Neuter Surgery

For those of you with a curious mind, this is what a male neuter looks like. It's a very fast procedure (maybe 5 minutes tops, assuming there are no special issues like a cryptorchid male). There is also nothing invasive about the procedure, and no stitches are required (just a tad bit of glue). A few people sometimes get worried because they'll see a drop of blood in the area, but this is totally normal and happens in every case. The male cats are also under anesthesia so they feel nothing at all. They bounce back incredibly fast too, with no pain afterward!!!

Five minutes for a longer, healthier life (and one that doesn't involve being a daddy to hundreds of kittens)!!! A simple neuter can save a male cat from the pain and suffering of testicular cancer, as well as keep unwanted litters off the streets.

Stomatitis

I think one of the most important things about pet ownership is getting to know each of your pets habits and typical behaviors. The reason for this being that if something is off with them you'd be able to tell and could take appropriate action.

Over the weekend Splinter started acting a little strange, first by just being slightly more lethargic than usual. By Monday she was pawing at her face a lot, and making strange faces as if something was stuck in her throat. When we tried to see what was wrong, she started growling and hissing at us... that's when I knew it wasn't something to just "wait and see" with. So the next morning we went back to see Dr. Lista.

As soon as we got to the oral exam the diagnosis was instant... Splinter has stomatitis. While it's not very common in cats under 2 years old (Dr. Lista was shocked that Splinter had it at 9 months old), it isn't impossible. Essentially the bacteria in the cats mouth builds up so quickly that the gums get infected, which then spreads throughout the mouth and can lead to ulcers and even death if left untreated.

Fortunately, Splinter was not at an unmanageable stage, so she was given a shot of cortisone (which she'll need regularly) and put on a special diet specific to stomatitis. She'll also need her teeth brushed daily, and extra dental care at home. Every few months she'll have to go back to the vet for deep dental cleanings, and probably in another year or two we'll have to extract her teeth. All of it is pretty manageable, and we'll constantly reassess her treatment as we go forward. It's going to be a lifelong problem for her, but I'm absolutely willing to do whatever it takes to keep her healthy and happy.


And because I'm such a nerd, I've been reading everything I can find about stomatitis online.
This site is awesome for clinical information: DVM360
This site is great for support, and for holistic treatments: A Path With Paws (also great for homemade raw cat food recipes!!)
A forum where I've found awesome support and helpful tips: Squidoo

Calico Cat

Although I was aiming for three cats last weekend, I only ended up with one. Well, actually I ended up with four, but three of those were already sterilized (one of them, a male, wasn't neutered by me, which makes me happy to know there is someone else in the neighborhood sterilizing cats!!).

This little girl was very feral and scared, but it was a pretty quick turnaround with the trap-sterilize-release so she was back to her normal life within a short period of time. And now that's one less baby maker in the neighborhood (and one healthier cat).

While she was getting spayed she also got a dose of ivermectin to help with worms, mites and other possible pests common for feral cats, plus she got her vaccines!! While she may not have been very happy with me, she'll definitely be a happier cat once the meds kick in.

Proposed mobile spay/neuter clinic for PETA

Desperate times call for desperate measures!

No matter what your feelings are for Tucker Max, PETA and/or Planned Parenthood, there are too many unwanted kittens and puppies being born each year to not think this is a good idea. These animals need help in whatever form it comes (provided it's safe, legal and all that good stuff). For a lot of American families struggling financially this will also help ease the burden of vet bills and hopefully keep more pets in their homes instead of in shelters and on the streets (too many animals are surrendered because their families can no longer afford to care for them). I think I've also made it pretty clear the kind of pet over population problem we're dealing with too, so the more sterilizations that can be performed the better.

With that being said, here's an interesting (and I think pretty funny) post on Gothamist:

Hey, Tucker Max: PETA Will Gladly Take Your Money To "Fix Your Bitches"

A Photoshop mock-up of the proposed van via PETA

While Planned Parenthood doesn't want any of Tucker Max's fratire money, there's one organization that doesn't mind associating itself with the self-proclaimed "asshole" and "dickhead" and one that shares a history of publicity stunts: The People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals. PETA's president Ingrid Newkirk has written a letter to Max (cc'ing Ryan Holiday, of course!) saying they'd use Max's $500,000 to get a "brand-new mobile spay-and-neuter truck"—plus they'd name it "Fix Your Bitches! The Tucker Max No-Cost to Low-Cost Spay and Neuter Clinic."

A Forbes blog post by Holiday, Max's publicist, claimed that Planned Parenthood was excited to get a $500,000 donation from Max—with the stipulation that a clinic be named after Max—but then the group got cold feet. Holiday and Max have accused Planned Parenthood of hypocrisy ("the Susan G Komen Foundation did the EXACT SAME THING TO PLANNED PARENTHOOD THAT PP DID TO ME"), while critics have pointed out, "Trying to bolster the career of a misogynist narcissist at the expense of an organization that is already teetering on the brink, and then crying foul — and attempting a public shaming- when the organization protects itself so that it can continue to provide much-needed help to people who need more fundamental assistance than a new image and a tax break? That’s disgusting and transparently self-serving."

ANYWAY: Newkirk points out, "Dogs and cats can't use condoms, so PETA would be happy to have Tucker Max's help in staving the flow of dogs and cats who flood U.S. animal shelters by the millions every year for want of a home." Here's her letter in full:

Dear Mr. Max,

I am writing on behalf of People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) and our more than 3 million members and supporters with a proposition we hope you’ll like. Having heard about Planned Parenthood’s rejection of your offer, we’d like to propose an alternative way that you can help prevent unwanted pregnancies, receive a tax break, and put your name proudly on a clinic—perhaps along with a picture of you and your dog! We would like to purchase a brand-new mobile spay-and-neuter truck and name it “Fix Your Bitches! The Tucker Max No-Cost to Low-Cost Spay and Neuter Clinic.” The truck would cost just shy of $400,000 (delivered fully equipped) and give us $100,000 in leftover funds to spend on veterinary fees—if you are willing to spend the same amount you were offering Planned Parenthood.

