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

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

Hello, friends. It's me again. Raspberry, shelter manager at Cats Haven. I hope everyone had a great Super Bowl weekend! Temperatures finally got above freezing and some of our snow started to melt, so I'm thinking that it was a good weekend. Wow, was that snow something or what!? I've never seen so much white stuff in my life! And how 'bout that football game? Personally, I was rooting for the Cardinals because cardinals are birds and they're cousins to chickens. And we all know how I feel about chicken. And speaking of chicken, with the weather being so bad this week and kitten classes canceled, I had a chance to kick back and watch a little TV. And I kept hearing about this appetite stimulus package that the government wants to do. Part of this appetite stimulus apparently involves pork. And some government officials want to cut out anything having to do with pork. Well, I say cut out the pork and give all the money to poultry!!! Whose appetite was ever stimulated by pork!? Now, if we're talking about chicken . . . or even duck or turkey . . . that's a completely different story! Toss out the pork and bring on the fried chicken! I think every Church's Chicken and KFC restaurant should get GAZILLIONS of dollars to . . . wait a minute. Merlin is trying to tell me something. It's not an appetite stimulus package? It's an economic stimulus package? No chicken or hogs involved? Are you sure? Hmmm. Never mind. Ahem.

Moving along to shelter business, a big congratulations goes out to Screwy Louie who found his family this past week! GO LOUIE!  And we'd like to welcome Nana and Grandpa to the shelter. Nana and Grandpa are two seniors who came to stay with us. And congrats goes out to Hamish who is on his way to finding a family of his very own. And thank you to everyone who came by on Saturday to help clear out the third floor of the shelter house. We've got big plans for that space, so thank you to Sue, Dzana, and Jenn for going through all those boxes and totes. And big hugs and thanks to Lela for starting adoptions again in a week or so! We've missed you!

I'm hoping to see everybody at the Luxor this Friday night. For a mere $22, you can get a fabulous Middle Eastern dinner complete with appetizer, entree, dessert, and soft drink. And a big chunk of that $22 goes to Cats Haven! Barb will be there with some of her Gypsy Cat jewelry, just in time for Valentine's Day. Oh, and at 8:00 that night, everyone will be treated to a belly dancing show! Maybe I'll put on some finger cymbals and do a little dancing myself. Check out the calendar page for more info, but make your reservatons soon. We've also got other events coming up, so keep an eye on the calendar page and come out to see us. This cold winter will be going away soon, and we'll be out and about  more often. Oh, and speaking of being out and about, don't forget to register for the Race for the Cure Kitties for Ti**ies team! April will be here before you know it!

It's nearly 1:00 in the morning, and I still have a half of a cup of catnip tea to finish before I can curl up and get some sleep. Have a great week, everyone. And be sure to make your reservations for our event at the Luxor in Fountain Square.  This is one fund raiser you don't want to miss! Later, all - Raspberry

Hi, guys! It's me, Raspberry . . . shelter manager at Cats Haven. Just thought I'd check in to make sure everyone is enjoying the new year so far, and also keeping warm. Wow, was last week something else or what!? I've never seen temperatures get so cold. Barb and I decided at one point to turn up the heat in the shelter house, and our furnace ran non-stop for days! And I gotta tell you that my red fuzzy suit didn't lend itself to that blast of cold air when I went out to shovel the walkway and sidewalk. Even with boots, gloves, and a scarf, it was really cold. But I didn't want Barb to have to get outside and get chilled, so I finally got the walkways shoveled off. I got the strangest looks from drivers going by the shelter house, tho. You'd think people had never seen a cat with a snow shovel! Silly humans . . .

We've had lots going on at the shelter house over the past couple of weeks with a lot of people coming in to help out. Dzana is still out of commission, so others have been pitching in to help with the daily cleaning. Thanks to everyone for stopping by. And over the weekend, Barb attended a Spring Fling meeting to get our annual Spring event set up. It's hard to believe, but Spring really is just around the corner. And this year, we're gonna have more artists and vendors than ever before. I'll let you guys know more about this as plans firm up. 

Speaking of Spring events, The Other Sue has now formed our Kitties for Ti**ies "Race for the Cure" team for 2009!!! The race is Saturday, April 18th, and I am personally inviting all of you guys to join us this year as we give back to our Indianapolis community and walk for a cure for breast cancer. If you'd like to join our team, just go to  www.komenindy.org, click Register Online Here, click the Join an Existing Team link, and just type in Kitties for Ti**ies in the Team Name box. It's only $23 to register, and we'll have some goodies and surprises for each person who joins our team. We all had so much fun last year . . . I can't wait to get out there again this Spring, altho I hope I my number bib is a little smaller this year. I kept tripping over it last year. (What? You didn't know I walked in the event? Well, I did. I left before everyone was up, and I was back before everyone else . . . so there.)

