July 2009 - Fort Collins Cat Rescue

QUARTERLY
NEWSLETTER
JULY 2009
2321 E. Mulberry St. Unit 1, Fort Collins, CO 80525
www.fortcollinscatrescue.org
fortcollinscatrescue@yahoo.com
(970)484-8516
The Count!
Rescues: 1,900 Spays/Neuters: 8,700
This
summer
newsletter
is
a
very
special
one.
Why,
you
ask?
Well,
because
it
is
in
this
newsletter
that
we
are
recognizing
one
of
the
most
important
groups
of
people
to
us
–
our
volunteers.
Did
you
know
that
Fort
Collins
Cat
Rescue’s
entire
organization
has
a
staff
of
only
10,
but
over
150
volunteers????
It
is
truly
amazing.
Our
volunteers
do
everything
from
daily
cat
care
(this
includes
scrubbing
those
gross
litter
boxes!)
to
keeping
our
website
running
and
up‐to‐date
(who
knew
it
was
such
a
chore!).
And
we
can’t
forget
the
Director's Message
amazing
foster
families
that
open
up
their
homes
and
their
hearts
to
the
hundreds
of
kittens
we
get
every
year.
There
are
so
many
volunteer
aspects
to
our
organization
that
it
would
be
impossible
to
mention
them
all.
FCCR
could
not
provide
the
services
and
programs
that
it
does
without
this
amazing
group
of
people.
They
donate
their
time,
and
their
hearts,
to
help
the
homeless
cats
in
our
community.
I
hope
you
enjoy
reading
about
some
of
these
wonderful
people
on
page
2.
Have
a
great
summer,
and
thank
you
for
your
support!
Sarah
p.s.
If
you
are
interested
in
volunteering
for
FCCR,
we
would
love
to
have
you!
We
especially
need
volunteers
that
can
help
with
fundraising
and
events.
Our Birthday Bash had everything from a lemonade stand to a
Litter Box Scoop (with prizes!) to pottery from the Northern Colorado
Potters Guild to yummy food. We were able to raise about $3,000!!!
A special thanks to Leslie Quitmeyer, a member of our fundraising
committee, who planned and organized this wonderful celebration!
During our Birthday Party Celebration, we had several people Sponsor a Cage!
Come into the shelter to read the cage tags!
You may just be inspired to Sponsor a Cage, too!
Thank you to the following sponsors:
Jan Link
Debbie Chesonis
Carol & Leonard Mahoney
Regina Shoenfeld
Chandra Kehm & Joe Lammers
Jan McKenzie
Dr. Hilary Foshee
For more information on how to become a cage sponsor, please visit our website!
www.fortcollinscatrescue.org
"FCCR could not provide the services and
programs that it does without this amazing
group of people. They donate their time, and
their hearts, to help the homeless cats in our
community." -Sarah Swanty, Director
Since we are a non-profit organization, we have to
do lots of fundraising. Our Fundraising Committee
works hard all year long to plan and organize our
events and fundraisers. Without these volunteers,
we would not be as successful as we have been.
They spend numerous hours outside of their busy
lives to help FCCR stay afloat and are valuable
members of our family. The Fundraising
Committee will be starting to meet every month to
brainstorm ideas to make fundraising successful
and come up with volunteers to carry out events.
We need to raise about $55,000 each year through
fundraising activities.
A very special thank you to our Fundraising
Committee!!!
Ruth Swanty - Chair
Leslie Quitmeyer
Jan Thydean
Jan Link
Debbie Chesonis
Britt Boehner
Foster homes are an integral part of FCCR. They
provide love, socialization, transportation, and 24
hour a day care for the wonderful, sweet kittens
and moms who come into our system.
A special Thank You to the following foster
homes who have fostered
OVER 10 litters for us!!!!
Marjean Bender
Britt & Eric Boehner
Shelly Cornutt
Megan Kaliczak
The Mabry Family
Tanja Pliler
Katy Quinn
Leslie Quitmeyer
Suzanne Royer
Regina Schoenfeld
Jane & Larry Seik
Sarah Swanty (yes, she does it ALL!)
Mary Wolf
We have relied on volunteers
since we opened in 2006.
