This guy🥰
Two weeks ago he joined us. His head, stuck in a lawn tractor tire, was a first for us. Under sedation, Dr Ravi and our friends at Simcoe Rossland Animal Hospital were able to extract the wheel without the help of machinists (a backup plan was in the works🙏).
Once freed, “Wheeler” presented as feral but we recognized he had been through significant trauma.
Within days, Wheeler started to “come around”. Baby steps indeed but they were steps in the right direction ✅
Although still easily startled, Wheeler now greets me with the gentlest of mews. He awaits cuddles and pats of affection, rewarding me with purrs of contentment.
Moment by moment, page by page, Wheeler is rewriting his story. And quite an adventure it has been.
Welcome to the newest of beginnings sweetheart. I am so very proud of you 💞
Four new additions joined our family over the holidays 😻
Dreyfuss and Ivy were in a difficult situation when their human was not only urgently in need of new housing, but was then admitted to the hospital😞. Without a place to go, these adorable 10 year old kitties were welcomed into the home of foster parents Carrie, Mike and family, where they have been soaking up oodles of lovins.
We aren’t exactly sure how long Ivy and Dreyfuss will be with us, but we are delighted to have them, knowing they are safe, warm and receiving lots of TLC until they are able to be reunited with their human.
The two tiny tabbies joined us via our friend Meghan, who secured them under a residential property. At 5/6 months of age, this precious pair are in need of a SIGNIFICANT amount of socialization. Foster mom Carrie ED immediately stepped up and offered them a soft landing spot, where they can learn to trust at their own pace. With lots of other kittens to play with and many gentle hands to cuddle them, we don’t expect it will take long before they realize the benefits of indoor living.
Welcome to the BCC family kitties! It is a privilege to be a part of your journey 😻
We hope everyone is enjoying the festive holidays! The BCC cats and kittens certainly are😻
Foster mom Carrie shared this adorable video clip of some of her foster floofers, playing with their new toys and enjoying some delicious holiday treats.
From 9 year old Dino right down to tiny floofers Ginger, Skittles and Picante (and a couple of new arrivals we haven’t formally introduced yet 🙂, everyone is getting into the action and enjoying the holiday spirit.
Like every one of BCC’s cats, each of the faces in this video has a story of their own. And although the specific details of each of their journeys differ, all were in need of a helping paw.
When they joined us, their mistrust and fear was palpable. Yet through the love, compassion and patience of their foster family, those feelings of fear are now quickly being replaced with sheer contentment, knowing they are both safe and cherished.
Welcome to your newest of beginnings, kitties!
Last evening, we shared a very transparent update on our current rescue status. Rising costs, many mouths to feed, a huge number of sick and injured cats and kittens, coupled with an unprecedented number of calls pleading for help collectively left us in a bleak position heading into 2025.
Frankly, we can’t wait to see the “tail end” of 2024. It’s been gruelling 🙀
And yet, over the past 24 hours, a “Christmas miracle” is happening for the BCC family. Your Gifts, inspired by kindness, for so many deserving little lives.
As a community, YOU are stepping up 🫶🏻
🎁 Individuals generously donated, some being so incredibly thoughtful to donate their “holiday bonus” to the BCC kitties
🎁 MANY families have been donating to the kitties, some “in lieu of gifts” to each other
🎁 Other kind folks asked family members to donate instead of personal gifts for themselves.
🎁 We received meaningful memorial donations and donations on behalf of many of the cats and kittens we’ve helped over the past 7-1/2 years that this (once little!) rescue has been in existence.
🎁 And earlier this evening, Southern Connection extended a generous paw to help the BCC cats and kittens with an incredibly kind and thoughtful donation.
AND, it feels like Santa and his team of reindeer arrived early (via Amazon) as orders of supplies come flying in!
For those who know Deb and I personally, I’m sure you’ll agree that not often either of us is at a loss for words. Yet tonight, as we try to put what’s bursting from our hearts into words, we both struggle to adequately express our incredible deep, heartfelt gratitude.
On behalf of our entire admin team and, most importantly, the BCC cats and kittens whose stories are being rewritten, THANK YOU for your generosity and kindness❤️
(One of the families who generously donated to the BCC kitties dropped by foster mom Carrie’s home today, to deliver a sleigh-full of toys and much needed suppli
TOO FEW BEANS TO COUNT! 🫘
That’s it in a nutshell. We are facing a very dismal outlook as we head towards a time we’re bound to be needed most! Winter 24/25. Many will die trying to survive until we arrive. We know that. Our hearts are breaking.
Reality is that we have well over 200 cats & kittens currently in our care. In foster homes and outdoor colonies, many kitties count on us.
Our Critical Care Fund is depleted once again this year. Our regular coffers face a dismal reality of too many bills and not enough money to keep things rolling.
If after reading the message below, seeing just a few of the helpless faces that BCC has saved this year, you can find it in your heart to dig a little deeper … we will breathe a sigh of relief. Financially ourselves, we can do no more.
Please consider a Gift to the BCC’s kitties! For those currently in our care plus those still out there suffering while waiting. We truly need your assistance this Christmas, and the kitties NEED YOU … EVEN MORE!
Deb McEachern
BCC Bean Counter (Financials Admin)
🎄 ⭐️ 🎄
“Dear Santa,
We hope this letter finds you & Mrs Claus doing great up there at the North Pole.
