Vets

I'm sick and tired of assholes dumping their “problem” cats upon innocent animal shelters, Vets, mom & pop rescue groups. They're all targets for COWARDS, who refuse to STEP UP and DO the RIGHT THING for their animals. Instead, under the cover of darkness, they sneak up to the door of these places, DUMP their dog or cat, then take off. Some times they leave a note. I bet it's to make them feel better for the shitty thing they're about to do. “Well, I'll leave a note so they'll be sure to know I'm DUMPING the cat, not that the cat got left her by some freak accident.”

This afternoon, I was contacted by our friend, Betsy at Henry County Care & Control in McDonough, GA. She had just finished crying. Betsy has been helping rescue animals from Henry County for decades. She's seen it all and more, yet she's still brokenhearted by people's cruelty to animals.

A cat named KoKo, was brought to Henry County via Animal Control. On Saturday, the cat was DUMPED at the doorstep of a local Vet. They weren't even OPEN so the cat sat there for a day in a crate in the blistering heat! Once the Vet found the cat, they called Animal Control and now the poor thing is on Death Row at HCACC. They are full up! They don't have room to add countless animals to their facility.

KoKo is a brown tabby. Nothing exotic. Not a cute little kitten. Just another cat, whose owners are scum of the Earth. Now this cat has a few days left to live. She can compete for the very few available placements with a rescue or hope that some kind soul will adopt her and give her a DECENT home.

Why did the cat get dumped? Was she aggressive? NO! Was she...I don't know. I can't THINK of any reasons why I'd give up my CATS!!!! I would work with them to find out how to fix whatever behaviors they exhibit that bother me-even if they're doing what is natural to them. Sure, it's tough when the cat pees on the floor, or worse, on your clothes or bed, but when you figure out WHY, then it's better not only for you, but for the cat, too.

So KoKo had little cutesy-pie notes in her carrier. If you read them, your head will burn up and explode...okay, maybe not, but you'll certainly see the bullshit from a mile away and your blood pressure will go up for sure!

This so called “family” adopted KoKo when she was a kitten, since they know her birthday. Oh boy, they drove an entire hour and a half to get her, but apparently, when things didn't work out, they couldn't drive a few minutes to a f-ing VET!

Ahh, the good old “we can't afford the Vet” line-another classic. Did you try to TALK to your VET and work something out? I bet if you got off your lazy, selfish ass you might have found out that the Vet would have taken small payments over time or given you a break, but apparently, that long long, exhausting drive must have been the ONLY thing you did to make an effort for your cat. It's just TOO MUCH to ask that you, the caretaker of this animal, decide that the best thing to do is NOT ask ANY local rescue for help, NOT contact ANYONE, just tip toe up to the door of the Vet, like a common thief and dump your cat! SHAME ON YOU!

I love the way the note is written first hand, as though poor KoKo had written the plea for help, herself. Look at the charming little postscripts! How nice to tell the VICTIM (Vet) who found her that she had some shots. You're so (NOT) nice! Who wouldn't just LOVE the person who wrote this CRAP!!!

What a faux-thoughtful letter. What nice handwriting. It must have taken hours of careful preparation to write this CRAP. You're not fooling anyone-COWARD!

Poor KoKo. Scared and dumped in a cage. She has no idea what she did to deserve this fate.

If KoKo really HAD written the note, I think this is what she would have said:

Dear Vet,

--------------------------------------------------------

But wait! There's more! One note was simply not enough! Betsy believes this one was probably written by the same person, but used the hand they don't normally write with so it looks like a kid wrote it. If a kid really DID write this, then their parents should be tossed in JAIL for abuse!

The bullshit parade continues! Maybe if they spent the time it took to write these notes to CALL their VET and work something out, this would not have happened!

“TO WHOEVER WROTE THIS:" YOU SUCK.

Betsy tells me that KoKo has PERFECT litter box habits. She's probably not sick and if she had a behavior issue with the other cats she lived with, that could have been resolved-IF ANYONE HAD BOTHERED TO GET OF THEIR LAZY ASS AND TRY TO HELP THIS CAT.

SO...

WE NEED TO FIND A RESCUE PLACEMENT OR ADOPTER FOR THIS POOR, 2 year old CAT. INFO ON HOW TO HELP HER IS BELOW. As always, go with your heart. If you can't help her out, then help get the word out to everyone you know. Let's show KoKo that not all people SUCK-just the ones she lived with.

PLEASE REFER TO THIS ID# 8/16-3406 when contacting HCC&C.

Nice tabby “M” I see! Lovely girl!

