Hope?

Nope. That is not the sense I have this morning. I try to sugar coat sometimes for my readers because I don't want to lose you due to sadness. I know its hard to read things that upset us, but we have to understand that in order to keep our level of compassion, we have to know whats happening out there in order to better ourselves, and our fellow man. To teach compassion, and tell others whats happening, and what we can do to help. I am not sure if that made sense. Anyways, the sense I left each spot this morning, was of despair. It has been pouring rain since the night and each of my shelters was soaked. So the cats could not depend on a safe dry warm spot to nestle in, because of the rickety shelters I have for them, the rain took over. I have a ton of very wet dripping towels. Not only were the towels soaking, but I was. Every fiber of clothing I had on was drenched. So I did the best I could. Now, in the spot where Benny is, whom I have not seen since last week, is Boo. I believe Boo is full term pregnant. I just noticed this for the first time this morning. It sickened me. I just don't know what to do. Do I bring Boo to a shelter? Would that be the most humane thing to do? I know yes is the correct answer, but I didn't have my carrier with me, because I was not expecting to see this. Do I try tomorrow morning? This is why my dream is to have a place to bring these cats where they will not be euthanized, and they will have a safe, warm and loving environment to live their lives out in. I pray that someday something good will happen that will allow me to live this dream of mine.

Sunny Sunday~!

It was quite a weekend for me! Started with a vacation day on Friday, which was WONderful. Allows me to do what I normally do on a Saturday so that I can feel like I really had a two day weekend! Although it was a very busy one. Started with another big snowstorm on Thursday night, which left us with a huge amount of snow, on top of that was the wind. Huge drifts of snow everywhere. Needless to say, it was not fun for the little ones out there, as I could see them peering over the snow that they were trying to make their way through.
I shoveled, and I shoveled, and I shoveled! I picked up wet frozen towel after another. I did the best I could under the circumstances. The good news is that the tortoise colored kitty (I orginally called it a calico) I managed to grab. I suspected she was pregnant, and thanks to a kind girl who reads my blog, asked me to grab her, she paid for an ultrasound, and found a rescue organization - Anotherchancepetrescue - to take the confirmed mamma in. Yay! So thats very good news. Its so sad to think of a pregnant animal out there, living on the streets, having her babies in the freezing cold and snow. I have now rescued a total of 5 cats in the past two months. I am thrilled about it. I have homes for everyone except for Dexter, who remains a thorn in my home kitties sides. He is very young and playful, and they are old and set in their ways. I continue to try to find a home for my little devil Dexter.

Red and Coco

As I mentioned yesterday, or the day before, there is a calico kitty that I thought might be preggers. Well, my gut tells me she is. I had a good feel of her belly, and she is definitely rounded there. She is a sweet kitty, actually lets me feel her belly and slightly squeeze it, and doesn't growl or try to get away, so she would be an easy catch. And my poor Red, he was limping this morning. He is still shy with me. I feel terrible for Red, as he was once someone's kitty, but has been out on the streets for so long, he looks weary. He would be such a lovable kitty for someone. The kitty I rescued a few months ago and gave to my mother, Gracie, she was neutered the other day. That cat had been in heat for over a month! Can you imagine? No wonder she was driving my mother crazy with her meowing!

The weather is supposed to be wet, then snow again. I don't think it will ever end. Hey, where is my optimism? Spring is only a few weeks off, so I know things will look up. But not for the next week, there will be a lot of wet towels to replace! UGGH! Need to start looking for a new washing machine!

Stuff...

I should bring a tape recorder along in the mornings with me, I have so many great thoughts to share, and by the time I get down to writing them here, they are gone. From what I can remember... this morning was a bitter cold one. Near ZERO. I picked up Nelson, whom I rescued this past Saturday, from a vet who could take him in, check him up, and neuter him. I asked about his ears - if they were dirty, mites, etc., and they said "other than being frostbitten," I should get some Advantage or something and that would treat the mites if there any. First, I don't like that this vet charged me all that money ($240) and didn't even look at the ears. Second, my poor baby, FROSTBITTEN EARS. His ears are a little crinkled around the edges, so that must be what frostbite looks like. Can you imagine the pain that must be? But he is a survivor, and is one happy little fella right now. This wasn't my normal vet, but I had to geet him neutered ASAP due to the smell of unneutered males' urine. I won't use this vet again, because it was just so impersonal.

