Belly Dancers Love Cats Too!

PFA is fortunate to enjoy a tremendous local support - there are so many wonderful individuals and groups who help us out in a number of different ways.

The latest group to come forward to offer support is the Earth Moves Belly dance instruction studio and Regina Association of Middle Eastern Dancers. The have are hosting their 3rd Annual Theatrical Belly Dance Performance and Summer Solstice Celebration June 19th and 20th, and will be having a 50/50 ticket draw with proceeds going to PFA. Click here to visit their website for more details about the event, ticket information and to view a video of belly dance performers.

This will be a fantastically fun outdoor event with performances, workshops, musicians and many other attractions such as henna tattoos and food vendors featuring middle-eastern and lebanese food.

All that and you could help support PFA animal rescue efforts, too!

Alanna

Bugsy almost a year later

Bugsy is one of PFA's shining success stories. In fact, his whole family are a great example of a happy ending.

After being trapped at a feeding station last summer by our feral team, Bugsy was neutered and treated for a horrible looking eye infection. Bugsy had never given any indication of tameness, but he was so calm that we brought him to my house for a few days for assessment. While he was still very timid, Bugsy quickly allowed me to handle him, and I fell in love. Flash forward a year, and Bugsy is a very contented housecat, adopted by me and my brood. He has had two eye surgeries, with the costs assisted by many PFA friends. Bugsy has gone from hanging in the basement and only allowing me to touch him, to being the king of the entire house and greeting all visitors with his distinctive siamese meow and rubbing his considerable backside against their legs. He loves to be cuddled and brushed, and he has even made peace with my hyper Korean chihuahua.

I took this video with my blackberry last night while watching TV, Bugsy on my lap, Blue (PFA foster cat) at my elbow, Atti (my rescued Korean dog) on the couch opposite, and Chopper (my rescued 15 year old chihuahua) beside us. Domestic Bliss!

-Sarah

Another special Sammy

Meet Sammy. He was found last week sheltering in the backyard of one of our regular volunteers in the heart of North Central Regina. Sammy was so sick and malnourished that he could no longer walk. He was just skin and bones, and was only using three of his legs. We rushed him to the vet clinic, where they quickly stabilized him. Sammy is now recovering from a wound on his leg, and from a bad case of upper respiratory infection, common in rescued cats. He is still too weak to be neutered, but once he is well enough, we will take that step.

Sammy was clearly on his own for some time, judging by how frozen his ears were. He has lost a lot of his ears from frostbite. Our vet says that his teeth suggest he is about a year old, but his physical condition was so poor that he seemed much older. We are hopeful that we can rehabilitate Sammy so that he can once again enjoy being a healthy, young cat.

Even with his poor physical condition, Sammy has been a very loving and sweet boy. We love him!!!

Thanks to one of PFA's wonderful friends, Sandy, we have a foster home for Polly, who I wrote about below. However, we still need one for Sammy. Can you help? This amazing survivor needs someone to give him some serious TLC.

If you can, please email me at badbunnygirl@hotmail.com

-Sarah

Busting Common Cat Myths

PFA works hard to educate people about the value of animals, proper pet care and responsible pet ownership, and we like to share useful info about pet care that we come across in our efforts.

This article at www.oprah.com addresses several common myths about cats, including misconceptions such as cats are low maintenance and can look after themselves, or that pregnant women need to avoid their cats (it's riskier to handle uncooked meat!). Click here for more myth-busting cat tips.

Alanna

Polly needs a foster home, not a cracker

Polly is one of the amazingly resilient cats that we rescued from a hoarding situation last winter.
She has been in a foster home ever since. However, her foster home is unable to keep her past this friday night, and I am at a loss. We simply have nowhere to put this sweet girl.
Can you help? Polly is sweet and loving. She is a bit timid with new people, but once she gets to know you she is amazing. Polly is a grey and white polydactyl cat, meaning she has extra toes. I love her. She is about 5 years old, and is used to other cats. She has had all of her shots too.
If you can offer a fostering spot for Polly, or know of someone who can, please email me as soon as possible at badbunnygirl@hotmail.com
-Sarah

Trapping Blitz Update

The PFA feral team recently undertook a spring trapping blitz to try and prevent the births of unwanted kittens on the streets of Regina, especially surrounding our feeding stations in North Central and the Warehouse District.

The blitz began on March 20th. So far, we have rescued 48 cats.

TOTAL CATS RESCUED AND STERILIZED ON FERAL ROUTES: 45 (17 females, 28 males).

3 SINCE DECEASED: Hoss (taken to RHS by private citizen, probably a car hit), Simon the kitten (euthanized due to multiple disabilities and health problems), Clement (Warehouse cat severely injured, thus, humanely euthanized).

TOTAL FERAL CATS TNR'D (trap/neuter/release): 32 - 12 females (would have had litters on the street), 20 males.

TOTAL TAME CATS RESCUED: 6 (4 females who would have had litters on the street), 2 males. Plus Jade's 5 babies, now socialized = 11.

TOTAL TAME CATS IN FOSTER CARE OR BOARDING: 4. Honey, Stroller, Jana, and 1 of Jade's babies left (Dusty).

TOTAL TAME CATS ALREADY ADOPTED: 6: Buffy, 3 of Jade's kittens, Peaches and Shawn.

We also worked with a private citizen to trap, neuter and release three feral cats in the Glencairn area. All 3 have now been relocated to a screened and approved farm. 2 males, 1 female.

Total rescues = 48.

Thanks so much to all of the volunteers who have worked so hard to make this happen, and to all of our wonderful supporters and donors who understood the importance of this blitz. We have prevented the births of literally hundreds of cats this spring!
-Sarah

Rusty the wonder cat

Denise, Rusty's foster mom, has been amazing about sending great updates about him. Here is another one:
"He is getting more secure everyday. He looks fantastic, still a bit thin but his coat is soft and shiny. He is more of a cuddly laid back guy, doesn't play too much yet but will in time. He hasn't gone outside and until this weekend didn't show much interest in it. He sits in the window sill - him and Kiji fight over the same one of course, but when I opened the back door he would run upstairs. I have now been able to pick him up - he used to meow when I did before so I think it hurt him a bit. His tummy is very ticklish. When he is being petted he likes to touch you with his paws on your face or hair. He had some scabs on him from various things and those have healed. I am still working on one matt in his fur that he doesn't like touched quite yet. He goes all over the house upstairs and down so I am moving his litter box downstairs in the next day or so."
Thanks so much, Denise!
-Sarah