Please send any Long Beach or Seal Beach pet-related events or projects to [email protected]. Posting subject to approval.

Kristi Louie and her family have been getting their paws dirty in the trenches for years, pulling unwanted and abandoned cats from the streets and helping maintain community-cat colonies. I first met Louie at a 2014 Long Beach City College rally to allow the cat colonies to remain on campus. She, her daughter Jaden and other family members helped to maintain the LBCC colonies and adopt out kittens and tame the obviously dumped adult cats. Two years later, I got a call from her about the frustration that colony maintainers were getting from the Knott’s Berry Farm management, so I checked that out, too—you can read about it here. Louie said that there are mixed reports about the present situation.

I’m always astonished by the dedication that animal rescuers like Louie have and the lengths and literal distances they’ll go to help even one animal. That makes it worse when one of them falls on hard times, and Louie has. She and most of her family are leaving an emotionally unbearable domestic situation, and she asked to be permitted to be open about it.

“My rescue kitties need rescuers so I can rescue me,” she said. “I often hear folks question why people stay in toxic relationships. Well, in my case, I’ve stayed because I’m a rescuer and I have cats that need homes.”

Louie said that people have made well-intended suggestions such as taking them to a shelter or leave them outside and go—they’ll be fine. Louie knows that they won’t—she’s taken in too many that haven’t been fine, and she’d no sooner abandon the cats than she would her own kids. She won’t leave until all of them have families.

I offered to help her by picturing them here. They’re all rescues from the LBCC colonies and have been fixed and vaxxed. To adopt any of them, email [email protected].

tuxedo cat with pink nose and white legs and vest lying on a bedspread
Rowan is very sweet and people oriented. He and his sister, Annabelle, were found dumped on the street at 2 weeks old. Rowan loves to follow you around from room to room like a dog.
cat with black mask, white belly and legs, and pink nose lies on her back on bedspread.
Annabelle is sweet as pie, and the perfect cat for a family, especially one with a child that would like to cuddle her! She likes to suckle fingers and will fall asleep on her back like a baby in your arms, purring all the way!
black cat with orange eyes and fluffy tail lies on bedspread
The next two cats were found in March as newborns in a filthy car. Here’s Fluff. Fluff  has beautiful, soft fur with some smoky undertones (beware though, it will need regular brushing!). She loves to play. She’s a cuddler and will sleep in bed with you and knead on you. She’ll also talk your ear off.
black cat with green eyes and white bib looks up longingly at camera. She's on a wooden floor.
Doodle has the cutest round face and big, owlish eyes. She’s very needy and wants a person whom she can lay on top of with her head and paws on your neck. She loves to play and is very nosy! She’ll follow you around curiously and try to figure everything out.
tuxedo cat with white muzzle and paws, and a pink nose with a black dot on it.
Axel was dumped as a kitten along with the next four cats at the feral colony. They hid in electrical equipment and were there when the groundskeeper found them and called the colony maintainers. He’s got the cutest dot on his nose! He’s great with kids and other animals. He likes to head-butt you for attention and will give massages!
tiny light-gray tabby with white chest stares up from bedspread.
Suzie Sue, aka “Bedhead” for her unruly locks, was the smallest and sickest of her litter. But she persevered and pulled through fine. She’s good with kids and other animals and really loves toys! And meat, too—the little obligatory carnivore!
Gray kitten with one yellow eye and one that is cloudy gray, lying on a bedspread.
Zaria was found with one eye cloudy gray from scar tissue, either from an untreated infection or injury, but it doesn’t bother her. She is extremely sweet, and isn’t afraid to leap onto your shoulders for extra cuddles! Zaria is good with kids and other animals, and will even cuddle the Louies’ rabbit.
Alert gray cat lying on bedspread and staring at camera
Kovac’s a funny little guy with a big personality. He’s good with kids and other animals. He likes to suckle and knead blankets—and other animals! Like his siblings, he loves to cuddle at night.
spotted gray tabby lies on her back and looks round at the camera.
Our Joan is a beautiful spotted girl who loves kids, other animals, playing, and sleeping on top of you! Joan also has a great disposition—she lets kids haul her around the house like a doll.
Fluffy elderly black cat with white paws and socks, curled up on a beige tile floor.
Finally, there’s Squirt. She’s about 11 years old. She was thrown outside to fend for herself after her elderly owner died. Squirt’s the neediest of all and needs a special human for her golden years. She is a senior with arthritis and is FIV-positive, and she really deserves a forever home to call her own again. Squirt will paw at you for attention—she’s desperate to be someone’s lap cat and best friend.
Things to do, pets to support
Image courtesy of- @3aussienbrothers.

