Duke

Duke is a wonderful German Shepherd/Rottweiler boy, whose only “fault” is that he chases and kills chickens (and the occasional pack rat, and even a deer). He likes other dogs, and even gets along well with dog-friendly cats… and he loves kids! If you have a home where Duke can be treated as a family member, living inside and going outside safely leashed or fenced, then Duke is a dream-dog for you. See his full listing for more info, photos, and video!

Furby

Poor Furby – he was originally adopted from us back in 2005, and joined his perfect family, where he was allowed to sleep in the bed and absolutely loved his life; unfortunately, his family was unable to keep him and also unable to find him a new home, so he was returned to us and we are going to try again.

Furby is declawed on his front feet, which means he must be an indoor-only cat. He absolutely loves all the people he meets, but he does NOT like other cats, so his perfect home will be as an only-cat to a family or person who will keep him inside and love him as much as he will love them. He doesn’t have a lot of time at the shelter, because we have to either house him alone in . . . → Read More: New adoptable cat: FURBY]]>

Furby

Poor Furby – he was originally adopted from us back in 2005, and joined his perfect family, where he was allowed to sleep in the bed and absolutely loved his life; unfortunately, his family was unable to keep him and also unable to find him a new home, so he was returned to us and we are going to try again.

Furby is declawed on his front feet, which means he must be an indoor-only cat. He absolutely loves all the people he meets, but he does NOT like other cats, so his perfect home will be as an only-cat to a family or person who will keep him inside and love him as much as he will love them. He doesn’t have a lot of time at the shelter, because we have to either house him alone in a “private cat room” or we have to keep him caged (which generally leads to depression pretty quickly). It’s the start of kitten season, so Furby needs his new home as quickly as possible!

See his full listing with lots more photos!

Scharley

This beautiful 2-year-old spayed female English Pointer is STILL looking for her home, 6 weeks after her arrival at FMNAS. She is a wonderful, joyful, loving girl who LOVES to run – see her full listing to figure out if she is the one for you. Pass the word to friends and family, this girl will make a lucky, active person or family SO happy.

Starling

This beautiful girl is about 3 years old, and needs a special home, where she can experience the “tough love” of The Biggest Loser to help her get into proper feline fitness. She is not happy at the shelter, because we have to keep her in a playpen so she doesn’t eat ALL THE FOOD in the room… she would be a fabulous and talkative companion for anyone, and we know her right person is out there! See her full listing for more photos, video, and application.

TOP: Buzzard, Bluejay, Moose, Ripley (fka Barbet). BOTTOM: Velvet, Matilda (fka Broadbill), Delilah (fka Bunting), Daisy

Here’s a quick update on all the pets who have recently gone home, including those that just set off on today’s trip to Monroe.

Buzzard and Bluejay get to go home together, where we are sure they will be suitably spoiled as they are the only pets in the home.

Moose jumped right into the car when his new person drove out from Spokane to pick him up; he is excited to be a “guy and his dog” team member!

Fluffy girl Ripley is going to make an 11 year old girl VERY happy, and Ripley (formerly Barbet) will be delighted to be the only pet in the home, so she can have all the attention and all the sun spots.

Velvet, lucky girl, . . . → Read More: Update on recent pet adoptions 04-21-12]]>

TOP: Buzzard, Bluejay, Moose, Ripley (fka Barbet). BOTTOM: Velvet, Matilda (fka Broadbill), Delilah (fka Bunting), Daisy

Here’s a quick update on all the pets who have recently gone home, including those that just set off on today’s trip to Monroe.

Buzzard and Bluejay get to go home together, where we are sure they will be suitably spoiled as they are the only pets in the home.

Moose jumped right into the car when his new person drove out from Spokane to pick him up; he is excited to be a “guy and his dog” team member!

Fluffy girl Ripley is going to make an 11 year old girl VERY happy, and Ripley (formerly Barbet) will be delighted to be the only pet in the home, so she can have all the attention and all the sun spots.

Velvet, lucky girl, is a local adoptee, who has joined a wonderful, animal-loving family who was waiting for just the right cat to catch their eye – Velvet’s the one! She will win over all the other pets in the home quickly, we’re sure.

Matilda and Delilah (formerly Broadbill and Bunting) have happily gone off to a home together, where “big brother” Calvin will teach them all the household secrets. Calvin has been missing his recently departed companion, so we are all hoping he will enjoy this sister duo!

Daisy has found the perfect family for her, lots of kids and a “big brother” playmate; we know she will be running the household in no time.

So, how many pets are left at the shelter today? We are down to 2 adult dogs, 6 adult cats (including new guy Meander, who will be listed soon), and 2 6-week old kittens who will also be listed soon. Not bad, but it *is* the start of kitten season, so we expect to hear from more people who have “oops” litters as the next few months progress… stay tuned!

Moose

This handsome black German Shepherd has won the hearts of all the volunteers; he’s such a character, and we love how one ear sticks up and the other ear flops over.

See his adoption listing – maybe he is the buddy you’ve been searching for all this time….

TOP: Barbet, Broadbill (both F) BOTTOM: Bunting (F), Bluejay, Buzzard (both M)

Our first Stop the Cycle litter of kittens for 2012 has arrived – heralding the beginning of “kitten season” which will last from now through November.

These 5 cuties were born on 2/12/12, and will be ready to go home 4/20/12.

See their full listings from our Cats Page

Rosie

Every adoption day is a day for us to CELEBRATE! YAY for Rosie, who has joined her new parents Fred and Jana, for a lifetime of being spoiled and loved. We hope to see Facebook updates on her frequently!

Now it’s her sister Daisy’s turn… we know her new person is out there somewhere (maybe you?).

Pepper

Pepper has made it safely to his new home on Kodiak Island, Alaska, where he is loving the snow! Read all about his adventure going home on his Adopted Page.

This is the 4th or 5th Alaskan Forget Me Not adopted dog – YAY!

We’d love to hear all about your experiences moving or traveling with your pets; we’ll put the best ideas and suggestions together into a separate blog post about how to eliminate those “We’re Moving and Can’t Take Our Pets” owner surrenders.

Leave us your pet travel tales – good and bad – in the comments.

Rosie (black/white) and Daisy (black/brown)

Daisy and her sister Rosie were reluctantly surrendered to the shelter; their owner loved them, but picked them up as “free pups” outside a big box store in a neighboring county, and THEN found out their landlord doesn’t allow dogs. Big box stores’ return policies don’t include pups picked up from random strangers, so Daisy and Rosie are with Forget Me Not now, and we are looking forward to finding them terrific homes.

See their full listings, including a cute video, on our Dogs page (just click on their photos to bring up the full listings).

TOP: Ladie, Cricket, Azumi MIDDLE: Fiona, Toby, Ginger BOTTOM: Felix, R2D2, Rose

Another wonderful Seattle-area delivery weekend saw 9 lucky pets delivered to adopters in Monroe; all are beginning their trial adoption periods with their new families, and we are hopeful that all will become permanent residents in their new homes (though there is already one possible allergy problem, and we are keeping fingers crossed that Allerpet will do the trick).

Ladie has a built-in “big brother” in Chance, the resident dog at her new home, plus she gets a family of 5 humans – she won the doggy lottery!

Cricket gets to be a new playmate for Peepers, the frisky kitty she has joined, and the two of them will no doubt boss Tango the beagle mix around.

Azumi has finally joined her new “mom” – who has been . . . → Read More: Look who went home this weekend!]]>

TOP: Ladie, Cricket, Azumi MIDDLE: Fiona, Toby, Ginger BOTTOM: Felix, R2D2, Rose

Another wonderful Seattle-area delivery weekend saw 9 lucky pets delivered to adopters in Monroe; all are beginning their trial adoption periods with their new families, and we are hopeful that all will become permanent residents in their new homes (though there is already one possible allergy problem, and we are keeping fingers crossed that Allerpet will do the trick).

Ladie has a built-in “big brother” in Chance, the resident dog at her new home, plus she gets a family of 5 humans – she won the doggy lottery!

Cricket gets to be a new playmate for Peepers, the frisky kitty she has joined, and the two of them will no doubt boss Tango the beagle mix around.

Azumi has finally joined her new “mom” – who has been waiting patiently for this month’s delivery – and has already wrapped her around her little paw.

Fiona decided all the “expert” advice about having a slow introduction to the new home and family was simply silly – she is already purring and snuggling with her new humans, and is delighted to be an only pet so she can have all the attention, and her purrrrsonality can really shine.

Toby joins two more frisky dogs in his new home, where we are sure he is already head over all-4-heels in love with his new “siblings” Kaylee and Mick; it was obvious at the delivery that he is excited about his new “parents” already!

Ginger is exactly the kind of lovey-dovey kitty her new family wanted, and we bet she has already won over doggie buddy Bob Seger… please send happy “anti-allergy” thoughts her way, as she is the one who is having the allergic effect on a member of her family. (As a side note: did you know that short-haired cats are actually more likely to trigger allergic reactions than long-haired cats? It’s because it is the dander from the skin, not the fur, that causes the reaction… it is more difficult for the dander to escape from a long coat than a short coat!)

Felix and R2D2 are so excited to have their new home together, that they have apparently not stopped meowing since arriving home on Saturday.  They have a lot to say about how wonderful their new home is! We’ve given their family some ideas on how to curb a chatty kitty, and hopefully everyone will get a little peace and quiet soon.

Finally, beautiful Rose waved goodbye with one last paw-shake, as she joined her new “mom and dad” – they had been looking for a puppy, but found their hearts drawn to 11-year-old Rose, and now this wonderful girl will finally have the loving, indoor home she has always deserved. We are sure she has already won over George (the resident dog) and Rosie (the resident cat) – now they will just have to agree which one will answer to “Rosie” and which to “Rose”! We so appreciate our adopters who are willing to invite a senior pet home, and know that Rose will bring lots of joy to her family for all the days she has left.

Now, on to the new incoming dogs and cats, look for newly listed pets by this weekend!

Hunter

Talk about a zippy-quick adoption; Hunter, who was only with us for 6 days, has gone to his new forever home! He has a dedicated, active, at-home person with whom to bond, and lots of room to run and play. On his first day home, he went for a 3 mile hike, and then taught his new person that Tennis Ball is a terrific game, one that can be played for hours… and hours… and hours….

We’re so happy for Hunter!

This adoption means we have no adoptable dogs at the shelter right now. We don’t expect that to last very long, and we do have 2 dogs that are in on a sheriff’s impound that have not finished their holding period, so there are still bowls to be filled, coats to be brushed, and spirits to be nurtured . . . → Read More: Hunter has been adopted!]]>

Hunter

Talk about a zippy-quick adoption; Hunter, who was only with us for 6 days, has gone to his new forever home! He has a dedicated, active, at-home person with whom to bond, and lots of room to run and play. On his first day home, he went for a 3 mile hike, and then taught his new person that Tennis Ball is a terrific game, one that can be played for hours… and hours… and hours….

We’re so happy for Hunter!

This adoption means we have no adoptable dogs at the shelter right now. We don’t expect that to last very long, and we do have 2 dogs that are in on a sheriff’s impound that have not finished their holding period, so there are still bowls to be filled, coats to be brushed, and spirits to be nurtured (cruelty/abandonment impounds always need a little extra TLC).

Keep an eye on the Dog Page – you never know who will arrive next!

TOP: Acorn & Tamarack (who went home together), Rex, Venus (now COCO) MIDDLE: Albatross and Adelie (now SHADOW and ABBIE, they went together), Tigger, and Snoopy BOTTOM: Akiko (now EDITH TINKER BELL), Doma (now LULU), Payton (now ESTHER), Azumi

Another wonderful transport day saw 10 happy pets head across the mountains to their new homes on the west side. It was a teary goodbye, as Rex’s foster family had to send him off after raising him for 3 months (usually pups go to their new homes in 3-4 weeks, but Rex had to stay a bit longer due to a temporary health issue); LuLu had two families sharing foster time with her, and they had to say goodbye too. Even I was a bit sad (but in a good way) to say goodbye to my personal favorite shelter dog, Snoopy . . . → Read More: 2/11/12, transport day – see who went home!]]>

TOP: Acorn & Tamarack (who went home together), Rex, Venus (now COCO) MIDDLE: Albatross and Adelie (now SHADOW and ABBIE, they went together), Tigger, and Snoopy BOTTOM: Akiko (now EDITH TINKER BELL), Doma (now LULU), Payton (now ESTHER), Azumi

Another wonderful transport day saw 10 happy pets head across the mountains to their new homes on the west side. It was a teary goodbye, as Rex’s foster family had to send him off after raising him for 3 months (usually pups go to their new homes in 3-4 weeks, but Rex had to stay a bit longer due to a temporary health issue); LuLu had two families sharing foster time with her, and they had to say goodbye too. Even I was a bit sad (but in a good way) to say goodbye to my personal favorite shelter dog, Snoopy (who was adopted so fast by one of our wonderful wait-list applicants, she didn’t even get listed).

It was easier to say goodbye to Tamarack and Acorn, because they came in together and left together to the same new home! The other kitties that came in with them, plus our long-timer kitties Tigger and Venus (Coco), will be missed, but we are all JOYFUL to see so many non-babies going home. It wasn’t all that long ago that we were thrilled to have just 5 non-baby pets find homes in a month — now we’re getting spoiled!

We’ve included in the photo Esther, who went home early when her new proud parents drove ALL THE WAY across the state just to get her a few days earlier, and Azumi, who has been adopted but her new mom had an emergency and wasn’t able to have her sent out on today’s transport – we’ll get Azumi and her mom connected as soon as possible.

Now it looks like we have hardly any pets at the shelter – the only cat listed at this moment is Tiffany our beautiful but declawed girl, and the only dog listed is Hunter who is already on Adoption Pending, and should be going home Monday. Looks can be deceiving, though; we have 1 adult cat being listed tonight, 1 adult cat in foster care with an eye infection who is not yet healthy enough to list, and SEVEN semi-feral 6-month old cats that just arrived and have been given their own room for now (anyone looking for barn kitties? They are handleable, just very shy and scared). Plus at least 5 more cats partway through the intake process.

For dogs, we have one impounded dog that cannot yet be listed, and are trying to catch that dog’s friend too (hopefully by tomorrow night), plus a few more partway through the intake process.

So, don’t feel sorry for us for running out of pets — there’s never a dull moment at Forget Me Not!

Thanks to all the wonderful adopters – without you, we wouldn’t have room for all the new guys.

Bailey, Molly, and Ayla

It’s no secret that the bulk of our adoptions happen on the one day per month we make our adopted pet delivery to the Seattle area; that’s where most of our adopters are found. There are always a handful of adoptions that take place in between the Seattle area deliveries, and the past few weeks found us celebrating three adoptions of hard to place pets.

Bailey, the senior dog, has become a happy Canadian resident; Molly, our long-timer cat who joined the shelter back in July 2011, found a spot in the hearts of a local couple; and Ayla, our long-timer dog, has found a forever home with a family that drove hundreds of miles round-trip just to pick her up, because they couldn’t wait another day to have her in their home.

All three of . . . → Read More: Look who went home from 1/15 to today!]]>

Bailey, Molly, and Ayla

It’s no secret that the bulk of our adoptions happen on the one day per month we make our adopted pet delivery to the Seattle area; that’s where most of our adopters are found. There are always a handful of adoptions that take place in between the Seattle area deliveries, and the past few weeks found us celebrating three adoptions of hard to place pets.

Bailey, the senior dog, has become a happy Canadian resident; Molly, our long-timer cat who joined the shelter back in July 2011, found a spot in the hearts of a local couple; and Ayla, our long-timer dog, has found a forever home with a family that drove hundreds of miles round-trip just to pick her up, because they couldn’t wait another day to have her in their home.

All three of these wonderful pets are still in their 30-day trial adoption periods, but we have very high hopes that the next we see of them will be in photos from their terrific adopters.

It’s a good month when one long-timer or hard to place (ie, senior or black or special needs) pet finds a great home; to have three in the same month feels like fortune has been smiling upon us, and the pets are the lucky beneficiaries!

That means we have a new reigning long-timer: Venus, the black & white kitty with the frostbitten ears. Venus, your turn is coming!

Top: Adelie, Albatross, Acorn -- Bottom: Akiko, Tamarack, Azumi

This past weekend we listed 6 new pets who arrived at the shelter after their owner died without a pet plan in place. These 5 cats and 1 dog came in a little frightened and confused, but now seem pretty happy and grateful. It seems that fortune is smiling on them, too, because of the six, only Adelie (the shy orange girl) and Albatross (the fluffy black boy) are still available – it looks like the other 4 will have placement offers going out by the end of the evening!

If you might have a spot in your family for Adelie or Albatross, please check out their listings on our Cat Page (just click on their photos to bring up the full . . . → Read More: New adoptable pets: Adelie, Albatross, Acorn, Akiko, Tamarack, Azumi]]>

Top: Adelie, Albatross, Acorn -- Bottom: Akiko, Tamarack, Azumi

This past weekend we listed 6 new pets who arrived at the shelter after their owner died without a pet plan in place. These 5 cats and 1 dog came in a little frightened and confused, but now seem pretty happy and grateful. It seems that fortune is smiling on them, too, because of the six, only Adelie (the shy orange girl) and Albatross (the fluffy black boy) are still available – it looks like the other 4 will have placement offers going out by the end of the evening!

If you might have a spot in your family for Adelie or Albatross, please check out their listings on our Cat Page (just click on their photos to bring up the full listings).

Bailey

Bailey is a very special guy; the vet thinks he is at least 10 years old, and he was abandoned this winter at a local trailer park. Sounds like an unhappy scenario, and we wouldn’t blame Bailey for complaining about his lot in life… but he is so darn HAPPY all the time, he’s the new go-to guy for anyone who has been having a bad day.

You can read all about him on his Adoption Listing

We know it will take a lot of luck for one very special person to find his listing and invite him home for however much time he has left… prayers, happy thoughts, and/or focused energy/visualizations from anyone who can send such help Bailey’s way will be much appreciated. Together, we can find him that special happy . . . → Read More: New adoptable dog: BAILEY]]>

Bailey

Bailey is a very special guy; the vet thinks he is at least 10 years old, and he was abandoned this winter at a local trailer park. Sounds like an unhappy scenario, and we wouldn’t blame Bailey for complaining about his lot in life… but he is so darn HAPPY all the time, he’s the new go-to guy for anyone who has been having a bad day.

