Monthly Archives: January 2010

"There is no pasta too slippery for me to steal," brags the Food Bandit, Stewie.

"There is no pasta too slippery for me to steal," brags the Food Bandit, Stewie.

We have new proof that the Food Bandit is on the loose again! And once again, he has opted for the pasta, proving, as we thought, that Stewie used to be called “Little Stewie Sticky Paws” in his former life as an Italian mobster.

No one will find me and my sweet piece of pasta here...Arrgghh! They are taking photos of my stolen property. Must find new hiding spot!"

"No one will find me and my sweet piece of pasta here...Arrgghh! They are taking photos of my stolen property. Must find new hiding spot!"

Once the pasta is in his possession, Mr. Sticky Paws finds a place to hide out to enjoy his stolen goods. But no one will leave him alone to relish the sweet pasta decadence. So a new hideout is necessary…

"Will these people stop at nothing? Even under the bed, I am pursued! And now the rigatoni is trying to escape! Is there no peace for a food bandit?"

"Will these people stop at nothing? Even under the bed, I am pursued! And now the rigatoni is trying to escape! Is there no peace for a food bandit?"

Under the bed goes Stewie with his rigatoni sweetie. Will the Food Bandit ever get a moment alone to savor his pasta obsession? And what is next for our Italian cuisine thief? Fettuccine? Fusilli? Linguine?

And if Stewie can fit a slice of lasagna in his mouth, we know there is no stopping the pasta kidnappings.

Stock up on a pantry full of macaroni and bring the Food Bandit home with you–he is still looking for his forever family and if you’ve got pasta, you’ve got Stewie’s heart.

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I am thinking about attending this conference this year. The No Kill Conference is not just for people who work at humane societies or volunteer with rescue groups. Rather, this conference is for anyone who believes that we can reverse the death sentences for the millions of dogs and cats that are euthanized in shelters each year.

At the conference, you will be able to hear various speakers, including shelter directors who now save over 90% of the animals that enter their buildings. Additionally, the conference  will feature law experts who have stood up for animals using the legal system and will teach attendees how to do the same. 

One of the speakers will, of course, be Nathan J. Winograd who is the director of the No Kill Advocacy Center which is co-sponsoring this conference. Winograd is also the author of Redemption, the book that challenged the idea that there are too many homeless dogs and cats and not enough homes and thus the only solution is euthanasia. If you have not read Redemption or his second book, Irreconcilable Differences, I would highly recommend both. They really opened my eyes to many myths and lies that we have been led to believe by the very people who are supposedly “animal guardians.” To visit Winograd’s web site and have an “eye-opening” experience, go to: http://www.nathanwinograd.com/

Right now Winograd has a very interesting article on his blog about the No Kill movement and how it has been featured in political cartoons. To read his latest installment and see the cartoons, visit: No Kill Cartoons

Another speaker I’d like to hear at the No Kill Conference is Richard Avanzino who was the past president of the San Francisco SPCA leading them to be the first to end the needless killing of healthy cats and dogs. While Avanzino was president, San Francisco could brag that they were the “safest community in the U. S.” for homeless dogs and cats. Avanzino is currently the director of Maddie’s Fund, which is also sponsoring the conference. On another off topic note, Avanzino, in case you didn’t know, has a pharmacy degree from the University of California Medical Center. As I am a pharmacist, I like to hear about others in my profession who rally for animals. To read his complete bio: Richard Avanzino

I’d also like to hear Michael Mountain, founder of Best Friends Animal Society, and Bonney Brown, who used to be with Best Friends and Alley Cat Allies. I am sure that in this crowd, I would be among friends on my beliefs about Trap-Neuter-Return (TNR) and protecting feral cats.

If you would like to learn more about the No Kill Conference, visit: http://www.nokillconference.org/

And to find out what the No Kill Advocacy Center is working on, go to: http://www.nokilladvocacycenter.org/

With so many of us working toward a world where no dogs or cats are killed just because they are the wrong color or they were dumped the same day as twenty other unwanted animals, we are sure to succeed. I believe that one day, I will live in a town, a county, a state, and a nation that will boast how safe they are for homeless cats and dogs (and hopefully rabbits, ferrets, gerbils, guinea pigs, parrots, and other pets, as well).

Won't you be my sweetie? Vote for me! Won’t you be my sweetie? Vote for me!

This is truly a gorgeous photo! Elton’s mom, Ellie, adopted a buddy for Elton from us. Miss Cleo was a Black and Orange Cat Foundation kitty before she joined Elton and Ellie in their home. Thank you, Ellie, for thinking of us and posting this photo for the contest. It is beautiful and perfect for Valentine’s Day!

