Here is the picture of the kitten that got a loving home tonight.
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Here is the picture of the kitten that got a loving home tonight.
Congratulations, Melissa, in catching a kitten and finding a good home for it. Even though there are lots more to save, it must make you feel good that one is out of harm's way and with people who want him/her. I hope they take the kitten to the vet soon, I'm sure they will, because the left eye needs help.
Have you found an organization that will loan you traps yet? You will need to stay nearby until the trap has sprung since you are dealing with kittens, but it should really cut down on the frustration of trying to grab a kitten.
Lizzie,
It does make me feel good, although I was a little sad that I didn't have more time with it, but I think it's when you hold them and they look at you, that you just want to keep them all but you know in your mind it's not fair to the ones I have already nor is it fair to this little one.
I'm sure they are going to take it to the vets either today or this week. I think the cat might be blind in the one eye. I'm not a vet of course but it seemed fine regardless.
I do know of an organization that will soon have a trap but I don't have a place to keep the cats, I have a small one-bedroom apartment with my four cats and there it no where to keep another couple of cats, not till I find them a home.
I agree a trap would be much easier to get the cats but I don't want to trap ones I can't take yet.
Thanks though and thanks for continuing to check this out.
Melissa
Quote:
Originally Posted by Lizzie
I found someone else how said they would take a cat we'll have to see if this person follows through, I hope so.
One by one makes a huge difference over time. Every cat you rescue and put into a good home, as you know, cuts down on the production of more kittens to suffer. I'm so glad that you are sticking with your program despite all the set-backs.
How is it possible to have a life beside this...I have four cats I don't see that much and any time I see my boyfriend which I live with we just fight.
I'm so frustered not at the problem, well I am but I'm just going to stop talking about that right now, we are here to talk about cats not him.
As far as an update on the kitten I saved, it is a BOY!!! and his name is JD and he weighed in at 2 lbs. He had worms so they dewormed him and they said he got that probably from the fleas who knew. They said he's so sweet and he's all cleaned up they said he looks like he has a third eye lid that might make his eye drup but hopefully not but they said they love him regardless.
I'm so glad he got a good home.
Melissa
Quote:
Originally Posted by Lizzie
Pardon me for asking...but why isn't your boyfriend helping???
Even if he just called the newspapers and tv and radio, and called the municipal office.
Is he doing ANYTHING? Or just mad that you are doing all this and "ignoring" him?
I hope he pitches in!
hugs
Catty1
He does help to be honest, I was just really angry at him last night. He said he's really proud of me for what I'm doing and he is always there for me, especially when one dies. He has helped out more than I expected. I just need to vent.
Have you heard anything back from any of the stations yet? I have one person that says she wants one so maybe tonight I'll go kitty hunting and I'm crossing my fingers that I don't see any really sick or dying.
Melissa
Nothing yet, sorry!
Maybe your BF could follow up with all the TV and Radio stations in your town(ask for the newsroom or news dept), as well as Town Council.
He can say he is following up on an email sent by me, Candace Carnie.
Even if he leaves voice mail, it will be something.
hugs
Catty1
I will and you are right even a voicemail at least it's a step. I just can't belive that I haven't had more responses for people wanting kittens/cats.
I'm so glad about the white kitten, I mean JD. He is so loved. I hope this next cat/kitten I'm able to get will be loved just as much.
Melisssa
It's wonderful that JD found a home with both loving and responsible guardians and it must be a great boost to your morale. Good luck with your kitten hunting tonight or tomorrow. Perhaps you can get the orange one then.
What is a good way to get people to come and take these cats.
I put out flyers and I've put them on the popular website to try to get someone to take 2 or 3 cats or even 1 but nothing yet, I got a call today from someone when I got home and then I called her back and told her the cats will need to go to the vet first and then spayed/neuter and she said she was looking for a healthier kitten.
I was so mad. These cats will make a great pet...just someone needs to have heart.
JD was covered in fleas and they said that fleas carry the ringworm diease so the vet also told the family that it was good thing we got him when we did because he would of died a week later probably from the fleas sucking his blood.
This situation now has me really scared into thinking maybe I should try the SPCA and see if they can help but I know if they do go out they may end up putting the cats to sleep and I'm against that to some degree.
I'm so confused about if I should call them or not.
Melissa
Quote:
Originally Posted by Lizzie
Melissa - first, get your BF to do followup calls.
Next, call the SPCA, see if you can talk to someone who seems to know what's what, and ask them for referrals or suggestions. Surely they must know if any bylaws apply here?
Your town gov't has "ordinances" that are governed by bylaws...not sure exactly how that works...but I'd have your BF call them anyway - and not the health dept.
