Helping the Animals in Japan

Oh NO! The Ultimate Humiliation! Person asked to borrow my blog so my *cringe* ...SISTER... can blog.

Rilly. Enough is enough. You'd think my retreat to the RB would have relieved me of the torment brought on by The Great Grey Menace…but now THIS???  I can see I'm going to have to put my paw down and tell @Allie_Kitti to Get Her OWN Blog!

Next time.

This time, because of the serious topic, I will – once again – graciously bow to Person’s request and allow “her” to stomp her Big Pink Paws all over my blog. (ONCE, mind you. Never again.)

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*snif* Ryker? Gracious? HA! (And I don’t either stomp. *huff*)

Now where was I before Ryker so ruuuuudely introduced me? Oh…

HI!!!! *waves pink toenails at audience* Wow…my very first BLOG! And on my birthday too! *SQUEE!*

Well. Because I am a Very Responsible three-year-old girl now, when I heard the news about the horrible tragedy in Japan and how many poor animals are hurt, lost and without a home – I just HAD to do something! Everyone else is talking about donating, so I decided I’d send over my very favoritest pink mousie. (I gave it to Mommy last night)

:::: “Mom” here, taking over (I think the cats have had enough for one day). ::::

Actually, Allie did indeed give me her most favorite mousie toy last night. I heard the oddest, out-of-the-ordinary muffled meow from our grey girl. Upon investigation, it turns out she had come to present it to me as a gift. After much praise (after all, it’s traditional to receive gifts on one’s birthday, not give them), I felt her generous spirit should be both shared and encouraged. Especially at such a heartbreaking time as the one the world is facing in Japan.

Mere weeks after being rocked by the devastation that struck Christchurch, the earthquake and tsunami that rocked Japan have left us reeling with visions of devastation, tales of courage and loss, hope and heartbreak.

One thing is crystal clear – we cannot stand idly by and do nothing in the face of such tragedy. What can you do to help?

Today, Thursday, March 17, 2011 is Paws for Japan Day.

How can you help?

1. Grab the badge, using the following code: a href=”http://www.pawcurious.com/2011/03/paws-for-japan/#more-6858″ target=”_blank”><img border=”0″ alt=”Paws for Japan” src=”http://www.thekittencrew.com/images/paws-for-japan.gif”/></a><br />

2. Promote the Chip In tool where people can make a donation. Note: this is the legitimate Chip In widget where all funds donated go directly to World Vets.

2. Today, please post, tweet, or share on Facebook about the World Vets effort for animal relief in Japan. Be as creative as you wish in promoting the cause!

3. Check out the links below – add yours and get the code to add the linky tool to your own blog.

WARNING: NOT for the Faint of Heart...

*sigh*  Well, she's at it again.

"Ryker, could I borrow your blog for tomorrow's Blog Hop?"

Puh-LEEZ. It would appear that some humans need to get their OWN blog *hint hint*. (Oh and speaking of blogging... let's chat, shall we, about the last time you provided transcription support for one of my very own insightfully clever posts, hmm?)

Of course, being the incredibly magnanimous, generous and kind-hearted soul that I am, how could I say no? Especially after I heard that she wanted to blog about - (sotto voce) - declawing.   *shudder*

Oh, one caveat: she can have my blog once she's given me time to retreat into a corner, slap my paws over my ears and yowl "LALALALAAAAA" at the top of my lungs so I won't hear any of it. Honestly. It makes my paws hurt just hearing the word "declaw!"

Here you go, Person - just give me a running start.
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I wish you guys could have known Ryker in person when he was alive - truly, he was exactly the way he's portrayed, no need for embellishment on my part! All I had to do was channel the little guy's 'tude.

Why do I mention this? Because if I hadn't intervened, lots of people would not have been charmed by this guy's antics. See, his previous owner was advised by her vet to euthanize. So when I see a cat who's had the deck stacked against him like Ryker did, I just can't stay silent.

