Campaign for a Cause – An Up Close and Personal Look at the Nominated Shelters for Zee & Zoey’s Cat Ruler of the World Contest
This is Harley who I got from a cat rescue. To see the beauty of the full image, please click to enlarge.
Throughout the years, I have had a lot of different cats in my life, all dear to me for their own unique reasons. The majority of them “found” me. That is, they just somehow appeared out of nowhere in some form of fate as if destined to be mine. A few cats came because I got them at a shelter, and recently, I have purchased two pedigree cats, my beloved Maine Coon, Zee, and my cat soul mate, Zoey.
I am forever grateful to my beloved Zee and Zoey who have changed my life and made me a better person for it.
During most of that time, I had little knowledge about just how many cats were living in shelters and on the streets, how many were being senselessly euthanized, and how there is such a general lack of knowledge about pet responsibility and spaying and neutering. I had no idea how much help these animals needed and when I became an author last year, writing a book about the life I shared with my cats and the lessons they taught me after a very bad time in my life, my main delusional goal was that I would be the next J.K. Rowling, that The Chronicles of Zee & Zoey would be a best seller, and that I would be on the Ellen DeGeneres Show thanking her for inspiring me to write the book in the first place.
None of that happened. However, the promise I made in the last chapter of the book, that I would use my voice to be a platform to educate people about just how special and unique cats are with the hope to increase cat adoptions, that did happen and then some. I have become an extremely educated advocate on the subject of cat causes and my blog has now become a vehicle to share my knowledge in a positive and informative way to educate others.
So, rather than consider myself a failure, defeated with no reason to try, I realized that my talent, creativity, and passion for writing was my victory and I could make a difference if believed in myself and my cause. I certainly don’t have the same strength that the real heroes do – all the staff and volunteers who work tirelessly each and every day in the physical trenches of the shelters and rescues trying to help cats. The heartache that they have to witness is unbearable, yet they do it with such love, conviction, and dedication. I can’t do that. I become an emotional wreck just walking into a shelter, but that does not mean that I don’t care or that I can’t help in my own way and that is how and why I conceived the idea of the Cat Ruler of the World Contest.
So many of these shelters rely on donations and are barely getting by. Having an opportunity to present one of them with over $7500 in financial and product donations is something I would have never dreamed possible years ago, yet here I am, because of some generous sponsors who believed in my concept and want the world to be a better place for cats, I am doing just that. I picked some equally passionate cat lovers that I knew could really take this campaign to the next level and that is where we are in the process of the campaign for the Cat Ruler of the World Contest. Each of the six Cat-idates – Odin, Sparkle, Cheysuli, Brian, Katie, and Austin will be doing a special feature post today on each of their respective blogs about why they chose the shelter they did and what the prize will mean to them if they win it. Please take the time to stop by to visit with them and learn about some very special organizations.
Here are the post links:
Odin of Cat Wisdom 101 campaigning for Brigid’s Crossing in FL.
Sparkle the Designer Cat campaigning for Tabby’s Place in NJ.
Cheysuli of The Cat Post Intelligencer campaigning for Purrfect Pals in WA.
Brian of Brian’s Home campaigning for Kitten Action Team in SC.
Katie of Glorgirly campaigning for Blind Cat Rescue in NC.
Austin of CATachresis campaigning for Freshfields Animal Rescue in the UK…. Opps, such is life, Austin had a bit of a technical issue and will be unable to post about this shelter today! We will keep you filled in as things progress and thank you for your understanding!!
Thank you and see you all next Tuesday when the Cat-idates are back to discuss and dispel a very common stereotype about cats that you won’t want to miss! Oh, and just throwing the idea out there – if anyone wants to run a campaign for me to be on the Ellen Show… I wouldn’t complain…
We are thrilled to be part of this. The kind of donation could make such a huge difference in what Purrfect Pals is able to do for cats in our local area. We’re very proud of their work, although all of these shelters do such excellent work.
Chey, we are thrilled to have you be a part of this as well and are grateful for the opporuntity to spread the word about Purrfect Pals! All the shelters are just so incredible and I enjoyed learning more about them on your respective blogs.
Deb, you are an inspiration. You make a difference every single day and we are honored and proud to call you our friend.
It really struck home how significant the impact is of this contest for the shelters involved when we had a chance to visit with our own shelter pick. The gratitude in their voices…this means the world to them.
We’re so relieved we don’t have to vote. As much as we love our shelter choice, we know that they are ALL deserving and ALL winners.
Thank you again for creating this incredible opportunity.
xo, Katie & Glogirly
(see, my tongue isn’t ALWAYS sharp and sarcastic! ~Katie)
Debbie and Katie – I can only imagine how incredible the experiecne was interviewing the people at Blind Cat Rescue. What an amazing group of people they are and I am so honored that we can help them as we are. Thank you for all the fun you have put into this contest, and you are right, all the shelters are amazing!
Thank you for your dedication to kitties =^.^=
You are one of our heroes!
Purrs
Thank you Texas, a cat in New York!! That is so sweet!
We are all so thankful to have the opportunty to share out shelters and we thank you, from the bottom of our hearts, for being there, helping as you do, for being a friend, and for just being you!
