Animal Updates

Happy Tails Updates: Pest and Brodhi (formerly Alf)

Carol  ·  Feb 29, 2012

I must appologize. Pest's new mom, Fionna, sent me this update at the beginning of the month and I totally forgot to post it. But better late then never. Pest came into the saints mid-december of 2011. When he first came in he was devestated at losing his loving home at the age of 12 and would not eat at first and would only hide. His former senior owner was equally upset about losing Pest because he had to go into a care facility. Fionna and Katrina are SAINTS volunteers, who fell in love with Pest while cleaning his area. Pest has scored an awesome home!

Pest Happy Tail Update

Pest has been home for two weeks and is settling in well. He is getting braver every day and finding out that my dog is not too bad, still hisses at her but he's getting better. My dog ignores him and just goes on her merry way. He found a nice spot in Katrina's closet to sleep and hide in but has free roam of the house. We bought him a cat condo for him to scratch and play in but so far it's been a day and he doesn't seem to interested in it. I had also bought a large cat litter box and soon figured out it was to small for him, we had to go and buy a GIANT one, seriously!! He can now do his business comfortably and not be half out of the litter box. Pest is such a loving, friendly cat and I am confident soon he will no longer be worried about my dog.

That's it for now,

Fiona and Katrina

Here are some photos of Pest in his new home

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This happy tail update from Brodhi (former Alf) I just received today ... which reminded me of the Pest update. Alf came to saints with a bunch of other death row dogs from LA.

Hi Carol, Jenn and team!

As it’s now been a year since we adopted Bodhi (formerly Alf), I wanted to give you an update on how he’s doing. Well, it seems like he’s been here forever, not just a year! He is fully entrenched into our family and our hearts. He really is a funny little guy, with his “goop-goop” grunts (at least that’s what it sounds like to us) and his big flying ears. He really loves his big sister, Katie, and will often seek out her for snuggling – maybe he’s just trying to keep warm but I do think he likes her. He has begrudgingly accepted Roxy as his other big sister (in size) and has even been spotted giving her a lick now and then. We adopted a kitten, Jovie, just before Christmas and wow, was Bodhi intrigued by her! He was a little stalker-like in his curiosity, but now he doesn’t really pay her any attention.

Bodhi has managed to convince us that he needs to sleep on our bed every night, even though there’s a comfy little bed for him on the floor. He burrows under the covers and even though it’s a king-sized bed, he’s gotta lie RIGHT next to you. Good in the winter, not so much in the summer. But every so often, he’ll come up for air and sleep next to my pillow. My husband originally protested when Bodhi started sleeping with us, but now he steals him to snuggle with.

Regarding Bodhi’s health, as you know, he had a grade 3-4 heart murmur when we adopted him. At that time, our vet took chest x-rays and said meds were not needed… yet. So we agreed to check back periodically to see how things were going. Around November, I noticed that Bodhi was coughing and sneezing much more frequently than before. So he went in for an x-ray and yes, indeed, his heart had grown in size and there was a lot of liquid in his lungs. So the vet said it was definitely time to start him on meds. If not, little Bodhi probably only had about 6 months left. But now that we’ve got him on a cardiac food, Lasix, Vetmedin, and Benazepril daily, he’s doing great. His coughing and sneezing are way down and the vet doesn’t see why he can’t have another two or so years.

Anyway, I think that’s about it. I read your blog every day and tell Bodhi what’s going on with his former buddies.

Take care,

Margie Fox

p.s. I’ve attached a few photos. The first one is of Bodhi and his German Shorthair Pointer cousin, Asia. They’re almost like twins! The second photo is right after I brought home a new bed for Roxy but Bodhi commandeered the bed for himself. And the third photo is just him snoozing on the couch one day.

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It is so great to see these seniors enjoying their final years with such great homes :) make me super happy.

Comments

Fiona

Hi Lori,

I sent you an email and some recent pics for Duncan. No problem, I would love to send him updates. It must have been so upsetting having to give Pest up.

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Lori Paul

Dear Fiona and Katrina,
This may be asking too much but would you be so kind as to write a short note to Duncan, my old friend at the seniors home just giving an update on how Pest is doing? Maybe sending a recent pic or two? Pest belonged to his wife, who he lost last year so I know it would mean a lot to him. If you would, my email addy is lori@loripaul.com...I'll print off your email and give it to him next Thursday when I visit. I knew Pest would like the condo because he had a homemade version outside at his old house and Duncan said he loved to sit up on top in the summer and just sleep all day :) So happy he's found you two! (and the rest of your pet family :)

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Fiona

Pest continues to feel more and more comfortable. He is actually using his new condo now :-) He kept to himself for the first month, staying in closets, under beds etc. and coming out for a little bit a day. He did sleep on Katrina's bed at night and was comfortable when her bedroom door was closed at night. I am sure alot of this had to do with my senior dog.

Now he hangs out with us on the couch at night, visits me during the day by scaring the hell out of me by jumping on the kitchen table where my temporary office is set up. Thankfully nothing has spilled onto my comuters so far!! I laid a towell on the table so he can snooze there beside me while I work and he checks out the great outdoors.

The growls are getting quieter towards the dog, still unsure of her but getting more comfortable in knowing she really could not care less about him. She can now pass him without any reaction from him.

I heard a noise last night when he was sleeping on the loveseat and was surprised to find out it was him snoring! I had never heard a cat snore before, dogs yes but not cats. He has also taken over the dog bed in the livingroom! He also loves laying on the bed with the sun streaming in thru the window.

He is loved and is quite the character. That's it for now.

Fiona and Katrina

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laura

Thanks so much for the updates! We who volunteer at Saints fall in love with the crew and they become family...so it always does a heart good to see them flourishing in their awesome new homes:)

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AnnC

Great happy endings, love the photo of Bodhi(Alf)& Asia he's her mini-me! So wonderful to know he is in such a great home, he is a real sweetie, thanks for sharing.

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Lori Paul

I'm so happy for Pest! To have two cat lovers for owners and his own brand new kitty condo...sweet! Thanks so much Carol, you saved that old cat from a lonely life at best, a premature death, at worst. Big love and thanks to Fiona & Katrina! I really love a happy ending :)

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Tammy

Great to see Pest in his new home. He is such a sweet boy. He knew the right home would come along, that's why he never got comfortable at SAINTS, he knew he would be leaving soon.

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