New Year!

Well, its been quite the year.  I had only three days off from feeding at 16 different locations in the inner city at 4:30 am. - all 60+ cats that I can see, plus throw in a few raccoons, opossums, rats, and birds!  and thats a lot of critters!  Total rescues:  2 puppies and....  I would have to say maybe 70 cats this year.  I am waiting on official confirmation of that number from Kristin, but thats what it seems like.  I know it was at least 40 in the beginning of August when the fundraiser occurred.  I am very proud of this, but it was a lot of hard hard work.  I don't even know how many Trap Neuter Returns (TNR) I did, but that was also significant.  But truth be told, a lot of those I wound up rescuing and finding homes for. Not a lot, but quite a few.  At least the friendly ones...

It was also very hard financially for me.  I live in a one income household, and paying the bills to survive, and doing what I do is challenging.  I go through at least 22 pounds of dry food per day, and more than a case of wet food a day.  I've had some special people help me this year, and for that I am forever grateful.  One 16 oz. bag from maybe 8 different people will save me over $100 per week!

To wake at 3 am. and know you HAVE to get up, even when you are in the middle of that cool dream you are having, or are just in a deep, wonderful sleep, you still HAVE to get up, wake yourself up, talk to your own cats and make sure they are fed and well cared for, get the caffeine flowing through the veins, gear up with either a hoodie for the rainstorms (gotta protect my hair!), or gloves, boots and a snow shovel for the snowstorms.

People wonder why I do it, or how I can do it.  When you drive up to where you've built some sort of shelter for the animals you feed, and they come RUNNING to you, and you go to their bowls and see them empty, wondering when is the last time they ate since the 24 hours you were there last, you know they depend on you, and you will do everything in your power to be there the next day.  Because they are hungry. At most locations, there are an average of three cats.  Some have 8, some have 6, some have 4, some have two, but there are so many more lurking in the shadows waiting for you to leave so that they can sneak up and grab a bite before they get chased away by the others because they can be so territorial.

I look at my own cats, and the ones I just rescue, and I say to them 'do you know how lucky you are?'  - they usually just look up at me with loving eyes, not saying a word, and they know, I just know they know. And how do they show us gratitude?  By hacking up hairballs either on the most expensive floor coverings, or right where you'll step with a bare foot.  You have to admit thats talent, especially when you consider how the sound of a cat hacking up a hairball in the night truly makes the whole performance come together.  :)  By throwing up their food, spraying in a corner when they can, lick each other's butts just before they know you are going to kiss them, and making a big mess in the litter box. Oh, and crowding you on the bed so that you can't move!  Yes!  This is how they show their love!  We love our cats!

The fact is that cats are so special, so appealing and so inspiring and loving as family members that we forgive, forget or ignore any challenges that come with sharing our lives with them.  Because we wouldn't have it any other way!  They must think we are clumsy too - not many cats trip over people, but we trip over cats.  :)

So, if you don't have a cat, please consider adopting one - there are so many out there that want to share their short lives with you.  Make it a great new year, with a cat!

Happy New Year everybody!

"Cheers to a new year, and another chance for us to get it right!"

X-Rated!

Well, I did it again.  I rescued Peanut Butter this time!  He was a willing participant for sure.  His beautiful white fur is a bit dirty, and his belly still distended, not sure why, but he is one happy camper.  He began a loud purr the second I opened the door of the carrier to let him out in the bathroom.  He is a crier, for sure, doesn't like to be left alone, nor did he like the ride home, but he is going to make one fine companion for someone.  His left ear is clipped - he was neutered a year or so ago - and no, he is not gay (although, who knows?  :))!  But the fur on his hind quarters looks to be missing - hence the picture.  Don't look if you have the 'yuck' factor in your genes.  :)  He is going to the clinic today for testing, and his shots.  Most likely deworming also.  Prayers his test comes out clean!  Peanut (or Butter) will be going to his foster home sometime this week, if someone doesn't snatch him up before that, and will be available for adoption, so please spread the word!

