The kitten has been rescued from the crazy person. She wasn't home and the landlord's sister went in and got the poor thing. The kitten was brought to RAS (Rochester Animal Shelter). It will be there for five days before they kill it. Poor little guy. If anyone would like to adopt him, please go there today. But thank God he is out of harms way with her.
Another update: The cat with the severe injury has been trapped. I am not sure what will be done with him, another person helped me out with it, and I will wait to see what will happen to the little guy, but I am so thankful he will not spend another day on the street suffering with his wounds.
Larry, the kitty I finally rescued last Tuesday with the bad ear, who has been with my dear friend Nancy, was brought to the vet yesterday. No ear mites, just a bad bacterial infection brewing within. The ear has a hematoma, but its an old one and hardened. It will be looked a a little more closer when he goes under the knife next week for neutering. The other 'problem' is that he tested positive for FIV. The vet that saw him told her he must not come into contact with other cats, nor share their food and water bowls. I don't agree with this. I have had Boris with FIV for over six years now and never a problem. Can someone dispense a little advice for me? I want to give her good facts so that when Larry is adopted, his potential new mom or dad can know this is not a bad thing. He warmed everyone's hearts in the vets office. Such a good boy.
Chronicling the adventures of one woman who is feeding and caring for the feral and stray cats in the Beechwood neighborhood of Rochester, NY
Saturday, June 16, 2012
Friday, June 15, 2012
Crazy
No, not the song, the woman. I have a picture of Crazy "Lucy", and the kitten in her arms, but I cannot get it downloaded. I don't know what I am doing wrong. I will try again later.
I stopped there after doing my rounds, and waved to her as I placed a bowl of food down. The reason I am placing food down is to get her attention to find out if she still has the kitten. Sure enough, she came out with him after I asked her to see it. She does think I am her 'friend'. So she trusts me. I told her I had my camera as I was taking pics of the kitties this morning. She allowed me to take it. She has been alluding the police for days now. My cop friend has been doing her best. Hopefully she will get someone over there early so that she doesn't have a chance to leave with the kitten. She has been using Lysol disinfectant to clean the fleas off the kitten. Its sickening. I am sick. I see a look of terror on this kitten's face.
The tenant above was angry thinking I am drawing cats to the place by putting food down. I got into it with him, after he was saying he had my license plate and was going to call the police. I wanted to shout 'but i am trying to help this situation' but she was within earshot. I should have just said mind your own business and drove off. But not me. I keep going.
I promise to keep you informed. As for the rest of this post today, I just can't think of what to say, I am so disturbed by this. Have a great day.
I stopped there after doing my rounds, and waved to her as I placed a bowl of food down. The reason I am placing food down is to get her attention to find out if she still has the kitten. Sure enough, she came out with him after I asked her to see it. She does think I am her 'friend'. So she trusts me. I told her I had my camera as I was taking pics of the kitties this morning. She allowed me to take it. She has been alluding the police for days now. My cop friend has been doing her best. Hopefully she will get someone over there early so that she doesn't have a chance to leave with the kitten. She has been using Lysol disinfectant to clean the fleas off the kitten. Its sickening. I am sick. I see a look of terror on this kitten's face.
The tenant above was angry thinking I am drawing cats to the place by putting food down. I got into it with him, after he was saying he had my license plate and was going to call the police. I wanted to shout 'but i am trying to help this situation' but she was within earshot. I should have just said mind your own business and drove off. But not me. I keep going.
I promise to keep you informed. As for the rest of this post today, I just can't think of what to say, I am so disturbed by this. Have a great day.
Thursday, June 14, 2012
Pop Goes the Weasel!
Well, it is for me today, I have the day off tomorrow. Yay. I get to spend the morning cleaning my house. There is about one and a half days my house is clean. Then its back to walking on pieces of dry cat food that spill over from the bowls, stepping in puddles of water that spill over from the water bowls, cleaning up cat puke, cleaning out litter boxes, and picking off cat hair here and there. Oh, the joys of pet ownership!
