Life 9 Rescue

10/13/2023

We recently trapped four hungry kittens and a young mama cat in an office building parking lot off of Gateway in Springfield. The mama is friendly and young, the kittens are less friendly and have clearly been born and raised entirely outside away from people. All will be fixed soon, the mom and a little boy and a little girl have been fixed, given shots, tested negative to FELV/FIV, flea/worm treated, and microchipped. Hopefully the last two kittens will be fixed tomorrow at WAG. 🤞We are looking for a barn home for the three most feral kittens, and a loving patient home for the mama and one boy kitten who is most friendly to people, meowing and starting to come up for human pets. He is also her mini-me and is very attached to her. Please message Life 9 if you are interested in meeting these sweet cats who had a rough start to life. (Located in Eugene/Springfield, OR)

12/30/2022

12/15/2022

This handsome boy is looking for a new home! He is currently located in Eugene/Springfield, OR. He is fully vetted and healthy, with a microchip. He is about 1.5 years old. He loves dogs but not other cats. He would prefer to be indoor/outdoor and LOVES playing. He was abandoned, found unneutered and very skinny over the summer. He has been brought up to full health and in foster homes since he was found, and he is ready for his forever home! Please message us on Facebook if you are interested, a home visit and an application are necessary to adopt this boy. We are calling him Tommy (tomcat). Share widely!

12/10/2022

These beautiful Bengal kitties have asked Santa to find them loving forever homes. You can help make their wish come true by sharing this post! ❤️

Available for adoption in Eugene, OR through our friend Toni Ray with CCATS 🐱

These gorgeous Bengal siblings are waiting for their forever families ..
please private message the page to meet them.
Fill out the adoption application here to start the process!

https://www.cognitoforms.com/CommunityCatAdvocacyTeamSpringfieldCCATS/CCATSAdoptionApplication

10/13/2022

10/06/2022

Cats in Traps – are they Feral?

There’s a cat in your trap! Yikes! He’s thrashing around, growling, hissing, slapping at you as you approach the trap - he’s feral, right???

One of the BIGGEST misconceptions in trapping is the one that promotes the belief ANYONE can tell that a cat is feral in a trap. We don’t care if you are the Cat Whisperer of all time – we won’t believe you if you say “that cat in the trap is feral”. Now – many TAME cats are obviously tame in the trap, but that one is easy. He’s meowing and head butting the trap, and purring and kneading the air as he talks to you – yes, that cat in the trap is tame :) But feral? Not so easy.

How many people do you know who have a lap cat, a sweetheart who just LOVES his people – yet if a stranger comes in, will bolt and act like the monster of all time has appeared? Or is your fur-baby scared of his own shadow, hides under the bed? What would these cats do if trapped outside?

Some time ago we encountered 2 examples of this that made us think “how do we get this message across?” The first was with a homeowner who had trapped a cat and “boy is he FERAL! He’s sticking his arms through the bars trying to get me, just throwing himself at me – he’s a mean one boy!” The second was the opposite “this cat is not feral, he meowed at me and didn’t move when I touched him through the trap”.

The first cat? The human had left a trap outside, uncovered, all day long – this cat had been caught and exposed to the elements AND visual terror all day – then, at the end of it a human walks up and stands over him to see “if he’s feral”. We’d like to put that human in a trap… oh, excuse me! 😊 I meant, we kindly offered to take this cat, promising we would not return him. And that cat went into a very large cage with a “safe” hiding spot, was eating his canned food, using his litter box, hiding but not acting aggressive. That cat was terrified – there is NO way you can assess any cat in a trap after an ordeal like that. He was given a minimum of 2 weeks to relax and adjust, and guess what? Totally tame. And went into a home.

The second cat? He has lived in a colony all his life – born and raised feral, but fed by a caregiver every day. He knows people are the source of good things, and has been partially socialized. While it is true that a true feral does not meow at you in a trap, there are MANY stages of socialization between true feral and tame. This cat is not tame, and he was released to live in that managed colony. Thankfully, that meow may have saved his life, because cats in traps who land in a shelter and are deemed to be feral may be killed.