You can read all about him on his Adoption Listing

We know it will take a lot of luck for one very special person to find his listing and invite him home for however much time he has left… prayers, happy thoughts, and/or focused energy/visualizations from anyone who can send such help Bailey’s way will be much appreciated. Together, we can find him that special happy ending!

Top row: Lady, Lea, Piper, Candelada. Middle row: Jaguar, Aracena, Emiko, Mars (now Fingers). Bottom row: Starr (now Sadie), Colilla, Cillan (now Huey), Armada, Vesta.

Yesterday’s transport of adopted pets to North Bend took our first 13 adoptees of 2012 to their new families! While every single adoption is a cause for celebration, we are particularly thrilled with yesterday’s batch, because it included 12 cats… 9 of which are over 6 months of age, and 6 of which were the black shorthaired cats and kittens whose arrival we posted about just last week.

Look for future updates on these pets on our Adopted Page.

Top row: Jaguar, Lea, Piper Bottom row: Candelada, Colilla, Cillan

These 6 cats are all related; someone didn’t call us soon enough for a voucher, and this is the result.

In the top row, Jaguar is about 6 months old; sisters Lea and Piper are about 10 months old.

In the bottom row, our three sibling kittens were born 11/11/11.

Mama kitty has now been spayed and returned to her owner… now we just need to find homes for 6 black kitties!

For those who don’t know – black cats are by far the hardest to find homes for, but we will try our best!

You can see all the available cats on our website: CATS

Lady

Lady is a beautiful and affectionate Rottweiler, about 17 months old. Her former owner brought her to the shelter because, while Lady is wonderful with all sorts of people, she is NOT good with cats or chickens (both of which her former owner has).

This is a fantastic and special dog, for some lucky person or family! Please make sure your homeowner’s insurance and your community will allow Rottweilers, as they are one of the breeds that is subjected to unfair blanket banning.

You can see this gorgeous girl’s entire listing here: LADY

Tiffany

MEET TIFFANY: she is a beautiful medium-haired torbie (tortoiseshell/tabby) girl, who is declawed on the front paws (awwwwww). Her owner couldn’t care for her, so she is patiently waiting at the shelter for someone to bring her home. See more photos, video, and description at her full listing: TIFFANY

Brownie

Meet Brownie – He’s an older dog, we are guessing around 8 years old, who has the heart of a puppy! We think Brownie is some sort of retriever/shepherd mix. He was originally a stray dog, who was never claimed from Republic city impound, so we decided to take him in and give him a chance to find the retirement home he deserves.

You can see all his photos, his video, and read all about him on his listing: Brownie

Dulanzi, Dumbria, and Denia - ADOPTED

The first three of the kittens that were abandoned outside the shelter in a box have gone to their new homes today.

Dulanzi and Dumbria were adopted as a pair, and will have a wonderful life in a home filled with love, with birds and dogs and children and another older pair of kitties.

Denia is heading home to be a companion and playmate for Mr. Pickles, who was originally the Forget Me Not kitten named Filbert! We love it when our adopters come back for more, and are so happy that Denia and Mr. Pickles will get to be best buddies now.

Amber, Owl (now Gus), and Eeyore all went home this week

November is Adopt a Senior Pet month, and we are delighted that Amber is our first senior pet heading home! She will be so happy to have a warm lap and guaranteed sun spot for her golden years.

Our other adoptees this week are two more of the kittens that were abandoned at a remote campsite last month; Owl (who is now Gus) got a ride out to his new home in Spokane, and Eeyore has joined his family, which includes his new best friend, a BIG labrador retriever named Olle.

A senior and two black cats – now THAT’S a successful adoption week!

TOP ROW: Buzz (male), Hamm (male), Woody (male), Jessie (female). BOTTOM ROW: Bo Peep (female), Lotso (male), Rex (male), Bullseye (male)

These pups are a Stop the Cycle litter; Forget Me Not will spay the mother dog, and find these cuties new homes. They were born 9/11/11; mom is a pit bull, and the litter appears to have had a few different dads; some of the possible influences we see are Labrador Retriever, Border Collie, and Shepherd. We are calling them the Toy Story litter

All of these pups are affectionate, happy pups; they play hard, then nap hard (ha). They are incredibly cute, but please do your breed research before applying to adopt one of them; because they are half pit bull, there are many areas where they will be banned, no matter how cute, cuddly, and well-behaved they . . . → Read More: Newly adoptable puppies: The Toy Story Litter]]>

TOP ROW: Buzz (male), Hamm (male), Woody (male), Jessie (female). BOTTOM ROW: Bo Peep (female), Lotso (male), Rex (male), Bullseye (male)

These pups are a Stop the Cycle litter; Forget Me Not will spay the mother dog, and find these cuties new homes. They were born 9/11/11; mom is a pit bull, and the litter appears to have had a few different dads; some of the possible influences we see are Labrador Retriever, Border Collie, and Shepherd. We are calling them the Toy Story litter

All of these pups are affectionate, happy pups; they play hard, then nap hard (ha). They are incredibly cute, but please do your breed research before applying to adopt one of them; because they are half pit bull, there are many areas where they will be banned, no matter how cute, cuddly, and well-behaved they are. Make sure your town, county, housing association, and homeowners insurance will allow a pit bull mix puppy.

See more photos, a video, and access the application from our Main Dog Page.

(top row) Catalonia, Bellavista & Suzuki, PoohBear (middle row) Thea, Mozart, Bella & Dempsey (bottom row) Cordoba, Miso, Piglet, Peck & Willow

Lots of kitties – and our frisky guy Mozart – found new homes this week… but there are still plenty of fabulous pets waiting for you to find them!

We are looking forward to adopter updates on these recently adopted cuties, and thanks to Sarah for taking 8 of them to Monroe today!

clockwise from top left: Silk, Amber, Scoche, DejaVu

Silk (age 12), Amber (age 10), DejaVu (age 7) and Scoche (age 5) are currently sharing one of the shelter’s 4 cat rooms. They ended up at the shelter because their owner became disabled and could no longer care for them, but did not have any sort of pet plan in place.

These cats are all indoor-only kitties, which limits their adoption options.

Silk and Amber are both happy, social cats – a bit fat, but in good health. Other than being indoor-only, their big obstacle to adoption is just their age. While 12 and 10 are senior cat ages, they could easily have another 10 happy, healthy years ahead of them. They just need cat lovers who will give them the retirement homes they deserve, with sun spots and chin skritches. . . . → Read More: 4 special adoptable cats, need very special cat-lovers. Donation Optional!]]>

clockwise from top left: Silk, Amber, Scoche, DejaVu

Silk (age 12), Amber (age 10), DejaVu (age 7) and Scoche (age 5) are currently sharing one of the shelter’s 4 cat rooms. They ended up at the shelter because their owner became disabled and could no longer care for them, but did not have any sort of pet plan in place.

These cats are all indoor-only kitties, which limits their adoption options.

Silk and Amber are both happy, social cats – a bit fat, but in good health. Other than being indoor-only, their big obstacle to adoption is just their age. While 12 and 10 are senior cat ages, they could easily have another 10 happy, healthy years ahead of them. They just need cat lovers who will give them the retirement homes they deserve, with sun spots and chin skritches. Silk also requires covered litterboxes, as he never learned to squat to urinate – he just stands there, LOL, so the cover is vital.

Deja Vu and Scoche are more challenging – they are both very shy and distrustful of strangers. After almost 2 months at the shelter, Scoche will finally purr when the volunteers pet him, and he is no longer hiding in far-flung corners or upper shelves. Deja Vu lets some of the volunteers pet him now, but at the first rapid movement or loud noise, he is off and UP to the top shelf! These two would benefit from true cat lovers – “cat whisperers” – who can give them the time and space they need to adjust to yet another new situation. When one of these cats finally jumps on the bed with you, or curls up next to you on the couch, you will have the ultimate honor!

If you have room in your home and heart for one – or two! – of these down-but-not-quite-out kitties, we are placing them for an optional donation. We are just trying to save them… we all know their chances are slim, but we want to give them every possible chance to find a home.

Like all our adoptees, these kitties will be placed with a 30-day trial period, and will be up to date on all their vaccinations, plus microchipped. (They are already all spayed/neutered).

See their full listings.

Ayla isn’t very fond of other dogs, though she apparently lived with some before (the other dogs on the property disappeared, unfortunately); we are able to teach her to tolerate the other shelter dogs, but don’t recommend adding her to a home with a dominant dog unless you are a very experienced pack leader type. She definitely is a “people” dog – she’d much rather be with a person than with another dog. She has been reported to be not very good with livestock, . . . → Read More: New adoptable dog: AYLA]]> Ayla is a beautiful hound/pitbull mix, about 5 years old, who was abandoned by her owner – they went “on vacation” two months ago and left some friends in charge of bringing food to Ayla, who was left outside; unfortunately, despite being contacted, the owners have never come back from “vacation” and the property they were renting was sold, leaving Ayla homeless.

Ayla isn’t very fond of other dogs, though she apparently lived with some before (the other dogs on the property disappeared, unfortunately); we are able to teach her to tolerate the other shelter dogs, but don’t recommend adding her to a home with a dominant dog unless you are a very experienced pack leader type. She definitely is a “people” dog – she’d much rather be with a person than with another dog. She has been reported to be not very good with livestock, poultry, cats and small furries; ideally, she would be the only pet.

She is an “easy keeper” – housetrained, a bit overweight, good on leash, easy to groom. She allows humans to pick up her food and remove food from her mouth, but doesn’t like other animals near her food, so we recommend she not go to a home with children under 8 years old, just to be on the safe side.

Ayla seems to know “sit” and “down” – and she is a fairly quiet dog so far, who waits patiently for the next volunteer to arrive and take her out of her kennel.

See her full listing for lots more photos and a great video. This dog is a love, a terrific cuddler who wants to stick close to you.

(top) Roo, Owl, Eeyore, Tigger (bottom) Piglet, Carlene, Carlton, Molly(top) Roo, Owl, Eeyore, Tigger (bottom) Piglet, Carlene, Carlton, Molly

Welcome to our 2011 Black Tie event – a time for those ubiquitous black and tuxedo kitties to SHINE and find their forever homes. All our formal wear attired (which means black or black and white) juvenile kittens (4-8 months of age) have reduced adoption fees of $50 for one or $85 for two, and our formal adults (9 months and up) have reduced adoption fees of $30!

These 8 are currently up for adoption and waiting for you to fall in love with them.

Now’s the perfect time to bring one of these beautiful and classy kitties into your family; apply online today!

Suzuki and Bellavista

Suzuki and his sister Bellavista were born 8/18/11, and arrived at the shelter along with their mama-kitty Thea when the kittens were just 3 weeks old. They and mama-kitty are in foster care together, and the kittens have begun the weaning process (at just over 7 weeks old). They will all be spayed/neutered and ready for release any time after October 22. Suzuki is the CUTEST fluffy boy, with some Siamese in his mix giving him beautiful blue eyes, and lovely stripey markings that will probably darken a bit with age.

The kittens are doing well, growing big and strong, under the care of their attentive mama kitty; they will all be together until it’s time for the kittens to go to their new homes. These kittens will be fantastic family pets, and will do best in . . . → Read More: New adoptable kittens: Suzuki and Bellavista]]>

Suzuki and Bellavista

Suzuki and his sister Bellavista were born 8/18/11, and arrived at the shelter along with their mama-kitty Thea when the kittens were just 3 weeks old. They and mama-kitty are in foster care together, and the kittens have begun the weaning process (at just over 7 weeks old). They will all be spayed/neutered and ready for release any time after October 22. Suzuki is the CUTEST fluffy boy, with some Siamese in his mix giving him beautiful blue eyes, and lovely stripey markings that will probably darken a bit with age.

The kittens are doing well, growing big and strong, under the care of their attentive mama kitty; they will all be together until it’s time for the kittens to go to their new homes. These kittens will be fantastic family pets, and will do best in indoor-only homes, as they have never been outside. They can be adopted as a pair (at a discounted rate), in case you want your own “ceiling cat” and “basement cat” duo; or, they can be adopted individually.

Find their full listings on our Cats page – just click on their photos for more pics, video, and application.

Miso

Miso is a funny, happy, very laid-back 6 year old girl, who arrived at the shelter with her kittens (our current “C” litter) when their owner decided they just had too many cats to care for. She is definitely part Siamese, with medium length fur, a pretty and unusual coat, and adorably goofy crossed eyes.

Miso will be a very easy-care cat; she is affectionate, but not demanding, and prefers relaxing in a sunspot to… well, just about anything! She would do fine as an indoor or indoor-outdoor cat, and would be a terrific “starter pet” for a first-time pet owner, or an apartment pet. While she seems to be tolerant of other cats, she doesn’t much care if she has a cat buddy or not, so would do fine as an only pet.

See her full listing . . . → Read More: New adoptable cat: Miso]]>

Miso

Miso is a funny, happy, very laid-back 6 year old girl, who arrived at the shelter with her kittens (our current “C” litter) when their owner decided they just had too many cats to care for. She is definitely part Siamese, with medium length fur, a pretty and unusual coat, and adorably goofy crossed eyes.

Miso will be a very easy-care cat; she is affectionate, but not demanding, and prefers relaxing in a sunspot to… well, just about anything! She would do fine as an indoor or indoor-outdoor cat, and would be a terrific “starter pet” for a first-time pet owner, or an apartment pet. While she seems to be tolerant of other cats, she doesn’t much care if she has a cat buddy or not, so would do fine as an only pet.

See her full listing for more photos, video, and application.

(top row) Canaria, Ciudad (bottom row) Cordoba, Catalonia, Cristobal

Introducing the newest litter of cuties looking for their new homes. They were born 8/18/11, and arrived at the shelter along with their mama-kitty Miso when the kittens were just 3 weeks old. They and mama-kitty are in foster care together, and the kittens have begun the weaning process (at just over 7 weeks old). They will all be spayed/neutered and ready for release any time after October 27.

The kittens are doing well, growing big and strong, under the care of their attentive mama kitty; they will all be together until it’s time for the kittens to go to their new homes. These kittens will be fantastic family pets, and will do best in indoor-only homes, as they have never been outside. They can be adopted as pairs (at a . . . → Read More: New adoptable kittens: The “C” Group]]>

(top row) Canaria, Ciudad (bottom row) Cordoba, Catalonia, Cristobal

Introducing the newest litter of cuties looking for their new homes. They were born 8/18/11, and arrived at the shelter along with their mama-kitty Miso when the kittens were just 3 weeks old. They and mama-kitty are in foster care together, and the kittens have begun the weaning process (at just over 7 weeks old). They will all be spayed/neutered and ready for release any time after October 27.

The kittens are doing well, growing big and strong, under the care of their attentive mama kitty; they will all be together until it’s time for the kittens to go to their new homes. These kittens will be fantastic family pets, and will do best in indoor-only homes, as they have never been outside. They can be adopted as pairs (at a discounted rate) or they can be adopted individually.

View their individual listings for individual descriptions, more photos, and a video. Please pass the word, as black and black & white kittens are the hardest ones to place!

ROW 1: Clover, Blackie, Harrison, Brutus, Ivan ROW 2: Spencer, Garfield, Nermal, Rascal, Penny ROW 3: Fancy, Rocky, Arroyo, Almeria, Quigley

It’s been a great last few weeks at the shelter, with so many wonderful pets heading to their new homes! 2 of these adoptees were transported to Spokane on 9/16, 9 were transported to Monroe on 10/1, and the other 3 were picked up at the shelter.

Clover will get to bond very closely with her new person, as she will be the only pet for a retired person on the west side of the state.

Blackie is living in our own area, with a terrific family in Malo, where he has . . . → Read More: Look who went home 9-12-11 to 10-1-11!]]>

ROW 1: Clover, Blackie, Harrison, Brutus, Ivan ROW 2: Spencer, Garfield, Nermal, Rascal, Penny ROW 3: Fancy, Rocky, Arroyo, Almeria, Quigley

It’s been a great last few weeks at the shelter, with so many wonderful pets heading to their new homes! 2 of these adoptees were transported to Spokane on 9/16, 9 were transported to Monroe on 10/1, and the other 3 were picked up at the shelter.

Clover will get to bond very closely with her new person, as she will be the only pet for a retired person on the west side of the state.

Blackie is living in our own area, with a terrific family in Malo, where he has his very own teenager to play with, and Miss Kitty for a four-legged companion.

Harrison is a lucky pup, moving into a home with a young and active person, and changing his citizenship to Canadian!

Brutus is going to love his new life with a “mom” and 2 teens… hopefully his new cat companion, Boo, will also love him.

Ivan will be particularly pampered, becoming the only pet in a home with FOUR kids/teens to cuddle him!

Spencer’s heart was filled by one of our terrific volunteers; he now has the kind of loving and committed home he’s always deserved.

Garfield and Nermal get to go home as a pair, which suits them just fine; they also get to have four kids, and will have a fantastic time as they all grow up together.

Rascal has been loving his new life in Spokane – hard to believe he was ever a timid little pup, now that he has his very own family. They’ve brought out the best in him already!

Penny is also coming out of her nervous shell, thanks to her loving and patient new mama and papa in Spokane. She has 2 other dogs to show her the way, too.

Fancy is very excited – she gets to be a real “working dog” on a big ranch! The ranch lifestyle suits her just fine, and we know she will pick up her important herding duties with no trouble at all.

Rocky finally gets to be a real family dog – he will get to watch his new girl grow up, and will be her best friend. We hope he and his new kitty buddy Nissa will grow to love each other, too!

Arroyo and Almeria are another kitten pair heading to the same home – we love it when that happens!  They have a kid of their own, too.

Finally, Quigley is being picked up on 10/3, but we included him here because it’s so close… we know he is going to be VERY happy as the beloved dog of a wonderful retired couple, who have been searching for just the right dog for a long time. He will have 2 kitties to boss around (or, perhaps, they will boss HIM around).

Seeing all these wonderful companions finding their places in these terrific families really makes our day at Forget Me Not!

Molly

Molly is a beautiful medium-haired white kitty with lovely black accents – love that black tail! She has been with us since early July, when she arrived with her 2-week-old kittens in tow. Molly has been a great mom, and the kittens have all found their new homes. Now it’s time for Molly to go home too!

