Spring 2005

Inside This Issue

• Update: Garfield – The HandiCat
• FieldHaven Adoptables Microchipped
• FieldHaven to “Fix” Lincoln!
• Board of Directors
• Special Thanks
• Feline Fanatics – Volunteer Spotlight: Jen Paul
• Events and Adoptions
• FieldHaven Alumni
• Love-a-Kitten Program
• Highlighting FieldHaven Youth Volunteers
• Cats at Work – Jett
• FieldHaven Facts
• Mr. Merritt – Handsome TV Veteran Seeks Loving Family
• Dinner & Silent Auction

Garfield and his new wheels donated by an anonymous volunteer.

Garfield came to FieldHaven last September as a 4-month old kitten who had not had use of his hind legs since birth. He quickly endeared himself to everyone at FieldHaven. When we first reported on Garfield we were pursuing possible avenues of chiropractic treatment and/or surgery to help Garfield gain use of his hind legs. We were disappointed to finally conclude that Garfield, while having some movement in his hind legs, will never have the control or strength to use them to walk.

However, Garfield’s not disappointed because he’s never known any other way to walk then to scoot around using his front legs and dragging his rear ones. We also were hoping to find Garfield a permanent forever home not even realizing the best possible home for him may be right here at FieldHaven! Where else could he have dozens of his own human-slaves to cater to his every whim? Garfield has no problem letting you know what he wants. A treat, to go outside and play in his outdoor pen, his favorite royal blue, crushed velvet pillow to sleep on each night or just some toys to play with. Garfield’s forever home is FieldHaven, no doubt about it.

A “wheelchair” cart has been donated to give Garfield greater mobility and we will soon start training him to use it. We haven’t gone without challenges in dealing with Garfield’s condition. He’s had several surgeries to deal with the challenges he faces with his handicap. His medical care is in the most capable hands of Dr. Jyl Rubin and her staff who have become just as attached to Garfield as we all have.

Watch for more updates on Garfield. There is some plans in the works for him to spread his special brand of inspiration beyond the walls of the Cat Trailer.

We are excited to announce that earlier this year we began microchipping all our adoptables. If your pet becomes lost a microchip will greatly increase the chances of their safe return to you. If you adopted a cat or kitten from FieldHaven before we started microchipping we will provide a chip for $10 each, including registration. If you have other pets that were not adopted from FieldHaven we can microchip them also for $20 each.

Call us at (916) 434-6022 to schedule.

Earl demonstrates how a humane trap is used in with the Spay/Neuter Assistance Program (SNAP) and Trap, Neuter, Return (TNR) project.

The Community Foundation of Lincoln awarded FieldHaven a generous grant to assist Lincoln residents in controlling the overpopulation of stray and feral cats. Spay/Neuter Assistance Program (SNAP) was established to distribute the funds. FieldHaven’s SNAP provides vouchers to Lincoln residents to cover the cost of spaying and neutering stray and feral cats. Utilizing a process called Trap, Neuter, Return (TNR) feral cats are trapped, sterilized and ear tagged then released back to the home environment to be fed and monitored by the caregiver. As space permits, FieldHaven will bring tame cats into the shelter for adoption.

If you know of cats that would qualify for SNAP please contact FieldHaven at (916) 434-6022. Let’s all work to together to FIX Lincoln!

Dr. Jyl and Beth treating Garfield.

FieldHaven would like to thank our veterinary partners. Your love, care and expertise helps us save more lives.

• Animal Spay and Neuter Clinic
• Blue Ravine Animal Hospital
• Critter Creek Veterinary Hospital
• Lara Fairchild, DVM
• Mobile Vet Connection and Jyl Rubin, DVM

Joy Smith, President
Jann Flanagan, Vice President
Mary Swanson, Treasurer
Cindy Moore, Secretary
Sharon Kurth, Fundraising Coordinator

Joe Moore, Member
Jennifer Paul, Member
Jacque Asselin, Member
Lara Fairchild, DVM, Veterinary Director

FieldHaven’s Own Cat Whisperer: Jen Paul

We’ve all done it. Looked into a cat’s eyes and marvel at the mysterious beauty and try to understand what really is going on behind those depths of color and black bottomless pools. Sometimes we have a pretty good idea of what our feline friend is thinking but more often we’re left to just wonder. But, some people have the gift to really know.

FieldHaven volunteer, Jen Paul is one with the gift. She can calm the most frantic, trapped feral, bring out a purr in the most shy cat and break up a disagreement between 2 strong feline personalities. We call her the Cat Whisperer.

