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Marshy's Big Adventure

Editor's Note: Marshmellow has a fan club, including myself. This summer he came to Animals in Distress after being rescued from cruel living conditions. Everyone who met Marshy, fell in love with him, but most of us were not able to adopt him because we were all “full up” in our own homes. We bought him a cat bed, treats, toys. We all would visit him and love him up, all joking about fighting over who would finally get to adopt him (I had plans of doing a trial adoption after my foster kittens were adopted). Then we heard the news-Marshy was adopted and was going to MINNESOTA! Apparently a friend of an AID volunteer met Marshy shortly after he arrived at AID and fell in love with him and had been missing him ever since. Her home was the right one-with no other cats, Mashy would be able to soak up lots of love and not be picked on any more. None of us were happy he was leaving. In fact, I cried when I found out, but in this "business" a good home is what counts and Marshy found just that. This story is posted with permission of Vicky, the AID volunteer who made Marshy's adoption happen. Thank you for sharing the Happy Ending for Marsh. I will sorely miss the big fella.

Marshmellow’s Travel Journal

My journey began with an overnight stay at Vicky & Deanne’s house.
After a good nights sleep [I like to be covered and cozy] , Vicky explained the travel plans to me. I was going to live in St. Paul, Minnesota with Margo Mills. She was visiting Vicky this summer, came in and met me. We had an instant bond and she has been asking about me ever since. She couldn’t take it that no one had adopted me, so she made arrangements so I could be hers and have a home.

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In Preparation for my flight, I packed my bags….with my favorite treats ? of course.

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Then I got my passport and transportation papers in order.

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Deanne and I left at 4:00 am in morning in the car to catch an early morning flight out of Bradley Airport in Hartford, CT

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We arrived early so I got to come out of my travel box, drink some water and explore the car.

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I looked out the window while Deanne made sure we were at the right terminal / cargo desk.

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I decided to come up front and sit by the heater for a bit, it’s cold out at 6am.

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Then Deanne told me that it was time to get back in my travel box and get ready to check in.

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Next stop was to fill out some paper work with Skip. He told us that he used to have a Tuxedo cat too, but not as cute at Me! I got upgraded to VIP ? and my catering for the flight was all set.

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…... waiting for my plane to come in.

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Time to say my Final “Good-Byes”…..See you soon in Minnesota, right?

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The flight was smooth and I heard that everyone tracked me as I journeyed half way across the U.S.A. That’s so cool! It’s so nice to feel special.

Margo was there to greet me as soon as my flight landed with treats in hand ?. That’s a great start to my “new beginnings”.

I checked out my new surroundings as soon as I got to my new home.

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Now I am all settled in and couldn’t be happier ?. I feel I belong here and have found my forever home.

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Margo & Marshmellow in Minnesota

I would like to say a big “Thank you” to Everyone at A.I.D. for taking such good care of me over the last 5 months. A special “Thank You” to Carole and Connie for all of your help and generosity, and to Deanne and Vicky for making it all possible.

Much Love & Purrrrs. I will miss all of my friends!

Marshmellow Mills

Not on My Watch: Terrific Tuesday!

I don't think anyone could possibly chronicle with any detail how DIFFICULT, how many e-mails, how many questions, how many late hours, it took to rescue what started out as Four Maine Coon Mix kittens from Clayton Co. Animal Control in Jonesboro, GA.

I've never pulled cats from Clayton. I don't have anyone with a GA license who can help. There was a big team of people networking to find the one person who could help get the kittens OUT before it was too late.

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©2010 Clayton County Animal Control. The clock is ticking. Can we get these cuties out ALIVE?

Yesterday, I spent most of the day and well into the night trying to find that one person. Along the way I found out about other people who pull from GA shelters, other rescue groups, ONE IS IN AUSTRALIA!!! Everyone was trying to help, but the GA License is tough to get and once you have it, you can't just let anyone else use it. So we were left with either trying to get someone local to adopt the cats or finding a local rescue group to take them in-when all are “full up.”

