Monday, December 31, 2018

FEED A CAT FOR CHRISTMAS! DECEMBER 24TH - LIZ G.!!!

LIZ!!!  One of Sydney and Piper's mommies!  Man do I love this family of hers.   Including her brother, they have adopted FOUR cats from the streets from me!   Liz says the donation is from Sydney and Piper, and they say 'Thanks for saving us!"


Sydney and Piper, and Big Bro Rudy

I know the dates are bit behind, but we had a good outpouring of love to feed a cat for Christmas.  So, we keep going!  But today is actually New Years Eve, and I have been reflecting:

Another Year Over...  And we have done well.
Still so much more to do.
I say ‘we’ because without the support you have given to me none of this could have been possible.
To begin with the homeless and feral cats of some of Rochester’s inner city have been fed and sheltered. The donations of food, shelters and straw have been critically important. Every morning those starving mouths are waiting for me. I can never really know what they think of all this food that comes around for them but I do know that without that food their lives would not be as comfortable as we have been able to make it.

Then there are the cats that have been trapped to be taken to Rochester Community Animal Clinic. Returning them to the streets is always extremely stressful but sometimes I find a cat that can be successfully adopted and placed into a loving home. That is why we are a rescue organization.
My Saturday mornings are invariably out on the roads delivering my rescues to these homes. So often I would love to be at home cooking up some new recipe but this final moment in the rescue process is the completion of what is a very long road. This is why we are a rescue organization.

We are a rescue organization like few others. No one is assigned a job and asked to report back to a meeting a later time. Without being asked people do what they can to help out. By donating food or fixing up a shelter or by donating money and in so many other ways somehow it always seems to come together.
Many years ago when I first started doing this crazy little thing I was truly shocked by the number of homeless cats that were out there. It was not unusual to come across a place where there were 20 to 30 cats. Through sheer hard work and persistence the numbers have been reduced to a point where I no longer have to go and feed cats at those places. But cats breed and they breed extremely quickly. Kittens have once again been a prominent feature of our rescue operations in 2018.

It’s no longer good enough to stand by and just accept this. Government does have a role to play. Allowing cats to breed uncontrolled on the streets is not acceptable. The City of Rochester has a huge role to play here as does the County and the State.  Abandoning your cats and forcing them onto the streets should be an offense. Yes it is difficult to enforce but just letting everyone know it is not acceptable to abandon a cat. Animal cruelty has become a top issue for so many of us but we cannot become complacent. The fight keeps going on and on.
So another year is over and to the question, ‘what have you done?’ we can answer, ‘we’ve done a lot to ease the suffering of these not quite forgotten cats. We have so much more to do.’  Let’s make 2019 an even better year.

Happy New Year!  XOXO


Friday, December 28, 2018

FEED A CAT FOR CHRISTMAS! DECEMBER 23! JACQUELINE K!

JACQUELINE!  Thank you for helping me to feed a cat for Christmas!  Many.  Jacqueline sends her donation in honor of Bud Burke.  Jacqueline also told me a little about the rest of her family:  "We have two rescue kitties. I’m originally from Austria and brought them with me when I moved to Charlotte. My mom was working for a cat recue organization and asked me of I could foster a kitty with three babies – two of these babies I kept (Woody and Timmy). I attached a couple of pics of them 😊"





SWEET!  Thank you again Jacqueline!

Today is another break from work, thank God, so I can recover from this past long weekend.  I was, however, out there feeding cats this morning - and it rained on and off.  I then went to a good friend's place - he and his wife gifted me some wonderful wine (which I can't wait to get into later).  Bob and his buddy Stan also made me some great shelters for the kitties (as they did a year ago, and they were placed in various locations) - I have sort of an abundance of them so if anyone can use any, please let me know!  Thank you Bob!  Thank you Mollie!  Thank you Stan!

Stay tuned, the cats I have that are available have each written their own personal ads to get you interested in them.  They are just fine tuning them and will be published soon.  We must find them all homes for the new year!  

Have a great day!



