Survivor Update

Two members of the Survivor family, Brigit and Phoenix, have found a new home. Phoenix ended up being even more special than we already knew he was when we determined that he is deaf. Once the kittens had fully recovered a call went out to the deaf community and immediately a family responded. Both husband and wife are hearing impaired and their new family has experience caring for other deaf cats so the kittens will be learning sign language. What a perfect match!

Following is an update received a few days ago from their new family:

Brigit and Phoenix are doing great and are reportedly very playful. They love being with their new mom either playing or sleeping with her when she watches TV.  Their new family also has a service dog, Pepper, who is currently separated from the kittens by a gate while they get to know each. Phoenix is very interested in Pepper and tries to get close to him.

Both kittens are eating well and love to sleep together on the love seat in the family room which is currently their own room as they adjust to their new home.  They also love to play in their water which their new family found out when they had some work done to their house recently.  The kittens were put in the bathroom with their food, water, litter, and toys for a couple hours to ensure that they would not accidentally get outside. The bathroom was quite the mess when the repair work was done and the kittens were moved back to the family room.  "Oh my gosh, kittens made a big mess in the bathroom."  They thoroughly enjoyed playing in the tub with the faucet dripping and loved the sink too.  Their mom commented that it was very lucky that the toilet seat was closed.  Now they want to go back to the bathroom to play so sometimes they get their wish when the gate is moved farther down the hallway to allow them access to the bathroom from the family room.

Their family says they are happy, cute, purring kittens. "We love them so much."

Momma cat, Tara, is still looking for her forever home.  She is more relaxed and playful with her kittens safe in their new home and she has also turned into the ultimate lap cat. Take a seat and Tara is on your lap purring away.

Lovely Lorelei

Lorelei and her single kitten Rory were fosters in my home for a while. Rory has been adopted but, as happens so often, the mother cat waits.

Feline Rescue received a call about a stray cat and her kittens that a family was caring for in their porch. I drove up to get them. They were shy, but with food to tempt them we were able to lure them into the carrier. I was surprised at how placid the mother was for the drive. It was like she knew she was getting help.

I named Lorelei and Rory for the mother/daughter characters on the TV show "The Gilmore Girls". They lived happily enough in my bathroom at first, but the other cats in my house made Lorelei very nervous. She was fiercely protective of Rory. We always wondered what her story was and what might have happened to the rest of her kittens.

She is in another foster home now with other cats and getting along fine now that she doesn't have Rory to protect, but she would dearly love a real forever home. She has all the beautiful colors of fall -- perhaps now is her time!

These cats want to be your one and only!

Feline Rescue, Inc. is currently facing a shortage of space to accommodate cats that prefer to live with humans, and not other cats. The current need is particularly acute: unless one of these cats finds a forever home within the next 10 days, Gypsy Rose Lee and Raja will need to share a room.

Gypsy Rose Lee
I have decided to perform a little song and dance routine in the hopes of finding a home for myself. “Do-re-meow” Uh oh! Maybe I had better speak instead. While I am most grateful for the food, shelter, health benefits, and volunteer company, what I really want is for my human(s) to bring me home. Although my spirit is young, my body is not: my days of singing and dancing are over. Oh, I will still jump up in the air to play with my toys, but I think it is about time I settle down forevermore. I am a gentle lady: my deep, throaty meow is left over from my burlesque days. I love to be petted and brushed. And most of my day is spent napping. So if you have a place in your heart and home for a senior companion, come take me away!

Raja
Yes, I am noble, but not beneath begging for my forever home. Life at the shelter is very difficult for me: there are so many cats here! I can’t help but Grrrr here, Grrr there, GRRRR everywhere. One or two cats I might be able to tolerate in time, but not 69! I want nothing more than mutual respect from a quiet gentle adult human or two. I would love to be able watch outdoor life through a window, or soak up warm rays of sunshine while
I nap. That is all for which I ask!

