Adopt a Shelter Cat

[Garfield]

<img src="http://petshub.com/cats/img/sheltercat.gif" align=center>

Do help to adopt a shelter cat from your local shelters.

They are just like any other cats. They are cute, intelligent, gentle. Most importantly, they need a home too.

[din]

I truly agree with what you have stated.

I have some kittens for adoption and i think they are just as smart and cute as any other breed too.

Well-said!

[Tammy]

Hi Garfield,

I was wondering if by chance you work at a shelter. I am a volunteer at a shelter and have been for the past 10 years. I would love to exchange information and experience with you.
By the way, I fully agree with you. Animals from the shelter are just as lovable as animals from any breeder or private homes. I loved the "sticker" with the cat.

Would be nice to hear from you!

[Garfield]

Hello Tammy,

You have been a volunteer at a shelter for the past 10 years! It must be a challenging job and in the shelter for you!

No, I don't work in a shelter. But I do help animals to find good homes for the animals by rehoming, fostering and adoption.

There was once when I found an abandoned dog in the streets and I have helped to rehome her, in a loving family. She is a pretty mongrel, and she is fine till today and is really happy too. Her new owner adores and dotes her.

I think shelter animals are just as intelligent and lovable too. How I wish all those animals in the shelters find a good home soon. They deserve all the love too.

[Tammy]

Hello Garfield,

I think it is just as important, and maybe even more so than working in a shelter, if you help animals on a private basis. A lot more people should do that, but many people just look the other way.
Congratulations on finding such a good home for this mongrel you found. She really owes you a lot. Do you get to see her now and then? You must be a big animal lover, so of course my question is if you have any pets yourself. Do you like all animals alike or do you have any preferences? I love guinea pigs and used to have quite a few, and I have two cats. You are very tempted at the shelter to take home animals but you always have to stop and think first or you will have too many all of a sudden.

Would be glad to hear more about you and your work for animals. I am sure you have a few tales to tell.

[Garfield]

Oh yes, i do see her once in awhile. But it has been several months since i visit her. But she is fine. I think she must have grown to be a beautiful and radiant girl.

I was very sad when i handed her over to her new owner but i know it is for her own good and her future. She is so adorable and looks so alike with my childhood pal. Playing with her, is like having great times with my childhood pal. I was really reluntant then, but still i left her in the good hands of her new owner.

I seldom pop over at shelters, as it saddens me to know that there are still animals abandoned. If you have read the topic, "Roadside dog a curious mystery" at the dog section: http://petshub.com/ubb/Forum4/HTML/000023.html , i think that owner is very very cruel to abandon the dog this way. Just by reading articles like that, saddens me, not to mention even visiting the shelters. But of course, i still do pop by once in a blue moon.

I like all animals. No preferences what-so-ever. I have a couple of fishes (kois) and have been keeping them for several years.

What about you? You have spent the last 10 years helping out at the shelter. I am sure you have seen both the good and bad side. I admire your loyalty and tenderness to all the animals in the shelter. I think you must have felt really bitter when you see something bad happen to any one of them.

I think i shall stop writing for the moment, just in case, you are falling asleep. http://petshub.com/ubb/smile.gif Tell me more...

[Tammy]

Hi Garfield,

NO, I didn't fall asleep while reading your message. Actually I found it very interesting to say the least. I was flabbergasted that you have Kois as pets. I'd love to hear more about them. I know they are very rare fish and can also get very expensive depending on their size. Where can you get kois? Does a regular pet store carry them or do you have to go to a breeder? How do you keep them and what do they need to be happy? Is it OK for them just to get normal flaky fish food? I remember a while back we had an exhibition near here, and one of the attractions was a pond with koi fish. They were stolen one night, and except for the fish who were lost, it was a financial damage of around 10 000 dollars.

You sound as if you had dogs when you were a child, Garfield. You said it was hard to give the dog away because among other things she reminded you of your childhood pals. I used to have a dachshund as a child and she will be forever in my heart. By the way, thanks for the pointing me to the dog story address.

