Happy Trails! The Last of the Kittens are gone!

Chili and Salsa are now at their new digs at the Angel's Gate animal hospice in Long Island, NY.

Originally, they were slated to join Dijon at the Marley Fund House, but the Marley Fund House took in 20 FeLV(+) cats after the state cracked a cruelty case--they are obviously just simply overwhelmed.

so I continued to look for a long-term solution for the cats, now a bonded pair. i was finally able to place them with Sue and Victor at Angel's Gate. They will live out the rest of their days on a raw diet, in their own little pool house (that they share with 13 other FeLV positive cats) and an outdoor enclosure where they can feel the wind in their whiskers and the sun on their fur.

Obviously, the ideal situation would have been a home, but I think that they are better served at a long-term care facility. The cramped and dull quarters they shared at my apartment was really adequate for basic needs and that's about it. i wanted better for them and I think they will have a better life at Angel's Gate.

I bathed them and packed them up, made the drive to LI, was nibbled on by a goat, met the world's FRIENDLIEST cat ever, and now I am home. I am going to scrub down the kitten room tomorrow and try not to worry or be sad. I wish I had had a house, but i suppose things happen the way they do for a reason.

Happy Trails, my sweet kittens!

Pics of Chili, Salsa, and Dijon for a nice change

Everyone is doing well right now, so we're counting blessings. I caught two more little ferals, one of which tested positive for FeLV the other not yet tested. I have been trying to trap the mother of my original five, to prevent kitten season from becoming a disaster, but no luck so far.


Chili




Salsa








Dijon at the Marley Fund House (thank you Joy, for the pics!!)

Growler is gone

We changed her medication to try to see if a stronger steroid would help her. After observation and some bloodwork, as well as the x-ray, nothing came back with any results that we could use to help her. There was no obvious injury, but she was in excruciating pain--you didn't even have to touch her, if you put your hand within an inch of her body her skin would crawl.

There was nothing else we could do for her and her pain was so severe that we opted to euthanize her. She crossed the bridge with our help this evening at about 8pm. I hope Zest will meet her on the other side, at least they won't be lonely.

She was my special little lap cat and I miss her already. I feel sick and I have a headache. I'm not sure I am cut out for this.

Peekaboo from Dijon at the Marley Fund House

Took Growler to the vet today

Yesterday I came home to urine and feces outside of the litterbox. Trying to track down the culprit and noticed Growler trying to hide. Picked her up, she hissed, and when I felt her belly it was swollen.

Took her in to the vet this morning and he is not sure what is going on. She is in a lot of pain, touching her back might earn a bite and definitely a hiss. The doctor took an x-ray and there's no obvious problem, like tumor, or break or slipped disc or anything; her bladder was very full and she was full of feces, so the doctor expressed her bladder. He is thinking it could be a number of things--she is holding in her bowel movements because she hurt her back and it hurts to go, or her back could hurt because she has been holding in her bowels due to a bacterial infection or something similar. Could be a kidney problem.

Right now, we are going conservatively. I have her on strict crate rest isolated from her peers (but hanging out with the rest of the house, she seems to like being near the dogs and me). I am going to watch her elimination. Once she's chilled out a little, I am supposed to give her one half of a prednisone pill (the doctor wants to be very conservative with it because of the immunosuppressive quality of it, which made me happy) and clavamox. He gave her a shot of pain med and a shot of antibiotic. He did not give her a shot of prednisone because he wants to be very conservative in its use. If she does ok overnight, he wants me to continue with the antibiotic and hope that it clears up without further use of the prednisone. If she is still acting funky tomorrow, I have to call him for further instructions.

Her temp was a little elevated, but not a lot (if you feel her, externally she feels very hot though, the doctor was a little stumped by that, he kept expecting her temp to be higher). I want to ask for a full blood panel of all the cats, but I can't really think of a real reason except that I feel like, on a gut level, it would be a good idea to check kidney values, etc., all around.

It's been a very stressful month; after losing Zest two weeks ago, my 15 month old son has been in the hospital since Monday (he came home last night) after having a seizure (and rotavirus, which seems to be at the root of all the problems, but he's recovering very well right now and no more seizures). It was really worrisome to have to take Growler in today, but it was really nice that my vet has been so supportive, in his own gruff, low-tech way. I'm also grateful that I was quickly able to determine which cat was sick.

Zest passed away

I got word from Joy at the Marley Fund that Zest passed away in her sleep. She did not appear to be ill in any way and she did not suffer.

She will be buried next to Marley in NC.

Goodbye my Zesty little pickle, I will miss you.

No adoptions

The prospective adopters have adopted another kitten who is home with them already; while there is some possibility of them adding one of my cats to their household, for now it is a pass.

I was really hoping that this would work out for one of my guys. The people were so nice.

Well, maybe next time.

Prospective Adopters visiting, Dec. 5th

I was contacted by a nice family who recently lost one of their FeLV positive cats. They are coming to visit and meet the kittens on the 5th. Wish us all luck that they are a compatible match for one of our guys!

Chili, Salsa, and Growler doing well

they seem to have adapted to the absence of their sisters and relocating two of the kittens has eased the cramped quarters somewhat. The kittens do try to breakout every time I go into the room and my resident negative cat can no longer deny their existence--she has been hissing at the door, that meanie.

The kittens survived boarding at the vet's office while some work was done in our apartment. Special thanks to Barbara from the FeLV Talk list for helping to cover the boarding cost and to Emerson Animal hospital for making room to board them on short notice.

Otherwise, it's same old same old over here. no room at the Marley Fund for them yet, so i am working hard at finding permanent homes for any of them. Not a single bite yet but I will just keep persisting. I am including the Marley Find kitties in my search for homes, in case someone wants a non-black cat.

Wish us luck! and thank you thank you thank you to all the people who have supported and continue to support me in this endeavor. the kittens thank you too.

lunasmom