Junie the Aljunied stray cat

A beautiful black cat gets rescued!

Junie, a friendly community cat from Aljunied

On Saturday we got a call about an injured stray cat. She was acting more aggressive, and had weak appetite, likely from pain. She had a wound on her inner foreleg, sustained late last week. The rescuers had financial difficulties paying for her veterinary care fully so we are very grateful that the Stray Cat Fund was available to help!

Junie's wound

We got a cat trapper to get Junie to our vet. Dr Dawn Chong saw her and suspects it is likely a cat bite wound that grew into an abscess which then burst. We have seen such injuries before and it can be fatal if not treated soon enough.

Dr Chong flushed Junie's wound with saline and then applied Panalog ointment. Junie would need stitches for the wound to heal but because the injury site is still inflamed, she would need to go on antibiotics first. Junie is now at our foster home receiving her medication and getting her wound flushed and medicated daily. She will go for surgery on Wednesday and then return to us to recover fully.

We have Panalog and saline at our foster home, save $!

Junie's first vet bill, paid for from Stray Cat Fund

After her surgery, because the wound is near a joint, she will need to stay indoors with restricted movement and continue antibiotics, because otherwise the wound will reopen. Junie is also having pain and we are managing her pain with Tramadol. We also would like her to regain her appetite fully before she returns to the streets.

She initially was quite stressed when she came to our foster home, likely from pain and the introduction to new cats. After some pain meds, massages and aromatherapy, she calmed down. Heh, we found out she likes catnip.

Junie chilling out after pain meds kicked in

We are also giving her supplements of fish oil and turmeric to aid in wound healing. She takes her meds very easily and will eat her supplements when it is in canned food. She only likes canned food though, and we have run out. (Want to help feed Junie while she is here? Here is how.)

So far we have really enjoyed Junie's company! She is easy going, and her temperament is lovely when she isn't in pain. She is so easy to bathe, feed meds too, and will listen to instructions. She is about 5 years old this year and has a super classy temperament to match.

Will update more after her surgery. Look out for her pics on our Instagram / Facebook / Twitter (luvkuching).

If you want to contribute to the Stray Cat Fund, make a deposit to our bank account POSB savings 188-52652-7 and email us so we can appropriate your gift to the fund.

Chinese New Year safety for kitties!

Holiday around the corner! Remember to keep the kitties safe. Here are some pointers you may like to look out for during this festive time.

• If you use ribbons to tie decorations to plants, take care not to leave any stray ones that can be swallowed by kitty. Swallowing a stray string or ribbon may lead to intestinal obstruction requiring surgery. 
• Some snacks are simply too oily for kitty to digest. Like bak kwa. Yes, some cats do like pork. Jerky treats (dehydrated meat) are available for cats that are more suitable.
• Fish is important for many a Chinese new year meal. Unfortunately there are bones and therefore should be kept away from kitty. If you want your cat to share in the fish, pressure cook it to make sure the bones are no longer a choking hazard. Do not add salt or any seasonings to it.
• Kids will come to visit! If they are new to kitty, do take time to teach them how to interact with a cat. No touch areas include kitty's tail, tummy and paws. Do not force kitty to make friends if she doesn't want to, it will create stress for her. 
• Lion dance is a stressor to cats because of its loud noise. Keep kitty in a quiet room when there are lion dance performances around the neighbourhood. Likewise for mahjong. 
• Take care to notice signs of stress in kitty: constipation. overgrooming. peeing outside the litter box, lack of appetite.

Safety first, folks. Have a great holiday!

New Wellness canned food range

Cubed or minced meat in gravy. (Also available sliced.)

Our corporate sponsor @TheWaterDish gave us the new Wellness range of canned foods to try. The kitties love it! The humans weigh in on the pros and cons of this new range of Wellness wet food.

Gravy. A lot of cats like gravy but find that there isn't much choice in the canned food department that comes with a lot of gravy. In fact, some resort to giving Whiskas pouch food from supermarkets because of the gravy, and we know Whiskas contains far too much salt that it is unhealthy. The new Wellness range comes with gravy but is far healthier! Cats that love gravy can eat and be healthy.

