Robin Olson's blog

Amberly's kittens are SIX WEEKS OLD! Time flies! Can you believe they were found in a nest under a tree? If you missed their AMAZING RESCUE, you can read about it HERE. Are these the SAME kittens? Is it possible they are NOT SICK? I don't even know what it's like to not have a kitten with upper respiratory to battle or something worse:::KNOCK WOOD::: anti-jinx!!!

I'm SO grateful that the kittens are doing so well and to make it even better, I swear EACH of them is more lovely than the last. Amberly made some very special kittens, that's for certain!

Today, instead of blathering on and on, let's just enjoy a multitude of images from a few weeks ago and more I just got yesterday-including some adorable videos! Grab a cup of coffee or tea and sit back and smile. It's a good day to smile!

Here are the babies! (make sure you scroll ALL the way to the end for the funniest photo, ever!)

Getting a cat to eat their food can be one of the most challenging aspects to cat care, especially if you're trying to transition your cat to a more species appropriate diet. Getting a cat “off the grain” is not easy. Pet food manufacturers did a great job figuring out what to coat their dry, grained kibble in to make cats want to devour it. The problem, those grained, dry diets have the least amount of appropriate nutrition.

Do you see your cat GULP their food down, then throw it up not long after they eat? It still looks the same going in as it does coming out? That's a sure sign you need to change your cat's diet. If your cat suffers from just about any medical issue, especially skin allergies, digestive issues, even recurring ear infections and many others, it's time to change the diet.

Today's post is about tricks for transition, over what exactly to feed your cat (which I'll write about at another time). Bottom line-feed them grain-free. No wheat, soy, corn, oats, rice. Obligate carnivores don't have enzymes in their saliva to break down grain, therefore, whatever grain is in their food, basically passes through their body, elevates their blood sugar to a point of causing diabetes in some cats and comes out as a very stinky poop. So why feed that to your cat?

These tips are for EVERY cat owner, even if they're already feeding a great diet to their cat. Once in awhile your cat will walk away from their food. It's annoying, can cost money in wasted food and it's obviously not good for your cat.

I use a cheap metal bowl to elevate my cat's food plate. Fits perfectly!

1. Elevate your cat's food dish (and water bowl!). If you observe your cat eating, they really have to tip their head down to eat off a dish on the floor. By placing the dish onto a book, a bowl, or buy an elevated dish set up from a pet shop, you ease the strain on the cat's throat and back. If they can eat more comfortably, they're spend more time at the plate.

2. Paper but not PLASTIC! Feed your cat on a CLEAN china plate, glass dish, or paper (if it's new every day). Do NOT USE PLASTIC OR MELAMINE. These plates cannot really be cleaned of microbes because the surface is soft and gets scratched. Those scratches contain the bacteria that causes problems and your cat can get feline acne.

3. I prefer feeding off a small, about 6 7/8" plate. I don't like bowls because the cats whiskers can get crammed into the bowl while they eat. That cannot be comfortable for them. Make sure the opening is wide if you do feed out of a bowl.

4. Each cat gets their OWN plate. No lumping all the food together so your cats have to compete for their food. Give them each their own plate, their own PLACE in the home, to eat. Give them SPACE from each other so they can eat in peace. This way you can monitor who is eating and who is not. Also, try to have quiet time during feeding. This helps the cat relax while eating so they can enjoy their food instead of gulping it down.

©2010 Maria S. Polly Picklepuss shows us how not to feed the cat.

5. Canned food feeding tips:
- Warm SLIGHTLY in the microwave. This enhances the smell. Cats go by SMELL. The stinkier, the better.

- I am the Queen of “Sprinkles.” I find that some times I need to sprinkle a bit of something else on top of the food to get the cats started eating. It's like trying to start an old lawnmower. You have to keep trying to get it started, but once it's going, it runs fine.
-SPRINKLES: Bonito Flakes or Bonito Sprinkles, Whole Life Freeze Dried Treats, Dinner Party, Parmesean Cheese (really!), Stella & Chewy's Dehydrated Raw Crumbled on top.

What do you do if your cat STILL won't eat?

Is your cat SICK? Does he or she have an upper respiratory infection, allergies, a nasal polyp? These are just some of the reasons why your cat may have lost their sense of smell.

Your cat could be sick with just about anything else, too. Cancer, kidney disease, liver disease, there are so many reasons why a cat is tough to feed that if it becomes a chronic issue, you really need to get your cat checked out by a Vet.

If your cat IS sick and you know they're tough to feed, like my boy, Bob Dole, then there is more you can do. Bob is VERY tough to get to eat. The lymphoma he battles absorbs his nutrition before it can go to anything else. Bob gets sick from chemo and his liver is failing, but it doesn't stop me from trying to get him to eat SOMETHING.

