March 2008 Vol. 27. No. 3

Published by the Humboldt Senior Resource Center in Eureka, California. HSRC is a non-profit community-based organization offering services for senior citizens, multi-generational families and caregivers.

For All Time Cat Haven: Del Norte couple crates a safe dwelling for pets
Budget cuts: Programs will likely be affected
Area 1 Agency on Aging: Come talk about senior needs March 18
Get ready for A Special Day of Caring ‹ for your critters
AARP Driver Safety classes set
Rx: Pets: Training to become a Pet Partner set April 25, 26

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For All Time Cat Haven
Del Norte couple crates a safe dwelling for pets
by Sharon McKinney

Chris McChesney plays out in the yard with some of her residents, while Hal McChesney administers a dose of love to Suzy-Q. Photo by Carol Schach

The home of Chris and Hal McChesney in Crescent City is a cat paradise. From the front door, we saw cats living peacefully and comfortably in an obviously loving environment.

The day that my friend Carol and I visited FAT Cat Haven, there were only 81 residents from age nine weeks to 20 years. That number is down from 93. There were cats of every breed, color, size and condition.

FAT Cat Haven is a nonprofit home for cats that offers rehabilitation of disabled and abandoned cats, foster care and placement for adoption service, short term boarding and long-term board and care for elderly cats. The house and yard are divided into areas for cats with different needs. Some are indoor-only cats that have a room with many shelves and interesting driftwood structures for cuddling up warm and cozy.

Two huge outdoor yards give a natural playground for cats, complete with doorways into heated sanctuaries with shelves for beds and a feeding station. All the cats were friendly and wanted attention from us. Chris and Hal called each cat by name. They were full of stories about the life histories of their residents ‹ like the 20-year-old cat with diabetes that cannot be treated. The vet expected the cat to die two years ago. That¹s what good care will do for an elderly cat.

Volunteers help with the physical care of the Haven. There are lots of floors to clean, bedding to wash, potty boxes to change and cats to pet. Besides volunteers to come and help out with the project, the McChesneys need contributions to keep their program going. It costs between $500 and $600 per month just for food. There are glass donation jars in various places around town and they accept tax-deductible donations by mail, P. O. Box 1751, Crescent City, CA 95531. One of the ways to help out is to subscribe to the newsletter as a member for $25.

Chris and Hal worry about cats that are left behind at the death of the owner and hope that people will give instructions to relatives or neighbors about taking care of the animals. They also hope that cat lovers will leave gifts in their wills. One part of the yard is a garden with crosses marking the final resting place of their beloved family members. A one time fee of $500 insures a cat a comfortable and safe home for its life span. The web site for the organization is www.fatcathaven.org, and the phone is 464-4121.

Sharon McKinney of Crescent City is a committed dog person, but reported that these friendly cats simply couldn¹t leave her alone. Her e-mail is shay-jay@charter.net.

FAT Cat Haven could use community assistance. The McChesneys need someone who could manage the web site, who could offer grant writing on commission and who could make some cat beds for the animals, a simple sandwich of quilt batting sewn inside a fleece cover.