Resilience

 I met a woman many years ago through work at an event for the cancer center at the hospital I worked for Valerie Harper (Rhoda) who has since passed from brain cancer, was guest speaker for the event.  This woman came through the line I was checking people in at, and somehow we struck up a conversation.  We exchanged information we liked each other so much.  Fast forward many years since, we occasionally exchange emails.  She has been through A LOT.  Talk about resiliency, she has had every imaginable thing wrong with her, and somehow stays positive, in fact she is what I call inspiring.  Anyway, her mom donated tome recently in memory of the passing of Karen's beloved pet "Sweetheart".  I didn't know if it was a dog or cat or what, so I responded to a kind message Karen had written me in late February, that I hadn't gotten around to answer (thats me), and mentioned 'did you recently lose a pet?'.  I just want to share this story - the story of a feral cat that turned into a house loving human loving animal.  Here is a snippet from Karen's email:

"...and worst of all last Saturday I had to have my Sweetheart euthanized . It came out of nowhere Janine. He had his annual exam 2 weeks ago - he was in great health as usual with the exception that she noted he had a mild heart murmur - but wasn't concerned. Tuesday he was throwing up nonstop...I though maybe he had an obstruction from grass he ate on the beautiful Monday we had...it went into Wednesday. I called the vets office first thing in the morning. They were too busy to see him. This was Bayview Animal Hospital. I called Animal Junction - I had never been there before and they took him right in. Did bloodwork, xrays etc etc etc...his blood was filled with toxins...they weren't sure if it was lymphoma or pancreatitis that went into his GI tract. He hadn't eaten or had water since Monday morning. All the years he was with me he never was sick...till now. Do you remember me telling you about him? 

Sweetheart was a feral cat I took in 3 days before I had the surgeries for my lung cancer in 10/2013. I was feeding him for almost 2 years with the hopes of getting him and two other feral cats homes. I couldn't even look out the window at him without him running away. 🙂 When I found out I had new cancers in my lung, a week before my surgery (in 10/2013) I sent a prayer up to St. Francis and I told him I wanted to take him in before winter came, give him a home. The next day I went to open my side door that went out on to the driveway and back to the garage where I kept the cats food. There Sweetheart was at the door like he was waiting for me. What?!! He followed me to the garage and followed me to the back porch (first time in two years!!!!) and he let me stand about 3 feet away from him while he ate. The next day he was at the door again - same thing - he followed me to the garage and to the porch but this time, this time, he let me stand next to him while he ate. The third day he was under my car in the driveway waiting for me. I had gotten some cat treats with catnip for him and filled my hand with them and knelt down by him with my outstretched hand. He wanted them in the worst way but wouldn't take them out of my hand. So I lined them up to my hand and he ate his way to eating out of my hand. The fourth day he was once again in the driveway waiting for me. This time I opened the screen door and put the latch on to keep it open and I went and stood in my dining area and didn't move. He came in, went downstairs and went back outside. Then he turned around and came back in, walked through the kitchen, past me in the dining room and down the hallway to where the bedrooms are. He went back out. Came back in. He's been mine ever since. Two days later I went in for surgery to remove two wedges of my left lung. He would come when I called or whistled for him, he followed me like a puppy dog. My puppy kitty. Every single solitary night he would get up with me a million times while I dealt with my radiation ravaged intestines. Every obstruction, every surgery he would snuggle up to me and pet my head. Every night he would tuck himself under my left arm and snuggle up against me. my shadow. the sun is shining radiatenly today but inside it is so dark and cold without him at my side.

my broken heart split wide open and has poured out. it appears my L.B. (little buddy) Sweetheart's guts were filled with lymphoma...just two saturdays ago he got a clean bill of health at yearly exam from another vet except for a newly detected mild heart murmur that she wasn't really concerned about...he threw up all day tuesday, wednesday until i got him into new wonderful vet (old vet couldn't make room to see him) - hadn't eaten or drank all week...visits to the vet wednesday, thursday, friday (iv fluids, antibiotics, steroids, anti-nausea meds, pain meds) and yesterday the dear vet called me before she started seeing patients to check on him...she felt it was time to let him go but could put a feeding tube in him if i wanted...we got there and i asked her to just check him see where he was at before we did anything...fever again/still and his liver was starting to shut down. my l.b. was my shadow every single day, 24/7...he'd get up with me a million times, he'd follow me everywhere, he'd stroke my brow with his sweet little paw when i was in horrible pain...he'd be snuggled up with me right now as i write this if he was still here...the irony...i worried about how he would be when i died. i never imagined he would go first. it's so empty without him. my sweetheart. I called Bayview on Tuesday to cancel his appointment in August for his leukemia vaccination - told them Sweetheart had to be euthanized and to please tell Dr. Gebby. I realize everyone is busy but, sheesh, you'd think I'd here something back??? Nope. Nothing.  How in the world did you know that I recently lost a pet (Sweetheart)?"  (I haven't told her yet her mom made a donation in the cat's memory)

