Feed a Cat For Christmas! BARB N.!!!

BARB N.!  Thank you so much for helping me to help them!  I think Barb knows me from the newspaper?  Or television?  ha!  I sound like this big star.  Thank you Barb - you are a kind soul.....☺☺☺

It was another cold morning out there.  At least it didn’t snow.  No sign of the two kitties – Sweet Jane at the first Parsells Avenue stop, and no sign of the other kitty being held three mornings ago.  Where did they go? 

Although I did have a new cat on my porch this morning!  Annabelle, the calico cat I’ve been feeding and sheltering on my porch at night when she wants to sleep, was there, as she has been for over five years now, but so was another large black fluffy cat.  I opened the door to get the frozen water and place some wet food for them and Annabelle froze in her warm, heating padded seat, while the other cat froze just before the opening of the propped open door.  He let me pet him as he gobbled down the warm wet food, and I copped a feel.  Unneutered.  I went back out half hour later, and he was curled up on the other chair on the porch.  Unheated.  Lord, do I need to get another heating pad for him now?  But the second time I went out there, I noticed THAT SMELL.  HE sprayed and left that Godawful unneutered scent.  I would like to trap him, on my own porch!, and get him neutered.  At least he would have a place to eat and sleep after that without me worrying about letting him back out on the streets in the hood!

 

DASHER

Dasher, the handsome boy I rescued and had neutered last Tuesday (last week) has been naughty.  He has aggression issues and its sort of frightening his foster mom.  I don’t blame her.  I’ve had kitties like this.  And I’ve had to watch my back with them, one in particular, Brady (who I have still but he is such a love now).  But they really do come around, some sooner than others.  With the right training (spray bottle, firm “NO!”, calming sprays and scents, pills), they will change.  But it takes time and PATIENCE.  But in the meantime, I’ve made an appointment for him with a vet to have a good look over.  I cannot afford to lose a foster, I have none left.  And I have no room at my inn.  Any advise would be greatly appreciated.

Mr. Fluffypants #2

Mr. Fluffypants is doing very well in his foster home.  He has swatted at the dogs he shares a roof with, but was found sleeping on the gentleman of the house’s lap with the little dog.  He really is the best kitty.  Some are easier than others.

Have a great day!

Acceptance

"Your mind judges naturally as you work to make sense of the world.  Every time you find yourself judging others, stop immediately.  This is important when you make judgments about yourself too.  If you make acceptance a daily practice, people will feel more comfortable being themselves around you and you will feel more comfortable being yourself around others."

Feed a Cat for Christmas!!! DONNA S.!!!

DONNA S!, thank you SO much for helping me to Feed a Cat For Christmas!!! Donna has been very kind by helping me to help the animals I feed.  Thank you DONNA!

Pics from this morning:  

This cat on Parsells is the FLUFFIEST CAT I've EVER seen.  She wouldn't stand still.  :(

So far this winter, which has not even begun, has been a tough one.  There is just enough snow to make it uncomfortable for me to get out of my car 16 times each morning beginning at 4 am., and trek to all 16 locations where I have shelters set up that can house up to 8 cats – some more elaborate than others.  All are hidden pretty much, most in back of lots which are not  easy to trek to with the hard crunchy snow.   There have been many mornings now where I’ve had to bring the shovel, to make a path around each shelter so that they can come out and stretch, and do whatever they have to do after being cooped up in a box all night.  And not all of them have that luxury.  Some don’t know enough to find one of the many ‘boxes’ I have out there for them.  Or they are filled with other cats taking shelter.  On top of that, I place towels down on the ground or porch for them when they eat so that they don’t have to stand on a frozen surface.  I try my best to make it as good and comfortable for these animals each day as possible.

I found this near my shelter on Short Street this morning.  I have no idea what kind of carcass this is, but it was pretty much all in tact.  Turkey?  Chicken?  Something else?  REMEMBER TO CLICK ON PICS TO SEE CLOSER!

There are two cats which I spoke of last week – one I was holding, and the other was named Jane by a girl who said she would take in this sweet older cat.  Both disappeared the day after, and haven’t been seen.  I look for them every day and will continue – and when I can, will rescue them.