In the end, it was our Maria who totally kicked ass. She had taken the day off to get Vet care for the other kittens she is fostering for me and for another rescue group. Since the Vet appointment was changed, she still had the day off so she decided to go to Clayton and find out what was going on with the kittens. She managed to find out that there were five kittens originally. Three were adopted over the past few days. Two were left. We didn't want to chance leaving them, in the hope they, too, we be adopted. Two kittens are a lot easier to find a rescue for then four, anyway.

We were still scrambling, looking for a rescue to pull the cats on our behalf. Samantha Shelton, the Executive Director/Founder of FurKids contacted me and offered to help pull the cats for us. They have 500 animals in their facility and they rent a HOUSE for cats who have FIV+. Do I love them, already? YES. I do.

At the same time, the group Maria works with, RescueCats, offered to take the kittens, use their GA license and find the kittens homes in Georgia. I would not be transporting them here as I had been planning for the past few days. I was sad about that, but so GLAD they were safe.

A few minutes ago, Maria called me. She told me she got to Clayton and it was CLOSED. They were closed for an employee meeting at 2pm! Maria held her ground and saw a guy near the door. She sweetly managed to convince him to, at least, ask someone to help her even though they were closed. As you see, below, no one says NO to Maria!

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©2010 Maria Sandoval. WOOOHOO!!!! AT LAST!!!!

So all is well.

To me, though, the biggest miracle of all was the e-mail I just got from Betsy at Henry. It simply said:

“Safe, just went to local licenses rescue! YAY!”

Her e-mail was referring to the Big Chicky-Baby Kitties I told you about last week. I found out on Monday that Henry is so overcrowded they put down eight cats. I didn't want to know which ones. I feared the worst. For these big sweethearts, their fate was not another sad ending. They are safe and sound and one day will find their perfect forever homes. Until then they will be out of the cage and into a foster home.

I get choked up every time I look at their photos and think about what a big of a miracle it was for these girls to get out ALIVE.

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©2010 Henry County Care & Control. Fran is saved!!!

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©2010 Henry County Care & Control. Cami is saved!!!

Once in awhile, we win one, or two or in this case FIVE. In the middle of all this craziness I found a little siamese kitten at Floyd County-another Kill Shelter. I told a group in New York about her, and she got rescued, too.

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©2010 Floyd County Animal Control. This little baby is going to New York!

I AM SO HAPPY!!!!

Too Busy Monday

Trying to work out another rescue...going crazy here. Moonie and Patty didn't get adopted over the weekend so I'm fretting about that, too. Feels like a big pile of “stuff” to deal with so I'm gonna keep this short today and just let everyone know I'm thinking about you all and am looking forward to updating you on Big O, Princess and my foster babies-along with a rescue update or two, so DO stay tuned.

For now. A quiz.

What is WRONG with this photo? It's NOT photoshopped!

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©2010 Robin A.F. Olson. Yodel.

Not on My Watch: EXTREMELY URGENT. TWO LOVIN' LADIES NEED RESCUE!

TIME IS UP FOR THESE TWO EXTREMELY AFFECTIONATE, BIG LOVE CHUNK SWEETIES. THEY'VE HAD A MONTH AND NO HOME. PLEASE DON'T ASSUME I AM GOING TO RESCUE THEM AT THE LAST MINUTE. MY GA FOSTERS ARE FULL UP. I NEED ONE OR TWO OF YOU TO STEP UP AND HELP ME!!! THEY HAVE LITTLE TIME LEFT!

FROM OUR FRIEND BETSY at HENRY COUNTY CARE & CONTROL:

Fran [Tabby] and Cami [Calico] are our two super fabulous spayed lobby girls who are now facing death. We have held the girls for a month and no one has inquired.

The girls are both mammoth in size, between 15 and 20 pounds, totally loveable, SUPER personalities, excellent manners, always use their litter boxes, purr non stop, love everyone, etc.

