December 31st! Dylan T.!

CONGRATULATIONS to Dylan T.!!!  Thank you Dylan, for helping me feed the cats this morning.  They were all back in full swing.  The past few days, many were not seen, not sure if it was the first snow that they went all haywire, but today, they were all back.  I appreciate everyone who has donated to the Feed a Cat For Christmas.  Just a reminder, the days chosen for feeding are based on when the donation is received.  And I am able to feed a cat daily, with your generous donations, up until the end of January!  Thank you thank you thank you from the cats.

The Lunatic was back at the shelter on Grand and Baldwin also.  This person goes there and completely rearranges things.  I spent a good deal of time having to rebuild this shelter as best as I could.  Its very confusing for the kitties also, because its wet inside, the tarp is off so inside is exposed to the elements, its just crazy.  I got back in the truck and wrote a note to Larry, the neighbor across the street, and Mark, who lives next to the lot, asking them to call me if they see ANYONE over there messing with the shelter.  I've GOT to catch this person.

Other than that, all are fed, I wouldn't say happy - I will try to get pictures of the cats that are ready for a home.  There are at least three right now crying when I arrive.  But we'll get em!  :)

Happy New Year all!  xo

December 30th! Samantha J.!!!

CONGRATULATIONS to Samantha J.!  You are one of the very special folks who have helped me to help them.  I am talking about the 90+ kitties I feed on a daily basis in the 'hood in the Beechwood section of Rochester!~

This morning I had the pleasure of a friend tagging along with me to see what I do.  At the end of the journey, she said 'well it wasn't as bad as I thought it would be' because at most of the locations, only one cat showed its pretty face.  This is not the norm.  For some reason, the past two days, I have not seen my regulars - could it be because of the first snow fall?  Not sure, but lots of wet towels out there today.  Here we go again.  My washer, by the way, is now on its last leg.  Last year had to replace the dryer.  That's good to go.  The washer is ready to fall apart - literally, the sides of it are loose from the middle round thingy.  I lay towels down at some of my locations so that the cats can have some comfort eating rather than standing on ice, or in the snow, and then replace them the next day, which is why I have so much wash. 

My friend, who has a bad back, showed up in flip flops.  Flip flops right now are the only comfort for her, and I thought 'oh man, she is going to be walking on some pretty nasty ground' - I go behind a lot of houses, vacant and lived in, and fields where the shelters are set far back.   I step over dead rats half the time.  This isn't going to be pretty.  Sure enough, she slipped at one point.  She's ok (I hope), but it makes you realize, or it made me realize, that I can NEVER hurt myself.  How would the cats eat their one meal of the day?  I have to be extra careful out there, not only watching for the bad guys, but for the watching the ground I walk on.  Its very slippery, some of the wood porches I have to climb up to.  I still knock on wood each day that I go out.  Crazy.   But oh so grateful for her company today!

Is this the sweetest picture you've seen in a while?  :)  This is Nora, and her daughter Violet, who I adopted out to a wonderful family last week.  These kids never had a pet before, and now they have two!  They have been guests in my house since Sunday (Nora and Violet).  The family went to Quebec for a family visit, and I offered to catsit for them.  Its been fun having them back (even it if it was only three days since I had them) - Violet is still so tiny, but gobbling up a can of wet gravy food twice a day - still not eating dry.  I hope this changes for her soon.  I will miss them when they are gone.  Caught her and her momma this morning drinking out of the faucet. 

Do they not look identical, except for their size!  :)

I have the day off tomorrow, and hopefully can take the time to tell you about each of the 19 locations I go to every day and who is there.  I am updating this blog to show the cats that need rescuing and who is currently in foster care.  I snapped this pic this morning of a sweet little girl on Central and Third who desperately wants a home, and of course there is Parsley that I am just waiting for the right time to grab.

I reflect upon this past year with happiness and sadness, but mostly happiness.  I know I say this a lot, and it might sound like bragging, but I managed to take 80 cats off the streets of Rochester this past year, since the wicked months of last winter until this very week.  That does not include the poor angels I trapped and had to return to the streets.  Most of those were feral cats that would have had a hard time acclimating to a house.  And there aren’t many people with the time or patience to devote to turning a feral cat into a semi feral cat.  Those 80 cats – can you imagine – if cats could talk, and tell you how they feel, they would probably say ‘thank you’ over and over to their new families, and hopefully to me first.  I could not have done it without the individuals and families that gave these cats a chance in the first place. 

I’ve done this for so long, over 20 years now, and have never had the help I’ve received until two years ago when my friend Kristin suggested a fundraiser that raised money for me, and many people came along to support me.  And those people told their friends, and now I have people that drop food off, or donate money to the clinic for the medical care for these cats, mostly for TNR.

Its true, this pursuit costs me over $40 ($40 x 365 days = $14,600) a day now feeding so many cats, and that amount does not include vetting, but with the donations I received, I was covered for about half the year.  The other half is straight out of my always empty pocket.   But that’s OK, this is the life I’ve chosen.  Do I wish I didn’t do this, ummm yes!    Do I wish there weren’t so many stray and homeless animals out there, yes.  I could have chosen to turn my back on these animals, to not look when I am driving down a city street – focus straight ahead and not see these pathetic little creatures peeking out from under a porch, or a bush.  Sometimes I wish I had done that so long ago, I would have been living in a nicer house, gone on vacations, just done more for myself.  But once I saw that first feral colony on First and Bay Streets, I had to do something.  I was driven.  And there ya go!  Here I am today, half my life over, but oh so enriched knowing all the good I’ve done. 

Have a wonderful day!

"Today be thankful and think

how rich you are.