For senior cats whose sense of smell is diminished or for cats like Bob you can try to mix some PLAIN (no rice) Chicken Baby food into their canned food. Baby food, alone, does not have enough in it to be a complete diet for a cat, so you MUST feed it with other foods OR just feed it for a few DAYS. Warm the baby food in the microwave. Make sure it is NOT BOILING HOT. Just a bit warmer so the aroma is obvious.

©2006 Robin A.F. Olson. Bob Dole and the frozen turkey meatball in 2006.

I'm not a big fan of these, but there ARE some high calorie vet-only canned foods like A/D and Iam's Max Calorie. These are really only for getting the cat to eat for a short time or to syringe feed (force feed) your cat to eat. They can really be a lifesaver as they are smooth and easy to syringe into your cat's mouth. I have to do that with Bob from time to time to make SURE he's eating. These foods are often used after surgery or in critical situations, not day-to-day feeding.

Another trick-CLAM JUICE. Yep, it's cheap, easy to get at the grocery store and can STINK UP the food, quick. Make SURE THERE IS NO MSG in the clam juice AND watch the sodium. This is a very salty additive so use it sparingly. If you add it to food, warm it up together and it can really do the trick. I had to hide tiny anti-seizure pills in my cat, Sasha's food and I put it in some clam juice and she lapped it right up.

Maybe it's just the food?

That's true, too. If they just don't like it, change it. I just learned this a few months ago and is VERY important:

Feed your cat, if you feed canned, a variety of brands and flavors of cat food, NOT JUST ONE BRAND, ONE FLAVOR.

Firstly, like people, cats need some variety, but more importantly, each company has a different method of preparing their food, they use different ingredients or the source of those ingredients and the quality of those ingredients are different. If your cat only ate chicken, it might get to a point where it cannot digest anything else. Chicken has certain vitamins and minerals that, say, beef does not, but beef has something that chicken does not and so on...so feeding a variety can help your cat truly get a balanced diet and they may enjoy the discovery of “what's for supper?” each day. It also allows their digestion to be more able to handle whatever the cat is fed and may reduce the cat's issues being finicky.

Lastly, pet your cat. Scratch him or her behind their head, on their neck. It mimics when their mama would groom them as they were being nursed as kittens. Some times that little bit of comfort can get the cat to eat, too.

After all this, if your cat STILL won't eat, make SURE you take them to the Vet for a checkup. A simple thing, like a cracked tooth or dental decay can put a cat off their food and make eating painful.

Good luck and let me know if this helps you with your finicky feline!

©2011 Robin A.F. Olson.

After careful consideration, from time to time I write a product reviews. If you see it here, it's because, at LEAST I think it's worth you knowing about even if I have an issue with it and, at BEST, I think it's amazing and we should all have one, two or more of whatever it is I'm reviewing. I get NO reimbursement for writing these reviews, though to write a review I am usually supplied with the item, as I was in this case. This review is MY OPINION, ONLY. The result you experience using this product may differ.

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I've been a fan of Wellness® canned cat foods for many years. Their turkey & salmon flavor was one of the foods my cats liked when I was starting to transition them from grained dry food to grain-free canned food. As many of you know, I'm a BIG BIG BIG (literally and figuratively) fan of getting the GRAIN out of our cat's diet and Wellness was one of the few brands, at the time, that had products that were wholesome, grain-free and that the cats enjoyed.

Wellness® is part of the WellPet® family of brands that was created, when Old Mother Hubbard® and Eagle Pack® Pet Foods merged. They have a focused philosophy on doing right by our pets nutritional needs. From their web site:

“True Wellness can only come from an ideal balance of protein, fats, and carbohydrates—no ‘empty calories.’ That’s why our nutritionists never stop studying our animals’ needs. And, when it comes to protein, we know that pet foods sometimes use inferior ingredients. We do not. True Wellness comes from using only pure protein from high-quality sources.

True Wellness means every ingredient has a purpose in every food we make. We study until we’re confident of its health benefit… and then, we make sure to put in the right amount so you’ll see a difference in your animal— We never add ingredients just to have the newest ‘buzzword’ on the label.”

They've also created the WellPet Foundation®, whose goal is to give back and support non-profits that promote natural nutrition. I love this because my own non-profit, Kitten Associates, Inc., insists that new adopters feed a grain-free diet and never a bite of dry food.

Wellness recently released their newest line of canned grain-free products. They come Minced, Cubed or Sliced, in twelve varieties, in a 3 oz size, only. The list of available varieties is HERE-Wellness Canned Recipes. I received some samples of the product to try on my foster kittens and their mom, Mazie.

When I saw the cans, it made me think, right away that these products might be aimed as competition for the Fancy Feast brand. The cans are small, the food is in different shapes and consistency. There are no plans for a larger sized can, at this writing, so it seems perhaps that's what is going on. If so, the FF folks better run. This new product by Wellness is GOOD STUFF, made with high quality ingredients and not a lot of ingredients, either. It's GRAIN-FREE, too.

