Whew!~

Its done nothing but snow and rain for the past week.  And bitter cold last week.  Its a tough thing to go out in every day.  But those little bellies are waiting for me.  What can I do?  Just not do it?  Let them go hungry for a day?  No, as long as I can walk...  I will do.  They certainly won't go hungry for a couple of weeks (maybe) - I go through a LOT of food.  There was certainly a nice pile though on Saturday.

CLICK on the Pics to see up close!

Its over!  The Meow and Chow came and went.  And BOY!  What a turnout it was!  Success!  Success in the fact that I had so many wonderful old friends, new friends, family and acquaintances stop and partake in the event.  Thank you so much every body!  Weren't the raffle items fantastic???  Wasn't the band fantastic???  Weren't the bartenders great?  What about that guy grilling out back - fabulous!  Weren't the folks selling tickets fantastic?  And that Joel - the author......  so talented!  And what about that Kristin!  Running the show as she does so well.  Behind the scenes, the girls that came to help set up, including Mom (well she's a girl too!) and the ones that stayed behind to help.  I am SO grateful to you.

I never did let my hair down.  Literally!  :(

I hope everyone who was there after the 'show' knows that I was running on adrenaline toward the end, and then nothing.  I did not sit to eat until about 4 pm. when the raffles were being called, and even then I just shoved it into my mouth - I had not eaten since the day before, and I had been up since two that morning.  My feet were killing me on top of it!  I had one goal in mind.  To get out of there and get home and turn on lights and feed the kitties!  And the kittens sitting there in the dark.  And then the Number One goal was to go to bed.  Remember, I still had to get up at 2 am.!

I hope others that took pictures will send to me.  I did not have my official photographer, Yesenia there this year. 

I think next year - if God willing I am here and still doing this crazy stuff, I will get a throne, and just sit on it and have people come up to talk.  That way, I don't complain about my feet at the end of the day, and I get to have an actual conversation with those that I either barely spoke to or did not speak to at all.  I am sorry about that if one of those was you.

UPDATES:

Jose went to his new home!  He is loving his two new brothers, two canine siblings, and new parents.  Thank you Darlene for adopting my little boy!   I miss him so much!

JOSE aka Fred (doing a pirouette)

Ginny went to her forever home as well!  Thank you Mary Ellen and Tim for proving her with such a warm and loving home!  Mary Ellen and Tim adopted two kitties from me a year or so ago - Sophie and Callie, and I have a feeling Mary Ellen will have her hands full with three girls!  :)

GINNY

And then there is Muffin!  I rescued Muffin from Parsells Avenue last week.  Thanks to Melissa for taking him in to foster.  He was one scaredy cat at first, but is now showing his true colors.... love for humans!  Hoping to get him adopted very soon!

MUFFIN

"Don't fear failure 

Fear being in the

exact same place

next year as you are

today."

Butter Ball

Today I had an opportunity to trap another cat, bring it to clinic, and get it fixed.  I set THREE traps, to be sure I got ONE kitty.  I knew there was a kitten on Melville that looked pregnant, so I set the trap there.  The next two traps I set on Ferndale and Webster, thinking that there was a pregnant black cat there.  I went about feeding at the other spots, came back to Melville, and got this little girl.  She was NOT the one I suspected pregnant.  She has been coming around, and lets me touch her.  I felt her belly several times, she did not feel pregnant, nor look like she had babies, even though she was old enough to have them.  I hemmed and hawed, should I let her out of this trap?  I KNEW it would be hard to let her back tomorrow morning onto the streets where it will be, with the windchill tomorrow morning, in the TEENS.  So here she is, and I am hoping to find a foster.

Meet ButterBall.  ButterBall needs a home.  Please help her find a home before she has to go back to the streets.

Another update:

FIONA

I rescued this kitty from Parsells on July 11th of this year.  She was pregnant.  I had her spayed.  I originally was going to TNR her (Trap Neuter Return to streets) but she was too sweet.  Enter Diana.  She, a total stranger, offered to take her when she saw her picture after I posted it.  Enter Fiona, the name Diana gave her.  Fiona was not a happy camper with Diana's other kitties at first, it took a bit of time, but now.................  THEY ALL LOVE HER!  The other kitties too!  Look at the change in this cat, from the street, to a warm and loving home!

Love this stuff.  Thank you Diana!

This is my last post until Monday.  The fundraiser is this Saturday.  I am out of my mind crazy.  I hope to see y'all there!

Namaste.

You Gotta Be Kitten Me!

Click on the pictures to see up close!

I had someone come over at 6 am. this morning to meet the kittens.   Its funny.  at 6 am. I am the most wide awake, alert and happy.  I love mornings!  Kaeri fell in love with Ike!  Normally, I prefer to adopt out two kittens, for many reasons, but Ike will join four big sisters, so he will have plenty of company and I am sure they will all fall in love with each other!  Woo hoo!  Yay for Ike!

