It's Never Too Late for Kittens

Yep, we've got more tiny kittens! These little guys are now about 6 weeks old and will be ready for adoption soon.

There mama was a stray at a feeding station who was rescued by a kind couple who realized she was pregnant and didn't want to leave her out in the cold. They took her in but couldn't foster her so asked for assistance to find her a nice quiet foster home where she could tend to her babies safely.

We were fortunate to have someone step up and offer to foster this sweet little family, and they are all doing fantastic: Mama Mirra, Pan, Bear, Billie and Syd. They are friendly, playful and cuddly and will make fantastic pets!

Please contact us at pfasask@gmail.com for more info.

-Alanna

Like Mama, Like Kitten...

This cute little look-a-like tabby family is enjoying a meal together after going hungry as strays in a rural area for some time.

The mama cat, Jilly, is a shy but sweet girl who has had several litters near the home of the family that  rescued her and her kittens when it got cold.  They are worried that Jilly is pregnant again, so they contacted PFA for help to get her spayed and find her a home.

Jilly's beautiful kittens are spoken for, but this sweet and devoted mama cat needs a home of her own. She is quite calm and affectionate, and is no doubt happy to no longer be struggling to raise kittens outdoors.

For more information on Jilly, please contact us at pfasask@gmail.com.

-Alanna

Foster Homes Needed!

Both Pearl (top photo, white cat) and Stanley (next photo, black and white cat) were rescued by PFA volunteers during the first cold snap of this year when both were found crying in distress at two separate PFA inner city feeding stations. With temperatures as low as -25, our volunteers knew that all 9 of their feline lives could be on the line, so they brought both refugees from the street in, even with our current foster homes at capacity. When the cold is so severe, our volunteers have a really hard time leaving tame cats behind on the street, especially ones clearly in distress.
Since PFA is completely full, both of these lovely cats are currently being boarded at the vet clinic. However, this is far from an ideal situation, as not only does it use up some of PFA's precious financial resources that could go towards spaying and neutering, but it doesn't allow Pearl and Stanley to relax and enjoy the comforts of a home setting. We could really use some new foster homes for cases such as this!

Not only do we need more regular foster homes, but we could use some short-term and emergency foster homes throughout the upcoming holiday season when some regular foster homes are away, and the vet clinic is full with holiday boarders.

Can you help? Please contact pfasask@gmail.com if you can. Or, even if you can't take a foster cat in yourself, please share this blog post on your social networking sites to spread the word about fostering for PFA.

-Sarah

More Cats for the Metro Adoption Promo

Hooray!  We have more fabulous kittens lined up to vie for their forever homes at Metro Pet Market this Saturday.

Little Penelope will be there, as well as our beautiful and sweet polydactyl boys, Mittens and Gloves.

We will also be selling our famous catnip toys, and we have some beautiful Christmas themed ones available.

Please visit us this Saturday, November 26th, from 12-4 at Metro Pet Market!

Update - Blackie

Here are some new pics of our handsome Blackie, a long-time stray who was recently rescued from the cold.

Like so many of the cats we rescue, Blackie turned out to be a very sweet and affectionate cat who has shown no interest in returning to the great outdoors. He would much rather cuddle in a lap or enjoy being petted - and of course, he appreciates a good meal.

Blackie is a fantastic cat who would make a wonderful pet for any cat lover. He has good looks and quiet charm, and is very well behaved.

Blackie is currently at PetCetera awaiting his forever home. He would love for you to visit and show him some love!

Success Story - Bear (Now Roman)

Last summer we rescued a litter of seven kittens and their mama, Jasmine, who were living at the Sedley Seed Plant.

A plant is no place for tiny kittens, so as soon as they could, the staff brought them to a PFA foster home.

It took a while, but all seven babies found great homes. 

Here is a pic of our little Bear, the last one to be adopted, hanging out in his adoptive home looking content!

-Alanna

An Amazing Mama Cat

Mama cats rock - they feed their babies, turn into ferocious warriors to protect them, and display amazing ingenuity in hiding and sheltering their little charges.

Here is a cute video of a sweet and precocious mama cat loving up her baby! Keep in mind that litters of up to 7 kittens are not uncommon so mama cats can be very busy. 

This is a real tribute to the little survivors that are feline! Click here to see some serious mama love in action!  

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vw4KVoEVcr0

-Alanna

A New Way to Help!

