Kelley Kitten - This One's for YOU!

I was thrilled last week to receive an email from one "Kelley Kitten". Granted, I was a little disturbed about what Kelley was saying, but nonetheless, I was still very glad that she wrote me. I am going to share her email here:

"Dear Champ the Therapy dog,

My name is Kelley. I am a three year old gray and brown tabby cat. I live on a horse farm in Campobello. When my owners are away at work, I read the Tryon Daily Bulletin. I like your column the best. Your last column was about caring. Being a cat, sometimes that is hard, but I try.

I am worried about a problem and I hope you can help me. I live on the farm with three other cats. We are all strays which were adopted. We all try to get along, but since we are all girl cats, we do have our disagreements. The problem is someone keeps dumping more stray cats at our farm. Sometimes there is a new cat every week. They are all big tom cats, and they are scary. I am small for my age. I asked my owners why I am so small, and they said it is in my genes. I’m still confused, because I don’t wear pants.

Anyway, they are mean and one chased me up a tree last week. Luckily, my owner was home to rescue me, but I’m still scared when I go outside.
I’m just a little cat with a little voice, but you are a big dog with a big voice. Maybe in your next column, you can ask people to stop dumping cats on other people’s farms. Maybe you can ask Uncle Leo to do the same thing in his next Humane Society update column. If things don’t improve, Ill have to get my own Great Pyrenees dog to protect me. I can’t wait to read your next column.

Thanks for listening.

Kelley Kitten"

Of course I responded immediately to Kelley privately and so did Uncle Lennie, but there are so many cats that have either been abandoned or have been born because the abandoned ones were not spayed or neutered, it's hard to say whether they were dumped out, or whether they just traveled from somewhere else to find Kelley's food source.

So, what can be done?

1) First off, I suggested that Kelley get a Great Pyrenees dog like me! I think that is a terrific idea! (C'mon, what did you think I would say?)

2) PLEASE get your dogs and cats (yes, I am talking about ALL animals) spayed or neutered! Call Foothills Shelter at 863-4444 and do your part to stop this cycle! If money is an issue, just call and they'll be happy to discuss your options. And seriously, run - don't walk - to get your cats spayed or neutered. One unsterilized cat can lead to....well, a real CAT-astrophe! Thankfully, Kelley's humans have done their part and made sure that Kelley and her cohorts are sterilized and can no longer add to the cat overpopulation problem. But every other cat owner needs to do the same!

3) Some people mistakenly believe that if they dump an animal out in a rural area, there are enough farms and barns that these animals will find food and shelter somewhere. WRONG! Dumping or abandoning an animal that is a pet and domesticated is unspeakably cruel. It is far better and much more humane to take the animal to the shelter where it will be cared for. If you can no longer keep your pets, at least give them a real chance to find a home through the shelter!

4) If they are feral cats and too wild to tame, call Foothills Shelter and get information about the Po'Kitties program, so these cats can be sterilized. Do your part to stop the cycle of unwanted cats! Sterilization puts an end to nearly all of the "unwanted behaviors" exhibited by these cats (i.e., fighting, spraying, etc.) and the sterilized cats rarely cause trouble for anyone.

5) Lastly, kittens are as cute as they come, but why subject even more of them to a life that is not the best? Don't they deserve the chance for a good life? If you want a kitten, go to Foothills Shelter and adopt one!

Kelley Kitten and her humans are the victims of irresponsible pet owners who either do not spay or neuter their animals or who dump and abandon their animals. The only solution is for pet owners in the community to take responsibility! In these hard times, we all have to stick together. Kindness and responsibility can go a long, long way to making our community stronger, healthier, and happier. Not to mention making Kelley Kitten's yard safer and more pleasant! So please be a good neighbor! (You can sing the refrain with me now: Neuter and spay, don't delay!) And please,don't be cruel -- take unwanted animals to Foothills.

Woof! (Meow!)

Champ