Summer 2008

l. Pet of The Issue

Harrison Ford
Some might remember Harrison Ford from his front page posting on Toronto Cat Rescue’s website in the fall of 2007. This is a tribute to his short, but very meaningful life.

Harrison Ford was a stray cat that probably lived a lonely yet exciting life out on the streets.  Sometime last year, he started spending most of his time in the backyard of the nicest people in Toronto, according to Harrison anyway. Eventually, Harrison Ford decided not to leave the place that he had started calling home, and he was taken in for keeps. They were thrilled, and life for Harrison took a wonderful turn. His days were finally full of purrs, belly rubs and all you can eat buffets. 

Unfortunately for his new family, Harrison Ford tested positive for Feline Leukemia, a highly contagious disease spread by contact with infected, outdoor cats. Because these people already had an ill cat living in their house, they began a mission to find Harrison Ford a home without other cats, under the condition that this home be packed with a lot of love. Most importantly, he wasn’t showing any signs of the disease and we were all hopeful that he would live at least another decade as long as he was well-cared for and kept inside.

This playful orange tabby with the gentlest heart kept his spirits up, even after months of having to live segregated, but warm and well-loved, in a room in their home away from their other felines.  Harrison’s people really did everything that a human could do for a cat and I guess he has them to thank for being able to live out his days in a peaceful and extremely loving environment. On December 15th 2007 Harrison Ford passed away due to problems associated with feline leukemia. His symptoms came on so quickly and we were all in disbelief when he died, but felt solace in knowing he was not suffering anymore.

I think it is so important to acknowledge the lengths that people like this young Toronto couple go to and the sacrifices made for cats like Harrison Ford that have no one else watching out for them. Thank you for giving him the love he was searching for. I think it is also important to remind people of what can happen when animals are abandoned and forced to live their lives, un-neutered and un-vaccinated outside. It is up to all of us to neuter and spay these lost souls and stop the spread of fatal disease. RIP Harrison Ford, you are missed.

II. Recommended Reading and Surfing

Marley & Me: Life and Love with the World’s Worst Dog by John Grogan
This is the story of a young newlywed couple and the ups and downs they encounter when they innocently decide to get their first dog Marley. He is a ninety-seven pound lab whose limitless spirit and enthusiasm, though endearing, get him into a lot of trouble.  He crashes through screen doors, eats everything from jewelry to bath towels, and nearly strangles himself to death during his walks. His antics are hilarious yet maddening, and it’s easy to understand the couples’ frustrations. However, as you read on, the infinite love and devotion that Marley has for his family is undeniable. You will fall in love with this dog!

And for those of you with multiple cat households, Cat Vs. Cat: Keeping Peace When You Have More Than One Cat is a must read.  Written by feline behaviorist Pam Johnson-Bennett, it uncovers the mysteries of the feline hierarchy and offers step-by-step instructions on introducing a new cat to the family.

III. Stories of Success

How George got a Big Brother
On most days at Queen West you can find little "George" Barber pensively observing the hospital's activities or contently curled up, snoring on an office chair.  George, a 7 year old Yorkshire Terrier was adopted by Lysa, one of our technicians a few years ago when his family was no longer able to care for him. George, a rather stubborn and temperamental guy is often called a "grumpy old man". He is very set in his ways but Lysa and her three cats welcomed him into their home just the same.

Lately it has been Lysa's wish to add another dog to her eclectic furry family. She knew that this would be no easy feat given George's strong personality and demonstrated distaste for other canines.  She researched many, many rescue groups and after several dead ends met a big friendly dog she thought could be a great match. George disagreed and when the two dogs met chaos ensued.  Disenchanted with the searching and roller coaster of excitement and disappointment Lysa was almost ready to give up...