Since 2001, our mobile clinics have helped prevent the births of hundreds of thousands of unwanted cats and dogs. In fact, PETA spays and neuters more than 800 dogs and cats every month in some of the most impoverished areas of North Carolina and lower Virginia. We assist owners who have a hard time paying their utility bills, are without transportation of any kind, and often live in trailer parks. One of our mobile clinics is on its last legs (it’s in the repair shop more than it’s on the road), so this would be a huge help.

Two of our clinics currently display images of Simon Cowell and Ron Artest. Please see this mock-up of what the Tucker Max clinic could look like, complete with the “Fix Your Bitches!” slogan and an image of you hugging a dog.

Millions of dogs and cats must be euthanized every year because people continue to let them breed when there are not enough homes to go around. Most end up in shelters—others are left to fend for themselves on the streets, where they are often subjected to cruelty, suffer from starvation or diseases, or are hit by cars.

Dogs and cats may “sleep” with more mates “than is safe or reasonable”—but unlike us, they can’t unwrap a condom. Will you help us provide this essential form of birth control? Thank you for considering this.

Very truly yours,

Ingrid E. Newkirk
President

cc: Ian Claudius and Ryan Holiday

Your move, Tucker Max!

Love Cats

My awesome cousins in NYC decided after a recent visit to my house that they were ready to adopt a cat. They wanted one of mine, but since I didn't have any ready for adoption I put them in contact with my friend in Brooklyn who works in animal rescue as well. 

They originally wanted a tiny kitten like my James, but I talked them into a few "musts" for cat adoption. The first was they they must adopt two cats. Not being home all the time to give cats the proper attention they need and deserve requires that they have another source of playtime and love... with two cats in the house they're able to entertain each other, which not only means less work for the owner but also less destruction.

The other must was that they either needed to adopt two older cats, if they wanted specific colors, or they had to adopt black cats if they wanted kittens. Those two types are the least adopted, and knowing full well that older cats and black cats make some of the best pets, I wasn't going to let a great pair of pet parents slip by with anything but the best albeit least adopted. Any chance to save a life that's high risk is one I have to take!!

With those rules in mind they went to an adoption show my friend referred them to, and found an amazing pair of black kittens that needed a home. They're both males and are brothers, so going to the same home is fantastic for them!!!My cousins are absolutely in love with them, and are spoiling them beyond measure. It's really such a happy adoption story, and I love my daily pictures of the boys. Their names are Zeus and Zorro, and they're tiny little love bugs:)

At the adoption center... how could you not fall in love??

The boys showing off their love, comfort and happiness in their new home.

Doesn't get any cuter than that.

Snuggling with their new human.

They love their boy.

Neuri Goes Home

Neuri went to her new home last night, which was bittersweet. While I'll miss the crazy little girl, I'm so happy that she'll be in a home with lots of other playmates to run around with!! As soon as I got to her new house and opened the carrier door, she immediately walked out like she owned the place. Her new furry friends also came right over to welcome her, and by the time I left she was completely at home!!! I'm so proud of how far Neuri has come in the two weeks we had her, and am so grateful to have been able to help save her life. She's an amazing cat who will make a great furry friend to the lucky human who now cares for her. And hopefully she's now learned that not all humans are bad, and that given the chance we'll fight for her forever:) Lots of love to Neuri and her new family!!!!

 

Miss Priss

Turns out Miss Priss not only doesn't want to leave, but I don't think she knows how. She spent all day yesterday just sitting in our backyard crying, which lead me to believe that yes, she's definitely an indoor cat and no, she has no idea where she came from/how to get back/how to survive outside. So we took her in and are trying to find her owner or a new family. She's really sweet and I know that she's thankful for the love and care (she's really big on licking anyone who comes over to her). The sad part is that the more we try to help her and find out about her, the more we think that she was abandoned. There are a lot of recent "for rent" signs in my neighborhood and I have the suspicion that the family that owned her probably downsized to an apartment and left her behind. It would explain the recent spay and her doing anything she could to find food (like going into dirty broken traps). It's also not an uncommon thing unfortunately, especially with the current economic situation. Many people believe that they can just put their house cats back outside and they'll be able to hunt and survive on their own. Sadly, that's not the case at all. And I'm sure these people thought they were doing a good thing by getting her spayed before releasing her. 

She's a beautiful cat though, and very affectionate and well behaved (we gave her a litter box, which she took to right away, and we made her a little bed that she loves). If anyone out there would like to help this baby girl by giving her the loving home she deserves, please let me know!! She's about a year old, has long soft fur, and would get along easily with other animals and children. I'll be taking her in for testing and more vaccinations as soon as possible, and of course she's already spayed!!

How to Help the Loews Cats

Dear Animal Advocates,

This is Christine Michaels, the person who sounded the alarm about the Loews Hotel cats in January. I want to provide an update. PLEASE READ CAREFULLY for ways you can help!

The trapping began exactly two weeks ago and it's not going smoothly. Cats coming in with horrific injuries, more than what many of us are accustomed to when trapping cats. Shadow had a significant gash on her forehead.  WE are documenting everything on Facebook if you want to LIKE the page and follow. www.facebook.com/SaveLoewsCats. Myself and another person tried to file a complaint of inhumane trapping and starvation with OCAS (Orange County Animal Services) but Loews is also learning about their own mistakes on our Facebook page and correcting their mistakes right before OCAS pays them a visit.

Patty is correct when she emailed on Dear Tabby that Loews has security patrolling the grounds so no one can sneak onto property to feed the cats. 

Sadly the cats are traumatized. Many are not eating. Rabbit has to be fed with syringe. It's so sad.  Again you can follow all of this on Facebook.

