February 24, 2021 Wednesday at Rikki’s Refuge

all in a day’s work …. photos by those caring for the animals
(you can help support those animals at www.RikkisRefuge.org/Donate)

And we’re blessed with another beautiful day at Rikki’s Refuge !!!

The “pot holes” are goose ponds. They seek our softer areas or small holes, and scratch and dig to make nice swimming holes !!!! And you hear all these claims that hoomans are the only ones who alter their habitat !!!

Where is everybody this fine morning ?

I need to strut and preen and I NEED somebody watching ME !!!

THANK YOU !!!! It was a good day for donations.
Lyn drove around Fredericksburg picking up from our
Donation Locations
360 Farm & Pet at 5037 Plank Rd, Fredericksburg, VA 22407
Giant Food in Harrison Crossing at 5701 Plank Rd, Fredericksburg, VA 22407
Giant Food in Hilltop Plaza at 10346 Courthouse Rd, Spotsylvania Courthouse, VA 22553
Stop by one of these locations, and DROP OFF DONATIONS for Rikki’s Refuge and Lyn will pick them up and make sure they get to the animals of Rikki’s !!!
Thank YOU Lyn !!!

And some canned cat food arrived !!!

Doug just worked out a new partnership for Rikki’s today!!!
Deep Roots Home and Garden Center at 28284 Constitution Hwy, Rhoadesville, VA 22542 will now be supplying our sweet feed and senior horse chow and cracked corn !!! With the rising prices we’ve been experiencing, it was time to do some shopping around and negotiating. Deep Roots will also be a Rikki’s Refuge DONATION LOCATION where you can pick up supplies and leave there for us.

They don’t have an on line store at this time. But YOU can call them at 540-854-5093 and place an order for Wrangler All Stock (sweet feed), cracked corn, and/or Sr. Horse food and just tell them it’s for Rikki’s Refuge. They’ll contact us to come and git it !!!

Their hours are Tuesday – Friday 9 am to 5 pm, Saturday 9 am to 3 pm, closed Sunday and Monday.

By yesterday afternoon they’d already made a nice collection for us from visiting customers !!!

Stop in, check out their home decor, clothing and kitchen sections too. And don’t miss their great nursery !!!! Tell them Rikki’s Refuge sent you !!!

Unloading the donated Cracked Corn …. the Turkeys recognize THEIR bags of feed and run in for a taste testing !!!!

Doug had to make a couple trips to Deep Roots to pick up supplies today. Here comes the litter for the week !!! We’ve been counting on Deep Roots to have our pallet in each week for quite a while now and to keep a consistent price. Believe me, it’s been a real stinking mess when we’d ordered from other places, only to show up and find out they have a BAG for us, not a PALLET of bags !!! Or that the price is 75 cents more a bag for some reason they can’t explain, and just changes randomly every week !!!

Here comes the litter

And look who knows what it is and runs to be the first to get to use the clean litter !!!

And back to Deep Roots for the Sweet Feed …..

Matriarch of the Angora sheep, Fiona, sits atop her throne awaiting hand delivery of her evening meal of sweet feed

Marbles is one cool cat ….. everyone else wants to hang out in the sun. Marbles finds a patch of snow in the shade !!!

Murphy bets you can’t find the cat in the kitchen !!!

Loving this sunny day

YOUR donations make all this possible at Rikki’s Refuge,

their last chance forever home !!

www.RikkisRefuge.org/Donate
Rikki’s Refuge, 10910 Barr Ln, Rapidan VA 22733 (shipping address for food, etc)
Rikki’s Refuge, PO Box 1357, Orange VA 22960 (secure box for checks, etc)

Thank YOU for giving them that chance !

February 23, 2021 Tuesday at Rikki’s Refuge

all in a day’s work …. photos by those caring for the animals
(you can help support those animals at www.RikkisRefuge.org/Donate)

It’s a beautiful beautiful bright sun shiny day !!!

With a light breeze to keep the windchimes playing all day !!!

