ball in the round scratcher. I think she’s taking advantage of all the new activities. And, of course, there IS the handsome bachelor next door!

I know they miss seeing all of you. As you know, they are all very affectionate. They rub against you and love to be petted. We are all hoping that the shelter can reopen soon. Staff is not exactly sure what the “new normal” will look like for Safe Haven. Everyone is using that term these days – we kitties are wondering exactly what it means. I’m sure we will find out – sooner or later.

Hope it’s sooner, ‘cause we miss you!

Lovingly,

FROM THE HOME FRONT
TALES OF THE SAFE HAVEN KITTIES
BROUGHT TO YOU BY MERRY

WEEK 9: SAFE HAVEN’S HALL MONITOR

Hi everyone!

Some of you may remember the sad story of the Pole Barn Nine. For those of you who haven’t heard about them, they are a group of nine very skittish, unsocialized kitties who were rescued from a bad situation. Someone had accumulated too many cats and couldn’t care for all of them. They have been at Safe Haven almost nine months now, and even though our staff and some of the volunteers have made a special effort to make friends with them and show them that they are finally safe, many of them are still quite scared and hide a lot.

It’s too bad, because if they would talk to some of us kitties who have been here longer, we would tell them that they are finally in a safe place, like the name of our shelter.

Garland is one of the Pole Barn Nine, and he has learned to trust people. The others are still struggling with trust issues. Garland is kind of a born leader also. He’s really interested in the comings and goings of the other kitties. He likes to keep track of the others. Some kitties think he is nosy and have started calling him the Hall Monitor. I wonder where they heard that name?

So, with the other kitties still scared and Garland doing pretty well, Garland got to move to the main shelter. He’s downstairs in B4, and I think he and Suzie might have a thing going. Remember I talked about the handsome bachelor cat last week? Well, that’s Garland. But now Suzie has competition, ‘cause Miss Pepper just came back to the shelter a couple of days ago, and Miss Pepper and Garland are roommates!

I’m thinking it won’t be too long before Garland finds his furever home. He’s really a nice cat around humans. (I think he likes people lots more than other kitties!) He loves to be petted and scratched under the chin. I was watching Kimmie scratch him one day, and he was really getting into it. He kept leaning toward her hand, and leaned so far that he fell on the floor!

Well, that’s enough about that. We had several new kitties join us at the shelter, and I’ll talk about them as soon as they get moved downstairs. But I saved the best news for last—Nyla and Phoenix went to their furever home last week! Isn’t that great? They have been waiting so long for just the right people to come along, and now they have a nice new home. We will all miss them here, especially Peeka and Boo, but we are all very happy for them too!

Lovingly,

FROM THE HOME FRONT
TALES OF THE SAFE HAVEN KITTIES
BROUGHT TO YOU BY MERRY

WEEK 10: REVOLVING DOOR

Hi everyone!

This week I’m not gonna save the best news for last, ‘cause this is, like, totally exciting!

When you think of a bonded pair of kitties who would really love to have a furrever home, who comes to mind? Peeka and Boo, that’s who! These sisters have been through so much change and loss in their lives—way too much for their 8 1/2 years! Well, they now have that furrever home they wanted, and the change in Peeka was really fast. The first night they were home, Peeka crawled up on her new dad’s chest and made herself comfortable! Here’s the first photo we got from her new family—a relaxed, friendly cat, sitting in the middle of the room, watching her mom get ready for the day.

Now, back to shelter news. Last week I mentioned that we had several new kitties come to the shelter. One of them, a very nice young kitty named Mike, moved downstairs a few days ago. He’s a cutie, with a boyish meow and beautiful, long, silky soft fur.

He was a stray, pretty much on his own, until he found a house with a kitty door. So he started going in and out, and adopted the people who lived there. Of course, with a kitty door comes … kitties. There were several of them living there, and Mike must have decided that one more couldn’t hurt, so he immediately made friends with all of them. Well, most of them. He really tried, but there was one cat that did NOT like him—at all.

Well, the cat was there first, so the people didn’t have a choice. They really liked Mike, but he couldn’t stay. So, they brought him to Safe Haven. They knew he would find a great home.

And … guess what? Just after he moved downstairs, a couple came to the shelter to meet Mike, and they decided that he should come home with them. He hasn’t left yet, so we’re still calling this a pending adoption, but I’m pretty sure it’s gonna work out purrfectly for Mike.

Doncha just love it when it’s all good news?

Lovingly,

FROM THE HOME FRONT
TALES OF THE SAFE HAVEN KITTIES
BROUGHT TO YOU BY MERRY

WEEK 11: DON’T STEAL MY FOOD!

Hi everyone!

I know almost all of you remember Miss Pepper. She’s that beautiful calico tabby with the gorgeous green/gold eyes who went home in March. Well, we have to admit that not every adoption works purrfectly, and unfortunately Miss Pepper’s didn’t. No fault of Miss Pepper—unfortunately, some unforeseen circumstances came up in her new guardian’s life and it was best for Miss Pepper to return to Safe Haven.

So, Miss Pepper is back! We think she won’t be here too long, though. A nice couple is coming to meet her next week, and we’re hoping it will be the purrfect match.

But for now, she’s downstairs in B4, making friends with Garland. We think it’s going pretty well, considering that Miss Pepper is quite the independent lady. After all, she’s a calico, just like me! And that’s ALMOST a tortie! She’s younger than me, and her coat is, well, absolutely gorgeous. It’s so soft and silky, with a very cool design. I hafta admit that I’m just a bit green with envy. I think my green eyes are glowing!

Feeding time was fun to watch this morning. Miss Pepper loves to have breakfast in bed. So Tracy has started feeding her in the cat tree. Miss Pepper is quite the lady, with good table manners. In other words, she likes to take her time eating. Garland, on the other hand, is somewhat lacking in gentlemanly manners.

Today, Garland decided he was hungry, so he jumped up on the cat tree while Miss Pepper was eating. She ran outside, ran up her ramp, turned around and stared at Tracy, watching her every move. You don’t have to speak Cat to understand “Bring me my food!” The next thing I saw was Tracy coming outside with the plate of food. And just to make sure Garland didn’t steal the food, Tracy waited outside until Miss Pepper had finished eating.

Miss Pepper loves her catio, even if she does have to share. So, as I write this, we had a slight break in the rain, and Miss Pepper? Well, she’s out there, dodging rain puddles and having a great time. She even coaxed Garland out (even without food), but he got his paw wet, decided that was a bad idea, and scurried back inside.

Even with the rain, it was another wonderful day at Safe Haven!

Lovingly,

FROM THE HOME FRONT
TALES OF THE SAFE HAVEN KITTIES
BROUGHT TO YOU BY MERRY

WEEK 12: OUR OWN “GENTLE BEN”

Hi everyone!

Back in February, we had a really nice cat named George move in. I called him Sweet George ‘cause he’s such a gentle Ben of a kitty! Many of you may not remember George. He came with Jackie and Dubs, but he didn’t stay long. It seemed like he wasn’t out of quarantine very long before he found a nice home. But this was one of those situations that no one could predict. His former guardian had to bring him back last week because of something called allergies.

Whoever adopts him into their home will have the bestest cat friend ever. I hear he had other cat friends before so he might even find a home with a kitty who needs a good friend. And, he even liked the dog. Can you imagine that? Of course, George and the dog were just about the same size. I think a bigger dog might scare George. When George knows he’s home, he loves to curl up and sleep right next to his person. I don’t think it’ll be very long before George is adopted and playing with his catnip mice and crackly balls in his new forever home.

Our good friend Nancy came into the shelter a couple of days ago and made a video of George. That was when he was still in quarantine—he moved downstairs that same afternoon. So he’s maybe even more laid back than normal. There’s much more room to move around when you are downstairs. The video is on our website now, so you can watch it any time you want.

In other news, last week both Miss Pepper and Mike found their forever homes. Isn’t that great? I’m not sure if my little weekly column had anything to do with it, but I did talk about Miss Pepper last week and Mike the week before. OK, maybe I’ll take just a tiny bit of credit. Can I, huh? Please?

You all have a great week, and stay safe!

Lovingly,

FROM THE HOME FRONT
TALES OF THE SAFE HAVEN KITTIES
BROUGHT TO YOU BY MERRY

WEEK 7: CELEBRATIONS

Hi everyone!

This week we’re celebrating both the Memorial Day holiday and a very special celebration of Tippy’s 16th birthday! He’s been the official office administrator for as long as any of us kitties can remember, and I’m learning a lot from him. He actually has his own fan club of people who come specially to spend time with him when Safe Haven is fully open.

He loves to snuggle into their shoulder and purrs real loud so they know how happy that makes him. There must be an alarm clock inside of him because at 11 am he lets his office staff know it’s lunch time and he’s requesting that his Fancy Feast beef with gravy be warmed to just the right temperature for him.

He usually takes a long nap after lunch in his favorite basket bed with the cushiest blankets to snooze on.

When he wakes up, he usually takes a wobbly walk to check on everyone and make sure everything’s in order. After his walk, he asks to be picked up so he can look out the window at the birds on the feeder. They really fascinate him when they flutter by.

He really enjoys scratching on a special paddlin’ box a devoted fan sent him and it’s amazing to see him use his front paws to pull himself up on the couch. His Cerebellar Hypoplasia affects his balance but certainly not his strength—with his gymnastic ability, he looks like he’s training for the kitty Olympics!

We all wish Tippy the happiest of birthdays and I’m honored to be his new office
assistant.

Lovingly,

FROM THE HOME FRONT
TALES OF THE SAFE HAVEN KITTIES
BROUGHT TO YOU BY MERRY

WEEK 6: LOTSA GOOD NEWS

Hi everyone!

The news from the shelter keeps getting better and better! You all remember that last week I took over as Shelter Reporter when Franklin and Flicka went to their new furever home. Well, I have lotsa more wonderful news for you.

A couple of days ago, some really nice people came to the shelter— I think this wasn’t their first visit here, because they seemed to know all about us kitties and how much every staff member and volunteer loves us. They made a beeline straight for B2 (I watched them), and after a while, came back up the stairs with Blue and Hollis in carriers! Everyone seemed really excited, specially Blue, who had a home before. I’m not sure Hollis really understood, although Blue tried to tell him that this was a great thing, and they were going to a wonderful new home and live happily ever after! The people who were taking them home seemed like really nice people. I think Blue and Hollis struck gold—big time!

The very next day, Carson and Spenser went to their new furever home together! It was really cool to watch these two get ready to go home. Carson had been adopted earlier this year by a really nice couple, and it’s too bad that it didn’t work out with the other cat in the family. I guess the other cat just didn’t want to share! So Carson came back pretty recently. And Spenser is also pretty new to Safe Haven—both of them just got moved from Quarantine to B1 a week or so ago. Since the two of them got to know each other in Quarantine, they kinda hung out together in B1. That was good, because the other two sets of kitties in the room were already bonded and didn’t pay too much attention to the newbies.

And now, for my report on Garland, the kitty I’ve been watching this week (when I’m not watching other kitties leave!) He is such a sweet cat, and loves to snuggle on people’s laps. He loves people, and was so sad when almost all of his human friends had to stay away. He had the best time filming his video for the Video of the Week on PFOA’s website. He got to snuggle and give kitty kisses, and he was a little sad when Nancy got done and had to leave. I’m thinking he’ll have a lot to say to our volunteers when they finally come back to visit. They should expect lots of hugs and kisses, unless, of course, Garland also finds his own furever home!

Lovingly,

FROM THE HOME FRONT
STORIES OF THE SAFE HAVEN KITTIES
BROUGHT TO YOU BY MERRY

WEEK 5: INTRODUCING MERRY

Hi everyone!

We just got very good news from the shelter: Flicka and Franklin were adopted together, and are now in their furrever home! Isn’t that great? And, before they left, they wanted to make sure that our little weekly newsletter was in good hands. I was really pleased when they asked me to take over for them! Maybe it was because I used to talk to them every morning through their window. The shelter staff called it “yowling for several minutes” but we all knew it was just “good morning” and “how y’all doing” in cat speak.

Being a tortie, I KNOW I can do a good job. Perhaps not as good as Flicka and Franklin did, but I’m going to try my best to walk in their paw prints. I have lots of experience on computers – I love adding comments to whatever Danette is working on. Not sure if she likes that though – she goes back and erases all the 00000000 and xxxxxxxxxxxx I add when I take a short cut across her desk.

I’m not a young cat any longer – some people say I’m elderly, but that sounds so OLD! I do have some medical issues, so I have a different way of looking at life. As one of the official office cats, I can go out on the deck fairly often, specially when it’s nice weather. And I have lots of fun watching the adult kitties downstairs.

Also, I will hopefully have help from my roommate Tippy. I haven’t quite figured him out yet – he walks differently from me, and is affectionately known as a “wobbly” kitty. He doesn’t go out on the deck as much as he used to (he’s almost 16), but when it is really nice and warm, I think I can coax him outside and he can help me with my weekly reports.

So, I’m looking forward to reporting on life at the shelter. I really miss seeing all of you, and I miss all the attention you gave us, specially the nice man who came and read to me every week. I’ll be really glad when the shelter is open again!

Lovingly,

p.s. My friend Nancy is working on a video just for me! Be sure to check back this week – I think you will like it!

FROM THE HOME FRONT
TALES OF THE SAFE HAVEN KITTIES
BROUGHT TO YOU BY MERRY

WEEK 57: ROXY RETURNS

Hi everyone!

So this week I have twice the good news as normal: we had TWO kitties find their furrever homes! Mrs. Patmore (“Mrs. Patmore Comes Back”) found a purrfectly wonderful home, and we were all so happy for her. And the very same day, Rascal (“Rascal or Monkeyshines?”) found his furrever home and said “bye-bye” to everyone at the shelter. It took him a little longer ‘cause he had to go see the cat dentist, but he got all fixed up and is all good now!

So now I get to tell you all about Roxanne. She’s a very beautiful, very sleek gray and white shorthair kitty. I’d call her a gray & white tuxedo, ‘cept I’m not sure there is such a thing. But she has the tuxedo markings. She originally came to Safe Haven as a youngster (relatively speaking!) and was named Roxy. She was Safe Haven’s very first kitty in 2015! She was a little over a year old when she arrived. She’d been living with a bunch of other kitties, and it kinda scared her. She was so adorable that it didn’t take her long to find a new home. Her new people prob’ly decided that “Roxy” wasn’t a good enough name for this elegant cat, so they called her “Roxanne.”

It’s really too bad, but her human mom died and her dad had to go to a care facility, so she came back to Safe Haven to find a new home. And let me tell you, this little girl adapted real fast! After she spent her required two weeks in quarantine, she moved downstairs into her very own playroom. And the very next day, she was running to the door when people came by to visit. And she’s a grrreat cat. She’s very tidy, and has a real soft purr. Kinda goes along with her purrsonality. She’s very curious about her new digs, so she’s always on the move, checking everything out. She likes toys, ‘specially toy mice, which she carries around while she’s exploring every corner of her room.

When she’s not checking things out, she loves attention—’specially having her rump scratched. She likes it so much that she gives head butts the whole time she’s being scratched. And she does sit on your lap—for awhile—’till she decides that it’s time to entertain herself again, and off she goes.

I’m thinking she prob’ly will do best with an adult family. She’s just that kind of gal. And I’m hoping she finds just the right family pretty soon. She’s such a doll—so cute and sweet. She deserves a great home.

And speaking of great homes, we kitties who live here at Safe Haven full time sure like it here. And I wanted to share something with you—it’s a need that really doesn’t have anything to do with us kitties, but it sure would spruce up our home. Y’see, it’s getting to be springtime, and lots of people like to do gardening in the spring. Has something to do with the “thank goodness winter is over” idea. And I’ve heard staff saying that it would be nice if we could get the front yard looking pretty again. So if any of you out there have gardening skills, I think there’s some weeds that need pulling and some bushes that need trimming. And if you’d like to donate some bark (no, not the dog kind—the kind that you put around plants and make them look all pretty), that would be grrreat.

Lovingly,

ROXANNE (“ROXY”)

Domestic shorthair, Female
Color: Gray & white
Size: Medium
Age: Adult
Special needs: none

Roxy was adopted from Safe Haven about six years ago and renamed Roxanne. She was just a youngster, around a year old. Sadly, her human mom recently died, and her dad had to move to a care facility. Roxy is now back at Safe Haven looking for her new forever home. She’s a sleek, gray and white cat with a tuxedo pattern, and a short, smooth coat. As we write this, she has only been out of quarantine (our normal intake process) for a day, and she has adapted quite well. She runs over to the door when she hears visitors enter. She likes toys, and one of her favorite things is to carry little toy mice around. When she has her rump scratched (another of her favorite things), she gives head butts while purring softly. She is very curious, always on the go, and able to entertain herself quite well. She does like to sit on a lap now and then, but she’s much too busy checking things out to spend much time there. So if Roxy sounds like your perfect cat, give us a call!

FROM THE HOME FRONT
TALES OF THE SAFE HAVEN KITTIES
BROUGHT TO YOU BY MERRY

WEEK 56: A SPECIAL HOME FOR PHILIP

Hi everyone!