Thursday, December 27, 2018

FEED A CAT FOR CHRISTMAS! DECEMBER 22ND!! SUSAN H.!!!!!!

SUSAN H!!!  Thank you Susan, for wanting to help to feed the kitties around Christmastime.  I go through 40 pounds a day of dry food, and well over a case of dry food, PER DAY.  So thank you for helping out!

Here are just some of those that you helped feed Susan!

Niagara Street

Second Street

Pennsylvania Avenue

Drumroll...............New kittens names:  Max, Jax, Newton (all boys), Reese and Lulabelle (both girls).  :)  They are adorable!  They go to their first doctor appt. this Friday!




OK, one more picture of Bogie and Spencer!  The two kitties I rescued and adopted out, two years apart!  Thank you Carrie and Craig!~



Have a great day all!

“If you always do what you’ve always done, you’ll always get what you’ve always got.”

Wednesday, December 26, 2018

FEED A CAT FOR CHRISTMAS! DECEMBER 21ST! JANE M!

Thank you JANE M.!!  Jane made a donation to help feed the cats  during this holiday season in honor of her beloved Milo.  Jane, your gift made such a difference to over 100 cats in the Beechwood section of Rochester and THEY sure do appreciate it.   Sometimes I come upon cats that are so hungry, they can’t even wait for me to pour the dry food.  Others could care less about the dry food and only want the wet.  There is a black cat on Melville that won’t even let me get the wet food out of the container its in, it sticks his head right in.  It would bite me finger if it were in the way!  They LOVE LOVE LOVE the wet food.  I thank those of you that have made donations of wet food in the BIG cans.  They make such a difference in opening the cans to prepare for the next mornings meal.  (the food is ready to go in the morning) – It takes 12 LARGE cans to fill 6 large containers vs. 36 SMALL cans.  That’s a lot of cans to open, and rinse.  So thank you all for your food donations.  I spend nearly $150 per week on the dry AND wet food – so food donations are precious to me.  Not to mention hauling all that cat food into the house after purchase!   Thank you again Jane!




If you will recall, we've rescued three kittens - older kittens, that came from a Walworth barn.  We named them Bunny, Thumper and Noel.  Thumper has been adopted, and...  so far, so good.  All three were very frightened, born outdoors, were close to feral, and we are all working on them to socialize them a bit more. Noel is a bit of a challenge.  Foster Sue has Bunny, who is coming around more and more, and I have Noel, who is being fostered by Melissa, whom I relieved for a few days - I needed to get to know Noel.  Black, soft as a bunny fur...  and frightened to death.  He shakes.  I hold him as often as I can, but he is so scared, I don't know what I should do.  I don't think he has come out of hiding to eat or drink either.  He just hides.  I have contemplated returning him to the barn, I don't think he will ever get over this fear.  No aggression, just fear.  Any suggestions?




New picture of Holly!  She is a beauty.  She is ready for immediate adoption!  Guess what else, we have five new kittens thanks to Kristin's kindness in offering to take them from a woman who needed help.  Kittens are from a female cat that is pregnant with her third litter.  We WILL be getting momma spayed, for sure.  These kittens are from her last, second litter.   Pictures and names coming soon.

I thought I would share my post from this date from 2010, when I first started writing this blog.  Thought you might enjoy.  

Happy Boxing Day y'all!  :) 



