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Lots of spring events, cat stories, and all about TNR! ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏
Babette (Babs) has something to say!She wants to know if it’s her turn to find a FURever home! Babs is a fluffy 6 lb, 2 year old girl. She acts a little shy at first, but once she knows she’s safe with you, she’ll come to you—especially if you happen to have food or yummy treats. She is actually quite the conversationalist, as you can see in this video on our Facebook page. Babette has something to say! (Facebook) Even though Babette has had her share of ups and downs in life, she’s an easygoing girl who’s ready to settle into her forever home. Though she was once left to fend for herself, she holds no grudges and greets the world with quiet grace. Babs is wonderfully undemanding. All she’s asking for is love, care, and a place where she belongs. Give her a little patience, and you’ll be rewarded with a gentle, grateful companion who’s ready to be someone’s very special cat. Apply to Adopt Babette
Adoption fee of $100 includes spay/neuter, FIV and FELV combo test, up-to-date rabies and distemper vaccinations, deworming treatments, flea treatments, and microchip.
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May EventsNow that Spring is here, the events keep coming from now until Fall! Stop by and say hello to us at one of these May events!
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Meet Newton and Nyla (and friends) at PetSmart! SCTNR Adoptable Cats
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Want to volunteer at Shadow Cats TNR events? Almost every weekend from now until Fall we have fun events where we share information about our mission (TNR, spay/neuter, adoptions) and raise funds for Shadow Cats! Come help us put the FUN in FUNdraising! Apply Here!
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Happy TailzWe love getting happy updates about our cats! If you love Happy Tailz, follow us on Facebook for more stories!
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Hobbit’s Story Hobbit, a colony cat, was brought to Baltimore Animal Rescue with a severe injury to her back left leg - so severe it was possible it would need to be amputated. Dr. Amy Hubbard stepped in to repair Hobbit’s leg. She thought Hobbit may need a skin graft but waited about a week to see how she was healing before making any decisions. While recuperating, Hobbit set up camp at Dr. Hubbard’s residence, turning her shower into a living space. Handling her was a challenge since she was in pain and scared. Dr. Hubbard provided enrichment by setting up cat videos for her to watch, which she really enjoyed! After 3 weeks of of pain medicine and antibiotics, three times a day, every 4 days, Hobbit was miraculously healing - she not only avoided an amputation, but also a skin graft! While in surgery, Hobbit also received an ear tip and a microchip. Hobbit is now back home with her caretaker and colony, living a healthier life, thanks to all involved in her recovery!
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Cecelia’s FURever home update: "Cecilia is a love bug. She’s such a sweetheart and I tell her everyday that I’m glad she’s our kitty. The stairs are her favorite spot as she has a view of most of the downstairs rooms."
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From Ekko’s new mom: “I love this boy so much! Ekko is my shadow, he has to be on me or touching me, including throughout the night. He is walking right up to our other cat with no fear or reactions…and he is ok laying near the dog if the dog is laying down as well. I think I need to pay him overtime with as often as he makes biscuits! LOL!”
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Carrot Cake: What a treat! Carrot Cake, one of our longest residents, went home the last weekend of April! Cake's new Mom sent these photos just 2 hours after Carrot Cake came home. She's keeping her name and already has a couple of nicknames in rotation. She has already settled in so well. Thank you to her foster and all our volunteers who cared for her, to all of you who have shared her photos, and to her new family for giving her a beautiful home!
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So you hear about TNR and know what it is, but do you know what it involves? Well, first of all…a LOT of patience! Our trappers set up humane traps in areas with roaming cats, and keep watch from a distance. Some days you get one (or more!), and some days you don’t. April 25, when these photos were taken, was a good day…we got one!
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He wasn’t too happy about being caught, but then he was off to clinic to get neutered, vaccinated, and ear-tipped (done while sedated). Then he was cared for at our Cat Central location for a couple of days of healing before he was released back to his outdoor home, happy and healthier. Not only will he not father anymore kittens, he is also protected from certain diseases, less at risk to develop certain cancers, and is a more well-behaved kitty, not being a loud or unruly nuisance in the neighborhood! Check out these release videos on our Facebook page! (Turn up that volume!)
