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©2010 Henry Co. Care & Control. Little Maria last week after we rescued her off death row.

Imagine you're a little kitten. Life has not been easy for you. Yet, somehow your good nature and willingness to love unlocks good favor-the kind most creatures in your condition never get to know.

Imagine you broke your leg, near the hip socket. How painful that must have been. It would have been nice if someone had helped you, but they did not. Did you become aggressive and angry, when you were forced to limp, every step filled with pain? No. You did not. You purred. You wanted to be held and stroked and told it was going to be all right very soon.

©2010 Maria Sandoval. Little Maria in foster care.

But no one did that for you for a long time. No one helped you for a month, so being a kitten your leg began to mend itself, but not correctly. Part of your femur overlapped another part by an inch. The leg began to fuse, but you are still growing. How would you get along like this? You didn't know. You could walk okay, but not great. Mostly, you sat a lot. For awhile you sat in a cage and waited until some nice people helped you out. You thanked them by purring, your special purr and asking for some love.

They took you to many doctors and x-rayed your leg. They asked many questions-how could a 2.82 pound kitten be in such trouble? Then, one Doctor realized you were not a tiny kitten, but just very very very thin. They saw your teeth. It told them another story about you. That you are four months old, not 9 weeks. That no one fed you on top of ignoring your broken leg. Did you get mad? No. You just purred your purr and asked for more love, even if you didn't get any food to eat. That was okay by you, because you just want to be loved.

©2010 Maria Sandoval. Little Maria smiles even though she must be in pain.

Because you're a very nice kitten, underweight and overflowing with love, because some people got together to care for you, they found a way to fix your leg, instead of cutting it off as many would do just to save a dollar. They found a way to fix your leg and they paid for some of it themselves because they care so much. They have $500.00 left to raise for your surgery, that's it. Not very much to help a nice kitten who deserves every nice thing we can do for her.

©2010 Maria Sandoval. Little Maria sits awkwardly but is ready for some petting and snuggling.

So today we ask you, to ask your friends, to look in your pocket, to find a few dollars to give to Maria's Surgery Fund. Maria is a magnet for good fortune in that our dear friends, Mr. & Mrs. Warren & Terri Royal, who are VERY VERY GOOD FRIENDS to cats, have offered to MATCH any donation, up to $150.00, so for every dollar you donate, another will be added to the pot. The sooner we can raise the money, the sooner the surgery can be paid for.

©2010 Maria Sandoval. She's still far too thin for her age, but now that she's safe in foster care (and her foster mama, Maria LOVES HER very much!), she will begin to finally put on some weight. She will always be a small kitty, though..

Mr. Royal has also offered to donated 15% of the proceeds of any orders placed by readers of Covered in Cat Hair on either of his two web sites: Bobbleheads.com or CustomBobbleheads.com websites. When you make your purchase, in the COMMENTS AREA write "COVERED IN CAT HAIR" so they'll know your purchase is for Little Maria.

Thank you to Bobby, Maria, Connie, Carole and all the Vets who have shared the expertise with us and helped us to find a way to help Maria walk without pain and have a wonderful future-filled with purrs and love.

P.S. YOUR DONATION Via CHIPIN IS GOING TO ANIMALS IN DISTRESS, who will be taking Little Maria into their NEVER-KILL, NO-CAGE shelter here in Connecticut once Maria is well enough to travel. A.I.D IS A registered NON-PROFIT, 501(c)3 charitable organization.

Most of you know my husband and I have horses. We board them at a farm not far from our house. There are a lot of barn cats there, and a number of our cats came from the farm when they got sick or hurt and we took them home. Every Spring and Summer, idiots who think a farm automatically needs cats dump kittens at the barn. Sometimes we get these poor lostlings and find them homes, sometimes they are too feral and run away. Josephine feeds them so they don't starve, but still, it's not the life of a loved pet.

©2010 Robin A.F. Olson

My southern belle posse is posing for their next album cover entitled: “Teenage Kittaen Dreamz.” Sugar Pie (far left) is obviously the troublemaker of the group and Honey B. does not “do” photo shoots, so she's off camera, sulking.