Just this past Wednesday I met such a cat. I have to warn you, I'll be posting some pics of this guy later on in this post and they're not pretty. So if you have a weak stomach for that kind of thing, just "read it for the articles and not the pictures" and I promise to leave the photos 'til the end!

This guy's name is Tigger and he's just about the sweetest 7 year old tabby cat you could ever wish to meet. He was brought in to the animal adoption agency where I volunteer, Wayside Waifs. (Let me tell you, that was probably the best thing that ever happened to this guy!)

Tigger is on the skin-and-bones side of things, having been brought in as a stray, but that's not the heartbreaking thing about him. You see, Tigger's been declawed.

Now, up until Wednesday night, I have to admit I was rather indifferent about the whole declaw issue. Ryker was declawed, and our new rescue, Maxwell is too. But Ryker's nemesis Allie isn't and neither is the "little Pipsqueak," Faraday. We just couldn't bring ourselves to do such a thing to these kitties! Instead, both wear Soft Paws claw covers.

[Aside: 

If you're not familiar with Soft Paws, they're rubberized claw tips that, with the help of a bit of super glue, stick onto the tip of a cat's claw.  They need replacement each time a claw tip is shed - about once a month. 

(Out of curiosity, I tracked my replacement of Allie's Soft Paws, and they ran anywhere from 23 - 34 days. Of course, there were exceptions when she occasionally snagged something, but for the most part they ran a pretty steady month-long cycle.)

Allie loves her Soft Paws mani/pedi and shows them off for the camera at every opportunity - as you can see from the picture below.]

So I guess you could say I was a Declaw Agnostic - I didn't really give it much thought aside from the fact I knew I wasn't going to do it. Then into my life limps this marmalade boy. As I walked up to his kennel, Tigger stood to greet me - but he couldn't stand long. Shifting from one paw to the other, his need for affection outweighed his obvious discomfort.

The movement drew my attention to his paws and I was absolutely shocked to see the deformity. Instead of the normal shape of a cat's paw, what I saw better could be described as paddle-shaped. Not wanting to jump to conclusions and wanting to make sure my rant was an informed one, I inquired about the nature of Tigger's discomfort. Was it perhaps a birth defect? No, it was a declaw. Specifically a bad declaw.

According to the website www.declawing.com "in England declawing is termed 'inhumane' and 'unnecessary mutilation.' ... In many European countries it is illegal."

The authors of the site go on to point out that "your cat's claw is not a toenail. It is actually closely adhered to the bone. So closely adhered that to remove the claw, the last bone of your the cat's claw has to be removed. Removal of the last digits of the toes drastically alters the conformation of their feet and causes the feet to meet the ground at an unnatural angle that can cause back pain similar to that in humans caused by wearing improper shoes. ...Declawing is not a 'simple', single surgery but ten separate, painful amputations of the third phalanx up to the last joint of each toe."

I asked my vet about declawing and he said that while many veterinarians do their best to minimize the animal's suffering through more precise surgical or laser procedures, many practice what he called "the guillotine method." On behalf of sensitive stomachs everywhere, I won't describe this in detail other than to direct you to the bottom of this post where you'll be able to see such butchery for yourself. I don't use the word butchery lightly. I just don't honestly see how you could call it anything else.  

Organizations that actively oppose declawing include The Cat Fanciers Association, The World Small Animal Veterinary Association, The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA), The Humane Society of the United States, and The Association of Veterinarians for Animal Rights (AVAR). 

As a volunteer who works exclusively toward the adoption of cats, I've repeatedly observed what a veterinarian told me years ago about the ability cats have to mask pain and discomfort.  "Cats are notoriously good at hiding how bad they feel," he said. "Often this translates to a much sicker kitty than its owner thinks, because by the time your cat manifests symptoms, he's seriously ill."

It's an unfortunate truth and one I believe is a primary reason declawing is still practiced: if your cat isn't demonstrably showing any discomfort, it's easy to persuade oneself he's feeling no discomfort. 

After my exposure to Tigger's plight, I am a Declaw Agnostic no more.  I'm a believer: declawing is cruel, unnecessary and - without doubt - inhumane.