Your family is priceless,

your time is gold,

and your health is wealth"

December 29th - Megan K.!!

CONGRATULATIONS to Megan K.!  Thank you for your help in feeding all the cats I feed on a daily basis. TODAY was your day!  :)  Thank you for helping me with the Feed a Cat For Christmas campaign, that is now going into the new year!  It truly does cost $40 to feed these cats - I go through 30+ pounds of dry food, and way over a case of wet food (40+ cans of regular sized), their favorite - EVERY DAY.  Not to mention the wear and tear on the Cat mobile, and the wear and tear on my bones.  Uggh. Getting old ain't for sissies.  :)

Well, the weather today SUCKS!  (Sorry Grandma Berry - I just had to say it!).  :)  Don't get me wrong, I do love all four seasons - its the cats, and any other living creature that I worry about.  My normal hour and half route took nearly two hours this morning.  No shoveling, we had only a little more than an inch of snow, and it was really heavy wet snow, but at one of my shelters, on Grand and Baldwin, there is a lunatic that goes there occasionally, and the last time this person was there they rearranged the little village I originally set up for about eight cats that reside there.  And this person is a lunatic.  It was confirmed when I saw a blanket underneath the tarp, on top of a wood board.  This just doesn't make sense.  This person must have completely removed the tree limbs I use for camouflage, removed the huge tarp on top of the wooden boards, and removed one of the six shelters underneath.  The Lunatic set up cardboard lining all around, and moved the boards that served as a roof around also.  It took me an extra 15 minutes to remove everything, and put everything back half-assed (sorry again Grandma B!) until I can get my Sunday Sheryl here on Sunday to help me REDO this again.  After finishing up there, my lower back was KILLING me.  I got in the Catmobile and wrote a 'polite' note stating that I appreciated the 'help', knowing they were trying to do 'good', but please do not touch anything, as it was not helpful to me nor the cats, and that this was church property and I would be alerting the neighbors to keep a look out.  I finished with 'I will catch you.'    UGGGH.

This shelter on 7th Street is much more spiffed up now!  :)

The three new rescues went to the clinic yesterday.  Prince turned out fine, and he is in his new home getting to know his new mom, pop and sister.  Snowball aka Ruby turned out fine.  Lucky may have a touch of FIV, they want to retest him, but both of these cuties returned to their new home with Jackie, who will love them unconditionally, FIV or not.  Thank you Eileen and Jackie!  These cats are so lucky.

It was hard to leave the herd at the second Parsells location where Parsley and several others reside.  All good cats, all needing homes.  There are at least six of them there.  Then at the next Parsells location across the street, just up a ways, there are another five or six.  Two wait to be fed by the side of the road under the tree, not knowing enough to go back and huddle under the shelter with the others.  This morning, I couldn't leave food there as it was snow covered.

I think this is all for today.  Would like to give you a run down of my shelters tomorrow, with who is left at each.  I feed cats of all kinds, from ferals, to semi ferals, to strays.  I've done a pretty good job at getting the semi-ferals and strays this past year into homes, off the streets.  Thank you to those of you who helped me do that!

Have a great day!

"A little deed of kindness

Must be shown to all animals

They are living creatures

Just like you and me

Never hurt an animal

For they are made for us."

December 26, 27 and 28!!! Maura H., Ginny M. and Pat L.!!!

CONGRATULATIONS to Maura - December 26, Ginny - December 27 and Pat - December 28!!!  You each fed close to 90 cats (and maybe a few raccoons and skunk (and don't forget the rats!) each day.  Thank you thank you thank you!  That's a lot of cats!  and rats!  :(  Gross.  They are all over.  Do rats go into winter hibernation?  Does anyone know?  Of course its not winter here yet in Rochester, but it will be.  I hope those disgusting critters go away soon.  Thank you ladies, again, for your help.  I just couldn't do it without you.

Saturday:
It was miserable out this morning with the dampness and the rain.  So much for my hair.  I came back soaked to the bone.  But had one more cat off the street so it didn't matter.  "Lucky" was ever so grateful, you can just tell that about these cats. Once they get over their fear, and shyness, the purring starts, and then the roll overs for belly rubs.  Its amazing the transformation.  I urge any of you to consider foster or adoption of one of these special guys.  They deserve a home just s much as a cat already in a shelter.  If not more.  These guys are not protected.   They are trying to survive out there every minute of the day.  Most of them, the ones I feed, were probably born in captivity, but let go due to neglect and stupidity (I guess I should say ignorance). 

Take for instance, the Puerto Rican guys that always hang at Central near Fifth.  They are out there still drinking at 5 am. when I pull up to feed out in the field where my shelters are each weekend.  They know me, respect me, and always give a cheerful hello.  This time, one of them asked me to come over - I did - he said I have to move and am moving into a place where there are not pets allowed.  I gave him the following spiel:  First off, you should not be moving into a place where they don't accept pets if you have a pet already.  Second, when you have an animal, that is yours for life, no matter what.  What would you do with  your child if children weren't allowed?  Would you try to find another home for it?  I didn't know how these guys would react, but it was like a light bulb going off in their head.  Honest to God, you could see the change in them.  They expressed thanks for showing them the light, and he promised he would not get rid of his cat, and would continue to find another place that accepted them. I told him that the reason I was out doing what I do is because of people with the mindset like that - that these animals are disposable - 'oh, I'll just get another one...'  .    I felt so much better TEACHING them that these animals trust us to do what is best for them. 