The normal suspects were out and about this morning. I did remember to bring the medicine, Doxy, for both Big Red, and Hayward Boy. Poor things. I gave them each a double dose of medicine in their wet food. I pray it has some effect on them today. I also ran into some competition going on at the spot I rescued Larry from. Lets see... we had Sparkles, of course, her home, and then we had a beautiful very light red kitty with a limp that keeps its distance from me, and then we also had a momma raccoon and her two babies. Let me tell you, raccoon babies are very very cute. But I decided to swing by after leaving the food down for the kitties, and no sign of Momma and her babies that I had earlier chased up a tree.
Speaking of babies, the above is a picture of a baby weasel my girlfriend rescued in her yard yesterday. A cat must have found it and was 'playing with it.' My friend wound up contacting a wildlife rehab person I found for her, and brought it to her yesterday. This little baby would not leave her hand. It just wanted to be cuddled. How rare to see a baby weasel! I told her it would bring her good luck.
Meet Gus. Gus is my sister's dog. She adopted him as a puppy, I think from Lollipop Farm. This is her second Pit Bull. Gus is the biggest sweetheart baby I've ever met. I think Gus may be around two or three years old now. My sister has a just turned six year old granddaughter living with her, and has had since her first year of life. We trust Gus 100%, as much as any other animal. The reason I am talking about this today is because there have been a LOT of news reports recently about pit bulls biting, mauling or killing people or other dogs. And its very sad. Its sad for the animals hurt by them, and its sad for the animal that hurt them. Its not just pit bulls that go after other dogs. My dog is very bad with other dogs. And he is a rescued Golden Retriever. Its their upbringing that causes this type of behavior. They are not born with it. So I reached out to a friend who works with the rescue group called Pitty Love. She gave me a few facts to share. Take what you will from it, I just found it interesting, and feel sorry for them because society has such a great fear of them - there are thousands destroyed accross the country each day because of people breeding these dogs for fighting. I have a friend who's little dog was just attacked by her son's pit bull (and he could have adopted it - am sure he was not fighting it), and I know that this issue is a sensitive one.
1. MYTH: Pit bulls bite more than any other breed.
FACT: There is no system in place to track statistics on dog bites and attacks accurately in the U.S., and many incidents are never reported.
The Centers for Disease Control study “Breeds of dogs involved in fatal human attacks in the United States between 1979 and 1998” explains the inherent problems in attempting to calculate breed involvement in fatal attacks.1 The CDC further explained that a major flaw in the study was the inability to factor in total breed populations relative to breed-related fatalities. The CDC concluded that fatal attacks are so rare as to be statistically insignificant in addressing canine aggression.
2. MYTH: Pit bulls attack without warning or provocation
FACT: According to Karen Delise in The Pit Bull Placebo, the classification of an attack as unprovoked is usually based on the declarations of owners who are unable to understand canine behavior, or are too busy to have seen the signals dogs usually display through body language or vocalization. Dogs do this with stares; body stiffening; positioning of ears, tail and head; and growling, to name only a few. Pit bulls give these signals as much as any other breed of dog.
Additionally, dog attacks tend to be a result of several factors that are statistically more dangerous than a simple breakdown of breed culpability. According to the American Veterinary Medical Association, these factors are:
• Breeding: Dogs that are bred to be aggressive will be aggressive regardless of the breed.
• Socialization: Puppies need socialization to learn how to live in human society.
• Training: Beyond socialization, puppies need training so they will at least obey basic commands.
• Health: Some dogs bite because they are uncomfortable or in pain.
• Spayed or Neutered: 97 percent of dogs involved in fatal dog attacks in 2006 were not sterilized.
• Tethering: One out of every four fatal dog attacks involves a chained dog.
3. MYTH: Pit bulls have locking jaws.
FACT: There is no factual research to support this claim. Pit bulls’ jaws are the same as any other breed of dog.
There are statements by experts that refute the locking myth, such as:
• Dr. I. Lehr Brisbin of the University of Georgia conducted research on the functional morphology of the jaws of various breeds and showed that:
“…there were no mechanical or morphological differences between the jaws of American Pit Bull Terriers and those of any of the other comparable breeds of dogs which we studied. In addition, we found that the American Pit Bull Terriers did not have any unique mechanism that would allow these dogs to lock their jaws.”
