Updates

Thanks Everyone for your advice yesterday.  I have and will pass on more to the family, but have not heard back from them yet from my e-mail to them yesterday, offering as a last chance to take Harold back.  Will keep you posted!

The following was written by a friend the day after my birthday last week, after I had posted that someone had removed my shelter from their vacant house porch.  I thought it was clever (and he thinks he is too...  :)), and share with you.

It’s the day after your Birthday

And all thru the hood

Not a new kitty was seen

Not even the jerk’s

But the bowls were removed

And placed on the curb

Why would he do that

It makes us perturbed

Some people realize

And some people don’t

That the best part of life

Is caring for those who can’t for themselves

The next picture is of BUTTERS!  and his pal.  Butters was rescued by me and adopted several months later by a nice family who already shared their home with the kitty on the right, and several dogs.  After a rough first couple of weeks with Butters, they finally fell in love with him, and he obviously fell in love with his new sister, Lovey!  :)



Butters and Lovey



Butters and Lovey



Remember Pumpkin and Magic?  These two boysI rescued from Pennsylvania Street last July when they were barely two or three months old, along with their mom Vanessa, who I still have.  After months of caring for them, they were adopted out at five months old, to a woman whose husband wound up allergic, and she returned them about a month ago.  My house was overloaded and Pet Pride of NY, which is a wonderful no kill shelter in Victor run by a WONDERUL woman named Norma offered to take them in and get them adopted.  They would surely be seen more than in my possession.  After much heartbreak, I gave them up.  Jessica had just lost her beloved cat Gxir and was looking for another two to add to her family of now one kitty.  Within a day of giving up Pumpkin and Magic, she asked me if I had any kitties that would be suitable for her, and I thought immediately of Pumpkin and Magic at the shelter.  Jessica knew of the situation and didn't care, and went and adopted them both!  Well, they are settling in very nicely in their new home with Jessica and her mom Sharyn.  I feel like they are staying in the family by being adopted by these two wonderful women.  Thank you so much for loving them!  The following are a few excerpts of what Jess has to say about them:

"Oh my gosh are they cute!  So snuggly and sweet and gentle.  Magic is really coming out of his shell and is making more eye contact with me.  He now presses into my hand when I pet his head instead of ducking away.  I was a little concerned about that at the shelter, but he's like a different cat now, following me around.  I had a wonderful snuggle with him in bed with big, loud purrs (from him, not me!) and then he moved over and let Pumpkin get his snuggles, who curled up in front of me, his paws kneading my chest.  It's 10:15 pm and Sierra still hasn't figured out they're downstairs!  ha!  She's not the savviest of cats.  They have their blankies on the couch when I'm in bed with my door closed and litter boxes, etc.  Cross your fingers for me that Sierra won't be too mean and pee all over when she does find them.  I think she was enjoying being the only cat."

and later...

"Last night went very well.  Magic has really come out of his shell and seeks my attention now. He's like a different cat from the one I saw in the shelter yesterday. They have a love seat they slept on last night, each on his own pillow and blankie. They follow me around like puppies and like to watch the toilet flush. Haha! They're just little lovebugs and so gentle and sweet. And they left my stuff alone in my craft room last night! So far, anyway. We just love them!  If Sierra knows they're here, she hasn't let on."



Pumpkin




Magic

"When I stand before God at the end of my life, I would hope that I would not have a single bit of talent left, and could say, "I used everything you gave me."

Harold

Today, I am asking for your advice.  I rescued Harold, around two years old, over two weeks ago from Central Park in the city of Rochester.  I had been feeding Harold for quite some time, he would run to me every morning when I pulled up to the vacant house.  I wasn't sure what I was going to do with Harold, but I knew he had to get him off the street because he was a very sweet cat, and you could tell he didn't want to live outside anymore.  None of them do actually, but a lot of them have lost that trust in humans, so it makes it difficult to rescue them all.  Once home, he hid for about a minute, and then came out and was the most loveable kitty.   After spending the night in the basement room (man cave) with the television on, all the food he could eat, chairs and futon and plenty of warm blankets to sleep on,  the very next day, a wonderful family - mom and dad, and 10 (?) year old son came over to look at my adoptables (Daisy, Paddy, Earl), and chose Harold, who I wasn't going to show because of his age, and because I had just rescued him the previous morning, and hadn't gotten to know him yet.  The first week did not go so well with him due to him escaping to their attached garage and hiding in the rafters, and doing some loud howling.  After giving her a little advice on getting him down and into the house into a small bathroom, where he should have gone in the first place to get to know the scents, etc., I gave her advice on introducing her cat Cloe to him.  I hadn't heard since last Thursday, thinking no news is good news.  I got the following note from her this morning, and here is how his past weekend went.  I could (THEY could) use some advice.  I don't know what I will do with Harold if they return him - I cannot keep him, I won't put him back on the street, I won't put him in a barn situation, so my only other alternative would be Lollipop, where I would pray he would get adopted out and quickly.  So, as you can see, WE are DESPERATE for any and all advice.  Here is what the mom has to report.

