Halloween

Hello Blog! Its been a while! (forgot to post on Friday - had the day off from work and really took a vacation, from everything, except housework! - and wait, who am I kidding, except also from feeding my babies out there!) I have decided to try to feed every other day, or at least take a break once a weekend morning, but this weather has been fierce this past year. Last night I heard the wind howl, and the rain come down, not hard, but its just never ending, so I managed to get up and out an hour later than normal and fed at at least 5 out of the 8 or 9 spots I usually do. And sure enough, they were waiting for me. I had to clean the leaves out of the water bowls, and some spots, actually clean the water bowls due to the raccoons slobbering all over, and in some cases, find the bowls the wind had strewn around. I am trying though. Last night I went to a Halloween party and danced like I did when I was 'much younger'. At some point, I felt a rip in my hip and knew I had something. I was a mess for much of the day, pulled a muscle in my hip area. But I still managed to get out and feed the babies. Dont know what I will do when it gets much worse. On top of that, I must stay healthy!~ I pray to God I can find a home for all these babies, or that I am able to live my dream to own a sanctuary to bring all these brats to! They need warmth and love!

Random Thoughts

I need to get this kitty adopted. I need to get it off the street and into someone's home. I call him Blackie, but he needs a proper name. I hope someone reading this would consider it, before the harsh weather begins, and before he gets killed, as he is hanging around Central Park and Goodman Streets, a very busy intersection. Attached is his picture which I took yesterday morning around 6 am! He is a teenager, a spunky little guy, very affectionate, and clean! Its amazing how some of these animals can stay clean, it must be the type of coat they have.

I was walking my dog Thunder yesterday and up ahead, on the same side of the street, coming towards me, was someone walking their dog. I crossed the street because my dog is not the friendliest with other dogs. I hope that person doesn't think this is an anti-social move, its just avoiding a pulling, tugging, noisy situation.

Kitty

I want to add that I could have Trap Neutered and Released this guy today, but I just wont' allow an animal - one as sweet as this one - back into the environment which I got him from. I guess I am adding this portion to today's blog because I just feel awful for this one. He is someone's throwaway. No one cared about him. No one cares about any of these animals in these horrible neighborhoods. Its not MY problem, its theirs! So why should I care, why DO I care???

Rocky Raccoon

As I mentioned in an earlier post this week, I have been stopping each morning to see if the cat that was starving on Fourth Street near Garson Avenue was around - I brought my trap this morning, but no bites. I took the trap over to the corners of Central and Goodman, where Blackie and Smokey reside. Blackie is the youngster that greets me daily with requests for a rub and scratch. Smokey has kept his distance from me for years now, but still keeps his distance. This feeding spot is one of my worst. Not only is it on the corner of a very busy intersection, but any shelters I have placed there have been damaged, trashed or destroyed. There is nothing sheltering these creatures there. Smokey will not fall for the trap, I have tried many times. Lately, there are at least two more cats there, one is a very very friendly, desperate sort of gray and white kitty, and very friendly. This is not a good spot for cats like this. They are desperate, and you can tell are pure strays. Someone dumped him. Well, I set the trap, drove off, came back and he was in there. I feel so terrible about this one, but I am glad I have him off this very busy and dangerous area. I pray someone has the decency to adopt him, and quick. They are put to sleep after five days at Verona Street. The pictures attached are of a frequent diner hanging around lately on my porch steps! I leave a bowl out for the neighborhood cats, and this guy has been hogging their food!

