Joanne's Furry Friends - Feral Feline Rescue

04/25/2025

Reason #112 to keep your cats indoors and make sure they’re spayed or neutered.

Cat abscesses are incredibly common—especially in unneutered males who fight over territory or females—but any cat can get one. An abscess forms when bacteria from a bite or scratch gets trapped under the skin. Cats’ wounds tend to seal up quickly on the surface, which allows the bacteria to multiply underneath. This can lead to a painful, swollen pocket of infection that can appear almost overnight.

If you’re lucky, the abscess will burst on its own before it gets too large and causes extensive tissue damage—or worse, spreads infection through the body. Symptoms include fever, a raised hard bump or fluid-filled bulge, and lethargy. Sometimes, a vet can simply lance it and give an antibiotic shot. But not always.

In the case of the sweet spayed girl in the photos below, things escalated quickly. Within just a few days, she developed necrotic tissue, a 105.6° fever, and difficulty breathing. She needed emergency surgery, a Penrose drain, and ongoing wound flushing and aftercare. Since she can’t be outside while recovering with stitches and a drain, we are keeping her under our care and handling all of her daily medical treatment until she’s fully healed and can safely go home.

We included donation links below to help cover the cost of her care. This was an emergency at 4 p.m. yesterday, and we haven’t even seen the bill yet. Our funds are running low, but we didn’t hesitate to say yes to taking her back—because she needed us.

We actually spayed her last year and returned her to her owners as part of our agreement—they love her, and we’ve continued trapping in the area with their support. While “mostly indoors” wasn’t our ideal, it was part of the deal. And if you adopted from us in 2024, there’s about a 30% chance your cat is related to Hello Kitty—this neighborhood has been a major source of both our TNR and adoptions. There are now just three tomcats left and, for the first time, no new litters born this year.

Thank you to Pet Hospital of North Park for fitting us in and staying late to take on a major surgery when your day should’ve been winding down. You’re a huge part of why we’re able to do what we do.

Here’s how you can make your tax deductible donation:
👉 Zelle: https://joannesfurryfriends.com/donate/
👉 PayPal: https://www.paypal.com/ncp/payment/2RMRLN5NXMLHE
👉 Venmo: https://account.venmo.com/u/joannesfurryfriends
👉 Or mail a check to:
Joanne’s Furry Friends
4949 Emelene Street
San Diego, CA 92109
👉 https://joannesfurryfriends.com/donate/

Our impact doesn’t stop at the animals. Through fostering, we teach families and their children the values of responsibility, patience, and compassion. Many of our fosters aspire to become veterinarians, scientists, or attorneys, and their experiences today will help shape a better world tomorrow.

04/23/2025

Go get your pet microchipped!

To help pet parents keep their furry friends safe, we're offering FREE microchips at Millennial Tech Middle School (1110 Carolina Ln, San Diego, CA 92102) on Saturday, April 26 from 10 a.m. - 1 p.m. Please park on the street and proceed to the bus loop entrance on Hilltop Drive. No appointment is needed — just bring your dog on a leash or your cat in a carrier!

Microchips are a form of permanent identification that helps reunite lost pets with their families. The process is quick and simple and can protect your pet should they ever go missing.

04/22/2025

Happy Spring! Which for us means crazy kitten season. We currently have 33 kittens under 6 weeks old in the rescue. We usually don’t advertise our kittens before they are a week away from spay/neuter at 8 weeks old and a minimum of 2lbs, but we have all colors of the rainbow that will be available over the next 6 weeks. You can always reach out directly if you have a particular color or gender in minat 858-883-4222 or follow or FB page or website (Https://joannesfurryfriends.com). Located in San Diego. Indoor-Only homes! Adoption fees are usually $150 and are tax deductible.

Couple of reminders:
Spay your cats, they can have four litters a year and get pregnant at 4 months old! One of our mamas is already in screaming heat and her kittens are only two weeks old! Also, you can spay a nursing mama as long as your vet knows what they are doing. Mama’s can also be spay/aborted safely at any point in their pregnancy, delivery is more dangerous. Mama’s don’t need to have a litter before being spayed for “their health”… pregnancy actually increases the odds of mammary tumors later in life. If your vet says to wait until 6 months old before spaying - get a new vet.

04/21/2025

As SDHS warns of dogs in the streets and gutted enforcement, critics reveal a nonprofit empire built on fear, bloated salaries, and a war against transparency

Mayor Todd Gloria’s proposed Fiscal Year 2026 budget aims to close a $258 million deficit by slashing funding across public services—libraries, arts programs, and animal care included. SDHS' contract would drop from $16.8 million to $13.3 million, a 20% reduction. In response, SDHS leadership warns of immediate service reductions in humane law enforcement and spay/neuter access.

