Butterscotch

I came home yesterday and found my baby Butterscotch passed away.  He looked so peaceful.  I will back up a little bit.  Like 10 years ago.

Butterscotch was rescued as a kitten, maybe 10 weeks old, the point of a cat being semi-feral but still able to be socialized.  

I will share the posts I have mentioned him in from 2014, along with rare pictures along the way.

Over the past 10 years, he became increasingly elusive, preferring to live in my basement.  I remember years ago, I came home from work only to find he had not escaped to the basement yet, and had spent the day lounging in the sun in a spare bedroom.  I knew I had to make an attempt to let him know I was not a big bad monster, so I closed him inside the room with me, and he slunk to the back of the closet.  I quietly and slowly got down on my knees and slowly moved to pet him.  He allowed it with barely any fuss.  

Since then, I've caught glimpses of him sitting in the hallway while I am in the living room, but if I make a move, down he goes!

Long story short, I came home Wednesday - while I had no heat in the house because of the furnace malfunctioning, and there was Butterscotch, on the couch, and looking at me.  I slowly walked over to him and was shocked.  He was a skeleton, his eyes were sunken in, and I immediately thought, he wanted to be with me, finally, when he was dying.  I cried and cried while petting him gently, and nudging him to eat a lick of Churu from my finger.

Then there was a loud knock and the big loud guy was there to fix the furnace, and it scared him.  After the big loud guy went down to the basement, Butterscotch came out again and was sitting in the hallway.  I walked over to him and picked him up and put him on the bed in the other spare bedroom.  He just buried his head in his arm, and curled up in the little round cat bed I had set him in.

I went to bed that night and said a prayer that God would take him overnight, but he was still alive in the morning.  Again, I sat with him and talked to him quietly telling him what a good boy he was, and how I wished he could have done this sooner.  Then I would have known he was sick.

Someone asked me why I didn't take him to the vet to have him euthanized.  Because it would have caused him such trauma - it was bad enough he came up and allowed me to love him - where the vet would have such trouble even finding a vein due to how thin he was.  It was better for him to pass at home.

I loved this little guy, and wish I could have had more time with him.  He is at peace now, and his friends, whom he spent time with during the day while I was working, miss him too.

Kristin came by late afternoon and took Butterscotch home with her, but be buried along with other fur babies, because she has a lot of land, and she and her husband Darrin will dig a little grave for him and say a little prayer.  Thank you Kristin.

Here are pictures of Butterscotch through the years:

And here was Butterscotch yesterday morning before he passed:

I am going to share some posts from the past that included Butterscotch - I was reading them this evening, and thought how interesting this blog used to be!  Time slows us down, that is for sure...  I hope you take the time to read these, some of my best days, behind me....

December 1, 2014

Welcome Back! :)

What a great long holiday weekend it was for me.  I got to cook, and bake, and visit with some friends I wouldn't normally visit because of the lack of time in a weekend, I got to go back to bed each morning if I wanted to.  I got to do some things around the house that I wouldn't normally have time for on a two day weekend.  My mother always tells me though, I never just sit and do nothing.  I am always on the go - I actually do feel guilty just sitting around reading a book or something.  Why is that.  I feel like I should be doing something.  It was great!  I could get used to this.  But...  back to the grind I go.  And thank God I have a grind to go back to, right?

My friend Kristin came over on Wednesday and we went back into the hood that morning and she helped me secure five or so shelters.  It helped immensely.  Sheryl took over for her on Sunday, helping me with a few also.  The proof was in the pudding, so to speak, when I went to the shelters this morning to feed all those hungry mouths, and the tarps and boards hadn't budged after the ferocious wind and rain we had last night.  I heard it in the wee hours of the morning, pounding against my window. 

