Dear SCAA supporters,

It may not be raining cats and dogs, but it is most definitely sprinkling kittens! SCAA recently welcomed several spring kittens to foster care, including 3 little ones the subject of a big rescue effort. Pudgy, Tiny and Red were busted out of a wall in the lobby of a Shanghai apartment complex. With the cool, rainy weather, several mom cats have been caught sneaking their new litter into building vents, ceilings and basements and these 3 likely fell into the wall cavity. A couple of these lucky kittens are featured in our bottle feeding and newborn kitten care highlight below - timely tips to help rescuers save even more abandoned babies.

Spring also ushers in a new season of dangers for pets. Cat owners should resist the urge to open windows and balcony doors wide to usher in fresh(ish) air. Contrary to popular myth, cats do not have an innate awareness of the dangers posed by heights. Every year, scores of pets fall and even jump to their death. The lack of window or fly screens in most Shanghai buildings is a real problem. We hope you find this month's Putonghua Pet Tips below useful for sharing these safety concerns with fellow pet owners and ayis.

Fresh flowers are another seemingly innocent spring pleasure. But did you know many plants and flowers are toxic to cats and dogs? Some popular but potentially lethal Shanghai flower market offerings include lilies (bai he hua / 百合花) and a plant extolled for its human health benefit – aloe (lu hui / 芦荟). For more information, including photos, of plants toxic to pets, check out ASPCA | Toxic and Non-Toxic Plants.

Last but not least, one of our favorite things about spring is the May long weekend. We hope you can join us for our last Quiz Night @ Cuvée Wine Bar before the summer on Tuesday 4 May. April's Quiz Night @ Cuveé raised a generous RMB 4,100 for needy SCAA foster and project animals. We're hoping to end the season on a high note and set a new fundraising record in May. For more information or to register, contact James at paw.james@gmail.com.

Regards,

The SCAA Team

Small Hands Yield Big Dividends

SCAA Education Director Emily Osann accepts a “big cheque” from SCIS Pudong 3rd grade students

Philanthropic is not a word that often comes to mind when describing 3rd graders. However, teachers Lisa Witzel and Sheri DeNeef have planted a seed among their charges and the results are inspiring. The reasons given for their charitable endeavors for SCAA range from being happy to help homeless animals to getting a kick out of hanging up the posters but as Lisa shares, 'basically, they just think it is fun'.

However, what these kids find enjoyable is paying off in two important ways; the first is the money they raise for SCAA animals and second, the awareness that the students gain of issues faced by stray and abandoned companion animals. The Shanghai Community International School (SCIS) promotes a project for 'Global Community Awareness' and as animal lovers themselves, the teachers at the Pudong campus wanted to advance the cause.

The students kicked off their campaign by selling the SCAA calendars at the Halloween Carnival. Not content with just passer-by traffic, the kids decided to get the word out in advance of the Winter Festival sales booth. Posters were drafted and hung, presentations were made, and fellow students addressed all in hopes of getting out the word. Well, it worked; these enthusiastic animal lovers raised RMB 8,370 to benefit SCAA foster and project animals.

With a bit of encouragement from their teachers and grateful support from SCAA, who knows what next year will net!

Everyone at SCAA would like congratulate teachers and students on their successful project and sincerely thank them for their generous contribution.

Students talk about how their fundraising efforts will help needy rescued companion animals in Shanghai.

The Basics on Babies - Bottle Feeding Newborn kittens

As kitten season has already brought over half a dozen bottle-feeding age foster kittens to SCAA and many more are unfortunately expected to be found abandoned (unwanted by people or sometimes by the mother cat), SCAA hopes the following timely tips on caring for newborn kittens helps rescuers save even more needy kittens.

