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04 Mar 2013

Monday Meowsie News…A Guest Post

HIYA!! SAVANNAH HERE!!!

Well, I had a good furriend make an offer I could not refuse. Remember my Real Rescue Cats Are Talking Interview with Mistletoe?? Well, her little brofur, Hitch offered to do a Guest Post so I could keep company with Mom and we could relax a bit from writing. Of course, I pounced on his offer!!

Mistletoe and Hitch leave wonderful comments on many blog…you will see Miss Dorothy their Mom’s email address and no blog…that’ because they are Readers Without Blogs (RWB)!!! Pawsome, huh?!

I need all the “Mom Time” I can get!! Let me know in comments how you enjoy having a Guest Post!!!

WELCOME HITCH

Hi, my name is Hitch. *whispering* we have to be really quiet because Mistletoe doesn’t know I’m doing this. You might recognize our names because we visit lots of your blogs.

I really like all the blogs we read, but…ummm…one of my very favorite blogs is Savannah’s Paw Tracks (Autobiography of a Former Shelter Cat). I think it’s just the best and Savannah is just the nicest, prettiest girlcat around. *blushing ears* don’t tell anyone I said that….(shhh…I may a teeny bit of a crush on Savvy)

HuMom says we’re both too young to date, and…well, Savannah has so many mancat friends, that are cooler and older than me…sigh…

Anyway, Savannah and her Mom, Miss Linda, have been really busy helping some kitties called The Royals. So I was thinkin’ that I could help by doing some of her blog for her, so she’d have more time to save all the other kitties.

Only, I don’t really know what to do. Maybe, you’d like to see some pictures of me and my furramily?

This is me. I’m gray and white. Just like Savannah. I got my name because my humans didn’t think “Carjacker” was a good name. I think I might tell you all about my name someday. But I didn’t really carjack anyone….exactly…(notice my cute outstretched paw…ummm…yup…those are my claws too)

This is Pumpkin (front) and Tiger (rear) my brofurs. They came to our furever home before me.

This is Mistletoe. She’s the boss of all of us. She was in one of Savannah’s Real Rescue Cats Are Talking interviews. Savannah’s interviews with adult rescues are just one of the special things about her. *wistful sigh*

This is Lizzie. She’s our Woofie. She loves the ginger twins the very best cause she took care of them when they were babies.

So, that is a little about me and my furramily. I hope I did ok on this writing stuff so Savannah has time to help her Mom work with everybody to save The Royals.

Maybe she’ll want me to help her again sometime with her blog…(shhhh…don’t tell Mistletoe). I wouldn’t mind a bit. I’d do anything Savannah asked me to.

Maybe then I could tell you how I found my furrever home. Make sure you keep reading Savannah’s blog and maybe you’ll see me again (waves paw and gives a little wink…looks over shoulder…oooppss…gotta go…here comes Mistletoe…paws iPad to switch to home screen…heh…heh).

Paw Pats, Savannah and Guest Hitch!

peeEss: UPDATE ON THE ROYALS

Not much has changed except we don’t actually know what condition they are in. The Animal Control folks are not forthcoming with information about that.
Final cost for doing the jail break of all 3 Royals based on what they told Miss Rhonda late tonight is $1,115 USD: includes all boarding fees; de-fleaing; rabies shots; health certificates for them to travel
If you are able…donations for The Royals boarding costs, health certificates to travel, rabies shots can be made to lcrodgers at sbcglobal dot net…that is Mom’s PayPal account. Any donations exceeding the final costs will be reimbursed…once we know final costs, anyone who has donated after we reach that number will receive a full reimbursement…seriously…I don’t need any more toys, or treats or stuff…so Mom Linda won’t be needing any of that moola for me!
Purrlease remember…The Royals Mom, Miss Rose, is also a tragic part of this rescue. Her own huFamily abandoned her in seeing that she was taken care of for her final resting place…send her some purrayers and purrs
And, we are piecing together the WHOLE STORY of Operation Save The Royals and their rescue story will be posted on this blog sometime in mid to late March

19 Feb 2013

51 Comments

Real Rescue Dogs Are Talking…

HIYA!! SAVANNAH HERE!!!

Today I have another interview for my series…

REAL RESCUE DOGS ARE TALKING…

LIFE CHANGING INTERVIEWS WITH SAVANNAH

You may know I have had some struggles getting more of our canine furriends to step up and share their rescue stories with me. But, my furriend Rumpydog (@RumpyDog) was so kind to put out a call for volunteers on Twitter…and that is how I found my next guest.

