Christine's Critter Cafe Rescue and Hospice

Hello Readers!  Oh, I know!  Miss Lotus has been rather tardy with her updates to In the Muse, but I do have a good one for you today!  You know, as a sophisticated feline, it is so easy for me to sit back and just wonder in dismay—and sometimes humor—what is goin’ on with the two-leggeds.  Am I right?  Well, I want to introduce you to one of many exceptions to the rule!  Her name is Miss Christine Bishop!  Have you heard of her?  If you are a four-legged or even a winged or scaled one, you may have!!  She has so lovingly created a rescue and hospice for all her relations called Christine’s Critter Cafe Rescue and Hospice (CCCRH) in Fruitport, Michigan.  She began her rescue approximately 13 years ago after she was alerted about an abandoned pet rat left to its own devices in an aquarium.  That, coupled with Christine’s “deep love for animals and empathy for all life,” inspired her to organize a legal non-profit rescue center.

Miss Christine with Bindy

Today, Miss Christine rescues many of our relations, including cats, dogs, rats, guinea pigs, reptiles, birds, and bunnies.  Bunnies comprise the majority of her rescuees.  Now those are just the domestic critters whom she saves!  Miss Christine also rescues wild animals and nurtures them until they are well enough to be released into the wild!  Essentially, virtually no critter is turned away from her loving care. 

Miss Christine, a licensed vet technician, runs the rescue with the help of approximately ten part time volunteers (the number of volunteers varies throughout the year), who together work about 75 hours per week.  She and her volunteers rescue hundreds of animals per year; this year, they have rescued approximately 300 animals.  Miss Christine uses both foster parents and the rescue facility, which is Miss Christine’s home, to house the animals until they are ready for adoption. 

Miss Christine is very careful when adopting the animals out to new critter parents.  She uses a Life Contract that can be found on her website.  She told me that “The Life Contract asks species specific questions so we know that the pet’s needs can be met for housing, diet, vetting, and special needs; hence, the person is educated on the animal they are adopting.  The potential adopter must have vet references as well as three personal, non-family references—and all pets currently in the home must be fixed and fully vetted.”

In spite of all the precautions Miss Christine makes, there are times when an adoption fails.  Luckily, Miss Christine does follow-up checks to ensure that the animal is being cared for and is safe.  There is at least one little dachshund who is grateful for that!  “I went to do a home-check on the dachshund and found her outside on a chain in the hot sun with no food and water,” said Miss Christine.  “There was an adult I had seen before and three others at a table smoking!  [Miss Christine does not adopt to smokers, and all who adopt must sign the contract to promise that they do not and will not smoke.]  I asked to speak to the woman who had signed the contract.  She was not there and did not live there anymore!  The woman who was there claimed that the dog was hers and that she had the original signor of the contract do so for her!  I called the police and waited until they arrived.  After I showed them the contract, I took the dog and left!”  Woohoo!  Miss Christine does her best to make sure all animals have a loving home, even after they leave her care.  The little dachshund is now in a new, loving home.  Miss Christine is a Critter Warrior…uh huh, you go girl! 

So how does Miss Christine do it?  Thanks to volunteers, she has help with the hands-on aspect of her rescue efforts, but fundraising for vet bills, food, medicine, and so forth is another issue.  Miss Christine does receive donations from “car shows, adopt-a-thons, yard sales, bake sales, care washings, can drives, and raffles,” but her main support comes from long-term supporters who send donations on a monthly or bimonthly basis. These are usually, but not always, people who have adopted from her and just want to help support her cause.

Now, if you adopt an animal from the rescue, adoption fees include a spay or neuter, all vaccines, microchip, nail trim, flea and parasite medicine, and grooming (if needed).  The fees are dogs, $175; cats, $75; bunnies, $70 (male) or $90 (female); guineas, $20; rats, $30; chinchillas, $100 without the cage, or $115-150 with a cage; and degus, $35.