Don't forget about our super cool fund raiser hosted by Fountain Square's Luxor restaurant on February 6th!!! Lots of Middle Eastern foods, Gypsy Cat jewelry, belly dancing . . . who could ask for more! Check out the Calendar page for more info, but if you snooze, you lose! Make your reservations soon. 

And I know everyone is wondering how Lady Gwendolyn is doing in her first couple of weeks as my assistant. I gotta say that I really miss Miranda. I mean, we spent years together. BUT Gwendolyn is doing fabulously!!! She's helping me with lesson plans for the new crop of kittens we're expecting this year; she's coming up with all kinds of ways to reorganize all my paperwork; and her cooking is incredible!!! She can make a gourmet meal out of a grilled Fancy Feast sandwich! And I'm drooling just thinking of her Friskies Frittata with Chow Chow Chutney on the side. Oh, man . . . I'm getting hungry . . .

So that's all the news from Cats Haven! Stay warm, friends. Join the Kitties for Ti**ies team as soon as you can, and enjoy the 5K walk with us. And I hope to see everyone at the Luxor on February 6th! Oh, and if you're so inclined, stop by the shelter house and spend some time with us all. Nothing will warm you up quicker on a cold winter day that a pile of cats on your lap! - Raspberry

Hi, friends. Raspberry here, shelter manager at Cats Haven. I just have a couple of quick things to tell you, and then I have to get back to work. Yes, I know . . . it's nearly midnight on a Sunday night, but I have a "new employee" manual to go over before tomorrow morning. And I think Barb has gotten into the last of the holiday catnip. She's chasing something down the hall and I'll probably have to put her to bed before too long. As if it's not stressful enough taking care of all these kittens and cats . . . *sigh*

Anyway, the first thing I want to tell you about is how my $100 in 100 hours fund raiser turned out. I needed $100 to buy a big plastic cabinet with doors on it to hold all of our cleaning supplies and canned cat food, and I'd found one at Home Depot last week. Well, thanks to everyone who donated to my cabinet fund raiser, we were able to purchase THREE cabinets, a dozen paper towel holders, some new dustpans, and some new brooms!!!! And we even have enough left over to purchase a couple of other cabinets; one for the office/meeting room for all of our meds and medical supplies, and one for the upstairs kitchen!!! We'll have to shop around for those because they need to be specific sizes, but we've got the money when we find them. The Other Sue picked up the three big cabinets on Saturday and got one of them put together already. We've now got a nice, organized place for all kinds of things we use every day. She will be back one day this week to help me put the other two together and get them placed . . . one in the kitten room and one in the big room upstairs. We can put bedding and all kinds of stuff in these so everyone will have fresh and clean towels and blankets all the time!!! The Original Sue will put the paper towel holders around the shelter, so we'll have paper towels at our paw tips whenever we need them! Thank you so very much to everyone who chipped in to help us get organized. You guys are absolutely the best!!

The other thing I want to tell you is that I've made my decision about who to hire as my new assistant manager. After going through many interviews and checking references, I met with the Cat Council last night and made my recommendation (see the picture of the meeting on the home page of our website). After presenting all my findings, the Cat Council overwhelmingly approved my choice of LADY GWENDOLYN as our new assistant shelter manager!!! I was going to get a picture of her to post on the website, but she and her daughter were resting this afternoon, and she felt she didn't look her best today. But let me tell you about Lady Gwendolyn. She is a medium-haired light-colored calico with a great purrrrrr-sonality. She's a little shy at first, but she's been working hard on her social skills. Lady Gwendolyn (or LG, as I call her) came to Cats Haven last summer as a very young mother. (She's just barely a year old now.) She had been trapped by IndyFeral as part of their TNR program, but she wasn't feral. And she had her kittens in the trap!!! EEEEKKK!!!! So she and her kittens came to the shelter. One of her daughters, Adelaie, is still with her and is thrilled to see her mom get this job. LG was a wonderful mother, and still takes care of the little ones we've got. It's not unusual for her to spend  the night in the kitchen with some of the babies and special-needs kids, making sure they eat and taking very good care of them. Although she is still looking for a home, she is honored to take the job as my assistant, and will be a great help with the cooking and coming up with lesson plans for my kitten classes! So the next time you're at the shelter, be sure to meet Lady Gwendolyn. And I'll get a picture of her one day this week and will post it on the website. She's very pretty, and I'm excited that she can start her new job immediately! In fact, she's already planned breakfast for us for Monday morning . . . her own homemade cat grass biscuits with a side of chipmonk chutney! Mmm mmm mmm. What a great way to start the week!

