Its Five O'Clock Somewhere!

Today is whine time for me.  I was speaking to a pal last night on the phone and swore I wouldn't do this because I didn't want to sound like a baby.

This morning, while enroute to my third colony - out of 14, I noticed a cop behind me, and as I pulled up to the vacant boarded up house, on the wrong side of the road facing the wrong way, I got out, and wish him good morning as he stopped beside the car.  He then said 'please be sure to stop at the stop sign' to which I replied, 'oh sorry about that, thank you!'  After I did my feedings, in the dark, at 5:15 am., at this boarded up house, I got back in the car and thought - he could have at least asked me, or seem interested in what I was doing at this boarded up house in the dark at 5:15 am. carrying a plastic jug, a plastic container, and a bag of something in my hands.   I thought to myself, I should be THANKED by these authority figures!  I am doing good in these neighborhoods, reporting crimes if I see them, just plain caring for these homeless animals!  I actually have run into a cop or two that have told me what a good job I was doing.  But that was maybe twice, out of 10 years...  I feel I deserve more recognition.  I didn't get in the spotlight when Lenny, the cat I rescued, was blasted in USA Today, Time Magazine, and a newspaper in the UK, not to mention dozens of other journals across the country.  I googled it.   I don't know, this just gets to me sometimes.

Back to reality.  I am done whining, until later today, when I can drink my whine.  I just had to vent....

I would love to be able to count how many cats I've saved this year alone.  Anyone want to do the honors and go back through this blog and count?  I believe for 2013, Kristin counted 50?  Correct me if I am wrong.  I found out the other day that a cat I rescued two weeks ago, that I believed to be pregnant, had her babies a few days ago.  Five.  I am thankful I was able to get her in time.  Those tiny creatures would have died in this weather.  Speaking of, its 25 degrees out, and there is a blanket of snow that fell since yesterday.

A friend of mine in Lima has been feeding a bunch of kitties in her garage all winter, and if you will recall, I helped her with a cat by bringing it to the clinic here in the city to be neutered, and turned out he already was, had a microchip, and had been wandering for an entire year according to the barn owner that he was dropped off at by his owners (see past blog).  She has since adopted that cat as her own, and he is a happy, fat, microchipped indoor kitty now.  One of the cats she is feeding looks pregnant, so this morning I will be meeting her midway (she successfully trapped it last night) and bringing that cat to the clinic for spaying. 

Finally, a good story, as told by my friend Kristin:

"Hi Janine!

On March 20th - a freezing, sleeting Thursday afternoon- I saw a woman trying to put a sheet around a cat sitting next to a telephone pole by the side of the road.  I asked her if she needed help and she said yes - that this cat had been sitting in the same spot for hours and she was trying to help it.  We got it into my carrier and I told her I would take the cat to the vet.  I drove home and put the cat in my bathroom to wait to go to the vet - in 2 hours.  Her whole body was shaking uncontrollably. She could not use her back legs and she appeared blind. She kept falling into the food I gave her.  She was wet, matted with sticks, burdocks and covered with mud.  I have never seen an animal in worse shape.  When we got her to the vet, her core body temperature was 10 degrees below normal - she had severe hypothermia. She was also dehydrated and he eyes were not responding to stimulus.  They decided to keep her for the weekend as rabies could not be ruled out.  I didn't know if she would live - and if she did, what was wrong with her.  But she made significant progress to everyone's surprise and the following Tuesday she went to my parents house to be fostered and nursed back to whatever health she could achieve.  Fast forward to today.  Cupcake - now Abby, as named by my mom - went back to the vet for a checkup.  No one could believe what they saw.  A beautiful, fluffy white cat playing with a wad of paper, purring and rubbing against the vet and snuggling with my mom.  Dr. Parsons said he couldn't believe it was the same cat.  She will lose the last couple of inches of her tail - for whatever reason, it died.  But as Dr. Parsons said, if that the worst thing to come out of what she went through, she is a lucky cat.  And she is - not to mention incredibly sweet and cuddly and playful.  All of her physical problems seem to have vanished under the care and love of the vet and my parents.  Abby is a true testament to the power and healing effects of love.  I do believe that animals know when they have been rescued - I cannot find another reason to explain the sweetness of animals who have been through horrible situations.  I am so thankful Abby will never have to suffer again - and that my parents gave their new, fuzzy friend a chance when she desperately needed them."

In the meantime, Fraser and Celia are still in need of permanent homes.  Please spread the word.

Have a great day!