Kindness

I have been corresponding with a columnist from the D & C for a little bit, and he was attempting to help me with contacting the City about protocol of boarding up houses and checking for animals first before its done, and possibly doing an article on this. But the City has said that it IS standard protocol to check first, but I know this isn't done. We know this isn't done due to the story I posted a few weeks, ago, and the rescuing of the trapped animal resulted in the arrest of a friend of mine for trespassing by simply putting a hole in a boarded up window to the house so the poor animal could escape after five days of it still being trapped. The columnist is going to do another story on Civility, and I wrote him about my thoughts on Civility, but I neglected to mention some things to him that I should have mentioned. Civility is many things, but one is kindness. I should have told him about the KINDNESS of acquaintences and strangers I have met along the way, in my growing love for all animals. Like Another Chance Pet Rescue. What a wonderful organization. I don't know all about it, but I do know they try to rescue as many kittens and cats as they can from the kill shelters - one being the very first post I did on this blog, where Officer Lalka rescued the newborns inside a mattress the day before demolition. ACPR apparently came and took them from Verona Street that afternoon. ACPR were also there for me this past week, when I rescued Frick and Frack (now named Mickey and Marley, due to recent adoptions). Another wonderful person I met on Saturday who came to get a cat to foster for ACPR - this girl is in a position of authority, is smart, kind and beautiful, and she actually fosters these helpless creatures! Its amazing to know that we cat people aren't all crazy! Some of us have kept up homes, happy lives, some money, happy families, full time jobs, we can be sexy and fun, and have full lives outside of animals (I consider myself all of the above, minus the money!). There are people like my friends, who have taken in rescues when I was completely desperate, telling them I would find them homes, when some were completely allergic to these animals, and yet still have these cats, and are now part of their family! I have met so many kind people in my life in this 'business'. I thank God that they were put on this earth to help me. And I them. I wish we could all do just a little bit to help strays - this world would be a happier place for me.

MONDAY UPDATE

Here is what I received from one of the girls who took one of the babies - as soon as I received this note, I was notified by Julie that his brother, Marley, was adopted at a Petco event on Saturday - YAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAYYYY!!!

Morning Janine:


Mickey is really doing wonderfully at our home. My husband weighed him 1 3/4 lbs.
He is eating and drinking a lot ! He can find his litter box on his own so now has
the run of the house. He plays hard-to-get when he's rested, and climbs on my lap
when he's tired. He follows me from room to room so he knows where I am at all times.
His purring motor is amazing! Love it!
We still keep him locked in the bathroom at night and when we're gone. My husband
and son love him. The dog is tolerating him. Our dog is a 10-year old golden retriever
who has to be touched all of the time. As long as she is still getting her attention,
she will be fine. We plan to keep Mickey and I will not be returning him unless
something drastic happens but I can see things only getting better.

I'll be taking him to my vet in a week or two, need to make sure he is 6 weeks old
before I do that.

Thanks for letting me come get him before he got into the system - I think its Karma
that you still had him on Saturday!

Have a great day. I hope his little brother finds a nice home too.

What a Weekend!

SUCH a busy weekend~SO many updates! First and foremost, Frick and Frack are now living in homes, separate homes, but new homes for them. Two very nice girls each took one, one of the girls being a foster mom for Another Chance Pet Rescue. The lighter grey and white is with her, and available for adoption very soon (HE needs all his shots, etc.). Yes, both boys! I will get an update from each of them sometime today. It was very hard letting them go, they are just SO sweet at that age (4-5 weeks old), but I am very very grateful that God allowed me to find them. On a different note, as I was driving to a feeding spot on Sunday morning, I caught a glimpse of a cat out of the corner of my eye, and naturally, pulled over, and noticed the cat run to the car, acting very skitzy (sp?). I got out, started to put some food in a bowl on the back of my car, and it was crying like crazy. I've never seen a cat literally starving. That one sure was. I pulled away knowing it would be full for a day, but that I had to do something. I went back this morning with my carrier, as I knew it would immediately go into that if there were food in it, and its a less traumatizing device than a Have a Heart Trap which is what I usually use. Anyways, it was not to be seen. I will try every day this week. Thats the kind of kitty you must get off the streets, there is no food source for it. I also have not seen Whitey on Central for over a week now, and have only seen Mama kitty on Hebard once. The other bit of news is that I have stopped feeding at another spot, too dangerous, on Niagara Street. I pray what was depending on me there finds the food Gina has on the street next to it. That boarded up house is just too much trouble, and too dangerous for me.

