Cat Toy Tuesday 10

Today's Cat Toy Tuesday is the fish! (or the one-eyed fish in my case)

My mom actually got the fish for her kitten's from Drs Foster and Smith. When it came it was missing an eye so she called the company and they sent her another one for free and let her keep the one-eyed one. So of course I had to rescue the poor one-eyed fish!

The fish is super cute and has a soft pad on the inside. Killian likes to lay in it but he also like to play climbing all over it! 

The Humane Society of Indianapolis

Today I am going to talk about the lovely organization I foster for, The Humane Society of Indianapolis. 

So I first started working with HSI this past summer for my vet tech externship, but I first discovered them my sophomore year. I was already researching potential externship oppurtunities my sophomore year (the externship takes place the summer before senior year). I always had interest in shelter medicine so I did research on various shelters. I came across a lot, but HSI really stuck out for me. They became my first choice and I got it! 

The Shelter is so Welcoming!

What really drew me to HSI in the first place is their mission. I really liked that they focused on all the aspects necessary to provide good welfare and increase quality of life to all animals including medical treatment, behavior training, and of course fostering. 

"OUR VISION: 
All central Indiana animals are treated with dignity and respect and live free from cruelty, harm and neglect.

OUR MISSION:
The Humane Society of Indianapolis is the leading voice for the welfare of animals and improving their quality of life. IndyHumane is the first choice in providing direct services for shelter cats and dogs, including adoption, foster home placement, behavior training, appropriate medical care, and affordable spay/neuter services. As the voice for the animals, IndyHumane brings together like-minded, animal-focused individuals and groups to educate the public about animal welfare issues and concerns. For over 100 years, it’s all about the animals."
-From the IndyHumane Website http://indyhumane.org/index.php/about_us/vision

Once I met the people at HSI I loved it even more.  They absolultely live by their mission. Everyone there is truly passionate about the work they do. They always give 110% to every animal. To them it doesn't matter where they came from, it's about their potential and giving them the best life possible. I have seen them take some animals that would be considered "unadoptable" or "a hopeless case" and get them completely turned around and adopted into lovely forever homes. They strive to give all animals a fighting chance. 

HSI also works to help the community through community outreach and education. They offer a low cost vaccine clinic and low cost spay/neuter surgeries. There is even a special program for community cats and TNR. 

IndyHumane has 2 Locations; One is the Main Shelter Campus and the Other is the Animal Welfare Center. The Animal Welfare Center Offers Services Such as Low Cost Spay/Neuter, Community Cat Packages, Low Cost Vaccine/Wellness, and Community Outreach. 

Just like all rescues/shelters, IndyHumane cannot do all of this alone. They rely on donations, volunteers, and foster parents to help them succeed. So, if you are looking for somewhere to volunteer, donate, foster, or adopt I highly recommend Indy Humane. I cannot say enough good things about the organization and the people that work there. 

Here is a link to their website 
http://indyhumane.org/index.php

I'd love to hear from others what organizaitons they foster/volunteer/work for. It's important to remember that all shelters/rescues are working toward the same goals, so we must work together in order to accomplish them!

Happy Halloween!

It's Halloween! 

Not gonna lie, my favorite thing about Halloween is all the black cat decorations. Is that weird? Probably...

Well, black cats are awesome. However because of silly stories about being bad luck and their association with Halloween black cats don't get a lot of love. In fact they are less likely to be adopted, which is ridiculous.

So if you are looking to adopt don't overlook these sweet kitties. You never know, you may be lucky enough to be loved by a black cat!

My former foster Olive is showing her Halloween spirit! And a bonus: When you have a black cat you can save money on decorations! 

Halloween can be lots of fun but it can also be dangerous for pets. So, here are a couple tips for keeping your furry friends safe this Halloween

1. If you plan to take your pups out for trick or treating be sure to keep them on a secure leash and if your pup doesn't do well around kids and crowds leave them at home to celebrate.

2. If you're staying home to pass out candy be sure your pets are safe. With the constant opening of the door they are more likely to get out.

3. And don't forget the candy! Chocolate and other ingredients in candies like artificial sweeteners are very toxic to cats and dogs, not to mention the wrappers are commonly eaten and require surgical removal. Keep all candy out of reach!

So have a happy and safe Halloween!

My friends and I dressed up at black cats (queens!) for the vet tech Halloween party at school! 

Merlin's not a black cat, but he thinks they're pretty cool! 

Cat Toy Toy Tuesday 9

Today's Cat Toy Tuesday is a classic favorite of all my foster kittens...

MOMMA MERLIN'S TAIL!

All the kitties love the play with momma Merlin and his super fluffy tail! 

You can get your very own at your local animal shelter! 

Killian Update

As promised I am going to give an update on Killian! 

Killian has become a very different cat! After lots of good food and extra love, a checkup from the vet, and a medication change, Killian is now a healthy spunky kitty! He's still a little nervous but he is now coming out of his kennel and playing all over Kitten Playground! He and Merlin are also becoming friends! His foot is looking much better and he is no longer congested and blowing snot bubbles! 

Here is Killian the first time he ventured out of his kennel on his own!

Killian and Merlin are buddies!

I've really enjoyed having Killian and I can't wait to see him continue to improve. I'm not going to lie, "foster failing" is definitely in the back of my mind. He is a very special kitty and fits the description of "special needs." The challenge is that with where I am living right now I cannot adopt another cat and continue to foster. As much as a love this little man and as special as he is, it's a difficult decision. There are always more kittens that need my help. I just hope that despite his struggles he will be able to find a good home as soon as he gets all better. 

Cat Toy Tuesday 8

Today's Cat Toy Tuesday is the super cool Petstages criss-cross scratcher!

Minnie used it to get on Merlin's level!

Arthur preferred playing with it on it's side

I got this scratcher at Petco!

Killian the Kitten

If you follow me on Instagram you have probably already seen my new foster kitten Killian.
Killian is named after the character of Captain Hook on the TV show Once Upon a Time. I think it fit him perfectly because although he is missing a limb he is still a tough little pirate cat!

Kilian came in to the shelter a hot mess. He required a leg amputation immediately. Not only is he getting used to only having 3 legs, his back leg on the same side is also injured. On top of that the little man has a pretty bad kitty cold. But he is quite the trooper! He is doing really well learning how to walk around with just his 3 legs. 

His back foot is sometimes a little bloody and full of puss, so he wears a little baby mitten to keep it covered but it's loose enough that the wound can still breath!

When he came to the shelter they suspected that he was feral. He was definitely not used to humans. When I brought him home he never came out of his kennel and hissed at me every time I was near him. 

He was so scared his first day

Unfortunately he required medicine 2x a day as well as attention to his foot, so he'd continue to have some negative experiences with me. So I decided to use a technique I learned about at school. It's a pretty basic concept but makes all the difference. The idea is to provide at least 3 good experiences for every bad. So I would open the kennel and spend time petting him and loving on him or feeding him and do nothing else. I would do this a couple times over some time before it was time for me to administer medications or tend to his foot. This really seemed to help and he started warming up to me and really didn't mind when I did have to provide treatments to him. He is now a lap cat! He loves to snuggle with me! 

He loves being pet!

He loves to snuggle!

Killian still has a long way to go, but he seems determined to make it through. He's a special little guy!

I'll continue to document his progress and journey with me on Instagram. I will also make occasional blog updating his progress.