advoCATS Newsletter Autumn 2007

We could spay and neuter more feral cats and arrange more spay/neuter clinics if we had more veterinarians. Our local vets cannot accommodate the amount we need to do, as they are already working as much as they can. The only way we can start to really make a dent in the feral cats is to do more spay/neuter clinics. We think the best way would be to recruit vets from the mainland to come here on vacation and volunteer at our clinics. They can write off the cost of their trip. If you live on the mainland you can help us by asking your vet if they would like to come here, or if they know of another vet who would be interested. We can offer them a place to stay and help arrange the details. AdvoCATS provides all the surgical supplies, medicines and clinic locations, all they have to do is the surgeries. We are looking for competent vets with lots of spay/neuter experience who can handle the amounts done at a clinic, as well as being familiar with feral cats.

On Saturday, August 25, advoCATS and Kona Veterinary Service held another amazing Spay/Neuter Clinic. We spayed 24 females, 3 of which were pregnant, and neutered 23 males for a total of 47 cats! AdvoCATS would like to gratefully thank Drs Jordan and Chartier for holding another clinic at their office and performing the surgeries. A BIG MAHALO to Dr. Gressard from Veterinary Associates and Dr. Jeanne Gaughan from Kona Veterinary Services for helping with the surgeries. Eight vet tech's also assisted the surgeries as well as 21 advoCATS volunteers. Mahalo to Kona Joe Coffee for providing us with the delicious Kona coffee that kept us all going.

Then on Sunday, September 9, 60 cats were spayed or neutered thanks to Veterinary Associates in Waimea. The cats were trapped on September 7 & 8 in Kohala by advoCATS members Bee Henderson, Ferol Kolons and Jan Abbot, with assistance from Sharon Rincon and two of her children. Veterinarians Jim Gressard and Lisa Wood and vet techs Mele, Lisa, and two Chelseas, and helpers Marshall and Patricia gave up their Sunday to spay and neuter these cats in about 4 hours. In all they did 27 females (none of whom were pregnant) and 33 males. AdvoCATS provided the spay & neuter packs (sterilized surgical tools) as well as drugs, needles, suture material, etc. The time spent by the doctors and tech's was donated. Mahalo Nui Loa to all involved.

From 1999 to 2007 Dr. Stephen Poleshuk DVM worked with advoCATS and performed more than 800 spay and neuters for us during that time. Our advoCATS volunteers have fond memories of him and his dedication to the animals in our community. On many occasions he went out of his way to accommodate our spay and neuter appointments, as well as caring for our personal companion animals as if they were his own. Before he left he donated numerous personal items and furniture to our garage sale from his home and office. Aloha Dr. Poleshuk and a BIG MAHALO from all of us at advoCATS. Your work and kindness here were appreciated and you will be missed. We all wish you happiness and success; A Hui Hou (until we meet again).

AdvoCATS welcomes Dr. Jacob Head DVM, who has taken over Dr. Poleshuks clinic. Although we have not been able to meet with Dr. Head to set up a spay neuter schedule as yet, we are hoping he will be able to accommodate our urgent needs and give us as many appointments as Dr. Poleshuk.

If you are struggling with ringworm on your kitties (and possibly yourself), there’s a new idea; "Spot Spotter" a UV hand lamp that makes ringworm glow a neon white. You need to use it in the dark to see the fungus’ fluoresce, and then you can find out exactly where to medicate the kitties! Lamps are available locally in Kailua Kona at Island Pet above Home Depot, or you can inquire at your nearest hardware or pet store. It cost $29. here on the Big Island.

A lot of information has been in the news lately about this disease in cats and we’d like to shine some positive light on the subject.

At a meeting, the State of Hawaii Dpt. of Health/Infectious Diseases was asked if there had ever been a case of toxoplasmosis in humans reported to the DOH, and they said no. Toxoplasmosis is a reportable disease and if diagnosed by a physician it has to be reported.

Organizations such as advoCATS is helping in a humane way with our spay and neuter program which helps to keep the population of homeless and abandoned cats from growing, as well as spreading diseases.

Toxoplasmosis is a disease caused by a microscopic parasite called Toxoplasma gondii. It is not a new disease, having first been discovered in 1908. Since its discovery, Toxoplasmosis has been found in virtually all warm-blooded animals including most pets, livestock and people. Nearly one-third of all adults in the U.S. and in Europe have antibodies to Toxoplasma, which means they have been exposed to the parasite.

