Reflections

I've named the kittens!  Although I still don't know the sex of them.  I am SO BAD!!!  :)  I held each one, tried and tried, but couldn't see if they were boys!  I don't think they've quite 'developed' yet.  :)  I held each one and said what shall we name you, and I came up with the following:

Emma Grey, Tiggy & Pippa!

PIPPA!

Emma Grey & Tiggy!!!

As I drove home this morning, from feeding now over 60 cats - that I can count - at each of my locations - three are not really my 'spots' - I feed there because I know there are hungry kitties, but they have no shelters to keep them from harms way - as I drove home, I thought to myself, what will I say on my blog this morning.  I then thought about how long I've been keeping this journal.  Since 2008.  That's a long time to write day in and day out about feeding stray and homeless cats!  But its not just feeding, its not just building little shelters for them to survive the winters, its not just placing food and water down for them so they don't starve to death, its showing them a minute, and sometimes seconds of love from a human being.  There are some that have taken years to trust me, to trust a human, and that is one of the many rewards of what I do.  I can't count - since 2008 - how many cats I've rescued and adopted out, nor can I count how many cats I have trapped, had spayed or neutered, and had to release, and I can't count how many deceased cats that I have come upon in my daily journey, whether it was from being killed by a car, whether it was from a natural cause, or whether it was torn alive by a wild animal, OR whether it was by my decision that had to be made at a clinic due to the severity of its injuries, or disease.

I remember all the cat bites I've endured - not many for the total number of cats I've handled over the years, and I remember all the pregnant kitties I've removed from the streets that made their way to a rescue group.  I also remember all the pregnant kitties that I've had spayed.  And how much better their lives are now for it.  No offspring to worry about, and most have gone to loving homes.

Memories.  That's all I have - both good and bad and oh some so sad.  I live in a city where there are a lot of people that don't care about animals.  That could care less if they starved to death.  Just this morning, I placed food down again on a street that is off my normal route - where a man has placed a sign 'please do not feed the cats - the owner'.  I placed food down, again, for the five that I counted cats that came scrambling over for the only bit of food they will have in their stomachs for the next 24 hours, and I wrote the following note back "Dear Sir, how can you allow cats to starve to death.  We are trying to manage the amount of cats here by having them spayed and neutered.  Please have some compassion.", or something like that.  Really, how can a human being be so cruel.

As I left there, and turned onto Central Park, out of the corner of my eye I saw a pure white adult cat.  And right next to it, a little itty bitty pure white kitten.  That kitten can't be any older than 8 weeks.  I have two spots at the clinic tomorrow, and at least FIVE cats that I was hoping to trap.  Now I have to add this to my list.  Its just never ending.  I believe I will set a trap for this kitten tomorrow, and one on Melville Street - another spot that is not mine - where there are at least five cats not eartipped, where I rescued Smudgy Miranda from.  All hungry.  There is also a new beautiful calico girl I am feeding on 4th and Pennsylvania that has had babies, after I was able to feel her belly this morning.  She needs spaying.

Never ending.  But I keep plodding on, one foot in front of the other.  Please consider foster and adoption so that I don't have to let these animals back onto the streets to suffer.

(Update on Jelly and Elvis:  "Both cats are doing well... They seem very happy in their room..they have different kitty visitors...right now Bella and Lola are spending time with them.  They are eating well.  Jelly is quite friendly after all those weeks hiding under the desk but still gets easily scared.  Elvis is just a good old boy.")  :)

Have a good day.

"Be kind and be truthful

and your life

will be fruitful."