Folks, I am not Bandit. I am Sue Hobbs, one of the many volunteers at Cats Haven. I am posting to Bandit's Blog this afternoon because I'm kind of at a loss for another way of doing this. We at Cats Haven need for you all to know that Bandit crossed the Rainbow Bridge late this morning. Bandit suffered seizures today, seizures related to the sinus infections that were a result of the poor condition in which he was found three years ago. He died at home, in Barb's loving arms, and he will be buried at the farm in Cicero. 

Bandit's stay at Cats Haven was short, but was filled with fun and adventures. Before becoming shelter manager, he represented Cats Haven at several offsite events. I am reminded of the time he went to Paws in the Park, wiggled out of his harness, and chased two chihuahuas literally up a tree! What an incredible sight to see these two little dogs running for their lives from a small, fluffy black and white cat! The three of them ended up at the base of a large tree with the dogs attempting to climb up it to escape from the cat. I am also reminded of the evening when Bandit was in my kitchen (I fostered him for a while) and a very large praying mantis made her appearance on my ceiling. I ran upstairs to get the camera before putting her back outside, but when I returned to take the picture, Bandit had somehow gotten her off the ceiling and was trying to play with her. The look on his face was hysterical, like he'd discovered an alien creature of some sort. 

Bandit never met a stranger. As visitors would come into the shelter house, Bandit was usually front and center, there to greet them. And like Raspberry before him, he took great interest in and exceptional care of the kittens who found themselves at Cats Haven. Daily, he would make his rounds from room to room, visiting with everyone and lending a paw where he could. Most recently, Bandit had found a best friend in Barb's grandson, Alex. The two of them spent countless hours together, Bandit thoroughly enjoying having his own human again, and Alex treasuring his feline buddy.

This is a huge and very sudden loss to the Cats Haven family. And I'm again reminded of how fragile life is, how things can change in an instant, and how the loss of one affects so many. As you go through your day today, please stop for a few seconds and remember Bandit. Light a candle and say a prayer for his safe passage. And when you get home tonight, hug your own dog or cat just a few minutes more than usual. Tell the most important people in your lives how much you love them. We are all reminded that life is too short and that if we don't say those words or offer up that hug now, we may not have another chance. Things can truly change in an instant. - Sue Hobbs 

Hi, everybody!! We've got so much going on this weekend that I had to take a break from our kittens and blog about it all!! I've got only a few minutes before the kittens are done washing their faces and brushing their teeth before climbing into bed . . . they expect me to tuck them in and then read them a story. Tonight's story will be Where the Wild Kittens Are. Ah, one of my favorite. But I digress.

Okay, first thing is the 2nd Annual LCI art fair at 14th and Delaware, just down the street from the big Talbott Art Fair! Click here for more information. Barb, er, I mean, Gypsy Cat is participating in this art fair, and she'll have a great selection of her wonderful jewelry for sale! We've been working on necklaces, bracelets, hair sticks, and lots lots more for this particular event. And part of each sale is going directly to the shelter to help us all. So if you get through the Talbott fair, stroll a couple of blocks south on Delaware for more unique local art creations, and stop by to say Hi to Barb!! Hours for this fair are from 12 til 8, so you can even stop by after a great pasta dinner at Italian Fest! 

And while Barb is at the art fair, the Other Sue and a foster kitty will be at the Indiana State Museum at Scales and Tails from 11 til 4! This annual event brings all kinds of shelters and rescue groups together in one location . . . dogs, cats, bunnies, iguanas, and other pets will be available for adoption, and wild life rehabbers will be on site to answer any question you may have. And we will have catnip toys and Gypsy Cat charms and earrings for sale at our table. All proceeds go to the kitties. For more information about Scales and Tails, click here.  

Now, one last thing to tell all you guys. One of our very clever and creative volunteers has started a petition to help nudge ABC's Extreme Makeover: Home Edition toward choosing Cats Haven as a makeover project. In March of this year, with the help of Christine Jeschke from the Humane Society of Indianapolis, Cats Haven made application to the ABC show for a total shelter makeover. We have outgrown our current home both in the number of kitties and in the services that we provide, and a new shelter facility would be so incredibly helpful to us all. So, if you've got a moment, please go to the petition at http://www.petitiononline.com/9257001/petition.html (or click here . . . I've been having problems getting this link to work, tho), and sign your name. Be sure to forward the application URL to your friends! We need as many signatures as we can get to show support for our shelter. Keep in mind that if Cats Haven is chosen, not only would we get a new shelter, but Indianapolis would be back in the national spotlight as the caring community it is!

Well, I think that's it for now. Oh, before I forget, we have many seniors at the shelter right now, and we will gladly accept donations of pouch and canned food. Some of our seniors seem to have lost their dentures and can't eat dry food. So while you're at the grocery, we'd be very happy if you'd pick up a few cans of wet food for the old guys and gals. Or if it'd be easier, you can send a gift card from Kroger, Marsh, Petco, Petsmart, or Pet Supplies Plus. Even a $5 gift card would be a huge help. Now, that really is it! 'Hope to see you at one of our events on Saturday, and don't forget to sign the petition! Off to tuck in the babies and read them to sleep - Bandit the puddytat

Hi guys! I've only got a moment to blog this evening. I've got kittens and moms and seniors to tuck into bed . . . and then I have tomorrow's lesson plans to do. The end of the kitten school year is coming up fast, and final exams are next week. Lots going on here at the shelter. BUT I wanted to take a moment out and remind everyone about the super cool fund raiser this Friday, May 14, at the Luxor in historic Fountain Square. The wonderful folks at the Luxor have a great multi-course dinner planned for everyone that includes an appetizer, main course, dessert, and more for a mere $22!!! And on top of that, you'll be entertained by the Luxor belly dancers! It's gonna be a really fun night, and a BIG portion of the $22 price goes to Cats Haven! So you get to eat, have fun, and help the shelter all at once! So call the Luxor at 632-4155 and make your reservations NOW! Operators are standing by to take your call. And yes, Gypsy Cat will be there with a nice selection of jewelry, too! So call, make your reservations, and I look forward to seeing everyone Friday night! The kitties thank you for your support.   -  Bandit da puddytat

I am such a bad kitty. It's been over a month since I've put paws to keyboard, and I sincerely apologize for not blogging sooner. I have a good excuse, tho. I've been a little busier than usual. Kitten season came early to Cats Haven, and I already have a mom and babies that I'm caring for. And then I've also been working with a few new ferals in our colony outside. And then there was the Extreme Home Makeover video shoot (yes, we've submitted Cats Haven for an Extreme Home Makeover . . . keep your paws crossed for us) and the Race for the Cure (great job, team!!!), and the Tour for Life at Indianapolis Animal Care and Control (congrats Ava Shorttail for finding your fur-ever home!) . . . And now we've got even MORE cool stuff coming up! So I'm taking a break for a few minutes to write a short blog to let you know what we've fun stuff we've got planning in the next couple of weeks!

Okay, first of all, this weekend (May 1 and 2), the Acrocats will be here in town at the IndyFringe  theatre (719 E. St. Clair). Aside from being an extremely cool show (cats doing tricks and playing musical instruments on command . . . can you imagine?!), the Acrocats have asked Cats Haven to be at each performance! And here's the really cool part. A portion of each ticket sold will go to Cats Haven! No kidding!!! Check these guys out at www.circuscats.com. Go to the Cats Haven home page on the website for info about getting tickets to one of the four shows. It's great family entertainment, and you'll be helping Cats Haven, too. We'll have an adoptable or two at the theatre, plus Gypsy Cats has graciously agreed to sell some of her gorgeous jewelry with profits going to the shelter. Oh, and we'll have our world famous catnip toys for sale, too. 

And then Friday, May 14th, from 7 til 9, the Luxor is doing another Cats Haven fund raising evening! This is the best deal in town! For a mere $22, you get a wonderful dinner complete with appetizer, main course, dessert, and a soft drink. And I can't forget to mention the belly dancers! Meerrrroooowwwww!!!! (Family-friendly belly dancers, of course.) And a BIG portion of the price goes directly to Cats Haven! The Luxor is at 1026 Virginia Avenue in historic and very hip Fountain Square. To make reservations for this fun and filling event, call 687-9220. Oh, and again, Gypsy Cat will have some of fantastic jewelry for sale with a big chunk of each sale going to the shelter.

That's it for now. I'll blog more real soon, I promise. I've got all kinds of things to tell you guys about, from hearing from Frick and Frack (Hi Guys!!!) to introducing my new best friend Alex, who is staying with us at the shelter. (I'm so glad he's here. He even bought some new fancy, professional neckwear for me . . . he's my best friend!) We've also had some adoptions I want to let you know about, and tell you about our new adoption schedule at Specks in Brownsburg. But for now, it's late and I'm one tired puddytat. *big kitty yawn.....* - Bandit the puddytat

I'm hoping that all the spring-y things I'm seeing are really signs that spring has sprung!!! Are you guys all as sick of winter as I am? I've seen robins in the yard. Our lilies are coming up. Daylight saving time sprang forward. And all the snow has finally melted. And the truest sign of spring? Barb getting the van stuck in the mud in the side yard! I think spring really has sprung!!!! And now a moment too soon.

And along with spring comes our annual spring cleaning, which we started this week. The shelter has been bustling with folks coming in to help sweep, mop, scrub, move, shuffle, vacuum, and pitch. Barb has even tidied up the front porch, and she's nowhere near done. We've been doing a lot of work on the third floor, too, as we try to get more stuff organized. And my friends Char and Alex are going to start work on the yard before too long, too! The place is just gonna be absolutely beautious!!

