Soup and sandwich fundraiser for new cat shelter at Mount Pleasant United Methodist Church

Soup and Sandwich fundraiser for new cat shelter at Mount Pleasant United Methodist Church

"I love cats because I enjoy my home; and little by little, they become its visible soul."  ~ Jean Cocteau

Thanks to everyone who came out in support of the fundraiser  for the new Crisfield cat shelter. Over $600 was raised. Please continue to support this cause by emailing crisfieldcatshelter@hotmail.com. They could use a good lawyer to help them with a non-profit status. Any takers? Large donations come easier when people can  write them off as tax deductions. Stray cats are a problem around the country, but cities with shelters and caring people make a huge difference in helping to get these cute little guys and gals off the streets and into good homes.

Here is one of our once-homeless cats - photo was sent to me via email by the lady who picked him up. He was hungry,  alone and very sick when  he came to us. We named him Skipper.

He turned into this. Amazing what a little love and some good food can do.  Yes, we overfeed our cats.

I am sure Skipper has many relatives around town who would make you just as happy as he has made us. Of course, we have 4 other cats, but Skips is our favorite. Don't tell the others.

Please spay and neuter your cat. It is a myth that barn cats make better hunters. They do not become lazy and fat. House cats do as evidenced by the above two photos, but only if you indulge them. No matter how fat or lazy a cat gets, he is forever a wild animal.  I guarantee you that if a mouse were to  run through our house, this clam fat cat's wild instincts would kick in and the mouse would be a goner.

Here are some spay and neuter facts from the Humane Society of the United States concerning both cats and dogs:

MYTH: It's better to have one litter before spaying a female pet.
FACT: Every litter counts.

Medical evidence indicates just the opposite. In fact, the evidence shows that females spayed before their first heat are typically healthier. Many veterinarians now sterilize dogs and cats as young as eight weeks of age. Check with your veterinarian about the appropriate time for these procedures.

MYTH: I want my children to experience the miracle of birth.
FACT: The miracle of birth is quickly overshadowed by the thousands of animals euthanized in animal shelters in communities all across the country. Teach children that all life is precious by spaying and neutering your pets.

MYTH: But my pet is a purebred.
FACT: So is at least one out of every four pets brought to animal shelters around the country. There are just too many dogs and cats—mixed breed and purebred. About half of all animals entering shelters are euthanized.

MYTH: I want my dog to be protective.
FACT:  It is a dog's natural instinct to protect home and family. A dog's personality is formed more by genetics and environment than by sex hormones.

MYTH: I don't want my male dog or cat to feel like less of a male.
FACT: Pets don't have any concept of sexual identity or ego. Neutering will not change a pet's basic personality. He doesn't suffer any kind of emotional reaction or identity crisis when neutered.

MYTH: My pet will get fat and lazy.
FACT: The truth is that most pets get fat and lazy because their owners feed them too much and don't give them enough exercise.

MYTH: But my dog (or cat) is so special, I want a puppy (or kitten) just like her.
FACT: Your pet's puppies or kittens have an unlikely chance of being a carbon copy of your pet. Even professional breeders cannot make this guarantee. There are shelter pets waiting for homes who are just as cute, smart, sweet, and loving as your own.

MYTH: It's expensive to have my pet spayed or neutered.
FACT: Many low-cost options exist for spay/neuter services. Most regions of the U.S. have at least one spay/neuter clinic within driving distance that charge $100 or less for the procedure, and many veterinary clinics provide discounts through subsidized voucher programs. Low-cost spay/neuter is more and more widely available all the time.

MYTH: I'll find good homes for all the puppies and kittens.
FACT: You may find homes for your pet's puppies and kittens. But you can only control what decisions you make with your own pet, not the decisions other people make with theirs. Your pet’s puppies and kittens, or their puppies or kittens, could end up in an animal shelter, as one of the many homeless pets in every community competing for a home. Will they be one of the lucky ones?

 Teach your children well.