May 9, 2008

Photo Illustration by Austin Vitt, Pet Pulse

CLARION, Pa. -- Some 260 surviving cats rescued about two months ago from a disease-ridden, would-be animal sanctuary are displaying strong recovery signs, according to the Pennsylvania Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals.

“You should see, as they get better their own personalities are coming out,” Wendy Evans, shelter manager for the Philadelphia-based PSPCA told Pet Pulse. “When they all came in, they were in pain, they were laying around. Some of them we had to force feed because they would not eat.

“And now that they’re getting better they’re jumping around, they’re playing. We have one we call Bubbles, who has a very definite personality. She lets you know who she likes and who she doesn’t, and she talks to you.”

All told, 380 living cats and 106 dead ones were discovered during a police raid at Tiger Ranch in Frazer Township, which owner and operator Linda Bruno billed as a pet adoption center and Hospice. Since then, many of the cats have died.

The surviving cats are being housed and cared for at an animal shelter in Clarion that was closed in January, but was re-opened to serve as a quarantine hospital after Tiger Ranch was raided.

Many of the cats arrived at the shelter suffering from Feline Calcivirus, with conditions that included pneumonia, arthritis, Gangrene, Chlamydia, E. coli and damage to the central nervous system, according to a PSPCA veterinarian.

The cats’ outlook is far brighter than when they arrived in Clarion, an initial scene Evans described as,

“Oh my God, a little scary.”

The Clarion shelter is making the most of its space, housing cats needing the most care in the lobby under close observation. The former manager’s office is for pregnant cats or those that have given birth since arriving. Other areas are for cats on medication and being examined daily, and still more rooms are for the remaining cats.

The quarantine period for the cats to shed their virus is one to three months, Evans says. An SPCA veterinarian recently told Pet Pulse that it’s still too soon for the cats’ prognosis.

The SPCA has been contacted by numerous people that left their cats at Tiger Ranch, sold on the facility’s positive online description, Evans says.

“They’re crying, they’re upset,” she said.

Some of those former owners have visited the Clarion shelter, hoping to identify their cats. That’s not yet possible, however, due to the possible spread of germs, and because the cats are still considered evidence in the case against Bruno.

“They’re not even allowed to come in the shelter,” Evans said of the former owners. “It’s under quarantine, plus it’s a court case. Once the court case is settled, then the cats that are in the shelter, their pictures will be put up on Pet Finder.

“And anyone who has proof of ownership and can match a cat that we have in the shelter, they will be allowed to get the cat back. There is hope that once the animals are released through the courts, that the ones that are not claimed by owners will be released for adoptions.”

Charges against Bruno include animal cruelty, abuse and neglect. In interviews she has maintained her innocence, saying she’s being railroaded. Bruno has had her share of supporters both in court and during a protest at the Tiger Ranch site.

Much of the public, however, has been outraged by what has happened to the cats, Evans says.

“They never imagined that anyone could allow something like this to happen, but they tell me they’re horrified,” she said, shortly after visiting the cats at their new home.

Intake of so many cats was daunting for workers in Clarion, Evans says.

“Just food and litter alone, making sure we had enough of that,” she said. “And newspaper to put in their cages. A lot of them had open wounds, so you wanted to give them something comfortable, like a blanket or towel to lay on.

“So making sure that you had enough supplies was tough, but the community really came through,” with donations, Evans said.

Many items are still in short supply, however, especially food and litter, Evans says, so the Clarion shelter is again asking for donations from the public.

“Yesterday’s News” cat litter, made of old newspaper, is needed for cats that still have abscesses on their legs or paws.

“They can’t go into the (regular clay) litter because it sticks to their wounds,” Evans said.

Hairball formula food is preferred because as the cats’ health improves they’re licking themselves clean more regularly.

“A lot of the fur with the Calsivirus comes off,” Evans said. “So as they’re cleaning themselves, they’re getting a lot of in gestation of fur. So the hairball formula would help them with that.”

Also needed for shelter workers are protective gloves for handling feral cats, and Tybek disposable coveralls and shoe covers, to protect against them spreading contamination to their own pets.

Overall, the cats are putting their Tiger Ranch ordeal behind them, Evans says.

“And they’re just playing with each other,” Evans said. “They have a pecking order that you can tell which one is the boss of the kennel, and which one is your jokester. We have hammocks in them, and you have the certain cats that will go in there and they talk to you as you’re in the kennel cleaning.

“Some of the cats start to recognize different people that work with them every day. And as soon as they hear your voice they’ll start crying out if they know you’re the one that’s there.”

Some of the feral cats are so well behaved that they go in and out themselves when their carriers need cleaning, without having to be handled, Evans says.

“So you can see these are very intelligent animals,” she said. “As they get better they’re playful, they’re energetic, they have a co-existence with the workers, that they learn a work routine. It’s just amazing.”

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EDs. Note: This version corrects the previously posted story to 380 living cats and 106 dead ones were discovered during the police raid at Tiger Ranch.