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    photo from Animal Friends Shelter Two weeks ago, our Caturday post focused on the  plight of animals and their caregivers in war zones .  It focused as the first in a planned series on Animal Friends Shelter in Gaza City.  Animal Friends Shelter Last Saturday, we updated the information available from Tamir and Samir, two selfless cat godparents weathering the war in Gaza City (and, of course, beyond).  This Caturday, we can report that we last heard from AFS yesterday. We know from the news reports that the Internet is not functioning in Gaza right now, but we hope and pray that AFS is able t continue caring for its family of cats, who, yesterday, were squabbling a bit over rationed food.   Animal Friends Shelter is on Twitter:  Animal Friends Shelter (@AnimalFriendsAF) / X (twitter.com) And for those who wish to donate (AFS is a charity) to help -- PayPal.Me . Now, with an invasion going on and the Internet is down, donations may take a while to get through and supplies may not b

Usually, I do not post on the same topic two Caturdays in a row, but this one is urgent. As you can see, the cats (like the humans) in Gaza have run out of food. Not only is it scarce, but what is available is extremely expensive.  The Animal Friends Shelter right now is experiencing discouragement and yet, this week, had a bit of good news. The family of Samir Skaik (one of the two brothers who operate the shelter) has made it into Egypt. Hurrah! Thanks to donations from kind-hearted cat-loving people from around the world.  Tamer has left the shelter in Gaza City (the north) and is waiting with his family in Rafah (the south) to get across the border, but the situation is dire, with an invasion of Rafah expected at any minute. They are still trying to gather the money they need to be able to evacuate from Gaza in time. Should those of you reading this Caturday post wish to donate, it is pretty easy to do here though Go Fund Me . Just $5 will help, and there are $5 contributions to t

  photo from Animal Friends Shelter Last Caturday focused on the  plight of animals and their caregivers in war zones .  It focused as the first in a planned series on Animal Friends Shelter in Gaza City. This Caturday, we have an update -- reportage from 10 First in Australia. View the video/report  HERE . Animal Friends Shelter is on Twitter:  Animal Friends Shelter (@AnimalFriendsAF) / X (twitter.com) And for those who wish to donate (AFS is a charity) to help -- it seems possible to do that, at least pre-invasion (let's hope there is not an invasion) att  PayPal.Me . For more Caturday posts, click  HERE . Sign up for the MSI Press LLC newsletter Follow MSI Press on  X ,  Face Book , and  Instagram .   Interested in publishing with MSI Press LLC? Check out information on  how to submit a proposal . Interested in receiving a free copy of this or any MSI Press LLC book  in exchange for  reviewing  a current or forthcoming MSI Press LLC book? Contact editor@msipress.com. Want an  a

  photo from Animal Friends Shelter This is the first of a series of Caturday posts about cats trapped in war zones. Cats are not political (nor are dogs or any other animal for that matter--nor, generally, the people caring for them, nor this post). In peace and where people watch out for them, cats enjoy being loved and learn to return love. Yet, cats (and other animals) do get find themselves struggling in war zones. They, just like people who have done nothing to bring harm to anyone else but just happen to live there, suffer the consequences of evil descending unexpectedly from sources external to them. Like people, cats and other animals suffer when they are homeless and without food or winter. And they are often completely forgotten when war (or natural disaster, for that matter -- they drown in floods and burn in fires) breaks out. Like people, they have to dodge bullets, bombs, and other dangers. Unlike people, they are often not calculated into humanitarian outreach efforts I

    photo from Animal Friends Shelter As most people know, the situation in Gaza is beyond-belief-horrible for both people and animals. When hunger and devastation strike, the animals are more often than not forgotten and left to survive a while with fear until they die of starvation. They are the often forgotten victims of wars, whether in the Middle East, Ukraine, or Africa.  Here is an update on the situation with the Animal Friends Shelter in northern Gaza, that has appeared in Caturday columns in the past (along with other shelters in Gaza, shelters in Israel, and animal rescue efforts in other parts of the world). For more posts about these situations, see our columns on " Cats in War ." Lack of food and hunger has become unsustainable for the families of the two brothers, Tameer and Samir, who operate the shelter. Thanks to donors, one of the families has begun the process of emigration. The other family still needs a few more donations. So do Tameer and Samir who are

  We were happy to see an update today from Animal Friends Shelter in Gaza -- where two brothers and their families have been saving and protecting cats in Gaza. A tough time and truly amazing that they can keep the cats in such good shape, especially when they have had to move them to a safer place. See the update (with video) here . Short and worth watching. See more posts about Animal Friends Shelter here . Sign up for the MSI Press LLC newsletter Follow MSI Press on  Twitter ,  Face Book , and  Instagram .   Interested in publishing with MSI Press LLC? Check out information on  how to submit a proposal . Planning on self-publishing and don't know where to start? Our  author au pair  services will mentor you through the process. Interested in receiving a free copy of this or any MSI Press LLC book  in exchange for  reviewing  a current or forthcoming MSI Press LLC book? Contact editor@msipress.com. Want an  author-signed copy  of this book? Purchase the book at 25% discount (use