TGIF - Again!!

Well, its Friday, and its miserable. We had a very chilly night, with rain in Rochester, but could easily have turned into snow just a few degrees colder. It was a miserable night/morning for most kitties out there that don't have homes. I have to wonder where some of my guys find shelter, and is it warm? Do they have a snuggle place they can go to? My poor Blackie, and Smokey, and now a new cat on the corners of Central Park and Goodman. They are just pitiful there as there is no shelter for them due to the owners of the property or troublemakers coming by every so often and trashing my stuff. I try to make the best of what I can do, by putting down a towel under the thin wooden lean-to against the 'house' - it actually used to be a restaurant - Grandma's Kitchen or something like that. Its just the worst spot on my route, due to the lack of shelter. And there are three GREAT kitties there. Although Smokey is really untrappable. He just won't fall for it. And Blackie is really needing a home. And this third guy, you can tell he was once someone's kitty, because he is starving and will come right up as soon as you pour the food down. Its really tough out there right now for these guys. I've eliminated one feeding spot from my 9 now. Corner of Pennsylvania and 4th Street. Thats where I trapped a sweet tabby last week, and she was the only one waiting for me there every single morning. I miss her terribly. I have included a before and after pic of one of my rescues, Jack, who is my own now. Isn't he beautiful? He was a tiny guy when I got him, and within a year, he is over 20 pounds! A real handful!

Houseguests

Well, the babies spent the night in my house last night. In my bathroom, to be exact! In my tub, to be even more exact! But when I went in there this morning, they were out of the tub and wandering! They are frisky little guys. Still shy, but you can tell they will have quite their own personalities! I decided to keep them for a night or two to help out Another Chance Pet Rescue because I know their hands are full, and I wanted to bathe them before I gave them to them. So, tonight is bath time for them in my new kitchen sink! Tomorrow I will surrender them, and will really be sad to see them go. This morning it rained (what else is new?) so it was not pleasant out for all my kitties out there. And it was dark. I do hate the dark. It really messes up my day! :) But I guess its needed while I still go out at 6 am to the hood every morning to feed the strays. I have not seen Whitey on Central in over four days now. A bit worried. And have not seen Mama on Hebard in over three days at least. Again, worried. And I am thinking about stopping my feedings on Niagara Street. Not a good idea to be feeding there, at the 'arrest zone'. I pray they find the location that Gina feeds her strays behind the house, somewhere on Niagara. Its going to be a long winter.

Frick and Frack

Well, I had a success and a failure this morning. Success with these two little babies. (Pics didn't turn out very clear - but boy are they beautiful!) I rescued them from Second Street, they were huddled in the Igloo shelter I have for the kitties on that street. Failure in that I wasn't able to trap neuter and return a kitty although I did try. The Central Street cats are very smart. They go in this trap, grab the salmon, and run, all without setting off the trap. This is the location where Benny, and Whitey, and at least five others now reside. Although I haven't seen Whitey in two days. A bit worried about him, even though he did mangle my leg with his teeth and claws a few weeks ago, which just today I have finished the last of my antibiotics! The little babies I am going to name Frick and Frack for now, are snuggled in my tub at home, waiting for me to come home and I will then turn them over to a wonderful girl who works where I do, who also happens to run Another Chance Pet Rescue. I am very grateful to her, as they don't usually have openings due to the overwhelming overpopulation of kittens in Rochester. Thank you so much Julie L., you are such a kind and compassionate woman. I would also like to thank Julie D. and Kate, who responded with offers to help - even though I know the rest of you would help if you could.

More Kittens!

