Friday, July 22, 2011

Reality Check

I'm always grateful for the fact that I was rescued from the streets....from an uncertain life. I shudder to think of what would it be if my plaintive cries on that April evening had been ignored by Aunty J and family.... Never mind that they named me after a fruit....

Recently, as a Gotcha Day treat, Mama took me to an animal shelter run by the Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA). The location of the premises in Ampang Jaya is only about half an hour drive from home.

We met up with Aunty Ee who volunteers at the shelter, had breakfast with her at a nearby stall before visiting. Aunty Ee is a legal eagle by profession, an animal and environment champion by passion. If only there are more hoomans like her....check out her blog www.covertoperations78.blogspot.com.

I must say what I saw was a sobering reality check. Made me realise how lucky I really am, as well as Angelina and Tom as we all belong to that not so rare breed - the rescued breed. What you are going to see next can make you cry. Beware!!!
These felines are newly rescued....this is the first "scenery" that greeted us at the main entrance.
A queen and her litter of four kittens. I notice that the queen is wearing a pink collar, so I assume that once upon a time someone must have loved and cared for her....but abandoned her when she doesn't stop breeding.... Why didn't they spay her??? Mama said she must have pretty once, judging by her semi-long fur.
These lovelies should still be feeding from their momma....I think they're about the same age as I was when I was rescued.
Look at those blue eyes...wouldn't you want to take him home?
There are two of the blue-eyed gingers and they share a cage with a long-haired beauty.
I'm guessing this poor pure breed was abandoned coz the owner didn't know how to take good care of him....
We then moved on to another side of the shelter, which is the cattery where the earlier arrivals are kept. I saw a sign that says there's going to be a Jumble Sale on July 31st. Hmmm...must take note of that.
This tabby was trying hard persuading Mama to take her home....I was miffed at first but then thought better of it. She needs TLC too.
Another tabby trying to get Mama's attention. Hmmm....you know how fond Mama is of tabbies...
Ouch! Is that how I look when I do my "business"????
I lost count of the number of cats at the cattery. There are so many....
Looks like an interesting corner at the cattery....for those who like to climb and rest on high places I guess.
Important notices are also put up at the cattery.
I was told some people have aversion for black cats...I wonder why...
Hmmm...who does this blue-eyed beauty reminds me of? Hmmm.....someone I know well at home!
Brad says: I wish we have a humongous palace so that we can adopt all of those cats we saw at the shelter. Pray that my Mama and Dad will become sooooo rich one day and realise their dream of setting up our own feline paradise. In the meantime, please adopt those poor little felines at the SPCA or make a donation for their keep. You can do so online, their button is on the right column (SPCA Selangor). Let's go visit again next weekend, Mama? har har har *solemn laughs*

34 comments:

ninotaziz said...

Cruikshank would not stand for it. But our neighbour Kak Ani has 14 cats and takes exceptionally good care of all of them...

RoySr said...

I do so agree with Brad about having all the money I needed to set up and do the rescue thing. I would have a big place, and ......

Heard that before have ya? Well, with me it has always been a big dream. The best we could do was take care of a large assortment of strays, discards, escapees, and otherwise homeless kitties in our rural area. For several years people drove by out house at night throwing out unwanted felines, sometimes turning a discarded dog out ..... then some of the youngsters in the neighborhood decided to become mighty hunters .... needless to say it was not fun living out here for a while.

Now we're down to one occasional visitor at night (tabby cat), two regular visitors (raccoons), and two occasional marauders (1 skunk and 1 opossum). Still, with all the care we have in the past given, we can NOT visit a shelter. It breaks our hearts.

We are raising 6 rescues now, ranging in age from 13 years to 7 years. I guess our work years are over. But it was so rewarding. We feel loved what with the nice, warm, plump, vibrating, hot water bottles we have in the house.

Love on four legs!

CATachresis said...

Ooooh! I was listening to a sad song when I saw the pictures :( Too many orphans needing love and care.

Cat-from-Sydney said...

Aunty Ninot,
Cruikshank is a normal cat, territorial and jealously guarding his possessions. har har har *evil laughs*

Malay-Kadazan girl said...

My papa can't live without a cat. At one time we had more than 10 cats at home which some are strays that we buy more cat food than for the kitchen.

Monyet King said...

Lulu says "SPCA was my home untill the Monkey Man and family took me home with them".

Oskar said...

It must be sad seeing all of the lovelies that need a good home.

Nubbin wiggles,
Oskar

Cat and DOG Chat With Caren said...

It always breaks my heart to see photos like this.

I am like you with a love of tabbies and I always say if I EVER win the lottery I would purchase acres which I would use for the sole purpose of turning it into a "No Kill" shelter/haven for kitties.

When I win the lottery I will call you and you can move here and help!

xoxoxo

Wan Sharif said...

As I am the only one (in a family of four) who can stand a cat within a distance of 2 feet I do not think it is a good idea to adopt them felines ;((

Cat-from-Sydney said...

Uncle Roy,
My Mama always say taking care of cats is a rewarding thing...but also heartbreaking. Especially when we come across ferals or those in shelters and can't take them home.... har har har *sad laughs*

Cat-from-Sydney said...

Aunty Carolyn,
Please don't be sad. Donate money or energy to those shelters instead. I've sacrificed my allowance for the year. Now I'm getting my other siblings to sacrifice theirs too. har har har *solemn laughs*

Cat-from-Sydney said...

MKG dear,
And how is the Tom cat in your garden? I hope you're feeding him. Just buy some kibbles - you can get Purina's Super Coat (I loooooove that) at Coles or Woolies. No cat would refuse that. har har har *burps*

Cat-from-Sydney said...

