Tomorrow, December 3rd, is the day the world celebrates the joy of giving! Join this wonderful day of giving! Help us at Bee save more lives, pay our medical bills (not the sexiest, but much needed!) and provide food, comfort, new homes, and toys, for the many cats we serve. (Over 1000 since we started!) Donate today!
 This sweet guy had a very old collar on... Have been trapping: some new cats showed up at two of my colonies...have caught six so far. Two have been spayed, two neutered. All four have gotten flea treatment and microchips. The other two were babies. Where they came from, goodness knows: I hadn't seen any pregnant females! And given that they were not as terrified of humans as they would had never known humans...dumped? In any case, they were and are in fine shape, and "taming up" quickly. They both purr now when we stroke them, yet run if we approach too quickly. Obviously siblings, they're a delight! As much as I adore having them here with us, they should have their own home, together! It will need to allow outdoor access. they are fine with other cats, and I'll bet they could be friends with dogs, too! The other two I trapped were returned to their colonies. I was especially happy to get the female with the injured tail! She only showed up every few weeks, and the stars were aligned for sure the night I got her. Used a drop trap, and she was there!! and no one else went into the trap. Animal Fix clinic amputated most of her tail, but happily, they were able to leave enough so that she will not have neurological problems...lots of nerves converge at the base of the tail, and a complete amputation can cause loss of function: incontinence etc. Yay!!  Poor baby before her surgery and spay. She was not pregnant. The third was a young female, also returned to her colony. I have been feeding there, at the corner of Kirk Lane and Contra Costa in San Pablo, for over fifteen years (yes, every night)...and no kittens have shown up at this spot until this year. Someone in a nearby apartment, it seems, did NOT get their female spayed! Tsk, TSK!! don't wait! You can see her tipped right ear.. This was taken after spay, flea treatment, chip, and vaccines.  Now for the fun part! Not without sadness, however. Four babies showed up at the vacant lot colony. Two black, one grey/white, and one black/white. I got my kitten trap and set to work. No pun intended. Little ones, bless 'em, are easy to trap; no experience with humans. I caught the black and white, and then the grey and white one. During the few days of trapping, the two black ones disappeared. The two I got were not as traumatized by the capture as they would have been if they'd never interacted with humans...so I could hope that somehow, the two black ones had been taken by their erstwhile guardians. I didn't see any little bodies anywhere. They were in a chain-fenced lot. They could get out through holes in the fence, but humans or dogs could not get in. So the newbies were put into a big cage in the living room, to stay until they were acclimated enough that they would not run and hide, me stroking them often, and then the cage door was open, and the little steps down were put in place. Cages should always be at approximate eye level...less scary for the caged ones. They are loving the life now...still a bit wary, but both purr when stroked. they don't hide in the house. Yesterday was their first say OUT! Stayed on the patio mostly, had a great time, then went back in for a nap. Yes, they are up for adoption! Together!
  Our Gal Carla !I I had no idea what Reiki for animals was all about until I met Kathleen Prasad, who created the Let Animals Lead school of Reiki for animals, www.animalreikisource.com. I didn't even know that Reiki had originated in Japan! Well! Kathleen wanted me to give a talk about my rescue (Bee Holistic Cat Rescue And Care) to her students. I did, and she was kind enough to give me a virtual seat in one of her classes! I received a lovely manual today, and am learning what it's all about! It differs from Reiki for humans in that touch is not applied unless the animal seeks it out, and that the energy is not directed AT the animal, rather that the practitioner sits WITH the animal in communion. It states that the practitioner recognize the innate perfection of the animal, even while the animal may be undergoing difficulties. It is a way of connecting with the healing energy of the universe. Take a look at the site for lots more information & videos! www.reikisource.com   Happy Joe has been mentioned before...a book should be written about him and his journey, but for now... Episode # ?? "The Most Troublesome Almond". One dark, but not stormy, night, I noticed that HJB was more quiet and clingy than usual, and seemed heavier and despondent. Something was wrong. I called the communicator who had adopted him long-distance, and she said that he was "heavy" from his diaphragm to the end of his body. I took him to the new and excellent (!) Urgent Pet ER in El Cerrito: no travel, much less waiting. They had seen Perry when he was failing. Xrays were taken, bloodwork, and a mini-ultrasound. The don't have a radiologist on site, as most