Posts filed in Vox Felina

2012 No More Homeless Pets Conference—Some Highlights

30 Oct 2012

I’m only now starting to catch my breath (nowhere close to catching up on my sleep!) after this year’s No More Homeless Pets Conference in Las Vegas (video highlights here). Among the numerous attendees and presenters I was able to spend time with (too little in every case) were* Bonney Brown, executive director of the Nevada Humane Society; Jackson Galaxy, star of My Cat From Hell and author of Cat Daddy;Frank Hamilton, co-founder and president of the Animal Coalition of Tampa; Dr. Ellen Jefferson, executive director of Austin Pets Alive!; Katie Lisnik, director of cat protection and policy for the Humane Society of the United States; Christi Metropole, founder and executive director of Stray Cat Alliance; Dr. Jeff Newman, co-founder and director of Caring Hands Animal Support and Education; Becky Robinson, co-founder and president of Alley Cat Allies; Christie Rogero, targeted spay/neuter manager for the Animal Welfare Association; Holly Sizemore director of community programs and services for Best Friends; Lori Weise, founder and director of Downtown Dog Rescue; and, last but certainly not least, longtime friends Bob Miegl and Corinne Mitchell from PAWS of Coronado.

I also had the opportunity to chat (again, too briefly) with Best Friends co-founders Francis Battista, Judah Battista, Gregory Castle, and Faith Maloney. Congratulations one and all on an informative, inspirational event—and thank you for inviting me to participate!

Taking It to the Street (Cats): Grassroots Advocacy for Community Cats—which I had the honor of presenting alongside Laura Nirenberg, legislative attorney for Best Friends’ Focus on Felines campaign, and Lisa Tudor, Director of Development and Outreach for the Foundation Against Companion-Animal Euthanasia (FACE) and founder and executive director of IndyFeral—was a great success. Many thanks to all who attended—your commitment to the stray, abandoned, and feral cats in your communities is an inspiration.

Two of the most memorable take-aways:

  • Phase 2 of Best Friends’ NKLA initiative, launched earlier this year, will include a program aimed specifically at saving kittens under eight weeks of age (of which, we were told, approximately 7,000 are killed in the L.A. shelter system each year).
  • The remarkable success of San José’s Feral Freedom program. Jon Cicirelli, deputy director of San José Animal Care and Services, shared with us some very impressive data—which I hope to make the focus of a future post.

Unfortunately, many attendees’ plans were disrupted by Hurricane Sandy, forcing some of leave early while others were stranded in Las Vegas. My thoughts go out to all of those in Sandy’s path, as well as the various animals—owned and unowned alike—in their care.

* I know even as I type this out that I’m overlooking people—my apologies!

Catster Hero

19 Oct 2012

National Feral Cat Day 2012 was memorable for a number of reasons—including the great honor of being named a Catster Hero. Many thanks to Catster news editor (and founder of the Paws and Effect blog) JaneA Kelley, who, well… made me look heroic.

New Gig: Guest Contributor to Petfinder Blog

11 Oct 2012

My debut post, “The real record on feral cats and public health,” appeared on the Petfinder blog yesterday. Vox Felina readers can expect an in-depth (i.e., ~4,000 words) version very soon.

Many thanks to the good folks at Discovery Communications (who are proving to be a real pleasure to work with) for the opportunity. I look forward to many more posts in the future. (Indeed, another is just around the corner!)

Alley Cat Allies’ 2012/2013 Calendar

8 Oct 2012

For a limited time only—donate $10 or more and receive Alley Cat Allies’ 15-month calendar full of color photos (submitted by ACA supporters) and helpful cat care tips. Orders must be placed before midnight October 11th.

Please allow approximately 2–3 weeks for delivery.

National Feral Cat Day: Traps on Sale!

3 Oct 2012

National Feral Cat Day is just around the corner—October 16th. And to mark the occasion, Tomahawk Live Trap and Tru-Catch are offering special discounts.

For additional information, please check out Alley Cat Allies’ NFCD 2012 page.

Mother Dearest

21 Sep 2012

Is it possible I’ve been banned from posting comments on the Mother Jones website—the online home of “smart, fearless journalism”? It certainly looks that way.

