Mama Cat and kitten rescue

Yep, you read that right!  Last night, I accepted (temporarily I hope!) a mama cat and her four 11-week-old kittens.  They had been abandoned Friday night to the elements outside; a concerned neighbour caught and crated them Sunday, and then they were transported to me to get them out of their neighbourhood until the SPCA opens tomorrow (Tuesday) - closed today due to Thanksgiving.

They spent the night under my deck in a large crate.  Thank goodness we're having summer-like temperatures and there was no rain (although the area under my deck is actually very protected).  The temperature is supposed to drop again tonight, so I knew I'd need to move them indoors and accept the risk of fleas in my house (which I've never had!).

This morning, their rescuer came back to help me bathe them in preparation to move them into my spare room which I cleaned out for them.  The poor darlings are riddled with fleas.  We managed to drown most of the fleas but many still remain.

Once they were moved to the room and given some alone time to dry off, we (me, the rescuer, and another friend) hung out and played with them.  All are very playful and friendly, and appear to be healthy.  We suspect they may have worms along with those fleas, which wouldn't be unheard of.

My third friend brought along some food-grade Diatomaceous Earth to sprinkle over my carpet, in their food, and in their fur, to help kill the fleas.

Another friend dropped in some kitten food and more litter for us.

Another friend is going through her network of contacts to see if a foster home can be found if the SPCA won't take them.

What a great network of rescuers we have here!

Here are some photos....

3 of the kittens, in one crate

Mama cat, and her smallest kitten in another crate

they were then moved to a jumbo crate with a litter pan in the back for the evening

My friends named them.  Tip on the left, and Sasquatch on the right (who is named for her big mittens, with thumbs! - both are girls.

This is the only boy, CircusCat (Acro-Cat)....

.... for obvious reasons!

Beard - an unusual name for a girl - she had a soapy beard through much of her bath which made us laugh!

Kittens at play - L-R: Sasquatch, Beard, Tip, Circus

Mama cat.... the poor darling.  These kittens were her 2nd litter and its suspected she is pregnant once again.  She's not much more than a kitten herself - maybe around 1 year old!  She's beautiful and friendly.  She seems to be part Siamese.

PLEASE SPAY AND NEUTER YOUR CATS AND DOGS!!!

2nd Annual Bark in the Park

Today was the 2nd Annual Bark in the Park (in support of the Nova Scotia SPCA - formerly called the Dog Jog).

Brosa and I drove in with Krista and Tulip to spend the 3 hours there and had a fabulous time!  The day was sunny and comfortable (not too warm) and we had a nice harbourside breeze (much if it probably was coming from Hurricane Katia, which is several hundred miles off shore south of us).  Just perfect for the dogs and their people!

An update provided by the SPCA this afternoon advised that they had raised over $18,000 just in pledges (not including corporate sponsors) - WTG everyone!

UPDATE SEPT 12, 2011 - Over $30,000 raised when all the money was totalled - yahoo!

Here is just a small sampling of photos - the rest can be seen in my Facebook album. (only if you're a FB friend of mine or a friend of a mutual FB friend!)

LONG VIEW OF THE VENDORS BEFORE MOST HAD ARRIVED

BROSA PLAYED WITH JUST ABOUT EVERY PIBBLE HE CAME ACROSS

THERE IS A GROUP OF GREAT DANE OWNERS WHO ALWAYS GET TOGETHER FOR THESE EVENTS!

BOBBY MAC - Q104, IS BACK FOR THE 2ND YEAR TO KEEP THE FESTIVITIES MOVING ALONG

SHELTER DOGS LED IN A SMALL PARADE BY A PIPER

TULIP MAKING HIS TAKE-HOME SELECTIONS

I ALWAYS LOVE SEEING BULLDOGS - PARTICULARLY PUPPIES!!

ANOTHER CUTE LITTLE BULLIE

SMORGASBORD!  GOOD LORD, WHO SET ALL THE *EVIL* PIBBLES LOOSE IN A PARK?  *winks*

RECENTLY ADOPTED BROOK

SILVIA JAY - TRAINER AND AUTHOR

THIS LITTLE CHIHUAHUA WAS STYLIN'!

THERE WERE OTHER WATER BOWLS, BUT BROSA RECOGNIZED THE POOL FOR WHAT IT WAS, AND SEEMS TO BE TELLING THE OTHER DOG "SO THERE!", HA HA!

BEAUTIFUL ROTTI AND BULL TERRIER

LITTLE BOY HELPING TO WALK HIS GREAT DANE, HA HA!

PHOTO BREAK - BROSA AND TULIP

TULIP TALKING ABOUT COMMISSIONING A PAINTING OF HIMSELF

BUBBY - click here to go to Joan's blog about the day

ANOTHER PHOTO BREAK

LOVE MY BOY :)

OVERLOOKING HALIFAX HARBOUR

UNDER THE MACKAY BRIDGE

Kyleigh has been adopted!

Beautiful Kyleigh (now "Kylie"), adopted September 9, 2011!  Have a wonderful life sweetie!

Atlantic Small Dog Rescue Dog show and expo - Sept 3, 2011

Brosa and I attended the ASDR dog show today - this is the first of what is sure to be an annual event and it was very successful!  Lots of vendors there; people who I've known for years and those also found at other dog-events such as this.

Here are some of our photos from today - pictures aren't great - had a shaky hand today!

Ann and Janet from Nova Scotia Lost Dog Network.  Animal Rescue Coalitions is to their left.

The sign for the event outside the Hants County Exhibition

Heather from NSLDN, looking after Silvia Jay's table for a moment

Kittens available through Hants County SPCA

Flyball demonstration

Amy MacRae and Milla, from Sublime Canine

Greyhounds, from GPAC

Brosa being cute!

Patches, a dalmatian mix who has been waiting a LONG time for her forever family!

Quinn, a recent rescue who was severely neglected and also a chained dog all of his life.  His body shows the hard life he has led up until now.  He is a sweetheart who will make someone's life whole some day in the future. :)

Spike, Eggie and Dottie, a few of Amanda L's crew, and models for her Tinydog Tailor's Dog Clothing creations!

There was a Tinydog Tailor's fashion show today, and Brosa was an honourary Tinydog... Here he is sporting a custom made "Support Our Troops" camo jacket made of fleece, with a velcro belly flap.  So handsome!  He'll be proud to wear this, this winter.

Some of the Tinydogs fashion models

Our friend Pocket, the pittie, was there and they remembered each other.  Had a great wrassle!

Got some dehydrated liver treats from Crazy Dog (Shawna) and she gave us a frozen chicken foot too.  Brosa's not sure what to do with it... but I know a girl at home who is going to love it!

Stay away, you buggers!

Nom nom nom!  Gone in 3 minutes!