Wow, now that the shoe is on the other foot, I forget what all should be done. Today I rescued a kitty stranded in a grassy median in the middle of a state highway. He's been lost for weeks, nothing but matted fur and bones. Only 5-1/2 pounds. Last night it got down to 27 degrees, tonight's supposed to be 22 -- I really don't know that he'd have made it, he has no body fat left.

Right now, however, he's warm, fed, watered, and sound asleep on a sheepskin rug wrapped over a hot water bottle. He's affectionate, gentle, purrs easily. And he's beautiful: long-haired sable brown-black fur, white blaze, gold eyes.

I called all the vets, and my county's cat rescue.
I called the next county's animal control (ours doesn't do cats)
Tomorrow I'll get him scanned for a microchip.
I've posted on Craigslist, and on a local radio station website.
I can put an ad in the paper Monday (our paper is weekly).

There's no way to put flyers up, since I found him in the middle of the highway near the county line. There's a ******* near there, I could see if they have an area for flyers. Anything else I could do?

I just couldn't leave him there to die. I just couldn't.
Kimberly

Wherever you're allowed to, file an official "found" report (rather than just talking to people at agencies) and tell them you're "fostering" the cat for now until the guardian comes forward (if they ever do, of course). Also, do a Google search for "found pets" and list the cat on the various websites (there are many of them, other than Craig'slist) that offer this service (for your country, area, etc.), as well as checking each site for possible matches of "lost" cats, of course. Also Google for vitally important tips on how to effectively SCREEN any calls you might get so you don't make the mistake of giving the cat to someone who ISN'T the real guardian (who might do the cat much harm, or sell them to a lab, etc., or even do YOU harm - never meet someone in private &/or alone) - can't stress this step ENOUGH. There may even be some of these tips within the links from me that were pinned at the top of this forum. Put up posters in all the vet locations around for miles and if you can, also the various agencies (a picture's worth more than a description).

Oh, and any pictures and descriptions of the cat that ANYONE can view shouldn't contain all individual physical characteristics that a stranger could then use to describe the cat completely - leave some markings or something OUT of the picture, and try to keep the description of personality mainly out of it. His future safety is at stake. Make any caller tell YOU about these things instead. (although keep in mind, I've sadly noticed MOST people can't even tell you the colour of their own cat's eyes!.....so pathetic!) You can even have them bring their OWN picture of the cat to a public place and you can then compare your own photos to theirs.

Unfortunately, if someone's lost him but doesn't care to be doing their OWN job of searching for him, your hands will be tied despite all the leg-work you do.

And of course, if you decide after giving this a few weeks, that you'd rather adopt him out, find all info. on the web that you can about safe and effective screening techniques for any potential adopters.

Thank God you rescued this poor guy, Kimberly, regardless of how the rest of this goes. Kudos to you! Best of luck on yet another unplanned project dumped in your lap!

Lots of good info, thanks! I hadn't thought of 'holding back' key info, but it makes sense. Besides, they'll have to PROVE this is their cat, with corroborating info AND pictures.

Took her to the vet's today, yep you heard me: HER. We poked around a lot of fuzz and lo and behold, definitely a girl. Couldn't find a spay scar.

Tartar on her teeth suggest she's at least 2 or 3, probably even older.

No microchip
Negative for feline leukemia

She's eating, drinking, peeing, pooping, sleeping, and purring -- all good signs. Last night I wasn't sure she'd survive, but now I'm optimistic. She clearly enjoys affection, but right now she's more interested in sleep than being held. Besides, she's so bony I wonder if being touched even feels good? But "lightly rubbing me under the chin is just fine!" she says.

EVERYBODY I tell immediately asks, "so what did you name her?" Popular vote, I guess, is that I now have four cats. I'm not quite there yet. The two kittens are curious, but not overly concerned about The Hidden Cat In The Office. Willow, however, is hiding under the bed.

Dear Kim,

Okay, so I always like to say that Milo is a great name, girl or boy - Milo is the best name for a great pet:rolleyes:

but I'm getting that your Dad is going to name this one.. even if you're intending to foster her to the home of her dreams..

and may I say, thank you, friend, from the bottom of my heart, for being there for this one..

Words cannot express how much joy it gives me to come here and to see others giving back, taking in these sweet little creatures who had (where?) to go... Kim, you rock!

Twitch and your Dad always maintained that you were the Best!