Its been quite a weekend.  Today will mark the third rescue in three consecutive days.   Saturday morning was Snowball, Sunday morning was Lucky, and today was Prince!  :)  A very kind woman named Jackie has been out with my on my route twice, and fell in love with Snowball and offered to take a second from that colony, and adopt them straight away.  She will bring them both to the clinic today to have them tested, so say a prayer.  After that, they will be two very spoiled cats, that will join a couple of other feline friends, and one canine white German Shepard!  :)  Sweet!  Thank you Jackie!  Keep those updates coming!

LUCKY!!!

SNOWBALL!

I got Prince this morning!  He was one scaredy cat sitting in the carrier while I finished up my route this morning.  But once I released him from the carrier out into the small room where his food, water and litter box was, not to mention the comfy blanket and warmth of the heat coming through the register, he eased up a bit.  After ten minutes of petting, he said 'hmm, I guess I could get used to this!'  :)  He will be going to the clinic also to be tested before my new friend Eileen takes him back to her house forever.  He will be one spoiled kitty also.  I've been wanting to rescue Prince for a long long time now.  Say a prayer for his test results to come back negative also.  Dang, forgot to take a pic of his captivity - all I have is his old one when he was on the street.

Prince!

I know I 'brag' every so often about how many cats I've removed from the streets in the Beechwood section of Rochester since January of this year, and I've been at the count of 80 since at least a month ago, but lets say that the number was actually 80.  Of those 80, I think FOUR had to be euthanized due to various injury/illness, TWO are in foster care still, and the rest?  SEVENTY FOUR all found homes.  Pretty cool.  I am proud of that accomplishment.  And now I have a few people reaching out to me for kitties they want to adopt.  I need to take stock of who is out there and adoptable, and I need to push Buddy, and Hermie, both still in foster care, too.

PS, my wish list:  I still need old doors, or boards that are as long and thin as a door! 

Tomorrow is TNR Tuesday, and I have not had much success lately, but will try try again.  Wish me luck.  Last Tuesday of December.  Last TNR attempt until springtime.

Have a nice day.  :)

"And God asked the feline spirit Are you ready to come home?

Oh, yes, quite so, replied the precious soul And, as a cat, I am 

most able To decide anything for myself

Are you coming then? asked God.  Soon, replied the

whiskered angel But I must come slowly.  For my human

friends are troubles.

For you see, they need me, quite certainly.  But don't they understand? asked God That you'll never leave them?  That your souls are intertwined for all eternity? That

nothing is created or destroyed? It just is... 

forever and ever and ever.

Eventually they will understand, Replied the glorious cat.  For I will whisper into their hearts That I am always with them

I just am... forever and ever and ever."

DECEMBER 25!!! Maria D.!!!!!

CONGRATULATIONS to MARIA D.!!!!  Maria, you helped feed the kitties today - Christmas morning!!!  And boy were they waiting to be fed.  There are some spots where there isn't a morsel of food or water when I pull up each day, and they are so hungry.  But not today.  I gave them extra yummy wet food, which is their favorite.  That's why donations of dry AND wet food are so important, especially in the winter.  Fattens em up I think.  Keeps them warmer.  Thank you so much Maria, my pasta queen.  :) 

I received texts and pics on my phone after delivery of Nora and Violet to their new home with updates, but as everyone knows, I am the only one in Rochester left with a 'dumb' phone.  I can barely see the pics.  I will share the updates and pictures when the new 'mom' sends to me via email!  But oh so cute it was!  Her children are darling, and were so surprised. 



Its Christmas morning, and I think back to a year ago where it was probably zero degrees and we probably already had at least a foot of snow by today.  I am grateful that we've skipped a whole month of no snow, for the cats.  Its been easier for them, to say the least. 

I am outta words today, so I will just say....

Merry Christmas to all, and to all a good day!  :)  xoxoxo

 

"There is nothing sadder in this world

than to awake Christmas morning

and not be a child."

DECEMBER 24!!! Mary P.!!!!!

CONGRATULATIONS to MARY P.!  Mary, the girl I've known since 2nd grade back in Sacred Heart Grammar School, thank you so much for your contribution to the Feed - A - Cat - for - Christmas!!!  What a wonderful thing to do.  You know how many cats I feed, and how much it costs me a year, so having a month and a half of the food being paid for helps me immensely.  So many good people out there.  Even though cats can be brats - as mine were at 3:30 this morning - chasing a bell around the hardwood floor, another trying to climb up the Christmas tree, another beginning to scratch at the chair, another one hacking something up from its throat (they can be so disgusting) - me shouting at them every five seconds, thank God we have these furry little creatures to bury our noses in their fur and feel all better when we are down.  Again, thanks Mar.

I will start this on a sad note and end on a happy note, how's that?  Very sad news.  Mini Moo (formerly Mike from Melville - who I TNR'd in June of this year), who I rescued yesterday morning because he had a family waiting for him to adopt, went to the clinic for his wellness exam, and test for leukemia.  After the exam, and being told the test would take a while and they would call, Mini Moo went home, only to be brought back to the clinic within minutes after getting the call that his test was positive.  He was brought back to be tested TWICE more, and then sadly had to euthanize him.  My heart broke, and so did his potential adopters.  And so did the vet.  She cried.  Whats sad about this is that he probably could have lived for a year or two, but there aren't enough people to take in these highly contagious leukemia positive cats.  If you have a cat, they cannot be exposed whatsoever. 

Cats can possibly pass the virus between themselves through saliva and close contact, by biting another cat, through a litter box or food dish used by an infected cat.  Cats diagnosed as persistently infected by ELISA testing may die within a few months or may remain asymptomatic for longer. The fatal diseases are leukemias, lymphomas, and non-regenerative anemias. Although there is no known cure for the virus infection.

I once had a cat named Homey, and he was diagnosed as FelV positive, and lucky enough, there was a woman in Spencerport who later became my friend, who had a room in her house dedicated solely to leuk positive kitties.  Homey spent the remainder of his life there, which lasted about a year.  He then dwindled to nothing, skin and bone, and suffered no longer.

