Good News For Harry

Well it seems that Harry has some good friends!

After making a plea for finances to help out Harry, I received funds from Jim Shalk to cover his initial medical expenses including his tail amputation. Thanks Jim for also giving Christy and I a gift certificate to Macaroni Grill, which we fully intend to use tomorrow night!

Just when I was ready to close the financial book on him, Christy noticed that Harry's right front leg was swollen. OK, I know Bruce said it was a bite wound abcess and it certainly looked as though he had two bite punctures on his leg, but HOW he got bit and by whom is a mystery to me!!! Harry came to me on June 17th. From that point on he was either in a cage at Brooknelle, in my garage or in my bathroom BY HIMSELF!

The only explanation was that he might have put his paw under the door into the room holding three renegade kittens who may have gotten a little freaked out by such an intrusion. Alas, this poor guy who seems to be prone to abcesses (hence the necessity for tail amputation) got bit and didn't fare well. It's OK Harry, I poked at a feral siamese girl to see how her incision was looking and got bit myself. IDIOT! Thank goodness Meijer has free anitibiotics!

So, after I got Jim's payment, I found myself another $100 in the hole for the abcess treatment procedure. So who comes to the rescue by my most wonderful friend, Marcia Bloomers, mother to Cheyenne, Dennis and Domino. Marcia just dropped $837 on her own cat Huey last week and figured "what's another $100?" Bless you Marcia for being crazy enough to spend all your husband's hard earned money on cats! Bless your husband for not leaving you! : )

OK, So yesterday I'm at Brooknelle doing cat chores and a sweet woman and her son fall in line with people picking up cats, borrowing traps and getting vaccines boostered on previously adopted cats. Adella and Abraham wanted a cat....PRONTO!

I didn't have anyone at Brooknelle but I sussed them out and decided that Harry would be a perfect PURRFECT match for them.

Abraham and Adella met me at the condo an hour later and fell in love with Harry. Of course, he fell in love with them too! They are lovely people and have promised to care for him for the rest of his life.

What a great day!

Abraham, Harry and Adella.
Harry looking at the carrier that he was soon
to be put into to go to his new loving home!

Thank you Jim and Marcia for helping me help cats like Harry. If anyone else has sent funds for Harry, I will apply them to Missy, the cat with a dislocated hip brought in by a woman named Marcella. Marcella couldn't afford the cost of x-rays and the procedure to put the cat back together in full so the next $50 will go to that. Missy is very thankful. And so am I!

Thank You Everyone

OK, what does it mean when I am finally cleaning my desk and find checks written to me in June and I haven't even cashed or acknowledged?

Does it mean that I don't need the money? Probably not cuz my bill at Animal Hospital of Lowell is $2,500. I think it means I'm overwhelmed and stressed out about approaching my desk.

I rarely sent thank you notes because I can't seem to find the time. I have used the blog as a means to publicly thank people. Not sure how you all feel about this. Feel free to let me know.

I need to say to all of you who show support financially that I greatly appreciate your donations and do not take them for granted.

I probably need a secretary.

Until then, please know that I am grateful for each and every penny that comes my way. It helps me help the animals. Bless you all for caring about my cause.

Thank you to those of you who have contributed to me this past spring/summer! You rock!
Heather Gram (a groovy girl but not the actress)
Denny and Denise Melin
Lori Baker
Stu Mackenzie
Joan Phipps in memory of Blossom
Carla Johnson
Sandra DeHaan
Jim Schalk
Marcia Bloemers
Shelly Lohrer
Shirley Workman & Diane Yob
Richard and Becky Gainey
Sandra Brace
Jolyn Clark
Carol Crane
Heidi Andree
Mary Eteo
Tiffany Traxler
Robert Schindorf

Thanks a million!
Carol

Windcrest Fearls Update

I wish I had something good to report here.

