Meow - We'd love to share this portion of Catster with you, but first you'll need to login.
If you don't have a Catster account yet, you can register in about 60 seconds. Registering allows you to use all our free features while allowing us to create a safer, more meaningful environment for the community as a whole.
Registering is fast, free and lets you create your cat page(s), find adoptable cats, save your favorites, connect to your Feline Friends and more.
"My name is Scarlett. I'm blind and partially deaf, and I have to have Sub-Q fluids due to CRF. But even though my life was once very sad, I'm a happy kitty now because I have a loving furever home. Will you be my furriend?"
"I love to be held and cuddled! I don't like posing for the camera, so Daddy's helping a little so Meowmy can show you my face. Do you think I'm a pretty kitty?"
"Feeling the sun on my face and the breeze tickling my whiskers fills me with joy! Even blind cats can enjoy being outdoors, if they are supervised closely. Watch me, Meowmy!!!! I'm sniffing the breeze!"
Coloration: Calico
Likes: Love! She'd be content to be held forever. She also loves to eat.
Pet-Peeves: Getting her claws hung in my shirt! Bring on the growls!
Favorite Toy: She loves anything catnip! As she is blind and almost deaf, she doesn't play with 'regular' cat toys. She enjoys her new scratching box a LOT!
Favorite Nap Spot: Her Tranquility Blanket and her daddy's old jacket!
Favorite Food: ANYTHING! She's got quite an appetite. She loves cat milk, fresh chicken, and any wet cat food.
Skills: She's the best purr-er I've ever known. She loves to snuggle, rub your face with hers and PURR.
Dwells:
indoors
Arrival Story: On November 19, 2008, I received a message from Alana at the Blind Cat Rescue and Sanctuary in North Carolina. She told me about a poor blind cat at the Fulton County (Atlanta) Animal Control. The cat was found by animal control walking in circles in the middle of a road! We could only hope she became lost rather than having been dumped by her owners, but you'd think they would have checked with animal control. Alana wondered if I could go get the cat and we'd make arrangements later to get her to North Carolina to live at the rescue. Of course, I agreed and on 11/20/08 I went to Animal Control in Atlanta. I went to the adoption room where I waited until the young woman working there brought the cat to me. I couldn't believe the poor animal who immediately cuddled in my arms, rubbing her face against mine. She was so thin, I could feel every rib and bone. Her fur was matted and from her scent I could tell she didn't groom herself properly. But she was beautiful! A lovely calico with wide, unseeing eyes and a loud, grateful purr.
The young woman told me in a whisper that her boss was pressuring her to 'put down' this cat - who'd only been there a little over ONE DAY! She was in tears when I told her I'd take the cat with me.
I signed the papers and she was mine.
To be taken to North Carolina and the Blind Cat Rescue, of course.
Right...
Thanksgiving was upon us and schedules just didn't allow for me to meet the rescue's director halfway. We decided to wait until after Thanksgiving.
By then, we were so attached, we could not let this little girl go.
It soon became obvious that she doesn't like other cats around. Even our sweetest kitties make her hiss, growl, and walk in tight, unending circles. So we've set her up in an upstairs bedroom and adjoining bath where she has everything a blind cat could need: lots of catnip toys, a scratching pad, waterfall waterer, lots of food, three cat beds plus her favorite - my husband's old jacket :-) - a queen sized bed that she often jumps up on, and best of all - lots and lots of attention and love.
We soon discovered that she's very hard of hearing, if not completely deaf. She does seem to realize when we come into the room, even when we come in quietly, but she doesn't respond to our calling. We think she hears a little, but it can't be very much.
We decided on the name Scarlett. Like Margaret Mitchell's heroine, she definitely needed rescuing from Atlanta! Her fur has quite a bit of orange-red in it. And we're the Butlers (Scarlett O'Hara's married name)! Seemed perfect to us.
Our vet fears she has an enlarged heart and didn't give a very encouraging prognosis on her first vet visit. In January, 2009, we will take her for a more in-depth check-up, now that she's ours.
