As promised, here is a photo of Lynx (the oldest male fab feline in our brood) after his summer shave. Normally, he's so scared that he sits still for Kat (yes, that's the name of the Vet tech). But this time he was a little skittish, so she wasn't able to shave the front. In extreme cases, the Vet needs to give cats a mild anesthetic to knock them out before shaving them. I like leaving fur around his neck anyway, so I can get a good grip there when I need to give him meds.
He's on Budesonide (a compounded capsule) for irritable bowel -- he had very bad diarrhea until we put him on this pill which works well. It's a steroid that only affects that part of his body. And it's pricey (about $1 a pill). We started at once a day, and after three months I asked the Vet if I could try it every other day (so I don't need to give him more drugs than needed) and that seems to be working so far.
A shout out to our wonderful Pet Sitter, Daron. I took a quick weekend trip to Ashland, Oregon with my mom to see Shakespeare plays, and Daron took great care of the felines while I was gone -- wet food morning and evening (which they loved) in addition to their normal dry food, administered meds, and put out bird seed and peanuts for the outsite critters.
My youngest, Bellissima -- a calico who just turned one year old, jumped into my lap and is purring. Guess I'll have to write about her next time.
Wednesday, July 7, 2010
Monday, June 7, 2010
Felines Getting Ready for Summer
Feline Spa Day
We're all loving the warmer weather, but it's getting a bit hot for Lynx and Bella who have long fur (we're talking over 2"). I'm taking Lynx in on Wednesday for his Summer Shave with the Vet tech, Kat (yes, that's her name). I'll take before and after pics, so you can see the drastic difference in appearance. He always seems to feel so much better afterward that he starts acting like a frisky kitten and running around the house, even though he's more than 10 years old (don't know his exact age, because he was a stray).
Feline Flea Prevention
The other summer To Do item is stocking up on more Advantage for fleas. My cats are normally indoors, but every now and then I like to take them out in the backyard on a leash (otherwise they could leap over the fence). And the fleas do come out here in the summer. Each year, I search for the best price and recently discovered that Advantage is sold on Amazon.com at much less than the Vet's (and there is no tax and free shipping):
http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Dpet-supplies&field-keywords=Advantage+for+cats
Last bit of news -- I started a website with the same name, Felines Galore, so I can post photos, links, etc. there too. Right now, it just links to this blog but will have more info up there soon. There are two adorable photos at the top -- Calico Bellissima and Sierra (named from the Aviation Alphabet), http://www.felinesgalore.com/
We're all loving the warmer weather, but it's getting a bit hot for Lynx and Bella who have long fur (we're talking over 2"). I'm taking Lynx in on Wednesday for his Summer Shave with the Vet tech, Kat (yes, that's her name). I'll take before and after pics, so you can see the drastic difference in appearance. He always seems to feel so much better afterward that he starts acting like a frisky kitten and running around the house, even though he's more than 10 years old (don't know his exact age, because he was a stray).
Feline Flea Prevention
The other summer To Do item is stocking up on more Advantage for fleas. My cats are normally indoors, but every now and then I like to take them out in the backyard on a leash (otherwise they could leap over the fence). And the fleas do come out here in the summer. Each year, I search for the best price and recently discovered that Advantage is sold on Amazon.com at much less than the Vet's (and there is no tax and free shipping):
http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Dpet-supplies&field-keywords=Advantage+for+cats
Last bit of news -- I started a website with the same name, Felines Galore, so I can post photos, links, etc. there too. Right now, it just links to this blog but will have more info up there soon. There are two adorable photos at the top -- Calico Bellissima and Sierra (named from the Aviation Alphabet), http://www.felinesgalore.com/
Monday, May 10, 2010
Happy Mother's Day
Our home is still Plus Three Kittens (three were adopted out so far). I think it's like trying to lose the last ten pounds...it's getting much harder to get serious about "placing" the last three. Especially when one of them keeps rebounding back.
Miss Sierra (otherwise known as Scaredy Cat) has been adopted out TWICE and ended up coming back TWICE because she was so scared. At the last house, not only did she hide under the bed for three weeks, but she even chewed through the fabric under the bottom mattress and climbed into the mattress itself.
