Posts tagged "cat rescue"

We caught Grumpy Old Cat watching this rescue video and muttering to himself, so we asked what he was thinking.

"These kittens today are so dumb! I never got stuck in a pipe when I was his age. No, sir! What does he think he is, a ferret?"

Grumpy Old Cat, that's not really fair. Your kind is known for getting caught in sticky situations. Haven't you ever heard the phrase "curiosity killed the cat"?

"Aw, baloney! That curiosity stuff is just a buncha politically-correct garbage that the bleeding hearts came up with so stupid cats wouldn't get their feelings hurt. A cat can use his brain to avoid getting stuck in pipes! That's what I do."

Well Grumpy Old Cat, what about the firefighters? Do you at least appreciate what they did? I mean, they did a really good job of saving that cat. They saved its life!

"Phooey! Are they firefighters or stupid-cat savers? Somewhere there's a fire that needs puttin' out, and these guys are over here fooling around with pipes and kittens. Why don't they do their job?"

Now you're just being rude, Grumpy Old Cat. You know perfectly well that firefighters don't only fight fires. They do all kinds of rescue work and life saving. You should have more respect.

"What a bunch of baloney."

Oh, Grumpy Old Cat. You're so grumpy!

Ask proud pet owners and they'll tell you that bringing their furry friends into their lives was one of the best decisions they ever made. Pry a little further, however, and you might find that the decision to bring home a pound puppy or shelter kitty also upset their lives for a period of days, weeks, or months because they weren't properly prepared.

For reasons that are usually no fault of the dogs or cats themselves, adoptive pet parents sometimes find that they've made a serious miscalculation as to whether they really have the time, patience or desire to regularly change litter or scoop poop.

To help prospective pet owners avoid this adoption pitfall, we've put together a guide to bringing home the dog or cat that is right for you.

The Lifestyle Checklist
The most important thing you can do to prevent adopting a "problem pet" is to not start out as a "problem owner," that is, someone who glosses over all of the responsibilities of pet ownership. Sure, it's possible you could get home from the shelter with a perfectly obedient and housebroken pet, but don't count on it.

Though we firmly believe that there's a perfect owner out there for every pet in a shelter, some pets are simply more -- how do we say this? -- low-maintenance than others.

Dog has stood as man's best friend from practically the dawn of history. But there are guys who dig cats. And a new campaign championing the man/cat relationship aims to encourage men to embrace their feline side and adopt a kitty.

It's Okay To Be a Cat Guy is a series of four videos promoting Much Love Animal Rescue and Cat Guy Week, which starts today. And lest you think being a Cat Guy means being soft, think again. The dudes featured in the videos are among the manliest of men: A tattooed bartender, bearded biker, hard-hitting boxer and golfing enthusiast all step forward to talk about their connections with their furry feline friends.

Behind the Camera
Mark Moll, along with director Keven McAlester, is the creative mind behind the videos. He contacted Much Love about showing the relationship between cats and guys as a funny way to promote animal rescue. "We thought it was great!" says Stacy Bodell, a rescue volunteer and Much Love spokesperson. It took a couple of years to gather the resources for the project.

Lea Michele is best-known for her hilarious portrayal of high-school student/diva Rachel Berry on "Glee," and now, perhaps, for her fabulous look at the Emmy Awards. But the breakout star is also a devoted animal lover with some serious rescue credibility.

Michele told People Magazine that she saved six stray kittens in the Paramount Studios lot. While she was able to keep two of them, she found homes for the rest with one of them going to "Glee" co-star Heather Morris, who plays Brittany on the show. Additionally, upon seeing a dog chained to a fence during a shoot at a nearby school, she worked with the folks at "Glee" to get the pooch veterinary care and, eventually, a home with another co-star.

Michele gets her inspiration from her family. "My mother always said, 'Stand for something, or [you'll] fall for everything.' I feel like [animals] don't have a voice." Well, anyone who has watched "Glee" or seen Michele on Broadway knows that voice is one thing this woman has in spades. We hope she continues to use it to advocate for animals.

Despite his fairly run-of-the-mill orange tabby appearance, Christopher the cat is no ordinary feline. Not because he has his own Facebook profile, but because some fairly credible veterinary professionals believe that he possesses an almost superhero level of feline intuition. From comforting the lame to taming the feral to even volunteering to donate blood for a emergency transfusion, workers at the Redwood City, California's Nine Lives Foundation say that Christopher has shown all the signs of being a miracle worker.

It all started on March 15, when Christopher was brought to the Nine Lives Foundation with what Dr. Monica Thompson, DVM, describes as "severe pelvic fractures." Christopher was found by a group of cyclists on Crystal Spring Rd., the inspiration for the name Christopher, after the orange tabby had apparently been hit by a car.

"We take in special needs cats and I agreed to work on him," Thompson tells Paw Nation. Though she expected to perform extensive surgery on the Christopher, Thompson says she didn't need to. "While we kept him, his condition just kept improving, so I left him alone. Then one day, he just jumped out of his cage and started walking." After six weeks, he was walking around with ease. "Now he's even running," Thompson says.

Celebs are going cat crazy.

On Thursday, Nicole Richie introduced the newest member of the family on her website and Twitter account. Tabitha Jones Madden, as the cat is called, has actually been living with the Richie-Madden clan for about two months after being taken in from the street. Richie writes, "I couldn't resist. I fed her, and she was as happy as Benji Madden in a sorority house. Its been two months now, so I think it's safe to call her mine." We're sure her two-legged children, Harlow and Sparrow, are just as excited as their mama.