So purrlease help me give a warm welcome to none other than

MURPH THE MUTT

@Murph_the_Mutt

APAWS!!! APAWS!!! APAWS!!!

Savannah: Hiya Murph. Thanks lots for stopping by and having a woof and a meow or two with me today. I know you don’t have a paw blog, but you are active on Twitter under the handle of @Murph_the_Mutt. Right?

Murph: First, Savannah, thanks for having me do the interview. I am excited someone is interested in my story—actually; I just love attention of any kind! BOL

And yes I don’t have a paw blog, but my Twitter profile tells it all:
“I’m loosely defined as a puggle. I am considered one of the great canine philosophers of our time. I’m also a part time supermodel. Oh, and I am a bacon enthusiast.”

That’s pretty much me.

Savannah: Well you know I am an equal opportunity interviewer, and anywhere I can get an interview with courageous adult rescue dog like you, then it doesn’t matter which social media you prefer. So Murph, can you get us started by giving some insight into how you arrived at your furrever home?

Murph: Mom and Dad already had my brofur, Gus-Gus, and decided he needed some company. They found me at our local shelter, the Cedar Bend Humane Society, in Waterloo, Iowa. No one is sure exactly how old I was (maybe about two years?).

…this is me and Gus-Gus…I got a bit bigger later on I think…

I had chain marks on my neck, so my parents think I probably spent a lot of time tied to a tree. I hadn’t had much socialization—and I am a really, really lovey dog, so that was rough for me. I’ve been with my parents and our clan (a total of three dogs and three cats!!!) for about five years now. I’m probably about seven years old now, and graying around the muzzle…but it only makes me more distinguished!

Savannah: I am sure it does Gus—I can see that now that you point it out. Nice! Give us an idea Murph what you found to be the hardest thing to get over when you tried to trust your new Guardians.

Murph : When I first came home, I was excited to have a forever family but had some issues with anxiety. I wasn’t too sure about new people, especially men. I was really fearful, and my way of showing fear was barking and trying to be intimidating.

My parents realized that I needed to be in a separate room when I ate because sometimes I’d try to take my brofur’s food and start a fight. Mom thinks that’s probably because I had to fight for food in the past, and it took me a while to realize that my new family would feed me all I needed.

In the meantime, Gus-Gus had to get stitches a couple of times (guess I should apologize, huh?). But that was a problem that was easily solved—he eats in the dining room and I eat in the office!

I also sometimes didn’t want to share my Mom…I wanted all of her attention all the time—probably because I received such limited attention in the past.

Fortunately, I have a Mom who took me to obedience and she learned some ways to help me understand that wasn’t acceptable. Mom and Dad also send me to doggie daycare once a week. That’s really helped my doggie social skills!

They’ve also learned a lot of strategies to help me with my anxiety. For instance, they used counter-conditioning for things I used to be afraid of….Like when new people come to the house (a situation that made me anxious)—I get treats…so I learned that having house guests isn’t a bad thing. In fact, it’s awesome! They also used techniques like hand feeding me so I would trust them more and learn that they are in charge of my well-being.

Savannah:…hmmmm…hand feeding…now that’s not one we have heard before in this series. I can see that for many cats and dogs that would be a really good thing to try. Now, can you describe some of the ways you and your Mom and Dad worked together to help get you into your recovery and try to overcome your issues or challenges.

Murph: Well, I already gave some woofs about the good stuff with obedience school to help socialize me better.

Another thing, after I was adopted, the vet said I was a great dog but wasn’t so sure of my place in the world—so my parents have helped me find that place! I went to obedience class right after I came home, and that helped a lot with confidence.

After obedience, I even took a course in agility—which helped my anxiety and also helped me to sculpt my sexy bod! I am also lucky that my parents are runners, and they quickly figured out that I need a bit more exercise than my brofurs. I only wish my parents were faster runners—they need to pick it up a bit!

One of the best things that came from going to obedience and agility classes was getting to know the instructor. Our parents signed Gus-Gus and me up for her doggie daycare, and she’s a behaviorist who has helped Mom and Dad SO much with advice about our multi-pet household! She is pretty much a doggie genius!

Often, when my parents come in and ask for advice about a “dog” problem, she points out that it’s actually not a “dog” problem but something Mom and Dad are doing wrong. Silly Mom and Dad!

Going to agility and obedience turned out to be key in making me the amazing guy you see today! Fortunately, I’m very food-motivated (which means I’ll do anything for a treat), so as long as Mom had treats in her fanny pack, I didn’t care much about anything else!

