Have a Merry Meowy Christmas | Seattle Cat Photography

December 25, 2012January 14, 2016Leave a comment

It’s been a busy few weeks of photo-taking and editing as the holidays have drawn closer (and Doomsday didn’t happen, woohoo!), so I’ve been in full-on photog mode…and I’ve not even had time to do my own Christmas cards and photos! But it has actually helped replace some of the personal stressors going on; I’ve found some editing projects to be quite good stress relief, as I’m up til about 3am in the morning making everyone look perfect, and then I just crash when my head hits the pillow. That said, this girl needs at least a Christmas Day break!

There are a great many cats and kittens who have happily found their forever homes this cold holiday and for that, I am so happy, but there are always innumerable amounts of animals who don’t have a warm home with love in it, and even more who are either sitting in shelters or worse than that, abandoned and stuck outside in frigid temperatures, or awaiting a deadline for euthanasia. I hope that the Christmas spirit extends beyond the holidays and a sparkly new year is in store for many deserving kitties that I know.

May you and yours enjoy a fabulous holiday tomorrow – hold your family and your animals close and show them a lot of love!

xo ~ K

“Christmas is not as much about opening our presents as opening our hearts. ” ~ Janice Maeditere

HeARTs Speak | Seattle Rescue Pet Photography

November 20, 2012December 16, 20144 Comments

I am ecstatic to say that today my membership application for HeARTs Speak was approved! HeARTs Speak is a global network of artists that is dedicated to helping get homeless animals adopted through photography and art, and I am so humbled and pleased to become a part of the community. Be on the lookout for my new HeARTs Speak watermark on my images of the animals at Animal Talk looking for homes.

Please visit HeARTs Speak to find out more, and please click on my Giving Back page above to read more about the work that I do photographing rescue animals.

Thank you, HeARTs Speak!! And thank you for all the work that you do to support the efforts of everyone involved in finding homes for abandoned, neglected and abused animals everywhere. xo ~ K

‘I am NOT less lovable!!’ | Seattle Rescue Pet Photography

November 8, 2012January 14, 20161 Comment

Long time, no see! It has been a busy month for me, and one project I have been helping get off the ground with my photography, is a new campaign for Animal Talk Rescue on Facebook – ‘Adopt less-adoptable cats’. The campaign is simply to highlight that ‘Less-adoptable cats doesn’t mean less lovable! It just means they tend to be overlooked because of their age, shyness, medical condition or black fur (yes!).’

Here, at the only no-kill cat rescue within the Seattle City limits, we are hoping to get some of these wonderful cats adopted during this special campaign where there is 20% off the adoption fee ($80). so if you breeze by my blog here, I’d love it if you hopped over to Facebook to like our new campaign Adopt less-adoptable cats. It’s also, quite appropriately, National Adopt-a-Senior-Pet Month; the oldies are the goodies!

Here are just a few of these amazing cats at ATR right now; click on the images to read their bios; they all have a story to tell…

Less-lovable, indeed!

“What greater gift than the love of a cat?” ~ Charles Dickens

xo ~ K

Nine Lives for even more cats | Seattle Cat Photography

October 15, 2012January 14, 2016Leave a comment

Last night I attended and took photos at the Nine Lives Gala, a benefit to raise money for the cat rescue Animal Talk that I regularly take photos for, and it was an amazing evening, I can’t stop thinking about it. It feels just great to know that there are so many good people out there who care about all the cats that are lucky enough to make it through the doors at this no-kill cat rescue.

Driven by my never-failing love of animals, I started volunteering at ATR years ago when I lived barely two blocks away, going in almost daily to help clean out cages. Cages and crates and rooms that never stop housing the countless cats that are abandoned, abused and need new and loving homes. Even now, as my input at the shelter has changed to photographing the cats (especially the ones who are usually deemed less-adoptable, often adults), the real situation that faces all animal shelters and rescues, is that the need and the work never stops. There are just so many people who pour themselves into that small space for a very big cause, and it is constantly inspiring.

People who do volunteer work at animal rescues and shelters, including myself, are often asked how we do it. How we can spend so much time within what seems to be a never-ending problem – kitties who only know pain, neglect, sickness, fear and mistrust of humans. It’s easy to get overwhelmed when you see all those crates that need cleaning, and all the cats whose big eyes look at you, knowing that there are more, and then still more…

What keeps you going and spurs you to do more, and again, are the success stories. The feral cat who gradually learns to trust people and eventually finds out that sleeping near the fireplace is awesome. The young mama cat who comes in with a litter of kittens, but finally is spayed and gets a home where she isn’t constantly nursing babies. The abused cat who finds his way to the rescue and needs to have his lower jaw removed due to the trauma it has received, but after a lot of TLC is adoptable and gets a home complete with another kitty friend. And even when we can’t save a live, because of incurable sickness, we tried. And everyone then tries even harder.

It seems it’s not obvious to some as to why us ‘bleeding hearts’ will do so much for an animal that is not human (that’s right, we’re animals too, remember?). I just happen to believe that missing out on companionship with other living beings, and treating their lives with as much care as a person in need, means missing out on many opportunities for unconditional love and friendship. An animal’s love is honest and uncomplicated, and there’s no pretense. I couldn’t imagine a life without my fur-babies!

So thank you to everyone who supports the cause of animal rescue! Here are just some of the many many cats who have found new homes because of Animal Talk. And there is also a link to the final video shown at the event last night (that just about had me in tears) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JoCGppbSid8&feature=youtu.be . Every life was worth saving.

“When I look into the eyes of an animal I do not see an animal. I see a living being. I see a friend. I feel a soul.” – A.D. Williams

xo ~ K

Beavis & the Case for Fostering Animals | Seattle Cat Photography

August 8, 2012January 14, 20164 Comments

Kitty Yoga

I got the chance to catch up with one of the coolest cats recently. Beavis (previously named Electro) had been taken in by one of the most awesome cat foster families for animaltalkrescue.org and what a turn around this guy had made. I had met him months prior, back when he was actually at the rescue; he would sit high up on the beams in Room 1, hiding and shy like his brother Sebastian (who was renamed Boo, by the same amazing foster family). Many adult cats come to shelters and rescues with big stories behind them, but they often have big and wonderful characters that often don’t get a chance to shine until they get a chance to be in a foster home. Such was the case for Beavis. He was suddenly this leaping, loving, lively cat, his personality just hadn’t had the chance to blossom before and to be seen. He can leap several feet into the air, loves hanging out in yoga poses and is affectionate with both other kitties and people. Such a happy sight to see.

Beavis Butt

Well, after my new photos were posted, the rescue got calls for Beavis within days, and he now has his new forever home. It just is obvious how invaluable a foster home was for this guy. I want to encourage cat (and all animal) lovers everywhere that if they want to help a rescue, but volunteering their time and/or donating money often are too difficult, to consider offering help by fostering. Instead of adopting one more animal, providing your home, TLC and attention, can help save numerous animals. They get the chance to learn to trust and love humans again (as many have backgrounds where that love and trust was missing), and their true characters come out. Pressure is taken off the rescue, and whilst you may grow attached in a short time, you will feel joy when a new home for them is found; you have played a part in that animal’s success story. And then there’s a chance for another kitty! You can be a rescue angel too.

xo ~ K