The following volunteers have been
involved with FCCR on an ongoing
basis since 2006 or 2007 and have
provided countless, valuable hours:
2006
Megan Kaliczak
The Mabry Family
Renie Olson
Jane & Larry Seik
Ruth & Alex Swanty
Donna Weyer
2007
Claudia Arbaugh
Marjean Bender
Britt & Eric Boehner
Mary Branton-Housley
Debbie Chesonis
Alex de la Garza
Revati Kilaparti
Brian Kughman
Jan Link
Barb Lloyd
Eileen O'Connell
Andrea Pandullo
Ben Pauls
Leslie Quitmeyer
Suzanne Royer
Brigitte Schmidt
Regina Schoenfeld
Felicia Shelby
Randy Spence
Jan Thydean
Lindsey Workman
Thank you for your continued
dedication!
Featured next time will be our "newer"
2008 volunteers!
Want to be part of our family and
become a volunteer? Please contact
Debbie DeLong, Volunteer Coordinator
for more information:
debbied@fortcollinscatrescue.org
Meet our new Shelter Veterinarian,
Dr. Gloria Matsushita:
"Hi, my name is Gloria Matsushita, D.V.M. I graduated from Colorado
State University in 2008 and am new to shelter medicine, but not to
feline medicine. I love being outdoors, biking, snowboarding,
camping and enjoy crafts and cooking. I was born and raised in
Hawaii on the island of Oahu and moved to Fort Collins for college
and have stayed ever since. Although I have many feline friends, my
personal favorite is Toby, my 2 year old cat. He loves to play fetch
with hair ties and will give anyone cat hugs."
Meet our new Customer Care Representative, Becky:
"Hello! I am excited to be the newest member of the staff at FCCR. I have lived in FC for
over 12 years and am the proud "mom" of Emma, the most lovable kitty I've ever met. In
my free time, I love to read, enjoy live music, and play with my nieces and nephew. I look
forward to meeting all of our members and volunteers.
Please stop in and say 'Hello!'"
In our last newsletter we featured
Spooky Marie and Peanut. We are
pleased to announce that they have
been adopted! They were at the
shelter for about 1.5 years. We truly
believe there is a home for every cat who comes to
us...sometimes it just takes a while to find it!
Meet Tsunami.....
Tsunami is one big, sweet kitty. ...and when we say big, we mean BIG. She came to us
because her family was having financial problems and could no longer afford to take care
of her. She also had a severe urinary tract/bladder infection...and she weighed 20
pounds! She's been on a diet and is now around 18 pounds. Her infection has cleared,
too. She loves attention...and watching others play (it takes a lot
of energy for her to get up and move around much...but she's
getting better!). Please come by and visit with her...maybe you have
the perfect home for her (she could really use a little more space to
roll around in!)
2321 E. Mulberry St. Unit 1, Fort Collins, CO 80525 (970) 484-8516
fortcollinscatrescue@yahoo.com www.fortcollinscatrescue.org
Most of our
volunteers,
and many of
our supporters may remember a precious little black & white kitty that was at our
shelter for several months named Princess Fancy Pants. After all, with that quirky
personality and adorable face to go with it, who could forget her? Well, PFP (as we call
her for short), has had a rough time lately and could use some help.
Here is PFP's story:
PFP was originally brought to FCCR in May of 2008. Her name was just Princess, but we
decided to add on the Fancy Pants part. At the time we had no idea how well the name
would fit. PFP lost her home because of her previous owner's disability. She was no
longer able to care for this sweet little kitty.
PFP has a very unique personality. She is easily over-stimulated and doesn't like to be
held. She LOVES toys, especially fluffy balls, and loves being pet. She is one of those
special kitties that takes a true cat-lover to appreciate. A.K.A.: FEISTY!
Because of her personality, PFP was at our shelter for several months before being
adopted. She was adopted just before Christmas, and we were all THRILLED that she
would be home for the holidays. An update with her adopter 3 months later told us that PFP was doing well in her new
home.
Unfortunately, 6 months into her new home PFP got sick. Not just a little sick, but REALLY sick. The veterinarian
wouldn't know what was wrong with her without taking radiographs and doing other diagnostic work.
PFP's new adopter could not afford what PFP needed, and immediately called us for help. At FCCR we are 100% committed
to every kitty that comes through our doors for life. We immediately told the owner that we would be more than happy to
take PFP back and do whatever needed to be done.
Conveniently, the veterinary hospital that PFP was already located at just happened to be one of the veterinary hospitals
that is highly supportive of what we do. Fort Collins Animal Hospital! Dr. Steyn told us that she would help us out with
the medical costs for what PFP needed. Radiographs of PFP's abdomen showed that she had something obstructing her
intestines. She would have to go to surgery. FOUR HOURS later, Dr. Christie Long finished closing PFP up after removing 4
feet (yes, 4 feet) of sewing thread from PFP's small intestine. This poor little girl's intestine had perforated (ripped) in 13
different places. She had to have 26 inches of small intestine removed. That night PFP was taken to the VCA Emergency
Hospital for overnight care. The following day PFP had to receive a blood transfusion. The blood was grudgingly donated
by one of Fort Collins Animal Hospital's clinic kitties, Kitty Kitty.