The cats are being bailed out of animal services by a wonderful organization CARE Feline TNR. The volunteers are coming out in tears to see so much blood on cats and soaked in urine.  They've never encountered this in all their years in trapping.  OCAS says it's "typical injuries of trapping" per my conversation with OCAS rep. Really?!

On a slightly positive note:

First, it seems almost every cat blogger, writer in US has written about this issue and we are gaining momentum. However, as expected, other than the USA Today online article in January and a brief mention in Orlando Sentinel, general media has not picked up the story. You and I know why--general public does not understand or appreciate that outdoor cats are cats too, whether feral or stray.  Reporters have contacted me indicating interest but their producers have said no.  Hence why it is now my mission to get more involved in EDUCATION.

If you have a blog or website and would like to spread the news, here is a PRESS RELEASE with overall background.

http://www.riverfrontcats.com/2012/04/loews-orlando-hotels-begin-inhumane.html

I've been in close contact with Alley Cat Allies and Best Friend Animal Society. These are amazing organizations. Tears just well up when I think of all these wonderful cat owners, educators, rescuers, strangers all coming together  for a common good. Many of you and especially Cindy Hewitt wrote eloquent impactful letters to Loews.  It's simply amazing.

 Other ways people can help.

There are two petitions circulating. Many of you received the one by Alley Cat Allies.  They have received over 20,000 signature and counting. You can still sign it. Here is the link:

http://www.alleycat.org/page.aspx?pid=1166 (once you fill out information, the site directs you to a donation page. You do not have to donate unless you want to but please know your petition went through. However, please know any donations ACA received went to purchasing crates and supplies for the recovery and care of the Loews cats.

 Best Friend Animal Society (BFAS) wrote an excellent blog post yesterday with a link to a petition which will be sent to FL dept of Health that is part of the problem. 

http://blogs.bestfriends.org/index.php/2012/04/10/loews-hotels-in-orlando-give-community-cats-the-shaft/

 Loews quotes an outdated policy by Fl Dept of Health. Here is the Link to the petiiton  http://www.capwiz.com/bestfriends/issues/alert/?alertid=61178286&type=CU

Finally, any DONATIONS  for the recovery, care of the Loews Cats can be made to CARE Feline TNR. http://carefelinetnr.org/

You'll notice their donation button.CARE is doing incredible work in  bailing out the cats from the animal shelter and doing their best to help the cats recover.

You can read the various write -ups by cat and animal bloggers  on the Facebook page.

We encourage people to continue writing, calling the hotel, etc.

www.facebook.com/SaveLoewsCats

While we may lose this battle, I PRAY this may be the incident that starts to get noticed outside our choir of rescuers and educate the masses. Only then will we overturn the ignorance and discrimination surrounding outdoor community cats. Education is key!

Thank you all for taking the time to read this. Sign a petition, LIKE the Facebook. Every contribution makes a difference!

Christine Michaels

Loews Supports Animal Cruelty

Sometimes it feels like no matter what you do you just can't get through to people, even when the right thing to do seems so obvious. Loews Orlando hotels are back at inhumanely trapping their feral cats and surrendering them to animal shelters where they will be euthanized. For a company that prides (and advertises) itself as being a pet-friendly hotel, they really are anything but. It's unacceptable what they are doing to these animals that had been taught to think they were safe and cared for, and it cannot be allowed to happen. I urge everyone to sign the petition below and to get involved in any way you can!!! It may not seem like a lot, but thousands of individual voices (and canceled hotel reservations) add up to a very loud roar!!!!!

Cats’ lives are in danger in Orlando, Florida.

Loews Hotels is cruelly trapping and removing the cats who have lived peacefully on their properties for years. The company doing the trapping is not following proper protocol—the cats are being left all alone in their traps, in the 89-degree heat, without proper care or even food and water.

We called on supporters to stop this cruelty, and the response has been overwhelming. So far, we’ve delivered our petition with more than 20,000 signatures to the executives at Loews Orlando Resorts and Loews Corporate, but we’re not letting up until they stop hurting cats.

We’ve set a goal of reaching 30,000 signatures this week to up the public pressure on Loews to make sure they do the right thing. The cats are counting on us. Will you add your name right away?

Click here to join more than 20,000 supporters and demand that Loews stop this inhumane treatment of cats right away.

Anyone who even approaches the trapped cats has been threatened with trespassing and escorted off the premises by security. Hotel employees who have cared for these healthy cats have been forbidden from feeding them, under penalty of losing their jobs.

Several cats have been so frantic to get out of unattended traps that they’ve ended up with gashes and bloodied noses. Alley Cat Allies has worked with local rescue groups to make sure all of the cats are being cared for.

We are doing everything in our power to help these cats. We’ve reached out to Loews time and time again, and continue to offer help and assistance should they decide to put a stop to the heartless trapping and removing.

This Saturday, we are rallying in Orlando, but we need voices from coast-to-coast to put a stop to this inhumane treatment. If you haven’t yet, please join the fight for these cats’ lives and add your name to our petition right away.

Click here to sign our petition calling on Loews to stop trapping cats right now.

These vaccinated, healthy, neutered cats have been denied food for over a week, trapped in abysmal conditions, and taken from their family.

We can’t let up until they are safe and sound at home, and we will continue to deliver the signatures and make your voices heard in every way possible until that day comes.

Becky Robinson
President

*The cat in the image above, Shadow, suffered this heartbreaking gash on her forehead during trapping, prompting a hotel guest to complain to staff about her condition. Shadow has since been rescued for foster by a local TNR group.

Stockholm Syndrome

Accidentally trapped cat was released this morning, but apparently she didn't want to leave. I had to pick her up to move her outside the shed, and then she just sat there crying to go back in. I opened the door and she walked in and laid down on the floor, waiting for me to pet her, which of course I did. 

Finally she wondered out into the back yard and over to the side of the house where she was first trapped, so I thought she had decided to go home. No such luck. When I went back outside to clean the trap I saw Miss Priss over in the bushes in the backyard (you can kind of see her to the right of the big cactus plant, under the tree). As soon as she saw me she ran right up meowing for more attention. And as of 11am when I finally left for work, she was still sitting in the yard hanging out.

