Last Count

Thank you to those of you that offered food, and donated recently.  As I've said before (and so did Hillary), it takes a village!  These cats are our cats, those of us who live here, who work here, who care for any hungry stray animal.  Its OUR responsibility.  I am only their caretaker.  Thank you SO much for anything you can donate.  I just can't do it alone.

Thanks for all the deworming tips also.  I think I will do Sunday when Sunday Sheryl joins me.  Too much for me to do when you are driving around feeding all these cats.

Speaking of all these cats, here is the count today:  This is how many cats I actually saw this morning at each location:  There are 15 locations I go to - unless i am missing something...  I thought it was 19???

Niagara - 7

Short - 6

7th - 3

Central & 5th - 4

3rd - 5

Penn & 4th - 5

Penn & 2nd - 5

2nd - 2

Webster - 2

Baldwin - 8

Garson - 4

Parsells behind house - 7

Parsells Porch #2 - 4

Parsells Porch #1 - 4

Melville  - 4

WOW, how many is that?  EXACTLY 70. (I just counted - :)) But that doesn't include this little guy I found on the side of the road after I left my Garson spot.  In tact male.  Young, fluffy, hungry.  I had to leave him after I placed the food down.  There are so many.  This number does NOT include the ones that are hiding that I can't see, and there are many, at each spot. This does not mean all are spayed or neutered either. There is so much work to be done out there!  I can't do it alone!

Maryleigh - I have not seen this crazy chick since winter.  Wonder what has happened to her?  

Freak on Niagara.  The 'man' that throws the food away for the cats inside the fenced in Susan B. Anthony apartments on Niagara and Central continues to do his thing.  This morning, it was my intention to leave food there before going to work, so when I pulled up, I kept driving because I saw someone inside their car, inside the fence, throwing bread in the same area, for the birds.  At least someone loves nature.  I waited, and then pulled up an reached under the fence and plopped a bowl of food on the ground.  What I had left there earlier was swept up and thrown out.  All the cats were watching me.  Sick.  This 'man' must be stopped.

A rescue group has stepped up and offered to take in Marbles.  So if Marbles can hold on, and not get hit by a car, or killed some other way, I will scoop him up Sunday morning, and get him to the clinic for combo testing on Monday.  

Other than that, its a wrap.

Have a good day.

"We can't help everyone, but everyone

can help someone."

Money!

Money, it's a gas
Grab that cash with both hands and make a stash
New car, caviar, four star daydream,
Think I'll buy me a football team
PINK FLOYD - LOVE THEM.

Pablo, the young male grey tabby that I 'trapped' yesterday for neutering at the clinic was let back out this morning.  He had a good dinner and then a good nights sleep in a cozy bedded very large carrier and spent the night on my porch.  Sad to let them back out.

Flies - someone wrote me asking about the flies in the summer when you put food out.  I told them I am sure it affects the cats - they get worms, etc., but now I know I can get cheap dewormer in liquid form, and can give a dose here and there to the kitties when I place their food down.  Last year I had enough for the first half of my route, knowing I did not treat ALL the cats that eat there, but some.

My WISH LIST, if I could wish, would be for liquid deworming - Petco sells it - and cat food, and money. My bill for taking the kittens in for a wellness visit, and a spay and neuter yesterday, was $264.00.  That is a lot cheaper than going to a regular vet, but very very expensive for me.  I have not heard from the man who we did this favor for - getting the mother cat and her kittens out of his mother's house so that he could sell it. He seemed genuine at first, but not having heard from him, nor getting a donation to help with finances, I am beginning to wonder.  The bill on Saturday for Sparky, one of the other kittens (total of 6) was $40.  Not only did I have to pay this, but I received a notice that the clinic cost for TNR per cats is going up by $10 to $60.  I will not be able to continue to do TNR of two cats per week like I used to.  I have been a recipient of Missy's Fund - for those of you that wonder - but that is not everlasting.   With costs of food of $150+ per week, and then to top that off with $120 in TNR's per week, I just can't afford this.