My boy GEORGE

My boy SPENCER (looks like he is nursing that stuffed mouse!)

This Christmas campaign has been very successful.  I want to thank everyone for your help.  It seriously does cost $40 a day for me to purchase the food JUST TO FEED the cats that are out there.  The medical expenses are a whole other story.  With the donations I’ve received, I probably have about two months out of 12 covered.  I am SO APPRECIATIVE.  SO ARE THE CATS.  I will be highlighting each person who has made a contribution, and remember, contributions not only come in the form of cash, but also drop offs of bags of food and canned food, gift cards, pasta - J , and even peanut brittle!  (the peanut brittle and pasta people also donated food).  J 

I also purchased a book with daily inspurrations, and will be featuring a reading from each page of this book daily here on this blog.  These are meant to be uplifting to the soul, and I for one am uplifted after reading them.  I hope they do the same for you!

Have a great day!

"Be an instrument of peace.  Like an instrument carries and radiates music, make an effort to carry and radiate peace each day.  Peace begins in your mind.  It settles into your body, it can be seen on your face, and it can be heard in your words.  This world needs peace and it can begin with you."

Feed a Cat for Christmas!! MARIA D.!!!

Maria!  My Pasta Queen!  Maria also adopted a kitty from me a few years back - she named her Lucy. Maria has been a steadfast supporter through the years with her drop offs of pasta and such.  Thank you so much Maria, my queen...  :)  You helped to feed so many kitties this morning.

OK, so this morning was not great.  Another two hours out of my day.  From 4 am. to 6 am.  I got home at 6:15, only to turn around and get my house in order, and myself in order to go to work for eight hours.  L  I looked outside and saw four inches at least on the ground.  So shovel in hand, I proceeded to leave the house at 4 am. and dig out all 16 locations.  I could see kitty prints at most of them.  I knew they were taking cover in the shelters.  Not all of them though.  I still am saddened at a few of the locations where I see a kitty or two running from another direction when they hear me arrive.  You know they are not taking shelter in the shelters I leave for them.  One was this beautiful fluffy thing below, who I have been feeding for a few months now.  Never was able to get this close, enough to pick up, until this morning.  I was so tempted to run through the pile of snow on the way back to the Catmobile to grab the carrier, but I knew if I made sudden movement it would be scared and jump down.  You have to be so precise to rescue these cats.  When  you grab by the scruff, it scares and immobilizes them for a few seconds, so you have to have the carrier right there and then, waiting.

Another thing about rescue folks, I’ve done a ton, but circumstances have to be just right for me.  Right now I have Fluffypants occupying my house – if I rescue a cat, it must go to a vet first, and the walk in clinic is only open two days a week – and you can plan on HOURS to be there, even if you are there a half hour before it even opens.  Its only open on Fridays and Saturdays, so if I already have an extra cat in my small house, I can’t do it.  If I don’t have an extra cat in my house, I can keep in bathroom until that Friday or Saturday.  Fluffy will be going to foster today, and I will be glad to have that bathroom back!  Another MUST before I rescue a cat, I must have a plan.  Either someone offers to foster it or adopt it.  So those are the two factors that come into play when I rescue.

There is a store in Penfield that I discovered years ago and it is run by a woman who turns out, adopted a cat from me a year ago, and named him Buddy.  The store is a boutique which has everything from gourmet food, to candles, to scarves and sweaters and pants, to clothes, to games, to soaps, to purses, OMG, I could keep going, I LOVE this store!  I go there every Christmas to buy the few gifts I am able to buy for my family, and I get shaky I get so excited to see all the things they there. Anyways, they had a fundraiser for me – for a few hours, any sales, I would get a percentage from, so I was asked to attend.  I did, and was so thrilled to see people supporting me by attending!  Such fun to see everyone.  Thank you to those that could make it, and those that wanted to but couldn’t .  The weather was horrible.  And I did not leave there without buying something, that’s for sure.  Thank you Eileen for making me feel so special.

