Monday, March 10, 2008

meow...MEow...MEOW...ME-NOW!

We belong to The Hermitage No-Kill Cat Shelter which houses (literally -- there are no cages!) about 300 cats. There are many human volunteers and some paid staff who have dedicated themselves to taking care of the many kitties who have no home. Many of these kitties are up for adoption, but there are some who cannot be adopted out. These are ones whose back legs are paralyzed, or who have behavioral problems, or spray scent everywhere, or are so shy (feral) that they won't come near a person.

They also have a sponsorship program, where for a small monthly fee, a cat is "yours" to visit. (HA--if you know anything about cats you know that's a ridiculous statement -- a cat "owns" you!) Now, because we have a dog who hates cats (my beloved cat Nikki, gone now 2 years, tormented her as a puppy and she has NEVER forgiven any feline!) we cannot have a cat at home. So here is where we sponsor a cat who cannot be adopted. We can come in and see our sponsor and visit with all the other felines...and it's as close as we can get to having a cat in our house.



Our sponsor cat: Smoky




It doesn't have alot of hoopla around...it's an older home that's been turned cat-friendly. It's been here for many years.

Here is the sign which greets you as you walk in, dedicated to the many cats which have lived out their lives here.
It's a warm day today and here some are basking...


Here some are playing in the cat condo...look at the top!



And here Blackie is playing one-on-one with a human.



And here is Dexter, a confirmed lap-cat.


The Hermitage is divided into sections because some cats, due to urinary or other problems, need special diets. These cats get a little lonely because they can't be part of the whole house (other cats would eat their wonderful special food!). We spend time with them.

Some are a bit obsessive-compulsive about washing !



And some adore shoes.


Here are some special portrait photos:


This is Stuie, a real doll. He looks at everybody sideways....his face is scarred, but he loves to be petted.


So, it was a very nice afternoon at The Hermitage...I'll post more photos later...it's a great place to have a camera!! (Of course I say that about nearly EVERY place I visit or every family gathering there is...love to take pictures !!)

4 comments:

Mima said...

Its a wonderful thing for you to do, and it sounds like a fantastic place for a cat. I am a confirmed cat lover, and really appreciate the time that people give up volunteering and visiting in a place like the Hermitage. You have also got some lovely photos here of some very obviously happy kitties!!

Mississippi Songbird said...

awww.some sweet kitties..
and thanks for the tips on blogger..Yeah!.. Now I have fonts.. Bunches of hugs!

Karen H. said...

Good Morning Elizabeth Ann,
"THANK YOU" for stopping by for a visit again. I think this is such a wonderful thing you are doing for those cats. I'm not a cat lover myself. When I was in Head Start, many moons ago LOL, a boy threw a cat on me and it scratched me up. Ever since then I have been afraid of them. I don't mistreat them or anything like that, but I just don't want one as a pet. We have stray cats and dogs around here where we live and I feed them some of our leftovers sometimes. I think Stuie is just one adorable cat. That sounds like one wonderful place for those kinds of cats. I read your previous post about the Cactus. I love seeing the Cactus that is grown out your way. I remember years ago when we drove to California to see my Grandparents, we drove thru Arizona and I remember seeing so many Cactus out in the desert. I am just in awe at the shapes and sizes that they turn out to be. I have even seen on The Traveling Channel where people eat Cactus. My DH and his Uncle go down to Kingman, AZ from North Las Vegas and gets on I-40 to come back this way. Take care my friend and have a great day. May God Bless You and Yours.

Love & Hugs,
Karen H.

Sandra said...

They are so sweet, too bad I'm allergic to cats though :(