cali does it again

maybe it seems like we're all on the california bandwagon lately, but the state has been making amazing strides in animal rights legislation.

west hollywood recently enacted an ordinance prohibiting all sales of dogs and cats in pet stores. however, they are permitted to offer adoptable animals from local shelters.

at madcat, our mantra is that we don't sell animals - in america, five million dogs and cats die each year just because they don't have human addresses. we're all about supporting local rescue.

new leadership at the wisconsin humane society

the wisconsin humane society has selected anne reed, a milwaukee-based lawyer, to head up their board of directors. while she does not have any direct experience in animal welfare she has been on the boards of many other non-profit groups and worked in the legal system for over twenty years. hmmmm....sounds somewhat similar to another lawyer/animal welfare advocate we know (hint: look at yesterday's post.)

hopefully she can lead the group in a new direction and make progress towards a no kill wisconsin.

in other humane society news, here are the dane county humane society's official stats for the month of october. since it's the season of giving thanks, let's all be thankful that the euthanasia numbers are way down from previous years. but that should not stop us from pushing the fight to save every last one of them.

the man with a plan gives us part 2

exciting news, everyone! nathan winograd, the fearless leader of the no kill sheltering movement, has a new book, irreconcilable differences. it's a follow-up to redemption and is a must-read for anyone who is passionate about companion animals, shelter care, and the end of unnecessary deaths.

even better news, the book will be available at MadCat within a couple of weeks. pick one up for your favorite cat-rescuer!

the story of oreo

a furor is spreading about the un-neccessary death of a dog named oreo. her killer? the very organization designed to protect her, the aspca.

what went wrong? how does one get to killing the very things they want to save? why did ed sayres, president of the aspca, choose death over an offered life-time of care in a sanctuary?

the story is just one example of what is happening in kill shelters across the country every single day.

visit nathan winograd's blog for the rest of the sad story. to learn what you can do to help make us into a no kill nation, check out the no kill advocay center.

compassionate cats

the beginning of a new generation of cat-lovers: a new school program teaches children to have empathy for animals, especially kitties.

the no kill revolution marches on with communities nationwide embracing the humane approach of t-n-r for feral colony management.

"one gay man, two lesbians, a three-legged cat and a poisoned curry plot" - best headline ever?

honda gets smart, releases a car for dog-lovers - "features on the dog-friendly model include a cushioned cargo bed area with safety restraints, second-row pet seating with restraints, a spill-resistant water bowl, special ventilation fans, bone and paw print-patterned floor mats and a retractable ramp to help animals get in and out of the vehicle."

if they ever release a cat-friendly car let's hope it doesn't look like this.

please, please, please, don't shoot the cat

the anti-cat undercurrent has got to stop:

pfeiffer, a one-year old cat, was shot with a cross-bow last week, and miraculously survived. no suspects yet. (warning: graphic image)

in a uk neighborhood, 8 cats have been poisoned to death. was it a pro-bird/anti-cat killing? it's happened before.

we've got a ways to go before we truly embrace the no kill philosophy, as a nation and as people.

this cute dog thinks he's a cat. he even uses the litter box and is being adopted out through a cat-specific rescue group! now that's a dog who'd fit right in here. he and lucy could cuddle.

poodles groomed to look like other animals: cruelty or comedy? tell us what you think.

lucy iz not hooman grayd 'gredient!

nora, the piano-playing cat, gets her own pitch-purrfect concerto.

woman framed by police just wanted to catch her cat.

the greatest show in bolivia just got a whole lot greater. is this the first step toward cruelty-free circuses everywhere? we hope so.

kitty gets new eyelids - a perfect example of how no kill rescue groups can harness the power of the internet to save lives.

a young woman risks her life to save kittens left to die on a busy roadway. what would you have done?

all cats are tigers in their own way

escaped tiger was found in a backyard garden. probably hunting wabbitses.

word travels fast when maddie's fund grants shelter a no kill grant. what a perfect opportunity to get the ball moving and start saving lives.

do you speak their language? tail ticks and whisker twitches may mean more than you think.

crazy kitty antics are on disiplay in this slideshow. who doesn't love a cat in a sink?

surfing dogs!? what will they think of next?! jetskiing cats? actually, that'd be pretty cool.

everything is treatable with no kill

a paraplegic cat learns to walk for the first time....at a no kill cat sanctuary. right on!

local man arrested for stealing his brother's bike back spends night in jail worrying about his cat. poor luka is still missing. aren't police supposed to help people?

interesting idea for t-n-r, call the exterminator! don't worry, it's a friendly "green" exterminator.

here's a slideshow on animals having fun. we all know how cats have fun - pushing things off of counter tops!

leesha can haz hom now?

happy cats, leesha and mr. d,j., are still hanging out, looking for new homes. what are you waiting for?

update: d.j. has just been adopted! good luck in your new life, buddy!