I also had two people reach out to me looking for a kitty.  I decided that they could either choose from Lacey, the beautiful white female who is being fostered by Nancy, or they could choose from Charlie and Fluffypants, who desperately need to be removed from the streets.  Charlie is bullied by several other cats on Central, and cries and cries while I am there, most likely saying 'take me home, take me out of this hell, please....  ' and then there is Fluffypants, who crosses the busy street each morning, as he rolls over on his back, waiting for a scratch and a pat, meowing the same thing (I know that sounded a bit weird, I sound like a REAL CRAZY cat lady now).  :)   Here are pictures of Charlie and Fluffypants that I took thIs morning before my #@$%#@ camera died on me, and I am still hoping to get a good picture of Lacey.  Fingers crossed, we will have two matches!  (BE SURE TO CLICK ON THE PICTURES TO SEE THESE BABIES UP CLOSE!)

CHARLIE

If you click on the picture, look close, its the lion from Wizard of Oz!

FLUFFYPANTS

I have had several people donate shelters to me, and I am extremely grateful for them.  These cats are so territorial - at some locations, you can never have enough shelters for each of them.  They don't share nicely. 

My Butterscotch is still frightened to death.  I had friends come over yesterday - in fact one was Brady, who asked his friends to donate cat food in lieu of birthday gifts, and a good amount was delivered yesterday.  Brady, you are a good kid.  Thanks for your generous heart.  When I brought out Butterscotch for them to meet, Butterscotch trembled practically the whole time.  I wish I had a better way to get this cat more socialized.  Poor thing.  But he is so sweet - not a mean bone in his little 8 month old body.

I wish you all a good day!  Eh!

That best portion of a good man's life; his little, nameless, unremembered acts of kindness and love.  

Wednesday, May 13, 2015

Well, guess what.  Another rescue!  Nehemia is going to be adopted!  His new moms name is Azure - such a beautiful name, and obviously a big heart.  She also has renamed him Barney!  I will be bringing him over to meet his new mom this evening!  Hurray!  And thanks Julie for finding Azure for me!  Azure was one of Julie's fosters for Another Change Pet Rescue, which Julie was the founder/president of.   Its disbanded now, but thank goodness the compassion is still in every one of its member's hearts to continue to care for animals. Barney was picked up at the clinic, extremely doped up, and spent a very restless night at my house.  Crying all night.  This is truly a street cat, that knows nothing about love, gentleness, warmth, and kindness.  He just sits and cries and wonders what is happening to him.  He is a very beat up cat too.  He has lived through quite a few turbulent years being homeless with the weather and just trying to survive the street life.  He, along with all the others, surely deserves a home, but its going to take a little while for Barney to get used to it.  I pray this girl has nothing but patience and love to give him.  Patience is key.

Niles will be put back on the street today.  So will Polly, the second twin that Laura successfully trapped yesterday for spaying.  Thank you Diane and Laura for your help in cleaning up the area that I feed, shelter and do my best to control the population of hundreds of cats that need help 365 days a year.  I do my best with what little resources I have, and most of the time, its just little old me doing it.  I am so grateful.

Tomorrow, I set two more traps on Parsells, where I feed under a tree just before my REAL first spot/shelter is.  There is another pregnant kitty there that I saw a few days ago, and at least two more cats that have not been spayed/neutered. I have two more appointments scheduled at the clinic tomorrow.  Thats four more cats that will not be reproducing in just one week!  Wish me luck.

Vanessa just rescued with her black baby

Vanessa Today

My little Vanessa had to go to the doctor yesterday.  She has been 'coughing' - almost like she is going to spit up a hairball, but it never comes up.  This has been going on for a while before I decided she should probably be looked at.  She may have asthma, they say, and/or an upper respiratory, so after an extra, she was sent home with steroids and Clavamox.  To the tune of $191.  Thanks Vanessa.  And thank you MasterCard.  She actually seems to be doing better this morning after her first round of pills!  I had some litter donated to me that was very dusty, and that might have triggered it a few weeks ago.

