1 00:00:02,240 --> 00:00:23,719 Speaker 1: This is pet Life Radio. Let's Talk Pets. 2 00:00:23,719 --> 00:00:27,440 Speaker 2: Hello, feline friends, Welcome to Catitude. I'm your show host 3 00:00:27,559 --> 00:00:30,600 Michelle Byrne, and today we have a guest that's going 4 00:00:30,679 --> 00:00:33,280 to talk about the topic near and dear to my 5 00:00:33,359 --> 00:00:37,880 heart and you longtime listeners know what that is. Saving 6 00:00:38,039 --> 00:00:43,039 our cats are kitties, volunteering, fostering, what you can do, 7 00:00:43,240 --> 00:00:47,200 why you should do it, and also how she helps 8 00:00:47,240 --> 00:00:51,479 start this amazing organization. So stay tuned, we'll be right back. 9 00:00:54,719 --> 00:00:55,439 Speaker 1: Talk to the pa. 10 00:00:56,520 --> 00:00:56,679 Speaker 3: Hi. 11 00:00:56,759 --> 00:00:58,920 Speaker 4: This is Amy Suret. Hi. I'm Jane Lynch. 12 00:00:59,039 --> 00:00:59,799 Speaker 1: This is Mandy Bourne. 13 00:01:00,079 --> 00:01:02,000 Speaker 4: There, I'm Kate Waller. There's Katherine Tigle. 14 00:01:02,200 --> 00:01:04,319 Speaker 1: There's only one station that gives you the scoop on 15 00:01:04,400 --> 00:01:07,760 wagging tongues and tails and who's walking who in rent 16 00:01:07,840 --> 00:01:11,599 in tencil Down pet Life Radio the tail Wagger. 17 00:01:13,799 --> 00:01:27,079 Speaker 3: Let's Talk pets on Petlife Radio dot Com. 18 00:01:27,719 --> 00:01:31,760 Speaker 2: Welcome back everyone. I'd like to welcome Debra Feline Begaldi. 19 00:01:32,079 --> 00:01:36,519 She is a volunteer with Helen Sanders cat Pause based 20 00:01:36,519 --> 00:01:41,879 in southern California. You also helped start this organization. Welcome Debra. 21 00:01:42,159 --> 00:01:44,040 Speaker 4: Oh, thank you so very much for having me. 22 00:01:44,519 --> 00:01:47,120 Speaker 2: I'm very excited to have you know, you know, we 23 00:01:47,319 --> 00:01:50,000 chatted a bit before the show, and I'm you know, 24 00:01:50,120 --> 00:01:52,439 lived in LA for many years. Now I'm in an 25 00:01:52,439 --> 00:01:57,400 even warmer climate and it has according to one late 26 00:01:57,560 --> 00:02:01,680 night host that I adore the esteemed I guess, uh 27 00:02:02,359 --> 00:02:06,040 terminology of the crazy state. So I live in South Florida. Well, 28 00:02:06,120 --> 00:02:09,159 right right, I guess because there's always something crazy going 29 00:02:09,199 --> 00:02:12,080 on here. I don't know, it's not all political. There's 30 00:02:12,120 --> 00:02:14,840 just a lot of crazy. You never, like today, we 31 00:02:14,879 --> 00:02:17,680 have a fire in the Everglades. It poured like crazy 32 00:02:17,800 --> 00:02:20,719 last week, but the fire is still uncontained. I don't 33 00:02:20,719 --> 00:02:23,439 know how that happens during rainy season, but here we go. 34 00:02:23,719 --> 00:02:24,520 Speaker 4: I'm so sorry. 35 00:02:24,599 --> 00:02:28,159 Speaker 2: Yeah, why do we bring that up? Because warm climates 36 00:02:28,240 --> 00:02:31,360 tend to have a lot of stray kitties, not own 37 00:02:31,479 --> 00:02:36,120 and stray cats not only during certain seasonality but all 38 00:02:36,240 --> 00:02:40,000 year long, because you know, it's easier for them to procreate. 39 00:02:40,159 --> 00:02:42,319 You know, they're in the outdoors and all of that. 40 00:02:43,319 --> 00:02:47,479 Let's talk before we get started about kitten seasons and everything. 41 00:02:47,800 --> 00:02:50,039 Can you share with us tell us about the Helen 42 00:02:50,159 --> 00:02:53,319 Sanders Cat Pause Organization of course. 43 00:02:53,120 --> 00:02:57,439 Speaker 4: Thank you. It was started officially as a nonprofit you know, 44 00:02:57,759 --> 00:03:00,360 organized in Bible one c. Three and all that in 45 00:03:00,400 --> 00:03:06,199 early twenty ten by the roots of the organization go 46 00:03:06,639 --> 00:03:10,960 deeper than that to a lady named predictably Ellen Sanders, 47 00:03:11,439 --> 00:03:15,319 who was active in TNR, which is you know, trapped 48 00:03:15,319 --> 00:03:19,280 New to Return starting back in like the seventies eighties, 49 00:03:19,360 --> 00:03:23,120 before people even knew what Tea and all her meant 50 00:03:23,360 --> 00:03:27,439 or dropped New to Return. She was trapping the stray 51 00:03:27,599 --> 00:03:31,560 feral as they would call at the time, cats hit 52 00:03:31,719 --> 00:03:35,319 the jetty in the rocks that jut out into the ocean. Here, 53 00:03:35,719 --> 00:03:39,280 it was just inundated with just straying, free rowing cats, 54 00:03:39,280 --> 00:03:42,199 and she would trap them. You mainly trap them, get 55 00:03:42,199 --> 00:03:45,719 them altered, get them vaccinated, and put them back into 56 00:03:45,879 --> 00:03:50,439 their rocks habitat and feed them every night. She would 57 00:03:50,479 --> 00:03:53,000 take food to them and manage that colony. She taught 58 00:03:53,039 --> 00:03:55,439 other people how to do that. When she passed away 59 00:03:55,439 --> 00:03:58,439 in two thousand and five, some friends put together a 60 00:03:58,479 --> 00:04:01,639 few underbox just to the cats that were still alive 61 00:04:01,680 --> 00:04:04,680 at the time for passing. And then eventually a few 62 00:04:04,719 --> 00:04:08,479 years later we decided to make it official and organize 63 00:04:08,560 --> 00:04:12,560 and start a rescue in her name, honor and legacy. 