Catville

So much happened this weekend, and the weekend was only TWO days!

First off, Smudgy Miranda has been adopted!  I brought her over for a meet and greet on Saturday morning, and wound up leaving her there.  They had every intention on keeping her, and all went well when meeting with their two year old daughter.  Their young son was away for the day, but when the two met -- well, you judge for yourself!  Happy Dance for me!

Smudgy Miranda and her new family

If you recall, last week a friend showed me a location not far from some of my colonies that she feeds at occasionally.  When I got there, I saw at least five kittens running around.  I reached out for help in trapping these babies, as babies do not belong on the street if we can help it!  I offered to take them in and foster them if she could get them.  Voila, all in one fell swoop, she got them.  They are in my bathroom now, and they are on the cusp of being feral.  I have to slowly get them used to human interaction, as the first eight weeks of their life have been spend only with other cats, and trying to survive inside a garage.  I am way above my head on this one.  I need some help with socializing them.  My sister has offered to foster one, but not until after the July 4th holiday.

On top of that, I received a text from the trapper of these kittens that there was an orange little cat at Rochester Animal Services that had been brought there a week earlier after being hit by a car on Webster Avenue.  Webster Avenue is one of my spots, where Crazy Marilee throws the food away.  This trapper asked if I knew of the cat.  At first I couldn't recall, then I realized that yes!  There has always been a small sweet little red kitty and its been gone for about a week now.  I thought Crazy Marilee had taken it in her house as she considers all these cats HERS.  As a matter of fact, there is a black cat I've seen the past two mornings with a huge ball growth under its belly.  Its terribly sad.  It won't let me get near it, but I placed some food down for it under a bush, hoping Marilee won't see it.  The trapper, a sweet tiny woman, expert at what she does, told me she needed to return it to the colony.  I told her about Crazy Marilee, and that if anything, all those cats needed to be removed from there, not returned.  I told her I would foster it if she could determine its personality. Well, she reported back that not only is this kitty sweet, but she let her brush her teeth!  : )  Imagine that.  And I have someone coming over after work today to meet "Fluffy" from Ferndale.  Prayers please!

The real bummer of the weekend was a message from a girl that adopted Teddy over a year ago.  Here is what she wrote me: 

"I am having problms with Teddy. He has been peeing on our shoes, etc. Now I found pee all over our closet... Its horrible. I just cant do this. especially having a 2 and 5 yr old, its just not healthy. He peed on some of their stuff even. What do u want me to do; I just don't think we can keep him at this point"

This woman and her family adopted Teddy over a year ago.  I am very very upset by this and have offered her the advice to get a calming collar, multiple litter boxes around the only cat house, Prozac prescription from the doctor, and another check up after she told me that Teddy had a vet visit over two months or so ago.  When people adopt from me, I expect its for life.  Most of my adopters have made it clear to me that no matter what, the cat is theirs for life, no matter what.  Some of my adopters have been through trials with these animals from the streets, some have not.  But in the long run, you don't just get rid of your cat because its urinating in the wrong places.  It obviously has an issue that needs to be address, just like if a human child is having behavioral issues, or medical issues.  Do you just get rid of the child?  You can't just expect that I can take the cat back just like that, can you?  I have SO much on my plate, how can you do this to me, or the cat?  Thoughts?

Pictures taken Saturday morning:

Pennsylvania and Second

Pennsylvania and Second

Shelter - Pennsylvania and Second

New Cat at Pennsylvania and 4th

Cammy, my next rescue, on Central & 5th

Buttons on Short Street

Mr. Whiskers II on Short

Crazy Marilee

One of the Many Cats on Merrill Street

Have a good day.

"I believe all suffering is caused by ignorance.  People inflict pain on others in the selfish pursuit of their happiness or satisfaction.  Yet true happiness comes from a sense of inner peace and contentment, which in turn must be achieved through the cultivation of altruism, of love and compassion and elimination of ignorance, selfishness and greed."