Several things to mention this morning. I pulled up to the house on Second Street, where Paul allows me to feed behind his house, and the usual suspects began to follow me waiting for their breakfast, I had brought my flashlight with me as I sometimes do, just in case I need it. As I set my stuff down next to the large igloo shelter I have back there with straw in it, I decided to shine a light inside just to see if I needed to add more straw, and lo and behold, there were two tiny sets of eyes looking at me. There were two baby kittens, no more than 3 or 4 weeks old, looking up at me innocently. I pretended not to notice them so as not to scare them, and after I had finished putting down the food for the others, I reached in to guage the reaction of them, and out of the one came the tiniest hiss, the kind of hiss that you can barely hear because they are so tiny. If I hadn't already had another kitty that I trapped from Pennsylvania Avenue a few minutes prior, I would have scooped them up. I will be bringing my carrier tomorrow morning, to get them. I cannot leave newborns out there. No way. Speaking of the pretty kitty on my porch right now. She, or he, is very shy and scared. It’s a grey tabby, as so many of them are, and will go to the shelter. There are two others that I now need to trap there, and then I can eliminate my feedings there. There is absolutely no shelter there for them in the wintertime, nor can I put one there. Its too open. I did not see Mama on Hebard. I did see 'Spunky' which my niece has now dubbed Blackie from the corner of Central and Goodman. Unfortunately, he is not going to be adopted by my niece right now, due to some medical issues she is having. He is too sweet to be on the street, I must get him fostered somehow. Please ask around everyone. I will post a picture here.

Happy Monday!

Things look a little brighter this morning. Not just because of the sunshine, but my attitude. Everyone seems to be well on my trail this morning. Didn't see Whitey on Central, nor did I see Mama on Hebard. I worry so much about Mama. She just won't be trapped though. She is a mess - very skittish and being chased by a male cat that has begun hanging around there. And we took her babies, so that makes me sad for her also. She is all alone there. On a brighter note, an art teacher has contacted me due to seeing my blog and would like to have her students help build a couple of shelters for the kitties. What a really wonderful person to take on a chore such as this. I met her and she is just a great person. So caring! She got to witness firsthand how crazy I am as I showed her all my spots on Saturday morning. She drove all the way in from Churchville - and met me at 7 am!, took pictures of a few places, and got some ideas for the shelters. Little Blackie on the corner of Goodman and Central came to greet me. Little does he know how lucky he is going to be when I get him tomorrow. My niece, bless her dear heart, is going to 'foster' him! YAY!!!!

Hey Diddle Diddle

no, there was no cat with a fiddle. But if there were, it would be Blackie, as he is the most lovable and playful of all right now. HE is on the corner of Central and Goodman, and he runs across the median each and every morning to get a pat and a rub, and weaves in and out of my legs until I put his breakfast, lunch and dinner. He is a young cat, probably a teenager by now, and just the sweetest thing in the world. He and Benny are the two I need to find homes for ASAP. Its getting cold out there, and its miserable today. Lots and lots of rain, along with the wind, and it feels like winter with this combination. My poor babies. Gimme shelter!

Road Kill

I picked up a dead cat this morning. I can't tell you how many I've picked up over the years, around three now just on Central Park. Whoever has the conscience to hit an animal and continue driving is just beyond my scope of comprehension. I dont' care if you are on your way to a fire, you don't just hit and run. Its cruel. Its inhumane. My spots this morning were the same as yesterday morning, still fighting off Whitey to keep his distance, after the bite last week. My leg is good though, antibiotics are wonderful. I didnt' see Mama on Hebard Street. There has been a male cat hanging around. At first I thought, good, she has a companion, because we took two of her kittens, and the third was killed by a car. But I saw the male fighting her yesterday morning, telling her to keep her distance from the food I provided. I saw the male this morning, but not Mama. I hope she is OK. Today, I am posting a picture of a cat now named Fifi that I rescued after a little boy saw it thrown out a car last summer when it was just a tiny kitten. My wonderful co-worker adopted him! And look at him now!