From their web site, here's an example of what to know about each of their flavors:

• 100% Grain Free, Complete and Balanced Meal

• Single Protein Source (Turkey)

• Convenient serving size

• No Wheat, Meat By-Products, or Artificial Colors, Flavors or Preservatives

• Perfect for encouraging hydration

This is what I like to see!

You should learn to read the ingredients panel of your cat's food and what it means. We'll do that in another blog post, but generally speaking, below you can see there is a single protein source-which is really good. It helps keep food allergies at bay. There isn't a lot of extras in this food. Keep it simple, which is best. Here's Sliced Turkey Entrée:

Turkey, Turkey Broth, Water Sufficient for Processing, Peas, Dried Egg Whites, Natural Flavor, Dried Egg Product, Carrots, Guar Gum, Broccoli, Sodium Phosphate, Ground Flaxseed, Salt, Potassium Chloride, Cranberries, Minerals (Iron Amino Acid Chelate, Zinc Amino Acid Chelate, Cobalt Amino Acid Chelate, Copper Amino Acid Chelate, Manganese Amino Acid Chelate, Sodium Selenite, Potassium Iodide), Carrageenan, Taurine, Vitamins (Vitamin E Supplement, Thiamine Mononitrate, Niacin, Vitamin B-12 Supplement, d-Calcium Pantothenate, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Vitamin D-3 Supplement, Riboflavin Supplement, Vitamin A Supplement, Biotin, Folic Acid), Choline Chloride.

But did the cats eat it?

Yes! They seemed to enjoy the minced over sliced or cubed. The larger the pieces were may have been why they didn't completely gobble up every bit of it off the plate. They seemed to enjoy all the flavors-of course if there's fish in it, the cats always go for that. There's a nice gravy on the food and the cats lapped that right up.

The product, itself, seemed wholesome and had a nice aroma, though I personally did not TRY any of it myself!

My cats generally like a “paté” consistency over something chunkier, but from the standpoint of ingredient choices and a nice blend of flavors to choose from, if you only have one or two cats, this is a great product to try. If you have more than a pair of cats, I'd suggest you look into Wellness's other flavors that are part of their Complete Health Line come in both 5.5 oz and 12 oz cans. The just don't come in the sliced, minced or cubed style.

Now for the FUN PART! We're giving away ONE MIXED CASE of Wellness Cubed, Sliced & Minced Canned Cat Recipes to ONE LUCKY READER! We also have TWO, $10.00 OFF coupons, one per person, to TWO OTHER LUCKY READERS!

Winning is EASY! Just leave a comment, below and make SURE you include your email address. To avoid spam bots, you can post your email address like this: myemailaddress @ someplace.com Notice I added a SPACE on either side of the @ symbol. That will keep your email address safe. If you don't want to post your email address, you can email me at info@coveredincathair.com with the subject line: I wanna WIN wellness! And I will includes those folks in the drawing, too. PLEASE DO NOT E-MAIL ME MORE THAN ONE TIME or PUT A COMMENT BELOW AND EMAIL ME. Those folks will be disqualified! Sorry, we can't ship out of the USA, so only folks with addresses in the United States of America can enter.

DEADLINE IS MIDNIGHT EASTERN STANDARD TIME (USA) JULY 28TH

(which is just before the last day of VOTING for us to WIN BEST CAT BLOG AND BEST SOCIAL INTEGRATION BLOG FOR THE PETTIE 2011 AWARDS-HINT!) VOTE HERE

Let the comments, begin! Good luck to all of you!

On July 4th, Margaret Cozzo's home in Staten Island, NY., burned to the ground. Margaret does animal rescue. Sadly though most everyone was unharmed, two of her kittens passed away in the fire.

Margaret needs HELP. She doesn't have anything. I'm sure we all have a spare clean towel or linens, some blankets, cat toys...how about gift cards to one of the big pet stores or to even something like Walmart, Macy's, Target, etc.,you could find something to share with this family. Anything would be great!

This is the info I got just now. Please visit the links so you can get the latest update and see for yourself what happened to this poor woman.

CONTACT FOR MORE INFO or to make a DONATION: SALEENA34@pibblesnmoreanimalrescue.org Or: INFO@pibblesnmoreanimalrescue.org

Margaret's Story on Facebook

http://photos.silive.com/advance/2011/07/0705newszip_8.html

THIS IS THE UNEDITED EMAIL THAT I JUST GOT:

This is a plea for fellow Staten Island Rescuer, Margaret Cozzo. On July 4th Margaret's home burned down. She lost 2 of her precious kitties, two other kitties were revived by the amazing firemen on the scene. Margaret & her children were unharmed. Her 2 dogs also are okay, & she has 4 surviving kitties.