We are very rescue friendly and are more than happy to work with any rescue group as long as the group has a valid Georgia Department of Agriculture license! Any rescue group, whether in or out of state, that takes pets from Georgia shelters, is required, by Georgia law, to have a rescue license issued by the Georgia Department of Agriculture's Animal Protection Division. Having tax exempt status is not the same as a license. For more information on obtaining a license, please call (404) 656-4914.

Contact:

mystiblu@bellsouth.net

Henry County Animal Care and Control

527 Hampton Street

McDonough, Georgia 30253

(770) 288-7401

http://www.petfinder.com/shelters/GA67.html

Our Hours:

Monday-Friday: 9 am-4:30 pm

Saturday: 9 am-1 pm

Sunday: Closed

County Observed Holidays: Closed

The shelter is located at 527 Hampton Street in McDonough. We are located south of Atlanta off I-75. Take exit 218 and head east on 20/81 toward McDonough. Our address is 527 Hwy 20/81 East.

For all other information regarding ordinances, county codes, and other functions of Henry County Animal Care and Control please visit www.hcacc.org

UPDATE: A number of good people have offered to provide donations to sponsor KoKo if she's given a good foster home or placement at a never-Kill shelter. If you're with a rescue group and can help her, contact me and I'll send donations your way. info@coveredincathair.com

It's tough to write through tears, but I will do my best. The big Maine Coon kitty, who was dumped at Henry County has been euthanized.

What started off as a morning filled with promise, ended with despair. Big Boy was rescued. I thought I was going to be the one to do it, but Barb, from WCR beat me to it. I was glad she could do the job. I don't have the resources she does and I didn't know where he would go IF he was ever stable enough to be transported. Barb had plans for him, but sadly, they never came to pass.

©2010 Henry Co. Care & Control. We lost a great cat today. Rest in Peace, Big Boy.

Our Bobby picked up Big Boy from the shelter. They had him all ready to go. The staff was so happy to see him leave. Bobby told me he was as friendly as they come. A big, sweet kitty, very thin, but he didn't seem to be ailing, just thin. It gave me hope that perhaps he just needed some good food and love and the rest would improve over time.

I thought of Chester, at 21, surviving without food or water or shelter for days and having the strength to come back. I hoped the same would be true for this beautiful cat.

Bobby told me the Vet Tech thought the cat was very old. When I heard the news, my heart sank. I feared the worst and indeed my fears were not unfounded. The kitty had a snap test done, which indicated he was FIV+. That alone would not warrant a death sentence, but the cat was also, over 17 years old, had very bad teeth, an eye problem, liver failure, kidney disease and was emaciated. He was facing his last days before he was brought to the Shelter and now they realized, it would be more humane to peacefully end his life.

I have been very lucky and I know that won't always be the case. I've never had to make the choice to euthanize a foster cat. I hope I never do, but that's not realistic. Barb had to make a very tough choice, but she did what was best for the cat.

This afternoon, the big Maine Coon was held in the arms of a very loving and compassionate Vet Tech as he was administered the shots that would end his life. If nothing else, this cat knew love in his last moments. It has to be worth something-even if his life could not truly be saved.

Bobby wrote me with the news of the sweet boy's passing. He said we should honor him by rescuing MORE cats and I have to say, that sounds good to me. As soon as I can, I'm going to rescue a maine coon (or more than one) in his honor.

For now, we cry our tears and feel heartbroken that we only got to know this cat on his final day. There are so many more cats in need, who are at death's door, who we must find a way to help.

Let's all take a pledge today, to do at least ONE THING to save a cat's life TODAY. Donate $1 (or more if you can) to a cat rescue group, like Barb's, donate used linens or buy food for your local shelter, adopt or foster a cat. Do this one thing in honor of this wonderful cat, who can watch us from the Rainbow Bridge and purr with joy that his death was not without meaning.

I had every intention of taking the kittens to the Vet, mostly so that Dr. M could compare them to tiny Cinnamon, but not do anything else with them, since they seem to be fine. Cin was the one whose eye bothered her and who is skin-and-bones skinny. Just having the Vet look at one kitten could not cost much. Of course, that was not to be.

©2010 Robin A.F. Olson. Waiting to see Dr. M. while Dr. Larry lollygags in ITALY.

The kittens were a definite hit with everyone at the newly-almost-done-with-remodling Maple Ridge Animal Clinic. I was sad that Dr. Larry didn't decide to scrub his family trip to ITALY, just to take care of my kittens, but I'll have to get over that.

