Blind Cats CAN See a Future!

My Meowmy asked me to write a diary entry today for a very special cause!

I have two brofurs who are blind and one sisfur who is visually impaired. My angel sisfur, Scarlett, was blind while she was on Earth.

Did you know that even 'no-kill' shelters sometimes euthanize blind cats because they are considered 'unadoptable'?
Did you realize that a blind, black blind cat - like our Bones and Charcoal - stands virtually no hope of adoption?
That cats can become blind due to birth defects, trauma, untreated disease, and yes, even human cruelty?

BUT...
Did you also know that blind cats love to climb??
That we love to play with cat toys??
That we run and jump and enjoy life JUST LIKE OTHER CATS?

AND...
Did you know that there's a very special place for blind cats? A place where they are treated with love, respect, and care? It's TRUE!

This heaven-on-earth for blind cats is Blind Cat Rescue & Sanctuary of North Carolina, featured in the June, 2010 issue of Cat Fancy. www.blindcatrescue.com
BCR is the dream and life's work of a very special woman, and the Sanctuary depends on the sponsorships of the cats and donations from caring people around the world.

But YOU can help BCR today and everyday in the Shelter Challenge at The Animal Rescue Site! It's FREE and EASY and it can truly make a difference.
http://www.theanimalrescuesite.com/clickToGive/home.faces? siteId=3

Our Stevie, Bones, Scarlett, and Charcoal are some of the lucky ones. They found a loving, caring home, thanks to messages sent to my Meowmy from BCR! Other kitties need the resources only a Rescue can provide.

Won't you help by voting today and every day during the contest for Blind Cat Rescue of NC? (Don't forget to confirm your vote by identifying the animal photo shown after you vote!)

All the blind kitties will purr in gratitude!!

http://www.theanimalrescuesite.com/clickToGiv e/home.faces?siteId=3

A Step Forward for Eve!!

So many of you have supported Meowmy, Mama Terry and their friends' quest to find Justice for Eve, the sweet kitten who died shortly after being adopted from Okefenokee Humane Society in Waycross, GA. You can read all about Eve on her Catster page:
http://www.catster.com/cats/1086369

I asked Meowmy to update you on a positive development!! A man from the GA Department of Agriculture answered Meowmy's (third) email to that office! He asked for Eve's medical records, saying they were necessary for an inquiry to proceed. Of course, Meowmy sent them right away. So it looks like someone has noticed us!! PURRRRRR!!!

This may take time. (Has the government ever moved quickly??) We promise to keep you updated when we have news.

For all who care about Eve, please take a moment and sign her petition, if you haven't already. It's never to late to take a stand for all the animals still at Okefenokee HS. Thank you for caring so much!!!!

Eve's Petition:
http://www.thepetitionsite.com/166/justice-for-eve

Wishing Upon a Star for Eve & FLOCK Justice

It snowed today but Meowmy says there are a few stars peeking through the clouds. She says if I make a wish, it might come true. I'm going to make TWO wishes! And YOU can help them come true!!!

Wish #1:
Many of you have read the heartbreaking story of my sisfur Eve. I never got to meet Eve, due to the neglect she suffered at Okefenokee Humane Society in Waycross, GA (Ware Co.) Meowmy and Eve's to-be adoptive Mommy Terry, along with their friends, are asking everyone to write snail mails or emails to the folks on the list below. Be polite but ask for an investigation into the conditions at OHS. So far, we have had only one noncommittal reply. You can read my back diary entries for that actual letter. If enough of us write and express our concern for the animals still there, surely someone will listen to us. Please help us bring Justice for Eve!!
http://www.catster.com/cats/1086369 (Eve's Page)

http://blogs.catster.com/the-cats-meow-a-cat-a nd-kitten-blog/humane-society-it%e2%80%99s-not-always-a-paws ative-place-part-1/2010/02/16/(Part One of the Catster blog about Eve)

Eve's Petition: You can sign now!
http://www.thepetitionsite.com/166/justice-for-eve

People to Write for Justice for Eve: (Email is fine, but sometimes 'snail mail' gets more attention and is harder to ignore. We only have emails for some people.)

