Manic Monday

It was cold and chilly this morning.  There was a light drizzle. The rains over the weekend were not pleasant either.  I had to hurry to each spot and pour the food and water.

Lets start with the good news.  BAXTER was adopted on Friday.  Hooray!  He is still a bit spooked in his new surroundings, but he will come out of it. He has a good new mom who will devote her time and attention to only him.  Because that's all there is.  Just the two of them.  Hooray!  Thanks to his foster family for getting him ready!  :)

Now we need to find homes for Peaches, Peppercorn, Riley and Squirt, and Sydney and Joanie.  I am hoping to get the kittens spayed and neutered in the next week or so.

Check out this new feature on my blog!  For Sale!!
FOR SALE: This is a GREAT tool for introduction of a new cat with your existing dogs or cats. My friend's husband, a master carpenter, made a couple of these for me years ago and they have been INVALUABLE with the introduction of newly rescued cats acclimating to other cats, sounds, and gives them more attention rather than being closed off in a room. I told him he should sell them, and said I would put it out there. $20. Fits all doorways, and has attached doohickeys that fit on side to ensure a tight fit. Please let me know your interest! 

Gate

Doohickey for Gate

The following are pictures of three of the five kittens that are/were living on Central and Second Streets.  I feed them under this old mailbox.  I had the one long haired beautiful tabby TNR’d – she has maine coon features with the whispy haired ears and all – just a beauty.  In fact she is now rolling over on the sidewalk for me.  But won’t get too close.  I say are/were living, because I don’t see the other two.  Saturday morning, an elderly black man stopped – on his way to the bootleggers house just across the road – and told me that the house just down the road on the other side is where the kittens ‘belong’ to.  He said they have a ton of them.  So, there lies another problem.

Someone asked me about Spencer. Spencer is doing OK.  He continues on the Prednisolone, daily for four weeks, and then cut it to every three days after the four weeks.  He is thin, but the yellowing of his mouth, nose and eyes is not too bad.  MUCH better than it was.  He seems to be constantly hungry, but is also very finicky.  Chicken.  He must have the expensive chicken dishes.  I left him having fun this morning playing with some toys.  So for now, he is good!

Tomorrow is the meeting at City Hall, and I hope to make some progress, especially with several articles pointed out to me lately addressing what other places are doing with their cat/rat  problems.  I am hoping that there will be a health department official there, as that is what was suggested at our last meeting.  Do you know how many DEAD rats I see?  The Short Street rat problem was an isolated problem exacerbated by the house filth and from the trash next door to that.  My shelters should never have been REMOVED.  Its humans that are causing the rat problem, not the cats.

I did have SOME fun this weekend.  See below.  Thanks Jacqueline and Mary.  I loved the Dark and Spooky drinks I made too!  PS, I WON!  (guess which is my pumpkin!)

Kitty below on Niagara I discovered Sunday morning.  Very sick, like something stuck in its mouth.  I got its picture, and was hoping to help it out this morning, but no sign of it.  Poor thing.

Sick Cat on Niagara

Peppercorn was brought to his foster home.  He is just the sweetest, best cat.  A true lover.  Just loves to be held like a baby and loves his belly scratched too.  His new foster mom is WONDERFUL!  Thank you Kim!  Lets get this boy adopted!

Peppercorn!

We also have some real cuties - Kittens Joanie, Sydney, Riley and Squirt - that will be ready for adoption as soon as I can find low cost spay and neuter for them, which I am working on.  They are READY.

Riley

Squirt

The Girls - Sydney and Joanie

Make it a great day!  Don't forget to smile - everyone you meet is struggling with something.

Noah's Ark

Its miserable out there.  So much rain, so much wet.  I realized I had a hole in my rubber wellies when I got out of the car at Short Street, and in the darkness, stepped right into a very deep puddle.  My foot was soaked.  Must have been a nail or something that poked a hole through the boot.

The last thing I wanted to do was go out into the pouring rain this morning, especially after I had my hair straightened two days ago, professionally.  But I rugged up.  Bundled my hair in a pony tail, put an old lady plastic bonnet over that, and then my sweatshirt hood over that.  I came home and stripped off every last soaking piece of clothing I had on, and my hair was still damp.