Molly is very friendly and affectionate, and fairly large (L-O-N-G kitteh). She would enjoy pretty much any indoor or indoor/outdoor home, where she can have a lap when she wants one and can have a few short brushing sessions each week to keep that gorgeous coat in great shape. She seems to prefer being the only cat, though she might agree to tolerate sharing her space with a friendly, non-dominant boy kitty. Ideally, she’d like to be an adored only kitty, in . . . → Read More: Adoptable cat, long-timer: MOLLY]]>

Molly

Molly is a beautiful medium-haired white kitty with lovely black accents – love that black tail! She has been with us since early July, when she arrived with her 2-week-old kittens in tow. Molly has been a great mom, and the kittens have all found their new homes. Now it’s time for Molly to go home too!

Molly is very friendly and affectionate, and fairly large (L-O-N-G kitteh). She would enjoy pretty much any indoor or indoor/outdoor home, where she can have a lap when she wants one and can have a few short brushing sessions each week to keep that gorgeous coat in great shape. She seems to prefer being the only cat, though she might agree to tolerate sharing her space with a friendly, non-dominant boy kitty. Ideally, she’d like to be an adored only kitty, in a home where people would be around lots to cuddle with her.

See her full listing: MOLLY

Ivan

Ivan is a cuddly, handsome medium-haired grey juvenile boy, born 4/21/11. Ivan’s former owner decided to surrender him to the shelter because she is hardly ever home, and Ivan really craves human attention. He is a BIG kitty for his age, and everyone who sees him says he is one of the most attractive cats EVER.

Ivan’s medium-length fur is very soft and silky, and would benefit from a 5-minute brushing every day or two. He has to be an indoor-only kitty because his front paws are declawed, leaving him no way to defend himself against dogs or other predators. Luckily, Ivan doesn’t seem to have any ill-effects from his declawing; he still uses his litterbox faithfully, and is a happy and loving boy.

Ivan doesn’t seem to care if he has other kitties to play with – his . . . → Read More: New adoptable cat: IVAN]]>

Ivan

Ivan is a cuddly, handsome medium-haired grey juvenile boy, born 4/21/11. Ivan’s former owner decided to surrender him to the shelter because she is hardly ever home, and Ivan really craves human attention. He is a BIG kitty for his age, and everyone who sees him says he is one of the most attractive cats EVER.

Ivan’s medium-length fur is very soft and silky, and would benefit from a 5-minute brushing every day or two. He has to be an indoor-only kitty because his front paws are declawed, leaving him no way to defend himself against dogs or other predators. Luckily, Ivan doesn’t seem to have any ill-effects from his declawing; he still uses his litterbox faithfully, and is a happy and loving boy.

Ivan doesn’t seem to care if he has other kitties to play with – his main focus is on whatever people happen to be around. He will be a great companion cat for the lucky person (or people!) that finds him.

See his full listing with more photos and a video: IVAN

Peanut

Peanut is a beautiful medium-haired tabby and white girl. She has been with us since early July, when she arrived with her 3-week-old kittens in tow. Peanut has been a great mom, and the kittens are fully weaned – most have already found their forever homes, and now it is Peanut’s turn.

Peanut is very friendly and affectionate, and is definitely a lap kitty. She would enjoy pretty much any indoor or indoor/outdoor home, where she can have a lap when she wants one and can have a few short brushing sessions each week to keep that gorgeous coat in great shape. Given a choice, she would rather cuddle than play, so an affectionate family is a must for Peanut. She seems tolerant of other cats, too.

See her full listing, with more photos and videos: . . . → Read More: Adoptable Cat, long-timer: PEANUT]]>

Peanut

Peanut is a beautiful medium-haired tabby and white girl. She has been with us since early July, when she arrived with her 3-week-old kittens in tow. Peanut has been a great mom, and the kittens are fully weaned – most have already found their forever homes, and now it is Peanut’s turn.

Peanut is very friendly and affectionate, and is definitely a lap kitty. She would enjoy pretty much any indoor or indoor/outdoor home, where she can have a lap when she wants one and can have a few short brushing sessions each week to keep that gorgeous coat in great shape. Given a choice, she would rather cuddle than play, so an affectionate family is a must for Peanut. She seems tolerant of other cats, too.

See her full listing, with more photos and videos: PEANUT

Carlton

Carlton is a super cute tuxedo boy, born about 5/27/11, who was surrendered when his owner was evicted from their home. Carlton has amazing acrobatic skills – he FLIES through the air to chase a kitty tease! He’s a high energy kitten, with a very happy, sunny purrrrsonality. He’d love to join another friendly, frisky kitty as a buddy – do you have a kitten that is driving you crazy? Add Carlton as a play-pal and regain your sanity! See his full listing with more photos and a fun video: Carlton

Chestnut, Pistachio, Hoonch, Delgado, DonBenito - ADOPTED!

We are happy to report TWO kitten pair adoptions, and a great new home for a big black dog!

Chestnut and Pistachio have joined a family with 3 excited kids, a small dog, and a turtle – they are sure to have a fun life, and are so happy to have gone to a home together.

Hoonch is now a totally devoted go-everywhere dog – when he met his new people at the shelter, we could immediately see Hoonch’s connection with them. He kept offering a paw to his new guy – and he’s never done that to anyone else in the shelter. It’s like he was saying “there you are, you are mine, please take me home now.”

Finally, our long-timer kittens Delgado and DonBenito were adopted as a pair, to a . . . → Read More: Look who went home through 9-11-11!]]>

Chestnut, Pistachio, Hoonch, Delgado, DonBenito - ADOPTED!

We are happy to report TWO kitten pair adoptions, and a great new home for a big black dog!

Chestnut and Pistachio have joined a family with 3 excited kids, a small dog, and a turtle – they are sure to have a fun life, and are so happy to have gone to a home together.

Hoonch is now a totally devoted go-everywhere dog – when he met his new people at the shelter, we could immediately see Hoonch’s connection with them. He kept offering a paw to his new guy – and he’s never done that to anyone else in the shelter. It’s like he was saying “there you are, you are mine, please take me home now.”

Finally, our long-timer kittens Delgado and DonBenito were adopted as a pair, to a terrific home where they can adapt and explore at their own pace. They are happy brothers because they still have each other – we couldn’t have asked for a better happy ending for them!

Brutus and Bella

Meet Brutus and Bella, a happy-go-lucky pair of hounds. This brother and sister are tightly bonded, and would love to find a home together – but can be separated if needed.  They are energetic, loud, affectionate, loud, smart, and did we mention, loud? There’s nothing quite like a pair of happy hounds baying to greet a visitor.

See individual listings for:

Brutus

Bella

They are definitely scent hounds, with their noses to the ground 95% of the time.

In reality, cats are individuals just like their humans, and they have their own ideas about… well, just about everything!

One of our fabulous recent cat adopters has a question about their new family member’s “biting” behavior:

“…how can we keep her from biting when she gets overly excited. At night when we are sleeping she will jump up and bite our hands to wake us up to pet her, or if she’s sitting by us and we are petting her, she gets so excited that she will randomly attack our hand… why does she do this and how can we make her stop?”

There are two separate issues at . . . → Read More: Cat behavior: Love Hurts! When your cat says “FANGS for the new home!”]]> We’ve all seen examples of the “perfect” cat, who will curl up with you on the couch and let you pet and brush him for hours, and who sleeps peacefully at the foot of your bed all night long.

In reality, cats are individuals just like their humans, and they have their own ideas about… well, just about everything!

One of our fabulous recent cat adopters has a question about their new family member’s “biting” behavior:

“…how can we keep her from biting when she gets overly excited. At night when we are sleeping she will jump up and bite our hands to wake us up to pet her, or if she’s sitting by us and we are petting her, she gets so excited that she will randomly attack our hand… why does she do this and how can we make her stop?”

There are two separate issues at play (no pun intended). First, the waking up for play and attention:

Although we all try to get our cats to adjust to the human sleep schedule, in nature, cats are nocturnal. Many cats adopted from shelters have embraced their nocturnal nature by the time they find a forever home, and it can take some time and discipline to get them to accept the humans’ idea of sleep time.

The most important thing in this situation is to not reward the cat’s unwanted nighttime behavior by giving them what they want. At the cat’s first attempt to wake you, say “No!” and push the cat gently away, then tuck those arms under the covers so she can’t continue to nip at your hands.

The next “escalation” of nighttime training can be the addition of a spray bottle of water within easy reach of the bed – this works best if there are two people, so that the one who is not being approached to play can squirt kitty “out of nowhere” so she doesn’t associate the squirting with a person but with her own behavior. You want her to learn “when I wake up my person, it rains on me” rather than “my person is a mean old water monster”! Some people have success with this method but choose to replace the squirt bottle with a burst of compressed air. Whichever deterrent you prefer, it is important to use it only while the cat is actively nipping or pawing to wake you up; you don’t want to teach the cat to avoid the bed, just to avoid the unwanted behavior.

If in-bed deterrents aren’t appealing to you, or don’t work, the final suggestion is to remove the cat from the bedroom the first time she wakes you. Just calmly say “No” as you pick kitty up and place her outside the bedroom door, which you then close. The first nights you try this, you may be subjected to meowing, pawing at the door, and rattling of the doorknob… earplugs can work wonders.

Cats are more trainable than many people think – they are usually quite smart, and will make the connection between “I nip my sleeping person’s hand” and “I am – spritzed, or puffed, or evicted” fairly quickly. The key is consistency – NEVER reward unwanted behavior by giving the cat what they want (which is generally attention), and ALWAYS use the same techniques to deflect or deter the unwanted nighttime wake-up call.

Now, on to the second issue – biting during petting or grooming sessions:

This sort of biting is generally called “overstimulation biting” and occurs when the cat’s humans don’t understand or pay attention to the cat’s body language. In simplistic terms, think of petting or grooming as an activity that fills up the cat’s affection cup. Once the cup is full, the cat becomes annoyed at the extra affection spilling out over the top, and begins to say “enough already” by some or all of these signals: flattened ears, swishing tail, twitching back, narrowed eyes, dilated pupils. Once you see any of those signs, it’s time to calmly disengage from petting or grooming, to give kitty time to absorb the affection stored in the cup.

The most common areas of the cat that lead to overstimulation are the back/tail and the belly; they usually will tolerate more petting around the head and neck, and chin scritches are welcome too.

If you want to increase your individual cat’s tolerance so you can have longer petting or grooming sessions, it can be done with some patience and dedication.

First, you need to find out how long on average you can pet your cat before she starts showing any signs of overstimulation. Let’s say she makes it for 3 minutes before that first tail twitch starts. Now that you know she has a 3-minute tolerance, spend several days petting her for only 2.5 minutes, so your petting sessions always end with her happy and content.

After several days of successful petting sessions, you can gradually increase the length of time for the sessions – add 20 or 30 seconds each day or two so she learns to tolerate gradually longer sessions. If she does get overstimulated and bite, say “No bite!” and gently remove your hand and end the petting session; go back to the shorter length for a few more days before gradually increasing the time again.

There are also cats who are simply “love nippers” – they really can’t help it, they want to gently grab a little bit of their favorite human between their teeth, without any overstimulation issues at all. While it seems a bit weird, love nips are actually a great compliment – your kitty adores you! Just use the training tips to let her know humans don’t like bites, and she’ll get the hint.

Here is my cat, George, letting me know it’s time to STOP:

George's lightning-fast overstimulation response

George says "stop petting me. NOW!"

Images copyright © 2011 Sean Gillen, available under CC-BY-SA 3.0 Unported.

Macadamia, Cashew, Filbert, Chestnut, Pistachio

These kittens were born 6/17/11, and were surrendered to the shelter along with their mom Peanut when the kittens were just 2 weeks old. We’ve had them fostering with our wonderful Foster Mama Charlene, and as a result, the kittens are all wonderfully socialized, very easy to handle, affectionate, curious, and playful – they will all be great in any type of family.

These kittens, who will be ready to go home August 27, have never been outside, and will do best as indoor-only kitties (though they may adapt well to supervised outdoor visits, either with harness/leash or in a safe, enclosed area with their person).

See their listings, with many more photos and a video, from our Cats Page.

Molly's Kittens: Saraburi, Sagwa, Singha, MingMiao(ADOPTED), Pecan, Almond, Hickory

These kittens were born 6/24/11, and were surrendered to the shelter along with their mom Molly when the kittens were just 2 weeks old. We’ve had them fostering with our wonderful Foster Mama Charlene, and as a result, the kittens are all wonderfully socialized, very easy to handle, affectionate, curious, and playful – they will all be great in any type of family.

These kittens, who will be ready to go home August 27, have never been outside, and will do best as indoor-only kitties (though they may adapt well to supervised outdoor visits, either with harness/leash or in a safe, enclosed area with their person).

See their individual listings, with lots of photos and a video link, on our Cats . . . → Read More: New adoptable cats: Molly’s Kittens!]]>

Molly's Kittens: Saraburi, Sagwa, Singha, MingMiao(ADOPTED), Pecan, Almond, Hickory

These kittens were born 6/24/11, and were surrendered to the shelter along with their mom Molly when the kittens were just 2 weeks old. We’ve had them fostering with our wonderful Foster Mama Charlene, and as a result, the kittens are all wonderfully socialized, very easy to handle, affectionate, curious, and playful – they will all be great in any type of family.

These kittens, who will be ready to go home August 27, have never been outside, and will do best as indoor-only kitties (though they may adapt well to supervised outdoor visits, either with harness/leash or in a safe, enclosed area with their person).

See their individual listings, with lots of photos and a video link, on our Cats Page.

Adopted through 8-12-11: GeeGee, Donastia, Eddy, Minerva, Jupiter, CeeCee, Almaden, Andujar, FiFi

We’ve had another great adoption week at Forget Me Not!

GeeGee was adopted to a fabulous rural home, where she shares her people with another former FMNAS adoptee dog, Bear! They checked each other out at the shelter before GeeGee went home, and Bear looks like he is going to be a terrific big brother.

Donastia found just the perfect home for her, where she gets to bond with one lovely person and one big brother kitty; this will give her the space and time she needs to blossom, and we’re so happy that the perfect person found her.

Eddy will have a fun, frolicking adventure with a terrific local family who has lots of dog-loving children! They all came out to the shelter to meet the pups, . . . → Read More: Look who went home through 8/12/11!]]>

Adopted through 8-12-11: GeeGee, Donastia, Eddy, Minerva, Jupiter, CeeCee, Almaden, Andujar, FiFi

We’ve had another great adoption week at Forget Me Not!

GeeGee was adopted to a fabulous rural home, where she shares her people with another former FMNAS adoptee dog, Bear! They checked each other out at the shelter before GeeGee went home, and Bear looks like he is going to be a terrific big brother.

Donastia found just the perfect home for her, where she gets to bond with one lovely person and one big brother kitty; this will give her the space and time she needs to blossom, and we’re so happy that the perfect person found her.

Eddy will have a fun, frolicking adventure with a terrific local family who has lots of dog-loving children! They all came out to the shelter to meet the pups, and Eddy captured their hearts. We love local adoptions; there aren’t many people looking for pets in Ferry County, but lucky Eddy found a winning family.

Minerva and Jupiter, now known as Mini and Norman, were also fortunate enough to find a great local home, with people who were more than willing to keep this bonded pair together. Such a happy ending, particularly for Mini who really relies on her brother!

CeeCee is now Tehya, which means Precious. She gets to bond with one very devoted person, who drove all the way out from Lakewood to get her! Tehya will be sharing her home with a pair of senior dogs, and we think she will both respect them, and help them to feel a bit younger again.

Almaden and Andujar were SO happy to get to go to a home together, where they will grow up along with a pair of children – they are going to be fabulous pets, and will hopefully be with their new human “brother” at least until they graduate from high school! (Are we all thinking of our childhood pets now? I know I am….)

And finally, FiFi is now Padme, and her new family just couldn’t wait to get her, so her new Mom drove over from Bellevue to pick her up; she gets to be a much loved only pet, with four people (including two teens) to dote on her! Spoiled? Naaaaahhhhh… every dog deserves that much love.

In case you are keeping track – Rocky, the last puppy, is not on this list, but only because he hasn’t joined his new family yet! He is most definitely adopted, by another wonderful family with 3 kids who can hardly wait for him to arrive. Look for him in an upcoming adopted update!

Trudy

Trudy is a sweet mid-sized dog who is a definite “LeMutte” original creation! The vet called her a golden retriever mix, but she looks more like a hound/shepherd mix overall; she came in as a starving stray, all her ribs and her hipbones are prominent (but we’ll fatten her up in no time). She seems very grateful for the soft place to sleep and the regular meals.

We are estimating Trudy’s birth date as 2/8/09, making her about 2 1/2 years old – though her teeth are very white, so she may be a little younger. Trudy has an odd little “hitch” in her gait – when she gets moving fairly quickly, her rear legs sort of swing to the right side, and when she runs, she sort of “hops” with her hind legs while running normally with her . . . → Read More: New adoptable dog: TRUDY]]>

Trudy

Trudy is a sweet mid-sized dog who is a definite “LeMutte” original creation! The vet called her a golden retriever mix, but she looks more like a hound/shepherd mix overall; she came in as a starving stray, all her ribs and her hipbones are prominent (but we’ll fatten her up in no time). She seems very grateful for the soft place to sleep and the regular meals.

We are estimating Trudy’s birth date as 2/8/09, making her about 2 1/2 years old – though her teeth are very white, so she may be a little younger. Trudy has an odd little “hitch” in her gait – when she gets moving fairly quickly, her rear legs sort of swing to the right side, and when she runs, she sort of “hops” with her hind legs while running normally with her front legs. This could be the result of an old injury – possibly a run-in with a car? – that healed oddly, or it could be caused by a lack of muscle mass due to starvation. It doesn’t seem to slow her down much, and she doesn’t seem to be in pain. Everything internal seems to function just fine, too!

Trudy is a calm and happy girl; she is working on the “play” concept, LOVES “cookies” and enjoys just lying at a person’s feet, relaxing. She is pretty tolerant of other dogs, but isn’t crazy about super-energetic or super-yappy playmates; she’d prefer another calm dog companion, or would also do fine as an only dog. She hasn’t had an official cat test yet, but when she spotted the cats out on their sunporch, she went on “high alert” and barked and barked, so we already know your cat will need to be a “dog-alpha” kitty who will stand their ground! After Trudy has her cat test, we’ll update.