Today is portrait day at Rikki’s Refuge
Jupiter

Florence

Firedance

Honeybear with his idol Vincent, the first ever Spokes Cat of Rikki’s Refuge

Clinton

Peter

Lars

Billy and Buster

Jack, Mini, Tubs, Tinker and Molly

Shelby

Murphy

Buttercup

Reece

Waldo

Beauty

Monty

Wanda

Goliath announces the contest of the day. To see who has the best post.

You WILL vote for ME, won’t YOU?

Vote for MY post, says Waldo

MY post is the highest, says Tessa

MY tractor is better than any of your posts!!! Smacks

I have a table, says Riley, and if YOU don’t vote for me, I’ll bite you!

I’ll one up you Riley, my post is the stack of nums!! If I don’t win, YOU don’t eat !! Caitlyn

I sit on litterscoop, I can winz? Grizzly

Who do YOU vote for? Goliath says only REAL posts count. Riley says I’m warning YOU !!!!
Cast your vote NOW and let’s see who wins The Best Post Contest !!

The NOSE knows when it’s nums time !!

The gang shows up !

Did somebody say BREAKFAST !!!

What ?

I’m all ears !

Yup! Breakfast, that’s what this little birdie heard !

The taste testing staff

Num num num

I really need YOUR help !!! We’re very short on caned cat food. We haven’t had enough coming in on most days. Getting enough inexpensive canned food locally here is about impossible. So we have to take time off work and drive an hour or more or spend the extra money on it. And there is NO extra money. We’re barely scraping by. The prices just keep going up and up making it harder and harder.

Well I just got a great deal. But I NEED YOUR HELP. I got 200 cases of canned cat food for $1,696 and it should be delivered, FREE, by Saturday. And now I’ve got to pay for it …. uh oh … that’s the hard part !!! Can you possibly buy a case for $8.48 ? These are 13 oz cans and that makes it 4.77 cents cheaper per 5.5 oz average can than I can get anywhere else. And most places have restrictions on how many cases can be bought at a time. 200 cases is only about a week. And all my cats must eat !!! Please help with what ever you can !!! A case, or a can !!!
www.RikkisRefuge.org/Donate

Don’t stop sending food too !!!! We need it EVERY DAY !!
Rikki’s Refuge, 10910 Barr Ln, Rapidan VA 22733
Thank you

To da dump to da dump ….. every day … all the bags of stinking ick must be loaded up into the dump truck, piled high and driven to the dump. It becomes a challenging job on muddy slippery days !!!

Hanging out on the sundeck is this afternoon’s plan

You never see any hoomans sitting around relaxing, do you ?

The poor geese are so disappointed things have been drying up. They’re hanging around in patches of snow left in shady areas, hoping for it to melt into puddles.

It’s certainly a “belly to the sun” kind of day

Contented afternoon nap

I think it might be time for treats ?

YOUR support of Rikki’s Refuge saves lives !!!

With out YOU we would not exist !!

www.RikkisRefuge.org/Donate
Rikki’s Refuge, 10910 Barr Ln, Rapidan VA 22733 (shipping address for food, etc)
Rikki’s Refuge, PO Box 1357, Orange VA 22960 (secure box for checks, etc)

Thank YOU for giving us LIFE !

February 22, 2021 Monday at Rikki’s Refuge

all in a day’s work …. photos by those caring for the animals
(you can help support those animals at www.RikkisRefuge.org/Donate)

Started another day with sleet and freezing rain. I am thankful we get nice sunny days in between the bouts of this horrible wintry ick !!

Everything is flooding and miserable. When we tell you to wear good waterproof boots to work at Rikki’s Refuge, we’re NOT kidding !!

Ice is clinging on to everything

By 10 am everything is iced over

Wanda and Arlow are soaked from doing their rounds with the hoomans, and they’re miserable. They’ll get extra treats. Unlike the hoomans, who won’t have time to even grab lunch today with all the extra work and how much longer everything takes in the ice.

The ducks are ecstatic to be flooding again

The geese are thrilled with the weather

The cats are thoroughly disgusted. Few plan on venturing out today.

Emus absolutely hate to have anything over their head. They won’t go under cover unless they are really miserable.

And they keep going out to check and see if it’s over yet.

