Zoe Sohre Clements (fka Meade)

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So, on April 19, 1995 my love affair with cats and rescuing them began.  I was determined, as a 17 year old kid, to get a pet.  My mom and I lived with my aunt (major animal lover,) and her two daughters, my cousins…but more like my sisters.  We also shared our home with two kitties Cleo, momma cat, and Patches her baby daughter.  I knew that my aunt, being the owner of the house, would not mind another animal.  Perhaps there was a bit of manipulation involved, but I knew that if my aunt accepted an animal I brought home that my Mom couldn’t make me take it back.  Oh boy did that work.  April 19, 1995 I stepped foot into the Humane Society of Pinellas on my way to school.  (I wasn’t skipping high school, short version I was an International Baccalaureate geek and taking my IB exams, so we didn’t have class from basically March – June as March was study time, April & May were all our exams and June we graduated!  So I had an exam at like 2 pm and stopped at HSP.)  HSP was a different place, smaller, less animals but still the same heart.  I walked in, walked outside to look at dogs and cats, and didn’t see any kittens.  So I went back inside to find a woman just coming in the door with a large carrier filled with kittens.

Her story, which she shared with the lady doing the intake, as well as me as I quietly oogled the kittens changed my life forever.  I simply believe she was the originator of Pay if Forward, though she didn’t know it.  The woman had a litter of I believe 8 or 9 kittens, and they were from the neighbor’s siamese cat which they had abandoned after they realized she was pregnant.  The woman and her family took the cat in, and kept their shed for her home, and provided a comfortable, safe place for her.  They fed her, cared for her, and even witnessed the kittens being born.  They kept the kittens and Mom until all were old enough for being spayed or neutered and to have all their shots.  They were 6 weeks old (therefore the birthday was 3/8/95…this is important so stay with me) and the woman had all the kittens fully vetted, and the momma cat spayed.  She then brought them all to HSP.  As she was telling the intake woman this information I was getting excited as I saw several black cats in the litter.  I REALLY wanted a black cat.  Always have since I can remember and I really wanted a boy black cat.  So, I had to leave…but I knew I would be back after I took my exam as I was determined to have myself my first pet that day.

So on the way home, I stopped again.  I had cash that I stopped at the bank to get, to pay the adoption fee, and I was ready to pick up my little guy.  So I went out to see the kittens and grabbed up the cute ball of black fur.  This kitten wanted anything but me.  He was a wiggle worm and squirmy and just wanted to get away from me.  Now, I know I said Momma cat was a siamese, and she was…a beautiful shorthair.  But Daddy cat was a feral black long haired cat.  So the litter consisted of black, grey (think Russian Blue grey,) and black & white kittens.  The only other male in this litter was a black long haired cat.  And being allergic to cats myself, I decided that I should probably stick to a short haired cat.

Well as I was trying to meet other kittens, this little ball of grey energy and excitement was attacking my shoes.  Chewing the laces, scratching on them, jumping on my legs…scratching them as well…lol.  I swiped her up and put her tiny face to mine and said ‘hey, what’s your problem?!’ And she responded by licking my nose.  I was done.  100% sold.  And so that day, Zoe Sohre Meade came home with me.  She decided upon arriving at our home, however, that my aunt was a much better Momma to her than me.  So for the first almost 2 years of her life, she slept with my aunt, was her cat and loved her…not me.  My aunt moved up to Massachusetts though, and Zoe had to become my cat.  We have had many ups and downs together, pink eye when she was about 3, lots of animals killed and brought home when she was an outdoor kitty, 5 moves, a handful of boyfriends and fiances, sad times, happy times, memories, memories and memories.

When Zoe hit 12 years old back in 2007, she started to have issues walking, was getting very arthritic and she wasn’t my fiesty Zoe cat anymore.  So we set out to help her however we could.  For 12 years of her life she had also had Urinary Tract Infections each year…then I heard about this wonderful food called Halo and it was made locally here in FL.  I was thrilled to say the least.  This food could supposedly help with her arthritis.  I was there.  Until it was almost $2 for a can the size of a coke can…yikes.  BUT fear not, Halo is more amazing than any other company, and they actually offered up their recipes right on the website.  So, we started to make our own cat food.  5 years later, best decision ever.  Still have my Zoe cat.  And in 2008 I had to volunteer somewhere for a job that I had, and I got in touch with HSP.  4 years later, my life is even more changed after volunteering with them.  But I consider my volunteering there paying back what they gave me in Zoe for the last 17 years, and hopefully many more years to come.