Sonny
Yes, I know I am a cat, but cats make me anxious, and when I get anxious, well, ... I spray. To tell the truth: I am a loving lapsitter. You sit and I will jump on your lap. No, it is not necessary to pet me: I am fine without your hands rubbing my body. Okay, if you would like to pet me, how about gently brushing my forehead with your fingers? I will tell you when to stop. I am pretty quiet, except when I am upset about something; then, I complain. I am an intelligent adult who loves to play, either by myself or with humans. Hide-and-seek is one of my favorite games: stash some toys under a blankie and I will dig them out to entertain myself. Although I have been “in the system” since I was a kitten, I would rather not spend the rest of my life in a homeless shelter. Too many cats! And I seem to bring out the worst behavior of some of them. Remember when you were in grade school, the kid that was the target of the bullies? I am the feline equivalent of that child. Please, won’t you help me transition from underdog to meerkat?

For more pictures and information on these and other Feline Rescue cats, please visit our shelter or check out all our available cats at Petfinder.com.

Little Sid

Little Sid was one of my first foster kittens. He and his buddy Roly Poly were adopted together several years ago, but recently they were both returned to the shelter due a change in circumstances in their home.

How sad and scary for them to leave their family and their home and be in a shelter for the first time with so many other cats! Roly Poly has been adopted into a new home, so now Little Sid is left without his lifelong friend.

He's not little any more, but he got his name because he resembled the cat of a friend called Sid. The original Sid has passed away now, so I guess Little Sid could drop the "Little" in this name, but he's kind of used to it by now.

Please consider stopping by the shelter to meet Little Sid and the other cats waiting for homes. They all have a sad story that's just waiting for a happy ending.

FREE Cat Claw Clipping Clinic this Saturday!

Feline Rescue Cat Claw Clipping Clinic

Date: Saturday, October 25, 2008
Time: 11:00 A.M. - 1:00 P.M.
Location:
Chuck and Don's Pet Food Outlet
1661 County Road C West
Roseville, MN
(Located in the north corner of the Byerly's Shopping Center
on County Road C and Snelling Avenue.)

Description: Feline Rescue, Inc. is offering FREE nail clippings for cats and kittens.
Also, learn why cats scratch, tips on clipping your cat's nails and recommended cat scratching posts/surfaces.

*All cats and kittens must be brought to Chuck and Don's in a carrier.*

Meet Fannie and her kittens!

Below is an update on Fannie and her kittens written by her foster caregivers, K & B. Fannie came into the foster system in July, hugely pregnant. She delivered her kittens the first day in her foster home!

Fannie-O was already in labor when she arrived at our house, and began delivering within 30 min. of arriving. She's a very sweet cat who likes to be around people. She's a very good mother even though this may be her first litter; the vet thinks she's about a year old. We plan to keep her so long as she becomes comfortable with our dog. After 11 weeks she's still afraid of him and still very protective of her kittens. Of the kittens we're definitely keeping Pierre and Edie, and maybe one other kitten TBD, unless Barb convinces me to keep all of them.

Pierre is the first-born and the only boy. He has a goatee and a half-moustache and looks like he should be wearing a beret and carrying a baguette. He's always the first to run out and greet us, and he has a lot to say, especially in chirrups. He likes to run off with hankies and socks. I knew I wanted to keep him almost from day 1.

Penelope (or Penny) is going to be a big cat relative to her siblings; she's always been the biggest and has long legs and tail. She is very sweet and likes to snuggle in the crook of our arms. She's well-behaved and an all-around great cat.

Edie (Edith) is very loving. She can be as busy as can be, but if you pick her up she just relaxes and enjoys being petted. She likes to be help upside down and will lick your hand while you pet her belly. She's also good at getting into trouble--especially by being an escape artist.

Dot (Dorothy) & Panda are very soft and silky. Their longer guard hairs make a silky aura around their bodies and sway gently in a breeze. The vet called them "medium-length". They both have calico tails. They're an inquisitive pair and like to gaze into our eyes with their heads cocked to the side. Dot, who has a big black dot right in the middle of her back, is the intellect of the group. She sits and watches before acting, and is usually the first to learn new tricks. She's quite independent: she'll snuggle with you on her own terms, and likes to be petted, but is a squirmer when picked up. Panda has 3 big spots on her back. In the back of the birthing box we often could just see2 of them, and they looked like a panda's eyes gazing out at us. She likes to be held and will take running leaps to jump up to your thigh and climb up to your shoulder.

