Needs a Home

There's been a lot of emotion wrapped up in searching for, then finding Chester. At first, there was dread and fear that we would never find him or find he had passed away. Then there was the fear that once found he would not survive the day, but...somehow he did.

I called the Vet a few times to check in on Chester's progress. Each time I called I had a knot in my stomach. This might as well have been one of my own cats, I felt such worry. I tried to steal myself against the possibility that my call would end in tears.

Baby steps. Chester is slowly improving. He's not going to bounce back as a kitten would, but considering everything? Heck, he is eating on his own and sitting up. That's great in my book.

So today instead of calling, Sam and I went to visit Chester. The knot tightened up as I walked to the door of the small clapboard building that housed the Animal Emergency Clinic of Danbury. There was a man sitting in the waiting area with a big dog. I wondered what was wrong with him. The person at the front desk was very nice and told us to wait a few minutes while she got Chester.

The Tech came out holding Chester in a blue towel. She told us to join her in the exam room. She gingerly put Chester down on the exam table. His back end wasn't too strong, so he laid down on his side. We both began to carefully pet him, not wanting to break his fragile form. He was just as skinny as ever, but when I slipped my index finger under his right front paw, he gave it a little squeeze.

©2010 Robin AF Olson, Chester on his soft towel being the proper host.

His paws were nice and warm. I rubbed his cheeks. He pushed back on my hand. Sam rubbed his rump and his tail wiggled. Every little thing he did was a miracle.

©2010 Robin AF Olson, Chester is still pooped, but is hanging in there.

Chester had a very familiar melancholy look on his face. It reminded me of my own cat, Bob Dole (who is finally doing better, by the way...). I wondered what Chester was thinking about. I'm sure he was missing his family.

©2009 Robin AF Olson, Bob reminds me of Chester and vice versa.

We spent a few minutes with Chester. I didn't want to interrupt his resting, after all, but I knew that some lovin' would also help him fee better. The Vet came in and talked to us about Chester. She felt he was doing well, considering everything. Then the Tech came back and took Chester away. I said good bye. I couldn't help but cry. I wondered what would happen when Chester's family came to get him. If he would make it home. If I would ever hear about how he was doing?

The vividness of all that happened with this rescue hit me hard...finding Chester was one of the best moments of my life. With all the rescue, the funds raised, the families I've helped...this one cat has really gotten to me. I can still see his face in my mind's eye, that face amid the brambles and brush, motionless as a statue, but with the still beating heart of a lion.

©2010 Robin AF Olson, My new buddy, Chester!

So in theory, the story ends about here. The family comes to get him and I go back to...what was I doing?

Then, two things happened.

1: The Vet Tech asked if she could show me this cat who had been dumped at the clinic. He has NO name. He is deformed or has nerve damage and they want to find him a home. Can I help?

©2010 Robin AF Olson, Who the Heck is THIS?

So here he is. I'll do more of a write up about him soon. He's about 2, VERY VERY friendly and needs a new home to call his own. He loves everyone. His left front leg has been checked out by a neurologist who said he can either take the leg or leave it since the cat uses it and doesn't seem to be hampered by it at all, so they decided to leave it. If you want to know more, you can call The Danbury Animal Emergency Clinic at 203-790-6383

2. While I was writing this post, Chester's Mom called me from Maine. She wanted to take me up on my offer to transport Chester to Dr. Larry for a few extra days of care. Chester's "Uncle" is going to pick him up on Wednesday and bring him to Maine to be reunited with his family and to get more Vet care as needed. They just want him stable enough to travel and the Emergency Clinic closes at 8am tomorrow, so it looks like this story isn't going to end here and I WILL be seeing Chester again, soon!

What will happen next is anyone's guess. I've got more cats to rescue and one cat to transport to Dr. Larry-who is recovering from an emergency kidney stone removal operation! AND..who had this done the day before his birthday! Oh, Dr. Larry we hope you are well this week and we know we owe you a birthday present. Would you like to take care of a geriatric cat I rescued? That would be fun, right? Okay, what about a nice bottle of red wine?...AND a geriatric cat I rescued?

