Spring 2016 ICS Mewsletter

For the friends of the Independent Cat Society, a no-kill cat shelter

And the Winner is...

Spring 2016 #149

Cleo!

That’s right, this year’s Sweetheart winner was none other than Cleo! The beautiful little 14 year-old dynamo was a big hit at our Sweetheart Day Festival on February 27, capturing many hearts as she strutted her stuff for her admirers.

In fact, all of our cats were big winners during Sweetheart season this year, as ICS was able to earn almost $9000 toward food, litter, and medical care! So while Cleo knows she’s special, she also knows she has you to thank for all of your support!

We would also like to thank our many team leaders who took it upon themselves to bake, craft, run events, and sell items for their candidate. Without them, this event would not be possible, and this year they really pulled out all the stops!

Thinking about being a team leader or volunteering for fundraising events? We can always use help and fresh ideas! Visit us at our newly redesigned website, http://www.catsociety.org, to learn more and complete an online volunteer application.

Upcoming Events - New Schedules!

This year, ICS is shaking things up and bringing some new flair to old favorite events, as well as introducing some new ones. We hope that you will help us spread the word, join in, and bring your friends and family to come out and support the kitties!

As always, don’t forget to check in at our website (catsociety. org) or on our new and improved Facebook page (facebook.com/ INCatSociety) for the latest news. You’ll also be able to read about us in local newspapers and even hear about us on the radio from time to time throughout the year!

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ICS Yard Sale and Summer Open House - June 3-4, 2016 (donations may be brought on June 2)

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ICS Annual Book Sale - Rescheduled to September, 2016, Valparaiso National Guard Armory - stay tuned for more details!

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ICS Black Cat Strut - October 23, 2016, Red Mill County Park (La Porte)

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ICS Black Cat Boogie Annual Fundraising Dinner - November 5, 2016, Old Town Banquet Center, Valparaiso, IN

A Best Friends Experience, Sponsor-A-Cat, and much more inside!

Published for the friends of the Independent Cat Society, Inc. PO Box 735, Westville, IN 46391 (219) 785-4936 Web: www.catsociety.org Email: shelter@catsociety.org Facebook: www.facebook.com/ indcatsociety The Independent Cat Society, Inc., founded in 1977, is a non-profit, no-kill cat shelter on US Rt 6 at the Porter/LaPorte County Line Road in Westville, Indiana.

Our mission is to rescue, shelter, adopt, and promote the spaying and neutering of cats in our Northwest Indiana and Chicagoland community.

Adoption hours: Saturday, 10:00 am - 4:00 pm Sunday, 1:00 pm - 4:00 pm Others by appointment.

Please call (219) 785-4936.

About our Adoption Fees Include: Spay/neuter, vet exam, feline leukemia and FIV test; ageappropriate vaccinations; parasite treatment; tattoo ID/microchip; 30 Day No-Cost Pet Insurance; Hills Science Diet coupon; and free postadoption participating vet visit.

Calendar of Events

April April 30: Be Kind to Animals Porter County Expo Center, Valparaiso, 9am - 4pm

May May 3: Cinco De Meow Fundraiser Qdoba Mexican Grill, Valparaiso, 11am - 10pm

May 7: 2016 Lake County Pet Expo Lake County Fairgrounds, Crown Point, 9am - 4pm

May 14: All Paws Craft Show and Bake Sale Westville American Legion Post 21, 9am - 3pm

June June 3-4: ICS Yard Sale and Summer Open House Donations accepted: June 2, 9am - 5pm Sale and Open House Extravaganza: June 3-4, 9am - 4pm ICS Shelter, Westville

June 24-25: Whimsical Pet Portraits Classes LOAF (Local Organic Affordable Foods), Chesterton - sign up at catsociety.org!

Please check our website or shelter for monthly adoption specials!

