CatVando NFP Corporation

Robin's Cats

2011-11-10T21:46:00.004-06:00

Robin's Cats Someone recently asked about Robin's cats. Wish I had someone to update this on a more regular basis or had someone to do many of the other things I do so I could do updates on a more regular basis but alas, that too shall come! I'm delighted when someone asks questions. I never know who reads these posts. About Robin's cats. A quick synopsis by memory for the moment. Ella was adopted by a good friend of Robin's Helmut & Twilight were adopted to a family in Willmette. Tennyson & Rosie went to a young girl and her grandmother who'd lost their mom/daughter then the kittens they got before these two died. They are bringing both the young girl and the grandmother much joy. 5 Seniors went to DuPage Animal Care & Control and were accepted into their Senior Adoption program. I continue to check with them to get seniors in when they've adopted seniors out. This assures their being in the adoption program vs being euthanized. ( a note on shelters that euthanize for space. As much as I oppose killing of any sort, I completely understand the need. There are more cats than homes. To judge a shelter because they euthanize without adopting as many pets as possible is blaming the wrong party. They are doing the best they can to accomodate a difficult situation) Once a cat is accepted into their program, they stay until they are adopted. Alfred, the guy that had his ear canals removed is now Long Haul Trucker Alfred. He was adopted by a young couple with a big rig. Alfred spends his days on the 2nd bunk, roaming around the back 'room' of the cab and looking out the window (his favorite thing to do while here). 4 of the cats, who's names escape me, are in foster care waiting for adoption. 6 of the cats are still at Robin's housed - waiting for adoption. Ellie (who you may have seen on our FB page) sadly, was euthanized. She had a tumor in her ear, the size was initially hidden by an enormous absess. After 2 weeks of daily soaks and antibiotics, it was found that the tumor was too large to be operable. Tika, another wonderful cat, died of a form of cancer that now escapes me. She had a great life until the day she died in the arms of her loving foster mom. Robin had 22, not 26 cats when she died. Robin is in our thoughts as well as her cats. Her former car was donated by her husband and is now our 'cat mobile'.

Funky Rockin' Blues Catzzzzzzzzz

2011-09-25T20:53:00.009-05:00

Funky Rockin' Blues Catzzzzzzzz

October 15, 7-10pm

FUNd Raiser featuring

Dawn O'Keefe & The Lucky Dogs

Underpass Restaurant & Lounge

9400 Grand Avenue - Franklin Park

Tickets $30 includes unlimited drinks and hor d'oeuvres

PROGRAM BOOK:

Like most animal rescue groups, we are at critical levels. Yard cats and pets are being abandoned as evicitions and foreclosures increase. We are having to sponsor the TNR fees for record numbers of cats. We are spending almost as much on medical fees for cats in dire need of medical attention. Our coffers are running dangerously low - and the cats keep coming. We're hoping you'll help us help the cats by coming to one of our events or by buying an ad in our Program Book to show your support.

We are selling ads in a beautifully designed Program Book to be distributed at our Funky Rockin' Blues Catzzz event. The Book will be handed out at our event, a placard with all sponsors will be on display at the event and you'll be listed on our website and blog. In addition, you will receive your own personalized copy of the Book.

Price & Sizes

$25 for business card size add, $50 for 1/2 page and $100 for whole page. Use to advertise your business or with a personal message of support, or a photo of your cat or cats!

$10 musicians, service providers, etc. Includes Name, phone number, service or band and music type.

Submit message, scan of card or digital photo along with size of ad to catvandotnr@yahoo.com , or by snail mail, CatVando, POB 851, Maywood 60153. Or, call us, if we're in your area, we'll pick up your card or photo. 708 829 6013

To Pay: click on donate button to pay by paypal, earmark your donation for 'Funky Rockin''. Send check to CatVando, POB 851, Maywood 60153. Please submit by October 12.

Monet

2011-09-13T21:09:00.004-05:00

Monet was spotted for the first time in front, leaving the front feeder. The next time we saw him, was 5am on the front porch feeder, then again that day in the back. By Saturday morning,

while doing morning canned feeding, he came close enough to put him in a carrier and take him to Elmhurst Animal Care. Monet (named later by his Armchair Adoptor, Stephanie Skrine for the white tip on his tail) was in bad shape. Ematiated, a terrible Upper Respiratory Infection, a large wound on his right shoulder, brittle hair. He weighed in at 5lb 2 oz. He tested negative for feline leukemia and Feline ImmunoVirus. His gums were almost white, one of his canines was broken off at the gum line and his tail was full of some sort of grease. He also had lice, an indication of a very deficient immune system. He was comfortable being cuddled and held but it could be that he was a really sick feral or someone's abandoned pet. - he never purred but did cuddle in. Monet got meds, was treated for lice and given a warm bath, hydrated and given as much food as he would ingest and lots of love but we knew he was so far gone, he might not make it. He didn't. He died yesterday. But he died in safe space. He brings to mind so many like him, out in the streets with no one to care for them and it saddens us. Most of the cats we work with are cared for by people who feed and care for them but the Monet's of the world have no one. A friend said he came here because he knows he'd have love and care in his last days. Who knows. Many find us, sick and healthy. Even tho we can't take care of them all, or many of them, really, we're glad Monet found us and we were able to offer comfort and love in his last days. It's one of the things that makes CatVando, CatVando, and it's one of the things we raise funds to be able to provide.

Melaleuca Testimonials

2011-09-11T17:26:00.004-05:00

Here's where you can read what customers say about Melaleuca products. To add your own story or, to ask a question, just comment on this post and it will be posted. Zap It. I love it. My skin has always been sensitive and when I had a blemish, things like Oxy Clearf and all the other things just left dry spots in the place of pimples. I couldn't believe how well the Zap It Stick works. It doesn't dry my skin and it takes away the pimple. My 13 year old son is now using my Zap It and loves it. He's getting the whole system. CM At 28, I'd tried everything for a lifetime of blemishes, black heads and big pours. After 5 weeks on the Zap It system, I have beautiful skin and very few blemishes. Lemon Blossom Sol U Mel I've always used Sol U Mel for smells, stains and laundry but I LOVE the new Lemon Scent for my laundry. One little cap full and it perks up the smell of my laundy. I like the original scent for cleaning and deoderizing but LOVE my new laundry smell. CM

Frankie

2011-09-09T11:36:00.007-05:00

Frankie

As told in our newsletter, The Scratch, Frankie fell victim to rat poisoning on August 28, 2011. Frankie has been at CatVando since before we were CatVando. Previously owned (with collar) he would come to eat then leave. Then, after being abandoned by his owners, he eventually moved in permanently and spent his last years primarily on the front porch (enclosed with cat door). Frankie was sort of hinky, friendly one minute, teeth on skin the next so whenever any newcomers were expected, they'd hear 'Don't pet the white cat.' Over the years Frankie learned to accept love and often purred at the touch. He became quite a fixture here, following Ellen down the street while she visited neighbors, laying around the stairs and front sidewalk or in the plants in the yard. In 2009, he was joined by Punkin, a new young cat who he took under his paw and they became somewhat inseparable, often seen cuddled together in one of the cat beds or playing out front. Their presence brought joy and light to the front of the house. Now Punkin, who wouldn't even come on the porch for about a week after Frankie died, is alone. Fortunately, she's alive. When she didn't come to the porch, we weren't sure if she sucumed to poison or was just freaked by Frankie's absence.

Frankie was, like many, a special cat. Frankie will go down in cat history not only at CatVando but because he is being used to learn more about the life of feral/stray cats. Frankie's body is being studied by zoological pathology, who team will determine not only the cause of his death but also his life as an outside cat. They will be taking samples from his organs and tissue to better understand the life of outside cats. We believe Frankie would be proud to be part of this, helping other cats like him.

The story............

When Ellen walked out on the porch for morning feed on Friday, 8/26, Frankie was the only cat there but there were large blood drops all over the porch. Because other cats had access to the porch, there was a question about who's blood it was. Within seconds after forming the thought, Frankie went to the litter box and peed blood. Ellen immediately went back to the house to complete the basics of morning care than went to the porch thinking 'Now how am I going to get him into a carrier'. There are open carriers on the porch but mostly inhabited during winter months. When she opened the porch door, there was Frankie, in a carrier, ready to go. It was as though he could read her mind.

Off to Elmhurst Animal Care Center, our vet, he was examined, given Vitamin K (to try and counteract the effects of rat poisoning that strips the bloods ability to clot) and antibiotics for a possible urinary tract infection and sent home with both. He was locked on the porch for the night and next day. He seemed to be doing ok - we didn't spot any more blood on Saturday but then, late in the day, he tried to pee and couldn't. Off to Midwest Animal Emergency (by day, Midwest Exotic Pets) in Elmwood Park. There, they took an x-ray and inserted a catheter in addition giving him Vit K and antibiotics intravenously. More blood than urine was found in the cath bag. He stayed in the hospital that night. Next morning, his cath bag was still filling with blood. At about 3pm, Ellen went to visit. Just prior to the visit, he started having difficulty breathing and was given Lasix, in the event it was non-blood fluid filling his lungs.

As miracles would have it, Stephanie Skrine, Frankie's Armchair Adopter, called. Just so happens she was close by and within 10 minutes she was there, a very welcome presence at such a difficult time and a gift to her being there. After a bit, the vet came out and options were discussed. Lasix wasn't working, blood transfusions could be tried but that would be pretty futile, his body was ravaged by the poison and his blood was probably flowing into all his cavities. Rather than him suffer, we chose euthanization. We saw him for a few moments and called for the vet and the shots. He went quietly hand caressed by both Stephanie & Ellen while he passed. The staff at Midwest was wonderful. Respectful and compassionate. The vet did a post mortem pull of the liquid in his lungs that confirmed blood and added to the suspicion of rat poisoning. He was taken home prior to being picked up by an Officer from CC Animal Control.

Frankie, like so many others, had a good life at CatVando. He is missed. If when you come by, you see a white cat on the property, it's probably not Frankie. Prior to being neutered, Frankie sired Francine. She lives down the block and comes to eat many times a day.

As I said, we think Frankie would be proud to have his body used to document his cause of death and to illuminate scientists about the life of an outside cat that's part of a colony. Frankie's other gift is that he's the first poisoned cat we're taking action on. In the past 6 years, we've lost about more than 20 cats from CatVando colonies to poison. We never reported it because poisoning is difficult to prove and we didn't want to ruffle any feathers in the neighborhood. Frankie was the last straw. We have reported his death to Tom Dart's Office, to Dr. Donna Alexander of Cook County Animal Control and to Maywood Animal Control. We're talking to neighbors. To not report is a mistake. At least with reporting, there's documentation. If your local police don't take this seriously, your County Sheriff and anyone else that will take the complaint.

Animals bear the much of the brunt of today's sickness. Helpless, at our mercy, they suffer at the hands of sociopaths, of those that are abused themselves and feel the need to pass on that abuse, of those who don't get that they are sacred creatures, just like us. Silence perpetuates that behavior. Always report ANY kind of animal abuse immediately. Help those who can't speak for themselves. Help stop any kind of violence - violence against the helpless is violence against all of life.

We're starting a Frankie's Fence Fund to protect our colony of current and future drive by drop offs, or those who just wander in. To contribute, use paypal and indicate the fund is FFF. We're looking for corporate matching funds. We're in the process of getting estimates for cost and will keep you posted.

Juicy, Bittie & Tender need home by 7/2

2011-07-06T21:15:00.006-05:00

Juicy Bittie Tender

or they have to go back the the yard..... They are three of the 11 we've trapped and clinic'd. They've lost their caretaker to foreclosure. Right now, we have a temporary feeder bringing food and water but the less cats we put out the better. These three are young and social enough to be further socialized and adopted BUT WE NEED A FOSTER OR FOREVER HOME BY THIS COMING FRIDAY, JULY 7. We have no place them and HAVE to put our focus,, energy and money on working the TNR Program to prevent babies like these from being born in our communities with no where to go and in this case, no home to go to.

Hoss

2011-06-18T19:22:00.008-05:00

Hoss is a magnificent cat - not just in size, in presence and personality. Hoss was an infrequent visitor in one of our caretakers yard when he was trapped and taken to Tree House where he was neutered, vaccinated, ear tipped and microchipped, and given Revolution for fleas, ticks, ear mites and parasites. During his wellness exam, they discovered his dental issue. The right side of his lower jaw was infected and swollen. He must have been in pain, he drolled and dribbled food on that side. We also discovered he is FIV positive but aside from his dental issues, healthy. FIV cats can live long healthy lives. They can only transmit the disease to other cats through deep wound bites and once neutered, they loose their desire to fight.

The first thing we notice about Hoss was his size. Even tho his ribs were showing and his backbone stuck up like a mountain range he was HUGE! His face has the cheeks of an unneutered adult male, those big beautiful jowels that disappear after neutering. His coat is sort of a motled silver and black, medium to short in length. He was 12 pounds but ematiated. His ribs stuck out and his spinal cord stuck up like a mountain range. He has beautiful dark golden eyes with a slight dip in his upper lid. His voice is as mighty as his size. His coat was dry and thin, he had what looked to be a burst absess on his lower jaw and another developing on his right cheek. He's got a funny little fold to his left ear. He must have been in pain for a long time.

We knew Hoss was friendly, we didn't know how friendly and in order to go to our vet at Elmhurst Animal Care & Clinic, he had to be handleable. It took a few days to access that. Once we were able to pick him up, we were able to take him to the vet. From the beginning, we gave him good food, colostrum, pro-biotics and essential fatty acids. Once back from the vet, he was on Clavamox. We were hoping his jaw was just infected and that it wasn't squamous cell carcenoma. After 10 days on clavamox, we took him back to EACC. Good News! His jaw was so much better, cancer was ruled out. He was ready to have a few (5 actually) teeth removed. That was last week. One more trip to the vet and he'll be ready to leave. He looks fabulous! He's gained weight, his hair is filling out and getting healthy. His gum is healed - no more drool and mess. He is so much more comfortable. He's a great cat.

A bit about Hoss. Truely, the word magnificent comes to mind. He is very intelligent and responsive. He knows and responds to the word no. He's affectionate without being needy or demanding. He's wonderful to cuddle with. He has a presence. His wise old eyes speak volumes. Sometime, a long time ago, Hoss was tossed to the streets or maybe lost. He's survived and is still trusting and friendly. He needs a home with someone to love him and someone he can love. He may be an indoor outdoor cat - it's difficult to tell because of his current living situation. He's a senior, we just don't know his age. We think he'd be appropriate for any age.

HOSS NEEDS A HOME BY JULY 1 OR HE WILL BE GOING BACK TO THE YARD. He's not a candidate for a shelter - he hates to be caged and we can't keep him. We can only help him heal His caretaker can't take him in, her cat isn't cat friendly and Hoss may not be either.

Hoss doesn't like dogs at all. Not even our resident dog, Bella, who is loved by all the other feline furry ones.

Please email catvandotnr@yahoo.com or call 708 829 6013 if you'd like to meet him and possibly provide him a home to live out his life.

Robin's Fester

2011-04-16T21:22:00.003-05:00

Fester is a shoulder cat. He couldn't have found a better match. Our volunteer Mike adopted Fester and they are delighted with each other. Fester, like many of Robin's cats is very compatible with other cats, as he is with Mike's furry family.

New colony cats at CatVando

2011-04-16T21:08:00.004-05:00

Stan, scared as a feral, once was owned, as witnessed by the collar that was all but embeded in his neck, had been coming around for about a month. He was TNR'd out of the yard 4/8. We haven't seen him since release.

Murphy has been coming around for about 3 weeks. He started at the side feeder (below the tree) then he was last spotted at kittyland in the back, with the back cats hot on his scent. can't bring up his photo but he's a handsome black cat with distinct white markings.

Flo, another picture I can't pull up, is a long haired orange muted tabby who has also eluded the trap. She displaced Tree Cat out of her home in the attic next door.

More to come on their trappings.

Tri, our 3 colored 3 legged one

2011-04-16T20:24:00.004-05:00

Tri's been here since late December and continues to spend most of her time under or on top of the cabinet or on the cat tree next to it. Just a few days ago, she ventured onto one of the nearby hammocks. About 3 weeks ago she came out and ate her canned food right next to me and when I take the time, she will come next to me every time. I started petting her about 2 weeks ago - tentatively. She's intimidated by the cats she shares her space with. She's going to make someone a sweet cat. She'll need time but she's young. With the progress we've seen, we believe she'll friendly in a relatively short period of time and any time spend on the process will pay off in lots of love.

Robin's Cat: Alfred

2011-04-16T19:38:00.004-05:00

Time flies. We are thrilled to say, Alfred had his surgery and is now pain and puss free. If you read our March 1 post, you know things were looking pretty bleek. He so badly needed the surgery yet we couldn't come close to affording it and even more, as a TNR group, our focus is on reducing the number of kittens being born in the street. For the price of his surgery, we could TNR 84 cats. But, our beloved TREE HOUSE CAME TO HIS RESCUE! Tree House sponsored Alfred's surgery. We are speechless with gratitude and so is Alfred. He is feeling so good. He went through quite an ordeal, he was on pain meds for the first week or so but just chilled and watched the world go by. He's now out of his cage, roaming free and waiting for his new mama or papa to hug and cuddle up to. He is looking pretty funny these days but his hair will grow back. Even now, he's a joy to watch. His ears will always crinkle forward and down, sort of like Yoda and they're closed shut but he can hear - just not as well. He's not very photogenic - he looks much funnier than this! He is a joy. THANK YOU DAVE deFUNIAK AND THE GANG AT TREE HOUSE.

Robin's Cats - Alfred

2011-03-01T20:39:00.004-06:00

All life is sacred, cats too. When does the life of a cat become less important than the money it costs to relieve him of pain.

Alfred's ear surgery costs $2,100. He has polyps deep in his lateral ear canal. This leads to chronic infection. As you can see his ears are crinkled as a result. They stink from infection. $2,100 is way over our budget. We're a TNR group. Our mission is to help care for and reduce the number of cats being born in the streets and to teach respect for life. We aren't a shelter. We aren't very big. $2,100. Anyone who has met Alfred wants to help him. He is one of those special cats. Robin's husband said that when any of the house cats would get into a tussle, Alfred would go over to where they were and just lay down between them and end it. He hugs his foster mom, licks her cheeks and nuzzles his head against hers and her neck. We can't expect our supporters to pay, it's too much. We're perplexed and seeking alternatives and solutions. Not easy.......................

