Wednesday, March 27, 2013

Have a Home for a Barn Cat?

Sometimes our outreach volunteers need help finding new outdoor homes for free-roaming cats that aren't suited to living in homes. These cats are spayed/neutered and vaccinated and would make ideal residents for farms, stables, barns, and other suitable locations with outdoor shelter. You would provide daily food, water, shelter from the elements, and long-term veterinary care.  We would provide assistance during the relocation/acclimation process. For more information contact outreach@felinerescue.org.

Photo: Alley Cat Allies

If you are considering relocating feral cats, please read Alley Cat Allies information on Safe Relocation of Feral Cats.

Tuesday, March 26, 2013

Tristan: One More Special Kitty Rescued

Please VOTE DAILY on the Animal Rescue Site for Feline Rescue to help us win $1000 grant. Search for Feline Rescue in MN.

Clicking and voting daily will help Feline Rescue win at least a $1000 grant which will assist in paying for medical care for kitties like Tristan.


Tristan came into rescue from an animal control facility. He ended up at animal control after being confiscated from a home as part of a hoarding case. A horrific situation in which 49 live cats and 29 deceased cats were removed from the home.

After a period of adjustment with an experienced Feline Rescue foster caregiver, he is playful, purring and loves being pet.

Updates from his foster caregiver:

I feel so sad for him. He is so scared but hasn't hissed or made a single noise other then his nose that whistles. He doesn't walk very well and he tried to jump on a shelf and he fell. He has some bald spots and his fur is discolored and very thin in some spots. I feel so sad for him. I wish I could make him feel safe but he is so scared when I'm in there with him.



Something so good happened! A little bit ago I went into the bathroom to try to clean Tristan with waterless bath spray and I put a little of the spray on my hand and rubbed it into his fur and he just rolled over like he wanted to be pet! So I started petting him and he got up and was rubbing all over my hand and purring! I pet him for 40 minutes and he purred the whole time! You would never have known this was the same cat that I got from MACC the other day! I took a really long video (I cut parts out so you didnt have to watch 20 minutes of me petting a cat!) and its bad quality but I'm so happy and proud of him!


I just gave Tristan a bath and he did so well. He just tucked his tail between his legs, while I held him and washed him. But the smell is still there. I think it could be even stronger. Maybe it's because he is wet. When we started washing him there wasn't any visible dirt but it was like smells were being released, he even smelled like cigarettes.


And here is a tongue shot and a after surgery shot! I don't think he knows he had surgery today and he is being so playful! The vet did say that he has a genetic abnormality called a luxating patella. I'm not sure what this means yet, but he has to see a specialist. And he doesn't have ring worm, yay!, but the bald spots on his neck are probably from another male cat biting him to try to mate. :( but he is happy now and that's what is important!

Tristan is now playing!



Tuesday, March 19, 2013

Cookie Likes Cookies

Alani and her three kittens Cookie, Danish and Muffin were rescued from an animal control facility when they were at risk of being euthanized due to overcrowding.

Alani

Cookie

Latest update from Alani's and Cookie's family:


They are very sociable and like to be around people, especially Alani. She will sit on just about anyone's lap and she loves to help with homework. Cookie drags around her cat toy on a stick and will drop it at your feet letting you know she wants to play. The toy makes a lovely "thump, thump" sound going up and down the stairs, usually in the middle of the night... Costco boxes make great beds and forts. We've upgraded to a duplex but I don't have a photo to share.

Girls sharing the Cosco box fort

Cookie's name definitely fits. We made several batches of sugar cookies at Christmas. While one of them was cooling we were out of the kitchen for about 10 minutes. When we came back there was a row of little cookies missing and crumbs all over the floor. She felt the consequences of her misdeed the next day. That was not the first incident Cookie got into the cookies. The vet calls her an "eater". We definitely have to keep our eye on her.