Their CD is available on Mee-owTunes.

©2010 Robin A.F. Olson. Pattycake LOVES her treats!

Dear Petcurean Pet Nutrition,

Two of my foster kittens have ringworm. They're locked in the bathroom for the next month while I'm treating them for this fungal infection. It breaks my heart to confine such perky, happy creatures into such a small space, so every day I try to do something fun for them to keep their spirits up.

Normally, I don't ever buy any dry cat food at all, but in this situation, since these cats once had lots of dry food at the Kill Shelter I rescued them from, I thought I would find a good quality, grain-free treat to hide all over their room. That way they'd have fun trying to find the yummy pieces and give them something to do.

They REALLY like the treats. A lot.

They both look like crack addicts about to get a fix whenever they hear the sound of the treat bag being opened and once there are treats to be found they scamper about, hoovering up every morsel.

They seem to be having fun. This all sounds great, right?

Here's the problem:

©2010 Robin A.F. Olson. The bag in question. No. I did not do anything to the bag other than photograph it. This is how I found it.

I must have inadvertently left the bag where they could get at it. Since they get a bit too much "alone time," they had plenty of time to figure out how to EAT open the bag. Yes, I said, EAT. Once I found this bag, stashed behind a blanket, I realized that there were pieces of the bag that, even now, are still missing. Maybe they're only temporarily missing...if you get my drift.

The real question is, do you have a program to provide grants for emergency surgery to remove bits of the treat bag from my kitten's belly?

Just wondering if I can start the application process now. If I don't see any shiny surprises in their litter pan soon, I'm thinking I'll be going to the ER Vet since it's a HOLIDAY WEEKEND here in the USA.

Really good treats. Maybe you should consider packing them in KEVLAR?

Sincerely yours,

Robin, the freaked out foster mom

As Hurricane Earl churns in the Atlantic, I sit and wait and wonder if it's going to behave and only give the folks here in Connecticut a glancing blow of high winds and torrential rain or if the weather reports will be wrong and Earl will take a devious leap west and blast us with its' Category 2 fury.

I realized that should we ever take a direct hit that I have nowhere to go that would allow cats-and certainly not foster cats that also have ringworm. I couldn't even put them in the car with the healthy cats.

I'd be forced to stay behind.

So Sam and I got up at 6AM. This was not my idea of a good time. No one should get up until at least 9AM and 10AM would be even better. Anyway, we wanted to get to the grocery store and buy some non-perishable items like pudding cups, nuts, chocolate covered raisins. You know-important things that will keep us healthy if we lose power—which happens if you fart too hard around here. We expect the power will go out-which also means, no WATER.

We live in a house where everything is run by electricity-including the pump that goes to our 390' deep well. That means no shower and NO FLUSHING. Not fun. We have those 5 gallon bottles of water and a dispenser. Some of the bottles are empty so we filled them with tap water. Ah ha! Now we will be able to flush, though holding a 40 pound jug of water, aiming over the toilet tank, then hoping you don't miss and dump it all over the floor or miss and get it into the toilet BOWL, which would splatter whatever was currently IN the bowl all over the walls.

Gosh, I hope the power doesn't go out tomorrow. I just don't think there's enough bleach in the world to clean my walls after that.

As I wait to find out if my little house in the woods is going to be decimated by Hurricane Earl, I thought I'd catch you up on a BUNCH of news...in no particular order...

1. HOPE IS OUT OF THE ANIMAL HOSPITAL!

Her leg, HELLO!, is HEALED! She will walk just fine. She beat the infections, but traded them off for a cold. That said she is well enough now to go into foster care. I heard her foster home is terrific and her rescuers, called The Cat Women, should be getting a check from me via Sweetwater Vet Hospital, to cover ALL of HOPE's medical bills! There will be a bit left over and that will go into a fund to help other cats who need vet care.

HOPE has a new name: Ariel. This will mark her new journey. In a very strange coincidence, Ariel's foster mom is none other than Mary Jo-who is the subject of item number 2!

