Sweet Romeo Needs Your Love and Help

Romeo, always with tongue out

One of the sweetest cats in our colony is no doubt a black cat named Romeo.  Always gentle. Ready to greet you. And no he is not expecting food. If anything, he is disappointed if you serve food before spending quality time bonding with him, petting him. He is a true gentlecat.  Manners and affection come first. He is loved by all, the volunteers that feed him, the security staff, guests, visitors, and passerbys.   

Romeo as well other Riverfront Cats are now turning 11 years old.  Visibly Romeo is showing signs of illness and pain. His beautiful black cat has turned red. We knew the time would come when they start to age and reach this sad stage of deterioration.

As you can see Romeo is skinny. We can feel the spinal cord. With other healthy cats this is not visible. Also his shiny black coat has dulled and turned red, a sign of deficiency. While his tongue tip sticking out makes him even cuter, the drooling concerns us. Normally this is a sign of oral difficulty.  Upon feeding him dry food, he winces and waits for the moist food.

Romeo looking skinny and his coat turning red

At the vet for his examination, one could see the back teeth were in horrible condition and would need to be extracted. Romeo also has FIV, thus making it harder to fight any infection. We obtained an estimate for dental extractions. Below is a copy of the estimate.

Therefore friends we ask for your help in raising funds to help Romeo.  We have zero funds now during the pandemic.  Our goal is to raise $400 to cover the first visit and the procedure for dental work. Please click here to donate with Paypal or debit/credit card. Or Paypal payments can be sent to info@pawsitivelyhumane.org, our umbrella nonprofit.

There are also two new cats that sadly were dumped in the neighborhood.  So funding is needed for their vet exam and to get the necessary vaccinations, flea/tick treatment and spayed/neutered.  Remember no amount is too small.

As always we welcome donations of cat food. We have never missed a day of feeding. Preferably moist food with lots of gravy. Friskies canned food with gravy is their favorite easy on the teeth.

Thank you all for your generosity.

Stay safe.

National Feral Cat Day- Share Your Story and Photos!

It's National Feral Cat Day!

We are grateful for this day to raise awareness of the ongoing plight of homeless cats.

Recent past years have witnessed improvements in educating the general public about feral cats:

1. Residents taking an interest in helping cats in their own neighborhood by feeding, trapping, fostering, donating, and sharing information on social media.
2. Launch of several Facebook pages for local communities to network, communicate and work as a team to help cats.
3. Municipalities starting TNR programs and offering low-cost or free spay/neuter.  

In showing neighbors what we do, they respond
"It's like a mini National Geographic! Look at that mini black panther ,"says one child.
Love it when that happens! Education working...

Miami may have a high rate of homeless cats, but we are also on the forefront of addressing solutions to reverse this trend.  It's an ongoing challenge. There are good days and bad days.

Christine confident that sudden disappearance of 4 cat is due to poisoning,
she talks one on one with security guard about Florida law and poisoning of animals.

   Through regular education, communication and involvement, we as a city and country continue to make strides.
 

Christine greets Tabitha with a pet

Tabitha does not wait until Christine finishes serving

Add caption

Incoming...

Romeo smells lunch

Romeo dives into his food bowl.

So be sure to share your stories and photos all across social media of any feral cats you care for outdoors or ones that you helped socialize that now live indoors and bring great joy to your family.

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To Rescue a Cat, You Have to be Smart & Creative like a Cat

This injured feral cat with no mobility in hind legs could drag himself with upper body and legs
but here he is losing strength and would not take the bait in the box trap. Time for another solution.

Rescuing an injured cat can pose unique challenges never encountered before. With each rescue we learn new lessons and create or buy tools for the next rescue. To rescue a cat, you have to be smart like a cat and come up with creative spontaneous solutions!

Today I received a call from a friend that his brother found a cat lying in middle of the road unable to move his hind legs. This occurred late night. Then at sunrise the cat had dragged itself to nearby safety, the garden of my friend's apartment complex.  The cat was still alive, breathing, but his hind legs were immobile and twitching intermittently.