I do it though because of the animals.  They are hungry, and no matter the weather, they depend on me to come and give them something to eat.  Poor babies.  I try to make their meager shelters as comfortable for them as possible.  Must get more shelter. 

I leave you with this story, the Rabbinic Judaism version of Noah's Ark.

The Building of Noah's Ark (painting by a French master of 1675).

Talmudic tractates Sanhedrin, Avodah Zarah and Zevahim relate that, while Noah was building the ark, he attempted to warn his neighbors of the coming deluge, but was ignored or mocked. In order to protect Noah and his family, God placed lions and other ferocious animals to guard them from the wicked who tried to stop them from entering the ark. According to one Midrash, it was God, or the angels, who gathered the animals to the ark, together with their food. As there had been no need to distinguish between clean and unclean animals before this time, the clean animals made themselves known by kneeling before Noah as they entered the ark. A differing opinion said that the ark itself distinguished clean animals from unclean, admitting seven pairs each of the former and one pair each of the latter.

According to Sanhedrin 108B, Noah was engaged both day and night in feeding and caring for the animals, and did not sleep for the entire year aboard the ark.^[30] The animals were the best of their species, and so behaved with utmost goodness. They abstained from procreation, so that the number of creatures that disembarked was exactly equal to the number that embarked. The raven created problems, refusing to leave the ark when Noah sent it forth and accusing the patriarch of wishing to destroy its race, but as the commentators pointed out, God wished to save the raven, for its descendants were destined to feed the prophet Elijah.

According to one tradition, refuse was stored on the lowest of the ark's three decks, humans and clean beasts on the second, and the unclean animals and birds on the top; a differing interpretation described the refuse as being stored on the utmost deck, from where it was shoveled into the sea through a trapdoor. Precious stones, said to be as bright as the noon sun, provided light, and God ensured that food remained fresh.^[31][32][33] Some more unorthodox interpretations of the ark narrative also surfaced: the 12th-century Jewish commentator Abraham ibn Ezra interpreted the ark as being a vessel that remained underwater for 40 days, after which it floated to the surface.

Interesting, eh?

OH!  Baxter is going to his hopefully forever home today!  Fingers crossed!  :)  Now we have Paddy, Peaches and Peppercorn, the adults, and Riley, Squirt, Sydney and Joanie, the kittens, to find homes for!  Spread the word!

Happy Friday!

Another Rescue!

So this morning, I had to let the little kitten back out on the street.  Just as I suspected, its a girl.  She was spayed, given her shots, and was scared to death.  I had to really coax her to get out of the trap on Parsells this morning.  BROKE my heart.

Meet Peppercorn.  AKA Sugar.  I like Peppercorn better, so now, thee is Peppercorn!  He was brought into clinic yesterday, neutered, tested negative for all, and is good to go.  As a matter of fact, this sweet little boy - between 1-2 years of age, is a total LOVER!  I've been feeding him in the early morning hours on this vacant lot on Seventh for close to two months now.  His one ear must have been ripped in a fight - so it made it look like he had been ear-tipped and neutered.  So now he has matching ears!  :)  I am so grateful that someone has offered to foster this kid.  Off he goes to Caledonia this weekend, fingers crossed!

PEPPERCORN

I also am hopeful that someone is interested in Baxter.  We need to relieve his foster family as I think they might want a break.  They do, however, report that Baxter is wonderful with the kids, the other cats, and the pug dog they have, so he is really quite a catch!

