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| Annie and Luke at Cat HQ |
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| Chica |
Annie socialized with the cats and kittens at HQ.
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| Tyler |
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| Tyler and Tanner |
I went to Quincy's House (sometimes called "Kitty Motel"). They offered me the choice to socialize or to help with the work. The staff works so hard I couldn't say "no" to helping out. The caregiver told me that, literally, Best Friends couldn't function without volunteers. In the old days, with so many animals and so few humans, they would go into Kanab with $20 bills and ask people if they wanted to help. "Now," she said "you come to us!"
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| Knox is in a FIV+ room. He could not get enough of my shoes. |
You can't take FIV (feline immunodeficiency virus) home to your cats by working with them. FIV+ cats can live a long life, and don't necessarily convert to feline-AIDS. You can't get FIV.
These guys are kept separate from the other cats to prevent infection through fights and bites.
Quincy's House is also home to the famous Incontinental Suite. A large number of the incontinent kitties have Manx syndrome, and are "rumpies." If you're imagining a big stink here, it's okay to stop. This place is clean.
There are also several resident cerebellar hypoplasia (CH) cats here. They're sometimes called "wobbly cats," although no one here called them that.
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| Bug |
These fellows eat out of soft silicone bowls, because they could hurt their faces on the stainless steel bowls the other cats use. This is a favorite spot of Bug's, so they wrap it in soft things to cushion him.
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| Bug-eyed |
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| Duke |
Annie and I got back together at 4PM. We're willing to separate again, for a good cause.
I'm planning to become more spontaneous, but I still need to know a little of what to expect from new experiences. If you'd like to know how to go about volunteering at Best Friends, I'll talk more about that soon.
28 comments:
I would want to take them all home with me! I love cats! Only problem is we would all have a problem fitting in my van.
Oh so much kitty love!!!! I am dying here. Just dying. We have to go there when we get the chance. :)
I agree....kitties have my number. I have a friend for duke, her name is spook. They look like twins. Another thing to add to my bucket list! Thanks gals!
"I'm planning to become more spontaneous."
Hmmm... paradoxical.
Uh oh. I'm sensing some sort of "Cat Lady Syndrome" starting to take hold here. It's slippery slope! Beware! Beware!
Very cool - I am looking forward to learning how travelers can volunteer! thanks for highlighting this organization
Kellee (mom to Becker (dog), Aja (cat) and Deacon Blue (cat) and Sam (human)
Okay, fine. My list of "Things To Do Before I Croak" has just gotten longer. Wonderful. Thanks. ;)
LOL Bob, I think it's too late on that Cat Lady Syndrome thing. The Duck is already packed with kitties!
I'm so glad you two have found something so satisfying to do. Here in TorC, there is a workcamper option to help at http://www.deserthavenanimalrefuge.com/ Unfortunately, very few volunteers last long because the manager is difficult to work for. But it would be a free place to camp for a few weeks....
OK, one cat, maybe two...a roomful though? I wouldn't be able to breathe!! I love 'em, but I'm SO allergic! Great that there are so many, including you two, who are able and willing to love and care for them, though. Love the photos--especially Knox and your shoes!
Found the link to the Manx cats interesting. Never heard of that problem. So glad those kitties are getting such love from you and Annie.
I know, Karen. Annie suffers, too, although it doesn't reach asthmatic proportions. Knox is a darling, and would be a kitty boon for a single-cat household, or one with other FIV+ guys.
How right you are, Sue! Bob, we've slid down that slippery slope, dusted ourselves off, and built a sturdy lean-to in the valley.
Betty, you won't regret this addition. Honest!
Okay, Kellee, you ask for it, you got it!
Or is it pair o' ducksical, Maria?
Aw, Duke and Spook! That's cute, KLB. Yes, do see this place.
Yes! You do, Brenda! Be sure to take your prophylactic kitty-love medicine before you arrive.
Preach, Tammy. We just keep telling ourselves we're at maximum capacity here. It helps that all the animals are in amazing facilities already. Of course, BF wants to find them their own homes, but the care is so great it feels okay not to take them with us.
Thanks, Donna! We love being able to give them love and care. We heard of it only because we have a Stumpy, and when we got her we researched the situation. Because she actually has a couple inches of tail, she has never had any potty problems like the Rumpies can.
It's nice to hear that Best Friends has so many volunteers. Look forward to going back to Mission, TX this winter and helping out at Cinderella Pet Rescue. Not as fancy as BF but the animals get good care. If any of you animal loving RVers happen to be spending the winter near Mission, Cinderella could use you help.
Thanks, Gayle! Do you have a link for them?
You ladies are the best! How sweet to help and to get the word out.
Thanks, TK and all you Squashies. We're getting more than we give - it's happy-making.
Soooo want to go back! I volunteered for 5 years in pet rescue (dogs and cats) before we went on the road, and it's one thing I really miss doing. We're definitely stopping again at BF next year.
Nina
Oops, meant to put the link to Cinderella in the previous comment.
http://www.cinderella-pet-rescue.org/
We DO fear the cute! Kitties are a BIG weakness.
For us, too (obviously), Mike & Terri! Don't fear it here, because even if you can't take them with you, they stay in a good place.
Thanks, Gayle!
Nina, I wonder if anyone has put together a database of pet rescues where travelers could help out on a temporary and informal basis? This post's comments are a good beginning. It would need to be no-kill for us, because we'd be stacking them in basement bays otherwise.
My son and his girlfriend have a cat with CP that they named Stumbles, she is pretty wobbley but has gotten better as she has gotten older. She's even learned how to climb stairs by putting her unstable side up against the wall. They love her just the way she is. :)
Boy am I glad that you sent Annie in there for socialization. I'll bet she benefitted from that! ;-) Thanks for the info on CH. I think a friends cat has a more mild case of it. We call her the bobble head.
Aw, Janie, that's so sweet. I didn't know cats had CP. She's clever to compensate like that.
LOL, Cyn - she has been more manageable since then. I'm glad cats (sometimes) don't know they're being mocked; we laugh at ours all the time, but we have to do it like Ha! Ha! OH I'm laughing! HA! so they don't notice the giggle sounds.
You may never get back on the road again!
It's scary how true that is!
They are so Cute....but our Hound Herd (all rescues)would NOT appreciate a cat.If you get up to Truth or Consequences, NM, the have a Humane Society called Desert Haven(actually in Williamsberg) that has a volunteer workamper seup..I think they have 14 sites..both longtime and short time stays. Geri has more info.
Tumblwede
So many adorable kitties. How could you resist.
Thanks, Tumble - I've heard about that shelter. We do want to get to TorC at some point, and that's great that they provide sites for volunteers. No, dogs don't always fully appreciate cats, and vice versa. Why can't we all just get along? :D
Gaelyn, we are women of steel! We both had a couple of short-term flings with certain kitties - Annie would have smuggled out that entire bunch of kittens, and I kinda had a thing for a fat cat and a CH cat.
When we have "browsed" shelters before, it was trouble because they were kill shelters, and we always ended up adopting the ones who had been there longest. You can't look into those eyes, then walk away. Here, shoot, they'll be better off than if we took them!
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