PLEASE COME OUT AND SUPPORT OUR FIRST EVER FLEA MARKET EVENT!

We have a HUGE variety of fleas of all sizes, shapes, colors and values

E X C E P T

the kind you want for your kitty, of course.

This fun event is being sponsored by the Cat Angel Network Volunteers.  Proceeds from all items will benefit CAN and will help to support the kitties of our all-volunteer, no-kill, non-profit organization.

Saturday, May 18^th

8AM to 1PM.

NORCO Fire Company

144 Schuylkill Rd.

(Route 724 near S. Hanover Street)

Pottstown Pa. 19465

Refreshments will be available.

For more information please e-mail ann_fran@windstream.net

“Thank you for everything you do for this beautiful cat community and I am proud to say I am a volunteer for Cat Angel Network.”

Linn Heitland

This picture is Willie saying his bedtime prayers…bet you he is thanking the good Lord for CAN, and, helping him find his loving forever home.

We never expected to get another cat.  We’ve had a housecat – Casey – for 20 years and she has never shared her home with another cat.  As new retirees, we were planning to travel after Casey was gone.

We feed stray cats, about six of them, who come every evening to eat.  We name them and enjoy watching them.  Early in January, we noticed a smaller gray and white cat coming with them.  We named her Little Gray and she was different from the others.  She let me pet and play with her and would come when I called her.  January was very cold outside so my husband and I made a house for her and filled it with blankets and a heating pad.  She loved it!  She would stay in there 24 hours a day with her little gray nose sticking out the door.  We knew she would make a great indoor pet for someone…..not us, of course     remember we already had a cat and wanted to travel.  We needed to find her a home.  We talked to friends, and even posted her pictures on Facebook.  No one seemed to want her.

I started bringing her in the house and she behaved beautifully.  Casey even tolerated her visits.  Then she went into heat, so we renamed her Graycee and attempted to keep her in the house.  My husband was pretty adamant about getting her a new home, so I called two no-kill rescues.  We prayed we were doing the right thing and that she would get a good and loving home.  Cat Angel Network was the only one that returned my call.  Charlotte had a couple who were able to foster her.  We sadly turned her over to Charlotte on Feb. 12 and my husband and I both cried non-stop for two days when we finally realized she already had a good and loving home.  We contacted Charlotte to see if we could get Graycee back.  When she said, “Of course you may get her back”, we were just thrilled.  We picked up our Graycee on Feb. 15th and brought her home to stay. 

We believe Graycee was sent to us for a reason.  Two weeks later our beloved Casey became ill and this time the medications did not help.  She stopped eating and became very weak.  We had her put to rest on Feb. 28th.  I think she knew we would be OK after she was gone.  And we were…we were both heart-broken and we will never stop missing her, but Graycee gave us a reason to love again.

 She loves to play, follows us around like a puppy. And she makes us laugh every day.  We are truly blessed to have her in our lives.

Nancy and Harry

ANSWER: This is a question that addresses the very heart of the dilemma that all animal rescues face every kitten season. The open-admissions SPCA’s want to have a positive outcome for each and every kitty that comes through their doors, but as the boxes of kittens and carriers of surrendered pets pile up, their options dwindle. The no-kill rescues want to take in every kitty in need that they hear about, but their foster homes swell to bulging very early in the spring, and the process of preparing hundreds of kittens for adoption and sending all of them to homes of their own is a slow one.

The five steps described below are actions you can take to help the cats yourself.

Step One:  Leave a message or speak to a representative from as many rescues in your area as possible. If you know that they are full, make it clear that you just need guidance (most shelters love to speak to people like this!). An effective way to get the names of a lot of these places is to go on your computer to Petfinder.com, which is an online resource people use to find a pet. Use this website AS IF you are trying to adopt a cat, typing in your zip code, and cats will be shown, INCLUDING THE NAMES OF LOCAL RESCUES AND LINKS TO THOSE RESCUES. It is a quick and easy way to learn of possible contacts for getting advice, borrowing traps & cages, getting the contact information for low-cost/no-cost spay & neuter clinics, and adoption tips. Once you have the names of three or more local rescues, call weekly, leaving polite messages requesting advice for your situation. Persistence does pay off. Rescues are stressed and over-worked at this time of year, and repeated respectful requests DO get results!

Step Two:  Decide whether it’s possible to bring the kitties inside or whether the only option is to work with them outside until it’s time for spaying & neutering. The common concern about bringing cats indoors is the health of the rescuer’s pets. In reality, if the rescued kitties are treated for fleas and are confined in a garage, small room, or the easiest option, a dog cage ( anyplace that is separate from the owner’s pets), there is very little risk to resident pets. Besides flea medications such as Advantage, Frontline Top Spot, or Revolution, the most common medical treatments given soon after rescue are dewormer and FVRCP (commonly called “distemper”) vaccinations.