64 00:04:13,120 --> 00:04:17,040 Speaker 2: One thing that the Helen Sanders Cat Pause Organization. Does 65 00:04:17,120 --> 00:04:20,480 that's a little different than some other places. They have 66 00:04:20,560 --> 00:04:24,399 a DIY kitten care program. Can you share that with us? 67 00:04:24,600 --> 00:04:27,560 Speaker 4: Yeah, So about ten years ago we were working with 68 00:04:28,000 --> 00:04:31,560 We actually concentrate, we focus mostly on public shelters and 69 00:04:31,639 --> 00:04:35,000 try to take out the cats and kittens that are 70 00:04:35,120 --> 00:04:38,199 most at risk of you know, not making it out alive. 71 00:04:38,759 --> 00:04:41,079 So at the time, one of the shelters that we 72 00:04:41,079 --> 00:04:46,120 were working with, they were unfortunately just a about one 73 00:04:46,120 --> 00:04:49,600 thousand kittens year. We're not making it up, and typically 74 00:04:49,720 --> 00:04:53,040 kittens under four or five weeks old that weren't yet 75 00:04:53,079 --> 00:04:55,800 eating on their own because they require so much care, 76 00:04:56,319 --> 00:04:58,240 you know, twenty four hours a day, you know, every 77 00:04:58,240 --> 00:05:01,199 few hours they have to be fed, right, Shelters are 78 00:05:01,240 --> 00:05:05,600 not typically staffed twenty four hours, so they were not 79 00:05:05,959 --> 00:05:09,759 making it out. So what we put together was this 80 00:05:09,879 --> 00:05:12,680 DIY kitten care kits so that when people came in, 81 00:05:12,800 --> 00:05:15,439 you know, just thinking oh it's a shelter, I'll bring 82 00:05:15,519 --> 00:05:18,399 kittens there, and the shelter would say, you know, we 83 00:05:18,480 --> 00:05:20,079 have no one to take care of these kittens. They're 84 00:05:20,120 --> 00:05:22,240 not going to make it. They would be offered a 85 00:05:22,360 --> 00:05:26,399 kit of supplies to take the kitten and the supplies 86 00:05:26,759 --> 00:05:29,800 and say, here, you take the kitten, here's some supplies, 87 00:05:29,800 --> 00:05:31,680 and take care of the kitten. Will you take the kitten? 88 00:05:32,040 --> 00:05:34,600 Take care of the kitten or kittens for you know, 89 00:05:34,639 --> 00:05:37,399 a couple of weeks least until they're eating on their own. 90 00:05:37,839 --> 00:05:40,240 Then you can bring them back even and then the 91 00:05:40,240 --> 00:05:43,879 shelter can handle them better. So it was a way 92 00:05:44,000 --> 00:05:48,319 to keep the kittens out of the shelter and engage 93 00:05:48,720 --> 00:05:53,360 the community, just members of the public, to just be rescuers, 94 00:05:53,600 --> 00:05:58,000 you know, and give them the tools, the information, the formula, 95 00:05:58,199 --> 00:06:02,639 the bottles, the heating have whatever they needed to give 96 00:06:02,639 --> 00:06:05,000 those kittens a chance to live that they would not 97 00:06:05,560 --> 00:06:07,839 have if they entered the shelter system. 98 00:06:08,040 --> 00:06:10,240 Speaker 2: I love that. Now we're going to talk a little 99 00:06:10,240 --> 00:06:14,399 bit further about kittens because we talked about well right now, 100 00:06:14,480 --> 00:06:19,560 we're recording the show in June, almost July, so kitten 101 00:06:19,600 --> 00:06:25,000 season typically runs April through October, and people here kitten season, 102 00:06:25,079 --> 00:06:28,240 kitten season. So my longtime listeners are probably like, yeah, 103 00:06:28,240 --> 00:06:30,600 I know what that means, but a lot of people 104 00:06:30,800 --> 00:06:34,480 do not. So can you explain to our listening audience 105 00:06:34,560 --> 00:06:39,160 what exactly is kitten season? Why it's important and what 106 00:06:39,279 --> 00:06:40,040 to look out for. 107 00:06:40,319 --> 00:06:44,959 Speaker 4: Absolutely, thank you. Yeah, kitten season is just way not 108 00:06:45,319 --> 00:06:48,759 nearly as cute as it sounds. Right, It's that time 109 00:06:48,800 --> 00:06:52,959 of year, and you mentioned the April to October time frame, 110 00:06:53,000 --> 00:06:56,759 which is probably the heaviest seasons. And what that means 111 00:06:56,959 --> 00:07:01,439 is all these kittens and unwanted litters being born that 112 00:07:01,879 --> 00:07:08,879 overwhelmed shelters, overwhelmed rescues. The kittens are often born frankly sick. 113 00:07:08,959 --> 00:07:12,279 There's a lot of inbreeding, there's you know, birth defects, 114 00:07:12,439 --> 00:07:15,279 there's a lot of heartbreak involved in it. In a 115 00:07:15,319 --> 00:07:20,079 temperate climate like we're in in southern California, it's almost 116 00:07:20,160 --> 00:07:23,720 really year round. It can have a little bit during 117 00:07:23,839 --> 00:07:26,439 like you know some of the rainy months and chili 118 00:07:26,560 --> 00:07:29,920 rainy months that passed, or winter, you know, between November 119 00:07:29,959 --> 00:07:32,920 and February, but it never really stops. I mean we've 120 00:07:32,959 --> 00:07:37,160 seen pregnant cats coming in in January, late January and February. 121 00:07:37,680 --> 00:07:42,279 So these kittens are born, they're born outside. People find them, 122 00:07:42,399 --> 00:07:44,560 they don't know what to do. They take them to 123 00:07:44,600 --> 00:07:47,199 the shelter. As I mentioned a moment ago, the shelter 124 00:07:47,800 --> 00:07:51,399 is often ill equipped to be able to handle, especially 125 00:07:51,399 --> 00:07:53,759 if there's no mom or if in kittens that need 126 00:07:53,800 --> 00:07:56,600 to be fed every few hours, and it's just a 127 00:07:56,600 --> 00:08:00,519 lot of tragedy and tragic outcomes and a lot of 128 00:08:00,560 --> 00:08:02,000 them don't make it. Unfortunately. 