FFRC BLOG: June 2024

FFRC Weekly Blog Week ending June 29, 2024

Adoptions:

None this week. We really, really, really need adoptions! One day this week, we had 73 calls to take in cats. We are beyond capacity and sadly, had to say no to all of them. We are about 40 cats over what we feel comfortable with.

If you have a cat, please make sure they are spayed or neutered. If you don’t have a cat, consider adopting one. So many homeless cats, such heartbreaking situations.

Adopt a cat today and change your tomorrow for the better.

Health Updates:
Our little Xavi went to the vet’s on Tuesday . His degloved tail was amputated as it was causing an infection that the Vet was afraid might turn to Sepsis, which is life-threatening. While under, they also did a neuter on the little guy and he is fine after both procedures. However, it was noticed that he seemed to be a little off when walking when he first came into FFRC so X-Rays were done and it appears his hip socket is not aligned properly. He doesn’t appear in pain and he can get around ok, but he’s just a little off on his walking. He’ll be closely monitored as he grows to see if any future medical treatment is needed.

Grammy’s mega-esophagus has come down in size but there still is one area that is ‘enlarged’, so Dr. Darcy has reached out to other Vets to see if they’ve seen this in their patients. She doesn’t appear to be in any pain and acts just like a senior cat where she sleeps and isn’t all that active. Her blood work is a little ‘off’ so the update on Grammy is that there’s no update. It's the status quo.

For now, we’re just in a holding pattern with her. She’s eating, she’s happy, she gained a little weight. So we’ll keep monitoring her.

Cheerio had her polyp removed and it caused her third eyelid to pop out. It isn’t bothering her and she is activating as if it is perfectly normal.

Other Updates:

Meatball is doing excellent in his new home. It’s almost as if he has always lived there. He gets along fine with her other animals (cats and dog).

Guppy is ok and so very shy and really needs a home where she can get some one on one attention. She is just so sweet, but so shy. A nice cat for a senior citizen that has time to give her the love she needs.

Foxy is doing very well, she has gained a lot of weight (normal weight) and we think she is about 8 or 9. She is at around 6 lbs.

Juniper, Emmy and Tigerlily, have changed so much since the kittens have been brought in with them. They are all stepping up in mom mode and become so loving and comfortable in their settings.

Radar’s diet is progressing. He is now on Purina Pro-Plan Weight Management food, courtesy of Aunt Beth!

Malade and Magellan have been frequent guests of Rumpelstiltskin and Nyota. They’ll stay for a little bit then come out back into the Center. Rumpel also has been venturing out in the Center but after about 15 minutes he goes back to his home with Nyota to watch some t.v. and hang out in his favorite space bubble on the wall.

Financial Stuff::
Catching up on the Cat-A-Thon this week, sending out baskets and consolation prizes. The final numbers for the Cat-A-Thon have gone up. We were at $108,000. We are now at $114,258.57. This was the largest amount ever raised in the 25 year history of FFRC.

Our joy continues as well as our hope for many less stressful days worrying about paying the monthly bills off.

And our dream of building and opening a low cost basic veterinary clinic is closer to being a reality, although that is further down the road, but within eyesight

Our application for 501C status has been accepted by the department that handles things. We now wait for approval. Acceptance doesn’t guarantee approval but it gets us closer!

Holds

None at this time

FYI:

With July 4th coming up, please try and provide any outside cats you have with a ‘safe’ place such as a garage to go to if they get scared. At FFRC we will make sure the outside cats all have access to all the open buildings and ‘safe’ places.

We may play some music for our inside cats to help calm them. If we do, we will turn off the sound on the cam for copyright purposes.

FFRC Weekly Blog Week ending June 22, 2024

Adoptions:

Meatball was officially adopted by Lynnette!.

Health Updates:
No updates this week.

Other Updates:
Scotland has joined the Covies! So far, so good.

Cheerio was given a special award for all his help during the Cat-A-Thon. He was given a silver Can of Soda for his heroism in protecting the Center from cans of Pop. He was touched by the gesture and promised to remain vigilant on cans of Pop Soda, be them diet or full strength.

