Georgie, Pookie, Puddin, Pi

One more update on the Vanalikalikes, then we can return to our regularly scheduled content. I promise.

With nursery rhymes singing in our heads, the kittens have received provisional names. It's so much easier to talk about them with names. At this age it's often best to go gender neutral. We're pretty sure Puddin is a girl, Pookie and Pi are boys, and Georgie, well, we're referring to him/her as ambidextrous at the moment.

It's the pottying that makes caring for wee ones under 3 weeks difficult. A half paper towel soaked in warm water and wrung out, then apllied in gentle circles over the genital area is working well. It's so funny to see them roll onto their sides with a blissful facial expression when they need to go. There has been enough poop in the bed that we're confident no one is "blocked up." Pi was the last to go, and made such a mess in his skirt (he has the longest hair) that he needed a bath last night. And red letter day, Georgie is the first to spontaneously use the clay litter this morning.

BTW, you know you are a kitten person when you get excited talking about poop.

As for feeding, the Vanalikalikes were a little messy at first, but are now masters of syringe feeding technique. They want food about every 3 hours during the day, but thankfully sleep well through the night. And if you ever have a kitten that is reluctant to feed from a syringe, you can show them this video to help them get the idea. Check out the ears.

Vanalikalikes

As Joan pointed out in a comment, our newest babies look a bit like the Vanalikes. OK, a lot like the Vanalikes. We are calling them the Vanalikalikes. The difference is in the tails: Vanalikes have gray tails, and Vanalikalikes have white tails with one dark spot near, but not at, the tip.

Here were the Vanalikes at two weeks:



And at three:



This group looks and acts to be somewhere in between. For the first 36 hours they slept and ate and pottied with assistance. This morning after breakfast they showed the first signs of play, with clumsy pouncing and bitey activity. Though their eyes are wide open, they're still mostly blind, and of course they're immature and without a mom, so it's amazing to see activity like I captured on this video. Look - they're washing their feet!



It is a coincidence that these were delivered on the same night that Bunny and Bonnet went to their forever home together. Beau left a week or so ago, so that means that the next updates you read about the Vanalikes will be adoption reports. Yippee!

Vanna, however, is still waiting. If you know of a home in need of a Beautiful Princess, keep her in mind.

Where's Momma?

These little mites were turned in to Feline Rescue last evening after their momma went missing several days ago. (We won't discuss the fact that momma was obviously not spayed.) It's quite a chore, feeding and pottying four infants this young - probably 2-3 weeks, we estimate.

If you happened upon this blog post because you were googling lost or found cat, Minneapolis, St. Paul, and you found a medium or long-haired mostly white cat, female and lactating, sometime near the end of July, 2008 we would love to hear from you.

These babies would love to find their Momma. And so would I!

UPDATE: To be more precise, Mom Cat was last seen in the Longfellow neighborhood of Minneapolis.

Peek-a-Boo update

We received another great update from one of our shelter alumni, Peek-a-Boo. It's obvious he is very loved!

Good morning!
Remember me? There's a picture of me attached to this email- my mom is typing it, but I'm telling her what to say;-) I want to thank you for all of the good care you gave me while I was there! Because of you, I am able to love and enjoy my new family and boy, do they love me back!

I love it when my mom brushes me (ooooh, I could just EAT that brush!!!!) and every night she reads before bed and that's my cue to jump right up in her lap. She can read and pet me at the same time!!

I love to sit in the windows and watch the birds in the feeders and to lay in the sun out on the porch! Sometimes if somebody I don't know comes over I'll just dive under my mom and dad's bed, but mostly if I just go to my mom, she tells me "it's ok Peekie, nobody's going to hurt you!"

I have a big brother that's 15 and starting to drive (yikes) and one sister who is 13 and she is a soccer star! Then I have 3 fuzzy feline brothers and boy, do I love the orange one, "Oliver"- we snuggle and sleep in the sun- he's my BESTest friend ! One of them has "special needs" my mom says, and he goes to the doctor a lot- mom found him in a bad neighborhood and he was almost dead from not eating!!! But my mom and the doctor fixed him up and now he has a little tummy like mine!

Well, I just wanted to drop you a line and tell you how much I love my home and how much I appreciate all of you. I would come and visit- but I'm still too afraid of the car- eeEEK! No thanks, so you'll have to just see in the picture that I'm very happy and (still) very good-looking ;-)
Love, Peek-a-Boo

Pins for Pets

HELP STRIKE TO PREVENT HOMELESS PETS Feline Rescue is a member of the Homes For All Pets coalition, a group of Minnesota animal rescue organizations dedicated to working together to reduce pet overpopulation.