So that's all for now, friends. Barb has finally stopped chasing whatever it was down the hallway, and is quietly nesting in the laundry room. I think this is a good time to tuck her into bed so she can get a good nights' sleep. We have a big week ahead of us! Happy New Year, everyone!!! I think 2009 is gonna be our best year ever!!! - Raspberry

Hi again, friends! It's me, Raspberry. Shelter manager at Cats Haven! I hope everyone had a purrrr-fect Christmas and is getting ready for a ginormous New Years celebration. Here at the shelter, we've been busy since last Friday. In an effort to help Barb, several of us took down the Christmas tree for her. It was hard work, and we were so tired that we didn't get all the ornaments off the tree. We also took down some of the lights and some of the decorations. When Barb came downstairs on Saturday morning, well, let's just say she was really surprised! I've never seen that look on her face before. And she was so impressed, she didn't know what to say. She was totally speechless. No need to thank us, Barb. We're here to help YOU, you know.

And Friday, I'm happy to announce that Skittles got a home! Skittles, along with Lucy Diamond, had been adopted out earlier this year, but their family couldn't keep them. A very nice lady called last week and wanted to know if we had a friendly kitty who might like to work in a small shop. Immediately, Skittles came to mind, and she went to her new home and new job last Friday. I was seriously considering Skittles for my new assistant manager, but with her taking a new job, the search continues. I hope to have my new assistant hired by this weekend. I seldom make New Years resolutions because I feel they're for those with faults, but my resolution this year is to get this shelter organized and in tiptop shape. A new assistant will help. AND this brings me to why I'm blogging tonight. 

To start the new year off right, I need to purchase a cabinet for the downstairs. Now, I've found exactly what I'm looking for at Home Depot. It's a big plastic cabinet with shelves and doors that have hooks in them . . . really a great place to keep our brooms, dustpans, cleaning supplies, and canned cat food. I can shut the doors so no kitties can get in and rearrange things, and the cabinet will keep everything organized. And if the outside of it gets dirty, we can just wipe it off because it's plastic! Great idea, huh? Oh, I've got hundreds of ideas for the new year! But regarding this cabinet, the only problem is that it costs $98. I want this to be a New Years surprise for Barb, so here's what I'm doing. I'm having a "$100 in 100 Hours" fundraiser, starting at midnight tonight and going through 4 a.m. on Saturday!! If I can raise $100 by Saturday at 4 a.m., I can ask my friend The Other Sue to go over to Home Depot and buy my cabinet for me, and we can start getting the downstairs organized! So here's how you can help. On the home page of our website, at the bottom of the page, you'll find a Paypal link. Just click that link and make a donation. Now, I don't care if you donate $1 or $10. It all adds up. Guys, we really need this cabinet. No kidding. So if you can spare a buck or two, make your donation through Paypal . . . or you can always send a donation to our post office box at Cats Haven, PO Box 30206, Indianapolis, IN, 46230. My motto in 2009 is "A place for everything, and everything in it's place!" The cabinet will go a long way to help keep our supplies clean and organized. Thanks, everyone, for helping me out with this!  I'll let you all know on Saturday if I can get my cabinet! Paws crossed!!

That's all for tonight, friends. I'm gonna sign off so I can spend a little time with my friend Alex. He's Barb's grandson and he's been visiting for the last couple of days. Tonight, we're going to play his favorite new game of "What If . . ." We ask each other questions, like "What if you could meet anyone in the history of time, who would that person be?" and "What if you could go anywhere in the world, where would you go?" Alex is so cool. His birthday was Sunday, so Happy Birthday, Alex!!!  I'll blog again on Saturday . . . .  - Raspberry

Hi, guys!! And Merry Christmas to everyone!! Wow, I can hardly believe that it's just a day away from Christmas. And that means it's just a week away from a whole new year. Where did 2008 go, anyway? But for the moment, I'm putting the finishing touches on the shelter, and I'm getting ready to spend the day telling all the kittens the story of Santa Claws and how he'll come down the chimney after we all go to bed and leave us toys and catnip and treats. I love telling this story, but this year I'm gonna have to cut the story short because we're a little short-handed here at the shelter. And I've been running around like a crazy cat trying to get everything done. 