Another Prisoner of Love

I trapped a cat this morning as I have a standing appt. for TNR each Wednesday, but it turned out that I trapped a kitten. Well, I wasn't about to let it loose, and I am not about to get it neutered and returned, so I will be bringing this poor thing to a shelter. I wish some of my readers could take a cat or two, they would really love these little kitties that are victims of circumstance. Actually victims of humans and their carelessness and lack of compassion. I will post picture of this little guy, a black and white fluffball, in hopes it may melt someone's heart. I also have been in contact with someone from the media, in hopes of exposing some injustices of this city, any city really. I was thinking to myself, if animals had voices, what would be their concerns that they would want known? I am sure they would have a lot to say.

Yesterday, All My Troubles Seem so Far Away

I try to be creative with my titles! Just wanted to fill you in that after being gone for the weekend, and not feeding anyone but deer Sunday morning, all was well at my spots yesterday, Monday morning. I am going to try to TNR - trap neuter and return at the Central Park location where Whitey bit me last week. I did not put food down there for the 8 or so cats that hang there waiting for me in the morning. My goal would be Whitey, but I am sure there are some females that need a fixing! I hate to trap. First there is never enough time for me, I don't like to leave my cage alone for too long, and I feel so bad for the cats I trap. They are so scared. But I will try as Habitat for Cats now has me down for each Wednesday to try to bring a cat in, I am actually a standby because I am never sure I can get one on Wednesdays. So, wish me luck in the morning! One less fertile male or female on the streets! As a side note, I have written a columnist at the D & C, in hopes that we can expose the boarding up of houses, and the cat situation in Rochester. We need changes, and I need more help with this!

Oh Deer!

Attached are pictures showing who I was feeding while I was away for the weekend in the Adirondack mountains! I never stop! :)

Swept Under the Rug

My discouragement level is rising due to the last week of stuff going on. The arrest of Gina for trying to save a cat from a 5-day starvation, and the phone call I received from a Lieutenant from the police department, in response to the letter I sent to Chief Moore. He was arrogant, and had the tone of just trying to get rid of me. He mostly focused on the justification of Gina’s arrest, and the professionalism of the arrest by the cocky police officer woman. He didn’t even come close to talking about the other concerns I had. I was hoping that they would have put some time and thought into my letter, and come back to me with some options, some committees I could join, or contact, help me somehow with my plight, with the cats plight I should say. Boarding up houses, feral and stray rescue, etc. But not a word. I have to admit I felt intimidation by him. Then my boss came in and obviously, its not something I should be doing at work to begin with, so I told the Lt. that I would call him back. He left me his number. But I’ve had the day and weekend to think about it, and even if I do call him back, which I will, I am not as good speaking personally to someone as I am on paper. I am going to ask him if Chief Moore even saw my letter. I am also going to mention that I may get some media coverage from this, and tell him how I was hoping that he would have had some other suggestions for me. I would love to hear some feedback from anyone reading this?

Letter to Chief Moore

I am sharing the letter I wrote to Chief Moore, the Chief of Police of our fair city - it will show you the drama of the past week - let's hope something comes out of it! - TGIF! PS, sharing pics of Mary Jane and Scooter, two of my brats at home, rescued off the streets of the city in January, both were just babies...


Dear Chief Moore,

In the spring of 2010, I contacted your office to applaud the commendable work of one of your animal control officers, Elaine Lalka, for rescuing newborn kittens inside a boarded up house on Seventh Street in Rochester. The house was demolished the very next day.

Today I contacted your office on a different matter and was informed I could forward all my complaint information in an e-mail to your kind assistant Cheryl and that it would be passed on to you. This e-mail allows me to express my thoughts and concerns for what I consider a tragedy of justice. For the past 15 years I have personally taken responsibility for feeding and rescuing homeless cats in Rochester. We have a severe problem in our city and I am trying to make a difference. Through the years I have found homes for many strays, lately resorting to trapping the feral and sick animals and bringing them to a shelter for care in hopes of adoption. Those that do not survive are euthanized, more humane than starving and suffering on our streets.