Board of Directors: President:

Anastasia Trekles Vice-President:

Jocelyn Vereb Recording Secretary:

Judy Dean Corresponding Secretary:

Kay Vazquez Treasurer:

Natalie Cebulski Board Members:

Diana Foster

Jason Petrovich

Jennifer Stall

Joan Hildebrand

Low-Cost Spay/Neuter Options ICS Vouchers are available at the ICS shelter on Saturdays from 10 AM-4PM and Sundays from 1-4 PM. (Others hours may be available by appointment only).

After purchasing a voucher (cash/check/credit card), call one your chosen clinic to schedule an appointment. ICS Spay/Neuter vouchers are only accepted at the following veterinary hospitals: • McAfee Animal Hospital (Valparaiso): 219-462-5901 – $115 • Westchester Animal Clinic (Chesterton): 219-926-1194– $65 • All Creature Features (LaPorte): 219-393-3558 – $85 • Gast Animal Hospital (Valparaiso): 219-759-7387 – $105 • Maple City Animal Hospital (LaPorte): 219-324-0055 – $116 Dr. Anderson’s Feline Reduction Center has a low-cost clinic on Saturdays in Beverly Shores.

The scheduling number is 219-861-9006.

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Other local options: • Neuter Scooter: www.neuterscooter.com • Pet Neutering and Adoption: www. petneutering.com (DeMotte) • ABC Clinic: www.petrefugeabcclinic.com (Granger) • The Estelle Marcus Animal Clinic: www. hscalumet.org or (219) 924-7140 (Munster) • NAWS: www.nawsus.org or (708) 478-5102 (Mokena) • PAWS Chicago: The Lurie Spay/Neuter Clinic or mobile unit, www.pawschicago.org or (773) 521-7729 (Chicago) • Anti-Cruelty Society: www.anticruelty.org or (312) 644-8338 (Chicago) For help with spaying neutering of free-roaming cats, please email us at: icstnr@comcast.net

Stories Behind the Bricks There are special stories behind every engraved brick in our beautiful Rainbow Bridge Garden. Please enjoy this series on the stories behind the bricks, as told by our supporters.

Would you like to commemorate a beloved family member in a special way by reserving them a brick in the Garden, or share a story of your own? Contact us at shelter@catsociety.org, and to order your own brick, stop in or visit http://www.catsociety.org/donate.html. All proceeds support our Building Fund.

Sincerely, Staci Trekles, ICS Board President

Zelda, the Childhood Friend Years ago, when I was young, we lived on a racehorse farm, taking care of the horses that my grandfather owned. It was every little girl’s dream come true – horses, green pastures, and of course, barn cats! We had a relatively small cat population until our two females got pregnant almost at the same time, and all of the sudden, our modest group became quite the crowd. Needless to say, we got the girls spayed after that, but we were happy to be blessed with nine adorable kittens, mostly black, white, and various shades of gray.

Unfortunately, because they were out in the barn and outside a good part of the time, they were susceptible to illness. The little ones all began to get sick – very sick, in fact, as we learned they had a viral disease called distemper, and they might not all make it. My job, at seven years old, became going out to the barn three times a day to catch all of the kitties and give them their antibiotics, which I did very faithfully. Each little kitty had a name and a story. We played together when we weren’t dealing with medications, and most of the previously shy barn cats had become quite social.

Despite my best efforts, though, slowly but surely, each of those kittens lost their battle with distemper. Those who were just too small or too far gone just couldn’t overcome it – all except for one. This black and white dynamo was a little bigger, a little tougher than the rest, and as she grew, she kept on getting healthier. She was also one of the least friendly toward people, although we had developed a pretty solid friendship. So much so, that when she cleared of distemper, I decided she was special, and that she belonged in the house instead of the barn. Even though we already had two cats and two dogs inside, “Mom, can I keep her?” won out.

Zelda, as she came to be known (named, of course, after The Legend of Zelda, my favorite Nintendo game at the time) never did get along that well with anyone else but me. But we grew up together, and for twenty-three years, she was my best friend and companion. That’s right, twenty-three years! Zelda remained strong and healthy for nearly her entire life, and even though some of that time was spent hiding under the bed, she always knew she was loved.

