Back on Track

My needs:  Boards, paper bowls, AAA batteries.

Another quiet morning out there.  As I hobble around.  If all my feeding spots were raised, it wouldn't be half bad, but with my injury, I have to bend down to the ground, and its a KILLER.  It is so painful to bend down, and THEN GET BACK UP AGAIN!  Good lord!  More PT scheduled for next week, and a few more doctors after that.  This pain has got to go!

So I don't see the beautiful red male at Baldwin and Garson any more.  Its been a few days.  There was actually food left from yesterday under the tree when I arrived there this morning, as if no cats were around.  So many cats disappear - but I am spooked by a person who took special interest in me recently on Facebook and accused me of all sorts of things, one that I am racist, and another that I don't really feed cats where I say I am feeding them each day of my life.  This person claimed he came out at 2 am with a group of people with traps, food, etc. and tried to find me.  Could this person be going around and taking the cats off the street at these locations that I publish?  It does kind of concern me that this could be happening.  Not that I don't want these cats rescued, but what kind of situation are they going into?  This particular one was not neutered yet.

I am also missing the friendly mom cat I fed on Melville.  I had her spayed.  We could never trap the two grey kittens.

He was on my list.  He is somehow related to Mr. Bingsley who I rescued a few weeks back, and is now adopted out to a great guy and his female kitty cat.  They are still a bit standoffish, but will get here.

This brings me back to my post that I started but did not finish.  Let me see if I can remember what my point to it was going to be.

{Previous post}
So I just want to say today that I've been feeding cats in the city for a very long time now.  Ever since I went to the public market after moving into my first home, which was sort of near there, and going to the market very early in the morning on Saturdays, and seeing the eyes of cats in the dark illuminating.  And then going to get food for them.  And then building shelters for them.  And then before you know it, its now 19 locations, and over 100 cats that I feed.  I've been doing all this out of my own pocket.  I started to rescue those that were sick, or too young to be on the street.  I couldn't turn my back on those, back then.  My first post on this blog started out with discovering that there were newborns inside a mattress inside a dilapidated house that was due to be demolished the next day, the huge crane sitting in the driveway, ready to go.  I continued on for years, spending nearly $12K a year on food, and the occasional vetting.  Finally, two years ago, someone had suggested I get my 501c3 to save a little on money, and maybe some vet care.  So I did, and it was pro bono thanks to the old law firm I used to work for.  An awesome senior attorney named Ross and his associates worked diligently for me.

As time went on, I was rescuing more and more cats.  I didn't have fosters back then, and to this day, I have only about five who are serious enough that I can count on in a pinch.  Those five are full today, not able to take any more.  My own house is full.

I've had a few people questioning my judgment about posting pictures of sweet cats on the streets, and not removing them from the streets then and there.  I will get into this further on Monday, as time has run out on me and I must get to work.

When you TNR a cat, chances are they will not be waiting for you when you come back the next day.  They were totally frightened of what happened to them (trapped, and then not fed for a day, and then under the knife for spay or neuter, and then held hostage over night until returned to the streets). But chances are that over time, they will come back, and over more time, they will get closer and closer to you physically as you pour the food and water.  So much so that you can now touch them.  There are a few at a few locations where that is happening.  There are also cats that run right up to me, and follow me back to their shelters, ready for breakfast, or the only meal of their day, actually.  So when I say that there are cats out there that are adoptable, I mean some with some socialization needed (these are the semi-feral), they would be nice pets, and some are just ready (these are the true strays - once belonged by a human).  I was accused 'why don't I take them - how could I leave them' - actually, here is part of what was written:

"1) if this cat was feral and a street cat from the "hood" ,as the organization refers to the area, YOU WOULDNT BE ABLE TO GET CLOSE TO IT. even more so when it's INJURED or Sick!!! The fact that it let you touch it and inspect it goes against that. Maybe stray but not FERAL
2) Any TRUE animal rescue organization would have taken care of that issue at first chance .... especialy seeing how it is approachable. GREAT animal lover and rescuer... watch, feed, let suffer while you think of a "PLAN"
here is a plan get it to a vet what needs to be thought or planned.
3) After care for this cat??? will it be same as the others?? left in trap overnight on the organizations owners front porch then released back to the "hood" in morning. GREAT care for the animals. Trap - where's food, water, litter box? Trap - how sanitary is that? outside in trap on porch ...what only the perfect pretty kitties they post get to go inside even for a night?
4) what about follow up care ???
5) IF this cat let you touch and take it while injuried it is "workable" to foster and towards a forever home.... but then again only rescue organizations think or do this!

I am there will be more comments, messages and emails from the organization and it's "followers" insulting, name calling and diverting attention for the big picture."

This actually didn't bother me too much - the guy is a lunatic - until I asked a respected member of the animal community what she thought about it, and she said she agreed.  I was floored.  Hurt me to my core.  And that has bothered me

I am going to table this for today - gotta get to work - but I do have more to say on this.  Way more.

Have a nice day.

"Protect your enthusiasm from the

negativity of others."