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Foster Cat Journal: 1 in 7,000,000

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This is my foster baby, Gingerbread.

Yesterday, she went to our Vet to be spayed.

Although a Vet and a Vet Tech in GA gave her an exam and wrote up a Health Certificate for transport, they missed something about this cute little Calico.

SHE'S A HE!

Apparently, our Vet was, to say the least, a bit surprised when he was about to perform the spay and noticed Gingerbread was a boy. The odds of tri-colored cat being a male are 1:7,000,000!!!

Looks like my dreams of winning the Lottery were a bit off target, but heck, I'll take it!

Not on My Watch: First "Load" Arriving Soon as I Take Off

Will, not one to travel alone, has decided that he needs to bring two of his buddies with him when he comes to Connecticut this weekend. Strange that he didn't ask me about this first, but just invited them along. Who am I to say, “No” to cute, fluffy babies? I cannot say “NO”. So...

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...please welcome our latest, busted out, but NOT from a Kill Shelter-we're just helping Dr. Anderson out...Pip & Squeak (at least that's their names for now until I come up with something better).

These cuties are not sisters, though they sure look like it! I don't know much about their story of how they got to Dr. Anderson. I just know they got vetted and tested and one is spayed and one is not and that's good enough for me. I am so READY to get my hands one some kitten! Woohoo!

I think I've had a two week break from fostering. I like having time for other things, but I hate going into the foster room. Opening the door and not having kittens come out to see me or to get blasted in the face by the acrid stench of "clean me NOW" kitten litter pan...well, it just touches anyone's heart to conjure up this Hallmark image. Really, I miss fosters and fairly soon I will have SO MANY of them, I will be in a really bad mood or really happy or a mix of both (most likely).

So tonight I leave for the CWA Conference! I'm super excited, not ready, nervous and tired. I hope I figure out how to do a good "pitch" of my work so I can get some PAYING writing gigs. I hope I have good hair. I hope that when I see Dr. Kevin "Hottie-Cutie-Pants" Fitzgerald tomorrow night that I chose the perfect outfit to get his attention and undying love forever or for at least one really good, memorable night. CWA President, Amy Shojai, I hope to GOD you didn't read this. I'm sure you are far too busy preparing for our Conference to read my tiny Blog that no one but about 7 people read a day. Really, don't read this. If you're reading this than stop, before it's too late and I make a total ass of myself before I meet you.

Oops.

Not on My Watch: Limbo for Will

Will continues to heal. He's eating well and his eye looks better every day. He's a far cry from where he was just a week ago-broken, bloody and dirty-either hit by a car or beaten by a cruel human. Regardless of what happened to Will, he survives as a loving, outgoing creature.

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A lot can change in a week. Last Friday Will was at extremely high risk of being euthanized as he was taken to a place where they had no funding to care for him. Thanks to Jenna and Dr. Anderson, and LOTS of generous donations from all of you, Will got the chance to live.

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Will looks clean and healthy. His eye is much better now and he just wants a home. His little tabby "cap" reminds me of my own cat, Spencer! Thank you for the photo, Jenna!

Our CiCH friend, Terry, helped get the word out on Will. He did a really fun poster for Will and tells me that over 14,000 people have heard about Will needing a home!!! So where is that ONE person who will step up and adopt this cute, 1 year old kitty??

Yes, Will still needs a home! Please visit his Petfinder Ad
and send it to all your friends! We can get this done, people! Will is waiting!

Not on My Watch: Update on Will

Will got neutered and while he was sedated Dr. Anderson took a better look at the injury in his mouth. It appears his palette is cracked, not surprising and pretty much cinches he was hit by a car, over being abused. His eye is healing, though it's not looking very pretty right now. In due time, Will should be able to heal from all of his injuries without surgery...knock wood.

Once Will was feeling up to it, Dr. Anderson let him out of his cage so he could stretch his legs and head to the second floor where comfy beds were to be found, along with some much needed peace and quiet. Will gets on well with everyone and has been assured that he has a place a the Cat Clinic for as long as he needs one. It's better he stay at the Clinic, than risk going to the local shelter. He's safe and getting stronger each day and eating well.

But where is a Forever Home for Will? Who would love a sweet, a "10 out of 10" on the friendly scale, kitten to call their own? So far, no one has stepped forward. Will doesn't need any further medical care and his costs have been paid for in full. All he needs is you-know-what (LOVE!) and a you-know-what-else (HOME!)

Will IS located in: Greenville, South Carolina.

Visit Will's Petfinder Listing HERE

Transport to the Northeast or Southeast CAN be arranged. If you're interested in Adopting or are with a Rescue Group and can foster Will, please contact Jenna Gutierrez (864) 801-3177 or email her: tomjeng@charter.net

Back From the Vet. Stupid Pet Owner or RINGWORM?!