129 00:08:02,240 --> 00:08:05,480 Speaker 2: It's very sad. I mean my cats, so Charlotte and 130 00:08:05,480 --> 00:08:09,639 Molly are sisters from different misters and different litters. And 131 00:08:10,079 --> 00:08:13,920 Molly was actually born on my doorstep in September almost 132 00:08:13,920 --> 00:08:18,199 ten years ago, and it was during which in South 133 00:08:18,240 --> 00:08:22,560 Florida June through November we have hurricane season. So not 134 00:08:22,720 --> 00:08:25,199 only do you have to watch out for the kittens 135 00:08:25,199 --> 00:08:28,759 and see where kat mama has her babies, but you 136 00:08:28,800 --> 00:08:32,080 also have to be careful where she might hide them. 137 00:08:32,440 --> 00:08:34,720 In one case, because it was raining so bad, she 138 00:08:34,799 --> 00:08:38,279 actually hid them up and my spouse's car up near 139 00:08:38,360 --> 00:08:40,480 the engine. So we always talk about it. You know, 140 00:08:40,559 --> 00:08:43,039 in cooler months to knock on the car, but you 141 00:08:43,120 --> 00:08:46,440 have to make sure to be just as tenacious about 142 00:08:46,440 --> 00:08:49,240 doing so. In the warmer months, they hide under the car, 143 00:08:49,440 --> 00:08:52,279 They might go inside the car if it's raining trential 144 00:08:52,360 --> 00:08:55,639 rains or something. So you have to check all over 145 00:08:55,679 --> 00:08:59,120 the place for these for the kittens, and yeah, it does. 146 00:08:59,200 --> 00:09:02,200 It sounds pretty ooh, kitten season. But what cats know 147 00:09:02,320 --> 00:09:04,919 is that means where are we putting all the kittens? 148 00:09:05,200 --> 00:09:08,879 And then you have the problem too of people adopting 149 00:09:09,240 --> 00:09:13,120 and not realizing that cute little kittens become cats, which 150 00:09:13,159 --> 00:09:16,960 are also very cute, but they become cats and they've 151 00:09:17,000 --> 00:09:20,320 become bigger. So something to think about. One thing I 152 00:09:20,360 --> 00:09:22,159 want to talk to you about, because we haven't talked 153 00:09:22,200 --> 00:09:26,519 too much about this on Catitude, Let's talk about fostering, 154 00:09:26,559 --> 00:09:30,519 because I think a lot of people misunderstand fostering as 155 00:09:30,559 --> 00:09:34,279 an option and also a lot of people think, well, 156 00:09:34,320 --> 00:09:36,480 I'm going to become attached. How could I ever give 157 00:09:36,519 --> 00:09:37,240 that cat up? 158 00:09:37,600 --> 00:09:37,840 Speaker 3: You know. 159 00:09:38,360 --> 00:09:40,960 Speaker 2: And while we're talking about it to all my listeners, 160 00:09:41,360 --> 00:09:44,480 remember we're all a little part in our roles to 161 00:09:44,639 --> 00:09:48,840 help cats. Sometimes it's talking about things, sometimes it's fostering, 162 00:09:49,000 --> 00:09:53,360 sometimes it's just communicating on social media. Whatever your little 163 00:09:53,399 --> 00:09:56,279 part is, it's all important in saving them and the 164 00:09:56,360 --> 00:10:01,480 goal to drastically cut down on euthanizing and unfortunate deaths 165 00:10:01,480 --> 00:10:04,440 because there's accidents too with you know, cars and so forth. 166 00:10:04,559 --> 00:10:06,840 So tell us about fostering, Deborah. 167 00:10:06,759 --> 00:10:10,799 Speaker 4: Okay, happy to that that fostering is that is the 168 00:10:10,840 --> 00:10:14,720 backbone of our little organization. We are foster based, and 169 00:10:14,799 --> 00:10:17,879 what that means is we don't have a shelter, you know, 170 00:10:18,039 --> 00:10:21,519 facility per se or we you know, stick cat. We 171 00:10:21,639 --> 00:10:25,559 have foster care providers who are caring for cats in 172 00:10:25,679 --> 00:10:32,399 their their own homes. So what fostering provides to a cat, 173 00:10:32,480 --> 00:10:35,000 and again we focus on taking them out of shelters, 174 00:10:35,000 --> 00:10:39,080 but other organizations, you know, take in ones from the street, 175 00:10:39,279 --> 00:10:42,679 you know, as it were. But fostering provides to a 176 00:10:42,720 --> 00:10:46,080 cat the gift of time, you know, time that they 177 00:10:46,200 --> 00:10:50,159 might not get in a shelter, of care, of love, 178 00:10:50,559 --> 00:10:56,039 of medical intervention, which is often necessary. A typical scenario 179 00:10:56,279 --> 00:11:00,440 for us, for example, would be that we get a 180 00:11:00,440 --> 00:11:03,720 an urgent call. This happens like all day, you know, 181 00:11:04,000 --> 00:11:07,399 throughout all day every day from shelters. You know, we 182 00:11:07,559 --> 00:11:10,600 just got in a litter of two week old kittens. 183 00:11:10,759 --> 00:11:12,799 You know, at the end of the day, if they're 184 00:11:12,840 --> 00:11:14,960 not taken out, we're going to use an atom, right, 185 00:11:15,320 --> 00:11:18,600 So we take what we can. If we take those kittens, 186 00:11:18,639 --> 00:11:23,879 we get them into foster care. So fostering directly saves 187 00:11:24,000 --> 00:11:28,120 lives by giving cats a chance, giving them that time 188 00:11:28,559 --> 00:11:30,879 that they might not otherwise get. 189 00:11:30,919 --> 00:11:34,039 Speaker 2: Let me ask you about fostering kittens. You have a DIY, 190 00:11:34,440 --> 00:11:37,279 so you get calls from shelters. Then you have like 191 00:11:37,399 --> 00:11:40,360 groups of people that volunteer and do some of them 192 00:11:40,440 --> 00:11:42,679 just know how to care for kittens? Do you give 193 00:11:42,720 --> 00:11:44,919 them a little do they have a class? How do 194 00:11:45,039 --> 00:11:45,519 they know. 195 00:11:45,960 --> 00:11:48,120 Speaker 4: Well a couple of day. I mean if we get 196 00:11:48,120 --> 00:11:51,200 a call about like the one week old, two week old, 197 00:11:51,440 --> 00:11:54,039 even up to three week old, I mean that that's 198 00:11:54,080 --> 00:11:57,919 a really vulnerable age and there's not much room for error. 