Cat Rescue

I got up early to try to trap Buddy, my injured feral cat. No luck. If I could only tell him what was going on, I'm sure he'd cooperate. I keep hoping I'll see him and he'll have miraculously stopped limping, but that is not the case. I didn't even see him yesterday.

While I waited to hear the trap “clunk” shut, I packed up a small bag of cat food, dishes, cleaning supplies and water for my trip to New Jersey where I was going to rendezvous with Mark. It was fortuitous that Mark had to drive from his home in PA to NJ for work reasons, so it saved me an extra six hours of driving-for which I was very grateful. Meanwhile, Sam was still in NYC with his Mother, waiting for her paperwork to be finalized so she could be discharged from the hospital. This meant I couldn't borrow his sport wagon sized car and was stuck with my coupe. I emptied out my car and did some quick calculations. If the crates weren't too big, they'd all just fit. I had plans to take Connie with me, Bobbi's foster mom, so I had to account for her in the car, too. Maybe if we only breathed in, we'd be able to fit?

Finally around 2pm, I got the call. Time to head out to meet Mark! We'd leave in an hour. I was glad that Connie could come with me. She's very perky and can chat like there's no tomorrow. I love it! I told her I figured the time would fly if we talked on the trip. If we didn't hit so much traffic, it would have been a breeze. It wasn't terrible, but I sure was in a hurry to get to those kittens.

I was nursing a headache and was very tired from not getting much sleep these past few weeks. I decided to have some iced tea and some water, thinking I was dehydrated. It was a good idea until I got on the road.

My headache faded, but my bladder was getting full. I stopped at a rest area about an hour into our two hour drive. The line was so LONG at the Ladies Room, I gave up and went back to the car. I figured I could do my “thing” at the hotel.

My phone rang at about 5:03pm. It was Mark. He said he was just about to pull into the hotel parking lot. We were about a minute away, ourselves. Connie and I both thought that our timing could not have been better and that surely this was a sign that we were doing the right thing (as if we needed a sign!).

I pulled into the lot and Connie offered to wait for Mark, while I went in search of a bathroom. I briskly walked into the hotel, trying to blend in, so they wouldn't notice that I wasn't a guest. The place was a tomb. Silent. Empty. Great! I found a directory and quickly walked to the bathroom, my bladder throbbing with anticipation.

I saw the sign for the bathroom, the door was open and there were bands of wide yellow tape across the door with “Do Not Enter Cleaning in Progress” printed on it. I stopped cold in my tracks. I looked into the bathroom. A man was wiping off a sink. He turned and looked at me, then went back to slowly cleaning the sink. I whimpered, but he ignored me. I went back to the directory. No sign of a second bathroom that wasn't in a guest room. I was doomed!

So I went back to the car and waited for Mark to arrive.

©2010 Robin A.F. Olson. At last! Our first glimpse of Bobbi.

I'd planned to take a lot of photos as Mark pulled up, detailing every second of unloading the car and loading mine up, but it was hot and humid. The cats had already been in the car for over 3 hours and would have another 2 in the car with me and Connie. For their sake I just wanted to load and go.

©2010 Robin A.F. Olson. Moonpie and Pattycake.

I said Hello to the kitties and took a quick look at them. Moonpie's eye had a big green mucus goop on it. Oh great! This is just great. We had to transfer the four smallest kittens into my carrier. I wanted to do it inside the car, but Mark insisted that the kittens were too small to run off. I was reluctant, but we did the transfer quickly, from one crate to another, across the parking lot. Once I saw how TINY the kittens were, I realized he was right.

©2010 Robin A.F. Olson. Bobbi's ready to rock.

We got everyone settled. Connie insisted on holding Bobbi on her lap all the way home, so there was more than enough room for the other carriers to fit on the back seat. Bobbi cried and fussed so Connie opened the top of her carrier and she popped right out and took a look around. Connie started to coo and marvel about Bobbi, petting her and scratching her. Bobbi sat down as she was being scratched and started to jerk her back leg, as Connie found the good itchy spots around Bobbi's neck. Connie was saying how she'd love to keep Bobbi, so I yelled at her (okay, strongly reminded) that “if she keeps Bobbi then she can't foster more cats.” Connie reluctantly agreed, but we'll see if she can stop from adopting Bobbi after the week is over.

As I raced us back to CT, we'd hear an occasional sneeze from the back seat. I really started to stress out and had a nice flashback of last December when I picked up 9 kittens, some deathly ill, off a transport-followed by 4 MONTHS of sick cats. Connie and I tried to brush it off-the climate was different here than Georgia. The allergens were different. Moonpie's sneezes were just allergies or even if he was sick, it was probably not bad and would be better with some rest.

