Meadowlark & Sage
Meadowlark and Sage are settling in so well! They love to play and are snuggly too.
We’re all having a great time. Thanks for everyone’s care at Meow!
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Basil & Bob
Nothing but playing, sleeping next to one another, or grooming. They are extremely affectionate to us and our extended family.
Maxwell Smart
Providing support is to give help or assistance, or to hold someone up.
The third time Max faced major surgery due to ingesting a foreign object, his human mom realized she could no longer manage his Pica, a challenging condition in which an animal (or human) will ingest non-food items.
In Max’s case, he is particularly drawn to rubbery items, such as rubber bands, rubber balls, and once, a rubber wine stopper. Max was returned to MEOW and received the critical surgery he needed.
In our medical diagnostics of Max, which included consulting with a behaviorist, we discovered that Max is most prone to eating non-food items when bored or anxious.
During the months when Max lived at MEOW, we made certain he had lots of daily stimulation from staff and volunteers. We were vigilant about keeping rubbery toys and other dangerous items away from him, only allowing hard, durable toys, as well as lasers and wand toys managed by his caretakers.
We knew Max wasn’t the perfect cat for just anyone and would do best in a home with cat savvy adopters who would not only have lots of time to offer him plenty of attention and enrichment, but also make sure his environment was safe.
Then one day, our wishes for Max came true! Someone came to meet Max in hopes of adopting him as a best friend for her cat – who happens to also have Pica! The perfect home for Maxwell Smart!!
Kingdom
Kindness is marked by acts of generosity, consideration, rendering assistance, or concern for others, without expecting praise or reward in return.
Last winter a couple of rescuers were alerted to a colony of nine cats living near an adult family home in Marysville. Yes, they could trap and get them altered, but appointments were scarce and the shelters were full.
When the rescuers arrived to assess the situation, a thin red tabby came running to let them know he was very friendly – and so hungry. They put down food and began talking with the neighbors to get more information.
One woman said she was planning to trap also – to euthanize them. She got amusement from watching the cats struggle in the cold and snow. If the cats were lucky, they’d get a few leftovers from the dinners of the residents. Often they’d eat the compost or something from the garbage. The heartless women had bullied an older gentleman until he stopped feeding the cats for fear of getting in trouble. The cats were starving.
The rescuers began feeding them every day while waiting for spay/neuter appointments and started assessing their level of friendliness.
Kingdom would meet the car each day, teaching the others by example.
Six of the nine cats became MEOW cats, thanks to our heroes, the rescuers – and to that trusting red tabby, Kingdom.
Percy
Chicho, now called “Percy” ( or “Prince Charming” if you’re my mother) has been an amazing addition to my life! The first day I took him home he was a little shy and hid away, but I woke up the next morning to him curled between my knees and purring up a storm.
After that his shyness seemed to disappear, now he is a total lovebug and hardly ever leaves my side. He has a very nice cat tree in the living room next to a big window with lots of sun, but in true cat fashion he seems to have picked the window sill behind my bed as his favorite place instead.
My mother jokes that he’s a rich gentleman in a cat’s body, spoiled and demanding but so polite about it you want to satisfy his every whim, and I can’t exactly disagree!
He has so many little quirks that I’m still learning about, and I love each and every one. Like how he has determined that everything in a bowl is his, I can leave fresh fish out on a plate and he won’t touch it but the second I have oatmeal or soup in a bowl he needs to have it. Or how he insists on being cuddled at night , and will insistently chirp at me if I’m not in bed at our normal time.
He normally prefers cuddles and pets to playtime, but when he’s in the mood he’ll pick up and follow me around with the toy he wants (normally his worm on a string) until I stop what I’m doing and play with him. I love my spoiled prince to bits and I don’t know what I’d do without him.
– Katelin
My Couch to 5K Journey – April 22nd
The Day & Wrap Up
I was surprised at how nervous I was the night before and the morning of the 5K. Part of my career (back when I had a career) was to take a series of very tough exams over the course of many years to achieve my certification. The night before the run, the feeling in my stomach was the same as the night before those exams. Too late to do any more preparation, wanting to have a bit more time to prepare and knowing that waking up in the morning, it was going to happen whether I was ready or not. Hadn’t felt that feeling in a very long time. But…
I did it! I finished the 5K without walking! Wasn’t sure it was possible even as it was happening, but after I reached the halfway point it felt doable. I had miscalculated my pace earlier in the week. Based on my last 35-minute run, I thought the 5K would take me 45 minutes. I completed the course in 44 minutes. I was happy and lucky as my 5K mix only had 45 minutes of music on it. That would have been tough to run the last bit with no music.
