Billy's Red Cat Rescue

05/11/2023

Fuzz and Billy enjoying the view from the same pillow! Eleven months ago this moment seemed impossible. Lots of patience and positive reinforcement brought us here and this is success beyond my expectations. Way to go boys!

03/03/2023

Billy and Fuzz sharing incoming packaging.

01/22/2023

So I guess I'm not the only one who loves orange cats. With Billy, it's all about the eye contact he makes and talking to your cats as shown in this video brings you closer and makes them smarter and more responsive. Being a dog person I didn't realize there was any other way. Meet Kona.

Woman was never a fan of orange cats. Then she adopted one.Check out their story: ---------------------------You Love Anima...

01/21/2023

Patience and a plan you stick with gives results like this. Look at those angels snoozing in the same room! On the same bed! And it only took nine months with Billy and Fuzz. Now if only we can get Missy to come out from under the wardrobe.

11/28/2022

Here's a quick pic of Billy sleeping off his dinner. What a difference it makes is a cat's svelte bod when he no longer spends the entire day outside stalking zephyrs. This week's trip to the vet for his annual check and vaccine boosters revealed that he gained weight since he's returned from his 82 day adventure: a whopping four pounds -his normal- back up to his sporty, Maine Coonish 18+ pounds. (And yes, he goes limp when you try to pick him up.)

10/15/2022

Kitten on the keys? Yeah, sure. Just not Fuzz on the keyboard!
Fuzz back to the vet today for the spot on his neck that he keeps scratching open. Got another steroid shot, came home, and he promptly bloodied his neck again. Vet provided antiseptic wipes, but I don't think that will keep him from itching. I'm at wit's end.

On the plus side, Fuzz and Billy-on-his-belly have smoked the peace pipe. Not the best pic, but here's the first time they shared the window! Yea! Patience, a plan, and a tall gate have paid off.

09/12/2022

How cute is this? I forgot to add it in my last post, but here's Fuzz zonked out on my workbench. He looks soooo innocent.

Nothing like the out-of-sorts devil monster I took to the vet a couple of days back. What a shock!

Something unknown caused Fuzz to scratch a spot raw on his neck under an ear. Antibiotics and steroids have helped and he's stopped scratching and is on the mend both in body and attitude.

A sympathetic, resourceful and athletic vet at Crossroads and his assistant Sandy, had to wrestle, chase and subdue an incredibly hurt and angry cat to administer the fix. And they did it gloved and in good spirits. This was nothing like the first uneventful visit and I suspect poor Fuzz was just hurting too much to be touched.

It's a couple of days later and he's back to his pandering-for-goose liver treat loving self.

09/08/2022

Fuzzy: Training in session. Almost 7 weeks off the street, rescued July 26.

FUZZY: Naming still in progress. Thanks to a microchip we know his original name was Bean and that just doesn't fit. His interim name, Ginger, was for a female. I'll make sure from here on in that all my pets get the chip. Because of it, I know his birthday is 6/8/2015.

We've been clicker training using the cat whisperer's amazing book, NAUGHTY NO MORE. Have any of you used this book? I already hear all the groans and dissent about how cats are not trainable and I once believed it too. I'm amazed at what me and 7 yr. old Fuzzy have accomplished so far. We let him acclimate for two weeks. It took him about a dozen cues to learn the "touch" command: helps to be smart. We already have a cat who comes and touches a pointed finger and will jump from floor to pedestal to chair on request! And he seems much more social now. Of course all this relies on a cat liking cat treats: we use liverwurst and it's a big hit. This are confident that this training will help when we begin to integrate all the house cats.

Even if he wasn't a smart cat, he's gorgeous enough to make up for it. His medium-long coat is soft as angora, fluffy and his tail huge and full. Lots of white marking on this boy. His most distinguishing feature is his white ear tips. Ever seen anything like this? I'm including a pic of him from above so you can see how unusual this is and also the photo I sneaked of him last night after he fell asleep on my workbench. Thanks for reading, liking and commenting.

Our other cats, Billy and Missy are kept separated by a 42" gate

09/08/2022

Billy: One week back home, since 9/1.

Thanks again to all the kind, mostly unknown souls who fed and cared for Billy while he was missing. If it weren't for the continued vigilance of Becky Grasser and the selfless generosity of Lori & Tony Franceschini and others who fed him, he wouldn't be in such good shape. Amy Camarda who found her cat after 130+ days gave me hope!
Billy's back to his old self in spades. Instead of just meeting me in bed at bedtime and waiting until I fall asleep to wander off, he's spending the night periodically walking on me from the feet up and plunking himself down on my chest. First time ever, last night he reached out with a paw to my lips. It's as if he's making sure I'm still there. I still can hardly believe it myself!

This morning I captured a lion-sized yawn.

09/03/2022

Yes!!!!!!!!!! Billy is home. Just amazing. Isn't it auspicious that his first day home is National Ginger Cat Day?

I checked my FB messages yesterday and discovered one from a west side pal who faithfully checks the lost and found pages. Becky Grasser is an art patron of mine and has sent possible Billy posts before, but none have panned out. (She's also responsible, btw, for finding our recent adoption.) Well, Wednesday afternoon she messaged a possibility in Madison and there was no denying it was Billy from the photo. There he sat, inside, out of the rain. I'd have missed seeing the post if she hadn't alerted me.

Lori and Tony had been feeding him outside (with another stray) for the past two weeks and had taken him to the vet just that day to see if the clinic recognized him. They even treated him with topical flea drops. It was very clear that if he wasn't claimed, they'd give him a home. And a good home it would have been. We are grateful beyond words for their care.

It was very clear that the couple were extremely fond of Billy...and they almost got the name right: they were calling him Larry. I'm very sure Lori was missing him already despite her commenting that he should be re-united with his family. I felt badly for her and though feeling sad, she was clearly happy to do her part in returning him to us.

Their home is in the woods near a Metroparks and is 14 miles away over the road. Signage was terrible and we missed the street in the dark. It was serendipity that brought us to the right place. Tony carried Billy outside, put him down and let him wander. Billy walked past me and I called his name, whereupon he did a 90 degree turn and headed right for me! He recognized me! I picked him up and hugged him. He smelled so good! It was wonderful.

If Billy had followed the Grand River which meanders like crazy but nearly connects to both our doorsteps, he'd have had to cross the river and would have traveled at least 25 miles along the water....in 82 days. OTRoad he'd have traveled +1/6 mile daily; AlongTRiver he'd have had to make a bit more than 3 miles a day. Driving was 25 minutes. It's an amazing trek.

Aside from looking sad, being a few pounds lighter, having bits of dried crap in his eye corners and being on high alert and jumpy to surprise stimuli after living outside, the only thing that shows wear are his feet. What were once pink pads are discolored, The long hair between the toes is ragged and there remains evidence of something black matting the hair....like tar maybe. In my mind it still remains possible that he was picked up locally or in the Metroparks across the way and perhaps dropped off in a Madison park later. Only Billy knows and (sorry, Jim) he ain't talkin'.

My dear neighbor asked me if finding Billy after 82 days changed by belief in god. Of course not. But having him home has reinforced a core belief: I've seen it repeatedly and truly believe in the kindness of strangers... that alone is what brought Billy home.

09/01/2022

Day 82 : Billy is home!

Details tomorrow: Billy's Red Cat Rescue, the site we created to honor him and keep our missing pal in the minds of all the generous folks who helped bring him home. Special thanks to Becky Grasser, Lori and Tony Franceschini and the Lake County Lost and Found Pets Alert, without whom we'd still be looking.