Despite amassing nearly $125 million in assets and approaching a $250 million fundraising goal, SDHS claims it cannot absorb a temporary $3.5 million reduction.

A December 2024 Superior Court ruling found SDHS in violation of state law for releasing adoptable cats into the streets under its Community Cat Program. Internal emails expressed fears of public backlash should the policy come to light—highlighting a willful lack of transparency. Despite the ruling, SDHS continues to fight the court injunction, demonstrating a continued disregard for legal and ethical standards in animal care. While SDHS now frames its budget battle as a matter of "public safety," it simultaneously defends in court its right to abandon tame cats into unprepared neighborhoods—a practice ruled illegal and inherently unsafe.

Read the full article below.

As SDHS warns of dogs in the streets and gutted enforcement, critics reveal a nonprofit empire built on fear, bloated salaries, and a war against transparency

04/18/2025

‼️ PLEASE CHECK YOUR SCREENS BEFORE ALLOWING CATS TO LAY IN THEM‼️
Spring is coming and we all want some fresh air!! ☀️
Every year I hear about cats ending up on the streets because they bust out screens. They get weaker over time…please don’t let your cat escaping the house be the way you find out they needed replaced.
Did you know they make expandable adjustable screens for as low as $13? These are a great option to add an extra layer of protection to keep your cats safely inside your home with windows open. Some cats try harder to get outside than others. Some new cats or fosters, we just don’t know how they will respond to an open window and if they will try to get out. I just wanted to share about this in hopes that it will save even just one cat from escaping a house through a busted screen this season and ending up on the streets. They sell these on Amazon, search “expandable window screen”.  Link is just one example:

Expandable windwo screen

04/17/2025

🐾 Both of our Sweet, Funny, Beautiful 5-6 Month old Kittens - Flow (black) & Conchita (dilute calico) – are still looking for forever homes (They are NOT a bonded pair and are with two different fosters even though they came from the same hoarding home - they do NOT need to be adopted together) 🐾 Located in San Diego!

These beauties came from a hoarding situation where there were far too many animals. Now safe, healthy, and thriving in foster care, they're ready for their second chance at a loving home.

They LOVE other cats and would do especially well in a home with friendly feline companions. While they were reportedly around dogs in their previous home, a calm, cat-savvy pup and a slow, patient introduction will be key to success.

They would also be okay with calm, older children—especially those who are happy to spend hours running a laser pointer! However, they’ll need kids who understand the importance of giving them space as they adjust to their new surroundings. (Children under the age of 7 are likely not the best match.)
🖤 Flow – The Forever Kitten-Sized Panther
Flow is sleek, shiny, and full of playful energy. She adores toys (especially the laser pointer!), loves other cats, and once she feels safe, she’ll become your little shadow—rubbing your legs, meeping for attention, and curling up beside you at night. Think of her as your loyal sidekick with a tiny meow and a big heart.
✅ Spayed, microchipped, SNAP-tested (FIV/FeLV negative), FVRCP vaccinated. Adoption fee is $35.

🤎 Conchita – The Gentle Calico Soul
Conchita’s name means “little shell,” and it fits her perfectly—she’s a quiet, delicate beauty who blossoms slowly with patience and kindness. After suffering from a painful flea allergy, she’s finally not itchy and comes to her foster human to ask for pets and play. Her progress has been amazing, thanks in part to her feline foster mama—she thrives with calm, confident kitty friends to teach her the ropes.

✅ Spayed, microchipped, SNAP-tested (FIV/FeLV negative), FVRCP vaccinated. Adoption fee is $35.

🐾 Learn more (joannesfurryfriends.com) or schedule a meet-and-greet: 📱 Text or call 858-883-4222

💵 The adoption fee for both is just $45 total. While they’re not a bonded pair, they do each need a friendly feline companion—so they can be adopted together or separately, as long as there's already another cat in the home.

Adoption fees may be tax-deductible through our 501(c)(3) nonprofit.

If you're new to cat adoptions, remember the 3-3-3 rule:
💤 3 days to decompress
🏡 3 weeks to feel at home
💞 3 months to truly trust and blossom

04/15/2025

Found Safe and Sound! Just needed trip to the vet's office to fix the claws he tried to tear off when he changed his mind half way down to the ground.

One of our Adopter’s kitties pushed out through a screen during/after the earthquake. Kitty is chipped. Please call 858-883-4222 if sighted near 11304 Vista Sorrento Pkwy. Bring inside to keep safe if you safely can!

04/12/2025

URGENT – Newborn Kittens Need Help in Stockton
Anyone know a bottle feeder or a mama cat nursing kittens under 2 weeks in Stockton?
Fly strike has started—these babies won’t survive the next 8–12 hours without help.
Posted at 7:18pm—we have only hours to act (capstar from petco can aid with fly strike).
Kids found them and meant well, but time is critical…. They don’t have resources - just hearts in the right place.
We’re a San Diego rescue with no Stockton contacts.
Please call 858-883-4222 ASAP and share widely.

04/11/2025

If you qualify, there are owned cat spay/neuter appts available through the San Diego Humane Society. Here is more info (appts fill up quickly and there is information in this link about what day and time of the week they release new appts): https://www.sdhumane.org/services/spay-and-neuter/?

Our Community Spay/Neuter Program offers a limited number of spay and neuter appointments at our San Diego, El Cajon, Escondido and Oceanside Campuses. Eligibility requirements for our services include: Household income under $70k/year and/or proof of enrollment in SSI, SNAP card, SSDI, WIC, pay stu...

04/11/2025

When do you think a cat can get knocked up? Ask poor Jonra who just had kittens at FIVE months old. Spay your cats NOW!

Today Jonra who is only 5 months old gave birth to kittens.

04/10/2025

🐾 Meet Conchita! This absolutely gorgeous Calico 😻 is searching for her forever INDOOR-ONLY home—one filled with love, patience, and gentle companionship.

Her name, Conchita, is Spanish for “little shell,” and it couldn’t be more perfect. 🌊 Like a delicate seashell, she’s quietly beautiful and full of hidden strength—slow to open up, but deeply rewarding once she does. She’s not the type to immediately greet you with headbutts and purrs, but with time, kindness, and a peaceful environment, she will show her softer side.

When Conchita first came to us, she was suffering from a severe flea allergy. Of course, we treated her for fleas (she didn’t even have morethan 4-5 live fleas but her immune system was in agony) immediately in three different ways—including a full bubble bath (which she patiently tolerated!). Unfortunately, even a single flea bite can trigger a painful immune reaction, so she must be in an indoor-only home with no dogs that go in and out without strong flea prevention.

Her poor skin was covered in painful hives—from the top of her head all the way down her back and around her tail. These weren’t flea bites themselves, but rather her body’s intense allergic reaction to even one bite. She couldn’t stop scratching, and it was heartbreaking to see her in such discomfort.

It took a full month of treatment—including steroids and plenty of TLC—to calm her skin and begin the healing process. Now that she’s finally comfortable again, she’s learning that gentle pets feel good… and she’s even starting to seek them out. 💕

At just 5–6 months old, Conchita is still a kitten in body and spirit. She came from a home with too many cats, and after a visit from animal control 🚓, she and her companions were at risk of life on the streets. Thankfully, she made it to safety—and now she’s looking for the right person to help her continue healing and growing.

Conchita does best in a quiet home with no young children (please, no kids under 12) and no hyperactive or high-energy dogs. She was around dogs in the hoarding situation, but their energy likely slowed her progress—and we want her to continue moving forward.

What she does love is a calm, confident feline friend—especially her foster buddy and “cat mama,” FurrLecia. FurrLecia’s warm purrs and nurturing presence have made a big difference in Conchita’s confidence. In fact, we believe she’d do best in a home with another loving, gentle cat to show her the ropes. 🐾💞

If you’re new to shy cat adoptions, the 3-3-3 rule is a great guide:

3 days to decompress

3 weeks to start feeling safe

3 months to truly settle in and build trust

Conchita has been spayed, microchipped, SNAP tested negative for FIV/FeLV, and vaccinated with her first FVRCP. She’s now healthy and ready for a forever home where she can continue blossoming at her own pace.

📍 Located in San Diego, CA – her adoption fee is $50 to an INDOOR ONLY home.
Text or call 858-883-4222 to set up a meet and greet at her foster home.
More info at https://joannesfurryfriends.com

As a 501(c)(3) organization, your adoption fee may be tax-deductible to the extent allowed by law.

04/10/2025

🚨 I believe we have a short term foster for Rune, now we are just looking for his forever Adopter by Monday or Tuesday! 🚨

Rune is a majestic, streetwise heart-melter with a gaze that’ll stop you in your tracks. This 2-year-old black panther isn’t just a cat—he’s an experience. Rune is a rare blend of strength, grace, and emotional depth, and he’s so ready for his forever person.

Two nights ago, we were called by concerned colony feeders because Rune was being attacked by other cats in the colony and unable to eat. We rushed over with a carrier, and his feeder was able to pick him up and place him inside with no struggle. His ear is cropped, meaning the Humane Society had already trapped, neutered, and returned him to the streets—despite his exceptionally friendly nature.

Knowing this, we begged the the San Diego Humane Society to reconsider and hold him for adoption, especially since their adoptable cat room was over 70% empty. But because he lacked a collar and microchip, they refused to bend their policies. Instead, they gave him an antibiotic shot, updated his vaccines, cleaned his wounds, and told us to put him back outside—even though he is clearly not thriving there. Just look at his wounds in the photo below.