PLEASE HELP US SAVE THEIR LIVES!

TIME IS OF THE ESSENCE. CONTACT BETSY mystiblu@bellsouth.net RIGHT AWAY IF YOU CAN HELP ONE OR BOTH OF THE GIRLS!

ID# FRAN

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©2010 HCC&C.

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©2010 HCC&C.

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©2010 HCC&C.

ID# CAMI

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©2010 HCC&C.

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©2010 HCC&C.

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©2010 HCC&C.

**Please Note; When forwarding, crossposting, or re-posting I ask that you leave this message intact exactly as it was written by me. I do not give permission to post my message, part of my message, or my photographs on Craig's List. Thank you for your help and support, and for respecting my wishes.**

Betsy Merchant~

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

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If you're with a rescue group and would like some FREE publicity, I will personally make certain your group gets big kudos for helping these ladies out! A good story will also help you with fundraising for these animals. Now it's up to you to help make it a HAPPY ENDING FOR THEM-INSTEAD OF DEATH.

I would also be happy to help find transportation for these girls to wherever they need to go.

Please ReTweet, re-post on Facebook and tell all your friends about these cats THANK YOU! We can make a difference-TOGETHER!

Foster Cat Journal: From Foster Mama, with Love

Maria sent me some photos of some of her fosters. They were all just pulled out of Henry County Care & Control. None of them stood a chance of surviving or getting adopted, yet here they are. They beat the odds!

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©2010 Maria Sandoval. Rocco dreams of his forever home and is very glad to be out of that tiny cage!

Rocco is a mellow guy. He digs belly rubs and just hanging out. Considering he lost his life-long home and must be very confused about what lies ahead, he's taking it on the chin.

It cost $32. to get Rocco busted out and vetted. He was already neutered. That's it. $32 to save his life. I didn't even have to do a fundraiser...of course, to get him to Connecticut might be another story.

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©2010 Maria Sandoval. Rocco enjoying the sunshine.

Maria discovered a lump on his back flank. Hopefully it's just from getting his vaccines and nothing more. Other than that he's eating well and livin' large. We look forward to his arrival in Connecticut. An adoption at the shelter, just today, opened up a bit more space for him. My dear, Marshmellow (who I was considering adopting) is spoken for. He'll be flying to Minnesota to live with his new family!

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©2010 Maria Sandoval.

The first litter we rescued this week, are lovely little babies. They were starting to get URI's, the death knell for kittens at a shelter. Some are doing worse than others. Hopefully, they will start to get better now that they don't have the stress of shelter life to deal with.

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©2010 Maria Sandoval. Nap time for this litter of four babies.

Being sick is such a tough start for these little ones, but it's something I see all too often. In fact, the idea of getting kittens that aren't sick seems like an unheard of dream come true.

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©2010 Maria Sandoval. Little flame point in her soft bed.

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©2010 Maria Sandoval.

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©2010 Maria Sandoval. I don't feel so good!

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©2010 Maria Sandoval.

These little guys will be traveling to New York and New Jersey as soon as they are well enough to go. I know they will find great homes in a heartbeat!

Product Review: PawsOFF™ Protective Bed Cover

Being covered in cat hair, is not always a goal in my home. It can be an annoying price to pay living with eight cats. When I was asked to test drive the PawsOFF™ Protective Bed Cover, I jumped at the chance. I asked for two samples; one for me and one for my co-hort in crime, Jennifer, who also has a few issues with cat hair, as well.

The cover comes in a few different colors, supposedly to match any decor. That is true, unless you're like me and have bright orange or lime green sheets. In truth, they are wise to use “sand,” “chocolate,” and “charcoal” for the color choices since it will hide the fact that you have day-glo colored sheets, anyway. PawsOFF comes in sizes ranging from twin to king.

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©2010 Robin A.F. Olson. Spencer enjoying some quiet-shedding-time on the new protective bed cover.