Remember Ollie, from “All About Ollie”, Week 31? Well, Ollie just found her new furrever home this week! Isn’t that purrfectly grrreat? We’re all real happy for Ollie, and we think it’s gonna be a purrfect family for her!

And now I’d like to tell you all about Philip!

Philip is a very handsome big brown tabby with a spotless white bib and muzzle. He has been with us for awhile now, but we haven’t talked much about him ‘cause he’s been super-shy. We’re talking REAL SHY. We don’t know anything about his background, but about a year before he came here, he showed up at one of our great supporters’ homes. She started putting food out for him, and she put out ads and flyers, but no one showed up to claim him. And then she had to move, so she called us. She was worried that no one else in her neighborhood would feed him. So that’s how he came to Safe Haven.

No one could get close to him for awhile, but we have staff and several volunteers who won’t give up on any cat. So they kept trying to make friends with him, and finally he got more comfy with the people that he knew. And Sara and John were able to get some real nice photos of Philip, too. But when Nancy came to do the video, he was a little scared ‘cause he hadn’t been in the movies before, so most of the video takes place in his favorite hidey-hole out in his catio. It’s OK, though. We all need a safe place sometimes. Philip just needs one a little more!

And now staff and volunteers who spend time with him regularly can sit down with him and pet him. And he graciously accepts all the loving attention, sometimes leaning his whole head right into their hands! And his face has a real gentle expression on it, so we’re sure he wouldn’t even hurt a fly! He just needs to get to know you, on his own time schedule, and then his purrsonality really shines! We think he’s ready for a new home—a very special one, with a very patient person. And a catio!

Danette reminded me the other day that the shelter really needs a good shop vac. I think I know what that is—it’s the machine that makes all sorts of noise but gets areas nice and sparkly clean. Staff needs it for cleaning the shed and other outdoor-type areas. They don’t plan to use it inside the shelter ’cause a lot of the cats are scared of the noise. But not me! I’m tough!! So if you can donate the funds, or have a new or nearly-new shop vac just sittin’ around getting dusty, we have a home for it!

Oh yes, one more thing! This is real important (to me, anyway)! The people around the shelter are now calling me “glamourpuss” ‘cause I just got groomed. It had been awhile since I went to the cat beauty shop, and let me tell you—I was a mess! My fur was all greasy-looking, and I was shedding a lot. Now I’m beautiful, and my fur is real soft and shiny. I heard Danette talking about me on the phone, so I walked over and head-butted her, just to let her know that I agreed and was very happy with my new do.

Lovingly,

PHILIP

Domestic shorthair, Male
Color: Brown tabby w/white
Size: Large
Age: Adult
Special needs: none

Philip is a very sweet, very shy young adult. He’s a brown tabby with a spotless white muzzle and bib. Philip needs a quiet, all-adult, cat-savvy home where he has time to adjust and blossom into a wonderful feline companion. He does very well with visitors when they spend the time to get to know him.

: Philip in his hidey-hole

ORCHID

Domestic longhair, Female
Color: Black/white
Size: Medium
Age: Adult
Special needs: none

Orchid is a very pretty black and white kitty. One of nine cats rescued as strays and brought to Safe Haven, she is still somewhat shy. She takes some time to come out to meet new people, but after she feels comfortable, she will come right out for pets and loves. And with a very familiar person, she will purr, roll around and make biscuits while she’s being petted and scratched behind the ears. She is almost ready to go home, and needs patient, cat-savvy people who will give her the time she needs to adjust to her new home.

MRS. PATMORE

Domestic shorthair, Female
Color: Torbie
Size: Large
Age: Young Adult
Special needs: none

Mrs. Patmore was adopted from Safe Haven about five years ago. She was a young mother, a little over one year old, with four kittens (“the City Litter”). Sadly, her person had to return her because she was going on a long trip and had to move. Her person nicknamed her “Love Bug” or “Bug” for short. They were very attached to each other – Mrs. Patmore slept with her person and loved to get attention. She was very affectionate, and loved her safe, enclosed catio. She is still adjusting to the loss of her person, but we believe she will be coming around soon.

Mrs. Patmore is very shy and really doesn’t like other cats. She feels more strongly about dogs – has a “love/hate” relationship with all dogs, minus the “love” part. We think she probably doesn’t like small children either, although she gets along well with adults. And she gained quite a bit of weight, relatively speaking, in the last five years, and is now on a diet to get back down to her proper weight.

FROM THE HOME FRONT
TALES OF THE SAFE HAVEN KITTIES
BROUGHT TO YOU BY MERRY

WEEK 55: MRS. PATMORE IS BACK

Hi everyone!

Remember back in week 47 I told you all about Sweetie Pie? It was called “Sweetie Pie Really Is”. She was recently adopted, but came back real fast ‘cause it just wasn’t a good fit between her and her people. Sometimes that happens, and of course we always welcome the kitty back. So Sweetie Pie came back and I bet she wasn’t here more than a month, and she got adopted and went home Saturday! Cool, huh?

So now I get to tell you all about another cat who came back. Her name is Mrs. Patmore (isn’t’ that an interesting name for a cat?) She was here about five years ago. She was a young mother then, just over a year old, and she brought four beautiful kittens with her. We called them the City Litter ‘cause their names were Hollywood, Chicago, Frisco and Bismarck. Clever, huh? And the kittens all got adopted and then it was Mrs. Patmore’s turn, and she got adopted too.

But her person was going on a long trip and had to move, and so she brought Mrs. Patmore back to Safe Haven. I ‘spect her person really did like her, ‘cause she slept with her person and loved attention. Her person nicknamed her “Love Bug”—“Bug” for short. Said she was real affectionate and loved her nice safe enclosed patio—a/k/a “catio.” So maybe her person thought all the changes might be too hard on Mrs. Patmore, ‘cause she’s really shy. Also, she really doesn’t like any other cats (even me—imagine that!). I bet if she met her grownup kids, she probably wouldn’t like them either! And that’s nothing compared to how she feels about dogs. That’s a real love-hate situation, without the love.

She prob’ly doesn’t like little kids either. But she really loves grownups.

So she’s back with us and just had her vet check. The vet even took some blood and ran some tests, and said Mrs. Patmore is very healthy. Except … she needs to lose some weight. Looks like she put on a pound or three after she was adopted, and now she’s kinda large. And having to be put on a diet might not set well with her—she’s a torbie, and that’s kinda similar to how torties and calicos see the world, and none of us likes to be told what to do and what not to do. Except me, of course. And I may have gained a little weight since coming to Safe Haven, but that’s ‘cause I was kinda skinny when I got here. Not so with Mrs. Patmore.

The only photo I have of her (above) is from when she was here before, in 2016. I think she was out getting her vet check when our photographer came to take pictures. But that’s OK—it shows how purrty she is, and how nice she looks at her fightin’ weight. Not that she actually fights—it’s just a expression!

Lovingly,

FROM THE HOME FRONT
TALES OF THE SAFE HAVEN KITTIES
BROUGHT TO YOU BY MERRY

WEEK 54: MORE SPECIAL CATS!

Hi everyone! Happy National Pet Month!

I was gonna tell you all about one of our new kitties, Blueski, but she’s going to her new home this week! Cool, huh? So, instead, I’ll write about what I was gonna write about before Blueski joined us, but now I can write about it instead. Did that make any sense? Makes purrfect sense to me! That’s my cat brain at work. Anyways, last week I told y’all about some of our very special kitties, and this week I want to introduce you to a few more.<\Ssan>

One of our long-time residents at Barker House is Fagin. He’s a very handsome shorthair black cat with green eyes. He and his brother, Thistle, came to us as kittens in 2003. But Thistle had diabetes, and some other problems, and he left us almost exactly a year ago. He’s across the Rainbow Bridge now, prob’ly waiting for his brother. In this photo, Fagin is on the rung below Thistle—that’s their ladder/bed.

When they first arrived, Fagin had a huge weight issue. People called him a big lug full of love! He sometimes had difficulty walking across his playroom, and couldn’t even jump up on the ladder/bed! Staff immediately put him on a restricted diet, and after a while, Fagin began to lose some weight. Verrry slowwwly. But he was going in the right direction! After a year or two, he could make it up to the middle level of the ladder/bed. And let me tell you—that was real progress! Everyone was so proud of him. And Tracy has been taking real good care of him, and he’s a lot healthier now—and able to do lots more things.

And while I’m talking about Barker House kitties, I hafta talk about everyone’s favorite—Lucy-Alice. She’s a calico tabby Manx, and she’s super affectionate and has gorgeous green eyes. People say she looks like a small-size Lynx ‘cause she has pointed tufted ears. She came to us as a teenager, and didn’t show any signs of Manx Syndrome until after she was adopted. The problems are caused by the birth defect of a shortened tail, so the spinal parts that would be in the tail can be jammed up near the bum, and trouble may (or may not) show up later. She was so cute and so sweet that she was adopted almost immediately. After about a year in her new home, she started having little “accidents” ‘cause she doesn’t have good bathroom control, if y’know what I mean. Her people really loved her and tried to make it work, but they finally had to return her to Safe Haven, where she lived in Turtle Towers for several years. They still support her and ask how she’s doing.

When Tracy, our special needs caregiver, first met Lucy-Alice, she fell head-over-heels for her. And a little while later, Tracy picked her up and took her home to Barker House. We think she’s gonna be there for the rest of her life, ‘cause most people don’t have homes that are set up for a kitty with bathroom control problems.

We have another Manx Syndrome cat, Bobbie Jo, who lives in Turtle Towers and was roomies with Lucy-Alice. Her condition is quite a bit worse than Lucy-Alice. Bobbie Jo came to us as a kitten. An older gentleman found her underneath his deck, and he was sure she was dying. When Staff arrived, they found this tiny kitten—in a real mess—but she wasn’t about to die on us. That was almost nine years ago, and she’s doing pretty well, just requires lots of special care. (And lots of baths!) And she’ll need special care for the rest of her life, just like Lucy-Alice.

Oh! While we are on the subject (you remember the subject—bathroom issues), I wanted to let y’all know that I had a bladder infection a couple of weeks ago. People tell me that this is pretty common with older female cats (just like older female humans). But Staff got me the right meds, and fixed me right up. I’m feeling much better now, thank you!

Lovingly,

FROM THE HOME FRONT
TALES OF THE SAFE HAVEN KITTIES
BROUGHT TO YOU BY MERRY

WEEK 53: OUR SPECIAL CATS!

Hi everyone!

Happy National Pet Day! I’m feeling pretty good today! Remember my last issue—the one where I told you all about Izzy? Well, Izzy found a wonderful new furrever home, and went home yesterday! Isn’t that just grrreat!! And fast!

We have several brand new kitties at the shelter. Seems like they are starting to come in faster than we can find homes for them. But they’re all pretty new and I haven’t gotten to know them all that well yet. So I’d like to do something different this week. I’d like to talk about some of the special needs kitties that I’ve gotten to know while they were at Safe Haven. They’re pretty much permanent residents at PFOA. Some of them have come to us when their people died or got real sick, and some of them have health problems that their owners couldn’t afford to have fixed, so their owners did the best thing for their kitties and brought them to Safe Haven.

Of course, our most famous SNC (special needs cat) is none other than … drum roll … Tippy. He’s my roomie and our official Safe Haven rep. Everybody knows Tippy. He’s been with us since June of 2004, and he came to us when he was just a month old. Now, if you do the math, you’ll figure out that means that he’ll be 17 years old in May! That’s pretty darn good for a cat with Cerebellar Hypoplasia! That’s a mouthful, and what it means is that he walks very wobbly and unsteady. But good ole’ Tipster—he doesn’t let anything slow him down. Of course, after 17 years of wobbling a kitty gets kinda tired, so he naps a lot more than he used to. But he still likes to see the people he’s fond of, and loves to be held and chat with them.

Spatzi and Spanky are cool cats. They’re not really brothers, but they’re really bonded. They used to live here at Safe Haven. They’re some of the nicest, well-behaved, loving cats you’ll ever meet! But Spatzi is in early renal insufficiency—which means that his kidneys are starting to have problems doin’ everything they are supposed to. He needs to get fluids and special food. And Spanky is diabetic, so he needs regular insulin. So the two of them went to Barker House. This is where lots of our SNC’s are, ‘cause they need lots of extra care. Tracy is our full-time caretaker at Barker House, and she has her hands full!

One of our newest kitties is Will. He sure is a nice big boy—20 pounds worth! Handsome, too! He came to Safe Haven in December with health issues that just wouldn’t go away, so we had him checked out thoroughly. And sure ‘nuff, after a number of diagnostic tests, we found out that Will has lymphoma, which is why he wasn’t feelin’ so good. So he’s on meds now and doing real well. We hope he’ll be a part of our Safe Haven family for lots ‘n lots of years.

We have lots more SNC’s that you’ll meet in my column, and one that you have already met! That’s me! I’m a special needs cat as well. I had something called hyperthyroidism when I first got here, and Staff gave me a bunch of unpronounceable stuff. I got over that, but now I have a heart condition. But I’m feelin’ much better than when I first got here. And I wanted to let everyone know that special needs cats require lots more care and medicines, which translates to lots more $$$. Many of you are sending monthly donations for special needs cats, and that helps us take care of them! We really appreciate your donations. And if y’all are interested in sponsoring some of our special needs kids, you can email PFOA for more info.

We’ve been getting lots and lots of fan mail from y’all, and I wanted to share all the good words with everyone. I couldn’t figure out how to fit it into this column, so I talked to Danette and Marilyn, and they decided that we needed a place on the website where y’all could read it. We put our heads together, and now we have … “We’ve Got Mail!” There’s a button right on the home page of the website, just below the big photo of one of our kitties (it gets changed a couple times a month). If you click on the button, presto! A window pops up with all the latest comments and email. Check it out and let me know if you like it!

Lovingly,

LUCY-ALICE

One day, in early 2011, a sweet, gentle, affectionate little Manx kitten named Lucy-Alice was adopted from PFOA. Lucy-Alice resembled a very small, very colorful Lynx, with her gorgeous green eyes, pointed tufted ears, and calico tabby markings. It was easy to fall in love with her, and she found the best of homes with a couple who adored her.

What her loving parents didn’t know, was that some Manx cats are afflicted with Manx syndrome, a spinal disorder. The mutation that causes the loss or shortening of the tail also affects the spine, spinal cord and nerves. As a result, cats with this condition may have problems with bowel and bladder control. The condition generally shows up in kittens by the time they are four months old.

Lucy-Alice did not show any signs of Manx syndrome until a year after she was adopted. Of course, by this time, Lucy-Alice was a much loved member of her new family. When she began to have little “accidents”, they hoped that they were just that – simple accidents. But they were attached to Lucy-Alice. She was so loved. “Maybe she will grow out of it,” they thought. “It will just take a little more time.”

After considerable more time, they had to acknowledge that Lucy-Alice would not grow out of it. Their decision was heart-wrenching, but unavoidable. They contacted Nancy, the Shelter Director at Peninsula Friends of Animals. Could PFOA take Lucy-Alice back? This was not a decision to be taken lightly. Lucy-Alice would require a substantial investment of time and money. A generous gift from a very special supporter allowed PFOA to set up a special area, called “Turtle Towers”, for Lucy-Alice and an older kitten, Bobbie Jo, who also has Manx syndrome. Unfortunately, Bobbie Jo, having lived her first years of life as a single kitty, did not enjoy the company of gregarious Lucy-Alice and trouble broke out between the two girls. It became apparent that the best thing would be to separate the pair.

Lucy-Alice is one of the sweetest, most loving kitties anyone could ever hope to meet. Everyone who spends any time with her falls irrevocably in love with her. And that’s what happened when Tracy, Animal Caretaker at Barker House, first met Lucy-Alice in the summer of 2016. On a bright, sunny day, a couple of months later, Tracy came to pick up Lucy-Alice and take her to her new home at Barker House, a small PFOA facility designed for the care of special needs animals. Lucy-Alice will probably remain at Barker House for the rest of her life. There are very few people who have the type of facilities, and the time, money and dedication needed to provide a good home for her. PFOA is committed to providing Lucy-Alice with the best quality of life possible.

We are grateful to the sponsors who contribute to the care of Lucy-Alice, as well as our other special needs animals. While we still hope that Lucy may find her own family to love and care for her, it is not likely. So, for the rest of her days, Lucy will enjoy her life with her beloved caregiver in the sunny warm rooms of Barker House.

MARTHA

MARTHA was born in May, 2001 and came to PFOA in February, 2002. She loves attention and “talks” to the volunteers who regularly visit her. She was recently placed in a foster home, where she has adjusted well and has a happy home.

BOBBIE JO

BOBBIE JO is an adorable special-needs Manx kitty. She came to us in the fall of 2012 when we received a call from an elderly gentleman that there was a kitten dying under his deck. When we arrived, we found a tiny kitten in a real mess, but she had no intention of dying – this little girl is a fighter! Bobbie has done very well, but as is common with some Manx cats, she does not have good bowel and bladder control. While this has greatly improved, she still requires special care and attention, and will probably do so for the rest of her life.

