I Wish Every Cat Had a Life Like Bob

I was planning on writing about my little Truman being adopted last night. Instead, I'm finding myself writing about the loss of my sweet boy, "Bob".

As I wrote in my last post, Bob was hospitalized yesterday and he never really fully recovered. We received a call from the vet tech this morning that Bob was failing - and failing fast.

When we got to the vets he was mouth breathing and had blood coming from his nose because of his blood pressure being so high.

He died peacefully in our arms.

I wish every cat were as loved as Bob.
I wish every cat could die in the arms of someone wanting to save his life.
I wish every cat had a family willing to spend the money to make him well.
I wish every cat had someone that was sad when he died.
I wish every cat a life like Bob had.

Bob was rescued from an animal shelter. As you can see from his picture, he wan't anything special or a special breed. He pee'd on my floor and when he was mad, he'd poop in our closet.

I wish everybody had a chance to love a cat like Bob....

This and That

I can't believe it's been 3 days since I last posted. David's daughter and her two little boys have been here all week visiting from Portland. The boys are little hellions as 8 and 5 year old little boys can be. They make me tired, and I'm grateful to be a pseudo-grandma and not a parent of little guys. One of them pee'd in my front yard. Seriously.

I've managed to do quite a few rescues this week despite the onslaught of out of town guests. Some have gone to permanent homes right away. What an awesome feeling to play "Stork" and deliver someone their new cat. I'm always in awe of the people that put their trust in me to pick out a cat for them that they've never seen before. In turn, I've met some pretty awesome people.

My own cat "Bob" is pretty sick and had to be hospitalized today. He's my old guy with kidney failure. The bill starts at $1300.00. I sheepishly told David about the cost and he said, "But it's for Bob!!!"

I love that man!!

Here are some of the latest before and after pictures of our recent rescues. No matter how badly I feel - all I have to do is look at these pictures to know that we DO make a difference.

This is Noah. He was separted from his brother Nelson at the shelter. (Pictures to follow these) When they were reunited, they immediately started grooming each other. It's like the fucking Holocaust for these cats. They lose everything in their lives - their home and their family.

This is Nelson. Thank you Tiffany who works at the shelter for bringing these boys around to be loving cats. They were so frightened, and Tiffany sat with them and reassured them. You should be very proud to see these pictures, Tiff :)

Don't worry Nelson and Noah - you'll never be apart again. Thank you to Cindy who came forward and saved these two sweet brothers.

So that's it for now. We have some wonderful rescues coming up in the next day or two and I'm very excited to get these cats out. One little guy has a particularly sad story to tell.

He's going to have a happy ending....despite it all.

The Cat Taxi

There's always a volunteer job that nobody really wants to do. It's either too much trouble or boring. Unfortunately, it's THAT particular job that ends up being of key importance. In cat rescue, that job is that of "The Driver".

The driver is a rather unglamorous volunteer job. He or she is the person that fills up their gas tank in their car, loads up on Tim Horton's coffee and picks up cats, delivers them to the vets, foster homes, and to adopters.

I was inspired to write about this today, because I did so much driving with cats yesterday. I was in the car for 4 hours and had an assortment of different cats in the car at different times. When I finally drove into my garage, I pulled out 4 empty Tim Horton's coffee cups, an empty box of Tim Bits, crumbled up napkins with cat barf and spilled coffee in them, empty cat carriers, an empty tank of gas, and a very weary stiff driver.

If people only knew how incredibly important "The Driver" is in cat rescue! You can go to any cat rescue website and you'll see the rescue begging for drivers. For example: There are many volunteers that don't have a car or don't drive but still really want to help. So we place cats with these lovely people and if the cat becomes ill, we need a driver to bring the cat to the vets. VERY important job, right? Right! VERY unglamorous job, right? Hell yes!

David can always tell when I've spent a day on the road. There's always a splotch of coffee down the front of my sweater, and I don't feel like cooking dinner. I realize I'm not doing much to inspire people for The Driver job in this post. You have to really want to step up and help in order to be The Driver. You have to be the person that says, "OK, I can't foster right now in my life, but dammit...I have a car....THIS I CAN DO!"

