Monday, Feb. 5

What a busy weekend we had. Quite a few visitors came to visit and play/pet the cats. We also had a few adoptions! Telo, as you know, went to his new home on Friday. He is doing very well. On Saturday, a couple came in (for her birthday), to adopt a cat. They fell in love with Turing and Diffie. Since they are brothers, they didn't want to split them up. So...they adopted both of them. The last I heard, they were snuggled on the couch sleeping! A family came in looking for a cat that would be a friend to the 2 kids and to their dog. Dugster was a huge hit with them--they fell in love with him instantly and the feeling was mutual. Dugster was mush in their arms. We also have 2 more cats on hold--Macallan and Snuzzles.

We are also busily working away in the apartment. Walls are being painted, a shower will be installed, preparing the kitchenette, etc. This will be offered to people who are visiting from out of town and need a place to stay overnight! It will have 2 full size beds in it, a TV/DVD, phone. There's even a small outer room where a view of the farmyard is wonderful! This apartment is a separate building from the rescue center. Visitors can even take a few of the cats from the rescue center and have them spend the night with them! We will of course, name this something special!

We have all the cards now made for the Fiver Friday for the drawing! We will have the drawing later this week and will post it as to the time and day. The "winners" will get a special picture of a resident cat, complete with a pawograph! I want to again thank everyone for your support of Fiver Friday. I received a card that says: By your side, caring, believing, praying...You can count on it. It also plays "Lean on Me'. I feel this is perfect for Fiver Friday. It's been a wonderful event, and has reinforced to me how extra wonderful the webcammers/viewers are. I deeply appreciate the support and you allowing me to Lean on You.

We had BOXES Saturday night!
Deb1111--4 boxes of Kitty Litter, 3 cases of 32 cans each of Friskies
Madisonppper from NJ--2 marshmallow beds (purple and pink), 4 cans of food (her cats didn't like them, but these cats here sure do!
AuntieFi--a pink Hello Kitty blankie for FiFi to go along with her stuffed toy
Rob--3 American Express Gift cards for the Catathon
Crittercat/Michelle--a picture of her kitty Critter and a gift card for Pets Supply Plus
Pat L from KA--coupons
Edna/Gem--newspaper article with a picture of a 10 foot cat made out of Friskies cat food cans (wouldn't THAT be fun to do?!!)
Lisa and the Meezers--card that sings Lean on Me, screen shots of ffrc cats, coupons and a donation for kitty treats and the storage room (from Coco and Noah)

Our new cat Izzy is doing better. She's a beautiful black/white female cat, almost 5 years old. Sigrig, our volunteer that has been in Florida, is coming home this week. Yeah--the cats are jumping for joy! She'll be here Saturday. Our other volunteer, Diane M, is also back from Florida--so glad she's home and already back in the groove here at FFRC. She passes out a lot of love to the cats.

Remember to get your recipes in to Leenie for the FFRC cookbook! It's going to be awesome. Her e-mail is: colleenescanlon@yahoo.com Please also remember to vote for us for the Best Non-Profit Cat Organization. This is an event put on by Readers' Choice Awards. That e-mail is: http://cats.about.com/b/2012/02/21/rca-vote-for-best-non-profit-cats-organization.htm Thank you very much.


The cats say a BIG thanks for BOXES!!

Saturday, March 3

WOW! What an awesome, fantastic, wonderful day yesterday was--our Fiver Friday! Never in my wildest dreams would I have been able to predict the outcome.I am so very deeply grateful for the support shown to the Rescue Center. This is a tremendous help to us.

These are the results for the time indicated:
5:00 am -- $3,288
7:00 am -- $3,913
9:00 am -- $5,245
11:00 am -- $6,156
1:00 pm -- $7,778
3:00 pm -- $8,951
5:00 pm -- $10,162
7:00 pm -- $11,699
9:00 pm -- $13,023
3/3 5 am -- $13,607

It will take me a while to get thru all the e-mails/paypals, so please be patient! I'm trying to get to each one. Also, the drawing for the pawograph/pictures is back on (per the state of Ohio!). When all the name cards are done, we'll draw names winners of the pictures of the resident cats. We'll get to it asap!