Although infection with Toxoplasma is fairly common, actual disease caused by the parasite is relatively rare. Pigs, sheep, goats and poultry are sources of meat commonly infected with Toxoplasma. Cats are the definitive host for the production of the infectious and resistant Toxoplasma oocysts. The oocyst, released from the intestine of cats in their feces, is very hardy and can survive freezing-even several months of extreme heat and dehydration. Since cats usually shed Toxoplasma in their feces for only one to two weeks in their lives and because oocysts are not infectious immediately after passage from the cat, the risk of human Toxoplasma infection from pet cats can be greatly reduced with minimal prevention.

While cats can be infected by the same means as humans, the most likely sources of toxoplasmosis in cats is from eating mice, birds, and other small animals that are infected with the Toxoplasma parasite. For indoor cats, the most likely source is uncooked meat scraps. To help prevent Toxoplasma infection in cats, follow these steps:

*Change litter daily before any Toxoplasma oocysts can "ripen" and become infectious. Dispose of used litter safely, preferably in a sealed plastic bag. If pregnant, avoid changing the litter box or use rubber gloves.

Transmission to humans is probably due to eating undercooked infected meat, particularly lamb and pork (in many areas of the world, approximately 10 percent of lamb and 25 percent of pork products contain Toxoplasma cysts). The organism may also on occasion be present in some unpasteurized dairy products, such as goat's milk.

No vaccine is as yet available to prevent either Toxoplasma infection or toxoplasmosis in cats, humans, or other species.

Some say Laurette Edwards has led a charmed life like that of actress Audrey Hepburn in “My Fair Lady.” After a childhood as an orphan she married her dentist, whom she says transformed her into the proper lady she is today. At 97 years young Laurette is still feeding a small colony of ferals every day at the condo in Kailua Kona where she lives with her 2 house cats named YumYum and Snow Paw. As a longtime advoCATS supporter, she encourages people to spay and neuter. She’s lived in Hawaii since 1993 and loves her cats so much that she’s left a bequest in her will for their welfare after she’s gone. Her friends encouraged her to write a book about her interesting life and travels around the world. Now at 97 she finished it and had it published. She has always loved writing and has written cat stories for Readers Digest and other magazines, but this is her first book. She is already starting another one which she says will be titled: “My Cat Friends.” It’s all about the history of the cats in her life. Her current book, “The Orphan,” is available at Borders and amazon.com or you can email her directly at yumyum@aloha.net to purchase a copy from her directly.

We need help feeding cats and it’s a perfect thing for seniors like Laurettte Edwards to do. It’s proven that having a companion animal helps people live longer, healthier and happier lives. Retired persons are the perfect feeders; they don’t have demanding schedules, young children or jobs and many live in condos which do not allow pets. Becoming a feeder may be the perfect job for them. Feeding a feral cat colony is a rewarding experience and can give people something to look forward to each day. It’s amazing how attached you can get to the kitties, plus it helps the cats live a healthier life. There are many colonies that do not have anyone feeding them, as there are not enough feeders for the various locations. Or we have many feeders who would love to have a day off once or twice a week, or to go on vacation. We would also suggest people do it as a team and each take different days, as well as act as a substitute when the other cannot go. If you, or if someone you know, would love to help with feeding a colony on the Big Island call or email us. The kitties will appreciate your kindness.

Many of our cats have become immortal! Judi Wohlman, currently of Port Ludlow, WA, soon to move to Kona, has taken photographs of our very own advoCATS and turned them into rubber stamps. She's selling them at a great price on eBay and 50% of the final selling price will go to advoCATS, so if you have time, check out the listings. There are 9 different stamps in all which are sold individually. They are all very realistic looking and mounted on wood. Go to eBay.com and type in AdvoCATS and you'll see the listings. Judi's eBay user name is Mooncaat. You can also purchase them on Judi's website: mooncaat.com These will make great Christmas gifts for your craft loving friends or children and benefit our spay/neuter program as well.

Sometimes there are cats who just won’t go into a regular trap. One way to catch them is to use a drop trap. Here’s how it works: A wooden frame covered by netting or mesh is propped up on one side and food is placed in the center-back. The trapper stands at a distance and when ready pulls on the string attached to the prop-stick which allows the trap to drop, capturing the cats inside. Each cat is then securely transferred to a box trap through matching guillotine-style doors for transport to the vet.

