Big City Little Kitty

Dear New Forever Home:

2012-02-05T17:25:00.009-05:00

Hi! My name is Charlie and I need a home!

I'm all packed up and ready to go!

See, my foster mom found me in a warehouse,

I was pretty dirty and my belly was sick...

But she cleaned me up and made it all better

I was all cleaned up, mega-chilled out

and ready for a home,

but...

it turned out I had ringworm :0

and I had it bad!

So my new home was put off while I lived in

my foster mom's bathroom to shake the ringworm

with medicine and some time (it seemed like forever).

But that's old news!

I'm over all that!

Let me tell you a little about myself!

I am happy and healthy and WILD!

I'm also a bit of a mama's boy;)

I love a good snuggle!

Yet, I'm always on alert!

If there is a noise in the building,

I am first on the scene investigating!

(I learned that from my foster papa cat, Mr. Eko)

I love curling up into the crook of a good neck

(long hair is a bonus)

I love curling up for movie night

I LOVE hair!

I really love hugs

And did I mention I love hair!

I also love a good cat nap!

If you want to know more and

see more pics and videos see my

flickr set here!

If you are looking for a new kitty,

please consider adopting me!

I am neutered, FIV/FELV negative,

vaccinated for rabies and FVRCP,

de-wormed and sugar sweet.

I love my cat friends,

so I would really like a kitty friend in my new home

I'm about 7 months old, so I'd like a

feline buddy to run, jump and wrestle with!

If you want to meet me, you can come to my

foster mom's home in Sunnyside, Queens.

You can reach her at bigcitylittlekitty@yahoo.com

I hope to meet you soon!

Love,

Charlie

Argyle and Corduroy find a home!

2011-11-21T18:12:00.007-05:00

Argyle and Corduroy were late additions to the fabric store colony.

I spayed 5 females there

and took in 2 kittens, Dungaree and Burlap, in June.

The store owner and I thought that colony was finished, until...

He called me in September

to tell me a mom and 2 kittens were in the back yard.

I went to check it out, I was sure he was mistaken!

But, sure enough, there they were.

Two little long haired kittens too young to TNR.

So I told him I'd be back the next week to trap

I couldn't get their mama (I'll go back)

but I got the 2 little ones

They moved in to Big City Little Kitty's foster home

to learn a few things about being house cats

1. These big humans aren't so bad

2. Humans have lots of food

3. Couches are awesome

4. Beds are even more awesome

5. Snuggling rocks!

And then...one day at a North Brooklyn Cats'

adoption event at Muddy Paws...

They were adopted!

TOGETHER!

Here they are in their new together, forever home!

(Pics provided by their new awesome mama)

Their new names may be Lawrence and Taylor,

(No, not after the football player)

but the names are to be confirmed later

Yep, they're livin' the dream!

Play all night, sleep all day!

They even have a lovely garden to supervise!

I hear they are doing great,

mom and pop are in love with them

and they are not shy at all!

NICE JOB GUYS!

They are both talkers too:)

Mom says "Argyle talks when he wants something,

And Corduroy calls for him when she's looking for him"

UM, ADORABLE!

They were both a couple of chatter boxes here too!

Another happy ending for Big City Little Kitty!

Thanks North Brooklyn Cats and

Muddy Paws for

providing us with adoption events

where so many kitties find their homes:)

If you are looking for a kitty to call your own,

check out cats and kittens fostered by our

circle of friends/rescuers!

You can learn more about us all here

"My name is Charlie"...Charlie's looking for his Angel

2011-10-04T10:28:00.013-04:00

Once upon a time, there were two little kittens who were dumped at a feral cat colony, where they were each exposed to some very hazardous conditions. One of them was never seen again. But I was taken away from all that, and now Big City Little Kitty works for me, my name is Charlie.

I walked into a warehouse where I manage a feral cat colony

and a kitten came running up to me.

I thought, WHAT?

He was not feral in any way, shape or form.

He came straight up to me and introduced himself.

I was told there were 2, but the other had not been seen for a week:(

All of the cats in the warehouse were named after characters on LOST, and considering he was a skinny little thing with light hair and gorgeous eyes, I named him Charlie.

Charlie offered me a job, to rescue him.

I had to accept this offer

as I couldn't sleep at night knowing he was left there unattended.

And so, I became, "Charlie's Angel".

It seems Charlie had another angel, a feral cat I had spayed 2 years ago when she was only 4 months old. She followed us everywhere we turned in the warehouse, watching every move I made with the kitten she had been protecting. This was odd because on any other day she would never have revealed herself or her whereabouts to me.

Thanks Beauty!

Another one of Charlie's Angels.

Charlie had an enormous belly, full of worms and who knows what parasites!

Aside from that gigantic belly, the rest of him was skin and bones.

So I borrowed a carrier from Mildred, she lives around the corner, and she drove us home.

I de-wormed him asap and gave him a bath.

I cleared the caked on dirt crammed between his toes

and the fleas and other bugs out of his fur.

He cleaned up nice!

And after a couple of days his belly was looking a little more normal!

I'm a sucker for a little bird legged, big bellied kitten!

And now he's happy as can be!

He one of the most docile, content, happy kittens I have ever met.

He does not cry to be let out, but loves getting scooped up for a snuggle!

And man does he love that Teddy Bear!

Charlie's looking for one more good angel, a forever angel.

Are you Charlie's Angel?

Burlap and Dungaree were Adopted!!! TOGETHER!!!

2011-10-01T10:55:00.009-04:00

Burlap and Dungaree have one last good snuggle

at Big City Little Kitty Foster Home

Last Friday, a LOVELY couple came to meet Burlap and Dungaree. They, of course, fell in love with both of them. So when the mama asked the papa, "So what do you want to do?" and he said "Whatever you want to do, but I don't want to break them up" she said "Lets take them both." YES! And then I fell in love with them!

They get to go TOGETHER!

So I had to say good bye:(

I gave them some good bye treats and a good kiss and snuggle.

They have a 2 year old cat at home, Shag, he used to have 2 feline friends at their home in St. Louis! So they brought them home! I just heard from them and when I asked how things are going..."FANTASTIC"! Woohoo!

Dungaree and Burlap were part of a TNR project in Astoria, Queens.

They were found in the back yard of a fabric store.

They were a little skinny, had eye infections and in need of a good de-worming:)

But before long, they were purrfect!

I am so happy for these guys!!!

They really got a great new home with such a lovely couple!

Best of luck to you Burlap and Dungaree!

Are you looking for a kitty?

If you're looking for your special kitty to keep you warm and smother you with snuggles, check out all the little lover kitties on our petfinder page! Here you will find my fosters and the fosters of our rescue friends, North Brooklyn Cats, Eva and Bushwick Street Cats!

North Brooklyn Cats hosts an adoption even every weekend at Muddy Paws Pet Supply in Williamsburg, Brooklyn. They are in the back yard (inside when its cold) every weekend on either Saturday or Sunday from 2-6pm. Check out their facebook page, North Brooklyn Cats or their Yelp Events page to find out which day it will be!

Here's the yelp event page for this week, October 2nd

and another amazing adoption poster from Lisa Vallez!

Good luck!

It's Official! Marco gets a happy ending!

2011-09-22T07:07:00.006-04:00

Marco was adopted last week and today I just received word "he has stolen our hearts"! Attaboy! So, its official, Marco "The Mush" has a forever home, with a mama and a papa and a big sis! I've been informed he is eating like crazy, snuggling like a pro and doing a little happy dance when he's "especially happy"! This last one I witnessed when I dropped him off, he'd shake his butt and dance/knead with is front paws with his head up high!

AH-DORABLE!

Here he is the day I said goodbye to him!

Did he grow up into a handsome little guy or what?!

A far cry from what he looked like when I got him...

Marco was rescued by Annie, of Manny's Friends. He was 1 of 5 kittens nursing from a mama who had a broken leg and only weighed 4 lbs. Needless to say, their mom was not providing her FIVE kittens with the nutrients they desperately needed, so the kittens had a rough start. 2 did not make it, 2 did very well and Marco was in bad shape. He was half the size (14 oz) of his sisters (30 oz) and not eating at all.

I asked if I could take him for a bit as I can take him to work and provide round the clock care, syringe feeding and a close eye. It worked!

Here he is at my office with his napkin bib on for a syringe feeding,

one of his most famous photos;)

Marco was soon eating on his own and thriving!

He quickly mastered the art of snuggling

and his cuteness level was through the roof!

I had not planned on adopting him out so quickly, but at an adoption event, sponsored by North Brooklyn Cats, at Muddy Paws...

he was settled into his kitten sling and his new family walked in and immediately fell in love! They had done their due diligence to find the right cat, looking at several rescues and taking their time to make a decision, the saw Marco and the deal was sealed! I fell in love too, with a lovely couple that wanted to provide a safe, loving and nurturing home for my little Marco. His name is Bruno now, but they mostly call him "Little Guy". I am so grateful and my heart is full of joy knowing he will spend his life in such a loving home.

What a great ending for such a sweet kitty:)

More pictures and stories about Marco/Bruno are here

WE'RE READY!

2011-09-18T07:19:00.004-04:00

HI!

