Barefoot and Pregnant

What a cold and snowy week its been.   Bad for the babies still on the street.  Good for the momma kitty I rescued Monday morning.  This beautiful petite satiny grey cat came to feed at Grand and Stout as I was pouring out the wet food and I noticed how HUGE she was.  Looks like she was ready to pop.  Very pregnant indeed.  I asked my helper Elisabeth to grab the carrier from the back of the truck, and sure enough, she was one easy catch.  Easy is the word for her now isn’t it?  I’ve named her Loose(y)!  Lucy!  She is the most loveable cat I’ve rescued in a very long time.  Her little pads are rough which means she has been out on the streets tramping around for some time, but I firmly believe cats know when they have it made – she looks into my eyes with gratitude like I’ve never seen.  I wish I could keep cats like this, but I know there is a special family out there that will adopt her when she is ready.  The first 2021 rescue!

I think most of you know my stance on aborting females that are pregnant.  But when they are this pregnant, it’s a hard thing to do.   There is an overpopulation of unwanted pets nationwide. Every year more than 15100,000 dogs and cats end up homeless in shelters, and sadly there are just not enough people who adopt from those shelters.

Some animals in shelters are saved from the streets and cruelty, while some are given up by their families. Countless others never make it to shelters and suffer without someone to care for them. Spaying or neutering pets prevents animals from being born accidentally, and is the most effective and humane way to save animals lives.  Why would anyone want to bring more cats into this world?  That is why it is so important to spay and neuter.  So that we don’t have to kill the babies that are yet to be born. 

This morning was interesting.  when out on my cat rounds at 5 am in 13 degree weather, there was a prostitute at a street corner that ran up to my truck – she then saw why I was pulled over and began to walk away.  When I finished pouring the food, she was standing at the corner, and I pulled up and asked her if she needed a pair of gloves.  She was dressed poorly for the weather.  I then said, ‘Why don’t you get in my truck and warm up a bit.?  She gladly did.  I asked her her name.  Denise.  I asked her if she would like a sip of my coffee, she did.  I asked her where she lived - she said she was homeless.  I then pulled out a ‘homeless bag' that I carry with me each day, handed that to her, - it included granola bars, toothpaste, toothbrush, socks, gloves, tissues, a comb, …  You could tell she was grateful even though she was quiet.  I told her she could stay in the car and ride with me for the remaining 20 mins of my route.  She seemed grateful.  Then in my always lecturing manner, I asked her if this was something she wanted to continue and she said no, and I said, I work for United Way, and I’ll bet there is something that UW could do to steer you in the right direction to change your life.  I gave her my number and told her to call me.  Who knows if she ever will, but to make a difference in someone's life would be the bomb.

Simon, the last of the five kittens that Sheryl has been fostering, is being adopted.  Simon went from being the most timid, scared cat ever, to a now docile little kitty.  It took him to lose all his siblings to other adoptions for his sweet personality to come around.  See?  You can tame a feral cat!   He went from a feral four month old kitten to a now close to seven month old sweet kitten.  It can be done!

As for Miss Lucy Pants, we are still waiting on her babies.  Wonder what they will look like?

Have a great day!

"Life is Short, Live it
Love is Rare, Grab it
Anger is Bad, Dump it
Fear is Awful, Face it
Memories are Sweet, Cherish it."

Winston aka Buddy

Buddy was a kitten that I rescued from Grand Avenue back in 2011 - one of my first of many rescues! - and he was adopted out in spring of 2012 to just the nicest family.  

Here is what I posted in March of 2012:

In yesterday's post, I mentioned Buddy, Rufus and Me.  Last Friday I was presented with the opportunity of someone wanting a cat under a year.  Well, Buddy fit that bill.  This couple were looking for a companion for their female two year old cat.   With much hesitation, due to the fact that I have fallen in love with Buddy, and he is best friends with Rufus, I brought him over and left him.  I felt terrible.  Usually, when I rescue, the cats pretty much immediately go to their new homes.  But with Buddy and Rufus, and Midnight and Buster, I've had for a few months now, and of course you become attached.  I hope and pray, and am told by his new Mommy, that he is doing well, and slowly adjusting.  But how does Buddy feel?  Can cats have separation anxiety?  Do they feel grief?  I have noticed Rufus is not his old self.  He used to run like a madcat around the house, and he isn't doing that anymore.  The two of them were terrors together.  I do hope that Buddy is adjusting, and that Rufus will get his old mojo back.  Only time will tell.  I will keep you posted on progress for both. 

