“Adopting Granny,” an Older Cat’s Story

“Age is an issue of mind over matter. If you don’t mind it doesn’t matter.” – Mark Twain

One sad thing we see in our shelter is the number of older cats waiting for adoption! By and large, people are looking for kittens.  The older cats and especially the elderly sometimes wait for months up to a year, whereas kittens are typically adopted within a week of admission to the shelter.  In my years of working with animals, I’ve always been drawn to the older cats and dogs, especially the really old ones with their graying faces and eyes filled with the wisdom of the world.

 I adopted “Granny”, a 20+ year old elderly cat several years ago.  Granny was thrown out (literally) from her home, when her owner was placed into a nursing home. The landlord didn’t have the decency to re home “Granny”. He just threw her outside! Thank God for the neighbor, who witnessed this and scooped her up and brought her to NESAA!  I fostered Granny and then adopted her.  As she naps in front of the heated register in her wool bed, I cannot help but think that there must be more people who feel this way!

Senior dogs and cats all deserve a chance at life! Not lumped into a category of unadoptable!  I could not imagine not giving an older animal a chance just because of his or her age!

A senior cat can be wonderful to place with senior citizens, who may hesitate to adopt a cat, because they’re afraid the cat could outlive them.  A senior feline companion could be a match made in heaven!  When you adopt a senior cat or dog, you are doing the ultimate good deed.  No matter what the circumstances were that brought them to the shelter, older pets can be exceptionally affectionate and loyal.  NESAA will always be committed to saving the lives of not only the young, but also the very old, sick and disabled!

 Today, I would like to introduce you to Lola.  Lola is a wonderful loving senior at just 10 – 14 years young! Lola was found living on the streets, missing most of her hair and very thin. I cannot imagine what she went through, especially being a senior cat.  Lola was also found in the winter. What she suffered during her time on the streets must have been unimaginable!  Lola is now ready for adoption. All her hair has grown back and she has gained weight!  She is a domestic short haired black and white, extremely sweet and quiet. Lola is spayed, vaccinated and just waiting for that special person or family to adopt her!  Lola will be a great companion for someone who may be living alone or wants a quiet companion!  We also have many other adult cats awaiting a “Forever Home”, Slim, Leo, Bumble and Greg just to name a few.  Please consider adopting a senior cat from NESAA.

If you are interested in giving Lola or another cat or kitten a Forever Home, Volunteering or Donating, please call (508) 771-7800, e-mail deb@nesaa.org, mail NESAA, P.O. Box 1041, Osterville, MA 02655 or visit our website at www.nesaa.org. All our programs rely on public donations which are tax-deductible. NESAA’s shelter is located at 89 South Main Street, UNIT A1, Centerville. We are on the same street as Four Seas Ice Cream. Please call ahead to visit the shelter.

About NESAA

The New England Society for Abandoned Animals (NESAA) is a 501©3 organization. Our programs include; hands on rescue, spay/neuter assistance, adoption programs, emergency medical treatment, volunteer programs and education.  All our programs are geared toward being proactive and compassionate to not only the animals but the people that call for help.

“Volunteering & Fostering for NESAA has made me want to become a Veterinarian”

We have been so fortunate to have a lovely mother-daughter team to provide a stellar and committed foster home for our mom cats with nursing babies, scared and sick kittens.  They truly stand out with their dedication and the difference they make in abandoned animals’ lives is invaluable. Alison Sargent is the mom and her daughter Jordan is 12 years old, she’s in the 6^th grade at St. Francis Xavier Prep School. Alison and Jordan Sargent of Osterville have fostered many cats and kittens for NESAA over the past year.  Everyone at NESAA has been so impressed, that I thought you might enjoy learning more about fostering experiences first hand from this amazing mother-daughter team.

Jordan, what is the best part of fostering? “Seeing the cats/kittens grow up and get adopted, also taking care of and spending time with them.  What is the hardest or most challenging aspect to fostering? “Giving the cats and kittens back to NESAA.”  How has fostering for NESAA given you insight into abandoned animals and rescue work? “It has showed me that many animals are very badly treated, and that we need to do a lot to help them.”   Jordan, do you have any tips for potential foster families? “When you foster, you will probably fall in love with the cat/kittens you are fostering, but remember that they are going to get adopted and you will have helped give that abandoned cat or kitten a new home”.