I knew all the cats had been exposed to each other so it was too late. We'd just have to wait and see how it goes. I didn't want to pit stop for my poor bladder. Those cats needed to be out of the car, quick, so I focused on getting us home.

©2010 Robin A.F. Olson. Yodel just out of the cat carrier.

We arrived just before 7:30pm. I dropped Connie and Bobbie off. I almost shoved them out of the car. I was beginning to worry that the kittens really needed to get some food as soon as possible and wanted to be on my way. I think Connie was anxious to have some snuggle time with Bobbi, so she was out the door and moments later I was home since we only live about 1 1/2 miles apart.

©2010 Robin A.F. Olson. Cinnamon enjoys dinner.

I got home. Sam was there, after his adventure caring for his Mother, so he helped me load the kitties into the foster room. I had a big dog crate set up for Moonpie and Pattycake. I thought that it would force them to rest and maybe keep the sneezes to their area, not all over the room. Silly me.

I let the kittens out and as they explored their new home, I quickly opened up a few cans of cat food. I put the plates down on the floor and without hesitation ALL six cats were eating hungrily and enjoying sips of water.

©2010 Robin A.F. Olson. Cin is TINY! What a goofy little cutie. She's a sweetie, too.

I started to relax. Eating is a good sign. Little Yodel's back legs were a bit wobbly, which gave me some concern. I figured he was sitting a lot in transport, plus his blood sugar was probably down. In time he should be fine.

I ended up putting down extra food because the kitties were so hungry. I was glad to see them eat so well and hoped that trend would continue.

©2010 Robin A.F. Olson. Sugar Pie. Ryan and I call her “Mini-Spencer.” I'm already madly in love with her. Uh oh! She's a real love-muffin.

Then I remembered I needed to do something for myself, so I welcomed the kitties to Connecticut and left the them to their kitten food. At last, we were all getting what we needed.

©2010 Robin A.F. Olson. Yodel is sweet ,too and what a goofy face!

I didn't want to do to much with the cats last night, so I had a few short visits. Ryan came over and met them-he approved-and I gave each kitten some loving and pets before leaving them to rest up.

So far, so good. They made it here-all of them. Now I wait and see how this will play out. My very first Kitten Associates fosters! I hope to, one day, remember them as my first, not the first batch of sick cats that broke the bank!

I'm pleased to announce that Izzy & Mark have picked up our fosters, along with the new cat they just adopted and a few other cats they're transporting to VA. The car is loaded down with cats. I wonder how noisy it is in the car right now or if everyone is too scared to meow? I really hope they don't have a car load full of cats that explode with pee or poop from motion sickness, as two of my cats do! Eek! Remind me not to volunteer to transport lots of cats.

Today is the start of another phase of their lives, as they progress towards that ultimate goal of finding a forever family. What's kind of fun to imagine is that those families already exist. They may be talking about how they want to adopt a cat. Maybe they've been looking and hadn't seen one they liked? One day we'll meet and it will be kismet. They'll fall in love with one of the kittens and that will be it. Will Bobbi go to a home with little kids? Will the kittens be able to stay in pairs or be adopted singly? Who will be adopted first?

©2010 Maria S. What a big change a few weeks of good food can do! Bobbi looks GREAT!

Time will surely tell. For now I'm going to get some things done around the house and get some rest. It's about to get busy around here very soon.

©2010 Maria S. Mark loads the car. I hope they have enough room for all those cats!

Sam's mother is still in the hospital in NYC, but looking well. She may be discharged fairly soon, then after she gets settled, Sam can come home.

©2010 Maria S. Maria with her beloved, Cin.

Lion King is still missing. Connie had a commitment today and won't be back until late. I'm going to go over and look for him. Maybe I'll have luck again?

I finally saw Buddy. He IS definitely in trouble. He's limping, but I could not see any obvious break or injury. He can put some weight on the leg if he has to do it, but otherwise he keeps the limb up in the air. When I went out the front door to offer him some treats he ran off. He can still move quickly and that's a good sign. Of course the second he started to move, I stopped and went back into the house. The last thing I need to do is scare him into the road. It's a tough life for a feral. I hope we can get him the help he needs very soon.

©2010 Maria S. Moonpie? Yodel? I better get this figured out! Bye bye, Maria! Hello, Robin!

Spencer...oh dear. That will have to be a separate blog post. Let's just say that too much is a bad thing. Poor Spencer. His chin is an erupted bloody mess. It's a good thing I took him to see Dr. Larry today-before Dr Larry goes to Italy for two weeks! Did he ask me if he could go? Doesn't he know something bad always happens to my cats when he's gone? What nerve! Going on a vacation!