Thank you, Brian. It is my pleasure to help and I am so thankful for you and your humans for all they do to make the world a better place for cats, each and every day.
After reading about all the shelters, I’ve come to the conclusion that having one vote just isn’t fair! I’d like to request that we can vote for all of them, which of course would mean prizes for everyone! That said, I’m proud to be working for one of these wonderful organizations as Campaign Manager.
Gasp, you purchased cats with all these babies living in shelters? Sigh. There must’ve been a good reason.
Cathy Keisha, yes, there was definately a good reason I purchased those cats. They became my destiny to a life of newfound knowledge so that I can inspire, educate, and help others about cat causes. Every cat deserves a good home with love, whether purchased or from a shelter, but I honestly did not realize how overwhelming the situation was for cats when I got them. I do now and it is my mission and hope that one day all cats can have a furever home.
Kudos to you!
Deb, it’s heartening to see like-minded cat lovers bandy together for a mutual cause:cats! We may all have a different role to play but at the end of the day I ask myself, did I make a difference in the lives of cats and the answer is always yes. Thank-you for all you do for cats and for spearheading this cause. Peace, love & purrs,
Layla
Layla – I love your comment and it is so true! I thank you and Odin so much for participating in this contest so that many more people can learn about Brigid’s Crossing which is such a wonderful organization.
Thank you so much Deb for not only having this Ruler of the World contest but to introduce all the amazing kitty haven’s there are out there from the candidates. I don’t know how we’re going to be able to pick just one ruler with all the obvious passion and love they have for all the needy kitties out there.
Wendy – it is my pleasure to be able to share the stories of these shelters to a wider audience. It is very humbling to be able to help out and I appreciate all of your kind words.
Z & Z..purrhaps yur mom will one day yet, bee come az famous az J K Rowling; purrhaps yur mom will one day yet; get ta appearz on de Ellen show; but in de meentime; pleez ta tell her that knot only haz her raised awareness about shelter kneads two PEEPUL; her haz aided in helpin a bazillion KITTEHS; N while we mite knot bee able ta reed; or watch N understand tee vee; de thanx N love de KITTEHS give bak to yur mom; ……iz priceless
Oh my goodness da abbies o trout towne – that comment sure did bring me to tears. Thank you so much and the Z/Z gang loves you back!!
I too wish every organization we candidates are supporting could win! I am, of course, partial to mine, but everyone is SO worthy!
This is all so wonderful! We are so glad to see our friends doing so much to help these amazing organizations, and cats everywhere. BIG thanks to everyone involved. 🙂
Deb, I’ve said it before – you are an amazing person and an inspiration to us all. I just got caught up with this contest and I am blown away by your dedication, your awesome creativity and your boundless generosity.
I created CatCentric.org so I could do my little part in improving feline lives (through owner education on nutrition and behavior), but it has been a blessing to me in so many ways, not the least of which is the wonderful people I would never have met without it – like you.
Hardly anyone is around this weekend, but come Tuesday, I’ll be sharing all your posts on CatCentric’s Facebook page. Rock on, sister! ;-}
Tracy – thank you for your kind words. We all can do our part to help in our own little ways, but the first step has to be taken. I was just getting so frustrated – the problems for cats just seem so overwhelming at times that you wonder how you can possibly make any difference at all. It was when I took my marketing background and love for writing, that I knew I had an idea that had merit and could make a difference. I appreciate your support and it has been a blessing meeting you as well. As one, we stand alone, collectively, what a powerful team all of us make…
Thank you for sharing on Tuesday!!
Deb you have triumphed and will continue to do so! What you may not know is that you were working backwards. Through your clever and witty writing, fundraising and blog, you will be on Ellen DeGeneres educating millions of people and saving countless kitties. I am so honored to know you!
Deb, OMC! You ARE a “real” hero! You are doing so much to help the felines…AND at the same time AMEWSING us no end! (I can’t believe you didn’t entitle this piece up close and PURRsonal! LOL) Oh…and we see you doing the cat lady strut with Ellen DeGeneres VERY soon! 😀
Oh Ana!! I love your spirit and am thrilled you find my work AMEWSING!!!! My paws are crossed – I hope you are right about Ellen!! xoxo
Thank you Deb! Each one of us can help in some way. It doesn’t have to be a grand donation it can be 1 can of food because that is 1 can more than a shelter had before someone made that donation. It can be one vote on a website that has a contest for a shelter to win. It can be one letter to a congressman or woman or even our President about the need to strengthen and enfore animal cruelty laws. It can be anything and still be help and that is what matters because 1 thing + 1 thing + 1 thing ++++ = millions of things! It really is all about the Butterfly principal.
Luvs to you and all that come here and take that 1 tiny step. Skeeter and Izzy >^..^<
Skeeter and Izzy – that was so well put! Thank you for your wise words and for stopping by to comment!
I have to agree, it was a sad day All My Children, and the other Soaps went off the air! Silly shows took their places.
You should definitely get to be on The Ellen Show. She should know better!
The contest you created is wonderful, what Great Candidates and their shelters. It’s good everyone benefits.
Many congratulations for a worthy cause, and such fun reading!