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CH Kitty Club Newsletter

April 2012                                Issue #19

Tardy Peebucket


Hi everyone!

 

Happy April, everyone!! What does April bring? Well, supposedly showers for the May flowers, but mama nature messed up and all the flowers came in March (at least here in sunny South Carolina!). So let's just enjoy the showers, from inside our house : )) 

 

 

Tardy Peebucket 

 

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 Rain     

 

www.TardyPeebucket.com  

[email protected] 

 

 

PayPal to [email protected]    

$5.00 will get you the button :  )) 

THANK YOU!!!  

 

CH Kitty of the Month
~ D A L � ~

 

by Jenny, Miles, Dali & Arabella, Brooklyn, NY

 

A friend named Jehan was driving in her neighborhood one rainy night in Sunnyside, Queens, NY when she stopped at a light and heard a kitten crying, meowing incessantly.

   

She immediately stepped out to save this sweet, little tuxedo kitten who was no more than 2 lbs. and sopping wet.  She brought this sweetie to Samara, an animal rights activist and a mutual friend of ours who has been doing rescue work globally for years.  

 

Immediately, Samara and Jehan brought him to the vet, but his veins were too small for a needle to draw blood.  They would need a foster home where he could grow bigger and stronger until they could perform the needed tests and find a forever home. Samara could not foster him as she already had/has a number of cats and was afraid of feline aids/leukemia, yet she wanted to keep him close in her effort to find him a permanent home.  Needless to say, she asked if I would foster him.

 

At the time we lived in the same building, and I wanted to help this tiny, sweet boy who was alone in this world.  Within a few days he became very social and did not appear to be a feral.  He ate his first meals with such gusto, and it broke my heart to learn that his last meal prior to his rescue consisted of a tomato and a piece of a soup can label.  We'll never know what Dali went though during his first five weeks but can only imagine that he may have been abandoned by his own mother which cats and dogs are known for if they detect something wrong with an offspring.  What we do know is that he is a survivor.

 

It was early October of 2004 when all of this had taken place. He was no more than 2 lbs.  Precious.  I always loved animals but never had a kitty of my very own before.  The vet confirmed that he had CH, which was apparent due to his drunken-sailor walk and him falling over every few steps. As the weeks went by and he grew a little older, we were relieved to learn that he was disease-free.   

 

Before I knew it, this little boy had me wrapped around his paw, and I was prepared to become his forever Mommy.  I couldn't imagine him without me, and I knew with me he would always be safe, cared for and in a loving home with someone who would dote on him and give him all the attention he could stand.   

 

I would do whatever it took to keep him happy as his unadulterated love in return was and remains always never-ending.  In 2006 I adopted a new playmate for Dali, and I named her Arabella.  She's a sweet,  sprightly, athletic, petite heart breaker with a bit of a wicked streak (more about her later).   

 

I would categorize Dali as having a moderate version of CH.  As he grew older his walking actually improved - although it is said that those with CH do not improve and their condition does not become worse - but within a year or so he could make it from one end of the apartment to the other in a rather robust dressage-like manner. 

 

We wanted to give him the name of an artist, something that would resemble greatness.  His whiskers are so long and pronounced on his small face that he strongly resembled the master himself, none other than Salvador Dali.  With his gently wobbling head, and intensely soulful eyes he is certainly is one surreal kitty.

 

Dali takes his time in getting to know and trust others, but once he opens up to you it is a treat.  He is extremely sweet, docile, sleepy most of the day, and loves to cuddle. I suppose the only two people that he is truly comfortable with are myself and my boyfriend Miles. Miles was terrified of him and his ferocious long unclipped claws for the first two years we dated, and only after the second year did Dali begin to open up and let him into his heart. Now, the two of them are best buddies.  They enjoy cuddling together and playing with his favorite toys.  He loves to be petted, and has a very loud and strong purr.    

One charming aspect of Dali is his love for music.  Arabella does not share the same love of music, but Dali runs towards the speaker, gets comfortable, and contemplates whatever sounds are streaming from the speakers.  Whether its jazz, rock, classical or avant-garde once the speaker goes on, he excitedly trots to the sound source and plops himself down.  He is a soulful cat, who understands frustration, and has a true sense of empathy due to what we believe is the result of being a CH kitty.  His little sister does have a bully-like inclination to give him a hard time, but we have curtailed this largely since visiting a pet behaviorist, and he is much happier now. 

 

Her picking on him is somewhere between her innocently wanting to play in a rough 'n tumble style and showing him who's alpha, but Dali knows how to give it back and will pounce her with surprising speed and agility.  In fact, he is the ultimate alpha male when it comes to the four of us turning in for the night.  He will take the prime position between the two of us and will relegate Arabella to the foot of the bed.  Sometimes the stare down exchange is quite intense before Dali makes his move.  It's fascinating to witness this continual power struggle.  At the same time, we believe that there is love between these two, and when Miles and I are working during the day or out for the evening inevitably these two are sitting next to each other keeping vigil on the bed and waiting for us to come home.

Perhaps one of Dali's most impressive personality traits is his uncanny ability to truly connect to one's emotions and his ability to offer empathy with strength, dignity and tenderness.  It's at these moments that I feel blessed and grateful to be with him.  We look forward to many more prime years together and I'm honored to have been able to safely harbor this magical being.

 

 

** It should be noted that Dali has a strong international presence in the classical Middle Eastern dance scene.
 
Since Samara's two loves are animals and dance she could not stop raving to her students around the globe about this precious baby that she had helped to rescue.
 
I've travelled to Japan and Egypt with Samara and once it is known that I am "Dali's Mommy", the recognition and questions begin.
 
It is a blessing to know that he is happy, healthy, protected.... and beloved by all.


The World According to Riley Dean:
What's in a Name?

By Riley Dean (with a little help from Mommy)

Hello all! Riley Dean here. This month, we'll be talking about how we CH kitties get our names.
I asked around, and this is what I found out!

Some kitties get names relating to their CH. Cheri Cutright's kitty Hawking, is named for
famous physicist and handi-capable human Stephen Hawking. Lizzie guesses that her and
Neal's CH baby Ziggy, who came into their lives with his name, was named Ziggy because he
zigs and zags. "We added the Wigg'n because we like to call him Zigg'n Wigg'n," she laughs.

CH kitty mommy Sho Journet completely understands the importance of a name. "Many
studies have been done on the affect a kid's name has upon them," she says. "And fur kids are
no exception!" Her CH-er, Elvis, "was of course named in homage to the very successful and
universally loved King of Rock," partly because he had "Swivel Hips" as a kitten.

Nanako,
Elise Murphy's CHer, got her name from a character in a Japanese video game called Persona 4. In the game, there is a character named Nanako who "tries really hard to do everything she can - cooking, cleaning, school work, etc. But even through all of that, she's still a happy and excited kid, "Elise says. "Our Nanako is much like that...she still acts like a kitten, getting happy and excited over food and playtime, but she also tries as hard as she can to do whatever she can, always pushing her limits to do more. She's a very inspiring little girl and very worthy of the name and meaning it implies."

Some CH kitties are named not for people, but in tribute to departed fur children who left
pawprints on their parents' hearts. Janice Branwood once had a kitty named Romeo who had "a very slight touch of CH." At age six, sweet Romeo had a cardiomyothopy and was gone within
hours. "I wanted to get another cat, in honor of him and name her Juliet. When I found Jewel at
the shelter, she has a diamond shape on her head, so we decided that Juliet could be shortened to Jewel."

Some CH furbabies get their names not because of their CH, but because of their other attributes. Janice's other cat, Aubrey, was originally going to be named Juliet. "As I sat in the parking lot waiting to pick her up from the foster, the song 'Aubrey' by Bread came on the radio...'and Aubrey was her name'...needless to say, that was a sign for me."