To make a long story shorter PFP had to have a massive amount of medical care. She is not out of the woods yet, and may
have complications with digestion in the future. We are incredibly grateful to Fort Collins Animal Hospital for saving this
precious life. They went above and beyond the call of duty, even though they knew it was partially a charity case.
Although Fort Collins Animal Hospital gave us a more than generous discount, they did need to recoup
some of the money spent. FCCR raised $1,000 for our sweet girl. Trust me, her life is worth it! Thanks to
the many people who donated to help raise this money!
However, PFP needs a forever home. A home with someone that can afford to take care of any veterinary
needs, and that will love her for who she is. Someone that doesn't sew would be an extra bonus. :) Just
kidding, but you would need to put the sewing thread away when you were done using it.
If you are interested in donating to help a cat in need, you can do so in several ways:
1. Online at http://www.fortcollinscatrescue.org/ Just click on the Donate Now button.
2. By mail - 2321 E. Mulberry St. #1 Fort Collins, C) 80524
3. In person! Come in and spend some time with our great cats! They would love to meet you!
(970) 204-4567
4900 S. College Ave. #120, Fort Collins, CO 80525
(970) 416-0232
2633 S. College Ave.
Fort collins, CO 80525
email: info@aspengrovevet.com
In honor of Adopt a Cat Month in June, Aspen Grove
sponsored FCCR by hosting several litters of kittens
in their clinic and providing a kitty package when
adopters adopted those kittens. It was so
successful, they have decided to continue this
relationship for the rest of the kitten season!
Thank you, Aspen Grove!!!
Northern Colorado Friends of Ferals (NCFF)
(An FCCR Program)
feralfriends@fortcollinscatrescue.org
Over 100 feral cats/kittens have been successfully
trapped, neutered/spayed, vaccinated and released
back to their colonies. Thank you all who have
donated your valuable time and money to this
important mission!
A special Thank You to Raintree Animal Hospital, VCA
Veterinary Specialists of Northern Colorado, Larimer
Humane Society, and our very own Fort Collins
Spay/Neuter Clinic for their help with the
four Trap/Neuter/Release (TNR) days so far.
Chloe and her 5 kittens came to FCCR when their
previous owner was taken to jail. There were a total
of 15 kitties from that home, but Chloe and her
babies are the only ones with Feline Leukemia.
Feline Leukemia is caused by a virus and is passed
from cat to cat by tongue baths, breeding, bowl
sharing, litterbox sharing, etc. It is more often seen
with cats that are allowed to roam outside and have
access to other outdoor cats. Feline Leukemia is
devastating because it is untreatable - and most kitties
pass away within 2 years of diagnosis. Because of this it
is extremely hard to find people that are willing to give
FeLV+ kitties a home, and most shelters immediately
euthanize any cats that are FeLV+. This is tragic, because at the time
of euthanasia, the animals are usually still healthy and active.
Because FCCR is a no-kill shelter, we will do everything we can to help
this family of felines. For now Chloe and her babies are safe in a
foster home, but they would certainly appreciate a forever home - for
as long as that may be.
If interested in adopting one of
these beauties, please contact
Sarah Swanty at:
fortcollinscatrescue@yahoo.com
2321 E. Mulberry St. Unit 1, Fort Collins, CO 80525 (970) 484-8516
fortcollinscatrescue@yahoo.com www.fortcollinscatrescue.org
www.servenation.com offers gift cards to many
popular stores and restaurants with up to 8% being
contributed to FCCR. There are no shipping and
handling costs, so a $50 gift card is exactly what
you get! Log on to find out more!
www.OnceCause.com where you can "Click,
Shop, Contribute", is a great place to shop
online AND benefit FCCR! Visit today to see how
easy it is!
FCCR cats were featured in an article in
the Family and Philanthropy 2009 Issue of
Style Magazine. A special thanks to Lydia
Dody, Publisher.
South Mesa
is our
Luminary Advocate!
3801 S. Mason St.
Fort Collins, CO 80525
(970) 226-6526
Friendship Hospital for Animals
is our Guardian Advocate!
