The Visit

Thank you all for your comments regarding my recent post Shackin' Up.   It sounds like I've been doing it right - "case-by-case basis".  I can't imagine turning down anyone because they are living together and not married.  Certainly more questions need to be asked. 

I arrived late last night from Southern California after visiting my daughter and her husband.  The rescue line was busy and adoptions seemed to be plentiful while I was  away.  (Thank you Susan, for holding down the fort for me!)   Besides shopping and eating Mexican food, I really wanted to visit my cat-rescue-mother-ship The National Cat Protection Society.  I guess this was the place where it all started. 

My first passion was bottlefeeding kittens.  I  remember "NatCat" calling me and asking me to take on 6  two day old bottlefeeders.   When they told me not to be surprised if I couldn't save the litter, I was shocked.   ME?  Not saving the whole litter???   I was so naive and I was a lot younger then.  I suppose it was that naivety that kept me from never giving up and never losing a kitten.  Twenty years later - those words still surprise me:  "I never lost a kitten."  I can't say that today.

I used to think that the shelter where I volunteered and fostered was really militant and lacking in social skills.  I still think so.  They were hesitant but nice when I went in and the place was (as usual) spotless.  I saw an adorable 10 year old hairless calico named "Gizmo":

 She was in a gorgeous play room by herself.  Apparently, she doesn't really like other cats.  She was meowing at me through a window and rubbing against it.  She looked like a chubby little piece of calico velvet.  Ooooooh, how I was needing a "kitty fix".  I coo'd and started to open the door.  The employee stopped me.  "I'm sorry, only current volunteers can go in there."  Must be a liability thing, but I was really disappointed. 

They told me that adoptions have picked up and that they've had FOUR adoptions this month already. "FOUR???"  Maybe if they didn't treat every visitor like a criminal, they'd adopt more. 

The week before I left, I visited another local shelter and it was the same thing:  Low adoptions and grumpy volunteers and employees.  I think some people forget that this is NOT an animal business but a PEOPLE business.  I deal with people far more than I deal with the cats. 

Smile, dammit!  :) 

Maybe I'm being too harsh.  Maybe I'm envious because they have a shelter. (*wince*)  What am I thinking?

Shackin' Up.

In just a  few short days, kitten season arrived.  Kittens are starting to pour into local shelters with a vengeance.  Sadly, they often arrive 1 week old and missing their Mom.  Fortunately, we have a few nursing Mom cats and they have been  amenable to taking on  a few surrogate kittens.

With kitten season come the phone calls.  Every young couple who are starting out want something that they can share together.  Which brings me to the dilemma that I have every year:    How long do boyfriends and girlfriends need to be together to be considered a stable relationship for a kitten?

I've wanted to write this post for years, but have worried about offending people.  We have amazing foster parents who live together and aren't married.  Living together doesn't negate their commitment for each other.  I'm not talking about that.  

I was speaking with my sons  - ages 22 and (almost) 25 years old.  They're both single.  Apparently, living together is the next step after you've been dating for a while.  THEN engagement and marriage.
OK.  I'm old.  But I'm flexible.  I can live with this.  But how do I screen adopters?  I'm guessing that about 35%-50% of adoption calls that I have received over the past 2 weeks have been from couples that want to adopt and are unmarried but share a home. 

This is a problem that I've wrestled with for years.  If a couple are 20 years old and have been living together for 6 months, are they less responsible or stable than a 20 year old couple who has been married for 6 months?  I guess it all depends on who you ask. 

When I'm screening a prospective adopter, I can't ask people who aren't married "How long have you been together?", because I wouldn't ask a married couple that question.  I've become sneaky about how I can make an educated guess.  But I don't like that either. 

So I end up asking about their families.  "Have you ever had a cat before?"  The answer might be, "Oh yes....my family has 3 cats and Mr. Mittens died last year after 21 years!" 

Bingo!  That's a family that will pick up the pieces if the couple aren't able to commit for the next 20 years for a kitten.   I end up indirectly screening the family to insure the security of the cat!  There has to be a better way.