Sam and I have a running joke. Often, we'll be watching mind-numbing tv shows about "real" life murder mysteries. Nine times out of ten, the narrator says; "We'll never really know for sure..." This is after we spent an HOUR of our time watching and wondering how the story will end. To hear it's "we'll never really know" not only defeats the entire purpose of watching the show in the first place, it also pisses me off good!

If I'm going to waste my time in front of the TV, I need RESOLUTION (pardon the pun).

So my dear Spencer and I went to visit Dr. Larry. I was fully prepared for him to give me shit about ripping out my own cat's fur, that I'm a stupid pet owner and it's nothing to worry about-other than being stupid makes me worry. I just wasn't careful enough removing Spencer's mats and "baldness happens."

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Dr Larry didn't let me down. After a few minutes pretending he was calling the "authorities" to report me for abusing my cat, he sat down to take a good look.

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The two, nearly symmetrical bald patches don't have any crusting or oozing. They're both about 2 x 3 inches. The skin is pink. Spencer doesn't seem to be itchy. Dr. Larry turned off the lights. We weren't alone so there was no hope for a makeout session. Dang! Oh, he was just using the Wood's Lamp to check for...oh shit...RINGWORM!

The smile on my face weakened into a razor straight line. I kept thinking; Oh shit, oh shit, oh shit! NOT RINGWORM!!!!!!

I looked while Dr. Larry was talking. He saw some slightly reflective scaly areas that were tiny. One of the bald spots had a slight pale white edge to it.

Well? Was it RINGWORM?

"We can't really be sure right now."

SHIT! It's like watching 48 Hrs! Change the channel! Change the channel!

With no better programming available, I was stuck in an answerless void. Dr. Larry removed a few of Spencer's hairs and placed them into a vial with some goop in it (that is a technical term; goop). The test for ringworm takes 2-3 WEEKS. Meanwhile, there is nothing else to be done. We decided to run a full blood panel to rule out hypothyroid (even if it's rare in most cats, I've already had one cat who had it and Dr. Larry knows my cats get weird stuff-it's almost a rule). Plus, Spencer is due for a dental in January AND we can also check his BUN because now that we know he's a purebred Weegie (well, sort of), we're going to watchout for polycystic kidney disease, too. See? I'm smart! I know stuff! I spent $220 on the Vet visit. Wait? Is that smart? Not so sure.

Spencer did not care to have his blood drawn, as usual, but this time Super Deb showed me she still had all her fingers attached to her hand, after the blood draw was finished. The only injury was to the towel they restrained Spencer with. It had to be put down due to it being ripped to shreds.

So am I a stupid pet owner?

We'll never really know for sure...

Not on My Watch: WE DID IT!

THANK YOU TO EVERYONE WHO DONATED MONEY TO HELP WILL GET THE VET CARE HE NEEDS! I'M SO THRILLED AND PROUD OF YOU GUYS FOR STEPPING UP! WE RAISED THE MONEY WE NEEDED IN LESS THAN FOUR HOURS!!!

Will has many Guardian Angels looking out for him. That's for sure!

More updates on Will coming tomorrow!

Not On My Watch: Get Will a Home! Give Will Some Cash!

Will should be ready for his forever home in about two weeks. His eye is not doing so well today, but hopefully he will be back on track to healing up very soon. The cut in his mouth is doing all right. Jenna, one of his rescuers, told me it's tough to get a photo of him because he wants to be picked up and loved and all she thought she could get is a photo of his nose!

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This love bug deserves a wonderful, loving home. If you'd like to adopt or foster, Will, please contact Cat Clinic of Greenville, 1525 Wade Hampton Blvd., Greenville, SC 864-232-7050.

If you'd like to help with Will's Vet costs, please donate below. Your money will go to Kat5, a Non-Profit organization who will make sure Will's fees are paid. That way your donation is tax deductible, as the law allows, and you can feel safe that your money is going to the right place. We love the Ladies at Kat5 and trust them implicitly.

You can also use this link to go to Will's ChipIn widget on the Kat5 web site!

Not on My Watch: Update on Will. How You Can Help.

Will, the poor little cat who was hit by a car on Friday, is doing well. His Vet and caretaker, Dr. Anderson said that the swelling around his eye is improving and he shouldn't need corrective surgery. He has a cut on the inside of his mouth and no other injuries. Though the Dr. is fairly sure this was from the impact of a car, she can't rule out that Will wasn't hit by a person. It's a sad fact that animal abuse happens and Will might be a victim of that. We'll never really know.