Step Three:  Make arrangements for low-cost/no-cost spay & neuter. This is THE most important thing you can do in this whole process. Even if it’s the ONLY thing done, this alone will make a huge improvement in the lives of these cats. Most clinics will neuter kittens when they weigh 3 lbs or are 3 months old, and some places will do them even earlier. If the kittens aren’t ready yet, make every attempt to get the mother cat and have her spayed as soon as all the kittens have STARTED to eat on their own. Many people assume that as long as the kittens are doing some nursing, she can’t get pregnant again. This is false! A female cat can go into heat as soon as her kittens are weaned, usually by six weeks of age. Many kittens will continue to do some nursing while they are eating food from a plate, but this does not prevent the queen from going into heat and becoming pregnant again. Female kittens can go into heat as early as 5-6 months of age.

We are very lucky in this area to have access to a number of excellent spay/neuter clinics, almost all charging $70 or less per cat. Some charge $35 for a feral (wild) kitty in a trap. The price includes spaying or neutering, vaccinations, and an “ear tip.” An ear tip is a leveling of the left ear of a feral cat, so that there is an easily visible, universally recognized sign that the cat has been neutered.

Some local spay/neuter clinics are:

1. Forgotten Cats: clinics in Willow Grove and Trainer, PA ; www.forgottencats.org Price ranges from $35 up, depending on factors such as whether you are working through a rescue like CAN, spaying an individual pet cat or a trapped feral, etc.
2. The Spayed Club: clinic at 800 Chester Pike, Sharon Hill, PA 19079; www.thespayedclubclinic.org ; 484-540-8436; Price for cats is $60.
3. CCSPCA van to The Spayed Club:  one day each month the Chester County SPCA teams up with The Spayed Club to offer low-cost spay/neuter services to our local community. The Spayed Club performs the surgeries, with convenient same-day pickup/dropoff from CCSPCA. (Dropoff is 6:30 am, and pickup is 7 pm.) This service is available for dogs and cats, with limited space for female dogs. Price for cats is $60. Contact the CCSPCA at www.ccspca.org for the date of the next transport.
4. No Nonsense Neutering: clinics in Reading & Allentown, PA. The Reading Clinic is at 1500 Frush Valley Road, Reading, PA 19560; 1-866-820-2510; Wednesday, Fridays, & 4th Sundays by appointment; Walk-ins allowed for one trapped cat. $35 per cat
5. Fairchild Feral Friends: 3rd Sunday of the month at the Animal Rescue League of Berks County (58 Kennel Rd., off of Rt. 724, between Rts. 10 & 176); For Feral Cats Only; E-mail Dr. Fry for an appointment at fairchildfoundation@gmail.com ; Walk-ins allowed for one trapped cat; Minimum $35 donation

All of the above clinics do an outstanding job of spaying & neutering hundreds of cats per month at a small fraction of the usual cost of these surgeries. They are making giant strides at addressing the only real, long-term solution to the overpopulation problem.

If you have a number of rescued cats who need neutering and finances are an issue, contact CAN or another cat rescue to see if they can help.

Step Four:  Recuperate the cats or kittens after surgery by confining them to a dog cage or small room. One clinic, Forgotten Cats, does the recuperation on their premises by confining the cats to their traps. Male cats need at least one day to recuperate while females need three days.

Step Five:  Socialize and advertise! Handling the kittens and mother cat and interacting with them on a daily basis get them used to people. If the kitties enjoy this and can be easily petted and held, they will make good family pets. The ideal way to find responsible and loving homes is through people you know – your network of friends and acquaintances at work, church, school, among family and neighbors, etc.

An additional option is to advertise, using the newspaper, social media, posters at vet offices and pet stores, etc. This can be an effective way to find homes as long as you are careful.

First, never, ever, ever advertise the cats as “Free.” This can attract unsavory characters who look for unfortunate free animals for their own sick purposes. Free animals also give the impression that the care and medical attention that has been given is not worth anything and that the cats themselves are worthless commodities that are easily obtained and easily discarded. A true animal lover will never be upset about an adoption fee that reflects the valuable medical care that the kitty has received.

Secondly, ask the person for a vet reference and call this vet to make sure the adopters have actually had pets and have given them good care. What if the interested party has never had pets? Ask for a parent’s or other relative’s vet reference. If this isn’t available, use your own good judgment. If you feel uneasy during the interaction or notice “red flags” in some of their actions or words, don’t go through with the adoption. Innocent lives are in your hands, and it is better to be safe than sorry. You will feel very warm and fuzzy vibes when the right people arrive. They will be happy to provide their vet’s name because they are proud of the way they care for their pets, and they will be thrilled to find out the kittens are already vetted at such a reasonable rate.

Thirdly, rescues like CAN are usually very willing to post pictures and write-ups of the kitties of Personal Rescuers on their website, which is linked to Petfinder. This is called a “courtesy listing,” and it can be a very effective way to bring your kitties to the attention of people searching for a pet. CAN will also do the vet check and a phone interview with the prospective adopter, if you wish.