Chuck & Don's Pet Food Stores is planning a fundraising event whose goal is to raise $75,000 for spay/neuter activities. The money raised will be shared among participating rescues in the Homes for All Pets coalition.

WHAT IS THE EVENT? The event is Pins for Pets and it's scheduled for August 3rd from 4-6pm at Flaherty's Arden Bowl in Arden Hills. In short, it's a bowling party where up to 216 bowlers will roll strikes, spares and gutterballs to raise money to help spay and neuter animals. Check out http://www.pinsforpets/ for complete details.

Top fundraisers are eligible for some great prizes. The number one fundraiser will receive a $250 gift card and a trophy. Second place gets a $100 gift card; and third place a $75 gift card. There are also prizes for top bowling scores.

Plus there will be guest celebrities like Katie K-9, giveaways to all participants (canvas totes, towels), t-shirts and prizes. Door prizes include Chuck & Don's gift cards, a two-night stay at Madeline Island, puppy kindergarten classes, and a year's worth of free grooming.

HOW CAN YOU HELP? Register to bowl on August 3rd at http://www.pinsforpets.org/. The registration fee is $15 (non tax-deductible) and includes the cost of bowling, shoe rental, lunch and beverages. After registering you will be directed to the www.firstgiving.com/pinsforpets page to set up your fundraising page and start securing donations.

Bowling isn’t your strength? No problem! Social butterflies can just show up for the party. It will be a wonderful opportunity to mingle with other Twin Cities animal lovers. Some of the other rescues involved are; Pet Haven, Red Lake Rosie's Rescue, Cause for Paws, MN Humane Society, RAGOM, Animal Ark and Minnesota Spay/Neuter Project.

Can’t make it on August 3? You can still help raise money. Go directly to www.firstgiving.com/pinsforpets to set up your own fundraising page. Feline Rescue also needs volunteers to help promote the event by putting up posters and distributing brochures. We also need one or two volunteers to help at the event. Email Jocelyn at jocelynlaberge@hotmail.com if you're interested in volunteering.

NEED MORE INFORMATION?
Check out http://www.pinsforpets.org/. Start watching the media this week for other announcements and promotions for the event!

Flowers in Bloom

**Note, these are not Feline Rescue cats, but we're posting this as a courtesy to their rescuer because we want them all to find great homes!

When this small orange tabby was first discovered, her rescuers assumed that she was a young male. But they realized their mistake the next day, when she gave birth to three beautiful, orange babies. Young Petunia and her three girls, Marigold, Sweet Pea, and Pink (a.k.a. Pinky) couldn't be cuter!

Petunia, shortly after giving birth to her three orange girls!

These little flowers are starting to blossom and are ready to find homes of their own. They would like to be adopted in pairs because they love each other so much. Plus, they look so good together! You'll look good, too, with a pair of these cute, coordinating kitties.

The flowers at about 3-4 weeks old

The babies are rambunctious, outgoing, and affectionate. Petunia is very friendly too, but quite shy, so is looking for a special person to help her along. These sweet girls are currently waiting for the perfect homes to come along. For more information on them, please call Nancy at 651-214-8753.

Flower Girls at about ten weeks old

Update on Penny + Johnson

Johnson was featured on the blog last spring, and we're happy to report he's been adopted with his friend Penny and they're doing great! They're a great pair of FIV+ kitties and seem to have adjusted wonderfully to their new home. Below is an update.

I just wanted to update everyone on how Penny & Johnson are doing since I adopted them. So far they've adjusted very quickly & are entertaining to have around. They love to sit on the window seat I bought for them & watch the birds. At night they lay on the couch with my boyfriend & I when we watch tv and also loved to be brushed. Every night Penny sleeps at the end of our bed & Johnson sleeps in his leopard printed bed that's on the floor next to me (our bed's a little too high for him to jump up on it, so i'm going to invest in some kitty stairs.) I've attached some photos.

Lovable, Luxurious Lexus

Lexus has a lot in common with the luxury cars for which he was named. He's sleek and awfully good-looking—a real head-turner. You'll want to run your fingers through his long, lustrous fur. But wait! Lexus likes to take things slow.