SUNDAY, DECEMBER 26, 2010

Boxing Day

That's what day it is in Australia! Well, Christmas has come and gone for another year. I had a great Christmas, I especially love Christmas Eve day. I think the older I am getting, the more sentimental I am getting, and appreciative of my friends and family. I think if someone asked me my favorite day of the year, its Christmas Eve Day. I treated all the babies I feed to some extra amount of wet food, their favorite, and what they really need in this kind of cold weather. I am so thankful for the donation that the Hilda, the 96 year old woman gave to me. She asked Mary to go out and purchase the food for me and I am thankful that Mary chose to buy wet food for most of it. Thank you Mary and Hilda!! I also received a monetary donation from a very very nice girl whom I have not met yet, but can't wait to. Her name is Pat, and she is a kind kind soul. Thank you so much Pat! Talk about kindness, and giving from the heart. That kind of kindness just overwhelms me. This morning, as I went to feed at my second stop on Third Street, I heard a soft whimpering/barking and went to investigate. I found two dogs in the back yard of the next street over, the one closest to the fence being a pit bull. I am sure the other one is too but I couldn't tell in the dark. I could make out the nipples underneath her belly, and knew she was a breeder. There were a few dog houses in the back, but I didn't see food or water. Not sure of the situation - the house looked almost boarded up from the back. So I drove around to the front, and there was a car or truck parked in the driveway. I did report it to 911 but they told me nothing could be done today because animal control was closed, and of course the Humane Society has two officers that cover five counties, and my call wouldn't or couldn't be answered for days at least, if at all. I will call again tomorrow, which the operator did urge me to do. You can tell, even though they aren't allowed to show their emotions, she WANTED me to call back in the morning to re-report it.
"Push yourself because no one else
is going to do it for you."



Tuesday, December 25, 2018

FEED A CAT FOR CHRISTMAS!!!! DECEMBER 20TH! MAUREEN J.!!!

Even though the subject line reads December 20th, its really Christmas Day.  I want to thank Maureen J. for helping me to feed cats on this special day.  I do chatter a bit with the cats I feed at all 21 locations each morning, quietly, and they do not talk back, well, some do...  but this morning I greeted them all with a Merry Christmas, and an extra little helping of wet food, which is gold to them.

There was a light dusting of snow and the sun is shining, so its a picture perfect day.  Thank you again Maureen!  Your donation is a blessing to so many kitties out there!

This is a short and sweet post today folks.

I wish you all a MERRY CHRISTMAS!

xo

BUDDY!  Saved!

Monday, December 24, 2018

FEED A CAT FOR CHRISTMAS!!! DECEMBER 16TH! DEB W.!

WAGS!  As I fondly call her, as she shares the same last name as me - or she did until she got married.  But she is still a "W" with her married name.  Thank you DEBBIE W!  Thank you for helping me feed over 100 kitties - from afar.  You see, Deb lives in Alabama, but keeps up with me and what I am doing from time to time and obviously cares so much for animals.  She has a few critters at home herself.  Deb and I worked together back in the day - Schlegel Manufacturing - until it started to sink into the ground and everyone had to jump ship.  Thank you so much for your kindness Deb.

I am sorry I did not post on Friday - I had a vacation day and it got the best of me.   I am dates behind! But I will get to all of you who donated, I promise!!

I have a few extra shelters plates and bowls right now.  I can spare a few if someone needs, please just let me know!  There are SO MANY cats out there that need them, but for me, so few places to hide them before someone sees them and destroys them.  There are a lot of mean people where I feed cats in the Beechwood section of Rochester.  This area is in the public market area, and if you have ever been around there, there is great sadness.  What does make me happy when I go out in the darkness each day is seeing Christmas lights here and there.  There are actually people who celebrate this special holiday, even though they may not have much.

Griff was adopted on Friday.  This kitty went from eating food on the streets thanks to the kindness of a few people on Garson and Baldwin, to a loving and warm home.  A Christmas miracle!

GRIFFIN!

Speaking of Christmas, and being thankful for what we have, I am so grateful for every single person that I have met since doing this blog, since joining Facebook, and since feeding rescuing animals.  I can't believe the generosity of people, from their time - in all ranges, their finances, their offers of fundraising - even small donations - every bit makes a difference.  I sometimes feel so overwhelmed when people offer me something because I don't know how to thank them property with what little I personally have.  I can only spare a hug and a smile.  Even that has been tough for me with my physical ailments lately, so please stick around, I will get better, and I will show my gratitude to you just a little bit better.  Thank you for all you have done to help the cats in our community.

The following is what Christmas is all about.  Helping others.


Have a great day!