At FieldHaven, you’ll find Jen endlessly doing a multitude of tasks from scheduling volunteers for the daily care of all our adoptables to calling to checkup on recent adoptions. She provides behavior counseling to new kitty parents, coordinates our TNR program, counsels potential adopters, orients new volunteers, fosters cats and serves on the FieldHaven Board of Directors. But among all this multi-tasking, she loves spending time with the cats most of all. There’s no doubt they love her back just as much.

When Jen walks into the Cat Trailer a sense of calm and peace walks in with her. So maybe we should call her the People Whisperer too! Jen has been volunteering with FieldHaven since very nearly the beginning but her volunteering roots go back for years when she was living in the Bay Area and was an active volunteer with the Homeless Cat Network. When she moved to Lincoln several years before FieldHaven was even thought of she and her husband, Ray, began rescuing cats in Lincoln, getting them spayed and neutered and finding homes. (BTW, Ray is a strong “silent” supporter of FieldHaven; he often checks out “wish list” and sends large packages from Uncle Ray!)

Jen works at Lincoln High School and the students know her as the lady who saves cats. They’ll tell her about a colony of stray or feral cats they know of then Jen gets to work to mobilize volunteers to help her rescue the cats. She appreciates having the help of our volunteers to do something she was doing all on her own before. Thanks Jen for All that you do!!!!

PetSmart Adoptions

2^nd and 4^th Saturdays
10363 Fairway Drive, Roseville, CA 95678
View All Upcoming PetSmart Adoption Events

PAAC Dinner & Auction

6:00 PM – 9:30 PM, May 14
Buy tickets at www.placeraac.com
Roseville Sports Center, 1545 Pleasant Grove Boulevard, Roseville, CA 95747
Event Page

FieldHaven Cat Trailer Adoption Sundays

12:00 PM – 3:00 PM every Sunday or by appointment
2754 Ironwood Lane, Lincoln, CA 95648

Bow-Wow Bash

May 21
www.bowwowbash.com
Penryn, CA

Happy Beginnings

We love to stay in touch with our FieldHaven Alumni. We like to think of their Forever Home Families as an extension of our FieldHaven Family. Please drop us a line or visit our FieldHaven Alumni Facebook Page to let us know how your family members are doing.

Letters from alumni and their forever families.

Emma.

Suzanne S: “Just wanted to say how much I appreciate what you do and how happy I am with the addition of a FieldHaven kitty to my family. I adopted Electra, now Emma, in Dec 04 and even though it has only been 2 months, I can’t imagine life without her. She is the best and I feel so lucky to have her. Thanks again for giving me the opportunity to adopt her.”

Electra was a feral kitten that was socialized by our volunteers.

Brian R: “We love him, he is a great cat. Thanks for keeping him so Amanda and Peri could get him for us.”

Linda R: “Jack is doing great and is a real terror. I love him. Thank you so much for the great addition to my home and for all the good works you and your rescue group do. I find all of you impressive!”

Sophie.

Ruth F: “Sophie is so WONDERFUL ! She is absolutely the best cat in the world.”

Dax R: “I never thought a cat could be so cool. You guys run a great organization and truly care – and it shows.”

Jim and Mary G: “Katie is a very intelligent and well behaved kitten – you and the rest of the group did a wonderful job with her and she is healthy, happy and emotionally well adjusted. We all thank you very much.”

Melissa and Jadyn W: “We were so excited and fell in love with her….[Princess] is our entertainment every evening.”

Shelley and Jacob G: “Kali has enriched my son’s life. She’s a constant source of entertainment and joy. Kali is doing great and we love her very much.”

Jennifer J: “Truman’s been a rare find and a joy around the house.”

Sandy M: “Lucy is doing well, very well in fact. Thanks again for all you folks do. We sure are glad we came to FieldHaven.”

Topper.

Angelo and Donna G: “[Topper ] has found a happy home with us and has made our home happier. We can’t thank you enough for rescuing him for us. We truly love him!”

They’re cute, they’re irresistible and they can’t help but make you smile and laugh. What better therapy for the blues then kittens leaping through your house, chasing invisible aliens and pouncing on imaginary killer reptiles and insects? With kitten season in full swing, we need people who are willing to help us save more lives by offering your home and love for short periods of time (2 – 4 weeks usually). Fostering (or Love-A-Kitten) means that you care for 2 or more kittens at a time in your home until they are old enough to be spayed and neutered and ready for adoption. We provide the food, medications and health care. You provide litter, toys and love. What a deal!

Please contact Joy Smith at (916) 434-6022 if you’d like information on fostering.

