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Tuesday, April 30, 2013

Woefully behind

I'm woefully behind on posting and reading the blogs I follow.  Martha has been posting adoption events and other updates on our blog, but I miss doing it. Work (the paying job) has been crazy lately with very long hours (16+ hour days).  Add running the rescue and fostering onto that and I'm not even sure I know what sleep is anymore.

It's been a rough few weeks.  We pulled a mama cat with three babies from the shelter and after a weeks, one kitten starting losing weight and doing very poorly.  We lost him (Tiny Tabby - they weren't named yet) quickly but unfortunately were not able to get necropsy results because for the first time ever, the body got lost at the lab.  His sister, Tiny Tortiebella, hung on and then started to get sick a week later.  Lots of vet visits and 2-hour supplemental feedings but she didn't get better.  A couple of weeks ago around 3AM, she was put to sleep at the emergency vet - it was the only humane thing to do per the vet.  The necropsy came back and she had pneumonia and cerebeller hypoplasia due to panleuk in utero.

The last kitten was doing great - so much so that I finally named him and his mom (Athena and Zeus).  He was playing, eating, not quite using the litterbox but he was using a puppy pad, and he was gaining weight every day.  At 5 weeks old, he was small for his age but he was doing great and I was feeding him "kitten miracle grow" (AD canned food from the vet).  Unfortunately Saturday evening, I noticed that he was listless and rushed him to the emergency vet.  Only a few hours earlier, he had been playing, but his temperature plummeted, his gums were white and again, humane euthanasia was the only thing to do for him. I know panleuk usually wipes out the entire litter but he did great for two weeks after his last sibling passed.  Every fiber of my being thought he would make it.  My heart is broken.

Pasta Kitties
The other mama and litter we pulled a few weeks after the first mama and babies are doing well, except one kitten.  These are the pasta kitties (mama is Penne Lisce and kittens are Ravioli, Fettuccine, Rotini, Tortellini, and Macaroni).  Mama started rejecting Macaroni almost two weeks ago and he lost weight so we rushed to the vet.  Other than the weight loss, he seems to be fine.  He's been moved from his mom and has been receiving supplemental feedings (at first every 2 hours since he was tiny and now about every 4 hours).  So thankful that I can work from home, but when I did have to go into the office, the local vet/emergency vet will do hospitalization boarding where they'll feed and care for him for 24 hours and it doesn't cost an arm and a leg.  I had so many things going on this weekend that he went to another foster over the weekend and he's eating on his own some but still needs supplemental feedings.  He's coming back to me tonight.  Love this little  man.


Butterbean and the Pepper Kitties
Butterbean was a bottle feeder that a local vet asked us to take.  She was so tiny (2 days old maybe) and she got upper respiratory and was started on meds per the vet but it got worse.  She spent a good part of one day last week our local vet and then went home but turned agonal and passed away on her way to the emergency vet.  Full necrospy results aren't back yet.

The pepper kitties (Jalapeno, Serrano, Pablano, and Sweet Bell) were taken in by us when they were a little less than a week old.  Someone took them to a local dog groomer/boarding facility and said if they didn't take the kittens, he would throw them in the lake.  They called us, we took them. Jalapeno spent some time at the emergency vet a week ago last Saturday because he hadn't had any output in several days but was able to go home and was doing well. The kittens started getting sick and went to the vet.  They were started on Clavamox but got worse.  The foster mom spent countless hours suctioning their noses in between feedings, etc.  Back to the vet and Doxycycline was prescribed. But they didn't get better.  Saturday evening Pablano was rushed to the emergency vet but the outlook was not good,  He was humanely euthanized.  Sunday morning Serrano was rushed to the emergency vet and spent 24 hours in kitty intensive care in an oxygen tent, receiving nebulizing treatments, etc. She was doing a little better, but the vet called yesterday morning and she had crashed.  We are still awaiting the necropsy results from the two pepper kitties.  Panleuk is suspected by the vets, which may mean it's a really bad year for it this year.  The pepper kittens and the kittens that I fostered and lost have nothing in common.  They did not come from the same place, they've never been to the same foster home or even transported in the same car or any possible connection.

