AUG COTM 4-5-6: Feral Cat Rescue Project, Chicago English Bulldog Rescue, North Star Rescue

AUGUST 2012

ANYTHING GOES 

CHARITY OF THE MONTH

Usually each month, TEAM EFA designates one animal charity as our Charity of the Month (aka COTM). 

During the month of August, Team EFA's Charity of the Month is ANYTHING GOES… which means that efa cotm members who participate in our COTM program will be able to select from any of our last 11 charities when making their donations. 



As is becoming tradition during the quieter summer month of August... patrons, sponsors & members have a renewed opportunity to look back on EFA's 2011/12 COTM charities and assist one or several of these fabulous organizations.



Each week we will look at 3 COTMS... ENJOY & please donate if you can !

THE FERAL CAT RESCUE PROJECT

Nominated by Patty of CatCalls, 

Heather of TheBlueWindmill, 

Nicole of Brizel4TheAnimals

"Chriss Pagani has spent close to 10 years feeding and caring for the feral cats that come to her home in the rural farmland of Oregon which is owned by her sister.

As a cat lover with a childhood that mimics much the same as a feral cat's life, she feels a kind of kinship with these felines that are looking for a safe place to live out their existence in the wild. She accepts the fact that they are wild cats. She tries to find homes for the kittens who have been socialized, but she also tries to provide a kind of protected atmosphere around her home where those who will always be wild can abide without being caught and killed by humans who deem them a useless nuisance.

The Feral Cat Rescue Project's blog is an attempt to document the lives of these feral cats and their plight. She decided that poor kitties deserved to be seen by the world, to give their lives meaning to a broader audience, so she started photographing and documenting them, giving faces to their stories and putting their lives into words."

READ PATTY'S FULL EFA BLOG ARTICLE HERE.

ViSiT their blog

MAKE a donation

***

CHICAGO ENGLISH BULLDOG RESCUE

Nominated by Esse of EkNeverFeltBetter

"Chicago English Bulldog Rescue (CEBR for short) has been helping pure-bred bullies and their families for 3 years. We are a licensed Illinois shelter and a 501c3 charitable organization. The care we provide our English Bully rescues exceeds any you will find from a breed rescue…heck, any rescue! This love includes a high quality diet, the best veterinary care around from a bulldog specialist, and behavioral evaluations of the highest quality.

"Don’t be fooled by our name, we cover a very large Midwest territory. We serve Chicago-proper and the surrounding suburbs, the state of Illinois, Northwest Indiana, and Southeast Wisconsin including Milwaukee. Made up of 100 volunteers, CEBR has rehomed almost 300 bullies and counseled hundreds of families to provide support, encouragement and training consults to help keep bullies in their homes."

READ THE FULL EFA BLOG ARTICLE HERE.

VISIT their website

CHECK OUT their bullies

CONSIDER adopting

MAKE a donation

***

NORTH STAR RESCUE

Nominated by Veronica of ScrappyRat

"North Star Rescue is a unique organization based in the San Francisco Bay Area of California, a rescue group that is solely dedicated to rescue and welfare of companion rodents.

Companion rodents, a term that doesn't often come up at the dinner table, is a broad label used to encompass the various species that North Star Rescue works to protect including rats, hamsters, mice, guinea pigs and chinchillas.

North Star Rescue operates like many rescues with no central location, instead relying on an all-volunteer team of unpaid helpers who give space in their homes and their hearts to help care for the Bay Area's abandoned pet rodents until they can be found loving, permanent homes."

READ THE FULL EFA BLOG ARTICLE HERE.

ViSiT their website

FOLLOW them on Fb

MAKE a donation

FEB's COTM is The Feral Cat Rescue Project

FEBRUARY 2012

TEAM EFA's Charity of the Month

The Feral Cat Rescue Project

written by Patty of Catcalls

Chriss Pagani has spent close to 10 years feeding and caring for the feral cats that come to her home in the rural farmland of Oregon which is owned by her sister.

