Rescue isn’t just about Playing with Kittens

Note: After a night’s sleep and some conversations with friends, I realized that the original version of this blog didn’t quite convey what I meant for it to say. This blog was inspired when I found myself cleaning up a kitty mess for the 5th time that day and having to remind myself “Lisa, you didn’t just get into rescue to play with kittens! This is worth it!”

The message here is not in any way meant to say “don’t volunteer with kittens” — it’s kitten season, folks — PLEASE volunteer to play with kittens 😉 …or to set up adoption events, pass out fliers, do adoption interviews, or whatever you can do! We love and appreciate the people who do these things!

The message here is simply a reminder to myself during those tough fostering times when I find myself dealing with a sick or difficult cat. Kittens are the perks of rescue 😉 There’s just an awful lot more going on at the same time!. So, here’s the updated post:

 

It’s been a while since I’ve posted a new entry — life has been chaotic! But, tonight, I feel compelled to write.

Graham is still with me, but he’s a different cat than when he arrived.

His diabetes went into remission, and his neuropathy went away… he began grooming again, and his coat returned to a normal cat coat… it took us over a month, but we got rid of his urinary tract infection… then, we discovered that he had a blood pressure issue, but we got that under control with meds.

It’s been a crazy 5 months complete with late-night emergency vet visits, being up to my elbows in cat vomit, lots of shoving pills in cat mouths… seemingly endless vet visits.

But, it’s been worth it.

This is worth it:

The truth is, while I adored my baby fosters, Milton and Diego, sometimes I need a reminder that I didn’t get into fostering and rescue work just to play with kittens.

I also got into rescue to spend hours laying on the floor beside a sick cat at 10:00 at night — debating whether or not to make the trip to the emergency vet.

I got into rescue to drive to that emergency vet at 11:00 at night because getting my foster cat help was more important than sleep that night.

I got into rescue to scrub cat puke out of impossibly stained carpets and to comfort the sick cat who can’t help himself.

I got into rescue to find out that my foster may have a fungus that I, myself, could catch…and to walk around smelling like cat ear drops, medicated ear wash, and prescription shampoo seemingly forever because I have to clean his ears out twice a day and bathe him twice a week. (OK — truth be told, I really didn’t intend to get into rescue for this particular one. But it was worth it.)

This is Rhett, who I fostered for a little more than a month — he left for his new home yesterday!

I got into rescue to have to be home exactly every 12 hours to give a diabetic cat insulin.

I got into rescue to author the book “101 ways to give a cat a pill.” (No, seriously, I should write this book.)

And, I absolutely, 100%, without a doubt got into rescue to help a senior cat who can’t even walk straight learn to climb again.

 

Of course, I got into rescue for this:

 

And for days like this…

 

 

And moments like this…

 

But, one thing’s for sure… there’s more to rescue than playing with kittens, and even though the hard parts can completely suck sometimes — I’m glad I got into rescue.

Tonight’s been a hard night.

Graham is sick again, and we’re headed back to the vet tomorrow. All this after over a month of dealing with a second foster (named Rhett — pictured above in the cone) who had to be at the vet every 2 weeks, needed medicated baths, had a major ear infection, and is even still being treated for potential ringworm. Never a break! Never a boring day in this house!

But, it’s worth it.

Rhett is worth it. Graham is worth it.

That’s why I got into rescue — because every animal — young or old, sick or well — is worth my time, energy, and a little piece of my heart.

That’s what rescue is all about, isn’t it?