Happy Halloween!

So not everyone likes everyone.  I get that.  I rub certain people the wrong way - just like certain people rub me the wrong way. We are all mere human beings, complicated machines, we are all trying to live our lives as best as we know how, to be as happy as we can be, despite all the unhappiness that surrounds us daily. So I shuffle on, knowing that what must be accomplished can only be done if I continue to move forward in life, not backward.  To force a smile on my face that constantly wants to frown.  I figure that if I fake it, I might just make it.  And that is my philosophy day after day.  And it usually works!  The only time I am discouraged is at work - which is a big chunk of my day, and in my morning route, when I have to leave certain kitties behind.  Especially in inclement weather.  Like today. Another rainy morning, but halfway through, the moon and the stars broke through the clouds, and I knew all would be well.  My spirits can lift in an instant.

Oh, where is that winning lottery ticket?

Oh, the humiliation! 

I have tomorrow off, which will help my outlook immensely.   I will have my hair touched up a bit, and go to lunch with an old friend.  I will also be looking at new cell phones - smart phones, because my dumb phone is not working properly anymore.  I certainly don't need the new gadgets and such that everyone has, not even Internet capabilities, I can't stand the computer actually, probably because I sit at one for nine hours a day.  I will also be feeding the kitties as I so every single day of my life.

The update on Violet.  I will be calling the vet when they open this morning.  She and Barney have been with their mother Nora at my sister's all week, and I've asked my niece to get a video of Violet after she eats, which is what the vet tech said to do because she didn't exhibit those symptoms while she was there for nearly two days.  So now I have it on tape. She has not stopped vomiting after she eats once after she eats.  Its like bringing your car to the mechanic because its making a sound and you get to the shop and the noise stops.  But she is sick.  I don't know if its what she is eating, but we've tried a lot of different stuff.  She's had test to see if her esophagus is normal, and yes, it appears that way.

I hope you are able to see the video above.  My sister now feeds her in the bathtub because of the mess. So, here we go again, another worry.

Barney

The good news is that Barney, Violet's crazy brother, is possibly going to be adopted on Sunday!  Woo hoo.  I do wish it were the both of them, but cannot adopt out Violet until we can figure out what is going on with her.  Barney is such a beautiful cat, with his markings and fluffiness.  I will miss that little boy.  Its so hard to say goodbye!  :(

Now, lets get Patches, Hermie, Nora, Francie and Cammy adopted!  You won't regret it!

Have a GREAT day!  Remember, fake it til you make it!  :)

"One day your life will flash before your eyes.  Make sure its worth watching."

Rush Hour

Yesterday, the weather report called for rain beginning in the early morning hours of Wednesday, today. I thought, darn, this isn't going to be fun tomorrow as I went about my trapping and feedings yesterday morning.  This morning, around 2 am., when I wake normally, I didn't hear any rain tapping against my skylight, but I could hear the wind.  I thought, oh, maybe I will beat the rain as I go out at my normal time of 4:15.  So, I pulled myself up at 2:45 and began to get myself ready.  At 3:45, I knew I was pushing it.  The rain would begin at any time.  So, out the door I went fifteen minutes earlier, at 4 a.m.  I never ran around that fast in my life. For both halves of my rounds, I started with the spots that I place a bowl of food and water under a tree - no shelter - I wanted the cats that eat there to be able to eat without the rain on them.  That includes Niagara, Central and Fifth, and Parsells.  There are cats that just won't join the rest of the gang that are sheltered there.  I pray they come to their senses when it gets really bad out this winter.  I can't continue to place bowls there as the snow will be waist deep.  By 4:45, I was nearly done.  I finished up the first half in just over 15 minutes.  Record.  I knew I needed to beat that rain.  By 4:45, it began to rain lightly. I made it.  Phew.