Smokey No.1 hasn't been seen by me in two days now. Maybe he isn't as tough as I thought. I worry so about him. I think our weather should be breaking, but this poor guy has been out there for years now, and I can't imagine the pains he has gone through physically. I attach a picture of one of the kitties I feed out there. Its miserable.

I was also thinking this: if just one kind person on each of these city streets would have some little shelter, and provide food and water at their own house, I wouldn't have to do what I do each day. It would allow me to help these people to trap, neuter and return until I have a sanctuary where I can pick up all these unneutered babies and give them a home. Just one person on each street would take care of it. JUST ONE.

Live or Let Die

Isn't that an old James bond movie? Now I am not patting myself on the back here, but if I didn't go out there each morning to put food, water and some sort of shelter down, there would be endless suffering from most of the cats I've been feeding. Seriously, you think about all the cats I see out there each morning, where would they get their food, there are only so many open garbage cans that they could forage through, if they can even get them open to begin with. And there is no drinkable water now, and I don't believe cats eat snow to survive. I've googled it! As far as shelter, even if they don't stay in my shelters, while they eat they don't have to have their pads on their feet exposed to ice, they can squat over a warm towel or blanket. I don't know how Smokey has survived all these years I've been feeding him completely exposed to the elements on the corner of Central and Goodman. He is sickly to begin with, but he has remained my strongest kitty. This has been the most brutal winter I can remember, it has not allowed me one day off. Think about it, every single morning I have to go out there, not even one nice warm day where the towels are not saturated from the meltdown. In the summer, at least I try to give myself a break by filling up their rations to last two days so I can at least sleep in one morning, but since this weather started last fall, not one day have I been able to give myself.

On a final note, there is a cat at my last spot, she is a calico, and she might be pregnant. I wish I had somewhere to bring her. She must get out of there. I lifted her up by her belly and tried to feel around, and she does seem full there. Help!

Wow, What a Weekend!

It was a VERY busy weekend for me! I always pray for a quiet weekend, because my days are so busy to begin with, but this weekend was an exception. I had a call from a friend who was looking for a kitty for an elderly woman - a sort of lap cat - and she thought of me which I was so grateful for because I have so many that need homes. I managed to grab Nelson who was SO ready - but I found out later that the request was specifically for a female, so my quest hadn't ended. As for Nelson, I don't think he would have lasted too much longer out there from the looks of him, but as of today, he is getting prettier and prettier! I attach his pic from the first day I got him. After his vet appt. this week, he will be good to go to a new home, for anyone interested. I just don't know how the cats I rescue manage to keep a sweet disposition about them after being on the streets for so long, but they do. He is a very loving sweet quiet cat. I know he will make someone a wonderful companion. The winds were very bad over the weekend so I am grateful to have saved another one from this winter's misery. It was tough going there on Saturday morning due to the winds, they knocked many of my lean-tos over and bowls were blown away, so I did the best I could.

So, to continue my quest for a female, I grabbed Fluffy this morning! I had no room at the inn for her, but I knew the transport of Fluffy was going to be done this morning, so she stayed in my bathroom for a few hours this morning before she was transported to her new home! I will keep you posted on the outcome of this. I am SO thankful, I was able to save another! Of course I could do this daily almost, but there are no homes for these poor babies so they remain out there in the cruel elements of nature.

Fluffy

What a morning! Wet wet wet! I received a request yesterday for one of my kitties, and I thought of Button, who would make a very nice lap cat for an older person. Well, at my fourth stop, where Fluffy 'resides', I thought, this is a perfect opportunity to start to get homes for these kitties, as this is the place that was trashed over a week ago, and I just can't keep up with that spot forever - who knows in the summertime what the hoodlums will do late at night to that area. Anyways, I thought Fluffy was just as good as Button, although I think Fluffy has a twin sister too. But I was able to get Fluffy in my rickety spare carrier, and as I was walking back to the car, she managed to jump out of the side of it! ARGH! I hope I didn't scare her too much. I will get my good carrier from my mother back today and try again tomorrow. Haven't seen Button at my 7th spot though in two days! Did manage to place a bowl of food and water down at my OLD first spot where Mr. Meanie resides, I placed them under a tree near the house. Off their property. I am sure this will be blown away soon as we are expecting big winds today and tomorrow. At my third spot, I did not see the kitty in the upstairs window of the abandoned house, so hopefully he escaped. All in all, it was very wet, as the water on the roofs that I have lean-to's against the houses are drip drip dripping and making the towels and blankets I have down very very wet. You just can't win. Still trying to find a home for Dexter. He now reminds me of Darth Vader. Seriously. His eyes are masked and he has whisps of hair coming off his cheeks that make him look like the helmut Darth wore! He is so cute and rowdy! By the way, Dexter is 8 months old and the cutest cutie ever! The scratch on his nose has healed, and he is much tinier in person than in this picture!

Mr. Meanie

Well, I wrote a nice notecard to the kind man who witnessed me fall flat on my back with my legs up in the air and said it was OK to continue feeding the kitties in front of his home. Now mind you, this site I kept very discreet, you would not notice it unless you really looked. Anyways, I got there this morning, my first spot of my morning journey, and everything had been thrown to the curb, next to the trash. Wow. I grabbed what I could find left, and placed a little bowl and plate of food and water down next to the house on the sidewalk, got back in the car with the note, and wrote on the outside of it that I had written whats inside yesterday, when I thought he was a kind person. And thats that! I could have not said a word, but I want people to know that what they are doing when they do that is cruel. Not only to me, but to the animals that depend on that.

On another note, there were lots of new faces out this morning. Its warmer out there, not enough to soak all the towels with the snow melt, thank goodness. That will be a lot to deal with, but out come the cats that have been hibernating somewhere. Two beautiful greys greeted me at my third stop. Where do all these cats come from, and how do they survive? There are so many stray cats out there. Also at my third spot, there was a cat in the upstairs window of this abandoned house I feed at, and there were large garbage bags out front. I wonder if someone had removed a board to go in and clean, and closed up the board with a cat that might have snuck in there. Will keep my eye on that. At my last stop, a beautiful friendly calico girl met me, and even allowed me to feel her belly, as she looked a bit swollen in the dark. Where do these poor babies come from. There are so many - and how can they all be 'strays'. There are so many friendly ones! I wish I had an answer!

Back in the Saddle Again

I am back, all is well. All is well for the kitties too. I guess. Funny incident this morning. At my first stop, I sneak up to a house and feed under a lean to I have set up under the front window. I look crazy, but that was the only shelter I could find/make for the winter for the three cats I've been feeding under a tree by the road since the summertime. Each morning I sneak, I can hear the TV on inside, and am almost certain the people inside can see me through the flimsy curtains and/or can see the footprints in the snow from their front walk to the side of the porch. I've never been approached, nor has the tiny lean-to's and my stuff been trashed. Well, this morning, as I am squatting to place the food and water down, I hear the door open. In the meantime, underneath my feet is five inches of very smooth ice which has formed from the icicles hanging above there. Well, as soon as that door opened, I get ready to stand up and finally meet the person who has generously allowed me to squat in front of their window each morning and my feet went completely under me, I slipped, didn't hurt myself, but I was never more embarrassed!! Well, this kind gentlemen just looked at me, and as I got up and composed myself quickly I introduced myself and told him I was just feeding the kitties and that I was trying to find them homes, but in the meantime asked him if it was OK that I was doing this, laughed and apologized at my clumsiness, and asked his name. He told me and said it was fine what I was doing, and told me to be careful not to slip anymore! HA! I must find some little way to thank him, and letting him know I am not a crazy person. Other than that, all was well at my next 8 spots. Warmer weather coming! YAY!

Good Times Bad Times, You Know I've Had my Share

When humans feel sick, they go to a doctor, who either treats them or sends them to a specialist to figure out whats wrong with them. When animals feel sick, they are usually noticed by their 'parent' and brought to a veterinarian, or they remain sick and eventually get better, or die from their illness. On Saturday morning, I am not sure what was the case, but I found this poor baby in the temporary shelter my friend the teacher had made for me at the spot that was trashed the week prior. I noticed a black tail sticking out of it, and a horrible smell, and was seriously hoping it was just a very very large rat. But it was this little black baby, still somewhat warm.
He even had on one of those rubber or plastic cheap flea collars on. I've seen this little guy, and have even fed him on this street on the side of the road because he wasn't one of the pack that I feed here. I wonder what the circumstances were of his death. Its very very sad. I know the other kitties were wondering that something was going on, and it wasn't good. I know they know. I did the best I could there, and went on my way. Usual suspects out at their spots, no signs of Benny the entire week, although have seen his girlfriend Boo. Not sure where he has gone off to, but I hope he comes back. Red was around this morning at my last spot. Still leery of my after almost having him successfully placed in my carrier for adoption. So sad about that one. He was crying. He really needs a home! The second picture here is of Button, on Second Street. I actually had her on my lap in my car Saturday morning, giving her a great pet, and warming her toes on my lap. She really needs a home too.