Wait...what is this...vay-cay-shun thing, anyway?

Quarantine is over (even had an extra week). Little Cinnamon got her Health Certificate today! She's safe to travel with Izzy and Mark and the gang! I'm so excited, of course, nervous, too. It's been a very long time since I've had fosters and my first time finding homes for them on my own.

It was touch and go on whether Cin could make the transport. There was also concern that Pattycake was shy a kidney, which would effect her ability to be adopted. Happily for her, Pattycake got a CLEAN BILL OF HEALTH after her ultrasound. She has two normal sized kidneys and her bladder is fine-everything looks good.

These were the last two hurdles. I wasn't sure we would make it, but we did. Now we just have to wait. Tomorrow morning, Izzy & Mark will pick up the gang, then make their way back north. I'm VERY glad the weather here is cool and dry. It will certainly make the traveling easier once they get out of the South.

©2010 Maria S. Cinnamon waits for her Vet appointment.

Of course my next concern is if the kitties will stay healthy once they arrive. Please no URIs! I've asked before. I will ask again! Since Izzy and Mark are super cat people, I know they'll be keeping a close eye on the cats. It's like playing a game of “hot potato.” Move the cats as fast and safely as possible before they get sick, then get them into a nice quiet room to rest and recover.

©2010 Maria S.----Honey B. No, they don't get any cuter than this!

It wasn't all smooth sailing. There was some troubling news today, too. I got a call this afternoon from Sam's daughter, who lives in NYC. She got a message from Medic Alert that Sam's Mother had put in a call for help. I can't go into specifics, but she is in the hospital now. Sam and his daughter are with her. I stayed behind to take care of our cats since we don't know how long she'll be in the hospital. We hope that after all the tests are done, his Mama can go home. If not, Sam will stay there until we can work things out. I'm trying not to think about the arriving cats, during such a stressful time, but I still have to finish preparing for their arrival.

Also, on top of barely any sleep for either of us, we were up at 6AM trying to trap one of our feral cats-Buddy. Buddy has been around for years, but lately he's been seen limping. We're very concerned for his safety and need to get him trapped and to the Vet. Of course he's a smart cat, so we didn't trap him today. Now we have to wait to try again on Monday.

©2010 Maria S.----Yodel. Yes, they CAN get any cuter!

Our dear friend and new foster, Connie, may have lost her kitty: Lion King. He looks a lot like my boy, Bob. Lion King has to be an outdoor cat, even though Connie wishes she could lock him down inside. I just met him two days ago. Connie hasn't seen him in over a day and it's not like him to be absent. I hope my good luck finding cats hasn't turned into making cats get lost!

I'm still struggling with an outbreak of Feline Acne. Nora and Nicky are eh, okay, but Spencer is getting worse even though I've been treating him every day. I'm going to run him to visit Dr. Larry and Super Deb tomorrow. He will be an unhappy cat, but I gotta get him some help. I know he must be uncomfortable.

There's lots to do to get the kittens adopted, too. I got my Petfinder account approved, which is a huge milestone for me. I know you can look for coincidences anywhere if you try hard enough, but I have to admit that my shelter code is also my birthday. It feels like a cosmic sign of good luck some how! Every shelter gets a state code and a number. Mine is CT 431. My birthday is 4/3 ___1 Hee hee! The page has to be filled out and I have to get my web site up and running so I can have adoption forms available and it all has to happen quickly! Even though many of the kittens are too small to be adopted, I want to post them on PF so I can begin screening potential adopters.

©2010 Maria S.---Sugar Pie. Too much cute to look at!

In some ways, this is the calm before the storm. If all I have to do is find homes and keep the kittens socialized and fed, I'm golden.

©2010 Maria S.----Cinnamon and Moonpie get ready to go on their big trip.

Of course things never go as planned. I'm just wondering what I'll think when I look back on these first days. For now, I'll try to be positive. Sam's Mother will be all right (knock wood), we will trap Buddy and get him to the Vet (knocking again), the kittens and Bobbi will arrive safely and in good health and stay that way (knock, knock, knock), poor Connie will find her dear cat, Lion King! (super knock wood) and Spencer will get some medicine for his hard-to-get-rid-of feline acne (kkkkknock!).

And oh yeah, I need a cookie. Maybe one with vodka flavored chocolate chips.