ISABELLA (“IZZY”)

Domestic shorthair, Female
Color: Brown tabby
Size: Medium
Age: Adult
Special needs: none

Meet Isabella, or “Izzy” for short. Izzy is such a doll! She really likes to snuggle – sitting on people’s shoulders, nuzzling their necks. If she thinks someone is not paying attention to her, she talks to them. Of all the cats, Izzy is the one who most likes to be picked up and cuddled. She is also the Queen Bee in her playroom. She lets her roommates know that, in a non-aggressive manner. Izzy came from a family situation, and in addition to other cats, she is comfortable around adults and older children. She tolerates large dogs.

OLLIE

Domestic shorthair, Male
Color: Black
Size: Medium
Age: Young
Special needs: none

Stay tuned for more Ollie info

FROM THE HOME FRONT
TALES OF THE SAFE HAVEN KITTIES
BROUGHT TO YOU BY MERRY

WEEK 52: TIME FLIES!

Hi everyone!

Although y’all may not get this until tomorrow, I’m writing this on Easter Sunday, and I want to wish all of you a very Happy Easter. I know that the last two celebrations of this important day have been much different than any of us could have imagined. Here’s hoping that next year the “new normal” is a little closer to the “old normal!”

Today is also an important day for yours truly. Y’see, this is the 52nd issue of FROM THE HOME FRONT. My math isn’t so good, but my secretary is much better at it, and she told me that 52 issues equals one year (‘cause we send one out per week, and apparently there’s 52 weeks in a year!) So we are at the end of the first year of our little column, and I think that’s cause for celebration too. Don’t you? Hope you don’t mind if I send a few balloons your way! Balloons are always a good idea, I’m thinkin’.

We had an exciting couple of days this week. Three of our kitties found their furrever homes! Sushi, River Pearl and Ellis each went to their very own home! Isn’t that grrreat? We were all so happy for them! I’m not surprised it didn’t take very long for them to find homes—I got to know each of them when I wrote about them in my column, and they were real nice. I think they liked being talked about too, ‘specially when it helped them go home.

This week I’d like you to meet Isabella. We call her “Izzy” – it’s shorter, and I think she kinda likes the name. After all, four syllables in a cat name is a little much for us kitties to get our tongues wrapped around. And she’s such a doll! One of our volunteers said she’s real tempted to smuggle her out in her jacket! She says that all the kitties like to sit next to her and be petted, but Izzy is the cat who most likes to be picked up and cuddled.

And she really does like to snuggle. I’ve seen her sitting on people’s shoulders, nuzzling their necks. And if she thinks someone’s not paying enough attention to her, she talks to them. Imagine that! A talking cat! Of course, you realize that we kitties only talk to people, and not to other cats. That’s because we know y’all communicate by talking, so that’s what we have to do, in our own way. For cats and other animals, we use different ways of getting our message across. Like the way Izzy keeps the pecking order in her play room. She lets the boy cats know that she’s the Queen Bee, but she’s not at all aggressive about it. She just stares and hisses at them and they turn around and go the other way. She came from a family situation, so in addition to other cats, she’s real comfortable around adults and older children. She even tolerates large dogs.

Oh, and before I forget, iGive has doubled their donation for shopping at CHEWY.com! From April 1 through April 15, iGive is donating 4.8% of the amount you spend at CHEWY.com. So if you are running low on any stuff you buy from CHEWY, and you can order before the 15th, just sign into your iGive account and click the CHEWY.com button. PFOA will get twice the normal donation, and that helps all of us kitties! Isn’t that grrreat?

Lovingly,

FROM THE HOME FRONT
TALES OF THE SAFE HAVEN KITTIES
BROUGHT TO YOU BY MERRY

WEEK 51: MEET MR. BLUE EYES!

Hi everyone!

Another one of our own found his furrever home this week! I featured him in my column about six weeks ago! Remember “Goin’ to the Dentist?” That was Adam, the big longhaired tuxedo, and he found a purrfect new home. This is ‘specially grrreat ‘cause he’s an FIV+ kitty, so he has just a couple of special requirements. He hasta be the only kitty in his new home, and he hasta have a super-safe outdoor area so he doesn’t risk passing his condition on to another cat. That would mostly happen if he got into a fight, so we don’t want to take any chances. So we are all real happy for him.

And now I want to tell you all about another big longhaired kitty who is here at Safe Haven looking for his furrever home. He’s not quite as large as Adam, but he’s still a pretty good-sized cat. His name is Ellis, and he’s gorgeous! He’s a Himalayan / Siamese mix, and he has the most dropdead gorgeous blue eyes you’ve ever seen! He’s a very friendly, loving kitty—a real sweetheart—and he just loves company. If he’s outside in his catio when people come to visit, he comes flying inside for a meet and greet and some attention. And speaking of attention, our photographer reports that he LOVES to pose for the camera, so she got some real nice photos of him when she was here. I’ll share a couple here, and there’s lots more on the website.

And one important thing about his future home: Ellis really needs that safe catio ‘cause he’s a true indoor-outdoor cat! He loves
being outside so he can lay in the sun and enjoy the breeze. I think he gets a little frustrated if he’s indoors too long—feels cooped up, maybe? He just needs to be safe from any animals who might harm him. And we do have a few of those on the Peninsula!

So I hope Ellis finds that purrfect home soon. He’s such a special boy (even if he does have a bit of an independent streak) and I’d love to see him with his very own family!

And, before I forget, I want to mention that the annual Petco Share Your Love Story campaign for 2021 has started. That’s where you can send in a story about your kitty (adopted from PFOA, of course!) The stories are due by September 20th, and Petco posts the winning stories so lots of people can read them. And, if one of your stories gets first place, PFOA also wins—$100,000! Isn’t that something? That would cover a LOT of cat food and veterinary services! So we hope you would like to share your story!

Lovingly,

ELLIS

Himalayan/Siamese, Male
Color: Sealpoint
Size: Large
Age: Adult
Special needs: none

Ellis is a middle aged long-haired Siamese/Himalayan mix with gorgeous blue eyes. He is very sweet and loving, but also has an independent streak, and is quite chatty. He comes flying inside his cattery to visit folks if he is outside on his patio, but really does enjoy and require a catio or cat- proof yard where he can enjoy the sun and breeze, but be safe from predators and other dangers.

If you are a cat-savvy person with lots of love to give this extra special cat, please give us a call, He really is a special boy!

SUSHI

Domestic Shorthair, Male
Color: Brown tabby
Size: Medium
Age: Adult
Special needs: none

Given up because of allergies and new to the shelter, Sushi is an exceptionally friendly nine year-old male tabby. This boy just loves to cuddle and wants to be your best friend. He has lived with other cats in the past, and needs a home where his family will have plenty of time to spend with him. If you want a kitty to be the center of your world, give us a call to meet sweet Sushi!!

SWEETIE PIE

Domestic Shorthair, Female
Color: Black/white tuxedo
Size: Large
Age: Young
Special needs: none

Sweetie Pie is a cute and tidy three year-old Tuxedo. Given to a retired couple for Christmas when she was only a kitten, severe allergies have forced her folks to give her up. Very sweet and social, this good sized girl will be a wonderful fit for a loving home where she can find the security she needs for the rest of her nine lives. If you are looking for a young kitty to be a quiet and gentle friend who is still playful and fun, perhaps this girl might be just the ticket!

RIVER PEARL

Domestic Shorthair, Female
Color: Grey
Size: Medium
Age: Adult
Special needs: none

River Pearl is the most charming and endearing girl ever!! Adopted from us nine years ago, she was sadly returned when an elderly family member proved to have serious allergies to cats. Adorable with her little round face and compact body, River Pearl makes you smile just to see her. The first to greet you and happy to nestle in your lap, she goes with the flow as her name implies.

This sweetheart will do best as an only cat where she can be the queen bee in her own personal hive. While she has been around a variety of animals and folks, at this stage of her life she deserves a home where she will be cherished and adored as an only child.

If you are looking for a cat who wants to be your best friend, please give us a call to meet this wonderful girl–she really is special!

RASCAL

Domestic Shorthair, Male
Color: Orange/white tabby
Size: Large
Age: Senior
Special needs: none

Rascal is a busy, playful and affectionate orange and white shorthair tabby, whose owner recently passed away. He thrives on attention and especially likes his ears scratched. He would love a new forever home, especially if it has an enclosed catio where he can watch the birds and other wildlife – safely!

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FROM THE HOME FRONT
TALES OF THE SAFE HAVEN KITTIES
BROUGHT TO YOU BY MERRY

WEEK 50: RASCAL OR MONKEYSHINES?

Hi everyone!

The Adopted Cat of the Week is Skittles! She went home earlier this week. Yay, Skittles!

We have another real cool newbie, ready to find his furrever home. His name is Rascal, and I think the name fits … in a good way! Rascal is a senior kitty, just a couple years older than me, and he had a real grrreat home until his original guardian passed away. They lived in Parkwood, and another lady who lived in the area was kind enough to give him a new home. But … before he understood that was his new home, he escaped out the door and was missing for a whole month before he showed up again!

His new person was glad to see him, and for the first couple of months everything was grrreat. But then the lady found out she had allergies, and they just kept getting worse, so she had to bring Rascal to Safe Haven so we could find him a new home.

He’s a very handsome orange and white boy. Check out his photos—he has very cool orange circles on his snowy white fur. I’ve never seen a cat with those markings before. And he has a real zest for life. He loves his laser mousie (who wouldn’t—those things are really fun!) And we thought maybe his name should be Monkeyshines, ’cause he has the best time racing up to the top of his cat tree and hanging over the side. He’s very friendly with everyone, even with the dog he used to live with! Imagine that!

And at Safe Haven he seems to have taken over the official greeter position. When people come to visit, he jumps down (cause he’s often in his cat tree) and rubs against their legs to get them to pet him. He says he would absolutely love a new home with affectionate people AND a catio where he can safely watch the birds and animals. That seems to be important to him. I can
understand that—he’s kind of an indoor/outdoor cat and has spent a fair amount of time outside.

And since Rascal is here because of allergies, I’d like to offer a few ideas if you find you are allergic to your best friend. If you can limit the areas where your pet is allowed, especially your bedroom, this would be a good start. Plus, your kitty would have his or her very own bedroom! Lots of people take steroid shots, but there are some natural herbs that may work too.

Also, you can get an air purifier and put it in an area where you and your kitty spend lots of time. Some people have done well eating lots of foods with Vitamin C, like oranges and strawberries. We kitties are NOT fond of these, but I know people like them. And then there’s the best suggestion that none of you will thank me for: clean your house often and thoroughly. Wash your bed sheets in real hot water. And when you are grooming your cat, find a nice safe place outside to do it. That way the dander and hair don’t get in your house. And wash your hands and face after you groom him. You’ll both feel better!

I have one request this week, and it’s an important one. We just got a kitty who is going to have her litter of kittens any day now, and we desperately need someone who can foster the mom and kittens ‘till they’re old enough to come to the shelter. So if you can do this, let us know! Thanks very much!

Lovingly,

FROM THE HOME FRONT
TALES OF THE SAFE HAVEN KITTIES
BROUGHT TO YOU BY MERRY

WEEK 49: OUR RIVER QUEEN

Hi everyone!

We’ve had a red letter week or so at Safe Haven! Palmer, who had been adopted a couple of weeks ago by the nicest retired couple, got to go home on Saturday—he had to wait for his checkup for his ears before he could leave for his furrever home. And we had one more kitty adoption, but the kitty isn’t going home until next week, so I’m gonna wait till then to tell you who that is.

So … for our Safe Haven Kitty of the Week, I’d like you to meet River. I mentioned her several weeks ago when I told you all about Sushi (remember the “raw fish” column?). River (we call her River Pearl) is Sushi’s mommy. You would think that they would have liked to find their new home together, wouldn’t you? Well, that wasn’t the case with these two. I think they both decided that the mother-son thing had run its course and they should each look for their very own furrever homes.

Anyway, she was adopted from us nine years ago, and arrived back a little over a month ago. It was kinda sad, ‘cause her people loved her and were real sorry to give her up, but I guess they didn’t have a choice. Y’see, when their elderly mom joined the family, they found out that she was allergic to kitties. But River is back, and just as charming as ever. She’s such a cutie! She has a little round face and she’s a smallish kitty. Not real tiny, just compact. And she loves to curl up in people’s laps.

She says she would really like a home of her own with no other animals around. It’s not that she doesn’t get along with the rest of us. It’s just that she’s been through the multi-animal household and would really like to be all by herself and not have to share her people with other four-footed critters. She’s actually kind of a queen bee, but never had the chance to show it before. And we think she deserves a home where she can be cherished and loved as an only child. She just wants to be her people’s best friend.

I always like to end with good news, and I get to do that again this week! A huge thanks to all of you who buy lots of stuff from AmazonSmile and have told them that PFOA is your charity of choice. We just received the AmazonSmile quarterly donation: $367.42! And since the *smile* program began, we’ve gotten a total of $3,596.23!! That’s pretty darn good considering it doesn’t cost y’all a single penny. It’s all coming from Amazon because you’ve participated in their program! So thanks again, on behalf of our staff and all the kitties at PFOA!!

Lovingly,

FROM THE HOME FRONT
TALES OF THE SAFE HAVEN KITTIES
BROUGHT TO YOU BY MERRY

WEEK 48: ORCHID BLOSSOMS

Hi everyone!

It’s catch-up time! We’ve had a couple of kitties go home last week, and I’m sooo happy to tell you who they are. And I’ve added a small photo so you can put the faces with the story.

You remember me telling y’all how skittish Skeeter was? Well, when Jerry, the new little black kitten, was finished with his quarantine, he went to the same playroom as Skeeter. And wouldn’t you know it? Jerry was fascinated with Skeeter, and the two of them became friends, and they got to go to their new furrever home together! Isn’t that just grrreat?

So now I’d like you to meet one of the Pole Barn 9 who graduated to one of the kitty playrooms a week or so ago! Y’all remember me talking about the Pole Barn 9? That was in Week 20 of my column, in case you’d like to check it out. Anyway, the kitty’s name is Orchid—isn’t that a pawsome name? She’s a real pretty black and white kitty, and if you look on my FTHF page on the website, there’s a video of her. She’s still a little shy, and she takes a little while to come out to meet new people, but after she feels comfy, she’ll come right out for pets and loves. Just the other day Uncle Keith and Aunt Catherine visited the shelter. (Uncle Keith is the nice man who brings books to the shelter and reads to us kitties. I really like that!)

Anyway, Aunt Catherine went downstairs to visit with Orchid, and Orchid let Catherine touch her for the first time ever! Orchid actually purred, rolled around, made biscuits, and let Catherine scratch and pet her around the ears. And when Cheryl came to visit her, Orchid thought about it a little bit, and then came running to be petted. I think Orchid is almost ready to go home, as long as it’s with patient, cat-saavy people who’ll give her time to adjust. I bet she’ll just blossom in that purrfect furrever home!

So before I leave, I just wanted to remind everyone that spring is coming. You humans have a strange way of celebrating spring—you go ‘round and change the time on all the clocks! But you also celebrate a different way—by doing spring cleaning. And if you would like to help us, there’s a whole list of cleaning supplies on our Wishlist (on the website or Amazon) that we always need—’specially in the spring!

Lovingly,

FROM THE HOME FRONT
TALES OF THE SAFE HAVEN KITTIES
BROUGHT TO YOU BY MERRY

WEEK 39: FOUR FOR THE PRICE OF TWO!

Hi everyone!

I hope all of you had a wonderful holiday. I sure did! I kinda missed having staff and volunteers bring food and people play music. And everyone is always so nice to us kitties, ‘cept that they don’t feed us snacks! But I know that last year it just wasn’t possible. We are all hoping for a better year in 2021.

And, as if your fur babies didn’t get enough presents, we found a really cool thing online. Yes, I had to have Danette run the keyboard, ‘cause my paws don’t fit, but she did a real good job. And here’s what we found. It’s called a Ripple Rug, and I think cats would go nuts over it. Just an idea—I haven’t actually seen one in person. So if any of you have one, be sure to write and let me know how your cats like it!

We have a new pair of bonded kitties! They arrived about three weeks before Christmas, and they sure are nice! I gave you a heads up after they first got here, but there was some confusion in the process, and I got the names wrong! So I need to fix that!

Their names are actually Third and Spec. Spec is the 26 pound kitty (I hafta say—again—”wow!”) He’s called Spec because he’s an all-black cat with just a little speck of white under his chin (or maybe because he’s such a special cat). His brother from a different mother is Third, and I have no idea where Third’s name came from. I just think it’s a cute name. Third has absolutely gorgeous blue eyes—a very unusual color for most kitties (‘cept Siamese, of course). The two of them make up about four kitties, weight-wise. So if you always wanted lots of kitties, this is the easy way—you get four for the price of two! What a deal!!

Seriously, though, these boys are such nice, friendly kitties. Kimmie says that they purred and chatted all the way to Safe Haven. When they got here, they head-butted and immediately started playing with their toys! Spec is ‘specially friendly. When he got to have his picture taken, all he wanted to do was play and get pets. He even squeezed out the cat door to get to his outside catio, where he jumped on one of the chairs and posed nicely. Then he came back inside, jumped up on the window sill (I would have LOVED to see that!) and proceeded to eat part of Third’s dinner.

And before I say “bye for now,” I want to give a huge Paws Up to Koenig Subaru. They chose PFOA as one of their Hometown Charities for their Share the Love event this year, and the event ends January 4! That’s today, if I did my math correctly. And as you know, that’s not one of my best talents!

