Holy Cow!

Cinnamon and Sugar

http://www.whec.com/news/stories/S3810467.shtml

Above is a link to the news story from this morning - where I was interviewed!  But no video yet.   That I know of.

So the story goes like this:  I was driving to Second Street, where I feed behind Paul's house, but there was a police car blocking the street, so I got out and asked whats up, and to tell him what I do.  I couldn't get through.  Trouble down the street.  I could see a SWAT van but the cop said its a 'command' center.  He was really very very nice.  I told him I had another feeding station at the end of the street on Pennsylvania and he said it was only blocked at the other end.  I told him the kitties behind Paul's would be hungry today. I didn't really say that, but I thought it.   So I drove around the block and parked to feed at my two spots on Pennsylvania and Second.  I did my thing across the road behind a house, and then crossed the road to go to the abandoned boarded up house on the hill, and a woman rushed over to me, I didn't see it was a film crew, and she says 'do you live here?'  yea, right, I live here at this boarded up house.  I told her what I was doing there, and she asked if  they could interview me.  I did look horrendous (who doesn't at 4 am?), but I wanted to plug the cats.

Her:  Do you know those people across the street?  I told her I knew them, had conversations with them. Told her I knew just about everyone in this area because of what I do.

Her:  Does this crime surprise you? No.  Why?  There is a lot of crime and poverty here, and they go hand in hand.

Her:  Does it deter you from what you are doing, feeding the cats?   I don't just feed them, I also shelter them, and get them spayed and neutered.  There is a real problem with homeless cats and I try to do my part around here to help that.  No, I am fearless and determined to reduce their population by Trap Neuter Return.

She took my hand and said God bless you for what you are doing (off camera).

Done.

Here is one video - there were two shown on TV this morning, but I wasn't in this one:

http://www.whec.com/news/stories/S3810467.shtml?cat=565

That was the highlight of my day.  I raced off to finish up my route.

Have a good day!

"Poverty is the mother of crime."

The Daily Beat

Each morning I leave the house at 4 am., drive a few miles into the Beechwood section of Rochester, and sneak around behind abandoned houses, in the back of empty lots, beside homes where I have permission, to feed on average 3 cats at 16 different locations.  Some have 5, 6 and 8 cats 'living' there.  And these are the cats that I can see.  I know many more come out when I leave.

I feel like I am doing a service to this community by spaying and neutering the ones that I am able to do.  I was thinking about this because of the confrontation with Crazy Marilee the other morning. If the police had showed up, they would wonder who is crazier, but do they understand what it is that I am doing.  And that I am doing good.  Will they defend me, as long as I am not breaking the law.   I am rescuing innocent animals from the streets when I can, and I am taking the sick and dying.  I am removing the dead ones that get hit in the road.  I am doing a service for this community, yet it goes unrecognized most days. 

When I am driving home, I don't have a sense of relief, or accomplishment.  I have a sense of dread, knowing I am leaving behind some very sweet animals that deserve a home.  They deserve to be loved.  Some are so dirty and mangy and need to be spayed/neutered, others are much cleaner and sweeter since they were TNR'd years ago. 

I pull up to some shelters and the cats come running, some sniffling and sneezing. Tomorrow I will need to bring some Clavamox and slip it into their wet food - the kitties on Baldwin.  I do what I can do.  I just want to swoop them all up and bring them to the vet for wellness check - get their meds for their ailments, but then it would be way too hard to return them to the streets.

Cookie/Bella!

FYI, my little Wubby, the kitten I rescued from Ferndale and Webster has been adopted!  (not officially - yet).  Back in September, 2014, when I was fostering all those kittens!  They were from the Roberts Wesleyn College situation last year.  Which by the way, still remains a problem.  But lots of have been rescued so far.  Cookie was one of them, and she was adopted out by a sweet girl and her cute little boy Angelo, and renamed Bella.  They now want a companion, and have chosen sweet little Wubby!  I am continuing to give her eyedrops, which she HATES!  Its very difficult to do, and her little body is SO petite and fragile, I feel like I am going to break her when I have to hold her down.  But her eye is clearing up and I am hoping that maybe this weekend her new Mom will take her home!

WUBBY

I have yet to hear a report on Frisco who is at my sister's house until the weekend, and then back to me, to be readied for adoption  I hope his cuts and scrapes are healing.  Poor little guy.  A chicken bone stuck to the roof of his mouth.

