Meet the Cats
Click on an image below to learn about our adoptable, new, resident and alumni cats. Or, for more pictures and videos, go to the Facebook group 'Friends of The Cats of Paint Lake'.
Adoptable
These cats are ready for their forever home. If you're interested in adopting a cat, please contact us.
Nicholas, Vixen and Holly - the Christmas kittens
Gender: 1 male, 2 females
Age: Approx 1 year old
Breed / Colour: Tabbies, Nicholas is a male with white-tipped toes. Vixen is a long-haired female, and Holly is a short-haired female
Spayed / Neutered: Y
Adoption Summary:
Update: Nicholas has been adopted, as of July, by his fosterers, but his sisters are still available. They should be adopted separately.
These summaries have been provided by the foster mom, who has been caring for these kittens for several months.
Nicholas – As of July 2021 – Nicholas is one of the three Christmas kittens. He was rescued around Christmas 2020 and had been hanging around a construction site since that summer.
He needs a forever home with a kitty companion (his sister Vixen would make a great companion) and someone who is willing to spend time with him every day. He will also do best to have toys, a window preferably with a good view of nature, at least one scratching post, and a wand toy to play with you!
He is the SWEETEST kitty; I tell him how lovely he is every day. He enjoys playing. Most importantly, he needs companionship and needs someone to love him and let him love you regularly. He loves his siblings, chasing them, napping with them, and, naturally, grooming them.
I always have favourites and he is mine by a landslide. Every morning and every evening (and almost every time in between) when I come into his room, he comes RUNNING to me, rubs up against my legs, headbutts me, and follows me around. Lately when he wants attention, he will run into the bathroom, meow, and wait for me to come in and pet him - IT'S SO CUTE!
He is: Lovely, Handsome, Soft, Not-so-athletic (lol), A little playful, Curious, And likes lots of cat-naps in the sunshine.
He is neutered, microchipped, and his vaccinations are up to date.
Vixen – As of July 2021. Vixen is one of the Christmas kittens. She was rescued around Christmas 2020 and had been hanging around a construction site since that summer.
She is a brown-black tabby, and has long hair (she has the furriest tail I have ever seen on a cat!). For her forever home, she will do best if she has a smaller area to get comfortable and will probably take a little time to adjust. She has so much love to give and deserves a loving home with a cat companion as well as someone who will give her playful attention every day.
She was extremely feral when she was rescued. She has come a long way in the last 7 months in her foster home, but still is nervous in new areas and hesitant around new people. Right now she feels most comfortable in a small room (a bathroom) where she allows me to pick her up and pet her.
She is very playful – she plays with her siblings every day and definitely needs that entertainment. She also enjoys having enrichment things like climbing towers, toys, and windows to watch the outdoor activities.
Vixen has the most personality of this trio (and maybe of any kitty I’ve cared for!). A few of the cutest things she does: #1 She will sit and tilt her head to the side when she is pensive (SUPER CUTE). #2 When she wants something from me, she will run up to about 1m from me, sits down, and then stare until I figure out what she wants. #3 When she falls asleep, she will keep her head propped up and it looks like she is smiling
She eats well, uses the litter box with no trouble, is a thinner kitty – but extremely healthy.
She is spayed, microchipped, and has all her required vaccinations.
Holly - As of July 2021. Holly is one of the Christmas kittens; she is the tiny one of the litter. She was rescued around Christmas 2020 and had been hanging around a construction site since that summer. She isn’t quite ready for adoption yet, but with some more time she will come around.
She is a brown-black tabby, and has short hair. She was extremely feral when she was rescued. She has come a long way in the last 7 months in her foster home, she likes to be around her foster family, but she mostly does not like being held or pet. Right now she feels comfortable in her room and will allow for some petting and handling in a small room (a bathroom) – once in a while she even purrs!
Holly LOVES playing with springs. They are her FAVOURITE toy! I gather all the Christmas kittens’ toys and put them in one spot almost every day. Holly comes to the pile, picks out her spring, takes it to her desired location, and then plays with it until she loses it under a couch (it’s the CUTEST thing to watch).
She has the prettiest face, she loves her siblings and grooms them every day in nap-time, she definitely needs to play every day, she’s curious and above all is loved.
She is spayed, microchipped, and has all her required vaccinations.
Detailed Log:
Apr 18 - I let the Christmas kittens explore another room yesterday for a couple hours and to no surprise of mine, Vixen was the first one out! And moments later Nicholas and Holly followed. They enjoyed the big window too!
Mar 2 – The kittens have been in their foster home for almost two months. Lately with the Christmas kitties, we have been working on their comfort level with us walking around and not always freaking out and running away. It’s really slow progress and it’s hard to explain the “wins”, but I think every day we are making baby-steps towards it. For example, the kittens don’t always run away every time when I move around the room near them; or if I angle my body a certain way, move slowly towards them, and hold out my finger, they will actually smell it instead of running in fear; and once in a while, Nicholas will stay put and let me pet him!!!!!!!! He is by far the most social in this way; it’s not every time he lets me get close to him in the open, but it’s more frequent for sure. The other two are still making progress in this direction and I’m hoping their brother will pave the way for them.
Jan 6, 2021 – The kittens started out quite frightened, and would almost panic every time someone came near. Over the past days and weeks they have gotten calmer, and their digestive systems are starting to work better after transitioning to their new diet and de-worming treatments.
The past few days, they have begun to get more and more curious about the environment beyond the crate. They watch the other cats play with toys and race around the house. They even engage with them through the bars of the cage! They have begin to tentatively accept touch from us, their caregivers. And after their time of rest and change in diet and environment, they are itching to get active!
I dropped them off at an amazing foster placement today, where they will continue the process of learning to socialize and live among humans. She has a dedicated space, starting with a large clean bathroom to use as their home base, and then when they are more comfortable, they will get “day passes” to move into the other part of a small suite where she will supervise and play with them. She is very excited to have them and help them along this next phase of their journey.
Dec 24 - Our three new arrivals are settling in nicely and interacting with the other cats through the bars of the crate. Next adventure will be weigh-in and gender confirmations. After I don my armour, of course!
Dec 21, 2020 - We had been looking forward to a quiet Christmas holiday, just us and the kids and the few cats that we live with and look after... And then yesterday we got a message from a friend about some cats at her workplace, a local construction company. Three kittens, to be precise. One of the crew members has been feeding them, and even socializing them to a point, they will come and sit on his lap and accept treats and play with toys.
Today we trapped two of the three, beautiful tabbies, one short haired and one long. The third, the smallest, is also the shy one of the bunch, and has not yet decided to enter a trap. (He/she was fed this morning, whereas the other two were ravenous!) Hopefully the final holdout will be reunited with their siblings by this afternoon.
Age: Approx 1 year old
Breed / Colour: Tabbies, Nicholas is a male with white-tipped toes. Vixen is a long-haired female, and Holly is a short-haired female
Spayed / Neutered: Y
Adoption Summary:
Update: Nicholas has been adopted, as of July, by his fosterers, but his sisters are still available. They should be adopted separately.
These summaries have been provided by the foster mom, who has been caring for these kittens for several months.
Nicholas – As of July 2021 – Nicholas is one of the three Christmas kittens. He was rescued around Christmas 2020 and had been hanging around a construction site since that summer.
He needs a forever home with a kitty companion (his sister Vixen would make a great companion) and someone who is willing to spend time with him every day. He will also do best to have toys, a window preferably with a good view of nature, at least one scratching post, and a wand toy to play with you!
He is the SWEETEST kitty; I tell him how lovely he is every day. He enjoys playing. Most importantly, he needs companionship and needs someone to love him and let him love you regularly. He loves his siblings, chasing them, napping with them, and, naturally, grooming them.
I always have favourites and he is mine by a landslide. Every morning and every evening (and almost every time in between) when I come into his room, he comes RUNNING to me, rubs up against my legs, headbutts me, and follows me around. Lately when he wants attention, he will run into the bathroom, meow, and wait for me to come in and pet him - IT'S SO CUTE!
He is: Lovely, Handsome, Soft, Not-so-athletic (lol), A little playful, Curious, And likes lots of cat-naps in the sunshine.
He is neutered, microchipped, and his vaccinations are up to date.
Vixen – As of July 2021. Vixen is one of the Christmas kittens. She was rescued around Christmas 2020 and had been hanging around a construction site since that summer.
She is a brown-black tabby, and has long hair (she has the furriest tail I have ever seen on a cat!). For her forever home, she will do best if she has a smaller area to get comfortable and will probably take a little time to adjust. She has so much love to give and deserves a loving home with a cat companion as well as someone who will give her playful attention every day.
She was extremely feral when she was rescued. She has come a long way in the last 7 months in her foster home, but still is nervous in new areas and hesitant around new people. Right now she feels most comfortable in a small room (a bathroom) where she allows me to pick her up and pet her.
She is very playful – she plays with her siblings every day and definitely needs that entertainment. She also enjoys having enrichment things like climbing towers, toys, and windows to watch the outdoor activities.
Vixen has the most personality of this trio (and maybe of any kitty I’ve cared for!). A few of the cutest things she does: #1 She will sit and tilt her head to the side when she is pensive (SUPER CUTE). #2 When she wants something from me, she will run up to about 1m from me, sits down, and then stare until I figure out what she wants. #3 When she falls asleep, she will keep her head propped up and it looks like she is smiling
She eats well, uses the litter box with no trouble, is a thinner kitty – but extremely healthy.
She is spayed, microchipped, and has all her required vaccinations.
Holly - As of July 2021. Holly is one of the Christmas kittens; she is the tiny one of the litter. She was rescued around Christmas 2020 and had been hanging around a construction site since that summer. She isn’t quite ready for adoption yet, but with some more time she will come around.
She is a brown-black tabby, and has short hair. She was extremely feral when she was rescued. She has come a long way in the last 7 months in her foster home, she likes to be around her foster family, but she mostly does not like being held or pet. Right now she feels comfortable in her room and will allow for some petting and handling in a small room (a bathroom) – once in a while she even purrs!
Holly LOVES playing with springs. They are her FAVOURITE toy! I gather all the Christmas kittens’ toys and put them in one spot almost every day. Holly comes to the pile, picks out her spring, takes it to her desired location, and then plays with it until she loses it under a couch (it’s the CUTEST thing to watch).
She has the prettiest face, she loves her siblings and grooms them every day in nap-time, she definitely needs to play every day, she’s curious and above all is loved.
She is spayed, microchipped, and has all her required vaccinations.
Detailed Log:
Apr 18 - I let the Christmas kittens explore another room yesterday for a couple hours and to no surprise of mine, Vixen was the first one out! And moments later Nicholas and Holly followed. They enjoyed the big window too!
Mar 2 – The kittens have been in their foster home for almost two months. Lately with the Christmas kitties, we have been working on their comfort level with us walking around and not always freaking out and running away. It’s really slow progress and it’s hard to explain the “wins”, but I think every day we are making baby-steps towards it. For example, the kittens don’t always run away every time when I move around the room near them; or if I angle my body a certain way, move slowly towards them, and hold out my finger, they will actually smell it instead of running in fear; and once in a while, Nicholas will stay put and let me pet him!!!!!!!! He is by far the most social in this way; it’s not every time he lets me get close to him in the open, but it’s more frequent for sure. The other two are still making progress in this direction and I’m hoping their brother will pave the way for them.
Jan 6, 2021 – The kittens started out quite frightened, and would almost panic every time someone came near. Over the past days and weeks they have gotten calmer, and their digestive systems are starting to work better after transitioning to their new diet and de-worming treatments.