We Thank You We are very thankful to all of our supporters, including those who brought us food, toys, hammocks, beds, and other amazing things to make our cats happy and comfortable. Our supporters and donors make ICS what it is – an organization dedicated to helping provide sanctuary and loving homes to hundreds of cats each year. Your donations help in the following ways: General Operating Expenses

Supports medical expenses, food, litter, payroll for our medication and cleaning staff,and shelter upkeep

Please note: We do not use litter pan liners, newspapers, or pine cleaners like Pine Sol. Thank you!

Office Supplies Stamps Various Colored 2-pocket folders with Business Card Slots Letter-Size Manila File Folders Cleaning Supplies Bleach Laundry Soap (prefer HE type) Dryer Sheets Liquid Hand Soap Dish Soap Paper Plates Paper Towels 30-gallon Trash Bags Tall Kitchen Garbage Bags Medical Supplies Microwaveable Heating Discs Science Diet A/D, I/D, K/D Wellness Grain-Free Food Building and Grounds 20 x 25 x 5 Aire Bear Furnace filters Water Softener Pellets 16 x 20 x 1 Fiberglass Furnace Filters Replacement Filters for Hunter Air Purifier Model #30547 Carpenters, plumbers, painters Other Dry Cat Food, kitten and adult, Prefer Hills Science Diet but use other brands for donations to those in need Ground flavors of Fancy Feast and grain-free foods Kuranda Plastic Cleanable Cat Trees Scoopable and Clay Litters Gift Cards to Lowe’s, Menard’s, Home Depot, etc.

Safeguard SG-36D Humane Traps Turbo-Tracks Replacement Scratchers Extra Large Litter Scoops Small Blankets, Rugs, Towels Special Services Artists and craftspersons for events Transportation and hauling vehicles

Trap Neuter Return / Assisted Spay & Neuter Fund

Supports our ICS TNR Squad and their operations to help cats in our community

The cats thank you! Ask us for a receipt for tax-deductible donations.

Building Fund

Goes toward the planning and building of a new, improved ICS shelter Sponsor-a-Cat

Supports our Sponsor-a-Cat program - find out more and sign up on page 4!

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Sponsor-A-Cat!

from your Spokescat,Monica

Our spokescat, Monica, was sitting by her listening spot at the door of Bower and asked me to help her share some of her thoughts. Translated are Monica’s latest “mewsings.”

“While I was waiting for someone to come along to admire me, I heard two visitors from across the hall talking. So I listened, as usual. Sometimes I hear people say, ‘Oh, the poor kitties – having to live in a shelter.’ That’s the one time I wish I could talk. Usually my face says it all.

“If I could, I’d tell them that every cat matters here in our shelter. No matter how old, how mean, or how shy. Even our special needs cats count and are cared for just as much as the cute new kittens. We all have good food, a warm bed, medical care as needed, and lots of love from volunteers, staff, and visitors as well as our special cat family. Some of our roommates are here for a week before they are adopted; others, much longer. A few, like my friend, life-long resident Marguerite from across the hall, have been here more than 17 years.

Monica, your New Spokescat

“Even when a cat doesn’t seem to be bonded with other cats in her room, she feels special because she has a sponsor – a donor in our Sponsor-A-Cat program that gives each and every cat a special person who cares about them. Their cat matters, and they donate each month to provide for that cat’s care.”

You can show a lucky shelter cat that he or she matters to you, too, y joining the SAC program to provide a dependable source of income for all our residents’ welfare. Please fill out the application at the bottom of this page and show ICS that you appreciate and support their efforts. Show one special cat that she matters.