• Dr. Howard Evans (professor emeritus, College of Veterinary Medicine at Cornell University, Ithaca, N.Y., and author of the world’s definitive work on canine anatomy [Anatomy of the Dog]), in conjunction with Dr. Sandy deLahunta, one of the foremost dog neurologists in the country, along with Dr. Katherine Houpt, a leading dog behaviorist, wrote the following statement about the supposed “locking jaw” in pit bulls:
“We all agree that the power of the bite is proportional to the size of the jaws and the jaw muscles. There is no anatomical structure that could be a locking mechanism in any dog.”
4. MYTH: Pit bulls have more bite force in pounds per square inch than any other animal.
FACT: Again, there is no factual research to support this claim. However, there is research that refutes this myth.
Dr. Brady Barr of National Geographic conducted a study on animal bites. The force of bite (in pounds of bite pressure) in the test subjects were:
Crocodiles: 2,500 lbs. Hyenas: 1,000 lbs. Snapping turtles: 1,000 lbs. Lions: 600 lbs. White sharks: 600 lbs. Domestic dogs: 320 lbs. (on average*) Humans: 120 lbs.
* A German shepherd dog, American pit bull terrier and Rottweiler were tested using a bite sleeve equipped with a specialized computer instrument. The American pit bull terrier had the least amount of pressure of the three dogs tested.
5. MYTH: Pit bulls have worse temperaments than other dogs.
FACT: In a recent study of 122 dog breeds by the American Temperament Testing Society, pit bulls had a passing rate of 83.9%. That was better than miniature poodles (76.6%), beagles (80.3%) and collies (79.4%).
6. MYTH: Pit bulls do not feel pain.
FACT: While most dogs do not respond to pain while in the frenzied state of a severe attack, pit bulls feel pain just like other breeds do.
Pit bulls have the same nervous system as any other breed, and they do feel pain. Historically, dogs that would tolerate or ignore discomfort and pain and finish the task they were required to perform were the dogs that were bred and the type of dogs breeders strove to produce. This is the trait of “gameness” that so many breed fanciers speak of, which may be defined as “The desire to continue on and/or complete a task despite pain and discomfort.
Pit Bull Myths vs. Facts
1. MYTH: Pit bulls bite more than any other breed.
FACT: There is no system in place to track statistics on dog bites and attacks accurately in the U.S., and many incidents are never reported.
The Centers for Disease Control study “Breeds of dogs involved in fatal human attacks in the United States between 1979 and 1998” explains the inherent problems in attempting to calculate breed involvement in fatal attacks.1 The CDC further explained that a major flaw in the study was the inability to factor in total breed populations relative to breed-related fatalities. The CDC concluded that fatal attacks are so rare as to be statistically insignificant in addressing canine aggression.
2. MYTH: Pit bulls attack without warning or provocation
FACT: According to Karen Delise in The Pit Bull Placebo, the classification of an attack as unprovoked is usually based on the declarations of owners who are unable to understand canine behavior, or are too busy to have seen the signals dogs usually display through body language or vocalization. Dogs do this with stares; body stiffening; positioning of ears, tail and head; and growling, to name only a few. Pit bulls give these signals as much as any other breed of dog.
Additionally, dog attacks tend to be a result of several factors that are statistically more dangerous than a simple breakdown of breed culpability. According to the American Veterinary Medical Association, these factors are:
• Breeding: Dogs that are bred to be aggressive will be aggressive regardless of the breed.
• Socialization: Puppies need socialization to learn how to live in human society.
• Training: Beyond socialization, puppies need training so they will at least obey basic commands.
• Health: Some dogs bite because they are uncomfortable or in pain.
• Spayed or Neutered: 97 percent of dogs involved in fatal dog attacks in 2006 were not sterilized.
• Tethering: One out of every four fatal dog attacks involves a chained dog.
3. MYTH: Pit bulls have locking jaws.
FACT: There is no factual research to support this claim. Pit bulls’ jaws are the same as any other breed of dog.
There are statements by experts that refute the locking myth, such as:
• Dr. I. Lehr Brisbin of the University of Georgia conducted research on the functional morphology of the jaws of various breeds and showed that:
“…there were no mechanical or morphological differences between the jaws of American Pit Bull Terriers and those of any of the other comparable breeds of dogs which we studied. In addition, we found that the American Pit Bull Terriers did not have any unique mechanism that would allow these dogs to lock their jaws.”