We're a little short handed because my best friend Dzana had knee replacement surgery last Thursday, and I won't be seeing her for a couple of months. She got through her surgery with no problem, and is now in rehab for the next couple of weeks. They won't let cats into the rehab center (seems a little discriminatory to me), so I can't even go visit. From what Barb has told me, she hurts a lot, but is doing with her doctors and nurses say. Get well soon, Dzana!!!! We all miss you very much!!

And another reason that we're a little short handed is because my assistant, Miranda, got a home!! She along with Trista and Sparkle got to go home with the Metz family a couple of days ago! Congrats, guys! What a wonderful Christmas gift for the three of you. Although I'm very happy for Miranda, I wish she'd given me two weeks notice before just taking off like she did!! I've had to take over all of her daily duties, like fixing breakfast, lunch, and dinner for the kittens, cleaning their faces in the morning and night, putting them down for their naps with graham crackers and juice boxes . . . and who is going to make the Christmas Mouse Mousse?! I've tried twice tonight to make Mouse Mousse and I've had to throw out both batches. The first batch was bad, but the second batch made the kittens cry and run out of the kitchen. I've tried calling Miranda's cell phone, but she's not answering. Miranda, if you're reading this, call me and give me your recipe. Otherwise, it's gonna be Fancy Feast and mayo sandwiches for Christmas day, and we'll have no chipmonk cookies for Santa Claws. 

So because Miranda has a new family to care for, I'm taking applications and interviewing for a new  assistant shelter manager.  So far, I've interviewed China Blue, Wicked (Kali Wicked), and Merlin. Um, don't say anything to them, but I need to interview others. China Blue feels that the most important thing my assistant can do is look good. She's all about hair and makeup. Wicked seems to think that we need more structure here. She wants everyone up at 5 in the morning, and everyone should be in bed by 9 at night. And she says that we should play between the hours of 2 and 3 in the afternoon ONLY. Otherwise, the kittens should be seen and not heard. Merlin? Gosh, I really like Merlin, but he forgot what he was being interviewed for after about 5 minutes. I think he might be a little old for this job. I'll do more interviews next week, and I'll let everyone know who my assistant will be as soon as I  make a decision. If you guys have any suggestions, please let me know!

Oh, I almost forgot to mention our annual open house! We had a great time, and I want to thank everyone for stopping by and bringing food. We had lots of folks in and out all day. Thank you to my good friend Vicki for bringing Church's chicken! Loyce's meatballs were wonderful and the Gooey Butter Cake was great, but nothing beats Church's chicken. Vicki, you know how to make a guy very happy. You and your chicken are welcome here anytime, you know. 

Hey, if you guys are looking for something fun to do this weekend, come out to the Fairgrounds and visit with us at the Cat Show. I hear that pesky little Polo and his sister Annie Sullivan will be there Saturday. We'll have other adoptables, too, so stop by and say hi to us!!

Okay, I gotta get back to my decorating and gift wrapping. We all chipped in and got something special for Barb this year. Don't tell her and spoil the surprise, but we got her her very own cardboard box! I think she'll love it! She can curl up in it and snooze, or hide in it and then jump out at visitors. Hahaha!! She's gonna be so surprised! So I better get it wrapped and then get to bed. It's gonna be very busy around here Wednesday and Thursday! Merry Christmas, everyone. I hope Santa Claws brings you everything you want! - Raspberry

Hi, guys!! Meeerrrrroooowwwwwwwwww  . . . I'm in a great mood today because it's just 14 days til Christmas Eve when Santa Claws brings toys and treats to every kitty around the world. He'll circle the globe in a red and gold sleigh, pulled through the air by eight tiny reindogs, and will find each and every creature of the feline persuasion so he can give them chocolate-covered chipmonks, catnip toys, and their own personal little ray of sunshine that they can put in their pocket for a rainy day. Today at the shelter, I'm bringing the Christmas tree down from the third floor (being as short as I am, this is an all-day job) so we can begin decorating the house for the holidays . . . and this weekend!! What's up this weekend? Well, let me tell you!

