An All-Volunteer, Non-Profit Rescue Organization for Needy Cats

A Newsletter for our Friends and Supporters

Issue #20

Messina

by Joan Abbott

The call came during the hottest days of the summer. Someone had seen a cat with a plastic container stuck on its head, but they were unable to catch it.

Volunteers began to search, driving through neighborhoods, looking, and talking to people. We set traps and put-up flyers. Sightings began to trickle in. A volunteer spotted him. She was unable to capture him but managed to get a picture as he ran away. Our hearts sank as we saw the size and shape of the container. There was no way that he could eat or drink with it on his head. At this point several days had already gone by. We doubled our efforts. He was traveling in a large area, crossing a busy road. Every time there was a sighting we arrived a moment too late – he was gone, or we would glimpse him running away. We spotted him several times in a ravine, so we organized a dozen people to walk it. But he was not there. Volunteers had been taking shifts during the day and evening and when we still had not caught him, they began to stay all night. Days 5, 6 and 7 passed without success. Time was running out. It was not the lack of food that would kill him, it was the high temperatures and the lack of water.

At this point we thought he might become so weak that we would finally be able to get him. In our darker moments we feared we would be too late.

He was spotted several times lying next to a dumpster. It broke our hearts seeing him there, smelling the food but unable to eat.

On day 8 we received a call saying he was in an area we had never searched. We hoped that he would still be there when we arrived, and he was. This was it – life or death – he could not go on. We decided that the only way to capture him would be to use a net. You could hear a pin drop as a volunteer slowly crept up on him from behind. Before he realized she was there, she had him in the net. Success!!!

Quickly put in a carrier, we managed to remove the container from his head and rushed him to our vet. He was dehydrated and in deplorable shape, and we feared that the lack of water and food would affect him in terrible ways. He had a deep wound on his leg and was covered with ticks. Hospitalized for over a week, the clinic staff worked to bring him back to health. Remarkably he has no long-term issues.

Eight days of feverish activity, often around the clock, by unpaid volunteers whose only interest was to save this poor creature from a terrible ending. That's what Kitty Angels is all about. I am so proud of the work our volunteers do – they are Kitty Angels.

Dedicated and compassionate volunteers, and your support and donations, are what enable us to save so many desperate cats year after year and place them in lifelong, loving, indoor homes. Many, many, thanks to all of you.

"Fall seven times, stand up eight"
Japanese quote

HOW YOU CAN HELP KITTY ANGELS

Money...to pay for the daily care and medical bills of the cats.

Visit the Kitty Angels Facebook page and click Donate (best for Kitty Angels). Facebook doesn't give us your contact information, so hold onto the Facebook email receipt for your tax records. (If you're on a mobile device, use the Facebook app to see the Donate button.)
Donate through PayPal or Network for Good (for anonymous and/or recurring donations)...see kittyangels.org/howtohelp.html
Shop amazon.com at kittyangels.org/amazon, select Kitty Angels as your preferred charity, and a portion of your purchase will benefit Kitty Angels!
Shop at other online stores through igive.com or Giving Assistant - see kittyangels.org/howtohelp.html
Use your employer's Matching Gift Program.
Specify that your United Way payroll donation go to Kitty Angels.
Donate Gift Cards, Cat Food, Medical Supplies, Cleaning Supplies, Towels.

For these and other ways to help, please visit the How to Help page on our web site at kittyangels.org/howtohelp.html

Rescue Stories

EDINBURG The feeders at one of our feral colonies watched as a new cat came to eat. When he turned his face towards them, they saw blood on his nose and an open draining wound on his cheek. It took two weeks before we finally trapped him. The stench of the wound as we transported him indicated the severity of the infection.

Once hospitalized he was anesthetized, neutered, and had the abscess addressed. It was so deep and the tissue so decomposed that it was impossible to stitch closed. It had to be managed by means of antibiotics, flushing and compresses each day. It took a long time to heal. It turned out that Edinburg wasn't feral, but an abandoned cat that had been in survival mode for a long time. Edinburg turned out to be a funny, charming boy and was adopted into his forever home.

OSCAR For at least a year Oscar would come up to the back porch door and ask for food. He was dirty and shy, but he got a daily meal. Eventually, his feeding person decided to contact us. A trap was set and Oscar was in the trap on the first try. During his neuter surgery, the vet noted that in addition to open wounds on both front legs, and being FIV positive, he had a mouth full of broken teeth. Dental surgery was done and it was assumed that Oscar would recover and be put back out.

But Oscar had another idea. While in recovery from his dental surgery, Oscar had enough courage to take a treat from his foster mom's hand. That led to another treat which led to a pet on the head. Within days Oscar had decided he did not want to be an outdoor cat. He wanted to stay with his foster mom. She worked with him, slowly gaining his trust and he is now a happy part of the family.

There are so many stray and abandoned cats living desperate lives outdoors. Oscar was one of the lucky ones, he connected with all the right people at the right times – people whose patience and kindness helped him transition from the streets into a safe, happy, and loving home.