Amazing!~

I have rescued two more kitties this past week.  One was an older cat I've been feeding for years now on Parsells, who lost hers, and several other cats, shelters that protected them from the winter and storms we have, and due to the A$$%@e that wouldn't let me keep shelters in the vacant lot next door, none of the cats have had any shelter this past year.  I feed them on the sidewalk, even in zero degree and storms.  I noticed she finally started to let me pet her - get close enough to pet her.  I noticed her belly looked a bit rounded.  I decided to rescue her because there was a spot at the clinic waiting for the other pregnant cat on Garson that Lori has been unsuccessful at trapping, so far.  In the meantime, the same morning, Lori did trap a third kitten at Garson, the one that got away.  Georgie and Giblet's brother.  My heart broke knowing I didn't know this kitten was left.    So I grabbed the white one on Parsells, and we took the other to the clinic, for spay/neuter.  Sheryl has kindly offered to take the female to foster, and the other is at the clinic who offered to keep him until we can figure it out, and I still don't know what we will do with him  He is just scared to death - but OH SO CUTE.  Here is his picture:  And then hers:

And here is their Mom we are trying to catch on Garson:

Say a prayer we get this kitty.  She has had too many unwanted pregnancies.  

Have a great day!

Jeff

There is not much good to report.  There was a death, a burial, and a wedding… ha ha ha.  Just kidding.

I kid around when there are serious stuff going on.  Its always good to be ….  Well not so serious.  As it is, we could all have our last day today.  Sorry to sound morbid.  So there is a gentleman named Jeff who lived on Garson Ave who allowed me to place shelters in the back of the vacant lot next to his property, on the side of a dilapidated garage.  Jeff was a little unusual, but kind.  He is the one that rescued the last two kittens from a family on Miller Street that couldn’t bring them indoors even though it was zero degrees.  That was Jessie and Serena, who are going to their new home, and thanks to Tamera who fostered them.  Before that, I had asked Jeff to check around as I heard a second kitten crying – little Giblet, whose brother Georgie was rescued two weeks earlier.  Jeff rescued little Giblet and handed him over to me.  They are adopted as well.  But through the years, I hated to pick up the phone when I knew it was Jeff calling because he always had kittens he had found, being an electrician around the city, and I always knew he was going to ask me to take them in.  So I wouldn’t pick up, he would leave a message, and I would feel guilt and call him back.  Throughout the years, he would find things – little trinkets of cats, near to new scratching posts…  things he thought I would like.  I would usually place them in the trash before trying to find them another home.

Little did I know he would pass away three weeks ago today.  He had a sweet roommate Renee who found him slumped against the door in his bedroom.  He either had a massive heart attack or a massive stroke.  I still don’t know.  The other sad part is they could find no family, and no will, and the woman that lived with him will be going to a shelter at the end of this month, as she has nothing either.  And the state will take over the property.  This also means that I may lose my shelters there.

We believe there is a pregnant cat there too, mother of Georgie and Giblet, and so many others.  I have asked for help in trapping her, and praying we get her Monday, after this storm has cleared.

My helper Esther also rounded up all the dead kitties we found in the shelters this winter, and brought them to her friend’s place in the country to bury them when we had a slight thaw last week.  I am so grateful to her that I didn’t have to do that.

The wedding…  I wasn’t  kidding.  Had to go to a family wedding two weekends ago, and it was a b$%@$ because I am having serious issues with my lower back.  Still.  Three weeks three days now.  I have been to every doctor.  Nothing.  Oh well, life still goes on, I hope.

Oh there IS good news...  besides Serena and Jessie being adopted, the other two kittens that Sheryl has been fostering forever, got adopted!  I am so happy.  Now we just need to get Bello  (above) into a good home!  He is very lonely and needs love and attention.  Thanks to Cloe for fostering him

Have a great day!

