Category: Tails

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Foster Interview with Amanda S

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Cattyshack, Inc, has a lot of people who work and volunteer behind the scenes, so we thought we would take some time to interview some of them. Today’s interview is of Amanda S, a foster and volunteer with Cattyshack, Inc.

Most of the questions are ones that have been asked several times of our fosters.

Amanda S has fostered over twenty-four cats and kittens with Cattyshack starting in 2023. Amanda answered a few questions about fostering and her experiences.

What started you in rescue and fostering?
My husband told me I could not adopt any more kittens (haha), so fostering is how I get my kitten fix.
 
What was your first foster experience like?   
Our first fosters were a litter of three kittens – Archie, Veronica, and Betty, after the Archie comics.  They were so much fun and had the best personalities. We loved getting to know them (former foster “Bad” Betty is still one of our household favorites) and enjoyed watching them interact with our cats.
What is it like to foster?   
It is an amazing feeling to get to know kittens (and cats) and give them a soft place to land for a few weeks or months.   We really enjoy getting to know their little personalities and send them to their forever homes when Cattyshack finds the right home for them.
 
What made you decide to foster with Cattyshack?   
I had been wanting to foster for a while, and saw a post from Cattyshack asking for fosters, so I jumped at the chance. Cattyshack is often looking for fosters, especially in kitten season.
How do you give the fosters up/let them go when they get adopted? 
Some kittens are harder to let go than others, but it is just part of the process. I do LOVE it when I get email updates from adopters and always encourage the adopters to do that.
Anything else you want to tell people about fostering?!
Fostering is such a fulfilling experience, and it is so important to get to help these cats.  Even if you cannot sign up to foster indefinitely, I recommend starting out with a few kittens (or a single cat) and take it from there.  It does not have to be a constant fostering.  I think we have all had to take breaks from fostering, but it makes it so much more rewarding when we are able to foster again.

Are you interested in fostering?
We are always needing committed foster homes! Cattyshack will provide you with food, dewormer, flea meds, eye ointment, flea comb, nail trimmers, new toys, and a carrier or two if you need them. We also schedule (and pay for) all vetting. You just need to purchase a couple new litter boxes and some litter. The rest is easy… just love on theses babies until they find their forever homes!!

Check out this Foster Home Timeline (under “Ways to Help” and click on the link under interested in fostering) for some basic guidelines on what to expect while you have our kitties. We will work with you every step of the way! Our owner is always available by phone, text, email, or Messenger! Once you are approved to foster, please request to friend Tina Rene Cooley on Facebook so she can send you and invitation to join the Cattyshack Crew!

Check out the “Eligibility Requirements” on our “Ways to Help” page.

Meet Ace and look deep into her soulful eyes. You would never know this lady was 15 years old! A good Samaritan was able to save her from being dumped at the shelter. Ace arrived a little thinner than we would like, but Ace is no longer skin and bones and her feedings escalate quickly – with all the growling and inhaling – like she doesn’t know when she’s getting her next meal. She got a clean bill of health after bloodwork and vaccinations from a vet in Tuscaloosa before being transported to Huntsville. Can you help us find Ace a home where she can play and never miss a meal again?

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What Plants Should You Avoid Around Cats

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There are a plethora of plants that are toxic for cats, and there are a lot of plants that are fine to have around your pets. As winter turns into spring, some of us might want to bring plants inside, or might want to start planting things to grow. I love starting to garden when the seasons change, but I stick to mostly fruits and vegetables. However, I am a fan of the tulip, and unfortunately, tulips are one flower that is toxic to cats.

List of toxic plants (this is not a complete list, but a beginning of popular plants):
Lily
Oleander
Amaryllis
Daffodil
Aloe
English Ivy
Peace Lily
Foxglove
Apple
Apricot
Yucca
Birds of Paradise
Parsley
Peony

A few Non-toxic plants:
Patient Lucy
Wax Plant
Sage
Venus Fly Trap
Magnolia Bush
Baby’s Breath
Basil
Pearl Plant
Lace Orchid

One of the best places to find a list of toxic and non-toxic plants is by looking at the ASPCA website (linked below). You always want to check before bringing a plant inside or before planting something somewhere that your cats will be. So, bookmark the ASPCA’s website and you can always look up a plant before bring it, or the seeds, home.

https://www.aspca.org/pet-care/animal-poison-control/toxic-and-non-toxic-plants

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How do I keep my new cat from getting bored?

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Cats and kittens have a need to play. While cats and kittens often sleep, they do have moments where they need to play, have the “zoomies,” or need something to keep them from destroying the things in your house. Having toys and other things to keep your cats engaged and playful is a great way to help your new cat and kitten adjust to your home, adjust to you, and not destroy your grandmother’s legacy quilt.

One thing to note is that if you own a cat or kitten do not let them play outside unless you have a specific outdoor structure for them, they are on a harness, or they have been trained to stay within a certain area. Cats who are outdoor/indoor have a much shorter lifespan than those who are indoor with supervised outdoor activity. Training on a harness will be addressed in a later blog.

All felines have a inherent need to hunt and they love sunny, warm places. Putting a sun catcher in a window is a great way to entertain a cat. As the sun shines through the class or glass beads and reflects on the floors and walls of your home, most felines will chase it until the sun moves and is no longer reflecting, or until they exhaust themselves. Hanging a birdhouse outside of a window is another way to help them feel as if they are using their hunting skills on trying to figure out how to catch the birds using the bird feeder or birdhouse.

