Our foster Miss Itty – 2016 © Colehauscats.com
Since bringing Miss Itty into our home as a shelter foster seven months and twenty-four days ago, you have all welcomed her into the cat community. And we thank you! In comments, many of you have hinted at, wished aloud, and openly suggested that we might want to have a conversation or two (or twelve) about the possibility of making her an official Colehaus Cat.
Well, another addition would top us out, once more, at our absolute limit of nine cats. There would be no room for a stray kitten here or there, an injured feral, or any hard-luck cases.
And then, there’s Miss Itty’s health issues, senior age, and vet expenses to worry about. Midway through last week we learned her urinalysis and blood work shows Stage 3 kidney disease. Poor girl.
On the other hand, nine has always been our lucky number…
Miss Itty – 2016 © Colehauscats.com
Over the weekend, our foster Miss Itty needed to go to the vet after a painful UTI made itself known. Because she’s “difficult” during exams, we have to medicate her three hours beforehand, making things more interesting. The good thing is she doesn’t have bladder or kidney stones, which we feared, and that were completely ruled out via X-Rays.
The bad thing is she has ecoli cells mixed in with her UTI and those can be very resistant to generalized antibiotics, such as Clavamox. A culture is being sent to a lab to determine which strain of ecoli is present and which antibiotic will effectively wipe the infection out.
In the meantime, she has the entire Cat Den at her disposal. There she enjoys quiet late morning snoozing followed by breakfast in bed, full room cleanings, fresh linen service twice daily (more as needed), lazy afternoon naps in muted sunshiny sun puddles, and special 5-star dinners with Dad.
Our foster Miss Itty – 2016 © Colehauscats.com
Back to the possibility of a Colehaus adoption: There are worries. There will be budget adjustments. There are questions. There will come answers.
1. Miss Itty is a senior cat and has been through much, both physically and emotionally. Between ear polyps, surgery, and infection after infection, she started out as a stray, and had been at the shelter for almost two years after losing her owner and home of six years.
2. She’d had a very short fostering break with another family, but due to unfortunate circumstances, she couldn’t stay and she was taken back to the shelter.
3. She still requires once per week ear cleanings.
4. She has a non-cancerous fluid-filled cyst on her back that bothers her a little from time-to-time, and as with most cats, she could use dental work.
5. Miss Itty is a cranky cat. Not all the time, not even half the time, but flash a pill bottle or syringe or the bottle of ear cleaning fluid and well, she’s not inclined to be cooperative. At all.
6. As a senior cat, we suspected she might have or would have age-related health problems other than those endless ear infections that required countless rounds of one ear medication after another. And she didn’t have much vital medical information about her to throw hints at what might come. No blood work, no kidney values, no allergy information, nothing for anyone to go on. Everything would need to be started from scratch.
Our foster Miss Itty – 2016 © Colehauscats.com
We’ve talked at length with our favorite vets about Miss Itty and her age, and steps forward regarding Stage 3 kidney disease, and we’ll continue that conversation once her UTI clears up.
Nevertheless, we’ve seen her personality emerge from a frightened, angry cat who seemed to accept she belonged nowhere to one who engages us and purrs more often than not. We’ve seen her stress level drop significantly. We’ve seen her interact and play with other cats, Miss Newton and Olivia, most notably, and a time or two with Quint and Viola.
And we’ve grown terribly fond of her. The thought of her not having a forever home, with all she has going on, pains us. When she needs stability and comfort the most, she had no real home… until now.
Please re-welcome this dear cat, our former foster Miss Itty, whom, with her approval, we have renamed Sunny. To remain here where she’s safe and warm, watched over and cared for, and with a full, happy belly, may she always feel love. You’re an official Colehaus Cat now, Sunny! Welcome!
Sunny, formerly Miss Itty, with her Dad – 2016 © Colehauscats.com
Concatulations, Sunny and the whole family! What a womderful way to start Monday morning with this news!
(this post made the head peep happy-cry at the airport, so your news made quite a scene)
That is wonderful news! My mum has happy tears in her eyes. Welcome to your forever home, Sunny.
Welcome, welcome, thrice welcome! This is wonderful news though we’re not too surprised. To care for her for so long and let her go…. incredibly difficult. And remember, if you need to have a fundraiser for her expenses, we will certainly contribute if we can.
Oh oh OH! I keep reading and reading, and did NOT anticipate the final…YAY! Sunny, sweetheart…welcome home! Sending you smooches and belly rubs. Relax, honey…you ain’t going nowhere! (pardon the poor English, but I’m excited!)
