Sunday, Jan. 29, 2017

What an exciting Saturday we had.  

We had 3 adoptions! Kittens Teanna and Whimsey went to their new home. Teanna is now called Margaret Caterina and Whimsey is now known as Clara Clarice.  They have a little 3 year old girl that is simply amazing and has so much love to give to these kittens. Her little brother is also good with kittens.  I was honored to have this family adopt them.

Skippy (do-da) also was adopted to a friend of mine. His mama use to be a volunteer for FFRC long ago. She had to move away but is now once again in Defiance.  And she very much needed a cat. Skippy spoke to her and that was it---he was chosen to go home with her! So happy for both of them! 

There's a few more adoptions also in the works!

It's only 8 weeks to Spring! Days are getting longer in daylight time. They will soon start being warmer too. This all means that cats will be going into heat. Please..........get those spays and neuters done now before spring blossoms.  Remember, if you live near Cecil or Van Wert, Ohio, there are 2 low cost spay/neuter dates coming up.  Jan. 30 and 31st.  Just go to neuterscooter.com and get scheduled! Our FFRC surgery date with HumaneOhio is already full for Feb. and we are working now on March. 

We had BOXES Friday evening---YOU are appreciated.
LJ--more of her awesome, incredible felted/framed kitty pictures made with FFRC fur!
Miranda--36 Meow Mix cups and 6 kitty bag clips
Anonymous Friend--case of Fancy Feast
Patty K from VT--(my cousin!)--sweet treat Vermont Maple Syrup and donation
Dianna C from OH--card with note and donation to FFRC
Susan C from OH--donation to FFRC
Larry & Donna (our vet transporters)--2 cases 32 count Friskies

And we had BOXES last night too! Wow--lots to be thankful for.
Beth/eaglewatcher--3--16 lb bags of Purina One Kitten
Joy & Don from NY--donation to FFRC
Robin H & Hubby and kitties--2 bags Salmon Purina One

Gusti--5 cat dancers, 5 pkgs coil toys, 5 Yeooow Catnip Bananas, 10 bags Greenies, 5 skitter Critter Mice, 2 fishing pole toys, big bag Precious litter

And we have more thanks!

Ann Marie F from NJ--donation to FFRC

Janet M--donation to FFRC

Have you checked out our website lately?  It's at:  fofrescue.org  We've updated it again with current info.  Enjoy!

We received our monthly contribution from Ustream Partner Program. It's for those wonderful ads that we have pop up on us!  For November, the amount came to $872.30.  Wow--that's absolutely wonderful. 

We also recently received $677.90 from Amazon--this was for the month of November 2016. Each time you make an Amazon order thru our website, we get a kick back from it. Thanks so much!

We have taken on a new young kitten. He had a pretty scary morning on Friday. He had gotten up in a truck motor and took a drive. A man that works in Napoleon retrieved the kitten and drove him to FFRC.  We have named him Theodore, a very cute light brown tiger boy. He's a bit frightened yet but does like to be held. He has a few small lacerations on his face from this adventure but they are already healing. He is 12 weeks old with a birthday of 11/4/16.  Welcome, Theodore! 

We had a very nice thing happen yesterday. A couple found a cat and brought him to FFRC Saturday morning. When I saw him, my thought was --- this is a very cared for cat--he looks healthy, good weight, nice fur coat and is neutered. Not the typical description of an incoming cat. Upon scanning him for a microchip, we found he was indeed a chipped cat! We called our chip company (HomeAgain) who said this chip came from 24 Pet Care and it showed recent activity. We then called 24 Pet Care and they asked---is it a short hair cat? Yes!  Is it brown tiger? Yes!  Is it a male? Yes!  Is it neutered? Yes!  They had an owner--everything matched! So we called this owner and left a message that it appeared we had their cat. They quickly came over and claimed their boy whose name is David. They had only recently adopted him and he had slipped out the door. I was so happy about this outcome and very happy for David. He was so calm and cool about the whole thing----like he knew his family would be found. Thanks to the couple who found him and brought him in. 

And with that............hope you all have a wonderful Sunday! 

Thursday, Jan. 26, 2017

Teanna, Anayaa and LaRue had their day at the vets yesterday.  They were all 3 back at FFRC late afternoon and doing good.

Teanna---was spayed, no worries, physical good

LaRue--her jaw is fixed as best as possible.  It turns out her fracture is much more severe than first thought.  It's fractured on the side of the middle line of lower jaw and at the back of that jaw also. The front has a wire in place and will be there for 6 weeks. The back fracture has to heal on its own. Her mouth is definitely not centered and not able to be. But....since she's a cat...most assuredly she will heal and do fine with the final result. It appears that this maybe wasn't from a kick of a cow after all, but probably from a head crushing bite.  Something had a hold of her head--has puncture wounds/bite wounds on chin/neck and top of head.  This is what broke her jaw.  There's one of her K-9 teeth we will have to watch--because of her misshaped jaw, if it causes discomfort, we will have it pulled. She's on soreness meds and anitibiotics.  She's a good sport and loves to be petted. She was so hungry upon arrival and is still eating her slurry/gruel food with pleasure!

Anayaa--x-rays are done and tells a story but we are not sure exactly what caused her troubles. We do know that she is 3-legged for a reason---she must've had an accident that was severe enough to remove the rear leg. In this same accident, she had a badly fractured pelvis. Her femoral head is also very mishapened--more "squarish" than round.  Her knee shows damage and arthritis/bone fragments.  She also has some teeth missing. Her rib cage shows a thickening of bone, indicating an injury there also. So.........whatever happened to this wonderful cat, she was injured very badly. I'm happy she is here---such a sweetie girl.  All of these findings are not fixable. But, it appears she has been living like this for quite some time.  When she comes up to the Main Area, you will see her strange gait. And again....she is a cat and has adapted very well to her past injury.  Her name means complete freedom and that is what her life will be.

Update on Xiluva. We now have 5 days of grooming done on her with a few more days probably to go.  I'm thankful that the "top" of her is not matted---most mats are lower sides, belly, chin, chest, bottom.  She's a beauty. As I mentioned before, this cat has patience beyond most. She is so wonderful while we are working on her mat removal.