"We kept Harold in the bathroom until Friday evening. We did the thing where their dishes were close together, and they had been sniffing under the door at each other. He actually got out a little sooner than I had planned... he kind of made a break for the door, and lets just say he is very quick! He seems to have adjusted to the house just fine. He wanders all over the place, but has certain places he prefers. Unfortunately, one of them is the crawl space which is unable to be completely blocked off, and since he is a Houdini, he manages to squeeze in no matter what we would do to try to barricade it. He spends most of his day in there... comes out to eat and check things out, then goes back in... he comes out for good anywhere between 7 and 9, and then he is in the main part of the house for the night and all the way thru till morning. He follows us around and likes attention, but has not figured out the concept of sitting on laps yet. We just sit on the floor and he comes to us. He does not like being up on the bed or couch at all... jumps up and then right back off. Starting around 10 or 11, he wanders around the house meowing... it's not the crying, lost yowling he did that first night... it's just a little chirp or meow every 2 or 3 minutes, like he is looking for us. But even when he finds us, or we go to him, he doesn't settle down. It's like he can't stand or sit still. Unfortunately, this goes on all night... and I mean, literally - ALL NIGHT. He comes up to the bedroom, and I dangle my hand over to scratch him, and he lets me, and then he's off downstairs to do a lap... then he's back in my bedroom... then he goes downstairs... and so on. The first night, I got up and put him in the bathroom at 1:00... he was fine with that and happy to come out in the AM. The second night, I had to put him in the bathroom at 4:00... last night, I went and slept on the couch at around 1:00... I thought maybe he was lonely and would settle down if I was down there (and I figured at least Billy could get some sleep). Nope. Same deal... he would peep at me, come over for a scratch, go toss a toy mouse around or grab a bite to eat, and then start they cycle all over again. Around 4:00, I couldn't take it anymore, so I put him back in the bathroom. NO DICE. He scratched and picked at the door, but did not cry or meow. I let him out around 6:00 and he did his usual morning routine. I do not know what this is all about, or what to do about it, but I am getting a little twitchy from the sleep deprivation!!! It's like he's got his days and nights totally backwards... any thoughts or suggestions? I am at a complete loss. He still seems perfectly happy... purrs all the time, loves attention, eats and uses litterbox, could care less about Chloe and her attitude... I just don't know what to do next.

Chloe has actually gotten better... less growling and hissing, and she's not mad at us anymore. But right now I am not worried about her; I don't know what to do about Harold and his nighttime antics (which makes perfect sense if he's been living on the streets, but I need to get him to settle down at night now that he is in a nice warm house). So... help...?"

PLEASE COMMENT HERE, or shoot me an e-mail at janinethebean10@yahoo.com - thanks!

"One joy scatters a hundred griefs."

My Route

My mornings begin at 5:15 in the hood, on a daily basis, never skipping a beat.


I start off on Parsells, where there are two locations, just houses away from each other, but a few months back, there were many cats in between and all around these spots, and they were very territorial, so if I were to combine one, some cats would starve. Both locations are quiet now, I don’t have any kitties coming up to me at either, but I know they are there, I see them hiding or lurking under cards, and their food is gone the next day.

At my third spot around the corner on Stout, yesterday I spotted five cats – three beautiful reds and two black kitties. One black kitty has been neutered, and one red kitty. The other black kitty is very friendly, and sweet. They feed inside an open garage of a vacant home. I don’t know how long I will have use of this when the landlord/owner finally kicks me and all my stuff out.

Around the corner on Garson I feed two cats (that I see) on the porch of where I’ve had to remove the shelters located there because the landlord/owner kept placing them to the curb. I have left two dishes of food and one of water there on a daily basis, thanking God its springtime but sad because they don’t have a nice warm straw lined shelter to nestle in at night.

Around the corner on Hayward, the activity level there has dwindled, I have rescued so many, most recently the little kitty that was trapped in an apartment next door, and is also pregnant, and is now named Pepper due to her fur. Linda is now caring for her. They are eating the food that is there under the lean to against the house, but I don’t see them up close – they are a new bunch there.