DONT FORGET you can click on the pictures to make them larger (although hopefully you won't want to make the above pictures larger!) :)

Sunday morning, I pulled up to my last spot at Central, where Elvis and Tippy Toes still need rescue, and in the dark, noticed something looked odd in the back of the lot.  As I got closer, it was apparent that someone had trashed the beautiful safe shelter set up back there.  All the totes and styrofoam boxes were opened, and it had been raining, so the straw was all wet, everything just strewn around.  At that moment,. you just go into Action Mode, and thank God I had Sunday Sheryl with me - not a word was spoken (except by me, cursing whoever did it) and we went to work to put it all back together again.  As I drove home this overwhelming sadness came over me.  Its so mean, so unfair to these cats.  They begin to trust these shelters, most being used, because you see them come out and stretch when you arrive in the morning to feed them.  Its so rewarding to know they know they have a safe haven.  And then this happens.  I just don't understand it.  This morning I brought more straw with me to place in the shelters as I had run out yesterday.

This little guy I've been feeding since the springtime.  He is a sweetie, he was TNR'd  in early summer, and runs to me each day.  I've named him Hayden, as he is from Hayward Avenue.

Hayden - Hayward

Hayden - Hayward

These babies will be missing Peanut Butter, and I am sure they wonder where Jelly is!

Baldwin

Peanut Butter - Baldwin

Short Street

Mr,. Fluffypants runs to me each morning. This morning, Tuffy was at his spot. I haven't seen Tuffy in a very long time, and am so thankful he is still alive.  Mr. Fluffypants, on the other hand...  might not be so lucky, as he darts back and forth across the street.  Yesterday morning, a cop was sitting in front of this spot with his lights off.  I knew I looked odd to most people at that hour, so I walked up and said 'you know what I am doing, right?" and he just nodded and said yes and went back to whatever he was doing, staking out something or someone...  lots of cops yesterday - and this morning some black dude walked up to me and asked me if I wanted to buy some shampoo - I told him what I tell the others, I don't carry money on me, nor do I have any to begin with! - and then he went straight into the drug house a few houses down.

Mr. Fluffypants

Mr. Fluffypants

Mr.  Fluffypants - Pennsylvania

Tippy Toes - Central

Elvis - Central

Elvis - Central

Tippytoes - Central

This red cat is very sweet.  I've been feeding him for years now, and he trusts me.  This morning there was a new pretty girl or boy cat there, a sort of friendly one, that I have finally lured from Stout Street around the corner.

Parsells

Parsells Shelter

Garson ran up to me again this morning, as he does each morning, and does flip flops on the ground, waiting for me to greet him.  He needs a home too.

Garson - Garson Ave.

Please consider one of these angels. 

Have a GREAT day!

You will find as you look back upon your life, that the moments that stand out are the moments when you have done things for others”

Friday

Twas the day after Christmas, and all through the house, all the creatures were stirring, even the fake mouse!~

My gang has certainly had a ball with Mom being home three straight days,although there were quite a few time outs.  Both Scooter and George stalk Brady, and when those two are put into a bedroom, Brady will stalk the others.  So then he gets put into his own room!  And then there is Butterscotch,who is still in hiding where ever he gets put, still frightened to death!  But cute nevertheless.

On Tuesday,while I was preparing a dish for Christmas, using a mandolin to cut my potatoes very thin, I sliced off a chunk of flesh on my thumb!  It was NOT a pretty sight.  Its also on my right hand so it makes it hard to do JUST ABOUT EVERYTHING!!!  You never realize how much you use your thumbs!  My contacts, makeup, typing, eating, texting, washing dishes.  I feel totally useless.  And wonder when my thumb will ever heal.  What a pain.  Although it did not stop me from going into the hood!  And feeding all the sweet, beautiful kitties out there.

I have had such good luck this past month,getting so many off the street, and adopted.  By the way, thank you for the wonderful advice received for Jelly's situation.  I hope and pray her new mom reads it and follows it.  She wrote me the following the other day - "I think the position she is in, I would have to crouch way down to get close to her, & is ackward. While I would be reaching for her neck, she would be lunging. Yes I am a bit afraid when she does that, although of course, I completely understand. I wish she would be interested in some kind of toy. She looks so forlorn."  I wish I could give her strength to take control, but I can't.  She is not that type of person, and it will just have to happen on its own, although its just going to take a lot longer at that rate.  :(  But I remain grateful to them for sticking this out!