2. BIG, ORANGE MAINE COON IS SAFE!

Big Orange's owner is a senior citizen with dementia who cannot care for her cat and whose (jerkwad) of a son refuses to allow the cat in the house! The poor cat has been attacked by local (equally jerky) kids. Mary Jo (sound familiar?) stepped up to help rescue this big lug. When news got out about his troubles lots of folks chimed in, willing to help. I got the word out to my rescue babes and one of them offered to give him a home. I can't say more than that because the details aren't worked out, but even if not, Big Orange is SAFE. Mary Jo got him today only to find out the (jerkwad of the century) son now wants to get a puppy since the cat is gone. Is there no justice for this cat? Perhaps a wonderful life in a better home will do the trick?

©2010 Mary Jo. Her original poster trying to find help for Big Orange.

3. RINGWORM. WE HAVE A WINNER! (or is that LOSER?)

There aren't enough swear words to cover how I feel about Pattycake getting ringworm. She had it in transport, but only a tiny dot on her ear. I didn't even NOTICE what you see below. Granted the area was shaved after Dr. Larry's Vet Tech, Mighty Lauren found it!

©2010 Robin A.F. Olson. Fungus Amongus.

And of course, a few days later I felt some "crud" on her brother, Moonpie's ear so he's got it, too. Both cats are in the bathroom for eternity, or another month. Then they will be 5 months old and even harder to find a forever home for. If this is as bad as it gets I will be grateful. If the 4 little kittens in the foster room get it, too...that will be really bad...if my cats get it...well...not good...not good at all.

©2010 Robin A.F. Olson. They share everything...ugh.

4. Bob has a URI. Spencer has really bad feline acne that I just can't get rid of, Nicky PEED on the floor right in front of us so he's at the Vet getting tests done and poor Gracie's dermatitis just won't go away!

©2010 Robin A.F. Olson. Bob. No fever but sneezing and coughing. My poor baby!

This is why having TWO cats is nice. If one gets sick, no problem. If both got sick, no problem! When they ALL start to get sick? PROBLEM! Having EIGHT CATS is NOT FOR SOMEONE WITH A WEAK CONSTITUTION-which is WHY I should have TWO CATS!

4. Jasper County Animal Control STILL NEEDS A FEW MORE CATS RESCUED SO THEY WON'T HAVE TO PUT ANY KITTIES DOWN. BUT...

Thanks to Barb Lowe at Winging Cat Rescue and two other rescue groups, five cats from Jasper were saved, along with three others from Douglas and eight by our friend Joan Flores in TN, along with six from Heard County and three more who were supposedly rescued but their rescue DUMPED THEM!!!!!...so they were RE-RESCUED!

©2010 Jasper Co. Animal Control. This is Frances.

That's 25 MORE CATS SAVED!!!

©2010 Jasper Co. Animal Control. This is Maybelline.

©2010 Jasper Co. Animal Control. This is Saber. Yay Saber!

Yes, there's a price for rescuing all these cats. Barb needs Scotch and a vacation somewhere quiet AND she needs $400.00 to cover transport. Let's show her how we can help her money woes disappear and thank her for all her hard work, saving these babies!

5. My little kittens are pushing three pounds a piece, except for Cinnie-Minnie who is just a tiny little thing.

Oh, and they're super cute, but I don't get to spend nearly enough time with them!

©2010 Robin A.F. Olson. From left to right: Yodel, Sugar Pie, Honey B. and Cinnamon.

6. Little Maria WILL be having her surgery next week! Stay tuned for LOTS MORE NEWS ABOUT THIS BIG EVENT FOR A LITTLE KITTY!

That is if my power doesn't go out tomorrow...and Earl keeps his distance.

Last year I pulled 9 kitties from Jasper County Animal Control and brought them to Connecticut. It was just after Thanksgiving and kittens are few and far between in the Northeast. Within ONE WEEK of the kittens arriving at my door, I had all of them Spayed/Neutered and ADOPTED! It was one of the best rescues-and easiest, I've ever done.

During this rescue, I got to know Karen Bryant, the ACO of this small, Country run facility. She was a Vet Tech before coming to Jasper Co. and because of that she runs a very clean and healthy operation. I always trust the animals that come from her facility.