We as rescuers have often asked others how they are assessing a cat as “feral”. One horrifying example was “if you poke him with a pencil in the trap and he bites it or growls/slaps at you, he’s feral”. We’ve heard “he is frozen in the back of the trap, he hissed at me, he slapped at me, his ears are flattened, he’s growling…” all of these observations need to be part of the assessment of a cat, but NOT WHEN HE’S IN A TRAP! We’ve even had people shocked when their own pet cat was trapped, to have that cat growl and slap at them. Cats in traps are animals in danger – they know they are trapped, and their self-preservation kicks in. Until that cat can be in a “safe” spot where he is no longer feeling threatened, he’s likely to be “feral”.

Rescuers who do a lot of trapping DO develop a sense of “feral”, but they know you cannot always tell. We share this message in the hopes that it circulates to those who might buy/borrow a trap to get that “feral” in their backyard –please, look for experienced rescuers to help you assess the cat, and please know if you take that “feral” to a shelter they may have to kill him. Shelters don’t WANT to kill healthy cats – but there are not enough cells to hold all the unwanted cats. Shelters nationwide are embracing TNR, knowing this is a way they can promote saving lives, not ending them. Don’t trap and take cats to shelters; TNR – trap/neuter/return them. And if you plan to assess them, know you must give them time. Time to relax, to feel safe, to trust. Time to know you care 😊

(PS - the cat in the picture was feral)

06/16/2022

Awwww….

05/24/2022

A fluffy black kitten named Binx was found attempting to care for three younger kittens "as best he could."

05/20/2022

We took this little cutie to Willamette Animal Guild on Wednesday to be spayed… no babies for this gal!

05/19/2022

I didn’t grow up with a lot of pets around because I’m first generation Nigerian American and Nigerian moms don’t do animals. In our culture, animals belong outside. So naturally, when I became an adult I became an amateur zookeeper and invite all manner of mammals to reside in my dwelling.

When my mom visits, I take a great joy watching her physically recoil as one of my animals gets too close to her. She’ll be visiting again soon and has yet to meet our two newest additions, a pair of Guinea pigs that I will place on her lap as soon as she sits down (it’s the little things in life).

I love most animals but while I have two cats, I have to say we don’t really have a relationship, it’s more of an agreement. It’s an agreement they violate often but I can’t do anything about at this point because unlike dogs, cats really don’t care how you feel about them.

Despite their problematic attitude, I do find cats very interesting and have decided to write a guide for those of you considering acquiring one of these small beasts.

How to Know if You Should Get a Cat

1. You like being disrespected

If you want a cat, on some level you have to either love or feel amused by being regularly disrespected. Cats don’t operate by the regular give and take of relationships. They are inconsiderate by nature. Cat people, don’t get mad, we have to start being more honest with the outside world.

A cat will know something bothers you or is wrong and do it while maintaining eye contact. They’re like toddlers but more elegant.

For instance, if a cat sees that you have a particular attachment to something they might p*e on it. Why? To let you know they’re not worried about you or the future.

Cats have very high expectations for living and will let you know when you’ve violated their sensibilities. If their litter hasn’t been cleaned in the last 14 minutes, they’ll go adjacent to the box, for example as a message to you.

Cat urine is one of the most potent biological weapons science has discovered and they will not hesitate to use it. One of mine did this when I switched to a diet brand of cat food. I switched it back and he stopped. Communication.

2. You like surprise barf

When you have a cat you get to play a 24/7 game of Surprise Vomit. Could be fresh, could be old, you could step on it at 5:45am on the way to the bathroom in your socks…you never know, that’s the surprise.

Throwing up for cats isn’t a big deal. It’s how they autograph their living environment. “I stay here.” Don’t try to figure it out just stock up on the paper towel.

Oh, they like to watch you clean it, too.

3. You don’t mind occasional violence

Dogs enjoy attention. They want to be rubbed, pet, played with constantly, etc.

If you pet a cat for .2 seconds longer than they’re comfortable with, they’ll bite you. First a small warning usually, then an all out clamp down by the flesh slicers.