At FieldHaven we have a very dedicated group of volunteers who can’t drive, vote or stay out late but they sure know how to take care of cats and they’ll talk to anyone about the importance of spaying and neutering. They are our Youth Volunteers and below are some thoughts about FieldHaven from them.

Kristina (17): “About one year ago I adopted my cat Jeffrey from FieldHaven. I am also a volunteer there; I have been volunteering for as long as FieldHaven has been in existence. The funny thing is my mom grew up in the same trailer the cats are in, and I live next door. My grandparents at one time owned the land that FieldHaven now calls home. My grandparents raised Morgan horses there. FieldHaven is a great place to volunteer at. Joy and Jann make it fun; they are the sweetest people with the kindest hearts. If you’re only interested in adopting a cat, then we have lots that are sweet, smart and house trained. As volunteers we take in feral cats and tame them. We also take in unwanted cats or even cats that people can’t keep. We have young cats and adult cats that need a great home, and a family that will give them a lot of love. These cats we have all grown to love so when we see them leave us, we want to know that they will be happy.”

Kristina, along with her brother Scott, were the first volunteers at FieldHaven just 2 short years ago.

Jamie (12): “FieldHaven means a lot to me because I get to take care of the cats. I consider the cats to be my friends and it is great to be around them. I like to volunteer because it is fun.”

Melissa (11): “I think FieldHaven is the best cat shelter. It’s fun to play with the cats and help take care of them. It’s good to know that kitties get adopted you have cared for and that they going to a good home. I love FieldHaven!!”

Kody (7): “FieldHaven is a really great place. I really like to play with the kitties.”

Jenny (13): “FieldHaven inspires me for what they do for cats not just helping cats who are having problems, but giving them a better chance for a good life ahead of them.”

Jessica H. (11): “I like working for FieldHaven because I like to play with the cats. I also like to help take care of them. I can’t wait to start helping with the adoptions so I can see the cats go to new homes. Everyone at FieldHaven has been so nice to me. It is a great place to volunteer!”

Bobby H. (13): “I like being with the cats and giving them love. I like to work with the cats that are scared. Its neat when they start to trust you.”

Bobby just adopted one of our Mature Cats!

Jordan (10): “At FieldHaven, we have a very dedicated group of volunteers who can’t drive, vote, or stay out late.. FieldHaven saves cats and that is important to me.”

Jet provides Purr Therapy for Eleanor Rhodes at Oak Ridge Healthcare in Roseville where he works as a “therapist”.

Last year FieldHaven introduced an exciting new program, Mature Cats for Mature People, aimed at placing homeless adult cats into loving homes with seniors and healthcare facilities. Through this program Jett, former male-cat-at-large, found a new career at Oak Ridge Healthcare in Roseville. Jett was “interviewed” along with 3 other strong FieldHaven candidates for the job of Resident Purr Therapist. It was a tough decision but Jett won the hearts of the interview panel of staff and patients. Jett has settled into his job well and is working hard to keep up with all the therapy requests from the residents at Oak Ridge.

We would like to partner with you or your senior care facility to match you with a Mature Cat. Please call (916) 434-6022 for more information.

We’re Saving More Lives Each Year!

During the first quarter of 2004, we adopted out 24 cats and kittens. This year, during Q1, we adopted 57!

During the first quarter of 2005, our medical and health care expenses alone were $4591.81.

Please donate – we need your help to continue saving lives.

Ouch!! Some crabby critter bit me on my behind and left a nasty wound there. And, that was after someone just left me out on my own for whatever reason. I don’t get it – they cared enough to have me neutered but then decided I wasn’t to be part of the family. So there I was, a teenage kitten with no home, no food and a very, very sore rear end. Lucky for me someone found me and they knew someone who knew someone – you know how that goes. The someone at the end of the string was FieldHaven volunteer and foster mom, Courtney. What a great lady! I highly recommend looking her up if you get lost and need a human to take you in.

Dr. Lara fixed me up and within a short time I was all healed up and the fur was growing back. I stayed with Courtney but I couldn’t play with her other kitties because they told me I tested positive for something called FeLV (Feline Leukemia Virus). They wanted to wait a few weeks to see if a retest would be positive. I watched them all hover over my repeat test but we were all disappointed when it, too, came up positive. How can that be? I’m a really healthy guy with lots of energy and I sure don’t look sick! They told me I may never feel the effects of FeLV, especially if I’m adopted by someone who’s willing to take the very best care of my health. I know my Forever Family is out there. It was really cool when I got to go on KOVR-TV with Dr. Jyl. All the TV reporters thought I was the most well behaved cat they’d ever seen at the studio.