Fall is just around the corner and the squirrels are entertaining us with their busy-ness. It's a good time to dig out the cozy blankets and plug in the heated beds for the kitties. It's also a good time to clean out your linen closet and donate old towels for my Towel Drive for the Feral Cat Spay & Neuter Project. They need clean towels to place in the traps and carriers the kitties go back into directly after their surgery. The FCSNP offers very low or no cost surgeries for all unfixed felines, from house cats to community cats. They now have a van to help even more kitties get to the clinic in Lynnwood, in case their people cannot drive.

I will be gathering towels through the end of October. If I am not scheduled to kitty sit at your house I may be able to swing by and pick up your donations or you can drop them off at my house; please contact me. Thank you!

Cecil, the Famous Lion

Cecil, R.I.P.

By now, everyone has heard the sad story of Cecil the lion. He was murdered by a wealthy trophy hunter from the U.S. in an agonizing 40 hour ordeal  in Zimbabwe. This man now faces possible extradition and prison time, and may not be able to continue his dental practice in his hometown due to the publicity surrounding this horrific killing. Past charges of illegally killing a bear and paying a very minimal penalty evidently didn't instill a sense of integrity, let alone compassion. The only bright spot is that the general public is now keenly aware of just how disgusting "trophy hunting" is and how precious wild animals are. Cecil was a protector of his pride and like all animals, he had a unique role within his family. He mattered as an individual by acting as an ambassador for Zimbabwe wildlife and within the structure of his lion culture. The entire world has reacted and is seeking some small justice for Cecil and greater protection for other animals. Finally, killing exotic and large animals merely to satisfy a violent and egotistical desire is finally being exposed and society is not accepting it as a norm. The $50,000 Cecil's killer paid to access him could have gone a long way in habitat conservation or sanctuary support for animals who cannot be returned to the wild. (Check out Big Cat Rescue if you want to see gorgeous felines who are no longer being exploited and are peacefully living out their lives in sunny Florida.)

Below is a link to a petition to asking that vulnerable species such as lions be excluded from legal hunting:
petition to International Union for Conservation of Nature

Most people would never dream of hunting any animals as recreation, but when on vacation they may encounter situations involving animals that are difficult to judge. Obviously Sea World and any park or zoo that allows interactions with animals and has them "trained" to do tricks should never be patronized. But check out this website from World Animal Protection to learn more about tourism and animals. WAP also has an animal-friendly travel guide you can download. Your dollars speak so spend them wisely to help animals!

Tabby Extravaganza!

Tabbies are the true "moggies." Their coats help them to blend in with just about any environment, making them the ideal feral cat and allowing them greater cover when hunting. 

Tabbies are classic cats and always in style!

Odin (L) and Adian (R) as kittens. They were not socialized to humans and did their best to stay as far away as possible from me; in this case I would have needed a ladder to reach them!

Odin and Adian at 5 YO, relaxing on a chaise lounge in the sunshine.

Darling Jane was trapped as a very small kitten and is now 16 YO (note the tufted ear tips).

This handsome tabby is Rutger. He was trapped at the Seattle Centre about 15 years ago (hence the ear tip). He is the strong/ silent type and favors sardines and fresh catnip on the stem.

Rosemary has a very rich history (see her story in the October posting for National Feral Cat Day). 

She is a adored by everyone who meets her and especially enjoys acupuncture treatments.

Maisy is obsessed with having her "outdoor time" during our visits. 

Here she is enjoying a warm Spring morning.

June is Adopt a Cat Month!

Look at this happy kitty... Every kitty deserves a loving home like Roy enjoys. This month, as animal shelters become inundated by litters of kittens, consider adding (another) feline to your home. Many shelters are offering specials this month, such as MEOW where you choose what to pay, or PAWS which is offering free adoptions for adult cats. Even paying full price at a shelter is an incredible bargain when you add up the costs of altering (spays can run upwards of $500 at some veterinarians), vaccinations, and micro chipping. Sometimes pet insurance is even included for a brief time to encourage the adopter to continue on with the pet policy. If you are stuck on certain breeds of cats keep checking the website or ask to be put on a wait list at a shelter. Keep in mind however that no cat is likely judging YOU on the color of your hair and eyes or how old you are. Love comes in all shapes and sizes right?

Check out some of the local shelters via these links:
PAWS cat adoptions
MEOW cat adoptions
Seattle Animal Shelter Cats

Many kitties choose their own person. What to do if a stray kitty shows up at your home or work place? If the kitty does not have a collar, take him or her to any vet clinic and ask to have the kitty scanned for a microchip. This is free and you generally don't need an appointment since it only takes a few minutes with a technician. If no chip, take the kitty home and make him or comfortable but ask around your neighborhood and look for posters of lost cats. Many neighborhoods have emails lists or FB pages that work well for information exchange of lost and found animals. If no one appears to be searching for the kitty then warm to the idea to you may well be adopted by this kitty. A detailed veterinary exam is probably the next step. Fortunately there are lots of low cost spay/neuter options around if you rather use the extra cash to buy a luxurious kitty condo, plush beds and loads of premium food to spoil the poor kitty who was wandering around for who knows how long looking for someone like you.

Adopt a cat or let a cat adopt you, either way this is one long term relationship that will always be sweet and puurfect.

A Typical Weekend

Did you do anything fun over the long weekend? I am definitely not a camper or an avid traveler (I am a terrible traveler actually). So this past holiday weekend I was more than happy to hang out with lots of different kitties in their homes. We had sunshine, catnip, all was good! Check out some of the darling faces of my KittyStar clients.

Bobo is a classic "tuxedo" kitty. He is naturally very photogenic,
plus he is easily captivated by Da Bird toy!

Seamus is a big, handsome boy but he likes to get a little too close to the camera. He
 shares his home with Coconut (below).

Coconut is a super sweet torbi - she just looks like grumpy cat in this picture.

Sushi is ultra shiny and sleek. He loves his catnip! 

Purrsey and Cassie are longtime KittyStar clients. They are two of the nicest, 

most well-behaved kitties I have met (good genetics all around).

Sami is a stunning, blue-eyed Siamese who lives the charmed life a glamor queen. Hard to believe that at one time she was a stray or abandoned momcat having her kittens underneath 

a house.

More Big Cat news

ban big game hunting trophies on Delta airlines

Good news is the fight to stop the killing of endangered and threatened species - An animal advocate and Delta frequent flier has started a petition asking the airline to ban all big game hunting "trophies" (dead animal carcasses and parts!) on their flights from Africa. South Africa Airways has already implemented a similar ban. Reducing the chances of smuggled illegal cargo, such as ivory from murdered elephants, is also a plus to such a ban.

Wildlife viewing safaris are more lucrative and obviously far more sustainable than allowing wealthy hunters to pay for the privilege of killing animals simply for the sake of their inflated ego. As more people become aware of the plight of wildlife due to trophy hunting, poaching, and destruction/reduction of their habitat, tourists will hopefully choose to shoot photographs and not weapons. If you like the look of wildlife in your living room, check out all the fabulous faux animal heads crafted to be completely cruelty-free (and much less expensive than a run to Africa).

Big Cats in Peril

FSC-certified products

It's a sad fact that only about 3,000 tigers remain living in the wild. Learn how your everyday choices such as buying paper products for your office and the bigger ticket purchases you make, such as remodeling your kitchen, can impact tigers. Make the effort to seek out FSC-certified goods and if the stores you patronize don't carry such items (or simply don't know), communicate that it's an important factor in your buying decisions.