If you’d like to vote for this Cassanova Gentleman, go to: Vote for Elton

Biggie Smalls will give you some snuggle time if you vote for him!

Biggie Smalls will give you some snuggle time if you vote for him!

I haven’t quite figured out the connection Black and Orange has to Biggie Smalls. His mom, Lynnda, lists her home town as Chicago, IL. She also says in the posting about “Biggs” that he was returned to the rescue organization she adopted him from two times before she took him home with her. She thanks those other people for not keeping him. 

To vote for Biggie Smalls (I love that name!), go to: Biggie is Best!

Two other Black and Orange kitties also made it into the contest thanks to mom and foster mom, Kristin. 

The first is our famous food bandit, Stewie. You can see this same appealing face peeking out at you from the pages of Petfinder where the “Stew-meister” is still looking for his forever home.

Come on, how can you resist this little pink nose? Vote for the food bandit!

Come on, how can you resist this little pink nose? Vote for the food bandit!

To give Stewie your vote (although he would prefer a piece of pasta), go to: Food Bandits Forever!

The final entry is Kristin’s cat, Angus, who used to be a B and O kitty before she and Christina adopted him and his sister, Moo Moo. These two really lucked out. They came from a trailer park where we have been helping the cats since 2005 when we worked with CATco on a grant to spay and neuter the cats there. We’ve kept in contact with the people who trapped kitties for us at the trailer park and they call whenever new un-sterilized cats show up. Angus and Moo Moo were from a litter of kittens produced by a wandering Siamese cat. We got their mom (and dad) fixed and found these two the best home ever!

How can you resist? Vote for the coolest cat on here...ME!

How can you resist? Vote for the coolest cat on here...ME!

To Vote for Angus, go to: Cool Cats Rule.

To see all the entries in the 2010 Spay Day Photo Contest whose votes benefit Black and Orange, visit: Vote for these photos and help B and O!

Remember, each vote costs $1 and you must vote a minimum of five times or $5. But all that money comes back to Black and Orange! So Go VOTE!

Suki says, "Vote for me and help Black and Orange. My favorite group!"

Suki says, "Vote for me and help Black and Orange. My favorite group!"

One of our super volunteers, Kristin Ramsdell, submitted this photo for the Online Spay Day 2010 photo contest. Kristin does so much for Black and Orange from cleaning cages at PetSmart to fostering our kitties and manning our table at adoption events. Kristin is also the person who took it upon herself to save Lydia when she was lost outside for three weeks.

Beyond her rescue endeavors, Kristin is also a wonderful photographer. When I take pictures of the foster cats for Petfinder, they are usually running to try to get away from me or I’ve caught them, unsuspecting, doing something cute. Kristin’s photos of the fosters she and Christina care for are works of art. Take a look at the pictures of Stewie, Maggie, and Lydia on Petfinder and I am sure you’ll see what I mean. The cats are looking at her with soulful expressions or contemplating views from the cat tree. They always look peaceful and profound.

So vote for Suki and help spread the word about our volunteer photographer’s talents!

To Vote for Suki: Suki Must Win

Thank you, Kristin, for another gorgeous photo to help Black and Orange’s kitties!

Gulliver says, "Vote for me and help Black and Orange Cat Foundation!"

Gulliver says, "Vote for me and help Black and Orange Cat Foundation!"

The official Spay Day 2010 Online Photo Contest started today and we already have two entries submitted for people to vote on. Both photos were taken by Ginya Johnson, who used to be our favorite vet tech at Northstar with Dr. West. Ginya is now in Mount Vernon, still rescuing animals (her beagle/pom rescue puppies, Timothy, Chubby, Rosie, and Blacky,  have almost found homes from being listed on our Petfinder site) and working in a vet hospital there. She loves photography and the photos she sends us of her rescues are always gorgeous.

To vote for Gulliver, follow this link: I Love Gulliver

Ginya also entered a photo of her dog Havannah in the contest.

To vote for Havannah, follow this link: I’m Voting for Havannah

Each vote costs $1 and you can vote a minimum of 5 times or $5. Of course, you can vote more than that, too. And every dollar you spend on a vote comes directly to Black and Orange Cat Foundation.

Please vote for Gulliver and Havannah and we’ll keep you posted on any other pictures whose vote money comes to us. And if Ginya’s photos win, she also gets great prizes for being such a sweet person (and a Great Photographer!).

Thank you, Ginya, for gorgeous photos!

