Wow! That's horrible that a so-called rescuer is so negligent. Yuck. She gives cat-people a bad name. It's people like that who make it difficult for the rest of us.
Anyway, I don't have advice for you, but I do have congrats! A new kitty! It's wonderful to have something to take care of even though nothing can ever replace Monkee. Good work-I'm glad you've got guts. I'm afraid I would have backed down from the volunteer-lady and ended up scooping poop all day! :-) No wonder you're a lawyer! I hope little Yoda keeps improving! Melissa _____ From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Caroline Kaufmann Sent: Wednesday, September 05, 2007 1:52 PM To: [email protected] Subject: OT: Ear Cleaner for Kittens Ugh. Trying to keep this short, here's what I have been doing since Sat.: volunteering at cat adoption day for one of the local no-kill adoption agencies- which involved me forcing myself upon the reluctant, control-freak, head volunteer for the group who I suspect is not only majorly overwhelmed, but has "issues" that are affecting the health of this group's cats. My volunteering turned into "mission cut kitty nails" and treat eyes with Terramycin- which hadn't been done in like, ever. And this lady- the head vol- actually tried to tell me and my mom that they didn't really need help, other than to have someone clean the cat condos?! Wha? They need so much help it's ridiculous. The day ended with me taking home a teeny kitten (of course) who clearly had a bad URI (slitty eyes- with the 3rd eyelid exposed, snotty nose, chest and throat rattling) and he was on display???!! Up for adoption! Hello?! He was freaking little kids out b/c he was clearly ill?! Yeah, and they "don't need help"? Ha! Good thing I don't take no for an answer and I just ignored her and got right to work. And since I have such valuable and good "informal" vet tech skills (due to having a father who was a vet who used me as tax deductible slave labor from the moment I could put one foot in front of the other...thanks dad...), it's almost impossible to try to tell someone like me that you don't need me. So I feared for this kitten's life and he needed to be taken off display and NOT taken back to this head volunteer's house where cats run amok and cat poo is every where (so I have "heard") and which I also suspect might possibly be "ground zero" for a variety of viruses known to cause URIs; thus I fear that any kitten that spends any time in that house, comes out with a URI and possibly could become a chronic "shedder" of a URI-causing virus. Urrrrrrrr! Okay, altho there is more, I am done ranting...for now. Needless to say, the kitten I took home Sat.- whom I feared might pass on me anytime this past weekend (which I totally could not have survived had that happened AGAIN),....is now like "Super-Kitten" already. He's getting fat too- I love it, he looks like a teeny snake that swallowed a rabbit b/c his belly keeps growing out sideways! He's my love-bug! I RE-named him Yoda b/c he looks like Yoda (big ears, and his eyes are huge- now that they are all cleared up!). I might keep him...my foster cat Izzee loves him- thinks it's her moving "toy" I brought home for her. He spends most of his time in his crate b/c I don't want Izzee getting a URI, but I have let them interact while I supervise. It's hilarious. So, my adoption agency contact ended up "retrieving" (eh, hem...rescuing- from The Rescuer!) three more kittens that this "head volunteer" had... for me to rehab. One is pretty much fine already (which was shocking b/c her cats are usually in bad, bad shape-- I know, the irony). He had just a little dirty coat, dirty ears...so I am working on getting him "show-ready" for his big debut on the adoption floor tonight! But the other 2 clearly have URIs (which I am treating) and all three had horrific ears. One were the worst I had ever seen on a so-called indoor kitten. They have all gotten/will get Advantage- which will take care of the obvious mites, but I need a good, yet gentle, over-the-counter ear cleaner I can use on them to get the brown/black funk/wax out. I used up the remainder of Monkee's vet-provided solution that I think was comparable to the human Domeboro(?) solution. I am sure I can't get more of that without taking them to a vet. Any suggestions? -Caroline _____ A <http://g.msn.com/8HMAENUS/2749??PS=47575> place for moms to take a break!
