INCREDIBLE

Tonight could very well be our last night with Sampson. I've just gotten off the phone with a lovely sounding woman whose family (including their 9 year old son), are very interested in adopting him and will be coming by tomorrow afternoon for the meet n' greet. I don't know what Sampson's reaction will be to a child but seeing as this boy is 9 and I've been told, very mature for his age, this may be that golden fit.

Another year over and a new one about to begun (how does that song go?). There has been so much accomplished, so many lives saved, so much good done in the world of rescue this past year. I think upon the rescues, the feral colony feeders/caretakers, the adoption screeners, the drivers, and the countless others, all of them having one thing in common - cats in need and the desire to help them. There are people in the trenches of this work, people who give of themselves 110% day in and day out...........I've written about them before many times, and again this afternoon I'll write about them some more because they really are such special individuals. The average person has no idea the dedication, the passion, the sacrifices that are wrought in trying to save as many cats and kittens as is possible. The people whose day starts at 6:00am with transports, emails, telephone calls, and who at 11:00pm that same night, are still in there, working it and re-working it. People who don't give up, who learn of or uncover a situation, a problem, an impossible looking story, and they get in there and give it all they've got to save lives, to help, to make 2nd chances a reality.

Our Sampson is a perfect example of the work these people do, day in, day out, 365 days a year, rain or shine. The reality is that he needed a tooth extracted, and because the city shelter can't afford these types of procedures, Sampson needed to be either "transferred" or risk certain euthanization. Tonight he's likely on the cusp of his 2nd chance, and all because people cared and did what needed to be done to help him get to that road.

Amidst the trials and struggles that life hands us here, there is no denying that there will always be things to be grateful for. As 2013 draws to a close, I'm grateful for so many that have been extended to me personally, not the least of which is having the opportunity to meet and work alongside some very special people.

To all the cat lovers out there (big and small) - HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!

OBSTACLES & BLESSINGS

After bearing 30 some hours at our home without hydro after this past weekend's ice storm, we were everso grateful yesterday late morning when our power was restored. Now that we have the comforts of home once again, our thoughts are turned toward those who are still without, and with the service personnel who are working fervently to try and restore it for all our fellow citizens.

Our kids were pretty uncomfortable and not too happy while we were in the throes of darkness and cold. I couldn't help but think upon the kitties who reside outside all year round and who battle the elements on a daily basis, and all the rescue people who take it upon themselves to ensure that these babies at least have food, water and makeshift shelters to help them survive.

The last couple of days I've also been assisting our rescue with transporting some of the kitties from a horrible hoarding situation. In total, there have been 113 cats rescued from this situation and although the large majority of them have been terrified as they've been transported from one end of the city to the other, and then onto foster homes, it's amazing to think how much brighter their futures look as a result of the valiant efforts of some pretty amazing people. People who give of their time, their energy, their resources, to try and help save the lives of animals who would otherwise face a very poor quality of life. My contribution as a foster parent and volunteer, is miniscule in comparison to the long endless hours that these folks put in trying to coordinate, transport, arrange, and assist with all the complex area's of a rescue of this magnitude.

This Christmas I hope that there will be more of us (myself included), who give thanks for all of the blessings that are ours, and who will throughout the coming year, take opportunities to help those around them in whatever way they can - big or small.

Merry Christmas to everyone............

A BABY PACKAGE

Safe Haven welcomed a new guest last Sunday.........

Approximately 2 years of age, this is one CUTE little boy! He was an owner surrender to Animal Control and the staff there really liked him - his paperwork from them even indicates "Nice Cat", so when asked if we could foster him, we readily agreed.

Your never sure how a new foster will react to you upon arrival. Some are terrified and want to do nothing but hide, while others are curious but standoffish. Then there are those that take everything in stride and are even loving and happy from the word go..............this is our Sampson! Within the first half hour of meeting us, he crawled into hubby's lap, wrapped his front paws around his neck and proceeded to nuzzle his face in under his chin. After some serious cuddling, it was then on to belly flops so he could be stroked from one end to the other.

Personality wise he's friendly, fun and fast (and all in that order!). It's been a while since we fostered a boy so young and I guess we'd forgotten just how playful and high energy they can be. Sampson is no exception, he seems to thrive on pouncing on his toys, off walls, and getting in to, on top of, and underneath, anything and everything. The only drawback so far has been that poor Rocky and Silly are quite perturbed at his crazy stunts (which do include also trying to engage them in wrestling and games of chase) and there's a good deal of growling and hissing from the Stinkerboy camp at the moment. Sampson on the other hand isn't fazed in the slightest and can't for the life of him figure out why these two guys just don't want to race through the house at top speed, using everything in their path as jumping off points *L*

Already, we don't expect to have this cutie very long. You'll see for yourself from the shots below - cuteness to this degree has fast adoption written all over it!!

With a favourite toy

The intense stare

His modelling pose

HOME IS CALLING

After 10 enquiries..............Garfield's forever home has finally come.

