Cloud 9

I suppose I am optimistic to a fault.  I have always thought I was making a dent in this world, in this tiny corner of mine, with the stray and feral cats.  Sometimes, I am brought back to reality out of my little cloud I am always floating on.

A friend dropped off a couple of gift baskets to me yesterday, for the FUNRAISER on July 18th, and we were talking about the sadness and tragedy that these cats endure, and I didn't think much about it - of her sense of reality of what is going on out there, but she kindly sent me a note when she got home, for which I am grateful, even though it wasn't needed, but sad to see the words on paper:

"Hey there.
I know you were hurt when I said you were not making a dent in the stray cat population, let me explain what I meant.
Yes, what you do is a wonderful thing, but it's the math that is an issue.
Until some type of legislation is enacted to prevent idiots from letting their unaltered cats roam the streets, stray populations will never cease. It's an issue in every town, every state.

I am sure you know that for every cat you alter, there are hundreds more every month in the same area that are being allowed to stray..unaltered, thus continuing the problem.
Sadly, it will never go away.
With all these low cost spay clinics for low incomes, there is NO excuse not to alter. Ever look at Craigslist under Pets? The vast majority of middle aged cats being given away are not altered.
Some people purposely let them mate so they can sell the kittens on that site. With every shelter and rescue full of them, many do not find homes so they are just tossed out into the street, as we both know.

After watching that tiny kitten take it's last breath in my hands, I have become very intolerant of irresponsible people and wish there was a way to hold them accountable for their actions.
I can only assume that many of the more friendly cats you care for are or were someone's pet at one time and they just allowed them to roam, never to return home.
I am having a difficult time keeping my mouth shut when people state that it is cruel to alter a pet and to keep them confined in the house. Hell, if I had kids I would not let them out into traffic to play !
Guess you just can't argue with DUMB.

See ya soon, stay safe and avoid certain situations. Last week I bought a new bike and delivered to to the Conkey Cruisers bike collection on Conkey avenue. The very next day on the same street there was a
stabbing and car jacking...in broad daylight! "

What can I say.

On another note, the woman, Mary, who lives next door to the lunatic Maryleigh called me to tell me she spoke directly to the investigating officer at the humane society, and they said they would be out 'today', which was yesterday, but they didn't.  They told her they had something now to charge her with (the dead kittens in the bags buried in the lot next door).  Nothing yet though.  I also told her about how we need to start trapping the cats there, and that they need to get used to eating from what I give them, so she told me I could place them on the other side of her driveway, bowls of food in the morning.  I went to do this very quietly this morning and I looked over at M's house a house away, and I could see her silhouette, and then I heard her call 911.  Here she is calling 911 on ME.  I left, as I didn't have time for this nonsense today.  I just hope to hear back from a friend in law enforcement that I contacted yesterday to explain to me why something hasn't been done sooner after ALL the complaints by the neighbors there.

Don't forget, all these babies need homes:

JELLY

ELVIS

SQUIRT

PIP

EMMETT

Have a nice day.

"People travel to wonder at the

height of the mountains,

at the huge waves of the seas,

at the long course of the rivers,

at the vast compass of the ocean,

at the circular motion of the stars,

and yet they pass by themselves

without wondering."

Fake It Til You Make It!

I've had some issues at work lately, and I am very down about it.  But as I always say, its a new day, and I WILL put a big smile on my face.  Or half of one.  :(

As far as updates on Barney, he is doing FAB.  His issues he was having with howling, and elimination problems are gone, after being treated for a UTI, and now he is one happy boy.  He is loved and adored, off the street (Niagara) and in a loving family home.  Check out his pic!

Barney

Teddy, our sweet little boy that I rescued two years or so ago off Parsells, who's owner wanted to surrender him after a year because he was having little box problems, is doing much better after a trip to the vet, and new food.

Teddy

My morning, however, was not so great.  The first place I stop at on Melville, someone removed the bowls there that feed these starving cats each morning.  I had to move down a bit and place them this morning. 

