To Everything There is a Season
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To Everything There is a Season
-Helen Morrison, Board President
The Turning of the Seasons... expected, familiar, old friends of Nature. And in our own lives, the expected, the familiar rhythms, though with their life challenges. The journey always begins with the new, the fresh, the wide-eyed openness...and moves on into the seasoned, the familiar, the winding down. Autumn has always been my favorite season. It is glorious, gracious and graceful, a comfortable feeling of settling. Spring is for the young...exciting, teeming with excitement, newness, abundance. Autumn is for the savoring, the cherishing, the slowing down.
Every now and then, that journey from Spring on into Autumn has a uniqueness to it, perhaps even a shock. As I think of this year so far, and early Spring, the expectations of the passage of time were suddenly not so familiar at all. This has been a different time. This was hard on a big and public level, on us as a nation. And it is a tough time for the Human Family, with the assault of COVID and the lapses in human decency. But we have to believe in the basic goodness of people. And we can find it in the responses of ordinary people to those in need. And in our very own small sphere, with our dear beloved Shelter….we are doing very well in the arena of love, with volunteers and the community being patient, assessing what is best, making little adjustments, little openings with new visions.
As you probably know, we closed down the Shelter to visitors in mid-March, when COVID made its full potential vengeance known. We didn’t want our volunteers to have to brave going out and meeting at the Shelter to tend to the cats. So, all the cats went to our volunteers for fostering. And that has been quite an exciting adventure...with us all learning new ways to carry on with what is best for these beings in need. We have adopted out a number of cats in the past months to wonderful homes, using Zoom.
And over the past two months, we began to bring some new cats into the Shelter...at first, cats that were a bit of a challenge in terms of health or behavior issues. Volunteers came in on their own, one at a time, to tend to the cats, feeding, medicating, cleaning...and giving them special socializing time, of play and petting, reading to them...just keeping it small at first, manageable. But it has become more and more comfortable and is expanding...and we are able to zoom from the Shelter...and so, not only are cats going to their forever homes from fosters, but also from the Shelter.
At present, we have ten cats in the Shelter...with two people coming in the morning,, masks on, hands disinfected, social distancing honored. The good feeling of the Shelter, with its warmth and care and love and camaraderie is back, with the cats now meeting and greeting one another, being tended and cherished. The joy is back. The kitties also have their evening tuck in time with volunteers …
That is our journey as a Shelter, from Spring to Autumn, from then to now. And in that journey, as always, there are the precious beings who are in the Spring of their lives, our wee kittens, and those seasoned beings who are in the Autumn of their lives, our senior felines. We would like to take you on a journey to meet some of these very special kitties, the very young and the impressively old.
-Helen Morrison, Board President
The Turning of the Seasons... expected, familiar, old friends of Nature. And in our own lives, the expected, the familiar rhythms, though with their life challenges. The journey always begins with the new, the fresh, the wide-eyed openness...and moves on into the seasoned, the familiar, the winding down. Autumn has always been my favorite season. It is glorious, gracious and graceful, a comfortable feeling of settling. Spring is for the young...exciting, teeming with excitement, newness, abundance. Autumn is for the savoring, the cherishing, the slowing down.
Every now and then, that journey from Spring on into Autumn has a uniqueness to it, perhaps even a shock. As I think of this year so far, and early Spring, the expectations of the passage of time were suddenly not so familiar at all. This has been a different time. This was hard on a big and public level, on us as a nation. And it is a tough time for the Human Family, with the assault of COVID and the lapses in human decency. But we have to believe in the basic goodness of people. And we can find it in the responses of ordinary people to those in need. And in our very own small sphere, with our dear beloved Shelter….we are doing very well in the arena of love, with volunteers and the community being patient, assessing what is best, making little adjustments, little openings with new visions.
As you probably know, we closed down the Shelter to visitors in mid-March, when COVID made its full potential vengeance known. We didn’t want our volunteers to have to brave going out and meeting at the Shelter to tend to the cats. So, all the cats went to our volunteers for fostering. And that has been quite an exciting adventure...with us all learning new ways to carry on with what is best for these beings in need. We have adopted out a number of cats in the past months to wonderful homes, using Zoom.
And over the past two months, we began to bring some new cats into the Shelter...at first, cats that were a bit of a challenge in terms of health or behavior issues. Volunteers came in on their own, one at a time, to tend to the cats, feeding, medicating, cleaning...and giving them special socializing time, of play and petting, reading to them...just keeping it small at first, manageable. But it has become more and more comfortable and is expanding...and we are able to zoom from the Shelter...and so, not only are cats going to their forever homes from fosters, but also from the Shelter.
At present, we have ten cats in the Shelter...with two people coming in the morning,, masks on, hands disinfected, social distancing honored. The good feeling of the Shelter, with its warmth and care and love and camaraderie is back, with the cats now meeting and greeting one another, being tended and cherished. The joy is back. The kitties also have their evening tuck in time with volunteers …
That is our journey as a Shelter, from Spring to Autumn, from then to now. And in that journey, as always, there are the precious beings who are in the Spring of their lives, our wee kittens, and those seasoned beings who are in the Autumn of their lives, our senior felines. We would like to take you on a journey to meet some of these very special kitties, the very young and the impressively old.
Our Little Ones
Vera, Veda, Margo, and Fitz
Vera, Veda, Margo, and Fitz came to us in mid July when we got a call from a man who said that the mother had been killed. They were about a week old and he wasn’t able to bottle feed them. So we called on our most excellent kitten bottle-feeding foster, Kelsi Reese. She took them in and they are thriving. They will be ready to go home in about a month.
