Kitty Keepers of Havre

600 23rd Avenue West
Havre, MT 59501
If you are interested in any of these pets or any other pet,
call (406) 265-2653 or

kittykeepers@kittykeepers.org

Our Adoptable Pet List

Click here to see our Happy Tails!

Who We Are

We provide a loving, nurturing, permanent home where unwanted felines may live the remainder of their lives in peace and dignity.

We rescue, adopt, and accept felines who need a safe haven.

We try to prevent cruelty and stop overpopulation through education, information and action while ensuring the best possible quality of life for all animals.

We house, love, and provide medical attention, in a safe, healthy and as natural environment as possible to as many felines as resources allow, for the remainder of their lives.

Adopting a friend

Adoption Information Cat Adoption $40

All animals are spayed and have received at least their first vaccinations (age appropriate). Cats have tested negative for feline leukemia.

Please print these, fill them out and mail or fax them to the Shelter. You may also copy, paste and return them by e-mail to kittykeepers@kittykeepers.org.

KITTY KEEPERS OF HAVRE

CAT ADOPTION QUESTIONAIRE

DATE ___________ Impound Number ____________ Cat Name _____________

PERSONAL INFORMATION:

Name:_____________________________________ Home Phone:_______________

Address:______________________________________________________________

City:__________________________________ State:_____ ZIP:____________

How long at this address?__________ If less than 2 years, please list your previous

address:______________________________________________

Married:_____ Single:____ Live with parents:______ Age:________

No. of children in the home:_________ Ages:__________________________

Name of employer:_______________________________ Phone:______________

Name of spouse's employer:_______________________ Phone:______________

Does anyone in your family suffer from allergies? ____________________

Have you adopted from Kitty Keepers of Havre before?____

RESIDENTIAL INFORMATION:

RESIDENCE: House: ____ Apartment: ____ Condo: ____ Mobile Home: ____

Landlord's Name: ________________________________ Phone: ______________

Besides your immediate family, are there others residing in your home? Yes:____ No:____

If yes, who?_____________________________________

ADOPTION INFORMATION:

Have you ever owned a cat?____________________________________________

Where will your cat be kept most of the time?_________________________ In the House:____ Outside:____

Other: please specify____________

Why do you want this particular cat?__________________________________

What will you do with your cat if you move?___________________________

How much do you expect to spend on your new cat in a year?____________

What will you do if your new pet scratches, dumps trash, etc.? ______________________________________________________________________

Please check all of the following that will apply to your new cat:

Mouser:____ Companion:____ Barn Cat:____ Family Pet:____

If your cat sleeps on the bed and takes up most of the bed, do you ... (A) Make him get off the bed? (B) Go sleep somewhere else yourself?

Are you considering having your new cat declawed?_____________________

OTHER PET INFORMATION:

Are all adult members of your household in favor of adopting a cat? [ ]Yes [ ]No [ ]Don't know

Do you have other pets? Type and Number:______________________________

If your other pets are cats and/or dogs, are they spayed and/or neutered?____ If no, why not? ___________________________________________________

Are your other pets current on their vaccinations?____________________

Veterinarian's name:___________________________ Phone:________________

What will you do if your newly adopted pet does not get along with your other pets for a while? ___________________________________________________

Do any of your pets have an infectious disease now, or have they in the recent past? ___________________________________________________

I certify that the information provided on this form is true and correct. I am also financially able to care for this animal. I understand that proper food and veterinary care will be costly and am able to meet these requirements. I understand that in some cases, a home check may be mandatory prior to your adoption. I understand that any false statements constitute grounds for confiscation and surrender of the animal to Kitty Keepers of Havre. I further understand and agree that Kitty Keepers of Havre may demand return of the animal for any violation of the terms of the adoption contract and agreement.

Signature:____________________________________ Date:_________________

KITTY KEEPERS OF HAVRE RESERVES THE RIGHT TO REFUSE ANY ADOPTION.

FOR STAFF ONLY: Approved:____ Refused:____ Comments:________________________________

Declawing?