I have another family coming over on Sunday to meet the rest of the clan.  Tomorrow I bring Jose to his new home in Palmyra, and Ginny will be going to her forever home this week.  My friend Melissa will be able to get newly rescued kittens Muffin more acclimated to being indoors, and living a happy normal life that every cat deserves.

It was freezing out there this morning!  I pranced around and gave every one of the over 100 cats that I count at all 17?  18 locations? their breakfast.  And warm water to drink.  I told them all to have a safe day, and I would see them tomorrow.  I gave each one, that allow me to, a pat on the head. 

Tomorrow, I have another opportunity to trap, and I will be setting two traps to be sure I get at least one.  Never waste a spot at the clinic!  Too many kitties need to be spayed and neutered!  Wish me luck!

Another update:  MARTIE!

If you all recall, I was feeding Martie on Melville before I finally rescued him.  Martie would run from one block down another block just to get the wet food I was pouring at the two locations I feed on.  Every morning, cold wet and hungry, there he was.  I am so thankful he is off the street.  He was initially being fostered, but the foster decided to keep him and have him join her family.  I couldn't be happier.  She shared these pictures with me and I asked her if he was as white as he looked:

"White like snow. Personality is part dog and part cat combined with clown.... he is pure entertainment that’s for sure. He also very loyal, if I’m in bed he’s in bed no matter what. Still follows us where ever we go throughout the house. And he gets along perfectly with other cats and our dogs we have yet to have any disagreements which I can’t believe!!!"

Martie with his sibling!  :)

PIC Above is Martie on the Street
(a dirty boy!)

Have a great day!

Today, I will

-count my blessings

-practice kindness

-let go of what I can't control

-listen to my heart

-be productive yet calm

-just breathe

Stuff

It was very cold this morning.  But no rain.  I'll take it.  I can button up when its cold and keep warm, but I can't stay dry when it rains.

I love to get updates on the kitties I adopt out, and love to share with you, as some of you may remember some of the rescues I've done over the years.  I am still amazed that I've been able to get 109 cats off the streets since January.  That number includes at LEAST 60 kittens.  It was a VERY BAD year for Kittens.  I never want to see another kitten again.  ha ha.  I've paid for all those, plus the TNR's,for their spays and neuters also.  Can you imagine how much money that is?  Out of my own pocket?  I thank GOD for the few of you that donate to me.  Without you this just wouldn't be.  Period.

Whoa, wait a minute, Muffin makes 110.

Saroo Newly Rescued

Saroo/Skeeter TODAY!

Saroo/Skeeter update!

"He’s doing fantastic! I’ll try to have my kids take a pic of him today. He tends to only snuggle at night while I’m in bed. Then, he’s all over me! After a while, I️ kick him off my face and he lays down at the foot of the bed. One thing I’ve noticed about him— he does not jump off the bed when there is a lot of movement from my husband or I️. Usually, my cats get mad when we move/change position and take off. Not skeeter.. he’s in it for the long haul! We don’t see him much during the day — he must be sleeping somewhere— so when we do, he’s like a celebrity. We get very excited!"

I had to return Giselle and Papa to their perspective locations this morning.  They spent a cold night on my porch.  I tried to cover them as best as I could without suffocating them.  They were miserable, and scared.  I HATE TNR.  I hate returning cats to the streets. They don't belong on them.  I did, however, turn Muffin over to my friend Melissa, who does wonders with feral/semi feral kittens. 

Muffin from Parsells

Ginny from Parsells (Muffin too!)

Muffin, I believe, is just that.  Muffin would come up to me every morning, run to my Jeep in fact, hungry.  Knowing I had food.  He would sidle around my ankles, and let me pet him, and hold him.  He hissed at me after being returned to my house after the clinic last evening.  Maybe it was losing his manhood that he was not happy about.  Who knows.  I just pray he is a good boy for Melissa, and behaves.  He joins Ginny for now, who will be going to her NEW HOME this weekend!  The folks that adopted two other babies from me will be adopting Ginny. 

On Melville, where my stuff has been being trashed for a few months now, I think one of the older kittens there is pregnant.  I have ONE spot at the clinic this Thursday, so am going to try to trap it.  I also saw another kitty this morning, unfortunately at the same location where I am having trouble with my food because of Mary Leigh trashing it each day, that looks pregnant.  A black cat.  I am going to set another trap there too, and hope that if I - by chance - get both, the clinic will allow me to bring in both.  Speaking of Mary Leigh, nothing seems to stop her.  I am hoping the police officers will say something to her if they see her out carousing. 

