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05/09/09
The following behind-the-scenes peek at the Seattle Humane Society offices was written by Allison Stamm of the Seattle H.S. for the Seattle Post Intelligencer. It’s a strategy that makes a lot of sense, and one that other shelters should adopt, dontcha think?
Did you know that nearly all of the offices at the Seattle Humane Society are “homes” to cats in our care? In the main administration building, most of the offices are outfitted with at least one crate, litter box, and feeding station, and serve as a temporary base for many of the cats in residence. This arrangement allows the cats to interact with people on a regular basis, and expands the walls of the Seattle Humane Society to allow a larger volume of feline inhabitants.
 Zelda
Zelda is the currently the Seattle Humane Society reception area cat she keeps everyone who is working the phones company, and serves as official greeter to our many guests. Since I volunteer there for a few hours each week, she and I have gotten quite friendly, and I look forward to seeing her time I come in. (Don’t let the scowl in the accompanying photo fool you – she is a total sweetheart!) During the day, she safely roams the reception area, plays with her toys, explores under the desks, or just sits in the window basking in the sun. I have to admit, it is nice having a cat by your side while you work, and I always find a little time to play a quick game of chase the catnip mouse with her when I am there.
Princess
Before Zelda, Princess was the reigning queen of the reception area. She is now happily adopted, and enjoying her new life as ruling monarch of another household. It is sad to get attached and then see them leave, but it is heartwarming to know that they are off to homes where they will get full-time love and attention.
I love that the cats have some semblance of a family life while waiting for adoption. All of the cats at the Seattle Humane Society receive wonderful care, but there really isn’t anything like a place of your own. These office homes serve as a temporary transition before the cats leave to begin their new lives, and it seems to work out well for everyone involved.
All of the office cats are available for adoption. For more information, check out the Seattle Humane website.
[LINK: Seattle PI]
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03/31/09
Last week at the American Animal Hospital Association Conference, the CATalyst Council announced its list of the Top 10 Cat-Friendly cities in the U.S. The list was compiled after reviewing the top 25 standard metropolitan areas for such data as cat ownership per capita, level of veterinary care, microchipping and cat-friendly local ordinances. The CATalyst Council, a coalition of the veterinary community, academia, nonprofits, industry and animal welfare organizations, hopes to call attention to how much the cat is loved and cared for in these cities, and set the bar for other cities to follow in the annual rankings.
So is your city on the list? Here are the ten (not ranked in any order):
- Tampa
- Phoenix
- San Francisco
- Portland (Ore.)
- Denver
- Boston
- Seattle
- San Diego
- Atlanta
- Minneapolis
“Cats really are America’s number one companion,” said Dan Kramer, senior marketing manager of industry relationsfor Pfizer Animal Health and chair of the CATalyst Council. “Our goal is to recognize and celebrate why cats are such popular companions. We applaud the efforts of these major metropolitan areas for providing a wealth of resources for cats and their owners along with their earned accolade of being one of America’s Top 10 Cat-Friendly Cities.”
The CATalyst Council also noted for honorable mention, Ithaca, N.Y., home of the Cornell Feline Health Center, which educates the public about felines and their health. Education is key in understanding cats. By and large, each community has the tools and resources to properly care for cats. Too often, though, cats can hide symptoms so owners do not realize any health problems exist. This makes it even more important for cat owners to visit a veterinarian on a regular basis because many of these illnesses are preventable.
“Cats outnumber dogs by nearly 10 million among the pet-owning public. This list clearly shows cats are loved by many,” said Steve Dale spokesperson and a CATalyst Council board member. “However, in my work as a journalist, I’ve spoken with animal control officials, welfare organizations and veterinarians across the country and often hear that cats are more likely to be neglected than dogs, more likely to wind up in shelters and less likely to be seen by veterinarians. Obviously there is room for the nation to improve the overall status and care of cats, but these cities are overcoming the current standard.”
Dogs have long been called man’s best friend. Recent data suggests that cats truly are America’s number one companion. According to the American Veterinary Medical Association’s 2007 U.S. Pet Ownership & Demographics Sourcebook, the number of cats owned (81.7 million) outnumbers that of canines (72 million) by nearly 10 million among the pet-owning public. In addition to the rise in cat population, the AVMA reported cat visits to the veterinarian fell some 11 percent between 2001 and 2006. A 2006 survey by the Society of Animal Welfare Administrators (SAWA) also showed that overcrowded animal shelters are seeing more cats given up than their canine cousins.
“There is a higher number of cats than dogs surrendered to shelters nationwide, increasingly so in these economic times of financial strain and home foreclosures,” said Jan McHugh-Smith, Society of Animal Welfare Administrators (SAWA) secretary, president of the San Francisco Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA) and CATalyst Council board member. “We are eager to showcase these cities that demonstrate outstanding compassion and resources for cats and their owners in order to elevate the status of the cat.”
The CATalyst Council is also continuing its outreach to educate the public and the veterinary industry through the It’s All About the Cat campaign. Initiated by the CATalyst Council, the American Association of Feline Practitioners (AAFP) and the American Animal Hospital Association (AAHA) are partnering to develop feline life-stage wellness guidelines for veterinary professionals. The Winn Feline Foundation will coordinate the writing of a consumer version of the guidelines with the assistance of writers on its media committee. Once adopted, the CATalyst Council will work with other animal organizations to share this information with consumers.