Mom and I never had any intention of doing a bunch of agility competitions, but it was great for my confidence and my bond with her. I wasn’t stressed at all by agility, even though lots of dogs and people were around, and that made Mom realize that being totally focused on something really helped my anxiety. So when we had male guests at our house (which used to be totally stressful for me), Mom started doing these 5 minute training routines (sit, down, shake, etc.) with me and rewarding me with treats to help me focus.

Savannah: Meowzers Murph!! You Mom sounds like she was becoming a “Murph whisperer” for sure! Pawsome!!

Woof a bit more about the success you have had getting more and more from all this obedience and agility learning. Do you think it has helped you show more and more of your REAL SELF?

Murph: Oh Dog! You are spot on Savannah! I am much more the REAL SELF I want everyone to see and know.

I am a calmer dog now, but I’m still Murph—I still run crazy circles around the yard, pretend I don’t hear Dad when he wants me to come inside, and get upset when the cats taunt me!

Sometimes I give my parents fits, but that’s just the Murphdog! I’ve always been really clingy to my parents, and that’s not gonna change. I’m more relaxed though—I know my parents love me and aren’t going anywhere. They’ve also learned a lot of strategies to help me with my anxiety. I ain’t a perfect dog, but my Mom and Dad got their faults as well…I think my parents realized a long time ago that I’ll never be a dog that they can take to the farmer’s market—crowded places like that are just too crazy and stressful for me.

There are some problems we haven’t solved yet—for instance, I flip out at the vacuum…and no matter what Mom and Dad do, that doesn’t change! I mean, I just don’t like the vacuum. Can you blame me? So they just vacuum when I’m outside playing in the yard now!

Savannah: MOL! Murph…I don’t know many cats who even want the evil HOOVER allowed IN the house!! And as for me, I am an indoor only cat and so I can’t go outside and play while they run that evil HOOVER!! You are lucky you can get away from it!

Now, last question, can you offer any advice to our readers to help them support their adult rescue dog, or one they may be thinkin’ about brining into their home, get into its recovery process?

Murph: Of course, every adult cat or dog you might adopt has a history—but on the positive side, I was already potty trained! And I am probably the most affectionate dog in the world—my parents have never doubted how much I appreciate all they’ve done for me!

Savannah: Ok Murph, I am so purrleased you came by to have this interview with me. This was great! Any last thought or words of wisdom you want to share?

Murph: Thanks for taking an interest in my story!

Savannah: Why Murph, you are Real Rescue Dog and You Are Talking…of course I am interested in your story. I am just sad to learn that somewhere in your early life someone chained you.

(Savannah reaches over to Murph and give him a reassuring paw pat)…but look how lucky you Mom and Dad are to have found you. And you got to have a family with brofurs and a cat sister too…purrfect!

That ends ouR Real Rescue Dogs Are Talking interview for February. I hope you found some useful tips and insights from Murph’s experiences.

Please be sure to let Murph know how much you appreciated his coming forward to do this interview. Leave him a comment in this post. I will contact him via Twitter to let him know his interview is published. And if you have a Twitter handle, be sure to send him a Tweet @Murph_the_Mutt

Have a great Tuesday!

Paw Pats, Savannah

Posted in Mental Recovery, Savannah's Life Experiences and tagged adopt adult cat, adult dog rescue, dog rescue, real rescue stories, scared cat, shelter rescue cat, trust

05 Feb 2013

58 Comments

Real Rescue Cats Are Talking…

HIYA!! SAVANNAH HERE!!!

Today I have another interview for my series…

REAL RESCUE CATS ARE TALKING…

LIFE CHANGING INTERVIEWS WITH SAVANNAH

I just know you are all going to help me welcome this marvelous ladycat…she is one of the bestest ladycats around!! You all know her…and I am so grateful that she agreed to join me for this interview so she can share her whole rescue story with you.

PURRlease…give a hearty welcome to…

NELLIE!!!

APAWS!!! APAWS!!! APAWS!!!

Savannah: Hiya Nellie!! Thanks lots for stopping by and having a meow with me. I know you aren’t new to doing interviews…but I am so proud to have you join me today…

Nellie: Hi Savanna. It is sure nice to gets out and visits with one of my girl cat furiends. Yous looks marvelous today darling. Thanks yous for letting Me tells yous my story. Yous want to know how old Me is? Me is going to be 15 in or around May but Me could has been as early as this month. Nobody knows.

