You can order "Feline Philosophy" which says, "Cats are absolute Individuals. They believe they are Royalty" for $31.

We are doing a new fundraiser with Carruth Studio just in time for Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, and Graduations (yes, all those things will be coming up in the next few months, as well as weddings and anniversary parties). We love Carruth Studio and the designs, which often feature angels and animals. George Carruth, the artist, has been creating his unique sculptures right here in Ohio since 1983. He has made commissioned designs for the White House, The National Cathedral in Washington D.C. and many, many other schools, gardens, and libraries. 

The items are all made in the USA and come fully gift boxed. For all items sold, we receive 40% cash back and they ship the merchandise to us FREE! The prices start at just $18 and the most expensive item in the catalog is only $46 (come on, you can put down $46 for your mom or dad).

To view the online fundraiser catalog, please go to: Carruth Catalog

There are lots of lovely plaques and garden sculptures that would make nice gifts for family, friends, and animal lovers. If you see something you would like to order, email us with the items (bandocats@columbus.rr.com). We’ll then have you send a check to Black and Orange Cat Foundation, P. O. Box 126, Plain City, Ohio 43064 for the total amount (by writing the check to us, it will also be tax deductible). The sale will end on April 15 (TAX DAY–you can’t forget that!), so we can get the orders in time for Mother’s Day for anyone who orders an item for their mom. 

Please pass the word about this to everyone you know and have them take a look at the online catalog. We also have paper copies of the catalog that we will have available at our next PetSmart event on March 27 or with several of our volunteers. 

Fluffy says, "You can order me for only $22!"

Tons of Desserts at the Spaghetti Dinner!

We know that poor Stewie, our food bandit and pasta thief extraordinaire, was at home crying his little heart out because he could not come to the Spaghetti Dinner. All those meatballs! All those strands and strands of scrumptious spaghetti! Stewie would not have known which way to run with his gourmet treasures!

Even without Stewie, however, we had a good time. We had a nice turn out and a lot of fun with the folks from the Humane Society of Madison County who worked with us on this event to celebrate Spay Day USA, which falls on February 23. This was our very first Spay Day event and first ever “Spay-ghetti” dinner. Saint Joseph’s Parish Activity Center turned out to be a wonderful venue for hosting this food extravanganza.

We not only had dinner, but also a bake sale, and the desserts were out of this world. Our favorite was a cupcake that was made to look like it had a meatball and spaghetti perched on top. These scrumptious goodies were created using a hazel nut truffle, strawberry jam, and thin tubing of buttercream icing.

The Jonathan Alder Show Choir performed from 6-6:30, leaving the crowd wishing they could get up and dance, but sadly their bellies were just too full to allow their butts to boogie.

We want to thank everyone who came out for the dinner, but we especially want to thank Kristin and Christina. They were very brave leaving with spaghetti on their breath, because, at home, the food bandit was waiting. We can only wonder what Stewie did when he smelled pasta on them!

Spaghetti and Meatball cupcakes!

To celebrate Spay Day 2010, the Rascal Unit and Rascal Charities will sterilize 50-60 puppies on February 23, 2010. They will be scheduling puppies between the ages of 3 and 6 months in advance. No walk-ins the day of the surgery. With this event, the Rascal folks hope to educate pet owners about the benefits of early sterilization, wellness care, and training.

For $25 (WOW!!), puppies will be sterilized, receive deworming and heartworm prevention (Interceptor puppy pack), a DHLPP and Rabies vaccine (if due), 24 Pet Watch Microchip (with registration), flea treatment if fleas are found, and information on training. 

Pet owners must show proof of financial need. You can find out more about scheduling and what you need to do to prove you qualify at: Rascal Unit Spay Day

This event is being sponsored by the Franklin County Dog Shelter, Pets Without Parents, and the Powell Animal Welfare Society (PAWS). 

If you know anyone who needs help getting their puppy fixed, please tell them about this event!

Michael before the surgery that saved his life.

We reported on Michael previously as one of our “death row” kitties who got a reprieve. Michael came to Riverside back in November because he was acting funny. Turned out he was blocked with crystals in his urine that made it impossible for him to urinate. The family planned to euthanize him because they could not afford the vet expenses.

Well, Black and Orange stepped in and offered to help Michael  get well.

At about the same time all of that was going on with Michael, Best Friends Animal Society was carrying out a campaign to “Double Your Impact.” For every dollar that supporters gave to Black and Orange during the challenge, Best Friends would match the funds. They planned to match up to $25,000 for all the rescue groups and shelters taking part in the campaign. However, they quickly reached that goal and pushed it out to $50,000!

Because of this campaign, Black and Orange had $540 contributed by our supporters and this was matched by Best Friends, giving us a total of $1,080. This money came in at a time when we really could use it as we had to perform a life saving surgery for Michael. Because he continued to be blocked, he had to have his penis removed and our Best Friends funds were used to help him.

Michael is now doing well in a foster home where he is loved and is healthy.

We had an email last week asking how we had used our matching funds from Best Friends and the story of Michael made it into the story.

To read the article, which is in the Best Friends newsletter and is also featured on their web site, go to: “The Impact Made.”

We want to thank all of our supporters who made this possible. We’d also like to thank Best Friends for allowing us to be a Best Friends Network Charity and matching our donations.

Michael thanks everyone, too.

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!

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

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!

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!

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!"

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!"

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!