GEORGE and SCOOTER (loving their new bed (and each other!))

BUTTERSCOTCH



If you all remember Butterscotch, the kitten I took in from the Roberts Wesleyan College situation.  She was semi-feral, and still is. Its been months since I held her.  She loves her home here with me and her brothers and sisters, but won't let me get too close to her.  She runs, she plays, she does everything a kitten does, but with her feline buddies.  Not me.  Sad, but hopefully someday that will change.  I snapped the pic above walking past the steps, she had her head in her 'hands' looking down from the top stair.

I leave you with more pictures of some of my brats.  Don't forget to click on the pics for a close up view.

BRADY BOY

LEO

BUSTER and MARYJANE

Have a great day!

"Never look down on anybody unless you're helping them up."

1st rescue of 2015

Weather in Rochester today:

Lake Effect Snow Warning/Advisories, & Wind Chill Advisories A lake effect snow warning is in effect for Wyoming County through 10am Wednesday. A lake effect snow advisory is in effect for Monroe and Wayne Counties through 4am Thursday. Lake snow has the potential to bring 4-7" of accumulation in the most persistent snow bands.  A wind chill advisory for all WNY is in effect from 10am Wednesday through 10am Thursday. Winds between 15-25 mph will create wind chill values as low as 20 degrees below zero through this time period.

Read More at: http://www.13wham.com/weather/#.VK0t8I03vgU

I don't think I have to convince you of how bad it is outside today - please say prayers to all those that have no shelter - that includes humans too.

Why, who is this in my bathroom?

TIGGER!

and who is this???

JELLY!

and my goodness, who is this???

BUTTERSCOTCH!

These are all extra cats in my house!  It was an insane morning.  I rescued Tigger from Garson, and wow, I've never seen a more happier cat in my life.  He is SO GRATEFUL to be warm and safe!  I have him in one bathroom, I have Jelly in the other one, and Butterscotch continues to hide, although he has made progress - I hear him playing upstairs with Leo, running back and forth, and when I lye in bed, he is laying on the floor watching me.  Thats progress.  But it takes a while to wrangle him, and then you have to hold him because he needs that human contact.  But now with these other two, its very hard.  I will be taking Jelly to the clinic today for shots and Leukemia testing, and Tigger will be going tomorrow for neutering, shots and testing.

I am praying someone steps up and offers to foster Tigger.  He is a BEAUTY!  He is SO affectionate.  I held him on my lap this morning, and he just did not want to get down.  He was loving that human contact.  I called for him when I pulled up, and Garcon ran to me, but no sign of Tigger.  Then, I saw him from the side, running to me.  I immediately thought 'he is not using the shelters' and my heart just sank.  I swooped him up and he was a willing participant.  Quiet as a mouse, and then he sprung out of the carrier like a cannon!  He is going to make someone such a sweet sweet sweet boy.  He reminds me so much of Webster, who I rescued from Webster Avenue two months ago and is now in a warm and loving home with Toni and her family.  PS, Tigger really does look like the Winnie the Pooh character!  Except for his color!

Lets get Tigger a home!  Please share, and please consider fostering one of these babies...  Thank you, and...  have a great day!

Until he extends the circle of his compassion to all living things, man will not himself find peace.
 – Albert Schweitzer

Have a GREAT Day!

Finally!

Funny Story here...  This cat has been hanging around at my house, 24/7 since last Friday.  She was scanned for a microchip yesterday, and I called Lollipop, who called the contact person for when 'Tori' was adopted, and lo and behold her 'parents' were found!  Living blocks away from me, she had been missing since July!  Apparently, there was a break-in at their house and the basement window was kicked in.  Tori got out, and found her way to my house on August 23rd!  She was delivered to her home and I am sure, never looked back out the door. 😊

So much news since my last post, I've forgotten everything.  I will try to remember by going backward!