Karen is very kind and unassuming. She doesn't ask for much. Last year I helped get the word out to get her a good microscope which would allow her to save $10 for every animal that came into the shelter because she could now do her own fecal exams. In this economy, anything she can do to save money, helps keep things going.

Jasper County doesn't have someone doing Publicity for them, but they do have fans. Barb Lowe at Winging Cat Rescue and myself are two such people. When we hear there's trouble, we want to help.

Jasper County Animal Control is FULL UP. They are faced with having to EUTHANIZE HEALTY, ADOPTABLE ANIMALS due simply to overcrowding. THIS IS MAKE OR BREAK TIME. WE MUST GET, AT LEAST, a few of these animals OUT THE DOOR or they will continue to put them down until they have space.

It illustrated how serious this is when I heard they had called for help, crying on the phone. They LOVE their wards. They do NOT want to put them down, but they have such limited resources their hands are tied.

I ask you all what I always ask...please, get the word out to your friends. Please, if you'd LOVE a new companion, go to Jasper and pick one out. They have some VERY AWESOME cats and dogs there. Their complete list is HERE Here are highlights of just a few of their adoptable cats:

Alex. Pet ID: 10-371-1

Maybelline. Been waiting for 2 months for a home. At very high risk of being euthanized. Pet ID: 10-330-1

Saber. No. ID#. I almost had him busted out last week, but we had to take Pauly and Maria, first. SABER IS ON THE LIST TO BE PUT DOWN. WE HAVE TO FIND A WAY TO GET HIM OUT!

Jewell. Domestic Medium Hair - Brown, Tabby [Mix]. No ID#

Just like many of you, I have tears rolling down my cheeks as I report this news. Do I want to talk about it? Heck no. Would I rather write about how sweet my foster kittens are or the cute thing my kitten, Blitzen did today? YES! I wish I could just gloss over this and not look, but if I don't say a word, then these cats will die...and to me it is even more meaningless of a death of we are not, at least a witness to it. Knowing is power. Knowing is lighting a fire under each and every one of us to get up and DO SOMETHING. Make a call. Offer to help. Don't WAIT. We need to act NOW.

Jasper County Animal Control

126 Mack Tillman Drive

Monticello, GA 31064

Phone: (706) 468-0396

Email: Karen Bryant jaspercoanimalcontrol@hotmail.com

Pat arrives at Douglas County Animal Control every day they're open. She walks up and down the aisles filled with cages holding stray, abandoned or surrendered cats and dogs. She's been doing this for a long time. It never gets any easier. She has to do the math. How many cats can she rescue today? Is there a dog with an injury she can get to Sweetwater Creek Animal Hospital? Does she still have any funds left to cover his needs?

Which cats can she hope to place in her few foster homes? Which could she possibly help get adopted? Which ones are so friendly she can't imagine them being euthanized due to limited space at Animal Control? The answer to that would probably be each and every one.

The three cats below, are some of the cats who are facing their last few days. The ticking clock never stops. It merely pauses to take note that the time has come for their lives to end. When that moment comes, we aren't ever sure exactly when, but we know that it's there-a brutal sentinel.

©2010 Pat Hopper.

I'd like to say there's a miracle out there for these cats, but I can't. I'd like you all to consider sharing their plight with your friends and family. There are other cats and dogs, waiting, too. Maybe you can help one of them? We always hope that somewhere out there somebody can step up and lend these cats their home, their hearts or just a hand out of this place.

This is what we know:

1 - 1.5 year old calico mama cat: Diana (ID# 4063 A)
and her babies:

Franklin (ID # 4063 C) creamsicle-orange tabby, 10-12 weeks old when he came in with his mama.

Johnny (ID # 4063 D) black & white "cow cat" with the same Alfalfa-hairdo look as his mama.

When these poor kitties hear the cage door click, they immediately dash for the opening, hoping someone's coming to get them. It's heartbreaking.

They are all extremely sweet (and very healthy), and will make some lucky family or person very happy with their great personalities and wonderful demeanors.