He just left us afew moments ago with his new Mommy - a lovely young woman who lost her previous kitty (whom she adopted when he was 32 Ibs! three years ago) just a week or so ago, and felt such a void at his sudden passing, that she really wanted to adopt again right away.

Just as I had hoped, someone came who saw the sweetness in Garfield instantly, and who wanted to have him join their family. As always, it's hard to say goodbye but I do so knowing that he's going to be well loved, cared for and treated as he deserves. Best of all, he will be the only kitty so he no longer has to worry about Rocky Rockstar tormenting him.

I'll miss him tonight, and will look for him in the morning as I arise to start the day, but this work is just as much about saving lives as it is about finding good, decent people to adopt these precious souls, so before I know it - the next Safe Haven guest will be upon us.

Until then, kisses to our sweet Garfield boy.

ACE IN THE HOLE!

I pound the keyboard quite happily tonight in order to be able to say that by gosh, I think we've turned a corner in the world of our Garfield!

Since being placed on the allergen free food, his eyes have cleared up completely, his chin acne is well on it's way to being under control, and his stool is forming nicely (so sorry if that's too much info!). I'm so relieved I could sing :)

As well, his spirits appear to have picked up somewhat too (is that reaching I wonder?) - but I don't doubt it since I think that the allergies in his eyes was really starting to get him down. For any of of you hayfever sufferers out there, you'll totally be able to relate I'm sure :)

So a thousand thank you's to everyone for reading as always and for allowing me the luxury of having this space to connect with all of you and help me to help our fosters.

Here's to Bright Garfield Days ahead!!!

MANY QUESTIONS - ONE REAL ANSWER

We've been working diligently here at Safe Haven to help bring Garfield's issues under control. Yes, you read correctly, that was a plural reference and yes, it's been frustrating and extremely stressful, but I think we've made it up the hill.

Garfield's swollen, red, weepy eyes, were really starting to concern me. I came home from volunteering last Sunday, to discover that in just afew hours the one eye was pretty well swollen almost shut. We had been applying tetracycline ointment in both eyes for over a week with no real results, but it kept nagging at me that his eyes really resembled Flossy's when she had first come to me, and so I decided right there and then that we had nothing to lose if we tried some allergen free food to see if that made any difference.

Well we started the allergen free last Monday, slowly mixing it in. The downside is that it's not weight control, but I think his overall health and happiness is more important, and provided we continue to measure out his feedings (with no free feeds), it won't be that detrimental. The first few days, I held my breath but it became quickly obvious that his eyes were clearing up. As of today, there is a remarkable difference, his eyes are clear, there's no more weeping of any kind, and the swelling near the corners is all but gone. Unfortunately however, the allergen free is causing abit of diahrea at present with the change in diet yet again (this is his 4th food change since arriving), but I'm hopeful that given another week or so, that too will settle down.

The other issues are feline acne (on his chin and the parts of his face where his whiskers connect in), and hairballs! The acne started several weeks ago and continues to evade us even though we've been diligent about washing with a soap. I'm not sure if it's just his being susceptible to it (some cats are more than others) or if it's the stress of living with Rocky. From the research I've done, both can be a factor. The hairballs are a daily issue - he doesn't actual expel them, but coughs regularly. I've been giving him a little hairball remedy at least every other day (he loves it and will eat it right from the tube!), which appears to help, and I'm brushing him regularly as well so hopefully we can keep that under control.

If all of this wasn't enough, we had another visit this time from a very nice lady who was interested in adopting Garfield, and she came out early this morning to meet him...........

As with the majority of the other 7 people who have expressed interest, his weight is a concern. She asked me repeatedly if I could guarantee his health which of course I cannot. I tried to tell her politely but firmly, that I can no more guarantee his health or his length of life, than I could my own or hers for that matter! After about 45 mins, I gently showed her the door. She was a nice person but she's another who is looking for something that she's not going to find, regardless of whether she adopts a skinny cat or a heavy one - anyone can become sick or die at any time; person or animal. Attempts to convey that quickly proved futile, so I bid her adieu with abit of frustration.

Of course I felt at one point as though I was having to defend Garfield as I tried to explain his suspected food allergies, feline acne, hairball issues, and how his current weight is not his fault!!!!

That too made me feel uncomfortable and somewhat resentful. I finished by telling her that I want the person/s who adopts our boy to love him for just the way he is, not with the idea that they are going to be able to change him into a skinny cat (which of course is a healthier thought but not very realistic I'm afraid).

So tonight he's still here, but he's safe, he's being taken well care of, and we love him................I remind myself that that is all that really matters for today.

PS: To the individuals who have told me repeatedly how stupid it was of us to rescue a 22Ib cat from certain euthanasia - you can go jump in the lake!!!!!!!!!

CALLING SHERLOCK HOLMES

Today I feel a little bit like an investigator. Not sure of what I have, uncertain about the facts versus assumptions, and mystified about how to best to approach the situation.

