Savannah's Paw Tracks

Autobiography of a Former Shelter Cat

Archive for the tag “feral cat rescue”

We Are a Throw Away Society #BTC4A

HIYA!!   SAVANNAH HERE!!!

Welcome to my October, 2016 post dedicated to the Blog The Change 4 Animals movement. My Mom Linda is my guest today cuz she has something she wants to say.

B4TC

People often say that we in the USA throw away too much food, too many items that could be recycled, too much trash that is harmful to our environment. We lament our actions and vow to do better. And now we in all or most states we have recycle bins everywhere in public places and rubbish and garbage companies provide us with special bins for all our recyclable trash at home. Great progress on the inanimate objects we used to just throw away.

Too bad, in fact it is shameful, that we have not applied this same effort to cut back on all the cats that get thrown away by humans every day. I know it is not just cats or dogs, but all species of living beings humans take into their home to enjoy until that living species becomes too much effort.

Take the chicks that were dumped outside a Petco store in my city three years ago. Not long after Easter. Guess some child got some real chicks for Easter and then as they began to grow, the parents decided it wasn’t such a good idea after all, and likely the kids no longer found them as cute.

Too ugly and difficult to keep

Too ugly and difficult to keep

Thankfully for these chicks, a cat rescue was at Petco that day and immediately called our friend retired feline vet Dr Josie. She scooped up the chicks and they are now living a life of luxury with her other thirteen chickens in her lovely chicken yard. Those three “throw away” chicks have been producing some very fine eggs.

I see cats thrown away in ways that are very cruel. One of my community cat TNR friends received a call she could not turn down. In the middle of the night she drove several miles to pick up a sweet kitten someone found “thrown away” and left in a park to die. I met Clipper at the last SNIP clinic of 2016 when he was brought in to be introduced to many of us who try to network the “throw away” cats so many Americans seem to have no problem leaving behind.

Can't I just go back to sleep please!

Can’t I just go back to sleep please!

Now ask yourself why would this precious kitten, about five to six months old be tossed aside like rubbish that cannot be recycled?

Answer:  Clipper appears to be semi-paralyzed in his two hind legs which also causes him to me semi-incontinent. Yet he has reflexive movement in his hind legs. Damaged goods to many humans, so he was thrown away, left to die. You should hear Clipper’s PURR MOTOR!! To die for!! So what would you do? Go straight to seeking euthanasia to end his suffering? But did you hear that purr motor? Or would you strive to at least get a diagnosis?

Ok guys, take you photos so I can get back to my nap

Ok guys, take you photos so I can get back to my nap

Clipper gleefully drags his butt around his rescuer’s home to follow her and get more pets and snuggles. Thankfully, a local rescue Umbrella of Hope agreed to get Clipper an x-ray and diagnosis. He has no spinal fracture and they are going to try laser therapy to begin. Just look at Clipper now in his new outfit that will help him scoot along the floor to be near a human, and not cause damage to his rear end

Sweet! Love my new outfit

Sweet! Love my new outfit

At the same SNIP clinic this last Sunday, someone brought in yet another “throw away” cat. One of the volunteers left their home headed to work the SNIP clinic and there they found this sweet sole kitten. Barely two to three weeks old. Alone, cast off in a yard.

Thankfully the volunteer brought this kitten to SNIP and Savannah’s foster Mom Miss Tammy immediately stepped up to foster this sweetie until she/he can be moved to Contra Costa Humane Society’s Kitty Corner. That is the Alma Mater of both Savannah and The Kid Sage.

Just three days later I helped at Community Concern 4 Cats Kitchen Clinic held at the president’s home and run by Dr Josie. There again I was up close and personal to the “throw away” society of humans in the USA when it comes to cats.

Meet Lara—she has now been living in a community cat colony for about two months. One of the caregivers realized that she and two other cats were clearly new members AND bonded. Obviously they had all come from the same “home”. Like so many others, they had been “thrown away” for whatever reason. Personally, I suspect due to their age and medical concerns.

Please keep sweet Lara in your thoughts.

I am sorry if I got older and could not keep my health

I am sorry if I got older and could not keep my health

She had a microchip which we could trace back to her original rescuers. We are hopeful that they will assist in helping her and her two roomies find another real forever home.

Lara may have herpes which is causing her eyes to water and lesions to break out around her nose. With daily meds she can have a wonderful remainder of her life. She is likely about ten to twelve years old based on the microchip.

Just one more “throw away” cat for America.

Lara never once tried to scratch, bite, hiss during her whole vet examine.

Are we done now?

Are we done now?

I offer this video of sweet Lara. You will need to turn up your sound to hear her purr—and it will be worth your effort.

Lara kept trying to make bread during her entire examine, She is simply another precious “throw away” cat in American society.

When will America stop “throwing away” cats? They are not an “invasive species” on the mainland nor in the state of Hawaii. Cats are here due to humans. Please volunteer at you local animal rescue. Help them save lives.

All community cats originate from some human deciding to “throw away” a cat either by not spaying or neutering it or because they simply don’t want to attend to it, care for it, nurture it, etc.

Just look into these cat’s eyes, “thrown away” by Americans, now living in community cat colonies, not of their own choice. Please help stop our American “throw away” society when it comes to cats.

I wish I could have a home

I wish I could have a home

what did I do wrong?

what did I do wrong?

A warm bed would be really nice

A warm bed would be really nice

Did I do something to make humans dislike me?

