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THE PAWS WATCH

from 02 2020 Rhode Island Natural Awakenings

from 02 2020 Rhode Island Natural Awakenings, page 23

OPEN YOUR HEART

The Paws Watch Community Cat Center

The Paws Watch Community Cat Center (CCC) is Rhode Island’s only facility dedicated to providing the best care for Rhode Island’s freeroaming cats. The Paws Watch objective is to reduce the number of outside cats in the state. This is accomplished through the trap, neuter and release (TNR) of feral cats, taking in friendly cats and socializing kittens. The center is especially busy during the kitten season, which begins in early April and runs through November. Foster homes are needed to socialize kittens, and two well-equipped playrooms offer space to host adoptions for friendly cats and kittens. Over the past 22 years, this all-volunteer organization has trapped, neutered and released some 22,000 cats, helping people of every economic and cultural background alleviate the overpopulation of homeless cats in their neighborhood. This past year, with the support of PawsWatch, Scruffy Paws Animal Rescue and Grieco Automotive Group, the organization opened an innovative new facility in Johnston. The new space provides the services of intake, post-operative TNR medical care, socialization, adoption and community engagement all under one roof. CCC provides volunteers with complete instructions for trapping. One volunteer, having recently trapped six cats in a local colony, delivered them to the center. An internal volunteer had prepared crates with the comforts of bedding, food, water and privacy. Co-Director Dianne LaPointe describes the Center as “the Ritz for Cats, where we treat them with respect and dignity.” The new arrivals were skillfully transferred from their traps into their temporary accommodations, and LaPointe herself examined each new arrival, lavishing it with love and compassion.

The rescue organization is always seeking more volunteers to clean litter boxes and crates, handle feeding, help with socialization, provide foster homes, build outdoor shelters, do carpentry projects, lend technical assistance, organize fundraising events, help with social media and other functions. There is an immediate volunteer need for an electrician willing to donate time installing light switches and making the building’s electric system more efficient. by Wendy Fachon

Co-Director Pam Fisette states that above all, there is a need for communities across the state to recognize the feral cat population problem and organize volunteers to trap and bring the cats to local veterinarians willing to provide spaying and neutering services at a reduced cost. Community volunteers can also help by delivering friendly cats and kittens to local rescue shelters for home placement. Fisette asserts, “In a perfect world, all homes would have a cat, and all cats would have a home.”

Since CCC opened its new facility in May 2019, it has treated and released 138 cats, transferred 98 to other shelters, arranged 218 adoptions and completed 19 barn placements. Kittens and friendly cats are prepared for adoptions, then placed in forever homes through Pat-A-Cat Place and CCC’s adoption partners. Barn placement provides farmers with a natural and nontoxic method of rodent pest control. The center’s capacity is limited, however, so it is encouraging people to volunteer to take responsibility within their communities.

The Paws Watch Community Cat Center is located at 39 Putnam Pike, Johnston. To volunteer, donate or learn more about TNR, visit CommunityCatCenter.com or email CommunityCatCareCenter@gmail.com.

Wendy Fachon is a regular contributor to the magazine and host of the Story Walking Radio Hour on the Dream Visions 7 Radio Network. Learn more at StoryWalking.com. arn more at www.netwalkri.com.

MOON REPORT FEBRUARY 2020

by Karyn Mahrie Chabot, M.Ay, LMT, RYT

The Full Moon on February 8, will occur in sidereal Cancer in the lunar star of Ashlesha, symbolized by the coiled serpent. The serpent represents our kundalini or life force at the base of our spines, as well as healing with herbs or suffering from poisons that alter the state of mind. The zodiac sign of Cancer brings these matters home, as well as in the global waters of foreign affairs. Be sure to drink only the best filtered water and beverages this month.

With Saturn’s gaze, beware of the tendencies for rigidity in your personal lives as well as government dogma and righteousness which can lead to conflict. Ashlesha can be sneaky, but by the light of this particular full moon, thieves, cheaters and liars of all kinds will suddenly become public and held accountable. With Venus exalted in the 6 th house of litigation, we can expect some wonky arguments based on exaggerations and a sense of entitlement both personally and globally.

Stay in your own lane and practice kindness. A Cancer moon is very strong because she’s in her proverbial home, purifying all the cobwebs that were once hidden in the basement of our lives. Pay attention to matters of motherhood and family by being extra kind and forgiving to your own mother or mother-like women in your orbit and your own children this month. May the Divine Mother (Moon), shine her light on the dark corners of our world and bring world peace. The New Moon on February 23, will occur in sidereal Aquarius, the lunar star of Shatabisha, represented by an empty circle and the cosmic and terrestrial waters. Symbolic of all things aquatic, Shatabisha can cause watery and emotional upheaval which can give rise to new beginnings as this lunar star will wash away emotional situations that no longer serve us. As moon shares her home with mercury while he’s in retrograde this month, it can cause feelings of lunacy, misunderstandings, delays, feelings of heightened intuition and sensitivity or both. Use your sensitivity for compassion and know that this too shall pass. It’s a grand time to begin a new career or launch a new idea or book. This is a time of sacred and purposeful reflection and a chance to reinvent yourself at any age. Remember, we are all in this together and all is well in the Universe.

The difference between the tropical zodiac and the sidereal zodiac is about 23 degrees. Both systems have value. Sidereal astrologers believe the qualities of the signs are not related to the seasons, but rather to the specific portions of the ecliptic as measured against the fixed lunar stars.

Karyn Mahrie Chabot, M.Ay, LMT, RYT, has her master’s degree in Ayurvedic medicine and been an international teacher and presenter in the field of metaphysics, astrology and healing for more than 25 years. For appointments, call 401-680-3934 or visit Go.OnceHub.com/ KarynMahrieChabot. For more information, visit SacredStoneHealing.com.

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