Around the corner from there, is where the little baby Baldwin kitten remains. I feed him under a bench, and occasionally see another little kitten that runs that apparently Laura, who trapped two in January, has re-released the little one. The little baby that I see daily now runs to me when I get out of the car. He lets me hold him long enough until he knows I am going to put the food down and then he wants down. My heart breaks for him. I want to take him home so badly. He is about five months old I would say. He has survived for so long there by himself. I don’t think Mama is in the picture anymore. There was a house on the corner of Parsells and Baldwin that was just demolished, and I pray there were no cats taking shelter inside while they did it.

Around the bend on Webster, the sturdy shelter that Kristin and Darrin built for me out of a coffee table still stands. I am feeding a sweet Red kitty that was missing all winter, I believe the woman Marilee took him in but he is since back out, from down the street where she lives, and waiting for me each morning.

Around the bed on Short I don’t see many kitties but know they love the covered shelter there, and eat the food. I occasionally see a pretty red inside waiting for me to leave so that he can devour.

Around the corner from there is Sixth Street, where a female was just TNR’d last week. There is a family of kitties there, and one is very pregnant. I feel horrible about this. She allowed me this morning to touch the tip of her nose so that she could smell. I can tell she is ready. I am sick over this. I must get spots at the clinic, but it’s a bad week for that as I have to be at work early in the mornings, and work late at night. My job comes first, no matter what.

Around the corner from there is on Pennsylvania and Fourth, where I see two pretty reds, one getting more trusting with me as time goes by.

Around the next corner from there is Third and Central, where I feed Tuffy (who has been around forever, a huge red and white tom) and a white and brown spotted kitty.

Across from there is Central, where I feed a friendly boy in front, and a shy girl behind the vacant house. This is another location that will be taken from me as the bank that owns it will eventually want to sell this property.

Around the corner there is Second, where I feed the sweetest grey on the porch of Frank’s house, he reminds me so much of my Barney, his fur very course, but he is a very sweet boy. He was just neutered last week in our TNR sweep, he and the three others. Behind Paul’s, which is across from Frank’s, are two black kitties and another white with brown spots – of course this is all in the dark. I see another grey and brown tabby too, but again, they hide until I leave.

Around that corner is on Pennsylvania behind the giant’s house (I posted previously about his huge footprints). There are at least three or four that I see lurking in the shadows.

From there I go to my last spot (phew!) which is Seventh. I feed at least three to four kitties there. It’s a good shelter there, nice and warm and dry. No one has trashed this spot since last summer. Knock on wood.

UPDATE: Red/Angel from Seventh, and Lucy, both of which I brought to the stables at the Racetrack two weeks ago, are now free. Red escaped out a window unexpectedly Saturday, but has been seen this morning. I prayed and prayed for him to find his way back when I found out early Sunday morning, and he did. He was spotted this morning. Now Lucy needs to learn this learn how to return to her safe spot too. Prayers!

The Lowdown

Its Thursday, the day after my birthday, and I have to say it was pretty good.   Thank you to all that wished me well on my day!  Very sweet!  My co-workers at my office surprised me with six cases of Friskies cat food piled up on the conference room table when they called me in at lunchtime!  Oh boy, I must have a reputation around the office as being a cat lady, ya think?  :)  It was very sweet.  They also had banana creme pie, lemon meringue pie, and my favorite, chocolate creme pie, and pizza - for them.  I am on a diet, but managed to wolf down a piece of chocolate pie!  There are times when I absolutely hate my job, but I have to be grateful for the people that I work with, and for having a job at all.  But when that lottery hits.......................................!

Laura and I released four kitties this morning.  We trapped yesterday, she was able to transport them to Lollipop and keep them over night, and met me this morning for release.  We got two boys and two girls!  Thats FOUR baby makers off the streets!  Wish I could do this (even though I HATE it) once a week, and we would be able to get this overpopulation of homeless cats down to a small number, but I am only one person, and can't do it by myself.  Its costs money, and time.  I am very grateful to Lollipop for allowing me to be part of a grant of Friends of Lollipop so that I could trap, neuter and return over 70 cats since last spring.  I couldn't have done it without the help of Another Chance Pet Rescue, who helped me in the beginning, and of course not without Laura's help.  She has been a Godsend.  Before last spring, I was able to do it on my own, and have done MANY, but it was far and few between.  I had a tough time, and will continue to have a tough time, with transport to clinics.

The pregnant kitty I rescued yesterday morning was handed over to Linda after work, who has graciously offered to foster her.  I am still waiting on a name, and her vet results from her appointment that she has this morning.   Fingers crossed she is healthy.

