The Best Little Cat House in PA

Volunteers Wanted

2011-07-31T19:18:00.000-04:00

We are looking for volunteers at the Best Little Cat House in Pa.

Volunteers must be :-

Local.
18 and over.
In good health.
Able to lift at least 25lbs.
Commit to at least one day a month for at least 6 months.

If you have some time each month to devote to the cat's then give Lynn Stitt a call on 717 469 2540.

Jodi Head News Article in The New York Daily News

2011-02-26T09:40:00.000-05:00

New York Daily News Article on Jodi Head

Jodi has been a wonderful supporter of the Best Little Cat House in PA for several years as well as an active animal rescuer and carer in NYC. All you guitar players out there show her some support by going to the Jodi Head Website and buying one of her superb guitar straps. All you Led Zepplin fans bid on next months Ebay auction where Jodi has a guitar strap signed by none other than lead singer Robert Plant.

Brilliant article Jodi and thank you again for all your support.

RJ looks very cute too!

Penguin Plunge 2011

2011-01-03T10:06:00.000-05:00

1/1/11 was the 14th Annual Penguin Plunge at City Island in Harrisburg Pennsylvania. Luckily for the ~~loonies~~ plungers the temperature warmed up a little. I say warmed up a little, it was a little but it didn't do much for the water temperature.

Icebergs on the Susquehanna River.

All donations from the Plunge goes to the Humane Society of Harrisburg Area. Lynn has without fail jumped into the river on New Years Day since it's inception. She was on the Humane Society board when they came up with the fund raising idea 14 years ago.

A new idea this year is for those too chicken to take the plunge. They get to stand in constume in the "Chicken Coop". Lisa, Bonnie and Fred joined them for a photo.

Lisa, Chicken, Bonnie, Fred and Penguin.

Survival 101 - Check Body Parts for Frostbite.

Lynn and Christine from PAW's

What fun Lynn had this year!

Christmas 2010

2010-12-26T09:51:00.001-05:00

Christmas is over for another year and I wanted to share with you this picture I took yesterday while preparing Christmas Dinner, Moose is a stray we took in recently at home and although he only weighed 9 lb's when we had him neutured he's fattening up nicely. So much so that we decided not to have Turkey for Christmas Dinner.

Cats! Who'd have them? Guess who had to wash all the plates?

Lynn and Bonnie came for dinner and were trying to get me to join them in the upcoming New Years Day Penguin Plunge. Hey, I'm game for a laugh but I ain't mental. These pair have been leaping into the frozen Susquehanna River every New Years Day since it's inception 14 years ago. All the money donated goes to the Harrisburg Humane Society http://www.firstgiving.com/hsha As the temperature has been wayyyy below freezing for nearly 3 weeks that river is going to be colder than a witches whatsit. Any way come on down on New Years Day, the loonies jump in at Midday. You can donate to Bonnies page here - http://www.firstgiving.com/bonniesteigerwalt1

I'll be the one in the Arctic gear holding the towels!

Patty Cake Cats

2010-12-01T20:19:00.000-05:00

Cats Playing Patty Cake

Chipmunk and Eddy

2010-11-07T13:14:00.000-05:00

Chipmunk

Eddy

Not sure what their names used to be but they have been renamed Chipmunk and Eddy (Munster)! They are both lovely kitties.

Entrance to Playhouse with kitty staying out of the rain.

Playhouse on a cold, wet, miserable day.

The playhouse is nice and warm even on the coldest days.

New Best Little Cat House Website

2010-09-23T10:04:00.000-04:00

The Best Little Cat House in PA website is now up and running again in it's completely new format. Still a few things to iron out but hopefully that won't take too long. The Photo Gallery has been completely revised too as well as some new photographs.

For the technies out there I used Adobe Dreamweaver CS5 to generate the site. It's bit daunting at first but once you get into it it's just really daunting! I'm only scratching the surface of what it can do so watch out for some monumental ~~screwups~~ alterations along the way.

