BlueBell
MEWS
The BlueBell Foundation for Cats
20982 Laguna Canyon Road
Laguna Beach, CA 92651
Feline Relations
Bertha’s House - The Blue Bell Foundation for Cats - 20982 Laguna Canyon Road - Laguna Beach - CA 92651
Tel: 949.494.1586 - www.dovecanyon.org/bluebell
Non-profit 501 (c) (3)
Enclosed is a “Gift of Love” in the amount of
$.................................. to be given in the name of
...........................................................................
for: (Please specify)
[ ] Anniversary [ ] Birthday [ ] In Memory of
[ ] Holiday [ ] Other:.............................................
Send a card announcing the donation to:
Name:
Address:
Your name and address:
Name:
Address:
Make checks payable to: The Blue Bell Foundation for Cats. THANK YOU!
Blue Bell is a registered 501(c) (3) Non-Profit - All donations are tax deductible.
WE APPRECIATE YOUR SUPPORT!
Blue Bell Mews - SUMMER 2007
VOLUNTEERS NEEDED
For those of you who love to be around cats,
we offer a Volunteer Program whereby your
affection, time and talents can be put to good
use. Volunteers come in regularly to groom,
give TLC, play with and help socialize newlyadmitted kitties. An orientation program
is given every few months. In this program,
we give you the history of the Blue Bell and
introduce you to the workings and procedures
of the Blue Bell. It is a great opportunity to
meet other fellow cat lovers and, of course, to
be around our wonderful cats!
Volunteers must be at least 18 years old. Visit
our website: www.dovecanyon.org/bluebell,
email or call us at 949.494.1586.
VOLUNTEER APPRECIATION
GERIATRIC CATS: SPECIAL NEEDS
Volunteers are the only human beings on the face
of the earth who reflect this nation’ s compassion,
unselfish caring, patience, and just plain love for
one another. —Erma Bombeck.
At the Blue Bell, we care for many senior cats. Just as with humans,
more cats are living longer, healthier lives. This is due to several factors
including advances in veterinary medicine, i.e. better awareness
of nutritional needs and the diet’s role in preventing and treating
diseases, better diagnostic tools, and more
options for treating various diseases.
Also, more guardians are being pro-active
in providing quality care to their cats.
However, due to a longer life span, there
is more time for health problems to arise.
Some cats develop physical conditions by
age 7 to 10, and many do by age 12.
Three of the most prevalent serious feline
geriatric diseases are diabetes, kidney disease, and hyperthyroidism.
The symptoms of these three can be the same—excessive thirst and
drinking, weight loss, frequent urination and/or increased urine
output—but the treatments are very different. If left untreated, these
chronic diseases can lead to serious problems in other organs and
eventually cause death. Other conditions, such as “feline senility”
can also occur. This can manifest through frequent loud meowing
and a general disorientation. Hearing loss is also common.
These are just a few of a myriad of physical changes that may affect
your older cat. The fundamental rule for keeping your cat of any
age healthy and comfortable is observing any changes in your cat’s
disposition, eating and litter box habits, and physical appearance.
Report anything suspicious to your veterinarian. Also important is
a veterinary examination at least yearly, which includes a physical
exam, blood panel, and for your older cat, a “senior panel” of tests,
which can detect the onset of various age-related illnesses.
The Blue Bell has a group of long-standing
volunteers who give generously of their
time. Though we have a wonderful staff,
we simply could not accomplish all we
do without our volunteers’ support and
concern for our kitties. Many have been
coming in for years, while others are just
discovering the uniqueness of the Blue Bell.
So to all of our volunteers, a big thank you!
We appreciate each and every volunteer’s
effort and contribution!
We would also like to
feature Donna. She has
been indispensable,
wearing all kinds of
hats —coordinating
volunteers, running
errands and checking
supplies. She has been
invaluable when we were low on staff by
coming in for the afternoon feeding. Her
care and commitment to the Blue Bell is
commendable and for that we salute her!
Visit www.bluebell.petfinder.org to get information on our adoptable cats and our current events.