We're Burlap and Dungaree!

We used to live in a back yard behind a fabric store in Astoria (hence our names). Our foster mom came and told our mom she'd take us to her home to be "pets" and had our mom and her friends spayed so they'd never have to worry about food and shelter for kittens ever again!

We were not keen on the "pets" thing at first, but man, we've got to admit, THIS IS THE LIFE!

I'm Burlap!

I'm Dungaree!

We love to snuggle!

Sometimes our foster mom wakes up to get ready for "work" and we do this to make her get back in bed for more snuggle time! It works every time!

We love our foster mom!

She's nice and soft for kneading!

And makes a really warm and soft pillow!

We'd really like a chance to be adopted together:)

So, new mama and/or papa, we're ready!

We'll be sitting here waiting for you!

Love,

Burlap and Dungaree

Neighborhood Watch: Kittens in Training

2011-08-21T20:31:00.007-04:00

Eko and Tigra work tirelessly to secure their perimeter in Sunnyside, Queens

"I think its time for the kittens to earn their keep,

time for them to take a shift"

So Eko trained the kittens

"Attaboy, keep your focus"

"OK kid, you're on your own, you can do it"

So the kittens took the window

"Excuse me, mom, why isn't Marco working?"

BUSTED!

Marco the slacker!

So Marco joined the team

and the complaining began...

"I'm tired"

"I'm bored"

"ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ"

Dungaree, sleeping on the job

"You've got to be kidding me! This is pathetic!"

"Kittens are useless"

"Does that mean we can go play?!"

"Yes, you can all go play now"

"Good, this is exhausting! I think I need a nap"

And Eko gets back to work

Kittens In Training

2011-07-31T21:05:00.005-04:00

Burlap and Dungaree are not ready for adoption yet, but they will be soon!

They are being spayed/neutered in 2 weeks.

For now, they are in training at the adoption events

at Muddy Paws in Williamsburg, Brooklyn!

Burlap was a little nervous

Dungaree was pretty comfortable;)

Even little Marco came for the day!

Here he is with Auntie Jeannie!

He's working on his Big City Little Kitty pose!

Cross those paws Marco!

Settling In

2011-07-26T22:05:00.002-04:00

Burlap and Dungaree are settling in

Gaining weight and looking great!

Dungaree!

Burlap's such a poser

They now have full access to the house and are loving it!

They're even sleeping in my bed at night

(when they're not wrestling;)

Faith Popcorn's BrainReserve, where we take kittens seriously!

2011-07-23T09:44:00.010-04:00

As you all know, I often foster kittens that need round the clock care, whether they are bottle babies that need to eat every few hours or sick kittens that need frequent syringe feeding or other nursing care. I also work full time,

so how do I do it?

I work for Faith Popcorn!

(From Left: Stepanie Seiler, Steven Graffam, Kathleen Cantwell, Faith Popcorn)

Faith, our CEO, allows me (and begs me) to bring in foster after foster. She loves helping and loves having them in the office. Our foster kittens attend meetings, greet clients and join us for parties! Lets just say, socializing a kitten happens very fast here!

My coworkers often come to my desk for a quick "kitten fix" in the middle of the day or take a sleeping kitten to their desk to soak up that all that cuteness! Many say having the kittens around or coming back for a quick snuggle is a stress reliever.

Our current foster (or mascot) is Marco!

Marco was taken in during a TNR project in Brooklyn by Annie of Manny's Friends. His mom had a broken leg and weighed only 4 lbs. Needless to say, she was not getting enough nutrients to her 5 nursing kittens!

Annie is caring for mom and kittens, however Marco was not gaining weight and I offered to take him for a while. Because I can take him to work with me, I can syringe feed him every few hours and monitor him throughout the day by having him at my desk.

Marco is now gaining weight rapidly and doing great!

Its business as usual at Faith Popcorn's BrainReserve when the kittens are here,

its just a lot cuter!

Here is Faith, CEO, getting prepped for a meeting by Kathleen Cantwell, Director, Office of the CEO, Steven Graffam, Faith's Personal Assistant and Marco!

In addition to opening her office to these lucky kittens, Faith has also sponsored several of my fosters. I have been able to do more fostering and TNR with her help than I could have done on my own.

On behalf of Big City Little Kitty, fosters and TNR'd ferals, and rescuers everywhere, I would like to say thank you to Faith and everyone at Faith Popcorn's BrainReserve!

To see more kittens cared for at Faith Popcorn's BrainReserve go here.

Dungaree and Burlap!

2011-07-14T07:24:00.008-04:00

Burlap and Dungaree are from a TNR Project we did in Queens and Brooklyn. I teamed up with Shawn, of North Brooklyn Cats, and we TNR'd 20 adults and took in these 2 for foster to adopt. They were trapped in a back yard in Astoria, Queens and were too tiny to put back:) So they will be fostered here, by Big City Little Kitty, until they find their loving, forever homes!

Here they are the day we trapped them!

This is Burlap!

And this is Dungaree!

They both had eye infections, but they were treated and it has cleared up completely

Here they are at the recovery space before they moved in with me

They came with a little stinkiness on them, so they got baths!

Burlap was not happy!

Dungaree was the first cat in the trap!

He didn't even budge when the trap snapped behind him,

he just kept eating!

He is a little sugar muffin, so sweet, and he loves a good snuggle:)

Burlap was the LAST cat in a trap! Her and her mother!

She was hesitant to make friends with me at first, but is coming around.

She happily eats while sitting on my lap,

purrs when I lay her on her back on my lap for chin and belly rubs,

and LOVES to play with toys (even if she has to climb on me to get to them)

Stay tuned for more adventures by these guys!

Welcome to the good life!

More pictures can be found on my Flickr Photostream

and in the Dungaree and Burlap set

World Wide Vegan Bake Sale in Brooklyn April 23, 2011

2011-03-20T09:10:00.048-04:00

Its that time of year!

Time for World Wide Vegan Bake Sale Week April 23 - May 1!

This year we will be participating on April 23rd, 2011

and proceeds will go to local NYC rescuers:

North Brooklyn Cats

Eva P

Chris G

and yours truly,

Big City Little Kitty

We will be at Natural Vitamins New York

at 671 Manhattan Avenue

between Nassau and Normal

in Greenpoint, Brooklyn

April 23, 2011

from 1 pm to 5 pm

It wasn't easy getting approval from the

manager of Natural Vitamins New York...

(It was nap time:)

But he finally came around

The last time we teamed up for a vegan bake sale, we raised money for the

The TOBY Project!

This time the proceeds will help us with our expenses for

shelter and street rescues, fostering, TNR efforts and vet care.

Here is a little bit about what we do...

Let's start with some of the lucky ones

that were pulled off the euth list,

fostered and found new homes

They come in all sizes:)

Nearly 7,000 NYC cats did not get this chance in 2010

and were euthanized at the city shelter

and that does not count the ones that never made it to the shelter

But thanks to local rescue efforts

many are now safe and snug in their new furrever homes

Little Treize is among the lucky ones

As is Wallaby:)

In addition to helping cats from the shelter,

we perform TNR (trap, neuter, release)

However, any of you involved in TNR know it goes more like...

Transport, Trap, Transport,

Hold, Feed, Care,

Transport,

Spay/Neuter, Vaccinate, De-worm, Transport, Recover,

(some recovery is longer and harder than others)

Transport, Release, Worry, Feed, Continue feeding and caring for...forever

And one thing we know for sure, where there's one feral cat...

There's a colony of feral cats

And they need food and shelter year round, in all types of weather

and even during holidays and vacations:)

Some are close and easy to get to and some are far

Colony caretakers manage colonies year round providing food and shelter

and digging out these shelters during and after snow storms

This young lady will never have to worry about where to

safely hide her kittens again, she was trapped and spayed 2 years ago

and remains at her warehouse safe and happy

And then there are the friendlies

The ones on the street that are not feral

The ones that walk right up to your door and ask to come in

or climb up your leg after they have been dumped in a parking lot

purring "Please help me, I promise I'll be good"

And the young ones from the feral colonies that still have a chance

to trust humans, become sweet, loving pets and be spared

the life of a street cat

Some take a little work,

some take one head rub,

but ALL take A LOT of FOOD!!!

As the kittens get bigger, the food bowls get bigger

and that means the food bills get bigger!

And in addition to the food, there are snap tests (FIV/FELV),

vaccinations and wellness checks at the vet

Sick ones need vet evaluations, medicine,

fluids and special treatments like a nebulizer

The little ones need special formula

and lots of bottles!

And then there are the injured ones, like Spice here

Spice was found injured in a snow storm and had to have his leg amputated

(Don't worry, he was adopted:)

Little Rozza, only days old,

was found in the dirt by a dog

The dog's owner saw him hanging out of her dog's mouth

and reached out for help

He was nursed back to health

Fattened up and found a good home

And then there are the mystery illnesses

The ones you throw everything at and nothing works

This involved getting multiple rounds of blood work and medicine,

and lots of nursing care,

until bloods came back normal, and they did:)

(Don't worry about them either,

they are safe and happy in their new homes now too;)

And of course there are other injuries,

like broken legs

This guy had a new mama before he even had a cast!

