My Adopted Kitties
Tuesday, June 30, 2009
Sunday, June 28, 2009
Kitty Pictures
Nuala gets friendly sparring lessons from my older calicos, Chi-Chi and Elsie. This is Elsie.
Keely
Molly (and Keely's rear)
Cute picture of Nuala
Keely and Molly are both scheduled to be fixed July 11th. Once they are fixed (and recovered a bit), they will be available for adoption for $70. If you would be interested in adopting either of these kittens, you can email me (see the email cat on the sidebar), and I'll contact the higher-ups in FuRR, or you can email FuRR directly at saveacat @ teamfurr.org (remove the spaces).
Nuala is probably spoken for. :D
We were at PetSmart in North Little Rock today, and we adopted out at least 4 cats, I think it was 5. One of them was a 2 year old black cat known as Willow. We're always happy (and sad, too, of course, if we've fostered them) to see them find good families, but especially happy when the non-kittens get adopted.
Article About FuRR In Our State Paper
Okay, well, it's more about how the vet who so graciously offers FuRR his services, offering us his services, but hey. We take publicity where we can get it.
This article belongs to Arkansas Democrat Gazette. I do not take credit for it at all.
Veterinarian has a soft spot for FuRR
By Jennifer Nixon
Arkansas Democrat-Gazette
You see it pretty often, that stray cat roaming the neighborhood. You don't own it, but you feed it and look out for it. Now imagine that cat has a litter of kittens. And those cats grow up to have kittens. Pretty soon, you're looking at a neighborhood being overrun by feral cats.
Neighborhood strays, cared for but not owned, fall into what FuRR (Feline Rescue and Rehome) volunteer Dr. Cole Bierbaum calls "the gray zone."
"We started noticing that once it became and issue, that's when people would make the phone call," explains Bierbaum, a full-time veterinarian at Pinnacle Valley Animal Hospital.
That phone call would lead to the cats being trapped by animal services and taken to a shelter where the unadoptable cats would live a sad existence and then be destroyed.
It's that situation that FuRR tries to prevent.
"Our goal was, first, to try to contain or control that issue- to stop the process.
"People alert us to a cat they've been taking care of that's not really theirs but yet they really want to do something about it."
FuRR began as an offshoot of Central Arkansas Rescue Effort for Animals (CARE). A group of CARE members wanted to focus on feral cat issues and, since CARE, didn't have the resources to support such an organization, they started their own organization in 2003.
Today, FuRR is still the only organized group in Arkansas that does feral cat rescue and TNR (trap, neuter, release).
"We work over the whole state," says FuRR board president Lynne McAllester. "Our board is still doing all the grassroots work. We all get out and trap and transport. We're very proud of that. We haven't lost that connection to our mission."
After receiving a call, FuRR volunteers trap the cat and take it in to be spayed or neutered. From that point, there are several options. If the cat has a caregiver, it is returned to its old stomping grounds. If the cat is socialized- a cat that has been a pet but was abandoned by its owners, for instance- or if it's a young kitten, a foster or adoptive family is found. Otherwise, FuRR uses its network of feral cat colony caretakers to find the animal a new place to live.
FuRR also tries to help with cats that are owned but whose owners can't afford sterilization, offering low-cost spay/neuter clinics and other financial help.
The whole object is to sterilize as many cats as possible, Bierbaum says, "so we don't get to that point where we get the pregnancy or the overpopulation and people are having to surrender them to a shelter or give them away at Wal-Mart."
Sterilization doesn't just keep a neighborhood from becoming overrun by cats. It's in a city's best financial interests as well.
Bierbaum says, "It makes more economic sense for the city to have a pet sterilized than for the city to...trap it, house it, and then have to euthanize. It helps financially. Have the pet sterilized and there will be no more."
As funding and foster home space allow, FuRR rescues shelter cats that are in danger of being killed, saving cats and easing the burden on shelters. The organization's projects have also grown to include more fostering and education programs.
Educating the public about the importance of spaying and neutering and thus nipping the problem in the bud is vital.
"It all starts with public awareness and responsibility," Bierbaum says.
For FuRR, that education and awareness go beyond sterilization issues.
McAllester says, " We try to work with people."
FuRR provides support and cat care education for people when needed. Cat owners experiencing problems have called FuRR looking for help and advice.
"We've found a lot of success in talking with people and sharing what their problems are," McAllester says.