Of course, when she returns she seems happy to be back (runs around with the other felines, sleeps on my bed, and eats up a storm). As I write, she just jumped on the kitchen counter and checked out the sink looking for scraps to scrounge. She is especially enamored of Jaguar (an all black 3-year-old male cat) -- they are pictured napping below.
Alas, I am having a big problem with her "inappropriate peeing" outside the box. So far, I have had to take two down comforters in for dry cleaning (you guessed it). And now, she is peeing almost daily on the leather couch, which luckily was about to get tossed anyway. My mother gave me the good idea of putting plastic on the couch which makes it easier to wipe off. And, I'm giving her Prozac which worked almost 100% with two male cats who had a "marking" problem, but it's still 'touch and go'. Wish me luck!!
Miss Sierra (otherwise known as Scaredy Cat) has been adopted out TWICE and ended up coming back TWICE because she was so scared. At the last house, not only did she hide under the bed for three weeks, but she even chewed through the fabric under the bottom mattress and climbed into the mattress itself.
Of course, when she returns she seems happy to be back (runs around with the other felines, sleeps on my bed, and eats up a storm). As I write, she just jumped on the kitchen counter and checked out the sink looking for scraps to scrounge. She is especially enamored of Jaguar (an all black 3-year-old male cat) -- they are pictured napping below.
Alas, I am having a big problem with her "inappropriate peeing" outside the box. So far, I have had to take two down comforters in for dry cleaning (you guessed it). And now, she is peeing almost daily on the leather couch, which luckily was about to get tossed anyway. My mother gave me the good idea of putting plastic on the couch which makes it easier to wipe off. And, I'm giving her Prozac which worked almost 100% with two male cats who had a "marking" problem, but it's still 'touch and go'. Wish me luck!!
Friday, March 19, 2010
Three Successful Adoptions So Far -- What Worked
I realize it's been quite a while since I've made an entry. It's not for lack of feline activity on the home front. Three of the kittens have been adopted out -- through different services. First, I posted an ad on the Petfinder main site (through a rescue group that is a member of Petfinder), and within a week I had a call about Tango. He was adopted by a couple with two young kids. The dad brought his 6-year-old son with him to meet Tango and take him home -- the little boy was very good with cats and immediately made friends with Jaguar (my adult, all black, very friendly male). Found out they even go to the same Vet's office.
There was also an ad in the main section on Petfinders for Charlie, which I didn't get any takers on. But, I posted ads in the Petfinders Classified section - people who go on the site have to look a little harder, and go through more links, to get into that section, so you're less likely to find homes that way. But, as luck would have it, I received an email from a lovely woman who lives in Orange County and fell in love with the photo of Oscar (Charlie's brother, they're in the photo below, cuddled up). She wanted to adopt Oscar alone, but I told her they were so attached that I would only give them up together. Then I sent another recent photo which I took that morning.
Winning Adoption Photos
What I was learning is that the photo makes a big difference in the connection people feel with the cats -- and it's much better to have the cat pictured next to a window with the sun streaming in and plants just outside the window. Sounds funny, but it works. (Tango's photo was in front of a window and Sierra's photo was like that, and she got a flurry of calls after the ad was posted.)
So, the newest picture of Charlie & Oscar was on the couch next to the front window. She saw that and agreed to take them both. We emailed back and forth and spoke on the phone, and she and her daughter were very excited about welcoming them into their home. I drove the boys down to Orange County and got them settled.
I checked in with both families afterwards and they seem to be attaching very nicely. I prepare a simple adoption contract that asks them to keep the felines indoors, agree to not declaw them, and to let me know if there are any problems so I can take them back. I also ask for an adoption fee (around $70) to apply towards the Vet costs that have been spent and to make sure the family is serious about providing a home.
