©2010 Maria Sandoval. Moonie and Patty at Maria's house just after they were rescued off death row.

They arrived in August from good old Georgia. Their mama, Tansy, was adopted right away. Now it was their turn to find a forever home. I had no idea the journey would last FOUR MONTHS.

©2010 Robin A.F. Olson. Moonie (left) and Patty (right) as they are today.

I'm a stubborn old broad. I couldn't see separating Moonpie and his sister, Pattycake. They always seemed to be an unmatched pair. I knew it would cut down the number of potential adopters, but I had to do right by them. Even if I separated them briefly, they would cry. I just couldn't separate them.

©2010 Robin A.F. Olson. Ringworm I know thee too well! Meh!

A few weeks after they arrived, I noticed a spot on Patty. Turns out it was ringworm rearing its ugly head. I had to lock the sad pair into my bathroom and try to keep it from spreading (which it ended up infecting Blitzen, Nicky and Nora about 6 weeks later...SO FAR!). This added another month to having to keep the cats here. They were already getting big-too big to be cutesy kittens so their chance at being adopted went a tick lower.

©2010 Robin A.F. Olson. Moonie plays with his buddy, Blitzen.

Eventually they were cleared of ringworm and were allowed out of the tiny bathroom to mingle with my cats. They were too big to be in such a small room. They loved the freedom and Blitzen LOVED having friends that were close to his own age. It seemed to be ideal, but sadly one of my cats did not care for the intruders and began peeing all over the house. Many of the other cats began to do it, as well. It was a complete nightmare.

I did my best to reduce stress, give her attention, clean up the mess after mess...everything was being urinated on-even Blitzen peed on the sofa while I saw him do the deed. I had SSSCATS set up. I sanitize-wasehed everything I could. I only let Patty and Moonie out during the day and let them sleep in the bathroom at night, but nothing worked.

I got only TWO applications on the kitties. Each one was approved. Each family came over to see the cats, but it just wasn't right. They didn't want two cats. Moonie and Patty were almost nine pounds! They were bigger than Blitzen, who is a year old. Who would want such big cats?

I got another application last week. A family with THREE boys! The oldest is 11. They had no Vet reference because they have no pets. They wanted BIG cats that could handle the energy of young boys. I did a home visit and I'll just say the home should be called a MANSION it was so huge and very well kept. The family was very very nice AND they were completely willing to feed the cats their raw diet, keep them indoor-only and do whatever it took to keep them healthy. They're even going to use Dr. Larry as their Vet (who LOVES THESE CATS, by the way!). I couldn't have asked for more. The boys were very well behaved and very smart (of course, they chose my cats!). I liked them very much. I felt that Moonie and Patty could take whatever the kids dished out and, once they got used to their new home, would really enjoy running around the 5000 sq ft of space!

©2010 Robin A.F. Olson. Nicky, Moonie, Spencer and Patty enjoy bed time.

It's always tough to say good bye. It's harder the longer you foster a cat. Moonie and Patty really got under my skin. They had very curious quirks that I loved-including fetching, sleeping on my head and bringing cat toys to bed, then leaving them by my pillow. The one thing that blew me away was Patty. I caught her NURSING ON HERSELF!

©2010 Robin A.F. Olson. Patty getting her “freak” on.

She'd sit like a person, start to purr, then “make muffins” as she suckled at herself. YIKES! Have I seen it all? Sheesh-YES!

I knew the kitties needed to leave, for any chance of the peeing to stop. I grabbed Petunia, the offender, and put her into the guest room by herself. I thought that while the fosters were still here, she should be alone. The peeing stopped. Not one drop anywhere in the house. Unfortunately, Petunia continued to pee in the guest room and ruined two cat beds-no doubt because they smelled like other cats. Now she can sit on the bed, but it's covered with a plastic mattress cover. There is little left for her to ruin and I see she has begun to use the litter pan for peeing. It's not ideal, but having the peeing stop is heavenly. I hope that after the fosters leave, I can reintroduce Petunia into the household, but I fear that may never be possible. She is the “pariah cat.” She has very high anxiety about everything. I'm going to try homeopathy and I'm going to talk to some of my cat-writer-friends. Yes, even I get stuck and am not sure what to do next. Finding her a new home is probably not something I can do, so I need to work it out.