In the meantime, the others seem to be doing very well.  Lacey in her new home, Gimli in his foster home, Webster in his new home, Charlie is in a picture sent the past couple of days eating in the same kitchen as her new sister Sweet Pea, Wally is doing well in his new home with his 88 year old dad...  All the kittens recently adopted, all TWELVE, are all doing well...   I do get updates on them also...

Peanut Butter ran to me this morning,followed me to the feeding spot/shelter, gobbled up some food with the other six there, and proceeded to run after me, again.  Someone has offered to foster Peanut Butter, a kind woman who already has her hands full with many other cats, but Peanut Butter also has a distended belly,so he needs to be seen, and this is as good a time as any.  I did give him a de-worming pill in his food the other day, but who knows if that is even the case.  I will most likely pick him up tomorrow,and he will be seen by the clinic, hopefully, Monday or Tuesday.  Stay tuned...

Its taken me hours to type this with my thumb bandaged as it is, and correcting all my typos! so I am going to end here.  I wish you all a great day!

Yuck!

I'll tell ya, its a dirty job doing what I do.  Gross in fact!  Its been balmy out there, mid-50s, but the rain was falling overnight, and everything is mud.  Its kind of gross to me to step into squishy stuff, especially in some of the spots I go to.  Some have no grass, one has a dog that lives in the house, so you don't know if you are stepping on mud, or you know what.

But it doesn't matter when you see those little faces running to you, waiting for you, hungry. 

Please consider Peanut Butter, Elvis, Mr. Fluffypants, Tippy Toes, and at least 10 others that I  have not named yet, but are so worthy of our love.

Today is Christmas Eve - I hope you will celebrate this special holiday with either family or friends.  If you have neither, call me! 

Merry Christmas everyone!

xoxo

Tuesday Tails....

Update on Lacey!  Here is what her new mom has to say:

 "She is a loving and affectionate pretty little lady:). Still hisses @ my Lurch but they are getting used to each other. A good sleep partner now and has to be wherever I am:)"

Lacey

And guess what the other big news is...  Gigi is a BOY!  Gigi's name will now be changed to Gimli.  The whole time he must have been thinking, "why are you calling me some stupid girl's name??  I am a boy! Can't you tell? "  = er ... no Gimli, I couldn't.  You felt like a girl, you sounded like a girl, you acted like a girl...  maybe Gigi is your stage name?"  ha!  either way, I am either getting really bad at distinguishing between the two sexes lately, or you had a good surgeon!

Gigi/GIMLI lovin' life!

Friends, I have a dilemma - the kind people who have adopted Jelly have written me this since I went over on Saturday and retrieved her from where she had been hiding for over a week.  I don't know what else to tell her - I have advised her that she just needs to get Jelly out of the little hiding spaces in the room, and hold her forcefully at first on her lap and begin to pet her.  She is afraid to even do this.  Mind you, this is a sweet little woman who probably doesn't weigh over 100.

"Hi Janine: It isn’t going very well with Jelly. she hisses & tries to lunge at us when we look in to see her, so now I just go in & talk to her. She never did that before, just  the growling. Of course I haven’t given up, & it has been only two weeks.My whole being hurts for her. I guess I am afraid to put my hand anywhere towards her, or even close to her, as she lashes out. No, we will not give up!"

I know I have an assertive personality, and maybe thats what makes me good with cats - they know I am the dominant one, and they learn to like me faster this way.  But how do you teach someone who is not so assertive to be assertive with a cat?  HELP!!

It was wet and muddy out there this morning.  I gave Peanut Butter a half a drontal (worming pill) this morning - had crushed it up beforehand and put it in his wet food.  His belly looks large - so I am thinking its some kind of wormy thing, but hopefully the pill will do the trick of whatever is causing it.  If not, I pray he is rescued soon so that a vet can give him the once over. 

I have the day off today, and have a million things, as usual, sigh.............  I wish I had just one whole day to do what I've always wanted to do:  sit and read.  Its just never the case. 

I wish you a good day, please spread the word about the ones still out there needing homes - Peanut Butter, Elvis, Mr. Fluffypants - I saw two new kitties out there this morning at different locations, both uneartipped, and I wondered what their stories were.  There are two sweet boys left at Garson, one is black and white, the other is a grey tabby - both RUN to me when they see my car, and I trip over them walking back to the feeding spots on the other side of the vacant lot - one is the kitty that was crying because he was stuck due to the amount of snow we had from the storm two weeks ago.  I need to think of names - both boys (I am SURE about one of them because I had him neutered a month or two ago!).  :) 

Have a great day!

Last Minute Gift Suggestions:

To your enemy, forgiveness.
To an opponent, tolerance.
To a friend, your heart.
To every child, a good example.
To all, charity.
To yourself, respect."

Monday Scoop

Don't forget to click on the pictures so that you can see them up close!

This is a co-workers baby.  What a great picture to start the day with.  Little baby Ella!  You are a doll!

OK, Monday morning scoop.  What a great weekend it was for the cats!  First off, went to Jelly's new house early Saturday, - if you will remember, she hadn't been seen in over a week by her new parents who let her out of her room too soon, and within the first minute of going into the basement and looking in the first room, behind the first thing, there was Miss Jelly, sitting behind the furnace.  We managed to scoop her out, calm her fears, place her back in the room she belonged in from the beginning, and gave her a good scratch, and a stern talking to.  HA!  Actually, I gave the stern talk to her new parents, who didn't understand the importance of closing the door with her in the room.  She needs that time to get to know them, gradually. This is a cat that has been living on the city streets for a very long time, maybe her whole life, who knows, and she needs to learn to trust these new human beings that are vying for her attention.  She learned to trust me, and now she needs to trust them.  She will come around.  I pray the day comes soon too, so that she can enjoy the new, big house she lives in!

Right after that, I scooped up Charlie, the fluffball, from my bathroom and drove him straight to his new home!  His new Mom loves him, and has this to say:  "Hi Janine, Charlie is still hanging out in my closet; he'll come out for treats and petting but gets scared and runs back in pretty easily, he's a work in progress!"  He will come around, as they all do, eventually.  SUCH a lovebug with me while I had him.  He is one lucky kitty, and so is his new feline sibling Sweet Pea, his new mama, and his new grandma!  :)

Charlie Barley

Sunday morning, I rescued Gigi!!  A fellow rescuer offered to help me out with one kitty, the one that most needed to be rescued, and I chose Gigi, because of her crying FOR me when I arrived on Garson each day, and then crying AFTER me as I walked back to the car to leave after feeding the other eight of cats that she shared the bowls with.  She has turned out to be a real sweetheart, full of fleas, and dirty, but a head-butter, and snuggler.  She was frightened to death at first, as they all are, but she came around quickly.  Here she is. amd after her vet visit today, which is being sponsored by my friend Kristin, she is available for adoption! Please spread the word!

Gigi

Gigi

Gigi

Thank you my friend, for fostering her.  People that foster have such huge hearts.  Please consider.

Next, Peanut Butter is next in line for rescuing.  He needs a home very badly, and will make a most wonderful companion.  Please, consider, and spread the word!

Peanut Butter

Peanut Butter!

Peanut Butter!

Peanut Butter!

Tomorrow, update on Lacey, the sweet white kitty that I rescued from Second Street a few months back - who was early pregnant, and had a very bad skin condition.  WAIT til you see the pictures of her, and her new forever home story!

Have a great day!

"Saving one animal won't change the world, but it will change the world for that one animal."

Hurray! Its Friday!

This is Winston.  If anyone remembers, he used to be named Buddy.  I rescued him when he was just a wee boy, about five months old.  He was adopted by a wonderful family, a mom and a dad, and a feline sister named Magic.  His new mommy is extremely talented, as you can see.  She is also an award winning photographer.  She took pictures at my fundraiser this past summer also.  She has been out of work for a while now, and is not feeling the Christmas cheer.  If anyone knows of any openings at their office, it sure would be appreciated!  I can forward you her resume!  She is a wonderful and talented girl!  (be sure to click on the pictures to see up close!)