Those problems are frequently financial or behavioral. Or a new owner might just have trouble adjusting to the realities of cat care, McAllester says. "Many times we can work that out. We try to keep the kitties in their home with their families."
Volunteers are crucial to keeping FuRR running. Vets like Bierbaum provide their services, doing the reduced cost spay/neuter clinics and giving other medical help and advice. Other volunteers help trap cats, serve as foster families or care for feral colonies.
On the financial side, FuRR is supported primarily by donations and by yard sales in the spring and fall.
"We have a huge need for homes and foster homes right now," McAllester says. Due in large part to the economic troubles, more cats are being abandoned.
In addition to FuRR, Bierbaum helped several other animal organizations, including CARE, the cities of Maumelle and Sherwood animal services, Helping Hands for Little Paws, and All About Labs, a Labrador retriever rescue group.
While some of these organizations have different specialties, they all work closely with each other and with local government. "We all work together for the common purpose to spread awareness that this is an issue," Bierbaum says. "It won't go away. It only gets worse."
"If we address it now, we can be a very progressing city where pets aren't suffering."
For more information about FuRR, visit www.teamfurr.org or call (501) 661-0956.
This article belongs to Arkansas Democrat Gazette. I do not take credit for it at all.
Veterinarian has a soft spot for FuRR
By Jennifer Nixon
Arkansas Democrat-Gazette
You see it pretty often, that stray cat roaming the neighborhood. You don't own it, but you feed it and look out for it. Now imagine that cat has a litter of kittens. And those cats grow up to have kittens. Pretty soon, you're looking at a neighborhood being overrun by feral cats.
Neighborhood strays, cared for but not owned, fall into what FuRR (Feline Rescue and Rehome) volunteer Dr. Cole Bierbaum calls "the gray zone."
"We started noticing that once it became and issue, that's when people would make the phone call," explains Bierbaum, a full-time veterinarian at Pinnacle Valley Animal Hospital.
That phone call would lead to the cats being trapped by animal services and taken to a shelter where the unadoptable cats would live a sad existence and then be destroyed.
It's that situation that FuRR tries to prevent.
"Our goal was, first, to try to contain or control that issue- to stop the process.
"People alert us to a cat they've been taking care of that's not really theirs but yet they really want to do something about it."
FuRR began as an offshoot of Central Arkansas Rescue Effort for Animals (CARE). A group of CARE members wanted to focus on feral cat issues and, since CARE, didn't have the resources to support such an organization, they started their own organization in 2003.
Today, FuRR is still the only organized group in Arkansas that does feral cat rescue and TNR (trap, neuter, release).
"We work over the whole state," says FuRR board president Lynne McAllester. "Our board is still doing all the grassroots work. We all get out and trap and transport. We're very proud of that. We haven't lost that connection to our mission."
After receiving a call, FuRR volunteers trap the cat and take it in to be spayed or neutered. From that point, there are several options. If the cat has a caregiver, it is returned to its old stomping grounds. If the cat is socialized- a cat that has been a pet but was abandoned by its owners, for instance- or if it's a young kitten, a foster or adoptive family is found. Otherwise, FuRR uses its network of feral cat colony caretakers to find the animal a new place to live.
FuRR also tries to help with cats that are owned but whose owners can't afford sterilization, offering low-cost spay/neuter clinics and other financial help.
The whole object is to sterilize as many cats as possible, Bierbaum says, "so we don't get to that point where we get the pregnancy or the overpopulation and people are having to surrender them to a shelter or give them away at Wal-Mart."
Sterilization doesn't just keep a neighborhood from becoming overrun by cats. It's in a city's best financial interests as well.
Bierbaum says, "It makes more economic sense for the city to have a pet sterilized than for the city to...trap it, house it, and then have to euthanize. It helps financially. Have the pet sterilized and there will be no more."
As funding and foster home space allow, FuRR rescues shelter cats that are in danger of being killed, saving cats and easing the burden on shelters. The organization's projects have also grown to include more fostering and education programs.
Educating the public about the importance of spaying and neutering and thus nipping the problem in the bud is vital.
"It all starts with public awareness and responsibility," Bierbaum says.
For FuRR, that education and awareness go beyond sterilization issues.
McAllester says, " We try to work with people."
FuRR provides support and cat care education for people when needed. Cat owners experiencing problems have called FuRR looking for help and advice.
"We've found a lot of success in talking with people and sharing what their problems are," McAllester says.
Those problems are frequently financial or behavioral. Or a new owner might just have trouble adjusting to the realities of cat care, McAllester says. "Many times we can work that out. We try to keep the kitties in their home with their families."
