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

Lizards... Enemy #1

The furry freaks all go absolutely nuts when they see lizards crawling across their windows. James is in full panic/hunting mode with this one! Sometimes I get the feeling the lizards know they can't be reached and so they walk back and forth across the window to taunt the cats....!!

24 Hour Adoption Event!!

MIAMI ANIMAL SHELTERS AND RESCUES HAVE UNITED FORCES TO SAVE MORE LIVES!!!

Humane Society of Greater Miami, Miami Dade Animal Services, The Cat Network,Inc and several rescue groups are getting together for a Mega ADOPTION event starting Friday, March 30 at 11:59pm and lasts 24hr non-stop. We are looking into having more than 500 deserving animals that just want to love you and be loved.

For more information call 305-749-1825.

More than 500 deserving animals between HUMANE SOCIETY OF GREATER MIAMI, MIAMI DADE ANIMAL SERVICES, CAT NETWORK and MANY LOCAL RESCUE GROUPS

Food and refreshments

Children's activities

Fun entertainment program

Adoption fees as low as $30 with tag.

Various specials throughout!

Splinter

She's a hard one to photograph, but windows provide the perfect lighting to show off her cute little face.
It's been 7 months since she was rescued from the sewer, making her a big girl at 8 months old!! She's got quite the energetic spirit, and loves night time snuggles (I often wake up in the middle of the night only to find her sharing my pillow...). She's also very talkative, and I'm certain she really believes she's having full on conversations with the people (she has this question and answer thing she does with anyone who will talk back with her... it's really funny!!).
Splinter's was definitely one of the best rescue stories I've had the opportunity to be a part of, and not a day goes by that I'm not thankful for the firefighters and sanitation workers who made her life possible.

Cat Obsessions

I don't know what you do with your bags, but it probably isn't as much fun as what James does with them...!! My RunDisney bag that I brought home from my Disney Princess half marathon last weekend became the cause for many pitiful cries from James until I finally caved in and gave him the bag to play with. He had only gotten about a 10 second taste before I moved it into the spare bedroom, but it was enough to spark a three day long cry fest outside the door. And not just regular meows, but drawn out horrible cries to the point that my mother came over to see what was wrong because she thought he was hurt... that's how pitiful these cries were.

Once he had the bag though it was like his whole world just brightened right up. He immediately crawled inside and made himself a little bed, which Splinter then decided would be the best place to sleep as well (only on the outside, and on top of James). After his nap was over it was play time, and he and Splinter went to town going in and out, playing with the drawstring, trying to wrestle from different sides of the bag. I never knew it could be so much fun to play with a simple bag, but that just shows how little I know (and how much the furballs have to teach me). He didn't get long with the bag before I finally took it away (paranoia about choking...), but the time he got was apparently the best thing ever because he's been in great spirits ever since!!

 

The Sharks Circle...

Late night feedings are like sharks circling a lost soul out on the open sea... adding in some screaming and crying in anxious anticipation. I know I've posted pictures of the cats all lined up like little piggies eating their late night meal, but it's the moments leading up to the food that are probably the most interesting. They start out in the living room... everyone getting antsy the closer the clock gets to midnight. Any person who moves in the house becomes the target - jumping and pawing at them, drawing them toward the kitchen.

And wow, when you get that cup of food in your hand they really start clamoring for it!! You have to push them away just to get the food down on the floor for them. That's assuming they haven't already knocked it out of your hand first.

You'd think by the way they act that they never get food at all... or more specifically, that by the time they get their late night meal that they haven't already had three other meals throughout the day!!! Make no mistake, these cats do not go hungry.... they're just dramatic little trouble makers, who would pig out if given the chance (which they've actually had before, but it ended in a lot of cat vomit from them over eating so that quickly ended).
The pictures aren't the best (it was midnight after all), but they do give a little bit of a glimpse into the late night feeding frenzy...!!

When Ferals Become Friends, part 4

Mario is the last of our ferals, for the time being at least. He's one of the males I neutered across the street from us, and I'm certain he figured out which house is the best. He won't let you pet him, but if you don't try to than he'll just continue to lie where he is and not care about whatever it is you're doing. He mostly hangs out on the roof of our house, and comes down to the top of the shed when it's time to eat. He also really seems to love leaf piles, as I often find him curled up in them asleep for hours at a time.

