December 14, 2003

Dear MEOW,

Benson is fully integrated now ... Everyone just acts like he has been here forever. Benson even walks right under the dogs now, he knows they are no threat to him. Karma and Benson groom each other, they are the best of friends. He comes and sits on my lap frequently, for a nice cuddle, then he curls up and goes to sleep. He is such a sweetie-pie. I definitely see PALS potential in him.

Tineke

December 14, 2003

Dear Meow:

We just wanted to let you all know how happy we are with MEOW Foundation. We had to put down our family cat of 13 years in the spring. It was a very hard time for my husband and I and our two little girls, Sarah (4) and Katie (2). We were very attached to our cat and he was a great part of our family.

In the summer the wounds healed and we were ready to have a cat in our home again. We decided we wanted two cats this time around. We started our search and came across an ad for MEOW Foundation in the classifieds. We checked the web site and fell in love. Your organization is wonderful. We were extremely excited and wanted to adopt from you. We saw the pictures of Cher's litter of 8 and wanted to see these kittens. ... We fell in love with Rebel (whom we are calling Oscar) and Cleopatra (Cleo for short). They have been with us for 3 1/2 months now and have fit in perfectly with our family. We are having such fun with them - they have filled a big void in our lives. We could not be happier. Our girls love their new cats and are excited for Christmas to give them their gifts they picked out.

Thank you MEOW and your volunteers for being so wonderful and completing our family. Merry Christmas to you all!!

Carolyn and Grant

December 1, 2003

Dear MEOW,

Choosing the appropriate human companion is a complicated process: after viewing the Huma-logue and narrowing down my choices, I really had to "chew" on my decision. Having done so, I left a "deep and lasting impression" on the human I chose adopt.

I’m Colleen, renamed Katie now. I go by other honorific titles befitting a cat of my caliber: “Cutie, Baby, Honey, Sweetheart, Lady Muck and Jaws.”

I’ve been in my new home for almost two months now. At first I wasn’t sure that a top-of-the-line perch /post, two MEOW Beds, a plethora of toys and the best food money can buy would be satisfactory. However, I’ve managed to adapt, thanks in part to watching my new companion make a complete spectacle of herself by running about with strings and other cat toys purely for my benefit.

I just wanted to thank the good people of MEOW for being so discerning in screening potential humans and for following up to ensure I had made the right choice.

I’ve enclosed the output of my latest photo-session (you may or may not know that, aside from being a star in my own right, I was recently the subject of a full-page column in the local newspaper).

Due to new privacy legislation, I am not able to include a picture of my adopted human, but I ensure everyone that she has become a valued member of my staff.

Katie

December 1, 2003

Left, Lilac (MEOW name Twitch) with Maizie

from Dayna

November 29, 2003

Dear MEOW,

Last Sunday, November 23rd, was my second anniversary in my new home, and I must say I am living the life of luxury.

My folks cater to my every whim, and then some. I am provided with all the very best of food, all kinds of fun toys and the cuddliest "sleepy" blankets placed in many cozy spots.

As you can see by the picture, my artistic talents are being developed; of course, I play all my own compositions.

Many thanks to your organization for helping all the poor homeless cats, I am so very grateful.

Warmest regards,
Gypsy

November 30, 2003

The Emperor's New Clothes

Oliver, a MEOW alumnus from 2000, is part Siamese and therefore he does not have an undercoat. So to keep warm in the winter, he wears a fashionable fleece coat, with pockets! He sits and waits for us to put the coat on him and then he goes out for some winter fresh air on his harness and leash. A true class act!

Esther

November 30, 2003

Dear MEOW,

Thanks for being there to provide Gus with a wrestling pal and for making our lives a lot more interesting.

Susan and Ray,
Rudy the dog,
Ropuszka the polydactyl cat,
Gus the cat,
Akha (MEOW name Zorro) the cat with the longest tail

November 25, 2003

Dear MEOW,

An update that you have been waiting for!! Peppi (MEOW name Pat) is turning into a happy and relaxed, sometimes mischievous, but the most loyal cat in his new home. It has been about 7 months since Peppi and his mommy found each other. At first, Peppi was very timid and alert. He screened every person who set foot in his new home. He did not initiate any contact, and always hid underneath a chair or table if he found things were not safe for him. However, it didn't last long with his alertness. Maybe it was the lone, harsh life that he has led in the first few years of his. He seemed to never feel at ease, never had enough sleep, not mentioned any play time. Fortunately, he now has realized that his new mommy will never trade him away for anything, and will not give him back to anyone. So, Peppi starts to become more and more friendly with every guest in his home, so friendly that he would fall asleep on their lap. :)

Peppi now is working hard on his major: sleeping. He spends four fifths (4/5) of his time sleeping - by the window, on the top of his scratching pole, or in his comfy bed that is by his mom's pillow. He now even has found a warm place that he can be always close to his mommy: it is under the warm desk lamp and by the warm laptop that his mom works all the time. Once in a while, he would put in two cents in his mom's writing by pressing the keyboard ... well, Peppi, mommy will try to co-author with you in her next journal, how's that?

