Click here to view the embedded video.

Dear FixNation Friend,

Homeless cats need your help! You may be wondering why your support is so urgently needed at this time. It’s simple: You can help end the suffering.

Right now, there are more than a million homeless cats and kittens living in Los Angeles, and 40,000 cats are killed in our city and county shelters each year.

FixNation is a nonprofit organization that fixes homeless cats as part of a Trap-Neuter-Return program or “TNR” for short. TNR means cats are fixed so they cannot breed and are then returned to live out their lives on the streets. It’s not ideal, but it’s the best we can do. If we do nothing, their numbers will grow and the killing will continue.

Our mission is to end this cycle of suffering by providing free spay/neuter surgery and basic medical care for L.A.’s stray and feral cats. Our clinic is the first of its kind in the nation, operating full-time and providing free services for homeless cats. We fix more than 17,000 cats each year. It costs $1.5M annually to deliver these services to cats in need.

You’ve shown how much you care about homeless cats. You don’t like any more than we do that innocent cats die every day in L.A. shelters. So we’re reaching out to you. Your gift will help reduce the number of homeless cats in Los Angeles, and in turn save cats’ lives.

Please make a generous gift to FixNation today. Your donation, no matter the size, will help us maintain our full-time veterinary clinic to help homeless cats. Please donate today.

Thank you, we appreciate all you do for the animals.

Sincerely,

Do you have feral cats in your neighborhood that you would like to get fixed? Do you have a friendly stray cat that is hanging around who you are concerned about? Have you noticed litters of kittens springing up left and right? Or are you just simply a responsible pet owner and would like to get your cat spayed or neutered? If the answer to any of those questions is yes, then we can help you.

FixNation is a non-profit organization providing free spay/neuter services for homeless stray and feral cats. We also offer low-cost spay/neuter services for tame pet cats. Our goal is to humanely reduce the number of homeless cats throughout Los Angeles by sterilizing as many as possible.

FixNation supports Trap-Neuter-Return, or TNR for short. TNR is a community-based program where concerned citizens humanely trap feral cats, have them spayed or neutered, and then return them to the exact location where they were trapped so they can be cared for and live out their natural lives. We loan out humane traps for free to the public, plus we provide training on how to properly and safely TNR. We make it as easy for you as possible to help the homeless cats in your neighborhood.

Our “Free Feral Program” for Homeless Stray & Feral Cats

FixNation offers free spay/neuter services for homeless stray and feral cats. Under our “Free Feral Program,” all homeless cats who will be eartipped for identification purposes will receive the following free services at the time of surgery:

• Spay or neuter surgery
• Physical exam
• Rabies vaccine
• Feline distemper vaccine (FVRCP)
• Revolution – to treat fleas, mange, ear mites, hookworms and roundworms
• Pain medication
• Fluids
• Antibiotic
• Droncit injection – for tapeworms, only as needed
• Limited medical treatment
• Lots of TLC!

The eartip is the universal symbol that an outdoor or free-roaming cat has been fixed. It is done while the cat is under anesthesia, is relatively painless for the cat, and does not significantly alter their beauty. We also go one step further and apply a bit of pain medication paste to the freshly tipped ear, to make it even more comfortable for the cat.

Eartip

We can do small eartips for any homeless cats or kittens who you may be trying to adopt out and our services will still be free, provided the cat or kitten is indeed homeless. Just make sure to request a small eartip when you check in if this is the case.

You do not need to live within the city of Los Angeles in order to bring cats to our clinic. We will service cats from any area, provided the cats can be safely transported to and from our facility.

Click here to get started with our “Free Feral Program” today

Tame Pet Cats

FixNation offers low-cost spay/neuter services for tame pet cats who are not being eartipped. The cost of a female/spay is $55 and a male/neuter is $40.

We also offer the following additional services for tame cats while they are here for spay/neuter surgery:

• Rabies vaccine – $8
• Distemper vaccine (FVRCP) – $8
• Revolution (flea treament and dewormer) – $20
• Microchipping – $25
• Feline Leukemia/FIV combo testing – $25 for cats not being eartipped
• Nail trims (tame cats only) – $5

Please be aware that our additional services are only provided at the time the cat is here for spay/neuter surgery. Since our main mission is to humanely reduce the number of homeless cats in Los Angeles, this is where we concentrate our time and attention. We do offer low-cost monthly vaccine and microchip clinics, in case your cat is already fixed and you are interested in vaccines or microchips only.

Click here to get started and make a tame cat appointment

Let’s face it, cats are part of our community. Both the ones who call the outdoors their home and the ones who live inside our houses. TNR starts with people just like you. When you decide to take action to help the cats within our community, or even fix your own cat, you help to build a better community for all.

December Vaccine Clinic Cancelled

We apologize for any inconvenience and will share updated schedules and details for 2012 vaccine clinics as it becomes available.

Why should you come to FixNation’s vaccine clinics instead of the ones held elsewhere? Because all of the money raised goes directly to providing free spay/neuter for homeless stray and feral cats. So it’s win-win all around — it’s good for Fido and Fifi to stay up on their shots, it benefits the homeless cats in LA, it’s good for the community and last but not least, it’s good for your pocketbook.

We are now accepting Visa, Mastercard and Discover cards (sorry, no Amex.)

Not only can use your credit or debit card to pay for any services charges at the end of the day, but you can also use your card to make a donation right at our front desk, too.

We know how much you are doing for the kitties in your care, and we thank you for it. Hopefully this small step will make your life just a little easier while you’re going about it.

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

What Is Feline Leukemia Virus (FeLV)?

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.

What Is Feline Immunodeficiency Virus (FIV)?

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

Watch an exclusive video about FixNation clinic, courtesy of our friends at Found Animals Foundation. Tour our state-of-the-art facility, meet our clients and our staff, and learn more about our mission to spay and neuter the homeless cats across Los Angeles.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Feral cats will need to come to our clinic in humane cat traps, which we can loan to you under our free trap loan program. The reason we require humane cat traps is so we can anesthetize the cat through the trap. Since feral cats are not handleable, this makes it safer for both the cat as well as our vet tech.

For feral cats, both an initial application and spay/neuter reservations are required.

Click here for our Feral Cat Application

After you’ve completed the application, please email it back to us at info@fixnation.org or fax it to 818.767.7791. You can also mail it in to 7680 Clybourn Ave., LA, CA, 91352.

Once we receive your application, someone from our team will call or email you back in approximately 72 hours. We will talk to you about your specific situation, answer any questions you may have, schedule time for you to come in and pick up humane traps and get trained (if need be), and get you scheduled for spay/neuter reservations.

All applications are accepted provided that you agree to follow our clinic protocols. Our protocols are covered in the following documents, which you will need to thoroughly read and agree to follow to be eligible to come to our clinic:

• Humane Trapping Instructions
• Clinic Check-In and Pick-Up
• Pre- and Post-Surgery Care
• Safe Housing and Transporting

If you are helping a friend or family member who does not have access to the Internet, an application packet can be mailed out to them. Please call 818.524.2287 x 2 and leave the person’s name, address, phone number and that you need a feral cat application sent out. A packet will be mailed out to them.

Go to Step 2: Traps, Training and Booking Reservations