[Felvtalk] Second Chance Meows - Personal experience
Dear List, I usually just lurk on this list, but I am a moderator for the Orphankittens yahoo list since I foster many neonatals each year for a So. California cat/kitten rescue. I can personally vouch for Michael at Second Chance Meows. I have met him, his family, and some of the 10 cats he is currently fosters in his private sanctuary. He is not at all wealthy, but he cares enough about the FeLV positive felines to be willing to be the home of the last resort. I firmly believe that any funds donated to help him in this worthy cause WILL NOT be WASTED or misused. Most of the kittens he takes into his care will not experience long lives, but their quality of life will be very good. They are not caged; they have full access to Michael's home once they have been acclimated to the new location. Michael will not do the extreme (and expensive) treatments to prolong life that I have seen posted here, but the cats and kittens get access to good food, human and other cat friends, vet care to mantain comfort and manage pain, lots of toys, and love and affection for the time they have left in this world. Here is a little bit of background of my experience. I had my first FeLV positive (confirmed) kitten early this year after 7 years of fostering kittens (over 200 total). It was before I started getting my 2010 bottle babies and I was able to keep Wisp isolated and carefully quarantined until I got her healthy enough to place in a sanctuary. I found Second Chance Meows Sanctuary through this Feline Leukemia yahoo group and was able to make contact with Michael, check a couple of references, then arrange placement for my little tabby girl Wisp with him. My husband and I drove from So. Calif. to Reno, NV on April 1, 2010, met Michael and his family - both human and feline members, and felt comfortable enough to leave Wisp there. He isn't independently wealthy and works hard for his living, but for personal reasons he and his family are dedicated to taking in FeLV positive cats and kittens and giving them a loving home until it is time to cross the rainbow bridge. He doesn't do a lot of extraordinary measures, but he does have several vets who work with him to keep his feline family members as healthy and comfortable as possible for as long as possible. If Wisp had remained at my house, she would have been caged/quarantined 24:7 and would have had NO other kittens to play with. I was able to foster over 80 kittens this year because Michael was willing to take Wisp. A few were short term, but most were with me from rescue to adoption and many were only a few days or weeks old. These kittens probably would have died if I had not been able to provide a safe foster home for them. If I had kept Wisp, I would have had to keep her in a cage away from over 50 climbing, exploring, curious, but vulnerable unvaccinated (for FeLV) kittens. It would not have been safe for the kittens or pleasant for Wisp. I believe I posted about Wisp in Feb or Mar. asking for input and assistance since I was being pressured to euth. her and got quite a few helpful responses to my inquiry. Since April, I have made several donations to Second Chance Meows (one pretty big one when Wisp was delivered) and feel strongly that the money is being well-spent. I recently sent $75 thru the chip-in link. I would have liked to have sent more, but I have several foster kittens with major health/injury issues that I haven't asked my rescue to cover since our donations are down too. Michael called me just a few days ago to let me know that Wisp's liver was failing. She had been healthy and happy for almost 7 months, but had recently shown symptoms that required a vet visit. He did not ask for immediate euth, instead taking her home for hospice so she could cross the Rainbow Bridge surrounded by her family. If I end up with another FeLV confirmed positive kitten again, I would not hesitate to contact Second Chance Meows for possible placement. Michael is limited in the number of cats/kittens he can hospice at any one time but the quality of care he provides to those few he takes in is superb! Georgetta Brickey www.CatsCradleRescue.org ___ Felvtalk mailing list Felvtalk@felineleukemia.org http://felineleukemia.org/mailman/listinfo/felvtalk_felineleukemia.org
[Felvtalk] second chance meows sanctuary
georgetta, what a heart warming story! from what i understand, many if not most rescues never even give a cat who produces a positive result on the first test even a chance to be tested with the confirmation test. in fact many pet owners don't either. with the pet owners it is possible that the vet never even tells them any thing other than their cat has feline leukemia or that their cat tested positive for feline leukemia. the cat owner hasn't a clue that the initial test should be followed by a confimation test. others can't afford to do much more and end up having the cat euthanized. and many who can afford it simply don't want to spend much money on something they consider as "just a cat". with rescues, i can understand them not going further than the first test. i don't necessarily agree with that but i can understand it. however, i feel it was unfair of your fostering friends trying to pressure you into having the kiitten euthanized. i'm sure they meant well but personally i think they were out of line. be proud that you stood your ground and continued to try and find placement for wisp. the odds were stacked against you, it's hard enough to find a good home for any cat or kitten might less one that has felv. but luckily for you and wisp, you beat some pretty tough odds. i would imagine that michael will let you return to visit wisp if you are willing to make the drive now and then. it sounds like he might also keep you updated every so often on wisps condition. sounds like a good deal to me! wisp's life will undoubtedly be cut short but at least it sounds like what time he does have here on earth will be happy with good times with many other kitty friends and wonderful caring human friends. although his time is short, i'm sure he will have had a happier life than what many other less fortunate cats have had, whether they lived a short life or a long life. thanks for sharing an upbeat message and thanks for all the fostering you do and thanks for not giving in and for continuing to try and find good placement for wisp. i just wish more people were like you. best wishes for wisp's future and best wishes to you. i hope that this will be your only experience with any cat diseases and that all of your future foster babies will be healthy. darlene (i hope this doesn't post twice. i sent it earlier but forgot to put in a subject line.) ___ Felvtalk mailing list Felvtalk@felineleukemia.org http://felineleukemia.org/mailman/listinfo/felvtalk_felineleukemia.org
Re: [Felvtalk] Second Chance Meows Sanctuary - THANK YOU!
