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CH Kitty Club Newsletter

February 2012                                Issue #17

Tardy Peebucket

Hi everyone!

 

Ahhh, February, the month of LOVE!! Ziggy and I are very lucky CH kitties, we are so loved, every single month and day of the year. It hurts my heart knowing there are so many CH kitties out there that do not have loving homes. Please, if YOU have room in your heart and in your home, scroll to the end of this issue for a list of needy CH kitties. You won't regret it : )) 

 

 

And remember, we offer these wonderful CH Kitty pins when you make a donation to the CH Kitty Club. That helps us keep things rolling! It helps the newsletter and  the website. Donate if you can; every little bit helps!

 

 

Tardy Peebucket...President of Hearts   

 

www.TardyPeebucket.com  

[email protected] 

 

 

Donate   

$5.00 will get you the button :  )) 

THANK YOU!!!  

 

CH Kitty of the Month...Angus



by Anne Lawrence

I joined the group recently when I had questions and needed help with my foster kitten, Alice. What an amazing group of people! I've been overwhelmed by the support and knowledge found on your page, and Alice has found her forever home in a matter of 2 weeks. How awesome is that? (Answer: incredibly awesome!)


I thought I'd introduce myself and my cat Angus, my first foster kitten with CH and now a permanent member of our family. I've been fostering kittens with Fancy Cats Rescue Team in Fairfax, VA, for almost 2 years now. My first summer as a foster, I heard about a litter of 5 kittens who were in the care of one of our very experienced fosters, with this condition called CH. I had never heard of it, but after the standard Google search, I got the picture. "How sad," I thought. "No one's going to want these kittens." Then I watched Charlie's famous video, which reduced me to tears and changed the way I thought about CH kitties, and all special-needs kitties, really. And those five kittens were adopted from our rescue, of course. (The two most severe are in a "permanent foster" arrangement with an amazing woman who has only special-needs animals.)
    


This past Memorial Day weekend, I got an urgent email from a Washington, D.C. shelter. The air conditioning in the ancient building had failed; it was a sweltering weekend; they were short-staffed because employees were refusing to work in the heat; and people were flooding in all weekend with kittens and cats, either surrendered or "found."
 
The shelter knew I could bottle-feed, since I'm a stay-at-home mom. Could I please take five siblings who were under 8 weeks old and give them a chance to get out of there alive? Sure, of course. (I only had three litters at the time, what was another one added to the chaos?) I drove down with one carrier and left with three, after seeing the conditions at the shelter for myself. I took the nine youngest kittens out of the one tiny, hot, overcrowded, stinky room that was serving as the kitten "nursery" while the A/C was being repaired. The littlest guy was a 1-week-old tuxedo who had been stuck in a cage with a nursing mom (not his) and kittens at least twice his size, and he was not doing well at all. The other kittens were not letting him near the nipples, and he was sick, listless and dehydrated. Of course I didn't know that he either had or was recovering from panleuk.


Once I got him home, he took to the bottle amazingly quickly, and with some antibiotics and fluids, he recovered fairly well--although he gave me more than one good scare in his first few days. At times I was not at all sure he was going to make it. In fact, I lost two of the other kittens to panleuk, and three more got extremely sick, but recovered. After Angus was stronger, I took him with me everywhere in his little carrier with a Snuggle-Safe, a small ferret bed, and a bottle of KMR always at the ready. Boy, did he love the bottle, and he made the funniest piggy squeals whenever he saw his bottle being prepared. He slept in our bed and wormed his way into our hearts in no time. I knew that bottle babies were often behind the curve for growth and development, but at around 5 or 6 weeks, I noticed he just wasn't walking much, was STILL on the bottle, not interested in canned food, and just seemed a little different somehow. Yup, sure enough, CH. Mild to moderate, though, and other than the clumsy walk, falling a lot, and not using the litter box, he was really no different from the other kittens I was fostering. Except he was (and is) so much more loving, so attuned to us, and such a character. He nuzzles my neck every night, kneading and purring wildly. He loves my kids and they love him. My 9-year-old daughter wears Angus around her neck as a scarf, and he enjoys it.
 
My husband dressed him up as a pirate for Halloween, and he wore his hat proudly. He walks outside on a harness and leash, and loves to come in the car when I drop the kids off at school in the morning. I've fostered about 150 cats and kittens for Fancy Cats in the last 2 years, so believe me, I'm no pushover when it comes to "foster failure," or adopting one's own fosters.
 
It takes a pretty special cat to make it into "family" status, but Angus has done it, and we're so glad to have him.


Cheers,
Anne


CH Progress: Ellie's Story




By Amanda Maurer Woodhead

When I started my first blog about CH cats, it was because it had finally dawned on me that I should chronicle the progress of CG, my first CH cat. Unfortunately, that was about a year after I adopted him, so I wasn't able to post about many of his early accomplishments in real time. And, while he continues to make progress daily, it's not quite as dramatic.

So when we decided to adopt Ellie, I was thrilled at the opportunity to get it right. The blog got a makeover (www.lifewithchcats.com), and we watched and waited for Ellie's progress.

When she turned 6 months old, I decided that I wanted to post about how far she had come. She's still a wobbly girl with moderate CH, but her accomplishments are many, and she really reminds me of how CG transformed.

Here's a look at how far she's come from when we adopted her at 8 weeks:

Mobility: We've seen so much progress here. When she first came home with us, our hardwood floors were a huge task for her (think of Bambi on ice). She flip-flopped all over the place, rarely taking a few steps unless she was on carpet.

Today, she's still quite the tumbler, but putting on some weight and muscle has given her much more strength and stability. She's a loud high-stepper who sometimes slides across the floor, but the progress is definitely significant.

Litter box: This was a struggle for a few reasons. Ellie was so little that it was difficult for her to get into most pans, but she was also so wobbly that she'd easily flip out of them. We tried a number of boxes (5), and eventually found one with a low entry and higher sides. It's not *perfect,* but it did work quite well -- especially since our main issue was that we just needed to wait for her to grow a bit!





Now that she's bigger, she's much more capable of maneuvering in the pan. Her major success was when she climbed into and used CG's big pan -- and you could tell he did not think it was exciting as we did! Interestingly, while she'll squat to go #2, she will lay on her side to go #1. I'm curious to see if this will change over time.

Around the house: CG has taught her a great deal -- from how to climb onto our couch to how to "jump" off of our bed (don't worry, it's only about 20" high!) She keeps up quite well, although when she's feeling silly, she sometimes runs around with reckless abandon. This can lead to her falling off the couch or running into a wall, but she's a good sport!

Injuries: Thankfully she's still in one piece -- more or less. Our vet did inform us that the very tips of her adult canines had broken off (which happened soon after they came in!), but fortunately she's OK other than that.

Family: The area that she's made the most improvement in? Becoming a part of our family. I thought the three of us (me, my husband and CG) were an excellent team, but Ellie was the perfect puzzle piece we didn't know we needed. She and CG are now best buds, and this happy girl is a joy to be around.

If you have a CH kitty that has made noticeable progress, please let me know and I can add it to my blog! You can email me at [email protected].





Our new family member 'Spotty'



by Barbara Lewis

I wanted to write a bit about our new family member, Spotty. Spotty was brought to us by her stray mom, Lily, along with her sibling Hissy, about 3 month ago, sadly, Spotty seems to have CH.