I'm hosting our annual Open House this Sunday, December 14th, from 11 til 4. And I'm inviting all of you and all your friends to come by, have a snack and a beverage, and just visit with the kitties as well as some of the volunteers. Barb'll have some new Gypsy Cat jewelry available, and we'll also have our catnip pillow toys, too. They make wonderful stocking stuffers! It's gonna be so much fun, just hangin' around the shelter, petting the kitties, eating, talking, laughing. And we're asking that everyone who comes by to bring a simple non-perishable food item that we will donate to Gleaner's Food Bank. The Cat Council here at Cats Haven got together a couple of weeks ago and decided that we'd like to give back to our community. We're so lucky here because we always have enough food to eat, but we know that many humans aren't so fortunate. So we're collecting food, starting on the 14th and going through the 21st, that we can take to Gleaner's and help make other peoples' holidays a little bit better. 

Now, before Sunday, we've got to get the shelter house decorated. So on Saturday, we're asking anyone who can spare an hour or two to c'mon by and help set up and decorate the tree, string some lights, and just get this place as festive as possible!! We'll have snacks and drinks, and the kitties will of course help with everything! If you want to help decorate, contact the Other Sue at 329-8219 or susan@pjfuzzypaws.com.

This is a happy, joyous, and hopeful time of year for humans and animals alike. A time when families can come together, reflect back on the year that is passing, and look forward to a whole new year just around the corner. In this spirit, I want to talk about a couple of shelter residents who we lost over the last couple of days. I don't want to be sad or make any of you sad, so I'm going to tell you about Teddy and Zip, and let you celebrate their lives. Teddy was a very cool little guy who was born without hip sockets. He also had some neurological problems. Most humans would have chosen to not let him have a chance, but Barb isn't like most humans. Teddy lived at the shelter for several months, playing and making everyone around him very happy. He was a happy guy!  Everyone who came into the shelter and met him absolutely fell in love with him, and he even had a friend who was considering adopting him, despite all of his problems. Teddy touched a lot of lives and a lot of hearts. He crossed the Rainbow Bridge at 1:00 Monday morning, which made us all very sad. But we need to remember Teddy and celebrate his life and his innocent joyfulness. And Zip. Zip crossed the Bridge on Tuesday afternoon. Zip was a little black kitty girl who had been tossed from a car. She had a badly fractured pelvis that just wouldn't heal. Dr. Johns at the Cat Doctor also felt she had other physical issues. Zip would not gain weight or grow, and she had been confined to a cage for a few months to allow that fracture to heal. Nothing was working to make her better, so Zip was allowed to cross the Bridge and join Teddy and the others who had gone before her. Losing Zip has also made us very sad, but we here at the shelter have decided to celebrate her kind and gentle spirit, and remember how she was always welcoming of an ear scratch or chin rub. She was another soul who was given a chance, and was treated with love, respect, and dignity. So although Teddy and Zip are no longer with us at the shelter, memories of them remain. Happy and joyful memories.

Okay, guys. I've gotta get upstairs and get this ginormous Christmas tree down three flights of stairs! I hope to see everyone at the shelter Saturday and/or Sunday. Remember . . . bring a canned or boxed food product, and plan to have fun!! It's a magical time of the year. Fa-la-la-la-la . . . . - Raspberry

Hello, friends! Raspberry here, shelter manager at Cats Haven. I have got so much news and info that I just don't know where to start. Thankfully, I made notes earlier today. Now, where did I put those notes? Hang on a second. They're here somewhere. Hmmm. Well, they WERE here. Oh, dear. I hope I remember everything I had to tell you. 

Okay first of all, Barb, Annie Sullivan, the Other Sue, and that pesky little Marco Polo went to the Channel Six studios this morning to do a taping for the WRTV Toy Drive. I put a picture of them all with Kevin Gregory on the home page of my, er, our website . . . wow, Kevin is really tall! And where did Annie and Polo get those scarves!? I want one!! Anyway, we had a gazillion toys to donate this year! Thank you to Tim and Teresa Eversole (Teresa, you're still a babe!), Linda Lazier and her church members, Caroline Rowe, Sue Hildebrandt, and other volunteers who went that extra mile and brought toys to the shelter for kids whose families can't afford gifts this year. You all made a child's Christmas morning a little brighter. Be sure to tune into the Channel Six News at 11:00 Wednesday night to see Barb, the Other Sue, Annie Sullivan, and that pesky Polo guy sometime during that newscast. I've got the DVR set up and ready to record!