Jim Brown. jamesbrown45@bellsouth.net County Commissioner
Chairman
Carlos Nelson carlosnelson@wayxcable.com County Commissioner
Victor Aldridge aldridgefarms@wayxcable.com County Commissioner
Kathy Davis ( not animal friendly) kdavis@wayxcable.com County Commissioner
Gene Dixon phone (912) 285-1319 County Commissioner

The mailing address for those listed above is:
Ware County Board of Commissioners
P.O. Box 1069
Waycross, GA 31502-1069

*************************

Gail Boyd gbarronboyd@warecounty.com County Manager
***************************

No Address for the OHS Board Members but here are the emails:

Deen Strickland cdsatty@accessatc.net O.H.S Board President
Dr. Jim Morton jcmjr@wayxcable.com O.H.S. Vice President
Sirena Cady sirenacady@gmail.com, OHS Treasurer
Susan Winge winges_08@hotmail.com OHS Board Secretary.
Dr. Wes Blount satillanimalhosp@bellsouth.net
OHS Board Member Veterinarian ( Was doing weekly visits)
Darla Moumberg silhouettes@accessatc.net OHS board Member
Millie Hopkins Millie@wayxcable.com Board Member past president
Heidi Flowers. heidif@uga.edu OHS Board Member

****************************
You can also snail mail Dr. Blount at this address.
Dr. KT Blount
Satilla Animal Hospital, Inc.
511 City Blvd.
Waycross, Ga. 31501
Dr. Blount is a vet serving on the OHS Board. He is the only person to respond to Meowmy's emails. His very short, very unhelpful response is in my previous diary entry.
*********************************

Tommy Irvin
GA State Commissioner of Agriculture
Georgia Department of Agriculture
19 Martin Luther King, Jr. Dr., S.W.
Atlanta, Georgia 30334

Email: tommy.irvin@agr.georgia.gov

The man in charge of all shelters receiving public funds in GA.
*******************************

Mary Green
Division of Animal Protection
Georgia Department of Agriculture
19 Martin Luther King, Jr. Dr., S.W.
Atlanta, Georgia 30334
Email: AnimalProtection-Administration@agr.state.ga.us

It is her responsibility to oversee all shelters in GA that receive public funds. Her office would be the one to conduct such an investigation of OHS.

Even these state officials, whom Meowmy supports with her taxes, will not respond to her emails or letters. Please join those who BeliEVE in Justice for Eve - and all animals who are abused or neglected!


********************************************
********************************************
Wish #2:

Starlight, star bright, first star I see tonight...I wish I may...I wish I might...find justice for my friend Muppet and the FLOCK cats.
http://www.catster.com/cats/624959 - Muppet's page

Muppet is my furriend, and she's a survivor! She was at a huge cat 'rescue' called FLOCK. These cats were left to starve and several hundred did not make it. Muppet was critical but she was so strong and fought so hard to live! And she did! Best Friends Rescue took over and thanks to hard workers like Muppet's wonderful furever mommy and others, the surviving cats had a chance for happy, healthy lives.

Unfortunately, the case against the bad people who ran FLOCK was DISMISSED!!!! I'm going to quote now from Muppet's diary:

"...And on this note, and the main reason for my diary entry, we are asking all of our Catster friends to please write a letter to our District Attorney, Bob Beckett, letting him know how outraged every animal lover is that his office failed to properly see that there was justice for Flock. Although he has filed an appeal, we want Bob Beckett to know just how many eyes are upon him and how he better not let his office mess it up this time! Meomy was told that this case was ‘purposely hidden so the outcome would be a dismissal.’ And in today’s paper it states, “Beckett’s notice of appeal was filed yesterday. Gibson (General Council for FLOCK) said that surprised him because he and Beckett had struck a deal that the case would go no further.” Struck a deal? Humph!!

If everyone who cares about this case could please write a 'snail mail' letter to Bob Beckett, it could really help this case a lot. We need a flood of mail to come in. And thank you to everyone who already have sent letters! *grateful hugs*"

Mr. Robert Beckett
District Attorney, Nye County
1520 E Basin Ave
Pahrump, NV 89060

I'm just one cat, but I speak for so many when I beg you to write to DA Beckett and to those with authority over Okefenokee Humane Society. Sadly, neglect and abuse of helpless animals happens every day. Usually there isn't much we can do. Here is the chance for caring, truly HUMANE people like my Meowmy and Muppet's Mommy to join your voices together and take action! Write DA Beckett, please. Write or email those in Ware County who can help the poor animals still at OHS.

You CAN make a real difference! They may ignore a few of us, but they cannot ignore us ALL.

Bless you for caring! Thank you so very much, HQ, for giving us the opportunity to inform Catsters and Dogsters about these heartbreaking cases. We love Catster!!!