A kind friend is letting Margaret, her children & four kitties stay with them. Unfortunately her pups cannot stay, as they do not get along with other dogs, so they had to go into boarding. With all that has happened they need all the help they can get.

If anyone can foster a pup or both together, please get in contact with me (Saleena) ASAP.

If you're unable to foster, please consider donating towards boarding for these pups its costing $30 a day & with all this family has endured they are trying to save every penny, as they have NOTHING left. Everything has to be replaced.

*The pups are at Country Estate Kennels: 718-356-3933.
You can call between 9:30 am -12:00 pm, & 5:00 -6:00 pm ONLY. Please ask for Jimmy.

A Chip-in for the family is HERE

They have to find an apartment now where they allow dogs, cats, & children. So if anyone knows of any pet-friendly apartments in the Staten Island area available please email me ASAP @ Saleena34@pibblesnmoreanimalrescue.org .

If there are any other items that you wish to donate like Toys for the boys who are 3 & 4 years old, Clothes, Towels, Sheets, and/or clothes or shoes for Margaret (size M/L tops, size 7/8 pants, and size 7 shoes) - anything to help this family start to build their home again Please email me at the above address..
We would greatly appreciate any & all help you can give to this family & their fur babies during this trying time.

Thank you all from ALL of us at Pibbles N More Animal Rescue on behalf of the Cozzo Family!!!! PLEASE SHARE THIS WITH YOUR FRIENDS and ReTWEET!

Please let them know that their friends at Covered in Cat Hair sent you!

It's too quiet in my home. There are NINE cats here. One of them, the mama to my foster kittens still needs to find a home. You'd think with nine cats there'd be some noise, but it's like we don't have any cats at all now that Polly and MacGruber have been adopted.

©2011 P. Mulhern. Mac, nervous in the kitchen of his new home.

I knew that saying goodbye to them would be tough. After all, they've been with me for eight months. How can you not get attached over all that time? At first, after they left it was just like they were at the Vet for a day or two, that they would come back. It wasn't so bad to have a break from all the insanity-and trust me there was pretty much non-stop craziness here. They would race up and down the stairs at all hours. They'd explore everywhere and I'd find them on the top of the eight foot tall cat tree, fighting for who had control of the upper level, or they'd be passed out, upside down on the bed after furiously grooming each other. What I miss the most is that they'd often follow me around. Polly loved to sleep next to me in an elevated cat bed I have near my desk. It used to be just for Blitzen, but Polly took turns with him to be close.

©2011 P. Mulhern. Back in his room, Mac poses for the camera.

Most of the time Polly couldn't even stay that close to me without having to crawl into my lap, walk up my chest to find a spot to sleep. Her coat was like the finest silk. I'd sit back from my work and just hold her and pet her.

It's weird how lonely it is without them. My own cats are mostly, at least six, if not ten years old. Blitzen is barely two and he is lonely as well. He and Mac used to run around and wrestle, then groom each other. I saw Blitzen go over to one of my other cats and give her one lick, she backed off, he turned away, defeated.

©2011 P. Mulhern. Meanwhile, Polly loves watching the birdies outside the sliding door.

In two weeks I'm taking in Phil, the BIG adult ragdoll/DLH cat I rescued from Henry Co. a month or so ago. I know I'm going to love Phil, but he's not a kitten, either. Maybe he will keep Blitzen on his toes, if he ever even meets my guys. I'll have to keep him quarantined for a few weeks and by then I hope to have him adopted.

©2011 P. Mulhern. I told Polly's family about these cubes. They didn't hesitate to run out and get them so the kittens would be happy.

I realize I can easily take in some kittens that need help but I have to hold the space for Amberly and her kittens and I've promised to help another friend with her kittens, as well. They'll be here in a month. I just have to be patient. In the meantime, I am going to be sad. Missing my little munchkins, who I hear are doing well.

Mac is having a bit of a tough time adjusting and has become somewhat nervous in his new home, but Polly is ready to go, enjoys watching the birds and is very confident.

I was surprised to hear that Mac was having a tough time. He was nothing but confident here. Perhaps he smells the cat that used to live in the house before he got there? Perhaps his owners let him out of his room far too soon (after just a day). I hope Mac learns to relax and be calm and confident, as he was here. He hasn't eaten very well, which surprises me, too. Maybe we should just bring him back here?

©2011 P. Mulhern. I miss you, Mac!

Oh how tempted I am to just go get them both. I have to stop this. They're in a very good home and their new family will look after their every need. They even noticed that Mac was afraid of their ceiling fan, so they turned it off and will only run it slowly, until he gets used to it. That tells me they're paying attention to him and trying to help him be comfortable.