Make a cat rescue's day. Call them. Tell them you want to be a driver. Then fill up your gas tank, map out all the coffee stops, places to stop and pee, put an apple in your glove box, along with a few CD's and few napkins in case a cat barfs. Then GO!

Look at yourself in the rearview mirror and realize that you did something unglamorous, unselfish and VERY wonderful today.

Saturday Afternoon Cuteness

I realize that I often post about urgent matters at the shelter. But today was a lazy Saturday that involved nothing more than going to Cora's for lunch, doing a kitten midwife phone consult for a Mom cat in labour, and coming home to find my 3 foster cats looking insanely cute.

"Steve" has decided he really likes this cat house and gives any cat that comes near him a little swipe. He's such a doll.

Many people ask me how my foster cats adapt to my house. "Buckley" is a good example of an "instant pet". You'd never know that he was in a cage on death row yesterday by looking at this picture. He's the same age as "Steve" and twice as big....gotta love those Maine Coon boys!

I know this sounds horribly selfish, but I feel really sad that Truman is now healthy enough to go back on the rescue website. He had a terrible cold and we took him off the site so that he wouldn't receive adoption calls. He's well now and as ornery as ever. He found a fake sheepskin rug in my bedroom on the window seat and claimed it as his own.

So that's it! My Saturday afternoon. I'm going to round up a few cats and take a nice nap before heading out for dinner.

I'm not sure why I bothered to get dressed today :)

Worthy

Today is a rescue day and a euthanasia day. Talk about "bittersweet"! I've been so busy lately with rescue that I haven't had time to write anything here. I don't even know where to begin!

I have another new foster guy named "Buckley".

I'm guessing I'll only have him a short while. He's 5 months old of Maine Coon sweetness! He flops around like ragdoll. I love him. ;)

There was no doubt in my mind when I first saw Buckley that he was very adoptable and coming home with me.

But what about the cats that aren't so pretty?

This is Rocco. He's a beat up old Tom cat that was probably taken to the shelter because he was spraying all over somebody's house. His head is so big from testosterone that he can hardly open his eyes. It's really cute, because this gigantic macho cat has a baby meow. I laughed out loud when I first heard this tiny little voice coming from this HUGE cat!

It's hard to believe, but an amazing couple has stepped forward to rescue and foster Rocco. I still can't believe it. They want Rocco to have a chance in life - a chance that nobody else would give him.

Don't they ALL deserve a chance?? Who am I to say that Buckley is more worthy of a wonderful life than Rocco?

There will be a zillion phone calls from people wanting to rescue Cupid the Himalayan:

But what about this guy that the shelter named "Boon"?
Doesn't Boon deserve a chance at a beautiful life? There are so many at the shelter like Boon - dirty, unneutered and unloved.

I'm glad we're rescuing Rocco today. The couple that stepped up to the plate are BEYOND excited about helping this big, stinky guy. I'm going to have fun watching Rocco blossom in their care. These people don't care that Rocco has had a rough life - they're looking forward to his new life.

Bless their hearts.

Good News/Bad News Rescue Day

It was one of those "Good news/Bad news" rescue days. We managed to get quite a few wonderful, sweet cats out of the shelter today. We had a list to insure we wouldn't forget a single soul. It's sad to think that 16 cats were euthanized this morning before we arrived. It was even sadder to realize that one of the cats on our list for rescue was on the wrong list - and sadly died because no one wanted her.

We wanted her. We just didn't speak up fast enough. That hurts a lot.

I rescued a very cute little black cat named Annalie. Most of the time, when I open a cage to take a cat out, they're usually pretty receptive. Not Annalie. Annalie hunkered in her cage in fear. When I shut the cage door, she moved forward and rubbed against the bars. Suddenly it occurred to me what she had witnessed just a few hours ago. How was she supposed to know I wasn't the veterianian employed to end her life?

When I brought Annalie to her delighted foster Mom, I was prepared for the possibility that Annalie might be too frightened to enjoy the welcoming party. Not so! Annalie bounded out of the crate as if to say, "Nice digs!" and was immediately at home. She climbed into her foster Mom's lap for a moment and gave her "the glance" - you know "the glance" - the one where the cat looks up at you adoringly for a moment of gratitude. Ahhh...I love rescuing black cats.

