Great Kitty Rescue Story (™)

Archive for the ‘Great Kitty Rescue’ Category

I have had a very hard time sitting down to write about Kendra. Perhaps it is due to the suddenness of her crossing. Or maybe it is because I had just spent a long weekend with her at Robin’s house when she suddenly left us. Or maybe I am in a bit of denial that she is really gone.

I do know that the only way for me to continue is to focus on the positive and there was so very much positive about Kendra and her effect on those who knew her, both human and feline.

And so that is what I will concentrate on here, the positive light and energy that were the lovely Miss Kendra.

From the beginning, Kendra was a favorite with her sweet gentle ways. Kendra loved to be petted and to nestle in your arms purring the entire time. However if you pulled away before she said it was okay, she would quickly reach out her paw and grab at you.

Kendra’s chart noted that she was in early renal failure. In addition to surviving the Great Kitty Rescue, Kendra fought many health issues – respiratory problems, ring worm and depression.

Still her sweet disposition shone through and humans and cats alike were drawn to her positive energy and fell in love with her.

Here are some of the comments from people who knew her:

Oh, this makes me so sad. I didn’t even know the little sweetie wasn’t doing well (though I began to suspect when she went to foster care). I am so glad that she had at least a little time in a home and that you got to spend some special time with her, Corinne. Carrie Fosters

Oh no. I named her after my niece. She was such a lover. This saddens me. Tell Robin thank you for taking her in and loving her. XOXO Fletch

Oh my God!! This came as such a shock, even though I knew you and Robin were worried about her when I saw you on Sunday. Thank you so much for letting me know; I will say a little prayer for her and for Robin too. I don’t know how many more of these she can take! Rest in peace little Kenji-butt, and if you see Dexter, tell him I said hello. Pollie

I am so sorry to hear about sweet Kendra. She was such a loving and gentle soul and deserved many happy years. I was happy to hear she found a home with Robin and felt love and companionship at last.

How is Robin? It must be so tough on her to first loose Snow and now Kendra – Hope she can stay positive and see all the joy and love she brought to both. She truly is a very special person. Please give her my love when you talk to her. Gilla

Awwwwww Kendra.

Shelley and I rushed her to Vegas on New Year’s Eve that year and she was always very special to me. Sweet and special.

I loved her so.

Kendra who looked at everyone as if they were her favorite person in the whole world.

She will be missed. D

Yet another one that brought tears to my eyes as Kendra was always one of my favorites…She will indeed be missed.

I also take some measure of comfort knowing that she was very much loved right up to the end… Shari

I believe that Kendra knew peace and fulfillment in her foster home with Robin and her fur babies and that she felt her life was complete.

Up at Rescue Village, we never called Princess Leia by her full name. It was only after she was transferred to Niblet’s in Benton’s that we had to use her full name to distinguish her from the Princess currently residing there.

Princess Leis was always a bit of an enigma. At first she was very fearful and would frantically run whenever someone got too near. Over time she gained some confidence and she became calmer.

She spent a lot of time with her buddy Patch before he moved down to Cat HQ – I think she missed him when he transferred.

But, she was social with the other cats and formed feline friendships with the others.

She still ran whenever she felt you were too close, but she wasn’t as panic-stricken as she once was. And she became a bit of a tease. She would scamper just out of reach and then sit and look right into your eyes as if to say “I could let you pet me if I wanted to.”

I believe that she really was curious to be petted and was working up the courage to let her caregivers lavish her with pets.

Of course I wish that she had known the warm feeling of a human petting her, had experienced elevator butt and the rumble of a purr in her throat in response to those pets.

It saddens me that she did not reach those benchmarks…and yet I know Princess was loved by many both feline and human. And I truly believe that she knew that.

Andy Bartholomew

I could never get a really good photo of Andy Bartholomew. He was always so active and whenever I pointed the camera at him, he would walk over to me. Being very inquisitive and intelligent, he wanted to know what I had in my hand. This resulted in many blurred shots of Andy’s face, belly and tail.

Andy was always on our top ten list. You know the one, the list of cats that we would take home if we could adopt that many cats.

So, it was with mixed feelings that we said goodbye to Andy the day he was adopted along with his “sister” Crystal.

Crystal

We were so happy for him to finally have his forever home and sad to know we wouldn’t be seeing him every time we came to Kanab.

And now we must in our hearts and mind say a final goodbye.