All good things to you and a kiss to the baby (and all of her friends at you house)

sharon

She's doing amazingly well. She gets up to greet me each time I walk in the room -- I can't believe she has the energy already. She has a delightful little talky purr-meow, 'mmrrogghhow' that is probably going to be what wins me over. She's peeing a lot, so as dehydrated as she is, I wonder if her kidneys are damaged. I'll take her back to the vet's as soon as she's a little stronger.
.
Willow is stressed, and told me ALL about it when it took 2-1/2 hours (!) to get him in after dark. He'd walk up to the door, I'd open it, he'd want to come in, then he'd turn and walk back out into the night. Clearly not wanting to deal with what faces him in the house. But once inside, he has relaxed and curled up ON my bed this evening, not UNDER it.

Once again, once AGAIN, I am reminded how swiftly life can throw in left turns... I need to start thinking like a skier, swiftly maneuvering across moguls (is that how it's spelled?), deftly in the zone, enjoying the ride... ~Kimberly

As I was reading this thread the last picture took up my whole monitor and my cat, Simba, jumpped up on my computer desk and started pawing at the screen... to cute!

Mink & Willows Mom

Wow she is a beauty. She was so lucky that you saw her and took her in. Thank you for taking care of a little one who needed you.

Life does come at you fast.

Love

Love these pictures! Really reminds me of my Little Guy and his twin brother Keeper.
Bless you so much for giving her a home.

My two youngest and her have been about 4 feet apart, eyeing each other through a doorway so far. Luna did the requisite hissing, but you could tell her heart wasn't in it. I wish SO much that one of the kittens (they're 18 months old now, but I still call them that) would have strode in, curious, and started grooming her. She needs it SOOO badly, both for the cleaning and the mama-like touch. She's not strong enough for me to bathe yet. Her breathing still takes work -- she's so weak and sunken in her posture that heaving her body up to absorb expanding ribs looks like SO much effort.

She's still peeing more than I would think a dehydrated cat would. She's drinking water, but not THAT much. In two and a half days, I've scooped about 2 quarts' worth of litter clumps out of the box. NOTE: I don't for a moment mean she's peed 2 quarts, just that the solid clumps take up about that much volume, you litterbox users will know what I mean. (Well, those of you whose CATS use litterboxes...) The bucket I'm scooping the clumps into is keeping pace with the bucket I use for ALL THREE OTHER litterboxes my brood uses. It dawns on me that she might have already had kidney disease, or be in kidney failure, and now here I'm feeding her all this protein. That concerns me. ~Kimberly

The only one who can answer your concerns would be the vet. You may want to take her for your peace of mind....just a thought.

Oh, goodness, Kimberly, she doesn't sound like she's in very good shape. I wouldn't wait to get her back to the vet, if it were me. She may need sub-cu. or even I.V. fluids pronto. That's a LOT of pee in such a short time! By comparison, even when Nissa was 'flaring' with her kidney/bladder issues, I probably only got about 6 pees/day to scoop = about 2 cups of clumped litter. And while she was a tiny girl, I'd think that a larger cat would only have had about another cup or so in litter volume (judging from the larger neighbours' cats' pees)...plus, Nissa DID drink quite a bit/day, too, aside from eating her wet food with added purified water. Unfortunately, this does sound likely to be kidney damage, which, with care and the proper info./trtmnt. could be managed quite well, depending on her kidney levels (which might have to be carefully monitored for a time). But if it is, and you wait, it's most likely to worsen and you may lose her.

For your concern about proteins, you might try getting some cream of white or brown RICE (not wheat) and add up to 25% of it (cooked, and further pureed if it 'bothers' her) to her wet food.....or even some overly-cooked whole (not 'quick') oats if you can't find the creamed rice quickly. If it ISN'T kidney problems, this won't hurt in the short term and if it IS, it will take some of the burden off her kidneys. It IS a total myth that kidney-compromised cats should get LOW protein foods, as this ends up making their bodies 'eat' their muscle protein and they basically end up starving to death. So LOWER protein is okay, but is not usually even needed or recommended by holistic vets until their kidney enzymes are at a continually high level. (but you'd need a blood test to test and track these enzymes periodically) It's the QUALITY of the protein source that's critical. There's much to learn with this one concern, though, more than what I can say in one short paragraph.

And of course, don't feed her DRY food if you suspect kidney damage. While dry food is great for concentrated food energy and putting more weight on quicker, or keeping it on, it's terrible for the kidneys, especially if a cat is already dehydrated - it will only dry them out that much more.