Well, here is what I am doing tomorrow:  mid-morning, I am driving to where Miss Jelly is now residing, way out in north Greece, to try to find her in this massive house, so that I can put her back into a room so that she can get to know her new parents.  I fear that the longer this goes on, the more afraid she will become, and the less love she will have from her new parents.  Does anyone have any advice you can give me to find her? The problem is, I don't have much time to do this, as I have to .............. DRUMROLL..............  bring Charlie to his new home!!!  If you will remember Sweet Pea, she went to a lovely woman who lives with her mom, and Sweet Pea has been the Queen of the Castle ever since.  She is loved and cared for by two great women, and is now going to get the cutest little brother.  The woman Candy just couldn't get over the look on Charlie's faceCharlie is ready to roll!  He spent another night in the bathroom, the vets did their best to groom him, and get the burdocks out of his tail.  I am so grateful to those that step up and offer to foster or adopt.

Because guess what?  Another ANGEL texted me yesterday and asked me who was the next on my list that needed to get off the street, and she offered to take in Gigi from Garson!  To foster her.  So my plan was/is to grab her Sunday morning, after Charlie vacates my bathroom, and then bring her to her new pad.  I was a bit sad and nervous this morning though when I did not see her.  She was not where she usually is.  This always worries me.  These cats sometimes come and go.  I also did not see Elvis on Central. I worry so about these little babies of mine...  Pray they are around tomorrow.  Its so cold out this morning. I changed all their frozen water, and replaced some damp towels for dry ones for their little pink pads to stand on.

My boy Brady is going into my vet this morning with a very bad upper respiratory infection.  Its funny how these cats can hide their sickness.  He is FIV positive, but must have caught something from when I had all the sick kittens I was fostering a few months back.  He most likely has been sick since, but has hidden it.  I should have noticed.  He is very sick - hard to breathe and sneezing galore.  I pray a shot of something will do the trick.

Wish me luck with all of this!  Have a GREAT day!

TGIT!

One more day til the weekend.  One more weekend before Christmas.  Boy, life sure does fly the older you get, doesn't it?  I often wonder if the remainder of the days of my life are going to be joyful.  Maybe everybody does this very easily, all the time, and only I am confused. And if you asked me if I wanted more joyful experiences in my life, I wouldn’t be at all sure I did, exactly because it proves such a hard emotion to manage. I do experience at least a little pleasure every day. I wonder if this is more than the usual amount. It was the same even in my childhood when most people are miserable. I don’t think this is because so many wonderful things happen to me but its really the small things that go a long way.  I seem to get more than the ordinary satisfaction out of food, for example. Even an egg salad sandwich has the power to turn my day around. Whatever is put in front of me, foodwise, usually brightens my mood.  I actually eat what I cook because I love to cook.  I cook every weekend, and I love to try new recipes!  Enough.  I never stop thinking about food.  Crazy.

But let me tell ya, I won’t be experiencing joy when I rejoin, for the millionth time, Weight Watchers in a week or so!  J

Gigi

Mr. FluffyPants

Peanut Butter

Elvis

Elvis - he has floppy ears

Mr. Fluffy Pants

We had a dusting of snow overnight.  It was cold this morning.  Charlie spent the night in my bathroom and was very hungry this morning but I couldn’t feed him because he is going in for his neuter today.  The other babies that are in need of rescue – Peanut Butter, Gigi (the female on Garson), Elvis, Mr. Fluffypants, all ran to me, hoping for me to whisk them to warmth, safety and love.  I did pick up Peanut Butter, as he runs to greet me before I even open the car door, and I placed him on the hood of the car to give him  good rub on his head.  And Gigi cries each time I walk towards her, hungry and cold.  She is not eartipped, but has never been pregnant.  She is an obvious stray.  She is now homeless, and I must find her a home.  Elvis, from Central, is a big black and white softie, constantly rubbing against my hands as I pour his breakfast onto the plate. Mr. Fluffypants will not be so lucky someday as he scurries across the busy road to greet me, as I pour the food behind the house on Pennsylvania.  All have a special place in my heart – a place that fuels my fire to rescue each and every one of them.

Charlie

Please spread the word about these angels.

Have a great day!

“The smallest act of kindness is worth more

than the grandest intention.”

The Winter of our Discontent

IT was cold, dismal and damp this morning, with a light mist, interspersed with heavier drops, all falling on my newly washed and straightened hair.  Miserable.  Would rather have it snow than rain.  Hate the rain.  Only living thing its good for are the worms..