ghost update! if you missed the news friday night don't worry, the piece is up on channel 3000's website. we spoke with happy cat today, where ghost is in foster care, and it sounds like he's doing much better. his initial checkup put him at near 7 weeks old, dehydrated and under-nourished. it appears he had been surviving off of bird seeds and whatever water he could get from rain. today, he's running around like any kitten would: playing and jumping and without a care in the world. it will be a few weeks more until he reaches two pounds and can be neutered and after that he'll be up for adoption. stay tuned for more updates on the famous little guy!

any time you surrender a cat to a kill shelter there is no guarantee it will be adopted. likewise, adding a pet to your family means you are responsible for its health. sad story all around.

now, time for a joke - "the story of adam and eve's pets"

surprise! it's a ghost!

here's a no kill story that involves community, rescue, and a couple thousand miles.

while we don't normally do this (we're not a shelter), we took in a teeny tiny white kitten this morning who had been living inside the engine block of car for a week - a car that just happened to be traveling 1,400 miles.   apparently the little guy had crawled up into the car at a grocery store and was finally discovered this morning when the car was brought in for an oil change.  a good samaritan then brought him to us and we named the little guy 'ghost' because he was so tiny and white - a real ghost of a cat.  after a hearty breakfast of turkey and liver (yummmm!) he warmed right up to us and spent a good amount of time riding shoulders and receiving lots of love. the good folks at happy cat have stepped up to foster him until he is big enough for adoption. look for a story on ghost to air tonight on channel 3000 news and check back here for updates on the little guy.   

also in happy cat news, we have a new kitty up for adoption at our mineral point road store. his name is d.j. and he's a gorgeous orange and white tabby with the loving personality that comes with his looks. if you want to come in and meet him prepare for a few kisses 'cause this guy likes to lick fingers rub noses. for adoption info, please contact the cool people over at happy cat.

have a good weekend, everyone!

ink blot cat makes them think you're crazy

kitti grafitti does right and turns cute kittens into the fierce, crazy cats they really are.

another "accident" in a kill shelter leaves a family without a cat. tragedies like this can be avoided - it's called no kill.

kitty hiding and not cleaning herself? she's probably not feeling very well.

man trades fingers for family dog (video). the gator probably wasn't too thrilled about the exchange.

remember the "play him off keyboard cat"? well now you can own a doubly ironic t-shirt that plays off of this original gem and have three times the keyboard cat!

dottie iz serious cat. this is serious bizness.

follow up to the kind-hearted cat-napper story from monday - the good news, almost all of those cats have been adopted. the bad news - "since wednesday, at least 25 more cats have been brought to the shelter, Nagy said. and today more will be euthanized." sad. looks like that shelter needs a crash course on no kill and to have more faith in their community.

the first-ever all-pet airline had its first flight this week. hope no one needed a bark bag!

caged, filthy dogs and organic milk - an unlikely pairing. interesting article on how puppy mills are intertwined with other industries.

"you have a great organization. we owe you a great deal of gratitude." what every local t-n-r group wants to hear from the city who had wanted to kill its feral cat population.

but if we hide the litter box how will we know when our furry deities have left us a magical gift?

frisking felines!

"suspects attempt to evade police foiled by curious cat" - i can see the rash of buddy cat-n-cop movies now, "turner and purrs", "feline cop" and "police academy: 9 lives."

no-kill nation is getting national attention on major news site. "White firmly believes in giving every animal a chance at a home." yesssssss!

this is what true compassion looks like - foster hospice care. san fran, you rock!

ugh. another dog-fighting ring has been busted. no one will suffer more punishment than those poor dogs.

just for the fun of a weird story - a goat got stuck in a tree.

grease monkey gets a much cuter meaning

these little sisters must have been up to something to end up with names like "grease" and "monkey".

even prisoners are getting involved with cat rescue! this is exactly the "outside of the box" thinking it takes to achieve a no kill community and it's coming from people literally trapped inside a box-like structure!

another new virus, this time its dog flu. at least it has a cuter name.

a bloodhound's nose being called into question? i smell trouble.

now for a dose of "sure, why not?" this time it's a cat playing in a tree accompanied by the music of german composer, robert schumann. sure, why not?

why not a rescue?

back in november we asked why not a cat? now that the president's new dog has been announced to be a pure-bred portuguese water dog we find ourselves asking why not a rescue? after all, he did say he wanted to find a "mutt like me" to call the first pet. well we're not alone in our dissapointment, as rescue groups and opinionated minds across the country are upset that he broke his inital promise of getting a shelter dog. even worse, many are fearing that bo may cause an upswing in the popularity of the breed similar to what happened to dalmations after the live-action 101 damations movies in the 90s. though the obamas are making a substantial donation to the d.c. humane society we think it would set an even bigger example of his new approach to governing by endorsing a no kill shelter. afterall, this is the time of change, right?

in any case, we're happy for the family and their new pet and wish them the best of luck as they speed through the years at 1600 pennsylvania avenue.

