Ladewholiday2013mews

ladew

mews

NEWSLETTER OF THE PATRICIA H. LADEW CAT SANCTUARY

VOLUME 3 NO. 8

HOLIDAY 2013

Over the river and through the woods, to find a forever home...

Whiskers in Wonderland 2013 www.WhiskersinWonderland.org

The Whiskers in Wonderland holiday pet adoption event, hosted by the Mayor’s Alliance for NYC’s Animals and Petco, features hundreds of cats, kittens, and rabbits just waiting to be welcomed into new homes. In return, these furry new friends will give the gift of unconditional love! Don’t miss New York City’s largest pet adoption opportunity of the holiday season!

December 7 & 8, 2013 Noon - 5:00 p.m.

Manhattan Petco Stores The Mayor’s Alliance for NYC’s Animals is proud to present Whiskers in Wonderland in partnership with the Petco Foundation.

We’ll be there Sunday December 8th ONLY! Petco - Union Square

880 Broadway @ 17th St.

T

is the season for giving thanks for the precious kitties who depend upon us for their quality of life, and for paying forward to those sweet souls the gift of love and protection in a forever home.

The Ladew Cat Sanctuary’s village — board members, staff, volunteers and grateful pet parents — urge others to join in the holiday spirit and meet us on Sunday, December 8th at the Whiskers in Wonderland adoption event at Petco - Union Square, 880 Broadway @ 17th Street.

In this issue, we’ll introduce you to the kitties who will be with us at Whiskers in Wonderland, who are just waiting to be snuggled and taken home by their forever family.

‘

Call us at (516) 922-CATS! — Our Fax # (516) 922-5203 Visit us at — theladewcatsanctuary.org or www.facebook.com/theladewcatsanctuary

,,

IT TAKES A VILLAGE...

JACK HAUSMAN: Our Year’round Santa

ladew mews

bringing gifts of love

© Holiday 2013 The Patricia H. Ladew Foundation, Inc.

and Hanukkah Shamash

sustaining light to brighten lives

E

arly one morning at Animal Hospital of the Rockaways, we received a call about a box of four abandoned 1 week old orphaned kittens. Dr. Allan Simon and Dr. Susan Whittred were worried. “The kittens seemed fine, but without their mom, we needed someone to to care for them. Kittens at this age need to be fed every 3-4 four hours and they need to be stimulated

Executive Editor - Susan V. Whittred, DVM Creative Editor - Elise Klingensmith Sanctuary Photography - Lynn Manno Board of Directors: Elliot L Hoffman, Esq. Bruce E. Trauner, Esq. Steve Blumert, Esq. Director of Veterinary Medicine Susan V. Whittred, DVM Licensed Veterinary Technician Andrea Castro Manager — Lynn Manno Caretaker — JoAnn Studley Volunteers: Tatum Christiansen (and Insperity) Beata Boruta Robin Fishman Sue Rosen Jane Totura

Call us at (516) 922-CATS! Our fax # is (516) 922-5203.

Visit us at: theladewcatsanctuary.org

Send us your mews!

The Ladew Cat Sanctuary family is always on the alert for updates and happy, interesting, or just plain amusing cat tales about our former residents.

Please email to:

Dr. Susan Whittred, DVM info@theladewcatsanctuary.org

Jack Hausman visiting his crew

to defecate and urinate.” The hunt was on to find that person!

Caring for one orphaned kitten can be challenging and time consuming — caring for four of them is a full-time job! Dr. Whittred knew of only one person who might take on the role — long time cat rescuer, Jack Hausman of HUG (Humane Urban Group). Jack spent many sleepless nights caring for the four of them, who are now absolutely thriving.

The four kittens, affectionately known as Midget, Fidget, Widget and Gizmo (formerly Gidget until we realized she was a he!) followed Jack around like ducklings would their mom.

It was pretty hard for Jack to give them up for adoption, but this fearless four will be with us at Whiskers in Wonderland on Sunday, December 8th at Petco-Union SQuare, and we’d love for their story to continue to have a happy ending in a home with you!

ladew mews — Holiday 2013 — page two

Working with Feral Cats: How to gain their trust

Ask Dr. Susan...

“We’re going home across the country for the holidays.

How should we plan for care givers for our cats?”

T

his is a question we get often. You’d like to go on vacation, but who will take care of Fluffy?

Frick — of Frick, Frack and Frodo — enjoys the great outdoors, but shares their mini-shelter beside the Ladew Spay/Neuter Clinic located behind the sanctuary.

eral cats are those that Fduring were not around humans their socialization

period (2-9 weeks of age).

While some can still become domesticated to varying degrees, the majority of them remain feral and prefer to live outside with little or no interaction from humans.

Assuming that you’re caring for feral cats that have already been TNR’d (trap/ neuter/returned) there are ways that you can help provide shelter.

Bryan Kortis of Neighborhood Cats has written a comprehensive “how-to” feral cats care guide — so instead of reinventing the wheel, we’ll refer you to the experts.

Like most questions that I get, there never is a black and white, clear-cut answer. So, it depends on a few things.

First of all, if your cat is healthy and there are no issues, most cats would prefer to stay in their own home (who wouldn’t?). That of course means that you have to have someone trusted to come into your home at least once (preferably twice) a day to feed, clean the litter and spend a little time with your kitty.

If your cat needs medication then your caretaker needs to be cat savvy — since we all know what it’s like getting medicine into our cats! Some veterinary hospital technicians will come to the home and do this, so it won’t hurt to call your veterinarian and ask them.

Make sure you leave phone numbers in case your care giver needs to reach you in an emergency or instructions if you are not reachable.

