Give The Gift of Getting Involved

Community Cat Coalition is an all volunteer grassroots initiative. It’s only by volunteer support that we exist and are able to help our neighbors and our neighborhood cats. There are many ways to get involved as a volunteer to help the cause. Volunteers are needed in the following areas. If you are interested in becoming a volunteer, please contact us for more details.

• Accounting
• Administrative & Clerical Coordination
• Adoption Coordination
• Cat Care (feeding, cleaning and medicating)
• Community Relations
• Database Development
• Fundraising
• Grant Writing
• Graphic Design
• Field Work (TNR)
• Photography
• Public Relations & Marketing
• Shelter Making
• Social Networking
• Special Event Production
• Temporary Foster Homes
• Transport
• Volunteer Development & Coordination

The Life and Loss of Pixel

Pixel Caves Deal
May 2010 - December 2010

Pixel was not only a very special being, but a very lucky little boy who was found in a garbage can in Beacon in May of 2010. What saved him? His big mouth. Though he was small enough to fit in the palm of your hand at the time of rescue, his voice, mewing for help, was louder than bombs. And thank goodness. I shared time with Pixel while working to get him adopted into a good, loving home. He brought immense joy to my life. Pixel had great presence and a gentle, loving spirit. The day finally came when Pixel was adopted by a wonderful family who adored him tremendously. Pixel settled into his new home beautifully with a Mama and a Papa and siblings, too. Together, they shared laughs and love and tickles and tender moments. In November 2010, Pixel's health started to decline suddenly. A boy once full of radiant life was now listless and struggling for breathe. After thorough testing, it was determined that Pixel had contracted Feline Infectious Peritonitis (FIP), a fatal and incurable disease. This was devastating news. Despite the diagnosis, Pixel remained positive and fought to maintain his everyday life. His bravery though the struggle was nothing less than heroic. But the battle was lost on December 14, 2010. This little life, leaving far too soon, touched the lives of many. And he will be missed beyond measure. The lessons of love and life Pixel taught us will live on. Always. Thank you, Pixel. Pixel is survived by his parents Michelle Caves and Jared Deal and by his siblings Sushi and Sterling.

Community Cat Coalition Fund

Community Cat Coalition is delighted to announce its partnership with Community Foundation of Dutchess County to establish a charitable fund for the Coalition. Our new relationship with CFDC will help us increase and administer our donations which will allow us to fully concentrate on our mission. Community Cat Coalition is a grassroots initiative dedicated to humanely resolving the feral and stray cat overpopulation crisis in Beacon, New York. The Coalition raises awareness and educate residents and merchants on stray and feral cat colony care, Trap Neuter Return (TNR), and the importance of accessible, affordable spay and neuter services through workshops and public outreach. We also provide TNR assistance to area Caregivers. The Coalition is an all volunteer and non-funded effort that relies solely on private donations which make possible the important work we do in and for the community and its neighborhood cats.

Donations of any generosity are deeply appreciated and can be sent via mail to the address below or made online. Your contribution is tax deductible to the fullest extent of the law. Please make cheques payable to Community Cat Coalition Fund. For online donations, please note Community Cat Coalition in the "Fund Name" section.

Donate By Mail

Community Cat Coalition Fund
c/o Community Foundation of Dutchess County
80 Washington Street, Suite 201
Poughkeepsie, NY 12601

Donate Online

http://www.communityfoundationdc.org/page30001.cfm

Catching Up

The overwhelming demand for hands on assistance in the community has prevented us from keeping up to date on the blog. Pardon us, but know that we are in the midst of catching up on this and preparing for the launch of our web site. Stay tuned. In the meantime, please support us on Facebook (www.facebook.com/communitycatcoalition) and Petfinder (www.petfinder.com/NY1003.html).

A Second Chance For Ronin

When I first saw Ronin, he was trying to eat bread on Main Street in front of the post office. Ronin was a startling sight as he was severely dehydrated and starving and suffering from a respiratory infection. I was on my bike at the time I randomly saw him so I called a fellow rescuer to come by with a humane trap to help get this poor guy off the street. Our rescue attempt was unsuccessful. Since I didn't know where this cat came from, I posted a "Have you seen me?" plea for help on the CCC Facebook page to which a noble citizen responded. That very same day, Ronin was rescued, and just in time as his condition has deteriorated significantly in just a couple of days. After weeks of fluids and special medications and treatments, Ronin is stable and recovering beautifully. I suspect Ronin was once a pet cat who was discarded and just couldn't survive on his own. While Ronin's health grows strong with each new day, he has been diagnosed with FIV. Ronin is positive and proud and looking for a home where he is either the sole cat or companion to another FIV+ cat. Can you give Ronin the second chance he deserves? Ronin can be hand delivered to any good home within two hours of Beacon, NY. Please contact CCC if you are interested in meeting Ronin and learning more about his remarkable survival at info@communitycatcoalition.com.