Talk to him sweetly and stroke his head gently. Once you gain each other's trust, Lexus is a loyal, loving companion and an exceptional lap cat. And because he always likes to look his best, Lexus loves to be brushed.

Lexus is a young guy with lots of energy and a great sense of humor. He loves to play when there aren't too many other cats around. Lexus will chase mice, play with feathers, run thorough tunnels, or whatever else you might have in mind. He especially likes to wrestle with his good bud Shannon, who would make an excellent companion for Lexus.

So stop by the shelter sometime to visit Lexus and admire his striking features. Just remember to take it slow and you'll get along just fine. Underneath all that beautiful fur is a sweet personality to match his sweet face. To learn more about Lexus, visit his Petfinder page.

Adoption Event Sat. July 19, 11-2 at Roseville Petco

Come see the kittens and cats available for adoption from foster care through Feline Rescue. We expect the following felines (and more!) to attend; read more about them at http://www.felinerescue.org/ "Available Cats".

Feline Rescue Book Fair!

Our annual book fair will be held at our shelter on August 9, 2008 from 9 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. We will be accepting donations from July 12-August 8 at our shelter. Please click on the image below for more information. Hope to see you there!

Madison has moved to the shelter

Beautiful Madison was abandoned outside the Feline Rescue shelter with her two kittens back in April. It was a memorable "dump" because momma and kittens were left in an aquarium. The kittens, were Dicken & Dolly whom you have met previously in this blog, but today's story is about Madison.

Madison is a beautiful young cat with many characteristics of the Maine Coon breed. She is a large female, but unusually slender. Gradually, she is putting on weight and her coat gets lovelier by the day. She is displaying a ruff of fur around her neck and she loves to show off her amazing fluffy tail.

Madison loves to romp and play and loves to sit in your lap for cuddles. She is a gentle, calm cat and gets along with other cats. Please visit her at the shelter; tell her that her foster mom sent you. I'm so anxious for her to find a permanent home!

A Purrfect Pair!

Lana and her cousin Starlet are still in foster care waiting to find their forever home. Both were living outdoors at the same location, but their owner didn't want them any more and was threatening to shoot them.

Lana was a very young mom when came to the foster home with her five small kittens. The kittens were known collectively as the Chipmunks because this lovely solid black momma had five brown striped kittens: Chip & Dale, Simon, Theodora and Alvie. The Chipmunks are all happily settled into new homes and celebrated their one-year birthday already in June, but sweet Lana still waits.

Starlet is named for the small white star on her chest, but otherwise she is the perfect match for Lana -- small in size with sleek black fur and green eyes. Starlet was an older kitten when she came to foster with her brother Popcorn. Popcorn was adopted with one of the Chipmunks, but Starlet still waits.


Lana is very loving and adores attention, Starlet likes to hop in your lap for pets when you are settled in to watch television, but, like many cats, she doesn't like to be chased down and picked up. These two girls love to play together and are very bonded. They are good at entertaining themselves and are past the naughty, frantic kitten stage.


Please consider this beautiful pair!

Welcome to Feline Rescue, Charlie Brown!

A girl brought home a kitten that a family was giving away. The girl's mother called Feline Rescue because they could not keep the kitten in their home and she was sure the kitten was too young to be away from its mother cat. She wondered if we had a nursing mother cat?? Well, we thought of Lucy right away since she had so willingly adopted the orphan Linus.

Linus is five weeks old now and he really needed a kitten friend/playmate. The woman thought the kitten she had was 4-6 weeks old. People typically estimate younger than a kitten is, so we didn't know what to expect.

I picked up the kitten and was shocked at how young he was. He was three weeks old at the most -- his little ears weren't even fully perked up yet. He was at a birthday party for a three- year-old so he was worn out from all the attention from the children.

Lucy's initial reaction was to sniff and hiss and even bat at him a bit, but Linus was excited right away to have a new little brother, though he was a little disappointed that the tiny kitten couldn't play as hard as he could.

We had to call the little guy Charlie Brown. He weighed only about 12 ounces, probably half of Linus's weight. S & I gave Charlie some formula from a syringe and he drank it eagerly. He was clearly very hungry and thirsty.

Afterwards, Lucy showed some interest in cleaning him. By the next morning, Lucy let Charlie Brown nurse and she was taking care of "pottying" as well as thorough baths. CB doesn't seem to be getting enough nourishment from nursing, so he is still getting formula from the syringe several times a day, but he is thriving.