I HOPE it's not kidney stuff, or you'll have your work cut out for you in all you'll have to learn. (but there are already many resources listed here for same, if needed)

And if she really is sick, those FEs I'd mentioned to you before (post found here.) would ALSO help keep her calmer and more able to battle whatever she's facing. (as well as cutting down on Luna's hissing if the rest of the crew get them, too) And if she's drinking water, you could simply put the required number of drops (like 2-4 drops) straight (neat) into her water bowl each day. Make sure it's purified water and not just those grocery store bottled waters, many of which aren't really decontaminated, or of pure source, as they claim. A better option is buying R.O. (reverse osmosis) water and adding about 1 tsp. of liquid "Concentrace" minerals(health food store) to each gallon of water. If her kidneys aren't functioning properly, very clean, yet mineralized water is imperative to aiding their reduced filtration abilities.

If you want to bathe her, just use something with some weave to it, like old, 'nubbly' terry cloth and only dampen it a bit with warm, purified water, so as not to get her too damp, and play 'Mother-cat', grooming her sideways to the lay of the fur, or even in circles, like cats do with each other, then wiping her off and smoothing down the fur with a dry cloth if needed afterwards. In fact, you can even use the already-diluted FE mixture to spray the cloth before bathing her. And give her something warm to lay on, like a flannel-covered gel-pack such as can be found in drugstores (checking that it's not TOO warm for tender cat skin), or a hot water bottle completely and safely wrapped in something flannel. Kidney cats usually crave warmth, as they tend towards chilliness, and especially if you bathe her. A 'cave' type structure might also be most welcome to her (like those cat 'igloos' sold in stores), as they trap body heat and also provide a feeling of protection - also great for vet visits, in between being examined &/or subjected to tests.

Hope this all helps, and wishing for the best for her health, despite what this looks like.....

If she hasn't started drinking again by the time I get home from work tomorrow (early day, fortunately), I'll take her in for Sub Cu fluids. Unfortunately I am all too familiar with managing chronic kidney failure. Tinsica died of it at 18-1/2, and just months after her death Cheddar was diagnosed and died four months later. I have MUCH more to learn about diet changes, but I understand the scope of it, on the animal and the family.

I have some flower essences in everybody's water already, though I'll consult with the gal who prepares them to make sure I have the best blend for what's going on. (I had them from when Twitch was entering the family.)

I do have Cream of Rice in the cupboard, I'll give her some this evening.
I've been heating up one of those dry corn heat packs, and sliding under the sheepskin rug she's sleeping on. The local kitten rescue lent me a carrier with a snuggly towel, and sometimes she curls up in there.

A friend said her brother the vet uses a trick of breaking catnip in the water to increase interest in drinking. The leaves need to be torn underwater, with clean hands, to release the oils. It's growing in the front yard, so I'll try that this evening too.

Oh, and I'm starting to call her Sable, for the beautiful brown-black color of her fur.

In my heart, I don't feel like she'll be with me long, but while she's here, she'll be safe, fed, warm, and loved.

Oh, that's excellent! I'm relieved you already know much about kidney issues (although not why you do ) , so I'm sure Sable will get great care in your loving hands. LOVE her (probable?) name, as it's SO elegant-sounding! I'd actually considered that one for Sabin, but it just sounded too 'girly' for a guy, and besides, he was totally black, not a brown-black combo.....although his fur actually started going a dark mahogany (most visible in sunlight) when he began to show signs of illness.

Yes, a catnip infusion (or actual catnip tea, cooled) is also great for kidney and bladder problems, besides relaxing them overall. (especially good for kidney stones, so I've read) I'd tried this tea with Nissa, too, but even though she liked fresh and dried catnip leaves, she refused to drink it as her water. Go figure. But even straight leaves can help the kidneys.

I'm also so glad you've got someone to work out an FE blend for her, so her individual needs and trauma issues can be addressed.

Despite what's going on with her, I'm soooo thankful she's with someone like you, no matter how long or short her time may be. At least she'll have known real tenderness, care, concern and a loving home after whatever ordeals she's been through.

Keep us posted, about both her AND you!

Took her to the vet today for sub cu fluids. Exam, bloods, and $321 later, she's home and resting comfortably. I still don't know if she'll survive. She's eating a lot, but she's stopped drinking and she's peeing WAY too much. I'm feeding her moist food, which the vet said was about 70% water, so she's getting a lot that way. She was feisty with them during the bloodtests -- good, I'm glad to know she had strength in her to do that. The vet said she's somewhere between 3 and 4 years old. Seems young to have any chronic kidney problem -- the vet is really curious to see what the labs show.

When I tell people about how I found her, nearly *everyone* has a similar story of taking in a stray animal at some point. So to anyone who has lost an animal, there ARE times, lots of times, when someone sees another soul in desperate straits, and opens their home and heart to offer shelter, safety, food, warmth, and love.

