A Few Fries Short of a Happy Meal...

Its not that I am not a smart person, but sometimes I don’t use the full capacity of the knowledge and common sense that God has allowed me to develop over the years. I could give you a million reasons why I say this, but I won’t. If anyone reading this knows me, you can probably think of at least once instance where you rolled your eyes, or shook your head from side to side, or just plain walked away or hung up in silence. I can tell you this though, I am going to try to program phone numbers back into my phone after having lost all numbers when my phone died months ago, rather than relying on memory. I am getting too old for that.

I was able to trap this little girl in the photo on Garson .  A very pretty, sweet little kitty that once again I will have a VERY hard time placing back on the street due to her sweetness. I didn’t have luck at the second Hayward address that I placed the other trap at. I did however try to scope out a new porch to place the food down for Red, Boots, and the other two that are at the first Hayward address, that is closer to the dead end of the street, where their shelter was moved off the porch yesterday. I then set the trap up at Short Street, left it with the unneutered male kitty that runs after my car when I leave sniffing at the tuna inside it, and drove off to do finish my feedings – came back twice, no luck. I get very upset when I am not able to fill spots available to me for TNR, but I also realize how hard it is for me to stop at 15 locations and place food down, and drive back and forth checking on traps, all before 6:30, which is my deadline in order for me to get home, pack food for the next morning, and get myself ready and to work on time. On top of that, the day before I have to figure out where I am going to trap, and then have a back up plan if that spot doesn’t work out so I leave little food at each of my spots the day before TNR. But its hard in that time frame also to move the trap from one spot to another, all the while trying to get the cats fed knowing I have to be home soon. Its tough, that’s all I can say. I guess I need to assess this a little bit better for the next time. Its hard – for me, that’s all I can say.

The one constant is Laura, who is a blessing. She gives selflessly to other people’s causes. She helps me entirely from the goodness of her heart. And I thank her for that. And I hope she was able to trap a second kitty at Central so that I don’t feel as guilty!

I got an e-mail from a stranger yesterday that surprised me. It broke my heart at the same time. It said (and its starts off as if we’ve had prior conversation):

“Unfortunately, this cat has aids, but not leukemia. I manage properties and have tenants that don't take care of their animals. I have rescued many dogs and currently have 7 dogs living at my house for the last 2.5 years.
My tenant left the pregnant cat at my apt. and moved. My friend took her in and I paid the bills. She gave birth to six kittens, but 5 made it. My friend helped nurse the 5 kittens and found homes for all of them. Because she has 3 cats of her own, she did not want to take the mother cat in.
I can pay to have the cat spayed, but with my dogs, I can't keep her here. I have her at my office right now, but one of my employees is allergic to her. Do you have any suggestions? Or is my only resort is to put her to sleep?”

At this point I wrote back to her and asked her how she found my e-mail address, told her my own situation and urged her to do the right thing and check out every resource possible, which included all rescue groups, and Craigslist. I thanked her for taking responsibility, hoping that would trigger her to do the right thing and not have the cat put to sleep. Here was her response:
“My husband found your blog by googling Rochester Cat Rescue. We now have the cat in our basement for now. We actually worked through habitat for cats where I paid to spay & neuter 5 ferral cats that lived behind my office.

I am also disgusted with people who just dump their animals out the back door or just leave them in their basement without food, eating their own poop. I think Habitat for Cats will help me get her spayed for $85. My vet is going to give us flea medicine for her. She thinks we may be able to find someone who has an HIV cat that wants a friend. She is very friendly. She got sick because the tenant put her out the back door. I will keep looking.

Thank you for your help. Cheryl and the never ending dog and cat and animal and fish rescue."
I wish I could help people and I hope I don’t get more requests for help. Its so sad knowing I can’t help them. I have enough on my plate as it is. I can only guide them to check out the few resources we have in this city, and encourage them to find it in their hearts to do the right thing, no matter what the cost.

Here are a few pictures I took this morning of little kitten Elvis, who needs to find a home quick!  Please pass on!