What if, after weeks of working with the kitties, they do not respond to interaction with humans and are still frightened and wary? These cats are truly feral and will be much happier as outdoor cats in a situation where they receive food, water and shelter. Ideally, they can be returned to the location where they were found. If this is not possible, they can be re-homed to a barn or other safe location where they can live out their days as the free “wild things” that they are. Most rescuers are pleasantly surprised after a feral colony of cats has been neutered and released, how happy, healthy, and cohesive the group becomes!

These are the five steps to making a difference in the lives of that mother cat and kittens you found. Is it easy? Quite honestly, sometimes it is and sometimes it isn’t. Is it satisfying? That answer is more predictable – “Absolutely!”

As the only electric provider to offer a partnership program for nonprofit organizations, Ambit Energy is helping America’s nonprofit organizations succeed! If you would like more information before switching, please contact Henry at catangelpa@aol.com.

FAQs

Q: How involved is switching to Ambit?

A: It takes about 2 minutes on line. You just need your current electric bill. You also then will either need to call them to verify your decision through an automated system, or wait for them to call you.

Q: How will my electric bill change?
A: Ambit provides the energy generation portion of your bill. In most cases, you will still get only one monthly bill from your current provider, who will continue to supply the electricity to your home and service your electric needs.

Q: I currently have an all-electric home and am with PECO. Will I save money with Ambit?
A: Definitely not this winter. As long as rate RH is in effect, PECO will remain less expensive than all competitors for all-electric homes with rate RH. However, the rate RH discount was cut in half on January 1, 2012 and will completely disappear by the end of 2012. When rate RH is completely gone, you should consider your options.

Q: I would like to compare rates between electric companies before switching. How do I do this?
A: The best resource for Pennsylvania residents is www.papowerswitch.com, a site maintained by the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission.

Q: Are there other perks involved with joining Ambit Energy?
A: Yes, if you refer friends and family to Ambit, you become eligible for more great rewards! Refer 5 friends, and you qualify for a free vacation! Details at www.ambittravel.com. Additionally, by referring a total of 15 clients to Ambit in the first 6 months, you qualify for a free energy credit for LIFE! Details at www.catangel.joinambit.com.

Q: I’m worried about switching. Is there any risk?
A: You have nothing to fear! Ambit currently has no cancellation fees for any contract you sign up for. If you don’t like it and want to switch back to your previous provider, you can do so at any time without any penalty!

Not everyone knows this, but musicians tend to love cats, and so it is very fitting for West Chester University faculty, students, and friends to help support cat rescue efforts by hosting an annual cat concert at West Chester University.

Each concert is a unique multimedia experience, where cats (on video) interact with musicians. This year Wayne Zimmerman will be joining our usual wonderful cast of musicians who support cat rescue. He will be performing organ music with an early 20th century silent movie! If you look closely, you might even see a cat. If you haven’t come to a Cat Concert before, you really should come this year. You will laugh, cry a little, and leave with a warm fuzzy feeling in your heart. The concert is appropriate for cat lovers of all ages. One measure of success of our cat concert is “repeat business.” Many cat lovers in the area look forward to this event and many have attended every concert!!

This year’s concert will be held at 3 PM on Sunday April 7th in the Madeleine Wing Adler Theatre in Swope Hall at West Chester University. There is plenty of parking and the event is free, but donations are appreciated.

The majority of our financial support comes from pre-concert donations. This year, we have set a goal of $10,000.00 in concert donations. With our ever- increasing vet bills and our commitment to our TNR (trap, neuter, return) Program, we must raise significantly more money each year.

Levels of Giving

• Seraphim ($250 and up)
• Archangel ($100 to $249)
• Angel ($50 to $99)
• Puss in Boots ($25 to $49)
• Tail Wagger (up to $24)

Donations of $25 or more received prior to March 27th will be acknowledged in the program. If you wish to be acknowledged in the program, please indicate the name(s) in which your donation should appear, and send to:  Cat Angel Network, Attn: Concert Fund, P.O. Box 3071, Stowe PA 19464. Checks should be made payable to Cat Angel Network.

Click to open as Adobe pdf

Click to open as Adobe pdf

SUN BEAR and her siblings, Panda Bear, Kodiak Bear and Polar Bear were named by their foster mom because their colors look very much like bears. Since she is very fond of bears, it was a foregone conclusion. They are all sweet babies that get along with other cats as well as dogs and are very kid-friendly.   Sun Bear is currently looking for her new forever home and if you would like to meet her, that can very easily be arranged.  She is quite the entertainer and you will enjoy her antics.  She will steal your heart very quickly so be prepared.  She has been spayed, tested negative for FIV/FeLV, and is current on all required vaccinations.

UPDATE: All four have been adopted!