We always take special pleasure in writing the Fabulous Felines Year End Letter. It gives us a chance to tell all our friends and supporters what we have done through the year, and to thank you for making our work possible. We also find ourselves reflecting on all the joy we receive from these gentle, complex, often surprising animals, and from you, the people who share our love for them.
2014 has been the second year of our free lecture series, and it continues to be a great success. This year’s topics have included understanding cat behavior, detecting and treating cancer in cats, setting up a pet trust to care for our cats after our own nine lives are up (given both in Albuquerque and Santa Fe), and holistic approaches to veterinary care. We want to thank our sponsors in the business community for making this series completely free to the public: VCA Montgomery, Best Friends Pet Cremation, VCA West Mesa, Shelton Jewelers, Steward’s Plumbing, and Clark’s Pet Emporium. Please patronize them, and when you do, thank them for supporting Fabulous Felines! Planning is already under way for the 2015 series, and we look forward to seeing you again!
Project Apollo continues to help a local neighborhood manage a colony of feral cats using Trap, Neuter, and Return (TNR). We are happy to report that some wonderful people in the neighborhood have taken over the daily activities of caring for the cats, and our role has become one of providing food, supplies, veterinary care, and guidance. Although TNR continues to be controversial, we are proud to offer Project Apollo as an example of how neighborhood residents and animal rescue groups can work together to manage feral populations humanely and effectively.
New Floor and Climbing Shelves
Finally, we continue to manage our small foster house. Although we do not have the resources to provide large-scale intake and adoption services like some of the larger rescues, our work has brought some special cats into our care. These range from companion animals who have lost their homes and are looking for new “forever homes,” to friendly animals who struggle with the effects of abuse or abandonment and need the healing touch of a loving foster, to feral animals who could not be returned to their colonies because of poor health or other reasons. Fortunately, one of our supporters has given us the use of a house for their care. They have also paid for the materials needed for a new floor, to paint every room, and to continue improving the environment for the cats and our volunteers who help with their care. If you are looking for a feline companion to share your home, or would like to foster a cat, please contact us!
Unfortunately, we have lost the live-in attendant at our foster house, and are looking for a volunteer with animal care abilities who would like help care for the cats on a live-in basis. If you know of such a special person, please contact us.
Wild Love – Coming Soon!
2014 has also been a good fundraising year. Our summer party was the best ever, thanks to a terrific talk from Prof. Ray Hernandez-Duran of the UNM Art and Art History Department, music from jazz guitarist Michael Anthony, and all the people who provided items for our silent auction. Wild Love, our annual Valentines Day fundraiser was also a success, and we are starting to plan the 2015 version – watch our web site for details. Of course, the lifeblood of our little rescue comes from the regular contributions our many supporters make through the United Way, the Combined Federal Campaign, or simply by making regular contributions by check or through PayPal. Thank you!
Abby recovering from surgery in the hospital
As this year comes to an end, we find ourselves especially grateful for the blessings that have come to us from Abby, one of our foster cats. Abby was not only born feral, but also has only one eye due to what we believe was an infection she suffered while still in her mother’s womb. In spite of her troubled origins, she has responded to the love she received from our volunteers and has become quite friendly, greeting our volunteers every day at the foster house. So, we were frightened and upset when poor little Abby (she only weighs six pounds) began vomiting blood. We took her to the hospital, and found that she had swallowed something that damaged her intestines. Our Abby was very close to dying, but thanks to a wonderful veterinary care team and the generosity of our supporters, we have been able to save her life. She is recovering from major surgery, and continues to charm us with her gentleness, courage, and will to live. Abby once again has reminded us why we do this work.
But, our work is expensive – little Abby’s care has cost over $5,000, and she is only one of many cats we are trying to help. So we end this letter by thanking you for your support over the years, and asking for your continued help in the future. In particular, we hope you will consider Fabulous Felines in your end of year giving. And, if you would like to volunteer for Fabulous Felines, please contact us!
Thank you for everything, and may all the blessings of this holiday season and the love of both human and animal friends fill your lives.
All the best,
Merry, all our volunteers, and most of all, the cats at Fabulous Felines.