I do have an attorney working on getting my tax exempt status soon, so that will help.  But in the meantime, I must cut back.  I do thank the handful of people who occasionally donate - you are amazing.  And you know who you are.  If every person out there, that cared about animals, donated just $1.00, just think of how much of this burden I carry - to pay for the food and spay/neuter of Rochester's city cats - could ease.

If you read the comment yesterday about the two young kittens that need homes, I must address this now.  I am not a 'rescue'.  I just feed and shelter and care for the cats in the Beechwood section of Rochester.  How will I respond to this???  I already have three/six kittens in my custody.  I feel so overwhelmed sometimes....

MARBLES

Marbles continues to run to me each morning, and do a spinning pirouette for me.  He needs to get off the streets.  I am hoping someone will offer to foster him at least.  There are two unneutered males on Baldwin - a sweet red boy, young, and old ornery black cat.  The kittens need adoption...  anybody?

ARNIE

PEPPERCORN and CHARLIE CHAPLIN

Poppy Birdie and Sparky

There are just so many challenges doing what I do.  Please spread the word for me.  I do need help (yes, and mentally.  :))

Have a nice day.

"You're going to go through tough times - that's life.  But I say, 'Nothing happens to you, it happens for you.'  See the positive in negative events."

TNR Tuesday

It is very difficult to trap two cats on Tuesdays when you still have to feed over 70 cats at 19 different locations all within an hour and half.  If you place the trap at one spot, you have to go to the next one to feed, come back, check on trap, go do another spot, come back, check on trap.  If there is nothing biting, still, you have to move the trap to another spot, and then go and feed at another spot.  Its a lot of running around, and leaving the trap unattended for a short while, which is OK, but its the running around.  I had the trap set up at two different locations - one at Baldwin, and one on Pennsylvania and Fourth, but they are too smart there.  I knew I could grab one of the kittens that were born last spring, because he lets me pet him now after I place the food and he is eating, the one on Parsells behind the house there.  That is how I got this guy this morning.  He was upset, but I reassured him all would be fine.  He was going to the doctor, he would be neutered so that he can't make babies, and given shots to make him well, and then I would let him back with this mom, sister and brother.  All of whom were spayed and neutered.

Mom cat Penny, the one that was rescued from the basement with her five newborn kittens on Karnes Street will be spayed today also.  It was discovered that she has worms.  Totally gross.  Nevertheless, her kittens have them too, obviously.  She is with three of them at a foster, and I have three of them, one being Peppercorn from another mother.  My three went to the vet yesterday and had a kitten wellness check where they were given deworming medicine, so hopefully Arnie will begin to grow big and strong now!  He is the runt of the litter.  This whole fiasco is costing me a fortune.  I have asked the man to help with finances, it the man in Arizona who's mother is the one that he asked for help for, with her coming in from Henrietta to feed the ferals, with her house being vacant and up for sale (kitty stuck in basement!).  Habitat for Cats have taken care of spaying/neutering the ferals outside, and I have undertaken to care for the mother and kittens.  I haven't heard a word from him, which I am disappointed about.

I went back to check on the food I dumped on the grass under the fence on Niagara, and it was still there on my way to work.  What I am concerned about is the ants.  They will out marching soon, with the warm weather.  Whats the point of placing food on the ground for the cats to eat it if its covered with ants?

That's all I have today folks.  Its never a dull moment.

Have a great day!

"Don't mistake my kindness for weakness.  I am kind to everyone, but when someone is unkind to me, weak is not what you are going to remember about me."

Oh RATS!