Garfield has gone in the last week or so from spending a great deal of time downstairs with us when we're home, to staying upstairs and unless I'm up there watching television, being by himself. His appetite, water intake and litterbox habits all remain normal but I sense a shift in his mood, and it's concerning me. Three times this week, I've caught Rocky, jumping on Garfield's back and biting his neck - dominance aggression I know, but Garfield will not fight back and Rocky knows it. Garfield outweighs Rocky by as much as 10-12 Ibs easy, yet it just goes to show how the alpha aspect works.......because Rocky is the Boss in this house; even a cat twice his size won't take him on.

I suspect that that is why Garfield has become a little more reclusive and preferring to stay on the 2nd floor. He's also gone from lounging on the landing to preferring the old beat up chair in our home office or the bed in our spare bedroom - again, both places that Rocky won't frequent as much. In addition to the change in his behaviour, I've also noted that afew sores which were present on his gumline when he was first taken to animal control, and the puffiness/redness around the bottom lids of his eyes, that was also present upon initial examination, seemed to have both flared up again.

We took him to the vet afew weeks ago regarding the eyes but the visit was a total disaster. He became very aggressive and violent once he was let out of the carrier at the vets, it took 4 people to hold him down, the vet was afraid to properly examine him, and in the end, he bit Steve as they were trying to get him back into the carrier to come home. Soooooo, another vet visit is not the preferred route to go and Steve has actually indicated that he's not willing to take him back. The stress on both him and Garfield was enough that at this point anyway - so I may have to find another avenue to have this addressed; perhaps a vet who does home visits?.

I'm only taking guesses at this point but I wonder strongly if the swollen eyes and sores are stress related?

This is the harder part of fostering; when you wish the cat could actually talk and tell you what was wrong and how they really felt. Every foster parent wants their houseguest to be happy and enjoy the time in their home - thinking that Garfield may be unhappy here to the point where he's exhibiting physical symptoms of that is a worry for sure.

Wish us luck.

A LOVELY SATURDAY

After Garfield has had his breakfast, he LOVES to stretch right out and purr up a storm! He always makes me smile when I find him like that - it's as if he's saying "Now THAT was good" I love it even more that when he strikes this pose, his racoon style tail is bent so far forward with happiness that I think one of these days I'm going to find it actually touching the top of his head! *L*

We just went through a breakout of chin acne with him as well. At first I couldn't figure out what was causing it, but then I realized that the drinkwell water station that our boys have been using for awhile (we purchased it in the States last year), was plastic and that it was likely the culprit. So, out it came and in went a stainless steel water bowl - and voila!, the sores have completely cleared up!

Otherwise all is well! Rocky has completely adjusted to Garfield and yesterday they were caught napping together on our bed. As I type this, Rocky has just found his way onto the arm of the chair that Garfield is laying in, so it would appear that his adoption is imminent since Rocky's final relenting with any foster is usually right before their forever family comes to get them! *L*

Happy Saturday everyone!! :))

PROJECT LOVE

I've recently started volunteering one afternoon a week at the local Petsmart where our rescue houses some of our younger rescues..........

So far it's been so rewarding and I'm thoroughly enjoying spending afew hours with some really sweet kittens! It's there that I've met Fantasia. Approximately 1 year of age, she has already had two litters (if you can believe it), and came to the attention of our rescue, when a colony caretaker actually witnessed her being thrown by someone from a car. As if that wasn't horrific enough, she was pregnant at the time.

Well, her kittens have all been adopted into their forever homes and I understand that Fantasia was an amazing Mommy the entire time they were with her. She's been moved to the pet store due to lack of foster space, and although she is physically a gorgeous torti girl, the emotional side of things has been alot more stressful for her. I shudder to think of the horrors she has suffered before coming to us, but her cringing when you try to pet her, her incessant need to hide under the cages instead of sitting out in the open, and her constant shrinking away whenever a hand or movement is close by, pretty much tell the story.

I want so desperately to pet her and reassure her that everything will be alright now - that noone is going to hurt her; but it's very slow going at the moment and so I'm trying baby steps in talking softly, and reaching out everso gently (when she'll let me), to stroke her head. The babies at this centre have free reign in the room once the store opens until it closes again in the evenings - there is an army of volunteers who ensure that they do not have to be caged throughout the day and early evening; and yet when it is time to put everyone to bed for the night, I usually end up having to handle Fantasia like her own Mommy would have just to keep her from scratching or biting me.

Anyway, there are so many things about her that remind me of Flossy. She's had some horrible things happen to her, now I'm hoping that we can heal those demons and help her to trust again. I for one, believe in miracles and I can't wait to see this one take shape.