... Peppi told his mommy that he would never want to live on the street anymore. He loves where he is at, so much that he will not move out his mommy's bed. Here is the picture.

Peppi would like to share his pictures in his new place with everyone. Here is the link to the website where mommy posted Peppi's pictures.
http://f1.pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/shuangjh/lst?.dir=/Peppi&.view=t

Peppi also wants to wish that all the cats in the MEOW shelter will find their dream home and loving mommy and/or daddy soon. This is the Christmas wish that Peppi and his mom have for every cat in the world ... be happy and healthy!

Love,
Peppi & his mom (Sunny)

November 10, 2003

Dear MEOW,

Just a quick line to say that Tamar is doing really well. She is still as strange as ever; in fact, most people who meet her are impressed with her "personality"!

...We finally bought a car because of Tamar - it makes it easier to take her places and is quick for emergencies.

Thanks again for bringing Tamar into our lives. She makes us laugh and smile each day.

Lana and Jacek

November 9, 2003

Dear MEOW,

I thought I would finally write and give you an update on our two little family members ... Noodle (MEOW name Raspberry) and Gizmo (MEOW name Cloud). They came home to us in October 2002, and over the last year they have been not only entertaining but wonderful companions.

Noodle is very curious, outgoing and has striking similarity to a little black dog. But I must warn you that she is a thief as well. She steals toast, and any other bread that you pick up from the grocery store ... very subtle, but always gets her loaf of bread upstairs and out of sight. She loves hogging the couch and the bed. She always wins staring contests and you can't have a nap without waking up to her staring in your face. She loves her leash and gets excited to have trips outside; she even jumps up and down when you reach for it. She has got to be the oddest, funniest cat we have ever seen. Her name definitely suits her!

Gizmo is our shy scaredy cat. To me, and maybe a little to my hubby, she is the biggest cuddle bunny around. She has the loudest purr we have ever heard. She cannot get enough pets and love, but only in her two favorite spots - the top of the staircase and the sink, which upon coming home from work you have to follow her there. You always have a bathroom buddy with her. To our friends and family who rarely (but more lately) get to to see her grace their presence its unapparent, but for just us she is the most adorably lovable cat around. When its time for eating she gets so cute and bumbles around the house and we just laugh at her because she is so much bigger than her sister that she knocks everything over in her path. We like to call her our cat of the second floor.

They are very attached to one another and always sleep together and groom each other (as well as the elephant herd noises coming from upstairs and wrestling matches). They have totally taken over our hearts and our house. We are expecting our first baby in December and I can't wait to see how they react to it. I am sure they will love the baby (they already cant get enough of its clothes and furnishings). They have always been very gentle and we can't wait to complete our family.

Thanks to the MEOW Foundation for helping and rescuing so many cats who never would have had a chance at survival ... because of your efforts you have truly made our house a home and filled our lives with much love and entertainment!

Laura, Derek, Noodle, Gizmo and Baby ...

November 6, 2003

Dear MEOW,

Remember me? I was abandoned in a cat carrier and left to fend for myself. Now I'm in Cat Nirvana! When I went to live with my new humans on February 2nd, it took me about 24 hours to figure out that they were trainable. Since then, I've become pretty much the mistress of my domain. Ahhh, life is grand.

I thank MEOW and my humans for giving me a second chance - frankly, I'm worth it.

Regards, Belle

November 5, 2003

Dear MEOW,

We moved into our new home in September and got new names. We became Nick (MEOW name Odyssey) and Zoe (MEOW name Ringlet). We hadn't met each other before so everything was new. We loved our playroom full of toys and scratch posts. And we were allowed to explore the new house, one floor at a time, though we liked running back to our own room every once in awhile to make sure it was still there. Now we have a fun time running up and down all the stairs at top speed, aerial bombing each other, tumbling and wrestling, playing with the bell on the door knob and drinking from the bath tub faucet. Life is good. Our mistress really missed her old cat who died at age 21 but she loves us to death now. We sleep with her at night and cuddle on her lap when she reads her book. We sure are happy to be here and hope our brothers and sisters found good homes too.

From Zoe and Nick (with a bit of help from Chris)

November 5, 2003

Dear MEOW,

Diesel (MEOW name Bobo) and Bella (MEOW name Piebbles) love to play together now. But when Diesel first arrived, Bella tried for over a week to lure him out of the bedroom to play. She would run like a maniac and try and get him to chase her into the living room area. He just would not chase her! Then Thanksgiving night comes around, 9 days after Diesel came into our family. The family and guests sit down for turkey dinner and what happens - Diesel comes sauntering out like all is cool. He sits in front of the table, meows for a piece of turkey and just like that he has become Mr. Sociable. Kudos to the cook.

Mark and Leah

October 17, 2003

Dear MEOW,

Sarah, or Missy as we sometimes call her (MEOW name Titania), ... is very smart and listens to you like a dog would. Most cats are aloof but Sarah loves attention and is so responsive when you speak to her. She tends to be quite a chatterbox and tends to be melodramatic with her meowing at times. At first we were worried when we heard her carrying on like that but soon caught on. Nope! Nothing wrong with her - she just wanted a warm lap to cuddle on.