A few weeks ago, I put into motion the rescue of my first group of cats under the Kitten Associates banner. They're comfortably housed with Maria, who lives in McDonough, the same town where Henry County Care & Control can be found which is where the kitties were rescued from. On Saturday, the cats are scheduled to be transported to CT by our dear CiCH friend, Izzy and her husband, Mark-who are going to GA to pick up their newest kitty and who offered to chauffeur a few kitties for me while they're at it! I think they will now have a zillion cats or 18, something like that! These guys have super HUGE hearts!

Maria has been one of the most important parts of this rescue. She stepped up, out of the blue, to take on these cats as fosters. It's been a lot of work for her, but she was always ready to take on one more foster if she could figure out how to fit them into her home. She's also been terrifically responsive to all my annoying questions. Monitoring the health of little kittens from over 1000 miles away is no picnic and I depend on Maria to provide me with a lot of information and be willing to go with the flow, as we have to figure out ways to react to this ever-chaning situation.

Pattycake and Moonpie are BIG. They're at 4 months old. Since getting them S/N in CT is going to be a long way off-it's very tough to find a Vet to do the job without a long wait list-so I opted to have them taken care of while in Georgia. As you may recall, Patty had a difficult spay. Her ovaries did not connect to her uterus. The Vet who did the surgery, also was concerned that Patty may have only ONE KIDNEY. She was not able to see both, but to be sure, she felt that Patty should get an ultrasound.

©2010 Maria S.-Pattycake.

I talked to Dr. Larry about doing the ultrasound here, but he warned me that it costs about $350 and he wanted to be sure the test was necessary before we set up an appointment. Maria, called one of the local vets. They have the equipment on site and can do the ultrasound for about $65!! Needless to say, Patty is having the ultrasound done today. Whew. I didn't want to do another fundraiser!

The next question mark is Bobbi. She got her Health Certificate on Tuesday, which surprised me. The Vet who checked her did not feel she had ringworm, but a dermatitis caused by the flea infestation she had. I've been on pins and needles, not knowing if Bobbi could be transported. She'd have to stay behind for a MONTH if her ringworm culture was positive. I talked with the Vet today. The culture is NEGATIVE so far. I have to check it again today. It looks good that Bobbi is safe to travel. Now, someone MUST have a broken scale because they also said that Bobbi has GAINED TWO POUNDS in barely a week!! NO WAY!

©2010 Maria S. Bobbi relaxing.

Then there's Cinnamon. The smallest of her litter. She doesn't even weigh one pound, while her siblings are a quarter of a pound, or more, bigger than she. At her dainty size, the Vet felt she was too small to safely be transported. That was on Tuesday. Today, Cinnamon goes to the Vet for a re-check. I'm not sure they understand that this transport is being done by cat lovers who know their cats and that they will have Nutrical with them, as well as food and water and that they will know to watch her carefully. Hopefully, she will be a pound tomorrow, so she can travel with her family. If she can't go, I'm not sure what I will do. Maria can continue to foster her (it helps that Cinnamon is Maria's favorite!), for awhile longer, but I have no idea how to get her up to CT if not this weekend. I'm trying not to pull my hair out, but sleep has been tough to come by, that's for sure.

©2010 Maria S. Cinnamon (left). Sugar Pie (right).

And with all this going on, I got an email from Izzy. Out of respect for her privacy, let's just say the trip was possibly going to be delayed for a VERY good reason. She and Mark were able to work things out, but it was all touch and go for a few days. In fact, they've already left for Georgia! They just don't know which cats they'll be taking from my group!

©2010 Maria S. Nap time with Sugar Pie and Honey B.

As Izzy and Mark drive south, I dream of the kitties coming north. Connie, who is going to foster Bobbi after she arrives, may drive to New Jersey with me on Sunday to pick up the kitties. She was just going to foster for a night, then bring Bobbi to Animals in Distress, but now has decided (with my suggestion) that a week in a quiet home would be better for her before she is moved again (or longer because Connie is so excited to have Bobbi live with her!).

I hope they can ALL make it. I have fears that we will leave one behind. I'll do what has to be done for the safety of the cats, but it will be with a heavy heart.

After all this work, it would really stink to have them miss the transport.

Mark your calendars. Sunday afternoon or early evening I'll be on my way to pick up the kitties. Then the fun really begins! If you pray, then please pray NONE of the cats break with URIs!!! I have PTSD flashbacks of “Santa's Team” ringing through my head. Please...not another 4 months of sick cats...and no dying cats, either! I ask a lot, but I'm only asking for their sake (75%) and mine (25%).

Stay tuned...