Yesterday, while feeding and setting traps, at my spot on Garson, where I have had trouble in the past with the owner of the abandoned house that I feed at, where I recently rescued Big Red (Sandy), and Talkie (Sunny), I noticed the guy had come by and removed all my stuff and put it to the curb.  I went and got most of it and placed it right back, neatly, and filled the dishes with water and food for the two that I still feed there and left.  This morning, I went there, and the plastic tote was once again moved to the curb and food dishes with it.  I went back up onto the porch and placed food and water down, but left with the tote.  I had a feeling he would wind up taking it and those are too precious to lose.  The guy is a jerk with no compassion for these animals, and so we will see how this 'cat and mouse' game will go on for.  I have left him notes in the past, but he is obviously just a total jerk, or is getting ready to fix  up the house, so at that time, I will have to figure something else out even though there aren't any other abandoned houses around that spot.

Thats the scoop.  I have tomorrow off - yay - well deserved!  My next post will be a run down on all my spots, and who I am seeing out there at this point, after having rescued so many recently.  I certainly am proud of what I've accomplished in this part of the city of Rochester.    Have a great day!

"Be who you are and say what you feel,

because those who mind don't matter,

and those who matter don't mind." 

Happy Birthday to Me!

Yes, I turned 39 today (or I will at 10:57 am., so says Mom)!  Really!  I swear!  I love being 39, its a GREAT age!  :)

All good news today!

I started off my birthday morning, with the help of Laura at a different location, trapping four cats altogether (well, five, I had to let one of mine go because she had already been done a year or so ago) and they will be brought to Lollipop for neuter, and then return to the city.  Laura thinks she got the pregnant one that I have not been able to get on Second.  Pray.  I then returned to the location of the kitty that I thought was pregnant on Hayward, who I believe was the one that was trapped in the house next door last week, and I got her!!  She is safe and warm in my bathroom until Linda, this kind girl who fostered Taffy last year, another pregnant cat I rescued from Grand Avenue last year, offered to foster her until she has her babies, and I will meet her for drop off later.  Here is the latest pregnant beauty that has no name at the moment - she has the most unusual markings...:

Thank God for Linda, because Another Chance Pet Rescue is stretched beyond their limit!  They just received three newborns that were dumped into an ashtray at a factory in the city.  A kind woman found them and called the rescue for help.  This is hard to see, but its a good ending for the three:

Other good news:  Harold/Stretch, who I rescued on Saturday morning, and he was adopted out Sunday by a family that was going to return him by Tuesday...  I spoke with the Mrs. last night, and unfortunately, the kitty was let out in the general population when they got home and that is when the trouble began.  I had told them the proper procedure, but they wanted to just try to see if they could just let it happen, as their one cat had already come up and sniffed at Harold while he was still in the carrier, and just walked away.  Harold is a non-agressive kitty toward others, so they thought it might work out.  After a little consulation on the phone with them, they are willing to give it another try.   I will keep you posted!

And in some other really good news, Pumpkin and Magic are getting adopted!!!  If you will remember, my friend Jessica recently lost her kitty Gxir, who's picture I posted a week and half ago.  She wanted to get two males that were friendly with each other because she has one remaining female cat that is a loner, and she wanted to be sure the new cats would have each other for companionship.  Due to the overwhelming number of kitties I had recently rescued and were in my house, Pet Pride of NY offered to take them as they would show far better there than I could on my own.  I brought them there last Friday, about a month after they were returned to me from a previous adopter that had allergy issues.  I was then notified by Jessica over the weekend of her wishes for two males.  I felt SO bad that I had brought Pump and Mag in already, but I didn't know!  She called yesterday and informed me that she and her mom are going to Pet Pride today to get them!!  YAY! 

The little kitten Paddy, who I rescued two weeks ago, is being brought in for his neutering this morning also.  To take a kitten that was born on the street, scared and lonely, and see him turn into a sweet and loving little purrball like he has become is like a gift from God.  He is ready for adoption! 

I just can't believe how wonderful all this is.  Its truly remarkable all the cats I've rescued recently and found homes for.  I think I will slow down after today, and not push my luck!

Have a great day!!! 

"If God had wanted me otherwise,

He would have created me otherwise."

Complications & Another Rescue

Its amazing how fast things change.  How I am on top of the world one moment, and the next, its all down hill.

First off, I have total anxiety today, which is what I ALWAYS feel the day before I have to TNR.  I have four more slots with Lollipop for Trap Neuter Return through the grant they graciously allowed me to participate in last spring.  Thats tomorrow morning.  Wish me luck.