So I feed every other day.  On the days I don't go out and feed, I feed at three locations, on my way to work.  That means instead of going my usual route of 104 to work, I go through the city.  My habit has become, after I finish up at 4th and Central in the church parking lot, where at least five cats run to me when I pull in, I drive down Bay or Portland to North Clinton Avenue, a location that somewhat scares me because of the level of poverty, and crime.  I do a lot of head-turning as I pass by streets.  Today, I passed a street called Flower St because I thought I saw a cat lying on the sidewalk.  I turned around turned onto the street and sure enough, there was a sweet, uneartipped, grey and white kitty.  I did my usual frantic scramble to grab a bowl and place, water and food and got out shaking the bag.  Cats know sounds and I believe that is a universal sound, along with the kissy noise.  Kitty ran right up to me and started chowing.  I left knowing I fed a hungry cat, but also sad because I didn't know what would happen to that cat.  It was this kind of behavior in the past where I would set up shelters.  But now 17 already under my belt, I can't afford a new one.  Especially in this area of the city.  

I will be relinquishing my daily (every other day) feeding of the cats I've been feeding for over 20+ years in the Beechwood area of Rochester.  Don't worry!  They will be fed!  A woman named Esther will be taking over the 17 locations where I have shelters.  I will continue my rescue by fundraising for the food I purchase, and vetting of cats, and trying to adopt out the 21 cats currently in foster.  

It's the fundraising that I am worried about.  I have not had many significant donations in many years, and I worry.  The food bill is as such:

Chewy    -    I order twice a week the following:

8 16-lb bags for Esther x $15.98 = $128

10 16-lb bags for me x $15.98 = $160            $286.00 Weekly

That does not include the wet food, which I use 20 cans (not the tiny cans), and I don't know how much Esther uses as she has had donations of her own lately.

I won't even add that up per year, - it's frightening.

My adoption fee is $200, and that covers spay/neuter, rabies and distemper, combo test when necessary, and flea and deworm treatments.  With all the kittens I have unadoptable, this vetting - to the tune of $170+ per cat, is coming out of the rescue funds, which on average is $1K per month, and no funds coming in.  Scary.

Requests have tripled from people needing help:

• Rehome their cat
• found mother and kittens
• being evicted and needing a place for their cat or they have to let it out on the street
• pregnant cat outdoor cat - not sure they want to have the cat spayed before birth
• the list goes on and on

Kristin and Elisabeth have been awesome at responding to these calls, as most of the time, I can't deal with it.  It's so hard to hear these requests, and not be able to do much about it.  In most instances, we can only offer advice.  We have no room to take in any cats.  I can help with neuter or spay in some instances, but we have no room at the inn.

My fosters are amazing.  Some have had the adoptable cats for over a year now.  Kim, Tamera, and most recently Lonnie, but the last two she was fostering were just adopted.  They started out as kittens but grew into young adults quickly enough.  Then there is Blanca & Susheel, Jennifer, Valerie, Dawn, Kristin, Nicole and Joan!  Some of the listed fosters are not current but have helped immensely in the past.  I am so grateful.

I am not a kitten person, and never wanted to foster them, but had no choice two months ago when a man in Chili was allowing his adult cats to mate, and there were --  I think over 4 litters?  Kristin tells me the mother cats have been fixed, but we wound up with all of the litter.  I have Ruby, Jade, and Jasper from a litter born on my route, near the old firehouse on Parsells.

Here is a photo dump of the cats and kittens we have currently, in serious need of adoption!  Please spread the word!

These two are older now, so much get their up to date picture!

I've run out of time!  I am sorry my blog posts are not what they used to be.  Please refer to my posts from 2014 on...  I was a much better writer/blogger/diary writer but had more time back then also.

There are more cats to post, my apologies for not having them all here, but I wanted to get a post out today!

Have a great day!