At my Parsells location, behind this guys house, there was a family of raccoons that scrambled up the telephone pole as I worked my way to the back of the lot in the dark, waiting for me to leave.  Petey, Paulie, a black cat and a long haired young tabby that has had babies recently had to hurry to eat the food I left before these coons come down from the pole.  They won't have another meal until tomorrow morning when I arrive.

All other locations were as normal - I did not see hernia kitty on Ferndale and Webster, but there is a sweet black cat that is so loving with me, I would love to get him out of there.  There are still five or so kittens on 7th that I am desperately asking for help in trying to trap them so that they can be socialized and adopted out.  I am not going to Niagara anymore where there were three pure white and one black kitten.  I just can't do all of this myself.  I am trusting my friend is caring for this colony.

Timeline:

6 pm. Wednesday -  I received a phone call from Crazy Maryleigh's neighbor Mary.  I had given her my card a week or so ago, when she started to tell me stories about what was going on around the corner on her street with M and the cats over there.  See past posts.  I called the Humane Society to get someone to go over to investigate, and they told me that there was an ongoing investigation already.  I asked to leave a message for the officer.  I did, asked him to call back, he never did.  This was early last week.  Mary told me on the phone that she suspects that there are kittens buried in the lot next door to her, asked me to bring her a shovel as she didn't have one.  I tried to calm her down, and told her I would leave one the next morning.  She called me back to tell me she couldn't wait and dug with her hands, she was crying and said she finally found the proof, there were dead kittens in these bags she dug up.  I called 911, and then went over to talk to them when they arrived, and to see for myself. 

The first thing I noticed when I pulled up there was the smell.  It smelled like dead animals on this short dead end street.  She brought me over to the back of the lot and sure enough, there was something very dead in these bags.  We went back to the road, waiting for police, and a neighbor came over, a very sane woman Charlene.  I know that this Mary is a drug addict, along with her husband and son, so there is sickness there too, but she is not insane.  She was sober at the time when we stood there talking and waiting.  While I stood there, I counted 14 cats, all in front of Mary's house.  I brought food over and poured it on the ground, they all came running, starving.  As I stood there, I saw that they were very sickly looking.  I had Charlene take a picture of some of them with her phone, above.  I know Mary, Crazy Maryleigh's neighbor, is known to the police as a crackhead, but she is very aware of what is going on.  WE waited and waited, and I had to go home to bed, by now it was 7:30.  I left my number with this other woman Charlene to call me when the police arrived.  She did, and it was 9 pm.  I was already asleep, and apparently they left at 9:14 pm.

This morning:  I drove down CM's street to place food down for these cats again, and there was CM, running toward me with her pink flashlight trying to touch my skin with it, I believe it could be a taser gun, and I did report it the other day to police but she still has this 'weapon'.

Something is very wrong with our city where this kind of insanity is still going on.  No follow up from Humane Society, and Mary is still running around with a taser.  We need to get her out of there, and get these cats out of there, no matter where they go.  They are suffering.  I just don't know what to do about this.

Hi Ho, off to work I go.

Help.

Have a good day All.

"Evil (ignorance) is like a shadow--it has no real substance of its own, it is simply a lack of light. You cannot cause a shadow to disappear by trying to fight it, stamp on it, by railing against it, or any other form of emotional or physical resistance. In order to cause a shadow to disappear, you must shine light on it."               

Never a Dull Moment

Nothing to report today - there was no sighting of Crazy Maryleigh.  I know she was around after our encounter yesterday, the bowls were pushed to where they were not placed by me, obviously moved by her after she threw the food out.  She is obviously violating the order of staying off this property.  But I can't catch her.  I have a full time job.  Speaking of....

Actually, there is a lot to report today!  So, I get up at 3 am (normal time), and I live on a corner, where there is a stop sign.   I look out my window, in the dark, and there is a car with its lights on stopped at the stop sign, just sitting there.  I figured, ok, maybe the person is texting someone, or having a conversation, after all, there is no traffic, so why not just sit there for a second.  Forty-five minutes later, the car is still there.  After going out to investigate with flashlight, there is a man slumped over in the drivers seat.  I called 911 - and after banging on the window, the man perked up, put the car in drive, drove over the grass of the church across the street - all in slow motion - and parked his car on the grass of the church lot.  He turned off the lights and slumped over again.  Now its 20 minutes past the phone call, and I had to go do the kitties.  I figured the police must have something going on, after all, I had mentioned that this could be a medical issue.  Whatever, the kitties were waiting.

