Serbian Animals Voice (SAV)

We should’ve gotten used to it by now that whenever something good happens, something bad is right around the corner and the bad overshadows the good way too often…

Just when we relaxed a little bit after finally filling up the gas tank, we suffered a huge heartbreak totally unexpectedly, with no warning and absolutely out of the blue. We didn’t see it coming, we couldn’t possibly have seen it coming and it doesn’t make the impact of the brutal blows any easier to accept and handle.

In only the matter of a couple of days, we lost three of our protégés, three beautiful, amazing furry creatures. Joca, Veca and Luce are no longer with us and what makes things even harder to bear, if they can conceivably get any harder, is that they were not “just cats”, but our friends, our companions, our four legged furry jewels that we’ve been taking care of, cuddling, comforting and fighting for since we first laid our eyes on them.

They were the ones we vowed to love with all our hearts until the last breath, theirs or ours…until the last breath and beyond.

However heart-wrenching it may be, I simply have to write about them one last time, as if this loving final farewell to each one of these forever gone beauties will somehow release them and set them free. So here’s to our angels, our precious meowing gems…

Luce was an 18 year old kitty girl whose owner sadly passed away last year and she evidently couldn’t reconcile herself to the loss of her beloved human. She’d been protesting and behaving badly at home for months before she arrived at the shelter last autumn, terrified and confused, as she had always been the only pet. However, it didn’t take her long to nicely adjust to her new surroundings and get used to our kitty crowd, but she never really bonded with any of us here. She was gentle, quiet and lovely, she seemed to enjoy petting, but not one single time did she ever approach us first. Almost unnoticeable, she neither sought nor wanted attention; she was always in her own world where there was room for only one person, her long gone owner of many years. She didn’t exactly look sad, but her pensive and distant expression was clearly showing that she was living back in the past when her life was filled with love and joy and she was spending her days by her late owner’s side. The present without her human soulmate was totally irrelevant to her and meant nothing. Yet she was here, sweet and nice, doing what most of the cats do, until she suddenly collapsed a few days ago without any warning and we found her lying motionless on the floor of the biggest cats’ room. The vet said she probably had a massive stroke and didn’t suffer one bit, her time had come and she went painlessly, just like that. Shocked and utterly sad, we choose to believe she is finally eternally happy and cuddling in her owner’s arms, never to be separated again.

Veca was the next to leave us. At the age of 22, we knew she could fall asleep and not wake up at any possible moment, but she was holding on well, she was still the same old Veca, tiny and frail but strong willed, grumpy, untouchable and uncatchable. When she ate, no one else would come near, when she walked by, all of the cats would move out of her way. She was surprisingly agile and fast and lived her life to the fullest right up until her passing. She went quietly, in her sleep, and only now that she’s not here anymore we’ve come to realize what a big hole in our hearts such a tiny cat could and did leave…

Whoever said that “misfortune always come in threes” was right.

Joca was between 12 and 15 years old, in perfect health and great shape, a big affectionate kitty boy who was cuddly to boot. He was beautiful and he knew it, which made him absolutely irresistible and everybody, literally everybody loved him – cats, dogs and humans. Not even in our worst nightmares could we imagine that his life would be cut short. It happened in the morning, one of those gloomy and grey mornings when he was shining like a star with his mostly white fur in our otherwise dark yard. One moment he was alright, the next minute he was dragging his rear legs and we couldn’t believe our eyes. He suddenly became paralyzed and no one had any idea why. He was quickly rushed to the vet, but the X-rays showed nothing abnormal, his blood work was excellent and what had happened to him was still pretty much a mystery. He was given corticosteroids, antibiotics, vitamins, painkillers (though he didn’t seem to be in pain) and we were told to wait and bring him back tomorrow.

Around 3 a.m, when I checked on him, he was restless in his cage and evidently unable to understand why he couldn’t get up – by dawn he was already gone. The vet thinks he died of a thromboembolism; a blood clot that firstly blocked the aorta, cutting off the blood flow to both hind legs which left him paralyzed, and during the night it ultimately passed to his heart. Joca went quickly and without pain, but we are still wondering how much more sorrow can someone endure before it breaks them completely.

Godspeed and farewell, my little darlings…at least for now.

Spread your wings out wide and soar above the skies, fly free bathed in love, embraced by the light. One day we’ll meet again, somewhere where time ceases to exist.

For ways of giving donations:

PayPal button is on our blog:

http://novisadcats.blogspot.com/

and our website: 

http://catshelter-felix.com/

Webshop: 

http://www.cafepress.co.uk/catshelterfelix

Dinarske uplate: Felix-Felinolosko drustvo  355-1070729-96

THANK YOU !.

Filed under: Animals Requiring Adoption or Homes - Worldwide, GENERAL NEWS - International / National / Regional, SERBIA (Central Serbia: Capital - Belgrade) and (Serbia, SHELTER - Information, The "Serbian Animals Voice (SAV) ALLIANCE | Leave a comment »

For alternative ways of giving donations:

PayPal button is on our blog:

http://novisadcats.blogspot.com/

and our website: 

http://catshelter-felix.com/

Webshop: 

http://www.cafepress.co.uk/catshelterfelix

Dinarske uplate: Felix-Felinolosko drustvo  355-1070729-96

THANK YOU !.