Lovingly,

FROM THE HOME FRONT
TALES OF THE SAFE HAVEN KITTIES
BROUGHT TO YOU BY MERRY

WEEK 37: QUEEN OF HER DOMAIN

Hi everyone!

This is so great! I get to report that Rufus has left the building! He went to his new furrever home this week, and it’s just purrfect for him! He gets to be outside (safely, of course!) part of the time, and is going to be his new person’s special indoor friend the rest of the time. I’m soooo happy for him!!! I bet you knew that, though, ‘cause I just used seven of these thingys [!] in one paragraph.

And now I’d like you to meet Tiger. She’s a gorgeous longhair brown tabby, and she’s got huge round green eyes that turn gold sometimes. And if you think I’m layin’ it on too thick, just check out her photos! When she first got here, she was pretty shy, but it only took her a couple of days to adjust and now she’s great with people. She loves attention, and thinks it’s great to be petted—as long as it’s a light touch on her head or shoulders, not on her back! (Some of us kitties are very fussy about petting.)

She came to us with three other kitties: China, Maverick and MacGyver. China was adopted real fast (I told all of you about her a while ago), and I’m pretty sure Tiger will be next. The two males of her former feline family (I love how that sounds!) are pretty shy, but staff is working with them and they are coming along. And even though Tiger is used to living with other kitties, she says that she‘d very much like to be the only kitty in her new home. She’s got a real independent streak, and I think she’s another one of those kitties that likes people better than animals. And she’s not used to children, so an adult home is gonna be best.

At ten years old, Tiger is a middle-aged kitty. She says that means that she’s all done with those busy kitten years and has lots of mellow years ahead. I sure like her point of view—she’s the same age as me, and I like her outlook on life! She’s a night owl and loves to explore and check out things that go bump in the night. OK—I hafta admit that’s not an original Merryism—that’s Kimmie’s description, and it sure fits! I’d say that she’s got lots of jump left—her favorite spot is the highest perch on her cat tree. I think she likes being queen of her domain. And her favorite wish is to go home this year! Wouldn’t it be great if she could celebrate New Year’s Day quietly with her new, purrfect family?

In other news, we have a couple of new cats. Palmer just arrived, and Spitfire will be here next week. My secretary had emailed Danette asking about new kitties, and Danette was responding to the email when I decided that she hadn’t paid enough attention to me and I went over and stood on her keyboard and stared at her (which is kitty-speak for “pay attention to me!”) So the sentence about Spitfire coming next week ended up as “Spitfire next weei.” My secretary thought that was pretty funny! I think Danette did too.

And since this is my last letter to you before the next one, and since the next one won’t go out until a week from now, y’all have a purrfectly joyous holiday season!

Lovingly,

FROM THE HOME FRONT
TALES OF THE SAFE HAVEN KITTIES
BROUGHT TO YOU BY MERRY

WEEK 47: SWEETIE PIE REALLY IS!

Hi everyone!

Happy March! I know it’s supposed to come in like a lion, but that’s kinda scary for a little kitty like me. Lions are soooo big! And they have super big claws and teeth. Anyway, we will see if the March weather is anything like February has been. I don’t think it’s been too bad at the shelter, but my secretary says she’s had rain, wind, snow, sleet and a little bit of something that looks like hail. So I guess I’m glad to be at the shelter!

We have a relatively new kitty at the shelter, and she is a real sweetie pie. OK—that’s really her name. Sweetie Pie! So she lives up to her name. She’s just a youngster, about three years old, and she’s a gorgeous black and white shorthair tuxedo. (I think I talked about tuxedos a month or two ago, so I won’t go into that explanation again!) When she was just a kitten, she was given to a retired couple as a Christmas present. I think they really enjoyed her, but it turned out that they had severe allergies and finally had to give her up.

She’s very sweet—lives up to her name—and very good mannered and social. She’s a big girl—quite a bit larger than me. And she’s kinda quiet and gentle, but still pretty much a kitten, so she loves to play and have fun. She ’specially loves to have her ears rubbed! She seems to get along with everyone, but hasn’t formed any close friendships with any of the other kitties. So I’m thinking she can either be an only cat or share space with another four-legged friend. And it’d be great if she could go to a loving home where she can find the security she needs, and can spend the rest of her nine lives there!

Oh, before I forget, I want to thank our grrreat supporters who donated to sponsor free Spay/Neuter clinics last month. Y’know, even though Spay/Neuter month is in February, it’s real important to have these clinics all year long, ’cause there’s a backlog of cats and dogs of low income families who can’t afford the regular pricing! And so your spay/neuter donations will be just grrreat!

Lovingly,

FROM THE HOME FRONT
TALES OF THE SAFE HAVEN KITTIES
BROUGHT TO YOU BY MERRY

WEEK 46: SUSHI IS A CAT, TOO!

Hi everyone!

I think I talked about new kitties coming to the shelter in my column last week. And—exciting news—we have several newbies now. In particular, a mother/son combo came to Safe Haven. Their names are River (the mom) and Sushi (the son).

Now, you would think, wouldn’t you, that these two would be bonded and want to go to their new furever home together? That would seem logical. Except for the fact that Mom and Son are not the best of buds. I guess you humans prob’ly know what I’m talking about. I’ve heard that happens sometimes in the human world.

So this week I’m gonna tell you about Sushi. That’s raw fish! Isn’t that a funny name for a cat? We kitties LOVE raw fish! Although, Danette says we kitties can’t eat raw fish ‘cause it could have salmonella or E.coli and could make us real sick. It also has something in it, Danette calls it an enzyme called thiaminase that destroys thiamine, an important B vitamin for us kitties. Wow! That was a mouthful! But you get the idea.

OK, I got off the subject again! (Have you noticed that I seem to do that a bit?) Anyway, back to Sushi The Cat. He’s a nine year old brown tabby with big round green eyes, real nice and friendly. I liked him from the start. He’s lived with other cats, including his mom, and I think he’s OK with them. But I really think he needs some one-on-one attention.

He loves to cuddle with people and seems to want to be their new best friend. I think he’d love a furever home where he’s the center of attention, and a new family who has lots of time to spend with him and make him feel real special.

I heard that we are doing pretty well with this ugly COVID stuff, and we are now in something called “Phase 2”, which apparently means that we kitties can now have visitors, although they are very limited—I think we can only have one or two at a time—and they still need to mask up. They tell me that this is for everyone’s safety, and I understand that and think it’s a very good idea. ‘Scept we love to see people! We can recognize the regular volunteers by their scent, and the masks don’t bother us ‘cause we know what you look like. But when we have new visitors who we haven’t met yet, we don’t have a good idea what you look like—just the eyes! (The eyes tell a lot about a person though!) But we like it that y’all are continuing to be real careful, and we can wait until it’s safe to see your nice faces again!

So I’d like to close with a bit of good news, ‘cause good news is always a good thing. (Did I really say that?) Since we’ve been closed, people who really like our shelter and want to help have been real grrreat about contributing, so we kitties have enough to eat and kitty litter to fill our boxes and vet care, if we need it. And of course, every new rescued kitty gets a grrreat vet check to make sure they’re real healthy before they go to their new homes.

And, staff tells me that some of our devoted supporters who have crossed the “Rainbow Bridge” have willed legacy gifts (big words) so they can continue to help us kitties!

Isn’t that just … grrreat?

Lovingly,

ADAM

Domestic Longhair, Male
Color: Black/white tuxedo
Size: Very Large
Age: Adult
Special needs: FIV positive

Adam is a very large, very handsome black and white tuxedo boy. (Our photographer had to use a wide-angle lens to capture all of Adam!) He has a beautiful, thick long coat and loves to show it off! He is a very affectionate, very friendly cat – probably likes people a little more than other cats. And, because he is an FIV positive cat, he needs to be an only cat (we think he won’t mind a bit); or, he can be with another FIV positive cat .

SKEETER

Domestic Shorthair, Male
Color: Orange tabby
Size: Medium
Age: Young
Special needs: none

Skeeter is a stray who had been through a Trap/Neuter/Return (TNR) program, and as a result, has a tipped left ear. He’s a beautiful young cat, between 1 and 2 years old. At his foster home he got along well with large dogs and the other cats. His foster mom would have loved to keep him, but unfortunately one of the older cats in the household was picking on him. His foster mom had also mentioned that once he trusts you he will be all over you, even to the point of wrapping himself around a person’s neck.

: Skeeter

LEO DEO NEO

Domestic Shorthair, Male
Color: Orange Tabby
Size: Large
Age: Young
Special needs: none

Leo is a wonderful three year old–big and happy and friendly! While he does get along with some other cats, he tends to be a bit bossy and would probably do best as an only kitty with adoring humans who want a playful and interactive companion. Leo came to us when his owner passed away, and he was, sadly, separated from his mother and sister when they were adopted by a family member. He was initially quite sad to have lost his feline and human family and the only home he had ever known in one fell swoop, but has quickly rebounded to his normal cheerful self. If you can provide Leo Deo Neo with a forever home that will cherish him for his many remaining years, we would love to introduce you to this special fellow!!

PITTI-PATTI

Domestic Shorthair, Female
Color: Tortoiseshell
Size: Medium
Age: Young
Special needs: none

What an adorable polydactyl tortie!! Exceptionally friendly and always kneading with those cute extra toes (hence her name) this beauty was abandoned and living under a trailer near Forks. A good Samaritan was feeding her, but brought her to PFOA to find a loving home of her own. As do most adult torties, Patti would prefer to be the only cat and the queen of her domain. Probably 3-4 years old, Patti would enjoy a quiet home where she is adored and cherished–she will repay you with lots of love in return.

This girl is a staff favorite. If you are looking for an all-around great kitty, give us a call to meet Patti.

FROM THE HOME FRONT
TALES OF THE SAFE HAVEN KITTIES
BROUGHT TO YOU BY MERRY

WEEK 34: GINGER IS THE NEW ORANGE

Hi everyone!

We had a wonderful pair of kitties join us last week (or maybe the week before—time flies when you’re having fun!) Their names are Miles and Zoie, and they are orange and white with short hair (just like me, if you don’t count all my brown fur). Actually, Tracy says they are ginger colored, but they look orange to me! Cats don’t get techy about fur color, y’know! Miles is the bigger kitty (after all, he’s the boy cat), and he’s a mostly ginger tabby. Zoie is a beautiful, dainty little tabby kitty with lots of white and gorgeous ginger markings.

They are really active and both play a lot. When Tracy moved Frannie downstairs, she said they sounded like “a bunch of monkeys” running around above her.

They play hide and seek under the rug in their playroom. We know that because the rug is always scrunched up! Zoie bounces up and down on the door of the playroom, kinda like a jack-in-the-box, whenever someone walks by. They love, love people and attention!

Miles has what’s called “urinary stress issues” and Staff says he prob’ly will need special food. He had some problems when his previous people were travelling, and he missed them and it stressed him out. Zoie eats pretty much anything, ‘specially if it’s good for kitties! The two of them are soooo friendly and soooo sweet. They just got moved from Quarantine to their own playroom a couple of days ago. And they may not stick around too long. We don’t get too many orange (‘scuse me … ginger!) kitties, and the ones that do come to Safe Haven seem to find their new furever homes real fast!

Oh, and before I forget, I overheard Staff talking about a special event, and it’s here! It’s #GIVINGTUESDAY and it’s all about you generous people helping others. It got started 8 years ago and is a day that inspires people to do good. So, we kitties would really appreciate it if you are planning to donate and would remember PFOA. That’ll help lots more kitties like us!

All of us here send you thanks, lots of nose-kisses and a paws up (that’s like a high-five, and sometimes a high-six)!

Lovingly,

FROM THE HOME FRONT
TALES OF THE SAFE HAVEN KITTIES
BROUGHT TO YOU BY MERRY

WEEK 13: OUR FUNNY GIRL – PING PING

Hi everyone!

Last week I talked about George, the bestest cat, who was adopted but had to be returned due to allergies in the family. It was a sad day, both for George’s Dad and George himself. Well, I have good news! (Doncha just love it that most of my weekly columns start or end with good news?) I love it too!

Anyway, George was back at the shelter only a few days when a longtime supporter of PFOA came in, and wouldn’t you know it! That very same day she left the shelter with George in hand. We are all celebrating ‘cause George has a wonderful forever home! I was told that I should get extra credit for this adoption, but I don’t think so. George did it all by himself! He’s such a guy.

We have a new kitty at the shelter, and I’d like to talk about her this week. Why? ‘Cause she’s a really funny girl. She’s a young tuxedo who is a bit chubby at 13 pounds! I’ll bet she drops that extra weight really soon, though, ‘cause she gets a really lot of exercise. This girl is amazing! She zooms around her room, hitting all the cat trees, and finally ends up on a (temporary) resting spot. Naturally, all the humans in the room are laughing!

Why else is she funny? Well, she likes to turn her head upside down in her bed to look at you. She much prefers this to turning her head, like most of us would do. And she loves to be petted. She stands on her hind legs to reach a person’s hand, and rubs her head and arches her back.

When someone comes to visit, she runs to the door for a meet and greet. She sometimes gets meows, growls and hisses mixed up, especially with new people. She loves getting attention, but you need to watch her cat language. I’m thinking she needs an experienced, cat-saavy person, with no young children, and an indoor-only environment. This is one cat you will want to meet. I know you’re gonna love spending time with this quirky, funny girl!

Lovingly,

FROM THE HOME FRONT
TALES OF THE SAFE HAVEN KITTIES
BROUGHT TO YOU BY MERRY

WEEK 14: WAITING FOR TUNA

Hi everyone!

We have a great bonded sister and brother at the shelter—relatively new—I think they’ve only been downstairs a couple of weeks or so. Boy, are they entertaining! Their names are Bandy, short for Bandetta C (that’s quite a mouthful!) and Twitchy, whose given name is Twitchy II, named after his Pop. Their mom had to bring them to Safe Haven when she had to move in with family after their dad died.

They are both really sweet kitties, but they sure are different! Bandy is kinda serious, but we all know that’s just for show—she’s really a sweetie, even though she’s a tortie and pretty bossy. And Twitchy—he’s the tuxedo who talks a lot and is like an open book. I’m not real sure what an open book looks like, ‘cause I never learned to read! But that’s what they say.

They are both pretty large cats, but it’s not from wolfing their food down. They actually stop and give kisses to their humans before they start eating.

They both say they really like it here at Safe Haven, even though they spent their entire six years with a nice ocean view. They figured out the trick to the cat door, and now they go outside and lounge about in the sunshine … what there is of it … in their enclosed catio. You may have noticed that we haven’t had much sun lately. Is that an understatement?

And, as cats will do, they provide excellent rodent control for the occasional mouse who ventures into their area. Not a very smart mouse!

Their new next-door neighbor has made them kinda curious. He’s a very big, very loud Siamese. When he gets started, everyone—humans and cats alike—can hear him, no matter where they are.

With all the changes these two have gone through lately, I think they are adjusting really well. And they are soooo funny to watch. Their most fun game is to pretend they are camping out in their blanket tent, waiting for tuna s’mores. Hope someone doesn’t sit on them!

This is one great pair—and they deserve a wonderful furrever home!

Lovingly,

FROM THE HOME FRONT
TALES OF THE SAFE HAVEN KITTIES
BROUGHT TO YOU BY MERRY

WEEK 15: OUR GENTLE GIANT

Hi everyone!

One of the things I like best about living at Safe Haven is that, no matter what our kitties went through before they came here, they can look forward to a happy ending. Sometimes the kitties come from a very sad place, and that’s the case with Koko. He was very attached to his human companion for eight people years (a very long time in cat years), and then his person died very suddenly.

Koko was so sad and depressed. To make matters worse, he had to leave his home and was left to fend for himself. I know what that’s like, ‘cause I was in pretty much the same situation and I ended up in a feral colony—a very scary place—and then I got rescued and came here. So I really know what Koko has been through. He was lucky, though. A nice person saw him all alone, gave him some food and called PFOA.

We think of Koko as our own “gentle giant.” He’s a big cat—17 pounds! And he has a shiny black coat, white whiskers, and light green or yellow eyes that look right through you. So he could be a cat that you don’t mess with, but that’s not Koko. When you meet him, he will greet you with a quiet little mew, not the loud, giant-sized MEOW that you would expect. He’s really a very mellow fellow.

His roommates are Bandy and Twitchy—remember them from my last report? And they are large cats, but not nearly as big as Koko. I think he might be a little afraid, or maybe just shy or sad, ‘cause he doesn’t play with them yet. He just stays in his cat tree and watches them have fun, but in time, I’m sure he’ll join in.

I’m so glad Koko ended up here. He’s really a nice guy with a giant-sized heart. I think he would love to have a nice, quiet furrever home where he can just do things like watch TV, stretched out next to his new person. I think he would like that person to come along real quick. We will miss him here. He’s such a sweetie! But I know that our big boy would love to be in his very own home with his very own person again!

We all want the best for Koko, and hope that happens soon!

Lovingly,

FROM THE HOME FRONT
TALES OF THE SAFE HAVEN KITTIES
BROUGHT TO YOU BY MERRY

WEEK 16: PEOPLE ARE BETTER THAN BARNS

Hi everyone!