Bobbi is free. Free from the life in a cage on death row. Had we not pulled her when we did, she would already be gone, for at the Vet we found out that Bobbi has the beginnings of a URI (Upper Respiratory Infection)-which is a death sentence for cats in a shelter. Her skin is in such sorry condition that the Vet fears she also may have ringworm, so we did a culture called a DTM to rule that out. Her skin problems are most likely the result of having a bad flea infestation and not ringworm. When she was brought to Henry Co. Care & Control last week, they only saw the fleas. She was surrendered by her owner for reasons we will never know.

©2010 Maria S. Bobbi is FREE!

A just 5.5. pounds, Bobbi, though small in physical size, is still seriously underweight. It's possible her owner could not afford to feed her any longer. I've heard stories of folks in the south feeding their cats bread when they had no money for cat food. It's really a terrible situation for so many people. I suppose whoever relinquished her thought they were helping her, when they were just sending her off to die.

©2010 Maria S. You can really see how thin Bobbi is in this photo.

Bobbi is slow to eat much. She must be having trouble smelling her food. Her foster mama, Maria is going to get her some other things to eat to see if she can stimulate this thin baby's appetite.

Not only starving, but this cat must have been through some other Hell I can't imagine. Being covered with fleas and declawed, she is unable to relieve her itchy skin with a scratch. This, too me, is such torture, I can't imagine how this cat can still maintain a friendly and affectionate demeanor when she must be so uncomfortable. We're looking into finding a soothing bath and treatment that will help her feel more comfortable.

©2010 Maria S. Regardless of how lousy her life has been up to this point, Bobbi finally has a place to stretch out and relax.

Bobbi loves people. She's between 1 and 2 years old. How she got declawed on all four paws, but may not have been spayed, boggles my mind. Is her tail amputated or is she a manx? I don't even think I want to know at this point. All I know is we are going to get this cat well and get her a terrific home.

©2010 Maria S. Bobbi takes a moment to say; “Thank You for rescuing me!”

Due to her illness, it's not certain if she'll be able to make the transport late next week. It would really be terrible if she misses it, but we will do what we need to so she continues to get better. We MUST keep the other cats from getting sick, too. You and I both know the last thing we want to happen is to get a car load of sick cats! Not after last year's nightmare with Santa's Team and their 4 month battle with URi's and ringworm. Please not again!

This is definitely not great news, but it's not a complete setback, either. In the coming days, hopefully Bobbi will improve and regain her good health and we can look forward to celebrating her arrival...

That said, I have the feeling I may have to go on a road trip in a few weeks. Anyone want to drive to Georgia with me?

This little cat, sits serenely in a steel cage, waiting. For her, the time passes slowly, the sound of barking dogs and crying cats in constant alarm, makes it tough to sleep. She's sat in this small cage for days, wondering what will come next? Will her fate be, like so many others? The adults no one wants. Will someone come to her cage, lift her in their arms and instead of taking her away from this place, take her somewhere where her life will be ended by toxic gas or a needle to the heart, instead?

This is her reality. The odds are stacked against her. With a 98% euthanasia rate, she would have to win a lottery to escape this place alive.

©2010 Henry Co. Care & Control. Mini-Bobtail Cat Waits for Rescue that may never come.

Last week I asked for help for this “Mini-Bobcat,” declawed cat. Let's find someone to take this sweet cat into their home or find a rescue group to take her away from this madness, but no on stepped forward.

With donations dwindling, shelters bursting with abandoned and surrendered animals, who has room for one more cat? Who would make the effort to coordinate her rescue, her foster care, her transport?

It's a lot to ask. Once in awhile, when I do ask, someone listens. Then I can sit back and exhale. Someone helped her because I could not. Someone did the work and took the risk on her, so that she might live another day. We all think, “maybe someone will help her? I sure hope so.”

One day, maybe that someone will be YOU?

Today, maybe that someone is ME, Bobby, Izzy, Mark, Betsy, Maria, Connie and Carole. It took ALL of us to say; “THAT SOMEONE IS ME. I WILL TAKE A STAND FOR THIS ONE CAT BECAUSE HER LIFE MEANS SOMETHING AND I HAVE THE CAPACITY TO MAKE ROOM FOR ONE MORE, TO HELP ONE MORE, TO PAY THE VET BILL FOR ONE MORE.”

Today, this one adult cat, with no tail or claws, is safe. She has been lifted into the arms of a stranger, who will walk her out the door, never to return again. She will beat the odds because someone made an effort for her and someone cared.

If only all of us could be that "someone" for an animal in need. There are so many other cats and dogs in the same situation, who need the same chance to live a full life and who need all of us to step up, take a risk and take them out of these places and into safety.

©2010 Henry Co. Care & Control. Named: Bobbi, she has been rescued and will be transported to Connecticut, thanks to our friends at Animals in Distress for offering to give her a placement in their no-kill, cats only, shelter until she finds a home to call her own.