An excerpt from The New Natural Catby Anitra Frazier and Norton Eckroate

Many veterinarians do not explain the reality of the declawing operation to cat owners. Physically, realistically, it is ten amputations. Moreover, it is ten complex amputations. The cat must remain under an anesthetic quite a long time. Anesthetizing a cat fore even a short time is, as everyone knows, chancy. The claw is harder to remove than the tip joint of all ten of your fingers because you do not retract your fingertip. Your fingertip is not set into the joint below in a complex fashion. A cat's claw is. Someone once described declawing to me as "cutting pieces out of animals' bodies for convenience." I was absolutely horrified by the starkness of the way she faced this reality. People prefer not to discuss this so graphically in polite company. I apologize to those who already know the reality for reminding you of it and for bringing into your conscious mind again something so painful. But I have met too many loving owners who were never told, or who had the operation is represented to them only to find out, perhaps years after it was done, the truth about what they had actually done to the animal they adored. There are several veterinarians in New York City who refuse to do the operation and are happy to explain why.

The Physical effect of declawing is gradual weakening of the muscles of the legs, shoulders, and back. Balance is impaired. The cat is 75 percent defenseless. Cats don't defend themselves with their teeth, they defend themselves with their claws.

The long-range effects are both physical and emotional. A declawed cat is, in reality, a clubfooted animal. He cannot walk normally but must forever after move with his weight back on the rear of his pads. Posture is irrevocably altered, and gone is the easeful grace that is his birthright. because they are defenseless, declawed cats live in a constant state of stress. This is very draining and, because of the constant stress, these cats a re more prone to disease. (See "Stress"; page 197.)

Declawed cats bite sooner and more often than cats that have their claws because they are more tense and nervous and because they no longer have their claws to use as a warning. The claws are their first lines of defense. With that gone, they must resort to desperate measures-- the use of their teeth. For that reason, a declawed cat is not one you would want to have around your children.

Newborn kittens until the age of three weeks or so have not yet learned to retract their claws. But once cats have reached that age, they begin to have control of their claws and can be trained to use them on toys and the post but not on human flesh.

I call the first eight months or so of a cat's life the rambunctious months. During this time kittens are learning to use that wonderful body nature has given them. Just as a little human baby uses his teeth on everything in site when he is teething, a kitten will try his claws on drapes, furniture, and everything within reach during the rambunctious months. Many cats are mutilated with a declawing operation at this time because owners don't realize that just as human babies eventually out grow the desire to chew on buttons and fingers, kittens grow out of their desire to claw everything and are easily satisfied with a workout on their scratching post.

Declawed cats are much harder for a groomer or veterinarian to handle because of their nervous sate and their proclivity for using teeth. Cats use claws as a mode of expression. We humans have sounds and words and laughter, but cats say, "Mmmmm, this feels good"; by gently kneading their claws. When I'm grooming cats, frequently they will say to me, "Hey, stop that, wait a minute"; by hitting me with their claws when their patience is running out. They do not scratch or harm me in any way. They are simply making a strong statement. I know that "claws out" in this case, means that I have not listened when they tried to warn me with a meow or a wiggle. Cats are polite, they give a warning before they hurt you. If you declaw cats, you have taken away from them this means of being polite and giving warning first. In a way it could be likened to removing a person's larynx. Even if you promise that that person would always be protected, certainly never have to cry for help, even if you promise that that person would always have anything and everything that he might desire (and in real life you can never be sure you can fulfill such promises), still, the larynx is gone. The choice of communicating in the normal way is no longer that person's choice.

Many times I have encountered owners who, after realizing what a declawing operation really means, vow never again to allow a cat of theirs to be declawed. Inevitably when they begin living with a normal cat they are amazed and enchanted by their pet's athletic prowess and grace and they point out to me how very unusual their cat is in this respect. I have to explain to them that their cat is simply normal. All cats leap and bound like super ballet dancers if their feet have not been mutilated.