Ginger

Mayflower

Ericka

Blaze

Lisa

Joanie

I want to Sponsor-A-Cat from the Independent Cat Society

I have enclosed a check for:

__________ $180 for one year of Sponsor-A-Cat

__________ $15 for the first month of Sponsor-A-Cat. I pledge to send $15 each month to Sponsor-A-Cat

__________ I pledge to send the amount that fits my budget and feels “right” to Sponsor-A-Cat each month Please mark “SAC” on your envelope and check memo. The sponsor will receive a photo and biography of his or her Sponsor-A-Cat. Name of sponsor_____________________________________________ Address_________________________________________________ City______________________________________ State_______ ZIP__________ Telephone _______________________________________ Month of sponsor’s birthday______________________________ email address_______________________________________ Clip and mail to: Independent Cat Society, Inc., PO Box 735, Westville, IN 46391 4

Helping Animals:

The Experience of a Lifetime

By Angela Hall, Purdue North Central Student and ICS Volunteer

As you might know, the Independent Cat Society is a partner of Best Friends Animal Society (http://www.bestfriends.org), meaning we are allowed to apply for their grants and we are required to follow other guidelines that allow us to be connected to such a legendary shelter. In fact, you may have noticed some of our exciting adoption specials, such as the ‘The One” this past February, and the Holiday Adoption Special in November and December. These programs are offered in partnership with Best Friends and the many shelters that have been accepted into their No More Homeless Pets Network throughout the country.

You always have a friend at Best Friends!

In the summer of 2007 I had the ultimate opportunity while on a family vacation – to visit the famous Best Friends Animal Sanctuary in Angel Canyon Utah, a place that inspired me beyond measure.

It was my visit to Best Friends that opened my eyes to all that a shelter could be, spurring a life-long goal to help stray cats.

That drive inside of me is what landed me as an intern at ICS, giving me the chance of a lifetime to really make a difference in the lives of animals.

I was only a middle-schooler when we took our family vacation; my awkward haircut and bad teenage fashion sense is present in every memory. However, my desire to climb and explore all that the red rocks of Utah had to offer was my only concern on this vacation. I was hoping to spot some wildlife different from what I was used to in Indiana – a bighorn buck, a mountain lion, or some poisonous snake . . . You know, what every girl dreams of.

We followed the itinerary put in place by my mom and bounced from place to place, getting to see the best of the West. She told us about this animal shelter we were going to visit, and my sister and I were both excited.

We had been saving little stray kittens for years and wondered what sorts of cats we would see.

You would never expect to find beautiful shelter down in the middle of a desert canyon, but rolling up to Best Friends we saw sprawling buildings, a few nice gardens; a place that looked full of life and like an animal haven. I remember being astonished at the size (we had to get in a van to tour the whole facility!) and all of the different varieties of animals they helped at Best Friends: the standard dog and cat along with horses, rabbits, birds, pigs, and a myriad of other wild animals.

My favorite of all of these, however, was Cat World. Cats greeted us at the door of every room, and the place was open and airy and there was a ton of room for each cat to have his or her own space. There were cats old and young, sweet and shy, healthy and recuperating – but all happy. I was transfixed by their feral cat colony – a fenced-in area with places to climb and run where feral cats could live out their wild lives in peace without being put in harm’s way. Looking around me and seeing a place filled with cats who would live a full life (adopted or not), I knew I was in Cat Heaven, not just Cat World.

Growing up near a patch of woods and a cornfield, we had a colony of feral cats that were always around the neighborhood. For the cats, the safest place to have their kittens was often under our back porch. My sister and I would watch and wait patiently for the very feral mothers to go out for the day – sitting for hours in silence, alert eyes fixed on the tiny hole under the porch. When the coast was clear and the kittens were a few weeks old, we would set food out – mostly ham slices or hot dog pieces – and wait for the kittens to come sniffing.

Through our methods of catch, train and rehome, we found homes for over sixty kittens, just by catching the

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A Cat World resident.

strays that were born under our house. From this alone I learned that the kittens never end, they just keep coming unless something can be done to stop it. We experienced some tragedy as well, the death of a few sick kittens as well as the occasional mother cat run over by a car. We got to see first hand the desperation of stray cats.