Thursday, December 20, 2018

FEED A CAT FOR CHRISTMAS! DECEMBER 19TH!! LYNNE S.!

LYNNE!  SAWYERS MOM!!!  Thank you for helping to feed many kitties for Christmas! 

Sawyer was a scruffy, dirty old unneutered male when I rescued from the very cold, I believe on Pennsylvania Avenue at least ...  four years ago Lynne?  Thats when Lynne opened her heart and home for this boy.  Thank you Lynne!

I just found the post from February, 2015!   I share that with you now.... 

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 2, 2015

UGGGG.




Wolves - 1/31/15 - Penfield - taken in the back yard of a friend's house
Yes, it was a tough morning for me out there.  But not as tough as it is for the cats that stand only three to five (?) inches from the ground.  Its so hard for their little legs to get through the six inches of snow, at least, that we had overnight.  Not to mention the drifts that come up to my knees.  I did a lot of shoveling at each of my spots.  This storm kicked ass because it came from the northeast.  My shelters are blocked from the westerly storms not so much from the north and east.  So a lot of snow got in a few of the shelters, where thankfully a few of the kitties were huddled when I walked up to them.  This is what I would call blizzard conditions.  Wind gusts will reach up to at least 35 mph, and the driving is treacherous.  I have to drive to another location this morning a lot further than what I am used to, have to use the main freeways which, as we all know, are worst than driving on back roads.  There are a lot of dumb drivers out there, and you just can't help having to drive next to or behind one.

It was uneventful out there for me the past two mornings, except yesterday I had a reporter from the Democrat and Chronicle newspaper come over to interview me!  I was a hot mess, always nervous doing something where the world will see me, so she told me to get a glass of wine, and I obeyed her.  :)  She was a cute young reporter, graduated from RIT in photojournalism, and had just moved back to Rochester from Michigan, where she met her boyfriend, who has also moved to Rochester to be with her.  This girl is going places - the next Diane Sawyer!  I tried to get the points I wanted across to her, so that they are conveyed in the story, and hopefully the City of Rochester will pay more attention that their needs to be some kind of program set up to help these homeless cats out there.  We need to stop the population progression, so that there are less and less until it is totally eradicated.  I know some of you are smirking, but it could possibly be done some day.  Not totally, but it would be manageable.  Right now its totally out of control, when you have one person, me, feeding over a hundred cats a day, and trying to get them all neutered and spayed.  Its a project that needs community involvement, and I just don't know where we can start, but there has to be a beginning somehow.  The story will be ready in a few weeks, she wants to come out with me some morning to get some pictures.  If you go online and read the story that was yesterday's headlines, the unidentified girl who's body was dumped in a cornfield or something, years ago, and has now been identified, she did the video of that, and pictures, and the story was truly touching, enough for me to tear up.  That is the template of the interview of me that she will be using.  And I will be her first interview story!  I am honored!  Here is the link:  http://www.democratandchronicle.com/story/news/2015/01/30/andreatta-tammy-jo-alexander-hager-haywood/22593467/

SAWYER!

I rescued another cat yesterday morning, who hopefully will also make the paper!  I had no business rescuing  him when I didn't have a home lined up already, as I have my poor Jelly Bean, Elvis, and Gemma still needing homes, but this little guy walked up to me and looked into my eyes.  He said, please, take me home.  And I did, and he came willingly, there was no struggle.  I named him Sawyer, and he is a cuddle bug.  So now we have Sawyer, Elvis, Gemma, and Jelly Bean that all need homes - please consider. 

Have a great day!

"Do not go where the path may lead, go instead where there is no path and leave a trail. " 


SAWYER Then

SAWYER Now


That was a great rescue, indeed.