Thank-you, Georgetta, for sharing this story, for going to the ends of the earth to help Wisp and Michael for giving Wisp a forever home! Happy! -Original Message- From: felvtalk-boun...@felineleukemia.org [mailto:felvtalk-boun...@felineleukemia.org] On Behalf Of G Brickey Sent: Monday, April 12, 2010 5:50 PM To: FeLV List Cc: orphankitt...@yahoogroups.com; feral cats list Subject: [Felvtalk] Second Chance Meows Sanctuary - THANK YOU! Hi list, I just saw a post on the FeLV group list where someone was saying how depressing the posts on the FeLV list could be... I know much of the news seems to be sad, especially when cats pass on, but I wanted to post my heartfelt thanks to Michael and his family at Second Chance Meows for finding a spot in their home for my FeLV+ kitten "Wisp". He responded to my posted plea a few weeks ago about finding a placement for my little 6 month old foster tabby girl who had just gotten her FeLV confirmation - second test. I was being pressured by other fostering friends to euthanize her and was resisting since she was currently so healthy, loving, and playful, except for a tendency toward constipation. I foster many many neonatal kittens each year for a So. Cal. rescue group, so it was imperative for the potential wellbeing and lives of so many other incoming kittens that I find a safe place for Wisp to live so as not unwittingly endanger my other fosters. I had her in the best quarantine I could manage, but everyone knows that kittens are both inquisitive and ingenious... so I knew it could be a big problem when they got to the climbing age. I had contacted a couple of other shelters, but they were just not a good fit for her for various reasons. I had just taken in 5 newborn kittens and was getting pretty desperate when I joined this group and googled for information and discovered Snowball's story. Well, to make a long story short, Michael agreed to take Wisp, and my husband and I, with Wisp in a large wire crate in the back seat, made the long trek from Ventura to Reno, via I-5 - about 9 or 10 hours of driving... some of it behind a snowplow and praying all the time that we could make it through in our old Subaru... without any snowchains onboard...we eventually arrived and Wisp received a warm welcome from Michael and his wife and one of their other FeLV+ cats. We stayed for over an hour and got to meet almost all the other kitties (one was a bit shy and out of sight) and see where Wisp would be living whatever days, months, or years that she will be allowed by her Creator and of course to talk to Michael and his family and watch him expertly assess our kitten. I just had a call from Michael and Wisp is having the time of her life. She doesn't have the run of the whole home yet, but what she does have even right now is one heck of a lot better than a 7 by 3 by 2 foot cage on sawhorses in my livingroom! Michael told us that the bowel issues are resolving and she is looking great and acting very happy. I miss her, but I KNOW this is the most perfect placement I could have found for her... a loving home with other FeLV+ cats she can socialize with and someone who is knowledgeable about FeLV+ and a family that will take care of her for as long as she lives. Thank you from the bottom of my heart - Michael, Char, and family! Sincerely, Georgetta (with 11 neonatal fosters - gotta go feed!) bye for now! _ The New Busy think 9 to 5 is a cute idea. Combine multiple calendars with Hotmail. http://www.windowslive.com/campaign/thenewbusy?tile=multicalendar&ocid=PID28 326::T:WLMTAGL:ON:WL:en-US:WM_HMP:042010_5 ___ Felvtalk mailing list Felvtalk@felineleukemia.org http://felineleukemia.org/mailman/listinfo/felvtalk_felineleukemia.org ___ Felvtalk mailing list Felvtalk@felineleukemia.org http://felineleukemia.org/mailman/listinfo/felvtalk_felineleukemia.org
[Felvtalk] Second Chance Meows Sanctuary - THANK YOU!
