TNR | Savannah's Paw Tracks

Archive for the category “TNR”

22 Jun 2020

TNR during Covid19: Another story

HIYA!! SAVANNAH HERE!

I just know my readers are going to be innerested in the work Mom L and Dad P and I have been doing through our Project Delta View Cats (PDVC) group. You know I posted about our efforts to rescue kittens, spay mom cats, while our municipal shelter remains in modified shut down.

We received a distressed request from residents in our city of Pittsburg, CA about a mom cat and her one baby they had just started feeding in their apartment complex. They asked if we could possible help them get mom cat and kitten trapped and spayed/neutered and then coach them about how to try to socialize both mom cat and kitten!! We were on board for sure!!

Mom cat and kitten were living in a tiny crawl space under one of the apartment buildings, right next to the loudest air conditioning units you can imagine. Those units a clear in the video above.

The residents were able to trap the kitten, and then use the kitten’s cries to entice mom cat into a trap. YAY!! Now we are able to help both of them.

She appears to be a lynx point type Siamese kitty. The surgery clinic believed she is only about eight to ten months old herself. She weighed about five pounds.

The residents named mom cat “Conchita” and the kitten “Tomas”. In the photo above Conchita is safe back from her spay surgery and as you can see, she is very scared.

Tomas on the other paw, within two days of being brought inside and after his own surgery, was happy to receive a very gentle ear cleaning and mani pedi—after which he fell asleep in one of his human’s arms.

Tomas settled in quickly and he is warming up to his foster humans. All he needs is time.

He is learning to play and get comfortable with being held.

Tomas still wanted to nurse on Conchita yet he is fully weaned. It is clear that Conchita is a very comforting and caring mom cat. She allowed Tomas to nurse whenever he wanted and she just fell asleep!!

The story of Conchita and Tomas is far from over. We still need to support the new fosters in trying to socialize Conchita. It will be a very sad day if the fosters must release her. She is so young and so precious.

As for Tomas, even if the fosters are not able to adopt him, he will certainly have a forever home just for him.

Please, during this pandemic, remember all those cat rescues who are dedicated to saving as many mom cats and kittens as possible during this trying kitten season, consider fostering or at least donating to your local TNR groups.

MORE PURR, LESS HISS!

PAW PATS, SAVANNAH

Posted in Community Cats, Feral Kitten Rescue, foster kitties, Project Delta View Cats, TNR and tagged feral cat rescue, KITTEN SEASON, TNR

18 May 2020

10 Comments

TNR during COVID 19 is challenging

HIYA!! SAVANNAH HERE!!!

I know some of my readers are active in doing Trap, Neuter, Return (TNR) in their local areas in the USA. I sure do hope some will leave comments about how they are able to keep doing this work during this COVID 19 pandemic.

As for our Project Delta View Cats, our work has been cut back to doing very little on the targeted TNR side. Our challenge is two fold. First, it is no longer possible for us to continue to canvas neighborhoods, door to door, during this time to try to find where abandoned community cats are being fed in our targeted neighborhoods. Even wearing a mask doesn’t encourage anyone to open their door for us to talk with them. Secondarily, most spay/neuter municipal clinics are closed and only recently did our local non-profit owned clinic open on a limited basis.

All this at the very moment we are ready for kitten season. A perfect storm is brewing.

Nonetheless, we can respond to humans who contact us for help. You already know about our efforts to get sweet Cleopatra and darling Sweet Baby Girl help.

Cleopatra was found abandoned at a marina colony near us. She is now in her forever home with one of our volunteers.

You also know about Baby Girl, abandoned in a residential area in our marina. Remember she had four kittens and suffered a broken front leg.

A growing concern for us is emerging as we are learning more about how community cats may contract COVID 19 from humans who are positive for or asymptomatic of COVID 19. So much more needs to be learned about this human to feline transmission.

