by The Ark Manager | Feb 13, 2025 | Blog, Happenings at The Ark
Okay, we may not have actually designed a dating app for cats, but we did put together some dating profiles for some of our friendliest felines who find themselves at The Ark this Valentine’s day!
Remember, if you’re interested in adopting, you can expedite the process by filling out an application!
Use the fullscreen option for the best experience.
by The Ark Manager | Feb 12, 2025 | Cats, Successful Cat Adoptions
Meow Meow! Our names are Lady Shadow and Mr. Ham! We just arrived at the shelter not too long ago because our parents moved into a new facility and could not take us with them ): We LOVE attention and are soo so sweet. We aren’t related by blood but that doesn’t diminish our bond; we spend our days cuddling and grooming each other! Do you have room in your hearts and home for the two of us?
Lady Shadow is 3 years old and Mr. Ham is 11, though he doesn’t seem it! He has a young soul and curious spirit.
by The Ark Manager | Feb 7, 2025 | Ark EDU
National Cat Health Month: Why Regular Vet Visits Matter for Your Cat
February is National Cat Health Month, and weâre taking this opportunity to highlight simple ways you can keep your cat happy and healthy! One of the biggest things you can do for your feline friend? Make sure they see the vet regularly!
Are Cats Really That Different from Dogs?
Cats are experts at hiding illness, which means they often donât show signs of being sick until things are more serious. Despite this, less than 60% of cat owners take their cats for an annual checkup, according to a 2024 AVMA survey. Meanwhile, dogs head to the vet much more oftenâeven though a catâs visit typically costs half as much as a dogâs.
For indoor-only cats, many people assume theyâre not exposed to the same risks and donât need as many vet visits. But thatâs not actually in your catâs best interest! Hereâs why:
🐾 Preventive care is key â Routine exams help catch health issues before they become serious.
🐾 Vaccinations still matter â In Maine, rabies vaccinations are legally required, even for indoor cats.
🐾 Parasites arenât just an outdoor problem â Fleas, ticks, and even heartworms can still find their way inside.
🐾 Emergency care access â Many vet clinics canât take emergencies unless the pet is a current patient, meaning your cat could be turned away in a crisis if they havenât been seen in over a year.
Make Your Catâs Health a Priority
An annual checkup is a simple way to keep your cat healthy, comfortable, and safe for years to come. If your cat hasnât been to the vet in a while, now is a great time to schedule that appointment!
Stay tuned for more tips throughout February – because keeping your cat healthy goes beyond the vetâs office!
📚 For More Information:
How Often Should You Take Your Cat to the Vet? (PetMD)
Why Your Cat Should Go to the Vet (ASPCA Pet Insurance)
by The Ark Manager | Jan 24, 2025 | Ark EDU, Blog
Youâve brought home a new cat or kitten. Itâs so exciting! Theyâre exploring the house and suddenly you hear an odd sound. A rhythmic ticking⌠or is it a ripping? On a quest to discover the source of the sound, youâre shocked to find your beautiful new furry friend on their own mission to de-stuff your favorite recliner! Upset, you call a friend who tells you âoh, my cat did that too! Plus, she even scratched my grandkids! I got her declawed, problem solved!â
Eagerly, you call a few vet offices and discover that many donât do elective declawings. Why, you might ask? Because after years of research and observation, we have discovered the lasting damage that declawing surgeries actually cause cats! There are much safer, more humane ways to curb unwanted clawing and scratching than to declaw the pet you promised to care for.
Whatâs wrong with declawing?
Onychectomy is not simply a removal of claws themselves, but the surgical removal of bone structures at the end of your catâs toes. The human equivalent is losing the last joint on every finger and toe.
This can cause a variety of problems such as:
- Chronic pain
- Nerve pain, pain from bone fragments, even phantom pain from losing part of a limb
- Limping or lameness
- Arthritis
- Recurrent infections of the toes
- Nails growing back improperly
- Biting
- Due to pain, inability to use claws, or out of frustration
- Inability to defend themselves
- Even indoor cats are exposed to threats, or could sneak out
- Litter box avoidance
- Cats experiencing pain related to their feet are highly sensitive to the textures they walk on, making litter box issues a major concern for many declawed cats
- Requires anesthesia and all the associated risks of any major surgery
Scratching is a natural behavior!
Just like dogs chew, cats scratch. They are biologically designed to file their claws for survival, and they accomplish this by scratching. Cats require appropriate surfaces to express this behavior, which means providing enriching and attractive scratching options.
You may have tried similar things in the past, but unfortunately for us cat-servants, itâs up to the cat what an âenrichingâ and âattractiveâ surface is! This means you may have to experiment with different textures, shapes, and materials to determine what keeps your cat interested. You can encourage your cat to engage with their scratching options by feeding them on their cat tree, putting the cardboard scratcher by their favorite arm of the couch, sprinkling treats in the scratcher box, or sprinkling some fresh catnip on the scratcher daily.
