New Cat House 2022 Calendar Features Images from Five Gifted Photographers

What does it take to create The Cat House on the Kings’ 2022 calendar? The answer is five gifted and generous photographers, hun-dreds of photogenic cats, a few professional photo shoots and a lot of patience and coordi-nation.

With the considerable help of photogra-phers Tim Daw, Val Woodward, Brenda Boyd, Stefanie Kraus and our own Beth Caffrey, the CHOTK 2022 calendar is now available! This eighth edition features high-quality photos along with facts and trivia.

CHOTK’s founder and director, Lynea Lattanzio, has signed 100 of the 2,500 calendars produced. Those specially autographed calendars will be sent out ran-domly, so everyone who buys a calendar (or two) has a chance to find our brand of Easter egg!

The first calendar is $20, and each additional calendar shipped to the same address is $15. Ship-ping is free in the U.S.; shipping is $6 per item to Canada and Mexico. All other international orders ship for $12 for a single calendar or $9 each for two or more. Find more details at: www.cathouseonthekings.com/calendar.

Our calendars truly are a labor of love. Each photographer books a shoot – gen-erally in the spring – and most travel to our sanctuary from another part of Cali-fornia. Shoots are coordinated so that one photographer might focus on kittens, for example, while another might zero in on Lynea or new structures.

Images are chosen by CHOTK’s calendar team while other photographs are used in social posts, special projects and the newsletter. The photographers “always say that they are inspired by The Cat House,” said Beth, CHOTK pho-tographer as well as donor and media relations. “Through their vision that shows through their photos, we too are re-inspired by the daily work that we do.”

Let’s meet the photographers: Tim Daw is originally from Liverpool, UK, and

now is based in San Francisco.“I was truly honored to be asked to shoot the calen-

dar for 2022 and I seriously consider it to be a major highlight of my 20-year career,” he said via email. “I’ve been visiting the Cat House, and taking pictures there, for over 10 years now and I tell everyone that The Cat House is my happy place.”

He even adopted from us. His cat, Fernanda Tor-res “gives me the opportunity to tell people all about

Cheryl Krauter: The Volunteer Whose Stories Lead to Forever Homes

Cheryl Krauter has lined the pages of two notebooks with the names of cats and kittens.

Beginning with Stella on Nov. 15, 2014, each name represents a four-legged soul that Cheryl knows for 20 to 30 minutes. It’s just long enough for her to carefully craft a brief but distinctive biography on The Cat House on the Kings adoption site.

Cheryl’s notebooks now hold more than 2,400 names – and counting. Our assistant director, Tammy Barker, calls Cheryl “the volunteer who wrote 2,500 stories to get cats and kittens adopted. She is truly a wonderful lady and I love her to pieces.”

Cheryl, a retired English teacher, isn’t someone who seeks limelight. She originally volunteered to clean kennels at the Clovis Petco after her daughter, Caityln, passed along an email from Tammy.

Her first day of cleaning was on her 65th birthday in 2013. The following year, she began writing kitten stories to help take some of the load off of Harvie Schreiber, our Facebook and fundraising coordinator.

“Keeping a list of those kitten stories just felt important from the beginning, another way to validate their value and have a record of my small effort in securing their futures,” Cheryl said via email. “I filled one notebook and am well into a second one, and the kittens just keep coming! I believe every one of them has been adopted.”

She receives the writing task only after each kitten is spayed or neutered, vaccinated, tested, and lovingly fostered.