OK, here is the scoop.  MAGOO, the pretty red kitten that I trapped and had neutered yesterday at the clinic is still in the trap.  BUT, he is inside Foster Susan's house in a spare bedroom.  She called, at the last minute yesterday, to say she would take him.  She has another feral in her house, and she didn't want to see kitten back on the street.  The problem is, Foster Sue just had eye surgery yesterday, and most likely won't be waking from her slumber until later in the morning.  I am hoping she rises early enough so that I can tell her about the cage I am leaving at her house, where the kitten should be transferred into.  She can't just let kitten out of the trap to run, its too scared.  Its just like a barn situation, you have to let kitten get used to her surroundings, get used to you.  EVENTUALLY, the kitten will let you touch it, but not now.  I don't want another kitten bite to happen like it did with my friend SueAnn.  Those bites can hurt.  I know firsthand.

Here's a picture of Mikey (formerly Melissa) who is the sibling of Magoo, who is in the care of Laurie right now, being treated for an eye infection.  See, it CAN happen.  These kittens, once they lose their fright, will learn to trust, eventually.  Although my Butterscotch, who I have had from the litter I took on from the Roberts Wesleyan College situation, is still running loose in my house, not coming close to me at all, and its been a year since I've had him.  :(

Laurie and Mikey

I will keep you posted on this new development, but I also know in the back of my mind there are still three kittens left there on Melville.  

Some updates - two of the kittens I had this summer are getting big and doing very well.  These are the kittens my friend Melissa fostered for me.  I can't even remember their original names.  :(  Thats how many kittens I've rescued this year.  ugggh.  They were adopted by another Melissa and her daughter, and now Maizy and Murphy are loved and cherished.

MAIZY

MURPHY

I have updates on Smudgey too, but will post her pics tomorrow.

Thanks to all who foster, adopt and donate.  I could NOT do this without you.  xo

Have a great day!

"When you hold resentment toward another, you are bound to that person or condition by an emotional link that is stronger than steel.  Forgiveness is the only way to dissolve that link and get free."

T (Trap) N (Neuter or Spay) V (Vaccinate) R (Return - the part I hate so much)

Today was TNR day.  I was determined to get some of the now FOUR kittens that I've seen on Melville.  I set two traps with some smelly tuna inside, drove off and did a few of my feedings up ahead, came back, got one.  One red kitten.  This is where the black kitten was trapped a few weeks back that someone had removed from my porch because she wanted to save it.  Kitten is still safe and sound, after biting this girl, but is now with another being more socialized, and medicated for eye infections.  I had originally named that kitten Melissa thinking it was a girl, but it turned out to be a boy, and not sure what its new name is.  Kudos to Laurie Read for taking on this challenge, which proved to be just a little too much for my friend SueAnn.  Anyways, this is one of 'Melissa's' siblings.  After going back to see if I got another, I did not.  I set another on 7th, but had no success there either.

I was sort of relieved at getting only one, but only in regard to one aspect of TNR.  Financial.  Otherwise, its terrible, there are SO many cats and kittens that need to be TNR'd.  The financial burden is the kicker.  I can't rely on people to call in donations for these cats.  As it is, I owe at the clinic, and I can't afford squat in my life.  There is one income, mine, and its not much.  I have a lot of expenses.  I did, as people suggested, apply for help through Rochester Hope for Pets, just yesterday, so we will see how that goes.  I pay so much money out of my own pocket for food.  You have to realize, I am going through EASILY 32 pounds of dry food a day, and EASILY way more than a case of wet food a day.  I can't expect the few people who do bring cat food to me occasionally to do this out of guilt, or obligation.  Its not fair to them.  

I was at friends houses this weekend, including the girl who adopted Trixie and Alice yesterday, and thought to myself, I could have had this.  Such a beautiful home.  Short trips here and there.  I've given all this up just to care for these cats every single day.  I dread what is coming up.  The snowstorms, the shoveling, the freezing cold.  Knowing the suffering that will be had - for the cats.  I just have my days I guess.  My pity party.

