As winter is winding down and the days are getting longer we are looking forward to what spring will bring. We have started the process of getting the cats in foster care vetted out for their arrival at the new building. It is going to be a long process and an expensive one, but we are moving forward.
We are in hopes to have our certificate of occupancy in the next few weeks. Currently we have eight cats that have been fully vetted and tested to move to the new building. The cost per cat to get this done is just about $100 per cat. We are all sitting on the edge of our seats just waiting to get this all complete.
As we enter the month of March we look back to three years ago when we lost everything. We are determined not to dwell on the past and push forward with a bright new future that lies ahead. We have come so far and accomplished so much in the past three years. We have made new friends, not just locally but around the world. You all have been a part of this difficult but amazing journey, and for that we are thankful.
Keith, our FIV kitty that survived the fire because he was at the vet that fateful day, is ready to move to the new sanctuary, where he can lounge in the sun and climb the walls and most importantly get fresh air and feel the sunlight on his face. Keith is now well over 10 years and is doing incredibly well. He is off all medications and, in our eyes, a miracle kitty. After three surgeries and years of pain meds he now is a healthy, happy FIV kitty.
Two of the other cats that have been pulled back and vetted are Lilly and LuLu. These girls are feral, which means they are not trusting of humans or used to the human touch. Once Lilly arrived at the vet it was determined she had periodontal disease, which meant she had to have all of her teeth removed. Getting these two to the vet was no easy task. But they trusted one of their foster moms enough to get them there. Lilly is recovering quite nicely from her surgery and soon they will be transported up to the sanctuary to begin the next chapter of their lives.
Every cat that arrives at the new sanctuary will have been altered, wormed, treated for fleas and tested for AIDS and feline leukemia. This is necessary because they will be going into small community cat rooms. Each room will hold 10 cats.
Thank you all for your patience and understanding as we move forward.
Please join us for a bake sale outside The Hollywood Pet Salon on Saturday, March 18, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Thank you for your continued support, and as always, thank you for reading our column.