Alani claiming top bunk of the doll bunk bed

Two wand toys for Cookie to choose from

Friday, March 15, 2013

Gracie and Onyx need a home



Last fall, Feline Rescue outreach volunteers were called to help with a large group of cats living outside in St. Paul. A kind neighbor was feeding them, but because the cats had not been spayed and neutered, the population was steadily growing!

Most of the cats in this group were quite friendly. A few that weren’t social with people were spayed/neutered and returned to the area where they live, where they are provided with food, water, and shelter.  Several very young kittens were taken in and adopted out through our foster program. Nibs and others came to the adoption center and found homes.

A few young, friendly cats were too shy to approach strangers right away. But outreach volunteers didn’t want to see them left behind just because they were less trusting than other members of their family.  So these cats were taken in by individual volunteers. Zipper, Petey, and two adorable gray kittens have all been adopted.  Sweet Gracie and Onyx are still looking for a forever home.


You may remember those fun young cats Sven, Finn, and siblings from the Adoption Center?  Onyx is their shyer sister, and Gracie is probably a cousin.  It takes these girls a little while to warm up to new people, but they are sweet kitties once they do.  They enjoy affection from their foster family and purr to be petted.  Gracie and Onyx love having two good meals a day, to relax in sunny windows, and to chase each other around the house.  Life is good for these two lucky kitties.  But they do need to find a new foster home—or better yet a forever home! Gracie and Onyx get along great with other cats.  For more information or if you can help out these sweet girls, contact outreach@felinerescue.org.




Now that all the cats in Gracie and Onyx's old neighborhood have been spayed and neutered, there will be no more kittens this spring and the lives of all the cats there have improved.  Please help get homeless cats in your community spayed and neutered to prevent unwanted litters and to ease the suffering of more homeless pets.

Thursday, March 14, 2013

Save the Date! Annual Spaghetti Dinner April 7

Mark your calendars for this year's Spaghetti Dinner!

Sunday, April 7 from  12:00 - 5:30.

Spaghetti dinner and gelato catered by Fat Lorenzo's

Download the Spaghetti Dinner event reservation form to order dinner and raffle tickets.

Wednesday, March 13, 2013

Meet Louise

Meet Louise (aka Low Rider aka Wild Child)

Louise came to her foster home alone, terrified and frostbitten. For the first week she was scared and hid almost constantly. Several times her foster family couldn't find her in her room and thought she had disappeared, only to find her in the strangest, hard to get to, hiding places! Her foster family knew that torties have a reputation of being sassy and they thought “Not Louise! She is just a sad, scared little thing.”


A month later Louise is doing amazing and is a sassy little torti just like she should be! She loves to play, sometimes a little too rough, but we are working on that and we think once she is able to be around other cats in her foster home she will learn some manners and get some of her kitten energy out! She loves to play and likes to “hide” then pounce then run away real fast- then do it all again 100 times. We think she has major fetching potential!


She also loves to cuddle, perch on shoulders and lick fingers and watch the fish in the aquarium!


Louise is going in for her spay surgery today and will soon be ready to be adopted! Louise will definitely need to go to a home where there is another young cat or be adopted with another kitten from a different litter. Her foster family’s resident cats have quickly slipped in to her room a few times and each time she starts purring so hard then cries and cries when her mean foster mom takes them away!


If you are interested in meeting Louise, please contact Joan at 651-705-6264.

Tuesday, March 12, 2013

Speak Up for Minnesota Cats and Dogs

Important legislative information for Minnesota residents from Animal Folks.


The MN Dog and Cat Breeder Regulation bill - H.F. 84 - passed the following three House committees: Civil Law, Public Safety Finance and Policy, and Government Operations - and Governor Mark Dayton publicly supports the bill.

H.F. 84 was referred to the House Agriculture Policy Committee but it was not granted a hearing in that committee. That is the last policy committee that the bill needs to pass, by March 15, in order to continue this year.
(Minnesota works on a biennial legislative session; 2013 is the first year of the two year session, 2013-2014.)