Alfred

2011-02-23T18:58:00.002-06:00

Alfred saw Dr Singleton at Elmhurst Animal Clinic. He's continuing with his prednizone and antibiotic and will need surgery. Poor baby, his ears are horrible. The surgery will leave him totally deaf but it will end the chronic infection. His canals are already plugged and so swollen he doesn't hear well now, and it would end the pain. He is such a love. He purrs, cuddles, hugs and is just such a good guy with a great personality and temperment. He needs a permanent home with a couch and lap. Unless his new caretaker can afford it, CatVando will be covering his bills. We continue to need money but so many people have been so generous in their donations for Robin's cats, we're about even - of course, that's before Alfred's surgery and there are still more cats. However, Alfred's needs are greater than all others. Thank you!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Tri's really up and up!

2011-02-23T18:55:00.003-06:00

Tri was on top of the cabinet she's been living under last night. It's the yellow cabinet next to the cat tree pictured in the last photo. She's only coming out at night and now, dusk, but at least she's started!

Tri, Willow & Blackie

2011-02-20T20:28:00.005-06:00

Tri's Up & Out!!!!! That's her at the top of the cat tree, next to the cabinet she spent so much time under. This is the first time I've walked into the room when she's been out and she hasn't run back under the cabinet. Willow is getting bigger and more beautiful every day. She is in kidney failure, her kidney values were up the last time she had her blood work. She's just happy to be here. We'd love to find her a home. She's loving and sweet and spends most of her time in the bathroom, she's comfortable there. Once in a while, another cat takes her spot but usually leaves it to her or joins her in her bed. She's an old girl. We'd like to find her someone who would like to spend some of their last years together. Blackie is gaining slowly and his hair is filling out. I think he'll always be a slim cat. His gums are pretty much healed. He needs a lap. He loves being held and petted. Sleek, black and looking for a lap. THANK YOU ALL OF YOU WHO HAVE DONATED TO TRI'S SURGERY AND HOSPITALIZATION - WE MADE IT!!!! YOU HELPED US COVER IT! WE'RE ABOUT 1/3 OF THE WAY THROUGH WILLOW'S BILLS TO DATE - NOT SURE WHAT IT'S GOING TO TAKE IN THE LONG RUN. BLACKIE'S SURGERY HAS BEEN PAID FOR BUT WE'RE STILL WORKING ON FOLLOW UP SO........... ANY AND ALL DONATIONS - LARGE AND SMALL ARE ALWAYS WELCOME!!!!! Thank You.

Robin's Cats

2011-02-20T19:11:00.004-06:00

Alfred & Dottie are still in foster care. Alfred is such a hugger. Karen (foster Mom) was holding him with he had his arms resting on her shoulders, kissing her face and nuzzling her neck and cheeks. Great old boy. His ear is doing a bit better - looking forward to seeing what the vet says this week. Dottie is still shy. Squirt, a 9 month old muted grey tabby that purred through her test and vaccines and her housemate, Tennison, an orange tabby boy, about 1-2 years old have become Rose and possibly Leo. Priscilla, our webmaster, arranged their adoption. Their new family a young girl named Nina and Dorothy, her Grandma are thrilled to get them and by the sounds of it Rose & Leo are thrilled to be there. Rose has always been open, playful and friendly but we were a bit concerned about Leo - no need. he took time coming out of the carrier but then joined right in with the group............ A match made in heaven. Nina, Dorothy, Rose & Leo have all suffered a great loss of a loved one. Dorothy lost her daughter, Priscillas God Daughter, Sara. Nina lost her Mom. Rose & Leo lost their Mommie then their cat family. And they all spent their first night snuggled up against one another! Beautiful............... Helmut - a big old white cat with a grey cap was adopted by another family with another miracle of a story! Our vigilant volunteer, Janet, who's been working on placement for the cats, found him a place with the woman who does adoptions out of PetSmart. When a cage opened up, Mike took Helmut to Elmhurst Animal Care for his wellness exam, shots and blood work on Friday then Janet picked him up on Saturday to take him to Sarah at PetSmart. Janet fell in love with him during and after transport. A big old boy, really mellow. We hated the idea of him being in a cage for an unknown amount of time but sometimes that what it takes for an adoption. No need to worry! Janet stuck around for a couple of adoptions and on her way out noticed a family with a small girl coming into the store. By the time she got back home, she found out the family adopted Helmut. It was the little girl who made the choice. Sarah has already spoken to the adoptors. Helmut now follows the little girl wherever she goes. The miracle is that an old cat got adopted and within a couple of hours of being at PetSmart - that's incredible. 2 more - we got a call from a woman who's friend referred her after she read the story in the Oak Leaves http://www.pioneerlocal.com/oakpark/news/3071996,oak-park-cats-020911-s1.article . It's a great article. She and her husband have always had animals and their last one died a while back. They miss having critters and are willing to adopt 2. Their only criteria is 'male'. They'll take the older cats and color isn't an issue. Love it! We're bringing them the cats on Feb 1 or before 2-more - possible to a nice woman who's had a number of rescues and had been a vet tech for years. She and her family may be taking 2. Going out to Robin's this Friday take photos of the cats and pick up 4 cats for the vet, then to Karen's pre-adoption. We've had such great matches, seems like Robin's overseeing .

Robin's Cats: Alfred, Dottie & Squirt

2011-02-13T21:17:00.007-06:00

We will be listing cats as they become available or we have more info on them. So far, we've taken three cats from Robin's house. They all need IMMEDIATE HOMES, temporary or permanent. All have tested negative for feline leukemia/aids. Every day they go without a new mommie or dad, they suffer. Robin rescued these cats, disposed of by others, please help continue her work. We've had very few inquirires. We don't want to see these cats go to DuPage Animal Control!

Alfred

Alfred is a great cat. A big grey and white cuddlebuddy. He readily approaches for cuddles and purrs. He's one of the special needs cats. He has a terribly infected ear that's on the road to recovery. He's on prednizone, clavamox and PCM ear meds. He's about 9 years old, sturdy and other than his ear, healthy.

Dottie

Is white with sparce grey and tiger spots. Her ear, like Alfred's is deformed but not as infected as his. she's on PCM ear meds. She has a stage 3 heart murmer (she tested negative for hyper thyroid) and is slightly anemic. We're giving her colostrum for her anemial. She's shy but was affectionate with Robin.

Squirt no photo

Cute as the dickens, a 7-9 month old grey muted tabby female. Lots of fun, healthy. Has a special buddy at the house who will be a great second cat. She's a bit older,grey but small. They pal together.

Keep posted for more cats. If you'd like to 'pick your own cats' we'll be going out this week, you might join us. Email if interested. catvandotnr@yahoo.com

Robin and her Cats

2011-02-02T14:30:00.006-06:00

On December 20, a dear friend went to sleep and never woke up. She had a heart attack. To say Robin was compassionate pales by comparison to how compassionate, gentle, engaged and interested she really was. She was a librarian at the Dole Branch Library in Oak Park for about 20 years. She took a personal interest in anyone she spoke with. At her service last Sunday at the library, the room was overflowing into the hall with people cominbg to pay their last respects to a woman who meant so much to them. She will be missed. Robin's compassion wasn't just for 2 leggeds, she loved all life, including the many 4 leggeds that came to her door. Robin's home was surrounded by forest preserve land - a place where people 'dump' cats. Many of those cats came to Robin's door where she fed, vetted and cared for them. Much of her life, and resources, was devoted to her critters. ROBIN'S CATS NEED HOMES - WE NEED 12 PEOPLE TO TAKE 2 CATS EACH. CatVando is helping Robin's family find homes. Robin's cats are loving but would be terrible candidates for adoption at a shelter (if we could even find one to take them). The would freak out in a cage in a strange place, shrink to the back of a cage and probably hiss and would be seen as unadoptable. When the go from Robin's house to their new home, they'll hide for a while but will eventually come out and love their new companion. If you would be so kind as to help share your heart and home with 2 of these precious ones, please contact us catvandotnr@yahoo.com We have a limited amount of time before these cats have to be relinquished to DuPage Animal Control. Please find it in your heart to provide them with a life and a home

Blackie

2011-02-02T14:03:00.003-06:00

Blackie

Is finally gaining weight. He's a tough one to feed. His gums are still sore (feline plasmacytic stomatitis) so he can only eat soft but sometimes even that is difficult. I've tried canned with a lot of water and mushed, small chuncks mostly submurged in water with cholostrum and softened kibble with canned mixed. He's eaten or drank a little of each but seems to do best with the kibble mix - it's since that that he's finally gaining weight. His long sickly hair is still very thin from months of starvation and poor nutrition. Give him another year of good food and his long shiny black coat will thicken up and he'll be very handsome. He's a MAJOR cuddler who has a lot of lap lovin' to offer. He like's gentle head butts and will cuddle into whatever position he's in. He's still on antibiotics, and of course digestive enzymes, (thank you Sirius Cooks!) pro biotics (thank you Melaleuca!) and good food (thank you Sirius Cooks!) and lots of lovin. He's even taken to cuddling with some of the other cats - new for him here.

Willow

2011-02-02T13:50:00.004-06:00

Willow

This is the best picture I've taken of her eyes yet it doesn't show their true color and irridescence. You can see the separation between the inner and outer part of the iris. Her eyes are a deep green and the inner iris is a pearlescent color, like luminescent green mother of pearl. Her eyes have continued to change since she arrived at the back door, Sept 17. Any one know an iridologist???? We'd love to know what that means.

She just went in for another blood test to check her Tapazole levels and kidney values. The fungus on her nail beds is gone (thank you Melaleuca!). She still has a bad tooth and the abdomenal mass but until she's healthy, we're not doing anything about it. We do suspect mammary cancer but aren't considering surgery at the moment and depending on her condition, maybe never. It would put her through trauma and if it is ca, we wouldn't be able to save her anyway - why put her through it. We continue to consult with our vet about it so we'll keep you posted. She is content, a good weight, getting healthier by the day. She still spends the majority of time in her bathroom suite coming out every once in a while, usually when she's ready for her next (frequent) meal. She's a love. The vet techs all fell in love with her. We'd love to find her a good foster home.

Tri

2011-02-02T13:04:00.004-06:00

Tri What a joy and wonder to behold. Last night I had my first 'out from under the cabinet face to face' and our eyes locked for about 10 seconds before she ran back under her yellow cabinet. She jumped from the top of a chest about 5' high to one of the levels on the cat tree, then another, then to the floor and under the cabinet. She moved with such grace, with no hesitation or imbalance. Animals are amazinbg. True examples of living in the moment and working with what you've got. Every dog or cat that I've known or known of, has had not physical problems adjusting to their new stance - minus a leg. I don't think they're encombutred by thoughts of what they use to have or how it could be. They just adjust. Her former caretaker, Kay, came by last week......... God love her, she brought a quilted pillow case that she'd rubbed her yard cats with and brought it for Tri so Tri could smell the scent of her family and maybe feel more comfortable here. God Love her, Kay got down on the floor so she could see and talk to Tri. Kay is 72 and carries a few extra pounds - getting on that floor then up wasn't easy for her. Tri hissed but for the first time came out and ran across the room with someone present. Maybe she was showing Kay she's ok. Since having Kay to visit, Tri has poked her head out and made herself more visible. We were hoping hearing and seeing Kay in her new place would help her feel more comfortable and trustworthy, and it seems that it helped. One of these days, I look forward to movies of Tri out from under, walking and climbing but til then, we're satisfied with her 'pokes'.

Tri

2011-01-20T08:39:00.003-06:00

Tri sorry, no recent photos of her. Poor girl is still hiding under cabinets during the day. It's not that she can't walk, it's just a very difficult transition from her home yard with the cats she's been raised with and the caretaker she's familiar with. Last week, she started coming out just a couple feet up onto one of the cat trees but this week she's hiding out under a cabinet that's even more secluded than the other. Her former caretaker is coming out next week. We're hoping that if she hears her voice and sees her here, it will make her more trusting and comfortable. We'll keep you posted!

Willow

2011-01-20T08:23:00.004-06:00

Willow

Continues to gain weight. The difference between when she first arrived at the back door, skin and bones, with a seemingly oversized head, is amazing. Her nail fungus is all but gone. She still hangs around in the bathroom most of the time but in the morning, I often find her on my office chair. She too is going to the vet to check her blood levels and see if the Tapazole she's getting for her Hyper-thyroid are on track. Her eyes have changed. She's lost the thin black line surrounding the division between her inner and outer iris. She's a sedentary cat. Mostly she sleeps in her bathroom bed sanctuary. She comes looking for us when she's ready for more food and she only eats canned. She loves being loved, whether being pet in her bed or being cuddled on a lap.

Blackie

2011-01-20T08:13:00.002-06:00

Blackie

Is slowly gaining weight. He went to our vet, Elmhurst Animal Care where they found 1/2 a tooth left in his mouth from his former surgery at another clinic. Blackie had to have all but his incisors removed due to a badly infected mouth. Dr. Singleton also did a biopsy of his gums as they were still inflammed. He has feline Plasmacytic Stomatitis. His body is allergic to the plaque on his teeth, this sometimes causes ulceration of the larynx but in Blackie's case, it isn't the case. He's on antibiotics and as part of treatment is removal of his teeth, and that happened prior to diagnosis, we think he'll be fine. We did discover a lump under his chin so he'll be back to the vet today. Aside from that, he's a very loving cat. Shy with strangers but once he knows you, he can't get enough loving (and food!). We may even have an adoptor for this love bunny.

Tri, Willow & Blackie

2011-01-02T23:23:00.004-06:00

Tri hissed and growled but I was able to reach under the cabinet and cut the cord that keeps her cone on. Hopefully, not having it will help her normalize and come out from under the cabinet. Poor baby is still spending her days under there. I have yet to hear from her former caretaker. Will have to call her again to see if she'll come out to say hi to the girl. Her adjustment to 3 legs is so much easier than her adjustment to her new life. We're hoping to find her a home with someone who's willing to adjust to her time frame of trust. Willow didn't eat her food tonight. That's unusual. She usually eats several times a day, in small incriments. Her last meal has her meds, it's been in there for about 2 hours, untouched. Hope it's gone by morning. She's been quiet the last couple of days, staying in her bathroom bed more than usual. Blackie is a mellow cat. Twinkle, our house b_ _ _ _, still yowls at him when their paths cross and he just looks and walks right by. He's fitting in nicely with the others. He really needs a lap. He loves to cuddle. He's due for his dental check on the 5th, then will be ready to go. If you know anyone who's looking for an affectionate, beautiful long haired black cat, Blackie is the one. Mellow, playful, affectionate and handsome!

Elvis Extravaganza

2011-01-02T09:30:00.003-06:00

Please RSVP - we're paying for the place by head count for food. Pay by 1/18 for advance sale discount.

Tri, Willow, Blackie

2010-12-31T17:11:00.003-06:00

Tri is making progress! No longer is she in the far corner under the cabinet, she's close to the front and in full view. I haven't seen her venture out but am sure she does. Hoping to take her collar off sometime next week. She loves to watch as we play with the cats in close proximity to where she stays. Who wouldn't love to watch as the cats jump, do sommersalts and grab at the stick toys - they're a riot. Willow is about the same. Gaining weight, loving her lovin' time. Her feet continue to improve. Blackie What a lover. He's due for his second dental surgery on Jan 5 (along with Daisy, an inside outside cat of one of our sponsored colonies). He's more than ready for a new forever home. His favorite thing in the world, after eating, is sitting in someone's lap, purring contendedly. He's come such a long way. It didn't take long for him to learn his manners. He had such a rough start. He was almost dead from malnutrition and dehydration and now, he's getting healthier and more comfortable every day. If you're looking for a lap cat who will do nothing but appreciate your love (and eat!), he's your guy. We'd like to take this opportunity to thank you for your support and your interest in our cats. May 2011 bring you peace and a heart filled with love.

Blackie

2010-12-27T20:49:00.000-06:00

Blackie Is learning manners. The boy gets into everything. At least he's usually graceful about it. When he's on the only square inch of a table or cabinet or on the top of the fridge and I 'spritz' him off, he usually doesn't knock things off in his flight. Other than that, he's incorporating well. Still looking for a foster home for him! And, even better, a new forever home! He's going to be a big boy when he has his weight. He has a very long body and tail.

Tri

2010-12-27T20:41:00.000-06:00

Tri is still hiding. She came out enough to eat and went right back to her hiding place. We're intentionally putting her food out from the hiding place to get her use to coming out - not too far, just far enough to get her out from under. Kalli was across the room when she did it working on a project so that was a little progress. Poor girl, she's taking a while to adjust. She doesn't seem to have problems on the three legs. Her incision looks good. She gets along well with all the cats who venture into her hiding spot. Little Zoe was laying in the blue bed earlier today.

Blackie

2010-12-25T21:56:00.000-06:00

Blackie Is still exploring and getting acquainted. I've got to take a photo with an aerial view. He's so skinny, his stomach is shrunken. He's going to be a very handsome cat. His tail is almost as long as his body!

Willow

2010-12-25T21:51:00.000-06:00

Willow This is the way she looks as she stands in the doorway in her 'feed me' position, right before she turns around and goes to where her plate of food is laid. Each time she gets fed, she gets a small amount of food with her digestive enzymes, then, 20 minutes later, her larger portion (always canned, she doesn't eat dry unless she's eating from the community bowls) with her pro-biotics.

Tri

2010-12-25T21:42:00.000-06:00

Tri When I went out to give her her meds and evening meal, she was out from her hiding place (lower right - under the chest) and on the second level of the cat tree. You can barely see her. I didn't want to use a flash and startle her. Little Tri is adjusting to a lot. Prior to her injury, she lived in a yard. She's use to one person - her caretaker, who's known and cared for her since birth and she's use to being with the cats she was raised with. Seems to me, adjusting to 3 legs is her easiest adjustment. When she was in the crate or in her hiding place (cornered), I was able to pet her. She'd tense a bit but we were able to pet her. Once she's at large, it's going to interesting to see how responsive she is.

