February 28, 2014

Finn is enjoying his warm room and bed on this cold, sunny day in New England.  I thought you may enjoy seeing this short video of Finn as he finished his lunch and decided it was time for a short nap.

We plan on introducing Finn to our other cats slowly and under close supervision.  Since we know very little about his past life, we want to see if he is comfortable with other cats.  We will bring Ginger, our beautiful calico girl, in to meet him first.  Will let you know how the meeting goes.

In the meantime, we are preparing for adoption day at the shelter.  POA is open on Saturdays from 10:30 to 4:00 for adoptions.  One of our kitties currently available for adoption is also a special needs cat.  Her name is April and she is a lovely little lady.  April has a neurological impairment that causes her to be slow and deliberate in her movements.  She has experienced a few seizures, but does not need any medication right now - just monitoring.  Playful, curious, and friendly, April has lots of love to share.  If you, or anyone who know, is ready to add a special needs cat to your family, please contact us at Protectors of Animals in East Hartford, CT.  Here is a short video of April...isn't she sweet?

February 26, 2014

This was a big day for Finn!  We had a follow-up visit with the vet who cared for Finn when the Animal Control Officer brought him in for treatment.  The doc was very happy to see Finn (Finn is an exceptionally sweet cat and all the staff fell in love with him) and shared some details about Finn's history. The ACO received a phone call from someone who found Finn limping and thought he had been hit by a car.  It appears that Finn was someone's pet.  He never received adequate nutrition and the lack of taurine in his diet ultimately caused him to lose his sight.  Malnutrition also caused the hollow pockets in his bones. Some of you have asked about the shaved area on Finn's back.  His coat was so matted and he was covered with so many fleas that he was shaved by the vet techs.  This way the mats were removed and he could be treated for fleas. The doctor feels that Finn was fed either table scraps or dog food which do not provide proper nutrition for cats.  While his muscles will become stronger, nothing can be done about his limb deformities.  With proper nutrition he may regain some sight - maybe only shadows.  He will see a specialist when he becomes stronger. He has gained 1/2 pound in the two weeks he has been with us and may be ready for his neutering surgery in about four weeks. Finn's trip in the car was stressful to him and he protested loudly.  On the way home, I held his carrier in my lap (my husband was driving) and he surprised me by rolling over on his back and talking loudly all the way home.

Needless to say, Finn was very happy to be home and had a little play time with his favorite mouse before dozing off.

February 20,2014

Finn after supper - ready for a nap.

Yesterday was a milestone day for Finn!  He was so weak until yesterday that he was unable to stand when he had to poop.  His legs were just not strong enough and he had to lay on his side in his litter box. Yesterday he stood in his box to poop!  This makes it so much easier for him to keep himself clean.  He is making great progress in finding and using his litter box and in finding his food and water dishes.  We are trying very hard to always keep things in the same place.  We have also placed mats with different textures under his dishes and his litter box.  This way he can feel when he is getting close to items.  He is beginning to show some interest in his toys, but his favorite pastime is snuggling with humans and purring loudly.  Giving little kisses to whoever is holding him is also one of his talents.  I will be scheduling a follow-up visit with the vet next week.  He will go to the same vet that the West Hartford Animal Control Officer used.  That practice has many vet specialists and they can give us the best treatment options for him and help us to monitor his progress.  Of course, as soon as he is stronger we will make plans to have him neutered.  After his follow-up visit at the local vet, we will schedule an appointment with the vet eye specialist in MA.  Each and every day Finn is growing stronger.  Finn is not yet ready for adoption, but there are several special needs cats in our shelter who are ready to find their forever homes right now.  Take a look at these special kitties on our website.

February 18, 2014

It is another snowy day in the winter wonderland known as Connecticut.  Of course, Finn is not the least bit concerned about the weather.  He is happily settled down in his bed after enjoying a hearty noon meal.  I thought I would take this opportunity to answer some questions about Finn.

