Quite an assortment!

We have a mama and babies that came to us last week when the babies were only about 3 days old.  All but one baby is polydactyl on all four paws (mama is poly on all four also), and at least one of the kittens has 7 toes on each front foot.  Two of the kittens are manxs.  So, with all those toes - we call them muppet paws, we decided to name them after the muppets.  Unfortunately, there aren't that many female muppets and we thought naming mama Miss Piggy was just plain mean so we took some of the male muppet names and repurposed them as unisex names for our babies.  We'll be clipping claws this weekend - and there are lots and lots of them to clip. 

And the names are:

• Mama: Fozzie Bear
• Orange manx (the only one that is not polydactyl): Kermit
• Orange regular tail - polydactyl: Beaker
• Calico - polydactyl: Abby Cadaddy
• Black and white manx - polydactyl: Sweetums
• Black and white regular tail - polydactyl: Snuffaluffagus 

 Such a good and very protective mama cat

Let's make a break for it.  Well, not really, these babies aren't really moving around on their own yet.  We posed them for pictures.

Lookit the little nubbie tail!  There's also an orange one with the same barely there tail (orange manx is only kitten that is not polydactyl)

Lookit the toes!  All the little muppet toes!

More muppet toes!

Lacey update

Lacey, saw a specialist today and is having surgery tomorrow. Prayers and purrs everyone please for Lacey.  It was also noted on the xray that she has some specks of buckshot in her hindquarters.  All I have to say to the person that did this is I really hope it's true that what goes around comes around. 

The two visits (today - exrays, etc. and the surgery) will cost approximately $1,000 (ouch!) which is actually less than we thought it would be and that's because the surgery will not be quite as invasive as originally it would need to be.   

Below is a picture of the pretty lady.

Today I wept

Today I sat at my desk and wept for a cat I never met.  A cat trapped last night by someone else in the rescue and transported to the vet this morning by yet another person so I never met the handsome black kitty with copper eyes.  His injuries were beyond repair and the vet said he was clearly suffering.  He back legs were swollen to at least twice their normal size and his paws were even more swollen.  He had to be euthanized -- it was the most humane thing to do.  So I cried.  Crying didn't make anything better, but still I wept for the kitty who died today.  But, at least he died with a name (Wade) and he passed quickly, whereas he would've have suffered and most likely died a slow death had he not been trapped.  I'm thankful we were at least happy to help him, although it wasn't the help I had anticipated.

And then our spay/neuter vet emailed and said one of the adult cats recently taken in that went in for spay today had a diaphragmatic hernia -- which where Lacey's hernia is is most likely from being kicked per our vet.  And I wept some more.  But then I realize Lacey is safe now and she's in a foster home where she'll get love and attention (and the hernia surgery will be done very soon by a specialist).

And I think about the two cats in very bad shape taken in over a month ago.  In such bad shape, they went straight to the vet with no stopping at go (Monopoly reference).  Those two boys each had to have their left eye removed, as did other cats from the same situation taken in another rescue group.  And it makes me sad.  But these two boys are doing well and Casanova is doing so well that he'll be up for adoption soon.  Capone is very shy and needs a lot more care before he'll be available for adoption.

But then I realize we have made a huge difference in the lives of these cats and while not all have had a good ending (RIP Wade), their lives are better now.  So now I smile to push back the tears.

Spring yard sale fundraiser for the cats time!

It's that time of year again - time to raise money for the cats with our bi-yearly yard sale.   Our yard sale is scheduled for Saturday, April 30th and we are collecting items through April 24th. 

We need your help to get enough item donated for our yard sales, please spread the words to all of your friends. The money from the yard sale will help may for medical care for the cats in our program, as well as sponsor spay/neuter surgeries through our Alter an Alley Cat Spay/Neuter Assistance Program (these programs total over $40,000 per year in costs for the cats; and we estimate our costs for the Alter an Alley Cat program will more than double in 2011 from what it was in 2010).

The following items typically sell especially well:

• Jewelry
• Lawn/garden tools and accessories
• Tools
• Office supplies
• Children's items
• DVDs
• Books on tape (books on CD)
• Furniture
• Pottery
• Electronics and small appliances
• Antiques
• Home decor items
• Pet related items

Please contact us if you have items you would like to donate and we will arrange pickup, as we do have some space to store items. Email (info@alleycatsandangels.org) is the best way to contact us, however, we can be reached via phone also at 919-303-3500. Alley Cats and Angels is a 501c3 non-profit cat rescue. Your donations are tax deductible and we will provide you with a donation receipt for your taxes.


Follow this link for a printable yard sale flyer. http://www.alleycatsandangels.org/AlleyCats_Spring2011_YardSaleFlyer.pdf


We also need volunteers to help the day before the yard sale (April 29) sorting and pricing items, as well as to help staff the yard sale (April 30).

Adoption Update

Three adoptions this weekend: Buddy, Peepers, and Fred.  YAY for all but especially for Fred, he's been with us quite a while and was very shy at adoption events. 

What a great weekend.