Mahalo to Rodney Crusat for making our trappers 3 beautifully crafted drop traps. We’ll be sure to catch those sneaky guys who have evaded our trappers until now.

There are now 48 cats that have been brought to the sanctuary; 22 from Kailua, 4 from Kapoho, 9 from Waikoloa Makai, 11 from Waikoloa Mauka and 2 uninvited trespassers. The party crashers are unaltered males who are causing quite a ruckus with each other, as well as with the mellow sanctuary clan. So far we have been unable to trap them. After a weeks confinement we release the new arrivals into the sanctuary and the majority have appeared the next day, others take a day or so and a few are rarely seen. We recently saw one for the first time almost 10 months after it’s release. It was fat and healthy and must have been there all along, just hiding from us. We have seen every cat we relocated except for one, and it’s highly possible that it’s just hiding from us as well.

We could have filled the sanctuary to it’s capacity the first month it was opened, but we believe the success has been due to the slow introduction of new additions. This has given the new arrivals, as well as the old timers time to adjust. It‘s been interesting to watch them interacting with each other. Many from different colonies have become friends and regularly play and rub against each other, as if they had grown up together. We have seen cats from different colonies eating and drinking out of the same food bowl with no quarreling and we feel this is due to the fact that they don’t have to fight over the food, because it’s always available. The shyer cats sit and wait patiently nearby for the more aggressive cats to finish eating before they attempt to eat or drink. Mahalo to sanctuary helpers Mary Masacchio, Laura Foster, Ginger Sizemore and Rodney Crusat for helping at the sanctuary. And a Big Mahalo to everyone for supporting this endeavor.

The advoCATS food drives on July 7 at Keauhou Shopping Center and on July 20 at Wal-Mart were very successful. We collected about 1,350 pounds of dry cat food which is being distributed to our colony feeders. In addition, we had seven kittens adopted, sold 8 t-shirts and passed out our advoCATS literature. We would like to especially thank Jan Abbott, Roberta Agre, Joy Banks, Kandice Crusat, Sharain Herrick, Nancy Hitzemann, Aurora King, Judy Kocon, Pica Mertvago, Jennifer Olson and Margie Wolfe for their help.

HOW MANY CATS ARE WE FEEDING?

Are you wondering just how far that food from the food drive went? We were too, so advoCATS took a feral cat survey of our advoCATS volunteer’s colonies on the Big Island and here are the results: we have approximately 35 feeders who feed at more than 60 different colonies predominately on the west side of the Big Island everyday. These feeders have been feeding the cats for at least one year and some have been feeding for as long as 17 years. The total number of cats at these locations comes to 1604. Approximately 880 of these cats are spayed or neutered. So how much food is used every day by these dedicated volunteers; 287 lbs of dry food every day! The food is paid for by the individual feeders not advoCATS. That amounts to 2009 lbs a week, 8,610 lbs. a month and 104,755 lbs a year! Costco’s “Premium” Cat food is the food of choice among our feeders and after that Purina is favored. The Costco food is high in protein which cats need and the protein in the food comes from chicken meat. The best part is, it doesn’t have artificial ingredients or preservatives.

We finally have a home of our very own. You will still find all of our interesting information and stories about our fundraisers, spay/neuter clinics, helping feral cats, kittens for adoption, as well as other news about what’s going on in our organization. Please check us out and remember to bookmark our new location in your “Favorites” file.

One of our advoCATS foster moms, Jan Abbott, has started her own web site featuring her kittens for adoption. Jan usually has a minimum of 10 and sometimes over 30 kittens at her home waiting for adoption. Last summer she had a record total of 33! She lovingly cares for abandoned and homeless kittens and finds good homes for them. Check out her web site: www.bigislandkittens.com

There are many beautiful cats and kittens waiting for adoption. See pictures and information on our web site: www.advocatshawaii.org

"People who hate cats will come back as mice in their next life." Faith Resnick

At the September garage sale we had the help of 25 volunteers. Thanks to their enormous efforts, we made $1,600. which will go towards our spay and neuter fund. These generous volunteers hauled truckloads of items from two locations and brought them to the Kilohana Subdivision on Friday. Then on Saturday and Sunday the volunteers fought the sweltering heat of the summer sun in Kailua Kona to hold the sale.