  sons, Zain and Zayed, helping to care for the cats This is an update on the dire straits of the Animal Friends Shelter in Gaza. With 57 cats (and growing, because of the kindness of the brothers who operate the shelter toward street cats, that they try to take in or otherwise feed on the street -- or, better stated, share their own food with) and war all around, even resilient people lose their strength without the help of friends and strangers.  Brothers Tamer and Samer Skaik stayed behind in Gaza City to care for the cats and move them to safety (if there really is any such thing there) when the city was repeatedly bombed. As food has become more and more scarce, they have been reduced to one meal, mostly bread, which they share with the cats. (Note: for those who have not read the papers, the aid trucks from Israel and elsewhere are being hijacked, assumedly by Hamas soldiers, and the people of Gaza have to pay high prices, which many do not have, on the black market or have nothi

  photo from Animal Friends Shelter Recently, the Network for Animals put up a video on  Facebook  that details the plight of animals caught in war zones. In our cats in war series, we are looking at specific shelters and their owners and trying to find ways to help them -- hoping that some readers will be able to step and help, at the very least. In several previous posts, we have identified rescuers and shelters in Gasa that are in desperate straits. With a truce in effect (a very short one), they can go out and replenish the supplies (brought in through humanitarian aid work) for their cats and dogs (and, in some cases, other animals. In some cases, they have had to hold their populations to less than subsistence levels, which made for some pretty grumpy cats.  Here are links to shelters who could use some quick turnaround help. Even small amount help -- they can be put together with other small amounts to really make a difference. Animal Friends Shelter; donation info HERE . More p

  Last Caturday, I made the comment on a post by Animal Friends Shelter in Gaza, Palestine, on X/Twitter that one of their cats looked like my late Murjan , shown above, hugging me (he was a hugger and a communicator). In response, the staff sent me a note and a video (such a nice surprise): Animal Friends Shelter on X: "@msi_press I qm so sorry for Murjan, he is in a better place now and will never forget your love. Today we made this video special for you and for Murjan hoping you like it 😻 https://t.co/4oZTNkI0ig" / X (twitter.com) They did this out of kindness and did not ask for a donation; later, I learned that they do not have enough food for all their cats and have to spread it out. If anyone feels like donating, here is where you can do it: PayPal Acc : Donate.AFScats@gmail.com or https:// paypal.me/DonateAFS?coun try.x=IL&locale.x=en_U And if you can, do not forget other shelters that are also hurting for funds to support their animals. For more Caturday posts

  And now, the third post in the series of Caturday posts about cats trapped in war zones. Cats are not political (nor are dogs or any other animal for that matter--nor, generally, the people caring for them, nor this post). In peace and where people watch out for them, cats enjoy being loved and learn to return love. Yet, cats (and other animals) do get find themselves struggling in war zones. They, just like people who have done nothing to bring harm to anyone else but just happen to live there, suffer the consequences of evil descending unexpectedly from sources external to them. Like people, cats and other animals suffer when they are homeless and without food or winter. And they are often completely forgotten when war (or natural disaster, for that matter -- they drown in floods and burn in fires) breaks out. Like people, they have to dodge bullets, bombs, and other dangers. Unlike people, they are often not calculated into humanitarian outreach efforts Sulala Animal Rescue , loca

  Reposting from Twitter on behalf of an animal shelter in Gaza in dire straits because of the conflict that has just spring up. The message: Please it is a TOP URGENT situation🚨. We don't have time and we have to secure food and needs as fast as possible. The suppliers are about to close their door due the unfortunate conflict here in Gaza Donate🙏 https://paypal.me/DonateAFS?country.x=IL&locale.x=en_US Please consider to repost, it is UMERGENCY🚨 COMMENT: I HAVE FOLLOWED ANIMAL FRIENDS SHELTER FOR SOME TIME. THEY SHOW WONDERFUL VIDEOS OF INTERACTITONS WITH THE CATS AND HOW WELL THE CATS GET ALONG. THEY WERE SCRAPING BY -- AND THEN THIS WEEKEND'S CONFLICT HIT. IF YOU CAN AFFORD TO SPARE SOME CHANGE, AND IF MONEY CAN HELP IN ANY WAY (THE SITUATION IS TOUGH TO GET ANIMAL FOOD RIGHT NOW), PLEASE CONSIDER DONATION. and please spread the word

  Graphic from Animal Friends Shelter/Twitter Today, we make another plea not to forget the animal caught in the devastation that is going on in Gaza. These cat shelters are desperate for food and medical supplies. Housing is marginal, and sometimes populations have to be moved because of bombing. The people who care for them, sometimes at risk to their family and sometimes at the cost of being separated from family, are brave souls who deserve prayers and financial help. Our plea is: if you can help (even a few dollars added to many others giving a few dollars add up), please do. If you cannot help, please spread the word on your social media platforms (and anywhere else you can). The stories are not being covered by the media in ways that would bring attention to the dire plight of the animals forgotten in war (any war, really). See our cats in war series of posts. For more Caturday posts, click  HERE . Sign up for the MSI Press LLC monthly newsletter (recent releases, sales/discoun