So say a little prayer for Mike/Mini Moo.  He is in a better place now, and will never have to suffer, or endure another winter outdoors again.

On a positive note!  Guess who is being adopted today???  Violet and Nora!  Together!  Nora was dumped on Niagara five months ago with her four babies who were only weeks old.  I rescued them, found three of the kittens homes, and then found out that Violet had some kind of eating disorder.  After several several several hundreds of dollars, they still could not diagnose it, but about three or four weeks ago, she began to eat regular wet food - with gravy.  Still is not eating solid hard food, but what a difference this makes.  No more formula mixed with baby food.  She is very small for her age, but oh so cute.  This family that are adopting both have two children, and I am sharing their Christmas pic with you.  These two kids are going to have a Christmas surprise today when I bring them over!  :)  Will share the pics of their surprise tomorrow!  GREAT NEWS!

Now we have Buddy, Hermie and Cammy to find homes for!  And then I can rescue more!! 

Thanks everyone, have a wonderful day.

 

"Happiness keeps you sweet. 

Trials keep you strong. 

Sorrows keep you human. 

Failures keep you humble. 

And God keeps you going."

DECEMBER 23!!! KATHY R!

CONGRATULATIONS KATHY R.!!!  You helped me to feed over 90 cats this morning!  It was a damp and miserable morning, lots of wet towels (seepage from the rains we had - some of the tarp are not waterproof!).  I can't tell you how much I appreciate the kindness of all of you who have donated to this cause.  This is all these cats have to look forward to, I think, in their miserable conditions that they live in, despite the little huts filled with straw that they can get some rest in, hopefully, when I am not there.  I would love to have cameras at certain spots recording what goes on.  Again, thank you Kathy for your help today.

ANOTHER ONE BITES THE DUST

Mini Moo

Thanks to the kindness of the shop owner I was telling you about, who recently lost her cat and wanted to adopt from me another kitty, I was able to grab Mini Moo this morning from Melville.  He's a little freaked out being inside a home, but he's as sweet as can be.  He will go into the clinic today for a wellness check, and a leuk test (say a prayer).   He leaves behind two kittens, a grey adult, a fluffy red adult, and a calico adult.  Those are the ones I can see.  I was telling Eileen that I have neutered and spayed at least seven cats from this street since I started to feed there, and have rescued at least five already!

So there.  You see - you know who - my posts aren't always sad!  Someone mentioned that they don't read this blog that often because its sad.  Well, there is good and there is bad.  I totally get it - I immediately have to turn the channels if something sad related comes on if it involves an animal.  But never forget that without this blog, I could not have rescued at least 80 cats so far since the beginning of this year.  That's 80 cats off the streets of Rochester.  To me, that's amazing.  I am proud of myself and I am thankful to those of you who have adopted from me, because without you, I couldn't have rescued all those cats. 

CAMMY

Lets not forget Cammy today either.  Cammy, since his rescue, has been relegated to a single room (which IS better than the streets, I know) and needs a whole house to grow in.  He is a lovable creature who just happens to have FIV.  Lets find Cammy a home.  But I do want to thank Karen from GRASP for fostering Cammy.  I can't begin to thank her enough.  I keep telling her as soon as I get some of the cats in my home a home, Cammy is coming to me.  Thank you KAREN!

Have a GREAT DAY everyone!

"Our prime purpose in this life

is to help others.  If you can't help them,

at least don't hurt them."

December 22nd! MARIE M.!!!!!

CONGRATULATIONS to MARIE M.!!!!!  You helped me this morning to feed over 90 cats!!!  Thank you so much for that.  So far, I have had help feeding the homeless cats of Rochester - just a fraction of them anyway - for a total of 48 days so far since this Feed a Cat for Christmas campaign began.  But you know whats astounding?  The remaining days of the year that I still pay for the food out of my own pocket, sans drop off food donations from a few kind folks.  There should be a solution to this by the city/county to help pay for this because they are not helping with the problem, and by neglecting it, they are contributing to the problem of overpopulation of cats and dogs.  I won't get into the dog situation today, but its just as bad (think overbreeding of dogs and selling the pups).  We need more volunteers to go out into the trenches and do TNR, we need more vets to open their doors low cost spay/neuter, we need the city to sponsor a program to help.  But for now, thank you Marie, and all the others, I appreciate your kindness.  So did the kitties that I fed this morning.

My SMOKY

Here is a few pictures from Melville this morning.  I am hoping to get Moo adopted, he is the black and white kitty.  These are cats that are cast offs by society - actually, but some jerk who moved out and left his cats to fend for themselves.  Four very sweet adults, and two semi-feral kittens.  The adults are just learning to trust humans again - me.  This fluffy red one now lets me scratch his head.  I've been feeding here since spring, and he was deathly afraid of me, hid far far away when I pulled up, and look at this now, he lets me pet him.  I am hoping to rescue Prince and Snowball, the pair on Parsells.  A girl named Jackie is willing to take them.  Now I just have to do the rescue.  They are both sweet babies.  Shouldn't be too hard. I practiced this morning by pulling on the scruff of their necks.  They are just two of the dozen on this street that I want to rescue. 

MOO from Melville

MUFFY from Melville

A door was stolen from Niagara Street.  This is where there are at least seven cats across the street behind the gate of a large apartment complex.  I slide food under the chain link fence each day, after I feed behind the dumpsters there for the other four or five cats that hang here.  This is where Whitey/Whisper came from - she had three white kittens and one black one.  I rescued her, but her babies are no where to be seen again.  This door was placed so that it would keep the wind out of their shelters that are set up with a tarp over them.  I am hoping that someone will offer another door so that I can replace it.  Anyone have a spare door? 

