Foster Kittens

Over the Thanksgiving holiday Adam and I opened our home to four 7 week old foster kittens. They had been born next to an old bar on Key Biscayne (and I use that term loosely... it's honestly a shack, but that's what makes it so awesome). Shortly after giving birth their mother died, although we don't know any of the details. Enter the stray dog that found the kittens and nursed them, and the owner of the bar who called The Cat Network asking for help, and then fast forward to the amazing rescuers who picked up these lucky kittens and fattened them up (despite the dogs best efforts the kittens were malnourished and covered in fleas).

After a few weeks in their first foster home they came to us, where we treated them for respiratory infections and fattened them up even more. They were four of the most loving, playful kittens I've ever spent time with... running right up to the people for pets and purrs, and having such fun exploring their bedroom!

The foster kittens have since made their way to Maryland where they'll be placed in their forever homes, but since I miss their fun tiny kitten ways I thought I'd share a few photos from the week we got to play together.

Sharing a mid-afternoon snack

Theodore - he was the little teddy bear of the group!

Jimbo - a very affectionate kitty, named after the bar where they were found

Gimpy - he was the biggest lover of all!!

Magellan - She was the only lady of the bunch, and quite an explorer!

Theodore and Magellan stare at the crazy outdoors...

Theodore gets distracted by the blind pull...

 Wrestle time - Gimpy and Jimbo love to play!!

Winter Snuggles

It's chilly in Miami this week, with brisk temperatures in the 60s. I know that sounds like heaven to most people (and I won't lie... it really is!!), but for Miami that's what our winters are like! Everyone breaks out their parkas from 1980 so we have a lovely pastel thing going on all over the city... it's pretty funny (especially if you've ever been somewhere that's actually cold).

With the drop in temperatures towels and blankets are being left out for the feral colony cats all over South Florida, including cardboard boxes they can climb inside to escape from the chilly winds. Indoor cats not excluded, now that the AC is off and the windows are all open the cats have taken to snuggling up in all the quilts and blankets around our house. Arianna weaseled her way under this quilt and had quite the personal snuggle party going on. You'd think with all her fluffy hair she'd be more than warm enough, but I guess she knows how to really enjoy the cold weather (minus the hot chocolate of course).

I steal your covers!

Getting in the Holiday Spirit

I have a feeling our Christmas tree is not long for this world. The older cats have already come to terms with the fact that the tree bites back, but all the kittens seem determined to take down the beast. Splinter in particular has a personal vendetta against the tree, and has torn off a few branches and claimed many of the ornaments as her own in just one day. Fortunately my family has a yearly "competition" amongst the animals to see which one will be the winner in "ruining Christmas" .... not that we really believe any of them ruin Christmas, if anything they keep it interesting, but inevitably one of them always destroys something - whether it be the presents, tree or holiday dinner is the big mystery.
And btw, the ornaments are all felt (intentional cat proofing...) and the base has been designed to stop them from drinking the tree water!!

Tree inspection

Splinter planning her attack

Sizing up the enemy

James goes in for a closer look...

 

A Pet Friendly Thankgiving

With Thanksgiving preparations in full swing for tomorrow's big feast, it's important to keep pet safety in mind!!! There are many foods that are harmful to our 4 legged friends that are in most of our holiday favorites.

Here's some helpful tips posted on Petplan.com:


Posted by Dr. Kim Smyth on November 16 2011
Staff Veterinarian and Pet Health Writer of Petplan

November is a time to count our blessings, and as you’re preparing your Thanksgiving feast and sitting down to eat, follow these safety tips to keep you and your pets far away from the vet clinic this season:

Bird is the Word

Turkey is the main attraction at Thanksgiving, and your pets will put on their cutest faces to tempt you into giving them a bite or two. Remember that raw or undercooked turkey can harbor salmonella, which can cause the same disastrous gastrointestinal affects in our pets as it does in us.

A Side of Danger

Onions and garlic have a supporting role in stuffing and other side dishes, but can be dangerous when ingested by our pets, especially cats. In our feline friends, onion ingestion can lead to hemolysis (or destruction) of red blood cells, leading to dangerous anemia.