WHEN will this end ??

The sheep are so dirty in all this mud.

If it’s warm and dry tomorrow, I’ll have to get some woolite and get to work.

Just kidding !!! They’ll simply get clean the next, not too cold, rain we have. I once said something silly about needing woolite, and a bunch of folks sent it to me !!!

I really just need canned cat and dog good, cat dry food, sweet feed, senior horse chow and cracked corn. And the whole array of cleaning supplies so we can sanitize everybody’s living quarters every day !!

I so much appreciate it when you send goodies to help us out !!! We really rely on YOU !!!!
www.RikkisRefuge.org/Donate
Rikki’s Refuge, 10910 Barr Ln, Rapidan VA 22733 (shipping address for food, etc)
Rikki’s Refuge, PO Box 1357, Orange VA 22960 (secure box for checks, etc)

Come by on Saturday from noon – 3 pm and bring some goodies to Donation Drop Off and get to

KISS ME !!!

Aren’t we DONE yet?

Panda decided to be a house all day !!!

Puffster was loyal and did the rounds checking on all the residents.

Finally !!! Near the end of daylight hours, the sleet and rain stop coming down.

YES! We ARE ready for dinner !

Crybaby gives Marty his evening bath

Good night moo cows … happy munching … I’m glad it’s stopped sleeting.

YOUR support gives these animals a forever home !

We cannot do it without YOU !

www.RikkisRefuge.org/Donate
Rikki’s Refuge, 10910 Barr Ln, Rapidan VA 22733 (shipping address for food, etc)
Rikki’s Refuge, PO Box 1357, Orange VA 22960 (secure box for checks, etc)

Thank YOU !

February 21, 2021 Sunday at Rikki’s Refuge

all in a day’s work …. photos by those caring for the animals
(you can help support those animals at www.RikkisRefuge.org/Donate)

A bright beautiful dry day !!!

Everybody is getting fresh new dry straw. The nice thing about straw, and what makes it so much better than blankets or towels or other bedding, is that it dries quickly, so moisture from the air or from bodies doesn’t keep the bedding damp and dank, but allows it to dry out nicely. So why change it out after really wet days? Well the critters have brought in a lot of moisture on their bodies from going in and out in the rain and sleet yesterday so it’s gotten pretty wet. And some don’t like to go out into the wet to ….. well ….. wet. So the straw gets yucky. And who wants to sleep in that. And they’ve drug a lot of mud into bed with them. So time for all fresh bedding !!!

They’re so excited they jump in and help spread the new fresh smelling straw all about !!


Oh yeah !!!!! Just right !!!!

Mmmmmm that smells good !!!

THANK YOU, hooman !!!!!

Nap time in the fresh new straw with the sun streaming in !!!

What more could anyone want ?

Everybody is out strutting about in the sunshine

The nicer weather makes everything so much easier. Each bag of sweet feed weighs 50 pounds and all this must be distributed around to the big animals. Being able to drive with out slipping and sliding on the ice and snow and mud makes all the difference in the world to the aches in shoulders and back from carrying such heavy loads across fields and up and down hills.

Contentment

It will take more than one nice day to dry up the mud. And the pigs are hoping we never get that. As much as they love sleeping in the sun, they just love rolling in the mud !!

The ducks and geese feel it’s drying up all too fast and are praying for some more rain or sleet or anything WET !!

Freckles spends the afternoon in sun cat watching !

Interesting choice of nap spots !!!

The geese have traveled far and wide today. They know it’s time to come home as the sun heads for the horizon. Safer to be sleeping near Beauty and Wanda and Buzz and Arlo for protection. Foxey woxey don’t want to mess with the guard dogs !!!

YOUR support gives these animals a forever home !

We cannot do it without YOU !

www.RikkisRefuge.org/Donate
Rikki’s Refuge, 10910 Barr Ln, Rapidan VA 22733 (shipping address for food, etc)
Rikki’s Refuge, PO Box 1357, Orange VA 22960 (secure box for checks, etc)

Thank YOU !