I'm sick and saddened by the news from the family to whom I rehomed three of the four cats. After the three week caged period, they opened the cage, let the cats go and never saw them again. This happens sometimes but usually the cats stick around. I was praying that would be the case, but alas, they are gone!

I'll never know what happened to them and it kills me.

To make matters worse, I never was able to capture the 4th cat (Scaredy Fluffy) and she stopped coming around to my porch and she hasn't been seen for over a month.

So after fixing, sheltering and feeding these cats for two years, I have no idea where any of them are or whether they are dead or alive.

I did learn from a neighbor in the condos in front of mine that the maintenance guy WAS indeed setting traps for the cats. So my getting them out of the complex was a good thing, but the fact that I still don't know what happened to them sits in the pit of my stomach like lead.

If only I had a feral sanctuary. If only I didn't have to depend on others to rehome my cats in peril. If only............

Sorry, kinda down about this right now.
C

The high cost of Harry.......continues........

Thanks to my dear friend Jim Schalk (who by the way is back to bringing me cats) my high cost of Harry was taken care of. My savior Jim wrote me a check to cover the costs of Harry's tail amputation, meds and other stuff.

THEN....Monday.....Christy noticed that Harry's right front paw was swollen and he was favoring it.

We took the boy in to see Dr. Langlois and it was determined that poor Harry had an abcessed bite wound.

Not sure how a cat who has been caged for two months at Brooknelle, housed in my garage and now in my bathroom ALONE got a bite wound, but we think it might be from reaching under the door to the kittens in the adjoining bedroom.

THANKFULLY, Bruce gave me a good deal on the procedure!

But while we were heaving a sigh of relief that Harry's medical expenses were under control, we have just added $100 to his tab.

So, the fund raising plea is still in place. Need $100 for Harry. If you would like to donate via paypal, you can make payment to dollmouse@aol.com. If you'd rather send a check, contact me for a mailing address.

Thanks for caring about Harry!
: ) C

Artisans for Animals - Sunday 24th 11am - 3pm

Hello Pet Lovers!

Looking for something fun to do with the whole family (and maybe even the dog!) this weekend? Want to help Vicky's Pet Connection raise some money and enjoy a day out with some fellow animal lovers? Head on down to the "Artisans for Animals" event being held Sunday, August 24^th from 11-3 p.m at the corner of Fulton Street and Fuller Ave. . This event will feature tons of local artists showing and selling their wares and is a "dog friendly" event so the public is encouraged to bring their friendly, well-behaved, leashed dogs along for the fun. Besides the fabulous artwork, handmade soaps, textiles, jewelry etc. there will also be on-site pet photography, pet nail trims, a pet treat bake sale etc. There will even be a pet "rest area" with a pool and cool drinking water for your furry friend! The best thing is that the event organizers have chosen four local animal welfare groups to join them at the event. So, Vicky's Pet Connection will be there educating the public about what we do and promoting our adoptable animals. Proceeds from several of the days fundraising events (like food sales, toenail trims etc) will then be donated to the invited pet charities. Isn't that cool?!

Then, after the "Artisans for Animals" event, head on over to Noodles & Co. at 2289 East Beltline. Bring in your flier from the "Artisans for Animals" event and proceeds from your purchases will benefit Vicky's Pet Connection.. Or, if you like, you can print off your own flier from this email and then bring it this Sunday evening to Noodles and Co., have a delicious dinner and help support Vicky's Pet Connection!

These are just some of the animals you'll be helping.

For more info: http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_M_jInXSqRXg/SJcnlgj0khI/AAAAAAAAAXg/8mEYY5Yh6qk/s1600-h/art+4+animals.jpg


Crash's Landing, C-SNIP and Outback Equestrian Center will also benefit.

The high cost of Harry!

This is Harry!

Harry was brought in to be fixed in mid-June. Upon close inspection of this friendly boy, we noticed that he had a bad wound on his tail and was not happy if anyone touched it. While he was being neutered, we had Dr. Langlois treat the wounds and put him on antibiotics to take care of any infection that may have set in.



