Stories, News & Updates...

Thank You for Springing to Their Rescue!

Sat, 5 May 2012 10:37:13 -0700

We would like to thank everyone that came and gave generously.
A special thanks to The Rocksport Bar & Grill for hosting this event and to their mixologist for the special ‘Tabby Tonic’ created for this event. And a big THANK YOU! to all of our sponsors, supporters, and all our amazing volunteers at FAF & FCAT! Without you we would have a tough time doing what we do.

Spring to Their Rescue!

Mon, 27 Feb 2012 21:20:28 -0800

Silent Auction • Raffle • Wine Pull • Chair Massage • and so much more!
Click here for an auction sampling
Event proceeds will:
spay & neuter cats from all walks of life
assist in feral colony maintenance
provide for medical & health needs of feral, adoptable, & low-income cats
Donations of wet or dry cat food are always appreciated
and will gladly be accepted at the door

The Problem: Two uncontrolled breeding cats, plus all their kittens and all their kittens’ kittens, if none are ever neutered or spayed add up to:
1st year: 12 ~ 2nd year: 66 ~ 3rd year: 382 ~ 4th year: 2,201
5th year: 12,680 ~ 6th year: 73,041 ~ 7th year: 420,715
8th year: 2,423,316 ~ 9th year: 13,958,290

The Solution: • spay and neuter cats from all walks of life • provide for medical and health needs of feral, rescue, and low-income cats • foster or adopt • assist in feral colony maintenance
Be a part of the solution - Join Us!
Donate - Download the procurement form
Spread the word! - Download the poster or postcard

Spring to Their Rescue a Let’s Fix the Problem Together event

Mon, 30 Jan 2012 12:39:35 -0800

Sunday, April 22
1:00pm to 5:00pm
Rocksport Bar & Grill
4209 SW Alaska • Seattle, WA 98116

Silent Auction • Raffle • Wine Pull • Chair Massage • and so much more!
Event proceeds will:
spay & neuter cats from all walks of life
assist in feral colony maintenance
provide for medical & health needs of feral, adoptable, & low-income cats
Donations of wet or dry cat food are always appreciated
and will gladly be accepted at the door

Stay tuned for more details....

Bye Bye Birdie

Fri, 27 Jan 2012 11:51:38 -0800

As sad as it is to see so many birds killed, as those of us that do feral rescue know we can NOT blame feral or friendly cats anymore. Here is a collection of stories on the song bird demise/debate …

Scotts Fined for Knowingly Selling Toxic Bird Seed
The National Wildlife Federation entered a partnership with Scotts's Save the Songbird campaign. Only after much outage when this came to light did NWF announce it will end it's partnership:

"Scotts announced a pending legal settlement related to events in 2008 that predate our partnership, which has made it clear that the partnership is not viable. Therefore, NWF and Scotts will work together to end the partnership in a friendly and mutually beneficial way."

" ...from November 2005 to March 2008, Scotts distributed 73 million units of birdseed coated with insecticides called Storcide II and Actellic 5E. This was done to keep insects from eating the seeds during storage.

Storcide’s label says the pesticide is “extremely toxic to fish and toxic to birds and other wildlife.” Documents state that Scotts continued to sell the products despite warnings in the summer and fall of 2007 from a pesticide chemist and an ornithologist, both of whom worked for the company." - The Columbus Dispatch Friday January 27, 2012 7:51 AM

Read full story here: http://www.gardenrant.com/my_weblog/2012/01/scotts-fined-for-selling-toxic-bird-seed.html

USDA Has Admitted To Poisoning Millions Of Animals
Many links to this article disappeared as quickly as the appeared. NaturalNews.com & Earth-Issues.com put all the documents & videos on their servers anticipating the USDA possibly removing them.

U.S. government commits avian holocaust with mass poisoning of millions of birds
"The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) is engaged in what can only be called an avian holocaust through its Bye Bye Blackbird program that has poisoned tens of millions of birds over the last decade. The USDA even reports the number of birds it has poisoned to death in a PDF document posted on the USDA website."

Learn more: http://www.naturalnews.com/031084_bird_deaths_holocaust.html

Mystery Bye Bye Blackbird, Solved…USDA Has Admitted To Poisoning Millions Of Animals
"Not all the mysterious bird die-offs that have been witnessed around the globe recently are due to unexplained causes. A recent mass die-off event witnessed in Yankton, South Dakota was traced back to the USDA which admitted to carrying out a mass poisoning of the birds."

Read full article here: http://www.earth-issues.com/2011/12/mystery-bye-bye-blackbird-solved-usda-has-admitted-to-poisoning-millions-of-animals/

CityStream: Feral Cats

Thu, 22 Sep 2011 12:12:48 -0700

Seattle`s feral cat population has grown and has become a problem throughout the entire City. But Producer Matt Peterson introduces us to some compassionate animal lovers who are trying to change that.
Featuring Pam Staeheli, FCAT and Lauren Glickman, Feral Cat Spay/Neuter Project

Let’s Fix the Problem with Art & Soul Video

Mon, 30 May 2011 22:51:01 -0700

This is the video played at our fundraising event.
It gives people a look into the side of our work they seldom see ...
If you've never seen a feral colony, you might be surprised to see this.
The cats in this video are in South Seattle, Georgetown, and along the Duwamish edge.
Notice the ear-tips to identify spayed/neutered females/males.
They may not be lap cats, but they are unbelievably beautiful ... they are our Art & Soul

We would also like to thank all those that came and gave generously.
And a special thanks to our sponsors and supporters:
A&B Imports, Locöl, The Beer Junction
E|M Fine Art, Seana Jordan, Kevin McClintic,
Lori Kim Designs, Print Solutions, Inc., Sierra Design Solutions,
and all our amazing volunteers at FAF & FCAT!

Friends of the Animals Foundation (FAF) is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization.
Feral Cat Assistance & Trapping (FCAT) is a registered charity with the state of Washington.
Both are 100% volunteer based, so your donations are greatly appreciated and go directly to the work we do.

Learn more about the work and services we provide by visiting our websites:
http://www.fafseattle.org & http://www.feraltrapping.com

Let’s Fix the Problem with Art & Soul

Sat, 30 Apr 2011 21:45:36 -0700

Join us for a little inspiration and a lot of fun!
Saturday, May 21, 4 - 7pm
E|M Fine Art, 410 Dexter Avenue N, Seattle, WA 98109
Event includes wine tasting ($10/flight at door), silent auction, and raffle. We also encourage you to bring photos of your companion cats, feral cats, or dogs who love cats and help build our own artistic display that night. They are our art and soul.
Payments will be processed through FAF tax I.D. #91-1853116. Your donation is tax-deductible as specified in IRS regulations. Please consult your tax professional. Credit cards will be accepted, though cash and checks are preferred.

saving companion animals' lives

Thu, 10 Feb 2011 21:42:09 -0800

Senate Bill 5151/House Bill 1226: Saving Companion Animals' Lives
The Washington State Legislature is now considering a bill that will help low-income pet owners of Washington State, save animals' lives, and protect the general public at the same time. (Senate Bill 5151 / House Bill 1226. Currently in committee.)

What will Bill 5151/1226 will do if enacted?
This bill, if passed into law, will levy a small fee on cat and dog food at the rate of $0.025 (that's 2 and a half cents) per pound. This would be $1.25 for a 50-pound bag of food. The monies collected will be put in a dedicated fund that will subsidize the costs of spaying and neutering of cats and dogs by participating veterinarians.

The program will benefit low-income Washingtonians wishing to spay or neuter their pets. Under the program, the cost will be $20 for dogs and $10 for cats. Proof-of-income requirements on pet owners will not be burdensome. Feral cats will be eligible for free spay and neutering.

Controlling the cat and dog population will help save taxpayers' dollars by reducing the number of animals handled by local animal care and control agencies. One Washington shelter reported the average cost to handle an animal is $93. (Stray animal pickup and delivery to the shelter costs an additional $150 to $200.) For every animal that is not handled by animal control or shelters, the savings can be significant. For that reason alone, spay/neuter legislation will save Washington's cities and counties millions of dollars in animal control costs and lower the number healthy, adoptable dogs and cat that are put to death over the long run.

Why is this bill so important for FCAT, FAF and other animal support groups?
Currently organizations that help animals (groups like FCAT and FAF) have to spend much of their already thinly spread resources on spaying and neutering costs. Even though we have vets in Seattle who are willing to give us a price break, we are still spending more time than we'd like carting individual animals to Seattle and back home. If 5151 passes, people in small towns will be able to take animals in by themselves, and this will free up FCAT and FAF to concentrate on larger colonies of feral cats anywhere in Washington.

Working with larger colonies of animals is where our resources are best used, and this is where more of them will be used if 5151 passes.

Please contact your local representatives and tell them to support 5151/1226. It's an easy win for FCAT and FAF, a win for the people of Washington State, and a win for the animals.

Your representatives in the 34th District:
http://34dems.org/elected-legislative.htm

More info on SB5151 and what you can do to help:
http://savewashingtonpets.org/default.aspx

WS Blog member DP contributed to this post.

-------
comments by others:

"Similar programs have been established in other states, including Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Maine, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, and Vermont. The New Hampshire program was started in 1994 and in its first few years a 34-percent decrease in shelter admissions and a 75-percent decrease in euthanasia were reported."

These animals and owners desperately need the help. In thinking about the cats that FAF has only recently helped:
• 11 were from a family that became homeless (only one cat was altered)
• a colony of 25 that began two years ago from three friendly cats--owners have no money--food is provided with FAF donations
• two kittens and two adult cats taken from a woman unable to care for them after she entered a rehab facility
All of these cats were unaltered because the owners simply could not afford the surgery fees of most veterinary clinics.

The Truth about Pit Bulls via Kitsap Humane Society

Wed, 5 Jan 2011 21:00:09 -0800

Here is a good article ...
while attacks by dogs involve various breeds...

Why Do We Hear So Much About Pit Bull Attacks?
Consider the following study performed by the National Canine Research Council: In August of 2007, four serious dog attacks were tracked. The attacks involved four different breeds (only one involved a pit bull). All of the attacks were severe, ranging from a fatal head and neck injury to severe hospitalizations (the fatality was not caused by the pit bull). The two hospitalizations and the fatality were reported only by local newspapers either one or two times. In contrast, the pit bull attack was reported over 230 times in national and international newspapers and in major television networks, including CNN, MSNBC and FOX. This severe bias has a devastating effect on public perception and takes a toll on public safety.
For example, since 1965-2008, there have been 17 different breeds/types of dogs have been identified in connection with dog bite fatalities in Texas. All of the dogs have been intact (not spayed/neutered). A significant number of the dogs involved were either being used for breeding and/or lived their lives at the ends of chains. Dogs who live their lives outside and on chains are considered “resident” dogs and normally used for protection purposes only and not companionship. These causal factors are too often ignored as we focus on breed, and this is a detriment to public safety.
read full article which discusses:
Can Pit Bulls Do More Damage Than Other Breeds?
Are Pit Bull Attacks Sudden and Unprovoked?
What are Some Misconceptions About Pit Bulls?
Should Pit Bulls Be Around Children?
Are Pit Bulls Human Aggressive By Nature?
Are Pit Bulls Bred to Be Aggressive To Dogs?
What is Some of the History of Pit Bulls?

Thoughts on Cats & Renal Disease

Thu, 23 Dec 2010 21:20:47 -0800

Lena McCullough, DVM, CVA shares some thoughts on cats and renal disease.
From a Chinese Medicine view we have two main types of renal failure, inflammatory and deficiency.
In all cats with renal disease I recommend just feeding canned food. No dry. Raws ok if I am working with a person open to it and the cats do ok with the conversion. Conversion to raw is hard in older cats.
Inflammatory kidney disease
In inflammatory kidney disease there is inflammation in the kidneys that causes the the kidneys to not function well and reduces the blood flow to the cells. These cats tend to be the vomiters who still have a fairly good appetite. They almost always have a high cholesterol on blood work and tend to have lower kidney numbers. They also may have a history of IBD, raised liver enzymes, mild pancreatitis or vomiting. Usually with acupuncture and herbs we can clear this stage up in a month or two. If it is mild and recent they go back to normal. If they have had it awhile we then see the ischemic renal disease underneath.
These guys should not have high protein but also should not have high grain (which causes inflammation). Usually I recommend a moderate protein canned such as avoderm, pinnacle, or homestyle. Many others out there as well. High protein increases blood flow which will cause more inflammatory cells to go to the kidneys, we don't want that but also we need enough protein to maintain the cells.
Cats also should not have fluids during this stage unless absolutely necessary. It makes the inflammation worse.
Deficient or ischemic kidney disease
More common is deficient renal failure. These guys are usually thin, not great eaters and may or may not be vomiting. The inflammatory cats may also shift to this after you get the inflammation down. I hate to see these guys on K/D or low protein but the vets always put them on it.
In this form of renal failure there is not enough blood going to the kidneys and the cells are dying from ischemia (lack of oxygen). They may also have renal hypertension (high blood pressure) which causes even more ischemic damage. Many of these cats are also anemic making the problem even worse.
These cats need protein both to increase blood flow and blood volume (you can't make blood without protein) and to repair the damage to the kidney cells that are damage (you can't repair cells without protein). And yes many of these cells are not dead and can be repaired once you improve blood flow. I recommend a high protein canned such as Instinct with these guys.
I've had many cats convert back to normal through diet, acupuncture and herbs. From my experience if they stay on K/D I can not convert them back. They need to be on high protein if they are ischemic to improve numbers. If they are inflammatory we get rid of the inflammation and then put them on high protein even if the numbers are normal to keep them stable and out of renal failure.
Although it is not my favorite approach, I have maintained cats with ischemic renal disease on dry Evo (use Orijen now). If somehow they have to be on dry I always go with a high protein. They tend to stay stable on high protein dry and sub-Q fluids. I also find sometimes you need a little dry in the old guys. My old cat Basil needs a little dry to maintain his weight because he just didn't eat enough canned.
Overall from my experience the cats on high protein do much better.
I know it is harder for you to convince folks of this since you are going against the vets.
best wishes,
Lena McCullough, DVM, CVA
www.lenamccullough.com
www.pathwithpaws.com
I am hoping to get an actual article up sometime in the new year so you have something to reference to. In the meantime ...
Here is one of the commonly sited studies on PubMed that proves that high protein does not make kidney disease worse:
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/9582959?dopt=Abstract
And a very good explanation of the controversy on protein by Dr. Jean Hofve:
http://www.littlebigcat.com/index.php?action=library&act=show&item=003