House Meow

Time is a construct. Some minutes feel like years, and some years pass in what feels like mere minutes. But the pain of losing a cat is immeasurable.

Stevie came into our lives on May 24, just eight short weeks ago, and somehow he stole our hearts completely.

He was an old street cat with a tipped ear and years of hardship etched into his fragile, bony body. Our veterinary team recently determined he most likely had intestinal lymphoma. Time was not on his side. But we made a promise that whatever time he had left, he would know nothing but comfort. We would spoil him, cherish him, and smother him with love so he would know that he mattered.

Last night, wrapped in my arms beneath a warm, soft blanket, Stevie took his final breath.

He was peaceful. He was comfortable. He purred as I softly sang to him. I whispered that Chianti, Wasabi, Peepers, and so many friends were waiting for him, and asked him to give each of them a gentle paw from their earthside family.

As tears streamed down my face, he reached up and gently placed his paw against my cheek. In that moment, I knew it was his goodbye, just for now.

Then he took one deep breath… and he was gone.

This morning, I woke with swollen, red eyes and began preparing bottles for all of the babies who still need us. Through the grief, I found myself grateful. Grateful that the universe allowed Stevie’s journey to end peacefully. Grateful that he wasn’t alone. Grateful that I could hold him through his transition from this world to the next.

It was beautiful.

It was heartbreaking.

Rescue is hard. Loving them is easy. Saying goodbye is the price we pay for making sure they never have to leave this world wondering if they were loved.

Stevie is just one of many cats who remind us why we do this.

I don’t think we rescued Stevie.

I think Stevie found us.

And I am profoundly honored that he did.

For eight weeks, he knew gentle hands, a warm bed, full meals, soft blankets, kind voices, and the unconditional love of a family. After a lifetime of surviving, he left this world knowing only peace.

That is the greatest gift we could have given him.

Please spay and neuter your pets. Please support Trap-Neuter-Return (TNR) programs. Every cat deserves the chance to know kindness before their story ends.

Rest in glory, sweet Stevie.

You were loved beyond measure, and you always will be.

Our sweet Fergie got to visit our wonderful friends at Access Veterinary Care this week, and we’re thrilled to share that Dr. Craft has given her the all-clear for her rite-of-passage surgery!

When Fergie was about 2 months old, veterinarians discovered a suspicious growth in her lower esophagus. Because she was so tiny, there weren’t any local veterinary hospitals with pediatric endoscopy equipment, and a referral to UF’s pediatric specialists was unfortunately far beyond what our rescue could afford.

Since Fergie was otherwise thriving, with bouts of occasional mouth breathing, it was decided that the safest course of action was to monitor her closely, treat her with several rounds of antibiotics in case it was an abscess, and hope that time and growth would resolve the issue.

Fast forward to today… Fergie is now 8 months old. She’s still a petite little lady, but her new radiographs brought the news we had been praying for, everything looks great, and she has been cleared for surgery!

This is such an exciting milestone for our girl. Fergie has the gentlest soul, loves everyone she meets, and never misses an opportunity for cuddles and affection. Once she has her surgery and completes her recovery, she’ll officially be ready to begin her search for the loving forever family she deserves. Stay tuned!

We have a feeling this precious girl won’t be waiting long. 😻

🎆 Meet our newest little wiggle worms, born on the 4th of July! 🇺🇸

These precious baby girls arrived at House Meow yesterday from our wonderful rescue partners at VOCAL - Voices of Change Animal League, Ocala, and we’re honored to foster them to ensure they have safe harbor where they can grow, thrive, and one day find loving forever homes.

In honor of their Independence Day birthday, we’re thinking Liberty and Justice would be the perfect names for these tiny patriots. 🐾

Your journey to a bright future starts here!

Welcome, Zeus & Xena!

Please join us in welcoming two very special new members of the House Meow family.

Meet Zeus, a handsome 18-pound gray gentleman, and Xena, a gorgeous 13-pound black-and-white fluffy queen, both 3.5 years old. These beautiful cats came to House Meow after their beloved mom made the difficult move into an assisted living facility where pets are not allowed.

Saying goodbye to cherished family members is never easy, and we were honored to step in and help. Zeus and Xena have been deeply loved, and it shows. They are affectionate, well-adjusted, social, unbonded, and ready to share that love with new families.

Our promise to their mom is that we’ll find them the perfect home where they can be surrounded by love, comfort, and kindness.

Welcome to the House Meow family, Zeus and Xena. We can’t wait to help you begin your next chapter.

Stay tuned for adoption opportunities!

PSA‼️ Do not wait, protect your pets!!

Many of you have already heard some fireworks in your neighborhoods. The celebrations are coming, and they'll be bigger than ever this year due to the 250 year anniversary of our nation.

Our free microchips are available for cats and dogs of Marion County residents. There is no appointment necessary to use our service.

Shelter hours this week are;
🕛Thursday: 10am-5pm
🕛Friday: closed
🕛Saturday: 10am-5pm

Location: 6405 W. Hwy 40, Ocala. We are located near and visible from the intersection of Airport Road & W. Hwy 40.

We hope to see you soon!
marionfl.org/animal

Some neighbors don’t just wave from across the street, they show up with hearts as big as their generosity.

A huge THANK YOU to one of our amazing neighbors, Robin, for surprising House Meow with a boatload of brand-new cat toys! Our cafe cats, foster cats, and kittens are going to have so much fun chasing, pouncing, climbing, and playing with these wonderful gifts.

Donations like these do so much more than fill our toy bins, they provide enrichment, reduce stress, encourage healthy development, and remind us that our community truly cares. We are incredibly grateful for your kindness and support. Thank you for helping us make life a little brighter for every kitty in our care!

Yesterday was Stevie’s 30-day recheck with Dr. Craft. We repeated his CBC bloodwork to see how things were progressing. While there has been some slight improvement in his blood values, it wasn’t the news we had been hoping for.

Stevie is FIV+ and Dr. Craft is concerned that Stevie may have intestinal lymphoma in addition to is immune deficiency anemia and heart condition. Confirming that diagnosis would require a biopsy, but for now we’ve made the decision to continue his prednisolone and monitoring him closely rather than put him through additional invasive procedures.

The bright spot in all of this is Stevie himself. ❤️

He doesn’t know what his bloodwork says. He knows he feels loved.

Despite his outward appearance, Stevie is happy. He greets everyone with purrs, wants to be by your side every moment, gives the sweetest kisses, and never turns down a good meal. While he hasn’t gained much weight, he has put on a little, and we’ll celebrate every small victory.

For now, we’ll continue loving him exactly as he deserves. We’ll recheck his bloodwork in another 30 days and keep evaluating how he’s doing. Until then, Stevie will remain in our care, where he’ll be spoiled, cherished, and treated as our hospice boy if that’s the path we’re on.

No matter how much time he has left, every single day will be filled with comfort, dignity, and love.

Please keep our sweet Stevie in your thoughts. 💙🐾

Thanks Goblin King Games for donating these gourmet Tiki cat cans. It is our cats and kitties favorite topper with their evening dinner! Thank you for your love for the kitties!