Matilda's On The Mend

We're happy to report that Matilda is well on her way to a full recovery. Of course, our newest friend from The Seattle/King Co. Humane Society only had a small cold - so recovery wasn't in doubt of course. Nevertheless, she's feeling much better these days and happy to be finished taking her medicine. We can tell Matilda is doing well because she's even more energetic than before! Six month old kittens are in the equivalent of the human teenage years. As I'm writing, right now she's running up and down the stairs chasing one of many favorite toys around the house.

In some ways, all kittens are alike. They all love attention, tasty food, a warm bed, and chasing toys (and each other). But they also have distinct personalities I've discovered. Just like humans, cats are remarkably unique. For example, Matilda is one of the most curious kitties we've ever had stay with us. She loves to wander into every corner of the house just to make sure she's covered the whole territory - only to start the entire process again, just to make sure she didn't miss anything interesting the first time. This evening alone I believe she's made the rounds six or seven times. She also likes to talk to herself along the way. It's as if Matilda wants to provide us with a running commentary on everything she finds.

Despite her overwhelming curiosity, Matilda always has time to stop for a little attention before moving on to the next point of interest. We have no doubt Matilda would make a great addition your family!

Meet Matilda, Our Newest Foster Kitten

This little cutie (pictured left) is Matilda, our newest foster kitten from The Seattle/King Co. Humane Society. She arrived last evening at our home for a brief stay to recover from a slight upper respiratory infection - what you and I would call a cold. We've only had less than a day to get to know Matilda, but it's obvious that she's a keeper! Matilda is one of the friendliest kittens I've ever met, just loves to play, and purrs louder than a motor car whenever she gets even the slightest bit of attention.

Matilda is about six months old and, like all kittens, is a bundle of energy. Merely getting her to sit still for half a second to take a decent photo was a challenge! She loves to chase rubber balls (and knock them under the couch of course), plastic springs, and just about anything, really. She also loves attention and will make someone a very good lap kitty, a nice touch on a cold winter day. Even though she loves attention, she's not overly needy and does quite well playing on her own.

Our new friend will be staying with us for a couple of weeks. As soon as Matilda recovers from her cold, she'll be up for adoption again either at the main shelter or at another adoption location in the area. Until then, we'll provide regular updates on her progress. If you are interested in bringing Matilda into your family, please contact the The Seattle/King Co. Humane Society for more information.

Spotlight: Best Friends Animal Society

I'm very pleased to highlight the work of the Best Friends Animal Society in this latest spotlight. Located at 5001 Angel Canyon Road in Kanab, Utah this organization works to ensure that "homeless, unwanted animals are no longer being destroyed in shelters" and that "every healthy dog or cat can be guaranteed a good life in a caring home." The Best Friends Society offers a full range of adoption and educational services as well as operating an internationally recognized animal sanctuary. Though my family is located in Seattle, we are familiar with the Best Friends Society because they recently helped us find a good home for a difficult to place foster cat.

Last year we had the pleasure of caring for Erasmus (the orange kitty pictured above) for a time, and we discovered that he had a few issues that made his prospects bleak. It seems Erasmus had been turned over because his owner was moving and didn't want to take Erasmus along (an unfortunately common situation). Regrettably, Erasmus had never been socialized properly, and, though he got along with other cats very well, he absolutely did not like people. A quiet hiss was about as friendly a gesture as we could coax from Erasmus in six weeks. Clearly, he was going to need special care and a very great deal of patience. Working with our local Humane Society and through the Best Friends network of supporters, we were able to find someone in Washington who wanted to give him a good home and fully understood the kind of commitment that caring for Erasmus required. Notes from his new best friend suggests Erasmus is doing well in his new home. To be frank, if it weren't for the efforts of our local Humane Society's foster program and Best Friends, Erasmus would have been euthanized (the polite term for killed).

Best Friends has a very useful library on their web site, including a resource section providing information and resources on putting into practice no-kill ethics. I know this is a controversial position to some, but I fully support their passion for promoting non-lethal shelters. The compassion and mercy we wish to bring to the world can only be made real in the present - how we decide to treat the creatures in our care right now is the foundation for change.

Looking to connect with other friends of animals in your area? Be sure to check out the "Best Friends Network" online, currently hosting hundreds of local communities featuring news and information specifically tailored to your area.