Once I got over the fact that I would never see my sheets again, I found that the cover was very well made, with sturdy elastic straps that, if you aren't lazy, as I am, you can easily slip under the mattress, giving the cover a relatively snug fit. The bed looked lumpy, but heck it was COVERED. Maybe I wouldn't have to see a mass of cat hair at the end of the bed-the favorite napping location of most of the cats.

The cover is soft and appears to be durable. Jennifer has a CH Cat, named Lilly Grace who is actually fed on her bed. Since Lilly Grace cannot walk easily, she usually claws her way across the bed. Good luck to keeping nice looking linens with a cat clawing at them every day.

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©2010 Jennifer Jasensky. Lilly Grace and friend on their PawsOFF Protective Bed Cover.

Here's more about Jennifer's experience:

It's easy to clean off Lilly Grace's canned food crumbs, the stuff that dries up and becomes part of the bedding after a while, I was never able to get that off the old bedspread without pulling hard or just running it through the washer. With the cover, the food can be wiped off even if it dries, wet - the food comes off easy. With CH, Lilly Grace bobs her head to get food so often the food flies a few feet away from her.

It does not seem to hold onto cat hair the way my bedspread does. I can easily wipe my hand over and remove the fur.

No one vomitted, so I can't say anything about that, but it does seem like it would definitely keep fluid away from the bed since it keeps canned cat food that is watered down for Lilly Grace from seeping through.

It's a lot softer than I thought it would be. I pictured something itchy for some reason, but it's nice to lie on and watch tv with the kitties.

For myself, I admit to being somewhat skeptical that this was a necessary item. Why couldn't I just buy a cheap bedspread that I use to cover my bed, instead? Also, I just wonder if it's a good idea to cover the bed, when the linens really should be aired out during the day, right? That said, if you have a slobbering dog or it's spring and the cats are shedding, who cares if the bed is aired out?

The bottom line for me: I'm too lazy to make my bed and use the elastic bands to hold down the PawsOFF Protective Bed Cover, BUT, I still have the cover on my bed. I just use it to cover the bottom half of the bed, so my colorful pillows and sheets can still be seen. I have a sand colored cover and it's so neutral it goes with anything-though I do wish there were some colorful options.

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©2010 Robin A.F. Olson. Spencer and Blitzen like the feel of the soft cover.

The last test I WOULD NOT DO is to find out of cat urine would seep through the cover. That would be the BIG reason to buy this cover. Twice, one of my cats has peed on the bed. If I could be certain this cover would protect that from happening, I wouldn't hesitate to tell the world to buy them for that sole purpose. Since I can't know that, I can simply say it does exactly as advertised. It keeps the fur off the bed as long as when you move the cover to get into the bed, you keep the fur side UP. One of the cats made a slight “stain of mysterious origin” and it kept it off my sheets and was easy to clean up and lastly...

When you get into the bed, the cats are still going to climb onto it, so you should keep the cover on..but it can be a bit warm. I just move it to the end of the bed in the worse fur “zone” so I don't get too hot.

LiveWell Pet Products is based in Vancouver, B.C. Canada. For the next week, use the coupon code CCH10 to save $10.00 off (a VERY GOOD DEAL!) your order of a PawsOFF™ Protective Bed Cover. This offer is exclusive to Covered in Cat Hair readers (you lucky guys!).

PLEASE NOTE: Jennifer and I test drove the covers for a few MONTHS. We were not paid for our review, but we did receive a free cover. This is only our opinion of this product, your results may vary, along with your opinion of the product. There, the FTC can be happy with me now-full disclosure! This review also is not an endorsement.

Not on My Watch: The Halloween Express

Maria is full up with foster cats and kittens. Even though I know that, it weighed heavily on me that there were three orange kittens and one little black one that I could possibly help. Adoptions are going too slowly and I'm worried that because I don't have everything in place to advertise my available cats that if I DID greenlight getting more kittens, that I wouldn't have room for them by the time they arrived in two to three weeks.

I emailed a few folks about possibly helping with fostering. Everyone is busy, but a few said they COULD help me out. I did not want to drag my feet so I decided to go for it.