The weather is supposed to be a little better starting tonight and going into the weekend – so shelters will be dug out a little better.  I noticed quite a few shelters this morning where the straw was low, so need to fluffy them back up tomorrow morning.  Problem with doing that is that you have to practically crawl on your stomach to get to them.  Uggh.  This is not a glamorous job.  L

Scenes from this morning: (Click on pic to see up close)

Cat Prints in the Snow

Sid and Johnny's Auto Garage

GARSON Shelter

GARSON Pre-Shovel

Kitty on Parsells #2

Have a great day everyone.

Frosty days and ice-still nights,

Fir trees trimmed with tiny lights,

Sound of sleigh bells in the snow,

That was Christmas long ago.

Tykes on sleds and shouts of glee,

Icy-window filigree,

Sugarplums and candle glow,

Part of Christmas long ago.

Footsteps stealthy on the stair,

Sweet-voiced carols in the air,

Stocking hanging in a row,

Tell of Christmas long ago.

Starry nights so still and blue,

Good friends calling out to you,

Life, so fact, will always slow…

For dreams of Christmas long ago.

Feed a Cat for Christmas! MICHAEL K!

Michael, you are AWESOME!  Thank you so much for your kind donation to help feed Rochester's homeless cats.

It was not a good morning out there.  I started out with a crowbar with the intention of prying open the board that was boarded up when I arrived yesterday morning at a vacant house where I feed several cats, and there are two plastic tote shelters inside.  I pried it open this morning.  As you can see.  It gets me so angry that someone can do that to an obvious haven for helpless creatures especially during the winter time.  So there, take that you bastard.

My other intention was to rescue this older girl, who looks so much like my Buster.  She is not eartipped, and looked pathetic in the last picture I took of her.  She was out there two mornings ago, but not today.  I even had a few people offer to take her in after I sent out a plea on Facebook.  Despite the cold, the cats were out waiting for me.  I could see their little heads popping out of the shelters, most of them scurrying away until I left to eat their breakfast.

Driving in this morning was terrible.  Blinding snow.  I will need to bring the shovel tomorrow morning to dig them out, all 16 shelters.  Boy could I use boards and ready made shelters of every size right now.  BUT they must be dark colored.  I bought black spray paint for plastic but I was told its too cold to paint the white styrofoam, uncut boxes I have right now.

An update on the very sickly white kitty I named Misty initially, and then the foster named Cloe - well, after the vet check up, SHE is a HE.  HIS foster now has him named Bacardi!  We could never feel down there because Bacardi has had severe diarrhea so we didn't know the sex!  :)  But, after several medicines to make her well, we just wait now.  He is a sweet cat.  Can't wait to get a great picture of him soon and find him a new home!

BACARDI

Dasher is in his foster home, but turns out he has an aggression issue we need to work on.  He's biting his foster mom.  HELP!

DASHER

Lets get these others adopted:

DIXIE Chick

Mr. Fluffypants #2

Have a great, safe day!

"O, heavenly Father, protect and

bless all things that have breath;

guard them from all evil,

and let them sleep in peace"

Feed a Cat For Christmas! JEAN H!!!!

Thank you JEAN H!!!  You helped to feed many many kitties this holiday day.  I first met Jean sitting outside on a deck on a hot summer day drinking wine with Kristin, Kristin’s parents, Jean and Jean’s friend Sharon, who I used to work with at the law firm.  She’s a good egg, having attended all the fundraisers, and keeping in touch.  Thank you Jeanie Beanie!

DRUMROLL:  I rescued Seven this morning!  Seven from Seventh Street!  :)  He was so easy.  He comes out of the shelters I have there in the back of the lot each morning when I arrive.  Such a good boy.  Thank you to GRASP who offered to take one.  They reach out to me once a year to take in a needy kitty that I feed.  Bless their hearts!

SEVEN from Seventh Street - rescued!