Lulu darling,
You're a lucky girl. We met another Lulu at the SPCA, but she's a woofie not a meowie. har har har *evil laughs*

Cat-from-Sydney said...

Oskar dear,
It was heartbreaking for my Mama...and a reality check for me. Hmm...I wonder why Angelina would even think of running away... har har har *evil laughs*

Cat-from-Sydney said...

Aunty Caren,
Hurry! Buy the lottery. Let's call this dream Tabbies' Haven (non-tabbies are welcomed too!). Oh now, can Cody and I be the twin mascot? har har har *evil laughs*

Cat-from-Sydney said...

Ayoh Wang,
The SPCA is in your suburb! OK, you can't adopt but there's no stopping you to donate or volunteer, right? Then I'll treat you kopi ais and nasi kerabu at Mak Jah Corner. har har har *evil laughs*

Sandy said...

oh nooo...i'm so sad :( I see lots of abandoned cats here and one day I saw this evil little boy kicking a stray cat , I gave him evil eyes and told him not to kick the cat. But soon, that boy started to kick the cat again ! This time, his dad became angry at me because I wanted to stop his kid from doing the evil deed again. Wtf is wrong with some people ????!!! +_+

Cat-from-Sydney said...

Tante Sandy,
Shame on the father. What if it had been his kid who's being kicked around? har har har *angry laughs*

Gee said...

Seriously DC menangis tgk kedhaifan mrk. I wish i can do something more for them. But my hands are full with 27 cats and 7 strays at home. I can only educate ppl not to easily send cats to SPCA - as they said - SPCA is the last resort not 1st choice!

*paham ke tak ni? mahap le ckp omputeh DC terabor hehe*

Cat-from-Sydney said...

Aunty DC,
Nanti satu hari kita paparkan kisah kawan Mama yang dah berbelanja beratus ribu untuk kucing-kucing yang dia selamatkan. Kalau kat shelter Aunty tu, sangat mewah sedara-mara Brad tu hidupnya, tak macam yang kat SPCA ni. Kita sedih tau.... Orang-orang kat situ kita tengok buat kerja tapi macam tak sayang....volunteers cuma datang seminggu sekali, bukannya hari-hari. har har har *sad laughs*

nurmisnan said...

how sweet.... aunt nur x reti bela
tapi suka main dgn kucing..

aunty hv friend yang bela kucing
lebih dari 70 or 80 ekor..
dia memang pencinta kucing

aby said...

salam CfS,
looking at the pic, i notice that the cats is taken good care although not 100%.at least all the bulus are still ok, sometimes i look cats at some petshop, the bulus are very less and fungus all over the body ...
neway nice pic ..
at least our mieow can bersyukur that they are well care ..

Cat-from-Sydney said...

Aunty Nur,
Jomlah main dengan kita....janji tak geget. har har har *evil laughs*

Cat-from-Sydney said...

Uncle Aby,
Actually when I look at the new arrival Persian, I was thinking of you. Uncle ambiklah dia....kesian...dia nampak depressed sangat. har har har *very sad laughs*

meowwmania said...

sedihnya :(

mmg sayu hati bila tgk keadaan macam tu, lebih sayu bila kita tak mampu nak tolong lebih lagi utk mereka

harap sgt lebih ramai lagi rakyat malaysia yang prihatin terhadap haiwan

Lee said...

Hi Cat, kesian see these animals without a proper home.
Here too we have abandoned cats and dogs.
Good of your Aunty to help out. I always admire people like her....
Hey, thought you back in Kangaroo land?
Oh ya, I stayed around that place you visited wayyy back in the '60s....Ampang Jaya.
Lee.

Cat-from-Sydney said...

Aunty Meoww,
I've pledged all of my annual allowance to the cattery coz the SPCA is building a new one - bigger and more comfy. har har har *solemn laughs*

Cat-from-Sydney said...

Uncle Lee,
You won't believe how your old suburb look now. I wish I can do more to help the unfortunate but I'm not rich. har har har *sad laughs*

LP said...

Sadly it seems the abandonment of cats is a worldwide phenomenon.Poor.The answer as we all know is to spay and neuter and to help where we can. We foster senior cats-it's a small contribution to a very big problem :(
the critters in The Cottage

Cat-from-Sydney said...

Cottage Felines,
Unfortunately it's the reality that we have to bear. Will it ever end I wonder. har har har *solemn laughs*

Malay-Kadazan girl said...

Tom mama just came back and I just bought him some food at coles. Tom is deserting us at the moment but I did get a whiff of 'ahem" on some of my pots.

Cat-from-Sydney said...

MKG dear,
I don't know about Coles in your area but where we were, pet food will be at the same area as gardening stuffs. Mama once bought a pot of "pet repellant" for her garden. Tom has marked your garden as his territory now. har har har *evil laughs*

~CovertOperations78~ said...

Dear Kitties-in-Sydney,
We all do what we can for the kitties... and we help raise awareness on the importance of spaying and neutering if one cannot afford to keep hundreds of kittens and grandkittens and great-grandkittens. I know the kittens and queens look very uncomfortable in their small cages out front. We will try to make sure they get more reasonably-sized enclosures and plenty of stretching space, water, fresh food and potty space within 2 hours of being brought into the SPCA. It was just a very busy day and we were shorthanded, what with me rushing off for the football game and all.

Cat-from-Sydney said...

CO78,
We know...but it makes us sad all the same.... har har har *sad laughs*