Alison, what do you think fostering has taught Jordan in regards to life lessons in giving? “As Jordan’s mother, I am so proud of the dedication Jordan has shown to each new foster kitten or cat that arrives at our home.  She understands what it’s like to have the foster cats depend on her and they in turn return her kindness and care with love.  When it’s time for the fosters to go, she is so great about looking ahead. She has such a wonderful perspective.  My daughter has really been an inspiration to me in the program.  Do you feel supported by NESAA during the process of fostering? “Yes, very much, they are always there if we have questions, and they give us supplies like food, toys, beds and litter.” Alison, how has fostering affected your family? “Fostering has taught our family that the world is bigger than ourselves.  Children especially don’t always comprehend that there’s more to life than our own situations.  When we work with the fosters, it gives us a chance to help animals.  We know that our efforts are rewarded when we feel so lucky to be part of a greater cause.  I’m proud to say that we’ve fostered over 25 cats and kittens to-date.  We had a hand in rehabilitating these animals and they were adopted by loving families.  We also work together to support each other.  If Jordan is away, her 10 year old brother Connor has stepped in to help, and he helps socialize the kittens too.”

Fostering is an integral part of the NESAA organization.  By utilizing a dedicated volunteer foster network in-home setting,  animals get rehabilitated and ready for adoption much faster.  It is through foster homes like Alison and Jordan’s that we are able to take in more animals and save more lives.  One of the main reasons we need kittens, older or sick cats in foster homes is because they have depressed immune systems and are more susceptible to getting sick, or some that are too shy or timid to be adopted right away. If you are considering becoming a foster parent, you would be responsible to have a safe place, like a spare bedroom or office, provide food, water and plenty of love! (NESAA will provide the food and supplies needed during the foster period).  In some instances the foster parent may be asked to administer medications or special diets.  Fostering can last from a few weeks up to 6 months depending on the situation.  Please contact us if you are interested in fostering.  We send our sincere thank you to all our foster families who have made such a great impact in the lives of needy animals.  We send our heartfelt thank you to Alison and Jordan Sargent. They are true NESAA heroes.

Siobhan Magnus Performs “For the love of Animals” on July 1 to benefit NESAA

NESAA announces list of sponsors

April 30th, 2012, Osterville, Mass. – New England Society for Abandoned Animals is pleased to announce that the following companies will sponsor “For the Love of Animals”: Bank of Cape Cod, Code Realty, 46 Main Street, 540 Main Street, Fitness 500, Morgan Stanley, DePaola, Begg and Associates, Dowling and O’Neil Insurance. Cape Cod Times has been secured as a media sponsor.

Cape Cod songstress and former American Idol finalist Siobhan Magnus will hold a special performance at Willowbend Country Club to benefit the New England Society for Abandoned Animals (NESAA).  The “For the Love of Animals” show will take place on Sunday, July 1 at 6 PM and tickets are now on sale.

Individual tickets are available for $125. Tables of ten are available for $1,000.  There are a limited number available and the show is expected to sell out quickly.  For tickets or information on sponsorship opportunities, call 508-539-5800, or you can mail a check to: NESAA, P.O. Box 1041, Osterville, MA, 02655.

Siobhan Magnus will delight the audience with a selection of well loved and known jazz, blues and R&B standards. The elegant evening will also include hors d’oeuvres, fine wines and a live auction featuring fabulous items. Among them is the chance to have Magnus perform at a private party in your home.

Magnus’s powerful voice earned her national recognition as 6^th place finalist during the ninth season of American Idol. She recently released her first album, Moon Baby, which is available on iTunes or at www.siobhanmagnus.com.

A passionate animal lover, Magnus is also an avid supporter for The New England Society for Abandoned Animals (NESAA), a no-kill shelter, whose mission is to advocate, protect and rescue abandoned and abused animals using a proactive, humane approach.