Let it be known that this isn't a moral issue for me.  Not in the least bit.  I've never turned anyone down for an adoption if they were qualified, loving and committed to loving the cat for the next 20 years.  Bottom line is:  There are NO guarantees with any relationship - married or unmarried.   But I go absolutely insane when I call these couples about spaying or neutering their kitten to find that the kitten is part of a broken home....."ALREADY? I just adopted to you 3 months ago!"

Holy crap.  I can't believe how offensive this sounds to me.  I sound like I'm 100 years old.  I'm going to hit "PUBLISH" on this post and I'd really like to hear what you think.   You don't have to comment publicly, feel free to send me an email.  I have a feeling there isn't an easy answer.   I can't be the only rescuer who thinks about this.  Can I?  If you can't find this post in a few days, I may have offended too many people.  :)

Kitten Season? Almost...

I wonder if every blogger (who has been remiss in blogging) begins every post with "Where has the week gone?"  I'm rather embarrassed that I haven't been writing as much.  It isn't that I haven't been busy.  I've been insanely busy! 

Every year I declare "kitten season" when unwanted kittens start pouring into the shelters.  Sure, kittens are showing up on Craigslist and other online classifieds, but they're finding homes.  It's when litters are being born and the surplus of available homes fills up  - that's "Kitten Season" to me.   I hate those online classified ads.  It's 'first come, first serve' - ' pick up yer kitten today!'   They don't care who takes them.

We've taken  in quite a few surgical cases lately.  We have two cats (unrelated) that need major eye surgery and a couple  of kittens whose hind legs don't work properly.  This morning, I'm picking up one of our kittens who appears to have been "smooshed" and his rib cage is  either caved in or non-existent.  Poor little guy.  I'm interested in hearing what the vet says. 

As kitten seasons approaches, (or as some think "it's already here!") I need to stockpile a little bit of cash from any donations that might in just to make sure I have enough to get through to October.  Kittens are expensive!   It's not the freaky surgical problems, but just dealing with a kitten's bad case of diarrhea can really create a big dent in the rescue's budget.

Speaking of "budget", David and I have been car shopping again.  Right now, our primary car is an SUV.  No thanks to David's retirement, he's been documenting our gas consumption for the rescue and has determined we spend $250.00 PER WEEK on gas just transporting cats!  Holy shit, that was a sobering number.  David looks at me with "tsk tsk" in his eyes and then with horror when he realizes that we're over the kilometers on our lease.  We also have an ancient Ford that David used as commuter car, but it's so unreliable and I won't drive it because it smells like vomit.  (Don't ask me why.) 

Soooooooo.....we're parking the SUV for a while, and buying something "gas efficient" and "inexpensive" - three words that don't resonate well with me.  David is trying to get me to muster some enthusiasm for a new car, but I'm trying to figure out how many cat carriers I can get into these economical cars.  My old sports car used to get 21 cats in carriers in it, so my argument against a small economical car isn't working. 

Fortunately, kittens are small and this is a ridiculous "First World" problem.  I think I can cope ;)

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....

It's Over

Almost 10 months after her diagnosis of having four weeks to live, our little Maggie is gone:

At almost 15 years old, she was ready to go.  David and our son Will took her to the vets this afternoon and she went peacefully.  

Like anyone who has lost a loved one, my heart hurts.  I've been anticipating her death for months, so maybe it should be a relief.  But it's not.  The last month meant daily accidents in the house and carrying her up and down the stairs.  We heated "people food" for her and there was nothing she asked for that she didn't receive. We wiped her face, wiped her butt and wrapped her in warm blankets at night. 

So now we grieve. 

A friend posted this from an unknown author on my Facebook page a few moments ago.  (Thank you, Renee - it's beautiful:)

"It came to me that every time I lose a dog they take a piece of my heart with them. And every new dog who comes into my life, gifts me with a piece of their heart. If I live long enough, all the components of my heart will be dog, and I will become as generous and loving as they are."

---Unknown

"Wilson"

I never respond to online classified ads for people giving away cats.  Why would I do that when there are cats dying in the shelter?  But I still surf the ads anyway and came across an ad that made me stop in my tracks:

"Kitten must be gone in 2 hours"

Nice, eh?  You would think at this time of year it wouldn't be too hard to find a home for a kitten.  So I sent an email.  The response was immediate.  "Sure.  Here's my address: XXXX"

No questions.  Nothing about me or if I was going to torture the cat, or give "it" a good home.  Nothing.  The address was in an awful area of the city, so David and I left right away and arrived at what I can only describe as a crack house.