February 20, 2021 Saturday at Rikki’s Refuge

all in a day’s work …. photos by those caring for the animals
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
(you can help support those animals at www.RikkisRefuge.org/Donate)

(you can help support those animals at www.RikkisRefuge.org/Donate)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Rise and shine you lazy boys !!!

The guineas are playing slip and slid, running up the hill, sliding down, over and over !

Please hooman, you can make the sun shine today and the world warm up?

Brrrr it was cold night … the ice was 2 1/2 inches thick in places …. brrrrrrr

Good morning servant ….. you have arrived with my breakfast I assume ?

We have been waiting most impatiently, hooman.

So let’s see some thumb action poppin those lids !

Action in the kitchen always excited Riley.

That’s more like it, hooman.

Thank you for breakfast, I’ll do the dishes.

WHAT? You’re a CAT, why would you do servant work?

We’re outta here.

I need a nap.

The sun is out and it’s starting to warm … but not everybody is ready to get to work !

Impatiently pacing around anticipating a thaw and WATER !!!

Trying a face wash first …. not ready for a full body plunge !

Cats vs Dogs – who’s the ruler?

Beauty drug her bed out to lay in the sun and have some padding against the snow.
The rulers have confiscated the preferred napping location.

Hooman !!! Let’s go for a long run !!!

See the spots of mussed fur on Lucky’s side? Do you know what that is from?

Cows click themselves to clean up !!! When you don’t have hands to do the job, you have to make do !!

It looks like the sun deck is working today !!

Can YOU see what we need here?

This is the Memorial Garden in the center of Feline Fields.
We need YOU with a sheet or two of sandpaper and a couple cans of brightly colored spray paint !!!
In an hour you can make our favorite bench beautiful again !!!
Talk to me about volunteering: Kerry@RikkisRefuge.org or https://m.me/KerryHilliard
We NEED YOU !!!

Everyone, except the hoomans, spend the afternoon sunning !!!

The hoomans turn their heads up towards the sun as often as they can and are so thankful for a sunny day and temps above freezing !!! YES !!!!! And even better is promised for tomorrow !!

Clarence’s temporary fix for Patrick and Preston’s fence

He couldn’t come up with any better material to improvise with. Have you seen the rising prices of about everything? Much of our livestock grain has gone from $9.50 a bag to $11.50 a bag, meaning it costs about $40 a day MORE to feed the big animals than it did just a month ago. A DAY ! That means we have to raise another $1,200 a MONTH just to survive. And then gas? From $1.89 to $2.69 a gallon in a little over a month. We need gas to go out and buy supplies, we need gas to drive animals to the vets, we need a LOT of gas and diesel for the mowers and tractors to do our jobs. And just about everything else is climbing every time we go out to get necessary supplies.

We need your help so desperately to keep Rikki’s Refuge able to provide for the animals for the rest of 2021 and beyond !!! Please, if you possibly can, consider a monthly recurring donation, or increase your donation just a little. I know this crazy inflation is hitting you too, and so many of you have lost your businesses, and are out of work. We’re terrified at the thought of losing our business, because it’s saving these precious animal’s lives. We have no spare income to cope with rising costs.

Ahhhh … getting a good neck scratch on the hay !!!

Yup it’s melting and the mud is back !!!! Hip hip hooray !!!

WATER !!! Our whole yard is flooding !!! Thank you God !!!!

Rivers are running everywhere !

Puddles abound !!!

Is my life worth $1 ?

What is life worth?
At Rikki’s Refuge we think life is priceless.
YOUR support of only $1 a day provides the care for one cat or dog or goat or somebody else at Rikki’s Refuge today. They count on YOU for their lives !! We cannot do it without YOU !

www.RikkisRefuge.org/Donate
Rikki’s Refuge, 10910 Barr Ln, Rapidan VA 22733 (shipping address for food, etc)
Rikki’s Refuge, PO Box 1357, Orange VA 22960 (secure box for checks, etc)

Thank YOU !