ERs don't. The doctors suggested that he might have an intestinal blockage, and to give him fluids and see if it unblocked over night. I did, and it didn't. Next morning, I took him to the also excellent (!) Pet Emergency and Specialty Clinic of Marin (PESCM) and Joe got the ultrasound, and a lot of loving attention. He did have a blockage, and his intesines were greatly distended. Ouch and Oy Vey! Poor baby!! He stayed at PESCM for surgery, and....when the surgeon called, she said that they had removed a whole almond from his duodenum, which is between the stomach and the small intestine. Brilliantly, the surgeon cut into the stomach- less friable and stronger than the disturbed duodenum, and had retreived the almond from there. Due, I believe, to HJB's past life, he was obsessed with chocolate. (another story!) I had brought chocolate-covered almonds home from Costco. Wish I had not. One had gotten onto the floor, apparently. He stayed in hospital for several days. Complications arose: fluid in the chest, heart trauma, pneumonia from aspirating vomit while blocked...He was not eating, and had a fever. The doctors were all wonderful about keeping me updated. I knew that he was in the best of hands. Blessedly, happy Joe loves to meet new people, and even in his unhappy state, enjoyed engaging with the nurses and doctors! He had gone in to PESCM on April 9, and was released April 12, with several medications. At home, he ate a bit, but wasn't too comfortable, emotionally or physically. He spiked a fever on the 14th, 103.7, and I took him back to the closer ER. He saw a lovely young, smart, caring vet there (Urgent Pet El Cerrito, Dr. Julie Lowe DVM). She gave him pain meds, more blood work & x-rays, some IV meds, and stayed with him until 11:30, even though the clinic closed at 7:00! Next morning we went back to PESCM. Another ultrasound showed fluid around his heart. He also had developed pneumonia, due to aspirating vomit during the blockage. Poor HJB!! Lots more details, pages of treatments and tests, but bottom line, he came home again on April 17, 2024. Whew! He was given two different antibiotics and a blood thinner for home use. His incision looked just beautiful: tiny stitches, no redness or swelling. I made the decision not to have him use the e-collar. Worry about HJB was coupled with worry about how we could pay his bills. They had to be paid upfront, and exceeded twenty thousand dollars. So even though Joe had insurance, thank goodness, we had to scramble to get the money together. Healthy Paws insurance has already approved our claims, a separate claim for each hospital visit. Recommended! I can't emphasize enough my admiration for the many doctors he saw--their expertise and obvious love. At both hospitals. Their level of care made an extremely stressful situation SO much less so! Our guy goes back tomorrow to PESCM for stitch removal (YAY!!) and another look-see. And goes back the Wednesday after that for another ultrasound, to see if his pneumonia is gone. I have every confidence in his having a full recovery!! Much love cat, and of course, deserving of the best care. They all are.
 Perry was not with us long, but he will never be forgotten. He and another Siamese cat showed up at one of my colonies, within days of one another, both with wobbly hind ends. I thought that they might have homes nearby, and observed them for a couple of days. One of them was thin and very unsteady, and I thought that he could not remain out there. I thought I'd give him one more day, in case he wanted to go home, or in case his family found him. I never saw him again. Perry was robust except for the wobble. But as the days went on, I became worried, especially as the other one may have died. He let me stroke his back when he ate, another indication that he might have (or had had) a human family. Sooo....one evening I put my carrier (always in the car) down beside him, opened the top (always get a top-opener), scruffed him, and gently placed him into the carrier. We have a fairly big back bathroom, with a bay window, glass door to outside, big cat tree, etc., and I released him into it. He didn't freak out too much, but didn't let me touch him there...on his turf had been okay, but now... he was guarded. A communicator I work with checked in with him, and said that he had a blood clot which was likely pressing on a nerve. She recommended several gemmotherapies, and one blood thinner. I put them into his food: had to use super-smelly commercial food to make sure he got it :-) but he was happy about that. The food I make is more bland... After I let him acclimate for a few days, I took him to the new Urgent Pet emergency clinic in El Cerrito. They are awesome!! He got in right away. They had to sedate him in order to examine, do imaging, etc. they were skilled and kind as they and I held him for the injection. We agreed to have him neutered at that time, to save the risk of another sedation. Alas, the sedation wore off before they got to the neuter! But I'm grateful that they were judicious in their dosage... His blood work was stellar...everything pretty much fine. I took him to PETS in berkeley for an ultrasound and