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Hello Cat Corner-ians,
Week three has been full of trials tribulations but has ended on a real up swing. I'm sorry for the depressing start of this post but as with all things there is a circular nature to animals as well as life and sometimes it happens. As I finished last weeks post I updated everyone that poor little Cadbury had some odd eye things happening and little Robin had a cold. Well on Saturday we went to the vet nice and early I did my best to be there when the doors opened. Easter (Momma Cat) was not helping things trying to keep all the babies close being her normal morning grouch so the only way I could get the two away was with BBQ tongs. When we got to the vet they stained Cadbury's eye and let us know it was mis-formed and that is was more severe than what I had suspected (infection) there was something physically wrong with the eye and referred us to a specialist. Welcome back Cat Corner-ians!!
It has only been a week, but the kittens have grown so much! In the past week, they have all started to stand up and from standing they have gone to toddling and from toddling to walking with confidence. Their confidence is still a facade at some points as they definitely still tumble over a fair amount, but they just look so darn sure of themselves! The other exciting news is all of our kittens and Mom now have names!!! I had family over for Easter and we thought what a purfect thing to name everyone! So welcome to the Easter Candy Kittens! Hello loyal Cat Corner-ians!
I'm a foster Momma for the cat corner and I thought it may be fun and possibly educational to take you through how fostering works down in the trenches. It can be a dirty business (lots of litter), but is very rewarding. You also learn all sorts of weird facts that could really help you win at trivia contests!! I'll be updating you on our foster family every Thursday on our growing pains, triumphs, and struggles! Without further ado, let's meet our family: As a no-kill rescue, The Cat Corner relies on a strong foundation of volunteers and foster homes. Many of the cats and kittens that we take in need a little bit of extra TLC before they can be considered adoptable.
Bubba is one of those special cases. Originally a barn cat, Bubba is now in foster care and is learning to become an inside kitty. Change is not always easy, even for cats. Luckily Bubba has a patient foster family who is willing to give him the time he needs to adjust. They recently updated us on his progress! If you are considering declawing your cat, please read this. Cats’ claws are not like our fingernails People often mistakenly believe that declawing their cats is a harmless "quick fix" for unwanted scratching. Declawing is not like a manicure. It is serious surgery. Our fingernails are attached to the flesh of our fingers, but cats’ claws are actually part of the distal phalanx, the last bone of the toe. In order to remove the claws, the veterinarian has to amputate the last joint of your cat's "toes". When you envision that, it becomes clear why declawing is not a humane act. And remember that during the time of recuperation from the surgery your cat would still have to use its feet to walk, jump, and scratch in its litter box regardless of the pain it is experiencing. Potential Complications & ConsequencesRemoving claws changes the way a cat's foot meets the ground and can cause pain similar to wearing an uncomfortable pair of shoes. Research has demonstrated that, after declawing, cats shift their entire weight more toward the hind legs. This is quite a feat, considering that the front legs normally bear about 60% of the cat’s entire weight.
Declawing results in a gradual weakening of leg, shoulder, and back muscles, and because of impaired balance caused by the procedure, declawed cats have to relearn to walk, much as a person would after losing his or her toes. Over time, this altered stress can contribute to the development of arthritis. In most older declawed cats, the toes are completely “frozen,” immovable even under deep anesthesia.
 Meet Cameron, Camie, and Camber. We are fighting to save both their lives and their vision. At only three weeks old and only around 7oz. there are not many options for these little ones. Here is their story:
We pulled their mother, Camila, and her six, two week old babies from a local kill facility were they would have likely had a grim future. Camila and her six babies all had Upper Respiratory Infection. Camila was very ill and completely stopped eating and drinking, and in turn stopped producing milk to feed her babies. We were forced to separate Camila from her babies to receive emergency treatment. She received fluids, nebulization, and antibiotics to jump start her on the path to wellness again. Without their mom's milk we had to rush the babies to one of our experienced bottle-feeding fosters where they are all receiving round the clock care. These two babies are so very lucky to be alive! Right after a rain storm these little ones were found in thick bushes just feet away from the James River in Newport News, Virginia. There were 3 babies total ...
 Last week one of our very sweetest kitties found her forever home, and we couldn't be happier. Betty White came to the cat corner with two boy kitties, Sinatra and Bing. She was very intimidated by the whole gang at first but with a lot of love and care she finally came out of her shell. She now has a little Corgie brother and so far the reports say they are getting along fine!
The Cat Corner also made an appearance at the fall Phoebus Days, and two Cat Corner kitties went on the short field trip with us. Pictured is Ace, who took second shift. He did an amazing job, and  This week in adoptions we happily report that Cat Corner resident art model Gepetto has found a home. Gepetto was known to like children and he now has a little sister to call family. He previously modeled for local artist Victoria Watson, and her original sketch hangs at Blue Skies Gallery in Hampton, and Victoria
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