I rescued a very cute little guy that caught my eye at the shelter. I hadn't really thought about fostering someone for myself, because Truman is still sneezing a little. But I couldn't leave this guy behind: This is "Steve"! Don't e-mail me and say, "Beth! We knew you had a thing for tabbies!" It's TRUE.. I love tabbies..but I love all cats, and if this guy had been orange, black or purple, I would've still rescued him! He was climbing his cage bars and meowing so pitifully. I just couldn't walk away from him.

I feel a little selfish, because I had to drop another cat off at the vets for neuter, and I dropped off Steve for his little "snipper" at the same time. At least it's done and he's now home with me. I can hear him meowing upstairs and the gang is poised outside the door listening to him.

Welcome to my house Steve!! We'll find you a wonderful home where you're loved, respected, adored and cared for the rest of your life. You'll never be a discarded cat again.

Beth's House: Minus 2

It's really an awesome thing when a bad story turns into something wonderful. If you read my blog regularly, you might remember my BAD BOY TRUMAN post where a really wonderful couple came to meet my foster cat "Truman" and he behaved like a wild boy. While Truman was quickly ruining any possibility for adoption, the couple was falling in love with "Ike". Ike did everything he could to insure that they would adopt him. But the couple wanted to think about it and left without a cat.

Last week they called me and said that they were definitely going to adopt Ike! Hurray! What I didn't expect is that when they came to pick up Ike, they would fall in love with JFK too! JFK climbed into their laps and really put on quite a show. Seriously...I couldn't have planned it better if I had tried. JFK looked up at them adoringly. He was ready to go to his new home and would not be left behind.

My heart is hurting a little bit tonight. It's hard to say goodbye to two of my foster cats. Oddly enough a friend of mine in rescue told me her two foster kittens were adopted tonight too.
She's in good company with feeling a little lost :)
Of course, I've picked up the phone several times since they left. I wanted to call them and ask if the boys were OK.

This is the goodnews/bad news about rescue.
The good news: Two amazing kittens found ONE amazing home. This is what rescue is about! This is why I put my heart on the line.
The bad news: My heart hurts tonight and I miss my little guys

Tonight there are two less cats in my house and two more cats that have found a forever home.

I wouldn't change a thing.

Visual Testimony

It's been a busy week and an exciting one at that! I've had some frustrating moments but all in all we've managed to have some wonderful moments in rescue. It's nice to get back to busy days, but I'm missing the time to myself too.

I thought this would be a good time to post some before and after pictures from today:

This is Abbi. I don't know why she was dumped at the shelter. But she's a VERY sweet girl and I rescued her today. Thank you Samantha for saving her life!

This is Abby at "Chez Turner". (Aka: The Guest bathroom) She looks a little cranky in this picture, but let me tell you she wasn't! I think she has a relieved look on her face.

Isn't this a sad little face? This is Rosie. She was supposed to go to a foster home today, but the lady that offered reneged at the last second. In fact - she changed her mind within minutes of me arriving at her door. I wish people would understand what we go through to find loving foster homes for each cat.

Needless to say, Rosie is in my guest washroom (shackin' with Abbi). Doesn't she have a sweet face? This was taken just a few minutes after rescue. I can't keep another foster cat, so I'm hoping and praying somebody comes forward to help me. HELP!Tiny Agatha was only 5 lbs when she arrived at the shelter. The staff thought she might have a brain trauma and have limited vision. A wonderful young woman stepped up to the plate and adopted Agatha directly from the shelter! She sent me the following picture of Agatha just a few hours after Agatha arrived in her new home:

I promise! This is the same little Agatha!

I wish people knew the impact they made on their pets when they abandoned them at the shelter. I've seen sad poems and horrific videos - but I think the biggest testimony to this fact is "The Before and After Picture".

Look what love can do! Thank you so much for the wonderful new foster homes that stepped forward, opened their homes and hearts and saved the lives of these wonderful cats today.

"JFK"

"JFK" came to me when I was in my American Presidential Inauguration mode of thinking. I named 3 cats to honour presidents: "Truman", "Ike" and "JFK".

JFK definitely doesn't look like Truman or Ike. He's really different looking and my teenage sons have decided to bug me and call him "JFGay". Anybody that reads my blog knows that my kids love our foster cats. I think they were thrilled that I reacted the way I did when they called him "JFGay" as I playfully chased my big sons through the house. The next kid that calls my sweet little long-faced tabby guy "JFGay" is really going to get it!!