We need your voice! Please call ALL of the members on the Agriculture Policy Committee NOW (before Wednesday) and ask them to SUPPORT H.F. 84. Let them know you do not support the weaker bill that was introduced (see below) - and urge them not to accept any amendments that will weaken H.F. 84.

VERY IMPORTANT: If you are a constituent of one of the committee members listed below, be sure he/she knows that. Legislators need and want to hear from constituents. To find out who represents you, go to: MN District Finder

You can leave your message with the Representative's legislative assistant because it is hard to reach legislators directly. (In addition to your call, you can follow-up with an email but the calls are critical.)

We need to protect Minnesota dogs and cats who are forced to live in substandard and deplorable conditions. Additional talking points are provided below in the next section. Please keep your message short and respectful.

Thank you for taking action!

NOTE: A weaker bill has been introduced on behalf of the Minnesota Veterinary Medical Association (MVMA) in both the Senate and House. In the House, the bill number is H.F. 1005. This MVMA bill has no required licensing or inspections. It is a "status quo" bill - it's complaint-based (similar to the current system), where someone first has to observe and report the cruelty/neglect, law enforcement then must pursue it, and the courts would have to take action. The MVMA bill includes a required health certificate for dogs and cats sold (very similar to MN existing Pet Lemon Law) but does nothing to help the breeding dogs and cats.
PLEASE ALSO NOTE: The MVMA does not speak for all veterinary professionals. On behalf of the SPEAK UP coalition and thanks to all of your help, Animal Folks MN has been able to gather over 315 veterinarians/vet techs in support of H.F. 84. This has been submitted to all legislators.


HOUSE AGRICULTURE POLICY COMMITTEE MEMBERS

Names and contact information below can also be found at:
House Agriculture Policy Committee


Representative Jeanne Poppe, Chair (District 27B) - 651-296-4193
rep.jeanne.poppe@house.mn

Representative Tim Faust, Vice Chair (District 11B) - 651-296-0518
rep.tim.faust@house.mn

Representative Paul Anderson (District 12B) - 651-296-4317
rep.paul.anderson@house.mn

Representative David Dill (District 3A) - 651-296-2190
rep.david.dill@house.mn

Representative Roger Erickson (District 2A) - 651-296-4265
rep.roger.erickson@house.mn

Representative Andrew Falk (District 17A) - 651-296-4228
rep.andrew.falk@house.mn

Representative David FitzSimmons (District 30B) - 651-296-1534
rep.david.fitzsimmons@house.mn

Representative Patti Fritz (District 24B) - 651-296-8237
rep.patti.fritz@house.mn

Representative Rod Hamilton (District 22B) - 651-296-5373
rep.rod.hamilton@house.mn

Representative Clark Johnson (District 19A) - 651-296-8634
rep.clark.johnson@house.mn

Representative Debra Kiel (District 1B) - 651-296-5091
rep.deb.kiel@house.mn

Representative Ron Kresha (District 9B) - 651-296-4247
rep.ron.kresha@house.mn

Representative Jay McNamar (District 12A) - 651-296-4929
rep.jay.mcnamar@house.mn

Representative Bud Nornes (District 8A) - 651-296-4946
rep.bud.nornes@house.mn

Representative John Petersburg (District 24A) - 651-296-5368
rep.john.petersburg@house.mn

Representative Jean Wagenius (District 63B) - 651-296-4200
rep.jean.wagenius@house.mn

TALKING POINTS FOR H.F. 84

Highlights of the issue and bill are also provided on: FLYER

The Problem
There is no State law to license, inspect or regulate commercial dog and cat breeders in Minnesota. The problem is inhumane breeding practices. Minnesota is among the top producers of puppies in the United States with some of the largest breeding kennels in the nation - housing 300, 600 or over 1,000 dogs and puppies. Kittens are also mass-produced in Minnesota. Many dogs and cats live out their lives in small, overcrowded wire cages and are bred repeatedly. Their cages are often stacked, allowing feces and urine to fall onto the animals below. Animals may be malnourished from inadequate food and water, receive little or no veterinary care, are stressed from constant confinement and neglect, have fleas, worms, etc. Many have deformed paws, are severely matted, or are burned from sitting and standing in urine and feces. And, they are rarely, if at all, provided human socialization.

