Hello? Hello? (tap tap tap) Is this thing on? Can you all hear me? Wow, I really hope I'm doing this right. Raspberry didn't leave a lot of instructions about how to use a computer, but I'll give it a try. Who knew cats could type! Hello, everyone! I'm Bandit, the new shelter manager at Cats Haven! I've been on the job for a couple of weeks now, and I'm finally getting around to writing my first blog here. I've got some big paws to fill, what with being Raspberry's replacement. He was such a good manager, and I just hope I do as good a job as he did. 

Gosh, let's see. I've got a lot to tell you about, and Lady Gwen left a list for me here. First thing to talk about is the Race for the Cure team! Hey, if you haven't signed up yet for the Kitties for Ti**ies team, be sure to do it soon! The walk is less than three weeks away, and we're still accepting team members. This is a 5K walk on the morning of Saturday, April 18th, and it's for the Susan G. Komen Foundation. Now here's the idea I've come up with. Even if you can't do the walk, join our team anyway and sleep in that morning! I'm calling it the Catnap for the Cure!!! You'll still get your t-shirt and a bag of goodies, AND you can help this more-than-worthy cause . . . AND you can sleep in while everyone else is walking! That's what I'm gonna do . . . Catnap for the Cure! If you want more info on this, contact Sue Hobbs at susan@pjfuzzypaws.com. She'll tell you how to join our team, and you can sleep in with me. 

The next item on Gwen's list is the Women's and Food Expo at the Fairgrounds on April 18th and 19th!! Now this sounds like fun.  We're talking about all kinds of girly stuff!! Fashion, food (food is such a good thing), family things, health and day spa info, entertainment, and from what I hear, they're gonna be giving away free stuff!! CatsHaven is gonna have a booth there with a couple of my friends from the shelter, and Barb will have her Gyspy Cat jewelry on sale, too! There's a lot going on at the Fairgrounds that weekend, like the Home and Remodeling Show and a retile show, too, so come out and visit with us. I'm gonna see if Barb will give me a lift out there so I can be at the show, too. Please come out and meet me!

I heard this evening that we're going to do another adoption event at Speck's in Avon in April, too. I'll let you know more about this when they tell me more about it. But the BIGGEST news of all is the Spring Fling Art for Paws event that we're having in May! Remember that really fun event we had last spring and fall where we got a bunch of really cool artists together and raised money for the shelter? Well, we're doing it again! It's gonna be on May 23rd this year, and it's gonna be bigger and better than last year! I'll get a list of artists posted in the next few days. And the Saturday before the Paws for Art thing, we'll be at a Farmer's Market on the northeast side. Again, I'll get info to you when I get the official schedule. But be sure to plan to make some time for all of these really fun events we're planning. Hey, if you want to volunteer for any of these events, we'll be more than happy to put you to work! Just email me and tell me what you want to do. I've got my own email address . . . bandit.the.puddytat@gmail.com. Heck, email me just to say hi!! I'll write back, I promise!

My toes are getting tired from all of this typing. This is a new thing for me, and I think I did pretty good for my first time!  Over the next few months, I hope to meet each and every one of you. I'm at the shelter every day, and unless I'm in a kitten class or helping Dzana or Sonja with litter pans, I'll be one of the first ones at the front door to greet you. I think it's important for a shelter manager to be very paws-on when meeting and greeting visitors. I love giving tours, too! And I really like going out to events, so I'll be able to see a lot of you away from the shelter. So have a good week, everyone. Email me and tell me how you're doing! - Bandit

Greetings, friends. And Happy St. Patrick's Day to everyone!! What an absolutely splendid day, too. Sun and warmer weather . . . I think Spring might actually be here! The kittens had a great time today, sitting in open windows and getting some fresh air, listening to the birds chirp. I love Spring and all the promise it brings.