We will never win this battle alone or with our good wishes. We have to do more-first, Spay or Neuter our pets. Make sure our neighbors have done the same. If they can't afford it, find a way to help them. By doing so, you just saved many animals lives. There's a lot you can do, even if it seems to be a small thing. It all adds up. It all matters and makes a difference.

I visited with Carole and Connie last night at Animals in Distress, a small, local no-kill cat shelter. They have 3 rooms that are open so the cats there can freely walk around. There are cat trees aplenty and big windows to look out of. There are cages for the newcomers and for poor Gizmo, a big red tabby sweetheart. He has to be locked up at night-for his own safety. Poor Gizmo gets picked on by another cat and the staff make sure he is safe by keeping him in a very large cage overnight. This kitty is a big love monster with a sweet temperament. He wouldn't hurt a fly. He's on his own, now that his brother got adopted. This boy needs a good home, where he doesn't have to worry about being attacked.

Here's Gizmo's Petfinder Page

One of the cats at A.I.D. will not be getting adopted. Her name is Samantha, a big white kitty with tabby patches on her back and face. She sits serenely in a cat bed overlooking the room. She has a brain tumor and has to be medicated every other day. Her life may not be long, but she is not considered adoptable and the staff love her too much to let her go.

There are other kitties there who are too feral or too old to be placed in a home. They're the lucky ones. No harm will come to them. They are safe for as long as they live. I met other cats like Blondie and Norman and Norman's best buddy, Gatsby. You can see them all HERE.

But there was one cat who stole my heart. His name? Marshmellow.

©2010 Robin AF Olson. How cute is this tuxy boy?!

Marshy is a love bug, too. He loves to be HELD. He has a soft purr. His green eyes are stunning. His silly markings make you smile. I held him for a long time, even though his claws were, a bit long and the fabric of my shirt was a bit too thin. He likes to just sit quietly and hang out with the other cats. He doesn't seem to be a trouble maker, but has an impish quality about him. I am completely smitten with him.

Marshmellow has been waiting for a home for two months. I would so love to bring him home with me!

If you love this big, sweet boy, too, here's his Petfinder Page so you can read more about him.

It was getting late, almost 9pm. Carole and Connie have generously offered to help me with some “things” I will tell you about soon. In return, I will be helping them with a few “things” as well. It's curious. I just met Connie after she contacted me when she read the article about Chester being found. She was very kind and gracious to me and was so happy that Chester was safe and sound. We began chatting once in awhile. Connie asked me if I could help A.I.D. get the word out about their cats needing homes. They're facing very tough times and have had no adopters for awhile now.

Two shelters have moved in to the area. While that is good for the animals, it's bad for this little rescue. They have gotten lost in the shuffle. Volunteers are hard to come by and so are donations. They've been around since 1960-a rare thing in these hard times. They're not sure how much longer they can go on without more help. I promised I would lend a hand, as I can.

We fed the cats, each one getting their own bowl of food. Carole knew just what each cat liked and made sure they got what they wanted. After cleaning up and turning off the lights, it was our time to get going. I said goodnight to the kitties and walked out the front door. There was a loud humming sound coming from an air conditioning unit, but I thought I heard something else.

A cat was crying in the darkness. At first I wasn't sure, but then, yes, it was a cat, indeed. I said something to Connie and Carole, who were busy talking. They stopped, listened, then I saw the cat in the shadow of the Police Department building that was about 20 feet away. Connie let out a shriek and Carole ran to her car, grabbed a can of food and chased after the cat.

Connie was visibly upset. She asked me if the cat was gray and I said yes! She told me that the cat was theirs and his name was Gray. He had gone missing a few weeks ago! He normally NEVER meowed and they had not seen him since the night he escaped! Connie told Carole about Chester. She remarked that Connie should bring me down to the shelter so I could find Gray, too. Guess that worked out well!

Gray, just moments after being rescued.

Carole disappeared for a few minutes while we waited and hoped she would find the cat. I was told he was very friendly, so that was a good sign. Carole came running back, yelling to us to get the building open so she could get more food and a cat carrier! What cat would just go back into a cat carrier after being gone for weeks?

We rushed into the building. Carole grabbed what she needed and ran off. We followed her, but not too closely as we were worried we would scare Gray away. We could hear Carole calling to him. Meanwhile I saw a movement in the parking lot not far from us. It was a big skunk, headed our way. I motioned to Connie. Her eyes grew wide as she realized what was going on. If we made a run for it we might scare off the cat, but if we didn't run, the skunk might get scared and blast us!

