Hello again, friends! Raspberry, shelter manager for Cats Haven, here blogging on a Monday night. I sure hope everyone had a good weekend. The weather was good and we were all enjoying the smells and sounds of Spring as we sat in the windows this weekend and today. I love Spring. It's my favorite time of year . . . next to Summer, and Thanksgiving, and Christmas, and . . . 

I have some good news and bad news tonight. Let's get the bad news out of the way first. My good friend Sue (the original Sue, not the Other Sue) had a very bad day today. Her old friend Sailor the dog started failing last night, and he crossed over late this morning. Sue had found Sailor along the side of Interstate 65 back in February, cold, hungry, thirsty, and dying. So she stopped and picked him up and took him to her house. He was a mess, and the vet said he was very very old. But over the last few months, he's had a home with a soft bed, lots of good food, plenty of water, and people to love him. Last night, tho, his old body just couldn't take any more. And by this morning, he was in pretty bad shape. So Sailor was given permission to cross the Rainbow Bridge, and that's where he'll wait for Sue and Mil to join him later down the road. Sue, I'm really sorry you lost your friend, but you did a wonderful thing by caring for an old dog that someone had just left to die along the side of the road. All of us kitties at the shelter send big fuzzy hugs your way, and we're planning a ceremony later tonight to wish your friend Sailor safe passage. 

We have also lost a few kittens, too. Kittens are such fragile things, especially when they are very very young. We've had to say goodbye to Waldo and his brother, a couple of the feral kittens, and a couple more. It's not unusual to lose so many, considering the number that we've got in the shelter right now, but it's still hard to see them go. Barb and I both think that they'll come back in healthy bodies, tho. At least they were loved and cared for while they were here. 

But NOW for some good news! Barb, Sue, and the Other Sue spent the weekend in a no-kill advocacy seminar. Wow, did they ever learn a lot! They all went home tired, but filled with new ideas and a renewed commitment to helping make Indianapolis a no-kill community. They saw lots of their friends there, and made new friends who share common goals. Thanks, Barb, Sue, and the Other Sue, for taking your time this past weekend to go to this workshop.  And now I have good news about our kittens. Most of them are doing just great, very few are still needing to be hand fed, and a few of them are ready to be spayed and neutered! That means they'll be ready really soon to find their fur-ever homes! And speaking of finding fur-ever homes, big congratulations go out to Benjamin and Princess Peaches for WOWing their new families. They both have gone to new homes in the past week. 

And even MORE good news . . . we're putting the finishing touches on our Spring Fling this Saturday, and I expect to see you all at our super-fun event! Check out the special page that I've created for this to see who all and what all we'll have for everyone. Bring the kids and c'mon by! All proceeds go to the shelter, so you can have tons of fun *and* help all of us at the same time.

Well, guys, it's getting late and I need to get to bed. I've got a very early morning tomorrow. Dzana will be here to help with Kitten Classes, and Miranda will want to go over the days menu with me first things. These kittens are so picky. Some want cherry yogurt and some want Teddy Grahams. And some want Fred Flintstone vitamins and others want Dino Flintstone vitamins. So have a good week, everybody, and plan to be at our Spring Fling this coming Saturday! Later, friends - Raspberry 

Hi again everybody!! It's me . . . The RazMan!! Wow, is the weather great or what? I've been taking a break by sitting in a window and enjoying the smells of Spring. The sun is out and there's a nice breeze. It's just a purrrr-fect day, isn't it? I love sniffing fresh-cut grass and feeling the warm sun on my whiskers. Ahhhhh. But I can't take too much time out because we've got kittens! Lots and lots . . . and LOTS of kittens! More on them in a minute, but right now I want to tell you all about the Race for the Cure.

Despite the cold rain, our Cats Haven "Kitties for Ti**ies" team  participated in last Saturday's Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure!! And we did great! We had over 25 team members who registered, and a few folks who couldn't walk but donated to the Susan G. Komen Foundation in our name. Vicki Colonna, David Molloy, and a couple of others got to the race site early enough to watch the Survivor's Parade, and the rest of the walkers joined up later. Just as we left the start line, the cold rain started to pour down. But that didn't keep us from walking the whole 5K! And after we crossed the finish line, Barb and a wonderful group of volunteers had a huge brunch spread for us! Jane Heine, Teresa Eversole, my good friend Elizabeth, Sue Hildebrandt, my best buddy Dzana, Sandy Haney, and a few others set out a brunch table like I've never seen before. And then Vicki and David stopped at Church's Chicken and brought even MORE food. It was great. We all had a wonderful day and got to help raise funds for the Komen Foundation. We're already planning for next year, so mark your calendars and get ready to walk!

Now, I need to tell you all about my kittens. I've got a ton of kittens!! And I couldn't be happier! I love kittens, as you all know, and I've got big kittens, medium-sized kittens, and little teeny tiny kittens . . . in all different colors, too! Some have moms with them, but some don't. Some are close to being ready for adoption, and some need to hang out a while to get a little bit bigger. But all of them will complete the Raspberry Kitten Classes before I let them go to their new homes. In my classes, they learn how to be good kitten citizens, and so far everyone is doing great. This is truly a special crop of kittens. Some of these guys have come from Indianapolis Animal Care and Control. We took them so they'd have the chance to grow up and find homes. Others have come from IndyFeral (I love those guys . . . Lisa, you're such a babe . . . we should have lunch soon). No matter where they came from, they're safe with us.  But we need your help. We need litter, human baby food, kitten food, cleaning supplies like paper towels and bleach, and donations so that we can get these guys spayed and neutered as well as tested and vaccinated. If you can help out, just call the shelter and either Barb or I will tell you how to get stuff to us. I'll get some pictures of my kittens on the website soon . . . they're all so cute with their little kitten faces and little whiskers. I love kittens!

Oh, I almost forgot! Our good friend Sandy Haney had a flat tire while going home last Friday. Some really nice people stopped and helped her out, and I want to personally thank the Jones family for making sure my friend Sandy got the spare tire on her car. You guys rock! Really! I had just gotten  into the van and was trying to adjust the seat when she called back and said that you guys had changed her tire.  So please accept a big heartfelt THANK YOU from me.