Best Friends gave me hope that situations like these could be changed. Feral cats could be given a safe place to live away from cars or dogs or dangerous people. They could be spayed or neutered to prevent kittens from being born every sixty days or so. Visiting Best Friends showed me that places do exist where animals can be happy--not zoos or shelters who embrace euthanasia--but a place where homeless cats and animals could be safe and cared for until they found that final forever home. Best Friends inspired me to keep crusading for cats and their welfare, to do all that I can--that it does count and can make a difference.

The Best Friends Cat World sanctuary, at the time of Angie’s visit.

Memorials & Tributes

January-March 2016

In memory of Bootsie, from Ginni and Danny Uhle

In memory of Alcee Hecht, from Diana Firme

In memory of Kerry, Bambi, Cinder, Winston, and Mitzi, from Norman & Patricia Karner

In memory of Spaz, 1993-2014, from Barbara Weeks In memory of Skippy, our beloved cat, from Kammy Fox-Kay, Martin, Theresa, Andy, and Julie Kay

In memory of Kira, my treasured baby, died 5-8-2015 - adopted from ICS 12-22-2009, from Sivana Heller

In memory of Mickey (formerly Stan), from Debora Nugent

In memory of Ronald Kuder, from Diana Foster & Anastasia Trekles

In memory of Jim Supanik, from Luella Anderson

In memory of Calie, my cat, from Carol Goin

In memory of Jeanne Wolfe (Eales), from Arlene Maxwell

In memory of Betty Schneider, from Charles & Barbara Bohn, Teresa Graystone-Loomis, and Lois O’Connor

In memory of Mary Ann Luther, from Doris Jacobs and Patricia Jones In honor of Beau Niemeyer, from Virginia Niemeyer

In memory of JoBeth Madsen Cruz and in honor of Jay Cruz, from Christopher & Megan Dilts

In memory of Bailey and Suki, from Judith Blanchette

In memory of Miss Kitty Stiles, beloved pet of Judith and John Stiles, from Jennifer Stewart

In memory of Miss Liberty (Libby), from Marie-Danielle Burrus

In memory of our cat Mr. Biggs, from Diane Carpenter

In honor of Pat Massette, from Nicholas & Sharon Priester

In memory of Walter Witt, from Mary Witt

In honor of Lynn Michaels, from Florence Schoof

In honor of Kathleen Summerville, from Jeffrey Wolfe

In memory of Samson, from Michael & Susan Doria

In memory of Knoll family pets, from Ruth Knoll

In memory of Freeway, from Donna Frey

In memory of Willow, from Larry & Susan Gillham

In honor of our cat, Mr. Paul, who picked us to love, from Stuart & Sherry Irvin

In memory of Shalom, from G. David Stoneburner

In memory of Jenna Vereb, my sweet little girl from ICS, from Irene Vereb

In memory of Angel and Misty, from Donald & Rosemary Fanning

In honor of Lottie Wells on her birthday, from Jamie Henry

In memory of Donna Mahala, from Joann Leka

In memory of Jim Fuhlrodt, from Aldona Priede In honor of Beverly Overmyer, from John & Carol Holmquest

In memory of my lovely 16 year old Lissy, who I lost March 7, from Donna Marquardt

In memory of Dennis Becker, from Robert & Lois Hanna, Curtis & Barbara Hanna, James & Anita Freels, and 80” HSM & Friends

In memory of Ruby Scott, from Jean Miller In memory of N’Toth and Spirit, from Sue Helm

In honor of the McCarney and Vereb Families, from Linda Romano

In memory of Kitty, fromNorman & Patricia Karner

In memory of Homey, from Martin Gonzales

In memory of David Wildfang, from Amy Wildfang

Chasing the Laser

by Victoria Voller, Board President, Humane Society of Northwest Indiana Dear Reader,

chase. It’s true! For some, the excitement is just too much.

I am a dog with many toys.

My favorites are those with a squeaker inside.

