Tuesday, October 15, 2013

ABANDONED KITTIES NEED LOVING HOMES!



These two kitties were abandoned by their owner. =( So sad. I will never understand how someone can walk away from the pets they supposedly love. Fortunately, a kind-hearted women who lives in the same apartment complex took them in temporarily in order to find them a new home. We are sharing these cats in hopes that a caring cat lover can provide them with a safe forever home. They are NOT in our care, so all information regarding these cats is secondhand. Here's what I was told:

They are older cats (8-12 yrs est).
Grey Cat is DLH (domestic long-hair) and White Cat is DSH (domestic short-hair).
Both are presumed to be males and fixed. Medical history unknown.
Names are unknown so we will refer to them as White Cat and Grey Cat.

Grey Cat is the playful one. He likes toys, likes to follow people around, and is a great lap cat. He is a bit of a neat freak and requires a very clean litter box. He is good with other cats and children.

White Cat is the independent one. He isn't as socially needy as Grey Cat, and prefers a quiet atmosphere to relax and do his own thing. He would make a great pet for someone looking for a quiet, calm companion animal, perhaps someone who is older or single with no kids. He would not be suitable for a home with small children as he does not respond well to them (nips). He also does not like to be picked up much or touched around his paws.

There is no set adoption fee but we will require an adoption application. If you are interested in adopting or would like to know more, please email havenhousecats@aol.com. Thanks!







Friday, February 15, 2013

Black Cat Bash Photos

 
As usual, we had a blast raising money for the rescue kitties! 
 
Thanks to everyone who came out to support us!
 








Monday, October 22, 2012

BLACK CAT BASH
 
  • 9:00pm until 12:00am


  • Vinny's Sports Bar and Patio located at 2704 Clinton Street West Seneca, 14224.



  • Come in costume and party with us at our 1st annual Black Cat Bash!Tickets are $20 and can be purchased in advance or at the door, contact us to buy in advance. Ticket includes 3 hours All-U-Can-Drink draft and well drinks, food, and entry into our costume contest. There will be prizes for best costumes, up to $100 value. We will also have 50/50 raffles, a theme basket raffle, and pool tournaments. This is a 21 and older event with proper ID required.

    All proceeds benefit Haven House Cats rescue....


    PLEASE NOTE: An entry ticket is not required to attend this event, it IS required for food and open bar for 3 hours. For those not purchasing an entry ticket, drinks will be at your own cost and costume contest entry fee will be $5. 50/50 and basket raffle tickets will be sold separate from entry tickets.

    A Special Thank you to our Sponsors: Salvatores Italian Gardens, Buffalo Bills, Buffalo Sabres, Buffalo Bisons, Buffalo Bandits, Darien Lake, Niagara Climbing Center, Anderson's, Pamela Lanich Photography, Russell's & Salvatore's Grand Hotel, & Bounce Magic.


  • Thursday, September 13, 2012

    Adoption Events for September 2012



    Saturday, September 15th, 10 am- 2 pm

    Tractor Supply
    4484 Southwestern Blvd.
    Hamburg, N.Y. 14075

    Come meet Pipsqueak, Fiona, Penny, and Prada.  Four sweet, furry, felines that will steal your heart, and fill your home with love! Learn more about Haven Houses Mission and how you can join our efforts in "Saving the world, one kitty at a time"!!




    Saturday, September 22nd, 11 am- 2 pm

    Pet Supplies Plus
    3984 Seneca Street
    West Seneca, N.Y. 14224

    and

    Saturday, September 29th, 11 am- 2 pm

    Pet Supplies Plus
    3984 Seneca Street
    West Seneca, N.Y. 14224


    Stop by and see us while you shop. Meet and greet our adoptable kitties, Lovebug, Suzie, Fiona, Prada, and Pipsqueak, and help support our cause. Items for sale include magnets, cat toys, books, etc. If adoption isnt an option, there are other ways you can make their day!