Maybe I've been part of La-La Land for too long, but I know  a shitty area when I see  one.  They had several unfixed Pit Bulls in the house  and 2 unneutered male cats.   They didn't know I was  with a rescue and they didn't ask.

She brought out a frightened little guy that she said was 2 months old.  He is probably closer to 5 months old.  The lady told me that the kids play with him and he's very sweet.

He *IS* sweet and is safe and sound in my "cat room"  spare bedroom in the house.  Poor kid took a while to come  out from his carrier:

He's a Polydactyl and I named him "Wilson".  I was trying to figure out a name that didn't sound good with "Turner", but I may have failed.  LOL

Since I thought he was 2 months old, I had set up the spare room with my "kitten litterbox".  Sherman thought it was WONDERFUL and was happy to wait for the new guy to come out and play:

Sherman looks like a chicken sitting on a nest!
Looks like I'm back to fostering again.  I don't think Wilson will last too long on our website.  He has HUGE HUGE feet - not just from the extra toes and I'm wondering if there's some Maine Coon in those genes. 

Welcome to The Turner's little Wilson.  :)

A Rescue and an Update

There are some rescues where I can pick up a bunch of cats  and don't hear a peep out of them for the entire length of the trip.  But today was a different story.

A fellow volunteer and I went to the shelter this morning and rescued four adult cats!  I swear, we no  sooner got out of the parking lot and they ALL  pooped  and barfed in their carriers.  I've never heard so  much howling and overall "pissed off" than I have for the entire time our trek.  When we arrived to our destination, they all left their carriers quietly, feverishly trying to clean themselves as they walked.  Each one looked  basically apologetic,  "So sorry for the mess,  Ma'am...thanks for the rescue!"  *sigh*

On the way to the shelter we dropped off "Cupid" the white guy that I wrote about on the last blog post.  (If you missed it, you can read about him here. )  Cupid is getting neutered, and having some dental work done.  "Dental Work".  How I hate hearing those two words together.  It's such an expensive procedure for any rescue.   Usually, dentistry is anywhere between $500.00 - $1500.00.   Poor guy must have been in so much pain with the broken teeth.  We certainly can't leave him like that!  

Thought you'd enjoy a little look at Cupid's "Day of Beauty" before and after pictures:

I think it's VERY brave to put an UNKNOWN adult cat into a bath!  But he was extremely sweet and even purr'd through the whole thing!   The water was obviously black from the filth this poor guy has been sitting in for so long.  He must've given up grooming himself.  While he's under anesthesia, we've asked for a "lion's cut" which should make him look even cuter - and  certainly feel better. Whomever adopts this guy is going to be fortunate indeed! 

We also recently trapped and rescued  a VERY pregnant Mommy cat who had obviously been dumped outside.  The trapper said she had been around for 4 months.  Poor little thing isn't feral.  She just forgot what it's like to be loved.  We have a new foster family that stepped forward and offered to foster her and her new kittens.  This is how she looked when she was first rescued:

She's a tiny thing.  Maybe 1 year old.  She cautiously lifts her head into your hand for love.  Who  could just throw her out like garbage? 


I'm really enjoying helping some of these tougher cases lately.  Can you tell?  :)

Another Rescue Rollercoaster Day

Today was truly a rescue rollercoaster ride.  Why is it that I can get up in the morning with ONE thing that must be done for the rescue and end up spending the day doing so many unscheduled things?

I knew I was supposed to take "Lady" into the vet today.  She was rescued from a man who believed that cats should be "natural" - unspayed/unneuterd and if "coyotes eat them...it was meant to be".  Needless to say, the kitten I rescued from him had a major eye injury that is now going to require surgery.  "Natural.  My ass."