Ditch the Table Scraps

We tend to overeat at Thanksgiving, but overindulging our pets with table scraps can lead to severe inflammation of the pancreas called pancreatitis, which can be severe enough to warrant hospitalization and can be fatal. Too much of a good thing can also cause unwanted gastrointestinal symptoms, including diarrhea and vomiting.

If you MUST treat your four-legged friends to a taste of Thanksgiving, stick to a bite or two of pet-safe veggies like broccoli or carrots, or a small taste of plain turkey. Consider putting these morsels into a Kong or other food-releasing toy while the family sits down to eat. Your pet will get a treat, and you’ll get to enjoy dinner without a beggar at your feet! For even more healthy fun, you can try your hand at preparing one of these pet-friendly Thanksgiving recipes.

Take Out the Trash
Keep track of the trash. Pets are notorious for trying to “clean up” after us, so make sure the lid stays on the trash can. If you’ve partaken in the new trend of deep-frying your turkey, keep the used oil way out of reach of your pet. One patient I will never forget is the dog who discovered a vat of used turkey-frying oil. What a mess!

Be thankful for the things you have, including the health of your four-legged family members. Follow the tips above to help stay thankfully away from the nearest veterinary emergency center!

Holiday Rescues

The Cat Network has an amazing program pulling kittens from Animal Services and transporting them to a rescue group in Maryland where they are adopted into loving homes. Since cats don't breed year round up north like they do in South Florida, there is always a need for more kittens up there (with one of the best adoption rates I've seen). On November 16th 86 kittens were pulled from the overcrowded shelter and transported to Maryland, where they have since been adopted. The rescue is asking for more kittens as soon as possible, so a last minute trip has been planned for the Sunday following Thanksgiving. Because of the holidays there is a shortage of foster homes available, without which these kittens cannot be rescued from the shelter and given the happy homes they deserve. So, in the spirit of the holidays, Adam has agreed for us to foster a litter for the week until they can be transported up north. We'll get a bundle of about 4 kittens, anywhere from 8-12 weeks, who have all been fully vetted. I can't wait for our kitten package to be delivered tomorrow, and to be able to help these little fuzz balls on their way to their forever homes. It's such a simple way to help, but it means the world to the kittens (their life depends on it!)!

Here is a picture of the last batch on their way to Maryland:

And some of the kittens on earlier trips this year:

To learn more about the amazing rescue in Maryland, visit: Last Chance Rescue
Donations are always more than welcome, and go to helping save these animals from horrible fate!!!

A Thief Among Us

It's quite possible that I spoil James too much, but as the sole survivor of his litter I feel it's my duty to do so (mostly because I'm so thankful to have him!!). That being said, he's become a bit "assertive" for lack of a better word. Not only does he cry like he's dying if he's ever left alone without his humans, but he also thinks it's perfectly okay to climb up on you while you're eating and steal the food right out of your hand (and sometimes out of your mouth as you're about to bite down... that was more than a little weird!). We've started using the "penny jar technique" with him - making noise with a jar filled with pennies when he's attempting to steal food, in the hopes of scaring him off (cats don't like the loud sound it makes). At first it worked well, but then he got too fearful, and now he pretty much doesn't care about the jar anymore. Soon we'll be looking for new ways to keep James at bay while we're eating (Adam says I need to push him away and then ignore him, but if I'm being totally honest I do actually like the attention... James loves to snuggle up to whoever he's trying to steal food from). In the meantime, I saw this picture and totally thought of James (although seriously, James doesn't ask like this cat - he just takes what he wants and runs off before you can catch him):

Catvertising

It's true, I have seen a lot more ads with cats in them lately, but honestly I thought I was one of the "special few" who actually really enjoyed seeing them. Turns out I was very wrong (which is probably why I'm not a wildly successful ad agent)!!! The cats are making a big furry leap into mainstream advertising, with surprising results. Now if we could only find some way to translate the advertising success into sterilization and adoption success!!!

CATVERTISING IN ACTION

Traveling Cat

Have you heard of the world traveling cat?? It's so cute I can't stand it, and I dream that one day one of my kitties will be so kind as to travel the world with me!! It would be so awesome, although I don't think any of my current fuzzy freaks would sit still for that long...!!