Palatability. No the humans didn't actually try it but the foster cats did and they really took to the range. All the formulas, be it tuna, turkey, chicken or salmon. They seem to have no preference over the cubed or minced variety and sometimes we fed it to them mixed. Balloon, who was initially very fussy over his canned food, which we needed him to eat because his meds or supplements were mixed inside, and also because his medication makes him need to consume more water, really liked this range too. Considering he used to eat fried ikan kuning fish, this was testament that the food passed taste testing.

Downside is probably one ingredient that some cat nutrition folks will disapprove of: natural flavour. The argument is that we do not know how this flavour is derived,. Another downside is that for a small can, $2.50 makes it less affordable than our favourite go-to brands for economical reasons: Addiction 185gm and Nutripe. But for those who like not having leftover canned food that needs to be stored in the fridge till the next meal, the new Wellness range is an ideal size. For a single meal a day, one can is just nice, for a smaller meal, half a can per cat.

Our most particular favourites are the cubed turkey and salmon, and minced tuna. and here you go, another new range of cat food to try!

Cooky, construction site injury victim

Cooky is a black and white 6 month old kitten who came to us to recuperate from flesh wounds he sustained as a stray kitty in a construction site.

Cooky

When he first arrived, he was missing the flesh off a toe and had a skinned elbow. He also showed signs of trauma, but did well under intensive care.

Injured hind toe

Skinned elbow

He was on oral antibiotics which he has completed, and now needs only topical medication on his wounds. They have stopped bleeding so much and are enroute to recovery.

Cooky will be returned to his territory at the construction site once his toe and elbow heal, unless a human steps forward wanting to adopt him!

If you are keen, here is more about Cooky.

Cooky likes human affection

Cooky is a very affectionate cat, enjoys talking to us a lot, and is obedient. He likes lounging together with us when we call him, yet is not overly attention-seeking. He is independent and doesn't mind being on his own but always enjoys a hug. He is very suited for being a pet cat because of these personality traits. Oh, and he is very greedy! Seeing him munch away at food reminds us that cats really love simple things in life such as food.

He is a black and white neutered male kitten with a short tail.

Cooky, relaxing

He is on Revolution, and litter trained. When his toe and elbow heal, he will be looked over by the vet one more time to make sure everything is okay.
 
Keen to adopt him? See here or right side bar under 'How to adopt' to find out how.

Stray Cat Fund balance

As of today our Stray Cat Fund has reached 3 cats in need of critical care: Calipod, the Teban Gardens cat, and Balloon.

The Stray Cat Fund serves 2 purposes.The first is to carry out rescue of stray cats that are critically ill or injured, by transporting them to the vet and getting them treatment. The second purpose of the Stray Cat Fund is to pay for veterinary expenses that are incurred by rescued stray cats we foster that require critical, intensive care until they pass on or can be released back to their territory.

As of today, here is the Stray Cat Fund's balance: Total expense stands at $742.19. Total income raised via financial contributions direct to the Stray Cat Fund stands at $660.00. We opened the Stray Cat Fund at $200.00. This leaves us with $117.81 at present.

Yes, the Stray Cat Fund is no longer in the red! Thank you cat angels who have given to this fund - it means a lot to the stray cats in need.

With this balance of $117.81 however, we are ill-equipped to carry out the next stray cat rescue. Ideally, the float for the Stray Cat Fund should be at around $400.00 for emergency stray cat vet expenses. So please remember us in your month end giving!

(We have another stray cat arrival in our foster home named Cooky who lost the flesh off a toe in a construction site accident. Now rehabilitating, His story soon!)

[Special Kitty Alert] Lenny needs a proper forever home

[Photos courtesy of @furryphotos]

If you have followed us on Lenny's journey since he arrived at our foster home, you will know he has always been sniffly: he has chronic flu'. This means that since he contracted flu' when he was 4 weeks old, he has been sick with it till today. It has been more than a year. All his siblings did not survive it but Lenny did and is still going strong.

The latest medication we have tried for him is via an inhaler. It has not improved him much but it helps clear his nose so it won't be clogged. We eventually took him off it and accepted that he will always have a slightly runny nose. Also, the medication is not cheap, not OTC, and the chamber that makes a human inhaler usable for cats is expensive too. We can't give ours away when he goes to a new home because we only have one and will need it for other cats in future. All this would hinder his prospects of getting adopted should it be a compulsory medication.

Cute nose that will always be a bit clogged

So, if you have always loved Lenny, the options are: (1) accept a runny-nosed cat in your home, (2) be willing to get and administer daily medication to alleviate his runny nose.

All the above probably seems offputting to any adopter but we need potential parents to know this before they decide to take in Lenny.

"I haz a sickie, will yew still luvs me?"

That aside, Lenny has a great personality. He is courageous, loves all humans (yes kids too), loves to play, independent yet gets along with other cats. He enjoys sitting near humans, rubbing his cheek against us, and talking to us with his distinctive meow. When we call him, he responds. He doesn't climb furniture he shouldn't, and responds well to toys and food, which made him easy to train.

Lenny LOVES teaser toys

Likes playing on his own too

He is a white and tabby cat with a mid-length tail. He is a 'teacup' cat, meaning he doesn't look his size for his age. At present he looks like he is about 9 months old but is actually already over a year old. He is not likely to grow up to be a big cat.

Size of a kitten, sensibility of an adult cat

More about Lenny's chronic flu': He can be adopted by families who already have cats, because vaccinations will protect the other cats. All the other cats in our foster home are flu'-free. Care for him can be as simple as wiping his nose when it is runny, or if you want to, using the inhaler medication on him once every day (we will advise you how to get the medication and inhaler chamber).

In love with Lenny already? To adopt him, read here or see sidebar under 'How to adopt'.

Can't adopt? We might need to hold on to Lenny for a long time, so food and litter donations WILL help, as will financial contributions to our Boarding Fund. To give food and litter, see here. To give financially, see here.

And oh yes, please spread the word! Lenny is a special cat whose story needs to be told, and he really deserves a forever home.

Give financially to our cause by depositing to our bank account POSB savings 188-52652-7    
Sponsor a foster kitten's vaccination through our Sponsor-A-LoveKuching-Cat Scheme  
Give food and litter at charity rates through our corporate sponsor The Water Dish 

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What happens during a regular vaccination vet visit

Our own cats go for their vaccinations once in two years, during then the vet also does a check-up to make sure everything is a-ok. Not all vets include a check-up with the vaccination; some vets jab and go, so do get a vet that does the check-up as well. Last December Scooter went for his visit to Dr Dawn Chong our favourite vet at The Animal Clinic.

[Photos taken by Furry Photos]

Dr Chong examines Scooter on the exam table

We do the core vaccination, which is the one for the flu' strains and parvovirus.  It can be done once in 3 years as well, but we do it a bit more frequently because of our cats' exposure to rescue cats in the foster home. Once a year is too often for most cats.

Stuff that your vet will check, kitties!

Teeth and gums

Ears, mainly for mites and yeast

Heart and lungs

Digestive system, mainly for obstructions

Lymph nodes

Limb rotation to check joint health

Then Scooter gets his jab.

The vaccination is a subcutaneous injection, not much pain

Vaccination booklet will be updated

Protip: your cat hates going to the vet? Place the carrier in common areas of the home, door open or removed, so he can hide in it anytime. Come time to go to the vet, he will not associate the carrier with going to the scary place known as the vet. At the waiting area, do not take your cat out to stroke or hug, altercations might happen with the dogs and the clinics are not liable for any injuries that occur this way.

Some people do titre tests for their pets before re-vaccination. If you are doing vaccinations once in 3 years it usually is not necessary. If you do want to get a titre test (to check if the cat is still immune to the diseases hence no need for re-vaccine) not all vet clinics do it, we hear Animal Recovery Centre has the facilities.

If you have any more questions about vaccination visits to the vet, ask! You can get us here (comment or Formspring), Twitter @luvkuching.

Give financially to our cause by depositing to our bank account POSB savings 188-52652-7    
Sponsor a foster kitten's vaccination through our Sponsor-A-LoveKuching-Cat Scheme  
Give food and litter at charity rates through our corporate sponsor The Water Dish 

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About a street cat named Balloon

On Sunday night, we received a call from Tiffany and neighbours regarding Balloon, a boy cat in their estate in Jurong West.

Balloon had presented with ascites, fluid retention in the abdomen. He was brought to the vet and given diuretics as well as had the fluids drained twice.

Upon investigation with the vets we believe that the underlying condition leading to Balloon's ascites is heart failure. He fits the profile: above 5 years of age, FIP negative, X-ray showed his heart to look 'fuzzy' - the only other diagnostic test left to confirm this is an ECG.

The boy has ascites (bloating of stomach)

At his old home in Jurong West

Also, research shows that cats with heart failure are very unlikely to show any signs of pain or distress. But when symptoms like his bloated stomach start showing, it means the heart is already beginning to fail. This means that Balloon has to be in a stress-free environment. The medication of his diuretics is very key and should be given 3 times a day. The feeders were not able to commit to feeding him the medication, and also applied well-meant but harmful measures to make Balloon feel better. Hence we decided to take him off the streets and into our foster home.

Now resting in our Suite

He likes the pen. Has bed, pillow, blanket

Spends most of his time resting, which is good

Balloon arrived on Monday night and so far he has been doing well. He is very easy to medicate and allows us to groom him. He hasn't been eating very much but is still eating and drinking definitely.

We have been diffusing essential oils to calm him, alongside the Feliway diffuser that is always on. Lavender for stress relief, and geranium for fluid retention. His pen is also scented with catnip, and his water laced with Rescue Remedy.

We will be starting him on nutraceutical and herbal supplements after his vet visit with Dr Dawn Chong today (which will confirm diagnosis and if so, get him his heart medication alongside diuretics). Supplements are procured under our Boarding Fund. He will need supplements such as L-carnitine, Co-Q10, antioxidants such as selenium, magnesium, potassium, vitamin E, herbal supplements such as hawthornberry, ginger, coleus.

We will update how he does over Twitter espcially after his vet visit today.

Meanwhile, his previous vet visit has already been paid for by Tiffany and rescuers and they need help trying to cover it as they have other animals to rescue in their own group. We are appeal for folks like you to help share with them the costs that have already incurred.

Any amount is appreciated. To help with this bill dated 13 Jan: give to POSB Savings Acct No: 245-49743-1 and contact Nurul at 811399097

You can also find out more on Balloon's FB page.


To 'tompang' a shout out: our Stray Cat Fund is still in the red. Any amount you can give will help alleviate the deficit. Our bank details are below this post. Email us to tell us you have given to the Stray Cat Fund.

Give financially to our cause by depositing to our bank account POSB savings 188-52652-7    
Sponsor a foster kitten's vaccination through our Sponsor-A-LoveKuching-Cat Scheme  
Give food and litter at charity rates through our corporate sponsor The Water Dish 

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A (big) bit of good news

Braveheart has a forever-home!

Yes, he does! He was adopted by Daniel and Jolene on Friday night! He has since adjusted pretty well to his new home.

Braveheart being his usual lapcat self

Braveheart conquering pillows

We are so happy for Braveheart! Thank you to all who have followed his progress.

Give financially to our cause by depositing to our bank account POSB savings 188-52652-7    
Sponsor a foster kitten's vaccination through our Sponsor-A-LoveKuching-Cat Scheme  
Give food and litter at charity rates through our corporate sponsor The Water Dish 

Be Sociable, Share!

If you come across an injured or sick stray cat

What do you do?

First, do you know the person who takes care of this stray cat, i.e. the cat feeder (caregiver)? If so, you should inform the caregiver first. This is because the cat may already have been taken to the vet and could even be on medication at the moment. Also, the caregiver needs to know that the cat is not well if this is a new observation. If you know the cat caregiver, work in tandem with the caregiver to provide medical attention for the cat. If you don't, or know that there is no fixed caregiver, or that the cat-feeder is not concerned with the health of the cats, then you can proceed to act on your own. Also, if the cat is in severe condition and warrants immediate response, act first and inform the caregiver after.

There are two actions to take. First is to inform SPCA to allow them to trap, transport, and provide medical attention. They can also investigate if the case involves abuse. The SPCA 24 hour hotline is 62875355. Remember to take pictures of the cat if it is really suspected abuse, before moving it.

The second action, is the one also recommended by SPCA itself:

"Should a community animal need medical attention because it is sick or injured, the best thing a caregiver can do is to take the animal to a private veterinarian as soon as possible. Injured or sick animals often run to hide and it may be difficult to find them at a later time.