I'd like to welcome a couple of new residents to the shelter. First, welcome Edgar! Edgar is a medium-haired orange and white guy who came to us through IndyFeral (but he's not a feral cat). He has some knee issues, but he's a really cool cat, tho. He's being fostered in a home with cats and dogs both, and he gets along with everyone. Edgar is about a year old, loves to play, and is available for adoption. I'd also like to welcome Ava Shorttail. Ava is a really nice tortie gal who lost an eye *and* has a short tail. She's certainly unique . . . and what a sweetheart! She loves to be snuggled and held, so if you're looking for a cuddly gal, check out Ava Shorttail. Oh hey! And I want to congratulate our kitten who got adopted at the cat show a couple of weekends ago! The cat show was a lot of fun, and my good friend Lela got one of her kittens placed! How cool, huh? And my close, personal friend Meredith recently adopted Dewey, the kitty who was thrown off a balcony last fall! Dewey had to have extensive surgery to repair a badly broken hip, but he says it was all worth it because he found his new mom as well as kitty and dog brothers and sisters! 

And speaking of adoptions, we'll be at Moochie and Company in Castleton next to Borders on Saturday from noon til 3. We'll have a couple of kitties who are looking for homes, so come up and say hi to the volunteers and give our kitties a hug! Next weekend, we'll be back at Speck's in Brownsburg. Stay tuned for the day and time. 

Okay, it's late and I need to get to bed. We've got a few special events in the works, and I'll be able to tell you more about them in a week or so. Have a great weekend, everyone!- Bandit the puddytat

Well, it appears that I haven't blogged since back in December . . . it's been two months since I've sat down in front of the computer and given everyone an update on shelter activities. Time sure flies when you're running a cat shelter! But I'm here now and I've got lots to tell!!

Okay, first, let me tell you all about our afternoon with Smiley and KJ from WZPL!! A couple of weeks ago, Smiley lost a bet with KJ and they all ended up here at the shelter. KJ made Smiley and Weedman help out around here. They were supposed to do everything from helping to carry in litter and food from Sue's van to scooping litter pans, which they did. Except when it came to scooping, Smiley and Weedman did it in their underwear!!! OH NO!!!!! They also duct taped catnip to themselves . . . everything was going along so well until they started to take off their clothes. Now I've got several senior lady kitties who insist on waking up at 5 in the morning so they can listen to Smiley, and I've got a few kittens who are going to need therapy. Really, it was a fun afternoon! Thanks, guys!

Going back to Christmas time, we had a wonderful Open House event a couple of weeks before Christmas. Lots of food, lots of fun, and a TON of folks who came to visit with us all. Thank yous go out to Sue Hildebrandt, Dzana, Tammy, Marietta, Barb, and many others who help clean and set up for this annual party. And to everyone who came by, thank you so much for spending a little time here with the kitties. We always love to have company and you're always welcome here!

January was an exciting month around here. We had several adoptions from our foster homes as well as from the shelter. I'd like to specifically mention Helen, now named Chloe! This little kitten came to us when she was found near a corn field. She had eye problems, an upper respiratory infection, and a big wound on her right side. It took a couple of months to get this calico cutie in good health, but she finally got well, got spayed, and she's now in a home of her very own with her new mom Cathy and her new brother Willie. Congrats, Helen/Chloe!!!! And congrats to Vargus for finding his forever home, too, and for everyone one else who has found their families!

Big news from Barb, too! In January, Barb was chosen as the Artist of the Month at the Luxor Restaurant in Fountain Square! And she did so well and everyone loved her stuff so much that she's the Artist of the Month for February, too!!!! Isn't that cool? Barb has many pieces of her Gypsy Cat jewelry on display at the Luxor, so check it out for lunch or dinner. We're also working on putting together a fundraiser there in March or April, so stay tuned . . . Oh, and congrats to another Cats Haven Barb . . . Barb Dunn for being picked for a GREAT new job!!! Woo hoo!!!! Now that you're working, don't be a stranger over here! We still expect to see you every now and then!!!

We've got a lot of fun stuff coming up, like we're gonna be at the Cat Show at the Fairgrounds in March, and we're once again putting together the Kitties for Ti**ies team for the Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure 5K walk in April. (That team name always makes me blush . . .). You can join the team by clicking here and registering. I'll get to work on the Calendar page this weekend and get all those dates and things posted. Oh, and David Molloy will be doing Valentine's Adoptions at Speck's in Brownsberg this Sunday, February 14th. We'll be there from 1 til 4, so stop by and say hi to David and all the kitties he'll have available for adoption. 

Cats Haven is proud to announce that we are part of the new Indianapolis Animal Welfare Alliance (IAWA) that was formed last year and made official in January. We join Indianapolis Animal Care and Control, the Humane Society of Indianapolis, IndyFeral, FIDO, Indy Pit Crew, Southside Animal Shelter, and Spay Neuter Services Indiana in an effort to complete a ten-year plan to reduce the number of homeless and unwanted animals in the Indianapolis area through spay/neuter, adoption, and other collaborative programs. Our friend The Other Sue is the board secretary and also heads up the Placement committee. All IAWA committees are currently looking for volunteers, so if you're interested in Placement, Prevention, Safety, Outreach, or Fundraising, let us know and we'll direct you to the committee chairperson. OR if you'd like to join IAWA just to show your support, that'd be great!! Membership is free . . . just let us know and we'll get a membership application over to you. It's a very exciting time right now for animals in Indianapolis, and we'd love for you to be a part of all the good things that are going on. Click here to read more about the Alliance in a recent Nuvo article!

Oh, gosh, guys . . . I think that might be it for now. I promise to not let two months go by again without blogging!! Happy Valentine's day to everyone, and yes I'll be getting something nice for Lady Gwen this year. I was thinking about a new chipmonk panini maker, but Barb said she'd probably rather have some nice fresh catnip of her very own.  Women . . . sheeesh . . .   -  Bandit the puddytat

 

Can you believe that in just 14 days, Santa Claws will be coming down our chimney? Where has this month gone!? 'Seems like just last week, I was welcoming the first crop of Spring kittens to the shelter, and now here it is, just two weeks away from Christmas. Everyone here at the shelter is getting so excited; today in penmanship class, I had everyone write down what they want Santa Claws to bring them this year. Merlin wants a new bed for the bay window; Lady Gwen wants a new cookbook; Mickey wants a Lady Gaga CD; and I want a box of mouse traps. Yes, we still have a mouse in the office, which is why I'm blogging tonight in the downstairs bathroom. It wasn't easy, getting the computer in here and all set up. I don't have thumbs, you know, so plugging everything in took a while. If Barb comes down and sees that I've moved the computer, she's really gonna have a cow. So I better be quick . . .

My main reason for blogging tonight is to invite everyone to the annual Cats Haven Open House this Sunday from noon til 4!!! It's gonna be a PAR-TAY with all kinds of food and hot chocolate and music and friends coming by to see us. We'll have the tree set up and the house all decorated, and y'wanna know the coolest thing of all? You don't have to do anything except come over, eat, and visit with us for a while! Our very special guest this year is gonna be our new friend named Snowball. He's the kitty I mentioned that last time I blogged . . . the one who was hurt by the dog. After almost two weeks in the hospital, Snowball is coming to the shelter today to spend time recovering. He loves people, and when I talked to him this afternoon, he said he'd like to meet as many new friends as possible. So does Dewey, the kitty who had the broken leg a couple of months ago. Everyone here is hoping to meet the humans who helped provide the vet care we've needed, the food to keep our tummies full, and the love and support that's kept us safe and warm. Without all of you guys, I don't even want to think of where most of us would be right now. Barb, Lady Gwen, and I might run the shelter every day, but it's because of kind and caring folks like you that we're able to help so many. So stop by the shelter on Sunday (that's 2603 N. College Avenue, by the way) any time between noon and 4, have some deeee-lish food, and meet all of us! I'm hoping that the Cats Haven Kitty Choir will sing a few traditional holiday songs for everyone, too, like "It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Catnip," "Feline Navidad," and my favorite, "Deck the Halls with Balls of Tuna!"

Okay, I gotta get this computer outta the bathroom and back into the office or else Barb is really gonna be cheesed off. I hope that scary rodent has gone to mouse bed so I can get in and out of the office without running into it. Maybe I can get Lady Gwen to help me. Hope to see you all on Sunday . . . if the mouse doesn't eat me first! - Bandit the puddytat 

Okay, so I'm looking around the office, and I don't see any mice. Barb and Lady Gwen (my administrative assistant, in case you're wondering) told me that they've "taken care of" the mice in the office, and I think I believe them. I hope they're not kidding me . . . so far, I don't see any of these furry, bewhiskered, scary creatures. I bet they're gone. Barb wouldn't lie to me. Would she? No, of course not. So I'm going to take a big deep breath and blog like the mice have left the building. WHOA!!! WHAT WAS THAT NOISE!??!?! Oh, wait. Hehehe. It was my tail swishing on the chair. Hehehe. The mice are gone . . . nothing to be afraid of. Barb said so.