World Traveling Kitty

• Written By: Susan Thixton

Kitty is perhaps the most adventurous cat in the world. She is the beloved cat pet of a French couple/explorers, Guillaume and Laetitia who are on a mission to travel from Miami, US to Ushuaia, Argentina purely on foot. They are currently in Columbia, heading south.  Pictures and video of Kitty's adventures.

Their cat, Kitty, is often seen resting in the backpack carried by Guillaume while they are hiking down the road. They even set up a little umbrella on the backpack to give the kitty some shade from the sun.

If you can read French, you can visit the couples website and read about their adventures.  http://www.turnoftheworld.com/

The Adventures of an Adoptee....

Much has happened since little Lemur was adopted by her forever family... she's completely made herself at home among her two humans, three puppy friends, and mentor pirate kitty. She's also gotten into a bit of trouble, and claimed her rightful place as princess!

Here are a few pictures of Lemur being Lemur - a strange little kitty with a funny personality and a beautiful look!

Lemur loves IKEA

Helping with Construction Work...

Enjoying a little dog food and taunting the dog at the same time....

Lemur loves to craft!

Crafting...

 

 

and more crafting!

As you can see Lemur is a very helpful and creative kitten! I think it's also pretty plain to see she's an incredibly happy cat:) I'm so glad she went to the best home possible, and more importantly that it also happens to be my BF's house so I can visit my little Lemur whenever I need some kitty kisses!!
Hooray for fantastic adoption stories!!!!!!!

Yeap...

I admit it, I'm a huge dork. I have a serious love (bordering on obsession) with Harry Potter, and as such I'm incredibly excited for the release of the last movie on blu-ray. I know it's not much, and that I've already seen it multiple times in the theater, but it's all I have left so I'll cling to it with everything I've got.
I know I'm also not alone in this love, so I won't bother justifying it here. Instead I'll just post some of my favorite Harry Potter cats while I rush out to get my movie and re-watch all 8 of them in a row...

And seriously, how amazing is this... someone had The Burrow custom built as a house for their cats:

Nope

You can't do the dishes on my bed ...

Kitty Rules:

What do you do when you want to lie down but someone else is lying in your spot? You simply lie on top of them of course...!!  

 

This beautiful, smart, independent girl is looking for her forever home too... how could anyone resist such a forward thinker like Ari??!!!!

A good deed in time for the holidays...

The Cat Network is the featured organization on Groupon this week, with all $10 donations going to help fund the foster-kitten care packages!!

More than 60 million cats currently live on the streets in the United States, according to data collected by the Feral Cat Coalition. If these cats are not spayed or neutered, they can act out with violence and breed rapidly, prompting many shelters to trap and euthanize them. The Cat Network of Florida supports the live sterilization of rescued cats and kittens, and finds them permanent homes with adoption-referral efforts and a comprehensive system of cat foster care.

To help improve the live release rate of feral cats in the Miami-Dade County area, The Cat Network’s transfer program places cats from shelters into foster homes, and then removes them to animal-rescue groups with high adoption rates. Foster families shelter cats for 10 days, feeding them, playing with them, and providing any necessary medical treatment. The Cat Network would like to provide kitten care packages to help foster families ease the cats’ transitions into their temporary homes. Each kitten care package contains a blanket and enough canned and dry cat food to feed between six and eight cats for a week.

Join G-Team and donate $10 to help foster families care for feral cats and kittens. If G-Team members raise $300, then The Cat Network of Florida can fund 15 foster-kitten care packages with food and blankets. Each additional $20 raised will fund another foster care package.

To help fund this noble cause, please visit:

Unlike traditional Groupon deals, G-Team campaigns typically don't offer you a "discount" or "savings." So "buyer" beware—when you click "Buy" to donate your time or money to a worthwhile G-Team cause, the only discount you may receive is 100% off free, priceless karma.

Tailgating

What do you take with you to the game???

Open a cooler in the kitchen in our house and Zadie will climb inside and make herself at home. I don't know what it is about coolers that she loves so much, but it never fails that her internal "cooler radar" will go off as soon as one is in the house and she'll come running. Fortunately for her this one was still empty, but she has experienced the post-game cooler full of melted ice water.... funny for us, not so funny for her.