Volunteers are crucial to keeping FuRR running. Vets like Bierbaum provide their services, doing the reduced cost spay/neuter clinics and giving other medical help and advice. Other volunteers help trap cats, serve as foster families or care for feral colonies.
On the financial side, FuRR is supported primarily by donations and by yard sales in the spring and fall.
"We have a huge need for homes and foster homes right now," McAllester says. Due in large part to the economic troubles, more cats are being abandoned.
In addition to FuRR, Bierbaum helped several other animal organizations, including CARE, the cities of Maumelle and Sherwood animal services, Helping Hands for Little Paws, and All About Labs, a Labrador retriever rescue group.
While some of these organizations have different specialties, they all work closely with each other and with local government. "We all work together for the common purpose to spread awareness that this is an issue," Bierbaum says. "It won't go away. It only gets worse."
"If we address it now, we can be a very progressing city where pets aren't suffering."
For more information about FuRR, visit www.teamfurr.org or call (501) 661-0956.
Tuesday, June 23, 2009
Too funny not to share...
Names have been changed to protect the identities of the...victims? People in this story. True story! LOL.
Given that I sometimes forget to do things, I'll occasionally leave something out as a reminder to myself...
Just so for worming kittens. I broke a tablet of Drontal into 4ths, to give to two kittens later in the day yesterday and left them on the kitchen counter, by the stove.
Don had asked me yesterday morning if I would re-fill his prescription when I went to Wal-Mart for milk, coffee and sugar. No problem. I got everything done and some other stuff too. I put the new bottle of his prescription where the old one was and added his very last tablet which was left, to the new bottle.
The day progressed as normal and he came home at 5:00. We ate dinner and watched tv.
About 6:30, I went over to the counter to get ready to give the pills to the kittens before I got a drink for myself. They were gone.
I looked on the floor, all over the counter, but couldn't find them.
I asked Kenzie if she moved them. She said no and followed me to ask Don if he had moved them. She knew what they were and is super up to snuff on my actions.
I went into the living room to ask Don where he'd put them. At first, he didn't understand why I was asking or what I was looking for.
When I'd described two, 1/4 tablets left by the stove - he said, "Oh, I took them already".
I replied, "Took them? What do you mean took them? Where are they? Where'd you put them?"
He says, "The last pill from my prescription, so I took it already."
Kenzie and I looked at each other, then back at him.
OMG!! I started to giggle, then laugh, and then cry from laughing so hard! Kenzie looked at him in total disbelief, her eyes got wide and she started laughing too!
Don kept asking, "What? What's so funny? What?!"
It took at least 20 mins for us to stop laughing to be able to explain to him that he'd wormed himself with Drontal!! :-P
The lady who has basically taken me under her wing in this whole fostering thing sent this to me. And my mom and I agreed it had to be shared. Just another day in the life of fostering kittens...
Sometimes you get wormed, lol.
Given that I sometimes forget to do things, I'll occasionally leave something out as a reminder to myself...
Just so for worming kittens. I broke a tablet of Drontal into 4ths, to give to two kittens later in the day yesterday and left them on the kitchen counter, by the stove.
Don had asked me yesterday morning if I would re-fill his prescription when I went to Wal-Mart for milk, coffee and sugar. No problem. I got everything done and some other stuff too. I put the new bottle of his prescription where the old one was and added his very last tablet which was left, to the new bottle.
The day progressed as normal and he came home at 5:00. We ate dinner and watched tv.
About 6:30, I went over to the counter to get ready to give the pills to the kittens before I got a drink for myself. They were gone.
I looked on the floor, all over the counter, but couldn't find them.
I asked Kenzie if she moved them. She said no and followed me to ask Don if he had moved them. She knew what they were and is super up to snuff on my actions.
I went into the living room to ask Don where he'd put them. At first, he didn't understand why I was asking or what I was looking for.
When I'd described two, 1/4 tablets left by the stove - he said, "Oh, I took them already".
I replied, "Took them? What do you mean took them? Where are they? Where'd you put them?"
He says, "The last pill from my prescription, so I took it already."
Kenzie and I looked at each other, then back at him.
OMG!! I started to giggle, then laugh, and then cry from laughing so hard! Kenzie looked at him in total disbelief, her eyes got wide and she started laughing too!
Don kept asking, "What? What's so funny? What?!"