©2010 Robin A.F. Olson. Moonpie featuring his very swanky pink toe!

Maybe I'm an awful person, but Moonie and Patty did so well here that I would have traded Petunia out and kept them. It's tough to love the kid who just is a pain in the neck and who ruins everything in the house. I was grateful a wonderful family stepped up so I didn't have to be tempted any longer. Last night Moonie and Patty went to their new home and we had a chance to get them settled. I didn't get much of a chance to kiss them goodbye, but all the kisses and photos I could take will never change that it's time for them to go. My heart aches and I'm sad, but I know I'll have more kitties to care for in a few weeks and I need a break.

©2010 Robin A.F. Olson. My shiny self with Patty. A hug good bye.

On Sunday, Sam and I were in a car accident. We were rear-ended by a glib jerkwad while we were stopped at a traffic light on our way to the book store. Sam is doing well, but I have a sprained back and neck-at least. I'm moving slower than usual and in a lot of pain. Having a few weeks off will give me a chance to begin to recover and prepare for the next arrivals.

Until then, my heart is full of memories of two very goofy kitties who I love dearly and hope that though their journey with me is over, that their next adventure brings them even more joy.

A month ticked by since we rescued Polly, Cara, Chester and their Mom, Mazie. It's been a constant battle to keep them alive. To date there are been about ten Vet trips, one emergency run late at night. Of the four, Polly has suffered the most and is still struggling to recover fully from the dreaded herpes virus infection she got just days after she was rescued.

Her sister, Cara struggled as well, then started to improve, but now has an added complication of picking up another type of URI that's effecting her breathing. Maria, their foster mama, works so hard to get them to turn the corner; has taken time off from work, gotten her sister to come see the cats during the day so they're fed regularly, but more importantly, that someone is watching out for them.

Chester hasn't been hit too hard, knock wood. His mama, wasn't effected too badly, either, but she has a mature immune system. We expected she would pull through all right.

Each sunrise the kittens see is triumph. It means, they lived through one more day. Each meal is a few more calories to keep them alive and get them to grow stronger. Mazie watches over them, encouraging each one with a lick on the face or a comforting purr.

The difficulties in providing care for these kittens, is partially due to their inability to smell their food. First, it stopped them from nursing and caused Maria to take over syringe feeding them many times a day. Then, it was difficult to get them to lap food off a plate. They just didn't understand how to eat. I suggested Maria elevate their plate and that seemed to help, but before that was done, their bathroom home had to be scrubbed down many times a day.

Litter training was a tough road, too. If they can't smell, they can't know the smell of their mama's elimination. What then would help guide them to the litter pan?

And yes, Maria also has other foster cats to care for, plus her own kitties! How she's doing this without having a nervous breakdown, I don't know. She's a tough cookie, that's for certain.

Then there are the costs. One small vial of antivirals cost $90.00. I've lost count of the Vet visits and we don't get a discount. Fortunately the Vets try to be kind about charging us, but it adds up. We also had thought we were going to get some funds covered from an anonymous donor, but that has fallen through. We're going to have to open up our fundraising and ask for more funding. The costs for their care and future spay/neuter is going to break the bank.

We're still waiting for the day when the kittens look like kittens, instead of sad little urchins. Where their joy is measured in how high they can jump after a toy or how long they can purr.

These little soldiers will march on and we will continue to be there to help them along the way.

What makes us fall in love with a cat? Is it the color of their fur? The length of their coat? Their purr? What is it that makes us go out of our way to make their life better? To want to protect them from harm? To see them slumbering peacefully on a soft bed-that is usually one they share with us?

©2010 Bobby Stanford. Busted out of Henry Co.

This is MacGruber. He was rescued barely 24 hours ago from Henry County Care & Control. Even though he's twice the age of cats I can normally rescue, I didn't care. There's something about his playful expression, the way he holds himself, relaxed, at ease with the world, confident. He did not know he had little time left to live, he just knew he was living his life in a cage and well, that's just how things go.

©2010 Bobby Stanford. Mr Chillaxin'

I'm partial to black and white, long haired cats. MacGruber is not that cat. Something about him spoke to me and that was it. I would go to the moon for him. I don't know why. When I rescued him I didn't even know if he was friendly.