CLOE

Today is insane.  Both Cloe – the sickly white cat I rescued last Friday from Ferndale Crescent and Webster Avenue, and the latest rescue Seven, are both going to the vet.  Caring for Cats.  After Cloe is seen, Seven will be.  Both will be combo tested. After all this, Cloe will be ready for adoption, and Seven is going to a rescue group to be adopted out by them.  I am so grateful to GRASP for taking this little one in for me.  They reach out to me once a year and offer to take in a needy one.  Bless them.  Such a compassionate rescue group.

DASHER

Dasher was picked up by his foster mom yesterday after his little nuggets turned into the REAL nuggets and he got neutered at the clinic!  And tested negative after his combo test!  Woo hoo!  His foster mom reports that he is very friendly, and affectionate.  Purring loudly and eating well.  Using the litter box.  What more could we ask for, except for a permanent home for him!  Woo hoo!

Mr. Fluffypants

Mr. Fluffypants #2 will be going to his foster home on Friday.  What a great cat this is.  He continues to follow me around every day now, perching on the couch while I wake up before heading out to do the ‘chores’.  Speaking of, it was very cold this morning, and I placed two more shelters – one on Parsells where there are at least 15 cats that I am feeding in the morning, and one at Central and Second where there are numerous adult and kittens on this corner.  I call them the mailbox kitties.  I continue to feed Cesar there, the adult cat I had TNR’d in late summer, under the mailbox.  I am praying he finds one of the four (now) shelters I have across the street from there.  I need dark colored boards to shield the openings of those shelters from the wind.  I also need another tarp but the tarps are very hard to place as the wiring is like a half moon, as the pics showed in yesterday’s post.

I pulled up to one of my spots, I won't say which one, and someone had come along and boarded up the tiny shielded porch of a boarded up house that I had two shelters on that more than 2 cats depended on.  Can you believe this?  What heartless bastard could do this?  I will be bringing a crowbar with me tomorrow morning and removing it - at least some of the board that is nailed shut.  There is no NO TRESPASSING sign on it (so I can't be arrested!), and I at least want my shelters!  This sickens me and I won't stand for it. These are poor homeless creatures you are hurting!  Its CRUELTY!

The temperatures are supposed to be very bad the next two days, but as my mother just pointed out to me on the phone, it will be in the 30s after that.  Leave it to my mother to point out the good in all this.  She must have known I needed to hear that its ‘just two days.’.  I get so sad when I think of the babies out there being cold.  Some have NO shelter, which is why it’s SO important to place SOMETHING outside your own residence.  IF you need help, please ask!  I am sure someone in the cat community would be willing to provide a shelter or two for you to place for these animals.  And food and water too!  L 

Bless you all, and have a wonderful day!

"The law of

Giving 

is very simple:

If you want joy,

give joy.

If love is what you seek,

offer love.

If you crave material affluence,

help others

become prosperous."

Feed a Cat for Christmas! KAREN & GEORGE S.!!!

Thank you so much KAREN S. and George for your help to Feed a Cat for Christmas!  You made the day for so many hungry babies out there!  I know Karen through ....  my blog!  And Facebook has had a good hand in that also.  Social media - where would we be without it?

Today was TNR Tuesday.  Good Lord.  Two hours out there - set traps at three locations, trapped one already ear tipped, grabbed this guy by the scruff, the little 'nuggets' one from the other day that I wrote about.  :)  Named him Dasher!  I am hoping someone will want to foster!  He's a good kitty that needs a home.

DASHER from Parsells

DASHER

I used sardines this morning.  I am wondering if that turned off some kitties and that is why I had no success at trapping.  Ugggh.  Its tough.  Two hours though...  that's a long time for me.  Frustrating.

PUMPKIN

CHARLIE!

I was over at my friend Jessica's this weekend and took pics of her babies, Pumpkin and Charlie.  Both are the children of my cat, Vanessa.  All three were rescued from Pennsylvania Avenue years ago.  Babies.  Can you tell how happy these kitties are, compared to how they could have been?  Fluffy little babies!

FLUFFYPANTS

Fluffy came out to lay on the couch with me this morning!

FLUFFYPANTS

Fluffy says:  "Momma', I want to play!  I love to roll around all over and fall off this windowsill!"  Fluffy needs a home!  Who wants to adopt him?

