Thursday, July 26, 2012

Paws for a Cause!


(Click for picture to go larger)

I was hanging out at King Street Cats
this past weekend when a nice lady came by
with many bags of food, treats, and litter
that she wanted to donate to us.
Her car was full of cat items!
I was so touched by her generosity,
and I asked her for her address so KSC
could send her a thank-you note.

She informed me that it was her son 
that gathered up all these goodies for KSC.
Her son?
She went on to explain that he places a
shopping cart outside the Safeway
on Royal Street in Old Town Alexandria,
decorates it with a sign,
and leaves it for people to make donations.
The items can be for cats or dogs,
and he includes a list of the commonly needed items.
The cat items come to King Street Cats
and the dog items go to the Alexandria Animal Shelter.

Is that a great kiddo or what?!?!?
Ben Devine,
you clearly have a big heart for animals
and we all cannot thank you enough!

There are so many ways to help out at King Street Cats!
Maybe some of the more "traditional," on-site jobs 
don't work for you or with your schedule,
but perhaps you could do a similar supply drive
at your local shopping store,
or church, or school, or work, or gym, or...
Maybe you have a kiddo who needs to do
community service as a part of the school curriculum
and this could count towards those hours.

Click here to see a list of items
we most often use at KSC,
but we also have a supply pantry for 
those who need assistance because of
financial restraints or because they are
taking care of a feral community.
We are appreciative of any donations
as we are 100% volunteer-run
and receive absolutely no funding
except donations that people give us.

If you have further questions,
please contact us at Contact@KingStreetCats.org.
Supplies can be dropped off at
25 S. Dove Street, Alexandria, VA,  22314
Saturdays and Sundays, between 1:30-4:30.

Don't live close to King Street Cats and need ideas
to help out homeless animals in your area?
Check out this book, authored by KSC Volunteer,
Allie Phillips, Defending the Defenseless.
It's on a special 1 year anniversary price in July,
and shipping is free.  Allie will even autograph it!


Thanks to all of you who help homeless animals
in all the ways that you do.






Monday, July 23, 2012

King Street Cat's Theater Night-July 31st!


KSC's Theater Night 
is just around the corner!
~~July 31, 2012~~

Sweeney Todd,
performed at
The Little Theater of Old Town
600 Wolfe Street
Alexandria, VA  22314

King Street Cats'
6th Annual Theater Night.
This is our main fundraising event for the year.


Time is running out to purchase tickets,
so you can complete the form below
and drop off a check this week at KSC
(25 Dove Street, Alexandria, VA, 22314)
(around 6:00 PM is probably best),
or click here to pay via PayPal
(be sure to note to the "seller"
that it is for Theater Night!!!!).

Tickets are $40 in advance
or $50 at the door.
Can't attend, but still want to make
a much-needed donation?
Click here.

The kitten-fluffs thank you!!!!


Wednesday, July 18, 2012

What About Me? (TM) update!

(Click to have picture enlarge)

Have you been keeping up with
King Street Cats'
"What About Me?" (TM) campaign?

The following kitties have found their furrever homes:
Roxy
Giovanni
Smokey
Shadow
Baby Ruth
Mimi & Leni
Tiny
Marta

This is such terrific news!!!

There are plenty more still waiting,
but we know you'll share this story and
the purrfect human will come along
for each of these special kitties.

If you haven't yet seen it,
check out this terrific video featuring
our "What About Me?" (TM) kitties!

Read up on all our available kitties here.


Monday, July 16, 2012

Beat the Heat

**

The hottest months are upon us and I was amazed, 
flipping through the newspaper recently, 
to see people being issued citations 
for leaving their four-legged friends in the car 
while they ran errands in the mid-day heat.  
Apparently what seems to be common sense to you and me may not be true for all pet owners.

And then there was that horrific picture
circulating around on Facebook
of the dog paws that were totally blistered
because they took Fido for a walk
on the hot pavement.

Or the terribly violent weather that ripped across 
the eastern half of the country 2 weeks ago,
leaving people without power,
some for days on end, in some of the hottest weather to date.

So, let's review some basics to ensure
we make the smartest decisions for our furry friends
(provided by the Humane Society):

Never leave your pets in a parked car.

Not even for a minute. Not even with the car running and air conditioner on. On a warm day, temperatures inside a vehicle can rise rapidly to dangerous levels. On an 85 degree day, for example, the temperature inside a car with the windows opened slightly can reach 102 degrees within 10 minutes. After 30 minutes, the temperature will reach 120 degrees. Your pet may suffer irreversible organ damage or die. If you see an animal in distress in a parked car, contact the nearest animal shelter or police. Spread the word about the dangers of leaving pets in hot cars by printing out our Hot Car flyer (PDF) to post in public places and share with your friends, family, and coworkers.

Watch the humidity.

"It's important to remember that it's not just the ambient temperature but also the humidity that can affect your pet," says Dr. Barry Kellogg, VMD, of the Humane Society Veterinary Medical Association. "Animals pant to evaporate moisture from their lungs, which takes heat away from their body. If the humidity is too high, they are unable to cool themselves, and their temperature will skyrocket to dangerous levels—very quickly."

Don't rely on a fan.

Pets respond differently to heat than humans do. (Dogs, for instance, sweat primarily through their feet.) And fans don't cool off pets as effectively as they do people.

Provide ample shade and water.

Any time your pet is outside, make sure he or she has protection from heat and sun and plenty of fresh, cold water. In heat waves, add ice to water when possible. Tree shade and tarps are ideal because they don’t obstruct air flow. A doghouse does not provide relief from heat—in fact, it makes it worse.