Now, here is how I know that Miss Christine is one cool Critter Hero:  I looked deep into her eyes and hypnotized her by using my most penetrating feline gaze—you know what I mean—and then asked, “Now what do you really want to do through Christine’s Critter Café Rescue and Hospice?  I mean really?”

She looked right back and said without hesitation, “I WANT TO STOP ALL EUTHANSIA AND FIX AND SAVE EVERY SINGLE PET, EVERYTIME!!!”

Uh huh, you go girl!

Yours Truly,

Miss Lotus

You may access Christine's Website here.

All Photos, copyright 2012, Christine Bishop, all rights reserved.

Sources:

Vormittag, Janet. (January 26, 2012). "Critter Care Founder Known for her Care of Small Animals."  Muskegon Chronicle.

West, Adrienne (2012). An Interview with Christine Bishop.

         

Letters from Our Relations, Miss Molly Takes Issue with Today's Provision

Dear Miss Lotus, 

I cannot believe what happened this morning!  I went to my breakfast bowl where normally a nice supply of my favorite kibble is waiting for me.  Look what was there instead.

What the *purr* is that? Excuse me, but I will take my meal with no eyes, thank you.  A nice batch of brown crunchy wafers will do just fine! What is my mum thinking?

Baffled and Hungry,

Miss Molly

Dear Miss Molly,

O.K., here is when I must agree with your mum.  You know, you are a true meat eater, not a veggie or sugar eater.  In two-legged terms, you are a carnivore, not an herbivore or vegetarian.  Alas, most of the crunchy wafers you like are full of grains.  Now, imagine yourself in a field of wheat.  A small mouse darts by.  What would you do?  Gnaw on the wheat or chase after the mouse?  You might be briefly entertained by the wheat, but, being a cat myself, I know you would go after the mouse!  There are some other signs that you would prefer the mouse over the wheat: your teeth are meant for stabbing and tearing, and your claws are to help you catch and hold-on to prey (as well as injure them).  Your intestines (you know, your gut) are short to quickly pass your diet so it won’t sit and stew inside of you.  Now cows—those creatures who love plants—have no claws, have teeth for grinding, and have a gut specifically designed to breakdown those plants!  In fact, some two-leggeds (the white-jacketed ones) claim that we felines can’t even taste the sugar (the fancy shmancy term is “carbohydrates”) that is in plants because we were never meant to eat them!! Now that is interesting! (Although, I am scared to know how they know that.) 

Alas, all kinds of grains are found in our food made by the two-leggeds.  It is a great “filler” and is cheap, but it seems to damage our health over the long-run, so ends-up being quite expensive.  Some two-leggeds claim that diabetes and kidney failure are a result of eating grains.  Kidney failure may also be a result of eating those very dry crunchy wafers you like!  Those things are actually quite dehydrating!

So, if you would choose a mouse over a field of wheat in nature, then why do you choose the crunchy grain-filled wafers over the fish in your own home?  Well, Miss Molly, you are such a creature of habit!  You will need to unlearn those two-legged ways and find your inner wildcat.  Your mum must gently transition you to your new species appropriate diet if she is determined to do so.  Now, the good news is that some of those wafers are now grain free, so she can use those while trying to get you to eat a healthy and hydrating diet.  I recommend this e-book for feline parents:  Raw Fed Cats. 

Now, let it be known that I am not giving you or my devoted readers medical advice, just some insights based on my own studies at Feline University—and what I consider to be a dab of common sense! Hehe!  But I will advise you, dear Miss Molly, to open your mind a bit and remember the primal cat dwelling within.  Eat your fish!

