Rescued from the Rain

This teeny and cute little guy is Oliver II, a young kitten found abandoned and soggy in North Central on a very rainy day last week.

A kind lady took him in out of the cold but wasn't able to take care of him for more than a few days so we happily took him into foster care and will be listing him for adoption shortly.

Oliver II is a very friendly and snuggly kitten who loves to be held and cuddled. We can't imagine why anyone would leave this little sweetie-pie all be himself in the rain, but we are happy that he is safe, warm and dry now.

-Alanna

Xena: A PFA Happily Ever After Story

Just a few days before Christmas a PFA volunteer got a call about a young female cat who had been found frozen and scared in a snowbank near an apartment building that didn't allow pets.

Although the timing wasn't good we weren't going to turn our backs on this little stray and so pretty little Snow White (now Xena) was taken to Vic Vet to be spayed and placed into an awesome PFA foster home.

We knew it wouldn't take long before this gorgeous cat found a loving home of her own, and sure enough she was adopted only a few weeks later and quickly bonded with her new owner, who reports that Xena has definitley made herself at home:

Xena prefers to sleep in the Bathroom sink while I'm getting ready in the mornings! She comes when I whistle and follows me around EVERYWHERE. The other day I bought her a harness and we went for a walk around the city! I got some pretty funny looks because I was walking my cat! She travels with me back to my parents every weekend and she'll just sleep the entire car ride, then when we get there she'll meow at me because even before she goes up the stairs she knows there's no food in that bowl up there! She is quite vocal and oddly loves to chase her tail. If I'm taking a bath, I best close the door tight because not only can she open the door by turning the door knob, but she'll jump into the tub with me and swim around until I get out! At least she's easy to keep clean! She also thinks that 5:30am is far too late to be sleeping and she'll wake me up so I can pet her for a little while! I love her to death and she's my little baby!

It looks like our little Snow White got a much deserved fairy tale ending!

-Alanna

Rest in Peace, Ronnie

You may recall our blog about this handsome boy Ronnie. Unfortunately Ronnie quickly became sick and was tested for feline leukemia. He tested positive and the heart breaking decision was made to put him down.

Feline Leukemia (FeLV) has an incurable diagnosis, and aggressive treatment is only to manage the symptoms. Sadly, all cats with feline leukemia end up dying within a few months to a year following diagnosis. FeLV's symptoms include vomiting, severe diarrhea, fever, enlarged lymph nodes, infections of the skin, bladder and upper respiratory tract, seizures, poor coat condition, eye and mouth conditions and cancer. This virus is spread by blood or saliva contact (mainly from fighting) and only lives outside of its host for a few days.

The best way to protect your own cat is to vaccinate for this disease, keep cats indoors and house infection free cats away from infected cats. See your vet for more info.

Rest in Peace my handsome boy. May your body be pain free and may you enjoy chasing the birds and the mice in the big fields in the sky. We love you.

-Michelle

Tiger's Luck Has Taken a Turn (for the worse)

This cute and chubby fellow is Tiger, a friendly de-clawed boy who is a bit down on his luck these days. His owners moved away and left him behind and he now finds himself among the ranks of the many homeless cats in Regina.

Tiger is currently staying in the shed of a PFA volunteer who is doing her best to keep him comfortable and warm (and well-fed!) but this sweet guy would really love to have a home of his own again.

Tiger is fixed and vaccinated in addition to being de-clawed. He is affectionate and good with kids and will be listed for adoption soon.

If you are interested in fostering or adopting this charming boy, please contact us at saskpeopleforanimals.com

-Alanna

Feral Kittens turned into playful kittens!

These are Bree's kittens; Mosby - male tabby, Londyn - female torti and Maddy - female calico. They were rescued several weeks ago from a PFA cat feeding station and born to a feral cat. They have socialized nicely as you can see how playful they are. They will be available for adoption in 2 weeks!

-Michelle

How do you do, Miss Cindy-Lou!

This beautiful young tortie-tabby female is Cindy-Lou, a gorgeous and friendly 6-7 month old female rescued from a back alley in North Central being cornered by two big tom cats!

Cindy-Lou is an incredibly sweet young cat who loves people and attention. You can pick her up and cuddle her to your hearts content, and she purrs and purr the whole time. She is a super fun young kitty to have around. She loves to play and loves her soft food. She looks tiny but she has the appetite of a big tomcat!