I'm not getting any younger. That's for sure. Every day new aches pop up and the type on cat food can labels looks like a secret code only a mouse could read. I don't have children (other than furry ones) and my family is sparse, mostly non-cat people (how that happened, I don't know) or I hate their guts (oops).

That leaves me with a predicament.

Who will care for my cats after I die? Sam and I are together so often that we could die together in an accident. What then? What if Sam dies first, then I die?

©2009 Robin A.F. Olson. Bob has already had two families that I know of. Will he have another one day?

I have a Will. In it, I dictated that the Director of the group I'm with should find homes for my cats. I have come to realize that that choice is not a good one any longer. I would rather know the homes my cats are going to now, if, at all possible. Just as people do with children, I would like to choose “Godparents” for my cats.

Am I being morbid? NO. I'm being realistic. Shit happens even when you're 18 or 32. I'm pushing the big 5-0. I've been lucky so far, but one day the luck will run out.

©2008 Robin A.F. Olson. Cricket sleeps. My former feral is mostly too shy around anyone but us. What will become of him? He's a really sweet boy. He would not make it in a shelter.

I started to imagine putting just one person in charge of all the cats. They would get my house, most of my stuff, but would have to live here until all the cats pass away (naturally!), then they can do what they want with the stuff. But that's a lot to ask.

The other problem is that the people who would give my cats the best home, already HAVE, in most cases, quite a few cats, already. Asking them to take 8 more is too much. Perhaps, asking them to take one or two is possible?

I don't have to have it all sorted out in a day (I hope), but I dipped my toe into the water to see how it would feel. I asked someone to take Bob Dole, should he outlive me.

I asked, Super-Deb.

©2009 Robin A.F. Olson. Spencer. The pouffy cat with his own fan club. Spencer is my beloved, but he wouldn't be an easy fit into just any home. He must have play time or he can be bossy with other cats. He's an alpha-boy, too and does not like belly rubs or to be picked up. That said, he loves to be near me at all times and he's “my boy.”

I love Super-Deb, but who wouldn't love someone who is super? Even though I've known SD for many years, I don't know her very well. She is a private person, with me, but I get the feeling she's shared things with me that maybe not many other people know. She may seem to be a bit guarded, but it doesn't take long for her to reveal a wicked dry sense of humor. Her devotion to her own animals and her loving care of them is a beautiful sight to behold. She really knows her stuff and has been a mentor to me during so many crises and a calming voice during the worst of it.

©2009 Robin A.F. Olson. Petunia or “'Tunie” as I call her. She should be called; “Princess.” She's clever, chats with me and can do tricks, but she is high strung-no wonder, she's one of the lowest cats and I know the boys pick on her some times. She would be great in a home with no other cats other than her mama, Gracie. I know she would blossom.

She's jokingly called “Aunt Debbie” when Bob goes to Dr. Larry's. Bob loves her and vice versa. He will let her brush him and he won't let me do as much. I only want Bob to visit Dr. Larry when Aunt Debbie is there to oversee his care. It's a perfect fit for SD to take Bob.

©2009 Robin A.F. Olson. I should re-name this cat, “Poor-Gracie.” for she is not in good shape. I'll write more about her, separately, but she's had a very long road with a skin ailment that's taken her beauty and her joy in life. She needs a kind hand and a knowledgeable person to keep her healthy.

Yesterday we were talking on the phone about my worries about Gracie. I didn't have the nuts to ask her about Bob, so I sent her an email, shyly asking her to ignore my being a loonie, and would she consider taking Bob (along with some money for his care) if something happens to me and Sam? She wrote back a resounding YES!

A few minutes later, my phone rang. SD blurted; “Can I have Blitzen, too?!”

©2010 Robin A.F. Olson. Bob and Blitz. Some days things are just perfect.

I didn't want to ask her for that, thinking it was too big of a request, but of course, YES. I would be happy for her to take him, too.