... She will be an indoor cat, safer for her and lower vet bills. She is quite content to sit on her chair basking in the sun by the front window. Her entertainment is the fireplace. She is mesmerized by it and that is her T.V. A most unusual cat. ... She has been such a joy and we are so happy with her.

Love, June and Ron (and Sarah)

September 30, 2003

Dear MEOW,

Here are two photos of Cali (MEOW name Justine) to share with you. Cali is a dream of a girl and a wonderful new member of our family. Within one week Cali and her new roommate Tess were best of pals and within one month she was fully leash trained and comfortable traveling in the van. This was great news as we spent our month-long summer holiday at our cabin in Manitoba and both Cali and Tess loved their adventure. As you can see by the photo one of their favorite pastimes was critter watching from the door. We all thank you for bringing Cali into our lives.

Isy, Susie and Tessie

September 18, 2003

Dear MEOW,

I adopted "Bruce" approximately one and a half years ago. My adoption was hinged on the fact that the adopted cat was really being adopted as company for the cat I already had named Sabre (short for Sabre Tooth Tiger). I wanted to let you know that they get along really, really well - play and clean each other all the time - never fight. Here is a picture of the happy duo. Bruce has settled in and he loves to cuddle at bedtime and when the alarm goes off in the morning. I don't think a more perfect match could have been made - those two cats are the best of friends and sometimes I think they plot against me ;-)

Thanks again for setting up such a great match - really appreciate it.

Sincerely, Robyn

September 16, 2003

Dear MEOW Foundation:

It has almost been a year since Mike and I fell in love with Earl and made him part of our family. We thought we should update you on his life with us.

Earl has been doing exceptionally well since we found out he has FIV. It was a very sad day when I was given the news as I loved Earl from the moment we saw him on the website. However, there was no way we were giving him up and not adopting him just because he was sick.

Earl has a personality that we have never seen before in a cat. He is very vocal and loves to talk with us. He loves to be cuddled and petted and brushed. He enjoys sleeping in our bed at night right up along my side. Earl even gets along with my parent’s dog.

Earl especially likes getting his food on time. Five a.m. is breakfast, five p.m. is supper and ten p.m. is before bed snack. There is no problem forgetting about feeding Earl as he is sure to remind us!

He has his own special window that he looks out of all the time. And we find him here when we come home from work. He is just waiting for us and greets us at the door when we arrive!

Earl is the best thing we could have done for ourselves. We are so lucky to have found him. Sick or not, we will do our best to nurture him. Regardless of how much money his medication costs or how many times we have to clean his runny eye or plugged nose, we would not trade him for anything.

Thank you so much for loving these cats so much to give them a second chance!

All the best with your future adoptions,
Lisa and Mike

September 6, 2003

hi!

i'm just writing to let everyone know how bella (meow name piebbles) is doing. she is fitting in very well in our home. she is the boss of the house and she knows it. her nickname is 'queenie' because she knows she's the boss. she loves to play fetch, play with the hamster (while she's running around the house in her hamster ball) and play in the water, whether it's while you are having a bath or doing the dishes. whatever the case is she's always your little helper. she tends to get into trouble just like all kittens do and she knows when she's doing something bad. she still continues to do it anyways though, until you chase her away.

Leah, Mark and Bella

September 1, 2003

Dear Meow,

It has been three weeks since Galen (now Galen Fredrick Vreeland) came into our home and our lives and we couldn't be happier. The poor little fellow was looking pretty rough the first day he arrived - he had tufts of old fur falling out; he had his neck and leg shaved to get a blood sample at the vet's on the way home; he had gotten beaten up the night before in the shelter by one of his fellow cats; and he had dry, flaking skin and scabs the size of clumping cat litter pieces! Combined with his little stubby ears he was quite the sight! With a lot of brushing and good nutrition, you can see that he already looks much better - here he is enjoying a quilt that one of his new friends made especially for him.

Despite all of this, he settled right in - you would almost think he had always lived here. He has become a real cuddler, and loves to be with you and near you most of the time. It is taking a bit to get used to his early morning (4:00 a.m.) rampages around the apartment with his toy mouse, but we are getting used to it and he is starting to sleep in a little later (he has also engaged his new sister Sophie in this activity as well). I can hardly believe that anyone could abandon an animal, but especially a fellow that is as kind, gentle, loving and well-behaved as Galen is. The only good thing about this situation is that we are fortunate enough to now have Galen with us where he will enjoy a very good life I can assure you.

We were a little concerned about him integrating with our existing cat, Sophie, but as you can see, they are getting along very well - in fact, we were able to integrate them in under a week (I wouldn't recommend this to everyone, unless you really know the personalities of your cats very well). They are still a little wary of each other and an occasional paw is waved in warning when one of them treads on the other's personal space, but they are getting closer all of the time.

We can't thank MEOW enough for bringing Galen into our lives. A special thank must be extended to Esther, our adoption worker, as her professionalism, excellent communication skills, and true love of her work has made our entire experience with MEOW an extremely positive one.