Important!!! Contacts for EVE!

We finally got the emails of the board members of the Okefenokee Humane Society!! These are the people who have control over the animals, like Eve, waiting there for forever homes. I'm also posting the county commissioners emails as they control funding for OHS.

Please!! Take a moment and email them, asking for an investigation of the circumstances surrounding Eve's malnutrition, spaying and death. Be polite but firm. Let them know we are also writing the state agriculture department. Eve's death should matter, and we are the ones who can see that it has meaning and importance. Bless you!!!!

Jim Brown. jamesbrown45@bellsouth.net County Commissioner Chairman

Gail Boyd gbarronboyd@warecounty.com County Manager

Carlos Nelson carlosnelson@wayxcable.com County Commissioner

Victor Aldridge aldridgefarms@wayxcable.com County Commissioner

Kathy Davis ( not animal friendly) kdavis@wayxcable.com County Commissioner

Gene Dixon phone (912) 285-1319 County Commissioner

Deen Strickland cdsatty@accessatc.net O.H.S Board President

Dr. Jim Morton jcmjr@wayxcable.com O.H.S. Vice President

Sirena Cady sirenacady@gmail.com, OHS Treasurer

Susan Winge winges_08@hotmail.com OHS Board Secretary.

Dr Tinker & Wes Blounts satillanimalhosp@bellsouth.net OHS Board Member Veterinarian ( Was doing weekly visits)

Darla Moumberg silhouettes@accessatc.net OHS board Member

Millie Hopkins Millie@wayxcable.com Board Member past president

Heidi Flowers. heidif@uga.edu OHS Board Member

Justice for Eve - We Need YOU!!!

The campaign for Justice for Eve, and all the animals still at the Okefenokee Humane Society, is still gaining steam! Since we've receive only one response from all the people we've contacted through email, we've decided to switch tactics. Let's flood the offices with snail mail! (If you haven't yet met Angel Eve, please visit her Catster page:
http://www.catster.com/cats/1086369

You can sign her petition here:
http://www.thepetitionsite.com/166/justice-for-eve



Here are the two recent Catster blogs about Eve and the Okefenokee Humane Society.

Catster Cats Meow Part#1
http://blogs.catster.com/the-cats-meow-a-cat-and-kit ten-blog/humane-society-it%E2%80%99s-not-always-a-pawsative- place-part-1/2010/02/16/

Catster Cats Meow Part#2
http://blogs.catster.com/the-cats-meow-a-cat-and-kit ten-blog/humane-society-it%E2%80%99s-not-always-a-pawsative- place-part-2/2010/02/17/

Now here's how you can help! Here are the names and addresses where you can make a difference by mailing a letter. Briefly explain Eve's brief life and death. Provide links to the blogs and petition site. Ask for an investigation into conditions at OHS and how Eve became so very malnourished. Ask how she was released for adoption by the director of OHS unable to stand or walk.

1. This page lists all the names of the Ware Co. commissioners. They oversee the Board of Directors for Okefenokee Humane Society. Since we have been unable to find any info about the OHS board, let's try the Commissioners.
Here are all the commissioners' names:
Commissioner Gene Dixon, Chairman Jimmy Brown, Commissioner Carlos Nelson, Commissioner Victor Aldridge.

Their mailing address is:
Ware County Board of Commissioners
P.O. Box 1069
Waycross, GA 31502-1069

*****************************

2.

Dr. KT Blount
Satilla Animal Hospital, Inc.
511 City Blvd.
Waycross, Ga. 31501

Dr. Blount is a vet serving on the OHS Board. He is the only person to respond to Meowmy's emails. His very short, very unhelpful response is in our previous diary entry. Please write him and ask for an investigation into conditions at OHS and how Eve became so very malnourished. Ask how she was released for adoption unable to stand or walk.

***************************
3.

Tommy Irvin
GA State Commissioner of Agriculture
Georgia Department of Agriculture
19 Martin Luther King, Jr. Dr., S.W.
Atlanta, Georgia 30334

The man in charge of all shelters receiving public funds in GA.

************************
4.

Mary Green
Division of Animal Protection
Georgia Department of Agriculture
19 Martin Luther King, Jr. Dr., S.W.
Atlanta, Georgia 30334

It is her responsibility to oversee all shelters in GA that receive public funds. Her office would be the one to conduct such an investigation of OHS.

Thank you so very much for joining the effort to bring about Justice for Eve!!!

