The good news is that while both are sick, both are okay and stable. The bill was $996.79.
Oksana has stomatitis and will need a dental. But he tested clear of FIV and FeLV so that’s great. His vitals are good, we confirmed (finally) that he’s male, and scheduled his dental for Monday, December 22. He needs a course of anti-biotics that I can give him each day when I feed him.
He also has a upper respiratory infection that the antibiotics will address. His vaccinenes will be updated during his dental.
He was released back to his colony late afternoon and promptly ran to greet Mx Pajamas and Tony DiMera, all meowing loudly. Of course, I was sniffling while this took place behind some shrubs so I only caught a quick glimpse of Tony running to Oksana.
So it was a good decision by Oksana to get himself trapped. Again.
Callie is more complicated. She also tested free of FIV and FeLV. Her gums and teeth do not look terrible on visual observation. She was clearly in pain and we had observed the discomfort of eating. So they did an x-ray of her head while she was sedated. And found something mysterious.
It is hard to describe precisely because it is mysterious – a faint shadow in the x-ray suggesting something like a fracture without any of the evidence of a trauma. The vet was perplexed. So we agreed to send the x-rays to a radiologist. She doesn’t really need a dental urgently, but that degree of sedation could give them the capacity to x-ray her entire jaw and identify the problem, so cleaning her teeth just makes sense for her overall health. Update – the radiologist found nothing so the dental is our path forward.
But what could it be? It could be nothing. It could be that the inflammation source is what caused the pain and chewing issues. It could be that there’s a fracture that didn’t heal properly. The worst case scenario is that she would need her jaw wired shut and fed with a tube, not something we’ll put her through. There’s no indication of cancer or other similar issues.
Right now, she’s on pain meds and chilling out in a crate where she is eating wet food and drinking. We have a trail camera on her to document her mouth movements. Here’s hoping – Callie has had a very rough life. She’s fought her way from being a wee waif outcast to being part of the colony. She had one kitten that died young. Two weeks later, she was spayed and spared any further traumas like that. She now lives in a fenced in yard with a heated bed, vertical space, a solid feeding station that keeps her food dry, and access to a heated water bowl. She even has multiple shelters from which to choose – nap in the parking pad, then next nap on the patio.
When we originally trapped Callie, she was just young enough that maybe she could have been tested for socialization. But it was June – kitten season – and there were no slots for testing. Callie doesn’t allow us to touch her, but she does talk to me. Usually, she alerts me when she follows me between the two feeding stations. She meows at me to hurry when I’m dishing out the canned food. She eats with me there.
We have had wonderful success with crowdfunding in the past BUT for some reason Facebook has blocked our nonprofit from creating any more fundraisers. That really sucks. Trying to get in touch with Facebook for help is pretty challenging. UPDATE – Paypal Charities Payout is the problem. I submitted the paperwork – again – and hope it is resolved soon.
So please help us using other tools. In addition to this $996.79, we’ll need to pay for the dental and whatever treatment Callie needs.
So our total ask right now is $3,000.
Here are the links:
- GoFundMe bit.ly/GivePghCatFolx
- Venmo @ PittsburghLGBTQ
- Paypal.me/PittsburghLGBTQ
- Checks made payable to Pittsburgh LGBTQ Charities and mail to 1439 W. North Avenue Pittsburgh, PA 15233.
- You can also contact Rivers Veterinary Hospital directly and leave a donation in our account “Pittsburgh LGBTQ Charities” The phone number is (412) 998-9030.
Why support a few feral cats?
Since we took over care of Fort Faulsey in December 2020, we’ve TNR’d everyone and began implementing basic supports – warm & dry shelters, some with heat sources; clean water in heated bowls during cold weather; decent food in solid feeding stations to keep everything dry and accessible. There are elevated beds so the cats can be more comfortable. We do give them treats, but dental.
We also monitor them on trail cameras – that’s how we discovered Callie has issues.
Over the years, some members left, some found homes, other died. A bunch of ‘lost/missing’ cats showed up and were returned with their humans. Four cats, including Callie and Oksana, moved permanently into our backyard where the fencing kept them even safer (but still offered gateways to take a walk.) Oksana regularly visits several of my neighbors’ homes (‘Oksana’s ladies’) each of whom gives him treats.
In the ensuing years, the cats’ lives have clearly improved. But there’s also an improvement in the community itself. These cats are not fighting, mating, or being nuisances desperately searching for food. Their presence keeps others from bringing that drama to our block. We have mapped out the other feeders and coordinate whose cats visits whose shelters.
People reach out if their cat goes missing or a stray turns up or otherwise notice a problem. I took a break from this post to help a neighbor whose cat accidentally got out.
So the links to help defray vet bills are above. You can find all of our links at www.pghcatfolx.org
In terms of things caretakers can use that you might have around your house
- Paper plates/bowls and rolls of paper towels.
- Plastic grocery bags – clean free of holes
- Chemical hand warmers. Do you know hunters? Ask them for a few.
- Pet supplies – crates, traps, carriers, dishes, leashes, beds, etc. Must be clean and in good condition.
- Trail cameras
- Tote bags in good condition and clean
- Partial containers of cat litter
Items can be dropped at 1440 Faulsey Way Pittsburgh, PA 15233. This is my parking pad so there’s no physical house number. But look for Gertie. Items can be dropped in our donation bins.
