Who we are

Cherry Street Cats is me (Robin), my husband Steve, Sandi, Michelle, Verena, Vinyse, Derek, Kent, and Connie, a group of dedicated cat lovers who care for a colony of feral cats in the east end of Toronto. I also have a great rescue team of Lesley, Joanne, and Susan. Together we do our best to make the lives better for feral and homeless cats and kittens. 900+ cats helped in nine years!



Monday, January 5, 2015

I hate winter and a mini-rant

All of us who care for feral cats despise the winter.  It's hard to feel happy inside all comfortable and cozy on a night like this knowing our ferals are outside.  Even with shelters they have to be cold. And the food freezes, the water freezes.  I am grateful though that the ground is dry and up until now it hasn't been that frigid.

I was worried about Bright Eyes, she hasn't been showing up as much lately but we saw her Saturday. We were feeding in the middle of that snow and rain mix so not as many cats appeared.  Lily oddly enough was frolicking in the wet snow.

I heard from Shannon tonight and Tonks is settling in well to his new home, and is Tinks to hers. Joanne's kittens are being adopted and now we just need to get Susan's tamed up.

I do need to rant just a little.  I had brunch yesterday with some old friends and one of them was telling me that they got a new kitten for Christmas.  Fantastic I said where did you get her?  The answer was from a breeder on kijiji.  Well actually a Bengal breeder whose unspayed cat got outside and got pregnant.  My friend, because she has a seven year old child and a dog, wanted a well socialized kitten from a home where she could meet the mother etc.  I had to bite my tongue but it was difficult, I didn't even ask what she paid for this kitten.  She knows I do cat rescue and didn't even ask me if I had kittens, or go to the THS or contact Toronto Cat Rescue or Annex Cat Rescue.   Now of course I'm happy this kitten got such an amazing home, but this is what rescuers are up against.  She's a smart educated woman who still bought a kitten from a breeder.  Argh!  Ironically at this time of year it seems there is almost a kitten shortage, but in just a few months there will be kittens being born everywhere that we will be scrambling to save and find homes for.

3 comments:

  1. I remember ranting about this twenty years ago. It never changes. :( You just have to do your best.

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  2. Well at least you don't see kittens (and puppies) for sale in pet stores much anymore. This is an improvement. I shudder to think what the stores did with them if they didn't sell before they grew out of their cute stage.

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  3. I had to bite my tongue but it was difficult, I didn't even ask what she paid for this kitten. flea pill for cats

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