Last week I received the following from her adoptive mom:

"Hello Janine, 

It is with a VERY heavy heart that I am writing this email. My eyes are swollen from all the crying.  We recently learned that Winton has cancer, it came in as a form of a small lump in his abdomen, and now it has spread.  We gave him the meds recommended by the vet, but sadly the cancer lymphoma. This is one of the hardest decisions I've had to make but I know it's best for him.

Winston came to us to keep Magic company, their love/hate relationship blossomed over the years. She protected and irritated him all at once. I am sure Magic will miss him too. 

Thank you for bringing him into my life, my precious boy. I loved him since the day I met him, he always greeted me at the door, he loved being outside with me chasing squirrels or chipmunks and was may sunshine during some dark 2020 days. 

I share some pictures with you."

"To everyone going through anything struggle or pain right now, keep your head up, and keep smiling.  God heals all."

Four Feet in Heaven

Your favorite chair is vacant now,

no eager purrs to greet me, 

no softly padded paws to run

ecstatically to meet me.

No coaxing rubs, no plaintive cry

Will say its time for feeding..

I've put away your bowl

And all the things you won't be needing.

But I will miss you little friend

for I could never measure

the happiness you brought to me.

The comfort and the pleasure.

And since God put you here to share

in earthly joy and sorrow,

I'm sure there'll be a place for you

in Heaven's bright tomorrow!

Brrrrr

 I must say its been a good winter so far...  very little accumulation of snow, and only one icy morning which of course, I fell.  Landed on my butt again.  Unfortunately there is little padding there, so it still hurts even though it happened last week.  Oh well, at least this time I was able to pick myself up, and baby step the rest of the way to the truck.  It was nearly two years ago that I broke my ankle.  God, now that I think of it, 2019 was a terrible year, 2020 was a terrible year, and so far this year, well, I guess its too soon to judge, but then again, I have to put my kitty, Cookie, to sleep this afternoon.  I had an appointment set up for her since her last exam where she would be provided with 'comfort care' until today, but she is really not thriving.  I don't know if she is in pain, but she is less than four pounds now, and strains to urinate, etc. and is peeing all over the house. On top of the ulcers in her mouth that the vet told me the last time I had her in. She's had a good run, and boy will I miss that little bag of bones.  I rescued her after trapping her on Central Park so many years ago, and she had piometra (sp?) infected uterus, which was removed that morning, and after that she was just a good kitty that has lasted a very long time.

Other than that, there are a lot of adult cats that ran up to me this morning.  I wish I could grab them all.  I know Kristin has offered to foster one, I just need to decide which one is the most in need.  There are lots of people out there looking for a cat to adopt.  Wonder if they want a fox, or a deer for a pet.  I saw a group of seven deer in my mother's neighbor's yard yesterday, and a fox in her area standing in the driveway of a home near her last week.  

If you click on each pic you can zoom in.

Have a great day!

"The key to being happy is knowing you have the power to choose what to accept and what to let go."

Silence is Golden

So, its been a while.  I missed an entire week!  Between work, and life, I am a very busy single girl!  I don't have anyone helping me so to do all I have to do, its work!  Thank God I have friends that help me out, I will call them my co-workers, for my part-time job.  This cat business.  Pain in my ass, but when all is said and done, I am proud, and thankful, to be able to feed these kitties.  And rescue those that I can.  And I am grateful to all the people who help me out.

Speaking of, I had a new ride-a-long this morning.  Her name is Esther and she is deaf.  I thought to myself, when I was reminded of this when she arrived this am. after I didn't hear a 'hello' back after I greeted her outside.,  I thought to myself, 'oh great.  this might not go as well as I thought it would...'  I had to bring her into the house and speak into cell phone so that she could 'hear' my instructions before we began the journey in the dark, in the hood.  No slamming car doors, walk behind me, be very quiet, etc.'  But boy, by the time we started, this girl picked up like no other.  Just once in a while I would hear her say, as she was bending down to pet a cat we were feeding, 'hi baby'.  I know it touched her heart and I can't wait to read her thoughts on it, when she writes me later.  It was a humbling experience for me too.  To be totally silent throughout the trek.  To not be able to hear songbirds, sirens, laughter...  so many things we take for granted.  She was very sweet and it was a great experience to have her with me.