We think Trudy is housetrained, but she doesn’t seem to know any actual commands. She has a very loving personality, and will be a terrific companion.

See Trudy’s listing for lots more photos and a video.

Buster crawled out from under an abandoned cabin at the beginning of June, emaciated, terrified, and with a badly broken jaw. In spite of his fear and the incredible amount of pain he was in, he has always been incredibly sweet and gentle. We’ve had him in foster care for 2 months now, with many vet trips to help him heal, and to treat abscesses and infections that resulted from the jaw break. He’s missing a few teeth, and his poor head will always be a bit misshapen due to the nature of the breaks in his jaw (yes, more than one place), but he is now healthy, happy, and ready to go to a fabulous forever home!

Buster is a pit bull terrier – possibly with a little boxer . . . → Read More: New adoptable dog: BUSTER]]>  

Buster

Buster crawled out from under an abandoned cabin at the beginning of June, emaciated, terrified, and with a badly broken jaw. In spite of his fear and the incredible amount of pain he was in, he has always been incredibly sweet and gentle. We’ve had him in foster care for 2 months now, with many vet trips to help him heal, and to treat abscesses and infections that resulted from the jaw break. He’s missing a few teeth, and his poor head will always be a bit misshapen due to the nature of the breaks in his jaw (yes, more than one place), but he is now healthy, happy, and ready to go to a fabulous forever home!

Buster is a pit bull terrier – possibly with a little boxer in the mix, as he doesn’t quite conform to a pure pit bull standard – so before applying to adopt him, please check with your home insurer, and check any community/county rules regarding pit bull ownership.

He has been fostering in a very loving family, where he’s been great with the other dogs and the cat, and loves all the people he meets. He is not possessive over food or toys, and will let people take things right out of his mouth. Buster is just so grateful to be out of pain, well-fed, and in a safe, loving, secure place – there’s just nothing like a grateful rescue dog!

See his full listing, with more photos and a video.

LeMutte Pups Rocky, Eddy, FiFi, CeeCee, GeeGee

Our latest puppy arrivals are super-cute LeMutte pups, with some Australian Shepherd on the mother’s side, and who knows what else.  They were born 5/22/11, and will be ready to go home by mid-August. You can see all their individual listings, and a video of all the pups, on our Dogs page.

Beauty on 7-21

Remember this poor girl, abandoned outside the shelter on 7/21? Well, sometimes things are just meant to be. To the left is a photo of her the day she was abandoned.

Turns out, she captured the heart of one of our wonderful volunteers, and our volunteer clearly captured Beauty’s heart too – she just lights up when she sees him, and you can just see the joy she feels knowing she is going home to her forever family (which includes Maia, a kitty they adopted earlier this year!).

So glad Beauty will have a happy ending. Below is a photo of her today, just before she went through the door to go HOME!

Remember this poor girl, abandoned outside the shelter on 7/21? Well, sometimes things are just meant to be. To the left is a photo of her the day she was abandoned.

Turns out, she captured the heart of one of our wonderful volunteers, and our volunteer clearly captured Beauty’s heart too – she just lights up when she sees him, and you can just see the joy she feels knowing she is going home to her forever family (which includes Maia, a kitty they adopted earlier this year!).

So glad Beauty will have a happy ending. Below is a photo of her today, just before she went through the door to go HOME!

Beauty on adoption day 8/2/11

Adopted week of 7-24 to 7-30

It’s been another fun adoption week at Forget Me Not! These are the lucky pets who have fabulous new homes (starting with the top row, left to right):

DUQUELLA has joined her “big canine brother” Simon and a fabulous fun family in Federal Way with 4 super kids; she was great on the drive to Monroe, and sends kisses back to all the volunteers.

DURANGO gets to be a best-buddy for a fantastic couple in Lincoln, a beautiful rural part of Washington – they drove all the way to the shelter to pick him up earlier this week! He has a dog buddy now, who came along to pick him up, and it looks like everyone will be great friends.

ALLISTAR (who used to be Alvarez) has a fantastic life ahead of him in . . . → Read More: Look who went home this week!]]>

Adopted week of 7-24 to 7-30

It’s been another fun adoption week at Forget Me Not! These are the lucky pets who have fabulous new homes (starting with the top row, left to right):

DUQUELLA has joined her “big canine brother” Simon and a fabulous fun family in Federal Way with 4 super kids; she was great on the drive to Monroe, and sends kisses back to all the volunteers.

DURANGO gets to be a best-buddy for a fantastic couple in Lincoln, a beautiful rural part of Washington – they drove all the way to the shelter to pick him up earlier this week! He has a dog buddy now, who came along to pick him up, and it looks like everyone will be great friends.

ALLISTAR (who used to be Alvarez) has a fantastic life ahead of him in Seattle, growing up with his human “sister” and his new cat buddy, who is just about the same age as Allistar… no more Single Kitten Syndrome for that happy family (ha).

LILIKA (formerly Lampang) moved home to Moses Lake via a special transport stop in Leavenworth; she joins 3 humans and a cat buddy and a dog buddy – we know she’ll be in charge soon!

SHADOW (who we knew as Aljariz) gets to be a pampered only-pet in a Mountlake Terrace home with 4 fun people; he’ll love being spoiled.

FLORA finally gets to go home! She was our last remaining 2010 arrival, and spent almost 8 months with us before her wonderful new family invited her home.

RAPHAEL (formerly Pattani) will be sharing his Seattle person (a professional groomer and trainer!) with 2 dog “brothers” – and we know he’s going to love playing with them, he is a fearless kitten!

BOULDER has joined one of our previous year’s adopted kitties, Aguafria, in Silverdale, to be a playmate for her – we are always delighted when a prior adopter comes back to us for a new buddy, and are thrilled that Boulder and Aguafria have the same family now.

MEMO headed out on our Spokane transport last Sunday, and has already sent in a happy report from her new home in Chewelah, where she is really enjoying sleeping on the bed with her new people. She gets to be the only cat, and has apparently reached a comfortable understanding with the dogs in the home (even the mastiff).

TUCKER (who used to be Rocket) has a built-in big brother, Rascal the cat, to show him around his happy new home in Issiquah.

STEELE decided he was going to be the co-pilot on the Monroe delivery; he chewed through TWO backseat seatbelt/tether leashes, until we finally gave up and let him ride in the front passenger seat, making the human co-pilot move to the back seat. We think he was just SO excited about becoming the lucky only pet for a home in Mukilteo with two girls of his own to play with, that he wanted to be the first to spot them!

Keep an eye on the website next week; we have 15 new kittens and 5 puppies who will be listed as soon as we get them photographed!

Phoebe and Kittens

Here we have Phoebe and her five practically identical little boy kittens! They were surrendered to the shelter by someone who was no longer able to care for them, and now all are up for adoption.

The kittens were born 5/17/11. They are wonderfully socialized, very easy to handle, affectionate, curious, and playful – they will all be great in any type of family.

These kittens spent a little time outside prior to being surrendered, so they could probably do ok as indoor-outdoor cats, though would do best as indoor-only cats, at least until they are older. They are all very happy, healthy, and playful – all are litterbox trained and will be ready to go home at the end of July.

Mama Phoebe, like all her babies, has a white spot on her throat, and the . . . → Read More: New adoptable pets: Phoebe and the Kittens!]]>

Phoebe and Kittens

Here we have Phoebe and her five practically identical little boy kittens! They were surrendered to the shelter by someone who was no longer able to care for them, and now all are up for adoption.

The kittens were born 5/17/11. They are wonderfully socialized, very easy to handle, affectionate, curious, and playful – they will all be great in any type of family.

These kittens spent a little time outside prior to being surrendered, so they could probably do ok as indoor-outdoor cats, though would do best as indoor-only cats, at least until they are older. They are all very happy, healthy, and playful – all are litterbox trained and will be ready to go home at the end of July.

Mama Phoebe, like all her babies, has a white spot on her throat, and the rest of her fur is a beautiful black that glows chocolate brown in the right light. She has a regal bearing – you just know she would have been happy to be worshipped in ancient Egypt – yet she is still very playful and affectionate.

Phoebe is just over a year old, and had been an indoor-outdoor cat before arriving at the shelter. She would be happy either as an indoor only cat, or as an indoor-outdoor cat… she is too affectionate and interested in humans to really enjoy an outdoor-only lifestyle. We think she will be great with people of all ages.

Check our Cats Page to find these beautiful kitties’ full listings, which include a video of the whole family.

(top row) Durango, Donastia, Delgado, DonBenito (bottom row) Pattani, Rocket, Lampang

…and it begins again, the latest summer kitten caboodle! In the past 2 weeks, the shelter has taken in 32 cats and kittens (plus one temporary resident mom-cat who will go home after her kittens are weaned and mom has been spayed). We are starting off today with 7 of our new arrivals.

The 4 “shades of grey” kittens in the top row were all born 4/7/11. They arrived from a feral colony – at first, we thought they were all going to have to go back as part of the Trap-Neuter-Return process because they were a bit too old, but the property owner did a great job socializing them and they are now able to go out as pets. These 4 have already been spayed/neutered and can go . . . → Read More: New adoptable kittens listed 7/15/11]]>

(top row) Durango, Donastia, Delgado, DonBenito (bottom row) Pattani, Rocket, Lampang

…and it begins again, the latest summer kitten caboodle! In the past 2 weeks, the shelter has taken in 32 cats and kittens (plus one temporary resident mom-cat who will go home after her kittens are weaned and mom has been spayed). We are starting off today with 7 of our new arrivals.

The 4 “shades of grey” kittens in the top row were all born 4/7/11. They arrived from a feral colony – at first, we thought they were all going to have to go back as part of the Trap-Neuter-Return process because they were a bit too old, but the property owner did a great job socializing them and they are now able to go out as pets. These 4 have already been spayed/neutered and can go home at any time. They are

The 3 kittens in the bottom row were an “oops” litter born 5/12/11. Mom-cat has been scheduled for spay and we are now looking for new homes for these three super-friendly little ones, all of whom will be spayed/neutered and ready to go home by the end of July.

Find the individual listings for each of these kittens on our Cats Page – just click on each photo to bring up the full listing, with more photos and a video for each litter.

We’ll have one more litter of kittens plus their mom that will be listed in the next few days, as they will be ready to go by the end of July… then look for three MORE litters of kittens plus two of their moms, who will be listed at the beginning of August (the kittens are just 2-4 weeks old right now, awwwwww).

Special thanks to Laura Brown, our cat intake volunteer; Charlene Steele, our itty bitty kitty foster home; and all the fantastic kitten socializers who are visiting with all these little ones. 29 kittens in residence at one time may be a record for us!

Silver, medium-haired grey tabby for adoption

Silver is a a friendly, open girl whose owner could not care for her, so she is now waiting for you to invite her home. Silver’s estimated birth date is March 1, 2009, so she’s between 2-3 now. She has a lovely, medium length grey tabby coat and arresting golden eyes.

Silver is an extremely affectionate cat – she has a definite “lap-cat” quality, and loves to be petted and brushed. She is easy-going, enjoys the other cats she’s met so far, and has a curious and trusting nature. She would be great in a home with children, and would appreciate having an inviting lap available much of the time. She was an outside cat before arriving at the shelter, and seems to be really enjoying . . . → Read More: New adoptable cat: SILVER]]>

Silver, medium-haired grey tabby for adoption

Silver is a a friendly, open girl whose owner could not care for her, so she is now waiting for you to invite her home. Silver’s estimated birth date is March 1, 2009, so she’s between 2-3 now. She has a lovely, medium length grey tabby coat and arresting golden eyes.

Silver is an extremely affectionate cat – she has a definite “lap-cat” quality, and loves to be petted and brushed. She is easy-going, enjoys the other cats she’s met so far, and has a curious and trusting nature. She would be great in a home with children, and would appreciate having an inviting lap available much of the time. She was an outside cat before arriving at the shelter, and seems to be really enjoying the comfort and relaxation of an indoor life in her cat room – we think Silver will always like to sleep on someone’s bed, though she could be a good indoor-outdoor cat as long as she got lots of attention and affection and was primarily a house cat.

See her full listing: Silver

Cat Adoptions week of 7-2-11

Wow! The delivery of adopted pets to Monroe today had 23 total shelter pets heading for their new families, plus we had another 5 pets picked up at the shelter this week! Definitely the biggest adoption transport ever for us, and the biggest weekly total of adoptions.

ALISAR went home with BARRIO (2nd row, 4th from left), where they will definitely be ruling the home and bringing laughs to their new people in no time.

ALCAZAR captured the heart of a local cat lover, and is busy being pampered; he will probably have a new name soon.

AGUILAR and ALEGRIA get to stay together, and we bet they will be snuggling up with their new boy soon.

BACARES is another local adoption, where he gets to be cuddled and loved as much as he . . . → Read More: Look who went home this week, part 2: CATS!]]>

Cat Adoptions week of 7-2-11

Wow! The delivery of adopted pets to Monroe today had 23 total shelter pets heading for their new families, plus we had another 5 pets picked up at the shelter this week! Definitely the biggest adoption transport ever for us, and the biggest weekly total of adoptions.

ALISAR went home with BARRIO (2nd row, 4th from left), where they will definitely be ruling the home and bringing laughs to their new people in no time.

ALCAZAR captured the heart of a local cat lover, and is busy being pampered; he will probably have a new name soon.

AGUILAR and ALEGRIA get to stay together, and we bet they will be snuggling up with their new boy soon.

BACARES is another local adoption, where he gets to be cuddled and loved as much as he wants. Probably a new name for him soon, too!

BADALEJOS is now BAXTER; he will be sharing his home with a toy poodle, who we know he will love soon.

BAJO will be an adored only pet for a happy young couple.

BAJIA gets to be the “baby” in a home with 3 adults and 2 other kitties – lots of attention for her!

BARRIO went home with ALISAR (see above)

BALERMA (now WOOKIE) and CUENCA (now LILY) get to share their new home, which suits them just fine! They will love their new boy, too.

CORUNA (now TIKKI) is going to be SOOOOO spoiled as the only pet of a loving, retired person, awwwww.

CASTELLON and CACERES went home together, to friends of one of our prior adopters – word of mouth really helps these great homes find our kitties!

SOCKS (now Sergeant Sherman Tank, or TANK) has a boy of his own who loves him already, in spite of his bad eye.

CHARLENE and KATMANDU got to go home with each other, to a fantastic adopter we first placed a kitty with several years ago – now it’s time to add to the family, so off these two go! We love it when our adopters come back to us the next time they are looking for a friend.

You can keep up with any followups about their purrrrrfect new lives by going to our Adopted Page.

Phew! What a week! Now that all the babies have gone home, it’s time for all our wonderful adult cats and dogs to find their forever homes. Pass the word, lots of fantastic juveniles and older cats and dogs are waiting for you, or your friend, or your coworker, or….

Dog adoptions week of 7-2-11

We had 7 puppies leave on our Monroe transport today, plus 2 other puppies that were picked up by their new families at the shelter, and one adult dog who has found a loving home with one of our fantastic volunteers!

CHARLES has gone to a happy family with 3 kids/teens of his own! Their last dog learned to ring a bell when he wanted to go outside – we think Charles is a great candidate to learn that trick too.

FERGIE is now ZATARA, and she gets to be a “big sister” to 2 kitties in her new home with a loving couple.

KATE gets to be a lucky, “go everywhere” farm dog and companion, and she will rarely leave her new guy’s side.

DIANA is now TERRA; she gets to be the “big . . . → Read More: Look who went home this week, part 1: DOGS!]]>

Dog adoptions week of 7-2-11

We had 7 puppies leave on our Monroe transport today, plus 2 other puppies that were picked up by their new families at the shelter, and one adult dog who has found a loving home with one of our fantastic volunteers!

CHARLES has gone to a happy family with 3 kids/teens of his own! Their last dog learned to ring a bell when he wanted to go outside – we think Charles is a great candidate to learn that trick too.

FERGIE is now ZATARA, and she gets to be a “big sister” to 2 kitties in her new home with a loving couple.

KATE gets to be a lucky, “go everywhere” farm dog and companion, and she will rarely leave her new guy’s side.

DIANA is now TERRA; she gets to be the “big dog” in her new home, which she will be sharing with 2 little dogs, 2 kitties, and a kid of her own to play with.

ANDREW will be thrilled to be the new family member in a home with a stay-at-home parent and one small child (and a kitty) – he’ll love that much attention.

BEATRICE, now KIKAS, got to go home 2 days earlier than transport, because her new family just couldn’t wait any longer! She already loves her 2 boys, and we hear there may be some vacations with her family in the near future – lucky girl!

EUGENIE is now ZODIAC, and will be enjoying lots of attention from her two kids, too… nothing like kids and puppies!

ELIZABETH’s new name is MUKI; she’s changing citizenship to Canada, where she will be joining her big brother Koda, and will also get to go on family vacations.

PIPPA is getting one of those most-appreciated accoutrements – a doggy door to the fenced back yard! Once she’s potty trained, she and her new “brother” Sydney will get to spend all day playing in their choice of locations (I can see it already… IN… then OUT…. now IN…. then OUT… then IN – “hey, I can’t get in if you are trying to go out!”)

And, finally, DELILAH (now DEDE) has a fantastic home with one of our terrific volunteers; we will all get to see her lots! She doesn’t seem to be missing her kids (Beatrice, Eugenie, Elizabeth and Pippa) at all, LOL. Such a happy girl.

You can keep up with any followups on these cuties by going to our Adopted Page.

On to part 2: Cats!

Hoss, Maia, Sloane

It’s always nice, in the midst of kitten and puppy adoptions, to see some of our patient adult pets finding their new homes.

Hoss has gone home to be with the boy he fell in love with; we are hoping they will bond quickly and easily, and that Hoss will now have the chance to be the grand, happy dog he knows he can be!

Maia sold herself to her adopter, by jumping on his lap and cuddling up under his chin; hopefully the other cats will learn from her example, so the next “drop-in” adoption will have an ending as happy as Maia’s.

Finally, Sloane had multiple opportunities this week, any one of which would have been a great fit for him – but none greater than becoming a permanent family member in the home where . . . → Read More: Look who went home this week: Hoss, Maia, and Sloane!]]>

Hoss, Maia, Sloane

It’s always nice, in the midst of kitten and puppy adoptions, to see some of our patient adult pets finding their new homes.