It's too early to worry. I feel confident it will work out in time. I just have to get this lump in my throat to dissolve. I miss them so much, but damn it, that's how it goes when you do rescue. I didn't realize how HAPPY having kittens made me. It really takes the blues away. How can you NOT smile when kittens are nearby? No wonder I miss them. And maybe, too, they miss me.

In December of 2009 I rescued nine cats, not all related, from a kill shelter. I named them after Santa's reindeer and as a group, they picked up the nickname, “Santa's Team.”

This was the fundraiser poster I created for this rescue. You can see the entire gang!

When I picked them up off the transport, it was clear they were all very sick. I have my reasons as to why this happened, but I can't say why without facing repercussions-other than to say, the transporter was not even looking at the cats for the 36 hours they were on the road or giving them fresh water and probably not any food, either.

Some of the cats had raging high fevers, one had ringworm, which basically gave it to all my cats and my foster home's cats, too. It was a nightmare, to say the least, but all the cats lived and went on to be adopted into good homes. You can read more about them by doing a search for “santa's team.” Here are a few links: The Curious Case of Cupid and The Foster Cat Journal

©2011 Dave Musen and ©2009 Betsy Merchant. Cupid in her home and Cupid in the kill shelter with her babies.

Part of the rescue included a mama, I named, Cupid and her four offspring, Dancer, Donner, Prancer and Blitzen. Cupid was emaciated from being nursed on for too long. She weighed just five pounds. In a week she gained about a pound, once I gave her better food and got the kittens off her. That was only the beginning of a startling transformation.

©2011 Dave Musen. Every day is filled with fun surprises!

It took a few months before Cupid got any applications offering to adopt her. At the time, I was with another rescue group. They had a different idea to what makes a good adopter than I did. For this group, I had "special" permission to get what I wanted: NO going outdoors and I was really going to grill the family to make sure these cats were going to the best home. My plan did not work for all the cats. I think I made one adoption of two of Cupid's offspring that I still regret, but the cats are doing fine, it's just not my ideal.

©2011 Dave Musen. Yes, that is a DOG next to Cupid. Hee hee!

The other thing I am very careful about is adopting to home where there are very young children. It's just not safe for the child or the cat, so if I see on an application there is a toddler, even though I still process the application, I usually don't move forward with it.

©2011 Dave Musen. Toying with her dad's foot.

We had an adoption event around Valentine's Day. I met a man with his 9 year old son, his wife and their baby. The man had a connection with Cupid, but because of the baby, I wrote them off. He said they were thinking about getting a cat, but not sure. It seemed to be just a radom thing, nothing would come of it.

©2011 Robin A.F. Olson. My boy Blitzen is Cupid's son. Notice any resemblance?

Over a month later, I got an application on Cupid from that same man. His name is Dave and he lives here in town. I went through the motions, but really didn't think it would be a good idea. They had two dogs and a baby. Would Cupid be happy?

I called the family and spoke to Dave and voiced my concerns. He told me that he is often home working and that they had a Nanny to look after their baby and the nanny loved cats, too. That the baby has constant supervision of three adults. Their Vet reference was really great, too. They did everything for their dogs and they were willing and interested to feed Cupid a raw diet (they do for their dogs, too).

©2011 Dave Musen. Merry Christmas, Cupid! I see you got some gifts, too!

I told him he could come meet Cupid with his son, but I couldn't promise the adoption would go through. They came to visit twice and both times the son was very sweet and loving and Cupid seemed to like both of them. The wife was a harder sell, but she came along. Dave was really the one smitten with Cupid and I could see it in his eyes.

I went through with the adoption. A few months later, I got an update that Cupid was doing great and that they were really impressed with how sweet she was with the children and their dogs. That was almost two years ago and I've since left the group I was with so updates would stop coming, too.

©2011 Dave Musen. Cupid loves her doggy buddy.

The other day I was at my local pet food shop and who should be there, but Dave, getting food for Cupid and the dogs. We had a great chat about everyone. Cupid is doing fantastic. She has probably gained four more pounds and is up to about ten. Her coat, as you can see, has filled out to the extreme. Although she always seems to have a sad look on her face, she is living large, that is for sure. From what I hear, she is very very happy.

©2011 Dave Musen. Looking simply divine, Miss Cupid.

She has the BEST life, loves the dogs, loves her people. She will never want for anything. After what she suffered, she deserves this amazing home, with a dedicated, loving family. It doesn't get any better than this.

I'm glad I was able to work through my own hesitation about this adoption because this truly was the perfect family for her. I am very grateful to them for providing for her and for making her life the best, ever. Thank you!

Now can I just find a home this nice for Mazie? For Phil? For Cara? Well...Cara may have found a home, but that's another story for another day.

