May we introduce you to Jerry?

Well, the Crazy Cat Ladies of Ednor Gardens are at it again!  Handsome Jerry got himself a couple of guardian angels. First, in November, Linda coaxed this handsome tom into a Havaheart and got him tested, neutered, and all of his shots.  The vet pronounced him healthy but noted he had inverted eyelids (the same condition that Love & Hisses little ones had), which were causing him considerable pain.  Sadly, they weren't able to address his eye condition back then.  

Never-say-die Margaret (that's her in the second pic) raised the bucks to get his eyes fixed, lured him into a Haveaheart once again, and whisked him off to the vet.  He spent 10 days at Academy Vet, here in B'more, got his operation (hugs to Doc Lewis!), and is now ready for recovery and socialization.  Margaret asked if Space Paws could take care of him while he was recovering.  How could we say no?!  He joined us today.

A huge thank-you to Margaret and Linda and all of their connections through the CCLoEG for helping this guy out!  Jerry has got our basement all to himself (Mama Lucy is upstairs with the Space Paws gang now!).  Poor guy was so stressed that, like Lucy did in the beginning, he tucked himself up safely under the bed.  I'm hoping it won't be for too long.

Since it's been so long since we've posted regularly, I need to catch you up on Mama Lucy... but that's a post for another day!

Tabby Update

I liked the Tracy lady.  And I like the Sara lady.  You lady, not so much.

A quick update - our little Tabby is now little Moblin and has a fursis, Grue.  As you might guess from the pic, the vet visit wasn't her favorite thing, but she held up quite well and we got a clean bill of health.  Sara reports Moblin is starting to settle in - loves tummy rubs and playing.  Sis, Grue, on the other hand isn't quite sure about the addition to the family and we've got some hissies and chasing going on - kind of to be expected since Grue has been the queen of the castle for so long.  More as we go along!

Trudy, Buddy and a Bag

A little something to brighten your weekend. The title says it all... just wait for it.

Forgive the thick voice. Allergies. *sigh*

Thankful Thursday - (pretty sure it will be an) Adoption in 11 minutes!

Oh, my! Today was truly amazing! And no, this is NOT the way it is usually done!

If you can remember back to the last time I posted (ahem!), the Casa is kinda full up. One of my cat-allergic colleagues contacted me on Friday asking if I could help find a foster spot for sweet little cat whom she was sheltering (story below). See sweet Miz Tabby:

I asked around with a few folks I knew did fostering and found they were full up, too. Wednesday, I "asked around" the 'tute by putting up these pics, and Tracy's story on the 'tute's social network (kind of an in-house Facebook).

Within a half hour or so, three wonderful ladies had stepped forward to say they'd foster her. Thank you Kay, Cheryl and Sara (and Elizabeth for spreading the word)!! You all ROCK!

Sara, who had responded to the post in a mere 11 minutes, mentioned that if Miz Tabby and her darlin' got along, she'd look at adopting her. Squeeeeeee! It doesn't get any better than that! So Saturday we swoop over to Doc Andrew, get Tabby tested, get her shots, make sure she's spayed (we think she is) and deliver her to new foster-to-adopt mom, Sara!!

Here's the email that started it all:

Hi Lisa,

Hoping you and Space Paws might be able to help me. Wednesday night, I stepped outside to hear this desperate meowing. I saw a cat at my neighbor’s door and thought maybe one of their cats had gotten locked out. I bent down to see if I could get her to come over to me, and she came to me at a dead run, headbutted my hand, and then stood there eagerly waiting for me to unlock the door. The moment I opened it, she ran inside.

We’ve been checking with the shelters and posting signs, but no one is turning up to claim this little girl. She’s an incredibly sweet, affectionate cat, well-cared-for and clean, looks perfectly healthy. She’s extremely calm and obviously very used to being with a family – she comes when you call, obeys when you tell her no, doesn’t object to being picked up and pushed around. I’m allergic and am usually a bit intimidated by cats since I don’t know anything about them, but this one is such a sweetheart I’m completely comfortable with handling her, and she’s very tolerant of my clumsiness.

So my husband and I have been holding onto her to keep her safe and out of the cold, but we both have cat allergies and can’t keep her. We’d take her to the shelter, but she’s the gentlest, friendliest, most affectionate cat we’ve ever met … she runs over, meowing and chirping, to greet you when you enter the house or wake up in the morning, she likes to hook your hand with a paw and nuzzle it when you’re petting her, she purrs like a little motor when she’s near you.

