Monday, October 29, 2012
"Mackerel," "Spotted," "Ticked" and even "Patched" are names for markings on tabby cats. Homeless Clea is a "Classic."
Question: What's the most common type of cat that isn't really a breed of cat of all? Answer: The tabby cat. "Tabby" doesn't mean a certain breed or even a particular color of cat, but refers to distinctive feline coat markings. Tabbies can be orange, brown, ginger or grey or a combination of colors. Because most domestic cats carry the tabby gene, even some solid-colored cats display faint tabby markings that are visible if you look closely or study them in the sunlight. When people think of tabbies, it's most often the cats with coats of stripes, swirls and dots, the eyes that look like they are wearing eyeliner and the distinctive "M" on their forehead. Popular cat lore says that M is a blessing from the Virgin Mary. Others say it …
Monday, October 15, 2012
Patra is a homeless cat who feeds and cares for abandoned kittens, including one named Echo who was born without eyes.
Remember when you were a kid and there was that one mom (it might have been yours) who fed and looked after all the kids in the neighborhood? In the cat world, in Avondale Estates, that super-mom is a homeless 2-year-old Tortoiseshell named Patra. Patra was living on the streets trying to keep her own four kittens safe when she was rescued by LifeLine Animal Project. Due to the rigors of street life and the vulnerability of kittens who are born homeless, only two of her babies, named Rita and Beanie by rescuers, survived. Some mother cats will shun kittens that are not their own, some will welcome and adopt them. Soon after losing two of her own, Patra adopted three very needy weeks-old kittens that came into LifeLine abandoned and hungry…
Monday, September 10, 2012
A piece of paper attached to the box read "Please help." Inside was a small, injured, 6-week old kitten.
It's been a long and winding road to wellness for Twist the cat. This summer in College Park he was discovered by rescuers in a cardboard box with a note attached. He was meant to be found. The box was conspicuously placed in a public place, the attached note both a plea for help and a short biography of the small kitten inside: Please help. We found this kitten in the street 2 days ago with blood on his face and paws, walking like he was injured. We gave him a bath and cleaned him up. We've been feeding him liquid formula with an eyedropper because he does not seem to be old enough to feed himself. We could not leave him in the street like that unable to defend himself as he does not seem old enough to walk. We are unemployed at the …
Monday, July 23, 2012
The appeal of the mutt is undeniable, and in practical concerns such as cost and health, they often come out ahead of purebreds.
You won't see a single one in the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show but then again, you will seldom see any two that are exactly the same. Talking about mutts here, people. "Mutt" is another term for mongrel, or mixed-breed dog. Mutts include many favorite family pets and some well-known movie stars as well. Old Yeller was a mutt, as was Benji and Bingo. Even Pluto, the famous Disney cartoon character, is a mutt. LifeLine Animal Project has seen their share of mutts and the staff there sing their praises as special and highly adoptable dogs. "We have some in our no-kill shelter right now," said Debbie Setzer, LifeLine's community outreach director. "They are happy and completely ready to take home. Mutts often have fewer health problems …
Monday, June 25, 2012
Brando was found guarding another dog's body. Now he needs a permanent home.
Man's best friend is known for his loyalty and devotion. It's been chronicled over the years in books, films, poetry and personal accounts that often bring a tear to the eye and a lump to the throat. There's something deeply personal about the allegiance a dog has to someone he loves. The bond is palpable. It is often unbreakable. Loyalty seems to be as much a part of a dog's make up as a wet nose or wagging tail. Even more touching can be the visible bond animals sometimes form with one another, as seen recently when a homeless dog, now named Brando, was found guarding the body of another dog who'd been hit by a car. It's unknown if the dog killed after being hit by an automobile near Highway 78 on Mountain Industrial Blvd was related to …
Monday, June 18, 2012
Being beautiful and well behaved doesn't protect a pet from becoming homeless. But it might help Petey find a new home.
