Sugar Bear Tabby with Bad Eye Saved from Streets, Needs a Home

Tabby stray cat with bad eye improving.
Such a sweet face!

Hello cat lovers,

Here is our latest rescue. His name is simply Tabby. Why? Well because he is part of outdoor colony that was fed nightly by resident volunteers in downtown Miami. They noticed his bad eye and took him in to vet for treatment.

Tabby's left eye looks murky

Tabby chillin' in pet carrier on way to vet.
This is no ordinary cat!

This sugar bear has a bad case of conjunctivitis and eye inflammation. The good news- with daily drops it is stabilized.  Therefore he can not return to the streets.

Vet examining bad eye

While many outdoor cats have difficulty adjusting to indoors or would experience great stress at visiting a vet, not this Tabby! Amazingly he is mellow through it all. Enjoying the clean soft blanket, the regular food, the soothing voices and lots of affection.  Oh does he love affection. The videos and photos are proof.

Tabby ready to take a nap waiting for the vet. Why not?

So we are on a mission to find him a home.  Tabby is middle aged about 5-6 years old.  Neutered. Fully vaccinated. He tested positive for FIV, and negative for FeLV.  Parasite-free. Tabby is also excellent with other dogs and cats.

Tabby sleeping soundly on bed of foster guardian.

FIV (Feline Aids) is not a death warrant.  Cats with FIV can live with other cats safely. He has some minor dental issues, but no long term health issues. He needs a proper indoor home to monitor his eye issues and keep him healthy.

Still purring after the vet. Amazing!

This is great pet for adoption. With middle age cats you already know their personality. He's mellow yellow. A "sugar bear" as evident in all the photos and videos. Welcomes sleeping with his guardian. Gets along with everyone and every pet.

A followup visit after one week.
Tabby's eye is looking a lot better.

To meet Tabby please call or text Sabrina at 1-786-554-0084. (Downtown Miami). Let her know you saw this posting on Riverfront Cats website.

If you are not able to adopt Tabby, but would like to help, please share this information with friends via email or social media or word of mouth. Or donations are welcome to cover the vet bill. He still has another follow-up visit, the third vet visit.

Feel free to make a donation of any amount. Our umbrella organization is Pawsitively Humane.

Vet Bill

Click on mobile version of this site to get the right column and click DONATE.


Thank you for sharing.
Thank you for caring.
Thank you for making a difference in the lives of homeless, voiceless cats and our community!

Lesson in Socializing Feral Cats

As a cat rescuer and one who has worked with all ranges of feral kittens and cats, I was reminded of an important lesson recently, not all cats are the same when socializing them. Going from strictly outdoors to indoors does not always work. Transition is key.

 Living in the city and as witness to the dangers, risks and tragedies for cats to live or have access to the outdoors, we encourage cat owners to keep their cats strictly indoors if possible. Along the same lines, when we bring in a feral cat or kitten, socializing is key so the cat has a chance of getting adopted. However, socializing a feral cat strictly indoors does not always work. Often times, life is not perfect and we have to follow their cues.

One day while jogging by my supermarket I saw a small black kitten. I immediately raced home and drove back with my catmobile. (Ok it's just a regular car with my cat rescue supplies in the trunk). I set the trap and went inside the supermarket to do my grocery shopping. Upon checking the trap after my grocery purchase, inside was a stunning, all white older kitten, a teenager, most likely 9-10 months old.

Zsa Zsa dropped off to get spayed

Well, I thought she's still young where there is a chance to socialize her so I decided to keep her indoors and not release her. Next day she was spayed and I kept her in my master shower (like a large closet) to recuperate. The master shower is also known as the cat intake room.  It's a lovely shower with glass wall and door so I can see through to observe their behavior, temperament, sleeping pattern, and energy levels. Plenty of room to move around and have a large litter box.

But after several days of tasty cat food, cat milk, water, luxurious soft bedding inside the carrier, me sitting in corner talking softly and leaving more delicious food, Zsa Zsa was not the slightest at ease or warming up.  She still hissed and tried to scratch me when my hand got near so she could sniff it. However, when any one of my cats walked in to peer through the glass walls, she cried. She wanted to be with them. My heart was breaking.  The shower was a sterile, cold jail cell for her.  Zsa Zsa was increasingly unhappy.