Hoss has gone home to be with the boy he fell in love with; we are hoping they will bond quickly and easily, and that Hoss will now have the chance to be the grand, happy dog he knows he can be!

Maia sold herself to her adopter, by jumping on his lap and cuddling up under his chin; hopefully the other cats will learn from her example, so the next “drop-in” adoption will have an ending as happy as Maia’s.

Finally, Sloane had multiple opportunities this week, any one of which would have been a great fit for him – but none greater than becoming a permanent family member in the home where he was fostering. Every now and then, a foster pet becomes an integrated part of the family, to the point they can’t imagine living without the pet. Now Sloane can stay where he has blossomed over the past weeks, and we know he will be a happy little guy every day.

YAY! Let’s all do a Snoopy-style happy dance for these three lucky adults!

Ophelia (now Tessa) and Roland (now Finn)

A week with two “Big Black Dog” adoptions is a grand week indeed!

On Saturday 6/18, Ophelia joined her new family, who came many hours from Portland OR just to bring her home. Her new name is Tessa, and she will be sharing her home with another wonderful rescue dog; they seemed to like each other when they met Saturday, so we expect everything will go beautifully for Tessa.

A few days earlier, Roland met up with his new person, who came all the way from Bend, OR to Spokane to pick him up! Roland’s new name is Finn, and he is already happily settling in to his new routine, learning about his new friends the cats and chickens, and taking long, enthusiastic walks.

You can check up on your favorite adoptees’ progress . . . → Read More: Look who went home this week!]]>

Ophelia (now Tessa) and Roland (now Finn)

A week with two “Big Black Dog” adoptions is a grand week indeed!

On Saturday 6/18, Ophelia joined her new family, who came many hours from Portland OR just to bring her home. Her new name is Tessa, and she will be sharing her home with another wonderful rescue dog; they seemed to like each other when they met Saturday, so we expect everything will go beautifully for Tessa.

A few days earlier, Roland met up with his new person, who came all the way from Bend, OR to Spokane to pick him up! Roland’s new name is Finn, and he is already happily settling in to his new routine, learning about his new friends the cats and chickens, and taking long, enthusiastic walks.

You can check up on your favorite adoptees’ progress on our Adopted page!

Delilah, Ophelia, Diana, Charles, Fergie, Kate

These 4 puppies – the “Royal” litter – and their Mom(s) Delilah and Ophelia have had an interesting and convoluted time up to arriving at the shelter. Charles, Fergie and Kate arrived as a sheriff’s impound, after being reported abandoned in a driveway, where they huddled together, lost and confused, until they were brought in. A few days later, one of our volunteers discovered someone giving away puppies, which they people claimed were two different litters from two sister mother dogs… they were also giving away the mother dogs, who were in horrifically thin condition. By the time we arrived, there was only one pup left, but the people admitted that the three we had on impound were also from these mothers’ two litters. We left with the fourth sibling, Diana, and both mothers, . . . → Read More: New Adoptable Dogs: Delilah, Ophelia, Diana, Charles, Fergie, Kate]]>

Delilah, Ophelia, Diana, Charles, Fergie, Kate

These 4 puppies – the “Royal” litter – and their Mom(s) Delilah and Ophelia have had an interesting and convoluted time up to arriving at the shelter. Charles, Fergie and Kate arrived as a sheriff’s impound, after being reported abandoned in a driveway, where they huddled together, lost and confused, until they were brought in. A few days later, one of our volunteers discovered someone giving away puppies, which they people claimed were two different litters from two sister mother dogs… they were also giving away the mother dogs, who were in horrifically thin condition. By the time we arrived, there was only one pup left, but the people admitted that the three we had on impound were also from these mothers’ two litters. We left with the fourth sibling, Diana, and both mothers, and are now trying to find all of them great new homes.

See their full listings on our Shelter Dog Page – just click on each dog’s picture to bring up the full listing.

We’re starting out a bit behind, but there is still time for us to climb the ranks

C kittens

Our next batch of adoptable kittens to introduce: the C kittens.

From top left, we have:

CASTELLON

CACERES

CORUNA

CUENCA

These cuties were born about 4/29/11, and were found in a wood pile, apparently orphaned (they were starving and no mom was located after 2 days of looking).

They are doing wonderfully in foster care, and will all be ready to go home at the very end of June/beginning of July.

If you visit our main Cats page you can click on each kitten’s photo to see all the pictures of that kitten, plus a video of the kittens playing.

*It’s hard to constantly come up with new names… to help us keep the litters straight, so we know who is who, we choose themes for each batch. Right now, we are working with alphabetical Spanish place . . . → Read More: New adoptable kittens: the C group]]>

C kittens

Our next batch of adoptable kittens to introduce: the C kittens.

From top left, we have:

CASTELLON

CACERES

CORUNA

CUENCA

These cuties were born about 4/29/11, and were found in a wood pile, apparently orphaned (they were starving and no mom was located after 2 days of looking).

They are doing wonderfully in foster care, and will all be ready to go home at the very end of June/beginning of July.

If you visit our main Cats page you can click on each kitten’s photo to see all the pictures of that kitten, plus a video of the kittens playing.

*It’s hard to constantly come up with new names… to help us keep the litters straight, so we know who is who, we choose themes for each batch. Right now, we are working with alphabetical Spanish place names.

DuQuella

DuQuella is named for one of our adopters/facebook friends; we chose this name because it rhymes with our other juvenile black dog, Ella – too cute! (We’ll occasionally be stealing facebook friends’ names for our pets; ideas are hard to find, ha).

DuQuella looks like a LeMutte dog, we can only guess that she may have some black Labrador and some sort of shepherd in her mix; she’s much smaller than a full Lab, approximate weight right now is 35-40 pounds, and we are guessing she was born around 12/1/10, so she’s just over 6 months old right now. She has some brown fur on the backs of her legs and her feet.

More photos and information

B kittens

Today, we are introducing our “B” kittens.*

The six kittens in this group came in at about 2 weeks old, from a feral colony on which we are doing Trap-Neuter-Return. They were bottle-fed and are now weaning to solid food. The orange boys were born about 4/23/11, and the tabby quartet are a bit older, born about 4/19/11.

They are (clockwise from upper left):

BACARES

BADALEROS

BAJO

BAJIA

BARRIO

BALERMA

If you visit our main Cats page you can click on each kitten’s photo to see all the pictures of that kitten, plus a video of the kittens playing.

*It’s hard to constantly come up with new names… to help us keep the litters straight, so we know who is who, we choose themes for each batch. Right now, we are working with alphabetical Spanish place . . . → Read More: New adoptable pets: Our “B” Kittens]]>

B kittens

Today, we are introducing our “B” kittens.*

The six kittens in this group came in at about 2 weeks old, from a feral colony on which we are doing Trap-Neuter-Return. They were bottle-fed and are now weaning to solid food. The orange boys were born about 4/23/11, and the tabby quartet are a bit older, born about 4/19/11.

They are (clockwise from upper left):

BACARES

BADALEROS

BAJO

BAJIA

BARRIO

BALERMA

If you visit our main Cats page you can click on each kitten’s photo to see all the pictures of that kitten, plus a video of the kittens playing.

*It’s hard to constantly come up with new names… to help us keep the litters straight, so we know who is who, we choose themes for each batch. Right now, we are working with alphabetical Spanish place names.

"A" kittens

For everyone who is sad because Poppie’s kittens are gone… don’t worry! Over the next few days we will have many more fun and fabulous kittens for you to meet! Today, we are introducing our “A” kittens.*

This quartet has three black and white brothers, plus a calico sister, all of whom will be ready to go home by the last week of June. They were born 4/27/11, and have been at the shelter since they were 2 weeks old.

They are (clockwise from upper left):

ALISAR

ALCAZAR

ALEGRIA

AGUILAR

If you visit our main Cats page you can click on each kitten’s photo to see all the pictures of that kitten, plus a video of the kittens playing.

*It’s hard to constantly come up with new names… to help us keep the litters straight, so we . . . → Read More: New Adoptable Pets: our “A” Kittens!]]>

"A" kittens

For everyone who is sad because Poppie’s kittens are gone… don’t worry! Over the next few days we will have many more fun and fabulous kittens for you to meet! Today, we are introducing our “A” kittens.*

This quartet has three black and white brothers, plus a calico sister, all of whom will be ready to go home by the last week of June. They were born 4/27/11, and have been at the shelter since they were 2 weeks old.

They are (clockwise from upper left):

ALISAR

ALCAZAR

ALEGRIA

AGUILAR

If you visit our main Cats page you can click on each kitten’s photo to see all the pictures of that kitten, plus a video of the kittens playing.

*It’s hard to constantly come up with new names… to help us keep the litters straight, so we know who is who, we choose themes for each batch. Right now, we are working with alphabetical Spanish place names.

Adopted pets 6-4-11

At 9:00 a.m. today, nine lucky pets set out with volunteer driver Sarah, on their way to meet their new families on the western side of the state.

AGUAFRIA is going to be a pampered indoor only-kitty with a terrific young couple.

POPPIE also gets to be an only-kitty (she says “yay”), and will be a great sidekick for her new mom, a lovely woman who is very cat-savvy!

SILVERLIGHT will be meeting his new “big sister” kitty, Boots – bet they will make a terrific pair.

MANDI gets to have a girl of her very own, plus dog and hamster buddies!

PETER will be in doggie nirvana when he meets the pack at his new home; he gets to go on trail rides with the horses, too.

KELSEA has two children to love her, and she . . . → Read More: Look who went home on 6-4-11]]>

Adopted pets 6-4-11

At 9:00 a.m. today, nine lucky pets set out with volunteer driver Sarah, on their way to meet their new families on the western side of the state.

AGUAFRIA is going to be a pampered indoor only-kitty with a terrific young couple.

POPPIE also gets to be an only-kitty (she says “yay”), and will be a great sidekick for her new mom, a lovely woman who is very cat-savvy!

SILVERLIGHT will be meeting his new “big sister” kitty, Boots – bet they will make a terrific pair.

MANDI gets to have a girl of her very own, plus dog and hamster buddies!

PETER will be in doggie nirvana when he meets the pack at his new home; he gets to go on trail rides with the horses, too.

KELSEA has two children to love her, and she will get lots of attention as the only pet!

SHERLOCK and MELVIN are going to the same home – they will love that. Melvin’s new name is TAZ which we think fits him perfectly. They will have a boy to play with them, too!

NIKE is going to be a single-kitty companion for her new person, and will be safe and loved as an indoor kitty, with regular grooming to help her fur grow back in wonderful condition.

We can’t wait to hear how these lucky pets are doing in their new homes. Transport day is one of our favorite times at the shelter!

Hera

We don’t get a lot of “drop-in” adoptions way out here in the boonies (ha), but today was Hera’s lucky day! A lovely couple came to meet the kitties, and Hera hitched a ride home with them. She will have a “sister” to play with, too. Always a great day when an adult kitty finds a home.

Sylvie and Mystic, adopted 5/31/11

Lucky Sylvie the Great Pyrenees/Malamute mix, and Mystic (formerly Patch Tuesday), one of Poppie’s kittens, went home with Republic area families on 5/31. We’ve included one of Mystic’s baby photos above – amazing how much they change in just a couple of months. YAY for happy endings!

Nike

Nike is having a bad hair day. Well, OK, it will be more like a bad hair month… or two. As you can see from her head and tail, Nike is a gorgeous long-haired dilute tortoiseshell girl, with beautiful grey, cream, and white patterning. Unfortunately, due to who knows how long spent outside without love and regular grooming, she was so matted when she arrived at the shelter that all we could do was remove much of her fur along her sides and back, right down to the skin. It will grow back as baby-fine and silky as the fur we were able to comb out on her tail, but it will take a couple of months for her to be her fully beautiful self. She’s a little bit embarrassed to have you see her like this, but we . . . → Read More: New adoptable cat: NIKE]]>

Nike

Nike is having a bad hair day. Well, OK, it will be more like a bad hair month… or two. As you can see from her head and tail, Nike is a gorgeous long-haired dilute tortoiseshell girl, with beautiful grey, cream, and white patterning. Unfortunately, due to who knows how long spent outside without love and regular grooming, she was so matted when she arrived at the shelter that all we could do was remove much of her fur along her sides and back, right down to the skin. It will grow back as baby-fine and silky as the fur we were able to comb out on her tail, but it will take a couple of months for her to be her fully beautiful self. She’s a little bit embarrassed to have you see her like this, but we told her someone would love her for who she is inside, plus the promise of the beauty she will have again someday.

Nike is a very sweet, gentle, affectionate girl; we are estimating her birthday as 5/1/2009, making her just over 2 years old. She seems to like the other cats in her room fine so far; we’ll be testing her out on dogs soon. She definitely is very people-oriented, and would be quite happy as an indoor or indoor-outdoor cat; just don’t forget to brush her for about 5 minutes each day, to keep that fur at its finest!

If you’ve always wanted a Persian cat for its fur, but preferred a face without that Persian squished look, then Nike is a great choice for you! She would do well in any family that has lots of love and cuddles to share, whether it’s a single working person in a small apartment or a big family in a 4-level megahome.

More photos and adoption information

Bottle Baby

Kitten season is in full swing here at Forget Me Not. Poppie’s babies got all the early press, from the novelty of having been born at the shelter… but now that they have all been chosen by adopters (and will all be going home in 7-10 days), the newcomers can have their moments in the spotlight!

Our primo kitten foster mama, Charlene, has been caring for 6 bottle babies who arrived from a feral colony at about 10 days old, plus another mom-cat and her litter of 5 who arrived when the kittens were just a few days old. Luckily, she has help from some of our other kitten-loving volunteers, like Kelsea and Carlene and Laura!

With another batch of unwanted kittens waiting in the wings, to be admitted after Poppie’s kittens have gone home, it looks like . . . → Read More: Kitten Season! Bottle babies and more]]>

Bottle Baby

Kitten season is in full swing here at Forget Me Not. Poppie’s babies got all the early press, from the novelty of having been born at the shelter… but now that they have all been chosen by adopters (and will all be going home in 7-10 days), the newcomers can have their moments in the spotlight!

Our primo kitten foster mama, Charlene, has been caring for 6 bottle babies who arrived from a feral colony at about 10 days old, plus another mom-cat and her litter of 5 who arrived when the kittens were just a few days old. Luckily, she has help from some of our other kitten-loving volunteers, like Kelsea and Carlene and Laura!

With another batch of unwanted kittens waiting in the wings, to be admitted after Poppie’s kittens have gone home, it looks like Forget Me Not will have just about every type of kitten you can imagine – something for everyone.

Mark your calendar: on June 1, check our Cats Page to see all the new kittens that will be ready to go home by the end of June.

Carlene & Kitten

Live near Republic and want to help with kittens? Give us a call at 775-2308; we can always use more foster homes, and more volunteers to help socialize the kittens in foster care and at the shelter. It’s so much fun!

Charlene & Kitten

Welcome home

One key to making successful shelter cat placements is managing the expectations of their new people. Here is some information, gleaned from various websites and the personal experiences of our adopters and volunteers, which we like to share with each cat adopter before the day they bring their new family member home. Have other ideas to help make the transition easier? Send us a comment below! You can never have too much good advice.

Welcome home!

Finding the cat of your dreams may have been easy, but fitting a new feline friend into your household usually requires a little patience and time.

To make your cat’s transition as comfortable as possible, we recommend placing her in a quiet, closed-in area such as a bedroom or a small room away from the main foot traffic and other pets, . . . → Read More: Bringing Home Your New Cat]]>

Welcome home

One key to making successful shelter cat placements is managing the expectations of their new people. Here is some information, gleaned from various websites and the personal experiences of our adopters and volunteers, which we like to share with each cat adopter before the day they bring their new family member home. Have other ideas to help make the transition easier? Send us a comment below! You can never have too much good advice.

Welcome home!

Finding the cat of your dreams may have been easy, but fitting a new feline friend into your household usually requires a little patience and time.

To make your cat’s transition as comfortable as possible, we recommend placing her in a quiet, closed-in area such as a bedroom or a small room away from the main foot traffic and other pets, providing food, water, and a litterbox.  Let your new pet get used to that one area for the first few days, sniffing your belongings and finding hiding places.  Make frequent visits to play with, feed, pet, and interact with your new cat.  Then you can begin slowly introducing her to the rest of your house, including the other pets.  We recommend keeping cats indoors at all times for their health and safety, and that of the birds and other outdoor animals, BUT if you decide you want your cat to be an indoor/outdoor cat, do NOT let her go outside for at least two weeks after bringing her home, and then begin with short, supervised visits to the yard, so your cat can get her bearings and recognize her home turf.  Always put a collar with ID information on a cat who goes outside.

Cat Buddies

INTRODUCING A NEW CAT TO A RESIDENT CAT

Your resident cat will sense this “intruder” in his home; be sure to spend extra time with your resident cat, to help relieve anxiety and tension. Place your resident cat’s food dish near the door to the room where the new cat is confined.  Gradually move the confined cat’s food closer to the inside of the door.  Feed them at the same time so they are separated by only the closed door.  Some growling and hissing is to be expected – this is NORMAL and does not mean the cats will never tolerate each other!

When neither cat growls, hisses, or spits, you are ready to move on to the next step: confine your resident cat, with its own food, water, and litter box, to a location with which he is comfortable.  Allow the new cat to explore your home for brief periods, accompanying it to give it the comfort of your presence as it explores.  Then return the new cat to her “safe room” and let your resident cat out of its room.

It is a good idea to rub each cat with a cloth to transfer its scent to the cloth, then place the cloth with the other cat so they can get used to each other’s scents.

After several days of this, you may be ready to let both cats roam in your house for the first time; try to plan this for mealtime.  Feed the cats in each other’s presence, placing their food dishes a comfortable distance apart.  Some hissing and hesitation are to be expected; hopefully the food will distract them from each other.  Wait only a few minutes after eating to return the new cat to its “safe room.”  If either cat is too disturbed to eat in the other’s presence, return the new cat to its “safe room” and try again the next day.  You can gradually move their food dishes closer to each other; allow the cats to spend progressively longer periods together after they have eaten.  It is advisable to maintain one litter box for each cat, although when they have accepted each other, each cat will likely use both boxes.  Be patient; most cats learn to accept each other over time.