Despite several attempts throughout the day Wednesday, my response to senior editor Kiera Butler’s “Kitties, Rabies, the Plague, and You” has yet to appear in the comments. Meanwhile, the conversation continues. Initially, I attributed my virtual absence to a technical problem. After repeated attempts (using two or three different applications to log on), however, I think I have to conclude that my comment is simply not being approved. And will not be approved.

I can’t imagine my response violates MoJo’s comment policy, especially after reading some of the others that have been posted. Could it be the magazine didn’t like being the recipient of the 2011 Trap Liner Award in recognition of its “tragic failure of journalistic integrity while fueling—intentionally or not—the witch-hunt against feral cats”? (This, of course, was in “honor” of Butler’s “Faster, Pussycat! Kill! Kill!,” which was later renamed—perhaps in response to some 1,645 comments, including mine—“Are Cats Bad for the Environment?”)

Did somebody at the magazine even notice? Who knows. Perhaps this really is just a tech issue. In any case, here’s my comment:

Given Butler’s previous contribution to the “never-ending war between cat people and bird people,” I’m not surprised she once again swallowed the American Bird Conservancy’s story in one gulp. It’s a shame—the same week Mother Jones made national news with its good old-fashioned hard-hitting journalism, Butler’s reprinting sensationalist press releases.

Had she done even a little bit of research, she would realize that ABC’s claims are just the same old misrepresentations and scaremongering. Take rabies, for example. In 2008, there were 294 cases reported in cats, compared to 75 cases in dogs. But let’s put that into context (using the very same report of CDC data that ABC used): 93 percent of cases were in wildlife; cats made up just 4.3 percent of rabies cases overall.

And, as the report makes clear, reports of rabies cases—such as those typically provided by the CDC—are not an accurate measure of overall infection rates. “Further, because of differences in protocols and submission rates among species and states, comparison of percentages of animals with positive results between species or states is inappropriate.” [1] Unfortunately, such comparisons are commonplace among TNR opponents eager to exaggerate the risk of rabies.

Actually, you’ve got a much better chance of being killed by lightning—not just struck, but killed by lightning. Data collected by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration indicate that between 1959 and 2011, 3,947 people in the U.S. were killed by lightning.

That’s roughly 75 deaths annually. [2] Due to lightning strikes.

And Butler overlooks the obvious (again): What ABC is proposing is a ban on TNR—which means tens of millions of unsterilized and unvaccinated cats. How exactly is that supposed to benefit wildlife and public health? It’s an obvious question to ask, but one that apparently never occurred to Butler.

Next time I get one of Mother Jones’ e-mail pleas for donations, I think I’ll forward it to Darin Schroeder at ABC. They should at least have to pay their stooges.

So, did I go too far?

Literature Cited
1. Blanton, J.D., et al., “Rabies surveillance in the United States during 2008.” Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association. 2009. 235(6): p. 676–689. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19751163

www.avma.org/avmacollections/rabies/javma_235_6_676.pdf

2. Holle, R., Lightning Fatalities by State, 1959–2011. 2012, Vaisala: Tucson, AZ. http://www.lightningsafety.noaa.gov/stats/59-11_fatalities_rates.pdf

2012 No More Homeless Pets National Conference

17 Sep 2012

Just two more days to take advantage of the early-bird registration rate of $275!

And Vox Felina readers can save an additional $25 by entering the discount code “Wolf.” Simply visit the conference website, and click on “Register Now.” (When asked for payment information, be sure to use your discount code.)

Among this year’s speakers are Jackson Galaxy, star of My Cat From Hell and author of Cat Daddy, Ellen Jefferson, executive director of Austin Pets Alive!, Christi Metropole, founder and executive director of Stray Cat Alliance, and Becky Robinson, co-founder and president of Alley Cat Allies.

And, for those hard-core attendees who stick around until Sunday…

Laura Nirenberg, legislative analyst for Best Friends’ Focus on Felines campaign, Lisa Tudor, Director of Development and Outreach, the Foundation Against Companion-Animal Euthanasia (FACE), and I will be presenting Taking It to the Street (Cats): Grassroots Advocacy for Community Cats Sunday morning. (Apologies in advance to those who will be staying out too late Saturday night!)

Hope to see you there!