You can also work on making the surfaces your cat likes to scratch less available to them when unsupervised, or use a scent-based deterrent on the couch while offering a scratching post with treats and catnip on it nearby.
Additionally, you should keep your catâs nails trimmed. By clipping your catâs nails you can prevent harmful scratching and ensure that there is no overgrowth. Untrimmed nails can become extremely sharp and can even grow into the toepad if not maintained properly.
Offering other forms of enrichment such as lick mats, treat dispensing toys, and interactive toys can help bust your catâs boredom and expand their range of fun activities – away from your armchair.
We do not support declawing
The Ark Pope Memorial Animal Shelter does not support declawing – and weâre in excellent, educated company! The American Veterinary Medicine Association (AVMA), The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA), and the World Small Animal Veterinary Association (WSAVA) have all expressed opposition to this procedure. VCA Animal Hospitals now decline to perform this elective procedure due to the serious ramifications to the catâs health and wellbeing.
by The Ark Manager | Jan 16, 2025 | Blog, Events
by The Ark Manager | Jan 9, 2025 | Dogs, Successful Dog Adoptions
Our foster boy had his two week recheck today! He is healing great from hip surgery and is good to return to regular activities. This means he is officially up for ADOPTION!!!
This meatball has made some amazing progress since going into foster in August! Here is some facts about the meatball!
⢠4 years young and neutered
⢠gives the best cuddles
⢠loves car rides and drive thru treats
⢠loves to swim
⢠loves to play with other dogs but can be male dog selective
⢠lady’s man at heart but has a hard time trusting men.
⢠treat motivated
⢠knows basic commands
⢠house trained and crate trained
He does have some medical needs, which will be discussed with potential adopter.
Please Share and send people our way to help him get adopted!
Please note that Meatball is not currently at The Ark, and is in a foster home. If interested in adopting/meeting Meatball please reach out so we can coordinate a meet and greet!!
by The Ark Manager | Jan 3, 2025 | Cats, Cats Pending Adoption
Hello, I’m Daisy!
I can be a tiny bit shy at first, but I LOVE some good scratches! I mostly spend my time either sleeping, sniffing catnip, or playing with my friends! I am pretty easy going, and am just looking for someone to love me like I would love them! I would prefer if there was a friendly kitty in the home already or maybe even have one adopted with me, I just really like having company and someone to play with!
by The Ark Manager | Jan 3, 2025 | Cats, Successful Cat Adoptions
Much like Perla, I enjoy REAL short walks to the food dish, and I also LOVE to play with the other kitties! All I need in a home is a loving human, a friendly/playful friend, and lots and lots of cat treats…maybe some catnip too…
I can be a tiny bit shy at first, but I promise we can be friends!!
I find that the comfort of another cat around really eases my nervousness, and I suppose that my sister Ava isn’t ALLL that bad. She seems to like me, and I guess she isn’t terrible to play with…
Really I am just looking for a friend and a human that will love me!
by The Ark Manager | Jan 3, 2025 | Cats, Successful Cat Adoptions
Meet Perla! 🐾
Hi, Iâm Perla â a gentle sweetheart with a soft side and a playful streak! I might be a little shy when we first meet, but give me a moment (and a few good scratches), and Iâll be purring in no time.
My favorite hobbies? Taking short strolls to my food dish, chasing toys in long play sessions with my siblings, and soaking up all the love I can get. I’m a low-maintenance girl with simple needs: some fun toys, tasty treats, and a little patience to help me shine!
Letâs meet soon â I canât wait to find a cozy home where I can grow, play, and love.
by The Ark Manager | Jan 3, 2025 | Cats, Successful Cat Adoptions
Bronny is one well rounded guy, pretty purrfect if you ask any of us!!
This young man is always one of the first to come greet you, and loves to cuddle up with you! A total lap cat!
He loves a good feathered toy, any moving object really, and could not be any better at putting a smile on everyone’s faces!
He would do best in a home with another cat to play with, or he could be adopted out as a pair with one of the few siblings he has left here with us!
Someone out there has to want this young chap!
by The Ark Manager | Dec 29, 2024 | Cats, Successful Cat Adoptions
Kittens!
Please bare with us because they all quite look alike so telling genders/names is a bit easier by their registered microchip numbers for right now until we learn their quirks better!
These babies are a tiny bit shy still but are sure to come around!
The all black one has already found her way home, but the three others (Basil F, Oregano M, and Parsley M), are still here with us and are waiting for their furrever homes! We do ask that if you are adopting just one, that there is another friendly kitty in the home already, as it would really help them come out of their shell and ease their nervousness!
If you are interested in any of these babies please fill out an adoption application and we will try our best to get the specific one you are interested in!!
by The Ark Manager | Dec 29, 2024 | Cats, Successful Cat Adoptions
Meet Carlos (orange) & Maple (black and white)!
