Ladew Mews Summer 2015

ladew NEWSLETTER OF THE PATRICIA H. LADEW CAT SANCTUARY

mews VOLUME 5 NO. 3

SUMMER 2015

Clear the Shelters!

Free Adoption Event - WNBC4NY/TELEMUNDO Saturday, August 15 — 10am - 4pm (details on page 2)

Hey, if we clear this shelter, more cats can come here to get family-ready!

Just follow the path to your new forever homes!

theladewcatsanctuary.org

(516) 922-CATS!

Clear the Shelters! ladew mews © Summer 2015 The Patricia H. Ladew Foundation, Inc.

Executive Editor - Susan V. Whittred, DVM Creative Editor - Elise Klingensmith Sanctuary Photography - Lynn Manno Board of Directors: Jason Karlinsky, Esq. Bruce E. Trauner, Esq. Steve Blumert, Esq. Director of Veterinary Medicine Susan V. Whittred, DVM Licensed Veterinary Technician Andrea Castro

Nationwide PET Adoption Event SPONSORED BY WNBC4NY/TELEMUNDO

Manager — Lynn Manno Caretaker — JoAnn Studley

Saturday, August 15 — 10am - 4pm

Volunteers:

The Ladew Cat Sanctuary 34 Hamilton Avenue - Oyster Bay, NY

Peter Barone n Beatta and Jerzy Boruta Joe Berni n Robin Fishman and Jane Totura Laura Friedman n Lisa and Ava Hanlon Sarah Jordan n Dawn and Krystal Mazurek Donald Smith

Call us at (516) 922-CATS! Our fax # is (516) 922-5203.

l

169 Pine Hollow Road - Oyster Bay, NY

The Ladew Cat Sanctuary family is always on the alert for updates and happy, interesting, or just plain amusing cat tales about our former residents.

Please email to:

Dr. Susan Whittred, DVM info@theladewcatsanctuary.org

petvalu your pet your store

Visit us at: theladewcatsanctuary.org

Send us your mews!

and at our year’round partner’s location

Adoptions will be free for approved adopters, so you are still required to fill out adoption applications. If there is a kitty that you are interested in, you can fill the application out now and, if approved, adopt on that day. Please check out our website, and see who is looking for a home! Even though adoptions are free, donations are still accepted and would be greatly appreciated. If you are thinking about adopting, this would be a great day to do it. Remember, for each kitty you adopt, you save two, because we have more room to save another.

ladew mews — Summer 2015 — page two

Ask Dr. Susan...

ladew mews © Summer 2015 The Patricia H. Ladew Foundation, Inc.

Executive Editor - Susan V. Whittred, DVM Creative Editor - Elise Klingensmith Sanctuary Photography - Lynn Manno Board of Directors: Jason Karlinsky, Esq. Bruce E. Trauner, Esq. Steve Blumert, Esq. Director of Veterinary Medicine Susan V. Whittred, DVM Licensed Veterinary Technician Andrea Castro Manager — Lynn Manno Caretaker — JoAnn Studley Volunteers:

Peter Barone n Beatta and Jerzy Boruta Joe Berni n Robin Fishman and Jane Totura Laura Friedman n Lisa and Ava Hanlon Sarah Jordan n Dawn and Krystal Mazurek Donald Smith

Call us at (516) 922-CATS! Our fax # is (516) 922-5203.

Visit us at: theladewcatsanctuary.org

Send us your mews!

The Ladew Cat Sanctuary family is always on the alert for updates and happy, interesting, or just plain amusing cat tales about our former residents.

Please email to:

Dr. Susan Whittred, DVM info@theladewcatsanctuary.org

“What is Ringworm?”

Contrary to it’s name, Ringworm (dermatophytosis) is not a worm and instead is a fungal infection that cats and dogs can get. The skin infection is zoonotic (can be passed to humans and vice versa). Ringworm to a shelter like us is like kryptonite to Superman, because we are cage free.

In an environment such as that, ringworm can spread like wildfire. Humans can contract ringworm from a variety of sources, including from other humans! It is easily spread in moist, warm areas like locker rooms and swimming pools and easily transmitted by infected towels and gym mats. It can also be contracted by interaction with infected cats (and dogs).

Ringworm, in its early stages can be difficult or impossible to see with the naked eye. For this reason, every animal that comes to us is screened for the disease via a fungal culture. The cat or kitten is brushed everywhere with a toothbrush. The toothbrush is then sent to the lab. Cats are then examined by a Wood’s Lamp (blacklight).

Ringworm, or Microsporum Canis, can fluoresce on the hairs if present.

Each cat or kitten, is dipped on entry in a substance called Lyme Sulfur in case they are carrying the disease on their coats. If hairs on their coat fluoresce, they are started on an oral medication as well as dips twice weekly.

The fungal cultures take a few weeks before they are deemed negative and the cats are kept separate until the culture comes back. The disease usually clears in about two weeks, but because the culture takes longer (3 weeks), they are held until the culture comes back negative from the lab.

Treatments for humans that contract dermatophytosis varies depending upon the severity of the disease.

It may involve oral and topical medication, or just topical if it is limited.

Treatment will also involve cleaning the environment of the fungal spores, including washing of infected bedding and/or clothing.