When I arrived at the foster Mom's home to pick up Lady, her face said it all;   The kitten she had been working with and working with was  dying today.  Poor Clarence had been to the vet a zillion times and nobody knew what was  wrong.  His viral tests were negative and he hadn't been thriving for 4 weeks.  He was  never really suffering - until today.   So with a heavy heart, I took "Clarence" for his last vet trip, along with "Lady" who needed surgery:

 Clarence looked like a robust kitten in this picture.   But his little body could not longer sustain him and my heart broke into a million pieces.

I picked up 4 kittens from a rescuer and met up with two excited foster parents.  The kittens were tiny and insanely cute.    Being a "rollercoaster rescue day", it shouldn't have surprised me when an email came in from the foster Mom that said that one of the kittens wouldn't put down his little foot and was  walking on 3 legs.  *sigh*:

I received a phone call about a cat that was outside and needed help.  Apparently, he had been hanging out around the area for more than  2 years.  Suddenly, the people were worried about him since he started to look so bad.   They didn't know if this cat was a male or female.

Our volunteer arrived at the property to find a very pathetic white cat with gorgeous eyes.  He had several abscesses on his face, was horribly matted, and limping:

I'm always so nervous taking cats like this.  I didn't know if he or she was going to be nice or if he (or she) was going to be adoptable.   I was starting to spin out about the whole thing when an email arrived from the his/her rescuer.  It was simply put:

"It is an intact male with small balls. He has a gash on his ear. I cleaned his ears, trimmed his nails washed his face and checked his bum. He purred the entire time."

I laughed and it felt goooood.  :)

February Freedom

I've been working with the public quite a bit more than I usually do.  I'm finding myself answering urgent pleas and returning calls from the public who  have found a cat and need help.  Because I'm generally not very trusting of people who want help with cats, it's a big step for me to call these people back. 

It's a beautiful time of year for cats that need help.  In July - nobody will have time or space.

I received a call from a lovely sounding older lady that reported she  witnessed somebody "fling" a cat out of a car window.  What makes  people think that it's  OK  to throw a cat out of a car window?  Apparently, the finder of the cat is highly allergic and not very internet savvy on how to search for help, so this poor kitty spent the night in a box on her front porch.  I  can't imagine how cold she must've been.  (Probably  warmer than she would've been if she hadn't been discovered)  The finder found how to reach me the next day and  this poor angel spent her last night as  an unwanted, abandoned cat:

She's happy and safe (and apparently VERY VERY sweet) in  a foster home.  Now I can  only hope she's not pregnant. 

We also rescued  a very lovely little dilute calico at the "high kill shelter".  She's quite pregnant and were praying she doesn't deliver her kittens while she's got the shelter's standard viral infection:

I put out an urgent plea for donations for her.  The cost of taking care  of these  kind of cats is so high.  I'm grateful that some generous souls stepped forward to help.

Our adoptions have been very high this month.  We've adopted out 30 cats and kittens this month and it's only the 11th!  I love knowing that I have the freedom to rescue more.  February is kind of the gravy month - not much sickness and many adoptions.   I just paid an $8000.00 vet bill today so am truly happy to have a little bit of gravy to help with expenses.

One of our volunteers innocently said to me today,  "Gee Beth, it's almost kitten season already!"

"NOOOOooooooooo!"  I am not ready.  Nope. Nope. Nope.  Not ready.  I'm enjoying my freedom.


 

The Other "F" Word.

We had to say goodbye to another kitten with FIP.  

Saturday must've been a horrible day for "Dustin's" foster Mom.  Nobody should have to hold a kitten while it's put to sleep - certainly not somebody who VOLUNTEERS.  Saturday should be a day  off from work for this foster Mom - a day of cleaning house or shopping.  NOT holding a kitten while it peacefully passes.  Fostering it supposed to be fun, but it isn't always.  This foster Mom can certainly attest to that.

If I never hear the initials F-I-P again, I'll be happy.  The past 6 months have even brutal for all rescues and veterinarians regarding this fatal disease.  I learned more about FIP in 6 months than I have in 20 years of rescuing. 

Strange, but I think  I've only seen 5 cases of FIP in 20 years.  Over the past 6 months, I'm afraid to count how many.  I can't imagine why that's the case.  Now I'm completely jaded and am worried about every kitten who has a pot-belly or seems quiet.  It used to be a pot belly on a kitten indicated worms, a big meal or a kitten that needed to poop. 