Tri, Willow & Blackie

2010-12-24T19:01:00.004-06:00

Willow

Blackie

Tri has moved from under one cabinet to the other.... just checking things out and getting comfortable. I called her former caretaker to see if she'd come over to say hi to her... of course she'll have to lay on the floor to do it. We'll see.

Willow is doing her thing - not much changed.

Blackie is exploring, incorporating into the household and eating. We'll be taking him to the vet next week for his dental check.

We'd like to wish you all a

Merry Christmas

Happy Hanukkah

Feliz Navidad

Happy Kwanzaa

and

Happy Holiday

We wish you Love!

Blackie

2010-12-23T22:04:00.003-06:00

Blackie - again, blog won't let me down load photo. Sorry Has been out of the crate since about 9am - our foster home fell through and he's been in there long enough. He was crated for 10 days prior to arriving here for an antibiotic treatment for the poor baby's oozing gums. He's a beautiful cat. Skinny as a rail. Until I tried to see his gums, he was very affectionate, now he runs from me. Poor baby, his gums are still very sore. We were told he only has his eye teeth but upon a very brief inspection, we saw white where it shouldn't be. We were going to take him to our vet but he was no where to be found so had to just take Lilly. He will have to go in soon. However, he is incorporating in the house very well. He's been at 'cat' level for 8 days so they've all had a chance to smell and see. Even Twinkle, the house b _ _ _ _ , and I say that with love, doesn't howl at him. He's a gentle one, no threat. He's skinny as a rail. When he came, we thought his dental expense had been paid for - he arrived after being treated at another vet. We were just doing meds and holding until adoption or foster. However, now it looks like he's going to cost money other than maintenance too. ok - next on the list after Tri and Willow.

Willow

2010-12-23T21:40:00.003-06:00

Willow - for some reason the blog won't let me download a photo. Sorry Is still doing great. She did spend most of today in the bathroom but her coat is getting more lush and she continues to put on weight. I negected to mention that her heart rate has slowed. She's responding well to all treatment. Her feet continue to need treatment for a fungal infection but they're much better. At one point, we couldn't even touch her back toes. She still needs dental surgery but we're waiting until she's healthier - could be in a week or two. Her abdomenal mass continues to change. Where at one point, there was a large mass then a rounder small one, attached but behind the larger one. Now, they seem to be smaller, but joining and more of it is attached to the abdomenal wall. If it is mammary gland cancer, we don't want to operate. After consulting with our vet, it seems an unnecessary trauma. She's very sweet. She's comfortable here but we'd love to find her another good home. As soon as we get Tri's fund taken care of, the next monies will go to her vetting and care.

Tri

2010-12-23T21:29:00.004-06:00

Tri

Is out of the crate! The five steps she ran from my arms to under the chest she mastered with ease, amazingly enough, no stumbling or loosing balance. And, under the chest she's been since about 8:30am. She's got food and water and she's about 4' from the litter box. I suspect she'll be out in a day or two. She's doing fine with the cats, as they are with her. I'd hoped to get some of her walking today but she needs to ease in before she ventures out........... silly me. At about 9pm, I tried taking her out so I could give her an extra feeding but she would have no part of it - hiss hiss. We've almost got her surgery and hospitalization for her. Now, she needs an adoptor, either armchair or in home.

Blackie

2010-12-22T19:20:00.003-06:00

Blackie

Is ready to leave the cage! Today, when I opened the cage to take his photo, he was on his way out which is why the photo is blurred. We think we have a foster home for him. I hope so. He's a nice, gentle cat who had a very rough beginning. He's from the house of a hoarder with lots of sick cats. The fact that he only needed all his teeth pulled is amazing. We'll be taking him to our next adoption event and listing him on petfinder soon. A few more pounds and he'll be a poster cat for long haired luxurious black cats. He's going to the vet for his follow up tomorrow.

Willow

2010-12-22T19:10:00.005-06:00

Willow

Is doing great. She's more beautiful, healthy and relaxed every day. We got her blood test results back. Her thyroid values are in the normal range so the Tapazole, digestive enzymes and pro-biotics are working. Her kidney values are increased but no more than before she started taking the Tapazole and that's a good thing. She does have chronic kidney disease but it's not full blown. Just in the last day or so, she's eating less frequently. She is roaming around the house more and has found a few resting places other than her bathroom bed. Her food is right beyond the pictured door - this is how she looks just moments before her next meal. More on her abdomenal mass later. She'll be ready for her new home soon. She's a wonderful cat, she's affectionate, and she has a very calm presence.

Tri

2010-12-22T19:03:00.003-06:00

I'm posting Tri, Willow & Blackie separately for photo purposes....

Tri

Well, the pumpkin is working. She had a good well formed but not rock hard BM. She's not always eating well. Sometimes, I have to start her off with food on a spoon. Sometimes not even spoon feeding helps and I have to spoon feed her her entire meal. I think she's just sick of being crated. Tomorrow morning, she's going to be out for the first time. I'll post the video. She's not bothered by the house cats. When I was spoon feeding her, Buster, one of the kittens, climbed the crate and tried poking at the food - Tri just glanced and kept on eating.

wow! we've got followers all over!

2010-12-21T10:22:00.002-06:00

I just checked the stats for the first time. Tri, Willow & Blackie have followers from: United States, Netherlands, Germany, South Korea, Canada, Malaysia, Romania, Russia and Slovania!!!!!!! Love all you cat lovers!

Tri, Willow, Blackie

2010-12-21T09:40:00.005-06:00

Another quickie! Tri did great yesterday. I'd never picked her up so getting her into the carrier was a concern but no need for concern. I was able to slide her into the carrier on the bed, then slide her out at the vet. At that point, I was able to pick her up and she was fine with it. She's not crazy about being held but there's no sign of agression - just a ting of a struggle when she wants to be put down. The angel in the crate makes it awkward and difficult to pick her up for the first time. Now it will be easier. Dr. Singleton checked her out, showed her to the surgeon and she was given a star of approval for her progress. Leane, her vet tech while at the clinic came in to see her and give her some lovin'. One of the other techs said she's Leane's favorite all time clinic cat. It's really too bad she can't foster her or even adopt her. Tri is a bit constipated because of her pain meds so we started her on pureed pumpkin. I syringe it into her mouth but amazingly enough, she likes it! Her next vet visit is scheduled in two weeks. Willow is getting spunkier. She was at the vet yesterday too. In the past any blood work has been a breeze. This time, she put up a bit of a struggle - poor baby, she's sick of being poked! We'll find out the results of her blood work today. Interesting note about her eyes. They've been changing. Initially, her iris was divided into two by a fine zig zag line. The line is gone. Her iris is still a beautiful deep green and the pearlesence is still there, close to the pupil but it's more blended with the outer iris. - any iridologists out there? It would be interesting to know why? Blackie is getting spunkier too. Yesterday he interacted with the house cats through the cage, in the past, they've been checking him out but he's ignored them. He's up out of bed and around the cage more. Looking much more relaxed. Those flower essences do wonders! He's going to be ready for a home in days.

Tri, Willow and Blackie

2010-12-19T20:09:00.003-06:00

No time for photos today - had an issue with one of the cats we adopted out and ended up spending most of the day trying to determine her whereabouts, calling and emailing the adopter (with no response) and all the area shelters.... she's find and is coming back to CatVando tomorrow. Tri We did get to see her flip from one side to the other with relative ease. She continues to eat more each day, now that she's on the gravy food. Her wound is healing nicely. She's going to need to get out her cage soon. WE NEED A FOSTER HOME FOR HER!!!!!!!!!!! We still don't know her true temperament - she's still on a lot of pain meds. She did his at me tonight when I administered her antibiotics but it was my fault. I approached her from an angle that she might not have been able to see. But then she took the oral meds just fine. She's going to have to start using her legs and there isn't enough room in her crate. We got another $100 donation today! That brings us up to $520! With matching funds, that's $1,040! Thank You - we're almost there! She's going to the vet tomorrow for her check up Willow I did get a shot of her at the bathroom threshold, in her 'I'm ready for more food now', stance. I'll post tomorrow. She slept most of the day with little wandering throughout the house. I've yet to see her play. To the vet tomorrow for her kidney values. Blackie His appetite continues to improve. I've been adding water to his food. He doesn't drink much on his own and he has a tendency towards dehydration. He drinks it up as long as it's flavored with canned food. I haven't attempted to open his mouth to see how things are healing. He just has his canines, everything else was removed. Still haven't attempted to pet him. He was the friendliest cat in the house he came out of but continues to look at me with a touch of fear. Am just talking to him, moving slowly, providing food and cleaning the cage so he'll get more comfortable. That's it - should have quite a bit to report tomorrow after the vet. Been a long day.

Tri, Willow, Blackie

2010-12-18T17:39:00.008-06:00

Tri Willow Blackie Tri Didn't eat well this morning. At about 11am, we syringed a bit of colostrum water into her to provide her with some nutrition and to 'prime the pump' - sometimes just a bit of food gets them started - and it did. She ate a bit. It wasn't until we brought in some canned with gravy that she really perked up and ate. She ventured into the litter box today. Laid there for a bit then made it back to her bed. We still haven't seen her in motion. Her surgical site looks good. Prior to her amputation, she lay on the side with the damaged leg. I always thought that odd, thinking it would hurt, but maybe it was her form of 'traction' or protecting it. She now lays with the wound up. We're still a long way from paying for her care.

Willow Is doing her thing. Hanging in bed in the bathroom, only to venture out on occasion. She ate well as usual and has been eating smaller portions since starting the meds and supplements. She's looking good. She's such a sweet heart, happy for anything she gets, food or lovin'. Vet visit Monday will tell us more about her kidneys. Blackie Is a bit more relaxed and eating better. He's closest to the floor and even tho he didn't live in a house with a dog, he's very relaxed with our resident canine, Bella, who is loved by all. He too ventured out of his bed to the other side of the crate but mostly stays in bed and looks around and naps.

Tri, Willow, Blackie

2010-12-17T16:55:00.010-06:00

Blackie Willow

Tri

I am NOT technologically inclined. Our wonderful tech magician Fatenah, still has to teach me how to make a beautiful blog. Excuse the layout. Here's the update on Tri, Willow & Blackie

Tri

We picked her up at the clinic today and brought her back to CatVando. Her primary vet tech, Leana, gave us a lot of insites into her behavior and likes and dislikes. She'd hoped to foster Tri but her roommate was against it. Unless everyone on the household is on board, fostering or adopting usually doesn't work so she's here with us. But, she's going to come visit her during her recovery. Her wound looks good. Dr. Mosley performed a clean surgery. She'll be in a crate for a while while she recovers. She's got a nice warm bed with a blankie to cover her and a heating pad to keep her warm. Her appetite is pretty good and she's taking her pain meds and antibiotic. We added pro-biotics and a touch of colostrum and grapeseed extract to her food for digestion, nutrition and to help strengthen her connective tissue.

She's amazingly strong. She doesn't like to be held. We had to get her out of the carrier into the crate and didn't want to hurt her so used the blanket she was laying on to help move her. The carrier was right in front of the crate. After she was about half way out of the carrier, she lept for the crate and layed down on her bed. She's got spunk! She's due back at Elmhurst on Monday for a check We're looking for people to help care for her during her recovery. The more humans she comes in contact with, the more she'll learn to embrase human touch and companionship. She responds well to touch and hasn't shown any sign of agression or fear - it's a great time to work with her. She's still on pain meds and a bit out of it.

Willow

As you can tell, Willow 's home is in the bathroom. She can roam around the house but prefers the privacy of the bathroom. It works, when she's getting her extra feedings, we can close the door to keep all the other's from eating her extra helpings of food. She's doing great. She does like it when she has company during her meals. Sometimes she eats on her own, sometimes, she cries for food but when left alone with it, it goes untouched, then, as soon as we go into the room, she goes to her food.

Willow is accompanying Tri to the vet on Monday. She has to get her kidney enzymes checked. She'll be on her hyper thyroid meds for 3 weeks and it's time to see where her levels are to see if her meds need to be modified. In addition to her Tapazole, she gets digestive enzymes, essential fatty acids and probiotics. Her abdominal mass is changing. It's gone from 2 distinct masses to one joined larger mass. As mentioned, after consulting with the vet, we've opted to forgo her surgery. If it's mammary cancer, there's no point and the surgery would only stress her out.

She needs someone to soak her feet in warm water and apply her anti-fungal medication to her toes and nails daily.

Blackie

Is a bit freaked out. He's getting his pain meds and Clavamox and is eating well but he's scared. We started him on flower essences to help during the stress. A stressed cat takes longer to heal, not to mention, their discomfort.

He hasn't shown any sign of agression or wanting to bolt, on the contrary, the crate door came open and he just stayed in there.

He too needs someone to comfort him, to talk to him and to pet him in the cage.

All three of these cats need homes. They will be ready for adoption in the near future.

So far, our generous supporters have donated $420 towards Tri's hospitalization and surgery. With our matching fund that means $840 - we're only about $500 short of our goal!!! Amazing for such a short time. We're appreciative and so is Tri.

Tri, the tri colored, tri legged cat

2010-12-15T18:19:00.005-06:00

Tri

Is waiting for her surgery.

Tri became a CatVando cat last Thursday. We met her for the first time today. She is a sweet sweet soul.

Her story and more photos are posted on our FaceBook account. CatVandoTNR

Elvis Extravaganza FUN d Raiser

2010-12-10T12:03:00.005-06:00

Tri, the Hillside Calico

2010-12-10T08:22:00.005-06:00

Tri is a sweet calico who's front leg was mangled in an engine. She's a friendly but lives outside with a colony being fed by a wonderful elderly woman. To make matters more complicated, when she went to the vet, in fear, she bit a vet tech so she's on rabies isolation for the next 8 days. We are hoping to raise enough funds to have her leg amputated when she's out of iso. She's young and cats (as well as dogs) are resiliant and do just fine on 3 legs. Of course, she can't be outside so we'll be looking for someone to adopt this little sweetie. One of the vet techs at the the clinic may foster her after surgery. Her caretaker has visited her at the clinic and loves her but has too many house cats already and can't take her in. If you can contribute to her care, please click the donate button and indicate it's for Tri. We need to raise about $1,000 - we have a matching funds grant by one of our benefactors. I've yet to find out if there is any significance to her unusual name but will. I'll keep you posted.

Jake's found a home!

2010-12-07T07:23:00.002-06:00

Jake found himself a new home!

Those of you who visit CatVando are familiar with Jake's ways and charms. He was an indoor cat who became an indoor outdoor cat then became primarily an outdoor cat, living on the enclosed back or front porches with access to the yard area. He had quite the beginning, coming to us initially for therapy for his 'bite' behavior. He was doing great. We always had to exercise caution but he quit the intensity of his behavior and became more the charmer he really was. Jake is an alpha cat and even tho he was neutered, whenever there was a new cat on the premises, the boy would spray his little heart out - and, because of the influx of cats coming and going for TNR aftercare, ............... let's just say, there use to be a great leather couch here - use to be. Jake helped redecorate. We now have all wicker furniture. Anyway, Jake disappeared. He was in the habit of getting into cars and we thought maybe he took a ride somewhere and was trying to find his way home. 4 weeks to the day that he disappeared, we got a call from a local vet. Jake found a new home in Forest Park. We've worked out the arrangements, warning of his behavior and habits and are thrilled that he has a home where he's the only cat, where he can cuddle in bed for his night's rest, which he loves. Don't you just love the white heart on his abdomen

Racoon-Proof Feeding Stations

2010-07-12T22:14:00.002-05:00

Great idea for raccoon-proof feeding stations.

http://thewildones.net/raccoons.htm

Check out the photos:

http://www.sosanimalslounge.com/raccoon-proof-cat-feeding-station-131612.html

http://network.bestfriends.org/blogs/feralfriend1463/archive/2009/02/11/88350.aspx

The Cats of CatVando

2010-05-23T19:34:00.001-05:00

We have some of the most wonderful cats in the world. Just like everyone does that has cats in need of forever homes. We love our cats and have treated them well. They've gotten the best of care, good food, lots of love and enrichment, veterinary care and good supplements and flower essences for their emotional health. Our cats are all healthy and happy. Some are very affectionate, some are shy. Some are lap cats, some 'lay next to your lap' cats, some 'across the room' cats. They need their forever homes NOW. CatVando is a TNR organization. We spend too much money on care for the cats up for adoption and not enough on paying TNR fees for those in need. 30% of the cats we TNR for people are paid for by their caretaker - that means 70% of the calls we get are from people who can't afford to pay TNR fees - even basic clinic fees. We pay for those cats when we can. Please help us find wonderful homes for all our wonderful babies so we can carry on with our work of TNR to prevent more homeless kitties from being born into the streets and to try to find homes for the strays we find on the street, and even to help those that have 'controllable' numbers of cats in their house. We can't do what we did with Henry's cats - as happy as we are that they are so much happier and healthier because we interceded, emotionally and financially, we can't aford to do that again. Henry's cats are healthy, happy and ready go to. Their lives started out so horribly, they need to have the last 1/2 of their life, or more, in their forever, loving home. Many of them are on our http://petfinder.com - under shelter type our zip 60153 or CatVando. We have other cats who are ready for homes, some last years kitties, some pets we've found in the streets. We don't take kittens any more - we currently have our last 7 kittens from two different litters. One, the Boo Boo babies, the last litter born at Henry's, and the Bunny Babies, born to two cats of an elderly gentleman who let 2 yard cats in last fall. Fortunately, his niece contacted us and they are now in their new inside/outside digs, steralized. Adoption fees are greatly reduced. We're just looking for good homes. Most we'd like to go in 2 or 3's. Like the 3 'Water Babies'. A couple could go alone. I know, most animal lovers are already maxed out but there has to be SOMEONE who would love to develop relationship with a special cat (or one little dog - Miles). Please ask around. SPREAD THE WORD! More kitties need homes!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Chin Chin & Friends

2010-02-27T21:37:00.003-06:00

Chin Chin & Friends These five babies were born to a couple of lucky yard cats who were brought in last fall by an elderly gentleman who fed them all summer, then, when the weather turned cold, he brought them in to share his house with them. Unfortunately, he knew nothing of TNR, and, about a month ago these five little ones were born. Fortunately, his niece did some research and within the month his two house ferals will be spayed and neutered. These five little ones are in a wonderful foster home where they're getting lots of love, attention and therapy. They are special needs kitties. They have cerebellar hypoplasia. Amazingly enough, we've gotten 2 litters so far, both from different sources, both CH babies. So we've done some research talked to our vet, talked to Treehouse, who's had quite a few CH babies. Cerebellar hypoplasia causes jerky movements, tremors and generally uncoordinated movement . The animal often falls down and has trouble walking. Tremors increase when the animal is excited and subside when at ease.

