Last weekend's ranking: "Very Good!"

Note: names and links still need to be added, and you can be sure there's a typo or two.

At the very last minute, I decided to throw together an adoption event for Petfinder.com's 15th Birthday. I wimped out a bit, and did not put my address in the press release, because I really wanted people to RSVP. We have restrictions on adoptions --- indoor only homes, etc. -- and it can be awkward for folks to show up and then be told that no, that can't have that kitten if they plan to let her outdoors. If they email or call, I can send an application and they'll know ahead of time.

Indeed one person who inquired went to the Cortland County SPCA and adopted a cat instead. That's makes me as happy as if one of my own were adopted. A rescued cat is a rescued cat!

This event was going to be held downstairs, to show off the new vinyl that took so many four-letter words to lay down, that I did not blog about it. I am so happy with it. It has entirely changed the look of the downstairs. Here is the floor before the cats from the house were brought out to grace my electro-colored cages, as my mom looks on (thanks, sister Kathy, for taking the photos!).

Tyler had been adopted earlier by Kim, who had adopted Hope this winter. She visited with Portia while she was here, and shared Portia's story with friends who lived in an apartment that required that cats be declawed. They arrived sharply at 1:00 pm as soon as we were open to the public. Portia lobbied well, and left to a new life!

Then Georg and Jazz arrived, having emailed ahead that they wanted to adopt one our long-termers. Afternoon is a really bad time to visit the shy cats. They all sit like lumps, hoping everyone will go away. TigerTom was no exception, but they chose him anyway. They had met him before, on an earlier visit a few years ago. I took some video of him that night so they could see that he really was, after dark anyway, a sweet cat:



TigerTom needs a vet check and a microchip before he can go on to his new life!

Georg brought along a whole bag of catnip toys she had made, which we immediately passed out to the cats. I have a great video of Morgaine playing with one, however it's not yet uploaded to Youtube.

In addition to adopters, Nancy, Brigid, Marina, and Lori came to visit and help, and my mother and my sister came absolutely laden with more homemade cat toys, and even a great plastic jar to display them. I also had all sorts of Petfinder swag to give away. Here's the loot we got, and the loot we were giving away:

After the event, I set the bag of toys down on the floor and stepped outside.

Thai got into them and gave them his feline seal of approval:

So three adult cats were adopted, which is HUGE. Jane from work posted TigerTom on Petfinder's Facebook page and he got 843 "likes" and 83 comments! The day before the event, a guy showed up at my door--cash in hand-- and had the old trucks hauled away within a few hours. We all had a fun time with the cats and having some food and good conversation.

Alas, but the goddess of fate can never let things go unchallenged! I went out to tuck in the cats at dusk, and waaaaaaay down the road I heard something that no one wants to hear:



I could hear the kitten squalling as night fell, far from the house, so I grabbed a crate, flashlight, and can of cat food. I didn't need it. All I had to do was keep mewing, and the kitten kept squalling. And there she was, in the grass just a foot off the pavement--- a three and a half week old Manx kitten with a bloody nose from being thrown out of a car.

She still needs to be bottle fed, and she has finally calmed down a bit.

So, down three cats, up one kitten!

This is why I don't like publicizing that I have a cat facility. Immediately after putting in the press release, I began receiving email after email from nice people who had had cats and kittens dumped on them. I still haven't been able to answer them all. And obviously someone figured they'd just bring me one of their own.

Still, it was an A-plus weekend.

More photos to come. Now I really want to just go feed that kitten one more time and go to bed!

Except I have to do one more thing: Check out the adoption counter at Petfinder to see how the numbers are rolling in:

Three of those ten THOUSAND plus weekend adoptions are ours, out here in the middle of nowhere, at Wildrun.