But then, much in the same way that she found George, she heard of a dog whose family was moving and thought that he would be happier in a new home. "Harrison" is a "gentle giant", a large, 9 year old Husky/Shepherd mix with a magical twinkle in his eye.  When Lysa met him she fell in love. She anxiously introduced him to George and sure enough as expected in a fury George bared his teeth and hurled his 4 kg body at Harrison, who is six times his size. When Harrison simply shrugged his shoulders sauntered over to the corner of the room and lay down unshaken, Lysa knew she had found a perfect fit! Harrison is big enough not to be bothered by George's attack and laid back enough not to fight back. Ever day George is getting more and more used to his new big brother and Lysa is happy to report that she has even spotted the two of them lying together when George thinks that no one is looking!

IV. Passings

"Sprocket" Bolton
Working at QWAH means that I get to meet a lot of great cats and dogs. There are some that I am lucky enough to form a special bond with. Sprocket, an 11 year old domestic longhair, was one of them. You could tell when you met her that Sprocket was one of the sweetest kitties in the world. She had a way of looking up at you with her big eyes that just said “Love now, please.”

At home with her owner, Jennifer, and her cat family, Minnie and Samson, Sprocket was a total adventure kitty. She was always running off to explore, especially at Jennifer’s parent’s home.  She would disappear for extended periods of time and then return with inexplicably dirty paws. Once, Sprocket and Minnie decided to rip open a bag of litter that Jennifer had left in her kitchen. Not only did they spread it all over the place, Sprocket wisely found the largest mound of litter to use as her “kitchen litter box”. When Jennifer came in, there was Sprocket, rolling around in another patch of litter and looking quite pleased with herself.

Sprocket loved to hang out with Minnie, her best friend and true blood aunt, except for when Minnie would try to clean her bottom – that’s where she drew the line. With Samson, she would have great play fights. She was a kitty of few meows, only speaking when she thought it was really important. Instead, her typical greeting was to drop and roll. At night, Sprocket would always come up and tickle Jennifer’s face with her whiskers to let Jennifer know that the bed was going to be shared.

When Sprocket started to lose weight she came to Queen West Animal Hospital for examination, testing and finally a surgery. Her recovery started out a bit rocky, but Sprocket pulled through during a week long hospital stay. She especially loved having her cheeks brushed and I think she purred the entire time she was in the clinic. Sprocket went home for the weekend while awaiting more test results. Even though she was sick, she was in good spirits and could still be tempted to bat a paw at her favorite toy, the cat dancer.

Sadly, Sprocket was diagnosed with lymphoma and Jennifer made the difficult, but kind, decision to let her beloved kitty go.

Sprocket would always find a place in the sun to stretch out and cross her paws, no matter how small the beam of sunlight was. So, it’s fitting that her little urn will now rest in the sunshine of Jennifer’s parent’s garden. She was a great reminder that no matter how short an animal's time with us may be, they are still capable of giving so much unconditional love and joy.

V. Queen West Community

Summer in Trinity Bellwoods

I am a true winter hater. The kind of hater that repeatedly vows “I will never live another winter in this city” every single January.  I don’t play winter sports (or summer for that matter) and hot chocolate is only comforting for the first few cups. So when I poke my head up from my computer at Queen West Animal Hospital and see Trinity Bellwoods resembling Central park on a sunny Saturday in July, I am a changed woman.My grumpiness melts away, just like the bitter snow on the branches of the trees in my favourite Toronto Park. 

Trinity Bellwoods is a park like no other; dog friendly (home to a spectacular off-leash area) kid friendly (wading pool galore), sport friendly (tennis courts, soccer field) bike friendly (not the best lanes but hey, they are there) gardener friendly (green house and Tuesday farmers market, from 3-7pm) musician and dancer friendly (Drum & POI Circle, two Tuesday’s a month) artist friendly (Queen West Art Crawl, Alley Jaunt, Nuit Blanche) and just an all around great place to relax and enjoy the weather and Queen West community.

If you or anyone you know is looking for a place to hang on a summer day – check out the website trinitybellwoods.ca for more info on what this great park has to offer. Bring your pooch, baby, blanket and Frisbee and don’t forget to say hi to the Albino squirrel if you are so lucky to spot him!