INSANITY

Many thanks to Nicole, Jacqui and Kings for feeding my hungry babies out there!  And many thanks to Joel who drove from Rush to Short Street this morning in hopes of trapping Big Red,  who wound up going home the second he set up after I messaged him not to do it this morning.  Too late.  Too many cats going into clinic for us to handle today.  I am so sorry Joel!  

BIG RED #2

You want to talk about crazy mornings?  I have four cats going into clinic for spay/neuter.   Junebug, Jasper, Finnegan, and Harper.  Jasper and Finnegan had to be picked up in Webster at their Foster Mom’s home.  Simon was supposed to be going in for neuter, but he's been sick for a while now, and went to his THIRD check up yesterday, where he was started on another medicine.  If anyone thinks $120 is a lot for a kitten, think again.  I've now spent over $300 on him – and he is yet to be neutered.  

 

JASPER

HARPER

JOEY and JUNEBUG

Timing was off this morning.  Now I understand that there are people far worse off than me.  I try not to complain, but its hard for a person who was COMPLETELY independent once, and now has to have help by others to live day to day.  The first thing that its affected is the feeding of over 100 cats in the Beechwood section of Rochester.  Thank GOD others are helping right now, but that is a biggie for me.  I miss walking to their shelters, getting them to trust me, feeding them, making sure their little huts are in good shape.  This is all they have.  I’ve been doing this for SO long, over 15 years, for sure.  Its hard to not do this every morning.  I am hoping that after next week, I will be in a smaller boot, and they will tell me I can walk again.  Well, half walk.  I will then schedule my hip surgery for the right side that is useless right now.  OK, that’s enough of that.

We are waiting for Ariel to have her babies.  I predict any day now, she is big and you can see the babies rolling around.  Thanks to Foster Sue for constantly watching her on a camera when she is at work. 

Lets get some of these beautiful kitties adopted!

Springtime!

Andrea and Lou!!

Its my birthday!  Woo hoo!  Sure.  Not a fun birthday this year.  But I am glad I am still alive.  I am thankful for each and every person who has wished me a happy day.  Mom took me out to lunch last weekend, and I got three bottles of Prosecco out of it.  :)  Who wants to drink it with me.  I just need champagne flutes and I will be all set. 

Thank yous are in order here.  Thank you Kate and Kings, thank you Joel for trying to trap Big Red Tuesday morning who has not been seen, thank you Kings for doing the route this morning.  At least our weather is getting a bit better.  I am told there is a large garbage bin parked in the driveway of Melville # 1.  It was full of stuff on Monday.  The shelters were not touched.  Time is a ticking for that location.  “Springtime is the land awakening. The March winds are the morning yawn.”  I dread the spring for one reason, some of my shelters will be removed or destroyed.  There are at least three I can think of right now.  It’s a sad time for me, because of the cats being displaced.  Niagara street is a ticking time bomb because the property manager will make his once or twice appearance to check on the vacant building near the shelters, and will remove them.  On Melville #2, there are a bunch of hoodlums that keep destroying the shelter there.  Out they come, springtime. 

Ben is going to his new home today.  Very nice couple that are willing to give him as much time as he needs to learn to trust.  I am very confident that this home will be his last, and he is going to live a long and happy life!  Thank you Terrie for fostering him!

Now to get Parsley and Hermie, Harper, Junebug and Joey, Sabrina, Emma, Annie, Jasper and Finnegan, all adopted!  A meet and greet is being had right now for Junebug and Joey, and Annie will have a meet and greet this Saturday.  Finnegan is going to a new home next weekend!

Please spread the word about them.

Have a great day.

What the Robin Told 

the wind

told the grasses,

and the grasses

told the trees

The trees

told the bushes. 

And the bushes

told the bees.

The bees

told the robin,

and the robin

sang out clear:

Wake up!

Wake up!

Spring is here!

Charlie!

Happy Monday, first full week of spring!  Busy weekend, busy putting around on my scooter, asking people to do this and that, I can’t reach below my knee, and I am dropping way too many things these days.  This is just the worst experience of my life.  Doctor next week.  Woo hoo.

