Happy Tails

Annie

Before

After

Annie was abandoned in a field north of Toronto. Searching for food and water, she caught her front leg in a “bear-claw” trap.In agony and desperate to survive, she either pulled or chewed her leg free. Her paw was gone, her leg in shreds, tendons hanging from a torn and bleeding stump.

When we found Annie, her leg was severely infected and infested with maggots. Our vet cleaned the wounds, treated the infection with antibiotics, and amputated her leg at the shoulder. One of our foster moms provided tender loving care while she got her strength back.

Annie is now completely healed and is managing well on three legs. She has been adopted into a warm and loving home. She cuddles and plays with her new parents as well as several feline brothers and sisters. She climbs stairs, jumps onto her favourite chairs, and is healthy and active. She is a loving, gentle cat who has finally found the happiness she deserves.

Chivas

Chivas was dumped by his owners early last year. A beautiful, sweet natured boy with gorgeous blue eyes, Chivas had obviously been somebody's pet. When he was found, he was painfully thin and had been injured by another animal. His ear was torn and his fur was dirty and matted. With lots of TLC from our foster mom, he thrived. Snuggling and purring were his favourite activites. But placing Chivas in a forever home was not going to be easy. He tested positive for FIV and many people were concerned about his future health, or bringing him into a home with other cats.

Chivas made the transition to a second foster home, where he was, once again, adored. His new foster parents wanted to adopt him but they were moving out of the country, and government regulations made it impossible to take an FIV positive cat with them. They were devastated when they had to leave without him.

Chivas made the move, once again, to a third foster home, and for him, it was third time lucky. His foster mom fell in love with him, and after a few weeks, she decided to adopt him. Chivas' health is good, and with lots of love, good food and a warm, caring home, he now has a chance at a long, happy life.

Leroy

Many of the cats and kittens taken in by North Toronto Cat-Rescue are found starving in the refuse-strewn dump area behind an industrial/commercial row of buildings in suburban north Toronto. They have been abandoned to fend for themselves through blistering summers and freezing winters. Leroy was such a cat.

At one time he must have lived with humans as he so enjoys being loved and petted. Leroy was discovered last winter in this place, emaciated, half frozen and very ill. Who knows how long he had lived this way, but he somehow managed to survive the intense cold despite the fact that both of his back legs were severely injured and infection had crept deep into the bones. His legs were so swollen he could not walk and had to pull himself along on the ice and snow with his front paws. Much of his fur had been lost due to the intense cold and his nose, ears and paw leather had been badly frostbitten.

For five days Donna of North Toronto Cat-Rescue attempted to help him, but Leroy's fear caused him to drag himself away and hide. On the fifth day he was found, miraculously, alive in one of the insulated feral cat houses we provide for them. He was half frozen, starved and too sick to try to run away again. Donna took him directly to a veterinary facility where they advised her to euthanize him. Leroy looked up at Donna with eyes that said, "I managed to survive for nearly five days in -30 degree cold, sick and barely able to seek shelter, please don't kill me, give me a chance, I really want to live." Donna insisted that Leroy be given the best medical care and slowly he began to recover.

Today, Leroy has regained the use of his back legs (although he is a bit wobbly when he runs). His lovely grey fur has grown in thick and long and the frostbite scars are barely noticeable. He loves his forever home, his wet cat food, the other cats and dogs he lives with, but most of all he loves his soft blue blanket that he stretches out on every day while he looks out the window to an outside world that he knows he will never need to return to. Leroy is grateful to have been rescued and we are grateful to have him in our lives as a continual inspiration to us of his courage an determination.

Molly

Molly was rescued from an undeveloped marsh area north of Toronto on a Saturday night at the beginning of June, and was immediately taken to one of our foster homes. As Molly seemed to be fairly calm, Carol, her foster mom, took her to the vet two days later for a checkup and shots. When she lifted the frightened cat out of the carrier, Carol felt a hard, swollen mass on Molly's stomach and asked the vet to check it out. She gently turned Molly onto her back and discovered not one, but six swollen areas...full of milk. Molly had kittens--somewhere. Molly also had the beginnings of mastitis. She hadn't fed her kittens for two days and was swollen and feverish. While Carol stroked and talked softly to Molly, our amazing vet did the only thing she could...she milked the cat. At first, Molly's breasts were so hard that the milk would not flow, but after a minute or so of gently kneading each breast, milk started spurting in jets. Arcs of milk shot sky high, showering the walls, the floor, the vet's smock and even her hair.

After enough milk was expressed to ease her soreness, our vet gave Molly a shot of antibiotic to combat the mastitis with instructions to come back if we had not found the kittens by morning. As soon as she left the clinic, Carol called Donna, our rescuer, and explained the situation. Donna immediately went out to try and find the kittens. She didn't hold out much hope because the area in which Molly was rescued is a vast, undeveloped marshland, with swampy areas, abandoned tires, garbage and overgrown foliage. It would take a miracle to find the kittens,and even if she could find them, would they still be alive?

Someone, or something, guided Donna in that refuse-strewn dump, and, within 30 minutes, she had found four little bundles of fur, about 4 weeks old. They were huddled together in the corner of an abandoned, rotting sofa, too weak to even cry. Within the next half hour, Donna had gathered the kittens into a carrier, and arrived at Carol's house with her little miracles. Donna and Carol gently placed the kittens, one by one, on Molly's swollen belly. They quickly smelled mom's milk and immediately latched on and started suckling. Over the next two hours, they nursed and slept, nursed and slept, and then...they were ready to play. Getting up on their wobbly little legs, with their little triangle tails in the air, they explored their new surroundings,falling over each other and themselves.

Today, Molly is in excellent health. She has weaned her kittens (all four are male) and they are healthy bundles of energy and fun. They have been examined by our vet and have had de-worming medication and their first boosters. They are thriving, happy, playful and totally miraculous.

Molly will remain in foster care for the time being, while she learns to trust and enjoy the company of people. At only nine months old, she is far too young to have had so many harsh life lessons. For now, she is taking it easy.

Charlie

Charlie is a beautiful 3-year-old male, Maine Coon mix. When he was rescued, Charlie was scratched and bleeding, his coat matted and filthy from life on the streets, and he was starving. A very kind couple took him in, cleaned him up and called Cat-Rescue for help.

When Charlie was placed in our foster home, he ate and ate and ate. His body began to fill out and his coat began to shine. With lots of love, good food and many brushings, his coat is now glossy and healthy and he is very contented.

But there were still challenges for Charlie. Over a short period of time, we came to realize that Charlie is deaf. We will never know whether he was born this way, or whether severe winter weather and lack of veterinary care caused his condition.

Charlie took everything in his stride, and learned quickly to respond to body language and facial expressions. He always looked forward to being loved and petted and quickly learned how to play.

Because Charlie is an adult cat with special needs, it took several months in foster care before the perfect "forever" family came along, but now Charlie is safely and permanently in his new home, with a loving family and lots of cuddles.

Charlie will never have to know life on the streets again.

Ruffles

When Ruffles was rescued, he was in terrible condition. Ruffles had probably been caught in the fan belt of a car while trying to keep warm under the hood. When the motor started, his fur and skin were shredded. His wounds were very extensive and crusted with blood, and he was in a lot of pain.

Ruffles has since been to the vet to have his wounds treated. With pain killers and tender loving care, he is healing nicely.

Ruffles deserves a life free from pain and cold. He has now been adopted by a wonderful family, who love him very dearly. He's now inside and safe from the harsh elements that so nearly claimed his life.

Cats leave paw prints on our hearts.

ADOPTED! Thanks Janet for Giving Garfield a Wonderful home!