Injured feral cat dragged himself to safety during the night.

Fortunately I had purchased a new collapsible drop trap for difficult-to-trap cats.  This orange cat was definitely feral.  Immobile but fierce as his head spun around, fangs glaring, hissing wildly, and front claws ejecting like missiles.  Yes, the drop trap was needed when he showed no signs of taking the bait for the regular drop trap.

Interesting enough, Laurent and I were able to place the drop trap over the cat without a fight. That was easy! But the next part, normally the easy part, proved more difficult.

Normally with a stick we gently provoke the cat to go into the adjoining box trap to transport him. Herein was the problem.  He had no intention of moving.  Perhaps the stress of recent events exhausted him, his energy and will to fight were waning.  We tried to lift the trap and thought perhaps we could push him into box trap. The cat said NO! Fangs, claws, hissing were activated.

A drop trap was placed over this feral cat that could not move his hind legs

I turned to social media in hopes other rescue groups could offer suggestions.  But at 2pm on a weekday, most people were at work and activity was low on Facebook.  Then Laurent came up with a logical solution.  A pole with noose used to control rabid stray dogs might work here. A medical firefighter crew were arriving to help a distressed resident. We asked if they had this noose. They said no and suggested we call Animal Control. So I did but it would take two hours for them to arrive. Two hours is an eternity when an animal is in pain and suffering.  I turned to Laurent and suggested he must have items around his apartment to make one.  As Laurent went inside, I continued to provide updates and answer PMs and comments on Facebook. Word was circulating. But no one had solutions to our dilemma.  Sure enough Laurent returned with a pole, a computer cable, wire hanger, duct tape and pliers.  In less than ten minutes he created the noose.  But would it work?

Homemade contraption- resizeable noose

Old cleaning rod, computer cable, metal hangar and duct tape

Opening the slant end of the box trop, Laurent reached down the trap, into the drop trap and in one attempt gently wrapped the noose around the cat.  His claws clenching to the ground, he did not, could not fight back. Laurent gently tightened the noose enough to slowly drag the cat a few inches into the drop trap. IT WORKED! Brilliant! Absolutely brilliant! Two heads are better than one sexy cat lady's head!

Cat holds onto cage with claws after being dragged into trap.

The cat readily ate the moist Friskies chicken and salmon with gravy. Poor kitty was hungry.

Poor cat was hungry. Notice he doesn't even use his front legs to position his mouth over the can.
His energy and strength are declining.

To learn more about what happened to the cat at the vet, read the continuation by clicking here.

So now my emergency cat lady rescue kit continues to grow.  My next purchase is a fishing net. As I walk around my neighborhood I am discovering other animals that need help. Including ducks. Yes in downtown Miami, the heart of the city, we have a jungle--chickens, hens, roosters, iguanas, raccoon, ducks...A fishing net is definitely useful for catching kittens, and now for birds and ducks. So one of these days I'll drive outside of the city to a sportmans store. I envision Tim the Toolman greeting me at the door.  Field trip!

If you ever get a call or see an injured animal, look around your home for these items so you are fully prepared to help the animal or pet to delay the suffering. The collapsible trap is great for all kinds of animals--cats, kittens, small dogs, birds, ducks, raccoons...

CAT RESCUE SUPPLIES

[Click here to see my video]
Tomahawk collapsible drop trap (purchased on Amazon) - $115
Tomahawk, double handle box trap
Pet carrier, medium size
Fishing net with handle
Wire cutters (for cutting fencing or barbed wire)
Duct tape
Gloves (I have rubber gloves for grip. Thick Playtex kitchen gloves)
Scissors
Pliers
Towels, old ones
Paper towels
Wet wipes
Moist and dry cat food
Paper bowls
Plastic bags (large ones to place under the trap in your car; small ones for trash)
Camera

Feel free to ask questions by leaving a comment below!

*** IMPORTANT ***

 PLEASE KNOW WE DO NOT PROVIDE REGULAR RESCUE SERVICE. 

At Pawsitively Humane/Riverfront Cats we manage and care for a colony of cats. This posting serves to provide education and guidance on how you can help your community. We do not have a facility, only a small group of volunteers to help manage the Riverfront Cats.

 If you need assistance with a stray, feral or injured cat, please search for local groups on Facebook. Many residents form online groups to help one another. Animal control will come out if there is injured or dead animal but most likely the animal will be put to sleep. If you and/or neighbors and concerned residents want to financially contribute to vet costs to determine if injuries are minor or fatal in the event the cat can live, then it's best to jump into action yourself and seek support from neighbors and local residents.

Good Luck!

Riverfront Cats Receives its First Award!!

by Christine Michaels

In the world of homeless pets and pet rescue and welfare, bad news often outweighs the positive.   But Saturday night was one of those rare moments, a surprise.  Life is full of surprises.

This past week I attended the BlogPaws conference in Nashville, Tennessee, a social media conference for pet bloggers. Saturday night was the final evening and award ceremony. While I've sat through scores of award banquets, this one was different. For 20 plus years of my adult life, I've listened and watched as friends, colleagues, and strangers are announced the winners for an achievement in their work, or school or sport and  take the stage and accept their award. Some times I'll shed a tear or two of joy, even for complete strangers, moved by their story. This night was different that sent shock waves. My name and Riverfront Cats was announced as the winner of an award. 

Harrison Forbes ( Pet Talk host) & Christine Michaels

Best Use of Social Media by a Nonprofit Organization

Facebook Auction for Rogér, the Miami Le Chat Noir

My body was shaking as I stood at the podium. I have no fear of public speaking as I do it every week quite comfortably and for many years.  I was in shock to be named the winner.  Given the company I shared in this category, I did not expect to win. When you least expect it, life is full of surprises. And one pleasant surprise can uplift years of painstaking work  My blog is directly related to a cause.

Christine in shock during acceptance speech

The award was specific to a Facebook auction (the use of social media) we held for a black cat that suffered a slashed throat and dislocated jaw.  This cat looks exactly like the famous French poster, Le Chat Noir. So we gave him an American name with a French accent, Rogér. The vet bill was avalanching, approaching $4,000.  At the time, I was speaking to a friend and fellow cat blogger, Tamar from I Have Cat, and we brainstormed on fundraising ideas.  Thus the idea was born for a fun auction before Christmas time with cute and unique cat products.  While it was a lot of work, it was fun observing the heated but friendly competition as cat lovers outbid each other for an cat-auction item all for a good cause.

Poster on left, Rogér on right

This is what BlogPaws is about--connecting pet bloggers, pet guardians, pet experts (speakers, trainers, veterinarians) from across the country, to improve the welfare of all pets by sharing knowledge, studies and stories.  The body of knowledge surrounding health and behavior of pets is still evolving. Teamwork makes a difference!

While this award is not the Nobel Peace prize, in my world, I bring peace to a world of homeless cats and to a community to learn to understand and appreciate that these harmless creatures want to live in harmony with people and nature. As a hands-on volunteer and pet blogger, I am proud of the work I have undertaken for the past six years to make a difference for the welfare of feral and abandoned cats. The physical labor and the mental work in raising awareness, educating residents and communities and caring for the stray cats is no walk in the park. It's often painstaking and heartbreaking but we forge ahead. I AM an optimist. This is no small award. This is a major milestone.
 

Christine on red carpet after receiving award

This award gives me closure to every community cat that has suffered an injury or died.
This award gives me continued motivation and strength to do battle and enlighten closed minds.
This award gives me hope that we can reverse the rate of homeless cats and pets.

Congratulations to my fellow nominees and the winners.  I'm honored to be in your company!

