Wow! A lot happened since I left work last night! I think Beth said it correctly, that we are all a bunch of crazy cat ladies (and a few men). I think that because our passions run so high for these kitties, that we are all the more passionate about these issues. I'm glad to see that people are sticking to the issues at hand and not attacking in personal ways, but I think this argument has come to the point that no one is going to budge, so it's kind of a stalemate, at an impasse. I feel very strongly about this issue as well (declawing), and I think that there is a middle ground here for all of us to agree on without compromising our views in any way. As Susan said, change is made by little steps.
Those of the "never declaw camp" and those of the "do what we can" camp can both agree that change is necessary because neither way is a solution. So, instead of wasting all our energy on arguing (and it is exhausting), focus that energy toward education and awareness. Take the information from those websites (pawproject and the other one that someone posted), and use it to make literature to distribute. Talk to people off this list about how to train cats. I think many people are so devastatingly uninformed when it comes to the furniture issue. Although mine is scratched, it is not ugly or destroyed. It just takes education. The next time someone is shocked that your kitties are not declawed and says, "What about the furniture?!" tell him/her about the ways to prevent it. Even if that person doesn't have a cat, perhaps he/she knows someone with cats or who's thinking about getting a kitty. Maybe your information will influence someone down the road to request a kitty with claws or to pass on the info. We really need to put the information out there and let it work through people. We can all agree on that. Melissa _____ From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Beth Noren Sent: Tuesday, September 25, 2007 1:17 AM To: felvtalk@felineleukemia.org Subject: Re: Here is the link Glenda, many of us here mix our vaccinated negatives with our positives. It is a calculated risk that takes into account quality of life, as is your decision to allow your cats outside. In my situation, with my neighborhood and my street-senseless cats, an outdoor kitty is a risk that I won't take. Your situation may be very different. I guess I am just trying to suggest that we ALL care deeply for our cats, and that we be gentler with each other when voicing our different opinions. It does the cats no good if all of us crazy cat ladies start attacking each other. Sherry has worked so hard, and takes each loss so personally, and for that I thank her. Best wishes, Beth, Blue, Moxie, Dash, Scooter. and Will Feral On 9/24/07, glenda Goodman <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: Sherry, ...Sherry I am trying to control my emotions ,but I have to tell you I am scared to death for these two groups of cats. I am believing/hoping your girl Mystique is vaccinated...that could help, but she is at terrible risk. Her immune system is already compromised by the FIV. I cannot implore you strongly enough to please get her out of Crash'slanding ASAP! You have been lucky with your FIV kitties and especially with your kitty who threw the FIV. When I read about the beautiful Mystique, I felt relieved that she was only FIV+. I felt you would have good luck with her and she might live a pretty normal life. The fact she is in a situation where she can contract the FeLV virus any day now, is making me a little crazy...I worry about her and everyone else in that environment...and what about the kitties that might possibly be able one day, to throw one of the viruses or the other? What chance do any of them really have...They are at huge risk of getting THE OTHER virus. There has to be a way to seperate the two groups. FIV+ kitties have such a better chance , but here they are almost certainly, over time going to become FeLV+ too. You need to get Mystique out of there. You should have her tested for both FIV and FeLV, just so you know, what you will be dealing with. Then have her tested again in 4-6 months. If she is FeLV- you are both blessed. If I were you, I'd want to know, for myself, if she is really FIV+. Crash'slanding comes across beautifully on it's intro page and it is set up well to navigate through. The kitties are beautiful. Their stories are well written and touching. This is a nokill shelter, right? The way it appears to me, is a showplace type of place, that collects cats, donations ,but seriously needs to become a bit more cat- friendly...Besides taking in these cats, are they really doing what is best for each cat? If they cannot seperate the FIV+ cats from the FeLV+ cats they should only be dealing with cats with one disease or the other disease and let another shelter deal with the other... Do they get a lot of volunteers as sweet as you? Well, they are lucky if they do. Nobody is driving a cadillac are they...bad joke, sorry. I have one FeLV+ cat in my household of 7-cats. All my cats are vaccinated. Yet I am very, very careful my negatives do not come into contact with my one positive, little girl. If I found out I had a FIV+ cat in my household I would possibly allow him to continue as always with his brothers, but if anyone were to turn up FeLV+ it is quarantine time. FIV is a far easier disease to deal with. I'm in the process of having all my guys tested again, because my guys do get outside at times, supervised, as they are and as confident as I am they have not run into any positive, strange kitties out there, I still believe in knowing their health status every year or so...This, because I do not believe in putting any of my kitties in harm's way. If I were perfect, they would never get outside, at ever, but I love for them to have fun in the yard...I get weak when they beg...I am a bad