Another celebrity tyke who's undoubtedly enjoying some kitty cuddles is little Levi McConaughey, son of Matthew McConaughey and Camilla Alves. The couple took Levi to the veterinary clinic in Malibu and came out with a gorgeous gray cat, reports OK Magazine. This shouldn't come as too big a surprise; Matthew is a known animal lover. He helped rescue pets after Hurricane Katrina, and in 2006 he saved a frightened feline from being burned alive by some thugs in Sherman Oaks, Calif., according to Contact Music.

Feeling inspired to bring home a furry friend of your own? Start your search online!

Father's Day is fast approaching, and once again you're not sure what present to give your dad. A tie? A robe? Some grilling gadget? Please. Let your siblings go that route. Paw Nation is here to inspire you with great gift ideas that do good for animals.

Give Him A Rescued Goat (or Pig Or Duck)
When you adopt a farm animal at Farm Sanctuary in your dad's name, you are making a year-long donation so that the Farm Sanctuary can provide for the animal's daily needs. You can pick from many animals, including cows and pigs and sheep, but you should consider sponsoring Jerry Lee, the goat. Neglected and abandoned as a youngster, he had a rough start, but you'd never know it to meet him these days. He's now safe from harm and happily living with other animals.

Currently, Farm Sanctuary operates two shelters -- a 175-acre farm in upstate New York and a 300-acre farm in northern California -- where they rescue, rehabilitate and provide lifelong care for hundreds of animals who have been rescued from stockyards, factory farms and slaughterhouses. Whatever animal you sponsor, your dad will receive an adoption certificate with a color photograph and, depending on the animal you choose to adopt for him, there might be other benefits including a Farm Sanctuary mug or a V.I.P. tour to meet your animal.

Shop to Show You Care
Maybe you'd rather give your father something he can unwrap. Make your purchase count by shopping at an online retailer that gives back, like the Animal Rescue Site Shop. You already go there to click to give daily (right?), so this should be easy. There are many items to choose from including hammocks, cufflinks or our favorite, the "Real Men Like Cats" coffee mug.

Look for a Local Paws Cause
Helping out a large organization is fantastic, but think about making a donation to a smaller, local group as well. One idea: Puppy Hill Farm Animal Rescue in Florida, an organization that is close to this Paw Nation staffer's heart. The shelter, currently home to over 65 dogs and 40 cats and kittens all looking for homes, was robbed recently, losing $6,000 worth of equipment which was not covered by insurance. The rescue is in a tough position and donations can help keep services continuing to these needy animals. For Puppy Hill and other local shelters, every dollar counts, and they look to pet-loving people (like you and Dad!) for help.

Frosty the feline is lucky to be alive after being trapped in an industrial warehouse freezer in England where temperatures hovered about 30 degrees Farenheit. Brrr! "We think he'd been in the warehouse for at least four weeks," a warehouse employee tells the (U.K.) Daily Mail.

The black-and-white cat, thought to be about a year old, was "spotted on several occasions by staff but no-one could catch him," reports the Daily Mail. Frosty, as the warehouse employees named him, could have reasonably escaped through the main doors but the noise of the delivery trucks roaring up to the warehouse probably scared the cat away from the high traffic exit.

Finally, the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (RSPCA) put out a humane live-capture trap for Frosty to entice him into the cage with cat treats and water. "It's incredible that Frosty survived for so long in such a harsh environment," RSPCA spokesman Steve Sellars told the Daily Mail. It is believed that the frisky feline survived by eating frozen peas and licking moisture off frozen food packets.

Frosty did not escape his icy adventure unscathed. He suffered frostbite to his ears and tail and had to have them amputated. But other than that, Frosty will be just fine. "He's a lovely cat and he's become very playful," RSCPA employee Rachel Allcock told the Daily Mail. "We're looking forward to his full recovery and getting him to his new home."

One of the warehouse workers has already volunteered to give Frosty a new, warm, place to live.

One tiny kitten has a lot to be thankful for this holiday season.

According to WJXT in Jacksonville, Fla., the cat was spotted hanging onto an axle underneath a car as the vehicle traveled up to 70 miles per hour down Interstate 95. Eagle-eyed motorist Amy Jones spotted the kitten stuck under the other vehicle and motioned to its driver to stop.

Once they pulled over, another bystander climbed under the car and found the kitten, whose paws were injured from holding on so tightly, but was in otherwise good shape. The cat, now named Axel due to his ordeal, was quickly taken to a nearby veterinarian's office, where he is making a speedy recovery.

Ivan Banovic, a Croatian soccer goalie, took a break from protecting his goal to protect a cat who had wandered onto the field at the beginning of a game, reports NPR. After Banovic quickly carried the curious cat to a safe spot under the scoreboard, a referee called a penalty on the goalkeeper for the violation of leaving the field mid-game.

The referee who made the decision was immediately booed, and BBC Sport reports that the crowd -- including the opposing team's fans -- spent the remainder of the game applauding the penalized goalie for his kindness.

We'd say the kitty is a fan for life!

Love cats? Then boy, do we have a holiday for you -- National Cat Day!

We know you want to celebrate National Cat Day properly, so we went straight to the source to learn more. National Cat Day founder Colleen Paige chatted with Paw Nation about how the holiday came to be, how you can celebrate it, and what she hopes people take away from it.

How did National Cat Day come about?
Really, it was a follow-up to National Dog Day, and I simply wanted to give cats a day to be celebrated. They really do what dogs do in terms of giving us unconditional love and companionship, but don't always get the recognition. And sadly, there are so many more cats out there that need homes than dogs.