Most of us have heard from friends, neighbors or co-workers about "problem" pets, the dogs or cats with behavioral or other issues that some owners either didn't know how to deal with or just didn't want to. In truth, many of these pets simply aren't shown patience and given the proper care, time and training. As a result some end up in shelters, on the streets or being shuttled off to a stranger via Craiglist or online ads. But what about the well-behaved pets? The good dogs? The sweet cats? Can they end up homeless too? Yes, they can. It can be because of an owner's life circumstances, finances, carelessness or neglect, but even the best behaved pets can end up in dire circumstances. Petey is good example. Petey (named after the Little …
Monday, June 11, 2012
Shakey the cat has a possible vestibular disorder that throws off his balance. He doesn't care one bit. Shakey has fun anyway.
He's extremely friendly, quite orange, very curious, totally loving and a bit wobbly. When you walk into the room and he spots you, you can see in his eyes he's determined that you will pet him. Oh, you will pet him. Shakey the cat will make sure of that. However, it just might take him a little longer to get to you than it would take a normal cat. Shakey is a year-old rescued cat with an equilibrium problem. Otherwise healthy, he has adjusted just fine to the challenge of being, well, shakey. He sometimes has problems judging distance and he tilts his head as he looks at you, but it somehow just makes this outgoing cat all the more appealing. The fact that likes to "talk" to people also adds to his charm. He lives in the offices at …
Monday, June 4, 2012
A volunteer cat trapper rescued a puppy that someone left in a trash barrel.
Peyton the puppy is one lucky dog. The shepherd mix pup, who is just barely 4 months old, was discovered last month in a not-very-heavily travelled part of an Atlanta greenspace. He had been dumped into a park trash can by someone and left there. A cat trapper (community volunteer who traps feral cats for TNR programs) was scouting the area and heard odd noises coming from an oil-drum trash barrel just off the beaten path. What he found when he checked out the source of the unusual sounds was a young dog covered in trash, tar and grime. LifeLine Animal Project stepped in and immediately took the puppy and cleaned him up and put him in a foster home until he could get all his vaccinations and was old enough to keep in their no-kill Dog …
Monday, May 28, 2012
Amelia the homeless cat got the best gift any rescued pet can receive - a wonderful home. A year later, her world crashed and now she's in a cage, looking for love again.
Patch readers first met Amelia the tortoiseshell cat, or "tortie", when she was living in the Kitty Motel at LifeLine Animal Project and looking for the love of a good owner. She found it. Amelia was adopted last year and discovered a new kind of bliss, one she'd never had before, as someone's pet. This sweet natured, dog-loving cat was happy at home with a new owner who adored her. They had a mutual admiration society going and all was well for many months. Then fate and the bad economy turned her world upside down when Amelia's owner lost her house and was finally forced to move to where she couldn't keep a cat. The owner, heartbroken, returned Amelia to LifeLine. Having now tasted life as a beloved pet, Amelia seems heartbroken too. "…
Monday, May 21, 2012
Rescued dogs and cats can be teacher's pets in June when LifeLine waives all adoption fees for educators and school administrators in Georgia.
Georgia schools are quickly wrapping up another school year but LifeLine Animal Project in Avondale Estates wants to spend some of the dog days of summer honoring the teaching profession. To express appreciation for educators in Georgia, from pre-K to post-grad, the 10-year-old Atlanta non-profit is waiving their standard $80-$120 pet adoption fees for teachers throughout the month of June and allowing them to adopt a pet for free. "We have several excellent volunteers at LifeLine who are teachers and we have a true appreciation for what these men and women do for society," said Deb Setzer, who serves as community outreach director for LifeLine and whose mother is also a teacher. LifeLine recently participated in after-school enrichment …
Therra C. Gwyn
8:29 am on Monday, October 29, 2012
Hi Tracy! As Ralph said, LifeLine is located in Avondale Estates. They have a no-kill Kitty Motel (where Clea lives) and a no-kill Dog House. They also run a low cost spay/neuter clinic in the same facility as well as a clinic in College Park. Clea really IS a beauty, you are right. She's so pretty, and her personality totally matches her looks. She's friendly, laid back, sweet. When I met her, I… more ›