FFRC Blog Week Ending July 25, 2026
The last game of the 2026 World Cup has been played. What a spectacular event.
Congratulations to SPAIN!!!!
On Saturday, July 25th, PEANUT BUTTER (PB) was adopted. PB was returned on 9/25/25 because the household was a bit too much for him. PB enjoys a much quieter routine which is why he has been in Back Thumpers Room since his return. PB's date of birth is 2/26/20 and is a very big boy! His new daddy met PB and they immediately fell for each other. Peanut Butter will be keeping his name and will only live about 10 minutes away where he will be the "One and Only" in the household.
Thank you for giving Peanut Butter a chance in his new furever home!
The next kitty came in on Monday, 7/20. This one is a buff and white little girl who is about 2-3 month's old. Initially, we told the lady that brought her in that we were not able to keep her but would remove a tick that we saw on her. Lynnette was able to remove the tick and then found "another one". After further examination, this other one was not a tick but was a Cuterebra. (see below for more info on this fun guy). We were able to remove this one but decided to keep this kitty and make sure that all were removed and that she was healthy. We named her IVA. Her name came from the Name a Cat program and was submitted by Cindy W. Here are the results of the voting:
On Monday night, we received a call from the Sheriff's Department. They had found a cat that had been hit in the road, and his back legs were not working. Megan was sure that this was going to be a euthanasia. Butt when he arrived, he popped his little head out of the transport box and said, "Hi, I'm fine. Love me!
This little boy is black with snippets of white. He is about 2 months' old. We have named him SNEAKERS. His name came from the Name a Cat program and was submitted by SonJa. Here are the results of the voting:
These two kitties are doing OK but are very sad and depressed.
Center Kitties:
VIVIAN on the new MAGIC rug.
Adopted Kitties:
FFRC Chatters Weekend:
e-mail: ffrclynnette@gmail.com by 8/14, so that she knows how much food to have.
Current Needs:
Megan provided a list of the most needed items:
Fancy Feast, all varieties
Treats
Royal Canin Mother and Baby Cat dry
Royal Canin Mother and Baby Cat wet, #2 ultrasoft mousse
Soups, Stews, Bisques and Appetizers
All meat baby food
Animal Crackers (for the goats)
6" plates
Laundry soap
Bleach
Odoban
Dawn dish soap
Lysol cleaner
A Little Something Extra:
What is a Cuterebra--taken from VCAHospitals.com
What are Cuterebra or warbles?
Cuterebra is the scientific name of the North American rabbit or rodent botfly. Cuterebra larvae develop within the tissues of certain animal hosts and, during this phase of their life cycle, they are commonly referred to as “warbles”.
What is the Cuterebra (botfly) lifecycle?
The adult botfly deposits its eggs near or in the opening of rodent and rabbit burrows. After hatching, the botfly larvae enter the host's body through an opening such as the nose, mouth, or skin wound.
The botfly’s preferred hosts are typically rodents and rabbits. After several days, the botfly larvae migrate to the tissues beneath the skin, where they encyst (burrow in) and continue their development.
After about a month of living in the host’s skin, the larvae crawl out to pupate (develop into a pupa, or immobile cocoon-like stage) in loose soil, debris, or forest detritus. Adult Cuterebra flies mate within a few days of emerging, laying more eggs, and starting the cycle again.
How did my cat get warbles?
Cats are accidental hosts of Cuterebra larvae. They are usually infected when they are hunting rodents or rabbits and encounter the botfly larvae near the entrance to a rodent's burrow. Most cases of warbles in cats occur around the head and neck.
How do I know if my cat has warbles?
The early stages of Cuterebra infection or warbles are rarely visible on the outside of the skin. Most cases of warbles are detected when the larva enlarges and becomes a noticeable swelling seen or felt beneath the skin. A small “breathing hole” is often visible in the skin over the warble. The hole enlarges when the warble has fully matured and is about to leave the host.
Sometimes, nothing abnormal is noticed until after the larva leaves the host. Most cats develop a deep abscess or skin infection in the empty cyst after the warble has left the skin. In many cases, the secondary bacterial infection that develops in the empty cyst causes more damage than the primary attack by the Cuterebra warble.