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Valentina and Her Eight Babies
Again in mid-July we received a call from a concerned person in St. Johnsbury that she had a very pregnant dilute tortie cat hanging around her barn and would we take her. We said yes. Upon examination at the vet, there were at least 7-8 kittens awaiting birth. Our vet at Western Avenue, Dr. Hunt, took the mama cat home and gave her good care until she gave birth on August 1 to eight kittens.
There are three black males, one with double paws, one black female, one orange boy, one tortie, one dark tabby girl, and one dark tabby boy. Quite the handful. After a week or so, mom and kittens then went to another of our excellent fosters, Andrea Chiesa. She is having a ball with them. They are now about four weeks old, with their cute little stand up tails and ears, exploring their new world. They will be ready to go home in two months.
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Franklin and JC (Johnny Cat)
About a week ago, we were given two young kittens from a barn in a neighboring town where the cat situation is so large it is beyond our capabilities to help. But we can help in small ways, a few kittens and cats at a time. Franklin is about 5 weeks old; Johnny Cat (JC) is about 4 weeks old. It was a little nip and tuck with JC for a few days as he was rather sick and failing to thrive. But with the excellent care of foster Julie Hall and family, they are both now vigorous and playful and growing well with good food and love.
About a week ago, we were given two young kittens from a barn in a neighboring town where the cat situation is so large it is beyond our capabilities to help. But we can help in small ways, a few kittens and cats at a time. Franklin is about 5 weeks old; Johnny Cat (JC) is about 4 weeks old. It was a little nip and tuck with JC for a few days as he was rather sick and failing to thrive. But with the excellent care of foster Julie Hall and family, they are both now vigorous and playful and growing well with good food and love.
Our Feline Elders
Lua
Lua...this sweet 20 year old cat is in need of her final forever home.
This from her present owner, Jen Nelson: “Lua seeking a new home immediately! Lua is a wonderful, friendly older cat in good health. She is good with kids, dogs and other cats. Her life is simple and she is happy these days just resting and being petted. She’s very personable and sweet. She has lived with me for about 15 years. Due to a family emergency, I am needing to move across the country. Sadly, she cannot come with me. She would not be able to deal with the stress of driving over 2,000 miles. Please consider adopting this beautiful old girl!!-- [email protected]“
Lua...this sweet 20 year old cat is in need of her final forever home.
This from her present owner, Jen Nelson: “Lua seeking a new home immediately! Lua is a wonderful, friendly older cat in good health. She is good with kids, dogs and other cats. Her life is simple and she is happy these days just resting and being petted. She’s very personable and sweet. She has lived with me for about 15 years. Due to a family emergency, I am needing to move across the country. Sadly, she cannot come with me. She would not be able to deal with the stress of driving over 2,000 miles. Please consider adopting this beautiful old girl!!-- [email protected]“
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Connor
Connor was surrendered to KAS in mid June. He is an older boy, about ten years old. He came to us not feeling particularly well. He was dehydrated, anemic, and just seemed to feel low. He went to foster with Daphne Hsieh and her daughter, Jasmine….and in early August, a young couple from Montpelier, Amanda and Dylan, were approved to foster-to-adopt. They just love Connor and are doing wonders for his health care and well-being. He is pretty laid back, low key...but they just love his presence while they work at home, and he loves keeping them company, in between naps.
Connor was surrendered to KAS in mid June. He is an older boy, about ten years old. He came to us not feeling particularly well. He was dehydrated, anemic, and just seemed to feel low. He went to foster with Daphne Hsieh and her daughter, Jasmine….and in early August, a young couple from Montpelier, Amanda and Dylan, were approved to foster-to-adopt. They just love Connor and are doing wonders for his health care and well-being. He is pretty laid back, low key...but they just love his presence while they work at home, and he loves keeping them company, in between naps.
Captain Flynn
Captain Flynn is a wonderful buff boy who came to KAS at the end of June as a surrender. He is eleven and a half years old...and certainly had a few health issues. He was hyperthyroid and had a concerning lump on his back. But none of that deterred a local doctor who took him as a foster to adopt and has totally fallen in love and has sent in her adoption agreement papers. All the volunteers at the Shelter also fell in love with him….and stopped in for visits to say goodbye.
Captain Flynn is a wonderful buff boy who came to KAS at the end of June as a surrender. He is eleven and a half years old...and certainly had a few health issues. He was hyperthyroid and had a concerning lump on his back. But none of that deterred a local doctor who took him as a foster to adopt and has totally fallen in love and has sent in her adoption agreement papers. All the volunteers at the Shelter also fell in love with him….and stopped in for visits to say goodbye.
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Aslan, Simba, and Nyla
Aslan, Nyla, and Simba are three siblings who came to KAS in early June at the age of 14. Fourteen is not an easy age to get cats adopted. But Nyla and Simba went home together with a wonderful couple. And Aslan became the best buddy of his very own human.
Aslan, Nyla, and Simba are three siblings who came to KAS in early June at the age of 14. Fourteen is not an easy age to get cats adopted. But Nyla and Simba went home together with a wonderful couple. And Aslan became the best buddy of his very own human.
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Buddy
Buddy was adopted from KAS in 2008 and returned to us in 2018. He was then adopted to an elderly woman who, after two years, didn’t feel up to caring for Buddy. And so...he came back to KAS. It was then that we realized that Buddy had something serious going on with his nose. It turned out that it was a cancerous lesion. Mary Beth Furr of St. Johnsbury took Buddy in as a foster. They both fell in love with each other. It was the perfect match, the perfect home for Buddy’s end of life care, to spend the time he has left in Mary Beth’s sweet care.