I keep forgetting to mention, when I pulled up to the shelter behind the house on the corner of Ferndale and Webster on Tuesday morning, I nearly fainted.  These two huge and heavy shelters, gone.  This is where I've rescued so many kittens, and finally had the mom TNR'd, and have fed so many - and have dealt with Mary Leigh for so many years - and it was gone.   The shelter was gone. I got out, with heavy heart, and walked over to the spot, in the dark, to place a dish of food and water at least, and thank God I looked over to the other side of the fence on a privately owned lot, because there it was.  I went around the house, and into the lot, and who ever moved it, had a very compassionate heart.   And it couldn't have been just one person, no way.  Those were extremely heavy.  The shelters were rebuilt to resemble Fort Knox.  They screwed the tarp right into the shelter, bolted down the sides with heavy stones, it was unbelieveable how whoever did this took the time to rebuild it on the other side of the fence!

I know this is a HUD house, and I got wind of the fact that they wanted it moved so they could sell the property or do something with it, and I had left a note begging to wait until springtime as this was the only shelter from the winter these cats had.   But a month or two went by and I figured they were good with it.  I didn't see any cats that first morning, but when I went to check on the food to see if eaten the second morning, yesterday, thank God I saw momma cat go in.  I felt a whole lot better.  So whoever that angel, or angels were, thank you so much.  The problem will be when the homeowner next door has her property maintained in the spring, the shelter will be removed.  Its the oddest thing.  The house on the other side of the lot, on Webster, has been vacant for I don't know how many years.  but she - I found out the owners name - has had the lot next door maintained every year.  I had problems many years ago with the guy next to that house who continually destroyed my shelters on that lot, where the police were involved.  Lets hope this lasts for the winter, at least.

Here are pictures of the recent adoption of Spencer, the kitten.  He's loved beyond measure, he and his brother Bogie, who they adopted two years ago (formerly Dasher).







That's all I have. 

Have a great day!


"The three little kittens, they lost their mittens,"

The three little kittens, they lost their mittens,
And they began to cry,
"Oh, mother dear, we sadly fear,
That we have lost our mittens."
"What!   Lost your mittens, you naughty kittens!
Then you shall have no pie."
"Meow, meow, meow."
"Then you shall have no pie."

The three little kittens, they found their mittens,
And they began to cry,
"Oh, mother dear, see here, see here,
For we have found our mittens."
"Put on your mittens, you silly kittens,
And you shall have some pie."
"Purr, purr, purr,
Oh, let us have some pie."

The three little kittens put on their mittens,
And soon ate up the pie,
"Oh, mother dear, we greatly fear,
That we have soiled our mittens."
"What, soiled your mittens, you naughty kittens!"
Then they began to sigh,
"Meow, meow, meow,"
Then they began to sigh.

The three little kittens, they washed their mittens,
And hung them out to dry,
"Oh, mother dear, do you not hear,
That we have washed our mittens?"
"What, washed your mittens, then you're good kittens,
But I smell a rat close by."
"Meow, meow, meow,
We smell a rat close by."

Wednesday, December 19, 2018

FEED A CAT FOR CHRISTMAS! DECEMBER 18TH! HANNAH A!

HANNAH!  THANK YOU SO MUCH!  Thank you for helping me feed over 100 cats today.  It was a ccccccold one out there, but quite mild for this time of year.  So far so good on the shelters.  Some are placed at vacant houses where the property maintenance people have not been by in a while to check on them, and to throw out the shelters for these cats.  Thanks to many who have made shelters, and left Styrofoam boxes, and dropped off at my house.  They are perfect for these poor animals that have nothing else. 

I am on a neighborhood website where someone was looking for Styrofoam boxes – the small ones – which I can’t use – so I offered her the small one I had, and also gave her one of the very large ones that someone else had dropped off for me.  Its good to see that others are putting out shelters for the strays in our city.  I just got a request for four more shelters, to help out a friend, and Kristin, who is helping her! 

There are now three more cats out there that I want to snatch up – one is a small, demure white and black kitty – female – not sure if fixed – certainly not ear-tipped, but very sweet, and very hungry, and seems to be homeless on Melville.  The other one is on Central, where Buddy recently came from – another white with black.  This is the one that had a collar on it when I first spotted and began to feed him.  That was early 2018.  I had him neutered, and had to return him, and am thankful he stuck around this shelter. He runs for the truck each morning when he hears me coming.  The third is back on Short Street, where Shorty was just rescued.  This one is also grey, with a touch of white.  He needs neutering first, and might be my next, although the Melville kitty sure seems needy – so it might be her.