And as she starts to weave her charms with me, I notice some strange thoughts wafting through my head. A large part of me doesn't want to find her owner. I'm covering all the bases, certainly, but my heart's not in it. To justify such selfish thoughts, I think, "well, fate gave her to me," or "maybe she ran away from a home where she was sick and not being taken care of."

But, truth is, I know she came from a loving, wonderful home, because she's so affectionate and gentle. And she was given canned cat food, because when I opened a soda can, her head snapped up like a flag. "FOOD?" ~Kimberly

And one more...

She is just beautiful! Bless you for taking her in and good thoughts are flowing to her to be strong and well and have many years of love with you.

Kim,

Why do I get the idea you like cats?

Ya think? ;-)
Always. The connection has been strong since I was a child. Cats have always been "we" not "they."

Lab results are guardedly optimistic. After seeing her condition, the vet was puzzled by a relative absence of findings. She has "cast" in her kidney cells, which indicates some kind of damage to the kidneys, such as maybe getting into a toxin of some sort. Whether it's temporary (i.e., will the kidney repair itself) or permanent, he doesn't know. We'll repeat one of the tests in a week. I was holding my breath about the labs -- girding myself to hear the she was in kidney failure. To the contrary, her urine is concentrated like it should be, so her kidneys are functioning well.

Not a lot of bad news, but given her presentation and her behavior, not a lot of answers yet either. But I'm much more optimistic that she'll get through this health crisis! Next week's test will tell us a lot about which direction her kidney's are going.

When I came home from work today she still had food in her bowl, so the ravenous "I'm starving!" appet*ite is calming down. Actually, I'd rather that she was eating more, since that's a good way to get moisture into her. She's still not drinking much (any??), that I see. I'd like to see the water level in her bowl dropping. ~Kimberly
PS: couldn't resist, took this of my "kittens" Rohan and Luna a couple nights ago:

Okay, a guarded "Phew!", too. Yeah! Casts can mean many things, so let's hope they're just gone the next time! (Nissa only had these in small amounts maybe a couple of times {and I must have close to 100 urinalyses results here} but I was always told not to worry unless they were recurring &/or in larger amounts) Had you tried Googling excessive urinating in cats yet, to see what else you might be looking for? Is she still dehydrated now, or has that subsided? (do you know the "gum" test to check for dehydration, versus the less accurate skin test?)

Well, if she's NOT dehydrated any more, that's probably a GOOD sign, cuz most cats aren't supposed to drink noticeable amounts if they're healthy and not eating mainly dry food. If they're getting adequate moisture from their (wet) food, they don't need to drink much extra. (wild cats don't) So maybe we can all hope that she's just leveling out her systems overall? It's also not UNlikely she may have gotten into something bad when she was wandering around, since there are so MANY things that can be toxic to these ultra-sensitive creatures. Keeping my fingers crossed for Sable......

And my, oh my......Rohan and Luna are beauties, too! Makes me want to just jump in that fur-pile with them! Is there anything sweeter than felines curled up with whomever? I feel like a nap..........zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

How about this one of Luna -- couldn't you just eat her with a spoon???

Tell me about the dehydration gum test -- I don't know that one. ~K

Oh, NUMNUMNUMNUMNUMNUM!! Quite the darling, she is! (this must have been freshly-dried laundry time!)

For the gum test, either get behind the cat, or plunk them on their side on your lap, peel back their upper lip with one hand, and rub a finger from your other hand on their gums. Make sure they haven't just had either a drink or food before you test. If their gums are dry and feel kind of 'sticky', they're dehydrated. The gums should feel slippery, like your own. It's that simple, and more reliable than the skin elasticity test, especially when an animal's already older (cuz their skin is naturally not quite as elastic anyway). It's also a good time to check gum colour while you're at it (and get to know what their natural gum pigmentation looks like (some have natural 'spots' of colour).

at this point, unless Willow can't make the adjustment, I will keep her
it's hard on Willow, but so far it's only setting him back 2 notches, not 6
she deserves a loving home, and I can give her that
she's such a lovely girl...

if her owner turns up -- then that person has to prove to me that Sable is hers, AND convince me that her getting lost was a horrific event that made a family desperate with fear and grief. She has to be one of us. My Mamabear is fully awake.

a friend wrote to me: "Well, who knows why this sweetie was brought into your life...or you hers. Maybe a combination of things. Could even be that she is there for some reason to do with your own cats." Just this evening, all three cats were playing together! This has NEVER happened before, it's always been pairs. I guess they're shoring up their alliances before meeting the new kitty. Great to see!

Just spent most of an hour with Miss Sable, and discovered several wonderful things:
1. If I work slowly enough, she will let me groom her matted fur for a LONG time.
2. She purrs the entire time.
3. Her fur, freed from mats and gunk and dandruff, is incredibly soft.
4. With the door open, all three cats, even scaredy-cat, belly-to-the-ground Willow stepped into the office to Look At The New Cat. When Willow spotted her, he hissed, but it wasn't a full-on hiss. The best part is that as soon as I ushered them back into the hallway, he calmed down. (With the kittens, he had growled and mewled and talked to me all about it from clear across the house, long after they were out of sight.)

I JUST realized -- uh, I mean, DUH -- but Miss Sable HAS been drinking water. Not a lot, because I haven't noticed the water level drop much,

but ---
everytime I look at the water, it has crumbs in it.
Which means she's drinking from it.
I change the water, I come back the next time:
more crumbs.

GOOD!

Mink & Willows Mom

Oh your kittens are soooo cute! Rohan is so handsome and Luna, what a beauty! Great pictures, thanks for them.

So happy to hear that things are looking up for Sable.

Love

I forgot to ask. How did you end up on the state highway median?

I was on my way to Olympia to go car shopping (see Wrecked My Car in Cybershoulder Room) when I saw her sitting in the grassy median (which is about 50 feet wide). She's black, and the grass is gold, so she stood out boldly. Her sunken shoulders and hanging head bespoke utter resignation -- horrified me to my core. I spent the next mile trying to convince myself - futilely - that she didn't need MY help right NOW, passing the next exit. I quickly lost that side of the argument, and got off at the next exit, probably 4 miles away by now. Over the freeway, and got back on heading the other way.

A few miles back up the highway, I spotted her, in the same place, in the same position. Pulled the car over to the center median, parked half on the grass, half on the emergency break-down lane, and walked back toward her; she was about 10 feet from the road.

One safety note: if you should ever park at the side of the road (for a rescue, stopping to help at an accident, whatever) park 'downstream' of where you will be walking back to. That way, if somebody crashes into your vehicle, it will carry the debris away from you, not into you. Same thing for a train: if you have to abandon your car on the tracks, run TOWARD the approaching train. (On the side, obviously, not on the tracks!)

There was some risk for me being there rescuing her, but I was able to park my car completely out of the traffic, and stay in the grass while approaching her.

Today I'm experimenting with opening the door to her room, and letting her explore. (Willow is outside at the moment, unaware.) Rohan hunched his back, approached, and watched but didn't hiss. ~Kimberly

Good, solid advice, Kimberly, regarding car safety.


My second thought upon reading this account was how lucky you both were, too, that Sable didn't bolt when you approached.....which I'm quite sure you'd also thought of, cuz of course that could have been disastrous as well! The angels must have been busy making a circle of protection around the both of you in order to get Sable rescued and in good hands.

It's sounding like the kids will eventually accept Sable as one of the family, as there haven't been any great kerfuffles so far, and I've heard of many big ones between certain felines that still abated down the road, given enough time, attention and reassurance from their parent(s). When you think about it, it's really not much different than it can be with adopted human kids joining an existing family, or even caring (versus the bad ones) foster homes. It's just an adjustment that should be expected to take time and effort. (it's the people who expect 'instant soup' that set themselves up for trouble)

How's she doing NOW, physically? Anything new?

And btw, I highly doubt anyone's going to claim her. The fact that she was virtually out in the middle of nowhere suggests that even if she had a home, they sure weren't responsibly watching her very well, to end up way out there. Or, possibly she was dumped at the side of the road when she became ill because someone didn't want to take care of a cat who required medical help. It's not an uncommon story.

In fact, my no-kill shelter friend here had a story in her weekly newspaper ad recently that made me want to throw up &/or kill somebody. It still gives me absolute 'daymares' and I didn't even have to see it for myself! An adult dog was hit by a car right in front of his home, where he stayed for the rest of the day. His owners, who KNEW he'd been hit but did nothing, then figured he must have made his way somehow to the side of their house.....where they left him laying, with a broken pelvis in several places, unable to walk....for about another 9 days!!!! (I don't know if they'd even bothered to feed or water him) They THEN went out and and got themselves 2 new puppies, who were observed to be "two skinny little things, playing in blissful ignorance by the side of the road"!!! This couple wasn't in the least bit ashamed of my friend seeing or hearing all about this scenario. They told her their injured dog couldn't walk anymore, so they didn't want him any longer and asked her if she would take him off their hands. THIS is what many people are like in the real world, unfortunately, whether we want to believe it or not.