Miranda is telling me that the kittens are waking up from their naps and we're ready for our afternoon classes, so I better go. The older kittens are learning Zoom Around the Room techniques today, and the younger kittens are making log cabins out of popsicle sticks. So have a good day, everyone. I'll blog again next week to let you know more about the kittens *AND* tell you more about our upcoming Spring Fling! It's gonna be soooooo cool!! Bye, friends! - Raspberry

Hi, everyone!! I sure hope you're all having a grrrrr-eat Monday afternoon. I know I am! I just got BIG NEWS!!!! I just heard from the Cat Doctor that we raised just a little over $2500 at our Silent Auction fund raiser at Arni's last week!! Wow-wee!!! That's, like, close to a gazillion bucks!!! A HUGE thank you goes out to the Cat Doctor for once again planning this wonderful evening for us. And thank you all so very much for coming out to eat dinner and bid on our really cool silent auction items. You guys never ever let us down. You are all absolutely the very best, and everyone here at the shelter really appreciates your support. We'll do it again next year . . . Arni's has already said they'd like to have us back! And to Barb Dunn and husband and Tim and Teresa Eversole, a special thanks goes out to you guys. I'm sorry I didn't get a chance to see everyone at the fund raiser, but Smiley and I were pretty busy behind the bar mixing up drinks. Hey, Smiley . . . let's get together again soon and have a Guy's Night Out! You know . . . drink a couple of beers, chat up some babes. Guy stuff. Call me.

Not only has the fund raiser put me in a good mood, I'm really happy because we already have kittens in the house again. Yup, we've got regular-sized kittens, medium-sized kittens, and itty-bitty baby kittens. They are all so cute. I just love to pinch their little cheeks. But this is a good time to remind everyone that Kitten Season is already underway. If you know of a female kitty who has not been spayed, or a male who has not been neutered, there are all kinds of places where you can get low-cost or free neutering. Call or email the shelter, and we can tell you where you can get your pets fixed. This is really important, guys. There are so many cats out there, but there just aren't enough homes. So if you've got house cats or even feral cats, let's get 'em fixed! We can help . . . just contact us.

Hey, did you know that we're having a really cool event on May 10th? Well, we are. We're having a Spring Fling . . . a Spring Bazaar . . . a Spring something or another . . . and it's gonna be just super. We're gonna have all kinds of booths set up, from free food samples to even a fortune teller. Lots of us will be packed and ready to go when you adopt us, too!! And we'll have human food for sale . . . and a bake sale . . . and an ice cream sundae tent . . . this is gonna be BIG! Keep an eye on the website for more information, but mark your calendars for Saturday, May 10th. We're working on the latest edition of the Mewsletter, and all the details will be in there. I hope we can get the Mewsletter out in the next week or so!
 
I hear Miranda wrapping up the kitten yoga class, so I better go now. We've got the "Curl Up and Be Cute" class next, and then it'll be dinner time again. I think Barb is leading the Curl Up class today, but I better supervise because she has a habit of curling up, being cute, and falling asleep. More news later, friends! - Raspberry

Hi, friends!!! It's been a couple of weeks since I blogged, so I figured it's time to get you all caught up on what's happening down here at the shelter! We've been busy as usual, but thankfully things have quieted down some after the Flower and Patio Show! We did really great this year, far exceeding what we did last year in sales and donations. A good portion of our sales came from Barb's totally exquisite jewelry. Wow, has she ever gotten good at making necklaces, bracelets, and earrings. I'm so glad she took my advise on how to make these things. We'll just let her keep thinking that all those good ideas are hers, hmmm?  

We've got some fun events coming up. This Sunday, we'll be at Pet Supplies Plus on Rockville Road, doing another one of our really entertaining Kitten Kaboodles! We'll have big cats, little cats, cats who climb on rocks; short cats, skinny cats, even cats with chicken pox . . . um wait a minute. Aren't those the words to a hot dog commercial? Anyway, we'll have lots and lots of cats and kittens who will be interviewing potential owners. C'mon out to PSP and let our kitties ask you questions! You never know . . . one of our cats might just choose YOU as their new best friend! I'm working on a questionnaire to send with them all. "Do you pet your kitty at least ten hours a day?" "Do you give your kitty treats whenever they want?" "Do you let your kitty drive after having catnip?" All very important questions to ask!

And then on Tuesday, April 1, we're having our Silent Auction and fundraiser at Arni's restaurant in Carmel. Arni's is donating 20% of each dinner to Cats Haven, and we'll have lots of really cool silent auction items that you can bid on. All the proceeds from the auction benefit Cats Haven. We've got a Beatles stamp collection, some gift certificates, even a couple of dog-related baskets for you dog lovers out there. Be sure to print out the coupon on this website (look at the menu to the left and you'll see the Arni's Invitation link) and bring it with you. Thank you, Arni's, for helping us this year. You guys ROCK!

April 19th, the Cats Haven's Kitties for Ti**ies team will be walking in the Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure!! I'm so excited about this! We've got really really cool Kitties for Ti**ies t-shirts that you can buy on our Cafe Press store. My good friend April Tchiguka designed these shirts, and everyone needs one! When April gets more famous than she already is, these shirts will be selling for gazillions of dollars, so buy one now while they're cheap! And you know that you can also buy RazMan shirts and calendars and stuff too, right? When you're done reading my blog, go buy something! All profits go to the shelter, so you can help all of us and never have to leave your home. Very cool! 

I want to say something to my good friend, KJ. I am really sorry to hear about the passing of your dad. You've been in my thoughts for the past couple of weeks, and I've been meaning to call you, but being a cat it's kinda hard for me to dial and hold the phone. And Barb isn't good about letting me write emails, so let me say here that you've been on my mind, and I hope you're doing alright. Hugs and purrs from me to you, KJ.  We love you a lot.

Okay, guys. I need to get upstairs and try to explain to Wobbles how to get off the bed after he gets on it. He's been having a little trouble with gravity recently, so it's time for a lesson in defying it as only a cat can do. 'Hope to see a lot of you guys at PSP on Sunday, and even more at Arni's on the 1st! Take care, everyone . . . - Raspberry 

Hi, friends!! It's me . . . Raspberry, the shelter manager at Cats Haven! I just got home from the Flower and Patio Show, and boy oh boy did we ever have a good time out there this year!! Thank you to everyone who stopped by the booth, visited with Barb and the kitties, and donated to our shelter. You have no idea how much we appreciate every donation. Thanks so much . . . you guys ROCK! And not only did we raise money for the shelter, but four kitties also found their forever homes!! Woo Hoo!!!! Many of Barb's necklaces found their forever homes, too!! Even with The Other Sue and Lela being sick during most of the show, it was a banner year this year!! Thank you Sue, Krista, Elizabeth, KJ, Brian, Rebecca, Kay, Barbara, Donna, Dave, Zoe, Sandy, and everyone else who helped this year. You guys are absolutely the very best!!