Some anxiety in the resident cat can be alleviated by ignoring the new cat in the resident cat’s presence, and referring to the new cat as “resident-cat’s-name’s friend, new-cat’s-name” (example: “This is Sneakers’ friend Pumpkin, Sneakers will love to play with Pumpkin…”). Sounds weird, but it works!

Cat + Dog

INTRODUCING A NEW CAT TO A RESIDENT DOG

Be sure the dog is restrained on a firmly held short leash and the cat is free to escape; do not allow the cat to come within the dog’s biting range.  if your dog guards its food, the cat may risk injury if it approaches the dog’s food, and it may be necessary to move the dog’s food or confine the cat.  If the dog acts aggressively toward the cat, use corrective behavior techniques with the dog.  Dogs can usually be trained to ignore, or even play with, cats.

COMMON ISSUES WITH A NEW CAT OR KITTEN

My kitten doesn’t use his litterbox!

Sometimes cats and kittens are a bit overwhelmed when going to their new home; if they are allowed to roam in too large a space, they may take some time to learn where the litterbox is, and this can lead to accidents.  If you confine your new cat to one room at first, you can then gradually move his litterbox out of that room and into your preferred location, by moving it a few feet per day. The cat will most likely follow the box!  If you witness your kitten missing the box, you can place the kitten into the box and move its paw in a scratching motion – this helps the kitten associate the box with a place it can bury its waste.

My cat uses his litterbox, but sometimes she prefers to use my houseplants!

Fresh dirt can be irresistible to some cats looking for a burial spot; to discourage this behavior, cover the soil surface with pinecones – big and spiny are best.

My cat has runny stools!

This is an extremely common situation for cats and kittens moving to a new home; cats have very sensitive digestive systems, and just the stress of a big change can be enough to bring on diarrhea. Changes in diet that occur in a new home can also contribute to this problem.  It will usually clear up on its own in a few days; be sure the cat has enough water and easy access to the litterbox. If the problem persists or worsens, consult your veterinarian – although shelters do their best to prevent and eradicate diseases among cats, there are a number of minor things that can cause diarrhea; most are easily treated once identified by a stool sample.

My kitten is sneezing and has runny eyes and nose!

One of the most common ailments to strike cats and kittens right after moving to a new home is the upper respiratory infection, or URI. Again, stress is the culprit; kittens that showed no symptoms prior to being placed in the carrier for transport, can begin showing symptoms in a matter of hours after arriving in the vast, scary, unknown world of your house.  Usually, the kitten’s immune system will fight off the URI in just a few days without any veterinary intervention. The closest human example is the common cold; when we are stressed, we are more susceptible to infection by the virus, but generally fight it off quickly with just a bit of chicken soup. (Yes, go ahead and give chicken soup to the kitten if it makes you feel better). If your kitten is not listless or dehydrated, and not running a very high fever, there really won’t be much else you can do to help them get over the “cold” besides cuddling and petting them (OK, OK, and chicken soup).  If, however, your kitten’s nose or eyes begin secreting yellowish or greenish mucous, or the third eyelid begins showing prominently, or your kitten is extremely listless, he may be suffering from a secondary bacterial infection – those CAN be treated with a course of easily administered antibiotics, so definitely take him to see the doctor, and “supercharge” that chicken soup.

My kitten is shredding my couch!

Inappropriate scratching CAN be cured. The first thing is to provide several appropriate scratching places so your kitten can choose the material it likes; sisal posts, corrugated cardboard pads, even logs have been used with success.  Then, to discourage the unwanted scratching, wrap the chosen item in tape, sticky side out – cats DESPISE this feeling on their paws.

My cat won’t come out from under the bed!

She is undoubtedly frightened and disoriented by being in a new place; use this room as her “safe room” for the first few days, and go in and talk quietly to her, read her a book, play music for her – but DON’T force her to come out.  She wants to be friends – she’s just not sure what to expect. Take your time and show her you’re not a big, scary monster, and that she now belongs with you – no more cages or uncertainty!  Cats can be a challenge, but a little patience works wonders.

Here’s a good article on cat communication: http://www.wikihow.com/Communicate-with-Your-Cat

Image Credits:
Cat Buddies: Copyright © 2003 Kim Gillen, available under CC-BY-SA 3.0 Unported.
Cat + Dog: Copyright © 2010 Sean Gillen, available under CC-BY-SA 3.0 Unported.

Ella

Ella is a beautiful, petite mixed-breed “LeMutte” girl, who was found on a forest service road in the Colville National Forest, far from homes and people. No one came to claim her during her impound period, so she is now looking for a terrific new forever home. Her beautiful, glossy black coat, wide forehead, and “otter” tail look like she has some black Labrador retriever in her mix, but we can’t begin to guess what else is in there. She is a medium size dog, with long legs.

We are estimating Ella’s birth date as 8/15/10, making her just over 9 months old. She has that frisky puppy energy, and a happy disposition. She is eager to please, loves other dogs, and seems to be very smart.

More information and photos

Boulder

Boulder is a wonderful and handsome black and white guy, full of charm and charisma. He is both playful and affectionate, and seems tolerant of other cats. Boulder was surrendered to the shelter by someone who could not afford to care for him, and we want to find him a great new home full of love and comfort.

Boulder was born in March, 2010, so he is just over a year old right now. He would do well as an indoor or indoor-outdoor cat, and should be fine with older children and all adults.

More photos and adoption information

Yay, a new toy!

One key to making successful shelter dog placements is managing the expectations of their new people. Here is some information, gleaned from various websites and the personal experiences of our adopters and volunteers, which we like to share with each dog adopter before the day they bring their new family member home. Have other ideas to help make the transition easier? Send us a comment below! You can never have too much good advice.

Finding the dog of your dreams may have been easy, but fitting a new canine friend into your household usually requires a little patience and time.

To make your dog’s transition as comfortable as possible, we recommend keeping your new dog on a leash or at your side at first.  Show him where his water and food dish are kept. . . . → Read More: Bringing Home Your New Dog]]>

Yay, a new toy!

One key to making successful shelter dog placements is managing the expectations of their new people. Here is some information, gleaned from various websites and the personal experiences of our adopters and volunteers, which we like to share with each dog adopter before the day they bring their new family member home. Have other ideas to help make the transition easier? Send us a comment below! You can never have too much good advice.

Welcome home!

Finding the dog of your dreams may have been easy, but fitting a new canine friend into your household usually requires a little patience and time.

To make your dog’s transition as comfortable as possible, we recommend keeping your new dog on a leash or at your side at first.  Show him where his water and food dish are kept.  Show him where he is to sleep.  When he is indoors be sure to keep him confined or with you, taking him outdoors at frequent intervals to relieve himself.   Take him to the same spot each time and praise him heartily when he goes.   Until he learns this new routine he will have to be watched closely.  If there is an accident in the house please do not assume he is not housebroken.  He must get accustomed to his new home and his new routines.  However, if you catch him in the act of eliminating in the house, loudly say “NO!” and take him outside immediately.  NEVER hit your dog if an accident occurs.   Praise, not punishment, is the key to a well behaved pet.

The first couple of weeks you and your pet are “getting to know one another”; he doesn’t know why he has come to your home, nor what is expected of him.   Please be patient with him and anticipate problems before they occur.  Don’t leave tempting shoes, clothing, or children’s toys within reach of your dog.

When he’s first settling in, your dog may experience shyness, anxiety, restlessness, excitement, crying or barking.  He may exhibit excessive water drinking, frequent urination, or diarrhea.  His appetite may not be good.  It is best to continue feeding the food your dog is used to from the shelter, and to slowly mix that food in with the food you and your veterinarian have chosen for your dog’s new regular diet.  Until your dog is settled, try to give bits of his regular kibble as treats, rather than introducing new forms of treats that may upset your dog’s digestive system; new treats may be added slowly after the dog has settled into his new routine in your home.  If your dog exhibits any medical symptoms that last more than a few days, take him to your veterinarian for evaluation.

Your new dog must learn a whole set of new rules.  Be patient and be consistent. If you want him off the furniture, don’t allow him to sit on the couch “sometimes”.  Don’t allow him to do something one time and forbid it another.  There are numerous resources for training tips and methods, online and at your library. If you have access to obedience classes, they can be a great way to bond with your new dog and teach him what you want him to do – dogs just want to please you!

Meeting the Big Dog

 

INTRODUCING A NEW DOG TO A RESIDENT DOG

Introduce the dogs in a neutral location so that your resident dog is less likely to view the newcomer as a territorial intruder. Each dog should be handled by a separate person. With both dogs on a leash, take them to an area with which neither is familiar, such as a park or a neighbor’s yard.  From the first meeting, you want both dogs to expect “good things” to happen when they’re in each other’s presence. Let them sniff each other, which is normal canine greeting behavior. As they do, talk to them in a happy, friendly tone of voice – never use a threatening tone of voice. Don’t allow them to investigate and sniff each other for a prolonged time, as this may escalate to an aggressive response. After a short time, get both dogs’ attention, and give each dog a treat in return for obeying a simple command, such as “sit” or “stay.” Take the dogs for a walk and let them sniff and investigate each other at intervals. Continue with the “happy talk,” food rewards and simple commands.  Watch carefully for body postures that indicate an aggressive response, including hair standing up on the other dog’s back, teeth-baring, deep growls, a stiff legged gait or a prolonged stare. If you see such postures, interrupt the interaction immediately by calmly and positively getting each dog interested in something else.

Puppies usually pester adult dogs unmercifully. Before the age of four months, puppies may not recognize subtle body postures from adult dogs signaling that they’ve had enough. Well-socialized adult dogs with good temperaments may set limits with puppies with a growl or snarl. These behaviors are normal and should be allowed. Adult dogs that aren’t well-socialized, or that have a history of fighting with other dogs, may attempt to set limits with more aggressive behaviors, such as biting, which could harm the puppy. For this reason, a puppy shouldn’t be left alone with an adult dog until you’re confident the puppy isn’t in any danger. Be sure to give the adult dog some quiet time away from the puppy, and perhaps, some individual attention as described above. (Humane Society of the United States, 2009)

Fast Friends

 

INTRODUCING A NEW DOG TO A RESIDENT CAT
Be sure the dog is restrained on a firmly held short leash and the cat is free to escape; do not allow the cat to come within the dog’s biting range.  If your dog guards its food, the cat may risk injury if it approaches the dog’s food, and it may be necessary to move the dog’s food or confine the cat.  If the dog acts aggressively toward the cat, use corrective behavior techniques with the dog.  Dogs can usually be trained to ignore, or even play with, cats. When you leave the house, separate the animals in physically, securely separated areas. Give each access to water, a bed or other suitable resting place, and some toys. Be sure the cat has access to a litter box. For the cat’s safety, make sure the cat has escape routes to get away from the dog. For example, a cat door leading to another room in the house and ledges on which he can easily jump. Always provide places where each animal can retreat for safety and privacy, a spot that is his or hers alone. A cat can use the top of the refrigerator; a dog can use a crate. (Fry, 2005)

HOUSETRAINING TIPS:

Consistency is the key. One well-received training method involves three different types of confinement.

1. When you will be at home, keep the puppy on a leash at your side at all times. Take him outside each hour, to your chosen “bathroom” area, and stay there for 5-10 minutes. If your pup goes, praise him enthusiastically and reward him with a treat. If he doesn’t go, just bring him back inside and keep him on the leash next to you; repeat the process in another hour.

2. When you will be away for short periods (1-2 hours for very young pups, 3-6 hours for older pups), confine the pup to his comfy crate with his favorite cuddly toy and a treat; make the crate a fun place for him, but make sure it isn’t large enough for him to choose one corner as his bathroom! He needs just enough room to stand up, turn around, lie down, and have small food & water dishes available. He will try VERY VERY HARD to not soil his crate if it is his “bedroom” and “kitchen” and doesn’t have room to be the “bathroom” too.  Be sure to let the pup outside immediately when you return, and praise him and reward him when he goes (particularly if he tries to make it all the way to the designated spot in the yard).

3. When you must be away for a longer period, it is unrealistic to expect a young pup to “hold it” for 5, 8, or 10 hours.  Instead, you must find a place where the pup can be confined to a cleanable area; many people use exercise pens on a bathroom, laundry room, kitchen or garage floor. Inside the pen, place newspapers across most of the floor space; put the puppy’s crate inside the pen, propped open, with a comfort toy and a treat, and put food and water dishes close to the crate; you have now created the bedroom, kitchen, and bathroom areas for the pup.  As your pup gets better at this, gradually reduce the amount of floor that is covered in newspaper… your pup will eventually become so good at going only on the paper, that you can leave just one width of newspaper down and the pup will go there every time. (NOTE: adult dogs trained in this method can reliably be expected to seek out any newspaper they can find if they are left at home alone for a little too long; this can save your slippers in the long run).

If this method doesn’t work for you, there are many websites and books dedicated to different training methods – keep trying until you find one that works for you AND your new companion! Here’s a great web article: http://www.wikihow.com/Communicate-With-Your-Dog

Enjoy your new friend – here’s hoping you have many happy years to enjoy each other!

Bibliography

• Animal Match Rescue Team, Initials. (2011, May 15). Tips on adopting a dog. Retrieved from http://www.amrt.net/adoptdog.html
• Fry, J. (2005, September 25). Bringing a dog into a cat’s home. Retrieved from http://en.allexperts.com/q/Ask-Veterinarian-700/Bringing-dog-cat-home.htm
• Humane Society of the United States, The. (2009, November 3). Introducing a dog to other pets. Retrieved from http://www.humanesociety.org/animals/dogs/tips/introducing_new_dog.html

Image credits:
Fast Friends: Copyright © 2005 Sean Gillen, available under CC-BY-SA 3.0 Unported.

Crash

Crash is a dramatic-looking mix that appears to be part Rottweiler, part German Shepherd (yes, just a guess – no one knows exactly what’s in Crash). He is a bit over 2 years old, and was surrendered by his owner because she had too many pets; Crash was dumped on her property as a puppy, and she never really wanted him; poor Crash lived chained up outside until now.

This will be GREAT news for someone out there, because Crash is really ready to be wanted! He has lived with other dogs and with cats, and even a chicken, without incident. He was scared to death on his first day at the shelter, but sought reassurance by leaning into every person he got close to, awwwww. He has lived a pretty sheltered life up until now, so everything is . . . → Read More: New adoptable dog: CRASH]]>

Crash

Crash is a dramatic-looking mix that appears to be part Rottweiler, part German Shepherd (yes, just a guess – no one knows exactly what’s in Crash). He is a bit over 2 years old, and was surrendered by his owner because she had too many pets; Crash was dumped on her property as a puppy, and she never really wanted him; poor Crash lived chained up outside until now.

This will be GREAT news for someone out there, because Crash is really ready to be wanted! He has lived with other dogs and with cats, and even a chicken, without incident. He was scared to death on his first day at the shelter, but sought reassurance by leaning into every person he got close to, awwwww. He has lived a pretty sheltered life up until now, so everything is a new experience for him and he seems a bit timid at first. He has not been leash trained, but he is so engaged with the person on the other end of the leash, we think he will pick it up quite quickly! He always stops to look back if he gets ahead, rather than pulling on in that “all speed ahead” locomotive way we see in many bigger shelter dogs.

We are guessing that Crash weighs about 65 pounds. He is not yet housetrained, but we are hoping he will pick up the basics fairly quickly now that he will be having a set “routine” of feeding and walking times. Like most shelter dogs, you will not want to give him unsupervised run of the house for at least a couple of weeks, so you and he can make sure everyone understands the rules and signals!

Crash is the type of shelter dog that we like best – a dog whose pre-shelter life was so bad he’s almost happy to be at the shelter, and who will be amazed and forever grateful to whomever opens their home and heart to him.

More photos and adoption information

Peter

Peter is a fun and frisky almost-5-month-old border collie/Australian cattle dog mix boy. His owner received him as a gift, but he is too energetic for her (note to anyone considering giving puppies as gifts to elderly relatives – it is a bad idea). He was born January 7, 2011, and has all the energy and mischievousness you’d expect from his breed mix!

He is eager to play, and seems to be very smart, though his excitement at having people and other dogs to play with tends to give him a short attention span. He doesn’t seem to be at all shy, and has met lots of dogs and different people. His owner reports that he is “partially” housetrained; we find many of the juvenile pups start to naturally housetrain while at the shelter, because they don’t want to . . . → Read More: New adoptable dog: PETER]]>

Peter

Peter is a fun and frisky almost-5-month-old border collie/Australian cattle dog mix boy. His owner received him as a gift, but he is too energetic for her (note to anyone considering giving puppies as gifts to elderly relatives – it is a bad idea). He was born January 7, 2011, and has all the energy and mischievousness you’d expect from his breed mix!

He is eager to play, and seems to be very smart, though his excitement at having people and other dogs to play with tends to give him a short attention span. He doesn’t seem to be at all shy, and has met lots of dogs and different people. His owner reports that he is “partially” housetrained; we find many of the juvenile pups start to naturally housetrain while at the shelter, because they don’t want to soil their kennel, but you should assume that Peter will need at least a refresher course in basic housetraining when he arrives.

We think he is just gorgeous; when his ears are up, you can see the heeler in him… when they are down, you can see the border collie. Love those bits of brown on his face and his shins/ankles!

More photos, video, information

Sloane

Sloane is a male dachshund who was abandoned outside the shelter by someone unknown. Since their owner did not contact us, we don’t know much about Sloane… we are guessing he is about 4 years old. He is a happy, sunny guy, who is eager to please and who doesn’t understand much about toys and fetch yet. He seems to enjoy the other dogs at the shelter. We’ll update with more details as we get to know him better – he definitely loves attention and people!

More photos, video, and adoption information

Sherlock

Today we are featuring SHERLOCK, the third boy in Poppie’s kittens. He looks like he is going to be a long-haired cat (or at least medium-haired), love his soft fluffiness!

These kittens turned 6 weeks old on 5/2, and all will be ready to go to their new homes by 6/1.

See more photos of Sherlock, and the most recent kitten video, on his listing.

4/30/11 Adoptees

Today was our monthly transport closer to Seattle. Six lucky pets joined their new families today, with everyone meeting in Monroe!