We had BOXES last night--I am so very grateful for your help!
Mary/Friday volunteer--8 cases of bottled water (big thanks---we were very low)
Vicki B--6 bags of Royal Canin BabyCat
Sandra E--1000 6 inch plates, cookie goodies for volunteers, 3 boxes of Belvita!
Zoolove--60 Rainbow furry mice, 5 pkgs woolie pompoms, coil toys, 4 critter noise toys
PJPanda & BadKitty--1000 6 "plates, 12  PT's, 108 washcloths (yeah!), 6 boxes Planters Peanuts
Gusti--Donation to FFRC to help with vet costs

Skippy is an awesome cat. He's just a happy boy that wants lots and lots of attention! Terry is the best ping-pong ball player ever! He's so attentive when those balls are bounced.  Harvey is one special lover-bug. He turns into mush when petted. And our shy girl Jules is coming along. She's becoming more relaxed and is starting to understand that people and TLC is quite a nice thing. Joyful was chasing a fuzzy ball around this morning--so nice to see her playing. Felicity knows who her volunteers are---loves to wrap around legs. Jones and Sea Turtle are both doing fine and feeling good. What a joy to walk into PawMart and have Jones come bounding over to you. And Derecho...he was happy. He got his chicken snackers yesterday.

Another date to remember, especially if you live in this area.  Feb. 11 and 12.  This is the TICA cat show in Maumee, OH.In addition to the many different breeds to be seen, there will be many vendors with furniture, beds & more. The time is 9 am to 4 pm.  This is an event that I much enjoy going to.

Love this saying by Mary Tyler Moore:  "You can't be brave if you've only had wonderful things happen to you."

Weds. Jan. 25, 2017

Today is a busy day at the veterinary's office for FFRC.  We are sending up 3 cats.
Anayaa--to have her rear leg and rib cage x-rayed--it'll be interesting to see what's going on with both of these areas.  Her only rear leg goes out at a very strange angle when she walks. Her ribcage has an area that is enlarged--may be just bone, but need to know.

Teanna--she is to be spayed today.

LaRue--x-rays of her jaw and hopefully surgery to repair it.

Who is LaRue? She's our newest girl. We were told "mouth is open and she can't shut it".  We finally got her here to FFRC on Monday. She appears to have a mandible (lower jaw) fracture. Most fractures like this are due to trauma/injuries. She also smelled very badly and covered in poo.  It turns out, across the road where she was found, is a cow barn. I wonder if she might've gotten kicked from a cow.  Anyway, she is squeaky clean now but will have to have another bath later. Because of her open mouth, she is not able to swallow her saliva very well, so she is a bit of a "drooler".  

LaRue is so very thin--not sure how long she's been injured. We have been feeding her a slurry mix and she's gobbling everything up! She is a beautiful older kitten, black tiger. We are hoping that today she will have her lower jaw repaired.  Her name is a Name a Cat name.

Big thanks to Donna and Larry who are always so willing to transport our kitties and cats to Bryan. They are a huge help. I always feel good when they take them! 

Check out lovemeow.com    Our Derecho is featured today! He is one special boy that is loved by many. Please feel free to share his story with others. He's a source of smiles and let's us know that determination sure does help in everyday life! 

We had BOXES Monday evening---many thanks to you!
Judy & Phil--40 lb Precious Litter, 4 boxes Quart ziploc bags, case Fancy Feast, 2000 6" plates
PJPanda & Bad Kitty--lots of BOnito flakes (the kitties felt the need to sample them early!)
Jatcat--lots of spring toys---we also use these for adoptions
Clark, Jessie & the Rest--Happy 1st Birthday to Phoebe with her chicken $5
Don & Sandra S from OH--donatin to FFRC in memory of Erica Woods
Needtoretire from PA--Sea Turtle fard with donation in honor of Sea Turtle & Jones
Kittiesmom/Phyllis--coupons
John & Suzanne C from FL--kitty card with donation
Macncheesendoodlesmom--donations (in memory of Macaroni, for S/N fun, for general fund)
Littleonemine--25 cans Tuna, 10 tubs Sheba, 2 cans Sardines, 2 Sensations, 1 tub party Mix & 4 bags of candy for volunteers

And we have more thanks too!
Kelly L--donation to FFRC
Phil & JUdy--donation to help with vets bill
Mura--donation to FFRC
Mishou1--donatin to celebrate Phoebe's 1st birthday
Billie K--donation to help with Giovanna, Lucas, Darcy, Xiluva & Anayaa's care

We've heard from the new mama of Jack. He is doing wonderful and is so cuddly. He loves his sliding door and watches the birds. He is loved!

Peanuts had his trip to the vets on Monday.  He had his x-ray and his fractured front leg looks strong.  His pin in not able to be removed due to the location of it. And that is just fine. Sometimes pins are removed, sometimes not.  Peanuts will just have to have a special medical clearance for airports, in case he travels! We will wait the 10 days and then will remove his staples on his shoulder. Peanuts will then be up for adoption! He is such a sweetie boy--so fun, so playful and cuddly. 

We have 4 FFRC's Cookbooks left (I had put them aside in case we had any problems). We can now sell them! They are $18. Just send me an email if interested!  We also have the One Hundred Stories left to sell. They are $25. I appreciate the donation of some to be given out to our volunteers at our Feb. Volunteer meeting! So very kind. 

Today we are having delivered a large  load of stones delivered. We have had so much rain that we need to reinforce the lane that goes out to the big red barn. These will be "trailered"--that makes the job much easier! We will also use some stone to hit our low spots to help the animals out.  We took on 5 new hens yesterday from a friend. They are a few years old and are pets. Right now we have them in a nice coop. In a few days they will join the rest of the chickens. 

We are still working on Xiluva. Her poor fur coat is just a total mess.  Because of the extreme tight mats, we are just doing a little a day. Today will be day 5 of working on her. I cannot believe the patience that she has with this. Such a nice cat. Actually, Darcy, Lucas, Anayaa and Xiluva are an exceptionally nice group of cats.  We would like to bring them to the Main Area soon, but not quite yet. 

Sunday, Jan. 22, 2017

Lots of happenings here! 

First, I want to thanks for making it possible for our Flash Sale to be a wonderful event! It was a Mich and Vern Flash Sale on Friday afternoon. Most things now have a name on them. I'm so grateful. This Flash Sale will help us with our operational needs---which is always ongoing. Many thanks to all the people who participated, to the people who provided the items that we sold, to the mods for helping to spread the news of the Flash Sale, to all the well-wishers!  These items will be packed up and on their way very soon.