I've got four more cats to figure out homes for, unless Sam wants me to try to place his cats, too, and then it will be six. Once we have this worked out, I go to my lawyer. I want to protect my cats as much as I can after I die. They shouldn't have to face death row at a shelter because they might be older or sickly. It's not fair to them at all.

©2009 Robin A.F. Olson. I assume there will be a fist-fight over Nicky, but with Nicky, comes Nora. Maybe they can go back and live with their brothers; “Charles and Bailey,” but I haven't asked just yet.

I hope that all of you will think about this and how it effects your own life and cat-family. Yes, it's scary or creepy or “you just don't want to go there,” but if you don't “go there” it's selfish. What of your cats? Their future well-being? Your dogs? Some times you have to do things that are unpleasant, but knowing you have it worked out, for when your time comes? Well, hopefully, it's a great comfort to you and most assuredly, the least you can do for your pets.

A few weeks ago, we learned about Alice, from our friends at the Milwaukee Animal Rescue Center. Little Alice, unlike the rest of her siblings, was suffering with a serious eye problem. Not sure Alice would ever have sight, then ARC jumped into action, making sure Alice had every chance to see the world around her. The arranged a bake sale, the asked for help to raise money for potential surgeries and to see a specialist.

©Amy Rowell, ARC

Alice has many Guardian Angels. One in particular, who I can't name, is a reader and friend to CiCH. This person, dug very deep into her pocket and with her generosity, literally changed this kitten's life, forever-for the better. When you think just one person can't make a difference, think again. Without that person, without ARC, their volunteers, all the folks who baked yummy treats and who gave their time and effort to getting Alice to the Vet numerous times and to make sure she got love and care, too...well, it's just amazing how many people-acting together, stepped up and said; “I can do something. Let me do my part to make this one cat's life the best it can be.” They didn't know it would work out. They only did their part of this and woven together, what a fine tapestry they made!

©Amy Rowell, ARC. Alice among the toys.

Today, I received an update from Amy Rowell, one of the folks at ARC. She wrote:

“Alice is great! She is responding so well to her treatments and we may be able to avoid surgery - one of the defects self corrected as a result of our quick access to the specialist and diligent care in her foster care home...we've spent close to $700 on medications, exams, and diagnostics already - so if we can avoid surgery, I'll be one happy camper!
The other defect may not be operable...we will see as she grows in the next two weeks how that one develops - but in the meantime it is not harming her or limiting her - she has caught up to her littermates in reaching developmental milestones and for certain has some level of vision as she is able to navigate in her environment! We are continuing with two meds right now and crossing paws - her next appointment is in 2 weeks!”

We hope Alice will continue to do well and we send her lots of love and good wishes! I'll be posting updates on Alice as they are available. Until then-thank you to everyone who stepped up to help this kitten and who rescue kittens everywhere.

Candytuft will be leaving tomorrow. He's getting neutered in the morning, then will most likely be put up for adoption once he has some time to recover. Writing this makes it seem like a simple statement, but reaching this moment was not a sure bet.

Candy, 18 days ago.

I didn't know we'd make it. Candy was one of the nastiest kittens I've dealt with so far. He still has a knee-jerk reaction to hiss, but it doesn't mean anything now. It's like a person gasping when startled, instead of a person flipping out and punching you in the face when startled.

Candy, 8 days ago.

Candy, today.

Someone liked to watch the weather report with me. I'm not sayin' who.

Happy, at last and loving life.

I'm by no means a professional feral kitten socializer, but here are some thoughts/tips:

Most important-“tough love”...sequester the kitten away from all animals and people. You will be the only one he/she sees for the next few days, until he/she is socialized.

A little shy for a moment or two? Don't worry, Candy!

1. GO SLOW. Don't expect too much and don't talk a lot to the kitten at first, it's just another thing that can cause a fearful reaction. If you do talk, keep it to a whisper. Don't move too much or too fast until you feel the kitten is comfortable with you.