I write this today because I felt sick and went to a doctor and am now going to have some medical stuff done - so won't be in the mood for writing the next few days! But I will certainly be out there both mornings, feeding my babies, whether I should be or not! Wish me luck! XO

TGIF, AGAIN!

So far so good out there this morning, although there are two cats that need desperate rescuing, and are extremely friendly. There is another one, grey, that is injured, and I need to get him too. But for now, the temp is supposed to rise, the sun is shining and all is well.

I apologize for not having much to report today. I've run out of steam. Its been an exhausting week and its taken its toll. There was too much sadness and it sometimes gets the best of my writing ability!

Next week will be better! :) I promise!

Why Dogs Chase Cats

A Virginia Folktale

retold by

S.E. Schlosser

Once long ago, Dog was married to Cat. They were happy together, but every night when Dog came home from work, Cat said she was too sick to make him dinner. Dog was patient with this talk for a while, but he soon got mighty tired of fixing dinner for them both after a hard day's work.

One day, Dog told Cat he was going to work, but instead he hid in the cupboard and watched Cat to see if she really was sick. As soon as Cat thought Dog had left, she started playing games with Kitten. They laughed and ran about. Cat wasn't the least bit sick.

Dog jumped out of the cupboard. When Cat saw him, she stuck a marble in her cheek and told Dog she had a toothache. Dog got so mad at her he started chasing her around and around the house.

Dogs have been chasing Cats ever since.

Speaking of stories - please check out the following website - http://www.meowville.com/ - this is Gina's, a friend and fellow rescuer's, website. She has written a fabulous children's book that is well worth the read. I envy her talent and fortitude.

There is nothing to report from this morning. No good new, nor bad news. I did see my friend Kenny G. He is a kind man who has lost his way in life. He is always looking for a buck or two, just a lost soul. He reeked of alcohol, and I almost cried for him looking into his eyes. I told him things will look up for him very soon. Spring is just around the corner...

Action is the Antidote to Despair

Isn't that a wonderful quote? and how TRUE!!! A wonderful girl in my life, whose students made the shelter(s) that was smashed the other day, yesterday she brought me a temporary shelter to place there and she mentioned this quote to me. How apropos because I brought the shelter there this morning and placed it, defying the danger that lurks! I will continue to bring replace my things there until the weather gets better and I can try to trap and get these kitties out of there!

As I trudged through some deep snow to Benny's spot - of which I have not seen him in over a week now - I thought about my health. Knock on wood, I have not been sick in years. For what I do, I should have a cold WEEKLY, but I don't. I must be made of leather.

Other than that random stuff, it was a quiet morning out there. I still do not know how these animals survive this weather, I really don't. The temps and wind are brutal, and these animals are out in it 24/7. Its amazing their resiliency. The picture posted is of Button. He is a beautiful kitty, very friendly. I just wish I had a place to bring these guys to. They are very deserving of a loving home.

Anyways, the sun is shining, and life continues to be good!

Sun, Sand and Surf!

Dream on baby... :) I thought I would put something nice on here today. Just a nice picture though, the rest isn't the best.

After yesterday's catastrophe, I made the best of a bad situation at this spot. They took the small plastic dog house, and smashed the wooden one made by the students of a girl who has befriended me through this. I can’t tell you how upset I was by this yesterday, and how it just diminishes my spirit. I trudge and trudge through snow to get to these shelters to be sure they have dry towels and food and water, and to have seen this just broke my spirit yesterday. There were only three cats this morning that etc. came to me when I finally shoveled out the mess – I could only do so much when I found it yesterday – had to make do with what was left, just a large lean-to. I brought some stuff with me this morning that should keep the snow out, but its pretty bare. I would just love to find a pile of old plastic dog houses, to dig into when I have to because this is obviously a bad street. You get complacent when no one touches your stuff for months, but this is what I’ve been used to in good weather, people trashing your stuff. So I try to keep a stash on hand, but I've been low with lean-to's and little shelters like the dog houses. I just don't have the money to go out and purchase them.