I also received a call last evening in someone who is interested in meeting Sydney and Joannie! Hurray!  Fingers crossed.  Friday, my day off, she can meet the little girls and hopefully fall in total love.  Paddy's foster is falling madly in love with him, everyday telling me how he is coming out of his shell with her.  He has yet to meet his canine foster family, so fingers crossed.  Peaches foster mom has already said maybe she'll keep him but I told her NO!  You cannot be a foster failure.  We WILL find him a home!  Our other gal who is fostering the two recently rescued kittens from Bay Street, Riley and Squirt, is finding that the two are still a bit skittish, but she is the resident cat whisperer, and until she goes on vacation in early November, I have full confidence they will be much more tame, and ready for adoption.  Can't wait to get the little buggers then.  :)

This little one below has been running across the road each day - Pennsylvania Avenue - he is just a kitten, maybe 7 months old?  With a plastic flea collar.  He is also unneutered.  Lets see how long it is before he becomes actually homeless due to being unneutered, and spraying in the house soon - and his ignorant family who let him out unneutered, when the low income clinic is just down the street.  Sorry, but there is no excuse.   They may love cats, but they have to realize, or talk to people, don't they?  This is why there are so many displaced cats out there that I feed every day!  I think its criminal to own a cat and not have it fixed!

This little girl I've been feeding for many years now on Pennsylvania.  She appears to have a mouth issue.  Drooling a bit.  I am keeping an eye on her.  Would love to get her off the street and into a safe home.  She is a tiny little petite muted calico that I've now named Catarina.

CATARINA

I think that's all I have for right now.  I must get to work.  Appointment at City Hall this Tuesday.  Lets see how that goes!  Fingers crossed for good outcome!

Have a great day!

"There is no royal road to anything.  One thing at a time, all things in succession.  That which grows fast, withers as rapidly.  That which grows slowly, endures."

TNR Tuesday

Well, today was trapping day.  The day I dread, but the day I know I am doing the most good for the pitiful overpopulation of cats in this city.  Two cats out of thousands.  It doesn't seem much really but in the big picture, especially the kitten this morning, and the kitten last week, they won't give birth in two months from now under a porch.  Last week's kitten was a girl, and I suspect this nearly identical one, its sibling, is a girl too.  The other guy - his ear looks like its already tipped, but it could be ripped.  From a fight long ago.  Plus, feeling 'back there', he feels like he still has his you know whats.  He is a very friendly guy, and I may make the decision to make him rescue #....  ???? 40 so far this year?  Not sure.  Have to recount.  There have been quite a few lately.

Please consider sponsoring a spay or neuter.  I/they could really use the help.  The more I spend of my own money, the less I can help these kitties out there that need help.  The clinic's number is 585-288-0600 and just tell them you would like to make a donation to my account.  Thank you ever so much.

SUGAR from Seventh

PAISLEY from Parsells

I was notified last evening of someone interested in adopting Baxter!  Yay!  Great news!  That would leave Peaches, Cookie, Baylee, and the two sets of kittens that need homes.  C'mon guys, spread the word!  So many more to save out there!

I picked up another dead kitty off the street this morning, on Parsells.  Its terribly sad.  I will get out to feed at one location there, and watch a car speed nearly 100 miles an hour down that street.  Its scary actually.  I just want to shine my light in their face as they go past like they have those laser beams that blind planes.  I know that sounds a bit violent, but I hate people that don't think of the animals crossing roads, especially after having to remove the dead one off the street this morning.

Penny

Pepper

For some great news, if you remember Penny and Pepper, the two red kittens I rescued, and found good homes for them in Webster.  Well, here they are!  Happy still, years later.  Thank you to my adopters!

When Penny and Pepper were kittens!

"We make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give."

Rainy Days...and Mondays...

BE SURE TO CLICK ON PICS TO ENLARGE PHOTOS

Friday Morning:

TGIF

I've been fascinated with the moon the past few mornings.  I tried to take these pics with my cell phone, and of course, they never turn out as well as the naked eye.  And I tried to chase the moon as I was out at 4 am.  The trees were usually in the way.  At one point, the moon was HUGE, and I tried to get a shot of it before it went down, and I wound up getting the dude that was walking past at the time.  I am sure he thought I was nuts.  You can see the moon, its the furthest right round white ball in the picture.  :)

A few notes of observation from this morning at my feeding locations.

1                feeding a sweet little grey kitty that I don’t if it belongs to the house next door.

2               I’ve set up shelter behind this store on Parsells, big red and black and white kitties have been partaking in the food I’ve left there all summer long

3               I brought a whisk broom to sweep up the tiny shards of glass that were there two days ago.  You have no idea how many cats I see limping out there.