2. The toothbrush was the key (I attached it to a wooden stick to make it longer-keeping my hand safe and allowed the kitten to stay at a comfortable distance). It's small, not threatening and it really made a big difference. Candy loved the feeling of being brushed even if, at first, it scared him. Within a short period of time, I encouraged Candy to come closer to me to get brushed, then snuck my hand in to replace the brush. He got scared, but quickly loved being petted, as it reminding him of the touch of his mama.

Candy LOVED eating raw (today's meal included some dehydrated chicken treats crumbled on top).

3. I gave high value treats off a baby spoon (again, a tiny sized item that is not threatening) attached to a longer wooden spoon. A raw diet is a high value treat. I used ground raw rabbit (sorry!). You can use ground turkey, chicken, duck, quail, venison, not beef. Make sure the meat also has the proper nutrients added. There are many pre-mixed brands of raw food out there.

4. Chicken baby food with no rice is also a good treat. Encourage the kitten to come closer to you as you feed the treat. Also, KEEP THE KITTEN HUNGRY. Don't leave out tons of food. When you bring the treat, the kitten will start to come out to see you, knowing there will be food. Always have good food on you the first few days until the kitten is more confident.

Silly boy!

5. With Candy, I began to realize he was all bark and no bite. His hissing was a sign of fear, but after a few days, there was aggression. As much as I could, I didn't react when he hissed, I either distracted him with a toy, or petted him until he forgot to be hissy. Once he was getting petted, he was so happy, he would not hiss.

6. Have no expectation of outcome. Just let the kitten go at his/her own pace. You'll be surprised at how fast they move along-far faster than you expect!

I hope these informal pointers help you with your feral fosters. Cats CAN change if you give them the time and are patient, but also know when to give them a push to challenge them on to the next step.

I hereby award you, little Candytuft, the first ever, Good Kittizenship Award, given only to feral kitties who meet the following criteria listed below.

Concatulations Candy! You've become a very friendly little man. I hope you'll find yourself a happy home, full of love and you never have a sad or difficult day for the rest of your life.

Cuddles was “reclaimed” by the woman who brought her to Henry County because her kids were really upset that the Mama and kittens were gone. I don't know if this is a good thing or bad. I fear that when the kittens get bigger, and don't get spayed/neutered, it will make things a lot worse. The woman may still bring the kittens back or the mama or both, as supposedly Cuddles was a stray in the first place.

Time will tell. For now, she is safely out of Henry and for that, we must be grateful. There are two other Mamas and kittens who are in DIRE NEED OF LICENSED GEORGIA RESCUE to step up and get these guys OUT!!!

If any GA Licensed rescue contacts me, I will personally be glad to help you get the word out to raise funds for the care of these cats and I will certainly donate to help them, as well.

These are the cats who are still in need. They have until Monday, 8AM. That's it. Please spread the word. We need a Licensed Georgia Rescue Group to pull these mamas and babies.

Really really awesome family! Mom ID# 6/17-2237 is young and super sweet, her 4 kits are just gorgeous and over the hump so to speak, they are older toddlers and fat healthy butterballs.

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Really really awesome family! Mom ID# 6/7-2237 is young and super sweet, her 3 kits are just gorgeous and over the hump so to speak, they are older toddlers and fat healthy butterballs.

As always with nursing families they are available to Georgia Dept of Ag licensed rescues only. If you choose to seek out of state help please be prepared to use your in state license.

**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.

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

Candy, taken a few days ago. One of the first times I saw exposed belly! Then I noticed something else, Candy is BOY! Hee hee!

It's been two weeks since Candytuft arrived. Each day there have been small improvements. Candy continues to impress me with his willingness to trust and to go outside his comfort zone.

Don't be scared, Candy!

The key was I kept using the good ol' toothbrush on the little guy, any time he would hiss, to get him to change course, so to speak. I never let him scare me away. If he hissed, I ignored it. Eventually, the hissing has reduced down to just a few times a day. I'm aiming for no times per day and if he can continue to gain confidence, it will happen.

Candy trying to figure out if I'm scary without makeup on. The answer: YES!