Lily came to our kitchen door to eat every night for about a year and suddenly she seemed to have a belly, I kept watching to see if she might be pregnant. Sure enough, being a very small and skinny cat it was obvious one day that her belly seemed gone but we could not find any kittens. She herself is barely a year and a half old and we kept looking for her kittens for over a week. Despite our efforts we could not figure out where she went after we fed her to see where she had her kittens. Then one day I heard a
slight meow and to our surprise Lily had her kittens hidden in the bushes right in front of our kitchen door. Although in Southern California it's usually very mild, we suddenly had cold weather and rain. I got really worried how Lily will manage keeping her babies dry and warm. Suddenly we could not find them for over a week again. She had moved them, until she brought them back in our backyard and moved them aside our shed...which is raccoon highway at night and so we moved the kittens in to our garage. But Lily, being a stray and free cat, found a way out of the garage, via a small hole from the garage to under the house and out from there by moving some very heavy rocks that were in front of the crawl space door, and she moved the kittens out in the rain again... That battle went on for a few days, often in the middle of the night, we were out in the rain looking for her babies..., until she finally realized she was not locked in, that she could get out of the garage via under the house and out an air vent under our kitchen which we left open for her. So she left her kittens in the garage, used the litter box right away and became real content in her new home for her and her kittens. Below are Spotty and Hissy in their basket in the garage..., you can see how much bigger Hissy already was at that time, by now the difference is even more obvious.

 
Still today Lily and Hissy live in the garage most of the time, aside of daytime outings and lots of play.

It took a while for us to notice that one kitten, Spotty, could not move as well as the other. She did walk, although she was wobbly, and played a bit outside. Soon she moved less and less and, not having a clue what was wrong with her, we took her to a vet. This vet obviously had no experience with CH cats, so she ran all regular tests and  Spotty tested fine on everything, but her hind legs became more and more stiff and useless. Now, since she plays and moves more, we notice that the left front paw is also not as functional as it should be. A while later we took her to another vet who confirmed that Spotty has CH and she wanted to put Spotty to sleep, which I did not allow. Around that time I found the CH Kitty Club, and I am so very thankful that all of you are out there, helping each other and having helped me tremendously in understanding CH and figuring out how to care for Spotty.

Unfortunately we now wonder if there are other issues as the complete stiffness of Spotty's hind legs doesn't seem to be normal for CH cats. I often wonder if, during the time that Lily carried Spotty (Hissy could already make it on her own) from the garage out via the air vent, Lily dropped Spotty and if Spotty had some hard landings on pipes under the house, causing some sort of spine injury and/or paralysis. Debbie referred
me to speak to Lisa who has some connections to a vet specialized in neurological issues, which will be our next step in trying to help Spotty.

Meanwhile, Hissy, her brother, kept jumping on Spotty, trying to play. Hissy kept nodding and biting Spotty in the hopes to get her moving, he basically tortured her without realizing it. He is just a healthy kitten that wants to play, so we could not get mad at him. And mom, Lily, did not really have the patience to feed Spotty anymore, she would move away when Spotty could not hold on due to her shaky head while she was trying to nurse.

As much as I love cats, I have a strong allergy towards cats and dogs which is why my 22 year old cat lives in my patio room with access to the outside since 20 years. But I could not continue to watch Spotty getting beat up on every day so we took Spotty inside, cleaned her up and adjusted things, to help her get stronger. I fed her by bottle, held her over the litter box (still do), and each of us took turns having her in our laps at night, which she enjoys tremendously. Any contact with any of us and she is happy and content. And, while I write this, Spotty is here with me at my office, playing with all sorts of
toys. I work long days twice a week and don't feel good leaving her at home alone, mostly because she cannot use the litter box alone and I don't want her laying in her messes all day until we get home. Here she is at play next to me in my office.
 
For a while I thought Spotty may have lost her voice and her will to live as she just talked real quietly and never cried anymore and did not move much. Until one day when Lily was outside the kitchen door crying, what I thought to be for Spotty. I put Spotty outside and Lily started cleaning her but mostly to lick the food that Spotty had just eaten. Spotty didn't like this at all and cried miserably and real loud. She was trying to get away from the strong licks that made her fall over. Since then I know she must be content with living in the house and her surroundings, since she never cries, unless I bathe her :o)

Meanwhile Spotty has grown a bit, she now weighs a little over one pound and, while we are not home, she is set up in her basket with a water dropper on one side and a food dish with dry food on the other. This way she is fine for a few hours until one of us gets home to help her use the litter box and let her play on an area rug.

Last weekend we even took her to the beach with us. She did not like sitting in the warm sand but she sure enjoyed laying on the blanket between us :o)

 
My step daughter made a shoebox house for Spotty, each side has a different saying, Spotty, Car, Airplane and Bed, depending where we are going :o) When we are home and on the computer, Spotty sits in her box next to us and watches what's going on. Lately she tries to get out but unfortunately her stiff hind legs make it impossible, they are always in the way.
 
Since a few days ago (and since I began writing this over a week ago), Spotty has become more and more mobile. We exercise every her night, by coaxing her to follow toys and our hands and feet. She's now able to turn around completely and she moves quite far if the surface is flat and soft (but not too soft) so she can pull herself. She is real good at playing ball by batting a light ball that's hanging on a string in front of her, it's so much fun when it moves continuously. :o)

Although we have word out to find someone that would like to adopt Spotty, I get really emotional when I just think of giving her away; she has given us so much appreciation for life. Just by being so good natured and trying so hard and seemingly being content. If it weren't for my strong allergies and that we cannot leave Spotty alone at home for more than a few hours, I would not even consider giving her away.

I still have hope that one day she'll manage to get in to a low litter box and, more important, back out (versus being stuck in it). Her stiff legs get in the way with anything that is raised in any way.

Last week, my step son and I took Spotty on one of our nightly walks, it was a bit cold so he put her in his beanie and she just cuddled and watched where we were going. By the time we had walked about 20 minutes her eyes were closed and she was deep asleep, so cute and so content, what a trusting soul. Below is how he had been carrying her on our walk and she loved it.
 
I want to thank all the nice and helpful ladies from the CH Kitty Club and the Facebook group, and otherwise involved CH cat lovers, that have helped me so much and encouraged me to keep Spotty and not have her euthanized. Before I spoke and wrote with all of you I was not sure what was wrong with Spotty (I still don't know about her hind legs) and I was very worried that she might be suffering.

Best to all, Barbara




It's a Bird... No it's a Plane...No it's Lilly Grace!

 
by Jennifer Jasensky

It's been quite a few months since Lilly Grace, our kitty with severe CH, had a ramp custom-built to aid in her mobility. It's six feet long and is adjustable from two- to three-feet high so we can move it to different locations for different purposes. It started out in the bedroom to provide access to her nighttime sleep area, but quickly moved to the cats' room so everyone could enjoy it and the other kitties could show her how to use it. The others race up and down the ramp and think it's the cat's meow.

 
During first few weeks, she hated the ramp. For the most part, Lilly Grace does not like change of any kind; that means don't mess with her food, her treats, her blankets and so on. Yet, there are a few things she does like when they are new. She loves cat condos that are carpeted completely on the inside, new or old. New catnip toys are always a hit. But the ramp, not so much - it was big and scary.
 

Over the months, though, she's realized that it's not an obstacle to get around; it's actually a great way to get to her window and even more fun when the other cats are on it with her. Most of the time I place her near the base of the ramp and let her "walk" her way up and when she gets to the top, she pulls herself up onto her bed or perch. But lately that has been changing. She's got a new trick, and it's not for the faint-hearted (aka Me). Maybe I'll appreciate this trick more once she perfects it, but that appears to be a long way off.
 
So, what's this trick she's gotten herself into? First, a little history. We've all heard the phrase "White men can't jump". Well, neither can severe CH kitties. She knows how to drag herself, she knows how to fall over, she even knows how to do a little bounce as she "chases" the red dot of a laser toy. But jumping ... nope, not gonna happen. Until now.

Lately, Lilly Grace has begun trying to jump onto her window bed from the top of the ramp. She uses her back legs just like a "regular" cat would do. Sounds great, right? Well, not exactly. The problem is, she's still got CH and she still can't make the rest of her body go where it's supposed to all the time. 
 