Leslee Womack's baby
Kewpie was named immediately when he came into the shelter and a volunteer exclaimed he was "cute as a doll." Then she went on to say, "We will call him Kewpie, like in Kewpie doll." "I just absolutely loved the name," Leslee says, so when I decided to keep him, he kept his name."

Romeow, Cheri's other baby, got his name because of the perfect black heart he has on his nose.

Lizzie and Neal's baby Tardy Peebucket (who is also, incidentally, the President of the CH Kitty Club and the universe) was named thus because he was born a day after his siblings. "When he was very little, he decided the best place to pee was under the blankets...that's where the Peebucket came from," Lizzie adds.

As for me, Riley Dean, I am named after my mommy's favorite character on a TV show called
Oz (which was set in a prison). Ryan O'Reily (played by an actor named Dean Winters) was
one of the only characters to live through the whole show, which made him a survivor. When
my Mommy first saw me as a month-old kitten, abandoned and sitting "behind bars" in a vet's
kennel awaiting "execution," she said, "You're going to make it...you're a little survivor." She
named me Riley Dean right there (although she flipped the spelling of the first name a little) and
took me home.
PS - The actor Dean Winters is now in AllState Insurance commercials. He plays "Mayhem."
Heh heh...that's me all over.

That's all for now everybody! See you next month!



First Impressions

  

 
by Lizzie Holochwost

Do you remember what you thought the first time you met your CH kitty? Or what about how family and friends reacted when they met her/him? This articles poses that exact question to members and friends of the CH Kitty Club.


Ann Lavine (long time CH Kitty Club member) says "I have not had a negative reaction; maybe it is because I would not be friends with someone who would have a negative reaction. Most people say "poor dear" or something like that".

Anne Pizzi mommy ofSubaru (Subi, aka Legs)
says, "When we  had first realized that Subaru had some issues controlling which way her back end would go when her front end had other plans, we really were concerned.  The vet told us that she was just a "wobbler" and that she had one of those types of cats, but she never gave her condition a name.  Of course the day we had Subaru at the vet she had a severe cold and her face was all swollen, and it was the first time we ever saw her sit still. The vet didn't get to see her walk.   Then we found the CH site - the happiest day for us when we were able to give her condition a name and feel confident that she was happy healthy and would not get any worse, and would live a normal life. When friends would visit they would feel bad and ask what was wrong with her and we would reassure them that she was a loveable and well adjusted cat who had no idea she was any different than the other cats in our home.  When our oldest daughter told her friend (the local animal control officer who we adopted the cat from) what Subi had she immediately offered to take her back. We laughed and said no way... she is a  keeper.  In fact we have encouraged her to bring us any future CH babies that need homes, and we would foster them and get them homes.  Because we have shared videos of her and spoken of her and CH we have been able to educate others about CH.  Our youngest daughter has a college friend who was talking about her new kitten and the problems she was having, and she was able to direct her to the web site and the facebook page. Education is key to saving these little love bugs."

Melissa Rice Madden says "My vet said he hadn't seen a cat that had CH since he had been in school, and that's been many years ago. He said that as far as he knew there wasn't any reason Storm couldn't live a "normal" life. He encouraged me to keep up with this group because he wasn't really familiar with these furbabies. My first reaction was fear because I didn't know what was wrong with her."

Dianne Brittain says "I have had a couple of people tell me that he should have been put to sleep, as he is obviously in pain and suffering. This is after seeing a video of him playing and jumping around. Most other people just think he is the sweetest thing. Once they meet him in person, his purrsonality shows through and they just love him."

Tammy Trujillo (Pet Project) adds "When i saw my first CH kitten, I thought he was beautiful, but I was worried that he was in pain and/or unhappy. Once he came home, I quickly learned that he was as happy as any other kitten and didn't think there was anything wrong at all about the way he walked and tumbled. I now say, if he's ok with it, I'm ok with it! My husband and I don't think of our CH kitties as Special Needs.....they're just Special!"
jewel
Janice Branwood (Fuzzy Tales author) says "Since I have had Jewel, I get many mixed reactions.  Most of them are the first words, "Oh my goodness whats wrong with her?", followed by "Will she get better?"  After answering the two questions usually most are amazed by how she manages to get around.  I have just a few that say they can't watch her fall like she does.  Yes, it's hard to watch for me as well sometimes, but I know that I have made it as safe and comfortable as I can for her.  Thankfully, most can deal with her inabilities, and those that can't don't visit as often.  I do have 3 kids that live next door, and they always ask about her when they come in, and laugh at how she walks, but they never say anything  out of the ordinary about  her."

Elise Murphy (CH Family Dynamics author) added this "The first CH kitty I met was my very mild girl, Hippa.  She was on the first floor (special needs floor) of a no-kill shelter where I volunteer.  I was drawn to her because of her story - she had a home for 7 years, then her family moved and left her on the doorstep.  A neighbor took her inside their home, but kept her in a closet for a year until someone found out, and she was taken in by Tree House.  She craved attention, but was too shy to ask for it.
After spending time with her for weeks, she got comfortable enough around me to walk around, eat, use the litterbox.  It was then that I realized she had CH and since she is mild, her waddle was more endearing and cute than scary or sad/painful looking.  Once I decided to bring her home, I did tons of research and found the group - so I think, unlike many other CH kitty parents, I never had the feeling of pity regarding the condition. "

Tina Colarossi (Tardy and Ziggy's pet sitter) had this to say "When Lizzie told me about CH kitties, it was the first I had ever heard of them. The life of a CH cat sounded awfully hard, and I was afraid to meet Tardy and Ziggy; I was afraid I wouldn't be able to handle seeing them. When I did finally meet them I had a difficult time looking at them, and I felt sorry for them having to struggle to stand and stay balanced. I thought if I petted them I might hurt them somehow. However, soon their little personalities emerged, and instead of seeing their challenges, I saw their strength, and their sweetness. The CH kitties are determined, and want to be loved and spoiled  just like any other cat. Ziggy has yet to decide whether I am worth cuddling up to, but Tardy and I have become good friends. "

Kristie (Riley Dean's mom) says "The first time I ever saw CH was the first time I ever laid eyes on my beautiful CH baby, Riley Dean. He was only a few weeks old, and he was actually being brought into a vet's office to be put to sleep. In fairness, he was having a hard time eating and as a result was very weak, so his CH initially looked much worse that it actually was. He was so tiny and tired of fighting that when his head would bob, it would literally make him fall over face first. So my first impression of CH was that it was a much more dire disorder than it really is. When I offered to take him home and do my best with him, the vet tech told me that I had no idea what I was getting myself into and that CH was a "major issue." Nine years later, and he is a happy, spoiled, 12 lb. boy just full of love, mischief and personality! He was my first experience with CH, and I would do it again and again. "

Amanda (everyone's favorite blogger) says this "People absolutely love our cats -- but it's true, their first impressions are often quite interesting!
More often than not, people know that our cats are "special" before they meet them. However, for those who don't know, we're often addressed with a "What's wrong with your cat?" or "Does he always walk like that?" Once they understand the condition, they usually turn their initial reaction from one of being unsure of them and concerned to appreciating who they are.
Over time, our close friends have come to embrace them. Our cats are extremely friendly, so that helps too. However, our friends are often quite concerned if one cat bumps her head into the wall or falls into her food dish. By now my husband and I are used to our cats' ways, so we always have to assure our friends that our cats are OK. :) But it's nice to know that our friends are concerned for them and appreciate their "special" qualities, too!"