Several days later, the wounds were not responding to the antibiotics and it was decided that having the tail amputated would be the best course of action for this sweet boy. On July 23rd, the tail was removed and Harry got moved into a big cage at Brooknelle where he could recover from his surgery.



Harry didn't seem to mind that his tail was missing. He gets along fine without it. It was only causing him distress!

I've had him hanging out in my garage for a bit so that he could be medicated for a little upper resp. infection. It was during that time that my godchildren came in from Colorado to visit and realized that Harry was front paw declawed!

It never occurred to either me or Christy to check for his being declawed. He was an intact male when he was brought in for goodness sake! Who in their right mind would pay to have a cat declawed and not have it neutered? And what vet would go along with such a thing???? Idiots! This went a long way to explain why the poor guy got in such a mess with his tail. He was an intact male that wanted to fight for girls/territory, etc but didn't have claws to scrap competitively. It's no wonder why he wound up wearing the scab!
I contacted the people who brought Harry in for neutering. Unable to guarantee him an indoor only home, I decided to find him a proper indoor home myself.



Being unable to pay anything toward his care, I'm stuck with a heafty bill for this fellow. If anyone would like to make a donation toward his care would be greatly appreciated. Currently I've got $185 into him.

Help with the high cost of Harry by making a donation via paypal or by contacting me for my address to mail a check.

Thanks so much!
: ) Carol

PS He's adoptable!!!! And while you all know I'm not a fan of declawing, it's actually a bonus for your furniture!

Boy or Girl???

Girl or Boy???



Weigh in by leaving a response to this blog post.

Vacation

Hello Feral Friends-

My vacation is coming to a quick close. I didn't get away anywhere but I was able to get some stuff done around Brooknelle and got some rest. It was nice not getting a cat call every hour, I must say that. I know that I'll have tons of calls starting on Sunday, but I'm rested and ready to start back up with TNR.

Today Becky and Richard Gainey came to visit. They took Christy and I out to lunch and we hung out and played with cats. We tried our darndest to get them to adopt one of our kittens. But alas, little Francis was all docile and chill and they need a very rambunctious kitten to take on their demon kitty Loui who was left without a rough and tumble playmate after their beloved Chin passed away a few weeks ago. I think there's a lucky little girl in Florida who captured Becky's heart already!

The two weeks off have been nice. It was good being able to overhall Brooknelle, bathe every trap, carrier and cage. Tommorrow we'll finish up work there and then cats can start to roll in again for spay/neuter/rehab.

I think I've learned that I can take some time off when I need it. Thankfully I have a partner who understands my need for down time and helps me acheive this peace! Thank you Christy!!!

Life is sweet!
: ) Carol

Critter Cottage - August Issue

Hello Feral Friends,

As you can see, Vicky who is a glutton for punishment is doing another food drive and for every bag of cat food purchased, she will rescue another cat from the shelter. This is above and beyond the cats that Nancy is already taking into her cat adoption program. So call Critter Cottage, buy a bag of food and watch her go crazy!!!

See the wonderful Cat Mountain structures at Critter Cottage. These are like the one I won at The Pet Expo this spring! Awesome! You have to see them to believe them!

: ) C

A selection of boutique items will remain on sale until the middle of the month. Bella Bean collars are $8, Bella Bean leashes are $10, Barkology shirts are 50% off, and dog t-shirts are $5. Stop in for your bargain shopping before these products are gone!

Cat Mountain Cat Trees and Scratching Posts

2 Feet 4 Paws is proud to announce that we are carrying cat trees and scratching posts made locally in West Michigan. We discovered James DeVormer of Cat Mountain Cat Trees at the Pet Expo this past April. We loved his products and have been working with him in order to sell some of his products

Each of the trees designed are different. They're sturdy, unique, and cats love them. All of the trees at the Critter Cottage include a scratching post so they've got more than one purpose. Stop in and see these unique cat trees.

