K-SNAG Keweenaw Spay Neuter Assistance Group

06/05/2026

Ahhh, this is so great! I do love a good neck scratch!
This handsome cat is Chianti — a neutered male who loves attention. He is tired of a cage, and it would be great if he could get out and live like a cat should---In a house, with people, toys, and lots of room to run. He does like sitting on a cat tree and looking out the window while we clean his cage! So if you have a cat tee with no one to sit on it, here's your guy! ADOPT A PET, SATURDAY, JUNE 6TH FROM 10-2! GARAGE SALE TOO!

06/05/2026

The cats love watching the birds outside K-SNAG. We'd all enjoy getting to see one of these! An explanation of the genetic mutation is in the comments.

Most cardinals are bright red. This one is bright yellow.

A rare yellow northern cardinal has been spotted in Bath Township near Lansing, and scientists believe it may be one of the rarest birds currently living in North America.

The bird was first noticed by longtime backyard birders Arlene and John McDaniel, who couldn't believe what they were seeing when it appeared near their feeder just before Christmas. After nearly 40 years of birdwatching, they had never encountered anything like it.

The couple named the bird "Donovan" after the 1960s folk singer famous for the song *Mellow Yellow*. Since then, the unusual visitor has become part of their daily routine, often appearing between mid-morning and noon before retreating to nearby trees.

What makes this sighting remarkable is the bird's rarity. Scientists estimate there are roughly 50 million northern cardinals in North America, yet only a handful of yellow cardinals are known to exist at any given time. Some experts estimate the odds of seeing one are approximately one in 10 million.

The unusual color isn't a different species. It's actually a northern cardinal with a rare genetic mutation. Normally, cardinals produce the pigments that give them their familiar bright red feathers. In this bird, a genetic "knockout mutation" prevents part of that process from working correctly, causing the feathers to appear yellow instead of red.

Researchers are especially interested in birds like this because they help scientists better understand how coloration develops in wild birds. Ornithologists say studying feathers from rare yellow cardinals could provide valuable clues about the genes responsible for producing red pigments.

While the bird has generated excitement among birdwatchers across Michigan, wildlife experts are urging people to be respectful if they encounter rare birds. Excessive attention can cause unnecessary stress and disrupt normal behavior.

Michigan has no shortage of wildlife stories, but this one stands apart. In a state filled with bald eagles, loons, snowy owls, and sandhill cranes, a bright yellow cardinal may be one of the rarest natural wonders many Michiganders will ever have the chance to see.

Sometimes the most extraordinary wildlife discovery isn't deep in the wilderness. Sometimes it's right outside someone's kitchen window.

06/04/2026

Hey! CAN SOMEONE GET ME OUT OF HERE? I don't even know why I am in here, but I want to run and play. I want someone to let me sit on their lap. Can I sit on your lap? This is Zosia. He is in this cage because he ended up in rescue. He has been to the vet and received a clean bill of health, except for the fact that he has an ear infection in both ears (being treated for that). He cannot come out to run and play because so many cats end up in rescue, that space is limited. Too many cats loose in one room can cause problems. New cats must be introduced to the resident population gradually, under supervision. But Zosia (neutered male, about 1 1/2 years old) doesn't want to wait. He is lonely now. He wants to be with people, playing and doing young cat things! ADOPT A PET IS SATURDAY, JUNE 6TH, IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO MEET ZOSIA.

05/30/2026

Oh, for Pete's sake, what kind of picture is this? Well, it's Bobby, anyway. I have no idea what he is doing. It looks like he got into someone's cage to roll around. Fine, whatever amuses you, Bobby. Bobby never welcomes people when they come to visit. But he sure likes the people who come here to play with us and feed us and stuff. He has to get to know you first, and if you take him home, guess what? He will get to know you and then....well, and then.....he won't be here! More room for me!

05/30/2026

Here is someone who definitely needs a new place to live! I get mad at him sometimes. He gets in my space! I like my own space, and he doesn't even care! He just barges right over to where I am trying to find some peace and quiet! So, yeah, come and meet Benson. He has a brother who looks almost exactly like him! His brother's name is Farran. Remember Saturday, 10-2!

05/30/2026

Here is another new guy, his name is Vasia, after someone who helped him out when he was outside, all matted and hungry. He is pretty nice with people. He loves attention, and he was following the people who found him, not wanting to let them out of his sight! I guess that means he would be a good friend for someone! So come on down! You have to wait until Tuesday to pick him up though, because he has an appointment on Monday. No one told me what he has an appointment for, but I overheard that he was going somewhere on Monday. Remember! ADOPT A PET & GARAGE SALE 20 UNTIL 2 PM TOMORROW!

05/30/2026

Hello Folks! It's me, Arrow, with your weekend report! First, the good news! Catalina is getting a home! Everyone is happy about that! What we (well, me) are not happy about is that some of our other cats have not found their people yet! Cats like this fellow, Chianti. I am getting very tired of hearing, "Oh, he is just adorable!" "Isn't he sweet?" "He is too cute for words!" Oh my gosh, really? Is that necessary? He's a cat, okay? He does have an unusual, lightish tabby coat. Fine, I will give him that, and he is rather polite and unobtrusive. And he DOES look kind of cute when he is all stretched out sleeping. But that is IT! Otherwise, he is just a cat. You might like him, though, so come on over tomorrow, Saturday, May 30th, and meet him! 10-2 remember, our new summer hours! That is because we are now doing our garage sale along with ADOPT A PET.

05/25/2026

05/23/2026

Okay, one more boy cat picture! This is Burma. As you can see, an attractive black/white cat if you like that color scheme. He is a quiet cat. He gets along with the other cats that he has been with and minds his own business. You can meet Burma and everyone at K-SNAG tomorrow, Saturday, from ten until two. I will be here too, just ask for Arrow! I am not going anywhere, though, so don't get any ideas about that.

05/23/2026

Chianti was never claimed, so he is up for adoption now! He is combo tested, neutered, vaccinated, and all that good stuff. He LOVES to be pet, cries for attention, in his deep, rather hoarse-sounding voice, and is just an all-around nice cat. But he is a boy, so he can leave now! Me, Arrow, I prefer the ladies!