“I look at the photos, read any notes from the fosterers, and for 20 to 30 minutes that

Fall 2021 Quarterly Newsletter Volume 12 Issue 3

(Continued on page 2) (Continued on page 4)Tim Daw

1

TributesFROM...............................................................IN.MEMORY.OFAnonymous......................................................................Sophie.Anonymous....................................................................... VenusAnonymous......................................................................... BellaAnonymous.......................................................G.Kitty.&.ConnieAnonymous........................................................ Debbie.HowardAnonymous...................................................Clementine.PhillipsBeletsi,.Lefkothea............................................Drake.C..AutarchBerzal,.Javier.................................................................. FlamesBJG/SWG...................................................................Lucy.LunaBrowne,.Autumn.................................................................. MaxChamberlain,.Debbie...................................................... NibblesDavid,.Beverly.A................................................... Sadie.MaloneFeil,.Janet...........................................................................EthelGrant,.Renee.............................................................. TangerineHasday,.Judy......................................................Shirley.HasdayHill,.Susan............................................................Latte.&.MonteHope,.Lori........................................................................... KenjiHorvath,.Jolan......................................................................CilaHughes,.Susan.Killam......................................... Ringo.HughesHull,.Edward.L......................................................Lani.Neill-HullKewley,.James............................................. Mulligan.&.Chelsea

Knickerbocker,.Mike.&.Amy........................................Blue.BabyKudlow,.Marcia.......................................................... My.MotherLazar,.Shaun......................................................Robert.KermanLehman,.Ellen.............................................................Audrey.G.Lopez,.Alma.....................................................................YeagerLovgren,.Monica.&.Keith................................ Mary.Ellen.TablerLowery,.Thomas.H..&.Sandra................................Sonya.RowinMarsoobian,.Margie.&.Pespisa,.Caroline..........................HootyMcKee,.Kay.................................................. Jeanette.Van.WyatMencarini,.Susan.D..................................Frances.Foglia-TegliaMetcalf,.Robert................................................ Jean.Marie.WiseMiyamoto,.Rochelle..........................................Elyse.WeissmanMoore,.Marilyn.................................................................. VenusPespisa,.Caroline.&.John..................................................HootyRawlings-Ayres,.Vicki..................................................... SpankyRichardi,.Janett..................................................... Gary.RichardiRichie,.Emily...................................................................... SallieRob,.Nina,.Burton,.Jenna.&.Lynn..................................... EkansSaulnier,.Norman.&.Annie.......................................................... .Frenchy.&.RoxyTalley,.Kathleen.M.................................................... Baby.BlackTucker,.Joann........................................................................TazVan.Adzin,.Alex........................................................... Joy.Sailor

Watkins,.Sandra...............................................Rachel.ParkmanWatson,.Cindy........................................................Roo.&.BrodyWeis,.Scott.&.Julia........................................... Jean.Marie.WiseWhitlock,.Rozlind..............................................................Buddy

FROM................................................................. IN.HONOR.OFAnonymous................................................................. Amy.AllanCummings,.Eileen............................................................SashaDe.Carvalho-Shellie,.Marilu............................................SqueakFeil,.Janet................................................................Tess.&.TitusGampper,.Ariane.......................................................... Talia.HsuHenderson.Fuller,.Patricia........................................Linda.KeepHershey,.Judy.......................................... Mark.&.Jennifer.BarryHigley,.Corinne............................................................. Big.GreyHollowood,.Sarah.&.Simon,.Brad.............................Kelly.CollerJensen,.Joshua....................................................Judith.JensenLavenderBeach.com..........................................All.the.BooboosMcFall,.Tyson..........................................................Kristin.PerryPolito,.Christine................................................ Joy.Dawn.SailorShellie,.Marilu.................................................................... Tippy......Thomas,.Frank.&.Alessandra..........................Phyllis.Wilkerson

(2022 Calendar continued from page 1)

are not “on display” to entertain the public.Stefanie serves as a board member at Cat Town Oakland,

contributes as the Online Communications Manager at Wild-Cat Ridge Sanctuary in Oregon, and volunteers as an animal keeper at Big Cat Rescue in Tampa.

Beth Caffrey started taking photos of animals as soon as she got her first camera. Animals have always occupied frames on her cameras – even the throw-away variety dedicated to another project or trip.

Beth is drawn to animal people and likes photographing them with their animals or during their rescue/foster work. Since working with media requires clear and professional pho-tos, Beth has learned from pros on movie sets, commercials and private practice.

She knows that playing with animals is a joy and watching others play with animals is good for the heart. Beth believes that all that’s needed for great photos is to juggle a good camera into that mix and to let the animals and the people who love them be themselves.