They all love to wrestle and play with each other and to sleep in a big pile together and give each other little baths. They all still like to nurse and Fannie still likes it too, sometimes.

Lucy, Linus & Charlie Brown go home TOGETHER

The story of Lucy, Linus & Charlie Brown is special in so many ways.

It's special because Lucy took on first one and then another kitten after losing her own and being spayed. It's also special because several organizations worked together to create this family and save the lives of all three of them. Red Lake Rosie's Rescue was there to take in newborn Linus when he was all alone in the world and they rescued poor Lucy who had been abandoned at a dump. The Animal Humane Society provided their initial medical care at a very timely clinic in Red Lake. Feline Rescue's foster caregivers stepped up to take in Lucy & Linus and, five weeks later, little Charlie, too, when he was given away from his mother far too soon.

Now it's special because this family of unrelated cats has found a home where they can live together forever!
Just over a week ago, a wonderful family was looking for a pair of kittens. They were interested in Linus & Charlie Brown, but when they heard the story of how Lucy took over mothering the kittens, they decided that their hearts and their home had room for all three. They knew it was harder to adopt out adult cats, like Lucy, even though the kittens will be adults in just a few months, too.

So how is it going? Check out the two reports I have received so far and the photos...

REPORT #1
Hi Denise,

Thanks for the info. We're off to a crazy busy week at our house, but the cats all seem to be settling in well.

Lucy is her sweet, calm, observant self. She seems always affectionate and is constantly nonchalantly watching her boys.

Linus is still a bit skittish, but no longer hiding under chairs and tables. He's actually the one who keeps hopping up on the kitchen counter (only to be gently removed!)

Charlie is hysterical. He can't seem to figure out what he wants to play with or who he wants to love, so he just does it all sequentially for a few brief moments.

They seem to be such a well-mannered bunch. We left them free to roam the house last night figuring we'd have to get up and shut them up sometime in the middle of the night. But apparently, after a few small kitty stampedes, they all settled down and pretty much slept 'til we got up at 6:00. They adjusted quite quickly to the house, and, so far, are happily using the scratching posts and litter boxes very appropriately.

I think I got a few good pictures tonight, but will have to wait 'til later in the week to send them to you.

Thanks, C.

REPORT #2
Hi Denise,

We're doing great! All 3 kitties now seem to be part of the family. As Ch. says, "They've decided to become lap cats surprisingly quickly."

Linus seems to have lost his skittishness -- he actually seeks out J. (our 11 year old) to snuggle with her. He also is the most devious now about hopping up on the counters. He waits 'til we walk from the kitchen toward the family room and then jumps up to investigate. When he sees us headed for the squirt bottle, he jumps down and pretends he was never there.

Charlie is still the most insistent on affection. He squeezes himself between any person and the cat they are currently petting. He is a funny, loving kitten with a very short attention span! And he seemed very in tune with the fact that J. was sick this weekend and feeling very sad. He planted himself on her lap most of the weekend.

Lucy is her usual sweet self. She has spent most of the week sleeping on our bed, but she comes down to greet us when we get home, and she grooms her boys occasionally. She seems to like time away from Linus and Charlie, though I noticed she was still letting them nurse as late as this weekend.

They are surprisingly well behaved. We haven't had any issues with them trying to get outside. We do feel lucky to have them in our family!

I am attaching a few photos I thought you might like.

Thanks, C.

Join us for our Holiday Boutique & Open House!

Click on the image for details. Hope to see you there!

FREE Cat Claw Clipping Clinic this Saturday!

Feline Rescue Cat Claw Clipping Clinic

Date: Saturday, October 4, 2008
Time: 11:00 A.M. - 1:00 P.M.
Location:
Chuck and Don's Pet Food Outlet
1661 County Road C West
Roseville, MN
(Located in the north corner of the Byerly's Shopping Center
on County Road C and Snelling Avenue.)

Description: Feline Rescue, Inc. is offering FREE nail clippings for cats and kittens.
Also, learn why cats scratch, tips on clipping your cat's nails and recommended cat scratching posts/surfaces.

*All cats and kittens must be brought to Chuck and Don's in a carrier.*