Scarlett's a sweet, loving cat who asks no more than a quiet, safe place to sleep, food and water, and love. She's grooming herself better now, though not as thoroughly as a cat should, so I help her out with special kitty bath towelettes. She seems to enjoy her baths. She's a sweetheart who definitely deserved a chance at life.
Welcome home, sweet Scarlett!
Bio: UPDATE: 2/6/09
Last week we took Scarlett for blood work. Our vet thinks she's around 12 years old, rather than the 10 we'd first estimated. Thankfully, almost everything was normal with the blood work. However, the enzymes for her kidney function were elevated. We're going to start her on a special diet and begin giving her extra fluids beneath the skin. (If her Meowmy can learn from the vet how to do this! I'm willing to do whatever it takes to help her.)
Her teeth were in terrible condition, and our wonderful vet cleaned lots and lots of tartar off them free of charge. I think, like most everyone who meets Scarlett, she's fallen in love with this brave, sweet cat.
Purr for our success in getting sweet Scarlett healthy!
Update: March, 2009
We have carried Scarlett back for more blood work and her enzyme level had dropped dramatically!!! What wonderful news! This means that her kidneys are not under as much strain and will be able to work longer to keep her little body going. The Sub-Q fluids are working!
I've also removed the last of the matted fur from beneath her body, something that took quite a lot of time (and patience!). She's gained weight and her fur is clean, soft, and shiny now. Scarlett's turned into a very beautiful cat and we love her so much.
Update: April, 2009
Scarlett is now helping other blind cats at Blind Cat Rescue & Sanctuary. She has her own store on eBay!! All proceeds go to the Rescue. They are working to construct a 4th cat house. This will allow other blind cats to find a safe, caring home. Won't you visit Katie Scarlett's Attic and help the blind cats?
UPDATE: NOV. 16, 2009
Over the last three weeks, Scarlett had gone steadily downhill. She lost even more weight, and even increased fluids weren't helping. We made the decision to help her to the Bridge on 11/16/09. She slipped away peacefully. We know she is now free, healthy, and can SEE at last. In our one short year together, Scarlett, you taught me so much about courage and strength even in the face of physical weakness. I will always love you and I know that we will be together again one day...
Lives Remaining: 4 of 9
Forums Motto: Tomorrow IS Another Day!
The Groups I'm In: Blind babies, Blind Cat Rescue & Sanctuary Group, Friends of the Blind Cat Rescue & Sanctuary, We Can Make A Dream Come True!
The Last Forum I Posted In: Vote for Blind Cat Rescue
Guestbook:
Blind Cat Rescue & Sanctuary was started to answer the need for a safe place for blind cats that were deemed unadoptable by regular shelters and were going to be killed just because they are blind.
We are a registered non profit with the state of North Carolina. There are no paid employees, only volunteers, so all contributions go directly to the kitties.
Rescue is about restoring hope and dignity to creatures for whom no one else cares about. We are but humble vessels to help these magnificent creatures find their forever homes. The responsibility is big but the returns on our emotional investment are greater. You cannot place a value on the look of contentment that comes when an animal is clean, exercised, warm, fed and safe for the first time in its life.
Blind Cat Rescue & Sanctuary
Helping Blind Cats See a Future!
I have an eBay store! But it's not for ME. All proceeds benefit the Blind Cat Rescue, helping blind cats like me find a safe, caring home. Won't you visit my store and help?
Katie Scarlett's Attic: An eBay Store to Benefit Blind Cat Rescue & Sanctuary
I'm coming home!!!! The call just came from the vet's office and my CRF number was cut in HALF with the doubled fluids! Meowmy can pick me up after work today and take me home!!!! I'm SOOOOO happy!! (Even though now I must take fluids 4x a week instead of 2x...) Our vet was so happy and so amazed. I was very, very weak and the chances of my coming home seemed so very remote on Tuesday.
