SNIPPET 1
A short video starring the furry felines at the Friends of Cats from my 2½ hours volunteering on August 19, 2018.
SNIPPET 2
I will be volunteering at Friends of Cats for 2½ hours each day, Sunday through Thursday. Yesterday I spent most of my time letting the FIV cats know that they have not been forgotten. They really enjoyed having me with them. Except this one. I wasn’t fooled. I saw him watching me.
SNIPPET 3
I have a Bachelor of Science in Forest Management from Texas A&M University. So I do, uh, kinda like trees. However, treeless mountains also can be quite beautiful, like these over near Death Valley National Monument in California.
SNIPPET 4
Now, along with alternative facts and fake news, we have Rudy Giuliani telling us that “Truth isn’t truth.” Zoey the Cool Cat agrees, I think. Maybe not. Maybe she’s just being sarcastic.
SNIPPET 5
While volunteering at Friends of Cats for National Clear the Shelters Day on Saturday, I met my first heterochromia cat. Previously all I had seen were pictures. Now I have my own picture.
Heterochromia can occur in humans and dogs as well as cats. With cats, it occurs mostly in white cats. One eye almost always is blue in humans, dogs, and cats.
SNIPPET 6
When I came home Saturday after 8 hours volunteering for Friends of Cats, I went to hug Zoey the Cool Cat. She smelled me and gave me a look that said, “Dude! You’ve been cheating on me!” A video of many of the little furry ones that I had the pleasure to cheat with on my first day of volunteering
SNIPPET 7
While I was roaming the country a few weeks ago, I made it a point to visit all the great railroad spots, such as the historic California railroad yards in Barstow and Yermo. Here’s a video of a Union Pacific freight train heading west into the Barstow yard. From there it will go either to San Francisco, Los Angeles, or San Diego.
SNIPPET 8
This little guy’s name is Chuckie. He lives at the Friends of Cats shelter in El Cajon, California. He is a finicky eater, preferring only whole chicken from Costco.
SNIPPET 9
Got the official diagnosis Saturday on Zoey the Cool Cat’s blood, poop, and pee analysis. She’s diabetic, although not severe enough to require daily insulin shots. The vet wants to give her a significant change of diet.
SNIPPET 10
It is often said that you don’t choose a cat, a cat chooses you. I saw that on Saturday while volunteering all day at Friends of Cats shelter in El Cajon, California. It was very moving.
A teen boy came in with his mom. They sat on the floor and were petting cats. A black cat (yeah black cats!) named Ace, a “problem cat” that had been in the shelter for several years, came up to him, flopped on the floor, and proceeded to let the boy rub his tummy and head, and even pick him up. Ace wanted to snuggle and generally told this boy that he was the one. The boy took him home.
Staff was astounded because Ace had never done such before.
Heterochromia! Now I have a name. I have one blue and one green eye, I just didn’t know there was an official name for it! Thanks for volunteering. I know the cats must love having you around!
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The first time I saw a picture of one, I was wondering how the photographer did it because Photoshop wasn’t around then………….lol
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Hey Russell:
Degree in Forestry Management, eh?
I’ll bet there’s more than one Nature Conservancy group or something similar nearby.
The Earth needs all the help it can get.
If you’re still looking for something to fill your super-productive calendar.
No doubt all efforts will be appreciated.
If not by man, then perhaps by Mother Earth.
Seek peace,
Paz
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I had looked for some conservation groups but they seem to be few and far between here in San Diego, or they actually are 60 miles away, out in the forest or desert, making a daily commitment difficult.
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https://www.fws.gov/refuge/san_diego_bay/
Don’t know about the people/politics/organisation but — well worth a visit.
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I have already done my stint with the San Diego National Wildlife Refuge, which actually is in two parts, one at the bay and one out here in the boondocks near me. The problem with SDNWR is that it is a government enterprise.
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Since I prefer grown cats to kittens, I thought I would be the perfect person to socialize cats. My husband is afraid we would end up with a house full of cats. Possibly
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