I was going to release her outdoors but in sharing the update with a new volunteer, Deborah mentioned she had great success in socializing cats.  What did she do differently?  At first Deborah kept Zsa Zsa inside a catio playpen indoors. But that bared no different results than my attempt. Zsa Zsa yearned to be with other cats, or free like them and was still feral. There was only one solution left.  Release her in the backyard with the other feral cats. 

Zsa Zsa finds comfort in the shade of the bushes

With nothing to lose, only to gain, Deborah let Zsa Zsa loose in her gated backyard.  We held our breath for hours, expecting the worst. Yet it turned out brilliantly. Better than we could have hoped for. You see Deborah has a home with backyard and a cat window. Instead of a doggy door, she has a cat window. Cats come in and out.  For several days Zsa Zsa remained in the yard, thankfully, and still came to eat and drink at the designated bowls set outside.  She seemed relieved. It did not take long for her to use the cat window.  Soon Zsa Zsa was nestling on the sofa, in a box and finally to crown it all--Deborah could pet her!

Zsa Zsa loves the outdoors

Of course finding an adopter with a similar set up would be very challenging. But Deborah fell in love with her foster kitty.  Zsa Zsa is stunning and that test of love and patience has created a bond that is unbearable to break.

Zsa Zsa lounging indoor as her guardian plays with her using feather wand

The lesson: Like people, and other living creatures, cats also, depending on their personality and surroundings, have their own way to transition and adapt to a new environment. Don't give up so easily. There is always a solution if you are willing to be patient and diligently find it.

Feral & Stray Cat Fundraiser & Prize Giveaway!

Sinbad, licking his lips after yummy dinner.
He may live outdoors but he's well taken care of by dedicated volunteers.

The most important day of the year is here- National FERAL Cat Day!!
(October 16, 2015).

In the past we had fun dressing in costume, and making hilarious music videos all in an effort to raise awareness about the most misunderstood cat--the community, feral cat.

 But this year it's a serious matter.  With kitten season over and the burgeoning of homeless cats, we uncovered other colonies.  In a recent challenge to rescue kittens from several old homes to be demolished to make way for shiny skyscrapers in the heart of downtown Miami, we discovered an established colony of cats.  Some quite old with injuries and illness, other cats were teenagers or younger.

At first we counted 10, then 20, 30..."Houston we have a problem in Miami".  It's time to get in the trenches and fight this battle.  Time to TNR and build new shelters!

But we need funding to spay/neuter 30+ cats and treat any cats for injuries and/or illness--mange, cuts, infections... We also ensure that during construction, the cats are safe and accounted for every evening at feeding time.  Construction sites are dangerous for kittens. We've encountered too many horrific accidents. But it's nearly impossible to relocate feral cats. It's best for them to stay in the neighborhood to minimize danger and injury.  We build shelters and place them nearby (if possible) so mama cats have a safe place to receive food for kittens when volunteers come around.

No cat should suffer, even community, stray and feral cats!

Artemis thrives in the outdoors but she has mange.
It can be treated with your help.
She also needs to get spayed.

 So it's that time again to raise funds and we have not asked for monies since last year--that's a very long time!!! We need to raise at least $700.  For some human cat nip, we are giving away a Cat Prize Pack worth over $200!  For every donation, you will automatically be entered in our drawing to win this prize package for you and your cats!

Prize Pack (Cat not included)

Cat Prize Pack- Valued $220

Martha Stewart cat food jar and matching feeding bowls
Drinkwell water filter
Bubbles
Litter Scooper
Furminator for long hair cat
Book- The Chronicles of Zee & Zoey
Book - Purr Prints of the Heart

One of several house scheduled for demolition

Christine feeds one of the colony cats in downtown Miami

Truck for wrecking crew

First house demolished

Rescued from empty home scheduled for demolition

Scared kittens, rescued from demolition

Christine pets Tabitha, a friendly stray.

No Amount is too SMALL! 

Please use the widget on right column or click on DONATE NOW button.  Contest open to anyone on Planet Earth! Be sure to leave an email address to be entered into the drawing. Contest ends on Wednesday, Oct 28 at 11pm PST. Winner will be selected October 31. Winner will have 48 hours to confirm otherwise another winner will be selected. 

Thank you for caring! Thank you for making a difference for the most misunderstood cats!