I am writing to you on behalf of all of the cats and kittens here at BCC. I hear the ladies here talking and I know they are worried. As 2024 comes to an end, the calls for help don’t. As stressful and upsetting as it makes them, they just can’t bring themselves to “ignore the pleas”.
There are cats and kittens, just like us, who are cold and hungry, sick, injured and scared. They are still outside, waiting for the day when someone will come to help them too. And the ladies keep trying to figure out how to help, “just one more”.
As fast as supplies arrive, they go out. You see, there’s more than ‘a couple of hundred’ of us who are depending on them. Yet as our bowls are filled, the food “magically” disappears and shortly afterwards, we’re hungry again.
The critica
Foster mom Carrie ED shared this video of this sweet fella, one of our newest family members.
Huge strides are already being made on earning Dino’s trust and affection, while slowly erasing the trauma of his past. He’s setting in, beginning to relax and you can see in the video just how much he’s enjoying the TLC.
Our “other Carrie”, admin and foster mom Carrie Brunet, has also been spending time with Dino, including supplementing his diet with Hydra Care.
A huge thank you to Dino’s caring fosters and to both Cearra Howey and Brenda S for the generous donation of Dino’s favourite food.
Welcome to the newest of beginnings sweetheart ❤️
Several weeks ago, this duo arrived together on a rural property in search of food and shelter. With the colder weather approaching, the property owner began reaching out to organizations and rescues in search of a safe place for them and earlier this week, they joined our family.
The grey gal is quite accepting of pats of affection. Her tuxedo companion, a bit more bashful, will take a bit longer to warm up but Sandy was able to coax him out, where he enjoyed some gentle pats.
A huge thank you to our friends at Pause Awhile Equestrian Centre for welcoming two more deserving kitties into their foster family.
Welcoming to the newest of beginnings sweethearts, where the beds are cozy and your tummy’s will never be hungry again 🥰
In rescue, like life, it’s so important to take a moment to celebrate “the little things”.
It’s been absolutely frantic, heartbreakingly frantic, as pleas for help continue at an alarming pace. From Cornwall to west of Toronto, we are receiving calls for help. We know we aren’t alone as rescues and animal service organizations struggle to keep up.
With more than 200 already in the BCC family, we are FULL. And yet, there are many cases where, with all other resources having declined, we are truly the last hope.
Over the next few days, we will be introducing a few more new additions. Kitties at risk with nowhere to go. But it’s bittersweet …. as we welcome “just a few more”, there’s so many more we simply cannot assist.
If you’ve ever considered fostering, the need is more urgent than ever. Opening your heart and home to a cat or kitten in need will not only change the life of that cat, but yours as well. It’s truly a privilege.
In the video clip below is Millie (formerly Josie). Millie was 1 of 8 kitties who joined us from a horrendous situation. Millie arrived broken and terrified. For the first few months in foster, Millie hid, completely shut down. But her foster moms at Pause Awhile Equestrian Centre never gave up, slowly earning Millie’s trust. Realizing Millie would benefit from one-on-one care, Heidi welcomed Millie into her foster family. Like a beautiful butterfly emerging from a chrysalis, Millie absolutely blossomed. In September, she found a forever family of her very own.
We received a lovely update from Millie’s human mom Brooke, along with this video of Millie enjoying some TLC from her mom. The transformation from that terrified, broken kitty to this confident, content and affectionate gal is remarkable. As shared by Brooke, Millie has won over the hearts of her entire family, including the resident kitty (who was a tough nut to crack).
This update couldn’t have come at a better time🙏 Welcome
Late this morning we received an urgent message from a concerned employee at the Ken Reid Conservation Area outside of Lindsay. A tabby kitty had been seen wandering alone, deep in the trails, and despite being cold and hungry, he was too frightened to allow anyone to get close. Attempts to secure the kitty using treats only further frightened him away. Fearful that the kitty wouldn’t survive much longer, the employee reached out.
As is often the case, time was certainly of essence. We reached out to Lori and Nicole to see if either could provide trapping support. With GPS coordinates in hand, Lori immediately headed out. After searching a vast area for an hour and a half. Lori spotted two fallen trees and intuitively thought to herself, “those trees will provide shelter. Perhaps he’s there”? Thankfully, she found him tucked between the trees! Lori called the Conservation worker for assistance and between them and one large blanket, one very cold, hungry and weary kitty was secured ❤️
Expecting a new addition requiring medical care, Deborah (Deb) was on standby to make the necessary arrangements. However, Lori had reached out to our wonderful friends at the Humane Society of Kawartha Lakes who immediately offered assistance.
We are told this handsome tabby has been named “Reed” and he was greeted by the HSKL staff with warming blankets, needed to elevate his low body temperature. Reed, grateful for the help, was purring during his medical examination. We know Reed is in wonderful hands❤️.
Teamwork is one of the most vital aspects of rescue. Individuals and organizations working together, each using their unique skills, a splash of determination, a gentle sprinkling of kindness and empathy, all working TOGETHER to achieve a common goal.
Words cannot adequately express our gratitude. Thank you to everyone involved in helping Reed. From the worker who reached out, to Lori who searched and secured Reed, to the HSKL for welcoming