The SDHS staff even told us how gentle and well-behaved he was—he let them handle him, clean his injuries, and give him shots without sedation or resistance. He is that sweet.

We kept Rune overnight in our shower, but our rescue is completely full, and we do not have an open foster. If we can’t find one immediately, Rune will have to go back to his colony tomorrow—where he will continue to struggle just to survive.
What We Know About Rune:

🐾 Loves humans – He purrs and rubs on everyone he meets. He just wants to be near you.
🐾 Good with other cats – As long as they aren’t trying to rip his throat out.
🐾 Indoor-only home needed – Since he’s been outside, he may try to slip out until he readjusts. Secure windows and doors are a must.
🐾 Dog-friendly? Unknown – He’s brave and confident, but we don’t know how he’d react to dogs.
🐾 Kid-friendly – Respectful children who keep doors closed would be fine.
The Bottom Line:

Rune is the kind of cat who leaves pawprints on your heart before you even realize it. He’s survived the hard stuff and still believes in love—but we don’t have space for him.

If you can foster or adopt Rune, please reach out immediately. He deserves so much more than to be thrown back onto the streets. 💔

We are out of space, but we’re making a promise to go back for him the moment we find an adopter. The heartbreaking truth is—what if, by the time we return, it’s too late?

Rune is being attacked by other cats and is in an area known for coyotes. If we have no choice but to put him back, there’s a very real chance he won’t survive long enough for us to come back for him. Please help us save him before it’s too late.

Rune is neutered, updated on his rabies and FVRCP vaccine, flea-treated, de-wormed, and NEGATIVE for both feline AIDS and leukemia. He’s also great with his litter box!

Located in San Diego, we would love for the purrfect home to take him on a trial adoption or foster situation (you will fall in love) 🏠. Contact us at 858-883-4222 to arrange a meeting 🐾❤️. For more details, visit JoannesFurryFriends.com. https://joannesfurryfriends.com

As a 501(c)(3) organization, all adoption fees and donations are tax deductible.

04/10/2025

✨ Meet Flow — The Real-Life Mini House Panther! ✨
Still looking for her forever home!

Flow is a sweet, silky-soft black beauty with a personality as unique as her name. At just 5-6 months old, she’s still teeny-tiny and likely to stay that way — forever kitten-sized and full of purr-sonality!

Just like the beloved cat character from the movie Flow, this girl is sleek, expressive, and full of heart. She adores her humans (once she warms up!) and will follow you around, gently rub your legs, and serenade you with her adorable purr-meow-meep symphony. She even sleeps curled up beside you at night.

Flow is playful, curious, and loves her toys—especially the laser pointer. She's also great with other cats and currently charming the socks off her foster brothers! She came from a home overwhelmed with too many animals, and now she and her kitty friends are hoping for a second chance.

✅ Great with other kitties!!! She loves them and they love her!
✅ Spayed
✅ Microchipped
✅ SNAP-tested (FIV/FeLV negative)
✅ First FVRCP vaccine
✅ Great with cats; okay with dogs after a slow intro
🚫 Best in a home without kids under the age of 12 (she’s shy at first and will need some time to adjust!)

💫 Located in San Diego, CA
💵 Adoption fee: $75 (INDOOR-ONLY home, please!)

Ready to meet this pint-sized panther? Text or call us at 858-883-4222 to schedule a meet-and-greet at her foster home. You can also learn more at joannesfurryfriends.com.

🐾 As a 501(c)(3), your adoption fee may be tax-deductible!

📸

04/08/2025

Kitten season is in full swing, and our phones haven’t stopped ringing—people surrendering cats they can’t keep, or grieving pets left behind after a loved one passes. We need your help.

A can of Royal Canin Mother & Babycat is $2. A box of PetLac for all of our bottle babies is $22. And that’s just the beginning.

Every dollar counts. Even $5 makes a big difference!! Please help us keep saving lives. If all of out FB followers even used the links below to donate $1 we would havee enough for the next three months!

Here’s how you can make your tax deductible donation:
👉 Zelle: https://joannesfurryfriends.com/donate/
👉 PayPal: https://www.paypal.com/ncp/payment/2RMRLN5NXMLHE
👉 Venmo: https://account.venmo.com/u/joannesfurryfriends
👉 Or mail a check to:
Joanne’s Furry Friends
4949 Emelene Street
San Diego, CA 92109
👉 https://joannesfurryfriends.com/donate/

Our impact doesn’t stop at the animals. Through fostering, we teach families and their children the values of responsibility, patience, and compassion. Many of our fosters aspire to become veterinarians, scientists, or attorneys, and their experiences today will help shape a better world tomorrow.