FRISCO! 

Lets not forget Elvis and Jelly Bean.  I have yet to get their pictures, but if anyone wants a sweet, older kitty, these two are for you.

ELVIS!

JELLY (Bean)

Have a great day!

PS. don't forget the fundraiser!  July 18th - 1-7 pm, Creekside Inn in Rush, NY!  (Must fix starting time on Flier).  We have some great bands lined up!

"Three things in human life are important:  the first is to be kind; the second is to be kind; and the third is to be kind."

Marilee

Blackie, FeLV +, one of my proud rescues from Stout, living the life in the country now.

So, to make a long story short, after I placed food down at the location where someone has been taking the food and bowls away from the 5+ (that I see each day) hungry cats that I feed there, and after leaving a few notes, I drove down the street a ways, got out, told Kings to drive around a bit, I walked back and just stood in the dark, waiting to catch the culprit.  After a few minutes, realizing I still have half more of my rounds to do, I asked Kings to be my replacement, and wait on the stairs in the dark, and to let me know if and who came by.  Yes, when I am determined to do something, I do it, no matter what.  After about 20 minutes, he texted me that a tall white woman was walking by.  I immediately said, oh, that’s Marilee!  The crazy woman that lives a street over, that I’ve dealt with in the past.  She considers all these cats hers, and doesn’t believe in spaying or neutering them, as its not God’s way, or something like that – she stated this tome several years ago on this same corner when I was feeding in the empty lot on Webster and the DEVIL MAN wound up trashing all my stuff.   Seriously, do a search on the search bar above for these words, and you can read all about those situations years ago. 

Wubby - she found a home!!

I told Kings I would be finishing up soon and would be back there.  I drove like a mad woman back there looking for her, ready to confront her, and didn’t see her until I drove down her dead end street and saw her there, with about five cats around her.  Clearly, these cats trust her.  Clearly, she loves cats.  But we got into a very heated exchange.  When I say someone is mentally ill, I don’t say it lightly.  I’ve now run into two women that are certifiable in these neighborhoods over the years.  When gibberish comes out of their mouth, you know they have a problem.  So I try to be extremely alert, and as calm as possible around the both of them.  I haven’t seen LISA from Parsells in a couple of years now, although I have rescued and TNR’d several cats in front of where she used to (?) live these past few months.  Back to Marilee, I told her I knew what she was doing, and to keep her hands off those bowls.  I can’t give you verbatim what we said back and forth, but voices were at the top of our lungs.  I knew people streets over could hear us at 5 in the morning.  She said the cats were hers, and where were two of them, I told her they were not hers, where is the food she is feeding them?  They are homeless cats reproducing and she is not even feeding them.  Some of these cats are very sick, flea infested, trying to stay alive.  She may come out of her house occasionally and give them scraps, which is why they come around her I believe.  I am trying to control the population with TNR, and get as many of them OFF the streets and into good homes.  This is where I just rescued FRISCO from, the cat with the bone stuck in its mouth, slowly starving to death due to not being able to drink or eat.  I rescued Webster last fall.  I told her one by one more cats would be missing if she didn’t stop taking the bowls.  And they will still be rescued if I can help it. 

Nehemia aka BARNEY

This morning, bowls still there.  I hope she got my drift.

Frisco made it out from the clinic with his manhood gone yesterday.  Little Wubby received a shot of Convenia, was also sent home with Tobramycin for his eye, conjunctivitis, and also a bag of Lysine treats.  I need to follow up on Barney, who was also at the vet this past weekend with urinary tract infection.  Its been a very expensive week for me so far with vet bills.

Please don’t forget my fundraiser on July 18^th.  Its going to be a BLAST.  I have great friends and family. There is going to be great music, and great food, and great drinks.  Its outdoors under the pavilion, and is going to be a beautiful day.  Come and stay for the duration, or stay for an hour, or even a minute.  Just come! Still working on trying to obtain one more band to play for a few hours.  Anybody?

My grandmother Helen McCann on the Right.  Her sister Gail on the left.  She started my love for animals!

Have a great day!

"With patience, you can even

cook a stone."