Based in Centerville, NESAA is a non-profit organization that provides hands on rescue of abandoned domestic animals, free and low cost spay/neuter assistance, spaying and neutering of feral cats, and educational services to the local community. In 2011 alone NESAA helped 1,368 animals and covered over 600 square miles with hands-on rescues. Visit www.nesaa.org for more information.

The Cooperative Bank of Cape Cod Employees Support NESAA with Special Donation

April 24th, 2012, Osterville, MA – The New England Society for Abandoned Animals (NESAA) is pleased to announce that it received a special donation from The Cooperative Bank of Cape Cod through the bank’s Employee Involvement  Committee. The funds will support NESAA programs all over Cape Cod.

Lynn-Marie Ford, the Employee Involvement Committee Chair said: “Our employees at The Cooperative Bank of Cape Cod are very special people. They put together this fundraiser, gave their own money and shared in a charitable feeling, to support NESAA, a local community neighborhood group.”

Deborah Doe, Founder and CEO of NESAA said: “I am thrilled to receive this special employee donation of The Cooperative Bank of Cape Cod, as this is truly positively different for the more than one thousand animals we help every year. Thank you!” 

About The Cooperative Bank of Cape Cod

The Cooperative Bank of Cape Cod is an independent, local, mutual community bank with over $650 million in assets. Established In 1921, the bank celebrated its milestone 90th Anniversary in 2011. The Bank is headquartered in Hyannis with branches on Route 6A in Yarmouth Port, East Dennis and West Barnstable; in Sandwich at 275 Cotuit Road; in Hyannis at 695 Attucks Lane in Independence Park; and in East Harwich at 1470 Orleans Road/Route 39.  A new Lending and Business Development Center has recently opened at 649 Main Street, Falmouth. For more information, visit www.mycapecodbank.com, www.facebook.com/mycapecodbank, or call 508.568.3400.

Rockland Trust Supports NESAA with Special Donation

April 9th, 2012, Osterville, MA – The New England Society for Abandoned Animals (NESAA) is pleased to announce that it received a special donation from Rockland Trust to support NESAA programs all over Cape Cod.

Ralph Valente, Senior Vice President of Rockland Trust said: “At Rockland Trust, we believe in strengthening the communities in which we work and live,” stated Ralph R. Valente, Senior Vice President.  We are pleased to contribute to NESAA and support its goals.”

Deborah Doe, Founder and CEO of NESAA said: “I’m so pleased to receive this special support from Rockland Trust as this goes a long way to support the more than thousand animals we help every year. Thank you!” 

About Rockland Trust

Rockland Trust Company is a full-service community bank headquartered in Massachusetts, with approximately $5 billion in assets.  Rockland Trust provides a wide range of consumer, business, investment, and insurance products and services. Rockland Trust’s network consists of 67 retail branches, nine commercial lending centers, three Investment Management Group offices, and four residential lending centers located throughout Eastern Massachusetts, and one commercial lending center and investment management office in Rhode Island.  To find out why Rockland Trust is the bank “Where Each Relationship Matters®,” please visit www.RocklandTrust.com.

Declawing Cats

“Too often we enjoy the comfort of opinion without the discomfort of thought” –John F. Kennedy

As the founder of an animal rescue organization, I feel a great responsibility to bring light to subjects that can possibly evoke a debate!  But, as I’ve learned, it’s sometimes the only way to achieve progress. One of the uncomfortable subjects I must bring up is that of “Declawing Cats”.

There are a lot of opinions regarding declawing, often based on misunderstanding and misinformation.  If you have ever considered it, or know someone who is contemplating it, please take just a moment to understand the facts.

First, you should know that declawing is “illegal” in most of Europe, Japan, Brazil, Israel, Los Angeles and San Francisco just to name a few areas. The reason most people decide to have their cats declawed, is a matter of convenience: to protect their furniture or to guard against injury to themselves or others.  Not to say that furniture and injury doesn’t matter, but there is a responsibility as an adoptive individual and family to be knowledgeable about the particular animal’s normal behavior!

I spoke with many people who have declawed in the past, who had no idea what the facts were in regard to the operation.  Declawing is the amputation of each toe at the first joint (Onychectomy).  This involves the removal of bones, ligaments and tendons!   In humans, it would be equivalent to cutting off the tip of every finger and toe at the first knuckle- very painful indeed and considered mutilation.

