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I just spent two and a half hours cuddling cats. Sweet hearts, all of them. Even the one who got all hissy around the other cats and I had to coax him back into his cage using a rolling cart and his own cat food. But even that one was all lovey once he relaxed. Seriously, if I didn't have three cats already I would have scooped up this one gray and pink one and adopted her on the spot, she was so cuddly. I picked her up and held her and she was all rubbing against my chin <3<3<3<3<3<3<3=^.^=
Yeah, I think I'm going to like doing this :D
The Humane Society's facility is pretty awesome, very state-of-the-art and all about making the animals both comfortable and adoptable. Volunteers are encouraged not only to interact with the animals but even train them; and by train I mean teach the animals appropriate behavior. For example, you don't let an animal out of its pen until it's doing exactly what you want it to do - feet on the floor and no jumping up. I had to do that with one of the cats who kept pawing at me when I tried to open her door. It's a tricky thing, especially when the door keeps getting stuck. But the more you do it, the more they will realize what's expected of them, and that makes them more likely to be adopted.
I'm planning to walk some dogs next time around. There's not really a set schedule for anyone, you just do what needs to be done, and the more a dog is walked and a cat is cuddled, the better.
Yeah, I think I'm going to like doing this :D
The Humane Society's facility is pretty awesome, very state-of-the-art and all about making the animals both comfortable and adoptable. Volunteers are encouraged not only to interact with the animals but even train them; and by train I mean teach the animals appropriate behavior. For example, you don't let an animal out of its pen until it's doing exactly what you want it to do - feet on the floor and no jumping up. I had to do that with one of the cats who kept pawing at me when I tried to open her door. It's a tricky thing, especially when the door keeps getting stuck. But the more you do it, the more they will realize what's expected of them, and that makes them more likely to be adopted.
I'm planning to walk some dogs next time around. There's not really a set schedule for anyone, you just do what needs to be done, and the more a dog is walked and a cat is cuddled, the better.
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no subject
Date: 2011-04-26 10:45 pm (UTC)From:My sister thinks I should volunteer at the Sherwood Cat Shelter before I consider getting a kitten due to my dander problems in the past.
They do NOT euthanize any cat........and they are open on weekends for adoption:
'The Cat Adoption Team is the largest feline-only, limited admission, non-profit shelter in the Pacific Northwest. CAT saves over 3,300 lives each year.'
http://catadoptionteam.org/
no subject
Date: 2011-04-27 01:39 am (UTC)From:Working at a shelter is definitely a good way to test for dander problems. The only thing is that some shelters require a certain amount of volunteer time before you can call it quits, to ensure that when people volunteer they're committed. I'm not sure how it works if you end up quitting too soon - I guess you can never volunteer there again - but it's something to keep in mind if you do volunteer and end up having dander issues that force you to quit. Although, really, if you have dander issues, it wouldn't really matter *shrugs*
no subject
Date: 2011-04-27 02:03 am (UTC)From:They adopt on weekends and care for the cats, and last count there were
NUMEROUS kittens, during the week.
I would love to do it......and may volunteer and see how I do
I am afraid though that I might come home with not one but?????
no subject
Date: 2011-04-27 02:37 am (UTC)From:Heh, oh yes. Have to watch out for that ;) When I got Mitsy and Roxy, I was supposed to just choose one, but couldn't so ended up with both. Then I got Bug, a one-day-old barn cat abandoned by her mom. I was supposed to give her away but couldn't bring myself to do so. But due to a rivalry between Mitsy and Bug that led to Bug peeing on the floor until I had her retrained, I have no desire to get any more cats. I'm happy with the cats I have and really don't want to do anything that would upset the tentative truce that was finally achieved. Cat pees does terrible things to wooden floors.
That said, though, I hear it's actually best to get two cats so that they have each other to play with and keep occupied. We've always had two or more cats for as long as I can remember. But if you want only one cat then maybe getting an older cat set in its ways would be better rather than a kitten.
no subject
Date: 2011-04-27 03:39 pm (UTC)From:'fix' without having to deal with it here at home.
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Date: 2011-04-26 11:53 pm (UTC)From:no subject
Date: 2011-04-27 01:42 am (UTC)From:no subject
Date: 2011-04-27 01:47 am (UTC)From:no subject
Date: 2011-04-27 02:32 am (UTC)From:I think my own cats will help me keep any temptation at bay. I had some issues between my youngest cat, Bug, and my other Cat Mitsy. Mitsy hates Bug, and would go so far as to corner her in the litter box whenever possible. As a result, Bug started peeing on the floor and it took me forever to get her re-litter-trained. But as tempted as I am to get a playmate for Bug, I do not want to go through anything like that again. So whenever I find myself tempted, I just think of Bug peeing on the floor :/
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Date: 2011-04-27 03:03 am (UTC)From:no subject
Date: 2011-04-27 02:38 am (UTC)From:no subject
Date: 2011-04-27 12:37 pm (UTC)From:no subject
Date: 2011-04-27 01:23 pm (UTC)From:no subject
Date: 2011-04-27 08:43 pm (UTC)From:no subject
Date: 2011-04-27 07:58 pm (UTC)From:We have always obtained our bunnies from a rabbit rescue group. I so appreciate the work of the volunteers who socialized and litter trained the little pets and sometimes nursed them back to health, too. Their insights on each rabbit really help match the rabbits to the homes and help make the eventual adoption successful.
no subject
Date: 2011-04-27 08:45 pm (UTC)From:It'll be cool to see any cats I've cuddled end up on the main floor and adopted. They have this one thing - kitty city - where people can go in and interact with the cats. It's really awesome and the cats get adopted out quick.
no subject
Date: 2011-04-28 10:29 pm (UTC)From:Now I need a kitty! (Well, I have two. But they're not leetle and cuddly anymore... :3)
no subject
Date: 2011-04-28 10:40 pm (UTC)From: