Conference misery::feline

    I watched channel 5 news last night and saw the report.  Both of my
    cats had the same problem.  The cats develop kidney and liver damage. 
    We called our vets after hearing the report and they asked if we would
    call channel 5 to see if we could find out more information.  The only
    thing that channel 5 would tell us is that it is distemper.
    
    I am not saying that what my cats had is the same thing as the ones in
    Newburyport, but it is very strange that both of my cats died from
    kidney and liver damage and they were both inside cats.  The only thing
    that we can think is that it is in the air and the dog might have
    carried it in...
    
    I hope that is not what it is for all of the other cats out there. 
    Please if you see your cat not eating, vomitting or acting in any way
    different than normal call your vet right away. 
    
    
    *joyce
    
    

    Where is Newburyport???  What city is it near???

    I heard an update on the news this morning.  One of the cats had an
    autopsy performed at Tufts, and the diagnosis was some sort of virus,
    not poisoning.  Whatever it is, I sure do hope it doesn't become too
    endemic so other kitty's lives can be spared.
    

    Newburyport is up near New Hampshire. Plum Island is part of
    Newburyport or Newbury. I'm not sure what large city it's near, but
    when I go to PLum Island to go bird watching, I take exit 54 or 56 off
    Rt. 495 North, into New Hampshire, then back track into MA, for a few
    miles on I-95 if that's any help to you at all. 
    
    We,ve taken side trips to Salisbury while out birding, and it didn't
    take too long to getr there if that helps too. 
    
    I'm so good with directions aren't I? ;-) I just go there, don't ask me
    how I do it! DAH!
    
    I hate hearing stories like this one!
    
    There was a story in the Fitchburg Sentinel about many cats
    disappearing in one neighborhood. They think it is either fishers ir
    coyotes getting the cats. It happened to be around the Fisher street
    area, so needless to say, the media made a connection witht he two.
    
    I don't know where these streets are. A friend told me about this
    article.
    
    Yonee

    
    RE:Newburyport, 
    
    As a side note, I had mentioned the conditions at Newburyport when 
    I introduced my new friends. However, the shelter there is being 
    rebuilt there currently is NO established shelter. There is this kind
    woman Nancy that has taken all the animals into her house. Without any
    desrespect to this ladie's efforts, the condition of the house, the
    smell and the filt is realy heartbreaking. She obviously does not have
    the finances or help to provide proper care. All of the first floor 
    and the balcony is stacked with wire cages of cats and kittens that are
    so skinny you can feel all the bones. Upstairs they keep the dogs. 
    We did not want to even go upstairs as we know what would have happened
    and currently we are not in a position to adopt a bunch of dogs too. 
    If anyone is nearby or can foster some of these poor babies would be
    nice. We have two of the cats, I might go for more this weekend. 
    
    Shaw

    
    If the conditions are that bad PLEASE contact the proper authorities! 
    The MSPCA shold be notified and the animals placed in proper
    facilities.  I'm sure this woman's intentions are good but it sounds
    like an investigation is necessary.  She would no doubt be relieved to
    get some assistance but like many people who end up in similar
    situation, may be too embarassed to ask for help.  Don't feel as though
    you are "turning her in", you are helping the animals.  They deserve
    it.
    
    MaryAnne

    RE:  Fisher Road, Fitchburg.
    
    For those of you that knew where the old Pat Brody Shelter was
    located...well Fisher Road is kind of near there.  There is ALOT
    of woods in that area...so it wouldn't surprise me that many types
    of wildlife live around there.
    
    Sandy
    
    ps..Yonee...thanks for the pointer to where Newburyport is.  I know
    where plum Island is...so now I know where Newburyport is too!!
    
    

    
    re:.6
    
    Conditions are bad, but this lady had been the only one that has 
    volunteered her time and her house to keep the animals untill the new
    shelter is ready. I have no details on when the shelter will be ready.
    Reporting her will not be nice. She is doing this out of the kindness 
    of her heart. She can only do best she can. We are going to go up there
    and bring some food for the animals. I will get her phone number 
    tonight and post it here tomorrow for those that can help. 
    Please don't forget that this person is a wonderful human being that 
    has dedicated her house for this purpose untill shelter is ready. 
    If conditions are poor, it is due to the fact that there just is too 
    many cats and dogs, she has limited income and only few helpers. 
    
    Shaw

    
    Shaw, 
      Exactly my point.  By alerting the proper organizations, help can be
    had!  Keeping animals living in filth and lacking food is outright
    cruelty in my book.  I'm not saying to turn her in with a vengence but
    she needs help!  Reporting her may not be nice but is the situation for
    the animals nice?   She's lucky to have you and I appreciate what you are
    doing but it is alot for just a few people to do.  My heart breaks for
    the animals.  Best of luck!
    
    MaryAnne
                      

    I agree with MaryAnne.  She is saying this for the sake of the animals. 
    Doing a good deed and doing it right are two entirely different
    subjects.  It could take years for the new shelter to be ready to house
    the animals.
    
    It can be approached by calling and stating you realize this woman is
    trying her best and means no harm, but is obviously in need of some
    help.  I don't feel Maryanne is suggesting you report her in an attempt
    to malign her efforts, but to alert the proper authorities that the
    poor woman needs some assistance.
    
    I think it is only natural that there will be reactive replies to notes
    that conjure up horrible images of animals being abused, so we should
    either prepare ourselves to read the replies, or press next unseen to
    move on.  Leaving them out of the conference entirely (notes regarding
    abuse or neglect) would be most preferable IMHO.
    