©2010 Bobby Stanford. MacGruber loves his new friend.

I didn't have to worry about MacGruber's personality. Bobby picked up Mac from HCCAC, then drove him to East Lake, our Vet. He meowed along the way, but was not particularly stressed. Once he arrived, the staff took one look at him and just had to get their hands on him! With out hesitation, this boy was ready to be snuggled by strangers. He didn't care if they were long lost friends or a new acquaintance. He was ready for some LOVE.

©2010 Bobby Stanford. How much love can one kitten take? A lot!

Bobby reported that MacGruber just wanted to snuggle with everyone. He was easy to handle. The Vet got a kick out of him. He didn't put up a fuss or make any trouble at all.

©2010 Bobby Stanford. I love YOU more!

It seems, I'm not the only one who has a crush on MacGruber. He knew a life of love before he ever went near a Kill Shelter. Whoever gave him up must miss him dearly. He is pure in his love, somehow unscathed by what has befallen him.

©2010 Bobby Stanford. Nice heart and lung sounds. Oh..and nice kitten.

©2010 Bobby Stanford. CHEEZ WHIZ! Or...sneaky way to deliver a pill?

©2010 Bobby Stanford. Mac makes the rounds and impresses all the babes.

The vetting, completed, Bobby drove Mac to Bobbie's house where he'll be living for a few weeks until Izzy and Mark transport him to the northeast. Bobbie thought he was lovely and ever so friendly. Everyone who's met him has wanted to adopt him. There are jokes he'll never leave Georgia and find his home before then!

©2010 Bobby Stanford. MacGruber with Bobbie. What a smile he has!

I hope that's not the case, because I have a big, gooey crush on MacGruber. Every time I look at a photo of him, I smile. He's a dear boy and I'm so grateful and delighted that I could save his life. With Bobby and Bobbie's (!) help, and a ride from Izzy and Mark and we'll be all set. Next stop, forever home!

©2010 Bobbie Coker. Carpeting feels a lot better than sitting in cat litter.

©2010 Bobbie Coker. A big smile and a big heart-now is the time to relax and enjoy life.

As we gather together with our families to give Thanks on the cusp of this holiday, there's one little orange cat, who gives thanks for his life and the chance for a VERY happy Holiday season to come.

It's bad enough that Maria had a lousy day yesterday. A long day at work, followed by being caught in a downpour while waiting for the bus. Tired and wet as she was, she kept her commitment to cleaning out cat cages at Petsmart. It was a long day. She finally made her way home around 9pm.

I told her there was a shipment of cat food waiting for her by the garage. UPS verified the delivery. I was anxious for her to get the food since I knew she was running low and this food was for Polly and her family...who are STILL STRUGGLING to beat their URI!

As she walked down her driveway, she saw the shipment, but the box looked funny. Then she realized, it had been ripped open. Her heart sank.

As she lifted the lid, her worst fears were realized.

It was empty-save for the invoice from Pet Food Direct and the air filled plastic cushions to keep the cases of cat food from being damaged.

What sort of heartless moron would STEAL CAT FOOD...and from a CAT RESCUE GROUP??!!! Donations are tough enough to come by and now this?

Maria gave me a call. I missed picking up the phone. I heard her voicemail and she sounded terrible. I thought Polly was dead!!! When we were finally able to talk, she told me what happened. I was stunned that someone would stoop so low as to steal food. Could we have bought a big bag of dry food for a few dollars, instead of shipping cases of canned food? Well, no, we couldn't. We feed a grain-free, canned food diet, which has kept our foster kittens in much better health and at their fragile age is MUCH easier for them to digest and mix with the milk replacer they also eat. We may spend more on food, but in the long run we'll save more on Vet care since our babies will be in better health if we get them off on the “right paw” to begin with.

Maria actually filed a police report. This is the second time someone stole from her yard. The last time it was a nice cat carrier she had left outside to dry after she washed it out. A few hours later-it was gone. She originally thought it was a fluke, but now she realizes either the local kids are thieves or her neighbor who has many cats (and dogs) and no income, may have done the deed. She spoke to the woman who acted surprised that Maria would make a fuss over stolen cat food. I told Maria to check the woman's trash in a few days!There aren't many people that live in Maria's neighborhood to begin with..this is all so messed up.

