Stray Cat Blues, Inc.

Cats Available for Adoption • Volunteer Application
House Cat Adoption Application • Barn Cat Adoption Application

STRAY CAT BLUES, INC. AND PETSMART
PARTNER IN COLLEGEVILLE!!

Stray Cat Blues, Inc. has been chosen by Petsmart to run the Adoption Center at its NEW PETSMART STORE IN COLLEGEVILLE, in the Providence Town Center mall. While many stores around it are not quite ready, Petsmart is now open!! This new store and adoption center is convenient to both Montgomery and Chester County residents and will help us find even more wonderful homes for our cats and kittens! Read about our new location in the Times Herald (Purrrr-fect Union - CLICK HERE).

Directions - Providence Town Center is located at the intersection of Route 29 and Arcola Road in Collegeville. The Petsmart is at 300 Waterloop Road, within the mall complex. Petsmart is open, even though many of the stores around it are still getting ready. Phone 610-489-8240.
Hours - Stray Cat Blues volunteers are on hand some weekday evenings and every Friday 6:30PM - 9:00PM, and Sat. and Sun. 10:30AM - 4:30PM (additional cats on display during Sat. and Sun. hours).

COME VISIT US IN OUR NEW LOCATION...and if you can volunteer at the new store, complete a volunteer application online (CLICK HERE) and/or email us ASAP at savingstrays@yahoo.com. We are specifically looking for morning and evening cage cleaners, and table staffers for during adoption hours. If you are interested, but have questions, please email us.

(Stray Cat Blues will still continue to be at our great current Petsmart North Wales and Pet Supplies Plus Souderton locations. For adoption hours, CLICK HERE.) You can also see our cats waiting to be adopted anytime online by CLICKING HERE to go to our Petfinder listings.

Cats Of The Month

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Featured Cat: Winston & Salem

Winston (gray) and Salem (black) were adopted in 2002 as small kittens. They were recently returned due to allergies when the adopter had a new baby. The adopter adored these cats and was devastated at having to return them. While Winston and Salem are very sad at having lost their home, they are adjusting well in foster care.

Both cats are very sweet, loving, affectionate and healthy. They are very gentle and perfect with their litter box. The previous adopter wrote this biography for them:

"Hi! My name is Salem and this is my brother, Winston. We were born in the summer of 2002. We were rescued by Stray Cat Blues and shortly then after adopted. We have been together since birth. We are very well behaved and like to stay indoors. Neither of us has ever ventured outside and are afraid of the premise so please keep us indoors as we do not know of the dangers and want to stay safe. We are both very healthy and love to be together. Our favorite things to do are lounge, roll on the floor and wrestle with each other, chase each other around and up and down any available staircase, and sit in the window sill looking out the window. We have lived in a loving household for the last seven years but when the new baby was born it was found that she was very allergic to us. We could not risk getting her sick again... we tried everything to alleviate the situation and although we realized how upset our owners were going to be and how much we would miss them we knew what we ultimately had to do. We are currently seeking a new place to live and a new owner who can take care of us without any risk of allergies. We are very affectionate and crave attention but can also be left alone to keep each other company. Please take care of us and let us show you how we are the best pair of cats you will ever have the pleasure of calling your pets."

Salem and Winston must be adopted as a pair. Winston and Salem are neutered and up to date on their shots.

Like what you see? Click here to enter an Adoption Application for this cat.

Winston and Salem are up-to-date with routine shots, house trained and spayed/neutered.

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Houdini

This sweet little man earned his name when he was first trapped, as he initially hid in the basement. Now you see him now you don't! I knew where he was as he would softly meow to me. He was sweet from the start, and loves to be held and just purrs away.

Houdini, along with other cats, was rescued from a local farm where they were not being fed. What a horrible existence for any cat, but especially hard for such sweet kitties.

Houdini has tested positive for FIV. FIV stands for Feline Immunodeficiency Virus. It is NOT contagious to people or dogs. FIV can suppress the immune system but most cats live very long and healthy lives with FIV. For more information on FIV, CLICK HERE. Our volunteers would also be happy to discuss this condition with you.

FIV can only be transmitted to other cats through a bad bite or scratch, and this sweet little boy would not hurt anything.

Won't you please give Houdini the forever home he deserves? Houdini's estimated date of birth is March 2007.

Like what you see? Click here to enter an Adoption Application for this cat.

Houdini is up-to-date with routine shots, house trained and spayed/neutered.

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Bandi

(Pictures coming soon!)