GermanSiggi sent me this: Do you know what F.I.V.E.R. stands for?
Friends Inner-resources Volunteered Extra Revenues
I love that! Also a very special thanks to Joanne H for the suggestion of doing this Fiver Friday--what a great idea it turned out to be! Thanks too to Cantoncat for the name card cat design. And thanks to YOU for watching yesterday and contributing. YOU have certainly made a difference for FFRC!

We had BOXES the evening before, on Thursday.

Aunty Fi--a hello kitty doll for FiFi and a blanket will follow. So cute!
Anonymous--2 purr pads These are wonderful, the cats love them.
Bucky007 from CA--picctures of her kitties and a note
Unclekat & Beachkatz--birthday card for Asha
Leggygal--many wonderful, warm, fuzzy cat blankies that she made
Cgcry--material, yarn, thread, batting Pat S took the yarn to make blankies and Judy M will take material for pillowcases for the rescue center. Also there were pull tabs for Kellen. Jane W of Lima delivered this for us.

Thursday was Asha's second birthday. I am so glad she resides here. Such a wonderful, warm personality she has. She received lots of back scratches that day!

Dunakin is back to the Rescue Center. He just wasn't a happy cat at this home. Georgia who is still there is doing very well--she's happy and so playful. Judy S went with me to get Dunakin. Now that he's back, he's zipping all over, chirping, playing and running the wheel. In his place, we took Telo. When it was time for us to leave, both Georgia and Telo were playing and checking out the house and watching the bird feeders from a shelf. We'll get Telo's plastic rings to him today.

Thursday, March 1

Happy Spring month! This is the month that Peverley and Tweeny will have their new mama come from Colorado and adopt them! They will make their journey to their new home by vehicle. We are expecting Jane to arrive today about 1:00. Jane is the person who rescued Angel Kisses. She's most anxious to visit with her. She is also delivering material goods that is donated by cgcry, our webcam friend. We also have a family coming on Saturday morning to possibly adopt. Rory is doing great--more exploring every day. Izzy is now out and about. She came to the door of the room she was in and wanted out. So, she's now out and exploring. Still a little tentative, but she's being brave! Angel Kisses spent the night time in June's Room, but she's back in Patience's Pen for the day time. I saw her put a tiny bit of weight on her left rear leg! Time will help.

We had BOXES and ENVELOPES last night!

Cynthia N/Bubbles from WA--sent a card with a floor donation
James & Kathy T--sent a letter, pics of their cats Blackie, Smokey, Cali, Sissy and Scooter (the parrot), and a donation for Angel Kisses
Merilyn/Bearlyn from Canada--sent a donation in memory of Sesame, a card and would like a business card to be sent to her(will go in today's mail!)
Charlotte & Stan M from Canada--sent pictures of their cats Tigger & Brutus, cat toys, catnip pellets and a book that Charlotte wrote. She wrote this book when she retired from nursing in 2008.
Dave/Bonnie & Michael--sent a wonderful letter for Badu (they sponsor Badu) from their Browni, 6 skeins of yarn, 2 boxes of Meow Mix, cat toys, kitty treats, doggie treats and treats for Einstein, candy for me(!) and a big box of candy for the volunteers. Also Badu received a kitty bed.
Gitte in Denmark--sent treats for Cutie--a fuzzy yellow duckie catnip Kong, a carton of Whiska Packets and a case of Friskies Chicken dinners in Gravy

Tomorrow is a special day for this Rescue Center. As many of you know, outside of our fundraisers, it's rare that I ask for financial help. We are having a FIVER FRIDAY. Simpy put, tomorrow, Friday, we are asking for help with $5 donations to help with our huge medical treatments (surgeries, x-rays, etc.) and medical supplies (a whole array of medicines). This will be a 24 hour event!