Yours Truly,

Miss Lotus, editor, In the Muse

Letter from our Relations, Miss Gypsy seeks a Home

 

Miss Gypsy was unable to be photographed due to her wandering ways...she just won't sit still long enough! Dear Miss Lotus, I live in a safe neighborhood with outdoor privileges and lots of perks like wildlife areas with creeks, birds nesting in trees, and friendly two-leggeds. Lately as I tour my outdoor paradise, I have become envious of my peers at the corner lot. It seems that their two-leggeds spend a lot of time and attention to their seven feline kin who seem particularly happy and possesive of their living arrangement. Today, I put in an application at this corner lot to see if they would accept me into their family. Although I did not get an outright rejection letter, I did not get accepted either. I was told that there were no vacancies at this time. I did not run away immediately. I let them see that I was affectionate, well groomed, and that I knew all the polite mannerisms that endear me to the two-leggeds, like gazes with eyes half-closed and proper domesticated sitting poses. Dear Miss Lotus, what can I do to improve my adoption possibilities? Yours Truly, Gypsy Queen My Dear Miss Gypsy,  I will tell you what worked with one of our feline sisters when she wanted to move-in with a specific two-legged family: she wouldn't take no for an answer! Now, this does not mean by force, such as storming the cat door and defeating the kitties who already dwell there! To the contrary! You must finesse your way-in. Now my feline sister in question would run to the two-leggeds whenever they came outside and meow ever so sweetly while rubbing against the two-leggeds' leg. If you do this, the usual response is that the two-legged bends down to pet you. Then you look-up and offer another sweet "meow." Do the one that sounds like a question. That's a good one! Keep talking, because the two-leggeds like to try and figure out what you are saying. They usually decide that you are hungry, and, of course as a gypsy cat, you probably are. Once they start bringing you food, then you slowly become their "outdoor kitty." Soon, they start spending more time outside just to be with you. Now, at this point, you may be happy and satisfied to be an outdoor member of the family, but being that there are so many dangers with being an outdoor kitty in a busy neighborhood, I would suggest sticking close to the house, maybe even at the front entry, right by the door. Eventually, you can try and take a step inside when a two-legged either enters or leaves. At first, they will protest, but done often enough, they tend to relax. The main way into the family is, of course, through the heart. With such a sweet kitty as yourself, you will be a member of their household in no time! Good Luck Miss Gypsy Queen! You will be with your forever family soon, I am sure! Yours Truly, Miss Lotus

News About Little Miss HOPE

I received notice from Miss Hope’s mommy that she is improving, but still has a long way to go.  Her injured eye is healing the best that it can, but dear Miss Hope is completely blind.  She will require constant medical care, but her mommy is exploring healthier pain management options for her, such as acupuncture.  Some good news!  Miss Hope’s mommy has several bunny kids in her care.  Miss Hope will get to choose a friend to have around, which will be so good for her when she is feeling better!  I know that our friend is in caring hands.  Once again, if you feel moved to help with her medical costs, you may use the link below. 

In gratitude,

Miss Lotus

Little Miss Hope

Letter from our Relations, Miss Molly

Miss Molly writes of her concerns over something that she sees in photos.

Dear Miss Lotus,

My mum was looking at old photos the other day.  She takes so many photos of her four-legged family, but something really startled me!  I noticed that many of my feline brethren have “evil eyes!”  What’s wrong with our eyes?? Look at me!!

And my sister, Lucy

My other sister, Taffy

And even my brother, Fallon

And look what happened to my sister Pumpkin!

She became a Christmas village piece!

In fear of my eyes,

Molly

Dear Miss Molly,

Oh, my, Miss Molly.  You have worked yourself into a tizzy!  Relax and be assured that your eyes are not “evil eyes,” but are a glorious gift for your nighttime travels!  Now, as you know, you are more active at night, no? That is the same with your brother, Fallon.  Because you are more active at night, you and other animals like you have crystals in your eyes that allow you to see in the dark.  WooHoo!  Let me tell you how our two-legged relations describe it.

The two-leggeds, being fancy-shmancy, call the structure that makes our eyes glow the “tapetum lucidum.”  The two-leggeds can be clever (well, sometimes) and use the word “lucid” (“lucidum”) which means “clear.”  “Tapetum” means “layer,” or more specifically “layer of cells.”  So this layer of cells, which contains crystals, brings clarity to the dark, or allows for night vision.  You see, the crystals reflect the light that may not have been used by your eye; by reflecting that light, this magical tapetum lucidum gives you a second chance to use that light! Such powerful creatures we night walkers are!  Hehe.  So don’t confuse your powerful eyes for “evil eyes.”  In photos, they just reflect the light from the flash the two-leggeds use.  Now I will tell you who has evil eyes: have you ever seen photos of two-leggeds with red eyes???  Such horror! 