As a social work educator, I have worked with a lot of nonprofit organizations over the years and rarely have I seen an organization as well run and committed to its cause as the MEOW Foundation - I can barely believe the amount of work you do through a purely volunteer based staff on money raised through donations and fundraisers alone! A lot of organizations could learn some very valuable lessons from your model.

I wish there wasn't a need in our community for organizations such as MEOW, but I feel much better about the whole situation knowing that groups like MEOW exist to deal with this issue.

Best Regards,
Peter, Ron, Sophie and Galen

September 1, 2003

Dear MEOW,

I just wanted to send you a few photos of our happy cats. Georgio Armeowni (MEOW name Mikey), and Coco Chat-nel (MEOW name Puddin) have been with us since April 2003. Our older cat, Buzz, will occasionally let his dignity slip and go galloping around the house with Georgie or Coco.

Georgie's favorite activities are snuggling, birdie and squirrel watching, and watching T.V (2001: A Space Odyssey was especially fascinating).

Coco's favorite activities are playing fetch with strings, going for rides on the massage chair, warming my lap when I work at the computer, and of course birdie and squirrel watching.

Both Georgie and Coco like to help me with my quilting, making sure that the quilt will not slide off the table while I'm working on it.

Judy

August 9, 2003

Dear MEOW,

I thought i'd send you a few pictures of Emma (MEOW name Snowberry) and Callie (MEOW name Champagne). They are both very happy in their new home. Emma is out playing most of the time, while Callie comes out to play mainly at night. Their favorite place to hang out is their new cat post that Grampa made for them. They both enjoy laying around on it and looking out the window. Thanks so much for two beautiful and wonderful cats.

Amanda

July 17, 2003

How do you introduce a cat to his three new brothers? ... Very slowly.

Thanks to MEOW, here are photos of our newest addition to our family - Ming (MEOW name Ming Hui). Upon arrival to our home Ming was isolated in his own bedroom for a week. He got loads of attention and we took turns sleeping with him every night. After a few days our cats got used to his scent in the house. Ming further spread his smell throughout the house when he came out of his room to investigate the house while his brothers were locked in our bedroom.

Because we had three cats for Ming to meet we wanted to take our time and not rush the introduction. After his isolation time was up we started to introduce Ming to one cat at a time every two to three days. We did not start the introduction to the next cat until everything appeared to be going well with the latest introduction. This helped Ming not feel overwhelmed by meeting them all at once.

Ming was great. Upon meeting each new brother he would greet them, drop on his back and show his belly, a very submissive behaviour in a cat. Then he would follow them around trying to entice them to play. It was amazing to watch and made our job of introducing the cats so much easier.

Ming is truly an amazing cat. He is very loving, sweet, affectionate and playful. Plus who can resist those big blue eyes. Thank you MEOW for rescuing so many wonderful cats who have been tossed aside or have never had anyone to call their own "human".

P.S. - all of our cats enjoy the outdoors on their harnesses with our close supervision. Ming learned to use his harness in a matter of weeks.

Esther and family

July 11, 2003

Dear MEOW,

I just wanted to give you an update on Sheba. I've had her for about six months now and I am very happy with my decision to adopt an older cat. She's become a wonderful companion. She is such a calm, sweet natured creature. She doesn't seem to mind being alone during the day while I'm at work. In fact I think she enjoys the peace and quiet.

Sheba is definitely Queen of the Castle and has me (and friends) very well trained. She greets all of my guests and asks to be patted - tummy rubs please. Sheba is also a surprisingly good traveler and is accepting of new people and situations. Her first trip to the family cabin, she settled right in.

Sheba is a joy to have around. I love it when she snuggles with me in the mornings and starts purring. It makes me wonder why I didn't get a cat sooner. Thank you for taking such good care of her at the shelter and for introducing me to her. My special thanks to Ed for helping me through the adoption process. Sheba thanks you too.

Love Allison and Sheba

July 7, 2003

MEOW volunteer Alida reports:

Jamie and Jeff did it right and followed the script for integration. It was 5 days before the door was opened as they felt the behavior of the two resident cats, Nike and Zoë, had changed.

The first 5 days they couldn’t leave the babies by themselves so they took turns sleeping in their room. They let the kittens out for short periods at first but that quickly changed as all went well. The resident cats are still hissing but are not serious, as a matter of fact Nike, the older cat, swats at the kittens for chasing his tail but he doesn’t even make contact. The kittens, especially Roobi, are very aggressive in this tail chasing game and will not give up. All in all quite a normal sounding story.

July 7, 2003

Hi all!

I just wanted to drop you all a line to let you know that Lilly (MEOW name Tiffany) is doing wonderful! The night that she came home she demanded to be let into the bedroom to be with me and her new big brother, Boris. Within 24 hours Boris was done growling, and Lilly was trying her best to get into bed with him to snuggle. As you can see in the picture, she finally won him over ... now they can't be in separate rooms, so I always know if I see one, the other one is not far away!

Thank-you for all of the great work that you do, and thank-you for another wonderful cat!

TARA (and Boris thanks you too!)