The disease does not get better or worse with age, but the cat or dog can usually learn to somewhat compensate for it and should have a normal lifespan. Most afflicted animals can lead a fairly normal life if special considerations for the animal's disability are taken by the pet's owner. It's our understanding that they're more suseptible to infection like URI's and such so we're sure to give them our usual regiment of immune boosting supplements and good food to assure the best possible health now and long term.

We've listed the litter on petfinder.com, they aren't ready for adoption but we wanted to see what kind of response we might get and we've received several calls from people aware of CH and interested in adopting them. They won't be ready for adoption for about 6 week but it's nice to know there are people who care.

While our other babies act like they are walking over logs, these babies back legs splay out - especially Bunny, the one with orange and grey markings. They're all doing great. They play and run and climb - they don't know they're special needs!

BooBoo & Friends Henry

2010-02-27T21:13:00.003-06:00

BooBoo, Trixi, Kalli & Oscar Henry The last litter of the Henry household. Cute as buttons and neurologically impaired. They have cerebellar hypoplasia. It's a condition they received while in the womb. Its thought they contracted panleukopenia. It caused damage their cerebellum. Their balance and gait is affected. They were tested for a number of things, all negative. So enutero panluc is the default. Boo Boo, the cat on the right, is the most effected. She has a terrible time walking and spends much of her time rolling over on her back. We're in the process of developing a special wheelchair of sorts. Amazingly enough, we've gotten 2 litters so far, both from different sources, both CH babies. So we've done some research talked to our vet, talked to Treehouse, who's had quite a few CH babies. Cerebellar hypoplasia causes jerky movements, tremors and generally uncoordinated movement . The animal often falls down and has trouble walking. Tremors increase when the animal is excited and subside when at ease.

Henry's Cats

2010-02-27T20:40:00.003-06:00

Henry's (Almost) Last Trapping We trapped 6 cats last Thursday. 4 of them were females. One was pregnant and aborted. When we went to pre-bait last Friday, we found another litter of 4 cute as button, quadruplet grey tabbies about 3-4 weeks old. We got them and their mama. All are now in foster care. Read more about them in the blog 'Boo Boo & Friends Henry. They're cerebellar hypoplasia babies. There are still at least 2 cats at the house. Henry's been a bit 'non-compliant' about putting food in the traps only - probably confusion. "They're eating the hard food but aren't going into the traps for the canned"............. The good news is, we haven't killed any cats! We may be returning many of them to Henry's. Some have been socialized enough and are about ready for adoption. We'd always planned on returning some to Henry's, we may be returning as many as 11. The house is big enough to support 11 cats and Henry and his son are ok with that. The important thing is there will be fewer cats and less stress due to overcrowding. The wierd news is that most of the cats we've caught have been about 1-2 years old. One's about 9 and another is about 6. We don't know what happened to the older ones, the ones we saw through the basement window during the second big trapping. Henry said Brownie disappeared about a week ago. I can only imagine he's in his final resting place somewhere in the walls. Another wierd thing is that the last batch of 6 (including the new mom) were all relatively healthy. No alopecia, no dental problems, no URI. Go figure. All cats we've previously trapped are flourishing and should be on petfinder soon. Isabelle, who we thought was a gonner, is healthy and purrs up a storm when cuddled. Paul is thriving and doing just fine since he had his eye removed. He's always been blind so he's adjusted well to the removal. Ilsa has turned into a very affectionate cat and has had no problems since her dental surgery. Kasha is still hiding in her foster home and is never seen. She recently joined her cousin, Athena, who lets herself be seen but not touched. Her foster mom, Sue, was recently delighted when she played with a sock toy. Agnes & Hades are very playful and bring their foster mom toys to play with. Their cousin, Louis is still wild and totally non-responsive to human interaction. Lynx is incredibly playful and ready for adoption. Peter is still a bit shy but going to foster tomorrow for intensive therapy. Sister Mary Franchesca is also still shy - we're looking for intensive therapy mama for her too.

Henry's Cats - Paul, Ilsa & Kasha & the rest

2010-01-31T18:55:00.007-06:00

Paul is home with his Elizabethan collar and recovering well. He's going to be on a daily dose of pain medication for 3 days but no need for antibiotics. He's eating up a storm and playing as well as he can bumping around with his collar here and there. The vet thinks he should be healed in about 2 weeks. His eyeball was sent to the lab for histology because his other eye is going through changes but he can still see out of it. He's recovering ok but some of the other cats are shunning him because of the collar. His brother Peter, his usual companion at rest, hasn't been seen laying with him - he's actually making himself scarce. After sniffing, most cats are accepting and some, especially Archie, still cuddle with him, however, more than usual, he sleeps alone. He was so desperate for cuddling, he joined the rest of the critters in the bed last night! Ilsa is doing great. She's so affectionate and recovering well from her dental surgery. She's fattening up but her hair is still very thin. The back of her back from about 1/2 way between her neck and tail is almost bald from her previous stressful environment. She's one of 4 that is going back to Henry's, after she's healthy and all others are healthy and fixed. 4 of the cats were Henry's pets. Kasia is still very very shy. She's recovering from her dental surgery too. She will probably be one of 3 going to the detail shop. Ilsa is Kasia's mom but they aren't very bonded. Ilsa spends most of her time on the floor or the shelves, Kasia stays in the cabinet. At Kallie's, Agnes and Hades seem like they might be socialized enough to be adopted at some point. Louie & Athena are still very shy and will probably be going to the detail shop with Kasia when they're healthy. THANK ALL OF YOU WHO HAVE SENT IN YOUR DONATIONS - THEY'RE HELPING - WE'RE STILL NOT COVERING ALL WE'RE DOING BUT ARE GRATEFUL FOR WHAT WE'VE RECEIVED. ANYTHING HELPS $5, -$500!

Henry's Cats - Paul's eye surgery

2010-01-29T09:20:00.002-06:00

Paul is at the vet for his eye surgery today. His lense is necrotic and being reabsorbed. Eye removal was recommended by the opthalmic specialist. We're hoping he's going to be ok. He's the sweetest thing. On the way to the vet, we were 'holding hands' through the carrier door. His brother, Peter, already missing him. Once he's back and recovered, we'll be adopting them out as our 'special needs' babies. Peter is shyer than Paul but together them make an adorable pair.

Henry's Cats - Ilsa & Kasha surgeries

2010-01-29T08:27:00.002-06:00

Ilsa & Kasia are recovering from their dental surgeries. Ilsa is due back at the vet in 2 weeks for a check up on the gum flap. She had all but two teeth pulled - those that were left. She was under anesthesia for 2 hours and the vet didn't want her out longer. She doesn't want to pull the other two for two months. By that time, she'll be back at Henry's and it's questionable as to whether she'll allow herself to be re-trapped. Ilsa is one of 4 Henry is keeping as pets, once they're healthy and have had their surgeries and vaccines. Kasia is having some trouble. She's not eating well. It could be stress. Up until this morning they were alone in individual crates to monitor for eating, etc. This morning, they were combined, taken out of crates and put in a room together to hope to encourage Kasia to eat and to take some of the stress away.

Henry's Cats - update

2010-01-23T17:05:00.002-06:00

Peter, Paul, Sister Mary Francesca & Isabelle Paul and Isabelle are by far the friendliest and sweetest. Paul needs to have his right eye removed some time before summer but it doesn't hold him back a bit. He loves to play with Peter & Sister Mary. Peter is coming around nicely and will be going to foster soon for fine tuning in his socialization. Isabelle is sweet, affectionate and loves to cuddle. Sister Mary Francesca is not friendly at all. She's more the 'wall climber' type when attempts at petting are at play but is more than willing to play when the feather toys come out. Zeus is on meds for his upper respiratory infection but is becoming more friendly every day. He's the only one going to a home to be with another cat. Kasha & Ilsa are due for dental surgery on Tuesday. Ilsa needs all her teeth extracted. Kasha only 4 as far as we know. Ilsa is at Kallie's, Kasha at Sue's. Kasha & Athena (formerly Apollo) Are together at Sue's where Sue & Kim continue to work towards their socialization tho it looks like they'll be candidates for a nursery or someplace where they can just live out their lives without being lap cats. We're still looking for homes for them. Agnes (now Auggie), Hades, Ilsa and Louie Are running free in a basement apartment. Agnes is the friendliest. 3 of these cats are going to a detail shop. Ilsa is scheduled to be returned to Henry after her surgery. They're all fattening up and getting healthy. Henry is going to keep 4 altered and healthy cats at the end of this. Ilsa is the only one we've gotten from the house so far. The remaining cats 8-10 will be trapped this week. They are going to be difficult. Most are older, sicker and much much shyer. We've only seen them when we've strategically placed food so we can see them eat through the basement window. There are at least 2 that we've never seen. We're going to have to 'pre-bait' before we trap. Leaving traps untriggered to trap, putting food only in the traps, so they get use to going in and out of the trap.

Bliss update

2010-01-19T19:11:00.004-06:00

Bliss Is doing much better. I didn't take a photo today but did take him to Treehouse to Feline Lukemia and Aids testing. They cleaned him up and did the usual wellness check (We LOVE Treehouse). In addition to his Upper Respiratory Infection, he has a terrible infection in his lower extremeties, lots of pus. He was also dehydrated, emaciated, he has mild pneumonia and has severe dental disease. He was already neutered and he's wasn't ear tipped, so, he was someone's abandoned pet. I have cautiously pet him but he's still pretty frightened. I'll post a photo tomorrow. Wait until you see him.... he looks so much better already. A blessing for Bliss. He'll be on Doxycycline for 7 days then switching to Clavamox. He's also getting immune boosters, pro-biotics and flower essences for trauma, stress and changes. When he's well, we're hoping to put him up for adoption. Any donations for our Bliss fund will certainly be appreciated. Through our paypal account (on blog) or by snail mail to our post office box.

Henry's Cats - Louie

2010-01-18T14:56:00.006-06:00

Louie is a handsome and athletic long haired gray tabby. He is probably a little over a year old and has white fluffy whisps all over, especially on his tail and ears. He is likely related to Cleio and Sister Mary Francesca. He struts and has a long and svelte physique, like a marathon runner. His spirit is young and he is a charmer! He was easily the roudiest and least comfortable when we trapped the cats, which put him in the 5 slated for death before Fenini's well timed call. We are so thankful for that kind of networking because it saved a beautiful animals from a horrifying and unjust end. Louie is going to be the kind of cat they write cartoons about, a sort of Marmaduke. He is playful and spends his free time in Kalli's basement tossing around a tiny stuffed peep (like the candy) and coyly avoiding any contact with her. Right now we think he will be making his home in the detail shop but with many more cats left to pull, we are still trying to make the most effective use of possible homes. Louie would be a great match for someone who already has a cat, he's very social with the others. I imagine he would be a great partner to exercise a pampered overweight house cat who could feed off of his exuberance. He has tremendous potential for adjustment and would likely do well in a home with other happy cats to set a good example. Like the others, stress has caused Louie to lose some fur so he could be even fluffier! He needs comfort, time, and lots of play. Like the others he still needs another vet evaluation before he can go home.

Henry's Cats- Hades

2010-01-18T14:55:00.006-06:00

Hades comes from the mythological hell in ancient Greek folklore. She was named for her chaotic reaction to being trapped. She did not hiss but howled and jostled the whole trap back and forth until Thursday morning. All the gray kitties seem to be elusive just like Mama Ilsa (see her post). She also has Ilsa's long nose and intelligent glare. When Kalli opened the traps Saturday morning, Hades curled up with Ilsa until they both felt safe enough to roam. In the picture she is nuzzling with Agnes. It's likely that Zeus and Hades are Ilsa's kitties as they were always cuddling with her when all three were together. One thing that has not changed about Hades is her appetite. Her 5 lb stature is tiny but she is the bravest of the basement kitties (next to Zeus) and always jets to food even if it is at Kalli's feet. She is a playful, flirtatious, and curious little babe. If you echo her meows, she will talk to you. The path to stabilizing Hades is challenging her intellect with games, toys, and conversation. Right now Hades does not have a forever home lined up. She would probably adjust well to life as an only pet or as part of a family. Like the others, Hades is experiencing stress from the hoarding situation and now with the big move. Her third eyelid is very red, indicating a herpes outbreak. She is currently receiving doxycycline, an antibiotic that will deal with opportunistic bacteria. Nearly 90% of cats carry a herpes virus and stress is a main cause for outbreaks. Her eye has improved over the last few days along with her demeanor indicating that her overall health is stabilizing.

Henry's Cats- Agnes

2010-01-18T14:54:00.005-06:00

Agnes is the shyest of the cats in Kalli's basement but maybe he is just confused about his name. He just has such a stunning and elegant face that we thought "that must be a girl." The first thing you notice in Agnes is his huge, beautiful, orange eyes outlined in white, almost like mascara! Agnes is not buddying up with the others but is becoming more content with moving on and spending a lot of time contemplating on a shelf on the buffet. Agnes is tense and clearly suffering the anxiety of being torn apart from some lifelong friends. We are hoping that as we pull cats, we will be able to reunite Agnes and his best friend from Henry's. The infection present in the photo is nearly gone. Right now Agnes is scheduled to go to the body shop, but it is more likely Agnes will need more time to adjust and find the right partner to move on with.

Henry's Cats - Zeus

2010-01-18T14:06:00.005-06:00

Zeus Zeus Zeus was trapped at Henry's on Wednesday, he went to the apartment, then to Treehouse for surgery and wellness evaluation and for his vaccines and microchip. Then, to Kallie's basement. While he was in the trap, Kallie was able to pet him freely. He even rolled on his back for belly rubs. He purred when she was a few traps over. The cats were in their traps for 48 hours after surgery for their quiet recovery time. After that, they got to play and hide in the basement apartment. Fortunately, it's unoccupied so there are few hiding places. The good thing about them being in their traps is that they're easily accessible for petting and socializing but you can only keep them there for short periods. Poor Zeus had only a short time out before he was put into the trap again because he was off to his next destination. On Sunday, for the first time in his life, he was away from his entire family. He went to Ellen's bathroom for further evaluation and socialization prior to going to HIS NEW HOME!!!!! Zeus is one of the lucky ones. He has a home. One of our volunteers, Mike, adopted Sweetie a week ago. We think Zeus will make a great companion for Sweetie and vice versa. Zeus does need ear drops 2x a day for an ear infection. At this point, he hasn't had them. When out of the cage, he's very shy. We've been visiting him to talk, play and possibly pet several times since he's been here. This afternoon, while laying in the same you see him by the basket. He was able to be petted and relaxed enough to lay sideways. Anytime I went near his ears he cringed. They are sore but rather than go for his ears so early in our acquaintance and risk breaking trust, his ears will have to go another 24 hours or so before treatment. He'll be going to Mike's, his final home, tomorrow. He'll be crated the first 24 hours so he and Sweetie can have a slow introduction. (we cover the crate for the first several hours so they can just smell each other, then gradually pull back the covers so they can see and smell - works well for new arrivals)

Bliss

2010-01-17T19:38:00.003-06:00

Bliss has been around a CatVando colony for a couple of months. Skiddish one who runs at the sound of an open door. He's been spoted maybe 6 times. We have housing under a front porch. It's walled in and has a door. We periodically check to see how things are under there. There are a couple styrofoam strawed houses and lots of straw instead of dirt for bedding. There's one resident and 3 visitors that have been spoted down there. Last Sunday, during a check, the usual cat, Casper ran out the hole on the opposite side and there was Bliss. He didn't move. I saw his eyes. Bliss is now in a crate, getting meds in his canned food and will be going to the vet for testing, evaluation and treatment on Tuesday. Bliss is feral - there aren't a lot of places to take ferals and the only place we can take him is closed until Tuesday. I'd hoped to clean his eyes with warm saline water but he (?) would have none of it. I did find out he has a missing canine through the process. Until Tuesday, he's as good as he can be and he has a nice warm place to stay with a constant supply of food and water. Sometimes that's the best you can do. How he got the name Bliss is beyond me...... it just came.

Henry's Cats - Paul & Peter

2010-01-16T23:53:00.003-06:00

Zarema took Paul to Veterinary Vision on Friday. His eye is doing well, he still needs the steroidal anti-inflammatory drop once a day. Eventually he'll need his eye removed so as not to cause further problems. He can wait until the summer. Ideally, we can adopt him out along with his currently shy boy brother, Peter. They are great pals and we'd hate to separate them. We'll be posting on http://petfinder.com soon. We've gotten one estimate on Paul's eye surgery. $1,000. We're hoping our vet clinic has someone who can perform the surgery for less. We're small, we can't absorb all the cost - but we can fundraise! If his adoption is dependant on the adoptors ability to pay for the cost of surgery, we're hoping we can afford to subsidize through donations. He's a wonderful kitty. Really affectionate, playful and getting more trusting and affectionate every day. Peter is lagging behind but there too. Both have a blind eye but Peters doesn't have to come out.

Henry's Cats - at Kallies

2010-01-16T23:40:00.003-06:00

Kallie has five of the cats for socialization, meds and holding. One will be going to his new home with Mike & Sweetie We're meeting with their future caretaker, the guy with the detail shop who's kindly offered to provide them a home and care. We've yet to meet him or talk to him but know he's been in pet rescue for quite awhile and are looking forward to meeting him and seeing the cats new home. They will be going in about 10 days. THree of them are on meds for their URI's. They've been let out of their traps and are now in a room with toys and such while they adjust and get well. They'll be getting good food, immune boosting supplements, meds for their URI's and pro-biotics for healthy intestinal flora and flower essences to help them through the transition - for the stress, for the changes, and even for grieving the loss of the colony - no matter how dysfunctional - they aren't much different from that in that regard. Wednesday and Thursday were very long, emotionally and physically exhausting. It seemed like we were at it for years but the time flew. It was like being in a Vortex. It continued Friday, but not with the same intensity. And it's not over. There are at least 8 cats left at Henry's. Plus, two kittens that mama has now hidden. We'll be getting the others this week, hopefully, including the kittens. The ones we saw were older except for the 2 young grey tabbies. Let's hope they are as lucky as the first 10. Of the 7 we have, all but 2 have forever homes (we hope). We put a call into TAILS about the 3 we took there but haven't heard back.