199 00:11:58,440 --> 00:12:03,600 So we fortunately do have some experienced fosters who will 200 00:12:03,639 --> 00:12:08,000 immediately take those in and then we also try to 201 00:12:08,480 --> 00:12:12,200 groom some of our other foster care providers that maybe 202 00:12:12,240 --> 00:12:15,399 are familiar with taking kittens that are a little bit older, 203 00:12:15,720 --> 00:12:19,480 you know, in less time intensive ones that draps are 204 00:12:19,480 --> 00:12:21,600 eating on their own, but we try to mentor them 205 00:12:22,080 --> 00:12:26,440 into showing them how to bottle feed, what to look for, 206 00:12:26,519 --> 00:12:30,519 how to keep those very you know, small, fragile, frail 207 00:12:30,759 --> 00:12:35,200 kittens and that vulnerable age alive. So and I also 208 00:12:35,639 --> 00:12:38,320 have been involved in in doing classes even for a 209 00:12:38,360 --> 00:12:41,279 local shelter for their their own staff and their foster 210 00:12:41,399 --> 00:12:44,559 care providers. Because you know, one thing I say in 211 00:12:44,559 --> 00:12:48,080 those classes is no human was born knowing how to 212 00:12:48,120 --> 00:12:51,159 take care of a newborn kid, right, We all had 213 00:12:51,200 --> 00:12:54,480 to learn somewhere and somehow. The good news is there's 214 00:12:54,919 --> 00:13:00,480 a lot more resources online now than there were something 215 00:13:00,559 --> 00:13:03,600 years ago. Oh yeah, well I first started fostering. I 216 00:13:03,600 --> 00:13:05,639 mean you can literally just do an interest in that 217 00:13:05,759 --> 00:13:08,120 search how do I care for an orphan kitten? I 218 00:13:08,240 --> 00:13:10,000 found a kitten? What do I do? You can put 219 00:13:10,080 --> 00:13:13,759 that into your into your browser and you will get 220 00:13:14,159 --> 00:13:19,360 pages and videos about everything you know from how you 221 00:13:19,399 --> 00:13:22,120 know how to feed, what to feed, when to feed. 222 00:13:22,440 --> 00:13:24,720 So that's the good news. There's just a lot more 223 00:13:24,720 --> 00:13:26,639 information out there than they used to be. 224 00:13:26,759 --> 00:13:30,080 Speaker 2: Which is a good thing for so many reasons. We're 225 00:13:30,080 --> 00:13:35,279 going to take up short break. We'll be right back, Molly. 226 00:13:35,679 --> 00:13:36,519 Speaker 4: Here's your dinner. 227 00:13:38,320 --> 00:13:40,240 Speaker 2: Since that's not your food. 228 00:13:41,159 --> 00:13:44,080 Speaker 5: Don't let that happen to your precious cat. Elevates your 229 00:13:44,120 --> 00:13:47,320 cat's eating experience with the cat tree tray. 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C A T t 239 00:14:19,120 --> 00:14:22,159 R E E t R A y dot com. 240 00:14:22,879 --> 00:14:23,879 Speaker 3: Let's talk past it. 241 00:14:24,080 --> 00:14:27,080 Speaker 1: Let's radio headline Radio. 242 00:14:27,279 --> 00:14:39,799 Speaker 6: Petlight radio dot com. 243 00:14:40,360 --> 00:14:43,720 Speaker 2: Welcome back everyone. We're talking to Debra. She is a 244 00:14:43,840 --> 00:14:50,080 volunteer at Helen Sanders Cat Pause. So we're talking about fosters. So, Deborah, 245 00:14:50,480 --> 00:14:53,559 what do you think are some misconceptions people have when 246 00:14:53,600 --> 00:14:56,679 they think about fostering. And you foster kittens, but you 247 00:14:56,720 --> 00:14:57,919 also foster cats. 248 00:14:58,000 --> 00:15:02,919 Speaker 4: Correct, Yeah, we actually have foster needs for everything from 249 00:15:03,000 --> 00:15:08,879 newborn kittens to cats that have terminal medical diagnoses. To 250 00:15:08,919 --> 00:15:11,200 be honest, we've taken in you know, what we call 251 00:15:11,279 --> 00:15:16,039 hospice and phosphus hospice fostering, so it kind of runs 252 00:15:16,120 --> 00:15:20,200 the gamut. But I think one of the objections or 253 00:15:20,279 --> 00:15:24,159 concerns I hear most often from people is that all 254 00:15:24,200 --> 00:15:27,600 I couldn't foster I couldn't give them up, yes, which 255 00:15:27,639 --> 00:15:31,080 is I get it, and I hear that, but it also, 256 00:15:31,240 --> 00:15:33,039 you know, makes me want to just bang my head 257 00:15:33,039 --> 00:15:36,399 into the world because like that scenario I just outlined 258 00:15:36,759 --> 00:15:39,840 a few minutes ago, I can't give them up versus 259 00:15:39,879 --> 00:15:42,360 they're going to die in a shelter. To me that 260 00:15:42,440 --> 00:15:44,039 you know, there's no choice there. 261 00:15:44,159 --> 00:15:47,000 Speaker 2: I understand. I almost think of it as you know what, 262 00:15:47,159 --> 00:15:49,159 think of it as a guest in your home for 263 00:15:49,200 --> 00:15:52,399 a short while, that's all. And if you can't give 264 00:15:52,440 --> 00:15:54,879 the cat up and the cats able to be adopted, 265 00:15:54,919 --> 00:15:57,759 then you just you know, open your hearts, even the 266 00:15:57,840 --> 00:15:59,000 arms even wider. 