Declawing can cause more problems than it solves.  Cats deprived of their front claws may develop an aversion to the litter box, due to continuous pain that stems from nerve damage.  Complications can be chronic pain, surgical complications, joint stiffness, arthritis, biting, and depression.  I have often heard the argument that some people would kill their cats (euthanize) if they could not declaw.  I refuse to accept this. If a person would really kill their cat for that reason,  it is reasonable to question the suitability of the person as a cat owner, especially when there are millions of non-declawed cats living in harmony with people.  The bottom line of declawing: there is zero benefit, medical or otherwise to the cat.  NESAA has the absolute belief that declawing should be considered “animal cruelty”, just as de-barking a dog or clipping the wings of birds.

Cats scratch things for various reasons- to slough off the husks of the claws, to mark their territory and to stretch.  It is completely natural behavior.  There are so many humane alternatives to declawing; training, regular nail trimming, nail caps (soft paws), emery scratching boards (emery cat), double stick tape (sticky paws), Non-Stick furniture protectors (corner savers, fresh kitty furniture protectors), natural pet repellent sprays (citrus scents), access restrictions, pheromones (Feliway), scratching posts, even aluminum foil.  If you or someone you know is considering declawing, I urge you to get the facts. Just visit www.pawproject.com , www.avar.org , or research animal shelters that may have a prior declawed cat available for adoption.  There are so many alternatives, please consider them all.

Today, I’d like to introduce you to  Striper. He is a handsome friendly Siamese mix, male approximately 1-3 years old.  Striper was found living on the streets after his family moved away and left him behind.  Kind neighbors fed him on their porches.  NESAA rescued Striper, neutered, vaccinated and brought him back to health! Striper is looking for his “Forever Home”.

Please consider adopting Striper or another rescued cat or kitten from NESAA, call (508) 771-7800, e-mail deb@nesaa.org, mail NESAA, P.O. Box 1041, Osterville, MA 02655 or visit our website at www.nesaa.org. All our programs rely on public donations which are tax-deductible.  The NESAA shelter is located at:  89 South Main Street, UNIT A1, Centerville. We are on the same street as Four Seas Ice Cream. Visiting hours are Monday-Sunday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., then 4:30 to 7:00 p.m.

About NESAA

The New England Society for Abandoned Animals (NESAA) is a 501 (c) (3) no-kill organization. Our programs include hands on rescue; spay/neuter assistance, adoption programs, emergency medical treatment, volunteer programs and education.  All our programs are geared toward being proactive and compassionate, not only to the animals but the people that call for help.

For The Love Of The Animals Benefit With Siobhan Magnus

Please join NESAA and Siobhan Magnus, for an evening of delicious hors d’oeuvres, delectable wines, fabulous live auction, and jazz and rhythm & blues standards, to benefit NESAA’s efforts.

For more information click on the following link:  For the Animals Info Flyer.  If you are interested in being a corporate or individual sponsor please click on the following link for more information: NESAA Sponsor Form.  Sponsor applications must be returned no later than May 1st.

Kitten Season Has Arrived!

In the animal rescue world, “Kitten Season” brings on an immediate “hold on to your hats” reaction.  I am often asked “where do all these kittens come from?” It’s simple! Un-spayed female cats! Kittens have kittens also!  Stray or feral mom cats give birth under sheds, woodpiles inside garages, abandoned buildings. Kitten season runs from early Spring until late Fall.  A female cat can go into heat every 3 weeks. This can equal several litters a season, which equals A LOT of cats!  ALL of this stems from people not spaying or neutering their pets! Then the sheer volume creates abandonment with subsequent births. It is a very vicious cycle and NESAA is actively doing something about it.

We are taking these moms and babies off the streets, and follow up by massive spay/neuter efforts for all shelter animals. We do this also for owned animals where the owners are unable to afford the vet costs. Educating the public on the importance of spaying and neutering is a top priority for NESAA. We tackle this vicious cycle in four ways: getting homeless strays and ferals spayed; helping spay and neuter people’s pets when financially unable to; not letting one single cat or dog out of our hands unless spayed or neutered; and by being an effective educator to the community regarding this dilemma. All these involve many volunteers, a lot of money and a loud enough voice for everyone to hear what is going on and what needs to be done!

