THE CAT'S EYE PROJECT

The Cat's Eye Project is a group of animal lovers whose purpose is to stop euthanasia of feral and stray cats and promote a program of neutering/spaying. The Cat's Eye Project stands for :

Counties' Alliance To Sterilize and End Yesterday's Euthanasia
"Watching over animals and being their voice."


NAN SHERRILL SMITH

Early in my life I realized I was ruled by my love of animals, art, music and literature. My path was clear and bright.



Life brings many situations that must be experienced. Many ideas try to pull a person away from a true path, or true love, but that drive persists and eventually a way opens so that one can fulfill a goal. I studied art and got some scholarships ... but I kept drawing horses' heads. I raised three successful kids, but I exposed them to every aspect of humane treatment of animals and other humans. I had at least 3 successful careers, and in each I supported or promoted the loving care of my animal friends. For thirteen years I operated a dog grooming salon after teaching myself how to groom.


Small business marketing and sales provided a small income for me ... but I always wanted to be an activist and help my animal friends, and a commercial artist. While working in the newspaper business in production and sales for 27 years I acquired the professional skills to become a graphic design artist. Finally, I semi-retired from the sales and marketing and began concentrating on my graphic design. That is when I developed the company eraserhead graphic studio.


Even in high school I was on the newspaper as a reporter. My high school was the only one in the U.S. to publish a daily newspaper. It was called the Echo, and I was on the Tuesday staff. Unlike many graphic designers today I have real - in the trenches - experience and am an expert in graphic layout and design ...and typography. Yes, I know how to use PhotoShop, but on a professional level - not as an amateur. I have owned 3 newspaper publications and was self employed as a publisher for many years. During that time I also developed my writing skills.

Now, I am concentrating on internet graphics and design and have begun many blogs and web sites, or collaborated on them in the effort to save and protect animals from harm. Some things are just worth more than money and I feel richly rewarded being able to do mostly pro-bono work.

I put my money where my mouth is, and I support my own little menagerie of rescued animals including: four dogs, 5 (?) cats, a gopher tortoise, 2 cranes, and an African Grey parrot. Many of the animals in our care (My husband is the cat keeper now.) are wild and free, but under our protection. Our dogs are Buddy, Xena, Nemo and Little Stevie. Buddy and Xena were found abandoned. Nemo was adopted from the West Volusia Humane Society and Little Stevie is the famous blind dog rescued from the euthanasia pit at Halifax.

(Since writing this biography we lost Buddy to age related diabetes. After many months I purchased a rescue Vizsla from an ad on Craig's List. Her new name is "V" and she has made remarkable progress from her unknown but terrifying past.)


The tortoise grazes in my yard and likes to eat cat food and lettuce. I leave him alone!
"V"

A pair of Sand Hill Cranes has come for breakfast and supper at my house for nearly 12 years. We don't pet them or interfere with their intentions. We just wonder at their simple beauty.

SOMEONE DISCARDED THIS BEAUTIFUL CAT IN MY YARD
6 YEARS AGO. I CALL HER "BELLYRINA" SWEET, LOVING
QUIET, NO MISCHIEF, ALWAYS PURRS AND LOVES TO BE BRUSHED.


The cats are all the victims of abandonment. I live very near a sea food restaurant. People who want to get rid of cats believe that is a good place to dump them. Fortunately many find their way to my home and get the help they really need. The great great great grandmother of many of our cats was the notorious Six O'clock. She had breakfast at our neighbor's every morning at 6 o'clock, and supper at our house at 6'clock in the evening. You could set your watch by her, so we named her Six O'clock.

Update: a g-g-g-g grandson of Six O'clock, named Hot Stuff, stood off a 300 lb. black bear at our front door last night. We have two roaming bears in the neighborhood.

Ramona has given me the opportunity to help save other feral cats from the barbaric practice of the animal death chambers. It is my honor to support her leadership in this area. Please join us in reading our blog and our Cat's Eye publications. We are growing stronger every day in our efforts to bring Volusia county up to a standard that will set the tone for other small communities.

Contact me at eraserheadgraphics@gmail.com
The cat photo is of Dub. He is the great grandson of Six O'clock. Notice he actually has 2 noses. His head seemed to be parts of 2 heads joined together. He had other joint and tail abnormalities that I later learned may be due to an ancestor that was a Manx cat. The name Dub was short for Double.