Sweet Bell and Jalapeno are currently at the emergency vet.  They are still on Doxy and the vet has added Clavamox back in.  They are in a vaporized cage and have been nebulized regularly.  There is some improvement and fortunately, they are both eating really well now.

Sweet Bell and Jalapeno need your purrs and prayers please.  It's hard to lose kittens, but especially hard for this foster mom as it's her first time losing kittens.

We've lost six kittens already this year.  We typically lose about eight each year (which is low based on the number of kittens/cats we rescue each year and so many of them are in such poor health when we take them in).   I really hope this year gets better.

Happy Adoption follow up!

Penny Loafer got adopted weekend before last and here's a happy adoption photo of her with her new mom! Everyone is doing well and the look on Penny Loafer's face seems to say "I spent so long waiting for the right person, I can't believe I got adopted by someone so great!"
It's so rewarding when someone falls in love with one of our adult cats because so many people want to adopt only kittens.

Monday, April 29, 2013

Squee!

We've got an official account on the Cheezburger family of websites, and if you also do, you can friend us to make sure you never miss a kitten picture or one of our adorable cats starring in a volunteer made LOL. You can even make your own LOLs out of our pictures



Here's our very own teeny tiny Tortellini with her first jingly ball toy.



Ooh, here's an idea! Why don't you go vote for the adorableness so maybe our super cute kitties will get on the Daily Squee homepage to be shared with millions of people?

Adoption Update 4/29/13

Yay for Kimba and Katydid getting new forever home this weekend!
 Katydid with her new mom!



I haven't got a picture of Kimba with his new family, but you can rest assured they are very fond of him. 
Thanks to everyone who came out and especially our adopters.

On a slightly less cheerful note, Jake and Bootstrap Bill didn't work out at their new home. The cats already there weren't treating them well and the family made the hard decision to give them up so they can find a more perfect fit. They'll be at PetSmart Knightdale this weekend if you missed them and want a second chance


Saturday, April 27, 2013

Weekend adoption Events: Knightdale

The kitties and our awesome volunteers will be at PetSmart Knightdale this weekend for you to adopt a new feline companion.


Saturday, April 20, 2013

Weekend update - April 20th

There will be two adoption event locations this weekend for you to choose from. 




PetSmart Knightdale
220 Hinton Oaks Blvd.
Knightdale, NC


Saturday, April 20th
1:00 PM to 4:00 PM 
Sunday, April 21st
1:00 PM to 4:00 PM








   
PetSmart Morrisville
3101 Market Center Drive (corner of Chapel Hill Rd/Hwy 54 and Cary Pkwy)
Morrisville, NC
 
Saturday, April 20th
Sunday, April 21st
1:00 PM to 4:00 PM



  


Adoption fees start at $100 per cat, $160 for a pair or $50 for adult members of our Lonely Hearts Club, and include
  Wellness check
  Spay or neuter surgery (Alley Cats and Angels has a 100% pre-adoption spay/neuter policy)
  FeLV/FIV/Heartworm combo test
  FVRCP+FeLV initial vaccination and booster
  Rabies vaccination
  Treated for intestinal parasites, fleas, and ear mites
  Microchipping (Alley Cats and Angels uses veterinarian recommended Home Again microchips and shelter paid enrollment in the Home Again recovery database)
*Bowden is one of our "Showcase" cats whose slightly premium adoption fee helps offset the deficit in our medical fund and apply additional funds to the cats and kittens that need it most.
Adopter must bring or purchase a carrier in which to take home adopted cat.  All cats must be transported in a pet carrier.

Alley Cats and Angels is an all-volunteer, non-profit, 501(c)(3), foster home-based cat rescue organization located in the Triangle, NC area. Alley Cats and Angels is dedicated to improving the lives of the stray, abandoned, and feral cats while reducing the overall number of homeless cats in the Triangle, NC area; we focus on the unwanted and forgotten felines.
Alley Cats and Angels is not your typical cat rescue – we have a broad range of programs that allows us to find the right solution for cats in various situations. In addition to our adoption program, we have a barn/garden cat program, a feral cat education and assistance/TNR program, and a low cost spay/neuter assistance program (“Alter an Alley Cat”).