I also wanted to talk about our Open House on December 14th from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. here at the shelter house. I came up with a great idea today, and Barb says that we can do it. When you come to the shelter that day to have some hot cider and tasty snacks and visit with us all, just bring a canned good with you and leave it with me. I'll box up all the canned goods and have Barb take them to Gleaner's Food Bank on the 15th! Is that a cool idea or what!? I've asked all the kitties here to rummage around in their lockers and see if they can find a can of tuna or sardines to donate, too. I've told them that even though we don't have families like some cats do, we have so much more than even some humans have. We've got a warm and safe place to play and sleep, and all the food we can eat. So when you stop by on the 14th, just bring a can or box of something with you, and I'll make sure it gets to Gleaner's Food Bank. The Open House is gonna be so much fun! We've got volunteers coming by to decorate the place, so it's gonna look really festive! The Other Sue is gonna make her annual Christmas Torta and bring hot spiced cider. And we'll have cookies and maybe even some catnip tea! And if we're all really good, maybe Miranda will make some Sweetened Mouse Mousse! Mmm mmm mmm. I can taste it already!

Hey, guys. Before I forget, I gotta ask. Does anyone reading my blog have an office chair they'd like to donate to the shelter? Barb and I have this really great chair with arms and everything. It's been a wonderful chair for several years, but the uppy-downy thingie on it has broken, and it won't stay uppy anymore. Even as short as Barb and I are (and she's actually shorter than I am, you know), our knees are in our noses when we sit in the chair now. For a couple of weeks, barb has thought she's had a cold, which is why she can't breathe. It's really her nostrils being covered up by her knees! No kidding! So if anyone has an office chair with arms that they don't need anymore, gimme a call and I'll have someone come and pick it up. We really need a new chair!

Oh, I do wish I could find the list of all the stuff I wanted to tell you about, but it's getting late and I have a couple of things I need to do before going to bed. I want to do a little online shopping while the kittens are asleep and see if I can find a few gifts on eBay. I know Miranda wants a new apron, Merlin wants a set of weights so he can do a little body building, Butterschnops wants a chemistry book (which is kind of troublesome . . .),  and Skittles wants a manicure set. So I've got lots of shopping to do! I hope to see all of you on the 14th! It won't be a party without you! Later, friends - Raspberry

Friends, I have to say that I just can't believe what happened tonight. Barb, Sue, and the Other Sue were at the shelter to welcome two new volunteers. So Barb asked the Other Sue to run over to KFC and get a big bucket of chicken for us. I was thrilled! In case you don't know, chicken is my "thing." I love chicken. I live for chicken. I dream of chicken. It can be fried, baked, broiled, grilled, roasted, with or without gravy. It can be white or dark meat, I don't care. I just love chicken. So the Other Sue comes in with this ginormous bucket of chicken. Being the complete gentleman that I am, I help her into the office/meeting room and you'll never guess what happened next. Are you ready for this? I got picked up and unceremoniously closed into the Queen's room! Can you believe it?! I'm still stunned. All that chicken and they threw me out! After all the hard work I do around the shelter, and I wasn't even invited to stay for dinner. In fact, I was rudely moved to another part of the house. I think I'm now suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder. I doubt I'll ever be the same. I'll be in therapy for months . . . maybe years. Oh the humanity . . .

*sigh* Well, let me get to why I'm blogging tonight. We have a couple of events coming up, and I wanted to let everyone know where we're gonna be. First, this coming Saturday, Barb will be at the Marriot East (21st and Shadeland) with the Starbase Indy folks for a Relax-a-Con! This is a free event, and it's a must-attend for anyone who loves sci-fi and fantasy. There'll be vendors and food (probably chicken . . .); it'll be lots of fun! And next Wednesday, please join us at the Barking Dog Cafe at 49th and Penn for an afternoon and early evening with Mrs. Claus. Now, this is gonna be a very cool event. Mrs. Claus will be outside, reading a special kitty-related Christmas book, and you can bring your dog (or cat or iguana . . . or chicken) to have his or her picture taken with Mrs. Claus!! There will be special hot drinks available, and if you don't have a dog with you, you can sit inside and enjoy a wonderful dinner (maybe chicken)! Part of the days' proceeds will go to Cats Haven, and the pictures will be $7. That includes the pic, a decorative sleeve, and all handling/mailing costs. And you can even purchase a copy of Mrs. Claus' book for a mere $10! Part of those sales will also benefit the shelter. A big Thank You goes out to the Barking Dog for sponsoring this event, and to Mrs.Claus for taking time out of her busy day. 