Sort of quiet weekend in the hood.  I haven't seen the monster on Niagara Street, but he's there every morning throwing away the food for the eight cats that live there.  And he has the rake out when I come back and dump some food on the grass inside the gate.  Does this guy have a life?  How pathetic it must be.  I would love a bunch of you to offer to drive by, place some food under the fence, and drive off.  Just knowing these cats have something to eat during the day.  Its bad enough I am going there three times a day.  I go there first thing after I leave my house at 4 am., swing back around before I cross Goodman to do the other side, and then on my way to work. He knows my schedule in the early hours.  I would love some other individuals to NOT be afraid to drive up, get out of car, place food in a bowl, lift up the fence underneath, and pour the food onto the grass, and drive off - throughout the day.  As far as getting the property manager to open up the gate to let the cats out, I don't think they will, nor do I think the cats will just walk out and cross the street.  They literally consider this their home, and they are frightened of the cars that go whizzing by.  And rightly so.  I don't know what else to do.

The kittens are thriving.  We have Arnie, Charlie, Peppercorn, Sparky, Birdie and Poppy.  We have three boys, two girls.  They are totally adorable.

And the mom Penny, she is actually coming around to touch.  I don't think she will be returned to the streets.  We may try to socialize her and get her adopted!  She was just scared out of her mind, and wasn't used to humans for a very long time, but obviously, if you can touch her, she is not completely feral.   I am going to try to get her spayed as one of my clinic spots tomorrow.  The kittens are still nursing, but eating also.

I am having an issue with RATS also!  Isn't that a lovely topic.  :)  On Second Street, behind Paul's house, I have shelters set up back there.  Many kitties, including our sweet little Cleo most recently, have been rescued here.  Many have been TNR'd here.  Paul is the kind man who has allowed me to feed behind his house on his property for many years now.  Right now, there are many rats here.  They run right in front of me.  The past two or three mornings, I have not seen my regulars here.  The little black kitten with the head tilt and cloudy eye, or Spot, the white kitty with a few black dots on him, or the older girl tabby who I fed for years, until recently, where come to think of it, have not seen.  This is also where TUFFY hung out, many years ago, and hasn't been seen in over a year now, at least.  Anyways, this morning, as I walked to the back of the house in the dark, I did not see any kitties, but I did see the rats, and heard them scuffling about.  I see holes in the ground against the house, and I can hear them nibbling the food when I place it behind the board.  Its quite gross to listen to really.  So I did not leave food there this morning, after making sure there were no kitties hiding, waiting.  I don't know what to do about these rats.  If I don't feed there for days, will they leave???

Such problems!  :)

Have a great day!

"Some people are like clouds.  Once they go away, it's a beautiful day."

Hey Wanna Have Some Fun?

The hookers of Bay Street are back.  I saw four this morning.  Two looked so young.  I am always tempted to pull over, ask them why they are doing it - selling themselves to strangers (not that I've never done it before - pulled over to talk to them that is...), tell them there is a better way to live.  But I keep driving.  It won't make a difference what I say.  That's their life.  Who knows their story.  There are so many messed up people in this world.  You can't change them all.  You can only be an example to others.  If they see it, then so be it.  If they don't, they don't.

It was a quiet morning.  Marbles was there, faithfully as ever.  I've got to get him next.  But I must get him into foster because of the three DARLING little kittens I've already got under my wing.  Arnie, the runt, is still so so tiny!  Little Peppercorn and Charlie (Chaplin) are thriving.  Arnie is too, but in a much smaller way.  A friend is taking them for the weekend, to give me a break.  And boy do I need a break.  Get my house in order, relax from the every hour visits to see them, play with them, feed them.  Arnie is still drinking from the bottle, but eating a bit more regular food on his own.  Then we have Poppy, Birdie, and Sparky being fostered by my other friend, who are still with their mom, who will be spayed either this Tuesday or next Tuesday, and then let back out to the street where she came from. She is still pretty feral.  So sad.

Latest pics of the kids - LETS FIND THEM HOMES!!!:

Charlie, Peppercorn, Arnie  (l to r)

To answer yesterday's comment, Habitat for Cats, the rescue group, were the ones that TNR'd most of the kitties inside the gates of the Susan B. Anthony apartments.  I TNR'd most of the ones across the street.  HFC was given permission to come in and do that.  Just that.  I haven't seen the rotten excuse for a human being since the last confrontation - Tuesday.  I have been going a lot earlier so that the cats have a chance to gobble up some food before he comes out to throw it away.  POS.  People like him shouldn't be allowed to roam the earth.  I hope you all know, mankind is precious to me, but not people that will allow harm or despair come to an animal.  No way.