Ideally looking for someone local to adopt, foster, or rescue, but if funds can be raised/arrangements made for transport, maybe they can be saved by someone who is not local.

Mama and her boys are currently at the Douglas County Animal Control facility.

Contact:

Pat Hopper - Douglas County Transporter (pull & transport available to local, licensed rescues)

pnh1918@aol.com

Home: 770-577-7743

Cell: 404-725-0393

and/or:

Douglas County Animal Control

1755 County Services Road

Douglasville, Ga 30134

PH: 770-942-5961

Fax: 770-942-5914

Little Maria and Pauly are safely out of Henry County, in the loving care of Bobby, our devoted driver, babysitter, and photographer of all kitties we rescue from there. Though knowing they're off death row is one thing, but the kitties are never out of the woods until we get them to see the Vet and get the results of their Snap Test, which lets us know with some accuracy (depending on the age of the cat), if the cat is positive for Feline Leukemia or FIV.

©2010 Bobby Stanford. Used with Permission. Some of the friendly staff at East Lake, where we often take our shelter rescued kitties.

©2010 Bobby Stanford. Used with Permission. Little Maria waits for her exam.

I really hate waiting for results.

If a cat is positive for Feline Leukemia, which is easily transmitted between cats, then what do I do? Guidelines will say euthanize. I am terrified I will have to make that decision one day.

At least for Pauly and Little M., the results were negative. On to the next concern...what is wrong with Little M.'s rear end? Why does one bone in her right leg protrude out? What happened to this little baby?

©2010 Bobby Stanford. Used with Permission. Dr. Segal with Little M..

After a few xray's it was pretty clear what was wrong. Little M. has a broken right rear leg. It's broken near the femoral head, which is basically the top end of the femur that usually fits into the hip socket. Little M., who we are told is only NINE WEEKS OLD, at 2.2 POUNDS, has been living with this broken leg for quite some time. There is evidence of the injury healing itself, but not healing correctly. Little M. can walk, but with a wobble. She does not seem to be in pain, but she will be as she ages, if nothing is done.

Dr. Segal gave us some options:

1. Do nothing but give her cage rest-meaning lock her up in a small crate so she can't move around much and let the break heal on its' own. The result will be that Little M. will have one leg a bit shorter than the other, will develop arthritis in her leg and perhaps never be able to jump.

2. Amputate the leg. It's less expensive then a surgical correction, but then she will have to hop around for the rest of her life. Sure she can manage, but the leg isn't useless, it's just broken.

3. Have a surgical consult done and find out if this leg can be repaired. There's a procedure called Femoral Head Ostectomy where the femoral head is removed, and the leg is re-set into the hip. It would mean a relatively normal life for Little M., IF that is the end result. Right now we don't know what, exactly, she needs, but we do know that the surgery has to happen soon since the break is already repairing itself incorrectly and she's just a baby and growing fast. We need to take action, but the surgery is going to cost a few thousand dollars AND we may need to have the surgery done in Georgia...after that is done, when can we hope to get Little M. to Connecticut?

And...Little M. is sick.

©2010 Bobby Stanford. Used with Permission. One of the Vet Tech's checks out Little M.'s hips.

She has an upper respiratory infection and a temp of 104°F. We can't even think of doing any surgery to her until she is clear of the disease. With any luck she will be fine in a week, but she is young, sick and just came out of a shelter. We all know that URIs can last for months.

Even through all of this, Little M. purrs and is a sweet cat. She will even try to play. Her will to live is still strong. One day I hope we can look back on the challenges we're facing with this kitten and realize it all ended up well. I guess my gut will be in a knot until things get sorted out for her.

©2010 Bobby Stanford. Used with Permission. Pauly does a great job defying gravity.

Meanwhile, there's Pauly. At about 4 months old, he's a bundle of raw energy mixed with sugary sweetness. Pauly does not want to hold still for the camera, especially when he's being fussed with at the Vet. He is in good shape, but of course, has been exposed to Little M.'s URI, so we will see how big of a mess this turns into.

©2010 Bobby Stanford. Used with Permission. Pauly isn't so sure about this...is it a treat or treatment?