Cats in Jacksonville for treatment

Nearly 700 cats have been saved

Posted: March 1, 2012 - 12:00am

Bob Self, Morris News Service

Diane Treadwell, veterinarian Peggy Shashy and Kristen Collins document the medical condition of one of the cats confiscated from the Madison County cat sanctuary in the triage room in Jacksonville. The ASPCA has rallied manpower from all over the country to a location in Jacksonville, FL where they are bringing in around 640 cats rounded up from a cat sanctuary in Lee, FL for medical evaluation and documentation Wednesday afternoon, February 29, 2012.

 

By LARRY HANNAN

Morris News Service 

JACKSONVILLE — It’s a chaotic emergency room with doctors frantically trying to treat the hundreds of patients that have been coming in over the last 24 hours.
And every few minutes one of the patients lets out a pitiful meow.
This week a nonprofit cat sanctuary in Lee was raided by Madison County officials, and since that raid about 700 cats have been shipped to Jacksonville for treatment. Cats were still being unloaded from trucks late Wednesday afternoon after they arrived.
“We’re just trying to do our best to treat these animals,” said volunteer Meredith Shields, who was transporting two sick cats to the emergency room.
Nine different teams are working non-stop to provide emergency care to the cats as they arrive, said Tim Rickey, senior director of the field investigation and response department with the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals.
The vast majority of animals are sick with upper respiratory problems, skin lesions, eye infections, neurological issues or some other type of illness. A large number of cats have also not been spayed and neutered, Rickey said.
About 125 people from across the country have volunteered to help.
It is the largest number of cats ASPCA will have ever removed from a single location, Rickey said.
The sanctuary owner, Craig Grant, who is from Ponte Vedra Beach, is facing three counts of cruelty to animals and one count each of scheming to defraud and felony cruelty to animals. He started the Caboodle Ranch in 2007, and law enforcement raided the property on Monday.
“It took me about five minutes after I arrived to realize the horrific conditions we were dealing with,” Rickey said.
The smell of urine and feces was pungent on the property, and even though Grant was supposed to spay and neuter all the animals, it was obvious that many had been breeding, Rickey said.
Rickey said no cats have been euthanized, although it’s possible some of the sicker ones will still have to be put down.
Dead cats were found at the Caboodle Ranch, but ASPCA officials were not able to provide the number of dead on Wednesday.
Most of the cats have been friendly, and should be available for adoption once they get healthy, he said.
But that may take awhile. The cats are now all evidence in the criminal case against Grant. And Grant remains the owner of the cats until the courts take them away, or he relinquishes control of them, said ASPCA spokeswoman Emily Schneider.
The felines are expected to remain in Jacksonville for 30 to 60 days. ASPCA officials have asked that the location where the cats are being kept not be revealed.
If ownership is taken away from Grant, ASPCA might seek out previous owners who surrendered the cats to Grant. All microchipped cats have been logged, with previous owners noted, Schneider said.
Rickey said there was nothing the public could do to help yet, other than donating money by going to ascpa.org. The total cost of this operation is expected to be about $200,000.

Caboodle Ranch shut down, owner charged with cruelty to animals

Dear Animal Advocate,

A part of Lilly's iris protruded through her ruptured cornea, a painful condition that was likely caused by an untreated infection. Lilly suffered for months before she finally died on January 31, 2012.

Imagine that your family has packed you up and shipped you across the country to a total stranger. You are surrounded by others who are also stressed, terrified, and confused. The stench is overwhelming, and disease is rampant. You cannot get away from the insects—they swarm around you, cover your eyes, and fly into your nose. There are maggots and roaches in the food. When you fall ill, a stranger forcefully grabs you and scrubs your face with a Clorox wipe, burning your eyes. You wonder why your family did this to you, and you do your best to cope and survive.