Second, I got a note from the family that came over on Sunday to adopt out Stretch/Harold.  They want to return him, as he has gone into hiding, and was howling all night, his first night.  The only thing I can say about this is that its sad all around.  I wish they would give it more time, but you can't convince people to always do this.  The other sad part is that I am going to have to bring him to Lollipop.  I have no one else that will take him (anybody??) when he is returned, and I cannot have any more cats in my house at this time.

The next bit of bad news is that there is another pregnant cat on Hayward, and I believe this is the same kitty that was trapped for days in the apartment in the house next door to where I feed.  She is a very petite little kitty, and friendly, waits for me each morning, and let me feel her tiny, but I think growing belly.  I am not sure what to do with this one.

Angel/Red and Lucy are doing fine at the Finger Lakes Racetrack.  I got a picture of them this morning where they are hanging out in the rafters, eating well, still not socializing with their new 'mom', and it does take time, but they will come around.  I guess that is good news.  I would rather they do that than be on the street that they came from.  They at least have access to shelter and food - which is not guaranteed on the city streets. 

The only good news I have to share today is that I rescued a kitty from Parsells, I am calling her Alexis, and she is very pregnant - she is pictured above.  I had made arrangements with Another Chance Pet Rescue the day prior, who will take her in to foster her and her babies when they are born.  That is IF she passes the combo test which is scheduled for this morning at 9:20.  ACPR is already overloaded with kittens and still pregnant moms being fostered, so I am forever grateful to them for whatever they can take.

This is so hard for me.  I try to do so much - It seems like I take two steps forward and one step back almost daily.  Not only do I get up and feed 40 - 50 cats a day, 365 days a year, but I rescue them, I get them neutered/spayed, I try to find them homes and they don't always work out.  To take them back is the hardest part of all.  With Stretch/Harold, I could see what a really good boy he was for me.  Its just sad.

And They're Off!

Thats what they say at the beginning of a horse race, eh?  It is appropriate for this post today, because I rescued TWO cats Sunday morning, and brought them to a girl who posted on Craigslist for barn cats, and I fulfulled her wishes!  :)  Quite proud of myself.  I was able to pick up Angel and Lucy from Second Street.  I've been feeding them FOREVER.  You will recall last year Angel was neutered, and was going to be fostered by someone, but wound up biting her because he was terrified, and he had to be let back out onto the street.   He and Lucy have always been a pair, she following him when he ran to greet me each day.



ANGEL/RED





LUCY



He was aptly named Angel because he would do angels in the snow when I pulled up, rolling over on his back, anticipating my arrival, and wet food, even in the worst of weather.  I renamed him this morning to Red, as in Fred and Lucy - the old Lucille Ball show?  Weren't those the characters names?  I also thought that made a more masculine name too, especially being around all the big boys, the horses, at the stables. It was a cool experience, for sure.  They were both frightened, but I am looking forward to updates from the very wonderful girl who took them.  These city kitties are now living the country life!  I got a bonus, her daughter drew me a picture too!  :)

And get this, Saturday morning, I rescued another kitty, Harold!  This is the kitty I was telling you about that I was thinking of bringing to Lollipop for adoption, and then thought I was going to bring him to the barn.  Well, it only took one day in captivity to discover what a WONDERFUL SWEET kitty he really is, and knowing that I might have TWO possible adopters coming over today to meet Daisy, Paddy and Earl, now they can also choose from Harold!  He is a true lover boy.

Can you imagine?  I rescued THREE off the streets this weekend???  I still can't believe it.  I am so happy.  I would LOVE for someone to go back in my blog, to 2008, and count how many cats I've rescued! 

The kitty that had been stuck in the apartment last week?  I pulled up yesterday, hoping that the cop made good on his word, and got in touch with the owner/landlord to let the cat out, and I heard its cry again.  I flipped.  I went on the rest of my round, and drove back and knocked on the door myself to the next door apartment.  A woman answered, and lo and behold, she had a key to the apartment.  She must have just gotten it, as she really didn't have one the day before.  I asked her to unlock the door and leave it open for a while, I did go up and see the cat at the top of the stairs.  It looked very very thin.  It was scared so wouldn't come out for me.  Later in the day, I received a call from Animal Control, and didn't mention the above, mainly because I wanted a record of it, and I wanted to be sure the cat was actually gone from the apartment, which it was because they called back to confirm they went through the apartment. 

All in all, a good weekend! 

(UPDATE TO THIS POST - several hours later...  the family that came over to adopt a kitty, I had the youngsters, Daisy and Paddy all set to show, and guess who they wanted to bring home?  HAROLD!!!  Harold, who is a few years old, has been around the block, and who I didn't have high hopes for was the chosen one!  I can't wait to see how he settles in with his new family!  GREAT NEWS!!!  So many have been rescued from the city streets of Rochester!)