PS, the other comment - these cats ARE confined.  They cannot climb that fence.  If they could, surely, if hungry, they would cross the road to the other side where there is shelter and food.

Have a good day.

"Every day is a new chance to change your life."

Bad Ju Ju

They say bad things happen in threes.  For those of you who believe in superstitions, it really does happen.  We had a third death in my family, in three days.  Not only did Chris pass on Monday, but so did my grandmother's 98 year old sister, my fiery red-headed great Aunt Mary.  Her daughter, my sweet second Cousin Jill, her grandson, 18 months old, died yesterday.  Just two days after her mom.  I can't tell you how sad of a week its been, for so many people.  Please remember this today:  you never know what someone else you encounter is going through, so please be kind.  Smile at a stranger today.  It could make their day.

Aunt Mary

Thank you to - I think its Sunday Sheryl - who did some research and shared the following on yesterday's comments:

Agriculture and Markets Law § 353
Overdriving, Torturing and Injuring Animals
§ 353. Overdriving, torturing and injuring animals; failure to provide proper sustenance.
A person who overdrives, overloads, tortures or cruelly beats or unjustifiably injures, maims, mutilates or kills any animal, whether wild or tame, and whether belonging to himself or to another, or deprives any animal of necessary sustenance, food or drink, or neglects or refuses to furnish it such sustenance or drink, or causes, procures or permits any animal to be overdriven, overloaded, tortured, cruelly beaten, or unjustifiably injured, maimed, mutilated or killed, or to be deprived of necessary food or drink, or who willfully sets on foot, instigates, engages in, or in any way furthers any act of cruelty to any animal, or any act tending to produce such cruelty, is guilty of a misdemeanor.

Taken this morning - Niagara Cats

This sheds a bit more hope on the issue I am having with the cats on Niagara Street - who live in the fenced in apartment complex there surrounding Niagara, Central Park, and First Streets.  These cats cannot climb the fence for food, so food must be left inside the fence for them.  They have all been spayed and neutered.  I believe all of them.  There is a huge black man who has a girlfriend that lives there that has taken it upon himself to police this matter, and throw the food away after I leave.  My next step is to call The NET office - Neighborhood Empowerment Team - which deals with issues in their section of town - at some point.  Its hard for me to control my emotions - especially knowing that this IS private property, so I know right NOW I am not legally allowed to feed there.  But as I've said a million times before, I will NOT allow an animal to suffer - to go hungry.  I've had to call the NET office before regarding Hayward Avenue and the creep that used to trash my stuff at the house next door to where the landlord guy who turned out to be a creep himself.  The pervert.  That's old stuff. 

A kind woman who reads this blog took it upon herself to reach out to the property manager of the apartments, and the NET Office.  Here is what she had to say:

"I read the blog this morning concerning your issues with the "gentleman" on Niagara St.  I contacted the Northeast Service Center and asked to speak with an investigator.   I got the voice mail of a Lieutenant Fridley (it's a woman).   Left a message, she called me back.  She said if you personally called her directly that she would do whatever she could to help you.  Her direct number is 428-1104.  She's apparently the officer over all the investigators at that service center.   She/they should be able to provide more help for you and she definitely sounded like it was something she'd be willing to do.  She asked me if I knew the address of the property where you were having an issue and I said no - so she's going to need that if you decide to call her.