CHOTK at every chance I get,” Tim said.“I hope to keep visiting and shooting (and adopting!) there for

as long as I’m able,” he said. “CHOTK is a phenomenal opera-tion and I’m proud to have been able to help out in a small way.”

Val Woodward – CHOTK’s official photographer – has volun-teered her skills for four years. When not working with The Cat House, Val is growing her own pet photography business, Fur Real Life Photography.

Val loves spending time with her family, friends, and her large furry pack at home. Most evenings, she likes to enjoy a glass of Pinot Grigio while swatting swishy cat tails that block the com-puter where she is editing her next great image.

Val loves giving back to the community. She volunteers to help several local animal rescues revive their pet profile images in the hopes it will connect a furry friend with their forever home. Her current obsession is creating customized wall art for pet parents so they can cherish the love of their pet long after they are gone.

Brenda Boyd is a headshot portrait photographer serving the Menifee, Murrieta, and Temecula valley in Southern California. Her desire to help animals led to her photography project, “Pet Me Forever,” which assists shelter pets in finding homes.

“I’ve taken everything I know about professional headshot photography for humans and applied it to shelter pets,” she said. “My goal through this personal photography project is to put a name and face on the need for foster and adoption.

“When I discovered the amazing work that The Cat House on the Kings provides to homeless cats, I wanted to help,” Brenda said. “My visit to The Cat House on the Kings was so much fun, and I truly hope that my photographs will help the cats get forever homes.”

Stefanie Kraus is a designer, photographer and animal advo-cate who runs her own design consultancy in the San Francisco Bay Area. She dedicates 30 to 40% of her time doing pro bono work for animal sanctuaries and rescues.

While she loves all animals, Stefanie admits to being ob-sessed with felines. Through her photographs, she asks people not to just look but to truly see each animal and recognize them for their individual personality. She hopes to inspire compassion and change, and all of her photos are from the wild or sanctuar-ies around the U.S. – places where the residents come first and

Brenda Boyd

Beth CaffreyStefanie Kraus

Val Woodward

2

Cathy Davis, Fantastic FosterMeet.Cathy.Davis,.one.of.our.

“su-purr”.fosters.who.has.always.had.animals.in.her.life.

She.started.fostering.for.CHOTK.four.years.ago.after.hearing.about.our.mission.to.give.our.animals.the.best.quality.of.life.possible..The.Cat.House.on.the.Kings.relies.on.fosters.to.save.lives.by.providing.the.temporary.care.needed.for.cats.and.kittens.to.reach.adoption-ready.status.

We.can.only.take.in.as.many.cats.and.kittens.that.we.can.provide.for.properly,.so.having.secure,.dependable.foster.homes.like.Cathy’s.increases.our.ability.to.say.yes.to.those.in.need.

Cathy.wanted.to.be.a.vet.since.she.was.a.little.girl;.however.with.no.money.for.that.type.of.schooling,.she.went.into.health.care.instead..For.the.last.40.years,.she.has.earned.money.taking.care.of.two-legged.creatures.so.that.she.has.money.to.help.take.care.of.four-legged.creatures.

Her.health.care.background.means.Cathy.can.handle.even.the.sickest.and.tiniest.kittens..She.accepts.challenging.cases.such.as.abused.cats.or.kittens.that.require.a.large.investment.of.time.as.she.teaches.them.how.to.trust.humans.and.be.loved.again..

Cathy.even.turned.her.garage.into.the.ideal.space.to.foster,.complete.with.an.air.conditioner.and.a.play.area.

We.are.ever.so.grateful.to.have.Cathy.as.a.loving.responsible.foster.parent!.Her.compassionate.care.for.feeding,.cleaning,.socializing,.medicating,.training,.transporting,.maintaining.veterinary.visits,.patience,.guidance.and.joy.put.her.fosters.on.the.path.to.a.great.adoption.