The past few days, they have begun to get more and more curious about the environment beyond the crate. They watch the other cats play with toys and race around the house. They even engage with them through the bars of the cage! They have begin to tentatively accept touch from us, their caregivers. And after their time of rest and change in diet and environment, they are itching to get active!
I dropped them off at an amazing foster placement today, where they will continue the process of learning to socialize and live among humans. She has a dedicated space, starting with a large clean bathroom to use as their home base, and then when they are more comfortable, they will get “day passes” to move into the other part of a small suite where she will supervise and play with them. She is very excited to have them and help them along this next phase of their journey.
Dec 24 - Our three new arrivals are settling in nicely and interacting with the other cats through the bars of the crate. Next adventure will be weigh-in and gender confirmations. After I don my armour, of course!
Dec 21, 2020 - We had been looking forward to a quiet Christmas holiday, just us and the kids and the few cats that we live with and look after... And then yesterday we got a message from a friend about some cats at her workplace, a local construction company. Three kittens, to be precise. One of the crew members has been feeding them, and even socializing them to a point, they will come and sit on his lap and accept treats and play with toys.
Today we trapped two of the three, beautiful tabbies, one short haired and one long. The third, the smallest, is also the shy one of the bunch, and has not yet decided to enter a trap. (He/she was fed this morning, whereas the other two were ravenous!) Hopefully the final holdout will be reunited with their siblings by this afternoon.
Shannon (and her three kittens)
Gender: Female; Kittens: 2 male, 1 female
Age: Shannon approx 1 - 2 years old: Kittens born June 6, 2021
Breed / Colour: Shannon is calico; Kittens are tabbies, grey and white colouring
Spayed / Neutered: Not as of July. Prior to adoption, Shannon will be spayed, microchipped and vaccinated, and the kittens will be weaned, vaccinated and vet checked. It will be the responsibility of the adopters to spay/neuter and microchip kittens when they are 5-6 months old.
Adoption Summary:
Update – As of early October 2021, all of Shannon's kittens have been adopted, and it’s now Shannon's turn to find her forever home. She should have completed her spay, vaccinations and microchipping by the end of October and will be ready for adoption then.
Almost ready! - Shannon and her three kittens won’t be ready for adoption until the kittens are weaned, likely sometime in late August. They will then be looking for their permanent homes. We’re still assessing them, to determine when they are ready, if they should go in a pair, or if one may go with the mom … TBD. However, if you are interested in one or more of Shannon and/or the kittens, please contact us.
Shannon is one of the Grandview trio, who were dumped and abandoned, in May, near Grandview Lake. They were obviously house cats, and, at a vet visit a short time later, Shannon was found to be pregnant. On June 26, she had four kittens! Unfortunately, one died a few days later. However, since then, Shannon and her kittens have come along beautifully.
Shannon is a very attentive and loving mama, and she is also seeking out pets from her foster family. She still doesn’t want to be held, but she loves to have her head and neck (and back) scratched as long as you’re able to. She purrs and looks at you lovingly. She is so special. Her babies are currently called: Gandalf the Grey, Ollie, and Marilyn (or perhaps Stormi).
Detailed Log:
July 4, 2021 – Beautiful Shannon and her sweet babies are spending their first days as fosters in our home. We’ve been loving, watching and caring for this little family and seeing their personalities emerge as they have taken over a guest bedroom. Shannon is a very attentive and loving mama, and she is also seeking out pets from us. She still doesn’t want to be held, but she loves to have her head and neck (and back) scratched as long as you’re able to. She purrs and looks at you lovingly. She is so special
Her babies are called: Gandalf the Grey, Ollie and Marilyn (she’s the female and has a beauty mark); my daughter insists on calling her Stormi so we will see which name sticks….
End of June – Shannon and babies are moving to a lovely foster home – more updates will come from her foster family.
Jun 9 - For those of you who are no doubt wondering about Shannon's three remaining babies, they are doing well and finally it seems like they're turning a corner. They were all pretty small and delicate, too thin for my liking, and not very energetic. But over the last day and night they are plumping up, have more energy, and they're eating well without supplementation or bottle feeding. Shannon seems to be managing them fairly well, though we are still removing them from her box between feedings and cleanings by their mama. Soon we may be able to leave them with her full time, but we are still monitoring closely to see how things go. Thank you to everyone for your condolences on the loss of the fourth kitten, for your messages and words of encouragement and support. It means a lot to us!
Jun 8 - Sad news... Last night we lost one of Shannon's kittens. She apparently rolled on top of him and smothered him. This was not the first time we had seen her be apparently a little oblivious to one or another of her babies as she would come to lay down in her birthing box. We started monitoring her with them every five minutes. Half an hour after we found this baby, we found her laying on top of another one. So we had to remove the kittens from her box, and now only bring them in for feedings. Hopefully when they are a little bigger, we will be able to let them be with their mother full time again. Until then, we have to keep them separated, except for feeding times.
We were a little concerned about this litter, or at least a couple of the smaller ones. All of the kittens were a little on the small side, two were especially tiny. This little guy was one of those. In between supervised feedings last night, I supplemented the remaining three with a little KMR kitten formula. They all seemed a little weak. This morning they were better, more active, more 'juicy' and filled out. We continue to remove them after feedings and keep them in a heated box where we can keep them nearby and monitor them.
As heartbreaking as this is to us, as much as we want to second-guess ourselves, we also know that sometimes it's a part of rescue. You can't save all of them, as much as we would like to. Sometimes there isn't much we can do, except move forward and do the best we can for each of the animals in our care.
RIP little one. You were loved, however brief your time here was.
Jun 6 - Kitten Watch: Shannon - FOUR healthy beautiful babies, everyone! Shannon wanted me to pet her and rub her throughout, sweet little girl. Mama and babies are resting and doing fine.
May 14 – A vet visit this week for ear swab, vaccinations, and medications. The Grandview Trio appear to be in relatively good health - All three are being treated for fleas and ear mites. The boys are less than a year old. There is some question as to whether Shannon is their sister, or actually their mother?
The really big news from this visit, however, is that the vet believes that Shannon is expecting kittens! So no vaccinations yet.
May 8 - Three cats are now in our rescue, after being dumped on a dead end road on Grandview Lake near Baysville. One of these cats is female, and a calico – we’ve named her Shannon.
All of these cats are very sweet and cuddly, and were obviously house cats. The female is as sweet as can be, but prefers not to be picked up. She will tolerate it for a time, but it obviously makes her very nervous. She loves to snuggle into her cozy bed and sleep the day away. She seems completely content to just rest and eat, but loves to be stroked and petted.
So far all of these sweet cats are settling in and feeling safe, getting good food and lots of love. They are booked to see our vets next week, so we'll keep everyone posted on how that goes too.
Thank you to everyone who made it possible to rescue these kittens from almost certain death out there in the big scary wild.
Age: Shannon approx 1 - 2 years old: Kittens born June 6, 2021
Breed / Colour: Shannon is calico; Kittens are tabbies, grey and white colouring
Spayed / Neutered: Not as of July. Prior to adoption, Shannon will be spayed, microchipped and vaccinated, and the kittens will be weaned, vaccinated and vet checked. It will be the responsibility of the adopters to spay/neuter and microchip kittens when they are 5-6 months old.
Adoption Summary:
Update – As of early October 2021, all of Shannon's kittens have been adopted, and it’s now Shannon's turn to find her forever home. She should have completed her spay, vaccinations and microchipping by the end of October and will be ready for adoption then.
Almost ready! - Shannon and her three kittens won’t be ready for adoption until the kittens are weaned, likely sometime in late August. They will then be looking for their permanent homes. We’re still assessing them, to determine when they are ready, if they should go in a pair, or if one may go with the mom … TBD. However, if you are interested in one or more of Shannon and/or the kittens, please contact us.
Shannon is one of the Grandview trio, who were dumped and abandoned, in May, near Grandview Lake. They were obviously house cats, and, at a vet visit a short time later, Shannon was found to be pregnant. On June 26, she had four kittens! Unfortunately, one died a few days later. However, since then, Shannon and her kittens have come along beautifully.
Shannon is a very attentive and loving mama, and she is also seeking out pets from her foster family. She still doesn’t want to be held, but she loves to have her head and neck (and back) scratched as long as you’re able to. She purrs and looks at you lovingly. She is so special. Her babies are currently called: Gandalf the Grey, Ollie, and Marilyn (or perhaps Stormi).
Detailed Log:
July 4, 2021 – Beautiful Shannon and her sweet babies are spending their first days as fosters in our home. We’ve been loving, watching and caring for this little family and seeing their personalities emerge as they have taken over a guest bedroom. Shannon is a very attentive and loving mama, and she is also seeking out pets from us. She still doesn’t want to be held, but she loves to have her head and neck (and back) scratched as long as you’re able to. She purrs and looks at you lovingly. She is so special
Her babies are called: Gandalf the Grey, Ollie and Marilyn (she’s the female and has a beauty mark); my daughter insists on calling her Stormi so we will see which name sticks….
End of June – Shannon and babies are moving to a lovely foster home – more updates will come from her foster family.
Jun 9 - For those of you who are no doubt wondering about Shannon's three remaining babies, they are doing well and finally it seems like they're turning a corner. They were all pretty small and delicate, too thin for my liking, and not very energetic. But over the last day and night they are plumping up, have more energy, and they're eating well without supplementation or bottle feeding. Shannon seems to be managing them fairly well, though we are still removing them from her box between feedings and cleanings by their mama. Soon we may be able to leave them with her full time, but we are still monitoring closely to see how things go. Thank you to everyone for your condolences on the loss of the fourth kitten, for your messages and words of encouragement and support. It means a lot to us!
Jun 8 - Sad news... Last night we lost one of Shannon's kittens. She apparently rolled on top of him and smothered him. This was not the first time we had seen her be apparently a little oblivious to one or another of her babies as she would come to lay down in her birthing box. We started monitoring her with them every five minutes. Half an hour after we found this baby, we found her laying on top of another one. So we had to remove the kittens from her box, and now only bring them in for feedings. Hopefully when they are a little bigger, we will be able to let them be with their mother full time again. Until then, we have to keep them separated, except for feeding times.
We were a little concerned about this litter, or at least a couple of the smaller ones. All of the kittens were a little on the small side, two were especially tiny. This little guy was one of those. In between supervised feedings last night, I supplemented the remaining three with a little KMR kitten formula. They all seemed a little weak. This morning they were better, more active, more 'juicy' and filled out. We continue to remove them after feedings and keep them in a heated box where we can keep them nearby and monitor them.
As heartbreaking as this is to us, as much as we want to second-guess ourselves, we also know that sometimes it's a part of rescue. You can't save all of them, as much as we would like to. Sometimes there isn't much we can do, except move forward and do the best we can for each of the animals in our care.
RIP little one. You were loved, however brief your time here was.
Jun 6 - Kitten Watch: Shannon - FOUR healthy beautiful babies, everyone! Shannon wanted me to pet her and rub her throughout, sweet little girl. Mama and babies are resting and doing fine.
May 14 – A vet visit this week for ear swab, vaccinations, and medications. The Grandview Trio appear to be in relatively good health - All three are being treated for fleas and ear mites. The boys are less than a year old. There is some question as to whether Shannon is their sister, or actually their mother?
The really big news from this visit, however, is that the vet believes that Shannon is expecting kittens! So no vaccinations yet.
May 8 - Three cats are now in our rescue, after being dumped on a dead end road on Grandview Lake near Baysville. One of these cats is female, and a calico – we’ve named her Shannon.
All of these cats are very sweet and cuddly, and were obviously house cats. The female is as sweet as can be, but prefers not to be picked up. She will tolerate it for a time, but it obviously makes her very nervous. She loves to snuggle into her cozy bed and sleep the day away. She seems completely content to just rest and eat, but loves to be stroked and petted.
So far all of these sweet cats are settling in and feeling safe, getting good food and lots of love. They are booked to see our vets next week, so we'll keep everyone posted on how that goes too.
Thank you to everyone who made it possible to rescue these kittens from almost certain death out there in the big scary wild.
Ruby (and her six kittens)
Gender: Female; Kittens: 4 female, 2 male
Age: Ruby estimated to be between 1 - 2 years old; Kittens born June 11, 2021
Breed / Colour: Ruby is a light brown / blonde short-haired tabby; Kittens are tabbies with grey / brown colouring
Spayed / Neutered: Not as of July. Prior to adoption, Ruby will be spayed, microchipped and vaccinated, and the kittens will be weaned, vaccinated and vet checked. It will be the responsibility of the adopters to spay/neuter and microchip kittens when they are 5-6 months old.
Adoption Summary:
Update – As of early October 2021, all of Ruby’s kittens and foster kittens have been adopted, and it’s now Ruby’s turn to find her forever home. She should have completed her spay, vaccinations and microchipping by the end of October and will be ready for adoption then. As per Ruby’s foster mom, her babies showed her how to be playful again; she has become loving and actively seeks attention, and would enjoy a quiet home where she can get the love and attention she needs and deserves.
Update - As of early September, Ruby's two 'foster' kittens (Orchid's two girls) picked their people - they gravitated to them immediately on a visit! - and have been adopted.
Also, note that Samson is no longer available for adoption.
Almost ready! - Ruby and her six kittens won’t be ready for adoption until the kittens are weaned, likely sometime late in August. They will then be looking for their permanent homes. We’re still assessing them, to determine when they are ready, if they should go in a pair, or if one may go with the mom … TBD. However, if you are interested in one or more of Ruby and/or the kittens, please contact us.
Ruby was an outdoor cat, fed by but then abandoned by her owner. She was pregnant and fending for herself, and was brought into the rescue in June. She had her kittens at the rescue, and is now in a wonderful foster home, with her six babies. Ruby is a rock star mom – after having her own four kittens (and unfortunately one additional still-birth), Ruby also took on Orchid’s two kittens, born on the same day, when Orchid rejected them. These six kittens are rascals; they are active and playful, and look to be enjoying themselves immensely exploring their foster home.
All of the kittens have spent some time with children and they were great. All are litter trained, and eating both wet and dry food. They all reach out for affection, to be held and cuddled. Note that none have been dog tested.
Update from their foster mom, mid-August 2021:
Ruby – Because of being outside for the beginning of her life, she's had lots of adjustments during her time in foster. Learning how to use a litter box, learning to trust humans and know she will always be fed and loved. Ruby is affectionate by nature and now seeks affection and petting. She also loves being brushed. She knows nothing about cat toys, although she watches her kittens play. She is very food driven and will certainly tell you when she thinks it's time. Ruby would do best in a quiet home, 1 or 2 adults and absolutely no dogs (she sees them as predators). She could be paired with one of her kittens. (Samson would be a good match). Her adopters would need to be patient with her, give her time to explore her new home and get to know, trust and love her new people.
Gentle Ben – he is the largest of Ruby's kittens, with spectacular markings. As he has grown it looks likely he will have his Mom's long legs. He and his brother, Samson, took 2 or 3 days in their foster home to venture out of the crate. Within a week they were active and engaged with their siblings. Gentle Ben has two very distinct parts to his personality. He can mix it up with the rest, tearing around, playing and wrestling hut then is the first to climb up into your lap for a nap. He is a really sweet boy, full of curiosity and affection. He is very protective of his sister Minnie and I often see them napping together and grooming one another. They are a bonded pair and would do well adopted together.
Samson – he is the other of Ruby's two boys. He is a little smaller and darker in colouring than his brother with a stockier build. He is a busy lad, exploring everywhere and everything. Only difference is he often does it on his own. Samson is energetic and curious, he LOVES all the cat toys, even balled up pieces of paper. Samson took a little longer to seek out affection and in the beginning could always be found napping alone or near Mom. But in the last few weeks he has come to my lap for a nap and to be petted.
Minnie – she is the smallest of Ruby's four kittens but she is the feisty one of the group. Always exploring, looking for new places to climb, playing with the cat toys or looking around corners to see what she might be missing. In many ways she's the leader of the pack. She is affectionate by nature and seeks out your lap for pats and a snooze when she has played herself out. Minnie is very bonded to her brother, Gentle Ben. They look out for each other and when it's down time, those two are often napping together. They would do well being adopted together.
Detailed Log:
July 19 – At her foster home, beautiful Ruby is seeking affection more and more, which we are happy to give her.
July 9 – Ruby is taking necessary breaks from her babies. She just hops over the baby gate and can eat alone, has her own litter area and can relax.
July 8 - Ruby and her babies arrived yesterday afternoon at our foster home, and everyone is settling in nicely. Ruby seems to remember this place which makes my heart happy. (Ruby’s foster mom was the one who realized Ruby had been abandoned, and helped to bring her to the rescue.) Comment from the rescue: Ruby is a rock star, and a super protective mama. I am so grateful for you guys, who will love her up and help her get some space and some breaks from this active brood! And those babies will get to stretch those newly-walking little legs!
June 11 – Ruby has accepted the second of Orchid’s babies and we are so delighted!
June 11 later - Orchid shaboon ended up having her first kitten just a moment ago and she rejected it so we cleaned it up a little bit and gave it to Ruby who lost one of her babies this afternoon to stillborn. She seems to have accepted it and hopefully she will foster this kitten as Orchid is 6 or 7 years old and we think does not want to have anything to do with her litter. We are waiting for a second one. It's been one whirlwind of a day.
June 11 later – Given the size of Miss Ruby's pregnant belly, I was surprised when she had only four... She just also gave birth to a stillborn. Rushing her into the vet right now to make sure there are no others in there, and to make sure she's okay. UPDATE: All is well! The vet examined her and x-rayed her and there are no remaining kittens, no internal bleeding, she's just incredibly tired after her last 24 hours. Her four babies are fine. Everyone just needs time to rest and eat and rest. We will be watching them closely.
As always, we are grateful to Minden Animal Hospital for their excellent care, and for squeezing us in on an emergency basis, on a Friday afternoon. You guys are the best!
June 11, 2021, early in the day - Kitten watch Ruby: It’s happening now, everyone. We’ll keep you posted.
Age: Ruby estimated to be between 1 - 2 years old; Kittens born June 11, 2021
Breed / Colour: Ruby is a light brown / blonde short-haired tabby; Kittens are tabbies with grey / brown colouring
Spayed / Neutered: Not as of July. Prior to adoption, Ruby will be spayed, microchipped and vaccinated, and the kittens will be weaned, vaccinated and vet checked. It will be the responsibility of the adopters to spay/neuter and microchip kittens when they are 5-6 months old.
Adoption Summary:
Update – As of early October 2021, all of Ruby’s kittens and foster kittens have been adopted, and it’s now Ruby’s turn to find her forever home. She should have completed her spay, vaccinations and microchipping by the end of October and will be ready for adoption then. As per Ruby’s foster mom, her babies showed her how to be playful again; she has become loving and actively seeks attention, and would enjoy a quiet home where she can get the love and attention she needs and deserves.
Update - As of early September, Ruby's two 'foster' kittens (Orchid's two girls) picked their people - they gravitated to them immediately on a visit! - and have been adopted.
Also, note that Samson is no longer available for adoption.
Almost ready! - Ruby and her six kittens won’t be ready for adoption until the kittens are weaned, likely sometime late in August. They will then be looking for their permanent homes. We’re still assessing them, to determine when they are ready, if they should go in a pair, or if one may go with the mom … TBD. However, if you are interested in one or more of Ruby and/or the kittens, please contact us.
Ruby was an outdoor cat, fed by but then abandoned by her owner. She was pregnant and fending for herself, and was brought into the rescue in June. She had her kittens at the rescue, and is now in a wonderful foster home, with her six babies. Ruby is a rock star mom – after having her own four kittens (and unfortunately one additional still-birth), Ruby also took on Orchid’s two kittens, born on the same day, when Orchid rejected them. These six kittens are rascals; they are active and playful, and look to be enjoying themselves immensely exploring their foster home.
All of the kittens have spent some time with children and they were great. All are litter trained, and eating both wet and dry food. They all reach out for affection, to be held and cuddled. Note that none have been dog tested.
Update from their foster mom, mid-August 2021:
Ruby – Because of being outside for the beginning of her life, she's had lots of adjustments during her time in foster. Learning how to use a litter box, learning to trust humans and know she will always be fed and loved. Ruby is affectionate by nature and now seeks affection and petting. She also loves being brushed. She knows nothing about cat toys, although she watches her kittens play. She is very food driven and will certainly tell you when she thinks it's time. Ruby would do best in a quiet home, 1 or 2 adults and absolutely no dogs (she sees them as predators). She could be paired with one of her kittens. (Samson would be a good match). Her adopters would need to be patient with her, give her time to explore her new home and get to know, trust and love her new people.
Gentle Ben – he is the largest of Ruby's kittens, with spectacular markings. As he has grown it looks likely he will have his Mom's long legs. He and his brother, Samson, took 2 or 3 days in their foster home to venture out of the crate. Within a week they were active and engaged with their siblings. Gentle Ben has two very distinct parts to his personality. He can mix it up with the rest, tearing around, playing and wrestling hut then is the first to climb up into your lap for a nap. He is a really sweet boy, full of curiosity and affection. He is very protective of his sister Minnie and I often see them napping together and grooming one another. They are a bonded pair and would do well adopted together.
Samson – he is the other of Ruby's two boys. He is a little smaller and darker in colouring than his brother with a stockier build. He is a busy lad, exploring everywhere and everything. Only difference is he often does it on his own. Samson is energetic and curious, he LOVES all the cat toys, even balled up pieces of paper. Samson took a little longer to seek out affection and in the beginning could always be found napping alone or near Mom. But in the last few weeks he has come to my lap for a nap and to be petted.
Minnie – she is the smallest of Ruby's four kittens but she is the feisty one of the group. Always exploring, looking for new places to climb, playing with the cat toys or looking around corners to see what she might be missing. In many ways she's the leader of the pack. She is affectionate by nature and seeks out your lap for pats and a snooze when she has played herself out. Minnie is very bonded to her brother, Gentle Ben. They look out for each other and when it's down time, those two are often napping together. They would do well being adopted together.
Detailed Log:
July 19 – At her foster home, beautiful Ruby is seeking affection more and more, which we are happy to give her.
July 9 – Ruby is taking necessary breaks from her babies. She just hops over the baby gate and can eat alone, has her own litter area and can relax.
July 8 - Ruby and her babies arrived yesterday afternoon at our foster home, and everyone is settling in nicely. Ruby seems to remember this place which makes my heart happy. (Ruby’s foster mom was the one who realized Ruby had been abandoned, and helped to bring her to the rescue.) Comment from the rescue: Ruby is a rock star, and a super protective mama. I am so grateful for you guys, who will love her up and help her get some space and some breaks from this active brood! And those babies will get to stretch those newly-walking little legs!
June 11 – Ruby has accepted the second of Orchid’s babies and we are so delighted!
June 11 later - Orchid shaboon ended up having her first kitten just a moment ago and she rejected it so we cleaned it up a little bit and gave it to Ruby who lost one of her babies this afternoon to stillborn. She seems to have accepted it and hopefully she will foster this kitten as Orchid is 6 or 7 years old and we think does not want to have anything to do with her litter. We are waiting for a second one. It's been one whirlwind of a day.
June 11 later – Given the size of Miss Ruby's pregnant belly, I was surprised when she had only four... She just also gave birth to a stillborn. Rushing her into the vet right now to make sure there are no others in there, and to make sure she's okay. UPDATE: All is well! The vet examined her and x-rayed her and there are no remaining kittens, no internal bleeding, she's just incredibly tired after her last 24 hours. Her four babies are fine. Everyone just needs time to rest and eat and rest. We will be watching them closely.
As always, we are grateful to Minden Animal Hospital for their excellent care, and for squeezing us in on an emergency basis, on a Friday afternoon. You guys are the best!
June 11, 2021, early in the day - Kitten watch Ruby: It’s happening now, everyone. We’ll keep you posted.
Ginger, Fred and Deanie - Adopted as of August 2021
Gender: Female, male, female
Age: Estimate 12 weeks old by end August 2021
Breed / Colour: Ginger is calico; Fred tuxedo and Deanie tortoiseshell
Spayed / Neutered: Not as of August. They will be vaccinated and vet checked. It will be the responsibility of the adopters to spay/neuter and microchip kittens when they are 5-6 months old.
Adoption Summary:
Update: As of end of August 2021, these three have all been adopted into their forever homes!
Almost ready! – These three cuties will be ready for adoption late August or early September 2021. They are currently in a short-term foster home, and we’re still assessing them, to determine exactly when they will be ready, and if they should be adopted separately or in some combination together. However, if you are interested in one or more of these young ones, please contact us.
These three are very sweet; they were found lurking behind a porch with their mother, and trapped by the homeowner near Haliburton. Their mom, Bernice, is estimated to be under a year old, and is still very feral (not ready yet for adoption).
Detailed Log:
August 6, 2021 - This funny trio of siblings headed out last night on a short-term foster placement. It's the last step on their journey from Feral to Friendly. I think of it as "Kitten Finishing School", a time where feral kittens get to interact with humans and other animals, in a home setting, where they will learn how to be good house cats. And of course, a place to stretch out and play and use their abundant energy. A lovely extended family will love them up and handle them as much as possible, play with them and teach them the rules of the house.
July 28 – Fred - He's a total sweetheart. Changed from a hissy, stinky little feral to a sweet little mush kitten. Still a little stinky sometimes. But he's learning!
Early July - These three kittens were found lurking behind a Haliburton homeowner's porch, with their mother, Bernice. Fred and Ginger were trapped first, and the last kitten and mama trapped a week later. A fourth kitten was adopted out by the homeowner, prior to getting in touch with us. They were scared, dirty, and very very hungry when they came into the rescue. They hissed and scratched at everyone at first, but with the help of our volunteers, have been coming around to social contact with humans very well. They have received baths (several of them!), deworming treatments, probiotics, and the best quality foods. They are getting healthier and easier to handle, and will soon be ready for adoption. Fred and Ginger are quite attached to each other, while Deanie is more standoffish. All are incredibly beautiful, soft and sweet.
Age: Estimate 12 weeks old by end August 2021
Breed / Colour: Ginger is calico; Fred tuxedo and Deanie tortoiseshell
Spayed / Neutered: Not as of August. They will be vaccinated and vet checked. It will be the responsibility of the adopters to spay/neuter and microchip kittens when they are 5-6 months old.
Adoption Summary:
Update: As of end of August 2021, these three have all been adopted into their forever homes!
Almost ready! – These three cuties will be ready for adoption late August or early September 2021. They are currently in a short-term foster home, and we’re still assessing them, to determine exactly when they will be ready, and if they should be adopted separately or in some combination together. However, if you are interested in one or more of these young ones, please contact us.
These three are very sweet; they were found lurking behind a porch with their mother, and trapped by the homeowner near Haliburton. Their mom, Bernice, is estimated to be under a year old, and is still very feral (not ready yet for adoption).
Detailed Log:
August 6, 2021 - This funny trio of siblings headed out last night on a short-term foster placement. It's the last step on their journey from Feral to Friendly. I think of it as "Kitten Finishing School", a time where feral kittens get to interact with humans and other animals, in a home setting, where they will learn how to be good house cats. And of course, a place to stretch out and play and use their abundant energy. A lovely extended family will love them up and handle them as much as possible, play with them and teach them the rules of the house.
July 28 – Fred - He's a total sweetheart. Changed from a hissy, stinky little feral to a sweet little mush kitten. Still a little stinky sometimes. But he's learning!
Early July - These three kittens were found lurking behind a Haliburton homeowner's porch, with their mother, Bernice. Fred and Ginger were trapped first, and the last kitten and mama trapped a week later. A fourth kitten was adopted out by the homeowner, prior to getting in touch with us. They were scared, dirty, and very very hungry when they came into the rescue. They hissed and scratched at everyone at first, but with the help of our volunteers, have been coming around to social contact with humans very well. They have received baths (several of them!), deworming treatments, probiotics, and the best quality foods. They are getting healthier and easier to handle, and will soon be ready for adoption. Fred and Ginger are quite attached to each other, while Deanie is more standoffish. All are incredibly beautiful, soft and sweet.
Maximus
Gender: Male
Age: Estimated 2 – 3 years old
Breed / Colour: Short-haired tabby
Spayed / Neutered: Y, and vaccinated. Not micro-chipped
Adoption Summary:
Maximus is nearly ready for adoption, as of August 2021. He is at the rescue, and will go straight to his forever home. He’s a sweet boy, although shy, and likes to be petted and picked up. He needs a laid-back home, and quiet time by himself. If you're interested in talking to us about Max, or maybe coming in to meet him, we'd love to hear from you. He deserves a loving home and people of his own. He seems to have a lot of love to give.
He was one of a colony of cats from the North Bay and District Humane Society; he and five others came to the rescue about the end of May.
Detailed Log:
July 2021 - Max is from a colony in North Bay. He came in with five others from the same colony. At first he was housed with one of his buddies/family members (we may never know the relationships). Max was the first of the group to get interested in humans, to watch us closely, to sniff proffered hands.
One day during morning cleaning, Max decided to step out for a bit. He was so sweet and chill, and allowed himself to be touched and petted. I decided to let him stay out for a bit and see how he did.
He was out of his crate for a couple of weeks, during which time he didn't dart away or hide if I discovered his resting place. But he only ever skulked around the edges of the room. He was obviously uncomfortable in the play and activity of the free roaming crew. I worried he wasn't eating or drinking sufficiently. So I crawled under a stairway alcove, bare-handed, to retrieve him. He graciously permitted himself to be towed forward by his front legs, then around his torso, and then pushed (gently) by his back end into a cat carrier.
From there we transferred him to a large dog crate complete with hidey-hole, hooded litter box, squishy beds, and all the food he could eat or drink. And boy did he eat for the first week! He had obviously not been having his big-boy needs met in 'general population' with the free roam cats.
Now he can be petted and scratched by anyone who cares to reach in to touch him. Never a hiss or a scratch, or even the hint that he might consider such a thing. He's a good boy, a really sweet natured 'gentle giant' type. He has learned to love being brushed, and has even been picked up by a random stranger.
Max is nearly ready for adoption. He will need patient adopters, willing to let him adapt to a new environment. He has been petted and scratched by children and adults, with equally placid responses.
Age: Estimated 2 – 3 years old
Breed / Colour: Short-haired tabby
Spayed / Neutered: Y, and vaccinated. Not micro-chipped
Adoption Summary:
Maximus is nearly ready for adoption, as of August 2021. He is at the rescue, and will go straight to his forever home. He’s a sweet boy, although shy, and likes to be petted and picked up. He needs a laid-back home, and quiet time by himself. If you're interested in talking to us about Max, or maybe coming in to meet him, we'd love to hear from you. He deserves a loving home and people of his own. He seems to have a lot of love to give.
He was one of a colony of cats from the North Bay and District Humane Society; he and five others came to the rescue about the end of May.
Detailed Log:
July 2021 - Max is from a colony in North Bay. He came in with five others from the same colony. At first he was housed with one of his buddies/family members (we may never know the relationships). Max was the first of the group to get interested in humans, to watch us closely, to sniff proffered hands.
One day during morning cleaning, Max decided to step out for a bit. He was so sweet and chill, and allowed himself to be touched and petted. I decided to let him stay out for a bit and see how he did.
He was out of his crate for a couple of weeks, during which time he didn't dart away or hide if I discovered his resting place. But he only ever skulked around the edges of the room. He was obviously uncomfortable in the play and activity of the free roaming crew. I worried he wasn't eating or drinking sufficiently. So I crawled under a stairway alcove, bare-handed, to retrieve him. He graciously permitted himself to be towed forward by his front legs, then around his torso, and then pushed (gently) by his back end into a cat carrier.
From there we transferred him to a large dog crate complete with hidey-hole, hooded litter box, squishy beds, and all the food he could eat or drink. And boy did he eat for the first week! He had obviously not been having his big-boy needs met in 'general population' with the free roam cats.
Now he can be petted and scratched by anyone who cares to reach in to touch him. Never a hiss or a scratch, or even the hint that he might consider such a thing. He's a good boy, a really sweet natured 'gentle giant' type. He has learned to love being brushed, and has even been picked up by a random stranger.
Max is nearly ready for adoption. He will need patient adopters, willing to let him adapt to a new environment. He has been petted and scratched by children and adults, with equally placid responses.
Sally
Gender: Female
Age: 7 years old
Breed / Colour: Tuxedo
Spayed / Neutered: Y, and vaccinated
Adoption Summary:
Sally is now ready for adoption, as she just received her last vaccinations in mid-August 2021. She was a house cat, and was surrendered to the rescue recently. She was only at the rescue for a few days and is now in a foster home. She is overweight (her foster parents are working on that!) and is also polydactyl. She is a beautiful, mature cat, and is likely better as the only cat in the home, or with one other calm cat. If you are interested in adopting Sally, please contact us.
Age: 7 years old
Breed / Colour: Tuxedo
Spayed / Neutered: Y, and vaccinated
Adoption Summary:
Sally is now ready for adoption, as she just received her last vaccinations in mid-August 2021. She was a house cat, and was surrendered to the rescue recently. She was only at the rescue for a few days and is now in a foster home. She is overweight (her foster parents are working on that!) and is also polydactyl. She is a beautiful, mature cat, and is likely better as the only cat in the home, or with one other calm cat. If you are interested in adopting Sally, please contact us.
Misty
Gender: Female
Age: Estimated 1 year old
Breed / Colour: Dilute (grey) tortoiseshell
Spayed / Neutered: Not as of August 2021
Adoption Summary:
Misty (Shamoan) is a house cat and was surrendered by her people, who were looking to rehome her, in July 2021. She is staying at the rescue and she will be ready for adoption after she is spayed, microchipped and vaccinated. She is a sweet, pretty cat, affectionate, chatty (she tells you when she wants something!) and full of life. She will make an amazing addition to someone’s family. If you are interested in adopting Misty, please contact us.
Detailed Log:
August 7, 2021 - Another one of the new cats on the block, Misty / Shimoan’s owner needed to rehome. She's absolutely gorgeous, loves to be petted, picked up cuddled and kissed. She's also very vocal and tells you when she wants something … lol. She needs to be spayed and get her shots and she will be up for adoption. This little princess is in need of her forever Castle.
July 25 - One of the newest babies here at the shelter, Misty or Shamoan is her name. This beautiful girl just needs to be vetted for vaccines and a spay and then she will be available for adoption.
Age: Estimated 1 year old
Breed / Colour: Dilute (grey) tortoiseshell
Spayed / Neutered: Not as of August 2021
Adoption Summary:
Misty (Shamoan) is a house cat and was surrendered by her people, who were looking to rehome her, in July 2021. She is staying at the rescue and she will be ready for adoption after she is spayed, microchipped and vaccinated. She is a sweet, pretty cat, affectionate, chatty (she tells you when she wants something!) and full of life. She will make an amazing addition to someone’s family. If you are interested in adopting Misty, please contact us.
Detailed Log:
August 7, 2021 - Another one of the new cats on the block, Misty / Shimoan’s owner needed to rehome. She's absolutely gorgeous, loves to be petted, picked up cuddled and kissed. She's also very vocal and tells you when she wants something … lol. She needs to be spayed and get her shots and she will be up for adoption. This little princess is in need of her forever Castle.
July 25 - One of the newest babies here at the shelter, Misty or Shamoan is her name. This beautiful girl just needs to be vetted for vaccines and a spay and then she will be available for adoption.
Freja
Gender: Female
Age: Estimated 2 years old
Breed / Colour: White with tabby points
Spayed / Neutered: As of August 2021 she has been vaccinated, but still needs to be spayed and microchipped
Adoption Summary:
Freja likes to get pets now, but is still timid. She is at the rescue, and was trapped in Minden, from a small colony, about early June 2021. She was previously called Stubbs, and is a sister of Sonia (now Minnie), who had been trapped earlier and has now been adopted. She will be available for adoption as soon as she is spayed and microchipped. If you are interested in adopting Freja, please contact us.
She was feral, but is now friendly, although shy and with a very mild temperament. She doesn’t much like being picked up, though! Freja is pretty, petite, and mostly white with tabby.
Detailed Log:
August 7, 2021 - Another beautiful little baby new cat on the Block, Freja. She came from Minden colony and is a lovely little girl. Quite timid, she's shaping up to want and accept touch and pets just like her sister Minnie / Sonya. She is in need of a spay and shots and then she will be ready for adoption.
Age: Estimated 2 years old
Breed / Colour: White with tabby points
Spayed / Neutered: As of August 2021 she has been vaccinated, but still needs to be spayed and microchipped
Adoption Summary:
Freja likes to get pets now, but is still timid. She is at the rescue, and was trapped in Minden, from a small colony, about early June 2021. She was previously called Stubbs, and is a sister of Sonia (now Minnie), who had been trapped earlier and has now been adopted. She will be available for adoption as soon as she is spayed and microchipped. If you are interested in adopting Freja, please contact us.
She was feral, but is now friendly, although shy and with a very mild temperament. She doesn’t much like being picked up, though! Freja is pretty, petite, and mostly white with tabby.
Detailed Log:
August 7, 2021 - Another beautiful little baby new cat on the Block, Freja. She came from Minden colony and is a lovely little girl. Quite timid, she's shaping up to want and accept touch and pets just like her sister Minnie / Sonya. She is in need of a spay and shots and then she will be ready for adoption.
New Cats on the Block
These cats aren't ready to be adopted yet but will soon be available. Stay tuned!
Sebastian
Sebastian is still in the wild, but we are determined to rescue him, rehabilitate and neuter him, and find him a great home. As you can see from his picture, he is a handsome boy.
Mr. Weathers
Gender: Male
Age: Estimated over 5 years old
Breed / Colour: Blond long-haired tabby
Spayed / Neutered: Not as of August 2021
Summary as of end of August 2021:
Mr. Weathers has been at the rescue since late April 2021. He is an older cat, estimated to be between 5 and 7 years old, and had been living outside for a long time, perhaps his entire life. He has needed and will continue to need, for some time, special care at the rescue as he recovers from medical issues and learns to socialize with humans. He was a sad little guy when he first arrived, see the lower right picture in his collage, but he is a big, handsome boy now, and has quite the personality. While he doesn’t hiss at everyone the way he did in the beginning, he can make it clear, with just a look, if he is not happy with you. He has also become a gourmet eater; he turns his nose up at our regular cat food, but loves his higher end Royal Canin food. If you would like to sponsor Mr. Weathers, please make a donation via e-transfer directly to catsofpaintlake@gmail.com, and add a note to specify it is for Mr. Weathers.
Detailed Log:
August 7, 2021 - And of course our absolutely beautiful and majestically grumpy lovely baby boy Mr. Weathers. He still has his moments, but he doesn't look sad anymore, he loves his hammock, his food and to play with some of the other cats and with toys. Heather seems to be the only one he likes even though he strikes out at her sometimes. He will be taken in for his neuter and shot shortly cuz he's getting to the point where it could probably happen without a huge amount of stress for him or the people at the Minden animal hospital. He didn't want to at first but he's seeming to really start to enjoy his life and comfort.
June 26 – Mr. Weathers is finally letting us pet him tonight for a long time, and he loved every minute of it, we think he's turning a corner and finally feeling love and accepting it. He has come such a long way. He's a nice cat, he just didn't know it and these are the ones that need love the most because they've gone through the most trauma. This is what the foundation of our organization is about, taking these cats out of their situation and getting them the best love we can for the rest of their lives.
June 5 - Mr. Weathers: A work in progress. This gorgeous, very feral cat has been with us a little while now. It has taken this long to get his digestion working properly. And finally, the effort we have put into this seems to be paying off. (to those of you who have donated high quality veterinary food, and good probiotics, a special thanks. He is especially fond of the Royal Canin "loaf in sauce", thanks Sheila!) He is obviously feeling physically better. He is filling out, his coat is no longer matted ... He's been grooming, which is a very very good sign! And he *sleeps*. Peacefully, bonelessly; I can pass within inches of him without waking him as he sleeps.
Everyone who comes here spends a little bit of time with him. Even when he's grumpy and reactive. Even when he hisses and spits at them for no apparent reason. Everyone seems to just love him, and that's not for nothing. I think all of you can see in him what we see. He's a beautiful mess, and a guy who hasn't had an easy time of it out there. I don't know about you, but I think he deserves a break, and a good life from here forward.
He lets me touch his paw upon occasion, and though he draws it back, he does it slowly, and sometimes he hisses at me but without sound. He is nearly at the point where I can touch his face without him threatening to bite me. He has yet to actually do so, or even to make a really serious attempt at it. He has a lot of bluster. If really pressed, I think he would react swiftly. But slowly, we are working to bring his adrenal system back down to baseline. Slowly, he becomes less and less reactive, more accustomed to the comings and goings of people and animals around him, more used to the sounds and smells of the indoors, with which he had no familiarity prior to his trapping.
One day at a time, we and our fabulous volunteers will continue to work with this incredible, beautiful wild thing. He has an intelligence that anyone who looks into his face can see. He doesn't really want to trust yet. Or rather he does, but he hates that he sort of likes the attention.
We wait for the day when he decides to make the mental shift, from fearful to open, from feral to friendly. It's a weird transformation when it happens, because it usually seems as though it happens overnight.
May 27 – Mr. Weather's in all his glory - we will keep working with this old weathered soul until he feels better and comes out of his shell. His tummy is bothering him which could contribute to the whole thing we're getting him on probiotics and special food to help him out. This guy is a lovely little boy! Who deserves a chance to be loved.
April 27 - Mr. Weathers (Gorgeous George Weathers, if you please!), our newest rescue, is still very frightened and reactive. He is bedraggled and absolutely exhausted. He is quarantined and quiet. We are letting him settle, only opening his crate to clean his litterbox and refill food and water. In between our incursions into his space, he sleeps. He will need time, and patient care, and lots of love. I sometimes take a few minutes to just keep him company and talk to him softly. He just listens and sits quietly. Only if I start messing about inside his space does he bestir himself to defensive behaviour.
We think he is a naturally placid boy, who has been out there trying to survive and on the defensive for far too long. We're going to help him settle, love him up, and see how long it takes him to begin to relax. Cats can have PTSD, just as any human can. And it will take him time to 'come down off the ledge'. But we can see the sweetness behind his fear and aggressive behaviour.
April 25, 2021 - New sweet baby thanks to Dorset Rescue Kittens for facilitating the transfer from the Kinmount colony. Poor Mr. Weathers has probably seen some terrifying times. We'll turn this little sad baby into a happy baby over the next while here. We make sure every cat gets a home.
Age: Estimated over 5 years old
Breed / Colour: Blond long-haired tabby
Spayed / Neutered: Not as of August 2021
Summary as of end of August 2021:
Mr. Weathers has been at the rescue since late April 2021. He is an older cat, estimated to be between 5 and 7 years old, and had been living outside for a long time, perhaps his entire life. He has needed and will continue to need, for some time, special care at the rescue as he recovers from medical issues and learns to socialize with humans. He was a sad little guy when he first arrived, see the lower right picture in his collage, but he is a big, handsome boy now, and has quite the personality. While he doesn’t hiss at everyone the way he did in the beginning, he can make it clear, with just a look, if he is not happy with you. He has also become a gourmet eater; he turns his nose up at our regular cat food, but loves his higher end Royal Canin food. If you would like to sponsor Mr. Weathers, please make a donation via e-transfer directly to catsofpaintlake@gmail.com, and add a note to specify it is for Mr. Weathers.
Detailed Log:
August 7, 2021 - And of course our absolutely beautiful and majestically grumpy lovely baby boy Mr. Weathers. He still has his moments, but he doesn't look sad anymore, he loves his hammock, his food and to play with some of the other cats and with toys. Heather seems to be the only one he likes even though he strikes out at her sometimes. He will be taken in for his neuter and shot shortly cuz he's getting to the point where it could probably happen without a huge amount of stress for him or the people at the Minden animal hospital. He didn't want to at first but he's seeming to really start to enjoy his life and comfort.
June 26 – Mr. Weathers is finally letting us pet him tonight for a long time, and he loved every minute of it, we think he's turning a corner and finally feeling love and accepting it. He has come such a long way. He's a nice cat, he just didn't know it and these are the ones that need love the most because they've gone through the most trauma. This is what the foundation of our organization is about, taking these cats out of their situation and getting them the best love we can for the rest of their lives.
June 5 - Mr. Weathers: A work in progress. This gorgeous, very feral cat has been with us a little while now. It has taken this long to get his digestion working properly. And finally, the effort we have put into this seems to be paying off. (to those of you who have donated high quality veterinary food, and good probiotics, a special thanks. He is especially fond of the Royal Canin "loaf in sauce", thanks Sheila!) He is obviously feeling physically better. He is filling out, his coat is no longer matted ... He's been grooming, which is a very very good sign! And he *sleeps*. Peacefully, bonelessly; I can pass within inches of him without waking him as he sleeps.
Everyone who comes here spends a little bit of time with him. Even when he's grumpy and reactive. Even when he hisses and spits at them for no apparent reason. Everyone seems to just love him, and that's not for nothing. I think all of you can see in him what we see. He's a beautiful mess, and a guy who hasn't had an easy time of it out there. I don't know about you, but I think he deserves a break, and a good life from here forward.
He lets me touch his paw upon occasion, and though he draws it back, he does it slowly, and sometimes he hisses at me but without sound. He is nearly at the point where I can touch his face without him threatening to bite me. He has yet to actually do so, or even to make a really serious attempt at it. He has a lot of bluster. If really pressed, I think he would react swiftly. But slowly, we are working to bring his adrenal system back down to baseline. Slowly, he becomes less and less reactive, more accustomed to the comings and goings of people and animals around him, more used to the sounds and smells of the indoors, with which he had no familiarity prior to his trapping.
One day at a time, we and our fabulous volunteers will continue to work with this incredible, beautiful wild thing. He has an intelligence that anyone who looks into his face can see. He doesn't really want to trust yet. Or rather he does, but he hates that he sort of likes the attention.
