A young couple, James O’Neel and Justine Hong, came in to FixNation recently for trap training classes. They had an orange tabby cat who needed to be TNR’d. This orange girl constantly hung out on the top of a concrete wall in between their condo yard and the yard next door. According to James and Justine, this orange kitty would not come down onto the ground for anything! They only ever saw her up on the wall. She was very skittish and very elusive.

While this Cirque du Soleil aerial scenario would present a tricky challenge for any trapper, the situation was compounded by the fact that this poor girl had a huge open wound on her side, what looked like a giant abscess that had gone south. James and Justine knew they needed to trap her immediately so they could get her the medical care she needed.

James and Justine devised an ingenious approach. They propped a big wooden door up on top of the concrete wall and secured it, which acted as a platform. They then positioned the trap up on the door/platform. They took the rear sliding door off the trap and began to feed inside the trap, slowing moving the food bowl back a day at a time, until the cat started feeling more secure about eating inside the trap. Finally the rear door was back on and the trap was set… and lo and behold they got their girl!

When this orange tabby cat came into FixNation for spay surgery, it looked almost like the entire side of her body was one big gaping wound, completely open and exposed. This poor pumpkin probably wouldn’t have made it much longer had she been left to fend for herself.

Our awesome FixNation vets shaved half her flank and stitched her entire side up, administered Convenia (a long-acting antibiotic) for the infection, and then orange tabby girl went back home with James and Justine later that day.

Orange tabby girl has now resumed her perch on the wall, and from the pictures we can see she is healing beautifully!

We love hearing the amazing success stories. Great job, James and Justine, for some smooth trapping work!  Time, patience, and persistence literally saved this cat’s life.

Early one morning, Charlie was transported to FixNation, along with ten other feral cats from our colony. We knew he was in bad shape just by looking at him. By mid-morning, we received a phone call from the FixNation staff. We were expecting to hear that Charlie may need to be humanely euthanized. Instead, much to our surprise and absolute delight, the amazing medical team at FixNation had called to say that the abnormality on Charlie’s head was not due to a tumor or growth as we had suspected, but instead was due to an extremely large, infected abscess that could be drained. They also informed us that his FeLV/FIV test had come back negative.

So while FixNation cautioned us that there could be no guarantees, as Charlie was extremely weak and thin, they said they would try to drain the abscess, remove the maggot eggs and suture his head. With that done, along with the usual neutering, vaccinating, flea treatment, and administering of fluids, pain meds and antibiotics, Charlie was on his way to a foster home for follow-up care and monitoring. We could not believe that this cat would have a second chance for life – all thanks to FixNation!

The following few weeks were quite challenging for all involved. Charlie repeatedly tore open both the cone around his neck and the sutures on his head. Each time, FixNation graciously took him in for repeat surgery and stitched and stapled him back up. Much to our relief, the third time was the charm, and slowly, Charlie’s head wound began to heal.

Charlie was not a very cooperative patient, to say the least, and he would attack and bite all who dared place food or medicine in his cage. And reaching in to clean his litter box became a three-person job! Clearly, the ordeal and physical pain he had been through had left him scared, confused and ready to protect himself.  But slowly, as his head began to heal, he started putting on weight, and he started acting calmer. Now, the only remnants left of his illness are slight neurological symptoms and a surgery-scar running down his head.

As he began to feel better and better, we realized that this was no feral cat! Charlie was a spirited tame cat, who undoubtedly had lived with humans at some point in his past. When released from the taming cage, he began rubbing himself against our legs and chirping. Although he would still attack our legs when we would try to leave the room, we realized that we could slowly teach him the “correct” way to interact with humans. Underneath his aggressive, tough-guy persona was a very sweet loving boy. Soon after, we even discovered that Charlie was the ultimate “Papa Bear,” as he would lovingly groom and nurture each and every kitten in his foster home!

Several months later, on a beautiful winter day, a wonderful woman who was looking to adopt a cat came in to visit one of the kittens Charlie had raised, but instead fell in love with Charlie himself. It was clearly love at first sight for both human and feline. The depth of the bond and connection between them was undeniable, and it now appeared that Charlie’s life would be taking yet another wonderful turn.