February Updates

 

Its been a hard year for me so far.  I have had some health issues that have just knocked me down.  On top of that I am scrambling for help to feed over 100 cats every other day.  It used to be a daily job, but I had to whittle it down because of not only the cost, but the toll it takes to do that daily.  The agony of having to go out in the cold, start up the truck to get warmed up, drag out five heavy jugs of water, and a sack full of wet food is painful.  Thank God for Kim.  Kim volunteers by coming over to fill the bags of dry food and get them into the truck for the next trip.  She is steadfast, and I just couldn’t do it without her.  I have had little help with shoveling, so after the last snowfall, I am balancing myself to get through a small opening out into the street to start the car each morning.  My sidewalk is barely walkable, and I had to hire a snowplow to get my car out of the driveway.  Life is really tough right now, and I pray they come up with a cure for arthritis, but in the meantime, who am I to complain really.  I think about the cats that are suffering out there.

We just found our fifth dead frozen cat – this one on Garson.  We could not remove it, I’ve had three people try.  Half its body is frozen under the pallet – the other half is sticking out.  I had the last person who tried cover it with a towel.  Very sad.  I can only attribute it to the cats that have no immune system due to FIV, or were sick with something and just couldn’t fight the below zero temps we’ve had.  My twice a month helper Esther is going to take the bodies, when it thaws, and bury them in the country, on her friend’s land.  I told her my property is already a pet cemetery and there is no more room for another body!

I am in the process of trying to hire help – I am offering $20 per hour, for whatever hours they can work, but I do need a break.  It’s a max (without a major dump of snow) of 2 hours to feed, -- normally its an hour and 15 minutes to do - and its every other day, and you pick the hours you want.  I would suggest they be morning or early afternoon jobs, because it is not in the best part of Rochester, but those are the safest times.  And its easy, and quick!  So please spread the word.  If you know of anyone reliable with a car, and some compassion for these cats, it’s a no-brainer. Extra cash each week never hurt anyone, right?

I have five cats in my ‘custody’ right now.  Two older kittens, Serena and Jessie, are with Tamera my foster, two older kittens, Lilly and Poppy, are with Sheryl, and Bello, the older black cat, is with foster Cloe.  They are all adorable and really need a permanent home. 

Here is Bello:

Here is Lilly and Poppy:

And here is Serena and Jessie!

Spread the word!  They are waiting for their forever homes!

And remember...... it's less than 33 days until spring!

Have a great day!

Let it Snow

 

So lets talk about the weather.  Two weeks ago Monday, we had a snowfall of over a foot of snow.  It was heavy hard snow.  I am thankful for Esther’s help with shoveling and feeding the cats huddled inside their shelters.  The plows made a mess of things, and I wasn’t able to actually get to a few of the shelters for fear my truck would get stuck.  I went out the next day and placed plates of food here and there where I could at the spots I couldn’t get to.  Finally, plows came, sidewalks were barely passable, and the cats came out to eat a bit of food in zero degree weather.  Yep, its been a tough few weeks. 

As if its not bad enough knowing those cats are fighting literally for their lives out there, having found three frozen cats this year at my shelters, and one of the red cats at my Pennsylvania shelters has been missing since the day before that Monday…  I know people mean well --- we all like to complain about the cold and the snow.  And now we have another bout of the same thing as two weeks ago coming tomorrow and all I have heard is ‘horrible’ storm coming.  My mother is also telling me this.  I think to myself, we humans can handle this… its WINTER after all!  We can bundle up, shovel our way out, go inside where its nice and warm….  But the cats can’t.  So stop complaining and say a prayer for the cats before you complain about how miserable it is outside for you. 

I hope I didn’t offend anyone here, I am simply trying to find the good in all this, and still firmly believe that spring is just around the corner and we all have to hang on.  I guess that is my rant for the season.

Speaking of --- I need help.  Does anyone know anyone that would be willing to go out at 5 am. and help me shovel?  Willing to pay up to $60 for two hours work.   Please think about it and spread the word.   Its actually fun, and rewarding.

A former adopter also made up this sign for me and is posting at her workplace at RIT.  I’ve been trying to hire help now for months.  Please spread the word here too.  Thanks for your help and have a great day!

Winter

CLICK ON PICS TO ZOOM IN:

What a week!  We had about a foot and half of snow overnight Monday.  Talk about a nightmare.  Not only for me, with the knee issue, but also for my helper that morning Esther.  Good thing she is younger than me.  She was a power shoveler at most of the locations, minus three.  I felt terrible.  I knew those cats would go a day or two without food.  I can only ask so much of people.  I HATE asking for help.  It was bad enough, the 3.5 hours it took us to dig out, pour food, and drive to the next spot. I could not get into the three spots due to the amount of snow the snowplows had piled up at the entrances.  As it was, I got stuck at Parsells trying to turn around, and Esther had to get out and shovel under my wheels.  After 10 minutes of rocking back and forth, I finally broke free!  Thank God for my 4-wheel drive truck.  Love it.  It really was a bad morning.  Not to mention my own house, and the plows piling up these huge mounds of snow I had to climb over at 5 am.  Ya love em, but ya hate em.