So hello everybody! I'm Bandit, the shelter manager at Cats Haven. In case you're new to my blog, I try to write every couple of weeks or so to let everyone know what's going on here at the shelter. And tonight I've got lots and lots of news. Oh gosh, where to start. I've got my list, so I guess we'll just start at the top! Catnip. Light bulbs. A rake. Whoops. Wrong list. That's what I need from Walmart. Wait a minute . . . . okay here it is!  Over the past couple of weeks, we did some really fun events. First was the Christmas Gift and Hobby Show at the Fairgrounds. We saw a lot of people, handed out a ton of flyers, and raised some money. And that same weekend, we also were part of the Great Indy Pet Expo where we matched up a family with a Cats Haven kitten named Trinity! Way to go, Trin! See, I told you those "Cute Kitty" classes would pay off! A big Thank You goes out to Barb, Lela, Becky, Leah, Elizabeth, Sandy, the original Sue, the Other Sue, Barb Dunn, Vicky, and everyone else who pitched in and helped at those two events or at the shelter. And then this past weekend, we were at StarBase Indy! Now, how cool is this event?! It's a Star Trek/sci-fi/fantasy convention where a lot of Klingons hang out. No kidding! There were real Klingons there and I have the pictures to prove it! So it's been a busy few weeks for us. We also did gift wrapping at Borders downtown over the Thanksgiving weekend . . . more about that in a minute, but I want to thank Becky, Rebecca, Barb, and . . . and . . . oh, there was one other person who did the gift wrapping and I can't remember their name. Uh, er, we'll call them Steve. I like that name, so thank you to Becky, Rebecca, Barb, and Steve for doing the Borders gift wrapping so far!! You guys are great!

If all of that wasn't enough, we've got more events coming up! Get out your calendars because I want to see everybody at least once this Holiday season! This Saturday, December 5th, Barb will be at the Eiteljorg Museum for their Winter Market. This is a really cool day when the parking and museum admission are totally free, and there will be over 50 artists selling all kinds of things! Barb is going to put on her Gypsy Cat hat and be one of the artists! Is that too cool or what!? From 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., you can come by and take a look at all the wonderful new beaded creations she's got for sale. There will be music and food, too! Very festive!

And then on Sunday, December 13, from noon til 4, stop by the shelter for our annual Holiday Open House! The kitties and I will all be here to welcome everyone, and we'll have snacks and hot cider and the house will be decorated for the Holidays (including stocking hung by the chimney with care so Santa Claws will have somewhere to put our catnip cookies and tuna bars) . . . I always look forward to this little gathering, so mark your calendar and come by for some Kitty Christmas cheer! It's a great way to relax and just enjoy the season for a bit. 

A couple of other things I want to mention before I sign off for the night. I need to let everyone know that in the past couple of weeks, we've lost Poptart (the little kitten who never grew), Mr. Arness (the kitty who was injured by the dog), and Scoots (my good friend who was born with no back feet). These three were such special friends, and they are very missed. On a happier note, however, Dewey, the little guy who was tossed off of an apartment balcony and had to have major leg and hip surgery, is doing great!! He's out and about in the shelter house, playing and having a wonderful time with all of his new friends. Montana and Smokie, the two Persians who came from Indianapolis Animal Care and Control, are also doing wonderful. And thanks to everyone's generosity recently, we are able to help a white with tabby guy named Snowball who was badly injured by a dog this past weekend. Snowball is part of a police investigation of animal cruelty, and we are so pleased that we can help.

One last thing . . .  currently, the Humane Society of Indianapolis is in the news because of a tragic outbreak of a feline calicivirus. I want everyone to know that the staff at HSI is doing everything in their power to stop this virus in its tracks, and to save the remaining kitties at the shelter. This is an unbelieveable strain of this virus and yes, many kitties have not survived it. For the next several weeks, HSI will not be able to take cats and kittens, and most of the cats currently in their shelter will not be available for adoption. This situation has taken its toll on the staff at the Humane Society, so if you know someone who works there, don't forget to ask how they're doing. And if you want to show your support and help, right now they need bleach, rags, paper towels, plastic gloves, and other items. Go to www.indyhumane.org to see a complete list of what they need. 

I need to get to cat bed, I suppose. My first kitten class starts at 9, and Lady Gwen and I need to have the kittens up with their teeth brushed, faces washed, and breakfast eaten by 8:45. Lady Gwen is making a moth and cream breakfast bake, too. I don't want to be late for that!! It's my favorite! Okay, so I guess Barb wasn't kidding. The mice are out of the office and gone. I can finally relax and blog in my own chair in my own office without having a mouse looking over  my . . . what's that . . . moving . ..  on  . . . the . . . desk . . . SPIDER!!!!!!!!! I AM SO OUTTA HERE!!!!! BARB!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

 

Hello, everyone! Bandit here, Cats Haven shelter manager. Oh boy oh boy oh boy! The Holidays are just around the corner, and I am SO ready for turkey and stuffing, ornaments, and the all-important gifts!! And starting this week, It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas because Barb and I are packing up tonight for the Christmas Gift and Hobby Show!!!!! Starting this Wednesday, we'll be at our annual booth at this annual event at the Indiana State Fairgrounds. More about that in a minute because I have a favor to ask you guys!

So how is everyone? I hope this blog entry finds everyone in a grrrr-eat mood. As always, life has been busy at the shelter. We've been doing everything from planting daylilies to adopting out kitties. Congrats to everyone who has found their homes recently!!! And while Barb has been spending her evenings working on jewelry for our upcoming events, I've been teaching classes for our senior cats. We still have our kitten classes during the day, of course, but at night we've been gathering some of the seniors and doing some really fun stuff. Monday nights is our very popular "Sleep" class; Tuesdays we've got our "Stretch and Sleep" seminar; and Wednesdays bring "Find Something and Sleep Under or In It." Thursdays we're teaching "Sleep and Drool," which is a very well attended class. And Fridays are Strip Poker nights. (That one was Merlin's idea, and quite honestly it's a little disturbing.) So we've been working hard to design some mentally stimulating activities for all of our seniors. It's so important to keep them on their toes (or their sides and stomachs, in this case).

So aside from being busy here at the shelter, we've been gearing up for all kinds of fun events! The first one starts this Wednesday, and it's the Christmas Gift and Hobby Show at the Indiana State Fairgrounds!! We'll have our annual booth at this wonderful show, and I can hardly wait. We'll have the Kitty Du Jour with us each day, and we've got all kinds of fun stuff for sale. Catnip toys, FABU Gypsy Cat jewelry, handmade winter scarves, Chris' mom's super-cool needlepoint Kleenex box covers . . . more stuff than I can list here! And the proceeds from the sales all go to us here at the shelter. Now, I mentioned that I had a favor to ask of you guys. We're still a little skimpy on volunteers to help at the show. Specifically, we need to have a few folks join us in the booth on Saturday and Sunday during the day. If you have a couple of hours, please consider coming out and spending time with Barb. I'd really like to get someone to help her Saturday from 10 a.m.to 2 p.m., and from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. Sunday, we can use some help from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Here's the cool thing about helping at the show . . . we'll not only reimburse your $3 parking fee, but you get into the show for free, and after your shift is over you can wander around the show for as long as you want! You can help Cats Haven *AND* get a jump on your Holiday gift shopping! If you can help out, contact The Other Sue at susan@pjfuzzypaws.com so she can add you to the schedule. And hey, if you can't volunteer but would still like to attend the show, be sure to print out the coupon on the home page (click here) and take it with you for $2 off show admission!!! 

We also have another event going on at the Fairground this coming Saturday and Sunday. We'll be at the Great Indy Pet Expo with lots of adoptable kitties and more fun stuff for sale (Saturday - 10 a.m.to 5 p.m.; Sunday - 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.)! This is a really fun event with lots of shelters and rescue groups participating, and lots of animals looking for their fur-ever homes as well as lots of stuff to buy for your fuzzmates! To see who all is gonna be there, check out  www.greatindypetexpo.com. Even if you're not looking for a new fuzzy family member, c'mon by and say HEY to the volunteers at the Cats Haven booth!

And if all of this wasn't enough, our good friend Leah Sands (foster mom extraordinaire) has a really nifty fund raiser going on for us! See, Leah is an Avon representative, and she's offering to donate 25 percent of her sales from now until November 27h to Cats Haven!!! I personally LOVE Avon products. I use their ANEW under-eye cream to keep away wrinkles and dark circles . . . anyway, this is a great way to stock up on all your favorite Avon products and help the shelter all at the same time. I'm planning to get Lady Gwen a few things. She really likes the Smooth Miracles lipstick. (Hey, don't laugh. Have you ever seen Lady Gwen with chapped lips? Think about it . . .) To take advantage of this fabulous fund raiser, just click here and make your online purchases! Thank you, Leah, for caring about us like this. Raspberry was right when he said "Leah? Oh, she's such a babe!"

I better get back to helping Barb pack for the Christmas Gift and Hobby Show. I hear her banging around on the 3rd floor . . . and besides, I'm pretty sure that mouse is still here in the office. If she's three floors up, she can't hear me scream if that vicious mouse tries to hogtie me again like it did last week. Who knew that a mouse could use a lasso like that?! I'm here to tell you that these rodents just can't be trusted. I'll blog again next week to let you guys know about the Eiteljorge Winter Market, the Gathering of Artists, and our annual Cats Haven open house! We've got a lot going on, and I hope to see all of you over the next few weeks! - Bandit the puddytat

Hi, everybody! I hope you're all having a good week and looking forward to a spectacular weekend. I'm looking forward to a relaxing and quiet weekend, especially after my TV debut today. Oh, I'm Bandit, shelter manager at Cats Haven, in case you've forgotten. I'll tell you about my video shoot in a minute, but first let me tell you about last Friday at The Luxor!!