• Dr. Howard Evans (professor emeritus, College of Veterinary Medicine at Cornell University, Ithaca, N.Y., and author of the world’s definitive work on canine anatomy [Anatomy of the Dog]), in conjunction with Dr. Sandy deLahunta, one of the foremost dog neurologists in the country, along with Dr. Katherine Houpt, a leading dog behaviorist, wrote the following statement about the supposed “locking jaw” in pit bulls:
“We all agree that the power of the bite is proportional to the size of the jaws and the jaw muscles. There is no anatomical structure that could be a locking mechanism in any dog.”
4. MYTH: Pit bulls have more bite force in pounds per square inch than any other animal.
FACT: Again, there is no factual research to support this claim. However, there is research that refutes this myth.
Dr. Brady Barr of National Geographic conducted a study on animal bites. The force of bite (in pounds of bite pressure) in the test subjects were:
Crocodiles: 2,500 lbs. Hyenas: 1,000 lbs. Snapping turtles: 1,000 lbs. Lions: 600 lbs. White sharks: 600 lbs. Domestic dogs: 320 lbs. (on average*) Humans: 120 lbs.
* A German shepherd dog, American pit bull terrier and Rottweiler were tested using a bite sleeve equipped with a specialized computer instrument. The American pit bull terrier had the least amount of pressure of the three dogs tested.
5. MYTH: Pit bulls have worse temperaments than other dogs.
FACT: In a recent study of 122 dog breeds by the American Temperament Testing Society, pit bulls had a passing rate of 83.9%. That was better than miniature poodles (76.6%), beagles (80.3%) and collies (79.4%).
6. MYTH: Pit bulls do not feel pain.
FACT: While most dogs do not respond to pain while in the frenzied state of a severe attack, pit bulls feel pain just like other breeds do.
Pit bulls have the same nervous system as any other breed, and they do feel pain. Historically, dogs that would tolerate or ignore discomfort and pain and finish the task they were required to perform were the dogs that were bred and the type of dogs breeders strove to produce. This is the trait of “gameness” that so many breed fanciers speak of, which may be defined as “The desire to continue on and/or complete a task despite pain and discomfort.
Wednesday, June 13, 2012
Guilty!
I finally went to court yesterday, for my speeder. I had this hanging over my head since end of March. It was a bad one, I was worried, but it was pled down and it wasn't as bad as it could have been, but then again, it could've been better. One thing though, it was a lesson learned the hard way - and yes Mom, I promise to watch my driving from hereon. I am already realizing that I don't have to be in front of that car, or the next one. I don't have to be the first one to be there. I don't have to hurry my life away like I have done for all these years. When I was in court, for the second time (the first the Assistant DA was not there for me to plead down, so I was rescheduled), two different deputies each time called out my name to stand in front of the judge, and both said Janie. Now, my name has been mispronounced my whole life. I am not sure if people just don't read, or if what they are looking at is unclear, or whatever. Even my teachers got it wrong. Yesterday, I just wanted to loudly say "No! Its JANINE!" Our names, besides our bodies. are the only personal things we possess. Everything else is just stuff!
This leads me to a question I am asked frequently, do you name all the kitties you feed. I don't, and I could never keep up with 50+ names, nor could I think of that many. Although I did get a list yesterday from Jessica that had some really good ones. I am just not good with names. Although Larry, who I brought over to Nancy's last night, seems to fit him perfectly. He is SUCH a good boy. I held him and stroked him when I got home last night. I wanted to keep him forever, but he needs medical attention. He is just not feeling well. You can tell when cats aren't feeling well. So I put him in Nancy's trusting hands, and she will be making the vet appointment for him. She also brought Limpy in this morning to her vet, who will be anesthetized most likely to look at his wound, and neutered if he/she is not already. Hopefully its just a wound, and once it is healed, he will have to be placed back on the streets. I am told he is feral.
