Alana Miller—founder of the Blind Cat Rescue and Sanctuary, a North Carolina facility that, since 2005, has rescued and provided a forever home for blind cats—recounts her first experience with a blind cat, and how by thee time she’d adopted three more, she realized she needed to create an entity to serve this feline constituency. 
Miller elaborated, noting that it didn’t take long for her to recognize that resources for blind cats in shelters were scarce, so consequently, the typical outcome was they were euthanized. She notes that some 60 blind cats live at the sanctuary, and only a very tiny percentage were born that way. The vast majority lose their sight at some point, she explained, often due to conditions—upper respiratory ailments, for example, or high blood pressure—that with proper, speedy intervention at the veterinarian’s office, would not result in blindness. Miller observes how blind cats don’t know they’re blind, they think they’re normal cats, and play, eat, interact, use the litter box, etc, like any other cat—including successfully hunting lizards and birds. Miller outlines how, a few years after starting the sanctuary, she widened out the operation, to also provide forever homes to cats that leukemia positive (FELV+) and carry the feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV+), providing some information about each condition and the implications. Miller fields some listener calls, and touches on other topics, including their powerful social media presence, especially on Facebook. (https://blindcatrescue.com/, https://www.facebook.com/BlindCatRescue/, https://www.instagram.com/blindcatrescue/)
ALSO: I spoke with Bob Gray, aka “The Commuter From Hell”—he hosts “The 60s Show,” Saturdays from noon to 2 p.m. 
on WMNF–discusses the Schipperke, a breed of dog that’s little known, largely flying under the canine radar. But Gray is highly familiar, and has been for many years. He his wife currently live with one Schipperke, Xiao Xiong (left), or Little Bear, he recalls sharing his home with one before Little Bear, and that his mother had Schipperkes in her home, which is how he was initially introduced to them. He describes their temperament, which sounds like it leans toward the anal retentive side, while noting they’re loving, cuddly, and how much they enjoy playing games. (https://www.wmnf.org/events/the-sixties-show/ )
COMEDY CORNER: Nick Kroll’s “Cats vs. Dogs” (excerpt) (https://www.nickkroll.com/)
MUSIC: Rebekah Pulley’s “Talking Animals Theme,” instrumentals
NAME THAT ANIMAL TUNE: We didn’t play “Name That Animal Tune” today.
AUDIO ARCHIVE:
Listen Online Now:
