Newman’s Landing — Leukemia Positive Cats

On New Year’s Eve, 2015, we rescued a very ill cat from a drainage ditch and founder, Donna Powell took him home to get him well. He was very sick with an upper respiratory infection. He couldn’t eat because he was so congested and his eyes were swollen shut too. After several days of antibiotics, steam, and good nutrition, he pulled through. He was named “Mr. Newman” because Donna said he was would be a new man in the new year. Then we got the worst news, he was what they call “double positive”. Positive for Leukemia and FIV (similar to AIDS in a person).

Street Cat Rescue was not really set up with an isolated area for him, so he stayed in the laundry room until something could be figured out. The master bedroom, bath, and catio were given up for him. Once word got out, we had space for a leukemia cat, the Williamson County Regional shelter asked us to take two they had had up at the shelter for a while. We said yes. Then a fourth one came from Bastrop Animal shelter and then a fifth came from College Station, from a local rescue group. Exactly two years and two weeks from the day we rescued Mr. Newman, passed away. To dedicate this new area of Street Cat Rescue, we named this wing “Newman’s Landing” and his portrait hangs in the catio.

Since his passing, we lost Princess and Bernadette, who had lived at Newman’s Landing for over five years. They lived much longer than expected. And we inherited “Newey”, all the way from Minnesota! He turned out to be a celebrity, part human, and part cat and has his own Facebook page. 

We also took in a kitten with leukemia, “Sweet Pea”, also from our local shelter, and she will be three in June 2022 (most kittens will not live past two years old with Leukemia). She is full of spunk and gets into everything and has really added some excitement to the place! Donna tells her “she ain’t so sweet”. We think Sweet Pea is going to break some records as she continues to thrive. She had been mauled by a dog when she was a kitten and almost lost her eye. But she’s doing great now! Then came “Bradley” all the way from the streets of Waco, rescued by a lady who couldn’t keep him once she found out he was positive, so she reached out to us.  

These cats are precious beings, and Newey is kind of the Winnie the Pooh of the family and makes sure everybody is doing good and is protective of them. It is something to see.  We need to keep stress to a minimum which is important for their well-being and health, so our absolute maximum number of residents is six. 

And low and behold, we got contacted by the Williamson County Regional Animal shelter about another one in need.  “Piper” had been up at the shelter for almost a year, then adopted out, and returned just two days later, accused of biting the wife.  So back to the shelter and into bite quarantine for 10 days, and then immediately to Newman’s Landing.  So doing the math….that max six!  So now we go from the “Fabulous Five”  to the “Sensational Six” and they are permanent residents, but still need sponsors!