Alley (left) and Isabelle (right) ages 11 and 14, came to us in February.  They and our other wonderful senior cats are available for adoption.  You can view them all by clicking on Our Adoptables at TLConline.org.

A "Chicken-Egg" Question
Does the feral cat come from the companion cat?  Or vice versa?  Feral cats are commonly defined as "cats that were lost or abandoned and reverted to a wild state."  This upside-down definition implies there would be no feral cats were there no irresponsible cat guardians.  This is simply not the case.  Feral cats have been around for some 9 million years.  Companion cats are a subset of feral cats -- not vice versa.  Companion cats go back to the invention of kitty litter in the 1950's, and are the offspring of feral cats who have been socialized to humans.  And, socialization effectively occurs only during the first 7 weeks of life.  Human contact, with the mom cat's approval, is vital for the kittens to view people as friends or littermates, not foes.  After 7 weeks, only partial socialization can occur -- typically to the caregiver who acts as "mom" cat -- feeding and nurturing.

Could this explain why so many pet cats hide under a bed when company comes?

  Take a virtual tour of our farm at our web site:  TLConline.org.  We've recently updated the whole site and there's lots of new information and photos there.

Our Special Thanks
DONORS: Barbara Bassett * Beverly Cameron * Mary Cervas * Jared Collins * Cori Crider * André & Cynthia Dlugosz * Alice & Jack Dobson >* Wendy Everett * John Friedlander & Patricia Moss * Herbert & Susan Johe * Yoshiko Hamano * Happy Hearts Pet Care * Heidi Herrell * Ed & Jo Kowalski * Lucia Livingston * Jim & Barbara Manor *Carol McKendry * Brodie Poole * Dean Rockwell * Peggy Rogers * Nate & Elaine Rosenthal in memory of Charles Rosen * In honor of Ruth Rosenthal's 85th Birthday * Rachel Seid-Arabi * Robert & Maria Sharp * Virginia Shew * Pat Swope * Gail & Stewart Tubbs * Donald Todd * Marlene & Jack VanWingerden in memory of Abigail McCutcheon * Pat & Susan Waters * West Hawk Industries
FOOD: Atlas Feed & Grain * Humane Society of Huron Valley * Saline Veterinary Service * Sue Wisely
VOLUNTEERS: Lee Bullock * Carol Burton * Mary Capriotti * Carol Carson * Bill Dergis * Holly Diener * Paul Epstein * Barbara Faust * Anne Fischer * Al Gallup * Karen Gallup * Debbie Garrett * Terri Geitgey * Jane Glass * Eric Goldberg * Kristi Golightly * Debora Granneman * Catherine Hayes * Sivana Heller * Karen Hughes * Bettie Hunt * Amanda Jordan * Andy Jordan * Mary MacDonald * Betsy Mall * Jack Mall * Angela Morris * Pat Naffin * Mary Poerner * Alicia Dwyer Pratt * Sue Ransom * Elaine Rosenthal * Nate Rosenthal * Maggie Sadoff * Lucy Schiller * Rachel Seid-Arabi * David Smalley * Laura Spera * Bonnie Wessler * Vicki Weber

Dear Friends,
For many years, groups have successfully used dogs to lift the spirits of the sick and elderly through visitation programs to hospitals and homes for the aged.  Although cats are every bit as capable of providing affection and warmth, they have not played a large role in these programs because they don't "travel well" -- a foreign setting tends to make them overly curious or overly shy.  Our renovated country farmhouse gives us a unique opportunity to provide a novel cat-visitation program.  Instead of taking the cats to the seniors, we can bring the seniors to the cats.  In their own home, our cats are calm, affectionate and pleased to be petted.  A visit to our "Old Cats Home" is a great way to combine a pleasant country drive with getting to know some very loving felines.  If you have a loved one in a senior community, let the Activity Director there know that we are available for this purpose.  We truly believe that this would be an event that their cat-lovers will purr for!  Happy Spring.
Kitty Zimmer