And waiting.  In the rain.  It was a more than a fine mist out there.  I was soaked in the first half hour.  I had to strategically place the food in spots where the rain would not soak it at some locations.  Keep in mind, I have at least 16 locations throughout the Beechwood section of Rochester where I have little huts built for the cats.  There are boards covering the space where the food is placed.  I go to each of these every day and refill the food and water.  At each of these spots, there are an average of five cats.  And at most of these locations, most are spayed and neutered with their ears tipped, identifying them as being spayed and neutered.  At most of these locations lately, there are plenty more cats that are new to the 'colony' that are not spayed and neutered.  And in fact, at two of these locations, there are baby kittens.  I am a one man band.  I want to help them all, but I can't.  I have been spaying and neutering on an average two cats per week since April.  This is all I can afford.  Its $50 per cat.  Now I can't even get an appointment at the low cost clinic I use because there are just so many others using this clinic for this purpose from all areas of the county.  I feel hopeless.

I received the following from a girl that adopted THREE of the kitties from the streets from me.  Webster, Tigger and now Friso/Purrdy - I started to read the note with happiness, and then my heart sank:

Hello,

The Orange kitty is doing great he is coming out of his shell more each week this week he is very playful seeing a lot of kitten in him.

My husband wanted to rename him to Foster…as I had told him to get him in my house that we can just “foster” him for awhile.

The “awhile” of course is forever and he knows that but he likes the name Foster and it does fit him a bit better than Zen as he is more wild now anyway.

It also starts with the “F” as you like to keep that tradition going for the street you found him on.

Now on a bad note I did not want to tell you this on Saturday because I wanted you to have a nice Holiday off since memorial day was crazy with you saving Foster.

Yesterday I was slammed at work and it was bad day here so I did not get to email you. On Saturday our Webster got hit by a car  and was killed. I found him myself on the road and was just devastated.

He was such an awesome kitty and was just not with me long enough. We buried him in the back yard as places were closed for the holiday so I could not get him cremated.

The kids put tiger Lily’s on his grave.

I know how much trouble you go to saving these little souls and I wanted you to know that he though he was only with me a short 9 months he was more loved in that time than

he would have been all his life with someone else. We just loved that little guy and showered him with hugs and kisses and he paid us back in purrs.

So we are very sorry for his loss L

I feel devastated.  I am not blaming this girl, who has become a true friend.  We all do what we have to do with our pets.  We all have different beliefs.  But I will say it again, I don't believe animals should be allowed outdoors.  There.  I've said it.  Again.  I am devastated, and I am sorry for her family's loss also.

WEBSTER

On top of all this, look what showed up in my yard yesterday.  Meet SQUIRT.  A four week old baby girl.  We looked all around for any other kittens, but nothing.  This isn't supposed to happen in MY neighborhood, where you don't see this homeless sort of thing.  I can't imagine how this baby animal came to be.  But it did, and now we need to find it a home!!!

George and Squirt

That's the news for the day.  Please spread the good word.

PS, when I returned from my feedings - the cops were there, the guy was standing there, his sister was called to come to pick him up, apparently he was drunk.  The cops later told me, after the guy and his sister drove off, that if the car was still running, they would have called me to make a statement in court that he was driving.  Wow.  BAD!!!

Have a good one!

  "I am only one, but still I am one. I cannot do everything,

but still I can do something;

and because I cannot do everything, I will not refuse to do something I can do."

To the Moon, Alice!

