Back at it

It's been full steam ahead this week (and it's only Wednesday), I trapped two cats Monday night, discovered more kittens, moved a litter of kittens yesterday, fed ferals, the usual kind of thing.  On Sunday I was feeding for Jackie and saw this lovely young cat, not feral.  I felt terrible, all I had was a carrier and couldn't get her and she hasn't been seen since.  I hope I can rescue her!  It's hard to save them all, my real job gets in the way.

Salty

 I was happy to be back with my cats, I always miss them when I'm away.

Blinky helps with emails

Ernie is the king of the cat castle

Since we were unable to find any cats last week when we were on vacation, we had to find animals of some kind.  We were fortunate that someone told us about a beach where a number of seals hang out.  There were hundreds of them on a sand bar, adults, babies, all bellowing away.  It was an awe inspiring sight.  I could have sat there all day and watched them.

I have some really good news to report.  Howie has found a home!  A great home with loving people and other cats to hang out with, guess where, with Connie, his foster mom.  I can't say I was surprised when she emailed me with the news today.  Howie could not have found a better home!  That's three cats now that she has adopted because I called and asked her to foster.  No wonder she doesn't return my calls anymore LOL.  Adopting is definitely one of the hazards of rescuing and fostering.

Cinder and Howie in his forever home

While I was away...

Steve and I were away this week on a long ago booked trip.  It was great to get away but relaxing isn't really one of my strong suits, and I found myself on my email frequently dealing with cat stuff.  I got back last night and did a meet and greet and the other adult from my recent rescue got adopted, so that's fantastic.

Joanne (thank you Joanne and Det for taking up the slack) caught these two cuties at Gloria's while I was away, still one more out there eluding our grasp and today was certainly not a good kitten catching day, way too rainy.

Storm and Blue

Cat rescue is funny, it's kind of addictive, and it's not really possible to walk away if you have ongoing situations and fosters but based on the meltdown I had before leaving I needed a break.  I was exhausted from rescuing, petsitting, the yard sale and then the Biffy news to top it all off.  Thankfully I went to a place where they don't have a cat crisis, in fact they had to bring i kittens, but the kittens brought ringworm with them, so we didn't even visit the shelter they have which is really just a house.  I don't even want to go near cats with ringworm, dealing with giardia in the past in my houseful of cats was enough.

Today I was back at it, feeding the ferals in the rain, and thankful that they all survived my absence.

Time for some good news

Although my grief about Biffy's tragic senseless death is not gone, I have to keep moving forward.  There are cats who need to be fed and kittens to be rescued.  Three five or six week old kittens have showed up at Gloria's, I'm hoping once I get them that they will be the last born there.

I can report some happy cats news, three adoptions since the weekend.  Pippin and Violet went to my vet Leslieville Animal Hospital to go up for adoption, wonderfully they were adopted together in just two days.  One of the adults I rescued just a week ago found a home thanks to Lorena.

So that is good news, great news in fact.  I help the ones I can, and will honour Biffy by continuing my work.

A good day ends badly

Yesterday started out so well, the weather was great, the sale went really well, thanks to Sandi, Connie, Carol, and Tory and the wonderful salesmanship of Robbin, Sandi's husband, we made lots of money to help our cats.  Steve had gone to feed the ferals and as we were in the midst of counting the money, exhausted but happy, my phone rang and Steve said I have horrible news.

Biffy had been killed apparently by a pitbull, but nobody at the yard would confirm the story.  The boat yard guy wouldn't give me a straight answer, and said he disposed of the body, but Harry said that's what happened.  Last year there was a pit bull chasing MC.  Now I love dogs but if I caught one harming our cats I would have taken a two by four to it.

We were all devastated about Biffy, I alternate between grief and anger.  I feel so helpless knowing I can't protect them and I worry about the others now.  Poor Biffy had just been to the vet all fixed up for winter.  The vet estimated her age at thirteen.  Teddy now only has Lily.  We could even see where she was killed, her blood on the concrete.  I've said it before but this is why I do all the TNR, so other cats don't have to live a feral life and meet a tragic end.

Sweet Biffy, RIP

Even though there are many people who don't care about cats, I'm lucky to meet many who do.  Thursday night I trapped two adults who had been dumped along with their kittens in a barren industrial area.  Of course they are tame, and I was despairing of finding fosters when out of the blue I got an email from Nicola, offering to foster.  The kindness of strangers....thank you Nicola now one of these cats has a place to go, and I may have a potential home for the other.

I'm still in shock over Biffy, she was one of my cats, and I mourn her passing, especially in such a violent manner.

Here's a picture of Betty and Lucy, two kittens who would have had the same life path as Biffy if not for the intervention of Maria.  These lucky two will have homes.

It's sale time!

It's time for our annual yard sale to raise money so that we can continue to care for all these cats.  We'll be out on Saturday from 10 a.m.  - 2 p.m. at 1101 Queen Street East selling whatever we can so that more cats can be saved.

Cats like Apollo, the fluffy tabby and white kitten in the last post, who was fostered for nine weeks, and went to the THS and was adopted in less than a day!  Cats like handsome loving Angus who has a skin condition, cats like Teddy from the colony who due to our care can live so much longer than they would on their own.

It all requires money, and I thank each and every one of you who have donated and continue to do so.  It's so touching to know that you care about the cats.

Apollo - adopted!

Teddy from the colony

Angus

I love kittens

These are just a few photos of the batch of seven kittens that I rescued and Michelle has been fostering. I visited them on the weekend to get my kitten fix.  It's funny, for the longest time I wasn't really a kitten fan and didn't gravitate to them at all.  I preferred older cats.  Recently though I've fallen for kittens, and I want them all.  It must be part of my mid life hormonal crisis.   Steve seems to think that we have enough cats in our house right now, and if you look at our recent vet bills you might agree with him.  It's still cheaper than kids, though.

 I'm especially in love with these two above and below.

A labour of love

Only for cats would I get out of bed early on a holiday Monday.  First I fed Puss, the cat I'm taking care of, then I drove off to rescue the mama cat and kittens that I got a call about the day before.

The very smart mother had stowed her kittens in a covered window well but that's no place to grow up.

My current hero, Michelle, who already has seven foster kittens, agreed to take this family in temporarily so they could be safe inside.

Mama clearly had a home at some point, when I arrived, she rubbed up against my legs, so friendly.  I just put some Fancy Feast in the back of a carrier and in she went, then it was just a matter of grabbing the kittens.  I think they are about three weeks old.  Easy peasy.  Now to find them a longer term foster home...poor Michelle can only take on so many.