fbpx
Articles Tagged with: Cat
Home / Blog Archives
Blind and Deaf Cat Learns to Trust Again

All thanks to YOUR support, Bella found a new life when it seemed hopeless for her

HELP ANIMALS NOW

Blind and deaf, Bella was locked in a camper in the summer heat. She had no one to hear her yowls and cries for help. As the temperature rose, her hopes faded.

Fortunately, Bella was one of the over 1,400 animals that ARL helped rescue from a tenant farm in Westport, MA this past July. Though this horrific case displayed many examples of animal and human resiliency, Bella’s story is one of the most unique…

When she first came to ARL, Bella cowered from people. Brief moments of peace often ended abruptly in fits of confusion and fear. She had no reason to trust people, after all, and that is perhaps most heartbreaking of all.

After about a week, however, things started to look up. Volunteers and staff observed that when given a bit of freedom, Bella enjoyed exploring. However, if left unattended, she could be quickly overwhelmed by the size and lack of boundaries in her surroundings.

In foster care, efforts were made to make her world more manageable. She played with her toys in an open cardboard box—toys designed specifically to stimulate her remaining senses—so that she wouldn’t lose them. She also tested the limits of each room in the apartment, gradually progressing in comfort from room to room.

Bella

One of Bella’s favorite pastimes included laying on windowsills at her ARL foster home.

Over time, Bella learned to trust again. Though her steps were tender, she became more pet-able. She climbed into her foster mother’s lap more often.

Soon after returning to the ARL Bella was adopted into a new loving home! Her owner reports that she confidently explores their entire three-story home with reckless abandon.

Only because of your support, did Bella’s story have a happy ending.

Bella

You can help even more animals in 2017!

Bella is a striking reminder of why ARL continues its important work to fight for animals’ welfare in Massachusetts. With your help, we can get at the root causes of neglect and abuse to ensure that all animals have a chance at a safe and healthy home .

Your year-end gift before December 31, will not only help us prepare for helping even more animals in need in 2017, but also let you take your contribution into account on your 2016 tax return to the extent allowable under law.

We still need to raise over $317,000 by December 31 to meet our year-end goal and start the new year fully funded.

Thank you for being a champion for animals in need and for giving generously today! Click the red button below to…

HELP ANIMALS NOW

 

Do You Have Feral Cats In Your Neighborhood?

Help keep them safe by building a simple DIY cat shelter in your yard

A “feral” cat is defined as a cat that has had little or no human contact since birth. Many were initially former domestic cats that were either lost or abandoned. In many cases, these cats still depend on human caregivers for food and shelter.

Learn more about ARL’s Community Cat Program

Some feral cat colonies find shelter for themselves under sheds and uninhabited buildings. Living in these structures poses a risk for these cats because their safety is usually uncertain.

To help keep the feral cats in your neighborhood safe from the elements and potential predators, consider building your own shelter. DIY shelters are inexpensive and simple to build. Please keep in mind, there are many ways to build feral cat shelters.

Watch this video to learn how to build your own feral cat shelter:

 

 

Feline Focus: How to Choose the Right Companion Cat

Living in a multi-cat household can be extremely rewarding. Contrary to popular belief, cats are highly social creatures that benefit from feline companionship. Cats will often play together, groom each other, and give each other much-needed socialization. So if you’re considering adopting a new feline pal, here are some tips for finding the “purrfect” match:

A New Cat or a Companion Cat?

It is important to know the reason why you’re looking to adopt a new cat. Is the cat for you, or is it a friend for your resident cat? If the former, then the cats only have to tolerate each other and be able to share territory peacefully. If the latter, then you’re looking for a cat who will be interacting with and getting along with your resident cat. If that is the case, then whichever feline you choose must be a good match for your cat, with your own preferences coming in second.

Kitten or Adult?

Age isn’t so important. It’s often thought to be easier to integrate a kitten into a household simply because they are less threatening to a resident cat than an adult. However, there are plenty of adult cats who would make great companions, and because feline personality doesn’t begin to solidify until a cat is about 8 months old, it is easier to make a good match with an adult.

The most important thing is to match energy level/playfulness and personality. Ask yourself the following questions:

  1. How energetic is my cat? How often does he/she need to play?
  2. What type of play does my cat like? Is he/she very athletic, or more mellow during playtime?
  3. Is my cat outgoing or shy?
  4. Has my cat had previous experience living with or meeting other cats? How has he/she reacted?

For older, less playful cats, a kitten might not be the best choice. Kittens are in constant motion and might aggravate a mellower cat. A kitten might also not do well with an extremely active resident cat who could accidentally hurt a kitten during play.

Male or Female?

With spayed and neutered pets, certain pairings are easier, in general, to integrate. In order:

  • Male/Male companionship is the easiest
  • Male/Female is intermediate
  • Female/Female is more difficult

Female cats can sometimes be more territorial with each other than (neutered) male cats. However, there are always exceptions. There are female cats who come into the shelter who are wonderful with other cats, and there are males who refuse to like other cats, so always ask a staff member or volunteer about a particular cat you’re interested in!

At the Adoption Center

When you’re adopting a companion cat, it’s important to let a volunteer or staff person know about your resident feline. We’re happy to help you pick out the best match and we know our cats pretty well!

Making your home a multi-cat home can be a great experience, and can add enrichment and socialization for your resident cat. But for the best chance of success it’s important to make a good match.

Kitten Season is in Full Swing

The warmer weather brings one of the more hectic times of year for the Animal Rescue League of Boston (ARL) … kitten season.

Every year, we experience an influx of kittens starting in the months of March and April. Most kittens that come into ARL’s Animal Care & Adoption Centers are in need of foster care before they are able to be adopted. ARL foster parents volunteer their time and resources — Over a period of 8 weeks, a foster parent cares for a litter of kittens providing their basic needs as well as a human-animal bond.

Kitten season will continue until the fall when the colder weather comes back. Until then, ARL will continue to care for each furry bundle that comes into our care.

The help provided by foster parents is invaluable to us, not only for kittens but all animals in need of foster care. Click here to learn more about becoming a foster parent or volunteering at ARL.

Toto the Tornado Kitten

When a tornado hit Brimfield, MA back in June, the area was devastated. Volunteers banded together to help clean the area up. A tree worker was clearing debris when he came across the tiniest survivor of the storm, a 2-week old kitten.

Thought to be swept up by the wind into the tree, the kitten was taken to the emergency operations center and was in need of immediate care. Luckily, the League’s Rescue Team was already there aiding in efforts to help other animals. We assumed care of the kitten until he was healthy enough for adoption. Two months later, Jonathan Hall, a volunteer paramedic during the tornado, came to adopt the kitten now named Toto.

Toto’s whirlwind adventure has now been turned into a children’s book. All proceeds will benefit the League, so purchase your copy here today.