Helen Sanders CatPAWS Show Us Your Kitties calendar photo contest: through Sept. 30; $5 per vote, $10 to feature your cat on a specific date

Helen Sanders CatPAWS rescues cats and kittens from shelters and finds each of them loving homes. You’ll see quite a few of them on next year’s calendar, but your kitty doesn’t have to be a CatPAWS alumnus or alumna to be a part of this 2020 vision (heh). Choose a date for $10 for a thumbnail, or enter the contest to feature your little buddy. You can enter as many votes as you like for your cat, and perhaps he or she will be the Moggie of the Month! Details available here.

Doggie Paradise: Saturday, Sept. 14, 11 a.m.–4 p.m., Queen Mary Events Park, 1126 Queens Highway, Long Beach, $25 general admission for 4 years old and above, to include one dog; $20 for each additional dog; $50 VIP admission.

Even though they won’t be boarding the ship, humans will envy the cruise-type amenities offered this afternoon in September: splash pools, mutt-fashioned souvenirs for their humans at the arts-and-crafts table, a ball pit to go all Fido in, and, of course, a spa in which all the pooches can get shampoos and manicures. Enjoy contests for your pup and workshops for you puppy parents.The Cutest-Dog contest sure beats karaoke demos, and Instagram photos, vendors and other contests promise a fun-packed day. Don’t have a dog? Adoptable and fosterable pets from the Seal Beach Animal Center and Long Beach Animal Care Services can take care of that. Get the long version of the event here.

Pet Fair Pop-Up and National Adoption Extravaganza: Saturday and Sunday, Sept. 14–15, 11 a.m.–4 p.m., Pet Food Express, 4220 Long Beach Blvd., Long Beach., adoption fees vary.

Long Beach’s Pet Food Express joins up with all the other PFE stores to get so many adoptions and rescues in one place that it’ll be impossible to not find your new friend! Check the list under Adopt, adopt, adopt! for examples of who’ll show up!

Turtle and Tortoise Care Society, CTTC Long Beach Chapter meeting, featuring pancake tortoise talk and actual pancake snacks: Friday, Sept. 20, 7:30 p.m., University Baptist Church, 3434 Chatwin Ave., Long Beach, free to turtles, tortoises and their well-behaved humans.

On the right: to eat. On the left: not to eat. Dr. Michael Tuma will speak about his experiences and research on this singular species of shellback. Pancakes will be served, which is in itself a singular choice. The club will provide the snacks and is asking club members to come early to help mix the batter and bring toppings. Shelling out tips and donations is encouraged.

Fix Long Beach Free Spay/Neuter Clinic, sponsored by Justin Rudd and the Community Action Team: Saturday, Sept. 21, 7:30 a.m.–3 p.m., Marine Stadium, 5255 Paoli Way, Long Beach, free spay/neuter appointments for qualifying people ; free microchips, shots, flea-med doses, dewormers and nail trimmings $10 each.

The best way to mitigate shelter euthanasia is to tamp the source, and that’s why we’re here. Our shelter and rescues are packed with cats and dogs, and everyone doing rescue is chasing their tail trying to get them all adopted. The best way for our community to help out is to turn off the taps at the other end so that more won’t be born. Remember: it’s the law to fix your pet in Long Beach, and Fix is here to help you do just that. Appointments are available for future clinics—make one at [email protected], or PM us on Facebook. More information is available here.

Party with a Purpose fundraiser for Fix Long Beach: Saturday, Aug. 21, 12:30 p.m., 4505 California Ave., Long Beach, jewelry items for sale.