Inside of their paws, cats conceal 15-28 switch blades always sharpened to a razor’s edge and they are reckless with them.

A cat doesn’t think, “This person takes care of me, maybe I shouldn’t draw blood.”

A cat will be sitting in your lap, hear a loud noise from across the street and *fight mode activated* perforate your thighs through jeans trying to escape.

Just something to think about.

4. You like waking up early

Cats like to eat in the am between 4:45 and 4:47am. They’ll let you know by meowing loudly for as long as it takes. You can yell, hiss, throw shoes, beg and call the police on them but nothing will change and the police won’t even take a statement.

5. Cats are nocturnal

Cats like to sleep much of the day in preparation for living room parkour between the hours of midnight at 3am. If you have more than one, those will also be their Fight Club hours.

6. They like to break rules

I have spent $400 in devices, sprays, and gadgets trying to keep my cats off of the counters. Aluminum foil. Plastic netting designed for birds. It’s embarrassing to admit you’re losing a battle to a one pound animal but being regularly bested in your own home is part of owning a cat.

You have to like the dance.

7. They are inexplicably endearing

Something about living with an animal that you know would 100% take your life in a moment of anger if they could physically manage it but also is so soft to pet, is enjoyable. There has to be something a little off inside of you if you Iike this combination in a pet but for most of us, it’s too late to get help.

Enjoy your kitty friend. I would like to see a photo and know their name, age and last time they hurt you/your home if possible.

Love,

Bunmi 🐈 🧡

05/18/2022

Of course they do!!!

A study conducted by Kyoto University found that pet cats may have the ability to recognize the names of felines that live with them

01/20/2022

Princess Kitty wanted to show you guys how cute her little house is! She has a warm weather proof heating pad inside that is on year round and keeps her toasty warm even through the coldest winter nights. And for fun we even decorate it for her for the holidays! This year Santa Claus brought her a year supply of her favorite treats!! 🥰

Thank you so much Kim for donating this huge box of Temptations! They continue to bring her so much joy every single day. She has come to expect "desert" after every meal 😋

We love spoiling all of the feral kitties! You can just see the gratitude on their little faces 💞

01/20/2022

Meet Princess Kitty, one of the many feral cats who are so grateful for the food that your donations provide 💜

Princess showed up late one night in the fall of 2019. She was so emaciated and starving, she was under the apple tree trying to eat the rotten apples on the ground 🥺

We immediately grabbed a can of food to take out to her. She was terrified of humans so she bolted the second we opened the door. But she didn't go far. As soon as we went back inside, she waited for a few minutes to make sure it was safe, and then with her belly to the ground she crept across the yard and went straight to the plate of food. She scarffed it down so quickly she vomited and then proceeded to eat her vomit. Our hearts ached! 🥺

Little did she know, in that moment as we were secretly watching her from the other side of the glass door we made her a promise... "now that you found us, you will never again have to be hungry precious kitty"

We made a heated shelter for her and the following day we put out more food and water, praying she would come back. And she did!! But it was at this time that we were able to get a better look at her face on and saw that she was actually in even worse shape than we realized. In addition to being just a rack of bones, she also had a very painful abscess on the right side of her face that was so large her eye on that side was nearly swollen shut. And she also had an abscess on her front paw that was so painful to put weight on she was holding it up to her chest. She wouldn't let us get anywhere near her but having helped so many others in the same condition, we knew exactly what to do. We went out and grabbed her food before she could finish it and mixed in a crushed up Onsior for the pain and a double dose of Amoxicillin to kick start her course of antibiotics. Within just 48 hours of starting the medicine, both abscesses ruptured and she was visibly feeling so much better!

(A quick side note, when giving antibiotics always continue for the full course regardless of how quickly they get better. If you do not follow through with the full course every time you will end up with a colony that is resistant to antibiotics. And when it comes to caring for feral cats who are prone to abscesses and but unable to be taken to the vet, those oral antibiotics are your life line. So if you are going to use them, you must *always* follow through with the full course to avoid your ferals building up a resistance to them in the future)

Fast forward 2 years and here she is! So bright, happy and healthy! She went from being a rack of bones to having a tummy so fat it swings side to side when she walks! 😄 She shows up like clock work for meal time and even sticks around for "desert" (temptations are her favorite thing in the world!)