Yay!!!!! Welcome to your new fabulous awesome loving caring forever home Sunny girl!!! I’m so so happy for you and all the Colehaus cats and humans!!
If you need financial help you could set up a Gofundme page and I’d be glad to help.
Congratulations! ❤️❤️❤️❤️
Eu fiquei emocionada com essa notícia maravilhosa, essa menina merece
ter uma família amorosa. Parabéns pela decisão de ficar com a senhorita Itty.
Awww…..this is such a sweet post, you made me cry. Congratulations and a big thank you for adopting her. I will donate to a fund for her medical care too.
YEAH we are thrilled to read this!!! While we did like Miss Itty’s name, she should adapt easily to Sunny.
Welcome Sunny! We are overjoyed. Since Sunny appears to be stable, with careful monitoring and a proactive approach, she may stay relatively well for months or years.
So happy for you.
Angel Normie, Angel Mika, Sasha & Grady Lewis
Oh man! This sure makes us smile! Welcome, Sunny! You couldn’t have found a better home.
Sunny is so lucky to have her remaining days with you both! Love and purrs.
Oh that is such good news especially for Miss Itty, Sunny. We are so excited for her. She is such a lucky kitty to have found you and we thank you with all our hearts for taking such good care of her.
YAY!! I’m so happy Sunny is part of the Colehaus family. As a mom to a senior cat (my Annabelle is 12 1/2), I totally understand the challenges. I’m so glad Sunny has such a wonderful family to care for her in her older years. 🙂
I am all teary here at work now. I realize this wasn’t an easy decision, but I’m very happy for Sunny and the Colehaus Cats and family. And if you want to fundraise for her medical costs, I’m in!
What wonderful news about Miss Itty (having a new name) Sunny is part of your family now. Mum’s eyes are leaking and she’s sniffing a lot. We will send you some money as often as we can to help with her needs.
YAY!!…Sunny is a lucky girl to have found such a loving family…Hope she feels better soon and hope her kidney issues can be addressed with sub q fluids…Blessings to you all…xoxo…J, Calle, Halle, Sukki, Mommy Cat
Oh, I’m so, so happy to hear this. You were meant to be together!!! (With regards to the UTI, have you heard about D-Mannose? I’m writing about it tomorrow!)
Oh thank you thank you Carole and husband. I have tears after reading this about Miss Itty, Sunny. A beautiful name for a beautiful girl and your two beautiful hearts. I’m proud to know you and call you my friend here on the CB.
Oh, gosh, I didn’t know this would make me cry, but it does. Thank you, thank you for caring about Miss Itty and giving her a forever home. Sunny is a beautiful new name to mark a new beginning.
Mom has happy tears now too! Great news! We are sooo happy for Sunny and for you!!!
The Florida Furkids and leaky Mom Sharon
Welcome, Sunny! This is wonderful news, and you are one lucky girl. <3
So happy to hear Sunny now has a forever home! Older cats are hard to get adopted–even more so with health issues. Kudos to you for being so wonderful to her. As a foster flunky myself, what’s one more cat?
Okay, who is cutting onions in here??
Congratulations Sunny! Welcome to the interwebs! (adoption stories rock!)
Dearest Sunny you for sure are living under a lucky star to have landed at Colehaus!! Welcome dear sweet girl
Hugs madi another senior!
Oh, this is such wonderful news! Tears of joy as we read that Sunny is in her forever home, with the world’s most loving forever family. Congratulations to Sunny, and to all of you. <3
Welcome home, Sunny! I’m sending you lots of calming purrs as you deal with your continuing health issues.
Yay ! Concatulations ! Welcome again, Sunny ! You hit the jackpot ! Purrs
Yay!! Miss Sunny, I wish you and your furrever family all the love and purr-fect times together your sweet heart can hold!
Bless you for your hard decision of keeping her. I can understand your difficulty-all her medical problems & of filling your house. But it seems she has come around & become a friendlier kitty. Thank you so very much for all your hard work!
Oh dear Sunny, we are so happy for you we will all do a happy dance. Thanks for making the Colehaus love official!!!!!
Welcome Sunny, you haz the bestest fambily a girl could ever hope for.
(You Cole-folks are amazing!!!)