July 7, 2003

Here are some photos to show everyone how well Toulouse is doing. It took many months for his skin and ear problems to clear up but now he is doing great. Toulouse was patient with his cone, medications and food and now he is one handsome guy. His one ear will never stand up but that doesn’t matter. I adopted the best MEOW cat! Toulouse is loving life and loves getting spoiled on a regular basis.

Jason

June 30, 2003

Dear MEOW,

Here is a picture of Snagglepuss and Magellan playing. They get along great. When they play Snagglepuss makes no sounds at all, but Magellan sounds like he is being tortured. That's when Shadow (one of the girls that adopted Magellan and raised him) attacks Snagglepuss. Hopefully someday soon Shadow (7lbs) will realize that Snagglepuss is not hurting her baby (Magellan 18 lbs) and stop attacking poor Snagglepuss.

Tamara

June 30, 2003

Dear MEOW,

Thank you for my two 'book end' cats. We adopted Madison in 2002 (MEOW name Bramble) and Jake in 2003. They are both great cats although it is difficult to tell who is who at times.

Brandy   

June 30, 2003

Dear MEOW,

Tucker (MEOW name Lyle) has been hard at work. He's proved that one small kitten can make a bigger mess than the resident cat, Nolan.

Susan and Corey

June 30, 2003

Dear MEOW Foundation,

Sampson (MEOW name Gideon) is loving his new home amd we're loving him! Sammy hopped into the chair last night to pose for a photo with his best buddy and playmate, Jincks. He is looking very handsome these days. All the matted areas that had to be trimmed are filling out and his tail is once again big and bushy. He's always the first one in line to be brushed! And he loves car rides - if Jincks goes, so does Sampson.

Sammy is 'Mr. Personality' and Jincks and the rest of the family are so pleased he has come to live with us.

Lorne and Lynne

June 30, 2003

Dear MEOW,

Finally got the scanner working so I can send you a couple of pictures of myself. (I am now Brandi by the way, no longer Suzanne.) Just wanted everyone to know how happy I am in my new home. Just open a door and I'll hop in to check it out for you (even the dryer). My friend Scruffy (siamese) is my age (9) and was a stray up north for a couple of years before our owners rescued him. We are pretty quiet during the day but chase each other thru the night (just so no one thinks we are really good friends).

Anyway, I better buzz for now. Will keep in touch. Thanks for taking care of me for so long until the right lady came and found me. We tell everyone about the meow foundation. We are also so happy Joey has a new home. We always thought of him. Talk to you all soon.

Luv, Brandi and Family

June 30, 2003

Dear MEOW,

Nicholas would like to express his big gratitude to the MEOW Foundation for the kindness, support and big love he has been receiving while living among other cats. Now he has found a new home and new parents. He cannot even express himself how he is happy ... His new parents love him so much and are so glad they have found such a sweetheart, they could not ask for a better one ... They have so much fun together.

Thank you MEOW and we wish you the best in your future!!!!

Susha

June 30, 2003

Dear MEOW Foundation,

Almost 2 and a half months ago two little packages arrived at our house from the MEOW Foundation. The packages contained two kitties about to become spoiled brats. Gema (MEOW name Gemma Zee) and Bondito charmed their way into our lives with purrs and kisses and a whole lot of mischief. They have bonded together and to our other cats, and really made themselves at home. Gema has become a little shy and it has taken time for her to come out of her shell, but everyday she is making big steps. Loud noises or sudden movements still spook her but, after what the poor girl went through, it is expected. As for Bondito he is still the biggest socializer I have ever met. He loves to be with people and with cats just the same. I really feel like I have a child not just a cat. Altogether I just want to thank you on behalf of all of our family for finding our new companions, and to thank you so much for all you do for all the stray kitties you take care of. Keep up the good work.

Twylia, Chris, Shadow & Bondito
Linda, Rick, Missy & Gema

June 30, 2003

Dear MEOW,

Thank you for listening to all my proud mother stories about my boys. I wanted to share our great photos. Quentin (MEOW name Nathan) is in the white tie and Gilead (MEOW name Cole) has the red tie. The bow ties were acceptable to the boys but the ribbon on the head was beneath Quentin as his face shows.

My boys are such a loving joy. Quentin loves to cruise through the house and greet his new family creating new games along the way while Gilead has the best spot in the house staked out - on warm days you can find him upstairs laying flat on his back in the sunbeams with the fan blowing on his tummy fur. Every night we have our cuddles and I tell them how wonderful they are.

Thanks for everything,
Shaw and fur family

June 30, 2003

Dear MEOW,

We are really enjoying our kitties. Muffy (MEOW name Muffet) and Sweet Pea (MEOW name Elmira) are blossoming into some really wonderful cats. Included are some pics to give you an idea of how well they get along. We are really appreciative of what MEOW Foundation has given us. Thanks again.

Deanna

June 30, 2003

Dear MEOW,

Boots (MEOW alumni 2002) can't wait to wrestle and play with his much-bigger canine roommate, Nikko. He also knows how to look adorable.

The Janse's

June 30, 2003

Here's Jake (MEOW name Bentley) watching a cat video.

What I find so extraordinary is how well Jake and my German Shepherd get along. My 12 year-old shepherd has a new lease on life hanging around with Jake.