THANK YOU

Thank you to those who took the time to nominate me. Thank you BlogPaws for the recognition!
Thank you Sabrina Vega and Mollie Smith for your generosity of time and spirit in feeding and caring for the Riverfront Cats. Thank you Deb Barnes for your friendship, role model as a gifted writer, and for serving on our board of directors. Special thanks to Tamar Arslanian for your friendship, endless creativity, and genuine heart-- you are always giving, willing to help those in dire need.  This auction would not have happened without you! Thank you MOM for instilling  in me that I can accomplish anything I set my mind to. You are the perfect example! And to the biggest hero of all, Thank you Karen Payne, for your tireless devotion and sacrifice in caring for Rogér during this recuperation until we find him a permanent home!!!

Stay tuned for a writeup regarding the adventures of the entire BlogPaws experience in Nashville, TN! 

Be sure to follow our umbrella nonprofit organization, PAWSITIVELY HUMANE, Inc.
www.pawsitivelyhumane.org
www.facebook.com/PawsitivelyHumane
www.twitter.com/SaveOurPaws
 

Throwback Thursday- Helio when he was named Cinderella

This is Helio, the fourth Riverfront kitten we rescued six years ago. We thought this kitten was a female and named it Cinderella. Upon learning kitten was male we renamed him after race car driver Helio Castroneves.  He was the fastest kitty of the ten rescue kittens that zoomed up and down the condo hallway. This is him propping his chin with his paw.  No photoshop was used! 



Helio November 2012

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Update on Our Very Ill Queenie

Our sweet but very ill Queenie is still on multiple medications and Hills Prescription G/I canned food to help her get well. The good news is she is eating and she is able to hold down her food. However, the vet is recommending an Ultrasound ($390) to help diagnose the issue. It might be a partial obstruction or another cause. Until the ultrasound is not done there is no way to know what is causing her illness.

Queenie is hanging in there, being the fighter she is. Check her new pictures below

"Will I get better soon?"

"I know I look a mess;  I want to live. Will you help me get better? "

"I just want to go back being the healthy Kittie I was"

Here is a short video of Queenie:

 

She still has life ahead of her to enjoy the new comforts that her foster home brings - a warm soft bed, fresh, clean water and nutritious food every day. For this reason, we are asking our animal-loving friends to donate ANY amount - large or small, everything helps - so we can give Queenie an Ultrasound as quickly as possible and post updates on her progress.

WAYS TO DONATE:
1. Donate online with major credit card or PayPal using the Paypal DONATE button to the right.
2. Mail a check to Pawsitively Humane or Riverfront Cats (contact us for address riverfrontcats@yahoo.com.

Charlie's New Home in Abu Dhabi

by Christine Michaels

And so we continue Charlie's magic carpet ride to Abu Dhabi, a series of posts that follows the journey of Charlie, a once abandoned cat in downtown Miami, and the exemplary steps by his pet guardians to ensure his safe transport to their new home in the Middle East. We left off in part two where Charlie was settling in the AVC Cattery.

Nina, his mother, visited Charlie daily as the cattery was located a few blocks from the hotel where Nina and Felipe resided until they found a permanent home. When I asked Nina about the staff and care of the cats in Abu Dhabi, her response was "Tony, the man in the photo below of Indian descent, has two cats of his own and he's really a cat lover. He and his staff check on the cats several times a day. They ensure the cats eat their food, and if not, then they switch their food to a brand the guardians have pre-approved. The cats are also weighed daily. The staff pet the cats and talk to them, it's amazing."

Tony with a client cat

Charlie resting on higher level in his three- story cage

Turns out Charlie took comfort in the over-sized but private compartments in the cattery.  So much so he met a feline named Belle and fell in love during his exploration time. That was fast! They sniffed, rubbed noses and purred. Perhaps his middle name should be anointed "Casanova".

The time came to move to their new condo. Like all cats, new surroundings generate consternation, like exposing oneself. Charlie searched frantically for a place to hide in a room piled with boxes. Let the Musical Hiding Game begin! First there was the oven...