When I'm here to see the pseudo-jump, if it seems like she could use assistance, I can put my hand behind her back and provide a little push. If I don't get to her fast enough, though, there are the occasional failures, where she tries the jump but her upper body falls backward and she ends up sliding down the ramp on her back. Not Lilly Grace's most graceful moment, admittedly, but she's unfazed. I think that cat is made of rubber. Yet, that doesn't really help me feel better. No one wants to see their child fall. I want to be a good mom, I want to help her stretch and exercise, and I want her to have the same freedom to be a cat as the rest of the gang here. Most importantly, I don't want to discourage her from achieving goals she sets for herself. So do I let her continue to try to jump? Can I stop her even if I wanted to? Despite my trepidation, I've concluded that it's best to let her try. She's gaining muscles she didn't have before and, with age, is better at handling the attention tremors. Rocket ships surely didn't reach the stars first try. A little time, a little trial and error, a little luck, and maybe soon my little space cadet will master the launching and thrusting as well. To the moon, Lilly Grace!







The World According to Riley Dean:
A Look into Riley Dean's "Crib"!

By Riley Dean (With a Little Help From Mommy)

Hello everybody! Riley Dean here. Well, with the brand new year here now, I decided to do
some cleaning around my bedroom, and it got me thinking: wouldn't it be fun to give a tour
of my room for all of the CH Kitty Club readers out there? So here we go. Welcome to Riley
Dean's home!

My room is really a large playpen in our house's front room. My mommy bought the pen from
a pet website, then found out a few months later that the EXACT SAME pen was only HALF
the price at a kids' toy store! Heh heh, oh well, live and learn. Under the pen are some foam
rubber tiles she buys wholesale online. They are easy to clean, and I can fall on them all I want!
It doesn't hurt at all! Some of them even have letters on them. She spelled out "Riley" for me at
the front! Aww!

Hanging on my walls, I have all of my treasures and memories. These are things I've collected in
my adventures throughout the last eight years:





I like to collect postcards from all of the places that I've traveled to. When I go somewhere with
my family, my mommy buys me a postcard. Then, when we get home, she buys a frame for
it and hangs it in my pen for me. I have postcards from Reno, Monterey, Santa Cruz and Half
Moon Bay. This one is from Pastorino's Pumpkin Patch. I went there for the Pumpkin Festival.
My mommy put me in my stroller and then let me run free in the pumpkin fields full of straw. It
was a fun day!




These are all of my ribbons and prizes from contests. Most of them are from PetCo Halloween
contests. There are also two pictures of me on vacation up here. Heh heh, my mommy made
them "Riley Dean-sized," just for me!



Artwork! My Uncle Brandon sometimes makes me cards for my birthday or special occasions.
He is a special needs adult, and he loves the fact that I have special needs, too! We look out for
each other.


This is a framed copy of my very first feature in the CH Kitty Club newsletter! I was the CH
Kitty of the Month way back in October of 2010 (the very first issue!). Ah, how young I looked there (...okay, I still look the same now). Anyway, my grandma was so proud that she framed
that for me and put it in my pen.


This is my new bed (I know it LOOKS too tall, but I can get in and out of it just fine), my food
and water dishes (raised, of course, for my comfort...hey, I ate all my food! Service, please!),
and my carpet-covered sofa. See? The blue blanket has my name on it! My mommy got it for me for Christmas one year. It also has my adoption day on it.

It's important to note that I only need to be in my bedroom at night and when no one is home
(no one wants me to fall and hurt myself when I'm home alone). Otherwise, I get the run of the
whole house. Also, my mommy has made sure to use strong plastic zip-ties to attach everything
to the walls. This guarantees that even in an earthquake (which we see here in California
sometimes), nothing will fall down on me.

So that's the tour of Riley Dean's bedroom! Thank you for coming, and feel free to stop by for treats anytime! =)




Happy Ending for Gracie
From Best Friends Animal Society in Utah





By Patty La Quay

Gracie (formerly Grizelda) is a CH kitty that used to reside in Quincy House at Best Friends Animal Society in UT. When I visited there last October, I had the privilege of taking Gracie on a sleepover. My heart just fell even more in love with her as I watched her open up and come out of her shell during our time together. You see, back in the building that she lived in at the sanctuary, Gracie always seemed to prefer to stay in the office, hidden and out of the way of the hustle and bustle. She was so good at making herself scarce in fact, that many long time volunteers didn't even know who she was. 
 
 
Well, after our sleepover and seeing her blossom in such a short time, I wanted to get her name out there and make sure people knew who she was. I made a short video and did a write-up of our sleepover to post on the Best Friends network site. I then posted a link to the video and sleepover write-up on the CH Kitty Club website, the CH Kitty Yahoo group, several Facebook pages and anywhere else I could think of where a potential adopter might see and fall in love with this girl. Debbie even asked me to do a write-up to include in the Dec. 2011 newsletter. Oh, I figured many people might think the video was sweet and that she seemed to do very well on the sleepover and all but I honestly didn't think anyone would give adopting her a second thought. But even still, I kept her in my prayers.

 

Video:
Grizzy Sleepover 
Grizzy Sleepover
 

 

Now, I know that not everyone is spiritual, but for me, this was one of those times where I KNOW, without a shadow of a doubt, that my prayer was answered. I don't recall how long after but it wasn't too long after I had posted the video and link to my sleepover that I found out Gracie had someone who was interested in adopting her! OMG!!! I couldn't finish my dinner that night after finding out because I couldn't stop crying. Honestly, I just couldn't believe it. I think that's the closest to cloud nine I've ever been. Well, about a day or two after this wonderful news, I received an email from none other than Gracie's new mom, introducing herself. And she also told me that she was adopting Gracie because of the write-up and video. Needless to say, I wouldn't be doing a write-up about Gracie to send to Debbie for the December newsletter, but that was OK by me!

 

To this day, I still seem to find it hard to believe that Gracie got her forever home so quickly, but I know why. She is after all, a precious, sweet, and deserving girl. And I also still feel that excitement for her when I think of first hearing the news. Her new mom and I correspond often which is wonderful to me as it still allows me to feel connected to Gracie. She tells me about new things Gracie does and how she loves to lay on the carpet and soak up the CA sun. I was even told that I could come visit any time....how cool is that!?

 

Best Friends has a few other CH kitties that I hope to take for a sleepover and maybe even do a write-up and video of so that their names and stories can be told. In fact, keep an eye out, a friend of mine took Lilah on a sleepover recently and you might just see something about her in a future issue of this newsletter. I always say that you never know who might be reading or watching or who's face and story might catch someone's eye. For these precious CH kitties, any chance they can get to be adopted is a chance worth taking!
 





Fuzzy Tales



by Janice Branwood

How times flies, as we are already to the month of February.  So many new kitties adopted and hopefully many lovely tales to come in the next few months.

 

We start this month with a story about dinner time.  As is the case at my house, Missy shares her table with her famous felines in an effort to keep the dog from eating kitty food.  Although we usually expect to eat in peace, things happen beyond our control.  Missy's dinner was finishing when Lovey decided to come across the table.  Now remember, we are talking about Ch kitties across a table.  As Lovey got up and turned one paw was on Missy's son's plate and Lovey's back legs went out from underneath her.  The result was a twist and a thump and before they could react, Jason's plate flipped up and landed squarely on top of Missy's.  You can imagine the surprise for everyone, and thankfully the dishes were plastic so all they had was a minor mess and hilarious laughter.  Poor Lovey, she was just trying to say "Hello" and created such a frenzy, but as is the case did it with flair!
 

 

Continuing with Missy's family we have another little poop tale that I hope Lovey doesn't mind we tell, and hope that Effie doesn't feel left out of the column.  Missy was  sitting in her living room when Lovey came out to use the litter box nearby. Now  like all of us, pee pads are around the box in case of an accident.  With that said, Lovey made her way to the box.  She walked in partially having only her head over the box and proceeded to do her business.  Jonathan, Missy's son, gave a rather quizzical look and Missy just said, "Hey, her head was in the pan, so that counts!"  Ahhh, another good potty story and as they left, a new clean pee pad was put down for the next visit, hopefully with a full body entrance in the box.