Charlie is currently spending his last weeks in foster care, waiting for his adopter to return from an overseas trip so that they can begin their new life together. Charlie will soon have his very own home and family, and will be cared for and loved the way every cat deserves to be.

This miracle would never have been possible without FixNation. A gravely ill, abandoned tame cat, living under cars, at the brink of death, with no hope, has been transformed into a robust, healthy, happy cat. If not for FixNation, Charlie would not be here today, and would never have had a chance to experience the joys of having his own doting human!

FixNation gave Charlie a second chance for life. And for that, we are all endlessly grateful!

Sincerely,

Minoo Rahbar

Mange is caused by a parasite, or a very small bug. These parasites actually live and feed on the cat, who acts as a “host”. The mites either live topically on the cat or they burrow under the skin.

Mange generally strikes the old and the young the hardest, although cats of all ages can get it. Mange is contagious to other animals and opportunistically to humans. Animals in poor health and with poor diet are more susceptible to it and symptoms can be more exacerbated.

Most common types of mange:

The two most common types of mange found in cats, especially stray and homeless cats, are:

Otodectic mange – This is otherwise known as ear mites. These are tiny, crab-like bugs that live and feed on top of the cat’s skin, mainly in the ear canals. When cats have ear mites, you’ll notice red, inflamed ears, the inner ears will look very dirty and you may notice an abnormal odor. You’ll notice the cat shaking his head and rubbing at his ears a lot. Sometimes the ears will even get a crusty, black discharge or may be a bit weepy from secondary infections due to the mites.

Ear mites are highly contagious between cats and also to other kinds of pets. They can quickly spread between cats, dogs, rabbits and ferrets.

Notoedric mange – This type of mite burrows into the cat’s skin to live and lay eggs there. When those eggs hatch, the cycle repeats itself and the new mites continue to tunnel under the cat’s skin. The cat loses hair and the skin becomes crusty and sore. Most often you will see flaky, scabby skin starting on the head and ears, and then spreading to the armpits, legs and body. If the mange gets bad enough, the cat’s forehead and eyes can become swollen so that the cat looks like “cro-magnon” kitty. The cat will have severe itching (technically called pruritis), patchy hair loss and possibly some inflamed bumps similar to chicken pox.

Notoedric mange is highly contagious between cats. In dogs, it will normally show up as sarcoptic mange instead. It can actually spread to humans, although it cannot live for long on a human as we are not their natural “host”. If it does get on you, it will cause redness and some bumps like a rash, with minor itching, and then it should go away on its own in a couple of days.

Other more rare types of mange in cats:

Sarcoptic mange – This type of mange is mostly found in dogs, and only rarely in cats.

Demodectic mange – This type of mange can cause small, inflamed red patches of skin.

Cheyletiella mange – This is also known as “walking dandruff” in cats because you can actually see the large red mites moving quickly on the surface of the cat’s skin. It’s very rare in cats.

Diagnosing mange:

To fully diagnose mange, a veterinarian will scrape the skin and then examine the skin sample under the microscope, to determine what type of mange the cat has.

Treating mange:

Notoedric and otodectic mange are generally treated with an Ivermectin based drug. At FixNation, we use Revolution, applied topically to the back of the cat’s neck. You may be familiar that Revolution treats fleas, but it will also treat mange, ear mites, it will treat hookworms and roundworms in the stomach, plus it’s a heartworm protection, for up to 30 days.

If the notoedric mange is severe enough, the cat may need follow up treatments of Ivermectin injections or Revolution at weekly or bi-weekly intervals for 4-6 weeks. In serious cases, a vet may choose to use cortisone to help the itching, or possibly prescribe antibiotics to treat any secondary infections.

In the case of ear mites, in addition to the Revolution, the ears will also be cleaned out with a solution and the cat may be prescribed an antibiotic to treat any secondary infections.

Preventing the spread of mange:

When you are trapping feral cats, make sure to wash traps between use and spray with a bleach/water solution. Also, launder the trap covers between use. Make sure to line traps with fresh newspaper, and keep fresh newspaper on the floor under the trap when you hold the cats overnight. Clean the bottom of any hard flat surfaces that you set the traps on, or if you’re using newspaper then change the newspaper, before placing another trap on that surface.

For indoor pets, mange is most concentrated in bedding and in areas where the cats often hang out, so make sure to launder their bedding daily while they are being treated. If one cat in your household has mange, all of them should be treated with a preventative like Revolution, as it can spread quickly between them.