I found out early on that the two smallest kittens had been put down. URIs are rampant. At the first sign of a sneeze, they put them down. I f-ing HATE IT, but that's the rules. I'm not going to show their photo. I know it makes you guys cry. It sure made me do the same thing.

I didn't want to take just two since I should have room for more when they would arrive. I should take as many as I can get. The two kittens are 12 weeks old and by the time they get there, 14 or more. It's harder to get them adopted than small kittens, but I can get them spayed/neutered in GA and have them ready to go when they arrive-instead of waiting a week-or in the case of my last batch of kittens, over a MONTH for the S/N to happen here in CT. Then I was faced with if I didn't take those two cats that they would probably die...and could I live with that?

You look at their faces and tell me you can say no to them.

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©2010 Henry County Care & Control. “SAVE ME!!!!”

Another round of calls and emails. Betsy emailed me at 3:30 and said that the two orange kittens were sneezing and were going to be put down...in about 30 minutes. They had two siblings who were OK so far. If I wanted to help them, I need to decide.

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©2010 Henry County Care & Control. “SAVE US!!!!”

My hands started to shake. Now I had four kittens to rescue. My stupid iPhone was going too slow. I needed to call Maria, Bobby and Betsy as fast as I could. If we could juggle some things around it could work. I called Betsy and this time she was at the shelter. Over barking and other people talking and shouting I was able to get Betsy to GET THE KITTENS PUT ON RESCUE HOLD and NOT PUT THEM DOWN!

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©2010 Henry County Care & Control. “SAVE US, TOO!!!!”

Betsy said if not tonight, they would be put down in the morning. I told her I had Bobby coming over in 15 MINUTES to pick them up and to get them ready to go!!!!! I was at my wit's end. I didn't even know what the two siblings looked like so Betsy read off their ID numbers to me so I could see them on Petfinder. As I started to look at the listing, I noticed there were a few siamese mix kittens there, too. SHIT! I couldn't take them! What I really want to do is EMPTY THE PLACE OUT! I just got 6 cats out of there yesterday and 4 more today! I honestly don't know how other folks do this all the time. The stress is not good. The life and death choices are worse.

So...at least these four kittens are safe.

Bobby picked them up and has taken them to the Vet. I could hear them "singing," as Bobby called it, while we talked on the phone. I said they were screaming “THANK YOU FOR SAVING MY LIFE!”...which couldn't have been more true and couldn't have come at a better time.

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©2010 Henry County Care & Control. Meet Trick (left) and Treat (right)

Welcome to Kitten Associates, little ones!

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©2010 Henry County Care & Control. and Jacques O'Lantern. (left) and Candy Corn (right)

As for me, I'm having a “ho boy, what have I done?” moment, but it won't last. As soon as I see their little faces and hear their purrs for the first time, I'll just be happy that I could help a few more escape death's cold embrace.

Not on My Watch: Big Red

There's nothing particularly special about a big, red tabby cat who sits in the lobby of Henry County Care & Control. His days of being a cute kitten are years behind him. He was surrendered by his family. They didn't want him any more. We don't know why. We just know they left him in this cage that's barely big enough to hold him.

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©2010 Henry County Care & Control. He doesn't know what he did to deserve being in cage, but Big Red hopes to get out.

He's flanked by two other big tabby cats, from other families that gave up on them, too. They all just sit there, waiting to die. The odds of them being rescued are about nil.

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©2010 Henry County Care & Control.

I want a magic wand. I would wave it over everyone and, first, of course, get them to SPAY & NEUTER their dogs and cats. Next, whatever cat was stuck in a cage at a kill shelter, I would transport them into a new home-one that would love them and care for them and never give up on them. Lastly, I would make Animal Shelter and Rescues not necessary. With no overpopulation problems and no surrendering of animals, we would be able to spend our lives simply loving our pets, with never a tear shed over an animal being euthanized due to space issues or curable illness.