These kits are delightful. After the initial “ooo-ing” and “ahh-ing” was over, Miss Amber brought us into the exam room, put the carrier onto the floor and opened the door. One by one each kitten shot out of their confines and began to race and sniff around the room. Cin ran to the back of one of the exam tables, into a TINY space where she was able to collect a bit of fuzz and give us a good scare. If she had been timid, I doubt we would have been able to get her out of that space! A moment later she was bored with her confines and jumped out and continued to run around with the others.

©2010 Robin A.F. Olson. Super Deb giving Sugar Pie a lift, while trying not to fall in love with her.

Miss Amber began to weigh the cats. Cin is up to 1 lb 2oz, which is up from being less than a pound a week ago, but still about 6 ozs less than her SISTERS..and yes it is confirmed, I have a GIRL CLUB!

Weighing the cats was a good indicator of age, which is at about 6 weeks. I began to feel some dread as each cat had their temp taken and we discussed what should be done for the kittens. That's when I realized this simple visit was going to cost some bucks. Ugh. Then, Dr. M. came into the room and started to talk about testing, more shots, more meds...ho boy..here we go...and I don't get a discounted rate, (because I haven't asked and because I'm not a Non-Profit just yet and because I'm scared to ask, so I have to feel the situation out when Dr. Larry gets back from his trip) so this is going to hurt.

©2010 Robin A.F. Olson. Yodel and Sugar Pie enjoy running around while their sisters get weighed.

Cinnamon's temp was a bit low, but not dangerously so. The stool samples came back. One tested negative for anything and one Elisa tested positive for Giardia. Dr. M wants me to treat all the kittens for about a week and said that this may be why ALL of them feel very boney. What is weird is they don't have the runs! For such little kittens they have really nice stool. Nice size and shape. Not mushy or even that smelly. Maria and I have been giving the kittens Bene-Bac, which may be keeping their digestive tract in better condition? One thing's for certain, the cats LOVE IT, so getting them to eat it is not a problem. And yes, if you foster cats, you need to know about the beauty of a nice stool. Many kittens have lots of intestinal parasites. Add to that, transitioning from their mama's milk over to cat food and odds are you'll be seeing mooshy poop-and with kittens that can be a dangerous thing if it doesn't resolve.

The other thing I learned was that because I wasn't sure how old the kittens were when they were pulled out of Henry County, I opted to let the vet in GA decide if they should be started on FVRCP shots. Well, that was a waste of time because they were too young. Now we have to start the series all over again. So each kitten got a shot, which really hurt poor Cin. and which didn't bother Sugar Pie a bit. The shots will be repeated again in 4 weeks and 4 weeks after that. They also should be re-snap tested for FIV and Feline Leukemia because they were too young to have an accurate result, as well. Great! So I just wasted a bunch of money on Vet stuff in GA. Live and learn. I hope learn...oy veh.

©2010 Robin A.F. Olson. Sugar and Honey B. completely dwarfed by the chair.

Cinnamon's eye was definitely irritated. Was it due to a trauma or the beginning of the dreaded URI beginning to take hold? Whatever it is, she's being treated with antibiotic eye drops to see if we can get her feeling better.

We talked about diet and I'm going to add Nutri-cal to their food for awhile, along with my own idea of adding some plain chicken baby food into their grain free canned. They're also getting some KMR since they're still a bit on the young side. Basically, I give them whatever I've got.

You can say the same thing about the Vet bill...I gave them everything I've got, too. I have sooo got to find a Vet who will work with me and who I like and and and...but I first need to get my papers filed so I'm a proper Non-Profit! I've retained a great Lawyer and am looking forward getting this done, though let's not talk about money, because legal fees and filing fees make the Vet bill look quite tame.

Deep breath. It's going to be fine. It will work out. You won't lose your house and be forced to live in a cardboard box. You won't. Maybe a small shed? Like that guy on “Confessions of an Animal Hoarder?” I have to stop watching that show...more on that next...

I got up at 6AM yesterday. The fear that Moonpie was sick and in the same room with the tiny kittens gave me a gut ache. So I got up and did what I really didn't want to do. I moved Moonie and Pattycake into the bathroom, the only other spare room I can keep foster cats.

Moonie and Patty are BIG four month old kittens. They have lots of energy and enthusiasm. I hated to put them in a small room, but I made sure they have lots of soft places to rest and some space to bounce off the walls-which from time to time, sounds like what they're doing.

©2010 Robin A.F. Olson. Moonpie, ever the clown, reacts to my singing!

They don't seem to mind. Moonpie's runny eye has cleared up and though he sneezes, it seems to be dry and a rare event. His appetite is great and he seems to be doing just fine. That said, I'm not moving him back to the room with the kittens any time soon. He is just too big and they are just too small.

©2010 Robin A.F. Olson. Pattycake.