These two have become a recently bonded pair! Carlos (2yrs) came into us pretty sick after being a stray for awhile and has recently become very close with Maple (9 months) so we decided to make them a bonded pair! Carlos does take a daily dose in the morning of Atopica, which is an oral solution that helps ensure that his skin stays healthy. Maple does not take any medication or anything, but they like each other so much that we decided it would be best for them to go home together.
These guys love the catnip, love to play with toys, and love to play with each other!
by The Ark Manager | Dec 29, 2024 | Dogs, Successful Dog Adoptions
Meet LP!
LP is quite the rambunctious guy, and is FULL of energy! He has potential to be with other dogs, but it may take a minute for him to get fully acquainted. Lp can be a little shy at first, but once you become his friend he really makes it worth while! He loves to talk, always having something to say about what is going on.
Lp would most likely do well with older kids who can hold their own, as he gets a little overly excited and happy and can be a little bit much. It would be best for this happy guy to go to a home with no kitties because he loves to rough house and can be a little much for a cat
by The Ark Manager | Dec 29, 2024 | Dogs, Successful Dog Adoptions
Hi! We are Lemu (tan) and Emu (tri color)!
We are 5 months old, and ready to play!
We are good with children, but maybe older ones where we can get a little over excited, and we do think we would be okay with another dog in the home as well. We are pretty hyper, but we may do well with a cat in the home, it may just take us a little while to figure everything out so please be patient with us! We are very happy go lucky, we love to play, and can’t get enough of your attention!
by The Ark Manager | Dec 29, 2024 | Cats, Successful Cat Adoptions
Meet Skylar!
Skylar is the most playful 4 yr old you will ever meet! She adores a good feather toy, chasing and carrying it wherever she goes, and also can not get enough of a kitty laser after a good catnip sesh!
She doesn’t mind some treats, seems to do really well with others, and will do about anything for some loves/scratches!
Skylar did have a litter of babies and did an amazing job raising them, but now its her turn to be the kitten at heart that she is meant to be!
Please help us get this mommy a home! It’s killing us to see her here when she has so much life, energy, and love to give!
by The Ark Manager | Dec 29, 2024 | Cats, Successful Cat Adoptions
Meet Gracie Grace!
This amazing, loving, cuddly, gorgeous girl, is Gracie!
Gracie is very much easy going, and will do just about anything for a squeeze treat! She even loves when you spread the treat on a lick mat and freeze it! She doesn’t seem to mind clothes either, just look at how cute she is!!
Grace is a very laidback lady, who LOVES to give loves. She, like Martha, also enjoy very long naps in her cage, spread out just as much as possible.
Grace would definitely do best as an only cat in the home, but she does also coexist with others beautifully as she is really just interested in finding a good napping spot!
by The Ark Manager | Dec 29, 2024 | Cats, Successful Cat Adoptions
Say Hello To Martha!
Martha is one of the sweetest ladies to ever come through our doors! She is a very human-oriented type of cat, who is really looking for someone to love/love her! Martha is 6 years old, and enjoys VERY long naps in the comfiest place she can find. She does not really love the idea of other cats, but can coexist beautifully with others as she really just keeps to herself!
Please help us get this lady out of a cage and into a home, she could really use some uplifting!
by The Ark Manager | Dec 29, 2024 | Cats, Successful Cat Adoptions
Meet Julia!
Julia is a very sweet lady, rubbing up on your legs when given the chance. She can be a little shy and quiet at first but once she gets to know you, she’ll never leave you alone. She loves to play, likes treats, loves a good cat tunnel, and especially loves some catnip!! She does enjoy the company of other cats, so we are thinking it would be best that she go to a place with a cat already in the home, or maybe adopted out with another cat we have here!
by The Ark Manager | Dec 17, 2024 | Cats, Successful Cat Adoptions
Bogie and Cappy (seen below) are both very very sweet boys. Bogie is always one of the first to walk up to you when you go in the room, especially if he thinks he’ll be getting some lovies. Cappy tends to stick to his favorite cubby in a cat tree, but will come out especially for treats!
Both of these guys are very affectionate, it just takes a little more convincing with Cappy as he tends to be slightly shy sometimes. These boys are a bonded pair and have been together since birth, so we would love to see them go into a home together.
by The Ark Manager | Dec 17, 2024 | Cats, Successful Cat Adoptions
Mr. Wilson has quite the back story. Mr.Man first came to us without the ability to fully open his eyes. He had been a stray guy living outside for all 2 years of his life, and couldn’t really see much the whole time due to his eyelids being almost completely closed. After getting a one-time procedure done on his eyes, he cam out of his shell VERY quickly!
Mr.Wilson LOVES to play, LOVES affection, and DOUBLE LOVES treats!
It is the cutest thing ever seen to watch him chase a laser pointer around, especially knowing it wasn’t something he was ever able to do before. Even as a past stray he seems to not mind being an inside guy. It seems this man is happy as can be getting pets, treats, and playtime whenever he meows for it (Which is often, he is quite the talker).