The Latest

 Rest in peace Scooter 5/14/24

So a few weeks ago, someone I had never met posted on Facebook and tried to discredit my reputation by stating that I wasn’t doing what I had been doing for over 30 years.  Back in 2018, he posted the following on Facebook.  Keep in mind, I have never heard of this guy, until then, and since, just recently.

 “Myself along with a few other animal lovers loaded up our vehicles @2:30 a.m. this morning (8/31/2018). We had canned food, bagged food, trap and a few transport crates. We set out to help you and your organization. like you have been pleading for months now.

Our goal was to feed, help trap the one you been trying to catch, and to also get a few "friendly" cats or kittens to work with and till adoptable. What you have been pleading for and inviting us to see and do.

We Spent till 4:45 am in your area which you post. We fed the corner parcels dumpster/pallet kitties, The parcels porch kitties, some random corner kitties, Graberly Kitties and Melville kitties. We went to each spot multiple times and no sign of you or food other than what we placed for them.

So that is the 7th time tried to help and answer your plea. have proof of each time. So thanks for deleting all my posts to help and then commenting to make you look good.

How many time you and your non profit organization could plea and beg for help without excepting? This is a trend and can be proved - more than myself have tried numberous times.

How many times you changing or deleting stuff to make you look good?

How many times do WE need to offer and go help your organization without it being excepted?

How long before viewers, followers and the public begin to rethink your organization and your true colors?

3:45 am 365 days a year??? must be 364 days or different time zone clearly.”

 

Let me comment briefly.   I don’t go out at 2:30 in the morning.  And there was no food at a few of the locations he was referring to because I HAD NOT BEEN there yet!  I go out at 5 am.  Enough said.

This was just a small portion of the vitriol against me.  This person is/was so misinformed that I didn’t feel it was worth getting into a fight, and certainly not a public fight.  I had many people comment in defense of my character on how wrong he was, so I didn’t’ feel the need to defend myself as I know what I have been doing for the past 30 years with the cats of the Beechwood district, and the impact I have made.  

Most of this has been chronicled in my blog from 2014 until last year when I began suffering from the injuries and joint replacements I’ve had because of feeding cats this long.  The bending really does a number on you after all those years. I did a post daily each week for many many years, chronicling what I do out there.  Nothing has changed except that I do it every other day now, and pay for help because I can’t walk on uneven ground anymore.  Luckily there were my supporters who spoke up. I decided this was a good time to retire from this.  I posted the following on my Facebook page, and the 100+ comments supporting me that I received literally made me cry. 

To my dear friends and acquaintances:

Over the past 30 years, I have poured my heart and soul into my cat rescue because it is something I have always been truly passionate about. Everything I do and have done for these animals has come from a genuine place of love. My intentions have always been to do what’s right by them, and my actions are the proof. I know this without a doubt.

Recently, others in the rescue community have chosen to target me, unfairly, in a public forum. These individuals continue to attack my character and have perpetuated lies to try and discredit me. For what reason? I honestly don’t know. The childish and unprovoked vitriol has taken a toll on me and I will say, it has been an extremely difficult time.

After a lot of thoughtful consideration and reflection, I have decided to step down from my rescue and put distance between myself and the individuals who have lost sight of the mission and instead, chose hate. This is not a decision made lightly, as this rescue has been my life for three decades, but I do know this is the right decision for me at this time.

This is not how I imagined this journey would end, but even so, I have no regrets. I walk away with my head held high knowing that I’ve given this rescue my all – providing shelter, nourishment, love, and hope to thousands of vulnerable cats and kittens in Rochester.

Please feel free to message me if you have any concerns or questions, as I will explain everything and how I will move forward to finish what I started with my rescue. 