Patricia and Roger Hann, Foster ExtraordinairesPatricia.and.Roger.Hann.are.two.of.our.longtime.fosters.–.and.

we.are.grateful.for.all.of.their.volunteer.service!.Here’s.a.bit.of.history.in.Patricia’s.own.words:

“My.step-mama.is.Kathy.Scheer.(The.Cat.House’s.foster.coordinator).so.that.tells.you.how.I.got.involved..The.first.foster.assignment.Kathy.gave.us.was.in.the.summer.of.2002..Kathy.and.my.dad.rescued.a.feral.mama.and.her.litter.of.kittens.that.were.living.in.a.dumpster.behind.at.the.old.Baker.Square.restaurant.

The.kittens.were.very.scared.and.hissy.at.first...In.fact,.one.of.the.males.went.psycho.on.us.and.flew.around.the.bathroom,.bouncing.off.walls,.hissing.and.screeching.at.me.

I.almost.gave.up.at.that.point.but.my.husband.calmed.me.and.the.kitty.down.and.Kathy.gave.me.advice.on.how.to.work.with.the.kitten...The.other.three.kittens.were.much.easier.to.handle.so.I.moved.them.to.a.separate.room.and.left.the.crazy.one.in.the.bathroom.in.the.carrier.and.I.sat.on.the.floor.and.read.to.him.until.he.quietly.came.out.of.the.carrier.and.sat.next.to.me..Whew!.

It.took.some.time.and.effort.but.we.eventually.got.the.kittens.socialized.and.ready.for.adoption...Two.of.the.kittens.were.adopted.quickly...The.other.two.stayed.on.and.on.and.on.until.we.eventually.adopted.them.and.Roscoe.(the.original.psycho.kitty).and.Roxie.became.our.first.“foster.fails”!

Over.the.years.we.have.fostered.dozens.of.kittens.and.a.couple.of.mama.cats.as.well..We.did.have.a.few.years.where.we.did.not.foster.because.one.of.our.adult.cats.(another.foster.fail).became.very.depressed.when.we.had.kittens..We.stopped.fostering.until.she.sadly.passed.away.much.too.young.

We.have.had.bottle.babies,.kittens.with.various.upper.respiratory.issues,.worms.in.the.butt,.and.other.ailments.and.issues...We.have,.sadly,.lost.a.few.along.the.way..However,.the.majority.of.our.foster.kittens.have.been.healthy,.sweet.and.fun.to.raise!

We.enjoy.fostering.as.it.gives.us.the.opportunity.to.get.kittens.ready.to.be.adopted.into.a.forever.family...We.work.to.get.them.healthy.if.necessary.and.keep.them.healthy,.warm.and.safe...We.have.a.dedicated.“kitten.room”.that.we.say.is.our.Kitten.School..

The.hardest.part.about.being.a.foster.family.is.giving.them.up.for.adoption...There.have.been.a.few.“Petco.Meltdowns”.on.my.part.when.it.was.time.to.say.good.bye.to.certain.kittens...But.Roger.and.I.know.that.we.have.given.the.kittens.a.good.start.in.life.and.a.great.chance.at.being.adopted.into.a.forever.family..And.that.just.warms.our.hearts.and.makes.all.of.our.efforts.worthwhile!

I.have.recently.taken.on.some.new.volunteer.responsibilities.with.The.Cat.House...I.am.helping.to.write.the.stories.for.the.kittens.available.for.adoption..Also,.The.Cat.House.recognizes.that.it.is.often.very.difficult.to.lose.a.foster.kitten.or.cat.to.illness,.etc..I.have.been.helping.to.recognize.and.remember.those.precious.souls.lost.

with.condolence.cards.Being.a.volunteer.for.The.Cat.House.

has.been.very.rewarding.for.both.of.us...I.retired.from.my.full-time.career.about.four.years.ago...My.volunteer.activities.have.really.helped.to.give.me.that.sense.of.purpose.and.a.chance.to.be.productive.and.do.something.good.in.our.community

We.have.seen.The.Cat.House.on.the.Kings.grow.and.evolve.so.much.over.the.years.and.it.just.keeps.getting.better.and.better...We.respect.and.appreciate.all.who.are.involved.in.the.day.to.day.operations.as.well.as.the.other.volunteers.”