I brought him from the shelter, to my office

(where my coworker said "I WANT HIM"), to the vet

And burned paws

Don't worry, he got a new home too:)

Sadly, we are not able to save them all

May the ones we have lost rest in peace

And the ones we save live happily ever after!

If you can't make it to the bake sale,

but you like what we are doing and want to help

please make a donation by clicking the "DONATE"

button on the right panel of this page

If you would like to adopt one of our fosters, please visit our petfinder page

For information on how to adopt, visit our petfinder information page

All donations will be distributed equally

between North Brooklyn Cats (Shawn and Lisa),

Eva P, Chris G and Big City Little Kitty (Stephanie)

Thank you for taking the time to get to know us

(and our lucky ones) a little better:)

=^..^=

Thank You Mildred!

2011-01-29T19:16:00.012-05:00

Mildred is a friend I met in Long Island City when I lived there. She lived a block away and we met one night when I was feeding My Little Girl.

I learned she was her caregiver and had her fixed years ago. We started talking and I realized she had been performing TNR on that block for many years. However, it wasn't "TNR" to her, she did not even know what "TNR" stood for, she just saw a problem and stepped up to help fix it. I LOVE WHEN THAT HAPPENS! She tells me all the time how she "doesn't do that anymore," but she still dabbles:) She said years ago she had crates stacked upon crates and got the street cats fixed and put back out and the friendly ones all got homes. She feeds on her block daily and when she sees someone without an eartip she either traps them herself or she gets in touch with a local TNR group CARE for Cats to get them fixed.

Well...OOPS! She did it again!

Mildred's husband, Johnny, alerted her there was a mom and 2 kittens

across the street living under a porch.

(above photo provided by Mildred)

Mildred had seen the mom a few months before then but not since.

So off Mildred went with her trap!

She got the mama and then she got her 2 babies.

LOOK at these beautiful kittens!

I went by to check them out and I have never seen kittens so young with a winter undercoat!

It was AMAZING! True fur balls!

They were all hissy and nasty for about a day...

now they sit on her chest and lap and purrrrrr!

Mildred has learned the mom was an indoor cat

and was left out with the garbage when someone moved:(

Left out in the cold in November to fend for herself.

(above photo provided by Mildred)

She found shelter under a porch and ended up pregnant.

Mildred has already found the babies a great,

new home with another lovely person in the neighborhood (her story to come)

and is working on placement for the mom.

The cats on Mildred's block in Long Island City are lucky to have her looking after them and I am thankful for her selfless efforts.

Here's to Mildred and the Long Island City street cats!

Thank you Mildred!

Smudge and Eva

2011-01-27T23:14:00.008-05:00

Smudge is a great cat that has run into some bad luck.

He belongs to a dedicated animal rescuer, Eva, who devotes countless hours and dollars to cat rescue. Smudge was one of those rescues, and he had the happiest ending when he got to stay with Eva as one of her own.

Three years ago Eva went to New York City’s Animal Care and Control for her first day as a NYCACC volunteer. That day she met Smudge.

He was 8 years old and surrendered to the shelter because his owner did not have time for himL Eva adopted Smudge that same day! It took a while to figure out the purrfect name for him. He was called Bumble Bee, Santa, Figaro, Giuseppe, Other Cat, Big Cat and finally Smudge. He never felt abandoned again, and instead has been showered with love and affection.

In return, he gives joy and love to Eva, his feline siblings and feline foster friends.

He even takes the time to teach the little ones how to be big catsJ

Since then, he has spent his days sunning himself on the fire escape

and lounging around the apartment looking cute

On Wednesday, while under anesthesia for dental work, Smudge’s heart stopped. He was resuscitated and is currently fighting to recover. He is under round the clock care and his mama, Eva, is visiting him as often as possible to remind him he is loved.

I love seeing a person go so above and beyond to provide care to their beloved animal(s). And Eva goes above and beyond for each and every animal in her care, not just her own.

This is very different than what we see on the streets and in the shelters. Animals tossed aside that end up suffering or lined up daily to be routinely euthanized in kill shelters for lack of space. Eva goes into the shelter and rescues countless cats from this fate. Her tireless efforts are inspiring and admirable. She pulls cat after cat and finds them all homes. Regardless of being short on time or anything else that might get in the way, Eva never stops. She rescued Smudge from the shelter and she didn't stop there. Three years later she continues to rescue cats and kittens. Cats with illnesses, injuries and neurological disorders don’t slow her down a bit! She gets them all homes. Eva does this on her own with her own time and her own money.

And now it is one of her own she is trying to get back in to her safe and happy home.

Smudge has a long way to go and Eva will be with him every step of the way.

Our paws are crossed and we wish Smudge and Eva the best of luck.

To see more pictures of Smudge and Eva’s other rescues, go tohttp://www.flickr.com/photos/evapro/

The Calico Thank You Reel!

2011-01-04T21:26:00.007-05:00

This litter needed a lot of help and a lot of people jumped in to help them.

To see the Curious Case of the Calicos story, see my previous posts.

They came to me ill with parasites (rescuer had started treatment) and once that was resolved they were showing recurring fevers and one, Santee, had a very swollen belly. The first 2 vets would not consider what else it might be, but after a lot of research and finding the right people to help, we were finally on a road to recovery!

Miniconjou died only a few days after she got to my home, but her 4 sisters, Teton, Lala, Santee and Tanka survived and fought this battle hard. They were named for the Sioux warriors and with the help of Dr. Adams of City Vet, they fought like warriors! And won!

Thank you all for your part in their recovery! Words can not express my gratitude.

THANK YOU DR. ADAMS AND CITY VET! YOUR DILIGENCE, COMPETENCE AND COMPASSION SAVED THESE GIRLS!

THE THANK YOU REEL (ITS A LONG ONE)...

CITY VET: DR. ADAMS, JASON AND THE REST OF THE STAFF: Thank you for looking past the FIP diagnosis and finding what was hurting these girls! Thank you for your patience and compassion in treating them and helping me to treat them at home. The courteous and kind manner of everyone on staff at City Vet was calming and contagious:) I walked out of there feeling confident and hopeful every time. I could tell you were all rooting for these girls!http://www.cityvetnyc.com/

CARE FOR CATS/LARI OLSEN: Thank you for rescuing these girls from that back yard in Bay Ridge and caring for them while they nursed from their mama. Thank you for your help and advise in caring for the girls and for listening when I felt so helpless. And thank you for your ongoing and tireless TNR and rescue efforts in NYC.http://www.nydailynews.com/lifestyle/pets/2010/04/17/2010-04-17_trapneuterreturn_nonprofit_gives_feral_cats_humane_way_to_live_9_lives.html

FAITH POPCORN: Your generosity and compassion for these girls and so many other animals is truly amazing. Thank you for your contribution to the care for these girls (and all the others).

FAITH POPCORN'S BRAINRESERVE (my office): Thank you all for letting me bring the girls to the office with me when they needed round the clock care. Your patience, tolerance and understanding are so kind. Thank you also for the donations to the girls' vet care and testing. http://www.faithpopcorn.com/

IRENE DE VILLIERS: Thank you for coaching me through the FIP scare and for reviewing their blood work. Your help and advise helped us rule out FIP and turn the corner to recovery! The answers and hope you provided helped me keep it together and keep going. I admire you for dedicating your practice, personal time and research to FIP.http://www.angelfire.com/fl/furryboots/fip.html

FRIENDS OF ANIMAL RESCUE (FOAR): Thank you for your contribution to the girls' vet care!http://friendsofanimalrescue.com/

MR IRSAY: Thank you for your contribution to the girls' vet care.

THE GIRLS' NEW HOMES/ADOPTERS: Thank you for providing a safe and happy home for these girls!

NORTH BROOKLYN CATS (LISA AND SHAWN) AND EVA: Thank you for coming to the rescue with supplies and advise. Thank you for listening when I felt overwhelmed and scared. Thank you for including us in your adoption events at Muddy Paws where all 4 girls were adopted! Thank you for all the work you do to rescue so many cats and kittens. North BK Cats: http://www.facebook.com/pages/North-Brooklyn-Cats/125040640883852 and Eva:http://www.flickr.com/photos/evapro/

MUDDY PAWS PET SUPPLY: Thank you for your generosity in allowing North Brooklyn Cats to host adoption events in your store (Williamsburg, BK). It helps so many cats and kittens find new homes. http://www.muddypawsny.com/

FLICKR/TWITTER FRIENDS: Thank you for your kind words and thoughts, your help in promoting adoption events and for cheering us on!

TAMMY CROSS/KITTEN LITTLE RESCUE: Thank you for your advise and calming words. http://www.kittenlittlerescue.com/index.html

CITY CRITTERS: Thank you for making room for us on your van to get the girls spayed! http://www.citycritters.org/

YAHOO GROUP: FIP_SUPPORT: Thank you for your support and help along the way. This is such a great group.http://pets.groups.yahoo.com/group/FIP_Support/

AND A SPECIAL THANKS TO BIG CITY LITTLE KITTY'S (MY) RESIDENT CATS, EKO AND TIGRA for tolerating not just another litter, but a litter that needed a lot of care which took up all of your mama time. Thank you for teaching these girls how to be big cats when they were finally healthy and out and about in YOUR home. And thank you for letting these little girls sleep in your favorite spots in mama's bed.