If you want to learn more about the Blue Bell Foundation for Cats, log on to: http://www.dovecanyon.org/bluebell
Blue Bell Mews - SUMMER 2007
Feline Relations
Feline Relations
NEW RESIDENTS
TUX
WINKIE (adoptable)
Tux, 9, a handsome “tuxedo”
cat with long white whiskers
was admitted to the Blue Bell
when his elderly guardian
died. He quickly settled in to the main house.
This very cool cat is a night owl. Most days, Tux is
sleeping with his head curled under his chin and a
paw over his eyes, though he might just give you a
sleepy-eyed hello and a quick stretch before going
back to his snooze! He gets up at around 3 PM and
moseys on out to the patio. Since afternoon is his
play time, it is hard to get him to come back IN!
With all that energy, perhaps Tux is the Blue Bell’s
night watchman!
SPOTLIGHT
ON:
“SPOT”
At 19, Spot, a Blue Bell elder,
is one of our long-time residents.
This grey kitty with patches of
white on her chin and paws came
11 years ago to the “original” Blue
Bell. Spot witnessed the 1998
Blue Bell Mews - SUMMER 2007
Winkie is a beautiful white
long-haired blue-eyed Persian.
She is only one and a half
years old, making her the
baby of the Blue Bell. It didn’t take her long to
get accustomed to the Blue Bell and was soon out
of her suite walking around. She is a feisty little
one who loves to play and sun herself on the patio.
Unfortunately, her time has to be limited because,
with her pure white fur, she is susceptible to skin
cancer. She has garnered significant attention from
the other kitties, most notably from Bert who rubs
his face against hers, though she rebuffs him with
a swat!
mudslides, which nearly
destroyed the Blue
Bell compound. Muddy
footprints painted
the walls where
muddied cats tried
to escape the flow
of earth.
While none of the cats lost
their lives, it took a while to
locate everyone. As despairing
volunteers and staff looked on
at the devastation, a familiar
face suddenly appeared from the
BLUE BELL “TALE”
PASSINGS
“A tiny kitten, barely alive, lies in a rain puddle on a busy
street in Hong Kong, China. People rush past—who will
help her?”.
Since our last newsletter, we mourn the passing of
3 special kitties.
• Yenti, 11, came to the Blue Bell as an extremely
shy little girl. By the end of her life, she was soliciting
attention by meowing and following us (she was only
interested in the chicken she would eat from our hands.
Most of it would actually end up on her face!)
• Grey Smokey, 14, a blind kitty, demonstrated
so much fortitude even as his condition worsened.
• Tasha, 13, a beauty queen, was the cover girl
for an issue of Cat Fancy magazine.
This is a blurb from the book
“Hong Kong Kitty” by Martha
Crotty, a charming children’s
book that was inspired by our
own Blue Bell resident “Kitty”.
The story closely follows her journey from Hong Kong
to Mission Viejo and eventually to her placement at
the “Kitty Ranch” in Laguna Beach upon her guardian’s
death.
Sweet-faced and delicate looking with her white/gray
fur and deep blue eyes, she really looks like a little china
doll kitty, and we are pleased to play a part in a happy
ending to Kitty’s rocky start in life.
• How To Be Your Cat’s Best Friend
- Elizabeth Randolph
• Cats, The Love They Give Us
- Susan DeVore Williams
• Raising Your Cat
- Rosanne Amberson
• Talk to the Tail: A Collection Of
Undomesticated Pet Cartoons
- Revilo
bushes: it was SPOT! She seemed
perplexed as everybody showered
her with attention when all she
wanted was breakfast.
Spot is truly a survivor. She has a
pin in her back left leg. Before she
was placed with us, the leg was
broken in what was assumed an
attack with a wild animal. Now,
this sweet cat spends her days
comfortably in her basket in the
front room. She greets whoever
comes in through the door and
welcomes chin scratches.
RECOMMENDED READING:
WISH LIST:
We still and always need:
• Paper Towels
• Paper Plates (large & small)
• Bleach
• Simple Green
• Trash Bags (large & small)
• Clay Cat Litter
Simba and Mittens enjoy an afternoon nap together!
Blue Bell Mews - SUMMER 2007