You Rock!

My friend, Katherine has a big heart when it comes to animals. She's a diehard volunteer for my “sister” group, Animals in Distress. She has lots of cats. What I have here pales in comparison, but even with all she's taken on, each cat gets one on one care and lots of love.

It was no different when she rescued a tiny calico kitten. I don't know what field, backyard, attic or urban street she found it on, but she had to rescue her from what would certainly have been an early death.

©2011 Katherine Reid. Timber & a 4 week old calico kitten.

In addition to cats, Katherine has my dream dog-aBernese Mountain Dog. If I could have a dog, that's what I'd have, but Sam is allergic and we have more than enough on our plate with cats that would likely not take well to a newcomer.

The dog is named, Timber and he's still a baby. Apparently he thinks he's a tiny puppy, too. I guess he hasn't looked in a mirror lately. Timber loves kitties and this little calico was no exception.

©2011 Katherine Reid. How do you do?

I wonder what the kitten thought, when she looked into those big brown eyes of that VERY BIG DOG? Timber knew to be gentle with her so she wasn't scared. Perhaps Timber's instincts kicked in-not to harm the little kitten, but to protect her?

We can only guess what was going on in their minds. All I can say is I think this little kitten just made a new friend who'll help her feel less alone in the world and I wish them both well.

I just want to know that if Katherine yells at her dog, do people in the room, duck?

Timber!

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Sally and Clare were barely busted out of Henry County and spayed, before Sally's sutures started to rupture and she got a hernia. Foster mom, Bobbie, got her to the Vet right away. He said it had to be fixed and was one of the worst hernias he'd seen. We didn't hesitate in saying, YES, to going forward with the surgery. Bobbie left Sally's sister, Clare with Sally at the Vet so the two would not be alone, even for a day.

©2011 Bobbie Coker of Cats-Goats-Quotes. Sally's herniated belly boo-boo!

By the next afternoon, the girls were home. Sally was recovering slowly and had to wear the “cone of shame” for about a day so she wouldn't tug her sutures out. She did well and got back on her paws quickly.

In the meantime, I asked for some help. The girls didn't have any toys and were clearly itching to play. Miss Memory and Miss Emily jumped at the chance to help and sent a VERY NICE selection of toys. The girls LOVED THEM!

©2011 Bobbie Coker of Cats-Goats-Quotes. Nom nom nom nom nom

The only problem was that Sally is not very good at sharing. She'd grab up the toys and guard over them, growling at her sister if she came near. Sally also eats FAST and jumps into Clare's dish if Bobbie isn't watching them during meal time. Okay, so maybe Sally is a bit of a brat OR she just never had toys before and good food, so maybe this is just a passing phase?

©2011 Bobbie Coker of Cats-Goats-Quotes.Are you gonna eat that?

Bobbie reported that the girls are very friendly. Sally more outgoing, Clare more reserved. They're both full of energy and want to play, over sitting in Bobbie's lap, but they do like their head skritches and pets.

©2011 Bobbie Coker of Cats-Goats-Quotes. Clare with her toys-until Sally steals them away!

A few days ago, the girls started to have very stinky poo and were having lots of accidents all over the carpeting! Bobbie took a stool sample to the vet and sure enough it was positive for Coccidia. This is why when you foster like Bobbie does, you MUST keep the foster cats separate from your own cats. Coccidia is very contagious and is spread through the litter pan so good thing Bobbie didn't let her cats share the girl's pan!

©2011 Bobbie Coker of Cats-Goats-Quotes Don't even think about taking Sally's favorite toy!

It was touch and go for a few days. The girls were having lots of accidents and Bobbie was being very gracious about having to clean it up. I shipped her some things to help with neutralizing the odors and helping clean up. I sent her some Cat Attract cat litter to see if the girls would stop having accidents if that was added to the litter. I told Bobbie it might be that the girls just didn't feel well and that hopefully they would stop going outside the litter pan as soon as they felt better.

Two days later...the girls stopped their inappropriate behavior as their stool began to firm back up and clearly they were feeling better. This is yet another example of why it's so important to get your cat to the vet when it inappropriately eliminates!