Just before our county issues a “shelter in place” order, Project Delta View Cats learned about a large, neglected abandoned community cat colony in our city that we serve. One of our dedicated volunteers is working ever so hard to trap out this large colony of what appears to be about 100 cats. These cats were abandoned long ago in an industrial area behind a strip mall anchored by a grocery store on one end and a Home Depot on the other end. There are no residential areas close by so next to not access to viable food sources. These cats are starving, underfed, underweight, injured and sick. They scrounge in dumpsters in hopes of finding a scrap of food.

This video is about one minute long, but if you will just watch the first 30 seconds, you will get the picture of what our volunteer found.

Thanks to the cat clinic that is open now for about 3-4 days a week, our volunteer has been able to TNR about fifty cats including ten kittens who went to adoption. Unfortunately, the cats are now trap savvy and we need access to the business where the cats have found enough hiding holes to make home. We have enlisted the assistance of our partner, Contra Costa Animal Services in hopes of convincing the owner to allow on property to continue to finally trap out this large colony.

Here is a slideshow of some of the cats we have been able to TNR. Thanks to Community Concern For Cats clinic for funding these services.

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

We have had to euthanize one orange male, too ill to save and one kitty in the slideshow had major surgery but is recovering and will be healthy enough soon to release. I know all of you have struggles in your own neighborhoods and communities during this challenging pandemic time with how to continue to help keep TNR alive and working. Please consider donating to your local TNR rescues, they really need help.

Let me hear from you in comments about what’s going on with TNR in your area during this time.

PAW PATS, SAVANNAH

Posted in Community Cats, TNR and tagged Community Cats, TNR

24 Feb 2020

14 Comments

A Kitchen Clinic: Beginning and Ending Lives

HIYA!! SAVANNAH HERE!!!

Mom L volunteers with Community Concern For Cats (CC4C) at the Kitchen Clinics Miss Gemma has, literally, in her kitchen. My former, now retired, feline specialist Vet is the doc who does the examines etc., Miss Josie. More Kitchen Clinic posts are here, here and here. I have been posting about these clinics since 2014! Mom L always enjoys the variety of cases she gets to help with including kittens…

Tiny lives…fostered by a CC4C member

…ferals who have to be sedated to be examined and medicated…

Feral, stray rescue clinic

…to abandoned adults who need a check up before they can be cleared to go up for adoption.

Abandoned at a city park

At a recent clinic Mom L was struck by how these clinics see the full range of a cat’s life from its beginning as a kitten through to the diagnosis that tells the cat will begin its journey across The Bridge soon.

First the precious adult Maine Coon cat a senior couple found in their backyard. Clearly on death’s door. He was emaciated. Starving and could barely walk. The couple fed him, brought him inside and cared for him until they could get him to the Kitchen Clinic.

Initial examination

This brave Maine Coon Cat had feline myocardial disease that had been left untreated far too long. And yet what a gentle giant everyone experienced this day.

The diagnosis was administer diuretics to help with the fluid around his heart and then simply love, pet, care for him until it was time for him to cross to The Bridge. This wonderful senior couple stepped right up to provide this precious cat hospice care. So Mom L experienced the beginning of the end of gentle giants’ life.

And next came a litter of four kittens. All different. All full of life and totally ready for immediate adoption! Such a diverse litter of color. First up the darling tuxedo.

Next up the striped tabby.

What is she doing with that needle???

That tabby was a trouper for sure! He wasn’t sure if that lady was gonna ever let go of his ear!!

Then the calico girl was next.

And last the boy with the most unusual markings!!

Ok, why are you holding me like this??

Look what is hiding under his chin!

What? So my mustache slipped a bit and is now my bow tie!!

These precious kittens were cared for by two men who just adored them. They were so happy that the kittens were all negative for FeLV and were ready for adoption!

And that is why Mom L so enjoys being able to volunteer at Miss Gemma’s Kitchen Clinic since 2014!!

COMMUNITY CAT RESCUE ROCKS OUR SOCKS!!!

Meow your thoughts about this post in comments. I luvluvluv hearing what my readers think.