267 00:15:59,120 --> 00:16:01,960 Speaker 4: And that happens. And we do have posters. I mean, 268 00:16:02,000 --> 00:16:04,120 you know, I've kept you know, I plus died a 269 00:16:04,159 --> 00:16:06,919 lot of cats, so twenty two years or whatever, and 270 00:16:07,279 --> 00:16:10,799 I wound up keeping a couple and in mostly situations 271 00:16:10,840 --> 00:16:13,279 where they had some medical issue and they weren't readily 272 00:16:13,279 --> 00:16:17,200 adaptable anyway, and it's like whatever, they're just they're never leaving, right, 273 00:16:17,679 --> 00:16:20,879 And I get that, and I'm not unsympathetic to that 274 00:16:20,960 --> 00:16:23,960 position about getting attached, But like I said, you know, 275 00:16:24,080 --> 00:16:26,519 when the choice is if that cat doesn't have a foster, 276 00:16:26,679 --> 00:16:29,679 that cat might not have a life. Then I think 277 00:16:29,679 --> 00:16:34,360 that requires a reframing in the way we think of 278 00:16:34,519 --> 00:16:38,200 our role as fosters, and I think of it as 279 00:16:38,519 --> 00:16:41,240 you know, like maybe a healthcare worker that's working in 280 00:16:41,360 --> 00:16:45,039 like you know, a rehabilitation facility for someone you know, 281 00:16:45,080 --> 00:16:48,279 who's been injured or whatnot. You take care of that person. 282 00:16:48,320 --> 00:16:51,039 You might come really attached, you become really close. You're 283 00:16:51,080 --> 00:16:54,840 helping that person, but they're not going to live there. 284 00:16:54,639 --> 00:16:57,960 You're you're just part of the journey on the way 285 00:16:58,039 --> 00:17:01,080 to a life. You know. You're just kind of a 286 00:17:01,120 --> 00:17:05,000 way station on the way. You're the bridge between that 287 00:17:05,119 --> 00:17:08,359 cat hat not having a life at all, of that 288 00:17:08,359 --> 00:17:12,720 cat's life being ended, and that cat going on to 289 00:17:12,799 --> 00:17:16,880 find their eventual home, you know, forever all. And so 290 00:17:17,000 --> 00:17:19,559 I like to think then again, it's a it's a 291 00:17:19,559 --> 00:17:22,920 little bit of a psychological shift that I think is 292 00:17:22,960 --> 00:17:28,319 important for foster care providers to attain to think of 293 00:17:28,400 --> 00:17:31,759 themselves in that way. They're they're you know, it's hard 294 00:17:31,799 --> 00:17:34,960 not to get attached, especially when you're up night after 295 00:17:35,079 --> 00:17:38,119 night with sick kittens and you know, you almost lose them, 296 00:17:38,119 --> 00:17:41,000 and you're medicating them around the clock and you're feeding them. 297 00:17:41,400 --> 00:17:44,079 Of course you're going to get attached. My goodness, there 298 00:17:44,160 --> 00:17:47,599 is you know, there's a huge emotional investment. But the 299 00:17:47,640 --> 00:17:50,279 goal of all of that is so that they have 300 00:17:50,359 --> 00:17:53,119 a life and they get to go on and live. 301 00:17:52,920 --> 00:17:56,000 Speaker 2: It right, and you'll get past it, I know, most 302 00:17:56,000 --> 00:17:59,039 of us. I mean, if you're an adult, unfortunately, you've 303 00:17:59,039 --> 00:18:02,720 probably lost a life that's you know, somebody close to 304 00:18:02,759 --> 00:18:06,039 you or or fur babe at some point. And it's hard. 305 00:18:06,160 --> 00:18:09,079 It is really hard. We you know, you have your 306 00:18:09,119 --> 00:18:12,319 memories and you grow from that and then keep getting 307 00:18:12,480 --> 00:18:15,640 That's what I think. But easier said than done. Okay, 308 00:18:16,079 --> 00:18:19,720 what about expenses now, cat pods, did they cover any 309 00:18:19,759 --> 00:18:22,400 of the expenses for fostering and how does that work? 310 00:18:22,680 --> 00:18:25,079 Speaker 4: Yeah? You sit them slowly and that actually that's one 311 00:18:25,079 --> 00:18:28,839 of the really nice things about fostering with us anyway, 312 00:18:28,880 --> 00:18:30,799 and a lot of organizations too. But well, yeah, we 313 00:18:30,839 --> 00:18:34,319 cover everything. We cover food, We cover any you know, 314 00:18:34,400 --> 00:18:37,799 meta with veterinary here that the cat maybe any medications. 315 00:18:38,000 --> 00:18:40,559 I mean most people have like some supplies like the 316 00:18:40,599 --> 00:18:43,640 litter box and whatnot. But if they don't, we provide 317 00:18:43,640 --> 00:18:47,039 that too. You know, we provide these pop up Canada's 318 00:18:47,039 --> 00:18:50,359 playpens for the very small kids to keep them in 319 00:18:50,440 --> 00:18:53,599 a more confined area and make it easier for people 320 00:18:53,680 --> 00:18:56,640 to claim, especially when they're very very little, so that they, 321 00:18:57,079 --> 00:18:59,440 you know, don't get into things. We provide, you know, 322 00:18:59,480 --> 00:19:06,319 whatever tools, supplies and resources people may need, including support 323 00:19:06,480 --> 00:19:09,240 of our more experienced foster team. 324 00:19:09,880 --> 00:19:13,880 Speaker 2: Okay, and let's talk about what if you want a foster, 325 00:19:14,240 --> 00:19:17,680 but you already have cats or dogs in your home. 326 00:19:18,039 --> 00:19:20,640 Speaker 4: Which is I think pretty much all of our fosters 327 00:19:20,680 --> 00:19:24,079 already have their own animals, they're resident animals. So what 328 00:19:24,160 --> 00:19:29,480 we require, especially for very small kittens, you know, the 329 00:19:29,680 --> 00:19:33,240 very very young, they need to be quarantined somehow for 330 00:19:33,319 --> 00:19:35,039 a couple of weeks because you don't know what they 331 00:19:35,119 --> 00:19:38,599 might have. And also somebody's resident pet might be fine, 332 00:19:38,640 --> 00:19:41,519 but might be like a carrier of something and not 