ROC The Day!

Today is ROC The Day!

ROC the Day is a 24-hour, online event that gives people in our community an opportunity to support all of the not-for-profit organizations doing great work in the nine-county Greater Rochester area. People will visit ROCtheDay.org, a secure online giving platform, to make a gift. All ROC the Day gifts will help local people and organizations.

Donors (our fabulous ROCstars) can make a real difference by giving to one or multiple organizations to support their personal philanthropic passions—whether that passion is for animals, arts & culture, education, health, religion, the environment, human services or general community benefit. It’s an easy, one-stop way for them to fill their "cart" with causes that matter most to them. Donors and not-for-Profits should tell their friends, family, co-workers and social networks about the causes they’ve chosen to support and encourage others to ROC the Day, too!

Here is the link to me, and I appreciate any and all the help I can get!  xo

https://www.roctheday.org/Causes-to-Support/JanineTheBean-Rescue,-Inc

Harvey and Huey - Snug as a Bug in a Rug

Harvey and Huey.  These two rascals.  Their foster mom has been keeping them under wrap while getting their little eyes treated, but look at them meow!  :) he he.....

Remember I rescued them from Parsells Avenue, with the help of a friend for the last one.  She had to use a drop trap.  They were just little itty bitty kitties.  Kristin has taken stupendous care for them, but has her own brood to contend with, and is now ready to find them a loving home.  Spread the work for these two devils!  :)

Freshly Rescued!

Have a great day everybody!

“When we give cheerfully and accept gratefully, everyone is blessed.” 

Happy Monday Everybody!

Man oh Man oh Man oh Man!  What a week!  And its just begun!

Last week flew by faster than a yellow-tailed roadrunner being chased by a rabbit (?).  Whatever that is.  

Wednesday was shopping for Thanksgiving day.  I was in charge of hors d’oeuvres, coleslaw and squash.  I spent most of the day chopping and peeling and boiling and washing and cleaning.  I made a ton of stuff, and finally sat down to a nice bottle of Prosecco.   Thank God for booze. 

Thursday, keen family fun!  Dinner was fabulous, but what a draining day.  Thank God for Titos.

Friday, I delivered two little munchkins, Tobey and Sergio to their new home.  They were very shy, but I just know I will get better reports as time goes by.  Their new parents are going to fall in love with these munchkins, as I have with the two remaining, Izzy and Stevie.  Stevie is still shy on me, but when I ‘catch’ her, after she gets her rubbing on her belly, and scratches on her chin, she begins to purr, very loudly!  Izzy has stolen my heart (but needs a home!).  He reminds me of Jose, who I adopted out two weeks ago.  This morning, not only did he sleep on top of me AND in the crux of my legs, but under the blanket too.  What a little lover he is.  And he is currently not adopted yet!  Can you believe it?

Saturday I had an adoption event at West Elm.  MY FAVORITE STORE.  My first, and hopefully LAST adoption event.  I am not one to sit and chit chat.  But thank GOD for the help of my friends helping to set up with me, and the wonderful friends who stopped by to say hello, it went smoothly.  I met so many wonderful people.  I met a great family, with two sweet kids, that are interested in adopting TWO kittens!  And not only that, in the email I received later, they would consider meeting Izzy.    I also received an application for Izzy and Stevie!  FANTASTIC!  The kittens have not been feeling well, and are going to a vet again today, hopefully if I can get them in.   I am tired of sick kittens.  Just tired.  Gotta get them feeling like 100% kittens again.

Muffin (aka Love Muffin, aka The Muffin Man) was picked up on Tuesday from his foster home and brought to my house with the hopes of delivering him to his new home the next morning.  Well, the potential adopter had some thing come up, and after more delays, I decided it would not be a good fit for her family.  Muffin was very shy with me, and spent the entire time in my tiny bathroom due to overcrowding of kittens in the other two spare rooms.  He began to warm up, but hated being in such a confined space.  I finally brought him back to his foster mom on Saturday.  He was in his glory.  He loves his two foster siblings, and felt right at home there.  He just needs a day to trust you, and all is well.  But he is now available again for adoption, and is looking for a playmate wherever he may wind up.  He loves other kitties!

MUFFIN

Butterball is still at her foster home, and doing fabulously.  Her foster mom says ‘Butterball cries until you pick her up for cuddles, then falls asleep in your arms.”  We must get her adopted too!

BUTTERBALL!

Fudgie, we Fudgie is just Fudgie.  He misses his sibs, but has enough playmates around the house to keep him occupied.

FUDGIE!