Sources and additional info:

http://www.merckvetmanual.com/mvm/index.jsp?cfile=htm/bc/72005.htm

http://www.mangeincats.com

http://www.earmitesincats.com

Lisa dropped the cat off at FixNation on her appointment day, and by late morning, the FixNation staff called Lisa informing her that the cat was already microchipped!

FixNation tried to contacting the owner but to no avail. So at the end of the day, Lisa picked her up and took her home to foster. Three more days passed when low and behold, her original owner had got the message and returned the call.

Turns out the kitty’s name is “Lula” and she belonged to a teenage girl. Lula had gotten out accidentally and had been lost for over one year! The little girl had been absolutely heartbroken. Lisa happily took her back to her home in Granada Hills to reunite the family. Lula had been lost in Woodland Hills and she was found in Canoga Park, about three miles from home.

We love the happy endings! Yet another reason to make sure all of your pets are microchipped, as you never know what can happen in life.

If you need your pet microchipped, visit one of our low-cost vaccine clinics which are held the first Saturday of every month, 9am-12 noon. Walk in’s welcome. Click here for more info.

Here is an FAQ on what this means on a practical level:

1. Is TNR now illegal?

Answer: No. TNR is legal for private citizens and rescue organizations to carry out. The only difference is that the city is currently prohibited from supporting our TNR efforts.

2. Can I still get city vouchers to offset the cost of spaying or neutering feral cats?

Answer: Currently, a private resident can get up to three vouchers for spaying or neutering cats that live on their own property. These vouchers must be obtained directly from a city shelter.

3. If I have a question or problem related to feral cats in Los Angeles or if I need to borrow a feral cat trap, whom should I contact?

Answer: Contact FixNation, Stray Cat Alliance, Kitten Rescue, Actors & Others for Animals, Best Friends Catnippers, or one of the many local cat rescue organizations that you may already be familiar with.

4.  How did this lawsuit happen?

Answer: A group of conservancy organizations that are concerned about declining song-bird populations and  the potential impact of feral cats on the environment sued the city for non-compliance with CEQA, and the court found in their favor.

5.  What is being done to correct the situation?

Answer: A coalition of animal organizations has formed to work with the city of Los Angeles to re-establish TNR as an important strategy in any effective and humane program aimed at managing and controlling feral cat populations while complying with CEQA. The coalition includes:  Actors & Others for Animals, Best Friends Animal Society, Feral Cat Caretakers’ Coalition, FixNation, Found Animals Foundation, Kitten Rescue, and Stray Cat Alliance.

6.  Will Judge McKnew’s ruling be appealed by the City of LA?

Answer: No. The City Attorney has concluded that because the law precludes any new evidence or arguments being introduced on appeal, that re-trying the same case on the existing court record would likely have the same result with the added consequence of establishing the ruling state-wide, while now it only affects the city of Los Angeles. The coalition has hired an attorney who specializes in CEQA, and they agree with the City Attorney’s decision not to appeal.  Rather, the coalition will work with the city to develop a TNR policy while observing CEQA requirements.

7.  What can I do to help?

Answer: Please forward this FAQ to concerned family and friends, and if you can, please donate to your favorite feral cat program and sign the coalition’s declaration of support for TNR in Los Angeles. (Click here to view and sign the Coalition Declaration)

If you care about the lives of homeless cats in Los Angeles, please read, and in any way you can, show your support for this important declaration.

Declaration of Support For The Humane Management of Feral Cats in Los Angeles

When Superior Court Judge Thomas McKnew ruled last December that the City of Los Angeles Animal Services can no longer provide information about Trap-Neuter-Return (TNR) or funding for spay/neuter of feral cats without first satisfying a California Environmental Quality (CEQA) review, he turned the clock back two decades.

Before the ruling, Los Angeles was a model of humane feral cat care for cities nationwide. The city recognized Trap-Neuter-Return as an effective tool in its commitment to becoming “no-kill,” and the community embraced it: last year more than 16,000 feral cats were neutered with the help of volunteers and nonprofit groups.

There is no humane alternative to TNR and the consequence of the Judge McKnew’s ruling is that more cats are entering and dying in our city shelters everyday.

This isn’t a question of “cats versus birds”.  The organizations and individuals who advocate for TNR are concerned about all animals. It is our belief that we need to control the community cat population for the sake of the cats, the birds and the environment as a whole. Catching and killing stray and free roaming cats is not only inhumane, it simply doesn’t work.

What works—and has been working for 20 years—is the city joining with caregivers and local nonprofits to help protect and improve cats’ lives, minimize their impact on the environment and to help stabilize the feral cat population—an animal population that has thrived outdoors for thousands of years – through a robust TNR program that complies with CEQA.

The cats of Los Angeles are in dire need of our voice and our advocacy.

FixNation declares its support for the establishment of TNR as official policy for the City of Los Angeles. We applaud the city for their prior efforts in this regard and we want the city to move forward as expeditiously as possible to create a comprehensive TNR program in collaboration with private partners that satisfies CEQA requirements while supporting the humane, non-lethal, management of stray and feral cat populations in Los Angeles.

The Community Cat Coalition of Los Angeles is comprised of representatives from respected animal welfare organizations such as Actors & Others for Animals, Best Friends Animal Society, Feral Cat Caretakers’ Coalition, FixNation, Found Animals Foundation, Kitten Rescue and Stray Cat Alliance.

Sign the Coalition Petition and Show Your Support

_____________________________________________________________________

View FixNation’s original petition, launched in December 2009, to show support for TNR in Los Angeles. Read the many comments from caregivers across the city, the state, the country… and even the world!

View and Sign FixNation Original Petition

_____________________________________________________________________

Community Cat Coalition of Los Angeles

By Dr. Amanda Page

What is Feline Leukemia Virus?

Feline Leukemia Virus (FeLV) is a serious viral disease that affects ONLY CATS. Fortunately, there are many ways we can protect our cats from exposure to this disease. It is estimated that 2.3% of cats in the western United States are infected with FeLV.

How does FeLV cause disease?

The Feline Leukemia Virus can cause bone marrow suppression. One of the functions of bone marrow is to produce the cells of the immune system that fight off infection. Therefore, this disease can result in a suppressed immune system. The immune system normally protects the cat from common infectious agents (bacteria, viruses, etc) that do not generally cause disease in healthy cats. However, if a cat’s immune system is weakened, as with FeLV, these same organisms can cause disease – known as secondary or opportunistic infection. Although the disease only affects cats, it is recommended that immunocompromised people (i.e., chemo patients and AIDS patients) not reside with FeLV + cats because these cats are more likely to harbor opportunistic infections that could be transmitted to immunocompromised humans. This viral disease is also associated with the development of certain types of cancer (i.e. lymphoma, leukemia) in affected cats.

What is the outcome of disease?

Cats infected with FeLV have 4 different possible outcomes:

1. Succumb to the infection and develop FeLV associated diseases. The development of FeLV associated diseases such as bone marrow suppression or cancer poorly affects the cat’s prognosis.
2. Overcome the virus but the viral “DNA” is incorporated into the cat’s own DNA; these cats may or may not develop illness at some point in their lifetime. Those cats that are infected and have no clinical signs may remain asymptomatic for months to years or for life. These cats should still be considered contagious to other cats.
3. Completely eliminate the virus from their system
4. Or the virus could be confined / localized to a small region of the body, such as a mammary gland (rare).

FeLV positive cats must be kept indoors away from unaffected cats so they don’t spread the disease to other cats.  They should be spayed/neutered, provided with good nutrition, avoid raw diets, and need regularly visits to their veterinarian. With proper care many FeLV cats can live months to years in apparent good health.

How does a cat get FeLV?

The most common way cats get the disease is through saliva and casual contact with an infected cat (i.e. mutual grooming, sharing bowls, touching noses). Since this disease is rather contagious between cats, it is important to completely isolate new cats of unknown viral status and to wash hands between handling cats. Kittens are more susceptible to FeLV. Cats who at greater risk of exposure are those who are allowed outdoors and encounter infected cats. The virus can also be transmitted from mother to kittens.

How do we test for FeLV?