This is just a glimpse into what hundreds of cats likely went through when they were left at Caboodle Ranch, Inc., a "rescue sanctuary" in Madison County, Florida. PETA's latest undercover investigation exposes the reality that nearly 500 cats confined to the "no-kill" facility faced each day: an essentially one-person operation with no paid full-time help that subjected animals to severe crowding, filth, disease, neglect, suffering, and a miserable death. Based on PETA's evidence, officials are seizing Caboodle's animals and charging its founder and operator, Craig Grant, with cruelty!

PETA's video shows that Grant denied cats effective veterinary care for rampant upper-respiratory infections, sometimes with fatal consequences. PETA's investigator routinely brought to Grant's attention the suffering of individual cats at the facility, but requests and offers to rush even dying cats for emergency medical attention were often dismissed. Grant left Lilly whose iris protruded through a ruptured cornea, to deteriorate for four months. She lost vision in the eye and became critically ill. Lilly died, without veterinary care, on January 31.

PETA's investigation found that Grant allowed cats who were sick with fatal, contagious illnesses to roam freely and come into contact with cats not known to be ill; that cats were easily able to escape the facility's perimeter fence; that Grant roughly rubbed cats' faces with Clorox wipes to "clean" them; that Grant intentionally hid cats who were in obvious need of medical care that he was not providing; that cats had gnats and other insects swarming around them and were forced to endure disgusting living areas covered with vomit, trash, and waste and infested with roaches and maggots; and that Grant allowed cats to breed. In addition, cats' remains were left to rot on the facility's grounds—PETA's investigator found bones in the woods on Grant's property.

Read more about PETA's findings and watch our undercover video here.

A dangerous bill is currently making its way through Florida's legislature. Animal shelters would be forced to hand over animals to self-proclaimed, unregulated animal "rescues" like Caboodle if the misleading "Animal Rescue Act" (S.B. 818 and H.B. 597) becomes law. PETA is calling on the bill's sponsors to withdraw the legislation. Please help us make sure that this happens by contacting legislators now.

Thank you.

For all animals,



Daphna Nachminovitch
Vice President
Cruelty Investigations Department
People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals

When Ferals Become Friends, part 3

Gremlin is the sister to Zadie, and the third of our back yard ferals. She's got the most beautiful coloring and her eyes are unbelievably striking. She's also getting a bit more trusting of the people, but like her mama she isn't quite at the point where she'll allow pets. 

Gremlin waits for her food on top of the shed where we feed Fluffy Butt and Mama. She gets picked on a lot by the others because she's so small and skittish, so of course I try to pamper her with extra food and light conversation... I want her to get used to my voice and know that I'm not going to hurt her, so that one day she'll maybe trust me enough to let me pet her (all of this is done in the hopes that she'll trust me in case I ever need to catch her for either a vet visit or to bring her inside for safety reasons...). She's getting better about being in close proximity to the people, and she at least knows she has a place to come and eat good food!

When Ferals Become Friends, part 2

Fluffy Butt is an attention hog. Not only does he stand outside the back door every morning and evening crying for both food and attention, but as soon as you open the door he walks right in like he owns the place. We've let him come inside the house and sniff around a bit (going on the theory that if he needed to be brought inside, say for a hurricane or something, we want him to be as comfortable as possible), but he definitely enjoys being able to roam free. Even though he doesn't really roam. Instead he rubs up against your legs, and will even take a few nips at you if you don't pet him fast enough. You'd really be shocked if you knew him when he first started coming around... he was terrified of the people, and now he rolls over on his back for belly rubs. He's had the fastest feral turnaround I've ever seen... he's also had the fastest weight gain as well!!! When he first showed up in the backyard he had lost all the hair on his body from fleas, except for the fur on his tail... that's how he got the name Fluffy Butt. He's also the dad to Arianna and Emily, and you can absolutely see some of their personality in him (the talking, the aggressive demand for pets). Mama and FB are inseparable, and we're happy to have them both:)

