Foreclosure Cats are ready for adoption

"Foreclosure cats" ready for adoption
Rescued, vetted; many now ready for forever homes

Cincinnati, Ohio, July 17, 2007 - More than 50 "foreclosure cats," who gained public notice after being abandoned in the East End by an evicted man, have been rescued, given medical care and many are now ready for adoption into permanent homes.

The foreclosure cats will be introduced for adoption as part of the "9Lives Morris' Million Cat Rescue Tour" on Thursday and Friday, July 19 and 20, 4 to 6 p.m. at the Biggs at 5218 Beechmont Avenue, and the Meijer at 4825B Marburg Avenue, respectively.

Several of the foreclosure cats and kittens will be available to meet potential adoptive families, and others will be represented in a "Foreclosure Cat Book" of photos and stories. A professional photographer volunteered to photograph the cats, and more than a dozen volunteer artists are creating original drawings and paintings of the cats, for eventual auction to help cover the medical and other expenses involved in their rescue. Some of this work will be shown at the adoption events on Thursday and Friday, as well.

The cats were discovered by a rescuer in early May, apparently weeks after the evicted man walked away from his home without telling anyone about the cats and kittens trapped inside without food, water or medical attention. Several small rescue groups joined together to organize a community rescue effort. A website, http://www.foreclosurecats.org/, was created to solicit volunteers, accept foster and adopter applications as well as donations.

In cooperation with the Cincinnati SPCA, several veterinary hospitals who offered discounted services; Fannie Mae, the lender that owned the house; neighbors who live on the block where the cats were found; fosters and other volunteers who heard the story and showed up to help, nearly 60 cats were rescued or accounted for, including six cats and kittens who did not survive.

Many of the animals were sick and required extensive veterinary and dental care in addition to the routine spaying or neutering, vaccinating and microchipping that was performed as the cats were well enough. "While most of the cats are now fully recovered, jumping, playing and happy like any cats or kittens,” said Gail Silver, the rescuer who discovered the cats in early May, "we’re looking for adopters who are not deterred by imperfection."

For example, some of the cats have damaged eyes from respiratory and viral infections which went untreated for too long. Four sisters, Run-around Sue, Rambeaux, Tortellini, and Tabitha, were too young to be weaned when discovered, and have among them only three normal eyes as a result of having these infections so early in their development.

"But now, all they know is that they feel good, and are jumping around and happy," said Janet Corbett, who manages veterinary and foster relations for the project and has secured both traditional and holistic treatments to help the four kittens recover.

One cat, Fuzzy, gets along fine with only three legs. Mieke and Lily, two tortoiseshell sister-kittens who had developed severe abdominal infections, are completely recovered and hoping to find a home together.

Some of the cats were so severely traumatized and frightened, they were initially thought to be feral, or wild, and therefore not adoptable. Stradervarius and JoJo, both pumpkin-colored cats with green eyes, were so stressed when rescued that all who came in contact with them thought they probably could never live with families. But through close monitoring and the patience and creativity of their foster families, these and other cats who acted feral at first have proven to be tame, sitting in laps and purring.

"Sometimes adult cats who never felt safe or well a day in their lives, and suddenly do, act like the joyous little kittens they never had a chance to be," said Corbett. "Thanks to the care of their foster families and their veterinarians this is what we are seeing. Now the Foreclosure Cats are ready for their forever families."

For photos and more information about the foreclosure cats, please visit www.ForeclosureCats.org. For more information about Morris' Million Cat Rescue Campaign, please visit www.9lives.com.

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Attached: Fact sheet, paintings and photos


Fact Sheet

Foreclosure Cat Project Partners
Pet Alliance, Inc.
Silver Bells rescue
Wildwood Pet Network

Foreclosure Cat Project Rescues
Neighborhood Cat Helpers
Purrfect Friends
Save Our Strays
Save the Animals Foundation
Scoop
Small Potatoes Rescue

Foreclosure Cat Project Veterinarians
All Creatures
Animal Hospital on Mt. Lookout Square
Appletree Pet Clinic
Blue Ash Evendale Animal Hospital
HomeVet (certified homeopathic veterinarian)
Kyle Veterinary Hospital
Liberty Veterinary Hospital
Loveland Animal Hospital
Pleasant Ridge Animal Hospital
Towne Square Animal Hospital
United Coalition for Animals

Foreclosure Cat Project Funding
O’Bryonville Animal Rescue
SPCA Cincinnati
United Animal Nation
The majority of funding for this project has come from individual donors
across the nation

What is needed now:

• Adopters to give Foreclosure Cats and kittens wonderful forever homes. Some of the cats will have chronic health issues or permanent injuries, including damaged eyes or blindness.
• Foster homes experienced with cats, including frightened or semi-feral cats, are needed for cats who might not have found homes when their time is up with their first foster families.
• Volunteers to transport cats or supplies.
• Donations for vet bills accrued to date plus continuing care, including ophthalmology and dental care for the cats who are still recovering from neglect.

Community education needed:

• This situation and the suffering these animals have endured could have been avoided easily if the guardian of the cats had asked for help from rescue groups in the Cincinnati area. Most shelters and many veterinary hospitals have contacts for area rescues, and Internet searches yield rescues for specific animals and breeds, for example.
• Spay and neuter could have prevented the rapid multiplication of what most likely started with two or three unaltered cats. Low-cost spay-neuter options are available, as well as financial assistance.
• Veterinary care for upper respiratory illness (common cold) that was probably minor at the start, could have been treated easily and inexpensively but has escalated to pneumonia, blindness, and other serious conditions for some cats.
• Dental care must be routine for cats just as for people, and serious health issues can result if ignored.

A Plea for the Foreclosure Cats

Dear Friends of Animals:

You're probably visiting this site because you've got a soft spot in your heart for animals. You've probably been like this your entire life.

You're not alone...

Cats Discovered Completely By Chance
What would YOU do if while enjoying the beautiful weather with a relaxing bike ride, you came upon a house that you learned had over 60 cats that had been abandoned in a foreclosed house (about half trapped inside without food or water and the remaining left to fend for themselves outside)?

"How Can I Save Them All? There Are Soooo Many!"
Gail Silver with Silver Bells Rescue, chose to get involved rather than look the other way. She asked the Cincinnati SPCA to allow her time to get help from the No Kill Rescues in Cincinnati before the SPCA was forced to remove and kill the cats.



Local Rescues Provide Limited Help
Lynne Heldman with Save Our Strays (SOS) heard Gail's plea for help and came to immediately assist by placing the easiest cats to catch, as well as, trapping the cats that had the most urgent medical issues. Janet Corbett with Wildwood Pet Network is interviewing potential fosters and adopters for the Foreclosure Cats, as well as, solving the numerous challenges that arise in such a huge undertaking. Anita Barron with Pet Alliance worked to find fosters, resources and funding for this very large and expensive initiative but...

All area rescues and shelters are totally overwhelmed with kittens and cats due to kitten season. Most rescues and shelters just do NOT have any room left to take these discarded cats and kittens.

The Foreclosure Cats' Lives Have Been Spared
We have passed a critical milestone of removing all the indoor cats and with the exception of still trapping for a few feral cats outside, we believe we have secured the remaining cats. The SPCA has donated $1,000.00 to the effort to save about 60 “foreclosure”cats and kittens in the East End.

“A project of this size would have complicated care at the SPCA,” said Harold Dates, President and CEO of the Cincinnati SPCA, “and saving these animals is only possible because the rescues stepped in to help.” The SPCA, which is required to accept any and all animals presented by the public, says that large influxes of animals like these would have been a strain on its facilities.

“It is a relief for our entire staff to have this kind of help, and to see so many animals saved,” said Dates. “We wanted to reward the efforts of these grassroots rescue groups with this donation, hoping the effort might be a model for future cooperation when animal crises such as this arise,” said Dates.

Can You Foster One Of The Remaining Cats?
Could you or someone you know provide a foster home for one or more of these cats?
Many of these cats are VERY scared (there are healthy cats, as well as, cats that need medication to complete their recovery).... it may take some patience and understanding to allow the cat to settle down and permit an adequate assessment of the right type of forever home that would be best for kitty.

If you, or someone you know, can offer a foster home for one or more of these helpless cats...

Complete the Foster Home Application or click on the link below to download the Foster Home Application and fax it in.

Click Here to Download the Foster Home Application
Requires Adobe Reader. Click this link to download the Adobe Reader for FREE.

54 and Counting as of June 7, 2007

We have removed 54 cats to date (regretably 6 of which are now deceased). We still have a handful of cats that are either at local vets and a couple in a garage who DESPERATELY need a Foster Family willing to provide a short term home for them until we can locate their Forever Home.

Update for 4 Very Small and Precious Lives

After only a few weeks of loving care from their current foster home, check out the Updated Photos!