©2011 Bobbie Coker of Cats-Goats-Quotes. The snowshoe sistahs!

The girls are doing well and having loads of fun with all their toys. Thank you very much to Memory & Emily for their generosity and kindness. Bobbie and I appreciate your help and I know the girls are passing the days until they come to Connecticut with joy in their hearts with all those good toys to play with and a belly full of nom-noms.

ME-OW!

Two months ago, I rescued Basil & Nigel from certain death. Either way you looked at it, these cats were going to die. If it wasn't due to them being on death row at the shelter, it was going to be from being so grossly overweight. We had to do something FAST to save these big boys.

©2011 Betsy Merchant. Two months ago, Nigel, left with brother Basil, right, sat in a cage at Henry Co., waiting for a miracle.

We began giving them good food, but in carefully controlled portions. Both cats struggled with being very shy. They didn't even want to eat much, at first, but with carful coaxing, they began to come out of their shells. We don't know what their past was like, but it's very possible they were in a confined space and were probably left with a huge bowl of dry food nearby. All they could do is eat. Nigel had sores on his belly from laying in his own urine-a sure sign he may have spent a long period of time with little to no room to move around before he was dumped at the shelter.

Basil & Nigel were transported to the Humane Society of Forsyth County because I had no room to take them to my home in Connecticut. I've worked with Jennifer H. who is in charge of shelter intake. She loved the big boys and offered them space at the shelter. You can read more about their story HERE and HERE

©2011 Jennifer. H. Basil, slimming down to 20 pounds (with more yet to lose) and lookin' fine!

Basil and Nigel didn't do well at the shelter. Clearly, they were terrified. Jennifer took them to her home, where they still have a tough time overcoming their shyness. They've been though a lot and lived in many places over the past few months. No wonder they're struggling.

The good news is that they're both slimming down! I can't believe Basil, pictured above and below, was the once a meatloaf-sized cat!

©2011 Jennifer. H. Basil, still shy, though.

These boys still need a forever home. Their Petfinder Ads are HERE and HERE Please let your siamese-loving friends know about this special duo. There's some hope that a very wonderful family may adopt them both, but right now they still need to slim down and gain some confidence. They're in really good hands and Jennifer H. loves them dearly. She's been very compassionate regarding their care-especially getting them out of the shelter when she saw they were regressing. Way to go, Jennifer. Thank you so much for doing right by these boys!

Okay, so I'm not so great at uploading videos, but I'm trying! Here we have one hot off the press and the other is a few weeks old! Oops.

Bob's Pumpkin Patch is our first movie. Here Jakey, Mikey and Teddy are, well, having a wiggle festival as they work on getting their muscles stronger. Everyone should work out after a long weekend!

Next up is a longer video of Amberly's kittens when they were still in foster care in Georgia. Her babies are MUCH bigger now-and, we're hoping, that two of them may be getting adopted very soon (at last!). Here they are bouncing around and having a good time. Something we should be seeing Bobette's kittens doing in a few more weeks-with any luck.

Enjoy!

I do not like to pick and choose who I rescue because I know whoever I say yes to, means others don't get a rescue and may not live. It makes me sick that I have to be faced with this choice. If I choose cats I feel are very adoptable, then they get adopted quickly and make room to save more, though sometimes I just have to save ones like Nigel and Basil, who had no hope of survival, but weren't any less deserving.

©2011 Betsy Merchant. Clare.

Today I chose ID#9/26-3728 and 3729, two Snowshoe sisters. I thought they were well into adulthood, but it turns out they are just 7-8 months old. They have fleas. Of course, they're not spayed. I don't know where they came from, but they are sweet, so they knew life with a family, at least for awhile. I don't know if there is a little girl, crying somewhere, missing her kitties because her parents couldn't afford their care or if some cruel so-and-so didn't like them any more because they weren't cute little kittens and dumped them at the shelter two days ago. I just know they needed help.

©2011 Betsy Merchant. Sally.

Today they got it.