We had two adoptions yesterday. 
Jack was adopted and has a new mama that is thrilled to have him. Jack just melted into her. It was a good match. 

PollyAnna was also adopted. She went to a wonderful lady who already loves this kitten so very much! She will have a cat friend at her new home. 

We've heard from the lady who adopted Woodrow. She says he is an absolute joy! And he is one spoiled boy!  Just what we love to hear. She also sent pictures showing a very happy Woodrow.

We had BOXES Thursday evening. Many thanks!
Justme/Kathy--for Ver--2 boxes of 32 Delectables Squeeze Up Cat Treats. He loves these!
Pat, Thursday vol--a Brush N Scratcher for Trucker & Magic, donation to FFRC
Shannon S--donation for the Spay/Neuter Fund
Brooke B --donation for FFRC
Vern & Mich--"stuff" for FFRC
Sharon/Pablo--8 gallons of vinegar!
Maite from Spain who has a cat rescue--donation for the Paddy Boys

Tomorrow is Peanut's big day! Hopefully he will come back without his leg pin. That means we can then get him up for adoption.  We also have a spay appointment for Teanna for Weds. We have a wonderful family interested in her but she needs spayed before she can be adopted. 

LoveMeow.com still has Magic's story up on their site. He asked for another one of his special sparkly balls for having to pose for his pictures!

Also keep an eye on Cuteness.com   They would like to do a story on several of our cats! When you see these stories from FFRC, please share!  Sevaun has promised pizza for all the cats if their stories are shared!  I asked her how that was going to happen--how was she going to pay for it. She turned around and took off like a bullet--her credit cards falling from her fur.  Well, actually, she took off in a slow walk. We don't want to do too much exercise, you know! 

We have also taken in 3 new cats.
Darcy--a beautiful long hair muted calico. The sides of both eyes are black fur with gold going down her forehead and nose. She is so pretty.  Her weight is good. She was so hungry upon arrival. She also had runny eyes. Don't have an age on her yet. She appeared at someone's house and was there for 3 days, crying and crying. She was then brought to FFRC. She had quite a few mats, but those have been removed. She was rather stinky, but a double bubble bath took care of that! She is so very sweet and loves attention. Darcy arrived 1/20.

Xiluva--(pronounced she-LOO-va). Her name means Flower.  Xiluva is a black tiger, long hair. She was found by a family a week prior to bringing her in. They had never seen her before. She is only 5.06, much too thin for her body. She was famished and is still eating good. She is so very friendly. It "hurts" to hold her as she is so thin. We have a lot of work to do on her coat--many mats that are skin deep and will need shaving off.  She will be a big project to do--hopefully some today and some tomorrow.  We have her as 10 months old, her birthday is 3/15/16.

And then we have Anayaa--(pronounced Uh-NAY-aa)  Her name means complete freedom.  This sweet cat is black, a three legged female. We've been waiting a long time to be able to have her here at FFRC. She is one of the cats from the hoarding situation in Michigan. She is about 6 years old. She's had quite a journey to get here, from the very beginning. She got "tied up" in the procedures of the court before she was allowed to be adopted. She was originally suppose to be here about 6-7 weeks ago but there was an error made and she went to someone else. It was realized she had medical issues that this owner could not afford so was returned back to the shelter. And now.......she is here at FFRC and has complete freedom. I have promised her no more cages, no more pens, she is free to do what she wants. Anayaa has a rear leg missing and her other rear leg is rather strange. She also is in need of a dental. I would like an x-ray done to see what the "lump" is on her rib cage and of her rear leg to see what is going on there. She also has earmites which will be taken care of.  She's so very sweet--when you go into her room, she comes forward demanding a lap or lots of petting!

We have Lucas, Darcy, Xiluva and Anayaa all in the back Thumper's Room together. They are getting along just fine. Individually, they are all at different modes of healing--emotionally and physically. I think they will end up doing just fine---will take a little time to settle in. They sure all enjoy the attention and love. 

You all have a wonderful Sunday! Remember........now is the time to get those cats spayed/neutered. Spring truly is coming. It's so much easier to do now then when you have a population explosion on your hands.  Thanks! 

Thursday, Jan. 19, 2017

Who is that long hair fluffy white kitten with a round tummy?  Is it possible?  Yep---it's Alice Mary! She loves to swish that magnificent tail around. I haven't heard her do that "distress call" she use to do when having trouble breathing. She's growing, eating good, has her sutures out and is breathing good!  Each day brings us closer to having her at the point where we can put her up for adoption! 

We had BOXES last night! You are so aprpeciated!

Nona/nycbird--lots of tubing for computer cables--no more chewed up cables!

Miranda--144 ping pong balls (Terry approves), 12 Sharpie highlighters

Zoolove--4 note pads with cats on them, sweatshirt with--It's all about Me with cat picture!

LJ323--7 slouch hats (for Flash Sale), giant kitty snackers, Sunkist fruit gems, 18 sponges, 4 more fur kitty pictures (Flash Sale!)

Nancy/ipurr from IL--card and photo of rock kitty design

Tracy L from OH--coupons

Charlie & Jan/farmgirl from IL--donation to FFRC

Jill H from MN--$ for 100 stories and a donation to FFRC

Helen H from OH--donation to FFRC

Clark & Jessie & rest of family--BD card for Sevaun's 14th birthday and the chicken $5

Don & Joy D from NY & their kitties--$ for 100 stories & a donation to FFRC

Ted E from OH--donation to FFRC

Celina F--a beautiful card thanking FFRC for helping with their kitten

Xena/Lillian--$ for 100 stories & 2 chicken $$'s

Jan T from NY--donation to FFRC

We even have more thanks to give!

Connie S and family--toys for Magic, fudge for my mom, poptabs for Caryn

Andrew S--snackers and blankets for the dogs (they love Andrew!)

Brenda R--doantion to FFRC, to be used as needed

Gusti--donation to FFRC, to help with Giovanna's vet needs

Plee--paw points, Dasuquin for cats & chicken $

Madisonpepper--donation for Lucas, to get something special for him

We've heard about Cinder from his new mama Barbara.  Sounds like he is underfoot--hanging around her all day! He loves to zoom through the house playing. And he sleeps with her at night. I can imagine how happy he is!