Feeding tips

• Imported kitten formula is best, but if this is unavailable, feed plain soy milk (unflavored and no sugar) until you have formula
• Avoid cow's milk as it is not nutritious enough and can cause diarrhea
• Newborn kittens should feed about 8 times over 24 hour day
  • over a 24-hour period, kittens should eat about 25 ml / cc of formula for every 100 grams of kitten = about 2 tablespoons per 100 grams
  • kittens should gain about 10% of body weight each day until 4 weeks
• Prepare the formula with bottled or purified water in a sterilized bottle, cut a small hole in the sterilized nipple, and let bottle cool before feeding (test if it is body temperature by dabbing on inside of your wrist)
• Hold kitten or wrap the kitten in a small blanket for feeding
• If kitten is unable to suckle, stimulate sucking reflex by stoking head and neck
• Do not lean the head too far back; there is a risk kitten will aspirate formula (breathing it into lungs)
• Burp kitten with one hand under abdomen while gently patting back
• Wash the bottle and nipple thoroughly between feedings

Foster mom Lori Runge takes on surrogate cat mom role for 3 abandoned kittens

Toileting tips

• Newborn kittens will not eliminate their bladder and bowels on their own (this takes around 3 weeks to learn); rescuers must stimulate kittens
• After feeding, stimulate elimination by using a warm, damp tissue or cotton ball/swab and rubbing around the back end and over genitals

General handling & care tips

• Isolate kittens from pets until a vet advises otherwise; kittens have a fragile immune system and are vulnerable to infection
• Wash hands well after handling kittens and clean clothes, towels/blankets and surfaces regularly. Kittens could be sick and contagious to pets
• Handle kittens for 10-15 minutes at a time; kittens need to be nurtured and socialized
  • hold often for short periods and stroke gently
  • gradually introduce kittens to everyday noise, other people, and when a vet deems it safe to do so, to other pets
• Keep kitten at 26.5 degrees Celsius (80 F) in a room with no draft - but prior to 7 days old, 32 degrees Celsius (90 F) with no draft
  • keep the kitten wrapped in soft blankets and in a safe 'nest' but do not cover the face
  • place kitten on a warm hot water bottle (be sure that seal or top is secured)
• Clean kitten all over with a barely damp washcloth in short gentle strokes; this teaches grooming and stimulates bowel movements
• Line crate or box with disposable diaper pads to keep bed clean and save on laundering towels

Foster mom Lori toileting kittens after feeding time

Dealing with possible concerns

• Loose stool
  • formula may be too rich, try adding a bit of water
  • check temperature to ensure no infection and watch for dehydration (e.g. loose skin that does not retract when pulled from the neck)
• Not urinating and/or defecating
  • repeat the stimulation to release bladder and bowels with a slightly rough towel around affected areas
  • add more water to dilute formula
  • if prolonged (e.g. kitten not defecating over 72 hrs), call your veterinarian for advice
• Sneezing and runny nose
  • this could be a sign of respiratory infection, seek medical attention right away
• Fleas & worms
  • gently comb fur with flea comb; do not apply flea treatment without medical evaluation of kitten and safety of product; unless medically necessary (e.g. to prevent anemia), kittens first flea treatment given around 6 weeks old
  • same as with flea treatment, do not administer worming treatment without medical evaluation
• Quick breathing or panting
  • up to 30 breaths a minute is normal; faster than that requires a vet visit
• Kittens suckling on each other
  • discourage kittens from suckling on each other; separate kittens if suckling on genital area

Foster Care Investment Profile: Polly

Each month, SCAA features the investment needed to get just one of our many foster animals healthy and adoptable. As financial times get tough for everyone, we hope this feature not only accounts for where donations are going, but underscores the critical need for the donations we request on foster care intake and adoption.

Polly is a super cat – young (< 2 yrs) and young-at-heart, Polly loves to sit by her foster parents, follow them around the house, play with her toys, and even show off her social skills at parties. Polly and other pets were left behind in Shanghai when a previous owner moved home. Polly is now looking for adopters who couldn't imagine ever giving up such a wonderful pet.

THANK YOU! THANK YOU!

Our deepest thanks once again to all the animal lovers and supporters in Shanghai, around China, and around the world for their generous donations:

• Adrienne and Tom Urbanec: HK$16,000
• Annette Yeager: RMB 3,000 [to help kittens Pudgy, Tiny and Red]
• Don and Cathy Williams: RMB 1,000 [to help kittens Pudgy, Tiny and Red]
• Yvonne Lawson [San Antonio, TX]: US$100
• Anonymous donation: RMB 800
• Nick and Lori LeRoy: RMB 500 for pet-sitting services
• Riina Hakkarainen: pet carriers
• BEAN: cleaning products for SCAA Project

Man (and woman's!) Best Friends: Rescued Dogs Looking for Forever Homes

Chu Chu: No Bark and Definitely No Bite!