If you have a job that takes you out of the house, cat TV is great to have on and there are programs that are several hours long. Of course, one thing to think about is if your television is stable in case the cat jumps on or at it. Another great toy is a laser toy that has a time limit and will turn itself on and off after certain amounts of time. One of our volunteers has a laser toy that is adjustable, so the time can be short (5 minutes) or longer (20 minutes). The toy will turn itself off and then after an hour it will turn itself back on. The great thing about the toy is that it also is rechargeable, so  not batteries. There is also the jumping fish, that lasts for several days and will jump around when cats touch certain parts of it. The fish toy is also rechargeable.

Having several scratching posts will help keep a cat from scratching on your furniture. Also, make sure to have several toys available in case the cat suddenly gets the zoomies, which is when they will need something to play with and release that energy on.

Meet Poppy! This sweet boy is a little shy at first, but was the first one of his litter to start bossing the foster mom around at meal time! He loves snuggles and when picked up he sometimes snuggles himself with his head resting on your shoulder. He would love to be adopted with another kitten as he loves to play with his foster siblings, especially Morticia.

 

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The Cattyshack Book Club is Coming!

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Join us as we take a dive into the world of Basgiath War College at our inaugural event for the Cattyshack Book Club! We will be discussing the first two books in the ongoing Empyrean series – Fourth Wing and Iron Flame by Rebecca Yarros. Next month we will be discussing the newest book!

The book club is January 17th from 7-9pm. You can bring your own drink as long as it is not in a glass container and has a lid. No food is allowed.

Space is limited to 15 people, so register soon. And do not forget to wear your rider black!

“A dragon without its rider is a tragedy. A rider without their dragon is dead.”

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Happy 2025!

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Cattyshack hopes that this year is one of the best years of your life. The kittens and cats all thank you for your support, as does the Cattyshack rescue. While things continue to be rough, we can only hope that the new year brings wonderful things and awesome rewards as we continue to try to save as many lives as we possibly can.

We look forward to seeing you at the lounge Thursday – Saturday, and we look forward to adopting out more of our kitties to homes they deserve.

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What Does it Mean when a Cat or Kitten is Sponsored?

Currently, Cattyshack, Inc, is running a sponsorship drive, but we have had a lot of people ask – what does it mean when a cat or kitten is sponsored?

When a cat or kitten is sponsored, it means that their adoption fees have either been fully paid for or partly paid for – most of the time they have been fully paid for. The sponsored cat or kitten then can be adopted without cost to the adopter, after the adopter has been approved of course. Cattyshack, Inc, does not allow for same day adoptions. If a potential adopter would like to adopt a kitten or cat they do have to apply and be approved, even if the cat or kitten is a sponsored adoption. We also do not allow kittens to go into homes without other cats as they can fall prey to single kitten syndrome – meaning they lose their social skills and often return to some of their feral behaviors. Unless otherwise stated, we always like our cats to have a friend in the home to play, communicate, and snuggle with.

Below are some of our sponsored cats and kittens.

Boo and Luna are sisters who have to be adopted together as they are a bonded pair.

Mork and Zim are brothers who have to be adopted together as they are a bonded pair. Zim only has one eye, but he gets around and plays perfectly. Since they are both sponsored you get two for the price of None!

Sleepy was sponsored and cannot wait for her forever home. She loves playing with feather toys and grew up in a foster home that has dogs.

Dr. Teeth came in as a pregnant momma, and all of her kittens were small little tabbies that, even now, can be hard to tell apart. She was sponsored and is happy to be free of her babies.

Lips is one of Dr. Teeth’s babies. She is a little shy at the lounge, but when she is in her foster home she is running and running and chasing her foster siblings until she tires out and plops down. She was sponsored to celebrate someone’s birthday.

Joey is another sponsored kitten and is fun to play with. He loves playing with other kittens and would do well with another kitten his age.

Babybel is no relation to Joey. She had her cheese litter and is not ready to find her home. Babybel is also a sponsored cat, and she would love a gentle home as she needs a moment to get used to you. Once she does get used to you she is a purr-fest and does not stop!

Chandler is a beautiful girl who wants to find her forever home. The rest of her siblings have been adopted and she has been sponsored so she too can find an awesome home.

Mary Shelley and Octavia E Butler were recently sponsored so they can be adopted together. These girls love chasing each other around the house (and their foster siblings) and when they tire they love snuggling with each other, and will snuggle with you too. Octavia is a little shy at first, but once she comes around she is the sweetest little girl.

Charles Dickens is still a somewhat skittish young man. He’s not so sure that the lounge is the safest place… yet. He is going to be an amazing ginger kitty when he’s ready to show someone that he trusts and loves them, and we hope to find him the right family to do just that!  Anyone who wants to adopt him is going to need to be patient as he learns that people are safe. But, look at those amazing airplane ears! They are so awesome and cute.

 

 

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Introverts Night is Coming to YOU!

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Are the holidays frightful? Are you exhausted because you have been spending so much time with family? Do you need a purr break from the stresses of the holidays? Come out for Introverts Night at Cattyshack!

December’s Introverts Night Out just happens to fall on Friday the 13th again, and is also the last Introverts Night of the year! Come join us on this “Nightmare Before Christmas” if you will. 

You can get more information and buy tickets at zeffy.com/en-US/ticketing/introverts-night-out-dec–13?fbclid=IwY2xjawGxxhBleHRuA2FlbQIxMAABHb0b08zgQsAq6OE9k64h0g-A29NNThKDAiVcaKnGRcRAqOOecJIxFP6F4g_aem_4f6N0xCjGOxJhYbnPgns1g

 

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