Did I do something to make humans dislike me?

Can I go home with you?

Can I go home with you?

My last plea is related to all of us who “share” the need for adoption of adoptable “thrown away” cats, as well as pleas for promoting TNR of community cats. My plea is this—SHARE, RETWEET—If you are not willing to do that at least, then say nothing, leave no comment. Do not leave comments that say “prayers for this cat’s survival” etc. Just tell those of us who work our social media networks a comment saying “shared”!!.

That makes our efforts worthwhile. SHARING IS CARING!

Warm hugs to all who stuck in to read my very long guest post on Nana’s blog.

BE WELL, MOM LINDA

Update: Kauai Community Cats Need Our Help

HIYA!  SAVANNAH HERE!!

I am back again with an important update about the struggle of the Kauai Community Cat Project (KCCP) and the Kauai island county government. I have to warn you that I kind’a have my neck furs all standing up ‘cuz I am in a bit of a snit over what’s going on in secrecy in Kauai.

I was once a stray—this could have been my fate!

I was once a stray—this could have been my fate!

In August I let you know about a potential ban being placed on all TNR (trap, neuter, return) efforts on the whole five hundred and fifty plus square miles of land on Kauai. You can read all about it here.

Yep, you got that right! This county council committee, the Feral Cat Ordinance Committee, is working hard, and in secret, to craft strategies which will map the whole island and declare it as “sensitive bird habitat”. The WHOLE island my pals, which leaves nowhere for community cat colonies to be managed and decreased over time through TNR.

Community cats

Here is the latest update we received just late last week from Mr. Basil Scott, President of KCCP.

IMPORTANT UPDATE: From Kauai Community Cat Project
Sunshine Law Complaint Filed To Prevent County From Enacting Ordinance Resulting From Closed-Door Meetings!

 “On September 20, 2016, Kauai Community Cat Project (KCCP) filed a Sunshine Law complaint to prevent the County from enacting an ordinance resulting from years of closed-door meetings. Council member Yukimura, who helped to define this process and has personally led it for the last year-and-a-half, has publicly defended the County’s closed-door approach.

 Now here is the big deal that pushed KCCP to file a complaint against the county council’s Feral Cat Ordinance Committee. The state of Hawaii has what is called a “Sunshine Law”. The Sunshine Law is Hawaii’s open meetings law. It governs the manner in which all state and county boards must conduct their official business.

§92-1 Declaration of policy and intent. In a democracy, the people are vested with the ultimate decision-making power. Governmental agencies exist to aid the people in the formation and conduct of public policy. Opening up the governmental processes to public scrutiny and participation is the only viable and reasonable method of protecting the public’s interest. Therefore, the legislature declares that it is the policy of this State that the formation and conduct of public policy – the discussions, deliberations, decisions, and action of governmental agencies – shall be conducted as openly as possible.

I am asking all my readers who support TNR as the ONLY strategy for humane management of community cat over population to let your voices be heard. The community cats on the island of Kauai don’t have voices.

Voiceless

Voiceless

Those rescue groups who have been their advocates have been held out of meetings where the well being of this cat population is being determined.

Please, send emails to every committee member, especially the chair, Council member Joann Yukimura, asking them to behave democratically and openly.

live-in-harmony

Here are the names and email addresses for all members who are allowed to be active on the Feral Cat Ordinance Committee:

 Feral Cat Ordinance Committee Members
Joann Yukimura jyukimura@kauai.gov
Penny Cistaro Cistaro@kauaihumane.org
Cali Crampton cali@kauaiforestbirds.org
Adam Griesemer adam_griesemer@fws.gov
Makaala Kaaumoana makaala@hawaiian.net
Bill Lucey kiscmgr@hawaii.edu
Hob Osterlund info@albatrosskauai.org
Brooke McFarland brooke.a.mcfarland@hawaii.gov
Andre Raine araine6@hawaii.edu
William Trugillo wtrugillo@kauai.gov

Mom L asked Brian’s Dad Mr. Terry to place a copy of Mom L’s own email on their server. Please feel free to take a look and use any portion of it that helps you send off your own email.

Letter to Kauai Committee

Further information:

A MUST READ! If you do not paw any other link in this blog post, paw this one! Kauai Endangered Sea Bird Recovery Project confirms: cats are NOT the greatest threat!
Most Important Causes of Threat to Kauai Bird Population

Hawaii’s Sunshine Law

Donate to Kauai Community Cat Project

Kauai County Restrictions February 2016

PAW PATS, SAVANNAH

UPDATE ON MOMMA KAT COMING SOON! She is still #mommakatssearch hoping for her forever home. Check out her new photo

Momma Kat poses

The Day After RTF

HIYA! SAVANNAH HERE!!

We are late posting and it’s gonna be short  Mom L is still gone but I thought you would all like to see that Mr. Tomcat is indeed safe and truly back “home” with his community cat feeder.

My Tomcat waiting for dinner

I My Tomcat waiting for dinner

His ears sort’a suggest he was still not in a great mood after is “snip” experience, but no more kittens coming from him!   And he has a food service person to keep an eye on him. RTF does work. These community cats do have members of the public who care for and about them. Please ask your own community shelter to get started with a Return to Field program. SAVE COMMUNITY CAT LIVES and REDUCE EUTHANISIA NUMBERS and INCREASE LIVE RELEASE NUMBERS

PAW PATS, SAVANNAH

 

Post Navigation