I fear for a crazy kitten season this year with the early warm weather. Usually, this time of year we still have some snow on the ground, but today I was in short sleeves and bare feet. It ticks me off that I couldn't just enjoy the unseasonable warm weather, but I have to associate EVERYTHING with cat rescue:
1. Warm Weather in early Spring = Early Kitten Season
2. Frigid Weather in winter = Cats Freezing to death
3. Rain = I wonder if little homeless cats are dry and hovering under cars...cars...cars....what if they're hit by a car?
4. Heat wave = Do the homeless cats have cool water to drink?
Like so many rescuers, I guess I'm tuned in to this stuff more than the average person. It's been a long time since I was able to enjoy a cold winter night or a stormy warm summer rain.
I had a woman come in today to talk to me about "staging" my house for sale. Apparently, it's practically mandatory that your house looks like a model home in order for it to sell. This woman was NOT an animal person. She pointed briskly to the cat beds and scratching posts..."Go." "Go." "Go." Then she walked into my family room and saw the HUGE cat tree there and practically fell off her high heels. "THAT isn't staying, is it???" She walked into my bedroom and saw 5 cats asleep on my bed. I tried to tell her they were foster cats, but even *I* didn't sound very credible. :)
There was one pitiful lonely kitten left at Petsmart when I arrived today. I felt awful, as I was sure she had been adopted already! I should've brought her a friend. I don't like kittens to be alone at Petsmart. I held her for a long time. Every time I put her down she'd **HOWL***. Tomorrow, I'll bring a few friends for her. But for tonight, I'll wallow in guilt that we have a kitten without a friend at Petsmart. Damn.
Tomorrow is a rescue day and I'm looking forward to it. I'd like to slow down a bit this week, if I can. When clean towels sit in the dryer for 5 days and nobody folds them, I'm too busy. I like being occupied, but I really dislike a frantic pace. I don't *do* frantic very well.
I'll bring a camera tomorrow. :)
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7 comments:
Beth, I am also fearing a 'bad' kitten season this year. We took in 7 pregnant cats last week (4 in one day!).
And last weekend when it poured rain and was very cold, instead of thinking about 3 cats (2 pregnant) I had trapped and where warm & dry - and I worried about the one left behind. Would he go in the trap? How long would he be in the trap? Did the tarp blow off & he was now wet? I hardly slept. I got up at 5 am to go up and check the trap, but he wasn't in it. Then at 6 the neighbours called and said he was in the trap.
Now they are all safe, and the 2 pregnant females can have their kittens in a warm house rather than outside (it snowed a bit today). But of course, I think about all the other free-roaming cats yet to be found and helped.
Excited to see the lucky kitties you rescue tomorrow. I'm the same way with any weather, always think about the homeless souls...hurts my heart. We will run into the same issue of home "staging" soon as well. My thought is, they live here-you don't-get over it. I want my house to sell to another animal lover anyway...so there! >^..^<
When you visit the shelter tomorrow could you shoot the pregnant girls and give a little bio? I always wonder and they provide so little info. People might be more willing to foster if they know they are not feral and possibly FeL+. Thanks
Harpurr's Mom
PS Clemintine is a red tabby oriental shorthair
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oriental_Shorthair
Good grief, I don't think that staging is right for your place as it already appears to be up to snuff, judging by the pics (with cats) that we readers see. Staging is for ppl who lack a sense of style (my mom and I are examples, no offense Mom!). If the stager isn't a cat lady then who cares as long as the litter boxes are in the basement I wouldn't worry about cat trees or scratching posts.
i could just picture your house with staging lady. would be a great cartoon. i'm sure the cats weren't too impressed with her either...and said "she has to go!
i always tell my cats how lucky there are! My one foster i can take at a time makes me feel like i can do a little!
"Staging" a house in Hamilton means you take the old mattress off the front porch and put it in the back yard.
Beth,
Two years ago we had to sell our house in Winnipeg, and keep it pristine for showings. NO CAT FOSTERING! It was HARD!
You're right, there is an expectation that the house look like a model home.
Suggestions - cat smells must be eliminated. Eve a die-hard cat lover could be turned off by urine, feces and vomit smells.
If you can't have a friend or famly member keep the cats with them during showings, make sure the cats are clean, and unobtrusive Hiding under the bed is best. When you leave the house for showings - take SHERMAN with you!
This may be unfair to have to sell your house, but it is reality.
One of my main practice areas is real estate law.
Check for my email.
Rivi
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