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Archive for the category “paw it forward”

11 Feb 2019

SNIP, SNAP, Snippity Snappity

HIYA!! SAVANNAH HERE!!!

Well Mom L and Dad P spent another day at the quarterly SNIP clinic. I have posted so many times about this totally awesome community cat spay/neuter clinic that I fear my loyal readers are tiring of it. BUT—we do not tire of this 4 times a year PAW IT FORWARD opportunity.

Ummm…is this gonna hurt??

I want to make this post about the “special cats” we experience when Mom L and Dad P volunteer. First, and thankfully I have not photos, one kitty, a very “feral” kitty, was found to have a possible broken femur and tail. She had her tail amputated, and she was to be returned to her caretaker/feeder with the broken leg hoping for some recovery. The important learning is that the caretaker asked that she not be euthanized. The caretaker wanted this kitty back and is willing to keep her in “recovery” inside her home until the kitty can manage on her own outside where the kitty knows best.

The injuries were likely the result of being hit by a car. So what do you think my readers? Good decision? Questionable decision?

It is so difficult for event the volunteer veterinarians to make these judgement calls.

And then there are the incredible, clearly purebred cats that come through Mom L’s “admission table”. Thankfully, the humans who brought this purebred Ocicat in were more than willing to care for him after his neuter.

Why am I here?

What? You think I am special

Yes, I am an Ocicat

The last photo simply shows this incredible kitty after being sedated. Mom L followed him from admission all the way through being discharged to his rescue family. And yes, this male cat is purebred, Ocicat, who just showed up in the backyard of his rescue humans. Such is the reality of community cat rescue.

Another incredible cat group represented today were Lynx Point Siamese.

We had youngsters and adults. Amazing community cats, abandoned either as adults, not spayed/neutered or even as juveniles, not spayed/neutered. The end result is the same. The cats are left to reproduce, not cared for and well—just abandoned. These cats are not “feral”. They are afraid, don’t trust humans, but if they do not “run”…then likely they are willing to try just one more time to trust humans. Meaning, they are not “feral”.

Feral: Feral cats are the result of a domestic cat being abandoned or lost and left to fend for itself. The offspring of the domestic (now considered feral) cat are usually never handled by people and become terrified. Many times, when approached by people, they will hiss out of fright.

So many of the cats coming through our SNIP clinic are not “feral”. They are simply terrified after having been abandoned by humans. And because all community cat rescues do not have sufficient numbers of “fosters” for these adult abandoned cats, we can only “return them to where they are being fed”.

Please, do not abandon a cat. They are not able to live “off the land”. Please do not “shoo away a community cat looking for some love and a meal”. Please, call a local community cat rescue and ask for help. Every cat deserves love, kindness and a safe, warm place to live out its life with good food and understanding that the kitty did not make a decision to live without human caring.

Thanks lots for reading my post,

PAW PATS, SAVANNAH

11 Jan 2019

22 Comments

Friday Memes and Happy Tails Endings

HIYA!! SAVANNAH HERE!!!

My Friday memes will begin my happy tails ending to a story you have all been following.

A question Mom L and Dad P hoped had “yes” for the answer, as did Katie. Neither of our foster kittens wanted to be without the other. A dilemma when you take foster kittens to an adoption site that doesn’t pay attention to how bonded some pairs are. But Mom L and Dad P were able to get space for both girls at my former shelter home, Contra Costa Humane Society’s Kitty Corner!

And that was certainly NOT Katie’s first thoughts when Mom L and Dad P dropped them off at Kitty Corner. Katie didn’t want to leave her carrier so they left it there for a whole day so she could use it as her safety place.

You can see that Lilly kept returning to Katie’s carrier to make sure Katie was ok. And Lilly kept look out for any potential intruders. But after a few days, Lilly was out and about making new friends.

But precious shy Katie found herself a hidey spot, up high so she could keep her eyes on whatever was going on down below and it was also near the often open door with a screen so she could smell the fresh air. Lilly again checked on her throughout each day and often snuggled in with Katie for her naps.

When Dad P visited he found Katie in her hidey spot and she was grateful for his soft warm touch.

The staff told us that Katie was seen coming out at night to eat some dry food and use the litter box. She would even explore Kitty Corner a bit as well. But as soon as the first staff person opened the door—zip! She was back up in her hidey spot for the day.

The kitties all get some wet food once a day at Kitty Corner and as you can see, Lilly liked to eat her dish on the floor and then dash up to join Katie for her serving!! But, Katie started to eat some wet food when Lilly joined her. Katie is a social eater and prefers to have Lilly share her bowl of food. Katie and Lilly were at Kitty Corner for just two weeks before a very special family arrived, looking for Katie. They saw Katie on Contra Costa Humane Society’s website and the Dad especially fell for her and wanted to meet her. They knew that they could ONLY be adopted together so they were curious to meet Lilly too.

This family has two elementary aged children, both of whom kept their voices calm and quiet while visiting Kitty Corner. Big plus for Katie and Lilly!!! The parents also made sure their two children stroked Lilly and Katie softly from head slowly down to tail.

When the father saw Katie it was love at first sight. He stood next to her and gave her lots of pets. When he stopped, Katie reached her neck out so he could get to her head easier!! She invited him for more pets!!

The Mom and children were loving playing with rambunctious Lilly. After talking for some time with the adoption counselors where they learned of the medical challenges both Lilly and Katie faced and that Katie has juvenile gingivitis, they asked to fill out the adoption application! YES!!

Katie and Lilly have been adopted TOGETHER!!!

Katie above and Lilly below.

Mom L and Dad P both had leaky eyes they were so grateful that Katie and Lilly had found such a truly special family to call their very own. And they do get to live happily ever after together!!

I can’t thank all of you who shared our appeal for help with the unexpected cost of Katie and Lilly’s medical care. Your willingness to help us spread the word and in some cases even donate, mean tons to me and Mom L and Dad P.

Hope you enjoyed my memes and news today.

PAW PATS, SAVANNAH

Posted in CAT MEME, Feral Kitten Rescue, paw it forward and tagged contra costa humane society, Friday Memes, happy tails endings, kitty corner, paw it forward, special need cat rescue

21 Dec 2018

7 Comments

Friday Memes and Friday Smiles

HIYA!!! SAVANNAH HERE!!!

Here you go for my Friday Memes. Let me start with the one Mom L created that has me blushing from whisker to whisker.

Ok, you can all stop laughing!! Let’s move on to a more holiday theme.

This is a friendly community cat Mom L recently picked up from a colony feeder pal. She was abandoned by her adopters after only being with them for what appears to be less than a year. She was microchipped so we know when she was adopted from our local municipal shelter. Good news for Miss Lily, she has already been adopted!!

And one meme more from one of our foster kittens, Lilly.

Now I can get behind that thought, can’t you??

UPDATE: Our foster kittens Lilly and Katie have gone to Kitty Corner, operated by Contra Costa Humane Society, where I and Sage both found our purrfect home! They have only been there a couple of days but seem to be doing well. I will keep you updated here on my blog and of course on our fundraiser page at Go Fund Me.

Thanks to my friend Brian, Brian’s Home, I have a nice graphic to use to keep Katie and Lilly in front of your minds so’s you can keep sending them wishes for their very own homes. You can click on the graphic and be zipped to our appeal for help with their health care costs.