Now, as most of you know, I teach kitten classes at the shelter. And during every holiday, I explain to the kittens how that holiday *really* came to be. Most of the time, humans have kinda distorted the history of the various holidays. For example, take St. Patrick's Day. Most humans will tell you that it came about because of a man named Patrick who drove the snakes out of Ireland. Not quite true. The REAL story of St. Patrick's Day is this . . . Many years ago,  there was a retired Irish nun named Sister Babs who ran a small cat shelter in Dublin. Sister Babs was assisted at the shelter by a striking red tabby cat named Rick (who, by the way, was my great-great-great-great-great grandfather, twice removed). Babs and Rick took care of hundreds of cats from all over Ireland, feeding them, bringing the sick ones back to health, and finding homes and/or jobs for them. Times were hard, however, and despite lots of donations from the people of Dublin, Rick had to get a job to help support the shelter. Rick was a really good mouser, so Sister Babs would hire him out for a few cents a day to help rid homes and businesses of those pesky mice that would get into grains and other foods for the humans. At the end of each day as Rick was paid, he'd always lower his head as he put his coins in his vest and get a pat on the top of the head for the hard work he'd done. This went on for years, Rick going to work each day and helping to rid Ireland of all their pesky mice. One day while Rick was working in a local pub, he heard a loud CRASH outside. He ran out to see what had happened, and he found a wheel had come off of a beautiful carriage. Inside the carriage, Rick was very surprised to find Pope Felinus the First!! No kidding! Pope Felinus was shaken up, so Rick helped him out of the carriage and got him inside of the pub. Poured him a Guinness, too, while Rick went outside to fix the wheel on the carriage. After he got the wheel repaired and put back on, Rick went into the pub to tell the Pope that he could continue on his way. The Pope was so pleased with this humble servant-cat, he said "I should make you a saint! What is your name, son?" Rick replied, "Oh, no, sir . . . just pat Rick on the head. That's all I want." Well, apparently Pope Felinus had poured himself another Guinness or two while Rick had been out working on the carriage, and all he heard was "Patrick." The Pope then announced, "Today and every March 17th from here on, we will call this St. Patrick Day! And we will all drink Guinness and chase mice! Woo HOO!!!!!" Everyone in the pub raised a glass and said "Woo HOO!!!," and that's how St. Patrick's Day really came into being. That's the true story. Really.

So, here's hoping you all have a wonderful St. Pat-Rick's Day!! Be sure to pat your favorite kitty, and if you feel so inclined, treat yourself to a little Guinness. More later, friends . . . Raspberry

Hello, friends! It's been nearly a month since my last blog. How time flies, huh? I've been so busy with the cats and kittens here at the shelter that I didn't even realize February was gone. So it's March now, and my question is, "Where is Spring?!" I'm looking out the front window, and all I see is rain, wind, and sleet. Will Spring ever get here? My good friend The Other Sue keeps saying that the Indiana Flower and Patio Show is a sure sign that Spring is just around the corner. I don't think she's looked outside recently. I'm just sayin' . . .

But Cats Haven is going to be at the Indiana Flower and Patio Show again this year. I'm really excited about it, too. I'm going to help Barb set up this week, and I might take a little break, slip away for a few minutes, and dig in some of the mulch around the gardens. Hehehe. Our booth is gonna be beautiful with new table covers and all kinds of toys and beds and jewelry for sale. And all sales benefit the kitties. How cool is that? We even have a few volunteer spots left if you want to come out and help. Contact Sue at susan@pjfuzzypaws.com if you have a couple of hours you'd like to spend at the Fairgrounds with Barb!

Hey, we've also got a super cool fundraiser coming up on April 1st . . . April Fool's Day. But this is no April Fool. Arni's, this restaurant in Carmel that has really yummy pizzas, sandwiches, salads, and stuff, is hosting our annual Silent Auction, sponsored by The Cat Doctor. And if you print the flyer/invitation from our website here and take it with you, Arni's will donate 20% of the cost of your meal to Cats Haven! Wow, huh? KJ and Smiley from WZPL will be there, so make a date with Cats Haven between 5 and 8 p.m. on April 1st and join us for dinner. The Silent Auction items are amazing this year, too. I know you'll find stuff you  just can't live without!

While there's lots going on outside the shelter, there's been lots going on inside, too. Barb and I are planning to move our office into what's called The Queen's Room, and we're looking at getting the floor fixed and all kinds of neat home-improvement things so we can get moved. And there's a company in Fishers that is hoping to help us with some electrical and HVAC work, so we might have a kitchen much sooner than we'd anticipated! We're still looking at grants, and my friend Cindy Cox is working on grant stuff right now. AND we've got lots of people signed up for the Race for the Cure walk!! As you know, Cats Haven is sponsoring a team called Kitties for Ti**ies. You can sign up anytime before March 12th and be part of our team. It's gonna be so much fun. I wish I could walk with you guys, but I have to be at the shelter that morning. It's not that I can't walk 5K. Really, I could. But Barb said she needs me here. Darn.

That's it for now, guys. I hope to see many of you at the Fairgrounds for the Flower and Patio Show, and even more of you at Arni's on the 1st! Spring will get here eventually, won't it? Later, friends - Raspberry 

Hi again, friend. Raspberry here. We've had a few fun things going on over the past couple of weeks, and this is my first chance to sit and write. Despite the lousy first night at the Home Show, what with our stuff getting stolen from the porch, we had a super weekend! Lots of folks stopped by our booth and we handed out a ton of flyers and Mewsletters. Barb sold several pieces of our . . .er, I mean her Gypsy Cat jewelry, and we got to visit with some of our wonderful volunteers. Thanks, everyone, who came out and helped! You guys are the best ever!!! And I gotta thank

Stacey Cassell for making a donation to us. After someone stole our money, our good friend KJ mentioned this on WZPL. Stacey was listening that morning, and she got on our website and make a very nice donation through our PayPal link. Stacey, thank you so much. It's humans like you that keep us doing what we do.

Last weekend, Rebecca Furnish surprised Barb for her birthday! LOL!! Boy, was that ever fun! Rebecca and her husband, Sue Hobbs, Sue Hildebrandt, Dzana, and Dave and Zoe Molloy (and ME, of course) had been planning this surprise dinner for a few weeks, and they really caught Barb off guard. She thought she was going to Golden Corral for a steak dinner, but instead the Furnishes grilled steak and salmon and had all the trimming for a deeee-lish birthday dinner! Barb had a chance to put her feet up and be waited on hand and foot for a few hours. Of course, I had to stay at the shelter and babysit, but next year, I'm gonna go and someone else can take care of the little ones! Thank you, Furnish Family, for giving Barb such a wonderful evening. The next day, Vicki brought over a cat cake so we could celebrate Barb's actual birthday during our grant writing meeting. It was a spectacular cake in the shape of a cat . . . complete with cupcake kittens! Vicki, you and I need to talk about spaying and neutering, okay?