The blog I'm writing tonight is a difficult one for me, and I'm going to dispense with the usual shelter news (although I will let you know that China Doll found her family at the cat show a couple of weeks ago, and Annie Sullivan also has a wonderful new home). As you all know, one of the missions of Cats Haven is to find homes for the adoptable kitties in our shelter. I think we do a pretty good job of that. Over the last couple of years, I've seen so many wonderful kittens and cats find their fur-ever homes and go to live with families who love them. I hear from many of them on a regular basis, about how they get to sleep with their owners, curled up next to them in their beds. They tell me about sitting on their own couch or in their own chair, watching television in the evenings with their own humans. Some even tell me that their humans have shared secrets with them, knowing that when a cat hears a secret, he is duty-bound to never reveal what his human has said.  And quite honestly, I've wondered if one day . . . just maybe . . . someone would come along and want to take me, Raspberry, Shelter Manager, home with them and offer me a warm bed, a chair, and trust me with their deepest thoughts. Well, friends, that time has come. After living in the shelter for the last three years, I have been adopted and now have a family of my very own. I almost turned down this opportunity, feeling as though I'd be letting everyone down if I resigned as shelter manager and retired to a home of my very own. But Barb and I talked about it, and we both agreed that I have done an exceptional job at the shelter, and this is a chance that I just can't pass up. There comes a time when we all have to make a change, and do what's best for us. This is my time. 

I have absolutely loved my job here at Cats Haven, and I feel honored to have served as shelter manager. I have met some incredible cats and humans both, and none will ever be forgotten. As I live out my days in a home with my own human, I'll think back and remember Sue Hildebrandt and all the hard work she does for us all. I'll remember the look on Barb's face when Tim Eversole and his babe wife Teresa brought the new TV last winter. Thank you both for all of your kindness over the years. KJ and Smiley, I'll listen to your show every morning, I promise. Lisa Tudor with IndyFeral, thank you for all the kitties you've saved and brought to us. Because of you, I've made many new friends. Vicky, thank you for all the chicken. If that thing with your husband doesn't work out, call me.  :) Sonja, Linda, Elizabeth, David and Zoe, April and Muata, Dr. Myra . . . there are just too many good, kind people to name here. Most of all, tho, thank you Barb for giving me a chance at life when another human had tossed me into a dumpster. I barely remember now being so cold and scared, those memories covered up by a warm blanket of the love and care you've shown to me, as you do everyone and everything that crosses your path. I am a better cat for having known you. 

Now, I'm not leaving the shelter manager-less! I've been working with a new manager over the last couple of weeks, and he's been doing a great job. (I offered the job to Lady Gwen, but she said she liked her assistant position just fine.) I've been showing him how to do lesson plans for the new crop of Spring kittens we'll be getting in soon. I've been telling him little secrets about how to get Barb to do what he wants her to do.  He's also learned how to greet everyone when they come to visit . . . I think you'll like him a lot! His name is Bandit, and I'll let him tell you his story when he writes his first blog in the coming days. He's doing pretty well with this typing stuff, and he'll keep everyone informed of all the shelter news and happenings. Please welcome him into this very important job, and show him the love you've shown to me.

So, friends, I guess that's it. Gwen is running the last of my socks and underwear through the dryer and after I pack the last of my stuff, I'm ready to go. It's going to be odd, seeing that shelter door close from the other side and knowing that I'm leaving behind so many wonderful friends and memories. But I'll still have my same email address, and I hope to hear from you all. Wish me luck, everyone. May we all be so lucky that at some point in our lives, we find our forever homes. - Raspberry

Greetings, everyone! My name is Lady Gwendolyn, or Gwen as my friends call me, and I'm Raspberry's assistant. I took over Miranda's duties after she got adopted a couple of months ago, and tonight I'm borrowing Raspberry's Blog! He's busy taking care of some new kittens, but I want to let everyone know about our day at the cat show at the Fairgrounds, and see if anyone can help us with a certain kitty.

Barb, my friend Leah from The Cat Doctor, and the Other Sue were at the cat show today, and I'm pleased to announce that China Doll (a delightful little Siamese mix) found her fur-ever home! We're all very happy for China . . . way to go, girl! The Other Sue brought her friend Polo with her and he had a great time getting lots of pets and kisses. Honestly, I don't know why Raspberry calls him Pesky Polo. I think he's quite engaging.  And Leah brought one of her fosters named Freesia. Freesia is why I'm using Raspberry' Blog tonight . . . I'm hoping someone can help us with her. Freesia is a 13-year-old lady kitty who came into our shelter program when her owner died. She is solid black, weighs about 17 pounds, is declawed, and is really a very nice older gal, but she has a slight quirk. She absolutely hates cats. I've personally tried to counsel her and explain that she *is* a cat, but she simply refuses accept that fact. Unfortunately, Leah has other foster cats, as does every other foster home we've got right now, and Freesia is miserable. I spoke with her this evening after the cat show, and she is very despondent, sad that she didn't find her family today. So I told her that I'd see if anyone has a cat-free home and would like to either foster or adopt her. Freesia would like nothing better than to have a human to pet her and let her snooze in the sun. She wants me to tell you that she loves treats, looking out of windows, and Law and Order reruns. Her favorite color is red, and she says that her favorite author is Garfield. Do you know someone who can help Freesia? She's been through a lot, what with losing her human all of a sudden like she did. If any of you guys knows of someone who has been thinking of adding a cat to their family, please tell them about our friend Freesia. I'm making it my personal mission to help find a quiet, cat-free environment for her, so call the shelter at 317-925-7001 if you or someone you know can help. 