We've had SIXTEEN awesome adoptions in TWO DAYS.  I should be rejoicing!   The cats and kittens went into amazing homes and will be loved forever.  But I'm worried and pray that they're OK.  I'm sure they'll be fine.  They've all had vet exams and have been lovingly cared for by our foster parents.  But this stupid disease takes no prisoners and doesn't seem to care who it takes. 

Apparently, they're working on a new drug for FIP.  It can't happen soon enough for  me.

Ho-Hum. Seriously. Ho-Hum.

It was really wonderful to have a reprieve from the frigid air yesterday.  The thermostat said 14 degrees celcius (57 degrees Fahrenheit) and watching the squirrels frolicking yesterday as if it were Spring was a lovely change.  I imagine that the homeless cats who live outside felt the same way. 

Today, I woke up to blustery gusts of freezing wind and my heart hurts for the cats outside that are (no doubt) huddled under cars and dumpsters.  I wish I could enjoy cold weather like other people.  I end up worrying about animals outside.  My 140 year old house bravely stood up to the wind last night as my cats snuggled into the quilts on our bed.  It isn't fair.

I feel like I've been glued to the computer over the past few days.  Between closing out the books on 2012 for the rescue, adding more cats to our website AND going into Petsmart two days early, it's been an insane couple of days.  I'm always so grateful for our volunteers.  There's no way I could do everything myself. 

I'm spending the afternoon picking up cats and kittens from volunteer foster parents and bringing them to our Petsmart Adoption Centre.   It's a stressful time for both foster parents and the cats.  We have some foster parents that say "NO WAY is my foster baby going into a Petsmart store."  I'm way ok with that - we're a foster-home based rescue FIRST.  Petsmart is a luxury :) 

David and I rescued 8 cats over the weekend.  It's hard to believe that I used to rescue 20+ cats alone, because rescuing 8 seemed like a big deal to me.  I love that David's retired and can help me.  Certainly it's nice to have somebody to moan and groan with when  a startled cat poops in his carrier.  :)

At the risk of an already dull blog post this morning, I'm going to push the "Publish" button and hope for something interesting to write about tomorrow.   Lack of sleep last night has dulled the mind!

Thinking about Dexter

There are so many things I don't say about my life in cat rescue.  Things I wish I could say but I'm not an "anonymous" blogger.  :)

I woke up to my cell phone ringing by the bed a few days ago.  It was 8:30 in the morning.  Nothing good happens at that hour and by the time I cleared my blurry eyes the call had gone to voicemail.  I remained in bed  and listened to the message.  At first all I  heard was a foster parent trying to announce her name through tears.

My heart broke.

"Dexter died last night of a cardiac embolism"

The worst part is that the foster parent had JUST adopted him.  This particular foster parent has been fostering with me for TEN YEARS.  She never adopted one....until now.

At least Dexter died in his Forever Home.  He was truly loved. 

Sometimes I wish this blog could just have cute cat pictures or videos.  Certainly I have enough material with just The Sherminator:

The last picture was taken when we had an alarm company installation yesterday.  Sherman wouldn't leave this guy alone and insisted on sitting on his paperwork, biting the ends of his pen and knocking his brochures to the ground.  Fortunately, the installer had 2 cats of his own and was amused with Sherman.

For a long time I  had wondered which cat was playing in the toilet.  Sitting on a wet toilet seat when I occasionally use my son's washroom is disturbing.  I could never catch the little bugger that's playing in the toilet until yesterday....


It feels good to talk about something that makes me laugh. Cat rescue is a lot of things - but usually not funny.   As I've always said, it's one big emotional rollercoaster.

 I'll try to focus on "funny" today, but my heart will be thinking about Dexter and his Mom. This is a cat rescue after all. 

The *Unusually* Rude

I'm back from my four day family visit with The Parents.  It's always nice to see them, but just like any trip that takes me away from home, I'm happiest when I arrive through my front door.  As always, my son took care of the family pets and our hardworking volunteers took care of the rescue in my absence.  It's definitely getting easier to leave knowing that everything will be *handled*. 