Enough about my own babies – my mornings were challenging out there.  For those of you not familiar with what I do, I leave the house at 4 am. and feed at 18 locations around the Beechwood section of Rochester – Public Market area.  For each shelter I have built for the cats to protect them from the wicked weather we have, none of them is really safe.  I hold my breath before each of my stops, praying to God that no one has taken them and either destroyed or removed them.  Its happened a million times, and each time, my heart shatters in a million pieces.  Not sad for myself, but sad for the kitties that have trusted enough to take refuge in them, and feel safe and warm, and then have them taken away.  It happened again, this time..  AGAIN on Webster and Ferndale.  I found one in a trash bin down the street on Webster.  I have a feeling its Crazy Mary Leigh again, who continues to remove the plates and water dish I leave on the porch of the one house on the corner.  That red and white kitty was harboring in them and now has nothing.  Although I did place some shelters on the CITY vacant lot next door, and saw two kitties come out of them this morning, but no sight of that poor boy who called that his home.  Not many people understand the depths of sorrow one feels when cruelty like this happens.  There is no good reason to do this, and its just a mean act.  I pray for karma to those people.

And that was my weekend.  And how about yours?

"Compassion for animals is intimately

connected with goodness of character; and it

may be confidently asserted

that he who is cruel to animals

cannot be a good man."

Popcorn!

I am copying a post I did in February of this year.  I have some news to share with you at the end.

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 10, 2017

Lets go to the movies!

or at least .....lets get some.........................................

POPCORN!

POPCORN!  Meet Popcorn!  I just had to grab him this morning.  He was way too easy.  And if it weren't for me swinging back to my stops on Parsells, after having already done them, on my way home, it wouldn't have happened. He was not there the first time I stopped.  I have been feeding this sweet thing for a long long time.  But this morning, I noticed, his nose was way too red than would normally be for a cat, and I looked at his dirty coat, and feet, and said, 'today is your lucky day'.

I named him Popcorn after thinking about Jelly Belly beans.  They are the small gourmet jelly beans, and my favorite is the popcorn flavor, and he kind of reminds me of a Jelly Belly bean!  :)  He will go to the clinic on Saturday to be tested, and the precautionary deworming med, and he will be good to go!  Looking for a foster, or a permanent home for him.  What a sweet personality too.  He's been on my lap and loving the scratchies I gave his head and neck.

It was brutal when I left the house at 4 am.  Lots of snow fell, and was still coming down pretty heavy, up until about 5:30, when it began to let up.  Yep, I didn't get home til 6.  I had to shovel at most of my locations, due to the four or so inches that fell overnight.   They call this the lake effect snow from our beautiful Lake Ontario.  Certainly nothing compared to the storm the east coast experienced yesterday.

After stopping at the prior Parsells location, the one after this rescue, there was a man brushing off his car.  I approached him greeting him kindly, and asked him if he noticed me doing what I do across the street from where he lives, he nodded, and I asked him if he would consider me putting a few shelters at his house somewhere, and he said no, and that he had to go to work.  I wished him a good day, walking back to my car very disappointed.  The mindset of the people around here.  I don't know what I will do with these 15 cats that I feed here on a daily basis, that are losing their home.  This will be the 5th time they've had their shelters removed from various spots. 

Short Street Blackie

I managed to get a pic of the black cat with the tattered, tight red collar on Short.  If anyone knows who this baby belonged to...  The cat Sam, who by the way needs serious rescuing, is very domineering over this new black cat and won't let him into the shelter to eat.  It was sad to see this this morning.  Must get Sam rescued.  Maybe next.  I need a foster!

That's it in a nutshell.  My needs are simple.  Cat food, and AA/AAA batteries.  Donations to the clinic.  A board and a heavy rock here and there.  Someone do to my laundry.  ha.  So many dirty towels that I replace each morning after a rain or snow storm.  And of course, a professional landscaping service to carve out some dirt so that I can plant a seed garden this spring!

Speaking of spring, its just around the corner!  And so is the weekend.  Enjoy!

Have a great day!

"Life is as dear to a mute creature as it is to man. Just as one wants happiness and fears pain, just as one wants to live and not die, so do other creatures."

On October 9th, I received the following from Popcorn's (Snowey's) Mom.

Hi Janine, when they did the ultrasound, the Vet found multiple tumors on his intestines. However, the Vet gave Snowey Predisone steroid and stating it might help temporarily shrink the tumors and increase appetite. Well, it's working. I'm praying that it is not temporary but I'll take this for now.

His mom informed me at my fundraiser this past Saturday that she made the decision to have him euthanized.  She didn't want him suffering any longer.

