Starlight, Starbright

I wish I may, I wish I might...

This is what most of you miss each day at the time I am out feeding cats in the dark, at 4 am. in the morning.  The moon and Venus.  Very very cool.  Its been so clear each morning, I can see so many constellations. This morning I actually spotted Mars.  I know, its sounds crazy, but there was a red planet up there!  This stuff amazes me.  We are so tiny in comparison to the big picture!

Bales of Straw - I really need straw.  Sure enough.  Not HAY, but straw.  Bags of it.  I need to replenish the shelters before the deep freeze happens.

Totes - most of my shelters are made out of plastic totes.  I could use about 10 of them right now.  As I have mentioned, I have added a couple new spots on my route each day, with an average of five kitties at each spot.  They need shelter, and most cats are territorial and won't allow another cat into its little hut, so more have to be provided for them.

TOMORROW:  TNR Tuesday.  I will be paying the spay/neuters tomororw out of my own pocket.  Thank you to those that have donated in the past.  I want to throw this out there.  I have been feeding a kitten on Parsells.  She has now let me pick her up - she is starving so she allows me this because I have the food she wants.  I feed her daily,and she has come to trust me.  I would say she is 4-5 months old.  I feed her mother and sibling, who is not so trusting of me.  I will be trapping or grabbing her tomorrow morning.  If anyone wants to foster this baby, please let me know now.

This past Saturday I attended a sort of forum with the candidate for Monroe County Executive Sandra Frankel, and about 20 or so animal people.  A notice came out on Facebook last week, along with a survey.  The survey had you rank what was most important to you - the top of my list was overpopulation, and animal cruelty.  It was a good meeting, but I was disappointed that there weren't more rescue groups there.  I would have loved to see some of the few that I know of.  We don't have enough in our large city, for all the animals that need our help.  Ms. Frankel listened to those of us, all very impassioned about these issues.  I was able to tell my story very briefly, she seemed amazed when I told her I go out in the dark each morning and feed over 70 cats every day of my life.  I handed her my card, asked her to take a look at my blog.  She definitely was not in tune to what is happening in this city of ours when it comes to the animals.   She did not know what TNR is   But I know she walked away a little more aware of what the situation is, and the things that need to be looked at by someone higher up in government.  She implored that before she is hopefully elected, we need to form a committee and work together on some of these issues.  She said that we should bring in Lollypop into the fold, as they have resources that could help us.  There were some that are very anti- Lollypop in the group that didn't like that idea.  It was good though to see and meet some new faces, people that are passionate about trying to make a change for these poor animals that are out there being neglected, both dogs, and the homeless/feral cats included.  I hope something will come of this.

Are these some of the luckiest kittens ever?  Here is Billy and Midget (now Penny) who were adopted out two weeks ago - they were rescued from Niagara with their mom and two other siblings (who are available for adoption!).

They have their own 'house'!

"I am so thankful for all of those who said

NO to me.  Its because of them

I'm doing it myself."

The LoDown

WISHLIST:  Canned and Dry Cat Food!  I am running out, and so are the funds raised from my fundraiser this past summer.  Honest to God, its getting harder and harder to do what I do worrying about money to pay for the food I feed these cats, which is an enormous amount to feed for all the cats I am feeding now daily.  Please consider donations - either drop off or I can arrange to have picked up.  Please also consider donating to the clinic I use for spay/neuter.  I have credit for one more cat for next Tuesday.  585-288-0600.  Its awful to worry about money, isn't it?  

First an update.  The kitten that I trapped yesterday with a bad upper respiratory infection is safe and sound in the care of a friend of mine who took it upon herself to come get the kitty and care for it.  I found this out later in the morning, and all is well. She was ridiculed for decisions she made which were neither right nor wrong in my eyes but nevertheless it was unkind. She will do what it takes to get the kitten more tame and social and we will see where it goes from there.  Thank you so much for your compassion SA.

I wanted to give you the scoop on my spots. 

I start out on Melville, which is a new spot since the springtime.  I used to feed under a lampole here until I met a kind woman who said the house next door to hers, the open space under the house, could be used for feeding the cats, as the owner of the house had to evict his tenants because the house was not certified to live in at the moment.  So, I have placed a few shelters there and feed several cats, including kittens, one of which was Melissa who I refer to above.  I had the mother spayed, and not sure how many other kittens are there.  I place four food bowls and a dish of water there every morning.  This is where Smudgy and Mellie were rescued also.   I will need to build up this spot before the snow flies with tarp and more shelters.