"A kitten is in the animal world what a rosebud is in the garden."
Robert Southey

PEACE BABY A Kitty Angels volunteer overheard a young woman asking a pharmacist if they knew what antibiotic ointment she could put on her cat. Our volunteer struck up a conversation with her and when the woman showed her the picture of the injury our volunteer knew that the cat needed urgent care. The cat, the woman said, had been a stray that she let in and out. She hadn't noticed the injury until it grew quite large. The woman was glad to surrender this poor cat to us so that it could get the medical care it needed.

Peace Baby, as we named her, had a massive skin infection unlike any we had seen. Covering her entire stomach, it was putrid and wet and she was in excruciating pain. No one really knows what initially caused this. Perhaps a burn. But whatever it was it was out of control. It took weeks of hospitalization to get it to a place where the skin, while not healed, was no longer infected and wet. During her hospitalization she graduated from her hated conical "e-collar" to a variety of small dog coats. The hospital staff had a contest to see who could come up with the best coat for her. After being in hospital so long a vet tech offered to take her home for continued monitoring. She was able to bring Peace Baby to the clinic for her checkups and the best part was the happy ending for each of them: she made it official and adopted her.

Here are a few words from Peace baby's mom: "Since coming home, Peace Baby has grown into a happy healthy lady. She loves pets and catnip and gets plenty of love. I'm so lucky to have her, we've made each other so happy."

A desperately injured cat living in the shadows ends up healthy and happy in a loving home. That pretty much sums up what Kitty Angels is all about. Without your donations we could not do what we do. We thank you and Peace Baby thanks you.

HOODLUM had been a neighborhood stray for five years. He would wander in and out of garages and people in the neighborhood would put food out for him. The years were hard on him, especially the winters. As an unneutered male, he would fight with the other cats in the area. He won some, but he lost some too. One day the wounds that he received in a fight were so severe that someone contacted us and sent us a photo of his injuries. We were there within hours, setting a trap to collect him as he would not let us get near him. Taken to our vet, he was anesthetized in the trap and immediately taken into surgery. We had no idea what he would be like when he woke up. When the staff approached his cage the next morning, he showed no signs of aggression. As the days progressed, he became more and more comfortable and started to really enjoy the pets the staff gave him. Hoodlum was always a cooperative patient, even though he had to have his wound soaked several times a day. Because the wound had been so large it would not hold stitches, several surgeries were ultimately required. Despite all his travails, Hoodlum turned out to be one of the nicest cats ever. He is now in his forever home. No more garages and fights for him.

RILEY A concerned person contacted us about a dirty orange and white cat and its de-plorable living conditions. They said that it looked like it had been abused, but they couldn't get close enough to get a good picture of the cat, only a photo of the lot where the cat was living. What a sad creature he turned out to be. Riley, as we named him, was at least 10 years old. He had certainly had a hard 10 years of life. He was an intact male with many battle scars. His ears were permanently crumpled from chronic ear mites. His fur was matted and dirty.

He was FIV positive. Our vets discovered that one of his hind legs could not be extended correctly. A grating sound was heard indicating bone rubbing against cartilage due to an old injury. As if this was not enough, x-rays showed an old pelvic fracture that had not healed correctly. It took Riley almost six months to be sorted out properly. He is on mild pain meds for the rest of his life and drugs to help his arthritis. But you could not find a sweeter cat. He has been adopted by someone we have known for over 20 years and now truly has the "Life of Riley"!

"Try to be a rainbow in someone's cloud"
Maya Angelou

Please help break the cycle of overpopulation...

We are so proud that Kitty Angels has been offering a Low Cost Spay/Neuter Clinic for 13 years now, improving the lives of so many cats. Our clinic is held once or twice a month (on Sundays) at Animal Rescue Veterinary Services in Londonderry, NH.

Cats are spayed or neutered, receive distemper and rabies vaccinations, a physical exam, and are microchipped. Other treatment can be provided for an additional fee. Kittens must weigh a minimum of 2 pounds. A suggested donation of $90 per cat is requested and grant money may be available for those who cannot afford the fee.

The BEST WAY to make an appointment is to email lindab@kittyangels.org. She is the only one who can book appointments for our clinics. If you don't have internet access, call us at 978-649-4681 and someone will get back to you. Cats are dropped off in the morning and picked up later the same day.

Requests for assistance grow every year. The cats we deal with at the low-cost clinic would not otherwise be neutered or spayed. Your donation, in any amount, will help us continue to run this much needed clinic.

Donate Your Small Antiques and Collectibles

Gail Mosher, a longtime Kitty Angels supporter and volunteer, and an expert in antiques and collectibles, has created an eBay store devoted entirely to selling items that have been generously donated by our supporters. You can see it at:

https://www.ebay.com/usr/kittyangelsma/

If you have small antiques, collectibles, or other items to donate please contact Gail at gailmosher@gmail.com or leave a message with us. 100% of the proceeds of every sale goes directly to Kitty Angels.