Last night I sat with the two cowbabies and Patty climbed into my lap. She definitely is a serious lap cat. She didn't move, just rested her head on my leg and relaxed. Moonpie ran around and BIT my iPhone! I moved it 5 or 6 times and he would find it and bite it again. He put claw marks through the clear protective screen gel!

When he wasn't being a nutcase, he was standing on the edge of the bathtub, rubbing his head on me. He jumped down and tried to get into my lap so I picked him up and held him while Patty stayed in my lap.

©2010 Robin A.F. Olson. Moonpie, taking a time out from sharpening his claws.

Yeah, these two are friendly cats. No question. They are also a handful! I think they should be adopted together. Patty has a serene quality about her and Moonpie is a goofhead, but an affectionate goofhead.

©2010 Robin A.F. Olson. Sugar Pie (left), Yodel (rear), Cinnamon (front), Honey B. (facing away from the camera).

The tiny kittens. Well, they are just the cutest things ever. Sugar Pie has a nickname-“Mini-Spencer.” Her markings are very similar to Spencer's and it looks like she will be just as fluffy! Her top coat is sparse and very long. I wonder what she'll look like when she grows up? As if I even have to wonder!

©2010 Robin A.F. Olson. Honey B. with Cinnamon.

Honey B. isn't as outgoing as Sugar Pie, but with more handling, I know she'll come around. She purrs easily and enjoys running around the room, chasing after her sisters. She's very pretty and has very nice markings.

©2010 Robin A.F. Olson. Honey B. demonstrating Kung Fu Fighting. She's got skillz!

Cinnamon. Who wouldn't love this little “owlette?” She's sweet as can be, but far too tiny. She's skin and bones, but her appetite is great. Her siblings are far larger than she is, so I find myself very protective of her. I wonder if she has tapeworm on board-which would answer why she is so small and hungry. The de-wormers we use wouldn't kill that parasite.

Sadly, this afternoon, I went to feed the kittens and Cinnamon was a bit “off.” Her left eye was slightly closed and it appeared she was swallowing hard-maybe post nasal drip? She's not sneezing. Has no discharge. Her energy level isn't great. I gave her some L Lysine and I called the Vet. Dr. Larry is in ITALY, so we are seeing his partner, Dr. M. in the morning. Hopefully, it's nothing serious, but with a kitten this size, everything is serious.

©2010 Robin A.F. Olson. Yodel sees his reflection.

Yodel. Another sweet kitten. Yodel has a goofy face and could be a miniature version of Moonpie, but with long fur. Yodel stayed more in the background, but would let me pet her and would give me a nice purr. This morning she was more outgoing and really enjoyed playing with the cardboard scratching pad and climbing the cat tree.

There really is no problem child in this group. They are all simply marvelous and I treasure each one.

If I could only relax. I'm very worried about Cinnamon. She is too little to have health problems.

Update: Just before posting this I checked on Cinnamon. Her eyes were open, tail up, she was running around, playing. She ate well and seems to be doing better-but she is STILL going to the Vet tomorrow just in case.

I'm pleased to announce that Izzy & Mark have picked up our fosters, along with the new cat they just adopted and a few other cats they're transporting to VA. The car is loaded down with cats. I wonder how noisy it is in the car right now or if everyone is too scared to meow? I really hope they don't have a car load full of cats that explode with pee or poop from motion sickness, as two of my cats do! Eek! Remind me not to volunteer to transport lots of cats.

Today is the start of another phase of their lives, as they progress towards that ultimate goal of finding a forever family. What's kind of fun to imagine is that those families already exist. They may be talking about how they want to adopt a cat. Maybe they've been looking and hadn't seen one they liked? One day we'll meet and it will be kismet. They'll fall in love with one of the kittens and that will be it. Will Bobbi go to a home with little kids? Will the kittens be able to stay in pairs or be adopted singly? Who will be adopted first?

©2010 Maria S. What a big change a few weeks of good food can do! Bobbi looks GREAT!

Time will surely tell. For now I'm going to get some things done around the house and get some rest. It's about to get busy around here very soon.

©2010 Maria S. Mark loads the car. I hope they have enough room for all those cats!

Sam's mother is still in the hospital in NYC, but looking well. She may be discharged fairly soon, then after she gets settled, Sam can come home.

©2010 Maria S. Maria with her beloved, Cin.

Lion King is still missing. Connie had a commitment today and won't be back until late. I'm going to go over and look for him. Maybe I'll have luck again?