I'm not sure if she can't remember where she came from (although I don't really think that's true...) or if she just decided our house is better, but whatever the reason she seems to want to stick around. 

Spay tattoo

Here's the picture of the little girl's spay tattoo that gave away her sterilization. It definitely wasn't a Meow Mobile spay, as the ones we do are much cleaner, precise and neat (we always shave the cats in a perfect square too... No need for them to look scruffy just because they're getting sterilized).
The incision was slightly infected (nothing that would not have healed on its own), so we cleaned that up and gave her additional antibiotics to speed up recovery.

Lend me your ears....

For the love of cats everywhere, please ear tip your cats!!! Even if they're pets that never go outside, or strays that "only stay in the yard"... All it takes is one instance of a cat getting out and into someone's trap for its entire world to change.

The cat that wondered into my trap on Sunday was definitely owned by someone at some point... A fact not given away just by the fact that it would purr and lick me every time I'd feed it, but because it had previously been sterilized. And sterilized recently enough that it hadn't entirely healed yet. This is why I can't stress ear tips enough.... This cat unnecessarily was given anesthesia because there was no ear tip, something we don't like to subject cats to if they don't need it!!

While she was under she did get the much needed ear tip though, along with some antibiotics and rabies vaccine. The image above is of the post ear tip, with the hemostat still on and some quick-stop to help the healing (from start to finish including "recovery" it takes about 10 minutes). At least she won't have to go through this again.

Accidental Trapping

This rather large cat was an accidental trapping. I had left my dirty traps on the side of the house so I could clean them later, including this trap that is broken, and still this kitty managed to wonder inside and get itself trapped. Not sure what enticed it inside in the first place as there was no food and the trap wasn't even set (like I said, it was broken... the door doesn't snap closed all the way), but since there was no ear tip I couldn't in good conscience release the cat before sterilizing it. I've also never seen this cat before so who knows if I'd ever be able to trap it again... a chance I'm not willing to take.

Although I do not like to keep cats for more than 2 days tops before their sterilizations, this one will have to patiently wait for 3 days before the next sterilization event. I'm transferring the cat to my box trap temporarily so there will be more room to walk around, and in the meantime I'll be treating for fleas, worms and mange. The cat has a healthy appetite but isn't in the best shape, so I'm working on getting it back in top form before its sterilization and release.

Although this isn't something I planned on, it's a happy accident I'm willing to accept!!

I also originally thought this was a male, but now I'm not so sure. I've also started to get the feeling that this cat "belongs" to someone, although a person who does not take very good care of their furry friends. The cat is in bad shape, but is very friendly (I've been getting a lot of licks and purrs out of this one...). I guess I'll find out this afternoon at pick up if it's a boy or a girl, and there will be some more medicine and vaccines administered today to get this kitty up to par (it reminds me a lot of Fluffy Butt actually).

Getting our drink on...

In another victory for Neuri, she's now drinking water like a normal kitty cat!!
At first she really didn't know what to make of the water dish, and then she was still too shaky to actually drink from it, but now she's an absolute pro! She's not the quietest of drinkers, but at least she's drinking. And for those of you out there that are concerned about how she stayed hydrated when not drinking water, she was on a very high calorie supplement specific for keeping cats hydrated who weren't drinking on their own. I also made sure to mix water into her wet food so she could at least get some that way.
But now she's able to drink on her own, and drink she does!!!! So proud of this little girl:)

Neuri Learns to Play

In a HUGE display of progress Neuri played with her first toy over the weekend!!! I think she heard Dr. Kramer say she was going to plateau soon, so she needed to prove him wrong. Since then almost every day she's made another huge step in her rehabilitation.
She's still learning how to hold on to the toys, but regardless she seems like she's having a good time with her new toys. And when she's done playing with them she carries them back over to her bed so they can be next to her during nap time.

Big Boy

Another round of Music School trapping yielded a fantastic catch, which made up for the fact that it was the only catch. I went trapping again on Tuesday night and managed to catch the big feral male who had been impregnating all the ladies in the area. He's fathered quite a few at this point, so it felt great to finally put that to a stop!!! He's also a very large cat, and very aggressive (there were more than a few hisses and instances of him spitting at me when I tried to feed him during recovery... and that was how he acted coming out of sedation so just imagine him when he's at 100%). Being neutered will not only help us keep the number of kittens down, but will also make him a bit less aggressive since he'll no longer feel the need to compete for a mate.

He did have really bad fleas though, so he got a heavy dose of Revolution before being released Thursday evening. It won't stop the problem forever, but at least it will help him get over this nasty infestation (and will help with mites, worms and other invasive beings)!!

Pee pee!!

I've never been happier to see pee!!! Neuri used the litter box for the first time last night, which may not seem like a big deal but is actually a HUGE deal!!!! The closer she gets to being a self sufficient kitty, the closer she gets to a real home!

Not only did she pee (see graphic picture below), but she also pooped and pooped repeatedly (I spared you that picture...), which means she knows where the litter box is and remembers to use it each time she needs to go. Always good to know it wasn't just a fluke!!

This morning I replaced the makeshift litter box with a real one, so we'll see if she's able to figure that out and use it again. One of the best things too is that she was "out" in the bedroom (as opposed to contained in her crate) and she still knew to go back into the crate to use the litter box. 

It's just so awesome to see her progressing this much, and fighting harder than ever to overcome her neurological issues!!!!!

 

Neuri Poses for a Picture

Neuri is still a bit shaky, so it's hard to get a good picture of her, but at least you can see how pretty she is! She's got the cutest little face, and such a loving personality!! She'll also need a forever home once she's back to being an independent cat, so start spreading the word. This is one case where her life really truly does depend on the kindness of humans!!!!