She is truly feral so even though it's been 2 years, we have still never been able to touch her but she now let's us sit down just 5 feet away from her as long as we don't make any prolonged eye contact lol

Recently she began giving us slow blinks!! Even though she isn't ready to let us touch her, she still wants us to know how much she loves us 💜

With some investigative work we were also able to track down the tom cat responsible for the abscesses she was showing up with in the beginning and got him neutered! And our sweet Princess Kitty hasn't been beaten up since!! 🥰

We just wanted to thank you from the bottom of our hearts for the donations that you made recently in honor of Betty White because these kitties that depend on us, they are so grateful for our help.

After spending a decade trapping, rescuing and spaying/neutering over 1,400 cats and kittens in Lane County, our time is now spent tending to the on going care of these feral cat colonies. TNR was just the first step in helping these cats. They still need our care and support for the rest of their lives. We provide them with warm shelters to sleep in, fresh food and water, meditation and dewormer, re-trapping and veterinary care when injuries occur... We don't just release these cats back to the streets to fend for themselves after we have them fixed, we continue to care for them for the entirety of their lives. And it is your donations that make it possible for us to do so.

Princess Kitty thanks you 💞

01/18/2022

Please consider supporting Life 9 Rescue on this incredibly special day. We rely entirely on private donations and could not save the precious lives that we do without your support. There are many other wonderful organizations out there asking for your donations on this very special day, so even if you do not choose us, our hearts will still be happy and grateful to know that so many animals are going to receive help in honor of Betty White. If you are still undecided though and searching for an organization that your heart truly resonates with, we would like to tell you about Life 9 Rescue. We are a small organization dedicated to rescuing the homeless, abandoned and suffering cats/kittens of Lane County. We rescue the cats that no one cares about, the cats that have suffered in silence and no one even knows existed. We rescue the cats that are on the 9th life and have no where else to turn. We save the cats that are deemed as "unadopted" or would otherwise be euthanized and we give them a second chance. We give them the opportunity to experience what it feels to be loved. To play with a toy for the very first time. To roll around in cat nip, for the very first time. To snuggle up on a warm bed, with a full tummy, for the very first time.

The thing that makes our organization different is our size. We are a very small organization. Which has its pros and cons. By being a very small organization, we do not have the capacity to take in as many animals at a time as other larger groups can. But being small has its benefits! We are entirely volunteer based and have zero over head costs. By not having to pay for any salaries or over head expenses, every single penny of every dollar goes directly to the animals. Which means that your donation is actually able to help even MORE animals when given to a small organization like ours. This is especially important when it comes to those who want to make a difference in the lives of animals in need but don't have the financial means to make a hefty contribution. With us, you don't have to! Even the smallest donation makes a big difference with Life 9 Rescue. We may not have the capacity to save all of the kitties in the world, but with your support, we can make the world of difference, one precious soul at a time... Like Suie, who is pictured below.

We received a call about an old kitty who had been abandoned outside and was being tormented by a group of cruel children who lived in the apartment complex. We went out immediately and found her exactly where the caller reported. She was laying on the cold concrete, pressed against the sliding glass door to the empty apartment that she used to live. She knew that it was her home and had laid there for weeks thinking maybe her owners would come back for her, but they never did. They left her there to die, scared, hungry and alone. Despite the abuse she had endured during that time, she never stopped loving/trusting humans. When I reached out to her, she smelled me and gently bonked her head on my hand. When I picked her up she immediately began to purr. She just knew in her little heart that we were there to save her.

When we took her in to be spayed, we sadly discovered a long chain of mammory tumors. It seemed she had been used for breeding and forced to have litter after litter of kittens. It would also explain why her owners decided to throw her away once she finally got to the age that she could no longer produce healthy kittens.

We could remove the tumors but they were sure to return soon after and her fate would ultimately be the same. So were given the option to either do the surgery or to humanely euthanize. We are a no-kill organization but above all else, we are a no-suffering organization. We believe very strongly that quality of life should always be the deciding factor. We refuse to ever allow an animal to suffer, just as we refuse to ever give up on an animal who isn't suffering. And that is why we did not give up on Suie.