Anybody remember the Honeymooners - Jackie Gleason?  Of course they were RERUNS when I was little!  I am not THAT OLD!  :)

Pennsylvania and Second Shelter - Mr. Grey and Mr. Red

Well, the day will come when I don't have to post about Crazy Maryleigh, and WHAT will I have to talk about!  :)

She is a crazy B.  I have a lot of ......  not sure if the word is hate, or anger, or animosity? toward her.  She is certainly a SMART crazy B.  This morning, Laura went AGAIN to try to trap the black kitty with the crooked head, and something wrong with its eye, and a huge tumor hanging from its belly.  She was unsuccessful in spotting the kitty, but did manage to trap two others.  There are SO many cats at this location that need to be spayed and neutered - they are all reproducing on her street, just a block away.  As she was leaving, there comes M from around the corner.  She had stopped and looked and Laura took off, after getting two kitties for the clinic today.  I went there after I finished my rounds, and waited for M to come round the corner after I placed the food and water down.  This time, before she spotted me, she had a pink flashlight in her hand and was bending down shining it under the cars there, and in particular the van in the driveway because I have been placing a bowl of food under it due to her emptying the bowls in the tiny shelter each day.  She obviously figured that out. 

I got out and approached her to tell her she was violating the order for her to stay off the property, and she pointed this pink flashlight and it made a clicking noise and flashing light.  I figured maybe its either a taser, or a ...  I don't know. Maybe they make these things for protection nowadays?  She said I am going to hurt you!  I got in the car and called 911 to report she had a weapon.    This crazy B must be stopped - she is hindering our efforts to get these cats fixed.  The Humane Society officer never did call me back last week after I left him a voicemail, after I was told there was a current investigation on this woman and the cats on Webster Crescent.  This situation must get under control.  I need the help from police and rescue groups.  I just can't do it alone.  The City must step up to help.  I don't know how, but we have to figure something out.

Pip and Emmett still need adoption:

PIP

EMMETT

There remains five kittens on 7th Street, and two young adults - and three pure white and one black kitten on Niagara, that I know about.  I cannot seem to get appointments at the clinic on Bay Street this week, but hopefully they will return my call and offer me something.  The kittens are under 10 weeks old so they won't spay/neuter them right yet, but they could be caught and socialized at this point.  There is a beautiful sweet black cat at Ferndale and Webster - I want to take him home, of course, along with Cammy on Central and Fifth.  These guys deserve a home.  Please consider helping me by foster and adoption.

Have a great day.

"And the day came when the risk it took to remain tight inside the bud was more painful than the risk it took to blossom." 

Monday - AGAIN!

Well it was a nice four days off from my full time job at Rochester General.  I didn't accomplish as much as I wanted to outside in my garden, and in the house due to a lot of cat stuff.  But it was nice nevertheless.

Here are some highlights, and lowlights of the weekend:

I went to the ball game on Wednesday afternoon, which was a good start to my long weekend.  It was 'mandatory' fun day for the office, so here I am with some co-workers, and the only pictures I would allow them to take of me.  I don't like my picture taken.  This is one that doesn't have a certain finger showing.  :)

On Thursday morning, I got a call from my friends at HFC who were trying to trap the kitty with the huge lump hanging from its belly on Webster and Ferndale, who reported to me that Crazy Maryleigh had cut the string tied to the drop trap and wouldn't leave.  I raced over there, grocery bags left unpacked on the kitchen floor, and toast being toasted in the toaster.  I pulled up to find the crazy B standing there.  I walked over and told her to leave or I would call the police.  She didn't, and I did.  Within five minutes, two cars pulled up.  By this time, she had gone around the corner towards her home, and while we began to explain to the officers what we were trying to do, she comes around the corner wearing a face mask that looked like Michael Meyers mask in Halloween, and a pair of huge goggles.  We were all taken aback.  The cops asked her what she was doing with all that getup on, and she replied something about pollution.  They began to have a conversation with her, which escalated with her shouting and swearing at them.  They told her she was not allowed on the property and to stay away.  She walked away at some point and they told us that they could arrest her on mental hygiene alone.  I asked bottom line what can be done, because she has been doing this every single day to me, let alone these wonderful people trying to help these very sick cats that need our help.  They told me that if she comes back around, to call 911. they would come back and arrest her, which would give us at least 72 hours to do what we need to do.  This does not alleviate the fact that she still comes back to this property and empties the food and water I leave for these starving animals.   Poor sweetie with the lump still hasn't been trapped.  There is another SWEET black boy there that needs neutering also.  He let me pet him for minutes this morning.  I would love to find him a home.