After a week had passed, I allowed Candy to explore more and more of the foster room, until I felt confident that he could stay out of the crate and not hide when I came into the room. It took a few days. Each session of being "free" was longer and longer. He never really hid. He did get into a small space, but he always came out to explore toys or, of course, eat high value food. His favorite-raw meat! He loves Raw! He would rather eat it than anything else I've tempted him with.

Candy poses with his stuffed kitty cat friend.

Now out of the crate 24/7, Candy's mood seems better. He seems happier and is very spunky and playful. I know he's lonely, but the “tough love” of keeping him sequestered has forced him to find love with humans. When he's not trying to play-attack me, he wants to sit on my lap, purr, or play close by. At times, I think he confuses me with a cat tree and I have the scratches to prove it. It's a huge change from the terrified, angry soul who first arrived such a short time ago.

Candy has also taken to watching TV from his perch atop the dog crate.

All in all, Candy is just about ready to go. He's slated to be neutered next week, so it won't be long before he leaves. I need to make sure he's ok with me standing near him or picking him up. He sat on Sam's lap last night, so that was good, too. If he stops hissing when he gets scared, I'll feel more confident that he's ready. I think another week would be great, but hopefully wherever he goes next, he won't regress. At least he knows humans are not scary and he's stopped being angry and aggressive towards me.

As I was writing, I heard a curious meow coming from outside my window. It was Buddy, the feral I trapped a few years ago. He still comes here to eat almost every day, but he looked thin. I know Buddy's been around the block, and then some. He's not a young cat. His ears are ragged. He coat is wet from the recent rain. I realized that Candy could have faced the same life as Buddy's, if I hadn't taken the time to work with him. Yes, Candy would have had a caretaker and possibly have been released with his mother, but what life would he ultimately have had? And he would have been released at only 9 weeks old. I doubt he would have lived very long on his own.

I'm very glad I don't have to imagine that future for this little cat. Very glad, indeed.

Yesterday I was asked to take a fractious feral kitten in to foster to see if I could socialize her. I was told to think “Tweetie” as far as her friendliness factor was concerned. If you recall, Tweetie was a fear-biter and it was fairly certain he would have to be released back to the woods if I couldn't socialize him. It's one thing to take a kitten into foster and get it ready for a family, but when it's nasty to start with there's the added pressure of trying to get a good result, but not having much time to do it in.

Here's Candytuft. Okay, where is she?

Last month I attended the NEFHS Conference where I learned about a new program being developed that quickly turns kittens around from being nasty to nice. It's called ”Fearful 2 Friendly”

What's amazing about this program is that within a few HOURS you can turn a kitten around IF you follow their rules. Okay, so I took one class. I didn't buy their DVD (because if you read my previous post about it you know that there were some “creative”-aka, annoying problems with the soundtrack that caused me to think twice about PAYING to hear it all over again).

I decided I'd give it a try from memory. Basically, you lock the kitten up, alone. Don't give it anywhere to hide. Then, SLOWLY take a step towards the cage and wait until the cat shows you a sign that is positive. Maybe it blinks or puts its' head down or even doesn't hiss or flick the tail. Any small sign, then leave the room. This is what the cat wants but you only do it when the cat is doing a behavior that is POSITIVE. It's like playing “red light, green light.” If the cat hisses you wait until it stops and does a good behavior.

Oh, there she is! What a cutie. Too bad she hates my guts right now. I'm going to put her in the dog crate. She will not like this, but so be it.

After awhile you end up getting closer to the cage and the cat does NOT react. If it does you have to take some steps back and re-apporach the cage. In time you'll touch the cage. If that works, then leave again. Keep leaving after each progress and positive reaction from the cat. Eventually you'll be able to open the crate without any reaction.

The big kicker is to use a brush at the end of a pole that's about 12-18 inches long. Let the cat warm up to the brush FIRST. The first time you touch the cat, it should be with the brush. The kittens seem to react very passionately about being touched that way. Once you get them going, it's easy to sneak your hand in there, but this is based on a vertical cage (so you can access it at your full height standing). My dog crate is on the floor and not sure I will be able to get in the cage without freaking out the kitten.

