A HOLIDAY FUNDRAISER
Not unlike her namesake, Katniss Everdeen, the main character in The Hunger Games, this pretty little feline and her sister were not born into a life of luxury. For the sake of this post, we’ll refer to Katniss’ sister as Primrose. Unlike the Everdeen girls, however, our feline sisters did not get along. Primrose became violent with Katniss each time our heroine approached the food, thinking she would eat all of what little food they had between them. Let The Hunger Games begin!

Holiday Portrait Fundraiser
The girls were surrendered to Finley Cat Rescue (link unavailable at this time). Primrose was adopted into a loving home and is doing very well. Let’s not feel bad for Katniss, though. During her time alone, Katniss has blossomed into a happy, loving, playful, and more confident cat (yay). I guess we all benefit from some alone time.
Everything seemed to be going as well as any rescue can hope, and then, Katniss’s carer discovered a lump near one of the cat’s nipples. Because of Katniss’s newfound confidence, comfortably displaying her belly, her carer could easily monitor the mass. The lump disappeared only to return two months after her spay surgery.
Initially, the vet suspected mammary cancer due to the location of the lump
Upon removing some fluid from the mass, the vet and rescue volunteer were shocked to find it contained milk. Even though Katniss hadn’t been pregnant and is spayed, her hormones caused her to lactate.

Photo provided by Finley Cat Rescue
Due to the unique situation, the vet reached out to a specialist vet at the OVC Health Sciences Centre. The specialist confirmed hormones were triggered before the spay and lactation occurred at the end of a pseudopregnancy.
To say the rescue was relieved Katniss did not have cancer is an understatement:
I had prepared myself for the worst-case scenario. If necessary, Katniss would stay with me in palliative care for as long as she wanted
Katniss was self nursing, encouraging her body to produce more milk, as though nursing kittens. It became a vicious cycle. The rescue organization reached out to other groups to find kittens in need of a nursing mother. There weren’t any.
Katniss was fitted with an e-collar to prevent her from nursing, but because the milk did not dry up, and she continued to lactate, the vet prescribed medication for her.
Katniss has learned to ‘sit’ for treats (see video).
The vet(s) and rescue organization expect that Katniss will make a full recovery and be ready for adoption in approximately one month. We will keep you posted on her journey.
I am not pretty. I am not beautiful. I am as radiant as the sun
― Suzanne Collins, The Hunger Games
In the meantime, to assist with medical costs, I am creating holiday-themed e-cards. These are digital files that I will make as close to your likeness(es) as possible. Of course, upon receipt, you can print a hard-copy of your portrait if you choose to.
I am donating 50% of proceeds from each portrait to Katniss’s medical expenses. Additional profits to cover cost of program and other digital requirements.
Prices start at $20 Cdn for (up to) two people and (up to) two pets.
Please email me for details and to request an application form at sadiemae.co@gmail.com

Family Portrait
Thank you for your support,
Katniss looks like such a sweetheart! I love that she has been given the chance to come into her own. Thank you to everyone that was involved in giving her this opportunity. This is a great seasonal fundraiser. I’m sending an email over for details so that I can support it, and I’m going to share to help spread the word!
Britt K recently posted…Top 10 Reasons to Adopt A Senior Dog
Thanks so much, Britt. I messaged you back with an application form.
Katniss is a beauty and I’m glad that she is expected to make a complete recovery. Your portraits are lovely and how wonderful that you are able to help the rescue!
Thanks Beth
Good heavens, we think we know verything that might happen to our pets then I read THIS!!!
I will do my best to get one of your cards. Maybe one human and two ‘angel’ pets wuld be acceptable? Hmmmm
Dash Kitten & Marjorie recently posted…Tabby Cat Toulouse in Profile
So true. Thankfully, as pet bloggers, we have the opportunity to share this information with other pet parents.
I would love to create a portrait for you with your angel pets.
Health challenges are always so sad and can be quite difficult financially. Even with insurance, there are premiums and co-pays. I’m glad I do have insurance for my dog, though. In fact, we passed on the first girl we were thinking about adopting because she has a vague problem on her medical file which could be dismissed as pre-existing condition for many problems that could crop up in the future.
Jana Rade recently posted…Surviving IMHA: Jazmine’s Immune-Mediated Hemolytic Anemia
This is so adorable and would love to get 2 seperate family portraits; one with 4 (2 adults & 2 kids) & my little fur babe Phoebe and the other with my 2 adults and their 2 fur babes
Fun! I would love to create these for you. I’m going to email the application to you…