I finally saw Buddy. He IS definitely in trouble. He's limping, but I could not see any obvious break or injury. He can put some weight on the leg if he has to do it, but otherwise he keeps the limb up in the air. When I went out the front door to offer him some treats he ran off. He can still move quickly and that's a good sign. Of course the second he started to move, I stopped and went back into the house. The last thing I need to do is scare him into the road. It's a tough life for a feral. I hope we can get him the help he needs very soon.

©2010 Maria S. Moonpie? Yodel? I better get this figured out! Bye bye, Maria! Hello, Robin!

Spencer...oh dear. That will have to be a separate blog post. Let's just say that too much is a bad thing. Poor Spencer. His chin is an erupted bloody mess. It's a good thing I took him to see Dr. Larry today-before Dr Larry goes to Italy for two weeks! Did he ask me if he could go? Doesn't he know something bad always happens to my cats when he's gone? What nerve! Going on a vacation!

Wait...what is this...vay-cay-shun thing, anyway?

Quarantine is over (even had an extra week). Little Cinnamon got her Health Certificate today! She's safe to travel with Izzy and Mark and the gang! I'm so excited, of course, nervous, too. It's been a very long time since I've had fosters and my first time finding homes for them on my own.

It was touch and go on whether Cin could make the transport. There was also concern that Pattycake was shy a kidney, which would effect her ability to be adopted. Happily for her, Pattycake got a CLEAN BILL OF HEALTH after her ultrasound. She has two normal sized kidneys and her bladder is fine-everything looks good.

These were the last two hurdles. I wasn't sure we would make it, but we did. Now we just have to wait. Tomorrow morning, Izzy & Mark will pick up the gang, then make their way back north. I'm VERY glad the weather here is cool and dry. It will certainly make the traveling easier once they get out of the South.

©2010 Maria S. Cinnamon waits for her Vet appointment.

Of course my next concern is if the kitties will stay healthy once they arrive. Please no URIs! I've asked before. I will ask again! Since Izzy and Mark are super cat people, I know they'll be keeping a close eye on the cats. It's like playing a game of “hot potato.” Move the cats as fast and safely as possible before they get sick, then get them into a nice quiet room to rest and recover.

©2010 Maria S.----Honey B. No, they don't get any cuter than this!

It wasn't all smooth sailing. There was some troubling news today, too. I got a call this afternoon from Sam's daughter, who lives in NYC. She got a message from Medic Alert that Sam's Mother had put in a call for help. I can't go into specifics, but she is in the hospital now. Sam and his daughter are with her. I stayed behind to take care of our cats since we don't know how long she'll be in the hospital. We hope that after all the tests are done, his Mama can go home. If not, Sam will stay there until we can work things out. I'm trying not to think about the arriving cats, during such a stressful time, but I still have to finish preparing for their arrival.

Also, on top of barely any sleep for either of us, we were up at 6AM trying to trap one of our feral cats-Buddy. Buddy has been around for years, but lately he's been seen limping. We're very concerned for his safety and need to get him trapped and to the Vet. Of course he's a smart cat, so we didn't trap him today. Now we have to wait to try again on Monday.

©2010 Maria S.----Yodel. Yes, they CAN get any cuter!

Our dear friend and new foster, Connie, may have lost her kitty: Lion King. He looks a lot like my boy, Bob. Lion King has to be an outdoor cat, even though Connie wishes she could lock him down inside. I just met him two days ago. Connie hasn't seen him in over a day and it's not like him to be absent. I hope my good luck finding cats hasn't turned into making cats get lost!

I'm still struggling with an outbreak of Feline Acne. Nora and Nicky are eh, okay, but Spencer is getting worse even though I've been treating him every day. I'm going to run him to visit Dr. Larry and Super Deb tomorrow. He will be an unhappy cat, but I gotta get him some help. I know he must be uncomfortable.

There's lots to do to get the kittens adopted, too. I got my Petfinder account approved, which is a huge milestone for me. I know you can look for coincidences anywhere if you try hard enough, but I have to admit that my shelter code is also my birthday. It feels like a cosmic sign of good luck some how! Every shelter gets a state code and a number. Mine is CT 431. My birthday is 4/3 ___1 Hee hee! The page has to be filled out and I have to get my web site up and running so I can have adoption forms available and it all has to happen quickly! Even though many of the kittens are too small to be adopted, I want to post them on PF so I can begin screening potential adopters.

©2010 Maria S.---Sugar Pie. Too much cute to look at!

In some ways, this is the calm before the storm. If all I have to do is find homes and keep the kittens socialized and fed, I'm golden.

©2010 Maria S.----Cinnamon and Moonpie get ready to go on their big trip.

