I adopted Dayton to be a buddy for my cat Shiloh. Little did I know he would be on of the best things that ever happened to me. Dayton is a clown and lights up the room whenever he is in it, he LOVES to play and give kitty kisses and chats up a storm. I love this boy and am blessed every day having found him Thanks Homeward Trails Rescue and Petfinder!
– Emily Steenhout
Third-, fourth- and fifth-grade members of the after-school DC SCORES team at Bancroft Elementary School hosted a one-miler race fundraiser to help save the homeless animals of Homeward Trails Animal Rescue and raised $1,286.50! Homeward Trails is proud to thank the DS SCORES team for all of their hard work and dedication!
DC SCORES team members at Bancroft Elementary School hosted HT rep Leslie Shedd on April 29th in order to learn more about the plight of homeless animals and ways to help.
The students chose to help homeless animals and invited an HT representative, Leslie Shedd, to meet with them and tell them more about why the animals need our help and what we can do. Among other things, the students learned “We can help by raising money or get donations, talk to your friends and family about the importance or spaying or neutering so they can’t have babies so that less animals are put to sleep every six seconds, talk to your friends and family about taking their dogs to the vets to get check ups… etc.”
Homeward Trails Animal Rescue Third Thursday Education Series
Everything you ever wanted to know about your cat’s health!
Dr. Marcus Brown of NOVA Cat Clinic (formerly Capital Cat Clinic) will be discussing comprehensive cat health including urinary tract issues, dental health and diet which are very important topics for our feline friends. Dr Brown will also answers questions from the audience.
Date/Time: Thursday, April 25, 2013, 7:15 – 9:00 p.m.
Location: Dog Paws ‘n Cat Claws, 5818-C Seminary Rd. Falls Church, VA 22041
RSVP: info@homewardtrails.org
Cost: $5 donation to Homeward Trails
Dr. Brown knew that he wanted to become a veterinarian at age 5. He was fortunate to be able to work with his father, a veterinarian, and became passionate about helping animals. He is the founder NOVA Cat Clinic and he received his Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree in 1986 from the University of Illinois. He is an active supporter in local, state and national feline organizations and serves as the medical director for Alley Cat Allies. Dr. Brown is the President-elect of the American Association of Feline Practitioners and was one of the authors of new wellness guidelines for feline practitioners. Dr. Brown is the AAFP alternate delegate to the AVMA House of Delegates. Dr. Brown lives in Arlington with his three cats , Spanky, Cosmo and Bootie. In his free time, Dr. Brown enjoys traveling, reading, and running.
Can’t get enough of that gorgeously soft long-hair that only a long-haired kitty has? Then you are in luck!
We adopted Lily in early July 1010. We were looking for a new companion for our 5 year old orange and white tabby, Rusty. Rusty’s sister had passed away several months before and he was lonely when we were not at home, but quite happy being the center of attention when we were at home. My husband Ken, as well as Rusty, were not sure about whether Rusty would accept another cat.
With the help of HT volunteers Stephanie Litos and Susan Pizza, we found Lily, a dilute tortie, who had recently been rescued from a shelter. We new nothing of her background, other than her family dropped her at a shelter but would not take the time to fill out the paperwork. We brought Lily home and kept the 2 cats separated for a week. Rusty did a bit of hissing at the door that first week, but we gradually let them loose in the house the next weekend. Rusty was not sure he liked this new interloper at first. But Lily immediately made herself at home, and much to Rusty’s chagrin, decided she preferred his litter box, food bowl, toys, and favorite sleeping spot! The shelter said Lily was 4 but our vet said she could be as young as 2, and Rusty had a hard time keeping up with her boundless energy and over enthusiastic playing. But Rusty decided Lily was not all bad, and decided to tolerate her.