THOSE IMPORTANT REMINDERS

The adoption enquiry count for Garfield now stands at 6. The last one of which was yesterday afternoon, I spoke to a woman who sounded like a perfect fit for our creamsicle boy. Someone with a great deal of experience dealing with big cats, currently has a 17 Ib boy at home, and has had cats her entire adult life. She and her husband weren't fazed by Garfield's size at all (hooray!), and were anxious to come out and meet him.

Unfortunately however, not an hour after I had spent 40 minutes on the phone with her, she called back to say that in further discussion with her husband, they had come to the conclusion that Garfield wasn't the right fit because he wouldn't be allowed to free feed all day and their current cat did - they didn't want to upset the house.

I was sorely disappointed and yes I'll admit it, somewhat annoyed.

Regardless I went off to my volunteer work feeling let down and was sharing the story with another rescue volunteer who reminded me that Garfield's six adoption enquiry calls were nothing short of AMAZING! - most kitties get one or two max!!!

The more I thought about it, the more I realized how right she was. There wasn't anything to be discouraged about! Garfield was generating lots of interest which is a great thing in and of itself and it just means that he's that much closer to getting his forever home.

So glad that I had "N" there to remind me of that and to help me refocus on the glass half full; not half empty. :))

TENDER BOSS MAN

I had to share this photo of our Rocky..........

Anyone who knows us or who has had the pleasure of meeting our Stinkerboy (or Rocky Rockstar as he's affectionately known at home), knows just what a special litte guy he is. Small, suffering from hypdisplasia (wobbly kitty syndrome), and then diagnosed with epilepsy approximately 5 years ago; Rocky is a tough nut if ever there was one. He may be little and not so steady on his feet, but he sounds like a 200 Ib male lion on the other side of a door when he's not happy, and he struts around this house like the alpha male that he is.

We originally fostered him after he was rescued from a high kill shelter outside the city. We were actually foster home #2, he didn't last in #1, as he bit his new found foster Dad within hours of making his acquaintance. Some might say that the first foster home just wasn't the right fit for our little wiry guy, but truth be told, he does have a hair trigger temper and will just as quickly growl, hiss and spit, as he will relax long enough to let you love him.

Rocky is a strong, dominant, jealous, and fiercely protective boy who not only scares the whiskers off of every foster who enters our home, but who also despite his issues, demands and commands the respect of every feline and human that he crosses paths with. He doesn't give in easily and he's no pushover - tuna, temptations treats, and chicken may be some of his favourites, but if he doesn't like you and even more importantly doesn't trust you, than you can just quit while your ahead because he's not coming or relenting until he's good and ready.

He's been with us now about 8-9 years. He didn't even purr for the first 3 years that we had him, and even to this day, if he's upset or feeling vulnerable about something, he lets you know straight away that "now is not a good time" - and you'd better respect that or prepare.

That's why seeing him in moments like the one below, just bring tears to my eyes. He has a bond with my husband that is the most gentle, loving, and trusting that I've ever seen between an animal and a person. Rocky loves him and he loves Rocky, and every morning right after I call my husband to get up for work, Rocky makes his way over and they have their cuddle time. It's in those few minutes together, that you can see that Rocky like alot of abused and abandoned animals who continue to have their demons, deep down just wants to be loved.

We've never regretted bringing him into our family and he is a perfect example of what love can do.

COASTING ALONG

So far we've had 4 adoption calls for Garfield, but unfortunately noone has been the right fit for him as of yet. I did meet one very nice man via this avenue and it was a good visit and a pleasant way to spend half an hour or so, chatting about all things related to cats; but in the end it was decided that Garfield wouldn't be going home with him.

I had to laugh at our creamsicle boy the other day. Often when it's meal times, he does tend to finish his dish first and it would appear that he seems to think that if he stretches himself out vertically as long as he can, I might somehow not be able to see him and thus, he can sneak in and eat the rest of Rocky's helping of breakfast or dinner before I've had a chance to take the dish back up off the floor!

Case in point:

When I first found him like this, he actually had his head pressed so closely to the floor as if to say - you can't see me. *L*

I'm not sure how I could miss him to tell you the truth, but one thing's for sure.........I give him an "A" for effort!!!

PUZZLING INTEREST

 

 

Garfield is doing great! His previous tummy issues are completely under control and he appears, happy, settled and totally at ease so it's safe to say that the adjustment period is over and it's all systems go from here.

The one other thing that let's me know we're well on our way is that I've already had two adoption calls for our creamsicle boy. Alot of people would tell you that doing rescue work isn't for the faint of heart, and that's true. But what's more true is that a leopard always shows his spots sooner or later and this thankfully is always sooner I've found when it comes to that initial conversation after an adoption enquiry has been made.

Case in point...... The first individual I spoke with a week and a half or so ago, who called really eager to meet Garfield, had lost their own cat a year before and wanted to go through the grieving process - fair enough. I can totally relate to feelings of loss and understand that we're all different and everyone needs their own amount of time to feel that they have healed. But in the year that their cat had been gone, they had been to 6 shelters, 4 adoptathons, and had already had conversations with 3 different rescues about 8 other cats - with none of these ending in an adoption. My first alarm bell had already gone off. My second alarm bell went off after we continued our conversation for afew more minutes and I let this person know that Garfield weighs in at 22 Ibs.