Here are some pics (be sure to click on them to view up close!)  that I’ve received from some of my recent adopters.  Take a look.  I am so thankful for these adopters.  Without them, these pictures wouldn’t be possible!

BRODY and BEANIE

BRODY and BEANIE
(It just doesn't get any cuter than this)

JESSE!  (and big sister Lulu)


KC Before

KC Now!
(My you have grown!)

Mr. Bingsley!



Have a nice day!


[little tree]

little tree 
little silent Christmas tree 
you are so little 
you are more like a flower 

who found you in the green forest 
and were you very sorry to come away? 
see          i will comfort you 
because you smell so sweetly 

i will kiss your cool bark 
and hug you safe and tight 
just as your mother would, 
only don't be afraid 

look          the spangles 
that sleep all the year in a dark box 
dreaming of being taken out and allowed to shine, 
the balls the chains red and gold the fluffy threads, 

put up your little arms 
and i'll give them all to you to hold 
every finger shall have its ring 
and there won't be a single place dark or unhappy 

then when you're quite dressed 
you'll stand in the window for everyone to see 
and how they'll stare! 
oh but you'll be very proud 

and my little sister and i will take hands 
and looking up at our beautiful tree 
we'll dance and sing 
"Noel Noel" 



Tuesday, December 18, 2018

FEED A CAT FOR CHRISTMAS! DECEMBER 17TH! DEBBIE S.!!!

Hey Folks, I think I am behind here.  Sorry, isn't today the 18th?

DEBBIE S!!!  What can I say about Debbie?  She is just pure sweet.  I met her through a friend also in rescue and ever since, Debbie has supported me in whatever way she can.  She also makes great raffle baskets for fundraisers!  Thank you Debbie, I can't wait to come crash your house in Florida!  :)

Let me reiterate, when you donate to this fundraiser, via the DONATE button on this blog, or on my website, you are actually helping to feed over 100 cats in the Beechwood section of Rochester, or I call it the Public Market area.  There are thousands of cats in this area, and I try to get them all.  Outside of the 100 cat count, there are dozens of ferals that swing by after I leave.  I can count 100 because they are the semi - feral.  Some won't let me touch them but get somewhat close - some will come up and just stand there for a head pat and chin scratch.  Those are the ones on my list:  my rescue list.  So far..  I can't wait for the count from Kristin.... but I believe its over 60 this year.  Last year it was over 100 because of all the kittens!  Yup, I just scoop them up, TRY TO place gently into a carrier, get the to the vet, get them home to get used to the indoors, and get them adopted!

There are some still waiting for that final phase in their lives.  They are:

Sabrina



Katie



Parsley



Hermie



Jule



Holly



Bunny



Noel



Lets find them a home for Christmas!


The cat’s song

Mine, says the cat, putting out his paw of darkness.
My lover, my friend, my slave, my toy, says
the cat making on your chest his gesture of drawing
milk from his mother’s forgotten breasts.

Let us walk in the woods, says the cat.
I’ll teach you to read the tabloid of scents,
to fade into shadow, wait like a trap, to hunt.
Now I lay this plump warm mouse on your mat.

You feed me, I try to feed you, we are friends,
says the cat, although I am more equal than you.
Can you leap twenty times the height of your body?
Can you run up and down trees? Jump between roofs?

Let us rub our bodies together and talk of touch.
My emotions are pure as salt crystals and as hard.
My lusts glow like my eyes. I sing to you in the mornings
walking round and round your bed and into your face.

Come I will teach you to dance as naturally
as falling asleep and waking and stretching long, long.
I speak greed with my paws and fear with my whiskers.
Envy lashes my tail. Love speaks me entire, a word

of fur. I will teach you to be still as an egg
and to slip like the ghost of wind through the grass.