When I went to check on the trap on 7th after finishing up all the other spots, a girl walked over to me and asked about the trap I had placed there earlier.  She had been standing against the building on the corner and I had yelled to her that I was trapping - I didn't want her to mess with it.  This girl walked over and said something about if I was successful, I told her they weren't biting today.  She walked straight to me and put her arm around me.  I thought she was going to hurt me for a split second.  I could see in the light that were eyes were teary.  I asked her if she was turning tricks, she laughed and said 'I'm not having any luck!"  I then said you know drinking will make you sad, and she said it wasn't drinking she was doing, and I asked her if it was heroin, was she shooting up, she said no, I asked her if it was coke, and she said yes, "crack is a monster".  I could tell she was 'jonesing', she asked for a cigarette, or $.50, I told her I was known by all around there that I never carry money, just cat food.  I asked her what her name was - "Dorie - that's my real name" she said very kindly, as if she had a street name or something.  Dorie was a tall, thin, very pretty black woman.  I told her my name and she asked twice after that as if trying to really remember it.  Her eyes continued to well up and I told her she was making ME cry!   I told her I had to leave, but for her to be safe.  I walked away from her feeling very sad for her.  What a sad and lonely life. 

Regarding Violet.

No, nothing has been done to help her really.  I was told that she was not exhibiting symptoms mentioned at the second vet overnight visit.  They could see she was having some trouble, but said to get her very soft food.  The tech told me to video if I could what she was doing after she eats.  My sister reported to me yesterday, after viewing her eating, that she was in fact vomiting right after eating, etc.  BUT she was eating.  So $450 later, she is not cured of whatever is ailing her.  I do want to point out Operation Gypsy and my sincere thanks to their followers.  So many offered to pay her last vet bill, and one kind woman paid most of it.  Some of my friends did also, and I thank you for that.  My niece Brenna did make a video, But she didn't wait for the upchuck scene.  So, I need to ask her to video when Violet starts to make this gagging motion. Brenna.........................................................  here is the video she shot.

Here is the little guy I got this morning. Say a prayer for him as I have to release him back to the streets tomorrow morning after he spends the night on my porch.  :(  HEARTBREAKING.

Have a good day.

"The greater part of our happiness or misery depends on our dispositions and not on our circumstances.  We carry the seeds of the

one or the other about with us in our minds wherever we go."

One Hour

That's all it took this morning to leave the house at 4.am. and drive to 18 different locations around the Beechwood section of Rochester, or the Public Market area, and feed over 70 cats that I can count, not counting the feral cats that hide until you leave, and the raccoons and skunks and occasional possum.  Yesterday morning, on my route with Sunday Sheryl, it took us two hours.  That is because we secured a few spots with tarp and totes.  There is still so much more to be done.  And so grateful to those that made shelters for me, and dropped off unfinished totes for making shelters.  I will let y'all know when I run out of those and ask for me.  Hows that?  ha.  And I have enough straw to last me two years.  :)  What I DON'T have enough of is cat food.  I go through SO much on a daily basis.  Its astounding.  But every last morsel is eaten by these cats.

At Melville, where there is a serious problem of unspayed females and kittens, they are gobbling the food up as if they hadn't eaten in an entire day.  But guess what, they may not have.  This morning I witnessed three kittens.  I do believe I got the mother spayed, but these kittens are just adorable, and wild.  They are so hungry they don't care if I am still there pouring the food.  I need help at this location.  Tomorrow I have another two spots at clinic (which I don't know how long I can continue this for) and will set a trap there first thing.  There are other spots that need trapping at for the cats that are unspayed and unneutered, but this location is the worst.

BENSON aka BENNY

Onto the good stuff.  Benson, who was being fostered by my junior high/high school friend Donna was picked up Saturday and delivered to his new home.  He was adopted by Sara, who adopted Princess from me two weeks ago.  Princess, being just a young thing herself, was very playful, and lonely.  So Sara agreed to give Benson a try.  He was still in hiding last I knew on Sunday morning, so I am hoping for a better report today.  It does take a while with some of them. Very traumatic for some.

TRIXIE and ALICE

Trixie and Alice have been at my house since Thursday when their foster Mom Melissa left for vacation.  They took a while to warm up to me, but they did, and boy are the the sweetest, young girls.  They were both pregnant when I rescued them from Pennsylvania and Second.  They are young, playful, and guess what, ADOPTED!  Through Facebook, so much good can happen.  Through people sharing pictures of the kitties, there are others that you can't reach yourself and that is how this happened.  This nice girl came over yesterday, we sat and talked, she visited with the kitties, and came out in love with them.  Hopefully, this evening, I will bring them to their new home!  Thanks Melissa for being there.

CAMMY

Without fosters, we can't save them.  Please consider.  I must move Cammy from his foster home, where he is being kept in a room by himself.  He needs to spread his wings and have a whole house.  His foster mom is WONDERFUL also, but she is cautious with him due to him having FIV.  FIV is not contagious except through a deep bite wound, but Cammy is a ham.  Hammy Cammy.  He is a wonderful sweet boy, so there is no chance of him biting any other animal.  Won't you give him a chance?

BARNEY

VIOLET

Violet is still vomiting up her food.  But she is extremely playful.  Yesterday, she and her brother Barney went to my sister's house, where Nora, their mom, is being fostered.  They are loving life!  I still need to have her seen again, but she is getting some food in her system.

Patches, the orange kitty that was very sick on Parsells, who is being fostered by a sweetheart girl named Ciara, is still very sick.  He has some kind of infection in his tongue and its causing him to bleed, and drool.  I must get him seen, AGAIN.

Its always something.

Please spread the word, and have a great day!

"Some people can be mean and treat you poorly.  Don't take it personally.  It says nothing about you but a lot about them."

Violet

Roses are red,

Violets are blue,

I have a cat,

that's perfect for you! 

And you thought I had no talent  :) 

It was a cool morning out there.  Lots of frustration though.  At 4th and Pennsylvania, there was a raccoon.  As I came closer to it, it went up the tree.  I tried to scare it, but it just stared down, watching me as I poured the food and water.  I knew I would have to circle back here.  I did, and Mr. Raccoon was there eating again.  It went up the tree again, and at that point, I had to give up and get back home to get ready for the day. 

ALICE

TRIXIE

In one room I have Trixie and Alice who were scared out of their wits to leave the home they've known for the past ...  three weeks since I rescued them?  I have slowly coaxed them out from hiding, but they still aren't eating.  They really are sweet girls, bonded.  I have someone coming over on Sunday for a meet and greet with them.  Say a prayer. 

VIOLET

In another room is Barney and Violet - the two remaining kittens of Nora, the mother and her four babies that were rescued from Niagara over a month ago.  Nora is being fostered by my sister, and these two gorgeous long haired tabbies are waiting for their forever home.  However, Violet is having problems right now.  Big problems.  She is slowly starving to death.  About four days ago it started.  Three days ago I brought her to my vet, $150 later she was sent home with meds.  No better the next day, brought the kitten BACK with food so that the doc could view what is happening after she tries to eat, but the vet decided to let a tech view it and she said she would relay it to the doc, didn't hear anything from them since.  That was another $50.  Thank you very much.  Now I have an appointment with another place today in Greece, hoping they will do an endoscopy or something.  Someone has to look down this poor kittens throat to see what is going on.  She tries to eat, but throws it all up, and her little body is jerking for a while afterwards.  Poor little thing.  Prayers for her too please.

There are new cats on Short Street.  Very beautiful and sweet cats, unaltered as far as I can see, but wondering where they came from.  Buttons and Mr. Whiskers #2 have been here for years.  They would have made such good kitties for someone.  This is the shelter where I found Shorty, tongue and feet burning away from acid or something.  Poor thing.  I do see so much sadness.  I want to take so many cats home to live out their lives fear and pain free. 

Benson will be going to his new home tomorrow!  He will join Princess, the young girl I rescued from Parsells three weeks ago.  Hurray!!!  Thanks Donna for fostering him!

That's why we need more people to take more kitties in.  Please spread the word.  We still need to get Franci, Trixie, Alice, Nora, Barney, Violet, Hermie, Cammy and Patches good homes. 

BARNEY

FRANCI

HERMIE

PATCHES

NORA

Thanks very much for reading and spreading the word.  Have a great day!

"Don't let idiots ruin your day."