Very few things in rescue make me visibly angrier than when an adopter mistreats one of our volunteers.  While I was away, we had an adopter not show up to an appointment to meet one of our kittens in their home.  No phone call.  Nothing.  Just didn't show up.   People don't realize that our volunteers  MAKE TIME for the appointment.  They  clean their house, and fret about their beloved foster leaving their care.

Yesterday, we had  an adopter stay at a foster parent's house until after 11 pm - FOUR HOURS!  In the end, she pulled out catnip and the cat became overly stimulated  and bit her really hard - drawing blood.   Needless to say, she didn't take the cat home.  But c'mon - FOUR HOURS?  I had to wonder how long she would've stayed if the cat hadn't bit her.  (*snicker*)

I suppose this blog post isn't a plug for fostering.  But I must say that in the 20 years that I've been doing this, I think that we've only had about 5 unpleasant incidents like this.  People are generally kind, courteous and very very polite.   I have no qualms about telling an adopter that the "interview is over" -  especially if they aren't going to adopt. 

The good news is - we had NINE adoptions while I was gone for the 4 days!   I was busy updating the files and working the administrative crap stuff today.  So much going on and the rescue phones have been busy. 

As I'm about to push "Publish" on this blog post, I hesitate because of the negative comments (above) regarding fostering.  But I've always given honest viewpoints in this blog and will continue to push "Publish" without soft-pedaling the text.  

I couldn't complete this post without saying how much I appreciate those of you who give an opportunity for a 2nd (or 3rd or 4th...) chance for  any  animal to be loved once again.  Every foster parent who gives their time, their home, and their heart to the unloved, unwanted and homeless animals deserve to be treated with respect, care and kindness.  In our rescue, I wouldn't have it any other way.

More Unwanted

I'm leaving tomorrow for 5 days -  Heading to Seattle to visit my parents.  I wish it wasn't such a hassle to get out of town - I'd travel more often.  Fortunately, my youngest son is babysitting cats and our senior dog.    David is coming with me.  It'll be nice to see my parents and just as nice to see "Buddy", their overly spoiled Rat Terrier. 

I had a disgusting moment today when I heard that there is a woman who is currently searching the online classified for kittens to use for her birds of prey - for food.  I wonder how many people she's fooled into giving her sweet defenseless kittens only to be used to train  her red tailed hawks.   We've all heard the rumours about people collecting kittens to use for snake food.  But kittens to be used  to train hawks??  That's a new one for me.  Those of you in the Greater Toronto Area - please  spread the word about this  woman. 

We rescued a Mom cat and two kittens today.  They came from the public - something I so rarely do.  When I arrived at their "home", it was a nice young man that (for a variety of reasons) could  no longer care for this little family.  It was the Mom cat's 7th litter.  SEVENTH litter  and she is only 2 years old.  Disgusting.  I kissed her little calico face and whispered to her "You'll never have to do this again." When I picked her up, it's very  apparent that she's  pregnant again.  *sigh*  I hope I'm wrong -  a vet will be able to tell  me.  But it sure looks that way to me. 

I'm feeling a bit melancholy tonight.  I think going into other people's homes and seeing firsthand their lack of care for their animals saddens me.  What would this guy have done if I hadn't bailed him out?  He had the Mom cat since she was a kitten  and didn't seem remotely sad that she was leaving his home.  I just don't understand that. 

While I'm away, our volunteers will be back to the shelter to rescue.  I like to hear who they end up with and to  hear their enthusiasm.  It's contagious!  

The Stack

As I type this, Boo-Boo is still at the shelter.  I never heard back from the woman who showed interest in her.  Fortunately, she will not be euthanized at this shelter unless she becomes unadoptable or seriously ill.  But she continues to become  depressed in a cage and I think she's adorable - in a homely-fat-cat -sorta-way.   Many thank you's to all who inquired about her.   I won't give up on her until she's out of a cage.

I rarely get really angry at any of my cats or dog.  But when I heard a huge CRASH yesterday in the kitchen, I knew that nothing good had happened. 

I was right.