The shipment cost $90.00 and I had to send out a second shipment last night to replace the one that was lost and it cost more money..the price went up. So there goes another $110.00. I called my credit card company and the purchase insurance does not cover food. I contact Pet Food Direct and they are talking to UPS, but the feeling is nothing can be done since the package was delivered. This may change, but it will be a week to ten days before I get an update.

In the meantime, our babies need to eat. If you'd like to help us recover our loss, we would dearly appreciate it. It really feels like those creeps stole more than just cat food—they stole our faith in humanity.

Maria got two hours of sleep last night. Cara, Polly's sister, is not doing well. Another kitten from another litter had a 104.6°F fever. Maria looked after them until early this morning. Now she's back at work, trying not to face-plant on her desk. I wish I could do more than just order cat food for her, but there are some things that can't be done from 1000 miles distance.

If you know Maria, do send her a note to tell her you're sending good thoughts, good wishes, support. Is this life or death? Heck no, but Maria is our friend, our super-foster mama. We need to rally around her so she can continue to care for quite a few ailing kittens. Maybe our goal is as simple as being a good neighbor—something that Maria does not seem to have.

Tigger's story was told far and wide. With his natural good looks, his youth (he's only 3-4 years old) and his charm, it was just a matter of time before Tigger got the attention of just the right folks at a rescue group.

©2010 Besty Merchant. Tigger, your worst days are behind you now!

Last night the news broke that Tigger was SAFE and would be having a very happy Thanksgiving in his new foster home. Now he could start to put losing his family behind him and focusing on a happier future. Congratulations to Tigger!

©2010 Besty Merchant. No more tiny cage for this big boy!

Meanwhile, I came across this beautiful little lady. She's at Floyd, in Rome, GA. Her Petfinder ad is HERE. I have no way to get her out. I'm posting her info, in the hopes that someone will go down there and adopt her or a GA Licensed Rescue can save her. They put down 37 cats last week. The odds of her getting out are slim.

Her ID NUMBER IS: 2510 AND SHE IS IN URGENT NEED OF A RESCUE OR ADOPTION!

©2010 Floyd County Animal Control.

I didn't feel that I had the time to be able to wait on getting help to rescue from Floyd when I checked the Henry County Petfinder page and saw THIS little guy (see add, below). My stomach dropped when I saw he'd been at Henry for over a week. I knew that time is not to be wasted. I didn't know if he was dead or alive. The look on his face called to me. It was a beacon shining right into my heart. I HAD to do something for this fine fellow.

Look at that face and say NO to him! I couldn't do it.

Bobbie, who helped us by fostering a sweet black kitty a few months ago, offered to take this cat as a foster. I'm hoping by the time he arrives in Connecticut (sometime in December) I'll have space for him in my home. I just HAD to save his life.

©2010 Besty Merchant.

Right now, this little 4 month old baby is being taken out of his litter box and put into a cat carrier by my dear, Bobby, the most dependable person on this planet. Bobby will get him over to the Vet and deliver him to Bobbie's home (yes, there are TWO folks with almost the same name!). This little cutie is BUSTED OUT! Instead of death, he'll have a chance at a happy life here in Connecticut.

There's something magical about this cat's face. His sweet little white feet. I couldn't stand him being known by an ID number any longer, so I gave him a name. Every time I look at his photo, he makes me smile, so I'm calling him, MacGruber, after the character on Saturday Night Live. If you haven't seen MacGruber, you can see a slew of twisted videos HERE (note: you'll have to sit through a 30 sec commercial first).

©2010 Besty Merchant. I already have a crush on you, MacGruber!

Let's hope his snap test results are negative/negative. It's usually the last hurdle I have to worry about with pulling cats out of a shelter. With any luck, I'll have good news soon. Once I do, I'll update this post. Until then, let's enjoy the warm glow of knowing more kitties are saved, but it's always bittersweet when we know others have been left behind.

UPDATE: FLOYD COUNTY KITTY HAS BEEN RESCUED!!!!!! MacGruber is Neg/Neg on his snap test and we are told he is a complete love-muffin (not a surprise when you look at that sweet face)!

UPDATE: Tigger is 3-4 years young and is VERY SWEET and AFFECTIONATE! The line forms to the left. Let's rescue this love bug!