In other shelter news, I'm very sad to report that we lost Paquita and Blue Ice on Sunday. Paquita was a spinal injury kitty who had made great strides in the last year or so. She was a good friend to all of us, and we will miss her terribly. Blue Ice was a Siamese gal who was dumped by a backyard breeder, along with her brother Prism. Ice had been in declining health for several weeks. Thank you to Dr. Myra who made a special trip to the shelter to let these two beautiful girl kitties cross with dignity and kindness. 

I want to send out a big CONGRATULATIONS to my friend Christine Jeschke from Spay Neuter Services, Indiana. Christine was just offered the position of Director of Operations at the Humane Society of Indianapolis, and she accepted!!! Woo Hoo!!!! Christine will in part be working to get the Wellness Center at HSI up and running as a low-cost spay/neuter clinic! HSI has made some very positive changes in recent months, and the addition of Christine is just one more positive step. Christine is such a babe. If she weren't married, I'd invite her over to bring chicken and share it with me. I know I'd share my chicken with her . . . hmph.

It sounds like Barb has gone to bed. It's quiet upstairs. And Miranda put the kittens to bed a couple of hours ago. I'll bet there is at least one piece of left-over chicken in the frig. I mean, could those women have eaten all that chicken in the ginormous bucket?  Certainly not. It looked like there were at least ten or twelve whole birds in that bucket. And cold chicken is better than no chicken. I'm just one door away from that refirgerator. All I have to do is get the door opened . . . Okay, gotta go . . . - Raspberry

Hi again, friends. I just got done updating our events calendar, and we are going to be busier than ever this year!! It looks like we've got one event after another coming up, and I don't know where I'm gonna find the time to plan all of this, take care of the kittens, do all the paperwork here, keep the shelter neat and clean . . . oh, boy. I'm gonna be one tired little orange cat before it's all said and done and Christmas day is finally here!!I'm gonna need more catnip . . . But check  out the calendar and be sure to attend as many events as you can! Barb will have lots of our, er I mean her Gypsy Cat jewelry at The Gathering of Artists this coming weekend. It's a very cool event, so do stop by if you can!

The Christmas Gift and Hobby Show was a roaring success this year. Thank you to everyone who came out to see the kitties and who either purchased stuff from the booth or left a donation. And huge thanks and hugs go out to everyone who volunteered to staff the booth. Thanks to Diane, Martha, September and her daughter, Rebecca, Sue, Chris, Kylee and friends, and to Linda, Sonya, Dzana, and David for making sure the shelter was neat as a pin when Barb came home each day. Vicki, I sure hope you're feeling better. If I could have gotten away, I would have brought some chipmonk broth and hot cat grass tea to you. It works every time here at the shelter when one of us is under the weather. And Miranda's chipmonk broth is the best! She takes fresh chipmonk and . . . well, I'll give you her recipe another time. And thank you to Zippy, Annie Sullivan, and that pesky Polo guy for coming out and representing all of their friends in the shelter and in foster care. 

We've had several adoptions recently, but I can't find all the paperwork to let you know who found their forever homes. I've got to get this office cleaned up, but congratulations to everyone who found their families! On a sad note, we lost our little Sphinx this past week. She was a teenaged mom who had her litter in a trap last summer, and very sadly she joined other kitties on the other side. I'm going to miss her adorable little face, but I guess I can take comfort in knowing that she was loved, fed, and cared for. I get choked up just thinking about her . . . 

Annie Sullivan and her pesky little brother Polo have been out and about making personal appearances. Most recently, Polo was a guest on Radio Brownsburg and talked about adoptions, keeping pets safe during the holiday season, and special-needs kitties. Polo's next personal appearance will be on December 1 when he goes to the WRTV Channel Six studios to tape our annual Toy Drive segment. Again this year, Cats Haven is participating in the Toy Drive, and we'd like to invite all of you to participate, too! You can buy a toy and drop it off at the shelter, and we'll take it to the television station with us on December 1. The toys don't have to be pricy or big; just new and unwrapped. Kevin Gregory will take all of these toys and make sure they get to deserving children for Christmas. And I'll let everyone know when our segment will air so you can all see Barb, the Other Sue, and Polo on TV! 

The Other Sue told me a couple of days ago that plans are already underway for a 2009 Susan G. Koman Race for the Cure Kitties for Ti**ies team! Yup, we're gonna do it again, hopefully bigger and better this next year. The date for the Race is April 19th, so even though it's cold, windy, and rainy outside now, just keep your eye on April when the weather will be warm and sunny. It'll be here before you know it! And so will Thanksgiving, which is one of my favorite holidays. I'm already smelling Miranda's turkey and giblet gravy . . . mmm mmm mmm! 