This coming weekend, Barb will be at B Java Coffee at 56h and Lafayette Road with some of her gorgeous jewelry . . . just in time for Valentine's Day! Come by between 11 and 2, sit a spell, have a coffee, and check out all the really cool things she's doing these days. I've taught her a lot in the past year, and it really shows. This stuff is soooooOOOOoooooo cool! And Sunday, we'll be at Pet Supplies Plus on Rockville Road from 12:30 til 4 doing another Kitten Kaboodle adoption event. We'll have kittens as well as adults available for adoption, and each adopted kitty will get its own special gift bag filled with fun things! Oh, and thanks to Liz Morken with Eagle Pack foods, each adopted cat will get a free bag of Eagle Pack! We gotta start these guys out on good food, y'know? So c'mon over to Pet Supplies Plus and visit with the kitties as well as the volunteers.

Well, it's time for me to get to bed. It's late, and I've got a very early morning tomorrow. We've started an 8 in the morning Kitten Yoga class . . . this wasn't MY idea, however. It was Maurice's idea, but he's gotten so chubby that he can't touch his toes anymore. I hate to say it, but he's just not a good yoga instructor. So I've taken over and have to be ready to stretch first thing in the morning. The kittens love it, tho. After class, they get a hearty breakfast and they're then ready for their day of cat studies. So I hope to see you all this weekend at either B Java or at PSP! More later, friends. - Raspberry

Hi, guys! Raspberry here again. I finally got Barb and the kittens put to bed, and thought I'd take a few minutes to write before going to bed myself. I'm not usually up this late, but we've had a busy day around here, and have two more busy days to go before we can relax a bit. For the first time ever, Cats Haven is at the Indianapolis Home Show! Is that too cool or what!? We're gonna be there this weekend only, and we're in the South Pavillion, so c'mon out and visit with us. The show is open Friday and Saturday until 9:30, and Sunday til 6:00. We've got catnip toys and jewelry for sale, the latest copy of our Mewsletter hot off the presses, and of course a foster kitty with us. The Home Show is really fun, too. Lots of great home improvement ideas, and thinking of doing home repairs reminds me that Spring really is just around the corner. I'm really tired of this terribly cold weather, and am just waiting for nice, warm Spring days.  

One really lousy thing happened tonight, however. When Barb and Krista got back from the Fairgrounds at about 10:00, they got Milky Way inside and Barb started to check her email, forgetting that the carrying case with the money box was still on the front porch. When Barb remembered about it just a few minutes later, she opened the front door . . . and it was gone. Someone had come up on our porch and had stolen our money box as well as some of Barb's beautiful jewelry. How sad that someone would do this, but they did. All of our donations from Friday were in the case, and all of our cash from toy and jewelry sales were in there, too. I've told Barb that the important thing is that we're all safe and no one tried to come into the house. But it's really creepy to think that someone just walked up on our front porch and stole our stuff like that. We really need to get a fence around our property . . . something we should get done this year. The thing that makes me the maddest is that someone stole from Barb. She works so hard and was at the Fairgrounds for 12 hours today. Then to have this happen. But again, we're all safe and sound, and that's the most important thing.

Aside from the Home Show, we've been busy around the shelter house as well as doing adoptions. Several of our foster friends have gone to good homes, and that's such great news. We've adopted out adults and kittens both . . .thank you one and all who have adopted our foster friends for giving them such loving homes. I've personally trained each and every one in good cat or kitten etiquette.

As I mentioned, the latest and greatest issue of the Mewsletter was just printed, and was mailed out earlier this week. We've also added it to the website here . . . just click on Mewsletters and choose Winter 2008. Lots of good information in this issue about how to keep your cats happy and healthy during these winter months. If you want a copy sent to you, just let us know and we'll get one in the mail to you.

Wow, it's nearly 3 a.m. and I'm getting very sleepy. Guess I should head off to bed. We've got another long day at the Home Show tomorrow, and I hope to see some of you guys out there! I want to thank Krista Dych, Judy and Monroe, Barb Dunn, Sandy Haney, Vicki Colonna, Scott Williams, Rebecca Furnish, Barbara Burke, Sue Hildebrandt, and Cindy Cox for helping out at this event. You guys are the greatest ever! Oh, and thanks to Sue Nuyda for all the wonderful stuff she donated to us before moving to San Francisco. Safe journey, Sue. And good night, all. - Raspberry

Hi, friends. Just me again . . . Raspberry, shelter manager. I'm taking a break from all the hustle and bustle of the day to post to my blog. I might not have time again this week, what with kitten classes back in session and new events popping up daily. We're gonna get to be a part of the Indiana Home Show this year!! I am so thrilled at this. Do you have any idea how long we've wanted to do this show? So far, we're gonna be there January 25, 26, and 27 for sure. If we add more dates to our schedule, I'll let you know. But because of this, I'm working with some of the older kittens and showing them how to put on a tool belt, how to hammer a nail, and how to do home improvements. So far, however, this isn't going very well. The only ones who seem to be able to even put on a tool belt are the polydactyls, and the kittens just want to chase the nails around the house, but we're working on it. Miranda suggested that any home could be improved by just having a cat in it, so we might just have to go with that.

We had a great adoption day this past Sunday. Five . . . that's right, five . . . of our fosters went to their forever homes!!!! Congratulations to Mick, Taylor, Abner, Olive, and . . . and . . . oh, dear I've forgotten the other kittens' name. I'm so forgetful at times. Well, congrats to everyone who charmed their new families, and thank you to those who adopted our kids. And thank you to Lisa at Midwest Friends of Animals for referring a new family to us. They adopted two!! It was so exciting to have Barb call in every time someone got a new home. The phone at the shelter house was ringing off the hook!! We're having a big meeting this Sunday so we won't be at adoptions, but we'll be back at Pet Supplies Plus on the 20th.

Speaking of being forgetful, I totally forgot to tell you all what happened over New Years weekend. Our furnace went out and we had no heat! And it was pretty chilly in here, believe me! So I went down into the basement (Barb won't go down there, so it's my job to do basement things) and took a look at the furnace. Even tho I'm a guy, I couldn't fix it. So I called my good friend Sue Hildebrandt and told her that we were without heat. She came over immediately and found out what the problem was. We needed a specific part, but it was a holiday weekend. Well, one call to my other good friends Kari and Patrick McGlinn, and the problem was solved. They called a friend of theirs who is in the heating and cooling business and even tho he was tailgating at the Colts game, he got the part to us. And then Barb called James Winkle, and he came over and put the new part in! How cool is that?! Within a couple of hours, we had heat again. So thank you to Sue, Kari, Patrick, their friend, and James for making sure we were warm kitties, rather than cold cats. You guys are the best.