They are named Sally and Clare. They are getting all their vaccines and they already tested negative/negative for FeLV and FIV+. They are getting spayed, too. It will be a BIG day for them, but after that they go to their Aunt Bobbie's house to rest and recover. Bobbie took in Phil, Nigel and Basil, MacGruber and others. She is a great foster mom and I was very glad she could offer her home to help these cats.

©2011 Betsy Merchant. Clare is ready to be busted out of her cage now!

My sister-shelter, Animals in Distress, offered them a place to live once they are ready to leave Georgia. I have a feeling they won't be in the shelter for very long-these cats are, I'm told, very sweet and cute. It feels good to know they're safe, but there's a bittersweet quality to this small success.

Right now the girls are being prepped to be spayed thanks to the great work Doc Thomas does at Noahs Ark. Thanks to Bobby, for running to get them with no notice, for paying their bill for now and even for prepping them for surgery. Without these good people, this rescue would not have happened.

©2011 Betsy Merchant. Silly siamese sisters!

I hate that I can't do more. I left behind all the others who I posted about this morning. I pray people find it in their heart to step forward and help these other cats. It's just so wrong that so many will die for no good reason.

There has to be a way to do more. I just have to find a way.

My rescue group, Kitten Associates, partnered up with our friends, Animals in Distress to bring you, Kitty Palooza, our cat & kitten adoption event! I know most of you don't live in the area, but I thought you'd get a kick out of the flyer I designed for the event. It features Amberly's daughter, Blaze! She really knows how to rock!

Next week, we'll be selling our limited edition 11" x 17" posters that commemorate the big day! I'll be giving you info on how to order if you're interested! The poster is below. All proceeds will go to Kitten Associates!

Hope to see you tomorrow!

After a grueling two month lockdown period for the DOOD, the blood test could finally be performed and the test results are in on whether or not he has Feline Leukemia.

FOR ONCE AND FOR ALL, THE DOOD IS NEGATIVE FOR FELINE LEUKEMIA!

©2011 Robin A.F. Olson. The DOOD!

I let him out of his room last night and to be honest, DOOD has already met Blitzen, which I would have been more than kicking myself if DOOD WAS SICK-since he could have given it to Blitz---yeah, and the rest of my cats. Let's not "go there." Thankfully, I'm off the hook and Blitz and DOOD can beat each other up, I mean play. I know it will be a tough transition for the rest of my cats, but tomorrow the ANGEL BABIES will be here and I need to make room for them. The DOOD has to come out of his room and the ANGELS will be taking that space.

DOOD ran around so much last night that he was basically limp after a few hours. I had to carry him back up stairs and shut him in his room for the night just so I could get some sleep. I got bronchitis on Sunday and need to get better ASAP. Sleep has been tough to come by and this is my last shot at getting rest before our BIG ADOPTION EVENT ON SATURDAY, KITTY PALOOZA!

There's a tremendous amount of work to do and I'm operating at half speed, so excuse me while I get to it...oh and...

©2011 Maria S. Bobette looking much better.

Bobette & her boys are doing WELL!!!!!!!!! The boys gained weight two days in a row and Bobette's looking a lot more comfortable and is filling out now that she has good food in her belly. She's even more attentive to the kittens! This is promising news. More about them soon.

©2011 Maria S. Two of the three surviving kittens are looking very nice and plump!

There’s no denying how difficult it is to realize we live in a world where every cat and dog doesn’t have a loving home. It’s even worse to think that each day animals, regardless of age or pedigree, are euthanized due to overcrowded conditions in our local shelters. Small “mom and pop” rescue groups do the best they can. They rescue some of the animals from those shelters or off the streets, but without a facility they can only provide a place for animals in their own homes until they can be adopted.

©2009 Robin A.F. Olson. Monte & Millie McMuffin and Dylan snuggle on my lap.

I’ve been fostering cats and kittens for over ten years. I’ve lost count as to how many cats have passed through my doors. I know it’s somewhere in the hundreds, at least. Some cats were feral and I used my training to socialize them into loving companions-while others were tossed into a steel cage in a Kill shelter, with only days to live. Wherever they came from, once they arrived in my home, they were safe, at last.