Today was also TNR Tuesday, and another failure for me.  I set one trap at Fifth and Central, and the other behind Paul's house.  I then went off to do my feedings, coming back every so often to check on the traps.  I know the cats are there, but they just aren't falling for it.  Such disappointment, because its a lot of work to set these traps, feed at 19 stations, and not get one cat in a trap. 

That's it for today.  Not much to speak of.  Thanks for reading and learning about these animals that need our help, and spreading the word. 

Have a nice day.

CONGRATULATIONS!!! Tracy, Alan and Michael!!!

CONGRATULATIONS to Tracy S.,  Alan O., and Michael K.!!!  Tracy helped to feed kitties on Saturday, December 19th, Big Al helped to Feed a Cat for Christmas on Sunday, December 20, and Michael helped to feed kitties on Monday, December 21!  Total combined kitty feedings 95+ x 3 = - that's a lot of cats!  Thank you for helping me to help them each day!

Saturday morning it was freezing out there.  29 degrees with a wind chill.  Sunday morning it was 29 degrees with no wind chill.  What a difference that wind makes.  This morning, very mild.  40s?  I had to drop my car off after my route, another set of brakes.  I can't think of how many sets of brakes I've had since I've owned my car since 2006.  Today it will be $327 + tax.  Labor = highway robbery.  And now the Jeep's check engine light has been on since yesterday.   Its always something.

Something interesting happened this morning - sort of ...  As I went to the back porch of the boarded up house on 3rd and Central to put food down for the fluffy grey, the white with black spots, and the brown tabby, I saw someone had placed a large flat screened television on top of my shelters there.  I thought, hmmmm...  this is a stolen TV.  I finished up my feeding, got back in the car, and hemmed and hawed about dialing 911 to report it.  I thought, what if I do and the person that left it there retaliates and destroys my shelters?  What if, what if, what if....  and as I was slowly driving away, phone in hand, here comes a cruiser.  I opened my window and flagged him down.  One good looking cop pulls up.  :)  I told him the story, he drove off to check it out, I turned around, watched him  :) and then pulled up as he had now had the TV off the porch and on the back trunk of his car, looking it over with his flashlight.  I pulled up and he said he would run the numbers of it, but mentioned it had a crack on the top of the screen, which might make the picture bad, he didn't know.  He thanked me (again), and I wished him a good day.  He was very cute.  :)  Have I ever mentioned I love cops?  :)

Baldwin and Grand

I went shopping yesterday for a last minute item for my mother at a shop in Penfield and met the owners.  This establishment is named Enchanted Rose Garden and it has the coolest gifts in the world.  Gifts for yourself too.  (wink).  :)   The second you walk in the door you are taken aback by all the stuff that awaits you.  The wonderful scents, the beautiful pottery, samples of food.  All good stuff.  Anyways, as I was meandering, I saw the woman, who I've spoke to each year that I go in there to buy little gifts, and I said Thank you Eileen for your donation to the Feed a Cat For Christmas!  She looked at me and said Is that really you??  HA!  I felt like a celebrity after she called for her daughter, and husband, and employee to meet me.  :)  She made me feel special.  Anyways, we got to talking, and she is hoping to do more for me.  She thought what I do is great.  I invited her to come ride with me some morning.  She also is interested in a cat, as her other kitty had passed recently.  So, I am on the lookout for her.  I know the perfect one on Melville too!  Black and white kitty, one of the four throwaways that I've been feeding since this jerk moved out and left his cats. 

She also asked about the 501c3 tax exempt status that I've been slowly working on.  I told her that the attorney that I was hopeful for turned out that she had to charge me.  I am looking for a pro bono attorney to help me with this.  There have been a lot of people who have donated to the cause - so far collected is $500 and the money is just sitting there.  I was told by this original attorney that the filings would be over $1000, so this $500 would help to go for that fee, but I cannot afford attorney fees, so please spread the word.  Usually with the new year, attorneys are given a certain amount of hours they need to use for pro bono work.  Please help if you can by spreading this request around to your friends.  Thanks everyone. 

There are so many kitties that need rescuing.  Please spread the word about them too.  Hermie is slowly coming around in his new foster care, and Buddy is doing great in foster care.  Both looking for that perfect home for Christmas also. 

  Meditate. Live purely. Be quiet.
Do your work with mastery.
Like the moon, come out
from behind the clouds!
Shine

Addendum to This Morning's Post

Even though today is all about Mary Ellen F and Feed a Cat For Christmas!, I am posting a message from Julie, who asked me to post this today.  I appreciate Julie's apology more than she will know, and I hope that this new year will be a kinder, more understanding, more forgiving year for everyone.  If I know my true friends, you already are all of these.  Thanks everyone!

"The events of the past week have gotten way out of control, and for my part in it I am truly sorry.  I DO NOT agree with the choice made to end Patches Life, and I desperately tried to save him.  Sadly, it was not my decision.  I don’t regret for a second my passion and love for all animals and the want to save his life.  I firmly believe he didn’t have to die, but again that was not my choice.  I am ashamed that I let my feeling take control and say the things I did in anger.  My rage took over and I should not have posted my feelings like this.  I don’t hate Janine, we have been friends for 15 years and I have always said she is my hero.  I hated that she wouldn’t let me help.  I would give anything to save an animal and anyone who knows me knows that.  I put them before anyone and anything.  I admire what Janine does and have always supported her and been there for her.  I hate what this has turned in to and I wish I could take it all back and stop the hatefulness being slung back and forth.  There are lies being spread about her, about me, the only thing this is doing is hurting the animals and I do not want that on my conscience.  I am truly sorry for ever posting a thing about this.  I should have kept my thoughts private with Janine.  I hope we can all let this go and move on and focus on the cats because they are ALL that matter.  As a token of regrets for my words, I would like to feed the cats for Christmas Day.  A day about love and acceptance, and forgiveness."