Last Friday night, we had a fund raiser at the Luxor, this little Mediterranean restaurant in Fountain Square. We had a blast!! Lots of people came by and had dinner with us, and then stayed for some super fantastic flamenco and belly dancing! Belly dancers!! Woo hoo!! The food was great, everyone had a good time, and we even got Barb up on stage to belly dance! (I have pictures to prove it, too!) Between the dinner, Gypsy Cat jewelry sales, and the dancers donating all their tips, Cats Haven raised close to $500. Thank you to everyone who came out and joined us. And thank you to Fatem and everyone at the Luxor for showing us such a good time and serving such wonderful food. You guys are the best!

So I had barely recovered from Friday night's festivities when Sunday rolled around and tons of people converged on the shelter. No one had bothered to tell ME that they'd planned a big cleaning day! We had people inside; we had people outside. Upstairs, downstairs, front and back yard . . . volunteers were everywhere helping us get ready for our video shoot (which I'm getting to). I gotta thank everyone who gave up part of the Sunday to help us all. Elizabeth and her DH (that stands for Dear Hubby);Linda; Dzana (my best friend ever); James, Sonny, and Cindy; Sue Hildebrandt and her partner Mil; Kelly and Chris; Barbara Dunn; The Other Sue; and Christine and her whole family!! Some folks worked really hard outside to get the yard cut, iris and daylily bulbs planted, the front porch organized and cleaned, and the fence repaired. Other folks worked inside, moving furniture, scrubbing floors and walls, and washing windows.We didn't get everything done, but we all sure made a big dent in the cleaning and sprucing. Everyone got the place looking great for our video shoot . . .

So Wednesday morning, do you know who showed up at the shelter? Patty Spitler and her video crew from PetTV!! How cool is THAT!? We're gonna be on PetTV on Sunday, November 1, at 11:30 on Channel 13!!!!! We all got videotaped, Barb, the Other Sue, and I all got interviewed . . . and the most cool thing of all was when a very nice man named Denny came in and adopted Rock Hudson! AND they got Rock's adoption on video. Isn't that fantabulous? A big MEOW and PURRRRRRR go out to Patty (she and I are on a first-name basis now) and her crew for taking their time to feature us on their television show. I'm sure a few of us will be hearing from Hollywood very soon! Better yet, maybe someone will see us on TV and want to adopt us. Wouldn't that be wonderful?

I've got an update on Dewey, the little guy with the broken leg and pelvis. He's doing great! He'll go to the doctor next week to get his staples out of his leg, but he's moving around in his crate, eating well, and loves everyone. He's going to be just fine, and will be available for adoption in another month or so. I can't wait for him to be released from his crate because I think he's going to be a lot of fun to play with. He's really funny and likes to tell jokes, and I think we're going to be good friends! Thank you to everyone who donated towards his vet bill. Without all of your help, we woulnd't have been able to help Dewey. I say it all the time . . . Cats Haven knows the very best people in the whole world.

Okay, I gotta get to bed. I need to be up really early on Thursday morning to get the kittens up, get their teeth brushed, their breakfasts in them, and off to their first kitten class of the day. Thursday mornings, Merlin teaches Crouch, Wiggle, and Lunge at 8:00. So it's gonna be a long day. Hey, I hope to see a lot of you at the cat show at the Fairgrounds on October 31 and November 1! I hear that Polo is going to make a personal appearance, and Barb will have a few adoptable kitties there, too. Have a good week, everyone. - Bandit the puddytat

 

Hello, everybody. Bandit here blogging tonight . . . supreme commander of the united forces of the kitty underground! Hehehe! No, really, I'm Cats Haven's shelter manager, in case you forgot. I'm hiding in the office because I need a few minutes away from all these kittens. They're everywhere! And they're asking me all kinds of questions. "Bandit, why is the sky blue?" "Bandit, why can't we sharpen our claws on the doors?" "Bandit, can I have a Wii?" "Bandit, where do hairballs come from?" Don't get me wrong. I love all of our kittens. But tonight they don't want to settle down and go to bed. I think it's the rain that's keeping them awake. Either that, or maybe I shouldn't have played Twister with them at 10:00 at night. Thankfully, Lady Gwen has gathered them all in the middle room and is reading "The Little Kitty Prince" to them. They're all curled up on their nap mats with warm mouse milk, and hopefully they'll be asleep soon. 

I've got all kinds of fun stuff to tell you about tonight. I'll start with the WZPL video!! My friend the Other Sue took Granola and Baby to see Smiley and KJ at the radio station a couple of days ago, and they shot a movie about us! No kidding! Well, maybe not a whole movie, but we're on the Internet! This is so cool! Check it out at http://link.brightcove.com/services/player/bcpid29746642001?bclid=29761821001&bctid=44018966001. Sue got to talk about our adoption special as well as the fund raiser that we've got going next weekend. What fund raiser, you ask? Well, let me tell you!!! Next Friday, October 16 . . . and maybe Saturday the 17th, if we get enough reservations, we're having a GINORMOUS night at the Luxor in Fountain Square, a really good Middle Eastern restaurant! For just $22 a person, you get a multi-course dinner that includes an appetizer, salad, main course, and dessert. AND tea, coffee, or soft drink!! And if that wasn't enough, there will be belly dancing all night long. Lots and lots of belly dancing! This is a family-friendly event, so bring the kids and enjoy this very special event that Luxor-owner Fatum has planned for us. A great big percentage of each meal will go to the shelter. So you can have fun, hang out with other cat lovers, really pig out on Middle Eastern food, maybe even get up on stage and dance with the belly dancers, laugh, AND help Cats Haven all for just $22. Is that a great deal or what? You gotta call and make reservations, so do that right now. No kidding. Stop reading, pickup the phone, and dial 687-9220. I'll wait to blog more til you get back.

(waiting . . . playing Sudoku . . . cleaning my ears . . . reading the new Dan Brown book . . .)

Oh, good! You're back! Thanks for making those reservations and we'll see you next weekend! Now for other news. I gotta tell you guys about all the kitties who have found homes over the last couple of weeks. Congrats to Baboo, Hattie, Freesia, Bright Eyes, Sherry, Tasha . . . I'm missing one or two, but we've had lots of adoptions over the past several days. I'm so happy that these guys found their fur-ever homes. And I'd like to welcome Dewey, a little black guy who got hurt, but then we got him fixed. Dewey either fell or was tossed off of an apartment balcony, and ended up with a broken leg and pelvis. Thanks to the folks who found him, he was seen by Dr. Johns at the Cat Doctor, and his injuries were fixed by Dr. Rick at the Zionsville Country Vet. Dewey came to the shelter today and will be on cage rest for a couple of months, but soon he'll be good as new. We've taken in a lot of sick or injured cats recently, and our vet bills are piling up. So with that in mind, we're doing Buck-tober Fest again!! This is a really easy way for you to help the shelter. All you gotta do is give us a buck. That's it. One dollar. Then ask your friends to give us a dollar. And then their friends can give us a dollar. Before long, we'll have a bunch of dollars that we can use to pay our vet bills and keep all of these kittens and sick kitties in food. You can either send a dollar to us in the mail (our address is Cats Haven, P.O. Box 30206, Indianapolis, Indiana, 46230) or go to our home page and donate via our PayPal link. See how easy that is? Okay, so, go put a dollar in an envelope right now, or donate a dollar through PayPal. I'll wait again . . .

(waiting . . . microwaving a burrito . . . comtemplating my navel . . . watching HGTV . . . don't forget to put a stamp on that envelope . . . they're over to your right)

You're back again! Good! Thank you for the donation. Don't forget to tell your friends! Now for other news. This Saturday, we'll be at Paws in the Park at Broad Ripple Park from 11 til at least 4. This is a big adoption event, and we'll have at least six adoptable kitties there. We've got an adoption special going on. You can adopt any adult kitty from us for just $30. I'm not making this up . . . just $30! All of our cats are spayed or neutered, current on all of their shots, microchipped, and many of them have taken ballroom dance classes! So you'll be getting a very special friend. If you or someone you know wants to adopt a cat, bring them to Broad Ripple Park on Saturday. And if you're just looking for something fun to do, c'mon by and visit with Barb and the cats. You can also check out everyone else who will be there, too. Lots of rescue groups and good fun.

Next Monday, the Other Sue will be on Radio Brownsburg at 9:30 in the morning. That's 1610 on your AM dial if you live near Brownsburg, or you can hear her on the Internet by going to www.radiobrownsburg.com. Sue and Shane always have a lot to talk about. At the end of the month, we'll be at the Indiana State Fairgrounds for the big cat show!! This is a really cool annual event . . . nothin' but cats wall to wall! And lots of vendors selling lots of cat-related stuff. We've got more events coming up in November, but I'll tell you about it all next time.

I want to take a minute and remember some shelter kitties who crossed the bridge recently. Please pause while we remember Opal, Arnold, Aristotle, Nana, Essie, Aurora, and the little ones who were just too sick or too young.  We at the shelter take these losses very hard, and every kitty is missed.