Savannah: Mouses!! Nellie you are lookin’ so good…very svelte…we ladycats all need to take some beauty tips from you gurl furriend…

Nellie: oh Savvy, yous is so sweet to say that…hope you don’t mind, but I brought my own chair…it’s special and I likes it…

Savannah: Here, let me just move mine over…(scrape, scruff, scruff…)

Ok…that’s good. Now would you share with all of us how you arrived in your furrever home?

Nellie: Sure Savannah. Me shall starts at the very beginning. Me is the product of a cattery that breeded purebred Siamese. The owners would sell the “seconds” to anybody. Me hates to say it, but Me was less than purrfect, so Me was not registered and Me was bought by some peoples who wanted to breed Me for my babies so they could sell them and makes some money.

They had never had a cat before and they did not know what to do with a tiny rambunctious kitten. And the lady did not like Me because Me would scratch if their boy held Me too tight or pulled my tail. Me was not fed cat food and Me did not has any toys to play with.

(Big sigh)….Me has trouble talking about the things that happened…Me was pretty tormented by the boy and his Mom… but during that time, my Daddy did meets Me. He knew the peoples did not know what to do with Cats and he said to them if they ever did not want Me, they should gives him a call….

They did not. When the lady gots pregnant, she gots really mad at Me and Me was hit lots and she gived Me (for money) to some other peoples. They was really nasty. They had little dogs they was breeding. They said Me had behavior problems and they disciplined Me with sticks, they burned Me too with cigarettes. Finally, they tooked Me to the dog pound.

Me hated everybody! To Me, peoples meant pain. The peoples at the pound had to sedate Me to assess the damages and Me had some broken bones that had not set quite right, and some old and some new burns. Me was seriously underweight and they could not tell how old Me was because Me had not growed right from being starved. Me attacked everybody and the Pound was going to puts Me down as they said Me was unadoptable!

The first man who bought Me found out Me had been taken to the Dog Pound and he called my Daddy. Daddy called the pound and finded out that Me had been there for a week and they was going to puts Me down as Me was to awful to adopts out! Daddy said, “Wait, I’ll come and gets Nellie!”. And he did. He gots Hissy Old Licorice’s cat carrier and he went to the pound and he tolded them what he knew of my story and that him and Mommy had another cat and a dog and they let Daddy save Me!

Savannah: (reaches across to softly touch paws with Nellie)…you take your time…our readers will wait…..(purrs softly for Nellie)

Nellie: Yous is so sweet, thanks yous. When Me gots to my forever home, Me would not lets Mommy near Me. Me did not trust ladies. Me would attack peoples. Mommy and Daddy would talk quietly to Me and Hissy Old Licorice took care of Me like Me was his baby. Me was bad though. Me did not know that the garbage can was not food. Me did not know that the yummy tuna was for Mes (and Hissy Old Licorice). Me did not knows what the litter box was for.

Mommy and Daddy tooked Me to their Vet. She was a very nice lady, but Me would not let her touch Me! She keeped Me all day and she weighed Me and accessed all the damage and putting together what Daddy knew, they figured Me was over a year old, but Me was still the size of a kitten because Me was malnourished. Me had to waits until Me was more healthy before they coulds give Me my shots or my gardenectomy.

Savannah: Oh Cat! Nellie…when you are ready, will you maybe meow about how you got to trusting you Mom and Dad and let them see some of your REAL SELF.

Nellie: Mommy and Daddy was very patient with Me. Me attacked anybody who came near Me and Me attacked with claws and teeths! Mommy and Daddy was still so very nice to mes though. They loved Me, feeded Me. They never hurt Me. It tooked a long time before Me would even sit on the sofa with Daddy, purrhaps 6 months and even longer for Mommy! And even then, if Me did not want yous to pet Me, Me would attacks yous!

The hardest was the petting. Me would sit on laps and Me really wanted to be petted, but the minute a hand was on my back, particularly around my back near my tail – boom!!!! Me would see red – go crazy and bite and claw…..

Savannah: Nellie, it is hard to make new memories, huh? Especially, when the old memories are so cruel; they get in the way of making new ones.

Nellie: Savannah, Me had so very many issues. Me yowled—for no reason, Me shredded furniture and Me totally ruined Mommy’s 1950’s vinyl Dinette set! Me has shredded 4 sofas! But the absolute worst was my potty habits. Me had none. Mommy putted 4 litter boxes out. One in the living room; one in the kitchen by the foods; one in the bedroom and one where the litter box usually was. Every time Me would start to goes where Me was not supposed to, Mommy would puts Me in the box. But it tooked Me a furry long time to gets the litter box thing figured out almost 2 years.