I delivered Ernie and Fern to their respective new homes on Saturday morning.  Its really heard to split up siblings, but in this case, we had to.  Ernie was going to be adopted together with Dale, but Dale passed.  I am anxiously waiting to hear how Day 2 went for them.  The kittens Sheryl is fostering, 

Solomon is the only one that has been officially adopted so far.  (Above)  Nice girl Sarah took him in.  She has the cutest, sweetest dog that will be Solomon's canine big brother.  (or sister?)  I won't adopt out kittens that would go into a no other pet household.  Not a single kitten.  Its too lonely and they don't develop socially as much as a bonded pair, or another pet in the house to learn from.

My little Cookie, (above - then and now) who I rescued many many years ago and could not adopt out, is not doing well.  I believe its going to be soon.  She is the sweetest little thing, now weighing less than four pounds, but she has a voracious appetite that I can't figure out.  She wants to eat, if she could, once an hour.  She watches me each time I go into the kitchen, follows me, looks at me with begging eyes, feed me!  And I do.  She has been to the vet, and all we are now doing is caregiving.  Making her comfortable.  My little baby!

There are many sweet kitties out there still that need our help.  Please consider foster or adoption.  

Have a great day!

"Learn from yesterday, 

live for today, hope for tomorrow."

112!!!

What a crazy week.  The holidays.  I wasn't looking forward to them this year, and I can certainly say I am glad they are over.  Thank God for the friends and family I have and the love they showed.  Thank you to all!  

I was hoping to rescue just one more kitty from the streets by year end, but I don't think that will happen.  I rescued the three kittens from Ferndale in past two weeks, but the first one rescued, Dale, passed away last week.  He died in Foster Mom Sue's arms the morning of the vet appointment I had made for all three due to sniffles they all had.  Turns out suspected calicivirus for the two, and Dale must have had it compounded with other ailments as well.  We never know what these street kittens pick up from the mother and father, and the cats at the colony as well.  We just take our chances with any cat, be it adult or baby, to better their lives, no matter how short their lives turn out to be.  I brought little Dale in a paper bag to the vet along with his two siblings, Ernie and Fernie, and boy was that sad handing over his little body to the caring tech that came out to get them.  Prayers said, medicine given, watchful eye by Sue, and they are doing well as we speak.  Sue said she didn't think she could handle another.  Pic of Dale below:

Thanks to all who helped me this year.  I couldn't have done it without you.  You know who you are.  I am so grateful.  So are the 112 cats and kittens I, or friends managed to pull from the streets or from dire situations.  I know I seem crazy to some people, but hey, we all have a passion, and I am one passionate woman, no one can argue with that.  ha ha.

Its nasty out, its winter out, and I am doing my best to keep these cats from freezing to death by not only feeding them every other day, but making sure their shelters are intact from the freezing air and strong winds we get each winter.  Speaking of intact, I am trying to spay and neuter the cats on Ferndale so that we don't have any more babies being born to the mom there that keeps producing litters like Fern, Dale and Ernie.  I could use some help here.  Someone to man the trap on a Monday or Tuesday morning so that I can bring cat in on standby at the clinic.

I can also use more boards, and shelters.  

Thanks all for still reading this silly blog I write.

Have a great day!

"There are all these moments you think you won't survive.  And then you survive."

Hump Day ... right.

 Hello its me...  I've thought about you for a long long time...  maybe I think too much but something's wrong...  Ya think?  Yea!  I have a real job now.  And its keeping me hopping!  :)  And I am thankful.

But in the meantime, back to cat world.  Sooooooooooo much has happened since I wrote last week.  I rescued the kitty from Grand and Stout, 'Buddy' is a happy camper with his new 96 year-old dad.  But Dad is worried about Buddy lately, thinking that any cat he gets now is sick and dying.  Buddy stopped eating like he was normally, so his Dad got worried, and called me, and now is worried he is dying like the last kitty he adopted from me, Katie.  I remind him gently that we don't know what the history of these kitties from the street are, we just know they are vetted, given a clean bill of health, as best as they can with the few tests that are affordable, and we know they were handled by humans at some point, which is why it makes them adoptable once rescued.  But Buddy is eating a bit, so we are slowly watching that.