The Smudgster

Mellie

I then turn the corner onto Parsells where I feed on the porch.  This is where Prince STILL hangs, I catch him coming out of the box I placed on the porch with straw in it.  He has an upper respiratory that I've been trying to treat but he is a tricky one, going from bowl to bowl, I think knowing I am trying to hide a pill in his wet food!  There are at least five cats that I can see that sit and wait for me to leave before they gobble up their food.  This is where Skinny Minnie was recently rescued.  And Patches!

Prince - Still waiting to be rescued

Patches

Minnie

Then up a ways, is where Parsley and at leave five others wait for me.  This is where I dropped off Skippy yesterday morning, he did not want to go back out to the streets after being neutered, and I felt awful.  Every morning I come back here on my way home to chase off the family of raccoons that descend upon the food when I leave.  I replace the water and food and chase them off nearly every day.  When will the raccoons go into hibernation???

Skippy

Then just a few houses down across the street I go feed Paulie, Petey, the cat with the bell collar that doesn't have a home, its starving and hungry and out there every single morning darting back and forth across the street.  I know it will be hit one of these days.  Other cats here are the young pretty girl I had spayed AFTER she had birth.  She has a black kitten and a red kitten that I know of here.  This is the spot I have to go behind a house to get to, in the back of the yard.  I have not met the new people in this half of the house but I can tell they aren't the 'best' of people.  They are quite trashy to say the least, but have not done anything to my shelter, so I continue to creep back there quietly each morning in the dark hoping they don't hear me.

Garson Boy

I then go down and around to Garson where I go to the back of a lot, on the side of a garage, and feed at least 8 cats, mostly grey tabs, all waiting for me each morning.  There is a black cat that hangs by the road waiting for me.  I place a few bowls before I begin my trek back to the lot for the black cat, and sometimes Casey, a calico, who I rescued several years ago, brought to a garden store on Norton, and after several days in a cage to get acclimated, got out, and trekked all the way back to Garson, if you can believe it.  

Fluffpants #2

I then go down the street, turn onto Baldwin and Grand, get out and feed at least 8 cats here that I have shelters for.  There is a new boy here that I've been feeding this summer, I think of him as Fluffypants #2 because he is black, fluffy and has a little white on his chest.  He has really turned the corner allowing me to touch him as he hungrily waits for the food.  There is another male cat that is unaltered here also, a brown tab.  Sweet too.

The Back Nine:

Maryleigh

I will  have to finish my second half of my route on my next post.  I will give you a hint though, the next stop is where Maryleigh and I have had many many encounters this past year!  I am sure some of you are wondering about her.  Its been over two weeks now that I have not had to deal with her.  Something got into her sick head that she shouldn't touch my stuff anymore, and she hasn't.  Would love to know what the change was.  She is alive, as some of you might wonder!  I have seen her twice, but now I just drive past her because of this change.  So there you have it.  I also don't see a lot of cats there though.  I know someone is eating, but have not seen too many there lately.

I need to end this and get to work.

Have a great day and please consider foster and adoption!

"To be kind is more important than to be right.  Many times, what people need is not a brilliant mind that speaks but a special heart that listens."

What the Fudge?

First off, thank you for the kind sentiments that some of you expressed this past week - its been a rough one!

I don't think a lot of people who are friends with me on Facebook read my blog.  If they did, over time, they would learn that TNR is exactly that.  There are many kinds of cats out there on the streets, some are friendly, some keep their distance, and some you won't even see because they are wild, feral cats.  They range in age from newborn to senior, if they are lucky.  Some are very sick, most are somewhat sick, and very few are extremely healthy.  When you trap, you are getting a cat that you have every intention of returning to its location after its been spayed/neutered.  There are occasions when you can actually grab a cat and put it into a carrier for spay/neuter.  If the cat is sick, most likely the vet at the low cost clinic will tell you and ask if you want a shot of Convenia.  This is what happened with me, about Melissa, the boy, that I trapped yesterday morning.   She also had gooky eyes, but the vet said its a case of upper respiratory for this kitten, but she wouldn't recommend euthanasia.  Euthanasia is something that crosses my mind a lot over the years that I have been doing this.  If a cat tested for Leukemia positive, I would have that cat put to sleep rather than putting it back out there.  This little baby Melissa is a feral kitten.  She is unhandleable.  You cannot put drops in her eyes, or give her pills.  She was given a shot of Convenia and was going to be released this morning.

