Saving Paws Rescue of Florida, Inc

29/08/2024

Lewis went to our vet today at Pet Care on Highland for an exam and a Convenia antibiotic injection. Even though you can tell he feels so miserable with his itchy skin, he purred the whole time he was being checked out. That was until it was time for a f***l check and he just about jumped through the ceiling (can't say we blame him).

Once the scabies are all gone and his fur grows back, we'l have him neutered and place Lewis up for adoption. He's going to be a beautiful cat with his gorgeous markings and sweet purrsonality. Stay tuned for further updates.

🐱🐾

28/08/2024

Yesterday was a big surgery day for us with 9 kittens spayed and neutered as we get them ready for adoption. Ford, Trooper, Jaycee, Kia, Mellow, Karamel, Tootsie, Zesty, and Spicy all went to Planned Pethood to be altered and vaccinated. Unfortunately, we had an unexpected expense on top of the surgeries. Karamel, our sweet orange and white tabby, had to have an eye enucleation. His eyelids have been fused together since birth and when opened during his neutering, his eye was found to be rotten and had to be removed. We're glad he is going to be in less pain now as he heals. However, the procedure did add an additional $400 to our bill that we hadn't planned to pay. If you'd like to contribute towards the extra costs, we would greatly appreciate it as we are operating already on a very frayed shoestring.

You can donate through this post or our platforms listed below:

Cash App: https://cash.app/$SavingPawsRescue

Venmo: https://venmo.com/u/savingpawsrescueflorida

Paypal: https://www.paypal.com/donate/?hosted_button_id=9VCZ3XE8R3MVE

Zelle: 863-258-8512 or [email protected]

Checks can be made payable to Saving Paws Rescue and mailed to 9716 Moore Road, Lakeland, FL 33809.

27/08/2024

Although we closed our intake a while ago, we couldn't say no to this poor fellow who was brought to us yesterday. His name is Lewis and is covered in scabies from head to toe with sores all over his neck. A young woman found him lying next to the sidewalk while walking her dog. She initially thought he was dead because he was so lethargic. She brought him home and began contacting rescues for help.

We applied Advantage Multi-Cat to start the process of killing the scabies parasite. Lewis is a little underweight and was quite hungry and thirsty polishing off bowls of cat food and water very quickly. We gave him subc fluids which he didn't tolerate too well biting and scratching to get the needle out. He is very uncomfortable and itchy with his horrible skin condition. He is quite friendly and, of course, not neutered. We will reapply the medi arion in two.weeks and in the mean time massage his skin with coconut oil to soften and, hopefully, reduce some of the itchiness. We will post an update later in the week on Lewis.

26/08/2024

We took a break from our normal cat duties yesterday evening and went to the Cat Video Fest at the Tampa Theatre. It's a compilation of cat videos sent in from people all of the world. The proceeds from the showing benefit various programs at the Tampa Bay Humane Society, including their TNVR Program (Yay!). We also got to meet and snap a couple photos with Cat Man Chris with Cole & Marmalade. We had a blast and laughed so hard at all the great videos. We can hardly wait for the showing next year.

Afterwards, we stopped at a cute, little dinner, The Uptown Diner, for a bite to eat. My mushroom swiss burger was delicious and the fries were fresh, tasty and cripsy. Yummy! Laura's Belgian waffle was huge and and must have been really good because she ate every bite. Lol!

25/08/2024

We have been battling mosquitoes this week while stapling screens over the outside of our cat catios. We have finished 4 catios and have 2 more to go. The mosquitoes 🦟have been horrible since we have standing water in the cow pasture behind us. We'll be glad when we're done...less of the blood-sucking insects for the cats and volunteers to contend with.

24/08/2024

We've had a couple of adoptions this week. Yay! One that we're particularly excited about is Daphne. She had been a resident at the Kitty Cat Lounge for a few weeks when she caught the eye of one of our fosters, Brittany Williams, and her two sons. When the family dropped off two kittens they'd been fostering, Ariana and Ashton, they met Daphne and were immediately drawn to her. In fact, son, Liam, would daily ask his mom if Daphne was still at the cafe and if they could adopt her. Well, mom decided to surprise him and adopt our gorgeous beauty on Friday. While it usually takes a little time for an adult cat to adjust to a new home, Daphne had no problems and quickly made herself comfortable. Within a couple hours she was on Liam's bed as if she had lived there all along. The two are now best friends and spend many hours together.

We're thrilled that Daphne has found her forever home. A big THANK YOU! to Dannelle Rosita for fostering her and facilitating the meet and greet with the family. It's a win-win for everyone!

24/08/2024

We have 3 new faces at the Kitty Cat Lounge...Bert, Ernie, and Kemet. The Sesame Street duo is about 3.5 months old and Kemet is approximately 3 months. All 3 of these babies were rescued from cat colonies around Polk County. They're super sweet, fun and full of energy. Stop by and visit with them and the other🐈🐈‍⬛️ cats at the ☕️ cafe.

23/08/2024

We have an update on Wally. He had oral surgery a week ago to remove all his rotten teeth. He had 14 teeth extracted and has 3 remaining. During one of the extractions, one of Wally's lower canine teeth was reabsorbed by the jaw bone. When the vet attempted to drill the tooth out, his brittle lower jaw bone broke. It will fuse back together at somw point but it has caused him a great deal of pain. He has been getting his Gabapentin for pain regularly and we have had to syringe feed him for the past week because he refused to eat.

Last night was the first time he actually ate on his own licking up a mixture of pate and a Lil' Gravies packet. He also ate several of the Lickable Bisque packets. Today he licked up several of the Fancy Frest Chicken Broth packets. We are soooo happy he has finally begun to eat on his own. Yay!!

Wally is feeling better every day andmite responsive to us. There's no doubt he will feel better once he fully heals.

A big THANK YOU!! to everyone who donated to help make Wally's surgery possible. We couldn't do it without YOU!

22/08/2024

Here's the current lineup at the Kitty Cat Lounge just waiting to meet YOU! We just had an adoption so we will be adding a new face to the picture wall. Yay! Stop by and grab a ☕️ coffee, a sweet treat, and visit with our 🐈‍⬛️🐈kitties.

21/08/2024

A quick update on Gelato who had a full mouth extraction yesterday in Tampa. She is doing great! Thanks to everyone who donated to help her.

20/08/2024

We have two cuties available for adoption...Ashton and Ariana. They were fostered together but aren't related and can be adopted together or separately.

Ashton is 6 months old, solid grey with adorable green eyes. He has a purrsonality larger than life and is a big hit at the Kitty Cat Lounge . He basks in all the attention from the guests and staff. Ashton, is a busy little boy, constantly nosing into other people's affairs. If he were two-legged rather than 4, he would have a frog in one pocket and rocks in the other. Lol! Although he enjoys being petted and loved on, he would much prefer to be playing.

Ariana is about 6.5 months and has Liliac Point Siamese tabby markings. She is described by her foster mom as a sassy princess. She enjoys attention and to snuggle but on her terms. One of her favorite past times is to simply gaze out the window and watch the wildlife and the goings on around her. Ariana would do best in a home where she is the center of attention and doted upon.

Both kittens currently reside at the cat cafe where you can meet these adorable feline friends and get to know them on a personal level.

20/08/2024

The Paxson family of Lakeland has reason to 🎉 celebrate with the recent adoption of their newest member, Shiitake. In November, they lost their 15 year-old cat, Lionel, and missed having a feline companion. They visited the Kitty Cat Lounge a couple of times to hang out with the kitties and met Shiitake. The family developed an immediate connection to him with is wonderful purrsonality and his tuxedo markings so they decided to make it official and adopt him.

Since then, Shiitake has been renamed Domino and has become an adored member of their family. He and their son have become especially good buddies and spend many hours curled up on the couch and study together.

While we're so happy that Shiitake has found his furever family, his sister, Mushroom, is still looking for his. She is a brown tabby, 10 months old, very sweet, and playful and would make an excellent family pet. You can visit with her and 9 other cats available for adoption at the cat cafe where you might just find your new family member.

