It Takes a Village

The stories and articles in this edition of Pet Tidings communicate our dedication to a primary principle of animal rescue: every creature has the right to the best quality of life we can provide. For kittens and young adult cats in perfect health—the ones who are generally selected for adoption first—placing them in good permanent homes is a relatively easy process. Finding the right home for felines who are not quite so “adoptable,” who come with physical or behavioral issues, or who have been subjected to traumatic experiences in their young lives, is a more difficult but equally important process. Medical issues add significant expense, and may lengthen the amount of time required to find that purrfect home with an individual or family willing and able to provide the extra medical care and other accommodations necessary to maintain the quality of life we require for all our adoptees.

Reign and Sage in It Takes A Village and Roadster in An Unbelievable Tale are examples of cats who have endured traumatic events in their young lives, have been given the opportunity for a wonderful life initiated by the act of a Good Samaritan, and have now been placed in wonderful forever homes. We hope you enjoy their stories.

— Marilyn Ash, Editor

We believe that every rescue that enters Safe Haven deserves a happy, healthy life. However, cats with special medical challenges or a chronic condition like hyperthyroidism, kidney disease, diabetes or dental issues face steep hurdles. They are less likely to be adopted than younger healthy cats, often being overlooked simply because they require a little extra support.

Our dedicated intervention bridges this gap. By providing the specialized veterinary treatments, unique medications, special diets and tailored care needed, these extraordinary cats are given a second chance to have a new beginning, complete with a new guardian to love them.

Your support proves that a special challenge doesn’t lessen a rescue cat’s capacity to love; it highlights their incredible resilience. Thank you for opening your heart and honoring this shared kinship. We are most grateful for your continued support of our vital mission.

— Board of Directors, Peninsula Friends of Animals

From there, the search began for other kittens and for the mother. When they could find neither, Sage and his coworker put the pile back together and prepared to strike a match.

Once again, they heard a meow. This time, it was the mama cat coming to look for her baby. Naturally, the mama cat had no intention of interacting with Sage until his mom, Kerry, brought the kitten out. Even though mama cat scratched up one of his arms, Sage didn’t give up. When he was able to get a hold of her and get her into Kerry’s car, she calmed down knowing she was with her baby.

Sage and his mom are both cat people, and they understood the importance of getting both cats the proper care they needed, especially since the kitten was very young and underweight. This wasn’t the time to find someone to adopt them – it was the time to get them help.

The only place Sage and his mom trusted was PFOA. Normally, we can’t accept cats without an appointment and review, but we try to make exceptions for cats in distress, and these two were definitely in distress.

Once at PFOA, one of our animal caretakers, Reign, and our Executive Director, Danette, set to work getting both cats out of Kerry’s car.

While Reign was able to place the kitten in a carrier right away, mama managed to wedge herself under the passenger seat. After several failed attempts, Danette brought the carrier closer to the front seat so mama could see and smell her baby. When mama moved, Reign was able to reunite her with her baby.

Mama and her baby stayed in our isolation trailer for a week. We had no available foster parents, and, at five weeks old, and with no vaccines, the baby was too young to be exposed to our other shelter kittens. The little baby was also underweight at about one pound, and was still nursing. We don’t have the around-the-clock resources at PFOA to monitor kitties in distress, which is why we depend on our foster parents so much.

Luckily for all, one of our foster moms, Linda, was about to bring in another stray mama and her kittens, who were ready to be adopted. Linda asked about the little mama cat and her tiny baby. “We don’t have anyone to foster them,” was the reply.

Continued on page 4

“I’ll take them,” Linda replied without hesitation. And Linda jumped in to take mama cat, now named Reign, and her little baby girl, now named Sage. After just one month, both Reign and Sage were ready to come back to PFOA.

“I really enjoy being a part of this process, and doing something important.”

When my turn came to meet them, I stopped outside the quarantine room, donned my shoe protectors, lathered my hands with sanitizer, and then carefully, slowly, entered the room. Reign was now one year old, and her baby, Sage, was eight weeks old. Sage was a typical kitten, bouncing from one place to another, stopping only briefly to pose for photos. Reign was content to meet me from a distance, and then relax under the chair to watch me interact with her baby.

Linda’s time fostering both Reign and Sage was critical to their socialization. Under her expert care, Sage gained a pound, and Reign has gone from being unsure and growly to a gentle soul who just wants lots of affection. Reign is nervous around new things and loud sounds, and needs to have a safe place just for her, but she is a loving and attentive mother to Sage. She even shares her food with her baby, ensuring that her baby has all the nutrition she needs to thrive.

As a typical kitten, Sage is oblivious to the dangers of her previous life and to the sacrifices her mom made for her. She loves life, and especially enjoys sleeping with a cover.

We love stories with happy endings, and this one is no exception. On August 29, Reign and Sage left their interim home at Safe Haven for their forever home in Sequim. Although it was a rainy, overcast day, there were only bright smiles as PFOA staff and volunteers waved goodbye to this amazing pair.

Meet Carla, one of our extraordinary volunteers who recently expanded her commitment to PFOA by joining our Board of Directors. We’re so fortunate to have her on our team!

She was born in Los Angeles and raised in the San Fernando Valley. She probably never imagined her life would eventually take her around the world — and ultimately to Peninsula Friends of Animals. But after earning a degree in physical education in Montana and beginning a career in education, adventure called.