  

And finally, this little gem from Shoshanna: 
I was bottle- feeding a baby kitten last week, the every 3-4 hours-around-the-clock-thing, LOL, and was lucky enough to pass the little darlin' to a loving, experienced foster mom. 

  

When she came to collect her, she brought along two young dreadlocked  rescue volunteers.  They took one look at my CH'er, Elvis , grinned and said in unison , " DUBSTEP ! " 

  

Now, I'm an old Hippie chick like you. 
I'd heard the term and thought it had to do with the club scene, trance music - but I wasn't sure so I went to You Tube and typed it in. 
PUMPED UP KICKS|DUBSTEP 
PUMPED UP KICKS|DUBSTEP

I cracked up . 

  

I posted a shorter version from the Ellen show to the group, with the question:  CH? 

  

"Was  this kid's mom vaccinated for Panleuk ?" 

  

This morning, it occurred to me: perfect for your "First Impressions " article . 

  

I still think it's funny as hell : 
This video gets five million hits, the kid , fame and fortune, doing dance moves that can only be described as neurological. 

  

Maybe Elvis will be Ellen's next guest. 

  

Ironically, until now most people's reactions to him were diverted to me: 

  

"Oh, you're such a saint, such an angel for taking care of him; he's so fortunate to have you....." 
when it is so obvious to me that I am the lucky one. 

  

TailzUp, 
Sho.    =^..^=
 
  I want to thank everyone who responded to the question posed in this article, it sure was fun : ))

Lizzie 
 
New Family Member
Ali Michael aka (Boo Bears)


by Mary Lindsey
I named him after the great fighter Mohammad Ali, after catching on to his disability when he was four weeks old. His determination astounded me. His middle name is after the great Saint Michael.

Here is where it all began.

 
This beautiful, black, majestic, kitty is now known as Ally. This is Ali's mom. When I had trapped her she was pregnant. However, the four months prior to this I did not know. I was attending to the needs of her first litter I had trapped, three tabby kittens and two black kittens.  So about three weeks after trapping mom she gave birth to this beautiful gang on 7/18/11.
 
The beautiful little boy that caught my eye was the littlest guy:
 
It was not until about four weeks of age I noticed a difference in my little Ali. I took him to my vet. Dr Debra Rykoff. She is a wonderful vet and helped me keep it together when I thought he was sick. Instead she said: "Get him to eight weeks of age and we will see where we are at." He was too young to make any determination at that time.


So the next four weeks I prayed and prayed and prayed he was going to be ok. I made a deal with St. Francis. I told him, please bless my boy. I will take care of him the rest of his life. Just bless him with good health. Please give me the strength to tackle any situation that may arise. Well, I made it to eight weeks. He was Sir Wobbles and falling all over the place. I had him, mom, and his siblings in my bathroom. I had towels and blankets double folded all over the bathroom. No matter where little Ali would tip over he landing on something safe, soft, and supportive.  I was able to adopt all of mom's other kittens. The first five and her last five. She was spayed. My vet, Dr. Deb, took care of all the healthcare and adopted them all out. Many thanks to her and her tireless devotion to our less fortunate animal friends.

I decided to keep my little prince, Ali.  I was too afraid of where he might end up. I knew he would get superior attention and support with me. His best buddy is my other male cat Logan:
 
His second buddy is Muriel my half calico and half tabby kitty:
 
Ali has a wonderful pack family. He has me mom.
Then he has Storm:
 
 
Frances:
 
Logan:
 
Bonnie my sheltie collie mix.
 
Last but not least ,Cheeks, my Jenday Conure:
 
Everyone is still getting used to the idea that if Ali is near you, he will fall on you. Logan allows Ali to lean against him. It's sweet. Bonnie my dog is still scared and runs. Storm will hiss. Frances and Muriel try to be a support to him. My bird watches from her cage and alerts me when he is around.


When I was shopping on Black Friday, K-Mart had blankets on sale for $9.99. All kinds of animal prints. I bought twelve of them. I decided to fold them and put them in various spots of my duplex. When little Ali investigates and tips over he lands usually on a soft spot. I went nuts buying cat beds on clearance at Petsmart after Christmas. I threw a cat bed in every corner. As Ali has progressed, his balance has become so much better. He has the cute rear leg stance. I can see him concentrate as he thinks about his next steps. When he took his first steps without falling. I stood in my dining room and cried. His strength and determination moved me so deeply. My boy is a teacher. He always reminds me that life is about finding the balance in all that we do.

I love my pets deeply. I do find myself assisting him in his litter box when I am home with him. I can feel his appreciation. He was fighting me in the beginning, but now knows mom wants to help. I gently give him a bit of stability. I use SweatScoop and Worlds Best Cat Litter. Lord knows if he wants to bathe in it, it's all natural and he is ok. I also like the fact that little dust comes from this litter choice. I prefer to be home with him on weekends. I have always been that way though with all my pets. They are my joy. We all cuddle and watch movies together. A few human friends will join as well.

Ali was neutered at 6 mos. I took him to the Cat Hospital of Chicago. I did research on CH and anesthesia. I was really worried. However, I made sure he had a nurse to manage his anesthesia and a nurse to manage his oxygen. He came through it like a trooper. He is amazing.

Ali just turned 8 mos old on 3/18/12.
 
What a blessing. He is doing wonderful. He has developed this endearing run. I call him the 'black blur' when he is playing with his pack mates. All I see is him run past my futon into the dining room. If he crashes, most of the time it is a soft crash. I have learned to also let go a bit. My vet said for me to allow him his mistakes so he knows what he can and cannot do. We did tackle the stairs in my house as well.  This is the first time he wanted to walk up my stairs. Thank God for carpeted stairs. I had a gate up at first. He climbed it a couple of times.  I would come home after work and find him upstairs. All I did was pray. I finally took the gate down. I went to work and prayed he would be ok. I snuck home on lunch to check on him. He was upstairs in my second bedroom. This is the room where all my kitties have decided to make it their room. He was happy hanging with them. With Ali, when he wants to go in a certain direction he will proceed in that direction. When he thinks about it he will fall in the opposite direction. He is learning to compensate for this thought process.


It astonishes me the relationship we both have together. It is a bit co-dependent. I am ok with that. He will wake me at times to feed him late at night. I know his handicap does tire him out. I just reach under my futon and pull out his kitten dry. He will eat it. I have a small cup of water next to the bed at all times. Always after he eats he will drink. Then he goes back to sleep with me. I have moved to my living room. I have a futon. It is low to the ground and he likes to hop onto it and snuggle with me. How could I forget his HOP. It's like a rabbit. When he wants to get up on something taller than him, like my couch, he will literally hop onto it. It is the cutest thing to witness.

The relationship with a CH cat is so special. I cannot imagine my life without him. It is so hard to describe. The rewards and lessons are many. Thank you so much for telling his story. He is one special little fur boy. We will continue to grow together. God bless all of you that have, hold, and love a handicapped animal. We all have a special place in Heaven.


The CH Family Dynamics 

By: Elise Murphy

 

 

Meet the Harris family! 

 

Family Statistics:

Humans:  2 - Valerie & Paul

Cats:  6 - Mushy (16yrs/male/renal issues & missing 1 eye), Ice (9yrs/female/poor vision), Froglet (4yrs/female/joint dysplasia), Boris (4yrs/male/ginger & white/CH), Angel (10yrs/female/auto immune deficiency & missing 1 eye), Daisy (2yrs/female/brown & white tabby/CH & poor vision)

Dogs:  2 - Pippa (16yrs/female/almost blind & incontinent), Lady (12yrs/female/poor vision)

Birds:  3 - Widget (20yrs/female/macaw), Mango (12yrs/female/lovebird), Spike (1yr/female/lovebird)

Rabbits: 2 - Bunty (2yrs/female), Bart (6mos/male/missing 1 eye)

Robo Hamsters:  1 - Ping (6mos)

Rats:  8, various ages - Cookie, Muffin, Poppet, Polly, Blossom, Annabel, Isabel, and Sweep

Overall interactions:  Separate, sticking to their comfort zones.