The Perfect Storm

There was no storm, I just like that title.  There was, however, a perfect breeze this morning.  The soft wind felt so good on my face as I walked away from my 7th Street shelter, where I did NOT see Seven this morning - very sad.  I hated letting him back there after spending the night on my porch after his neuter the day before.  Back to the breeze, I am still driving around with the air conditioner on in the car in the morning.  Even though the temps are only in the 50s, have been in the 40s a few times, even once in the 30s, but with all the STOP, GET OUT, WALK and BEND, GET BACK IN CAR for an hour and a half, it gets warm!

Alice and Trixie

This weekend Trixie and Alice will be coming to my house to stay for a week or two.  Their foster mom is taking a vacation.  Lucky girl.  I pray someone will show some interest in these two sweet girls that I rescued together, both barefoot and pregnant at the time, from 2nd Street and Pennsylvania.  They need to find a home, hopefully together.  They are very sweet and cuddly young females - not even a year old both of them, which is sometimes rare to find.  :)

I will be building up my shelters again  with the help of Sunday Sheryl on Sunday, who is very crafty and clever in making me shelters out of Styrofoam pieces and such that she comes across.  But I do need more if anyone has any crafty building abilities.

VIOLET

BARNEY

I have the two kittens left from the last rescue of Nora and her four babies.  I have Violet, a tiny little thing, and Barney, her brother, who is growing in mammoth proportions.  Violet is having trouble swallowing, has been to the vet two days in a row now (to the tune of $176 - thank you very much vet!) and we still don't have an answer on why she is either hiccupping, can't swallow, is vomiting after eating, looks like regurgitating, all these symptoms, but still super playful.  I am praying they get adopted soon, but in the meantime, I have them.  Their foster mom, who was a SUPER foster mom, and also adopted Mellie from me this past summer also, is having surgery next week, so back they come to Momma Janine's house for a while.  Lets get the word out about them.  They are cuter than cute.

Speaking of babies, there are two baby kittens on Melville that are running around.  Feral, pretty much.  Won't come near me, but are starving for food in the morning, and run to the bowls I leave there after I get in the car. One is black with white, the other is orange.  I do believe I had the mother spayed this summer.  I need to continue to trap there, even though I hate trapping.  I also need to trap the momma cat behind Paul's house on Second Street.  I believe she is the mother of Cloe, and other babies that I have not seen in a long time, but I do see her. She is a muted calico.  I also need to get the other sibling of the other baby I had spayed last week from Parsells.  Mom is done, but he or she needs to get fixed.  I was able to touch kitten at one point but its very leery.  They are all starving in the morning as I place food on their empty plates.

Parsley

Parsley.  Parsley on Parsells.  I want to rescue this boy so bad.  I had him neutered not too long ago, had someone that wanted to adopt him.  I tried to grab him one morning and before I could get him into carrier, he sprang, and didn't trust me again for quite a while.  In the meantime, life changes were happening for this person that wanted to adopt, so plans to rescue him went awry.  Now, the family that fostered Petunia, who was just adopted this past weekend, wants to foster another.  I was thinking about the logistics of rescuing a cat,.  Its hard, and you have to prepare yourself for the steps needed.  I have to get him into carrier, get him home, get him acclimated to being indoors by keeping in small room, get  him to use litter box, get flea meds on him, get him into clinic for testing, and deworming, and then get him to a new home where there may be other cats and a dog, and get him comfortable, with all that!  And to think I've done this pretty much with 70+ other cats already this year that I have rescued!  WOWOWOWOW!  :)

That's all I got for today.  Have a good one.

"Use your smile to change this world, but don't let this world change your smile."

The Ups and Downs

UPDATE written shortly after consulting with vet yesterday on Shorty: After a lengthy conversation with the doctor, Shorty (from Short Street) – who is an older cat, is severely injured. He has severe burns on his tongue, most likely some sort of acid, and three of his paws have 4th degree burns, where the skin has burned off. Dr. said Shorty cannot go home, would have to be hospitalized, be on heavy pain meds, and heavy IV fluids due to extreme dehydration, and even after days of observation, the decision may have to be made still. Remember folks, there are times when we have to think of the animal before our selves. I’ve been doing this for a long time now, and I see too much suffering. I have decided, while he is still under anesthesia, to allow him to be pain free after who knows how long he has endured this pain.