Lily & Rusty
Lily at first was a little too eager exploring her new home, including the table tops and counter tops. But over time, she has settled down into more appropriate behavior and no longer gets on the counters, unless mom is too slow at feeding. Lily squeeks when she wants food, and protests loudly if we go to bed without exercising her with either a wand toy or her favorite, the laser. Lily and Rusty have now become good friends, playing, chasing and bathing each other, and sharing the bed with their parents. And doubtful Ken? Well Lily had him completely wrapped around her little paw after the first week!
Homeward Trails personally rescued two young kittens, Tomas and Jerry, from the West Indies following Hurricane Tomas. Following the hurricane, food was scarce and these young kittens were desperately searching for food when they “found” a Homeward Trails volunteer, who was in the area for business. With all of the legal papers and health certificates, the Homeward Trails volunteer carried them all the way to DC through Puerto Rico.
Flooding after Hurricane Tomas
The kittens are adapting incredibly. They are initially shy but warm up very fast. They need attention, love, and understanding. These kittens must stay together as they are extremely bonded, and the person who adopts them must have experience with cats, especially cats who need extra attention! They will be wonderful, and grateful companions!
If you’re interested in adopting them, please go to their Petfinder page for more info- http://www.petfinder.com/petdetail/18130865
You can read more details of their rescue by Homeward Trails volunteer Shennie Patel at http://blog.ifaw.org/2010/11/10/an-unexpected-kitten-rescue-in-st-lucia/
When we moved back to Arlington in August 2008, we knew we were finally settled enough to adopt the cats we’d been wanting for a long time. It was sheer luck that we stumbled across Homeward Trails. We knew we wanted a bonded pair, and we wanted at least one of the cats to be black because we know black cats have a harder time being adopted. We quickly narrowed the available cats to two pairs, but when we met them, we knew Trouble and Pax (previously Spark and Toby, respectively) were the right cats for us. They were living at PetMAC at the time, and Trouble (a slightly petite, all black cat) met us at the door and let us pick him up immediately. Then we were regaled with stories from PetMAC staff about how everyone loved Pax (a big orange tabby), but no one that had considered him had wanted two cats. We brought Trouble and Pax home less than two weeks after first meeting them.
Trouble and Pax were amazingly adaptable. They had been surrendered to Homeward Trails when their original owner died. They lived at PetMAC for a while and were adopted by a woman with known allergies that turned out to be much more severe than she realized. Back at PetMAC, we finally found them! Despite all this turmoil in their short lives, they were the most personable cats we’d ever met. They greeted us at the door from the first day and settled into our house as if they’d always lived there. Pax quickly learned (and loved!) to play fetch with toy mice. Trouble found his way onto the highest surfaces in the house, including the occasional balancing act on top of an open door.
Sadly, just over a year after we adopted our boys, Pax became very ill with bladder problems. He passed away quickly in January. Trouble did not know what to do without his constant companion. He became more affectionate and cried at the door when we left the house. We knew he needed another companion so he wasn’t by himself all day. We returned to Homeward Trails, and Lori began to help us with the search for a friend for Trouble.
We met cat after cat, each with great attributes, but when we met Johnny, a milk-and-honey-colored kitty, we just knew he was the cat we’d been searching for. We call him The Beast because he looked like he was about the size of a bobcat in his Homeward Trails profile picture. He’s actually a regular size for a cat, but he has big paws and ears like a kitten who’s still growing into his fur. The nickname just stuck!
The Beast sitting on a sleeping Trouble
The Beast was relentless in his affections to Trouble, jumping up next to Trouble even when he knew Trouble wasn’t used to him yet. He just didn’t give up, and Trouble quickly gave in. We usually find them in the same room (and always in a room with one or both of us), and The Beast – who is just a big kitten somewhere between a year or two old – has brought some real playfulness to Trouble’s life. (He has also taught Trouble to knock shiny things to the floor – thanks a lot, Beast!) We’re so happy that neither of them are lonely, and we’re lucky to have such affectionate cats from Homeward Trails to greet us at the door when we come home.