I better get this office organized and cleaned up. It looks like a tornado went through here and I can't find any of my paperwork that I'm supposed to be working on this afternoon.  So have a great week, everyone, and I'll blog again to let everyone know about Thanksgiving at the shelter! - Raspberry

Hey, friends!! BOO!!! Did I scare you? LOL! It's finally Halloween Day, and I'm so excited. We've been up since 5 this morning, telling spooky stories, listening to our friends KJ, Smiley, and the Other Sue on WZPL, and putting the finishing touches on our costumes that we'll wear later tonight. You should see the kittens . . . WB is working on a Predator costume, and Watermelon is trying to find the perfect pair of shoes for her clown outfit. Flint is going to be Indiana Jones, and Lucas is going as a princess. I've tried to talk Lucas into going as a king, but he insists on being a princess with lots of pink lace, silver shoes, and a tiara. We wonder about Lucas . . . BUT, we're going to have a great time tonight! Just after dark, Miranda and I will take the kittens out to go trick or treating at all the feral colonies in the neighborhood. The feral families always have the best treats of chocolate-covered mice and warm catnip tea. After we all have a Halloween treat, we gather in one of the feral houses and hear stories about Halloween in the Old Country. I know I mentioned this story last year, but it bears repeating. Here goes . . .

Centuries ago, in ancient times in Europe, witches were known for their exceptional beauty and for their beer-brewing skills. At that time, beer was an herbal remedy for various ailments, and it was also considered "liquid bread." These young, strikingly gorgeous women, or Brewsters, as they were called, usually lived in small cottages on the outskirts of town and practiced their brewing art. Their beer was sold at crowded church fairs where hundreds vendors peddled their wares. To stand out in the crowd, the Brewsters would wear these very tall conical hats so buyers could easily find the beer stands. This is how the image of the witch's hat came to be. At their homes where the beer was brewed, the witches had large calderons in which they cooked the beer, and that's where the image of the witch's big black calderon came from. The witches, or Brewsters, would make different kinds of beers, and they'd let their buyers know what type they were selling by decorating brooms that they hung over their cottage doorways. If the broom was decorated with colored flowers, it indicated that a fruit beer was available for sale. White flowers on the brooms told that herbal or savory beers had been made. So that's where the witch's broom came from. But the most important thing that the witch had was her cat!!

Beers are made from grains, and the witch would have mounds of barley, wheat, and hops. The witch's cats had a very important job back then, and that was to keep her grains free from mice and rats! Without the cat, the grains could easily be spoiled by these rodents, so every witch had a cat or two who guarded and protected the beer-making grains. Without the cats, the witch could be out of business in very short order. So now you know where the pointy hat, the calderon, the broom, and the cat all came from in our modern image of the witch! At Halloween, we like to take the kittens back in time and get them in touch with their "roots" so they know they have a very lengthy and proud place in history. And then we eat more chocolate-covered mice, roll in fresh catnip, drink catnip tea, and celebrate our feline legacy!!! I can't wait for dark tonight, tell the story of the witch's cats, and see the kittens' faces when they realize how important cats have been over the centuries. It (sniff) brings a tear to my eye . . .

I've got a couple of other things to mention here before we get back to our morning kitten classes and our costumes. First, congratulations to the three kitties who went from the shelter to their forever homes this week!! Two kitties (now named Barbara Bush and Mary Todd Lincoln) have taken full-time jobs as organic mouse traps at a farm north of Indianapolis. How exciting for them, and I'm so happy that our career placement program continues to work! AND be sure to mark your calendar for November 5th through the 9th when we'll be at the Christmas Gift and Hobby Show at the Indiana State Fairgrounds! We'll have all kinds of fun stuff for sale in our booth, and we'll also have adoptable kittens and cats there every day! Marco Polo and Annie Sullivan will be there from 2:00 until 9:00 on Saturday the 8th, so be sure and come by to say Hi to them! Just click the Marco Polo and Annie Sulivan link on our website to read their story. We've got a couple of other special events planned for early December, but I'll tell you about them next time.

For now, I really need to get back to the kittens. They just finished their special Halloween breakfast, but they're starting to take a little too much interest in the candy corn. Time to teach them the fine art of begging for treats and then we need to get our costumes finished. Lucas is playing with Barb's eye shadow and hair glitter . . . we wonder about him . . .    Later, all! - Raspberry