I told her I was going to write about Popcorn and here is what she wrote:

Hi Janine, oh wow, you are writing about Popcorn / Snowey on your blog? I will treasure that forever. I have to tell you that my once rolly polley Snowey would come over and plop his whole body down by me and just literally roll over on me. I would laugh so loud he would get up and do it again just to hear me laugh. Snowey loved being able to experience love from so many of us - me, my children and then my grandchildren - who moved in a few months ago. When Snowey started to lose weight I just thought he was finally adjusting to the fact that food was readily available, and he wouldn't have to fight for it like he might have in his past street life. It wasn't too long after that though that I realized this wasn't about his diet. When the Doctor said the dreaded "C"" word, I couldn't believe it. What I was and still am amazed at was my Snowey's strength till the last day. He would get up and walk - even only a few steps into my room and I would give him fresh water. He started to just pretend to drink it for me. Like he wanted me to not worry because he could sense it in my voice. I loved my Snowey. Now I give to Precious Paws in Buffalo once a month in His name to all the rescues. I came to your fundraiser to do the same. Thank you for doing this. Please send me a link when you are finished so I can share with my world!

Heartbreak.  I am so glad I was able to rescue him from the streets, and so glad to find him a home where he was loved, and well cared for.  Thank you Laura, for your love and compassion for Popcorn aka SNOWEY.

Today is my last day of work this week.   I am sure it will go by very fast.  On Friday, I will be delivering two more of the Garson babies to their new home.  Thank you Donna and Bob for adopting TWO.  I am thrilled that TOBEY and IKE will not be split up!

I will be unveiling five new baby kittens on Saturday at West Elm on Culver Road, at the old Culver Road Armory between 11-1.   And hopefully that is IT for baby kittens!  Except we still need to find homes for our little Butterball, Stevie and Izzy, and of course,

This Thanksgiving, please don't forget about the life of the turkey you are about to eat, and the life it could have had, and give thanks to that turkey before you do.  Sorry, I just had to say something for the animals being slaughtered this Thanksgiving just for us.  One last thing, please eat every morsel, for every morsel you don't eat, that turkey gave its life for nothing.

Happy Thanksgiving all!  xo

Happy Monday!

HEY O everybody (as Howard Stern would say - (hey, to the Howard haters, he and his wife Beth are HUGE cat lovers, they rescue and foster - and he gives GREAT interviews)!  What a weekend!  Eh?

Anyone who lives in Rochester, and woke at 4 am. on Sunday morning, will know what our weather was doing outside.  I can tell you firsthand that it was not pretty.  It was miserable actually.  Winds were whipping, and the rain was falling.  And it was ccccccccold.  I raced from one shelter to another – all 18 (I think), trying to batten down hatches (it’s a saying).  I have shelters at each spot now, not winterized yet, I still need help with that, but sufficient enough for the smart ones to get out of the cold and into these nice warm shelters.  I gave them their dry food, and a dollop of wet, and some warm water, and raced off to the next spot, finishing up about 5:30 am.  My one morning to go back to bed, which I did and loved it.  I always feel better after I finish up my rounds in the morning, knowing that the cats will eat that one meal, and if they are smart enough, will huddle in those boxes for safety and warmth.  Its day three that my shelters on Melville have not been trashed.  Mary Leigh continues to throw my plates out, but I’ve secured a spot across the street, for now, with shelters, and a beautiful sweet white and red kitty sleeps there – he leaves the shelter and goes around the corner when I arrive.

So, Saturday morning I delivered little Ike and little Tito to their new homes.  The first two of the Garson six to go.  I was sad in the fact that they were being adopted alone, without a sibling.  We all know the benefits of having a sibling being adopted out together.  I began to receive reports from their new moms later in the day, and I was relieved to know that – yes, they were frightened – but they were slowly coming around.  The next morning, the reports were getting better.   Ike’s name will remain Ike, and Tito is now Dave.  Dave Tito to be precise. 

Here is the update I received on Ike:

“Today was Ike's first full day with us. We got up around 8 or so, but didn't get the downstairs kitten proved until 11 a.m. or later. Yesterday when we brought him downstairs he spent most of the day terrified on the bean bag couch with us. Today from about 11:30 a.m. till almost 5 p.m. he played Non-Stop, chasing toys, chasing laser pointers, climbing the book shelves, batting at the dog's tail, biting my toes, generally being adorable. Around 5 or 5:30 he finally collapsed into a pile on Bob has been sleeping ever since.”

IKE in new home!

I feel so much better.