That's a Lot of Cats!

Collar tag Back in 1998, just shy of 20 years after Kitty Angels was founded, we started providing every adopter with a numbered tag, like the one shown in the photo. Placed on a collar, the information on the tag could expedite a quick return of the cat to its owners if it was found.

Not long ago we handed out our 6500th tag to the adopters of a cat named Brandywine. When Brandywine was found she was only eight weeks old and had such a serious wound that no other shelter would accept her. We were happy to step up and care for her. It took many weeks, several surgeries, and some socialization to get her ready for being placed in her forever home.

And 6500 only counts the number of cats that were adopted in the last 22 years. It doesn't include the thousands of feral cats that we've TNR'ed over the years, nor does it include the numbers of cats in feral cat colonies that our dedicated volunteer feeders take care of every day.

6500 is a big number — we've been busy!

They Rely on Your Generosity

Each year brings greater numbers of cats into our shelter, requiring that we supply more veterinary services, food, litter and shelter space — and care for an increasing number of feral cats and colonies. We're so grateful for your donations — without them so many of the cats that we have been able to save would have simply been added to the grim statistics of animal suffering. Thank you so very much for your help — but please understand that our task never ends and that we need your continued support to continue our work!! There are so many ways to help — you can find more information on our website.

"No single act of generosity remains in isolation. The ripples are many."
Sarah Winman

HODGE PODGE

The caller said "A stray showed up at our house and he's really hurt. His face is messed up and we don't want to touch him." The volunteer who went to get him was appalled at his condition. He had black scabs on his face and his ears. He was drooling and had discharge from his nose. No wonder no one had wanted to touch this poor soul.

When he got to our vets, they found there were burns under the scabs, on his nose, face and ears. When they opened his mouth, they were horrified to see that that whatever had burned him had burned his mouth creating deep painful ulcers. Nobody knows what exactly caused the burns, but whatever it was, it had burned him badly. It was evident he had been suffering trying to survive on the streets even before this happened. He had not been cared for in a long time. We were going to change that.

The veterinary staff gently bathed the burned areas every day, cleaning the lesions then applying ointment. Because of his pain he didn't want to eat, but they encouraged him to do so.

Hodge Podge, as we named him, spent a month in the hospital on a regime of pain medicines, antibiotics, and supportive care. Little by little his wounds got better and we brought him home.

He's now a funny, happy, and talkative little clown who loves attention.

Thank you for your support! Your donations saved HODGE PODGE and can save so many others! Please consider making a tax-deductible donation in ANY amount to help us carry on with our mission to help the neediest at-risk cats. You can do so by clicking on the "DONATE" button on our Facebook page; mailing a check to Kitty Angels, P.O. Box 638, Tyngsboro, MA 01879; or using the PayPal link on our web site.

ABOUT KITTY ANGELS

Kitty Angels is a no-kill shelter dedicated to rescuing stray and abandoned cats, furnishing them with treatment for injuries or other health problems, and placing them into life-long, loving, indoor homes with compatible owners. We take all necessary steps to ensure the well being of our cats, including emergency and routine medical care, screening for infectious diseases, spaying and neutering, microchipping and providing rabies, distemper and other necessary medical care. We take in, and place or foster, hundreds of cats each year and deal with many feral cat populations. Kitty Angels is an all-volunteer organization. We have no paid staff — every cent of every donation goes to caring for needy cats! Because the cost of caring for our cats greatly exceeds our adoption fees, we depend on the generosity of individuals and businesses to make up the difference. Please consider making a tax-deductible donation today...and, please be sure to send us a Matching Gifts Form if your employer offers one...we, and especially the cats, would very much appreciate it!!

ENDURING SUPPORT In the 41 years since our founding, Kitty Angels has been fortunate to have many long-term supporters. In recent years, an increasing amount of our funding has come from bequests from the estates of these committed benefactors. The enduring impact of these bequests, both large and small, has helped Kitty Angels expand its life saving programs and find loving homes for the neediest of animals. By naming Kitty Angels as a beneficiary in your will or estate plan, you can support Kitty Angels' future efforts as well as gain financial and tax benefits for you and your family. Your estate planner can explain the different ways you can make a bequest to Kitty Angels or you can contact us. We thank all our supporters for their wonderful generosity!!

A very special thanks to all of you who have opened your hearts and homes to animals; to those who have donated in some way to help us or others who act in concert with our cause; and to our team of dedicated volunteers and foster home caregivers. You are the ones whose compassion, kindness and generosity makes the difference. We couldn't do what we do without your continued support.

Thanks to PETsMART for providing us with first class space in their store in the Royal Ridge Mall in Nashua, NH. You can see some of our adoptable cats in the cages at the front of the store.

Kitty Angels, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) non-profit charitable corporation. All donations to Kitty Angels are both federal and state tax-deductible to the extent permitted by law. Every penny of every donation is used in caring for cats. Federal ID 04-3270369; Massachusetts ID 034406