Barb is telling me that she's ready to go upstairs and watch a movie while we make more jewelry, so I better go. The kittens have already had their dinners and Diana the Huntress is reading them stories, so I think I've got a little time before I give everyone a good night treat and tuck them into bed for the night. I also need to finish up my lesson plans for tomorrow. I think we'll work on staring blankly into space to further confuse our humans. G'nite, friends. - Raspberry

Hi, guys! Wow, we're already four days into the new year, but it seems like it was just last night that the kittens and I counted down "three . . . two . . . one . . . HAPPY NEW YEAR!" We had a huge party on new years eve, and everyone got to stay up until after midnight so we could ring in the new year together. Earlier in the evening, I had everyone in shelter write down their new years' resolutions, and thought you might be interested in what some had to say.

OciKits - We promise to not sleep in Barb's hair as much.
Pequita - I promise to not try to get out of my room and run down the hall.
Miranda - I will get a home of my own this year. No Kidding!!!
Maurice - I'll try to stop tripping everyone when going down the stairs.
Cashmere - I want to lie in the sun more often.
MacArthur - I resolve to stop picking on my brothers and sisters.
Cameron - I want a Mr. PotatoHead. (Cameron isn't convinced that Christmas is over . . .)
Luck - I will watch less TV and exercise more.
Sinclair - I'll try to remember to  . . . to . . . what was the question again?
Chomper - I will work harder on my algebra lessons.
Cricket - I will try to sniff less catnip.
Diana - I will not run out the front door as much.
Puma - I will do a better job at chasing dogs.
Barb - I promise to not throw telephones.

Those are just a few. So far, everyone seems to be doing a good job at sticking to their resolutions, especially Barb. What? You want to know *MY* new years resolutions? Resolutions are for those with faults, so I have no resolutions this year. Hahahaha! If you have any New Years resolutions, write to me and tell me about them. To my good friend Helen, please make a resolution to stay healthy this year. We don't want you in the hospital again!!!!

As for recent shelter news, several residents have gone to their fur-ever homes! Woo Hoo!!! Ava Halftail found her family a couple of weeks ago. Dear Joey got a home with a wonderful family, too!! Cedar and Sparky are on their way to a new home in Michigan. Some of Lela's kittens have also gone to their new homes, so congratulation to everyone who made it home for Christmas!! Way to go, guys!!! I'm very proud of all of you, and very happy for you, too! We're gonna be at Pet Supplies Plus on Rockville Road this Sunday from 2 til 4 with lots of kitties ready for adoption, so maybe another one or two will find their families. And we're already planning another Kitten Kaboodle for February . . . just in time for Valentine's Day. Nothing says lovin' like a cat or a kitten, you know.

I also want to thank Petco in Speedway for a HUGE donation of food!!! And a big THANK YOU goes out to everyone who thought of the shelter over the holiday season. We received some very nice donations that will go a long way in helping to keep us healthy, warm, and fed.

Back to work for me. I think Miranda is getting ready to serve dinner, so I better make sure all the kittens have their bibs on and remember to use their napkins. More later, friends. Happy New Year!!! - Raspberry

Merry Christmas to all of my friends! The shelter is bustling today because all the kittens are so excited about Santa Claws coming tonight. Do you all know about Santa Claws? No? Well let me tell you the story, just like I tell the kittens every year.

Santa Claws is a giant, fat red and white cat who lives at the North Pole and makes wishes come true for as many kitties in the world as he can. Every Christmas Eve, he hitches up his reindogs (he has nine of them . . . Fido, Spot, Rover, Lassie, Abercrombie, Fifi, Junior, Brownie, and Rufus who has a bright red nose and lights the way) to a HUGE sleigh, and he flies around the world leaving gifts and treats for all the good cats, and grants wishes to many others. But there are so many cats in the world that he can't make wishes come true for all of them. There just isn't time, and some of them are kinda hard to find. So what he does then is give humans the power to make a difference for all the cats in the world. He helps the kitties he can, and then makes it so that people can care. But humans have gotta believe in Santa Claws for this to work, and it seems as tho a lot of people just don't believe in him. We all here at the shelter believe, tho. You know why? We believe because we have a warm place to sleep, all the food we can eat, and lots of nice humans who care about us. Most importantly, we have Barb. She was a gift from Santa Claws!! Hundreds of years ago, as the story goes, Santa Claws visited Barb personally one Christmas Eve and told her that she needed to make a place for us and call it Cats Haven. She looked at this giant red and white cat and said, "HUH?!" So he explained to her that he had chosen her to be one of his helpers . . . an elf, if you will . . . and that her mission was to spread the word about Santa Claws and help as many kitties as she could for the rest of her life. She didn't believe him, so he sent three ghost cats to visit her that night. The Ghost of Kitties Past, The Ghost of Kitties Present, and The Ghost of Kitties Yet To Come all showed Barb what the world would be if she didn't do what Santa Claws said. These three ghost kitties made her cry because thousands of kitties would not have homes, but they also made her see that Santa Claws was giving her the gift of caring. When she woke up on Christmas morning, she ran out into the street and announced "I believe in you, Santa Claws! I will create a safe place for all the kitties that I can, and I'll get as many humans to care as much as I do!" Then the neighbors came out on their porches said "Go back inside, you crazy woman, and stop yelling in the street! And for God's sake, put on some clothes!!!" Stephanie had to go and get her out of the street, apologize to the neighbors, and explain to the police that her mom was just overcome by the Christmas spirit, but that's another story. But that's how Cats Haven got started and how we all got blessed by having Barb.

So here it is, another Christmas Eve. And Santa Claws has already begun his journey around the world. We know that he will visit many cats and kittens tonight and will bring them toys and treats. And lots of humans like you guys will help the ones he can't because you all believe in him, and you believe in us. And we believe in you, too. While we have Santa Claws once a year, you're all we've got for the other 364 days. You all  must be Santa Claws' helpers, too, because you haven't let us down. Thank you all so very much for all you do for us. Here at the shelter at midnight, we'll all gather 'round and feel the presence of Santa Claws as he gives us another year of everything we want . . . our shelter home, our food and water, our wonderful vets who take care of us, our good friends who come by to see us, and the chance to find families of our very own.  So Merry Christmas Everyone!!! Time for me to get some presents under the tree, and help Miranda make snacks for tonight. Peace be with you all - Raspberry

Hi, guys! I've just put the kittens down for their afternoon nap (thank you, Dzana, for getting their juice boxes for them), and thought I'd take a minute to post to my blog. We're gearing up for a big party on Friday this week! We're going to have our last open house of the year .  .  . AND we kitties will all be celebrating the Winter Solstice! Yes, we also celebrate Hanukkah, Christmas, and Kwanza, but our big cat celebration will be this weekend.