20/08/2024

On our way to Harmony Vet Care in Carrolwood for Gelato's surgery and I-4 is a big freaking mess at 540am.

20/08/2024

If you or someone you know is a fan of Hess collectibles, we have a nice little assortment available for sale. The group of Hess trucks, car, plane, and helicopter was donated by Sheila Linville and her mom, Glenda Majors, for us to sell to raise funds for our surgeries. The collection is in excellent condition and lovingly cared for by their father/husband. Thank you ladies very much for your donation.

If you are interested in the collection or certain pieces, please let us know as we will be listing on FB Marketplace and eBay.

18/08/2024

This is Rocky. Rocky lives in South Dakota. Rocky 💗 Bark Box toys. Rocky's Dad ordered 35 of our Bark Box toys. Now, Rocky is very happy. 😊 Rocky says buy Bark Box toys and your dog will be happy, too.

We have a nice assortment of Bark Box toys for small, medium, and large dogs for $5 each. Contact us if interested in placing an order so your dog can be happy like Rocky.

17/08/2024

Here's some of our beautiful black kitties in honor of National Black Cat Day who are available for adoption.

17/08/2024

We're enjoying spending the evening at Keel Farms for Ladies Night having a good meal and meeting nice people. We're here selling our goodies to raise funds for upcoming surgeries. We have a large number of kittens to be spayed and neutered to prepare them for adoption so every dollar counts.

15/08/2024

We have an update on Wally who had dental surgery today. He's staying overnight at the clinic as he's still quite groggy and sleepy from the anesthesia. The poor fella ended up having 14 teeth pulled with 3 remaining...two on top and one on the bottom. The bottom canine tooth was left because the jaw bone is too unstable to remove at this time although it will need to come out at some point. The vet said he had the worst teeth he has ever seen and his mouth was a smelly, rotten mess. We're so glad Wally has finally had his surgery and can be on the road to recovery and live a pain-free life now. We feel he will blossom into a new cat and this will change his demeanor for the better.

Thanks to everyone who donated to help make Wally's surgery possible. Your generosity is very much appreciated. 💗

15/08/2024

Please SHARE so we can raise the rest of.the funds for Wally's surgery. Thanks!

Today is $10 Thursday! It is surgery day for Wally! He will be having the majority, if not all, of his teeth extracted this morning by Dr. Lockhart at Pet Care on Highland. Most of Wally's teeth are broken and rotten and he has been in a lot of pain, drooling, and losing weight. Having these teeth removed should make him feel so much better and prepare him for adoption.

Next Monday, Gelato, will be having a full mouth extraction performed at Harmony Vet Care. She has a severe case of stomatitis and also is suffering from dental issues, drooling, lost weight, and at times hiding in dark places.

Because of your support, we have been able to collect $2295 which is about 60% of the funds needed for these two surgeries. We are so thankful to have been able to collect this large amount in such a short time. However, we are still short about $1400 as the two dental procedures will cost about $3700 (Wally $2000-$2500 and Gelato $1200) altogether. Please consider donating $10 or more to our fundraiser so we can cover the expenses at the time of surgery.

As always, your support is greatly appreciated!

Cash App: https://cash.app/$SavingPawsRescue

Venmo: https://venmo.com/u/savingpawsrescueflorida

Paypal: https://www.paypal.com/donate/?hosted_button_id=9VCZ3XE8R3MVE

Zelle: 863-258-8512 or [email protected]

15/08/2024

We are feeling the L💗VE! Since we were out of canned catfood, we posted a plea a couple days ago. We have had a fantastic response with several cartons being delivered or dropped off at the shelter. We even got a large pack of much-needed paper towel. Thank you everyone for your generosity and helping us replenish our supply and feed our hungry crew. We appreciate it very much!