I like my toys a lot and play all the time, but I am not obsessed. Opey Taylor, a goofy looking Yorkie-Poo that lives in my house, is totally fixated on a red and white striped, bone-shaped slimy, squeaky thing. As toys go (as if any self-respecting dog would want it at all), it is stupid, but he plays with it all the time. He even knows when it’s put on the top of a table or hidden away in a drawer because he just sits by it and whines. Now, this behavior is not unsettling to my pet parents because frankly, it isn’t harmful to Opey. It is, however, harmful to me because I have to listen to the squeak and the whine all day long and nobody cares. This little story about Opey brings me to my message of the day to cat pet parents everywhere. If your cat’s favorite toy is a laser light, you may want to rethink that whole scenario, and here’s why.

Inside cats that have not had a hunting experience can easily fall victim to the frenzied cycle of point and chase a light. Dr. Temple Grandin, an author, professor at Colorado State University, and activist writes that outside cats know that the light is really not food.

But indoor cats that were never taught to hunt do not know what to chase and when to stalk their prey. Outdoor cats have learned to inhibit their chasing instinct so they can get close enough to their prey to catch it, wrote Grandin. “I think that what happens with laser pointers is that cats see the dot but can’t catch it, feel it or hold on to it. So the dot becomes a stimulus that keeps on stimulating the chase behavior because the cat can’t complete the sequence of chase and catch. Therefore, the chase instinct can’t get turned off,” Grandin wrote in her book, Animals in Translation.

Stores are selling laser pointers, the type used by lecturers on overhead screens, for cat toys. This is not good. Some house cats get so excited about chasing a battery-operated laser pointer that they have been known to break bones or dislocate joints in the

What to do? If your kitty loves the laser, try giving her a physical toy after stimulating her attention with a short round of laser play.

This way, the cycle of chase and catch is completed, and she gets a reward as well.

Just imagine a human who lives in front of a computer or television screen chasing pixels, flicking stations and turning a blind eye to their health in search of more and more stimulus (information or entertainment) on the screen. These experiences can’t be felt or held – the chase instinct just can’t be turned off.

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A Sweetheart Thank-You! ICS wishes to thank all of the businesses and organizations that contributed to our Sweetheart Day celebration this year.

We appreciate your support and hope to see you again next year!

Back to the Roots Bark Magazine Chesterton Feed and Garden Chicago Bears Chips Happen CNS - Comprehensive Neurological Services Gwen Cooper Culvers - Chesterton Darkhorse Inspirations

Dog.com Dogswell.com Droll Yankees Drs Foster and Smith Earth Rated Entirely Pets Family Video Figure 8 Brewery Green Housewives Bath Company Halo Pets Jack Hannah Hauspanther Healthy Pets Hill’s Pet Food Hill’s Pet Nutrition Inc. Holly at Glamour Hair Hungry Monkie Bake Shop Jackson Galaxy Jake’s Feed and Garden Store Jamberry - Shaina Bowie, Independent Consultant

Jennifer Newman KarahTess Clothing Kuranda USA Lettuce Entertain You Restuarants LitterMaid McAfee Animal Hospital Melissa & Doug Modern Cats Designs Neater Feeder Nicol Photographic Art Noodles and Company - Valparaiso Olga’s Pizza - Westville Opportunity Enterprises Papa John’s Pizza Pet Solutions Purdue University Smokey’s BBQ on 20 Sport Clips - Valparaiso The Burger Bar and Grill - LaPorte Trattoria Enzo Westville Farm Supply

Corporate Sponsorships 1st Source Bank

Duneland Boys and Girls Club

Pieces of Jayde

24Hour Pet Watch

Eley-Graham Financial Advisory Services

Porter County Council on Aging

AJ Canopy Rental and Sales

Exxon Mobil Foundation

Porter County Community Foundation

Allegius Credit Union

First United Methodist Church

Porter County Master Gardeners

Alltech Computers

Flanagin’s Bulk Mail Service

All Creature Features of LaPorte

GoodCents Solutions

Purdue University Northwest - North Central Campus

Anderson Winery

Gast Animal Hospital

Arcelor Mittal Matching Gifts Program

HealthPartners Medical Group

Arbor View Animal Hospital

Hill’s Science Diet Pet Foods

Ashby’s Cards and Gifts

Home Depot Foundation

ASPCA Food Donations

Hotspot Cafe of LaPorte

Aurelio’s Pizza (LaPorte, IN)