After trapping for kittens on Ferndale Crescent, and getting Ernie originally, we managed to get two more kittens since.  We now have brother Dale, and sister Fern!  They are GORGEOUS.  And we got them in the nick of time, before they could turn feral.  All three I was able to reach in the trap and pet them, and get them out and hold them, before they went to Foster Sue's house.  Thank you Foster Sue, once again!  She just loves kittens, and babies, ya think?

I have a chance to get some adult cats off the streets thanks to a girl that reached out to me that runs the Purrs and Paws cafe in Eastview Mall.  There are still some questions to be answered, but if I could get the spots at the clinic to get them tested, spayed and neutered, they could be good to go for show and tell at the cafe.  I will continue to further look into this.

Peanut and Jinx, who are being fostered at my cousin's house, are set to be adopted!  They will be delivered to their new home on Saturday, and Jinx will be vetted on Tuesday.  Jinx wound up at the emergency vet two weeks ago this Saturday with ''' vistibula''' ??  Its like vertigo.  He couldn't stand and his head was rolling around so I immediately took him to emergency.  After 10 days of drops in his "very infected ear", he looks good to go.  They are both still very shy so his new family is going to have to have a lot of patience, and time to give, before they earn their trust.  

Speaking of that, Archie and Veronica, two of the five Foster Sheryl has, were 'adopted' for two days, and returned.  Sad that the family let them out too early from their confined space because they didn't have enough time to learn to trust their new people.  The husband wound up grabbing one, and getting in a tangle with him, so I was called and asked that they be returned.  So they are back on the market!  And I will make sure that whoever adopts any of the five realize that they are from the streets, they are going to be frightened, but GUARANTEED they will be the sweetest kitties to their new owners eventually, it just takes time and patience!

The mornings are getting cold out.  It was 19 degrees this am.  Cuts through you like a knife each time you get out of the vehicle.  But its ok.  I am young and pretty enough... ha... did I say that? ... that it doesn't matter, I can take it!  hee hee

I think that's all I have.  Hoping to post something again much sooner than the last time.  

Have a great day!

I'm Back!

 

This blog is whittling down.  I’ve been writing since 2010.  All good things must come to an end, unfortunately.  I will still continue to post, but its not an everyday thing, as you might have noticed since this Covid crap started.  I haven’t stopped feeding and rescuing the cats in the Beechwood section,  but finding the time to sit and write – well, the passion for that has left the building. 

But today I have a few moments to share some highlights from the past week.  So “Buddy”, the sweet little kitty that I was going to rescue from Grand and Stout last week, I did rescue.  He was whisked off to live with his new 96-yr. old dad, Frank.  Frank named him Buddy immediately upon seeing him and within a day of hanging out in a spare room to acclimate, Buddy was wandering the house, and jumping up on Frank’s lap, happy as can be.  Such great stories out there just waiting for their happy endings.  Here's Buddy!

I have mentioned the baby kittens on Ferndale Crescent before.  The city had come and cleaned up the lot, and took all the shelters I had placed there for the seven or so cat that ‘lived’ there.  Well, there were also newborns that I didn’t want to touch because they needed to be weaned first from their mom.  I thought the city picked them up in the shelter and trashed them like they had with the other shelters there.  Sure enough, there they were again once I replaced the shelters.  Now, six weeks later, my friend Elisabeth wanted to try to trap them last week so she set about doing that, and got one this past week.  Thank you to Elisabeth, and thanks to Sue for fostering this little boy.  Sweeter than honey!  We are trying to get more because this little boy is very lonely without his siblings and mother.   Meet Fern!  (Boy name)

I went to visit the fluffy red Melville boy who is now in the custody of a nice woman Sharon, to try to coax him out of hiding for the past two weeks.  Sure enough, I spotted him and got down on the floor to give him pats.  I think he recognized my voice as I’ve been feeding him for over two years now.  He is starting to come around.  I was so worried!

There are still so many adult cats out there that just need a home.   I will try to get some pictures.  Please consider foster and adoption.

Have a great day!

"If it comes, let it.  

If it goes, let it."