HOSS spent the whole 6-hour drive barking excitedly at every vehicle (particularly white pickup trucks) and person we passed! He was absolutely THRILLED to meet his forever-playmate Sky, and took to his people right away. (They wisely brought him a gentle leader harness, which immediately helped curb his over-enthusiastic approach to, well, everything). He’s in just the right place, with a dog that is as joyful as he is, and people who can give him the perfect combination of love and training. YAY!

MELINDA and FANTASIA, now known as SHADOW and SHILO, got to go to a home together, where they are going to have a girl of their own to play with; they will love that.

Melvin

Poppie’s featured adoptable kitten for today is Melvin. We think he will probably be a short haired adult cat; he has the cutest markings! As a black and white kitten, he is statistically likely to be the last of the litter adopted, but whomever finally chooses Melvin is in for a fun, frisky time. Melvin and his siblings turned 5 weeks old on 4/26. You can see more photos, the latest video, and get adoption information on his full listing.

Silverlight, 5 weeks old

Poppie’s kittens turned 5 weeks old on 4/26, and they all now have individual listings.

Today we are featuring SILVERLIGHT. He is a very handsome grey and white boy, who looks like he will have medium-length fur when he’s full grown. You can see more photos, the latest video, and get adoption information on his full listing.

CYBELE, our senior calico gal, will now be sharing her life with Otis the cat, Bruno the dog, three fabulous pet-loving kids, and a mom of her own. She was lucky enough to get a door-to-door delivery (unusual for us!) We left her racecar bed with her, and when we last saw her, she was happily exploring her big new house and making friends with Otis.

ALANIS, the cutie manx mix girl, went to a home just one block away from Cybele! She will be adored by her new mom and dad, and her new doggie friends Bowgart and Puppy. She also got to be delivered right to her home, and was busily exploring with two adorable dogs following . . . → Read More: Look who went to their new homes on 4-25!]]>

Cybele, Comet, Alanis (photos by Lance Young & Charlene Payton Holt)

CYBELE, our senior calico gal, will now be sharing her life with Otis the cat, Bruno the dog, three fabulous pet-loving kids, and a mom of her own. She was lucky enough to get a door-to-door delivery (unusual for us!) We left her racecar bed with her, and when we last saw her, she was happily exploring her big new house and making friends with Otis.

ALANIS, the cutie manx mix girl, went to a home just one block away from Cybele! She will be adored by her new mom and dad, and her new doggie friends Bowgart and Puppy. She also got to be delivered right to her home, and was busily exploring with two adorable dogs following her every move.

COMET, Mr. Charming, also went home today, where he has a “sister” kitty Sweet Pea, a fabulous and devoted mom and dad, and (best of all) a boy of his very own!

Look for followups – we’ll post ‘em when we have ‘em!

Hoss

This handsome, yet goofy, boy is Hoss. He is a Golden Retriever mix, weighs about 90 pounds (BIG boy), and was born in January 2010. That means he is still technically a “puppy” with all the typical puppy energy.

Hoss was originally owned by a member of the US military, who loved him, but had to give him to her mother when she was deployed overseas. Mom decided he was too much for her to handle, so here he is, waiting for you!

Hoss is extremely well socialized – he loves every person (young or old), dog, cat, horse, cow… you name it, he loves it. Unfortunately, Hoss never received any obedience or leash training. As a result, he is horrible on-leash; if you want to walk him on leash, you may want to start his training with a . . . → Read More: New adoptable dog: Hoss]]>

Hoss

This handsome, yet goofy, boy is Hoss. He is a Golden Retriever mix, weighs about 90 pounds (BIG boy), and was born in January 2010. That means he is still technically a “puppy” with all the typical puppy energy.

Hoss was originally owned by a member of the US military, who loved him, but had to give him to her mother when she was deployed overseas. Mom decided he was too much for her to handle, so here he is, waiting for you!

Hoss is extremely well socialized – he loves every person (young or old), dog, cat, horse, cow… you name it, he loves it. Unfortunately, Hoss never received any obedience or leash training. As a result, he is horrible on-leash; if you want to walk him on leash, you may want to start his training with a Gentle Leader type collar. He also doesn’t pay any attention to commands (though he is reported to understand “sit” and will sometimes come when called).

He has pretty good house manners and is reported to be housetrained (he will “ask” to go outside when he needs to go)… BUT, when there is no one to let him outside right when he is ready, he does not try to “hold it” and will soil his shelter kennel.

Hoss’s ideal home would have a happy, fun family where there is usually someone home, and where he can be a part of the action, go with his people on trips, and have lots of people to play with. His new people should be committed to training Hoss, which will require a bit of effort at his age… but he seems to be smart, and he genuinely wants to make people happy, so he will definitely be able to learn how to be a fantastic family member.

We recommend you start with intensive leash training and basic commands, particularly “come” and “stay” and “down”. He is a dog that chases his tail (see end of video on our website), too cute.

More photos, video, and adoption information

Crazy Kitteh

Kittens are like hyper-wound balls of energy, and work off their energy best when having another animal to play with. Two kittens around the same age do well together because they are both at the same stage of development, and both want to POUNCE and TUSSLE and ROLL and RACE AROUND.

In the absence of a second kitten, one kitten will turn their attentions either to another animal in the house – and hopefully that animal will enjoy the activity – OR in the absence of a responsive animal, will turn their attentions to their people and surroundings.

When I was 8 I begged and begged my parents for this one fabulous kitten… they relented, and I had my first Maine Coon, wow! He was an awesome cat and lived for 24 years, BUT his kittenhood in a . . . → Read More: Single Kitten Syndrome – yoo haz it?]]>

Crazy Kitteh

Kittens are like hyper-wound balls of energy, and work off their energy best when having another animal to play with. Two kittens around the same age do well together because they are both at the same stage of development, and both want to POUNCE and TUSSLE and ROLL and RACE AROUND.

In the absence of a second kitten, one kitten will turn their attentions either to another animal in the house – and hopefully that animal will enjoy the activity – OR in the absence of a responsive animal, will turn their attentions to their people and surroundings.

When I was 8 I begged and begged my parents for this one fabulous kitten… they relented, and I had my first Maine Coon, wow! He was an awesome cat and lived for 24 years, BUT his kittenhood in a home with no other kittens to wrestle with and pounce on was a HOLY TERROR!

He would race down the hall, up one side of the living room drapes, tear across to the other side, then slide down with his claws SCREEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEing through the drape material. Then it was off for a bounce and a flying squirrel leap onto the wall, with a slow slide through the wallpaper with the claws. Then three sideways leaps and a POUNCE and CHOMP on whatever ankle happened to be walking past. You get the idea.

We found out later from our vet that he was suffering from “single kitten syndrome” – he needed to work out his kitten energies on a member of his own species rather than on anyone stumbling to the bathroom at 2:00 a.m. Just something to consider, and maybe talk it over with your vet.

Can’t help it, you only get to have one kitten? You can help simulate a kitten buddy by putting a plush toy on the end of a sturdy stick, and using it to “wrestle” with your kitten. Another plush toy in kitty’s favorite sleeping spot can substitute for a cuddle buddy. Finally, playing with wand-style toys encourages your kitten to run and leap and work off some of that endless kitten energy.

One important tip: do NOT use a hand or foot to wrestle with your kitten. Sure, it’s adorable when your little 2-pound fluff-ball is ferociously attacking your fist – everyone laughs! Fast forward a couple of years, and you now have a beefy 16-pound kitty, who learned that attacking your body parts is both fun and acceptable. Not laughing now, are you? Ow.

Here is some additional information from PAWS Chicago; they feel more strongly about the issue than we at Forget Me Not do, and we trust you to decide what is best for you and your family.

Prince and Teague (photos by Lance Young)

Today was an interesting and emotional day around the shelter.

After returning Prince yesterday, his adopters spent a terrible 24 hours mourning the loss, and realized they had made a terrible mistake by giving him up. They are speeding back to the shelter to reclaim him in the morning, and are now prepared with a super puppy class at Diamonds in the Ruff, and a renewed sense of forever commitment. We can’t wait to see how excited Prince will be when he sees them!

Just when you thought today couldn’t get better… Teague has found his new home! He will be joining his forever-person on April 25 (or possibly a bit earlier), and he gets to be the only pet with a retired person who will be with him every day for the . . . → Read More: Prince and Teague updates]]>

Prince and Teague (photos by Lance Young)

Today was an interesting and emotional day around the shelter.

After returning Prince yesterday, his adopters spent a terrible 24 hours mourning the loss, and realized they had made a terrible mistake by giving him up. They are speeding back to the shelter to reclaim him in the morning, and are now prepared with a super puppy class at Diamonds in the Ruff, and a renewed sense of forever commitment. We can’t wait to see how excited Prince will be when he sees them!

Just when you thought today couldn’t get better… Teague has found his new home! He will be joining his forever-person on April 25 (or possibly a bit earlier), and he gets to be the only pet with a retired person who will be with him every day for the rest of his life. YAY!

Keep an eye out for followups on both of these happy boys’ new lives.

Prince (photo by Lance Young)

Poor Prince – He was adopted back on 4/2, but he is back with us again now. He’s back because his adopters had forgotten how challenging juvenile puppy training can be… they (and we) thought they were fully prepared, but they realized after about 10 days that they weren’t up for the challenges of the chewing stage, and didn’t have the time or energy to have to supervise and teach him what things were appropriate chew items and what things were not.

He does appear to be housetrained – they had a few accidents the first couple of days, but quickly realized that he needed to go out about every 4 hours during the day, and the accidents stopped. Prince did NOT enjoy the concept of crate training, so we recommend against that for him . . . → Read More: New RE-adoptable dog: Prince]]>

Prince (photo by Lance Young)

Poor Prince – He was adopted back on 4/2, but he is back with us again now. He’s back because his adopters had forgotten how challenging juvenile puppy training can be… they (and we) thought they were fully prepared, but they realized after about 10 days that they weren’t up for the challenges of the chewing stage, and didn’t have the time or energy to have to supervise and teach him what things were appropriate chew items and what things were not.

He does appear to be housetrained – they had a few accidents the first couple of days, but quickly realized that he needed to go out about every 4 hours during the day, and the accidents stopped. Prince did NOT enjoy the concept of crate training, so we recommend against that for him unless you are really an expert at getting dogs to love their crates.

The best way to describe Prince is, he is a big and enthusiastic ball of love, who received no adequate training as a young pup (his original owner adopted him from a different shelter at 8 weeks, then basically just left him alone outside for 4 months). Consequently, he needs a committed and patient “dog person” who is up for the training he needs. Ideally, he’d have people who are willing to start over from scratch, by keeping him on a leash by their side for the first couple of weeks, so any issues can be instantly corrected and/or redirected.

We think he will do best in a home where someone is always there. He now knows the joys of being a HOUSE dog, and craves being with his people. He also really enjoys other dogs, but would be fine as an only dog in a family where there is usually a person present.

We don’t get very many returns, but we have our 30-day money-back policy for reasons like this; these adopters knew they could safely return Prince to us, so he didn’t end up at a different shelter, or given away for free to the first person who expressed interest. We’ll do better for you, Prince, we promise!

Prince’s listing and adoption information

Daisy (photo by Lance Young)

Daisy is a 7-year-old purebred Cavalier King Charles Spaniel. She was rescued from a puppy mill when she was 5, but her rescuer can no longer keep her, so has asked us to find Daisy a new home.

Daisy is a bit timid when meeting a new person, but we’ve seen her adjust quite quickly to the volunteers. After having spent her first 5 years in typical puppy mill fashion – locked in a small cage and kept pregnant all the time – Daisy is imperfect with her housetraining. While she does prefer to go potty outside, she is not confident enough to ask to go out. Her ideal home will have someone who can take her outside (or let her into the yard) every few hours during the day.

Daisy has a wire kennel . . . → Read More: New adoptable dog: Daisy]]>

Daisy (photo by Lance Young)

Daisy is a 7-year-old purebred Cavalier King Charles Spaniel. She was rescued from a puppy mill when she was 5, but her rescuer can no longer keep her, so has asked us to find Daisy a new home.

Daisy is a bit timid when meeting a new person, but we’ve seen her adjust quite quickly to the volunteers. After having spent her first 5 years in typical puppy mill fashion – locked in a small cage and kept pregnant all the time – Daisy is imperfect with her housetraining. While she does prefer to go potty outside, she is not confident enough to ask to go out. Her ideal home will have someone who can take her outside (or let her into the yard) every few hours during the day.

Daisy has a wire kennel that is her “security den” – she is used to retreating into it whenever she feels uncertain. We will be sending her familiar kennel with her. She lived with another dog for the past 2 years, and got along fine with him. Daisy should be fine with older, gentle, calm children, but toddlers are bound to frighten her with their enthusiasm.

She would be a good companion for an elderly person, or a good family pet for a family with a calm, at-home lifestyle. Daisy does not want to be an adventurer; she wants to know where her “place” is, what is expected of her, and what her routine will be. Consistence and love will add up to a perfect Daisy forever home!

Daisy is pretty small for a typical CKCS – we’ll be getting an exact weight on her soon, but an eyeball guesstimate puts her closer to 10 pounds than 20 pounds. (Typical weight would be 10-18 pounds, so we think she’s on the small end). She would benefit from regular trips to a groomer – you can see she has some red staining around her mouth (similar to “tear staining” common in many small breeds).

Her coloring is called “Blenheim” coloring (chestnut and white). She is in good health, but has had some teeth extracted due to gum disease from her time in the puppy mill. Regular teeth cleaning and checkups will be a key to maintaining her good health.

More photos and adoption information

Visit the kittens’ website page for other new photos, including some close-ups of individual kittens. They are SOOOO cute, we can hardly stand it!

Thanks to Char Payton Holt for these photos from 4/9/11.

Comet

Comet is a Newfoundland mix boy, with who knows what else in there. He was born about October 2008. He is a very confident dog, with a happy disposition and a lot of joy. He’s much smaller than a Newfoundland, probably around 60-65 pounds, and from the history we were able to get on him, it sounds like he may have been trained as a sled dog at one point.

Comet, probably as a result of his sled dog training, pulls HARD on leash right now; the volunteers will be working with him, to teach him to heel (or at least WAIT FOR US, ha). The person who brought Comet to us says he hasn’t been inside much, but that he did appear to be housetrained the times they had him inside. Unfortunately, right now Comet does exhibit . . . → Read More: New adoptable dog: Comet]]>

Comet

Comet is a Newfoundland mix boy, with who knows what else in there. He was born about October 2008. He is a very confident dog, with a happy disposition and a lot of joy. He’s much smaller than a Newfoundland, probably around 60-65 pounds, and from the history we were able to get on him, it sounds like he may have been trained as a sled dog at one point.

Comet, probably as a result of his sled dog training, pulls HARD on leash right now; the volunteers will be working with him, to teach him to heel (or at least WAIT FOR US, ha). The person who brought Comet to us says he hasn’t been inside much, but that he did appear to be housetrained the times they had him inside. Unfortunately, right now Comet does exhibit some marking behaviors while in the shelter; he is scheduled for neuter in mid-April, which will hopefully help to break him of the marking urge.

He is definitely an alpha-dog personality, with a real zest for life. You can almost see him laughing to himself as he trots around investigating all the world has to offer. Comet will do well in pretty much any home that has the time and patience to work with him – obedience training classes would be a great idea, and he seems to be quite smart so should pick up the basics quickly. Comet loves all people, no matter how big or small; he has been reported to be safe with cats too.

More photos and adoption information

Prancer

Prancer is a chow/husky/shepherd mix boy, born about October 2008. He is a shy, sensitive boy who spent some time with a person who yelled at him a lot, before he found a temporary home with the person who eventually brought him to us. He is so grateful for every kind touch and sweet word, we know he will be a wonderful companion for anyone who lets him into their heart.

Prancer would probably blossom fastest in a home where he is the only dog, but adding him to a home with an existing dog should be fairly easy, as he is definitely not an alpha dog. His last, temporary home had cats, and reports that he was fine around them. Preliminary weight estimate on Prancer is about 60 pounds.

We are slowly working on grooming his thick coat, . . . → Read More: New adoptable dog: Prancer]]>

Prancer

Prancer is a chow/husky/shepherd mix boy, born about October 2008. He is a shy, sensitive boy who spent some time with a person who yelled at him a lot, before he found a temporary home with the person who eventually brought him to us. He is so grateful for every kind touch and sweet word, we know he will be a wonderful companion for anyone who lets him into their heart.

Prancer would probably blossom fastest in a home where he is the only dog, but adding him to a home with an existing dog should be fairly easy, as he is definitely not an alpha dog. His last, temporary home had cats, and reports that he was fine around them. Preliminary weight estimate on Prancer is about 60 pounds.

We are slowly working on grooming his thick coat, which is full of burrs and pine pitch, poor boy. He is very patient with the grooming, and will be a really handsome dog after a bit of TLC. He seems to be housebroken, and he is familiar with the basic commands sit, stay, and heel. He will probably do best in a home with calm older children, or an adult home, as typical toddler fun squealing sounds might frighten him.

Are you the person to show Prancer that life is great and every day is full of joy?

More photos and adoption information

Stop the Cycle information

Do you know a Ferry County resident who is littering? I don’t mean tossing fast food wrappers out of their car; I mean creating unwanted litters of puppies or kittens, because they have been unable to spay their female pets.

Forget Me Not has a fabulous program to help end the “littering” problem in Ferry County. Our Stop the Cycle program gives residents with an “oops” litter a way out. We will take in the entire litter of puppies or kittens after they are weaned, and will make sure each is spayed/neutered before going to a screened and approved adoptive home. There is no surrender fee for Stop the Cycle litters; the only requirement is that the owner allow us to spay the mother animal, at little or no cost to them.

Please help us to . . . → Read More: Stop the Cycle]]>

Stop the Cycle information

Do you know a Ferry County resident who is littering? I don’t mean tossing fast food wrappers out of their car; I mean creating unwanted litters of puppies or kittens, because they have been unable to spay their female pets.

Forget Me Not has a fabulous program to help end the “littering” problem in Ferry County. Our Stop the Cycle program gives residents with an “oops” litter a way out. We will take in the entire litter of puppies or kittens after they are weaned, and will make sure each is spayed/neutered before going to a screened and approved adoptive home. There is no surrender fee for Stop the Cycle litters; the only requirement is that the owner allow us to spay the mother animal, at little or no cost to them.