ITS OFFICIAL! TANKA AND SANTEE HAVE BEEN ADOPTED AND ARE LIVING HAPPILY EVER AFTER!

2011-01-02T13:35:00.008-05:00

After several weeks of hiding under their blanket at North Brooklyn Cats' adoption events at Muddy Paws in Brooklyn, Santee and Tanka finally found a wonderful, forever home!

It was December 18th, a week before Christmas.

Santa delivered early this year!

Their new mom and dad walked in and took one look at them and knew they were their new kittens! I told them to be sure and look at everyone else available, but they knew, they wanted the girls! So that was it! Later I brought the girls over to their apartment in Williamsburg, Brooklyn and they had them all set up to start in a small room (bathroom) until they get used to their new digs.

I hugged and kissed them and told them I love them and set them in the basket.

Here they are as I walked away and said my last goodbye.

I just called to do a 2 week follow up/check in to make sure the girls and the adopters are happy and was assured they are totally in love with Tanka and Santee (now named Kyle)!

She said they are now comfortable and confident in their new home and of course super sweet and loving:)

I also hear they have a new toy, their water bowl!

They play in their water bowl every day and leave it empty for mom and dad when they return home from work! Heehee! Stinkers!

I forgot to ask if Santee (Kyle) is still doing that shoulder bit:)

So this story ends with another happy ending!

Great job girls!

Best of luck and lots of love to you!

XOXOXO

Its Cat and Kitten Girls Weekend All Weekend!

2010-12-10T09:30:00.007-05:00

Two Cat and Kitten Adoption Events This Weekend!

Saturday 12/18 Greenpoint Craft Fair 12-6pm

Sunday 12/19 Muddy Paws Pet Supply 2-6pm

(Details of both events at end of post)

These girls want to go home with someone!

If you are ready for a new best friend,

your baby girl or just a good time;)

these girls are primped and ready!

Big City Little Kitty Fosters:

Tanka

Doing her best, "Come on up and see me some time"

and her sister

Santee

Previous posts will tell the tail of Tanka and Santee!

North Brooklyn Cats Fosters:

http://www.facebook.com/pages/North-Brooklyn-Cats/125040640883852

Nora

A calm and cool adult cat.

She is a mama and nursed not only her own kittens,

but another kitten (Kiki) that had been put in her cage at the shelter.

Her kittens are ready for adoption and she is now ready to be someone's baby:)

Nora's photo was taken from Lisacat's Flickr photostream:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/lisacat/5088882797/

Nora's info here: http://www.adoptapet.com/pet4451134.html

Kiki

A sweet little orphaned kitten that ended up at the city shelter all by herself!

Luckily, Nora(above) adopted, nursed and loved her as her own.

She is now ready for her new home.

Kiki's photo was taken from Lisacat's Flickr photostream:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/lisacat/5089481710/

Kiki's info here: http://www.adoptapet.com/pet4547174.html

Mimi

One of Nora's kittens

Mimi's photo was taken from Lisacat's Flickr photostream:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/lisacat/5233090786/

Mimi's info here: http://www.adoptapet.com/pet4658040.html

Diamond

A little girl who found her way into a bodega.

She'd like to find a way into a new home.

There may be a couple more, so come on by!

Event Details:

Greenpoint Craft Fair Saturday 12/18/10 12pm to 6pm

Greenpoint Brooklyn

Lutheran Church of the Messiah

129 Russell St.

Brooklyn, NY. 11222

718-389-0854

http://www.yelp.com/events/brooklyn-cat-and-kitten-adoptions-at-greenpoint-craft-fair---saturday-12-18

Muddy Paws Pet Supplies Sunday 12/19/10 2pm to 6pm

Williamsburg, Brooklyn

447 Graham Avenue at Richardson St.

Brooklyn, NY. 11211

718-349-3647

http://www.yelp.com/biz/muddy-paws-brooklyn

Adoption information:

http://www.petfinder.com/shelters/NY922.html

More of our foster kittens in search of new homes:

http://www.petfinder.com/pet-search?shelterid=NY922

Miracle on 40th Street

2010-12-02T19:06:00.014-05:00

The girls are ready for their new home!

After fighting a mystery illness, it was finally solved and treated!

The Calico girls are finally healthy, happy and ready for adoption!

They are spayed, vaccinated, FIV/FELV negative, fecal test is clear

and blood work is PURRFECT!!!

Here they are!

Santee!

Tanka!

They've come a long way since they arrived at this foster home back in June!

They were rescued by CARE for Cats, Inc. from a backyard in Bay Ridge.

Baby Santee

Baby Tanka

They were not doing so well and the vets were stumped.

Finally, after a lot of research, we went to City Vet in LIC, NY to see Dr. Adams.

She did blood work and recommended a treatment.

IT WORKED!

While they were ill and during their recovery

Santee always took care of her sissy

She held her tight for hours on end and they

provided each other with love and comfort

Tanka had it the hardest, and amazingly she has made a full recovery

This was truly a miracle (of science)

Now that they are fully recovered

they are the playful and loving kittens they were meant to be!

And when they aren't playing,

they are napping together

They even played dress up for Halloween together!

It was the perfect costume for such strong fighters!

SUPER CAT!

The last time they went to the vet

Santee protected Tanka in the carrier by laying on top of her so she could hide.

She was a little scared of a doggie that walked in

They both love human affection too!

These girls are master snugglers!

They sleep curled up close to me at night in my bed.

Here Santee was on my lap as I did research for a couple of hours.

She was happy just to be hanging out with her foster mama!

And Tanka,

watch how she wakes up and rolls around for belly rubs!

These girls LOVE to play!

Here is Santee on a little break from playing ball

They both love watching the birdies out the window!

And if you haven't noticed, Tanka has the cutest little bushy tail!

I would love for them to be adopted together,

that would be the best Christmas gift ever!

I am fostering these beauties in Sunnyside, NY (Queens)

If you are interested in adopting these girls please email bigcitylittlekitty@yahoo.com

Or come to North Brooklyn Cats adoption event in Williamsburg, Brooklyn:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/lisacat/5226412047/in/contacts/

http://www.yelp.com/events/brooklyn-baby-its-cold-outside-cat-and-kitten-adoption-event-in-brooklyn

There will be other sweet kitties looking for homes there too!

For adoption information see our petfinder page at:

http://www.petfinder.com/shelters/NY922.html

Teton lives happily ever after in her new home!

2010-10-29T07:10:00.002-04:00

Its official!

I got word that Teton is settled in and doing great!

They have "totally fallen in love with her",

Teton "loves to play and will snuggle for hours"

and is a "great addition to our family"

Congrats to Teton!

This is Teton's new mama!

She took all the kittens at the event for a test drive

and when she held Teton she said

"Mommy, I want this one,

PLEEEEEEZ can I have her!"

We all melted.

Teton is in a lovely home with a wonderful family.

I love happy endings:)

Things are looking up!

2010-10-19T13:26:00.004-04:00

The kittens finished up their treatment a couple of weeks ago. We had some follow up blood work done and Teton and Lala are purrfect! So Saturday we went to the North Brooklyn Cats adoption event at Muddy Paws in Williamsburg, Brooklyn! Lala was adopted! She is charming her new family and hopefully her new feline big sis in Buschwick! New family pics to come!

Teton is next!

Santee's bloods showed she is still slightly anemic so she is on Pet-tinic for a month. But let me tell you, you would not know it! She is physically healthy and active and has all the 5 month old kitten energy and playfulness we all know so well! She is jumping, climbing, wrestling and most importantly snuggling like a champ! AAAANNNNDDDD...NO BULGING BELLY! That's right guys, that belly swelling is completely gone! She will soon be ready for a new home!

Tanka is making AMAZING progress! She is also still slightly anemic and her white blood cells are still a little high, but lower than last time. Dr. Adams, of City Vet in LIC, said she has made tremendous progress. You should see her now! She is wild! Running, climbing, jumping, eating like crazy, she is a kitten! Her muscles are still not as strong as her sisters, but she is getting closer every day! She is able to climb into my bed all by herself and is jumping on chairs and whatever else she can! She is gaining weight rapidly and she actually has some meat on her bones! She is on the Pet-tinic for a month as well and from the looks of her I think she will even out those white blood cells too. I will pick up some more immune boosters to help her along.

So, things are looking up over here at Big City Little Kitty foster home!

We couldn't be happier and we will keep you informed!

Thank you reel coming soon!

You wouldn't believe the number of people that jumped in to help out this litter.

We have a lot of people to thank and I'd like to do it properly!

For more pics and fun videos please see our flickr photo stream!

Progress

2010-09-06T10:32:00.005-04:00

So since the last post, Santee is doing very well, but Tanka became very ill. She had a high fever that would not break and pain and stiffness in her back legs. She lost a lot of weight as well.

