2015.09.26 Adventures with cats and dogs

This is my story with rescued cats. It's a story that's a long time coming.

It all started in 1995 after our cat Tanya, which I got from my sister-in-law Linda, died my husband and I started volunteering for Toronto Cat Rescue. I remember fostering our first cat on March 4, 1995 his name was Albert and there was no turning back since. My husband thought I had enough with one cat, but did I have a surprise for him. D'Arcy was all right with this when I accepted all the cats Toronto Cat Rescue sent me.

This went on for a while. We would get cats in then adopt them out. People would phone our place on Toronto Cat Rescue approval and come down to see them and pick one out that they liked. We had the people sign papers saying that they will not give them back to any other organization but Toronto Cat Rescue if they couldn't keep them.

The cats would come in with names and when my husband and I got them we would change their names with the help of the alphabet. That did not work out because every time I would bring the cats for check ups since we had many cats they asked me for the names the cat came in with and sometime I couldn't remember.

Toronto Cat Rescue asked If I knew of anyone nice enough to be Santa Claus. I asked my handsome husband and he said yes. I always knew he would. That is how Pet Smart got a Santa Claws (get it) to take pictures with the cats and Dogs with the donations going to Toronto Cat Rescue.

The way we got to take care of all these sick cats for Toronto Cat Rescue was one morning as I was going to get the paper, I didn't see that Kokomo was right behind me and he ran out. He didn't know which way to run and seemed confused. We were so determined to get Kokomo back that we called his name over and over for days. Kokomo must have not gone very far because he eventually came back after a few weeks. In his great adventure in the great outdoors Kokomo caught the FIP virus. It came as a great shock to D'Arcy and I that he went downhill in a matter of weeks.

Other cats in our house caught the virus. Because of this Toronto Cat Rescue could not send me healthy cats so they started sending me the ones who had contracted FIP and FIV. Instead of adopting them out we kept them as happy and healthy as we could as long as they lived. You can read all about The cats that passed away in our care.

I had the opportunity to take care of a diabetic cat and learned a lot about feline diabetes. Here is how to administer insulin to your diabetic cat. If you want to try to protect your cat from most feline diseases keep them inside. You may keep you pet with you longer if you do.

I had three cats under our care when I went into the hospital on October 19, 2013 and D'Arcy couldn't care for them and work and come and see me in the hospital and get the house ready for my arrival back home. He asked the help of Ferne Sinkin of Toronto Cat Rescue to help put them in great foster homes. All the food and cat litter went back to Toronto Cat Rescue.

D'Arcy and I had the opportunity to help save some dogs as well. A terrific couple Ann and Pete who run a foster home for dogs. They were full at the time and asked me if I could take in some dogs. Although I still had cats at that time, without hesitation I said Yes!

First came sister and brother Peanut and Lighting. They were both left out in the sun all the time and not fed. When we got then the girl, Peanut, was so weak she couldn't stand up. D'Arcy had to remove the wire collars with wire cutters because they had started growing into their skin as they grew. With lots of love and care they both got adopted within weeks.

We even took in a rabbit called Vanilla, a far cry from a cat or dog. It was so cute. The cats were curious at the rabbit hopping around our house. The rabbit was curious about the cats as well and tried to get closer but the cats ran away. It was so funny watching the little rabbit chasing the cats around the living room. Vanilla went to a kindergarten for the children to see then came back to us to get adopted out.

Then along came Rudolph mostly Beagle and a real terror. He ate D'Arcy's Doc Martins. Rudolph had an adventure with one of the cats called Ibby by a door accidentally closing while they were both in a room. When we opened the door Ibby was sitting in the corner with a pained look on his face. He went to Ann and Pete's as soon as they had room. We head from Ann and Pete that he was adopted to a couple who just fell in love with him.

Now along came Thelma and Louise they were both big dogs they were both taken away from their owners by Toronto Cat Rescue and placed with me and D'Arcy.

I liked writing about all my animals.

So if you are thinking about adopting an animal. It would be wise to choose your pet from a place that fosters rescued animals like Toronto Cat Rescue or Ann and Pete’s Rescue and Foster Home for Dogs. The animals seem to know and are thankful.