As a cat lover with a childhood that mimics much the same as a feral cat's life, she feels a kind of kinship with these felines that are looking for a safe place to live out their existence in the wild. She accepts the fact that they are wild cats. She tries to find homes for the kittens who have been socialized, but she also tries to provide a kind of protected atmosphere around her home where those who will always be wild can abide without being caught and killed by humans who deem them a useless nuisance.

The Feral Cat Rescue Project's blog is an attempt to document the lives of these feral cats and their plight. She decided that poor kitties deserved to be seen by the world, to give their lives meaning to a broader audience, so she started photographing and documenting them, giving faces to their stories and putting their lives into words.

"My mission is to share the story of the cats - I want you to know their faces and their hearts. If it looks like I am hogging too much bandwidth with my stories and pictures, just remember: It isn't for me, it's for THEM. I want to share their lives - in part because in a funny way, it turns out that it is NOT really all about them after all; truly, it is about us - and about life. They are the teachers... Thank you for allowing me to share the story of these cats."

Chriss also seems to be the recipient of new discarded cats that arrive regularly and mix among the ferals. Not all discarded cats are so fortunate, though. Most starve to death or are killed by predators or people... long before they reach the safe haven of her sister's farm and other surrounding farms.

As one time house pets or well fed barn cats, they do not thrive in the wild like ferals do (when given the opportunity). After two or three litters, these formerly tame cats become feral-like as well. Constant effort is given to trapping, neutering, and releasing. It is a thankless job, oftentimes looked upon with scorn, and can be downright overwhelming and depressing at times.

"While I once had a great job as a web programmer and graphic designer for books and magazines, today I live pretty much like the feral cats I care for. It's kind of like going back to my childhood. We're all in this together."

When you donate to her paypal account, 100% of your funds go directly to feeding and caring for the cats...and there are a LOT of them! Chriss is also an accomplished artist and sells her work on several venues which can be found on her Feral Cat Rescue Project site. She supports herself through these works of art but also uses some of her income for cat care as well.

Take time to visit her blog where you will see gorgeous (and not so gorgeous) cats and kittens that she has named and cared for. Get a free desktop wall calender each month with a beautiful photo of different cats.

Read stories of struggle and sadness, humor and hope, and an occasional adoption. She tells it like it is. Leave a comment and tell her that her work in important and then if you can, please make a donation - ANY amount will make a vast difference.

This charity was nominated by several of our cotm team members: Patty of Catcalls & Heather of TheBlueWindmill. It has also been supported by other EFA Team members including Nicole of Brizel4TheAnimals. Won't you please lend your support to this worthy cause ? Thanks so much for your consideration...

The Feral went out on a chilly night...

Written by Patty of Catcalls

Illustrated with EFA member products

The feral went out on a chilly night...

She prayed to the Moon to give her light...

For she'd many a mile to go that night

Before she reached the town-o, town-o, town-o...

She'd many a mile to go that night

Before he reached the town-o !

*

She stopped by a farm for she did hear

The rustling of stalks and a few kitties cheer

But she hissed and she fled

when the devil did appear...

Past the owl and the bats

to the town-o, town-o, town-o...

Past the owls and the bats to the town-o !

*

Three creepy old dudes did greet her there

But she looked them in the eye

with her eerie green stare

For she was mindful of the little one in her care

That's why she traveled

all the way to the town-o, town-o, town-o...

Why she traveled all the way to the town-o !

*

She grabbed her bag

And she donned her tie

Then she joined the parade

to get candy corn Mice !

Then she raced on home

to share her scrumptious delight

With the little one in the den-o, den-o, den-o...

The little one in the den-o !

*

HAPPY HALLOWEEN to all your outdoor kitties !

Patty of Catcalls

nominated The Feral Cat Rescue Project

which won October's Charity of the Month

You can click HERE to visit their website !

and

HERE

to read Patty's first COTM article

The end of the month is close by and we hope that you will be able to send in a donation to The Feral Cat Rescue Project... You can find the quick link to their website on the left hand column of this blog or you can click on their logo/name above.

Remember to let EFA know you've made a donation... you can

click HERE to

report it... by doing so we will be able to add the $ amount into the COTM running total.

Thank you so very much !