We wait for the day when he decides to make the mental shift, from fearful to open, from feral to friendly. It's a weird transformation when it happens, because it usually seems as though it happens overnight.
May 27 – Mr. Weather's in all his glory - we will keep working with this old weathered soul until he feels better and comes out of his shell. His tummy is bothering him which could contribute to the whole thing we're getting him on probiotics and special food to help him out. This guy is a lovely little boy! Who deserves a chance to be loved.
April 27 - Mr. Weathers (Gorgeous George Weathers, if you please!), our newest rescue, is still very frightened and reactive. He is bedraggled and absolutely exhausted. He is quarantined and quiet. We are letting him settle, only opening his crate to clean his litterbox and refill food and water. In between our incursions into his space, he sleeps. He will need time, and patient care, and lots of love. I sometimes take a few minutes to just keep him company and talk to him softly. He just listens and sits quietly. Only if I start messing about inside his space does he bestir himself to defensive behaviour.
We think he is a naturally placid boy, who has been out there trying to survive and on the defensive for far too long. We're going to help him settle, love him up, and see how long it takes him to begin to relax. Cats can have PTSD, just as any human can. And it will take him time to 'come down off the ledge'. But we can see the sweetness behind his fear and aggressive behaviour.
April 25, 2021 - New sweet baby thanks to Dorset Rescue Kittens for facilitating the transfer from the Kinmount colony. Poor Mr. Weathers has probably seen some terrifying times. We'll turn this little sad baby into a happy baby over the next while here. We make sure every cat gets a home.
Resident Cats
These cats live with us at the Rescue. You may see them hanging around if you visit! If you'd like to sponsor one of these sweet cats, please contact us
ShyAnne
Daughter of MamaCat, Shy was the sole survivor of a winter litter, and came to our porch at the age of about 5 weeks with her mother. Her story is told in full here: https://www.thecatsofpaintlake.ca/post/shyanne
Katniss and Peeta
Katniss and Peeta were found with two other litter mates in June 2020, at four days old, sweltering at the top of our woodshed. They came into our rescue and we bottle fed and hand raised them. They are a joy, an adventure, a nuisance, and two of the most wonderful beings we know. On June 15, 2021 we celebrated their first birthdays. We fell in love with these two and so they have stayed with us. Peeta is our #1 Therapy Cat here at The Cats of Paint Lake. He and his sister Katniss welcome all comers to the rescue, human and feline.
Earlier in July 2021, unfortunately, Peeta became very ill – more details are below, in Their Story, but he did have to spend time at the vets, and undergo many tests – he is recovering, although we still don’t know what made him ill. All our wishes are with Peeta for a full recovery.
Should you wish, you may sponsor Katniss and/or Peeta on a one-time or ongoing basis. Contact us, or make a donation directly via e-transfer to catsofpaintlake@gmail.com; you may include details if you wish to make your donation, for example, specific to either cat, or to medical bills, or to feeding and care.
Their Story:
Found at four days old, in June 2020, sweltering at the top of our woodshed, Katniss and Peeta, along with their litter mates, Mork and Mindy, came into the rescue and were bottle fed and hand raised. When two weeks old, their eyes were open, they were starting to play, and Peeta started purring … and hasn’t stopped since! Even at the vet’s he purrs; the vet has to hold an alcohol swab under his nose to get him to stop purring in order to listen to his heartbeat. We know that their mother is ShyAnne, and her mother is MamaCat, part of the original feral colony that we cared for, and why we started our rescue. Katniss and Peeta have a very strong bond; they’ve been loving and taking care of each other since the day they were born. We love it when we get to watch their unwavering affection for each other, in adorable action. And they work too, here at the rescue, welcoming and playing with the other cats as they arrive. Peeta is usually the welcoming committee. And Katniss loves to play with the younger ones, and also, when being held by Kyal, she purrs and shows the others that being held by a person is kinda nice!
By mid-summer 2020: Katniss is an active, friendly, playful, funny girl. She likes to scamper faster than you would think is possible for such a little creature. And she’s quite well socialized, loves to snuggle, and purrs the moment you pick her up. Litter trained and starting to eat solid food. Peeta loves long naps, preferably in your lap. He’s a big boy, will probably be a good sized silver tabby. He’s a gentle spirited, friendly guy, loves to cuddle, has the best purr ever, he’s litter trained - and so far he’s resisting eating solid foods. A bit of a mama’s boy.
By September of 2020, we knew that Katniss and Peeta would remain with us at the rescue as resident cats. They are wonderful as therapy cats for all the new ones joining us. Peeta especially loves kittens, and mothered our sweet Floof when she was deathly ill as a tiny kitten. He also insists on greeting each of the young ones by entering their cages while I feed, change water and clean litters. I lock him into each crate, one by one, and he hangs out with the occupant(s). Then I let him out, or drag him out, as the case may be!
Happy first birthday to Katniss and Peeta, on June 15, 2021!
On July 15, 2021, Peeta really scared us when he became very ill. He spent all day at Minden Animal Hospital today, for a lot of really non-specific symptoms that all add up to he is not ok. Lethargy, dehydration, lack of appetite and fever. Blood work has so far been inconclusive and vague, and very confusing. Diagnostic imaging showed nothing of concern. IV fluids and antibiotics have perked him up, but only slightly. $1,300 plus in testing and care, and we still don't really know what's wrong with him. He's home again so we can observe him over night (the clinic is not staffed at night), and get an apparently disgusting-tasting broad spectrum antibiotic into him. He is still sleeping, eating very little, and generally worrying us so much. We will take him in again in the morning for a reassessment, and a decision as to whether he needs to have another day of IV fluids and antibiotics. So for tonight...we wait. Peeta is special. Everyone thinks their pet is special, but Peeta is love, just pure love, and he gives it out freely, to one and all. He needs our love tonight.
As of July 19, good news, Peeta appears to be holding his own now. We still don't know what is/was wrong with him. He lost a lot of weight, and is still not his energetic, goofy self. We've been keeping him close by and observing him. He is slowly returning to us after two days of intravenous fluids and medications, a lot of inconclusive and confusing test results, and a broad-spectrum antibiotic which he hated. There is still one test that we are awaiting results from, which may or may not shed light on what that was all about. Meanwhile, we keep watch over him to see if any of his previous symptoms return. So far, so good. He's eating and sleeping, seems to like being crated at night so he can rest undisturbed in his squishy bed, and is moving around under his own power in the daytime. All good signs. Hoping this healing trend will continue into this week.
Earlier in July 2021, unfortunately, Peeta became very ill – more details are below, in Their Story, but he did have to spend time at the vets, and undergo many tests – he is recovering, although we still don’t know what made him ill. All our wishes are with Peeta for a full recovery.
Should you wish, you may sponsor Katniss and/or Peeta on a one-time or ongoing basis. Contact us, or make a donation directly via e-transfer to catsofpaintlake@gmail.com; you may include details if you wish to make your donation, for example, specific to either cat, or to medical bills, or to feeding and care.
Their Story:
Found at four days old, in June 2020, sweltering at the top of our woodshed, Katniss and Peeta, along with their litter mates, Mork and Mindy, came into the rescue and were bottle fed and hand raised. When two weeks old, their eyes were open, they were starting to play, and Peeta started purring … and hasn’t stopped since! Even at the vet’s he purrs; the vet has to hold an alcohol swab under his nose to get him to stop purring in order to listen to his heartbeat. We know that their mother is ShyAnne, and her mother is MamaCat, part of the original feral colony that we cared for, and why we started our rescue. Katniss and Peeta have a very strong bond; they’ve been loving and taking care of each other since the day they were born. We love it when we get to watch their unwavering affection for each other, in adorable action. And they work too, here at the rescue, welcoming and playing with the other cats as they arrive. Peeta is usually the welcoming committee. And Katniss loves to play with the younger ones, and also, when being held by Kyal, she purrs and shows the others that being held by a person is kinda nice!
By mid-summer 2020: Katniss is an active, friendly, playful, funny girl. She likes to scamper faster than you would think is possible for such a little creature. And she’s quite well socialized, loves to snuggle, and purrs the moment you pick her up. Litter trained and starting to eat solid food. Peeta loves long naps, preferably in your lap. He’s a big boy, will probably be a good sized silver tabby. He’s a gentle spirited, friendly guy, loves to cuddle, has the best purr ever, he’s litter trained - and so far he’s resisting eating solid foods. A bit of a mama’s boy.
By September of 2020, we knew that Katniss and Peeta would remain with us at the rescue as resident cats. They are wonderful as therapy cats for all the new ones joining us. Peeta especially loves kittens, and mothered our sweet Floof when she was deathly ill as a tiny kitten. He also insists on greeting each of the young ones by entering their cages while I feed, change water and clean litters. I lock him into each crate, one by one, and he hangs out with the occupant(s). Then I let him out, or drag him out, as the case may be!
Happy first birthday to Katniss and Peeta, on June 15, 2021!
On July 15, 2021, Peeta really scared us when he became very ill. He spent all day at Minden Animal Hospital today, for a lot of really non-specific symptoms that all add up to he is not ok. Lethargy, dehydration, lack of appetite and fever. Blood work has so far been inconclusive and vague, and very confusing. Diagnostic imaging showed nothing of concern. IV fluids and antibiotics have perked him up, but only slightly. $1,300 plus in testing and care, and we still don't really know what's wrong with him. He's home again so we can observe him over night (the clinic is not staffed at night), and get an apparently disgusting-tasting broad spectrum antibiotic into him. He is still sleeping, eating very little, and generally worrying us so much. We will take him in again in the morning for a reassessment, and a decision as to whether he needs to have another day of IV fluids and antibiotics. So for tonight...we wait. Peeta is special. Everyone thinks their pet is special, but Peeta is love, just pure love, and he gives it out freely, to one and all. He needs our love tonight.
As of July 19, good news, Peeta appears to be holding his own now. We still don't know what is/was wrong with him. He lost a lot of weight, and is still not his energetic, goofy self. We've been keeping him close by and observing him. He is slowly returning to us after two days of intravenous fluids and medications, a lot of inconclusive and confusing test results, and a broad-spectrum antibiotic which he hated. There is still one test that we are awaiting results from, which may or may not shed light on what that was all about. Meanwhile, we keep watch over him to see if any of his previous symptoms return. So far, so good. He's eating and sleeping, seems to like being crated at night so he can rest undisturbed in his squishy bed, and is moving around under his own power in the daytime. All good signs. Hoping this healing trend will continue into this week.
Fuzzy
Callie
Floof
Alumni
These cats have either moved on to their adoptive families, or gone missing from our original feral colony group. You're welcome to read their stories!
MamaCat
The alpha, the first of our ferals, mother to ShyAnne and Fuzzy, among many others...her story is told here: https://www.thecatsofpaintlake.ca/post/the-beginning
Shadow
This fellow used to come with MamaCat to eat and warm up. They were buddies. One day he just stopped coming. We never found out what happened to him.
Mindy
Scruffy
Marlene, Floof, and Penny
Alistair
Mr. Darcy
Smoki
Camino - Adopted as of July 2021
Gender: Male
Age: Less than 2 years old
Breed / Colour: Shorthaired tabby, reddish-brown
Spayed / Neutered: Y
Adoption Summary:
Update: Camino was adopted as of July 2021!
Camino is now ready to go to his new home. He will need patient adopters, who will give him some time to settle in and get comfortable in his new environment. But he will make a great addition to someone's family. Adoption fee will apply, to help offset the cost of veterinary bills. If you are interested in discussing adopting Camino, please contact us. If you have already submitted a questionnaire and would like to consider adopting Camino specifically, let us know.