Cat Saves Owner's Life Just Hours After Being Adopted

First Posted: 02/22/2012 12:28 pm  

Huffington Post 

A newly-adopted cat repaid his owner's loving gesture earlier this month by saving her from a medical emergency just hours after he was brought home, the Green Bay Press Gazette reports.
Amy Jung and her son Ethan stopped into The Humane Society near their home in Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin on Feb. 8 to play with the cats, but one feline -- a 21-pound orange-and-white cat named Pudding -- stood out to the pair. Jung learned that the laid-back cat had been in and out of the shelter since 2003, and made an impulsive decision to adopt him and his friend Wimsy.
Jung said the cats wasted no time fitting into their new home when they arrived. But just hours later, the Jungs' happy day took a turn for the worse. Soon after going to bed, Amy Jung, who has had diabetes since childhood, started having a diabetic seizure in her sleep.
That's when Pudding sprang into action. The fast-acting feline sat on Jung's chest in an attempt to wake her up and when that didn't work, he nudged and nipped her face until she briefly returned to consciousness.
In that moment, Jung was able to call out to her son Ethan, but he couldn't hear her calls. Luckily, Pudding darted into Ethan's room and pounced on the bed until he woke up and was able to call for help.
Jung told the Press Gazette that she believes she wouldn't have made it through the night without Pudding -- an opinion her doctors share. Pudding is now being registered as a therapy animal, and has learned to sit by Jung's feet and meow when he senses that her blood sugar is low.
There have been a number of reports of dogs sensing impending seizures, but the same behavior in cats is much rarer, according to doctors who spoke to the BBC for a story about a cat who predicted a number of deaths at a nursing home.

The cat, Oscar, made headlines in 2007 after he "predicted" 25 deaths at a nursing home by showing affection for sick patients right before they passed away. Animal psychologist Roger Mugford said that although cats have been known to pick up on illnesses, they do so much less frequently than dogs because they are more withdrawn.
"Dogs are very good at picking up on emotional changes and when people are depressed and inactive they are very good at comforting them in these circumstances. Elephants show the same altruistic tendencies, but not cats, they are very much more selfish, solitary creatures," he said.
Nevertheless, cats have been the heroes of a number of rescue stories in recent years. In May 2011, the Atlanta Humane Society reported on a cat who could predict his 19-year-old owner's seizures minutes before they happened.
In July 2011, a Pennsylvania cat helped save its owner's life by pawing at her when she was feeling unwell, compelling her to take her condition seriously and call the doctor. She later learned that she had suffered a heart attack.

Never too old for Disney!!

This weekend I'm heading up to Disney with Adam, my two best friends and their respective husbands to run the Disney Princess Half Marathon. I'm beyond excited, with it split pretty much 50/50 in levels of excitement between visiting the theme parks and the race itself. One of the most heart warming things about going to Disney (aside from the obvious "happiest place on earth" thing), is that they are a very cat friendly operation (see this post)!!
In anticipation of my upcoming Disney adventure, here are some of the most famous Disney cats:

The expressions look pretty spot on to me!!

Because everybody wants to be a cat....

I loved this movie, and used to reenact it with my cats!

Great movie, and seems accurate...

The man himself, with his kitties:)

When ferals become friends, part 1

While Mama may not want to run up to the people for pets the way Fluffy Butt does, she certainly has become much more friendly toward her humans! She isn't as scared as she used to be (although no one has been able to touch her when she's looking... yet), and she no longer really wonders away from the backyard. And on occasion she'll even sit near you when you're hanging out in the backyard. You can tell she's thinking about trying out the people and seeing what this petting thing is all about, but she hasn't quite made that final step. She's getting closer though, and I know just by the change in her attitude from when we first started feeding her that she's got the attachment to us that typically forms when feeding ferals on a schedule.
Even though feral cats may not be overly affectionate lap cats, their appreciation for their caretakers is one of the best feelings you can ever receive!! 

Neighborhood feral kittens.

This is what happens when one cat in a colony is left unsterilized... you end up with more kittens!!
Although there are 5 kittens in this litter (three of which I know for sure are girls, just by their coloring), I had a limit of 3 cats for my spay appointments on Sunday (I like to take cats with me when I volunteer as the sterilization vet tech.... multitasking at its best!!). They were fairly easy to catch, and I hated to leave the others behind, but they'll get their sterilization and vaccinations soon enough!
It was also a little heartbreaking when we were leaving on Sunday morning for the event, and the kittens and mom not trapped were all waiting in my front yard watching for the three I caught. I hate that I can't explain to them what I'm doing, and why it's a good thing!!! But they've all been reunited now, and the others will learn the happy and healthy truth with round two of the trapping...!!