As to work at the shelter, yes, you do see a lot of good and bad. There are very depressing days, but also days when you feel elated because you have found a very good home for a cat, rat, whatever. Where do you live, Garfield? You sound as if you lived in the States. I know from an American friend of mine that in the States animals are put down after a very short period of time, if they can't find a new home. She stopped helping out there because one day she groomed a cat, and the next day it was dead. I live in Germany and luckily we don't put any animals to sleep in our shelters. They can get to a ripe old age there if they like. Otherwise I could not work there. NO WAY!

I feel there is a very stong objection to neutering animals in these forums, and in some countries it seems justified. What is your opinion?

Hope to hear from you ...

[Garfield]

Hello Tammy,

This is a lengthy message, so please bear with me. http://petshub.com/ubb/tongue.gif

I do have dog when i was very young, a toddler. She was the most gentle and friendlies dog i have come acrossed. And i remember, i was very naughty and i always stepped on her tail, but she didn't mind at all. But of course, as i grew older, i think i was light enough and didn't stepped her tail to hard. It was very very mischievous and ignorant of me. I miss her so much. She resembled so much of the little dog which i rehomed. Anyway, i will see her once of these days, when my days are numbered.

Ok, my kois are very very small when i got them. They were like half the length of an index finger when i bought them. I bought them from a fish farm. I think my kois belong to the lower quality kois, as they were not that highly priced when i got them and besides, they were left in a corner of the farm. I was just curious enough to walk over to take a look and i saw so many baby kois, and find that they are just as adorable as they quality breed. Afterall, i am not showing them, so i do not need to consider about the quality, etc. Besides, I am keeping them as my pets! So, i picked a few of them and brought them home.

I feed them fish pellets instead of fish flakes as they can't see the flakes. Too small for them http://petshub.com/ubb/smile.gif Pellets works better. I got a quite powerful fis pump and they love it. They are so happy to linger around the pump, swimming against the bubbles. I do change the pellets once in awhile, when i see my kois are beginning to be fussy over the food. And they love to try new food. They are quite afraid of strangers too! Sometimes, when my friend visits me, and she gets too close to the aquarium, my kois will use their tail to splash some water on her! It is quite funny.

Neutering, it can be quite subjective. But i think neutering animals is justified. From what i know, just as long as anaesthetics is concerned, life is at risk. I think neutering is a good way to control the number of pets and the increasingly abandoned animals. Neutering/spaying can also keep animals fit and healthy, without the risk of some cancers or other complication in the later stage of their life.

Some pet owner thinks that by not letting their pets breed or mate, it is also another way of controlling the number of pets and also not having to go through the risk of the operation. But it may or may not have to go through some later complication in the pets' healthy. Neutering can also help prevent aggressiveness and hostility of pets. And of course, they tend to lessen a lot on trying to mate. http://petshub.com/ubb/smile.gif

For some shelters, they depend on the health of the pet before going through the operation. Some have seriously weak health, and vets are worried that the anaesthetics might put them down, therefore the neutering is not done. For those fit ones, they are surely fixed.

What do you think, tammy? Are all the pets in the shelter neutered? Or it depends on situation? I think this sounds funny, but do i need to neuter/spay my fish?

[Tammy]

Hi Garfield,

Loved your "lenghty" message as you called it. I like reading about other people's experiences and life, so the message can't be long enough.

I could see how much you still regret having treated the dog badly that you had as a child. But then again, you were a mere toddler. How should you have know any better? I often feel that parents are not observant enough and they should stop their children from being nasty to the animal. Some kids I know are allowed to do just anything with their animals which makes me so upset. It is not the child's fault. It is the fault of the adults who watch this. You have done so much good for the animals in the meantime Garfield that you really don't have to feel bad anymore.

You also know a lot about animals and I really found your comments on neutering pets very interesting and they were thought through and founded. You must have dealt with the subject quite a bit. I mean not many people would think neutering just prevents pets from having babies but that in some cases it makes animals less aggressive.