Suddenly, it took a sharp turn and went another direction just as we heard the door of a cat carrier slam shut. Gray began vocalizing LOUDLY as Carole came out from behind a building, carrying him in a half run.

Gray gets brushed and fussed over, which he enjoyed between taking bites of food.

Gray's brother sat in the window at the shelter. The screen was open. He could hear his brother yeowl. We couldn't get Gray into the building fast enough. Carole feared he was COVERED with ticks. She wrapped him in a towel and brought him into the kitchen. Connie jumped in and began to pick tiny burrs off his coat. Carole checked him for fleas while they both continued to pick and brush his coat. He was in good shape, other than being far too thin. No sign of ticks or fleas! He nibbled at some kibble and enjoyed all the attention. At one point he laid down on his side and allowed belly rubs. This boy was home and he knew it.

Gray says hello to Marshmellow.

Once Gray was settled in his cage with lots of food and water, we, once again, turned off the lights to let the cats rest until morning. There was a bright yellow sign that said "LOST CAT" with a description and the shelter's number on it. It was hanging on a cork board near the front door. I told Carole she needed to scratch out the word “LOST” and write, “Found.” Tired as she was, she grabbed a pen and edited the poster, a smile forming on her lips.

This kitty is safe once again and in a place where he will be loved and cared for until his new family finds him. Not so different a journey than our dear friend, Chester made, who disappeared on the exact same date as Gray did so many weeks before.

The kittens are doing well at “Auntie” Maria's home. They're all enjoying their freedom, relaxing, having a full belly and playing with lots of toys. They're just approaching their 6th week birthday! Only two more weeks until they arrive. I can't wait!

Moonpie and Pattycake are doing well, along with their Mama. She was spayed a few days ago and her recovery went smoothly. She's feeling well and is almost ready to leave to meet her new mama in South Carolina.

For these seven kitties, life is looking good!

In honor of it being Sunday, I hope you all get a chance to snuggle up with your babies today, give them extra love and take some time to relax!

Last year, our friend, Jenna from Greenville, South Carolina, helped me rescue a cat named, Will, who had been hit by a car. Jenna got her friend, Dr. Anderson, to help her care and treat Will's injuries. A few weeks later, Will was adopted by my dear friend, Clare, here in Connecticut.

Today, Jenna writes me about a dire situation for a young cat named, Jude. It is my hope that we can find:

1. An adopter. Local would be great, but just about anywhere in the USA is fine, too, if you have a good Vet reference and are ready to be committed to providing care for this cat. We can get this kitty to you. There may not even be a charge for transport.

2. A local or out-of-state rescue group who will care for Jude and find him a great home.

From Jenna: Jude's Story

Jude is just under a year old. He has been seen in the dumpsters of our local High School when school is in session and there is garbage to be had. He comes into my garage at night because and I have started to feed him. He cries when he comes in and he is enormously affectionate and sweet. His downfall is that he is food agressive although he is eating a bit less now and he seems to be somewhat better although not perfectly at this time. [Robin note: I feel fairly confident this is not an issue. Once he has regular meals, he will change.] After he eats he is on his back, rubbing and rolling and bumping me for affection. I will be moving soon and I have asked everyone around me if they would feed him and that I would provide a bed, bowls, and food for them so that it would cost nothing and not one person agreed to help me. It is not an animal neighborhood and I live in the south which is a story in itself. He is pathetic only wanting a little love and food. In our horrific heat here he lives in the storm drains.

I have had him vetted. He is neutered, Feleuk/FIV negative, all shots, dewormed/defleaed. He had severe ear mites and an infected inner ear and a hgih temperature which has been dealt with and he should be okay health wise. He eats like there is no tomorrow and I am feeding him up to 6 scoops of food every night until he slows down and stops for awhile.

I am desparate to find a place for him. I will have him put to sleep otherwise because my neighborhood would not support him and I will not be here to keep feeding him. Anything you can offer me would be so wonderful. I worry each and every night when I go to sleeep what is going to happen to him. Again I would pay you or someone to take him. I don't know what else to do. There are so many in need of homes here he would never have a chance.

If you're interested in helping Jude by offering him a place to stay with your rescue group or if you love this cute fellow and want to offer him a forever home, please contact Jenna at: tomjeng@charter.net (864)801-3177

You can also help by posting this information on your blog, Twitter feed or Facebook page. Someone in South Carolina will see it and we can get this boy some help! Thank you!

I checked my email late last night. There were lots and lots of pleas for cats in dire need. Cats of all ages. Some were local, some were from good old Henry Co. There was an urgent notice put out that three kittens had been there too long and that by 7am they were slated to be euthanized if a rescue didn't come forward to save their lives.

