From me to you…

It wasn’t until my computer crashed with a virus and I dropped my cell phone in the toilet that I realized how isolated my world really is.  I very rarely go to town; I don’t watch television; and the only thing I read in newspapers is the classified ads.  So, I have grown accustomed to getting my news from AOL on my computer.  My main communication with the world is my cell phone and email…all of a sudden, my world was silent. 

My cell phone spent two days in a baggie filled with rice and it came to life again.  It took a computer technician three days to recover the data from my crashed computer, install a new computer and restore AOL.  Now, I feel like my little command post is secure once again and I can begin to order supplies, answer emails, write payroll, pay bills, print thank-you notes, post data in electronic checkbook and now….I can write the next newsletter. So much for my unplanned vacation.

April and May were very difficult months….not even referring to the above problems.  The failing economy has really effected Cedarhill.  I put all plans of building our new animal care building on the back burner…we’ve just got to think about day-to-day financial survival and giving quality lifetime sanctuary to our over 300 residents.  Only with your help, will Cedarhill continue to exist.

Arthur…I didn’t think it could get any worse….

Amos, the pot-bellied pig from Alabama finally got to move out from the horse barn to the pig pasture.  This pasture has a big pig barn, several wallows, and plenty of trees and shrubs for shade.  Amos was so frightened when we finally got him through the gate (remember, this was his first look at the outside world)…and then here comes Arthur puffed up like a toad, jumping stiff legged with foam coming out of his mouth…he was just popping his teeth and saying all sorts of piggy curse words.  We finally got Amos comfortable in his own corner and the first time I went back to check on him, Arthur was pushing Amos into the briars until he couldn’t move.  On to Plan C… we have a holding pen in the pasture and we moved Amos in there with his own house, wallow, food and water.  He is coming out now and looking around and starting to discover the world really isn’t the house he was raised in with cookies and dog food.  It will be a slow road to becoming a pig for Amos.  Lord help us if Arthur is his mentor.

Sonny and Sassy had to move….

Sonny and Sassy lived with the pigs for over a year before they decided to start bossing the pigs around.  One day, I was sitting on my golf cart outside the pig pen watching Felicia sunning in the dirt…all of a sudden, Sonny walked up to her, shoved her with his nose and made her move and then he lay right down in the very same spot.

Then Barbara told me that she had seen Arthur chasing Sonny around the pasture (Arthur appears to be out of control and it seems his self appointed duty is to bully and boss everyone in the pig pasture) I knew it was time for the little horses to move somewhere else.  A cross fence was constructed that divided the pig pasture and then we built a little red barn for Sonny and Sassy that matches the Belgian’s big barn.  Sonny thinks his red barn is every bit as big as the Belgian barn.

Tonka and the cattails…

There is a 1200 ft creek running through Tonka and Tawnia’s habitat and it is filled with cattails about 4 ft tall.  The other morning, Barbara saw the cattails rustling and right down the center was Tonka just attacking and smashing the cattails…he was having a wonderful time.  Well, he moved from the cattails to the young 2 year old trees and proceeded to break off every limb he could reach. Tonka is 1 ½ years old, and it seems the whole world is his play toy.  His favorite trick on Barbara is to take his food pan and run to the other end of the habitat and drown it in his pool.  Youth….don’t you just love and envy it?

River from the river….

On Thursday, April 16, we received a phone call from a young man who had rescued a six-month-old kitten from the river.  Evidently someone had tried to strangle the kitten, as it had a rope with a noose on it tied around its neck.  It looked like it had been thrown off the river bridge in an attempt to drown it.  The kitten then swam to the water’s edge and climbed onto the rocks, but his rope got caught in the rocks and leaving him stranded close to the water’s edge.  We met the young man, who rescued the kitten, at a nearby gas station and brought River to the sanctuary.  River had severe rope burns around his neck and was very emaciated.  We fed him, put ointment on his neck and then took him to the vet the next morning.  River tested negative for all contagious diseases, was vaccinated and we brought him home.  Animals are so amazing….River’s neck is healing and he is now living in the main domestic compound.  What kind of a warped person could do this to an innocent animal?  As I always say,  “What goes around, eventually comes around!”  and I hope it comes around BIG TIME for whoever did this horrible act.

Ode to Clarence…1993-2009

Clarence was born here at the sanctuary in 1993.  He was the sole survivor of his family.  His mother Maggie and his sister Mallory perished in the senior house fire in 2007 and his brother Pugsley died of cancer in 2005.  Clarence lived in the old cat barn and his food and bed were always in the exotic food prep room.  Clarence was blind the last few years of his life, but it did not stop him from getting around.  Do you remember the story of the cat that had the seeing eye cat?  That was Clarence.  On April 21, we bid a sad farewell to our “buddy” Clarence.

Lexie, Princess and Lord Winston arrive….

Lexie is a rotund little gray cat that had been adopted out 6 times in the last three years and had been brought back every time because she wouldn’t use a litter box.  I thought she was fluffy…but actually she is pretty fat and you could never meet a sweeter cat.  She doesn’t use the litter box all of the time, but we don’t care, thus she is getting better and better about it.  Princess is a tiny little gray Persian that had been very abused, misunderstood and unwanted.  The last indignity imposed upon her was to use a shop vac on her.  She hissed and grumbled a lot at first, but gradually came to understand that we just wanted to love her and take care of her.

Winston is a Bengal cat that was surrendered in a cruelty case in Minnesota.  He is 5 years old and had not been neutered before he was surrendered.  I don’t have his entire story, but I will by the next newsletter.  The Bengal cat breed came about by breeding Asian leopards with domestic cats…what a combination!  We already have two Bengals, Ricky and Lucy, so hopefully Winston will learn to love his life at Cedarhill.

The feline club from Mississippi State visits our felines….

Almost all 40 members of the MSU feline club visited Cedarhill in April.  They brought a load of cat food, cat toys and catnip and had raised $250.00 for Cedarhill.  The Cedarhill cats were thrilled to have so many loving hands on them.  I want to extend my heartfelt thanks for such wonderful gifts and a great day.  I hope they all become great feline vets.

The graduating class of vet techs from MSU…

I was invited on May 1 to attend the graduation ceremonies of the 2009 vet tech graduates.  Cedarhill was presented with a check for $2,200.00 that they had raised throughout the year by writing and selling cookbooks and having bake sales.  I was bowled over by their tenacity in raising money.  In turn, I presented each graduate with a signed print by Genie Talbot of Zack, the first cougar I rescued in 1987.

Until next time…

Our doors have been opening more for new arrivals then closing for our losses…thank goodness.  We lost Clarence and Layne in April, but welcomed Ray-Ray, Hootie, Lexxie, Princess, Winston and River to our feline family.  For once, we gained more than we lost.

I cannot tell you how much your support means to the animals.  Those of you who donate monthly help us so much.  I appreciate each and every one of you and all you do for the animals.  Without you…we cease to exist.

“Even if you are on the right track, you will get run over if you just sit there.”

Will Rogers

For the love of the animals,

Kay

C. Kay McElroy

Executive Director

WEBCAM

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In Texas, where you can own a pet tiger, the booming exotic animal trade has grim consequences.

by Melissa del Bosque  Full Story

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