She went back to Dr. Kramer this morning for a check up, and while she's definitely getting more responsive with her reflexes (and more coordinated) it looks like her vision is still very minimal. She doesn't react to movements near her, and she does show some fear with too many loud sounds around her, both indications that she can't see beyond some basic reactions to light. At least she's getting stronger and healthier though... she can deal with being blind if that's the case.

Her respiratory infection is at about 50% now, which is a huge improvement, so we switched up the antibiotics to try and knock out that last bit. She also got her 3 in 1 vaccination, which will hopefully help her fight off any viral infections that may be working their way through her system.

Slowly but surely she's getting better, and before long she'll be a normal (albeit special) kitty!!!

Cat Art

Apparently it's not just small children who find pens and end up writing all over themselves... Cats can do it too! Emily found a pen and added some lovely decorations to her face, but the craziest part is how she managed to do it... None of us can figure out how she ended up with pen marks on her, so I guess it will forever remain a mystery.

Mega-Match Adoption Event was a gigantic success!

The first ever mega-match adoption event (24 hour pet adoption event) was a great success. Many local organizations partnered together to help save hundreds of dogs and cats facing certain death in the shelters. Over 240 animals were adopted out to loving homes (all adopters carefully screened), with the Cat Network adopting out 13 cats (and a few more adoptions in the works as a result of the event). 

Here is the email sent out this morning from Animal Services Director, Alez Munoz:

Thank you to all of you that helped spread the word and participated in the first-ever 24-hour Pet Adoption event in our Community. We could not have done it without you.

 

Mega-Match Adoption Event was a gigantic success!

Miami-Dade Animal Services (ASD) adopted out 125 of our shelter dogs and cats . We had hundreds of people lined up before 12 midnight on Friday night to adopt our pets.  The weather in the late afternoon on Saturday presented a serious challenge and flooded much of the event and destroyed some groups’ booths and presentations. Despite the difficulties….the event was very well-attended and folks kept coming even after the rain so ASD stayed to  and as a result many more pets were adopted between the rain storms and Mid-Night.

Humane Society of Greater Miami did 56 adoptions at the event, and continued their discounts on Sunday at their shelter for even more pets to get new homes. 

And a very very special thanks to the ASPCA for their grant of financial assistance and for giving us the idea for this event

 

In total we did over  240 Adoptions between us, HSGM, and all the Rescue partners.  We will get you the final number shortly. Absolutely amazing.

We could never have accomplished such an amazing feat without the help of everyone. Our volunteers were also an amazing part of the success.

ASD Staff was integral to the success of this effort. Here they were ready to receive the 800 plus people that came between the hours of Midnight and 430 am

All in all, this was an adventure no one will forget.  We need to thank the ASPCA, Tami, BJ and all the others from that organization, who inspire and support us in becoming more successful than we even imagined.   And a huge thank you to David of the HSGM who took on this titanic organizational feat with zeal, skill, and enthusiasm. This is a great example of how organizations in our community work together for the animals.

Look for photos soon in an album on our website, www.miamidade.gov/animals  

Have a great week everyone!

Alex Muñoz, Director
Miami-Dade County Animal Services Department

Neurological cat says feline agility is overrated

Neuri started walking around more this weekend, and has been exploring her new bedroom/living area. She does best in the morning with more walking/meowing/purring, but she's still pretty active at night too (comparatively speaking). I don't think her vision has returned 100%, but she makes the best of it. We added in a new mixture of medicines for her (high calorie supplements and some Fortiflora to help stabilize her stomach), and it definitely seems to be making her stronger. She's more coordinated as well, although still a bit shaky - and some of her pesky paws don't work quite right, but that doesn't stop her from getting around.
It's all baby steps, but she's still fighting so we'll fight too!!!

Neurological Cat Says Random Things...

Hoarding is bad on pretty much any level, but when it comes to hoarding animals I honestly don't think there is anything worse.

This little girl was brought into the Meow Mobile last week by a hoarder. She was there for her spay (4 months old and already pregnant). She had a respiratory infection that by the time she made it off the surgery table had caused her to slip into a coma. The amazing Dr. Kramer was able to revive her after performing CPR, but she had severe neurological damage as a result. She was taken to another Cat Network member's home for rehabilitation, but after a week of care it had been decided that she should be euthanized. At least that was the case until she was brought back to the Meow Mobile where the biggest animal crusader and number one vet tech, Eliana, decided that she deserved more of a chance before everyone gave up on her. In the one week she had been recovering she had already made huge strides - eating on her own, fighting off her URI, and starting to hold her head up. 

Since I'm probably one of the few people who leaves the clinic with more cats than I took in, Eliana decided I should take this little girl home with me and see what I can do to get her where she needs to be (she and I are very good friends and share a passion for helping the worst off animals in the clinic, so it's okay that she pushed this kitten on me...!). And how can you argue with something like "she's either given a chance or she dies"??!!! I know I couldn't!! After all this kitten has been through in her short life there was no way I was going to let her die without first fighting for her and letting her fight for herself.

Since coming home with me last night she's eaten a healthy amount, has taken her meds without a fight, and has started purring and snuggling up with anyone close by!! You can absolutely see the kitten in her, she's just trying to find a way to let it out and conquer the neurological damage (which is possible for cats to do, if given enough time and attention). She's been trying to walk, although it's not very steady, and she's started meowing for attention when she needs some pets. Seems like good signs to me, and a reason to let her keep fighting!!! The hardest part though is that it's not just the neurological damage she's trying to overcome - she's very underweight and is battling a very serious respiratory infection that makes it hard for her to breath. She also has worms and is unable to use a litter box, so there's a lot of cleaning up after her. It's worth it though, and I'm happy to show her not all humans are bad.

But this brings me back to the hoarders. The woman who was keeping this baby also has another 40+ cats in her small one bedroom apartment. With that number it's impossible to care for them properly despite the best of intentions, and it shows. Most of them have respiratory infections and they're breeding faster than she can control leading to other medical issues. It's just not fair to the animals to live like this, and there's no amount of arguing that could make me think otherwise. This woman is being reported to Animal Services for animal cruelty, which is a move I 100% agree with. And I urge anyone who sees a situation like this to do the same. It's not only unhealthy and cruel to the animals, but it's very unhealthy for the human living in that situation.