Enjoy lunch with live piano accompaniment (you’re encouraged to request “Hound Dog” or “Kitten on the Keys”), get some fashion tips, and purchase Park Lane Jewelry items to go with them. Fix Long Beach will receive 25% if the sales. RSVP at 808-443-6533.

Home at Last! pet adoption event: Saturday, Sept. 28, 11 a.m.–3 p.m., Centinela Feed and Pet Supplies, 4700 Pacific Coast Highway, Long Beach, adoption fees apply.

Coldwell Banker’s fifth annual pet-awareness and –adoption event will help raise awareness about the situation of cats, dogs and rabbits in our shelters and rescues, and will give the community an opportunity to take one (or two) home. Enjoy games and raffles, the proceeds of which will fund the participating shelters and rescues.

Music for Mutts and Cats: Thursday, Oct. 3, 5–9 p.m., Steelcraft Long Beach, 3768 Long Beach Blvd., Long Beach, in-kind and monetary donations accepted.

Actually, the music is for you, and the benefits will go to Long Beach Animal Care Services to help care for the dogs, cats and bunnies who are waiting there for homes. Bring along pet toys, cat litter, blankies, towels, food and anything you think a pet would like. Cash donations, of course, are welcome. Steelcraft will donate 10% of the evening’s tab to the shelter.

Pit Bull Appreciation Day: Saturday, Oct. 26, 10 a.m.–3 p.m., Marine Stadium, 5255 Paoli Way, Long Beach, free.

And it’s 2! $4! 6! 8! Who do we appreciate? Those silly, goofy, misunderstood-but-getting-better-by-the-moment pit bull dogs and mixes! Have fun rolling around with Rover on a yoga mat, trotting in a pack walk, learning about foster and pet care, purchasing raffle items and doggies to adopt. The event is brought to you by Blockhead Brigade, Live Love Animal Rescue and Lucky Dog Humane Education.

Sparky and the Gang’s Fourth Annual Black Dog Tan Chihuahua event: Saturday, Nov. 16, 4–10 p.m., 250 N, Tribune Court, Long Beach, entrance TBA.

Prohibition-themed event to raise funds for Sparky and the Gang dog rescue. Dress up in your dapper flappers. Can we say barkeasy? Al Ca-Bone, maybe? More information available here.

Sign saying "Animal Admissions" at left between two pillars in front of a blue building. At right is a banner saying "Adopt at Long Beach Animal Care. Adoptions Save Lives" in blue, black and white.
This banner marks the shelter’s entrance.
Shelter Shenanigans

Ringworm is not a worm, a cause for shame or a death sentence for an animal. Ringworm is a fungal infection similar to athlete’s foot and highly curable, but as a word of caution, it’s contagious to humans. The isolation ward is full of kittens with ringworm, and no other animals can stay there. This exacerbates the space crunch at Long Beach. In accordance with her Compassion Saves approach, which cites “the values of saving every life that is treatable,” shelter director Staycee Dains is asking anyone wanting to help save these little lives and also can give them proper care to take home one or more of the ringworm kitties to foster. As with all fosters, the shelter will provide all the supplies and support necessary for you to help an unfortunate kitten to grow up into a healthy, bright-eyed, purring cat. Please contact Dains at [email protected] for information.

Have an overnight with a kitty with Foster Fridays! The shelter has kittens coming out of the walls—literally. The shelter manager constantly has a few in her office! The shelter is at capacity, especially where cats are concerned, so fosters are sorely needed. Every Friday from 2-5 p.m., shelter staff is inviting residents who have the necessary accommodations—a safe space, time to feed them and play with them, and a propensity to say “Awwww!” every 15 minutes—to take a healthy, weaned kitten home for a while. Shelter will provide food, litter and a carrier and will cover any offsite medical. Time commitment is two weeks, with an option to adopt—of course! Foster fail! Have questions? Contact the shelter director at [email protected].