Bandi is a three year old kitty that belonged to one of our very own Foster Moms. Bandi was born on April 7th, 2006. She became a Stray Cat Blues kitty recently as her Mom, one of our dedicated foster parents, could no longer keep her kitties, and she just recently died from cancer. Stray Cat Blues promised her that we would care for and find good homes for all of her babies that she loved so much. All of her kitties were rescue kitties, that she took in and provided a wonderful home for, regardless of how shy, friendly, or whatever. They all were provided a nice home, warm bed, and tummies filled with food and lots of Love to top it all off. The world needs more people like her and she will be sadly missed by all of us at Stray Cat Blues.

Bandi is an Independent girl, she prefers petting on her head toward her back, rather than being picked up or held. She is a shy girl, who needs someone who is patient, and willing to love her just the way she is, and give her the time and space she needs to come out of her shell. She should go to a quiet home without children.

Bandi will need a little time to adjust, as most cats do anyway, to a new home.

Like what you see? Click here to enter an Adoption Application for this cat.

Bandi is up-to-date with routine shots, house trained and spayed/neutered.

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Queenie

Queenie is a sweet torti kitten who was born in a cat colony in a wooded area next to a McDonalds in Hilltown. Stray Cat Blues volunteers trapped and pulled 17 cats from the site. Queenie was trapped with her siblings Mickey D and Valentino who have already been adopted. When she was trapped Queenie was thin and had an upper respiratory infection. But with good care, she is now healthy and ready to be adopted!

Queenie's estimated date of birth is 7/1/2009.

Like what you see? Click here to enter an Adoption Application for this cat.

Queenie is up-to-date with routine shots, house trained and spayed/neutered.

Cats Available For Adoption Can Be Seen At Four Locations:

1. PetsMart - North Wales - Saturday and Sunday 10:30am to 4:30pm
   Volunteers are also present ~ Mon., Weds. and Fri. 6:30 - 8:30pm
   145 Witchwood Dr, North Wales, PA (215) 699-9366
2. Pets Supplies "Plus" Souderton - Every Saturday 11:00am - 3:00pm
   4024 Bethlehem Pike, Telford, PA 18969 (215) 721-3164
3. Petsmart - Collegeville - Saturday and Sunday 10:30am - 4:30pm
   Volunteers will also be present some weekday evenings and every Friday 6:30pm - 9:00pm
   Located in the Providence Town Center -
   Petsmart is now open! (though many of the stores around it are not just yet)
   Route 29 and Arcola Road (Petsmart is located within the mall complex),
   Collegeville, PA (610) 489-8240
4. Green Lane Veterinary Hospital - One SCBI adoptable cat(s) can be seen during normal business hours - Mon., Weds., Fri., Sat. - 9am to 5pm and Tues. and Thurs. 7:30am to 9pm
   3015 Main Street, Green Lane PA (215) 234-0434
5. Schwenksville Veterinary Medical Arts - Call for hours
   298 Meyers Road, Schwenksvillle, PA (610) 287-8960

Stray Cat Blues volunteers will be present to assist you at all locations except Green Lane and Schwenksville. If your are interested in adopting a cat on display at Green Lane, contact us.

Of course, you don't have to wait for our adoption hours. You can see our cats anytime by CLICKING HERE to go to our pet listings online. Submit an application online (CLICK HERE) for the cat you love, or to get pre-approved!

For more information email us at savingstrays@yahoo.com or call us at 215-631-1851.

Kitten Season

(Update October 20th: We are now coming to the end of Kitten Season 2009. Some kittens will be born during the late fall and winter months. However, because of the cold weather most do not survive unless they are discovered and brought indoors right away.)

If a stray cat has kittens in your yard, you will want to place them with a rescue by the time they are 8-10 weeks old, if not sooner. A kitten can be removed from its Mother safely, at around 3-4 weeks of age. They receive the immunities they need from their Mothers in the first 4 days of life. Kittens that are not socialized to people by the time they are three months old, will most likely have become feral (unsocial, and afraid of people) already, and not be suitable for placement into homes as house cats. Kittens that are 3-4 weeks old, would be approxiamtely 4-6 inches long, and typically weigh only about 8-12 ounces. There could be a slight variance in length, and weight. Click here for information on how to estimate kitten age.

Click here for information on what to do, and for information on contacting Stray Cat Blues. If we cannot accept the kittens we can provide information on other local rescues to contact. See the links below, or click on the following links - How to Care for Neonatal Kittens and Socializing Kittens.