We had our monthly Advisory Board meeting this month.  This is a wonderful way for me to "keep on track".  I appreciate these Board volunteers very much for giving their help and time for FFRC--Lynnette, Angie L, Jen C, Connie D, Mary Braid, Barb W, Dawn E and Becky M.

We had a Ta-Da moment yesterday! Marcia, a volunteer who helps Lynnette in Paw-Mart completed putting together the last of the recent 100 copies of The Hundred Stories. What a lot of work--thank you, Marcia. You are amazing and so much help! 

Tomorrow..........2:00 ish...........Flash Sale.........Mich and Vern!  Come join the fun for our Flash Sale. You will see many items that have never been in a Flash Sale before.  Bring a refreshment, put your feet up, get comfortable and have your finger ready! Enjoy. 

We took on a new cat a few days ago. His name is Lucas, he's about 1 1/2 years old and he's a big orange tiger boy. This sweet cat came from a place where he was abused and then driven many miles from home and dumped off. Amazingly, he returned home the very next day.  A person was brave enough to handle this situation and stepped in and rescued Lucas. He was then brought to FFRC.  He very much shys away from a head-pat, but he is already relaxing. He is now in the back Thumper's Room free to make his decisions as to what he wants to do, when he wants to play.  As of last night, he began chirping and meowing to us when we talk to him. He's an 11 lb 11 oz cat--a big boy. His name is from Name a Cat. He seems like a gentle soul. Hopefully he will be up in the Main Area soon. He is already neutered.  We will have Dr. Darcy do a physical on him.  Welcome, Lucas!

Wow--Magic has his name in lights! He shares this with his good buddy Trucker. Check out HiHomer.com/stories   Sounds like they will also do a new story that was just done on Coralie. Keep an eye on their site and please share! 

Also check out LoveMeow.com   They contacted us about a story on Magic too--will be a bit different.  When it gets posted, please share! Magic's having fun with this--he received 3 new sparkly balls yesterday --that's all he wanted for his stories! 

I'd sure like to say a special thanks to you all for caring about our FFRC cats--it means a lot to me. This is definitely a Rescue Center surrounded by love and so many wonderful friends--cats and humans! 

Monday, Jan. 16, 2017

Do you live around Cecil or Van Wert area? Do you have a cat that needs spayed or neutered?  Please contact neuterscooter.com     They will be in Cecil on Jan. 30th and in Van Wert on Jan. 29.  This is a low cost spay/neuter event! Truly, spring is not that far off. Now is the time to get those cats and kittens spayed/neutered.  Help control the cat overpopulation problem---spay and neuter!  

FFRC takes appointments all the time! Normally, the first Monday of each month we have HumaneOhio here to pick up cats/kittens for their surgeries. Prices are awesome. Please....call our office at 419-393-2400 to get on the surgery schedule.It's so important! 

People will contact us in the Fall, simply so overwhelmed with the cats on their property. Many times they tell us they had 1-3 cats in the spring and now their population is in the 30's.  How simple a fix it could've been had those spays and neuters been done before Springtime. Please....let's all work together on this. Remember, Spring babies can be Fall mamas.

Thanks to you:
Dottie C--a case of Belvita snacks for the volunteers!
CatMomToBe from Germany--donation to FFRC, in honor of Farrah.  

Saturday evening we had Storytime! I so enjoyed reading from The Hundred Stories about FFRC cats, present and past! It contains 100 stories about our cats in a spiral bound book! We sell these for $25 and can be paid thru PayPal or by sending a check.  

Keep an eye on hihomer.com/stories.  This is a page by Gwen Cooper.  They asked us for a story, so we sent two!  One is on Magic and the other is on Coralie.  These are both newly written stories. Once shared in Hi Homer, we will share the stories on our blog too! THe stories are complete with pictures! 

Yes, you might have noticed that Chewbacca has not been seen. There's a good reason for this.  He's been in a foster home for about 2 weeks.  The longer Chewbacca was loose in the Rescue Center, the more wildish he was behaving. I'm hoping he can still be "converted" to inside living and accepting of people. Right now he is at a friend's home who has lots of time to dish out TLC. Progress is very very slow. We'll keep you posted on him. He's feeling good and is healthy. 

Phoebe's fur on her hip where her bone aspiration was done is starting to grow back. We have her down to one antibiotic now and she will soon be off of that. Alice Mary is still eating good. She too is down to one antibiotic! A week from today is Peanut's x-ray day and possible removal of his pin! 

Want to have some fun?! This Friday, Jan. 20th, we will have a Mich and Mich Flash Sale! And do we have some awesome items! We're very excited about this. It will start about 2:00ish. Come join us!  This of course is weather permitting, but so far the extended forecast looks good! 

We had another adoption---Jasper! He had quite the journey. He ended up in Iowa with our good friend Barb W.  He left here early Saturday morning with Beth/eaglewatcher. She was wonderful in offering to transport him on her way home, to a meeting spot. She met up with Barb and JustMe/Kathy. And then continued to his Iowa home. All is good and Barb already loves him! I'm sure we'll be seeing lots of updates on facebook! His new name is Cinder. 

Take care---another great week ahead! Can you all do me a favor?  We would like to bump up our numbers to our webcam. We have met so many wonderful friends thru the cams and would love to extend an invitation to more people---one can never have too many friends! It's truly astounding to me how we have come to be such a close knit group of friends.  Whether you are a lurker or a chatter, we welcome everyone. The cats love to have you as part of their FFRC lives! Maybe on your facebook page, extend an invitation to others to come join us at ustream.tv/ffrc     Thank you! 

Saturday, Jan. 14, 2017

Do you believe in magic?  We do.......that is our sweet grey boy Magic!  I love watching him. He's the kindest cat. Always brings a smile watching him, especially when he is running, straight up in a sitting position and going faster than his cat friends! He's amazing. He comes every morning while I'm on the computer, taps taps taps my leg. That means "uppies please"--he has a cushion that he naps on. 

We've heard from Koda's new family. Sounds like they are absolutely in love with our sweet boy, now known as Charlie T.  This is what makes everything so worth it, to know our cats and kittens are happy in their new homes!