Can you imagine living in a barn? Well, Dash is one of our newest kitties, and he lived in a beautiful barn with lots of mice and four-legged buddies. And while he was well fed and cared for, Dash decided that he liked being around people more than living with his animal friends.

He’s what we would call a real people cat. He just loves to be loved and talked to and give loves back in return. He puts his front paws on your chest and shoulder and kneads … and kneads and kneads. Then he nuzzles right into your neck and gives kisses. Not MY neck, you understand. That would be gross and grounds for a hearty slap across the face, claws retracted of course. After all, he IS pretty young!

So, what did our Dash do when he figured out he wanted to live with people, not mice? He trotted right over to the neighbor’s house and hung around – on the screen doors, on the window, anything he could do to get their attention! They actually had to use the barbecue lid as a shield to keep him from sneaking in the house when they opened the door to go somewhere.

Fortunately, these neighbors are cat lovers, so they were more amused than upset at this little two year-old who was trying to take over their residence. And he is so loving and sweet, and just wants to be with people – how could they be upset? They would have loved to keep him, because he seemed to get along with their kitties. Well, most of them. He was making life miserable for the senior cat, who did not see anything funny about Dash. So the neighbors brought Dash here to Safe Haven so he could find a wonderful forever home where he could be the center of attention. I KNOW he wants that!

And since I’ve gotten to know him, I really do like him, even though he is young, male, and a tuxedo to boot! Not a handsome colorful tortie like me, but just two colors – black and white. He does have the cutest little black spot right beside his nose, though. Kinda makes up for the two-tone look! And you know what? I bet that he could be harness trained! He’s smart, and would figure out right away that he could spend more time with people if he had a harness – people would take him places and he could have lotsa fun!

And you know what else? I bet he will find that purrfect forever home real soon. He has a great purrsonality and makes people laugh. And he will never have to live without people again!

Lovingly,

FROM THE HOME FRONT
TALES OF THE SAFE HAVEN KITTIES
BROUGHT TO YOU BY MERRY

WEEK 19: MEET TOMMY BOY

Hi everyone!

So this week I got some feedback on my new photo. It wasn’t a bad comment at all. But I was told, quite candidly, that I am not a “glamour puss” type of cat, and that the old photo showed my purrsonality much better. *sigh* OK—I respect that, and I think he had a point, so my old photo is back to stay now. *sigh*

Guess what I did this week? I interviewed Cheryl, one of our volunteers who comes to the shelter three days a week. She’s been visiting us for almost six years, and before that she was a “mom” to about 60 feral cats. Can you imagine! That’s a lot of cats for one person to love. Cheryl used to be a high school teacher, and she says that she first learned about feral cats by teaching “feral kids” – you have to move on their time schedule, not your own.

I think this is the very first time I’ve ever done an interview with a human – most of the columns I write are just from chatting with the other kitties. But this was very cool, because I got to know a kitty that I never met before.

His name is Tommy, and he was really, really scared when he first came here. People call him “Tommy Boy” for fun. He is Cheryl’s #1 boy. She always goes to visit him first, and stays as long as he needs her to. She says she fell in love with him the first second she met him. The reason I haven’t met him is that he is feral, and doesn’t want to come into the shelter at all. He has his very own little mini-shelter outside, with a fully fenced yard so the raccoons and the bobcats don’t bother him. I think he understands that the fenced yard is a good thing, and that we all want to make sure he is secure and happy.

When Cheryl gets to his yard he runs up the trail, head butts her legs and wanders in and out of her legs. She leans down to pet him until he bats at her, clearly telling her “that’s enough, Mom”.

A couple of years ago she started trying to pick Tommy up and hold him, and now he lets her do that—for about five minutes, max! We even got a photo of that. Isn’t that great?

Tommy never will be a lap kitty. Getting him to take treats off the couch is as good as it gets. Like most of us, Tommy sets his own agenda, and the people who love him respect that. This is Tommy’s permanent home. He will be here all the days of his life. And that’s just fine with us.

Lovingly,

FROM THE HOME FRONT
TALES OF THE SAFE HAVEN KITTIES
BROUGHT TO YOU BY MERRY

WEEK 20: RHODES MOVES IN

Hi everyone!

Safe Haven is running real low on adoptable kitties! I bet you didn’t know that, if you haven’t been able to visit in a while. This has to be an all-time low, at least as far as I can remember, and I’ve been here almost three years!

So, this week I get to talk about some of the kitties we have had for a while, but don’t get too much written about them. Yes, I’m talking about the “Pole Barn 9,” a group of kitties that have been through some pretty rough times. They came from a place that people refer to as a “hoarding situation” where their caretaker passed away and the kitties had no one to care for them. They were either never socialized, or have been through so much that they are pretty scared of everything: humans, other kitties (‘specially ones they don’t know), other critters, things that go bump in the night … you get the idea! They arrived last September, so they’ve been here almost a year.

With the shelter relatively empty, our staff had a great opportunity to bring these kitties into some of the play rooms so they could see and hear people—and other cats—and maybe they could get over being so scared. And that turned into quite a project, ‘cause some of them are more scared than others!

The first one of the PB9, Garland, was lots less scared than the rest of the kitties. Remember him? I wrote about him in Week 9—Safe Haven’s Hall Monitor. He’s been inside the shelter for some time now, and some people are coming in a couple of weeks to meet him and maybe take him home! Wouldn’t that be great!

Last week Rhodes got to move to the main shelter! So that’s two!!

Rhodes is doing really well, ‘specially since no one could touch him for weeks! He’s a big orange and white tabby, and he’s gradually becoming much more comfortable at Safe Haven. He does tend to hide from people he doesn’t know, but if you spend enough time with him, he’ll come around … all the time! And when he decides that someone is a good cat person, he does actually relax, and enjoys being petted and scratched.

And if you don’t believe me, just take a look at the video that Nancy made! Nancy is what’s called the videographer. That’s a fancy word for “takes moving pictures.” I had to look that word up, ‘cause we have more than one Nancy and I had to make sure you knew which one I was talking about. And that “vid” word is a really long one. But it was pretty easy to find ‘cause it starts with the letters that it sounds like. Not like that long word for when you get a bad cold that gets worse … sounds like it should start with an “n” but actually starts with a “p”. Try looking that one up, ‘specially if you are a cat!

OK … I got off the subject. Sorry about that.

Anyway, I’m hoping that Rhodes continues to do really well with people. He’s a very handsome cat, and I think people will be impressed with him. He’s orange, too. People seem to like that. (I’m not sure why, ‘cause torties are the prettiest!) And pretty soon we will be able to bring in more of the Pole Barn 9, and I’ll write to you about them too.

Lovingly,

FROM THE HOME FRONT
TALES OF THE SAFE HAVEN KITTIES
BROUGHT TO YOU BY MERRY

WEEK 21: OUR NEW SENIOR CATIZEN

Hi everyone!

As much as we would like to get everything purrfect the first time, we all know that sometimes a kitty’s purrfect furever home isn’t … well … as purrfect as we would like. Sometimes it’s a change in the caregiver’s situation, or the caregiver is no longer with us, or, much as we would like to get everything right, sometimes it’s just not a good fit.

Daisy came to Safe Haven over a month ago. She just turned ten years old, so she is now officially a senior catizen! Welcome to the club, Daisy!

She was adopted as a kitten, and had a good life until her human family went through some tough times. Daisy ended up staying in an extra room, and wasn’t getting the amount of attention she was used to having. And Daisy definitely needs attention. She’s really a nice, friendly cat if you give her a chance to get to know you.

Fortunately, her person recognized that this was no longer a good situation for Daisy, and she brought her to Safe Haven so Daisy could find a better home—preferably a mature, single-cat home with no dogs. You see, Daisy is really scared of dogs, and she actually attacks dogs who are nervous around cats. I think people call that a defense mechanism. Sounds right!

Daisy did live with another cat when she was younger, but she can be real bossy. We think she will do best if she can find a nice home where she can be the Queen Bee and get lots of attention. It needs to be a quiet home, ‘cause Daisy is afraid of loud noises.

After she had been at Safe Haven a couple of weeks, she was moved to a room on the first floor, and got to meet Finn. You remember Finn from a couple of weeks ago? He started out life as Blitzen and came back after he lost his “Dad”. I think Finn and Daisy took a little time to get to know each other—they are both very shy—but then Finn was gone for a couple of days because he had to go to the vet and Daisy was the only one in her room.

And then her purrsonality really started to show. She started to relax and have fun. She plays with her toys, and loves it when staff comes in and sits down on the floor with her (though she usually runs and hides until she figures out that it’s OK). I think that’s her favorite play time. When Nancy came to take a video of her, Daisy wasn’t really doing anything fun—just walking around—until Danette came in and sat down and played with her. Then she showed off! It’s kinda hard to explain. You’ll have to watch the video!

Daisy has some really cute habits. She loves being up high so she can look out the doors and windows. She loves treats and comes running when she hears the can opener. She also loves to snuggle on soft blankets, and sometimes sucks on the blanket. OK, now I have to say … ICK! Blanket fuzz between your teeth. Double ICK!!

I think Daisy will find the right home real soon. She’s such a pretty cat, with that soft grey coat and green eyes. And she likes people way more than animals, even totally gorgeous, sophisticated, good natured kitties—like me!

Lovingly,

FROM THE HOME FRONT
TALES OF THE SAFE HAVEN KITTIES
BROUGHT TO YOU BY MERRY

WEEK 22: THE VELCRO BOY

Hi everyone!

We have a big, sleek, handsome, very outgoing boy at the shelter, and I’d like to tell you about him. His name is O’Henry, and he’s what’s called a Snowshoe Siamese. He’s a seal point, and the main difference between a Snowshoe and a regular Siamese is pretty obvious. At least, it is when someone points it out! Snowshoes have white feet. Like snow. Get it?

Here’s a nice photo of O’Henry. Take a look—you’ll see what I mean.

We don’t get to see many Siamese at the shelter—I think O’Henry is the first one I’ve actually met—so I can’t tell you if he’s typical or not. I can tell you that he is a sweetie, but he can also be feisty. And he yowls—a lot. Real loud! Not all the time—just when he thinks he needs to get your attention. He doesn’t talk like other kitties at the shelter, so if he hollers at me, I don’t even have to look to know who’s talkin’.

O’Henry really loves being outside. He goes out on his catio and lays in the sun and watches the birds for hours. Keeps him quite entertained. Which is a good thing, ‘cause he had a bad leg when he came here, and everyone wants to see him get better real soon so he can run and jump with the best of us. And he can’t do that until his leg is all better.

I’ve heard the staff talking about O’Henry. They say he’s really smart and very strong. Not a big surprise. He looks like a pretty tough cookie to me! I think he likes dogs more than cats, ‘cause he kinda acts like a dog. He likes to play fetch, and follows people around to play with them. Danette says he’ll follow people anywhere, and he’s quite a Velcro boy. I’m not sure what that is, but Danette is real smart too, so I think she knows what she’s talking about. She also says O’Henry would probably like having a walkabout adventure in a harness. Now I KNOW he’s more like a dog. If you try to put a harness on most kitties, they will fall over sideways and won’t get up until the harness goes away.

Even though he sometimes acts like a dog and talks real loud and real often, O’Henry is one cool cat. Nancy says he’s a “real hoot,” which is kinda funny, ‘cause he’s a cat, not an owl! So we’re lookin’ at an animal who looks like a cat, acts like a dog and sounds like … an owl? Maybe a screech owl? (I’m so funny!)

Lovingly,

FROM THE HOME FRONT
TALES OF THE SAFE HAVEN KITTIES
BROUGHT TO YOU BY MERRY

WEEK 23: SHARE YOUR STORIES!

Hi everyone!

I have great news! One of our newest kitties just went home! Her name is Angel Kitty, and she is a real sweetheart—just like her name! I bet that’s how she got her name. She had just gotten out of Quarantine, and I was getting ready to write about her in my next column, but she went home so fast, I didn’t even get to know her that well! I know she’s really happy now.

And if you missed meeting her, here’s a nice photo that our Sara took a day or so before Angel went home. Notice anything? She’s a tortie—just like me. No wonder she didn’t stick around long!

So, instead of writing about Angel Kitty, I’m gonna do something a little different this week. In case you didn’t know, my stories about our kitties have helped many of them find their forever homes. I’m really happy about that! And I found a way that you can help even more of my kitty friends by sharing your own stories. My human friends can say it better than I can, ‘cause it’s from an email that came to the shelter recently, and I don’t read so good. So here’s their message:

From loving head butts to cozier naps, and all the magical moments in between, cats make our lives better. Share how your special kitty or pair of kitties, adopted from PFOA, has changed your life. Your stories will help us earn up to $100,000 from @petcofoundation this Holiday Season and you can win a Petco shopping spree.

Share your story at https://petcofoundation.org/holidaywishes by September 23 and please let us know when you’re submitting the story by emailing us at pfoa@olypen.com.

I know that there are lots of great stories out there about my friends who have found their wonderful forever homes, and we would love to have you share them. Purrsonally, I don’t hear too much about my friends who have gone home, and it would really be great to know how they are doing! I kinda miss them!

So that’s my message for this week. We didn’t get much warning on this, and the deadline is creeping up. If you share your home with a cat, I KNOW you are familiar with the creeping thing! And we would love to hear from you!

One more thing—guess what I did this week? I went to the pet groomer! If you thought I looked great before, I look absolutely stunning now! I even feel better, so I’m walking around the shelter office more, making a nuisance of myself. I just love walking all over Danette and Kimmie’s paperwork! I even sat on the copier and somehow the copy button got pushed, and they have a picture of … well, it’s of where I sit down! I’m not showing it to you, ‘cause this is NOT an “R” rated column!

Danette and Kimmie are so nice. They don’t get upset or anything. They just pick up their papers, clean off my paw marks, and carry on with their work. I love these gals!

Lovingly,

FROM THE HOME FRONT
TALES OF THE SAFE HAVEN KITTIES
BROUGHT TO YOU BY MERRY

WEEK 24: SMOKE AND RAIN

Hi everyone!

Well, we had a semi-revolution at the shelter last week. ‘Cause of all the bad stuff in the air, we were not allowed to go outdoors. I suppose Staff would have allowed it if we were willing to wear masks, but that boggles the mind. No self-respecting feline would consider wearing a mask! That would be as bad as wearing a harness—for most of us.

So we woke up Saturday morning and found all the cat doors locked shut and the sliding doors closed. None of us could go out on our sun porches and catios! Sara and John came to take some photos later in the morning, and ended up with a bunch of angry cats on their hands! Not many photo ops that day!

There is good news, though: two of our kitties went home! Kylo Ren has a great extended family: in addition to his new parents, he has three cats and three dogs to play with! And O’Henry found a wonderful home with a very nice young man who has lots of experience with Siamese cats! Isn’t that great?

A new cat joined us last month, and he is out of quarantine and in his new playroom now. His name is Rufus and he’s a Russian Blue-type cat. He’s very nice and super friendly, but he will require a catio like we have at the shelter. Nancy says he should really be an indoor cat but he gets “owly” if he doesn’t get to go outside. You see, Rufus is a natural hunter! His specialty is birds, and he’s really good at it, so he has to have an outdoor fully enclosed yard to protect the wildlife.

I’m so happy that we are starting to get more emails from regular readers of our little weekly newsletter. They tell us how much they enjoy having my column in their inbox every week, and they are also very helpful. I received an email last week pointing out that I am really a calico, not a tortie, because I have a coat of three colors, including white. Torties don’t have white, or if they do, it’s just a little spot or two. And, of course, I said in my last column that Angel Kitty is a tortie too—just like me. So I want to correct that! Angel Kitty is really a calico—just like me! I think the whole thing got started because of my purrsonality. Even though I’m a calico, I have been accused of having a generous dose of tortitude, so one day I just decided I could be a tortie. That’s how that got started. And I want to say to Sally: Don’t apologize. I’m really glad you took the time to write! Thank you.

And the best news: After a full week of horrid air, the smoke is finally going away. That should put everyone in the shelter—human and feline—in a much better mood. We kitties can go outside again. Only thing is that it’s raining! And most cats don’t like rain. At least, the ones I know don’t. So we have to schedule our outside play time very carefully!

Oh, and one more thing: the Petco Holiday Wishes campaign ends Wednesday, September 30. If you adopted your animal companion from us and would like to tell everyone how wonderful he/she is, just write a story (500 words max), add at least four (max 6) of your favorite photos, and submit it online to https://www.petcofoundation.org/holiday-wishes/. You get bragging rights, and you might even win a prize!

Lovingly,

FROM THE HOME FRONT
TALES OF THE SAFE HAVEN KITTIES
BROUGHT TO YOU BY MERRY

WEEK 25: LOVE IS IN THE AIR

Hi everyone!

It is soooo nice to be able to go outside and breathe clean, fresh air. The cat doors are all unlocked, and everyone at the shelter, cats and humans alike, is in a much better mood. And now that everyone is feeling better, I’d like to approach a somewhat sensitive subject (that’s SSS for those of you who like short cuts!) It’s CLEANING! And yours truly contributes just as much to that need as any one else—including Tippy! Yes, I know we kitties make messes when we are eating, as well as when we make room for more food. (I wonder if that’s where the phrase “tail end” came from?) And, as Danette just pointed out, you humans contribute as much, if not more, than we kitties! Well, I’m not sure about that! But we do need morning volunteers to clean! Much as I’d like to have them just come in and play with me, it’s important to us kitties to have a clean environment. Keeps us healthy.

