Cats Share Love and Light For #Remembertherescue #Remembermethursday
Happy Monday cat lovers! It’s your feline host Clyde today with a real treat, It’s my first year talking about it, but Layla has blogged about a special event, Remember Me Thursday®since its inception five years ago from Helen Woodward Animal Center and she is pleased as always to participate. We got a cool media kit with t-shirt and other goodies.
It’s held the third Thursday in September and this year it’s September 28, 2017. This unique worldwide event honors those pets who have lost their lives while waiting for their forever homes and shines a light on those still waiting. It’s a kind of a big deal for me since I’m an unusual case. I was adopted from the wonderful PAWS CT shelter as a kitten and when my elderly owner could no longer care for me, I was surrendered to the same shelter at age 16. It wasn’t so easy to get adopted this time. Try being old, black with kidney disease. Not to mention early diabetes. You’d have better odds in Las Vegas. Luckily for me, I wound up right here. You can read more about me at my first blog post
Naturally my thing is advocating for black cats.
I hit the jackpot but another black cat wasn’t as lucky and she’s haunted me since Layla featured her as an adoptable on our @BlackCatsofIG Instagram.
There were lots of comments about her and even a pledge of $ but her luck ran out. This beautiful, young black cat was killed. They call it euthanasia but I call it a life snuffed out.before its time. Look at her, frightened in her cage, so stunning, she could be a Bombay or Oriental breed. I know what it feels like to be in a shelter cage and I was in a fancy one not a tiny metal cage like my panther beauty princess. Being caged and in any shelter (even the best ones) is stressful and it’s NOT A HOME. All the waiting, not knowing, I tell you, slowly kills your soul one day at a time. And now that beautiful girl is dead with no chance in life, never mind a second chance like me.
I hate to think her life was in vain. SOMETHING GOOD must come out of her death. Even if you know black cats are half as likely to be adopted, maybe your co-worker doesn’t. You of course know spay/neuter saves lives. It makes for healthier, happier pets but maybe your neighbor doesn’t know. Maybe you know someone who still believes in old wive’s tales about cats. The only way anything is ever going to change is by talking about it. About learning, sharing knowledge, discussing and taking ACTION.
Even if you know black cats are half as likely to be adopted, maybe your co-worker doesn’t. You, of course, know spay/neuter saves lives. It makes for healthier, happier pets but maybe your neighbor doesn’t know. Maybe you know someone who still believes in old wive’s tales about cats. The only way anything is ever going to change is by talking about it. About learning, sharing knowledge, discussing and taking ACTION. I’m not saying to run to your closest shelter and adopt but you can share this post or one of out graphics. You can volunteer, donate, fund raise, do TNR, retweet death row cats. The more you learn about animal welfare, the easier it will be to educate others and be an advocate for orphan pets.
What I like doing as a black cat advocate is finding black cats online who need a home. Layla makes an adoption graphic and then shares. You just never know with the speed of the Internet where in the world it ends up. This is my good deed of the day. I really like the sounds of Walter who is a youngster compared to me, and a super friendly dude available in NYC at Animal Haven a really cool modern no-kill shelter. He is a wobbly cat also known as CH. It stands for Cerebellar Hypoplasia (cer·e·bel·lar hy·po·pla·sia) is a disorder found in cats and dogs which causes jerky movements, tremors, and generally uncoordinated motion. A cat with CH often falls down and walk like a drunken sailor but they manage just fine. CH in cats is non-progressive, meaning it does not get worse with age. SEE? I bet you just learned SOMETHING. Special needs pets are very adoptable and pretty darn special like me.
Odin beat me by sharing an early post on Instagram. This post is getting long so he’ll a share this quick rescue snapshot.
We always light a candle in memory of our Angel kitties not just for Remember Me Thursday but monthly. Our memorial garden is still green but shifting into autumn.
To learn more about how you can make a difference for orphan shelter pets, visit Remember Me Thursday. You can light a free virtual candle in their Candle Gallery in memory of your own pets or any others.
Remember to use the hashtags #RememberMeThursday and #RememberTheRescue on social media. Or simply share this post or Pin the images. Have you rescued any cats? If you’ve never adopted from a shelter (that’s 70% of the U.S. population!) tell us, why not.
Love Clyde, Domino, Odin, Nou Nou, Merlin and the other Angels. And my human assistant, Layla.
20 Comments
Jude Fera, Buddy, and Lucky
It sickens us to think that so many beautiful and wonderful cats are put to death because of their coat color. There must be a special place in cat heaven to make up for all their troubles here on earth. If you hear of any of your friends or acquaintances thinking about adopting a cat make sure you let them know of the hard luck that black cats suffer because of some stupid old wives’ tale.
Momma Kat and Her Bear Cat
I’m crying about that black beauty who’s life was so carelessly tossed away. It makes me so mad that so many cats suffer because of the failures of humanity. I’ve fought many a battle online with people who insist black cats are bad luck – but I never considered adopting one of my own. UNTIL I fell in love with one at an adoption event. I wasn’t looking for a cat. I even fought it for a few weeks (not because of coat color but because of how badly things went last time I had two cats). Ellie Mae is absolutely perfect. As much happiness as she brings me, I’m sad that so many of the cats with her that day are still looking for homes. We should be outraged. We should demand better. Not just one day a year – but all of them!