I had blood work done on both Santee and Tanka at City Vet in Long Island City.
http://www.cityvetnyc.com/
I was very happy and impressed with Dr. Adam's open minded and scientific approach. She is a great vet as well as thorough and competent. She is the only vet of 3 that was willing to investigate rather than saying its FIP and sending me on my way.
Both Santee and Tanka had very high white blood cell counts which seems to indicate they are fighting a virus or bacteria infection. They were negative for both FELV and FIV. So we ran some additional tests as one suggestion from a specialist was it may be a tick borne blood parasite such as Lyme Disease. This would cause high fever and joint pain. All tests turned up negative, so while we still don't know exactly what it is, we know more about what it is not!
All organs are functioning well!
They are just fighting something off. So they are on antibiotics for 3 weeks in case its some other blood borne parasite, we can't test for all of them, there are many, common and uncommon. At the same time I have them on immune boosters.
If it is bacterial, hopefully the antibiotics will handle it,if it is viral, its up to them.
See the size difference between Tanka and Teton,
they used to be the same size.
Meanwhile, Tanka seems to finally be recovering! She is starting to play more and eat well. She is using her legs more too. I am letting her out of her crate during the day to play and snuggle with her sisters, she is pretty happy about that!
Before I woke her by grabbing my camera, she was hugging Teton really tight,
it was so cute to see her so happy to be with her sister.See my flickr page for more details, pics and vids!
Hang in there Tanka!

Keep up the good work!

FIP. Is it or isn't it?!

2010-08-07T16:48:00.009-04:00

This is Santee.

She is one of 4 calico kittens I am fostering.
They have had a rough start, and have overcome some tough times
When they came to me on June 20th, 2010 they were suffering from a nasty parasite. With some special care and medication they were able to get well and strong.
Eight days later, on June 28th, Santee developed a swollen belly that is still there after several de-wormers, antibiotics and changes in diet.
On July 4th, Santee had a high fever, we went to the vet and she said it looked like FIP and took some fluid from her belly to test. The result "at this time it does not look like FIP."
Ok, so we exhaled a little bit. She told me to keep de-worming and bring her back in 3 to 4 weeks. As her fever was finishing running its course, her sister, Teton, got a fever. Then Tanka, all fevers ran their course within 5 days.
Here is a picture of Santee on July 10, 2010.
All this time, all 4 kittens are gaining weight, playing, snuggling, pouncing, and playing tag. They are doing all the things a normal kitten should.
So, on July 29th, we went back to the vet. She still feels strongly it is FIP. She runs an FIP Elisa test which came out negative. This time I not only exhaled, I cried like a baby with relief. So we talked about what it might be, could it be a congenital organ issue, a disease of one of her organs, this, that. What are the next steps? Ultrasound, bloodwork, another fecal sample?
She said call me back in 4 to 6 weeks to do the test again. :(
Can someone just tell me what else it MIGHT be?
What other condition shows the symptoms of a swollen abdomen
and a fever but otherwise healthy?
REALLY HEALTHY!
See them in this video!
This is today, August 7, 2010.
Santee is of course the one with the very large belly.

So I suggest we go to another vet I like because he always looks at things from every angle. He never just says "it looks like this" but instead says "it looks like this, but we have to consider x, y, and z because it could be ....". That is who I thought we were going to see.
But, instead he said:

The belly doesn't look or feel like an FIP belly, hers is tight and I can feel her organs, an FIP belly is like a water balloon, you can't really feel the organs and you can see a wave of fluid when you pat it - this made me think "Yippee"
Then he said, well they are fighting off the fevers, this shows they have a strong immune system, FIP cases usually don't have strong immune systems and can't fight them off - again I am thinking "Yippee"
Then I heard this, and my jaw hit the floor and all the wind was knocked out of me "She has a big belly and she's a kitten, I think its FIP" - to which I thought "WHAT???"
So the rescuer asks him, ok, so if it isn't FIP, and we know it very well might be, what else might it be? To which he answered, "I think its FIP". AHHHHHHHHH!!!!!

And so he recommended we wait for fecal results and, well, that's about it. He said not to do the bloodwork because if he found something in the blood it would not change his course of action which is do a fecal and give them antibiotics in case of a bacteria infection.
And here they are today, playing their little kitty hearts out,
not knowing anything is wrong at all.

So here we are, in search of a vet that has a scientific approach, that will have an open mind and not just see a belly and say "FIP". A vet that will investigate not only FIP, but other possibilities as well as FIP. Honestly, if these kittens started showing other signs of FIP, I would not be questioning their diagnosis. I would be making them as comfortable as possible until the day they become uncomfortable and there is nothing I can do for them. When they start suffering and it is time to let them go.
I worry, what if it is something else that we are not looking at and this condition worsens and they get ill because we were sitting around waiting for them to show signs of FIP.
This is Santee, and she may or may not have FIP.
August 7, 2010
What I know for sure is that she is a fighter, she loves playing and snuggling as much as any other kitty out there and she deserves a fair chance at life and a proper investigation into her symptoms for a proper diagnosis. She does not deserve guesses, and we won't stop looking until we get some answers.

So this is what I am asking you:

Has anyone ever seen a kitten have a swollen belly for more than 6 weeks without any of the other FIP symptoms of lethargy, appetite loss, or pain (after 6 weeks of healthy living) begin suffering from FIP?
Does anyone know of any other conditions that involve a swollen abdomen, a short term fever and otherwise healthy?
Does anyone know a vet (I am out of options) in NYC that has a scientific mind, that will work with us to investigate this in a scientific way (not by popular opinion) that has experience dealing with or researching FIP?

Here is a shot of Santee's belly,
but I recommend you see the videos to get a better view.

Please note, Santee will be snuggled, played with and loved with or without FIP.
If it turns out she has FIP we will do what we can to help her.
If she gets the terrible symptoms of FIP and her quality of life begins to decline and she begins to suffer, we will let her go peacefully and painlessly.
But while she is healthy, while all 4 are healthy, we will keep investigating.

Thank you for reading this and please pass it on to anyone you know that may be able to help.
If you have experience with this or a suggestion please email me at bigcitylittlekitty@yahoo.com

UPDATE 3/26/11

ALL:
This was not FIP. It turned out to be a blood parasite. The girls became healthy and were all adopted!

I was advised by Irene de Villiers on the Yahoo Group FIP_Support.

If you are worried or need info go there.

She also runs the Yahoo Group FIP-to-HEALTH.

I suggest anyone with a cat or kitten diagnosed with FIP join these 2 groups asap.

RECOMMENDED READING:
Irene's website - excellent up-to-date information.

http://www.angelfire.com/fl/furryboots/fip.html

Calicos!

2010-07-11T09:47:00.003-04:00

I am fostering 4 beautiful calico kittens! They were part of a TNR project by Care for Cats, Inc. a TNR group working out of Queens. Their mom is feral and has been released, the kittens are all super sweet, beautiful and now are all healthy. They had a nasty virus to fight off, but now they are playing like champs! If you are interested in adopting, please contact me at bigcitylittlekitty@yahoo.com! For more pics and info go to my flickr page at http://www.flickr.com/photos/30644300@N05/.

Tanka!

Lala!

Santee!

Teton!

Scotty lives happily ever after :)

2010-05-14T20:42:00.004-04:00

Scotty has a home!

Here he is, minutes after his arrival chasing his toy mouse and the laser pointer!

He now lives in Brooklyn with his new dad, his 2 roomates AND his a new feline friend, Betty Boy! Betty was just as excited as we were!

Scotty is now just one of the guys.
Here he is curled up in his dad's jacket lying in his bed.

It broke my heart to say goodbye to this sweet little boy,

but I am so happy he is safe and loved in his new home.

Play hard and sleep well little Scotty!

Can I come home with you?

2010-04-15T17:26:00.005-04:00

Hi, my name is Scotty!

I live in a foster home and am looking for a new forever home to call my own.

The ideal home for me would be one with another young cat for me to play tag with and wrestle with and when we are all tuckered out have a good snuggle.

A place with soft beds for me to nap on,
good food for me to eat,
and screens on all the windows!

I'm here in Sunnyside,

waiting by the window,

looking for my new human(s) to take me home and love me forever.

I hope to meet you soon!

Love,

Scotty

If you are interested in adopting Scotty, please contact Stephanie at bigcitylittlekitty@yahoo.com

Scotty was rescued from the euthanasia list at NYCACC

He is up-to-date on vaccinations, FIV/FELV negative, dewormed, healthy, neutered and litterbox trained. For more on Scotty read the previous posts.

He is a good little boy, sweet as sugar and despite a rough start is a very happy and loving little guy.

Day 24 with Scotty

2010-04-11T17:44:00.004-04:00

Look at the difference in this little guy.

He is actually curled up in my arms in my bed sleeping.

His head was on my chest, but the camera distracted him.

I was really amazed and am impressed with his progress daily.
He was in the window sill in my room, clearly ready for some nappy time,
so I thought perhaps he would like to nap with me. And he did!

I can't tell you how happy I am to see him relaxed and content.

He was so scared when he moved in, he hissed and growled every time I walked in to the room.

He spent a couple of weeks in my bathroom, I started by feeding him babyfood to get him to come close to me and after a while he was happy just to have the company.

