Independent Cat Society Newsletter Spring 2021

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

Spring 2021 #168

Raise the Roof with Us in 2021!

As is typical of any renovation project like the one we did last year to remodel Kiki’s room, new maintenance issues are bound to surface.

In our case, we found moisture in the main building attic, pointing to the need for a new roof, new attic insulation, and improved ventilation. For the continued health and safety of our cats and employees, volunteers and visitors, we must start this project as soon as possible.

As you can imagine, it will be costly, so we need to reach out to you, our faithful and generous donors, to help. Any donation, small or large, is greatly appreciated. For more information, don’t hesitate to reach out to our Building Committee, reachable via email through shelter@catsociety.org.

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: facebook.com/INCatSociety 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: By appointment: shelter@catsociety.org or (219) 785-4936.

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

Please check our website or shelter for monthly adoption specials!

Board of Directors President: Jocelyn Vereb Vice-President: Paulette Gonzalez Recording Secretary: Beth Hayden Corresponding Secretary: Carol Albrecht Treasurer: Natalie Cebulski Board Members: Diana Foster Jami Heying Bernard Howard Mirjana Koutelas

Memorials and Tributes In memory of Bernice Last, from Mary Ann Meschi In memory of Chris and Terri Congie, my beautiful cousins, from Laurilee Christy In memory of Helen Svonavec from the daughters of Dorothy Duray, Al & Ann Konechni, Susan Modrak, and Theresa Richards In memory of Kelly Braun, from William & Judy Price In honor of my dear Dusty, from Dorothy Meyers In memory of Jayne Miracle, from Arlene Maxwell In memory of Darlene Ramsey, from Catherine Koday In memory of Kelly Braun from Johnson County Public Library Cheers and Tears Committee, the Zeta Chapter of Tri Kappa, Keith & Marcia Ulan, Marci Wasinski, Glen Lerner, and her many friends at ICS In honor of Oliver, Leo, and Lucky, from Linda Nawrocki In memory of Evelyn Hutton, from Thomas & Diane Papineau In memory of Sylvia, from Michael & Selina Modesett In memory of Tate Tot, Jellybean, Scooter Pie and all the ones I still miss, from Sandra Mason In memory of Bill “Joey” Foster, from Cindy Cosmo In memory of Smokey, from Brenda Hershman In memory of Shirley Kirschsieper, a life well lived, from Charlene Kirschsieper In memory of Lucas, our aloof Tuxedo, from Wayne and Carol Albrecht In memory of Boston Blackie, our little panther, from Wayne and Carol Albrecht In honor of June Norman, from Tom & Nancy Kleckner In honor of Gretchen Yearsich, from Gina Manley In honor of Tootsie, a cat we happily adopted, from Audrey Shashin In memory of Mary Corley Hays, from Ronald & Martha Black In memory of Durango, Chim-Chim, and Kiki, from Lee Ann Egan In memory of Benny, from Craig Merrick

And the winner is...

Charles! Handsome Charles was voted the 2021 Sweetheart, by barely a whisker over the beautiful Chloe. The remaining candidates, in order of most votes, were Pandora, Sylvester, Jinx, Dee Dee and Truffles. All were worthy candidates and hard to choose between!

The Sweetheart contest was extremely successful, and our teams worked hard to campaign for their candidates. We thank all of you who voted, and the following businesses who provided support with donations of items for us to sell or auction and/or hosting fundraisers at their location(s): Ageless Innovation Assisi Animal Health Blackbird Cafe Cat Treez CatIt/Hagen Group Chesterton Feed & Garden CrazyAboutCatnip Culver’s - Valpo Dr. Elsey’s Evexia Salt Cave Five Below Fluid Coffee Bar iCalmPet Indiana Beverage JustFundraising Maple City Roasters Michigan City McAlister’s Deli - Valpo Oddball Cat Toys Old Dog Coffeehouse - Lowell Pampered Chef Panda Express - Valpo Panera Bread Valparaiso Peddlers Pizza and Pub Stack’s Bar & Groll Strack & Van Til - Corporate Tuft + Paw Viking Chili Bowl Windmill Brewing Zao Island

