{"id":1976,"date":"2016-04-01T05:14:10","date_gmt":"2016-04-01T05:14:10","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/lbpost.com\/articles\/life\/pets\/pet-projects-make-room-for-kittens\/"},"modified":"2016-04-01T05:14:10","modified_gmt":"2016-04-01T05:14:10","slug":"pet-projects-make-room-for-kittens","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lbpost.com\/esd\/hi-lo\/pets\/pet-projects-make-room-for-kittens","title":{"rendered":"Kitten Season\u2014Raining Cats and\u2014More Cats"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Please send any Long Beach or Seal Beach pet-related events or projects to\u00a0pets@lbpost.com<\/a>. Posting subject to approval.<\/p>\n

Virtually Pets<\/h1>\n

It feels as if The Scratching Post and Pet Projects had just finished with Kitten Season 2015, and here we are again, bracing ourselves to deal with an influx of cute little babies that may not live to be obnoxious, annoying and nonetheless endearing cats. This is because the feline birth rate explodes from April until September, which means that cats are producing kittens in kaboodles shortly after the baseball season opens all the way through the opening of football season. Your children, if you have them, will be taking their state tests when it begins and will be into the next grade when it ends.<\/p>\n

Long Beach, at least, has made a dent in the birth and euthanasia rates with efforts like trap-spay\/neuter-return (TNR) volunteer organizations such as Stray Cat Alliance (SCA)<\/a>\u00a0and Long Beach Spay & Neuter<\/a>, free sterilizations through Fix Long Beach<\/a>\u00a0and Long Beach Animal Care Services (ACS)<\/a>,\u00a0and vouchers provided by Friends of Long Beach Animals<\/a>. Two innovative programs include the permanent Cat Adoption Center in the new Pet Food Express<\/a>, which houses cats from the shelter and is maintained by volunteers from the Long Beach branch of SCA; and the DIY Kitten Care Project, implemented by kitten bottle-feeders Deborah Felin and Patty Williams, aims to save a greater number of newborn and underage kittens by providing resources to the community: formula, bottles, care guides and support for their care.<\/p>\n

But it\u2019s still just a dent. Surrounding communities may or may not have programs like this, but I\u2019m willing to bet that they all have pregnant cats running the streets for several months out of the year. The Humane Society of the United States\u2019 kitten season page on its website<\/a>\u00a0has listed five ways in which the animal community at large can help ensure a happy ending for not only the kittens but also the adult cats who are frequently passed over in favor of kittens: spay\/neuter, volunteer for shelters and rescues, care for community cats in the area, foster a cat or kitten, and the one the column will focus on\u2014adoption. For the next few weeks, cats from individual rescues, which overflow during kitten season, will be featured. The first bunch comes from Helen Sanders CatPAWS<\/a>, a Seal Beach-based nonprofit whose mission is promoting spay\/neuter through education and providing vouchers; supporting TNR efforts by providing medical care, food and at times bottle feeding; and pulling both adult and newborn cats from shelters to give them a chance at life. Here are a few of the candidates:<\/p>\n

\"Clarissa\"<\/p>\n

Clarissa<\/strong>, around 3 years old, came to CatPAWS from a shelter and was terrified of everyone and everything by the time they got her. She was steps away from euthanasia, and the CatPAWS people don\u2019t think she had a great time of it before the shelter! mean within hours) made it out alive. CatPAWS responded to an email to all rescues saying that Clarissa was ill with a URI, and because she was ill, the public couldn\u2019t see her. She was depressed and shutting down. \u201cSo, with that kind of plea, we rescued her!\u201d said one CatPAWS volunteer.<\/p>\n

With all that love from her rescuers, Miss Clarissa came a long way. She\u2019s now perfectly healthy and is demanding of a lap and petting. She’s a champion, say the volunteers, and they know that there\u2019s at least one person to love her. You can meet her at PetSmart 12341 Seal Beach Boulevard, Seal Beach.<\/p>\n

\"Jeremy\"<\/p>\n

Jeremy <\/strong>is a gorgeous tabby male about a year and a half. He\u2019s a most affectionate little guy\u2014he loves to give hugs and nose kisses and even caresses your face! He’s a big old Tom on the outside, but one look at those beautiful, expressive eyes and experiencing his gentle demeanor show a poet’s heart on the inside. It\u2019s hard to believe that he\u2019d been hours away from death in a shelter. He’s a heartbreaker! You can meet Jeremy at PetSmart 12341 Seal Beach Boulevard, Seal Beach.<\/p>\n

\"Powder<\/p>\n

This darling 5-year-old girl named Powder Puff<\/strong> was grieving the death of her person when the family member entrusted with her care took her to a public shelter. Losing first the person she loved and then her home and then placed in a cage surrounded by the sounds and smells of the shelter, she was overwhelmed, frightened and withdrawn. The likelihood of her getting adopted in that condition and leaving through the front door was pretty slim until CatPAWS volunteers claimed her, got her some much needed dental work, and placed her into foster care to heal emotionally. Under the reassuring care of her foster, Miss Puff is starting to relax and trust again on this journey to a new, forever home. Here, she\u2019s assisting with the laundry. If you’re interested in giving Puff the stable, loving home she so deserves, please email adoptions@helensanderscatpaws.com<\/a>.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Mark Your Calendars (the People Way)<\/h1>\n

Long Beach Animal Care Services<\/strong><\/a>\u00a0Dog Adoptions<\/strong><\/p>\n

Saturday, April 2, Pet Food Express, 4220 Long Beach Boulevard, Long Beach, 11:00AM\u20133:00PM<\/strong><\/p>\n

Adoption fees apply<\/strong><\/p>\n

Find your new BFF and everything he or she needs for a high-quality life. And remember to check out the adoptable-cat condos in the back\u2014they want to go home, too!<\/p>\n

spcaLA Friends for Life Summer Camp<\/strong><\/p>\n

June through August, Monday through Friday; registration begins April 4, 10:00AM, Pitchford Companion Animal Village, 7700 East Spring Street, Long Beach<\/strong><\/p>\n

Paws down, it\u2019s the best camp around! spcaLA Friends for Life Summer Camp™ is for kids 8 through 13 years old. At camp, kids learn the basics of pet care and responsibility, respect for all animals, and the beginnings of dog training, all while making new friends on a number of legs! There are 10 sessions available, each running Monday through Friday.<\/p>\n

\"Suja\"\"Fix\"SuziePrice<\/p>\n

Fix Long Beach (FLB)<\/strong><\/a>\u00a0Spay\/Neuter Clinic, dogs only for spay\/neuter; cats and dogs welcome for shots and microchips. This month\u2019s clinic is generously sponsored by the Second and Third districts<\/strong><\/p>\n

Saturday, April 23, 7:30AM\u20134:00PM, Bixby Park near the beach, 2100 East Ocean Boulevard, Long Beach (NEW LOCATION THIS MONTH!)<\/strong><\/p>\n

Free to qualifying residents<\/strong><\/p>\n

The grassroots free spay\/neuter organization<\/strong> Fix Long Beach invites you to make an appointment for your unfixed dog, or get vouchers for free procedures for them! These clinics are generously sponsored through Hope for Paws\u00a0and Eldad Hagar<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Guidelines for FLB clinics are as follows:<\/p>\n