It took at least 20 mins for us to stop laughing to be able to explain to him that he'd wormed himself with Drontal!! :-P
The lady who has basically taken me under her wing in this whole fostering thing sent this to me. And my mom and I agreed it had to be shared. Just another day in the life of fostering kittens...
Sometimes you get wormed, lol.
Saturday, June 20, 2009
My Tortie Suede Cat...and Other Pictures
Molly and Keely (Keely will definitely be fixed in July, and the plan is for Molly to be, too. But she needs to fluff out a bit more before I'm comfortable with that. They'll both be available for adoption after they're fixed.)
Elsie, one of my permanent cats. It was too cute not to take a shot of.
Nuala, who is available for adoption, and Keely
Keely on my bed, sprawled out on her back.Keely is my tortie foster baby. She's as sweet as can be, and calm. You barely have to touch her to make her purr here at home. She, of course, has to fight, as kittens do, because at least one kitten in the litter likes to play-fight. So she play-fights, but she really loves to just...love. Snuggle. Cuddle. Be petted.
She's really soft, too, hence the title of the post. It took me a while to figure out just what, exactly, she felt like. She has really soft, short fur, especially on her tummy. It took me a while, but finally, it occurred to me. Suede. She feels like suede. She's soft and warm like suede wrapped around a hot water bottle, or something.
She does like to play with your fingers, and that seems to always include nipping. We're working to break her of that. Any advice on that would be appreciated, other than my approach of 'no' and taking my fingers away. But she's a real sweetie, despite that. And she never nips hard.
Anyway, Keely will be available for adoption after she is fixed July 11. I think she'd make a good companion cat, she's calm with other cats, willing to curl up and be submissive to a more dominant kitty. Or a companion for a person, as she loves her one-on-one attention and love. What cat doesn't? She's really pretty, her pictures really don't do her justice. Torties are difficult to photograph, apparently. She's a mix of black, orange, and a light sherbet-ish color.
EDIT: I just realized all these pictures have my cats asleep, or just woken up. Says something about the lifestyles of cats, doesn't it?
She's really soft, too, hence the title of the post. It took me a while to figure out just what, exactly, she felt like. She has really soft, short fur, especially on her tummy. It took me a while, but finally, it occurred to me. Suede. She feels like suede. She's soft and warm like suede wrapped around a hot water bottle, or something.
She does like to play with your fingers, and that seems to always include nipping. We're working to break her of that. Any advice on that would be appreciated, other than my approach of 'no' and taking my fingers away. But she's a real sweetie, despite that. And she never nips hard.
Anyway, Keely will be available for adoption after she is fixed July 11. I think she'd make a good companion cat, she's calm with other cats, willing to curl up and be submissive to a more dominant kitty. Or a companion for a person, as she loves her one-on-one attention and love. What cat doesn't? She's really pretty, her pictures really don't do her justice. Torties are difficult to photograph, apparently. She's a mix of black, orange, and a light sherbet-ish color.
EDIT: I just realized all these pictures have my cats asleep, or just woken up. Says something about the lifestyles of cats, doesn't it?
Thursday, June 18, 2009
Nuala
is available for adoption. She's spayed and has had her first set of shots. And I'm now convinced her spay-incision is healing up well enough to promote her. She's a Siamese mix (her brother is Mac, who was adopted 06/14), with blue eyes and some orange spots, showing off the fact her mother is, we believe, a tortie. The orange is on her ears and her tail. Her brownish spots are darkening up as she gets older. She used to be white with spots that were just a shade darker. I had a cat when I was young who had much the same markings, and they get darker as they get older. She also has half of a mustache on her face. It's cute.
She's a sweetie, nosey and curious. She loves to snuggle and likes to be held "like a baby". She loves to play, like any kitten. She's very in-your-face. If she wants attention, she wants it NOW. LOL. But she's a precious little cat, absolutely loving. Like all the kittens I have, she's good with other cats (we have 3 permanent residents), and with small children (I have a 4 year old sister who likes to lug them around). She's about 3 months old, born right around St. Patrick's Day.
Wednesday, June 17, 2009
Declawing
I am personally against declawing. There is one main reason people will usually declaw: it's easier on them because their furniture won't be messed up, and they don't have to worry about being scratched. As a general rule, though, these people in question have no idea what declawing actually is. Ignorance is not bliss. Of course, there are still some people who will declaw anyway, but are these really the people we want owning cats?