-Lauren & Allen, Arlington, VA
See all posts about: Black Cats | Bonded Pairs
I lost two cats within 7 months in 2008-2009. My remaining cat, Brox, and I, were having a tough time coping. After losing two so close together, and spending a small fortune on vet bills, I was going to wait a while to adopt another cat. But Brox was lonely, depressed, and anxious. He started over grooming his belly, licking himself bald. I half-heartedly started browsing Homeward Trails’ petfinder page. Then BAM! There she was. Skunk: a fluffy beautiful little black and white sweetheart. I was 99% sure after seeing her picture that she belonged with us, and after reading her description, I was 100% sure.
A few days later, I met her for the first time when she came home. She made herself at home almost immediately. Much to my surprise, Brox was scared of her at first (he weighs 19 pounds, she weighed about 8 pounds at the time). But within a few days, they became fast friends. I renamed her Penelope–a Skunk by another name is just as sweet.
A little more than a year later, I am so grateful to have her in my life. Her sweetness and motherly nature helped both Brox and me get over our losses. She and Brox play together, eat together, groom each other, and sleep together. He’s a completely different cat now–calm, happy, playful, and no more over-grooming.
Pen loves to play. Her current favorite is the turbo scratcher, but she loves the laser pointer and straws, too. She often sits on a towel in the kitchen while I’m making dinner, just keeping me company. And even though she keeps her fur beautiful, she loves to be brushed. She is amazingly soft, and petting her is a joy. I am completely in love with her. She is the most delightful cat!
-Louann (& Brox), Arlington, VA
My boyfriend and I were at a PetMAC adoption fair in 2007 and immediately fell in love with Mischa, a little grey and brown tabby girl. The minute we saw her, she reached through the cage and grabbed my hand and we were immediately charmed. She sealed the deal when the three of us went into the bathroom at the Arlington PetMAC to let her explore and she curled up on my chest and started purring!
At the time we met Mischa, our three-year-old cat Marty had recently lost his brother, Oliver, to FIP and Marty was at home alone 8 hours a day for the first time in his life and feeling very lonely. Our adoption coordinator warned us that Mischa was quite energetic, but we knew she would be just the friend he needed.
Mischa has developed into quite the quirky girl – she carries toys around in her mouth like a little dog, is obsessed with running water, and loves the sound of dishes being loaded or unloaded from the dishwasher because she knows that usually means its dinner time. A total tough girl, she frequently initiates wrestling matches with her brother Marty, who is literally twice her size. We’re so thrilled to have her as part of our family! Thank you Homeward Trails for helping us find her!
-Kris (& Andrew & Marty), Arlington, VA
We were beyond ecstatic when we received an application for Bunny’s adoption, a feline leukemia (FeLV) positive Manx kitty. Upon notifying our partner shelter in Wetzel County, West Virginia of this news, we learned that Bunny had a best friend and cage-mate, Freda, a lovely FeLV+ tuxedo kitty. The thought of Freda alone in her cage was painful to fathom so we decided to bring her up to DC with Bunny to find a foster home for her. Our initial excitement was quickly topped when Bunny’s potential adopters suggested that they would consider adopting Freda as well!! Freda, a fluffy purring machine, quickly won their hearts just as Bunny had, and these kind people were the proud parents of a two new FeLV+ cats. These two kitties are now living in New Jersey, snuggling with two small canine friends and another resident FeLV+ cat named Brandy as well!
With Bunny and Freda adopted, this brings the number of FeLV+ kitties living at Wetzel County Animal Shelter down to 4. Please consider fostering or adopting a FeLV+ kitty. Remember, feline leukemia cannot be transmitted between species, so humans, dogs, rabbits, and any other non-feline animal are completely safe from infection. Please help us spread the word about feline leukemia positive cats; ask your friends and coworkers to open their hearts to one or two of these special cats. Together we can help all of these deserving kitties find a loving family and a home to call their own!
Stay tuned for out next featured cat, Tommy 2 Toes, who is living with both FELV and FIV.
See all posts about: Bonded Pairs