This precious girl is safe in foster care and will be listed for adoption right away. She has been spayed, de-wormed and given her first vaccination, purring all the while.

-Alanna

The Seven Sedley Kittens: Another Seed Plant Rescue

Last spring PFA teamed up with the staff at the Sedley Seed Plant to take care of Molly and her adorable kittens and get them great homes.

This year, the plant staff rescued another Mama, Jasmine, a petite young tabby with seven two-week kittens, all healthy and incredibly cute. Jasmine and her babies are safe in foster care and the little mom is quite content to have a quiet room to tend to her kittens.

PFA is supporting several mamas with litters and a number of young kittens born on the streets to feral mamas who are being socialized in foster homes so they can be adopted. Right now we have a huge need for donations of kitten food, kitten milk, soft food for the mamas and clumping litter.

We are very grateful for all donations, please note that tax receipts are available for gifts in kind.

-Alanna

Kitten in Distress

This poor 4 week old kitten managed to get away from its litter mates and fell into a 2 foot deep hole near one of our feral team's feeding stations. One of our trappers Leanne heard his cries for help and followed the sound till she found him. He was covered in mud and shivering. At first she thought he belonged to Bree's litter ( Londyn, Maddy, Mosby & Lance who were rescued a few weeks ago) but comparing him to the others he is much younger.

He is one of many kittens born on the streets, most likely to a feral mother. PFA works very hard to find and trap these babies for socialization and adoption, then sterilizing their mothers to help reduce the cat overpopulation crisis in Regina.

Here are the before and after pictures of his much needed bath!

This little baby is now clean, safe and has a full belly. He will be hanging out with Bree's kittens until he is big enough for adoption.

-Michelle

Foster Home Needed for Mama and Kittens

It's kitten season and babies are popping up everywhere, under decks, in abandoned garages, and in this case, the home of a kind lady who took in a very pregnant young cat who's owners kicked her out because she was pregnant.

The very day she rescued the cat, the cat gave birth to 4 lovely kittens. The lady would love to help but isn't allowed to have pets in her rental, so the situation is very temporary.

Our foster spots are pretty full with our own kitten rescues, but we'd like to help this little cat family if we can. All they need is a quiet room where the mama can tend to her babies for now. PFA can assist with supplies if needed.

If you or someone you know can accommodate this little cat and kitten family, please let us know as soon as possible at saskpeopleforanimals@gmail.com.

-Alanna

Good Night, Ashton

Recently we got a call from a concerned woman about an injured stray in the Glencairn area. The cat, an unneutred male, had a severe limp and was very matted and showing the effects of living outside for quite some time.

We decided that this poor guy needed our help despite our dwindling finances and lack of foster space, so we sent our dedicated volunteer, Carla, to try and trap him.

It was an easy gig as the cat walked right into a carrier on her 2nd try, no doubt tempted by the tuna inside! The cat was dubbed Ashton and he was whisked of the Victoria Vet Clinic to be checked out and neutered. We had high hopes that he be going on to a better life.

Sadly, it wasn't meant to be. Ashton's limp was caused by a large bone tumour that was causing him a lot of pain. His prognosis wasn't good and we sadly accepted the vet's recommendation to put him down.

Ashton was clearly a stray for a long time. Perhaps there is a family out there wondering what became of this handsome grey cat, or perhaps, like many, he was abandoned and left to fend for himself. Whatever the case, we know that during his last few days on earth, he had many people who cared about him and were rooting for him, and who now mourn his passing.

-Alanna

Top 10 Reasons to Adopt a Cat

PFA volunteers and supporters love cat for all kinds of reasons, but not everyone realizes what terrific pets they can be.

Not that we need any encouragement, but The Regina Humane Society's Voice of the Animals Newsletter (Spring/Summer 2010 Edition) lists the Top 10 Reasons to Adopt a Cat:

1. Cats keep you entertained with their playful antics.
2. Cats are very affectionate and love to cuddle.
3. Having a cat can reduce your blood pressure and prevent heart disease.
4. Cats are very clean - they bathe themselves.
5. Cats are independent and can be left alone while you are at work.
6. Cats do not need to be housetrained; using a litterbox comes naturally to them.
7. Cats do not need a lot of space and are perfect pets for apartments or smaller homes.
8. Taking care of a cat can help teach a child responsibility and humane values.
9. Cats get plenty of exercise living indoors. Just 15 minutes of playtime each day will satisfy a cat.
10. Approximately 500,000 homeless cats end up in animal shelters every year in Canada. By adopting, you will be saving a life.