We don't think that he can see very well yet due to his young age, but he follows Linus and Lucy around like a baby duckling. He also comes to people when he hears them because he knows they bring food and cuddles, too. Thank goodness Lucy was willing to nurture another little adopted baby. They are so sweet together!

The Tree Family is ready for adoption!

Here is an update on the Tree Family! If you missed the amazing story of their rescue, click here.

Mom and both kittens are scheduled to be spayed and neutered this week, and will be ready for adoption after July 10th. Their names have changed a few times, so let me officially introduce them. The mom f/k/a Miss Fluffy is now "Molly." She is a fluffy medium haired beauty with bright green eyes. Molly was clearly someone's pet before she left to raise her kittens in a tree. She is very friendly to humans and loves attention. She is not a huge fan of being held, but will sit by you and let you pet or brush her for hours on end. As much as she loves humans, she is very wary of other animals. We think she would be best suited to a family with no other pets. Hopefully in time, she will enjoy the company of a feline friend. We think Molly is pretty young herself and is quite playful.

"Willow" (grey and white short hair) has become "Explorer," which is more manly and appropriate to his personality. He is very daring and playful, but also sweet and cuddly. He likes to be held by adults and children. He has not yet been around other animals outside his family. He is very social and does not like to be alone. If he ever accidentally wanders off, he cries until his sister comes to his rescue or we call his name so he can find us again. Because he and his sister are so close, we are requesting they be adopted as a pair.

"Acorn" (dilute calico medium hair) is still the name of the little girl. She is as fluffy and adorable as ever. She is the more independent of the little ones. She can be wary of strangers and young children, but warms up to them quickly if she's distracted by toys. She doesn't like to be held as much as Explorer but can be pet and loved as long as it doesn't interrupt her play time. As a pair, they are constantly hunting each other and play fighting and are virtually inseparable. We estimate their age to be about 14 weeks old.

Sponsor Me: O'Henry

Oh, Henry!

O'Henry bears the scars of a tough life of neglect. But he's a sweet, gentle guy who just wants to put the past behind him and enjoy today.

O'Henry has been a familiar face at Feline Rescue for awhile now. Unfortunately, while he loves people, O'Henry definitely does not like other cats. And since there wasn't enough space at the shelter for him to have his own room, O'Henry ended up spending a little too much time in a kennel (and lots of time with his face in a food bowl).

Despite all the love O'Henry received from the volunteers at the shelter, he became bored and depressed and severely overweight. His health was at risk.

O'Henry is FIV positive. But with good clean living, a cat with FIV can live a long, healthy life—just like any other cat. O'Henry is still a young guy and plans to enjoy many more years of tummy rubs, soaking up the sun, and chasing down toy mice. That's why he needed to get his health back on track.

So O'Henry came to stay at my house for awhile, and we have enjoyed having him! At first, he wasn't too sure about the new canned foods that I wanted him to eat. Now O'Henry loves his new diet and his health and appearance have improved. He's down four pounds—from 21 to 17!

O'Henry is playful and agile again. His favorite toy is the cat dancer. And his little toy mice are never in the same place in the morning as they were at night.

O'Henry is so easy to please. He would be perfect for someone who just needs a pleasant companion. He's really more like a dog than a cat (but so much easier than a dog)! He doesn't ask for much more than to just be near you. He likes nothing better than when I sit down to work at the computer so he can just sit next to me and purr. And he's friendly with absolutely anyone who comes to visit.

O'Henry is also happy to spend time alone. Between snoozing on the couch and sleeping in the sun, he has no trouble filling his days.

O'Henry dreams of the day when he will finally have a home of his own—where he will have the run of the house and not have to share his people with any other cats. O'Henry has been through so much and deserves a comfortable home. Won't you give him the chance?

For more information about FIV, see:
www.bestfriends.org/theanimals/petcare/cats_fiv.cfm)

While O'Henry is waiting for his forever home, he is available for sponsorship. Donating to Feline Rescue's sponsorship program is a great way to support our mission. Sponsorships make wonderful gifts! Recipients receive a photo and biographical sketch of the cat. Download this form to sponsor O'Henry. To see other cats available for sponsorship, click here.

Have a Happy Fourth of July Weekend!

What could be better than a snack and a snooze on the porch on a beautiful summer day?!

These foster kitties have it made in the shade, but they are still looking for forever homes. They are brothers Fergus & Finnegan and their friend Dolly.