 

Our next "Tale" is from none other than Ziggy (Lizzie & Neal).  As many of us know our CHers are not always friendly to visitors pawed or non pawed of any kind.  At Ziggys house he recently encountered a pair of paws that appeared under his door.  Oh such fun, a new toy he thought that moves when I move and appears and disappears while I watch.  This went on for a few weeks, and much to his dismay the door opened one day and OH NO...there was a kitty attached to that toy, and Mommie never let on that it was an outsider in my house.  So doing what Ziggy does best, he made it his mission to not only scare the kitty to death but also chased the kitty's mom out of the house as well.  He knew she brought those kitty paws in, no one was going to fool the Ziggster, and if Mom thought she was going to pass off kitties as "toys", she had another thing coming.  Ziggy knows who is boss in the family as well as the ONLY  entertainment, all other that come in are purely ametuers at best.

 

This next "tale" is one that has the word determination written all over it.  Nanako (Elise M.) was playing with her other kitty friends, when all of a sudden she began to make all kinds of loud crazy noises.  Elise went to follow the noises thinking that  there was a serious problem only to find Nanako had climbed to the top of the cat tree, and was in the top cubby hole all by herself.  This was the first time  (at least that Elise knows) that Nanako made the climb to the top of the tower and the noise was her saying "look Mom, I DID IT, I DID IT".  Our CH cats not only have determination but are very vocal when they achieve  greatness.  Climb well done, Nanako, you go girl!!!

 

The last Fuzzy Tale this month is a story from a few months ago, but due to other happenings in the house (namely mouse hunting) it was deferred until now.  Having been in the CH group, I am aware of the Halloween happenings at the home of Riley Dean (Kristie).  This past year was no different.  Kristie knew that it would be such a great idea to have Riley Dean and Kip (her blind little poodle) go as a pair,and she made the costumes, knowing she would have a winner.  Riley-Dean was BATMAN and Kip was ROBIN!!  Riley Dean travelled in his stroller just in case any doggies scared him.   They not only got treats, pictures taken and walked in the pet parade but won 2nd place in PetCo's Halloween contest with a gift card and 2nd place ribbon.  Many people were amazed at how a disabled cat and dog can be such good friends, let alone be the BATMAN AND ROBIN of 2011.   Once again Kristie had the ability to showcase how wonderful and impressive CH kitties can be.  The ribbon now hangs proudly in Riley Deans room.  Congratulations for another winning costume.




Meet the Parents:

Meet Cheri, Romeow and Hawking!



By Kristie (Riley Dean's Mommy)

Cheri Cutright lives in the quiet countryside between Marseilles and Seneca, Illinois with all
of her beautiful rescue animals. This includes three dogs (Fabian, an Australian Shepherd, and
two chihuahuas named Nugget and Kaiser) and ten cats (named Rikki Tikki Tabby Cat, Kismet,
Jeffrey, Albee Blue, Romeow, Nerys, Faith, Hawking, Tarkenton and Ragnar). She obtained her furbabies from Just Animals Shelter in Mazon, IL. She has worked there for seven years as of this coming July.

Romeow, who is seven years old, and Hawking, who is two, are Cheri's two CH kitties. "I
worked with two CH cats who both got adopted before Romeow came in at the same time I
was being diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis," Cheri says. "As a kitten Romeo fell over for no
apparent reason, and he always had the bobble head. We recognized it as CH, albeit a mild case.
I adopted him and told him we could deal with our neurological problems together."

Romeow has a bit of a bobble in his head, but only a slight gate problem. "He could pass a
sobriety test," Cheri laughs. "In fact if it weren't for the head bobble most would never know
there is anything different about him."

Some years later, Hawking came along! "Hawking came into my life when we discovered his
mother was pregnant AFTER we had already vaccinated her. We suspected that she would have problems because of that, so I fostered her because I was an experienced pregnant cat foster. She gave birth to five kittens, three died within the first week."

By the end of the first month, it was clear that Hawking had a rather severe case of CH (his
surviving sister's only sign of CH was that she was clumsier than most cats, so she was adopted). "I officially adopted Hawking when he was six months old, but he has lived with me since the day he was born."

Cheri describes Hawking's CH as moderate: "If he really concentrates, he can walk slowly
across a room, but he could never pass the sobriety test. He falls frequently, but has adjusted well. If he gets too excited he usually ends up going in a direction he hadn't planned to take."

Cheri is amazed by how well Hawking learns to adapt: "One of the funniest things he does is
wedging himself between the wall and the bed to climb up into our very high bed. He used to
simply roll off the bed and crash to the carpeting. Somehow he figured out that if he wedged himself between the two he could get up and down without hurting himself. I've discovered that these cats are very smart and are able to figure out ways to adapt to make activities easier and less painful as they go."

Cheri uses high walled litterboxes to help Hawking, and sets up a baby gate to keep the dogs out of the room where the cats' food and litterboxes are. Hawking can squeeze through the bars, while the other cats (even Romeow) can jump over the gate. She also used a ferret vest harness and then a rabbit vest harness to do push-up like exercises and to provide some balance support for Hawking when he was a kitten. "We did this only a few minutes a day while playing. If the kitten cannot learn to walk, it is best to start establishing a potty schedule where the kitten can learn to go potty when you carry it to the litterbox."

Cheri wishes that everyone could know that with a little time and love, CH kitties can have a
great quality of life. "Some people who meet Hawk say things like, 'Awww the poor thing.
Wouldn't it be better to put him down?' They obviously don't know anything about these great
babies. They have no idea they are any different from other cats and are very happy little
kitties." She also stresses, "If you go to a vet whose first advice is to put the kitten down, don't listen. Even the ones who can't walk can enjoy being cuddled and loved. They can have a life of quality through being loved. If the kitty is suffering, you will know in your heart and won't
let them suffer. But don't let someone who has no experience with these special babies tell you
what is best for your baby...Follow your heart."

There are currently three CH kittens at Just Animals, the shelter where Cheri volunteers. One
is mild while the other two are moderate. If anyone is interested, the website is
and the e-mail is [email protected]



          GETTING A HEAD
           

by Sho Journet

Charley Chaplin, a/k/a Mustache Man , or " 'Stash ", was not a CH kitty.
But when we look at our CH'ers, not in pity but in wonder...." Why this one...?"
the world seems wild and unwieldy.

We seek comfort and answers when grief comes, as it surely will; who knows that better than someone who loves a CH cat?

When we are desolate, knees buckling with loss, sometimes the Universe reaches out a helping head.

************


His tail was too long.

If Charley were alive it would be hoisted high in the air but now it stubbornly protruded from the blanket he was wrapped in.

I had the sad chore of burying a neighborhood cat that got hit by a car.

Charley did not live with me but ate with the two feral girls I feed nightly at the end of my ally.

A neighbor let me know and with a heavy heart and bad words on my lips, I walked down the street with a box to retrieve him.

He was not crushed; a trickle of dried blood at the corner of his mouth.
He'd been gone for hours.

I bent down to stroke him thinking,
" You would never have allowed this. "

I found the spot and dug the hole.
He was a wild boy and would have been appalled at anything frilly, still, I couldn't help but wrap him in blue baby blanket with a kitty cat on it.

Sorry, dude.

I felt sad, I felt sick; we weren't close, but I respected him, and I was laying a cat into the ground.

I began to lay handfuls of earth over him.  He was vanishing when my hand closed around something hard.  I stopped to look.

I stared.

In my open palm lay a piece of coral
IN THE EXACT SHAPE OF A CAT HEAD .

I froze.  This was not some stone carving that had inadvertently gotten buried, it was a natural limestone formation.

Chunks of fossilized coral are common here in South Florida.  But this was a gift, a sign of comfort.  As  long as I live and thereafter, I believe that God/  Goddess/  All-That- Is reached out in affirmation, telling me that Charley was safe.