Recently, a most tragic event occurred. Last Friday, on October 1st, I called 311 to report a cat trapped on the roof of the city owned and boarded up house (the window with a hole was reboarded on September 30th) on 61 Niagara Street. I assumed my calls would be reported to the proper authorities. Each morning I called to report the cat was still on the roof, and each time was assured that Animal Control would be notified. On October 5th, after calling 311 again that morning because the cat was still there, I was told the message was relayed to animal control officers only two to three times, despite my daily calls. However, Officer Lalka, who had been the responding AC officer the day before did request the boarded house be opened for the animal to exit. A day later, due to the city's delayed response to the request, a woman who similarly rescues cats, has a not-for-profit animal rescue organization called Sheperds' for Animals, is a Rochester city school teacher, and father was a sergeant with RPD for 30 years, had been monitoring the animal's condition, and at my coaxing she accessed a hole in the lower window of the house that the cat had originally gone into, to free itself from the house. Gina was immediately arrested as she was leaving, and placed in a police car for 45 minutes. Her name is Gina Specksgooer, her ticket number is 204318, and her arresting officer is K. Pitts, ID#1762. I cannot speak for Gina, but I find this situation humiliating and degrading for a person performing a humanitarian act. This aggressive cop should have called dispatch to corroborate the story of the stranded cat before arresting her. If this was perceived as an improper act she only needed to be informed as to the violation. As it stands now, she has attorney fees to pay for something very inconsequential. It was a humanitarian act, not a criminal act.

Chief Moore, summarily I have three issues:

1. 311 - calls were not relayed to animal control, specifically on 10/5
2. the police officer only had to interview Gina Specksgooer to better understand her motives and actions
3. city workers should be thoroughly checking houses for live animals before boarding them tight.

I appreciate the time you took to read my letter. My grandfather was a state trooper and I have always had respect for law enforcement. I hope you will forward my concerns to the proper department and I hope to gain whatever guidance they can offer to me.

Sincerely,

The Bite

It takes a lot of passion to do what I do after all these year, and in particular when things happen out of the ordinary, that really make you wonder what you are doing! Like this morning, as I was pouring food down at the site where Benny, Whitey and at least 6 others reside, including two kittens, and also the site where I saw the very pregnant mother about a month ago and haven’t seen since, I felt four very large teeth and 10 very sharp claws sink into my calf. Ouch. My leg is a mess! I try not to tell my mother stuff, but I know she will read this, so I called her when I got home asking her what antibiotic I should be on, knowing I had several different meds in my closet as I was bitten once before by Mama Girl, who was adopted by my friend Jen. But as usual, my mother told me I had to call the doctor to make sure I was getting on the right prescription, and she was upset, of course. Thanks Mom! I will be sharing the letter I am sending to Chief Moore today, the City of Rochester Chief of Police regarding certain situations that have happened in the past week. I can’t wait to share the final version with you!

Extreme Injustice!

Well, this would have been Day 6 of the cat situation on Niagara Street where the cat was boarded up in the house by the city workers last Thursday. The cat would have been very very very hungry by now – can you go for six days without eating? – if not for my big-hearted friend Gina who went there yesterday afternoon and put her pick ax to the boarded window and put a hole in it. Eventually the cat would come out of the hole and all would be well, that is until they decided to go back into the house out of fright. Well, when she was leaving, a young city police rookie pulled up, handcuffed her, frisked her, put her in the back of her car and arrested her. On the house, unbeknownst to me due to the darkness I encounter when I feed the cats in the morning, is a sign on the house that says trespassers will be arrested. This is total injustice. Gina was just trying to free this animal after having made five attempts at calling 311 to report it each morning by me, and talking to Animal Control Officer Lalka the day before about the situation. – on top of that, the city workers should not be allowed to board a house up without checking for live animals. How many situations are there that no one even knows about that animals have slowly starved to death due to their inability to escape out of a boarded up house. Its sickening. I will be calling Officer Moore this morning to express my anger about the practices of the city workers, and of the officer that arrested Gina. This rude cop should have called dispatch to corroborate the fact that we had called five times about this cat, as the cop said she didn’t believe there was a cat inside, despite the fact that there was cat food on the porch, and she told Gina that Animal Control didn’t care about the cat. Gina is a reputable teacher and published author of childrens’ books – it’s totally unfair. And something has to be done about it. I wonder if any of my readers know someone in the media that would like to talk to me about my story. I hope to hear from someone!