No, vote for me, Havannah! I'm prettier!

No, vote for me, Havannah! I'm prettier!

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A friend sent me this link and thought it might be of interest to anyone with house plants or even plants growing in their yard (or in the case of horses, in the pasture). The ASPCA site provides information on plants that are toxic and non-toxic to dogs, cats, and horses. You can look the plants up by their scientific or common name and you can also view which plants are dangerous for the specific type of animal you are concerned about (so you can click and pull up all the plants that are toxic only to cats). The site also shows photos of the plants so you can compare what your pet ate to the picture and make sure it is the same plant. 

In addition, the site provides a 24-hour emergency poison hotline that you can reach in case you cannot contact your own vet and are concerned about the plant your pet ate. That number is 1-888-426-4435.

To view this very important site, go to: http://www.aspca.org/pet-care/poison-control/plants/

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The Animal Rescue Site, along with Petfinder.com, is conducting a new $100,000 Shelter Challenge which lasts from January 18 through April 18. The grand prize is $10,000 and there will be lots of other grants awarded, as well, to the rescue groups or shelters with the most votes.

All you have to do, and most of you are very familiar with this, is click to help rescued animals by going to the Animal Rescue Site: Click to Give here

Once you click on the purple button that says, “Click Here to Give–It’s Free!” you will be taken to a new page. At the top of that page will be a box that says, “Vote Today!” Click on that box and then choose “Black and Orange Cat Foundation” as the group you would like to vote for. You can find us by typing in our name and the city and state, Plain City, Ohio.

Remember, you do have to Vote EVERY DAY! And thank you for voting for Black and Orange Cat Foundation!

Miss Emily poses for foster mom, Judy.

Miss Emily poses for foster mom, Judy.

For the past several months, we’ve been working with a very nice lady, Judy, who lives next to a nature reserve/park-like area where tons of cats get dropped off quite frequently. Judy had taken in four litters of kittens since the summer from pregnant, dumped mother cats that found their way to her yard seeking food. Emily came from one of those litters.

As Judy wrote and told me, “A stray, timid Siamese mother brought her kittens, three sisters, to our deck this fall to wean them with the food we leave there. They were pretty sickly and their eyes were crusted over — I almost stepped on two of them as I was mowing the lawn. And Gracie, the little gray one, was stuck in the mud amidst some chickenwire that was holding a bush together. She didn’t move when we approached, and with her coloring blending with the mud, we almost didn’t see her. She was the smallest and sickliest, so I took her to my local vet for testing and meds right away. These three sisters were on three rounds of antibiotics before they were really well.”

Emily was one of the kittens that Judy almost ran over with the lawnmower. Her siblings Gracie and Camille are still looking for their forever homes, even as Emily is being spoiled rotten by her new mom in Virginia. Yes, that’s right, Emily is now enjoying the good life with her Balinese older brother Kamarre near Richmond, Virginia.

So how did we get Emily to her home in Virginia? It all came about because I wanted to find Emily the best home ever with someone familiar with Siamese. Since I volunteer with Siamese Rescue, I knew about a site called Siamlist (www.siamlist.org), where people and rescue groups can post listings for Siamese kitties. I submitted Emily’s info to the site and within just a couple of days had heard from Siamese lovers in Missouri, Minnesota, Indiana, and Virginia. Now the big question was who was the best applicant and how exactly was I going to get Emily to them?

Lynne, Emily’s new mom, was just wonderful in all the emails we exchanged. And her vet had known Lynne for years and could not say enough good things about her. So a trip to Virginia looked in the works. Lynne was more than willing to meet up with us halfway, and I know if needed, she probably would have driven the whole way, but she was eight hours from Columbus–not a pleasant trip for anyone to try in one day with a kitten in tow.

I asked a few people I knew about transporting and then began investigating the shortest trip and routes. To divide the trip in half, so that each person would only drive four hours one way, I mapquested a location in Beckley, West Virginia, straight off major highways for Lynne and Emily’s transporter. I also had to look at the weather for the coming week to make sure that no one on either end of the trip would run into nasty snow or ice.

Once I began talking to Judy about the trip, she decided that she wanted to take Emily so she could meet Lynne and see her little foster off to a good life.