Camino was originally found east of Haliburton. He was feral, and roaming a densely wooded area. A nearby family began feeding him, then trapped him and brought him to us.
He is a beautiful boy, a reddish toned brown tabby, sleek and graceful, well-muscled, and in wonderfully healthy condition.
He is gentle, sweet natured, easygoing, very inquisitive, and loves pets and cuddles. A little uncertain in a crowd, and doesn't like a lot of commotion. A bit reserved at first, but very friendly. Doesn't get into conflicts with other cats. Eats very well! Clean and uses his litter box with no issues. Loves his cozy bed.
He has been neutered, and is fully vaccinated and microchipped.
Detailed Log:
June 28, 2021 - Despite his wild start in life, he is a sweet and gentle boy. He is placid and quiet, likes his naps and loves his food! He gets along well with other cats, though he can be a little shy. He loves pets and cuddles, though he is still deciding if he likes to be picked up. He is a beautiful boy, with a long, lean, muscular physique, and amazing colours, tabby brown with reddish highlights. Photos really don't do this guy justice.
May 2021 - Introducing Camino. Camino is a feral cat who was being fed by a family in the Haliburton area. They say they had been seeing him around for at least a year. They finally decided to take steps and get him to a rescue to be cared for and neutered. Not an easy choice, since they all had fallen in love with him! And who could blame them? Not only is Camino a beautiful boy, he is also a gentle spirit with kind eyes, already affectionate and sweet and welcomes touch and cuddles.
He has settled in well here, and we think that it is time to let him come out to free roam with the other cats. We begin that process in small supervised periods, and if there are no issues with getting along with the others, hiding, or litter box use, he will get to stay out longer and longer until he is also free roaming. He goes to get his first vet check and vaccinations in another week and a half, and a couple weeks after that, for his boosters, neuter, and microchip. Such a lovely boy!
Age: Less than 2 years old
Breed / Colour: Shorthaired tabby, reddish-brown
Spayed / Neutered: Y
Adoption Summary:
Update: Camino was adopted as of July 2021!
Camino is now ready to go to his new home. He will need patient adopters, who will give him some time to settle in and get comfortable in his new environment. But he will make a great addition to someone's family. Adoption fee will apply, to help offset the cost of veterinary bills. If you are interested in discussing adopting Camino, please contact us. If you have already submitted a questionnaire and would like to consider adopting Camino specifically, let us know.
Camino was originally found east of Haliburton. He was feral, and roaming a densely wooded area. A nearby family began feeding him, then trapped him and brought him to us.
He is a beautiful boy, a reddish toned brown tabby, sleek and graceful, well-muscled, and in wonderfully healthy condition.
He is gentle, sweet natured, easygoing, very inquisitive, and loves pets and cuddles. A little uncertain in a crowd, and doesn't like a lot of commotion. A bit reserved at first, but very friendly. Doesn't get into conflicts with other cats. Eats very well! Clean and uses his litter box with no issues. Loves his cozy bed.
He has been neutered, and is fully vaccinated and microchipped.
Detailed Log:
June 28, 2021 - Despite his wild start in life, he is a sweet and gentle boy. He is placid and quiet, likes his naps and loves his food! He gets along well with other cats, though he can be a little shy. He loves pets and cuddles, though he is still deciding if he likes to be picked up. He is a beautiful boy, with a long, lean, muscular physique, and amazing colours, tabby brown with reddish highlights. Photos really don't do this guy justice.
May 2021 - Introducing Camino. Camino is a feral cat who was being fed by a family in the Haliburton area. They say they had been seeing him around for at least a year. They finally decided to take steps and get him to a rescue to be cared for and neutered. Not an easy choice, since they all had fallen in love with him! And who could blame them? Not only is Camino a beautiful boy, he is also a gentle spirit with kind eyes, already affectionate and sweet and welcomes touch and cuddles.
He has settled in well here, and we think that it is time to let him come out to free roam with the other cats. We begin that process in small supervised periods, and if there are no issues with getting along with the others, hiding, or litter box use, he will get to stay out longer and longer until he is also free roaming. He goes to get his first vet check and vaccinations in another week and a half, and a couple weeks after that, for his boosters, neuter, and microchip. Such a lovely boy!
Lazarus
Rest in Peace, sweet boy
Gender: Male
Age: Estimated 10 – 12 years old, but could be much younger or older
Breed / Colour: Flame point Siamese
Spayed / Neutered: Not as of August 2021
Summary as of mid-September 2021:
Lazarus arrived at the rescue at the beginning of August 2021. He was in very poor condition, but had a will to live and was slowly recovering. Despite his condition, he was a friendly cat, and talked to us and asked for gentle pets and scratches.
Sadly, we lost this sweet boy earlier this week, due to what appeared to be a stroke. RIP to lovely Lazarus.
He was quite an elderly fellow, who came to us in terrible condition; Dirty, matted, frightened, painfully thin, near to starvation, with sunken and infected eyes, and wasted muscles especially in his back legs. The vet exam and blood work showed him to have a hyperactive thyroid, anemia, with high white blood cell counts. He was in rough shape. However, over time and with patient care, he gained a bit of strength, and enjoyed exploring, finding new napping places, having regular brushings and lots of snuggles. He also made friends with a kitten who insisted on following him everywhere. A few evenings ago, we watched him as he lounged on a little rug; he had a strange moment of "twitch" and tremble and his breathing became laboured. He made it through the night, but had an odd hitch in his gait the next morning. And shortly after, he quietly passed away.
I was really hoping to give this fellow a good year of life, to feel good, healthy, safe, and loved. He only got six weeks. I console myself with the knowledge that the quick actions of his rescuer saved him from ending his life in fear and hopelessness, hungry and cold and wet. At least while he was here, he received care, and love, with a warm and comfy place to sleep, ample good food, and lots of attention from the people who cared for him. He was a favourite among our volunteers. Such a sweet and affectionate boy. We will miss you, Laszlo! I will remember you always.
Detailed Log:
September 17, 2021 - RIP to lovely Lazarus. We lost this sweet boy earlier this week, due to what appeared to be a stroke. He was quite an elderly fellow, who came to us in terrible condition; Dirty, matted, frightened, painfully thin, near to starvation, with sunken and infected eyes, and wasted muscles especially in his back legs. The vet exam and blood work showed him to have a hyperactive thyroid, anemia, with high white blood cell counts. He was in rough shape.
While he was here we tried him on thyroid medication, which was challenging since he was extremely difficult to get pills into! And if we did actually get one in, we would frequently find he had 'cheeked' it, and spit it out when we weren't looking! After trying the medication for a couple of weeks, we realized that for him it had the unwanted side effect of drastically reducing his appetite! So we took him off of that medication again and fed him the best quality diet we could get him to eat. He gained a little weight, but not much. He gained muscle tone, however, when we let him out in the main loft to walk around as much as possible. At first he couldn't get his legs to stay upright on the slippery floor, but over time he gained a bit of strength, and enjoyed exploring, finding new napping places, having regular brushings and lots of snuggles. He also made friends with a kitten who insisted on following him everywhere.
A few evenings ago, we watched him as he lounged on a little rug; he had a strange moment of "twitch" and tremble. His breathing became laboured. We encouraged him to move back to his bed, where I sat with him and petted him until his breathing settled back to normal, and he fell asleep. I wondered if he would still be with us come the dawn. It was late, and the nearest emergency clinic is two hours away from us. We believed it would be more stressful to bring him to a vet than to leave him be. So we left him to sleep. By morning he was still with us, but had a very odd hitch in his gait, which led us to believe that what we had witnessed had indeed been a stroke. I contacted the vet to give them an update and ask for their advice. They wanted to see him, so I scheduled an appointment. But five minutes later I had to phone them back to cancel that appointment. He had already passed away, apparently with little fanfare.
I was really hoping to give this fellow a good year of life, to feel good, healthy, safe, and loved. He only got six weeks. I console myself with the knowledge that the quick actions of his rescuer saved him from ending his life in fear and hopelessness, hungry and cold and wet. At least while he was here, he received care, and love, with a warm and comfy place to sleep, ample good food, and lots of attention from the people who cared for him. He was a favourite among our volunteers. Such a sweet and affectionate boy. We will miss you, Laszlo! I will remember you always.
August 7 - We hesitated to post about this beautiful wreck of a cat when we first received him. We all thought at the time that this was a female. Pretty, delicate, and desperately thin and malnourished. Gums so swollen he could hardly close his mouth, and the putrid breath when he hissed at us! Eyes caked with goop, and sunken so far into his head we thought it was a good possibility that we were too late. Our vet fit him in at the earliest possible time, shifting one of our other appointments to accommodate him. (Thank you to the Queen of Creative Scheduling, Emily.)
When I phoned in the appointment I didn't even have a name in mind yet. Rather than let a generic label suffice for this sweet creature, I dubbed "her" Hope.
Three days of quarantine, treatment for fleas and mites, carefully controlled diet, along with gentle bathing of blackened ears and filthy fur, and some tlc... by the third day he was starting to self groom, and all systems seemed to be functional. When I came to feed him, he meowed at me! He was actually pulling back from the brink, choosing to live.
It was pretty amazing to watch him turn around. By now I had groomed him enough to finally have gotten a good look and established his gender. Un-neutered male. No microchip.
This guy has a huge will to live. We have no idea how old he is. From some physical examination, his age could be 10-12, possibly a lot younger or a lot older. His physical condition is emaciated, fur matted and filthy, tail that was full of burrs, removed at the vet's. He has thyroid issues, kidney issues, and muscle loss. His teeth and gums aren't great so we've been feeding him exclusively wet food, or a little dry food soaked in warm water.
We don't know anything about his history beyond a week ago. But he doesn't seem to fear humans. Either he has known them before, or he was at the point of being beyond caring or fear. We believe it is the former. So many questions about why this lovely fellow was out there. But at this point all we really care about is that he's here now, warm and safe and fed, lounging in our comfiest, squishiest cat bed, and sleeping bonelessly. He talks to us, and asks for gentle pets and scratches. He eats, he sleeps, he drinks, he uses his litter-box, and then he goes back to sleep. One day at a time.
Thank you to Lori W for dedicating days to catching this lovely cat before the worst could happen. You saved his life.
Gender: Male
Age: Estimated 10 – 12 years old, but could be much younger or older
Breed / Colour: Flame point Siamese
Spayed / Neutered: Not as of August 2021
Summary as of mid-September 2021:
Lazarus arrived at the rescue at the beginning of August 2021. He was in very poor condition, but had a will to live and was slowly recovering. Despite his condition, he was a friendly cat, and talked to us and asked for gentle pets and scratches.
Sadly, we lost this sweet boy earlier this week, due to what appeared to be a stroke. RIP to lovely Lazarus.
He was quite an elderly fellow, who came to us in terrible condition; Dirty, matted, frightened, painfully thin, near to starvation, with sunken and infected eyes, and wasted muscles especially in his back legs. The vet exam and blood work showed him to have a hyperactive thyroid, anemia, with high white blood cell counts. He was in rough shape. However, over time and with patient care, he gained a bit of strength, and enjoyed exploring, finding new napping places, having regular brushings and lots of snuggles. He also made friends with a kitten who insisted on following him everywhere. A few evenings ago, we watched him as he lounged on a little rug; he had a strange moment of "twitch" and tremble and his breathing became laboured. He made it through the night, but had an odd hitch in his gait the next morning. And shortly after, he quietly passed away.