When: October 25–28, 2012
Where: Rio All-Suites Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas
Cost: $275 early-bird rate ($325 after September 19)

For updates and additional information, check out the conference Facebook page. Questions? conferences@bestfriends.org.

Facts Felina

15 Aug 2012

As I mentioned in yesterday’s post, No Kill Conference attendees were clearly hungry for more TNR resources—programs and program funding, but also legislation and policies that would more effectively protect unowned cats. It was, therefore, an excellent time to release the first three Vox Felina TNR Fact Sheets. Read more

2012 No Kill Conference Wrap-Up

14 Aug 2012

Three brief take-aways from the 2012 No Kill Conference, held this past weekend George Washington University’s Law School.

Momentum
The No Kill movement has, in a few short years, achieved a great deal. Today, 50 community shelters across the country (representing, if I’m not mistaken, more than 200 cities and towns) have achieved no-kill status, each saving the lives of at least 90 percent of animals brought in.

What’s more, there’s an enormous amount of momentum in the movement, as was demonstrated by the number of success stories shared by speakers and attendees alike—as well as the unmistakable energy in the air. The times, they are a changin’.

Tools for Success
One sign of a successful conference is when attendees are frustrated that they’re missing one great workshop by attending another. That was certainly the case this weekend. Clearly, there are certainly worse problems to have. And I didn’t hear a single complaint that any of the workshops was a disappointment.

Participants are now headed back to their communities equipped with the tools necessary to bring about change—from becoming more media savvy and more politically effective to creating a bottle baby program for saving unweaned kittens. (See previous Dylan quote.)

Push for TNR
My presentation, Witch-Hunt: How TNR opponents have co-opted science to target free-roaming cats, was very well received. Approximately 50 people attended Saturday’s session, and another 80 or so (standing-room only!) were there on Sunday. No small feat, considered I was “competing” with John Sibley (the man behind the In Dog We Trust blog), whose workshop focused on advocacy blogging. (See previous comment about there being too much great stuff going on all at once.)

The number of questions, and subsequent conversations, about TNR over the course of the weekend demonstrate a strong desire for additional resources (e.g., programs, education, etc.) and protections (e.g., policy, legislation, etc.) designed to put an end to the killing of stray, abandoned, and feral cats. Fed up with the cruel, costly, and ineffective trap-and-kill approach—practiced for generations now—people are demanding more of their local shelters and politicians.

Cue Dylan.

•     •     •

The No Kill Advocacy Center, No Kill Nation, the GW Law School’s Joan Schaffner and her team, and many others are to be commended for a job well done! Looking forward to 2013…

Follow Vox Felina on Twitter!

10 Aug 2012

Just in time for the 2012 No Kill Conference in Washington, DC this weekend, you can now follow Vox Felina on Twitter!

(It may take me a while to get the hang of Twitter’s 140-character limit—a radical departure for somebody accustomed to blog posts that can run 2,500 words or more. Please be patient.)

This Sunday—Tune in Once Again to Animal Wise Radio!

21 Jul 2012

Tune in tomorrow to Animal Wise Radio, when I’ll be on with hosts Mike Fry and Beth Nelson. Though it’s only been a couple of weeks, there’s a lot to talk about! The recent move by the Brevard County (FL) Commission to place a moratorium on new TNR colonies, for example. And the story of 76-year-old Joy Mattice, who’s currently facing misdemeanor charges for feeding stray cats in Minneapolis.

As always, you can listen online—the show is live 12:00–2:00 CDT. And while you’re at it, please show your support by “Liking” their Facebook page. (And, while you’re doing that, head on over to the Animal Ark Facebook page as well…)

You Make a Statement, RCTees Will Make a Donation

16 Jul 2012

Three reasons to sign up for Jackson Galaxy’s e-mail list:

  1. You’ll be supporting Jackson, a tireless advocate for all cats—including those living on the streets. (In May, he took time out of his crazy schedule to help raise money for Spay/Neuter Hotline’s TNR program here in Arizona.)
  2. You’ll learn how to better understand your cats’ behaviors—and how to change them—from the star of Animal Planet’s My Cat From Hell. Happier cats, happier guardians—you get the idea.
  3. You’ll learn about deals like this one. For all of July, the folks at RCTees are donating $2.00 from every purchase of their Real Men Love Cats design to Much Love Animal Rescue. The shirt—a favorite of Jackson’s—is available in men’s and women’s sizes, short- and long-sleeve, and a variety of colors.