PFA often gets calls from people who want to help and who offer to do almost anything but take a cat off our hands!  We are fortunate to have support from many animal lovers who aren't able to take on more cats but who want to help nevertheless. 

So, we have a new way for people to help! You can now sponsor an adoptable cat on our website. 

 

This is a pilot project currently focused on kittens that need to be spayed or neutered. We hope to expand it to all cats soon! Please visit the kitten section of the cat-a-logue to sponsor the spay/neuter of a deserving kitten.  Donations can be received securely and confidentially through our website, or by contacting us a pfasask@gmail.com. 

Sponsors get a symbolic adoption certificate and regular progress updates as their sponsored cat/kitten makes its way to a furr-ever home. 

We thank you in advance for your support! 

-Alanna

A Tale of Two Torties

These two beautiful tortoiseshell kitties both landed on our doorstep recently after being found in rural areas, pregnant, hungry and with no shelter.

Miss Kitty (top 2 - frostbitten ear) was likely abandoned on a farm near Regina when the owners left, leaving her to fend for herself with no heated shelter.

Sookie turned up on an acreage a few weeks ago looking for food and refuge from the cold. Luckily, the kind couple who owned the property constructed a makeshift shelter for her to keep her safe from the elements and contacted us for help.

We are currently very overloaded with rescues and don't have foster homes available, but we know that kittens would not survive out in the cold so we had to help.

Both girls are super sweet and friendly, love attention and have loads of personality. They also love being safe and warm, and are happy for any bit of affection they get.

They are currently at the vet clinic and will be spayed and vaccinated right away. We would love to find foster home for both of them (we are currently full).

Please contact us at pfasask@gmail.com if you can be a port in a storm for one of these lovely cats!

-Alanna

Adoption Promotion - Metro Pet Market

PFA is hosting our final adoptihttp://www.people4animals.ca/index.php?docID=771on promotion of 2011 at Metro Pet Market on Saturday, November 26th from 12-4 p.m.

Metro Pet Market is located at 1637 Victoria Avenue. THey will be giving away a $25 gift card and free food sample with every adoption.

We would love to find some of our many cats and kittens homes before the busy x-mas season hits and adoptions typically slow down.

Please visit us there - you may just find a furry face that you can't resist!

Featured cats include:

• Zeus
• Echo
• Bianco
• Starsky and Hutch
• Ishtar
• Tigger
• Blitz
• Storm and Dario
• Rider

More will be added soon, so please check back.

-Alanna

Update on Suki

Last spring, I wrote about the sad tale of Suki, a beautiful black female cat first rescued by PFA as a tiny kitten in the spring of 2009.

She was quickly adopted, but sadly landed out at the RHS after being neglected and unwanted for some time.

However, she bounced back quickly once she was in the safety and security of a loving foster home, and is doing great! She is happy and healthy, and looking for a home of her own - a true forever home this time.

For info on adopting our sweet Suki, please contact pfasask@gmail.com

-Alanna

Special Opportunity for Rescued Kittens

We normally only send sterilized adult cats to satellite adoption centres, based on our own preferences and store practice.

However, with all the great kittens we have currently looking for homes and foster care space limited, we decided to ask PetSmart for an opportunity to showcase some of our wonderful rescued kittens.

They agreed, and first up will be our fun and beautiful little black kittens Purrito, Dillie, Miss Chevious and Pita.

They will be at the PetSmart satellite adoption centre from November 16th - 20th. Please drop by to say hello - you never know, you might find your new feline forever friend!

Normal adoption screening processes will be followed.

To view our adoption contract, visit our website at www.people4animals.ca.

-Alanna

One Way to Stay Warm

This little foster kitten, Gloves, found a good way to stay warm on a chilly late fall day - he hopped into the dryer when his foster dad opened the door!

Very cozy, no doubt!

This photo is super cute, but please remember that kittens get into everything, so if you have one be sure to keep an eye out to keep him or her out of trouble.

-Alanna

New Kitten Rescues

PFA has some more fantastic young kittens ready for forever homes.

Zeus and Zola (orange and white) were rescued on the Thanksgiving long week-end after being found abandoned by their mama at farm.  They are now 7 weeks old and Zola has already been adopted! But her brother Zeus still needs a home and will be listed shortly. He is the kitten on the right.