The Taliban

There isn't a day that goes by that I don't get up just after 3 am. and leave the house at 4:15 to go out and feed over 50 cats, and try to make sure that they are as cared for as I can.  I build them little shelters, put food and water down for them, and try to get each one spayed and neutered.  Then along comes someone who sneaks over after I leave and takes the bowls of food away.  I will catch you buddy.  On Ferndale and Webster, there are at least five cats that I can see in the dark waiting for that precious food.  I put two inside a board, under cover from the weather, and two paper bowls outside.  When I arrive the next morning, sure enough, the paper bowls are gone, and the plastic bowls under cover are disarranged and empty.  This morning I decided to do a little test.  I drove back to the spot, an hour later, and the paper bowl I had left was gone.  I left another one.  The other plastic ones were still inside under cover of the board.  Tomorrow, I will do it again, but this time I will turn around and out of sight, I will watch who is doing that and confront them.  This really pisses me off.  Tell me to leave, I will find some alternative, but don't take away an animals only sustenance they have to stay alive.

UPDATE from above: (I have found the perpetrator this morning - CRAZY MARILEE!! (read my posts from years ago - you can do a search for her name in the search bar above).  She said I was from the Taliban. It was a bad shouting match when I caught her doing this - I will have more on this for you tomorrow.  I gotta get to work!)

What an INSANE weekend.  I never asked for this, I swear.

Thursday started out with me picking up Barney from his new home because I was going to bring him in the next day, Friday, to the walk in clinic where he was neutered from to get a urinalysis done on him.  He spent the night in my bathroom.  On Friday, when I got to the clinic, thinking it was going to open in half hour so I would be one of the first people in line, turns out they opened an hour earlier.  The message was wrong on their recording as to the hours.  It would be a two hour wait.  Hang on, this is my day off, its too nice out, its 2:30 now, and I won't be seen for at least two hours?  OK, so when is your next walk in day?  Tomorrow, Saturday?  OK, so back home, back in the bathroom for Barney overnight, and back to the clinic the next day at 11:30.  Well, turned out that at 1 pm., I still hadn't been seen even though I was one of the first people there.  Finally, they took him back and told me they couldn't get a specimen seeing that he had already done ALL his business in the carrier in the waiting room, which emptied out the place because of the odor.  They would keep him and call me in a couple of hours.  By 4 pm., I went up there to see what was going on, and he was ready, but the test wasn't, so I drove him back to his home, and got the results from the doctor on voicemail late that evening.  Sure enough, UTI.  They had sent me home with meds anyway, Baytril, so he would get started on that and hopefully all will be well for Barney soon~!

Frisco Before - Sunday

Sunday morning, as I was doing my route, on Webster and Ferndale, up walks this 2nd little red kitty, foaming at the mouth, and looking pretty torn up on his face.  I didn't think twice, this was a sick cat.  I scooped him up and placed him in the carrier I keep in the car.  Brought him home, on a Sunday of a holiday weekend, and thought Good God, will I need to go to the emergency clinic, where its $100 just to walk in?  I will keep him in bathroom and monitor him.  I wiped his little mouth clean, and gave him some good wet food.  I watched him eat and he was rolling his head around, shaking it, obviously having a hard time swallowing.  He then just layed on my lap and purred.  I kept him in there for a few hours until my friend Diane could come over to determine if he really did need to be seen.  When she arrived, she opened his mouth and looked in and saw this!

Animal Bone stuck to roof of mouth

Off to the Emergency Hospital we go!   Look at what they found!  It was some kind of animal bone stuck tot the roof of his mouth. He could not eat or swallow.  This poor animal would have starved to death had he not walked up to me.  Good God.  So many situations out there.  I thank God I was in the right place at the right time.  $145.  Now Frisco is set to go to clinic for snip snip today. He is full of fleas, but has a sweet personality. He has been through a lot and now needs to find a good home.  Please consider him.  I am up to my arms with rescued cats right now.

FRISCO! Today~

Scenes from the Morning

Some pictures from this morning.  Don't forget to click on each one to zoom in.

Above is the black kitty that I was feeding over the winter that had a head wound.  It seems to have healed up.  He is a friendly boy that needs a home.  Hayward.

This gorgeous, unneutered male has been hanging around this feeding spot for a while now.  VERY friendly.  I assume he is a stray.  He needs neuter, and rescue.  Hayward.