    -Roberta
     

    
    The only poeple (in my household) that have been inside our my
    girlfriend and her two teenagers. They were so saddened that they 
    wanted to bring all of the cats home ;-) It won't be easy (emotionaly)
    but I will go up there myself. check the place out. See what actually
    the level of dirt and smell is. Talk to Nancy and see what level of 
    help she is recieving from the authorithies. I'd like to remind you 
    that the authorithies (whom ever they are) were involved  when the
    shelter was to go under remodeling and decision was made at that point
    that this was the only alternative as far as NOKILL goes. 
    Other options would be to convince other shelters to take the animals, 
    find more foster homes or uthenize. 
    I will post the phone number here. For those that would like to help 
    and not complicate the matters. Maybe if you are in the area you can 
    even go up and visit so you have a better picture. The only picture I
    have right now is I saw the outside, and was told it is worse on the 
    inside. I know that Nancy also has a small child that she has to attend
    to. There are a couple of nice poeple taking the cats to the vets. and 
    fostering the ones that need special attention. As an example one of
    the two we got, Racheal, was brought to the vets to re-check her for 
    worms cause I was so concerned about her weight, one of the volunteers 
    kept her during the day while we were at work, and the vets did not 
    charge us for the treatment. I've been told that all cats have been 
    tested for lukemia (sp) and aids, and are all current on their shots 
    all have been spayed nuetered if not already when they got to the
    shelter. So the efforts are there and people are doing their best. 
    Some times lack of finances or hired hand and volunteers may contribute
    to undesired atomosphere. But still it is better than the SPCA taking
    the cats and uthenizing them.
    
    Shaw
    
    
    

    
    Starvation is not better than euthanasia.....
    
    If the animals are suffering, and I say "IF", as there is
    no concrete information here, than this matter needs to be
    looked into by the authorities........
    
    

    Any more info on the reasons for so many missing kitties??  Have they
    found the culprit yet??
    
    Sandi
    

    my hubby said he heard on the news, don't know which channel, that
    they now suspect it was a raccoon virus!?  How the strain of virus
    got transferred to cats I don't know...I thought viruses weren't too
    readily transferrable from species to species,  anyway, it is kind of
    like the panluek(sp) virus in cats.    
    this theory is quite different from the first theory of deliberate
    killing....what about those "physics" visions?  Well,  I don't know,
    between this and the rabies thing.
    Just a couple miles from my house, a cat was found rabid, who was
    CURRENT AND UP TO DATE! on its shots.  This poor cat died, but exposed
    8 people to the rabies, and a about 10 other household cats.  Everyone
    is being quarantined.  What a mess!
    
    denise

    
    Well, I talked to my girlfriend and the 'new' shelter is apprenatly 
    ready either this week or next. So the cats and dogs will be going 
    to their new home. 
    As I stated before the bad conditions were due to too many animals,
    lack of volunteers to help this kind lady out and monies. I think 
    we should be grateful to Nancy that opened her home to these poor 
    animals and did her BEST (whether that was sufficient or not!) to 
    keep these babies alive. Obviously the so called authorithies could
    have done any better. 
    
    Shaw

    Thanks for the update, Shaw.  That is great news!
    

    
    Hello Gang, 
    
    I had a sick day yesterday and decided to go up and check the place
    myself.  It was true that there were far too many cats in cages for
    a household. After all this is someone's house not a shelter. and 
    true that there was smell. But then again given the number of cats 
    and a litter box in each cage that should be expected. What I found
    was there were quite a few cats with colds and runny eyes, all were 
    on antibiotics though. 
    What was amazing was the lady Nancy, and her husband. You could tell 
    after spending a few minutes there that these poeple were truely 
    cat poeple. I still cannot get over it. Nancy has been around cats 
    so much she looks like a cat. She has cat eyes and small truned up 
    nose like a cat, long forehead and her voice, it has the screach that
    the siamese cats have. She was like a cat! Aside from the cats that 
    are there from the shelter, they have quite a few cats themselves. 
    Most amazing cat were two ferral cats that they have taimed, one huge 
    black shorthaired that must have been pretty close to mid to high
    twenty pounds. A large scottish fold with only one ear folded and
    the other sticking up. When I mentioned Nancy DC, this Nancy new her 
    and said she has dealt with her in the past.  The most amazing cat
    was her husbands (the second ferral) this cat is large but mostly long
    long legs, long neck incredible tabby markings long face and a silk 
    like coat. He looks like a panther. More like a wild cat than a 
    domestick cat, it stretched out upwards to reach for the husbanc and 
    its front paws were almost by the husbands belt. This was one amazing
    cat. Any how she had a baby main coon and a huge grown up one. 
    I mentioned how I would love having one. As we are leaving the place
    this other lady that does volunteer work there showed up we talked 
    about the two that we have adopted and I mentioned Nancy has promised 
    us a main coon. She was all smiles and said, well if you guys have a 
    minute come to may house , on the same block, she is fostering some 
    kittens. I will introduce my new love in the appropriate note ;-)
    
    The Newburyport shelter (newly remodeled) will have a grand openning
    next week and I will post it in here just incase there is interest.
    
    Shaw
    

    Shaw,
    
     Thanks for the update. I'm glad you went there yourself. It sounds
    like, although they are cramped, the cats ARE being cared for and fed.
    I'm real glad the new shelter will be ready soon though. When one cat
    gets a runny nose in cramped quarters, it usually runs through the
    whole place! I hope they caught it in time! 
    
     And yes! Please! Tell us about the new baby!!!! 8-)
    
    Yonee