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Not all Cats Are Released That’s right - not all of them go back to their outdoor homes. Most of the cats we trap are feral and returned, but we sometimes find strays or young cats that aren’t afraid of people. When we find a friendly cat or a cat that tolerates people but wants to be free to roam, they become part of our adoption or barn cat program. Our foster volunteers take in these cats, care for them, and help socialize them. We couldn’t maintain our adoption and barn cat programs without our aMEOWzing foster volunteers! Many of our foster parents bring cats home to their human and pet families taking the time to see if they get along. This provides us with an idea of what type of environment will best suit the cat when adopted. Some cats love other cats, some love dogs, some love kids, some want to be the only cat. We even had one adopted cat who loves the family ferret! We also have a designated group foster home called Catty Shack, that one of our trappers and core volunteers built last year. Just take a look at the life these cats have while in foster! Interested in fostering or trapping with us? Click HERE!
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We work with caregivers in the community to care for cat colonies through TNR and our food pantry. Ryan Reynolds cares for a colony fixed by Shadow Cats TNR. Ok, it may not be “THAT” Ryan Reynolds, but hey, we think this Ryan Reynolds is even cooler!
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“Hello, this is Ryan Reynolds. I just wanted to again thank you very much dropping off the cat food. You don’t know how much that means to us. You know these outdoor cats, we never asked for them. They were neighbors across the street and the lady passed away. So instead of being destroyed, we took them in. But your help from Shadow Cats has helped us so much financially. I just don’t know how you are able to do that, especially in this day and time with everything so expensive. But, thank you so much from the bottom of our hearts that you take it on to be kind enough and caring enough for the small creatures of God. And as I said before, whenever or whoever delivers, please know how much we appreciate Shadow Cats…Thank you very much!” We appreciate your words of thanks, Ryan, and because of good people like you that care, we are able to fulfill our mission of helping our community cats through TNR and our food pantry. Together, we are making a positive impact in the lives of the cats and people in our the communities. Thank YOU for all you do!
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Whisker Wisdom: Lost CatsEvery day on public and community social media sites, we see posts about lost cats. First of all, it’s kitten season (which is really all year, but especially during the warmer months) and if your cat isn’t spayed or neutered - they likely will find a way to get out! It’s not just the outdoor ones that need fixed. The same applies to indoor cats. If they are spayed/neutered they are much less likely to make a run for it through an open door or window because they aren’t looking to mate! Spaying/neutering also protects them the same way it does outdoor cats: 1) decreases the risk of certain cancers, and 2) reduces bad behavior like fighting and marking. Shadow Cats has a lost-cost Spay/Neuter program for Pet Cats and will provide TNR services for community cats free of charge. However, we know even when spayed/neutered a cat can accidentally get out even when their humans are vigilant about keeping them indoors. The best way to be reunited with your cat is to make sure your cat has a microchip. Ask your vet about microchipping. It’s a painless process and it usually costs between $25-$50 for a one-time fee. Then all you need to do is keep your registered information on the chip updated. There are also steps you can take to get your cat back home safely. Shadow Cats TNR has a resource page on our website for basic instructions to follow if your cat gets out. We’ve also included a list of local veterinarian offices with contact information, a list of Facebook lost and found pates where you can list your missing pet, and other resources that can help search for lost pets.
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Help Spread the WordWe would like to get the word out to the community about Spay and Neuter services provided by Shadow Cats TNR. TNR, or trap, neuter, return, is the only humane way to control the population of stray cats. Shadow Cats TNR will trap, sterilize and vaccinate roaming cats for free in Harford County. We also offer low-cost spaying and neutering for pet cats. Please contact us if you have roaming cats in your neighborhood, and if you stop by our booth at an event, take a card and some literature and pass it along. We also can provide you with a sign you can post on your lawn (if you have a HOA, check for any restrictions). You can also help us advocate for TNR by participating in your local Community Advisory Board Meetings. Help us reach even more people by sharing this information on social media with friends and neighbors. Contact us for more info at info@shadowcatstnr.org.
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Support SCTNR’s MissionShadow Cats TNR focuses on two of the best solutions to humanely control the local cat overpopulations and significantly reduce the kill rate at shelters: Spaying and neutering, and Trap-Neuter-Return (TNR). You can help support our mission and help community cats by taking any or all of these actions: Other Ways to Help These programs help us raise funds for our rescue: We hope you’re enjoying our monthly MEWSletters! We’d love to hear any feedback about what you’d like to see (or not see!) in the future. Contact us at marketing@shadowcats.org to let us know what you think! THANK MEW!
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