We don’t have any kitties who went to their furever homes this week, but I do have some great news! Remember how shy and scared Lilly was when she first arrived at Safe Haven? Actually, scared isn’t the best word for her—terrified is more like it. She was a feral kitten who spent her first year of life at the Kitsap County Fairgrounds. She was rescued when she showed up with a badly injured paw and a litter of kittens, and came to Safe Haven from one of our long-time supporters and adopters. She was in no condition to be considering finding a home, much less dealing with the visitors and volunteers who brighten our days. So after a while in the main shelter, Lilly went to live in the Pole Barn with the rest of the Pole Barn 9 kitties. Guess that made them the Pole Barn 10?

After Garland and Rhodes moved to the main shelter, Nancy decided that Lilly should come too. The rest of the Pole Barn 9 were still much too shy to help Lilly, so Lilly moved in with Garland and Dash. Rhodes was right next door. He was getting over his shyness, and I guess he felt sorry for Lilly and how scared she is, so he started paying special attention to her. And Lilly started to feel a little more comfortable. She actually DOES like kitties. She just is scared of people. Guess they are a little too big—way bigger than little Lilly—and they talk funny.

And the more time she spent around Rhodes, the more she liked him. And Rhodes really liked her. He talked to her regularly through the fence in the play yard (we kitties DO talk to each other—we just don’t let you humans know!) And the nicest thing happened. Lilly fell in love with the boy next door! She moved in with him so they could spend all their time together. I think Rhodes loves her too.

I’m really glad they got together, and I think the rest of the shelter kitties are too. They are definitely going to find their furever home together—no matter how long it takes. Doncha just love stories with happy endings? And what could be happier than two cats who have been homeless, fending for themselves, and not very happy; and then they find each other and all of a sudden life is lots better!

And before I end this week’s column, I’m going to repeat myself from last week: the Petco Holiday Wishes campaign ends this Wednesday. If you would like to write a story about your great PFOA kitty (or kitties), you only have a little time left. And if you need any help or would like someone to read your story before you send it in, I’d be happy to donate the services of my secretary and translator! And since you are reading this, she isn’t objecting … too much.

Lovingly,

FROM THE HOME FRONT
TALES OF THE SAFE HAVEN KITTIES
BROUGHT TO YOU BY MERRY

WEEK 26: HOODOO? VOODOO!

Hi everyone!

Great news from the shelter. Finn went home last week! He found a wonderful and patient new mom and dad who understand that he’s really shy, and are OK with that. I think he couldn’t have found a better forever home! Everyone at the shelter is so happy for him.

So we have really been enjoying the nice weather (with CLEAN AIR!) at the shelter lately. The catios are a really nice place to spend time during the day. The sunshine feels so good! But we have to wait till the afternoon to do that ‘cause it’s been foggy in the mornings. Not as much fun when it is cold and damp and we can’t see each other! Too bad this is all coming to an end—real soon! Kimmie has this really cool phone that she can look at something called an “app” and see if we are going to have a nice day. And what do you think? Her phone says it’s going to rain for four days around the end of this week. No more sunshine! It happens every year about this time, though. You’d think, after all these years, I’d get used to this. It’s called “fall” which is a very odd name for a season ‘cause I can’t figure out what’s falling! I’m not sure it’s worth worrying about, though.

So let’s not talk about fog and rain and other bad stuff like that. Let’s talk about something good—like our new kitty. His name is VooDoo! Seriously! No kidding! He’s seven months old and cute as a button. Sara came to the shelter a couple of days ago to try to get photos of him, and said that he is one busy guy (in addition to being super cute). VooDoo is on the go all the time. And our human staff and visitors really like him ‘cause in addition to being cute and a bundle of fun, he’s very affectionate and loves people. He likes to snuggle a lot, which is probably why everyone is going nutso over him. I’m not sure “nutso” is a word, maybe “bonkers” is better. What do you all think?

So, we are thinking that he probably won’t be here very long at all. With all the great things about VooDoo, he is also one gorgeous cat. Unfortunately, Sara couldn’t get the photos she wanted ‘cause he is always on the go, but I heard someone say that he has a beautiful coat with markings that kinda look like a Bengal. Check out the photo to the right—that kinda shows what I’m talkin’ about.

Oh, and before I sign off for this week, I wanted to let everyone know that, in addition to our world-famous purrfect potholders, we also have microwaveable bowls. They are also made by our Potholder Team, and are available from Safe Haven and other shops around town. People say they are really handy for when you are microwaving stuff and want to be able to take the food out without getting burned. I can’t imagine what that feels like! My paw pads (like other kitties) are kinda sensitive to heat. Don’t think that would be fun at all (provided I had paws that could lift dishes out of a microwave). But then, why would I want to do that? That’s one of the many things people do best!this, she isn’t objecting … too much.

Lovingly,

FROM THE HOME FRONT
TALES OF THE SAFE HAVEN KITTIES
BROUGHT TO YOU BY MERRY

WEEK 27: BEST BUDDIES

Hi everyone!

I love it when I get to give all of you good news. And I get to do that again this week. VooDoo went home yesterday! Isn’t that absolutely great? And, he’s staying “in the family” – Tracy’s parents met him and fell in love right away, and the rest is history. People say that a lot. I’m not sure exactly what it means, ‘cause I never had to study history. And if some of you out there haven’t met Tracy, she’s really great. She’s the caretaker for the special needs kitties at Barker House, and since COVID she has also come out to take care of us kitties at Safe Haven a couple of days a week.

We had a new kitty join us this week. Her name is Ocean (I’m sure there’s a story about her name) and we are just getting to know each other, so I’m not going to write about her this week. Prob’ly next week. Instead, I have some really great news about two kitties who have been here awhile.

Remember a few weeks ago when I wrote about Rhodes and Lilly (“Love in the Air”)? Well, we have another new couple who have “found” each other. (Why do people say that? It’s not like they were lost!) You’ve met both kitties before—Garland and Dash. Remember a couple of weeks ago when I wrote about Rhodes and Lilly? When Lilly was moved into the shelter from the Pole Barn, and she and Rhodes fell in love, Rhodes moved from his old room to Lilly’s room so they could be together all the time.

That left Garland and Dash in Rhodes’ old room. And they had time to get to know each other better, with no other kitties around. They got to be best buddies, and now they play together all the time, sleep together, and are pretty much inseparable …except when Garland gets tired of playing and lets Dash know he’s had enough! They even kinda look like each other, ‘cause they are both white and black. So instead of trying to find separate furrever homes for Garland and Dash, they are looking for a home together!

Oh, and before I forget, Nancy took the greatest video of Rhodes and Lilly together. Remember the really cute photo of the two of them in the cat tree looking at each other? That photo was taken from Nancy’s video, and she sent us the whole video, and my secretary processed it so y’all can see it. We didn’t have the video when the “Love in the Air” episode came out, so it’s featured this week on the From The Home Front web page.

One more thing, before I sign off for this week. A really nice couple who support PFOA are moving, and they had to downsize. They have a great TV and entertainment unit that they are selling to the highest bidder, and they are gonna donate all the money to PFOA for the kitties! All the details, with photos, are coming out tomorrow (Tuesday) in the October eNews. We don’t normally send out two emails together, but this is a really nice thing for these people to donate the money to us. So if you could use this set, be sure to look for the email and check it out! I bet you’ll like it.

Lovingly,

FROM THE HOME FRONT
TALES OF THE SAFE HAVEN KITTIES
BROUGHT TO YOU BY MERRY

WEEK 29: FOUR MORE AT SAFE HAVEN

Hi everyone!

This is really great! Lately, I get to write about good news EVERY WEEK! Last week we didn’t have any kitties exit the building, but we had four new kitties arrive—together! That’s important too, because there are lots of kitties who need a helping hand and my human friends at Safe Haven help as many as possible be adopted into loving, furever homes.

The new kitties are all pretty shy, except for one. Her name is China, and I was able to talk with her briefly when she came in. She was originally adopted from us about eight years ago, as a tiny little kitten. Sadly, her human family went through a change in their lives, and were not able to keep their kitties. China came back with three other cats, all from the same household. All four kitties are in the A1 kitten room, so I get to watch them when they come out on the porch for some sun. I may not be doing that too much longer—winter is coming, and it is getting really cold sometimes. I think the only reason the cats are in the kitten room is that we don’t have any kitten litters right now. They are definitely grown up kitties! China and her two male buddies (Maverick and McGiver) are eight years old, and Tiger, her female friend, is ten years old.

OK—back to China. Isn’t she gorgeous? Nancy, our videographer, says that she is really, really soft. You can tell that by looking at her photos, but you really need to watch the video on my FTHF webpage. China is having a great time rolling on the floor, playing with Nancy, and making biscuits. She’s really friendly. I think if we were in the same room, we could be best buds.

And she LOVES people. She has a very outgoing purrsonality. When someone comes into her room, she runs right to them, falls over and wants to be petted. She’s a purrfect lady, and just a bit plump. Well, maybe chubby. OK—so she’s a “chunky monkey!” (We kitties don’t use the “f” word—we think it’s not very dignified!) I don’t think it’s her fault, though. Staff is now counting calories for all four kitties, and they are not impressed! But it’s not good for kitties to be too … roundish. I didn’t know this before, but someone recently told me that overweight cats don’t live as long as right-sized ones, and they are more likely to develop all sorts of really bad diseases, like cancer, diabetes and heart disease. They also get arthritis so they have trouble walking around. And when they don’t get enough exercise, they gain more weight. I think you humans call it a vicious circle. Seems like the only way around all this is to not get too heavy to start with!

OK—that’s my “Merryisms” for the week. And before I forget it, Danette just told me that the bottles of CATastrophic 2020 are “flying off the shelves.” Guess a lot of you out there like wine! Or maybe it’s Barky’s cool painting of Tippy! Anyway, thought I would let all of you know, so that you won’t wait too long and be disappointed if you can’t get some.
Lovingly,

FROM THE HOME FRONT
TALES OF THE SAFE HAVEN KITTIES
BROUGHT TO YOU BY MERRY

WEEK 30: TEACHING PROPER CAT MANNERS

Hi everyone!

Guess what? Garland and Dash found their new furever home—together! Isn’t that great? I’m so happy for them. They are such a great pair, and get along so well together—even if Dash is a little … shall we say, active? Anyway, they are best buddies and everyone at the shelter is so happy that they are together in their new home.

A couple of weeks ago I promised all of you that I would tell you about our new kitty, Ocean. She arrived just after the first of last month. (Yes, it’s November now—hard to believe!) She is such a special little kitty. She is like a little wise old soul in the softest kitten body. She celebrates her first birthday this month! So I’m glad to be able to write about her. First birthdays are very special. I vaguely remember that!

Anyway, she graciously accepted a new assignment to teach her roomie, Horus, proper manners and cat boundaries. I think she knows that she doesn’t get to go to her furever home until she’s finished teaching the little guy.

She’s very gentle, and super patient with him. He’s a little over six months old, and is kinda like a little brother. He follows her around the room, trying to impress her. And she puts up with him very nicely—she is a very patient, low-key kitty—until he gets on a good run and launches himself onto her back. She doesn’t get upset or anything. She just shrugs him off and bats him with her paw, trying to teach him how to behave properly.

She is a very quiet young lady, and hardly ever talks. She sure enjoys her munchies! And after she has had a little snack, she cuddles in her bed on the windowsill for a little catnap. Of course, Horus tries to stick as close to her as possible, so he jumps into his bed on the top of the cat tree next to her bed. I think he’s just waiting, somewhat impatiently, for her to wake up so they can have their next cat adventure.

I hope she’s very successful with Horus’s studies. I really don’t want her to leave, ‘cause I really like her, but she is so sweet and charming and beautiful that she really deserves her own home.

So, I’ll keep you updated on Ocean’s progress. She’s working hard with Horus, so I’m thinking it probly won’t be too much longer before we all see lots of progress.

Lovingly,

FROM THE HOME FRONT
TALES OF THE SAFE HAVEN KITTIES
BROUGHT TO YOU BY MERRY

WEEK 31: ALL ABOUT OLLIE

Hi everyone!

We had a grrreat week! China, Garland & Dash, and Thor & Sweet Pea were all adopted! Thor and Sweet Pea were adopted just before they were scheduled to move out of the Quarantine room, so they never had to adjust to a new room. They are brother and sister, so it’s specially nice that they found their new furever home together. And Garland and Dash got to stay together too! Life is good for Safe Haven kitties.

Since most of you haven’t seen Thor and Sweet Pea, I thought you might like to see photos of both of them. Thor’s the big guy on the left, and Sweet Pea’s on the right—she’s the cutie holding her paw up.

OK—now about Ollie. She got here last Wednesday, and boy is she a sweetie. She’s just a doll, with beautiful shiny black fur and a cute little crooked tail. She’s real soft and cuddly, so I’m calling her “Cuddles” for short. Actually, “Cuddles” is a longer name than “Ollie”, but I’m not goin’ there! She really loves head butts and cuddles (there’s that word again!). She was a little shy to begin with—most of us are—but she got over that pretty quick and now she’s real glad to see everyone who comes to visit. She’s gonna be the purrfect house panther for some lucky folks.

John’s holding her in the photos while Sara runs the camera. If you don’t think Ollie’s enjoying their visit, just check out her paws. Claws straight out, but nowhere near the human holding her. She’s having a ball! My guess is that she’s gonna find that purrfect furever home real fast. I’m not sure how anyone who comes to visit can leave without her!

I hafta tell you I’ve been kinda busy this week. When Ollie arrived, I had to help staff fill out her intake paperwork. I’m sure they appreciated it. I really don’t know what they’d do without me! I offered to go check Ollie out—you know, make sure she’s healthy and isn’t sneezing or anything. But they said that was OK—they’d take care of that.

Oh, and when Sara and John, our photographers, were here the other day, I got them to help me open the bottom file drawer so I could check it out. Actually, I insisted! It was very important that I get my checkbook balanced for 2016. (I wonder why they call it “balancing” – there’s really nothing to balance. When I try to balance a book, my paws aren’t big enough and I usually end up juggling it and it falls on the floor. Maybe that’s why they call it “juggling the books?”) I’m afraid I have fallen down on the job, but really! Who likes paperwork? Specially with those awful numbers!

Oh—one more thing. I told you last week that CATastrophic 2020 was sold out, but I have a great deal for you. If you would like a permanent CATastrophic 2020 keepsake, we have a limited number of 18” x 24” posters, and if you’d like one, they are $22, including tax. Just call Danette and reserve one. You can see the poster on my page on the website!

Guess that’s all I have this week. But really, wasn’t it a grrreat week?

Lovingly,

FROM THE HOME FRONT
TALES OF THE SAFE HAVEN KITTIES
BROUGHT TO YOU BY MERRY

WEEK 32: LOTSA GOOD NEWS

Hi everyone!

We had another good week! Ocean found her wonderful furrever home, and Ollie did too! They didn’t go together—I think Ocean has had enough of active kittens, even though she’s just barely out of kitten class herself. But what a nice first birthday present for her! And Ollie! Wow—that was fast! She got adopted right out of Quarantine, just as soon as she got all her vet “stuff” done. I’m so pleased for both of them, and everyone else here at the shelter is pleased too!

This week, I’d like to do something a little different, and tell you about some other good news at Safe Haven. But before I forget it, I need to tell you that I overheard staff talking about how they really need paper towels. It seems that although we kitties are all purrfect, sometimes we are a little messy! I’m SURE they weren’t talking about ME—must have been some of the new kitties. Anyway, they seem to go through a lot of paper towels, and staff would love it if you can bring us some. Paper towels are getting kinda hard to find at the stores again!

Now, for the good news:

The staff were very excited that our Hallowe’en Trick or Treat invitation to local businesses was a huge success. It brought in pet food donations to us kitties and lots of it went to the pet food bank for cats and dogs in need. It’s real important to keep those animal companions together with their owners who are going through a hard time.

And that’s not all. There’s more big news! Actually, I’d call it purrfect news!

For the first time, PFOA has been chosen as a local Hometown Charity by Koenig Subaru in Port Angeles to benefit from Subaru’s annual SHARE THE LOVE Event. From November 19th, 2020 through January 4th, 2021, with every new Subaru purchased or leased from Koenig Subaru, Subaru will donate $125.00 to PFOA if their customer chooses PFOA as their charity of choice. If you’re planning on gifting yourself with a Subaru this Holiday Season, you can also gift us kitties through the SHARE THE LOVE event. It’s a real win-win! Y’know, I’d love to drive a Subaru, except it’s kinda hard to fit my paws around the steering wheel

Lovingly,

FROM THE HOME FRONT
TALES OF THE SAFE HAVEN KITTIES
BROUGHT TO YOU BY MERRY

WEEK 33: HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

Hi everyone!