He very quickly responded to touch, he was almost immediately soothed by petting once I got past his hissing.

Then he just really wanted to play.

The tub became his safe room where he could play with his toys, I could move the laser pointer and the cat dancer and throw him his ball. After a while he would come over and want to be petted in there too.

Once we cleared up his worms, earmites and he finished his antibiotics for a URI,

he was ready to move out of the bathroom and interact with my cats.

Blogspot was not cooperating much over the past couple of weeks, so if you want to see more pics or see videos of him wrestling with Eko and Tigra go to my flickr page or youtube and search for nyseiler.

Scotty was a stray that was turned in to ACC. He was a very scared little guy and he received a behavior rating of "moderate". This means he was not allowed into adoptions and just sat in a cage collecting germs until he had a URI. Then he was sick and made his way to the euth list.

He was rescued and was adopted with his friend Sammy, but shortly after he was returned because he was "not friendly".

He had a rough start and no-one really gave him much of a chance.

So every day that he trusts me a little more is a success.

He is a loving, sweet kitten that loves to play with my cats and now loves snuggling.

Hopefully soon he can charm someone else that will love him and give him a forever home.

Scotty Day 3

2010-03-21T20:06:00.013-04:00

Scotty is doing great. He still has a long way to go, but he is really coming around. He even looks happier. His eyes are all the way open instead of squinted in fear.

I spend a few hours a day in the bathroom with him. Here I am sitting on the floor studying and minding my own business. I put my foot next to him to see how he would do and he is not fearful at all of feet! He actually wrappped his paws around my foot and snuggled up for a little cat nap. Here he is stretching when he woke.
He still hisses at me when I walk in the door and hisses and jumps and/or growls when I reach for him. But it's just for a second, once he sniffs my hand or I get my hands around him and pick him up he stops. He is still a little stiff on my lap, but he is getting more mushy by the day.

Here he is on my lap. You will notice if I put out my hand he will move toward it and rub his head on it. That makes me so happy, seeing him seek out affection like that!

Blogger can not seem to upload this vid. Please see my flickr page here:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/30644300@N05/4452609332

And he is such a playful little kitten!

He really loves his toys and he clearly had a good time with the toilet paper!

Sweet dreams little guy!

My new foster Scotty

2010-03-19T19:57:00.005-04:00

Scotty was rescued from the euthanasia list at the NYC shelter, ACC. The lovely woman that rescued him needed a little help as Scotty is a very scared kitty and needs some socialization. Here he is shortly after he moved into my bathroom.

I had made him a nice, soft, snuggly bed with a snuggle safe warming disc, but he decided to hide behind the sink on the cold floor where he felt more safe. I was able to get some blankets around him and eventually cover him up with one.
So that's how he stayed for his first night with me.
He cried a little around 3 am, so I went in and brought him a heating pad (thanks Kim). It's one of those that automatically turn off after 2 hours, so I left it on for him for the rest of the night. Not a peep out of him, other than the noise of his toys, for the rest of the night.

He plays a lot in there when he is alone, I can hear all his toys. When I come in and he is not in his safe little corner he runs and hides behind the toilet and gets VERY upset!

While he was "distracted" behind the toilet, I blocked off the area behind the sink's pedestal so he would have to interact a little more. Next step is to block off the area behind the toilet!
So now we begin starting to make friends, which means feeding him while I am in the room.
I started off bribing him with some baby food, AKA kitty crack.

I put a little of the baby food on top of his wet food and he came right out to eat. He is a good eater! I was pretty close to him and he did great.

Once he had a full belly, I petted him until he fell asleep.

He purrs like crazy and has the cutest pigeon coo!

Cross your paws for Scotty:)

He could use some happy kitty thoughts!

Lucas is missing

2009-11-10T14:15:00.007-05:00

As most of you have heard,

little Lucas went missing on October 31.

Zohar and his family are very distressed as are his loyal customers.

GP residents, please keep an eye out and note his has a small tuft of white on his chest.

He was wearing his collar with his name, number and address.

Anyone with information should please contact

Zohar at Pets on the Run

718-389-0650

989 Manhattan Ave

between Huron St. and India St.

Brooklyn, NY. 11222

Everyone loved little Lucas, the Pets on the Run manager! He greeted people, followed them around the store helping to find whatever they were looking for, allowed them to pick him up for a snuggle, and was just plain cute to look at!

After reading Heather's post, http://www.newyorkshitty.com/index.php?s=lucas, seeing it on Gothamist and then talking to Eva, I realize this is not as rare as I had thought. Look for an upcoming article by Will Yakowicz in the Brooklyn Paper about the catnappings taking place in Greenpoint.

We all miss Lucas and hope he finds his way home or if he was cat napped, I beg this person to return him to his owner. Zohar cares for him dearly and misses him terribly. If you refuse to return him please at least let him know he is ok. There are countless homeless cats and kittens roaming the streets, flooding the city shelter and overwhelming rescuers all over NYC. More than 15,000 cats were euthanized by NYC Animal Care and Control just last year and many more cats and kittens are suffering and dying out on the streets. Please, consider taking in a cat that needs a home rather than keeping Lucas who already has a safe, loving home.

For all of you Lucas lovers out there that miss this little guy and have followed his story or watched him grow from orphan at the city shelter, ACC, to pet store manager at Pets on the Run, here is a little walk down memory lane. We all miss you little Lucas. We are waiting for you to return.

This is the firs day baby Lucas met his new daddy, Zohar. He was too small for the store so stayed with me for a little while. He also spent a couple of weeks with Eva Prokop.

After the devastating loss of Zohar's long time friend and store companion, the first Lucas, this was an emotional visit with his new friend.

This is Lucas the day I picked him up from Animal Care and Control.

We are in the car and on our way home! Baby Lucas

And here he is! Little Lucas!

Finally able to use those legs like a big kitty!

This was Lucas' bed.

Ever since Lucas was a baby he was very content. It was very funny because he would get tired in my house and just walk in to my room and lay down in HIS bed for a nap.

These 3 photos by Eva Prokop are absolutely adorable!

They are pics of Lucas' first bath!

Then he was finally big enough to go home!

All vaccinations, neutered and healthy!

He jumped right in and started running the store from the boss' chair!

Taking inventory and stocking shelves!

He was even kind enough to take a break when I would visit to give me some snuggles!

He was the store greeter too!

He welcomed all who came to shop!

Lucas

Avon finds a home!

2009-11-09T09:52:00.003-05:00

Little Avon finds a home!

Here he is testing his new dad's shoulders, nice and sturdy!

Avon thanked Muddy Paws and said goodbye to his brother's mama.
And stops to play with a pen...

Then its time to say goodbye to his foster mama, thanks mom!

She told him to behave in his new home and be nice to his new feline sibling...

This was his response. I'm pretty sure I heard a "Hmph" in there somewhere!

Now it is Gracie's turn!

Meet Grace Jones! Spayed, vaccinated, FIV/FELV negative, healthy and sugar sweet!

Ready to find a forever home!

Here is a little more about Grace:

Grace Jones magically appeared in the midst of a feral cat conoly in Greenpoint Brooklyn. She was tiny, feisty and very close to being seriously dehydrated in the summer heat. She also seemed to have been shaved or singed, leaving all her fur and whiskers short and bristly. It was very odd because the fur on her underside was soft and normal. We'll never know what happened to her, but she has grown into a beautiful and sweet little panther! We named her Grace Jones after the famously flat-topped performer from the disco days!

If you are interested in adopting Grace, contact northbkcats@gmail.com

AWE! Such love!

2009-10-31T16:56:00.005-04:00

With Kate/Lakshmi, Sawyer, Lee/Duncan and Dharma all adopted, our foster home is taking a break. Eko and Tigra were on the couch with me last night and it was all love and snuggles! So sweet! Enjoy! I took these videos one right after another as they were falling asleep

Eko is totally passed out here, and when Tigra moves he reaches his paws out to get a better grip, without even opening his eyes

Dharma finds a home!

2009-10-25T21:25:00.004-04:00

DHARMA WAS ADOPTED TODAY!

And get this...

Her new mom, Katherine, is a friend of Dharma's brother Duncan's mom, Anne!

Dharma and Duncan (AKA Lee) will be living within a couple of blocks of each other!

Here is Dharma settling in. She LOVES that blanket she is laying on! As soon as she layed on that blanket the paws started kneading and the purr motor started going!

So Dharma has a mom, a dad AND a big brother!!!

This handsome devil is Mack! Here he is sniffing Dharma's blanket.

Is he a cutie or what?! He is very cool and has the softest fur!
I got an update from Katherine tonight and she says Dharma is doing great!
She and mom are snuggling up on the couch!
We miss you Dharma!
Love and kisses to you and best of luck to you and your new family!

A few of my favorite things!

2009-10-25T00:04:00.006-04:00

Dharma is a happy little girl. Here are a few of her favorite things!

Cat Hammocks!

Cat Naps!

Cat Dancers!

Cat Dancers attached to Cat Trees!

Cat Nip Cigars!

Hanging upside down!

FOOD!!!

Friends!

Playing!