Julie Lafferty

December 18th!!! Mary Ellen F!

CONGRATULATIONS to MARY ELLEN F.!!!  Today was YOUR day!  Thank you for helping me to feed 95+ cats their one meal of the day this morning!  Don't forget, I go through 30+ pounds of dry food EACH DAY, and well over a 24pk. of wet food EACH DAY.  I can't tell you how much it helps me to have help in this regard.  Really.  Think about this:  $40 x 365 days = $14,600.!!  That's a lot of kibble.  Now you know why I am constantly broke.

I was going through Patches paperwork this morning, and saw that I have had him at various vets at least 10 times since early October.  God he was terrified of going each time.  I had to trick and push him into the carrier, which is another reason why he lost trust in me.  All the times I tried to pill him myself, give him liquid pain injections into his mouth, he hated it.  I found his collar in my pocket this morning, and was overcome with grief again.  Although it didn't last that long, because I know I did the right thing.  He was such a good boy too.  Such a loss, but he is happy, and pain free now.  He is buried in my yard, along with so many others.  We fastened a fine cross to place over his grave.  He is in heaven with God now.  I also think God was shaking his head this week too.  I think through all this backlash with people that turned against me is that most of you forgot that Patches was also positive for FIV.  He had a lot of cards stacked against him.  Someone said to me that people in rescue are 'catty', and that's a pretty apropos word to use.  I remember being in high school and there were certain cliques and I remember thinking, I am in neither the sports one nor the drug one, or the popular one or the unpopular one, I am friends with each and all of them.   Most of the few rescues we have in this county have people in them that are great, kind and wonderful people, but there are always a few radicals in them.  I choose to be my own group.  Me, myself and I.  And so far its worked.  If that makes me not a team player in my adult years, I know why.  Cliques hurt others, they makes people feel unworthy, and its a horrible feeling to have.  I hate hate, and I would rather extend my hand to an enemy than to hurt them.

Patches Pre Rescue

Its getting cold out there.  I heard on the news this morning that someone is going to get some significant snow.  Close to Rochester.  Its coming.  Its so easy for me to get out of my car, walk to the feeding stations, and hop back in, and drive to the next one.  Last year was horrendous.  We must have had significant snow each day - I think our total snowfall broke a record for the winter last year.  Each spot would need to be shoveled, and each day it would be over two hours I was out there feeding, until I could come home and hurry to get ready to go to my full time job.

I also heard on the news this morning that there was a shooting on Melville and Webster last evening.  That is  at the end of the street where my first colony is, and its also a block away from my other location, near Crazy Maryleigh.

I brought two plastic totes to the location where the other two were stolen.  Lets see if they are there tomorrow.  There was some dude walking past as I was walking past my truck and I called to him - was going to ask him if he lived in the area, and if he knew of anyone with shelters that didn't belong to him.  He kept walking.  He refused to talk to me!  As I was steaming about this, I thought, woops, maybe that was Tim, the guy that lives next door that hates me.  The one that destroyed all my shelters prior to me getting the garden permit.  I know you all are thinking he might have taken them.  Who knows.  I kind of doubt it, but who knows. 

I guess that's it for today.  Again, its been an emotional week, and I thank all of you for your help and support after all these years.  I received so many words of encouragement.  I love you guys!!!  :)

"Always show more kindness than seems necessary, because the person receiving it needs it more than you will ever know."

December 17th!!! Jacqueline W!!!

CONGRATULATIONS to JACQUELINE W!!  You are today's feeder of ALL THOSE CATS out there!  Let me tell you, 19 stops, and about five cats average at each stop.  At my count, that's 95 cats!  That's a lot of cats.  And they thank you for feeding them.  At each location, their bowls were empty and they were crying.  There are some beautiful boys and girls that need homes.  I told them breakfast was here, and wished them a safe day.  Thank you so much Jacqueline.  By the way, I want to mention, I now have enough food to feed until January 4th!  Thank you for the wonderful response to this campaign.  I will continue to send out awards and thank every who has donated, and will continue into January if need be.  A new year!

I am sitting here smiling because I have received such wonderful support in light of this mob mentality that has settled in this past week on my blog.  I have to sort of laugh at people (wackos) that can do this - someone said these type of people would lot and pillage their own families homes if they thought someone had done something wrong.  It does remind you of the old Salem witch hunts...  

I can tell you this - all of the comments expressed this week were missing one thing.  The actual facts.  The actual severity of Patches stomatitis.  It wasn't 'only stomatitis'.  Only myself, and the two veterinary offices know the facts.  And speaking of that, I did alert those offices about what was said about information being given to any other person but me, Patches Mom, and of course, being the good, ethical doctors that they are, assured me that they were not giving any information out to anyone.  Those of you close to me, thank you for reaching out to me personally and not even questioning my judgment.  I also want to thank my friend from a wonderful rescue group for reaching out to me this week.  They asked what all this craziness was about and trusted me enough with the care of my precious boy.  There is another group that has helped with Patches ever since his rescue, and I want to thank you also.  Would like to thank publicly, but I am positive you don't want to be involved in this insanity.  :)

Little Pepper, the kitten I rescued and was adopted by Lillian, the 86 year old sweetheart who I remain friends with today, had ONLY stomatitis and had all her teeth removed before the age of one.  I went through all of that with her.  That is just one instance.  Don't think for a minute that I don't know what I am doing when it comes to medical issues with animals.  And don't think for a minute, you, that I tell you everything.  When there are irrational people in your life, you tend to minimize what you say to them.  Thank God I have true friends in my life, that have gone through the worst with me, and are still my friends.  Thank God my mother instilled in me patience and calmness in the eye of a storm.  I have always been the one to remain calm.  Patience, well, that is not so much of a virtue for me, but calm is.  Friends and family have always known that about me.  I am not a fighter, I'm a lover.  I like to sit back and watch, and think before I speak.