Pauly finally burned himself out long enough for Bobby to get a photo of him. His white toe tips and tail tip is adorable! He's got very lovely tabby markings and beautiful eyes. All we have to do is get him neutered and he will be ready to go in no time! Connie said she felt he will do well here in CT-I agree 100%.

©2010 Bobby Stanford. Used with Permission. At last, Pauly relaxes long enough to be photographed.

We're going to have to do a fundraiser to help cover Little M.'s expenses and to pay for transport (some day!) to come north. I'm getting the nagging feeling I may have to drive down there to get the cats. I can't imagine putting a cat who recently had surgery onto a big, loud, transport. If any of you are going to be traveling northward in about 3 weeks or so, let me know! Until then, we just have to hold tight and hope that Little M.'s fever comes down and Pauly doesn't get sick, too.

©2010 Bobby Stanford. Used with Permission. Kitty artwork at a Vet's office is always a good sign.

You just never know what you're going to find out once you “bust” cats out of a shelter, but aside from any health issues, in time we'll find the same thing we always do—loving, lonely cats who deserve the best forever home possible.

Nine days ago I wrote about three cats needing to be rescued from Henry County. That day, sadly one of them, named Jill Ann, had a serious stroke and was humanely euthanized. The remaining cats, a fragile, injured dilute calico and a rambunctious and loving tabby stayed behind. Each day that passes, is one day less they have left to live. This clock ticks down for every cat and dog at places like Henry County-that are too overcrowded due to people NOT Spaying or Neutering their animals.

©2010 Henry Co. Care & Control. Little Calico, injured in her hips. Did she get hit by a car a long time ago? We don't know. We just know she can't walk very well as she is now. She sits most of the time.

My resources are few and far between, but I knew that by sharing the story of these cats, that hopefully someone would either fall in love with them and adopt them or some rescue group would lend them a hand and bust them off of death row.

©2010 Henry Co. Care & Control. Loves to give love, this tabby reaches to be petted, not to swat at the hand above him.

No one has stepped forward. Who wants to take on an injured cat that will have medical expenses? Who wants another tabby, even if he IS friendly? The siamese or the maine coons or the tiny kittens get out. These guys are the last to be picked for the team.

In some way, I guess I was on target, I just didn't realize who would fall for these two kitties–my very own foster Mama-Maria and my friend and co-hort in rescue-Connie! Maria has been asking me about the Tabby for these past nine days-if someone has rescued him, if we can take him in, where can he go if we DO take him in? It's been tough to say no.

Meanwhile, Connie wants to help the poor injured dilute Calico, but I just don't have a place for her. Now that Bobbi is adopted and with her new family, there IS an opening at Connie's home for fosters and due to the generosity of Carole, the Director of A.I.D., who is willing to open her shelter to BOTH of these cats...we have some good news!

So, as I have said before...I will say again...

BUSTED OUT! THESE TWO LUCKY KITTIES ARE BUSTED OUT OF HENRY COUNTY, AT THE VET and WILL BE IN FOSTER CARE SOON!

©2010 Henry Co. Care & Control.No more ID# for this cat. She now has a name: Maria

We don't know what happened to this little dilute's back end. She can't walk well and sits most of the time. We'll give her the best care we can, but we may, too, put a hand out and ask for a few dollars to help pay for the care she needs. She may need a surgery to either correct her problem or amputate one of her legs. We will do everything we can for her now that she is with us and will be coming to Connecticut in two weeks!

©2010 Henry Co. Care & Control. No more ID# for this cat, too. His name is Pauly.

This little guy is such a love bug that the Kennel Master at Henry has been aching over the idea of having to euthanize him. Happily, she will not have that worry any longer...and now that we're opening up two more cages, maybe two more kitties will get a few more days added onto their countdown clocks?

As always, my hope would be to never have to write these stories, to never have to be sick over the cats we couldn't get to..and there are so many...but we got two, so let's be of good cheer. There will be no day 10 on death row for these babies-they will have Day 1 of their NEW LIFE STARTING TODAY!

P.S. Anyone driving from Georgia, northwards in two weeks? We are gonna need TRANSPORT!