I suffer from depression, but I manage all right without medication. I mention this because of something I’ve come to realize. Knowing that I’m making a difference-seeing a thin, neglected cat begin to trust for the first time, learn how to play and get some padding on their fragile bones, makes my heart sing. Caring for them helps remind me that to end my own suffering, the solution is to care for others.

©2010 Robin A.F. Olson. A kiss for Sugar Pie while Cinnamon naps nearby.

In the dead of winter, having a lap full of sleeping kittens not only warms my body, but my soul. There is such joy in being around kittens; their enthusiasm for life is contagious. Their spirit of exploration, of discovering their world and that YOU are part of that journey is deeply gratifying.

I’m often asked; “But aren’t you upset when your foster kittens get adopted? I’d keep them all if I fostered. I just can’t do that.” My answer is always the same; “I would far rather shed tears over them being gone because they went to a good home, instead of weeping because they didn’t leave the shelter alive.” Yes, it IS painful, some of the time to say goodbye, but over the years, I’ve learned to take joy in the process and have faith that the cycle will repeat again and again. The sadness of loss I once felt is replaced with the joy of the new arrivals. Their story is about to begin with me by their side. I get to be a part of shaping who they are and when they’re ready, they go to a great family who will guide them with love through the rest of their lives.

©2011 Robin A.F. Olson. Amberly's family. What would have become of these kittens, born under a tree, if Maria hadn't fought hard to rescue them? Now they're in my home waiting for their forever families.

So, I ask you to join me. Offer to foster a cat in YOUR home. The commitment is usually a short period of time. Many rescue groups will pay for food and litter and most will cover any Vet expenses. They won’t just leave you to figure out what to do and as you get more proficient, you can inspire others to join you. It may seem like trying to empty the ocean with a thimble with companion animal overpopulation into the millions, but EVERY cat (or dog! or horse, etc.) you provide a foster home, means the world to that animal. If you and your friends and their friends all foster just ONE cat or dog, think of what kind of positive change we could have on those overburdened animal shelters?

©2009 Robin A.F. Olson. Monte, fighting a cold, rests on my lap. He recovered and was adopted by a nice family.

There are many ways to find a good rescue group to work with. You can do a search on petfinder.com under “search shelters by state.” You can ask your Vet, your friends, etc. Meet with someone from the group before you get started. Do some research about them and make sure you feel comfortable with their policies. If you don’t think it's a good fit, don’t give up. I worked with three rescue groups over the years and then I ended up starting my own non-profit cat rescue last year because I felt I could do more with my own team.

Give a cat or kitten a chance at life by offering to foster them in your home. Don’t be afraid. You’ll have far more smiles, than tears, along the way, I promise.

In October of LAST YEAR a pregnant mixed breed cat gave birth to three tiny kittens inside a stainless steel cage at a Kill Shelter in Georgia. As with all cats, pregnant or not, upon arriving at the shelter a clock began to tick down to a heartbreaking deadline-if someone didn't adopt or rescue this family before they got sick or had been there too long, they ALL would be euthanized.

©2010 Betsy Merchant. Mama-cat.

Every day I find out about families like this who need help. Most often, the most I can do is put the word out they need rescue and hope that someone can save them. This time, though, I knew I had room to take them on. My foster mamam, Maria, was willing to provide a foster home for them until the kittens were eight weeks old-old enough to be transported to Connecticut and my home.

©2010 Betsy Merchant. Her little babies.

It was just four cats. My rescue group could afford to provide care for them. It was a happy moment when I got the call from Bobby, my friend and our driver, saying everyone was safe and at the vet getting a checkup before going to Maria's house.

There was nothing unusual about this rescue. The mama tested negative for FIV+ and Feline Leukemia. Now the fun part for Maria, watching the kittens grow and making sure the mama was well fed.

©2010 Maria S. Baby CaraMelle.

That simple joy lasted for less than a week. The cats barely had time to hear their new names being called before one of them, Polly, began to get an upper respiratory infection. Of course, it quickly passed to her sister, CaraMelle, her brother, Chester and her mama, Mazie.

