FELINE DEFENDERS of the National Cat Protection Society SPRING 2009 6904 W. Coast Highway Newport Beach, CA 92663 (949) 650-1232 natcatnewport@gmail.com 9031 Birch Street Spring Valley, CA 91977 (619) 469-8771 natcatsv@gmail.com The National Cat Protection Society is a shelter whose primary mission is dedicated to the protection and welfare of cats.
EDUCATION Providing humane education with some help from Ralphs and GoodSearch... Now you can help NATCAT provide humane education simply by searching online and grocery shopping! GoodSearch.com functions like Yahoo!, Google, or any other search engine, but donates a portion of their ad revenue to your charity. Here s how to support NATCAT: 1. Visit http://www.goodsearch.com 2. Under Who Do You GoodSearch For? enter National Cat Protection Society 3. Click on the Verify button 4. Start searching! Ralphs contributes to charities to help local communities. Every time you swipe your Ralphs Rewards Card, they donate to your charity. Here s how to register your Ralphs Reward Card and support NATCAT: 1. Visit http://www.ralphs.com 2. Click on the Sign In/Register link 3. Click on the Sign up today! link 4. In Preferred Store, enter your ZIP code 5. Click on the Find button 6. Click on the Select link next to your Ralphs store 7. In Account Information, enter your Email, Password, and Password again 8. Click on the Confirm button 9. Select I have read and agree to the terms and conditions. 10. Click on the Confirm button 11. You ll receive an e-mail. Click on the link in the e-mail Continued on page 7 EVENTS Keeping you informed of community events... Newport Beach Events Monthly, first and third Saturdays Anesthesia-free teeth cleaning for cats at Pet Supply, Huntington Beach (800) 600-7387 April 17-19, 2009, 10 a.m. to 6 (Fri. & Sun.)/7 (Sat.) p.m. America s Family Pet Expo at the OC Fair & Event Center (800) 999-7295 May 3, 2009, 1 to 4:30 p.m. National Cat Protection Society Open House and Fundraiser at the Newport Beach shelter RSVP (949) 650-1232 Spring Valley Events March 29, 2009, 8 a.m. to 12 p.m. Paws in the Park 2009 (benefiting the Escondido Humane Society) at Kit Carson Park, Escondido (760) 888-2275 May 2, 2009, 7:30 a.m. to 12 p.m. Walk for Animals (benefiting the San Diego Humane Society & SPCA) at Crown Point Shores, Mission Bay (619) 243-3408 June 7, 2009, 1 to 4:30 p.m. National Cat Protection Society Open House and Fundraiser at the Spring Valley shelter RSVP (619) 469-8771 For updated event information, don t forget to check out the next issue! If you d like to receive the latest news and announcements from NATCAT, please send your e-mail address to natcatnewport@gmail.com. NATIONAL CAT PROTECTION SOCIETY, INC. www.natcat.org Founder: The Late C. Richard Calore President: Denise Johnston Vice President & PR Director: Gerri Calore Financial VP & Legal Counsel: Richard Tanzer Editorial Advisor: Nanci Burris Editor-in-Chief: Alexis Ravey Art Director: Steve Kinkaid FELINE DEFENDERS 2 3 FELINE DEFENDERS
NEWPORT BEACH VOLUNTEER SPOTLIGHT, BARBARA ATWOOD Five years ago, volunteer Barbara Atwood started at NATCAT and we ve learned so much from her since, not only about cats but about the world as well. Barbara has been to 190 countries and all seven continents. I started traveling in 1954 and then around the world for 84 days in 1959, she says. I saw many countries before they became tourist attractions. Barbara visited China and Vietnam as soon as Americans were allowed, and when her group visited Cambodia on Australian visas, they were they only Americans there! She s also been to Tibet, Bhutan, Iran, Afghanistan, and yes, Antarctica. The penguins were so incredibly cute, she remembers. I took 99 rolls of 36-exposure film in two weeks. Plus, she has ridden camels through Egyptian pyramids, visited head hunters in New Guinea, and seen lions, cheetahs, leopards, and elephants eye to eye on safari in Kenya. Barbara has certainly made a lot of friends over the years, but she ll always consider NATCAT cats some of her best friends. Thanks for all of your hard work, Barbara! SPAY OR NEUTER YOUR PET Pet overpopulation is a serious, sad problem. In effect, more than 3 million cats and dogs are euthanized a year. As a no-kill shelter committed to cat welfare, NATCAT takes every measure possible to reduce overpopulation through spaying and neutering. We use donations to spay or neuter all cats and kittens prior to adoption. We also constantly stress the importance of spaying and neutering pets to owners and provide low-cost referral services. When you support NATCAT, you re supporting our ardent efforts to not only find more qualified homes for cats, but to also prevent cats from becoming homeless in the first place. HAPPY 20TH BIRTHDAY, BABY SUE Baby Sue certainly isn t a baby anymore. One of our Retirement kitties, she turned 20 years old last November 16 years after coming to NATCAT. For the birthday girl, Volunteer and Event Coordinator Julie Pearson organized a party complete with cake, inviting staff and members to attend. Baby Sue was thrilled! She doesn t like to be picked up but absolutely loves attention, second only to flirting with younger male cats. In fact, we think her love of flirting is how she s stayed young at heart and lived so long. You go, girl. Happy Birthday, Baby Sue! CAT CLUE Trim your cat s claws every two weeks, so he can completely retract them and do less damage when scratching. For more on managing your cat s scratching, check out page 8. FELINE DEFENDERS 4 5 FELINE DEFENDERS