Kate

May 23, 2003

Dear MEOW Foundation,

Smooch and Boo (MEOW name Adrian) wanted to send you a big thank you for looking after them so well at the rescue center and for letting us adopt them.

Smooch sends big thank yous for fixing her leg. It is healed now and she doesn't limp at all. She is a dear sweet kitty and now is healthy too.

Boo is still a fraidy kitty but is slowly coming around. ... She always comes for pats and head rubs. She just scares easily. But she has come a long way since she arrived.

... Doug built them a play structure after the ones at MEOW. They spend lots of time watching the birds and squirrels and sleeping. ...

Thanks and keep up the good work,
Patti and Doug

May 18, 2003

Here's Frosty on his favorite cushion. It's not a great photo - I think Boots (my other cat) is teaching him that it is not good to get your picture taken.

Frosty loves watching cartoons upside down and playing dead! He's come such a long way for a cat with a feral background.

Joyce

May 18, 2003

Dear MEOW,

On March 6, 2003, Buddy (MEOW name Darcy) was adopted by myself and my better half, Vickie. He's added a welcomed new dimension to our household and we couldn't imagine life without him. He's definitely got personality - loves to chase shadows on our laminate floor, dislikes computer time, loves attention and human interaction. He has been a wonderful addition to our family and we can't thank MEOW Foundation enough. Thanks a million!

Regards, VicTim

May 18, 2003

Styx (MEOW name Dylan) was a wonderful affectionate kitten despite healing from a broken leg. He has grown into a lovely cat with the most sweet and gentle disposition. We just adore him and are so glad we decided to adopt him. He continues to fill our home and our hearts with love.

Florence and Bill
MEOW Volunteers

April 29, 2003

Hello! I just thought I'd share some photos of the pretty little kitty Twitch (MEOW name Lilac) - who is growing very fast! She has really come out of her shell in the last couple weeks and is now a playful little gal who loves chasing her new friend Maizie all around the house and hogging my pillow when its time to sleep. ...

Thank you for choosing my home for her to come and live at. She is a wonderful addition and we are very happy to have her.

Thanks again,
Dayna and Maizie-cat

April 26, 2003

Dear MEOW,

Storm and his new buddy, Wally, are all tuckered out from their high action games and playing chase. How do two young cats sound like a herd of elephants?

As you can tell, Storm has settled in and is enjoying life with us.

Michael and Barb

April 15, 2003

Dear MEOW,

It's been a year now since we've had our little Vivaldi and I wanted to give you an update.

He settled in quickly and by now of course is part of the family. ... He's such a big suck that sometimes me working at my desk is too much and he has to jump up and sprawl over my papers to get a much-needed dose of attention. I've enclosed a picture of his favorite position on my desk. Sometimes he thinks he can type too and I have to be careful and check my work for his typing mistakes!

Scott and I love him like a baby and we thank you once again for bringing us together.

Sincerely,

Vanessa and Scott

April 15, 2003

Dear MEOW,

I feel I've come so far from where I was before MEOW!! I love it here in Banff: I wish you could see the view I do of Mt. Rundle from my perch everyday! I am especially proud of myself being chosen a "Sunshine Girl" for this week, every girl's dream! (Banff Pet Life store's feature in the newspaper)

I especially want to thank Ed ..., and Jake for having "a piece of MEOW" available to bring with me from Calgary (see MEOW donut in photo).

I love my new life, and I'll never forget you all for making these "Happy Days" a reality for me ...

Love Savannah (MEOW name Genevieve)

April 6, 2003

Dear MEOW,

Thank you!!! for allowing us to bring Joey into our lives. He is turning into a wonderful cat and becomes more social every day. Last night he came right downstairs and mooched hamburger from us. We love the guy more and more every day.

Brand and Fay

April 6, 2003

Dear MEOW,

Buddy (MEOW alumni 2000) and Pebbles (MEOW name Petal) are best of friends. They keep each other entertained and in shape from all the action tearing around the house.

Donna and Brian

Buddy	Pebbles

April 6, 2003

We just wanted to give you a long overdue update on Carmen and Wexford. You can see by the pics that Wexford has relaxed a bit since his time at MEOW! He is still shy of new faces (and footsteps), but I think feels quite secure at home ... Carmen, on the other hand, is just the life of the party. It doesn't matter if the music is loud, or if there's a dozen people milling around. She visits everyone, and jumps on their laps or lays at their feet for a petting. Everyone thinks she is the biggest sweetheart!

We feel so lucky to have both of these guys. Even more so when we think about the path they took in reaching our home. Thank you so much for your important work.

Shari and Greg

March 24, 2003

Charlie (MEOW name Little Squirt) has made himself at home. Here he's riding the turtle cushion.

Charlie and his new best friend Rufus, a Bichon Shitzu, have a great time together. They fly around the house chasing each other constantly. Actually, I think Charlie instigates and Rufus reacts.

Lorraine

March 24, 2003

Motley (MEOW name Eamon) looks so small compared to his big brother Magic.

After a few initial hisses from Magic at first introduction, Magic waited for Motley to be sound asleep and then sniffed him from head to toe. Liking what he "smelled" Motley was accepted into Magic's life and home. Motley is now a full-fledged member of the family and his name has been added to the answering machine.