Please help us to encourage Ferry County “litterers” to clean up right now, by spaying all their female pets and allowing Forget Me Not to place the puppies or kittens into new homes after spay/neuter. No unwanted litter (yet)? We also offer voucher assistance to low-income county residents; while we enjoy finding new homes for unwanted litters, it’s always best to prevent that litter in the first place.

One simple phone call can Stop the Cycle.

Silverlight, Patch Tuesday, Melvin, Mandi, Sherlock:

Buster

Buster is a super friendly and huggable juvenile boy who arrived as a stray. It’s hard to believe no one ever came looking for him, but that means this fantastic cat is ready to become YOUR new best friend. He has a sunny disposition, seems to enjoy the company of other cats, and adores every human he meets. We’ve estimated his birth date as 6/1/10. Can you help Buster find his forever home before his first birthday this June?

More photos and adoption information

Introducing SILVERLIGHT (a boy):

PATCH TUESDAY (a girl, starting to open her eyes):

MELVIN (a boy):

MANDI (a girl):

SHERLOCK (a boy):

You can see another photo or two of each kitten (taken on 3/31) on our website.

Check back there often for updates as the kittens grow; in a few more weeks, we will give each of them individual . . . → Read More: Itteh Bitteh Kittehs has a NAEMZ!]]> The fabulous folk behind the Cats of Microsoft calendar have chosen names for our little babies.
Drum roll please…

Introducing SILVERLIGHT (a boy):

Silverlight

PATCH TUESDAY (a girl, starting to open her eyes):

Patch Tuesday

MELVIN (a boy):

Melvin

MANDI (a girl):

Mandi

SHERLOCK (a boy):

Sherlock

You can see another photo or two of each kitten (taken on 3/31) on our website.

Check back there often for updates as the kittens grow; in a few more weeks, we will give each of them individual pages.

Juno (photo: Lance Young)

Juno has been at the shelter since mid-February, but that was in our twitter/blog/facebook “black hole” period, so she hasn’t been properly introduced as an adoptable cat.

Juno is a gorgeous tortoiseshell tuxedo girl who arrived as a stray; we are guessing she is about 2 years old, so have given her a birth date of 3/1/09. Juno is a pretty independent girl, but she does like brief sessions of petting and play. She seems to be fairly stressed-out with all the other girl kitties at the shelter (hey, if I had to live in one room with 5 other girls, I might be a little cranky, too). We think Juno would do best in a home with one other cat (preferably male), or as an only cat. She would enjoy either an indoor only, or . . . → Read More: Featured Adoptable Cat: Juno]]>

Juno (photo: Lance Young)

Juno has been at the shelter since mid-February, but that was in our twitter/blog/facebook “black hole” period, so she hasn’t been properly introduced as an adoptable cat.

Juno is a gorgeous tortoiseshell tuxedo girl who arrived as a stray; we are guessing she is about 2 years old, so have given her a birth date of 3/1/09. Juno is a pretty independent girl, but she does like brief sessions of petting and play. She seems to be fairly stressed-out with all the other girl kitties at the shelter (hey, if I had to live in one room with 5 other girls, I might be a little cranky, too). We think Juno would do best in a home with one other cat (preferably male), or as an only cat. She would enjoy either an indoor only, or an indoor-outdoor, lifestyle. She seems to have good mousing instincts, too!

More photos, videos, and adoption information

Nema

Nema is a striking, exotic-looking girl, who was born about 6/1/10. She came in as a stray. Her lovely tri-colored stripes make her a “torbie” (tabby-tortoiseshell). She is affectionate, curious, and playful. We’ll add more information, photos, and videos as we get to know her. More photos and adoption information.

Prince is a stunning German Shepherd/Labrador Retriever mix, who was born 10/26/10. His family had him since he was about 8 weeks old, but never had time to train him or give him the attention he deserves. Prince is now looking for a new forever home, where he can “start over” with patient, affectionate people who will have lots of time for him.

Prince is smart – he does already know “sit”. He is also extremely excitable and energetic – so sometimes, even though he knows “sit,” he can’t quite calm down enough to do so. He does pretty well on leash, once you get him to sit down long enough to get the leash on (ha). He loves everyone he meets, and is interested . . . → Read More: New adoptable dog: Prince]]>

Prince (photo by Lance Young)

Prince is a stunning German Shepherd/Labrador Retriever mix, who was born 10/26/10. His family had him since he was about 8 weeks old, but never had time to train him or give him the attention he deserves. Prince is now looking for a new forever home, where he can “start over” with patient, affectionate people who will have lots of time for him.

Prince is smart – he does already know “sit”. He is also extremely excitable and energetic – so sometimes, even though he knows “sit,” he can’t quite calm down enough to do so. He does pretty well on leash, once you get him to sit down long enough to get the leash on (ha). He loves everyone he meets, and is interested in playing with the other dogs at the shelter.

We think Prince is going to be a large dog – he already weighs about 50 pounds, and he’s only 5 months old! Big, big paws.

Prince’s ideal home will have someone who will get to spend lots of time with him, working off his happy puppy energy and channeling his focus into some serious training. Prince is not the sort of dog who would enjoy long stretches of alone time; he wants to be a full member of the family, and is eager to learn. He’ll repay you with many wonderful years of loyalty and adoration!

More photos and adoption information

Unfortunately, this year we have many juvenile and adult cats who have not yet found their forever homes.

Along with these beautiful cats, we have one amazing dog who just can’t seem to get noticed… he’s seen dozens of other dogs come in to the shelter, and then leave in two weeks, or a month, or two months, with their new people. Teague continues to wait, but he is growing depressed (see "The Big Black Dog Dilemma, featuring Teague").

We know many of you have already filled that empty spot in your family with a Forget Me Not pet, or perhaps you have used Forget Me Not to help a pet find a new home.

We’re not asking you to adopt one of these pets (though it would be lovely if you did).

You can help Teague and the . . . → Read More: Long-time shelter pets need your help]]> Spring is here, when our thoughts turn to… KITTENS!

Unfortunately, this year we have many juvenile and adult cats who have not yet found their forever homes.

Along with these beautiful cats, we have one amazing dog who just can’t seem to get noticed… he’s seen dozens of other dogs come in to the shelter, and then leave in two weeks, or a month, or two months, with their new people. Teague continues to wait, but he is growing depressed (see "The Big Black Dog Dilemma, featuring Teague").

We know many of you have already filled that empty spot in your family with a Forget Me Not pet, or perhaps you have used Forget Me Not to help a pet find a new home.

We’re not asking you to adopt one of these pets (though it would be lovely if you did).

You can help Teague and the kitties find great new homes, by printing a couple of the below flyers for your area, and distributing them on any public boards you pass.

Click these flyers to download them as a JPEG (the size of these is noted below the thumbnails), then print them using any photo printing software.

Seattle area	Republic area	Spokane area
2.87 MiB	2.75 MiB	2.88 MiB
3.07 MiB	2.97 MiB	3.07 MiB
3.06 MiB	2.95 MiB	3.07 MiB
3.96 MiB	3.96 MiB	3.96 MiB

Thanks for caring about shelter pets.

Janus, our wonderful orange tabby boy, was happy and affectionate and playful at about 1:00, when a pair of volunteers were visiting his cat room. When they left, he was his usual, content self.

When I arrived to visit the cats at 2:00, I found Janus dead. He was lying peacefully, but he was no longer with us. I hope there are lots of cuddles for him at the Rainbow Bridge, and am glad he knew the comforts of a safe haven, soft bedding, a couple of “goddess” kitty playmates (Hera and Maia) that made him feel like a real “ladies’ man” cat, and many volunteers who adored him. Had he not made it to the shelter last month, he would have been outside in the cold and mud, all alone, when his time came.

. . . → Read More: Sad day at the shelter]]> Today we had a sudden, unexpected death among our shelter residents.

Janus, our wonderful orange tabby boy, was happy and affectionate and playful at about 1:00, when a pair of volunteers were visiting his cat room. When they left, he was his usual, content self.

When I arrived to visit the cats at 2:00, I found Janus dead. He was lying peacefully, but he was no longer with us. I hope there are lots of cuddles for him at the Rainbow Bridge, and am glad he knew the comforts of a safe haven, soft bedding, a couple of “goddess” kitty playmates (Hera and Maia) that made him feel like a real “ladies’ man” cat, and many volunteers who adored him. Had he not made it to the shelter last month, he would have been outside in the cold and mud, all alone, when his time came.

Janus

Our vet performed an autopsy, which showed no infections, illnesses, or trauma. The most likely cause of death is either a heart attack, or a brain aneurysm; something that was quite sudden and quick.

Let’s all take a moment to give our cats an extra hug, and an extra kitty treat. Janus would like that.

Janus gets a head skritch

 

 

Each day in rescue work has its rays of sunshine and its rainshowers. At the end of the day, we are grateful for all that these beautiful homeless pets bring to our lives.

We’ll miss you, Janus, but at least you have that forever home now.

]]> http://forgetmenotshelter.org/blog/sad-day/feed 0 http://forgetmenotshelter.org/blog/sad-day http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/forgetmenotshelter/~3/IbBmDHQRPsw/big-black-dogs http://forgetmenotshelter.org/blog/big-black-dogs#comments Wed, 23 Mar 2011 03:36:59 +0000 Kim - Executive Director http://forgetmenotshelter.org/blog/?p=318 People are often amazed to learn that there are many factors that can hinder even the friendliest dog’s chance of adoption.

Meet Teague, who has been waiting for a new forever home for two months. Teague is a perfect dog to illustrate many of the “less-desirable” qualities that keep him waiting while he sees newer arrivals joyously celebrating their adoptions all around him.

Teague (photo by local photographer Lance Young)

OK, now that you’ve seen Teague, see how many attributes you can think of that are keeping him languishing in the shelter day after day. Go ahead, scribble a list.

Some you can see; some you can’t. Make some wild guesses!

Done? OK, here is a breakdown of Teague’s particular problems:

1. AGE – Teague came in as a stray, so there is no way for us to know exactly . . . → Read More: The Big Black Dog Dilemma, featuring Teague]]> People are often amazed to learn that there are many factors that can hinder even the friendliest dog’s chance of adoption.

Meet Teague, who has been waiting for a new forever home for two months. Teague is a perfect dog to illustrate many of the “less-desirable” qualities that keep him waiting while he sees newer arrivals joyously celebrating their adoptions all around him.

Teague (photo by local photographer Lance Young)

OK, now that you’ve seen Teague, see how many attributes you can think of that are keeping him languishing in the shelter day after day. Go ahead, scribble a list.

Some you can see; some you can’t. Make some wild guesses!

Done? OK, here is a breakdown of Teague’s particular problems:

1. AGE – Teague came in as a stray, so there is no way for us to know exactly how old he is. Based on his grey muzzle and his teeth, we are assuming he is at least 6 years old; he may be as old as 10, 12, ?? He still has the inner joy and playfulness of a puppy, but even the most die-hard dog lover is hesitant to adopt an older dog. Most pet lovers have felt the pain of losing a furry best friend in the past… it takes a very special person (one with a stronger tolerance for pain than I have) to be willing to open their heart up to a pet that is already as much as halfway through its lifespan.

2. SIZE – Teague is a bit over 60 pounds, which counts as a “large” dog. The most requested size for an adoptable dog is under 20 pounds – that is because many housing associations, condominiums, and apartments have firm size restrictions. The next most popular size is generally up to 40-50 pounds; people like knowing that they could pick their pet up if they had to.  Then there is a HUGE jump (no pun intended) to people looking for 100-pound-plus dogs; the Mastiffs, Great Danes and Irish Wolfhounds of the world have some really dedicated fans! That leaves Teague in the least popular weight category, 60-100 pounds.

3. COLOR – Black. Black, black, black. Yes, black is beautiful, but it is also the last color pup chosen from a litter… the last adult dog to be oooohed and aaaaaahed over in the shelter kennels. Some people think black dogs look “mean” – others just think they aren’t as pretty as the more “colorful” varieties. Because black is a dominant color gene, black dogs are also the most common color (particularly in “mutts”), so there are just plain too many of them looking for homes. They are also cursed with a general lack of photogenic charm (though our latest volunteer photographer, Lance Young, has found the art of capturing black dogs on camera).

4. BREED MIX – Notice that dusky purplish tongue? Purple tongues usually indicate that a dog like Teague has some Chow in his mix. Chows often suffer from breed-banning-overkill, along with several other “dangerous” dog breeds including Rottweilers, German Shepherds, Dobermans, and Pit Bulls. Think that covers the banned breeds? Not even close. Some municipalities, homeowners insurance, and housing authorities routinely ban perennial favorites like Australian Shepherds, Airedale Terriers, Golden Retrievers, Pugs, and more. See more of the breeds that have been singled out in legislation around the US on the URDOG site. Of course, a dog’s breed doesn’t make a dog dangerous. Bad breeding and bad treatment make a dog dangerous.

5. GENDER – More adopters express a preference for female dogs, often because they are afraid a male dog will mark, or wander, or be more aggressive than a female dog. Often, when an adopter who originally wanted a female ends up falling in love with a male, they tell me how surprised they are at their new male buddy’s affectionate, easy-going nature.

6. INCOMPATIBLE WITH SOME OTHER PETS – In Teague’s case, he is cat aggressive and cannot be placed in a home with cats. (The flip-side is, he would be a fantastic rat-catcher-dog!) Teague should get along well with most other dogs, but a majority of potential adopters looking to add to their family either already have cats, plan to get a cat, or have neighbors whose cats sometimes wander across the property.

So, there you have a picture of one of the friendliest, most loving, easy-keeper dogs I’ve seen this year… and still he waits for someone to choose him.

What can we do to help Teague find his new family? The most important thing is to pass the word around, that this beautiful, affectionate, playful dog needs a home where he can be loved for the rest of his time, whether that is 1 year or 10 years.

Watch his videos on his listing page on our website to see his playful nature. Share his information with everyone you can think of who might be willing to offer Teague a place to enjoy life. Together, we can make a happy ending for Teague.

Teague is growing depressed in the shelter, and would enjoy a cat-free foster home in the Republic area, preferably with a fenced yard, while he waits for his forever-home.

]]> http://forgetmenotshelter.org/blog/big-black-dogs/feed 4 http://forgetmenotshelter.org/blog/big-black-dogs http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/forgetmenotshelter/~3/5X6iKa7I-PY/dora http://forgetmenotshelter.org/blog/dora#comments Sun, 20 Mar 2011 21:28:51 +0000 Kim - Executive Director http://forgetmenotshelter.org/blog/?p=309

Dora (photo by Lance Young)

Dora is a sweet and affectionate border collie mix girl, who was born about 3/1/10 (so she’s just over a year old now). She is a very energetic dog who was left tied out in her yard all day long, and was starved for attention. Now that she is at the shelter, she is getting tons more attention from all the volunteers, and she is so happy! She weighs about 45 pounds.

Dora appears to be totally housetrained – she hasn’t gone potty in her kennel at all, even for the occasional 12-hour “overnight” times when she can’t go out for a potty break. She is timid around new people and new sounds, but warms up very quickly once she knows what to expect.

Her fur is a beautiful black with chocolate brown overtones (particularly . . . → Read More: New adoptable dog: Dora (ADOPTED 3/25)]]>

Dora (photo by Lance Young)

Dora is a sweet and affectionate border collie mix girl, who was born about 3/1/10 (so she’s just over a year old now). She is a very energetic dog who was left tied out in her yard all day long, and was starved for attention. Now that she is at the shelter, she is getting tons more attention from all the volunteers, and she is so happy! She weighs about 45 pounds.

Dora appears to be totally housetrained – she hasn’t gone potty in her kennel at all, even for the occasional 12-hour “overnight” times when she can’t go out for a potty break. She is timid around new people and new sounds, but warms up very quickly once she knows what to expect.

Her fur is a beautiful black with chocolate brown overtones (particularly on her head). She is also a surprisingly low-maintenance dog; in spite of rarely or never having been brushed or groomed, she came to the shelter with only two small spots of matted fur behind her ears.

Dora seems to get along just fine with other dogs. Her former owner reports some “herding” behavior with cats, not uncommon for border collie mixes! She does not appear to be aggressive with any species. We think Dora would thrive in a home where she had a human around most of the time, and where she was invited inside to be part of the family. She would probably enjoy being a jogging buddy, or a 4-H or agility dog!

More photos, video, and adoption information

Dewey

Dewey is a super handsome and sweet Australian cattle dog mix boy. He has the red heeler coloring, and long legs from some other breed in his mix (shepherd? retriever? spaniel? who knows); Dewey weighs roughly 55 pounds. He was born 10/20/08, and has lived with one family since he was just 6 weeks old… but now he must find a new home because his family is moving where Dewey cannot go. He is staying with his original family in an “owner foster” situation for us, and we all hope he will find his new home before he has to be left behind and moved into the shelter.

Dewey is a very smart boy, with a stubborn streak (ha). He loves people, is very affectionate, and enjoys sleeping next to his peoples’ bed. Dewey is housetrained and knows “sit” . . . → Read More: New adoptable dog: Dewey]]>

Dewey

Dewey is a super handsome and sweet Australian cattle dog mix boy. He has the red heeler coloring, and long legs from some other breed in his mix (shepherd? retriever? spaniel? who knows); Dewey weighs roughly 55 pounds. He was born 10/20/08, and has lived with one family since he was just 6 weeks old… but now he must find a new home because his family is moving where Dewey cannot go. He is staying with his original family in an “owner foster” situation for us, and we all hope he will find his new home before he has to be left behind and moved into the shelter.

Dewey is a very smart boy, with a stubborn streak (ha). He loves people, is very affectionate, and enjoys sleeping next to his peoples’ bed. Dewey is housetrained and knows “sit” and “lie down” pretty well. He does NOT like to be left home alone, and can get into a little trouble with the garbage or chewing, so he’s asked us to find him a home where the people don’t have to go to work and leave him alone all day long.

He hasn’t had any experience with cats… he’s smart enough that it should be easy to teach him that cats are part of his family too, BUT the heeler in him may cause him to want to chase and “herd” cats. He would DEFINITELY enjoy chasing deer, if he weren’t safely contained in a fenced yard. What he wants most of all is to just hang out with his people… are you a person who wants a fabulous doggie sidekick? Dewey is volunteering to fill the position!

He absolutely loves playing fetch and playing tug-o-war; he is also an amazing jumper.

More photos, video, and adoption information