The Kitten Super Bloom and Bunny Adoption Special continue, featuring  $20 cat, kitten and rabbit adoption fees at Long Beach Animal Care and at all @spcaLA locations until fur-ther notice. Check out shelter manager Staycee Dains’ video. Again.

Other/ongoing

Feline Good Social Club: 301 Atlantic Ave., Long Beach, open daily 10 a.m.–7 p.m., $15 for an hour session, $8 for a “quickie” half-hour.

There’s just too much stuff going on in this wonderland for moggies! Bring your lunch and socialize with the friendliest and most entertaining group of cats you’ll ever meet (especially Fancy Feet and his giant hamster wheel), or sign up here for one of the many activities: Cats and Mats yoga, Sound Healing, Kids Club—all of it. Fill out an application to adopt! All proceeds go to maintaining the Lounge and, of course, the cats!

Register for Strut Your Mutt Los Angeles: Best Friends Animal Society is teaming up with our partner rescue groups, shelters and animal-welfare organizations to help save the lives of homeless cats and dogs at Strut Your Mutt. Local Long Beach groups such as The Little Lion Foundation are participating, and animal advocates and lovers will be coming from everywhere. Register for the Walk or donate if you have a pet who just won’t be walked—cats come to mind. All funds raised go directly to lifesaving programs such as spay/neuter, adoption, and a KITTEN NURSERY! This year’s event is on October 26, 2019 at Exposition Park in Los Angeles—all information is available here.

Instructional Pack Walk: First Saturday of the month, 10–11 a.m., Bixby Park, 130 Cherry Ave., Long Beach, free, donations accepted

The public is invited to take part in a walk sponsored by Trot’s Dog Walking and Training that will help you and your best buddy learn proper leash manners and focus on each other instead of the distractions of the “real world.” Trot’s experienced pack leaders are there to guide you through the process. Meet at the park at the corner of Ocean and Junipero at 10am.

Donations accepted for Pets of the Homeless: Pets of the Homeless’ home page gives a self-description as the only organization focusing only on providing food and care for pets belonging to homeless people. Businesses and other organizations across the country receive in-kind donations of food and other needs that the dogs and cats’ human families can pick up at outreach locations. The following Long Beach businesses will accept your donations:

Trendi Pawz, 255 Redondo Ave., Long Beach

Belmont Heights Animal Hospital, 255 Redondo Ave., Long Beach

Paw Shoppe Pet Center, Inc., 6416 E. Spring St., Long Beach

Food and supplies are available at Beacon for Him Ministries, 1535 Gundry Ave. Long Beach, Mondays from 9:00 a.m. to noon and Saturdays from noon to 3 p.m.; and at Christian Outreach in Action, 515 E. Third St., Long Beach, Thursday from 9 to 11 a.m. Donations will be gratefully accepted at these locations as well.

Adopt, adopt, adopt

tiny black newborn kitten with white paws and white marks on chest sits up with his legs splayed out as he's fed from a bottle

The following pet-related businesses regularly feature cat, dog and rabbit adoptions. If you’re a Long Beach-area rescue and don’t see your adoption event listed here, please email [email protected]. Click on the links for each rescue in case of updates or changes.

Chase Bank, 5200 East Second St., Long Beach

The Farmer’s Marketplace of Long Beach, 5000 E. Spring St. (Spring and Clark), Long Beach

Gelson’s Market, 6255 E. 2nd St.

Kahoots Pet Store, 18681 Main St. #102, Huntington Beach

Pet Food Express, 4220 Long Beach Blvd., Long Beach:

PetSmart Cerritos, 12741 Towne Center Drive, Cerritos

PetSmart Compton, 1775 S. Alameda St., Compton

PetSmart Garden Grove, 9835 Chapman Ave., Garden Grove

PetSmart, Long Beach Exchange, 3871 N. Lakewood Blvd., Long Beach

PetSmart Seal Beach, 12341 Seal Beach Blvd., Seal Beach.

PetSmart Signal Hill, 2550 Cherry Ave., Signal Hill

PetSmart Towne Center, 7631 Carson Blvd., Long Beach

Unleashed by Petco, 600 Redondo Ave.