So, in my ‘custody’ we have Ariel, Junebug, Joey, Harper, Jasper, Finnegan, Annie, Ben (going to new home on Wednesday), Larry, Sabrina, Parsley and Hermie.  Did I forget anyone?  I have a lot of applications in for the furry fluffy ones, Junebug and Joe, and Finnegan.  What about the short hairs?  They are just as lovable!  How come everyone wants the fluffies, although sinking my nose into their fur this morning when they jumped on my lap for a cuddle, who can resist, really.  Right?  But the others are Just as cuddly.  Lets hear it for the short hairs!  Ha.

OK, back to reality here.  The person that trashed my shelters last week on Melville, his garden is behind his house on Parsells and he cherishes it. He said the cats are doing their business on the garden.  Kings was able to meet him and tell him my mission, and he seemed to understand.  I immediately searched for cat repellent and found a motion detecting sprinkler online and ordered it for him.  I want to show him I care about his garden, and my cats.  The day after Kings put the shelter back together, it was trashed again.  The man said he had nothing to do with it.  Just pure fun for some punks living near there.  My mission is to help the man by going to the vacant lot next to him, which borders the shelters that are on the vacant lot on Melville, by raking the leaves and removing the trash.  It snowed this weekend, so we are hoping for this Saturday.  A bunch of wonderful people offered to help.

I’m so grateful. 💓💗

Thank you to Laura, Kim, Saturday Sheryl, Beth L. and Nicole C, and finally to Kate S. and Kings.  They all helped to feed at the 20 or so shelters that in total, over 100 cats, that were waiting for them.  From Friday through today.  Thank you thank you thank you.  My goal is to at least ride shotgun with someone very soon. 

Today’s highlight is Charlie.  Charlie was a cat that I would see from a distance when I had a shelter on Third and Central before they tore the house down. HE never let me get too close to him. One day, he did.  And I snatched him up.  What a beautiful boy, street tough looking, but he turned out to be very sweet.  After getting him medical attention, neutering, etc., a woman contacted me and said she would like Charlie for her dad for his birthday.  She came to meet him, and that was that.  Charlie is an only cat in an awesome home with an awesome dad, and human Sister!  J

Click on the pics to see up close!

Just after rescue at my house

I couldn't help myself. I love Charlie. He's so HANDSOME!

Have a great day!

"Words to Live By

Count your many blessings.

Give Thanks with a grateful heart 

each and every day.

Gather together with family and friends.

Have faith and live with grace.

Practice humility and find peace in forgiveness.

Spread joy and inspire hope

in the hearts of others.

Enjoy the little things.

Seek beauty and meaning. 

Inspire and be inspired.

Live with a full heart.

Spread kindness, give generously, 

and show gratitude.

Find strength from within.

Find serenity and courage in prayer.

See every moment as a gift.

Love and laugh abundantly.  

Share your bountiful blessings."

Emma

UPDATE:  Emma - the kitty rescued yesterday, was pregnant.  She was spayed at the clinic yesterday. No more babies running around on Melville there.  She is definitely homeless.  Filthy paws and pads very bad.  she's been out on the streets for a while now.  She is the most loving sweet cat.  I will get some pictures of her after she gets to foster today.  She is a LOVE!

Have a great day!

PS, tomorrow we clean up a vacant lot on Parsells to make an old man that lives next to it happy.  More details to come.  (I will be sitting in the truck 'supervising'.    Still have the broken ankle! )

Emma!

Saffy and Fritzi updates - sorry, I don't have them today!

So Kings went out to feed at the first four shelters that I have on my route and called me at 4 am. to ask me if we should rescue this little tortie who has been hanging around and eating for quite a while, apparently (while I’ve been out).  Of course I said yes, and here we are, another rescue.  I named her Emma and she is at the clinic now being spayed and tested and all that other good stuff.

Finnigan

Harper

Jasper

In the meantime, I also have under my care three newbies.  We have Harper, Finnigan and Jasper.  Harper is a little girl aged about 4 mos. and the other two are boys and are about a year old.  All need spay/neuter, testing and shots.  Kristin has young girl at school who alerted her to a bad situation near her house, and Kristin jumped in to save these cats.  The first one was Ariel who is pregnant.  She actually found two cats placed in a storage bin container with the lid on!  EVIL.