We don't know how long I'll stay stable but at least I will have some more time with my family. It's a true miracle - the POTP! I think it's my second miracle. The first was when Alana of Blind Cat Rescue of NC asked Meowmy to save me from the Fulton Co. shelter. I've been with them 11 months now, and after the trauma I'd been through, that was a miracle. And now I get to come home again!!!!!!!
Please keep purring that I stay stable for a long, long time!!!!!!
Meowmy thanks each and every furbaby who sent me their purrs and purrayers and gifts for my page. She wants to write each one but just has been too worried for me to do much else but purray and lead my brofurs and sisfurs in purring. Every note and gift has been so appreciated and we know contributed to this miracle. Bless you!
Scarlett's Meowmy here to give an update on sweet Scarlett's condition:
Over the weekend, Scarlett took a turn for the worse. She stopped eating and seemed weak and lethargic. The vet counseled us by phone to increase her sub-Q fluids, which we did, and we took her back to the vet today.
Her blood work numbers are not good and she's anemic. She has Chronic Renal Failure and is an old kitty, and of course, blind. Our sweet vet isn't ready to give up, though. As much as I hated to, I agreed to leave her there to receive extra fluids and meds for her anemia. On Friday, we'll do more blood work. If she's improved, we'll bring her home and go to a new regime of more sub-Q fluids.
If not, then we will help our dear one journey to the Rainbow Bridge. She has had such a difficult life, but we take comfort in knowing that her last 11 months have been filled with love and that she has been safe and happy. It breaks my heart to think of letting go, but we have always known we would not have Scarlett with us long. I hope we'll have a few more months, but it's not in my hands.
Please purr and purray for this brave, gentle, loving cat. She's been such an inspiration to us all...
Some might not agree. I'm am an elderly cat. I am blind. I have chronic renal failure and must take two infusions of liquids each week. I probably don't have a long life ahead of me.
But I'm SOOOOO lucky!
Once I was on 'death row'. The boss of the pound (Meowmy refuses to call such places 'shelters') was pushing the nice girl in charge of me to have me euthanized. Just 'cause I'm old and blind! Imagine!
Then a miracle happened on Nov. 20, 2008. A wonderful woman named Alana at Blind Cat Rescue contacted my Meowmy about me. Since it was so urgent, Meowmy rushed to Atlanta, about a 50 mile drive, to save me.
I'll never forget meeting my Meowmy. She picked me up, and as I cuddled in her arms - hungry and so scared - I knew I was safe at last. Meowmy brought me home and now I'm a happy, safe, much-loved cat.
I'm the fortunate one.
Others are not so lucky.
Did you know that many pounds will not give blind animals a chance at adoption? And if they are also old, well...just forget it!
That's why Blind Cat Rescue is SOOOO important! Located in North Carolina, they take cats who are blind, regardless of age or health issues like my CRF. So many of these kitties have been abused by cruel humans. Some are abandoned by long-time owners after going blind. Some are brain damaged. Some are just kittens starting out in life. All are blind.
BCR is run by one wonderful woman, Alana, and her teenage daughter. They operate from sponsorships and donations.
Right now, The Animal Rescue Site is running a contest where you can vote for your favorite Rescue. The big prize of $100,000.00 would be amazing, but truthfully, if BCR won just one of the weekly prizes of $1,000. that go to the top shelter in each state, that would make a HUGE DIFFERENCE to this small rescue.
Meowmy and Daddy have visited BCR twice. It's a safe, caring, healthy place for blind cats who have no place to go. It's become their mission to help BCR in any way they can, and I want to help, too!
That's why I'm writing this diary entry.
Won't you take a minute each day and vote for Blind Cat Rescue? It's fast and easy. Just follow the link below. Put in Blind Cat Rescue and North Carolina for the state. Click. Identify a photograph - this makes sure you're really a hooman! Click again, and that's it! Easy!
Won't you help blind cats like me see a future? Not everyfur is as fortunate as I was...
My Account
(27)