You’re welcome.

Feral Cat Nerd

9 Jul 2012

As co-host Beth Nelson was introducing the second hour of yesterday’s Animal Wise Radio show, she referred to me as a “feral cat nerd.” Beth tells me she meant it as a compliment, and that’s exactly how I’m taking it. Besides, as I told her and Mike Fry off the air, I’ve been called far worse by some folks familiar with my work.

If you missed it, you can check the complete show in podcast format). An MP3 file (11.3 MB) of our conversation (approximately 23 minutes) is available here.

Tune In to Animal Wise Radio Sunday!

7 Jul 2012

Tune in tomorrow to Animal Wise Radio, when I’ll be catching up with hosts Mike Fry and Beth Nelson. (It’s been more than seven months!) Among the topics up for discussion: toxoplasmosis, rabies, and typhus (oh, my!).

Listen online—and while you’re at it, why not show your support by “Liking” their Facebook page.

FixNation Reunites Stray Cat with Family After Nearly a Year

2 Jul 2012

For the “homeless” cats of Los Angeles, a trip to the FixNation clinic typically means a new lease on life: sterilization, vaccination, flea treatment, and health check-up. Not quite a day at the spa, but closer than many cats will ever know.

For Miso, though, the stopover at FixNation meant something more: the sweet tabby with white markings was—after nearly a year—being reunited with her family.

For more than nine months, Miso—an indoor-only cat who’d managed to slip out of her home—had been roaming the foothills north of Los Angeles. Luckily for Miso, she ended up in one of FixNation’s humane traps and, thanks to her microchip, on her way home. (Read the complete story on the FixNation website.)

For five years now, FixNation has been committed to improving the lives of L.A.’s cats—owned and unowned alike. But they can’t do it without our support.

How to Help
The 1 Campaign is in full swing! I’ve raised $310 toward my goal of $1,000. A solid start, but I’ve still got a long way to go—and I’m asking for your help! Please donate.

If you’re unable to donate, you can still help by sharing with friends and family. And it’s easy to create your own fundraising page, too. For more on The 1 Campaign, check out the FixNation website.

Thank you.

BlogPaws 2012 Recap

25 Jun 2012

I survived BlogPaws 2012.

After three days of talks about Word Press, WP plugins, SEO, and the like, my head is still spinning. (And my suspicions have been confirmed: Vox Felina is due for some serious revisions.)

Among the highlights were two keynote addresses—the first from Betsy Saul, co-founder of Petfinder.com, who, to her credit, made cats (including community cats) the first item on her list of issues that the companion animal welfare community needs to focus on. The second was a pull-no-punches wake-up call from Lena West, who challenged all of us to treat our blogging like a business—and in doing so, increase the good we can do.

Easily the best part of the event, though, was spending time with so many bloggers I’d known only virtually until now—including: Tamar Arslanian (I Have Cat); Angie Bailey (Catladyland); Deb Barnes (The Chronicles of Zee and Zoey); Crystal Fogg, who blogs about her “special needs” cat, Moki at The Wobbly Cat; Debbie Glovatsky (Glogirly), winner of BlogPaws’ Nose-to-Nose Award for Best Meow Blog; Stephanie Harwin (Catsparella); Janea Kelley (Paws and Effect); Ingrid King (The Conscious Cat); Joanne McGonagle (The Tiniest Tiger Conservation Cub Club); Christine Michaels (Riverfront Cats); Karen Nichols (Mousebreath), winner of the Nose-to-Nose Award for Best Blog Design; Robin Olson (Covered in Cat Hair), and Dorian Wagner (Your Daily Cute).

The Catification Lounge, the creation of Kate Benjamin, “Miss Moderncat,” and “Cat Daddy” Jackson Galaxy, proved to be an excellent venue for conversations both serious and light (the latter being aided immeasurably by Jill Delzer owner of Ally McPets).

I hope to see you all again at BlogPaws 2013!

BlogPaws 2012

20 Jun 2012

Soon, I’ll be headed to Salt Lake City for the BlogPaws conference, where I’m looking forward to meeting (finally) several fellow bloggers I know only virtually (many of whom helped push Smudge and me over the top last weekend).