Indiana 105

Banfield Charitable Trust

iPet Companion

Best Friends Animal Society

Jake’s Feed and Garden

Bissell Foundation

John W. Anderson Foundation

Brandt’s Old Fashion Emporium and Pet Supply

Joy of Socks

BP Foundation

Maple City Animal Hospital

Bren-Mark Window Cleaning

Michiana Mechanial Inc.

Boyconn Printing

Nisource Corporate Services

Christie Lant, DDS

Michigan City Animal Hospital

Chesterton Feed and Garden

McAfee Animal Hospital

Chesterton High School

Mortar Net USA

Chipotle (Merrillville)

Olga Petryszyn Team

Culvers (Valparaiso)

Panda Express (Portage)

DailyGood

Pet Supplies Plus

Purina Pet Nutrition Pyle & Piontek, LLC Pyrrha Jewelry Razzle Dazzle Creation Ryan Newman Foundation The Spirit Within Medical Hypnotherapy Shelter Wishlist

JV Crane & Engineering, Inc.

SilverCrow Creations Sims Metal Management Starbucks Coffee (Portage) Southwest Airlines St. Christopher’s Episcopal Church Unity Foundation of LaPorte County The United Way of LaPorte County Vale Park Animal Hospital Walt Disney Corporation Westchester Animal Clinic Westville High School Westville Farm Supply, Inc. Yat’s Restaurant

Devries Tire Company If we have inadvertently omitted anyone, please write, email, or call us so we can include them in the next newsletter.

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Independent Cat Society PO Box 735 Westville, IN 46391

Non-Profit Organization US Postage

PAID

Valparaiso, IN Permit No. 134

Upcoming Events

http://catsociety.org

• Be Kind to Animals

April 30, Porter County Expo Center

@IndCatSociety

• Cinco De Meow Fundraiser

May 3, Qdoba Mexican Grill, Valparaiso

facebook.com/ INCatSociety

• Lake County Expo

May 7, Lake County Expo Center

• All Paws Craft Show

May 14, Westville American Legion Post 21

• Summer Open House and Yard Sale

June 2-4, ICS Shelter

• Whimsical Pet Portraits Classes

Juner 24-25, LOAF in Chesterton

• ICS Annual Book Sale

Coming in September! Valparaiso National Guard Armory

If you’d like to receive the Mewsletter via email, let us know at shelter@catsociety.org.

Can you help the Independent Cat Society cats?

Become a Member!

Annual Dues:

Donate or Volunteer! ______ I am donating $______ for the care of the cats and kittens.

______

$1000 Corporation

______ I am donating $______ to the building fund.

______

$500 Platinum

______ I will help groom cats at the shelter.

______

$100 Gold Star

______

$50 Family

______

$25 Individual

______

$1­­0 Student

______ I am donating $______ to the TNR/Assisted Spay & Neuter Fund. ______ I will help give cats their medications. ______ I will help at fundraising events. ______ I will be a foster parent. ______ I will donate my cat-themed artwork or crafts for fundraising events. ______ I will bake for fundraising events. ______ I will make adoption follow-up telephone calls. ______ I will help cats get good homes by becoming an adoption counselor. ______ I will help take care of the grounds and maintain the shelter.

______

$10 Senior

______ I will distribute flyers for fundraisers.

­­Name______________________________________ Address_____________________ City______________ State_______ ZIP__________ ____This is a new address. ____ Do not send a “thank you” note. Phone____________________ email___________________________ Clip and send to: Independent Cat Society, Inc., PO Box 735, Westville, IN 46391