Not on My Watch: One Week Later...

Looks like the Crazy Cat Clan is being disbanded barely a week after it was formed! Can we believe our eyes? Is it really true?

Believe it! These little nutters are going to good homes soon. Gingerbread, Nino & Nina are going home TOGETHER! A triple-adoption! Woohooooo! Jingle Belle will go to a home who has a 1 year old kitty who needs a buddy.

Saturday we have an Adoption Event, so hopefully we will continue to find homes for the kitties!

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Next...I need to find homes for two kitties I found homes for in October. They were returned today because there was too much fear that the family's pit-mix was going to harm the animals. So...two more to find a home for and more on that later...

Not on My Watch: Sobering Statistics

Although I am thrilled and joyful at being able to help a few kitties NOT DIE at Henry County, Betsy gave me some information that was deeply sobering...

“The last statistics I looked at were September. 2 cats reclaimed, 17 adopted, 34 rescued, and 386 euthanized. That's cats and kittens combined and you can bet it was mostly kittens who got out.”

I've asked Betsy what we can do to help her STOP the KILLING. I know there are many, if not most of you who want to do something to help. Now that Betsy is starting to know me a bit, perhaps we can start a process of finding a way to save lives instead of take them.

It's been a week of winning the Lottery–first with little Gingerbread, then being able to rescue these HIGHLY AT RISK kitties. I'm so grateful I have people who can help me do my work, but I'm also brokenhearted.

I need more people to help and I need us to come up with a way to SOLVE this problem on a much BIGGER scale.

Not on My Watch: One, Two, Three: BUST!

Seven Vet trips in six days, barfing, mooshy poop, stench, worms shooting out of one kitten's butt-yeah, I'm ready for MORE, baby! Bring it!

Now that the Crazy Kitten Clan is almost done being spayed or neutered and we're getting applications in on some of the kittens, I started to feel a bit “itchy.” Who was I going to take in next?

There are a few kittens in the periphery and a cat, but with some juggling, hopefully it will work out if I decide to, umm, err...rescue a few more cats? Come on! I need my FIX!

Why go shopping out of a drab Holiday guide when you can save a life out of a “cat-”a-log. Sorry for the PUN! What a thrill, in a way of course (I can't save many or all), but a thrill to just take in a deep breath and say; “YES! Pull those guys out of that shelter. I have NO idea if I will find them homes or find out they are sick or have behavior problems. I just NEED to do this and it seems to get a bit easier every time I do it.

This MORNING I got an email from Betsy at Henry County-YES, the same place that euthanized three sweet kittens I was about to rescue. Who would it serve if I just cut them off and never helped them again?

Then I saw this:

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Go ahead. YOU SAY NO TO THOSE FACES! I DARE YOU!

...and read this: Mommy is just as loving and sweet as she can be and will have little chance to get out once the kits are pulled from her. The babies are weaning now and are ready to go to the kitten room.

She has 4 beautiful babies, the family is in an isolated area for nursing moms and everyone is healthy.

This family needs to be rescued from the shelter THIS WEEK. Friday December 4th they will be split up and mom most likely will not make it out once she goes the adoption room. IF the room is full she might be euthanized since she is past her ready date.

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Mama. I am not gonna let you down!

I contacted my lifeline to GA Shelters, Barb Lowe and Winging Cat Rescue and asked her if she could help me. Barb is ALWAYS busy pulling cats from shelters and always has a lot on her plate. Did Barb put me off? HELL NO! Barb made a call. A few minutes later...

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THAT WAS EASY! WOO!

Everyone is SAFE and OUT OF HENRY COUNTY! Mama had her combo test. Negative/Negative: the words we love to hear!

Next up...FUNDRAISING to get their Vet bill paid and transport to Connecticut! Get your wallet 'cause I'm gonna be asking you to pull a few bucks out it!

Hey! I'm doing the hard work and taking the risk. I just want your CASH!

Will let you know when fundraising ChipIn Widget goes live!

Foster Cat Journal: More on Gingerbread

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Apparently, some people would pay big bucks to get their hands on a fertile tri-colored male kitten! Unfortunately, that was never a thought that crossed our minds when our Vet called yesterday to tell us our little foster kitten was a very rare find. We've got “Spay/Neuter” so deeply ingrained in our noggins that there was no way we'd allow this guy to stay intact!

That said...hmmm...guess we could have waited a bit longer to think about that! We DO need funds to build a shelter, you know!

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Doesn't matter now. The “deed” has been done. Gingerbread is ready to go to his forever home and tomorrow afternoon someone is coming to visit him! Will it be his turn to get adopted or should I put him on Ebay? (KIDDING!) He's a sweet little fella. I just pried him off my lap so I could post this.

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Sweet dreams, little guy. Tomorrow is gonna be a big day!

Foster Cat Journal: 1 in 7,000,000

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This is my foster baby, Gingerbread.

Yesterday, she went to our Vet to be spayed.

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

SHE'S A HE!

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

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

Not on My Watch: News, Part 2, What Was I Thinking?!!!

They're HERE!!!!!!!!!

If any of you have been paying attention, you might notice that I was going to get TEN kittens from Jasper Co. “Myles Standish” got adopted while he was still in Georgia and so did a few others! Karen Bryant, the ACO at Jasper offered to give me a few other kittens to fill up the transport.

Our “bonus” kittens are: Mistletoe, a knockout Tortie and Figgy Puddin' who we also call, “Wonder Woman” because she's got big personality in a teenie tiny body. Her tail is stubby and always sticking straight up. She can kick any kitten's ass, even if she barely weighs two pounds and is the smallest of the bunch.