Neurological cat gets some rest.

On a random side note, I think of this cat in my head as an internet meme. Maybe it's because of the recent South Park episode, but I keep repeating "neurological cat says ____" and picturing the background from the business cat meme. I've also been calling her Neuri (for the time being at least).

I'll post more pictures and updates on Neuri over the weekend, as she *hopefully* progresses!!

UM Music Kittens

I feel like I say too much about ear tips, but I also feel like I can't say enough. Of the two kittens I trapped from the Music School (and not including the third one I trapped and released because of it's obvious ear tip), one of the kittens, the female, was already spayed. Problem being she had no ear tip, so there was no way to know without sedating her and prepping her for surgery. An obvious spay scar is what finally gave it away, but had she had the ear tip she wouldn't even be at the clinic in the first place, let alone now needing to recover from the anesthesia.While she was under sedation she did receive the much needed ear tip though, so she shouldn't have to go through this again!!

Sterilized female, now with ear tip!

 The other kitten was a male, only now with slightly less testosterone. The colony at the Music School is getting so large that they've been fighting amongst themselves, so getting them spayed and neutered will help ease the tension. People often comment about how it's more important to trap the females, and I've even heard arguments on occasion that it's not necessary to trap the males if all the females are spayed, and I couldn't disagree more. Unneutered males are much more aggressive, and will roam an average of a 10 mile radius in search of a female... while they may not be impregnating any of the females in your own colony, they most certainly can in another. Neuter and Spay is the Only Way!!!

male kitten, neutered, vaccinated and ear tipped.

Spy Tactics

Spying on the cats from my car's rear view mirror...

Last night I went trapping at UM, hoping to catch the "grandmother" of the Music School cats. Shes a very smart, very feral cat who has given birth to too many litters at this point (and may very well be pregnant with the next batch of babies). She is older and a bit sick because she is constantly pregnant, so she's been number one on my hit list for quite some time. 

I set out my traps and within minutes had my first kitten. There are three all black kittens that needed to be sterilized also, but they weren't my priority this time. Regardless, once they're in my trap they're getting their sterilization and vaccinations, so this little one was removed from the area so as not to scare off the others. 

The second cat took a little more persuading... I had to add more food to the trap, and leave a little trail for it to follow far enough inside to set off the door. And while it was another of the kittens, I'll take what I can get. 

As the grandmother was no where to be seen at this point, I decided to just keep trying for the third and fourth cats to fill my reservation quota. Most of the cats in the area had caught on to what I was doing and moved elsewhere on campus for the night, but there was one left that I wanted to try and nab. It took a couple hours but eventually he ventured into my trap and was my third catch of the night... until I saw the ear tip. This is why ear tips are so important... if this little guy didn't have his I would have taken him in for surgery unnecessarily and wasted a valuable appointment on a cat who didn't need my attention. He was quickly released, and I made my way back home to try and catch some of my neighborhood ferals to fill my appointments. 

Of the five kittens recently born across the street, I had already sterilized three (2 girls, 1 boy). I knew I had a least one more girl, and what I suspect is another boy. I was able to catch the *hopeful* boy (I'll get confirmation on that when I go to pick up my cats this afternoon), but the fourth and final cat eluded me all night. In addition to the last lady kitten, I know there are at least 2-3 adult cats who still need to be sterilized, including the litter's mother. 

So 3 out of 4 isn't bad, but I still have a long way to go. I made another appointment for 4 more cats next week, so the trapping will continue. And with that so does the fund raising, since the University has ended their TNR funds for the time being. Anyone out there want to donate $15 to sterilize and vaccinate some feral Florida cats????......

Spring = Kitten Season

While cats breed year round in South Florida because of our warm temperatures, kitten season definitely kicks things up a notch! These are the moments when I curse myself for not trying every crazy thing I could think of to trap some of the ferals on campus and in my neighborhood. Although we don't have any tiny litters right now, I know they're on their way so I'm arming myself with traps, tuna and anything else I can think of to get those few unsterilized kitties into the clinic for their spay/neuter.

I've been fundraising around campus to get the money to sterilize the remaining cats we have to do (I estimate around 15, thanks to a litter that was born over the holiday break). I'm also putting aside part of my paycheck to sterilize the remaining kittens in the litter across the street from me, as well as their elusive mother. Fortunately the Meow Mobile is offering $15 surgeries, thanks to a generous grant from the ASPCA.... it's like a two for one special on sterilizations (which is huge when you have around 20 cats to take care of).

Slowly but surely I'm making my way through the neighborhood and campus cats. If only the cats themselves were a little more helpful by going in my traps when I set them out...!!!

Here are two of the feral kittens on campus that are high priorities:

The Battle Rages On...

The fight never stops, nor do the things you fight against get any less insane...

The Florida House & Senate once again outdid themselves with their ridiculousness, when they approved the artificial dying of animals - a ban that had been in place to prevent stores from dying chicks, rabbits and the like and selling them for holidays only to have them abandoned months later when the "cute" wore off.

Florida Sen. Ellyn Bogdanoff, R-Fort Lauderdale, was the one responsible for lifting a 45-year-old ban on artificially dyeing animals. Bogdanoff snuck Amendment 303390, "repealing s. 828.161, F.S., relating to the prohibition of artificial dying or coloring of certain animals or fowl" onto HB Bill 1197, which revises certain agriculture codes in the state. The amendment was approved 33 to 3 in the state Senate and 109 to 5 on the House floor.

So once again politics and special interest groups mean more than basic animal rights, welfare and, let's face it, animal abuse.  I hope these people are ashamed of themselves, but I doubt it.