Yours Truly,

Miss Lotus 

   

Letters from our Relations, Miss Taffy

Oh, me thinks Miss Taffy is gonna be a frequent contributor to my blog!!  Here is another letter from her.

Dear Miss Lotus,

Miss Taffy

You will never guess what I did today!  Well, first you will never guess what mum did today!  She was in such a hurry to leave the home that she forgot to scoop my potty!  Ugh!  I have to share my potty with two sisters, so it was a mess! My sisters are much cruder than I, so they don’t mind stepping into that mess and just adding more messes!  I couldn’t believe that I was expected to place my sweet feet in such a pit.  It takes me too long to clean these feet, and there just wasn’t sufficient room to meet my needs, so guess what I did?  (hehehheehe)  Well, I took a brief walk around the laundry area, and I spotted the perfect potty for today: a dustpan! Ohhhh, I can still feel the excitement!  A clean area for peepee!  I sauntered over to my sparkling white kitty port-o-potty, and shoved my rear onto the pan and gloriously relieved myself!  When mum came home, she did not notice my misdeed for a while. I sat watching her, waiting for the moment when she would spot my peepee-pan.  Suddenly, she looked in the corner where the broom and the dustpan are stored.  She looked away and then looked once more.  Hehhehehe “Gotcha!”  She then turned to me.  What was I to do?  I just looked back and said with my eyes, “Um, you forgot to clean my potty.”  Mum was silent.  She then took my peepee-pan outside and washed it.  When she came back, she scooped the potty like a good mum.  I believe my work is done, and mum will not forget to clean the potty anymore.

Your Friend,

Miss Taffy

My Work is Done!

Oh dear, Miss Taffy.  It is unfortunate the measures we must take to communicate with our two-legged relations.  I agree that your mum should be more vigilant about the potty messes just to be sure that you and your sisters remain clean and healthy.  Really, potties should be scooped at least once a day, but you have done well with teaching your mum to please always remember to provide a clean potty for the feline kin.  Sometimes, more than one potty may be needed if there are several feline family members.  (In fact, some two-leggeds provide one litter box for every feline they have, plus one more!) Kudos to you, my dear friend Taffy! 

Yours Truly,
Miss Lotus
Editor, In the Muse

Letters from our Relations, Miss Taffy

Often, my relations send me letters asking for my help.  Now, because my English skills are pretty special, I can translate the letters I receive so that the two-leggeds, our human family, can read them.  Here is one from Miss Taffy.

Miss Taffy

“I have been trying to tell my mum why I love to sit next to her—right up against her leg—while she reads or works on the computer.  Sometimes, I like her lap, but mostly I just sit against her body.  Of course, Miss Lotus, the contact between her body and mine makes such a nice energy exchange.  I can feel her send love to me through this contact even when she doesn’t realize it! Her love is always there in her heart, and when I sit next to her, it is as if her heart light turns on and sends me her love even when she is too busy to notice! Her love for me flows to me anyway!  It’s magic, really.  I send love right back to her too.  I also like to be petted because of the loving feeling of touch.  Sometimes, I do cling a little too tightly while resting against mum, and she gently moves me to another part of the couch.  I like to wait until she is distracted by her book or computer before I sneak back and sit tightly against her again!  HeeHee! Oh, I can be naughty!  If she moves me again, I manage to sneak my way back to her warm leg.  This goes on for a while before mum just lets me have my way—as usual!  That’s all I ask, really…to have my way!  Oh, I do love my mum!

I would be so grateful if you could translate my letter and put it on your blog for my mum.”

Sincerely,

Miss Taffy       

Here I am by my mum's leg!