The little boy... such a loud cry baby!!

Girl #1... a feisty little calico!

Girl #2 ... quiet, but beautiful.

 

March Sterilization Special...

Great Neuter News for Cats!

The Meow Mobile spay & neuter mobile clinic for cats is offering $15 spay/neuter surgeries for all March 2012 events thanks to a generous grant from the ASPCA!

Be a part of the solution to reduce the number of homeless cats on the streets of... Miami-Dade. Spay & neuter your pets and backyard strays.

Please contact us by sending an e-mail to meowmobile@thecatnetwork.org or by calling 305-233-9958 to schedule an appointment. E-mail requests are generally answered faster than phone messages.

***Reservations are required.***

For more information and FAQ's about the Meow Mobile spay & neuter program for cats, visit the website at http://www.meowmobile.com/

MARCH 2012 SCHEDULE:

Mar 5 (Mon.): THE FALLS -- Ceramic League of Miami, 8873 SW 129 St., Miami
Mar 7 (Wed.): SOUTH MIAMI -- PETCO, 6200 S. Dixie Hwy., Miami
Mar 9 (Fri.): HOMESTEAD -- PETCO, plaza at SW 157th Ave & SW 312 St., Homestead
Mar 12 (Mon.): WEST KENDALL -- Felix Varela High School, 15255 SW 96 St., Miami
Mar 14 (Wed.): DORAL -- PETCO, 1635 NW 107 Ave., Miami
Mar 16 (Fri.): CORAL GABLES -- Univ. of Miami., parking lot outside 1241-1300 Dickinson Drive, Miami
Mar 23 (Fri.): LITTLE HAVANA -- St. Lazaro Church, 1778 NW 3rd St., Miami
Mar 26 (Mon.): KENDALL -- Sunset Feed & Supply, 7650 SW 117th Ave, Miami
Mar 29 (Thu.): THE FALLS -- Ceramic League of Miami, 8873 SW 129 St., Miami
Mar 30 (Fri.): WEST KENDALL -- Felix Varela High School, 15255 SW 96 St., Miami

MMM

Sunday was another city sponsored spay day, which meant dogs and cats from the community were sterilized and vaccinated free of charge. As with any sterilization event there is a limit on the number of animals that can be done in a day, but Sunday we broke a new record with 54 cats (and 64 dogs). It was a very long day (12 hours!!) but absolutely worth it!! And with kitten season just around the corner it's even more important to have as many feral cats sterilized as possible.

Here's the Miami Meow Mobile early in the morning, as I'm starting to set up everything for the day:

 

And for all of you out there in blog land who are hoping to sterilize your ferals, the Meow Mobile will be having a "sterilization special" for the month of March.... $15 surgeries, including antibiotics and pain meds!! You can't get any better than that, so make your appointments soon!!!!!!

 

Sleep and Destroy

 

Destruction is hard work. 

Emily and Arianna decided they wanted to either read my books or eat them, but either way they pulled them off my book shelf and scattered them around the floor (along with a few of my childhood momentos). They also stole my bath towel, which they then used as a bed. Apparently they really didn't care about being caught at the scene of the crime. 

James as Maru

It's Monday, and as such I thought the world could use a little pick-me-up (or at least I can...). This video cracks me up every time, and makes me thankful that we have the best dumpster kitty ever!!

James loves Maru, the funny cat who loves boxes, and decided he wanted to be just like him. With the acquisition of a playful Pop Tart box, James ran around the house diving inside the box and sliding along the floor. The others all watched on in confused fascination, but James didn't care... the only time he stopped was when the box flattened and he had to cry for a human to come open it back up again.