Please share this list with anyone you know who may be considering adopting a cat.

-Alanna

Shelter Challenge - The Animal Rescue Site

PFA needs your support! The Animal Rescue Site is holding another shelter challenge from May 17th - August 22nd. Lucky winners receive grants to help them with their rescue work.

Please bookmark this link and remember to vote for PFA daily, and share with others who may want to support us as well.

http://www.theanimalrescuesite.com/clickToGive/shelterchallenge.faces?siteId=3

Thanks so much!

-Alanna

Sweet Siamese Senior Cat Needs Home

This pretty girl is Spirit, a Siamese female who is looking for a new home at the ripe old age of 10 years.

Spirit was sitting pretty after her owner was forced to give her up after 10 years together due to housing issues. A very kind couple took her in and quickly became very fond of her. However, there 13-year old male cat was not so fond of Spirit and attacked her severely enough to cause injuries and make it unsafe for her to stay in the home.

Spirit is currently boarding due to lack of foster space, but amazingly her spirits are great, true to her name. She is a loving and friendly girl who loves people and attention and is happy to cuddle for hours.

We hope that PFA is able to get this sweet senior cat a new home where she will be cherished for the rest of her days.

-Alanna

A Teeny Tortie Trio!

These tiny tortoiseshell kittens were rescued along with their mama, Sophie, from a precarious situation in North Central where one of the babies had already perished due to hazardous conditions in the home.

Brave mama Sophie, who is barely more than a kitten herself at 7 months old, had resorted to hiding the kittens in an old mattress!

Now they are safe and sound in foster care, and just turned 3 weeks old. They already enjoy handling and are very sweet and calm. They will be ready for adoption at 8 weeks of age.

-Alanna

Ronnie, the gentle giant

This handsome fellow is Ronnie, a 2 year old stray rescued April 14/10. He was pretty rough looking from his time on the street but with some TLC and a bath he now is a handsome guy!

At first he was unsure about a life indoors but now loves it! He has turned from a tough Tom Cat to a gentle giant. He's a big boy who likes to cuddle and be petted and purrs with love. He has a low "manly" meow and likes to remind me when it is snack time!

He loves looking out the window, sitting in the sunshine and playing with his foster siblings.

Ronnie is now available for adoption!

-Michelle

Feral Kittens

Here are 3 of our newest rescued kittens!. Maddy is the little calico female, Mosby a male tabby and Londyn is a female torti. They are about 5 weeks old and after some socializing and some time to grow they will be available for adoption!

Thanks to the feral team for getting these babies off the street and preventing them from an uncertain and rough life and from having babies themselves in 6 months!

-Michelle

Sweet Sammy at Home

This little cutie is Sammy, a lovely young male tabby rescued almost a year ago, in May of 2009. Sammy was so skinny and malnourished that he could hardly walk and had a terrible upper respiratory infection.

Luckily, he recovered fully and went on to thrive in a great PFA foster home and has now been adopted into a wonderful forever home. Here he is enjoying his new digs.

Hooray for Sammy!

-Alanna

An Update on Oliver Twist

Here is our little Oliver and what a difference a few weeks and some TLC in an awesome PFA foster home makes!

Oliver is looking quite content and healthy and is getting along well with the other animals in the home, and getting into mischief with them too.

This sweet boy is playful and affectionate and loves belly rubs. He will make a terrific pet for a lucky adopter.

-Alanna

Kitten In Peril

This teeny tiny little kitten is Anais, a sweet kitten roaming the back alleys of North Central all by her little self, shivering in the cold.

Kittens this young shouldn't even be away from their mamas and siblings let alone wandering by themselves! Luckily one of our intrepid feral team members scooped her and now she is safe and warm in a foster home.

Anais is feisty and playful and itching to play with her foster siblings. She will be listed for adoption shortly.

-Alanna

An Update on Ophelia and Her Babies

Last night, I had the privilege of visiting the beautiful mama cat, Ophelia, and her precious babies who are currently tucked away safely with our awesome foster mom, Paulette.

These kittens are barely 2 weeks old, and so tiny they fit into the palm of my hand. I have seen plenty of kittens but have never witnessed such tiny babies, still suckling from their mama. It was very sweet.