"This is no good, they can see me!"

 Then he scrambled inside the dishwasher...

"Better but uncomfortable"

 And of course a favorite--the clothes closet.

"Ok--familiar scent, looks like a closet but it's not the Miami closet"

With time and at his own pace, Charlie explored his new home. (This is important during the transition to a new home. Never force a cat to come out from hiding or to lay on the sofa or on your lap. Your cat will know when the time is right.)

"Hmm I wonder what's there?"

"Will I fit here to hide?"

"That shelf is looking mighty purrfect for me to hide"

And finally, something familiar--a chair. When the furniture arrived from their home in Miami, Nina unwrapped the tall chairs and Charlie jumped with glee. "This has my scent! And my mommy and daddy's scent and our other home..."

Charlie napping in the living room on his favorite chair.
(He's also not hiding anymore)

Then there was the question of exercise.  Charlie used to jump on the bed and desk and office chair back in Miami. But with minimal furniture, Nina and Felipe were concerned that Charlie was lacking exercise. They were right. But the solution was an easy one. They purchased LACK shelves from the local IKEA. This accomplished two goals--maintaining a modern theme and ensuring Charlie had plenty of vertical space for exercise. Cat furniture is very limited in UAE so thankfully there was a familiar store.

Charlie inside IKEA bag

(Charlie napping on tall chair)
Shelves on wall are for Charlie's climbing pleasure

Charlie sitting on Nina's lap in new condo in Abu Dhabi

Charlie is bored with his new view--construction boom in Abu Dhabi

We are thrilled to share this story of Charlie's rescue and adoption and his big move half way around the world. It's a fine example of responsible pet parenting. Nina and Felipe spared no expense in ensuring the safe transport of their newest family addition. They took the time to do their homework, cross checking with officials and vets both in the US and UAE. 

But this is not the end of Charlie's story just this chapter. We will continue to provide updates on Charlie and eventually Riverfront Cats will celebrate this special adoption story with our Rags to Riches Contest. Stay tuned!

A story about an abandoned cat named Charlie

by Christine Michaels

This is a story about a cat named Charlie that was dumped in the neighborhood (please know this is illegal and hidden cameras are now installed). But this posting is just the beginning and will warm the cockles of your heart.

When taking care of outdoor community cats, new cats appear. Where do they come from? Some newcomers are from the area and dead end at our community which stops at the river (I've never seen a cat cross the bridge) while others are sadly dumped. Sometimes the cats move on, some persevere perhaps due to hunger, and withstand cat fights from the territorial Riverfront cats and linger for food and eventually a safe resting place.

 Last November, while feeding the Riverfront cats, the outdoor security guard mentioned he saw a new cat. "Oh no," I thought. It's been awhile since we've encountered new cats. Was he or she passing by or was this cat dumped here? We learned the answer to that question later. More importantly, was it spayed/neutered?

When I spotted the new kitty, I gingerly placed a bowl of moist canned food along with a bowl of room temperature cat milk (my secret weapon to earn a cat's trust).  It worked! Soon enough he jumped on the ledge at station 3 (we have 4 stations) that I could identify hanging testicles--yup he's a boy! And unneutered.  In the meantime, from his round child-like inquisitive face, we anointed him the name Charlie Brown. But we call him Charlie for short.

After a few more feedings at station 3 Charlie ran up to me uninhibited to pet him! That feeling of earning the trust of a once-scared animal  is so profound. It's a combination of joy and falling in love. I couldn't stop smiling and talking and...dare I admit it?  Baby talk!  He was a new bundle of joy ready to accept me as his caretaker. Now this happened in January of this year.

Charlie was a lovebug with all the volunteers. He absolutely loved to be petted. It was a merry-go-round of rubbing against my legs while I scratched his head and down his back and he circled around me to repeat the process. Clearly he was around people before and was most likely someone's pet. How can people be so cruel? Did they know dumping a pet or stray animal is illegal in most states? Yes even for ferals and strays.  New surroundings are terrifying for a cat that they instinctively run away in search of "home" and encounter dangers and injuries.  Thankfully Charlie stayed in the area.

