As Good as It Gets

But its as worse as it can be. On the Miserable Scale, this morning rates a 10. For me. I can't even begin to rate how miserable it is for those poor babies out there. The meteorologists in this town just can't seem to get it right. I know its not their fault, but if its going to snow a foot, don't say its going to be 3-6 inches. Give it to us straight. If the sun is shining, they will say its raining. I have lost all faith in meteorologists for this city. Never once was there a correct forecast. I trudged through some very deep snow this morning to get to my nine shelters. Most of my shelters are merely lean-to's with towels on the ground behind them. Most are leaning on a surface either facing east or west, so the open sides are facing north or south, where this storm is coming from. I try to stretch a towel out from top to bottom on the side where the snow and wind is coming in, but it just doesn't do the trick, especially when you have high winds. Poor Old Smokey, when I pulled up, he came out of the snow filled shelter on Goodman and Central, his only shelter, only to sit there and wait for me to do the best I could with cleaning it out and filling up the food and water. He was covered in snow before I left. I hope he remains in that shelter for the day. I do the best I can, but on days like this, I can only say a prayer.

The Cat's Meow

Louie is doing well, my latest rescue. He is quite the talker! Very odd sounding meow. Loud. He went to his pre-op visit to the vet yesterday. All is well, although he has a slight heart murmur! He will be neutered tomorrow. I am praying someone will want to adopt Louie and very soon. He is lonely in the room I have him in. I try to create excitement for him, but there is only so much I can do. There is a window ledge for him to look out at the birdfeeder, which gets a lot of action each morning when its filled. Squirrells and birds galore! This morning I devised something that is really cool. I wish I had thought of it in past rescues. I placed a gate in the hallway in front of the entrance to both bedrooms. He can now go into the back bedroom and the front bedroom and he can view what is happening around the house. The other kitties and dog can't get in to him! Of course if they really thought about it, they could jump over the gate, but hopefully they won't figure it out! Its a great way to get a kitty introduced to the rest of the clan. Louie needs a home!

An Animal's Eyes Have the Power to Speak a Great Language

As I trudged out at 5:40 am. this morning into the bitter cold, with shovel, dry towels, dry food and warm water in tow, I thought about the cat I rescued over a week ago, Dewey, and the cat I rescued Thursday, Louie. I thought about how very lucky they are to be in a place where there is warmth, and safety, and love. And as I set down the water and food and dry towels for the precious babies that were eyeing me from a distance, waiting for me to place that precious life sustaining small comfort they have for that moment of a day, I thought about Dewey and Louie again. Dewey is again being fostered at another home after a hopeful home fell through, but before he left me, with the look he gave me, and his head butting into mine, I knew I had done the right thing. And the same thing with Louie, I see the look in his eyes when he looks at me, and I know they are so grateful to me for getting them off the street, all the danger that lurks there, not only from other animals, but from the weather. I think about this and am proud of what I do. More importantly, I am thankful for all the wonderful people who have come into my life that have adopted most of these innocent angels that I have rescued. Some have not been so fortunate, but the ones that have been, they are still around, healthy and happy, as I do get reports from their 'mommies or daddies' from time to time. Dewey and Louie need homes desperately. I must find them that! They deserve this!

Louie Lou Eye

Well, I finally did it. I rescued Louie off the street of Rochester yesterday morning. I have driven up to his feeding spot too many times lately where he runs up to my car and starts to cry. I have lately been able to scoop him up and set him on my lap before I get out of the car, where he sits and purrs for a brief, warm minute. He must live in a bush outside of this abandoned house because that is where he runs from every single morning. He has endured snow, rain, sleet and heat. I had to go into this neighborhood in the evening, where I feed in the mornings, actually its Number Nine of my stops, and there he was. He obviously sits there day and night waiting for me in the morning, but when he came out in the evening, I knew he needed to get off the street. So I scooped him up the next morning, and he is safe and sound for now, although he does need a home, and quick. I am pretty sure he would also want a home where he doesn't have to play dress up for his mommy! :)

Life is a Zoo in a Jungle

Love that phrase. Its true too! This morning was as usual a cold one. I woke to the sound of one of my darling sweet cats scratching with his razor sharp claws on a chair in my room. I could literally kill a cat when they do that. No, I couldn't REALLY kill a cat, but I could have easily have thrown a dish of water on it if I had one handy. This has been happening each morning now. Its like one of them is saying, if you dont' get up and out of bed now to feed me, I will ruin your furniture. I am still trying to figure out which cat it is, because it is dark still, and when I get up as if to go clobber him/her, it scrambles down the stairs as if I am getting up and it needs to be the first one at the bowls. And then of course there is Thunder the Wonder Dog from Down Under. I swear that dog can hear my legs swing over the side of my bed every single morning. And I try to be as quiet with my swinging as I can. Besides, how much noise does that make? None! But there he is, letting out the loudest, oddest noise you can imagine. You would think he was being tortured, and if you were walking outside at that time - 4 a.m. every morning, you would think he actually is being tortured. Such an odd boy. He is just so excited to start the morning! He needs his food and then his walkie, and he is good to go. These animals are amazing.

Dewey Update

I know I must sound like a broken record, but the Dewman is the sweetest kitty in the world. Well, maybe not the world, maybe not this town, maybe not in my house, but he is ONE OF THEM!!! Not a vicious bone in his body! He is very good taking his medicine, and very good about being brushed, and very very good about being kissed 'to death' on his nose!!! He is getting better every day, and is really starting to come around. He is a gentle beast. His poor little pads on his feet, they are so dry and cracked. My Boris' pads were like that when I got him in below zero temperatures five years ago. They looked like they would be very sore and I asked the vet what we could do about them, but he said time would heal them, and they are like a baby's bottom now. I sure hope that happens soon for Dewey! Dewey was also neutered yesterday, and the vet noticed that his teeth were broken, and guessed he may have been hit by a car to have suffered such injury. They also found a bone stuck in his teeth (chicken bone?), which must have been causing him a lot of pain, and removed that. Poor baby! We continue to search for his forever home. Can any of you help?

Dewey Update

Well, much has happened since wrote this past Wednesday. I had the day off on Thursday, and brought Dewey to the vet. For a street kitty, he surprised me with a clean bill of health after being FIV/Feline Leukemia tested, which I did for the girl who had found a foster home for him so they can get him adopted more easily. He had a nasty neck wound which he was treated with a powerful antibiotic. Later that afternoon, I brought him to his new foster home - a young girl with a young son in an apartment on the smaller side, in the city. When I met them I instantly felt a connection, especially with the girl's mother Valerie. You could tell they were just kind, down to earth people. And when I opened Dewey's cage door, he got out as if he owned the place, and all was well. It was hard to leave, but I knew he would be in good hands. He had an appointment for that coming Monday for neutering so I also knew that the heavy urine scent he produced would also be eliminated after that. The next morning, I received a call from the girl crying, saying that Dewey had severe diarrhea and she couldn't handle it. I offered to take him back until the antibiotic symptom wore off, and actually keep him until he was neutered. Her mother brought him back, and told me the girl wouldn't take him back. I am devastated, and so is poor Dewey. He is so lonely in my house. I have to go into see him every so often, and he is just so lonely. I need to find him a home and quick, as he is in the only spare room I have that is actually a safe haven for two cats I have - one with diabetes - Trouble, and one with FIV, Boris. I have another cat Scooter who is a stalker to both and they have peace when I put them in there a few hours at a time. Dewey is the sweetest stray I've rescued that I need to give up. He headbutts my face and is totally into kisses. Please help!