Pardon Our Dust

We have been working hard to revamp the Critter Cottage and are continually looking for new products to sell. We hope that you'll stop by to see the new layout of the store. We have added the Ruff Wear product line, which offers products that help you be on the go with your dog.

A third line of food is a welcomed addition to the store. A selection of Wellness cat and dog food can now be found at the store. We can also special order any Wellness product you might use that we current do not offer.

In the upcoming weeks and months we will continue to add new products as well as keep many of the old favorites.

VPC Food & Supply Drive Continues

Hi all you awesome and generous cat and dog lovers! Our July and August "Matching Food and Supply Drive", which is being sponsored by David and Michelle Bottrall, is already half over. So, if you'd like to help the animals of Vicky's Pet Connection and make a donation of pet food or supplies from the Critter Cottage in Ada, our generous sponsors will see that your donation is DOUBLED! Isn't that awesome? The totals so far are:

Dog food: 8 x 2 = 16 bags

Cat food: 32 x 2 = 64 bags

Cat litter: 1 x 2 = 2

Remember that Vicky has promised to rescue a cat or kitten for every large bag of cat food donated and she has already started working on her rescues. Here are her first six cat rescues from "Gina" at Focus on Ferals. Keep buying those Premium Edge large cat food bags to donate to VPC and she will keep saving those cats and kittens. The totals so far are:

Bags donated = 32 cats she has to rescue

Kitties rescued so far 6 = 26 left to rescue so far

That's all fine and dandy, but Vicky's tail is between her legs regarding donated dog food and supplies. We have had some faithful dog lovers donating a couple of bags of dog food at a time, but the dog food totals are way behind the cat food totals. Vicky's rescued dogs and puppies are basically eating it faster than it is coming in! The visions of having the food drive keeping her dogs in food until Christmas will never happen at this rate. Vicky is hoping that all you dog people out there quit chasing tennis balls and get down to business. The puppies are pouring in. Eight puppies arrived on Monday, 9 on Thursday and don't forget the 10 that were born 3 weeks ago!

So PLEASE, do some serious "digging" into your pockets and HELP! Don't be shy… collect at the office or use that birthday money because whatever you buy at the Critter Cottage to donate to VPC will be DOUBLED thanks to our generous sponsors! We only have one more month left to take advantage of this incredible matching food and supply drive. Let's "pounce" on this opportunity and make it the most "pawsitively" successful food and supply drive ever!

NO TRAPPING TILL AUGUST 17th

Well Feral Friends-

Time for this girl to take some personal time and get her stuff together and go on a vacation!

This coming week I will empty Brooknelle of rehab cats and gear up for a week on the lake.

Now, I don't have a lake or a place on the lake to go to, so if you do and you'd like to offer it up to me, I'd love to hear from you this week!

I have been near the breaking point for the past week or so and rather than lose my mind completely, Christy and I thought it might be a good idea to take some time off, revamp operations and get away for a bit.

So that's the plan.

Unless it's an emergency, no trapping this week. And I will be gone August 8-16.

: ) C

Chin - May his spirit be eternal

Hello Feral Friends-

It is with heavy heart that I tell you that our dear furry friend, Chin in Ada Ohio crossed the rainbow bridge yesterday.

Chin is the beloved kitty child of my good friends Becky and Richard Gainey. You have all read me blog about these two. They come to Grand Rapids often to surprise me during my trap-ins and rummage sales. They have been generous supporters of Carol's Ferals and they are awesome friends. It was during our one month stint in Baton Rouge after Katrina where I met Becky who took over my front desk duties when my time was coming to a close at the temporary animal shelter.

Chin will be missed. He is survived by Midi, Jazz, Bear and Loui (the black Katrina cat Becky rescued the same time I brought home my Monkey).

May his spirit be eternal-
C