A Home for Mama

First... I want to offer a great big "thank you" to everyone who helped with naming suggestions for the new business. I absolutely love them! The tough part will be choosing only one from the fantastic list you provided. I'm in the narrowing down process and should have an announcement by Monday. Thanks again!

Second... Before I transition to a new business and a new group of baby foster kittens, I have one job left to do: GET MAMA CLARICE A HOME.

Mama Madison is absolutely the kindest, gentlest, sweetest, most patient and loving cat ever to grace Teeny Tiny Tabby Town... and she's gorgeous to boot. I wanted to run another "Mama Special" but after lots of writing and rewriting, I've decided that I really couldn't say it any better than I did in a post about a month ago. So, with my apologies for the repeat, I am copying that post here today. Please, please, PLEASE share with anyone who may need this sweet soul in their life.

Ruby will make it up to you tomorrow :)

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WANTED: A loving forever home for the sweetest, most gentle, patient and kind mama cat that has ever walked the earth where she will be loved, cherished, spoiled, and treasured for the rest of her life.

Did I mention that she's drop-dead gorgeous too?

Mama Madison came to our southeast Michigan rescue in January along with her 4 bouncing baby kittens. After raising some of the most fantastically friendly, outgoing, brave, loving, and brilliant kittens that I have ever met, Mama said goodbye to her babies as they all left for their forever homes over the past week. Her work done, it is now Mama's turn to find a spectacular home of her very own.

Mama Clarice is an incredibly beautiful long-haired silver tabby. Her tabby markings are more pronounced on her face, where she has white tabby stripes that frame her eyes.

Her tremendous tail plume and fluffy pants are a gorgeous addition to her muted stripes on her body and legs.

Mama's extra-long white whiskers are wild, crazy, and curly... a distinctive accessory for this special lady cat.

Mama Clarice is immensely beautiful and intensely kissable from the tip of her nose to...

The bottom of her tippy toes :)

And just in case you missed those amazing toes the first time...

Don't you want to reach out and touch that toe fluff through your computer screen? If Mama Clarice lived in YOUR house, she'd let you touch them almost any time you want.

Beyond her obvious beauty, Mama Clarice has an amazing personality and beautifully gentle soul.

Three-year-old Mama is quiet and patient. She lived in my house for more than two weeks before I ever heard her voice. The only time she uses it is to express a gentle reminder that her bowl might be empty. I have never seen or felt one of her claws. She has yet to hiss, growl, or spit... even with a menagerie of permanent residents outside the glass French doors to her room watching her every move with her four precious babies. She shows mild interest in playtime and adventuring outside her foster room door, but truthfully... she really only wants you for your love.

Good photos of Mama are somewhat difficult to get because she is truly only concerned with two things... getting enough to eat and loving you (but mostly the second one). She greets me immediately at the door looking for love and affection. Mama performs the most complicated of figure 8 maneuvers by rubbing my legs as  I walk. She purrs unreservedly and showers every visitor with attention. 

It doesn't take much more than a chin rub to make our Mama as happy as can be. 

She is quite simply...

Remarkable.

"Why did you stop?"

She loves you already and is waiting for you to bring her home.

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A Special Home for Our Mama Cat

Our Mama has tested positive for FIV antibodies and will require a special home, one that takes the time to understand her diagnosis and is willing to provide the proper environment for her.

Because of these test results, Mama's ideal forever home may be one where she would be the only cat. She would get along well with any other animals, but for her safety it would probably best if she was a singleton or even placed into a home with another FIV+ cat as a companion. This is NOT because of a danger to other cats. On the contrary, this is simply to protect the health of our Mama Clarice.

FIV is not easily spread from one cat to another. It is usually spread either through biting, some other violent act, or through birth. There is much anecdotal evidence that FIV+ cats can live for years with other cats without spreading the virus. FIV+ cats, though, because of the suppression of their natural immune systems are more susceptible to the germs and illnesses of other cats... meaning they catch colds and other diseases more easily than others and, once caught, they have a much more difficult time fighting off the infection and returning to health. 

Our mama has already successfully, and rather easily and quickly, fought off an upper respiratory infection while in our care. She is exceptionally healthy and strong. FIV+ cats, when living in their own little protected bubble, can conceivably live a normal lifespan... well over ten years. The key is protection, a clean environment, and good nutrition. There is no reason to believe that she cannot live happily and without health crises for many years to come.

It should be noted that cats who have been vaccinated for FIV will test positive for the FIV antibodies afterward. Given the fact that we know nothing about her history prior to being dumped at the shelter with her babies, it is entirely possible that Mama is simply a vaccinated kitty. But we must be careful in her placement regardless.

For more information about FIV in cats, please consult the following resources:

Crash's Landing & Big Sid's Sanctuary, a rescue in Grand Rapids, Michigan dedicated to rescuing and placing FIV and Feline Leukemia cats   http://www.crashslanding.org/FivAndFelv.html

Veterinary Partner, an online pet health library   http://www.veterinarypartner.com/Content.plx?P=A&A=1313&S=2&SourceID=42

Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine   http://www.vet.cornell.edu/fhc/brochures/fiv.html

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So here's the part where I call you ALL into action...

Option #1:

**If you have room for a deserving Mama cat in your life, if you can provide the kind of home we're looking for, if you are willing to give our girl the life of pampered luxury that she so richly deserves, please contact me for more information. You can reach me through several avenues... 

1. Stop by the Whiskers in the Window Facebook page and leave me a private message (using the button directly below the cover photo). 

2. Send me an e-mail to teenytinytabbies (at) gmail (dot) com.

3. Leave me a message in the comments below and let me know how to contact you.

Option #2:

**If you do not have the appropriate home for Mama, if you're too far away, if you have too many cats, if it's just not the right time, you can STILL HELP!!!!

1. Comment below if you have any additional information about FIV... personal experience, recommendations for research and resources other than what I've listed above, encouragement for anyone who is considering bringing Mama or any other FIV+ cat into their homes.

2. Share, share, SHARE, SHARE our blog post. Share it on Facebook. Share it on your blog. Share it with your neighbors. Share it with your friends and family. Share it today, tomorrow, and the day after because you never ever know when the right eyes may be reading. 

I nearly said "Share it until the cows come home" but that would just be ridiculous. How about "Share it until Mama goes home"? Yes... Share it until Mama goes home. Pretty, pretty please.

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Mama Clarice currently lives in southeast Michigan (suburban Detroit, to be more exact). While I would love to see her end up close by, I also realize that the realities of Mama's situation make it a bit more difficult in finding that perfect home. If you are out of the area but in love with Mama anyway, we might be able to arrange something.