CCC at Spirit of Beacon Day

CCC is excited to be a part of the 33rd annual Spirit of Beacon Day on Sunday, September 26, 2010 from 11AM to 4PM. We will have a table set up on Main Street with informational materials, homemade goods from a variety of local artists and artisans and a special parade performance.

For more information about the event, click here.

In The Press

There is an article in the Poughkeepsie Journal about Community Cat Coalition. Despite some inaccuracies, it's helpful at raising awareness about the important work we are doing in the community to humanely reduce and control the stray and feral cat population and improve the quality of life for all Beacon citizens, both the human and the feline kind.

To read the article, click here.

Ed and Ernie

Last Winter Ed the Mechanic adopted Ernie the Cat who was rescued as part of a TNR project. Ernie can be seen daily at the shop where he greets customers with a giant head butt and mew.

Fallon and His Forever

Fallon the funny fingers kitten was recently adopted by the Gilman family in Hopewell Junction where he is adored by two particularly remarkable little girls.

Trap Neuter Return Workshop & Volunteer Rally

CCC Cat & Kitten Adoption Event

Our Friend Omar

(have) The Courage to Act

Arts and Cats

Post Beacon Barks Gratitude

Thank you, Beacon, for the support at Beacon Barks. We had a great day with you. Super special thanks to Libby Faison, Steve Gold, Sara Pasti, Marc Schreibman, Michelle Caves, Kirsten Kucer, Marsha Aliaga, Belle Hann, Franny Lochow, The LaColla Family, Rick Price, Christine Seymour Price, Omar, Kelly Kingman, Paul O'Hanlon, Drew O'Hanlon, The Goodman Family, The Gurna Family, Kat Green, Fernworks, Kalene Rivers, Dan Weise, Open Space, The Ice Cream Express, Shirley Hot, The Franco Family, Ed Vermehren, Stephen Dickens, Kara, Korn, Lisa Altomare, Sai Corson, Tom Moore and all the kind folk who visited the CCC table.

The CCC at Beacon Barks on April 24, 2010

The Community Cat Coalition is thrilled to be participating in this year's Beacon Barks parade on Saturday, April 24 from 11AM to 3PM. As part of the event, we will have a table with all sorts of goodies and marchers in the parade. Thus, your help is needed to make our presence known.

Table Sitters
Volunteers are needed to table sit in 2-hour shifts with two people for each shift (4 volunteers total). You simply need to be a pleasant presence to greet and distribute informational handouts to folk who may come by. Shift options are 11AM to 1PM and/or 1PM to 3PM.

Marchers
Looking for enthusiastic folk young and old and either human or canine in species to participate. A banner and a mascot will lead the group. Line up starts at 10:30 AM.

Please contact the Coalition at info@communitycatcoalition.com with your interest in participating.

A Noble Kind of Name

The third and lone babe was named Noble, and he was insistent on living. We were all too eager to help meet his demands. It's been a physically and emotionally exhausting few days for the both of us.

The Lessons of Loss

Everything seemed to be going well until two of the babes perished suddenly and unexpectedly. Early one morning during the daily routine we discovered one of the babes had perished with the other taking its last breathes and the third fighting for his little life. This was a deeply devastating and heartbreaking situation we were desperately trying to save. Nora, who was a very young mama cat, apparently stopped nursing for reasons unknown. In an effort to save the third kitten, he was removed from mama and monitored closely being nursed by hand day in and out.

The Desperate Save for Lives

There was a total of six kittens rescued as part of the TNR project at Bob's. One set was comprised of three newborn kittens (pictured above when first found) who were rescued with their mama named Nora. The plan was to let mama nurse the babes to term then TNR her and place the kittens up for adoption. However, nature had other plans in mind.

The Complication of Kittens

During the trapping at Bob's, we discovered two sets of kittens that complicated matters quite a bit. The first set of three were days old and were discovered with their mama underneath a bed comforter. A stressed and feral mama ran off and hid, but we eventually were able to reunite her with her babes. The second set of three kittens who were about a week old, were found alone and crying tucked behind a bed. The orphaned kittens were fortunate to be placed into foster care with PANT while the younger kittens and their mama were placed in the care of friends Christine and Rick Price. The Coalition is deeply grateful to both PANT and the Price family for their spontaneous support.