While Zoe is going to be 17 in just a week, she is and always will be my baby girl.  Sure we have Zeus (10,) Juno (4 next month,) and Cole (2 1/2 but still a kitten mentally!) but Zoe was and is and always will be special.  6 months ago I had to make a difficult decision to put her on K/D by Science Diet.  And I HATE Science Diet…it’s crap food.  But she doesn’t throw up anymore and she has gained weight, so if she is healthy and I can still have her in my life without putting her through pain or discomfort I will take it.  However, she sustained some sort of issue in her tail about 7 years ago, and what happened, we’ll never know.  But she had a small section, maybe half the width of a dollar bill, in length that was numb.  That numbness has gotten far more severe.  It’s almost 2/3 of her tail.  So last week we saw the amazing and caring Dr. Kevin Conrad of Sunset Point Animal Hospital in Clearwater, FL.  Dr. Conrad is also the volunteer vet, yes volunteer, he is a saint I am sure, at HSP.  And he is very knowledgeable in the area of veterinary surgery.  So, I took Zoe to see him regarding her tail.  Dr. Conrad suggested we amputate it to prevent the numbness from going down the tail further, and potentially into her hind quarters, causing her to lose bladder and bowel control.  So, on 3/7/12 Zoe will be a little less Zoe, and lose some of her tail.  But she will never lose the love that I have for her.  She might be a grumpy old Grizabella cat, but she is the most beautiful girl I have ever met and she is mine.  My baby, my girl.  Always and forever.  Zoe Roo, if it weren’t for you, my first pet, my first true love, there are so many lives that wouldnt’ have been touched: because of you Ruby Roo, I got Zeus, then Juno, and eventually took in Ellie Mae, who gave birth to Dominic, Sarah and Cole.  Because of you, I became a foster momma at HSP, and fostered Remy, Thomas, Bruce, Marvin and Smith.  We now have Nicole, Emma, Juliette and Roxy as fosters.  Zoe, because of you Kimmay adopted Jelly at HSP; because I volunteer there and always talk about it.  Amanda & Joey adopted Jethro and Saharra.  Zoe Roo, that is 20 animals and countless people who’s lives are forever changed because of you.  Zoe, your name means ‘life’ in Greek.  And you have brought so much more to my life than the kisses, hisses, purrs and growls, more than the thousands of dollars spent on vet care.  You have always brought life.  And one day, when yours is over, the lives of those you impacted continue on.

Oh how I wish I could thank the lady who surrendered you.  You were cared for and loved, and she paid it forward.  And I will spend the rest of my life paying it back for what I have because of it.  I love you Zoe Roo.  My Ruby Roo, my Zoe bear, my potato…I love you.

Lucky 13 kitten update!

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Well, I will keep it brief but my heart is soaring!  The wonderful WONDERFUL staff at The Humane Society of Pinellas managed to get all of our Lucky 13 kittens adopted and in good homes.  These were the kittens that I blogged about in December, who were all exposed to FIP . Now a lot of people, myself included, didn’t know how we would find homes for 18 kittens all exposed to FIP and having had a really tough health history to begin with.  We unfortunately lost Ambrosia, one of the gorgeous girls, but the other 17 were adopted.  Now guaranteed, they were a harder sell than the other kittens that didn’t have a disclosure or need a waiver signed by the adopter to state how they understood the risks of what their kitten was exposed to.  I experienced a renewed sign of hope in seeing that people in my community were willing not only to give these kittens a shot, but to take a chance, open their hearts and homes, and fall in love. 

Great job HSP, you continue to show why you are the place I donate my time and money to.  Your true love and care for the animals in our community make you the best shelter hands down!  And a special thanks to Dr. Conrad, and the medical department for fighting for these kittens and giving them the opportunity to not just live, but to thrive and be loved.  BRAVO!