Below is the black cat with white markings that has been hanging around this feeding spot for a few months now.  Shy.  Unneutered/spayed.  Baldwin.

Below is a sad case.  This little guy is starving in the morning, waiting for me to leave so that he can gobble his food.  If you zoom in, you can see the scars on his nose.  He's had it rough out there.  This is about as far as he will let me get to him.  Reminds me of George, and George the Second.  Central and Fifth.

Here is Baby Mama on Seventh, the kitty that I've been feeding for years now.  I rescued two of her three babies and they have gone on to wonderful homes.

I have the day off, so I must get to my chores. I will be picking Barney up today from the woman who adopted him to bring him to the clinic tomorrow to see if he has any issues after he has a urine analysis done on him.  I pray that's the case, and that its treatable.  We must keep him in his home.  I have no other planned alternative for him if this doesn't work out.  Prayers, please.  This girl and her son have been very patient with him.

I will be bringing more fliers over to the girl that adopted Gemma, so that she can pass them out to businesses and post more on side streets near her home.  We cannot give up on Gemma.  More prayers please!

Have a good day!

Father
We ask you to help us find Gemma
 my beloved kitty who is now lost.
We know that you
placed animals on the earth
for many reasons,
including companionship for man.
We therefore ask you
to help us find our lost companion,
and pray that You will keep her safe
and protect her from harm until she is found.
We join our prayers with St. Francis,
St. Anthony of Padua, and all the saints,
and pray in the name of Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen

URGENT REQUEST FOR ADVICE

Barney, the kitty I rescued two weeks ago and went to a new home - his new mother is frantic for some advice.  PLEASE help me give her some!

Here is what she has to say:

I wanted to pick your brain for a second and share some thoughts and see what you think. so for the past 2 days barney has been crying like he is dying a slow death. and trying to get out to side storm door. in addition to my entire house smelling like pee and him peeing on the kitchen floor twice, in the dogs water bowl and on my stove. im worried that he isnt happy....like hes being tortured and he peeing to get back at me for not letting him outside. im afraid he will eventually get out if he waits long enough by the side door. someone is gonna open it and he will be gone. I dont know what to do. I dont want him to get out and get lost, but also not to be miserable and systematically destroy the house either.

Happy Days....

Happy Days because I'm on 'vacation' for the next five days.  :)  I sure do need these breaks from work - so stressful, not only mentally, but physically.  My eyes are so strained staring at the computer.  This is why I am not on the computer at home much, nor do I have a smart phone, nor do I like to text.  Not only that, but last fall, I was sitting on my porch having a cocktail or two, went in the house, closed the door on my finger, and it is NOW slowly shedding the nail off.  But I am so grossed out about it I have it bandaged up nearly 24 hours a day.  It my middle finger on my right hand, so when I type, I make a gazillion mistakes.   I've lived with this for months now!!!  Hurry up nail, move along!  I will also be getting my yard ready for the summer.  The front looks great so far, but the back will take a bit of time.  I love to sit and admire my work once its all done.  Vegetables, flowers - I must say, even though I could be living in a larger house somewhere else if i didn't do what I've done for the past 15 years of pouring my money into animals, I still love my little house, and am thankful I am able to do little things for it on the little salary I make.

Nilsson

So here is the news from yesterday's TNR:  Nilsson, the poor baby that sat around for days at Diane's house after she helped me trap last weekend was already neutered, but not eartipped.  How could you know?  Nicky was neutered.  Both spent the night on my porch, very unhappy, but at least Nilsson ate, that I know of.  He is also a very beautiful cat too.  Wish he wasn't so frightened.  He would make someone a beautiful companion.

Wubby this morning

And then there is little Wubby.  Wubby was brought in to County Line for spay. Wubby is 7 months old. Wubby WAS pregnant.  Can you imagine?  She is just a little girl!  You would never have known it looking at her.  The vet said her babies were the size of peanuts.  Poor little thing.  She was happy as a clam in its shell to be back home with me and her feline sisters and brothers.  I say that but remember, she has GOT to find a home.  Please spread the word about her, Elvis and Jelly.  

There are so many sweet cats on the street of Rochester still.  Please consider foster or adoption of one of them.  I will get more pictures - there are so many beauties... Lets clean up the streets of them so that the raccoons and other critters can do their thing.  I am tired of chasing them away from the cat food!  