Theresa Rutherford, All-Star Foster

Foster.phenom.Theresa.Rutherford.has.a.long.track.record.as.an.all-star.volunteer.for.The.Cat.House.on.the.Kings.

In.2018,.she.was.honored.as.one.of.50.lifesaving.foster.volunteers.in.the.nation.by.the.Petco.Foundation..Theresa.continues.that.wonderful.work.today.

Foster.care.takes.a.lot.of.consistent,.dedicated,.compassionate.work..It.can.be.highly.rewarding.to.send.fosters.to.their.forever.homes.–.it.makes.all.that.hard.work.worth.it.

It.takes.commitment.to.medical.appointments,.alarms.for.needed.feeding,.reminders.for.medications,.cleaning,.cleaning,.cleaning,.handling.with.care,.making.sure.you.check.every.inch.and.toe.bean.for.health.reasons,.socializing,.litter.box.training.and.even.more.cleaning..Sometimes,.there.is.heartbreak.when.you.have.done.everything.right.but.it.turns.out.to.be.a.short.life.lived.

Theresa.has.fostered.more.than.500.animals.for.The.Cat.House.on.the.Kings.since.2014..She.understands.the.life-saving.juggling.act.that.fostering.provides.to.save.more.lives.and.give.those.lives.more.opportunities..

Since.being.recognized.as.our.All.Star.Foster.in.2018,.Theresa.has.only.shone.brighter.and.never.has.an.empty.foster.room..Thank.you,.Theresa,.for.being.a.shining.example.of.a.foster.phenomenon!

Volunteer SPoTligHT

3

Longtime Adoption Center Resident Captures Heart of CHOTK Volunteer

Sweet but shy Miles often scampered away when someone reached out to him at The Cat House on the Kings’ Fresno Petco Adoption Center.

The skittish guy spent more than a year watching as other cats came and went. That’s until he caught the eye of volunteer Hanah Steele, who helps clean rooms before the adoption center opens.

She felt a tug on her heartstrings and adopted Miles – now named Pumpkin – shortly after beginning her volunteer work this summer.

“With some patient coaxing, I have been able to pick Pumpkin up, put him on my lap, and give him lots of love,” Hanah said via email. “He really enjoys cheek scratchies! I have a good feeling that he will warm up after some time and fit right in with the calm but playful environment in our home.”

Hanah, a school psychologist, connected with CHOTK in June after hearing of the opportunity from a co-worker who volunteers. “I figured this was a great opportunity to do some good outside of my typical field during my time off work,” she said.

At the adoption center, Hanah spends most of her time in the adult cat room – where she met Pumpkin.

“Although he always ran away when I tried to pet him, I still made sure to say hello every time I visited,” she said. “To be honest, I didn’t see myself adopting Pumpkin because of his shy and skittish nature. However, after hearing that he has spent virtually his whole life at The Cat House on the Kings, he began to tug on my heartstrings each time I volunteered.”

Then, there was a breakthrough. “After multiple attempts over these last few months, Pumpkin finally let me pet him!,” she said. “I could tell right then that what he needed was a patient and loving home. I never shy away from a challenge, and I just knew that we could make it work!”

Now Pumpkin is settling into a household with Hanah, her husband, his younger sister, three small dogs and another cat. He can still look to hide but is making progress.

“This was my first adoption from The Cat House and I couldn’t be happier with the process,” Hanah said. “Anyone can tell these people really care for the animals in their care.”

little kitten feels like mine as I try to convey its specialness,” Cheryl said. “If you love and appreciate cats, you know every single one is unique and deserves an opportunity for a safe and happy life.”

Cheryl and her husband, Charlie, also have fostered about 150 of the kittens whose stories she has written. For decades, she said, there always has been at least one cat in her life.

“We’ve loved some wonderful dogs too, but only cats live with us now, too many to admit, including five foster failures,” she said. The couple was inspired to foster by their daughter, and their tabby, Harry, is a result of that work. (He’s pictured here with Cheryl’s notebooks.)