There is a mystery out there of which we are all a part.  When we ask " Why? ", if there's not an answer, for me, there is most assuredly a reason.

Shoshanna
 


Birthday Blurbs
 

Happy Birthday to Jewel, she is 3 years old and still never ceases to amaze me with all of her wonderful happenings.   I truly love having her and would never forget the happiness she gives me daily.
janice


Interview with Suzanne Thomas

Emergency Clinics and Foreign Countries but No CH Kitties?



By Jadey Simmons



Suzanne Thomas is a passionate and devoted animal lover who has committed her life to serving the animal community. With a Doctorate of Veterinary Medicine, she works in two emergency veterinary clinics, volunteers with two major spay and neuter non-profit organizations,and owns her own business of at-home euthanasia services.

Suzanne started her life as an art graduate with a Bachelor's Degree from San Diego State University in 1991. It wasn't until after she had already graduated when she realized art could only be passion and hobby for her. Her first job as a kennel attendant in a Californian pet hospital led her to realize her true calling was in the animal field. Moving to Washington, she completed her 2-year science prerequisites at Washington State University for veterinary medicine.

Suzanne then applied for the veterinary program at WSU, which accepted her on her first attempt. Suzanne graduated with her DVM in 2000 and her current projects now consist of emergency medicine, high volume spay and neuter, and at-home euthanasia.

Suzanne works hard to provide a last chance for recovery for every animal that is suffering and experiencing a near death injury. She works 2 to 3 night shifts every week at two emergency animal clinics, Summit Veterinary Referral Center and the Tacoma Animal Emergency Clinic.

Her passion for animal care began when she was a young girl; she came home and her cat was missing. She rode her bike throughout the neighborhood and eventually found her cat, hit by a car, lying in a ditch. The cat was still living and breathing but very close to death. Suzanne was forced to watch her cat suffer without any hope of help due to the lack of open veterinary clinics in rural New Jersey.


This experience led her to she feel passionately about every community needing an accessible and readily available place to take a pet. These last attempts for recovery allow the owners to reach a sense of closure because they know they tried their best. Working emergency medicine gives Suzanne the satisfaction of providing one last chance for all the unique cases.

Working as a kennel assistant not only led her to veterinary medicine, but it also led her down the path of volunteer spaying and neutering. In San Diego, she was involved in the first Feral Cat Coalition; the first clinics were done in-house. The animals were held in the bathroom, prepped for surgery in the kitchen, and the surgery was carried out in the dining room. When she moved to Washington to attend WSU, she started volunteering at the Tacoma Coalition Humane Clinic. It was at that time when Suzanne gained enough experience spaying and neutering to operate quickly and efficiently. TCH noticed her as a brilliant asset and hired her as a part-time surgeon.

She progressed in her career and after moving on from TCH, she began volunteering for Pasado's Safe Haven Spay Station. The Spay Station is a non-profit mobile spay and neuter van that was founded by the Gary E. Milgard Family Foundation's generous donation of $250,000. It travels to different cities four days a week to provide surgeries for low-income families. Suzanne's skills now shine brightly at the Spay Station where she performs high-volume spay and neuter surgeries in a confined space with a fast work pace.

Not only does Suzanne generously volunteer her time to spay and neuter in her own community, but she also travels to other countries with a non-profit spay and neuter organization called Vet Ventures. Her first "Venture" was to American Samoa in 2007; she heard about her friends' experiences spaying and neutering animals to lower the crowded population of dogs and cats the prior year. She was inspired to join them the following year to join the cause to improve the animals' quality of life. The two weeks in American Samoa consisted of working in hot, dirty conditions for 7 hours per day then cleaning up to go relax and vacation. Suzanne has also traveled to Cancun, Jamaica, and Peru to volunteer her time and talents spaying and neutering animals. In a campaign the size of Cancun, the volunteers served between 50 and 60 animals a day. By Contrast, in Peru they would operate on 20 to 30 animals, and sometimes they would go out with nets to catch wild dogs if people weren't bringing their pets on their own.

Spaying and neutering is immensely important for the animal community. The population is critically high which translates to the mass amounts of stray animals and overcrowded animal shelters. According to the Humane Society of the United States, of the sheltered animals, 3-4 million are adopted while four million, or one every 8 seconds, is put down. Spaying and neutering the feral cats is also important as the feral population equates to more than half the population of owned cats. What this means for the CH kitties is that there is barely room in a shelter for him or her.

Suzanne encounters many breeds and types of animals in these foreign countries; she has not encountered any special-needs. Moreover, she has never encountered a CH kitty or doggie in any of the countries she has traveled to. In harsh conditions, such as those in these poverty-stricken countries, animals must be tough to survive. It truly reflects the concept of survival of the fittest. Skin disease, parasites, and malnutrition are common problems animals endure. Spaying and neutering significantly helps the quality of these animals' lives because it is one less problem for them to take care of - litters of puppies and kittens.

Suzanne has also had little to no experiences with CH in practice. Because she does not work in a regular day clinic, she cannot estimate how many CH cats are brought in. However, she has never encountered CH in her emergency clinics. Only once has she encountered a CH cat in practice; at a house-call to put a dog down, Suzanne met a CH cat playing in the fenced backyard of the house. The rarity of CH cats in emergency clinics could be interpreted as good news - they are not getting hit by cars or facing any dire trauma.

Suzanne's first encounter with Cerebellar Hypoplasia was when she met Laura Carlson at Harbor Hope Cat Rescue, 11 years ago. She admired their spirit and was captured by their cute wobbles when she first saw them. Unfortunately, she is unable to adopt one of her own because her house is not set up for a CH cat's safety because of her other animals and house structure. She did adopt another special-needs cat from Laura though; she adopted a male Siamese cat with deformed legs and extra toes. It was true love at first sight, he was "everything [she] ever wanted in a cat."

After six years of schooling she had barely any knowledge of the condition until she met Laura, the CH kitty expert, at HHCR. There was only one half-page blurb in the textbook at WSU mentioning the cause of the condition, FPV. As agreed by most CH advocates, if low education in vet school is combined with ignorant veterinarians, the diagnosis is inaccurate due to their inability to correctly judge the cat's or dog's quality of life. As long as CH cats are capable of eating, drinking, and being kept in a safe location, their quality of life is good enough to be allowed life, similar to handicapped people.

Emergency medicine, spay and neuter missions, and a community euthanasia service are the three main aspects of Suzanne's dedicated career of helping animals. Her commitments shine light on the importance of having an accessible emergency clinic, keeping animal populations at a reasonable level, and allowing the comfort of an animal to cross the rainbow bridge in the comfort of their own home.



 About Health

Not every wobbly cat is a CH cat
*Misdiagnosed Cats*

by Tanja Vranic and Crystal Fogg


Most CH cats are wobbly. But not every wobbly cat is CH cat. No one should ever assume
that a cat has Cerebellar Hypoplasia just because he or she is wobbly. We all need to take
the time to properly educate ourselves. Cat parents have said goodbye to far too many cats
because the correct diagnose was not made ... simply put, someone "assumed" the cat had CH
when in fact it did not.

Not having the proper procedures and/or tests performed by a trained specialist always
means putting a cat at risk of misdiagnosis. Unfortunately, a false diagnosis of "Cerebellar
Hypoplasia" will lead many people to believe that a cat is not seriously ill and thus needs no
immediate medical care, treatment, or therapy. Many of these misdiagnosed cats will become
increasing sick, or ill, and some may even die as a result. Hence, with that said, if we do not
test cats suspected of having "CH," we are not giving them a fair shot at life.

Many of us know Moki Fogg, the wobbly cat who suffers from an unknown neurological
disorder. At first Moki was diagnosed as a CH cat. He was lucky because his human mum
Crystal challenged his CH diagnosis after having him properly tested and discovering the
fact that his cerebellum for the most part was normal. By having Moki properly tested and
challenging the CH diagnosis, Moki's mom literally saved Moki's life. While everything
about Moki's condition continues to remain a complete medical mystery, Crystal continues to
advocate for disabled animals and insists that they need to be seen by the proper specialists.