4               There is a beautiful fluffy white cat with a few markings here and there  and there was also a black and white kitty that came up on the porch - starving - while I was serving the food and I felt her belly, her milk ducts were full.  UGGGH.  :(

(RAN OUT OF TIME TO FINISH THIS POST ON FRIDAY - but will continue my notes another day)

Monday Morning:

I decided to keep Paddy's name - thanks to all of you for the suggestions - they were great!  Its on his paperwork, and it would be funny to change his name midway.  I thought of another name that I will use in the future - Peppercorn.  :)  Love that name.

PADDY

Paddy was brought to a foster home on Sunday.  What a lovely couple they are.  And their two cute dogs - one a big lug - Gracie - a black lab, and the other a Chihuahua.  Cuter than cute.  Of course Paddy wont have the pleasure of meeting them for a while until he settles in to his new surroundings.  Better than my bathroom, that's for sure.  He is such a good boy, he will make a good companion for just the right person.  Right now he is still in hiding, according to his foster mom this morning.  I pray he comes around soon.  He's been through a LOT.  Now to get Baxter and Peaches adopted first.  Then our little brat babies Sydney and Joannie, and then Riley and Squirt.  Cutest kittens ever.  :)

It was raining and miserable out there today.  My hair is a mess.  I did my rounds in record speed.  Just over an hour.  I timed my spot at Baldwin and Grand - 4.5 minutes.  That spot is a pain because I am now medicating Bugsy - he sounds very very congested.  But I think these pills that a friend provided me with are doing the trick.  I have not seen the unneutered black cat - Blackie #2 in a very long while now, maybe two weeks.  And Fluffypants #2 was not there this morning, which makes me worry.  He is there like clockwork.

Saturday Sheryl pointed out this little footprint.  What do YOU think it belongs to?  Speaking of, I found a opossum curled up on my chair on my porch this morning when I got home from feeding.  Cutest little bugger, but he had to go.  He was slow moving, and wouldn't budge at one point.  So I got out a cat toy, the wand type, and tried to pry him out the door by lightly tapping on his butt.  He was stubborn, but out he went, finally.

I am trying to get my shelters built up for the upcoming days.  Straw, shelters, tarps, pallets, heavy rocks or pavers - we are expecting high winds tomorrow or the next day so must make sure these tarps stay in place with the pavers.  Thanks to those of you that dropped some off to me.  Saturday Sheryl helped me this past Saturday, we did the Front Nine.  Next weekend, the Back Nine.  We had to open the shelters, and put fresh straw in, etc.  Found a lot of dead little animals, and Sheryl saw some creepy spiders.  Other than that, its good to freshen them up. 

I took a picture of my city garden.  It is overgrown at the moment, but still looks beautiful, even at 5 am.

I am still waiting for the city to call me back with another date and time to meet, along with the health department.  I will reach out to them again today.  We need to make changes, and I won't stop until we do.

Have a nice day.

"Yesterday is not ours to recover, 

but tomorrow is ours to win or lose."

Name That Cat!

(Click on pics to enlarge)

PADDY!

Yes, I am still not crazy about Paddy's name.  I need something a bit cuter.  I love cute names.  :)  I love people's names, but there are only so many boy's names that begin with P.  

PADDY!

After taking a gazillion photos this morning of Paddy, I think I finally got one.  Boy, is he camera shy.  I tried to capture his gorgeous golden eyes, he just wouldn't sit still!  I am still amazed at his sweet temperament after being out on the streets for so long, and unneutered no less.  Its just amazing.

BAXTER!

This morning was just beautiful.  At 4 am.  No one is 'lucky' enough to be out that early except for me.  I get to see the stars, feel the wind, hear the quietness of the neighborhood - a scary place indeed for most people that live outside the city limits. All kitties were waiting for me at each of my stops.  I have six locations on the 'Front Nine' - and once I cross over Webster Avenue, I have 11 more on the 'Back Nine.'  (yes, I love golf, but haven't made the time to play in a while).  That's 16 stops!  Lordy Be!  And at each of those stops, there ranges from 1 to 15 cats.  I noticed on Garson there are new young ones and I need to start trapping there.  All my locations need trapping.  But how can I do this alone?  And with just two appointments per week at the clinic?  And remember, the Catmobile is on its last legs, so I can't be driving all the way out to Lollipop, where many of you have told me about their cheaper rates.  And from what I found out, there is a waiting list until end of November, at least.  But we MUST get these cats spayed and neutered.  We must!  Anybody want to help me?