On Friday my friend helped to trap a calico cat on Miller street and I gave her my spot at the clinic. Another one fixed.

On Saturday, one of the five kittens rescued from Miller Street, Tigger, the little red, was adopted.  His new mom and big sister came over to meet him, fell in love, and took him home.  I felt bad at first - I knew he would miss his siblings, but they are giving him plenty of love.  What do you think?

On Sunday, the other two that had been fostered by my friend Melissa were adopted!  Haven and Meadow - now named Maizie and Murphy, are doing well, coming out of their shell, and seem quite happy as they adjust to their new home with canine and feline brothers and sisters!  I am so grateful to their foster mom - thats all it takes to be a foster mom!  Just a little time, love and patience.  She brought these baby kittens that were born on the streets to sweet little kittens adjusting to their new lives in homes.  Thanks Melissa!

On Sunday morning, I stopped by to see my friend Miss B, who I have not seen in a long while.  She doesn't look too good, as she has been told she needs to be on dialysis and doesn't want to do it.  She says when the good Lord wants her, that will be her time.  She said hey, I'm 63 - as a 90 year old would say.  I told her that was a very young age to die.  Her eyes are yellow, and she has lost a lot of weight.  Not to mention the poor thing has no teeth, she devoured the soft moist watermelon I brought her.  The only thing she asked me to help her with the past few years was to get her a computer,and I couldn't do it.  I feel bad about that.  She can only text because she is always out of minutes on her phone, so she can't talk to people.  She is very lonely.  BUT, she has a dog named Precious that I have been paying to have vetted and groomed over the years.  When little Precious came out behind Miss B, I was astonished.  The poor animals was matter and her hair was way overgrown.  I immediately said to Miss B that I would call Petco and get her in for a grooming, which will be done this Thursday.  And from behind the dog came two kittens.  My heart sank.  They are both about five months old, boy and girl, and ready to mate.  I explained to Miss B that the girl kitty can get pregnant now, and it would most likely be by her brother.  I told her I was making appointments this week at the clinic for them.  She agreed.  Now I just need to get the appointments.  I have left several messages, but no return calls.  I am praying I can get these spots.  And here I have so many of my own on my own route that still need to be done.  Very sad.

On top of that, I met the woman across from Miss B who has the mother of these two kittens.  And guess what, the mother cat just had another litter last week.  The woman agreed to let me get the cat spayed, and for me to take the kittens once weaned from their mom.  FIVE more kittens.  I left there feeling ill.  I know need to get THREE appointments this week for these cats.   There are still five baby kittens on 7th Street.  I need help.

The Daily Post

Picture below is of Sabrina, the kitty that was hit by a car near Ferndale and Webster, most likely one of Maryleigh's cats that 'are hers'.  She is loving her life, despite down the road needing all her teeth removed due to the infection she is being treated for that is rotting her gums and teeth.  She is being fostered right now by a wonderful girl who is falling in love with her.

I called the Humane Society yesterday based on the facts told to me by M's neighbor, was told I would receive a call back by the already ongoing investigative officer, but I never did.  I will call again today! 

I am not sure if M touched the food yesterday, I just couldn't tell.  Someone was messing around there, but I wasn't sure if it was someone else or not.  Unfortunately, kitty with the tumor is still around, as Laura had a surgical appointment scheduled for the day she tried to trap but was bothered by M and her crazy antics.

The remaining two of the five kittens from Miller Street that were rescued a few weeks back went to the clinic for their wellness checks.  Sure enough, Haven is a boy, and Meadow is a girl.  Both are in the throes of possible adoption!  Fingers crossed their leukemia tests come back negative today!

Now we've got to get the other three little buggers that are a pain in my arse adopted!  Please spread the word!