If you would like more information about claws and declawing, see "Claw and Cuticle Problems" on page 290 and the section "Foot and Claw Problems" in Dr. Pitcairn's Complete Guide to Natural Health for Dogs and Cats.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
From THE NEW NATURAL CAT by Anitra Frazier and Norma Eckroate, Copyright & copy; 1981,1983,1 990 by Anitra Frazier and Norma Eckroate. Used by permission of Dutton, a division of Penguin Putnam Inc.

Spay/Neuter Clinic News

Call (406) 265-2653
for appointment or information.

Help!

Let's Get Neutered

September 12th & 13th November 14th & 15th

MUST call for reservations,
limited space available only.

Cat $20.00

Call (406) 265-2653
for appointment or information.

Spay/Neuter Program Statistics

Why You Should Spay or Neuter Your Pet

What do "spay" and "neuter" really mean?

Female dogs and cats are spayed by removing their reproductive organs, and male dogs and cats are neutered by removing their testicles. In both cases the operation is performed while the pet is under anesthesia. Depending on your pet's age, size, and health, he or she will stay at your veterinarian's office for a few hours or a few days. Depending upon the procedure, your pet may need stitches removed after a few days. Your veterinarian can fully explain spay and neuter procedures to you and discuss with you the best age at which to sterilize your pet. Spaying and neutering helps dogs and cats live longer, healthier lives. Spaying and neutering can eliminate or reduce the incidence of a number of health problems that can be very difficult or expensive to treat. Spaying eliminates the possibility of uterine or ovarian cancer and greatly reduces the incidence of breast cancer, particularly when your pet is spayed before her first estrous cycle. Neutering eliminates testicular cancer and decreases the incidence of prostate disease.

Spaying or Neutering Is Good for You

Spaying and neutering makes pets better, more affectionate companions. Cats and dogs provide companionship to and share the homes of over 63,000,000 individuals in the United States Neutering cats makes them less likely to spray and mark territory. Spaying a dog or cat eliminates her heat cycle. Estrus lasts an average of six to 12 days, often twice a year, in dogs and an average of six to seven days, three or more times a year, in cats. Females in heat can cry incessantly, show nervous behavior, and attract unwanted male animals. Unsterilized animals often exhibit more behavior and temperament problems than do those who have been spayed or neutered. Spaying and neutering can make pets less likely to bite. Neutering makes pets less likely to roam the neighborhood, run away, or get into fights.

Spaying and Neutering Are Good for the Community

Communities spend millions of dollars to control unwanted animals. Two unaltered cats and their offspring can produce 420,000 more cats in seven years. Two unaltered dogs and their offspring can produce 67,000 more dogs in six years. The problem of companion animal overpopulation costs the taxpayers of this country over a billion dollars annually through animal control programs aimed at coping with the millions of unwanted cats and dogs. Irresponsible breeding contributes to the problem of dog bites and attacks. Animal shelters are overburdened with surplus animals. Humane societies and shelters have to kill approximately four million cats and dogs each year, although many of them are healthy and adoptable, simply because there are not enough good homes. Stray pets and homeless animals get into trash containers, defecate in public areas or on private lawns, and frighten or anger people who have no understanding of their misery or needs. Some stray animals also scare away or kill birds and wildlife. Spay or neuter surgery carries a one-time cost that is relatively small when one considers its benefits. It's a small price to pay for the health of your pet and the prevention of more unwanted animals.

Donations

Original Paintings for Sell!

You can purchase an original painting created by: Calista Montgomery.

Artist Bio
Calista Montgomery studied marketing and design at the Universities of Kansas and Oregon. After living in Europe the past 20 years designing international ad campaigns, the native Montanan returned to Missoula and recently obtained her MBA. She currently lives in Florence, Montana with her two tuxedo clad kitties Louis and Mary.

All paintings are one of a kind.

If you would like to purchase a painting please e-mail Kittykeepers
Place in your subject line Painting Purchase Explain which copy you would like so we can reserve it for you.
Then send a check to:
Kitty Keepers of Havre
600 23rd Avenue West
Havre, MT 59501

All 8 x 10's are $50 & All 5 x 7's are $30

Memorial Donation

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