    Monday, September 3, 2012

    URGENT: Little Grungy Is Very Ill!

    9/1/12 This is Little Grungy, one of three kittens we took in about a week ago. In the past 24 hours, Little Grungy went from a fluffy ball of energy to lethargic, weak, and listless. We just rushed her to the emergency vet and the prognosis is really bad. We are so deperate to save this little girl. She is experiencing neurological symptoms and dehydration, along with a fever of 104.5. So far we have gotten her sub-q fluids, antibiotics and a steroid injection but she needs testing to find out what is causing this. The quote we received is almost $2000, which we don't have! Please help us save her! I love this little girl and I couldn't stand to see her die. If you can help save Little Grungy's life, donations can be sent to our paypal at havenhousecats@aol.com. PLEASE DONATE, SHARE, SPREAD THE WORD! THIS BABY NEEDS OUR HELP!!!!!



    Please help us save Little Grungy, a 10 week old kitten. She is very ill and needs testing to determine what is wrong. This is the quote we received for her care. We need to raise most of this in order to proceed with testing and treatment! 



    9/2/12  Update: Grungy is still with us. I honestly thought she was going to die last night. She was so limp and lifeless, so weak she couldn't even hold her head up to look at me. I spent the entire night holding her, giving fluids and trying to get her to eat. Force fed some A/D and gave her the Clavamox prescribed by the vet. Today she actually ate a little bit on her own (with me holding her head up) and then the craziest thing happened. I was massaging her legs and trying to get her to stand and she actually did, all on her own and took a few steps! I am so happy for her, it's progress however small. Now it's off to work and tend to the other cats, then back to the emergency vet later because our generous supporters helped us raise an amazing $800 which is enough for more IV fluids and blood work so we can find out what we are dealing with here! Thank you all for your support and generosity. I will keep you all posted on her progress.
     
    9/2 The generosity of our friends is overwhelming! Thank you to Lauraine Griffin, Joanna March, Adrienne Trzcinski, Rosann Trzcinski, Sara Etten, Zoe Rolt, and Lucy Bradford for donating to help save Little Grungy's life! We now have almost $1100 which should cover most of what she will need and may even help pay for her 2 sisters' bloodwork. We need to make sure that whatever this is isn't going to affect all of them. Little Lottie and Cinderella are doing well so far, no signs of this illness so we are very happy about that. Fingers, toes and paws crossed that they remain healthy and Little Grungy fully recovers!
     


    9/3 Update: Little Grungy Update: So I am pleased to announce that Little Grungy is eating dry food all on her own!!! She is holding her head up right now and remains alert and responsive. She has been sleeping a lot, stil can't get in the litter box, and is having trouble standing/walking. I have noticed that when I rub her belly she flails her rear legs but her front legs don't move at all. I'm wondering if she is going to be paralyzed in her front legs, if perhaps that is why she can't stand. I will be calling our vet first thing tomorrow to get her and her sisters in for testing. We will still be accepting donations because I know it's going to be a long, expensive road to recovery for this little girl. You can make donations via paypal to havenhousecats@aol.com or call our vet directly to donate over the phone: All Creatures Animal Hospital at 716-636-3600. Make sure you tell them you are donating to Haven House Cats.
     
    9/4 Update:  As of an hour ago, Little Grungy is walking better and actually used the litter box, but she has some bleeding around her one eye. And now her sister, Cinderella, has a fever of 104.2 and is acting very lethargic like Grungy was the first day of illness. So I am currently on my way to the vet with all 3 kittens. This is probably going to cost more now since Cinderella is having symptoms, im afraid little lottie will too. Donations can still be made directly to our vet by calling All Creatures at 716 636 3600. Be sure to tell them its for Haven House Cats. Thank you so much!
     
    Later...