February 19, 2021 Friday at Rikki’s Refuge

all in a day’s work …. photos by those caring for the animals
(you can help support those animals at www.RikkisRefuge.org/Donate)

Waking up in your sleeping bag on the floor at the Life Center

Cold Morning with gray skies

Everything that doesn’t move is coated in ice

Beauty says she’s sleeping in and

letting the young uns do morning rounds

Come on down

we’ve got something for you too

I’d like to order room service, please

NOW you tell me that’s an option

Can you get a blowtorch or something and melt this stuff ?

NO! I am NOT a snow turkey !

Is that peacock going … or coming ?

This weather is for the birds ….

wait a minute, did YOU really just say that?

Bring our MUD back !!

Patrick and Preston broke out and headed south

Clarence caught up with them and enticed them home with food. Food always gets pig’s attention !!! It’s a good thing, cus trying to shove a thousand pound animal around just isn’t that easy !!! As a matter of fact, it’s usually our kind that’s getting shoved around !!!

Hey you ! Of course you can have some breakfast. Make yourself at home. Stay as long as you like. We’ve always got room. I wonder where you’re traveling from alone.

MY donations …..

Getting a little pudgy are we Riley?

But mom … they followed me home, can they come in ?

Stalking thru the frozen tundra jungle …. is there such a thing?

Hides behind a great banyan tree

Just look at the thick lush coat of this wild beast !

Rikki’s Refuge …. where the wild things roam free !!


Back off and we won’t have to hurt you

No matter how wild, how feral, how hooman hating, every critter must get checked on at leas twice a day to make sure they’re doing ok and don’t need any special attention. Eye contact is required. Like it or not.

Matriarch

It there STILL snow out there ?

Please LIKE my post !

Listen up! Here’s today’s planned route ….

Formation ….

March …..

WATER !!!

Why so many big dogs?

Despite intentionally adopting big breeds, many people dump them when they actually get big. They fail to train that cute little puppy, and in a year they have a hundred pound dog dragging them around and jumping on them. So they get rid of that one and get another puppy. Why? I don’t know, could they possibly really think that one won’t grow too?

Your mother was a lousy mouser

you wanna come closer and say that, dogface?

Sun deck’s not working to well today.

Don’t go away !!!!

Without YOU we’d have no home !! YOU make it all possible !!!

www.RikkisRefuge.org/Donate
Rikki’s Refuge, 10910 Barr Ln, Rapidan VA 22733 (shipping address for food, etc)
Rikki’s Refuge, PO Box 1357, Orange VA 22960 (secure box for checks, etc)

Thank YOU !

Please come by Rikki’s Refuge’s Life Center at 21410 Constitution Hwy, corner of rt 20 and Quarterhorse Ln, Rapidan, Orange County, Virginia, USA

Bring canned cat and dog food
dry cat food
cracked corn
sweet feed
senior horse chow
apples, carrots, produce and fruit
cleaning supplies, bleach, paper towels, laundry detergent, dishwashing soap, fabuloso floor cleaner

Meet our horses, cows, goats, sheep and pigs and feed them the produce you bring, on a self guided tour and visit !!!

The gate will be open from noon – 3pm
come on up to the Life Center
check in
drop off your donations
and VISIT with the animals !!

Every Saturday, noon – 3 pm
check here for weather updates

February 18, 2021 Thursday at Rikki’s Refuge

all in a day’s work …. photos by those caring for the animals
(you can help support those animals at www.RikkisRefuge.org/Donate)

Sleeting, Snowing, Freezing Rain, Dark Sunless, Miserable Day
Nobody wants to be out in this. But FOUR amazingly wonderful, dedicated hoomans being worked thru last night, thru all the changing weather today, with icicles in their hair and hanging from their beards and mustaches (yeah, they all get as hairy as possible for the winter, just like the animals), and they’ll stay on and work all night tonight, and maybe if it’s a little less treacherous out tomorrow, and others come in to help, they’ll get a little rest.




It’s all ice balls, some small and some big, what a mess, but thankfully not weighing trees and roofs down.

Cold? No …. we have the thickest bestest hairy leather coats !! What are you thin skinned mostly hairless hoomans doing out in this?

Feline Fields

Scarce few are venturing out

Despite the cold, Smoky Joe is on time for his morning stretching

Smacks practices climbing

Curiosity

… don’t worry, it won’t !!!