And her absolute favorite thing, though I do not have any pictures because I just don't want to move when she does it, is SNUGGLING! I call her a slinky because she is always draped across me. Either across my chest, my neck, my arm, my leg, whatever! And if I am on the laptop (like now) she is curled up next to me flush against my leg (like now)! This litter of kittens had some serious snuggle time with mama and it has really stuck with them. All four of them have been cuddle junkies!

UPDATE!

2009-10-20T21:14:00.006-04:00

Duncan, formerly known as Lee, has settled in to his new home! His new mom and dad sent me an update AND SOME PICS!!!

Here they are, Duncan and his beautiful little sis Maebe!

Their mom told me they are best friends now! They play fight all day and night and nap together now and then. She also told me they are all in love with Duncan (Dunks for short)!

This is my favorite pic! Look at them plotting and scheming!

Just think of the shenanigans these two are pulling!

So sweet and cute! Another happy ending!

Lee goes home and Dharma moves in!

2009-10-18T22:17:00.007-04:00

Lee went to his new home yesterday!

This is his beautiful new sis!

I could not get a pic of Lee at the new place because he was VERY busy checking out the new place! He was just walking around sniffing his little heart out! So here are a couple of pics you have all seen before, but I had to put something up!

Here is Lee the first day I found him!

And here he is at 4 mos old. Awwwwe!

I got a text from his new mom letting me know all is fine. His sis is givin the hiss, but he is showing absolutely no concern, that is just sooo Lee.

Good luck Lee!

Luck and Love from your foster mama and foster cats Eko and Tigra!

Enter Dharma, Lee's sister...

Dharma was in a foster home with a neighbor, but now that Lee is adopted she has moved in with us. But first, Kitten Adoption Day at Muddy Paws in Williamsburg!
We were a little early today, so Dharma was hanging out in the hammock snug as a bug.

Then we were joined by Gracie, Stringer, Avon and a special guest, the Halloween Scary Black Cat with Glowing red eyes! Scary!

My pic of Gracie today was terrible, so I stole one off her foster mom's flickr page!

She is still available for adoption.

Stringer (left) and Avon (right) are both adopted! Stringer went home with his new mom (and dog) tonight and Avon goes home tomorrow night! Here is the brothers' last snuggle together!

Dharma did ok in the crate, but her favorite place to be was curled up in my sweater.

Stringer's new mom works at Muddy Paws and was introducing Stringer to her dog, Charlie!

This dog is amazing, he is just too cool!

Check out the patience in this pup!

Half way through the event Dharma was given a little present filled with catnip!

WEEEEEE!!!

No luck for Dharma at the event today:(

Someone was interested and took an application for her, but we will have to wait and see if she contacts us to follow through. We will keep our paws are crossed!

For now Dharma will live with me, Eko and Tigra.

Here is Tigra getting a look at the new foster...

Dharma is doing all the hissing and growling, believe it or not! Eko and Tigra are doing pretty well. It will take a few days, but I'm sure all will be getting along just fine soon enough.

Dharma had a few complaints about being in a crate, but she soon chilled out.

Here is her little set up, plenty of room.

Ahhh, long day!

The Little Stinker!

2009-10-12T21:39:00.003-04:00

I love this little guy.

He is such a stinker.

He is the absolute sweetest baby one minute,

and then WHAM he is a total wild man!

Look at him wrestling with Eko.

Eko is more than 3 times his size and lee has NO FEAR!!!

And...HE IS GOING TO HIS NEW HOME ON SATURDAY!!!

I will miss this little guy.

Lee and Dharma go to an adoption event

2009-10-11T21:29:00.004-04:00

Today was "Kitten Adoption Day" at Muddy Paws in Williamsburg. Lee and Dharma were troopers! They took the subway there and everything!

Muddy Paws, 447 Graham Avenue, 5 kittens looking for a home
Lee and Dharma were a little nervous at first

Lee had some objections to being in the crate

But they settled in and did really well

The other kittens are...

Grace - 4 months

Kofte - Male - 6 months

Avon - Male - 2 months

All of these kittens are very sweet and are looking for a new forever home.

Lee may have found his today!

A lovely couple put an application in for him and they have a feline playmate at home waiting for a new friend!

Cross your fingers!

LAUNDRY DAY!

2009-10-09T21:13:00.004-04:00

What is it about clean laundry that makes a kitty say "Ahhh"?

Lee's sister Kate/Lakshmi certainly loved a clean pile of laundry

Tigra too!

"Sniff, mmmm, ahhhhh, right out of the dryer"

Of course if I was sitting next to the laundry it was even better!

Get a little closer...Don't be shy...

He is totally curled up around by back AND on top of the laundry!

Too cute!

Well, I think so. Tigra is seldom impressed with "cute" fosters,

but you can interpret that look on her face yourself.

Bliss

Check out the little tongue hanging out

You know Kim, you may be right!

My friend Kim thinks Dharma and Lee may have orchestrated the whole injured paw thing so they could become house cats. Hmmmmm.

Lee and Dharma

2009-10-07T22:33:00.005-04:00

Lee and Dharma were living in a warehouse with their mom and a couple of other cats. They were doing very well until one day I went to check on them and found Lee had burned his paws. Sll 4 were burned, but the back left paw was the worst and it was infected. The vet informed me his paw pads will probably eventually fall off and he will grow new ones. Until then, he is on antibiotics and I soak his paws every night and apply ointment (which he hates). So, no more warehouse for Lee and I did not feel comfortable leaving Dharma there without him so my neighbor is fostering her. We are hoping they will be adopted together.

I don't have the heart to leave that cone on all the time, so I just put it on for an hour or two after his paw soak. You would not know he has an injury. He is so happy and playful and a total snuggle monster.

This little guy (and his sis is the same) is super socialized and loves to snuggle.

He is always on my lap or my chest and if he is not laying on me he is laying next to me.

Dharma is the same way! She is staying with a neighbor, Mildred. Mildred's grandson, Steven, runs straight upstairs after school to spend the afternoon with her. She eats it up! Here they are watching some tv!
And just like Lee, if she is not draped across you, she is next to you She is such a pretty little girl

Here are some more pics of her in her new foster home

Adopted! Kate has a forever home and a new name, Lakshmi!

2009-10-04T09:40:00.006-04:00

Lakshmi was adopted last week!

Here she is in her new home snuggling up with mama!

Here is a quote from her new mama, "We changed Kate's name to Lakshmi. Lakshmi is the name of a Hindu Goddess who brings wealth and prosperity to all. We thought this name would suit Kate because she's already brought a lot of happiness to us. She is doing really well. She loves running around the apartment. She has a new scratching post that she can scratch and climb on. She likes to look out the window. She squeaks sometimes...she also has a very very soft meow. She seems very content. I'm so glad she's adjusted well. She also likes to sit on us while we watch tv."

Here are some more pics from Lakshmi's mama, Dimple. Enjoy!

Returned :(

2009-09-08T20:53:00.003-04:00

Kate is back! It was not working out with the cat in her new home. Her adopter called to tell me Kate was hiding under the bed because the cat was going after her a lot and was not adjusting well. So I went to get her. I waited at the front door while the woman went to get her and I heard Kate crying. She opened the door, handed her over and off we went.

Here she is in the car when I first took her out to say hello.

She calmed down right away and started purring and kneading!

This is adorable. I ask her if she is ready to go home and she said...

Kate was very content and fell asleep for the long ride home from East Rockaway.

Eko and Tigra were just getting used to having the apartment back to themselves. Tigra was especially happy of course.

When we got home Tigra and Eko were very well behaved! They had a welcome home, reuninon treat together in the kitchen.

Look at that cute little diamond on the back of Kate's neck.

Papa Eko gave Kate some welcome home kisses.

Then Kate had a little nap :)

We will try to find a new adopter soon.

Until then, welcome home Kate!

Adopted!

2009-09-06T19:51:00.003-04:00

Kate was adopted by a lovely woman with another cat on Friday and Sawyer was adopted by a nice man with another cat today! I have heard from them both and they report that everyone is doing well!

I am looking forward to some pics of them in their new homes. For now here are some of my favs!

READY, SET, HOME!

2009-08-31T20:30:00.005-04:00

Kate and Sawyer are ready for their new home! Both tested negative for both FIV and FELV! They have had all 3 of their FVRCP shots, rabies vax and of course have already been spayed and neutered! So now we just need to find the perfect, loving home!

I accidentally posted their last update on my TNR blog, oops! You can check it out here...http://forcatssake.blogspot.com/2009/08/sleepy-times-and-more-papa-cat.html

Anyhoo, they are doing great and could not be any sweeter (or cuter)!

For example, look at this handsome little devil! Sawyer is a little lover boy! OMG this guy just wants to snuggle 24/7! Every time I sit down he comes running over to curl up in my lap. And then it is kneading time! I get kitty massages every day!

And little Kate! She is just a smart, curious, little sugar girl! She is the explorer!

She's a snuggly little thing too! She snuggles up for naps and gives massages! They sleep with me at night and when they curl up, they can not get any closer!

But, as usual, Eko is getting the most snuggles!

What a great nanny! Look closely, they are holding paws!

Um, even Tigra is giving in! I busted her grooming Kate the other day and she plays tag with them all the time! And look at her trying to act like she is not playing with Sawyer...