You asked me if all pets in the shelter are neutered. No. Among guinea pigs, rats, gerbils, rabbits and the like it is only the males that get neutered, NEVER the females since they suffer a lot more under the complicated operation that the boys do, for whom it is really quick and easy. As to cats, male and female cats are neutered. Cats are really a problem round here. Too many strays and no matter how hard the organisations try it is hard to keep them fed, plus to keep their numbers down. They often catch the cats, have them neutered, and then let free again at the place where they were caught. Factory yards and the like are favorite places for them to hang about.

This was a joke when you asked me whether your fish need to be neutered, wasn't it? No, of course not! They live happily with you, there is no abundance of stray kois out there in the streets, and I am sure that when you have koi babies you have lots of people who want them. By the way, do you kois ever have babies? Do they bear live babies or do they lay eggs? I don't know much about fish so forgive me if this was a stupid question. Amazing that they know you! Just goes to show you how we underestimate fish and what they are aware of. Must be a funny sight when they splash water on your friend when she is too close to the aquarium.

Hope you and your Koi are doing OK!

[Garfield]

See... i told you that it may sound a bit funny if i asked you if fish need to be neuter/spay. I burst out in laughter when i read your message.

No, my kois have not breed before. I think they lay eggs. Not too sure as well. http://petshub.com/ubb/tongue.gif My kois are lovely pets. They will wait at the corner which i always feed them. At times, when i am a bit late, they will swim up, with their mouths out of the water, as if telling me, "Hurry! We are hungry."

If i were to "choose" which animals are to be neuter/spay, i think dogs, cats, hamsters. Dogs and cats, there are way too much strays. Hamsters, they reporduce too fast and too much. Of course, i think there is a risk in neutering/spaying hamsters. They are far too small.

Yes, i think shelters should have the males neutered, but on second thoughts, if females are not spayed, won't there be chances of reproduction when the females are adopted to a new family?

What about the small animals in the shelter? Are they neutered/spayed before any adoptions are made?

Another question, how do you bath them? I am sure there are lots of them there. But how? One by one? All small animals in a tub? Dogs are being scrubbed? And cats? How do you bath cats? I know cats hate water.

Ok, i know i asked a lot. Hear from you soon. I enjoy your long message and will be waiting to read one. http://petshub.com/ubb/smile.gif

[This message has been edited by Garfield (edited 11-04-2000).]

[Tammy]

Hi Garfield,

So we both got quite a chuckle out of the koi neutering subject ! I will ask you a question now which you may consider funny. Do your fish have names? My dad used to have an aquarium when I was a child and we gave some fishes names, usually according to the personalities. I am sure your koi have distinct personalities too, don't they? I really have to make sure to look up an internet page on kois. I have a vague idea what they look like, but would like to refresh that. Any websites on kois you know of?

You asked a few excellent questions about the shelter. Yes, if the females are not neutered there is a risk of reproduction in their new home. However, the risk for female rabbits, guinea pigs and rats is just too high, and we make sure that they only go to homes where there is a neutered companion or we give the people two females. Of course, you only know what people choose to tell you. By the way, no animal is given away alone. Nobody gets a single guinea pig or rabbit. Either they already have a rabbit or pig – which they can bring, so we try the animals together – or they have to take two from us. By the way, female cats and dogs are neutered. This "males only" applies only to the small animals.

The animals are all neutered BEFORE they leave the shelter. If somebody wants a rabbit which is not neutered yet, he will have to wait till our vet has done it. This is good for us because this way we are sure they won't use the male for breeding, and it is good for the owner who pays less money as if he had the pet neutered by some other vet. You mentioned that hopefully shelter staff only have healthy animals neutered. Yes, they do, but there have been cases where I have been VERY upset. They just didn't wait long enough for the animal to recover from another illness. Very rarely though does this happen.

We bathe the animals only if really necessary like when they have diahorrea or are really dirt crusted. A dog may get an occasional scrub, but never the cats or the other small animals. We are much to afraid they might get a cold. Besides, most of the animals do a good job at keeping themselves clean.

Enjoyed answering your questions! ! Have a good weekend, you and your kois!

[My_Cat_Chloe]

I would like to agree with you. I have gotten 2 dogs and 1 cat at the shelter and they are good if not better than any other animals you can buy for $300+++ I just got a new cat and she is so well behaved, knows how to use the box and is so lovable...I just think about how bringing her home saved here life.