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©2010 Henry County Care & Control.

But I don't have that power, nor do I have the ability to rescue adult cats. Fostering from my home, not a shelter that has visiting hours, makes it impossible to place adults. I know I need help with this. I need a shelter that won't kill this boy, who can take him for me. I need a friend...but who can I ask?

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©2010 Henry County Care & Control.

Call it being annoying or call it calling in a favor, but I sucked it up and nagged Carole at A.I.D. to take this cat. He's declawed and neutered. He's very affectionate, too. He could get a home here in Connecticut AND A.I.D just had quite a few adoptions so I know they have space!

I didn't get an answer right away. I had to wait a few days. I spoke with Carole, who told me she didn't want any more males at the shelter right now and listed all sorts of reasons not to take him, but I had just done her a bunch of big favors, including raising almost $900 for Princess's vet bill, so heck, she caved in and said YES. I hope Carole's not mad at me, but honestly, it's about the cat. He's just a big, red goofhead. He needs OUT of that place.

Before Carole could change her mind, I contacted Betsy and gave her the approval to get this boy out. Needless to say, she was thrilled and surprised. The other two cats are still hoping for a miracle.

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©2010 Henry County Care & Control. Every cat deserves a name. Meet: ROCCO!

As of this writing, this big cat who tips the scales at 20 lbs...and he is BIG, not really FAT, is safe. His snap test was negative/negative and he got his shots. He meowed and yeoweled in the car and at the Vet. He hates being in the cat carrier and he didn't like getting all those shots.

If he only knew he was being rescued, he might have simply relaxed and enjoyed the ride. I'm guessing he is going to be a handful on transport day, but we have two weeks to wait on that and by then he may not care where he goes, as long as he NEVER goes back to Henry County Care & Control again.

I can't say what it is that made me go to bat for this cat. Perhaps it was that he was nothing special that made him so very special, after all.

Not on My Watch: By a Whisker

Last week, I learned a painful lesson. I waited a few hours too long to say, “YES” to rescuing some kittens from Henry County Care & Control. By the time I called, they had been euthanized. Some of them started to show signs of upper respiratory-something we could have easily managed in foster care, but the rules of the shelter are not forgiving.

I cried a lot that day and the images of those kittens are etched in my heart, forever. Though guilt weighs heavily upon me, it does not stop my need to try again.

Over the weekend, I found out about the kittens you see, below. There are two sets of two-really one litter of four in two cages. Each one sweeter than the last. I knew it would be tricky for me to take them since my fosters haven't all be adopted yet, but I was set on doing just that. I started the work trying to put all the puzzle pieces together. Could Maria foster? Yes. Could Bobby transport them to the Vet and get them from HCCAC for me? Yes. How much would this cost? I need to do a fundraiser.

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©2010 Henry Care & Control.

Then, another rescue group in New York stepped up to offer to take two of the kittens-the cute lynx point/siamese mixes. Another group said they would take the other two. Fundraising didn't need to be done, but they didn't have a foster home or a way to get the kittens out of HCCAC. So I contacted Betsy at HCCAC and told her about my weird plan. My group pulls the cats, they get funded by another, they get transported to New York and ultimately get fostered and homed by another group! It's nutty, but who cares? Will I miss having them here, YES, but...they will be alive. That's what counts.

Crazy little details sorted. Directions, confirmations and approvals given, I made the call yesterday morning to confirm rescuing the kittens. My heart was racing. I hoped I hadn't waited too long (again). Betsy was out and they asked me to leave a message. I started to panic. I gave them the ID numbers of the kittens and said that I would be happy to take them and to NOT PUT THEM DOWN. I waited.

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©2010 Henry Care & Control.

I waited an hour. I didn't want to be a pest. I hate to be annoying, but I was freaking out! I emailed Betsy. I waited. I finally called HCCAC again and she was still out so I asked if there was someone else I could speak with and a gentleman got on the phone and told me they cats were still "available" and that not to worry. Betsy would call back.