You might want to alert your veterinarian that you will be traveling and give permission for them to treat your cat in your absence.

Taking your cat with you across country is always another option, but bear in mind the stress it causes your cat, unless you plan on staying for an extended period of time. It takes most cats days to adjust, and then they are in unfamiliar territory with unfamiliar people.

If staying home is not an option, then your best bet would be to call your veterinarian. Many veterinary hospitals will board cats (and then you don’t have to worry should a medical issue arise while you are away). If they don’t board, they may be able to recommend a reliable boarding facility for you. Make sure you plan ahead — the holidays are busy times with many people boarding animals — call ahead and reserve your spot.

ladew mews — Holiday 2013 — page three

Open Your Home to These Precious Gifts!

BLONDIE

TOMMY

FUZZY

KIMBA

MS. KITTY

ERIC & MASON

Midget, Widget, Fidget and Gizmo (formerly Gidget)

WILL

MURPHY & BELLE

Read their stories on our website — ­ theladewcatsanctuary.org

Visit them at Whiskers in Wonderland - Dec. 8 Call us at (516) 922-CATS!

Our Fax # (516) 922-5203

All Ladew Rescue Kitties are spayed/neutered, have tested negative for FELV/FIV, have been dewormed, vaccinated appropriate for their age and will be microchipped.

ladew mews — Holiday 2013 — page four

The Ladew Cat Sanctuary Cats’ Top Picks for the Holiday Season

We asked the cats to give us a list of their favorite toys. Their lists are pretty long so we had to edit it down a little — here are some of their all-time favorites (and some new favorites):

Undercover Mouse stimulates your cat’s natural prey instincts.

Our cats never seem to tire of it!

Fling-Ama-String Motorized Interactive Cat Toy is a favorite amongst our kitties. Battery powered, it rotates a string which keeps the cats ready to pounce. It’s a lot of fun for the cats but is best under supervision - any toy with string can be a hazard. Keep this toy safely tucked away when not in use.

iPad We can’t even check our email on our ipads anymore without the cats insisting that we put their game on. Apple’s hit product even transcends to the feline world!

Bergan Turbo Scratcher is a favorite toy at our sanctuary and lasts a long time. The center is replaceable, and the ball will give hours of fun.

(Take the ball out at night. Trust us).

Catpod Speedbump Scratcher - Another favorite scratcher from catpods. These seem to last a little longer than the turbo scratchers, and some cats really love them. They come in all sizes and shapes to choose from!

ladew mews — Holiday 2013 — page five

The Ladew Cat Sanctuary Cats’ Top Picks for the Holiday Season

Yeowww Catnip - We’ve never met a cat who loved catnip who didn’t go nuts for these. It’s a good thing that cats don’t work in the post office, or these would never reach their destinations!

Dr. Daniels Catnip - Another excellent source of catnip is Dr. Daniels, which comes in different varieties for the catnip afficionado.

Dr.’s Foster & Smith Loose Catnip - Another favorite — we keep toys marinating year round for our kitties at the shelter! The cats ask for this every Christmas!

Zanie’s Toy Mice is a really good buy and excellent for those cats that don’t like catnip (and they’re great to marinate in catnip for those that do!). They’re a win-win!

Laser Mouse Laser lights are fun for cats and great entertainment for adults! Please make sure not to shine it in anyone’s eyes, feline or human or anyone else!

Feline Flyer makes cats go nuts for this! We keep a few on hand — great for kids who want to play with the kitties. Great entertainment for humans too — see how high your cat can jump! They sell replacement feathers for this too — we recommend getting a couple to keep on hand! (Put these toys away when not in use — any kind of string can be dangerous for cats if ingested or if the cat gets tangled in the string).

Cat Dancer- Another interactive toy that is great for exercise!

Cats LOVE it!

ladew mews — Holiday 2013 — page six

Spotlight on

SPONSORSHIP

2014 Ladew Cat Sanctuary Calendars Available on Ebay! http://www.ebay.com/itm/13099326 4801?ssPageName=STRK:MESELX: IT&_trksid=p3984.m1555.l2649

Kimba Kimba is a 3-year-old calico who is extremely shy of people. We are slowly getting her to trust us, but at the moment she prefers her cat friends. You can help us help Kimba by sponsoring her. Minimum $25.00. Gift sponsorship is also available.

Click here to sponsor KIMBA. Photographed by our own Lynn Manno, this 2014 Calendar features some of the kittens who have walked through our doors and into your lives!

Murphy & Belle Murphy (left) and his sister Belle, are just about 6 weeks old and ready for adoption mid-November. Both will be spayed/neutered, vaccinated appropriate for their age, tested negative for FELV/FIV, dewormed and microchipped. This sweet pair of siblings are sure to bring joy to any home!

For only $15.00 you can purchase one.

Each purchase will help another kitty at the Sanctuary.

See if your precious kitty is featured!

Happy Holidays!

Click here to sponsor MURPHY & BELLE. ladew mews — Holiday 2013 — page seven

Holiday Gifts

that keep on giving!

BLONDIE

ERIC & MASON

Midget, Widget, Fidget and Gizmo (formerly Gidget)

TOMMY

MS. KITTY

WILL

FUZZY

KIMBA

MURPHY & BELLE

W

hat better gift, than a forever home for these healthy, beautiful little fluffy souls — full of fun, with so much love to give in return!

This holiday season, you can give one or more of these Ladew rescue kitties the forever home they hope for.

Please go to www.theladewcatsanctuary.org and download our Adoption Application.

If you are unable to provide a forever home, you can Sponsor a kitty or give a Gift Sponsorship to someone who loves our precious feline friends.