The sad news to leave you with is that the place on Niagara and Central, there is a white fluffy cat that I am assuming is mom to the three baby white and one black kitten, looks pregnant.  On top of that, there are five tiny babies in the lot on 7th Street I discovered yesterday morning.  Their little faces were illuminated by my flashlight, hiding under a pile of wood.  Something must be done.   I need help!

Have a good day.

"You can't stay in your corner of the Forest waiting for others to come to you.

You have to go to them sometimes."
Winnie The Pooh

Another Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest

Psychosis:  Psychosis is a mental condition that affects a person's sense of reality. Hallucinations and delusions are common symptoms.

I want to be clear, I am sure there are those of us that have people in our families that might have mental illness, and I am not mocking or bashing people like this in general.  I am speaking only of one individual that has been in my daily realm for a long while now, and is causing great problems for the cats in the Webster/Ferndale part of the city.  Maryleigh (M) has some serious mental problems, and while I would normally feel empathy for someone like this, what their minds must go through, what their families go through, its hard to do this with this woman.

Yesterday, my friend in law enforcement, after giving her some information on where M lives, and where we are trying to trap these poor sick creatures that need our help, called M and left a message to cease and desist from going on this property where I feed and where we are trying to trap.  I was so grateful to know that the law was on my side for this particular situation.  I was told by my friend that if she continues, to let her know and further steps will be taken. 

This morning, as I came around the corner after feeding at the 16+ spots I feed over 60+ cats at every day, the corner of Goodman and Ferndale, I saw a woman going through the garbage.  I first thought it was M, but she turned around and it was not.  It was another woman, I waved to her as if I thought she was someone else and sorry.  Then I spotted M on the other side of the road.  I pulled over and mentioned for her not to touch the bowls anymore there, or she would be in trouble.  M was very quiet this morning, as if she was heavily medicated, but she muttered some very unintelligible words, and started walking again toward my feeding spot.  Laura was not trapping there this morning, so I had already placed food down.

As I pulled up to the spot, ahead of M, this other woman was walking past me and she smiled and said something about the cats.  I got out and we began a conversation.  Turns out this woman, who is very sane by the way, and not homeless, lives next door to M on the next street over.  And her name is Mary!  Mary began to tell me all about whats going on with M and the cats on her dead end street.  Apparently, law enforcement has been called many times because of the cat situation over there.  And nothing has been done.  She has counted over 20 cats at one time.  She said some are very sick, most are mating right in front of her when she is sitting on the porch, she has seen M burying things in the lot between their houses, she has found dead cats in bags on the property behind Goodman Plaza, she believes that M.  is having rituals with the kittens that are born.  Mary continued to tell me that M has been known to use up to 11 bags of heroin a day, which she is hearing firsthand from the dealer that lives on the street.  She said M is in a methadone program, and very sick - mentally.  Mary begged me to help her get control of the cats over there.  As we spoke, M stopped and stared into a puddle near where we were talking, and then walked past us muttering nonsense.

PIPPA

EMMETT

TIGGY

I left with a sick stomach.  I don't know what to do.  My gut instinct - because I don't have the help I need - would be to get them all to Lollipop.  I know there are some that will be upset by that statement - but what other choice is there.  PLEASE TELL ME.

Melvin from Melville was returned to the streets this morning, running as fast as he could away from the trap he was let out of.  He was a true feral.

The other cat my friend trapped on Miller Street was a white beauty, but very pregnant.  She was spayed and will be returned to the street.  This one is friendly.  My heart aches we could not find her a home.

Another day in the hood. 

Meadow and Haven - PLEASE ADOPT US!"

I have the next two days off this week, and will try to update tomorrow.   Thanks for reading, please consider foster and adoption - I have two more kittens - Meadow and Haven -  that I rescued -  out of the five - going in to the clinic today to get their first medications and treatment.  This is costing me a fortune.  Please consider donating in my name at Rochester Community Animal Clinic on Bay Street at 585-288-0600.  I appreciate anything you can do. 

Have a great day.

"Empathy:  We must understand

before we judge."