I'll check my email in a bit...but a few stations had an autorespond mechanism, and said the volume of email meant individual replies are unlikely. So a follow-up call can only help!
hugs
Catty1
Cathy,
I would have him do follow-ups but he works alot it's hard time to even see eachother he's working day shift now it's hard to call places because most places are closed by the time he gets home..
I will call the SPCA and see what they can do but they never seem to want to help and from what I've heard from all the organizations I have called around my area they don't even bother investigating small claims because it's usually a waste of there time but I do have a lead I'm going to follow up on and so we'll go from there. I just don't want these cats to have to be put to sleep but I also don't want them dieing of a diease that could of been helped. It's just I don't have money to help these cats and I don't have a place to put them.
I will go and catch the one kitten first before hand and see what happens.
There has been a stray outside my place that I've been feeding since last fall and now she's pregnant...so she's gaining my trust more and more and I want to get her before she has her baby so they can get a good home and she can get spayed and find a good home as well.
She's such a beautiful cat.
Gotta run for now thank you again for all that you are doing. I really appreciate it.
Melissa
Quote:
Originally Posted by Catty1
oh dear...call WHYY radio...if they won't take it, ask them to PLEASE pass it on!
Pet store??? They might help and contact the media and it's free advertising for them!
Hmmmm...gonna go Google.... he he he
Catty1
Well I went at lunch to get a trap from the SPCA so hopefully tonight I'll catch two.
I might try to get the pregnant girl outside my apartment maybe with the trap too, although she has come such a long way since last year with trusting me more and more, I'm afraid that it might really scare her and I don't want to harm her baby's if she is pregnant although I saw some pictures of pregnant kitties and she looks like them just not that big.
Well I'll let you all know how it turns out later.
Melissa
Good luck with the trapping, and, yes, please keep us updated.
Did the SPCA give you guidelines on how to use a trap? Did they tell you to cover all except the door part with an old towel or sheet? Did they warn you that you might get anything, including possums, racoons and roaming tom cats in the trap? I just say that so you are prepared. If you place it near where you know they are hiding and put something tuna-based in there, you'll probably get something very fast.
Great ideas, I'll remember that and try that. I did use the trap before but I caught one cat that I couldn't take at the time so I'm sure he won't go in but maybe for the food.
Anyway, Ibetter go and I will get some tuna.
Thanks,
Melissa
Quote:
Originally Posted by Lizzie
I GOT A LITTLE GIRL!!!!!
She is a tortshell and so cute!!! It was so easy tonight. There were more kittens though and that was pretty sad but this one got a good home. They came tonight to pick it up and they had a little girl and she loved it.
I'm so glad. I just wish I could find familys for all of these other kittens that need a home.
But at least one is going to have a better life now.
Melissa
Good to hear!
Did you get any of the "office staff" to help out?
Actually, have you asked any folks at YOUR office if they can help? Maybe check with your supervisor and see if you can post something in the lunchroom.
hugs
Catty1
The kitten I gave away friday night died this morning.
The lady said she didn't eat or drink anything the day before. Not sure if it had cocicida or not.
I'm so upset now. I made this little girl so happy who got the kitten and now it's dead.
At least it didn't have to die in that disgusting house.
Melissa
I have talked with some of the office staff, my office is very small and everyone knows everyone else's business so they all know but only one was willing to forward on my e-mail flyer to her friends.
I think some of my co-workers think I'm a bit nuts when it comes to this.
Melissa
Quote:
Originally Posted by Catty1
Co-workers thinking you are nuts is normal and happens to all of us. You are the one making a difference, they are not. I'm sorry about the kitten who died. I wish a rescue organization would work with you because it sounds like this place needs a major effort - trapping, testing, spaying and neutering, the works.
Lizzie,
I did finally get a reply back from all the e-mails I sent around. It was from www.bestfriends.org.
They are trying to find resources here in pa to help me. Which is great, I just hope it's not too late for the kittens, especially in this heat. I'm afraid that the kittens have coccidia and without treatment they will die. Hopefully something will pop up soon.
I'm trying to keep positive but after I lost this little one in such a short time I don't know. I sent this women who is trying to help me all the pictures I have of this womens house and the cats dead and alive. It was pretty emotional going through the pictures and reliving each one.
Melissa
Quote:
Originally Posted by Lizzie
Hi all,
I spoke with the homeowner last night the one that feeds the cats and asked her if I could put up an automatic feeder once I get it in the mail and she said that was fine. So I just can't wait to get it now.
Last night while I was there I saw a calico kitten probably under 8 weeks and she was sleeping but I was able to get to her faster to pick her up and of course she bit the hell out of my wrist but I'll live I wanted to check her out, and well of course it's a little girl and I was looking at her butt, and it had a little bit of yellow around her butt so I made a vet appt. for tomorrow night and I'm going to take her in and hopefully she'll get fixed up and healthy and I can adopt her out. I'm just hoping I can catch her tonight.
I'll let you all know about the details later.