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I'm working on answering a gillion emails from potential adopters, scheduling adopter visits and adoptions, preparing for our Adoption Event on Saturday and doing Vet runs EVERY DAY from Monday through Saturday of this week. It's BRUTAL, but it's for kittens, so I gotta do it.

This is why I haven't been writing much! In fact, I need to get upstairs and feed the kittens. Will try to catch everyone up on more crazy crap as soon as I can.

And for those of you who donated money to get these kittens transported and vetted, know that they are all doing well and ruining my life! I mean, are doing well and having an GREAT time enjoying cage free life!

Not on My Watch: Lots of News Part 1

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Barely 10 days ago, Will, who was hit by a car arrived and went to his new family the next day. Joining him on the transport to CT were two little girls; Pip and Purrsimmon. When I first saw them I was pop-eyed by how beautiful they were!

Not related, these girls were born just a week apart. They both have stunning markings, a soft coat and a sweet personality to match. It was going to be tough to let these two out of my hands!

They came to be in the care of our friend, Dr. Anderson of the Cat Clinic of Greenville, SC. Purrsimmon was in bad shape when she was found in the parking lot of Walmart. She was covered with fleas, had conjuctivitis, and a URI. Dr. Anderson did a lot to get her stabilized and over two weeks, little “Purr” grew stronger and healthier. By the time she got to my home in CT, she was doing well.

Pip was in even worse shape. She was found by a good samaritan, who found her by a dumpster, alone, just like Purrsimmon. The nice lady took her to a Vet and got her care right away, but could not keep her and Dr. Anderson stepped up to help out. Poor Pip was so badly flea infested that she was anemic and weak. At barely a pound and a low body temperature, it was surely touch and go for Pip for quite awhile.

As you can see, both girls look great and healthy. Once the girls we posted on Petfinder it was mere hours before we had applications pouring in for both kittens. Two lucky families stepped up and gave each girl a home.

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Before Pip could leave, she was due for an FVRCP shot (distemper combo.) so I got her to visit Dr Larry. I couldn't read Dr. Anderson's notes and they translated them for me. It was there, we found out that, indeed, Pip did NOT need any shots, so Dr. Larry spent a few minutes examining her to make sure she was all right. His diagnosis: Insufferable Cuteness!

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Purrsimmon will be the only kitty in her new home and will be given the royal treatment by her adoring new Mama, Caitlin and Caitlin's family. Pip is going home today! Right now she's in my office as I write this, so she doesn't have to spend the day alone.

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Pip's parents are determined that they will TOILET train her!!!! Her new dad, says he's done this before and her new mom is already filling the house with new toys and a bed for her little “princess” who she coo's and ooo's over every time she sees her!

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I wish I could have spent more time with these special ladies, but with the arrival of the Crazy Clan (9 kittens from Georgia) on Friday, I've had little time for much of anything! More on that shortly!

Robin, can you use this?

Hi, I found today on Facebook that Chase is using an ap as a kind of contest to decide how to disburse $5mil in donations to local charities. I have used up 3 of my 20 votes, 17 left. Robin, if you want to set up the The Animal Center with a page, or if you would like to suggest a group for me to spend some of those votes on, it would be a pleasure. I'm thinking that with your blog and twitter, you could make an animal charity a contender.

Info Link:

http://apps.facebook.com/chasecommunitygiving/

Foster Cat Journal: OMG!

I promise to write a REAL update as soon as I can, but for right now all I can manage is to tell you that the kittens we rescued from Georgia arrived last night at 11PM. If you want to see something completely insane, release 9 HUNGRY, FREAKED OUT, TIRED, PENT UP kittens into a SMALL ROOM!

Imagine these kittens have also been locked up in cages at a shelter for weeks on end-some, most of their short lives. I've never seen so much bouncing, jumping, hopping and flat out running (then slamming into each other) in my life. The air was electrified by the release of all their fears as they tried to figure out in the space of a few seconds- where they were, where the food was, what where these things (toys!) all over the place and where did they go to the bathroom.

It was exhausting just watching them-which was about all I could do. I grabbed a few and bathed the stuck cat litter off them and I petted a few as they raced by.

Speaking of exhausted-that would be me and that would be why I can't write much more. I was up until 2am, then got up early to find out what they had done to the foster room while I was asleep. I imagined a 6 foot hole in a wall with smoke billowing out of it and everything in the room, shredded to tiny pieces.

Oops. Gotta go. Am bringing three kittens to Jennifer's house and I don't want to be late!

Thanks to All of You

Happy Thanksgiving, Everyone!

I'm very thankful to all of you for your help, comments and support during the past year. With you, we've been able to pull off, well, a few miracles for some very lucky and deserving cats.

With you, we've raised money to "bust" kittens out of High Kill Shelters, support rescue groups, struggling from the bad economy and find a way to get medical care to a cat hit by a car and two cats who needed life-saving surgery.

Each time I stick my neck out and say; "Not on My Watch" and take in another rescued kitten or cat, I find I'm a bit stronger and more able to do what I do because YOU are there with me. My only hope is that I'm giving something back to all of you.

Since May of this year, 61 cats have been rescued and adopted through this web site and my own fostering efforts. Add to that the MANY cats we've put the word out for who have been rescued and adopted, too and that's easily over 150! Not bad for a BLOG!

My goals to help are endless. Next year I hope we do double this number or triple. The number of animals I can take in is finite, but the number WE can all help together is limitless.

So THANK YOU. Have a great Thanksgiving and let's get back to work and bust out more kittens from Kill shelters soon!

With Love to all,

Robin

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