Saving Cats, One at a Time....

I repeat my self from time to time, explaining what I do, in case there are people checking out my blog that don't know what I do. 

I wake at 4 am. every day (this morning was 3:30!) so that I can prepare myself mentally and physically to go out into the elements, into the inner city - not far from me - and feed stray and feral cats - I see on average about 50 a day, that does not include the ones I don't see that come for the food when I leave.  I place food and water down at 14 different locations, where there is usually some shelter for them in the winter that friends have built for me - most out of plastic totes, that are lined with Styrofoam, and straw to keep them warm.  I go through 20 pounds of dry food a day, and five large yogurt sized containers of wet food.  I give medicine to a few here and there on a daily basis when they look sick, i.e. have URI (upper respiratory infection), and other treatable type ailments, or I bring them to a vet to be checked out.  In the spring, summer and fall, I try to trap at least one cat a week on average, sometimes two, to get them spayed or neutered at the $50 clinic down the street.  I have rescued hundreds of cats and kittens nearly twenty so far since this past January, and all but three have found homes.  Some were not so lucky.  Quite a few I've taken in as my own.  In the fall and winter, its dark when I go out, until I am just about done an hour later.  On blizzard type days, it takes me close to two hours to do my route because I need to shovel a path through the snow to get to the shelters that are in vacant lots or behind boarded up houses, and it also allows the cats, with their short legs, to get to the food more easily.  We get a lot of snow in the wintertime, and it can be brutal temperature wise.

I've been doing this since at least the year 2000.  Not on such a large scale like it is now, but feeding homeless, and rescuing cats.  I do this all out of my own pocket.  I get money and food donations occasionally, but its never enough.  I usually spend on average $150 a week from my paycheck on food, and that does not include the $50 for a spay or neuter.  You figure out that amount per year.  I've given up a lot in my life for this mission.  (i.e. vacations, sleep, financial security).

Friends of mine are having a fundraiser for me on August 2nd.  I will post something about it when we get the Save The Date flier finalized, which should be VERY soon.  I am hoping everyone will be able to attend, or if not able to attend, maybe help with a small donation.  Remember, you are not only helping me to purchase the food, or to spay or neuter a cat, but you are helping the cats directly too.  The admission price will be a bag of cat food and a small fee, if you can.  There will be live bands, food, soft drinks, hard drinks, and auction items.   It will be a blast, and I hope you all will come.

I have the day off from work tomorrow, its supposed to be a beautiful day, which I am looking forward to.

Thanks once again for listening to my story, and have a great day!

"Every time you smile at someone, it is an action of love, a gift to that person, a beautiful thing."