Super big thanks to our friend, Goss.  Amidst her very busy life right now, she is still working on a 2017 calendar. And it's really going to be awesome! We'll keep you posted as to when it's ready to order thru Zazzle.  Thank you, Goss.

We have thanks to give!
Lostgirl--10 jugs of that wonderful OdoBan
Lana H--donation to FFRC

We've had 2 more adoptions.
Easton went to a new home yesterday. He will have a kitty sister to play with and a mom/dad that really is happy to have Easton join their home.

Woodrow left for his new home last night. His new mama and him, I believe, will be very close. She was so excited to have Woodrow in her home. 

Peanuts is doing wonderful. He is amazing and fully using both front legs. Won't be much longer until that pin comes out. His fur is growing back nicely.  Giovanna is eating but still seems to be in a "sad" state yet. I so wish I knew her background. We are spending extra petting time with her, reassuring her that all is well.  Derecho is doing wonderful--he had a special chicken treat yesterday and shared with everyone! The Covies had their special dried chicken today which they love. Pippi was inside the clear plastic jug today---that girl is quite a fun cat. The 4 newest kittens are coming along--only Jules is still a bit shy. 

The outside cats are doing great.  Other than a half dozen days, our temps haven't been too awfully cold. There's plenty of shelters and heat lamps for them. Sometimes the Porchies are all piled up in the sunporch--looks like a big party going on!

Little Teana climbed up on my desk and has actually snuggled with Vernon. He woke up and promptly started giving Teanna a bath. So very sweet.

Are you busy about 4:00 (FFRC time) today?  We're going to have storytime! Come join us on the cam! Let others know---we'd love to have anyone that would like to come, to join us! You'll hear stories from our The Hundred Stories about FFRC cats! 

Thursday, Jan. 12, 2017

Rain, rain, rain. Hard to believe it's the middle of January. Instead of snow, we have buckets of rain. Ten days ago we had very cold temps and now it's in the 50's.  This morning we had every window open in the Rescue Center. The kittens and cats were acting rather frisky! And yes, we've leaked a big flood into the office again. First time in a very long time. Tomorrow we will check the downspouts for a plug. Discouraging to us humans but to the cats it's alot of fun splashing thru the water! 

Last night was so exciting---First, we had our BOXES!  Love Box time! 

BilliK--2 bags dried chicken, 2 bags Bonito Flakes, 2 cases Fancy Feast Broth
Judeannlee--2000 6 inch paper plates
John & Julie E--4 boxes large exam gloves and coupons,kitty tote, lots of Sheba, Meaty Tender Sticks, case FF pkts, case FF broth, case FF appetizers
Sandra E--Iams Purrfect Delights, Sheba case, 2 cases appetizers, 2-18 lbs bags Precious litter.
Elaine & Alan from FL--case FF, 4 cases Friskies, 2 tubs Snackers, 40 lb Precious litter
Donation in memory of kitties Cleo & Larry--a whole lot of needed items! Came for a visit!
Pilvi--Christmas card with note
Cheri & Bob--donation in memory of Lynnette's dad
Leanne from Canada--Christmas card
Neal W from OH--donation from 3 friends & family in memory of Erica Woods
Kathy & Beth--cam, cables, cord, hooks

And then we had our wonderful Fun-Raiser! These were the results:

A - Cream Afghan               34x5                      170           Jillian H

B - Rosemary Afghan         45x5                     225            Zoolove

C - Angie/Ferole canned goods   98x5         490            Diann Ba & Gusti for Vols

D - Wanda Portraits            114x5                  570            Merri (from Anony) & 2 for SuperMo

E - Cat Cove                         158x5                  790             Michlyn

F - Pansy cross stitch          41x5                    205            Kaseyann

G - Rosemary Afghan          42x5                    210             Anony

H - Rosemary Afghan          40x5                    200             Anita Sn

TTL            $2860 WOW!!!!!!!!!!

And then we had our Bump-Ups from these special friends:  Beth, Zoolove, SVCathy & Scott, Farmgirl, Bellabelle, Jo603 and FaithyMD.

We also had 21 Consolation Gifts to pass out. We love this part--- our thanks to you!

With the Bump-Ups, the total came to $3,300!   I am deeply and completely thankful to all of you. To the people who made the items possible, to all the ticket buyers, to the ticket counters, to the mods that helped PR the Fun-Raffle, to the admins that PR'd in FB, to the well wishers for this event---you can see this is a broad, ripple effect of people who make this possible.  This Fun-Raiser will go towards our propane heating costs and to our electric bills. What a comfort knowing we can get these paid. 

A big thanks to the IAMS company. Patrick called us and asked if we needed any can food. Of course, that answer was Yes!  He not only arranged it, but delivered the can goods to us and helped unload. What a terrific man and company! Many thanks.

Have you noticed a difference in the cam?  The other cam we had been using was very nice, but rather "foggy". This new cam gives us a bit wider picture and is very clear. Here's what a super love about it though---I can do tours again! And floor shows! This just thrills me! Many thanks to JustMe and Eaglewatcher for this camera. 

Today is Grooming Day. My sister Judy, the cat's Auntie Judy, is here giving the cats a good brushing/combing out. Most of them like it and with a bit of coaxing, lots of fur is removed!  Some sweet-talking is required! And of course, the fur will be sent to LJ for those awesome pictures she makes! 

We have a few more thanks to give! 

Kris M from MN--donation to FFRC for Derecho & Bruno

Keiko S from CA--donation to FFRC for chicken for the cats! Derecho is so excited! 

Kelly I--donation to FFRC

Judy & Phil--donation to FFRC to help with the vet bills

Barb W--donation to FFRC to be used where needed

Giovanna--she had a very big day yesterday. She went to the vets office and had her spay done. We are confirmed at putting her age at 9 years old. During her spay, Dr. Darcy found a BB in her abdomen which was removed. Due to the unhealthy looking tissue around this BB, we now have her back on 2 antibiotics. When Giovanna came to FFRC, she had a bit of frostbite to her left ear. Unfortunately, the tip had to be removed yesterday also. And on top of all this, she had a major dental done--13 teeth were removed--many were very loose in the sockets. We knew she had some bad teeth, had her on antibiotics but needed to get her in better health before this big day of anesthetics. This morning she ate a fair breakfast. Poor sweetie. I would love to know what happened to this gentle girl. Such a peaceful cat and to have all of this necessary to do to help get her healthy again. I promised her.....she will always be cared for and will be taken to the vets regularly. 