Henry's Cats - Kasha & Athena

2010-01-16T23:37:00.003-06:00

Athena started out as Apollo. She and Kasha are at Sue's in a crate together where Sue and Kim will socialize and care for until they are ready for adoption. We'll post their picture here then put them on http://petfinder.com when they're ready.

Henry's Cats - Zeus

2010-01-16T23:26:00.003-06:00

Zeus -photo added later, is a cool cat. He's a bigger cat, a grey short haired tabby. He is so affectionate, Kally was rubbing his belly as he rolled over in his trap, welcoming his hand. She said when she's petting a cat 3 traps down, he's already startig to purr. Zeus is going to Mike's. One of CatVando's volunteers. His cat recently died. Sweetie, a 2 year old we'd recently gotten went home with Mike last weekend. She's a great companion and appropriately named. She loves affection. She came from the yard of a feeder, Paula, who couldn't take her in - Paula's cat attacked her each of the 5 times she tried bringing her in. We think Zeus will make her a good companion for when Mike's gone and Mike and Sweetie will provide Zeus a nice life. Zeus has an ear infection. He needs medication for the next two weeks. If he's friendly and outgoing enough to be loose in an apartment, he'll be going to Mike's early this week where he can be given his meds

Henry's Cats - Transport & Clinic Pick Up

2010-01-16T22:57:00.002-06:00

Here are a few of the little Greek Gods and Goddesses. After we dropped the 7 off at clinic, we picked up the other three and took them to TAILS at DeKalb. What a great Shelter with wonderful staff. We met Adrianne, who did intake and held them for Janet to pick up later. They all got some water and food for the wait. We had lunch and headed back in time to pick up the cats at Treehouse. Treehouse is a wonderful place. Their staff, policies and the way they treat their animals is akin to our work. Each cat is not only vaccinated, steralized, treated for parasites, mites and fleas, they're given an exam. We received the reports on our 7 Gods and Goddesses. All but two suffered the effects of stress with alopecia, hair loss. They had patches of very thin hair. Two had periodontal disease. One, Ilsa, Henry's pet cat that he wants back, needs all her teeth extracted. Another needs 4 extractions. The vet, Dr. Rebecca Levy, was able to pull a tooth out with her fingers it was so loose. Many had bite wounds at their back ends. We took 5 cats back to Kallie's and 2 to Ellen's to be transported to Sue's the next morning. We gave them food, water and made them as comfortable as possible in the traps. Fenini called to say she had a place for 3 cats. Fenini and a neighbor have been long term animal people, usually working with dogs, but the neighbor has agreed to take 3 of the cats. We need money to help pay for dental work. Henry doesn't have it for Ilsa and we don't have it for the other one. Over the last 24 hours, 3 cats have had a URI outbreak. Meds are needed. URI is based on a virus that is always there, it resurfaces when stressed. being in traps and out of their element is a stresser. The virus is present in the house and in every cat. They're weakened to it until their immune system is built. Money is also needed for immune boosters in additon to food. We've called our vet and will be finding out about cost of dental work on Monday when our account manager comes in. We love our vet. Without our Vet, we wouldn't be able to care for as many cats as we do If you can spare $10 or $100 - we could use it - everything helps. - THANKS

Henry's Cats - Five to go ????

2010-01-16T22:14:00.003-06:00

Thursday morning started at 6am. I was up late talking to Meg, a long time trapper who's experience and intuition I trust. I'd called her when I got home to see if there was any thing else I could have done to get mom. She concurred, we tried everything we could. I was tired but got up quickly, knowing we still didn't have homes for 5 of the 10 cats we'd trapped. Still hoping for a miracle, otherwise we wouldn't have scheduled them for their surgeries, but thinking I'd have to make a decision within a couple of hours. Which cats were going to be killed. Kallie named the cats. It was hard for her. Naming anything brings attachment. She knew 5 of them didn't have any place to go. When I dropped her off, her job was to write the trap labels with names and descriptions - a necessary part of clinic. She named them all after greek gods and goddesses. I picked Kallie and the 2 cats up and we drove to the apartment. It was dark both inside and out. It was time. A decision had to be made. It was mine to make. I wouldn't put that on anyone. I couldn't believe I was having to make that decision. I'm not cut out for this. I know someone has to do it and that our presence with these cats made a good difference in many of their lives but overall - I'll never work a house with multiple cats again. I rarely say never because you just never know but in this case, I know. I respect and deeply appreciate those that do it. Because of the work involved, not the trapping, that's nothing. It's the emotional toll, the outreach to find homes, the expense trying to help medically and the moneys that need to be donated to places that take them but mostly because some of the cats are so sick that there isn't enough money to pay to help them get well or just plain because there is no place for them and they have to be put to death. All cats cannot be saved. No Kill is a myth. No Kill shelters get full, easily. Many are like sanctuaries that adopt. They can't take in any more cats than they have room for so there is no such thing as No Kill. I'm not justifying my actions. The decision I was going to have to make. What I would like to do is make you understand, the you that will condem us forever because we 'killed cats'....... You take them. You do something other than cast stones. Understand. Understand that as horrible as it is, it's a decision that has to be made and don't condom those people who are willing to make that decision..... In the case of hoarders, we had it easy in that Henry's.. It stunk but we didn't have to walk in feces. Think of the houses you hear about that have carpets of fecal matter to walk through in addition to the smell. People who help the cats of hoarders are special. So, there we were, standing over the 10 traps. It was time. Our hearts were in our throats, tears were close, sometimes filling over. The cats were quiet. We'd left them a small amount of food that they hadn't touched. We picked the 3 cats going to TAILS by the amount of gook in their eyes or if they sneezed. Tails volunteered to take the sick ones. It was time. I picked one. Kallie named the cat Kalliopi, her name. She was in the other room. I called to her that I was renaming Kalliopi. She was the first one I picked. She was beautiful - a long haired silver grey tabby like Lynx and Sister Mary Francesca but she was the most skiddish when being trapped and seemingly unlikely for socialization. I picked 2 more, not as sure about their decision. The phone rang. Fenini, who I'd re-called the previous day, called. It was 8am - it was a miracle. Who calls someone they hardly know at 8am? It was a miracle. She thought she could find a home for the 5 cats. She talked about more, about a newspaper reporter doing an article on ferals in their neighborhood, and more but I was only half listening - WE DIDN'T HAVE TO KILL THE CATS! Oh my God. Kallie and I hugged and cried. We attached their labels, removed the food and water bowls and loaded Sue's car - thank you for lending us your vehicle Sue - and we were off to Treehouse. We were about 1/2 hour late but we were there and all the cats were coming back with us. You can imagine our joy.

Henry's Cats - 2nd Trapping

2010-01-16T20:27:00.006-06:00

On Wednesday, Jan 13, at 1pm, Kallie & I met at Henry's to trap 10 cats. Kallie got there first and found out the news of the new kittens, born Sunday. There were 2 out of 4 left. One or more cats killed the first two. Henry said they were pretty bloody. The other two, tiny little things, look like they're going to be long hair grey tabbies. They were in the corner in a Friskies 48 cans box in the corner. They have rudolph noses, mouths and butts - could be sick. We set up the traps and got 8 cats within about 20 minutes. One of the traps got triggered with no cats and the other we were saving for the new mom. We'd put the kitties into a carrier with the trap in front of it with a sheet over the trap and carrier - the idea being that mom would only be able to get to the kittens by going through and into the trap. 8 hours later, we still hadn't gotten mom. We weren't sure which cat was the mom. We tried to identify her. We tried many things during the hours we were there. We left the trap in front of the carrier for a couple of hours then were concerned that the babies weren't getting nurished so we took it away. Several times during the day, Kallie and I sat in the car in the driveway while waiting for things to normalize hoping to catch mom. At one point, Henry was sitting next to the trap and when mom entered, he was to close the door. He did. Unfortunately, he didn't close it properly and mom burst through the door. Cats can be pretty strong when they're panic stricken. We tried putting a long rope through carrier tied to the door while we waited for her to enter so we could pull the door closed and run to fasten the lock... Didn't work either. We found a place for mom and the kittens. Safe Harbor agreed to take them. Best with mom but even without. They are great with bottle babies. We had to get them there by 6pm and they were about an hour away. We were still trying for mom. The delima was, leaving the kittens in a house where they were being killed. Henry's house can be divided. At one point, we thought we had all the cats but the one we suspected being mom in the living area with the rest being locked in the basement. Henry lives in a tri level with a finished basement. We had a trap set for mom near the kittens. Kallie and I went to the car. When we came back in Henry said, 'There are about 3 cats running around up here!' We ended up using the two unfilled traps to catch two more cats for TNR at Treehouse the next day. We were pretty sure the mom was one of the two young grey tabbies. We checked the cats in the traps from the bottom and couldn't see any swollen milk glands. At some point in the afternoon, we took the 8 cats we had in traps to an empty apartment Kallie's mom owns near Fullerton & Laramie. It's closer to Treehouse near North Ave & Ashland and more convient for the morning. We had to be there by 8:30 am Thursday. At one point, we put canned food in the basement at a point where we could see the feeding cats through a window. We saw cats we hadn't seen but knew there were more hiding. There are 2 cats that Henry's described, a white one with black spots and a brown one. One of the cats looked like it had bald or light spots but it didn't look like ringworm. We left Henry's at about 8:45pm with the remaining 2 traps now with cats. Kallie agreed to keep them in the basement for the night so we didn't have to drive all the way in the city. I got home about 10:30pm. We found homes for 5 of the 10 cats we had in traps. Jane, a TNRer in DeKalb was going to take 3 of the sick cats, one's with URI's to access for sociability. Adrianne and Jenny at Tails made the arrangements. When the cats are socialized, they will adopt them out. That's if they're socializable. If not, they'll go the way of many cats too scared to socialize. They'll be killed but they will at least have a chance. We have 5 cats with no place to go. WE NEED HOMES FOR 5 CATS. Plus at least 8 cats left at Henry's. Cats are great companions, even those that can't be held and touched. We're hoping they'll go in 2's and 3's. They are family and the transition will be hard on them. They are stressed and have had lives abnormal to a cats natural surroundings. Separating them even further would be cruel too. They need each other. Please email us at catvandotnr@yahoo.com. DONATIONS ARE ALSO NEEDED to cover the cost of surgeries, vet care and meds, supplements and essences and food. THANK YOU TO THOSE OF YOU GENEROUS ENOUGH TO SHARE YOUR MONEY TO HELP THESE CATS AND KITTENS.

Henry's Cats The New Year

2010-01-09T17:40:00.008-06:00

This post was typed on January 8th. Writing about this is harder every day. We've found no place for Henry's cats. Janet, Kallie & I have called numerous places in Cook and other Counties. We got a couple of bites, Tails in DeKalb offered to take the sick ones if they could handle them enough to test.... we don't know that they are. Some of the sick and healthy ones aren't touchable. House ferals. Six MIGHT be handlable, they came within about 10-20" of me when I was spoon feeding them canned food on the floor. But, we don't know how touchable they truely are. If we don't find places for them by Thursday, instead of being having their surgeries and shots, they will be killed. I know you're gasping as you should with such horrible news. That's what we've been doing since we took this on. It's a deep grasp; one that grips the heart and gut and stays there. It's been growing and tightening since this whole thing began. Knowing that we have the responsibility for cats no one wants and we have no place for. Shelters, fosters and individuals are full of cats no one wants or can have. Cats that are shy or may only be residents vs interactive members of the family, are even harder to find homes for. If you want to help and save some cats from being killed. Allow one or two of them your home or get a friend to share their home. That's the only thing that will save them from being killed because there's no place for them. BE SMART. Don't become a hoarder yourself. One of the issues involved in rescue is the tenancy to help when you see need and when it comes to animals, many people that start out helping, end up hoarding. They are sensitive to the needs of animals needing home or medical attention and it's hard to see animals killed or go uncared for. Hoarding isn't good for anyone, the caregiver, who's unable to care for them or themselves properly, and the animals. Overcrowding isn't natural to animals and they're stressed by it. This is incredibly difficult. It's weighed on all our minds, Kallie, Janet, Zarema, Sue and others who are involved in the project. Henry needs the cats gone. He's keeping 3-5 cats but the rest need homes. Knowing that the only thing I can do is kill them is killing us. It hangs over our heads and hearts. So many cats with no where to go. None of the people and shelters we've called have been able to provide homes, temporary or permanent. So far, Sue has agreed to foster and access two of them. She'll be moving soon so this home is only temporary. Last week Kallie and I went in for another assessment. We were suppose to be trapping but due to a scheduling snafu, we did another assessment. Henry'd gotten a new phone. The cats ate through the wires. He asked when the cats would be going. He's tired and he has no life. He cleans litter pans several times a day. He spends money he doesn't have on food. He pays $240 a day to keep his wife in the home. He still has hopes she's coming home. Maybe she can and they can both have a caregiver but not the way the house is now. Too many cats in the house. The remaining kitties we took from the house last month, Peter, Paul and Sister Mary Francesca, Isabelle and Lynx are all doing great. Their coats are thickening, they are playing like happy kitties should and they're getting more affectionate every day. Well, except for Sister Mary Franchesca. She's going to join Lynx (and Tigger from the VA) at Megan and A's wonderful fosters of the best kind. They love, cuddle and help them get ready for their new families and they let them go when they're ready. Many of our fosters fall in love with the kitties and wonderfully, the kitties have a good home but yuck, we loose a good foster home! Lynx, a sibling or cousin of Sister Mary, is now wonderfully friendly and very relaxed. He's ready for adoption and will be on http://petfinder.com soon as will Paul, Peter and Isabelle. Paul's eye continues to change, for the better, we hope. He's going to Visionary Vet on Friday, 1/15. . He's sweet as the dickins, playful and getting to be quite handsome. Peter is continuing to run but can be held for longer periods without squirming or wanting to bolt and he sure does like to play. Sister Mary is beautiful but still very shy. She'll play but forget any pets or hugs. Isabelle's recovery was miraculous. She went from a severe URI to cool (which is what happened to the others before they died) to recovery and lots of play and lovin'. We give them all good food and plenty of immune building supplements in addition to a flower essence blend for stress, changes and to release trauma, old and new. TO THOSE OF YOU THAT HAVE SENT DONATIONS - THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU. WITHOUT YOUR HELP, WE COULDN'T DO WHAT WE'RE DOING.

Henry's Cats GIVE A CAT A HOME FOR THE HOLIDAYS!

2009-12-19T19:08:00.004-06:00

First, the good news. Paul's eye is much improved. Looks like it probably isn't a tumor and the inflammation is decreasing. His lense is being reabsorbed without too much difficulty. His medication has decreased to once a day. He's playful, friendly and very curious. He doesn't like doors of any kind, on a crate or in the bathroom. He purrs up a storm and loves to be cuddled and played with. The rest of the story is the reason why I've skipped 3 days of writing. Too much. We've lost kitties. We have 5 kitties left, 4 here, one at foster (one died at foster too). One of the ones we have, Isabelle, has been battling her URI and is getting intensive care. She gets her oral and nasal antibiotics, she's tented in a cage and vaporized 3 x a day. Today, she's finally getting better. We added colostrum that we add to water and syringe feed. She's gotten about 2 oz today and it's made a great difference. She'd quit eating so it serves as nutrition and an immune boost. Peter is a bit punk, not gaining much weight and still shy. Another, a long haired grey tabby we've yet to name, is going strong, playing and eating, gaining weight, but still shy. 2 died during the night on Tuesday, one at the vet on Wednesday, and 2 died yesterday. Three had similar symptoms, 2 had different symptoms, even than each other. We're still unsure what killed them but believe it was a combination of things, their URI's, depleted immune systems and for some, possible panlucopenia. The last one, yesterday, was fine at 9am, and gone by 5pm - no vomit, no diarrhea fine in the am, then gone by 5pm. One of the symptoms shared by 4 of the ones that died is that their body temperature cools. Once a cats body temp goes cool, there's not much that can be done. As hard as this is to hear, imagine how hard it is to experience. The cat we had tested at the vet had no nutriphils, one of the bacteria fighting cells. We returned to Henry's Friday. We took the 4- 6 week old kitties - sorry we didn't get pictures, they were adorable. Long hair fuzzy kitties, 3 female, 1 male, pretty wild but because they're young, they should socialize fairly easy. They went from Henry's to Elmhurst Animal Care (EAC) for their vaccines, Frontline, and one got a Feline Leukemia test. Our Outreach Director, Janet P, found a home for them at CatNap, where they went from EAC this morning. We learned that another litter had been born about Thanksgiving. Out of 3, one tiny 2 week old remained. Her mouth and nose were red, she was missing a toe, she had scratches and small wounds all over, in addition to being overrun with fleas. The vet said she still had a lot of spunk so our wonderful volunteer and now foster mom, Kallie took her and her supplies home to feed, express and lovingly care for. Little one has 3 people caring for her (we think) round the clock. She's had a rough life. Henry rescued her from the house cats when they were throwing her around between them. He put it in the carrier before we got there. One of her siblings had no legs. Henry didn't know if it was a birth defect or if the cats ate the legs. I don't know if it's true but I've heard sometimes the dad kills kittens to encourage cats to have more little ones. I also wonder if, when living in crowded situations, they might kill the young, more volnerable ones. We're going to trap the remaining cats. Five will be returned to Henry after their surgeries, vaccines, and wellness checks and/or meds. The fate of the others is still unknown. With so many variables, healthy, sick, low funds, no place for them to go, there are decisions to be made. Each cat has to be trapped, evaluated and vetted. We are going to try to save as many as we can. We have more leeway with the project. Now that so many are out and we're helping, Henry is feeling less anxious. As hard as this has been, the next phase I think, will be harder. As I've said before, Henry is not a bad man. When his wife first started bringing cats into the house, he was getting them sterilized - the whole thing just got to be too much for him. A wife with Alzheimer's and a son with rage issues strong enough for institutionalization. He wants what's best for the cats he loves and cares for, he just needs his life back - at 89, the sooner, the better. If you'd like to be part of the team to help the house cats, please contact us by email or comment. We need all the help we can get. Of course, we always need more money, foster homes, adopters, sponsors too. If you have a couple of house cats, why not one more? We'll help with incorporating with your current babies and wouldn't adopt out sick cats to homes with healthy cats. Give a cat a home for the holidays sorry, blog won't let me post photos!