Five weeks ago, Bob had his 11th round of chemo to treat his small t-cell mesenteric lymphoma. Up to that point he was doing pretty well. He even gained 1 OUNCE, the first gain of the past seven months. I was really thrilled. Here we were, six months into chemo and maybe Bob was going to surprise all of us.

A few days after chemo, Bob began vomiting. He would be hungry, eat, then vomit right afterwards. It was very alarming after him doing so well. I quickly gave him one dose of reglan, to stop the vomiting. It worked, but Bob didn't want to eat any more.

Bob would only lick at his food for a moment, then walk away. I tried 10 or more times a day to feed him a wide assortment of food, in desperation to find the one thing he would eat.

A few days later, I saw Bob in the litter pan. It was clear he had very very severe diarrhea. My heart sank.

I gave Bob some yogurt (plain), some acidophilus pearls, thinking it would help. I found Bob something he would eat. It wasn't what I would prefer he eat, but it was a fairly good quality canned food.

©2011 Robin A.F. Olson. Bob is dwarfed by Nick (left) and Nora (center) who are both 10 pounds heavier.

Since he was eating a bit, I thought he was getting better, but it was my mistake. I wasn't observant enough. Bob was losing weight quickly and just not eating enough to make up for it. The most horrifying thing was that I did not realize his diarrhea was NOT resolved until TEN DAYS had passed. Bob was VERY THIN. I saw he was still sick and got him on Flagyl.

Flagyl works well to treat a number of issues. Barbara Forney, VMD states: “Metronidazole is an antibiotic that is used commonly to treat protozoal infections and anaerobic bacterial infections. It also has anti-inflammatory effects in the bowel. Metronidazole is bactericidal; it kills bacterial microorganisms by disrupting their DNA. It is absorbed rapidly from the GI tract, metabolized by the liver and excreted in the urine and the feces.” It can really help calm down a GI tract and in Bob's case, it worked great.

Bob's appetite picked up, but clearly he was in dire shape. I took hi to the Vet and had him get sub-q fluids to replace all he had lost being sick. That helped him feel more comfortable and he continued to eat well.

The problem with Flagyl is it's very tough on the liver and as you may know, Bob only has 1/2 a liver and his ALT (liver enzymes) are already extremely elevated. This is the slippery slope. Does the benefit outweigh the additional strain on his liver? Bob HAD to eat and he wasn't well enough to do so without it.

©2011 Robin A.F. Olson. Some rest after being medicated, yet again.

Yesterday, Bob had to have his next round of chemo. I was very concerned that we might need to stop since Bob was just barely back on his feet after the last time. We talked at length. This time we would take precautions and treat Bob before he really has a reaction to the chemo. We'd start with a low dose of Flagyl and Cerenia, just for a few days, right after the chemo. Perhaps it would help Bob continue to eat well and put back some of what he lost. If not, it might be telling us that the Mitoxantrone was no longer effective. I wasn't surprised, but I was sad.

We got Bob's blood work back. His ALT is now over 1600. This is very bad, indeed. Bob has lost THREE POUNDS in 5 WEEKS.

I'm going to start syringe feeding him some high calorie food, in addition to the other meals he gets every few hours. I don't know that I can hold ground any more or help Bob get any better.

Dr. Joe, Bob's oncologist said that even despite what is going on, that Bob looked remarkably well and that they go by clinical signs over test results, to some degree. His fur is coming back. He looks more like a cat. Bob's eyes were sparkly and he had good energy even though he's at ten pounds now. The Dr could not feel a mass in Bob's stomach and that was another good sign. Bob has good quality of life, I just don't know how much longer that will be the case.

I just know that I'm sliding along this slippery slope. I'm trying everything I can to find something for Bob to eat that will fatten him up, but the damn cancer takes his nutrition from him. It steals away his life, little by little, until it wins, but in winning it ultimately lose, too.

I'm very pleased to let you know that Amberly and her kittens are doing very well (:::knock wood:::). They're already starting to eat on their own and give their Mom a break. Each day they get a little bit chubbier and stronger...and more adorable!

Enjoy this “smile break!”

©2011 Robin A.F. Olson. Polly and her new BFF, MacGruber.

Two more hours and the adopters will be here. I always try to spend the last bit of time with the cats before they go. I don't know why it matters because, in a way, they're already gone. I can't take enough photos, pet them enough, give them kisses and say goodbye enough times. Here comes that flippy feeling in my gut, like I'm going to fall and no one will catch me. Kinda like yesterday afternoon when I was vacuuming the stairs and I slipped on the hose, then fell down the steps and got a whopper of a “goose egg” on my arm.

From petfinder.com, the photo that made me fall in love and get "that feeling" this kitty needed me to rescue him.