GIVE US A FIVER THIS FRIDAY, 3/2

Sometimes Medical Bills can Frighten us all!!
No matter how much planning we do for our expenses, there are always “the unexpected”. We never have, and never will, put cost over getting the proper medical care for our cats. Our focus is first and foremost doing what is best for the cat, then we worry about the medical bills. As you know, recently we have had a few cats with very costly medical bills; our sweet Angel Kisses and Fifi just to name two. As a result, we are reaching out and asking for help to pay these bills, if you can.
Sometimes people think a donation needs to be a large dollar value to be effective. Not true. A donation as little as $5.00 can pay for bandages, for example. If five people donate $5.00 then that can cover the cost of an antibiotic for several days. So, we are asking, for those who can give $5.00 to do so during our first FIVER FRIDAY. Please know that this is NOT a raffle.


Jonah,a 3-legged resident of Kitty City, says: "Please help us on Fiver Friday! Just in case you need our website, it's: fofrescue.org".

Weds., Feb 29

I want to let you know that my mom LOVED all the birthday cards. She will open a little stack daily. She is having so much fun with this and was amazed at all the places the cards came from! I believe she felt quite special. Thank you for helping her birthday be important. My sister Patti is home until Sunday. Big job interview today and tomorrow in Fort Wayne, In. Hoping she'll get this job so she'll be close to home (it's only 1 hour away). Sorry, just had to add my family info!

The cats are doing good. I'm so happy for Rory--he's getting braver every day bbut still likes Dodger's Pen to nap in. Little Angel Kisses now has TWO stuffed kitties in her pen--the heartbeat kitty and Lilly--she has snugged with both of them! Today, Angel Kisses gets a five minute "walk about" in a room, to stretch her legs a bit. She's a little shy girl, and so we've been talking to her alot and petting her. Izzy girl that arrived yesterday is beautiful. She will go into June's Room today so she has more people company. I was able to get her vet records and they are current.

I would like to say a special thanks to all the people who have donated thru PayPal. I have always thanked these people via e-mail, but feel it's important to start recognizing these donations on the Blog as well. There's a bit of a list for today, but after this, will post as the donation is given. These are the donations we've received this past month:

Selkie & Blue in Nova Scotia--for Angel Kisses & in honor of your mom's birthday
Janak2--for FiFi's eye surgery
Gitte from Denmark--for Fifi's and Angel Kisses' surgeries
Marie F from KY--donation
Gusti from Germany--for Angel Kisses and FiFi or x-rays that are needed for Jaina and Jacen
Steffer48--for Angel Kisses
PSW--for Angel Kisses
Cn/Carol N--for Angel Kisses
Cantoncat--for Angel Kisses
Keith C--donation
Marie F from KY--donation
QueenofKings--donation
Gusti from Germany--for the new storage room
Marcia S from MI--donation
Matthew P from England--donation
Janak2--donation for baby food for Bella and treats for the others
Susan A--in memory of Sesame
Mayumi T from Japan--a donation for medicines
Glynette M from CA--donation
Neil S from OH--donation
Susan F--in memory of Sesame
Cn/Carol N--in memory of Sesame
Lynn H--donation
PSW--donation
Straycatlady--In memory of Sesame for the new storage room
Beverly M from WA--donation
Margaret M--for the new storage room
Eileen M--donation
PSW--donation
Sonnykat--for the new storage room
Hencass--donation
Smudgie cat--for Fifi's vet bills
Mitty208--for the new storage room
Debownsus--donation
Rob S from UK--donation

How lucky this Rescue Center is! Past and present, if we stop and think about all the people who have supported us by a word, a gift or moral support, we are indeed, very fortunate. You DO make a difference for this Rescue Center and I have a huge sense of gratitude to you all.

Please know I try very hard to give acknowledgments while still preserving privacy for the donor's full name.

We are starting to make plans for the 2nd annual Cat-A-Thon. It's unbelievable that it's time to start getting things organized for this huge event. It's 16 1/2 weeks from now!