There was also an ad in the main section on Petfinders for Charlie, which I didn't get any takers on. But, I posted ads in the Petfinders Classified section - people who go on the site have to look a little harder, and go through more links, to get into that section, so you're less likely to find homes that way. But, as luck would have it, I received an email from a lovely woman who lives in Orange County and fell in love with the photo of Oscar (Charlie's brother, they're in the photo below, cuddled up). She wanted to adopt Oscar alone, but I told her they were so attached that I would only give them up together. Then I sent another recent photo which I took that morning.
Winning Adoption Photos
What I was learning is that the photo makes a big difference in the connection people feel with the cats -- and it's much better to have the cat pictured next to a window with the sun streaming in and plants just outside the window. Sounds funny, but it works. (Tango's photo was in front of a window and Sierra's photo was like that, and she got a flurry of calls after the ad was posted.)
So, the newest picture of Charlie & Oscar was on the couch next to the front window. She saw that and agreed to take them both. We emailed back and forth and spoke on the phone, and she and her daughter were very excited about welcoming them into their home. I drove the boys down to Orange County and got them settled.
I checked in with both families afterwards and they seem to be attaching very nicely. I prepare a simple adoption contract that asks them to keep the felines indoors, agree to not declaw them, and to let me know if there are any problems so I can take them back. I also ask for an adoption fee (around $70) to apply towards the Vet costs that have been spent and to make sure the family is serious about providing a home.
Saturday, January 9, 2010
Feline Introductions
It's Saturday afternoon, and I just luxuriated in a brief cat nap with LoverBoy (one of the kittens) and Romeo (one of the adult cats) curled up beside me. Yes, the kittens are mixing with the adult felines and shockingly, it's working out pretty well. I kept the kittens separate for the first two months while I got them fixed and made sure they didn't have any health issues.
Now, I've started letting them run around the house for an hour or two each day, under close supervision. The older felines have taken it pretty well -- the kittens are very active and rambunctious chasing each other around the house at full speed. Only one of the kittens, Charlie, is a bit scared. He's been slower to leave his safe room and explore the rest of the house and he makes cute squeaky noises so other cats don't get too close. When I want to calm things down, I break out the food (either dry food that I shake or wet food where I open the can), and the noise is enough to get the kittens running back to their room for a meal. Then they're happy to stay there and curl up on their kitty condo or the blanket in front of the window facing the backyard (photo below). They like the security of having their own room and cuddling up together. And the big cats like it when they get a break from the commotion.
This also tells me that the kittens will adapt well to their new homes -- they're curious and playful and getting along well with the other cats.
Now, I've started letting them run around the house for an hour or two each day, under close supervision. The older felines have taken it pretty well -- the kittens are very active and rambunctious chasing each other around the house at full speed. Only one of the kittens, Charlie, is a bit scared. He's been slower to leave his safe room and explore the rest of the house and he makes cute squeaky noises so other cats don't get too close. When I want to calm things down, I break out the food (either dry food that I shake or wet food where I open the can), and the noise is enough to get the kittens running back to their room for a meal. Then they're happy to stay there and curl up on their kitty condo or the blanket in front of the window facing the backyard (photo below). They like the security of having their own room and cuddling up together. And the big cats like it when they get a break from the commotion.
This also tells me that the kittens will adapt well to their new homes -- they're curious and playful and getting along well with the other cats.
Tuesday, January 5, 2010
Getting Serious About Adoption Postings
Our holiday fun is over -- I had lots of help wrapping and unwrapping gifts, and the kittens were appreciative of their holiday cat toys and scratchers. Now they are starting to clamor for me to find their permanent loving homes. I am letting them roam around the house for a few hours each day with the adult felines, so they're getting some exercise and entertainment, but they want to meet and bond with their new adoptive parents. I thought we were getting listed on Petfinder through an LA rescue group I found, but I sent in the info a week before Christmas and nothing has been posted yet, so I'm trying other avenues.
Petfinder -- many say that this is the main/best listing for finding homes. The site seems to be run very professionally (by a team of dedicated volunteers). They have a "Classified section" where anyone can post, but from what I can tell that is not as helpful as listing through a Rescue group that gives better visibility and is more part of the site search system. It looks like I just found another rescue group to sponsor our little mission and get the kittens' vital statistics and glamorous photos up for all the world to see.