Look for me in the Catification Lounge, a showcase of some of the best-designed cat products on the market, pulled together by Kate Benjamin, “Miss Moderncat,” and “Cat Daddy” Jackson Galaxy.

Hope to see you there!

Photo Contest Winners!

18 Jun 2012

Photo: “Miss Moderncat” Kate Benjamin

We did it!

And when I say we, I really mean you.

Thanks to everybody who voted (or tried to, desperately—you know who you are), shared, and pounded the pavement of the Interwebs, Smudge and I were able to pull off an impressive come-from-behind victory in Stray Cat Alliance’s Cat Daddy Photo Contest!

Rest assured, the $100 Petco gift card will be put to good use—mostly stocking up on food for the outdoor cats I feed. And maybe a few treats for Smudge and the rest of the indoor crew.

Father’s Day Celebrations

17 Jun 2012

It’s a very good year to be a cat daddy—featured in special Father’s Days posts on two the most popular cat blogs! (And I haven’t even had breakfast yet.)

My submission for I Have Cat’s Cat Man Monday feature was posted a day early in honor of Father’s Day. In it, I reveal a little bit about my own cats and their role in the Vox Felina backstory.

“It’s no surprise he grew up to have cats of his own,” writes Tamar Arslanian, the blog’s founder, in her introduction, “but his cat connection goes beyond the ordinary.”

Meanwhile, Ingrid King included me among the “special cat daddies” on her blog, The Conscious Cat.

And I’m in very good company, too—alongside Harry Shubin, a Virginia patent attorney and volunteer coordinator for Lost Dog and Cat Rescue Foundation in Arlington; Al Chernoff, “Alley Cat” from Rescue Ink; and Jackson Galaxy, star of Animal Planet’s My Cat From Hell and author of the recently released Cat Daddy: What the World’s Most Incorrigible Cat Taught Me About Life, Love, and Coming Clean (which I reviewed for Moderncat).

All of which is way better than a tie.

Oh, speaking of ties… Smudge and I are looking for a come-from-behind victory in Stray Cat Alliance’s Cat Daddy Photo Contest, which ends at 6:00 pm PST. There’s still time to vote!

For updates, keep an eye on the Vox Felina Facebook page.

•     •     •

Thanks to Tamar and Ingrid for their support—I appreciate it more than you know! And a very happy Father’s Day to all the cat daddies out there!

Get Out the Vote!

13 Jun 2012

Photo: Kate “Miss Moderncat” Benjamin

Facebook users: Smudge and I need your vote!

To celebrate Father’s Day, Stray Cat Alliance is running an online photo contest of “cat daddies.” At last check, Smudge (whose story I’ll save for a future post) and I are in fourth place. To finish “in the money,” however, we need another 100 votes or so!

And if you have a Facebook account, you can help.

You can trying accessing the contest page directly here. Or, follow the links from the Vox Felina or Stray Cat Alliance Facebook pages to the contest page. (A recent post on Stray Cat Alliance’s timeline is shown below.)

Now, at some point, you’ll be prompted to “install” the Facebook App—which, admittedly, sounds kinds of scary. Nothing to worry about, though—it’s just another way to “host” an event on Facebook.

Anyhow, once you’re on the contest page, click “View Entries,” and you’ll find our entry on or near Page 7. (The placement may change slightly as additional entries are added to the list.) Click on the thumbnail, and the photo will be enlarged—and you’ll be given the option to vote for us. (This is the important part.)

So, what’s at stake here?

Well, the contest winner receives a $100 Petco gift card (which, let me assure you, would be put to very good use!). Then there’s the honor of winning, along with some greatly-appreciated PR. And, in our case, it would be a victory for ear-tipped cats everywhere. (OK, perhaps I’m exaggerating just a bit.)

Many readers, I know, have already voted and encouraged others to do the same. If you haven’t done so, there’s still time—the contest ends at 6:00 pm PST Sunday.

For updates, keep an eye on the Vox Felina Facebook page.

Smudge and I thank you for your support!

Thanks to Stray Cat Alliance for sponsoring the contest, and to Kate Benjamin for our entry.