Instead, I woke this morning, went out to the porch and discovered she was gone, trap and all.  I found out a few minutes later ON FACEBOOK, after complete panic, that someone had come and gotten her to try to help her.  This is a person with a huge heart.  And I had put it out there on Facebook about the kitten, just saying how much I hate TNR and how much I hate releasing these poor babies, and she took it one step farther and came and got the kitten.  I have very mixed feelings about this.  Not only did she do that, but she got bit and wound up going to emergency.  Fearing rabies.   Which is very very unlikely.

And now what are we going to do?  I guess stay tuned?

On top of that, Skippy, who I knew was friendly, was one I was able to grab from Parsells yesterday morning for neuter.  Very sweet boy, but needed to be fixed.  So after arriving back to my house from the clinic last evening, I decided to keep him in my bathroom overnight.  I opened the door this morning and there was all snuggled in the cat bed I had in the tub.  You cannot imagine how difficult it was to have to return him to the street.  I felt like I was abandoning a pet.  I actually was and it made me sick to my stomach.  This is why we need fosters.   I am a one man show.  I don't have a lot of people I can call on to help out.  The ones that are doing it now are doing me a huge favor and I need to get the cats in their care homes, and fast.  But this morning, it was very hard to do that to Skippy.  He was so comfortable being in a home.

I hate TNR but it has to be done.  We HAVE to stop the cycle. 

Someone was asking about the Pennsylvania garden project that I started in the mid-summer.  Its still there, and even though things are dying, its still prettier than what it was - just a vacant lot.  I need to start thinking of bulbs for spring.  I need to come up with a plan.  Like a little design of what will bloom, continuous blooming would be ideal.  Any thoughts any body?  The cat huts are hidden in the back, and there are still eight kitties that run to me each morning.  I need to build up the shelter, as they are only plastic totes that will need to keep all these animals safe and warm this winter.  I need more shelters.  I need more straw.

Thanks everyone for reading this, and for your donations to the clinic to help with the three kitties from yesterday.  Little Parker was released after pick up last night and I trust that Gael had food out for him throughout the night.  Say a little prayer for all these guys out there.  They face so much challenge each day. Please consider foster or adoption.

And Baby Makes Three

First off, some sad news.  Debo is finally free of his pain.  He passed away on his own two days ago, and is now in the animal kingdom, where he is happy, pain-free, and frolicking about in the heavens.  I want to thank those of you that donated food for him.  I know Debo appreciated it, he gobbled each and every bite that he was given.  Please say a little prayer for Debo, that he had some comfort in the end. 

DEBO

This morning was another tough one for me.  I had to feed at 18 locations (over 70+ cats), and trap at the same time.  I started at Gael's house, on Parkside and Greeley.  She is the woman that reached out to several rescue groups, but no one was able to help her.  She called me instead.  A sweet girl in Palmyra offered to help me, her first time trapping, so she and her boyfriend came round nights and got two kittens, one passed in her care, the other was fixed and went to a barn in Branchport.  Gael has been upset about the third one since then and I finally trapped that one this morning.  He's a bit wild, but at least we will get him fixed and shots.  

I then went off to Baldwin and Grand hoping to get one of the two males, a pretty brown tabby boy, and a fluffy black with white tux, but they weren't around.  I could have grabbed one of them, so I had the carrier upright and ready.  Oh well, back to the trap.  I set it at Melville, and got a young kitten, one of the kittens that in the summer I TNR'd her mom.  Her very young mom.  I know there are more kittens there... next week.

Before I knew I had trapped one on Melville, I went back to Parsells to feed at one spot, and there is a sweet brown tabby there that is unaltered, so I nabbed him in the carrier.  Hoping and praying that no one went in the trap set on Melville, sure enough, there was.  I am now hoping and praying that the clinic will take all three.  I only had two spots appointed to me, each and every Tuesday from this past spring, through this month.  Today it will cost me $150.  I have no credit.  If anyone has a spare $50 and they would like to call in a donation, it would be so much appreciated.  Gael, who is in her 70s, did offer to walk down to the clinic, she is a block away, and make a donation for Parker, the kitten I trapped on her porch.

Parker

Melissa

Skippy

So thats the skinny for today.  Its always something.  My heart is heavy with loss for Chloe and Debo, but they are in a better place, pain free.  Having an animal in your life will teach you many things, about life, about yourself, and most of all about love.  You will come away changed forever, for one soul cannot touch another without leaving its mark.

