{"id":6219,"date":"2023-12-04T04:51:18","date_gmt":"2023-12-04T12:51:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.matilijapress.com\/catscapades\/?p=6219"},"modified":"2023-12-04T04:51:18","modified_gmt":"2023-12-04T12:51:18","slug":"meowy-monday-lets-honor-the-hard-working-cat-rescue-angels","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.matilijapress.com\/catscapades\/?p=6219","title":{"rendered":"Meowy Monday \u2013 Let\u2019s Honor the Hard-Working Cat Rescue Angels"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"alignleft size-medium wp-image-6181\" src=\"https:\/\/www.matilijapress.com\/catscapades\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/catcalicoBerger-225x300.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"225\" height=\"300\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.matilijapress.com\/catscapades\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/catcalicoBerger-225x300.jpg 225w, https:\/\/www.matilijapress.com\/catscapades\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/catcalicoBerger-375x500.jpg 375w, https:\/\/www.matilijapress.com\/catscapades\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/catcalicoBerger-rotated.jpg 480w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 225px) 100vw, 225px\" \/>A few days ago I received the winter edition of <em>Paws for the News<\/em>, a beautifully done newsletter put out by RESQCATS of Santa Barbara. I have to admit this is not the only newsletter I receive from cat rescue organizations. I also get one from a local homegrown raptor rescue center and a local land preserve. But RESQCATS is one of my favorite charities.<\/p>\n<p>Jeffyne Telson has been rescuing cats and kittens<img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"alignright size-medium wp-image-6166\" src=\"https:\/\/www.matilijapress.com\/catscapades\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/cattabbyshelter-225x300.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"225\" height=\"300\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.matilijapress.com\/catscapades\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/cattabbyshelter-225x300.jpg 225w, https:\/\/www.matilijapress.com\/catscapades\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/cattabbyshelter-375x500.jpg 375w, https:\/\/www.matilijapress.com\/catscapades\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/cattabbyshelter-rotated.jpg 480w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 225px) 100vw, 225px\" \/> through her amazing organization, RESQCATS for nearly thirty years. This is her passion and her life\u2019s work. She has a beautiful facility where she houses the cats. With a <img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"alignleft size-medium wp-image-6167\" src=\"https:\/\/www.matilijapress.com\/catscapades\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/catsorangecage-225x300.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"225\" height=\"300\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.matilijapress.com\/catscapades\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/catsorangecage-225x300.jpg 225w, https:\/\/www.matilijapress.com\/catscapades\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/catsorangecage-375x500.jpg 375w, https:\/\/www.matilijapress.com\/catscapades\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/catsorangecage-rotated.jpg 480w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 225px) 100vw, 225px\" \/>small dedicated staff and volunteers, Jeffyne gives cats and kittens a place to rest along a sometimes difficult life journey. She treats any ailments and injuries (per her veterinarian\u2019s instructions), socializes them, and works hard to find the appropriate home for each and everyone. She has, to date, rescued and cared for nearly 4,000 cats. What a worthwhile, exhausting, sad, beautiful, and satisfying way of life.<\/p>\n<p>Jeffyne won the honor a few years ago of being chosen from thousands of applicants to <img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"alignright size-medium wp-image-5850\" src=\"https:\/\/www.matilijapress.com\/catscapades\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/catpetstore2-225x300.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"225\" height=\"300\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.matilijapress.com\/catscapades\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/catpetstore2-225x300.jpg 225w, https:\/\/www.matilijapress.com\/catscapades\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/catpetstore2-375x500.jpg 375w, https:\/\/www.matilijapress.com\/catscapades\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/catpetstore2-rotated.jpg 480w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 225px) 100vw, 225px\" \/>care for cats at a rescue facility on a Greek island. She wrote a book about her experiences there and has won some prestigious awards with that book and hopefully touched some hearts.<\/p>\n<p>But that is not the end of Jeffyne\u2019s story. She continues to serve the cat community with the same passion that she started with all those years ago. She\u2019s a cat rescue <img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"alignleft size-medium wp-image-5763\" src=\"https:\/\/www.matilijapress.com\/catscapades\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/catblackstreet-300x225.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.matilijapress.com\/catscapades\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/catblackstreet-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.matilijapress.com\/catscapades\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/catblackstreet-500x375.jpg 500w, https:\/\/www.matilijapress.com\/catscapades\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/catblackstreet-768x576.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.matilijapress.com\/catscapades\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/catblackstreet-1536x1152.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/www.matilijapress.com\/catscapades\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/catblackstreet.jpg 2016w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/>angel\u2014one of many and one that I respect deeply.<\/p>\n<p>I donate to RESQCATS. I&#8217;ve visited the facility in Santa Barbara. I\u2019ve written about <img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"alignright size-medium wp-image-5568\" src=\"https:\/\/www.matilijapress.com\/catscapades\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/catcatcafestripe-300x225.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.matilijapress.com\/catscapades\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/catcatcafestripe-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.matilijapress.com\/catscapades\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/catcatcafestripe-500x375.jpg 500w, https:\/\/www.matilijapress.com\/catscapades\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/catcatcafestripe-768x576.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.matilijapress.com\/catscapades\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/catcatcafestripe-1536x1152.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/www.matilijapress.com\/catscapades\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/catcatcafestripe.jpg 2016w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/>this organization. I even did a little volunteering there, and this also happens to be where my beautiful calico, Olivia, came from. I adopted Olivia from a photograph in 2020 and had the task and privilege of finishing the socialization process with her. As you\u2019ll recall, there were few if any <img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"alignleft size-medium wp-image-5457\" src=\"https:\/\/www.matilijapress.com\/catscapades\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/Rip13weeks-225x300.