Blog 02/17/14 to 02/23/14 

Relocations and In Take

Our Cats after Release

Calls/EMAILS You Don’t Want to Get – 7 Year Old Cat Not Neutered – WHAT?

BMG (Bitch – Moan - Groan) – TCAP Policy Change

OMG (Oh My God) – Leukemia Positive vs FIV Positive Cats

 

Relocations and In Take:   Placed 21 this week with intake at 19.   

4          Barn in New Fairview (Meadow, Sheila, Georgia, Ashes)

6          Workshop in Anna (Monroe, Lucy, Fluffy, Annabelle, Amy, Mazie)

1          Adoption to family in Flower Mound (Simba)

1          Adoption to family in Forney (Evandera)

2          Garage in Morgan (Bizzy, Perry)

2          Barn in Ponder (Harry, Sally)

2          Workshop in New Fairview (Loki, Troy)

3          Bonham Rescue         

Meadow, a black cat, was placed in New Fairview.  The barn owner had just lost one of her personal, indoor cats and was heart-broken!  Meadow warmed right up to her and let her pet and hold her.  AMAZED ME FOR SURE!  Now Meadow is an indoor cat. 

Cats after Release:      Picked up equipment in two locations in Highland Village.    

1.      Highland Village – Frankenkitty – Well – she has MOVED INTO THE HOUSE.  The folks felt sorry for her in the cold garage and moved her inside.  She is now living in the HIGH RENT DISTRICT in a dramatic home overlooking Lewisville Lake – GOOD JOB, FRANKENKITTY!    I want to live there, too.    

2.      Highland Village – Trisha and Tonka were placed here.  Tonka was seen early one morning with a “new friend” roaming the property.  Trisha, however, is hanging close to the barn and doing GREAT.  I will admit I was worried because it has been soooooo cold.  BUT -- they have done very well.  Picture below is Trisha. 

                                                       

Calls/EMAILS You Don’t Want to Get:  7 Year Old Cat not Neutered – NO KIDDING – I got a call from a rescue group that was trying to get me to take a cat that is peeing all over someone’s house BUT is 7 years old but NEVER NEUTERED!  Unbelievable!  Who does that?  People never cease to amaze and disgust me.                                                                                                                                                                                            

BMG:  Texas Coalition for Animal Protection Policy Change

Everyone understands why Barn Cats tests all the cats coming into the program – we are placing our cats on property that might have other cats already there and we do not want to be spreading diseases.  If the cat is being returned to the same property (TNR – Trap/Neuter/Return) then it is not such a serious issue because it is going back to the same location.  SO – all our cats have tested negative for feline leukemia which is contagious.  If positive, they need to be euthanized.  BUT – we do take FIV positive cats.  FIV is passed mom to kitten or by deep wound bite.  AND – if a cat has ever had the vaccine, they will always test positive.  So we take FIV positive cats that are not aggressive.  We recommend TCAP (the spay/neuter clinic in Denton) because it is lower cost and has many satellite locations around North Texas.  BUT NOW they have decided if a cat is tested and is positive for FIV, they will not spay or neuter it.  SO – they send it home so it can impregnate other cats and therefore spread the disease…WHAT?  When a feral comes in, it has to be knocked out to be tested.  If it is positive, they will not sterilize it which means it has to go somewhere else to be spayed or neutered.  This cat is in a trap and should not be re-released because it may not be caught again.  SO WHAT NOW?  You cannot get an immediate appointment with another vet clinic and you cannot keep that cat in a trap forever.  They say it is a liability to sterilize an FIV positive cat – BUT that argument does not “hold water” either.  Not every cat coming in for spay/neuter is tested, so ALL OF THOSE CATS ARE A LIABILITY…but they do not see the difference.  I took a young female from Lewisville Animal Services that had been sterilized at TCAP.  They DID NOT TEST IT but spayed her and gave her all sort of shots.  WELL – she was FELV positive and we euthanized her.  Animal Services wasted their money and TCAP had all that feline leukemia blood on their operating table.  Geez – now I can no longer recommend this clinic and all its other locations.  SORRY TCAP!  Think about the feral population when you make these far-reaching decisions, OK?  

OMG:  Leukemia Positive Cats vs FIV Positive Cats

No one should ever take the chance of a leukemia cat passing the disease on to other cats.  But FIV is not so easily passed (see above).  I talked to someone this week that has an FIV positive cat live for 18 years.  Numerous adoption groups take FIV positive cats and place them into loving indoor homes.  Don’t be afraid of an FIV positive cat.

Thanks for following the Barn Cats blog.  See you next week!           Peg