THIS IS DIRECTLY FROM OUR CONTACT: BETSY at Henry County. Her contact info and the info of the shelter is below. This cat is URGENT!

Tigger is a HUGE neutered housepet. He has NO IDEA what the heck has happened to him.

His owner died and no one stepped up to care for him so we had to pick him up and bring him to the shelter.

HOW SAD!

Please help save his life if you're able!

DSH Orange male ID# 11/20-4881 TIGGER

©2010 Betsy Merchant. To adopt me, is to LOVE ME!

The big orange boy is so sweet!

©2010 Betsy Merchant. I need to get out of this cage! Please, won't you help me?

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

Betsy Merchant~

We are very rescue friendly and are more than happy to work with any rescue group as long as the group has a valid Georgia Department of Agriculture license! Any rescue group, whether in or out of state, that takes pets from Georgia shelters, is required, by Georgia law, to have a rescue license issued by the Georgia Department of Agriculture's Animal Protection Division. Having tax exempt status is not the same as a license. For more information on obtaining a license, please call (404) 656-4914.

©2010 Betsy Merchant. GET ME OUT OF HERE!!!!

Contact:

mystiblu@bellsouth.net

Henry County Animal Care and Control

527 Hampton Street

McDonough, Georgia 30253

(770) 288-7401

http://www.petfinder.com/shelters/GA67.html

Our Hours:

Monday-Friday: 9 am-4:30 pm

Saturday: 9 am-1 pm

Sunday: Closed

County Observed Holidays: Closed

The shelter is located at 527 Hampton Street in McDonough. We are located south of Atlanta off I-75. Take exit 218 and head east on 20/81 toward McDonough. Our address is 527 Hwy 20/81 East.

For all other information regarding ordinances, county codes, and other functions of Henry County Animal Care and Control please visit www.hcacc.org

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©2010 Betsy Merchant.

There is talk of a $75 sponsorship to any rescue group that can take this big lug! I may also be able to help with fostering him locally in GA until he is clear for transport.

Please cross post and share. This cat may only have until WEDNESDAY!

Once a year, as the full moon rises and the planets align into a cat-shaped orbit, the scribes of the feline world join together. It's a sacred gathering of secret handshakes and mystical rituals that date back to 1992, when the organization first came into being.

In other words, The 2010 Cat Writers' Association, which was established in 1992, held its' annual Conference in White Plains, New York at the Crowne Plaza hotel. Oh yeah, and there was a full moon.

Prior to the formal Conference starting, many of us got together for the “TNT”-Thursday Night Thing? I have no idea what the last “T” stands for, so you'll have to excuse me for guessing. The goal of TNT is for everyone to help stuff the HUMUNGOUS SWAG BAGS full of cat-centric goodies and to get to know each other. After the bags are stuffed, we get to stuff our faces with pizza. Post stuff-fest, We were asked to form a circle, but no joining hands or animal sacrifice followed. We simply took turns saying a few words about our background, how many cats we had and what sort of books we had published so that everyone could get to know us a bit better. There were quite a few folks in the circle, so we added a second concentric ring to accommodate everyone. Many folks said their bit and moved on to the next, but a few decided to pontificate (that's a big word meaning they were time-hogs/show offs, were inconsiderate since it was pushing 9pm and instead of being naked, perhaps we only needed a tease to know enough. I struggled to fight off the urge to roll my eyes back and scream; NEXT! as loudly as I could.)

The thing that surprised and or scared me was realizing that with the exception of only one person, we had the MOST cats of anyone else-by far.

Oops.

I hoped we'd get an elevated status within the organization for our cat-population prowess, but maybe these folks knew better than we did- that having so many cats is not necessarily a great idea. (this is written as I fear finding out how many times my cats puked, pooped and peed in the house while I'm away from home.)

©2010 Robin A.F. Olson. Enter the Swag Bag!