“Fostering kittens was one of the great joys of our life, and writing little stories for CHOTK is one of the most gratifying things I have done in a life that has been full of good things,” Cheryl said. “I have the upmost respect and admiration for the tireless and dedicated staff at CHOTK who do the real work, the hard work.

“As long as there are kittens who need homes, and I’m able to string words together to describe them, my little notebooks will keep filling.”

TheCatHouseontheKings(559)638-8696 7120S.KingsRiverRoad

Parlier,CA93648 info@cathouseonthekings.com

Signuptosponsorat:www.cathouseonthekings.comTheCatHouseontheKingsisaprivate,non-profit,nocage,no-killsanctuary,rescueandadoptioncenterforcatsrunsolelyondonationsandout-of-pocketfundingbyourfounder,LyneaLattanzio.

TheCatHouseisopentovisitorsdaily(exceptmajorholidays)byappointmentonly.

HouRS:8:00am-11:00am;1:00pm-4:00pmWearelocatednearReedley,CAsoutheastofFresno,CA

Getthisnewsletterbye-mailtosaveatreeandsaveusmoney:www.cathouseonthekings.com/subscribe

ConTaCT Info/SponSor a CaT

(Cheryl Krauter continued from page 1)

Harry

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Couple Drives 500 Miles to Adopt Just the Right Cat from CHOTK

When Stacie Brink’s beloved Maine Coon Albert died in June, she turned to the Internet to learn about saddle thrombus and find healing power in pictures of other cats.

Those searches led her to Fluffers (now Bodee Fluffers) and a nearly 500-mile roundtrip from southern Oregon to adopt him from The Cat House on the Kings.

“Once the heart knows and sees what it wants, it was a no-brainer,” she said via email. “Our only concern was for (Bodee) Fluffers and would he be OK riding in our RV and for such a distance.”

He was a champ and has since settled in beautifully with Stacie, her husband Perry and their pup, Gina. “He is definitely a thinking, smart, caring, sweet soul,” she said. “While we may still miss Albert and are mindful of all that he means to us, Bodee has refreshed the aching holes with his own loving personality.”

The couple was devastated when 11-year-old Albert died suddenly from a blood clot. They weren’t considering adoption when Stacie was smitten by a cat at CHOTK, even though she didn’t want a new family member who looked so much like Albert. In a later exploration of the CHOTK website, Stacie again saw that cat – but also that an adoption was pending. Then she saw his littermate, Fluffers.

“I read Fluffers’ bio, and then re-read it to Perry (who has grieved Albert’s passing more so than myself if one can). We wanted a kitty that was loving, one that would want to hang with us, be a part of day-to-day activities as we are retired, and who was used to a dog, and Fluffers’ bio stated just that, and his photos were adorable and an immediate attraction for us both. With no hesitation Perry said, ‘let’s get him’.”

It was a quick three-day trip for the couple, Gina and Bodee Fluffers, who was calm and comfortable in the RV. These days, Gina has shown a fresh spark of joy and Bodee “owns our home, and our hearts,” Stacie said. “He is the most demonstrably loving and affectionate kitty we’ve ever had.”

He loves the bed and Stacie’s walker, which she uses due to an accident. “Most times when I stand to walk somewhere, he runs and jumps onto the walker seat and rides along with me. He’s truly a wonderful and sweet companion to all of us.”

Since Bodee’s adoption, Stacie has referred other people to the CHOTK website “to see the great work that is done in saving and protecting lives ... I wish The Cat House could be cloned in every state; the need is great.”

Shoppers Donate Generously to CHOTK (Please send Kitten Food)

You shop and we all win!The Cat House on the Kings is incredibly

thankful for everyone who shops online at our many partners, allowing us to care for and feed hundreds of hungry cats and kittens. The demand is always great and especially now because our cupboards are bare – we desperately need wet and dry kitten food.

You can help by shopping our wish lists on AmazonSmile or Chewy. Your generosity is al-ways appreciated by us and our furry friends.