------------------
Chloe's mommy

[Tammy]

Hi,

I am so glad you are happy with the animals you got from the shelter. Maybe other people read your message and think about adopting an animal from a shelter too. I think people who want a pet should be animal lovers and as an animal lover, I want to help animals who are in need. Animals at a shelter are in desperate need of a home. The chance that you happen to get an animal that has "flaws" exists, no matter whether you pick it up from a breeder or a shelter. I worked at the shelter this morning and we drown presently in rabbits. Mild-mannered, tame, wonderful animals. At the same time hundreds of rabbits are bought at pet shops. However, pet shops don't ask how the buyer will keep the animals, that is the big difference.

At any rate, thanks so much for your positive comment.

Tammy

[Garfield]

Dear Chloe's Mummy :
How i wish there would be more people like you. There are really lack of people thinking the way that you do. People think that adopting a pet is difficult to train and hard to adapt to the envoirnment, etc. It is really sad to know that there are countless of pets in the shelters.

Tammy :
What is the reason for the sudden increase rate of abandon rabbits? I hope that new and good homes would be given to them real soon. It is really upsetting to know that there are still pets being abandoned "non-stop".

[Yinx]

Hello Tammy & Garfield,

I read ur posts with interest, esp. the part abt neutering/spaying hamsters. Hmm, is it possible to sex & house them separately instead of neutering/spaying them? This is 'cos I remember my vet telling me that it is dangerous to neuter/spay hamsters, as the amount of anaesthesia used on the small critters may very well kill them if not administered properly.

Anyway, I am from Singapore, & the major animal shelter we have here puts animals to sleep (if they're not adopted soon enough). Sometimes, I wonder to myself, 'what right do these people have, to put perfectly healthy animals to sleep?' Of course, putting down seriously injured/ill animals to sleep is perfectly justified. However, I beg to differ with the issue of killing healthy animals in the prime of their lives.

Well, I guess we do live in an imperfect world. Still, it would be nice if people do bother reading up about their pets b4 committing themselves.

[Garfield]

Hello Yinx,

Good point you have there, Yinx! I agree with you that neutering/spaying hamsters is really dangerous. As i mentioned in my previous message, they are far too small to be neutered or spayed. I agree very much with you about separating them. Do your local shelters separate hamsters too or do they neuter/spay them?

[Yinx]

Hello Garfield,

I'm not sure how the local shelter houses the hamsters, as I've only been there only a couple of times. I don't agree with their policy of killing healthy but 'unadoptable' animals, hence I do not drop by often.

Speaking of rabbits in Tammy's previous mail, I know of people who rear 'cute', young rabbits, only to abandon them once they grow to their full size. These rabbits are passed on to the janitor who houses them (un-neutered/un-spayed) in a cramped wire cage. I find this very irresponsible, & have thought of calling up the local shelter to take away the rabbits. However, knowing that the local shelter will most probably put them to sleep, I've not done so yet.

[Tammy]

Hi Yinx and Garfield,

It really breaks my heart Yinx to hear that they kill all animals at the shelter which can't find a home within a short period of time. This is not unusual I am told. An American friend of mine said that at the city pond or whatever it is called, the animals are gone after one day, at the privately run shelter it is 7 days. I am just so glad that at "my" shelter here in Germany no animals are killed unless they are seriously ill. I couldn't work there as a volunteer if it was otherwise. I can't guarantee for all German shelters but most of them follow the same policy.

As to your question Garfield why we have so many rabbits right now, I actually have no idea. One of the problems is that in winter nobody wants a rabbit since some like to build a run and home for them in the garden which is OK. Besides, many of them are no small rabbits but big ones. Also, we make sure they don't end up in a cage only, but we insist on knowing if the people have the will and the possibility to let them run for longer stretches of time.
Thirdly now, there are so many stupid people out there you wouldn't believe it, or actually I am sure you would having dealt with the subject too. We got in 8 rabbits from a family who has brought in rabbits before. We wanted to take all of them away, but then a court decision back then made us give them three back, and there comes the offspring again. This time, no more rabbits for them EVER.