But then there was the swag bags. As I live and breathe, it's like the Christmas I never had, looking into the depths of that black World's Best Cat Litter Bag. Every time I took something out, I'd get a peek at something even better. My imagination ran wild, anticipating how my cats would dive bomb the bag the second I walked it in the door. They'd drag out the catnip laden Hot Cat (awesome!) or wrestle the KONG Kickaroo (love those!) and we got a NEKO Flies wand toy (with the great tagline: “It's swat cats love!”). I can't wait to see how the cats will react once they see it. In addition to the super-schwing-swag-bag, we got eve MORE goodies. I scored some Feliway diffusers (THANK YOU CARRIE!), a cute kitten-sized cat tree (THANK YOU ALLIA ZOBEL! and ARUBACAT) and coupons to buy World's Best Cat Litter at a discount (YEAH, BABY!). ...AND some folks didn't want some of their swag so they gave it to me to give to my foster babies!

©2010 Robin A.F. Olson. Blitzen and Pattycake get first dibs.

Honestly, I could have just gone home with that bag and skipped the Conference, but heck, I had a hotel room booked so might as well stay...oh that and This year I was slated to be a Speaker! The topic was: “Using Analytics to Measure Your Reach.” How boring does this sound? Yeah, pretty boring. In fact, our (Sam was a Co-Presenter with me) presentation was quite perky and charming, but there wasn't much time to get folks excited about it since we were FIRST to go on Friday at 9AM.

©2010 Robin A.F. Olson. I can't believe Blitzen used this tiny cat scratcher right away!

But now we must change pace. This is the first of two sad parts of my story. We got all set up, the projector ran just fine. Mary, my sister-in-writing, had loaned us her projector as a backup! How great was this? No worries about a failed projector. The Keynote presentations we created were working fine, too.

©2010 Robin A.F. Olson. MINE! MINE! MINE!

©2010 Robin A.F. Olson. Like Catnip much?

©2010 Robin A.F. Olson. Spencer, Nora, Petunia and Blitzen are mesmerized by the Neko Flies.

©2010 Robin A.F. Olson. Moonpie grabs it!

But my camera was not doing so well. It showed signs of being under the weather about a week before the Conference. I didn't have time to fool around with it before we left and it was in our room, moments before we were to being that I realized my camera, though it functioned, it only worked when it FELT like doing so. I thought it might be the battery or the fact that my Digital SLR had reached retirement age. Drat! Not having a good camera is like having my arm cut off. Let us take a moment to reflect on the thousands of cute kitten photos that camera has captured for me, as we try not to be pissed off that it's going to cost and arm (and leg) to replace it. But, the show must go on...camera or no.

©2010 Robin A.F. Olson. No, our Presentation wasn't in an empty room. Folks actually showed up!

©2010 Robin A.F. Olson. The graphics are ready, the bowels are empty, let the Presentation begin!

The Presentation went well. Sam did the tech stuff, I told the warm fuzzy story. We hit our times well, fielded a few questions and were done! Felt good.

Then I realized I had a “pitch” session with Susan Logan the super-boss of Cat Fancy magazine in 30 minutes. I'd worked so hard on the Presentation, I didn't prepare my pitch, which I hate doing in the first place. If I ever want a shot at writing for a national publication, I better get my act together.

My brain started to fuzz over. I hadn't sleep more than an hour the night before. You know how it goes when you try to sleep in hotel. Some times it just doesn't happen. The thought that I'd become accustom to cats jumping on my face, screaming in the middle of the night and laying all over me as my evening tonic was depressing. Here I was in a king sized bed and no cats and sleep would not come. The real reason I couldn't sleep was this.

So I dragged my sleepy self over to the Editors room. I prayed my mind would begin to fire on at least ONE cylinder. I sat down to speak with Ms. Logan and my mind went blank...

...part two of my adventures at the CWA Conference soon! Will I face plant in from of a respected colleague? Will I WIN an AWARD for..umm...ANYTHING YOU MIGHT BE READING? Will I make a new friend? Get rid of an old one? Will I wear more bling than the ladies from Texas? Will there be an underlying theme of FIRE TRUCKS and loss in this story?

Stay tuned...

Some of you may remember the 1/2 feral kitty my husband and I rescued from the barn. If not, here is the original post I made about this poor baby.

http://www.coveredincathair.com/content/when-kitty-rescue-comes-close-home

Her name is now Odette. I named her after the Swan Princess because I hope that she will blossom into a beautiful, loving kitty. She has doubled her weight and she is making steady progress.

I've uploaded two new videos of her on my youtube channel.

The Halloween Express has reached its' final destination-homes for all the cats we rescued!