Justice for Eve Update - You Can Help!

Meowmy wanted me to post an update about our sweet Angel Eve. Many of you already know her story but you can read about her on her Catster page. http://www.catster.com/cats/1086369
Eve's story has been the focus of this week's Cat's Meow!
http://blogs.catster.com/the-cats-meow-a-cat-and-kitt en-blog/humane-society-it%E2%80%99s-not-always-a-pawsative-p lace-part-1/2010/02/16/

Meowmy and Mommy Terry, along with friends and supporters of Eve's, have written to the government officials mentioned below. As of today, they have received a total of 0 responses. It seems Eve's mommies and their furriends are being ignored by those in a position to help improve the situation at Okefenokee Humane Society.

In Eve's memory, we are asking any of you who can to contact these people, asking for an inquiry into Eve's case and conditions at OHS. If enough voices are raised, perhaps we will be heard.

Tommy Irvin, GA State Agriculture Commissioner:
tommy.irvin@agr.georgia.gov

Mary Green, Head of Animal Protection at GA Dept.of Agriculture
(Note: The email link is no longer working. Perhaps a FAX or phone call would be even more effective.)
Tele: (404) 656-4914
Fax: (404) 463-8195

Dr. Blount - A vet serving on the Board of Directors of OHS. He has been sent the complete story of Eve, her photo, and a copy of the petition. He has yet to respond either to Terry or me.
satillanimalhosp@bellsouth.net

Gail Boyd, Ware Co. Manager: I wrote her asking for her help in contacting the Board of Directors of the OHS. I explained Eve's story. No response.
gbarronboyd@warecounty.com

Ware County Commission: These people oversee the elusive OHS Board of Directors and deal with their budget. This link has emails and contact information for at least some of the Commission.
http://www.warecounty.com/CommissionBoardMembers.aspx

Help Blind Cat Rescue Today!

Our Meowmy loves the Blind Cat Rescue & Sanctuary of North Carolina. They help kitties who are blind find loving homes and give them a safe, caring place to live. Our new sisfur, Scarlett, is blind and we're glad she's safe with us! Meowmy sponsors two of the blind cats at the rescue - Natasha and Mike. Lots of other Catster members are now sponsors, too.

We just got word that the blind cats are SO excited!! The rescue has the chance to win $10,000.!!!! I don't know much about money, but the humans seem to think this is a LOT.

The best part is...our Catster furriends can help! And it's so easy!

All you have to do is visit the link below. Fill in a few fields of information, and viola! You've voted for Blind Cat Rescue and Sanctuary of North Carolina! You can even vote anonymously, if you prefer. (Whatever anonymously means...)

So please vote for Blind Cat Rescue today. Tell your furriends and ask them to vote. The rescue wants to build a new cattery so can more blind cats can be saved. Wouldn't that be a wonderful way to start the New Year?

Here's the address: http://www.care2.com/animalsheltercontest/76194/?refer=30719 .15.1229633524.6461

(Meowmy doesn't know how to do a link in my diary. Poor dumb Meowmy!)

Thanks and a zillion purrs!
Catfish

In or Out? That Is the Question...

I love my Meowmy and Daddy. It wasn't too difficult to train them, and they're fairly intelligent most of the time. They can't see in the dark, and I've never seen them climb a tree, but they must hunt fairly well 'cause we've never gone hungry. So I can't complain.

Our only area of disagreement is over where I should spend the night.

I am an outdoors cat. Don't get me wrong, I enjoy visiting indoors. Inside, I don't have to worry about defending the kingdom. I figure protecting the indoors is a Daddy-and-Meowmy thing. Indoors, I get cat treats and wet cat food, and when I'm inside, I can visit with my indoors-only brofurs and sisfurs.

But I do not want to live indoors all the time. Repeat - I'm an outdoors cat. Always have been and always will be. Live indoors 24/7? Ain't happening.

But Meowmy has this theory that I should sleep inside at night. Seems the vet - that nasty human who sticks needles in me and inserts a glass thingy up my rear end - told her - and I quote - "Nothing good ever happens to an outdoors cat after dark."

So she started bringing me in about dusk and - can you believe this??? - NOT LETTING ME BACK OUTSIDE!!!!

The first couple of times, I figured she'd forgotten. She is only human, after all. Then I realized this was intentional. Meowmy honestly believes I should stay inside all night long!

