COVID19 Reopening News

Dear Friends,

It's been two long months since we closed our doors to adoptions and intake. During that time we've helped cats behind-the-scenes by granting funds for vet care or to find them rescue placements. We opened up one of our foster homes so another rescue could place a mama cat and her 4 kittens into a safe and loving environment. We've continued to do cat behavior consultations and helped cat owners understand the power of a fresh diet.

We've been astounded at the number of adoption applications that have come in for our few, remaining foster cats, but sad we've had to say "No" due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The good new is, we're finally at a place where we can slowly open our doors, so our foster cats can go to their forever homes.

Based on the guidance of Governor Lamont, we will partially re-open starting on May 20th.

Because we're so careful in screening potential adopters, instead of doing home visits in person, we are going to do home visits via FaceTime or other web video program for the next few months.

We are also limiting adoptions to IN STATE ONLY (Connecticut). We will re-open to doing out-of-state adoptions as the pandemic dies down. Most likely that will not be until September 2020 or later. There is too much additional paperwork and vetting for out-of-state adoptions. We're sorry, but we can't take that on at this time.

We will also implement other changes regarding how we do adoptions for the time being. Adoptions will be handled on a case-by-case basis. It will likely include doing hands-free adoptions where adopters pick up our cats without meeting them in person. Of course we ALWAYS take our cats back if it does not work out.

Our doors remain open to anyone who needs cat behavior counseling, feline nutrition or wellness advice. Though it is still too soon for us to take on any new foster cats or kittens, we will continue to network with our rescue peers to help find cats who need rescue an appropriate placement.


Catshew is getting ready to be placed for adoption! Photo courtesy: Dana Sharkey.

We need you by our side so we can continue to operate. If you'd like to make a purchase of items from our WishList or give a gift to help feed and care for our foster cats, go HERE.

We want to extend our gratitude to everyone who has stayed strong, stayed home and been courteous to everyone by wearing masks. And a special Thank You to our grocery store clerks, our hospital workers, our delivery folks and everyone else on the front lines.

Robin A.F. Olson
President & Founder

COVID19 Update

Dear Friends,

Due to the COVID19 virus, our town offices are closing, as well as the school system. As a business here in Sandy Hook for the past decade, we have been asked to make some changes to help keep our community healthy, which we are more than willing to make.

Because we are so careful in screening potential adopters, that requires we do home visits. Once approved, adopters come to our home, or the home of our foster family, to finalize the adoption. Clearly, doing this with a virus outbreak would put ourselves, volunteers and anyone we meet at some measure of risk. Effective at noon (March 14, 2020) we will be suspending our adoption program until further notice.

We will STILL BE HERE for anyone who needs cat behavior counseling, feline nutrition or wellness advice. We will continue to network with our rescue peers to help find cats who need rescue an appropriate placement. Behind the scenes, we'll take this time to work on some long overdue tasks, like update our web site and more, so stay tuned.

We will also continue to show off photos of our adoptable cats, along with any updates on adopted cats in their forever home. We'll tell some rescue stories or share some fun cat-centric tips to help you live better with your cats.

For now, we'll focus on the day to day care of our treasured foster cats, like Matilda. This poor, sweet girl has waited nearly two YEARS to find her forever home. It's heartbreaking to continue to make her and the others wait, too, but it's for the safety and benefit of our community.

Matty Portait by Window
Matilda still waits for her forever home. Photo courtesy: Dana Sharkey.

We need you by our side so we can continue to operate. We may need to do fundraisers for simple things, like food and litter, but we never ask unless we really need it.

We want to extend our love and support to all of you who are struggling and afraid. We CAN and WILL get through this together. Please offer to help your neighbors if they can't leave their home. Please don't be grabbing every item off a shelf if you already have enough. It's scary times. We really get it, but we can show the world how well we can work together in a compassionate, caring way for the benefit of others.

Robin A.F. Olson
President & Founder

Flapjack Flips His Luck: Disabled Cat Finds ‘Fur-Ever’ Home

We’re so thrilled that our friends at the Newtown Bee covered Flapjack’s journey! Here's full article:

By Alissa Silber

“Whatever it takes,” was the vow Robin A.F. Olson, president and founder of Kitten Associates in Sandy Hook, made to ensure Flapjack Shortstack had the best chance at a good life.