Taming Feral Cats

Taming Feral Cats

written by Patty of Catcalls

photographs by Chriss Haight Pagani

Feral cats are homeless cats. Though they are technically domestic, their lifestyle is definitely like that of wild cats. Adult feral cats are rarely able to be tamed. However, a feral kitten, if caught while very young, has great potential to become a socialized pet. A feral kitty who is able to escape a life of hardship, hunger, and fear is indeed a fortunate one.

Taming feral kittens must begin as soon as possible. A mother feral will give birth in a quiet spot in the wild and the kittens will not be seen for several weeks. At that time they will begin to romp around, and at 4-6 weeks they are ready to be weaned and can be safely separated from Mom. If possible, capture the mom as well for spaying before releasing her back into her area.

Depending on their degree of wildness, feral kittens can be tamed in 2-6 weeks. Individuals can differ greatly in temperament even within the same litter. One may take only a short time while another is very skittish and uncooperative. Patience! A feral kitty tamer must be endowed with great patience and be committed to saving these kittens from a life of misery. It is a very rewarding undertaking for those who have the heart.

These steps will help you to the goal of socializing your new feral kitten.

Containment I

Fear may drive a kitten to spit, bite, or scratch. You are a predator to him and he may try to escape. Have the kitten checked by a vet before taking them home. Keep them separate from other pets, wear a smock, and wash hands after each visit with your kitten. Keep him in his cage in a room by himself with a litter box, bedding, food and water.

For the first two days, do not handle him. Walk by, talk to him, make sure his needs are met, but let him get comfortable in his new setting. The use of your worn clothing as bedding may help the kitten accept you a little sooner.

Handling

After two days, place a towel over the kitten, and pick it up in the towel. If the kitten stays calm, pet it gently on the head from behind. Never approach from the front as it may be perceived as a sign of aggression. Open the towel out on your lap and let the kitten sit while you pet him. Talk to him as you do so. Be brief, then give him a little treat and put him away. Do this many times a day. You may also use a soft pet brush at times. This is similar to the grooming the mother cat would do and may help to make your kitten feel more at ease. A flea comb is another good tool to facilitate bonding.

Do not stare at the kitty. This is aggressive behavior in the wild and intimidating. Short glances and a lowered head will be far less threatening.

Play with the kitten using appropriate toys, but don't leave anything in the cage at first and especially no string toys.

Containment II

You should have a very differernt kitty after a week of consistent attention and care. At this time they can be left in a small room and placed in the cage only if necessary. Large rooms can be a bit overwhelming. Beds may also be a problem as they may try to stay hidden underneath. Be careful to kitten proof the room so he is free to roam without dangers.

If you are working with several kittens and there is one that is not becoming tame, place him in a separate cage in another room, away from the others. He will be more apt to become dependent on you and respond more favorably. It will prevent him from reverting to wild behavior.

Exposure

Once kittens no longer bite or scratch and seem happy in their new environment, introduce them to your friends ! Ferals tend to be one-man only creatures, so to be best prepared for adoption, gradually increase their exposure to others until they respond appropriately to all newcomers.

Placement

After 4 to 6 weeks, kittens who have progressed through all of these stages are now ready for adoption.

Families with no small children are the best homes for feral kitties. All of your hard work can be quickly undermined in a loud, busy, overly energetic home. A calm and quiet atmosphere is ideal for a little feral. The ideal home is one which will keep their pet indoors and will take two kittens together. If only one is adopted, it is best if a person is there a good part of the day.

If you have done your work outside of a shelter, be sure that you inform the adoptive family that the kitten must be neutered. This can be done as early as 8 weeks of age. Or you may want to neuter him yourself and ask the new owner to reimburse you.

Ferals live in a wild environment and take on wild behaviors. By making a 4 to 6 week commitment to a feral kitten to transform his life could be the difference between living only 10 weeks with fear or 10 years with family; 10 weeks with hunger or 10 years with happiness. If it is within our means to do so, let us do our part to ensure a better future for these little kittens.

Chriss Haight Pagani runs

The Feral Cat Rescue Project

which is October's Charity of the Month

Click HERE to visit their website !

To read about TFCRP

see October 2 EFA post HERE