Doesn't she get it? Nighttime requires patrolling the kingdom. Who knows what kind of trespassers might venture into the yard should I not be there to chase them out? And the hunting! You can't beat 2:00 AM for finding a nice juicy mouse in the woods.

What is she thinking?

So we began our game.

Meowmy comes out with a delicious-smelling bowl of wet cat food. Now I'm a fine hunter and never lack for fresh meat, but there's something about that canned cat food - especially the fish flavors! Mmmmmmm...

She fooled me the first night or two.

I came to eat and she scooped me up, brought me inside the house, deposited me with my brofurs and sisfurs who were already eating, and I didn't breathe outdoors air again until morning.

I don't make that same mistake now.

Meowmy comes out with the food. I sniff the air then turn around with a wave of my beautiful tail. You're not fooling me, Meowmy!

She follows me of course. Occasionally, I turn around and let her come closer. Just before she's close enough to grab me, I meander off, careful to stay a few steps ahead.

Meowmy calls me and cajoles me, but I never surrender. Feed me outdoors, then I'll sleep outdoors. That's the new deal.

So far - Catfish 5; Meowmy 2.

The game continues...

Keeper of the Kingdom

My meowmy calls me a very responsible cat. I suppose that I am. I selected this home after deciding I needed a new place to live. I liked the hillside out back, the creek, and best of all, the humans here seemed good. So I moved in. Meowmy and Daddy think they found me in the woods in the back yard, but they don't know the truth. I found them!

Ever since that day, I've been the protector of this place. It's a very responsible position, especially for a cat.

Every day when Meowmy lets me back outside after a safe, secure sleep indoors, I patrol the perimeter. You never know who might have crossed our territory during the night. I've sniffed out other cats, dogs, and far more exotic creatures - deer, possums, raccoons, and even the dreaded coyotes. (I hate coyotes!)

By morning, though, the intruders are usually gone. Good thing, too, 'cause I never back down from a fight.

If I do find an intruder brave enough to remain in our yard after daybreak, I run them off. I have lots and lots of fur, and when it all stands on end, I look much larger than I actually am. If they don't run, I'm ready to rumble. Meowmy's had to take me to the vet's office many, many times to treat my injuries. But I'm still here, and those pesky intruders are gone!

We have that dog. Holly, I think her name is. I usually choose to ignore her. After all, she's just a dog. I've heard that dogs are supposed to be 'watchdogs' or 'guard dogs'. I can't imagine Holly guarding anything! She trusts everybody and wags that little stump of a tail at whomever happens by.

I'm not so trusting, believe me! Somebody has to watch out for this place. After all, there are the house cats to consider.

That would be Bo, Seven, Shamrock, and Sheba. They are not allowed outside. They like to play with little furry fake mousies and chase bell-balls around. They have a screen porch where they can watch the outdoors, but they can't actually join me out there. Sweet kitties, but not much use in guarding our home.

So it all falls to me to keep our little kingdom safe and sound.

I'm Catfish the Protector, Keeper of the Kingdom.

Time for my rounds!

My Backyard

I love summertime! I selected my forever family because of their wonderful backyard. It's so interesting any time but especially in the summer.

We live on Oak Mountain. Meowmy says it's not a very tall mountain - not like those in north Georgia - but around here, it's the highest place. My house is down low in a kind of valley and a nice hillside rises up behind our house. There's a creek and lots of woods for me to explore.

Creeks are fun. Fresh water anytime I get thirsty, and with my long fur, that happens a lot in the summer. I have learned to be careful, though. Once, I slipped and fell in the creek! It's not very big and I scampered right out, but I was very embarassed. I groomed my beautiful fur for hours after that.

The woods have lots of critters for me to stalk. Sometimes I bring in little 'goodies' for Meowmy and Daddy. I even brought Meowmy a snake one time - fresh and still wiggling. I thought it was a purrrrfect gift, but Meowmy didn't seem very happy. She yelled very loudly and had Daddy take it outside. I tried to hunt it again and bring it back to her, but it had slithered away.

Humans are so strange sometimes.

Meowmy's flowers bring in lots of butterflies and hummingbirds. I love to watch them fly, but I usually don't hunt those. Hunting butterflies is so beneath me. And those hummers! How do they fly so fast?? I could catch one, I'm sure, but they're so tiny. Not much meat on those bones. Hardly worth the effort. But they are fun to watch.

Yaaawwwn...it's been a busy day out in my backyard. I'm inside for the night now, and I think it's time for a cat nap. I'm sure tomorrow will be another busy day in my backyard!