2021 Annual Report

Smaller than a grain of rice, a microchip can be the difference between your special kitty finding their way home or not. The small chip, after being registered and scanned, provides shelters with the pet’s owner’s contact information. The more microchipped pets, the more happy reunions there are. In 2021, FieldHaven was able to reunite Serabi with her owner through some sleuthing, even though the information was out of date.

• Microchip your pet; many clinics offer low/no-cost microchipping (learn more about our microchip clinics)
• Update your pet’s microchip information when you move, change phone numbers, or change ownership.

Over the past five years, California has seen some of the most devastating fires in the nation’s history. During the Camp Fire, we recovered hundreds of displaced cats who were unable to flee with their families (thankfully, we were able to reunite a majority of them). Emergencies can strike at any time. The first step in emergency preparedness is ensuring your pets are microchipped with up-to-date information. Your pet’s disaster kit should contain:

• A soft carrier for easier storage: This is separate from her everyday carrier just in case, so they always know where it is. Even though a carrier is the most secure way to evacuate, a pillowcase will work in a pinch and be a more secure option to simply putting your cat in the car.
• A litter box and litter
• Food, water, and dishes
• Toys
• A comfy bed and blanket
• Puppy pads
• Cleaning supplies
• A copy of important records, including a picture of Micro in case they get separated
• A towel to place over Micro’s carrier in the car to help keep her calm
• A flashlight
• A leash and harness so that if Micro has to be taken from her carrier she is still secure

Even if you live in an area that doesn’t experience natural disasters, man-made disasters happen, too. You should have an emergency plan in place just in case.

FIP Stars

Since January 2021, FieldHaven’s FIP Stars program has been guiding cat owners and caregivers to treatment options and providing emotional and logistical support. With FIP Stars, our goal is to inform veterinarians and cat owners that there IS a cure for FIP. It is not easy and not every cat owner will be able to make the financial and emotional commitment to treat, but we want people to know there is a choice. FieldHaven has staff and volunteers who are available to assist cat owners with knowledge and emotional support, as well as to help with advice on fundraising.

FHAST

FieldHaven Animal Sheltering Team (FHAST) cares for pets and their people during disasters. Our disaster response team has responded to disaster incidents for over a decade. Whether the incident is relatively small (a hoarding situation) or gargantuan, FHAST is ready to deploy our experienced team on short notice. We are typically able to set up a shelter for cats and pocket pets within a matter of hours of the initial call for help. Our priorities are the safety and comfort of the animals we are caring for and offering compassion to their owners. As cat experts, we know how to make even the most fearful cats feel relatively comfortable in a shelter setting. We have veterinary staff onsite as needed. When extended care is necessary, we utilize full-service veterinary clinics in the area.

We performed a total of 797 adoptions in 2021.

We performed a total of 744 transfers in 2021.

Mochi came into Joy C’s life during a very difficult time: she had lost her beloved 14 year old tuxedo cat, Xander, and was diagnosed with the earliest form of breast cancer. She found Mochi online and fell in love. He was the perfect distraction from her cancer, bringing some happiness into her life when she needed it most. On October 18, 2020, two days before her first surgery, she officially adopted Mochi. He bonded with the other cats quickly and played with them energetically. On New Year’s Eve, Joy and her family noticed Mochi had a rounded belly. A day later, he had stopped running. With his condition taking a severe turn for the worse on January 2, Joy took Mochi to the ER, where he was given the worst diagnosis: wet Feline Infectious Peritonitis (FIP), a death sentence with no cure. However, there was a glimmer of hope: a “miracle drug” with an 80% success rate. FieldHaven’s executive director, Joy Smith, helped to orchestrate the acquisition of the medication. Immediately jumping into action, Joy & Joy began the first day of injections – one day down, 167 more to go. Mochi, a fighter like his mom, persevered through the painful treatments. On June 18, 2021, Mochi was deemed 100% cured, with no signs of relapse. Mochi beat the impossible! You can read Mochi’s full story here.

Gridley was brought to FieldHaven by Gridley Animal Services’ Officer Stopplemore on September 8. The feral kitten’s foggy eyes raised concerns. The diagnosis? FIP. Gridley’s uveitis rendered him blind. Joy Smith decided to foster him. Treatment began September 10. On Day 12, Gridley regained some of his vision, gained over half a pound, increased his energy, and started eating well. His 30-day blood panel on October 12 showed his substantial internal progress. It is a miracle to see Gridley as the picture of health considering his diagnosis with the previously incurable FIP. He handles the painful injections and lingering pains like a champion. Sixteen years earlier, Joy lost her beloved kitten to FIP; since his passing, she’s kept his picture on her desk, with the distant hope of one day saving cats and kittens from dying from the disease. Today, that dream is a reality. Gridley fought valiantly in Levi’s memory and beat the odds! He is 100% cured and a proud FIP Star!

To learn more about the FIP Stars or donate to support the program, click here.

Sitting on the side of the road in a badly-battered carrier sat a multi-generation family of twelve (and counting) cats: five pregnant females, a nursing mom with five kittens, and one male. The damage the carrier sustained indicated it was either dropped, tossed, or heaved. Thankfully, the felines were found before tragedy struck. Upon opening the crate, the cat hero was greeted with 24 confused and scared eyes. Cat care specialist Robin Caples referred the call for help to Audra Murphy, who then reached out to Joy Smith with an urgent, “We need fosters!”

Initially called “the Highway 70 Dozen,” our new wards needed help and fast. With more entering the world as the rescued settled in, unforeseen issues came to light: mama Peony rejected her offspring, so (pregnant) grandma Eloise took on the task, cancelling the plans to spay her. To interfere with Grandma’s milk-producing hormones when they were needed most would be a catastrophe. Don’t let the title of “grandma” fool you: Eloise is only fifteen months old and on her third time around as a mama. Not only are all the daughters from the first litter pregnant, they are not weaned from Eloise. As if this family tree’s branches couldn’t get any more tangled, it is quite possible the sons and/or brothers are responsible. This is common as well as frightening – a severe congenital jaw deformity caused by the inbreeding is evident in Eloise and at least one grandchild.

We may never know why the Highway 70 crew was left on the side of the road. Were the owners overwhelmed and unable to care for them properly? Did the cats belong to someone who passed away and the relatives didn’t know what to do with them? Were they a nuisance on someone’s property? Did this person feel it was safer to leave them in a container rather than just releasing them to fend for themselves? Some people are uninformed, at a loss, or simply ignorant. Any one of these scenarios is possible, and each of them could have been prevented. Stories like these are why we advocate passionately for spaying and neutering cats and kittens. A simple, single procedure on ONE cat can save thousands of lives. One litter can multiply out of control in a heartbeat.

To learn more about our Spay/Neuter Assistance Program (SNAP), click here.