Ice the cat has to be monitored with the others - she is a rescue cruelty case cat and a Siamese and can be a bit of a madam to the others.  Especially towards Daisy and Froglet (most often towards the other females).  When Ice was first brought home, she was a biter, so for safety & socialization reasons was kept in a kitten pen with her own quilt, litterbox, & water.  She now prefers to sleep there on her own, which has helped a lot when introducing new cats to her.

Angel the cat likes the dogs, she actually prefers them to the other cats, so she hangs out with them.  Daisy prefers to stay in Valerie & hubby's bedroom, and she sleeps with them at night.  Boris and the other cats prefer each others' company at night.  The dogs are kept away from the upstairs, since the cats prefer to stay upstairs, and Boris and Daisy do not like the dogs.  The rats, birds, rabbits, and hamster are kept away from the cats.

BFFs: Mushy is very good friends with both the CH cats, Boris and Daisy.  Boris particularly adores Mushy back.  Boris and Froglet also get along very, very well. 

CH Kitty Additions:
Boris was introduced to the house when he was only a 13 week old kitten.  He settled in fairly quickly, with his only issue being learning to submit to Ice wanting to be the dominant kitty.  It took about 12 weeks for Boris to get completely settled in.  Daisy came from an only-cat home and was not used to other cats.  Her CH and vision impairment made it harder for her to settle in, but after about 5 months, she is happy with everyone except Ice.  Valerie and her husband are still working on that relationship, and know that it can and will take time to work itself out.  It took Ice 3 years to sleep by Mushy and stop harassing Froglet too much.

How they help each other:
Mushy helps Daisy by washing her and plays gently with both Boris and Daisy.  Boris and Daisy play together often, too, and are very gentle with each other.

Interesting tidbit:
Valerie has introduced cats of all ages and disabilities to each other over the years.  She believes it just takes time and patience to be a success and that most owners give up too soon.  Her first brain damaged cat was an eye opener into getting cats to accept an 'alien/robotic' cat.  It took 2 years for them all to get along nicely, but eventually they did.  Sadly, he died young and is still much missed, but  it made it much quicker and easier for Boris and Daisy to be accepted when introducing them.



How I Fell in Love With CH Kitties

CH Kittens Filly and Mare  2.19.12
CH Kittens Filly and Mare 2.19.12
by Kynan McElrath

I have been doing rescue for over twenty years. I am a NYS wildlife rehabilitator, but most of the time I find myself bottle feeding abandoned litters (kittens) for the local animal control officer.
Baby Forrest 
 
It was only two years ago we brought one of our litters to the vet for their first check up and were told they had  CH.  "CH?  What is that?"  I had no idea what they were talking about.
Forrest swimming
 
They directed me to some videos  on YouTube to investigate, this was of course after suggesting I may want to consider putting them down.
I opted for YouTube. When I first saw "Gordon the CH kitty",  I couldn't stop crying.  What a precious little boy that in the beginning of the video, could do nothing but summersaults. The end of the video showed him all grown up
and running around like he was drunk, but RUNNING he was! 

Forrest
 
It was that moment I fell in love. Since then, I take every opportunity to rescue and work with CH babies.  I have found on the worse cases, water therapy is key!  I haven't had one yet that didn't respond well to it.
Filly
 
To take a cat that flip flops across the floor, and watch them transform into a cat that can move freely like the disease had never trapped them. Amazing, what wonderful swimmers.  I have one that now will go in the pool with the family and just swim and swim.  Again, when taken out, he's back to his wobbly self, but I have  witnessed the change in muscle strength and coordination each and every time.
 
Mare
 
Many people who meet or read about my babies, ask "Why, with so many other cats to be 
rescued, why these cats? Wouldn't it be more humane to put them out of their misery?"  
As hard as I try, I don't know if I can truly express the difference in love, trust, and mutual satisfaction that comes with raising these wonderful babies. I never had a "normal" cat rest it's head so lovingly under my neck and purr so loud he can be heard from another room.

 

Seeing your post this morning was such perfect timing. It was only hours before, while getting ready for work, we heard our 6 month old CH boy screaming.  We followed the meows and found him at the top of the stairs. Scary, I know, but what an accomplishment! When my husband and I looked up at him, I swear he was dancing.  He knew what he had done was fabulous.

 

In a perfect world, people would take better care of their cats and this disease would not exist.
But until then, those of us lucky enough to be loved by these babies will count our blessings. :)



The Interviews



This month, Amanda featured four kitties on her blog:

 
 

Read Shiva's interview 

 

 

 


   

Read Thumper and Lucy's interview   

 

Read Buster's interview  

 

If you'd like your cat profiled, please visit:  http://www.lifewithchcats.com/tell-us-about-your-ch-cat/ 

  

 

Our NEW
CH Kitty Club YouTube Channel


Nanako CH Kitty Eating Yogurt
Nanako CH Kitty Eating Yogurt


We are so happy to introduce the NEW CH Kitty Club Channel on YouTube!!  Now, all you CH kitty mommies and daddies can "video brag" on your furbabies.  Let's show the world how accomplished our amazing CH kitties are!

Upload videos from your phone by sending them to:
(Tip: Enter this address into your phone book as a contact.)

Enjoy!!

Little Ziggy monster loves his mommy 
Little Ziggy monster loves his mommy
 

Spotlight on K9 Kastle Rescue,
New York, New York

 (A wonderful and outstanding rescuer of CH Kitties and Special Needs Kitties!!)
 

K9Kastle Rescue needs your help so they can save more lives! There are more and more pets who need rescue, and without fosters, these kitties won't make it out alive. If you live in or around the New York area or neighboring states, please offer your heart and home to save more special needs kitties by being a foster!
         
They also have ten CH kitties at this time who are available for adoption. They also have one neuro Chihuahua who needs foster or adoption. (pictured below) Please contact Tara if you are looking to adopt a CH Kitty or Chihuahua!!! Contact Tara at [email protected]
     


                    
K9Kastle is dedicated to rescuing , rehabilitating and rehoming animals at risk in NYC, including the ill, injured, special needs and senior animals. Over 90% of our animals are from Animal Care and Control, most from the euthanasia list or from special pleas (injured, special needs). We are also active in TNR (trap, neuter, return) for the feral population in NYC. K9Kastle has cats available for adoption in 3 Brooklyn PetCos, which are staffed by our wonderful volunteers (two shifts per day x three stores=42 shifts per week). We hope to SOON be opening a facility to house some of our over 250 animals. We also have a network of foster homes in Brooklyn, Manhattan, Queens, the Bronx and even as far as New Jersey. We are ALWAYS LOOKING FOR FOSTER HOMES (see below if interested in fostering). We have many, many cats for adoption and fewer dogs (most often smaller seniors, pitbull mixes). We have many special needs cats and kittens for adoption (visual impairments, neurological impairments, special diets or manageable health issues, seniors). However, we are always willing to rescue an animal in need if we have an appropriate foster home available. Contact Tara at [email protected] ,
Emily at [email protected] 
or Nancy at [email protected]  for an application for adoption or fostering.  

