Garçon

We got another kitty!  This sweet black beauty from Garson Avenue would run to the truck when I pulled up every other day, and I could hear his cries.  I would open the door, and from the first time I tried to coax him in (most likely during a storm), he began to do this on his own from thereon, beginning last Fall.  I would open the door, and he gets on my lap and first gives me a hug, literally, and then waits for me to open a container of wet food, and he starts to eat.  Meanwhile, I am petting him, and rubbing his cold little pads on his feet, and talking to him.  My friend and former adopter (of 4 cats!) and her fiancé go with me some mornings.  Christina and Lindsey.  Last week, we rescued Romeo, a gorgeous grey beauty from Garson Avenue also.  C & L were supposed to just foster this grey cat who was very lovey-dovey to all its feeders, and now they are keeping him, and have changed his name to Toby.  They said that they would foster the black cat at the next stop on Garson, and there he was yesterday, jumping into my lap.  This time, he wouldn’t get out after I opened the door.  So while he stayed in the truck, I got out, went to the back to get the carrier, got back in with the carrier, and we just pushed him in.  It was good timing because of the ice storm we had overnight last night. C & L are not keeping Garçon (pronounced the French way).  In fact, they have someone coming over today to meet him!  He is a former TNR, so he has his ear tipped, but he is the sweetest boy in the world.  So affectionate and sweet.  Here is Romeo:

 

And we have another black kitty in my rescue that my foster Tamera rescued from the corner of Grand and Stout.  She suspected she was pregnant so she swooped her up and we had her spayed last week.  She is gorgeous.  Her name is Velvet.  She needs a home!

 

And don’t forget about our other beauty, Pearl!  She is still – is it two years now?  Still waiting for her forever home.  My foster and former adopter Kim and her friend Julia have taken such great care of Pearl at Kim’s horse barns.  Pearl is spoiled and pampered but needs a real house to chill in.

 

As for more kitties that are ready for rescue, we have one at Parsells near Webster.  A sweet brown and white tabby actually stands on his back legs to get a pet.  He is a sweetheart as well.  There is also a family of black cats that live at the church parking lot area off Central Park and Fourth street that runs to me EVERY morning when I drive there to slide plates of food under the church van that has been enclosed inside a fence for years.  And for some reason, there is a person that comes there every day and removes the plates of food and water dish.  I just don’t understand how someone can remove sustenance for a homeless hungry animal.  It’s the meanest thing I can imagine doing.  I don’t know if they don’t like me for doing it, or they don’t like cats.  I am trying to figure out the wording for a note I would like to leave.  Any suggestions?  I obviously do not want to tell the person to ‘f*** off as that won’t do any good.

I am still in need of boards – 2 or 3 feet x 4 feet would be best. And dark-colored, or it can be spray painted dark.  Have to keep these shelters camouflaged as best as I can so that they are not messed with.  I am also in need of regular-sized aluminum pans.  Not sure of the measurements, but maybe 9” x 13”?  I remember the man on Niagara street a few years back who was stealing the boards.  He didn’t like me feeding there (what his problem was I have no idea – this was against a vacant building at the time), so he would come there every day and take the board we placed to cover the food – it served as a lean-to to keep the food covered from snow or rain.  This was before we built a shelter there.   He must have stolen over 50 boards.  I always dreamed of catching him and following him to his home and finding all my boards in his backyard.  People can be so cruel.

I can always use dry food.  I go through 7 16-lb bags each morning I go out (every other day).  I go through 30 regular-sized cans of cat food, although I prefer the larger size cans because its fewer cans that I have to open.  We find those in dollar stores.  Expensive at 1.25 a can, but they are so convenient for me.

I have an update on Garrett, the kitty I rescued in 2019 and was fostered by Max before he was adopted.  I rescued him from Grand and Stout also, and he has been thriving through the years in his new home.  I am so grateful for his new mom keeping me updated on him with pictures.  All he ever does is sleep!  But he does like to birdwatch when he isn't sleeping or eating.  😻

Have a great day and spread the word! 

 

Random Things

The streets of Rochester are mystifying at times. You just have to shake your head at some of the most random things.  I'll start with the most recent:  I was out this weekend with Sheryl, doing our thing, refreshing a few huts with straw because we knew a cold front was coming in...  on Seventh Street, 2nd to last stop (The "Apartments" - this is a large shelter with many small wooden huts underneath a tarp and have been there for years), we finish feeding, and cross Bay Street to Syd & Johnny's car repair, and I hear a thumpety-thump when we leave to start driving down Bay Street towards home.  I pulled over in front of a well-lit little closed convenience store (it was 6:00 am.), and get out and go to look at the back left tire to see what it is, and sure enough, a bullet!  What the ?????  a bullet???  yes, a bullet.  So I start to pull on it, and Sheryl says you'd better not do that, what if you pull it out and the tire deflates, what if it went through the tire?  So I didn't.  I drove home, and we are in disbelief still.  I go to Midas tire the next day, and tell them about it - three guys come out to look at it - and after inspection, they found the hole in the tire, but no bullet.  It fell out!  And my tire is still good thank God!  I have four-wheel drive so I would have to replace all four tires, which sucks because I just bought four new ones last fall.  But randomly getting a bullet stuck in your tire.  Now that's random.,

Talk about Random Things.  There is so much more randomness that Sheryl and I have seen, we constantly say we should do a whole post on what we have seen over the years...  but I can't remember right now.  I will be seeing her tomorrow so will have to get some more details, and finish up this blog then.

I had a call last night from a woman named Yolanda, and she lives off East Main Street and asked for help with a cat - asking if I had some shelter - I did and I got right up and drove over to investigate because we are having a cold snap beginning today, and I didn't want any cat left that I knew about.  What a nice woman.  She has a cat inside and said she tried to introduce but there was hissing.  The kitty ran right up to her when she met me outside her duplex.  I brought over a $40 shelter (thank you Cat!) that was snug and warm and set a can of wet food on the porch and the cat gobbled it up.  It was starving.  Then I felt her belly as she ate and she is prego.  Yup.  So need to formulate a plan.  I need a foster for this cat to go to after she goes to the clinic.  Anybody?  

All you need is a room with some food and love!  

Have a great day!