On top of all that, at my middle location on Fernwood Crescent, Esther texted me while I waited in the truck from the shelter in the back of the lot where she was shoveling and placing food, and said there was a baby kitten one of the little huts inside, sick.  I asked her if she could bring it and we would put in carrier.  She then walks up with this baby in her coat, and I took from her and gently placed it in the carrier.  I panicked, but had to finish up my route.  I didn't know if the kitten would live or die before I got home.  But I couldn't stop with the route.  I had to get to the cats that were stranded in the snow in their shelters.

Again, panicked, I reached out for help on FaceBook.  (I am always thinking I will miraculously have someone come meet me at the moment of need and swoop up the sick kitten and take care of it).  Not the case, but Karla from Keller's Kats offered to help.  I knew this kitten was feral, but obviously was so sick it was just about limp in our arms.  When I panic like that, I forget that I do have a few options, but again, I thought 'feral' and thought kitten would be a LOT of work for one of my fosters.  Miraculously, I was in touch with the clinic about some other adopted kittens surgeries (it was now 8 am. and the clinic was open), and I was told to bring kitten there after I mentioned I found a very sick kitten.  Thank God for them.  I dropped off kitten, she - Fern - had a severe viral upper respiratory infection - eyes shut, nose plugged, totally underweight (2.6 lbs) and about 12 weeks old.  I picked her up after they cared for her, and finally, Karla sent a foster to get her that night.  I held her in my arms and syringe fed her in the bathroom.  She was so scared and very docile.  She is gorgeous, long haired black kitten.  I will update with  better pics but here is all I have for now.

One last note about the past five days, there was a woman that was bashing me on Facebook, saying I was a fraud and that I didn't really feed the cats even though I was getting donations and she was going to report me.  Crazy woman.  Accusing me even though she didn't have the facts.  She would walk her dog on Melville, and not see a dish by the side of the road with cat food or water for days on end.  Little did she know, I sometimes put food by the road because there are some cats that won't use the SHELTERS IN THE BACK OF THE LOT WHERE ALL THE FOOD IS.  The other times there is not food by the road is when it is either raining, snowing, or there isn't a cat around.  She even had the nerve to video tape the side of the road at the two locations on that street and said I wasn't really feeding the cats.  Meanwhile, I've since set her straight, and haven't heard a word back.  Although this morning, I was surprised to find 3 of my shelters shoveled from the sidewalk all the way back to the shelters.  Wondering who that might have been???????????????????????????????????????????????????????  IF it was her, it was a kind gesture, but she sure does owe a public apology in my opinion.  After all, I've given up enough of my life for these cats and doing what I do.  I don't take accusations like that lightly.

Phew!  I HATE winter!  Only 50 something days 'til spring!  

Have a great day!

Spring is in the Air!

Giblet and Eva above enjoying their cozy bed in their new home. 

Winter is upon us, but spring is just ahead.  I am a forever optimist.   We are in the midst of freezing, below freezing rather, and snow, but it doesn’t last long, and the cats out there, mostly, are resilient.   Not so much for the poor baby I found at my Niagara location.  As I walked toward the shelters in the back, I noticed a dead cat laying on the ground.  Frozen.  There are usually three to four cats I’ve fed there on Niagara for years.  This one was the little black and white baby that many mornings I would open the little door that blocks the elements from getting inside the shelter, to find her still in the shelter, all cozy and warm. The other cats run out when I arrive, and wait for the food to be ready for them, and go back into the shelter after I walk away.  I have no idea what happened to this sweetheart.  She could have had an underlying condition and just succumbed, or she could have been poisoned.  I will never know. I wrapped her in a towel and placed her next to the shelter.  I placed a board on top of her to keep the elements away.  I know that sounds silly, she is dead.  But still…  I used to bring dead cats wrapped up to a vet office and place them on a doorstep.  There were times I would wrap them and place them under a bush near where I found them.  I also used to bury them myself.  I certainly won’t throw a cat carcass into the dumpster, or garbage bin.  Just can’t do that.  If it thaws soon, I will move her to under a bush nearby and let her rest and disintegrate there.  Poor baby.

