Well, quite simply, like all cats, they determine their own schedule and they like to sleep. So, if you don't see our cats it's probably because they are sleeping in the doctors' office. In the office there are a couple of cat trees, multiple beds and toys, a nice window, and their food and water (not to mention,the occasional keyboard to sit on while the doctors are typing)...so they tend to stay in the office most of the day. Of course they will come out occasionally, especially at meal time; and they roam the hospital at night. If you ever want to see our cats, just ask.
"Effie" is our newest addition. She was originally rescued by a Rescue House volunteer, however due to her age and a number of medical conditions, it was determined that she would be un-adoptable to the general public. As Rescue House started putting out "feelers" to their network of volunteers (to find her a permanent home), we noticed that our staff was quickly falling in love with her. So it was decided that she was going to stay.
Effie is an extremely sweet, loving, cuddly cat. She has been known to climb on clients laps, in the lobby, if they let her. She loves to purr and to be petted, so if you see her...just put out a hand, and she is sure to take advantage.
"Indy" is one of Dr. Reese's dogs. She owns three littermate siblings: Indy, Asterix, and Saphira. All three are very well trained and behaved, but Indy is the most calm, mature, and docile - which is why he comes to the hospital each day. He is known as our "greeter" and is also the most sensitive of the three. It is not uncommon for him to try to comfort a grieving owner. He is a professional beggar however, so don't let him make you think otherwise. Of course the next time you are in, make sure to say hello, as he is always happy to see you.
"Turkey" is our African Grey Parrot who was relinguished to Eastridge in 1970. At the time he was estimated to be 3 years old. His age has never been determined, however in his 45+ years he has never laid an egg....plus he does seem to flirt more with women.
Of course, Turkey is now an Eastridge icon who we all love. Whether he is "meowing" to a cat or whistling his patented wolf whistle, he is constantly keeping us laughing. So the next time you're in, say hello to Turkey (he loves sunflower seeds...but watch your fingers!). And remember to join us every April to celebrate our annual "Turkey (un)Birthday Open House."
"Dakota" was found, as a stray, by a Rescue House* volunteer. During their evaluation process, they discovered that Dakota was a diabetic, and as part of his care Dr. Reese would sometimes see him come in for his routine exams and bloodwork. Their relationship was rather non-descript until 2007 when Dakota became gravely ill and fell into a state called DKA or Diabetic Keto-Acidosis. In an over-simplified description this is a state where a diabetic is using up all of their energy reserves and quickly going into a coma, and eventually death. Luckily due to Dr. Reese's quick thinking and Rescue House's quick reaction, Dakota was given the emergency care he needed to save his life. Interestingly, it was through this experience that Dr. Reese came to really appreciate Rescue House. Their professionalism, care, and compassion was tremendous, and they truly showed their philosophy of doing "whatever needed to be done to treat the cat."
After the near death experience, Dakota continued to move around Rescue House. Besides the diabetes, it became evidently clear that we was a behavior marker, and therefore unadoptable. So, in 2011 when Dr. Reese bought Eastridge Animal Hospital, Rescue House asked if Dakota could live at the hospital. So, although technically Dakota is still a Rescue House cat, he has now stolen all of our hearts and is a permanent resident of Eastridge.
Of course, it takes a special cat to be a hospital cat. You have to tolerate a lot of barking dogs and a plethora of foreign cats "entering your home" (not to mention being commandeered as an example cat when we show owners how to give injections or medication), but as long as Dakota gets his treats and continues to be the center of attention, he doesn't mind. In fact last year we had a little fun with him and made his own in house calendar (as the slideshow shows below).
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