Please be sure to mark your calendars for July 18th, the 2nd Annual Meow and Chow fundraiser my friends are putting on for me.  It was a blast last year, and we will have even more this year!

Have a nice day!

"The love for all living creatures is the most noble attribute of man."

Spay Spay Spay! Neuter Neuter Neuter!~

Wubby, the kitten I rescued Saturday morning from Webster/Ferndale, is going to be spayed today at County Line.  I am bringing her there because I have no intention on returning this little 7-8 mo. old kitten back to the streets.  She is super sweet. and I just know we will find her a good home.  As with any young kitty, I hesitate on getting their ear tipped, therefore, I bring them to County Line, which is considerably more expensive than the TNR clinic I use, but that's what you pay for, no ear tipping!  She was a hungry little girl this morning.

Wubby (waiting to go to the doctor)!

It was a crazy morning today.  First off, I got a call last night from a friend who asked me if I could take a trapped cat to County Line for them for drop off, along with my scheduled Wubby.  The cat was trapped and brought over to my porch last night for safekeeping until transport this morning.  The poor little thing didn't move an inch, it looks like, all night.  Didn't touch the food or water that was left in the trap by the girl that brought it over either.  In the meantime, due to the fact that of the two cats - Nellie and Nilsson - that Diane trapped over the weekend for me on Niagara, one of them having delivered babies the very next day, I had to get one more to meet my quota for the clinic this morning (because obviously Nellie couldn't be spayed because she is nursing her FIVE newborn kittens!).  I set the trap on Parsells hoping to get one of the two newbies I've seen there, and drove off to do a couple of spots up ahead and then come back and check.  Well, I did, and nothing. Drove off, did three more spots, drove back, nothing.  Drove off to do the last on that side of town - I call it the front nine - and then drove back a final time, and nothing.  Picked up the trap, drove all the way to my very last spot of the day on Niagara (the back nine), and set it down.  Drove off to do the same thing =- go feed, drive back, go feed at another spot, drive back to see if any takers.  Nothing. Finally, got out, added some more smelly tuna, drove off, did a few more spots, came back and voila!  I introduce you to Nicky.  He or she will be my second kitty to be spayed/neutered at the clinic today.  We are curious as to the sex of both Nilsson and Nicky.  Neither Diane nor I can tell.

NICKY from Niagara

As you can see, its very hard for me to trap AND feed - I am doing extra 15-20 minutes of driving back and forth.  Its draining, not only to me, but also to the vehicle, which is already half broken.  I need a new muffler, for sure,and God knows what else.  I pray that Diane will be able to continue to help me even though she has her hands full with tons of newborn kittens and feral moms to care for.

So two kitties need to go to County Line this morning, and then two kitties need to be picked up and transported to the clinic on Bay, all within an hour.  Super hectic morning for me.  I think I need a break from this for just a week, even though I have two spots scheduled for myself at the clinic until the end of June.  I've trapped between 204 cats each week for the past two months so far.  I've already missed two to three pregnant cats that have obviously delivered outdoors - that's heartbreaking in itself.

GEMMA

The other heartbreak being Gemma. Word has it that her adoptive person is now looking to adopt another cat, to replace Gemma 'for the meantime' as a companion to the cat she adopted soon after she adopted Gemma from me.  I am quite upset by this.  I have a ton of mixed feelings on this.  I couldn't even consider getting another cat while one is still missing after two weeks.  I just COULDN'T!  And Gemma is MY little girl.  I am very upset.

Have a nice day.

"You cannot make yourself feel something you do not feel, but you can make yourself do right in spite of your feelings."

Whoa Nellie!

Diane helped me trap again this weekend for Tuesday's clinic. She is determined to help me make a difference in this neighborhood.  So far I have TNR'd over 24 cats in a month and half or so.  She got Nellie from Niagara, and Nilsson - who I am not sure if boy or girl yet.  Nellie LOOKED pregnant on Saturday:

What do you think? 