Financial Stuff::
The Cat-A-Thon took place this week. It was a record breaking event that far exceeded our expectations. The final total was $108,956.12. All 400 envelopes were ‘adopted’ with some amazing ‘bump ups’ to raise the total. The breakdown by day is:

Day 1

$21,602 with 180 adopted

Day 2

$11,618 with 46 adopted

Day 3

$9,610 with 36 adopted

Day 4

$12,004 with 46 adopted

Day 5

$25,638 with 92 adopted

That totals $80,472 with all 400 adopted

Then even more magic happened:

Bump ups = $1,484.12

Angel Donor 1 = $1,000

Angel Donor 2 = $20,000

Grand total = $108,956.12

Thank you all. We are humbled, grateful and blessed by all of you.

Holds

None at this time

FFRC Cat-A-Thon 2024

So tell me more about this Cat-A-Thon thing….

It starts Monday, June 17th at 10:00 a.m. and runs until Saturday June 22nd.

There will be a board of envelopes numbered 1 through 400. The first row of envelopes will all be 10 and the second row will all be 20. Rows 3 thru 23 have envelopes in sequential order up to 400. The number on the envelope on all rows is the number you agree to donate to FFRC.

Since going to this format Cat-A-Thon a few years ago, we like to think of it as ‘Adopting’ an envelope. Just like any adoption, there is responsibility and trust. We trust that if you adopt an envelope you will follow through with that adoption and send the amount you have pledged to us via Paypal, Venmo, or by calling in with a credit card. You can also send us a check, but you need to call us first so we know that is what you are doing.

You can call us each day between 9:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. (Megan is willing to take calls later in the night if needed). The phone number to call is 1-419-393-2400 or email us at fofrescue@gmail.com. A phone call is the quickest and easiest way to adopt an envelope.

As each envelope is ‘adopted’ we will mark off the envelope board so everyone knows that envelope has been adopted. For some reason, the past few years we haven’t quite gotten the right markers but this year we put all our collective heads together and got ourselves some Bingo Daubers. We are confident in our ability to mark off the envelopes so everyone can see those already adopted.

Now Rows 1 and 2 are different. Each envelope on row 1 is $10 and each envelope on row 2 is $20. These are for those of our Friends who want to adopt an envelope but are not in a financial situation to donate an amount exceeding $10 or $20. We ask that these two rows are not adopted to anyone who is able to and willing to adopt a higher amount. For example, if you can donate $60, please adopt the envelope with 60 on it, instead of adopting three envelopes with 20 on it.

When you adopt an envelope your name will be put in a drawing for the row the envelope is on, and at the end of the Cat-A-Thon a drawing will be held for each row with a fantastic gift basket given to the name drawn.

We want this week to be fun. We also want this week to help the financial situation of FFRC so we will have funds at the ready when needed. We have a long term goal of saving enough money to someday open a spay/neuter clinic with a vet on duty to help with basic veterinary care (similar to Earth Angels from way back).

We also recognize that some people cannot afford to give financially. Please, never, ever feel bad about that. You can help us in so many ways:

> Like our videos on YouTube and Facebook

> Come into chat and thank those who are adopting or who have donated the baskets to be given away

> Be positive, be kind and be a best Friend to everyone who wants FFRC to succeed and help as many cats as possible

We simply cannot do what we do without YOU. We need our Friends. Our cats need you. Our cats are your cats. Your cats need their Friends.

Thank you for all you do for FFRC. Without our Friends where would we be? Without Friends where would our cats be?

FFRC Weekly Blog Week ending June 15, 2024

Adoptions:

There were no adoptions.

Health Updates:

Sadly, our Buddy has passed away. Tuesday night both Megan and Lynnette noticed he was failing. He was having trouble moving and looked so sad and was simply ready to go. On Wednesday his condition worsened and he was in significant pain and the humane decision was made to end his suffering. He was surrounded by loving hands. The outpouring of love and kind words has been much appreciated and so very touching.

Foxy is progressing but still has loose stools.

Grammy is also progressing and will see the vet in a week or two for a follow-up.

New Kitties:

2 month old kitten found by a local woman who helps local homeless cat colonies found him and thought he would be a good fit for adoption. His name is Mr. Mustache as he has, wait for it, a mustache. Cute little black/white distinguished looking gentleman. He’s already been neutered.