Ahem.

He's a VERY sweet boy and I'm hoping and praying I can get him adopted with either Truman or Ike. He's very gentle and loves to snuggle with me.

I don't know what it is about JFK, but my sons have decided that he isn't as cute as Ike and Truman and they think it's funny to not include him on things! Even Ike and Truman seem to be leaving him out too! *Sob*

Here's my oldest son with Ike and Truman. They're all snuggling and watching t.v. while my little sweet JFK is probably feeling left out somewhere!

I have no idea why I'm posting this in my blog tonight. Ike is going to the vets to be neutered tomorrow. Maybe JFK and Truman can bond a little.

Tomorrow is also a rescue day! Lots of wonderful new foster homes have stepped forward to help and take in a cat in need.

Maybe I need to find a buddy for JFGa...err...JFK.

New Faces

I don't know why I was stressing Sunday night about the rescue yesterday. It had been a while since I coordinated a rescue with more than just a few cats. I think it was stressful because ALL of the foster parents were loving, wonderful folks that had never fostered before. They were anticipating their new houseguest, purchased supplies and were ready to provide copious amounts of love.

They weren't disappointed.

Brutus is a big, sweet lug of a tom cat. He's safe and at the vets now being neutered. I get to take him to his new foster home today. They're going to love him! Look in his eyes - I bet Brutus has some stories to tell. (Probably lots of porn)

Meisha was rescued and taken to her new foster home yesterday too! She's such a little lady - hard to believe somebody loved her at some point in her life. But she was already spayed and declawed. Since I didn't do the delivery, I called the new foster Mom last night to see how she's doing. She tells me, "She's asleep sprawled out on the couch - it's like she's lived here forever." Bless her little heart. :)

Scarlett came into the shelter with a HUGE gash in the back of her leg. (Thus the cone on her head) If Scarlett had come into the shelter in the summer, they probably would've euthanized her because of overcrowding. Fortunately, they treated this sweet redhead and she's now safe and at the vets being spayed. She goes to her new foster home today! Yay!

I rescued and drove a sweet little black and white Jeorgia into Toronto yesterday and her new foster parents were so excited to see her. (Lordie, I love playing "Stork"!) At the shelter, I had waffled about which cat to give this couple. They have a busy JRT/Beagle mix and I wanted to be sure it was a good fit. Oddly enough, when I called them on my way back from the shelter to tell them that I had rescued "Jeorgia", they gasped and said, "Our dog's name is Georgia too!"
As many of you know - I don't believe in coincidence. :)

I rescued 2 more but don't have their picture -A sweet older grey girl and a big fluffy orange tom cat. It was a good day and I couldn't have pulled it off without the help I received from Kathleen. It was so nice to share the glory of the day with somebody like Kathleen.

I'm doing some more cat-deliveries to excited foster parents today, then back to the shelter tomorrow. I'm watching the kilometers on my car scrolling by and my gas tank depleting and I could care less. Introducing these 6 new families to fostering has been such a gift for me.

It never ceases to amaze me how one little discarded cat can make so many people feel happy.

Bad Boy Truman!

A very nice couple came out today to meet my little "Truman" with hope of adopting him. I go to great lengths to insure that my home and foster cats are "adopter ready" when people arrive. I usually play with the kittens before adopters arrive until they are worn out into a pile of mushy sweetness. My house smells like lavender, the litterboxes are clean and the adoption agreements, and health records are out and ready on the counter.

Sound good, right?

Despite my best efforts things don't always go as planned. David and I had been at the grocery store and were expecting the couple at 3 pm. We had just gotten home at 2:30 and the phone was ringing.

"We're early...is that ok?"

"Of course, it's ok!" as I'm running for the Febreeze and pooper scooper. They arrived 3 minutes later.

Truman was looking like a little angel and sprawled out on my kitchen counter when they arrived. (Where else would he be?) Unfortunately, I didn't have time to wear the little booger out before they got to the house. Truman was a mega BAD BOY! They lovingly started to pet him and he quickly wrapped his legs around their arms and started gnawing on their hands like a chicken bone. His tail was swishing and he was kicking with all of his might with his hind legs. He looked like he was growing horns on top of his head. I was beginning to feel panicked.