To those of you out there who agree this is wrong, please contact the Governor's Office and make yourself heard... he's the last hope in getting this vetoed before we all start going blind from neon animals in Florida...!
http://www.flgov.com/contact-gov-scott/email-the-governor/


My email to the Governor (please feel free to use any and/or all of it):

Dear Governor Scott,
I urge you to veto the amendment recently passed in the House and Senate lifting the ban on the artificial dying of animals. This is an inhumane practice that results in hundreds of animals being abandoned each year after the pretty colors have worn off. Shelters are overcrowded as it is, and this influx of unwanted animals not only results in senseless deaths that could have been prevented, but it also costs the tax payer thousands of dollars by having Animal Services deal with the cleanup of this mess. Dog groomers and show animals have gotten along fine these past 45 years the ban has been in place, and the result of lifting it will cause more harm than good.
Please consider the animals who are not competing for "best in show" but their lives, and do the humane thing by vetoing this unnecessary amendment.



Huffington Post article

A Lasting Legacy

Sometimes you don't have to know a person to know they're good people. That's at least how I feel about one woman, upon hearing the sad news of her passing.

Sally Lucker, a compassionate animal rescuer, was swept away in her car Wednesday evening as a result of the flooding from storms earlier in the week in Texas. She not only was a former board member for one of my favorite organizations, Shadow Cats Rescue, but she also went on to found her own rescue, Blue Paws. She was found this morning in her car along with her foster dog, Starfish. This was posted on her organization's website this morning:

"It is with heavy hearts that we must say goodbye to our founder and dear friend Sally Katz Lucker. It has been confirmed that both her and Starfish, who Blue Paws rescued earlier this year, have been found inside her car. Sally will always be remembered for the countless of animals she has helped. In her memory we will keep Blue Paws Rescue going strong. Our hearts go out to her husband Geoffrey, her parents, all of her family, friends, rescue friends, and all her fur babies. - Molly and Chandra"

From Shadow Cats:

Even now more than ever, funds need to be raised for the animals that were physically in Sally's care. While I do not know the number, from her adoptable pages, there are many. Perhaps someone from Blue Paws will let us know specific needs in the coming days. Until then our friends Pennies-4-Paws Inc. are fundraising for them. Please go to their page and donate to help the animals of Blue Paws. Also, if you can adopt, this is the time to do it- this is too many animals for anyone to intake or absorb- so if you can adopt one or even two animals- I know this would be a tremendous help.

From Pennies-4-Paws:

Thank you to our friends who are donating to help Blue Paws Rescue in the memory of Sally and Starfish today. Our fundraiser will go on through the end of the month.
 

To donate please visit Pennies-4-Paws and click on the 911 Fund!

And with that I leave you with this:

RAINBOW BRIDGE RESCUE

Unlike most days at RainBow Bridge, this day dawned cold and gray, damp as a swamp and as dismal as could be imagined. All the recent arrivals were confused and concerned. They had no idea what to think for they had never experienced a day like this before. But the animals who had spent some time waiting for their beloved people knew exactly what was happening and began to gather at the pathway leading to the Bridge to watch. They knew this was something special.

It wasn't too long before an elderly animal came into view, head hung heavy and low with tail dragging along the ground. The other animals on the pathway...the ones who had been at RainBow Bridge for a while...knew the story of this sad creature immediately. They had seen it happen far too many times.
Although it was obvious the animal's heart was leaden and he was totally overcome with emotional pain and hurt, there was no sign of injury or any illness. Unlike the pets waiting at the Bridge, this dog had not been restored to his prime. He was full of neither health nor vigor. He approached slowly and painfully, watching all the pets who were by now watching him. He knew he was out of place here. This was no resting place for him. He felt instinctively that the sooner he could cross over, the happier he would be. But alas, as he came closer to the Bridge, his way was barred by the appearance of an Angel who spoke softly to the old dog and apologized sorrowfully, telling him that he would not be able to pass. Only those animals who were with their special people could pass over the RainBow Bridge. And he had no special beloved people...not here at the Bridge nor on Earth below.
With no place else to turn, the poor elderly dog looked toward the fields before the Bridge. There, in a separate area nearby, he spotted a group of other sad-eyed animals like himself...elderly and infirm. Unlike the pets waiting for their special people, these animals weren't playing, but simply lying on the green grass, forlornly and miserably staring out at the pathway leading to the Bridge. The recent arrival knew he had no choice but to join them. And so, he took his place among them, just watching the pathway and waiting.
One of the newest arrivals at the Bridge, who was waiting for his special people, could not understand what he had just witnessed and asked one of the pets who had been there for some time to explain it to him.
"That poor dog was a rescue, sent to the pound when his owner grew tired of him. They way you see him now, with graying fur and sad, cloudy eyes, was exactly the way he was when he was put into the kennels. He never, ever made it out and passed on only with the love and comfort that the kennel workers could give him as he left his miserable and unloved existence on Earth for good. Because he had no family or special person to give his love, he has nobody to escort him across the Bridge."
The first animal thought about this for a minute and then asked, "So what will happen now?"
As he was about to receive his answer, the clouds suddenly parted and the all-invasive gloom lifted. Coming toward the Bridge could be seen a single figure...a person who, on Earth, had seemed quite ordinary...a person who, just like the elderly dog, had just left Earth forever. This figure turned toward a group of the sad animals and extended outstretched palms. The sweetest sounds they had ever heard echoed gently above them and all were bathed in a pure and golden light. Instantly, each was young and healthy again, just as they had been in the prime of life.
From within the gathering of pets waiting for their special people, a group of animals emerged and moved toward the pathway. As they came close to the passing figure, each bowed low and each received a tender pat on the head or a scratch behind the ears. Their eyes grew even brighter as the figure softly murmured each name. Then, the newly-restored pets fell into line behind the figure and quietly followed this person to the Bridge, where they all crossed together.
The recent arrival who had been watching, was amazed. "What happened?"
"That was a rescuer," came the answer. "That person spent a lifetime trying to help pets of all kinds. The ones you saw bowing in respect were those who found new homes because of such unselfish work. They will cross when their families arrive. Those you saw restored were ones who never found homes. When a rescuer arrives, they are permitted to perform one, final act of rescue. They are allowed to escort those poor pets that couldn't place on Earth across the Rainbow Bridge. You see, all animals are special to them...just as they are special to all animals."
"I think I like rescuers," said the recent arrival.
"So does God," was the reply.
--Author Unknown--