Check it out - http://www.thebestlittlecathouseinpa.com/

Unusual Baby Bunny

2010-09-20T11:04:00.000-04:00

Wildlife season is finally coming to end (hopefully). This latest batch of baby bunnies are nice and snuggly on the heating pad, but hang on, thats a strange looking baby bunny. I've never seen a tiger striped bunny before!

Funny Bunny

Happy New Year and Penguin Plunge Report.

2010-01-02T08:34:00.005-05:00

New Years Day dawned a lot different from the forecast predicted a few days earlier. Instead of rain/snow/sleet/freezing rain it was bright and sunny, cold but not too bad being above freezing. Not that it mattered that much to me because I had no intention of running into the Susquehanna River at Noon along with all the other er .... er ..... lets call them plungers shall we. I was designated "Towel Boy" for Lynn, it was my job to hold her towel for her so she would not immediately die of hyperthermia on exiting the freezing Susquehanna River.

On the drive along the river to City Island I was instructing Lynn to not look to her right in the direction of the river. What did she do, yeah she looked. What she saw made her shiver in anticipation of what was to come. The river was covered in places with little icebergs, OK maybe thats an exageration, ice flows more like. This is Lynns 13th year in succession of immersing herself in the Susquhanna on New Years Day. She was on the Board of Directors of the Humane Society when the idea arose back in 1997 it must have been. As Lynn was one of the younger board members at the time she volunteered or was "volunteeered" to be a participant. 13 years laters she's still doing it. She was interviewed by local TV channel, so I hope somebody videoed it. Marsha was there looking aprehensive especially when the huge Viking 'Lady' Helga, complete with horned Helmet and long blonde braids arrived to be videoed with her. Brian was there in his flip flops and bare feet and I apologise to him for splashing icy water on him. I was only trying to get him used to the cold! Becky was there too and we met Bonnie, but due to a recent bout with pneumonia she wisely was a spectator this year. Christine from Paws was plunging as was Dr Bob from The Animal Hospital of Dauphin County who was plunging for the first time. At precisely Noon the ~~loonies~~ plungers ran down the snow covered ramp into the water, immersed themselves and ran out again. This was where the "Towel Boys" really come into their own in the extremely vital task of guiding the stunned, frozen popsicles emerging from the river towards their waiting towels. It's a very important difficult job .... well someone has to do it don't they.

Not sure yet how much money was raised for the animal charities, hope it was lots!

Sorry no pictures, left the stupid camera behind!

http://www.pennlive.com/midstate/index.ssf/2010/01/penguins_plunge_into_susquehan.html

Christine Arnold has just reminded me that you can still donate!

http://www.firstgiving.com/christinearnold

More pictures from the Plunge. Check out Helga the Viking 'Maiden'.

http://photos.pennlive.com/4503/gallery/penguin_plunge_gives_brisk_start_to_new_year/slideshow/index.html

SPCA International Shelter of the Week

2009-12-16T20:36:00.001-05:00

The Best Little Cat House in PA has been made a "Shelter of the Week" by SPCA International.

The link is here SPCA International Shelter of the Week

The last few months have been very trying for Lynn and this award coming at this time is the icing on the cake.

Soon be Penguin Plunge Time

2009-12-05T12:18:00.001-05:00

January the 1st is Penguin Plunge Day in Harrisburg. What is the Penguin Plunge? It's where a load of people run into the freezing cold Susquehanna River on City Island in aid of charities. Some years the ice has be broken to allow them to get wet! And they do it year after year for charity.

Susquehanna River, New Years Day 2000 and something. Looks cold doesn't it! Trust me, it was!

Some wear silly clothes.

Some wear very little.

Clothes or not the end result is wet, very wet and cold.