Well cook-a-doodle … just venturing out at 11 am !!! What happened with “up with the chickens?”

OK that was enough, I’m ready to go in now !!

We’re having a blast in this wonderful weather !!!

The GOOSE PARADE is in full swing !!!

At Rikki’s FRIDAYS are always FIVE DOLLAR FRIDAY !
Small donations add up and help to support the animals we have rescued at Rikki’s Refuge. For the price of a large coffee at Starbucks, you can feed a few animals today ! $5 buys 20 meals ! We basically can feed our 1300 animals for an average of about .25 cents per meal!

YES !! I’ll be a part of FIVE DOLLAR FRIDAY !!
http://RikkisRefuge.org/donate?purpose=%245

The ducks are pacing wanting it to all melt faster

Just as soon as a pool is filled

These pools were filled only ONE HOUR ago and they’re already freezing over. The hoomans will be round again soon to deice and refill so you all can keep swimming !!!

Hmmm I don’t think we’re going out today !!!!

How many pigs have burrowed into the fresh straw before the job is even done ?

Inseparable twins and friends

Buttercup and Reece

Grizzly and Smoky Joe

Andrew and Abigail

Daphne and Donald

Thelma, Louise, Quackers, Diasy, and Doodle

Bully and Sarah

Gimme kiss…..

Be sure to join us tomorrow for Donation Drop Off at Rikki’s and Fill A Truck at Re-Tail

Everyone lives happily ever after Rikki’s Refuge !

YOUR supports cares for out 1200+ residents !!!

www.RikkisRefuge.org/Donate
Rikki’s Refuge, 10910 Barr Ln, Rapidan VA 22733 (shipping address for food, etc)
Rikki’s Refuge, PO Box 1357, Orange VA 22960 (secure box for checks, etc)

Thank YOU for making it all possible !

February 17, 2021 Wednesday at Rikki’s Refuge

all in a day’s work …. photos by those caring for the animals
(you can help support those animals at www.RikkisRefuge.org/Donate )

Morning has broken …..

Mine is the sunlight …..

Mine is the morning …..

Wonderful !!! Sunny !!!! But COLD !! With a CHILLING wind !!!

We’re going to snuggle in a little late this morning !!!

Soaking up the sun while sitting on a warm hood !!

Warming in the sun before starting her rounds for the morning !!!

Leaps in the first water bowl to be filled !!!

Don’t forget to stock up on canned cat and dog food, dry cat food, sweet feed, cracked corn, senior horse chow, paper towels, bleach, laundry detergent, dishwashing liquid, fabuloso floor cleaner, and grab some apples and carrots if you’re coming to Rikki’s on Saturday !!!

Drop off DONATIONS at Rikki’s on Saturday and meet some of the horses, cows, sheep, pigs and goats !!!!

Or stop at Re-Tail and FILL THE TRUCK !!

Here we come, walkin’ down the street

We get the funniest looks from every one we meet

But we’re too busy

We go wherever we want to, do what we like to do

We don’t have time to get restless, there’s always something new

We’re just tryin’ to be friendly, come and watch us

We’re the young generation, and we’ve got something to say

Any time, or anywhere, just look over your shoulder

Guess who’ll be standing there

LOOK !!! FIVE bags of cat food !!!! A two day supply !!!

Everyone enjoys life at Rikki’s Refuge !

Because YOU care !!!

www.RikkisRefuge.org/Donate
Rikki’s Refuge, 10910 Barr Ln, Rapidan VA 22733 (shipping address for food, etc)
Rikki’s Refuge, PO Box 1357, Orange VA 22960 (secure box for checks, etc)

Thank YOU for making it all possible

February 16, 2021 Tuesday at Rikki’s Refuge

all in a day’s work …. photos by those caring for the animals
(you can help support those animals at www.RikkisRefuge.org/Donate )

Good Moooooorning !!

The rain and snow and ice and sleet has stopped.
We’re holding our breath hoping to see the sun today.


Will it …. or won’t it ???