"Kittens are doing really well - acting like normal, playful little kitties.
FEMALE Orange kitty, Rambeaux doesn't know she can't see very well; she's a climber!
Run Around Sue doesn't have a clue that the vet found that she's got a pretty severe heart murmur.
The 2 smallest ones, Tabitha and Tortellini are the sweetest, most affectionate and interactive ones.

They've all gotten used to my cat-friendly dogs, and now they're meeting my adult cats, who are starting to come in to see them."

--- Evelyn (the kittens' foster mom) May 24, 2007

Additional Updates for every cat are forthcoming, please bookmark and return to www.ForeclosureCats.org often to view their stories.

A Miracle Tonight, May 17, 2007

Tonight one of the "boys" (we thought) that just arrived at the vet delivered 2 kittens (1 stillborn and 1 appears ok). Mama is just a child herself and very malnourished so she has no milk. We will need to find someone to bottle feed this baby who is a survivor, having beat the odds already in surviving the delivery. If you know of any Mama kitties in the Cincinnati, OH area that have just delivered her babies......let Anita know @ acbarron@petalliance.org if there may be a possibility to have that Mama adopt one more baby.

A Desperate Plea for YOUR Help

STAF has graciously agreed to care for 7 of the Sickest Foreclosure Cats:

"We at STAF (Save The Animals Foundation) have taken in a few of these little guys. Each of them has treatable health problems due to neglect and malnutrition. Even if the cats that remain escape the house
before it is torn down, they will suffer. They have rotting or no teeth, mouth infections, parasitic infections, eye problems and limited sight, and one of ours even has a very painful vaginal infection. Can you imagine living like that with no hope of relief and care? The worst part is that ALL of this was preventable!

Fortunately, we haven't found anything in the cats that isn't easily treatable. Even our beautiful little blind girl, Mae, who has only 1 tooth left, happily chomps (well, gums) away on her food and is plumping up nicely! Topaz, our baby who had a bleeding eye and a hole in her face is unbelievably happy now. Her wounds are healing and you can hear her purr from across the room. What a wonderful thank you!

Please, if you can foster even one, it will make a difference and relieve the needless suffering of an animal. Of the ones we took, all are handle-able, but didn't appear that way until a day or two after we had them. The one that isn't yet ready to be handled is the one in pain from the infection. She doesn't lunge or bite - she's just terrified and probably doesn't remember life without pain........

Also, if you can't manage foster care, but may be able to provide a loving home for one of the cats after they're restored to health, that would be wonderful too! I'm sure all of the organizations who have helped would appreciate that, and it will allow them to continue their rescue work when it's needed.

Please... just one really will help to relieve suffering."

Thank you.

Mick, Save The Animals Foundation (STAF)

National Organization Gets Involved

Save Our Strays (SOS) has secured a grant to assist with some of the emergency medical expenses for the sickest cats.

-----Original Message-----

From: info@uan.org

Sent: Sat, 5 May 2007 12:10 PM

Subject: Urgent cat situation in your area

Dear United Animal Nations Supporter,

United Animal Nations (UAN) would like to let you know about an animal crisis in your area involving dozens of cats. UAN will be providing emergency funding to ease the financial burden of this crisis, and now we would like to inform our Emergency Animal Rescue Service (EARS) volunteers and other UAN supporters who live in the greater Cincinnati area about the need for volunteer assistance.

Here's what we've been told about the situation:A man abandoned his home and left more than 50 cats unattended inside and outside the building. The cats are tame, but scared; most are in poor health and terribly neglected. Most of the cats have severe eye infections and upper respiratory infections. UAN will be issuing a LifeLine Crisis Relief grant to assist with the most urgent medical expenses.

The SPCA Cincinatti has asked local rescue organizations to step in so the cats can be rehabilitated and adopted out. Save Our Strays, The Pet Alliance and Silver Bells Animal Rescue have already rescued about half of the cats, and they plan to rescue the remaining cats over the next few days.

The rescuers welcome new volunteers to assist with this situation. Their volunteer needs include the following:

• Foster care for adult cats
• Foster care for infant kittens who require bottle-feeding
• Permanent adoption
• Experienced cat trappers

If you would like to assist, please contact Gail at Silver Bells Animal Rescue by e-mail at gms530@msn.com. Please indicate in your e-mail how you would like to help.

You can also help by spreading the word about this situation to your local friends and family.

Thank you for your dedication to the animals!