When I started doing what I am doing in the Beechwood section, I did it ALONE.  No one knew about it, and I never received donations for all the cats I rescued and treated medically.  This was back in the day that Habitat for Cats had a clinic on the Bay and it costs $50 to get a cat done.  My goal was to rescue and TNR as many cats as I could in the Beechwood section where I fed every day.  Today, I receive a gazillion requests for help, or am asked if I can take cats under my rescue.  This means my fosters are strained and I can’t do what I set out to do back 15 years?  I need more fosters.  Plain and simple.  I need financial help for all these cats.  Plain and simple. 

Joel, our literary star, offered to help trap Big Red on Short Street.  He tried on Tuesday, and then tried this morning at 4 am.  No sign of him.  But he DID trap a cat, twice!  But it’s a cat that has a collar on, but has been hanging around since last year.  She, or he, was on my list.  My list of rescue.  There are many before her.  A sweet one on 7^th, Ranger on Central and Fifth, etc.  Joel will keep trying and has offered to do other locations as well.  THANK YOU JOEL for all your help!\

Update on Griffin from Baldwin.  And sweet girl named Erin adopted him late last year, and she is in love!!  She is posting pictures of him all over her apartment!  

Have a great day!

Happy Spring!

Its finally here!  Happy Spring everyone!

It would have been a fine start to the morning for me (minus the incredible pain in my hip overnight and this morning), if it hadn't been for Kings calling to tell me one of my shelters was torn apart and shelters/boards placed on the road for trash pick up.  The Melville #2 was destroyed, and pieces found on Parsells.  Its one long empty CITY OWNED lot from Melville to Parsells.  Thankfully he had the sense, and compassion, to move it all back for the four or so cats that LIVE in those huts.  Its so hurtful to me when people do this.  I wrote a note and had it placed on top of the shelters, that really need me to put it back together again, because Kings doesn't really understand how it was put together in the first place, for the nasty person that disassembled it in the first place.  Here is what I placed.  And I meant every word.

The Back of The Note Above

I wanted to add that the person should take the time to clean up their own yard - trash everywhere, and leaves galore.  Lets start there.  So, I would be willing to pay someone to go there and clean up trash.  Its disgusting.  It would have to be a strong minded person in case someone came out to ask what they were doing and that are able to stand up to people, like me.  I was thinking Boy Scouts, but again, I will pay someone to just clean up the debris.  Its filthy in those two back to back lots.

Stay tuned.  I have a feeling this is not the end of this situation.  It makes so so sad.  And I can't do a thing about it but rely on others to help me.

I had an inquiry about Buffy, from Carol, her Mom, who a year ago had six babies!   We had Tucker, Fritzi, Cashew, Buster, Poppy and Saffy.  Most keep in touch and have sent me updated photos.  Beth, who adopted Fritzi and Buster, is also one of my feeders helping me out during this time.

Buster and Tucker as babies

BUSTER and TUCKER TODAY!

POPPY as a Baby!

Her colors have really changed!

POPPY TODAY!

Cashew as a baby!

CASHEW TODAY!

Tomorrow, Part 2 - Saffy and Fritzi!~

UPDATE:  Who ever moved the shelters prior to 5 am this morning (and after 5 am. yesterday) moved them AGAIN.  Just before the trash pick up.  They were moved back AGAIN thanks to Kings.  

"My heart weeps when I see abuse 

or cruelty to an animal."

Ben!

Well, its another Monday.  And I thank God for the following people that helped to feed from Friday through this morning.  Laura!  Sheryl and Kim!  Beth and Nicole!  Kate, Laurie and Kings!  All 100+ cats have had a meal, drank some water, and had a towel or two changed.  The temperatures have no subsided.  It remains cold out, with a bit of snow overnight, but SPRING IS COMING!  It will be so much easier on the kitties, except for the d$%#% wind, rain and thunderstorms associated with spring and summer.  Whats the saying, Spring Showers bring May Flowers?  Ugh.  MUD.  That’s all I will see.  IF I am walking by then!  I’m counting down the days until I can get to the doctor in 2.5 weeks.  Lets see how this damaged ankle is healing, and lets see if and I will be able to walk again.

Joel is set to try trapping Mr. Big Red on Short Street tomorrow.  I posted a picture of Big Red last week - he is injured.  Big Red began to trust me a few years ago and would sidle up against my leg most mornings as I prepared breakfast for him and Mr. Whiskers, and a few others that were hanging around.  I always loved that guy, and always said, you are on my list Big Red #2.  There were so many other I felt needed fast rescue before him. He was always quite content there.  And he never strayed far.  Now he is sick or wounded.  Gotta get him.  Good luck Joel.

In other news, we have quite the selection of kitties available, including this gorgeous boy, Ben. Lets get him adopted!

BEN

Ariel still has not delivered her babies, but Foster Mom Sue says her belly is huge!

Annie is still waiting for her forever home.  I am thrilled because her Foster Mom Melissa now works down the hall from me! We must get this beautiful loving girl a home!

In the meantime, the three kittens I am fostering currently are ADORABLE.  And, they insist on sleeping on top of you, all three!  ugh.

JOEY and JUNEBUG

SIMON

Have a great day!

“A life spent making mistakes is not only more honorable, but more useful than a life spent doing nothing.” 

Top O' The Mornin' To Ya!

CHASE my Nextdoor Neighbor!

(Click on Pics to see up close)

And the balance of the day to you Lassie.  That's what my mother and I exchange every St. Patrick's Day.  Its just a fun holiday.  I like fun holidays.  I have my green on today, lime green.  That's all I have.  Its funny, green is not a popular color clothes wise.  Although I love greens, all sorts of greens.  Green means springtime too, although its not in the air today.  Its going to be very windy with a severe temperature drop.  I hate Rochester weather.  I really do.  I love all four seasons, but we get some really crappy weather, a lot.  Rain, snow, wind.  We love our sunny mild days.

So do the cats.  Thank you Laura for going to feed at all 20 or so of my locations this morning.  What a champ.  Laura also tried to check out the cat that has been reported by a few of my feeders on Short Street - a red cat that looked pretty bad.  Drooling, dirty...  She sent me a picture this morning of the cat she saw, and it looks like Big Red, but he doesn't look well.  Poor boy.  I should have rescued him a long time ago.  He would get close and let me pet him.  Of course its been months now since I've been able to touch him.  Before the ankle break, I couldn't walk in the long distances to the shelters in the snow because of my hip.  So someone else would go back while I did my best to feed on the porch across from it, Jimmy's house, for the little red short legged kitty, and Mr. Whiskers.

Big Red This Morning

My heart is bleeding for him.   I do need him trapped and treated. And once he is treated, he will become an indoor cat.  He truly is a sweetheart that should not be on the streets any longer.  I've GOT to get back on my feet!

KINDNESS:

The sweetest thing...  from the kitties!  (Click on Pic to see up close)

Whoever is doing this, you are just precious.  Did you notice the scratch marks on the card?  :)

I received an update from the girl that took a chance and adopted one of the three feral older born in a barn kittens - Bunny, Thumper and Noel.  Taylor adopted Bunny, who was scared to death at first and hid most times.  And the meet and greet with her own kitty - aptly named Kitty -  did not go as well at first as we had hoped.  But look at what has happened!

Taylor says:
"Good Afternoon! Just some pictures of Bunny and Kitty! They are becoming such great friends.""

KITTY (left) and BUNNY (right)

I'd say things are going well!  I love to hear these stories - it can be done!  Cats can acclimate to being indoors, and cats can learn to love their new sisters or brothers!  It just takes time, and patience!  Thank you Taylor!

That's it.  Have a great day!

"Hurt people hurt people.

That's how pain patterns get

passed on, generation after

generation after generation.

Break the chain today.  Meet

anger with sympathy,

contempt with compassion,

cruelty with kindness.  Greet

grimaces with smiles.  Forgive

and forget about finding 

fault.  Love is the weapon 

of the future."