She doesn’t do a lot of jumping or climbing – we’ve had to shoo her off the table once, and she likes to sleep on the top of the sofa, but she’s shown no interest in the bookshelves or countertops. She’d make such a perfect pet for someone looking for a calm, loving, companion-type cat.

We can hold onto her for a few more days while we try to find her owner, but then we have to figure out what to do, I was wondering if anyone in the Space Paws rescue group might be able to foster her? I’d be willing to pay for shots, fixing, etc. for her (my friend who owns cats and checked her out said she’d be surprised if she wasn’t already fixed.)

That’s it … let me know what you think. I’ve attached a couple pics. Thanks for any help you can provide.

Tracy

Tracy, there's a special place for folks like you and your hubby who are willing to go out of your comfort zone, and endure being uncomfortable to boot, to help a little critter. Thank you!

Do I work with a great bunch of people or what??!

MD Furblings need a new home

Our friend Sue over at Pitter Pats of Baby Cats let us know about this need! Her friend Cora passed along this message:

Keiko Wells

PLEASE HELP!! My grand-dad just informed me about a lady he knows who just lost her job. She is having to move and can't take her fur-babies with her. Does anyone know of a place or rescue in Maryland or vicinity that can help re-home her kitties? We'd totally take them except we are on the wrong side of the country.

I'm assuming Gary is grand-dad and he posted:

Gary Wells

Here's the gal of the pair. These two are pretty mellow. At our first meeting they we both very accepting of me.
We've looked hard for a shelter, but everyone is full up.

Gary Wells

Here's the guy ... needs a good home for himself and his 'sister' of about two years. Owner has to leave them behind due to a job loss and other troubles. My friend will watch over them for a bit but we need to find a happy home situation as soon as possible.

You know how this works girls and boys... repost, FB, tweet, email and let's see if we can't find this pair a home!!!

Hugs,

Lisa

Inside Annie

Today we'll catch you up on Annie's story since we now have a pic to go along with it - you know I love x-rays... peering into innards is endlessly fascinating.

My little Annie has always been a nervous kitteh - startling easily and darting from one thing to another.  In fact, with her grey coat, this had earned her the nickname, "Squirrelette."  Over the past year, she had taken to being even more timid than usual, hanging out by herself more and more (aka hiding), developed a chronic sneeze, lost weight and, frustratingly, decided the dining room floor was an appropriate place to relieve herself.  (Yes, she's ruined some of the brand new hardwood flooring... *sigh*)

Long story short - Annie has become a "frequent flyer" at the vet.  Poor thing has had tests out the wazoo and we tried a number of things to address her various issues, including putting her on Prozac for the peeing (sadly, ineffective). One trip revealed deterioration in her kidney numbers. So, on meds she went (one for the kidneys plus an appetite stimulant) and things improved somewhat. She's chilled out and seems happier (more snuggling, etc.). She's been in regularly to keep an eye on her weight, let the doc recheck her numbers, and to treat the recurring bouts of sneezing.

Last week she started again with the sneezing and I had a heck of a time getting her to eat (probably because she can't smell when this happens).  The day before Christmas Eve, Annie and I headed to the vet.  Doc has been worried about her chronic respiratory issues, even though we manage to get the episodes under control, so he suggested it was time for an x-ray to look at her lungs.

Well, her lungs are fine!  But something weird showed up on the x-ray. Don't mind saying I was plenty worried we were now looking at a surgery to remove a foreign body.  Doc sent it out to a radiologist for review and he came back with a happy answer - it's a bile stone and it requires no intervention.  He also said that it appears Annie had undiagnosed heart problems in the past which are now healed.  Good to know - Doc will be keeping an eye (or ear, as the case may be) out for any cardiac complications.

So, all together, not a bad day at the vet.  Looks like my little lady is going to be high maintenance for the foreseeable future, though!

Christmas Greetings from Our Casa to Yours

Thankful Thursday - Opie's New Family

I know I promised more about Loki for the next post, but it's Thursday, and Thankful Thursday is a tradition!! We've got a lot to be thankful for here at Casa Space Paws, not the least of which is for you! Thank you to everyone who wrote and emailed to welcome us back. I'll try to get in 2-3 posts a week until things lighten up in February or so. And sneak in at least a one or two visits a day until I've made the rounds! I've missed you guys so much!

Anyway, back to the kittehs: We are very, very, very thankful to my sis for talking up Opie!! That's how he found his furever family. She was at her son's in-law's for dinner when their son said he was looking for a companion for his Charlie. Oh, she sold him, but good!