Your cat scratches your furniture, so you want them declawed. Get rid of the problem, right? Well, does your kid color on the walls? Cut his hands off, why don't you? That'll get rid of the problem. Okay, that may be a little extreme, but most cat owners consider their cats their children. People buy their cats treats, special beds, lots of toys, enough catnip to get half a neighborhood of cats high, just like what one would buy a child. So, if your cat is your child, why don't you consider its medical care the same? As a general rule, the medical care one performs on a child is not elective, it is for the child's benefit. Why not the same for your cat? Spaying and neutering serves a purpose, and gives a cat a better life. Declawing does no such thing. There is no good reason to declaw, aside from medical reasons, such as tumors and cancer. Cats are declawed because it's easier on the humans.
A rough comparison between humans and cats for declawing is the removal of your fingers from the last joint (the one just below your nail) out to the tip. When a cat is declawed, that is basically what is removed. Obviously, the amount is smaller, because cats "hands" are smaller. Most people who declaw do not know this. They believe a cat is sedated and the claw ONLY is removed. Now, I'm not condemning the people who have done this without knowledge. The vet should have told you this, but it's a relatively easy $100+ dollars. The word "amputation" and "disjointing" and "dismemberment" are not words you're going to throw around for an elective surgery. People tend to react adversely to those words. The claw only cannot be removed, because to remove only the claw would leave the cells that generate the claw intact, allowing the claw to grow back, usually in an unnatural fashion: to the side, top, bottom, etc. So an entire section of bone above the claw must be removed as well to prevent regrowth. It is not like removing a human fingernail.
Cats who are declawed can develop a tendency towards biting, litter box aversion, and general aggression. They don't always, but do you really want to risk a sweet kitty becoming a mean kitty over your furniture? Cats can be trained to not claw furniture, or their claws can be clipped, or there's this awesome thing called Soft Paws (c) that work as something like plastic gloves over the claws. Pretty nifty little invention actually.
Cats also be in pain while healing, as they have a tendency to walk on their "toes", sort of like if you were to walk around in a demi-pointe, on the balls of your feet. Cats walk, more or less, the same way. Now, after declawing, the very ends of their "toes" are missing. I think that would hurt to walk on. Not all cats show discomfort, or at least not discomfort as we recognize it. Cats can't talk and ask for tylenol, sadly. Sure would make life easier. Declawing procedures can also sometimes cause abcesses, and, if done incorrectly, the claws can actually grow back anyway, in a most painful fashion, and the declawing will have to be done again, as there is no other option. It can take up to 2 weeks for a cat to be close to normal after this procedure. Spaying and neutering takes only roughly 3 days.
In fact, in most of Europe, declawing is considered inhumane and is actually illegal. Turkey, parts of Japan, Brazil, Ireland, Britain, Germany, Finland, the Netherlands, Denmark, Estonia, and others all have laws against declawing except in cases where it is of benefit to the CAT, not to the HUMAN. Like medical benefit.
So...is your furniture really worth it?
After all, there are some really nice scratching posts out there, and those Soft Paws come in lots of nifty colors. And there's this thing on TV now, the Emery Cat, which I've never tried out, but it looks really awesome. In theory. As is anything on TV that hasn't been tried out. If anyone has one of those Emery Cats, I'd love to hear how they work. In theory, it sounds really awesome.
Your cat scratches your furniture, so you want them declawed. Get rid of the problem, right? Well, does your kid color on the walls? Cut his hands off, why don't you? That'll get rid of the problem. Okay, that may be a little extreme, but most cat owners consider their cats their children. People buy their cats treats, special beds, lots of toys, enough catnip to get half a neighborhood of cats high, just like what one would buy a child. So, if your cat is your child, why don't you consider its medical care the same? As a general rule, the medical care one performs on a child is not elective, it is for the child's benefit. Why not the same for your cat? Spaying and neutering serves a purpose, and gives a cat a better life. Declawing does no such thing. There is no good reason to declaw, aside from medical reasons, such as tumors and cancer. Cats are declawed because it's easier on the humans.
A rough comparison between humans and cats for declawing is the removal of your fingers from the last joint (the one just below your nail) out to the tip. When a cat is declawed, that is basically what is removed. Obviously, the amount is smaller, because cats "hands" are smaller. Most people who declaw do not know this. They believe a cat is sedated and the claw ONLY is removed. Now, I'm not condemning the people who have done this without knowledge. The vet should have told you this, but it's a relatively easy $100+ dollars. The word "amputation" and "disjointing" and "dismemberment" are not words you're going to throw around for an elective surgery. People tend to react adversely to those words. The claw only cannot be removed, because to remove only the claw would leave the cells that generate the claw intact, allowing the claw to grow back, usually in an unnatural fashion: to the side, top, bottom, etc. So an entire section of bone above the claw must be removed as well to prevent regrowth. It is not like removing a human fingernail.
