Blog 4 The Change | Savannah's Paw Tracks

Archive for the tag “Blog 4 The Change”

04 Nov 2017

Dona Nobis Pacem: I Am A Peace Blogger #blog4peace

HIYA!! SAVANNAH HERE!!!

Today, I am a peace blogger. And even though I am a cat, I find it kind’a tough to be pawing my blog post for peace when I am sort of discombobulated by humans’ inability to keep our planet on a track for peace for all. And I include all of us cats in that “peace for all”.

I just wanna bring attention to my own little part of this great ole big planet. My county is in northern California and we have what is for me, Savannah the Cat, a huge overwhelming time. We have so many, so very many forgotten and unwanted cats that I cannot for even the nine lives I have, figure out how to help them in these overwhelming times.

My life has been made easy. You see, I was adopted by kind and caring humans who don’t care if I am a ‘lap cat’ or whatever else they want me to be. They just accept me for who I am. Don’t ya think the other humans on this planet could do the same for each other? Just a cat’s thoughts, but I wanted to put it out there.

I don’t have to sit in my humans’ lap, or run to them when they come home—heck I don’t even have to be always in good spirits and playful and healthy. And yet, they still love me, care for me and make me feel welcome.

Why can’t humans do that for each other? Not just today, but every day? Again, just my thoughts, as Savannah the Cat.

But for this day, this special day, I am and always will be—A Peace Bloggin’ Cat!

PAW PATS, SAVANNAH

Posted in Blog The Change 4 Animals, Uncategorized and tagged Blog 4 The Change, blog blast for peace

15 Jan 2016

29 Comments

Give Life to Free Roaming Cats #BtC4A

HIYA!! SAVANNAH HERE!!!

I am joining a movement which is near and dear to my heart. In case you are new to my blog, I am an adult shelter rescue cat…working hard to make a difference for all those similar to me—who do not have the voice I now have thanks to social media.

Are you ready to join me?

Today, I again proudly join the global Blog 4 The Change movement.

I pawticipate

My post this quarter is very important to any and all who want to see the live release rates RISE at their local public animal shelters. Come on, read more, learn, ponder the information and then hopefully, you will JOIN me and Mom L in helping all free roaming community cats live their lives beyond being trapped and left at an animal control shelter to be euthanized.

Interested? Read on.

Now you may be wondering just what is the Return to Field Program? Mom L and I learned about this opportunity to save the lives of Free Roaming Community Cats (FRCC) through one of our rescue pals, Ms Julie, founder of Outcast Cat Help. Now you likely wanna know what is the difference between FRCC versus “Feral Cat”? Right??

Let me help you with that explanation. Basically, they are the same. End of explanation…ok? It is just a new label to address the same challenge.

THE CHALLENGE

FRCC/Feral Cats are frequently trapped by humans who feed them, but do not know what to do about managing the increase in numbers as the FRCC multiply due to lack of being spayed/neutered. Those cats are dropped at public animal shelters across the USA…and then the cats—who have been living a life free from humans, are subjected to anywhere from 72 hours to 5 days on “hold” just in case some human arrives to claim them. The ending is not freedom. It is almost always being euthanized. Healthy, but unadoptable, often young cats who have clearly been fed by someone who cared.

You can see that all these FRCCs are desperate, afraid and also…healthy, and longing to live.

Can I please leave now??

The FRCCs are both young and adult…

ENTER: RETURN TO FIELD PROGRAM

Advantages:

FRCC receive FVRCP & rabies vaccintation; administered by the shelter, at no cost to the transfer partner rescue, for this program. Additionally, each cat receives an examination which includes a Body Condition Scale assessment (BCS) and is treated for fleas. Additional treatable medical issues are also addressed.
The cats may be part of an established colony with a caregiver/feeder. The rationale behind RTF is that if the cat has a good or better BCS (not starving), that cat is getting food from somewhere.
The FRCC must suffer through the hold period at public animal control shelters and all involved know that the end is death. When the public shelter has Transfer Partners in the local rescue community, these cats can be Returned to Field, meaning the area within which they were trapped, taking no longer than the time to recover from S/N surgery.
Once the FRCC are removed from the shelter, there is SPACE for other cats who are not adverse to human contact; and who are adoptable. A Total WIN-WIN!

Concerns:

Who will take care of the cats who are RTF’d? Great question. And, given that someone was kind enough to trap the cat, kittens etc….that means someone will care for the newly S/N cat/kittens and there will be NO MORE born into this community
Kittens who are not open to socialization are returned with siblings and/or their Mom Cats
Adults who are shy, but open to human contact are given the opportunity to live in foster and seek adoption.