Tanja

P.S.: Before I leave you with Crystal, here is another example of why proper diagnose is so
important - in this case study a pregnant cat was vaccinated for FRVCP (the panleukopenia
vaccine) during her first trimester of pregnancy. All but two of the kittens born in this litter
died at birth. Kitten (A) was born with cerebellar agenesis (cerebellar agenesis means that the
kitten was born without a cerebellum,) and kitten (B) was born with cerebellar hypoplasia
(cerebellar hypoplasia being an underdeveloped cerebellum.) Both kittens suffered
from hydranencephaly. (
http://www.merckvetmanual.com/mvm/index.jsp?cfile=htm/bc/100409.htm
) Without an MRI both cases would have most likely been chalked up to CH because of the cat's wobbly condition and their connection to the panleukopenia vaccine.  While the kitten with CH (kitten B) may have gone on to live a normal life span, the kitten with cerebellar agenesis (kitten A) would have most likely died early from his or her condition and the increased likelihood of developing an untreated hydrocephalus.

Editor's Note: The author's opinions expressed in the following article do not necessarily represent the position taken by the CH Kitty Club Newsletter.

Why Moki is known as
The Wobbly Cat


Moki and mum Crystal

by Crystal Fogg

Moki is referred to as a wobbly cat because, while the exact cause remains unknown, his condition is very similar to what a veterinary neurologist would expect to see in a Cerebellar
Hypoplasia (CH) cat. So similar in fact that after UC Davis conducted a number of advanced
medical tests, including an MRI and CSF Tap, they concluded that Moki was in fact a CH
cat. (On a side note, Moki developed his neurological symptoms very shortly after receiving a FVRCP vaccine. However his parvo snap test results showed that he was panluek negative.)

It wasn't until I went back and pointed out to the neurologists at UC Davis that CH wasn't
possible that they changed his diagnosis. While the MRI did show that Moki's cerebellum
was slightly underdeveloped, that the cerebellum was underdeveloped shouldn't have caused the kind of neurological damage we were seeing. Further, Moki was born completely normal and lived the first several months of his life as a normal feral kitten, thereby making CH impossible, since the cerebellum fully develops in cats within the first couple of weeks to months of life. Moki's neurological symptoms did not set in until well after the period in which his cerebellum should have been fully developed therefore making it impossible for Moki's neurological condition to be caused by CH.
It was at this point that UC Davis realized that they had forgotten to make a note of this
in Moki's medical chart, and at this point, the whole neurological team at UC Davis was
so baffled by Moki's condition that they started to send his medical file out to disease
researchers in hopes that maybe one of them could help.

Now, in regards to the shelters and rescue organizations who deal with CH cats, none
of them should be handing out a diagnoses of CH unless the cats in their care have been seen directly by a veterinary neurologist and have undergone the same or similar forms of advanced imaging techniques as Moki. Most  shelters/rescue organizations get their CH diagnoses from their regular vet. These vets are not adequately trained to assess such conditions and further many of these practices lack the advance medical equipment needed to assess these kinds of conditions, i.e., MRI's CT machines, etc. To put it another way, if a person were to fall down and hurt their leg, the only way a doctor could tell if their leg was broken, aside from the bone directly sticking out of it, would be for the doctor to take an x-ray of the leg so that he or she could determine what is going on
internally. The same holds true with CH cats.
One must look at what is going on internally using an MRI, CT scan or similar procedure to know for certain that an animal's cerebellum is underdeveloped. Unless such a procedure is actually done on a cat, a shelter or rescue organization should refrain from using medical terminology to describe the cat's neurological disorder.  Referring to the cat as being a wobbly cat is fine because it is a descriptive diagnosis not a medical one. It is simply a way of saying that this cat has a condition which makes him or her wobbly which is quite different than saying this cat is wobbly because it has an under developed cerebellum.

Shelters who label their cats as having CH without having those cats seen by a veterinary
neurologist may in fact save the life of one cat but they literally do so every day at the cost
of killing hundreds if not thousands of other neurologically challenged animals. This is
because they are not taking enough time to get these animals properly assessed and therefore
veterinary neurologists are not seeing enough neurologically challenged animals to accurately
figure out what is going on with these animals.  Thus, treatments and medications are not
developed in the quantities they should be because the population statistics are greatly
skewed by an under representation of neurologically challenged animals being presented to veterinary neurologists.

What is worse is that this hurts our human population as well since much of our
understanding of medical conditions actually comes from our understanding of what is
occurring in the animal population.  Hence the sprouting up of more recent movements such
as One Health and One Medicine which call for a close collaboration between human and
veterinary medicine so that both species can benefit.

As for the argument that many people pose in that shelters/rescue organizations cannot
afford the costs associated with these kinds of advance tests, that argument should always
be countered by if these organizations are unable to afford such costs then they should not
be taking these animals into their care. They should be leaving it up to organizations and
individuals who are capable of affording such costs or are equipped and ready to fundraise
the money if need be. I advocate for disabled animals like Moki because it is so very, very
important for people to understand that these are not regular animals and to some extent
they do require special care and thus need to be seen by the proper specialists. Videos such
as the Charley video, while cute, often do a great deal more harm than good, since they fail
to properly educate people. Far too often shelters and rescue organizations have mistakenly labeled cats with neurological disorders as being CH kitties, and I have read countless heart breaking emails over the years sent to me by owners who were told by shelters and rescue organizations that they had a CH cat when in fact they did not. Often times these cats end up dying and causing their owners unnecessary heartbreak because the animal did not receive a proper diagnosis and therefore did not receive the medical attention it needed.

To say that CH cats require no extra work is indeed a false statement. These cats do in fact
require an extra level of care from the get go in that any cat suspected of having CH should
be seen by a veterinary neurologist and should undergo advanced medical testing to confirm
the suspected CH. Once the CH has been confirmed by a neurologist however CH cats are
expected to live normal life spans. Depending on the severity of the CH the cat may in fact
live a very normal life and require no extra work, however if the cat's cerebellum is severely
underdeveloped a CH kitty can require a great deal of work being that the cat may need help
in and out of a litter box, may need assistance when it comes to eating, grooming etc.

When it comes to medical disorders we cannot label things so black and white because
things are never that simple. Moki is a perfect example of this. Most rescues and shelter
organizations would have adopted Moki out as a CH cat. The neurologist was even ready
to write Moki off as having CH. However Moki's medical condition was never that simple
which is why we have to be so very, very careful when it comes to CH, and really take the
time to educate ourselves. If you would like to learn more about the various neurological
disorders which exist in animals please check out the following video series which can be
found here: http://vanat.cvm.umn.edu/neurolVideo/Syndrome.html or directly by visiting the health links section on my webpage.

In closing, CH cats are great cats and I in no way want to inhibit their abilities to find homes,
but it is important for rescues, shelters and potential adopters to understand exactly what
they are dealing with when it comes to owning a special needs pet, particularly one with a neurological disorder which is why I spend my time helping to educate the public about
animals with neurological disorders and why I have put together a list of such resources so
that animal owners and organizations can better educate themselves.

NB
Many of the therapies Moki receives are also beneficial to some CH kitties. Acupuncture
is the only form of medicine which allows it's practitioner to work directly on an animal's
nervous system. (The cerebellum is part of the nervous system,) and physical rehab can help
to stimulate muscle movement in some CH kitties (the severer forms of CH), whose muscle
may otherwise go into atrophy due to their lack of movement
Crystal
Read more about Moki here.

The "SCOUT" Walker

PVC Walker for CH Kitties

by Susan Mertz 

 

Here are directions to make an inexpensive walker/cart/wheelchair for your cat.
This size walker is for a cat 6 lbs to approx. 12 lbs.
Homemade Cat walker 
Homemade Cat walker
 
Adjust length and height cuts for a small kitten.