Cats who are declawed can develop a tendency towards biting, litter box aversion, and general aggression. They don't always, but do you really want to risk a sweet kitty becoming a mean kitty over your furniture? Cats can be trained to not claw furniture, or their claws can be clipped, or there's this awesome thing called Soft Paws (c) that work as something like plastic gloves over the claws. Pretty nifty little invention actually.
Cats also be in pain while healing, as they have a tendency to walk on their "toes", sort of like if you were to walk around in a demi-pointe, on the balls of your feet. Cats walk, more or less, the same way. Now, after declawing, the very ends of their "toes" are missing. I think that would hurt to walk on. Not all cats show discomfort, or at least not discomfort as we recognize it. Cats can't talk and ask for tylenol, sadly. Sure would make life easier. Declawing procedures can also sometimes cause abcesses, and, if done incorrectly, the claws can actually grow back anyway, in a most painful fashion, and the declawing will have to be done again, as there is no other option. It can take up to 2 weeks for a cat to be close to normal after this procedure. Spaying and neutering takes only roughly 3 days.
In fact, in most of Europe, declawing is considered inhumane and is actually illegal. Turkey, parts of Japan, Brazil, Ireland, Britain, Germany, Finland, the Netherlands, Denmark, Estonia, and others all have laws against declawing except in cases where it is of benefit to the CAT, not to the HUMAN. Like medical benefit.
So...is your furniture really worth it?
After all, there are some really nice scratching posts out there, and those Soft Paws come in lots of nifty colors. And there's this thing on TV now, the Emery Cat, which I've never tried out, but it looks really awesome. In theory. As is anything on TV that hasn't been tried out. If anyone has one of those Emery Cats, I'd love to hear how they work. In theory, it sounds really awesome.
Tuesday, June 16, 2009
It's so hard to be cute...
Molly
Nuala and Keely
I also thought I'd mention that on Saturday, at the spay/neuter clinic, we fixed 58 cats! That's 58 less who will add to the problem of feline overpopulation.
Monday, June 15, 2009
Update on Mac
Conked out after playing.
Playing with the mouse I sent to his new home with him. He loves toy mice.
I had to send Mac's new family his FuRR ID number, and they were nice enough to let me know his usual spunk was back. He was acting kind of off when they first met him, but after the pain meds hit he started acting normal again. I was concerned that in his new surroundings, he might not show off his usual loving personality, but my concerns were, fortunately, misplaced. He was doing fine last night, playing hard and conking out, only to wake again and play some more. Just like a kitten. :D
They also sent me pictures, which I'm sharing now. I think he's going to be one happy kitty.
Sunday, June 14, 2009
FIV+ Cats
I don't have any, but I understand that there's a lot of ignorance and misunderstandings about cats who have FIV. I had a cat when I was about 6 who was diagnosed with FIV, and he was put down. That's not how it is nowadays. 12 years ago, FIV had a whole different connotation. As I said, I don't have FIV+ cats, but some of our other fosters have experience with them, and we have a few FIV+ cats for adoption (adult cats).
These are FIV facts from the Best Friends Animal Shelter page about FIV.
Most FIV cats live long, normal lives, and they can live happily among other cats with no problems, since FIV is not easily spread. They are sweet and want love like any other cat.
Links to our FIV+ cats:
Sparky
Maggie
Dusty Blue
Another good link about FIV cats is here.
I can't guarantee this cats are still up for adoption, but odds are, since they're special needs cats, they are.
These are FIV facts from the Best Friends Animal Shelter page about FIV.
FIV Facts
1. The Feline Immuno-deficiency Virus is a slow virus that affects a cat's immune system over a period of years.
2. FIV is a cat-only disease and cannot be spread to humans or other non-felines.
3. FIV cats most often live long, healthy, and relatively normal lives with no symptoms at all.
4. FIV is not easily passed between cats. It cannot be spread casually - like in litter boxes, water and food bowls, or when snuggling and playing. It is rarely spread from a mother to her kittens.
5. The virus can be spread through blood transfusions, badly infected gums, or serious, penetrating bite wounds. (Bite wounds of this kind are extremely rare, except in free-roaming, unneutered tomcats.)