Of course things never go as planned. I'm just wondering what I'll think when I look back on these first days. For now, I'll try to be positive. Sam's Mother will be all right (knock wood), we will trap Buddy and get him to the Vet (knocking again), the kittens and Bobbi will arrive safely and in good health and stay that way (knock, knock, knock), poor Connie will find her dear cat, Lion King! (super knock wood) and Spencer will get some medicine for his hard-to-get-rid-of feline acne (kkkkknock!).

And oh yeah, I need a cookie. Maybe one with vodka flavored chocolate chips.

A few weeks ago, I put into motion the rescue of my first group of cats under the Kitten Associates banner. They're comfortably housed with Maria, who lives in McDonough, the same town where Henry County Care & Control can be found which is where the kitties were rescued from. On Saturday, the cats are scheduled to be transported to CT by our dear CiCH friend, Izzy and her husband, Mark-who are going to GA to pick up their newest kitty and who offered to chauffeur a few kitties for me while they're at it! I think they will now have a zillion cats or 18, something like that! These guys have super HUGE hearts!

Maria has been one of the most important parts of this rescue. She stepped up, out of the blue, to take on these cats as fosters. It's been a lot of work for her, but she was always ready to take on one more foster if she could figure out how to fit them into her home. She's also been terrifically responsive to all my annoying questions. Monitoring the health of little kittens from over 1000 miles away is no picnic and I depend on Maria to provide me with a lot of information and be willing to go with the flow, as we have to figure out ways to react to this ever-chaning situation.

Pattycake and Moonpie are BIG. They're at 4 months old. Since getting them S/N in CT is going to be a long way off-it's very tough to find a Vet to do the job without a long wait list-so I opted to have them taken care of while in Georgia. As you may recall, Patty had a difficult spay. Her ovaries did not connect to her uterus. The Vet who did the surgery, also was concerned that Patty may have only ONE KIDNEY. She was not able to see both, but to be sure, she felt that Patty should get an ultrasound.

©2010 Maria S.-Pattycake.

I talked to Dr. Larry about doing the ultrasound here, but he warned me that it costs about $350 and he wanted to be sure the test was necessary before we set up an appointment. Maria, called one of the local vets. They have the equipment on site and can do the ultrasound for about $65!! Needless to say, Patty is having the ultrasound done today. Whew. I didn't want to do another fundraiser!

The next question mark is Bobbi. She got her Health Certificate on Tuesday, which surprised me. The Vet who checked her did not feel she had ringworm, but a dermatitis caused by the flea infestation she had. I've been on pins and needles, not knowing if Bobbi could be transported. She'd have to stay behind for a MONTH if her ringworm culture was positive. I talked with the Vet today. The culture is NEGATIVE so far. I have to check it again today. It looks good that Bobbi is safe to travel. Now, someone MUST have a broken scale because they also said that Bobbi has GAINED TWO POUNDS in barely a week!! NO WAY!

©2010 Maria S. Bobbi relaxing.

Then there's Cinnamon. The smallest of her litter. She doesn't even weigh one pound, while her siblings are a quarter of a pound, or more, bigger than she. At her dainty size, the Vet felt she was too small to safely be transported. That was on Tuesday. Today, Cinnamon goes to the Vet for a re-check. I'm not sure they understand that this transport is being done by cat lovers who know their cats and that they will have Nutrical with them, as well as food and water and that they will know to watch her carefully. Hopefully, she will be a pound tomorrow, so she can travel with her family. If she can't go, I'm not sure what I will do. Maria can continue to foster her (it helps that Cinnamon is Maria's favorite!), for awhile longer, but I have no idea how to get her up to CT if not this weekend. I'm trying not to pull my hair out, but sleep has been tough to come by, that's for sure.

©2010 Maria S. Cinnamon (left). Sugar Pie (right).

And with all this going on, I got an email from Izzy. Out of respect for her privacy, let's just say the trip was possibly going to be delayed for a VERY good reason. She and Mark were able to work things out, but it was all touch and go for a few days. In fact, they've already left for Georgia! They just don't know which cats they'll be taking from my group!

©2010 Maria S. Nap time with Sugar Pie and Honey B.

As Izzy and Mark drive south, I dream of the kitties coming north. Connie, who is going to foster Bobbi after she arrives, may drive to New Jersey with me on Sunday to pick up the kitties. She was just going to foster for a night, then bring Bobbi to Animals in Distress, but now has decided (with my suggestion) that a week in a quiet home would be better for her before she is moved again (or longer because Connie is so excited to have Bobbi live with her!).

I hope they can ALL make it. I have fears that we will leave one behind. I'll do what has to be done for the safety of the cats, but it will be with a heavy heart.