Celebrations of the Winter Solstice are some of the oldest winter festivals in the world. Long, long ago, cats and humans both lived outdoors more than they do now. Because of that, cats and humans became more acutely aware of the changes in season, and the diminishing daylight at this time of year. Did you guys know that the Norse people believed the sun was a wheel that changed the seasons, and their word "houl" is probably where our word "yule" came from. For the ancient Celts, the midwinter sun was believed to stand still for 12 days (which is where "the 12 days of Christmas" originally came from), and a log (a yule log) was lit to conquer the darkness. Cats still honor these ancient Celtic rituals, and Friday night after everyone is gone from our open house, we'll be dancing and singing to chase away the darkness, just as our ancestors did. You gotta admit that it works because each year after all the cats in the world do this, we have more daylight each day! But the kitties here at the shelter have been working very hard on a wreath. In true Celtic tradition, our wreath is made from evergreen branches, which symbolize strength and endurance during the harsh winter months. On Friday night, we will light candles, hang our wreath, and let it grace our shelter home for 12 days. At that time, we will take it outside and return it to nature. And then we can sit back and watch the days grow longer and the nights shorter. No need to thank us . . . it's just what we cats all over the world do.

So come by the shelter on Friday between 5 and 8, have a glass of cider, do a little shopping at our Holiday Bazaar, and join us in celebrating the Winter Solstice! Even tho it's a "cat thing," we'd love for you to be a part of our holiday! Whooops, it sounds like the kittens are getting up from their naps. I hear one of them blowing bubbles in their juice box. So I better go. I hope you guys can stop in Friday night. We always love to have company, and we've still got lots of nice items you can purchase for last-minute Christmas gifts! We will also be accepting donations of canned and dry food, litter, cleaning supplies, and retail gift cards for the shelter. Bye, guys. Til later - Raspberry

Hello all my friends. Raspberry here again, blogging before I finally curl up and go to sleep for the night. As usual, we've had a lot going on here at the shelter. We had a grrrr-eat weekend last weekend with lots of people coming to visit during our annual Holiday Bazaar. Thanks to everyone who came out, did a little shopping, had a snack, and saw ME! Yeh, all the stuff we had for sale was really cool, but I know that most of you came to meet and visit with the RazMan. Because of all of you, we raised money for the shelter, and had a wonderful time doing it. You guys should all come by more often. I love company, you know. And thank you April Tchiguka for bringing your gorgeous photographs to the shelter. You're very talented . . . and you captured my boyish charms on film. I'm blushing.  :)

This weekend . . . weather permitting, of course . . . we're going to be at Pet Supplies Plus on Rockville Road, doing our last Kitten Kaboodle adoption event for the year. Barb, Sue, and The Other Sue will be there with lots of kitties looking for their families. I know for a fact that Ava Halftail, Joey, and Mick will be there. Maurice might even make an appearance. We'll have lots of fun and surprises, so c'mon out from noon til 4 Saturday and Sunday both. If you're looking for a specific kitty, like a big white male or a polydactyl female, call us at the shelter, and we'll try to bring your specific kitty along with us. Be sure to call the shelter or Pet Supplies Plus, tho, and make sure the weather isn't so bad that we're snowed in. I've told Barb that she's not to take the van out if the weather is too bad. We don't want her getting stuck in the snow somewhere.

Guys, I'd like to write more, but I'm one tired little fuzzy orange guy. This evening, we played a game of Kitten Twister before putting the little ones to bed, and then the teenagers and I played Scrabble for Cats for over an hour. I finally just had my dinner and I can hardly keep my eyes open. Barb and I got up really early this morning, so I'm going to wander off to bed now. I hope a lot of you guys can make it out to Pet Supplies Plus this weekend. Even if you can't adopt a kitty, just stop by and say Hi to Barb and the two Sue's. Later, friends. I'm . . . falling . . . asleep . . . - Raspberry

Hi, guys! It's me again . . . Raspberry! I've only got a couple of minutes here because the kittens and I are putting the finishing touches on the shelter house before this weekend. We've got the Biggest Weekend EVER coming up this Saturday and Sunday when we have our annual Holiday Bazaar and Open House! We're all so excited about this. We've got lights and a Christmas tree and all kinds of cool stuff for sale. And we're gonna have food and hot cider and music and people. It's gonna be GREAT!! More on this in a minute.

Aside from getting the Bazaar set up, we've had an exciting week at the shelter. It started last Saturday when Frankie got adopted! Her new dad, Mike, thought she was absolutely beautiful and took her home with him. Way to go Frankie!! And Gizmo's foster mom checked on Gizzy this week, and he's doing tremendous in his new home. Congratulations, Gizzers! Our old friend Puma has found a new home, too. Thank you, Renee, for helping out this little problem child of ours. And Lela got one of her kittens adopted at Petco this past weekend. Thank you, Lela. You're such a babe. We had lots of people at our Monday evening Cat-a-holics meeting, and one of the things that The Other Sue brought up was volunteers. Now, I gotta tell you all that I think we have the best volunteers in Indianapolis . . . maybe even in the whole world! But we've got so much stuff going on all the time, trying to raise money and find homes for our shelter residents, that we can use a lot of extra hands. If you've got a couple of hours to spare, let us know. We can always use help at events, taking the kids to and from the vet, scooping litter pans, just spending time with the kids, helping to keep the shelter clean and neat, and of course there are lots of projects around the shelter, too! So, we came up with this idea that we're gonna put a schedule inside the front door, and if you can help out during the week or on the weekends, just sign up! That way, all our friends who come by for dinners on Monday night will know what we need. Even if you don't come by for dinner, just let us know when you're available, and we'll let you know what needs to be done.

Now, about this coming weekend. Come to 2603 North College Avenue on either Saturday or Sunday from noon until 4, and be a part of our Holiday Bazaar!! We've got all kinds of fun stuff for sale, from tree ornaments to stuff toys. Gypsy Cat also has some of her gorgeous jewelry for sale, too. If you haven't seen some of her new stuff, wow are you missing out!! All proceeds go directly to the shelter to help with food, litter, vet bills, and stuff that we need. And our friend April Tchiguka is gonna be selling her wonderful photographs with a portion of each sale going to the shelter! She's really cool. I wish I could grow my hair out like hers. *sigh* Anyway, we're gonna have a delicious torta with crackers, some cookies, other snacks, and hot spiced apple cider, too! Of course, I'll be there and I know you all want to come by and see ME! I even have a new grey sweater with a black furry turtleneck that I'll be wearing just for this special occasion. Even if you don't need to buy anything, feel free to stop in, grab a bite, and visit with us. We love company, especially during the holidays. Call the shelter at 317.925.7001 if you need more information about our Bazaar. Who knows . . . maybe I'll answer the phone!