Henry's Cats - To foster

2009-12-14T22:13:00.009-06:00

These babies are going to foster tomorrow! Meghan and Al are wonderful kitty people. Won't be long and they'll be ready for adoption. They are 2 of the friendlier of the bunch - still scared but not as much some of the others. We still have plenty available for foster. We provide all necessary food and crates, etc. WE NEED MORE FOSTER HOMES - PLEASSSSSSSSSSSSSE I spoke to Henry today. He's in the midst of a huge change of life. Two weeks before we met, he'd gotten into a car accident. His fault. His foot slipped off the pedal. He and another driver went to the hospital. He's since gone to court and lost his license. Today, he took his bicycle to get groceries. It was mild - tomorrow it won't be. So, we deal with the cats and leave him to be? I don't think so. I'm calling the Health Commissioner of his municipality, the woman who originally called us, to see if they have some sort of senior services that assist in their area. Back to the cats. All the house kitties are about the same. Still either friendly or shy, sickish or getting healthier. Mike, one of our new volunteers involved in this project found out about Z today. Not an easy thing to tell a new volunteer who, the last time he saw Z held him in his arms while he purred and nuzzled. He, Mike, has been wonderful with the kitties and is greatly responsible for a lot of their care. We're still giving doxycycline for their URI's. Most are relatively easy to medicate. 3 are difficult and 2 we can only give in food. One of them quit eating canned and we're having to feed in a pureed chicken and Prowl (see http://siriuscooks.com for info) mixture. (We have it for one of our other kitties - Binka, who has an enlarged heart and liver and digestive problems so is on a special diet - a cutie who we're hoping will grow into her enlarged organs). We're investigating a mushroom mixture to help boost their immune systems and combat the viral issues. ............We're due to see Henry on Thursday. He said there are 4 (not 3) little ones, born Nov 5, that are now running around. It's too early to take them from mom but we're hoping to evaluate their medical condition and possibly take mom and the babies for a couple weeks, then return mom. She's one of 3 we're planning to leave there. I say hoping because they hide behind a pile (the only inaccessible place in the house but for between the walls) and we're hoping they come out.... maybe we can lure them with oily tuna. Not looking forward to Thursday, the stench, the situation. The inventory. Still no place for the cats in the house. 16 cats need a home and that doesn't include the 10 kittens we have. Thank those of you who have donated money towards this project. It really helps and we most certainly appreciate it - in these tough economic times, donations are even more appreciated. We haven't even come close to covering cost so any money sent this way is welcome.

Henry's Cats - And then there were 10

2009-12-11T20:43:00.009-06:00

Sadly, we lost Z Saturday. He left feeling loved and in comfort. In the days prior to his passing he received and responded to a lot of love, it was beautiful. He loved being held, didn't even need to be petted, he just loved laying in someone's arms where he purred and nuzzled. His eyes looked better than he had in days but he just couldn't fight the infection. Its one of the rough parts of rescue, loosing them. We understand it's part of life. THe fact that these cats came out of such a sick home, if we save 1/2 of them, it's better than their previous fate. But it's hard. Neither of the photos picture Z - the red is Paul and the greys (yet unnamed - suggestions?) are 2 of the almost socialized and healthy ones. Gladly, a lot of the kitties are doing really well. They're learning how to play, responding to their meds and a routine is settling in. Playtime in the bathroom that now houses the cat tower - metal frame about 4 ' high, surrounded by netting with hammocks in the middle for extra fun. Some, like Paul, Peter, Emma, Cat # 3, 5, 7 (we haven't named them all yet). Others just sit and watch, like they're back in their cages but more of them are learning how to play all the time. Their coats are much healthier already and hey've all put on weight. Paul has his next visit with the ophthalmologist Dec 18. Where his lense should be is a pale mass encased in vessels. It could be due to a ruptured, necrotic lens being reabsorbed, or a congenital malformation of the lense or, unlikely, an intra ocular tumor. He's on opthalmic prednizone for the inflammation - we're hoping for the best. He's a sweetie. THe friendliest and most playful of the bunch. Depending on the outcome of the visit, he's ready for adoption. We'll post here and on our petfinder account. This picture is a few days old, he looks even better now. His picture is at the top of the page. Some of the kitties are taking longer to recover from their URI infection. 5 out of the 11 are really shy and 3 of them are questionable for socialization............. if they aren't socialized, then what. Emergency volunteer hours are needed to get these cats socialized. Volunteers can come as little as often as abailable, scheduling is a must tho. - no drop in's please. We'll be going to Henry's (sorry can't take it out of 'bold') this week to inventory for age, temperment, description to see if any are able to be socialized and adopted. Still no word on placement. No one has stepped up to volunteer to take any of the feral type house cats. We're having a difficult time thinking about what's going to have to happen if no one comes forward. Decisions and end dates are going to be set soon. Writing to one of the volunteers who's going to accompany me to the house, I spoke of deadline, end date. Never have those words been as appropriate and horrid.

Henry's Cats

2009-12-11T19:51:00.006-06:00

Another part of working with the kitties is really crappy.............. as in litter, and lots of it! They are a lot of work. Changing and filing water and food bowls, changing bedding, sweeping and washing the crates, changing and cleaning the litter boxes, cleaning the litter boxes and dishes, clearing and cleaning the playroom after each session. Times 11. This is about a 3 hour job. Meds are 2 or 3 times a day. Vaccines, de-worming, de-fleaing, topical application for sores. During the day, pans are cleaned as needed, as are water bowls, and any litter on the floor messes, sometimes, mixed with water - mmmmmmmmmm. Nice clay. Then there's placement. Where can these kitties go? Calls, emails and inquiries trying to find foster homes. People willing to take them, care for them, socialize and love them. Checking with shelters for placement or fosters. Then, when we are fortunate to find someone to agree to homing, socializing and caring for one or 2 of Henry's babies, there's training and prep and packing for the move. Then there's the paper work keeping track of them all, the visits to the vet, the wonderful 'kitty buddies' that come to help socialize the newly formed team to help care for Henry's cats. As I've stated before, we're a TNR group. Our specialty is working with cats living in the streets, to help get them sterilized and cared for. To help people who feed the cats take care of the cats. We aren't equipped to care for these or any kitties............. but we do, because no one else will, but I digress. This is only the kitties. There are still 16 cats and 3 young kittens at Henry's. We've yet to find homes for them. A home for them is a place that will take them in, let them live there, care for them. The cat may or may not become friendly. They won't attack. They're use to having people around but they haven't had much individual attention. A yard would be considered if the conditions were right. A heated garage, to come and go. Good food, TNR, vetting as necessary.......... the relocation process essentially means they have to be confined in a space (to be discussed, not a crate) at their new home for 4-6 weeks before they're let out. If cats are just moved to an outdoor shelter, they bolt in search of 'home' and live miserable lost lives. Colonies are well established and not always welcoming. If you have a good home you'd like to offer, please contact us asap. Like those that have yard cats, that can't touch them, they love them anyway. We'll be putting a deadline on the house cats soon. Henry needs them gone. We have no place for them. We do have 2 kittens going to foster care tomorrow, 2 on Tuesday and we heard back from Treehouse, they are having their biggest event of the year this weekend. THe admissions committee will review our request to take some of the kittys next week. We requested they take Peter, Paul & Z, plus Emma, Earl Grey and Ellie. The 'eye' boys, because Treehouse is better able to care for their needs and Treehouse cares for cats and the three grey/grey tabbys because they're at a crucial time in their socialization. They're really skiddish and need more individual TLC if they're going to be adoptable - because if they're not................................. then what. We need volunteers until the kitties are all placed!!!!

Peter, Paul & Z, Henry's Cats

2009-12-10T23:15:00.005-06:00

We pulled (took the kittens to their new temporary home) the kittens on our 4^th visit there. On our 3^rd visit, Henry said he found a dead kitten (a 3 week old) in the hall. He reached into a closet and took out plastic bag that contained the dead kitten. It was in a state of decay. He said he use to bury them but can’t anymore – he’s tired and weakened by 89 years of a hard life. Remember, his wife, the woman who brought the cats in, was in the early stages of Alzheimer’s , for years before she went into a care center. We took the cat. Put it into the trunk and buried it. The smell stays in your nose for hours. On our second visit, in addition to extra litter boxes and water bowls, we brought cat toys. Most didn’t know what to do with them.

There are 3 remaining kittens , born Nov 5, who are staying until they’re are 8 weeks old. We’d pull them but there’s no place for them and the mom to go. Sad, it’s a sick house. Not just because of the urine but because of what has to be, dead cats in the walls. Cats often go to dark secluded places to die. We’ve seen them enter through a crawl space. Not to mention the Herpes /URI infections that effects the entire household. But there’s no place to go. Which is the real reason most people don’t want to deal with hoarders. Because there’s no place for the cats to go. Because some of the cats have to be killed as a result. Because we’re in this to save cats, not kill them.

Someone wanted 7 cats, 2 for her and 5 for her friend. I told her about the relocation process and I haven’t heard back from her. I also asked if she might be willing to pay the clinic fee of $26 per cat……. Said it wasn’t mandatory – that we were appreciative she’d take the cats.

We’re applying to get some of them admitted to TreeHouse’s foster/adoption progra m. We’re waiting to hear from CatNap who said they’d help. Animal Care League said they didn’t have room.

The 11 kittens we pulled range in age between about 4 – 6 months. They’ve been with us for about 10 days and they already look much better. They’re putting weight on, their coats are getting a shine and their URI’s are clearing up.

Peter, Paul & Zee, three medium and short hair orange tabbies, soft as a cloud, have terrible eye problems. Peter is blind in his right eye due to a herpes infection that probably happened before they all opened their eyes. Peter has an active herpes ulcer that has eaten away his lense. We’re hoping the ointment will stop the infection and just leave him with a blind eye. Paul has inflammation of the cornea that could be due to genetics, infection or a tumor – we’ll find out next week. So far, their first office visit with the ophthalmologist including meds was $300……. They are sweet. Paul is the most friendly and playful. Z is really warming up. After meds tonight, during lovin time, he relaxed enough to stretch out on my his back so I could pet his belly.

Part of this is great – working with the kitties. Unfortunately, it’s such a small part.

Henry's Cats - Working With an Unintentional Hoarder

2009-12-07T20:25:00.012-06:00

Not that we ever left. We have been here there and everywhere tho. The last few months, we've been busy doing TNR, kittens, fundraising, TNR, adoptions, kittens, education, conflict resolution, kittens, TNR, supportive care for seniors, a couple of fund raising and networking parties (our Party Like A Feral was a great hit - watch for it net October in honor of National Feral Cat Day) and now, our first hoarder. It's our hoarder that prompts our revisiting this blog - both as an educational exercise and because it's the face of something rarely addressed by those in rescue because it's ugly and difficult. Not many people want to do it. Many times, with no where to go, cats have to be euthanized. Over the course of the next couple of months, we hope to keep you updated about what actually happens when people have too many cats and are too old to care for them. Our hoarder is a lovely 89 year old man. An unintentional hoarder, with about 30 cats. It started when his wife brought in a number of cats she'd been feeding in the driveway. She's been in a facility for people with Alzheimer's for about a year. When they just had six, Henry (name fictionalized) took them into the vet, one by one. There were 5 females and 1 male. He had the male neutered. Apparently, one of the females was pregnant or he picked up the same cat twice because now there are about 30 cats, not including those that died along the way, to be buried or (I suspect) have died in the crawl space between the walls I've seen them enter. Henry knows he can't do this any more. He called his township, who'd just gotten one of our flyers, and they called us. On our initial assessment, we saw about 7 young cats between the ages 4-6 months old. They were friendly, a few to us and all to Henry. As we sat talking at the kitchen table, they surrounded him. He loves his cats. The house wreaked of urine and spray and something deeper. The house was clean and clear of clutter but any small appliances on the kitchen counter were urine rusted. There was no finish on the lower kitchen cabinets caused by the spray and urine. All furniture was shredded. The carpeting held stains from urine and fecal matter, tho none was observed in the body of the house There was some poop in the basement but considering he only had two litter boxes, the off box poop was limited to a few poops here and there. He cleans the boxes several times a day. The odor hits like a brick wall, then subsides but we can only stay about an hour at a time because then it hits the chest. It's amazing Henry's survived. Most of the cats had Upper Respiratory Infections. A couple had something wrong with their eyeballs (more on that later). There was also a mom with 4 kittens about 2 weeks old in a closet. Our next visit, we brought a number of litter boxes and water bowls and meds for the URI's to be added to their canned food. We were hoping to stage their improved health and slow removal at his house while we found foster homes and places for the feral types at his house. Not so. He called that night to say he couldn't do it. We went in the next day and removed 11 kittens ages 4-6 months old. We left the mom and the 3 week old kittens because we couldn't access them, they'd been moved from the closet, and we left the feral types until we can find a solution, one that rarely exists because there is no place for the cats. We're still looking for a solution and getting medical care, foster homes, adoptors while socializing the kittens. No one likes working with hoarders, it makes TNR look like a walk in the park. More tomorrow.............

Whew and News!

2009-05-04T20:04:00.004-05:00

Cat Nap from the Heart of La Grange took all our 'delivered' kitties. 9 beautiful egyptian looking kittens and 2 beautiful mama's. If you're looking for a kitten that's georgeous, sleek and with that look.... Visit CatNap in LaGrange. And, Katrinka, the beautiful Seal Point with striped wiskers, visit Animal Care League of Oak Park, she'll be there on Thursday. We went trapping for a mama (already pregnant) and her 3 little cuties today. Mama moved them so we're starting over. We'll keep you posted! This is Nicki and her kits, Gracie & Cookie. They are all friendly and just waiting for a new home. Give us a call! They also need a sponsor! We got 2 more calls for TNR today. One from a woman who feeds cats about 15 minutes from her home. She's wonderful, she's been taking care of cats since 1991. We TNR'd 8 of these cats last year. One, a white one, was illusive, sometimes there, sometimes not and we didn't get them. She's been attempting for a couple of months, with no luck. The CM talked to a woman who feeds down the block and apparently, the white cat is usually there - along with a few more. They will be TNR'd next week, the 5 kittens from 2 different mom's may come here or go to another rescue who specializes more in adoptions. We like them! The other from a woman north of here who has 3 plus cats and kittens. She and her neighbor share feeding. We're conference calling tomorrow so we can give info to both, saving time! We love people who love their yard cats and who understand the importance of TNR!!!!!

Donate Part of Your Yard Sale Proceeds!

2009-05-02T22:09:00.003-05:00

Last year, Jennifer Wolfe of Wolfe Photography in Forest Park donated part of the proceeds of her garage sale to CatVando. Thanks again, Jennifer! This year, think of us when you're having your garage sale. Or if you just want to make a donation, we could really use it. A growing number of our TNR's depend on funding from CatVando. With the increase in Strays and kittens, we're really stretched. Thanks to Chicagoland Stray Cats for their generous donation of $200. It paid for Katrina and 3 of the 2118 Colony cats last week and will cover another 3 this week. 2118 is an example of what we run into. 2118 is comprised of cats that have been multiplying in a house for years, decades, actually. Grandma had cats and kitties too. Every once in awhile, when there were too many in the house they'd open the door or call Animal Control. When Mom died, Daughter let the cats out, unsterilized. Shortly after the cats were left out, she left. So, the cats have been put out with no food. Numbers are unknown. These cats are in an area where 90% of the cats have been TNR'd. It's an area about 4 blocks long and 2 blocks wide. In 2005-6 about 70 cats were TNR'd. Now there are about 30 in that same area - plus the new ones. I've been feeding since I found out, hoping the cats won't spread and can be TNR'd on the spot. The 3 so far were male. When there, I've seen 2 others, both pregnant. Neighbors said, there are a lot of cats but couldn't give actual numbers. We'll be working to round them up with food and trapping for a couple, three weeks or more, then, they will be one of CatVando's sponsored colonies until we can find someone to sponsor them. We'll keep you posted on numbers. Remember, think of us next time you have a barbecue, birthday party, any time people are gathered! We'd love to provide you with a donation jar all about our mission and work at CatVando. We'd be happy to provide a receipt and would love to post your donation on our Blog! Yes We Can - we can ride through these tough economic times and come out the other end better for it! Let work together to solve today's problems.

Today's New Kitties

2009-05-02T21:56:00.003-05:00

These babies are new today. Someone delivered them and their friends, another mom with kittens all black or black and white. They're all skinny and a bit scared but friendly. A little good food, some good supplements, and they'll be ready to roll. Actually, they're ready now. We'd let these babies go with a deposit to assure return for spay or neuter and suggestions for proper nutrition to assure a healthy life. They're not even named yet! Mama needs a home too. Someone had to give up their cats and their kittens. You can tell, aside from food, these cats had a lot of love.

More and better photos of both soon.

The advent of new kitties is stretching our coffers! We need donations to cover the cost of these kitties. They all need not just food and supplements, but, deworming, flea treatment, spay/neuter, vaccinations, microchipping - then there's the extra litter and laundry. Oh my! 12 more mouths to feed!

Katrinka is looking for a home.

