Sunday, September 25, 2011

Funky Rockin' Blues Catzzzzzzzzz

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.

Tuesday, September 13, 2011

Monet

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.

Sunday, September 11, 2011

Melaleuca Testimonials

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

Friday, September 9, 2011

Frankie

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.