    

FOSTERING: We cannot process an application to foster an animal at the last minute. We do this EVERY DAY and cannot stay up all night processing applications. We are volunteers with jobs, families and multi-animal households, our own as well as fosters, so please APPLY IN ADVANCE if you are considering fostering a cat, kitten, dog or pup. Our participating vets are in Brooklyn and Manhattan (and a few specialty vets elsewhere). We ask our fosters to be able to transport cats/dogs to and from adoption events and to the vet if necessary (with some exceptions). In most circumstances, animals are vetted prior to going into foster care, which minimizes the risk of contagion with resident animals and also minimizes work (medicating), for the most part. K9Kastle pays for ALL medical care at one of OUR approved participating vets. We can also either provide or reimburse for approved supplies (food, litter, cage), so please do not let cost hinder you from applying to foster.  
     

Contact Tara at [email protected], Emily at [email protected]  or Nancy at [email protected]  for an application for adoption or fostering.
     
To rescue, rehab and rehome animals at risk in the NYC area.
               
                   Follow us on  Facebook 



 

Meet the Parents...Dianne and Fox!

By Kristie (Riley Dean's Mommy)

Dianne Brittain of Ontario, Canada currently has eight cats: Blackie (age 17), Willow (16), Nash (15),Baker (who is blind, 7), Maxine (3), Jack and Vera (siblings, 2), and baby CH kitty Fox, who is not a year old yet.

Fox, who is gorgeous golden/reddish toned fluffy kitty, is Dianne's first CH kitty. He has been described as severe.

"To get around, he flops. But he can get up on his back legs and make the huge leaps across the
room that startle the other cats. He often gets up and takes a few steps before falling down," Dianne explains. "He originally had the head bobbing tremors, but they have subsided quite a bit. He does tend to dunk his face in his water bowl a couple times before he starts to drink. He used to fall backwards, but now just splashes and then goes about his drinking. We were having quite a time with toilet training him. We tried puppy pads, modified litter boxes, cookie sheets, potty patch, and other things. It seems that all he wanted was a towel to pee on. Once we figured that out, he was fine. He flops over to the towel and pees then flops away."

"I had no experience with CH before Fox," Dianne says. "And it has been quite a learning experience.

My sister-in-law Rena lives in Virginia, and is well known in the "rescue world". She posted a picture
on Facebook one day of a kitten in Ontario, Canada that needed a home. That was how I learned about CH. I saw that face and knew he was to come here to live. My husband and I drove six hours round trip to get him, and we have not regretted a moment of it."

When asked if she has any advice for other new CH parents, Dianne stresses the importance of
patience and "kitten-proofing" one's house and protecting your CH-er like you would if you
had babies around. Diane has made sure that her house is as safe for and accessible to Fox as
possible: "The door to the basement is now kept closed as he found out how to get down the stairs."

"We have hardwood floor throughout the house. Instead of area rugs, in case he pees on them, I put
down carpet runners so he can get around. If he happens to pee on one, it can go in the laundry very easily. We cover table legs so he won't bang his head, and put pillows up against anything he might fall against. We will be making ramps this spring, and are working on a walker for him. Daily routines have changed a lot. Before he was towel trained, he was having a bath daily. But now he gets one about once a week. I sit with him for most of his meals so I know he is eating enough."

"He likes to be carried around the house when you are cleaning or putting groceries away, so needless to say most things take a little longer to do now. I just compensate by giving myself more time. I get up earlier for work, make sure he eats before I do, and make sure his areas are supplied before I worry about anything else."

Fox also enjoys playtime with at least one feline buddy, Dianne's non-CH kitty Jack. While the others don't bother him, Jack specifically plays with him. He will sit with his tail in Fox's face, so that he can chase his tail. "He pushes toys over to him, and then rushes to play with them himself. Fox sits on the floor and watches as Jack runs and jumps over him again and again." Diane says, "It's cute to see the bonding going on. I would swear there is a smile on Fox's face."

More than anything, Diane believes, "Fox has taught me to sit back and enjoy our time together. I would gladly take on the responsibility of another CH kitty if the opportunity came up. Unfortunately, most of the CH kitties up for adoption are in the States. If I thought I could smuggle one across the border, I would."

 


Fuzzy Tales
 
by Janice Branwood 

The year is going by so fast, and now we are about to take on the spring season and welcome in April.  The month of many things happening including jumping beans, flip flops, hops and jumps....and that's just our CH kitties!  April is indeed a month of spring flowers, Easter and the start of the warmer weather.  We all need and take vacations, and that's how our tales start this month.

 

Lizzie and Neal (Tardy and Ziggy) got the opportunity to take a few days off again, and the dreaded pet sitter came again to take care of Ziggy, Tardy, and the rest of the gang.   Now you will remember the last time was not fun for the sitter, yet she said she would try to make friends in the off days, and take on the responsibility again.   This time though, the tables were turned.  Ziggy didn't go into attack mode at all, he actually became the sitter!  Every time Tina would come over  Ziggy  would go under the bed, and take the kittens with him.  This was good in two ways,  Tina was not always under attack and Ziggy actually was helping to socialize the new kittens to the house and him as well.  On the other hand, Tina did text Liz about Tardy, who became part of her ankle while she was there.  If it's not one, it's the other doing those great tricks with the pet sitter.   Liz completely understood, as she tends to clean the room with Tardy accompanying her on her ankle the whole time!  As Liz also stated, there are times where she will actually carry Tardy while mopping just to avoid tripping over his little body wrapped  around her feet.

 

The next story comes from our home, and it involves Jewel who has become the keeper of the nighttime slumber party.  Lately, Jewel has been the first one in to the bedroom, and has started taking the "dog's place" in bed.  This of course is not going over well with the dog or Cowboy, my newest kitten who also shares the pillow with me.
When bedtime comes for me, I very carefully climb in trying not to stir Jewel up too much (her flip flops sometimes send her flying off the bed), and let the dog make her way next to my side.   Meanwhile Cowboy attempts to come and say goodnight to me.  At this point I have to take the sheet and cover Jewel, or else one of us ends up getting swatted with claws out, and believe me when I tell you Cowboy has been the target more than I have.  Much like going to sleep, waking up is the same story.  Again I have to cover Jewel's face so she doesn't see anyone, say hello to the dog and Cowboy, and then carefully slide out in time  to catch Jewel as she starts to take a flying leap off the bed.   She is very proud of her climbing accomplishment, and I always love to see her doing new things, but one of these days I will explain to her that although she's special, there is still a pecking order for getting close to mommy.   

 

There are so many great stories out there I'm sure, as I know that on a daily basis I feel like I could write a book of tales for just my CH  kitty. During this month watch what your little ones do, and jot it down. We all love to shine a light on our pets, and what better way to do it than drop me a note about their accomplishments and little things that your cats do each day.  As April arrives let's share their victories and obstacles in a later tale.  Until then, I wish you and your families the most blessed Easter and a beautiful beginning to our warm weather days.

 

Living With a CH Kitty
 
by Anne Pizzi

Anne shares some hints she has learned from living with her CH kitty:

Carefully place chairs around the kitchen table so she can get up and down.

Scatter rugs (Laminate floors) can also be strategically placed for traction stops.

Subaru uses the same litter box as the other kitties so no problems there.

Cat condos in the front window for hanging out and checking out the hood

A small stool at the foot of our bed for easy on-and-off

Subi also does not like to be touched, so we cuddle at night. She likes coming under the covers when it is cold - or curls between my legs (keeps her safe from the other dogs and cats) She does occasionally like to cuddle on my lap in the chair.  She does however love to play and we always play on the bed or small area rug so she has better traction!

 

This month we are repeating last months article for two reasons. First it's such an important article. Second, parts were mistakenly omitted last month. So here is the complete article. Our apologies to Kathleen Jack.