So thank GOD for all those who, like you, are there to try and balance things out and make up for the severe lack of decency in these other abominations of humanity. As you'd said before, no matter what, Sable is safe now. (and the poor dog above has now been adopted out to a more caring couple, too)

Kim.

You really should write a book! And thank you so much for the advice: Next time I'm escaping from an approaching train, I'll know how to run!

Bless you for being kind enough to rescue Sable and to give her a good home. As far as the other cats are concerned, we have always had good luck with putting up three baby gates to totally block the door but allow them to check each other out and hiss/paw a little. You can swap blankets after awhile as well so they will start to get used to each other's scent. Rubbing each of them with a cloth and then rubbing the other cat also helps. Give them a couple of weeks to get slowly familiar with each other. They will sort out the heirarchy from there and reach an understanding.

Good luck with your new beautiful furkid. I can tell that she is going to be a real beauty with a little more food and grooming since she is already stunning now!

Sable's doing great. I'm slowing trying to restart the antibiotics now that she has yogurt in her to calm her gut. (Cats love yogurt -- who knew?) Pretty kitty on top, not so pretty kitty on bottom. I've managed to get one hip completely free of mats, and the fur is already starting to regrow on her ankles.

She still has her own room, but some meetings between her and the rest of the brood are going well too. ~Kimbermama

And the not so pretty part....

MISS FATSO has gained 1 pound, 2 ounces!! In 11 days! Gooooooood girl! She's now just under 7 lbs. ~Kimbermama

Excellent! Now she's just a bit heavier than what Nissa was at her highest, natural weight. Good mama, too, for getting her there!

Have you considered clipping out (with those safety scissors) her matted fur, or is it just a matter of slowly but surely bathing and grooming it out for her? The parts you have managed to do are beautiful now!

Sable looks like such a sweetheart. (assuming that's what you're still calling her)

Oh, I've been clipping and clipping and snipping and snipping away at the mats. The last pic shows 2/3rds of it clipped away on her right hip. Her undercoat is like down -- now I understand why feathers have spines -- to keep the fibers all going the same direction! It's like slowly working my way through wool felt. They're too tight to comb out. I want to bathe her, but I'd like to get all the mats off first -- I'm so close. Now that she's stronger, she has the energy to get grumpy when I work at the mats too long. ~K

Don't know if it helps but:

there are brushes designed to help take out mats.

An old Cat Fancy magazine I had recommended rubbing cornstarch into the mats..it is supposed to help them come apart better and if the cats lick it...it won't hurt them to digest it. I tried it...don't know if it really worked but my cats were black and looked funny with white cornstarch rubbed into them. I made it seem like they were being petted. Put it on my hands then just petted them all over and put more in the mat area.

Just some thoughts.

That's probably true, in that it helps make things slippery-er, but I'd be careful as cornstarch is a real binder internally, not to mention the fact that it comes from corn itself (see the discussion on the article about diabetes posted by toonie recently). Arrowroot is a safer binder, but I'm not sure that it, either, is without risk for a cat to lick off.

Mats ARE very difficult, and that is why most (long term or no-kill) shelters simply shave the animal where they need to and just let the fur grow back in on its own. Looks like hell but it does the trick. But most cats can be very scared of those electric clippers and their skin can be nicked so easily if you're not used to doing this. So if it were me, I'd stick to the safest method even if slower, OR get the vet to shave some IF there was a necessary vet appt. scheduled anyway. I've heard of those special brushes, too, though, but don't know anything about them as my kids never had any matted fur and were short-haired to boot.

I'm sure you're doing fine as is. It's just going to take more time and effort. (and yah, it's a good sign she's now getting annoyed at you! )

The mats are all gone, as is most of the dandruff. I haven't seen her groom herself much, but her fur looks less spiky, so I'm guessing she's been doing some. I was out of town, so I haven't had a chance to repeat her kidney function tests yet. The introductions are going well. Lots of detente, mostly everyone's wary and on their best behavior. She growls some, Willow hisses some, but that's it so far. They're still sequestered when I'm not home, but I hope to get past that this weekend.

Her weight gain halted while I was away -- my brother came over once a day and she got two cans, and I'd been feeding her at least 2-3 cans plus 2-3 servings of yogurt and morsel snacks. But now I'm back to fatten her up.