333 00:19:41,559 --> 00:19:46,400 even know it. But that would be devastating to an undeveloped, 334 00:19:46,599 --> 00:19:51,000 one week old kidden immune system. Right, So we request 335 00:19:51,079 --> 00:19:54,480 that people keep the cats in a separate room, at 336 00:19:54,599 --> 00:19:57,839 least initially for a couple of weeks. A bathroom. Separate 337 00:19:57,880 --> 00:20:01,279 bathroom is grady. And if they do not have an 338 00:20:01,319 --> 00:20:04,480 extra room or bathroom, you know, some people just have 339 00:20:04,559 --> 00:20:06,720 a you know, some of our trusters just have a 340 00:20:06,799 --> 00:20:11,119 one bedroom apartment and in one bathroom that's where that 341 00:20:11,279 --> 00:20:15,400 pop up canvas playpen comes in, which can be you know, 342 00:20:15,519 --> 00:20:18,839 found online and there, you know, again, we provide them 343 00:20:19,000 --> 00:20:22,799 and it's it's essentially folds. It's hard to describe, you know, 344 00:20:22,920 --> 00:20:26,440 without pictures, but it's just a pop up playpen with 345 00:20:26,559 --> 00:20:29,440 a zip top and mesh sides and a mesh top, 346 00:20:30,119 --> 00:20:33,559 and it's easily cleanable. You can put a box, you 347 00:20:33,599 --> 00:20:35,400 can put their food. I mean some of these are 348 00:20:35,480 --> 00:20:39,200 quite gay. Some are like four feet across, and you 349 00:20:39,279 --> 00:20:43,240 can keep the kittens confined in there and away from 350 00:20:43,279 --> 00:20:44,559 the resident pets. 351 00:20:44,799 --> 00:20:48,640 Speaker 2: Okay, that's all great ideas. So before we talk about 352 00:20:48,720 --> 00:20:52,880 spain neutering, which is also offered by Cat Paws, let's 353 00:20:52,960 --> 00:20:55,480 talk about a story. Do you have a story you 354 00:20:55,519 --> 00:20:58,440 can share of a rescue or a foster or a 355 00:20:58,480 --> 00:20:59,960 cat that fountain it's forever home. 356 00:21:00,519 --> 00:21:04,440 Speaker 4: Yeah, yeah, there's thousands, early I'm trying. One that we 357 00:21:04,559 --> 00:21:08,440 continue to celebrate is of a cat named Benny that 358 00:21:08,519 --> 00:21:12,119 we named them Benny. His foster named him Benny actually, 359 00:21:12,880 --> 00:21:16,599 and some years back he was brought into the local, 360 00:21:16,759 --> 00:21:19,960 the shelter that we deal with the most, and by 361 00:21:20,279 --> 00:21:23,359 a family member, a grandma, and that was living in 362 00:21:23,400 --> 00:21:27,079 the house. And he had been just terribly, terribly abused 363 00:21:27,119 --> 00:21:32,440 by allegedly the boyfriend, you know, her multi generation house, 364 00:21:32,599 --> 00:21:37,079 her daughter's word friend. And he had it's kind of grim, 365 00:21:37,119 --> 00:21:40,559 but he had broken jaw, broken pelvis, he'd had old 366 00:21:40,599 --> 00:21:43,079 injuries and he was only seven months old when he 367 00:21:43,599 --> 00:21:46,319 when she brought him in because she knew that this 368 00:21:46,400 --> 00:21:48,519 guy was eventually just going to kill him. 369 00:21:48,640 --> 00:21:51,359 Speaker 2: Let me just say, there's a special place and how 370 00:21:51,480 --> 00:21:54,279 for these people that abuse him was like that, that 371 00:21:54,480 --> 00:21:57,680 is just well the abuse kids too and women, and 372 00:21:58,200 --> 00:21:59,160 I mean we can go on. 373 00:21:59,319 --> 00:22:02,640 Speaker 4: But old kitten, yeah, I mean entire kitten. It was 374 00:22:02,680 --> 00:22:05,759 filled with with that kind of terror of being thrown 375 00:22:05,880 --> 00:22:10,039 and kicked and in any event, So she, you know, 376 00:22:10,119 --> 00:22:14,480 thankfully this with the elder metriarch of that family, just 377 00:22:14,480 --> 00:22:17,440 finally just brought him in. They knew, I mean they did, 378 00:22:17,680 --> 00:22:21,200 the you know, the DA knew, and but no one 379 00:22:21,240 --> 00:22:24,640 in the household was willing to testify. I'm sure you know, 380 00:22:24,720 --> 00:22:27,519 there was who knows what kind of threats and violence 381 00:22:27,559 --> 00:22:31,400 with being visited upon the human members of that household. 382 00:22:32,039 --> 00:22:36,240 So unfortunately, after months and months and months of holding 383 00:22:36,400 --> 00:22:41,039 Benny's evidence and investigating the case, they they finally decided 384 00:22:41,079 --> 00:22:44,400 they could really no longer successfully prosecute it. But in 385 00:22:44,519 --> 00:22:48,319 any event, the shelter stabilized them. He couldn't walk when 386 00:22:48,359 --> 00:22:52,039 he first came in. They they did some initial surgery 387 00:22:52,279 --> 00:22:56,119 and medical intervention to stabilize him. He was held for 388 00:22:56,720 --> 00:23:00,000 oh wow, I'm trying six eight months, I can't remember, 389 00:23:00,519 --> 00:23:01,680 as evidence. 390 00:23:01,519 --> 00:23:02,200 Speaker 2: At the shelter. 