Kristie, Magic and Motley
 

March 22, 2003

Sundance (MEOW 2002) and Binks (MEOW alumni Byron from 2000) enjoy the view outside the front door. These two are almost inseparable now. You call one and they both come running. Their personalities are a perfect match. They keep each other company and leave their older "sisters" alone when they need quiet time.

March 21, 2003

MEOW Volunteer Jodi reports:

Mango (MEOW name Eli) is such a cutie pie! He is a very lean and sleek kitty, and loves to play. The picture does not do him justice, as it was taken shortly after he got to his new home and was still a little smaller than his new brother, Ferris.

The extensive socializing Mango received at the shelter at his early age no doubt made him what he is today. He is like a floppy little rag doll. The instant you pick him up, he is purring and loving you! Ferris is about 2 months older than him, jet black, long and lean as well! Michele and Lincoln have different collars on them to tell them apart.

It took from November until just lately for Michele and Lincoln to move both litter boxes to where they wanted them. It seems that Mango was a "late bloomer" in that department. When he was first starting with the litter box, Ferris had to go in behind him and cover things up! Too funny!

Michele and Lincoln have an honest love for these two little guys. It is so wonderful to see! Each time I do a finalization, I remember why I volunteered to do this!

Thanks, Jodi

March 17, 2003

It has been a year since we have adopted Jeanie & Benson and I wanted to send you a note to thank you for these two wonderful cats. It took Benson about 10 months to be really comfortable with people but he has turned into cuddly bed-hog. Everybody who meets Jeanie loves her and Jeanie loves everybody. And of course, Jeanie still loves Benson as you can see from this photo. Keep up the good work.

Kevin & Angela

March 17, 2003

We have had Bernard since January 19, 2003 and he has settled in quite well. He is very spoiled and has taken over our house and our lives! After not having a pet for over 25 years, he is teaching us how we are supposed to behave and how much attention he is supposed to get. He keeps us most amused with his toy mice and has stashes all over the house for them (to date - 14 mice missing in action).

Thank you to the Foundation for this opportunity to get to know and love this red headed four footed personality.

Mike and Jacquie

March 15, 2003

Dear MEOW,

A quick note to say thanks to MEOW, and Roxeanne, for all her hard work and introducing Steve and myself to Saffron. He's been quite the addition to our home, and spends a large portion of his day tormenting our older cat, Entropy. He is very stubborn, very playful, and very demanding especially when its close to his feeding time!

I've attached a picture of Entropy and Saffron curled up together. It's very cute, but very deceiving. It's a rare occasion he's cuddled up beside her and not trying to get her to play tag!

Thanks again, Amber and Steve

March 11, 2003

Dear MEOW,

Thanks for a wonderful cat! Ralph (MEOW name Ares) is fitting in just fine.

Hughie

March 10, 2003

Dear MEOW,

Caroline and her new pal, Munchkin, are doing really good and actually get into mischief together. You really would not recognize the once-timid Caroline because of her attitude. She really plays all over the house and sleeps on the bed at least part of the night. The other part of the night we believe she is roaming the house. We have come home from being out a few times and their toys have been moved from one room to another. We know that you will be very happy about her progress and knowing that she is happy in her home.

Yours truly,

David, Heather, Munchkin and Caroline

March 10, 2003

Dear MEOW,

My name is Nemo (MEOW name Cloudberry). I wanted to write you all and thank you for finding me such a great home. I have so much fun here, and there is so much to do. I have an older friend now. He's like a fatherly type; his name is Skaha. He grooms me and we play fight, cuddle and share everything. Like me, he was lucky to find our owners. He was a cat that started off with a rough start, and oh do I mean rough. Now he has me, and I plan on staying by his side.

I also have a new friend Thunder. He's a silly little wild dog. I'm bigger then him, but then again he's a Chihuahua. Still, since I'm bigger then him, it makes teasing fun; I always have the upper claw. Thunder and Skaha don't have a friendship like ours, but I guess that's because we are still kids. At the end of a long day I even take naps with Thunder, and try to groom him. I realized early on he wasn't like my mom, who I've heard has found a good home.

I'm happy that all my brothers and sisters found places to call their own. I miss my foster mom Gwen, and I thank her very much for taking such good care of me. I also thank Tina who brought me to my new home and kept tabs on me. I think she was worried I'd kill the dog. *winks*

1000 Thank Yous for all that everyone at MEOW does for cats like myself. You've given a survivor a second chance, and I know I won't be voted off!

Nemo Becker

((By the way I'm the little orange cat, Skaha is the furball, and Thunder doesn't look so much like a cat.))

March 8, 2003

Hi! I would like to take this opportunity to thank everyone at the MEOW Foundation for allowing us to adopt Tigerlily! She has brought us lots of happiness. I have enclosed some pictures for everyone who saw her when she had (much) less hair. Her coat is growing beautifully.

Since adopting Tigerlily, she has gradually taken over our home and become the boss! Her personality has also changed, becoming much more loving, playful and affectionate.

Tigerlily is the greatest, and we could not have adopted a better cat. Kevin and I love her!