Have a good day.

A Place in Heaven

Is there a place in Heaven
Where dog companions go
Before I'd want to go there
I'd really need to know

A being pure of spirit
And a being without sin
Is surely one that should be there
But does God let him in?

The theologians argue
A soul is what they lack
But one who's always there for you
Should be given something back

I could not face eternity
Without paws and tails
And if that's what religion thinks
Then that is where it fails

I hope God doesn't let me down
I'm sure He knows their worth
For we who have been loved by them
Have Heaven here on Earth!

Accomplishment

DEFINITION:  an act or instance of carrying into effect; fulfillment:

That's what I felt this morning as I pulled back up at home at 5:30 a.m., yet finishing another morning of feeding 70+ cats in the Beechwood section of Rochester.  All 18 or so locations that I drive to each and every day.  I'll bet not all of us feel that feeling.  Its a good feeling.  I am sure people who do what I do feel it, and others feel accomplishments in their own right, but I am sure that not everyone feels this feeling.  What do you do?  Help me.  Help them.  Come out with me sometime, see what I see.  Donate, Volunteer, Adopt, Foster, do something!  You will then feel this feeling of satisfaction that you have helped, that you have achieved something, that you have done something for someone or something in need.  Its a good feeling.

Chloe

Yesterday afternoon was not a good feeling.  Our sweet little Chloe has gone to heaven.  Her foster mom came over late yesterday afternoon to tell me that Chloe was not breathing now, this was after knowing that she had stopped eating or drinking, and other unpleasant symptons, and was just 'resting comfortably'.  I had made the decision to bring her to my vet on Monday, but it just didn't turn out that way.  I needed to end her suffering, so with heavy heart, I went and picked her up and brought her to the emergency clinic.  They treated her, and me, so kindly.  I held her in my arms as she passed.  I then gave her a little kiss on her silly little pink nose and said 'I'll see you later Chloe."  :(

So sad.  FIP is a rare, but killer disease.  I had to do this one other time because of it.  I hope never to see it again.  Regarding comments and calls second guessing the vets and myself, I have a lot of very intelligent friends who know a lot about cats and I always appreciate your opinions.  But I will say again, I trust my own judgment and do not do make my decisions lightly.  And thats all I will say on that.

Billy

Midget/Penny

On a happier note, Billy and Midget (renamed Penny) were brought to their new home on Friday.  And what a beautiful home it is.  And what a wonderful family that have.  :)

Tomorrow, I need to give a rundown on all the babies out there still, and the ones that are being fostered and need forever homes.

Have a great day.

"We who choose to surround ourselves with lives even more temporary than our own live within a fragile circle, easily and often breached.

Unable to accept its awful gaps, we still would live no other way. We cherish memory as the only certain immortality, never fully understanding the necessary plan..."

Cloe

CLOE

I received heartbreaking news yesterday when I went to the clinic after work to pick up Cloe, who was dropped off early afternoon to be seen for a number of symptoms that were not good.   The docs believe she most likely has FIP -

Feline Infectious Peritonitis

There is no cure for FIP. A survivor of FIP is very rare. We can give the cat supportive care which will make her more comfortable and possibly extend her life for a short amount of time. Because the dry form of FIP progresses more slowly, cats with this form can sometimes live longer than those with the wet form. This is especially true if the eye is the only organ affected by granulomas. Cats who have an appetite, no neurological signs, and no anemia usually respond better to the supportive care.

Supportive care includes:

• Periodic draining of abdominal or thoracic (chest) fluid in those with the wet form. If the fluid is drained too often, the cat loses large amounts of protein which can exacerbate the condition.



• Fluid therapy



• Quality nutrition



• Antibiotics for secondary bacterial infections



• Blood transfusions in cases of severe anemia

I would never put her through this - she has been through too much already.

What is FIP?
http://www.vet.cornell.edu/fhc/health_information/brochure_ftp.cfm

I had to walk out to my car because I lost it.  I then gathered the strength to stop crying and went back in to wait for little Cloe to be brought out to me, as I requested.  I had to give her foster mom a chance to say goodbye to her.  I have brought her to the clinic weekly, and Susan has taken her back and given her the meds she's been on since I rescued her.  After all her wound care, she has all the symptoms of FIP.  My poor little girl.  Still just a kitten.  She has gone through so much in her short little life.  She has fought a hard battle.  My next step is to make a call to my normal vet, as I would prefer not to have to bring Cloe in for a walk in visit at the clinic and sit and wait for this to happen.  The clinic does not make appointments for this.  It would be unbearable, although I am not sure how much this will cost me at my own vet.  I am sure its going to be expensive.  It will most likely happen on Monday.  :(

Patches

Today, I also will bring Patches to a vet for a look at - he is the red kitty I rescued from Parsells over a week ago and is being fostered by Ciara.  He is not acting right, and will be seen today at 4pm.  He needs his forever home.