 

MATERIAL  LIST:
1.       One 8' to 10' length of �" cpvc
2.       Eight �" cpvc T's
3.       Four 1/2" cpvc 90 degree elbows
4.       Twenty -Eight �" #4 screws (cheaper to buy the whole box)
5.       Four 2" caster wheels
6.       Four caster inserts (bring a piece of the cpvc with you to fit the caster insert)

TOOLS NEEDED:
1.       PVC pipe cutter (hand or coping saw will work also)
2.       Tape measure
3.       Drill with 1/16" drill bit
4.       Phillips head screw driver

CUTS TO MAKE:
1.       Four pieces of cpvc  5/8" each
2.       Two side pieces of cpvc  21"  each
3.       Four pieces of cpvc to7" each
4.       Four pieces of cpvc to 3 1/2" each
5.       Four pieces of cpvc to 7 �" each

ASSEMBLE:
     Front and back are identical.  Take one T and insert a 7" piece into the straight side of the T. Repeat this four times.  Insert 7 �" cpvc into the 90 degree elbow.  Take the other T's and place them on the top of the 7" piece keeping the 90 degree section pointing up.  Insert 3 �" cpvc into top of the T and then take 90 degree elbow and place on the 3 �" cpvc facing them towards each other.  Now take 7 �" piece and insert into the elbows.  You should now have a rectangle.
 
     Take the two 21" pieces and put into one side of the rectangle then insert the other end into the other rectangle.  Set the cart upright and press all connections together to seat the fittings.
     Flip cart over and pre-drill a 1/16" hole �" down from the ends of the T's and elbows. (The T's will have three holes and the elbows will have two.  Insert the #4 screws, leaving one end of the sides out so the sling can be slid on.  After sling is on, insert the other two screws.
     Turn cart over and place the 5/8" piece of cpvc over the caster insert and press down firmly.  Insert these into the bottom T of the cart frame and then insert the caster.

 

MAKING THE SLING:
We used a rectangular towel approx. 24" X 16".  Measure your cat from the middle of the front leg to the middle of the rear leg.  Leave about 1" for the front (this will help your cat hold its' head steady if they have attention tremors).  Mark your cats length on the width of the towel and cut circles 2 �" for the cats legs.  Using safety pins (three per side) place towel over the sides of the cart and fasten with the safety pins.  Put your cat into the sling and adjust the height of the sling to best fit your cat.  When you are satisfied with the height remove the sling and sew the towel using your safety pins as your guide.  (Most cats hind quarters will be higher than the front legs.)  Also, you could use a velcro strap over your cats back for more stability.

 

We had two of these for our cat, one for exercise and he also ate while in this. We just elevated his food and the lip of the towel/sling held his head steady so he could eat.  The second one was made without wheels and placed in the literbox with just half a sling so his behind was free to do his business.  Hope this helps!
 
In memory of our beloved cat, Scout!

Susan

The CH Family Dynamics

Meet Kelly Nonn's family!

 

By: Elise Murphy 

Family Statistics:

Humans:  3 - Kelly, her boyfriend, and her 12 year old son

 

Cats:  14 - 4 residents: Rotor (7yrs/seizures), Caliper (6yrs), Grace (3yr/CH), Macey (2yrs/partially blind)  

 

10 fosters: Diamond (5yrs), Cleo (3yrs), Bandit (2yrs), Molly (2yrs), Harley (2yrs), Smokey (1yr), Murphy (1yr), Slate (7mos), Roxie (7mos/Leukemia+), and Starla (6mos/One-eyed)

Dogs: 2 pit bull mixes - Frankie (4yrs), Buddy (2yrs)

 

Overall interactions:  Loving family, but some "sibling" rivalry!

 

The Nonn family and fosters are just like human siblings: they get along for the most part and care for each other, but sometimes they squabble  over toys or sleeping spots.  Only Molly and Harley are kept separate from the others, since they are feral.  They have all been vaccinated against Leukemia so Roxie isn't a problem.

 

The resident CH kitty, Grace, gets along with everyone in the house, regardless of species.  Kelly describes her as one of the most loving cats she's ever met and has changed their lives forever.  When new kittens come in for fostering, Grace acts as a surrogate mom to them, even though she cannot nurse them.  Grace also gets along great with the older dog but she would much rather tease the younger one than be friends!  Grace, along with the other specially-abled cats in the Nonn household, have helped teach Kelly's son to be accepting of all creatures - he even gives speeches about Grace in school!   

 

BFFs/Siblings: 

Murphy and Smokey are brothers; Molly, Harley, and Bandit are siblings; and though no blood-relation, Macey and Grace are very close and take care of each other.  

 

CH Kitty Additions:

When Grace joined the Nonn family, there were only 3 other cats in the house so it wasn't very difficult to integrate her in.  Now, because they foster so many cats at different times, the adjustment isn't terribly difficult when a new cat is brought in.  Grace came from a litter of 6, all of which were fostered by Kelly, so the transition wasn't hard for her either.  When her siblings were all adopted, leaving Grace behind, she had some trouble adjusting.  But once she met Macey, they instantly bonded and Kelly decided to make Macey a permanent resident too. 

 

How they help each other:

Macey can hardly see due to a bad infection as a kitten and Grace is wobbly so they depend on each other for security.

 

Interesting tidbit:

Kelly's family refers to their house as a functionally dysfunctional home.  Grace fits in with the other "misfits".  The cats that have become permanent residents were ones that were deemed unadoptable, so they stayed at Kelly's, like the island of misfit toys!

Adoptable Angels



gathered by Debbie Martin (CH Kitty Club adoption specialist)

************

Loopy and Ahdri - Very Mild CH Kitties For Adoption in Long Beach, California






Loopy (Gray)  and Ahdri (Diluted Torti)  Very mild  female CH Kitties For Adoption in Long Beach California who will melt your heart
 
Loopy and Ahdri are very mildly effected by Cerebellar Hypoplasia and get around just great and both girls use the litter box.  They are located in Long Beach California.
 


They are both spayed and up to date with all their shots!
For more information on our CH Girls  please contact us via email  
or call us at 
(562) 453-7377


************


CH Kitten for adoption in Beverly, Massachussetts





 

I am Larry Nelson the foster Dad of the CH kitten. She has a moderate case, is about 10 weeks old (born approximately on Nov. 5, 2011) and is learning to stand and walk. She is available for adoption and we are located in the East Boston area.

 
If you are interested in adopting this little angel please call me at 978-927-2661 or email me [email protected]




************
Four CH Kittens for adoption near Woodstock, New York

 









Four wonderful CH kittens for adoption in New York  (2 girls and 2 boys)  off exit 20 of the NYS Thruway. Near Woodstock, In Saugerties/Kingston area about 40 miles south of Albany and two hours from NYC.  The kittens are 14 weeks old now and are looking for their furever homes. They are very happy and active as you will see in the video. They eat and drink on thier own and use the litter box!

 

 Please email me at  [email protected]  or call

 

************

 

  Three CH kittens Kingston, Ontario, Canada need adoption ASAP!

One of them is pretty bad though.  This is a video of what he is like. 
 
 
Contact me ASAP please! My email is  [email protected]   but best to call me 613-766-1977

************ 

CH KITTY "SCOUT" IN LANCASTER, PENNSYLVANIA 

 

 

Name:  Scout

Gender:  Male

Birthday:  Oct 1, 2011 (approximate)

Location:  Lancaster, PA

 

On October 26th, a mother cat, after depositing her 7 kittens in a yard, was chased away by a dog resulting in the abandonment of the litter at roughly 4 weeks old.  Three kittens exhibit the CH symptoms.  Our family took in 5 of the kittens in the litter and have been fostering them ever since.  All have been adopted to loving homes except Scout.  He is litter trained and has transitioned quite easily to dry food.  Scout has grown very accustomed to our dogs.   Scout is cheerful and playful and gets around quite well.  However, he will probably never be able to jump up onto a table or counter, which can be a bonus.  He loves to curl up with people.