What makes people mean? Is it their environment, is it society as a whole? Some acquire it as they grow older either from poor upbringing or sour attitude towards the world. Who can you blame? I try to live my life being as kind as I can to every person I encounter. I always want to give everyone the benefit of the doubt. I want to believe that everyone has a smidgeon of compassion and goodness. We can have a positive attitude towards life, or a negative attitude. We can focus on the good or we can focus on the bad. Keeping a positive mental attitude is one of the keys to success. The choice is up to us!

Massive Destruction

Well, most people wouldn't agree with the description, but some would. This morning, I went to my fifth spot, and when I looked onto the empty lot, where I feed in the back of it, I saw clumps of brown in the snow. I soon realized that they were clumps of straw that I had in the shelters I had for the five or more cats that eat and sleep there. I then saw the precious wooden shelter built by the students of a teacher who has befriended me through this, it was completed broken in pieces. I was heartbroken. I was not only heartbroken for the sweet cats that have now lost their shelter, but for the students who put the time and effort into building it, for the time and effort I had made in making this a secure and safe environment from the storms for these cats. I see sadness in my surroundings every day, but this got to me the most.

What evil lies in humans. Hate and destruction everywhere. No matter what age, or walk of life, everyone has a dark side, but this kind of darkness is pure evil. Not only did they trash the box shelter, but also the little plastic dog house I had there filled with straw. That surely was a warm haven for a few of these cats. I will need to find a replacement, which I will eventually, I will not let evil stand in my way. If I could only have seen it happening, I would have tried to talk to these people. What about the people in the neighborhood - someone must have seen this happening! What happened to looking out for your neighbors? I am one of them!

If anyone has an old lightweight dog house (plastic) to replace the one that was taken, I would so appreciate it.

Sex, Lies and Videotape!

OK, so not the first two, but videotape for sure! This morning turned out to be a very unusual one. I am entering a contest on 'How you Start your Day' and I managed to snag a prominent filmmaker in Rochester - who has actually turned out to be a GREAT guy, and I just love him to pieces! Anyways, he came to my home this morning at 5:30 am. and shadowed me with his videocamera at all my spots, the kitties were all out in full force, he got some great footage. We then sat down and he interviewed me, and I managed to do all that and get to work on time! And he will manage, somehow, to take an entire hour and half and splice it into a one minute video! YAY! So who knows, we will see how this contest goes, but I believe this short film may help me in my cause. I just can't keep doing this by myself, I am going broke. I just had Dexter in for his neutering on Wednesday, and he is still up for adoption. He needs to find a loving home. I am including his picture on here as a reminder to all you folks, he is available and ready! He is a little rascal!! I am also including a picture of Dewey who needs a forever home too. They are both just the cutest and sweetest boys!!!

Back to this morning, that was a lot of fun. I wasn't sure how it would be for me meeting someone 'famous' - most of the time I am quite nervous around new people, but I think those two martinis helped last night to sort of relax me.... ha ha ha. Joking. But he was very easy going, and loved my house kitties. And Thunder the Wonder from Down Under didn't bite him, so that was another good thing! I am going to include this guy's link on an upcoming post after I get his permission! Its very cool! Yep, all in all, it was a good thing! Have a GREAT weekend!!!

O Glorius Sunshine!

This morning was nearly as bad as yesterday due to the few inches that came down yesterday and overnight last night. Its very hard on me when it does snow because I have to shovel, and it adds an extra 15 -30 minutes to my route in the morning. That means I have to scramble when I pull up to the house. I am very organized and fastidious in my morning routine preparing the house to be perfect before I leave, and getting myself (i.e., lunch) ready for work - I have to like the way I look in the mirror, and sometimes it takes three changes before I a happy! I am also compulsive about being somewhere on time, so I am scrambling to get all this done while getting to work on time! Which I always do, but some mornings, like today, its a struggle!

I was reading up on cats the other day, and here were some of the more interesting facts I read about:

• Ailurophilia is the "love of cats."


• The nose pad of a cat is ridged in a pattern that is unique, just like the fingerprint of a human.


• A cat's heart beats twice as fast as a human heart, at 110 to 140 beats per minute.


• Calico cats are almost always female.