13/08/2024

Last week, we began noticing 7 month-old Precious was losing weight, hiding, and not wanting to eat treats. We kenneled her for a couple days to monitor her food and water intake. We discovered she was not eating so we began syringe feeding her. Yesterday, she went to the vet for blood work and evaluation. Her lab work indicated elevated levels specifically globulin, protein, and billirubin. Her ear flaps are slightly jaundiced from not eating which is why her billirubin is high. Since cats will develop fatty liver disease if they go too long without eating, we are syringe feeding Precious a diluted high-caloric prescription food around the clock to sustain her. She also has a wobbly gait and is experiencing neurological issues. She is being treated with Clindamycin and Prednisolone on the pretense she could have Toxoplasmosis. We are also giving Cerenia for nausea and Mirtazipine to stimulate her appetite. Our thoughts are leaning towards FIP which is treatable. If she does not show any signs of improvement soon, we will have an ultrasound of her abdomen to check for fluid. If positive, we will begin FIP treatment. Until that time, we will continue to syringe feed her to stave off liver failure. Please keep this sweet, young girl in your thoughts and prayers. Precious lives up to her name is as she has such a marvelous personality and deserves the chance to live a happy life.

13/08/2024

Help! We are almost out canned catfood. We are down to our last two cartons to feed our hungry crew. Please consider donating a carton to help replenish our supply. Our shipping address is 9716 Moore Road, Lakeland, FL 33809.

12/08/2024

We started off the on a good note 🎵this morning with an adoption at PetSmart. Whoo hoo! Our precious, little fella, Ekho, was adopted by Aaron and Summer Nichols of Lakeland. Mom met him on Saturday and fell madly in love with the cutie pie. Ekho is a special needs kitten as he was recently diagnosed with Feline Eyelid Agenesis. The condition causes the upper eyelids to not fully develop and, therefore, not close completely. His eyes 👀 will require lubricant twice a day to keep them moist. He'll be going to the opthamalogist in September to see if there is a surgical procedure to correct the deformity. The fur above his eye is causing him some discomfort and has distorted his vision to some degree.

Until then, we know Ekho will be treated like a little Prince as the couple has been so excited to add him to their family.

11/08/2024

We had another double adoption this week. Yay! Congrats to the Johnson Family of Auburndale on the adoption of Conquer and Stoic. The family had initially decided to adopt one kitten but once they saw how well they interacted with each other they decided to adopt both. We 💗 love it when siblings go together.

The brothers had a very rough start in life. They were found in a cage with the mom and two other siblings under a tree in 96 degree weather. The mother and one kitten died a miserable death more than likely due to heatstroke and dehydration. Their sister suffered neurological damage and was placed with a special needs rescue. Conquer and Stoic were nursed back to health by our kitten foster and were finally well enough for adoption.

We weren't involved in the rescue but from our understanding, the finder contacted Animal Control to get help. Essentially, AC did nothing to rescue the remaining kittens stating they were strays and the finder could do what they wanted with the remaining kittens. Not surprisingly, they didn't even cite the homeowner of the property where the kittens were found. The finder posted a plea on FB to get help and our kitten foster picked up the 3 living kittens. Sadly, in Polk County, animals are considered property and strays animals have even less significance or importance to our AC Department. Mistreatment and neglect of animals in our county happens every day and nothing happens to abusers.

We get calls every day, all day to take in cats, kittens, and dogs...mostly owner surrenders. People get upset and angry with us when we refuse to take in their pets. We save our precious spaces for those who really need us the most...like these kittens. Luckily, Conquer and Stoic have a happy ending to this horrible story.

11/08/2024

A short update on Leonardo.

11/08/2024

Tinkerbell says rainy days are good for naps.

10/08/2024

10/08/2024

Instead of 50 Shades of Grey, we have 5 Shades of Grey. Meet Pewter, Steel, Silver, Nickel and their mom, Shimmer. The kitten crew is made up of 3 boys and 1 girl, muted grey tabbies and one solid grey. They are about 4 weeks old and cute as can be. The little ones are still nursing at the moment but have some sharp teeth coming in so it probably won't be long before mom cuts them off.

The babes have all be bathed, defleaed, dewormed, and were given subcutaneous fluids as they were a little bit dehydrated. Mom allows us to touch and pet her but she's not too sure if she likes it or not as she's somewhat apprehensive.

We'll keep everyone updated with photos and videos as they grow. They are so precious!

09/08/2024

Good morning from Jaykob, Jayla, and Jayson! They finished their breakfast and are settling in for a morning nap.