Founded in 1998, Siamese Cat Rescue, focuses match making – finding the right match for the person and the cat. And while the cats don’t have to be purebred, they must have the Siamese look.

Wordless Wednesday & Blog the Change, all in one post

Centered outside of Washington, DC, Siamese Cat Rescue is an internet based rescue organization, spanning across much of the Eastern United States, from Florida to Indiana and as far north as New Hampshire. Their goal is to rescue Siamese cats from the shelters and place them in a home that’s right for them. Once out of the shelter the cats have a better chance.

Their health can become compromised while in a shelter. If they get sick, many don’t get out.

Paws for Reflection met Melanie Johnson, of Tennessee, regional coordinator for Siamese Cat Rescue, at Georgia’s Cotton States Cat Show. She explained most of Siamese Rescue’s work is web-based and volunteer driven. They were at the Cat Show to raise awareness of their mission and to raise funds, selling hand-made items, with 100 percent of the proceeds going back to the rescue.

While the right personality match is important, Siamese Cat Rescue is also concerned with post adoption and works to keep the cats in the home long-term. Despite all the reviews and interviews, Johnson explained, sometimes it’s a bad match for the person and the cat. Other times, a failed relationship is due to life’s reasons like get married, moving back with the parents, and other situations. A cat that has lived alone can become a real Alpha cat.

Getting that right match is not all that easy. Their website’s Meezer University poses some questions one may want to consider before adopting a Siamese cat.

While smarter, females tend to be moodier, opinionated, independent, and get more put out when things don’t go their way. They can get crabbier than the males, though they are very snuggly, often bonding tightly to one person. On the other hand, males are more easy-going, happy-go-lucky, friendly with everyone, good ambassadors, go with the flow, and aren’t nearly as put out if their routines change. That would describe our male Siamese, Linus, perfectly.

For multi-cat household, dominance is an important factor in whether a home is a good match. A dominant cat tends to be very confident, outgoing, bold and curious. They not shy with new experiences. They are often possessive of their human, needy, demanding, and somewhat aggressive in play. A submissive cat can be a sacredly cat, often shy, shrinking back from new things, hiding from strangers, and insecure with anything new. There are also cats that fall somewhere in the middle, being more happy-go-lucky and going with the flow.

These questions and others can help determine what cat is right for the household. Finding that right match isn’t as easy as finding that handsome Siamese with steely blue eyes.

Siamese Cat Rescue Center (SCRC) has over 200 active volunteers, who share one goal – their love for Siamese Cats. There are many ways you can help. An online 5-minute volunteer flash presentation, outlines many of their needs including:

• Fosters help with the medical and emotional needs of each cat, as well as with identifying the cats’ behavior traits and characteristics.
• Intake Evaluators collect information on feline candidates for the program. They visit the cats to gather information on looks, behavior and medical status. A Review Committee decides whether the cat will be accepted into the program. That decision is based on not only the cat, but available resources such as foster space.
• Interviewers gather and document this information. Once approved, their interviewer acts as the applicant’s agent, working to help match the right cat to the right household. They help applicants navigate the adoption process, ensuring that the applicant’s concerns and questions are addressed.
• Transports move cats from shelter to foster home and from foster home to adoptive home. Under a very organized system called the Meezer Express, transporters cover hundreds of thousands of miles each year with trips ranging from 1-4 hours round trip.
• Crafters make items to sell and raise funds. Monthly sewing bees allow crafters get together to create Millie beds, fleece pads and snuggle sacks. Other crafters work out of their homes.
• Kennel Workers assist at the Center in Locust Dale, VA; signing up for one Saturday every 4-6 weeks to help clean litter boxes and cages, socialize the cats, and perform a variety of other duties.

If you love Siamese cats and would like to help rescue, contact Siamese Cat Rescue. With so many virtual online opportunities, Paws might well check this out, and see if this might be a good fit with our time-challenged life. Here at Paws for Reflection, we know that all this writing and blogging, is really designed to help cats.

Do you help rescue cats? What is your favorite part about rescue? What has been your most memorable moment about giving back to help cats? Please weigh in and share your comments and thoughts.