SPRING VALLEY FEATURED FRIEND, RANDALL Reward Yourself Randall is a short-haired, buff/white male eager to be the only pet in a loving, lifelong family. Dropped off at our front gate on February 12, 2008, he has been a very sweet, brave boy since we met him. When people visit the shelter, he cordially greets them with a hearty meow fitting for his muscular build. Randall may need a blood test to ensure it coagulates properly. If you re interested in adopting this charming, strong cat, contact the Spring Valley shelter to find out more. CALLING ALL DONORS! We re adding onto our Retirement Center and need your help! NATCAT has joined creative forces with the co-creator of the feline fantasyland The Cats House and author Bob Walker to turn our Retirement Center into a delightful tropical paradise. Please make a donation to provide our senior cats with what they deserve the purr-fect retirement retreat for playing, socializing, and enriching the rest of their precious lives. FELINE DEFENDERS 6 for Preventing Animal Cruelty NATCAT
NATCAT Promotion NATCAT Promotion NATCAT The National Cat Protection Society would like to extend a warm thank you to all of our compassionate members, donors, and volunteers for your ongoing support. In honor of the four decades we have spent protecting cats and kittens, finding them suitable homes, maintaining a Retirement Home for cats, and providing humane education, we are giving away a free gift this April, Prevention of Animal Cruelty Month. Donate to NATCAT today through the end of April, and you may win an overnight stay at the DoubleTree Hotel in Mission Valley! Whether you donate as a first-time or longtime supporter, we truly appreciate your compassion for cats. You will not only find emotional comfort in knowing you helped a needy cat or kitten, but one lucky winner will also find all-around comfort in deluxe accommodations. NATCAT Donate to NATCAT...and Win! To enter to win an overnight stay at the luxurious DoubleTree Hotel, plus a gift certificate for delicious dining at a local café and a free horse-drawn carriage tour of downtown San Diego from Cinderella Carriage, please donate a minimum of $10 to the Spring Valley shelter. You can reach us by phone at (619) 469-8771 or e-mail at natcatsv@gmail.com and confirm that you would like to be entered. If donating by mail or PayPal, also complete and mail in the form on the next page. The winner will be notified by May 5, 2009. DoubleTree Hotel Thanks for helping to prevent animal cruelty, from NATCAT! Warmest regards, Denise Johnston President, National Cat Protection Society
NATCAT Promotion OPERATION SHELTER WISH LIST NATCAT Reward Yourself for Preventing Animal Cruelty If donating by mail or PayPal, also complete and mail this form to: NATIONAL CAT PROTECTION SOCIETY 9031 BIRCH STREET SPRING VALLEY, CA 91977 Want to help NATCAT, but can t adopt or donate cash? Donate items! To help us obtain our Wish List items and free up funds for cat care, the Animal Magazine of San Diego and Pet Services and Products Association have launched Operation Shelter Wish List. For the program, these animal-defending organizations publicize all of the participating shelters wish lists in stores, newsletters, websites, and various other places local clients and customers can see them. Haven t seen our current Wish List around town? Please visit http://natcat.org/membership.html and consider donating items you don t need. You won t only be helping NATCAT, but you ll also get a tax deduction! Donation: $ (must be at least $10 to be entered) Payment Method: o Credit Card: o American Express o Discover o MasterCard o Visa Number: Expiration: Signature (required): o Check o PayPal (to natcatnewport@gmail.com) NAME STREET CITY STATE ZIP E-MAIL EDUCATION (continued) 12. Click on the Click here link to log in to your account 13. Enter your Email and Password 14. Click on the Sign In button 15. In Community Contribution Program, click on the Edit Community Contribution Program Information link 16. Enter your Ralphs Rewards Card Number 17. Click on the Save Changes button 18. Verify your Name, Address, and Phone 19. Click on the Save Changes button 20. In Find Your Organization, enter National Cat Protection Society 21. Click on the Search button 22. In Select Your Organization, select National Cat Protection Society 23. In Save Your Selection, click on the Save Changes button 24. Start shopping! CAT TIP Cats get acne too. It often looks like flea dirt, but it s actually an itchy, sometimes painful condition that requires special care. For more on feline acne, check out page 10. 7 FELINE DEFENDERS