another exam.The ultrasound showed some abnormalities, but nothing definitive or serious, it seemed. There was no sign of thrombosis; blood clot or clots, anywhere. Perry then saw Dr. Reed in Richmond for another exam and acupuncture. He didn't improve; in fact worsened. A month had gone by. I had not seen him walking; he'd moved from the bay window to under the cat tree. He had been moving from there, a few steps, to the glass door, but...he'd been dragging his back legs. Around March 3 he slowed down, then stopped eating, and stopped using the litter box. I had an appointment with a neurologist I love: Dr. Tun at PESCM in San Rafael. The appt was not till April 2, but the clinic called me March 6 and said they'd had a cancellation on March 7! By this time, it looked as if he was at the end of his life. I'd moved him into a big cage in the living room, to keep a better eye on him and to get meds into him. He had come to trust me, or maybe was too weak to care...He was immobile by this time, but I wanted to take him in anyway, to see if Dr. Tun had any ideas as to what was going on. His records were all sent to Dr. Tun. Our appointment was at 11:00. I went out at 8:00, and when I returned at 8:45, he had died. Long live our Perry!   MIchael, MIke, Mikey! One of his vets referrred to him as a dervish...he's full of energy and joy! He was one of a litter here who did not get adopted, as he had what we thought was a stubborn upper respiratory infection. We got him to an internal medicine specialist in Marin, the wonderful Dr. Harb-Hauser, who found that he had ear polyps. in one ear After his CAT scan, they were dee-lighted to tell us that they had been able to remove then without going into his skull. His symptoms lessened, but the glands under his jaw stayed swollen. We talked with the doctor, and she said that as long as he didn't get worse, just wait and see... He stayed the same for six months, with everything else hunky-dory, until the glands became more swollen. He went back to the doctor, and she kept him, wanting to aspirate the spleen and liver to see what was causing this unusual swelling. Fortunately, cancer was ruled out, but the cause is still a mystery. We don't know where to go from here. MIkey is happy and sweet as ever, and the glands are not tender to the touch... Again, we're into this mystery for more than $5000 so far, and do need help! Please donate on the site if you can, www.beeholistic.com, button on top of the site :-) and thank you in advance. Mikey says Happy Valentine's Day!  Baby Mike with his littermates!  Never a dull moment! We have several mysterious situations at the moment..... Starting with Sunny: She came to us unknown as to age or history. She was found in a box (a big one with food and water; better than most) with her siblings. This photo is out of focus, but captures her expression well. Sunny had a raw, mostly bare, coat, and was blind. She's been through a lot, but is a happy cat today, although still recovering from a coyote attack. The mystery with Sunny is that her coat is irritated, and she has +a persistent ear infection. We've changed her food to turkey based; may be a chicken allergy which irritates her coat. And three kinds of meds didn't clear up her (unusual in that's the outer ear) ear infection. She's been getting acupuncture, and different supplements. Back to Dr. Reed next week. Next: Perry! Our latest, this gorgeous man came home from one of my colonies when his hind end got and stayed wobbly. I took him to the new, highly-recommended Urgent Pet emergency clinic in El Cerrito; had heard good things about it. A communcator had told me that he had a blood clot which could break loose and do him damage...and to get him seen asap. The doctor and techs at Urgent Pet were just wonderful! Focused yet compassionate and calming, rand espectful of Perry, who was not used to being handled They held him securely yet gently, head covered, and gave him a light sedation. His x-rays and blood work showed no problems at all! Some incipient bone spurs along his spine, but not enough to affect his mobility. The thinking was that the clot had pressed a nerve, affecting his movement. I had been able to palpate his spine and back legs at the colony, and of course the vets did too. No sign of swelling, tenderness, or broken bone. So, what to do? The communicator July Berin, recommended several methods of dissolving the clot. He has been getting these meds in his food. It may take some time... Perry is bearing up well. He has a big (for a bathroom) room with a glass door and bay window. I hope he understands that we are doing our best to restore his mobility!! Mikey is our third mystery...I'll write about him in the next post. And Yes, this has cost thousands of dollars so far. and YES, I'd love some help with their bills! Our beautiful donate button is at the top of our website!, www.beeholistic.com! Thanks for listening!   