Hi list, I just saw a post on the FeLV group list where someone was saying how depressing the posts on the FeLV list could be... I know much of the news seems to be sad, especially when cats pass on, but I wanted to post my heartfelt thanks to Michael and his family at Second Chance Meows for finding a spot in their home for my FeLV+ kitten "Wisp". He responded to my posted plea a few weeks ago about finding a placement for my little 6 month old foster tabby girl who had just gotten her FeLV confirmation - second test. I was being pressured by other fostering friends to euthanize her and was resisting since she was currently so healthy, loving, and playful, except for a tendency toward constipation. I foster many many neonatal kittens each year for a So. Cal. rescue group, so it was imperative for the potential wellbeing and lives of so many other incoming kittens that I find a safe place for Wisp to live so as not unwittingly endanger my other fosters. I had her in the best quarantine I could manage, but everyone knows that kittens are both inquisitive and ingenious... so I knew it could be a big problem when they got to the climbing age. I had contacted a couple of other shelters, but they were just not a good fit for her for various reasons. I had just taken in 5 newborn kittens and was getting pretty desperate when I joined this group and googled for information and discovered Snowball's story. Well, to make a long story short, Michael agreed to take Wisp, and my husband and I, with Wisp in a large wire crate in the back seat, made the long trek from Ventura to Reno, via I-5 - about 9 or 10 hours of driving... some of it behind a snowplow and praying all the time that we could make it through in our old Subaru... without any snowchains onboard...we eventually arrived and Wisp received a warm welcome from Michael and his wife and one of their other FeLV+ cats. We stayed for over an hour and got to meet almost all the other kitties (one was a bit shy and out of sight) and see where Wisp would be living whatever days, months, or years that she will be allowed by her Creator and of course to talk to Michael and his family and watch him expertly assess our kitten. I just had a call from Michael and Wisp is having the time of her life. She doesn't have the run of the whole home yet, but what she does have even right now is one heck of a lot better than a 7 by 3 by 2 foot cage on sawhorses in my livingroom! Michael told us that the bowel issues are resolving and she is looking great and acting very happy. I miss her, but I KNOW this is the most perfect placement I could have found for her... a loving home with other FeLV+ cats she can socialize with and someone who is knowledgeable about FeLV+ and a family that will take care of her for as long as she lives. Thank you from the bottom of my heart - Michael, Char, and family! Sincerely, Georgetta (with 11 neonatal fosters - gotta go feed!) bye for now! _ The New Busy think 9 to 5 is a cute idea. Combine multiple calendars with Hotmail. http://www.windowslive.com/campaign/thenewbusy?tile=multicalendar&ocid=PID28326::T:WLMTAGL:ON:WL:en-US:WM_HMP:042010_5 ___ Felvtalk mailing list Felvtalk@felineleukemia.org http://felineleukemia.org/mailman/listinfo/felvtalk_felineleukemia.org
Re: [Felvtalk] Second Chance Meows
You'll probably hear from Michael very soon. I think he is on this list. But just in case, I am cc'ing him on this email. --- On Thu, 3/25/10, lernermiche...@aol.com wrote: > From: lernermiche...@aol.com > Subject: [Felvtalk] Second Chance Meows > To: felvtalk@felineleukemia.org > Date: Thursday, March 25, 2010, 4:03 PM > > > > Hi. Does anyone know where this sanctuary is, if it's > still in existence (I know they were having financial > difficulties) and how to contact them? My TNR group has an > FeLV+ cat, really great big 2 year old love mush, and have > not been able to place him and don't want to just keep him > in a cage. He is currently being fostered by someone who is > also fostering a bunch of negatives, so he can only get out > of the cage when they are confined. We all know that is not > good for a positive cat. I saw some posts here that Second > Chance Meow is a good place. > > Thanks, > Michelle > > > ___ > Felvtalk mailing list > Felvtalk@felineleukemia.org > http://felineleukemia.org/mailman/listinfo/felvtalk_felineleukemia.org > ___ Felvtalk mailing list Felvtalk@felineleukemia.org http://felineleukemia.org/mailman/listinfo/felvtalk_felineleukemia.org
[Felvtalk] Second Chance Meows
Hi. Does anyone know where this sanctuary is, if it's still in existence (I know they were having financial difficulties) and how to contact them? My TNR group has an FeLV+ cat, really great big 2 year old love mush, and have not been able to place him and don't want to just keep him in a cage. He is currently being fostered by someone who is also fostering a bunch of negatives, so he can only get out of the cage when they are confined. We all know that is not good for a positive cat. I saw some posts here that Second Chance Meow is a good place. Thanks, Michelle ___ Felvtalk mailing list Felvtalk@felineleukemia.org http://felineleukemia.org/mailman/listinfo/felvtalk_felineleukemia.org
