A Lucky Four
These four kits came from a large trapping project in the suburbs of Philadelphia. By the time the people realized the overwhelming cat problem and could afford to do something, the colony had grown to 25 to 30 cats and spanned the backyards of three houses.
With never enough food and only one shelter, these colony cats have a rough life, especially since they are near a busy road. The four kittens were literally picked up and put into a carrier because they were too sick to run. They came in with fevers, severe upper respiratory conditions and eyes glued shut due to infection. Their bellies were very distended and bloated as a result of worms and the lack of sufficient food, yet you could feel every bone in their little spines. When rescued, all were dehydrated and small for their estimated age.
When a colony mom stops nursing her kits at eight weeks (usually because she is pregnant again), the kittens are on their own to find food. And in most large colonies when food is scarce the kittens will be chased away from food by many of the adult cats. These kittens would have been just another statistic of the many that are born and die outside due to lack of food, vet care and spaying and neutering.
Very special thanks to the wonderful, caring person who trapped the cats and rescued these babies and brought them to Cat Tales when no other rescue would take them in.
Ask Dr. Sally
Q My cousin fell in love with a tiny kitten he saw at a local shelter, but was afraid that its size might be an indication that it started out in poor health. Should he be concerned about the kitten’s past health history?
A Kittens born to sick or feral cats start out with some disadvantages. An unhealthy mother may have transmitted certain conditions to her kittens or may not have been able to care for them properly. A feral mother would not have had current vaccinations and was probably carrying a number of different parasites, putting the kittens at risk for disease. However, the kittens can overcome this unhappy beginning with proper handling and good veterinary care.
When looking for a new kitten, keep in mind that where and how it began life matters far less than its current health and disposition. Don’t be afraid to ask to see the veterinary records to verify the care your prospective pet has received and the current state of health of the kitten. Also, ask to interact with the cat you hope to adopt. But don’t worry if the kitten that may be the future love of your life was born in the wild or had a rough start to life. Cats are perfectly able to overcome a rocky start to become wonderful pets.
Submit your questions for Dr. Sally to info@cattalesinc.org
Cat Tales success story — Tisha and Meeka
“I wanted to send a few updated pictures of my wonderful kitties!! I adopted Tara and her kitten Pippa in August and September. They are wonderful, sweet cats. They are extremely playful and both are attention seekers! Very talkative and loving. I’m so happy to have found such beautiful babies!
“I changed their names to Tisha and Meeka. Tish is very very very talkative and very greedy when it comes to getting my attention and unbelievably playful! Beautiful and courageous! She came in and knew she was home in an instant. She is very happy. Meeka was not such an easy transition but beyond her meek and mild demeanor, she can stand up for herself and loves to curl up with me in a blanket, while Tish yells from the other room for me. Jealous little things! Thank you so much for these girls! They are very happy kitties!”
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Cat in the Media
You can’t have cats because you have allergies or asthma? Your apartment complex doesn’t allow pets? Your mom won’t let you bring one home? Well, now you have the opportunity to interact with cats and kittens and support a good cause. Follow the link to the home page, and click on the image like the above to “play with the kitties” from afar.
Issue 18 — January, 2012
Come see the cats!
We have cats and kittens at our adoption centers at PetSMART and PETCO in Warminster and at Main Street Animal Hospital in Doylestown.
Follow this link for the address of any of the other locations listed.
See our cats on Petfinder too!
Want to see your cat in our newsletter?
Do you have a funny or special story about a cat you adopted from Cat Tales? Perhaps you have a picture you want to share. Send your stories and/or pictures to:
- Cat Tales, Inc, PO Box 165, Warminster PA 18974;
- Fax to 215-933-6900; or
- E-mail to info@cattalesinc.org
Can you help?
- Become a volunteer with Cat Tales. We have a many opportunities to fit your interests and time schedule at any of our locations.
- Provide financial support to help us care for our cats while they are waiting for adoption. Funds for medical expenses are our biggest need and include spay and neuter surgery to help prevent the increase in the number of unwanted cats. Checks can be made out to Cat Tales Inc. and mailed to Cat Tales, PO Box 165, Warminster PA 18974. You can also donate with a credit card via our web site. All donated funds go directly to help the cats.
- Donate a gift card from BJs, PETCO, PetSMART, Target, or Wal-Mart for needed supplies.
- Make a gift in honor or memory of friends, family members, or a pet.
- Provide a lasting gift to help animals in need and earn tax benefits through bequests and planned giving.
- Donate cat food (any type or brand, although we feed cats in our care Purina ONE), litter, cat beds, scratching posts, towels and toys. Just drop off the supplies at PetSMART or PETCO in Warminster or Main Street Animal Hospital in Doylestown and clearly indicate the supplies are for Cat Tales.
Call Cat Tales at 215-933-6900 or e-mail us at info@cattalesinc.org for additional information.
Don’t want to receive the newsletter?
We respect that you may not want to receive the newsletter from Cat Tales, Inc. You can access our unsubscribe feature through links at the bottom of the page.
Cat Tales store
If you like Cat Tales, cats or want a gift for someone that is unique and supports a good cause, we encourage you to check out the Cat Tales on-line store. There are long and short-sleeved shirts, caps, cards and cups.
The prices have been cut to a minimum and discounts are available daily. If you have a request for a product you would like to see, let us know.
Newsletter archive
If you have recently subscribed to the newsletter or would like to review an article from a previous issue, the newsletter archive is in the Cat Tales on-line library.
Friend us on Facebook
Keep up with the kitties on Facebook! We are slowly getting our social-networking act together. You can help us by suggesting names for the coming litters of kittens, see who has been surrendered and who has been adopted, see where we are going to be. You can also post your cat stories, We’re always happy to hear from alumnae.
Be careful, there is a “Cat Tales” (someone else) and “Cat Tales, Inc.” (That’s us.)
A note from your cat:
