Friday Fun

NOT.

Its NASTY out there this morning.  Just plain nasty.  The thermostat said 24 degrees, but with the howling winds, its more in the single digits.  There were many hungry cats out there.  I am now feeding over 50 lbs of food each day.  The little black crier ran up to me this morning, intertwining between my legs as I march up the stairs to the vacant house porch to feed her.  Most of the bowls that are in the open like that were gone.  The wind just carries them away.  Speaking of the wind carrying away, at one location, where I feed on the side of the house on Garson Avenue of a Spanish speaking family that allows me to do, I have two shelters placed there.  This morning, one was gone.  I looked all around in the dark with my flashlight and it was just gone.   I replaced it, poured the food and water for the five or so cats that I normally see there – most take shelter under the porch there – and drove off to turn down Stout Street.  Lo and behold, there was the shelter, mid-way down the street.  The shelter blew down about seven houses, turned the corner and kept going.  Wicked wind. 

I replaced the board on Niagara with a heavy-duty, unpainted one.  We’ll see how long it stays there until the POS comes to steal it.  Someday…………..  He’ll get what’s coming to him.  Karma.

Update on kitten Tallulah!  She is thriving in her new home.  And getting so big!  Thanks, Connie for the update!  Connie also adopted Summer from me.

Tallulah NOW!

I decided to go back in time and read a few of my very first posts in 2010.  It's fun seeing how far I've come, or actually, how things are still exactly the same:

8/4/10
STREET LIFE

No, not the Al Jareau song.. (is it Al Jareau?) - its the life I see each morning. It's interesting actually... never a dull moment. My fingers are extremely sticky as I type this. Its also very hot and humid, once again, in Rochester. We have had excessively high heat and humidity this summer. Or is that just because this is the first year I've gone without central air in my house due to it busting? Whatever, it's just plain hot and sticky out there. Anyways, as I did my morning ritual - beginning with Red on Hayward, where there is a girl and her child sitting there every Monday thru Friday on the steps at 5:30. They greet me with a hello, I believe they are waiting for a bus to somewhere for the child. She always asks me now, after I told her I am trying to find a home for Red, if I found a home yet. I always say, no, but I am trying! Red is as cute as a button, and skinny too. And loveable. He really needs a forever home! After I left there, did 7th Street, then did corners Central and Goodman, where Stripes, Blackey and Smokey reside, and where they all really need forever homes too, I went to Pennsylvania Ave, where another kitty who is a dark short-haired calico female waits for me each morning, I encountered two of three women who walk all over that neighborhood every single morning. They caught up with me at that moment and I greeted them and told them I envied them for their ability to walk each day and the great exercise they are getting. They called me the cat lady. They were very nice, used to do Neighborhood Watch stuff, but apparently not anymore. I didn't really get into it as I had several more stops to make before I had to rush home to do my thing before work. Then onto Central and Second where Benny and Whitey wait for me faithfully. I counted SEVEN cats there now, two are kittens, and one is just the cutest little fluffball - black and white- you've ever seen. As I walked to my car from there on the driveway to the street, two hookers shouted out Cat Lady, you are so sweet for what you do! That was really nice. They said some other stuff that I can't quote verbatim, but they also said there were two I didn't have to worry about anymore as their friends had taken them. I stressed the importance of telling their friends about getting them neutered. I hope they do. Anyways, other than that, it was an uneventful morning. I just wish they were all like that. Winter is coming. Dreaded winter.

Thank you to those of you that sent your sympathies for the loss of my little Mary Jane.  She is so missed! 

Have a great day!

Hump

It was another mild morning out there today.  We’ve had a nice warm spell but it's not supposed to last.  Cold coming back this weekend.  I see all the usual suspects waiting for their morning – or only – meal for the day.  I am keeping my eyes out and ears open for kittens.  That season is almost upon us.  I was overwhelmed by the number of kittens I took into the rescue last year.  Purely overwhelmed.  I couldn’t even get the sexes right on most of them.  Do you know how embarrassing it is to adopt two kittens out that you believe are boys, and the adopter tells you they are girls, and then when spay/neuter comes, the vet tells you ones a boy and ones a girl.  Crazy.  I was so disorganized last year.  I don’t want that again.  In fact, I am trying really hard to whittle down my stops.  It's too much for me sometimes.  I have other things in my life I want to do.  I can’t do this forever. 

There are, however, a number of adult cats I want to rescue.  One is the crier on Seventh Street and Central Park.  She is there every morning.  She runs to greet you.  I believe she may already be fixed because I’ve never seen her pregnant in all the while I’ve been feeding her.  Another is a very fluffy red cat on Melville.  Allowing me to get very close to him.  He has knots in his fur like you wouldn’t believe.  He is a former TNR, but would make someone a loving sweet cat.

Good news:  Jonny was adopted this weekend, along with Minnie!  Jonny has two great dads, and Minnie has a wonderful, sweet family to live her days out with. 

That's all I got.

Have a great day!

"Sometimes your heart needs more time to accept what your mind already knows."

Mary Jane

My beautiful girl...

Mary Jane's last day on this earth was Friday.  It was certainly her time. She could barely walk last week.  She would jump up on the stool to see what food she could steal off my plate and would fall over onto the floor.  She had a good appetite but was skin and bone.  She lasted a good 14 years. 

A pet can symbolize a child, best friend, or long-term companion. Dogs and cats live an average of 13 years—enough time to truly enter and live in your heart. They become a part of your family and daily life. Your morning routine may not be complete without snuggling with your kitty.  Pets teach you responsibility, patience, kindness, discipline, playfulness and, most importantly, unconditional love.  

"Everyone is taught that angels have wings,
but the lucky ones of us find they have 4 paws."

Daisy the Dog

Another quiet morning out there.  Nothing unusual.  As always, my ears are always perked…… for any sounds – animal, human…  trees swooshing…  once in a while I can hear something unidentifiable.  Was that a dog whimpering?  A cat in distress?  I’ve heard both many times over the years, and go running toward the sound.  You can’t just ignore the haunting sound of an animal hurt or in a bad situation.  

It reminded me of the situation back in February 2011 when I learned of a 'woman' named Love Jackson who killed her dog, and she lived on the very street I had my shelter on.  She slowly starved that dog to death in the garage behind her rented house.  I read about in the paper the day after she was charged.  As hard as it was to know about, I had to follow the story seeing as how it happened right under my nose.  So I went to the court proceeding, saw this ‘pos’ sitting there giggling with her family.  I gave her the death stare and she started with me, so she was politely escorted out until the judge came in.  I was told not to look at her.  I am resharing the letter I wrote the judge after her charges were announced in court that day. 

Of course the bitch never received any jail time, only a slap on the wrist and community service at an animal shelter.  I was so disappointed in our legal system, and still am today as we read time and again stories of animal abuse.  Here is the letter - that didn't do much good.

February 11, 2011:

Judge Schwartz Letter

In reference to the earlier post from this morning, I thought I would repost the letter I wrote to the judge on behalf of the dog that was starved to death in this woman's garage.  The woman who did it, Love Jackson, no longer resides where Daisy's soul now does.  I just wanted to share this with you, to show you that I tried, on behalf of the dog.

Honorable John R. Schwartz

Rochester City Court
99 Exchange Boulevard
Rochester, NY 14614

Dear Judge Schwartz,

I would like to re-introduce myself to you as I was one of the spectators involved in a recent animal cruelty case that you presided over, both in the April pre-trial process and the trial on July 27, 2010, the Love Jackson starvation case. You made a great impression on me seeing your sincere interest toward the people involved in bringing charges. Those who took the time to unmask this kind of cruelty, and actively did something about this kind of tragedy. I was grateful for the opportunity to speak with you that July day and sincerely appreciated your advice that you would read and consider any additional information that came after that trial date. As you explained, you could not read my letter attached to the petition until after that trial procedure.

This letter further elaborates my deep concern for animals that are abused. My love of animals stems from an early age when my grandparents and parents taught me how to love, treat and respect animals. My grandfather, Bill McCann, was very much involved in Rochester's political scene in the 1960s, one position was a personal assistant to Rochester's Police Commissioner. He ran for Sheriff taking on Sheriff Skinner. Unfortunately, he did not win the election. He, personally had many pets, even taking in orphaned cats. He was my mentor.

Over these past years, I have assumed the task of seeking our feral cats, feeding them, giving them the necessary medical care and finding good homes as much as my position allows. My work has evolved into setting up a blog site.- http://thebean10.blogspot.com -to make this plight known to a large population.

As any large city, Rochester has a major problem with homeless and abused animals, and people with an indifference to what animal's rights should be. With this Jackson case, I saw our judicial system work and it energized me to continue with my goals to bring animal cruelty to the forefront.

With this letter, it is my sincerest request that you give the person who brutally abused God's creatures in such an inhumane and unjust manner, Ms. Jackson the fullest sentence to the extent the law allows. In addition to her jail sentence, we should set a precedence to assign parole-like work to continue after her time served, to work in an animal shelter under strict guidance where hopefully she would find remorse and compassion for the animals in her care.

I am most grateful for the time you took to read this letter and I hope you will give my requests serious consideration prior to Ms. Jackson’s sentencing on August 27th. At present, the law considers this degree of abuse a misdemeanor. Life, be it animal or human, deserves respect, kindness, compassion and love.

Thank you.

Have a nice day.

Minnie!

MAN!  Everyone is getting sick around this city.  My hairdresser had to cancel my appointment because she was on her sickbed, and everyone in the office has had one thing or another.  Speaking of that, there is a cat on Grand that is not only sniffling and sneezing, but losing fur left and right.  Poor thing.  She is black, but you can clearly see the patches of her skin. 

She is one of the three black cats I would like to rescue - two on Pennsylvania and Fourth.  The other is the crier on Central and Seventh.  I'm hoping I can get fosters to help out.  They are sweet little things.  Botta get some pics!

Meet the new kid on the block!  Someone reached out to me to take in a kitten that was found at a senior living complex in Clifton Springs.  Foster Sue had an opening and we took little Minnie in under our wing.

We figure she is about 5 months old, birthdate of 9/15/19.  She is very sweet, but we are working on her social skills with the other kitties!

Jonny had a meet and greet and they absolutely fell head over heels in love!  Hurray!

We need to save more cats!  I can't do this forever!!!

Have a great day!

"Kindness makes you the most beautiful person in the world, no matter what you look like." 

– Anonymous

TGIF!!!

Frrrrrrrrreeeeeeezzzzzzzin!

On my way out this a.m. at 3:15, it was 11 degrees.  Two hours later, finishing up, it was 14.  The winds though, those are the kicker.  It's surely minus ZERO when they blow.  All the little kitties had a warm meal though.  I place the cans on the dash where the heat comes out, and the food inside gets nice and warm.  The monster on Niagara continues to remove the board there every day.  I hate this evil rotten SOB vehemently.  Please, if you have boards that are like 2x4, 3x4, 4x5, or see them on the side of the road, pick them up for me.  I will never stop placing them to shield the rain or snow from the food I leave for the six or so kitties that live there, in the huts I have secretly hidden around there.  Thank God for the many shelters I have scattered around, for the cats, on days like this.

It will be another weekend of trying to get Rory and Lily out from hiding at their new, but possibly old, home.  I spoke to their 'dad' yesterday about them, and he wants to give them a fair shot by keeping them, but also doesn't want two cats scared to death of him living in his basement.  And if he were to let them roam, they would never be seen.   So Sue and I will try to work some magic and see how it goes.  The sad part is, it could have been prevented.  There was a spot where only a cat could fit into and they immediately found that spot and could only be seen on a webcam after that, when they came out to eat.  They never had one-on-one contact with their new person, and here it is four weeks? later... and they are back to being scared to death.

So, wish us luck.

So, 5 years ago today, this kitty, Sawyer, was adopted.  I will share an old post in 2017 about him:  (Be sure to click on pics to see them up close!)

Two years ago I had the pleasure of rescuing a kitty who I named Sawyer back on February 1st of 2015.  Sawyer was adopted by a nice lady named Lynne.  Lynne gives me updates on Sawyer, which I am so appreciative of.  I didn't want you to miss out from when she commented last week.  Here is what she has to say about Sawyer!

Sawyer went from this...

To this...

TO THIS!

"Not a blog's worth but...thinking of how he was soon to be rescued by you at this time in 2015! How he'd walked up to you, looked up at you with a look that said, "Take me home!" And, you did. You brought him to me on Valentines Day. I toyed with changing his name - but kept it Sawyer. IF I had a smartphone, I'd take a pic of him, now curled up, kitty fashion, asleep, on the bed in my office. Interesting how he is choosing spots for sleeping lately. Seems that on this cold, but sunny morning, he'd be on his perch/platform right in the south/living room window. But, nope. He's here! His snuggly time is during the evening when he will sleep awhile on my lap/legs as I watch TV. Then, when I go to bed, he jumps up with me to get his taste/few licks of coconut oil...my moisturizing routine. Down he goes to "somewhere" - but later, he comes back. How do I know, since he doesn't meow/announce his arrival? Because, as kitty lovers know, it's hard to turn over when said kitty(or kitties) are by our feet or knees! Morning? He usually gets up and meanders/yawns/stretches and meows for his breakfast. OH, have I mentioned how handsome Sawyer is!?!!? A nearly perfectly marked face. I LOVE him."

Sawyer and Lynn's grandson Brady!

Happy Valentine's Day Sawyer!  💓 And thank you, Lynne, for giving an adult cat right off the street a home!💓

HEY! How did that picture get in there?   Look at that hair!  Look how cute I was!  

 ahh...  I sure do miss being CUTE!  :)

"Roses are red

Violets are blue

Have I got a cat

That's just right for

you!"

Happy Anniversary!

Another mild morning out there.  That snow is a pain in the ass though.  It's crunchy and hard.  The way I like my chocolate.  But not to walk on.

Last Thursday was the one-year anniversary of my fall.  My first broken bone ever.  The ankle and fibula I had to have pins and screws and plates and forks and knives inserted into during a surgery that left me incapacitated for months.  My ankle is still weak, and swollen, and bothers me most days, but they say its normal for at least a year after that, so I guess I am doing ok.  I still pull up to that driveway at 4:45 am. every morning - but thankfully I go to the back of the house where the shelters are on the other side of the house.  That driveway doesn't have the divots in it like the one I stepped in that fateful morning of the ice storm we had the night before. 

I am still so appreciative and grateful to all of my friends that took over my route during those hard months for me.  I never did have that party for you.  Why you ask?  Because THEN I had that hip replacement end of May!  And that took FOREVER to get over.  And then fall came around and the cold weather.  But something will be done.  Hopefully, this will be a year where we will have a Meow and Chow fundraiser.  Not so sure.  I will need help organizing.

This morning I must have jumped out of the truck at least five extra times. I would see a cat crossing the road up ahead and of course, I couldn't let that cat go hungry.  This is why I am now feeding 50+ pounds of food a day.  These scattered cats that are in between the shelters I have around town must be very hungry.  I can't tell you how many times I've seen a cat going through garbage bins, if they are lucky enough to find one available with food.  I still think about the day I can't do this anymore.  I am hoping there will be a variety of people that will go to one or more shelters and place very large amounts of cat food down.  To last days...  Although this morning a very large and very fat raccoon was on the porch of Central and Seventh.  Jerk.  Although they do need to eat too, right? 

Last but not least, update on Pinky, who is newly named Athena by her adoptive parents.  Things were a bit rocky during her first few days in her new home.  Today, it looks like they have taken a liking to each other.  Yes?  :)

Her mom says:  "They love to chase each other around and then we find them sleeping like this together."  Pure love!

Have a great day!

“Find ecstasy in life: 

the mere sense of living 

is joy enough.”

Forgotten Felines!

PLEASE CONSIDER THE ABOVE. 
I am still spending $150 per week just to feed the homeless cats out there.

It was a wet and wild weekend... for sure.  We had some crazy snow and wind and cold and rain.  Crazy.  Bananas.  Thank GOD for Saturday Sheryl and Saturday Kim who took the brunt of the shoveling Saturday morning.  And all in good spirit.  We laughed practically the entire THREE hours it took to do all 20 stops.  It was sad for me because the morning before, Friday, it was pretty nasty out there, and I saw some pretty frozen and wet cats.  One I wanted to scoop up, but I still had Pinky in the bathroom and two rescues is too many for me in one day.  This poor black and white beautiful unneutered boy has hung around the 4^th street location since summer, but now has been seen on Central, and then down the other end of 4^th.  Friday morning, his fur was covered in ice with heavy snow falling, and as I jumped out of the car to set the food down, I could not find any sheltered spot so I placed it on the sidewalk where another cat was right behind this one.  I would love to rescue this boy but need a foster.

On another note, I delivered Pinky and Boots to their new homes on Saturday.  Oh, what fun it was driving in that storm.  I had a rental, and those Chevy Equinox’ drive really good in snow.  It helped I was on the back roads to Fairport and didn’t have to deal with the roads on the highway where there are too many amateur drivers.  I actually love winter, it's just the harshness of it on the homeless animals out there that I don’t like. 

But lo and behold, Spring is just around the corner, another favorite of mine.

JONNY

Jonny had a meet and greet on Sunday that didn’t go as planned.  The person has younger children and we didn’t know how Jonny would react to that if he was a bit rough handled.  He has another application in and hopefully, they will meet and greet this coming weekend.  Joey has a meet and greet today, so fingers crossed that goes well!  If those two get adopted, I am down to nothing!  I’ll start adopting out my own brood!

Wait, I did get a call from a person in need of finding a foster for a 4-month-old kitten.  So we will have a newcomer on board by this weekend.

Speaking of boards, that $@%#$E is still taking my boards.  What an ASS.  I can't wait to catch him red-handed someday.  Just wait buddy.

Have a great day!

I Have Done Something

I looked at all the homeless, helpless animals on the streets...the cast-offs of human society.

I saw in their eyes love and hope, fear and dread, sadness, and betrayal. And I was angry.

"God," I said, "this is terrible! Why don't you do something?"

God was silent for a moment, and then He spoke softly, "I have done something," he replied.

"I created you."

-- Author Unknown

"Saving the life of one animal may not change the world, but the world will surely change for that one animal"

JOEEEEY

OMG, winter is back with a vengeance.  Four inches of shovable snow this morning.  Poor kitties.  Managed to shovel out the front of their meager shelters, but more to come by Friday...  we could get a foot and half of snow.  Thank GOD for Saturday Sheryl, and now Saturday Kim, who both come with me on Saturdays.  Love those girls.  They will have to do some digging for me!  HA!

PINKY

Pinky will be coming back to me today after being fostered by Foster Mom Cyndy - who has a few things going on and can use the break.  I have someone coming to meet her tomorrow - I am off from work for the day - and hopefully, this person will fall in love, like I already have, with Pinky.

Boots is being adopted.  I am thankful for this, as Foster Mom Gaye needs to clear out her fosters so that she can concentrate on her own cats' health.  Some are having issues, and it's a good thing Boots is leaving tomorrow.  I will pick him up and deliver him to Fairport where his hopefully FOREVER home will be.  He will be joining two girls, and we all know how girl cats are.  Total Bitches.  I mean brats!~

Also, someone is interested in Jonny, who is being fostered by Foster Mom Janessa who lives way out in Lyons.  So fingers crossed that meet and greet goes well.

We then have our little Joey to get adopted. She is SOOOOOOOOOOOO pretty with those long sexy legs.  C'mon, spread the word about her.  She is totally chill.

And finally, look at this picture of Boomer in his new home.  It didn't take long for his new mom to totally fall madly in love.  Can you blame her?  I fell in love with him too.  I fall in love too easily.

Have a great day!

"Never forget who ignored

you when you needed them

and who helped you before

you even had to ask."

Aayda Chapter 2

Quiet morning out there, but cold.  It's going to get nasty out and it's not going to be pretty.  I picked up a rental yesterday due to someone hitting my cat mobile when it was parked back in December.  The car is a 2020 Jeep Cherokee.  Its junk.  I was supposed to get something comparable to what I have now, but there is barely any room inside.  And I am wondering about 4-wheel drive, now that we are due a storm this weekend.  I am hoping my truck will be ready within a day or two.  Not liking this new ride.

Here we have another chapter of Aayda's struggles before rescue.  Please keep in mind, this is mostly fiction, as we don't know the circumstances of how Aayda was placed in a dumpster, or by whom, nor will we probably ever know. 

A Guardian Angel – Aayda’s story part 2 
(by Joel Schmid)

   Previously we have witnessed some cruel behavior by three human children toward a new family of kittens and their mother in the frost hardened backyard of a house on Hudson Ave. Little Aayda’s makeshift home has been kicked over, sending her mom scurrying into hiding and Aayda’s brothers and sisters tumbling out into the bright sunshine of a chilly early winters day …

  

  Aayda felt her family’s flimsy box home crash to the ground with a jarring THUMP and watched as her mother scramble out its broken cardboard flaps to meet the attackers head-on. She could hear the plaintive mews from her frightened brothers and sisters as they also tried to claw their way out past the big floppy cardboard flaps of the box. She hoped her mother could chase away whatever had done this to them, but even more important than that was her instinct to run for cover. She was bounced, bumped, and jostled by her siblings as she fought her way out of the box and into the blindingly bright early winter sunshine. Since her eyes had been open only a few days she was not prepared to handle the massive environmental change between the shadows of the boxes interior and the giant light in the sky that was the sun. It was almost painful it was so bright, and she had to stop and blink several times as she crawled out of the box and into the frosty stiff grass in front of her.

She had just managed to sort out the difference between the brilliant blue of the sky overhead and the dull brown frozen grass in front of her when a tall shadow loomed over her. Hoping it was her mother she tilted her head back on wobbly neck muscles and saw with dismay that it was not from her mother, but from something so tall she could not even imagine what it could be. She had never seen a human before and had no idea what it meant for her or her family. Unfortunately, this human was not here to help her – as she would soon find out. She heard a loud HISSS and jerked her head to the right, tearing her wide-eyed gaze away from the human. She saw her mother crouched nearby looking fierce with her back arched and all her hair standing straight up in spikey clumps, her mouth open and exposing her gleaming fangs. Whatever these tall things were would surely run away from mother in fear she thought – but she watched in dismay as after only a few moments her mother tucked her tail between her back legs and began sprinting away from them toward a line of trees behind the human. Where was she going? How could her tiny brothers and sisters hope to escape these towering creatures that were destroying their home? (she had no idea her mother had already seen how impossible it would be to fight three humans at once and had followed her own instincts to flee instead) Before Aayda could take another step she felt herself gripped tightly around her middle by something warm and hairless – one of the human children had spotted her and had grabbed her - (the boy was hoping he could take a free cute little kitten home to his sister for her birthday) – and she felt her tiny paws leave the ground.

As soon as Aayda felt her paws losing contact with the ground she began to panic. She twisted herself violently in the human creatures grasp and sank her needle-sharp baby teeth as deeply into the human's hand as possible. The human let out a sharp cry and dropped her back to the earth like a hot potato. Aayda bunched her still wobbly leg muscles to make a dash in the direction her mother had gone but before she could the human whipped something brightly colored off the top of his head and used it to pin her cruelly to the ground. She meowed sharply in protest but the pressure on her back did not relent. She tried to twist back and forth to bite whatever was holding her but could not reach far enough to do it. Now the human folded his long legs in a squat and pried his fingers from his other hand between her belly and the frozen ground and lifted her high up and level with his face. Aayda had never seen anything so terrifying in her short life. The human was very angry at having been bitten when he had only wanted to give this kitten to his younger sister. He intended to punish little Aayda for this very harshly – although she had no idea that this was now her fate. She could hear the human boy shouting at her but, of course, had no idea what he might be saying. She cried as loudly as her diminutive lungs would let her over and over to the human to set her free, but the human was having none of it. The boy kept her tightly wrapped in his dirty blue and grey Dallas Cowboys wool cap while he carried her back toward his two friends. He was thinking this dirty little kitten had bitten him and he wanted to make it pay. He intended to ask his friends what they should do with her now. The other two boys also had a kitten - wrapped up tightly in their own hats to protect their hands. What did they intend to do with her and her siblings ? She had no idea – she just wanted to be back with her mother – undisturbed, napping peacefully against her warm fur.

To be continued …

Happy Monday!

Crazy weekend.

Go Chiefs!  I used to be a Los Angeles Raiders Fan.  Don't ask me how.  The KC Chiefs were their rivals.  Today, I could care less.  But I hear it was a good Superbowl.

BOOMER

I had the pleasure of Boomer's company all weekend.  He is my latest rescue from Bay Street.  He has got to be the best little kitty ever.  Except his hisses at my cats, he is perfect in every way.  I had to let him out of his confined space and mingle with the others.  His adoptive mom works a lot, so he wasn't able to get to his new home this weekend.  HE is going to a home with a roommate that has a cat herself, so hopefully, the two will bond at some point.

Updates on Rory and Lily.  They are little Houdinis.  Their new dad, who will hopefully love them someday, if he can ever hold them, is astounded at how smart they are.  They found a crawlspace in the basement room they were going to be acclimating in the first two days or so upon their arrival, and they haven't been seen until now, where a webcam has been set up.  It's a crazy story, but the plan is to have one of their dad's workers at his beautiful home sit and surprise kitties when they come out to eat.  Then have this space closed off, and move the kitties to a smaller room where they can become more acquainted with their new family.  Last resort, Foster Mom Sue and I go there on the weekend and try to entice them to come out.

TACO Then

TACO Now

I paid a visit to my neighbors for libations this weekend and visited their little zoo.  Remember Taco?  Well, here he is, then and now.  And their little Weiner Schnitzel Chase, and their bird Margie.  So adorable. all of them.

MARGIE

CHASE

It was quiet on the streets each morning, which is good.   A baby kitten was spotted on Bay Street at Syd and Johnny's Saturday morning.  I have set a trap each morning since.  Sunday morning, I trapped an adult calico, probably the mother, in this tiny kitten trap.  She is uneartipped.  I had to let her go.  I think she will go back in at some point, as I petted her through the trap before I let her go.  She didn't run too fast when released, so she might trust again to go in the trap and eat the food.  There are so many cats that need to be fixed out there.

That's it for now.  As Ellen says, be kind.

Have a great day!