Rain Drops Keep Falling on my Head.....

It was a monsoon out there this morning.  Swirling winds, heavy rain, it was not fun.  I did wear a red rain poncho, can't remember who gave it to me - and this time I tied my bathrobe tie around it to keep from getting in my way.  It worked, but I looked like a freak!

I arrived at Niagara Street yesterday morning and discovered that the new owner of the Rochester Clutch and Brake on the corner of Central Park and Niagara Street , or one of his minions, had removed the board that I had leaning behind the building that the cat food was placed under.  This board prevented the food from getting wet when it rained this past summer so that the cats could eat that day.  This board replaced the beautiful shelter I had built there over the past two years as the previous owner had allowed me to shelter there.  This was home to at least 8 cats.  This guy comes around and trashed everything this past summer.  And this board is not the first board he has taken away.  So yesterday I tried to figure out what I could do.  It was raining, miserable, not quite as miserable as this morning with the wind, but miserable nevertheless.  I started to drive past the public market, seeing it locked up, gated, and then I saw the security guard patrolling in his little patrol vehicle.  I stopped.  I remembered he had let me come in and get some water from the spigot to refill a water container one summer when I ran out.  A nice older black man.  I found out his name is Oliver.  We greeted each other warmly, even though it was 5 am., dark and raining, and he remembered me.  I told him I was looking for boards because the other was removed.  He said ‘why do people do that, its just mean…’.  He invited me in to look for boards.  I did, and found nothing.  I NEED BOARDS.  So that is what I am dealing with at this location.  I must figure out how to shelter these poor animals.  I must.  This was once a nightmare for me because the cats lived behind the fenced gate of the apartments there.  They lived in between the crack in the wall of the two buildings.  The heat from the Laundromat on the corner was their only survival.  I built the shelters, and they soon migrated from there to across the street where it was warm and safe.  Something must be done.  This building is being used for NOTHING.  Its as empty as it was when it was being cleaned out by the previous owner two years ago. 

On top of that, I had Kings stake out the Ferndale Crescent and Webster corner.  Guess who has been dumping my food every single morning now for over a month.  Mary Leigh Frank.  Crazy Mary Leigh.  I thought we were over and done with two years ago when she was told to stay off the property by the police.  I went over there and banged on her door to scare her, but apparently it didn’t work.  That was Saturday.  Today is Monday, and she is still dumping the food.  I need help with this one too.  What do I say to not only continue feeding here at this vacant property, but to keep her away.  She sneaks over there because she lives just on the other street behind it, Webster Crescent.  She has been reported to the authorities of animal abuse and cruelty, having kittens buried in lots around her house.  I am wondering what I can do.  Suggestions?

Look at these beauties.  We finally have pictures of the kittens I rescued from Garson several weeks ago.  We have Ginny, Jose and Fudgie waiting for new homes as well.  Please consider one or two of these beauties!  Sebastian may have a new home, we will see about that Saturday!  J  

GINNY

FUDGIE

A year ago, I rescued Paddy from Parsells, and Sunshine from Parsells, within weeks or months of each other.  They were adopted out a year ago, and here is what their new mom has to say:

Paddy (Patrick) 

Sunshine (Sunny)

"Patrick is the sweetest boy, always up for cuddling!! Sunny is getting more relaxed. I can pretty much reach to pet her and not get scratched. She loves to come up on the bed and lets me pet her easily there. She'll even come up and nudge my hand for ear scratches. I can usually pick her up but she won't tolerate it for long. She has, just in the last few days, jumped up on the couch. Which is big because, she thinks that's Patrick's territory and she usually won't come near, even if Patrick's not there. So we're great! I'm leaving for Germany for 10 days on Wednesday. Got someone to stay with them. Don't want them to think I abandoned them!!"

I replied:

BRADY!

She’s a little feisty one there..  Tracey, if you had not taken her in, she would have been put back on the street, so I am so grateful to you.  I have a cat named Brady.  Brady came from Short Street.  He was so beat up, he wouldn’t have lasted another year out there.  He had wounds in his feet.  He was mean too.  I was afraid of him at first.  I also knew no one would adopt him because he was not the most handsomest cat around.  He would swipe at me walking by, would try to bite me, he would not back down if I swatted at him while going after the other cats.  There were a lot of ‘time outs’ for him.  Its been a year now since that behavior changed.  Slowly, but surely.  He is now one of my lap cats.  He still goes after the cats, he gets in his moods, and he still won’t back down if you go after him to swat at him, or yell NO to him, but I don’t have the fear of him biting or scratching me, and he is much more calm.  And his fur is beautiful now too.  So thanks for taking in a ‘special needs’ kitty like Brady.  She will come around.

So, thats it for today.  There is so much more, but I will have to save it for another day.

Have a great day!