Thanks so much for the paper towels. After I begged for some in last week’s column, we had several people bring paper towels to the shelter. That is such a big help! And with getting new kitties in every week, some of them haven’t figured out yet that they aren’t supposed to make messes! My bad—one of my kitty volunteer jobs is to pass the word to the new kitties about the groundrules for Safe Haven, and I didn’t get the word out soon enough! And in case you can spare any, we ALWAYS need more paper towels!

We had the nicest, sweetest, most affectionate kitty join us this week. Her name is Frannie, and she’s a medium hair tortie (with the kind of hair that doesn’t mat). Here’s a photo of her. Isn’t she gorgeous? Kimmie says she’s between 7 and 10 years old, but I think she looks and acts a little younger. And she really, really loves people. She has the sweetest voice, and greets everyone who comes into her room. She’s nothing like some torties or calicos I’ve met—not an ounce of “tortitude” with this little gal! Yes, some calicos have tortitude too—not me, of course, but some do!

We don’t know exactly how she lost her previous home ‘cause she’s not talking about it. The people who brought her to Safe Haven told us that she just came in their dog door one day while they were at work. When they came home, they found her laying on the couch and their little dog hiding somewhere in the house. Even though she’s a small kitty, she was able to terrify the dog. We think she would like to be an only cat, ‘cause she’s a mature, independent tortie and seems to like people much more than animals (‘specially dogs!) Sara says that it was really hard to get any elegant photos of her ‘cause whenever John started to pet her, all she wanted to do was purr and snuggle and get her head rubbed! Take a look at the photo on the right and you’ll see what I mean!

Last thing I want to say today is to wish everyone a Happy Thanksgiving. I hope all of you have a wonderful holiday. We kitties are thankful every day for your generous support. And to give you a little Thanksgiving treat, here’s a photo of me in our pumpkin bed. Isn’t this cool? Aren’t I gorgeous?

And y’know, the day after Thanksgiving is also called “Black Friday”. I’m not sure where the name came from, but it’s apparently The Thing with humans who like to get their holiday shopping done early. So … we have a great deal for you! On Black Friday, we are offering all of our remaining face masks for $10 each! That’s like … half price. It’s also 50% off, according to Danette. I’m not so good at math—it’s hard to count on my paws. Anyway, just call the shelter and order yours. And … holiday shopping with Amazon Smile and iGive earns dollars to help us kitties too!

Lovingly,

FROM THE HOME FRONT
TALES OF THE SAFE HAVEN KITTIES
BROUGHT TO YOU BY MERRY

WEEK 35: TUXEDOS ARE KITTIES TOO!

Hi everyone!

We got some good news this week. (I just love to start my column this way!) One of the newer businesses in Sequim asked us about selling our potholders and microwave bowls. It’s called Bag Ladies of Sequim WA, and it’s right on the main drag—161 West Washington. They are joining the eight other businesses in Sequim and Port Angeles who carry our potholders. So as long as the businesses are able to be open, you’ll be able to pick up presents for people on your Christmas list—including yourselves!

And now for our PFOA / FTHF Cat of the Week! Ta Da!! I’ll give you some hints. He’s black and white, and also known as a tuxedo. I think that’s because men generally wear black tuxedos with white shirts when they want to really dress up. He’s fairly young, which means that a) he has a lot to learn, and b) he’s eager to learn it.

Did you guess who this is yet? I’ll give you one more hint! When he started his learning process, he had a great teacher who just went to her furrever home three or four weeks ago.

Give up? It’s Horus! He’s an 8 month old kitten—we call them older kittens or sometimes younger adults. In Horus’ case, he’s DEFINITELY in the kitten class. Ocean was his teacher, and she spent so many hours trying to get him to learn proper manners (do they call that “catners” for us kitties?) and to understand what he can and can’t do. You see, he was taken away from his mommy and his brothers and sisters when he was much too young, and he had to develop his own ways of getting attention. He didn’t have anyone around to explain to him that grabbing people’s hands and legs and nipping at them was NOT a cat-approved way of getting attention!

This is where Ocean really helped him out, and made life easier for staff as well. Because they shared one of the kitty playrooms, Ocean worked with Horus constantly, 24×7, and was able to make a reasonable amount of progress before she went home. And much to everyone’s surprise, he was actually able to remember most of what she was trying to teach him. So he’s gone from obnoxious (my, that’s a big word!) to adorable. He’s finally at the point where staff feels he’s ready to be adopted. And all of us are really happy for him. He’s so cute and such a character; he’s sure to find a great home very soon.

I hope everyone is staying safe out there. All of us kitties and staff at Safe Haven are grrreat! And we really appreciate all the donations and checks y’all have been bringing to the shelter. I do have one minor request, though. From what I hear, this horrid virus is gonna get worse, ‘specially with all the holidays, so we really want to keep the shelter visitors to a minimum.

So that means bad news … it’s gonna be awhile before we can have visitors again. And all of us kitties really miss seeing you. But I really think after it gets worse it’s gonna get better. Fortunately, I have access to a TV so I get to keep up on all the latest. And until it gets better, it’s much safer for all of you to mail your donation checks and drop off your donated cat food and litter and all the other great things y’all bring us. If you call the shelter at (360) 452-0414, ext 3 (that’s Danette’s phone) before you come, staff will know to look for your donations and bring them inside the shelter. And if we all follow the rules (this is NOT one of the things cats do best, but we will try), next year things will start going back to normal. We can hardly wait!

So stay safe. We will too!

Lovingly,

FROM THE HOME FRONT
TALES OF THE SAFE HAVEN KITTIES
BROUGHT TO YOU BY MERRY

WEEK 36: ALL LOVE AND ALL PLAY

Hi everyone!

We didn’t have any of the kitties go home this week, although a couple of the kitties have been getting a lot of attention! But, to make up for that, we had a bunch of new kitties arrive.

Skeeter arrived about the same time as Tina and Turner. (You’re gonna meet them in a couple of paragraphs!) He’s out of quarantine now, and in the same playroom with Tina and Turner. He started out being really scared of everything, even his own shadow, but I think he’s getting a little more comfortable with his new room and his roommates.

Next to arrive were Kitty Cat and Leo Neo Deo (Wow! That’s a mouthful!!)

And last Saturday, Dallas (Nancy’s husband) picked up Third and Spats, a couple of cats who belonged to a young woman who ended up in the hospital and was unable to continue to care for them. She was good with them coming to Safe Haven, and glad they were being cared for. Oh, and did I mention, Third is, without a doubt, the biggest cat I’ve ever seen! He weighs 26 pounds!! Can you believe it? He actually doesn’t look that much overweight—he’s pretty well-proportioned—but it was a good thing that Dallas went to pick him up, ‘cause none of the rest of our staff here could possibly lift that much! (And if they thought they could, they shouldn’t!) Just think … that’s almost 3 times what I weigh! But we’re not talkin’ about that … a lady never does!

I’m sure I’ll get to share lots more about all these great new kitties, but right now I really want to tell you all about Tina and Turner. They’re a pair of absolutely gorgeous tabby cats. We think they are related, maybe brother and sister, but we aren’t sure ‘cause we don’t have that info on them. They are young, probably only a year or two old, which sounds REALLY young to me! They just got out of quarantine a few days ago and now they’re enjoying life in their playroom.

Tina’s the shyer of the two, but she’ll come running at the sight of a wand or a toy mouse. She has the cutest little white bib, and white feet. Turner runs to the door whenever he thinks company is coming. He’s all cuddles and rubs, and ‘specially likes to wind his way around people’s legs. He always stays within an arm’s length, max, just in case someone feels like giving him more pets and rubs. Sara, our photographer, says that Turner is all love and Tina is all play, and I think that really sums it up purrfectly. These two are beautiful, super well-matched, and I bet they can’t wait to find their own home. Y’know … the purrfect forever one.

I usually end this column with some “food for thought”. I’ve heard humans say that, and the first time I heard it I thought, “These people are crazy! You can’t think food, you can only eat food!” But then I kinda understood. They were saying that it’s important stuff.

Christmas is coming, and it’s a great time of year, ‘specially for humans. But for their pets, it could pose some real problems, ‘cause there’s lots of things that some people may not think of. So here’s your food for thought!

Make sure your Christmas tree is tied down good, and isn’t wobbly, so’s it won’t fall on your pets and hurt them.
If you’re gonna hang mistletoe or holly, make sure your pets can’t reach it! It’s bad for us!
Tinsel and curling ribbon are also pretty bad for us, so you might want to decorate with something less toxic!
Don’t go off and leave a candle burning. The light is kinda attractive to us kitties, and I’ve heard of cats catching their tails on fire! Bad!!
I’m sure you all know that chocolate is a no-no, even though we think it’s great stuff. So don’t put it under the tree. We are smart critters and can unwrap chocolate candy faster than you can say “Santa Claus”.
If you’re gonna celebrate with a cocktail, don’t leave it where we can slurp it down. That’s not as bad as chocolate, but it’s real close!
Make sure we have our own hidey-space, in case the party gets real loud. We don’t like loud!

I bet y’all could think of some other no-no’s, but these are the main things that frazzle my fur. I think the bottom line is … use common sense, and if you can, think smarter than your pet.

Lovingly,

FROM THE HOME FRONT
TALES OF THE SAFE HAVEN KITTIES
BROUGHT TO YOU BY MERRY

WEEK 38: THE YEAR OUR PETS SAVED US

Hi everyone!

We had a record adoption week: Frannie, Horus, and Tiger found purrfect homes! And Tina and Turner found their purrfect home together. Isn’t that grrreat? We are so happy for them!

This week I’d like to share a poem from Chewy, who supplies us with lots of cat food and litter. When my secretary read it to me, I knew it was purrfect for our times. I hope you enjoy it as much as we did!

Lovingly,

‘Twas the Year Our Pets Saved Us
by Chewy

‘Twas the year full of questions, COVID, and doubt.
For months we wore masks, indoors and out
Social distancing made us feel safe, but alone.
Even our weddings were remote or postponed.
While our kids went to school in ways unfamiliar,
Our own days and nights felt strained and peculiar.
We binge-watched TV — the good, bad, and terrible.
In short: this past year was barely bearable.

Yet each time we felt at the end of our ropes —
Lo and behold! — our pets raised our hopes.
They offered relief for our cares and our worry,
relief that was feathered, or scaly, or furry,
or swam ‘round and ‘round in a tank without sinking,
or sat by a heat lamp, unmoving, unblinking.

Some of these critters are new family members.
Some have been with us for days without number.
Some were adopted as pandemic puppies.
Some are ball pythons, or bunnies, or guppies.
Honestly, though, species don’t matter —
The point is that pets make everything better.
yes, while we must also sadly attest
that at times, this year, we were not at our best,
acting crabby and sullen and often cantankerous,
(Pets: You have the pandemic to thank for this!)
again and again, for reasons inscrutable,
we got back to booping those dog snoots so boopable.
We treated our cats to special cat treats.
We taught new limericks to our old parakeets.
We gave extra crickets to our cute bearded dragons.
Even our fishes’ tails started waggin’

We care for our pets—they need us, it’s true.
But deep down we know that we need our pets, too.
Their antics make us laugh when we’re tearful.
They comfort the anxious, lonesome and fearful.
We need the sense that their presence provides us:
The feeling that loved ones are always beside us.

2020 tested us in myriad ways.
Weeks felt like months, and hours felt like days.
A new year approaches. Who knows what’s in store?
Who knows what fresh weirdness will barge through the door?
But whatever may come let’s all take a minute
to celebrate our world and the animals in it.
A world without pets would be a cold, dreary place,
like the ocean’s dark floor, or the far depths of space.
We have it in ourselves to shift our attitude
and close out the year with a sense of gratitude.

So in that spirit, friends, let’s raise our voices, all:
“Happiest of holidays—to creatures great and small!”

FROM THE HOME FRONT
TALES OF THE SAFE HAVEN KITTIES
BROUGHT TO YOU BY MERRY

WEEK 40: TWO NAMES GOOD; FOUR NAMES BETTER

Hi everyone!

We have a grrrreat event coming up next week: Miles and Zoie are going home! One of our long-time volunteers, who helps my secretary and me with this column every week, knew they are ‘specially nice kitties and need a ‘specially nice home. Of course, all of our kitties are really special! I’m so pleased for Miles and Zoie and happy for their new family too. I prob’ly shouldn’t take much credit for this, but I did write about them a few weeks ago, and I hafta say I’m really happy that I had a very small part in this grrrreat little story.

So this week I’d like to have y’all meet a really nice kitty who came to Safe Haven about a month ago. She’s kinda different ‘cause she has two names. Actually, she has four names, if you count that each of her two names consists of two names. Are you confused yet? OK—when she first arrived, she was introduced as “Kitty Cat”. We know that sometimes it takes awhile to get to know a kitty and to come up with a name that fits her purrsonality. So, as we learned more about her, we figured she deserved a name redo.

She’s a tortie (kinda like me, but without the white), and a polydactyl. I have to thank Nancy for that big word—it’s way beyond my spelling capacity. Simply stated, she’s got cute little extra toes. And she loves, loves to knead them—on blankets, clothing, people’s arms, and whatever else is handy. So Nancy picked out her new name, and Kitty Cat is now Pitti-Patti. It fits a lot better!

She’s real friendly—one of the nicest, most friendly cats I’ve met. She loves to be petted and loved, and she has lots of love to give back. And she’s pretty young—she’s only about 3 or 4 in people years. What’s amazing is that she was abandoned and living under a trailer near Forks. One of the people living nearby was feeding her, and then brought her to us so she could find a home of her own. She says she would really like to be the only cat in her new family. After all, she IS a tortie, and they do like to be the Queen Bee.

So that’s our Kitty of the Week. Glad you can meet her, even though this isn’t in person. And if you think you have the purrfect home for our little girl, be sure to give us a call.

Lots of people ask how they can help during the pandemic. Right now we could really use bleach and high-efficiency clothes detergent so staff can wash our kitty linens. Not that we are dirty! Anything but!! I think they just like to make sure everything is sparkly clean for us. Which is a really good thing, and all of us kitties are glad they are taking such good care of us!

Lovingly,

FROM THE HOME FRONT
TALES OF THE SAFE HAVEN KITTIES
BROUGHT TO YOU BY MERRY

WEEK 41: ONE KITTY – THREE NAMES

Hi everyone!

Wow did we ever have a red-letter week! Get that? RED-LETTER! (I’m so cute!) Eight adoptions in one week!! In addition to Miles and Zoie, Lilly and Rhodes went home together, and newbie Coco was adopted as well. Pitti-Patti (FTHF last week) just found her new home (that was fast!) And … Speck and Third just met their new dad, and are going to their new home next week.

And I almost had to change my column this week, ‘cause we were sure that Leo would be going home! But the couple chose Patti, and that was a good thing for her! And now I get to tell you all about Leo!

He’s a big cat, which is a good thing, ‘cause he’s big enough to handle having three names: Leo Deo Neo. He’s just a youngster—three years old—and he’s such a friendly boy. He gets along with some of our residents (’specially me, ‘cause I’m so nice) but along with being big, he can sometimes be a bit bossy. That’s OK—I really like him anyway. But ‘cause of that, he will prob’ly work out best as an only cat, ‘specially if his new family will like playing with him a lot.

Leo’s pre-Safe Haven story is kinda sad. He lost his home when his previous human companion died, and he lost his kitty mom and sister when they went to live with someone else in the family. I can only imagine what the poor guy felt like. Here he is, enjoying life, having a great time, and then, all of a sudden, he loses his feline and human family and the only home he has ever known!

The good news is that you can’t keep a good cat down. Leo was sad when he first arrived, but he’s now back to his normal cheerful, friendly, happy self. All of us kitties at the shelter are really happy for him, and we’re all rooting for him to find a great new furrever home! We think that won’t be a problem. He’s a really cool cat!

So that’s it for another week at the shelter! Pretty great week, huh? I asked Danette if there was anything we really need that I didn’t know about (HIGHLY unlikely—I pretty much know about all the goings-on at Safe Haven.) She did mention one thing that I shoulda thought of. Sometimes when people come to visit and they leave with one (or more) new feline family members, they hafta borrow a cat carrier. We usually get them back, but sometimes it takes a little time. So we could use a few more spare carriers—both medium and large cat-sized. If y’all would like to contribute something for our shelter, that would be grrreat! They need to be top-loading with the plastic tops, ‘cause it’s a lot easier to get us kitties in and out, ‘specially when we’re not exactly thrilled with being there!

Lovingly,

FROM THE HOME FRONT
TALES OF THE SAFE HAVEN KITTIES
BROUGHT TO YOU BY MERRY

WEEK 42: ROSIE ROUND-AGAIN

Hi everyone!

Just to follow up from last week, Speck and Third went home on Tuesday. I think they were prob’ly a little nervous—after all, they haven’t been here that long and prob’ly don’t know about how grrrreat it is to find a furrever home. Having been here a long time and hearing from kitties who have gone to wonderful homes, I tried to let Speck and Third know that it’s OK and they will be very happy. I know Speck and Third heard me. I bet they understood, too!

Our PFOA Cat of the Week is Rosalee, but we all call her Rosie. She’s on her second time around here, so she knows how the whole adoption thing works. She was a very young adult when she was here the first time. That was almost eight years ago, and now she’s all grown up and beautiful. She’s a brown tabby with a white bib and feet, and gorgeous green eyes. She’s a bit smaller than me, but I hafta say that her white bib is even a little nicer than mine! And that’s saying something, even if I do say so myself!