Charlie

I managed to get Charlie from Central this morning, as dirty and scared as he was, he is calm and dry in my bathroom, waiting for his neuter tomorrow at the clinic.  He and another young cat will be brought in.  If you can believe it, I brushed out this huge clump of matted fur  filled with burdock (sp?) on his back with my Furminator that I invested in a few years back.  He LOVED it.  Although he has many more that I am a little leery of brushing out, he sat on my lap and allowed me to brush out some of the knots in his long fur.  He is a good boy.  He needs a home.  Please consider.

Someone mentioned in a comment about me going out at 7 am. some of the days….  I go out in the cover of darkness because I need to be as invisible as I can in those areas.  I certainly don’t want to bring attention to any of my shelters, they are too precious.  There are too many people that would see me, and then destroy what I’ve built up.  Its happened time and time again.  Its also a safe time, as no one is stirring, not even a mouse (sorry, I just had to say that!) :)

And then there is Jelly.  Jelly was part of the team - Peanut Butter and Jelly - but Jelly was the only one to be rescued out of that bunch.  She when to a home a week and a half ago, and was let out of the small room she was to be kept in too soon.  The reason we keep the animals fresh off the street is so that they can get to know their new family.  Otherwise, they run and hide!  So, I may have to go there this weekend to try to find her in her new big house, and put her back so that her family can get to know her.  Its very discouraging to these folks to not be able to love this cat, but I pray they have patience.  If anyone has any advice on how to get her to come out of hiding, I would sincerely appreciate it.

I had a kitty follow me back to my car today, and realized that this cat is out of its elements. This is a true stray (I've been feeding him for well over a month or so), he is scared, wet, and would forgo his meal just to be taken home.  It breaks my heart what I see out there.  Please help. Even if you can foster.

The following is a poem I read that captures the fear a cat has when rescued, and the vital part a person that rescues plays in these animals lives...  Love this stuff.

Rescue Angels

Tail tucked between your legs,

Confusion in your Eyes –

I know its hard to understand

That someone heard your cries.

When loneliness is all you know

And pain is all you feel

And no one can be trusted,

And hunger’s all too real…

That’s the time the Lord sees you

And lets you know He’s there

That’s when He sends His messengers

The hearts that love and care.

Yes, rescuers are angels

You cannot see their wings,

They keep them neatly folded

As they do their caring things.

The medicine to make you well

Good food to make you strong,

And finally to help you learn

That hugs are never wrong.

The perfect place then must be found

The home where you can live

Secure and safe and happy

With joy to get and give

When you reach your Forever Home,

Your place to feel whole,

The Angels smile, and off they go

To save another soul.

Heaven

To whoever shared the link to the following - thank you.  It touched me, for sure, and once again reassured me that what I do is meaningful, maybe not to everyone, but to someone, and something.  Especially when I have those days where I wonder if all that I do, day in and day out, is worth it.  And this goes for all animals!

Unlike most days at RainBow Bridge, this day dawned cold and gray, damp as a swamp and as dismal as could be imagined. All the recent arrivals were confused and concerned. They had no idea what to think for they had never experienced a day like this before. But the animals who had spent some time waiting for their beloved people knew exactly what was happening and began to gather at the pathway leading to the Bridge to watch. They knew this was something special.

It wasn't too long before an elderly animal came into view, head hung heavy and low with tail dragging along the ground. The other animals on the pathway...the ones who had been at RainBow Bridge for a while...knew the story of this sad creature immediately. They had seen it happen far too many times.

Although it was obvious the animal's heart was leaden and he was totally overcome with emotional pain and hurt, there was no sign of injury or any illness. Unlike the pets waiting at the Bridge, this dog had not been restored to his prime. He was full of neither health nor vigor. He approached slowly and painfully, watching all the pets who were by now watching him. He knew he was out of place here. This was no resting place for him. He felt instinctively that the sooner he could cross over, the happier he would be. But alas, as he came closer to the Bridge, his way was barred by the appearance of an Angel who spoke softly to the old dog and apologized sorrowfully, telling him that he would not be able to pass. Only those animals who were with their special people could pass over the RainBow Bridge. And he had no special beloved people...not here at the Bridge nor on Earth below.