Thanks, everyone, for your help! I better go now. The washer just finished its spin cycle, and I've got one more load of cat suits to run through before I can go to bed. We've got volunteers coming in tomorrow to help out while Barb is at the cat show again, and we can't have naked kitties running around in front of visitors! I'll borrow Raspberry's Blog again soon! Sincerely, Gwen

Hello again, friends!! Raspberry here. Sorry I've been away from my blogging duties for a few weeks, but I've been dealing with new kittens. After being kitten-less for a few months, I forgot how time consuming these little guys are! I've had a few new babies that I've been working with . . . lots to teach them, like how to turn over the trash, how to tear down window curtains, and (most important) how to look so cute that no one can get mad for turning over the trash and tearing down the curtains! An innocent, big-eyed look combined with a strategically timed "Me'ew" is a critical thing to perfect, you know. 

I know, I know . . . I didn't blog about the big fund raiser at the Luxor. Well, better late than never! We had an absolute blast! Everyone ate faaaar too much (the food was delicious and plentiful), but the high point of the evening was when the belly dancers took the stage. And not only did they belly dance; they did a little flamenco, too!  They were fan-tabulous! We raised just a little over $500 and had a great time doing it. And bewteen you and me, even Barb took to the stage and did a little Middle Eastern dancing of her own. Y'know, for a cat shelter caretaker, she can really busta move. You go, girl! I have pictures that I'll post before too long. :)

This past weekend, we were at the Home and Garden Show at the Convention Center. Congratulation to Fluff and Sasha, who both found their fur-ever homes. And thank you to Leah from the Cat Doctor for taking her Saturday afternoon to help staff our booth.  And I guess I should also thank Bandit for being front and center all three days. Although his family didn't find him, he had a nice time getting all the attention. (Don't tell him I said this, but I still think he's an FLK . . . funny-looking kitty . . .) Oh, and thank you to Sue Hildebrandt for setting up the booth, and making sure Barb got to and from the show in one piece! You're the best!

This coming weekend, we'll be at the Indiana State Fairgrounds for the CFA cat show.  Check out the calendar for times, but if you're looking for something fun to do, stop by and take a look at all the different kinds of kitties that will be there. There will also be lots of vendors with everything a cat could want! Toys, treats, furniture . . . and, of course, we'll be there with adoptables, our world-famous catnip toys, and a nice selection of Gypsy Cat jewelry. Barb and I have been working on our Spring line of necklaces and earrings, and I gotta say that this is the best stuff we've done yet. So stop by and spend some time with Barb, the kitties, and the volunteers. 

We've also got other events coming up, from our Race for the Cure "Kitties for Titties" team to the Women's and Food Expo to a Pet Fair . . . we have too many events to even begin to mention here! Keep an eye on our calendar for all the upcoming events. We can always use some volunteer help, so if you've got some free time and want to pitch in, just let The Other Sue know. She can be reached at susan@pjfuzzypaws.com.

Oh, one other thing I want to mention . . . The first Monday of each month at 9:30 in the morning, check us out on Radio Brownsburg, WXRB 1610 AM! The Other Sue has been going on the air with shelter news, events, information, and adoptables. If you can't get Radio Brownsburg on your radio, you can listen via the Internet! Tune in and hear the latest about Cats Haven as well as other rescue/shelter news. Thank you, Radio Brownsburg, for giving us this time!

It's late, and I've got a big day planned for tomorrow. I'm teaching the kittens how to climb up pant legs before the wearer knows what's happened! Again, timing is everything. 'Hope to see you all soon, and let's keep our paws crossed that warm weather gets here soon! - Raspberry