And for anyone living in or near Kansas City, won't you please consider giving Tigger a home? Isn't it time this sweet guy caught a break? He's suffered enough. All he needs is a warm lap to curl up on and I assure you he'll think he's in Kitty Nirvana. 

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Tigger, 3/2/2011

      What a sweet boy! 

 Who could resist such a face?

He lives with constant discomfort.

The #1 reason I oppose declawing, right here:

View Tigger's video here  and you can read more about him (and see another great video) on Ryker's pal Sebastian's blog.

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PAWTY Time at Wayside Waifs!!

Well Faithful Followers, as much as I hate to give The Great Grey Menace (aka my Sister the Terror) any credit, her Alma Mater is a pretty awesome place. So because Person asked nicely, I have Graciously Decided to step aside and let Person blog about the latest events going on at Wayside Waifs.

For those of you who may not have heard of this organization, it's one of Kansas City's largest No Kill, not-for-profit animal adoption facilities. And *sigh* Allie's former home. (I don't hold it against Wayside. Rilly.)

So without further ado *flourish*.....Person?
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*discreet cough* um, why THANK you, Ryker....
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Seriously guys, Wayside Waifs is a wonderful organization and I'm proud to be associated with them. Ryker and Allie have mentioned Wayside on several occasions over the past few months and this garnered the attention of a former breeder in another state - the owner (and Human Servant) of @twittinSuki.

Since Suki's mom used to breed Tonkinese (Ryker and Faraday are both Tonks as you know) we struck up a friendship. Unknown to me, Suki's mom investigated Wayside's facilities and was so impressed that she contacted me, asking if she could donate a gift box of toys for the center's kitties waiting for adoption.

Are you kidding? You bet!! Well, the package arrived a few weeks ago, and then we had to wait out a blizzard or two. (Yanno, Kansas City didn't have such harsh winters a few years back, I'd swear it!)

Finally the evening came where I could take Suki's gift up to Wayside - and we turned it into a huge party.

"PRESENTS! We got PRESENTS!" one volunteer gleefully exclaimed.

 Boy did we!! Just take a look:

Balls and mice and cat dancers galore!

This is a much-needed and VERY appreciated gift for an adoption center full of cats awaiting their forever homes. The cat dancers were especially wonderful and we've found that some of our shyer (and a few grumpier) cats really come out of their shells when faced with this incredible toy!! For a kitten cooped up for hours on end in a kennel, a bit of a romp with a cat dancer is sheer joy.

So....

THANK YOU SUKI!!!

Wordless Wednesday: Invaluable Work Assistants During Blizzard

The *True* Purpose of Sheets

Well dear Readers, I have decided in my magnanimity to dedicate this post to a cause near and dear to my foster sister @Allie_Kitti's heart: Sheets.

(Besides, it's a rather slow day up here at the RB and I just might be a teensy bit bored.)

So. Sheets. Allie would like to Inform all Humans that, contrary to popular belief, sheets are not for SLEEPING on. They are a versatile and interactive Play Toy.

Sheets make wonderful caves when draped over chairs, and in her own words, they make "FABulous Tunnels" too. There's nothing quite so delectable as stalking the Sheet Monster, shaped, oddly enough exACTly like Person's hand as you can see here in one of my many EPIC battles. Sometimes we kitties also engage in the delightful stalking of the Surprise Sheet Monster, otherwise known as Human Feet, though I have observed that this pastime tends to be frowned upon by humans in the middle of the night (go figure).

Allie would like her humans to know she prefers PINK sheets (though the burgundy ones are at least in the correct color palette, so she will forgive that one), whereas I, purrsonally, was always fond of white as you can see in the above link.

Allie would also like everyone to know that sheets should be Made Available for kitties (such as her Delightful Self) to paw at, climb and generally commandeer at will. Allie would also like at this time to solicit any comments from her fellow anipals in the hopes that Solidarity might bring about Real Change on the matter of the Sheets. Perhaps another issue to bring to the attention of those illustrious Purritime Ministerettes, @ShivaandJaya?