Okay, is that it? I think it is. Wait a minute . . . what was that? Is that a MOUSE in this office?! Good grief, there's a mouse in this office! AAAAARRRRGGGHHHHHH!!!! I'm scared to death of mice! Oh quick . . . up on the desk!!  How am I going to get out of the office without touching the floor?! I see it . . . IT'S HUGE!!!! It's the size of a 1971 Buick Electra!! It's gotta weight 900 pounds!!! I bet it's been eating all those donuts we had in the office. Oh, dear. I can't sceam or I'll wake up the kittens. I know . . . I'll call Barb upstairs from my cell phone. It's in one of my pockets . . .  Bandit the puddytat

Hello, everyone! Bandit here, Cats Haven's shelter manager. Gosh, I can't believe it's been over a  month since I blogged the last time. I am really sorry for being out of touch so long, but not only has the new school year started here at the shelter (more on that in a moment), but I've been sick with a bad sinus infection. As most of you know, I have a bit of a sinus problem after being left in a damp and moldy garage for so long, and I got sick a couple of weeks ago. Thanks to Barb and a bunch of antibiotics, though, I'm feeling much better. I gotta say that Lady Gwen did a great job of taking over while I was under the weather. She's "all that and a bag of chips!"

Life here at the shelter has been busy as usual . . . kitties coming in, kitties going out. I might have mentioned before that Cats Haven has a great relationship with both IndyFeral and the Humane Society of Indianapolis. We've been helping IndyFeral with little tiny baby feral kittens (awwww . . . they're so cute), getting them healthy and tamed down so they can go to the Humane Society to be adopted! Of course, we still have lots of cats and kittens here for adoption, but the Humane Society has a great adoption program and the kitties get a lot of great exposure there. We're also still working with Harrison College, getting some of our youngsters spayed and neutered as part of their vet tech program. Hey, guys. We still need baby food (that stuff in jars . . . chicken, turkey, ham, or veal), paper plates, and baby wipes for these little ones. Barb and I really love being able to work with other shelters and agencies like this because we're all doing this for the kitties. We also love all of our volunteers who come to the shelter and help get some of these feral hooligan babies tamed down!! A big thank you goes out to everyone who has helped to socialize these hissy-spitty kids!

Oh, I've got big news about some new kitten school stuff!! I've started a whole new educational program here called CHAT . . . Cats Haven Arts and Technology! We're still teaching most of the same classes, like "Staring at Nothing 101" and "Inappropriate Grooming When Company Comes for Dinner," but I'm also adding new classes like "Helping with the Computer - Stepping on the Enter Key" and "The Art of Scratching Litter - Sand Castles in Your Box." I think these classes will help round out our already comprehensive curriculum, and make our cats and kittens a lot more adoptable. And it lets our kittens explore their creative side. If you have any ideas for either art or technology classes that we should offer, just email me at bandit_the_puddytat@gmail.com. I'm always open for suggestions!

We've got all kinds of cool stuff coming up, and I hope to see you all at some point over the next few months. On October 10th, we'll be at Broad Ripple Park for the Paws in the Park adoption event! This is such a fun day . . . I got to go to this last year, and I chased two Chihuahuas around the park until my foster mom caught me. It was GREAT! LOL!! I don't think I'll be invited back this year. And then on Friday, October 16th and *maybe* October 17th (depending on how many reservations we get), we're doing another fund raiser at The Luxor, Fountain Square's fantastic middle Eastern restaurant. Like we did last spring, there will be a set menu of wonderful food, bottomless tea, coffee, or soft drinks, and lots of really cool belly dancing, all for one price! Our good friend Fatum who ownsThe Luxor will donate a nice percentage of each dinner sold to Cats Haven. I gotta tell you, we had a blast last February when we did this. So don't miss it this time! To make your reservations, call 687-9220. And then there's the Indy Cat Club's annual October cat show at the Fairgrounds on October 31 and November 1. Thanks, Indy Cat Club, for donating our space again this year. OH!! And then we've got two events at the same time in November, and we're gonna need some help. We're gonna be at the Christmas Gift and Hobby Show at the Fairgrounds on November 12th through the 15th, AND we're also gonna be at the Great Indy Pet Expo also at the Fairgrounds on November 14th and 15th! Two events the same week and weekend . . . we'll need volunteers to help at both events, so my friend The Other Sue will be in touch next month. And we're currently planning an event in either late November or Early December called Stuff the Truck where we'll be at a specific location to take donations of food, litter, and supplies! More on that one as we get it planned! Check out the calendar over the next few days for new events and volunteer opportunities!

Wow, I've just gone on and on and on, haven't I? I'll try not to wait so long to blog next time!! It looks like Lady Gwen wants to get on the computer and check her MyWhiskers page, so I better sign off now. Have a grrrr-eat week, everyone! Come by and see me, if you get a chance! You all are more than welcome to sit in on any of my new CHAT classes! You, too, can learn the art of making sand castles in your litter box! - Bandit the Puddytat

Hello, everyone! Bandit the puddytat here, Cats Haven shelter manager and kitten school principal. How is everybody? Well, it's that time of year again. Time when all good kittens are rousted out of kitten bed at 6 a.m., fed a healthy and nutritious breakfast prepared by Lady Gwen (like this morning, we all had Moth Flakes with low-fat mouse milk and a rasher of chipmonk bacon . . . mmm mmm mmm), grab their kitten backpacks, and head off for a day of kitten classes!! It's hard to believe that summer is coming to an end and school is back in session already, but we've got a great group of new kittens, and I think they're gonna do great this year.

Hey, did everyone see The Other Sue and a little so-far nameless kitten on the Fox 59 morning news show on Tuesday morning? Wow, it was so exciting! The reason they were on is because the Indianapolis Artists Peace Project is helping us with a Name the Kitten fundraiser, and the kitten (who we're currently calling Baby) wanted to tell everybody about it. All you've gotta do is go to www.angelfire.com/ms3/jarrodssis/iapp2.htlm and vote for one of four names -- Cappuccino, Trinity, Tzurris (which mean Trouble in Yiddish), or Hopalong. You can vote as many times as you want, and each vote will cost $1. Fifty cents from each vote goes to Cats Haven, and soon Baby will have her real name! Baby is one of the kittens we got recently who had umbilical cord accidents. The cords wrapped around their legs, and unfortunately we couldn't save Baby's right hind leg. But she's doing great, will be spayed in a couple of weeks, and soon will be ready for adoption. And she looked gorgeous on television! You can meet Baby this Saturday at the Glendale Library, 62nd and Keystone Avenue, from 3 til 4:30. Barb'll be there, too, so stop by and say hi to them both, and cast your vote!

We got stuff going on at the shelter, too! Our good friend James came by a couple of weeks ago and got The Queen's Room wire for electrical, cable, and phones. My friend Alex worked really hard to move all the lateral file cabinets out of that room so James could do his magic, and next we'll be painting in there. Then we'll lay the flooring that Extreme Home Makeover donated to us, and voila, we'll have a new office!! Thank you Alex, James, and Dzana for all your hard work getting that room ready for us. It's gonna be so cool to have a real office!

I've got a couple of personal messages that I want to send out here. First of all, to my dear friend Teresa Eversole, I am very sorry to hear about the passing of your dad. Barb told me that he crossed a couple of weeks ago, and I just want you to know that you've been on my mind, and I hope you're doing okay. Call me anytime if you need anything. I was going to ask Lady Gwen to make a starling and grackle casserole for you, but Barb said you probably had plenty of food. You're in my thoughts. And to my friend Sue Hildebrandt and her friend Mil, I am so sorry to hear about Hoover. Hoover was so cool, and I know you guys must miss him a lot. And to Barb and everyone here at the shelter, I know we're all still reeling over the death of our Oci friend, Margo. She was loved by everyone who knew her, and her presence has left a big hole in our family. Godspeed, Margo. You will never be forgotten.

Now, lots of you guys ask me all the time what you can do for Cats Haven. As I mentioned the last time that I blogged, we need baby food for the tiny kittens (turkey, chicken, and ham, please), baby wipes to help keep them clean, and vinegar and paper towels to keep their living areas sparkling clean and germ free. But there are a few other things we need, too. We haven't been able to get paper goods from Walmart recently, and we're in big need of trash bags (kitchen trash can size as well as the big green ones), more paper towels, laundry detergent, and paper plates. Hopefully Walmart will get us back on their donation list soon, but til then we really need these supplies. You can either drop off supplies at the shelter, OR you can send us gift cards from Walmart, Target, or Meijer. Another thing you can do to help us is to come by the shelter and spend time with us all. We're always grateful when people stop in to pet us, brush us, or read to us. So c'mon by and just visit with us for a while! You can even attend a kitten class or two, if you'd like. Mondays and Wednesday, I teach The Art of Napping in the Sun, and Tuesdays and Thursdays you can join us for critter-catching lessons! I bet most of you guys would do really great with catching spiders, and Lady Gwen could give you some of her favorite recipes! Fridays are my favorite classes . . . How to Be Exceptionally Cute, and How to Ignore Your Human with Flair and Panache! So stop in soon and see us!