Birthday Awesomeness!!

Yesterday was my birthday (I will leave out my official age) and I got the most amazing present ever (according to people and kitties alike)... my Mom and Adam got together and bought me a fancy pants iPad, which I haven't put down since. James also took a shine to the pretty new friend, and helped me test out the picture app.

iPad and kitty snuggles... who could ask for more??!! 

 
Well, I could ask for better picture taking skills, but this was just a test after all....

Shut the front door

Now that the air has gotten a little cooler (hooray for fall weather.... with lovely low 80s/high 70s temperatures) we've been able to turn off the AC and open all the doors and windows.The cats have all taken on a new level of excitement with this crazy outside world and all the crazy smells and sounds that come with it. The front door seems to be of particular interest, including climbing the screen all the way to the top for what I can only assume is a better view.

Little piggies

Fourth meal is a favorite in our house, with all the kitties lined up like little piggies for their midnight feeding. 

All in a row...

Splinter's Halloween Wear....

Her shirt says "I'm with the human":



And she looks pretty good in her shirt:


She actually seems to not mind wearing it:


Until she tells me she's ready to take it off:


Or that she wants to take a picture from another angle:

Or until it's time to play...:

Creepster

It's a little hard to tell from this picture, but James started the Halloween party early.... he was sleeping with his eyes cracked open so you could see the whites of his third eyelids. It was cool and gross at the same time! So proud of my Halloween kitty!!!! 

 

More Halloween pictures to come....

Dinner is served

Oh, I'm sorry, did you want to eat here??...

 

Sisterly Love

Emily and Arianna like to hug each other while they dream about catching mice...

Ari loves Zadie as well ... Half sisters are just as good as whole sisters!
 

Splinter

Splinter is growing into quite the cute kitty, especially now that her fur has all grow back. In the past month she's gotten spayed, tested and vaccinated, and become a little lover! She loves to curl up in the nape of your neck (especially if you have long hair - score for me!!), and has the prettiest sleek black coat... everyone loves to comment on her "panther looks"!

She's also incredibly playful, and surprisingly well behaved considering some of her kitty teachers...!! 

Who's going to be the lucky person to give this amazing little girl a loving home???

 

Why do cats not belong in cardboard boxes?

Because they escape.

Cats are some of the most crafty creatures I've seen, and cardboard doesn't stand a chance against them. Unfortunately though, too many people still think it's an appropriate means of transporting a cat, which is honestly just flat out wrong. We've had essentially a 99% escape rate on the Meow Mobile (figures may not be 100% accurate), but the truth continues to allude too many.
And while it may not seem like a big deal, consider how you'd feel trying to sedate a cat that has escaped it's carrier and is trying to escape from the clinic as well and you're the one standing in its way. Even the most tame cat can become aggressive when scared, and we all have known people that are scared of doctor visits, despite knowing for a fact that they're good for us!! Cat's don't always know that what we're trying to do is help them...

The proof is in the pudding:

This is one of the cats brought to the Meow Mobile in a cardboard carrier...

My, my how time flies when you're busy...

It's been far too long since I last updated this blog, with no real reason for it other than being really busy. Which isn't a lie, but it also isn't an excuse.
But I'm back and ready for action... And I promise to try and not leave again for so long in the future!!

Whew

I'm happy to report that all the kitties are doing well. James and Splinter are still on antibiotics, but they seem to be back to their old selves again!!! Splinter took a bit longer to bounce back then James did, but that was mostly because she's so small and didn't have the vaccines to help fight off the infection. We still don't know what caused all this, but as long as it's gone I don't really care!!!
Thank you all for your happy thoughts, I know it helped:)