Then around March we finally had him neutered. Since he wasn't feral it was easy to scoop him up and place him in a pet carrier. But my heart and mind weighed heavily about releasing him back outside. Would he adapt to the indoors? Not all affectionate outdoor cats do. Finding him a home would also take incredible investment of time. I prayed for guidance and a miracle.



Charlie stepping out of his carrier for first time
after getting neutered. (March 2012)

Nina was our newest cat-feeding volunteer and absolutely loved cats. But her husband Felipe made it very clear they were not ready for the responsibility of a pet. He's absolutely right. Pets need regular care, and attention to exercise and social development and well being, even cats. Nina and Felipe were college sweethearts and a newlywed couple. I admired their maturity and levelheadedness for their age. They also enjoyed traveling on weekends especially since Felipe worked for an airline.  I asked Nina if she would be interested in fostering Charlie until I found him a home. After discussing the matter with Felipe, they agreed. Whew! Then the sweet turned to sour.  Nina and Felipe were moving. Not just anywhere but out of the country in less than two months. No time to stress out.

Automatically, I shifted into high gear with the goal to find him a permanent home before they moved. I asked Nina to take photos of Charlie in a home environment. Finding homes for adult cats is extremely difficult. Photos and a well-written story are critical. But Charlie had two advantages. For an adult cat he was small. At least he was a year old (I noticed cats still grow and peak at two years of age).  Secondly he had the cutest, shortest ears  that moved like insect antennas. At first Facebook cat owners commented that he might be a British curl. But alas...it turns out he had an ear infection that his ears never fully developed.  It simply added to his charm.



Charlie's "antenna ears"


Just as I sat down at my desk with the determined task to draft Charlie's compelling story to place ads in Craiglist and Facebook, I checked emails and there it was. A miracle.  Nina had shared that she and Felipe fell madly inlove with Charlie and wanted to keep him. After coming out of his shy shell, in two days he was nestled in between them on the sofa. Charlie loves cozy beds and to cuddle and belly rubs.

Nina asked if I found him a home. (Oh gosh no). They wanted to keep him and start making plans to transport him abroad. While Nina is from France and Felipe from Colombia, I assumed they were moving to South America or Europe. Wrong! The family of three were not just moving out of the country but about to embark on an adventure of a lifetime--they were moving to Abu Dhabi of the United Arab Emirates! Oh my Bast!!! (goddess of ancient Egypt--she was a black cat the people worshipped). Felipe is a financial analyst and was recruited to work for their airline. Oh to be that age and move easily and explore the world.


Nina leans over to kiss Charlie.
He loves to cuddle on sofa next to his
mommy for belly rubs and nose kisses.

 Mixed emotions --joy and sadness--overcame me. Then a flood of questions: will he have to fly cargo? That's dangerous for pets for such a long journey. Is there a quarantine period? What is life like for pet owners in UAE? Is there an epidemic of homeless pets there too? And the cost to transport? Money didn't matter. To Nina and Felipe, Charlie wasn't just a pet, he was their baby. "You do whatever you have to ensure their well being," shares Nina. If only I could replay this scene to people dropping off their pets at the high kill animal shelter.  This was a miracle. Even Felipe said "The person who dumped him missed out on something very special." To hear Felipe talk to Charlie in baby talk my with diminutive "ito" suffixes for every other word, my heart did back flips.

Charlie's story is one to revel in for these victories are minimal compared to the hardships and let downs of the rescue world. Charlie is the luckiest cat in the world to be adopted by Nina and Felipe. They are truly a family. 

We have learned so much about transporting pets to the Middle East and future postings will chronicle Charlie's journey from the travel preparations, to the flight, his arrival and future home.  Are you ready for a magic carpet ride? Leave a comment below!

Click here for Part Two.