It's late, and I have to be up early in the morning to prepare for the day's lessons.  I hope all of you will stop by the Glendale Library on Saturday to meet Baby and vote for her name. We've got other events coming up that I'll tell you about soon, but for now, my bed is calling my name. Have a grrrr-eat rest of the week, everyone! - Bandit the puddytat

 

 

Oh, boy . . . do I ever have my work cut out for me. *sigh* Hello, everyone! I'm Bandit, the shelter manager here at Cats Haven. And I'm taking a break from a BIG job tonight. See, I've got a slight problem. Being the shelter manager, it's up to me to handle certain situations when they arise. Situations like kittens playing hookey from kitten class, or Hattie bringing in live birds, or Barb dipping into the catnip. But tonight, well, I've got a different situation. Here's the deal. IndyFeral had this feral momcat who had a litter of kittens in a humane trap a few weeks ago. She and her kids came to Cats Haven so we could work with the kittens and get them friendly, and then we planned to get the momcat spayed so we could release her back into her feral colony. Well, the kittens are finally tame and we were getting the feral momcat into a carrier this evening so Sue could take her to be spayed on Sunday when all of a sudden, the momcat yelled "NO WAY, JOSE!!!!! LATER, LOSERS!!!!" and jumped over Barb, onto the floor, and out into the shelter. Despite Barb and Sue's attempts to stop her, she disappeared down the stairs and into the back room. Keep in mind that this kitty is completely feral and really doesn't like humans, so Barb says that it's up to me to talk to and reason with her, and get her to come out so we can get her spayed and released. So far, she's called me some really bad names . . . some of the words I've never even heard before! And they're NOT in the dictionary ... I looked! It's hard to believe that a mother could have a mouth like a sailor! So I've been negotiating with her for a couple of hours but thus far, no luck. I figured I'd take a break and blog before getting back to her. And just for the record, despite what she says, my mother did NOT wear army boots!!!

I've got lots and lots of stuff to talk about this time! First, I want to get a few "Thank Yous" out of the way. I'm sending out a big Thank You to the IVEC (Indianapolis Veterinary Emergency Hospital) for including us in their annual Pet Carnival last Saturday! Lela and Helen took kitties to this event, and they found homes for two Cats Haven residents! Woo hoo!! So a big Thanks goes to the IVEC, not only for having us at the Carnival, but also for the stuff they donated to us. And big Thanks also goes out to Lela and Helen for taking a part of their Saturday to represent us and finding homes for two of our kids despite it being kinda hot outside. And speaking of hot weather, big Thanks also go out to Tim Eversole and his gorgeous wife, Teresa (Raspberry still talks about you, y'know), for their recent donation towards mouse-cicles!!! YUMMEEEE!!!! I sent Lady Gwendolyn to our favorite ice cream shop down the street (it's called Critters Ice Cream) and she brought back mouse-cicles for us all. So thank you, Tim and Teresa, for the donation towards a wonderful sweet treat on a hot summer day! Finally, Thanks to Speck's Pet Supply in Brownsburg for hosting an adoption afternoon for us last Sunday. We had tons of fun and met lots of new people!

A few congratulations are in order, too. I'd like to congratulate Baby Willy for finding a great foster home!!! As you guys might remember, Willy is a kitten who lost a leg after he got it caught in a fence. So congrats to Willy, and to Wanda and her family for fostering this very cool little guy. And congratulations to Stuart Mouse who went home with his new mom, Cassie! And to my friend Loyce, I'd just like to say congratulations on your new sidewalk!! I'm thrilled for you!

Hey, in case any of you guys need stuff from Home Depot, stop by the Home Depot store at 2225 N. Post Road on Friday, July 24th, from 1 til 6 p.m.! We'll be there doing adoptions! We'll have catnip toys for sale as well as a few kitties available for adoption. We'd love to see you, so c'mon out and visit with us for a while!!!

We've had a few new folks contact us recently to see how they can help the shelter and the kitties. Of course, we always welcome new volunteers, but I want to take a couple of minutes here to let you guys all know that we've got some really specific needs right now. We have a new crop of summer kittens in our care, and we can use baby food and baby wipes. We currently are in great need of chicken, ham, turkey, and veal baby food as well as good quality baby wipes. Kittens are so messy, you know. And the other need we have right now is for cash donations. Normally I don't ask for donations like this, but we have a few residents who need unusual vet care. For example, our friend Maxine will be going to the vet this coming week for her jaw problem. Maxine's jaw was broken at some point, and it is also completely unhinged. Right now, all she can eat is Hills A/D mixed with water to make A/D soup. If we can get her jaw fixed, tho, she'll be able to eat normally and then find a loving forever home. And we have two kittens who came to us as a humane transfer from another shelter. Their names are Emerald and Jade, and they lost part of their back legs when they were born. These two grey tabby girls are absolutely gorgeous, are very healthy aside from their missing limbs, and will make wonderful pets. But more than likely, they will need surgery prior to being adopted. And then there's Phoebe who needs a bone biopsy to see if we can save her leg. So we have some out-of-the-ordinary vet bills coming up. If everyone could spare just five dollars to help with vet expenses, we can get these kitties healthy and then help them find their families. So if you want to help Cats Haven this summer, we need donations of baby food and baby wipes, as well as monetary donations. I know that times are tight right now, but a couple of dollars goes a long way here at Cats Haven. No donation is too small, and all donations are greatly appreciated!!

Okay, I better get back to negotiating with the feral momcat. Maybe some catnip would help to mellow her out a little. Oh hey! I wonder if there's a mouse-cicle left in the freezer! I bet she'd be easier to talk to with a mouse-cicle in her little feral tummy! I have a feeling it's going to be a very long night . . . Bandit the puddytat

UPDATE, 10 HOURS LATER -  Hello, everyone! I just wanted to give you a quick update on the feral momcat. After one sleepless night for me, and several hours of negotiation, Barb came downstairs this morning and the momcat mewed at her. Barb then just picked her up and put her in her crate. I'd like to think that my finely honed negotiating skills wore her down and convinced her that getting spayed was the right thing to do. Let's go with that, wha'd'ya' say? 

 

Hello, everyone! I'm Bandit, the shelter manager at Cats Haven. Hehehe. I guess you guys already know that, huh? Well, I'm here to tell you that I'm a happy guy tonight! I'm celebrating one year of living at Cats Haven! It's hard to believe a whole year has gone by since my friends and I made our way from southern Indiana to life here with Barb, and I've gotta say that this has been one of the best years ever!! I've made so many new, good friends, and I've gone from a sickly little kitty to Shelter Manager! So Happy Anniversary to ME! I'm a very lucky cat!

So far this summer, we've all been kinda lazy around here. But we've got all kinds of fun things coming up! First, this weekend is InConJunction, a big sci-fi gathering at the Sheraton Hotel at Keystone at the Crossing. Barb and friends (human and feline) will be there Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, telling everyone about all the wonderful adoptable kitties we've got, handing out flyers about the shelter, and selling her gorgeous Gypsy Cat jewelry. InConJunction is really cool, so if you're a sci-fi/fantasy fan, come and check it out. You can learn all about it at www.inconjunction.org. Thank you, InConJunction folks, for featuring us again this year!!!

We've also got other off-site events coming up! In the next few weeks, we'll be at the IVEC Pet Carnival on the south side of town next Saturday, Speck's Pet Supplies in Avon in a week or so (I need to talk to my good friend David to find out the date and time), and the Family Health and Wellness Fair at the Sterrett Center on August 25th. Oh, and Paws in the Park will be coming up soon, too!! Be sure to keep an eye on the calendar for dates and times, and for new events that we're working on! And we're already making big plans for our Fall Frolic! I think our lazy days of summer are over!

Okay, now that I've got the obligatory calendar things out of the way, I gotta tell you about a couple of new residents! First, I want you guys to know about Mickey. Mickey is a two-year-old kitty who came to live with us a couple of weeks ago. He's a grey and white guy with the funniest little face and the best purr-sonality. He's got a birth defect . . . his back legs just don't work. But this doesn't slow him down any. He gets around (are you ready for this?) by lifting up his rear end and walking on just his front legs! HA! No, I'm not kidding!! Mickey goes up and down stairs, runs through the house, plays with the other kitties, and he walk on his front legs!! He is just too cool!! I'm gonna try and get pictures of him and start a "Mickey" page on our website! You're gonna love him! Another new resident I want to tell you about is Willy. Willy is a tiny kitten who had a disagreement with a fence, and at about four weeks of age, lost one of his legs. Willy was very sick for a while, but he's doing just great now. In fact, he's in a foster home and is being spoiled rotten. I'd also like to welcome Rumba and Matilda, two senior gals who came to us from the Humane Society of Indianapolis. And a big welcome also goes out to all of our new kittens! If you or someone you know is wanting to adopt a new feline family member, we've got kitties of all shapes, sizes, colors, and ages! Our "Summer of Love" adoption special continues through Labor Day weekend . . . all adult cats are only $30!!! Spread the word! Oh, and a very special Thank You goes out to Hattie, one of our residents, for bringing the live bird into the shelter house the other day! Way to go, Hattie!!!! That was just too much fun!!!

Well, it's late and Lady Gwendolyn is telling me that she needs to use the computer. I need to get to bed anyway. I'm gonna be very busy over the next few days, what with Barb out at InConJunction. So have a fun and safe Fourth of July weekend, everyone!! - Bandit the puddytat

Hello, everyone. I'm Bandit, shelter manager at Cats Haven. I haven't had a chance to blog since our Silent Auction at Arni's last week because I've been a tad more relaxed than usual. Hehehehe. Y'see, at the Silent Auction, my new best friend Naj McFadden gave Barb a HUGE bouquet of fresh, just out of the garden, hand-picked catnip. And being the diligent shelter manager, I had to make sure this herb was safe for all the cats here. So I sampled some of it. It seemed fine . . . really fine, now that I think of it. BUT to make  absolutely sure it was safe, I sampled some more. Then a little more. That was a week ago Tuesday, I think. Kinda hard to remember exactly when the catnip came in. Well, to make a long story short, the catnip is now gone and if Naj is reading this, has anyone told you recently what a fine, upstanding person you are? How we all appreciate what you do for all animals everywhere? How I bet if you'd enter the Miss Universe contest, you'd win? Bring more catnip, Naj. Soon. Thank you.