Adorable does not begin to describe Chu Chu. A snowy white dog with a large moon face would be cute enough but this little bundle of fur has a sweet personality that outshines the most striking looks!

Chu Chu is happy to wear her sweater as it means that a walk is forthcoming. Although she is small in stature, she enjoys engaging with everyone she meets and loves to win over a large new dog friend sometimes too. According to her foster father, the only foes that Chu Chu seems to have are socks. Socks have no place in her world and are attacked at every turn!

At around 3 years old, she is in the prime of her doggie life, spayed, vaccinated, treated for fleas and worms, and healthy. Chu Chu understands that a good night's rest and a hearty diet are required for proper 'sock battles' and she enthusiastically engages in these every day. When allowed, she finds it most comfortable to cuddle on the bed but will happily catch her 30 winks in any available comfy location.

When her foster father says she is quite vocal he does not mean that she is a barker. Actually, he likens her funny little sound to the oink of a pig and is still amused whenever he hears her. Hailing from SCAA's Local Project where she lived with hundreds of cats and a few dogs, maybe the oink was the smartest way to get a bit of attention and a much-deserved chance at a loving adoptive home.

Dottie: Living Up to Her Name and More...

Hungry and alone are not good ways to start life but thank goodness for Dottie, those 'dog days' are behind her. The once frail creature rescued from behind a guard house is now cheerful, well-adjusted and ready for full family membership. Dottie is truly adorable; she is white, has floppy ears and is covered in black polka-dots.

Dottie relaxing on a matching color-coded comfy dog bed

At about nine months of age, she has maxed out at less than 10 kilograms and stands only about 300 mm tall. However, for Dottie size is not an issue as she has packed a big dog personality into her tiny frame. Having already mastered the game of fetch, she's happy to continue practicing her technique with her rescuer. Adventurous, curious, and social, Dottie is an ideal pet for an active household.

Dottie with her rescuers' SCAA adopted dog Pink

In defiance of her early puppyhood, Dottie never misses a meal and displays an enthusiasm for dinner unsurpassed by dogs twice her size. Spayed, vaccinated, and treated for fleas and worms, this little girl is ready for a permanent home!

For more information about Chu Chu, Dottie or adopting other great canine companions looking for a permanent home, please contact Jaycee at dogprogram@scaashanghai.org.

SCAA is grateful for over 5 years of partnership with Shanghai PAW Vet Clinic. Nearly a thousand needy foster and project animals have been provided with hundreds of thousands of Renminbi in international-standard veterinary care at generously discounted consultation and spay/neuter costs.

Dr. James Holder (BVSc., MRCVS) is SCAA's indispensable Medical Director. He and clinic staff have welcomed Dr Vicky Wu, a graduate from Nanjing Agricultural University, with overseas veterinary experience and training and a Masters in Imaging, to the PAW team. Dr Vicky has been trained by and works under the direction of Dr Holder and has provided intensive care to many SCAA foster and project animals.

In addition to providing the finest veterinary care, PAW supports SCAA by selling SCAA calendars (of which they are also a sponsor) and donated pet products as well as by promoting SCAA events and sponsoring event raffle prizes.

China-wide changes have been made to the regulation of the veterinary field and this will be reflected in changes at Shanghai PAW over the coming year. As always, PAW is focused on providing patients and clients with the best service.

Good news for SCAA foster parents, adopters and all Shanghai's pet owners – Shanghai PAW Vet Clinic is now open for veterinary consultations 7 days a week. Please call the clinic's reception on 5254 0611 to make an appointment.

Putonghua Pet Tips

Cat got your tongue when it comes to explaining your pet care needs in Chinese to ayi or communicating with well-meaning neighbors or other animal lovers?

SCAA Putonghua Pet Care Tips are here to help. Thanks to foster mom, adopter, and generous donor Winnie Lee for her vital input!

Animal Funnies – For the Birds

Beware of Cat?

Beware of Bird?

Truce!

Thanks to Donna for sharing.

657 Adoptions to Date!!

Kittens 400
Cats 401
Puppies 48
Dogs 78
Bunnies 3

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