Wish everybody was so concerned about shelter animals as the two of you are!

Tammy

[mariana]

Hi Garfield!

I read your messages with admiration. Your love for animals goes beyond any words can describe! I was wondering if you could give me advice on relocation of my pet cats. As much as I hate to leave them even a day for work but this time I have no other choice. I was recently recruited to work in London and I have desparately and exhausted looking-out for anyone who could help care for my cats for only 6-7 months. I will be coming back to bring them along with me to London sometime in September/October. I only have 2 days left to look-out for a temporary shelter and I am running out of ideas & places for them. I don't really like the idea of having to put them in a private home 'cos they are rather a bunch of hope cats unless I have no other way. For your info. I'm leaving in Singapore. Please help...

[Garfield]

Hello mariana,

I understand how you feel.

Maybe you can give a call to Anthony Goh at 94958718 or email at metta_cattery@asia1.com.
The cattery is located at the back portion of "TOPBREED PET FARM" at
No.13, Pasir Ris Farmway 2.

They are a shelter for rescue cats. You can give him a call to enquire if he is willingly to help you with your cats for a temp home. Perhaps, a fee is needed.

Write soon and good luck.

[This message has been edited by Garfield (edited 04-29-2001).]

[Nightmare]

Garfeild,

I am ashamed of myself for not coming to your post sooner.

I have read many of your replies on other posts and find you to be a truly knowlegable person in regards to most animals.

How fortunate that you live in a country that will not put an animal down, just because they aren't wanted.

The town I live in in Florida, USA has what we call the "Humane Society" which truly trys to find kind loving homes for the animals there. Often, if an animal has been there for too long, the volunteers will take them home, {Thus leading them to to call their homes small farms.}

I must tell you a story about two of the most wonderful volunteers here.

A few weeks ago, I had a Katahula Leopard {hound dog}. She had just weened her 5 puppies, four of which had been taken to new homes. On a Tuesday evening, my husband and I went to town, and she went outside, as she did every night before we went to bed.

When we came home, she was no where to be found. For three days, we searched for her, even visiting the Humane Society to make sure she was not there. (We have a leash law here, which means animals that are not attended can be picked up and "impounded" thus the word "Pound".} She was not there so we hoped that being a hound dog, and in a community that likes to hunt, maybe someone picked her up.

A few days later I came home, {We live in a Mobile Home} and smelled something reallllly baaaaad. My husband began to look under the house, and sure enough, there she was, lying under the porch, deceased.

There was no way either one of us could get under there and pull her out. After all, we loved her. So we called the Humane Society. These two wonderful ladies came out and got her out from under the house and took her to her final rest. Remember, these ladies are volunteers, and they were under no obligation what so ever to do this, but being loving and caring people, with small farms at their homes, they did this for us, knowing and understanding why we could not do it for ourselves.

Just wanted to share about the wonderful people who manage everyday to work in these conditions, and never receive much recognition for their labors. Cudos to anyone who can do it. I know I could not.

Nightmare

http://carsue.homestead.com/files/carsue.jpg

PS Sorry about the length, I get carried away.

[This message has been edited by Nightmare (edited 05-22-2001).]

[Nightmare]

Garfield;

Just wanted to give you this if you choose to use it, I went to http://garfield.com and asked permission. They said it's okay.

Hope you enjoy it, and com visit my site
http://carsue.homestead.com
http://carsue.homestead.com/files/garfield2.gif

Thanks
Nightmare
http://carsue.homestead.com/files/carsue.jpg

[Garfield]

Nightmare, i am sorry to learn about the loss of your dog.

The two ladies volunteers are really kind souls. I am sure their kind hearts will be known and respected by a lot of other pet people.

I love the length of your message. Anymore to share?

Thank you for the signature.

------------------
http://carsue.homestead.com/files/garfield2.gif

Many thanks to Nightmare for seeking permission from garfield.com to use this picture.

[Nightmare]

Garfield,

You are such a kind soul. I have had all kinds of animals in my life, so I have lots to share.

You are welcome for the picture. Glad you know how to use it. Keep it up, it looks great.

Nightmare