Sadly, one of the babies failed to thrive and passed away late last night, despite regular bottle feedings and lots of TLC from both the mama cat and the human foster mom. The poor little kitten simply was not meant to be. Thankfully his siblings are strong and healthy and the little cat family is doing well.

-Alanna

More Spring Kittens

These adorable little babies are the 3rd litter we've rescued and placed into foster care in the last week. They are 4-5 weeks old and they are doing great in foster care along with their tame mama cat (the lovely orange cat with the green eyes).

They will be ready for adoption at the end of May. If you are looking for a feline friend, consider spicing up your life with one of these little cuties!

If kittens are a bit too wild and wacky for you, consider the beautiful mama, who will also be up for adoption once the kittens are weaned. It is usually much harder to find homes for the mama cats, even though many are barely out of kitten-hood themselves.

-Alanna

Never A Dull Moment

Spring is always a super busy time for PFA with our annual sterilization blitz underway and kitten season in full swing. However, last week was exceptionally busy for our hard-working volunteers. Maybe it was the full moon, but we were kept hopping with the following:

• early in the week the feral team put their regular trapping activities on hold to assist a cat-loving woman who had relocated to Melville with the trapping and sterilization of 8 feral and tame cats that she'd left behind at her home in Regina and who were under threat of being seized and possibly put down. 5 of the 8 cats were relocated to Melville with her and PFA is caring for the remaining three feral cats at the site;
• the same site resulted in the rescue of a mama (Ophelia) and her 3 week-old babies who were found in a cardboard box in a garage and are now safe in foster care;
• we scrambled to provide emergency after hours veterinary care to a poor stray with a horrendously mangled paw that eventually required amputation;
• we sadly agreed to the euthanization of our beloved foster cat Meggie due to Feline Leukemia. Meggie was rescued with a terminal illness but had a wonderful life in foster care since her rescue last November and was well cared for and loved until the end;
• dealt with the sad diagnosis of a sweet male foster cat with FIV after nursing him through a severe post-neuter infection (he is on the mend and doing great thanks to his caring foster mom);
• fielded a call for help from a case-worker with a homeless client living in a bus with a dog, 2 unsterilized cats, and a litter of 7 kittens! Sadly, although we scrambled to find spots for the kittens, the homeless man opted to find homes for them on his own;
• we teamed up with a group of enthusiastic volunteers to build a stash of shelter boxes that will provide refuge to numerous feral cat next winter;
  
• we manned tables at the World's Biggest Garage Sale in order to raise much needed funds to help cover our vet bills; and,
• we showcased our programs and our adoptable cats at an adoption promotion at PetSmart.
  

All this took place in addition to our routine everyday operations such as working fund-raising bingos, facilitating the adoption of several cats and kittens, regular feedings at our feral colonies and the sale of raffle tickets for our fund-raising raffle along with the regular maintenance of our donation cans and candy machine!

And, our volunteers did all this in addition to working regular nine-to-five jobs and tending to their own families and cherished pets.

This week promises to be just as busy. We've already started off with the rescue of two baby kittens abandoned in a dumpster and the rescue of an 11-day old litter from an unsafe drug house where one baby had already perished - and that was just Monday.

All in day's work.

-Alanna

Our First Dumpster Kittens of the Spring Season

Spring is kitten season, and with kitten season inevitably comes litters of kittens abandoned in dumpsters, cardboard boxes, plastic bags, etc. Due to the large number of unsterilized strays roaming the back alleys of Regina, there are always far more kittens born than homes willing to take them.

Here are some pictures of our first dumpster kittens of the spring 2010 season. They were rescued just today by a couple walking their dog in the North Central area. The dog persistently nudged the dumpster containing the kittens, leading to their discovery and rescue.

They are now safe in foster care thanks to a clever and stubborn pup!

These little cuties may be PFA's first dumpster kittens of 2010, but sadly, they won't be the last.

-Alanna

A New Litter of Kittens Rescued!

Momma cat, Dixie




PFA received a phone call from a concerned citizen that a stray cat had gave birth to 4 kittens in their garage. They had been feeding the momma cat and watching over the little family. Recently the kittens escaped their makeshift home and been wondering around in their back alley. They managed to scoop up all 4 kittens. A week later, with help from the feral trapping team we were able to trap the momma cat Dixie, and reunite her with her babies in the safety of a warm, cozy home.

The kittens will be up for adoption soon, with a pick up date for the end of May. The babies are already weaned, so the momma Dixie will be up for adoption also, after her sterilization.

-Michelle