Emaline's eye looks much better today. Zelda is in the process of tearing apart all feather toys--what fun she has! Telo has been teaching Jaina how to chase plastic rings. Bella's bottom looks wonderful--stump area is healthy looking. Derby loves to play in the grooming tub with any toy that makes noise. Life is good!


This is Sari in her new home! She's waiting for the squirrel to return.

Tuesday, Feb. 28

Rory came out of his pen a little bit yesterday. We're leaving his pen door open and when he wants, he can come out and cruise. When something frightens him, he goes zipping back in his pen for security. A real nice cat that loves a belly rub. Little Angel Kisses has had some lung congestion. She is on antibiotics and seems to be a bit better this morning. She has a great appetite. Grominique loves cookies! Part of a cookie (not chocolate) was left on the desk and she gobbled it up in one second and was looking for more. Peverley seems to be my constant desk friend these days. She loves to sit and watch the monitor. FiFi is a playing machine--ALL toys are her favorites!

We had BOXES last night! I found this saying last night and it made me think of ALL of us involved with this Rescue Center: "Give love and unconditional acceptance to those you encounter, and notice what happens". This came from a Dr. Wayne W. Dyer book. This can apply to people and cats.

Colleen P from CA--sent 3 baby bottles and 1 can of KMR powder
Bandit the Parrot, with help from Momma Patty from FL--sent a letter and picture to Einstein, my parrot, along with peanut treats, Santa Fe Parrot treats, Nutri Berries and a toy, all for Einie!
Martha S from Okinawa, Japan--beautiful hand made note cards with envelopes
Kelly N (Loon2) from MA--sent a letter, 2 rattle cat toys and 4 awesome handmade necklaces--1 with our FFRC logo for Jacci, 3 necklaces for the Catathon--Mahjong Tile, Domino Tile and Scrabble Tile with Bella on it. All are beautiful. Her website is: twoloonsjewelry.com
CapeCodeCat--sent 2 snuggle kitties. These can be used with young kittens. They have a warmer in them and a heart that beats like a mama's heartbeat. Awesome! One is in with Angel Kisses. The website for this gift is: snugglepetproducts.com
Andre' Ciccotelli--paper towels, dish soap and cat treats and a visit!

Today is my mom's birthday, so I will be taking all the birthday cards that she has been sent to her today. She is going to love this and I appreciate it. It will mean a lot to my mom! Thank you.

Jacen, Snuzzles and Jaina are quite a 3-some. They play so hard that they end up flopping down to catch their breaths. A minutes rest, and off they go again! Button came out for breakfast today. It's taking her a little time to adjust, but we're patient people here. Farrah loves to carry those plastic coils around while she's meowing. (Rory just jumped out of his pen and went and sniffed noses with Cutie! We have progress!)

It won't be long until it's kitty season, especially with this very mild winter we've had. I would like people to understand that it is impossible for us to take in every cat and kitten that we are asked about. It's simply impossible. There is so much that factors in as to what kittens or cats we will take in. It's a known fact, for every 10 kittens that we adopt out, only 1 adult will be adopted. That means, I cannot overload on adults. Spring thru the fall time, we will get no less than 20-25 calls DAILY to take in more kittens and cats. It can be very depressing, knowing we cannot take on that huge amount. So, years ago, I had to tell myself that I have to focus my energy, money and time on the ones that we CAN help. Many times people don't understand this and assume we take in every cat that comes our way. If so, our numbers would be in the millions. I do have a system of what I can and cannot take in. As always, any cats/kittens that my volunteers, friends or our vet offices call about, we try our best to get those particular ones in. We try our very hardest to help as many as we can. Some days are so overwhelming. It's utterly impossible to keep up with the overpopulation problem. But, here's the good news--if everyone could spay or neuter even ONE cat, right now, before spring hits, you could help drastically with reducing the overpopulation. I tell people all the time--be a part of the solution. It's simple--spay and neuter. Thanks for listening to my annual spring talk!