Regardless of being 14 to 15 years old, having terminal cancer, and being told she is "unadoptable"... We were not going to consider euthanasia because she wasn't ready to go yet and we knew that. She was not suffering, she was not in any pain. She was happier than she had ever been in her entire life. Sure she didn't have long, but she still had SO much love that she wanted to share. She was the most incredibly affectionate kitty any of us had ever met. She wanted to be held and snuggled all day long. And she absolutely adored other kitties and wanted to mother and nurture them like they were her own. She had the most gentle loving soul with a heart full of so much love to share and all she wanted was someone to share it with.

We wanted to make that dream come true for her. So long as she wasn't in any pain, we wanted her to experience all of the love, happiness and joy that she never before had. We wanted the last part of her life to be the best part of her life. So we had her surgery done to remove her tumors and then against all odds, we were able to find her the kind of happily-ever-after most kitties could only dream of. A home so wonderful that "meant to be" is the only way to describe it!

A woman with a heart as gentle and kind as our dear Suie was actually looking specifically to adopt a senior, special needs, snow shoe siamese kitty. She looked on Pet Finder, and out of all of the animals in the entire country, only a small handful popped up on her search results, Suie being one of them. As soon as she saw Suies picture, she knew... "That's her! She's the one!" So she drove all the way here to Oregon just to meet Suie!! And that was it, they were both in love. That was the beginning of the happiest year of Suies entire life.

Her new mommy made it her mission to try to make up for all of the pain she had endured in her years by giving her the kind of life a kitty could only dream of having. Dispite her disabilities, Suie was SO adventurous! She enjoyed getting to go on trips with her mama in their RV and even play on the beach in her harness! And dress up for Halloween, have kitty friends to snuggle with and best of all, her mama was retired so Suie didn't go a single day without being the center of her love and affection.

Her mama's biggest promise to Suie was that she would never let her suffer and that when the time came that she was no longer comfortable in her body, that she would be strong for Suie and help her to go in peace. And that is what she did. Their bond was so strong that she knew it in her heart when it was time. After a truly magical year full of love and fun adventures, Suie told her mama she was ready. So she took her in to the vet and Suie asked to have just one more to be held by her mama. She purred the whole time and then she closed her eyes, while snuggled in her mama's arms and peacefully made her journey over the Rainbow Bridge 💜

This is why your donations mean so much to us. You make it possible for us to save kitties like Suie. We may be small, but because of you, we are still able to make such a big difference in these precious lives.

So if you would like to make a contribution today in honor of the wonderful Betty White, we would be forever grateful. No matter how big or how small, every single dollar makes a difference 💞

To make a donation:
https://www.paypal.com/donate?hosted_button_id=JW89CD3325WL6

Thank you so much for supporting us and making Life 9 Rescue possible! 🙏💜🐱

01/15/2022

Cats' weekslong Vitamix standoff is entertaining thousands of people on Facebook - https://www.npr.org/2022/01/14/1072812001/cat-vitamix-blender-box-standoff

Jessica and Nikii Gerson-Neeves don't want to end the standoff that has brought joy to so many people. But they also want to use their blender, which has been in a box in their kitchen since December.

01/12/2022

Panda update! 💜
Little Panda was able to go to WAG today! We were dying to know if she was spayed or not because if she was, it would give us all the more reason to believe that she has a family out there somewhere. But she wasn't! Infact, she was actually in heat! Had we not found her, this one little kitty would have gotten pregnant, had kittens in the spring, whose kittens would be having kittens by fall. And then come spring time her kittens, kittens would also be having kittens!