It was a very hard decision for me, one I don't take lightly.  I had to weigh the pros and cons, and the pros would have been too far away for this little guy.  He had a lot of painful obstacles to face moving forward, and I felt that ending his suffering was best. 

I had so many wonderful condolences yesterday on Facebook.  People can be so kind. 

My bad day ended on a good note.  A girl who adopted a kitty from me from the street what...  2 years ago?  Sent me this picture, and these words - and keep in mind, Domino was rough around the edges.  She was just 'fostering' him at first, and he hid and hid and hid.  I was so afraid of her returning him.  But now he is part of their wonderful family, and I, and he, couldn't be happier!

"I ran across this picture of Domino last night. Thought I'd share it with you in hopes it'll cheer you up a bit after your day with Shorty. Domino is one of your many successful rescues! He's a thriving, well-loved guy. Keep up your amazing work."

This morning was typical.  Except for the fact that I had to return SEVEN to 7th Street.  Note to self:  Don't keep TNR's in your bathroom overnight.  It was the hardest thing to do, again, to return him back to the vacant lot this morning.  He was a sweet boy, and the few reasons that kept me from holding on to him was Benson, another black and white that is still in foster and it wouldn't be fair to try to find a look a like a home while he still doesn't have one, and the fact that there are others out there that I've wanted to get off the street, they are ready, its time, but I just can't do it until I can either get more fosters, or the kitties in foster get adopted.  Its just not fair, all the way around.

Please spread the word, spay and neuter, foster and adopt!  Have a good day!  Eh!

The following is an old story, but I remember doing this very same thing in the spring of 2014 when I had the luxury of a 'vacation' in Hilton Head for a long weekend.  I got up each morning and walked to the beach.  In the dark.  Do you think I could sleep past 4 am., even on a vacation?  No.  But as I walked in the semi-darkness, literally watching the sun rise above the horizon, I threw each starfish that was on the beach back into the water.  I felt so bad for them.

Once upon a time, there was a wise man who used to go to the ocean to do his writing. He had a habit of walking on the beach before he began his work.

One day, as he was walking along the shore, he looked down the beach and saw a human figure moving like a dancer. He smiled to himself at the thought of someone who would dance to the day, and so, he walked faster to catch up.

As he got closer, he noticed that the figure was that of a young man, and that what he was doing was not dancing at all. The young man was reaching down to the shore, picking up small objects, and throwing them into the ocean.

He came closer still and called out 'Good morning! May I ask what it is that you are doing?'

The young man paused, looked up, and replied 'Throwing starfish into the ocean.'

'I must ask, then, why are you throwing starfish into the ocean?' asked the somewhat startled wise man.

To this, the young man replied, 'The sun is up and the tide is going out. If I don't throw them in, they'll die.'

Upon hearing this, the wise man commented, 'But, young man, do you not realize that there are miles and miles of beach and there are starfish all along every mile? You can't possibly make a difference!'

At this, the young man bent down, picked up yet another starfish, and threw it into the ocean. As it met the water, he said, 'It made a difference for that one.'

TNR Tuesday

This will be brief today. Nothing but bad news really.  Its TNR Tuesday, and after failing to get a kitty on the first half - Parsells area - and all the running around here and there that is involved in trying to trap and feed all these hungry kitties in the back of houses, lots, and porches.  Going to the second half, I set both traps on Seventh, knowing there are growing kittens, one looked like it had a growing belly - they were, after all, born in the spring, and most likely able to get pregnant.  I then went to my next spot on Short and as I was bending down to get the dishes to fill, I heard crying.  I realized it was coming from inside one of the huts, and then this head stuck out of the hole, and I knew this cat was injured.  I scrambled to lift off the boards, doors, tarps, rocks covering it, and opened it up, and had a carrier ready and waiting and placed him in there.  Did the rest of my spots, went back to Seventh, and there was this other guy, black and white.