Limit exercise on hot days.

Take care when exercising your pet.  Adjust intensity and duration of exercise in accordance with the temperature. On very hot days, limit exercise to early morning or evening hours, and be especially careful with pets with white-colored ears, who are more susceptible to skin cancer, and short-nosed pets who, because of their short noses, typically have difficulty breathing. Asphalt gets very hot and can burn your pet's paws, so walk your dog on the grass if possible.
Find a pet-friendly hotel:
If you can't find a hotel or shelter, check with friends, relatives or others outside your immediate area. Ask if they would be able to shelter you and your animals or just your animals, if necessary. If you have more than one pet, you may need to house them at separate locations.
Some boarding facilities and veterinary offices might be able to shelter animals in emergencies. Your local animal shelter will probably won't have room to board your pets during this heat emergency, but they may be able to recommend alternate facilities.

Recognize the signs of heatstroke.

Extreme temperatures can cause heatstroke. Some signs of heatstroke are heavy panting, glazed eyes, a rapid heartbeat, difficulty breathing, excessive thirst, lethargy, fever, dizziness, lack of coordination, profuse salivation, vomiting, a deep red or purple tongue, seizure, and unconsciousness.
Animals are at particular risk for heat stroke if they are very old, very young, overweight, not conditioned to prolonged exercise, or have heart or respiratory disease. Some breeds of dogs like boxers, pugs, shih tzus, and other dogs and cats with short, smushed muzzles, will have a much harder time breathing in extreme heat.

What to do if you think your pet is suffering from heatstroke:

Move the animal into the shade or an air-conditioned area. Apply ice packs or cold towels to her head, neck, and chest or run cool (not cold) water over her. Let her drink small amounts of cool water or lick ice cubes. Take her directly to a veterinarian.
Don't expect your furry friend to be able
to communicate discomfort to you...
Be proactive and look out for their well-being!
**










**Check out all of Jamie Shelton's wonderful illustrations on her etsy shop here.

Friday, July 13, 2012

King Street Cats in Their Furrever Homes-Winston



Love hearing about our kitties in their new homes, 
so here's an update on Winston!



"It took a little time to acclimate 
to his new home, 
but Winston has decided it's time 
he made friends 
with his new humans. 
Some of his favorite things to do now are: 
rub up against his family's legs; 
beg for head scratches 
and the occasional tummy rub; 
get his coat brushed 
(a new experience for him); 
and play with his new brother Weasley. 
He's turning into quite the mush- 
he's even experimenting with sitting on the couch 
with his human Erin. So much for "vicious Winston"!
And as you can see, he's completely mat-free 
and one gorgeous BIG boy!"



Have you been rescued by a kitty from King Street Cats?
Please send us an update and photos!
Shoot them over to Contact@KingStreetCats.org

Thursday, July 12, 2012

Kitten Purrlooza (sm)!!!!!!!!!!

They're baaaaackkkk...

Our spring arrivals are ready 
for their furrever homes!

Starting July 14th,
come by King Street Cats
and be prepared 
to have you heart strings pulled
(and batted, and bunny kicked, and rolled on, and...)
by adorable little fuzzy kittens.

Stop in and see our wonderful collection
of kitties...all ages, shapes, and colors.

Want to learn more about them
before you arrive?
Read up on them here!





Monday, July 9, 2012

What About Me (TM)?

(click on photo to have it go larger)

Don't forget about King Street Cats'
"What About Me (TM)?" Campaign,
featuring our shyer and older kitties 
as well as our long-term residents
that are still patiently waiting for their furrever homes.

So far, Giovanni, Smokey, Shadow,
Leni & Mimi, Tiny, and Marta
have been adopted.
23 to go!

Check out our
What About Me (TM)? video 
to get more information on these special kitties.

Get their background story on Petfinder.com
by clicking here.



Thursday, July 5, 2012

King Street Cats in their Furrever Homes-Mr. Grey (formerly, Cam)

Cam, now Mr. Grey

Love hearing about our kitties in their new homes, 
so here's an update on Mr. Grey!


"Hi guys, 

My boyfriend, Will, and I got our wonderful cat Mr. Grey in November last year and I thought I would send an update per the FB request. :) 

I have wanted a cat my whole life. After falling in love with my sister's cat, Miles, I realized that I couldn't keep getting all my feline time when I went to visit her. It was time to bring home a new furry friend of my own.  My boyfriend and I had just moved into Alexandria and after searching online decided that King Street Cats was the right place to look. I loved that it was a no-kill shelter and was surprised to find one dedicated just to cats! 

We went in one evening and I was overwhelmed by all of the adorable, playful kittens and sleepy cats waiting inside. We spent a long time playing with a few because I knew this was going to be a long term commitment no matter what the future held. After some time we were worried that tonight might not be the night. Then my boyfriend Will crouched down to pet another cat and Mr. Grey, then Cam, jumped into his lap, spent a minute getting comfy and curled up. My heart melted. I sat next to him and Mr. Grey went from Will's lap to mine and then back again. He'd chosen us. 

We took him home in November of last year and since that time have grown to love him more everyday. He is so curious and playful, loves to be pet, 
and snuggles with all our guests. 
He is the hit of every party. 

He celebrated his 1st birthday on May 4th and we look forward to many years to come!


That's it! Mr. Grey is the BEST and I've sent a few pics too (probably overkill.)"


Thanks, 

Kym



Have you been rescued by a kitty from King Street Cats?
Please send us an update and photos!
Shoot them over to Contact@KingStreetCats.org