Fat Cat

With the weekend looming and those two wonderful days off work just about to start, I can't help thinking how awesome it would be to win the lottery so I could have more days off (and more days to volunteer with the animals...).But really, it doesn't have to be the lottery that grants me the ability to volunteer for fun instead of work to pay the bills... I'd also be happy with a secret trust fund that matures when I turn 33, or an unknown relative who leaves me a nice check... I'm not picky!!!:)

With that being said, I thought this article about a trust fund kitty was appropriate. I'm not going to lie either.... I'm extremely jealous of this cat!! One, that it has a lot of money and doesn't need to get a job to support it's catnip habit, and two, because it lives in Italy. And talk about a rags to riches story!!! 

Sigh, I better come back in my next life as a spoiled kitty cat!!!

 

Fat Cat: Italian Cat Inherits $13 Million From Childless Owner

A stray cat in Rome 

(Jen Chung/Gothamist)

One feline is probably hoping the Eurozone crisis is resolved sooner than later. The Guardian reports, "Tommaso, a four-year-old, one-time stray from Rome, is thought to have become the world's richest cat. Since the death of his 94-year-old mistress last month, he has become a property magnate — or perhaps mognate — with flats and houses worth an estimated €10m scattered from Milan in the north to Calabria in the south." Which works out to over $13.385 million!
Cats—and other animals—are unable to inherit directly in Italy, but they can be named as a beneficiary if there is a trustee. Lawyers for Maria Assunta, who did not have children, unsuccessfully tried to find organizations to help care for the cat and his holdings.

In the meantime, the old lady met a fellow cat-lover - named only as Stefania - in a park. "Sometimes I'd go to her house so my cat could play with Tommaso," Stefania said. As the old lady became increasingly frail, Stefania, a nurse, began to take care of her.
"She needed someone to help her move around, shower and eat. I looked after until the end," she said.

Assunta decided to give Stefania her precious cat; Stefania said, "I had no idea the signora had such wealth." Molte bene.

both cats playing together

Upcoming Sterilization Event

Maddie sleeps...

No one really understands Madeline, but that's part of what makes her so awesome. She's incredibly awkward and hasn't really figured out yet that she's a cat, so we end up in some pretty funny situations.  Aside from not being able to purr or meow (because of a serious respiratory infection she had as a kitten), she does make some really weird sounds with every action and movement. It's like the noises give her strength, which she often needs for things normally pretty easy for cats... like jumping.... she's one rare cat that can't jump. She also has the most random sleeping habits, and will usually pass out wherever she falls.

This time she didn't make it all the way onto her pillow, but decided half on/half off the couch was good enough for her:

 And here she takes the cat house to special levels of lazy comfort:

 

Emily didn't stand a chance here:

At least there is absolutely no doubt that she's comfortable in her home with the people!!!!

Sphinx Kitty

Most of the time the cats that are brought to the Meow Mobile are strays or ferals that will be TNR'd or adopted, but occasionally we do get the purebred beauty. I do want to go on record pleading for everyone to "Adopt don't Shop!!!" .... the price of a purebred cat could save the lives of hundreds of shelter cats (and often times you can find an abandoned purebred cat in the shelter!).

BUT, with that being said, I feel in love with this little guy when he was brought in for his neuter last week. He's a Sphinx cat, which means he's completely hairless, and he was quite the lover!! The best thing though was probably that his owner was a very large, muscle "Miami style" guy, who just couldn't stop talking about how much he loved his kitties!! Real Men Love Cats!!!

Amputations

Some of the cats that are brought in to the Meow Mobile are in pretty rough shape. Some of the time it's because people have directly caused them harm (we've seen some pretty horrible cases of animal abuse), and other times it's just a result of being a feral cat in a crowded city. This cat came to us with what is known as a "de-gloved tail". Somehow, whether being caught in something or being hit by a car, this cat had it's tail literally ripped off and was bleeding a little too much for the doctor to feel it would heal on it's own (a lot of times they recover on their own pretty well). 

A tail amputation was required, and thanks to a generous person the small charge was paid for and the cat was given the surgery it needed. Usually a two week recovery is required, but this guy will get as much time as he can stand in the trap, and then he'll be returned to his home. The stitches will dissolve on their own, and the bandage will eventually fall off, leaving him with a new, shorter tail.

I also want to say for the record that trapping feral cats using a humane trap will not hurt them, and this injury was not a result of his being trapped. If anything, being trapped just saved this little guys life!!