Other Updates:

Radar and Victoria have been moved into Paddy’s Place. There, they have a window and more room to spread out as they continue their transition due to life changes with their family.

The three new babies. from Dr. Darcys’ office, are now in Dodger’s Pen to give them more room to spread out.

Scotland continues to do well and is gaining weight. He is now up to 10 lbs. The plan is for him to come into the center soon.

Courage is really not a fan of other cats. In fact she hates them and really, really, really would love to be adopted into a nice, quiet home where she is the only cat. Adopt her, you know you want to.

Gordy and Chowder are really flourishing in the Cove. They have found their home and it’s with the Covies. The Covies response? “Eh, they can stay.” Win, win for everyone.

Financial Stuff::
We were blessed by a very large van full of donations by the Campbell's Soup company and their employees.
We thank them for their kindness and generosity. They donate to many local animal rescues/shelters and chose to donate to FFRC this time around. Their donations are being used, as we speak.

Our Cat-A-Thon begins on Monday, June 17th at 10:00 a.m. It will run each day until June 22nd. At the end of each day an update will be given.

Throughout the week, there will be fun events as our most important and largest fundraiser of the year takes place. This year the theme of Cat-A-Thon is to De-Stress the Financial Stress we have each month to pay our bills.

Did you know, on average our bills each month are $18,100?

$15,000 Staff and Taxes

$2,000 medical/Vet

$600 utilities

$200 insurance

$500 maintenance

Of course the biggest fluctuation is in the medical/vet category as we never know which cats may need extraordinary medical help (Scotland, Rumplestiltskin, for example)

So we are hoping we can actually start to put money in the bank and withdraw what’s needed each month without losing sleep as to whether we can pay all our bills on time. We are so very blessed to have so many Friends to help throughout the year. When we call our Friends to help, they always come through. We are looking forward to not having to stress out so much knowing we have money in the piggy, cat bank.

Holds:

None at this time.

FYI:

“Stay away from negative people. They have a problem for every solution.” – --Albert Einstein

A little bit about us

What is Cat-A-Thon 2024?

Our biggest fund-raiser of the year enables us to move forward with caring for cats led by our core value that everything we do is done for our cats with the belief that FFRC CARES by our:

> Compassion

>Advocacy

>Responsibility

>Excellence

>Support

To understand Cat-A-Thon 2024 and why it is so important we must first tell you a little about what we do:

Friends of Felines Rescue Center is a non-profit cat rescue that receives no government funding. We exist through donations from people around the world. These are our Friends. Without our Friends, we simply couldn’t do what we do:

FFRC is where dedication meets passion in our mission to rescue and improve the lives of feline companions. Our mission is to stay committed to the highest standards of care, ensuring that every feline friend receives the love and attention they deserve.

Beyond rescue, we proudly offer low-cost spay and neuter services to the community through our relationship with Humane Ohio, contributing to a healthier feline population.

Since our founding in 1999, we have built a reputation in Defiance, Ohio and Northwestern, Ohio as a cat rescue making a positive change in how society sees and treats our feline friends. We aim to inspire and motivate people to help create a world where the happiness and well-being of all cats matter to everyone.

In 2010, we started a 24/7 web cam so we could reach a world-wide audience and educate others on responsible cat care.

Our story is one of heart, purpose, and a deep-seated commitment to providing cats with a haven where their well-being is of the greatest importance.

Now that you know a little about us, in the next few days we will go over how Cat-A-Thon 2024 works. But the end result is to Make Friends that will help us help our cats and hope our Friends know that Our Cats are Your Cats.

Join us on this journey where every purr, every play, and every pawprint tells a story of hope and resilience. It’s not just about saving lives; it’s about creating a legacy of love for our feline companions.

Because without our Friends, where would Our Cats be?

FFRC Weekly Blog Week ending June 8, 2024

Adoptions:

Maybelle was adopted. She is mom to Vincent, Berrybelle, Hali, Burger, Cashew, Rhys Oliver. All in the family are now adopted and in loving homes.

Health Updates:

Cheerio went to the vets this week. He has always had a stuffy nose and is ‘super snorky’.
Megan felt it may be a polyp and yup, it was a polyp causing his issues. In fact he had a really big polyp in his ear and throat area. It was removed and he stayed overnight at the vet’s. When he came home, his ‘polyp’ was in a little jar so all could be grossed out. Cheerio feels much better but vows to get even with all those responsible for his trip to the vet.