So that's it for tonight, friends. MacArthur is trying to hang ornaments from Cricket's tail, and the Cats Haven Kitten Choir is ready to practice some more, so I better go. See all of you over the weekend. It's gonna be GREAT!! - Raspberry

Hello again, friends. Here it is, nearly a week after Thanksgiving, and I'm finally coming out of my turkey stupor!! I hope you all had as good a Thanksgiving as we did here at the shelter. Lots of turkey and treats for everyone! Since this was the first Thanksgiving for the kittens here, I made a special point of telling them what Thanksgiving is all about . . . how the pilgrims brought their cats over from England because the English government had made mousing illegal, and how the cats made friends with the Native Americans so that everyone could have turkey and stuffing. Originally, Thanksgiving was going to be a cats-only event, and the main course was going to be stuffed chipmunk. But then the Native American cats told the English cats about turkey, and a holiday was born. Before we had our Thanksgiving feast this year, we went around the table and everyone told what they were thankful for. Overwhelmingly, most Cats Haven kitties are just thankful to be in the shelter where it's warm and they have food and friends. A few, however, are thankful for other things . . . like the Oci-Kittens are thankful for Barb's hair. (They sleep on her head, you know.) And Cameron is thankful for air. (He's a little strange.) Butterfly is thankful for a long hallway to run down, and Cricket says that she's thankful Tiberious went to a new home because he kept knocking her off of the big cat tree in the front room. Me? I'm just thankful for all of you who help all of us. If it weren't for you guys, we wouldn't be here. Most of us wouldn't even be alive. I reminded everyone here that we need to be thankful for all the volunteers and shelter supporters, and wholeheartedly everyone agreed. Except for Cameron who said he's still just thankful for air. There's one in every family, isn't there?

I haven' t written since we were at the big cat show a couple of weeks ago. Wow, did we ever have a good time!! And our old friend Gizmo got adopted there!!! His foster mom misses him very much, but he went to a home with kids and a dog . . . a very nice family. Way to go, Gizmo!! We sold a lot of toys, and at the end of the show, our good friend Liz Morken from Eagle Pack donated all the food in their booth to us. We also had some Royal Canin food donated, too. That weekend, we were also at the Gathering of Artists. We sold some Gypsy Cat jewelry and a couple of the Other Sue's knitted/felted items, so it was a good event for us. And then Thanksgiving weekend, we were at Starbase Indy, a local sci-fi/fantasy convention. Sandy Haney joined us for this event, and we got donations and sold toys, and we also got to hang out with Ray Park who was Darth Maul in one of the Star Wars movies!! How cool!! So the past couple of weeks have been busy for us all, but very fun.

This Saturday, we're gonna be at B-Java Coffee at 56th and Lafayette Road from 10 until 3. They make really good coffee and coffee drinks, so c'mon by and say hi to Barb, check out some of her Gypsy Cat jewelry, and have a mochaccino. (I love mochaccinos . . . with extra whipped cream . . . mmm mmm mmm.) And then Sunday is going to be the first day of our Holiday Bazaar Open House!! Woo Hoo!!! We've got tons of fun stuff for sale, and I bet you can do most of your Christmas shopping right here!! All of the proceeds from the Bazaar go directly to the shelter, so shop til you drop! We'll have snacks and beverages, and I'm trying to get the Kitten Chorus put together so we can sing Christmas carols while you're here. We're working on "Mousies Roasting on an Open Fire," "Deck the Halls with Sprigs of Catnip," and "Oh Come All Ye Kitties." I can't guarantee we'll be ready, however. Some of the kittens just can't carry a tune. And I'm not sure our choir robes will be ready in time, but we're working on it. Our Bazaar will also run next weekend, so check the Calendar page for times. We are all really looking forward to seeing you. And who knows . . . maybe some of us will go to our homes just in time for Christmas!

I better get back to work. It's almost time for my Kitten Yoga class, and I should warm up before this lesson. 'Hope to see everyone either this weekend or next. Ho ho ho!! - Raspberry

Hello, friends!! Raspberry here again, taking a break on a Tuesday afternoon to blog for a moment. I wanted to thank all the nice folks who stopped by our booth at the Christmas Gift and Hobby Show! We had a great time, as usual, and Ralph, Ralphie, Puma, and JuneBug had a chance to get out and meet their adoring public. We sold lots of catnip toys and other stuff, and many nice people gave donations. And Barb got to spend time with Ozzy, her new Sugar Glider friend from the booth next door.

We've got two places to be this coming weekend. We're gonna have all kinds of fun stuff at the Gathering of Artists in Irvington, including Gypsy Cat jewelry that I . . . er, I mean . . . Barb made. She's got a really cool selection of necklaces, bracelets, and earrings picked out for this event. And The Other Sue has a bunch of stuffed hedgehogs as well as new knitted/felted hats. All of the proceeds from these items go directly to the shelter, so check out the Calendar page to see the times and place for this event. It's a lot of fun! And we'll also be at the GINORMOUS cat show at the Fairgrounds this weekend, too! This is a really really BIG cat show with a billion cats already entered. Well, maybe not quite a billion, but close to it. Some of our adoptables will be there, bags packed and ready to go to their new homes. I know for a fact that Gizmo will be there on Saturday, so c'mon out and say hi to my friend Gizzy. We'll also have our world-famous catnip toys for sale, too, as well as some other Cats Haven stuff.

OH!! We're gonna be on Channel Six!! As part of the Channel Six Toy Drive, Cats Haven will once again be taping our one-minute segment on Monday, November 19th. But we need toys to take with us. If any of you guys want to donate a new, unwrapped, in-the-box toy, just drop it off at the shelter before next Monday. 'Doesn't have to be anything fancy . . . just a toy for a deserving boy or girl. 'Might be nice to make sure the toy is safe and not on any recall list (this is why I personally like catnip . . . when was the last time there was a recall on catnip, hmmm?), but just bring them over to the shelter, and we'll take them with us on Monday. We'd like to have a nice box of toys to donate to this worthy cause. After we do our taping with Kevin Gregory, I can let everyone know when our segment will air. This is so much fun!!! Maybe I can talk Barb into taking ME to the taping! I *am* the shelter manager, after all . . .