6. A neutered cat, in a home, is extremely unlikely to infect other cats, if properly introduced.
7. Many vets are not educated about FIV since the virus was only discovered 15 years ago.
8. FIV-positive cats should be kept as healthy as possible. Keep them indoors and free from stress, feed them a high-quality diet, keep and treat any secondary problems as soon as they arise.
Most FIV cats live long, normal lives, and they can live happily among other cats with no problems, since FIV is not easily spread. They are sweet and want love like any other cat.
Links to our FIV+ cats:
Sparky
Maggie
Dusty Blue
Another good link about FIV cats is here.
I can't guarantee this cats are still up for adoption, but odds are, since they're special needs cats, they are.
Mac Was Adopted Today
Mac and Nuala got fixed yesterday. Mac was supposed to be adopted today, so I wasn't really thrilled when I got home, and Mac wasn't happy. Aggressive, might be a good term. I was kind of concerned it wouldn't wear off by today. Well, it didn't, he was still cranky this morning. So we took him to PetSmart, him and Keely and Molly. Nuala refused to go back in a carrier, she hissed and spat and clawed. Not that I can blame her at all, after yesterday.
When we got to PetSmart, S. gave Mac some pain meds, and shortly after, he started acting more himself. I met his adoptive parents, they were nice. He's going to be a happy kitty in a good home, I can tell. They had the most awesome looking cat carrier. So pretty. The carrier technically belongs to his new sister, Bristol. We saw some "red threads" in Mac's adoption. His new sister is named Bristol, after the race track, my dad is a big NASCAR fan, and the adoptive mom's mother has a cat named Sam, which is what Mom called Mac for 3 days after we got him. "Sam, I mean, Mac!" LOL.
I think he'll be happy there. And I think they'll be happy with him. My first adoption...I'll miss the little guy, but he'll be in a good home.
At least 2 other kittens, Spencer and Hodge, were adopted today, as well. I think one other may have been adopted, too, though I could be wrong. So, 3, maybe 4 adoptions today. Not too shabby.
We just gave Nuala some pain meds not too long ago, hoping it will hit soon and she'll stop being so grumpy. I really can't blame her though, after being spayed. She acts like herself for the most part, except for being grumpy towards the other cats.
And we obviously need more experience giving pills to kittens. We had to give Molly some Flagyl, she's been having some tummy troubles, and it wasn't pretty, nor easy. But we think we finally got it down her. 4 more times...*sigh* Maybe we'll get better at it.
When we got to PetSmart, S. gave Mac some pain meds, and shortly after, he started acting more himself. I met his adoptive parents, they were nice. He's going to be a happy kitty in a good home, I can tell. They had the most awesome looking cat carrier. So pretty. The carrier technically belongs to his new sister, Bristol. We saw some "red threads" in Mac's adoption. His new sister is named Bristol, after the race track, my dad is a big NASCAR fan, and the adoptive mom's mother has a cat named Sam, which is what Mom called Mac for 3 days after we got him. "Sam, I mean, Mac!" LOL.
I think he'll be happy there. And I think they'll be happy with him. My first adoption...I'll miss the little guy, but he'll be in a good home.
At least 2 other kittens, Spencer and Hodge, were adopted today, as well. I think one other may have been adopted, too, though I could be wrong. So, 3, maybe 4 adoptions today. Not too shabby.
We just gave Nuala some pain meds not too long ago, hoping it will hit soon and she'll stop being so grumpy. I really can't blame her though, after being spayed. She acts like herself for the most part, except for being grumpy towards the other cats.
And we obviously need more experience giving pills to kittens. We had to give Molly some Flagyl, she's been having some tummy troubles, and it wasn't pretty, nor easy. But we think we finally got it down her. 4 more times...*sigh* Maybe we'll get better at it.
Friday, June 12, 2009
You can only cut as deep as you're willing to be cut...
That's what I've discovered. Mac and Nuala are getting fixed tomorrow. That means they can officially be adopted. As in, they won't be mine any more, once they are adopted. Oh, they'll always be "mine", but I won't raise them any more. It's looking real promisingly that Mac will have a family on Sunday. Some one was inquiring with FuRR about a Siamese male kitten, and the one they inquired about on Petfinder had already been adopted. I'm happy and sad at the same time. Happy, because this is what I've been raising them for. So that they would be good for new families. Sad because, well, I love them. My job has been to teach them how to love, and you can't do that unless you allow yourself to love. So fostering is something of a double-edged sword. You can only give as much love as you're willing to have taken.