Declawing cats…another reason to avoid this torturous procedure

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Not the Mama has always been in opposition to declawing.  We believe it is inhumane, and it is unnecessary.  On February 4th I had the priveledge of meeting and working with Jacque Munera, a cat behaviorist specialist (you can learn more about Jacque at:  http://positivecattitudes.wordpress.com/) We were working on clicker training some of the cats at the Humane Society of Pinellas As we were meeting different cats and observing their behavior, Jacque noted that one cat in particular was walking a bit delicately on her front paws.  This cat was a front declaw cat, and being just over 8 years old, this kitty was starting to show signs of pain and tenderness in her paws as a result of the absolute mutilation she suffered at one point from this surgery.  What happened is her tendons began to tighten and in effect her remaining paw was becoming balled up.  This is extremely painful for the cat and is an almost guaranteed occurrence in a declawed cat.  Jacque recommended that we increase this kittie’s Omega fatty acid intake as that may help to loosen those tendons. 

Issue #2, which really is issue #1, is that this cat ended up in a shelter.  According to an online article referencing a study published in the Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association (“Risk factors for relinquishment of cats to an animal shelter”, by Patronek, Glickman, Beck, et al., JAVMA, 1996:209:582-588) found that declawed cats were at an increased risk of relinquishment to animal shelters. Among relinquished cats, 52.4% of declawed cats were reported to exhibit litter box avoidance, compared to 29.1% of non-declawed cats.  To me, that is an astonishing rate.  We aren’t talking 0-10%, that could be an anomaly, or at least blamed on one by fans of declawing.  But 52.4% of cats who are declawed having litterbox issues is a shock and it is not a pleasant thought.  As a cat owner, who would want their cat to avoid litterbox usage?!  That stench is awful and difficult to get rid of, especially if the cat uses a carpeted area. 

Another study referenced on the same site listed above, states: A study published in the January 2001 issue of the Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association (JAVMA) found that 31 percent of 39 cats that underwent onychectomy or tendonectomy developed at least one behavior change immediately after surgery, with the most common problems being litter box problems and biting.  I can personally attest that I have seen many declawed cats come through the shelter showing biting and behavioral issues.  Many people simply shrug off a cat as being ‘tempermental’ but if you had the top joint/bone cut off of your hand and then were made to walk on your hand, you might be a bit frustrated and grumpy too. 

I completely understand people not wanting their cats to tear up their furniture…my furniture looks like it’s been through a lot…but I love my animals more than I love my furniture.  If you aren’t willing to ensure that yearly at a vet’s examination you are having your declawed cat’s paws x-rayed for signs of tendon issues and further damage, and pay for additional surgeries, medications and supplements down the line; if you aren’t willing to have a cat that could exhibit litterbox and behavioral issues down the road, then seriously rethink declawing.  There are more than a few viable options…with one being cut their nails on a weekly or biweekly schedule.  Provide the cats with scratching posts, and cardboard scratching boxes.  There are also pet paws, which are almost like fake nails for cats.  They are tips that glue on to their existing nails and allow them to scratch without damage. 

Declawing is actually illegal in many places, including San Fransisco, who recently banned it as being inhumane.  Jacque calls it mutilation and I cannot agree more.  There are some people who say it is better to have a pet adopted and have them declawed rather than have them sit in a shelter.  I firmly disagree.  There are people who have no want or need to declaw, and who don’t even understand the cruelty behind it.  There are also people who completely understand the cruelty and will always allow a cat to come into their life and home who retains their claws.  There is a large possibility that sometime later, a formerly clawed cat, now declawed, will return to a shelter for litterbox issues.  The owner no more aware than anyone else that it was they who caused this cat pain, suffering and now to be dumped and possibly euthanized. 