About Health
 
"FIP"
by Kathleen Jack
 

I remember the day back in 2007 that I brought Felix to the emergency vet for his eye and I heard those three letters - F-I-P. The doctor said, "It's not good." And that began my journey into learning everything I could about FIP and doing everything I could to prevent another cat from having to suffer the way my Felix did.

Felix was found as a stray outside of our local shelter. The Animal Control Officer there had thought he was a feral cat and so was feeding him and one day walked over to him and just picked him up. I happened to be volunteering there that afternoon and I met Felix. He was emaciated and had fleas. As someone who believes less medicines/pesticides is better for our fur babies, I took him, put him in the tub at the shelter and suds-ed him up with Dawn dishwashing liquid. 

Fast forward a few weeks and while volunteering, I noticed Felix's eye was cloudy. I offered to take him home and take him to my own local vet to see what was going on. He was an absolute lovebug and I didn't want to see anything bad happen to him. So home he came with me and we went to the vet on a Friday. The second the doctor looked at him, she said she thought it was FIP. She said he was a younger cat, probably under 2 years old. She explained that the cloudy eye was caused by the coronavirus mutation that causes FIP invading Felix's eye. She said that's probably why he still looked like he was emaciated and wasn't gaining weight. 

She took bloodwork to run right there in the hospital and when she walked in I knew it was bad. She explained that with FIP, there are usually changes to the liver and protein levels in the blood. She said the changes in the liver would eventually cause Felix to become jaundiced. She gave me a copy of the bloodwork and went over it with me. Felix's globulin level was 9.2 when the high level of normal was 5.4. His albumin level was 2.2, slightly lower than the normal value. She explained that this was consistent with FIP. She also explained that cats with FIP have a very low albumin to globulin (a/g) ratio. Felix's was very low. 

I asked whether it could be anything else that was causing his eye issues and these blood changes. She explained that she thought Felix had the "dry" form of the disease. She said the symptoms of the dry form of FIP could also be caused by diseases like toxoplasmosis or histoplasmosis and certain other fungal-type diseases. She also said the chances of Felix having any of them were low. So I asked her to run the test for FIP. She said "There is no test. We basically have to diagnose the disease by ruling out everything else." She also went onto explain that the tests for the other diseases were not always definitive. So I asked, "How do we know for sure it's FIP?" Her answer was "well, we really don't." 

So she ran a few other tests, gave us some drops for Felix's eyes and we went home to await the results of the tests to find out if Felix had one of the diseases that he was unlikely to have. When we got home, we decided that Felix wasn't going back to the shelter. He was OURS now. 

And then I hit the internet. I figured, there has to be something we can do. And what I found was that there was, at the time, nothing we could do. But what I did find was a group of people who knew more about this disease than any veterinarian could. You see, the emergency vet said that they see a few cases of FIP every year, but this group has new members joining every day. So they see hundreds and perhaps thousands of people who have the unfortunate and tragic experience of hearing those three letters - F-I-P. What I learned was this: 

  • F-I-P is the abbreviation for Feline Infectious Peritonitis. I also found it's a name that doesn't exactly describe the disease. While yes, it is a disease that affects felines and it is a disease that causes inflammation of the gastrointestinal area, it is NOT infectious. My other cats couldn't catch FIP. I was grateful for that because Felix had fit right in with my three other kitties and caused no problems at all in our house.
  • FIP is caused by the common coronavirus. That virus is VERY common in cats and it's estimated 80% of cats have at some point or another been infected with it. Think about the stomach virus that your kindergarten child catches and then it spreads through the family. It's a similar type virus. Coronavirus IS contagious and usually causes some slight stomach upset that could cause a day or two of diarrhea. But often there are no outward signs that the cat has been infected with it.
  • Coronavirus can be passed back and forth and back again. So households with multiple cats have a greater chance of cats being infected with coronavirus. And have a greater chance of not being able to get rid of the virus because the cats pass it back and forth to each other. The virus can also mutate into different forms of coronavirus infection just like we have different forms of the flu, a human virus.
  • FIP occurs when a specific mutation happens with coronavirus that causes the virus to infect the immune system in a way that then causes the immune system to "backfire." The white blood cells, which normally fight an infection, now become the mechanism that allows the virus to proliferate in the cats' bodies. In particular, neutrophils are infected and you usually see a high neutrophil level in cats with FIP. Researchers estimate that this mutation in the coronavirus that causes FIP occurs in 3%-10% of cats that are infected with coronavirus.
  • There are generally two forms of FIP - the wet form and the dry form. The wet form occurs when there is very little immune system response to the virus. The virus causes blood vessels to leak fluid and the cat will usually have fluid in the abdominal cavity. Fluid can also be seen in the chest cavity. It is straw colored and thick and contains a large volume of proteins. The dry form of the disease usually happens when the immune response is greater but isn't great enough to overcome the mutation. It involves granulomas forming on the cat's organs and in other areas of the body such as the eyes and the brain. It's important also to note there can be changes in the form of the disease during its course. So for example, a cat initially diagnosed with the dry form of the disease may at some point have fluid in his or her abdomen. And cats that have the wet form of the disease can begin to exhibit neurological signs of the disease, where the disease has affected the brain.
  • And most importantly, that the researcher that has studied this disease longer than any other doctor, Dr. Niels Pedersen, once said that more cats die from a diagnosis of Feline Infectious Peritonitis than die of the disease itself. You see, the fact that there is no definitive test for the disease coupled with the fact that many of the symptoms, such as lethargy, lack of appetite, high globulin levels can be seen with other diseases as well, can lead some veterinarians to jump to a conclusion that a cat exhibiting those symptoms and signs has FIP. And we have seen cats with many other diseases given such a death sentence by a veterinarian who didn't know enough. Or didn't look hard enough for something else. Cats that have had bacterial peritonitis, heart disease, fungal diseases such as histoplasmosis, toxoplasmosis, blastoplasmosis, and mycoplasma/hemobartonella have all gotten a death sentence and diagnosis of FIP from a vet that ultimately turned out to be another of these more treatable diseases. Many, many of these cats are living very healthy lives today, years after having received the diagnosis. And I think very sadly about those cats that were humanely euthanized by a guardian because they died of the diagnosis and not of the disease itself.

That is why it is so important to arm yourself with knowledge. Not just in the case your cat is diagnosed with FIP, but in ALL situations. The group of individuals who moderate the Yahoo group FIPCatSupport have an enormous amount of experience dealing with reading blood work and interpreting symptoms. A few are veterinarians, some are researchers and others are human doctors. They have access to many of the researchers who have been trying to find answers to this disease. In fact, after Felix's death in 2007 from the disease, members of this group found a research publication that noted the long term survival of three cats that had the dry form of FIP who were put on a new drug called polyprenyl immunostimulant. Researchers believe the key to curing the disease is to "modulate" the immune system so that it can "lock out" the disease from white blood cells or recognize those white blood cells as "bad" and not "good." Polyprenyl immunostimulant, from what I understand about how it works, tries to do that. And there have been some cats whose guardians have come on to the FIPCatSupport group who have been referred to the veterinarian who was running the clinical trial for the treatment that have lived much longer than expected and had a better quality of life during the course of the disease. Some passed away eventually but a few others are still alive months and years after starting the drug. And just as promising is that there are other researchers working on other types of drugs that are hoped to control or eradicate the disease. And I am hopeful that one day, we will see the end of that look in a veterinarian's eye when he or she has to tell a guardian that their cat has FIP. 