These two had apparently packed up overnight and decided to head south ……

Cats certainly do sunbathing best !

HIGH FIVE the sunshine !!!

And the left over flooding !!!

Here comes the straw to freshen up everybodys’ beds !!!

And the litter for the week.

We use a full pallet, 50 bags of wood pellets, each bag weighing 40 pounds every week.
We’ve tried every kind or litter and find the wood pellets to be, overall, the absolutely cheapest to use.
First the actual quantity, as in bags or items to be carried, is less.
Secondly the weight is less. You might think that’s silly till you think about how many times it must be picked up. At the store and into the truck. Out of the truck and into the barn. Out of the barn and to the cat facilities. Out of the cat facilities and into trash bags. Heft the trash bags on to the truck. Drive to dump. Hoist the trash bags into the dump.

How many times was that? At least six times !!!

Then you have the volume. The wood pellets start compact and fluff out when you pee on them. Well not you …. I mean the cats. Though if you did, I’m sure they’d fluff up too !!! One bag of pellets fills three litterboxes. We use these giant tubs that are made for mixing cement in. You don’t ask this many cats to share tiny little household boxes !!! It takes 40 pounds of scoopable or clay litter to fill a box. So that’s 3x the weight. Clay litter we must change every single day. It’s just too much cat stinky is we don’t. Scoopable has to be dumped every other day. The wood pellets last about 3 days with scooping. So that means we use 7-9 times as much clay or scoopable.

And that’s a lot more runs to the dump. On a good day we only have to go once. But is we were doing clay or scoopable, some days would have to be more than once.

And we have to pay for every pound we take to the dump. Yup !!! It’s just a few cents per pound. But our bill adds up to about $500 a month. Evey month !!!

And that is using litter that started out weighing 2,000 a week before the cats made their deposits. We’d be dumping more like 16,000 pounds of litter a week with clay or scoopable.

So you can see why we use pellets !!!

We use what ever kind of pellets are the cheapest at the time!! We’re not picky, we’re only going to poop and pee in it anyway !!!

The horse bedding pellets that went up from $4.99 a bag to $5.99 a bag when they learned people were using it for smaller animals too and they added a picture of a cat to the bag! Nope, Rikki’s didn’t invent the idea of using wood pellets !!!

In the winter we can get the wood stove pellets and they are running $5.19 for a bag this week. So a lot cheaper when you multiply that by 50 bags !! AND we get a 5% discount when we buy a pallet at a time which they can just forklift right on to the truck.

But that is still $246.53 a week in litter !!!!!

You know what would be amazing? If we had a special litter angle, who made a weekly recurring donation of only $246.53 !!!

Did I say ONLY? Yikes that’s actually a lot, isn’t it? Well how about one day of litter each week? Would a recurring monthly donation of $35.22 a week be reasonable? If only 7 wonderful donors would do that !!!! Or even 30 donors willing to contribute $35.22 each MONTH would cover the cost of our litter !!!!

Are there 30 of YOU who’d do that to help the cats?
www.RikkisRefuge.org/Donate just follow the instructions to sign up for recurring donations !!
Thank you

SOMEBODY is hiding and hoping we won’t find them and make them go finish the scooping !!!

Panda? Is that YOU???

Snoozin in the sun on dry mud !!!

Could they possibly have gotten tired of rolling in the mud ?

Peppers says, this mud is GROSS !!! I can’t stand it on my dainty little feet !!

A foreigner stopped in for lunch !!

They are frequent visitors. As are all kinds of other wildlife. Though most come at night. The birds in the day.

Despite being chilly, everyone wanted to lay in the sun.

Even the hoomans. But they had too much work to stop and take a rest.

Diner time !!!!

and … bed time ….

And everyone lives happily ever after at Rikki’s Refuge !

With YOUR help we provide life long homes to well over 1,000 animals each & every day !!!

www.RikkisRefuge.org/Donate
Rikki’s Refuge, 10910 Barr Ln, Rapidan VA 22733 (shipping address for food, etc)
Rikki’s Refuge, PO Box 1357, Orange VA 22960 (secure box for checks, etc)

Thank YOU for making it all possible !