The day was perfect for the event. No rain, a bit warmer than it has been. There was a great crowd. We had about 150 registrants, fast runners, fast joggers, slower joggers, run/walkers, walkers, folks with babies, dogs and even a harnessed cat participated, so I was not alone. Having people cheer along the course and as I crossed the finish line was exhilarating, almost as exhilarating as actually being done.
All in, we raised just about $4,500 for the animals of MEOW. That also feels great!
If you’re wondering whether I’ll continue to jog, the answer is, I just don’t know yet. Part of me thinks it might feel good to train a bit more and see if I could pick up my pace a little. And, part of me says, you did what you set out to do, move on. Either way it feels like my journey from the couch to the 5K was a success!
Charlie and Owen
Charlie and Owen are incredibly friendly and trusting, and are making friends with their new big sister, 13 year-old Luna.
Char
Spin & Ivy (aka Benson & Katie)
We are loving these two! They are so incredibly sweet and fun. We have since renamed them Spin and Ivy.
Spin is the all black spiderman, and we have an almost 6 year old son that is currently obsessed with superheroes. I work from home and they have been hanging out with me in our office during the days, which really helps make work more enjoyable!
Andrea
My Couch to 5K Journey – Week 12 (Final Week)
I made it to the final week of training runs, just two more until the BIG day (Saturday, April 22). It’s been an interesting journey filled with uncertainty, confidence, more uncertainty, more confidence, etc.
Based on recent runs, it looks like it will take me around 40 minutes to complete the 5K (if I can jog the entire route). Given that, it felt like a final training run next Wednesday of 30 minutes might not be enough to make me feel like the whole 5K is doable. So, I upped my run yesterday from 25-30 minutes and will tackle another 30-minute run on Monday and then a 35- minute run on Wednesday. Fingers crossed that’s enough to get me over the finish line.
I’ve put together my run mix playlist to keep me on pace both at the beginning (to keep the adrenaline in check) and at the end to keep me moving! I purchased an arm band holder for my phone even (but haven’t yet figured out how to use it exactly during the run).
When we started, I thought we’d have more participants and fundraisers but perhaps next year when folks see how much fun we all had, we’ll see more takers. It will be great to see all the participants out there, and the volunteers. We now have 120 registrants, a solid number.Sign up today!
Hoping the forecast for Saturday holds…
Just A Few Reasons Why I Accepted this Challenge
A big shout out to everyone who has donated so far in support of our 5K Challenge. If you haven’t supported us yet, now would be a great time as it certainly will help keep us motivated for that 20 minute run coming up this week! Across all platforms, we have raised $3,788 (75%) of our $5K goal.
If you’re really not interested participating in the 5K, you may certainly be a part of our fundraising efforts (and my team of encouragers) by donating. If you’d like to offer me encouragement by supporting MEOW, you may donate via my Facebook or Network for Good fundraising page. Thanks!
My Couch to 5K Journey – Week 11
Less than two weeks to the 5K! Where did the time go? Of course, with the weather we’ve been having it feels like we’re still in February!
Week 10 was a pretty good week. Got in 3 days of a 20 minute run. Some rain each day but I got myself out there anyway and it wasn’t too bad. Today’s run was actually 22 minutes because my timer did something weird and reset itself, so I had to start it over. Maybe I shouldn’t rely quite so much on technology.
I have to admit, I bailed on the yoga on off days. I’m walking on those days, but I realize that stretching and strengthening would be beneficial.
I’ve been pondering whether I’ll continue jogging after the 5K. It is a good way to get in my daily steps in a shorter amount of time. Hmm. I think I’ll hold off on that decision until 4/24 or so. Wish me luck as I tackle 25 minutes next week.
Whether you’re a runner or a walker, we’d love for you to join us on April 22nd at Marymoor Park. Registration is just $35. You’ll get a shirt and a bib number, and the satifsfaction of knowing you did something healthy for a great cause! Sign up today!
Just A Few Reasons Why I Accepted this Challenge
A big shout out to everyone who has donated so far in support of our 5K Challenge. If you haven’t supported us yet, now would be a great time as it certainly will help keep us motivated for that 20 minute run coming up this week! Across all platforms, we have raised $3,676 (73%) of our $5K goal.
If you’re really not interested participating in the 5K, you may certainly be a part of our fundraising efforts (and my team of encouragers) by donating. If you’d like to offer me encouragement by supporting MEOW, you may donate via my Facebook or Network for Good fundraising page. Thanks!