Walking downstairs, I saw a scatter of cats with *poofed* tails.  Only Sherman remained at the scene  of the crime.  On the floor was my favourite vintage etched mirror.  I spent (what I thought was)  a small fortune on it and it had been laying on the kitchen counter waiting to be hung later this evening.  There was glass everywhere and Sherman looked ridiculously guilty.  My favourite mirror - oh how I LOVED that stupid mirror!!  I'm so angry with Sherman!

It's hard to be angry with something that cute.  *sigh*

I spent the majority of the day closing out 2012 in my office.  The amount of paper that accumulates with this rescue astounds me!  Adoption files, veterinary files, tax stuff, foster applications....blah blah blah!  But looking at my "stack" of adoption agreements from 2012 was a proud moment for me. 

That  stack represents more than 600 cats who are now  Forever Home in 2012!  SIX HUNDRED!  I leafed through the names and fondly remembered most of the cats.  It's strange how quickly I can forget cats that had such meaning to me 8 months ago. 

I wish I had taken a picture of the OTHER stack on the floor near the adoption agreements.  That's the Veterinary bills for 2012.  It's twice the size of the adoption stack. 

C'est la vie!

"Boo-Boo"

I was back at the low-kill shelter this afternoon.  I knew I wouldn't leave with any cats today, but was there to make some choices for our foster parents.  We're fortunate enough to have a volunteer driver that will pick up the cats from the shelter this  evening and deliver them to their foster homes.

My shoulders sank when I saw that "Boo-Boo" was still there.  Boo-Boo is a homely overweight black and white girl whose  owner died  and the family left her there.  She came in with a very handsome brother who was quickly adopted.  (YES...*ADOPTED*....they have adoptions at this shelter...what a brilliant idea! (end sarcasm) 

Over Christmas, the shelter was loaded with people hoping to take a cat home for the holidays.  But nobody was noticing "Boo-Boo". She sat in her cage wondering what happened to her "mom"  and her brother. 

Even though they have adoptions at this shelter, Boo-Boo's plight was starting to really get to me.

As I type this blog post, I've been doing some matchmaking on Boo-Boo's behalf.   One of our adopters  who called in is looking for a particular type of cat and I think Boo-Boo might just be her girl.  I'm sitting here on pins and needles waiting for a call back to find out if the family wants to go to the shelter to meet Boo-Boo. 

Our rescue won't get any adoption money for BooBoo, but the thought of this chubby girl with tiny feet going to a home is making the effort worthwhile.  It's always worthwhile, right?

Sooooo...why haven't I rescued Boo-Boo and put her in a foster home?  I haven't had an available  foster home that can take her!  But I like her so much that I'm about to bring her home myself.  "Bowling Ball Cats" are a huge favourite of mine!   (Bowling Ball Cats = Chubby, round body with tiny legs and pea-sized head) 

I also wanted to thank those of you who sent encouraging notes privately and public comments about this blog.  I've definitely missed writing.  We had 98 (!!!)  adoptions during the month of December and I wanted to blog about it so badly.  LOL 

4:30 pm....no call yet about Boo-Boo.  UGH!   (Call...call...call)

Still Alive in 2013

It's been a LONG time since I've written in this blog.  I don't think I've ever gone this long without writing.  Certainly I would usually do a "year end" wrap up and a 'Happy New Year' thing.  I'm not really sure what's changed for me. 

I've been writing in this blog diligently since 2008.  It was intended to be a blog about my life in cat rescue.  It was never supposed to be an ongoing rant about the shitty shelter I was rescuing from, but I was looking at the videos posted and the comments I made (and were made about me) and realized that even *I*  was getting bored with the despair and lack of control that I had about the shelter.

When I started a more positive rescuing experience for myself and the rescue, I didn't realize what a shit storm of ugliness from (of course)  anonymous  posters who thought I had abandoned the high kill  shelter.   But that really  wasn't so.  One staff member from the shelter told me to STOP RESCUING from the shelter if I was going to bitch about the illness in my blog.  :) 

When my rescues became more positive  and encouraging, they also became boring for the reader and myself  - the writer!  "Yes, I rescued 5 cats from the low-kill shelter, they're healthy, cute and friendly."  

So I thought that perhaps it was time to discontinue the blog. 