I looked at the photos and descriptions. Any one of these cats would make a great addition to any family. I asked myself what I could do to help? I don't have any more space in my own home to foster these cats. My dear foster mama in Georgia is also full up. I don't know where I could board the cats and even if I did, I still could not take them here. I looked at the photo, below. It's an “odd-eyed” (one green and one blue) white kitten. She's sitting on a little bed. The pattern on the fabric is whimsical with cute little candy corns on it. For some reason this got to me. I started to cry. This poor little kitty has no idea her life is about to end in a few more hours.

I talked to Sam. I asked him; “Should I tell my readers about this even though there is no time to put in place a rescue or adoption? Or should I just not say anything? There are SO MANY that need help, I can't list them all. No one likes to know about these cats dying when they can't do much to help them. It's so frustrating and painful! And the cccccandy corn bed!!”..then I started crying again.

It's one thing for me to cry, but for this situation, I felt it was better to hope that someone could step in and help them, knowing that help was probably too late to arrive.

©2010 Henry Co. Care & Control. Odd-Eyed White kitty with a blue and a green eye.

I could not sleep. Not a wink. I was very tired from the stress of seeing my client fall ill and be whisked off in the ambulance a few hours earlier. I kept thinking about the kittens. I just felt sick and angry. I want to go to Georgia and make them pass a law that forces everyone to Spay & Neuter their pets! No, not realistic, but I'm entitled to my wishes, right?

©2010 Henry Co. Care & Control. Little Flame Point with lovely blue eyes.

I got up at 1AM. I sat on the sofa with one of the cats and had a cup of mint tea to settle my tummy. I tried to feel sleepy, but it didn't work. I didn't want to go near my computer, but I didn't want to wake Sam up by turning on the TV. I got up and walked to my office and turned the computer back on. I poked around and looked at my email, went on Facebook, then...it dawned on me. I knew it was stupid but what the heck?

©2010 Henry Co. Care & Control. Little Lynxy Point with lovely blue eyes, too. What a charmer!

A few days prior, we had a new visitor on the Covered in Cat Hair Facebook page. She, too, did fostering and rescue right in Georgia! She has a Blog about her foster cats that was really cute. I don't know what prompted me, but I sent her an email entitled; “Silly Question.” It was 2AM. I told her about the kittens and asked if she might know anyone that could help. Realizing it was the 11th hour...

A few MINUTES later, she wrote me back. She just happened to be awake, medicating one of her cats. She wrote me a sweet note and said to send her the info, so I did. I sent her listings on 6 or 7 cats. I waited...

She wrote me back. She cc:d Betsy, our contact at Henry Co. She said to go ahead and pull ID#'s...1, 2, 3...KITTENS! My stomach flipped. My heart skipped a beat...did she just say YES to taking the kittens? Did that mean I was going to foster them here? I HAVE NO SPACE!!!

I quickly wrote her back and told her my concerns. Her kind reply was that, no, she didn't need me to find homes. She could do that locally. She just needed me to get the kittens busted out and have our SUPER BEST FRIEND IN THE WORLD, BOBBY, pick them up and get them to the Vet. She would do the rest!

And so...at 3AM, just FOUR HOURS before these kittens took their last breath, the paperwork for them would be updated to read; “RESCUE HOLD,” but in the language of the shelter means;

BUSTED OUT! SAVED! RESCUED! GETS TO GROW UP AND HAVE A LIFE WITH A LOVING FAMILY AND NEVER BE INSIDE A METAL CAGE AGAIN!

I sent out some emails and did what I needed to do to get things in order. I was feeling pretty wobbly I needed to try to sleep. I set my alarm for 6:45AM to make sure Betsy got my message. I crawled into bed next to Sam. I woke him up. I whispered that I was sorry, but I couldn't wait to tell him something. I tried to keep calm, but I couldn't hold back the tears any more. I started to cry again, as I told him the kittens were saved and he said a sleepy “Oh that's so wonderful!” as he held me tight. I thought about the little kitten and the silly candy corn print cat bed, but this time, as the tears fell down my cheeks, they were not tears of grief-they were tears of joy.

©2010 Henry Co. Care & Control

©2010 Henry Co. Care & Control

©2010 Henry Co. Care & Control

Please thank Kate for stepping up and helping us out. As a "Thank You" to her, I paid her Vet bill. I felt like it was the least I could do. Please also thank, Bobby, for picking up the kitties this afternoon and sitting with them at the Vet's office and for making sure they are safe and loved until they go to foster care.