1103 Oak Park Dr. Suite 101
Fort Collins, CO 80525
(970) 206-1868
Readers to the Rescue, June 15th - August 9th
For each 5 hours of participation in the Kids' Summer Reading Program at the Poudre River Public Library,
$1 will be donated to FCCR, up to $3000!! We will also be at the Monday afternoon programs at the Main
Library (201 Peterson St., Fort Collins).
Farmers Markets starting in July every 1st and 3rd Saturday.
Come visit us at our booth at the Downtown location
Alley Cats Bowling, Saturday, July 18th at 6:30pm at the northern Chipper's Lanes (NEW LOCATION)
830 N. College, Fort Collins. Enjoy 3 games of bowling for $20.
Please contact Ruth Swanty if you would like to help, donate food, or with any questions:
ruthswanty@aol.com. You can purchase tickets at www.blacktie-colorado.com and enter FCCRbowl in the
RSVP. Admission is $20 per person for 3 games of bowling, food, door prizes, silent auction and fun!
Garage Sale, Saturday, August 8th
Jan Link is now receiving donations for the FCCR garage sale at her home 819 Milan Terrace Drive,
Ft. Collins. Contact info 970-631-8600 or catladyj@comcast.net - Donations of the following gently used items are
gratefully accepted: antiques, adult and children's clothing and shoes, small furniture, small appliances, kitchen wares, sports
equipment, linens, household, books, videos, craft supplies, toys, tools, nicknacks and pet items. We are unable to accept:
sofas, TVs, computers, tires, toxic substances, large exercise equipment. All donations are tax deductible and forms will be
provided.
Cat Calendar Contest, August 15th deadline
Please see attached entry form for details!! Pass it on to your friends, too!
Shred-A-Thon, September 12th
To be held at the King Soopers in the Harmony Marketplace.
Do you have paperwork lying around your home and/or business that needs to be purged and shredded or know other people
that do?!? So get started on sorting through it all, and saving it for the FCCR Shredathon to be held on Sept. 12th! Probably
good to shred your name and address of any and all of it now, but keep the big stuff for this fundraiser! Claudia Arbaugh,
one of FCCR's volunteers, is coordinating this event; therefore, if you have any questions, feel free to contact her at
tlcforyourpets@msn.com
Chat Amour III, February 13, 2009 at the Drake Center - plated dinner, and more!!
Please see attached flyer for details!!!
More information about these events can be found on our website!!
www.fortcollinscatrescue.org
"We are really glad we found you and him...."
Lucas is doing great! We love him and he has been a perfect fit for our family. He has been
healthy and well, and we have had no problems or concerns at all. His fur has come back in
nicely, and is shiny, soft, and smooth now. My kids adore Lucas, and he is the only cuddly
pet we have, so he gets a lot of loving and is the king of the house! He is very curious and
funny, and makes us laugh a lot. I attached a picture that made us chuckle.
Thank you for checking on him, and for offering the service that you do at FCCR. We are
really glad we found you and him, and are happy that we were able to rescue an animal and
give him a good home.
Our best to all of you,
The Holt Family
2321 E. Mulberry St. #1
Fort Collins, CO 80524
PRSRT NON-PROFIT
US POSTAGE PAID
FT COLLINS CO
PERMIT 187
Fort Collins Cat Rescue is a 501c3
non-profit, no-kill cat rescue and
shelter. FCCR's shelter provides a
temporary home for up to 40
homeless adult cats at a time. We
also have an extensive foster
program for kittens and special
needs cats. In addition, FCCR is the
only facility in Northern Colorado
that provides low-cost spay/neuter
procedures. Our spay/neuter
program is a proactive way of
dealing with the pet overpopulation
problem. Since our inception June
of 2006, we have taken over 1,900
cats into our program and performed
over 8,700 spay/neuter procedures.
Pet overpopulation is a problem in the US verified by the fact that the Humane
Societies euthanize millions of animals every year.
Our Prevent A Litter (PAL) program provides financial assistance for
spay/neuter to those who can prove need. As much as the entire cost of the
procedure can be covered.
2321 E. Mulberry #9 Fort Collins, CO 80524
(970) 484-1861
Funds for P.A.L. are provided by donations from people like you!
Which means that making a donation to P.A.L. would be a great way to help with
the pet overpopulation problem as well as help others in your own community.
Donations of any size are helpful! A donation of $25 can significantly cut the cost
of a cat neuter. $55 can pay for a cat spay!
And $100 can make a difference to a couple of dog owners!
We currently have a back log of people waiting to receive financial help
because the PAL fund has been depleted.
Please make a donation today and you, too, can help
PREVENT A LITTER !!
Please tell everyone to get their pets spayed or neutered to
help the community's pet overpopulation problem!