For example, CHOTK recently pulled in $11,869.71 from the AmazonSmile Foundation based on our supporters’ shopping activity in the year’s most recent quarter. In addition, shopping on our partner site Purrs and Whiskers has put more than $320 in our bank account so far in 2021.

Amazon donates 0.5% of the price of each eligible AmazonSmile purchase to the charitable organization chosen by the buyer. There is no cost to the customer, and shopping is available both online and via mobile device.

At Purrs and Whiskers (www.purrsandwhiskers.com)– which offers unique cat-themed goods such as clothing, gifts and jewelry – CHOTK receives a percentage of sales over $25 and 10% of each order when our shoppers apply promo code 10%CATHOUSE at checkout.

You can find a full list of our shopping part-ners on The Cat House website. Also, our partner Chewy.com will donate $15 to CHOTK for each first-time customer.

If you shop AmazonSmile, make sure to iden-tify The Cat House on the Kings as your charitable organization. You can navigate to our most current wish lists (on Amazon Smile and Chewy) at www.cathouseonthekings.com/wishlist. Our great-est need now is for wet and dry kitten food.

Our partners in the gaming world also have contributed generously. A recent Team EVGA livestream event netted 97 donations for a total of $6,155. It is the most successful fundraiser so far run by EVGA, a company that manufactures com-puter components and also supports our non-profit through AmazonSmile purchases.

As always, we are incredibly grateful for your support and for our many partners. Our non-profit receives no government funding and relies heavily on donations to help support our rescue mission.

Thank you!

5

CHOTK Kitties Sleeping in Style Thanks to Girl Scouts’ Donation

Our kitties are sleeping in some pretty comfy beds thanks to the creativity and generosity of two wonderful Girl Scouts.

Girls Scouts Grace Keller and Amanda Myers, both 10, donated roughly a dozen handmade beds to The Cat House on the Kings as part of their Bronze Award project. According

to Troop 2385 leader Nicki Keller, Grace’s mom, the project is generally completed in fourth or fifth grade and involves researching problems in the community, lending a helping hand and learning about sustainability.

“Grace and Amanda both love animals and when researching their project, wanted to do something with animals,” Nicki said via email. “I suggested The Cat House.”

The Kellers have attended a few CHOTK Open Houses but Amanda was just learning about our sanctuary. First, the girls made and posted flyers about The Cat House in hopes it would encourage people to donate and help sustain our mission.

The beds came next. “We came up with the idea of pet beds because with COVID, it has been hard to have organized events where people could come drop off supplies to donate,” Nicki said. “Also, the beds had the girls more involved in the project because they need to spend 20 hours each to earn the award.”

Grace’s grandmother, a seamstress, donated the fabric and the girls followed a template they found online. They tied the fabric together to create the beds and filled each with stuffing.

The beds are clearly a hit with our crew, including Squirrel (pictured above) who has plenty of “cattitude.” Our thanks to Grace and Amanda!

Wish List:Bleach, Paper Towels, Pine Cleaner, Recyclables, Postage Stamps, Postcard Stamps and Gift Cards (Amazon, Home Depot, Costco,

etc.)The above items can be dropped off at the Blackstone/Ashlan Petco in Fresno, or at the Cat House

Amazon and Chewy Wish Lists:

www.cathouseonthekings.com/wishlist

Always Needed: Volunteers, Foster Homes

New Partner Joins The Cat House’s Shop to Give Program

The Cat House on the Kings has a new Shop to Give partner!

Whisker & Paw (whiskerandpaw.org) offers unique cat-themed products, toys, supplies and clothing fit for cats and cat lovers alike. The site, inspired by a couple’s unconditional love for cats, is a place where the cat-loving community can share trends and advice while also shopping for goods like t-shirts, face masks, toy storage, laptop sleeves and more.

Shoppers also can help The Cat House on the Kings because 10% of every purchase supports our sanctuary and mission to rescue and adopt out cats and kittens, provide no-cage homes for feral and abandoned cats, and offer low-cost spay/neuter referrals.