 

Other than that, I am finally sneaking a shelter or two on the first Parsells stop where the very cruel person removed my shelters in the fall from the VACANT CITY OWNED lot next to his rental apartment in the house next door.  Those cats have not seen their first storm, but have experienced the single digits this past week, and I have no idea where they go to stay warm, let alone, alive.  Their picture is above.  I counted five there this morning.  Their long time shelters were destroyed last spring.  So slowly but surely, I am sneaking dark colored shelters under some bushes next door hoping they are not noticed.

Sorry for the Debbie Downer post, but this is my reality lately.  I had a hospital stay last week and am not getting around very well, but many thanks to Kings and Sheryl for now for helping out - I drive, and they do all the work.  Also many thanks to Esther for doing four of my shelter for me every other day.  If only more people could step up and just take even ONE shelter over for me, it would be so much help to me.  Just ask for details.  Its easy!  The bad news is that June sprained her ankle, and the woman I advertised to hire to help came down with Covid and hasn’t been able to help at all.  And I just can’t walk!  Fun fun fun its been!

I have two kittens under my care and many thanks to Sheryl for fostering. They have been a challenge as they were very feral when we got them from a construction site over a month ago.  But they are slowly coming around for her.  Poppy and Lilly.  We are still a bit unsure of the sex, and I haven’t been able to get over there in weeks to really take a look. 

Other than that, its only 65 more days until spring!

Have a great day!

 

Kindness

Its been a while since I last posted.  Its been a very busy past month, and the holidays no exception.  I've also had some knee problems which have literally laid me up.  Its not been a good past two weeks.  But I still continued to get out every other morning thanks to the help of June, Sheryl and Kings the past few weeks.  I can't walk but I can drive.  Hopefully after Thursday that will change.  I will have a procedure that hopefully will make my knee feel better!  

I was out this morning and as I was sitting there waiting for Kings to come down from the porch on Central and 7th, a woman saw my window open and asked if I had a dollar.  It was kind of sad.  I said my usual, that I only carry cat food, and that if I did have money, I would give her some.  Which I would.  She then said thank you and continued walking.  She was wearing a very thin coat and no gloves or hat, and it was in the 20s.  I thought for a second and remembered that I have care bags from a few years back.  There were a handful of people that put together various items such as gloves, scarves, hats, toothbrushes, toothpaste, snack items, water bottle, tissues, comb, brush, lotions, etc.  I then pulled up next to her, and told her I had some things she might want.  I didn't see that the bag had gloves, so I have her mine.  Then I saw the gloves and told her I would take mine back and to put the new ones on.  I then wrapped the scarf around her neck.  I asked her if she was warmer.  She said yes.  She thanked me and continued on her journey.  How sad.  But glad I was able to provide these creature comforts to her.

I tried to rescue one last cat for the year on Friday, the yellow tabby on Parsells #2.  He had a home waiting for him after the vet appointment that morning. He's been on the street since birth, but began to trust his caretakers Chuck and Danielle (DeGeorge Ceilings), and myself.  I placed him in the carrier after petting him, and he went crazy.  There was one other time this happened, and it was the sweet little red cat on Grand and Baldwin that hung around with Peanut Butter and Jelly. I got him in a carrier, and when I got him home and opened the door to carrier in my tiny bathroom, he was nearly on the ceiling.  He went crazy. I had to return him.  He disappeared for a while and wound up on Garson, where eventually I had to have him euthanized because he was very sick.  Anyway, this yellow tabby on Parsells -- he went crazy.  I had to let him back out or he would have hurt himself, and I don't know what he would have done at the vet.  He's never been off the street.  Most cats I rescue have had some form of human contact when they were young, and it comes flooding back to them that they are going to be safe.  Not this baby.  Now, he won't come near me when I feed there, but he will.  Poor thing.  If they only knew...

All kittens have been delivered.  Boy do I miss Georgie and Giblet, the two baby kittens I rescued from Garson a month and half ago.  I wound up fostering them before Christmas (thank you Tamera!) and was sad to see them go.  But Georgie joined some adult kitties at his new home, and Eva and Giblet went together to their new home.  I will keep you posted on pics of them, but here is Georgie yesterday on his new dad's lap.

And Giblet and Eva in their new home:

And an update on the kitty from Parsells with the huge open wound, here he is after treatment for the ear mites that he tried to scratch to death -- I think he was my last rescue for 2021:

Sweet baby.  I think my total rescues for 2021 was 83.  Not too shabby for a really rotten year.

Have a great day!