It's bloody hot, even though I have the A/C running. The cats are flat pancakes, napping after gorging themselves on what may be their last meal with me. I worry they won't get what they like so I packed them a big bag of different kinds of grain free canned food. I'm pretending they're going on a trip and will be back in a few days. I guess I should get a clue and realize the trip will be longer than I can stand waiting.

©2010 Bobbie Coker. MacGruber's foster mom, Bobbie was smitten with this kitten!

Today is really about MacGruber. He was the “the one” this family wanted. Since they have no other animals, I insisted they either adopt a second cat from me or find a companion for Mac. He is far too affectionate with my cats to be an only cat. I think it would really hurt him. The family admitted that they were also smitten with Polly and after I spoke to them about the reasons why having two cats is better than one, they agreed and felt they could handle the additional cost of taking on a second cat.

Fortunately, Mac and Polly get along rather well. In the past few days, even moreso. Perhaps it's a sign?

©2011 Robin A.F. Olson. MacGruber, all grown up and ready to move on.

Mac was the easiest rescue I've ever done. I saw him on Petfinder, knew he was in danger and had him pulled before his time was up. He went to live with Aunt Bobbie and she told me he was a doll. From the first moment, this cat was mellow, easy-going, and ready for anything. Weeks later, when he arrived at my home, he was the same way. He was completely unfazed by the long trip-1000 miles-or the fact that he was in a house full of other cats.

I intended on “properly introducing him” to my cats but it was clear he didn't need to wait. After two days he was playing with Blitzen and chillaxin' with us. His constantly burbled. He meow is very odd. He liked to talk to us about his day and when could he please have more food?

©2011 Robin A.F. Olson. Mac and our Big Boy Nicky.

I looked at his surrender form and it only listed an address, no reason for why he was given up. I can't think of why anyone would let this cat go. His silly face always makes me smile. Okay, he chases after one of my cats who does not appreciate it so she freaks out, but we don't like her! I know that's so mean, but there's a long story there and it's not time to talk about her (but she knows who she is, PETUNIA!).

Mac has been here for as long as Polly. Sam and I often talked about adopting him ourselves. We feel the same about Polly. We know we're treading in dangerous water. We just can't do this. We need to let them go. This will be a great home for him and I already said no to a lot of applications on Mac that just weren't right. It's time.

©2011 Robin A.F. Olson. Chillaxin' with Nicky. YES. Nicky IS huge!

What is today's lesson about letting go of a foster cat you adore? I don't have one. It sucks. How is that for a lesson? Just the truth. There's no sugar-coating it. Saying goodbye SUCKS. Seeing their little faces in the cat carrier as they leave my home, SUCKS. Missing their silly antics tonight when I want to sleep, may not suck that much, but I will miss them.

©2011 Robin A.F. Olson. Bye bye, sweet goofball!

MackeyGee, as I call him, got way under my skin. I want to put hot pepper flakes on his tongue and make him act insane when the adopters get here. I want to put hot pepper flakes on MY tongue and act insane, too. But I can't. I just can't.

©2011 Robin A.F. Olson. Maybe this was meant to be all along? Polly and Mac, two friends for life.

The lesson is, SUCK IT UP and just pretend it's a big band-aid on your heart, then rip it off and after they leave. I'll make Sam buy pizza for dinner to soften the pain.

My only hope is they leave before The Bachelorette starts. As much as I love my cats, this is THE SHOW I can't wait to see. I don't know why because it's a terrible show, but I DO enjoy tallying up how many times they say; “amazing” (surprisingly not many this season) and “the next level” (too early in the season for that) and Sam and I have a bet on who the winner will be, as long as it isn't Bentley. Yuck.

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Due to some technical difficulties, I couldn't post this last night when I had hoped. Today's update is: The adopters showed up, the cats showed well. Although it looked like ONLY Mac was going to be adopted, they saw how lovely and sweet Polly is and realized they loved her, too. Polly and Mac's adoption will take place on Friday, so the new family can have a long weekend together. Their new dad, Ed, works from home quite often, so they kitties will always have company, as well as each other and I get a few more days to enjoy with them. In fact, Polly is sleeping right next to me as I write this. Damn, I will miss them! Oh, and the adopters left just before The Bachelorette started! Thank you for that!

Being a foster mom to kittens is one of the most joyful things I've ever done. Yes, there's much work involved and some times it's very difficult and even heartbreaking. Yet, there are moments of bliss, sweetness and great love.

As someone who suffers from depression, I can say it helps keeps the blues away and reminds me that whatever bothers me or makes me feel badly is insignificant. It helps me forget about “me” and reminds me what is truly important-saving this fragile life in my hands. Seeing this creature through a journey, not only of survival, but one of thriving, of learning to love interacting with humans, know the joy of playing, instead of being fearful, so one day this animal will be ready for the next part of his or her path.

©2010 Betsy Merchant. Hello, Polly.