It became very apparent, very quickly, that they were already backing as far away as possible. The clincher? - well that was when they asked me how I hoped to possibly guarantee his health when he was already so unhealthy at that (and I quote), HUGE size? There's a deal breaker in me with everyone I meet in life - I don't like people that make fun of other people because of their weight, their skin colour, or their religion, and the same holds true for anyone that references an animal by using terms such as IT, THING, UGLY or FAT!!

The second interested party had a dog and was hoping that I could confirm Garfield's past history included friends of the canine persuasion - which of course I cannot.

It mystifies me why Garfield's weight is an issue for people. When we fostered Farley (who was of a similar stature), everyone that called prior to his adoption, actually admitted their disgust that he was so heavy. My question to them was and is still the same..............how can you penalize an animal for what has clearly been a case of animal neglect/cruelty/abuse? It's not as if he or any other in his situation has willingly trotted downstairs and opened the pantry cupboard or fridge on their own and decided to gorge to the point of obesity!

What's most important here? That Garfield is safe and sound with us and has advocates in the form of the rescue and us his foster family, who will ensure his new forever family will love him for the darling, sweet animal that he is AND recognize his extra bit of self as just more of him to love.

ALL IS WELL!!

Firstly, thanks so much to everyone who took the time to offer their support in answer to my last post from a couple of days ago. It's always nice to know that others in the kitty world care and are concerned, and I'm so grateful to know that you're out there :))

I'm delighted to report that whatever tummy ailments Rocky seemed to be suffering from the other morning have passed and he seems like his old self again! Also, Garfield's tummy is also back on track, and if anything, this little setback just confirmed that he does infact have a sensitive stomach and so the appropriate food is required to keep that in check.

Lastly, after afew email exchanges with Flossy's Mom and a handful of trouble shooting tips/suggestions - it would appear that her inappropriate bathroom habits have been brought under control. There were afew different factors, one being that litterboxes had been moved around and a guest to Flossy's home had disrupted her routine a little bit, thus causing stress for our little baby girl.

Again, looking at this from a positive point of view, this too has taught Flossy's Mom (and us as well), that some kitties are far more sensitive to change of any kind than others, and that we need to be sensitive to the signals they try and give to share that. It also goes to show that we never stop learning and that animals are a great deal like people - we all have our own insecurities, anxieties and dislikes.

And me? Well I'm looking forward to the coming weekend so that I can relax and hopefully decompress a little bit.

In closing, I thought I would share a photo of a lovely girl who is currently up for adoption via our rescue group - her name is Payne and I think she is a beauty.

ONE OF THOSE DAYS.........

It hasn't been a very good day in the world of kitties..............

I woke up and went first off to feed the kids, only to discover that Rocky wouldn't come.  Being the sensitive little muffin that he is, sometimes he gets his nose out of joint if Silly and/or Garfield beat him to the dishes, or if I don't make a big fuss over his appearance.  I fed the other two and thought perhaps he was simply enjoying lounging abit longer.

Then I went downstairs to clean litterboxes, only to discover that after about a week or so of no bathroom issues for Garfield, his diarrhea is back. Since his stools had gone back to normal, I can only assume that he must have gotten into the boys' food when my back was turned. I've been very careful about monitoring and keeping it out of his reach when they are done, but somewhere I obviously was a little slow in getting there because it's clearly it had been consumed again by him.

So after cleaning that up, it was time for a shower, hair and make up. By the time we were getting ready to leave, Rocky had vomited up twice (not uncommon for him since he gets a great many hairballs), but still wouldn't eat his food. Now THAT is unlike him...........he has a ferocious appetite and loves to pick!
But it was time to go to work, so he was left virtually on an empty tummy, and me, while I've worried about him all day hoping it's not something more serious rearing it's ugly head.

Then, just to add to my fretting, I received an email from Flossy's Mom to tell me that 5 months after adoption, Flossy is now eliminating outside the litterbox! I was completely and utterly shocked since that little girl lived in our house for 14 months with one of the nasiest cats around, and she never once did anything inappropriate. At this point, we don't know if it's behavioural or medical, but one thing is clear, Flossy is not happy in some way and that is just breaking my heart.

I hope that determinations can be made quickly regarding what could be the cause, goodness knows that Flossy's Mom is a lovely person who has a high tolerance level but of course the rescuer in me is worried about what this means long term if it can't be brought under control. I've made a whole host of suggestions and am now waiting to hear if any of them have/will work.

This is where my worry wart nature kicks in. As much as I'd like to believe that my 12+ years in the rescue/foster world have have toughened me into not being fazed by issues such as these............the truth is, I'm a worrier, always have been and always will be.