While many breeders in Minnesota act responsibly, there are those who keep dogs and cats in deplorable conditions and are willing to make a profit at the expense of the animal’s health and wellbeing. The puppies and kittens are sold to the public and many are sick, diseased, and have genetic problems.

The Solution
H.F. 84 addresses the problem by giving the State of Minnesota the authority to:
• License - Require commercial dog and cat breeders in Minnesota to be licensed;
• Inspect and Enforce - Give legal authority to the MN Board of Animal Health to inspect commercial dog and cat breeding facilities and enforce existing State laws to ensure animal care standards are met; and
• Penalties - Impose civil, administrative and criminal penalties for those who violate the law.

For more information, go to www.animalfolksmn.org

Monday, March 11, 2013

Tiny Tim and Rosemary Clooney Update

Two of Feline Rescue's seven jazzy foster kittens hanging out in their forever home.

Smoo (fka Rosemary Clooney) and Smitty (Tiny Tim)

Hello! I thought I'd send a little update on the kitties as things are going absolutely wonderfully.

A month ago today, Smitty and Smoo (formerly Tiny Tim and Rosemary Clooney) joined our household. Smitty, the runt of the litter, was described as timid. The second his little paws hit the floor at my house he decided it was all his. He is unstoppable! He and his sister Smoo are constantly on the go and fill my new house with the happy sounds of kitten stampedes all day. Even when he's running around full speed, Smitty LOVES to be held and will stop and snuggle anytime you want him to. Smoo likes to snuggle on her own terms, usually when I am working or sleeping. Together they are sort of a "kitten posse", but they get along pretty well with my older cat Scotty. He's still a little too big for them to really play with, but they chase each other, and usually sleep near each other. It's sweet. They'll all be BFF someday soon.

Thank you!

We just love hearing about new happy beginnings!

Saturday, March 9, 2013

Prevent Homeless Moms and Babies

In one week Feline Rescue's foster program has gone from no moms and babies to three moms and 17 babies! It is always heartwarming and rewarding to get a pregnant cat or a mom with newborns inside safely and the subsequent kitten photos are lots of fun, but we really look forward to the day when there are significantly fewer homeless cats.

Priya and her five babies (just a couple days old) were living outside. This is at least her third litter before being brought into rescue.


Renee was brought pregnant with her three older kittens to our shelter a day before she gave birth to six babies yesterday in her foster home.


If you see a homeless cat in your community and you are unable to take it in and rescue waiting lists are long, please contact an organization to get the homeless cat spayed or neutered. To learn more about Feline Rescue sponsored spay/neuter clinics for homeless cats contact our outreach team at outreach@felinerescue.org.

Thursday, March 7, 2013

Help Save Those Strays

Lots of caring individuals are busy helping to make sure the stray cats out there get spayed and neutered before kitten season is here.

Henry was brought inside to be neutered by a kind neighbor.  He turned out to be a friendly guy with a very sore leg.  Henry needs help recovering from his injury and getting well again.  And then he will need a forever home!



To help or for more information about Henry contact outreach@felinerescue.org


Saturday, March 2, 2013

Mama Mia's Babies

Mama Mia had six babies early this morning!  Mama Mia came into rescue VERY pregnant earlier this week.  After settling into her foster home she started nesting yesterday and we now have six beautiful babies.




Help us prevent unwanted litters and ease the suffering of homeless pets. Spay and Neuter.
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