Well, on Sunday, this is who was in the cage with her:

NELLIE & The Babies

Normally, she would have been spayed at the clinic on Tuesday.  But little did we know the arrival of her little princes and princesses would occur so soon.  We do NOT need more babies in this world, but I thank GOD these babies were not born outdoors.  Diane would do anything for an animal. Anything. To save its life.  But even she will agree that if a cat is not that close to giving birth, and is feral, then its only practical - and that is not even a good word; there are just too many babies being born and not enough homes for them.  I will repeat, for ever kitten born,there are 10-20 more in shelters being euthanized.  There are only so many fosters to go around.  In Diane's words on Sunday: "God decided for us the fate of these babies!!  There are four babies so far. She is still laboring. Nellie loves me, NOT!!! It will all work out I'm sure.  It has too. I see this birth as a blessing. I really do."

Nellie is very feral, and if she doesn't let up, her babies will be somewhat the same.  When babies are born to a feral mom, they are usually adoptable, but in my personal first hand knowledge, they will always have a fear in them of loud noises, and humans.  I remember bringing home my Cinnamon and Sugar when they were wee babies, born to a feral mom in my friend Jim's garage. Until the day they died 13 years later, a year apart, they still hid when strangers came over.   The other sad part here is that the black kitty that I was hoping she would get the past two weekends, that I suspected was pregnant, has had her kittens, I am almost 99% sure.  Her belly looked loose hanging low under her.  I looked in the huts I've placed there, no kittens inside.  So so sad.

Some more stats:

Thousands of puppies and kittens are born each day in the U.S. In six years, one female dog can be the source of 67,000 puppies, while in seven years one female cat and her young can produce 420,000 kittens. Even if you find good homes for all of your pet's offspring, you are taking away homes from other companion animals desperately in need of someone to care for them. Thousands of unwanted animals are killed every day, most of them healthy, the majority less than one year old.

The Results of Pet Overpopulation

• Starvation
• Disease
• Freezing
• Roadkill
• Cheap sources of animals for use in scientific experimentation
• Cats and dogs treated as nuisances, leading to a general acceptance of animal cruelty in society
• More slaughtered wildlife as hungry strays kill birds and other animals
• An increased number of dog bites
• Increased taxes: the U.S. spends $1 billion annually euthanizing cats and dogs.

The other kitty, Nilsson, that Diane trapped:  Poor thing.

NILSSON

I will be trapping one more for the clinic tomorrow morning, so that IT and Nilsson cannot produce any more babies.

This morning couldn't have started any worse.  I will admit, I have been going out in my neighborhood a couple of times this spring and picked some lilacs.  Not directly on anyone's property, the lilac bushes were close to the road, far from the house.  May God strike me dead.  But they are wasted beauty, and my FAVORITE flower is lilac.  I wish I had some on my property, but I don't, and I have no friends who have them to offer them up to me.  So, here I am at 4:10 am., grabbing a few in the dark before heading into the hood to feed the babies out there, and driving back closer to my house before I go, in the dark, behind me, flashing lights!!!  I thought, oh Lord!  I am going to get busted for stealing lilacs!  How did this guy see me???  I was scared to death.  He comes up - do you have your license and registration?  NO.  I go into the city and feed cats, and I don't carry it with me.  I know I should, but I don't.  OK - what is your name and address (I pointed to my house), and I hope you aren't lying to me.   Something like that.  He came back and said I pulled you over because a taillight is out.  I glanced over to the lilacs.  He didn't see them!!!  I told him I would have it fixed today and wished him well, as he did me.  Nice guy.  Thank God!  Dodged another bullet!

As I was going to turn right from Short Street onto Goodman, I saw something in the road to my left.  Sure enough, a dead cat.  I got closer, turned around, put my flashers on,  grabbed a towel, got out to wave cars to go around, and picked up a sweet kitty I'd been feeding at the shelters on Short.  A beautiful white with black markings.  That poor animal. Still felt warm under the towel that I gently wrapped it in and brought it to the vacant lot across the way and placed it under the tree.  I always say a little prayer for them when this happens.  I didn't shed a tear, I am becoming hardened to death out there.  So much sadness and heartache. 

Barney is doing well. His new mom reports that he is doing fine, and left an adoption donation for me on her porch when I picked up the very smelly carrier I brought him over in.   As far as I know, my poor Gemma is gone now.  Her adoptive family must have given up.  I am ill just thinking about it.  I can only hope that she was taken in by someone kind and who will watch her like a hawk.  I will never again adopt out to anyone where there is a question in my mind on whether the house is safe or not.  In fact, when I dropped Barney off a week ago, I checked all the screens on the porch that she had him on.  I am sure this girl must have thought I was crazy.  But thats OK.  Please say a prayer for Gemma.