2009-05-02T21:34:00.004-05:00

Here's the beautiful Katrinka. She's a special kitty with quite a history in her short years. We're guessing about 2-3 years old. She was stuck in the attic of a Colony Manager in Maywood. A woman who is the only feeder in an area heavily infested with strays and ferals and gets lots of cats her way. CatVando subsidies her with occassional food and pays for her TNR's. Katrinka spent about a month between her walls before she had to tear a wall open to let her out. She was very skinny. Then suddenly, after she started putting on some weight, she was pregnant. She had 5 little ones in her before last Tuesday. She's very sweet. Kim, I and Darrion fell in love with her right away. At this point, she LOVES being pet but not so much being held. Marci and Animal Care League said she'd never seen striped wiskers like she has. With beautiful light blue eyes, she's listed as a Seal Point. She's part Siamese but doesn't have the yowl of the breed. Not a great pic - will try for better another time. It doesn't show her color, her wiskers or her beautiful blue eyes. She's ready for adoption now. Next Thursday, Animal Care League is taking her to include in their adoption. If you want her, she's ready! Her fee is $75, which includes, spay, distemper & rabies, microchip and she's even ear tipped! If you'd like to come by and see her, give us a call 708 829 6013.

Another Day, Another Surprise

2009-05-02T20:31:00.008-05:00

In the world of TNR, things change daily. We work with street cats. We work in an area effected by the economy, who's population is has been effected by the economy long before the effects were felt by others. First, the number of strays, then today, 9 kittens and 2 mama's dropped at our doorstep. Zowza. We can't take in that many kittens without being overloaded. So, in our usual, 'figure it out' manner, we're hoping to enact our foster home in senior residence plan. We'll keep you posted Our Spruce Up continues! Today, Barbara Cole of Maywood Youth Mentoring brought Darrion, David and Kequanis all about 15 years old, to work on CatVando projects. We had a lot of fun with lots o' learning. We moved things around, cleaned traps and carriers, took apart and cleaned the hairy fan. They love the cats - get a bit exuberant but they're learning. Darrion has a great way with animals. He's interested in becoming an animal behaviorist and has already started reading a book he borrowed 'The Cat Who Cried Wolf". So far, Darrion is coming back tomorrow. Kequanis is a good worker and an excellent entertainer, his ability to change his voice and his love of the mike, coupled with his willingness to work is wonderful. David, the newby of the group, adjusted to things pretty well. He's a watchful boy. He steps in slowly. Initially cautious with Bella, our wonderful Belgian German Shephard mix soon won him over and he's the one who took the fan apart, got rid of the hair and cleaned the fan and grill. They really did a lot to help cats today. The Spruce Up Continues! Maywood Youth Mentoring is bringing over kids and their mentors to work on some special projects. The rack is going to be finished. A roof is going to be built and concrete is going to be laid to accomodate the Aftercare Rack. Going to be another big weekend - if you have some extra time, stop by, we can always use the help! Saturday 10-3pm. And/Or, bring food - hungry teenagers need lots of fuel! And Kequanis, who also does lay down on the job

The New Face of TNR

2009-04-28T10:26:00.003-05:00

More Strays, Faster Pregnancies

seems to be the way it's going with our TNR this spring.

So far we've spayed 2 mamas with 5 & 6 week old kitties. Both were pregnant already, while still nursing. That's frightening!

We're trapping more strays this year than in the past. It's one of the delimas of TNR. It's always been our belief that if a cat has a good feeder, someone who has their cats TNR'd and provides food, water and shelter while monitoring the colony for new cats or medical needs, that that cat is pretty lucky. However, when there's a recent release who's sweet, scared, and used to being a pet, the lines get blurred. Not being a shelter, we can't house the cats for any length of time. We have fosters that will do temporary care but with the number of strays we're finding. Shelters are besieged with people giving up their cats and dogs and often can't take another. Many of the areas we cover have been heavily effected by the economy, release of pets is unfortunately, inevitable. If you have a solution to offer, please do.

Out of 5 cats last week, 3 were pregnant, 15 kittens were prevented. One of the mom's, with 6 in her belly was still nursing 2-6 week olds. Two out of 5 cats today were friendly strays.

Spectacular Spruce Up - date

2009-04-24T18:47:00.004-05:00

What an incredible weekend! A wonderful outpouring of energy, hard work, friendships forged, similarities shared and lots and lots got done. We had about 10 people each day, some of hours and a couple for both days. It's amazing how much we got done. No pictures now - waiting for the before and after but here's a glimpse of the weekend's events. The first to arrive at about 9:30am were Chuck and three students from Lane Tech. They came for Ellen's Winnebago. It's going to be a Lane Tech student project! Unfortunately, Ellen doesn't get it back all spruced up and road ready ..... but it's going to a good place for it's new life. In trade for the Winnie, Chuck and the boys (sorry guys, I don't remember all your names), moved all the lumber and limestone tiles for the cat houses from the driveway to their new home. They did a great job. Remember Chuck, I want a photo of the finished product! Candy then Christina arrived next and started working on getting the crates ready for kitties. Clean, sanitize, then attach 1" fencing so the kits don't get out of the bars. Linda started when Candy left and she and Christina did a great job finishing 4 crates. Good thing. A mama and a 6 week old kitten arrived the next day and now occupies one of them. Thank You Candy, Christina & Linda!!! Nice to have a fail safe place for the kitties! Can't remember the time frame of who came next but suddenly there were people taking on projects and getting things done. It was great, everyone worked independently and as teams. Some had met before, some not. Sue, holy mackeral, Sue is a powerhouse; she took charge of the back porch project. She started about 11am and worked until 9pm. Then came back the next day and worked another 6-7 hours. She took on the project with relish. The porch was cleared, walls and ceilings were vacummed, primered and painted. Janet joined in on Sunday adding her flair to trim. It was fun picking colors from all the donated paint. Barbara brought 2 of the kids from Maywood Youth Mentoring, Darrian & Kquanis joined in the clearing, cleaning and vaccumig. Barbara brought food too. Elaine had the worst job of the day, rolling paint on an extension from a ladder in a stairwell on a wall with paint peeling off on the roller. Sorry Elaine, I know how frustrating that was - still haven't figured it out but I think the trick is in the sealant too. Ah, there's always mulch (last year, Elaine helped move a huge pile of mulch)! The room looks fabulous. I laid the vinyl today. It's amazing how well it goes with the multi-color room colors. All the paint was donated by Karen, Georgia & Ellen . Jeanne & Linda preped a piece porch furniture for paint. Jeanne painted it a beautiful shade of green. T painted an old enamel topped cabinet the same green then went on to paint an old metal cabinet in 'camoflage' - it looks so cool. The Cat Man came and lent a lot of great tools and painting supplies and helped Kquanis and Darrian tighten the aftercare rack, then K & D primered it. Sheila (who held a kitty for the first time in her long life heald a CatVando kitten last fall and loved it. Quite the cat woman now, since falling in love and sharing gleeful stories about her 2 yard cats) She ripped sheets for traps - we use a lot when trapping. We get sheets donated by Animal Care League and sometimes CatNap from the Heart and they need to be torn by the dozens. Eric did sheets for awhile and even Kelly took a turn with them. Darrian came back Sunday and was a tremendous help filling in wherever he was needed whether it was playing with Bella or bringing things and messages from room to room or filing in on a project or helping lift. He made lunch! The first meal he ever prepared. We had beans with cheese, salsa, cilantro and sour cream and he put it together. It was excellent! Kim brought delicious roll ups on Saturday and worked for a couple of hours. Her huge contribution was during Pre-Spruce Up, Spruce Up. Kim is wonderful - not only incredible with the critters (Bella loves her so much her eyes almost drool) but she understands the complexities of running CatVando out of a home and is always there doing things I ask and doing things she sees need doing. She was back on Tuesday, played with the critters, vacummed and straightened. She's definately one of the spirits of CatVando. I, Ellen, worked here and there, painted a bit on both porches, worked projects, answered questions, took pictures, even painted with Sue until 9pm, and took wonder in the events and changes. It was pretty great. Thank you all for being here, for taking time, for working so hard and so communially. BRAVO!! THANK YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!! And, You ALL ARE GOING SAILING! Watch for dates and times to pick from. And... the Spruce Up continues. CatVando is expanding at a rapid rate. Cat populations are expanding at an alarming rate. Because of the economy, cats are being abandoned at increased rates, most unsteralized rapidly adding to the already high numbers. Some communities are more saturated than ever but all communities are experiencing an increase. Education is becoming almost equally as important as TNR with the community, the feeders and municipalities. TNR is at it's best when it's community-based, when everyone's on board and understands it's effectiveness and how the whole thing works. At this point, there's a lot of misinformation that needs to be clarified. So........ we're busy with more than TNR & Kitties & Adoptions these days. We're dealing directly with municipalities and you know how much red tape that can involve! Plus, our wonderful VA Hines Project.

The Spruce Up Continues!!!!

Sundays May 3, 10th (Mothers Day), and 24th

11am - 5ish

Lunch at 1pm

Bring friends

Join us for a couple hours or a couple Sundays

just email or call

catvandotnr@yahoo.com

708 829 6013

Love to All

Big News! Really Really Big News!

2009-04-14T19:46:00.004-05:00

Really Really Really Big News!!!! We are so proud to announce our news! CatVando, Animal Care League and Hines VA Hospital are partnering in a Community-Based TNR program an a program where Veterans build and maintain 'cat houses' to help the cats on the campus of the VA Hospital. We are sooooooooooo excited and proud to be part of this project. More on the history and doings of 'The Cat House Project' (ya gotta love it!) later. I've got to get busy. We're having a Cat Vando Spruce Up this weekend and have to spruce up for the spruce up, gather tools, clear space, etc.

Join Us!

CatVando's Spruce Up

April 18-19

10-3 or thereabouts Saturday and Sunday

bring tools, extra paint, lumber and munchies

we'll provide Yerba Mate ice tea & Limeade

lots of natcho's with beans, cheese and salsa

Campfire Weenie Roast

Saturday late afternoon

bring something to roast over an open fire

We'll provide roasted potatoes

And as a treat for you! A chance to win a

Sunday Sail on Lake Michigan

One hour's work is one chance.

1 hour = 1 chance

9 hours = 9 chances

5 Lucky Winners!

P L E A S E - RSVP - P L E A S E

CATVANDOTNR@YAHOO.COM

email to plug into Project List

Green Your House for your Pet's Sake!

2009-03-23T08:22:00.003-05:00

Last year, the ASPCA received more than 3,200 calls related to household cleaners.
Companion cats and dogs are polluted with even higher levels of many of the same synthetic indisutrial chemicals that researchers have recently found in people, including newborns.
Health problems in pets span high rates of cancer in dogs and skyrocketing incidence of hyperthyroidism in cats

Learn what you can do to help protect your critters (and yourself!)

Sunday, March 29

2:00pm

Animal Care League

1013 Garfield - Oak Park

CatVando at ACL's 2nd Chance Shop

2009-03-09T06:28:00.003-05:00

Ellen Miles will be at Animal Care League's 2nd Chance Shop, 159 S. Oak Park Avenue, Oak Park on Saturday, March 21, noon to 4pm to give overview and answer questions about street cats. What's a feral? What to do if you have street cats? What to do if you're feeding an outside cat. The importance and benefits of TNR (Trap Neuter Return) and street cat care.

Our TNR Season is Starting Soon!

2009-02-25T09:17:00.004-06:00

TNR Season is just around the corner!

If you have yard cats, email (catvandotnr@yahoo.com) so we can get you on the list. At this point, we have 3 colonies and a couple of individual cats already on the list.

If you think one of your cats is in early pregnancy, be sure and contact us soon.

Weather dependant, we will be starting late March, early April. Males can be TNR'd now. Females have their bellies shaved, leaving them exposed to the elements and even tho we risk kitties being born, we wait until the weather clears a bit.

We're always looking for volunteers and foster homes for the kittens that are an ever present part of TNR.

A Hairy Cleanup

2009-02-15T20:28:00.002-06:00

OK, so this isn't about TNR or cats per se, but it is about us, including our critters, working together to help save other critters. Our own Stephanie Skrine shared an article from her groomers magazine that affords a great way for us all, including our critters, to help clean up some of the oil spills that are wrecking havoc with marine and fowl life.One square foot of hair mat a half inch thick can collect one quart of oil in one minute!Hair stylist, Phil McCrory has teamed up with Matter of Trust, an ecological public charity, to form the Hair Mats Program. Hair is boxed up and sent to San Francisco.I've gotten hair from a groomer and know how heavy it can be, which would make shipping prohibitive for most groomers. Maybe the owners can pay an extra few bucks to have their critters hair sent to help other critters - I know I gave her a little of the hair I'd saved from my creatures since passed, just to have them be part of helping out. I'm sure the hair I get when I brush Bella would soak up several quarts a year.To learn more about the Hair Mats Program, visit http://wwwMatterOfTrust.org

Coco Mulch (A Killer!)

2009-02-12T17:25:00.003-06:00

This is an article I found on a site listed below. With spring soon to arrive, we'll be sprucing up our yards - when choosing a mulch - read below for warning about: Cocoa Mulch ( a killer) Over the weekend the doting owner of two young lab mixes purchased Cocoa Mulch from Target to use in their garden. They loved the way it smelled and it was advertised to keep cats away from their garden. Their dog Calypso decided that the mulch smelled good enough to eat and devoured a large helping. She vomited a few times which was typical when she eats something new but wasn't acting lethargic in any way. The next day, Mom woke up and took Calypso out for her morning walk . Half way through the walk, she had a seizure and died instantly.Although the mulch had NO warnings printed on the label, upon further investigation on the company's website, this product is HIGHLY toxic to dogs and cats.Cocoa Mulch is manufactured by Hershey's, and they claim that 'It is true that studies have shown that 50% of the dogs that eat Cocoa Mulch can suffer physical harm to a variety of degrees (depending on each individual dog). However, 98% of all dogs won't eat it.'This Snopes site gives the following information: http://www.snopes.com/critters/crusader/cocoamulch.aspCocoa Mulch, which is sold by Home Depot, Foreman's Garden Supply and other Garden supply stores, contains a lethal ingredient called ' Theobromine' . It is lethal to dogs and cats. It smells like chocolate and it really attracts dogs. They will ingest this stuff and die. Several deaths already occurred in the last 2-3 weeks. Theobromine is in all chocolate, especially dark or baker's chocolate which is toxic to dogs. Cocoa bean shells contain potentially toxic quantities of th eobromine, a xanthine compound similar in effects to caffei n e and theophylline. A dog that ingested a lethal quantity of garden mulch made from cacao bean shells developed severe convulsions and died 17 hours later. Analysis of the stomach contents and the ingested cacao bean shells revealed the presence of lethal amounts of theobromine. Posted by Colleen Del Bane~It's All about Pets Creator~ on February 12, 2009 at 11:16am in Animal Care Advice Back to Animal Care Advice Discussions A great site all about animals. To join go to: http://delbanese-abc.ning.com

Flea Products, Toxicity & Health

2009-01-17T17:15:00.008-06:00

Flea Products, Household Products, Pet Products and Toys all have the potential to harm you, your animals and your kids. Many people do not realize that dozens of cleaning and personal care products they purchase at their local grocery store contain harmful chemical ingredients. Or, how toxic flea collars and pet products can be and they can effect not just the animal but you and your family. Animals are more sensitive to hazardous chemicals for a number of reasons. Most volatile chemicals eventually end up on the floor - that means they breathe them, absorb them through their paws and skin and they ingest them every time they groom themselves. Like people, cancer rates among cats and dogs is rising - 47% of all cats and dogs now die of cancer. Below is an article about household toxins - it addresses people but can be applied to your pets. Below that is a link specific to the hazards of flea collars. At CatVando, we take care to use safe products, not only for the animals temporarily within our care but for all critters and life everywhere. Unfortunately, we do have to use bleach in some cases but are searching for a safe alternative. To support environmental safety one of our fundraisers is marketing wellness products - it's a fundraiser that benefits everyone. http://ushelpingus.info/ or http://anaturalconnection.healthyhometour.com/. We also take care with what we feed our kittens and cats. We believe that good nutrition and using supplementing for specific issues when necessary, is the best way to insure the healthiest cat possible. Most of our kitty food is from Sirius Cooks in Oak Park. We'd love to use Orijen, a wonderful grain free food, which is what we feed our 3 house cats, but we use Burns, also a good food. We often use probiotics after spay/neuter surgery or a round of antibiotics to regain natural flora to enhance the digestive and immune system. For allergies or skin problems, we might use EFA's and/or grapeseed extract, depending on the issue - all high quality. We always work with agreement from our vets and try to prevent health issues and work towards building health not masking problems. And now for the article: Most Common Household Toxins By Dr. Ben Kim on May 28, 2006 Health Warnings Natural Health Care yahooBuzzArticleHeadline = "Most Common Household Toxins"; yahooBuzzArticleCategory = "Health"; yahooBuzzArticleId = window.location.href; --> Exposure to household toxins is linked to just about every disease that we know of, most notably cancer. Numerous animal studies have linked many of the more than 24,000 toxins that exist in our environment to negative health effects on the following systems: Cardiovascular Nervous Endocrine Respiratory Reproductive Immune Many household toxins have also been linked to mental and physical developmental problems in children. Because we are unable to feel, see, smell, or taste many household toxins at first contact, it is important to be aware of the most common household toxins and to proactively take measures to prevent or reduce our exposure to them. The most common household toxins are as follows: Triclosan: an antibacterial agent that is chemically similar to the dioxin class of compounds. Linked to: immune system and endocrine system dysfunction. Most commonly found in: many liquid soaps and in some deodorants, toothpastes, cosmetics, kitchenware, and children's toys. Phthalates: large phthalates are chemicals that are added to plastics to impart resilience and flexibility. Smaller phthalates are used to prolong the length of time that a scented product maintains its fragrance. Linked to: endocrine, reproductive, and developmental problems. Most commonly found in: vinyl flooring, plastic food packaging, plastic bags, plastic clothing, detergents, children's toys, shower curtains, and personal care products like soap, shampoo, nail polish, and hair spray. Bisphenol A: used in epoxy resins that line some metal cans, and to make polycarbonate plastics utilized in a variety of food containers and baby products. Linked to: endocrine problems. Most commonly found in: food and drink containers, baby bottles, teethers, toys, metal food cans, and dental sealants used to prevent cavities. Carbon monoxide: formed from incomplete combustion of fuel. Carbon monoxide decreases delivery of oxygen to cells. Linked to: cardiovascular and nervous system failure. Most commonly produced by: leaking furnaces and chimneys, gas stoves, wood stoves and fireplaces, back-drafting from gas water heaters, and auto exhaust from an attached garage or nearby traffic. Perfluorinated chemicals: used to make stain-repellents and non-stick surfaces. Linked to: many different types of cancer and developmental problems in children. Most commonly found in: teflon-coated cookware, microwave popcorn bags, and stain-guarded clothing, furniture, and carpets. Volatile organic compounds (VOCs): chemicals that are released into the air as gases. Linked to: reproductive, respiratory, neurological, and developmental problems. Also linked to different types of cancer. Most commonly found in: air fresheners, hair spray, perfumes, cleaning products, paints, carpets, and furniture made out of pressed wood. Radon: odorless gas that forms as uranium in rocks and soil breaks down. Linked to: lung cancer. Most commonly found in: confined spaces, the most common of which are poorly ventilated basements that have cracked walls and/or floors. Lead: a heavy metal that can build up in our tissues. Linked to: cancer, neurological dysfunction, hormonal imbalances, reproductive problems, and developmental problems in children. Most commonly found in: lead plumbing pipes found in older homes, lead-based paint, crystal tableware, and some varieties of imported mini-blinds. Pesticides and herbicides: linked to problems with the nervous system, and possibly a risk factor for cancer, developmental challenges, and reproductive problems. Most commonly found in: non-organic food supply, non-organic farming regions, and non-organic landscaped areas that are well maintained. Although we are all at risk of experiencing health problems due to exposure to the household toxins listed above, particularly worrisome are the effects that these toxins may have on babies growing in their mothers' wombs. A study conducted in 2004 by the Environmental Working Group found that umbilical cord blood from 10 newborns contained chemicals used in consumer products, pesticides, and by-products from gasoline, garbage, and the burning of coal. On average, the blood from each newborn contained 200 industrial pollutants and chemicals. Of the 287 toxins that were found in the newborns' blood, 180 are known to cause cancer in humans or animals, 217 are known to be toxic to the brain and nervous system, and 208 are known to cause birth defects or abnormal development in animal tests. I think it's important not to become obsessed with living in a way that minimizes exposure to household and other toxins. I firmly believe that such an obsession can quite possibly become an emotional stressor that creates more of a negative impact on our health than toxins themselves. Still, within the context of living emotionally balanced lives, we can significantly lower our risk of developing many different types of chronic disease by doing our best to avoid the most common sources of the toxins listed in this article. A link to toxin levels found in pets higher than in humans http://medheadlines.com/2008/04/18/household-toxins-more-dangerous-to-pets-than-people/ The link to the hazards of flea products on pets and people http://www.nrdc.org/health/effects/pets/execsum.asp Next time you wash your floor or spray that freshner - think - there may be a healthier alternative, and if you choose our fundraising alternative, it could even be cheaper!