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"225\" height=\"300\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.matilijapress.com\/catscapades\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/Rip13weeks-225x300.jpg 225w, https:\/\/www.matilijapress.com\/catscapades\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/Rip13weeks-375x500.jpg 375w, https:\/\/www.matilijapress.com\/catscapades\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/Rip13weeks-rotated.jpg 480w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 225px) 100vw, 225px\" \/>opportunities for us to socialize with other people, let alone have people in to help socialize a kitten during that time. Olivia is my snuggle bunny, but we\u2019re still working on her socialization with others. So far she has learned to trust her cat sitter. And she will come out of hiding and watch certain guests from a distance. Happy about that.<\/p>\n<p>But this post is only a little bit about Olivia. It\u2019s also <img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"alignright size-medium wp-image-5420\" src=\"https:\/\/www.matilijapress.com\/catscapades\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/catwilds-225x300.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"225\" height=\"300\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.matilijapress.com\/catscapades\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/catwilds-225x300.jpg 225w, https:\/\/www.matilijapress.com\/catscapades\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/catwilds-375x500.jpg 375w, https:\/\/www.matilijapress.com\/catscapades\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/catwilds-768x1024.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.matilijapress.com\/catscapades\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/catwilds-1152x1536.jpg 1152w, https:\/\/www.matilijapress.com\/catscapades\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/catwilds-rotated.jpg 1512w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 225px) 100vw, 225px\" \/>about the thousands of cats and kittens RESQCATS has rescued.<\/p>\n<p>I read RESQCATS winter 2023 newsletter with tears in my eyes. These were tears of sadness and pain at how some people and the elements treat cats, along with tears of pure joy upon reading some of the sweetest happy-ending stories ever\u2014like the one where someone found a seriously underweight, near death <img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"alignleft size-medium wp-image-5415\" src=\"https:\/\/www.matilijapress.com\/catscapades\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/catbengalneighbor-225x300.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"225\" height=\"300\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.matilijapress.com\/catscapades\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/catbengalneighbor-225x300.jpg 225w, https:\/\/www.matilijapress.com\/catscapades\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/catbengalneighbor-374x500.jpg 374w, https:\/\/www.matilijapress.com\/catscapades\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/catbengalneighbor.jpg 671w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 225px) 100vw, 225px\" \/>kitten in a garbage bin, and the struggles to save him. The happy ending came when Mr. Jeffyne (as they call Jeffyne\u2019s dear husband), walked through the cattery one day. It\u2019s a cute story because it\u2019s actually against policy and house rules for Mr. Jeffyne to go anywhere near the kittens during kitten season. Why? Because he\u2019s a <img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"alignright size-medium wp-image-5188\" src=\"https:\/\/www.matilijapress.com\/catscapades\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/Oliviaeyespretty-225x300.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"225\" height=\"300\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.matilijapress.com\/catscapades\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/Oliviaeyespretty-225x300.jpg 225w, https:\/\/www.matilijapress.com\/catscapades\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/Oliviaeyespretty-375x500.jpg 375w, https:\/\/www.matilijapress.com\/catscapades\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/Oliviaeyespretty-768x1024.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.matilijapress.com\/catscapades\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/Oliviaeyespretty-1152x1536.jpg 1152w, https:\/\/www.matilijapress.com\/catscapades\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/Oliviaeyespretty-rotated.jpg 1512w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 225px) 100vw, 225px\" \/>foster cat failure. He has fostered kittens before and he always fails\u2014meaning he always adopts them himself..<\/p>\n<p>So this day, with staff and volunteers gently reminding Mr. Jeffyne that he\u2019s not supposed to be there, he walked in and straight to the pen where the tiny orange tabby (garbage can) kitten was fighting for his life. Long story short, Mr. Jeffyne adopted the kitten and he\u2019s now living the good life in their home with a houseful of other cats that no one else wanted. With a new name\u2014Mufasa\u2014and renewed health, this perky, happy orange tabby is living his best life\u2014as it should be.<\/p>\n<p>There are a whole lot of \u201cholidays\u201d throughout the year honoring cats and people and so many other things\u2014why not one honoring rescue cat angels? There are rescue cat angels in every state and most communities doing wonderful work. It&#8217;s hard work and it can be heartbreaking, but these people do it with love. Let\u2019s not forget to honor them and to help them in meaningful ways\u2014through your donations of time, needed items, and, of course funds.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>A few days ago I received the winter edition of Paws for the News, a beautifully done newsletter put out by RESQCATS of Santa Barbara. I have to admit this is not the only newsletter I receive from cat rescue &hellip; <a href=\"https:\/\/www.matilijapress.com\/catscapades\/?p=6219\">Continue reading <span class=\"meta-nav\">&rarr;<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[15,41],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.matilijapress.com\/catscapades\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6219"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.matilijapress.com\/catscapades\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.matilijapress.com\/catscapades\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.matilijapress.com\/catscapades\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.matilijapress.com\/catscapades\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=6219"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.matilijapress.com\/catscapades\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6219\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":6220,"href":"https:\/\/www.matilijapress.com\/catscapades\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6219\/revisions\/6220"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.matilijapress.com\/catscapades\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=6219"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.matilijapress.com\/catscapades\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=6219"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.matilijapress.com\/catscapades\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=6219"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}