I’m not sure if she was ever a true lap cat, but she really loves being petted, and she thrives on attention. She’s real friendly to people—I think she likes people lots more than other cats. She does like her safe outdoor area, but I think she really prefers to spend most of her time indoors—’specially with the cold weather we’ve been having. I can’t blame her at all—it’s starting to get real cold out there. I’m told it might even snow! Although the white fluffy stuff is fun to watch, it’s definitely not my favorite thing to walk in. I hafta say most kitties agree with me.

Oops—got off track there. Back to Rosie. We think she would really like to be the only animal companion in a nice quiet, loving home. She’s gonna take a little time to fully adjust. After all, she lived in her former home for almost 50 cat years! And that’s a long time for us. So I’m hoping she can find that purrfect new furrever home with people who love cats and are willing to give her time to adjust. Trust me—she’s worth it!

I hafta say that it’s been so much fun writing this column, ’specially knowing that it brings a smile to everyone who isn’t able to come to the shelter for their “kitty fixes” now. And y’all have been really generous with donations to make the kitties’ lives better, until they can go to their furrever homes. So here’s this week’s suggestion: I know that all of us kitties enjoy listening to the radio. Although we don’t understand much of the talk shows, the music is really nice, and adds a lot to our day. Right now we have radios in all of the kitty playrooms, generously donated by one of our grrrreat volunteers some years ago. Not that they are real old … they are certainly not as old as yours truly. But some of them are starting to break down and they are very crackly and our favorite programs don’t come in so good. Just the other day I was listening to “Cats,” and the radio died in the middle of Grizabella singing “Memory.” So, on behalf of the rest of the kitties who should NOT be subjected to musical deprivation, I’m suggesting donations for good quality radios!

Lovingly,

FROM THE HOME FRONT
TALES OF THE SAFE HAVEN KITTIES
BROUGHT TO YOU BY MERRY

WEEK 43: THE MAGIC MONTH OF FEBRUARY

Hi everyone!

We are really doing grrreat with adoptions. Leo of the three names, who was featured in our 41st column, went to his purrfect home on Tuesday. And the very next day, Rosie (our Week 42 kitty) left Safe Haven to go to her furrever home! How about that! Pretty cool, huh?

Right now it’s January, but by the time you read this, it’s gonna be February. Wow! Time flies!! No, not the little bug thing that the younger kitties like to chase around the windows. This “flies” is like, moving real fast. And if you’re a caring, responsible pet guardian, I bet you know what February is. Yep—you’re right—it’s Spay/Neuter Month. So, instead of featuring one of our grrreat Safe Haven kitties, I’d like to talk to y’all about how important it is to spay or neuter your pet. And I’d also like to share one of my favorite funny fotos. The kitty in the picture is one of our own who found his furrever home several years ago.

I bet all of you know most of the reasons why spay/neuter is a really good idea. Reducing overpopulation of dogs and cats is the best known reason. It’s real sad to think about all the homeless dogs and cats out there. But did you know that your pet may be healthier and live longer, as well as be better behaved? And getting your pet spayed saves you money ‘cause you don’t have to care for an unexpected litter.

But not everyone can afford the cost of neutering, or the higher cost of spaying. So, for many years, PFOA has provided help for low-income families who couldn’t afford to “get ‘er done” without help. That’s why it’s the very first thing in our mission statement, and it’s real important. Our Spay/Neuter Coordinator, Sharon Palmer, does a fabulous job of coordinating our special clinics just for low-income families, and she’s done that for over 20 years! Talk about dedicated! 20 years is a really long time, ‘specially in cat years. 20 cat years is about 96 human years! Not many of us stick around that long.

Oops … got off track again! Anyway, Sharon’s clinics are sooo popular that the regular ones are filled up all the way through March. So now she’s taking applications for the April clinic. She has a maximum number of pets that she can schedule for a clinic, based on whether it’s a cat or dog, and in the case of dogs, size matters. Oh, it also matters if the pet is male or female … we girls take longer to get fixed.

We have such wonderful supporters! Generous donors sponsored two additional clinics, and they’re filling up fast. PFOA and some of our donors stepped up to help with Spay To Save’s backlog of cats and dogs, ‘cause the STS staff couldn’t use the van ’cause of COVID-19 restrictions. (There’s that nasty pandemic at work again!) So, if you’d like to sponsor a clinic, just let us know. That would be grrreat!

So I want to wind this up by saying “thank you” to Sharon for her important work, and to PFOA for sponsoring and promoting the spay/neuter clinics. And thank you to all of you responsible people who take such good care of your pets. This really is a wonderful world, isn’t it?

Lovingly,

FROM THE HOME FRONT
TALES OF THE SAFE HAVEN KITTIES
BROUGHT TO YOU BY MERRY

WEEK 44: ACROBATICS AT SAFE HAVEN

Hi everyone!

It’s been a good few weeks at Safe Haven. Lots of adoptions (as reported by yours truly), and just a few new kitties coming in. Not that it’s bad news … it’s really good news for the kitty population ‘cause we have fewer homeless kitties roaming the streets!

I suspect (although I’ve no way of knowing for sure) that with people needing to stay home ‘cause of COVID, there’s more demand (and appreciation) for four-legged critters to share their homes and their lives. After all, when you need to be cooped up all day (‘specially ‘cause it’s cold outside and there’s not much yard work going on), a cat can be grrreat company! Think about it: we kitties don’t have to be taken for walks outside ‘cause we have litter boxes. We sit and listen very attentively when you humans want to talk, and we very rarely talk back. And we sleep a lot, ‘specially if there is a nice fire going, but are always willing to wake up for playtime.

We have a few new kitties at Safe Haven, and you’ll hear more about them when they’re ready to go home, but today I’d like you to meet Spitfire. I really like her—she’s real friendly and affectionate, and I don’t think she’s met a cat or dog (at least dogs who like cats) that she doesn’t get along with. She’s a young orange tabby, which is a bit rare—most orange tabbies are male. It’s a genetic thing, a little above my pay grade, but you can look it up on the internet if you want to.

Spitfire is real active—quite the busy girl. Actually, she’s all over the place. She loves to take a quick catnap in her nice tall cat tree, but when she’s had enough sleep, she’s up and down the tree doin’ lots of leaping, climbing and acrobatics. So she really needs a new furrever home where she’ll get lots of attention and playtime. She’s sooo cool—she’s gonna be a grrreat new member of a lucky family!

I hope all of you are staying safe out there, and I wanted to wish all of you a slightly early Happy Valentine’s Day, and to thank all of you for being sweethearts to help support all my kitty friends. I know I’m a little early—it’s still a week away. But by the time you read this it will only be 5 or 6 days away. And my secretary just reminded me that if you’re always early, you’re never late!

Lovingly,

FROM THE HOME FRONT
TALES OF THE SAFE HAVEN KITTIES
BROUGHT TO YOU BY MERRY

WEEK 45: GOIN’ TO THE DENTIST

Hi everyone!

We got grrreat news today. Spitfire went home!! She was adopted Saturday by the same folks who adopted Horus. So now Horus will have a new friend, and Spitfire will have someone her own age (almost) to play with. I love it when everything works out so well!

And it looks like we’ll be getting a few new kitties in over the next week or so. That’s super news! We did get a new kitty at Safe Haven about a week ago, and he’s amazing. His name is Adam, and he’s huge! He’s a black and white (tuxedo) with the coolest long, thick coat I’ve ever seen. And even tho he’s almost twice my size, he’s just a big … shall we say … pussycat! He’s sooo friendly, and loves to cuddle. I think he prob’ly likes people a little more than cats. Sara said she had to use her wide angle lens! He actually tried to block the door when she got done taking photos and was ready to leave. She got a picture of that, too!

Adam is an FIV+ kitty, which means that he needs to be an only cat and stay indoors or in a catio. Or, he can be best buds with another FIV+ kitty. But I think he’d really like being an only cat. Of course, he’s been nice to me. But who wouldn’t? I’m such a likeable cat!

The only thing is that he can’t go home right away, even if someone wanted to adopt him immediately. You see, he hasn’t had the best of dental care, and he hasta go see the cat dentist next week. And he hasta have that big dog tooth in the front pulled, so he might be under the weather for a few days.

So … this is National Pet Dental Health Month. Is everyone ready for the Merry Lecture On The Importance Of Dental Care? Don’t laugh—it’s real important! Lotsa people don’t realize that good teeth are super important to our overall good health. It’s just like good teeth are important to people’s health. Kitties (and doggies) need to have their teeth brushed, just like people do. And they need a once-a-year visit to the animal dentist so their teeth can be checked, and they can get plaque removed. Just like people do! ‘Cause once plaque gets on your teeth, only the dentist can get it off. But unlike people, we animals hafta be asleep when our teeth get cleaned. Why? Can you imagine a 60 or 70 pound dog, let alone a 10 pound cat with claws, sitting still for a teeth cleaning and not knowing why some strange person is prying their mouth open? Boggles the mind! And when we don’t get our teeth cleaned regularly, we could get all sorts of icky mouth diseases that I can’t spell, just like y’all. And if we get icky mouth diseases, we could get other icky, bad diseases and get real sick.

OK—my lecture is done. I think you got the general idea. Bottom line: clean mouth = healthy body.

Lovingly,

FROM THE HOME FRONT
TALES OF THE SAFE HAVEN KITTIES
BROUGHT TO YOU BY MERRY

WEEK 28: TIPPY THE COVER CAT

Hi everyone!

Once again I get to write about good news! Daisy has left the building! She found a wonderful furrever home. I think she even got to take her new toy—a faux fur mouse—with her! We didn’t have a photo of her in her new home, but this is a grrreat photo of her at the shelter. Considering she’s only a uni-color kitty, she’s pretty drop-dead gorgeous!

And speaking of drop-dead gorgeous, I just came back from my latest visit to the cat groomer, and my new do is exceptional, even if I do say so myself. I know this because there are several mirrors at the shelter, and I stop at each one and parade around a bit. Of course, everyone at the shelter oohs and ahhs as well, so I pose at the mirror a little longer. The mirror time is really taking time out of my regular busy schedule, but I manage to get all the important stuff done—like this column!

This week I’m doing something kinda different. I’m not sure how many of you remember, but last year was Tippy’s 15th birthday year, so that makes this year? Right you are! His 16th birthday year. He and I are roommates—sorta. We share the Shelter Manager’s office area, as well as the conference room and the kitchen and the office and sometimes the back deck.

And Tippy is doing really good, ‘specially considering the special conditions he lives with. Even though I know Tippy pretty well, I’m always amazed at how well he gets around as a CH [cerebellar hypoplasia] kitty. When he wobbles and falls down, he picks himself right up and never gets upset or growly. He just takes it all in stride. He was born with CH, so I guess he’s prob’ly used to it by now.

The humans who take care of all of us kitties say that Tippy’s CH isn’t painful and the rest of us can’t catch it, so that’s good to know. I’m real happy that Tippy doesn’t hurt, and I imagine Tippy would feel real bad if he gave CH to one of us! He’s that kind of guy cat. But COVID-19 has prob’ly made more of an impact on Tippy than the rest of us. Of course, we all miss seeing all of you volunteers and visitors to the shelter. But I bet Tippy misses seeing all of you even more than the rest of us. You see, he’s been living at the shelter since he was a kitten, so that makes 16 years of making good friends. He’s really happy more of our volunteers are coming back (with masks on, of course) to spend time with us again.

So this year, everyone thought that it would be a great idea to honor Tippy on this year’s Harbinger Winery special bottling. Many of you know that we have an annual event called “Feline Fine at Harbinger Wine” and, of course, that’s cancelled this year ‘cause of COVID. But lots of people really like the event (and the wine), and our humans thought, “Why not have a non-event this year?” And so our friend Barky designed this year’s wine label, just as he has done for lots of years, and Tippy is on that label! Isn’t that cool? I really like the label, and wanted to show all of you what it looks like. And even though it’s a non-event and there is no music and cheese and fudge, people can still order CATastrophic 2020—Danette says it’s an exquisite red blend—and go out to the winery and pick it up. And if that’s too far for them to drive, they can call Danette and arrange to pick it up at the shelter!

Purrsonally, and I think I speak for all of us kitties, wine really isn’t our thing, but we know lots of our human friends really like it. So I wanted to share with all of you what we are doing this year to carry on the Harbinger tradition. And I also wanted to tell you that we are sending out invitations to our non-event, and they will be emailed out tomorrow. So, if you are interested, be sure to look for that extra email from us this week!

Lovingly,

MEGAN

Megan was a gorgeous Maine Coon, whom we adopted out as a kitten in 2000. She returned to us when her “mom” passed away and her “dad” could no longer care for her. This sweet, but a bit shy girl, was exceptionally bonded to her elderly person and loved to snuggle in her lap and cuddle with her in the sewing room. She was in early renal insufficiency, and we gave her sub-q fluids once a week.

When Magnificent Megan’s needs because too great for shelter life, she moved to a wonderful permanent foster home, where she was dearly loved. We are happy that she was blessed to spend her last year surrounded by love, and given every comfort. She crossed the Rainbow Bridge on March 26, 2019. She is greatly missed by her foster family, as well as her many friends at PFOA.

FROM THE HOME FRONT
STORIES OF THE SAFE HAVEN KITTIES
BROUGHT TO YOU BY
FLICKA AND FRANKLIN

WEEK 3: WATCHING PEEKA AND BOO

Hi everyone!

Welcome to Week 3 of our reports from the shelter. It’s a little bit late, because the lady who writes down our stories lost her laptop and was unable to talk with us for 5 days. Well, she didn’t actually LOSE it — more like it stopped working. She was NOT a happy camper!

Anyway, all is well, and we are here to report on Peeka and Boo. They are in the closest room to us (B1) and we have a nice cat’s eye view. It seems that Boo is starting to get a little stir-crazy, after watching all her favorite videos. So she’s trying out new yoga poses to teach Peeka, who would rather have quiet meditation time inside her hidey hole.

We had heard that Peeka was shy when she first arrived at Safe Haven, but after receiving a lot of attention from volunteers, she enjoys soft pets on her lovely fur.

They sure are fun to watch. We’ll keep you updated on more of our feline friends next week.

FROM THE HOME FRONT
STORIES OF THE SAFE HAVEN KITTIES
BROUGHT TO YOU BY
FLICKA AND FRANKLIN

WEEK 4: WATCHING NYLA & PHOENIX

Hi everyone!

We’ve been watching Nyla and Phoenix this week, roommates of Peeka and Boo. When we listen carefully, we can almost hear the deep, rumbling purr Phoenix makes when he’s happily playing King of The Mountain with Peeka on their play structure.

When Peeka’s at the very top, Phoenix sneaks up from behind and bats at her leg so she’ll run down and he gets to be King at the top.

His sister Nyla is much more sedate and prefers watching the frogs jumping under the bushes from her window. She kind of looks like a sleek panther with a shiny black coat and is the first one in the room to line up for a treat.

Their very favorite toy is a cardboard scratcher which Phoenix likes to keep to
himself. But since today is Giving Tuesday, which we hear is all about being kind and grateful, he’s going to share it with Nyla.

We’re hoping everyone will share a kindness with a friend today!

* * *

On this #Giving Tuesday, we thank you for sharing your generosity with us in so many ways. Your Acts of Kindness are an inspiration to our vital work.

Passing on kindness to each other and, in turn, our communities does make an extraordinary difference and gives us hope in this challenging time.

Each of you are truly appreciated.

Affectionately,
Flicka and Franklin

RHODES

Domestic Shorthair, Male
Color: Orange/white tabby
Size: Large
Age: Adult
Bonded with Lilly
Special needs: none

Rhodes arrived at Safe Haven as one of nine cats from an “unhealthy hoarding situation.” The outstanding characteristic of these kitties was their poor socialization and fear of strangers. Rhodes, like the others, was initially uncomfortable with people. He was extremely shy, and tended to hide from people he didn’t know.

However, he has gotten over his initial shyness. Once he gets to know someone, he genuinely enjoys being petted and scratched. It takes a very special cat to have gone through what Rhodes has and be able to tolerate affection. He now genuinely enjoys being petted and scratched. Anyone willing to put forth a little extra effort will enjoy a quiet, gentle, easy-going fellow who will offer a lifetime of warm companionship. And … there’s a bonus! Rhodes has become very attached to his roommate, Lilly, who is very shy but LOVES Rhodes; the two of them MUST be adopted together!

ROSIE

Domestic Shorthair, Female
Color: Brown Tabby
Size: Medium
Age: Adult
Special needs: none

Rosalee (Rosie) was adopted from our shelter as a young adult almost eight years ago. Unfortunately, she was recently returned, and is now looking for a new home where she will be treasured for the rest of her life!

Rosie is a very pretty, tidy little girl with her snowy white bib and feet–she is quite social and friendly. Rosie is not a lap cat at this point, but she does like pets and attention. She enjoys a safe outdoor area, but prefers to spend the majority of her time indoors. She is a somewhat reserved and quiet girl at this point, but we can see her personality starting to emerge.

Rosalee would do well as an only pet in a quiet and loving home. If you know cats and are willing to give this girl the time to adjust to her new life, we think she will make a great addition to your world!