 

After a few days, Kristin, my friend and Secretary of this rescue called me to talk.  She, along with my dear sweet mother, told me that I cannot just stop doing what I am doing.  I have to continue to help the animals in our community, but I do have to stop the every-other-day feeding that I have been doing.  I  haven’t taken a day off in over 6 years, that I can remember, and that was a long weekend when I went away and had asked a friend to do it while I was gone (just that Saturday).  In fact, it was a Thursday, and my flight was a 6 am., so I went out at 3:30 all by myself to feed the cats to get to the airport for a long weekend trip.  Kristin suggested a restructuring of my rescue, and that is where we are currently.  We've met with my volunteer helper Esther, and she is willing to take over all of the feeding shelters, while I continue to buy the food, and pay the vet expenses for when we need it (I average $500-$1,000 per month in vet bills).

So, I wanted to post this so that you know I am still around, but I personally will be doing something different in my rescue.  I will continue to keep you updated.

So please keep the donations coming.   I am still spending $300+ on food weekly.  I always welcome not just monetary, but bags of dry and canned food as well.  I would be happy to share my address and Esther's address for food deliveries if that is the way you want to donate. 

Thank you for being my support throughout all these years. 💓

I will be doing another post shortly to tell you the GOOD STUFF about what I've been doing, and all the rescues!  

Have a great day!

Gimme Shelter!

 

Leo is a cat we rescued whose owner had died, and he is being fostered by Kim, who has three others I will be spotlighting soon.  An older gentleman wanted to 'foster' a cat to see if it would be a good fit, so Kim drove him from Honeoye Falls to Rochester and the man tried him out for the week.  Leo was terrified, so Kim had to pick him up and drive Leo back to her place this past Friday.  I think the man was so upset about Leo not eating and pooping all over, that he didn't want to try another.  We hope he comes around soon, because every cat has a different personality, and we have so many adult cats that need homes.  Leo still needs a home.

Here is a kitten that I have had for several months now.  Scooter is still a kitten, but he doesn't show well, I call him Mr. Grumpypants.  But he would love a home where someone could focus all their attention on him.  Here he is with Brady!

As I mentioned, I will be showcasing the kitties we have currently in foster care and hope to do this every week.  (Does anyone remember when I used to do this daily for many many years??)

I have a total of 20 shelters that are under my rescue in the Beechwood section of Rochester.  I've been doing this for over 30 years, and have fought a lot of battles trying to keep shelters for the cats from the inclement weather we have year-round.  So far this year we've had three shelters removed or destroyed, upon which we had to find another location.  One of the aforementioned spots actually doesn't have a shelter.  We snuck in a couple of totes at the first location during the dead of winter where we had a very bad cold snap and the house was vacant.  Looks like the slumlords are back and will be renting it out again so I need to keep an eye on those shelters because the last time they threw them out.  There are at least five cats there (Parsells Avenue) that have been depending on me for food for years now.

Of those, I stop at 13, my friend Esther stops at 6 - they are very close to her house, and my friend Tamera and her husband stop at one, just down the street from their house.

I can't tell you how much I appreciate them and the fact that they do this for me.  With my job, I would never be able to feed at all stops without them.  As it is, I have just enough time to get home and get ready to leave for work at 7:30 am. (another reason I feed early in the morning - 5 am.).  I also have a friend who traps for me when it's needed.  She is a huge help because I just can't do it anymore.  It's also very time-consuming from setting the trap, all in between, and getting the cat to the clinic to be on standby, which doesn't always happen.

I also appreciate Sheryl, who has been driving to my house from Chili every weekend (just about) for over 10 years now to go out with me to help.  I pay two others, Ann and Debbie, to help during the week.  I am so grateful to them also.

I guess my point is this:  I cannot keep doing this - it's getting to me... for many reasons.  Health, age, and financially.  Money doesn't come in like it used to, and it's actually dwindling at a faster rate than what's coming in.  I just ordered 10 bags from Chewy.  It costs me $190 with tax.  The cheapest food is Friskies at $15.98 per 16-lb bag.  Those 10 bags will last me just two mornings.  I have Chewy delivered to Esther - 8 16-lb bags per week at $170 per week.  If you add that up, that is what is going out, with not much coming in.