I'd like to send out a special thanks to our moderators.  They are so dedicated. They give many hours a day to keep our webcam safe to read for all ages. If our viewers have questions, they are always there to give answers and guidance. And the best thing---they seem to enjoy it which makes me happy!  They have become friends with so many of our viewers. From day to day viewing, helping with Fun-Raisers, Flash Sales, our events---they are there. I am very grateful to them.

Many of you too know our Admins of our FFRC facebook page. They too are awesome and keep the posts centered on good reading. The hours these folks give for FFRC is simply amazing to me.  Many thanks.

Phoebe has her last stitch in her hip removed. It looks good and never bothered her. She helped us by removing all of them but one!  Tomorrow is Alice Mary's day to have her nose sutures removed. She's promised to sit very still in exchange for her very own plate of baby food. 

Won't be much longer now---The Hundred Storybook is about ready! We've had a lot of help with this major project. The first 65 sold quickly and so we decided to make 100 more copies. Let us know if you are interested--can simply send a PayPal for $25 or send a check. Either way, put a note on it please. As soon as they are completed, out the door they go! Thanks for your support for this project. 

Take care, stay safe---there's alot of strange weather going on. Right now, it's thundering and lightning and pouring rain here.  We all wish you a safe day. You are appreciated by myself and FFRC. 

Monday, Jan. 9, 2017

Alice Mary has eaten THREE breakfasts today! And, to add to that, her tummy actually feels like it's beginning to be an FFRC tummy! Joy, joy!  She looks a little "funny" right now---her sutures are fraying so it makes her look like she has short fuzzy whiskers! And she's purring up a storm! Now....I'm waiting to see her playing!

We had an adoption on Thursday. Koda was adopted! This boy is an extra special kitten--always wanting to be loved on and he sure can rock and roll! I feel he picked his new mama himself. I've already heard back from her. She said Koda is the most precious boy--he's funny, inquisitive and makes them laugh all the time. Personality plus! They have named him Charlie T (T for trouble!). So happy for Charlie T and his family!

We should have a couple more adoptions coming up real soon. Jasper and Woodrow will be going to their two homes fairly soon. 

The January Fun-Raiser is on! It's over 9 am on Weds. BOXES will be Weds. evening at 5:30 and the Fun-Raiser will be at 6:00! A fun time ahead.  Check out the fb Chatters page, Twitter, & FFRCNation pages for info. Also the video that shows periodically on the cam. Thanks for helping us with this!

We had BOXES Friday evening. YOU all are wonderful and much appreciated!
Robin H & Hubby & kitties--2--16 lb bags Purina One
Mary, Fri. vol--32 appetizers for Jolene, 12 bags of Party Mix snackers
Zoolove/Pam--case of babyfood jars
Hannah, Jenny & Andy from IN--Christmas card, doggie snackers, kitty snackers, babyfood jars, Resses PB Bells, tin of butter cookies
Tom C from IL--donation to FFRC
Joan, Richard & Carnie from MD--Christmas card with donation
Gusti--Christmas card (yes, it finally arrived!!)
Clark, JEssie & The Rest--Happy 4th BD to Eddie White & the chicken $5. 
Donation in memory of John LoBianco
Trudy S from OH--donation to FFRC
Gladys S from Canada--card with donation in memory of husband Howey who passed 12/16/16
Dianne E from AZ--kitty card with kitty photos & donation
Ella, Hobbes & Sheila from Canada--card with photos of Hobbes & Ella along with a calendar which has their photos for July & Sept!
FurrHavenKitties/Jeannette--Christmas card & box for Magic--red sparkle balls & snackers!

And we have more thanks to give! 
Hallie G--donation to FFRC
Zoolove--donation to FFRC to help with medical bills
David D--donation to FFRC
Tracy L--donation to FFRC
Melvin S--doantion to FFRC
Michael JW--donation to FFRC
Tim D from Warwickshire--donation for FFRC
Tom W--donation to FFRC

Giovana had another bubble bath today. Her fur is so stained. We got it a bit lightened up. She appears to be an older cat. We'll have the vets check again on Weds.  I keep thinking she may already be spayed but do not see any spay line. I'm sure she will feel so much better when those nasty teeth are removed.

Lots of work going on in Paw-Mart. The One Hundred Storybook is coming right along. And we've already practiced using the binder---it works great! These storybooks are $25 and are of 100 cats from FFRC.  Feel free to send in your paypal or a check for these wonderful books! Just add a message that it's for The One Hundred Storybook. We'll be getting those out quickly.   FYI--we also have a few more cookbooks! They are $18.   Thank you!

This month we are working on updating many of the resident's annual distemper vaccines and bordatella vaccines.  We always tell them their distemper vaccine is done with a baby tiny neeble---not sure if they believe us or not.  Each of our resident cats receive at least one physical a year by our vet.  

The Covies wish to thank everyone involved in helping us with the furnace for The House that Jonah Built.  We keep the heat at about 55--warm but not too warm. Stepping inside the building feels wonderful when it's zero degrees outside. At most breakfasts, there are 17 cats in there each day.  They sure love their THTJB! 

Lucy Ann is doing great. She's such a quiet girl but sure loves her pets.  Pippi has come so very far in her friendliness.  The world is at her feet---yep, that's what she thinks! Eddie White too is so much more social. He's been letting us pet his head and give kisses to him now. Such a gentle cat. We added 3 beds to the Front Thumper's Room.  The reason is that Walter's bed was in hot demand. Now, he has his bed back and he's so much happier! 

This is the time of year to catch up on things.  Record keeping, PetFinders is getting an overhaul, updates are being put into the website, adoption information updated and copies made--the list goes on and on.  

More action abounds! The 4 newest kittens are now in the Main Area 24/7.  They absolutely love the climbing tree and palm tree. They seem to have wings! Their energy level is sky high. Still have one shy one--Jules. But, we're working on her!

Take care and have a wonderful week. This Rescue Center certainly appreciates each of you. 


  

Jan. 5, 2017 Thursday

Voting is done for Eagle Rare Life! We ended up with 151,333 votes! I thank you very much for each and every single vote.  Wish I could pass out 151,333 hugs! I appreciate your support.  Now......we wait.  First, an interview will come.  Will keep you all posted. 