Rarely, the Cuterebra larvae migrate away from the skin, causing inflammation and damage where they travel. Affected areas can include the eyes and surrounding tissues, the brain, nose, larynx, and trachea. They can even cause serious widespread disease, such as sudden inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS) and disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC).
How is the condition treated?
Treatment depends on when the condition is discovered. If the condition is diagnosed before the warble leaves the skin, the warble will be removed and the injured tissues will be removed (debrided), sometimes surgically. Antibiotics are usually prescribed to combat any secondary bacterial infection. Surgery may be required to close the injured site in some cases. Anti-histamines or corticosteroids are also sometimes used to prevent an allergic reaction when the Cuterebra is removed.
If the condition is diagnosed after the warble has left the skin, your veterinarian will clean and debride the infected area and also prescribe antibiotics.
What is the prognosis for my cat?
When only a few warbles are involved, the prognosis is good for complete resolution, and few, if any, permanent side effects occur. The prognosis is worse if a cat is infected with multiple warbles or if a warble migrates through or develops near a nerve or other sensitive tissue or organ. Seizures have sometimes been caused by the presence of a Cuterebra in the nervous system.
How can I prevent my cat from getting warbles?
Cuterebra is a common fly in North America. The best way to prevent a cat from getting warbles is to keep them from hunting rodents. When this is impossible, and if you live in an area with numerous rodents, rabbits, or other small mammals, you should regularly inspect your cat for signs of warbles. The earlier a warble is removed, the less likely the chance of severe or permanent damage to your cat.
© Copyright 2025 LifeLearn Inc. This content was written by LifeLearn Animal Health (LifeLearn Inc.) and is licensed to this practice for the personal use of its clients. Copying, printing, or further distributing this material is prohibited without LifeLearn’s express written consent. The use of artificial intelligence or automated tools to rewrite, republish, adapt, or repurpose this content, in whole or in part, is prohibited and does not create any ownership or derivative rights. This content does not contain all available information about medications and has not been reviewed by the FDA’s Center for Veterinary Medicine or Health Canada’s Veterinary Drugs Directorate. This content is not a substitute for medical advice or a proper clinical examination. Please contact your veterinarian if you have any questions or concerns about your pet’s health. Last updated on May 27, 2025.
Events:
Early morning Mary retired on 7/22. We will miss her! Because the weather was so nice, a party was held outside for her.
Mike Abe also put together this wonderful card recognizing Mary.
Also on 7/22, we held a Flash Sale. The sale raised $1,544. All paid items have been shipped. If you have not paid, please get your payment in soon!
Here are some of the items that were created or donated:
Scarves-Dee and Chris
Oven towels, heavy duty bag, and tote bags-Katscratch
Bowl holders and greeting cards-Sew Fun
I Know God is a Cat-unknown
Gard Flags-Christine P
Wall Art and T-shirts-unknown
Pillows-AlleyCat
Big & Little blankets-Polly and Peanut
A great big Thank You to all that participated. Without you, we would not be able to care for these kitties!
Other:
We had hired a girl to train with Kim to cover Friday mornings. This didn't work out. We are actively interviewing for the following:
We held 15 interviews on over three days this last week. We will be reaching out to the candidates soon. We still need to find additional outside and farm help for Cindy.
Cindy rescued a very small possum on Saturday morning. He wasn't doing so good, so Megan contacted a wildlife rescue center. They were willing to take him. YEAH! Cindy got him in a cage and Eric, who isn't feeling the best, drove him about an hour for the intake. Thanks so much to Cindy and Eric for being the animal lovers that they are and giving the little guy a chance.
If you haven't looked at our Instagram page, please do!! There are great pictures of our center's kitties. Thanks so much!
Please make sure that you have a plan for your pets in the event that you are no longer able to take care of them. The best plan is to have both a primary and a secondary backup.
Photos by Dawn and friends.
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"Everything is practice."
Pele
"I know, firsthand, that soccer brings people together - all it takes is a ball and a few people, and the seeds of friendship are planted."
Ali Krieger
"Success is no accident. It is hard work, perseverance, learning, studying, sacrifice and most of all, love of what you are doing or learning to do."
Another one from Pele