FELINE FIELD Helping you get to know more about your cat... Scratching No doubt, your cat scratching your new furniture or beloved drapery drives you crazy. But what can you do? Cats scratch to remove the dead outer layer of their claws, mark territory with the scent glands on their paws, stretch, and exercise. Considering that these are all perfectly natural activities, it s unrealistic to think that you can prevent scratching. Instead, just redirect it! First, take some notes. Where and what does he scratch most often? Next, find a similar object and place it in his preferred location, next to the item you want him to stop scratching. Cover the unacceptable item with something like aluminum foil or sandpaper sheets. Once your cat is consistently scratching the acceptable object, you can start moving it about three inches a day toward a permanent location. After he s been using it in its permanent spot for around a month, take the cover off of the unacceptable object and start enjoying it again scratch-free! Knowing increasingly more about felines can help you understand your own cat s behavior and desires. Visit Feline Field in Feline Defenders every issue to obtain such knowledge, which can only nurture a happier and healthier relationship with your faithful friend. CALLING ALL OPEN HOUSE & FUNDRAISER DONATIONS! Want to help raise money for NATCAT cats and kittens? Donate to this year s Open House and Fundraiser! As our 41 st anniversary rapidly approaches, we re hard at work again gathering items to feature in the Silent Auction and raffle. From basic cat care goods to popular gift certificates, we accept a variety of donations and can even pick them up. Call our Spring Valley or Newport Beach shelter for more information. NATCAT NEEDS YOUR HELP! Each year, NatCat finds loving, responsible homes for hundreds of unwanted cats and kittens. Donations and memberships help us provide them with food, shelter, and medical care while awaiting adoption. Please help us continue to provide this vital service. Join NatCat by becoming a member! o $10 YEARLY o $250 SUPPORTING MEMBER o $1000 LIFE MEMBER o $ OTHER DONATION Payment Method: o Credit Card: o American Express o MasterCard o Check o Discover o Visa Number: Expiration: Signature (required): o PayPal (to natcatnewport@gmail.com) NAME STREET CITY STATE ZIP E-MAIL NatCat - PO BOX 6218 - Long Beach, CA 90806 FELINE DEFENDERS 8 9 FELINE DEFENDERS
CAT CABLE Supplying the latest news in cat care... Feline Acne It s bad enough that humans have to deal with the nuisance and pain of acne every day, but have you noticed that we aren t the only ones? Yes, cats get it too, and it can be just as irritating and sore. Cats don t only shed hair. They also shed old waste products through their pores. For some cats, these waste products build up on the skin and clog the pores, resulting in pimples, a black, crusty substance, or a small lump on the chin. Luckily though, you can easily manage your cat s acne at home. Rinse a clean washcloth with warm water, and use it to gently scrub a mild antibacterial soap on your cat s chin. If you don t know which soaps are safe, just ask your veterinarian. Next, rinse the washcloth with warm water, use it to remove the soap, and then dry his chin with a soft cloth. Do this twice a day for the best results. If the condition doesn t improve within a week, go ahead and contact your vet. Visit Cat Cable in Feline Defenders every issue to read the latest in cat care. If there s any specific information you d like to see in Feline Field or Cat Cable, please notify the Newport Beach shelter. Where There s A Will, There s A Way Protect the Ones You Love You can give the gift of life after you re gone by including The National Cat Protection Society in your will. Our humane education programs strive to teach population control and the responsible care of cats to school children so that there will be fewer unwanted cats in years to come. Your bequeathed donation can help make our dreams a reality by promoting humane cat care and adoption of the homeless cats in our shelter. Please write today for our free brochure: Planning for Your Charitable Donations c/o National Cat Protection Society 6904 W. Coast Hwy, Newport Beach, CA 92663 NAME STREET CITY STATE ZIP E-MAIL FELINE DEFENDERS 10 11 FELINE DEFENDERS
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