After all this work, it would really stink to have them miss the transport.

Mark your calendars. Sunday afternoon or early evening I'll be on my way to pick up the kitties. Then the fun really begins! If you pray, then please pray NONE of the cats break with URIs!!! I have PTSD flashbacks of “Santa's Team” ringing through my head. Please...not another 4 months of sick cats...and no dying cats, either! I ask a lot, but I'm only asking for their sake (75%) and mine (25%).

Stay tuned...

©2010 Photo by Maria S. used with permission. Calico Mama, ID# 6/25-2567

Calico Mama, ID# 6/25-2567, with her sweet personality and affectionate nature, got under the skin of the Kennel Master at Henry County Care & Control. As other cats were euthanized, “Mama” was spared, but Robin, the Kennel Master, knew she could not give her much more time.

Barely two weeks ago, Mama was pulled from Henry County, along with her two offspring, who we call Moonpie and Pattycake. Instead of her kittens being adopted first, it was Mama who got the attention from Marian, a historian and author who lives in South Carolina. Within hours of her rescue, Mama was already adopted!

©2010 Photo by Maria S. used with permission. Calico Mama and Pattycake share some mother/daughter time.

Now that Mama has finished her quarantine period and gotten spayed, it's time for her to go to her new home and meet her new family.

©2010 Photo by Maria S. used with permission. Moonpie wrassles with Mama.

Although separating her from her offspring might seem to be a sad thing, from the many mamas and kittens I've fostered, I can tell you the Mamas are usually glad to be away from their kittens. Cupid used to go on a rampage and beat up little Blitzen every so often. Once in awhile the kittens would try to nurse after their teeth had come in. Can you imagine how that must have hurt? Saying goodbye is never easy, but Mama will not want for companionship, whether it be human or animal and will only know a loving home from now on.

©2010 Photo by Maria S. used with permission. Moonpie plays peek-a-boo.

In other news, Moonpie and Pattycake had their spay/neuter done today. Sadly, it wasn't easy going for Pattycake. I'll let you know more tomorrow. There was an unexpected complication during her surgery and although she got through it all right, she will be very sore for a few days. We may need to do some tests on her when she arrives in CT this weekend, but that remains to be seen. At least these two kittens are one step closer to their forever home.

©2010 Photo by Maria S. used with permission. Tail toy.

Now all I have to do is GET THEM HERE and hope they don't break with URIs once they arrive. Okay, I need to get on Petfinder, too and I need to get my web site up for Kitten Associates and I need to get some adoption forms put together. No problem!

No wonder I'm not getting much sleep and am so tired!

©2010 Photo by Maria S. used with permission. Calico Mama, relaxes before leaving for her new home in South Carolina.

Farewell, Calico Mama and Congratulations! You're our very FIRST completed rescue under the Kitten Associates banner! Hooray!

I checked my email late last night. There were lots and lots of pleas for cats in dire need. Cats of all ages. Some were local, some were from good old Henry Co. There was an urgent notice put out that three kittens had been there too long and that by 7am they were slated to be euthanized if a rescue didn't come forward to save their lives.

I looked at the photos and descriptions. Any one of these cats would make a great addition to any family. I asked myself what I could do to help? I don't have any more space in my own home to foster these cats. My dear foster mama in Georgia is also full up. I don't know where I could board the cats and even if I did, I still could not take them here. I looked at the photo, below. It's an “odd-eyed” (one green and one blue) white kitten. She's sitting on a little bed. The pattern on the fabric is whimsical with cute little candy corns on it. For some reason this got to me. I started to cry. This poor little kitty has no idea her life is about to end in a few more hours.

I talked to Sam. I asked him; “Should I tell my readers about this even though there is no time to put in place a rescue or adoption? Or should I just not say anything? There are SO MANY that need help, I can't list them all. No one likes to know about these cats dying when they can't do much to help them. It's so frustrating and painful! And the cccccandy corn bed!!”..then I started crying again.

It's one thing for me to cry, but for this situation, I felt it was better to hope that someone could step in and help them, knowing that help was probably too late to arrive.

©2010 Henry Co. Care & Control. Odd-Eyed White kitty with a blue and a green eye.

I could not sleep. Not a wink. I was very tired from the stress of seeing my client fall ill and be whisked off in the ambulance a few hours earlier. I kept thinking about the kittens. I just felt sick and angry. I want to go to Georgia and make them pass a law that forces everyone to Spay & Neuter their pets! No, not realistic, but I'm entitled to my wishes, right?

©2010 Henry Co. Care & Control. Little Flame Point with lovely blue eyes.

