Then there are kittens

I was feeling a bit down this week about Socks, so I went to visit Joanne and her kittens, nothing cheers a person up more than cute kittens.

These four were rescued about two months ago, and are doing well, just getting over a bout of giardia and then will be up for adoption.  Libby, Stewart are the tabbies and Nina and Natalie are the two black females, all very sweet.  Many thanks go to Joanne for taking care of them, I promised they would be easy, then they got giardia, which means lots of meds over a few weeks.  

Wouldn't it be fun to adopt all four!!! 

And now we are seven, RIP Socks

A month or so ago I noticed that Socks' chest was heaving and I was concerned but unable to trap him.  Then it seemed he was ok, and he has been eating but then on Saturday he was sitting out in the sun and it was happening again, and he was coughing and looking thin so on Sunday I trapped him and took him into the vet.

Sadly his abdomen was full of fluid which indicated FIP or heart failure so Socks crossed the Rainbow Bridge to be with his pals who have gone before him.  He did pretty well for a cat who lived his whole life outside, I don't know how old he was but at least 10 maybe much older.  We will all miss him!

Home on Sunday with the cats

January is such a blah kind of month, but I've been enjoying the milder weather and a bit of a break after a frantic month plus of catsitting.   We were hanging with our cats laughing at Seymour with his bag of treats that he "caught".

And this bunch was enjoying watching the squirrels, of course we feed them too.

Herb gets friendlier

Herb is a new cat that showed up somewhat recently, I got him neutered (of course), poor guy was terrified afterwards and I didn't see him for a while.  Now he's back and the other day he meowed at me and let me briefly touch him.  Now that was quite a surprise!  Sometimes neutering really changes their behaviour.  Herb's a cutie, I hope he sticks around.

This weather is crazy, freezing, now a thaw, then a freeze coming, the cats won't like having wet paws today, I don't know what they like least, the cold, the snow or the wet, they would probably check all of the above.

Winter sucks!

The last few days have been brutally cold, I worry for my poor ferals, but they are such resilient creatures, and thankfully have shelters and daily food and water, I shudder to think of the cats who don't have that.  Patches was out enjoying the sun yesterday afternoon and we saw everyone, Sadie was shivering, I wished that I could just bring her and all the others home.  At least it's not as cold today but now we have snow to contend with.  And it's only January 7!

These two, Bunny and Betty, are much luckier, they both spent the first winter of their lives outside, born in the fall, they survived, and now live a life of luxury.  They know the value of warmth and are the first to show up when we turn on the fireplace.

2017 year in review

Happy New Year to all, 2018 starts off cold, it's hard being a colony caretaker when it's this frigid, I worry about the outside ones but they have shelter and they come out to eat and more importantly for water.

It was the most stable year at the Cherry St colony, fortunately everyone made it through and for lucky Floppy, he got a home, no more cold for him.

 Sadly at the CG colony where I feed a few days a week, sweet Jill was hit by a car and died.

In our rescue and TNR work, it was busy busy busy.  I lost track of the amount of cats we trapped and kitten we rescued, but I'm sure we trapped close to 100 adults and kittens.  I know our efforts matter and make a huge difference, one colony we started in the spring with 12 adults was all done within a few months, now no more kittens.  We helped one group of cats living in a sketchy laneway and 80% were able to be adopted out.

And these cute babies found loving forever homes.

 Frankie was a tiny kitten with severe injuries to his legs, who was nursed back to health and found a home!

I look forward to another year of helping cats!  I can only do this because of the amazing team of people that shares this goal with me and I thank you all profoundly.  I must hit the road, I have cat sit clients and outside cats to feed, the temperature today is -11, at least there is sun, Friday and Saturday it's supposed to be a high of -19, it's certainly a real winter.  I'm grateful for all the ones who did get rescued who aren't outside in this.