Documenting The Bob Project

The TNR project at Bob's was challenging on many levels and involved trapping cats both in and outside of the house. One might think trapping in a contained environment is easy, but it proved to be far more difficult than we could have ever imagined.

A Bob of A Big Day

The Coalition prepared for a big project to help an ill and elderly gentleman named Bob. It took us a while to finally take action due to an assortment of complications including lack of staging space and funding. The overall goal is to help 14 to 16 cats that comprise the colony. Ideally, the colony would be trapped at once, but this is not possible due to limited resources. Thus, the project will be broken out into two phases with the first one targeting 8 cats.

Taking It To The Streets

Dear friend and mad talented artist Elia Gurna designed a fun flier for the Coalition. We love the flier and we love Elia and her family. Keep an eye out for us around town as our public presence is being launched.

Action No. 2

As we were waiting in the reception area of Antalek & Moore today to price out liability insurance we can't afford, we felt inspired while thumbing through the book titled How to Make the World a Better Place. 116 Ways You Can Make a Difference by Linda Catling and Jeffrey Hollender. Action number two was particularly uplifting especially as we have been feeling overwhelmed by our recent efforts in Beacon due to lack of community support. Agent Kathleen Sanford was a further source of inspiration. And hope.

Easton and Cutout Cat the Friend

 

Easton and his family are strong supporters of the Coalition. Mama Weise has designed and hand made the coolest of cat shelters and Papa Weise has cleverly designed the identity for the Coalition. We think they are the cats meow.

Playing Playback

The Coalition was a proud guest and volunteer table sitter for AWAN at the "Animal Companions" performance by Hudson River Playback Theatre at the Woodstock Community Center. It was an inspiring experience. Thank you, AWAN and Players for the warm invitation.

Clinic Day at Kingston

 It was an early rise for the Coalition as we had a long drive to the Ulster County SPCA in Kingston for appointments at their spay and neuter clinic. Before getting in the car, we have to prep the cats in the holding space. Prepping the cats involves making sure the traps are clean and lined with fresh newspaper and fresh linens covering the traps. Coalition volunteers Willie and Fran generously offered to transport us and the cats to our destination that is about 45 minutes North of Beacon.

Willie is a dedicated volunteer who rises to any call for help. The Coalition is grateful to have him and his wonderful wife Fran as members.

The UCSPCA clinic is run by Mary Ellen who is one of the best beings in the world. The clinic is well organized and comprised of a highly skilled, knowledgeable and compassionate staff. 

 

The cats are staged in room and carefully labeled with information that includes clear identification of the rescuer and the individual cat's sex, coloring and services to be performed. The cats are dropped off for intake between 8:00 and 8:30 AM and picked up between 4:30 and 5:00 PM.

 The clinic happens twice a week and is open to both rescuers and the general public.

There is a variety of amusing artwork around the clinic that we couldn't resist photographing.

It costs the Coalition on average $50 per cat for neutering and rabies vaccination. There are additional vet expenses often incurred such as medication and treatment for sick or injured cats and testing and further vaccination for adoptable cats that will be placed into homes. Then there are expenses for a variety of supplies for trapping and care for the cats while they are with us in the holding space for about a week for each project. It all adds up to a lot and a lot is something we don't have.

Finding Bob

The Coalition has been distressed about a colony issue involving an elderly Caregiver named Bob who was recently admitted into a managed care facility after having surgery to amputate a leg due to circulation issues. Bob cares for a colony of 14 cats. He started out with 2 about a year ago. We've been  desperately trying to reach Bob for weeks but were finally able to get in touch with a family member who we will be working with to TNR and relocate some of the cats to a barn in Ghent.

TNR and The Ticking Clock

Last week, we loaded up a loaned vehicle for our second project staged out of the Beacon Chamber of Commerce space. The Coalition owns a couple traps with the rest being borrowed from a variety of sources near and far. Sourcing loaned traps can be a stressful aspect of the work as there aren't any local trap banks to borrow from.

 The recent TNR project involved humanely trapping a high visibility colony on the West side of town. Once arriving at the project site, the traps are prepared with bait and covers then placed in a variety of areas around the home base of the colony and set. Once the traps are baited, placed and set, it' a waiting game. Sometimes it takes minutes for the cats to respond but more commonly takes hours. The Coalition is working on a long list of TNR projects scheduled to be done a bi-weekly basis as an aggressive (but humane) approach to resolving the cat overpopulation crisis in Beacon. The clock is ticking and Kitten Season is upon us.

