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Volunteer Allie Johnson Launches a Trap Cover Project

admin 2021-01-16T07:21:14-08:00 April 21st, 2014|Happy Tails, Support Our Cause|

Allie Johnson lives in North Hollywood, by way of Texas and Colorado, but she says Los Angeles was immediately her “heart’s home.” Allie has been doing cat rescue for more than 50 years but only learned about Trap-Neuter-Return (TNR) in the last two years ago. So she was thrilled to learn about FixNation’s services when she received a flyer during community canvassing in North Hollywood at the end of 2013. She immediately signed up to take the free trap-training course provided by FixNation to learn how to catch and care for the colony of 8 community cats she was nurturing. [...]

Get the “drop” on tough to catch cats

admin 2014-09-15T19:58:19-07:00 April 21st, 2014|Caregiver Tips|

At FixNation we train volunteers and loan hundreds of humane cat traps each year. For most of our kitty clients and their trappers, FixNation’s custom designed Tomahawk trap does the trick. These trigger plate traps are designed to safely capture single cats (or small kittens) who venture in to eat the food bait. However, dedicated trappers can attest – “There always seems to be that one cat.” You know the one, the cautious Tom or the observant momma cat who won’t step near a trap. For these trap-savvy felines, we recommend a drop trap. Drop traps are pretty basic in [...]

Community Cat Health Challenge: Abscesses

admin 2015-08-25T11:58:58-07:00 April 16th, 2014|Caregiver Tips|

What is an abscess? Abscesses are infections — with an accumulation of neutrophils (pus) — under the skin. This is a common condition for all cats, but one we treat daily in community cats at FixNation. Abscesses usually start with bites or puncture wounds from fighting, but can be caused by other injuries as well where a foreign object penetrates the skin. The cats’ skin closes over the entry wound and everything looks fine. However, lurking under the kitties skin is trapped bacteria. As several days pass, neutrophil (pus) is sent to the attack the bacteria and an abscess is [...]

Common Complaints and Solutions: Cats digging in gardens and flower beds

admin 2014-09-15T19:58:26-07:00 March 17th, 2014|Caregiver Tips|

Caring for a healthy community cat colony is as much about cat care as it is pubic relations. Keeping neighbors happy and onboard with the program is critical to the success and livelihood of the cats. Addressing neighbor complaints quickly is imperative. One common complaint that we receive relates to flower beds and gardens. With Spring around the corner, and new plantings in the ground, you might begin to hear rumblings as well. Cats like to dig in loose soft dirt and hide in plants, so potters and gardens can be cat magnets. There are several approaches to help deter [...]

FixNation welcomes new Practice Manager, William Oglesby

admin 2014-04-21T20:10:20-07:00 March 17th, 2014|News and Events|

We are excited to introduce FixNation's new Practice Manager, William Oglesby. William joined FixNaton in February, 2014. His experience in animal welfare spans over 17 years, having worked for two of the largest animal shelters in Phoenix, Arizona providing veterinary technician services, and community outreach and education. He has also worked on a high volume mobile spay neuter truck that covered the Navajo Indian Reservation providing free spay & neuter services to the people and educating them on pet care. Growing up William was accustomed to having animals including cats, dogs, goats, horses, and more. He has always been interested in [...]

Carol Long | Volunteer of the Month, Mar 2014

admin 2014-12-02T06:12:16-08:00 March 17th, 2014|Happy Tails|

Name: Carol Long Neighborhood: Burbank, California About: I grew up in Birmingham, Alabama, lived for three years in South Texas, and then moved to California in the late 1980's. My first exposure to animal rescue came when I worked the hotline for Best Friends, responding to calls from the Los Angeles area. Some of the most frustrating calls came from people who had come across colonies of many stray, sick, starving cats, and were looking for quick and easy answers to finding them all a good happy home. My frustration over not being able to provide services which would even [...]

Why and when to fix your new kitten (Hint: Before 5 months!)

admin 2014-09-29T12:22:31-07:00 March 17th, 2014|Caregiver Tips, FixNation Services|

If your new kitten came from the shelter or a reputable rescue organization, then he or she will already have been sterilized, but there are still many ways that loving individuals come to adopt unfixed kittens – through Craigslist, acquaintances, a box in front of the grocery store, or a kitten that appears in your yard. For these cats, which likely come from unplanned litters, it’s up to adopters to stop the cycle of births through spay/neuter and also to provide their cats with the best care possible. Why Spay/Neuter? To put it simply, spay/neuter saves lives. Animal shelters are [...]

Leslie Cordaro | Volunteer of the Month, Feb 2014

admin 2014-12-02T06:12:15-08:00 February 12th, 2014|Happy Tails|

Name: Leslie Cordaro City and neighborhood: I moved from a small town in Pennsylvania to Van Nuys, CA in 1985. About: I transferred from Pennsylvania to Sun Valley, CA as a mail carrier. Once here I was rescuing dogs on my mail route and my coworker’s routes. Then one day on my route I heard kittens crying. I walked up to the vacant house and found two very small kittens that somehow had been separated from their mother. I put them in my mail satchel and took them to a lady on my route that I knew was involved with cats. [...]

5 signs your cat is in heat

admin 2014-04-21T20:10:35-07:00 February 11th, 2014|Caregiver Tips|

A cat comes into heat when she sexually matures, meaning that she is fertile and receptive to mating. Cats can reach puberty at different ages depending on breed and environment, but may experience their first heat as young as 4 months old, with 6 months being the average age. Outdoor cats can mature more quickly, particularly when there are intact males around. Cats can breed year-round in Southern California where winters are mild, with the heaviest “kitten season” running from March through September. Heat cycles can last upwards of 2 weeks. If your cat is older than 4 months [...]

Diane Markin | Volunteer of the Month

admin 2014-09-01T19:52:46-07:00 January 20th, 2014|Happy Tails|

Name: Diane Markin About: Just another crazy cat lady who thinks the smell of cat pee is an aphrodisiac. A friend brought me to a Catnippers event a year and a half ago, and I got hooked. City and neighborhood: El Segundo, near LAX Years volunteering at FixNation: 1 Favorite thing about volunteering at FixNation: I have been an animal wrangler since I was old enough to chase after them and nothing makes me happier than to be with animals. I am thrilled to have the opportunity to volunteer as a vet tech assistant at the Wellness Clinic on Saturdays. Over the [...]