Have a nice day.

"Question:  How can one person 

save 100 homeless cats?  

Answer:  Its easy.  Just spay one."

I Did It Again!

(Don't forget to click on the pic to see up close!)

Momma Janine - get a new window in your bathroom!

Meet Wubby!, the little 8 month old girl I've been feeding on Ferndale and Webster for at least a month now,.  Thats how long its taken for her to trust me to come up close to me for a bite to eat while I pour the good stuff out - the wet food.  She is a beauty.  I just couldn't leave a kitten on the street.  I don't know what I will do with her, besides take her to the vet, but she needed to get off the street.  She is scared, but won't leave your lap if you place her there. This is where she will head butt you, and put her tiny head into the crook of your arm as if to hide.  This is where she fully trusts you.  Please spread the word so that someone can adopt or foster her.  She's a good little girl.

Another dilemma:  I received this from the new mom of Barney.  Please, please, help me with some advice.  I can't imagine having to take him back for this. Or that she keeps him I have no where for him to go.

"I moved all Barneys stuff to the basement. I don't know why but he sprayed urine all over the walls, it was literally dripping down the wall. and on mikey toys and on the couch. do u know of anything to get rid of the smell? I got it mostly gone but its still lingering."

I released the kitties I had TNR'd yesterday at the clinic.  I think Kristin has been tallying up the cats I've TNR'd, and I think she said something about 18 so far, so this would make 20. Thats a LOT for me.  I am proud of that number.  And, as she said, its only May.  I just started to do this in what, March?  Turns out that Pixie and Poppa were BOTH boys.  There are a LOT of boys out there!  Would love to know the number of girls that I've done so far, in comparison to the number of boys.  Anybody got time to count?  :) They spent the night on my porch in their traps, and ate pretty well.  "Pixie" allowed me to pet him.  I feel horrible each time I have to release them.  They could be someone's loving kitty.  Spread the word, please. Open your home and hearts to these guys.

PS, just got great advice from Julie with the problem with Barney:  and its so true.  So if you are leery to adopt a cat from the street because of this, remember this (and this is NOT a normal occurrence):  bleach and water will take it away.  He will have that smell for about 2 weeks until all the testosterone is out of his system.  He will also not be able to spray as soon as all testosterone is gone, only pee.  He was likely scared and unsure of his surroundings...

Have a GREAT day!

"When writing the story of your life, don't let anyone else hold the pen."

TNR Thursday!

TNR Tuesday - I believe Laura let the now-not-pregnant Twin back to her 'home' on Parsells yesterday, after holding her for a night, and I believe Diane let Niles back to his 'home' on Niagara yesterday also.  This morning, I got these two rascals on Parsells - Pixie and Poppa.  I am very unsure about Pixie. She looks like the kitty I saw very pregnant a week or so ago, but the cat in the trap doesn't look pregnant.  Could she have had her babies?  We will find out today when they both go to the clinic. Poppa is none too happy.  Both semi-feral I believe.  And of course I am guessing on the sex of both too.  We will know for sure by today.

Pixie

Poppa

On Niagara, there is a black kitty that looks quite pregnant also.  She actually got pretty close to me this morning.  Bowls were empty, so I am sure she was very hungry.  I must focus on her for the next clinic.  

On Ferndale and Webster, I am slowly gaining the trust now of the little tiny red kitty there, thanks to the SIX to SEVEN month old KITTEN that has been running up to me, starving each morning.  This is a beautiful little grey tabby, and they are BOTH on my hit list for RESCUE.  SWEET.  Just a little skittish as they've been living on the street. But they are both starting to let me pet them now.  But I keep promising George #2 on Parsells that he is next!  I must find homes for these three!  I will try to get pictures of all three tomorrow.  This little baby though must get off the street.  Maybe I will grab him tomorrow.  Just a tyke!

Barney

My rescue of the week, Barney, was brought to his new home yesterday.  I felt like a mother hen when I delivered him. This girl, she is so sweet, and has the sweetest little boy, was so kind, and gentle with him.  We made his little nest on her enclosed porch, where he immediately took to the smell of the other cat on the scratching post.  I over explained how fragile he was, how he had no experience being in a house indoors, or being loved, and shown kindness.  I was so leary to leave him, but I did.  I receive the report this morning:  "He went from sleeping on the floor to sleeping on the couch to sleeping on top of the couch so he can look in the window at everything. He looks content. He let Michael play with his tail which I was surprised at. And he used his litterbox!"