The kitties want to thank Kathy Villander for holding this event at her home in Kilohana again. Mahalo to the helpers who made the garage sale such a success: Jan Abbott, Roberta Agre, Kandice Crusat, Steve Hall, Sarah Heath, Bee Henderson, Sharain Herrick, Nancy and Jim Hitzemann, Sharee Howell, Karen Klein, Judy Kocon, Ferol Kolons, Janet Mello, Frank and Mary Musacchio, Tahnee Mustoe, Jennifer Olson, Deborah Schneider, Andi Vohl, Linda Welker, Margie Wolfe-Gillman, Veronica, America, Mark, Sherry, Chris and Jeri. And a BIG MAHALO to the wonderful people who donated the goods for us to sell and the ones who bought it all!

Kona Stories, a wonderful book store in the Mango Court shopping center in Kainaliu, is having their 1st Anniversary on November 10th. They are doing a fundraiser for advoCATS and will donate all the sales from used books that day to our spay and neuter program. You may drop off books for the sale anytime and be sure to say hello to their 3 store cats; Barnes, Noble and Shadow. Their phone number is: 324-0350.

The September fundraiser at Sack “N” Save raised a total of $2,920. in donations towards our spay and neuter program. Mahalo to all those that contributed to our cause and to Sack “N” Save for matching the contributions.

Since we won first place last year and second place the three previous years we have decided to bow out graciously from this years competition and give the other worthy organizations on the Big Island a chance to win the charity fundraiser. We would like to thank the Mauna Lani for inviting us all these years. Your contribution to our spay/neuter program during this holiday season will be accepted gratefully as usual.

Twenty advoCATS volunteers collected 4 truck loads of H5 bottles and cans from the Ironman awards banquet on October 14th and made $320. towards our spay and neuter fund. The volunteers received a free Ironman T-shirt and enjoyed the “all you can eat” banquet and one of them even won a door prize. Mahalo to all the volunteers who participated and helped give exposure to our cause.

Pat Dewenter "an advoCATS supporter and a friend to many cats"
C. Powell and Wayne Gregory from Shirley and Alex Toth
Susan Bright from Hood and Carol Hampton
Jim Beard and Bill Rockwell from Maudean and Jerald Drobish
Katy and Alex from Paul and Patty Mickelson
Sammy of Kopiko Plaza, who was courageous and will be missed
Boo Boo from the carwash, loving and cool companion of Karen, Mike and Lee
Itsy Bitsy from the Sanctuary

Diane and Jim Merriam, H. and E. Redman, H. Baldwin, R. Fehlberg and L. Scott, C. Holdcroft, O. and A. Hutaff, E. Everett, L. Chamberlain, P. Dewenter and D. McFarland for your contribution to our spay/neuter program.

A BIG MAHALO to L. Holenstein for allowing us to use your garages to store our garage sale items.

And a special MAHALO to Bruce and Carolyn Witcher at Witcher Engineering, for printing our newsletter.

AdvoCATS Welcomes New Volunteers:

Mahalo to all our new volunteers, the kitties love you Julie Adams, Cassie Dindinger, Sharon Karayianis, Veronica Galas and Ken Seversen.

If you can spare a few hours a week you could really make a difference. We could use help with feeding, trapping, taking cats to veterinary appointments, fostering kittens, or answering our advoCATS phone. The rewards are infinite and the Kitties will thank you. Call us at 327-3724 or email advocatshawaii@aol.com

advoCATS, Inc. is a 501(c) (3) nonprofit organization. Donations are tax deductible.

From All of us at advoCATS;

We Wish You a Happy Holiday Season with a Very Meowy Meowy Christmas!

As of November 1, 2007
4710
Spayed or Neutered Since 1999
Mahalo To All Our Veterinarians and Staff!

Read our newsletter archives:

Spring 2010 / Winter 2010

Autumn 2009 / Summer 2009 / Spring 2009 / Winter 2009

Autumn 2008 / Summer 2008 / Spring 2008 / Winter 2008

Autumn-2007 / Summer-2007 / Spring 2007 / Winter 2007

Autumn 2006 / Summer 2006 / Spring 2006

advoCATS, Inc

Helping Hawaii's Abandoned and Homeless Felines

VETERINARIANS NEEDED FOR A HAWAIIAN VACATION