It's time to reflect on a very special girl-Polly Picklepuss. Polly was born in a cage in a shelter and at just three weeks of age, my group, Kitten Associates, rescued her and her family. Some of you already know Polly's story, but for the ones that don't-Polly got very sick after she left the shelter. What happened next will scar her for the rest of her life.

©2010 Betsy Merhcant. Polly, with Cara and Chester (background).

Polly and her family were hit with a terrible Herpes virus infection, which we might usually call an Upper Respiratory Infection. Most cats carry Herpes, but don't get sick from it. Kittens with a fragile immune system can't fight it off and being a virus, it's very difficult to treat. Many vets will treat with antibiotics to kill off any secondary infection, but it doesn't treat the virus. Sadly, no matter what we did, Polly kept getting sick. We even consulted and treated her homeopathically, but by then she'd had too many medications in her system. Looking back I would have handled it differently, but in the heat of the moment, between many trips to the vet and with Polly being so very sick, we threw everything we could at this illness-which at the time we did not even know what it was, and hoped she would survive.

©2010 Maria S. Polly just days before everything went to Hell.

At the worst of it, when we thought we were going to lose Polly, I made her a promise-that I would adopt her if she promised not to die. I would have done anything for her and her family and over the months I was tested over and over again.

It took months before Polly began to recover and sadly, as she got better, her sister, Cara began to show signs of being seriously ill. Cara's journey is still not over. She required much more care than any of us imagined. She is stable now, but her future is uncertain.

©2010 Maria S. And so it begins...

Polly has blossomed in the past seven months, from a tiny infant to a lovely young lady. Her medical issues are resolved, but due to her early illness she will always have runny eyes and bouts of sneezing. She eats well, her coat is like silk and she is one of the most affectionate cats I've ever worked with. Polly has been ready to leave me for over a month. I have been torn about the promise I made to her versus knowing it would not be wise for me to add another cat to my family of eight cats.

Polly gets along great with everyone. She's rarely in her room anymore and is well enough so that she can mingle with all the cats and have the run of the house. It's tough to sleep some nights because she likes to get nutty around 1am and by 2am she likes to sleep on Sam's chest or curled up by my head, on my pillow. She follows us around like a shadow and will stop suddenly and throw herself on the floor, innocently wanting a belly rub, but not realizing she's going to cause one of us to trip and break our head open. She can't help loving people as she does and I wouldn't have it any other way.

©2011 Robin A.F. Olson. Her eyes will water and she'll breathe loudly for the rest of her life, but Polly did not lose her vision as a result of a terrible herpes infection.

The problem is, I've spent too much time with Polly. I've never had foster cats here for almost eight months. Polly is part of the family, but now a new family is interested in adopting her. They're a very nice couple who have no other pets. Their cat died not long ago and they miss having a cat to love. I checked out their Vet reference and went to their home. I tried to find a reason that this wasn't a good match and I could not.

That's when it hits me hard-it's time. This day has been coming since the day I called to make arrangements to have Polly and her family rescued. I knew it when I made the call and I knew I would have to find a way to let her go when the time came. The day is almost here, but I don't want to let her go.

This is going to hurt-even thinking about it makes me cry, but Polly deserves to be spoiled and to have a lot more attention than she would ever get here. She should have a home she won't have to share with many other cats. She'll have a buddy with her and I would have to insist on that. Polly is too social to be an only cat.

©2011 Robin A.F. Olson. This is what I was meant to be-a human cat bed. (Me, Polly and Cara).

I've worked very hard for Polly and her family and letting go of them is not easy. I'd like to say I can tell all of you how to foster cats and not be sad when they leave, not have second thoughts, not hope the adoption doesn't go through, but I can't do that. Fostering cats is filled with so much joy that it's tough to let that go. You have to have faith that you're doing the right thing for that cat. That they can be happy and thrive in another home. That your home isn't the only place in the world where they will be all right. That another family can give them just as much love, if not more.

I think you have to allow yourself to feel dreadful and not be afraid of FEELING that sting in your heart. If you don't suffer this, then those cats die. It's as simple as that. If you don't foster cats because you don't want to feel hurt, they don't make it out of the shelter alive. For me, tears and heartache over them leaving me is an easy price to pay compared to my tears over them never having a chance to even HAVE a life to live.

I guess my lesson is this: Be brave. Take a deep breath. Let it out slowly. Remember why you're doing this. Remember that although you will be sad and cry, it will pass. Keep saving more lives. Keep crying. One day you'll look back and realize you've saved hundreds of lives and had just as many tears, but you did it. You did it and you CAN DO IT AGAIN.

Tomorrow is the big day. If the adoption goes through, Polly will be on her way. The pain of saying goodbye will be multiplied because it's likely she will not be the only one to leave here tomorrow. One of the other fosters will be joining her.

Deep breath.