391 00:23:02,559 --> 00:23:05,720 Speaker 4: At the shelter, and as soon as the evidence hold 392 00:23:05,839 --> 00:23:08,640 was up and they determined they couldn't do anything more 393 00:23:09,000 --> 00:23:12,759 about the prosecution, we took him out. We got him 394 00:23:12,799 --> 00:23:17,559 into surgery to help with the public fractures. We took him. 395 00:23:17,799 --> 00:23:20,240 We actually had to first take him to a cardiologist 396 00:23:20,240 --> 00:23:24,079 because he had a heart murmur that the cardiologists attributed 397 00:23:24,319 --> 00:23:29,319 to traumatic chronic stress. Oh my gosh, yeah, I mean 398 00:23:29,359 --> 00:23:33,000 they literally broke his heart, right, yeah, So we had 399 00:23:33,000 --> 00:23:36,240 to get that checked out before he could undergo surgery. So, 400 00:23:36,440 --> 00:23:41,640 in any event, long story, his foster care provider, predictably right, 401 00:23:41,799 --> 00:23:44,279 you know where this is going, she kept him. She 402 00:23:44,440 --> 00:23:48,799 still has him. He's extraordinarily loved. She takes him out 403 00:23:48,799 --> 00:23:52,119 in a stroller. He's well known in the neighborhood. He's 404 00:23:52,240 --> 00:23:56,200 actually a very outgoing cat. He loves people and loves 405 00:23:56,240 --> 00:23:58,599 to be pettant and loves to be the center of attention, 406 00:23:59,160 --> 00:24:04,160 which you know, given his history, is I think remarkable. 407 00:24:04,279 --> 00:24:08,480 And he's he's kind of our ambassador of resilience and 408 00:24:08,559 --> 00:24:10,480 hope and the healing power of love. 409 00:24:10,920 --> 00:24:13,839 Speaker 2: That is an incredible story, that's amazing. 410 00:24:14,240 --> 00:24:16,440 Speaker 4: And we throw a party for him every year, and 411 00:24:16,920 --> 00:24:19,599 it's a it's a birthday party, but it's also just 412 00:24:19,680 --> 00:24:22,160 kind of a love your pet party. Is what we 413 00:24:22,279 --> 00:24:24,960 know is to just remind people, you know, it's a 414 00:24:25,000 --> 00:24:28,799 fun time. It's a fun afternoon you're at in the summer. 415 00:24:29,079 --> 00:24:31,519 It will be coming up in a couple of months 416 00:24:31,640 --> 00:24:34,000 lest than a couple of months. Actually, fun time near 417 00:24:34,039 --> 00:24:38,319 the beach afternoon, you know, raffles, vendors, games, face painting, 418 00:24:38,400 --> 00:24:40,680 you know, for kids, it's the whole thing. But there's 419 00:24:40,720 --> 00:24:44,200 a serious message underneath it too, about how to treat 420 00:24:44,240 --> 00:24:49,519 your how to treat your animals, and to celebrate overcoming 421 00:24:49,920 --> 00:24:53,000 that kind of abuse and trauma. 422 00:24:53,079 --> 00:24:55,359 Speaker 2: Well, it's a wonderful story. We have a few minutes 423 00:24:55,359 --> 00:24:58,200 I have a couple more questions. Now, you have a 424 00:24:58,240 --> 00:25:01,799 good spay and neuter program that you have, there's a 425 00:25:01,839 --> 00:25:05,559 good pat Plots has a good SPAN neuter program, let's 426 00:25:05,599 --> 00:25:09,200 talk about and it's low cost. So let's talk about 427 00:25:09,279 --> 00:25:12,039 if people don't live in southern California, what do you 428 00:25:12,119 --> 00:25:15,000 suggest to them as far as SPAN neuter. I know 429 00:25:15,079 --> 00:25:18,920 that there's various places. There's also the main society does 430 00:25:18,960 --> 00:25:22,319 offer some of the main societies does do offer low cost. 431 00:25:22,640 --> 00:25:24,240 So you have to look around. But what else do 432 00:25:24,279 --> 00:25:27,079 you suggest? And why is SPAN neuter is so important? 433 00:25:27,240 --> 00:25:30,880 Speaker 4: Well, span neuter and you've always promoted SPAN neuter reased 434 00:25:30,920 --> 00:25:34,160 to do vouchers. We came out of the legacy of 435 00:25:34,240 --> 00:25:38,160 trapped neuter return right and so we finally put in 436 00:25:38,240 --> 00:25:41,640 place a few years ago our own modest clinic program 437 00:25:41,759 --> 00:25:45,039 to help with that effort. But around the country it's 438 00:25:45,039 --> 00:25:48,480 so important for that Looping back to the kitten season 439 00:25:48,519 --> 00:25:51,519 we talked about now all those homeless letters, what to 440 00:25:51,559 --> 00:25:54,400 do with all those kittens, all those kittens that don't survive. 441 00:25:54,799 --> 00:25:57,640 Let's get ahead of that problem, and spain neuter is 442 00:25:57,759 --> 00:26:01,079 foundational to trying to get ahead of in preventing that 443 00:26:01,200 --> 00:26:04,519 kind of suffering and needless depth, and people might have 444 00:26:04,559 --> 00:26:07,440 to do some digging, and it's very it's very location 445 00:26:07,640 --> 00:26:10,799 specific what resources are out there, and they might have 446 00:26:10,880 --> 00:26:12,599 to do a little bit and you know, digging on 447 00:26:12,640 --> 00:26:15,240 the internet and just that low cost Spaine nooter on 448 00:26:15,319 --> 00:26:17,279 your knee or put in their zip code, put in 449 00:26:17,319 --> 00:26:22,000 their city, maybe called call their local shelter, and if 450 00:26:22,000 --> 00:26:25,480 their local shelter doesn't offer anything, they may be able 451 00:26:25,519 --> 00:26:31,440 to connect them with organizations, private nonprofit organizations that might 452 00:26:31,480 --> 00:26:33,200 be able to help them with the cost. 453 00:26:33,799 --> 00:26:37,559 Speaker 2: Yes, very true. I actually, for one cat, I couldn't 454 00:26:37,599 --> 00:26:41,480 catch that cat. So I found out through some you know, 455 00:26:41,599 --> 00:26:45,440 social media, a cat catcher who kind of like a 456 00:26:45,519 --> 00:26:48,240 drop trap or widely kyote, you know, the coyote. And 457 00:26:48,680 --> 00:26:52,359 so it's yeah, and I thought, no way she's going 458 00:26:52,440 --> 00:26:55,640 to get this, get this mom and cat and to 459 00:26:55,759 --> 00:26:57,559 have no more babies. No way she's going to get 460 00:26:57,559 --> 00:27:01,559 this cat bigs And while oh it's like twenty minutes 461 00:27:01,839 --> 00:27:05,119 and very reasonable, it would have been you know, tiny 462 00:27:05,200 --> 00:27:07,920 savings if I had gone to Remaine Society. A lot 463 00:27:07,960 --> 00:27:10,160 of the people that do this special catching if you 464 00:27:10,240 --> 00:27:13,759 can't that you know, have special services, their fees are 465 00:27:13,799 --> 00:27:16,640 only a tiny bit more than what it might cost 466 00:27:16,720 --> 00:27:20,000 for regular spay and neuter at a clinic that has 467 00:27:20,079 --> 00:27:24,480 low cost, and they have set appointments, so as you 468 00:27:24,559 --> 00:27:27,519 might have to wait to get your you know, kitty 469 00:27:27,599 --> 00:27:31,200 spe and neutered at a certain time, they have standing appointment. 