Filed under: Animals Requiring Adoption or Homes - Worldwide, GENERAL NEWS - International / National / Regional, SERBIA (Central Serbia: Capital - Belgrade) and (Serbia, SHELTER - Information, The "Serbian Animals Voice (SAV) ALLIANCE | Leave a comment »

Excellent news from Danica at Shelter felix – as you can see from the pictures below the new gas has been supplied and the shelter is now up and running at full warmth – with nice warm kitties !!.

We join with Danica and the cats in thanking everyone who has donated to get the new tank of gas and for helping to keep all the kitties warm.

So thank you for giving – SAV.

Danica Mirkovic posted in Milanče – Cat Rescue Shelter Felix.

28/1/16:

Dear friends,

We’re overjoyed to announce that gas has finally arrived!

Our central heating has already kicked into high gear and most of the kitties are quickly occupying their usual sleeping places on top of the radiators 🙂

Those who prefer to stay in their warm and cozy cat beds change their positions from all curled up to stretched out or bent over backwards, although the very best of friends still prefer to snuggle together in their sleep.

Now that the cats’ rooms and the house are warm it can snow all it wants, we just don’t care!

There are no words to describe our most profound thanks and appreciation to all of you for your help!

A simple thank you is not enough for all that amazing Laura Simpson, her awesome organization The Great Animal Rescue Chase & Harmony Fund and each one of you have given us.

All we can say is that we’re blessed to have such caring, thoughtful and wonderful friends 🙂

You’re the best!

Filed under: Animals Requiring Adoption or Homes - Worldwide, GENERAL NEWS - International / National / Regional, SERBIA (Central Serbia: Capital - Belgrade) and (Serbia, SHELTER - Information, The "Serbian Animals Voice (SAV) ALLIANCE | Leave a comment »

SAV Comment – we knew that we would do it !

Special thanks to everyone who helped with this campaign – and a mention to my friends Clare and David here in Kent, England, who have run Kingsdown Cat Sanctuary since it was founded in 1993. Please take a look at some of the cats currently needing UK homes at http://www.kingsdowncatsanctuary.org/cats.php and visit the sanctuary site at http://www.kingsdowncatsanctuary.org/index.php – Mark.

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The following message is from Danica at Felix Shelter, Serbia:

All Funds Raised!

Dear friends, We are delighted to inform you that we’re finally able to pay for a new tank of gas which was ordered yesterday!

Thanks to your outstanding support, all of the Felix kitties will have the proper heating over the next two and a half months 🙂

We can hardly find the words to express our most sincere gratitude to the amazing Laura Simpson and her wonderful organization The Great Animal Rescue Chase and Harmony Fund who stepped in again in the very nick of time!

We would also like to thank each and every one of you who found it in your hearts to help us provide our furry little fighters with everything they need!

We are almost ashamed to ask for help over and over again, but with so many helpless creatures which depend on us for food, medical care and a home, we have no other choice and we just can’t do it all on our own.

Dozens of the Felix kitties are either above 15 years old, chronically ill, or generally in delicate health and they’re simply not able to withstand the cold; desperate times call for desperate measures.

May the kindness you’ve so generously bestowed on us come back to you all a thousand-fold!

Thank You again – Danica and the kitties.

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Finally;

Please try and support this very worthwhile campaign if you can please – URGENT !

https://serbiananimalsvoice.com/2016/01/19/serbia-can-you-provide-help-to-vaccinate-28-rescued-dogs/

Filed under: Animals Requiring Adoption or Homes - Worldwide, GENERAL NEWS - International / National / Regional, SERBIA (Central Serbia: Capital - Belgrade) and (Serbia, SHELTER - Information, The "Serbian Animals Voice (SAV) ALLIANCE | Leave a comment »

19/1/16:

Please share and help if you can!

Well, that’s it.

Our gas tank is bone dry empty and the electric heaters have been turned on in all of the cats’ rooms and inside the house as well.

The current cold snap will continue for at least a week, possibly more, with outside temperatures dropping as low as 10 degrees below zero. The electric heaters simply can’t warm up the indoor space sufficiently while we’re gripped by this big freeze.

The cats are already huddling together attempting to stay warm in these frosty, icy nights; nonetheless, the elderly kitties which lack the body fat are having a hard time coping with the cold.

This is our last ditch, a desperate appeal for help to fill the gas tank while the oldest of the Felix cats are still holding on!

Otherwise this winter will be a very sad and heartbreaking one, as we can do absolutely nothing else but powerlessly look at our golden oldies, wondering which one of them will give up first 😦 We’ve had several appeals on and put in requests for help, but the donations are still trickling in.

Please, this is an emergency!

Every single donation counts, no matter what the size! https://www.youcaring.com/cat-shelter-felix-496539

Please Help – Thank You.

Filed under: Animals Requiring Adoption or Homes - Worldwide, GENERAL NEWS - International / National / Regional, SERBIA (Central Serbia: Capital - Belgrade) and (Serbia, SHELTER - Information, The "Serbian Animals Voice (SAV) ALLIANCE | Leave a comment »