Badu patiently waiting in the sink for her bath, which she loves!

Monday, Feb. 27

One of the top questions people ask is: How much does it cost to adopt a cat or kitten from FFRC? We have between $200 to $250 MINIMUM in each and every cat and kitten. Our adoption fee, though, is $90. This adoption fee covers an initial FIV/heartworm/leukemia test, a repeated leukemia test in 4 weeks, an incoming bath, 3 wormings, a vet physical, 2-3 distemper vaccinations, 2 leukemia vaccinations, flea prevention applied each and every month, and their spay/neuter. If they arrive with medical issues (fractured bone, injuries, etc.), these treatments are also included in the adoption fee. All ears are cleaned regularly and nails trimmed.

Rory continues to enjoy being petted. He likes to roll over and have his tummy rubbed. Angel Kisses is eating good. She also enjoys being loved on. She is putting good weight on her right rear leg. She actually put a little weight on her left rear leg, but her toes are still curled under (a sign of neurological problems), but we still have time for improvement. Emaline's eye is improving. We continue daily treatments on it. County is becoming super friendly. Ernestine has been playful today--scampering about like a kitten.

Remember to get your recipes in to Leenie. The cats in Kitty City are doing awesome! In April, we'll be moving them back out to Cat's Cove until next winter. They love Cat's Cove--it's so big and has lots of room to run. All 6 of the sunporch cats are also doing well. They love the Yeow catnip bananas!

Partial view of Thumper's Room.

Sunday, Feb. 26

The Rescue Center had many visitors yesterday. We all enjoy having people come enjoy the cats. People benefit, it's good PR and the cats LOVE it! We had 2 adoptions also. Val and her sister and niece came from Michigan. Val adopted Dickens/Piper. I've already heard from her and things are going great. Dickens was a tad bit shy, but Val is winning his confidence and love! Our other kitten, Beyaz went to his new home also. He went to a family that has already adopted from us before: Ping, Pong and Ylee. Another wonderful home. We did find the home where O'Malley belongs. I took him there, we had a lengthy talk of pet ownership. O'Malley was very happy to see his family. This is very unusual for a cat to be claimed--I have only seen it happen 3 times. They will be making an appointment next week to get him neutered and we'll follow thru on this end to be sure this happens (we are helping with the cost of this neuter).

Rory, the American Short Hair, has been moved to Dodger's Pen so he has more people contact. He seems relaxed and is enjoying watching all the action. Our sweet Angel Kisses is recovering very nicely from her surgeries. She can sit up, get to her food bowls and the litter box all by herself. Over time she'll develop better muscle tone in her legs. She loves to be petted and likes to cuddle up to Lilly--the stuffed black/white cat toy.

We had BOXES, ENVELOPES & PACKAGES last night! Thanks is given to you for your support.
Cathy H from CA--sent a donation with a very nice letter
Lois--birthday card for my mom
Val S--birthday card for my mom
Lee J--birthday card for my mom
Linnell & Mark S from Minnesota--a letter with lots of coupons for ffrc and the volunteers to use
Tony B/onebadone and Neffertit--sent a sample of a new flea repellent for the rescue center to try
Val H and sister Shelley H--each made a donation for the storage room
Kiwi from New Zealand--sent a beautiful card and a special chocolate treat for the volunteers
Steve, Carla & William (beachkatz & unclekat) from Oregon--card, pictures of their cats, postcards, 2 beds for Kitty City, candy for the volunteers, Rory had a gift for Einstein, case of Friskies, cat toys, hand sanitizer, 3 blankies, Mr. Clean magic erasers, large straws, flannel pillowcases, canned chicken for Twinkle, sardines (!), scratcher replacement pads and a great brush self groomer toy (that Bella especially loves already). What a nice box, how generous!

We had 2135 hits on PetFinders last week. The top 6 cats were Badu, Promise, Emaline, Dunakin, Zelda and Octavia.