I am grateful to those that make monthly recurring donations.  They may not be great amounts either, but they make all the difference in the world when added up yearly.

If one person could take one of my spots, and another person takes another, and another... etc..., my life as I know it would be a happier one. 

On a better note, my little darling Baby Bea was adopted, but unfortunately, I just got word today that she is back to having a gut issue.  Her new mom will do everything possible for her.  I have forwarded all the vet info (she has been to FOUR different places with every kind of testing done for her known to man!) to her and they will get to the 'bottom' of it.  

Here are some very cute pictures of her in her new home:  (if you click on the pictures, you can zoom in on them)

Have a great day!

Everyone Needs a Kristin

I am fortunate enough to have a person named Kristin, who more than 10- years ago heard about me and had the ‘b*lls’ to drive downtown at 5 in the morning to follow me and see what I do out there with the cats.  She has been my rock ever since.  I now receive more texts, emails, and calls from people that need help and she is always willing to at least call these people and offer some slight solution.  Every rescue needs a Kristin!

Observations:

There are far too many people walking in my neighborhood drawn to their cell phones.  They are walking their dogs, their babies, or walking alone – heads down not paying attention to what's ahead.  Not a good idea.

There are mean people who do nice things, and there are nice people who do mean things.  There is no one on this earth, the nicest person alive, who hasn’t done or thought something mean at least once.

I received a call the other day from someone wanting to ‘get rid’ of their dog.  Those words make me bristle.  To talk about an animal that needs to be rid of.  I posted it and I received a message from an old friend that she and her husband would drive to Rome New York that evening and pick up the dog.  That dog, now out of a very sad situation, is now as happy as can be in a new home with people that love her and are able to care for her better.  I am sure she had love, but sometimes living situations are not the best.  I was glad I could help.

My last post I stated that I rescued the grey cat that had been hanging around Syd & Johnny's last fall, the one that got in my truck and happily ate the food I provided.  He would cry until we let him in the truck each time we pulled up.  Well, I rescued another grey cat thinking it was him that turned out to be a female.  Sweet, and homeless nevertheless, so it was a good catch overall.  She was adopted right away so that turned out, but this grey boy is still on the street, not always at the same location.  He will be the next rescue, hopefully.

Ten Lives Club took six of our cats a month or so ago.  We had been in touch, and they offered to help with any friendly cats we had, so we rounded up the cats, and off they went, thanks to Kristin, to Buffalo New York to hopefully find a good home off the street!

One last thing on my mind today.  I have had a cat named George who I spotted over 10 years ago in the Grand Ave/Stout area in the city.  He disappeared for quite a while, months, and when I saw him next he was thin as a rail, but he was alive!  That was back in the day when we didn’t have much social media, and I wasn’t able to get cats adopted like I can today, especially having my own not-for-profit rescue.  So I named him George and off he went to my house, hoping to get him adopted, but was never successful because he wasn’t considered a ‘pretty cat.’  He had what I called a hairlip – which I am sure is not the correct definition but his bottom lip fell down and exposed a lot of his gum.  People over the years have commented because it's very noticeable, but there wasn’t anything wrong with him except he had FIV, which means nothing anymore.  But he needed to always be an indoor cat because of low immunity.

George has been with me through thick and thin, he has been Grandpa to many kittens.  He has been a big brother to my other cats.  Mellow and unassuming.  He is now very sick and very old.  He is skin and bone.  He begs me by looking into my eyes and following me around, looking for food.  I give him wet food but it's not making a difference anymore.  His eyes are sunken into his head.  I know he doesn’t feel good.  I’ve decided to say goodbye.  I have had to euthanize at least a hundred very sick cats over the past 30 years and not shed a tear for most because I was so used to it, but this one has affected me deeply.  I will miss him, and it will be the hardest goodbye for me.  I love you, George.

(you can click on the pictures to see close up)

Today