• If your cat is near you, and her tail is quivering, this is the greatest expression of love your cat can give you. If her tail starts thrashing, her mood has changed --- Time to distance yourself from her.


• Cats wag their tails when it is in a stage of conflict. The cat wants to do two things at once, but each impulse blocks the other. For example: If your cat is in the doorway wanting to go outside, and you open the door to find it raining, the cat's tail will wag because of internal conflict. The cat wants to go outside, but doesn't want to go into the rain. Once the cat makes a decision and either returns to the house or leaves into the rain, the tail will immediately stop wagging.


• Don't pick a kitten or a cat up by the scruff of its neck; only mother cats can do this safely, and only with their kittens


• Cats knead with their paws when they're happy


• Your cat loves you and can "read" your moods. If you're sad or under stress, you may also notice a difference in your cat's behavior


• A cat will amost never "meow" at another cat. This sound is reserved for humans.

Interesting... very interesting indeed!

Brimstone and Fire!

Thats not how it really was, but it was hell nonetheless! Had to drag the shovel out with me to clear out my spots during the monster storm predicted over night and today. But that petered out, thank God, and I just had to do some clean up at most of my spots. When I went out this morning, at 5:20 am., it was sleeting. If it was just a tad warmer, it would have been pouring rain. I'll take sleet over rain any day. It took me longer than normal this morning, nearly two hours, but with getting to work on time in mind, I had to hussle. Most of the babies were hiding somewhere, but this kitty at Spot #2, the one that looks like Dewey, which is also the same spot I rescued Dewey from, followed me to my car this morning. He is SO sweet, he is surely a stray cat, in desperate need of a home. Very friendly, crying when I arrive in the morning, he comes out of the bars of the abandoned house I feed against. He and a few other kitties are able to climb up from the basement through the bars of this window (pictured here) - he hangs with the calico female I mentioned previously. I really want to rescue this boy, but need to find a home for Dexter first. I will get his picture soon to share with all of you. Other than that, it was quite miserable, have a whole lot of wet and frozen towels I had to replace with dry and warm ones. There goes my washing machine, slowly, bit by bit, and will soon bite the dust. Its taking a beating this winter!

I want to mention one other thing. A friend of mine told me she couldn't read my blog because it was too sad. I didn't create this blog to create sadness to those who read it. I created it to raise awareness of whats happening in your neighboring neighborhoods while you are cozy in bed with your dog or cat at your feet. I am the type of person who can't even watch the Animal Channel because of some of the sadness, I have to turn the channel when an African beast is chasing another beast for a kill. I know its done for their own survival, but I can't watch anything where an animal will be hurt. I supposed I have hardened my heart after doing this for so many years, but when all is done and I pull up to my house afterwards, I feel good because I know these animals will be just a bit more well fed and a bit more comfortable due to me being there for them. So please don't stop reading my blog because its too sad. Its a good thing!

More News from the Weekend

On Saturday morning, when I pulled up to my third spot on Third Street, all was very very quiet. As I approached the abandoned house, as seen here, I noticed there were no cats around. Usually I see around 3 or 4, although I know there is more. This is where I recently rescued Gracie, whom my mother adopted. Also, there is Tuffie (you can see him on the railing in the picture better if you click on the picture and make it larger - he is a pretty boy, orange and white spotted), and a few other unnamed pussies. I have a lean to and some towels, and a plastic tote bin on that porch. Its not much, because under the porch I put a bale of straw down, and I had noticed they weren't using whats on the porch, except eating the food and drinking the water. But of course I placed the food and water down and went on to my fourth spot. The next morning I pulled up, it was still eerily quiet, and as I got out of the car and approached the house, I noticed something just under the porch, laying on the straw that was spewing out from under. It was a beautiful shorthaired red cat, frozen and/or rigamortis had set in. I went back to my car and got a warm towel to wrap this poor baby up in and placed him in my trunk to be brought to a humane place for burial. Who knows how this precious animal died. What spooked the cats on Saturday and was it related to this cat I found on Sunday. Did someone poison him? Nothing looked disturbed, as if someone had come up on the porch and trashed anything, I am just not sure. But as I got to thinking, if all of us just did a small part in this world and adopted one of these precious babies, we wouldn't have a problem with these animals out there in this weather - suffering. We need to put an end to this, and I continue to try to do my part in any way I can.