Wednesday, September 17, 2025

Monsters Among Us

Let me start with what happened Monday morning, and then I will get into the cats.  And I bring this up to raise awareness about road rage.  I posted this on Facebook on Monday.

There are some incredibly angry and unstable drivers out there these days. This morning, I was on Route 104 when a motorcyclist — riding what looked like a Japanese sport bike — must have thought I cut him off going around a curve (which I didn’t even realize at the time). He kept looking back at me and slowing down, so I slowed too. There was traffic behind me, so I sped up. Then, while we were both going about 60 mph, he pulled right up next to my car and smashed my side mirror with his fist.
It was one of the scariest things I’ve ever experienced. I can’t believe someone could do something that dangerous and aggressive. What is happening to people?

Today is Wednesday, and I still can’t shake the fear of what happened every time I drive to work. I’m sharing this again because there may be someone you know — maybe a coworker, a neighbor — who owns one of these Japanese racing bikes. It could have been the same person who did this. You never really know the darkness someone might be carrying inside them.

I know it’s been a long time since I’ve written here, and wow, do I miss it — but these days, time just slips away. I often wonder what life would be like if I were retired, but judging from friends and family, retirement just means being just as busy — only at a slower pace.

I’m still deeply involved in caring for the cats — just under 100 of them — every other day in the Beechwood section of Rochester, near the Public Market. I no longer personally feed them (I simply can’t do it physically anymore), but Esther has been faithfully doing it for the entire year now, and she’s doing an amazing job.

My role is mostly behind the scenes now — paying for food, coordinating rescues, and covering vet care when I can. Just the dry food alone still costs $300+ per week, and that’s before vet bills. This year, I’ve funded just under 50 TNRs (trap, neuter, return) since February — that’s a lot of litters that will never happen, thanks in large part to two wonderful women who prefer to remain anonymous.

I get an average of 4 requests every week – sometimes more – to help rehome cats, rescue new moms, and save kittens. Right now, my rescue is completely full with 10 kittens (all getting older because no applications are coming in) and 3 adult cats. I simply cannot take in any more at this time.

All I can do right now is offer advice, loan out traps, and provide outdoor shelters when I can. Even Lollypop is closed for cat intakes right now – it’s a mess out there, and innocent animals are the ones suffering.

I am in urgent need of supplies for the kittens currently in my care, AND keeping up the shelters in preparation for the cold winter months:

  • Iams Kitten food (or any other top brand)

  • Assorted kitten or Fancy Feast pates

  • Clumping litter

  • Interactive toys (they are older now and get bored in their foster space)

  • Plastic tote shelters (there are tutorials out there to make them)

  • Tarps - brown or camouflage

If you can help, please reach out for drop-off info or a shipping location.

I’m posting pictures today of some of the sweet faces in my rescue — please share this post, spread the word, and help us find homes, supplies, and donations.

We need help. We need donations. We need adopters.
















Please give these kitties a chance! They are so deserving, and spread the word!

Have a great day!

Dear God,

Please watch over all the animals this day.

Keep the strays safe, feed the hungry ones,

heal the sick, and help them find loving homes.

And help us humans do our part to care for them.

Amen.

Tuesday, March 11, 2025

Spring Ahead!


This guy was rescued from Pennsylvania Avenue many years ago:  He had a condition where his eyelids were turned in, so he couldn't see well due to pain and infection.  We rescued this 'Little' (his foster fail mom named him Little) guy thanks to Kim D, who offered to foster, and Debbie, who offered to pay for surgery.  What a difference from the street!


Over the winter months, I have noticed a few kitties gone missing.  As a result of the extreme cold temperatures, I expected a few cats to not make it through, especially if their immune systems were compromised (FIV) or if they had other maladies or injuries.  I was quite surprised when I pulled up to the first Parsells location where I’ve been feeding on the porch of the vacant duplex – the landlord has not been by all winter – where I placed several shelters for them to have something to cozy up in through the winter months.  Scratchy had gone missing for at least two months – he scratched my hand every time as I poured food down and drew blood every time!  He was there this morning!  He was crying and crying, but I managed to pour the food down and not get a scratch!

 It's been a long and brutal winter out there for the cats this year, for sure.  The shelters – Esther (and Ann helps her on weekdays) does the feeding every other day (Michelle does one of the locations, and Tamera does another), and she has managed to find help for a few of them, so I don’t know the condition of those, but there are quite a few that need to be cleaned up because the city is going to come along, after someone complains about the eyesore of the properties, and remove the shelters.  Boards need spray paint, tires and debris need to be moved, tarps need replacing with dark heavy duty ones, and there is a location where a very old shelter, dilapidated, is still there creating an eyesore, but its too heavy to move.  If anyone would like to volunteer a little time, it would be immensely helpful.   The rat holes are disgusting.  I know they are God’s creatures, too, but they are also creating conditions where the neighbors will eventually complain.  There are deep holes at a few locations where they burrow. 

 I have a Facebook fundraiser right now for my birthday – it’s a great way for everyone on Facebook to raise money for a worthy cause.  I am spending over $300 just on dry food alone each week for 17 colonies that are being cared for now.  That doesn’t include the dry food.  That doesn’t include the $500+ per month in vet bills for the two clinics I use for TNR (RCAC and Lollypop).  I have two awesome people helping with the TNRg of the kitties that are out there getting pregnant, or impregnating other cats, to gain some control of the litters being born on the streets.  My wish list includes:

 Heavy duty dark colored TARPs (that blend in with the foliage)

Cans of spray paint for wood and styrofoam – black, dark green, or brown – to cover the boards and shelters that are sticking out like an eyesore because they don’t blend in with the foliage

Aluminum pans

Plastic bowls for water

Large paper plates (although I currently have a lot, thanks to Kristina!)

Paper bowls

 I continue to get calls from people wanting to surrender their cats – they call it ‘rehoming’, from people that have come upon a cat that was evicted, along with their caretakers, from an apartment and the person could not take it to emergency housing, so they just leave it or let it go.  Its just the saddest situation for the cats.  One woman just wrote she needed to rehome her 5-year old cat because her son apparently moved in with his dogs, and the cat was being aggressive toward the dogs.  Really?  Don’t get me started.  I received a voice message yesterday also, which I have not responded to, from a man saying he needed to rehome his TWO cats.  I know they are reaching out to other rescues, and I always wonder if any other rescues are calling these people back, because it seems that between my helpers Elisabeth and Kristin calling back when I ask them to, no one else is.  Or that’s what those say who we do respond to.  We are the only ones to return a call.  Sometimes they just need guidance!  Advice!  We can’t take them all in!

 Currently, in foster, we have Oreo, Jade Jasper, Lily, Prince, Poppy, Camille, two adults Neon and Esmeralda – a mom and her son – long-haired beauties at that – that need a bit more socializing, and a mother and her FIVE three-week-old kittens.  Am I forgetting anyone my friends?  My fosters are FULL!

Here are some pics from over the winter.  IF you click on the pic, you can zoom in:

YUCK


JADE and JASPER


JADE



 JASPER


NEON and ESMERALDA














Please consider fostering – we still have so many on the streets waiting for rescue.  Until we can adopt the other kitties out, we cannot take any more in. 

 

Have a great day!