So, the Silent Auction was a great success!! Thank you to everyone who came out, had dinner, and bid on the fantastic items we had this year! Between the auction and the dinners you guys had, Cats Haven raised over two thousand dollars!!! (I wonder how many catnip seeds we could buy with that . . .)  This will go a long way towards vet bills and other shelter expenses. Thanks, too, to Dr. Myra and The Cat Doctor for putting together this wonderful evening. Each year, it just gets better and better! 

A few days before the Silent Auction, we had our annual Spring Fling event, too. We had lots of artists, a flea market, a massage therapist, a tarot card reader, a couple of belly dancers (much to the delight of the kids and also the neighbors), and a great time was had by all! David Molloy and I gave shelter tours to anyone who wanted to meet our current residents, and it was just a super day all way 'round. April, Jenn, Victoria, and Barb, you guys did a fantastic job of putting this one together. From this day, we again raised over two thousand dollars!!!! Woo hoo!!!! 

But wait . . . there's more! Because we have such a nice and abundant selection of adoptable kitties, we're running a special! Y'see, June is Adopt a Shelter Cat month. We're a shelter, we've got cats, so this seems like a given, doesn't it? Here's the fan-tabulous special that'll go from June until Labor Day. We're offering adult kitties (nine months and older) for . . . get this . . . $30! That's right. You heard correctly! Thirty dollars for an adult new best friend! We're calling this our "Summer of Love" special! All of our adults are spayed or neutered, current on their vaccinations, microchipped, tested for FIV and feline leukemia . . . all you need to add is some food, some water, and a lap! (Hang on a second . . . is that some catnip here on the desk? *sniiiifffff* AH! It IS! *sniiifffff)  Mmmm, I'm sorry. Where was I? Oh, yeh. Summer of Love. And if $30 for a kitty isn't good enough for ya', for another $10, you can adopt ANOTHER adult! That's two . . . count 'em . . . two new family members for just $40!!! (I wonder how this sprig of catnip ended up in the desk? *sniiiiiiiif*) So, um, yeh. Two wonderful, soft, fuzzy, friendly little kitties for $40, or one sweet, purring kitty for $30. Is that a deal or what? (*sniiiiiiiiiiiiiif*) This is really a great country, isn't it? Wow. I love you guys. Really. *SNNIIIIIIIFFFFFFFFFFF*

Sho, I tink dats all frum CatHven. 8[OO BLO5 qfqin w00n.... Hahahah!  Oooops . . . I was uushing the rong roe of keees! Hahahaha! *Sniiiiiiiiffffffff* Hey! Hey! Did you guys hear the one 'bout the horse that went into a bar and the bartender said "Hey, buddy . . . why da long face?" HAHAHAHA! *sniiiffffff* Do we haf any Freetos or Ding Dongs around heer? I bedder go t'bed now . . . bAndIT 

Hello everyone! I guess you all know by now that I'm Bandit, shelter manager at Cats Haven. How is everyone today? I hope you're all doing well. Me? I'm great, thanks for asking. And things here at the shelter couldn't be better! Well, come to think of it, I guess they could be better, but I'm not gonna complain! I mean, we could all be eating lobster every night and have a massage therapist on staff, but I think we're all pretty darned lucky to be here and have Barb care for us like she does.

This is gonna be a fairly short blog because I've got to get to bed so I can get up in the morning to listen to the Smiley Morning Show on WZPL at 6:45. KJ's Strays is going to feature Cats Haven! Why? Because Tuesday, June 2nd, is our annual SILENT AUCTION at Arni's Restaurant! This is the 5th annual SILENT AUCTION that Dr. Myra and The Cat Doctor have done for us, and from what I understand, this is a very cool event. Now, last year, I wasn't at the shelter yet when they had the SILENT AUCTION, but everyone has told me how much fun this is. Everyone eats, bids on tons of really awesome silent auction items, visits with Barb and some of our volunteers, and since I'm the shelter manager now, I get to mix drinks with Smiley and do some kareoke!! Yes, I'll be there, and I'll be singing some of my favorites like Free Bird and Muskrat Love! It's gonna be great! I'm trying to decide what to wear, but . . . oh, wait a minute. My assistant shelter manager Lady Gwendolyn just told me that I'm not going. She says that cats aren't allowed in the restaurant. I can't believe this .  .  . how disappointing. I was really looking forward to seeing Deb from The Cat Doctor. Between you and me, I think she's really pretty and very nice. But I guess I won't be singing or bartending, but Lady Gwen says everyone will still have a great time. The food at Arni's is fabulous, and very reasonably priced. I hear their mouse meatball marinara subs are to die for!!! And if you print the flyer from our home page and go in after 4 p.m., 20% of the price of your meal will be donated to the shelter!! Eat in or carry out!! Uh, ooops. Lady Gwen just told me they don't serve mouse meatball marinara subs. I thought I saw those on the menu . . . And you should see all the silent auction items. We've got stuff from the Colts and the Pacers, vacation packages, golf packages, artwork, chipmonks, Yellow Rose carriage rides . . . wait a minute again, please. Lady Gwendolyn just told me that we're not auctioning off chipmonks. I could have sworn someone told me we had chipmonks. . . *sigh*  Well anyway, there are over 50 different items that you can bid on, and all the proceeds go to help fund the shelter. So join Barb, the two Sue's, KJ, Smiley . . . everybody but ME, apparently . . . at Arni's on 96th Street. You'll have a great time, and will help the shelter, too!

Okay, I need to curl up and get some sleep.  It's been a long day, and it's gonna be an early morning. I'll blog after the Arni's fund raiser and let everyone know how we did. I'll also let you know how Sherman the baby possum is doing . . . he's at possum school now and is learning possum survival training! So stay tuned for another blog later this week . . . as well as introduce a couple of new residents. And I'll tell you all about the Spring Fling, too! Don't forget . . . go to Arni's on Tuesday!! - Bandit the puddytat

Hello, everyone! I'm Bandit, the shelter manager at Cats Haven, and I'm so excited that I can hardly stand it. The Spring Fling Art for Paws event is nearly here!!!!! Just two more days until 2603 North College Avenue will be transformed from a corner lot with a white, two-story home to a huge festival place with artists and their art work for sale and belly dancers and a fortune teller and a massage therapist  . . . and all kinds of tents and food and drinks and a GREAT BIG flea market and free samples of Precise cat foods and oh this is just gonna be so much fun and I CAN'T HARDLY WAIT!!! Ahem . . . sorry. I didn't mean to yell, but this Spring Fling thing is big, folks. I mean really really big! Bigger than, uh, than, er, well, it's just really big, okay? Take my word for it. Admission and parking are absolutely free, and a percentage of everything you buy goes to help the shelter. This is one of our biggest fund raisers of the year, and I hope to see everyone on Saturday between 11 til 4, rain or shine. You can have a great time, have lots of fun, meet and talk to all kinds of animal lovers, buy some really cool stuff, have some lunch, and know that you're helping Cats Haven all at the same time. Have I mentioned that this is really big? Well it is.

So aside from getting ready for the Spring Fling, other things have been going on at the shelter, too. Dzana has been doing some painting and getting the place spruced up. It looks great! Thank you, Dzana!! And several other volunteers have been in and out all week, helping to do a little spring cleaning and spending time with all of us. We love it when people come by to visit, so thank you to everyone who has stopped in recently. I'd like to welcome a few new kitties to the Cats Haven program, too. Welcome Opal from Animal Care and Control. Opal is a really nice gal with a gorgeous coat. She needs a hernia operation, and she'll be with us for a while. She'll be available for adoption when she's all healed up. And a big welcome goes out to Willow! She was left behind when her family moved away. Willow is a gorgeous tabby and white gal with a crooked right front paw. She's now spayed and ready for a home. And welcome to Phoebe from IndyFeral, and Cadbury, too. Cadbury is vision impaired, and was found wandering around and bumping into fences. Thank you, Deb at the Cat Doctor, for offering to foster him! Oh, and I'd like to welcome Sherman, too. Sherman is a really funny looking little guy who Barb has been tending to over the last few days while his dad has been in the hospital. I asked Barb what breed Sherman is, and she told me he's a baby Possum! I've heard of Siamese, Turkish Vans, Maine Coons, Ragdolls, and so on, but I've never heard of a Possum. He's got the strangest tail with no hair and a weird pointy nose . . . apparently his dad found him after his mom was killed, and Barb says that he'll be released outside as soon as he's big enough. He's only a few weeks old right now and I guess he's kinda cute . . . in a weird kinda way. So welcome, Sherman. Your dad will pick you up in a couple of days.

After we get this Spring Fling done on Saturday, I'm gonna have a new project to manage! Here's the deal. We need to move our office from the middle room downstairs into what we affectionately call The Queen's Room. To do this, we need to do a little floor repair, put in some electrical outlets, and put down some new flooring that was donated to us. I'm gonna be coordinating this project, and here's my challenge. I've got to find people who can help us with this work. Having paws with no opposable thumbs, none of us can use a hammer or a saw. And we really don't want Barb to have access to sharp tools. So do any of you guys know anyone who would like to donate their time to the shelter and get this job done? Does anyone know of a contractor or a builder who might like to help us? It's not a very big job, but it's gotta be done right. If anyone knows of an animal lover who could help us, email me at bandit.the.puddytat@gmail.com, and we'll contact them with more information. 