What started as a teaching opportunity in Poland became a remarkable international journey spanning more than 20 years and seven countries, including the Netherlands, Egypt, Bangladesh, Italy, Singapore, and England. Along the way, she taught elementary students, became a school librarian, explored museums across Europe and Asia, hiked scenic trails around the globe, and discovered a deep appreciation for experiencing cultures through everyday life rather than tourist attractions.

After 33 years in education, she retired — but slowing down was never really her style. Returning to the United States in 2019, she began volunteering with animal rescue organizations, helping with everything from trap-neuter-return programs to adoption events. When she later moved to the Olympic Peninsula and discovered PFOA, she quickly became part of the family.

Today, many volunteers and staff know her as someone who quietly steps in wherever help is needed. She has filled in as a caretaker for months at a time, cleaned and cared for overlooked shelter spaces, transported cats, worked countless events, sold PFOA’s famous potholders, and recently took over volunteer scheduling. Whether she’s comforting shy cats in the pole barn or helping organize an event, she brings warmth, reliability, and compassion to everything she does.

But perhaps one of the most inspiring parts of her story reaches far beyond the shelter walls. For years, she has helped support a family in Zimbabwe, providing food, school supplies, tutoring, and educational opportunities for four girls so they could stay in school and build brighter futures. What began as helping a friend’s family evolved into a long-term commitment that has genuinely changed lives. Though she speaks humbly about it, her generosity has helped open doors that otherwise may never have existed.

Despite her incredible travels and experiences, she remains wonderfully down-to-earth — happiest talking about cats, road trips, gardening, museums, and her beloved bonded feline pair, Sam and Dave. Carla’s story is one of curiosity, kindness, and giving back, and PFOA is lucky to have her as part of its community.

There are stories that are so bizarre and so horrific that they are hard to believe. This is one of those stories.

It began early in July. An individual was driving on Highway 101 between Gardiner and Diamond Point Roads and saw someone throw a cat from a moving vehicle. The driver, who volunteers for a local animal rescue organization, immediately turned around, parked beside the highway and began looking for the cat. When the cat was nowhere to be found, the driver contacted someone involved in local trap-neuter-return (TNR). But despite numerous efforts to find him, the cat was gone.

In mid-July, a possible sighting along the Olympic Discovery Trail was posted online. Dr. Rachel Wiesen, a local veterinarian, saw the post, and set a live trap near the trail. She and her husband began checking the trap regularly. A couple of days passed with no sign of the cat, but that evening, their flashlight caught someone looking back at them. The cat who Dr. Wiesen had now named Roadster turned and ran away.

They moved the trap and kept changing the food, hoping they would find something Roadster would consider tasty enough to venture inside the trap. And on the sixth day, they tried beef pâté.

When they checked the trap the next day, it was still empty, but the food was gone! Finally, they had found something that Roadster liked.

They rebaited the trap, and it took another three days, but it finally worked. After over two weeks fending for himself, Roadster was waiting inside. He was terrified at being in the trap, throwing himself against the sides when they picked it up, but calmed down when Dr. Wiesen covered the trap with a towel.

She took Roadster to Port Hadlock Veterinary Clinic to determine the extent of the injuries. There was a good deal of swelling on his head, and all of his nails had been ripped off from trying to regain his balance when he hit the asphalt. He had some back pain as well, but considering everything he had gone through, he was in remarkably good condition.

After Roadster was stable, Dr. Wiesen called PFOA and asked if we could make room for him. We first set him up in one of the large isolation cages, and after a couple of weeks, he moved to one of the adult rooms designed with cat comfort in mind—a cat tree, some toys, and other cats nearby. He never showed any signs of aggression toward the other cats, and began to demonstrate that he could trust people again.

The online posting of Roadster’s story drew a great deal of interest from the communities on the Peninsula… continued on page 7

Peninsula. A Good Samaritan donated funds to help pay for Roadster’s initial medical expenses. And four individuals, who were among the many who followed Roadster’s progress via the online posts, offered to donate funds to cover his ongoing medical treatment.

One month after his rescue, Dr. Wiesen came to PFOA to give Roadster his rabies vaccination, the final requirement before PFOA could post Roadster available for adoption. And this young tabby, estimated at between three and five years old, was more than ready for a home of his own.

Just over two weeks later, on September 15, Roadster got his wish. His new home is in a small rural community in Jefferson County. There are several places where he can relax and enjoy the view, and there’s lots of space for him to roam indoors. His new dad writes:

“You will be pleased to know that ROADSTER is fitting in just fine in our home. He now follows my wife Paula around almost everywhere in our home. He enjoys his new cat tree, particularly the upper level where he can see us and also look outside. He sleeps some of the night next to us and occasionally will jump on the bed but only remains there for a short period of time.

“The longer he is with us, the more confidence he has in us. He has several places he can look outside, and the home has lots of space for him to roam. He is settling in very well, and there have been no problems whatsoever. When he jumps up on a shelf or whatever, he is extremely careful not to knock anything over.

“He shows no sign of any physical impairment from being thrown out the window of the moving vehicle. He can easily jump four feet or more from a standing position, and he can navigate around small obstacles with extreme care. Thus far he has not knocked anything over.

“We are very pleased and delighted you selected us to adopt ROADSTER.”

Memorials given in honor of a deceased pet, in memory of a friend or family member, or Honorariums to thank special friends are a lovely way to say “Thank you” or “I love you” or “I miss you.” A public statement of remembrance can help bring closure or soften grief, as well as honor a loved one.

Please note that there is at least a month lag between the cutoff date for receiving memorials and honorariums and the date Pet Tidings is published and delivered to your home or made available online. All remembrances not received by the cutoff date will be included in the following issue.