A TENDER SOUL

I took these shots of Garfield last night as we got ready to watch a movie together.  He  loves to snuggle and spend time together which just makes me so happy!

Alot of the time I think about all the other cats just like Garfield who are sitting in cages in shelters on death row in cities and towns all across this world, and it just breaks my heart.  To think that beautiful, loving, animals such as him find themselves on the brink of being put down because they are no longer wanted or haven't been cared for as they should have been, is nothing short of a travesty.

I wish more people cared but I also give thanks for the ones that already do!

 

PS: His tummy issues are all cleared up!! :)

CUDDLES ANYONE?

Some of you may be wondering how Garfield is faring after almost two weeks of being with us.  Well in one word, TERRIFIC!!

He's settled right in, lovable, quiet, unassuming and best of all...........SWEET, SWEET, SWEET!

If there are any negatives, it's that we're still battling abit of diarrhea with our boy.  We changed his food over to something from Science Diet for sensitive stomach's, and although I thought we were on our way to remedy, it would appear from this morning's bathroom visit that we still have a ways to go.  So now the confusion lies in whether it was the original food, this new food, a combination of switching, or the meds, anxiety about being moved, or is he needing to be dewormed again.

I doubt the repeat of deworming only because he had no issues when he first arrived and I know that had he been battling them at the shelter, they would have either noted it on his intake card OR euthanized him (convinced he was unwell).

We'll keep trying to find the right balance and hopefully can have it under control before anyone comes to see him for adoption.

PS: Have I mentioned how much I'm loving having him in the house - always a bad sign.

PPS: Here is Garfield, snuggled into the crook of my husband's arm for an afternoon snooze together.

HOME AT LAST

The friends of ours that adopted Magnum have kept in close touch over the past two weeks and all is well.

Magnum and his new sister (girlfriend?) Holly are getting better acquainted every day.  His family shared a few shots with me of just how "settled in" our little black magic is, so I thought instead of my typing to describe it, why not just let you all see for yourselves :))

MANNERS GALORE

I came home from work last night and literally the first thing I did was go up and announce to Garfield that his quarantine was over!  I don't think I even got all the words fully out of my mouth before he was pushing out the door past me!! *L*

Would you believe that he has been golden, absolutely perfect with introductions to our own two boys?  We watched a movie last night and went to bed with him having full access to the house and there wasn't a peep out of anyone all night long.  I am not only pleasantly thrilled, I am amazed.  Rocky usually puts up way more fuss over a new foster's entering the "general" area of the house than this, and even he is seemingly way more relaxed and un-stressed than is usually the norm.

Today we were gone for about 3 hours and came home to find the three boys all resting in their respective spots.................it's as if Garfield has lived here forever as opposed to 1 week.

Hey, don't get me wrong I'm not complaining - I'm actually pinching myself to make sure I'm not dreaming :))

GOOD PROGRESS!

How great it is to type that Garfield is now eating on his own *HOORAY* - no more force feedings for him............ or us! :)

He appears to be feeling loads better even from just afew short days ago and we're so happy.  He did suffer a brief bout of diahrrea (which we suspect was from one of the meds he was on), but I think even that too is now under control.

Otherwise, he appears happy, relaxed and settling in a little more each day.  He's anxious to leave his private digs, and explore what's beyod the door I keep disappearing out of, so hopefully we can start introductions tomorrow after I come home from work.

Rescue, check.  Vet checkup, check.  Shelter sickness, check,  Recovery, check, check.  Family introductions............pending.

BABY STEPS

For those of you who may have missed it, our latest foster was named "Tank" by shelter staff.  Now I know that there may be some who like it, but I personally find it insulting to pin such a name on a really large cat.  In my minds eye, it's right up there with calling a heavy person "fat" - NOT!

Soooo as hum drum as it may sound to some, we've decided to call this boy, Garfield.  Yup, stereotypical perhaps for an orange/white male, but nonetheless, there is something about him that reminds me of his cartoon counterpart - so there you have it.

As of tonight we're still force feeding but I suspect we're making abit of progress if only because he showed abit more fight toward the end of the meeting than he had the previous two days.  To me, a cat that has the energy to fight back a little, is starting to feel stronger, so although I don't relish the idea of a 22 Ib cat taking us on in a relatively small space - if it means he's starting to feel better; than heck, I'm ready!! *L*

I just shot these photos and it would appear that he not only likes the attention but also that he's not camera shy..............thanks goodness for small miraces because I need all the help I can get.

Enjoy :))

PS: Don't panic about the red splotch at the top of his forehead (that's only my lipstick from kissing him)

 

UPHILL BATTLE

Our new foster arrived yesterday afternoon..........a gorgeous orange/white (creamsicle is how I refer to these kitties) boy, who sadly tips the scales at 22.3 Ibs.

Right now we're having to force feed him since he's suffering from an URI (Upper Respiratory Infection), that has taken away his sense of smell.  He also evidently has sores in his mouth, so we're battling both with antibiotics.