Beddie bye time for me. We've got a lot to do Thursday and Friday so everything is absolutely perfect for our big day on Saturday!! Oh, this is just gonna be so much fun. I'm really looking forward to seeing everyone, so please stop by and say HI to me, okay? See you all Saturday!! - Bandit the cat, shelter manager at Cats Haven and just one really cool dude

 

Hello again from Bandit (that's me), the shelter manager at Cats Haven! How's everyone doing? I hope you all are doing just grrrreat. I'm doing fine, thanks for asking. I'd be better if this rain would go away and the sun would come back. I'm a sunny kinda guy, and I really don't care much for these grey, damp days. But I'm very thankful that I'm in a nice, warm, dry shelter with all my friends and plenty of food. No better way to spend a dark, rainy day than to eat, sleep, and watch TV. And that's what we've been doing all day today. I decided to change lesson plans today for the kittens (we were going to cover the importance of ignoring your human and the best ways of doing so), and teach them the fine art of lounging when the sun isn't out. So our morning classes today consisted of finding a warm, dry cubbyhole, curling up with our tails over our noses, and sleeping. Everyone got an A+! Our kittens are so smart! But I sure hope the sun comes back tomorrow. Snoozing in the sunshine is so much more fun.

We've got so many fun things coming up, from an appearance at a farmer's market to the Indiana State Museum's Scales and Tails event. But the thing I really want to talk about is the upcoming Spring Fling Art for Paws that we're planning for May 23rd. Guys, this event is big. I mean really really BIG!!! The Spring Fling, for those who don't know, is a major fund raising event for the shelter. And this year, we've got THOUSANDS . . . well, maybe HUNDREDS . . . Hahaha. I'm lying. Actually, we've got nearly 20 local artists and vendors who are looking forward to selling their stuff and donating a percentage of their sales to Cats Haven. We'll have painters, photographers, jewelry makers, and other artists as well as a numerologist, a tarot card reader, a belly dancer, and even a massage therapist. And Am-Nee-Sha, the face-painting clown, will be back this year, too! We'll also have a flea market tent, and Grillmaster James will again be barbequeing those mouth-watering beef or veggie burgers and hot dogs. Like always, admission is free, but we're asking that everyone bring a canned or boxed good that we can donate to The Julian Center. Check out our Calendar page for time and location, but I'll be there and I want to be able to meet all of you! So take a break from all the 500 race festivities and swing by our Spring Fling! You can get all kinds of cool stuff AND help the shelter all at the same time!

I suppose I should talk about what all has been going on here at the shelter. Wow, where to begin? Well,  first of all, I'd like to welcome Waltzing Matilda (or Tildie, as I call her) to Cats Haven. Tildie was found late last week when a group of kids were playing with this little, tiny, baby cat. When the kids gave her up, it was obvious that something was terribly wrong. Tildie had no use of her back legs and tail. So Adam, the guy who took Tildie home with him, called Barb to ask what to do for her. We figured the best thing was for her to come to the shelter. So last Friday night, six-week-old Tildie officially became a Cats Haven kitty! So far, she's doing great. She's eating like a pig and loves to talk. I'll keep you updated on this tiny gal, and will try to get a picture of her in the next few days. She's absolutely precious. And while Tildie was coming in, we had several kitties going out! We got a call for more Organic Mousetraps for a horse farm on the southwest side, so we managed to find jobs for a few more Cats Haven kitties! And I'd like to congratulate Darby on finding his fur-ever home. 

The Other Sue was on Radio Brownsburg earlier this week, talking about the importance of spaying and neutering. Did you know that she's on Radio Brownsburg the first Monday of each month from 9:30 til 10 in the morning? Well, she is! You can hear all about Cats Haven and other pet-related topics at 1610 AM, or by going to www.radiobrownsburg.com and listening from your computer. The show is really cool, so tune in sometime! 

A big THANK YOU goes out to Sue Hildebrandt for coming by the shelter and fixing the office door. We've had a bit of a problem at night with some of the teen-agers here in the shelter breaking into the office and really trashing the place. (I HAVE THE NAMES OF ALL YOU GUYS WHO DID THIS!!!) So thank you, Sue, for cat-proofing the office door. And thanks go out to April Tchiguka (have I mentioned I love your hair? Can you do mine like that sometime?), Victoria Wesseler, and Jen Metz for all the hard work they've been doing on the Spring Fling! Thank you, also, to Dr. Myra from the Cat Doctor for putting together the Arni's Silent Auction again this year. Hey, check out the Calendar for info on that event. I'll talk about it next time. 

I better think about getting my fuzzy butt to bed. Morning will be here before you know it, and so will another busy day here at Cats Haven. Hope to see you all at the Spring Fling . . . or before, if you want to stop by and visit with us. We love to have company, and I'll personally give anyone a tour of the shelter! And hey, don't forget you can email me at bandit.the.puddytat@gmail.com!! I love getting your emails! G'night, all! - Bandit the cat

Hi, everyone! In case you don't remember me, I'm Bandit, the new shelter manager at Cats Haven and I'M WRITING MY 2ND BLOG. OH DEAR. WHY IS EVERYTHING IN CAPITAL LETTERS? WAIT A MINUTE. LET ME FIND GWEN...... There. That's better. Still learning how to use a keyboard. Anyway, it's a quiet, rainy Monday afternoon, so I thought I'd take some time out and write in my blog. It's been a busy morning here at the shelter, teaching the new kittens as well as some of the older residents how to look precious. Not everyone instinctively knows how to flop over, make "patty-paws" in the air, or give humans that wide-eyed, adorable look. A lot of work goes into this training, you know. So the kittens are all snuggled up on their nap mats with Girls Scout cookies (thank you, Sonny) and juice boxes. And I get a break!

Not only have the kittens been busy around the shelter, the humans have been flying around the shelter over the past couple of weeks, too! Barb is getting ready for the Women's and Food Expo at the Fairgrounds this weekend, making lots of really cool new Gypsy Cat jewelry and putting the finishing touches on our world-famous catnip pillows. I've been trying to help her with the jewelry, but this is gonna take some practice. Barb says that stringing pieces of dry cat food on wire probably won't sell well. Who knew. Anyway, we'll be at the Expo on Saturday and Sunday this weekend, and will have adoptable kitties with us. I think I heard that Polo will be there on Sunday. Check out our Calendar page for show times. 

We'll also be at the North Shore Animal League's Tour for Life at Indianapolis Animal Care and Control (2600 South Harding) on Sunday!  Lela and Helen will be there, along with a ton of other rescue groups, and we'll have adoptables and maybe even some surprises! Again, check our Calendar page for times.

And of course, I have to mention that our small but mighty Kitties for Titties (oh, that just makes me blush) Race for the Cure team will be walking the 5K route this Saturday morning. I gotta apologize for my last posting, tho. I thought that team registrations were still open, and you guys could sign up but sleep in and catnap with me that morning. Well, I was wrong. Registrations were already closed. I think I'm doing a pretty good job as the new shelter manager, but I'm still learning a bunch of stuff. Sorry for the misinformation, but I'll let everyone know how we do on Saturday!

Be sure to check out the Smiley and KJ show this coming Thursday morning because the Other Sue will be on!! KJ is gonna do a KJ's Strays, and Other Sue will be talking about all kinds of fun stuff. She told me that she's gotta be at the station at 6:30 in the morning, so tune in and hear how funny she is when she's not really awake! 

We also have Speck's Appreciation Day on April 25th at the Speck's in Avon!! We'll be there from 10:00 til 2:00 with adoptable kitties and stuff to sell. Wow, we're just all over the place, aren't we?

Okay, let me check my notes here because I've got some other shelter news. Where did I put those notes? Oh, yeh . . . in my pants pocket! Here they are. Um, let's see. Our Organic Mousetrap program is going great guns! We've had several people request organic mousetraps for their farms, so even in this rough economy, a few of our residents have gotten jobs! Good work, guys! And congrats to Adelaine for finding her fur-ever home!!! Now that I've got the happy news out of the way, I have a couple of friends to whom I'd like to send our condolences. First, my deepest sympathies go out to Barb and everyone here at the shelter over the loss of Grandma. Grandma was an old-lady-cat who got dumped in a feral colony last fall. Grandma didn't have much hair, but she had a lot of purr-sonality. She was really really old, tho, and she crossed over in her sleep Saturday night. Sympathies also go out to Joy who lost her beloved Jack. Hugs to you, Joy. And our most deep condolences go out to Dr. Alice Johns who lost her Raj kitty last week. Last but not least, The Other Sue suddenly lost her friend Kalvin on Friday. You can see Kalvin's story on the In Memoriam page. Big warm hugs and purrs go out to everyone who has lost kitty friends. 

I guess I better stop blogging and get back to work! The kittens will be up soon, and we've got a full afternoon planned for them. Our lesson this afternoon is "What to do on a rainy afternoon that will drive your humans crazy!" My personal favorite is staring into a corner like there's something there when there's not. Hahaha! Oh, before I forget, be sure to mark your calendar for the Spring Fling Art for Paws event on May 23rd. This is gonna be soooOOOOOoooooo cool, and I'll have more info on it later this month. But we've got a bazillion artists, a tarot card reader, a numerologist, and even a massage therapist who will all be part of this years' event. I'll be there, too, so plan to come by and meet me! I'd like to meet all of you, too!! And we're also planning for our annual Silent Auction at Arni's again this year. The date is June 2nd, and I'll tell you more about that next time. Back to work for me! - Bandit the cat