I want to talk about my fundraiser a little bit.  Not many pics have been posted, I am sorry for that. My girl Yesenia has not sent me any from what she took, I am sure she is busy, and will eventually.  It was just so well organized, thanks to Kristin, and the others that showed up to help decorate.  The band turned out to be great, and the food and drink..  well, my favorite part!  The gifts that were donated, just so many!  And so many different things to choose from!   Thank you all for coming out and supporting the event , I can’t tell you how pleased I was to see so many of my cat-minded friends, who together helped  to support our mission. Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!

Update on Riley and Squirt.  Both are purring!  :)  

SQUIRT and RILEY!

And these two rascal girls, Sydney and Joannie, are playing and eating and loving life right now with their foster family.  Lets get everybody adopted!

SYDNEY and JOANNIE!

Have a great day!

"Don't be pushed by your problems,

Be led by your dreams."

Paddy, Another Rescue!

Each comment from yesterday had totally valid points. 

I had to let this little girl kitten back out onto the streets this morning after I had her spayed yesterday.  Not because I wanted to, and not because I thought that this four month old kitten could NOT be tamed, eventually, but where am I going to put her?  I can't have a cat stuck in every room of my house.  Its not fair to them, and its not fair to the other cats, and its not fair to me.  And I would definitely get bit while trying to tame this kitten.  She was spitting and hissing and growling when I went near her in the trap.  I tried to get her a few months ago when I discovered her and her siblings on Parsells, but I can only do so much.  I asked for help, didn't get it.   Again, I can only do so much.  It broke my heart to let this beautiful fluffy wee one with the wisps of hair on her ears back out into that cruel area of town.  Next time, would love it if someone offering advice could step up to the plate, but I do realize, we ALL have our hands full with problems.

Paddy from Pennsylvania

I decided to hold on to Paddy.  He is the other cat I brought into the clinic for neutering yesterday. He is the most gentlest cat.  “Paddy” has been waiting for me each morning now for over a month on Pennsylvania and Second Street – at a boarded up corner house .  It took a few mornings for him to allow me to touch him, then gently pet his neck, and next thing I knew he came right up to me each time I poured the food and water.  He came close enough for me to feel behind him and know he was not neutered.  He also was very good with the other kitties that were waiting for the food to be served.  So, Tuesday, when I couldn’t trap any cats on the corner of Second and Central, I placed Paddy in the carrier, got him neutered, and took him to my bathroom.  Last night, after the surgery, I thought he was dead.  He didn’t move from the open carrier for hours.  When I went to check on him this morning, he was in the corner of the bathroom.  He ate a bit of dry food, did not use the litter box.  He looked so scared.  I went to him and gently picked him up.  He buried his head in the crook of my arm, and after several minutes of talking to him gently, and petting and scratching his head, I heard the purr.  What a gratifying feeling it is.  To see a scared animal become secure, happy, knowing it is now safe and that his rescuer will protect him.  Do they see that you as their savior?  I wonder if they know…  I know Baylee looks at me like I am God sometimes.  He loves me so much.  He will come over right next to me, wanting to be held, struggling to breathe, with his beautiful eyes looking right into mine. 

My next step for Paddy is to see how he goes with me for a few days, and then possibly bring him to his new foster home in Caledonia on the weekend.  There are other cats out there, more beautiful in appearance than Paddy, that deserve to be rescued, but there was something about Paddy, he just didn’t belong where he was, just way too sweet.  I will get a better picture of him as the week unfolds. I must find him a new name.  I don't think Paddy suits him.

Lets find homes for all these babies.  

Thanks for sharing the stories of all these cats out there that need our help!

The comment from the person who said they live in the area I feed, bless your heart!  We should talk! 

Have a great day!