What we do know is Will is going to be neutered this week! He already has his shots on board, had his "combo test" for Feline Leukemia and FIV. He failed each test beautifully! With de-worming and a dose of Revolution, Will will be ready to be adopted as soon as late this week!

We're having a tiny technical problem getting Will's ChipIn widget up and running. He won't need much in donations, so this will be an easy save for us! I hope you guys can help out once we're ready.

What Will needs more than anything, is to FIND A FOREVER HOME or to be taken in by a rescue group. Though they prefer he stays locally, Will can easily be transported anywhere in the Northeast and outside of that, transport can be arranged, as well.

I'm told that they don't get any sweeter or more friendly than Will, so if you step up, you're getting a marvelous new friend! Later today I should have updated photos of Will to make it easier to get the word out and for his new family to fall in love with him!

Local Tales: Helping Chloe

"I'll give you $100. Just take the cat to the Vet and have her euthanized."

This is what one woman recently said to her pet sitter. She was talking about her 13 year old cat, Chloe. Chloe, a beautiful Maine Coon mix with shocking green eyes and a plush coat, who had only known this woman's home her whole life, was now being treated like a worthless, meaningless, nothing.

Chloe's owner was tired of a very common behavior problem in cats-inappropriate urination. Not only had Chloe climbed under the sheets, then peed ON her owner, she defecated on the bed, too. We know it's been going on for years. Chloe pees on anything soft. Chloe lived with two other cats. Was she troubled by them? What about her health? Would her owner even get her to the Vet for a checkup? Certainly, NOT. That would require making an effort.

Fortunately for Chloe, her pet sitter was not about to do hew owner's bidding. Instead, he took Chloe home. Since he wasn't sure he could safely keep her in his home, he chose to place Chloe in a small storage space over his garage. It's dark with just one window and a single overhead lightbulb. It's cold and damp and a bit mildewy-a far cry from the comforts Chloe once knew, but she was safe and in loving hands. That's what really mattered most.

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This big, pouffy baby just fits in her prized cat bed. With a new diet, she may slim down a bit and overall feel much better.

He got her a big dog crate and put her inside it with a litter pan. She used the pan properly, but when she was allowed out of the crate, she would pee on any bedding in the room-possibly because it smelled like other cats. Everything was removed, save for one new cat bed. I went to visit her to help set up a better space. We moved the litter pan out of the crate and into a corner. Sure enough she started to use the pan perfectly for a few days in a row.

She was seen by a Vet who said she might have some sediment in her urine that might cause her to feel uncomfortable. Chloe is quite overweight. Her diet needs to be addressed. I also thought she might be backed up with impacted feces. Many years on dry food...there is no telling what sort of shape this cat is really in. We put her on grain free food. She was slow to adapt to it, but this morning I found one (I call it Kitty Crack) that she liked. With a diet change may give her additional comfort and she's on antibiotics for awhile, too.

This morning she peed on a comforter. First I thought it was because it must have still smelled of other cats even though it was washed. I realized it might be WHERE it was placed (inside her crate). She may have thought "inside the crate means go to the bathroom"...so the comforter will be washed again, but this time placed OVER the crate to give her a place to snuggle at night. I brought her a new cat bed, too. Hopefully, she will use that for SLEEPING only.

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Chloe looks stern, but it's just the tabby markings on her forehead that give her that expression. She's really a sweet cat.

The pet sitter feels a strong connection to this cat. It made me sad because she may need to be placed in an only cat home and not be able to stay with the pet sitter. At her age and with this behavioral issue, she may have a long road ahead of her in a cold room with little companionship. Is it enough for her, for now? She'll live to see old age, but at what cost? How many others, like Chloe are subjected to ostracization (or worse) by their families for doing the same thing?

Working with inappropriate urination problems is very tough. I've suffered with cats ruining my home for three years! I can really feel for anyone with this problem, but to kill the animal is not the answer. It will take work to get Chloe turned around and find the right home for her, but in the end it will always be worth it to me.

Not On My Watch: Will, Cat Hit By Car, Going to the Vet SOON!

Will is going to be picked up in an hour by Dr. Anderson! The poor baby has had to wait this long to get any medical care. What a crime this is!!!

I'm VERY GRATEFUL to Jenna for getting the ball rolling and to Dr. Anderson and her staff for being willing to take on this homeless patient.

Later today I hope to get more information about Will's injuries and what sort of financing we will need to put together for him. Also, more than anything, Will is going to need a FOSTER HOME or RESCUE GROUP to step up to take him once he is stable. Again, when I have more information as to his condition, needs, prognosis I'll ask you guys to really PUSH the word out there so we can help this little fella out.

Thank you all, again for your care and concern for Will.

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