 

Vet History:

Scout has been neutered (1/5/12); Diagnosed with CH & dewormed 11/16/11; Feline Distemper vaccine 12/20/11; Flea treatment 12/25/11; Rabies vaccine 1/5/12.

 

Contact for Scout is

Nancy Herman

(717) 917-1843


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Tilty, extremely mild CH kitty with slight head tilt looking for a home in Southern California


Meet Tilty!  Tilty was just rescued from the shelter as they wanted to put him down because he has a slight tilt to his head and a little sway to his walk!   We are now led to believe he has an extremely mild case of Cerebellar Hypoplasia.  He is just a love bug, so sweet and perfect in many ways and extremely handsome! I am a volunteer at the shelter and could not let him be killed so I grabbed him but need to find him a home! Tilty is located in Southern California just North of  the Los Angeles area.  
 
Tilty
Tilty

If you would like to meet or learn more about Tilty please contact me!
 
Debbie at


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 Felix - CH kitty for adoption at Little Shelter on Long Island! (Huntington)



Hi there! My name is Felix. I am an orange and white neutered male. I came to the Little Shelter on 7/20/11 after a Good Samaritan found me and took care of me when some mean person abandoned me at The Planting Fields Arboretum. For some strange reason some people think that it's OK to leave cats there when it DEFINITELY is not.
 
I am looking for a WONDERFUL family that is interested in adopting CH kitty Felix.  He is available at Little Shelter in Huntington

  

Contact me if you are interested in adopting him or have any questions or would like to meet him.

  

Contact: Raeanne
The Little Shelter in Huntington
ex 215

  

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SHELLY MILD CH KITTY FOR ADOPTION, LONG ISLAND NEW YORK (near Port Jefferson)
 
Shelly is a special CH Kitty to me, she was on death row in the shelter in NYC and marked as Urgent with no rescue in sight!  The attached photo of her crunched down was her shelter photo back in September, scared and very ill!
 
The next photo is the picture I took of her when she arrived to me in the box. She was a mess!   Well, she is in great shape and a very expensive kitty getting her well since September!!!    We adore Shelly and she has a wonderful spirit and she is now ready for her furever home!  Shelly is about a year old and she is spayed and current on all her shots!   I want her to have a wonderful furever home and be safe always.


For more information on Shelly please call me!
Debbie's Phone #'s 631-775-6200 cell

  

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Our two lovely Cerebellar Hypoplasia kitties, available for adoption in Raleigh, North Carolina!  
 

 
 
This is Bishop, a sweet 6 month old male, who is fully vetted (neutered, FIV/Felv negative, microchipped, dewormed, and vaccinated). He has mild CH, which is a non-degenerative neurological conditions that causes him to wobble a bit when walking, however, he is excellent in every way - no health problems, can jump onto couches, and uses the litter box like a champ. Best of all, he ADORES people, and loves nothing more than friendly scratches while he purrs wildly.

 
Wren (nickname Thelma)  is our black and white CH kitty with the moderate cerebella hypoplasia. You can see here how she uses that tail of hers to keep her upright. She is such a sweet and loving kitten that just needs a little extra TLC. She is the sweetest lady, who loves other dogs and cats.
 
If you would like any information or would like to meet Bishop or Wren, please email me!
 
please contact [email protected] 
 
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Adorable CH Kitten Alice for adoption in Northern Virginia 
  
I'm a volunteer and foster parent with Fancy Cats Rescue Team in northern Virginia. I mostly foster kittens for our rescue group, or moms with babies. Three days ago, we got an email from a former volunteer saying she had picked up a stray young kitten from the industrial park where she works, and wanted to know if we could take her to be placed for adoption. She mentioned the kitten was "shivering" a lot, but it's been fairly cold here, and we both kind of figured it was fear and/or cold that was making her shake. However, when I saw her "in action," as it were, I realized it was something neurological. I took her to one of our vets yesterday, and we're fairly sure she has CH, and that it is moderate to severe. Dr. Gosline gave her a dose of valium rectally, and the tremors did not stop, although she was a relaxed, happy, sleepy kitty for awhile! We do have her on clindamycin, in case the tremors are being caused by something infectious like toxo or crypto, but I'm not holding out a lot of hope that that's the cause. We (my own family) have a kitty with mild CH ourselves, so we are very aware of the joys and sometimes heartaches that these special cats can bring into our lives, and we want her to go to a loving home where she will be treasured. Fancy Cats has placed CH kittens into wonderful, experienced homes in the past, but those homes are, of course, few and far between.
 
Anyway, she is as cute as can be. My son named her Alice. She's probably 6 to 8 weeks old, and while she is still a bit scared of people and new situations, she is coming around very quickly. I had her purring in my arms the last two nights. I'm attaching pictures, and I have a video of her walking, climbing, and tremoring that I can send separately. She is available for adoption through Fancy Cats Rescue Team, www.fancycats.org. Because she is "special needs," I'm pretty sure we will waive our requirement to adopt two kittens together, although we would of course prefer a home with another young, playful cat.
 
She's had her first distemper shot, first deworming, and she's getting Tresaderm in her ears twice a day for ear mites, plus the clindamycin twice a day for 14 days. She will be available to go to a new family on Feb. 1, at which point she'll have had her 2nd distemper and 2nd deworming and will have finished her meds, assuming everything goes according to plan! She CAN walk, although her progress is very jerky and slow; she does not use the litter box yet, but since she's only 6 to 8 weeks, and has had some diarrhea from all the meds and changes in food, I think that's to be expected.
Thanks so much,
Foster Mom for Alice
   
Alice_the_kitten 
Alice
   
Alice_the_kitten_2 
Alice
 

 

Any questions please email me at  [email protected] 
 
 



AAA

LOVE!! What is love? Well, to me, love is when my mommy holds me tight and whispers stuff in my ear, secret stuff that she only shares with me. Love is when Mommy holds me in between her and my daddy, and they both rub their hands all over me, all I feel then is Love!! Love is when my brother, Tardy, tells me that we are the most special kitties ever, and he KNOWS everything!!! Love is also the little things, mommy opening our door in the morning and says, "good morning my sweet boys", and in the afternoon when she brings us a plate of yummy nom noms, oh how we love that: )) Even though I only eat the crunchy nom noms now, I love how Tardy gets so excited when that dish of gooey stuff comes. Love is when mommy brings out the brush and gently runs it over my fur, making me shiny and feeling soooo good! Oh, love is home, my people who love me so much and a sunny spot to sleep in : )) My life is full of love!!

Have a wonderful Valentines day!!!

Bye Bye everyone!

 

 

Love,

 

Ziggy 

 

 

 

 

Hope you loved this month's newsletter, we love making it happen!!!

 

Ziggy Wigg'n

Little Demon 

A PurrFect Face    

 

Tardy Peebucket

President of Love  

[email protected] 

www.TardyPeebucket.com 

 

Elizabeth Holochwost

Founder of the CH Kitty Club (really)

[email protected] 

 LizzieBarrett.com 

 

Neal Helman

Editor and Best Daddy Cat and Ziggy's best friend 

[email protected] 

www.NealHelman.com  

 

Debbie Martin

Adoption Specialist

[email protected] 

 

   

This month's Wonderful Articles!
CH Kitty of the Month......Angus
CH Progress: Ellie's Story
Our new family member 'Spotty'
It's a Bird... No it's a Plane...No it's Lilly Grace!
The World According to Riley Dean
Happy Ending for Gracie
Fuzzy Tales
Meet the Parents...:...Meet Cheri, Romeow and Hawking!
GETTING A HEAD
Birthday Blurbs
Interview with Suzanne Thomas
About Health
The "SCOUT" Walker
The CH Family Dynamics
Adoptable Angels
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