470 00:27:31,319 --> 00:27:34,359 So you know, since for my cat, I couldn't catch her, 471 00:27:34,720 --> 00:27:36,680 not even at a specific time. You know, if I 472 00:27:36,720 --> 00:27:38,799 had to be there Monday at two, I couldn't have 473 00:27:38,880 --> 00:27:41,720 her my you know, say twelve or one o'clock. It 474 00:27:41,799 --> 00:27:44,119 was never so it was a no brainer for me. 475 00:27:44,200 --> 00:27:46,599 I could not catch her. I caught a raccoon twice, 476 00:27:46,839 --> 00:27:51,640 baby daddy ones but no so, but they do wonders 477 00:27:51,680 --> 00:27:56,519 and I strongly advise looking on social media. One more question, 478 00:27:57,039 --> 00:27:59,759 how would people go about starting a foster group? 479 00:28:00,200 --> 00:28:04,039 Speaker 4: Well, I think it's it helps to obviously be willing, 480 00:28:04,400 --> 00:28:08,519 it helps to have some funding in place somewhere. It 481 00:28:08,960 --> 00:28:13,480 does cost money. I mean, our decterinary expenses is probably 482 00:28:13,519 --> 00:28:17,799 the biggest single wine item expense. But if someone doesn't 483 00:28:17,799 --> 00:28:20,839 want to, you know, start their their own rescue, which 484 00:28:20,880 --> 00:28:28,680 is significant undertaking, they can foster themselves for an organization 485 00:28:29,279 --> 00:28:33,680 or shelter shelters and organizations always need fosters. So I 486 00:28:33,680 --> 00:28:37,000 would suggest that someone first, if they're interested in the 487 00:28:37,000 --> 00:28:42,480 old fostering experience, first talk to an established organization or 488 00:28:42,519 --> 00:28:46,960 to their own local public shelter about fostering to find 489 00:28:47,000 --> 00:28:50,359 and do it under the auspice of that organization, to 490 00:28:50,480 --> 00:28:54,039 learn more about what exactly it is, what it entails, 491 00:28:54,680 --> 00:28:57,160 and then if they want to go on to start 492 00:28:57,200 --> 00:28:59,880 their own no foster based rescue, the level of that 493 00:29:00,200 --> 00:29:02,519 idea of what that really means. 494 00:29:02,799 --> 00:29:05,519 Speaker 2: Okay, thank you, Debra. And where can listeners find out 495 00:29:05,559 --> 00:29:08,880 more about the Helen Sanders cat pause. You know, if 496 00:29:08,920 --> 00:29:13,359 they're in southern California, they could volunteer, they could foster, adopt, 497 00:29:14,039 --> 00:29:15,000 or even donate. 498 00:29:15,319 --> 00:29:19,759 Speaker 4: That would be fabulous. It is helensanderscatpaus dot com. We 499 00:29:19,920 --> 00:29:24,079 are in the Long Beach roll with Orange County, California area. 500 00:29:24,200 --> 00:29:27,640 Speaker 2: Okay, perfect, Thank you so much for coming on Catitude. 501 00:29:27,799 --> 00:29:29,920 Speaker 4: We've covered a lot. I just want to thank you 502 00:29:30,000 --> 00:29:33,000 for having me on and talking about this important issue 503 00:29:33,079 --> 00:29:35,119 and getting out there and saving some lots. 504 00:29:35,319 --> 00:29:39,039 Speaker 2: I hope you enjoyed this episode of Catatude. Anytime we're 505 00:29:39,039 --> 00:29:46,599 talking about rescue, TNR, adoption and fostering. TNR, TNR tn R. 506 00:29:47,599 --> 00:29:49,440 It's just near and dear to my heart. All of 507 00:29:49,440 --> 00:29:51,559 my cats found me at one time. You know, I 508 00:29:51,559 --> 00:29:55,599 had five. Now I have Dennis, Molly and Charlotte. Dennis 509 00:29:55,880 --> 00:29:58,480 was pretty sure he was abandoned because he knew the 510 00:29:58,519 --> 00:30:01,480 sound of refrigerator and you're feral cats or communion cats 511 00:30:01,519 --> 00:30:04,240 don't know the sound of refrigerator. Charlotte sat out in 512 00:30:04,240 --> 00:30:06,920 front of my front door for about three months, and 513 00:30:06,960 --> 00:30:09,839 she's a misunderstood pitty, but you know we have to 514 00:30:09,880 --> 00:30:12,839 take care of her. Mollie's the diva that was born 515 00:30:13,359 --> 00:30:18,480 right on my doorstep. So Sammy is in cat heaven. 516 00:30:18,559 --> 00:30:21,799 That was her mama and her baby daddy Jethrow moved 517 00:30:21,839 --> 00:30:25,359 on to other places. And so thank you for all 518 00:30:25,400 --> 00:30:29,839 my cats. Thank you again to Deborah Feline mcgaudee for 519 00:30:30,000 --> 00:30:33,960 coming on Catitude. Thank you listeners for listening to Catatude 520 00:30:34,160 --> 00:30:37,119 all these years. I so appreciate it. And thank you, 521 00:30:37,160 --> 00:30:39,880 of course to Mark Winter because this would not be 522 00:30:40,000 --> 00:30:43,319 the same without the magic of Mark Winter. Thank you Mark, 523 00:30:43,640 --> 00:30:48,079 and remember lose the attitude, have Catitude. 524 00:30:48,440 --> 00:30:53,519 Speaker 3: Let's Talk pets every week on demand only on Petlifradio 525 00:30:53,799 --> 00:31:08,039 dot com.