Yesterday two gifts arrived: a nice cardboard box, and in it, a package of Christmas cookies! The box came from two of our constant and beloved supporters... We met, about fifteen years ago, when some of our cats ventured up the hill behind our house and enjoyed their cats' food...these two sisters began to put more food out, so that no one would be disappointed. They were lovely women, and helped us in other ways too: one year they made water-tight shelters for those cats who insisted on being out in the rain, they sent treats and toys for us and for the cats... Their home was sold, and they moved to another nice house in the neighborhood; not close enough for our cats to visit, but close enough for me to pick up things they bought for the cats, or for me to sell on ebay, to fund the rescue. Years went by, and one year they moved farther away, We don't see them now, but they continue helping us: they send regular shipments of Nordic Oils, the best source of Omega-3 oils, and catnip! The most recent box and gift was a package of Rugelach pastries! May their tribe increase!! Photo below is our formerly feral, now just shy cat, Mirabel, and one of her beautiful babies, Daniel!   This guy here, Mow Mow, is one hell of a cat! I won't show you his gory 'before' photos; let's just say that the injuries were to his sternum( broken), entire abdomen (bruised and cut), and that he was hit so hard that his diaphragm was herniated. He arrived home barely able to stand. He went to the wonderful PETS Referral emergency hospital in Berkeley. Images disclosed the extent of his injuries. He stayed overnight, and surgery was recommended. Now comes the nail-biter! I had pretty much come to the bottom of my financial resources, and she had none to begin with. Would he survive until we could beg or borrow the six or so thousand we needed for surgery?? I'd spent about four thousand so far, for tests and to stabilize him, and...I explored options, and groups which might help, but to get funding would take time we didn't have. So I crossed my fingers and applied for Care Credit...was approved up to $8000. Surgery was a go! We met with a lovely surgeon, who...eek...was going to be out of town for a week. By this time Mow Mow was...still alive, to our great happiness, and remained stable. Eating and producing output. He'd been kept in my friend's trailer...dicey, no electricity...and was anxious to get out. Yet...were his intestines blocked? Guess not. Were his organs moved into his chest cavity? Was his heart threatened? It was the longest week. I've still not recovered. Then! Last Tuesday, October 17, he went in for surgery. We'd made it!! And he sailed through it!! My friend had been terrified...she didn't know PETS as well as I do...and it was the first surgery on one of her animals. He was deemed good to go just as the two-day heat wave hit, and his trailer would have been well over one hundred degrees. PETS graciously, against their policy, agreed to keep him until it cooled down! Mow Mow is home now, and is doing very well!
Then!
While this was going on, our beloved Sunflower (Sunny) was attacked by a coyote. My husband Ken chanced to see the attack from our kitchen table, and was able to get her to safety. We had thought the back yard safe... She was alive, but in deep shock. She had several puncture wounds on her throat, and one on the back of her head. There wasn't a lot of blood, and the wounds were not bleeding much. We cleaned her wounds, and called our vet. I didn't want to move her. The vet reminded me to pinch her toes, to test for reflexes. All was well, each foot reacted. Not paralyzed. We worked with two vets and two communicators...it was thought that she did not have neurological issues, so we cancelled the appt. with the neurologist, but may take her to him later... Sunny was pretty much immobile for the first two days, but slowly began to regain mobility. she became more alert and engaged with us more. She began to purr... She was able to swallow, and I fed her by syringe. It was impossible to know what to expect, but as the days went by, she improved, slowly but surely. She became able to lick up some broth when I held her head in position, then to lick up some food. A few days ago, she began to eat more, and hold her body's position better...at first she ate lying on her side, but...today she kept her head right over the food. She's eating full meals now (!!) and is better able hold her body upright Yesterday a gifted woman, Bonnie Bainbridge Cohen, founder of the Body-Mind Centering Institute, www.bodymindcentering.com, came to see her! She worked with Sunny's spinal fluid: improving its flow, and helping it clear debris from her system. Today Ms. Sunny is stronger and better able to position herself! Bonnie's daughter is on my board, and is also gifted and skilled. We are enormously grateful!! I am thinking that Sunny will be able to make a full recovery. She has come far. Her wounds are almost healed, and each day shows improvement! What a blessing!  Howdy! I'm Cynthia of Bee Holistic Cat Rescue and Care in Richmond, CA.
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About CynthiaThe founder of Bee Holistic, Cynthia Burke, has been caring for cats most of her life, volunteering with such groups as the wonderful Animal Balance, and Fix Our Ferals, now Animal Fix Clinic. In 2009 her own non-profit was formed..
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