Bottom line-you don't want to grab the kitten or use food as bait to build confidence. You train the cat that you will do what it wants when it does positive things, not hiss or growl and such.

Candytuft is the name of a flower! Who knew? Not me. She's adorable as can be. I want to give her a big kiss, but I want to keep my lips so I'll wait and hope that some day I will be able to tell you about how I can hold her and pet her and give her all the love she wants.

So today I began. I got as far as to touch the cage and she did well overall. I only had to re-start once. Blitzen keeps trying to get into the room with me, so I have to lock him up while I do the training. Since it's just the first day, I'll give it another try tomorrow. Candy just got here and I don't want to overdo it. I feel silly taking a step, waiting, getting the result, then leaving the room. I count out 30 to 60 seconds and I go back in and do it again. I sure hope this works because I feel like Candy is wondering what the heck this silly human is up to.

Good question. Not sure I know the answer.

Thank You to everyone who so graciously posted the information about Oscar & Henry, the two boys who need to be re-homed now that their Soldier-Mama is being transferred. I've been in touch with their foster Mom and she is really hopeful we can find them a great home. She's allergic to the kitties, but wants to help them out. How gracious is that?

Anyway, thank you ALL for your help. I'll let you know when we get some good news on the boys!

Can you Help a Soldier out?

These two super sweet, 18 month old brothers are best friends, but sadly their mama is a soldier and is going to be transferred a lot in the next few years and she just can't keep her boys any longer.

Both cats have tested negative for Feline Leukemia and FIV. They have good litter box manners, are neutered and are up to date on their shots. We're asking that these two cats STAY together as it just wouldn't be right to separate these loving boys.

If you dream of having two cats who get along, these are your boys! The cats come with their litter box, cat carriers and their toys, too.

The cats are located in DERBY, CONNECTICUT in foster care, but their foster mom is allergic to them so the sooner we get them homes, the better!

If you can help a Soldier and save two kitties lives, please Contact: Christa 203-751-7523

If you aren't ready to adopt new kitties, would you please help me spread the word? Thank you!

My Friend, Karen does cat rescue in the area of Miami, Florida. She needs help getting the word out about her foster kitties; Pearl & Summer. In a purr-fect world, Mama-Pearl and daughter-Summer would be adopted together, but she certainly understands that it's a lot to ask, so she'd be thrilled with two good homes for her sweet girls.

Karen IS willing to transport the cats to a great adopter, so don't let distance be a problem for you if you're interested in these cats.

Lastly, if you don't have room in your home for a new kitty, would you please let your friends know about Pearl & Summer? That would big a great help to these cats and simple to do. You can use the “ReTweet” button on the top right of this post or just send folks to www.coveredincathair.com Thanks so much for your help!

Mama-Pearl. What a sweet face!

Beautiful rescued mom PEARL and her gorgeous 11-week-old baby girl kitten, SUMMER are terrific, affectionate kitties! They're looking for loving people & good homes. Both are healthy, tested negative for FeLk/FIV, w/shots & dewormed.

Pearl is 2 years old & spayed, & spay is included for Summer. Little Summer is a tri-color kitten (with too-cute markings on face and tummy!). She is perfectly socialized & friendly with everyone – confident, playful & loving.

Baby-girl, Summer. Irresistible Cutey!

Pearl is a pretty, purring, chatty, playful young adult tortie with bright colors, gentle & outgoing. Both are so easy to handle & so easy to love. They adore people & will be ideal companions. Hurry to adopt adorable Summer and/or sweetheart Pearl for yourself & they’ll thank you with big purrs!!!

To adopt precious PEARL and/or baby SUMMER, please contact Cat Network mom, Karen at 305-665-1639 or karen90@attglobal.net today!

p.s. Both Summer and Pearl have adorable facial markings, and Summer has bright, cute zig-zag colors on her tummy. They both love to purr and be cozy with their people!