Take a look at so many FRCCs being released through OCH’s transfer partnership with my county Animal Services Shelter…615 FREE ROAMING COMMUNITY CATS RETURNED TO FIELD…that is SIX HUNDRED FIFTEEN CATS SAVED!!

Which means MORE space at our county shelter for the adult cats and kittens who are truly adoptable…is there ever a better WIN-WIN???

Please support Return to Field in your local cat rescue community…just say’in…

PAW PATS, SAVANNAH

Additional Information:

Million Cat Challenge: Return to Field

Maddie’s Fund on RTF

Jackson Galaxy on Return to Field

Huffington Post

Managing Community Cats

Transforming Local Government

Posted in Adult Cat Rescue and tagged adopt adult cat, Blog 4 The Change, paw it forward, return to field for cats

15 Apr 2015

48 Comments

Paw It Forward: Spay, Neuter Impact Program (SNIP)

We forgot that today was B4TC ( Blog For The Change: Be The Change For Animals) And so Mom L and I dedicate this blog post to this very important global blog event.

WE ARE THE CHANGE FOR ANIMALS

I pawticipate

HIYA!! SAVANNAH HERE!!!

Many of you know that Mom L volunteers once a quarter at a clinic called SNIP (Spay, Neuter Impact Program). This last Sunday is the first one she has been able to do since she had knee replacement surgery. Yes, Mom L does now have not only one, but two, bionic knees!

And no, this does make her any faster in delivering treats and meals…just sayin’…

I asked Mom L to take you through her experience this time because she did something she had not done before and loved it. Take it away Mom!

Mom L:

Thank you Nana. I appreciate you letting me share my experience with your readers.

The SNIP clinic is run by an all volunteer organization and funded through donations and some grants. The vets, vet techs and the ‘staff chef’ and all others are volunteer people who want to make a difference in the numbers of stray, feral cats in predominately our east county. I so enjoy the time I spend here. This time I could only manage a half day; 7:30 AM – 12:30 PM. I had to take a two hour nap when I got home!

Let me tell you why.

I started with being on the intake table for all the rescue organizations who trap the cats to bring them to this low cost clinic. We spayed and neutered 109 cats Sunday and about 60 of those came through my intake table. I write on their trap tag their assigned tag number which will follow them throughout the whole process and I also note their color/breed. I work with a woman who is expert at identifying the color and breed.

This all requires standing for about 2 1/2 hours straight! But I get to see so many beautiful feral cats; even the large Tom cats with cuts and scrapes from so many fights are wonderful to see up close. Although, I always keep my fingers well outside the traps as those Toms and even females who were born feral can be very agitated.

We have a wonderful woman who brings in this fabulous spread of food and snacks to keep everyone fueled. I did not get a photo this time, but her lunch always has vegan, vegetarian and gluten free selections!

After admission was gearing down, I was sent to do ‘transport’ of the cat from the weigh station to the operation prep area. In the photos below, you can see the area where the cats receive their anesthetic injection. It is loaded with 3 types. There is a DVM present who always gives the injection while a volunteer rattles a pen or something on the trap to get the cat’s attention. As they are feral, they usually back against the back of the trap and ZZAP!!! they have their anesthetic.

Then they are lifted when asleep to the scale, weighed, get a pretty thorough examine by skilled volunteers who look for flea conditions, dental needs, wounds etc. They receive a pain med shot at this time to help them through recovery.

Then it was time for ME to do my new assignment. I got to scruff them with one hand, then scoop their butts with the other to hold them somewhat away from my body as I carry them about 50 feet down a hall to the surgery prep area.

Let me tell you, a cat weighing 7-14 pounds, while asleep, is very dead weight! I must have carried about 30 cats over about 2 hours.

I had a very fulfilling day. We had one beautiful Tom I fell in love with; he was a lovely dark brown tabby with polydactyl front paws. I hated to think of him being released back to his colony.

And that is the crux of this work. Can you believe we have so many cats who look like these??? (hover to view captions)

Asleep; at peace

Really? a feral?

She is gorgeous

Most of the cats Sunday, and every clinic, have luxurious coats which tell they get fed and have some safety. I cannot describe the joy of knowing that I was one of the few humans who may ever touch these cats. Each and every one of them is special. Each and every one of them need humans to help them survive with some resemblance of care and love. Even the beat up Toms tugged at my heart wishing they had never needed to know such a life.

If you have never volunteered at a local rescue during a spay, neuter clinic…I highly recommend it. It is an honor to be able to do something for these feral, stray cats who are only in this type of life due to humans.

During the time the cats are out of their traps, the trap is lovingly cleaned with fresh paper and disinfected. They also receive flea treatment, vaccinations and even a quick dental extraction etc if needed.

And then they are released back to the same place where they were originally trapped. Please send positive energy and healing purrs for all our ferals.