I stopped at Crazy 'Lucy's this morning. She is insane, for sure. She was standing outside her door, purse in hand, again. To look at her, she is kind of scary. But if she didn't have this mental illness, she would just be another cat person, I am sure. I did 'talk' with her and she did tell me she still has the kitten, and that it had the 'black plague' but that it was doing better. I asked her how she healed it, and she told me she swabbed its ears with Carnation milk, and she put something in its mouth (the minute I heard the carnation milk, I tuned her out - just knowing I had to get away to make a phone call), and then mentioned Lysol in the same sentence. I was horrified. I told her I had to run to work, drove off and called my cop friend immediately. She called me back within the hour, she is off today, but has been working on it. There are many complications when it comes to legalities, but she is doing her best to try to get her declared insane and get her put a way for a little while. In the meantime, they must stop there today to see if they can find this kitten. Its sickening.
On a brighter note (sorry folks)... Here is the list Jessica gave me for naming some kitties. I really like some of them! I am game for more if anyone wants to contribute!
Sparky
Baxter
Chumley (the fat, funny, dumb guy from the show Pawn Stars)
Leroy Jethro Gibbs (my fave show NCIS)
Timothy McGee
Ziva
Tony
Abby
Duckie (sense an NCIS theme yet?)
Sammy
Freckles
Speckles
Peaches
Snickers
Fluffernutter
Barney
Squirt
"Do not follow where the path may lead.
Go, instead, where there is no path and leave a trail."
- Ralph Waldo Emerson
Tuesday, June 12, 2012
The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly
First off, to Debbie that wrote the comment on Friday, thank you. I needed an eye misting this morning, and your comment allowed me just that. My condolences to you on the loss of your beloved Uncle. Life is so bittersweet....
The Ugly today was the weather. Its wet, its humid, its miserable. I could take it, if I didn't have the thickest, frizziest, untameable mange of hair that needs to be straightened by a hairdresser which costs a lot of money, for me, so I don't get it done that often, and when I do, it invariably rains the next day, which by then is a total loss of money for me. But by far the worst of this weather is that it is miserable for the animals on the street. They need shelter, and they get it under the most dirtiest porches around. If you think going down the streets I do each day and seeing the filth on peoples lawns, imagine what under their porches look like.
The Bad is the kitty on Hayward. I have mentioned before the huge wound on his neck. I have just started to sneak Doxy in his food (thank you Julie for providing this - it has helped so many of my kitties) - I don't see him every day, but just about every other. His wound is now travelling down the side of his body. Its just one open raw wound. He is constantly scratching at it. Its terrible. I don't know what to do.
The Good - I got Larry!! Hooray! Pulling up to his and Sparkles spot, I didn't see him. I saw Sparkles come barrelling across the street to me, and as I looked around, as I do every time before I get out of the car at each of my spots, for my safety, there he was, across the road on someone's porch. Just laying there. I put food down on the porch for Sparkles,and slowly walked over to him. I reached out with the tub of wet food I had and he didn't move. I set the food down, he came to me, started to eat, and I walked back to my car, got the carrier out quietly, walked back over to him, got him by the scruff, and placed him in. No struggle, no crying, no nothing. He was SUCH a good boy. He's a hot mess, but nothing that can't be fixed. I applied an application of Revolution to him, and gave him some nice scratches. He is in my bathroom now, safe, fed, high and dry, and one lucky little boy. Here are some photos of him! Prayers ANSWERED!
The Ugly today was the weather. Its wet, its humid, its miserable. I could take it, if I didn't have the thickest, frizziest, untameable mange of hair that needs to be straightened by a hairdresser which costs a lot of money, for me, so I don't get it done that often, and when I do, it invariably rains the next day, which by then is a total loss of money for me. But by far the worst of this weather is that it is miserable for the animals on the street. They need shelter, and they get it under the most dirtiest porches around. If you think going down the streets I do each day and seeing the filth on peoples lawns, imagine what under their porches look like.
The Bad is the kitty on Hayward. I have mentioned before the huge wound on his neck. I have just started to sneak Doxy in his food (thank you Julie for providing this - it has helped so many of my kitties) - I don't see him every day, but just about every other. His wound is now travelling down the side of his body. Its just one open raw wound. He is constantly scratching at it. Its terrible. I don't know what to do.
