Enough great cats for everyone who'd love to have one

Wolfgang

“Wolfgang, the cat I've been working so hard with -- he made biscuits for me for the first time today!  They were tiny biscuits, but biscuits none the less!”  

 Andreya Dunks, an assistant manager at the Ewing Township Animal Shelter, exclaimed over a breakthrough with one of the cats. 

Her caring enthusiasm is so typical of the cat-positive attitude found there that you might want either to be a resident cat. . . or to adopt (at least) one! 

As animal shelters go, this one, managed by the EASEL Animal Rescue League, is packed with desirable elements: it’s proudly a no-kill facility; it’s populated with cats who generally seem contented as they wait for adopters to choose them; it’s relatively spacious, with high, wide cages and windows – a real boon; it’s a happening place, with lively people in and out and “roamers,” or cats allowed the run of the cat room.

Snookie

And for many good reasons, the Ewing shelter does a boom business in cat adoptions.  Meet a feline you like one day, and there’s a good chance s/he won’t be there if you wait too long to come back and renew your acquaintance.  “Now you see them, now you don’t.”

Why is that?  Because complete information about each cat is readily available and an effective adoption team works on their behalf.  For instance, newly arrived cats are carefully checked out while temporarily housed in the trailer outside the building.  Each cage has a color-coded sticker showing the cat’s strengths and needs – for instance, a green circle denotes a happy cat, while a yellow one means go slow; skittish feline.

Extensively trained volunteers then work with each one toward becoming adoption-ready.  As space permits, those cats move into the building, where they can be visited by would-be adopters who have successfully applied to adopt.

Jasper

Still other felines are also housed in the cat room at the local PetSmart, a successful meeting, greeting and adopting place, while special needs cats – elderly and pregnant cats, kittens for bottle feeding and those having difficulty in the shelter – are among those going to fosters.   

Shelter rules are designed to benefit the cats.  For instance, bonded pairs of felines are not broken up; it’s a two-fer or a no-fer.  As with people, cats can also have health conditions that can’t be ignored.  An example: those who are FIV+ can go home with adopters who understand they’re safe and can lead normal lives.

All cats need medical clearance before moving to loving homes.  O’Reilly had a worrisome bump on his nose, so only when a vet declared it benign and removable could he leave the shelter.  Warren’s adopter happily agreed on canned food for this handsome old orange cat because most of his teeth had been removed.  Caramel Apple’s hyperthyroidism is treatable with two daily meds – a responsibility her adopter willingly accepted. 

Zane

So, what’s in a name when it belongs to a shelter cat?  For one thing, a name can invite a possible adopter to take a closer look.  (Wouldn’t you too, with felines named Lucius and Malfoy, straight out of Harry Potter?)  Those two beauties were snapped up by adopters who definitely don’t live in Slytherin House.  

The website – easelnj.org/cats – is attractive and informative, an ideal way to get both an overview and details on how things work at the Ewing Township Animal Shelter.  

“Oh!  As I walked by today, Wolfgang came to the front of his cage, purring, without my even having treats or opening the door!  He was just asking for attention (that I of course gave him!).  I never thought he would                                       get to this point!  (Hoping he's adopted soon!)” 

Cormac

 

(The Ewing Twp. Animal Shelter is at 4 Jake Garzio Drive (in the municipal complex), Ewing, NJ.  Phone 609-883-0540  Website: easelnj.org/cats.  Note: Not all the cats pictured here are still available for adoption!)

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