Midget and Billy 

Today, I also will be bringing little Billy, the black kitten with the URI, and his sister Midget to their new home.  It was touch and go there with him being sick, but they insist that they come to their new home, with a looming vet appointment tomorrow for Billy to be tested for FIV and Midget will get both.  Billy is doing a lot better since I brought him into the clinic two days ago very sick.  The antibiotics are working.

Princess

THE VERY GOOD NEWS:  A very sweet girl named Sara came over to meet, and greet, and take home The Princess after work last evening!  After all that craziness and sadness, some good came out of yesterday.  Princess was rescued on Monday and spayed on Tuesday.  I am so happy for her.  Now we have to get Benson, Nora, Trixie, Alice, Francie Pants, Jelly and Elvis homes!

Lastly, I am now without credit (and actually owe) at the clinic for TNRs, and am now without cat food.  Its getting tough financially to continue caring for the 70+ cats I feed daily.  I go through 40 cans of wet food EVERY DAY, and 20 pounds of dry, EVERY DAY. Every little bit helps.  Please click on the donate button on this blog, or call the clinic for a donation in my name.  585-288-0600.  I also always have my porch door open for cat food.  I am not one to beg, but this is my reality.

So, say a little prayer for all the little kitties out there suffering today without someone to help them, through life and through death.  Spread the word about the cats that need homes, so that more can be rescued.  Please, that is the least we can do.  

Have a nice day.

TGIT!

Its getting closer to Friday!  Hurray!  

Billy

Little baby Billy, all 1.58 pounds of this sweet little black kitten that has three other siblings and a mom that were rescued on Niagara Street after being dumped there a few weeks ago, came back from the vet with a diagnosis of upper respiratory infection.  Poor little thing could barely breathe, and at one point, his foster mama had to give him mouth to mouth.  I think it was just a hard blow into his mouth, but nevertheless.  The things we will do for our babies!  Billy and Midget are supposed to be adopted tomorrow, but this ailment might slow that process down a bit.   He is getting .01 mil antibiotic every 12 hours, and has to be kept from the others.  I actually put Princess, the cat I rescued Monday morning from Parsells with an URI also, in with Billy, just for company.   They were both playing this morning!

Today, Patches, the red cat that looked wounded and sick that I rescued from Parsells a few weeks back, is being dropped off to me today for an overnight and then vet visit tomorrow - he has been lethargic and not acting right says his foster mom.  I have way too many cats!  I can't believe how stressful my life has been lately, but I've been able to handle it - by putting one foot in front of the other and just keep moving.  Vodka helps!

Our little baby girl Cloe is not doing so well.  Here is the exchange from her foster mom - she will be going into the clinic at noon for drop off to figure out what is going on.  Poor little thing has been on antibiotics since the day I rescued her - she had severe wounds from a bite from some kind of animal and it has taken its toll on her.  
More icky news - Cloe went to bathroom - I inch white worm- thought she might have them as she is bloated- I have the sample - She has become incontinent of stool and - it is dripping out of her- smells bad- have the sample in a cup.

My poor Cloe.  I don't know what to do.  I hope the vet does.  :(  I hope she is not suffering.

There are so many babies that need adoption.  Please help me to spread the word:

CAMMY

SKINNY MINNIE

FRANCI PANTS

BENSON

PATCHES

PETUNIA

PETUNIA

PRINCESS

NORA

TRIXIE & ALICE

Please share this and spread the word about these sweet souls.  They need permanent homes, and fast!

Thanks and have a great day!

A Prayer for Animals

Hear, our humble prayer, O God, for our friends, the animals. Especially for animals who are suffering; for any that are hunted or lost or deserted or frightened or hungry; for all that must be put to death. We entreat for them all thy mercy and pity, and for those who deal with them, we ask a heart of compassion and gentle hands and kindly words. Make us, ourselves, to be true friends to animals and so to share the blessings of the merciful.