JANUARY

January has been a busy month. Here are stories of the kitties that have joined us at Sparkle Cat Rescue. There are many calls and emails of requests for help that have been courtesy posted on our Facebook page and website. Each day we receive numerous messages requesting help with rescuing, TNR (Trap-Neuter-Return) rehoming, and we strive to promptly answer each request with a resource or offer to courtesy-post. Work never ends in the rescue world.

1-13-15
ANA was trapped when one of our members moved into a new home and found a small colony of cats living in an old pole barn. Her buddy Sven was trapped first and it was obvious he had been someone's pet at one time, but then abandoned and left to fend for himself. He has come around beautifully and is a sweet friendly boy. Ana was a little more scared when she was first caught. She is was initially afraid to be touched, either from lack of socialization or poor handling in the past. But once she started getting gently rubbed, she realized she loved it and started purring like crazy. She is still shy and easy to startle, but is making great progress and will make a wonderful sweet kitty companion for someone.

1-15-15
ANTOINETTE was rescued from a local homeless colony and is requiring medical treatment for an infected eye. She was very malnourished when she was rescued, thus her looking like she's a month younger than she is. She is currently in foster care receiving lots of love, socialization and medical attention to help her eye get better. On her intake date, she was 14 weeks old but the size of a 10 week old kitty

1-16-15
MIMI was rescued by FCAP (Feral Cat Assistance Program) with a colony of 40+ cats. She was too young to be spayed on Spay Day and also too cute and sweet to go back to a life living outside. FCAP contacted Sparkle Cat Rescue to inquire if we could take her into our program and we did not hesitate. She was adopted and is doing great in her forever home!

1-16-15
SPARKS joined our program after we received a request to help this sweet boy who was found when someone was randomly dumpster diving. Sparks was taped shut in a box and thrown in a dumpster, and surely would have been crushed to death had he not been rescued. He has been adopted and is doing great in his forever home!

These three babies are being fostered by one of our volunteer foster mamas after they were rescued. Not yet ready for adoption through Sparkle Cat Rescue. Two of these babies have been adopted together! The third tortie girl is named Leana.

1-21-15
Pink Collar Kitty. I was trapped at a maintained cat colony in Burlington, NC by TNR volunteers who were targeting a litter of cats that were dumped at the colony last year. After I was trapped, it was discovered at that point that I had a pink collar embedded under my arm. The stench from the infection was great. I will be recovering in foster care and available for adoption through Sparkle Cat Rescue. Read more of my story here: http://www.sparklecatrescue.org/pink-collar-kitty.html

1-21-15
This sweet boy was trapped by one of our volunteers. No tail and dried up blood, she believed he had been injured. He was taken to a neuter appointment with Dr. Linda East in Greensboro on 1/22 and we learned he did not have the nerves to control the rectum. What was thought to be blood was actually poop dripping out of him. Per the doctor's recommendation, we opted to have him put to sleep. He will never be forgotten. We are thankful he did not die alone out in the wild and have to suffer. We believe he is related to Sven and Ana.

1-22-15
TORTIE BOY (yes, you got that right...boy) was trapped and taken in for a spay but discovered to be a boy! He is Augustina's brother. As of 1/29/15 he is excelling in his foster home where he is receiving socialization. He's shy and so sweet. He has not shown any aggression towards his foster mom.

1-28-15
We have some amazing volunteers with Sparkle Cat Rescue. Early this week I got a call about these two cats. Unbeknownst to me, the friend of their human mama that had called me knows one of our foster moms Kristi, and had also shared thei...r story with her.

Taffy and Tiger were being boarded at Graham Animal Hospital. Their human mama is now in hospice care and wanted to make sure her kitties were taken care of. There were really no other options for these two sweet babies when Kristi contacted me to let me know she wanted to go meet them. She met them this Wednesday and took them home after getting a release signed by their human mama. Now their mama can rest easy knowing her babies are being taken care of. Taffy and Tiger are being fostered by Kristi and Eric and getting lots of love.

Kristi has shared Taffy and Tiger's story:
"Our human mama prayed for a cat. She was lonely and wanted companionship. Two years ago She was standing outside in the very spot she had asked God to bring her a cat when up walked Taffy. She opened the door and Taffy walked right in and made herself at home. Taffy came from a feral cat colony across the street. Not long after Taffy moved in she gave birth to 8 kittens!!!! Human mama found homes for 7 of them but Tiger couldn't be caught so human mama said he could stay. They are inseparable. Human mama was recently given only a few weeks to live so she contacted me for help. She wants the best for these guys and the best they shall get. Tiger ( 2 yr old male orange tabby) and Taffy ( 4 yr old female ginger). They will need a forever home once they calm down from the big move to foster care. They are fully vetted."

1-29-15
JAKE used to live in the woods with other feral kitties including his mom. His 3 siblings were all trapped at a young age and found forever homes. Jake had been trapped once and neutered, then released since at that time his trappers had no other choice. Jake began to like the human that fed his colony but was still a little skittish. Due to it no longer being safe where he was due to animals being hit by cars and the fact he liked to play in the road a lot, he was rescued by Sparkle Cat volunteers at the end of January. With patience and a lot of love, Jake is coming around in his foster home.

Above: The "nuisances" quietly sunning themselves 1/28/2015

1/29/2015
Sparkle Cat Rescue received a call for help from this cat colony's caretaker to assist in moving the colony of 4 (Trapped/Fixed/Returned) cats to a barn home that has been secured.

The new owners of a retail store wanted them “GONE” or animal control would be called to trap and kill. The sad part is, these four cats have been there for years, bothered no one, kept new cats from moving into the area, enjoyed a rather sedentary, safe, life, sunning themselves in an obscure area.

Sponsorship is needed to cover the cost to anesthetize (if needed), provide a rabies shot and flea control, once trapped before being transported to their new home. The cost is estimated at $32 per cat. These deserving cats need to be properly vetted for their big move.

Read more here, about how you can help us: http://www.sparklecatrescue.org/save-a-feral.html