I don't know what makes me angrier, the fact that someone overfed him to the point where he is now obese and can't even jump on the bed because of his weight, or the fact that he was totally neglected, ended up in a kill shelter, got sick, and is now ironically not interested in eating because he feels so lousy.  To top it off, can I just say that I feel absolutely horrible that our first day together has been spent with my washing him (he'd urinated all over himself on the transport here), forcing food down his throat, shoving pills in after that, and not being able to even explain what the heck is going on!

His disposition so far has been that of a little gem, which makes the situation that much more heartbreaking.  He's quietly submitted to everything we've had to do to him, all the while purring.  I've also given him two good brushing's which he just loved!

I'm hoping that he'll be feeling better soon.  Kitties this size that won't eat are in real danger of becoming even sicker, and goodness knows that I'm going to fight tooth and nail to ensure that everything possible is done to help him. 

To the person/s who put him this situation, you will answer for it.  To those who have already expressed their disgust at his weight (opinions are alive and well), shame on you for looking down at a defenseless animal and casting judgement.

PS: The shelter gave him the name "Tank" - we will be renaming him very, very soon.

A REAL BEAUTY

I've just received the loveliest email from Flossy's Mom.  It was so uplifting and fun to read about all the goings on at her place with Flossy and her siblings - Whispurr (the kitty), Belle (another kitty), and Teddy (the resident dog). 

Flossy is as happy as happy can be and has absolutely become the best of buds with Teddy, who is also very protective of our little diva girl.  I don't know about you, but I personally find it so enchanting when cats/dogs become friends!

Reading about Flossy's life now, I couldn't help but think back to when I first met her, how rough her first few months here were, and how we spent 14 months together in total before her forever family came for her. 

I have loved all our foster cats, but Flossy, well she will always be that much more special because she was with me through a very dark ordeal and allowed me to soak her coat with my tears more than once in our time together.

So here is Baby Girl now - her beauty takes my breath away.

MAKING ME PROUD

The house feels abit quieter tonight with Magnum having gone to his forever home afew hours ago. His new family was very excited to pick him up and if early signs are any indication, he's going to be just fine in the adjustment department.

I always feel a tinge of pride when a new family emails me quickly after the arrival home to let me know what a good kitty our foster has been already, and how they are settling in really well. I'm so happy to report that Magnum is following suite..............here he is, not 20 minutes after they arrived home. On their chaise lounge sitting happily while their son plays video games right beside him.

Doesn't he totally look like he belongs there?

Magnum - At Home

ANOTHER CHAPTER

Magnum's time with us is drawing to a close as his new family will pick him up this coming Tuesday...........

Someone asked me just as recently as earlier today, whether I ever find it hard to let them go? The simple answer is yes; yes I do find it hard to let them go.

Alot of the adopters who have taken kitties home from the Safe Haven keep in touch, as will this family since they are friends of ours; so in many ways that certainly lessens the feelings that come with saying goodbye. But still, in being adopted it does mean that our time together is ending and even though I trust that they will be loved and well cared for all the rest of their days, there is still the emotional part of me that feels a small sense of sadness for the realization.

If life has taught me anything this past year, it's that nothing stays the same forever, that all things must change whether we want them to or not. I take great comfort in knowing that Magnum is going to a wonderful home, something that seemed an unlikely possibility even three months ago.

But I do try valiantly to always look at the glass as half full (or so the saying goes), so even now I am beginning to prepare myself mentally for the next kitty who is waiting on death row at animal control - alone, sad, afraid, and perhaps feeling without hope. And I whisper, hold on my sweet boy, your second chance is on it's way.

I'll leave you tonight with these pictures of Magnum, who we have loved having in our home and who we wish a long, happy and healthy life for.

A-OKAY!

Silly having a wee rest in his bed

 

I am delighted to report that Silly is already recovering nicely from his ear injury. It did turn out to be an abcess which was likely caused from either Magnum or Rocky biting him. The vet couldn't confirm for certain, but all indications were that that was the root cause. Silly is a wonderful cat who is completely Daddy's boy and with that comes a very comical side in his antics as well as being very physically striking to look at; but he can also be abit of an instigator when it comes to being a bug. His other ear has a small snip out of it which was like that when we adopted him, so obviously this wasn't his first go around in the ticking someone off department, and I doubt it will be his last since his personality has that little trouble maker streak running through it.

In the 7+ years we've had him, he's sent my husband to the hospital twice with bites that he's given. He's not a nasty cat, but has attention threshold issues and although my husband and he have a great relationship, sometimes boundaries are not respected, and they can both pay the price. This time around our sweet boy found himself on the receiving end and wound up at the vet's on Monday afternoon getting a freezing needle, having the abcess drained, and then sent home with major antibiotics for two weeks.