"We also have an emergency service that attends to injured community animals. However as we are responding to close to 200 emergencies per month involving mainly community animals, it would be impossible to treat every one of them in view of our limited facilities (we do not have hospitalisation facilities) and the prohibitive cost involved."

What you will need to do is to move the cat into a cat carrier which you will need to get from home if you are nearby. A cardboard box will do if it is sturdy and will not allow the cat to jump out (cover or tape the top tightly). Please be aware that cats when ill or injured, might be aggressive even if usually tame. Handling the cat should be by the scruff.

If you are not confident that you can handle the cat and put it in the carrier by yourself without scaring the cat off, you will need to call a cat trapping service provider. Our go-to service provider is Acodia (Damy, 93390481) and if he is not able to meet you and the cat soonest possible he can refer you to other trappers. You will need to wait until the trapper arrives at the time you and he both agree on. This means making sure the cat does not run off and hide. If the cat runs away without your knowledge, or dies while you are waiting for the trapper, inform the trapper so he does not have to make the trip down anymore. The trapping service costs $80-120. Please arrange to have cash on hand.

You can also call SPCA's 24 hour service, but ask them to pass you the cat upon rescue and trapping, instead of them bringing the cat back to the SPCA veterinary clinic.

If you are unable to bring the cat to the vet, you can email us and we will meet the cat at the vet to make the veterinary decisions necessary as well as use our Stray Cat Fund to pay for the veterinary expenses. This however depends on 2 factors:

1. We have sufficient funds in the Stray Cat Fund at the time the cat is rescued by you.
2. The cat is rescued at a time where our vet The Animal Clinic Telok Kurau is open. We are unable to afford veterinary fees at off hours (the consultation for regular clinic times 10am to 8pm weekdays is $37.45 before discount at The Animal Clinic, and $214.00 before discount at Mt Pleasant off hours clinic at night or on public holidays). 

Should we be unable to help because of these 2 factors not being met, you can still bring the cat to the vet (any one you choose) on your own, and pay for the cat's vet bill.

If you are unable to shoulder the cat's entire veterinary expense, you can thereafter submit the bills and case details to Cat Welfare's Special Appeals so that the public can help chip in to share the costs. This includes the trapping costs, the transport costs (even if by cab). Therefore you need to keep all the receipts pertaining to the rescue case. Please note that Cat Welfare Society is unable to shoulder the costs on the cat's behalf. Their role is to publicise the rescue case and the costs so that various donors can help. You will still be required to pay the veterinary bill at the clinic for the cat first. Love Kuching will also help you to publicise the special appeal you submit by directing our followers to the post put up by Cat Welfare.

If the cat needs intensive care after being treated, including but not limited to dressing of wounds, application/feeding of medication, if our foster home has space we will take care of the cat, limited to cats without airborne contagious diseases. This will eliminate the per-day hospitalisation costs at the vet. What we cannot do at the foster home includes oxygen therapy and IV drips. That will still need to be done at the clinic.

If the cat's condition is treatable and it gets well, we will return it to the site the cat is originally from when it is assessed to be able to go about its daily functions without pain. If the cat was unfortunately assessed to have a condition it will not survive from, such as cancer, kidney failure, diabetes that requires daily pain management among other intensive care, we can also take the cat in if there is space and the illness is not contagious. This is to still provide quality of life for the cat even in its last days. When the cat is nearing the end of its life and treatment no longer eases its suffering we will euthanise it if the option is available. We will also arrange for its cremation.


We hope this knowledge helps you so that you know what to do when you see a sick or injured cat. Do spread this information so that the people in your social circle also know what to do to save lives.

How can you help if you don't come across any sick or injured cats that need rescue? Give to our Stray Cat Fund. This makes rescue more of a possibility, for more cats. Many stray cats are not treated when sick or injured because of cost, eventually go through more pain and suffering than is necessary before they die. You can change this. Make a deposit to our Stray Cat Fund by crediting our account POSB savings 188-52652-7 and email us to inform us your contribution is toward the Stray Cat Fund. 

Questions? Leave a comment or email us.

Give financially to our cause by depositing to our bank account POSB savings 188-52652-7    
Sponsor a foster kitten's vaccination through our Sponsor-A-LoveKuching-Cat Scheme  
Give food and litter at charity rates through our corporate sponsor The Water Dish 

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