Sadly, polyprenyl immunostimulant wasn't available for Felix and we helped him cross over on November 19, 2007. He wasn't with us long, but he changed our lives FOREVER. We have helped raise over $30,000 for FIP research, are active in educating others about the disease and have become much more active in helping homeless animals or animals that were deemed "unadoptable" by a shelter (we all know what that means). And that's how we came to be the guardians of Annie, our Maine Coon mix CH girl, who is just one of the loves of our lives.
Adoptable Angels



gathered by Debbie Martin (CH Kitty Club Adoption Specialist)


CH Kitty In Kentucky Needs Rescue or an Adopter, Please!
 
This kitty is in foster temporarily but will return to the shelter into a cage so please help, please!

We have a CH kitty at the Kentucky Humane Society in Louisville, KY who is need of rescue.  His owner turned him in because she could not care for him.  His name is Jake and he is about a year old, solid white with mixed color eyes.  Our vet does not recommend we place him up for general adoption because when we tried to vaccinate and neuter him today, he threw a great big "CH kitty temper fit" and tried to eat her.  He did calm down after awhile and we were able to get him neutered and vaccinated.  An employee at the shelter is taking him home for a short term foster until I contact rescue groups to see if we can get him placed.  Can you work your miracles and network him for us?  I am willing to help with transport.  Any help you can give will be greatly appreciated.
 

 

Thanks!
Tammy Siers
 

************
Tenderfoot, CH Kitty in Little Rock, Arkansas for Adoption

 
 

Tenderfoot is a loving, sweet, orange and white cat who needs a very special home.  He is a "wobbly cat": he has Cerebellar Hypoplasia. That means that his mother got a common cat disease during the latter part of her pregnancy and his cerebellum did not fully develop.  The disorder looks like cerebral palsy in a human.  

 

Tenderfoot needs a forever home as an only cat or perhaps with one other, possibly with someone versed in physical therapy, or someone with a child with a similar disability.  Other things that relate to his condition are problems with his paw pads - all eight front claws were ingrown and his pads badly infected.  He lost muscle tone before he was found and can't compete with the other cats during playtime. 

His foster mom would also be delighted to have some assistance - perhaps someone with a physical therapy background would be willing to assess this loving cat and find exercises that would help Tenderfoot develop to his maximum capacity.  To find out more about Tenderfoot,

 

 

contact Tracy at  [email protected] 

 

Feline Rescue and Rehome, PO Box 250567, Little Rock, AR 72225
 [email protected]  501-661-0956


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



Urgent! CH Kitty in Shelter in Waco, Texas Needs Rescue ASAP! 
 
This sweet boy, WEEBLE, was left on the steps of a Waco, TX low cost clinic. He is neutered and has had shots, but living in the clinic is not the best situation and he needs out soon!!

He is about 6-7 months old and sounds to have moderate CH. He can get around, but is a bit clumsy and a somewhat messy litterbox user.

Please note that his litterbox usage may seem messy because he doesn't have much room to move around! Please share and network for this little guy to get a loving, forever home!!!

To learn more about cerebellar hypoplasia (wobbly) kitties, please read:
 http://chcat.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/Cerebellar-Hypoplasia-Handout.pdf
 

Contact Carrie at: [email protected] 
or Fallon at   
[email protected]


 
He's about 8 months old. Very sweet, not too severe eats and drinks but is clumsy and struggles with the litterbox.


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

"ITSY BITSY"
CH KITTY FOR ADOPTION IN ORANGE COUNTY, CALIFORNIA

 

Sweet CH Kitten - Itzy Bitzy! Orange Marmalade Kitten!
Sweet CH Kitten - Itzy Bitzy! Orange Marmalade Kitten!

 

I was rescued from a lonely shipping yard by a Good Samaritan. I was so sad and forlorn, with no hope of surviving on my own - no mom or siblings in sight. I'm a survivor who has so much love to share!  My name is Itsy Bitsy, aka Itsoo and I'm a sweet and snuggly orange marbled tabby teen kitten (neutered male). I'm a playful and frisky kitten who also loves to sit on laps, who loves nothing but to cuddle for hours, and be held in your arms so close to your heart like a baby. I love to relax with you, using my little paws to "make biscuits" all day. I also love chin scritchies and neck massages, and am used to being cuddled and kissed lots! I'm also very playful, active, and love to chase faux mice and play with the resident kitties. Foster Mom and Dad tell me I have a can-do-it spirit, and I really live life to the fullest!  My eyes are a faint amber hue. I have mild CH, but I am quite nimble despite it. I get around almost as great as a non-CH kitty, and love to play, pounce, tumble and curl up with my foster family and kitties any chance I get. I am seeking a forever home with another playful cat and experienced kitty guardians.

 

 

He's about 6 mos old,
neutered, up-to-date on vaccines, dewormers, flea treatments, FeLV/FIV negative, and microchipped.
 
He is very much a lap kitty, but he is also very active! He needs a forever home with another cat.  (He is dog-friendly too :)

 

Please contact

 

Sara at [email protected]   for our adoption info, application, and to tell us more about you.



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



Lilah CH Kitty at Best Friends Animal Sanctuary in Utah for Adoption
To find out more about Best Friends, please visit thier webiste http://www.bestfriends.org/
A Sleepover with Lilah
 
Lilah lives in the lobby of Quincy House, She has cerebellar hypoplasia, which means she lacks fine motor skills and coordination. When we took Lilah to our cottage, I was very nervous because I have never had to care for a special needs cat. We had so much fun with her, and I am glad that we had a sleepover.
 
At Quincy House, Lilah will howl if anyone (cat or person she is not familiar with) comes too close. One caregiver commented that it's because she thinks they are going to fall on her, not realizing that she is the one who falls.

In the cottage, Lilah purred! She purred when we petted her. She purred when she was being held. She even purred when she was moving around.

Lilah loves to snuggle and be petted. I put her on the sofa with me, and she moved over to where my mom was sitting. She is very good at moving slowly to the edge to let you know she is ready to get down, so we could place her safely on the floor. Lilah cannot be left up high without supervision due to her condition. Since I knew she couldn't sleep on the bed with us, I made a bed on the floor out of the extra pillows and blankets in the cottage. Lilah loved it! She had a great time rolling around in the sheets. Lilah does not use the litterbox, but she is good about not making a mess on her stuff. She does scratch so you know she is up to something.  
 
When she was sitting in her kennel, she turned herself around peed outside the kennel so her blankets stayed clean and it was easy to clean up. It was difficult to not want to do everything for her, but Lilah likes to do things for herself. She can manage to get herself to her food and water bowls, and she knows how to find you when she wants love and attention!



Thank you for letting me share my visit with Lilah. The close up picture of Lilah's face was taken by my sister Jeanette.
Sincerely,
Jennifer Mendoza
 
Please email Best Friends if you would like more information and to adopt Lilah or their other CH Kitties:   Email Cat adoptions: [email protected]

Also, here are the other CH Kitties at Best Friends looking for thier furever homes too!

Duke (Resides in the lobby of Quincy House) - http://adoptions.bestfriends.org/Default.aspx?dbid=1016669
Peachie (Resides in the lobby of Morgaine's Place) - http://adoptions.bestfriends.org/Default.aspx?dbid=1017310
Lilah (Resides in the lobby of Quincy House) - http://adoptions.bestfriends.org/Default.aspx?dbid=1017087
Tumbles (Resides in the lobby of Benton's) - http://adoptions.bestfriends.org/Default.aspx?dbid=1016036
 
***  Please take a look at the Best Friends Website if you do not know about their sanctuary!  They save many, many animals from all over the country, and the sanctuary is open to the public to visit and open for adoptions.  If you are interested in adopting please contact them!  Also the sanctuary has many people who come there for vacation to volunteer helping at the sanctuary. While staying there you can invite the residents in for sleepovers.