Her back legs are still wobbly. I wonder if she was injured? And she still pees * a lot*. Did she get caught in that pet food kidney injury? I don't know if she has a long life ahead of her, but so far so good. ~Kimberly

She's gained TWO FULL pounds!! Still has 3 more to go, I'd guess. She's fully integrated with Gen Pop (see 'Introduction Strategies' in New Beginnings thread) with very little fuss. Last night she asked me to move her food into the kitchen too, a sign she's ready to spend more time out of 'her' room. I've started brushing her -- ye gads I'll be able to knit a whole new cat! And washing her with the nubbly terry cloth is going well -- she just thinks I'm petting her.

She's started drinking a regular, healthy amount, and isn't peeing as much. Still have renal tests to repeat, but in the meantime, she's quietly recovering. ~Kimbermama

I'm so glad this poor kitty seems to be doing better. I've been following your story.
Sheri

Kimberly,
My life has been so crazy lately that I havn't had a lot of time to check in, but I just sat down and read your story. Sable is beautiful! Especially Thanks to you and your love for her. Sometimes I think God steps in and gives us a precious gift that we really didn't think we needed. I know you are really enjoying her this Christmas. She's had time to heal, love, and be loved. She will forever remember this Christmas.

I hope Sable and your family has a wonderous holiday season. Your story is truly a wonderful story for this season of miracles. You have warmed my heart. Bless you all!
Michelle

Latest photo of our Miss Sable, squinting against the flash. Slowly easing in, slowly regaining health. Merry Christmas, everyone! ~Kimberly

Kimberly

Great picture of Miss Sable. She is looking so good.

Merry Christmas to you.

Got referred to a Craigslist ad for a missing Sara, with the picture below. I didn't even want to respond to the ad, I don't want to risk that it's her and I have to send her away. "Mine! She's mine now!"

But I did answer the ad, and am awaiting more pictures. My first thought is that Sara's face is more heart-shaped than Sable's; Sara's tail is fluffier and her fur is longer. Granted, Sable's malnutrition may have taken a lot out of her coat. But I don't think they're the same kitty. Dang, they do look a lot alike though... This is scary for me. ~Kimberly

PS: Sable isn't Sara. Sara had a missing canine tooth, so sure way to verify.

YAY! I want her to stay with you!

Oh THANK YOU, Boogi! That made me laugh!
Yes, I want her to stay with me too!!

She's starting to chase Luna, the only one she has to navigate dominance with. (She knows that Willow and Rohan are wussies and don't want to be top cat.) Luna won't care either, I don't think, but she's so dang friendly and playful, she's never had anything lash at her before. As Mamabear, I get mad at Sable, though I know these skirmishes are inevitable. I wonder if they save it for when I'm home, or if they do this when I'm gone, too? ~Kimberly

waiting for an update.........................

Funny, just an hour ago I started to post, then got distracted. Miss Sable is doing beautifully. When I found her she was 5 lb. 11 oz, now she's over 8 pounds. She hangs out in the middle of everyone, and sits comfortably within 3 feet of the others. Everybody is just slowly, slowly finding ease with each other. She's finally started grooming herself. And twice she's batted a paw like she wanted to play. Tonight, for the first time, she fell asleep on my lap. She likes to be carried around (she purrs), and twice before she's stayed on my lap for a few minutes when I sit down, but tonight she completely sank into my arms and fell asleep.

She's very sweet and open to affection, but I wonder if she was in a home where she was hit. When I reach toward her to pet her, she pulls her head away. If I touch her before she sees me, she jumps, although being lost could have brought that on. She's relaxing, bit by bit, her guard coming down. I'm sure her other home was loving also, because when I talk to her all low-voiced and murmuring, she gently head-butts me or licks my forehead.

I've had three queries for lost black cats, but all were definitively not her (based on markings and teeth).

PLEASE TAKE THIS TO HEART: to all of you who have lost animals out there, and never knew what happened to them, please know that there are times when they find their way into someone else's home and heart, to be loved and cuddled and cherished just as they were in your home. It happened here. ~Kimbermama

What a wonderful story you have going with the new baby. She sounds so sweet and loving. I did adopt a shelter boy (black cat also) the day after Christmas and had forgotten the many things they do as youngsters before they settle down as Senior Citizens. I put Lucky's pictures in the New Beginnings. Sounds like what you have going here also. Every baby that finds a home and love surely must have been guided by an angel.

Miss Sable's pictures are precious. That weight gain is wonderful. And, all the little things you mention going on between you and her are good to hear about.