We have upped our spay/neuter count already! We are now at 19 females and 20 males. Our total is 39 for 2017 so far!  The reason is that we sent 3 surgeries up to Dr. P's yesterday.  Here's the update:

Jasper--our cinnamon kitten was neutered. I was asked if he was spoken for yet.  Had to tell them yes and that if we had 10 Jasper's could have them all adopted! He will be going to his forever home very soon.

Cricket--our black kitten was neutered. He came back to the Rescue Center absolutely famished---ate enough to catch up for 3 days worth of food! Such a sweetie boy.

Alice Mary--she had lab work drawn.  WBC count is better! She was then sedated. No polyps were found. But, she had more intense nose surgery done. When she first had her nostrils enlarged, she was just a tiny baby. Now it was time to do this again--2 sections to both nostrils. She has a wide open noseway now for breathing. She ate a great supper last night and just a bit ago she cleaned up a plate of food! I'm sure it's wonderful for her to breathe and eat at the same time!  It was thought those bubbly sounds in her abdomen was from her swallowing air in her attempt to inhale. She will have her sutures out in 9-10 more days. 

Phoebe--finally........she is spayed! But, we have more things to get done on her. Her platelets are up a bit but still very low. Her eosinophils are very high.  To rule out problems, during her spay, her hip was shaved and a bone marrow aspiration was done. This will be sent to Michigan for testing. We need to find out what is going on with her, otherwise we're just at a standstill.  Hoping that test will be negative.  It should be back next week.  This morning, that rascal chewed her sutures out (on her hip area). So, a quick surgical glue job was done.  

Next Weds., Giovanna will be going up for her spay and much needed dental/tooth extractions. Just love this sweet gentle girl. 

We had BOXES last night! Many thanks to you all.
Plee--case of Fancy Feast and 2 cases of Fancy Feast broth packets
Billie K--3 bags Freeze dried chicken & salmon (special treat!) & 8 tubs of Party Mix Snackers
Mr. & Mrs. Medic--2 cases Fancy Feast
Anonymous Friend--a 32 count case of Friskies

Lynn H from UK--donation to FFRC
Insun S from S. Korea--donation to FFRC
Gillian R from UK--donation for the medical fund
Renee/jakesmeowmy from Canada--donation, will be used to help with propane bill
Janet K from Amsterdam--donation for the Rescue Center
Mike & Barb C from CA--our music friends--donation to FFRC

Starting Sunday is an awesome Fun-Raiser. It ends at 9 am on Weds with BOXES being that evening at 5:30 and the drawing at 6:00.  Watch for info on our FB chatters page, and a video on the cam.  There will be 4 beautiful afghans, 2 sets of 15 homemade jars of yummies, 3 certificates for a head color pet portrait by Wanda, Felted Cat Cave, Cross stitched "Pansy" picture.  Thank you so much for making these Fun-Raisers possible! There will be 8 slots, A thru H.  

Today, Jack, Jules, Whimsey and Pollyanna have made their way to the Cat's Corner Room.  Hoping they settle in quickly. Then, we will be able to let them out in the Main Area.  Their surgery sites look good, their appetites are great and they are super busy kittens!

You might have noticed--we did a change with the washers yesterday. We took the very dead washer from the Main Area out.  Then we moved the washer from the house to the Main Area. The reason----it may be another 4 weeks for the new washer to be here. We could've kept going into the house to do the laundry, but it meant going up and down the steps with our arms full. I was afraid a kitten or cat would get stepped on. And sometimes the steps are wet and slippery. So, for safety, the house washer was moved in the Main Area.  Maybe they will be able to make that washer a bit faster?? !  We will be celebrating when we get that arrival date!

The 100 copies of The Hundred Stories are in the process of being made! We are excited to have the need to make more! Can let me know by paypal or email if you need one (or more!) put on hold. Thank you. 

The kitties are all doing great. They can run at high speeds from the Kitty Kabana to the area by Alma. Lots of zooming going on! Just wait till the other 4 kittens join the fun! Have a wonderful day. 

Jan. 3, 2017, Tuesday

What a great way to start the year---a Transport Spay/Neuter day with HumaneOhio.  We checked in 32 public cats and 4 FFRC cats, making our first 36 count for 2017!  We have 18 females and 18 males. A great beginning! 

We sent the 4 kittens from the back Thumper's Room also to HumaneOhio since we do not have an FFRC Jan. date.  Tomorrow we will be sending Phoebe, Jasper and Cricket up for their spay/neuters to Bryan/Dr. P's.  

Facts about the Cat Overpopulation in the USA:
***Estimates for cats range up to 70 million for stray cats that live in the US
***The average number of litters a cat produces is 2 a year, the average number of kittens is 4-6 per litter.
***The cost of spaying/neutering a pet is less than the cost of raising a little of kittens.
***About 1 every 13 seconds a cat or dog is euthanized each year.
***Up to 4,948 kittens can be born from 1 unspayed female cat and her offspring in 7 years.
70% of cats that enter shelters are euthanized.
***Cats can come into heat every 2-4 weeks

ALL of this overpulation problems can be prevented. Spaying/neutering is the only permanent, 100% effective method of birth control for cats.  Is your cat spayed or neutered?  Now is the time---before spring comes again. 

You have probably heard that little Alice Mary had a seizure night before last. It was a moderate seizure. I strongly feel her seizure was due to all of her mucous discharge obstructing her breathing.  I've talked to Dr. Darcy and we have changed her meds, hoping to get better results.  It's obvious something isn't quite right with this sweet kitten.  She will be the topic of discussion today at the vet clinic and they will review her x-rays again. Hoping to get her to better health.  

Our voting for the Eagle Rare Life is about over.  The last votes will be done on 1/5. At the moment, we are very close to 150,000 votes! How amazing is that! We've already been told that we are in the top 30.  Let's vote to the end at: http://eaglerarelife.com/content/jacci-moss-0
Thank you!

We have thanks to give:
Donna B--donation in honor of Coralie and in memory of Brianna
Tabby & Tween--10 gallons of vinegar and dry cat food/dog food

An FYI---We still have about 6 FFRC cookbooks left from the 3rd Edition. 