Ernie With A Different Burt

Ernie, who was once Buddy then Earnest, was an abandoned cat forced to endure life on the streets until the Coalition recently humanely trapped, neutered and vaccinated him as part of our TNR efforts in Beacon. He was clearly far too friendly to be returned to his colony and Caregiver so was placed up for adoption. Ernie now happily lives with Ed the mechanic at his shop where he greets customers on a daily basis. Graham Goodman, one of the Coalition's youngest members, recently enjoyed afternoon snack time with Ernie. The two became fast friends.

The Wonder of Wonderful Beings

We had the pleasure of meeting Goldee Greene of Beacon Free Press and her handsome boy Bagel at the Beacon Chamber of Commerce event today. They are a dynamic duo the Coalition is proud to know.

Walking Donation

The Coalition received a generous donation from stand up citizen Michael and his faithful companion Lola as we were passing one another on Main Street. Thank you, good beings.

Cutting Ribbon

The Coalition celebrated the opening of the Beacon Chamber of Commerce space on Main Street today. It was a glorious day with a big turnout and we met some remarkable members of the Beacon community. The Chamber of Commerce and the Beacon Group in cooperation with Momir Guzijan generously loan this space to us for our TNR projects as we currently lack a dedicated space of our own. The Coalition is deeply grateful for their support as without it, we would not be able to do our work in and for the Beacon community.

Prep and The Plot

We are exhausted but happy from a long day of prep for a TNR project and filming for a PSA about the Coalition. Physical prep for a TNR project usually takes a couple of days, depending on the scope but coordination can take weeks especially as we currently lack a dedicated space and resources. The Coalition is working with Super 9 Films on the PSA.

Check Your Bread

The Coalition recently received an unexpected donation from a couple of fine Beacon citizens. We are touched by their kind gesture. It's our first donation in check form which we are quite excited about it. 

Sexy Beast

Friends of the Coalition generously loaned us their ueber trap for our upcoming TNR project. This beauty has the best back door and is a trap we hope to have as our standard trap someday. They are costly at about $65 each but worth every little penny due to their practical and safe design.

Preparation for Project

The Coalition is preparing for another project to be staged at the Beacon Chamber of Commerce space on Main Street. We picked up our preferred dry food from Blue Seal as one of our standard supplies. At $14.99 for a 32 pound bag, it's quite the deal for a good quality food. The Coalition gratefully accepts food donations of this (or any) kind. Please email us should you be interested in making a contribution.

Catman

At Your Service

During our rounds to check colony sites around town during the snow storm, we came across an amusing contrast of a sight that inspired us. The Coalition works in a volunteer capacity on behalf of the betterment of the Beacon community. We are committed to a similar creed as the postal service... "Neither rain nor snow, nor sleet nor dark of night shall stay these couriers from the swift completion of their appointed rounds".

Somethings of A Storm

 

Beacon had a bully of a guest recently in the form of a Winter storm that brutalized the city over the course of a few days. Once the storm settled down, The Coalition visited various colony sites around town to check on the cats and their feeding and shelter stations. Some of the sites were difficult to access due to the magnitude of snow but we forged our way forth through it to clear access.

We waded through waist high snow to reach this feeding station on the East side of town that was buried under a tree weighed down by the dense snow accumulation.

This shelter was buried under nearly four feet of snow and was a challenge to get to.

The Present of A Post

 

The Coalition recently established a post office box at the Beacon Post Office. We are excited to have a new residence to receive mail at.

Volunteers Wanted

The Community Cat Coalition needs YOU to help support its humane efforts to resolve the stray and feral cat overpopulation issue in Beacon. The Coalition is a non-funded, all volunteer run and inspired organization. We have a lot to accomplish, but we can't do it alone. Please email us at info@communitycatcoalition.com if you are interested in learning more about how you can get involved. We look forward to your participation in building a better Beacon (for us all).

Letting Go of Lady Jane

 

Lady Jane sits quietly while awaiting release back to her colony and Caregiver on the West end of Beacon. She is a fiery lady who eluded previous trapping attempts for the last seven years. The Coalition was delighted to have her company for a few days in preparation for and recovery from a visit to the spay and neuter clinic at the Dutchess County SPCA as part of our TNR efforts in Beacon. We will miss Jane, but know she will be happier (and now healthier) back at the colony she calls home.

The Big Day

We were up extra early this morning to get ourselves and the cats ready for the trek to the Dutchess County SPCA. Today, Lady Jane and Earnest will get spayed and neutered and vaccinated as part of our TNR program in Beacon. Earnest chatted the whole way there while Lady Jane remained quiet sans a few soft mews of comfort she offered to Earnest. She's not feeling to well due to a mild URI, an all too common infection in cats especially those with access to or living outdoors. Lady Jane will be receiving treatment for her little cold and will not be released back to her home territory until she is fully recovered.