As you know, we placed our four kooky kittens: Trick, Treat, Skittles and Candy Corn with ONE family. While they enjoy life in their forever home, Rocco, the 20 pound, declawed love-bug has been living in Wilton at Animals in Distress.

He was doing all right, but really didn't like so many other cats wanting to play. He just wanted to relax and get petted, but being an adult, it was tough to find him a good home as quickly as we could find one for the kittens.

If you're not familiar with Rocco you can read about him HERE and HERE

Rescuing Rocco was a leap of faith. I really believed we could place him, but I did fear he would be at the shelter for a very long time. Turns out I was wrong, which I was happy to admit.

Rocco's been adopted! A woman came to AID looking for a lap cat. She'd always rescued cats from local shelters who had already been declawed. She spent some time with Rocco and really bonded with the big boy. He seemed to be smitten with her, as well. Her vet check was great and she was approved to adopt. Rocco will never have to worry about being on death row ever again. Now all he'll have to worry about is where he should take a nap next and if he'll get belly rubs next or a chin skritch.

Another long journey for a cat in need, comes to an end-not at the tip of a needle but by the efforts of people who believed in giving him a second chance. Way to go, Rocco!

And, as always, thank you to Carole at AID for allowing us to place Rocco in her care until he could find his forever home. Without AID's support this rescue never would have happened.

©2010 Bobby Stanford. Used with permission. Precious gets a hug from one of the Vet Tech's at Eagle's Landing.

Precious went to the Vet. It's the first thing we do when they leave the Shelter. The big question: what was wrong with Precious and what needed to be done right now and what could wait until she arrives in Connecticut in a few short weeks.

©2010 Bobby Stanford. Used with permission. Okay, I admit she looks a wee bit nutty here, but what a lovely coat she has! I like her golden toe (see right rear foot).

Precious weighs just 4.6 pounds. She's not an adult-barely grown. She's only 9-12 months old. A mere kitten. My foster cats are younger than she is and they weigh TWICE what she does.

She's a lovely blend of tabby and calico. Her coat has hints of Maine Coon. Her snap test results were negative for Feline Leukemia and FIV-I always am relieved when we get that result. She had a flea or two, no surprise. She is not in obvious pain, but her lower jaw is broken and one of her canine teeth hits her gum. If left untreated she would adjust and just have a crooked smile, but you KNOW we will not leave her to suffer.

©2010 Bobby Stanford. Used with permission. Inspecting her new room.

Her right front leg has feeling, is warm and has sensation! There is crackling in her shoulder. It is either a broken leg or a dislocation. She is comfortable and can get around with ease, so for now there is no treatment. It may seem cruel not to act right away, but we can move her much faster to the north, to her home, where we can have all the surgeries done that are required. She can recover from the stress of travel without the complication of recovering from surgery. We just know she would break with a URI if we did that.

She is not pregnant and, of course, this cat has probably NOT been spayed. Spaying will be done, as well, when the time comes. For now, she can eat as she pleases and get some rest.

©2010 Bobby Stanford. Used with permission. The paperwork you can see on the bed is the release form from Henry Co. That little piece of paper gave this cat her freedom and her life back.

Bobby drove her to Corinne's. Our new foster Mama. Corinne has loads of experience and many stories of saving little kitties and big kitties, alike. Really with no time to prepare, she offered to help with the blue kittens, then when we didn't need a foster for them and I heard about Precious, I asked if she would mind helping her instead. There was no hesitation, just willingness to be part of this rescue.

Precious arrived and one of Corinne's cats snuck into the room, but Precious didn't mind. They escorted the cat back out so Precious could get to know her new home without added stress. A soft, welcoming bed was just what she needed to take the stress off her injured leg. She purred and relaxed. Wherever she had just been-that cold, scary place, was already a fading memory. She was safe and sound, maybe a bit sore, but in Corinne's warm and gentle hands, it would see her through this tough time. Corinne will also be her chaperone when it was time to leave Georgia forever and begin her new life in the northeast.

©2010 Bobby Stanford. Used with permission. A nice soft bed. No more harsh cage for this injured sweetie.

We're all just pleased as punch that this worked out so well, so far. Thank you, again to Bobby and Corinne for all they did to help this girl to safe haven.