Here is a picture of Bitty and her 6 babies, she was found living on the streets pregnant! Bitty would have given birth to all those kittens in unexpected dirty conditions if NESAA had not rescued her. Bitty is approximately 1-3 years old.  The kittens (see one of Bitty’s kittens in hand) will nurse on Bitty for approximately 8 weeks and then Bitty will be spayed and adopted into a “Forever Home”.   All the kittens will be spayed/neutered/vaccinated before adoption.  NESAA will not complete the adoption process without spaying and neutering every dog, cat or kitten in our care.

Please consider giving a kitten a loving home. Call (508) 771-7800, e-mail deb@nesaa.org, mail NESAA, P.O. Box 1041, Osterville, MA 02655 or visit our website at www.nesaa.org. NESAA receives no Federal or State funding, all our programs that rescue and serve abandoned animals rely on public donations, which are 100% tax-deductible. NESAA’s shelter is located at:  89 South Main Street, UNIT A1, Centerville. We are on the same street as Four Seas Ice Cream. Visiting hours are Monday-Sunday from 10am to 3pm, then 4:30to 7pm.

About NESAA

The New England Society for Abandoned Animals (NESAA) is a 501 (c) (3) no-kill organization. Our programs include hands on rescue; spay/neuter assistance, adoption programs, emergency medical treatment, volunteer programs and education.  All our programs are geared toward being proactive and compassionate, not only to the animals but also to the people that call for help.

NESAA Receives $7,000 from the Red Acre Foundation to Support its Programs

March 19th, 2012, Osterville, MA – The New England Society for Abandoned Animals (NESAA) is pleased to announce that it received a $7,000 grant from the Red Acre Foundation in to support NESAA’s  Educational and Spay/Neuter Programs. The funds will support the sterilization of cats all over Cape Cod.

Deborah Doe, Founder and President of the New England Society for Abandoned Animals (NESAA) said: “Spay/neuter support is one of NESAA’s cornerstone programs, aimed at lowering cat overpopulation. In 2011, NESAA supported 1,368 animals, of which 1,120 were spayed/neutered and vaccinated. We’d like to thank the Board of Directors and the Red Acre Foundation for this tremendous support!”

About the Red Acre Foundation:

A little over one hundred years ago, Miss Harriet G. Bird started her Red Acre Farm with one black horse, $8, and vision. Through her energy and determination, others were made to see what she foresaw, that there was a place and a need for a humane organization that not only cared, but took care. The marriage of action and funding through a century of oversight by the Bird family has resulted in a foundation that still cares, and still takes care, of as many recipients as it can reach.

Red Acre’s grants support a wide variety of organizations across the region, the nation, and the world. Some of these grant recipients include equine rescue organizations, therapeutic horseback riding organizations, humane societies and animal shelters, various dog breed rescue groups, a pot bellied pig sanctuary, raptor centers, Tufts School of Veterinary Medicine, the New England Aquarium, a crippled children’s clinic, and many more. For more information, www.redacrefoundation.org

NESAA Receives $2,000 from the Edward Gorey Charitable Trust to Support its Programs

March 15th, 2012, Osterville, MA – The New England Society for Abandoned Animals (NESAA) is pleased to announce that it received a $2,000 grant from the Edward Gorey Charitable Trust to support NESAA’s programs to include its cornerstone programs Free Spay/Neuter for Low-Income Communities Program, Feral Cat Management Program (TNR/CE), and Forever Home Program.

Deborah Doe, Founder and President of the New England Society for Abandoned Animals (NESAA) said: “Spay/neuter support is one of NESAA’s cornerstone programs. In 2011, NESAA supported 1,368 animals and we are delighted that this grant from the Edward Gorey Charitable Trust will help us lower cat overpopulation further, thus preventing abandonment and abuse. Thank you!”

About the the Edward Gorey Charitable Trust

The Edward Gorey Charitable Trust is a Trust dedicated solely to the support of  animal welfare organizations, formed under the will of the late author and illustrator Edward Gorey.