Speaking of storms, at around 5:10 this morning, as I was pouring food down for the skinny black girl (we are talking cats here) that greets me every morning at the boarded up house on Central and Third, I saw a flash of light in the corner of my eye.  I turned around, thinking it might be a cop with their light they have outside their window.  I continued, and then heard this loud BOOM!  It was thunder!  I just thought it odd, here it is, December 17th.  And then then rains came.....

TNR Tuesday produced no results.  I set a trap here, and then there, and nothing.  Behind the house on Parsells there is still another kitten, a fluffy red kitten, and a young white and grey kitty, that have not been fixed.  They just wouldn't bite.  I feel its such a waste, especially when I have to run around like a maniac feeding AND setting traps and checking on them.

On Monday, as I pulled up to the spot on Pennsylvania and Fourth, my heart sank.  I walked to the back of my garden lot, and someone had stolen two very beautiful shelters that were purchased, put together and brought on two separate mornings to me because of their bulkiness.  They were donated to me with love, and the cats had made sweet little deep nests in each of them since they were delivered.  I have never been more sad.  Not only did these cats lose their comfort, but the money that these cost, and the effort to build and deliver - such a shame.  I was really down that day driving away, thinking how cruel that is.  Will, the homeless guy on the bike rode up to me as I was getting into the car.  He had on the jeans I purchased for him mid summer.  Nice nice man.  I asked him to keep a lookout for these shelters, as he knows this area well.  He felt bad, and said he would.  It was worse telling my friend who donated them to me that they were gone.

I think that's it for today.  A family will be coming over to meet Buddy from Baldwin on Saturday.  I have had the pleasure of having Violet all week here at my house since her surgery.  She is just the cutest little sweetest little fluffball.  She ate the entire bowl of wet food this morning without a problem.  She is cured!  Well, almost.  I have yet to see her eat dry food.  She is also an expensive little kitten because she spent a lot of time at the vets trying to figure out what was wrong with her!  She also has a few people interested in her!

CHEERS BIG EARS!

TODAY's QUOTES:

"Never judge someone by the opinion of others."

"Life is not about who's real to your face.   Its about who's real behind your back."

DECEMBER 16th! JOY!!!!!

CONGRATULATIONS to JOY!  You helped me, in your own way, to feed over 70 cats this morning.  Thank you thank you thank you!  Joy, you have been an incredible support for me ever since we met - which how far back I don't remember - you AND your mother both adopted kitties from me.  I thank you from the bottom of my heart, and the cats thank you from the bottom of their tiny little hearts! 

Little Violet made it through the surgery yesterday, and is a little hellion.  Although she cuddled up with me while on the couch this morning while waiting for the clock to chirp 4 am. so that I could go out and do what I do.  Every day. 

I am taking a break from this blog for a bit because of the backlash from certain individuals the other day.  The sadness I felt yesterday was overwhelming, making me think about what I do as a rescuer and helper to these poor animals.  I've been doing this for so long, and have made it my mission in life, but to be called a cat killer, that was bit overboard for me.   So I will step back a bit from this.  I am still writing, just not publishing, so you will get it all once I am up to it.   If you don't understand this paragraph, go back and read the comments from two days ago.   You will see how hateful and hurtful people can be.  You will  also read how incredibly kind people can be.

Have a nice day.

December 15th! KRISTIN!

Congratulations Kristin!  Thank you so much, you have now fed many many cats since I've known you, but in particular, today, December 15th, you fed a lot more!  Thank you so much.  Kristin made this in memory of her friend Cindy's babies Harry and KitKat.

Barney/aka Louie

If you all will remember Barney!  His new name is Louie.  He was adopted out about a month or so ago.  He is Violet's big brother!  Look at him now!  He is so loved by his new family.

And look who's going to the vets today for spaying, Louie's sister VIOLET! And she gobbled her last meal of real solid wet food!  And she kept it down!  :)   Its a miracle.  Pics taken yesterday.  Violet is ready for a new home!  Anyone?

Violet

Have a nice day.

December 12 - LIZ~! December 13 - ROBIN! December 14 - NANCY!!!

Congratulations to Liz (December 12), Robin (December 13) and Nancy (December 14)!  All three of you!  Liz fed a cat on Saturday, Robin fed a cat on Sunday, and Nancy fed a cat this morning!  Thank you all so much.  Do you realize, that combined, all three of you actually fed 210 cats?  That's over 70 cats per day that I feed.  Its amazing.  Nancy donated in memory of Baxter, a kitty I rescued and that she adopted who passed on Thanksgiving day. Her note read 'I miss you so much Baxter."  I remember each and every one of these sweet souls that are lucky enough to be rescued and rehomed.  Thank you Liz, Robin and Nancy, for all you do for the kitties.

PATCHES

I know you are all wondering about Patches.  First off, Dr. Gryshey is wonderful.  What a great man.  He certainly knows his stuff, and all about stomatitis.  He shook my hand upon entrance, and began to talk about the disease in general.  He then had a look at Patches mouth, and said he had not one, but TWO ulcers.  He said Patches was in a great deal of pain, which was why he was gulping down the dry food now, rather than wet food as he was.  He went to great lengths explaining this and that, but my feeble mind couldn't grasp it all.   He told me that I had two choices, basically.  One, he could remove all the teeth, and that would be well over $700, even at rescue rates, and hope that out of the 80% that cats with this condition are successful, that Patches is in the 20%.  He said it was not a guarantee, and even with that, he would be on medication for the remainder of his life, IF it worked.  I then explained to him how he was now fearful of me going into his room thinking I am going to put something painful in his mouth.  He hides under the bed.  He then said the only other choice would be euthanasia.  He said that cat is in a great deal of pain.   The tongue is what cats use to eat, and he can't do that.  At the end, he mentioned how my situation is like a herd mentality.  He said imagine you are a farmer and you have a herd of cows, and one of them is very sick.  Are you going to put all your resources into that one cow and the others suffer?  He mentioned how there are people that will use up a huge amount of resource to help a cat that has even a 5% chance of total recovery for any illness or injury.  I could not do that.  As he said, I have a lot more to save. 

I love Patches.  I love him so much.  We have obviously bonded since I rescued him way back in early October.  I am constantly second guessing my choice, but I know in my heart he is better off.  He has a debilitating disease.  But he allows me to pet him, brush him, and hold him for moments. Then I see what pain he is in, day in and day out.  He cries just looking at the food he cannot eat.  So I will make the appointment this week, and won't speak of this again.  Thank you to all of you that have supported me making this decision and those that support me now.  I am also thankful to those of you that recommended me getting this second opinion.  It was the right thing to do.  I also want to thank those of you for calling in to donate - Laurie H., Nancy, Liz and Pat.  I had them rip up your credit card numbers, as the bill was $50 and I paid it from a rebate Visa card I had received.

On to other news.  LOOK who was adopted!!!  The girl that took Stan a few days ago, called and said, if you can get the other two at that location, Stan's brother Stevie, who I had TNR'd two weeks ago, and Stewie, the black kitty that head butts me until I put his food down on Short Street!, I will take them!   So sure enough, Saturday morning, I grabbed them.   :)  Did I get lucky, or what?  This girl works for the same hospital as I do - you just never know, eh?

That makes .....  OVER 80 cats I've rescued and found homes for THIS YEAR!  But who's counting?  :)

STEVIE

STEWIE

Now we must get Buttons, Buddy, Nora and Violet a home!  I can then get Parsley, Prince, and his two cohorts off the street and into warmth before the winter sets in.  Please spread the word! 

PS, Great news on Francie, she is fitting right in to her new home! 

Have a great day!

"This is the beginning of a new day. You have been given this day to use as you will. You can waste it or use it for good. What you do today is important because you are exchanging a day of your life for it. When tomorrow comes, this day will be gone forever; in its place is something that you have left behind...let it be something good."

December 11th! PAT B.!

Watch out for these guys this season!  Feed them too!  :)

CONGRATULATIONS Pat!  Thank you so much for your kind donation towards the Feed a Cat For Christmas campaign that I've been doing since December 1st.  Today, this morning, between 4 am. and 5:30 am., you helped to feed over 70 cats!  And boy were they hungry!  I am so in awe of those of you that have helped to support me throughout this special month.  Thank you again Pat, for all you do for the kitties! 

I am off today from my real job, thank God.  Not that it was a bad week, but even on a 'vacation' day, there is so much 'work' to be done.  The one thing I will enjoy doing is baking Egg Nog Muffins - a recipe I found in my Cuisine magazine.  Love Eggnog, especially the really good stuff, from Pittsford Dairy!  I will add RUM to it, as the recipe says it will 'enhance the flavor of the eggnog'.  Sure thing.  I think I will capitalize on the rum theme by making it my afternoon cocktail.   Mojito anyone?

I will also be picking up Hermie today.  His foster doesn't want him anymore because she has a cat that is not doing well, and the cat is stressing out with Hermie there.  She tried her best to socialize Hermie, but has given up.  Thank God for Melissa, who has stepped in and is committed to helping Hermie overcome his shyness.  If you recall, Hermie was the kitty on Ferndale and Webster that followed Crazy Maryleigh around, but had a golf ball sized tumor under his belly.  Nearly touching the ground as he walked.  We had to get him, neuter him, remove the tumor, and let him heal.  In hindsight, we should have returned Hermie to this area after healing.  Now, its too late.  It would be cruel to return him outside.

I will be bringing Patches in for a second opinion at the South Towne veterinary hospital today at 3.  We will see what he says, and I will make my decision about him from there.  He is suffering so.  It hurts him to eat.  And its not his teeth, its his tongue.  His fur is a mess.  He can't clean himself.  Lets hope for the best for him.

That's all I got folks.  It was quiet out there, but heartbreaking at the end as I stopped once more to see Parsley, make sure the coons didn't eat up the food, and he followed me, again, to my car.  Right to the curb.  I had to get back out and bend down and pet him gently.  I could have stayed there for an hour and he would have loved this.  I feel terrible driving away from him.  I need more fosters.  Please consider.

Thanks and have a great day!

Don't Miss Out....
The man whispered, "God, speak to me." And a meadowlark sang.
But the man did not hear.
So the man yelled "God, speak to me." And, the thunder rolled across the sky.
But the man did not listen.
The man looked around and said, "God, let me see you." And a star shined brightly. But the man did not notice.
And, the man shouted, "God, show me a miracle." And a life was born.
But the man did not know.
So, the man cried out in despair,  "Touch me, God, and let me know you are here."  Whereupon God reached down and touched the man.
But the man brushed the butterfly away and walked on.
Don't miss out on a blessing because it isn't packaged the way that you expect.