Inside Shelter This Morning

SHELTER on SECOND ST. and CENTRAL PARK

This is where I built a shelter on Second Street, corner of Central.  This is where I discovered five beautiful kittens early fall, and now there are three.  I've spayed/neutered two of them.  And I think I got the Mom.  I pray that the three Styrofoam boxes under that tarp are good enough for them to keep warm in this winter.  I need a little help here, I have no creativity as to how to make this bigger so that the other adult cats that hang around this corner can go in and stay warm and safe.  Help?

Have a great day.

"In daily life

we must see that

it is not happiness

that makes us grateful,

but gratefulness

that makes us happy."

Feed a Cat for Christmas! TOMMY and ALLA!!!

THEN

NOW

A great big thank you to Mr. (oops, he wants me to call him by his first name!  I am not used to that!  :) ) TOMMY and ALLA for Feeding a Cat for Christmas!!! Let me tell you a little bit about "Tommy".  :)  I worked at a very prestigious law firm at one point of my life.  Nearly 10 years.  I worked for senior partners in litigation, Tommy was a partner at this firm, and I always looked up to the senior partners, they were like Gods in the world of law.  I viewed him at the time a bit 'eccentric', but very cool, his assistant was Gloria I think, and I  knew his beautiful blond wife owned a salon of some sort - these are my memories of 'Tommy', and when he reached out to me recently, maybe 20 years later, he didn't know it was me that worked at the firm.  He just wanted to thank me for doing what I do after reading about me in the paper, or seeing the news.  I was totally flattered, and let him know who I was.  I am not sure if he really remembers me, but its a great story nevertheless.  :)  At the time, he was MR. _______, as all the senior partners were referred to by the secretaries!  :)  that's why when he said to call him TOMMY, I was horrified!  :)  Thank you Tommy and Alla, for providing enough to feed the cats out there for 12 days!  Woo hooooo!

Here is what TOMMY has to say:

"Over the years I have owned 12 cats, all of which belong in the ‘Janine The Bean Hall of Fame”.  My wonderful cats were in order:  Putsey (shorthair), Leo (Angora) Paris (White Persian) Coco (Himalayan) Billie Jean (Domestic Shorthair rescue) Princey (Silver Persian) Freddie (Black Smoke Persian) Princess (Blonde Persian) Axel (Herringbone and White Norwegian Forest Cat) Virgil (Black and White Norwegian Forest Cat) Pita (White and Black shorthair rescue).  Pita is still alive and well, the rest are in cat heaven.  This group of cats together have provided me comfort from 1941 to the present, a total of 75 years.  Surely I need to find a way to commemorate their splendid role in my life.

I have communed with the cats and they have decided unanimously  that each of them want to feed your brood for 1 day.  I am enclosing our check to cover the 12 days of Christmas.  Most of all, Alla and I want to thank you for getting up each morning and giving all of your homeless cats a breakfast.

We also want to wish you a pleasant holiday and lots of good things for 2017."

DIXIE this weekend. - isn't she adorable?  ANOTHER GRATIFYING rescue!

Just a note regarding this weekend and this morning.  The snow was not much fun today - we had about two inches to add to the other inch or two we received over the weekend.  Shoveling snow.  The cats were all waiting for me to feed them, and I know how grateful they are to see me every morning when I pull up.  Thank you to all that have provided and OFFERED shelters  - a special thank you to Kathy Maltby - she came over this weekend and dropped off a bunch of large Styrofoam shelters.  I am so grateful.

Tomorrow I will tell you about setting up a shelter at an apartment complex in Webster for a girl who reached out to me for help.  I will also tell you about the kitty I rescued Friday morning who is being fostered by a wonderful girl named Rachael.  Kitty is very sick, but Kristin and I went over yesterday and gave it a bath and the water was blood red, extremely flea bitten.  Never saw so many fleas.  I know it feels much better today, and I thank God I got this cat in time.

Have a great day.

“Only by giving are you able to receive more

than you already have.”