Here is Judy’s account of what turned out to be a very uneventful (thank goodness the weather followed what the reports said!) trip: Although I have a lot of  experience transporting cats by car for trips that were a couple of hours long, I’ve never taken a cat on a long day trip like this–considering that Emily had about four more hours to go with Lynne, and after we’d already had Emily in our car since 6:30 am. I did a little research online and got a few tips to try to get tuned in to what the issues might be for Emily. Emily had done so well when I drove her to Plain City on the day of the clinic, so I was kind of surprised that as we began the trip she was very restless in her carrier. We stopped and for awhile I had her on my lap (I wasn’t driving), but she was still very restless. So then I thought perhaps she needed to use the litter box. So we stopped again at the next rest area and tried that, but she didn’t use the box. She went back in her carrier on the back seat (with our dog, who goes with us on longer day trips) and she slept for a long time then, crying occasionally. About thirty minutes before meeting up with Lynne, we stopped and tried the litter box and water again. But she wanted none of that.

“When we met up with Lynne, who seemed, like me, very focused on the fact that Emily was going to have an overall very stressful day, we were both geared to getting things done so that Lynne could get back on the road to get Emily home (we got there around 11:40, but Lynne had arrived before us and was re-fueled and ready to get on the road).”

Lynne checked in, too, to let us know that she and Emily had made it home: “The drive home was uneventful. We had lunch at Arby’s in Lewisburg and then I stopped to stretch my legs in Waynesboro. Em ate about 1/2 oz of roast beef, but licked a lot of water from ice cubes I got for her in her water. She licked my fingers, received kitty scratches and petting, took a bath, and passed out for the rest of the trip!”

Lynne continued, “It’s almost like she knew this was going to be her forever home. Kamarre checked out the carrier, hissed, and whined. Now they’re both exploring the living room.”

And that, my friends, is how we do happily ever afters, even when they require road trips. I want to thank Judy and Lynne for both driving over eight hours in one day to give Miss Emily her happy ending.

Emily with new mom, Lynne, in the car in West Virginia.

Emily with new mom, Lynne, in the car in West Virginia.

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Noah’s Ark Veterinary Hospital will be celebrating their official grand opening the week of February 8-14. There will be tons of activities going on where you can meet the staff and tour the state-of-the-art facility. You can enter drawings to win free products and there will be a Lovable Adoptables Event for the Valentine’s weekend, featuring Colony Cats and the Franklin County Dog Shelter on Saturday the 13th from 12-6 pm and Columbus Dog Connection and Black and Orange Cat Foundation from 10 am-4 pm on Sunday the 14th.

Tours will be available every day from 8 am-6 pm. On Tuesday, February 9, beginning at 2 pm, the Dublin K9 unit will be performing demonstrations.

To keep up on all the activities during their grand opening, visit Noah’s Ark web site: http://noahsarkvethosp.com/

Noah’s Ark is open Monday to Friday 8 am-6 pm and Saturday from 8 am-12 pm. However, they offer after hours emergency care 24 hours a day, 7 days per week. If you have an emergency, just call the office, which is staffed after hours, and a vet will meet you to take care of your pet. Their number is 614-761-8400.

The office is located in Muirfield Square at the corner of Muirfield and Memorial Drives, 6001 Memorial Drive, in Dublin. They feature laser surgery, digital radiology, dental services, ultrasound, acupuncture, and super, friendly service from their wonderful staff and veterinarians. 

To read more about them, and to receive 50% off your first office visit, click on the “client letter” below. When you bring it up, click on it again to enlarge it to read. You can then print it out to get the discount for your first visit.

client letter

We will see you on Valentine’s Day from 10-6 and we hope you will find your sweetheart from among our kitties!

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Yesterday, I asked everyone to vote for Big Cat Rescue as one of the charitable organizations that made it into the top 100 charities in the Chase Community Giving Contest. If you voted in the first round, you know that 100 charities were selected and won $25,000 via Facebook voting. Now in the second round, which runs from January 15-22, you have five votes to use for your five favorite organizations. One group will win one million dollars and five groups will each win $100,000 each.

The only pet rescue group in the top 100 is Hope for Paws. To vote for them on Facebook, go to: http://apps.facebook.com/chasecommunitygiving/charities/1227836

Hope for Paws is located in Los Angeles. The group saves animals that would have been euthanized in L. A. shelters or had been harmed or abused on the streets. Audrey and Eldad Hagar created a book called, “Our Lives Have Gone To the Dogs,” featuring photos of all the dogs and other animals they have fostered over the years. Money from the sale of this book goes directly toward helping more animals in need.

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The book is currently on back order on the Hope For Paws web site. You can pre-order the second edition on their site: http://www.hopeforpaws.org/

Or you can also order it on Amazon.com.

Visit their Facebook site, too: Hope For Paws Facebook

Please use one of your five votes for Hope for Paws and help pets in need.

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