Did I mention the signature cocktail at this year's event?  Its called The Kitty Cocktail!  :)  I am sure this is not original, but I LOVE it.  So I am sticking to it.  It will have my favorite vodka, Titos, DIET lemon lime soda, grenadine, and maybe a cherry on top!  Woo hoo!  :) 

Please remember that you do not have to be present to win a raffle basket!  We will figure it out.  It may be cold, and crowded inside, so please don't feel obligated to stay the entire time.  :)  Would just love to see one and all. 

Thanks and have a great day!

"Worry and anxiety

cannot change my circumstance,

only positive thoughts

and actions can."

TNR MONDAY! FOSTER NEEDED!

The Rochester Community Animal clinic, one of the ....  THREE? low cost spay/neuter clinics in Rochester (when there are THOUSANDS of unspayed unneutered cats roaming the streets of Rochester) offered me some spots this morning, and I took advantage of it, even though I don't have a pot to p___ in.  These kitties cost me $60 each, although they are altered so no more babies, they are given vital shots to keep them safe, flea and mite treated, and if respiratory infections, are treated for such.

I set two traps on Parsells, where you will ALWAYS be able to trap a cat, there are hundreds on this street alone, and then one on Garson, where I've been hoping to catch the mom of several dozen kittens I've rescued from this spot this past spring/summer.  I THINK I may have gotten her!  PRAY!  Poor baby, quiet as a mouse while letting me take her picture.  Of course there is always that fear that some schmuck that let their already fixed cat go out and gets into my trap, and that would be a waste of a spot at the clinic.  She doesn't have an eartip, and almost looks pregnant, so stay tuned tomorrow when I know for sure.

GARSON GIRL

PARSELLS BOY

 This six month old sweet buff red kitten was an easy target.  I needed three cats to bring in today, and no one was 'biting' the scrumptious mackerel that I had in the trap, so I grabbed this easy boy, who is the only one out of his siblings that has begun to trust me, and allow me to pick up.  I've been wanting to rescue him, but I have had my hands full with kittens so I haven't been able to.  Now is my chance, but I need a foster.  I will have to release him tomorrow morning if I can't find a foster.  He's a little cutie.  I will have them treat him for upper respiratory infection as I see signs of it when I took this picture.  Poor little baby.  SO SWEET.

MUFFIN

I need to trap at the corner of Ferndale Crescent and Webster Avenue as there are so many cats, sick ones too, they are coming from Mary Leigh's house I have no doubt, but she is hindering my efforts.  I need to have a police officer get involved.

On a brighter note, the FUNraiser is this Saturday, and boy do we have some great items for raffling off.  We have some great food to serve, great snacks, and some great drinks for all.  Soft drinks and hard drinks will be served, a fire will be lit, perhaps a fire pit in the back of the lodge for those needing a little space and air (the lodge is 95 ppl. capacity - I have a feeling we are going to go over!)  Raffle will be held towards the end of the party (12-5) and you DO NOT HAVE TO BE PRESENT to win.  We will figure it out.   So come, stay for an hour or two, mingle, say hello, grab me if you can, those of you whom I've never met, please introduce yourself to me, those I have not seen in ages, please RE-introduce yourself to me!  :)  My memory is not what it used to be.  I have met SO many wonderful people in this mission I am on.  I will be in a tizzy most likely.  Please remember that.  This rescue business has kept me hopping!

Have a great day!

"If you figured it all out today,

what would be the point of tomorrow?

Enjoy the process of being

a work in progress."

Today

This crazy ____________________ has been throwing away my food on this vacant property for months now.  She has thrown away hundreds of pounds of food for the four or five regular scrawny and hungry cats that depend on my leaving them food.  She comes by about an hour after I leave it, and throws it in the garbage.  I didn't know who was doing it until a few days ago, and this morning got her picture.  She was told by the police two years ago not to come on the property, after she was reported for kicking a drop trap when Habitat for Cats was helping me trap there.  She has been reported to the Humane Society many times because she was accused by her neighbors of burying kittens in the vacant lot next to her house, just a street away.  The odor was pretty bad during those hot summer months.  She is schizophrenic, and a mean one at that.  This morning she mumbled something about me rat poisoning the cats.  There has GOT to be something I can do.  I need an officer to go over there to tell her to stay off the property.  That should do the trick.  I just need to find an officer.

Its Friday.  It was a miserable pouring rain morning for me.  I've discovered that if I wear the red plastic poncho that Sunday Sheryl gave me, I can stay halfway dry.  And it helps that I took the belt off my bathrobe to tie around it so that it doesn't flare all over and get in my way when I am getting in and out of the car.  There is a hole at the neck for some reason, so the back of my head gets wet, but its better than nothing.  I do look like a freak though, and if a police man ever stopped, the first thing I would say is "OMG, I must look crazy..." and the first thing I would do is start fidgeting with my bathrobe belt, and hood - to try to look sexy or something... yea right...  ha ha hahahahhahahahahahahahah.  Crazy.  And I WOULD seriously say that.  Because deep down, I think I am that sexy 30 something girl that started out doing this when I was still looking pretty HOT.  We never really change our way of thinking as we get older, do we?  I don't.  Crazy...  me?  Naw. 

