The Ohio Kitties - How are They Doing Now?

 

 

 

Back in late July, 12 very frightened and confused cats pulled to BCR in a large van.  They had just left Ohio, where they had been housed together in a poorly ventilated small house.  What lay ahead, none of them knew.

That was the situation when the Ohio 12 first entered BCR after being picked up and driven back by Sam and Alyson in record time.  Why the speed?  When BCR got word that these cats were to be euthanized after enduring so much already, she and Alyson had to do something.  So they quickly made arrangements to get these cats to the safety of BCR.

When they first arrived (and you can see that video here), the cats, despite being well fed and up to date on shots, were unkempt, had dirty ears, untrimmed nails and, more disturbing, all were anemic and had either upper respiratory infections and/ or UTI’S. We also had to treat them all for a serious gastric infection.  All needed their teeth cleaned and several needed major dental work.  Terra and Aza had such severe dental problems that it impacted their ability to eat an stay health;  Terra hadn't been spayed.

It wasn't just their health that was a problem.  The biggest challenge would be gaining their trust quickly.  This had to be overcome right away because the cats badly needed baths, shaves, and medication right away.  A couple of the cats, like Abbey Road, arrived already friendly but most were wary and scared of these new strangers.  We didn't want those necessary actions to traumatize them more.

 

That was then, how are they doing now?

The change started immediately when the crates first opened at BCR - they began to relax in real-time and feel comfortable enough to start playing in the catnip beds and check everything out.  Best of all, most allowed six strangers to pet them like they'd known us for years.  What a relief!

Today, the kitties are doing very well!  Their respiratory issues have been taken care of and they receive regular grooming and brushing, which is critical for longer-haired cats like Sultan and Porcini!   Aza, Terra and Sultan had the longest journey back to good health.  Terra continues to improve and we hope to have her eye removed soon. Aza has made the greatest overall journey, though, from being traumatized and hiding to accepting love and feeling secure enough to purr and make biscuits when she gets attention.

What have we learned in the nearly six months they've been at BCR?  Here are some things you can look for if you watch them on our live 24-hour cameras!

Abbey Road - She is a polydactyl who loves to greet people at her door and loves everybody she meets.

Aza - She has come such a long way.  She has the smoothest purrbox that is very healing and she loves to make biscuits.

Bennington - He is one of our two-wheel runners and a very talkative boy

Corduroy - He keeps everyone on their toes - literally - everything is a toy to him, especially mops!  He keeps everyone in his room active!

Kachina - She is still our shyest cat but the way to her heart is grooming her.  She has to maintain her diva status!

Nantucket - He loves to use the cat wheel as a hammock and loves looking outside.

Rexie - She is the boss lady of room 1 and she loves to play.

Mr. P - He loves the outdoors but he also enjoys looking out his inside window.  He has relaxed so much compared to when he arrived and he has much more confidence.

Porcini  - She loves to have her belly rubbed and, although she is very majestic looking, she is a giant goofball.

Schnapps - He is a very chill guy that is kind of the glue in his room since he's the one cat who gets along with everyone.

Sultan - We thought we were going to need to invest a lot of time getting him acquainted with the rest of the cats since we heard that he was in a cage by himself because of his alpha-male mentality.  Happily, all that is wrong and he is friends with the boys and can be often be found snuggling with other cats.

Terra - This sweet tiny girl is really a fighter.  She wasn't too fond of the other cats when she arrived but now she is doing really well with the Room 3 kitties.  More than anything she loves to find a lap to sit in! 

You may wonder what rescuing these kitties from Ohio has to do with BCR's mission.  Everything.  

They are all either blind, FIV- or leukemia-positive (or combinations of those things).  They were supposedly in a place where they were getting a second chance at life, but through no fault of their own, they were suddenly facing euthanasia.  Our mission is to offer these cats and others like them  compassion, dedication and love in a forever home.  Their story represents exactly what BCR is all about and who we are as a community of people who love animals and are dedicated to caring for those that won't have the chance to be adopted or need of special care. 

The Ohio kitties have already met more than a hundred people since their arrival and each one of their stories teaches a visitor something new, whether it's that the scared cat in the shelter just needs extra time and a different environment to open up, or how important spaying and neutering animals is to preventing the spread of FIV and leukemia, and how damaging untreated eye infections are to cats! They also teach everyone that they are worthy of love and having a chance to be loved pets

Each one of these cats is an example of resiliency, and watching them develop their own personalities more each day is a blessing we will never take for granted.  We thank YOU for making it possible by supporting BCR and sponsoring these wonderful cats.