mommy for that, but I take that risk for the, quality of life, argument... Well, I have done enough damage for one day...Sherry, thank you. And please do not hate me, because ...I do not trust people... Love and best wishes from Nebraska, Glenda --- Sherry DeHaan <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > Hi Glenda,isn't she georgeous!!! :) We do not > separate the felv and the fiv.I wish we had the > space to do so.Until I become one of those crazy cat > ladies that win the lottery it will have to do!! :) > I myself have 3 fiv+ boys and one boy that tested > felv+ when he first arrived to Sids and then 1 1/2 > years later tested negative for anything.Then I > brought Genevieve home back in April,she was felv+.I > risked it because my heart told me to bring that > baby girl home to love her as much as possible.AND I > DID!! I am getting choked up just writing about > her.It will be 4 weeks tomorrow since she left us. > :( > You did not offend me in anyway,I just get a bit > uneasy when it comes to that subject. > Thank you for checking out the fur kids. > Sherry and her fur baby boys > Rafferty,CousCous,Xander and Tristan > > glenda Goodman <[EMAIL PROTECTED] > wrote: > Sherry, > I just clicked Mystique. My computer got stuck > earlier...Anyway , she seems like an excellent > little > girl to have in your home...She will take your pain > away and fill your heart. I see that she is FIV, but > not FeLV+. Does Crash'slanding seperate their FIV+ > kitties from their FeLV+ > kitties ? Taking care of her should be very easy and > rewarding...She could have a long life with you. > As for this organization, I will say, their layout > and every cat is beautiful. My heart is just > stretching out of my chest for them. Bless your > heart, > Sherry, for all you do. I am very sorry I get a > little > up in the air over certain issues. Please believe > me, > I never mean to hurt anyone's feelings or make > anyone > uncomfortable...YOU are an angel... I know we all do > the best we can with what we can and we all feel the > same things, love, compassion, tenderness for these > guys in need. > "The more need they have, the more we feel." > I do love the people here too, because they are just > so special. I should be so good as to be doing what > you do. > Love from Nebraska, Glenda > --- Sherry DeHaan wrote: > > > Hi Glenda thank you for checking out Crashs.I > first > > of all want to say that I too am not one for > > declawing!! As some of our rescue cats do come in > > already declawed and yes they are declawed if they > > are not too old.As much as I hate to say it,people > > (unlike you and I) would prefer to adopt cats > > already declawed. :( Also think about over 100 > cats > > living under the same roof.Most get along but > there > > could be many bad wounds from fights. Like I said > I > > believe as does Jen the lady that runs the places > > that ALOT of cats are discarded out into the > streets > > because they claw the furniture and etc. And they > > don't take the time to try and train them to do > > differently.I clip all my cats claws myself.I > > personally don't like it.But I can't tell her how > to > > run her shelter :( I respect ALL that Jen does for > > the over 200 cats that she takes in and can't say > > anything bad about what she does.I am sorry if it > > hurts you and I respect your opinion.Thanks for > your > > good wishes on our sweet > > Brian.Oh,also all 4 of my boys came from Sids and > > they are beautiful and healthy!!! If you go back > and > > look up Mystique at Sids,she is probably my next > > baby to bring home since I lost my beautiful > > Genevieve.Also in the tabbies at Crashs check out > > Honeysuckle.I rescued her and her 5 kittens from > my > > backyard.My boyfriend has the kittens at his > > house,we are trying to get homes for them. > > Sherry > > > > glenda Goodman wrote: > > Sherry, > > I clicked your site. I found Brian in the Sids > > Sanctuary. What a little angel. I see he started > out > > with ear mites, so he is apparently just having a > > terrible time getting his ears cleared up, > > infections,etc. > > After reading the introduction to Crashlanding, of > > course it was so beautiful, it made me cry...I > went > > next to Tabbies, my weakness and clicked on a few > of > > your guys there, like Bennie and Brut...love those > > guys...I see Brut is FIV...Well then I realized > > everyone had been declawed , everyone that was not > > FeLV+. My heart just sank! Is that their policy? > If > > it > > is my heart is as broken for the guys that are > FeLV- > > as for the guys that are FeLV+. > > Please let me know what is going on there with the > > declawing or please tell me it was a computer > > glitch. > > Thank you Sherry. I do appreciate seeing where you > > are > > helping our poor little guys and my first > impression > > is it is a first rate outfit...I am however, one > of > > those people that is every bit as mortified of > > declawing as any cat might be...I hope they can > > someday realize that declawing is not a good thing > > to > > do to a cat... > > God bless little Brian and you too, for all you > do. > > Sincerely, Glenda > > --- Sherry DeHaan wrote: > > > > > > > > http://www.petfinder.com/shelters/crashslanding.html > > > > > > --------------------------------- > > > Check out the hottest 2008 models today at > Yahoo! > > Autos. > > > > > > > > > > > ____________________________________________________________________________ ________ > > Got a little couch potato? > > Check out fun summer activities for kids. > > > http://search.yahoo.com/search?fr=oni_on_mail <http://search.yahoo.com/search?fr=oni_on_mail&p=summer+activities+for+kids&; cs=bz> &p=summer+activities+for+kids&cs=bz > > > > > > > > > > > > --------------------------------- > > Shape Yahoo! in your own image. 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