    Just got back from the vet. Still not sure what illness we are dealing with, bloodwork will hopefully confirm but results won't come back for a few days. Our vet said it could be any number of things including toxoplasmosis, a severe URI that affects the inner ear, or FIP, but we aren't sure yet. Cinderella was given sub-q fluids and is now on Clavamox and Metacam, along with Grungy. They both curled up in the kitty bed together, exhausted from the vet visit.


     
    Cinderella (left) and Grungy

    9/5/12 Update: Little Grungy is walking, eating, drinking and using the litter box all on her own! She is still very wobbly when she walks so perhaps some of the neurological symptoms are going to be permanent. She's still under the weather with cold-like symptoms, sleeping a lot, uninterested in playing. Cinderella's temperature is gone, she has been sleeping quite a bit too but tonight she actually started playing with her healthy sister, Little Lottie. Little Lottie has not shown any signs of this virus, thankfully. We did not hear back from the vet today regarding the bloodwork so we still do not know what disease we are dealing with. These kittens have been kept very isolated from the other kitties in the house so hopefully it's nothing that can travel through walls, doors or floors. =/ Fingers crossed for some good news from the vet this week!

    9/9/12 Update: We are still unsure what caused the kittens to get so sick.  Every single test has either been negative or inconclusive!  All kittens are FIV/FeLV negative, fecals were negative, bloodwork inconclusive.  The vet has ruled out the scary things, and none of the other kitties in the house have experienced any symptoms so hopefully we will get Cinderella and Grungy better and be done with it!  Little Grungy is doing a lot better. She has been walking around and playing with her siblings, eating well, drinking and using the litter box with very little trouble, although she is still a bit wobbly on her feet.  But for the most part the neurological symptoms are subsiding quite amazingly and I truly believe she will completely recover without any permanent damage. 


    9/20/12 Update: Grungy and her sisters made a complete recovery.  Little Grungy is walking perfectly on her own, playing, eating and drinking independently.  She's back to being the energetic ball of fur that she was before she fell ill.  She has no permanent damage and there is no indication that she was ever sick!  We are so happy for her.  We never found out exactly what the virus was that caused such a dramatic, scary experience but the vet is confident that it was not FIP, distemper, FIV, FeLV, or toxoplasma.  We are pretty sure it is gone and none of the other cats in foster care have come down with any symptoms.  Thank you to everyone who generously donated to help save these babies.  We are working on finding them forever homes now!


    1/11/13 Update:  As of today, all three kittens have found their forever homes!  We are so happy for them.  Little Grungy (whose name is now Talleigh in her forever home) was the last to go as came down with a mild cold early in December and then again after her spay.  She will always be susceptible to colds as she has a weakened immune system.  But lucky for her she has an INCREDIBLY understanding new mom who will do anything to keep her healthy!  I love a happy ending!







    Tuesday, August 21, 2012

    The Importance of Foster Volunteers

    One of the biggest frustrations in animal rescue is having to turn needy animals away.  Each day we receive AT LEAST one call or email from someone looking to surrender a cat or a litter of kittens.  There are lots of stories: "stray cat has been living on my porch; found a litter of kittens in the backyard; my mother was sent to a nursing home and we need to surrender her two 11 year old cats; we are moving and the landlord doesn't allow cats"; etc etc.  While we would love to say yes to them all (and trust me, we would if we could!) it's just not possible!  Let me explain why.