Well there you have it, some people support charities by doing something about it, some people give. You can do something too. What you do is entirely up to you but if you're in the Harrisburg area on New Years Day do stop by City Island to watch them get wet. Have I ever done it myself? Hell no! I'm not crazy.

Severe cuteness alert

2009-12-05T11:56:00.001-05:00

Surprised Kitty @ Yahoo! Video

Lynn's Christmas Poem

2009-11-16T20:35:00.003-05:00

Every year in October or November Lynn writes a Christmas Poem which is mailed out to all our supporters along with a fridge magnet. This year is no exception , the poem is out at the printers and Lynn is busy addressing envelopes right now. If you would like a copy of the poem and fridge magnet send me an email giving your name and address and I'll make sure you get added to the list.

To email us view the Complete Profile Page.

The cat graphics I use from time to time on the website http://www.thebestlittlecathouseinpa.com/ come from Cat Stuff http://www.xmission.com/~emailbox/graphics.htm which is a superb site for cat related graphics. Thank you Cat Stuff!

Bella

2009-10-27T20:33:00.000-04:00

As Bella's a he obviously not named after the Twilight Bella but after Bella Lugosi I would imagine. He is as blind as the proverbial bat, or so we thought. It was a rainy miserable evening and as I was there taking a few pictures I particularly wanted to get a shot of Bella as he is such a lovely cat. He normally hangs out in Lynn's room but there was no sign of him there, we looked in the wildlife room ( empty of baby bunnies until spring), we looked in the downstairs of the Well Room, we looked in the upstairs of the Well Room, we went outside onto the enclosed porch area in the rain, we looked in the playhouse in the porch. We were calling him and then from above came a little meow. We looked up and there he was on the topmost shelf. How he got up there we have no idea as each of the 3 shelves is at least 3 feet above the other. Lynn went and got the ladder and got him down and dried him off. Maybe he's not as blind as we were told!

Raison de etre

2009-10-25T14:44:00.000-04:00

As previously mentioned the main purpose of the Best Little Cat House in PA is to provide a final home to cats that would otherwise be euthanized. Lynn's goal is to have an FIV and FeLV free world, she's a nurse by vocation as well as training. The vast majority of individuals that bring us cats have taken a cat to their vets and have been given the devasting news that their much loved pet has FIV or FeLV. Most vet's recommend euthanasia, they are very cognisant of the need to prevent further spread of these highly infectious diseases. If the cat is alone in a household and is strictly confined indoors this is the best possible solution. In many cases however the cat could infect others. Lynn knows that most people in this situation find it almost impossible to kill a 'healthy' pet. So what do they do, they either take it home to infect other pets or release it to infect other cats. Spay and neuter volunteers are no different, they would find it hard to kill a seemingly healthy cat. Lynn provides them with a way out of the horrible situation they find themselves in. In their owners eyes the cats have a good chance of some extra time in a place where they can be looked after by people who care. By taking them into the Best Little Cat House Lynn is removing the cat from society as it were, they are no longer spreading these horrible diseases to other cats.

This is the raison de etre of the Best Little Cat House in PA. Some would not understand it, thats OK, Lynn has the opposite opinion, one which I and many other people give thanks for.

Facts about the Best Little Cat House in PA

2009-10-12T20:14:00.001-04:00

Fact #1. The Best Little Cat House in PA is in it's 30th year of operation. Lynn Stitt started caring for homeless cats in 1979.

Fact #2. The Best Little Cat House in PA is an IRS 501 (c) 3 'Not for Profit' organization. We do not receive any State, Federal or Local Government funding, it all comes from donations and out of our own pockets. We do NOT make any charge for accepting a cat. It is not a business, it never has been and never will be. It is run entirely by unpaid volunteers. It is not associated with any other shelter other than the Bunny People.

Fact #3. The mission statement :-

To give quality and loving care to terminally ill animals where no other housing option existed. Let them die with dignity and respect.