The whole time this is happening, I'm making sweet, soothing sounds and saying, "Oh my! Bad boy, Truman! Be sweet Truman! He's NEVER like this...." yada yada yada. I don't think they were buying it.

Ike however, climbed into her arms and snuggled happily. She loved him. Then he sneezed bloody snot all over her face and neck. Great. Just Great. Nothing wrecks the mood than having to bring out a wet washcloth for a potential adopter to wash blood from their neck. I had to whip out Neosporin and Band-Aids for Truman's little "love bites".

Just like with children, these things can be unpredictable. The couple left without any cats but were extremely gracious and kind. They must've known I was embarrassed.

Truman and I need to have a little talk about next time.... :)

Whoop-de-dooo!

I love this time of year. Not because the weather is nice, but because adoptions are booming and folks seem inclined to want to adopt or foster. Problems seem like good problems for this very short period of time. We actually had two people wanting to rescue the same cat! Boooya! Unfortunately, there are many, many more at the shelter that need help, so it was merely a coincidence. But even with a GOOD coincidence - I'll take it!

I wish my house would support a female foster cat. My alpha boy "Wilbur" just will not stand for a female in the house - damn him. I fell in love with a butterball cat named "Ponderosa" at the shelter when I was there yesterday.

Now who couldn't fall in love with that face? She's 20 lbs of sweetness - spayed and declawed. She's too big to fit in the regular cat cages, so she's stuck in one of the dog kennels. Ponderosa was brought into the shelter as a stray - which we all know is bullshit. People often don't want to pay the surrender fee and just say "I found a cat." Kim let Ponderosa out of her kennel yesterday and you should've seen her strut her stuff! This rolly-polly girl was QUICK! She was so happy to be out and loved it when I picked her up. I must've kissed her a hundred times. I hope somebody comes forward for her.

The next "euthanasia day" is Tuesday next week. I'm anxious to get a few more cats out on Monday. I'm so grateful for the extra help I've been receiving, and have really been blessed to have met some amazing people who have stepped up to the plate and have said, "How can I help the cats?"

Keep my phone ringing and I'll keep my gas tank full.

A Proud Day to Be in Rescue

I'm just getting back from the shelter after a rocky start to my morning. I'm sitting in my windowless basement this morning answering e-mails etc, when all the lights go off! It's pitch black and I can hear the dog barking on the otherside of the door. I grab my coffee mug and I'm ready to pour scalding coffee on the intruder. I run face first into a pole - I panic and throw my coffee into the air and it hits the couch and far wall. *sigh* Of course, the lights come on shortly afterwards. On the way to the shelter, I choke on a piece of apple and have to pull over on the highway. I poise my finger on the 9 button to start dialing 911, but the apple comes flying out.
I'm still gasping with tears and mascara pouring down my face but I get back on the highway...

I'm a trooper...despite the morning delays, I make it to the shelter on time. I'm so excited for this rescue. One sweet girl named Agatha is going to her forever home tonight. She has a wonderful adopter who has 2 other calicos. Talk about a house full of prima donnas!

Agatha probably weighs all of 5 lbs. She had some sort of head trauma and is probably blind. She's adorable and she's sweet, sweet, sweet. I'm thrilled she's going to a wonderful home!

I also rescued a very handsome boy named Isaac:

Isaac is going to a foster home with two other male cats his age. I bet they'll all have a ball. His foster Mom is new with fostering - it's so nice to hear the excitement in someone's voice! It helps me remember what it was like when I first started. Look at that white tip on Isaac's tail!

The only thing that makes me happier than rescuing a senior cat, is rescuing a black cat.

This is Denzel. :) He's about 4-5 years old and hasn't stopped purring since he arrived in my home. He and Isaac are hanging out together until it's time to go to their foster home. Denzel is going to a home with 5 other cats. His new foster Dad asked for a "big, sweet black cat" - Well Ian, Denzel is your man!

