Feeling the Responsibility

It's been a week of remembering our dog Maggie.  It's hard to believe a week has passed already.  Many thank you's for allowing me to express my pain  and sorrow here.  I knew I was in good company.

Earlier this week, I was made aware of a young woman  who  could no longer take care  of her two cats  due to an illness.   I've  never made it a secret that I don't like taking owner surrender cats, but her plight touched me and I decided to pursue it.  When the picture arrived, I remember thinking, "Oh gosh, these cats are five years old and overweight - how will they ever get adopted together?" 

I placed them into foster care and immediately tried to think about how I would get these guys adopted separately....or COULD they be split up?  Were they a bonded pair?  The prior owner wasn't sure and it was too much for her to deal with at that moment.  I agonized about what to do and put them on our website separately with a note to the other partner cat. 

The phone rang within about 24 hours and a couple drove TWO HOURS ONE WAY to meet them. In keeping with "We have the best volunteers EVER" - their foster Mom dropped everything to take these guys to the vets to insure they were examined and vaccinated before the couple's arrival.   Holy  crap - they hadn't even been vetted yet!

I'm still speechless.  Why can't all adoptions work like this? 

I had an opportunity to do a rescue at hoarder's house.  I felt a little queasy even using the word "Hoarder", because I think messy houses are starting to be called "hoarders" thanks to the t.v. shows.   One of our volunteers went and rescued several nursing Moms, while another rescue went in and took dozens.  (She *rocks*)

Nobody was really certain how many cats were in there, but the house had been "cleaned up" BEFORE these pictures were taken.  I can't imagine what it looked like before.  Apparently, there was 6 inches of filth on the floor that volunteers had to walk over.

I wish we could've done more after I saw the pictures:

Fortunately, this woman is getting help.  The cats were practically bald from flea infestation.  The small townhome smelled of urine and feces.  I can't imagine a mental illness of that magnitude that I would not care for my  cats.  I'm not judgment passing at all - in fact, I really empathize and hope she's OK.

I've been busy with rescue stuff every day, as always.  I should start writing daily again, but it always seems like  "same  shit, different day" to me.   David and I are (finally) getting into his retirement groove, but oh how I miss having more time to myself. 

In the meantime, I have a few really cute kittens on our site and my phone is ringing off the hook for them.  I listen to their voicemails and feel the weight of responsibility for the future of these babies.  "Who will love them for the next 20 years?"  I click *delete* as soon as I hear the words "gift", or "my girlfriend wants a kitten", or "My kids want a kitten" or "How much for IT?" 

Sounds like I have more to write about than I thought....