Pet Page & SPCA Update

Posted On May 7, 2014

Molina & Barney want to know when they’ll get their forever home... — Molina & Barney want to know when they’ll get their forever home…

As we all kept an anxious eye on the ice jams this year, the banks of the Tobique ran over and the saturated ground flooded the basement at the SPCA Shelter in Arthurette. None of the resident cats were hurt, but it made quite a mess and the shelter lost some of the supplies that were stored in the basement that were ruined by the water such as kitty litter, food and whole packages of ever needed paper towels.

Barb told me that the “Brawny” brand of paper towel really lives up to its reputation as being super-absorbent…. She said she could barely pick up a whole package that had been on the floor, it was so heavy from the water it had sucked up!

I stopped in to say hello on my way to Plaster Rock as I delivered the last issue of the Blackfly and found Barb just finishing as she fed and took care of the kitty gang. There are a few shy cats living there, but for the most part everyone is delighted to say hello to visitors. Some, being cats after all, are just too cool to move from their special spots but they will grant one the privilege of giving them a little petting.

Sooty is an elegant and friendly pewter and white fellow

After this flood in the basement, the shelter could use some extra donated supplies to replace the stuff that was lost, and of course, to keep up with the ongoing needs of the cats in residence.
Barb did say she had just experienced a miracle… a woman came in to the shelter and offered to volunteer. In addition to the never ending need for food, supplies and money to run the place, the shelter can always use helping hands.

As we celebrate Mother’s Day this week, the Cat Mother Bast was one of the most popular goddesses of ancient Egypt. Cats were sacred to Bast and to harm a cat was considered to be a crime against the goddess and very unlucky.

The goddess Bast with a litter of kittens at her feet

Bast was depicted as a cat, or as a woman with the head of a cat. Like cats themselves, Bast personified the playfulness, grace, affection and cunning of a cat, as well as possessing the fierce power of a lioness.

The ancient Egyptians valued cats because they protected crops by killing vermin, so Bast was also seen as a protective goddess who had the heart of a predator.

Just like our pet cats! Mine are snuggle bugs on the couch, but watch out little mousies. Or, in Poquito’s case, watch out small, expensive wiring that is attached to equipment like headphones, tape recorders and Kindles!

It’s kitten season again, which means more homeless cats. Maybe you have room in your heart and home for a new cat companion? Call our shelters and you can meet some of the nicest cats around that would love to come home with you forever.