Stray Cat Blues is often called upon to care for very young kittens who have lost their mother. We have a few volunteers who are very experienced in caring for these so-called Bottle Babies. The cost for caring for these tiny kittens can be significant. Needed supplies include: KMR kitten formula, heat disks to replicate the mother's warmth, feeding tubes, syringes. (Click here to read a story of one of our bottle babies.) Please consider making a donation today to help with these costs by clicking the button below. In the Special Instructions on the checkout page, please note that the donation is for Kitten Care. And if you have a place in your heart and home, consider adopting one of these precious little ones!

Click the following button to make a credit card or Paypal donation -

Donations can be made by check payable to Stray Cat Blues, Inc. and mailed to - P. O. Box 8, Colmar, PA 18915. Please indicate on your check that this is a contribution for Kitten Care. You can also drop off a donation to us at Petsmart in North Wales during our weekend adoption hours (10:30-4:30). All donations are tax deductible. Thank you very much for whatever amount you can contribute.

Older and Harder To Place Kitties

They need TLC and a chance...Please give these precious felines a look!

PERFECT PAIRS: These cats have "Brotherly Love", and need to be adopted together. Two cats are twice as nice! Click on the cats' pictures, read their bios, and see if you can make a BIG difference in their lives.

NATHAN AND MORTON: Nathan and Morton are two laid-back brothers who need to be adopted together! Click here to read more!


WINSTON AND SALEM: We have to find a new home because the new baby is allergic to us. We are super cats who would like to be adopted together! Click here to read more!


BEAUTIFUL BLACK CATS:
Because of superstition and prejudice, or even just because they blend into the shadows of their cages, black cats and kittens are sadly more likely to be passed over for adoption. CLICK HERE to go to our Top 10 Reasons to Adopt a Black Cat. Then CLICK HERE to go to Our Pet List and find the perfect black cat for you.

FABULOUS FIV's:
Because of a lack of understanding about FIV, cats who test FIV+ are more difficult to place into homes.
CLICK HERE to go to our FIV Showcase page, get the scoop on FIV, and see our FIV+ cats awaiting homes (maybe with you)!

Special Needs Cats

Occasionally it is discovered that a cat or kitten in one of our foster homes has medical issues or disabilities. We will sometimes also take in a cat from an outdoor cat colony knowing that they have a disability, where it would be inhumane to put them back into their outdoor environment.

Stray Cat Blues is committed to caring for these Special Needs cats. Where possible we work to place these cats into loving homes. Some of these cats, however, are with Stray Cat Blues for a long time. The cost of their care is covered by donations from the caring public.

Please take a minute and read the stories of these Special Needs cats...They are each truly SPECIAL, because they have the will to live and to experience life to the fullest they are able. If you are able, consider making a donation towards their care. And if one of their stories speaks to you, consider adopting one of these wonderful cats!

GRETA: I have bad knees, but maybe you like to take it easy too! Click here to read more!



CEARA: My eyes get goopy, but if you clean it once a day I am good to go! Click here to read more!


MOZART: I have recurring pneumonia, but I try to live a normal life. Click here to read more!



STINK BUG: I have a bladder issue, but a will to live. Click here to read more!



CIDER: I was tortured as an outdoor cat, and am blind. Do you have a quiet place and love for me? Click here to read more!

Click the following button to make a credit card or Paypal donation (please indicate in the Special Instructions during checkout that this is for Special Needs Cats)-

Donations can also be made by check, payable to Stray Cat Blues, Inc. and mailed to -
P. O. Box 8
Colmar, PA 18915

Please indicate on your check that this is a contribution for Special Needs Cats. You can also drop off a donation to us at Petsmart in North Wales during our weekend adoption hours (10:30-4:30). All donations are tax deductible. Thank you very much for whatever amount you can contribute!!

Rescue Stories

Have you ever wondered about all the work our volunteers do behind the scenes to rescue cats and get them ready for adoption? We have decided to bring you some of our "stories in progress". We hope these stories inspire you to step outside of your comfort zone the next time you see a cat in need and make a big difference in the life of one of the many cats out there that are struggling to get by.

"The greatness of a nation and its moral progress can be judged by the way its animals are treated."
~Gandhi~

There are so many cats out there in need...Here are a few of their stories...

Bugsy: Bugsy was suffering after being hit by a car, and miraculously showed up on the doorstep of the very person who could help him....
Cider: Tortured by the people around her, would this little blind kitty ever get the help she needed....
Esperanza: Esperanza was living in a cage, with no view of the sky and the birds....
Bella: Bella was starving and had crawled under a bush to die....

Trap, Neuter, and Return Information

For feral cats, Stray Cat Blues advocates the humane solution of Trap-Neuter-Return (TNR).

