May 20th was a fun day for pet lovers. Barb Carmen Pet Portraits partnered with co-sponsor Thrivent to host the For the Love of Kittens (FTLOK) rescue organization for a special RESCUE PHOTO DAY at the studio. Fifteen feline friends (and their wonderful foster families) stopped by for a quick photo session. Pictures from the day were uploaded to Petfinder. Most were adopted within a few weeks.
An ongoing effort.
That one day was just one of many. Since September 2018, our studio has donated 28 pet portrait sessions for FTLOK’s rescues and photographed more than 200 kittens and cats. We are privileged to play a part in the work that FTLOK is doing and happy that nearly all the animals photographed end up happily adopted.
Website visitors may notice that we feature photos of cats and kittens fostered by FTLOK. But not everyone may be familiar with the actual important work provided by the rescue. So, when For the Love of Kittens stopped by again on August 5th with 20 NEW adoption-ready kittens, we decided it was the perfect time for a little follow-up. We reached out via email to the president of For the Love of Kittens, Sharon Ollinger, with lots of questions. What follows are excerpts from her responses.
Kitten lovers on a mission.
For the Love of Kittens is the brainchild (and heart-child) of six women with long histories in the world of animal rescue and adoption. Sharon Ollinger, Kay Walsh, Sara Shope, Rachel Gideon, Kim Mellott, and Deena Beekman banded together in 2017 with a specific desire to rescue and care for kittens and see them safely adopted.
“My first love was always dogs,” says volunteer/founder Ollinger. “I knew that someday I would be in rescue, and with the dogs was where I wanted to be. When I began volunteering it was for a no-kill shelter that did dogs and cats. (But) once I became involved I realized that, for the most part, dogs have good people working for them. Cats don’t. They are second-class citizens.”
Working with the abused, neglected, and abandoned cats and kittens that came into the shelter gave Ollinger and her fellow volunteers a unique -- and disturbing -- perspective.
“There is terrible cruelty done to kittens and cats," says Ollinger. "There is (cruelty) to dogs too, but the cat situation seems to be worse. The tiny, neonatal kittens are the most euthanized animals in rescue, and I found...my passion was for these tiny, forgotten creatures.”
A care network for felines.
For the Love of Kittens chartered as an Ohio-based licensed 501c3 in 2017. The rescue’s stated mission “...is to provide the animals in our care with a safe place where they will receive any needed medical care, a nutritious diet, love, and nurturing as we prepare them for adoption into their forever home.”
The group takes that work seriously. Since its inception, they have managed to rescue and, in most cases, successfully adopt out close to 450 cats and kittens. Of the six founders, Ollinger, Walsh, and Shope are still active.
Of course, the women have never really been alone in their efforts. FTLOK has had lots of help from recruits and volunteers who either provide foster care or special services for its feline patients.
“The number of fosters (pet caregivers) varies,” says Ollinger, “but an average of ten is good. There are times we have more and some less. We have a photographer, a lady that does microchips, a lady that does Petfinder, a lady that does our social media, a vet tech that does a mini-clinic on Wednesdays, a handyman, and we have high school kids who come and just play with kittens to socialize them.”
Uncommon care for a (seemingly) common animal.
When notified of a lost, injured, or abandoned cat or kitten, FTLOK volunteers work quickly to secure it and get it into a foster home. Rescued animals are given proper veterinary care, vaccinated, combo tested, spayed or neutered, and then microchipped. Once they are healthy and have reached an appropriate age for adoption, they are photographed and posted on Petfinder. Prospective adoption homes are carefully evaluated. Once approved, placement comes with one condition: if for any reason the adopting family or individual decides against keeping the pet, For the Love of Kittens must be contacted so that the animal can be taken back into care until a new home is found.
A decisive moment.
The life of an abandoned or abused animal -- like a cat or a small kitten -- can easily be snuffed out by the animal’s environment or by circumstances beyond its control. To some, it might seem like a small thing for a rescue organization like For the Love of Kittens to get involved and save the life of one small animal. But you never know how the story might end. When asked to recall an interesting or heartwarming adoption story, Ollinger offered this:
“It’s very hard to think of one story. So many of our adoptions leave a lasting mark on our hearts because we have such caring adopters who keep in touch with us so we know how they are doing. (But) there is one story.”
“I got a call from a woman who found a kitten in her backyard. It had been there a couple of days (and) she needed someone to take it. She said it had an eye infection and upper respiratory infection. I told her I couldn’t take it but, if she would meet me, I could help.”
“We met and the kitten was much sicker than I thought. She wouldn’t take it to a vet (so) I took the kitten to our vet (who) confirmed that the kitten was very sick, actively dying, and probably would not make it through the night. The kitten was dehydrated with a temperature so low that it didn’t register. Blood work showed infection everywhere, an eye infection, an upper respiratory infection, and she had a cleft palate.”
“They (the veterinarian) said they would euthanize. (But) the kitten wasn’t suffering so I opted to take her home and keep her comfortable. The next morning she was still with us -- and seemed better. I took her to the vet who was amazed.”
“I named the kitten Katie. Today she is the BEST CAT EVER!”
RARE BREEDS
Over the last four years, FTLOK has seen and saved a wide range of feline pets. Most have been of the common Domestic Short Hair (DSH) variety. However, there have been some surprises.
“I think that a Flame Point* was one of our rarest (breeds),” observes Ollinger. “Although we did have a male Calico -- which is very rare.” (Note: a Flame Point is a cross between a purebred Siamese and a red-toned American shorthair. Beautiful animals! -- Ed.)
Still, considering all the cats and kittens adopted over the last four years, the rarest breeds have probably been overlooked. Understandable, given the circumstances. In all the rescue work accomplished by the group, the rarest animals in the For the Love of Kittens' story aren't cats or kittens.
The rarest breeds
are the Foster who steps up
and the Adopter who takes home
a feline friend.
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