• What is Finn eating? - He is eating Blue Buffalo Wilderness dry food and Blue Buffalo Chicken and Turkey canned food.  In addition to this, he is getting some Honest Kitchen Grace food.  This is a highly nutritious food, but is an acquired taste.  I sprinkle it on his canned food.  He eats four times a day.
• Does he use his litter box? - He tries very hard to find his litter box, but has had some accidents.  We are trying different size boxes and different places for the box.  I put him in his box several times a day.  
• What is his personality? - He is very sweet and affectionate and loves to snuggle.  As soon as he hears a voice he starts purring and is always happy to be brushed or petted.
• Is he playful? - I found him playing with a stuffed mouse one morning.  I believe that he will be more playful as he becomes stronger and more confident.  
• Is he good with other cats? - Finn is in his his own room right now and has had no interaction with our other three cats.  We want him to be comfortable in his surroundings before introducing him to our other cats.  Two of our cats (Fred & Ginger) have limb deformities also.
• Does he get along with small dogs? - I can't answer this because we have no dogs at this time.  He would do best in a quiet home.

  

  Checking out his new digs.

Monday, February 17, 2014

Finn with his favorite mouse!

A long winter's nap.

Finn comes home!

Finn arrived home on Tuesday, February 11.  He had spent several days at a local vet after being found by the Animal Control Officer in West Hartford.  Finn received excellent care while at the vet.
His first task was to take a long nap with my husband while they both recovered from their long day.  He was only interested in eating dry cat food out of my hand the first few days, but soon was able to stand and eat out of his bowl.  He is now able to find his food and water on his own.  Of course, one of his favorite pastimes is napping in one of his beds and snuggling with his mouse.  Finn is learning to use his litter box (after a few mishaps and many adjustments on our part).  He is an extremely affectionate cat who starts to purr as soon as he hears a voice.  Our plan is to continue to feed him a high quality food (supplemented by vitamins) until he is strong enough to be neutered.  He will also be seen by a specialist for evaluation of his eyesight.  We will keep all of you posted.  He is gaining strength every day and we are excited to see what tomorrow will bring!

Eating from his bowl.

Eating from my hand.







Finn's entry on Facebook.

Welcome Finn Fans!  We have decided that the best way to keep you updated about Finn and his progress would be to set up a blog.  We want to tell you Finn's story and of course, the best way to tell a story is to start at the very beginning.....

 02/06/14: West Hartford Animal Control, CT posted on Facebook.

Meet "Finn" our newest edition. He was found on the side of the road by a resident. It was believed that he had been hit by a car. Upon examination by our veterinarian, it was determined that Finn wasn't hit by a car. Finn has a nutritional deficiency that caused his legs to slope and loose his eyesight. The bones in his front legs are filled with hollow pockets from poor nutrition. Finn's problems are because he was neglected. He wasn't given the proper food and nutrients in his life. When he was turned over to us, he was emaciated and was covered in flea dirt. He has only been with us for a few days but has shown much improvement. He knows to use the litter box. When he is unsure or scared he will let you know by voicing his concern. Finn is approximately 2.5 years old. He tested negative for Feline Aids and Leukemia. He is a sweetie that loves to to be petted. Please give us a call if you are interested in adoption. This guy is a real special kitty. 

And we thought so too.....This was one of the first messages that went out to volunteers!

02/11/14

We at POA decided to take Finn and our awesome volunteer Janette was ready to foster him. 

After Finn had his blood work done, Janette picked him up.   He is still very frail and cannot be neutered yet.  His eyes appear to be starting to focus and JoAnn, our meds team leader says that we can take him to the eye specialist in Massachusetts when Finn is stronger. While Finn finds his strength, he will do so in the care of our wonderful volunteer, Janette.

So we find Finn at the end of this first post with his medical needs starting to be met and the certainty of wonderful care and unconditional love immediately established.  Onward and upward is what lies ahead of Finn now.  It will be a long road but we hope that you will follow Finn and us along on this journey of healing, hope and heart.  Until our next post, keep Finn in your thoughts and hearts.