I got up at 1AM. I sat on the sofa with one of the cats and had a cup of mint tea to settle my tummy. I tried to feel sleepy, but it didn't work. I didn't want to go near my computer, but I didn't want to wake Sam up by turning on the TV. I got up and walked to my office and turned the computer back on. I poked around and looked at my email, went on Facebook, then...it dawned on me. I knew it was stupid but what the heck?

©2010 Henry Co. Care & Control. Little Lynxy Point with lovely blue eyes, too. What a charmer!

A few days prior, we had a new visitor on the Covered in Cat Hair Facebook page. She, too, did fostering and rescue right in Georgia! She has a Blog about her foster cats that was really cute. I don't know what prompted me, but I sent her an email entitled; “Silly Question.” It was 2AM. I told her about the kittens and asked if she might know anyone that could help. Realizing it was the 11th hour...

A few MINUTES later, she wrote me back. She just happened to be awake, medicating one of her cats. She wrote me a sweet note and said to send her the info, so I did. I sent her listings on 6 or 7 cats. I waited...

She wrote me back. She cc:d Betsy, our contact at Henry Co. She said to go ahead and pull ID#'s...1, 2, 3...KITTENS! My stomach flipped. My heart skipped a beat...did she just say YES to taking the kittens? Did that mean I was going to foster them here? I HAVE NO SPACE!!!

I quickly wrote her back and told her my concerns. Her kind reply was that, no, she didn't need me to find homes. She could do that locally. She just needed me to get the kittens busted out and have our SUPER BEST FRIEND IN THE WORLD, BOBBY, pick them up and get them to the Vet. She would do the rest!

And so...at 3AM, just FOUR HOURS before these kittens took their last breath, the paperwork for them would be updated to read; “RESCUE HOLD,” but in the language of the shelter means;

BUSTED OUT! SAVED! RESCUED! GETS TO GROW UP AND HAVE A LIFE WITH A LOVING FAMILY AND NEVER BE INSIDE A METAL CAGE AGAIN!

I sent out some emails and did what I needed to do to get things in order. I was feeling pretty wobbly I needed to try to sleep. I set my alarm for 6:45AM to make sure Betsy got my message. I crawled into bed next to Sam. I woke him up. I whispered that I was sorry, but I couldn't wait to tell him something. I tried to keep calm, but I couldn't hold back the tears any more. I started to cry again, as I told him the kittens were saved and he said a sleepy “Oh that's so wonderful!” as he held me tight. I thought about the little kitten and the silly candy corn print cat bed, but this time, as the tears fell down my cheeks, they were not tears of grief-they were tears of joy.

©2010 Henry Co. Care & Control

©2010 Henry Co. Care & Control

©2010 Henry Co. Care & Control

Please thank Kate for stepping up and helping us out. As a "Thank You" to her, I paid her Vet bill. I felt like it was the least I could do. Please also thank, Bobby, for picking up the kitties this afternoon and sitting with them at the Vet's office and for making sure they are safe and loved until they go to foster care.

Last night was a CRAZY barrage of emails going back and forth. Things were lining up to rescue this mama and her little babies! I had a transport, I had someone to pull the cats for me, I had a place for them here, but I didn't have a two-three week foster home or place to board the cats until they could leave the State and head northeast! All pets have to be quarantined for about 2 weeks before they can go anywhere to help prevent the spread of disease. Finding a place to keep them safe is really tough-espeically when you live 1000 miles away!!!

Somehow things just started to click...

I decided to try and ask for help. Our new BFF, Maria, saw my plea. She actually LIVES in the same town where the shelter is located! She DOES cat rescue for RescueCats! She HAS an EMPTY foster room! She even is prepared to de-worm the kittens! This lady knows her stuff! Oh yeah...and Maria contacted me and offered to help! She made all the difference in this rescue even being possible.

So did our DEAR friend Bobby, who graciously offered to drive over to Henry Co., sign out the cats, take them to the Vet and wait with them while they are being checked out. You'd think that would be enough, but Bobby offered to help in other ways, which I will tell you about later! There is more news ahead, but I have to wait until I know that mama and babies have passed their exam (so to speak) and can go into their foster home. There is the gut-knot-worry that their "Combo" test to determine if they have FIV or Feline Leukemia will show a positive. We do NOT want this to happen and it's the last real serious hurdle in this rescue.

Bust 'em loud and bust 'em proud! BUSTED OUT!

So as of this moment, Mama and kits are NO LONGER IN A CAGE ON DEATH ROW. THEY ARE BUSTED OUT! NEXT..combo test result. OK? Or NOT? Can we jump up and down for joy? Not yet, but maybe a little “yippie!” wouldn't hurt.