Local Outlets -- I also posted photos and descriptions at local pet stores. The folks at Petmania in Burbank are wonderful. Gave me lots of good advice about posting on Craigslist, which I'll do next. They quickly found nice homes for the five small 7-week-old kittens I dropped off there a week before Christmas. They are also the ones that introduced me to a very good dry cat food -- Advanced Pet Diet (that uses chicken meal and no byproducts) -- which they carry and I couldn't find at Petco.
We're hoping to have more successful adoption news shortly.
Petfinder -- many say that this is the main/best listing for finding homes. The site seems to be run very professionally (by a team of dedicated volunteers). They have a "Classified section" where anyone can post, but from what I can tell that is not as helpful as listing through a Rescue group that gives better visibility and is more part of the site search system. It looks like I just found another rescue group to sponsor our little mission and get the kittens' vital statistics and glamorous photos up for all the world to see.
Local Outlets -- I also posted photos and descriptions at local pet stores. The folks at Petmania in Burbank are wonderful. Gave me lots of good advice about posting on Craigslist, which I'll do next. They quickly found nice homes for the five small 7-week-old kittens I dropped off there a week before Christmas. They are also the ones that introduced me to a very good dry cat food -- Advanced Pet Diet (that uses chicken meal and no byproducts) -- which they carry and I couldn't find at Petco.
We're hoping to have more successful adoption news shortly.
Sunday, December 13, 2009
First Adoption Today
Happy Holidays! We're in full holiday mode here, which is one of the reasons I'm so remiss on my blog entries (more on that in a minute). Readers have been clamoring for news. The big news is that adorable petite Sierra (also known as Sweet Pea) went over to my friend Wendy's today, on a trial basis (kind of like "a lease with an option to buy"). Wendy wants to make sure that she bonds well with her older cat, Figaro, who is a big black bundle of shaggy fur (with white paws). He was curious, they touched noses a few times, and very well behaved (no hissing and posturing the way many cats do on first introduction). Sierra of course was timid (and demure) and went under the bed when I let her leave my lap. Then she found a hiding place that took us a while to figure out -- behind two picture frames that were placed on the floor. It's an adventure -- those two look like a black and white matched pair. I told Wendy I feel like CAT-MATCH.com.
One of the holiday projects I've been working on is my holiday card to 150 friends and family. This year it features photos of four of the kittens with a message on the back describing our Kitten Rescue operation and asking them to participate by passing on the news to any loving homes in the market for an adorable, playful kitten or two (I'd really like to adopt Charlie and Oscar out together, you can see how attached they are by the photo below).
Tomorrow I have an appointment to take five other kittens (who are just 7 weeks old) to PetMania in Burbank (they couldn't take the 6-month-old kittens I'm fostering, because they were already too big and they only take teeny tiny kittens). Next week I'm taking the kittens' mom in to Dr. Moon to be spayed.
Just read a new cat survey that says they spend a surprising amount of time looking out the window. I could have told them that -- there is lots of wildlife in my backyard (squirrels, doves, sparrows, and scrubjays) that I feed a few times a day, so the big and little felines in my house get quite a show. Here is a new photo of the little ones pressed up against the glass.
One of the holiday projects I've been working on is my holiday card to 150 friends and family. This year it features photos of four of the kittens with a message on the back describing our Kitten Rescue operation and asking them to participate by passing on the news to any loving homes in the market for an adorable, playful kitten or two (I'd really like to adopt Charlie and Oscar out together, you can see how attached they are by the photo below).
Tomorrow I have an appointment to take five other kittens (who are just 7 weeks old) to PetMania in Burbank (they couldn't take the 6-month-old kittens I'm fostering, because they were already too big and they only take teeny tiny kittens). Next week I'm taking the kittens' mom in to Dr. Moon to be spayed.
Just read a new cat survey that says they spend a surprising amount of time looking out the window. I could have told them that -- there is lots of wildlife in my backyard (squirrels, doves, sparrows, and scrubjays) that I feed a few times a day, so the big and little felines in my house get quite a show. Here is a new photo of the little ones pressed up against the glass.
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