The Good - I got Larry!! Hooray! Pulling up to his and Sparkles spot, I didn't see him. I saw Sparkles come barrelling across the street to me, and as I looked around, as I do every time before I get out of the car at each of my spots, for my safety, there he was, across the road on someone's porch. Just laying there. I put food down on the porch for Sparkles,and slowly walked over to him. I reached out with the tub of wet food I had and he didn't move. I set the food down, he came to me, started to eat, and I walked back to my car, got the carrier out quietly, walked back over to him, got him by the scruff, and placed him in. No struggle, no crying, no nothing. He was SUCH a good boy. He's a hot mess, but nothing that can't be fixed. I applied an application of Revolution to him, and gave him some nice scratches. He is in my bathroom now, safe, fed, high and dry, and one lucky little boy. Here are some photos of him! Prayers ANSWERED!
The follies which we regret most in life are those which
we didn't commit when we had the opportunity.
Monday, June 11, 2012
Monday Madness
Boy are my titles lame these days... But it was madness in a few respects this morning. One being that I have not seen Larry now for three mornings. Its so disheartening knowing this poor injured sick cat is out there, and I have been offered a situation by angel Nancy to go to her vet, and rest in her home until he can be adopted. I wonder how coincidental that is. When I got there, praying he would be there this morning, only Sparkles came running to me. I walked all around this abandoned house, calling for him, as I have done the past two mornings, both of them in downpours. I figured it was the rain that caused him to go into hiding. I have 'lost' a lot of cats over the years. I remember Smoky (#1) on Central and Goodman who I had set up a nice shelter for for many years, many times to find it trashed, but every morning Smoky was there waiting for me, even in the bad snowstorms he endured. I would come there with my shovel, and shovel a path for him to walk down rather than trying to get through the mounds of snow that would build up. He was an old guy, and I did this for years each morning, but one day, he just stopped coming. I think about that now, and it still makes me tear up. Its sad. I pray Larry shows up tomorrow morning.
(some recycled old pics...)
The other maddening part was that I stopped at the crazy person's house this morning. I spoke to my cop friend yesterday, and she felt bad because she thought I thought she wasn't doing enough to get the kitten away from this woman. I told her I knew it wasn't her fault, nor anyone, there is only so much the cops can do. They had a double homicide this weekend, and I know there are things that take precedence, but she promised me she would work on it, as she has continued to. Its a matter of getting this management company (landlord) out there for a surprise visit to catch her with an animal, that she is not allowed to have. When I pulled up this morning, it was very quiet. I was prepared to talk to her, pretend I was her friend, and ask her about the kitten I had seen last week in her apartment. Instead, I saw an adult black and white furry baby laying in the doorway to her place. He didn't move too quickly as I placed water and food down on her steps for him. Then he took off. God knows if this is the mother of the kitten she had, which was black and what also. I will continue to monitor this situation this week. Prayers everyone!
(some recycled old pics...)
This is Big Red, who I have not seen since we trapped Limpy last Thursday morning.
I pray he is safe also.
This is my Cinnamon girl, who I rescued as a kitten born to a feral mother, along with his twin Sugar.
This is what my bed once looked like. Cosmo is mixed in there somewhere.
Saturday, June 9, 2012
Downpour
What a mess. I was soaked from head to toe as I headed out at 5:08 this morning. On and off downpour. Peeled off my clothes when I got back. Nice to be dry. I had no luck with Larry this morning. He was not there. When I went to check a second time, Sparkles was there, but she was spooked by something and took off as I approached. She is a bit skittish to begin with but never does that. I will try again tomorrow. A very kind soul, who has already helped me to take five other cats (or is it six Nancy?) and give them a loving home, two were feral, and she has melted their hearts. She is amazing, and she is willing to vet Larry and hopefully find him a good home. So, prayers for tomorrow that I have success. I don't have to trap him as he is a gentle soul. I will just be shoving him into the carrier when he leasts suspects it! :) They just love that. ha ha.
Otherwise, I made sure that all the kitties food was covered and dry with a shelter as best as I could - changed a few towels. A man was walking down Second and when I got out of my car he hollered over 'they even know your car!'. That is for sure. They know me, and they trust me. All my babies. Have a wonderful weekend everyone.
Otherwise, I made sure that all the kitties food was covered and dry with a shelter as best as I could - changed a few towels. A man was walking down Second and when I got out of my car he hollered over 'they even know your car!'. That is for sure. They know me, and they trust me. All my babies. Have a wonderful weekend everyone.
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