This week we will be making 100 booklets of The One Hundred Story Book.  If you would like to get one of these booklets, please send $25 to FFRC thru paypal or by check. We will get these out in the mail as soon as we get them together! And yes....these are 100 stories of FFRC cats!

We will have another adoption this week! Our wonderful Koda will be going to his forever home on Thursday about 4:30. Koda is a wonderful teenager and just soaked up his new mama-to-be's love. So sweet.

Hoping our new washer/dryer will arrive soon. As you all know, the old washer has been acting up for a long time but with much work we've always been able to get it going again. Not this time---it's a dead washer at the moment. So......we are using the inside house washer for the laundry. 

Cricket has firmly planted himself here now in the Main Area. It took him awhile to come in thru the door but he's now up and having a great time! Skippy too is so much at ease. It took him a few days to feel comfortable. Now he's a pet-me-pet-me cat! Remember when Dusty came how he had such very thin fur?  Not anymore--his fur is long, healthy and so thick! He's such a gentle soul!

We now have names for the 4 newbies!
Jack--grey tiger, male
Jules--grey tiger/white, female
Whimsey--white/grey tiger, female
Pollyanna--white/grey tiger, female polydactyl 

Friends are those who will pick you up when no one else has noticed you've fallen.  Have a wonderful day to everyone! 

Jan. 1 2017, Sunday

Happy New Year to our FFRCNation! It's exciting to realize we have a whole year ahead of us. What will it bring? I know sometimes turmoil and hard things get in the way, but really.....each day is a day to soak up the good things. Here at FFRC, we will strive to do more spays/neuters, to help as many cats and kittens that we can and to improve their lives. Adoptions are important and we will continue to adopt out to those wonderful loving homes. 

We had BOXES Friday evening.  You are appreciated so much.
Mary, Fri. vol--9 soft blankies and bag of pop tabs, coupons
Judy HK from FL--Butterfly card & donation to FFRC
Anne, Mike & BEn from UK--Christmas card
Dottie & James with Nate & Destiny--Christmas card and Flash Sale pymt.
Connie & Craig A from Defiance--Christmas card & donation
Neil & Jean S from OH--donation to FFRC
Laura S from PA--12 gallons of vinegar!

Rosemary from Durban, South Africa. A 3-box shipment of her beautiful, awesome afghans! Rosemary sent ELEVEN more afghans. These afghans are so beautiful---their designs and their color combinations. I am so very grateful for each one of these. You will see these in a Fun-Raiser. Many thanks, Rosemary. 

More thanks to give!
Shannon S--donation for the care of Leonard, Victor, Jackson and Markus
Amber G from UK--donation to FFRC
Melissa Mease from OH--donation to FFRC
Michael S from VA--donation to FFRC
Joan, Richard and Carnie--donation to FFRC
Kimberly W--donation to FFRC
Stacy G from TX--donation to FFRC

Our 4 kittens in the back Thumper's Room are doing so much better in their social skills! We've been asking all visitors to go back and sit with them, play and talk to them. They are becoming little friendly-babies! They sure know how to have fun!

Giovanna came up to the Main Area yesterday for the first time for about 6 hours. She did pretty good! Her surgery date is 1/11 where she will be spayed and have a much needed dental. She loves to be quietly held and petted.

Tuesday is our HumaneOhio Transport day. We will be checking in all the surgeries between 5:30 am to 6:00. Then the Transport Truck will take them all to the spay/neuter clinic in Toledo. About 5:30-6:00, they will return here to FFRC to be picked up by their owners. We start a new year of spaying and neutering!

That little blur of brown tigerness is Teanna. She is a speedy little thing with super much energy level! She's the one that thinks everyone is her personal tree.  Poor baby had to have her toenails trimmed this morning! She's a little loverbug.

We talked to the owner of Kelvin. Kelvin is doing wonderful. He even received his own cat tree for Christmas! I also talked to Betsy's new mama---what a wonderful home she is in. They love her! Xongile family sent me a picture of him---he was happily playing with a tracker toy!

People sometimes ask me how I can do this Rescue work for so long---it's implied the sadness of "things" are too much to bear. A dear friend, Beth/eaglewatcher sent me a poem from Ashley Owen Hill.  I know it's a bit long, but it really hits my heart and my feelings. I would like to share it with you. This explains it for me, very well.  Rescue work is indeed the hardest thing I've ever done, but it's my passion. It's in my heart and I will continue. 

I would also like to say that our volunteers and our FFRCNation, makes this Rescue Center possible. You are so much a part of what we do here. 

The neglect changes you. The abuse hardens you. The suffering breaks you. The ignorance angers you. The indifference disturbs you. The injustice destroys you. On a daily basis…your faith will be tested. Your heart will be wounded…. Your soul will be altered. On a weekly basis…you’ll question yourself. You’ll question your strength. You’ll question the world. On a monthly basis…you’ll fall down. You’ll get up. You’ll go on… On a yearly basis…you’ll look back… You’ll see faces… You couldn’t save them. You’ll learn to mourn. To grieve. To sob. You’ll learn to trust a little less. To do a little more. To fight a little harder. You’ll learn to try. To hope. To pray. You’ll learn to fail. To succeed. To accept. You’ll learn when to hold on. When to give up. When to let go. You’ll learn who you are. What you stand for. Why that matters. Then… at times… you’ll forget why you matter. You’ll question what you’re doing. You’ll wonder if it’s worth it. But…here’s the good news… When you forget… When you question… When you wonder… All you have to do… Is take a look around… And you’ll see them. You’ll see their faces. You’ll see their smiles. You’ll feel their love. In their eyes, you’ll see their journeys… You’ll remember their beginnings… You’ll know how far they’ve come… You’ll remember when they didn’t know you… When they didn’t trust you… When they’d given up. You’ll remember how you healed them… How you loved them… How they loved you, too. And as you look back… You’ll want to move forward… For them… and because of them. In your darkest hours, you’ll look around… To find the differences made…the hope given…and the lives saved… Because you existed. In those moments, when you look into their eyes…every doubt will be erased. Every question will be answered. Every worry will subside. Because in that instant…in each of your hearts… You both share the very same thought: “Every bit of pain was worth it…for this moment here with you.” And honestly…no matter what else happens… Those moments hold all the strength you need… To keep going. Rescue is pain. Rescue is joy. Rescue is worth it…because they are worth it. And that’s the honest truth.