Thanks again, Lindsay and Kevin

I gotta get this guy a treadmill!

February 27, 2003

Dear MEOW,

Patty Cake (right) was adopted to help her new brother Zeus burn some calories. Instead he just watches Patty Cake run around the house. What an armchair (or cat bed) athlete!

Dennis and Diana

February 25, 2003

Dear MEOW,

I just wanted to send you a quick note to let you know that Zoe (Meow name Keziah) has been a wonderful addition to our home. We couldn't have chosen a better cat. She has certainly made our home her own.

Thank you very much for bringing her into our lives!

Take Care,
Jodi

February 24, 2003

Dear MEOW,

Here's a picture of Simon (MEOW name Tar, black cat) enjoying the winter view from the warmth inside. Our other cat, Forrest, is the ginger cat sitting on Simon's special cat post. Note the hidey-hole at the bottom of the cat post - when Simon first came to live with us, he was very shy and needed it. Now he's much more confident.

Martin and Darlene

February 2003

Dear MEOW,

After 7 months, Molly (MEOW name Magic) and Potato run the house like they're the ones making mortgage payments. They remain best friends, despite numerous grooming wars and only one food dish. Potato has gone from being the shy one to demanding cuddling whenever she can. Molly is the same as ever, displaying cool detachment (except at bedtime) and is now almost as big as Potato. We love them very much and they tolerate us as best they can. :) We have had a fantastic experience with MEOW and with foster mom Gwen. Thanks for everything!

Sincerely, Samantha, David, Molly and Potato

February 2003

Dear MEOW,

Hi folks I am writing a little note to let you know that Trinka and Julie (MEOW name Juliette) are doing great. They have brought a lot of joy and happiness to our house. Even Charlie (my Bernese Mountain Dog) likes to play with the girls. Finally folks a heart felt thank you to the MEOW Foundation for the wonderful work you do, without you I would not have two of the best friends I have ever had.

Mike

February 2003

Dear MEOW,

Jessica's training program is progressing nicely. She has trained me to stop closing my bedroom door at night (turns out Jessica is a bed hog). In other words, I'm being trained more than she is ... oh well :)

Suzanne

February 2003

Dear MEOW,

Natasha (MEOW name Flower) and Acorn are getting along wonderfully. They have each chosen a human buddy with a personality similar to their own. Acorn chose a fellow firey redhead, as you can see in the photo below. Natasha, the cuddler, chose a quieter pal.

Vicki, Gavin and family

Greg and Dharma

January 23, 2003

Greg is fitting in great with his two new sisters - Dharma, and 16-year-old Tigge.

Cathy

Tigge and Greg

January 21, 2003

Hi,

Just wanted to let you know how Zoe (MEOW name Sunshine) is doing. For a kitten who started out so shy she has come along way. She is still best friends with our dog, Ripley, and she yammers at us the second he's waiting at the back door to come inside. Apparently, she doesn't think he should have to wait at all or that he should have to bark in order to beckon us himself. She is an absolute doll and couldn't be a better cat. She sleeps in our bed at night (usually under the covers) and she tends to greet new people by getting nose to nose with them. I've attached a recent photo of Zoe napping with her doggy friend. Thanks MEOW!

Jen, Mike, Ripley and Zoe

January 21, 2003

Thought I would send in some pictures of Marble and Pika. They get along very well and I thought you might like some pictures of them playing together.

Thanks for having such a good setup; the information on having cats and dogs in the same house was very welcome. I couldn't be happier with how well my 'girls' are getting along, and the with all the support from the MEOW Foundation.

Regards,
Joe

January 18, 2003

It took a while for Ross to settle into his new home with his cat housemates. But all turned out well. Ned and Derek sent us his story and some photos:

Ross settles in

January 18, 2003

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to all of my "brothers and sisters" and my (human) friends at MEOW!

From these photo you can see that I have my new "Mom" and "Dad" very well trained! They really are in the palm of my paws!!

This is my favorite hiding place - under the table. I like to hide my "mouse" in there.

Love,
Snuggles

January 18, 2003

Dear MEOW,

Here's Hallie enjoying pets from the youngest member of her new family.

Petr, Markita and family

January 18, 2003

Dear MEOW,

Chester (MEOW name Tigger) and Sheba (MEOW name Sydney) have grown a lot since they came to live with us in September - especially Chester who, if he grows into his tail, will be enormous. He is a real sweetheart. When he's not bouncing around the house playing, he likes to snuggle up and goes absolutely limp in your arms when you pick him up. Very laid-back, and very affectionate.

Sheba is much smaller, but solid. She likes to sit on laps, and groom herself and whoever owns the lap. She has taken it upon herself to win over our 4-year-old tabby, Zeus, who really doesn't like other cats much. She moves close to him, sits very still and makes a chirruping noise. He will usually let her sit somewhat close to him. Who knows, maybe they will become friends. If not, Sheba and Chester have each other to play and sleep with. They are both the most people-oriented cats I have ever known. Must be the result of all the attention paid to them in the nursery at Meow. Anyhow, we are really happy with both of them.

Thanks,
The White family