Mittens and Gloves are 4 month old male kittens who are polydactyl (6-toed) and tons of fun. They have been in foster care 2 days and have already made friends with the black lab in the home!

Echo is an adorable little doll of a cat who was found all by her lonesome out in the Creeks, just crying to be rescued. She is a very calm and well-behaved kitten.

These are just a few of our most recent rescues that are looking for homes. Please contact us at pfasask@gmail.com for more info.

-Alanna

Still More Cats in Need

It's getting cold, and there is snow in the forecast. Even though we are always pleading for foster homes and showcasing needy cats,  it is no joke. The need is very real and more urgent all the time as the temperatures plummet.

These are just a few of the tame and friendly cats on the wait-list for foster care - we've provided outdoor shelters in the meantime. Right now, we have a number of people caring for outdoor cats and providing food and shelter for strays. Many of these cats belonged to someone once, and have been abandoned or somehow they have ended up stray and un-claimed.

We are in urgent need of foster and adoptive homes for ADULT cats (6 months and over).  Please contact us at pfasask@gmail.com if you can help.

BLACKIE - (black) a handsome black male living on the deck of a kind lady who has worked with Blackie for a year to ensure he is socialized and ready for a forever family.  Balckie comes neutered, vaccinated and treated for ear mites, and is a delightful boy who is a bit shy, and relies on a bit of time to adjust. He could be an indoor/outdoor cat.

JULIE D - gorgeous rag doll cross who somehow ended up abandoned in the city's north end. She has a temporary food and shelter source, but could use a stable and long term placement (she is very sweet and friendly).  She is very lucky to have a kind food and shelter source. We'd love to get her a home soon.

Contact us at pfasask@gmail.com if you can help. Thank you to everyone who contacted us to offer help with fostering kittens!  The kittens recently profiled as being in need of help have all been placed but we desperately need people willing to take older kittens and adult cats.

-Alanna

Adult Cats Need Love Too!

Kittens tend to be popular and it is much easier to find both foster and adoptive homes for them. After all, who can resist adorable and playful little balls of fur?


But, they can be a lot of work and get into lots of mischief!  They are highly entertaining, but if you are into a laid back cat that is more interested in snoozing in your lap than up-ending your plants or climbing your curtains, consider an adult cat. 


The Regina Humane Society offer the Top Ten Reasons to Adopt an Adult Cat:
1. What you see is what you get. When you adopt an adult cat, you know what you are getting. Sure, kittens are cute, but you never know what the future holds. An adorable kitten could grow up to be a really ugly puss. This is a big risk. Go for the sure thing. Take a sweet-faced older Tabby.

2. High mileage cats still run great. Used cats aren’t like used cars. They aren’t at a shelter because they are defective or worn out. They may have simply outlived their former owners or been unable to join them at a hospital, nursing home, or new apartment. Some cats get lost and end up at a shelter. And many are brought to a shelter after a family member develops allergies, or an aversion to the family cat. 

3. Adult cats aren’t as “chewsy”. Kittens are like human children: everything goes in their mouths. Whether teething or just exploring bits of the world around them, kittens can be very destructive little bundles of fur. Kittens chew on shoes, the corners of books, ear lobes, carpet tassels, electrical cords, drapery strings, plants, and much, much more. Adult cats typically chew less, if at all. They tend to save their energy for more important activities, like tormenting the neighbour’s Terrier.

4. Kittens stumble in blindly, where adult cats fear to tread. Two well-known clichés about cats are: “curiosity killed the cat” and “cats have nine lives.” And curiosity usually leads to the loss of about eight of a kitten’s lives in its first year. Kittens tend to get into much more trouble resulting in accidents and injuries (see, for example, the reference to “chewing electrical cords” above). Kittens eat things they shouldn’t, fall from high places, unsuccessfully attempt to make friends with the neighbor’s tormented Terrier, and generally worry you half to death.

5. Kittens are lacking when it comes to licking. Few kittens have mastered the fine art of self-grooming. While adult cats may spend up to half their waking hours licking fur, kittens are just too busy enjoying life to clean themselves properly. When you consider that kittens are really just dust-mops with legs, and that they generally display marginal litter box etiquette, you might want to master the somewhat dangerous art of cat-bathing.