Good Thoughts Requested

We're having a bit of an epidemic in the house right now, with a very high fever making its way around the cats.
On Wednesday James began showing signs of sickness, mostly by becoming the world's most lethargic cat (which was a very big deal considering he's normally the most hyper active of the bunch). By Thursday morning he had hit a new low, so we immediately took him to see Dr. Lista. His fever was at 105.3, a very dangerous number, and we needed to do anything and everything we could to get it back down. At 106 cats bodies can no longer handle the heat, and their bodies start shutting down. They also go into hypothermia, which James was already showing signs of by shaking uncontrollably. He spent the day at the vet's office on fluids and strong antibiotics, and by 4pm his fever was at 104... a much, much better number!!! We brought him home and continued to monitor his temperature, and got him to eat and drink, which was the next major hurdle. He's also on antibiotics, and seems to be getting stronger and better by the hour. This morning his temperature seemed normal again, and while he's not back to 100% he is getting pretty close.
The bad part is that while James was much better this morning, Splinter was much worse. We tested her at home and she hit 105, so off to Dr. Lista's office we went. She's still there, getting the same treatment James did, so hopefully she'll pull out of it soon too!! The scary thing is that she's much younger, smaller and hasn't had any of her vaccinations yet (she's only 8-9 weeks, and this is when she would start her first round of vaccines).
So please send all of your good thoughts to Splinter and the rest of the group, and if anyone has disinfecting advice I'm all ears!!! We have no idea what is causing the fevers (it was diagnosed as "fever of unknown origins" - but at least the tests for the horrible diseases all came back negative), so it's hard to know how to stop it from spreading. We're in the process of bleaching everything in the house, which I may or may not be taking to crazy extreme levels.
More updates to come as I get them... fingers and toes all crossed that Splinter is the tough little lady I think she is!!!!!

Rain rain go away....

While the weather in Miami is usually pretty stellar, the summer months tend to be a bit on the wet side. To call it a rainy season is an understatement. Especially when you throw in a few tropical storms that bring unrelenting storms (no hurricanes so far this year!).

I honestly do love the storms in Miami though... they're just so fierce that it's quite an experience to sit inside watching the rain and lighting (we seriously have the best lightning... even if it is kind of dangerous) and hearing the wind roar. The downside, however, is that it makes TNR nearly impossible.

I've got a very long list of feral cats that are on my sterilization to do list, but with all the rain I can't set out traps. The storms also come on pretty fast, so it's not always possible to predict when they're going to hit, and as such I don't want to trap a cat and then have it accidentally get caught in a downpour. The campus cats are all primarily active at night (cats are nocturnal), so I normally leave my traps set for a few hours at a time late at night (or in the very early morning). Perfect time for the rain to hit when I least expect it (or am asleep). I haven't given up hope though, and am patiently waiting for a break in the weather to do a massive trapping!!! The kitties may think they're safe from my traps, but it's only a matter of time:)

a little goes a long way...

Looking for ways to help the animals, but don't know where to start?
Or, do you want to help but can only give a small amount??
Well look no further than Pennies-4-Paws. They are a non-profit animal rescue group that collects donations in small amounts (typically $3-5, but of course they'll accept more) and spreads the funds around to areas where it's needed most. You can also donate to a specific cause, or buy a specific product (eg. 1 bag of cat litter for the Humane Society shelter in WI).
I encourage everyone to visit the site to learn more about this wonderful organization, and donate if you can. Just think, that cup of coffee you bought this morning could feed a shelter dog for a week... (not that I'm discouraging the purchase of coffee... I need my coffee too!! But maybe there's room for both!!)!!!

Pennies-4-Paws

Foiled Again

Turns out Splinter isn't a tough little boy at all, but a lively little girl!! It's sometimes a bit hard to tell when they're so tiny, and in the past couple of weeks I just never thought to double check. Until yesterday. And turns out I've been wrong the whole time. Oh well, despite the sex Splinter is still a super cutie, and I'm very thankful that SHE is doing so well!!!!!
Next week will be her big spay day, and then it's time to step up the adoption process:) 

Harry at home...

 

 This is Harry, the late comer to the kitty party that is now taking up residence at my friend's house.

Harry has settled right in as he recovers from his neuter yesterday!! He's such an affectionate kitty, and very talkative. I've also realized that the reason he's probably so skinny is because he'll pick pets over food any and every time!!!

 He's pretty healthy though, aside from a blistered nose and ring worm which he's currently receiving medicine for. He'll be at 100% in no time, and back to playing with his little boy in a few days... I know he can't wait:)

UPDATE:

Harry went home yesterday, and immediately ran to the back door looking for his people!! Then he ran off after his sisters for some play time. I'll miss him and his snuggles, but I'm happy he and his family have such a great home now:)