peta's shame

they don't want you to know what they really do, they want you to look at the pretty, naked ladies on billboards and in magazines. they don't want you to ask them why they've killed 20,000 animals in the last decade, they just want you to keep donating so the ad campaigns can continue. well the truth is out and people are getting angry. we want to know why an organization built on the principles of animal rights, and with an annual budget of 32 million dollars, had a 96% kill rate last year. or why a group bent on ending the suffering of farm animals is so quick to kill dogs and cats whose only "suffering" is that they haven't found a home yet.

nathan winograd, the key voice of the no kill movement, is asking these same questions. the only reasonable answer that any of us can come up with is that ingrid newkirk, petas head honcho, is seriously off her wagon. this woman seems more interested in causing controversy through than actually helping individual animals; just look at her will for further example of her misplaced sense of importance.

for real change in the way the world, and we as a country, view animals please check out the no kill movement. real, positive change doesn't need a multi-million dollar ad campaign. it needs something much more important and much more powerful - people.

madison t-n-r

interested in t-n-r but don't know much about it? ever thought of helping out with local trap-neuter-return programs but are not sure how to get started? then the upcoming presentation at the dane county humane society is for you. dane country friends of ferals, shelter from the storm and the humane society have teamed up to give the program a much-needed boost and encourage volunteers to get out there and help manage our local feral populations. remember, it takes a village to raise a child, and it takes a wonderful city of cat-lovers to go no kill.

details:
when - April 25th, 2-4pm
where - dchs - 5132 voges rd., madison
this event is free and open to anyone with a willing heart


now, for a laugh check out this consumer reports piece on pet food and how there's no real difference between grocery store brands and "the more expensive" stuff. shyeah right! the real guffaw comes at the end when the vets (all but one received support from pet food manufacturers!) mention what they feed their own pets.

cleveland rocks!

happy news, everyone! both theo and buddy were adopted last night! we wish them and their new families the best of luck in their new lives together.

in other news, the practices of t-n-r and no kill are still spreading throughout the nation, most recently in cleveland where the city has earmarked $40,000 to go towards public assistance for spay/neuter.

" city council members say they get more complaints about roaming cats than potholes or burned-out streetlights."

if only madison was as forward thinking....

a happy cat challenge!

thinking about adopting a new cat or kitten? great! cats of all ages are always needing to find good homes and people to love them. however, we'd like to challenge you to open your heart even wider and consider a special needs cat or an elderly cat. these kitties have just as much love to give but their lives have been tough and they need your love even more. fiv, diabetes, heart conditions - nobody is lining up to adopt cats afflicted with these problems. many spend years in foster care waiting on a home while the less fortunate are killed to make space available for "adoptable" cats. for a community to go no kill, these cats need to be saved.

from dr. peak of happy cat club:
"anyone can adopt a healthy, young kitten. but who is going to be bold enough to adopt a harder to place animal? make a statement to support a no kill madison and adopt a harder to place (or twice special) pet - then brag about it to everyone you know!! make it the new cool thing to do."

get 'em fixed! low-cost spay/neuter in madtown

want to avoid becoming a grand-guardian before your time? want to contribute to the no kill movement? get your cats spayed or neutered! madison-based rescue group, shelter from the storm, has low-cost spay/neuter options that can help you prevent unwanted furrbabies while keeping budget in mind.

foster care is where the love is

one of the biggest tenets of the no kill philosophy is to put faith in people, everyday people. one way rescue groups and shelters are doing that is by relying on the community for foster care of young, sick or injured animals who would have a hard time living in a shelter environment. if you have ever considered fostering cats here's your opportunity to give it a go. check out this story on a foster care giver in illinois, respectfully thought of as the cat woman.

for fostering and other volunteer opportunities in the area check these out:
dane county humane society
friends of ferals
happy cat club of madison
angel's wish
country animal haven
operation noble foster - fostering pets for military families currently deployed

the tenacity of no kill

no kill is spreading despite the tough times. using the philosophy of thinking outside the box enterprising shelters are finding new ways to raise money and save lives. some are even lucky enough to have benefactors with cool cars and big hearts step in to save the day.

they say hard times bring out the best in people. it certainly seems that way.

another shelter making the switch to no kill

the message of hope and compassion is spreading. the manatee county humane society is expanding it's reduced-fee spay and neuter clinic in efforts to move the shelter to no kill status by 2010.

here's the best part of the story: "A plumber, an electrician and other craftsmen have donated their services to build the clinic." it's just like nathan winograd says, trust the community and they will come through for you. to read up on or donate to the humane alliance, who provides training and funding for spay/neuter clinics across the country, click here.

to read more on the no kill movement and the history of sheltering pick up a copy of winograd's book, redemption, at any of our stores.

No Kill China

In a surprising turn of events we've seen some movement, albeit small, of a definitive call for no kill in china. ''these cats, they are like our children," said cui qingzhen, a 56-year-old woman who said she has been feeding street cats for six years. "we can't let these people do this to them." this is the beginning of the snowball. thank you, cui.

in related news, here's another call for president-elect obama to install a cat in the white house. who knows? this may be the final push china needs to just knock it off already.

and now, we resign ourselves to the snow gods. may they be gentle with our feeble humanity.