MAKE THIZ FONT AZ LARGE AZ CAN BEE….WE IZ BUZZED HAPPEE FOR EWE SUNNY …A MOST HAPPEE GOTCHA DAY TWO EWE; WELCOME TA YUR FOR EVER…FOR EVERZ…WELCOME TWO BLOGLAND OH FISH ULL LIKE; WE RAIZ 984 PAWZ UP TWO YUR MOM & DAD ~~~~~~
SA~ WHEAT ♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥
This is wonderful news! Sunny has struck gold and I think you have too!! Big smiles here! xxx
Concats Sunny and family. We’re shedding happy tears for you.
Great news! Congratulations on the new addition, and we hope you and Sunny have many happy years together.
Concatulations dearest Sunny! And re-welcome home. Purrz from the Katie Katz.
I would let these tears drop if I wasn’t on my desk at work and would be totally busted for getting my daily dose of Colehouse. Best news of the day!
Emma and Buster
Welcome to your furever home Sunny!
Sometimes choices come clear without you realizing – or wanting them, necessarily. I can only imagine that if Sunny had been taken back to be put up for adoption, her world would have come crashing down again and all your hard work (and hers) undone. I definitely feel you made the right choice !
Well, I’m crying…at work! Kinda knew all along this was gonna happen, but still. CONCATULATIONS, Sunny!
Yay! Congratulations! Thank you for giving her a forever home and a beautiful new name. She is one very lucky kitty.
This is wonderful, wonderful news. Sunny is a lucky lady. You are so very kind.
Aww, tears in my eyes for Sunny! Welcome to the Colehaus Cats! I’m so happy for her and thank you to you for giving her a forever home. That’s simply wonderful!
Thank you for adopting this beautiful girl. I have adopted 2 WCGHS cats, one of them I had as a foster cat for a year, and I am so lucky to have them.
What wonderful news! We love happy stories so are very happy Sunny has a furever home!
Yay for a furrever home!
Terrific news! So happy for all of you!
Is it OK to say I burst into tears? At your generosity of spirit and your love and affection for a loving senior in spite of her issues?
Welcome Sunny, you found the right place to call home.
YIPPEEEEEEE!!!!! Mom said she knew you were going to keep Sunny. She said she could feel your heart when you wrote about her. She could sense the love flowing back and forth between Sunny and her used to be foster home. You were meant to have her!!! She was meant to have you!!! Mom’s crying tears of happiness for all of you. Thank you so much for reaching out to this senior kitty who has been through so much. WE LOVE YOU!
Giant purrs and Tiny purrs from Hemingway and Steinbeck
Big Hugs from Pam, The Mom
What an amazing family Sunny is now officially a part of! Thank you for letting this wonderful girl find herself — and you — after all the things life has thrown her way. (Life at last got something right. Well done!)
What a wonderful story and even better ending.
Bless you for caring for that sweet Sunny cat 🙂
There are leaky eyes here too.
We understand the undertaking you have accepted.
Purrs Georgia and Julie,
Treasure and JJ
Oh, how sweet. You have weighed the pros and cons and welcomed Miss Itty into the family. Welcome, Sunny, from all of us!
We have limits here too. About 3.
OMC OMC OMC!!!!!!!!!!!!! I was out of town Monday and Tuesday and didn’t see this til now! I am literally sitting here crying my eyes out!!! OMC OMC OMC I LOVE YOU EVEN MORE THAN I ALREADY DID! I am ECSTATIC! You are the epitome of an Angel!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I LOVE YOU TO PIECES and I THANK YOU for adopting “Sunny” formerly known as “Miss Itty” OMC you have made my day!!! xoxoxo
I well know the stress and strain this will put on you humans and your budget and time, and even the rest of your household. And I know that not being able to help another kitty in need is also stressful, sad and a worry because you know another will come along. But nine was always my lucky number too, and sometimes a kitty comes along who needs to stay because she has needs only you can fill. Only another family like you would be able to care for her as she needs, and understand her, and you know that families like you are rare. She is one lucky kitty, and I can’t wait to see her purr-sonality blossom in your wonderful home.
This makes us so happy and warms our hearts. We know how expensive it can be caring for a kitty with health issues, but the love you get in return is so worth it. Sunny is a wonderful name for this ginger girl. We know she will get the best care and love by becoming a permanent member of the family. Fiona is eating up all our vet money so we cannot help with Sunny’s expenses as we’d like to. We hope sending purrs, prayers and love will be enough for now. XOCK, Lily Olivia, Mauricio, Misty May, Giulietta, Fiona, Astrid, Lisbeth and Calista Jo