I am now in a dilemma as to what to do about this poor animal.  He is very very sick,.  Something wrong with his mouth.  Obviously.  He will go to clinic to be assessed, tested, and euthanized, if needed.  I cannot afford high vet bills, nor can I keep him.

Then I get a message from Violets foster, the baby kitten, that she isn't eating and is vomiting a lot.  She is very tiny to begin with, not growing as fast as her brother and sisters (two were adopted).  Now I must wait for another hour before my own vet opens to get an emergency appointment.

Its always something.

SHORTY from Short Street

SEVEN from 7th Street

"We entreat for them all

your mercy and pity,

and for those who deal with them

we ask a heart of compassion

and gentle hands and kindly words.

Make us, ourselves,

to be true friends to animals

and so to share the blessings of the Merciful."

It Takes a Village (of Cat Houses)

Straw, plastic totes, pallets, boards.  These are the materials I played around with this weekend.  I had to begin getting the shelters that I have scattered around the Beechwood section of Rochester set and ready for the upcoming months of COLD and SNOWY weather.  Its not like I don't like (dare I say the word...  WINTER), I really do love all the months we have, but its the cats that are homeless out there that don't like it.  And I will spend the next few months laying in bed thinking about them, especially during the snow storms.  Are other people as crazy as I am?  But I do my best to make the 70+ cats that I see, and feed each day, as comfortable as possible.  And by that I have to build shelters that will house at least 8 cats.  AND be able to hold their food free from the snow.  Every winter, during or after snow storms, I bring my trusty shovel with me to shovel paths leading from the road or sidewalk, to the shelters so that they can either enter or exit them, and dig out their feed spots in some cases.  During storms, you can't keep all the snow out.  That's why I also rely on tarps, cement blocks, anything to keep the tarps down during the windstorms we get.

I really do need more shelters.  I am figuring that I would need 10 more if I could get my hands on them.  Sunday Sheryl is building two more for me out of plastic totes donated to me by June and Gary.  She is very clever with her shelter building, and she spray paints them to blend into the darkness, to keep the hooligans away from trashing them.  She also lines them with Styrofoam.  You would be surprised though, you don't find too many kitties huddled in one tote, that is why you need multiple.  At each of my 18? locations I go to each morning, there are an AVERAGE of five cats.  Each one needs a hut.  At Melville, there are at least three baby kittens, and only three shelters there.  There are at least four adults.  I need more shelters.

This weekend, Petunia went to her new home.  What a lovely family she went to.  And thank God for her foster family.  I don't know how lucky I was to have a total stranger offer to foster.  And guess what, their little girl, as she cuddled Petunia to say goodbye to her, said to me 'can we get another?' which her mom confirmed that they would like to foster another kitty.  This means I can rescue another needy cat from the street.  There are so many to choose from.  Here are pics taken this morning of some of these babies.

Don't forget to click on the pic to zoom in:

I also went to visit Princess and her new digs.  She has a wonderful new mom too.  Princess was the last rescue I made on Parsells about two weeks ago.  She is a young kitty, not even 1 year old, and had a terrible upper respiratory.  I had her spayed, treated for URI, and off she went to her new home.  Her mom admits she is lonely, so we may be getting Princess a brother to play with!  :) Fingers crossed!  :) 

All in all, it was a good weekend and much was done.  Thank you to everyone who has dropped off things for me on my porch, and thank you to those that have donated in any possible way.  I do have a balance at the clinic ($36)? and have TNR Tuesday tomorrow.  I think I saw a pregnant kitten on 7th Street.  I also saw a very beautiful Calico on Parsells.  I caught her coming out of a shelter I placed on this porch there.  I don't believe she is fixed.   This will cost me another $100 tomorrow for both cats.  It would be nice for the city to pay for these TNRs but in the meantime, if anyone would like to donate towards this cause, please feel free to at 585-288-0600.  My thanks to you in advance. 

Have a great day!

"If you want happiness for an hour — take a nap.’

If you want happiness for a day —

go fishing.

If you want happiness for a year — inherit a fortune.

If you want happiness for a lifetime — help someone else.”