Teddy and Mom
We will participate as well…..any cat finding a forever home is being “rescued” from a lonely life of unknowns. We don’t know if Teddy was rescued by someone then brought to the shelter or WHAT his first 11 months were like but we like to think we rescued him from uncertainty and adopted him into a TRULY forever home full of love. We are sad when we think about ALL cats and dogs no matter what color or breed who live a life of loneliness or even worse are killed before they have a chance to have ANY life.
Love, Pam and Teddy too
Clyde, feline editor
Teddy is a lucky cat to be adopted by you.
easyweimaraner
I will post my candle on thursday… and I hope it helps to find the way to a furever home for all our furiends in need… it is heartbreaking to think about all the pets who… well ya know…
ellen
Think I mentioned to you about the little tuxedo kitten… he came up about a month ago now barely alive, worm infested and covered with fleas. He had followed one of the ‘older boys’ home to the colony. I dont know how he made it. Anywho, the worms were taken care of, as were the fleas. He saw his buddy (also a newbie but a neutered male and someones previous housecat) getting belly rubs. He decided he liked that and so the socializing began even though it was done outside. I knew no one at all who wanted a cat or so I thought.
One evening , kitten as he hadnt been named because I was torn between Bjorn and Scoot was sitting on my lap purring while on the outside stopp. A lady was pushing her husband by in a wheelchair and mentioned how pretty he was. She loves black cats! I didnt know her well, and we began talking over the next week or so about all things pet related from declawing, declaws in dogs, ferals you name it. Kitten liked her which was unusual as he was new to the petting thing so to speak. I thought he would become part of the colony but was hoping not as he deserved a home.
He got one!!!! His new name is Simon (a REAL name) and she loves him. I miss the little one… but he is one black cat who got a home!
Clyde, feline editor
What wonderful news! It takes a village to rescue cats and thanks to you Simon has a new home 🙂
Cathy Keisha
We’re participating. All TW’s cats are/were rescues. As a matter of fact, TW was doing TNR back in the late 1980s when two families of kitties were born in our front yard. All were adopted and the mothers were spayed by a local group. Later TW catnapped three of the male kittens and have them neutered cos the guy who adopted them wouldn’t and used to let them out.
Sometimes Cats Herd You
Too many cats have no homes all over the country, and it’s hard not to lose hope when some of them capture your attention but you can’t rescue them. Although we aren’t blogging on Thursday, we’ll spread the word on social media.
Summer
Binga came from one of the meanest shelters in Los Angeles in 2000. And being a tortie, she was considered less adoptable than other cats, much like black cats. Now she is so popular on my blog that she practically has her own fan club!
Clyde, feline editor
I love how Binga photobombs.
Maggie
Our two cats came from feral colonies, rounded up in Trap Neuter (no Return in their cases) operations, and rescued. Mickey was a kitten at the time and Rufus was a 2 year old friendly orange cat.
There are just 2 cats here at home, but on Sundays, and some other days, I am lucky to be an auntie to the population at PAWS. Kisses to sweet Clyde.
xxoo
Lola
We’re participating! It’s too important not to spread the word, that’s for sure. Godspeed, little orphan.
The Island Cats
This is a really important message to get out. We’ll be pawticipating on Thursday.
Skeeter & Izzy
We never make it to a shelter to adopt. We always “get found” by a needy baby long before that. Adoption is adoption no matter where or when it takes place. The whole point is that an animal has been saved. We just wish that all shelters were no kill. It is indeed sad that an animal is brought into a shelter of any kind for the right reasons but ends up being destroyed for all the wrong ones.
We will light a candle for every creature that is in need for anything. We just hope that our constant talk about cats and or animals in general reaches someone’s ears and brain and makes something good happen. Believe me we are a constant conversation about cats….our favorite subject!!!!
Luvs and thanks for all that you do for cats Layla and crew.
Luvs
Skeeter and Izzy and the Feral Gang + Twig & Peanut & Romeo & tha Angels >^..^^..^<~
da tabbies o trout towne
we will be lighting our candles ~~~~~~~~ every cat that’s lived in TT
since the beginning of cats; has been a rescue
hope everyone’s doing well, mom too
Eastside Cats
Angel and Chuck were born to a non-spayed cat belonging to my brother’s co-worker. They were covered in fleas and had worms when we took them in, but I don’t think that qualifies as adopting! Since then, I’ve become active in TNR with community cats, and currently care for two friendly ferals in our backyard. I am sure that it doesn’t classify as adoption either! However, should we ever, EVER invite another furry critter into our home, you’d better believe it will be from a rescue or the county animal shelter! NO DOUBT! And I’ll be participating on 9/28 too! #RememberMeThursday and #RememberTheRescue
Pee Ess: Chucky is a housepanther, and Sweetie (friendly feral) is also wonderfully black!
Clyde, feline editor
They are adopted but not from a shelter. Ever rescue helps 🙂
Kathryn
It is so sad when cats are not saved. So very sad. It breaks my heart.
I am living 50 miles from Boston now in a nice building with Cheddar. Mao went to ATL to be with Kristina. Maybe I mentioned that already. Not sure.
<3 <3 <3
Here's to black cats everywhere. They need a loving home, too. They are full of love. <3 <3 <3
Clyde, feline editor
I was wondering how you were doing since the move. See you on fb.