Here is the update I received on Dave/Tito – they are keeping him in a beautiful kitten room, with a baby gate for him to look out at  Dave joins a feline sister Piper, and a canine big brother (three to be exact):

“I’m so glad to hear about Ike!  We’ve been thinking about him too.  Dave has completely come out of his shell with us.  What a little love!  He and Piper were even playing with the same toy yesterday, while keeping a healthy distance, of course.  He met two sets of his grandparents and did so well, sitting on laps and purring.  He’s just starting to wonder about the world outside of his door.”

DAVE/TITO

This makes me very happy!

I had a wonderful couple come over on Sunday, and they instantly fell in love with Tobey.  I am keeping my fingers crossed that they will consider two.  I think they might be leaning toward Sergio?  We then have Izzy and Stevie ready to be adopted!

And lets get Butterball a new home too!  Fingers crossed everybody!  J  

12 Things to Always Remember:

1. The past cannot be changed
2. Opinions don't define your reality
3. Every one's journey is different
4. Things always get better with time
5. Judgments are a confession of character
6. Over thinking will lead to sadness
7. happiness is found within
8. Positive thoughts create positive things
9. Smiles are contagious
10. Kindness is free
11. You only fail if you quit
12. What goes around, comes around 

Its Over

The week is finally over.  Boy that was a long week.   I hate wishing days away, our lives are so short, there is so much I haven't done or seen, but when you're in the rat race - when you have a full time job, on top of the gazillion other things that, I'm sure we ALL have going on, you just want a break from something.  And for me, that's my Saturday and Sunday.  I get a reprieve for 8 hours of work both days.  Not that I don't have 'work' to do.  At home, its a new kind of work.  Like cleaning, and since April, having meet and greet for kittens.  My time is all used up half the weekends now running around here and there, delivering kittens or cats to their new homes, having people stop over to meet other available kittens.

I try not to complain.  I know I am doing good.  The kittens I have under my roof were found huddled in shelters at my Garson location.  God knows their fate if I hadn't gotten them, first three at once, then two at once, and finally little Stevie, the still scared little girl, but who has come a long way since.

Stevie and Izzy

I will also be adding more under my roof tomorrow when I get five newer kittens who have been being fostered by Sunday Sheryl.  They are near and dear to her heart after feeding them, and others at Zuber Farms in Chili.  A kind woman by the name of Sheri - her son found them and Sheri took them in and asked for help with them and I took them under my belt.  They are beautiful, and I have no doubt all will be adopted.  I first want to get Sergio, Izzy, Tobey, Stevie, and Butterball adopted.

Muffin (head)

I think I have a home for Muffin!  I will bring him to his new home this Wednesday, which is pretty awesome.  A former adopter has expressed her love for Muffin!  She adopted Sparky a year ago this past summer.  What a cutie he was as a wittle babee... 

SPARKY!

And now as an adult...

Tomorrow, I will also have help with shelters.  Sunday Sheryl's son will help move a large wooden one from my garage to Central and Second, where there are so many babies - we are due for a winter storm this weekend, so I must build up this colony's protection against the weather. 

I looked around at the food this morning that was donated at my fundraiser.  I was in awe. I can't tell you how grateful I am for all the support I've received this past year.  I just want to sit with each and every one of you for an hour and chat.  Can we do that?  I want to show you face to face how grateful I am to have you in my life!

Have a wonderful day.

“The smile on my face doesn’t mean my life is perfect.  It means I appreciate what I have and what God has blessed me with.”

Wednesday Musings....

Shelters.  I wanted to clarify something I said about shelters yesterday.  I got to thinking that people that have made me shelters in the past might think I was saying that their shelters weren't good enough.  I have had a few people who have made me - what I call - kitty condos...  they are beautiful handcrafted wooden shelters, with legs as well, that will survive the test of time, and last through all sort of extreme weather.  I have those connected with one or two others and this sort of THOSE are gold to me.  And the cats. 

The 'ideal' shelter I referred to yesterday is a good stand-alone shelter and its perfect for areas where there may be rats.  And obviously, the higher the shelter is, the less likely raccoons and opossums can climb up to get the food. 

We are due for winter weather beginning this weekend.  I am dreading this.  Dreading because there are two locations that have no protection for these cats I feed at.  One is where Mary Leigh continues to trash the food and paper plates and bowls I leave on the porch of this vacant house on Webster and Ferndale Crescent, and the other is on Melville, where the man that I wrote a note to could have cared less about any of it.  He continues to trash my stuff even though I am now placing this stuff on City property, behind his lot.   I need Mary Leigh to be caught over and over and confronted, but I have a full time job and cannot sit there and watch for her.  I feel that if she is confronted, over and over, she will get a message.  I also wish the police would continue to visit her, and ask her to stop.  But I don't think its on the top of their list, nor the bottom.  Her porch is encased in plastic sheeting and she has boxes all over it with newspaper stuffed in them where several cats 'sleep.'  She also has a heater on the porch.  Fire hazard?  Nah, her house is the last place they want to pay a visit to.  She is harmless, but if she feels threatened, she uses her phone to record, and the police camera on the street as her 'protection'.