It is the light of good news like this that helps dispel much of the darkness that sadness brings into our lives when we lost our precious ones. The stories of young babies can easily make us laugh while their pictures never fail to make us smile. It is good for us to do that.

How she came into your life is a miracle for her as well as for you. Looking forward to more updates on your little sweetheart!

A HUGE FIRST for Miss Sable! Today, for the first time in the 7 weeks she's been here, she jumped up on the bed and fell asleep.

As with any family, who is allowed to sleep on the bed is the definition for who's in the inner sanctum -- who is family vs. visitor. I've set her on the bed a few times, letting her know it's okay, though she promptly jumped off. The other three sleep on the bed at night, especially since she's been here. (In a measure of solidarity, ownership, or increased security, I'm not sure.)

Last night I woke at 5:30a, to see her on the floor at the foot of the bed, with Luna, Rohan, and Willow awake, alert, and staring at her. Only the second or third time she's been in the bedroom at night, that I know of. She curled up behind the door for a while; the other three settled down.

So this morning, after we were all up, she hopped up on the bed, sat there for a long time (testing the waters), then curled up in the sun and fell sound asleep for a couple hours. Bless my other kitties for being so easy with letting her in! And bless her heart for slowly coming to trust us. I get the sense she still thinks of someplace else as 'home,' but is slowly accepting her new family. It'll be a while yet before we're all five on the bed at once, but how wonderful that will be. Although there are times, I must admit, when waking up pinned to the bed with sleeping cat bodies can be a bit of an adventure. ~Kimberly

The settling-in process is going along ... slowly. The honeymoon is starting to end, as all of us, including me, are coming to grips that this is a permanent arrangement. She's been here 8 weeks. Now they're getting down to the work of negotiating rank and friendships.

Sable is cautious -- hasn't let down her fight-or-flight guard yet. That period of being lost must have been so hard on her, she must have had to really defend herself.
She's tough. When the others get too close to her, she lashes out without any hesitation or warning. Clearly it's because she launches into >>panic! protect myself!<< mode. But when she walks around, her tail is high with a little curl at the top -- very friendly body language. She's rubbing her facial pheromones on *everything:* "Mine!" "I belong here too?" "See? I'm nice, but I'm going to be top dog, too." At times she clearly approaches the other cats, so she's doing some of the work too. And just in the last couple of weeks she's started to groom herself. I'm still thinking of giving her a bath.

Right now I'm a little bit resentful of the changes this has brought to my home. No doubt mirroring my resentments over healing so slowly from my car accident injury. I'm impatient, wanting things to resolve into ease more quickly. The other night she sat by the back door, her request to go outside in a former life. So help me, I had this impulse to just open the door, and let her out into the night, rid of her. I suppose every parent has those feelings at times.

Minuses: - I'm always running out of food and litter -- haven't found the new buying rhythm yet.
- She's still peeing way too much -- something is up with kidneys. I was relishing a household of vibrant healthy kitties (after years of caring for CKF) and now that ease is gone. She's not in kidney failure, but something's amiss.
- Scooping is extra messy, because big chunks break off and fly everywhere. (I've just finished moving her box into the cat bathroom, which will be a big help.)
- There's tension in the house. (Easing in the right direction at least.)
- Cat hair EVERYWHERE. (Hair wrangling ideas welcome!)
- If her mama were to suddenly materialize, I'd be relieved.

Pluses: - the other three have bonded in a tight and easy way. Willow is completely at ease with both Rohan and Luna; all three play together sometimes.
- They all pass within 3-4 feet, and sit about that far apart too. Wary, but in relaxed postures.
- Rohan is starting to work his extraordinary magic on Sable. It's a beautiful thing to watch. He is Master at currying friendship.
- Luna is just curious, and wants to play. Hopefully she can teach Sable how -- she obviously did not live in a home with other kitties. Dogs, I wonder? Twitchit was the same way, he knew how to pounce, but it was aggressive, not that claws-in, batting, glint-in-the-eye way cat-buddies learn to tussle with each other. If Sable will let Luna teach her, then all four cats can play together.
- Nobody is displaying jealousy. I can cuddle all four without anyone getting upset. (When Rohan starts schmoozing Sable directly, Willow may have something to say.)

Now that the afterglow of RescuingSavingALife has faded, the reality of this still-a-stranger in our home is here. She's pleasant, wary, self-assured, generally peaceable, but holds back on approaching us much. Yet, anyway. She likes being carried, and will sit in my lap for a few minutes if I sit down with her, but isn't quite at ease enough to stay there long. A friend of mine makes flower essences for cats, and she's going to help us out. ~Kimbermama