I Hate Balls

My personal feelings for Katherine Heigl aside (not the biggest fan...), I'm both happy and amused that she's taken up the sterilization cause and is working to educate people on the importance of spay/neuter!! It still amazes me that people argue against sterilization, especially when they're usually the ones who are helping to make the pet overpopulation problem worse instead of better...unless you have a better idea than sterilization, don't argue with those trying to control overpopulation. Too many animals are killed in shelters each year because of irresponsible people, and that's just not okay.
So cheers to Katherine Heigl for speaking out about what's right and responsible, and for not backing down when all the haters hate!!! And even more so for doing it with a sense of humor!!!!

Here's her "I hate balls" video


And here's her website

I love Ellen

So Ricky Gervais and Alec Baldwin prompted me to learn more about other celebrities who are using their fame to help the animals. In doing so I learned a lot about Ellen that I didn't know, which only made me like her more. But really, how could you not like her??.... She's smart, she's funny, and she's kind.

In addition to all the things she does to help people (most recently her anti-bullying campaign, which is fantastic), she's also a vegan and animal lover / activist. Her website has a dedicated area for learning about veganism, how you can help animals, pet adoption and more - definitely something to check out!!

Ellen's Website

I love that she has links to actual animals up for adoption, and that she really is a crusader for those who need someone to stick up for them (animal and human alike). Sometimes animal rescue work can be disheartening and it's easy to feel overwhelmed, so it's refreshing to see that although there are a lot of people out there who do horrible things to animals, there are also a lot of people out there who care and do the right thing!!!

Another favorite fights for animals

Alec Baldwin, who first won me over in Beetlejuice and continues to amaze me in 30 Rock, has taken up arms against animals used and abused in circuses in the United States.

Our entertainment is not worth the pain and suffering these animals experience. There's no excuse for what happens to them... wild animals do not belong in circuses for any reason at all (or anywhere but the wild for that matter... I'm talking to you people who think that gorillas and tigers are acceptable house pets).

Here's his video speaking out against the cruelty circus animals face, and why this barbaric practice needs to end:

YouTube Video

Way to go Alec... If I still lived in NYC I would absolutely vote for you for Mayor (and may even move back just to do so, and live under your "rule")!!

Comedian and animal rights activist Ricky Gervais

As if there was any reason to wonder why I love Ricky Gervais so much, turns out he's also a huge animal rights activist. Last week the UK passed a ban on using wild animals in circuses, a cause Gervais was a champion of (along with many other celebrities and unnamed crusaders).

Ricky Gervais

The comedian and longtime animal rights activist has been outspoken in pressuring government officials into outlawing tigers, lions, elephants and other exotic creatures from the big top.
On Thursday, the Department for the Environment confirmed plans to implement the crackdown within two years.
Gervais took to his Twitter.com page to share his delight, writing, “We won… Congrats Twonks (fans). A victory for compassion.”
Sir Paul McCartney also threw his support behind the legislation, while American stars including Pink, Demi Moore and Olivia Munn have helped spearhead a campaign to eliminate elephants from U.S. circuses.

Ricky Gervais has also started a campaign to end cosmetic testing on animals. Here's his new video pleading for support of this important cause:

Video


I love it when the people I admire support important causes that are also close to my heart. Celebrities who use their fame for furthering the rights of animals (and other good causes) make me want to follow their careers more closely and support them in any way I can (namely movie tickets).
Any true champion of animals is a good person in my book!!

The Importance of Ear Tips

Ear tips are a very important part of TNR. Not only do they signal to trappers that the cat has already been sterilized helping to keep traps clear of animals that do not need to be taken in for surgery, but in a lot of cases the ear tip can help save the animals life. In Miami-Dade County, any ear tip cat that is brought in to one of the shelters has its picture circulated through the Cat Network in the hopes that the owner/caretaker recognizes the animal and can return it to the colony it came from (this happens quite often - people who do not want the cats around will trap them and take them to Animal Services to be euthanized, but the caretaker sees their picture and is able to rescue the cat and return it to its home).

Ear tips are done while the animal is under anesthesia, and causes no pain to the animal. There are no problems associated with ear tips at any point in the animals life, and while some people don't like them because "they're not pretty", they do help feral caretakers in their TNR mission, and in some cases are even a life saver... a small price to pay for all the positive effects!! While in Miami-Dade most animals receive the ear tip on their left ear, it really can be either.

On the Miami Meow Mobile, in addition to ear tips each cat receives a small green tattoo on their abdomen. There have been a few instances where cats came in with questionable ear tips, which turned out to be an injury. There have also been cases of cats who came in that were already sterilized but did not have an ear tip, which meant they went under anesthesia unnecessarily. The green tattoo is a clear indicator that the cat has undergone sterilization, and we have had more than a couple cats come back to us with green tattoos... sometimes a neutered male can look like an unsterilized female, and sometimes spay scars can look like a scratch, so the tattoo is very helpful in determining if a cat needs sterilization. This is not a common practice, but should really be made common!!!

I have to say, after working with so many feral cats and hearing people complain about ear tips without really considering the benefits, I do get giddy every time I see an ear tipped cat in a colony. To me that means someone is looking out for that animal, and as a TNR champion myself, it means I don't have to sit and worry about whether or not that cat is pregnant/sterilized/cared for... the ear tip told me everything I need to know to rest easy and help another cat who does need my attention!!

Ear tipped cat in a trap

Ear tipped cat outside

Female after sterilization with green tattoo