A simple in-house blood test, often called a “snap” test, can be performed to test for FeLV. If the test is positive, it could mean that the cat has FeLV or that the test could be wrong. A positive test should be confirmed by an IFA test, which can be done at a full-service vet clinic. If the IFA test is negative, it could mean that the cat is 1) not infected with FeLV at all or that 2) the cat was recently infected (up to 30 days ago) but won’t test positive yet, in which case a repeat IFA test should be done again approximately four weeks later to confirm.

How can we protect our cats from FeLV?

• Keep cats exclusively INDOORS
• VACCINATIONS are highly recommended for kittens and also for adult cats determined to be at risk (i.e. cats that go outdoors or encounter new cats that have not been viral tested).  Vaccinations will NOT interfere with testing for the disease.
• ISOLATE & TEST NEW KITTENS AND CATS for FeLV before allowing them to interact with your existing pets.

By Dr. Amanda Page

What is Feline Immunodeficiency Virus?

Feline Immunodeficiency Virus (FIV), also known as Feline AIDS, is a serious viral disease that affects ONLY CATS.  Fortunately, there are many ways we can protect our cats from exposure to this disease.  It is estimated that 3.5% of cats in the western United States are infected with FIV.

How does FIV cause disease?

FIV causes suppression of the immune system by attacking important cells of the cat’s immune system which protect the cat from common infectious agents (bacteria, viruses, etc).  Many of the infectious agents are found in the everyday environment but don’t cause disease in healthy cats.  However if a cat’s immune system is weakened, as with FIV, these same organisms can cause disease – known as secondary or opportunistic infection.  The disease is comparable to the human HIV but ONLY AFFECTS CATS.  However, it is recommended that immunocompromised people (i.e. chemo patients and human AIDS patients) not reside with FIV + cats because these cats are more likely to harbor opportunistic infections that could be transmitted to immunocompromised humans.

What is the outcome of disease?

The acute phase of disease is the period following initial infection.  The acute (beginning) phase of the disease may last days to weeks and the cat may have a fever, be depressed, have diarrhea or vomiting, inflamed mouth, or swollen lymph nodes.  However, many owners may not notice this phase of disease.  Following the acute phase, the cat usually enters an asymptomatic phase where the cat is free of signs of disease and lives a healthy life for 6-10 years.  Some cats will never develop the terminal / acquired immune deficiency (AIDS) phase but some will.  If the cat’s disease progresses into this AIDS phase, the immune system cannot fight off bacteria, virus, or fungi that won’t affect normal cats, and the cat can become very ill and not recover.  Infection is for life but it is important to remember many cats with FIV can live a happy, healthy life for many years.  FIV positive cats must be kept indoors only, have good nutrition, avoid raw diets, be provided with low stress environments and need regular visits to the veterinarian.

How does a cat get FIV?

The most common way cats get the disease is through bite wounds from an infected cat.  Cats who are most commonly infected with FIV are intact (not neutered) male cats that are allowed outdoors; this is because intact animals tend to roam and get into fights with other cats.  On rare occasions the virus can be transmitted from mother to kittens.  Sexual transmission is unusual although the semen of infected cats frequently contains the virus.  Cats living together are unlikely to contract the virus from casual contact provided the cats get along and do not fight.

How do we test for FIV?

A simple in-house blood test can be performed to test for FIV.  If the test is positive it could mean that the cat has FIV, the cat has been vaccinated for FIV, or the cat is a kitten and should be retested.  A positive test should be confirmed by a Western Blot.  If the test is negative it could mean that the cat is not infected with FIV or the cat was recently infected (up to 60 days ago) but won’t test positive yet.

How can we protect our cats from FIV?

• Keep cats exclusively INDOORS
• SPAY & NEUTER (reduces urge to roam and fight)
• ISOLATE & TEST NEW CATS for FIV before allowing them to interact with your existing pets
• A VACCINE is available BUT only protects against some subtypes of the virus and will cause the cat to test positive for FIV on the blood test. If a cat is vaccinated for FIV it should have a microchip that is linked to information stating the cat was vaccinated for FIV.

Read Part 1 of the Truth About FeLV/FIV Testing – Feline Leukemia Virus

Click here to view the embedded video.

About Found Animals Foundation, Inc.:

Found Animals is a privately funded non-profit dedicated to minimizing shelter euthanasia. They create programs designed to reduce shelter intake, increase adoption rates and focuses on developing sustainable animal welfare business models. For more information, visit their website or add them as a fan on Facebook today.