Happy New Year!

Mom feeding the Deer on Christmas Day

 

Merry Christmas, and Happy New Year!  

New Year - yes, its been a whirlwind past year, and I am ready for a brand spanking new one.  

I found this post from 2019 titled 'Number Crunching.'  I thought this was interesting compared to 2024 - five years later.

Number Crunching 95 – That’s how many cats/kittens I’ve had in my foster since January of this  year 40-50+ - That’s how many TNR’s I’ve done this year (trap, neuter, return to street) 11 - That’s how many kittens we have in foster that need homes 4 - That’s how many adults we have in foster that need homes. 20+ - That’s how many locations I stop at each morning 1.45hrs. – That’s how long it takes me on a good day (spring/summer/fall) to feed, from start to finish 100+ - That’s how many cats I feed on the streets every morning $150 - That’s how much I spend on food every week for the hungry cats 45+ lbs. - That’s how much dry food I dole out every day 36+  - That’s how many cans of wet food I go through every day   This was also a reminder of the year that EVERY DAY, some @#$^@^ would stop by and steal the boards which were used to cover the food when I was feeding against the building on the corner of Central Park and Niagara.Street.  God, he was a nuisance:   The slimeball took the door yesterday that I had as a replacement for the board he took prior to that, on Niagara Street.  The police are aware, and the dirtbag can be charged with criminal mischief if he is caught, but he comes during the day when I am not around.  He dumps the food, and takes the wood that is placed there.  I wish I could have someone sit and stake the scene out.  Is there anyone that is retired and can do this?  The numbers above are quite different for 2024. 107 - This is the number of cats/kittens that were rescued this year - this includes six friendly cats that were rounded up and brought to 10 Lives rescue in Buffalo. There were also a few cats that Esther rescued from my route and found other rescues to take in.  40+ - This is the number of TNR's done (Trap, Neuter, Return) - I am not sure of this number, but I believe its over that actually - Thanks to Esther, Laura Nail and Lori Whipple helping there - I am not able to trap anymore, and I thank God these girls are able to help. I am now affiliated with Lollypop for help there, so between Lollypop and RCAC, my bills are high, but so worth it to know that these baby makers will not be able to make babies anymore! I look forward to one of the girls to giving me real factual numbers.  6-8 - This is the number of kittens still in foster, this number depends on if the foster is going to adopt them out!  6 - This is the number of adults in foster - I am waiting on confirmation for this also!  17 - This is the number of shelters/feeding stations - I have passed the baton of every other day feeding to Esther, and Ann is still my paid helper for Esther. I am grateful to both  1.3 - This is the number of hours every other day to go out and feed for Esther and Ann - On days where we've had snow, it is much longer. Its much harder also. Especially on the cats. They need their shelters shoveled out so they can get out and move.  100+ - this is the number of cats that are using the shelters or eating the food. Unfortunately, I don't think this will ever change. As soon as cats are rescued, new cats move in.  $293 (tax not included - I still cannot get tax-exempt for this (the cost of tax alone this past year has got to be close to $1,000)) - This is the amount spent every seven days for dry food alone. That is 17 bags of 16-lbs., from Chewy.  Here are some recent photos: (you can click on them to zoom in) Under the mailbox I place a dry towel for the old man cat that will only eat from under here.  Across the street are the real shelters and at least five other cats.  I don't know why he doesn't use the shelters across the street.  I've tried placing a shelter near the house where the mailbox stands on the corner, but the landlord trashed it. "The Grinch" on Main and Goodman Parsells #1 kitties.  We have temporary shelters on the porch and side of house so that they can survive another winter.  Until the landlord comes around.  Needless to say, it has been a long ride. I am tired. Seriously. I cannot give up on these cats though. There are still at least 8 cats that I know of that are ready to be rescued. We just need to move the old ones out (via adoption) so that we can move new ones in. OR we need new fosters!    Have an awesome day! Prayer for the Saved and the Unseen "With grateful hearts, we give thanks for all the precious lives that have been rescued. For every wagging tail, purring heart, and grateful gaze, we are humbled by the joy of giving them a second chance. For those still wandering, frightened and alone, we pray for their safety and for the strength to bring them home. May our hands remain steady, our hearts open, and our resolve unshaken as we work to save the unseen. Bless the rescuers, adopters, and all who fight for these innocent souls. May we continue to be guided by love and compassion, until every lost one finds their forever place. Amen."

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!