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


 Lynx Needs A Home ASAP  

(Although Lynx is in a foster home, he needs to get into a calm and quiet home. His foster is afraid that with all the kittens coming into the foster home,the excitement will not be good for him. Please consider adopting Lynx.)

  

Lynx is an approx 5-6 year old neutered lynx point Siamese male. He was rescued in November from Cumberland County, and has since been in foster care in Springfield, VA.



Lynx is UTD on all his shots, tested negative for Feline FIV/FeLV/HW has been dewormed, and is on flea preventative. Lynx has possible CH as his back legs lack muscle and he has difficulty with them. This doesn't stop Lynx though: he goes around like nothing is wrong. He is a trooper and very brave as he jumps up on things like a normal cat would, although sometimes he makes it and sometimes he doesn't.  This doesn't stop him from trying! After being in foster care for about a month, his foster mom took him to the vet to have a complete blood work up done. Nothing was found and the vet said it was completely neurological. He does experience seizures from time to time which seem to have triggers that include brushing and too much aggressive play with other cats. Despite what is going on neurologically, Lynx is the sweetest boy. He looks at you with this precious face and beautiful eyes and you can't resist! He doesn't like to be held but loves to be petted and will lay in your lap! He also loves to play: toy mice with long tails are his favorite! Lynx also loves treats: he hears the bag from a mile away and comes running!

Brittany Athey
 [email protected]

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Two lovely Cerebellar Hypoplasia kitties available for adoption in 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 other 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. Please call us if you have room in your heart and home for a special needs kitty.
 
Wren (nickname Thelma)  is our black and white CH kitty with 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, and she 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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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, the next photo is all the flea and flea dander I pulled off of her.   She was a mess!   Well, she is in great shape and a very expensive kitty getting 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, 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
cell

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Four CH Kittens for adoption near Woodstock, New York

  

 

 

Meet our two girls, Mare and Filly, who are the torties. Colt and Big Buck are the boys!  They are wonderful CH kitties who will warm your heart, they are absolutely wonderful. We rescued them from a situation where they were going to be euthanized because they had Cerebellar Hypoplasia! (How horrible is that!!)

 

They are wonderful, very happy kitties who are  looking for furever homes! They even made our local newspaper so you can say they are  celebrities!


We are near exit 20 of the NYS Thruway. Near Woodstock, in the Saugerties/Kingston area, about forty miles south of Albany and two hours from NYC.  The kittens are 18  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 their own and use the litter box. They are just perfect! Please contact me if you are interested.

 

Video Of the girls playing!!
CH Kittens Filly and Mare  2.19.12 
CH Kittens Filly and Mare 2.19.12
 

 

Video when a little younger playing!!!!
4 kittens with cerebellar hypoplasia all in need of a home 
4 kittens with cerebellar hypoplasia all in need of a home
  
  
Please email me at [email protected]  or call  845-532-6036 

  

Thanks, Kynan

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Tilty, extremely mild CH kitty with slight head tilt looking for a home in S. 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 lead 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!!!!  
 
If you would like to meet or learn more about Tilty please contact me!

  

Youtube Video  
Tilty 
Tilty

Debbie at  [email protected]

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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.  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
Little Shelter in Huntington 
Cattery Manager
[email protected]
631-368-8770 ex 215 

  

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 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 5 months old (born approximately on Nov. 5, 2011). 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]

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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.  Both girls use the litter box.  They are located in Long Beach, California. 
 

  

They are both spayed and up to date with all thier shots! 
For more information on our CH Girls  please contact us via email   [email protected] or call us at (562) 453-7377    
 
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Muffy, CH Kitty in Audubon, New Jersey for adoption
This is one special girl looking for a very special home!

 

Muffy came from a local shelter after being brought in by someone that didn't know what was wrong with her. Muffy has Cerebellar Hypoplasia (also known as "CH"), which is a neurological condition that causes her to bob and weave all over. Don't think this slows her down though! She loves to tumble and tumble.

  

While with Joa's Arc, Muffy's coordination and limb strength has been improving. Please don't think of telling Muffy there's anything wrong with her! In her mind, she's as normal as any other kitten and she loves to play, cuddle and if she sees hair hanging, she loves it!! She is so funny that she just makes everyone laugh once they realize that her special condition doesn't affect her ability to be happy.

  

Muffy needs a very special home that will overlook her disability, but keep her safe. For more information on Muffy and CH, please see our blog post about this fabulous little girl:  http://joasarc.blogspot.com/2010/08/introducing-muffy.html 

     

Joa's Arc
PO Box 243
Audubon, NJ 08106
Email:
 [email protected]
 

PLEASE CONTACT US THRU PETFINDER LINK ALSO PLEASE:  http://www.petfinder.com/petdetail/17105179

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2 CH Kitties for adoption in Baltimore, Maryland with Charm City Animal Rescue  


Hi again! 
I have two CH kitties right now, one that I really need help with. The shelter didn't really fill me in on how bad she is, and I just don't know how to care for her properly. 

 

Tinkerbell is an amazing white and black medium hair. She has has some sort of injury or trauma to one eye, as it's quite cloudy. I doubt she can see out of it. She has severe CH. Most of the time, she doesn't walk, but has adapted her own sort of army crawl. Lately, in her cage, she has been getting up on her back legs and just holding the position. If she wants to go somewhere bad enough, though, she will get there.  For the most part, she just sleeps. She will play with the laser pointer with her front paws, and she will make it into a litterbox but it needs to be low to the ground and without a hood. She has been vaccinated by the shelter and tested, but they did not send paperwork. I know that both were done though, as I am a volunteer at the shelter.  
Tink is a little more than I can handle in my rescue. She's been in foster care, but got depressed when the other cats were adopted. She loves cats who will snuggle with her. I run a very large cat rescue out of my house and average about one adoption per day. There is always someone coming in or out to donate or adopt or visit. I also have two dogs. Being Baltimore City, I am in a tiny two bedroom rowhome, so it's a  bit tight for space.  Tink is now in one of my giant dog crates, which is Mastiff size, but this is the main crate I use for mamas and kittens during the summer. It's also unfair to keep her in there. She's lonely, and I can tell. If I put another cat in there with her, they will complain about losing their freedom.  So I'm stuck and I need help. If anyone can help me with her, I will absolutely make a donation to them. She is a wonderful cat, but has needs beyond what I can provide. I don't get to interact with her much since I'm planning three fundraisers, and the guilt is sort of killing me.

 

I also have Tabby, a very mild CH kitten. She is not urgent or anything, just available! I'd say she's about four months old, and she can jump, climb, do stairs, etc. She's kind of a little hellion and will steal food right off your fork if you aren't paying attention. She is very affectionate, and jacks her back legs up in the air when you pet her so hard, that sometimes they come off the floor! 

  

If you're interested in either CH kitty , please let me know. Thank you! 
 
Michelle Ingrodi
[email protected]
Charm City Animal Rescue
Baltimore Maryland
 http://charmcityanimalrescue.com/animals-for-adoption/

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Bye Bye everyone!

 

ENJOY those spring flowers and the rain!! Enjoy your family and your friends!! Have lots of fun and treats!!

 

I'm gonna go love my mommy now, eheheh.

 

: ) 

 

 

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
The World According to Riley Dean
First Impressions
New Family Member
The CH Family Dynamics
How I fell in Love With CH Kitties
The Interviews
Our NEW CH Kitty Club YouTube Channel
Spotlight on K 9 Kastle Rescue
Meet the Parents
Fuzzy Tales
Living With a CH Kitty
About Health
Adoptable Angels
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