I was really hoping to give this fellow a good year of life, to feel good, healthy, safe, and loved. He only got six weeks. I console myself with the knowledge that the quick actions of his rescuer saved him from ending his life in fear and hopelessness, hungry and cold and wet. At least while he was here, he received care, and love, with a warm and comfy place to sleep, ample good food, and lots of attention from the people who cared for him. He was a favourite among our volunteers. Such a sweet and affectionate boy. We will miss you, Laszlo! I will remember you always.
Detailed Log:
September 17, 2021 - RIP to lovely Lazarus. We lost this sweet boy earlier this week, due to what appeared to be a stroke. He was quite an elderly fellow, who came to us in terrible condition; Dirty, matted, frightened, painfully thin, near to starvation, with sunken and infected eyes, and wasted muscles especially in his back legs. The vet exam and blood work showed him to have a hyperactive thyroid, anemia, with high white blood cell counts. He was in rough shape.
While he was here we tried him on thyroid medication, which was challenging since he was extremely difficult to get pills into! And if we did actually get one in, we would frequently find he had 'cheeked' it, and spit it out when we weren't looking! After trying the medication for a couple of weeks, we realized that for him it had the unwanted side effect of drastically reducing his appetite! So we took him off of that medication again and fed him the best quality diet we could get him to eat. He gained a little weight, but not much. He gained muscle tone, however, when we let him out in the main loft to walk around as much as possible. At first he couldn't get his legs to stay upright on the slippery floor, but over time he gained a bit of strength, and enjoyed exploring, finding new napping places, having regular brushings and lots of snuggles. He also made friends with a kitten who insisted on following him everywhere.
A few evenings ago, we watched him as he lounged on a little rug; he had a strange moment of "twitch" and tremble. His breathing became laboured. We encouraged him to move back to his bed, where I sat with him and petted him until his breathing settled back to normal, and he fell asleep. I wondered if he would still be with us come the dawn. It was late, and the nearest emergency clinic is two hours away from us. We believed it would be more stressful to bring him to a vet than to leave him be. So we left him to sleep. By morning he was still with us, but had a very odd hitch in his gait, which led us to believe that what we had witnessed had indeed been a stroke. I contacted the vet to give them an update and ask for their advice. They wanted to see him, so I scheduled an appointment. But five minutes later I had to phone them back to cancel that appointment. He had already passed away, apparently with little fanfare.
I was really hoping to give this fellow a good year of life, to feel good, healthy, safe, and loved. He only got six weeks. I console myself with the knowledge that the quick actions of his rescuer saved him from ending his life in fear and hopelessness, hungry and cold and wet. At least while he was here, he received care, and love, with a warm and comfy place to sleep, ample good food, and lots of attention from the people who cared for him. He was a favourite among our volunteers. Such a sweet and affectionate boy. We will miss you, Laszlo! I will remember you always.
August 7 - We hesitated to post about this beautiful wreck of a cat when we first received him. We all thought at the time that this was a female. Pretty, delicate, and desperately thin and malnourished. Gums so swollen he could hardly close his mouth, and the putrid breath when he hissed at us! Eyes caked with goop, and sunken so far into his head we thought it was a good possibility that we were too late. Our vet fit him in at the earliest possible time, shifting one of our other appointments to accommodate him. (Thank you to the Queen of Creative Scheduling, Emily.)
When I phoned in the appointment I didn't even have a name in mind yet. Rather than let a generic label suffice for this sweet creature, I dubbed "her" Hope.
Three days of quarantine, treatment for fleas and mites, carefully controlled diet, along with gentle bathing of blackened ears and filthy fur, and some tlc... by the third day he was starting to self groom, and all systems seemed to be functional. When I came to feed him, he meowed at me! He was actually pulling back from the brink, choosing to live.
It was pretty amazing to watch him turn around. By now I had groomed him enough to finally have gotten a good look and established his gender. Un-neutered male. No microchip.
This guy has a huge will to live. We have no idea how old he is. From some physical examination, his age could be 10-12, possibly a lot younger or a lot older. His physical condition is emaciated, fur matted and filthy, tail that was full of burrs, removed at the vet's. He has thyroid issues, kidney issues, and muscle loss. His teeth and gums aren't great so we've been feeding him exclusively wet food, or a little dry food soaked in warm water.
We don't know anything about his history beyond a week ago. But he doesn't seem to fear humans. Either he has known them before, or he was at the point of being beyond caring or fear. We believe it is the former. So many questions about why this lovely fellow was out there. But at this point all we really care about is that he's here now, warm and safe and fed, lounging in our comfiest, squishiest cat bed, and sleeping bonelessly. He talks to us, and asks for gentle pets and scratches. He eats, he sleeps, he drinks, he uses his litter-box, and then he goes back to sleep. One day at a time.
Thank you to Lori W for dedicating days to catching this lovely cat before the worst could happen. You saved his life.
Luna and her kittens
Gender: Luna female; Kittens 3 female, 1 male
Age: Luna estimated to be 1 year old; Kittens born May 26, 2021
Breed / Colour: Tuxedo with tabby colouring
Spayed / Neutered: Prior to adoption, the kittens will be weaned, vaccinated and vet checked. It will be the responsibility of the adopters to spay/neuter and microchip kittens when they are 5-6 months old.
Adoption Summary:
Update September 2021 - Luna and her kittens have all found their forever homes and are settling in.
July 2021 - Almost ready! - Luna and her kittens won’t be ready for adoption until the kittens are weaned near the end of July or middle of August.
Luna has already been spoken for (her new name is Miss Puss Puss), but her kittens will be looking for their permanent homes. We’re still assessing them, to determine when they are ready, if they should go in pairs, or if one may go with the mom, or if a single kitten may be adoptable into a home that already has a cat as a companion… TBD. However, if you are interested in one or more of these kittens, please contact us.
Luna is petite, with a delicate physique, very tiny and slender. She has beautiful markings, and a glossy mid-length coat. Her kittens take after her. We suspect the father was a long-haired tabby who roams the area (and nobody has been able to catch, yet!)
Luna was trapped here in Dorset, neighbours said she had been dumped on their road some months prior. She arrived skinny, bedraggled, and sick. She vomited plastic wrappers within the first day she was with us, having ingested packaging along with its contents, we can only assume from someone's trash. A rush to the vet revealed that little Luna was pregnant with four kittens.
Luna is an exceptionally attentive mother, and spends most of her time caring for her kittens, born on day of the lunar eclipse, May 26th.
Detailed Log:
Jun 6 – Luna’s babies are healthy and growing, and now have their eyes open.
May 26 – Luna’s four star-babies have arrived, on the day of the eclipse. All is good!
May 13 - Sweet little Luna. Trapped right here in Dorset, after we received a report of a cat in town that was dumped. She is so very tiny that at first we thought she was just a kitten. She was having trouble keeping food down, and threw up a plastic wrapper from some food that she had scrounged while she was out there on her own. She had a very distended abdomen that made us wonder what was going on with her.
We took her in to our fabulous vets, Minden Animal Hospital, who squeezed her into a very busy day on an emergency basis. They ran tests that were inconclusive, and finally took x-rays of that belly. "Spines!!", the vet techs reportedly exclaimed. Yes. Our sweet, teensy-tiny little Luna is pregnant. Very pregnant, as it turns out. We are told that there are at least four large kittens in there, one of whom is pressing right on her stomach, which could go a long way to explaining why she was vomiting so much, poor thing. She was also dehydrated from all of her stomach upsets, and needed subcutaneous fluids, and a prescription to help line her stomach to help her digest food easier. She is on special recovery food now to help her get in all the calories she needs. She is ravenous!! Those babies are taking every resource she has.
So now she is back here at the rescue centre, in a newly-converted nursery crate, with a birthing box all ready to go. And now...we wait. Given the size of that belly, it shouldn't be long now. We will be watching her closely, and have her on video surveillance, to alert us when it begins. We are a little concerned about the size of her, vs. the size of those kittens. Hopefully she will have little trouble with the birth, but we stand ready to help her if necessary, or get her emergency care if needed.
Age: Luna estimated to be 1 year old; Kittens born May 26, 2021
Breed / Colour: Tuxedo with tabby colouring
Spayed / Neutered: Prior to adoption, the kittens will be weaned, vaccinated and vet checked. It will be the responsibility of the adopters to spay/neuter and microchip kittens when they are 5-6 months old.
Adoption Summary:
Update September 2021 - Luna and her kittens have all found their forever homes and are settling in.
July 2021 - Almost ready! - Luna and her kittens won’t be ready for adoption until the kittens are weaned near the end of July or middle of August.
Luna has already been spoken for (her new name is Miss Puss Puss), but her kittens will be looking for their permanent homes. We’re still assessing them, to determine when they are ready, if they should go in pairs, or if one may go with the mom, or if a single kitten may be adoptable into a home that already has a cat as a companion… TBD. However, if you are interested in one or more of these kittens, please contact us.
Luna is petite, with a delicate physique, very tiny and slender. She has beautiful markings, and a glossy mid-length coat. Her kittens take after her. We suspect the father was a long-haired tabby who roams the area (and nobody has been able to catch, yet!)
Luna was trapped here in Dorset, neighbours said she had been dumped on their road some months prior. She arrived skinny, bedraggled, and sick. She vomited plastic wrappers within the first day she was with us, having ingested packaging along with its contents, we can only assume from someone's trash. A rush to the vet revealed that little Luna was pregnant with four kittens.
Luna is an exceptionally attentive mother, and spends most of her time caring for her kittens, born on day of the lunar eclipse, May 26th.
Detailed Log:
Jun 6 – Luna’s babies are healthy and growing, and now have their eyes open.
May 26 – Luna’s four star-babies have arrived, on the day of the eclipse. All is good!
May 13 - Sweet little Luna. Trapped right here in Dorset, after we received a report of a cat in town that was dumped. She is so very tiny that at first we thought she was just a kitten. She was having trouble keeping food down, and threw up a plastic wrapper from some food that she had scrounged while she was out there on her own. She had a very distended abdomen that made us wonder what was going on with her.
We took her in to our fabulous vets, Minden Animal Hospital, who squeezed her into a very busy day on an emergency basis. They ran tests that were inconclusive, and finally took x-rays of that belly. "Spines!!", the vet techs reportedly exclaimed. Yes. Our sweet, teensy-tiny little Luna is pregnant. Very pregnant, as it turns out. We are told that there are at least four large kittens in there, one of whom is pressing right on her stomach, which could go a long way to explaining why she was vomiting so much, poor thing. She was also dehydrated from all of her stomach upsets, and needed subcutaneous fluids, and a prescription to help line her stomach to help her digest food easier. She is on special recovery food now to help her get in all the calories she needs. She is ravenous!! Those babies are taking every resource she has.
So now she is back here at the rescue centre, in a newly-converted nursery crate, with a birthing box all ready to go. And now...we wait. Given the size of that belly, it shouldn't be long now. We will be watching her closely, and have her on video surveillance, to alert us when it begins. We are a little concerned about the size of her, vs. the size of those kittens. Hopefully she will have little trouble with the birth, but we stand ready to help her if necessary, or get her emergency care if needed.
Sponsor a Friend
Sponsor the sweet cat you like best (it’s ok to play favourites!). Some of our cats stay at the rescue for longer periods of time than others – this may be due to, for example, extra time needed to unlearn feral behaviour and to learn to socialize with people if they’ve been in the wild for some time, or because of medical issues. You may have seen multiple updates on some of them on our Facebook group, Friends of The Cats of Paint Lake, or information here on the website under New Cats on the Block or Resident Cats. Should you wish to sponsor one of these cats, please make a donation via e-transfer directly to catsofpaintlake@gmail.com, and add a note to specify which cat you are sponsoring. Sponsor the sweet cat you like best.
We, and the cats, appreciate any donation you are able to make. Thank you so much!