So Kevin came over to meet Opie. We took it slow, since Opie and Charlie were both adults, and Opie went to live with them on a foster-to-adopt basis. Turns out Kevin lives just up the road from me. I knew things were good when Kevin referred to Opie as Homer (thanks to his cute 'stash and beard). I read on Kevin's Facebook that Charlie now had a partner in crime!! It was a match!

Here's a shot of Homer in his new digs.

Think he's relaxed and made himself at home? Kevin, says 65% of the joy of being subject to a feline overlord is taking pictures of them sleeping.

New brofur, Charlie, is as energetic as Homer (thank heaven!) and the two of them cavort and wrestle. It's a veritable den of testosterone over there!

Not so sure about Homer at first, were you Charlie?

This is dad, Kevin, enjoying some more testosterone laden activity without the boys.

Just teasing. Kevin is great - keeps me updated about the boys and he even joined us for Thanksgiving! I hadn't even really met Kevin at Mark and Liz's wedding (had NO idea what he looked like when he came to meet Opie), so it's been great to get to know him and great to have extended family in the neighborhood!

And, in case you had any doubts that it's a small, small world... Kevin's good friend, Mike, starts work at STScI in January. Mike and his wife volunteer at the local SPCA. Wonder if they'll be willing to be Space Paws foster parents... hmmmmm....

And I'll leave you with a shot of Homer and his dad. Ahhhhh... I love a great match!

Next post, we'll finish up Loki's story.

RIP Sweet Sgt. Andy Panda Pants of The Patio Patrol

Please send your deepest purrs to Aunty Pol on the passing over her beloved Andy. Aunty's SU (spousal unit) brought Andy to the house but it was she to whom he bonded and he became her baby. Like Grey and Buddy, Andy was HIV positive and lived many a healthy year as part of Aunty and Gordy's "six pack." A couple of months ago Aunty was in puddles - Andy was declining and she promised he wouldn't suffer. This weekend, they kept that promise.

You'll be in our thoughts and prayers Aunty, Gordy, Munchkin, Loki, Zena, Boschka and Gracie Marie. I know Winnie was ready to meet your boy and, even now, they are cavorting at the Bridge. Hugs and headbutts from B'more.

I am manly mancat, NOT an elf!

But I'm ooperating with these folks and let them take pictures of me to help me find a good furever home. Hi! I'm Lucky...errr... Loki. (These two legs can't make up their minds. Sheesh!) The Space Paws lady says she needs to watch her time, so you'll get to see more of me and hear my story tomorrow. She just wanted to get this in today because she says it's "cute." I am NOT cute. I am manly.

We're still alive and sorry we've been gone so long

Hi everyone - I don't quite know what to say... it's been a rough summer and fall and blogging and visiting have been back burnered in a big way. I have no excuse for not doing a 15 min blog post every now and again just to let you know we were OK.

I kept waiting for a time when I thought I could definitely keep up semi regular blogging to come back. *sigh* I can't promise that yet, but I do want you to know what's transpired and that I do miss you very much. I have to try to keep some balance in my life right now and once I get online and go visiting, balance goes out the window! Heck, even reading Space Paws email would throw me into major guilt.

Good news is I've been able to divest of one large outside commitment (doing the books for a friend's business) and am working to divest of another (being my church's treasurer) by February. Between those, my real job, family and caring for the kittens, there haven't been enough hours in the day.

So enough about my guilt. Here's a short catch up (more details on everyone later):

• Ace came and went and you never even met him. Like Gus, Ace had a broken leg that we patched up and he's comfy in his furever home with two furblings.
• A couple of local cats, Sparky and Buick passed through our doors. Sadly, some of my neighbors have fallen on hard times and we took care of vet needs before they were returned to their loving families.
• Opie has a new home and a new name - Homer! Yay! Best, I've stayed in contact with his new dad.
• Mama Lucy is slooooooowly making progress. A little more friendly each week. Yay!
• Buddy looks like he will be a permanent resident. Between his FIV and his chronic skin alergies (yep, poor guy is an itchy mess), he's not likely to be adoptable.
• Trudy and Lawrence are still with me. Their dad is unable to take them back, although he would very much like to, and I think they'll stay with me for now. They are now both plump pushkins.
• Bitty, Peggy Sue and Sophie are all hale and hearty! Yay!
• Justice, sadly, was diagnosed with both kidney and liver problems and passed away 2 weeks ago.
• My Annie has had some serious health problems - kidney related. She's hanging in there.

And now a sneak peek at tomorrow's post...

And, nope, that's not Sophie!

And I'll work on cleaning up our sidebars this week, too.

I know we've lost readers because of our lack of posting. I apologize to them and to you.

Hugs,

Lisa