I stepped on a huge pile of cat barf this morning in my bare feet on the way to the washroom.   It was during that not-so-delightful-half-asleep moment that I realized perhaps I have  more to offer this blog.  It might end up being more of the same, but I'm hoping it'll continue to give those few some insight to what we do and encourage those who are in the same boat.

It's been 5 years.  More to come....

Attention Mr. Mayor

I never include this kind of propaganda, but the video below totally *rocks* and expresses my sentiments about this "high kill" shelter.  I don't always see eye-to-eye with this group, but whomever produced this video was right on the money this time:

Turn on your sound and let's hope the Mayor of this ass-backward city will do something positive for the animals for a change.



 I understand that this shelter had a large "kill day" yesterday. No rescues were aware that the cats would be killed on an unusual "vet day" and couldn't rescue any of the little souls in time.

The Sick Ward

I've been SO sick all week!  It happens every year - always the worst time of the year.  It's probably just a cold - but holy crap - it's a cold that has really knocked me on my ass for the past 4 days. 

I'm not half as sick as the poor souls we recently rescued from the high kill shelter last weekend.  Every goddamn time we rescue from that place I throw my hands in the air and say, "I'm *DONE*"  But how could I ever say "no" to a volunteer who wants to help one, two or more from there?

The majority of these cats are brought into this shelter healthy.  If they don't leave the shelter dead, they  usually are  brewing some sort of virus or infection.  Here's the picture I received this morning from a distraught foster parent who chose "Zeke" a week ago.

  Zeke has been to the vets twice in 7 days.  He was left at the vets today to be on IV, and get more intensive care.  He's going to die unless he receives this care.  He stopped eating a week ago - right after rescue.  The blood you see in his nose is due to Calici virus - ulcers are all over his tongue. 
If I lost my cat and picked it up at this shelter 2 days later (they are able to kill them on day #4) and I got stuck with $1000.00+ vet bills  because of a f*cking virus that runs rampant at that shelter, I'd be royally pissed. 

Truthfully?  I *am* royally pissed.  So are the other rescues who want to help the  cats at this shelter.   I received a  lovely donation recently and every dime of it is going to go to help this one cat. 

I feel like billing The City for the care of this cat.  Ha. 

It's been a while since I  vented about this  shelter.  Maybe I was due.  We've rescued 30+ cats and kittens in the past 14 days from the low-kill shelter.  The majority of them were adopted IMMEDIATELY because they were healthy.

Why can't this shelter stop this constant barrage of sickness?  I want to help them.  I desperately want to be on their side.   I want to be enthusiastic when a volunteer wants to rescue a cat from this facility.   There are DOZENS of sweet cats like Zeke in this Animal Services that need rescue.  I don't want to walk away because "I can't afford it."  

/rant

*Home*

It's definitely been a few days of happiness for me and the rescue!   I'm trying to wallow in some rescue happiness while I have it!

After writing about the purebred Bengal named Seamus at the shelter, one of our own foster parents came forward and offered to give Seamus a temporary home.  It was obvious to this doting foster parent that Seamus was not just stressed but very depressed.  My heart sank whens he told me that she thought that Seamus came to realization that he was never going back home again.  God, how I hate hearing that.

But The Seamus' Story wasn't over.   A wonderful couple who read my blog came forward and offered to adopt Seamus! They already have a Bengal of similar age and understand all the Bengal idiosyncrasies.   My heart soared when they updated the foster Mom that he wasn't hiding and greeted them at the door - totally opposite of what the foster Mom experienced!

Seamus knows he's *home*!  Is there any better word than that?  Home! 

Speaking of awesome adoptions, my own foster kitten "Merry" was adopted within 24 hours of her picture on our website!  I hardly got to really know her :)  

Merry was my first foster in a long time.  Honestly, I think she was probably too young for my house.  She promptly tinkled on my new living room rug. (Of course, it's a WHITE RUG - what was I thinking when I bought that stupid thing?)    It wasn't her fault.  I need a foster cat old enough to make it downstairs to the laundry room litterbox.  I don't keep a main floor litterbox. 

Our volunteers were back to the high kill shelter on Saturday and rescued  2 adult cats and 2 older kittens and one tiny little 5 week old dude.  I laughed when I found out they were  ALL tabbies!

I don't think I've stopped smiling :)