Comprehensive resources for TNR are provided online by Alley Cat Allies, a national non-profit. (Click here to go to their site.)

Fee for Service TNR only - The SCBI Trap, Neuter, Release (TNR ) budget is temporarily depleted, so we can only accept TNR projects that are fully funded by the person requesting our help. Our volunteer trappers are willing to donate their time and talent but callers must provide the funding for the discounted veterinary services we will obtain for each project. We have applied for grants and will be holding a Silent Auction in the Fall to replenish our TNR funding. When that money is available, we will again be able to offer subsidized TNR services. Thank you for your cooperation in this matter.

Stray Cat Blues would like to thank Limerick Vet for supporting our TNR efforts through its annual Spay/Neuter Day on January 25th! The employees of Limerick Veterinary Hospital generously donated their services to spay/neuter 36 stray cats trapped by SCB. Spay and neuter is an effective way to reduce cat overpopulation. Click here to read the press release.

Genuardi's, Acme and Redner's Warehouse Shoppers

Your everyday purchases can support SCBI's caring for homeless kitties!

Anyone who has a Genuardi's card can sign up. To sign up, go to escrip.com, select "Sign-up", and enter Stray Cat Blues as the name of the charity. Then you are asked to provide your name and address (phone number and email address are on the form but are NOT required); in the next screen enter the card number that is printed on your Genuardi's card. Every time you use your Genuardi's card, Stray Cat Blues receives up to 3% of the sales total. It costs SCBI nothing and it costs you, the Genuardi's card user, nothing. It is Genuardi's who is the contributor.

Acme shoppers can drop off their receipts at PetsMart in North Wales. Please look for the canister located on the table at our adoption center.

Redner's Warehouse shoppers can sign up for the "Save A Tape" card and then drop off their bundled receipts with the added total at our PetsMart location. Please look for the canister located on the table at our adoption center.

Stray Cat Blues and all the kitties thank you for your time and effort in doing this!

Rescue News and Information Links

Rescue Links:

ASPCA Animal Behavior Center - Cat Behavior [www.aspca.org/site/PageServer?pagename=pets_catbehavior]

Feral Cat Winter Shelter [www.pacthumanesociety.org/core/WinterShelter.htm]

Cats International - Cats International is a non-profit, educational organization dedicated to helping people better understand their feline companions. [www.catsinternational.org/]

The Humane Society of the United States - Pet Care articles [www.hsus.org/pets/pet_care/]

ASPCA Animaland - For Kids [www.aspca.org/site/PageServer?pagename=kids_home]

pets.com from Petsmart - Articles covering all aspects of cat ownership and care [www.pets.com/newparents]

ASPCA Animal Poison Control 1-888-426-4435 - There is a charge for this service. [www.aspca.org/site/PageServer?pagename=pro_apcc]

Winn Feline Health - Cat Health/Disease Topics [winnfelinehealth.org/Health.html]

Best Friends Animal Society - Pet Care Library [www.bestfriends.org/theanimals/petcare/]

Bucks County SPCA - Animal Behavior Hotline [www.bcspca.org/animal-behavior-hotline.html]

Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine - Brochures on Cat Health Issues [www.vet.cornell.edu/fhc/brochures/index.htm]

Alley Cat Allies - a national non-profit working to promote humane care of feral cats [www.alleycat.org/NetCommunity/Page.aspx?pid=191]

Trap-Neuter-Return [www.alleycat.org/NetCommunity/Page.aspx?pid=285]

Caring for a Feral Cat Colony [www.alleycat.org/NetCommunity/Page.aspx?pid=293]

Socialize Feral Kittens [www.alleycat.org/NetCommunity/Page.aspx?pid=292]

Care for Neonatal Kittens [www.alleycat.org/NetCommunity/Page.aspx?pid=291]

Feral Friends Network [www.alleycat.org/NetCommunity/Page.aspx?pid=355]

Building a Feral Cat Shelter [www.alleycat.org/NetCommunity/Document.Doc?id=36]

Pennsylvania SPCA - Report Animal Abuse [pspca.org/faqs?faq_id=6]

News Links:

Pennsylvania Best Friends Network [network.bestfriends.org/pennsylvania/news/]

Philly.com pets [www.philly.com/philly/living/pets/]

CBS3 Pet Page [cbs3.com/pets]

Yahoo Animal and Pet News [news.yahoo.com/i/2120]

The Humane Society of the United States - Pet News [www.hsus.org/pets/pets_related_news_and_events/]

ASPCA - Lobby for Animal Legislation [www.aspca.org/site/PageServer?pagename=lobby_home]