With no place else to turn, the poor elderly dog looked toward the fields before the Bridge. There, in a separate area nearby, he spotted a group of other sad-eyed animals like himself...elderly and infirm. Unlike the pets waiting for their special people, these animals weren't playing, but simply lying on the green grass, forlornly and miserably staring out at the pathway leading to the Bridge. The recent arrival knew he had no choice but to join them. And so, he took his place among them, just watching the pathway and waiting.

One of the newest arrivals at the Bridge, who was waiting for his special people, could not understand what he had just witnessed and asked one of the pets who had been there for some time to explain it to him.

"That poor dog was a rescue, sent to the pound when his owner grew tired of him. They way you see him now, with graying fur and sad, cloudy eyes, was exactly the way he was when he was put into the kennels. He never, ever made it out and passed on only with the love and comfort that the kennel workers could give him as he left his miserable and unloved existence on Earth for good. Because he had no family or special person to give his love, he has nobody to escort him across the Bridge."

The first animal thought about this for a minute and then asked, "So what will happen now?"

As he was about to receive his answer, the clouds suddenly parted and the all-invasive gloom lifted. Coming toward the Bridge could be seen a single figure...a person who, on Earth, had seemed quite ordinary...a person who, just like the elderly dog, had just left Earth forever. This figure turned toward a group of the sad animals and extended outstretched palms. The sweetest sounds they had ever heard echoed gently above them and all were bathed in a pure and golden light. Instantly, each was young and healthy again, just as they had been in the prime of life.

From within the gathering of pets waiting for their special people, a group of animals emerged and moved toward the pathway. As they came close to the passing figure, each bowed low and each received a tender pat on the head or a scratch behind the ears. Their eyes grew even brighter as the figure softly murmured each name. Then, the newly-restored pets fell into line behind the figure and quietly followed this person to the Bridge, where they all crossed together.

The recent arrival who had been watching, was amazed. "What happened?"

"That was a rescuer," came the answer. "That person spent a lifetime trying to help pets of all kinds. The ones you saw bowing in respect were those who found new homes because of such unselfish work. They will cross when their families arrive. Those you saw restored were ones who never found homes. When a rescuer arrives, they are permitted to perform one, final act of rescue. They are allowed to escort those poor pets that couldn't place on Earth across the Rainbow Bridge. You see, all animals are special to them...just as they are special to all animals."

"I think I like rescuers," said the recent arrival.

"So does God," was the reply. 

Happy Monday!

This past weekend was a bit easier than last week was.  Number one, I had Friday off, and boy did I need that.  After all the shoveling I did last week, I needed down time - away from the desk I sit at for eight hours a day.  I still had to clean, cook (which I love to do), and take care of my own cats, but at least I was home sweet home doing it.  And I still had to go out there and feed all the homeless, stray and feral cats which I do every single day of my life - at 4:30 a.m., no matter what the weather.

I have to tell you, Charlie, the fluffy unneutered boy (he is going to the clinic this Thursday) on Central, is a mess.  My heart went out to him this morning - there he stood waiting for me, in the drizzle, and dampness of the early morning.  His coat is a mess, and he just seems very sad.  He needs rescuing, for sure.

Jelly, the kitty I rescued from Baldwin a week and a few days ago, has been in hiding in her new home.  Her new Mom let her out of the room she was in a bit too soon, and is now not even seen.  They know she is there, eating, using the litter box, but she is in hiding.  Would love some advice from anyone reading.  I would love for them to find her, and put her back in the smaller room to become a bit more socialized.  I do know that she will come around, but its going to take time, and patience, on their part.  I pray they give her that.

I've also heard good reports on Lacey, the pretty white kitty that I rescued from Second a few months back. She is slowly being introduced to her new feline brother, and her new mom is already in love with her.

The following are pictures from yesterday.  Be sure to click on the pictures so that you can see upcloseAs you can see, there is still a lot of snow on the ground from the storm we had last week.

Peanut Butter stretching as he leaves the shelter to greet me  (he sure needs a home)

Head poking out of shelter

Snow covered shelter

Inside Baldwin Shelter

Kitty waiting for its breakfast

Kitty waiting for me to leave

The 'diner' on 6th Street

Board covering shelter (these I need!!!)

Another view of entrance to shelter

Have yourselves a GREAT Monday!  And please, spread the word!

"What we have done for ourselves alone dies with us; what we have done for others and the world remains and is immortal."