I took the liberty of calling the property manager at the apartment complex on Niagara and First.  I spoke with the woman (who sounded fairly old) for several minutes.   She said they were absolutely NOT going to permit anyone to feed animals on their property.   this property manager said that last year they had to start trapping because there were skunks and racoons on the property and everyone was complaining.   They did catch a couple of cats but they were released.  They have a pest control company that they use and they were the ones who did the trapping.  She claimed the maintenance person/pest control people told her these animals were on the property because of the cat food being left out.  She said a number of tenants are afraid of cats, dogs, racoons, etc., including the man who approached you (he's claimed that skunks are spraying on his car) - well, not actually him but his wife who works nights and he has to meet her in the parking lot when she gets home as she's "afraid" of the animals roaming around.  I find that a bit of a stretch but that's what they must be telling this property manager and she can't prove otherwise.  She also said that every morning the maintenance person they have makes the rounds on the property and that may be where the plates you put out are going.  She also said you shouldn't even be leaving them outside the fence as that's still attracting other animals.  I didn't argue with her as I wanted to get as much info as possible.  She didn't seem angry about anything, she said she understood why you were doing it, blah, blah, blah, but it couldn't happen on their property."  

So, I am hoping I have some some law on my side.  I must figure out this situation.  Its getting out of control with this man, who I wish would disappear.   That's putting it kindly.

Have a nice day.

"Many people, especially ignorant people, want to punish you for speaking the truth, for being correct, for being you.  Never apologize for being correct, or for being years ahead of your time.  If you're right and you know it, speak your mind.  Even if you are a minority of one, the truth is still the truth."

TGIW

First, thank you to those of you that expressed your sympathies to me in your comments, and emails. Your words were very touching.  This will be a very difficult adjustment for the children involved.  Please keep them, and all the other people in the world that have to suffer this kind of tragedy due to drugs, in your prayers.

I had to let little Rocky go back to the wild on Central and Fifth streets, the grey tabby male I trapped yesterday morning, had him neutered at clinic, and spent the night on my porch.  He was just a little boy, under a year.  Scared and confused, but he ate. I covered him up good with lots of blankets because its cold out there, and he was good to go this morning.  I hate to let them go out into the dangerous streets, but I have no other choice.

For those of you that are just tuning in, I leave my house each and every morning to feed over 70 cats - that's the number I can see and count for all 19 stops I make.  At each stop, I have some sort of shelter provided for these cats.  These shelters are life saving for them in our brutal winters. They are made out of Styrofoam, or wood, etc. and straw is what insulates them and provides them warmth inside the huts.

I go through nearly 40 pounds of dry food a day to feed them, and over a case of wet food to give them a little treat, its what they love the best.  This is their only happiness - when I pour the food down.  At some locations, it is thrown away by very mean spirited people who hate cats and think they will just go away if they take the food away, or its eaten by the raccoon, opossums and rats that come by after I leave.  The rats are ravenous eaters.   They can devour the food in an instant.  I wish the cats would scare them away, but some are so big, I am sure the cats are scared away by them!

The round trip takes about an hour and a half each day, I get home, refill all my bags and containers for the next day, write my blog, then try to forget the heartache I've just left - in the Beechwood section of Rochester, and then get myself ready for an eight hour a day job.  For which I am thankful for.  It helps to pay for the cat food I have to buy on a weekly basis which costs me about $150. 

I also have two appointments per week at the local spay/neuter clinic that costs me $50 per cat.  I try to do this from spring until late fall.  Its extremely costly to do, but its so important.  Did you know that one cat can produce 1-8 kittens per litter, and 2-3 litters per year.  During her productive life, one female cat could have more than 100 kittens.  A single pair of cats and their kittens can produce as many as 420,000 kittens in just 7 years.

I have a donate button to the right and if anyone is inclined to help, it would be appreciated!  :)  I have a wonderful law firm working on getting me tax exempt status - they are doing it pro bono - and I am so grateful.  It will allow me to get lower rates on the trapping and spay/neuter I do on a weekly basis, and I won't have to pay taxes on the cat food I buy.  It will also allow those that care to donate to write it off.  I can send a receipt now!  :)  So please consider helping - they are your cats too you know.  I am just the caretaker.

PS, my friend Kristin said I've rescued 12 cats already since January.   The total for last year was over 70!  Most were adopted to wonderful families. 

Have a great day!

"Life is 10% what happens to you and

90% how you react to it."