Education is always what I ask of people.  I simply cannot understand a person who is cruel enough to declaw a cat after knowing the facts.  That to me is animal cruelty.  While my cats may act like I am hurting them when they get their nails cut, we have never hit the quick and it is a temporary discomfort as they don’t like their claws cut and paws held.  But all 4 of them would be able to protect themselves in a fight, be able to scratch and behave like a normal cat and be pain free in at least one more aspect as they begin to age.  I challenge you to look at the paws of a declawed cat the next time you meet one, look and see if you are able to observe the small bit of ‘skin and fur’ that will be hollow on an older cat.  It’s almost like a little sack of air that forms at the front of the paw, where skin, bone, and tendon once were.  Think of how painful that must be every single day for that animal.  No human or animal should ever be forced to live in that state.  As Ghandi said “The greatness of a nation and its moral progress can be judged by the way in which its animals are treated. I hold that the more helpless a creature, the more entitled it is to protection by man from the cruelty of man.”

Swoozie from the Humane Society of Pinellas’ Lucky 13

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This beautiful girl wants to be yours for 2012 and forever!

Swoozie wants to be all yours!

 

Hello, my name is Swoozie.  I am a beautiful girl with a unique grey/tortoiseshell looking coat.  Though looks are definitely important to a girl like me, my life hasn’t been the easiest.  When I was just a little bitty kitten, I was exposed to ringworm and had to be put into the medical department at the Humane Society of Pinellas.  Due to there being many kittens in my community cage, we were all isolated.  During this time some of us also got coccidia.  So we were kept down in the medical department until all of us were well.  It wasn’t until we were nearly 5 months old that we finally were able to come ‘up the hill’ for adoption.  At this point, a litter of my cage mates came down with FIP.  FIP is Feline Infectious Peritonitis.  And you can read a bit more here: http://www.vet.cornell.edu/fhc/brochures/fip.html as to what FIP is.  Now all of us here in our cage, Lucky #13, are healthy and don’t show any signs of getting sick.  But there is always the possibility that it could happen.  With any cat or kitten, we can be carriers of FIP and live long healthy lives as the disease can lie dormant.  Or we can begin to show signs of FIP and have to be put to rest.  So as you can see, my life has been tough.   The majority of the people that come to the shelter want teeny tiny little kittens and not ‘big’ kittens like me.  But I have so much love to give, and just want a family that understands my circumstances and is willing to give me a chance.  I love to play with toys and other kittens, I also love catnip.  I am a bit on the cautious side, not truly shy, just needing a little validation and to have my trust earned before I really open up.  If you are a loving family who doesn’t mind on the perfect kitty taking a little while to open up and give you my heart, then I’m your girl.  Please come and meet me today, because I am ready to be yours!

Phantom from the Humane Society of Pinellas Lucky 13

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handsome tuxedo boy
Handsome Phantom wants to come home with you!
 

Hello, my name is Phantom.  I am a truly gorgeous tuxie boy.  Though I know I have the envy of most with my appearence, my life hasn’t been the easiest.  When I was just a little bitty kitten, I was exposed to ringworm and had to be put into the medical department at the Humane Society of Pinellas.  Due to there being many kittens in my community cage, we were all isolated.  During this time some of us also got coccidia.  So we were kept down in the medical department until all of us were well.  It wasn’t until we were nearly 5 months old that we finally were able to come ‘up the hill’ for adoption.  At this point, a litter of my cage mates came down with FIP.  FIP is Feline Infectious Peritonitis.  And you can read a bit more here: http://www.vet.cornell.edu/fhc/brochures/fip.html as to what FIP is.  Now all of us here in our cage, Lucky #13, are healthy and don’t show any signs of getting sick.  But there is always the possibility that it could happen.  With any cat or kitten, we can be carriers of FIP and live long healthy lives as the disease can lie dormant.  Or we can begin to show signs of FIP and have to be put to rest.  So as you can see, my life has been tough.   The majority of the people that come to the shelter want teeny tiny little kittens and not ‘big’ kittens like me.  But I have so much love to give, and just want a family that understands my circumstances and is willing to give me a chance.  I love to be petted and I absolutely love playing catch, playing with catnip and cuddling with humans and my cage mates.  If you’re looking for love from all the right places and a little more fun in your life, then I’m your guy.  Please come and meet me today, because I am ready to be yours!

Jensen from the Lucky 13

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JensenHello, my name is Jensen.  I am a gorgeous black and white boy.  I am an absolute handsome guy and a great tuxie kitty cat!  Although I may have my fancy tux on and look pretty happy, my life hasn’t been the easiest.  When I was just a little bitty kitten, I was exposed to ringworm and had to be put into the medical department at the Humane Society of Pinellas.  Due to there being many kittens in my community cage, we were all isolated.  During this time some of us also got coccidia.  So we were kept down in the medical department until all of us were well.  It wasn’t until we were nearly 5 months old that we finally were able to come ‘up the hill’ for adoption.  At this point, a litter of my cage mates came down with FIP.  FIP is Feline Infectious Peritonitis.  And you can read a bit more here: http://www.vet.cornell.edu/fhc/brochures/fip.html as to what FIP is.  Now all of us here in our cage, Lucky #13, are healthy and don’t show any signs of getting sick.  But there is always the possibility that it could happen.  With any cat or kitten, we can be carriers of FIP and live long healthy lives as the disease can lie dormant.  Or we can begin to show signs of FIP and have to be put to rest.  So as you can see, my life has been tough.   The majority of the people that come to the shelter want teeny tiny little kittens and not ‘big’ kittens like me.  But I have so much love to give, and just want a family that understands my circumstances and is willing to give me a chance.  I love to play and I love to be petted.  I am a really sweet big guy (big for my age that is,) and if you are looking for a tuxie to bring love into your life, then I’m your guy.  Please come and meet me today, because I am ready to be yours!

Lucy Ann from the Humane Society of Pinellas ‘Lucky 13′

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Lucy Ann is the beautiful black kitten on the left

I sure would love to be yours!

Hello, my name is Lucy Ann (I’m the sleepy kitty on the left.)  I am a gorgeous black kitten.  I am not always asleep but I really adored my former cage mate Dorothy you see here with me, but she has already been adopted!  Though I may seem pretty relaxed here, my life hasn’t been the easiest.  When I was just a little bitty kitten, I was exposed to ringworm and had to be put into the medical department at the Humane Society of Pinellas.  Due to there being many kittens in my community cage, we were all isolated.  During this time some of us also got coccidia.  So we were kept down in the medical department until all of us were well.  It wasn’t until we were nearly 5 months old that we finally were able to come ‘up the hill’ for adoption.  At this point, a litter of my cage mates came down with FIP.  FIP is Feline Infectious Peritonitis.  And you can read a bit more here: http://www.vet.cornell.edu/fhc/brochures/fip.html as to what FIP is.  Now all of us here in our cage, Lucky #13, are healthy and don’t show any signs of getting sick.  But there is always the possibility that it could happen.  With any cat or kitten, we can be carriers of FIP and live long healthy lives as the disease can lie dormant.  Or we can begin to show signs of FIP and have to be put to rest.  So as you can see, my life has been tough.   The majority of the people that come to the shelter want teeny tiny little kittens and not ‘big’ kittens like me.  But I have so much love to give, and just want a family that understands my circumstances and is willing to give me a chance.  I love to play and I love to cuddle with some of my other cage mates.  I am a shy girl, and I will take some time to come out of my shell.  But when I do I am fun loving and affectionate.  If you’re willing to find out just how worth the wait I am, then I’m your girl.  Please come and meet me today, because I am ready to be yours!

 

 

 

Dudette from the Humane Society of Pinellas’ Lucky 13

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a beautiful black female kitten at HSP

All I want for Christmas is YOU!

 

Hello, my name is Dudette.  I am a gorgeous and sleek black kitty.  I am a lady to a tee, sweet, petite and perfect for your home!  But even though I am sweet and gorgeous, my life hasn’t been the easiest.  When I was just a little bitty kitten, I was exposed to ringworm and had to be put into the medical department at the Humane Society of Pinellas.  Due to there being many kittens in my community cage, we were all isolated.  During this time some of us also got coccidia.  So we were kept down in the medical department until all of us were well.  It wasn’t until we were nearly 5 months old that we finally were able to come ‘up the hill’ for adoption.  At this point, a litter of my cage mates came down with FIP.  FIP is Feline Infectious Peritonitis.  And you can read a bit more here: http://www.vet.cornell.edu/fhc/brochures/fip.html as to what FIP is.  Now all of us here in our cage, Lucky #13, are healthy and don’t show any signs of getting sick.  But there is always the possibility that it could happen.  With any cat or kitten, we can be carriers of FIP and live long healthy lives as the disease can lie dormant.  Or we can begin to show signs of FIP and have to be put to rest.  So as you can see, my life has been tough.   The majority of the people that come to the shelter want teeny tiny little kittens and not ‘big’ kittens like me.  But I have so much love to give, and just want a family that understands my circumstances and is willing to give me a chance.  I love to play and I really love catnip!  I am still a bit shy, but will climb up in your lap and just let you pet me after I feel a bit more comfortable.  If you don’t mind taking a chance on me and allowing me time to open up to you, then I’m your girl.  Please come and meet me today, because I am ready to be yours!

 

Claira from the Lucky 13

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ClairaHello, my name is Claira.  I am a beautiful tabby girl.  I am a petite little lady, with some of the most beautiful eyes you will ever set sight on.  In fact, eyes are the window to the soul and if you look into mine you’ll see that my life hasn’t been the easiest.  When I was just a little bitty kitten, I was exposed to ringworm and had to be put into the medical department at the Humane Society of Pinellas.  Due to there being many kittens in my community cage, we were all isolated.  During this time some of us also got coccidia.  So we were kept down in the medical department until all of us were well.  It wasn’t until we were nearly 5 months old that we finally were able to come ‘up the hill’ for adoption.  At this point, a litter of my cage mates came down with FIP.  FIP is Feline Infectious Peritonitis.  And you can read a bit more here: http://www.vet.cornell.edu/fhc/brochures/fip.html as to what FIP is.  Now all of us here in our cage, Lucky #13, are healthy and don’t show any signs of getting sick.  But there is always the possibility that it could happen.  With any cat or kitten, we can be carriers of FIP and live long healthy lives as the disease can lie dormant.  Or we can begin to show signs of FIP and have to be put to rest.  So as you can see, my life has been tough.   The majority of the people that come to the shelter want teeny tiny little kittens and not ‘big’ kittens like me.  But I have so much love to give, and just want a family that understands my circumstances and is willing to give me a chance.  I love to cuddle and I love to play.  One of the cutest things that I do is give a silent meow, which in cat language, is a high honor.  I will give you a look and melt your heart.  I am absolutely sweet and want nothing but to belong to you and love you forever.  Please think of me for a kitten to be a part of your family and home.  I am ready for my forever home, and am here just waiting for you.

Bingo from the Lucky 13

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Bingo

Hello, my name is Bingo.  As you can see I am a very handsome orange Tabby boy. While I may melt your heart with my eyes, my soul has a sad story to tell.   When I was just a little bitty kitten, I was exposed to ringworm and had to be put into the medical department at the Humane Society of Pinellas.  Due to there being many kittens in my community cage, we were all isolated.  During this time some of us also got coccidia.  So we were kept down in the medical department until all of us were well.  It wasn’t until we were nearly 5 months old that we finally were able to come ‘up the hill’ for adoption.  At this point, a litter of my cage mates came down with FIP.  FIP is Feline Infectious Peritonitis.  And you can read a bit more here: http://www.vet.cornell.edu/fhc/brochures/fip.html as to what FIP is.  Now all of us here in our cage, Lucky #13, are healthy and don’t show any signs of getting sick.  But there is always the possibility that it could happen.  With any cat or kitten, we can be carriers of FIP and live long healthy lives as the disease can lie dormant.  Or we can begin to show signs of FIP and have to be put to rest.  So as you can see, my life has been tough.   The majority of the people that come to the shelter want teeny tiny little kittens and not ‘big’ kittens like me.  But I have so much love to give, and just want a family that understands my circumstances and is willing to give me a chance.  I love to play, and am very fond of the other kittens, so if you’d like to take one of my cage mates with me, I sure would love to have a playmate.  I am a bit shy because we didn’t have a lot of interaction with people for a while, but I am coming around.  I would love it if you opened your heart and home to me, because I just want someone to love and to love me.