MONTCLARION: May 25, 2011

I’ll never forget that face — the way he looked at me with those puppy dog eyes. He was strong yet sensitive, guarded but hopeful. In many ways, we were made for each other, but ultimately he wanted more from a relationship than I could give.

Yes, I admit it. As much as I love a good dog, I’m a cat person. I’ve got an hour a day for a four-legged friend, and then I expect them to work. A year ago, a friend of mine needed a cat to keep the mice at bay on her rural property. I took her to adoption day at Oakland Animal Services. We looked at dozens of kitties; some calico, some with white boots and checkerboard noses, some solid black. She settled on a tabby that playfully pawed at her finger as she ran it across the cage.

“That cat has been the best mouser,” she told me the other day. “We haven’t had a rodent around since we got her.”

Why am I telling you this? Because the next big Adopt-a-thon is June 4 and 5 when you can take home a new pet for free, and earn the shelter a generous donation from Maddie’s Fund.

Here are just some of furry friends waiting to see you next weekend: EmmyLou is a gray and white kitty that was left in the night drop with a collar and leash. She finds shelter life a yawner and likes to kick up her paws and party — even if the house guests are dogs. Tori is a more mature adult cat who loves to cuddle but still enjoys a good workout with a feather toy. And for dog lovers: Yvette is a young French bulldog/Chihuahua mix who loves a good lap. Oui oui!

Get more details about the event at the Oakland Animal Services website at http://oaklandanimalservices.org/.

EMAIL BAG: I’ve received several emails lately defending pit bulls as pets. The most notable comes from the Executive Director of the East Bay SPCA, Allison Lindquist, who wants readers to understand that their agency does not discriminate against any breed of dog or cat.

Over many decades we have placed hundreds of fantastic pit bulls,” she writes, adding that she, herself, is the proud “parent” of three pit bulls. She urges anyone considering adoption to do their research before taking any animal home.

On a loftier matter, reader Tracy Joe writes that a flock of large ravens or crows has been creating a ruckus in her neighborhood near Colton and Saroni.

“I work at home, and it’s disruptive here, plus I’m sure they eat other baby eggs and birds,” she writes. Anyone have a solution?

FALLEN SOLDIERS: Before you make the hamburger patties and potato salad this Memorial Day, take a few moments to remember the real reason for the holiday. The Mountain View Cemetery holds its 90th Memorial Day Commemoration at 10 a.m. Monday at the top of Piedmont Avenue. It includes the traditional placing of the wreath and the 21-gun salute, followed by a release of white doves.