“We are reaching out to all parties – the pet healthcare community, shelter and welfare organizations, government and the public – to ensure that cats receive the proper care and attention they need and deserve,” said Dr. Jane E. Brunt, executive director of the CATalyst Council. “It truly is all about the cat.”
The CATalyst Council is a national initiative comprised of animal health and welfare organizations and corporations to champion the cat in light of troubling statistics released by the American Veterinary Medical Association that show an increase in the cat population coupled with a decline in veterinary visits for cats. For more information, visit www.catalystcouncil.org.
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03/08/09
Last month we reported that Cooper the Catumentarian’s photography show was opening in Seattle at Urban Light Studios. Well, we’re happy to report that it’s been a runaway success, with over 400 wine-sipping art lovers and at least one feline at the show’s opening. And he’s made a media splash as well. In just the last couple of weeks, Cooper’s been featured on Evening Magazine (Washington, Oregon, Idaho broadcast), Q13 Fox News (in Seattle), King 5 News (NBC Seattle), Kiro News (CBS Seattle), and Good Morning America.
This week, Seattle News produced a video report of Cooper – click here and when you get to the video, Cooper’s spot begins at the 14:20 mark.
Cooper’s show runs through March 11th (Wednesday through Friday, 12pm – 6pm):
URBAN LIGHT STUDIOS
The Underground at The Greenwood Collective
8537 Greenwood Ave N
Seattle, WA 98103
206.913.2834
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02/19/09
Remember Cooper the Catumentarian, who wears a camera on his collar to document his travels throughout his neighborhood? Well, his work is now being featured in a solo photography show in Seattle.
One day a week for a year, Cooper wore a lightweight digicam around his neck and went about his business patrolling the neighborhood. The camera, programmed to snap one shot every two minutes, produced thousands of images. In the process, it answered the question, “What the heck does Cooper do all day?”
16 of his best shots are framed and on display at the Urban Light Studios in the Greenwood Collective. The exhibit opened last Friday with a reception as part of the Greenwood Art Walk. A portion of sales goes to the Paws Cat City Adoption Center in Seattle. The show runs through March 10.
URBAN LIGHT STUDIOS
The Underground at The Greenwood Collective
8537 Greenwood Ave N
Seattle, WA 98103
206.913.2834
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12/07/08
 If you watched Cats 101 on Animal Planet last night, you might have seen the segment on Seattle-based tabby Cooper Cross, who photographs his neighborhood from a mini-cam on his collar.
 It’s not a new concept. The pioneer of the cat-cam process is Mr Lee, a German cat whose sets of photos are enlightening as well as a bit scary — at one point Mr Lee encounters a ginormous snake (right). Mr Lee’s guardian has been selling these mini-cams for several years, and I was so in love with the concept that I purchased one for our adventuresome feral, Tripper. (Alas, still waiting for hubby to hook it up.) You can see some of Mr Lee’s photos here.
 Like Mr Lee, Cooper wanders his neighborhood, snapping photos at regular intervals. His guardians, Michael and Deirdre Cross, are film documentarians, so it comes naturally to him. He shoots one day a week, and his camera takes between 200 and 400 photos a day (once every 2 minutes). Most shots are unusable, but the keepers are sometimes extraordinary. The photos even helped Cooper get a cat door installed — once Mike and Deirdre had proof in hand that the poor ginger sometimes waited hours to be let in the house.
Here are a few photos from Cooper’s gallery (with Michael’s comments):
Cooper’s is a rags-to-riches story. Formerly a stray, his photographic exploits landed him on TV. I’m hoping he gets a show at MOMA.
Check out Cooper’s flickr stream here.
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11/19/08
 Kitty, a pudgy puss in Seattle, is back in his family’s loving arms after spending four nights atop a utility pole. The family was frantic — despite contacting every agency imaginable, no one was willing to shut off the power for the few minutes necessary to conduct the rescue. The family’s son, 13-year-old Gabe, who has raised money for numerous causes in the community, was frustrated at not being able to get some help when he needed to rescue his beloved cat. “We leave the window open and we can hear him crying all night,” he said.
Kitty had reached the top of the 40-foot pole and was perched near some 26,000 volt power lines. He’d apparently climbed the pole sometime Friday (perhaps chased up by a coyote) and refused to come down despite Gabe’s pleas and the lure of tuna. Attempts to reach the cat only drove him higher up the pole.
It was not until Seattle Light became worried that a Good Samaritan might be injured trying to rescue the cat that they dispatched two utility crews, a pair of bucket trucks, some non-conductive extension poles and assorted other  safety equipment to the scene to bring Kitty down. Shortly thereafter, the fat black cat was safely back on terra firma.
“We’re pleased that the cat was able to get back to his owner,” said Scott Thomsen, spokesman for Seattle City Light. He explained that rescuing cats is not something the utility company usually does. The agency made an exception because Kitty’s dilemma had become something of a cause in the Magnolia neighborhood. “This was an extraordinary set of circumstances,” said Thomsen.
Watch video coverage here.
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