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©2010 Henry Care & Control.

So. I worried.

A little while later my phone rang. It was Gerri Yoder, the Director at Henry County Care & Control. She told me that Betsy had contacted her and asked her to call me! That not-to-worry, the kittens were safe and they would hold them until we could pick them up the next day. She gave me her direct phone number at the shelter AND her cellphone number. I never have to worry that I can't reach someone who can help me help the kittens.

I stopped worrying. As soon as I started to relax, Gerri told me it was a good thing the kittens were getting a rescue. They had starting to sneeze-showing signs of getting URIs. Then, it hit me. If I had waited another second, they would have been put down. It was by a whisker that these kittens were saved. I wanted to throw up.

A little over an hour ago, these little babies were not only busted out and rescued, but they have already been to the vet and are on their way to Maria's house to be fostered for the next two weeks. They are just six weeks old.

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©2010 Henry Care & Control.

Two have the sniffles, but nothing too bad just now. Bed rest and good food will help them feel better soon. They are out, just in the nick of time...and now they have their whole lives ahead of them, instead of few hours left to live.

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©2010 Henry Care & Control.

Welcome to life outside death row, babies. Welcome! Oh and we have a few more kitties to welcome, too. When you rescue four, you just can't stop there, can you? Heck no!

The Delicate Balance Between Life & Death

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©2010 Robin A.F. Olson. Princess, two weeks ago.

Two weeks ago, little Princess Fifi clung to life, battling a serious Upper Respiratory Infection. Luckily she did NOT have Feline Leukemia or FIP or so many other diseases that can take the life of a severely underweight kitten.

How Princess found her way into the garage of the Williams family, we will never know. If she had any surviving siblings or parent, we will never know. We DO know that the Williams' found her and got her some help from Animals in Distress and Kitten Associates.

Fortunately, I had the good sense to know Princess was not doing well in time to get her help before she started to have seizures. With a temperature of over 106°F, almost 107°F, she didn't have much time.

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©2010 Robin A.F. Olson. Princess, a few days ago!

Thankfully between our two rescue organizations and with the thanks of SO MANY OF YOU who generously donated to her medical fund, we raised $890.00. It will go a long way to help pay her $1700.00 medical bill. Princess recovered enough to leave the hospital and over the first 10 days in foster care, she slowly began to eat and show signs of wanting to play.

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©2010 Robin A.F. Olson

Sam and I went to visit her and couldn't believe our eyes. This kitten was playing and making friends with the two adult kitties who live with her foster mom, Carole. She has lots of room to run around and play and lots of toys and good food to eat.

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©2010 Robin A.F. Olson. If you're happy hold your tail up high!

Instead of having a big snuggle session with her, we simply watched her play. She has LOADS of energy now and is inquisitive and happy. She is confident and fearless. What a survivor!

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©2010 Robin A.F. Olson. Or just raise your paw!

Princess Fifi had obviously gained some weight and grown a bit taller. This was the robust looking kitten I had hoped to first see the day I met her. I just couldn't get over how GOOD she looked.

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©2010 Robin A.F. Olson. The little hunter.

With boundless energy, Princess ran around the room. There was no sigh of her illness and she was just about done taking her medication. Now she just needed a home.

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©2010 Robin A.F. Olson.

I was getting ready to post this when I heard that Princess was adopted! I'm not sure if the adoption is going through, since a few things have changed over the past 24 hours. Even if this adoption doesn't work out, it's clear that Princess Fifi has survived her near-death experience and will easily find a forever home as soon as she's ready to go.

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©2010 Robin A.F. Olson. What a crazy upside-down world!

Although a lot of money was spent on her care, seeing Princess thriving was priceless. I wasn't sure she would make it. In fact I tried to prepare myself for the worst. It's a delicate balance between life and death. Fortunately for Princess and all of us, the scales tipped in her favor.

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©2010 Robin A.F. Olson. Princess among the pillows. All comfy and happy in her foster home.

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