Wordless Wednesday

Blog the Change - For Animals

Hello all,
Being the Incredibly Magnanimous Feline that I am, (was that a snicker I hear, coming from my Tweeps in the Twitterverse? Please. Pay them no mind.) I have Graciously Decided to Yield the Floor to my human on this, the 15th of January - notably the Blog Day for Blog for the Change.

I know how you'll miss my Devastating Wit, but be assured it is for a Good Cause, and - in my best Ahnold voice - I'll Be Back.

Humbly,
Ryker
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Ryker's Person Here: Sorry to say, guys, that the Rainbow Bridge doesn't seem to have blunted my little guy's Ego any...! But I do appreciate the opportunity to tell you about an organization close to my heart, and ask you to encourage your own local shelters to consider similar programs.

I volunteer at Kansas City's Wayside Waifs, a non-profit, no-kill shelter which places an average of more than 5,000 animals a year in their forever homes. Wayside's been around since the 40's and is located south of the city proper on 44 acres.

The organization also has two income sources, a newly-opened store where you can buy pet and pet-centric products (Ryker's sister Allie has been their spokes-model in their print ad campaign) and a very nice pet cemetery where Ryker and his older brother, Caleb, are buried.  There have been times in lean years when donations were scarce that the cemetery was practically all that kept Wayside afloat, as all proceeds from the cemetery go to the care and placement of animals at Wayside.

Wayside's great strength is its volunteers.  I had never thought about it before I began volunteering, but if every dog at Wayside is to be granted just 30 minutes of freedom outside its cage per day, that translates to sixty volunteer man-hours per day for the 120 dogs kept there. Same goes for the cats.  I cannot stress enough the importance of volunteering at your local shelter. Giving just a few hours of your time a week is how organizations like Wayside Waifs stay open.

Wayside was not originally a no-kill shelter.  Prior to becoming no-kill, they had an "open door" policy - you had a pet to surrender, they'd take it. They were overflowing with animals, too many to really care for effectively. But then several years ago, they changed their operating model, limited the number of animals to a manageable amount and changed their policy to no-kill. And in 2009, they incorporated this policy into their brand identification and began advertising themselves as no-kill.

Because of a policy shift that began years ago, you now see animals thriving who would have been given the death sentence immediately at another shelter.  Thursday night, while volunteering, I saw up for adoption a 4 month old one-eyed kitten, an FIV positive cat, a cat who was prepped and ready for an unfortunately necessary leg amputation and a (rather grumpy) "Sage" who had just had her tail amputation stitches removed. Sage and the kitten are on the adoption floor now, and the FIV positive cat is waiting in the holding room in back for an enclosed "hug room" to open up on the adoption floor so he can be safely transferred there without danger of infecting any of the other adoptable cats.

(FYI: a cat tested FIV positive can live a very healthy and normal life-span if provided with good veterinary care and the only stipulation for adoption is that the family be a one-cat family - or in possession of another FIV positive cat.)

Wayside has committed to partnering with other Missouri organizations to put an end to puppy mills and animal hoarding, and it's not uncommon to hear an announcement that "another 100 dogs have been rescued from puppy mills this week."  (Until Proposition B passed in Nov, 2010, Missouri had the dubious honor of being the state with the most lax rules regarding animal care, resulting in numerous documented atrocities  - and also resulted in the state becoming the largest supplier of puppies to pet stores, nationwide.)

But there's another facet to Wayside that needs to be told.  They help train counselors who work in battered women's shelters how to accommodate the pets of the abused women in their care. I had two such women in my own orientation class.  I don't know the statistics, but I can see how anyone in an abusive situation might be more hesitant to leave that situation if they have a deep emotional attachment to a pet - and no women's shelter in their area will accommodate them.  Conversely, I can see how integral to a battered woman's recovery the role a beloved pet might play.  Won't you consider encouraging your own local animal shelter to partner in the same way that Wayside is?
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