Now what does this mean? The main focus of the Best Little Cat House is to provide a final home to cats that would otherwise be euthanized. Spay and Neuter groups bring FIV or FeLV positive cats to us. They can't release them as that would just enable these horrible diseases to spread even further amongst the feline population. What are the options? These are mostly feral cats, they have probably survived a North East winter or two, probably never had a good meal in their lives. What do you think their choice would be? Death there and then or just maybe a warm bed, a full belly and a place to stretch their legs without fear of getting run over. The Best Little Cat House does not do adoptions, it is a hospice, a last resort for many cats.

Fact #4. FIV and FeLV cats are housed together. In an ideal world we would have an area for FIV and an area for FeLV AND a separate area for cats that have both FIV and FeLV. Often we get cats that have both AIDs and Leuk, Moose was one of my favorites and he lived a good while. Sadly we don't live in an ideal world. Non infectious cats are housed in a totally separate area. These include blind, old, diabetic and otherwise unwanted cats.

Fact #5. Lynn Stitt is an LPN (Licensed Practical Nurse). She has worked on the Psychiatric Ward at a local hospital for the last 29 years.

Fact #6. Individuals or groups bringing cats are given a tour of the facility on arrival. They are invited to ask any questions, they are given the option of leaving their cat or taking it away with them. If they opt to leave the cats we ask them to sign a surrender form. To anyone who thinks this is unusual I suggest they phone around and ask any other shelter in Pennsylvania. A lot of shelters will euthanize a cat 10 minutes after it's been dropped of. Individuals do not bring in cats to the Best Little Cat House on the spur of the moment. They have often had days and weeks to think about it before the next scheduled intake day. We are not a boarding facility, if you want to leave a cat for a few days they are many suitable boarding facilities that will charge you for the privilege.

Fact #7. We do not allow return visits. Why not? Many reasons. The majority of the cats are feral, they are often distressed by people. The cats are not housed behind bars in neat little cages, they can go in and out onto the enclosed porch area in the fresh air or in the warmth of the downstairs or upstairs. Visitors frighten them and injuries to the cats or visitors could occur. Some of the cats are very affectionate. One-eyed Jack in particular loves to claw his way up your leg, it's all highly amusing to most people unless you are on coumadin (a blood thinner) and cant stop bleeding. This is fact, it happened. The Best Little Cat House is their home, it is not a zoo. The volunteers are there for the cats, not to deal with the emotional needs of their former owners.

Fact # 8. Wildlife. Lynn works under a State and Federally Licensed Wildlife Rehabilitator and treats Squirrels, Possums and Rabbits which are released back into the wild as soon as possible.

Little Red

2009-10-11T15:29:00.000-04:00

I got to hold Little Red this morning.

Her story is here :- http://blog.artistinn.com/2009/10/tale-of-two-kitties.html

It's always nice when someone appreciates the efforts of Lynn and the volunteers at the Best Little Cat House in PA.

I let Jan her former owner know that she is well and settling in very well.

Pictures

2009-09-06T09:35:00.001-04:00

Badger a favorite Cat House resident was rescued from somewhere in Louisiana following hurricane Katrina. He has a habit of slapping anyone who reaches out to stroke him, or anyone in the vicinity for that matter! Once you get past this little quirk he loves to be held but will slap you when you put him down. His best friend is Ginger and they hang out together.

Badger

Ginger

Assorted Kitties from yesterday.

I never wanted to do this ....

2009-08-30T14:44:00.000-04:00

I really did not ever want to blog anything. Seem a stupid word to me, BLOG , I hate going into WaWa, a filling station chain here in Pennsylvania, I will avoid going into WaWa if there's a Sheetz or Rutters or Turkey Hill just because it's a stupid name. I just dont have to time to do what I want to do at the best of times but circumstances dictate otherwise. So here I am a blogger. Groan.

Well this is the Best Little Cat House in PA. the website is here. :-www.thebestlittlecathouseinpa.com