Everything already looks a million times better and he's back to his old self (although I have noticed that he's laid low the last two days or so in the fighting spirit department) - for which we are very grateful. :))

IN MEMORY

This morning's post has nothing to do with a rescued kitty or fostering, but for all of you who may stop by to read, this is just as important to me...............

Today marks 1 year ago exactly on which my little sister died at 2:32am after an eight month battle with cancer - she was 38.  For anyone who like me, has continued to live on after such a tragedy, you will know what I mean when I say that the last 12 months have been so short and yet so long.

This is one of the ways I wish to show that she's not forgotten.  The picture below is the only one I have of her.  I took it the day we went to pick her out a wig shortly after she had started chemotherapy.  She loved it instantly and although she was somewhat shy about having her picture taken moments after she'd put it on, I'm so thankful that I captured such a bitter sweet memory.

So Tanya, this is everyone...................and everyone, this is my sister Tanya.

HOUSTON, WE HAVE A PROBLEM

During the course of having breakfast yesterday morning, I noticed that one of Silly's ears appeared to have a lump on the top of it.  It wasn't there the day before, so I tried to get a little closer to have a look.  Sure enough, it was a lump and and once hubby was up and out of bed, I got him to hold our boy, while I examined it (gingerley of course).

Sure enough, there was something there, a very nasty something, and even with a gentle touch it was quickly apparent that it was very sore and already expressing (I'll spare you all the gory details).  Since it was Sunday, our vet was closed but I'm just waiting for them to open this morning and will obtain an appointment for today.

This morning the bump is larger and looks alot nastier but I'm not sure if it was something that got into the house that stung him (a wasp perhaps?) OR if the boys were rough housing and someone bit him?  Regardless, I've been worried not only about what the heck it is but how much pain he must be in because as surely as I'm sitting here, that thing has got to be throbbing.

It's at times like these when I realize what a horrible Mom I am.  I worry instantly and really can't relax until the problem has been dealt with and I at least know what I'm up against.  Can you imagine if I had had human children?.....................I'd be running them to the doctor for the least little thing! 

Hopefully some antibiotics will clear this right up and they won't have to do anything too unpleasant to our Sylvester to make it go away :(

THREE'S A CROWD?

Everyone here is doing really well!  Magnum's new family was over for a short visit last night just before they head out on holiday.  Their 11 yr old son and he were bonding over a plethra of toys and seemed to get along famously already - which is excellent because it means that our boy won't suffer anxiety to be around a little person.

I just shot these next photos, and although it may appear that everyone is happily co-sharing space, this lineup didn't come without it's fair share of jockeying for positions.  There was even abit of swatting between Magnum and Silly as they settled in face to face................Magnum didn't seem to appreciate the closeness this time, and Silly is quite peeved that he didn't just get down altogether.

Ahhhhhh. boys will be boys :) :)

*Silly Thinks*: Geez I can't wait until you're gone!

A GREAT GAMBLE

Does Magnum appear to have that look of,  "I'm not worried in the slightest about getting adopted."

Well he should because as of two hours ago, he now has his forever home!  Friends of ours were over on Sunday, and loved him to bits.   They already have a kitty, a gorgeous little Russian Blue female named Holly who is just the apple of Mommy's eye (and their 11 year old son), but when they expressed interest in him I thought it was more of a wish than an actual legitimate enquiry, so I didn't really think much more about it. 

That was of course until I got the email earlier today where Mommy indicated that they had talked it over as a family and decided that they wanted to adopt Magnum! He will be with us until closer to the end of othe month because they are about to embark on a week's holiday and we all decided it would be better to take him home after they get back.

Soooooooooo we get to love him abit longer but really, to think 4 weeks ago he was in a cage at Animal Control and now.................well now, he has a new feline sister, and a family that will adore him forever!

How's that for beating the odds!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

THE BEST KIND OF GREETING!

Magnum has been with us a month now - how time flies!  We trimmed his back toes this past weekend (he was starting to click across the hardwood - never a good sign) and he did pretty well patience wise.

Our two boys just looooooooovvvvvve catnip, so every once in a while I take out abit of dried and let them get deliriously happy for a litttle bit.  Magnum doesn't seem to realize the big deal and wasn't overly interested in his portion, but once he saw how happy it made Rocky & Silly, he tried to groom them both in their moments of weakness!  Neither of them of course were that far gone that they relented (much to Magnum's disappointment), but it's just another indication of how much he likes other cats and how much he'd love to be their friend.

He's gotten so settled in here that now every day when I come home from work, he races up the stairs ahead of me to join me while I switch from my work clothes into something more comfy.................he takes this opportunity to roll around on the bed, head butt me (have I mentioned he's got quite abit of force in that head butt!), and then proceeds to lay down purring incredibly loudly while I chat to him and put things away.

Now I just have to hope that someone will look past the colour of his coat and come out to meet him.  We had neighours drop by last night and he was SO affectionate and friendly with them............so I know once he's introduced, he's going to knock a potential adopter/s socks right off.

One Handsome Fella!!