Affectionately known as “Flap” and “Flapjack,” the young orange-and-white kitten came into Ms Olson’s care through her nonprofit organization’s rescue program.

One look at his physical appearance and it was clear that he was a special needs kitten.

“Flapjack’s legs were turned and twisted in unique directions due to his mother being far too young to be pregnant and there not being enough space in her uterus for him to develop normally,” Ms Olson said.

Internally, there were also abnormalities that risked his odds of leading a full, healthy life.

“Flap’s ribs came to a point, instead of a smooth curve,” Ms Olson explained. “There was concern his heart and lungs were also compressed, which could give him a shortened lifespan. Flap’s spine had bumpy ridges from his muscles awkwardly contracting while he tried to walk, yet, there was still hope.”

Readers first learned about Flapjack’s medical journey in The Newtown Bee’s article “Flapjack The Kitten Hoping To Flip His Luck” from August 2019, when he was just four months old.

At the time, Flapjack was going to weekly physical therapy sessions in addition to wearing custom-made splints on his front legs. He was also being monitored by a board-certified veterinary surgeon.

The methods proved to be helpful. The young kitten not only gained strength in his leg muscles and had the bumps in his spine smoothed out, but it was determined that he did not have to undergo any amputations.

However, it was believed he would still need corrective surgery on all his limbs when his growth plates closed, a process that would not be completed until he was done growing.

Recent Results

Earlier this month, after reviewing many radiographs of Flapjack’s limbs and chest, it was even revealed that his heart and lungs were normal and no intervention was needed for his legs.

“It was clear to [the vet] that the best thing for Flap was to do nothing,” Ms Olson said. “Putting pins in Flap’s front legs or resecting a hamstring on his back-right leg could risk causing Flap to lose mobility, not gain it.”

No matter what his physical differences are from other cats, Flapjack always follows a mind-over-matter mindset.

He has proven to be determined in achieving his goals when he sets his mind to a task. His tenacity for life has caused him to learn to navigate through the world in his own way. While other cats run, he tends to scamper, but gets where he needs to go.

Ms Olson added, “He could use his litter pan as long as the sides were low. He loved to play and look out the window, chattering at birds as they flew to a nearby feeder . . . Flap was like any cat. He just moved differently.”

Fur-ever Home

Ms Olson’s efforts to keep him alive and give him the best quality of life proved to be the right decision, because despite the odds being against Flapjack, he is now being fostered and loved by his soon-to-be official family.

Rachael and Chris DeMaida, of Waterbury, have decided to adopt Flapjack, as well as his fearless sister, Sugarsnap, with whom he is incredibly bonded.

“This loving couple didn’t balk at continuing Flap’s physical therapy for the rest of his life, if need be. They changed things in their home to make it easier for Flap to get around,” Ms Olson said. “They respected that Flap and his sister, Sugarsnap, shouldn’t be separated, even though Sugar has no disabilities. So Flapjack and his sister will stay together for the rest of their lives.”

The friendly and outgoing siblings will be adopted in just two months, as Flapjack will need to undergo an exploratory neutering surgery for one of his testicles that did not drop.

In addition to continuing with physical therapy once a month, Ms Olson said, “We have to continue to monitor how he’s doing as he ages. He will likely need some pain management like joint supplements and possibly laser therapy or acupuncture/chiropractic [care] in many years.”

The progress Flapjack has made over the last eight months is a jubilant surprise, considering a whopping four vets once told Ms Olson that he would be better off euthanized.

A proponent for trying everything possible, Ms Olson said, “You can put a kitten down any time if the odds are not in the animal’s favor, or you can lean in and work hard on their behalf. You can be willing to focus on the needs of one, even though others might say you could have saved so many more in that same amount of time.”

She added, “I see the kitten in front of me, who is sweet-hearted and happy, who got dealt a tough hand, who needs someone to stand up for him when no one else would. That’s my priority. I know I can’t save every cat, but I can save this one.”

To stay up to date of Flapjack Shortstack’s adventures, check out his Instagram page at instagram.com/flapandfriends. For more information about Kitten Associates in Sandy Hook and to make a donation, call 203-744-9228, e-mail info@kittenassociates.org, or visit kittenassociates.org.

Pages

Feed a Kitten

Target Kitten Essentials

Freya and Friends Fund

Fred Fund