If you are having trouble viewing this email please click here >> *** You are receiving this email because you either adopted from or donated to Fancy Cats Rescue Team. Click here to unsubscribe from our newsletter. *** February 2010 Paw Prints Greetings, Friends of Fancy Cats! We hope you've been cuddled up with your favorite felines (and canines) during all of this cold, wintry weather! Thanks to all of you who made donations to help us keep our foster kitties warm and healthy. For the month of February, Fancy Cats is featuring our bonded pairs. During the month of love, adopt a pair for the price of one. Volunteer of the Month As the In early January 2010, we re-introduced our “Volunteer of the Month” recognition program. Fancy Cats is proud to announce that Stephanie Hunsaker is the Volunteer of the Month for January 2010. Stephanie has been volunteering with Fancy Cats Rescue Team since January 2009. She helps at both the Fair Lakes and Chantilly centers. She supports FCRT in a number of ways – providing cat care for the center cats, taking photos of the cats, and helping at adoption fairs. Members of the Leadership Team have said that Stephanie is a volunteer that can be depended on and is a great role model. She has a very pleasant attitude and is a delightful team member. Congratulations Stephanie! Foster Home Training Sunday, March 7 (1-5pm) Kitten season is approaching quickly! We will need foster homes who are able to care for pregnant mothers, mothers with kittens, and motherless kittens, all of varying ages. Please contact Emily, our Volunteer Coordinator, if you are interested in becoming a foster home. We'll be holding a training session on Sunday, March 7th to provide all the information you'll need to get started. In This Issue   Bonded Pairs Volunteer of the Month Foster Home Training Volunteer Gathering & Appreciation Event Did You Know? Facts about FIV Fairfax County Reduced Cost Rabies Clinics Supporting Fancy Cats Donate to Fancy Cats Volunteer Gathering & Appreciation Event Saturday, April 17 (time TBD) Want to know how you can get involved with Fancy Cats? Already a volunteer, but want to explore other ways you can contribute? Join us for our volunteer gathering! Save the date and contact Emily to get registered! Did You Know? Facts about FIV (excerpted from Best Friends Magazine, March/April 2002)(pdf) The Feline Immunodeficiency Virus (FIV) is a slow virus that affects a cat's immune system over a period of years. FIV is a cat-only disease and cannot be spread to humans or other non-felines. FIV cats most often live long, healthy, and relatively normal lives with no symptoms at all. FIV is not easily passed between cats. It cannot be spread casually - like in litter boxes, water and food bowls, or when snuggling and playing. It is rarely spread from a mother to her kittens. The virus can be spread through blood transfusions, badly infected gums, or serious, penetrating bite wounds. (Bite wounds of this kind are extremely rare, except in free-roaming, unneutered tomcats.) A neutered cat, in a home, is extremely unlikely to infect other cats, if properly introduced. (See this article for proper introduction techniques.)(pdf) Many vets are not educated about FIV since the virus was only discovered about 20 years ago. FIV-positive cats should be kept as healthy as possible. Keep them indoors and free from stress, feed them a high-quality diet (Check here for proper feline nutrition.), and treat any secondary problems as soon as they arise. We have some wonderful FIV+ kitties looking for homes. They are listed on our Special Needs Cats page. We'd love to help you add one of these lovable cats to your family! Contact info@fancycats.org for more information. Fairfax County Reduced Cost Rabies Clinics Fairfax County Animal Services Division offers rabies vaccinations for $12 each at various times throughout the year. The next clinic will be held on March 7, 2010 at the Fairfax County Animal Shelter on West Ox Rd. Check the Animal Services Division's website for more details. Supporting Fancy Cats We're working on a dedicated web page for all the ways you can support us, and we hope to have it up in the coming weeks! In the meantime, here are just a few ways you can help out! E-Bay sellers can donate a portion of their proceeds directly to us Save your treasures and donate them to Fancy Cats for sale at our garage sales. Contact Henry Spall at geordie@his.com to arrange drop-off of items. Use our scrip program Collect Coke Points or Paw Points and drop off at adoption fairs or email to events@fancycats.org Make a monthly donation thru Network For Good Attend one of our fun events! We'd love to help you host a yard sale on our behalf and welcome your suggestions for events too! Volunteer Tell a friend about Fancy Cats Rescue Team Fancy Cats Rescue Team P O Box 182 Herndon, VA 20172-0182 Phone: 703-961-1056 Fax: 703-961-1091 Web site: www.fancycats.org Looking for a bonded pair to adopt? For the month of Feb. pay only a $120 adoption fee with an approved application. http://fancycats.org/cats_pairs.asp