6. Einstein knew the truth about cats. The genius scientist Albert Einstein discovered an important relationship between mass and energy. He described it using the mathematical equation E=(MC) 2. This equation means that your Energy level (E) is proportional to the Mass (M) of your Cat ©, twice over. The equation basically shows that if you adopt a cat with more Mass, like an adult cat, your Energy level will be much higher than if you adopt a cat with a low Mass, such as a kitten. This is true because adult cats sleep more, play less, require less supervision, break fewer lamps, and don’t try to bite your toes through the blankets in the middle of the night. With an adult cat, you will sleep better, relax more, make fewer claims on your homeowner’s policy, and enjoy more Energy. There you have it. Are you going to argue with Albert Einstein?

7. Kittens and children sometimes don’t mix. Children can be rough on both cats and kittens, even when they mean no real harm. It can’t be helped. It’s just how kids are. When you tell a child that “cats always land on their feet,” the first thing the child will do is drop one from your rooftop to see if it’s true. Adult cats are better equipped to deal with pesky kids. They can generally escape from them, hide, and then contemplate revenge by moonlight.

8. You don’t need to teach an old cat new tricks. Actually, you don’t need to teach a kitten tricks either, because the truth is that neither cats nor kittens allow you to teach them anything anyway. But new parents usually feel the need to try. Inevitably, they end up feeling guilt or failure when the kitten disregards them, jumps on the counters, unrolls the toilet paper, and engages in other acts of feline mayhem. If you adopt an older cat, you avoid all this emotional turmoil. Since you didn’t raise the cat, you don’t have to take responsibility for the cat’s shortcomings. Instead, you can blame the former owner and play the role of victim and saint for tolerating it all.

9. Adult cats don’t “litter” as much. Kittens play, sunbathe, build sandcastles, and even sleep in their litter boxes. And then there’s a game called “poo-hockey,” where a piece of dried waste is removed from the box and batted around the floor until it disappears under a major appliance or piece of furniture. People who adopt older cats happily miss this stage of feline development. Adult cats understand the purpose of a litter box and will usually cooperate with your efforts to keep theirs tidy. But the most important reason to adopt an older cat is:

10. It might be their last chance. Many adult cats end up in shelters due to no fault of their own. Separated from their loved ones, surrounded by other strange cats, confined, confused, and sometimes frightened, many are emotionally devastated by their misfortune. Sadly for adult cats, most people who adopt gravitate toward the adorable, bouncy, big-eyed kittens. Older cats sit by and watch, as one loving family after another passes them over for a cute kitten from this season’s litter.

Kittens will always be popular, and most have no trouble attracting admirers. But for the abandoned, forgotten, and heartbroken adult cats, you just might be their last chance to have the love and warmth of a home where they can live out their years in comfort. Please consider adopting an older cat. When cared for properly, cats can live well into their late teens, and sometimes into their early twenties. Typically, they will remain active and playful throughout most of their lives. Some may need a little extra patience while adjusting to a new home, but once they feel safe and secure again, most will give you years of faithful companionship and unconditional love.




(ok - i have to admit, my 4 year old cat still attacks my feet under the blanket!)


-Alanna

Foster Homes Urgently Needed

As the temperature drops, the calls for help with stray and homeless cats increase as people don't want to see cats and kittens left out in the cold.

PFA has received numerous requests for help with strays over the last few weeks, and unfortunately we are maxed out to the point where we can not take in new rescues.

Currently, we have a number of cats / kittens waiting for foster care:

• a siamese cross female found stray in the General Hospital area
• one 8 week old black kitten and one 12 week old tabby kitten found stray in the north end
• a litter of manx kittens in an unheated barn outside the city (about 5-6 weeks old now) 
• a grey tabby adult female that has been homeless for several months
• a white female who is stray in the north end, and has not been claimed
• an adult calico with frozen ears currently scavenging at a golf course

These are just some of the cats on our radar screen that need help.

If you can foster a cat, even short-term, please let us know at pfasask@gmail.com . PFA covers all vet care and can assist with food and litter donations.  All you need is a spare room and compassion for homeless animals.

If you are looking for a feline friend or know someone who is interested in adopting, please send them our way! Adoptions not only help deserving cats get good homes, but they free up foster care spots for other rescues.  View our adoptable cats and kittens at http://www.people4animals.ca/

If fostering or adopting are not options for you, please consider other ways to help including donating to help provide vet care, or volunteering to help feed street cats, raise funds or help adoptable cats find homes.  There are many ways to help!



-Alanna