I love them, I'll miss them. If any body who adopts my foster kits would like to send me updates now and then, I would love it, but I don't expect it. I wonder if maybe after the first time it will be easier. Maybe I'll ask the other foster moms at the clinic tomorrow. Many of them have been doing this for many years. The only one I know a definite number for is S., and she's been doing this for 7 years. On average, she's kept one cat she's fostered a year. So there are some that you raise that you just can't let go.
I know whoever gets my kits will be happy with them. They're all sweethearts. Molly is actually curled up on my legs right now, curled against the heat my laptop creates (they've all discovered this awesome warm spot). Whoever gets these kits will be awfully blessed with some sweet souls. My only hope for them is really good homes, where they're part of the family, not just pets.
Tons of pics, yes. I did something of a photo shoot this evening.
I love them, I'll miss them. If any body who adopts my foster kits would like to send me updates now and then, I would love it, but I don't expect it. I wonder if maybe after the first time it will be easier. Maybe I'll ask the other foster moms at the clinic tomorrow. Many of them have been doing this for many years. The only one I know a definite number for is S., and she's been doing this for 7 years. On average, she's kept one cat she's fostered a year. So there are some that you raise that you just can't let go.
I know whoever gets my kits will be happy with them. They're all sweethearts. Molly is actually curled up on my legs right now, curled against the heat my laptop creates (they've all discovered this awesome warm spot). Whoever gets these kits will be awfully blessed with some sweet souls. My only hope for them is really good homes, where they're part of the family, not just pets.
Tons of pics, yes. I did something of a photo shoot this evening.
Monday, June 8, 2009
June is Adopt-A-Cat Month!
June is the American Humane's Adopt-A-Cat Month. (Much of the following information is pulled from their site.)
Over 4 million cats are put into shelters each year. If you are looking for a loving pet, surely one of these cats is for you. Some shelters are no-kill, which means they can only keep so many pets from euthanization, unless the pets they have are adopted. And the shelters that aren't no-kill, well, they can only keep their pets for so long. Spring is a popular time for kittens to be born, leaving many in shelters, waiting for adoption and loving homes. And of course, there are always adult cats waiting for loving homes too! Kittens are cute, but older cats are sometimes better suited to some homes.
A cat can enrich your life. If you're thinking of adopting a cat, go have a look-see at your local shelter or rescue organization.
There's also information about adopting shelter cats on the ASPCA website here.
Sunday, June 7, 2009
Wormer and Shots
The kits got their first set of shots today, and they got wormed (standard procedure). They were all pretty good with the worming except for Nuala, who didn't appreciate it at all, at all. She spit it out at least twice. They also got their first shots, a 4-in-1, and a Feline Leukemia shot. S. also brought her scale to weigh them. Mac is a whopping 2 lbs, 11 oz. Nuala was 2 lbs. 9 oz. I think it was (I'd get up and look at the sheet of paper, except Molly is asleep beside me), Keely was 2 lbs, 6.5 oz, and Molly (our lil' bit) was 2 lbs, 4 oz. All big enough to be fixed and adopted out.
The current plan is for Mac and Nuala to be fixed at the spay/neuter clinic next Saturday. I feel that they're big enough to handle it okay. Keely and Molly, we're holding off on. I know they weigh enough, but they're still such babies to me, I don't want something to go wrong. So we're going to hold of on them until at least the July clinic. By then, we figure they'll be plenty big.
Once they're fixed, they can go up for adoption. So Mac and Nuala will probably both be at our local adoption show at PetSmart the weekend of the 20th. I could take them on the 14th, but I figure I'll give them a little time to recuperate in normal surroundings, even though they recover really quickly being so young. I can't say that I won't be sad to see them go. They've become something like a part of the family. Better than cable, kittens are. So soft, and fluffy, and cuddly. But I know FuRR will get them in good homes, where they'll be loved and cared for and treated like a part of the family there, too.
Saturday, June 6, 2009
Cute Pictures
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Keely, Molly, and Nuala the night I got them
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Nuala and Molly enjoying cat nip (the box was full of it. We got 2 little baggies of it when we ordered Feliway from 1-800-PetMeds. One bag was busted open. So we let them at it.)
Molly being wheeled around in Reese's baby doll stroller. She was quite content to be wheeled around.
These were all taken with my camera phone, so excuse the poor quality.
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