Oh happy days!

As I left Second Street this morning, I couldn't help to give myself a small, silent pat on the back.  I remembered that two years ago, this street was crawling with cats.  But thanks to MANY rescues I made. and the help of people like Laura (when I first met her), and a few girls from Another Chance Pet Rescue, and a grant that Lollipop allowed me to partake in, we dd a big sweep of TNRs over the course of a week or so, and now there are barely any cats in sight anymore.  I then got to thinking that if there were a ME on every street in Rochester, who provided shelter, and food, and spayed and neutered, we would not have the problem we have today.  Why isn't this possible?  It seems so easy to have a ME on every street.  

Its getting lighter and lighter out now.  At 5 am. I can see the light in the east.  The moon was a beautiful sliver in the clear dark blue sky above.  The birds begin to chirp at that time.  All is quiet otherwise.  Its a wonderful time of the day for those that can appreciate it.  I just miss sleeping in.  :(

Have a WONDERFUL day!

"Do things that count, but don't count

the things you do."

Well, guess what.  Another rescue!  Nehemia is going to be adopted!  His new moms name is Azure - such a beautiful name, and obviously a big heart.  She also has renamed him Barney!  I will be bringing him over to meet his new mom this evening!  Hurray!  And thanks Julie for finding Azure for me!  Azure was one of Julie's fosters for Another Change Pet Rescue, which Julie was the founder/president of.   Its disbanded now, but thank goodness the compassion is still in every one of its member's hearts to continue to care for animals. Barney was picked up at the clinic, extremely doped up, and spent a very restless night at my house.  Crying all night.  This is truly a street cat, that knows nothing about love, gentleness, warmth, and kindness.  He just sits and cries and wonders what is happening to him.  He is a very beat up cat too.  He has lived through quite a few turbulent years being homeless with the weather and just trying to survive the street life.  He, along with all the others, surely deserves a home, but its going to take a little while for Barney to get used to it.  I pray this girl has nothing but patience and love to give him.  Patience is key.

Niles will be put back on the street today.  So will Polly, the second twin that Laura successfully trapped yesterday for spaying.  Thank you Diane and Laura for your help in cleaning up the area that I feed, shelter and do my best to control the population of hundreds of cats that need help 365 days a year.  I do my best with what little resources I have, and most of the time, its just little old me doing it.  I am so grateful.

Tomorrow, I set two more traps on Parsells, where I feed under a tree just before my REAL first spot/shelter is.  There is another pregnant kitty there that I saw a few days ago, and at least two more cats that have not been spayed/neutered. I have two more appointments scheduled at the clinic tomorrow.  Thats four more cats that will not be reproducing in just one week!  Wish me luck.

Vanessa just rescued with her black baby

Vanessa Today

My little Vanessa had to go to the doctor yesterday.  She has been 'coughing' - almost like she is going to spit up a hairball, but it never comes up.  This has been going on for a while before I decided she should probably be looked at.  She may have asthma, they say, and/or an upper respiratory, so after an extra, she was sent home with steroids and Clavamox.  To the tune of $191.  Thanks Vanessa.  And thank you MasterCard.  She actually seems to be doing better this morning after her first round of pills!  I had some litter donated to me that was very dusty, and that might have triggered it a few weeks ago.

GEORGE and SCOOTER (loving their new bed (and each other!))

BUTTERSCOTCH



If you all remember Butterscotch, the kitten I took in from the Roberts Wesleyan College situation.  She was semi-feral, and still is. Its been months since I held her.  She loves her home here with me and her brothers and sisters, but won't let me get too close to her.  She runs, she plays, she does everything a kitten does, but with her feline buddies.  Not me.  Sad, but hopefully someday that will change.  I snapped the pic above walking past the steps, she had her head in her 'hands' looking down from the top stair.

I leave you with more pictures of some of my brats.  Don't forget to click on the pics for a close up view.

BRADY BOY

LEO

BUSTER and MARYJANE

Have a great day!

"Never look down on anybody unless you're helping them up."