    Haven House Cats is a rescue group. What does that mean exactly?  It means this: we are a small group of cat-loving volunteers who one day decided to devote our time and energy to saving cats.  We do not have a shelter; all the cats we take into the rescue have to be placed into a foster home where they will be cared for by a volunteer until adopted.  We are always low on foster homes; foster volunteers are difficult to find. Many foster volunteers sign on for short periods of time, some adopt and can no longer foster, some quit due to life changes such as moving, having a baby, illness, injury, etc.  If we do not have a foster home willing to take in a cat or litter of kittens, we cannot accept those cats into the rescue. We need someone to care for them and if no one accepts that role, our hands are tied.  Many times my husband and I find ourselves overburdened with foster cats in our own home due to foster volunteers quitting, or on the rare occasion that an adopted cat is returned.  When a foster quits and another cannot be found, those foster cats have to return to our house whether we have room or not.  It isn't in the cats' best interest to be jam-packed into a foster home.  One volunteer can only give so much attention to each cat on a daily basis when there are too many of them to keep up with.  What is best for the cats ins't always possible though if volunteers aren't willing to step up and help foster.  When we are short on volunteers and most of the cats are at our central foster home (aka mine & my husband's house), their health, safety and basic needs are the biggest priority.  Feedings, cleaning, and preventative care take up the majority of my free time.   When we have as many animals living under one roof as we do (anywhere from 15-30, depending on our foster volunteers), it is EXTREMELY important to keep everything clean.  Sanitary living conditions are a must in order to prevent the spread of illness.  Each day I scrub litterboxes, scoop them 2-3 times, change food dishes, sweep & mop the entire house, and sanitize all surfaces (cats get on top of everything!).  Sometimes there are cages to clean, flea treatments to apply, medications to administer and nails to cut.  It's not an easy job and the more cats we have here due to a lack of foster volunteers, the bigger the mess!  And keep in mind that this work is on top of working my paying jobs, keeping up with rescue paperwork/websites, and my personal life.

    So why are foster volunteers important?  The biggest reason is that fosters save lives!  How?  Without fosters we cannot help cats.  If we are contacted by someone who found a stray or needs to surrender their cat for whatever reason, we need a safe place for the cat to go.  The cat needs shelter, food, water, vetting, and love.  If we have the money for vetting but no safe haven for the cat, how can we help?  Foster volunteers are heros.  They care for and provide love to a cat who may have never experienced it before.  They help socialize shy cats so they have a better chance at being adopted.  They nurse sick cats back to health and better their lives.  When my home is overwhelmed with cats, I am physically unable to provide the attention each cat yearns for.  Trust me I feel horrible about it!  None of the cats is neglected by any means, and I am diligent when it comes to cleanliness and health care.  But when it comes to affection and cuddle time, they want to love on me for hours  but there's just not enough time in a day!  They get pets and hugs, but I know they want more.  This is another reason foster volunteers are so important.  If each cat has a foster mom or dad to love on, they are much happier. I want these cats to be as happy as possible; they truly mean the world to me. 

    Ideally I would love to see each of our adoptable cats/kittens enter foster care so they can get more individual attention.  We have 14 adoptables right now, 10 of which need a foster mom or dad.  Do you think we can find 10 cat-loving individuals who are willing to care for a cat until adopted?  Are you someone like that?  If you can help, please email us today at havenhousecats@aol.com.  We NEED you!  These kitties NEED you! 

    Christina McNeil
    Executive Director






    Wednesday, May 9, 2012

    UPCOMING EVENTS: May 2012

    Saturday May 12th
    Adoption Event at Tractor Supply
    4484 Southwestern Blvd Hamburg 14075
    11-3 pm

    Come out and meet Lovebug, Jasper, Edward, Penny and Suzie Q!  All these kitties are looking for special families to give them forever homes. 

    Sunday May 19th
    Adoption Information Booth & Donation Drive
    Big Lots 5165 Broadway, Depew 14043
    4-7 pm
    We will be selling dog & cat themed items including picture frames, notepads, knick knacks, and more, to raise money for our rescue.  We will also be collecting items from our wislist, such as paper towel, cat food, litter, bleach, etc.  Stop by and make a donation to help save some kitties.

    May 25th, 26th, & 27th
    Wine & Dine for Felines

    Ruby Tuesdays
    3454 McKinley Pkwy, Blasdell 14219
    Present your GiveBack voucher (available at the door) anytime on the listed days and 20% of your bill will be donated to our rescue! So come out for a great meal or just buy some drinks after work, and you will be helping save kitties in Western New York!

    Vouchers can be obtained by mail or email.  email us at havenhousecats@aol.com for your voucher.