What's that noise? I thought I heard . . . Uh oh . . . Barb's been in the catnip again. She's got that glazed look on her face and is trying to curl up on the window seat. No time for a nap, Barb!!!! Later, friends. - Raspberry

Hi again, guys! I completely forgot to mention yesterday when I blogged that Buck-Toberfest has been extended into November!! We did great with this fundraiser in October, but we fell a little short of the gazillion dollars that I had planned for. For those who don't know about Buck-Toberfest, this is a fundraiser that I started last month. All you need to do to celebrate Buck-Tober is to donate a dollar - one buck - to the shelter and then ask ten other people to do the same thing. And then they ask ten people, and they ask ten people, and so on. We've got a Paypal link on the home page here, and you can donate through Paypal. Or you can mail a dollar to us at Cats Haven, PO Box 30206, Indianapolis, Indiana, 46230. Or you can leave a dollar at the Cat Doctor at 56th and Georgetown Road. Everytime a dollar comes in, the kittens and I do the Buck-Toberfest Dance.

And really quick, I want to thank Kate Franzman at Nuvo for her help with our ad in the Nuvo Shopping Guide! We're gonna have our very own ad for the upcoming Holiday Bazaar!! Thank you so much, Kate. Big purrrrrrs go out to you!!! Folks, keep an eye out for the Shopping Guide. Lots of good holiday shopping info in there . . . including us!!!

Back to work here at the shelter. With Barb at the Fairgrounds at the Christmas Gift and Hobby Show, I'm in charge. Lots to do!! - Raspberry

Hello again, friends!! I hope everyone had a good Halloween last week. I'm just now recovering from all the festivities here at the shelter. We have so many kittens that I had to take them out trick-or-treating in groups of 10, and we finally got the last group out at 9:00! But we stopped at every feral colony in the neighborhood and got all kinds of fun treats . . . catnip, valerian root, honeysuckle, and even a couple of mice! I think Barb really liked the mice because she chased them all around the house for an hour or so. And every now and then, she'd jump up on a chair and shreik for joy!! Maybe I'll get her a mouse six-pack for Christmas. I had no idea she liked mice so much!

Our Kitten Kaboodle at Pet Supplies Plus was a great success this past weekend. Skyler got a home on Saturday, and Mila and Meezer 1 went to their new homes on Sunday!! Lots of nice people stopped by and petted everyone, and one nice family bought a big bag of litter for us. Thank you so very much! We're going to do another Kitten Kaboodle next month, so stay tuned for more info on that. But this week, we'll be at the Christmas Gift and Hobby Show at the fairgrounds. We'll have a foster kitty there each day, and we'll have tons of our world-famous catnip toys! This would be a great time to stock up for the holidays. We'll also have other fun things for sale, and Barb will be there all day. We're scheduled to be in Booth #214, so stop in and sit a spell. Next weekend we'll be at two places at once! We'll be at the GINORMOUS cat show at the Fairgrounds on Saturday and Sunday, and we'll also be at the Gathering of Artists in Irvington. Now, the Gathering of Artists is a really cool event. All kinds of Indiana artists and craftspeople will have wonderful stuff for sale, and all the proceeds from our stuff will come to the shelter. Barb and I have been very busy making all kinds of jewelry, and The Other Sue will have her stuffed hedgehogs, some really cool felted hats, and even a couple of hand-knitted dog coats there. I'll let you know more about this when I blog again next week, but it's an event you don't want to miss!!!

Be sure to tune into WZPL 99.5 this week at 6:30 Thursday morning. The Other Sue will be talking with my good friends Smiley and KJ, and Gizmo will be in the studio with them. Who knows what they'll be talking about, but I'm sure it'll be funny. I'll be up and tuned in!

I hear my friend Dzana calling me for lunch. She calls me "RazBuddy!" Hahahaha!! But the kittens have had their morning lessons and are eating their own lunches now . . . I think Miranda fixed chicken on tuna toast. Mmm mmm mmm. And of course they all have their juice boxes. So it's time for my lunch, then a nap, and then back to class. This afternoon, we're studying "Selective Hearing: How to Ignore Your Human but Still Hear Every Word." Later, friends - Raspberry

Hello my good friends!! Can you believe this website?! I mean, it's nowhere near done, but this is just too cool!! If you haven't done so already, take a look around. We've got a place for Barb's poems, bigger pictures of foster kitties, room to write bios of the fosters, a page all ready for Gypsy Cat jewelry pictures . . . we even have a weather box on our home page! AND a guest book where you can tell us what you think of the new site, or tell us about your kitties. This is way cooler than I thought it would be. And it's really easy for me to blog now, too. I'm so excited that I can't stop purring!! Hahahaha!!!

Let me tell you what all has been going on around the shelter. Last weekend, we were at the cat show. We saw a lot of nice people and sold some toys and things. No one got adopted, but Gizmo, Frankie, and Ava got lots of attention. I stayed at the shelter with Dzana to help her clean, and also help her eat some chicken. It's really important that I help her eat chicken because . . . well, just because. So while Barb and the Other Sue were at the Fairgrounds, we were here working. This coming weekend, we've got another Kitten Kaboodle at the Rockville Road Pet Supplies Plus from noon til 4. I really hope some of our fosters find their homes this weekend. CB and a friend went to their new homes on Monday. Thank you, Melinda, for giving these two guys such a great new family to love. I taught them well, and they'll take good care of you and your husband.

I have a funny story to tell you all. Last winter, my friend Chris found a kitty on her car in a parking lot. The kitty became known as Puma Thurman, and she spent several weeks in the P & J Fuzzypaws shop . . . until Sandy and the Other Sue started to notice that Puma really didn't like dogs. Figuring this could be a problem, Puma was moved to the shelter for a couple of months, and then she was able to go the Farm. She really seemed to love the Farm where she had lots of room to move around and lots of kitties to play with. Well, yesterday morning, we got a call from the Hamilton County Humane Society. It seemed as though Puma had been picked up by the Humane Society police . . . for chasing a dog! The dog's owner really didn't see much humor in this, so Puma went to cat jail. Barb went to Hamilton County today and paid her bail so she could be released back to us (thank heavens for microchips!!), but now Puma is back in the shelter, and she has an arrest record. She'll be staying in the shelter with us until we can find a home for her with no dogs. I had no idea it was illegal to chase dogs in Hamilton County. Gosh, I learn something new every day!

Enough of my blogging for tonight. Take a few minutes and wander through the new website, please. It's still under construction because we've got a lot of fosters to get on the pages as well as the Gypsy Cat jewelry, but check out the calendar to see where we're gonna be. We've got all kinds of fun events coming up! So if I don't see you before, I'll see you at the Christmas Bazaar.

Off to put the finishing touches on my Halloween costume. Halloween is tomorrow night and I can't wait!! Boo! - Raspberry