I'm very excited to drive into Toronto tonight and play stork. I've desperately tried to forget that tomorrow is a euthanasia day at the shelter and many will die that I left behind today. But I've made a difference in the lives of Agatha, Isaac and Denzel. (My friend in rescue took Agatha home with her (along with HER favourite: Aeden) and is keeping her until her new Mommy can pick her up. )

I want to give a very special "Thank you" to Brenda who is making it possible to get so many cats out of the shelter with her inspiring posts on Craigslist. It's a day to be proud to be in rescue.

The Forgotten Child

Most people associate me with cats. I love cats. But I'm also an "animal person". Nothing bugs me more than someone saying, "I'm a dog person" or "I'm a cat person". Why can't you love ALL animals?

I'm using my blog today to introduce my forgotten little girl - "Maggie". Maggie is my baby. She's 10 years old and puts up with more crap than any dog should ever put up with. Her nose has been bloodied by frightened foster cats and she often takes a back seat to the many cats in the house.

When Maggie was a puppy, she could've given "Marley" a run for his money. She was the rowdiest puppy I had ever seen. I took her to obedience school, but the instructor told me "don't bother..." after the first class. I loved her anyway.

As the tan fur around Maggie's "beak" slowly turns white, it reminds me that I need to spend more time cherishing this sweet dog. She doesn't ask for much anymore - a ride in the car on the way to Starbucks, a walk on a beautiful day, and the milk from my cereal bowl.

Maggie will growl and bark wildly at squirrels and other dogs. If David pretends like he's hurting me, she will raise her lip ferociously. She's my little protector and when she was younger would wait patiently by the front door and wait for my daughter to come home from dates.

Maggie isn't a purebred anything. She's simply sweet and the most expressive dog I've ever seen. When her 14 year old partner dog "Riley" passed away from cancer a few years ago, Maggie stood vigil by the front door and waited for him.

So when folks tell me, "I'm not a dog person" - I want them to meet my Maggie. I love you, ya goofy girl :)

A Tabby Infestation

I don't know what I was thinking. Usually, I act pretty tough when I go to the shelter. But something happened to me today between rescuing a little-old-lady cat and helping a sweet ol' Tom cat go home with his new family that must've made me put down the wall.


This is "JFK". He's the latest Turner foster and a 6 month old hellion. I now have THREE adolescent males and it's wild in here. (Thank God they're all going to be neutered tomorrow. )I took JFK out of his cage at the shelter and was just going to let him run around a little bit, but he wouldn't leave my side. He would rather be with me than exercise. I couldn't leave him there. I just couldn't.

Because he's the FIFTH tabby in the house right now, I'm figuring David won't even notice a new guy. I was right. JFK jumped up on the kitchen table during dinner and David called him "Truman".

I think even Ozzy is confused about this guy:

Seriously...it's not that I have a "thing" for tabbies. I love ALL cats. It's just that this guy happened to be a tabby and he was SOOOOO sweet. *sigh* JFK has an exotic look. Ok. He's a bit ooogly. (aka: "ugly") His face is a little too long and his ears are a little too big.

Don't send me any hate e-mail. I said that about my kids when they first arrived too.

Just Another Sunday

"Ike" is officially out and about with the rest of the Turner crew. He was supposed to come out of quarantine a few days ago, but he was sneezing snot all over the place. (Sorry for the graphic description) Ike is still sneezing a little bit, but he's was DYING to be out with the family.

Ike and Truman (hahahha...I love saying those names together) were buddies immediately. They played and played like a couple of 5 year olds on the playground. Seriously, it was like they knew each other already.

Oddly enough, none of the other cats hissed at Ike! Usually, somebody gets their nose out of joint when there's a new foster cat. But Ike was an immediate success in the house.

Much to my surprise, Ike climbed up into David's lap this morning and helped him with the Sunday Crossword puzzle. My two handsome geeks with their crossword! I can feel my heart going pitter-pat already!

Little Truman has figured out how to get on the kitchen counter today too. I never know what to do in these circumstances....I mean, I'm supposed to be making Truman a wonderful cat for somebody else, and many people don't like their cats on the counter. But instead, I find myself making kissy noises and saying, "What a big boy, Truman!!" *sigh* I'm hopeless.

Tomorrow is a rescue day. I'm grateful to be meeting a very nice sounding man who is interested in adopting Nyles. He said there was "something about Nyles' picture". He's not the first person to fall in love with a cat via a picture.

It happens to me every day.