The kitten I trapped yesterday on Melville, Mary Ann,  that I suspected to be pregnant was not, and I had to let her go this morning after she spent a miserable night on my porch.  Its a wonder she was not, nor was her sister Butterball (not sure if they are actual sisters, but both the same age, and from the same location).  Goosey, from Garson, turned out to be male, and ALREADY NEUTERED.  And yes, I still have to pay for the 'surgery' even though already done.  He was let back out last evening.  I didn't want to hold him hostage any longer than necessary.

That's all I got today folks!

Have a great day!

"Such short little lives our pets have to spend with us, and they spend most of it waiting for us to come home each day."

TNR Tuesday!

November 14th - Its Janine Wagner Day!  HA!  If you will all recall, Karon and Walt Simoni nominated me for this prestigious title several years ago.  Thank you Marie for reminding me this morning with your sweet note!  :)

Today is my last TNR Tuesday, for a while.  I tried to make the best of it.  I was allowed two spots, which meant setting three traps. I always do one more just in case I don't get one in the other two.  I placed one on Garson, where I've rescued several litters from this summer, but still never seemed to trap a post partum kitty since then, another on Ferndale Crescent and Webster Avenue, where MaryLeigh continues with her shenanigans, and one on Parsells, #2 spot to be exact.  Where the tenants asked me to move the shelters over the summer from the bushes because they were scared of the raccoons.  Since then, I've replaced two back in this spot.  I've seen no raccoons, and those cats need shelter.  I just rescued Muffin from this spot last week.

I drove madly around this area feeding here and there, and then checking on the traps.  The one on Ferndale and Webster I had to check on more frequently because of MaryLeigh coming around and perhaps stealing, but for sure shutting the trap door, which she has done in the past.  Nothing.  Zip over to Garson, nothing.  Over to Parsells, nothing.  So I continued to feed in other spots where I knew most kitties were already eartipped and I've not had a problem with kittens being there this summer.  Then back to Ferndale and Webster, nothing.  I decided I needed to move it to another location because the kitties were not falling for the bait - fresh tuna.  I went to the trap, and saw the food gone inside, but the door was still up and waiting...  Then I realized, that trap is broken.  The trip plate doesn't move when you latch the door open.  I left food down and off I went, disappointed.  I went back to Parsells, nothing.  I picked up that trap and set it on Melville, where I've been hoping to get a kitten that I suspected to be pregnant.  Huge belly.  For a six month old looking kitten.  I set it and went to Garson.  BOOM.  Gotcha Goosey.

GOOSEY from GARSON

Then finished up my feedings, and checked on Melville.  Which by the way, Melville is still a spot of contention.  This morning, my dishes were removed from under the tree on the sidewalk.  The board in the back of the lot is still leaning against a fence, which plates under neath it.  Thank God they haven't removed anything back there in over a week.  So by now, I was done, and drove home, with the intention of driving back to check on trap one more time after I did my normal thing I do when I get back home - clean out the wet food containers and get tomorrow's food ready.  I drove back and VOILA!  I got the little kitten that I suspected was pregnant.   Meet Mary Ann:

MARY ANN from MELVILLE

I have no clue of her condition, won't know until late this afternoon, but one thing I know, both will be going back to the streets tomorrow.  I just can't save them all.  IF anyone is so inclined to help with the cost of vetting these two kitties - my bill is astronomical right now there - the number is 585.288.0600 to make a donation.  Every dollar helps!

The Ideal Shelter.

Someone made this shelter for me years ago.  Its sat in my garage for I don't know how long.  I want to show you how wonderful it is.  The front has a little ledge (which COULD be a little wider and longer), above that is a little roof (which COULD be a little wider and longer), and it has a front and back opening.  The material is just enough to withstand wind, but delicate enough to allow an animal to get in and out.  The legs are tall enough to deter rats, and other rodents.   Inside is a cozy little insulated area with straw that has a nestled-in spot that is home for a very lucky homeless kitty.  The shelter is currently at the wonderful Syd and Johnny's auto garage on Bay Street - the only business owner around that would allow animal shelters on his property to save a cats life for.  To have more of these shelters placed around Rochester would be wonderful.  Any body out there willing to make some of these?

Have a great day every body!

"The meaning of life is

to find your gift.  The

purpose of life is to 

give it away."