Black Magic (Cat) Woman

Well, my friend Kristin tallied up from my blog this weekend, and here is what she writes:

"DRUMROLL.....  you have rescued 22 cats and 2 puppies.  You have TNR'd 30 cats in addition to the ones you've rescued since January of this year."  (thats 52 cats spayed and neutered - thats also $2,600.00 in vet fees, and that is just for spay/neuter). 

WELL I'LL BE...  :)   I am proud of that.  I know there are people out there, including those that might be reading this, that have probably done a lot more than that, but for little old me, I am impressed.  I couldn't do all the TNR's without the help of Laura, who has caught some that were hard for me to get, and rescued all those without the help of YOU.  My friends, strangers, family.  Thanks for spreading the word, and helping with foster, and adopting all of those kitties!!!~  WE ALL can do it, one cat at a time!

The above was written last evening.

Here is today:

I was going to comment today about my mission and purpose.  What is my goal doing what I do, each and every single day, for the past 10-15 years, going out, into the inner city, where most houses are run down, where there is trash strewn about, where one in every five or 10 houses is boarded up, in the dark, at 5 am., no matter if its thundering and lightning, pouring rain, wind storm, snow storming, whatever, it doesn't matter.  I feed over 50 cats total, and those are the ones I can see.  I feed them at shelters that are made for me, I feed them on porches with shelters on them, I feed them under boards so the rain can't dampen the food,.  Some are hiding, some come out later and find the food I leave, and hungrily gobble it up.  Some cats are sick, some are kittens, some are pregnant, some are ‘healthy’, some are fixed, some are not. 

My goal, mission, passion, fixation, sickness, ha!  whatever you want to call it, is to rescue these cats, one at a time, sometimes two at a time (kittens) when ever I can.  I find them homes.  I’ve rescued hundreds, and spayed or neutered hundreds more.  I’ve been doing this for over 15 years.  Fixing them is a necessity, something that I hate to do, for many reasons, but its absolutely necessary, so TNR (trap, neuter and return) is something I try to do when I can’t rescue the others.

My dilemma today:  Whenever I have ever rescued kittens, and I have rescued MANY, I have always been able to calm them, hold them and give them love soon after I bring them home.  Today was different.  I set out two kitten traps on Second.  There is a black kitten, and a calico kitten.  The one trap doesn’t work so well, but the other did, and it got the black kitten.  I closed up shop after trying for that hour I am out, thinking I will try for calico tomorrow – I had even picked up mama and set her in the car in a carrier while I tried to get the two babies.  I brought kitten home, in the trap, and opened it up in the bathroom, hoping I would be able to do the same thing I’ve always been able to do with kittens.  This kitten went berserk, jumped so high trying to get out, get away, knocking this and that over, it was crazy.  I finally was able to get it and hold it by the scruff, immobilizing it.  Talking gently, sweet, stroking its tiny head, and as soon as I let up just a second, it bit me.  This is a feral kitten.  This kitten is back into the trap, with food and water, and a cover over it to calm it, but now I have to make a decision.  I either find someone who is willing to work with feral kitten, or ?I get it spayed or neutered and return it to the street, which is so against my belief.  Returning it.  I can do an adult, but to return a baby kitten to the street is, or WAS unthinkable for me.  I am seeking advice.  

What would you do???