Kitties!!!!

2009-01-11T20:51:00.007-06:00

Our kittens are ready to go!!!! We need to clear space for the next batch and we need a break to regroup before spring TNR starts. We are mainly a TNR group, after all......

Our wonderful kitties all come spayed or neutered, with vaccinations & a microchip. They're flea and parasite free. They're all dog and cat friendly. They all purr with glee, play and cuddle - each has a wonderful, unique personality.

Alice & Archie 2 cutie patooties. Sweet, playful, affectionate. Both born in September in Berwyn, been here since about 7 weeks old. Dependent and independent. They love human affection and play but are comfortable playing and hanging together. Wonderful companions for you and for each other.

Pecko & Earline Grey

These babies came from the yard of a wonderful caregiver. A couple in their '80's feed a colony and have devoted their enclosed patio to their cats, who are free to go in and out but have canned and kibble 2x a day. We met them this summer when we TNR'd their colony - lovely people who take really good care of their 'yard cats'.

Both females, born in June, are wonderfully friendly. And, of course, very cuddly, affectionate and playful. Sisters, they're being adopted as a pair.

Then There's Vito!!!! Everybody that meets him falls in love with him. He is incredibly engaging. Absolutely gorgeous with a wonderful personality. Vito gets along great with other cats but he's primarily a 'people' cat. One of 3 that could be 'circus cats' they're so smart. (His brother, Hustus and sister, Margo, were recently adopted into a wonderful new home) Vito naturally gravitates to shoulders where he's learning to balance quite well during walking. He's looking for a home where he'll get to give and get a lot of love. Someplace where someones around about 75% of the time. He looks like a Maine Coon and feels like a Chinchilla.

To inquire about any of these kitties for adoption please comment and we'll get back to you. We're located in Maywood, IL, near Chicago.

TNR in the Winter

2009-01-01T19:01:00.003-06:00

We don't do TNR during the Winter Months unless it's for inside ferals or male cats. A term we'll define at another date but for now, I'll explain why we don't do winter TNR. It's a matter of choice, some groups do, we've chosen not to. When spaying a female, their bellies are shaved. We usually hold her for 2 days after surgery for aftercare then return her to her home territory. During winter months, those shaved bellies expose bare skin to snow and the elements, leaving the cat more susceptible to the cold and illness without their usual fur for insulation. It usually takes 2-3 months for the hair to return. Much as we want to avoid spring kittens, our concern for the welfare of the female takes precedence. If you do have yard cats that are in need of TNR, and are in our area (within about 10 miles of Maywood IL) email us at catvandotnr@yahoo.com, to make arrangements for when the weather permits - usually very early spring. If you're outside our area, just google TNR in your area or ask your local shelters for a reference.

Check Your Salt!

2009-01-01T18:52:00.003-06:00

Use Safe Salt rather than the usual type Sold under many brands, safe salt is salt that will melt the ice without drying up cats tender paws during the winter months. It's more expensive but you don't use as much. Regular salt harms the cats paws. They dry out, then crack and become infected and very painful! Bad enough that most people use the regular stuff but if you have yard cats, switch to the safe stuff. I get it at Walgreens for about $8. I've seen the same size at a local pet chain for $16

Cat Lover's Holiday Celebration

2008-12-15T06:50:00.012-06:00

We Had A Great Time!

First, our appreciation goes out to those wonderful people who donated the space, Skrine Chops at 7230 W. Madison in Forest Park donated their wonderful 2nd floor space (an excellent place to go for eats, a drink or to have a party). Stephanie Skrine who donated the incredibly delicious Skrine Chicken, mashed potatoes and pasta salad and one of the biggest gift baskets I've seen for our raffle (won by Sheila Ferarri). MaryRita Skrine donated a huge platter of some of the best chocolate chip cookies and fudge on the face of the earth. Sirius Cooks donated a great, much sought after, basket of all sorts of cat food, treats,toys and a reusable bag (won by Eric Tucker). Priscilla Kinzell donated a whole bag of things for our raffle, lots of great Christmas decorations, frames, candles, cat books and toys and more. Ellen Miles (me) donated a few pieces of her jewelry (won by Beverly Younger, Mike the Cat Man, and ????). Jeanne Friedell donated a great cat book and bag and a cat decoration and pin). Jeanne Friedell won one of Ellen's necklaces and a cute multi cat pin. Kim May, one of our wonderful animal caregiver volunteers won the 'Split the Pot'. (Kim has her own pet sitting service - we highly recommend her. Not only is she trustworthy, she's full of love when it comes to animals. Bella, our Belgian Shepard loves her so much her eyes sparkle and almost tear up when Kim arrives! - for info on hiring Kim, leave comment and we'll put your in touch) There was more but frankly, can't remember!

It was great to see people sharing photos and stories. We met some new folks that are involved in rescue and TNR and learned a few things ourselves. One woman who actually dowsed (usually associated with dowsing for water) for kittens in a large community garden!!! What a great idea. Terry, a newbe to our group who also does rescue brought a couple of wonderful albums of her rescue kittens and cats. I heard about, and sorry I missed, pictures of kitties in a Barbie Corvette - sort of like a right of passage photo before they get adopted.

Thank you to all of those who joined us in Celebration and Community and in support of CatVando. Your support, not just the wonderful financial support but your overall support of CatVando means a tremendous amount to us! Working together to help and support each other is what life is all about! The photos are some we took before the camera pooped out.

More Cuties Looking for a New Home!

2008-12-04T19:28:00.009-06:00

The Berwyn Three

Alice, Archie & Aidan

Archie is the one on top of Aidan. These two are going as a pair - they're more attached to each other than to their sister Alice, (but Alice would be happy to join them in their new home). Really sweet, about 9 weeks old. Aiden is very interactive, affectionate and playful, while Archie waits for us to go to him and purrs when he gets his lovin'. They're great to watch whether they're playing or cuddling together.

And this is Alice. A bit more reserved than her brothers but think she'll warm up as she finds her own. She purrs up a storm when cuddled and loves to play with feather toys and her siblings.

All of our kitties were born in the streets or in someones yard.

While our mission is TNR (Trap Neuter Return) to prevent kittens, sometimes we get TNA's (Trap Neuter Adopt) before their mamas are spayed. When we get young kitties, we also capture their mom to care for them until their ready to be weaned. Then mama returns to her home in her caretakers yard. Our kittens are all well socialized. They've been exposed to many wonderful volunteers, children and adults alike. They've also been exposed to dogs and most are comfortable with them. Our kittens are all healthy. We feed a good quality kitten food and supplement to assure a healthy beginning for a longer healthier life. Our adoption fee of $140 covers spayed or neutered, distemper and rabies shots, F/F testing, treatment for parasites and fleas, and a micro chip and may or may not have a slight ear tip (identifying them as a TNA). All our kittens are always welcome back for the duration of their life, and we're always available for questions about their health and wellbeing. To meet these cuties, email catvandotnr@yahoo.com. We're located in Maywood, IL

Shelter Photos

2008-11-30T21:12:00.012-06:00

One example of a feeding station. This is the bottom 1/2 of a large plastic dog carrier. There's a slab floor but dirt would be fine.

A styrofoam lined rubbermaid shelter with 2 doors. Duct tape is used here but Gorilla tape doesn't break down in the winter. Some suggest a silicone caulk but I'd be concerned about the toxic fumes.

Some put the styrofoam outside.

This doesn't show the straw bottom.

TIP. To encourage the cats entering the shelter, sprinkle a bit of catnip in the straw.

This is an example of a shelter with plastic overhang. Rolls of heavy duty plastic can be purchased at places like Home Depot, Menards, Lowe's, etc.

The opening is pulled back for photo. There's usually a small opening for entry.

This one is a styrofoam cooler (turned upside down - for more body room) lined with Reflectix. It got 7 layers and is easy to work with. It reflects 97% of radiant heat. It can be purchased at Menards (and other home stores) in rolls. 16'x25' for $1975 and 24' x 25' for $27. This caregiver made 4 coolers and one large rubbermade with a roll of Reflectix.

The townhouse version (behind a garage)

This is two examples of 1/2 a plastic dog carrier with straw insullation combined with styrofoam insullation on the top with tables in front with straw to provide a veranda for 'paw wiping'. The one on the left is covered with heavy duty plastic, the blue on the right is solar pool insullation (see link on Winter Care for Outside Cats for ordering info)

This is the beginning of a project of several houses for a colony of 16. There are about 7 shelters. It's under a back porch. When completed it will be covered for further protection. Pictures of completion to follow.

These are a few samples of shelters and feeding stations. We'd love to display yours - send us a digital photo and a bit about it to: catvandotnr@yahoo.com and put "shelter photo" in the subject line.

Winter Care for Outside Cats

2008-11-30T20:04:00.007-06:00

An Overview on Winter Care for Outside Cats

If you,feed street cats, or a cat or two in your yard, thank you. Without you, street cats, would suffer and starve. (If you haven't had them spayed or neutered - contact us and we'll help). If you don't feed but you know someone who does, please pass this on to them.

All cats need food, water and shelter, all year round. Winter is especially difficult. Shelter is almost more important than food. With rain and snow, their coats become wet and loose their insullating abilities. Their tender ears can get frostbite. Water bowls freeze and unless food is under a cover, it too can freeze. If you feed wet in addition to dry, there are steps that can be taken to keep it from freezing too. Here are a few simple steps that can be taken to help. In addition to these basic steps, there are links at the end of the article to resources and further instruction.

Food needs to be sheltered from the snow and rain. Make sure they are in a safe area, sheltered from any public harm. If you feed somewhere like a porch or natural shelter, great - if not, here are a few suggestions: 1) a bucket turned on it's side (rectangle litter buckets work well), 2) the top of a litter box, 3) a dog or cat carrier 1/2ed and inverted (link below) for visual), 4) a leanto against a garage, porch or house. 5) a beautifully construted platform with a shed roof. Anything that keeps the snow out when necessary. Water is very important during winter months. In addition to dehydrating, cats drink lots of water during the winter and with all their sources frozen, it needs to be provided, free from ice. Heated water bowls can be purchased at places like Walgreens, WalMart and PetCo, PetSmart & Pet Supplies Plus. They take little electricity and are necessary during freezing weather. Water bowls can be put into styrofoam coolers, with a whole for entry. There are also solar units available. See link below. Shelter can be provided a variety of ways. 1) A Rubbermaid box, enough for however many cats you have, lined with styrofoam insullation, with about a 10" layer of straw (not hay) for flooring. In addition to adding insullation and providing a 'nest', it doesn't hold water walked in on paws. Never use material, blankets or rugs, they get wet and stay wet. , 2) an Igloo can be purchased at a local pet store 3) inverted 1/2 dog houses with straw or styrfoam insullation (see photos on blog) 3) small insullated dog house. Or, 4) purchase one on line - google cat shelter (and watch for CatVando's feral shelters next year). Get creative! Shelters have been made like a lean to with plywood, insullation and straw with heavy duty plastic or a tarp covering the openings assuring an opening for entry and exit. See link below Face the opening away from the wind (don't face north) and cover the opening with plastic (gorilla tape and double overlapping plastic work well).

Reflectix is a foil insullation that's 7 layers thick yet easy to work with because it's thin. It provides 97% of radiant heat. It can be purchased at Menards and other home care stores. Don't put fiber on the bottom of the shelter. It gets wet and retains the moisture. The best flooring is straw (not hay). It provides comfort and insullation. If possible, put straw outside the shelter with an overhang. When things get wet, the cats carry snow and wet into their bedding, the overhang and straw provide a place to wipe their paws. See picture on blog.

SEE "SHELTER PHOTOS" BLOG FOR PICTURES

And, of course, all cats should be spayed or neutered, and vaccinated. CatVando NFP Corp is a grassroots organization of animal lovers joined together to help care for, control and reduce the population of street cats in our communities. We work with individuals, communities and municipalities to teach, assist, perform, and coordinate TNR (Trap Neuter Return) efforts while teaching the basics of colony management care. TNR is the most effect humane method of feral cat control. We believe that cats provide a vehicle to teach respect for life and work with local youth groups on various life enriching programs. If you have cats and need assistance with trapping for spay and neutering, or have questions about outside cat care, give us a call or an email and we'll explain how it works. Kitties are born as early as February, then those kitties can have litters by the following fall.

http://www.urbancatleague.org/Shelters.html - Shelters and solar housing ideas http://www.animalalliancenyc.org/nycfci/CatShelter.pdf - skematic on to build a basic shelter

http://www.neighborhoodcats.org/info/preventing.htm keep water from freezing

Margo's Ready for Adoption!

2008-11-29T17:56:00.010-06:00

ADOPTED!!!!!

Margo of Elmwood Park is Ready for Her New Home!

Margo is a hoot! She looks like a meanie in this photo but she's far from it. Great personality and loves belly rubs. She can often be found lounging on her back with her belly up, seems to be most comfortable that way. She's a sturdy cat, muscular but rolly polly and really comfy to hold. She use to be all black, with long hair. A while back she developed an almost irridescent silver ring around her lower neck that extended 3/4 of the way down her front legs, her belly went slightly silver and the underside of her tail. Now she seems to be loosing a lot of that coloring, watching her changes is amazing. She looks like a bruser but she's not, she's sweet and loves to be loved.

General Description for all cats up for adoption. All of our kitties were born in the streets or in someones yard. While our mission is TNR (Trap Neuter Return) to prevent kittens, sometimes we get TNA's (Trap Neuter Adopt) before their mamas are spayed. When we get young kitties, we also capture their mom to care for them until their ready to be weaned. Then mama returns to her home in her caretakers yard. Our kittens are all well socialized. They've been exposed to many wonderful volunteers, children and adults alike. Many have also been exposed to dogs and most are comfortable with them. Our kittens are all healthy. We feed a good quality kitten food and supplement to assure a healthy beginning for a longer healthier life. Our adoption fee of $140 covers spayed or neutered, distemper and rabies shots, F/F testing, treatment for parasites and fleas, and a micro chip and may or may not have a slight ear tip (identifying them as a TNA). All our kittens are always welcome back for the duration of their life, and we're always available for questions about their health and wellbeing.

For information on adopting Margo, write catvandotnr@yahoo.com

Vito's Ready for Adoption!

2008-11-27T13:46:00.009-06:00

The incredible Vito is ready for his new home.

Vito is without a doubt, the most popular cat we've had this year. Always adorable, very engaging, wonderful temperment, loudest 'purr-er' of the bunch and incredibly cute. He looks like a Maine Coon mix with fur that feels like a Chinchilla. He's very interactive, playful and affectionate and a great lap cat who will keep you company while sitting at the computer, reading a book, or watching tv. With his sweet little paws, he'll occasionally climb your chest and gently tap your cheeks with his paw while looking you sweetly in your eyes. He could easily be trained to ride on your shoulders.

General Description for all cats up for adoption All of our kitties were born in the streets or in someones yard. While our mission is TNR (Trap Neuter Return) to prevent kittens, sometimes we get TNA's (Trap Neuter Adopt) before their mamas are spayed. When we get young kitties, we also capture their mom to care for them until their ready to be weaned. Then mama returns to her home in her caretakers yard. Our kittens are all well socialized. They've been exposed to many wonderful volunteers, children and adults alike. They've also been exposed to dogs and most are comfortable with them. Our kittens are all healthy. We feed a good quality kitten food and supplement to assure a healthy beginning for a longer healthier life. Our adoption fee of $140 covers spayed or neutered, distemper and rabies shots, F/F testing, treatment for parasites and fleas, and a micro chip and may or may not have a slight ear tip (identifying them as a TNA). All our kittens are always welcome back for the duration of their life, and we're always available for questions about their health and wellbeing. To meet Vito, email catvandotnr@yahoo.com. We're located in Maywood, IL