We’re delighted to welcome Whisker & Paw to our Shop to Give program! Look them and all of our partners at www.cathouseonthekings.com/shoptogive

Rite Aid Shoppers Have New Way to Help Support The Cat House

If you shop or fill prescriptions at Rite Aid, you can help support The Cat House on the Kings.

RXfundraising and Rite Aid have launched a program that can generate money for nonprofits like CHOTK. Through this program, RXfundraising and Rite Aid will give back a portion of the money spent on prescriptions and purchases made at Rite Aid.

To participate, just click on the link (support.rxfundrais-ing.com/TheCatHouseontheKings) and fill out the form. Contributions are calculated at $0.50 per qualified prescrip-tion and 1.5% of qualified in-store purchases by supporters using their wellness+ rewards number at Rite Aid.

We’re excited to be part of this new fundraising oppor-tunity, so remember to support The Cat House on the Kings when shopping at Rite Aid!

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Solar Project Hits Finish Line, Begins Powering Sanctuary Operations

The sun is finally working for us and our four-legged residents at The Cat House on the Kings.

After months and months of work, our much-needed solar project is essentially complete and supporting the 12-acre sanctuary along the Kings River near Parlier. We did spend part of one hot summer day in July without power (and phones and Internet) so that Pacific Gas & Electric could install a new power pole and connect the solar panels to the grid.

That was virtually the final touch. The solar installation runs from the sanctuary’s sallyport to the end of the driveway where the webcam is located. The structure is much taller than expected because safe clearance is required for fire trucks that might need to pass underneath it.

Fortunately, the large-scale construction casts shade for our kitties and hopefully will offer good shelter from the rain.

The Cat House embarked upon this major project to save money on over-sized monthly electric bills. It will take some time to recover the $180,000 investment and we welcome all donations to help defray this major capital expense.

You can mail a check to CHOTK, 7120 S. Kings River Road, Parlier CA 93648, call (559) 638-0030 to make a credit card donation over the phone or donate online at www.cathouseonthekings.com/donate.

We appreciate your support!

1 0 % O F Y O U R P U R C H A S E W I L L B E D O N A T E D T O T H E

C A T H O U S E O N T H E K I N G S . U S E C O U P O N C O D E

S H O P A T PURRSANDWHISKERS.COM

10%CATHOUSEA T C H E C K O U T

The Dedication wall helps raise much needed funds. You may make a donation for a plaque in memory of a lost loved one (In Memory of...), to honor someone (In Honor of...), or just to show your support of The Cat House (The Miller Family Supports...) The plaques are black metal with gold lettering and are hung in the entryway of The Cat House. www.cathouseonthekings.com/plaque

Sizes and Prices 3” x 12” ........................ $100.00 7” x 12” ........................ $180.00 10.5” x 12” ................... $250.00

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‘Every Kitten Counts’ Raises Much-Needed Funds Here at The Cat House on the Kings, we’ve always

believed that every kitten counts – we even hold an annual fundraiser with that name.

Today, CHOTK is immensely grateful to everyone who donated to our “Every Kitten Counts” Facebook fundraiser. We just couldn’t carry out our mission to rescue and provide homes for cats and kittens without your generous support.

Just this year, in fact, we already have rescued more than 1,100 cats and kittens. As always, we are busy saving lives and ensuring that each cat or kitten has the best possible future.

The Cat House on the KingsFeline Rescue7120 South Kings River RoadParlier, CA 93648

Order Cat House on the Kings Apparel & Merchandise@ www.cathouseonthekings.com/shop

Check out our selection of new styles and colors! ”New at our store, fruit infusion water bottles. $10 plus s/h”

Although we fell short of our fundraiser’s $30,000 goal, we appreciate every single contribution that we received. And you can still give to CHOTK to ensure that we can continue our good work of nearly 30 years.

You can donate directly at our website, www.cathouseonthekings.com/donate, mail a check to CHOTK, 7120 S. Kings River Road, Parlier CA 93648, call (559) 638-0030 to make a credit card donation (from 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday through Friday) or donate through Facebook.

Thank you to everyone who believes “Every Kitten Counts!”

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