Then, when Me did figure it out Me became the very bestest litter box digger in the world!! Me is very good at flinging litter everywhere with my digging! Me spends hours rearranging the litter in the box.

Savannah: Well, purrhaps you are just trying to make sure every piece is in its most useable place for next time???…just a thought…Anywho…meow a little about how you feel about all the paws forward you made over time…you know…how has your recovery come along??? Does your REAL SELF show more?

Nellie: Me thinks Me has been wonderful in my recovery! Me has trained my pawrents exactly as to what Me likes, when Me likes it and how Me likes it! Me likes Fancy Feast in the morning mixed with warm water and Me likes tuna at night with warm water.

Never the other way round or Me will MEERRROWWW.

Me likes my heating pad, and Me likes to sleeps beside Daddy. Mommy will do, but Me much prefers Daddy. Me still has a “circuit” Me walks and yeowels when Me is purrturbed.

Occasionally, Me will put the bitey on when Me is dissatisfied, and Me still is furry free with my claws. When Me wants attention, Me goes and gets it. If Me does not, Me will let yous know with a growl and they backs off.

Savannah: ummmm…Nellie…I think efurryone would also like to know about why Kozmo came to live with you

Nellie: MEOWWWWWW!!!…pffftttt!! Silly Kozmo…ok, but I’ll tell it this way…

Savannah, first lets Me tells yous about the great love of my life—Hissy Old Licorice! This is before the brat Kozmo…just listen Savvy…

Savannah: (lies quietly, crosses paws in front of her)…you take all the time you want Nellie…I can see this is impawtant to you…go on…

Nellie: Me loved him and he loved Mes. We was inseparable. Yes, wes did has arguments, but after he gots the Thyroid and the Kidney diseases we never fighted at all.

Two weeks before he was 18, hes stopped eating. We all knew he was ready to goes over the bridge to sees our before dog—Kokanee (they was bestest furrends). Me was laying with him when he passed.

After, Me was despondent. The picture of him and me was taken the day before he went over the bridge. Me lost weight and me was furry listless. Me meowed around the house and me laid where Licorice used to lay.

Every time Mommy or Daddy went to the door, me would run and see if he was there. After about 3 weeks, Mommy and Daddy went shopping in Kelowna and comed home with a small black and white cat!

Me hates him at first sight and we does not has a furry great relationship. Wes fights lots and but sometimes we surprises Mommy and Daddy by being furry friendly.

Hes been living with us for 2 years (he came on December 23, 2010). Me calls him the brat and me HATES sharing Daddy with him.

Me and my hairy slobbery sisters gets along well. Me loves Bob lots, but she is afraid of me because she came when me was still nasty.

But Cinnamon and me is bestest buddies! Me is trying to teach her to be the Dog From Hell!

Savannah: Yeowzers Nellie…you had so many fears when you first came and then you lost Old Licorice. I won’t keep you much longer…do you have any advice to our readers to help them…furramily and hufamily both…work together to help the furramily member create new memories?

Nellie: Patience, Patience, Patience. It was over 9 months before Me would sit with Daddy. And another 6 before he could pets Me. The claws and teeths is defense mechanisms. Pet us when we comes to yous, but don’t chase us.

One can never has too many litter boxes.

Routine. We need predictability.

Lets us have our own little space. Mommy made Me a cave out of a computer box (they was big in those days) and she cutted a hole in it that was Nellie size. Hissy Old Licorice or the hairy slobbery sister Kokanee could nots get in. She put it under the kitchen table. Mommy puts a furry blanket in there and she would put crunchies in a bowl in there. The litter box was right beside my box. Me liked my special private place, but Me slowly gots used to being outs and abouts and did not worry about the other animals.

Hissy Old licorice was good for Me. He acted just like a Mommy and it was what Me needed. This might not work for others, but it worked for Mes!

Savannah: This was great! Any last thought or words of wisdom you want to share?

Nellie: Savannah, thanks yous so much for letting Me shares my story with yous. Me knows Me is furry long winded. Can Me kiss yous now?

Savannah: oh Nellie (shuffling paws back and forth)…why don’t you come over here with me while I wrap up…I can scootch over for you…

Nellie: Oh thanks yous Savvy…(leans down and gives Savvy a soft smoochie)

MOUSES!!! Wasn’t Nellie a great interview? And I did mention at the beginning she isn’t new to this kind of interview…she did one about a year ago with my canine furriend Rumpydog. Click HERE to have a look.

I am hoping to have a few more CAT come forward to tell their stories of adult rescue.

Let me know in comments if you want to give it a try OR if you have someone to recommend.