Although ringworm is inconvenient, it is not life threatening and can be

eradicated.

ladew mews — Summer 2015 — page three

Brooklyn fifth graders learn a lesson in social awareness As the 2014-15 school year came to a close, the students in PS 119 K could look back at their fifth grade experience with a sense of pride in accomplishment.

Each year, Principal Lisa Fernandez selects activist class projects for her 5th graders at PS 119, Amersfort School of Social Awareness. This year’s topic was spreading awareness regarding the realities of declawing. The kids drew pictures, wrote rap songs, poems and organized a phone bank to call legislators in an effort to educate folks that declawing is not a simple nail trim — it involves amputating the last digit of cat’s toes — and cats are paying the price.

“It was an amazing project for the kids who learned about community, legislation, animal rights and how to help change things for those who can’t speak,” said Dr. Susan Whittred, who is also the Co-Director for the Paw Project-NY.

Rubio makes the grade on visit to PS 119 K To thank the kids for their hard work, Dr. Susan Whittred and Rubio (Paw Project SpokesCat) visited the school.

The kids were so thankful that Rubio came to visit, they each drew him a thank you card.

Rubio (right) stands in front of his wall of thank you’s.

ladew mews — Summer 2015 — page four

A perfect ending to a great day — giving thanks for an important job well-done

Rubio proudly showed off his gorgeous claws and allowed all the kids to touch them — and nobody got hurt!

Dr. Susan and Rubio brought souvenir plush kitties to commemorate the students’ successful social awareness project. Dr. Whittred said, “The PS 119K students have shown that they are more than socially aware. They are now effective social activists with commendable social values.”

Whittred said, “The Paw Project offered a gift of thanks to the kids — when asked what they would like, these incredible kids chose to sponsor three cats at a shelter.

Two are declawed: one lost his home for inappropriate urination, the other for biting. Oh, and they also sponsored their beloved Rubio!”

ladew mews — Summer 2015 — page five

Ladew Sanctuary Care Do you have a plan for your cats if something happens to you?

Spotlight on SPONSORSHIP

Peanut and Danny Boy’s owner passed away suddenly and unexpectedly, leaving them homeless. Some of you may remember Peanut, who only two years ago, was one of our bottle babies rescued from Animal Care Centers. Peanut was hand-raised by us and then adopted out.

Chico

Danny Boy

Peanut

Danny Boy and Peanut are safe and currently up for adoption, but many cats will be taken to kill shelters when owners pass away.

For more information, please visit Sanctuary Services on our website.

Click here to Sponsor Danny Boy

Click here to Sponsor Peanut

ladew mews — Summer 2015 — page six

Chico is a four-paw declawed cat who was brought to a kill shelter by his original owners, because they “had no time for him.” Rescued by The Paw Project, Mayor’s Alliance for NYC’s Animals and Patricia H. Ladew Foundation, Chico was saved from euthanasia.

Chico was adopted out, but returned, understandably, for inappropriate urination. Inappropriate urination is a behavior that is commonly associated with declawed cats. Chico lost his claws, his home and nearly his life because of it. Please don’t declaw.

Click here to Sponsor Chico

REPORT ANIMAL ABUSE VIA CRIMESTOPPERS NYPD/ASPCA collaboration to help prevent and report animal abuse Police Commissioner Bratton and Chief of Detectives Bob Boyce, along with detectives from the NYPD’s CrimeStoppers Unit Animal Cruelty Investigation Squad (ACIS), joined members of the ASPCA, including ASPCA CEO Matthew Bershadker, at a press conference this month in Manhattan to announce a new collaboration to help prevent and report animal abuse.

Members of the community can now report information regarding animal abuse to CrimeStoppers by calling 1-800-577-TIPS. Callers are not required to give their name and may receive up to a $2,500 reward for information. CrimeStoppers is one of the many successful programs of the NYC Police Foundation.

The new collaboration is an extension of the partnership between the NYPD and the ASPCA launched last year, when the NYPD developed the ACIS, giving the NYPD responsibility for investigating all animal cruelty complaints within New York City.

“Violence has no place in our city, whether it’s committed against a person or an animal,” Police Commissioner Bratton said. “We want to hear from the community so we can stop the abuse of animals.”

ladew mews — Summer 2015 — page seven

Open your hearts to give these kitties their forever homes.

Kitten Season According to Dr. Susan Whittred, Director of Veterinary Medicine of The Ladew Cat Sanctuary, “the shelters are already packed with adult cats at any given time of year.

During spring and summer when kitten season is upon us, it’s even worse.” Whittred continued, “At Animal Care and Control, numerous emails are sent out daily to rescues belonging to The Mayor’s Alliance for NYC’s Animals. The rescues try and “pull” as many cats as they can, but they too are overwhelmed.” Unless these cats and kittens find homes, the rescues can only take in so many and some, unfortunately are euthanized at city shelters for lack of space.”

“At this time of year, we try and pull as many as we can but once we’re full, we’re full,” says Whittred. “We are currently a little beyond capacity now, so if folks that are on the fence about adopting could come forward, it would help save a lot of cats. We’re hoping that WNBC’s Clear The Shelters will really empty the shelters in NY and across the country.”

Leonardo & DaVinci

Topanga & Hermione

June

Read their stories and many more on our website.

For further information on any of our kitties, please call 516-922-CATS. ladew 2014— —page pageeight eight ladew mews mews — — SUMMER Summer 2015