Melissa
I'm really pleased and relieved that a rescue organization might be willing to help you. They could help you even in quite small ways, for instance, loan you a large cage that can be kept outside so that if you catch a kitten as you did last night, you can keep it caged until a vet visit. Good luck on catching the kitten tonight.
I hope you took care of the bite wound. Bites from any animal, and I include humans in that group, can cause serious infections because our mouths are loaded with bacteria all the time. Tetanus shots up to date?
Please keep us updated. I hope you have seen that your thread has been viewed over 800 times. Lots of PT people are interested even if they feel they have nothing to add.
Edited to add: Has the homeowner told you how she collected so many cats? Does she talk about her philosophy on caring for them? Is she "just letting nature take its course"?
Do you have those pictures on email?
How about dropping some off at the Congressman's office? And the pet store?
And even ONE TV or Radio station.
The pictures of the situation cause people to react!
I hope you get a lot of help soon!
Maybe the rescue organization already has media contacts they send pictures to. Maybe just let them know that is ok with you.
HUGS!
Lizzie
Thank you so much for continuing to check on my thread. I hope I get this kitten tonight because she does need vet care. I'm just hoping it's not too late but if it is at least I've got some a good home.
I do have a cat carrier I should of put it in...I guess I just needed time to think about and check my financial state and to check with the vet if I can postdate a check before actually taking the kitten, which of course my vet is willing to let me postdate which I'm very happy about.
The bite wound looks like she hit some blood vessles but I'll live...I put some stuff on it last night. I'm checking with my dr. about the tetanus shot.
I haven't noticed about it being viewed that many times but I'm amazed.
When I talked with the homeowner she didn't say how she came across to having so many cats but she has lived there for 19 yrs. and who knows how many litters have come and gone.
I do think she believes in a way she is helping these cats by feeding them everyday, and she knows she has to keep her cats up to date on shots and her dog as well and also flea medicine because she, well her cats outside the house has fleas.
I tried to get across the point yesterday about coccidia and how the cats are getting it and passing it on but she just didn't get what I saw saying, I'm going to leave her some information on it and let her know that her porch is causing this most likely which is why it's so important to keep it clean, if that ever happens.
I couldn't get the kitten last night because the homeowner lost her dog and the kitty's of course disappeared.
Melissa
I just thought I'd attach a few pictures of "JD" he looks so much better now than when I first got him.
Any ideas on how I can start raising money to be able to take these cats to the vets and get them fixed and just re-release them till a better solution comes along?
I've thought about going to a neighborhood but would people want to give me money if I'm not with an organization? I've contacted the organization I've been working with to ask there permission to use their name when I'm going around to different neighborhoods so we'll see.
Melissa
Melissa - Did you try Alley Cats Allies as Queen S. suggested? Their page does have information on getting funds for your organization, but you are an organization of one at present. Perhaps you can email them for advice? You won't get much in the way of donations, especially from businesses until you become non-proft - and that means a lot of paperwork. Isn't anyone at work, neighborhood, friends, college, vet offices, etc. willing to join you?
I don't have many friends and the ones I have are tied up financially as well as me. Maybe I'll try vet offices and I did go onto the Alley Cat Allies and I've gotten plenty of info there it's just seeming so hopeless right now.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Lizzie
Try the congressman's office, please! Plead for help! If you did that already, and it's a no-go, ask them what they would advise!
They'll have connections and information that would boggle most minds!
I'm going to have to do that...
I just don't have the money and it's getting harder and harder to keep feeding these strays plus the cats in my house and the cats outside my place.
I'm just not sure how to start talking or anything...I'm going to have to start writing things down...and etc.
Thanks again...
Melissa
Quote:
Originally Posted by Catty1
I just wanted to say a huge thanks to you Candance for helping me out. She faxed a letter for me to the Congressman.
I really appreciate it.
Melisssa
...AND the governor's regional office...since he just cracked down on puppy mills, I thought there would be a chance.... :D
Yes I forgot that one :D again Thank you so much!
Quote:
Originally Posted by Catty1
I posted an ad on statecollege.com asking for donations to help with the spaying and neutering costs.
Hopefully I'll get some responses.
Melissa
You are incredible, never giving up when everyone else in your neighborhood ignores the whole situation. As well as the benefit to the cats that you are aiming for, you are benefiting in ways you might not be aware of at this time. Your battle for the cats' welfare, communicating with a wide variety of people to push your campaign, coping with distressing conditions and lack of response, and everything else you are dealing with has changed you and the experience has strengthened your mental abilities. I hated my time as a chilldren's nurse in the 60's, when most children died in a teaching hospital, but the experience certainly added strength to my character and the practical experience helps as I care for special needs cats.
Please keep posting. Since over a thousand people have viewed this thread, there are many who want to keep updated, and who wish they could help you more.