Gibson ("Gibby") Update!

Guess who we heard from?! Ok, the subject line of this post kind of gives it away ... Gibson's mom! She wrote in to Joa's Arc recently to let us know how well our Gibster is doing and we couldn't think of a better way to close the year off than by sharing it here for all the wonderful people who check in on the animals of Joa's Arc through our blog.

Gibson's mom wrote: Gibson is amazing. I can't even express it. He's the greatest cat ever. He's sweet, affectionate, quite the little cuddler, and totally hilarious. Just a total sweetheart, lovebug. He makes everyone laugh with his antics. When he's in the mood to play, he likes to crouch down behind things and then jump out at you. He's also the first cat I've ever know who'll actually play hide and seek with you! And he's got this cute little hop that he does when he's excited. It's adorable.

He's definitely special. We call him the little supervisor because sometimes he just likes to stare at you. Even if he's not in the same room, sometimes he'll just stare from the hall. Otherwise he likes to be in the same room with one of us at all times, just watching what we're doing. He sleeps in my bed and he even knows what it means when I say "time for bed Gibs". He'll follow me into my room and curl up on the right side, putting his head on the pillow that is very much his pillow now. He looooves cuddles and being nuzzled. He also loves kisses. He won't sit in your lap but he'll sit right next to you with his paw in your lap or wrapped around your arm.

Gibby also has this funny obsession with the bathroom. We don't know what it is. When you're in there, he likes to be in there too. If you don't let him in, or if anyone is in the bathroom, he will sit outside the door and wait for them to come out. Sometimes he likes to hang out in the bath tub, and I've also found him just hanging out in the sink. Strange, but funny and sweet. Like Gibson himself.

We went to the vet for a check up at the end of October and the vet said he was great. She was impressed with how sweet he was and the softness of his coat. He's about eleven pounds! A little chubby food hog, but we're working on that. I'm taking pictures of him all the time. I've attached some of my recent favorites.

One of those attached photos on her email is the photo featured in this blog post. Yay for Gibson and his awesome home!! Thanks so much for writing to us, Gibby's mom, and letting us know how well he's doing. You have no idea how much that made our holiday! Gibson certainly came a very long way from the extreme circumstances that brought him into Joa's Arc care and we are ecstatic to see that he is so loved (and still so silly).

Joa's Arc is wishing all sorts of happiness on you, readers, in the coming new year. Lets keep up the good work! Tweet This

Looking Ahead to 2011

Nennee stole hearts first when she was found abandoned on a shelf at a pet store. A brat in foster care and a mush out in public, it was hard to deny that there was any cat quite like our Nennee! Adorable Nennee was in foster care for awhile because she required surgery to correct eye lid deformities. When old enough, Joa's Arc provided that for her. Not long after Nennee was healed and adopted by her foster mom, a small kitten looking just like Nennee was found in a road also suffering from eye issues. Joa's Arc took this kitten in and named her Minnen (Mini Nennee). Recently, Minnen was spayed and had her one deformed eye removed. Minnen has recovered wonderfully and is now waiting for a home to call her own - maybe she'll have more luck in 2011.

This time of year finds Joa's Arc looking ahead to 2011 with two more kittens who would not have survived to see the holidays if it had not been for Joa's Arc. While at a local shelter, Joyce M was pulled aside and shown two kittens with obvious eyelid deformities. These kittens could not get the very obvious extensive medical attention they needed at this shelter. Phil and Lil are now safe in foster care with Joa's Arc and will be seeing an eye specialist when they are old enough.


These eye-deformities kittens are just a few of the countless special needs animals Joa's Arc has helped this year. Cup of Joe the Poodle had surgery to repair his broken leg and has since been adopted into a wonderful home in PA. Scooter the paraplegic kitten was taken off the streets and is safe in foster care now. Buster the severely shy Beagle is now living it up in his adopted home getting into all sorts of trouble. Valentine the cat found with a blow dart in her eye was rescued, recovered from the abuse she survived and has found a wonderful adopter to love her forever. Flea, the kitten poisoned with a Hartz flea product, made a complete recovery and is waiting for an adoptive home now.

We could not have done any of this without your help and support! Thank you for your continued support for the extra special animals and please enjoy your holiday! Tweet This

Happy Holidays

We hope this holiday season finds you well, warm and with loved ones!



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STAF Event

Tomorrow, Saturday, December 18th, starting at 2:30 PM you can get your pet's picture taken with Santa at Cross Keys Animal Hospital! One 5x7 photo is $10 or you can get four wallet-sized photos for $5. Proceeds go to Save The Animals Foundation (STAF). Walk ins are welcome or you can call ahead to set up your appointment at the reception desk, 856-740-3700.

STAF does great work ... and they are also the amazing organization that allows Joa's Arc to do the good work it does! If you're in the area (you want to make yourself in the area), we highly encourage you to go. Tweet This

Joa's Arc In The Paper

Joa's Arc was mentioned in the newspaper recently! Check it out: Fortescue feral cat colony doing just fine, thank you

Did you miss it? It's okay because I did too at first. Page 3 has this quote:She was instrumental in getting together the following groups: Save the Animals Foundation, Animal Friends Association, the Animal Welfare Association, Joa's Arc and the Camden County Animal Clinic, to provide the funds and services to trap, neuter and release the cats.

In October, Joa's Arc's Jen W supplied (wo)man-power and supplies! She went out trapping when her friends, Joan & Steve, mentioned a need for help in Fortescue, NJ. Coincidentally, this was the weekend after Jen W caught something else in Fortescue - her giant fish! She brought along a few traps, carriers, soft pretzels (for the people) and her aunt, mom & good friend, Alyssa, to help as well ... It ended up being quite a successful day!

I believe we trapped about 15 cats that day, which is a big deal because some of the feeders stopped by and mentioned that they had fed them earlier not knowing we were coming. There were at least 3 different cars that stopped by of people that usually care for the cats, so the love and the compassion for the cats was very obvious.

We used sardines, canned food and lunch meat, I think, in all the traps we set back in the reeds and along the road. We caught young cats/"teen" aged kittens and big toms! One cat we caught towards the end of our day was a cat one feeder referred to as "King of the Hill" - he was a white Tom with gray spots and bigtestosterone cheeks. She had tried for 2 years to catch him!! We got him not long after she mentioned this too, oddly enough. The number of cats we caught, the kind people that showed up and especially getting that long-time "King" made the day a great one!

Joa's Arc tries to do as much as possible for as many animals as we are able to. To be able to help Steve & Joan Bullock of Save The Animals Foundation is our pleasure as we are proud to be supported by this amazing organization and all the good work they do! Tweet This

Deck The Halls

This has been very popular on the internet and I thought I'd share it here to send you all well wishes this holiday season...

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