It is truly incredible the impact that you can make, the suffering that you can prevent, just by getting that ONE stray cat in your neighborhood fixed. So we didn't just save little Panda from a scary life on the streets, but we also prevented the suffering of thousands of more little Pandas who would have came into this world with nothing but a life of fear, hunger and pain waiting for them. And that's how big of an impact you are able to make too just by helping one kitty get spayed/neutered ❤

If it breaks your heart to think of animals suffering and you wish there was more you could do to help, just know, you are capable of making a greater impact that you could imagine! By helping spay/neuter just the one little "Panda" in your neighborhood, you will be preventing [truly] hundreds, if not thousands, of others from ever having to suffer in the first place. And if you don't have the time/resources to trap that one kitty yourself, you can make just as great of an impact by making a donation towards the cost of a homeless kitty's spay/neuter surgery. And if you don't have the money to make a donation, you can still make a significant difference just by sharing our posts in hopes that someone else can ❤

Rescuing precious lives like little Panda kitty, is the most rewarding experience in the world, but it isn't cheap. Panda kitty is an unusual case for us being that usually the cats that we rescue are on their 9th life. Emaciated, sick, injured, in need of pain medication, fluids, antibiotics, multiple vet visits, extensive dental, etc. Panda kitty is one of the very, very few that has ever came to us in nearly perfect health. And yet even just to rescue this one healthy little kitty has cost us over $200.00 (after spay surgery, snap test, microchip, vaccines, flea treatment, dewormer, food, litter.. and as per special request from Panda kitty herself: an extra soft bed for biscuit making! 😊

It adds up quickly. Especially for the poor kitties who come to us in horrible condition, the cost of their care can easily be 3x that, sometimes even more. So by making a donation towards Pandas care, you aren't just directing helping little Panda, but you are also helping us to have the funds needed to help the next kitty! ❤

I know we say it all the time but it's true, we can't do it without you. It's contributions from people like you who make it possible. So even if you feel like it isn't much, we promise you, that especially when it comes to an organization as small as ours, every little bit makes a difference!

If you would like to make a one time donation, or possibly even set up a small monthly recurring contribution, donations can be made here:
https://www.paypal.com/donate?hosted_button_id=JW89CD3325WL6

In closing, we would like to give a very special thank you to our dear friend Toni Ray for making it possible for Panda to get into WAG today because she had an empty s/n appointment. And if you know anything about Toni, its that she NEVER let's a spay/neuter appointment go to waste! So thank you so much Toni for allowing Panda kitty to have your appointment! Especially with her being in heat, we are so grateful that she didn't have to wait until March! ❤

01/10/2022

Meet Frank, formerly known as Panther. He was abandoned several years ago when his people moved away and left him behind. A very kind neighbor took him in, even though she already had a full household of dogs and cats so he could never really settle in. He had a horribly infected mouth, with stomatitis, and needed to have all of his teeth removed. She reached out to Life 9 Rescue and we helped pay for this expensive procedure. When his caretaker was moving out of the neighborhood and could not bring him along, we found another home for Frank and he is now a happy indoor guy, with lots of lap time. Hobbies are playing with his tail and meowing at his people for snacks throughout the day. 😻🥰

Thank you so much for supporting Life 9 Rescue and helping make these happy endings possible! We couldn't do it without you! ❤

01/08/2022

Dear friends 💜
If you would like to honor Betty White by participating in the , Life 9 Rescue would be eternally grateful for your support. We are a very small organization which means that even the smallest contribution can make a big impact. Without having paid staff or any overhead costs, every single penny of every dollar goes directly to the animals. We may not have the capacity to take in all of the kitties in the world, but for the kitties that we are able to save, their world is forever changed. So if you would like to support a small organization and help us change the world one precious life at a time, please consider making a donation tonight in honor of the Betty White Challenge 💜

When we say that no contribution is too small, we truly mean there is no contribution too small. Even a one time donation of $5.00 makes a difference! But if you would like to go a step beyond by doing a small reoccurring donation, it would mean the WORLD to us and the kitties that we save. Reoccurring donations can be changed/canceled at anytime.

Thank you so much for supporting Life 9 Rescue!
We couldn't do it without you! 🙏

https://www.paypal.com/donate?hosted_button_id=JW89CD3325WL6

Life 9 Rescue is a 501(c)3 Non-Profit organization located in Eugene, Oregon. We are an all volunteer group dedicated to rescuing, rehabilitating and rehoming homeless cats and kittens in our...