Isabell in NJ

Update 10/29/10--Isabell was adopted yesterday by a woman local to Isabell's NJ shelter. As one of the shelter volunteers posted in a comment to this blog page:

I AM HAPPY TO REPORT THAT ISABELL WAS ADOPTED TODAY! Her new mom has already let us know how much she adores her. It was a wonderful outcome for sweet Isabell. Thank you to everyone who contacted us about her and thanks to DCIN.

I also am pleased to report that two FDMB angels had stepped up to adopt Isabell in her final days. But the local adoption already was in progress and we were happy to see Isabell adopted locally. We hope Isabell's new Mom will join either or both the Feline Diabetes Message Board and the forum at Diabetic Cat Care for support and guidance on treating this dear cat that now has her furever home. ************************************************************************ Initial Post 10/18/10--Isabell is at risk of euthanasia on or about October 31, 2010. She has been in a no-kill shelter since April 2009 (1.5 years), and because she was diagnosed diabetic about three weeks ago, she will be euthanized if her next blood glucose reading (scheduled for 10/31/10) shows she is still diabetic. Current location: Central NJ, but we don't want to name the shelter in case management decides it doesn't like the bad press. In the meantime, nothing is being done to treat her diabetes, except that she is being given DM dry food. Shelter management does not want to start insulin because they are not able to administer it appropriately--they are not staffed to be able to shoot insulin every 12 hours. Shelter management believes it is more humane to euthanize Isabell than to treat her diabetes inappropriately. This girl is only about 5 years old. She has been overweight (on the chucky side with a stocky build) and unable to clean her own butt, and a sore that developed there was slow to heal. She was vetted and diabetes was found. Isabell is up-to-date on rabies and distemper shot, and tested negative for FIV/FeLV in April and November 2009. She came into the shelter through animal control. The shelter volunteers who are trying to place Isabell say:

She is quiet and sweet. She loves attention from people. Not really a lap cat, but she comes over to lay near you when sit with her at the shelter. She will snuggle up to you and always rub her face on you. Spends a lot of time resting in her wooly bed or stretched out on the floor. She doesn't stray far from her cage and bed. We have never seen her with the vet, but she hasn't had any issue with us when cutting nails, cleaning her bottom, etc.

We have no idea what she is like with dogs. She is not particularly fond of the kittens at the shelter invading her space, but is reasonably tolerant of non-aggressive adults. Isabell would stay clear of the loud, younger children when they came into the room the shelter. We have not seen any behavior problems. Occasionally the volunteers need to clean her bottom because she has trouble reaching. It seems like she has lost a little weight in the past few weeks, and her bottom has not been as bad. Isabell is not a demanding cat, and can actually be quite mellow. Since her diagnosis, Isabell has been kept out the main adoption rooms. Consequently, she is missing the usual attention, and it is even more obvious how affectionate she really is.

These volunteers really have their hearts in the right place, but they can't buck up against the shelter management. On the flyer they were allowed to put out about Isabell, they weren't allowed to mention her euthansia date. They had to ask the approval of shelter management to send Isabell's information to me. Sadly (or not), I won't remain quiet about her euthanasia risk. Sometimes it is only that fact that finds these extra-sweet ones a home.