The Rain in Rochester...

falls mainly on the plain…..

This weather has to be the worst. Its been raining for over 48 hours now. I know its miserable for me, not sure how it is for the cats, but I am sure its not as fun for them either. It is expected to keep raining for two more days. Just absolutely miserable. I tried to shelter the food at two of my unsheltered areas with plywood. Its still miserable. The house on Niagara is still boarded up, the cat has been in there for five days now. I’ve been throwing bologna on the roof – Officer Lalka told me yesterday that if the City had still not responded by tearing off one of the very thick boards that she had requested so the cat could come out on its own, then she might have to ask the Fire Department to do it. I told her if I had a crowbar, I would attempt to do it on my own. Still nothing. It was too dark and wet this morning for me to see, and I am sure the cat did not come out to the roof due to the rain. I still threw bologna up there, and gave the rest of it to the homeless woman sitting there on the porch in the dark when I pulled up. She was waiting for the rain to subside. Nice lady, and very grateful for the bologna!

UPDATE: From This Morning's Post...

My faith is restored. Officer Lalka has called me and told me she has asked the City to come today to take a board off the house that the cat is trapped in. She said she hopes they do it before she has to call the Fire Department. She also could not believe that city workers can come in and board houses up without first checking to see if there are animals in the house. I am so thankful for her. I cannot tell you. I did throw bologna up on the roof before I left this morning, I hope kitty ate that, and will find its way out once they remove the board, if they even do. I 'do not like' the City.

Cat on the Roof - Day Four

Its Day Four now that I have reported to 311 about a cat stuck in a boarded up house on Niagara Street, one of the places I leave food. I know its stuck because the city came along and boarded up the hole in the window last Thursday and threw away my stuff. Up above the roof, the window is broken so the cat is coming in and out, attempting to jump off the roof, but chickening out. Its a long way down from the eyes of a cat. Apparently Officer Lalka came out yesterday but didn't see the cat. I see it every morning at 6 am. The cat is starving. I threw some bologna up there this morning. The poor thing. I have this feeling that I've somehow lost my ,,, don't know the word. Credibility? Respect? Not sure of the word, but for some reason, Officer Lalka doesn't call me to even inquire about this. I don't know what I did to offend her. I have only called her personally twice now for two desperate situations, both involving kittens, the last time at this very house. If I had a crowbar I would take care of this situation myself. I HATE calling for help now, I feel I can't rely on the only resource we have in this city. Animal control, or Humane Society. This is the pits.

Blank

It was a very damp morning out there. And dark. I can’t wait for daylight savings, which my mother informs me – she is my official weather woman – I trust her more than I do the newscasters – that it’s the first weekend of November. Then I don’t have to go out so late so that I am scrambling to get ready for work when I get back. Plus, when the snow flies, it will take me an extra half hour on top of the already close to an hour that it takes me in the morning on a good day. I trapped another kitty from Second Street. That street is just so overrun with cats, I don’t feel as bad about removing some – this one is a little black kitty with a curly/damaged tail. Very friendly little thing, but obviously living on the street. I pray someone will adopt him from Verona Street. Its terrible the waste of lives of these cats due to us human’s irresponsibility. Terrible. I blame society as a whole for this tragedy. Not enough people willing to go out there and do what I do. Trap Neuter Return, or just adopt a cat.