Spay/Neuter Resources ICS assisted spay/neuter 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 purchase (cash/check/credit card), call one of the clinics below to schedule an appointment: • McAfee Animal Hospital (Valparaiso): 219-462-5901 – $115 • Westchester Animal Clinic (Chesterton): 219-926-1194– $85 • All Creature Features (LaPorte): 219-393-3558 – $85 • Gast Animal Hospital (Valparaiso): 219-759-7387 – $110 • Maple City Animal Hospital (LaPorte): 219-324-0055 – $116

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Dr. Anderson’s Feline Reduction Center has a low-cost clinic on Saturdays, now in LaPorte. For scheduling, contact 219-861-2006 or Cat_s-n_@hotmail.com.

Other local options: • Pet Neutering and Adoption: 219-987-7297 (DeMotte) • ABC Clinic: www.petrefugeabcclinic.com (Granger) • The Estelle Marcus Animal Clinic: www.hscalumet. org or (219) 924-7140 (Munster) • Low-Cost Spay/Neuter Clinic, 317-675-0072 or www.lowcostspayneuterindiana.org. Transport available from Hobart Humane Society, 1st & 3rd Thursdays of the month. By appointment only.

• PAWS Chicago: The Lurie Spay/Neuter Clinic or mobile unit, www.pawschicago.org or (773) 5217729 (Chicago) • Public Vet: https//pub.vet/ Contact us at icstnr2018@gmail.com for information on feral/community cat spay/neuter.

President’s Message We will continue to operate on an appointment-only basis for all adoptions and other visits. If you are looking to adopt, we ask that you complete an application at www.catsociety. org/adoption.html and, once it has been through our review process and approved, you will be contacted to set up an appointment to visit.

2021 has started with a successful Sweetheart Contest, even though it was mostly virtual with COVID still limiting our ability to have in-person events. We are looking forward to spring and summer, with plans, at this time to hold many of our popular events, and maybe some new ones! Please see the list of upcoming events on the back page of this Mewsletter.

Thank you for your continued cooperation.

Jocelyn Vereb, ICS Board President with Fiona, ICS “Office Manager”

Our 2021 Wish List

Our adoptions are still going well, with over 70 cats and kittens going to their forever homes so far this year. Our Building Committee, with Board approval, has finalized plans to do some much-needed maintenance in our main building – new doors, a new metal roof and better insulation in the attic. This is going to be a costly project, but it must be done to maintain the health and safety of our kitties. Donations are greatly appreciated, and you can find out more in this Mewsletter as well as at our website and Facebook pages.

Cleaning supplies • Laundry soup (HE preferred) • Dryer sheets • Paper plates • Paper towels • 30-gallon trash bags • Tall kitchen garbage bags Building & Grounds • Water softener pellets (rust prevention) • Aire Bear furnace filters 20x25x5 • 16x20x1 fiberglass furnace filters

Finally, with Governor Holcomb’s decision to replace the facemask mandate with an advisory, please understand that ICS will continue to require that facemasks are worn inside the shelter, or outside within 6 feet of others. This is for the health and safety of our volunteers, staff and visitors.

Featured cat: Kenny

Other • Dry cat food (kitten/adult) • Ground flavors of Friskies and Fancy Feast • Kuranda cleanable cat trees • Scoopable & clay litter

Featured cat: Kiarra

Featured cat: Truffles

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_____________________________________________ Is this a gift sponsorship? _______________ 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 3

Independent Cat Society PO Box 735 Westville, IN 46391

Non-Profit Organization US Postage

PAID

Valparaiso, IN Permit No. 134

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 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. ______ I will distribute flyers for fundraisers.

______

$10 Senior

­­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