Photo Shoot!

2009-08-10T19:33:00.006-04:00

Ladies first - This is Kate!

Look at that belly!
Streeeetch!

Curling up and crossing paws

Nighty-Night

Sawyer's turn!

Check out those swirls!

Snuggles

Peek-a-boo and a big fat belly!

Cutie pie

Sleepy guy

Kittens vs the Feather

2009-08-10T19:24:00.002-04:00

Feather on lock

Studying, planning, plotting
ATTACK!

Victory!

By the way, Tigra is still unimpressed, however she is finding them entertaining.

Settling in

2009-08-09T21:32:00.004-04:00

Wrestlemania in the kitchen!

Kate checks out the new scratcher
Eko also checks out the scratcher, eh-hem, you are a little big for that big guy ;)
The scratcher came with catnip, looks like Kate loves catnip!

Kate curls up in my purse.

Kate and Sawyer

2009-08-09T18:51:00.009-04:00

Kate and Sawyer are my new foster babies. Kate has the white pedicure!

They are from a TNR project I did in LIC. Their mom and 2 siblings are living in a warehouse and I will find these 2 homes. To see more on this TNR project go to http://forcatssake.blogspot.com/. This is their first day in my apartment. Play time with the cat dancer.

Sawyer jumping for the cat dancer.
Kate was really going for it!
Yep, those are Kate's paws mid back flip!

She's a beast!

Grrrr!

Well, all 2 lbs of her got worn out. Nappy time!

Please note the crossed paws! Sooo cute!

Just for fun, here are some cat dancer play videos. Enjoy!

Straw Berry

2009-08-01T18:06:00.003-04:00

Here is a cutie pie my friend, Eva, is fostering. This kitten was rated "severe" by the NYCACC. They don't get much of a chance, he is a sugar sweet, snuggle bug now!

Lucas Visit!

2009-08-01T18:03:00.002-04:00

Look how big he is! And so happy and healthy!

Lucas is so big!

2009-07-06T22:42:00.003-04:00

I love going to visit Lucas! He is so happy in his home and is always so happy to have visitors! Look how big he is!

I walked in the store and said "LUUUCAAAS" and Zohar (his daddy) said he was sleeping. But Lucas woke up and walked right over to me for a snuggle and some serious purring! Love him! And look at his new fancy collar!

Lucas doing just fine!

2009-06-05T18:32:00.007-04:00

I went by the store to see how the little guy was doing, and found one happy kitty! He is totally managing the store!

Look at this guy! He totally has the run of the store and just loves his new home!

He showed me around his new digs and showed me some of his hiding places.

Look at this guy! He thinks he owns the place! At one point, a customer walked in and Lucas walked right over to him to greet him! The guy said "Oh how cute" and bent over to pick him up, kissed him right on the face and put him back down! Zohar, his dad, says he was doing great as of day 1! He greets everyone that walks in, watches movies behind the counter with dad, naps on Zohar's lap, and runs around the store like crazy playing all the time! Check him out testing a new toy!

I was so happy to see him happy! What a happy ending to a sad beginning!

Lucas goes to his new home.

2009-05-31T21:18:00.001-04:00

Today was the day. It was so hard to pack him up knowing he was leaving my home for good. But off we went after a goodbye sniff from my cats Eko and Tigra. We decided to stop for coffee with friends first. Such a beautiful day.

(This pic by Eva Prokop) and bring him to his new home.

(This pic by Eva Prokop) pitching in taking inventory (of cat food of course). He was doing ok, just a little worried and confused. His new daddy, Zohar, came over to give him a snuggle and show him around his new digs! I checked on Lucas later in the day and it looked like he was being spoiled rotten! I love it! If you want to go by to meet Lucas just head over to Greenpoint. Lucas is the new manager of Pets on the Run at 989 Manhattan Avenue between Huron and India.
Best of luck to you sweet little guy! See you soon.

Angel and Demon

2009-05-21T17:07:00.000-04:00

Oh Little Lucas, how cute you are when you are sleeping. This little guy knows where his bed is and walks right over to it to go to sleep no problem. The most content kitten I have ever met. This is Lucas the Angel.

And this is our little Demon in action. Eko is constantly trying to give him a bath and a snuggle. Lucas just wants to wrestle! It amazes me he never learns. If you mess with the cat, you get the fangs! Or at least the paws! I love when Eko tosses him like a bean bag, haha.

Suckling

2009-05-20T06:51:00.000-04:00

Lucas may be a big boy at 2.5 months, but as you can see he still sucks on his favorite blankie (my robe) before beddie-bye...

Lucas took one on the forehead from, I assume, one of my other cats. When I treat this little bump, he just HATES it. The patch of missing hair is just a botch job from the vet's office - no ringworm! Anyway, after I treat the bump on his head, he goes straight to his little bed and sooths himself with a suckle!

Lucas is getting big!

2009-05-17T21:29:00.000-04:00

Lucas is now 2.5 months! He has had another visit with his future dad and is still hanging out with his foster cats, Eko and Tigra. He will stay with us until he is big enough to get the rest of his shots and be neutered. Here he is napping with his foster human.
His favorite thing to do is play tag with Tigra. Forgive me for not catching that on video yet, it is so cute. He also LOVES to wrestle! He goes from Eko to Tigra, to Eko to Tigra pouncing on them and wrestling every chance he gets. Here he is wrestling with Eko.

Eko, his foster papa, just wants to give him a bath! He has been trying for over a month! Here he is FINALLY getting a few licks in!

How to give a kitten a bath! Pics provided by Eva Prokop

2009-04-18T09:35:00.003-04:00

Little Lucas is still learning how to navigate the litter box. At this early stage, well, poop happens. He stepped in it and was a stinky little guy. So he got a bath! When bathing a kitten you can use a shampoo made for small kittens, a gentle soap such as Cetaphyl or I usually go with Dawn.

Use a face towel to wipe them down. You don't need to lather them up, just gently wipe them down and rinse. Always wipe their face with the wet towel, never pour water over their head. Watch them like a hawk, it is hard for them to stay on their feet in water. They are also very curious and will dip their face in the water if you are not careful.

Finally, you want to always keep them warm. I use 2 towels. The first gets soaked quickly, so then you can move them to the second towel. Never let the kitten go until they are completely dry. I use a hair dryer on low heat and low speed. Keep the dryer in constant movement so it never sits on any one part of their body to avoid burns. And voila! You have a wonderful and fresh smelling kitten!

Kara Update!

2009-04-18T08:53:00.000-04:00

Kara and her big sis Hazel!

Zohar and Lucas

2009-04-03T09:10:00.000-04:00

A week ago, we had an unfortunate event on the ASPCA van. My friend, Eva, and I had brought Zohar's cat, Lucas, to be neutered. Zohar owns a pet store on Manhattan Avenue in Greenpoint called "Pets on the run". Zohar loved his cat Lucas and has Lucas' brother, mother, father and grandfather at home. Lucas died after receiving the anesthesia. When we told Zohar he was very distressed. After speaking with Zohar at length and staying with him as he said over and over "why", "how" and "I just can't believe he is gone", he asked if we could find a new kitten for him to be his new Lucas. One that looked just like him, and Eva came through! Here he is...

Meet new baby Lucas. He is 4 weeks old and will be fostered by Eva and me until he is a little older and can get his shots and be neutered. He is absolutely adorable and one of the best snugglers I have ever encountered.

Here he is on his first visit with his new daddy.

Baby Lucas was a stray at ACC and in search of a new home. We are happy to know he will be loved and well taken care of for the rest of his long life!

Here he is on his way home with me from ACC.

I had him his first night and he came to the office with me the next day. Look how cute he is playing!

I am in Miami for the weekend, so Eva is his current foster mommy! She is taking great care of him and says his new daddy came by for a play date! Surely she will have pics to add soon!

Zohar, we are so sorry for your loss. We know nothing can replace your Lucas, but we hope baby Lucas can help to fill that void and become your new best friend.

Kara in her new home, with her big sis!

2009-03-31T10:02:00.001-04:00

Kara's new mom sent us videos of Kara playing with her big sis, Hazel!

I love it! They look so happy! Thank you Alyssa!

Kara was adopted!

2009-03-12T06:41:00.000-04:00

It was a happy day and a sad day saying goodbye to little Kara. We are so happy for her as she is going to such a lovely new family! We all said our tearful goodbyes to Kara and sent her on her way to her new home.

First she and my cats had their final meal together.

Then my roommate, Brandee, gave her one last goodbye snuggle.

I said my goodbyes and gave her a smooch.

Here she is with her new mama Alyssa! She is great! Kara will have a 7 month old little feline sister at home to play with as well as a Husky! We already have an update from Alyssa! Kara is doing just fine and feeling right at home!

Fun in the sun

2009-03-05T23:36:00.000-05:00

It was a beautiful day in New York today and a lovely day to lounge in the window sill. So that is just what Kara did!
This little cutie is becoming quite a model!
I could take pics of her all day!
This is my favorite!
And of course my roommie had to grab the camera for this one! She climbed up my robe, on to my shoulder and right up on my head!