And so began a tortuous time for all of us. For five months the kittens struggled with their health issues. They would wax and wane between “almost” kicking the virus, then falling ill again. Whatever they caught was a NIGHTMARE-most likely it was a herpes virus gone mad. It cost THOUSANDS of dollars in Vet care and MANY sleepless nights for both Maria and myself.

©2010 Maria S. When I saw this photo, I was terribly worried that Cara would never live to see her first birthday.

Somehow the kittens and their mama survived. It couldn't have happened without a great number of caring people donating the funds we needed, over and over again so we could provide for this family.

In time, when Chester was healthy, we found him an amazing home with a family in Massachusetts who have two other cats and two Italian Greyhounds. Chster is very well cared for and loved. His sister, Polly was well enough to find her own forever home, too. She was adopted by another amazing family who also adopted our foster boy, MacGruber, so the two would always have a feline friend. Sadly, CaraMelle stayed behind. She was simply too chronically ill to be adopted.

©2011 Robin A.F Olson. Chester, Polly and Cara (front).

Cara had strictures in her esophagus. She needed endoscopy-THREE TIMES over the course of a few months at over $1000.00 or MORE per visit. Cara continued to vomit and was diagnosed with helicobactor pylori-gone wild. You can read more about her illness HERE and HERE.

But Cara was the luckiest of all. Cara had Guardian Angels on her side. There was Maria and Bobby, myself and then Connie, who is the President of Animals in Distress and a good friend to both myself and my rescue group. Connie supported Cara's needs in every way she could, even though Cara was not her cat.

©2011 Robin A.F Olson. My favorite photo of Cara.

In June, Mazie got sick and I asked Connie if she could take Cara and her siblings for a week. Connie, already smitten with little Cara, fell even more in love with her during that visit. It was a bond that would grow deeper as Cara spent more and more time at “Aunt Connie's” house after Chester and Polly got adopted.

©2011 Robin A.F Olson. Little Owl-Eyes.

Cara's specialist, Dr. K, had a mad crush on Cara, but it wasn't meant to be. I'd hoped it would work out-who better to give Cara a home? Dr. K. told us that Cara would suffer from bouts of the helicobeacter pylori for the rest of her life. She'd need to be on antibiotics from time to time and need a lot of Vet care. I knew that I might need to keep Cara here. Who would adopt a sickly kitten knowing the costs would be huge over her lifetime?

Cara thrived at Connie's. She got along great with all the other cats-and there sure were more than a handful to get along with. Cara finally was feeling better and began to grow. She's almost seven pounds now and loves life. She's no longer the sad shell of a kitten, but a lovely young lady.

Connie and I discussed her adopting Cara, but I didn't want to push the subject. We both knew what was involved and what Connie would have to take on, but Connie never hesitated. She was ready to move forward and make it official.

The day after Bob passed away, I met Connie and Jennifer and Katherine for a breakfast meeting to discuss our upcoming adoption event. It was good to be with friends after such a sad day. I brought the KA Adoption Form with me and slid it across the table towards Connie. She had no idea I had it with me, but grabbed the paperes and started to initial every line, then signed the bottom of each copy. She asked what the adoption fee was and I laughed. Connie covered some of Cara's bills already, there was no way I was going to ask for an adoption fee. We had a little chuckle, then I said; Congratulations on your new kitty!

In a way it was a very anticlimactic conclusion to the most expensive and challenging rescue we've done so far, yet here was the day I had been hoping we'd get to-the day when I could put away my fears about Cara's future and feel confident that whatever comes to pass, Connie will be there for Cara-100%.
I couldn't have hoped for a happier ending to this part of Cara's story.

©2011 Robin A.F Olson. Mama-Mazie. Safe & sound. Not a care in the world.

The only one who's left of this family is Mazie. I've never gotten even one adoption application for her. She's sleeping in the cat bed next to me as I write. She fits in perfectly with my cats, but I still hope to find her a great home. She deserves to be spoiled and have a family to love, but until we find them, she will be loved just as much by us and never again have to fear giving birth in a stainless steel cage at a Kill shelter and facing premature death.

Mazie is dreaming now. I'm pretty sure they're sweet.