Goodbye my feline friend. You were an extra special cat who will be remembered by many with love.

Hope for the cats of the Great Kitty Rescue

Mr. Bettinger was hoping for a continuance as there is so much evidence yet to go through and more is coming in daily since the word has spread about the trial. Yesterday the judge denied the request saying the opposing attorney would have none of it.

We are hoping that Mr. Bettinger and his investigator Sharon Wehrly have managed to compile a solid case based on what they have compiled. The trial is set for 9 am tomorrow morning (Thursday, 02/11/10).

If you are interested in this case, I would appreciate hearing your experience, thoughts and feelings about the case in the comments section.

You may send a private message from the Contact the Great Kitty Rescue Story page.

Normal & Special

As promised, I want to share the medical results for Hugo. The final diagnosis was that he had an atypical case of Feline Infectious Peritonitis (FIP).

My first thought was, “Leave it to Hugo to have it be atypical!”

Hugo was always a very special cat. Handsome, intelligent, stubborn and ultimately so very loving.

As we all know, despite over 20 years of research, the experts still do not know why FIP develops. They know the cause, but not the why. Nor has anyone come up with a treatment. The “effusive” or “wet” version of FIP is swift in its course and in all but a very few cases as documented by Dr. Irene de Villiers, it is deadly.

His veterinarian, Dr. Ann Middleton of the Cheshire Cat Feline Health Center, suspected FIP from the very first, but the lab results did not support that diagnosis. In this case, experience and instinct were sadly more accurate that lab results. Read the rest of this entry »

As some of you already know Hugo’s vet, Dr. Ann Middleton of the Cheshire Cat Feline Health Center, helped him to pass on January 14, 2010. His mom, Bob and I were there with him showering him with all the love that everyone had for him and for his mom for all she had done to enrich Hugo’s life.

He was a cuddle bug – yes, Hugo had turned into quite a lover – right up until he left us. He solicited neck rubs from us and even did an abbreviated elevator butt.

It is so hard to accept this fate and difficult to believe Hugo is really gone. I do find solace though in the fact that Hugo found a loving home and had blossomed into a wonderfully friendly and confident cat.

You are gone from our daily lives Hugo, but you will never be forgotten!

An Update on Hugo

Hugo is a survivor of the Great Kitty Rescue. After being rescued from this horrific institutional hoarding situation, Hugo graduated from the Feline Finishing School where he learned to trust people, to love and be loved and to act like a cat.

Hugo went on to stay with a foster family who worked with him on his graduate studies. When they felt he was ready, Hugo was adopted by a wonderful woman who has fallen totally in love with him.

After only 8 months of a perfect life, Hugo suddenly became seriously ill. He is in need of special care, but his Mom has been unemployed for months and doesn’t have the money to pay for it. Hugo’s Mom is heart broken as are Hugo’s human friends. Hugo has been brave and strong and he deserves a chance for a longer life with his doting Mom.

We have started a fund raising campaign at Give Forward called Pennies for Purrs to help pay Hugo’s medical bills. As of right now, the vets involved with his case are baffled as to what is wrong…

Hugo before socialization

Hugo after socialization

Hugo has been socialized!

Hugo has made an impression  on everyone he has ever met, and most have fallen a little bit (or a lot) in love with him.

And there were a few who met him and saw great potential even though he was a scared, hissing and striking punk – think a feline James Dean. Still, he was enrolled in the Feline Finishing School where he called the shots for the longest time. Class would start and Hugo would hiss, quickly followed by what we called his “fwap, fwap, fwap” move wherein he rapidly struck out at your hand with  alternate paws. A really quite impressive and at times intimidating move. Read the rest of this entry »

Andrew and His Ball

Even though Miss Sherry’s Finishing School for Felines has closed and the name of the yurt has been changed to “Mustang Ranch”, there are still some of the former students residing at Rescue Village.

As most of you know, many of the cats have been moved down to Cat World and integrated throughout the buildings down there. We spent almost an entire day with Andrew, Delilah and Oblio at Cat HQ. We visited with Layla and Sterling in Benton’s and Bogart, Delta, Ayesha, Wild Child, Candy, Dancer, Demi, Pacific and Cybil in other buildings.

Ozzy and Puddy acknowledged us, but wouldn’t let us pet them. I was happy to see Lexy looking so good. She was perched up high, but looked right at me when I called her name and talked to her. Read the rest of this entry »