News and Current Events

advoCATS News

December 2011 Newsletter

Calandar of Events

On The Big Island

Don’t forget the upcoming feral cat spay/neuter clinics in Kona next Wednesday, January 25 and in Ocean View on Thursday, January 26.  If you would like to bring cats to the Kona clinic but have not yet made a reservation, please e-mail Cindy Thurston at cindyt@hawaiiantel.net .  If you would like to bring cats to the Ocean View clinic but have not yet made a reservation, please e-mail to Courtney Provance at maunaloafarmer@yahoo.com . 

·          We are again asking for volunteers to foster kittens for adoption.  Fostering involves caring for (i.e. feeding and socializing) one or more kittens until they are big enough for spay/neuter surgery (at least 2 pounds in weight), and then helping to get them adopted (either at PetCo or through personal contacts.)    We also need people who can take foster kittens to PetCo on days we are allowed to go.  If you are interested, please contact Nancy Hitzemann at nhitz@hawaii.rr.com or call her at 329-4337.

·          We need volunteers to help in feeding our feral colonies.   Many of our feeders feed 7 nights a week, and could really use a break for at least one night per week.  If you are able to help out with feeding, even if just for one night a week, please reply to this e-mail.

·          Don’t forget to take your HI-5 recyclables to any County transfer station or to Atlas Recycling and tell them you wish to donate the money to AdvoCATS.

• Transport: Help transport equipment to clinic site and back again. Someone with a truck would be helpful for this position.
• Set-up: Clean surgery area as needed. Set up tables and chairs; lay out plastic and newspapers on floor.
• Arrival greeter/helper: Direct arriving volunteers & trappers; help unload cats. Make sure trappers complete required forms. Make sure traps are labeled with trapper’s name and colony location.
• Check-in: Fill out clinic log; place numbers on traps and towels. (Need at least 3 people.)
• Runners (need several): Move cats from holding area to anesthesia. Take emptied traps to cleaning station. Help trap cleaner take traps back to recovery area if necessary.
• Trap cleaner: Remove used paper from traps. Clean as necessary. Return trap to recovery area.
• Runner/cat weigher: After surgery, take cat to weighing station. Weigh cat and note on medical form.
• Ear-tipping: Determine sex and tip appropriate ear.
• Microchipping: Microchip cat.
• Microchipping recorder: Record microchip, cat and caretaker information on form.
• Vaccinations: Mix vaccinations. Administer to cats.
• Ear cleaning: Clean ears.
• Flea treatment: Administer appropriate amount of Advantage.
• Deworming: Administer appropriate amount of dewormer.
• Runner: Put fresh newspaper in traps. Return cats to traps. Monitor. Move traps to post-surgery holding area. Make sure each trapper’s cats are grouped together.
• Recovery specialist: Monitor cats post-op and inform vet if there is a problem.
• Recorders: Transfer information from medical form to discharge/recovery information sheet. Fill out microchip certificates.
• Clean-up: Make sure all instruments and supplies are returned to plastic bins. Disinfect tables and clean chairs and return to storage. Pick up paper and plastic from floor and discard. Put used towels in bags. Make sure all trash s removed from trash cans; take to transfer station. Sweep all floors; mop kitchen floor.
• Towel washers: Wash dirty towels after the clinic.

AdvoCATS will furnish lunch and snacks, as well as bottled water, soft drinks and coffee. However, if there is something in particular you want to eat or drink, please feel free to bring it. We can always use more newspaper (fresh, clean newsprint; no glossy inserts.) Please let me know ASAP if you will be able to volunteer at the clinic and what your preferred job is. As I said, we need lots of volunteers to help! And please let either Nancy know if you want to bring cats.

Aloha,
Cindy Thurston
cindyt@hawaiiantel.net
advoCATS
TNR on the Big Island