Buddy was brought to the vet’s for a complete physical. He just isn’t right and Megan thought it best to have everything checked out to see why he isn’t physically thriving. He was kept overnight so different tests could be run. He is back at the Center now and we await the test results.

When Grammy and Buddy were first brought in, their owner told us Grammy was 6 and Buddy was 4. After seeing the vet, it’s believed both are older than that. Grammy appears to be 10 to 12 years old. Buddy is maybe 11.

Grammy has been on her meds for about a week now and seems better, more lively, loving and upbeat. She looks like she has gained weight but scale doesn’t show this. However she may have moved while getting her last weight. She is squirmy on the scale. .

She’s eating much better and not throwing up after eating.

Scotland is doing great. He was 7.5 lbs when he came in and now weighs 9 lbs 7 ounces. His rectum is looking great and his stool is firm! Having a firm stool is everyone’s dream!

Foxy doing much better but still not gaining weight as we would like. But as we get her meds more ‘settled’ we hope she begins to eat better. She’s currently a little over 4 lbs. She had been up to a little over 5 lbs, but has lost a bit in the past few weeks. We are hopeful she will soon start gaining weight.

New Kitties:

When Buddy came home from the vet’s on Friday, he had three buddies with him. All kittens. We’ve taken them in as a favor to Dr. Darcy. As they were brought to her office with very sad back stories. So they are now in our care and moving forward.

2 of them are about 6 weeks old and were in a very unsafe place. One if a gray and white tiger (one can never have too many tigers). The other sibling is a gray boy.

The third is not a sibling, She is an unweaned 4 week old. She was found alone and the people who found her brought her to Dr. Darcy. She is blind in both eyes and this is probably due to an infection from birth. That may explain why her mother abandoned her. When she is much older and healthier her eyes will probably be removed for her own comfort. As we know from experience, blind kitties can live perfectly normal lives, they just need patience and a home that keeps furniture and things pretty consistent.

All three of these new kittens are safe now and surrounded by loving, healing hands.

Other Updates:

Chowder and Gordy are doing great in the Cove! They are much more relaxed and act like cats. They are doing so well that we may put Emmy out there to join them as she is having a lot of stress acclimating to her new life in the Center.

Victoria is adjusting to her new life. She is sweet but shy and just needs to get used to her new life.

Radar is super loving and we are working on his weight issues. It isn’t a quick fix and we need to be careful to help him lose at a safe pace.

Rumpelstiltskin is doing fine but prefers to stay in Nyota’s room. They have really become BFF’s..

Friday, Jacci Moss came to visit. Magic was quick to greet her. He had a lot to say. She visited with all the cats but had a special visit with ‘her’ resident cats. Derecho was very excited to see her but sad she did not bring him chicken.

You may have noticed that several of the little itty bitty kittens are out and about (the orphans, the ‘moon’ cats and Brandi’s babies) are running wild. They are full of so much energy and are being ‘trained’ by the older cats to know their place. Lena got mad at Bodie and decided to see if he could ‘bounce’ if pushed off the counter. He had a soft landing on Alma (both are fine) and Bodie has learned a valuable lesson: Leave Lena alone when she is napping on the counter! As our dear Putter used to say: “These whippersnappers have a lot to learn”.

Financial Stuff::

Our Cat-A-Thon is still a go for June 17th to June 22nd. The cats are getting excited and everyone is making the preparations so we will have a great week. Bingo daubers have arrived and we are ready. But first, we must acknowledge that Megan has no idea what a Bingo Dauber is and probably has never played Bingo before. Don’t worry, she’s being trained by Grammy.

Our flash sale this week raised $1,100. This will go towards our medical bills.

Holds:

None at this time.

FYI:

Research shows that kittens spayed or neutered before 12 weeks of age have fewer complications from surgery than those over 12 weeks old.

Kittens can be safely spayed or neutered at 2 months old or as soon as they weigh 2 pounds. Also called pediatric spay and neuter, this policy ensures kittens are “fixed” as soon as they’re ready, which benefits cats and the communities where they live.

Enjoy your week and remember, without our Friends, where would our cats be?