I Spanked a Raccoon, and I Liked It!

It was a cold damp weekend, one that has me thinking about the existing shelters I have for the kitties I feed each morning.  The first spot, where Laura was again today trying to get the elusive Mr. Neck Wound Kitty, unsuccessful I might add, has a plastic tote shelter with a board over it with straw in it.  The boarded up house is being remodeled by an unknown, yet kind man who has not trashed my meager comforts I have placed there for the at least five kitties that nosh on the meal I leave there, along with a bowl of water.  At my next stop, where Kristin helped me refurbish the two wooden huts with a large door covering those, and a tarp covering that, its safe, but not sound.  John, who lives in the house, came out of his door Saturday morning on his way to work, which I drove him halfway to before I continued on my route.  He told me he was now going to be moving in either October or November, and that his German Shepard dog Silver was now officially his partners dog.  He again told me what a good thing I was doing as I told him about all the dead kitties I picked up from his street.

At my next stop on Stout, the board is back on the windowless window, but the door less garage faces west and will get hit with the storms full on.  The black and two red kitties I feed there have two plastic totes with a board over it to weather the storms out in.  I must fortify those.  At the next stop on Garson, the four or five kitties I feed there have their bowls taken away each day by the owner of the boarded up house.  I now believe he comes there each day just to do that.  There is no other boarded up house around for me to move and find shelter for them, so I continue to place new paper bowls down for them, for now. 

STOP:

I wrote the above on Sunday morning, so much  happened since, so must stop there, and will continue onto the next locations tomorrow!

Baldwin Feeding Station

Baldwin Kitty

Baldwin Shelter (still trying to figure out how to construct this!)

As I got out on Baldwin, where I feed at least six cats each morning, two of them kittens, Cricket's siblings, I spotted a fat old raccoon.  I RACED over to where he was, to stop him from going up a tree, because I wanted him GONE, and wound up able to swat him with my hand on the behind.  He hissed at me, but took off over the fence and went running.  Usually if you can scare the bejesus out of them, they won't come back, and that was my intention.  WRONG.  I stopped back on my way home and sure enough, he came back.  The water was filthy, and the food was almost gone.  Thank God I had a drop more food and water left.

Out of the goodness of her heart, Kim, whose family adopted Harold back in the early spring, offered to donate candy to help fill a gift basket that I wanted to do for Mike, the kind man who's house Leo was stuck in the heating ducts for four days.  I drove out there Sunday morning to get the candy, reacquainted myself with Harold, and his 'sister' Cleo, and had a very nice visit with Kim and her son Brady.  Brady is learning a lot from his mom about compassion.  And he loves his buddy Harold too!  I came home and made a beautiful basket filled with goodies such as popcorn, peanuts, lots of chocolates, and snacky stuff like cheddar fishies and pretzels.  Filled to the brim!  When I went to take a picture of it, the camera's battery had died, and I am not in the electronics age quite yet, I don't even know how to take a picture with my phone, let alone send one.  I delivered that to Mike and he was very happy.  He deserved it.  I told him that Leo was out in the car and in my backseat and wanted to give it another go, and he looked at me and said 'no way', and I said 'just kidding!'.  :)

Little Red has been in my bathroom since I rescued him on Friday.  He is a REAL sweetheart.  Very frightened, but he lets me hold him on my lap, and kiss his nose!  Out of the kindness of her heart, Kristin offered to pay for the vet bill for him so off he went to have a really nasty looking wound on his leg looked at, and they sent him home after a shot of antibiotic, and pain meds every 12 hours.   He will heal for a few days in my bathroom, and then I must find him a foster home.  He just needs to know he won't be going back to the streets to fend for his life ever again!

I took a few pictures this morning before the camera died on me again.   Here they are.

Outside Short Street Shelter

Inside Short Street Shelter (I MUST change that filthy rug!)
 

Ferndale & Webster Kitties (Whats left...)