I have someone coming over to meet the kittens on Sunday.  Fingers crossed I can convince that two are better than one.  They are so darling.  Three went in for spay/neuter yesterday.  Little Stevie girl had her umbilical hernia removed. Apparently its a simple procedure for the surgeons while they spay.  She was sore last night, crying as I touched her.  All are much better today.  The remaining three will be fixed at the end of this month.

Lets get these kittens adopted!  We've got more waiting in the wings!  :)

Have a great weekend everyone!  PS, suggestions on Mary Leigh are welcome.

"He who feeds a hungry animal

feeds his own soul."

Yesterday...

All my troubles seemed so far away, now it looks like they are here to say....  Beatles...  I don't know why I have that song in my head.  I was never a fan of the Beatles, although I am insanely gaga over John Lennon's Dream No. 9.  I love that song.  I had never heard it before, or at least appreciated it until less than a year ago.  Could play it over and over and over.... 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E-rstOjonZU

It was another wet and rainy morning.  The board is still at Melville - at least they have left it there for at least four days now....  The food is still being taken by Mary Leigh Frank - the schizophrenic that lives on the street over from there - Webster Crescent.   Her house looks like right out of a horror movie... where the madman lives.  I am wondering what animals she has over there, because from what I last understood, she wasn't allowed to have animals on her property.  I have not seen the kitty with the huge raw wound on his face and neck since he escaped my carrier when I tried to rescue him.  I have not had an opportunity to trap at at least three locations that I know of where there is a unspayed female cat that is producing babies..  I do have an opportunity for it on Monday - for three cats - wish me luck.  I am hoping to rescue the little cream colored older kitten on Parsells as soon as I possibly can, but I have no foster, and I can't take him into my fold as I still have Jose and Fudgie, the two six month old kittens, that have no interest sparked by anyone yet.  I also have six orphaned kittens - three of which are being neutered/spayed today, the remaining on the 30th.  Little Stevie, with the tumor on his belly, will hopefully be treated for that while she is under the knife this morning.  Ginny, the tortie kitten, has someone interested in adopting her.  Her foster mom, however, brought her into the vet yesterday due to the early stages of an upper respiratory ailment.  She was treated, and hopefully will be good to go within the week. 

Meanwhile, I have five brand spankin' new kittens under my belt.  I received a request from someone who had them, her son found them, and turned out she is the sister-in-law of my close friend Mary, and they were the kittens from a recently controversial location in Chili, so I felt somewhat obligated to take them in.  No other rescue would take them, and Sunday Sheryl had a tie to them as she was feeding the cats at that location at one point this past summer.  These kittens are five weeks old and the fluffiest things you've ever seen.  Their pics and names will be revealed soon.

I was readying the house for daytime - opening the curtains, turning off the front light outside - when I stepped in something.  I looked down in the somewhat darkness - the only light coming from the television, and it looked like one of the cats had puked - again.  I hobbled to the kitchen to wash it off, and as I damped the paper towel against the bottom of my stocking, I saw RED.  I went back to the location, with paper towels, and turned on the lights.  HUGE piles of something very red, with stuff in it.  I couldn't believe my eyes.  I immediately did a count in my head of the cats, and who I hadn't seen, and who I had seen, and how were they acting.  No, everyone was accounted for, and everyone seemed ok.  Mary Jane has a sort of dementia I would call it, Buster has lost some weight, but she is old, Scooter is sleeping a bit more than usual, but he is old, Baylee has lost weight, but still eating good, and hanging by my side as much as he can, the kittens seem fine, Brady, Skinny Minnie, Daisy, Rufus, Midnight, George, Cookie has had a suspected URI which I've been treating for past five mornings, and she is looking much better, Vanessa seems ok, Butterscotch - the feral kitten that has turned into the feral adult now, still hiding in my basement when I am up and around, but I can still peek at him and say hello from the top of the stairs each morning, he seems OK, so I don't know who did this.  I then thought, could that be blueberries in the mix?  That would explain the color.  I went to find the blueberries I had in the fridge, and there they were.  So that wasn't it.  It was alarming to say the least.  I pray all my babies are ok, but it looked like someone had thrown up their lungs... 

Must get to work.   Have a nice day.

"Dear God, protect and bless all beings that breathe, keep all evil from them, and let them sleep in peace. Amen."