tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-89925952024-03-13T14:08:19.761-04:00wildrunlife, liberty, and the pursuit of loose catsWildrunhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09076048481680534342noreply@blogger.comBlogger1667125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8992595.post-57898640176552277322011-10-16T11:13:00.000-04:002011-10-16T11:13:13.917-04:00Happy National Feral Cat Day!Farewell to Wildrun. Good morning to <a href="http://www.owlhousecats.blogspot.com">The Owl House</a><br />
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Please reset your links to the new blog!Wildrunhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09076048481680534342noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8992595.post-3577175021538175452011-10-12T12:47:00.005-04:002011-10-12T18:22:43.676-04:00Time to winterize!If you have feral cat shelters (or need to build some), here is a <a href="http://www.petfinder.com/blog/2011/10/12/create-safe-comfortable-feral/?utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=facebook&utm_campaign=Social+Media#above-comments">great video on winterizing.</a><br />
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<iframe width="490" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/wSwLZTp9mf8" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe><br />
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I've met Wheeler and I have to say it gives me faith in humanity to see an "adventure guy" holding and snuggling with a cat, and taking care of yard ferals. So often people who care about cats are stereotyped as ragged women who have nothing better to do with their lives. Wheeler has a LOT to do in his life, but he and Sara still take time out to make sure a living creature in his sphere is warm and fed.Wildrunhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09076048481680534342noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8992595.post-91382214685276302792011-10-11T21:41:00.001-04:002011-10-11T21:41:54.790-04:00Dumping catsI often guess that some of the fixed cats that show up on my doorstep, like Portia and Arthur, were trapped away from loving homes and <a href="http://www.lifewithcats.tv/2011/10/11/missing-cat-trapped-and-dumped-by-neighbor-safely-back-home/">dumped here</a>Wildrunhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09076048481680534342noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8992595.post-1112662195365501032011-10-09T14:06:00.000-04:002011-10-09T14:06:15.311-04:00Remember Simon?Clearly he knows how to get in the spirit of Halloween:<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Uga_bQjE8oo/TpHhy1kyJZI/AAAAAAAAEOo/arttBcluMwk/s1600/blogsimonbug.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left:1em; margin-right:1em"><img border="0" height="267" width="400" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Uga_bQjE8oo/TpHhy1kyJZI/AAAAAAAAEOo/arttBcluMwk/s400/blogsimonbug.jpg" /></a></div><br />
Here's his <a href="http://www.petfinder.com/petdetail/10414813">original pet profile. </a> Don't bother clicking on the video icon, as it doesn't work any longer.<br />
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Simon was one of those "I wish I could just keep him" cats. <br />
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Thank you, Cary!Wildrunhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09076048481680534342noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8992595.post-68782850523309830442011-10-02T23:15:00.000-04:002011-10-02T23:15:55.264-04:00A new Pauli photo from the home front<blockquote>"Enzo and Pauli seem to be getting along well. I wanted to share this picture with you. After a rough day of playing the boys were very tired! Here they are napping together!"</blockquote><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-cyjA5bGynl0/TokofHI7SuI/AAAAAAAAEOg/FngijHLYkKM/s1600/blogPauliEnzo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-cyjA5bGynl0/TokofHI7SuI/AAAAAAAAEOg/FngijHLYkKM/s320/blogPauliEnzo.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
It has been a great week for pictures. This summer has been a blur, and it sort of grounds things for me when fall rolls around and so many of these summer foundlings are safe in homes for the winter.Wildrunhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09076048481680534342noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8992595.post-71621593114797934252011-10-02T16:17:00.001-04:002011-10-02T16:18:31.023-04:00New slingsMy mother and my sister Kathy visited a few weeks ago. They both have made tons of cat toys for the crew. Kathy took interest in the <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Super-Pet-Ferret-Sleeper-Floor/dp/B0002ASBF4">ferret hammocks</a> that we've been using for the cats. I sent her an old one in the mail, and she sent back two "first issues."<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-NImCWMy-Tfg/TojGZpKAdfI/AAAAAAAAEOU/oEGPCEf1wTE/s1600/blogSlings.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left:1em; margin-right:1em"><img border="0" height="300" width="400" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-NImCWMy-Tfg/TojGZpKAdfI/AAAAAAAAEOU/oEGPCEf1wTE/s400/blogSlings.jpg" /></a></div><br />
One of them never even made it to a cage. An adopter saw them and ended up buying one. The second one I finally installed in Gawain's cage. I'm tracking how long it lasts, and whether there are any laundry issues, etc. so Kathy can improve on her design. I understand she as already made some changes.<br />
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I'll get a photo of Gawain in his hammock when he'll finally sit still.Wildrunhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09076048481680534342noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8992595.post-48718174028025233582011-10-02T16:13:00.000-04:002011-10-02T16:13:13.351-04:00Past Pauli photo I meant to post...Pauli winding his way through the guitar collection in his new home. I took this on the night he was adopted:<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-tj-saAtoIHI/TojFveNl6HI/AAAAAAAAEOM/GbK6TlG3QtU/s1600/blogPauliGuitars.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left:1em; margin-right:1em"><img border="0" height="300" width="400" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-tj-saAtoIHI/TojFveNl6HI/AAAAAAAAEOM/GbK6TlG3QtU/s400/blogPauliGuitars.jpg" /></a></div><br />
Faith sure misses him!Wildrunhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09076048481680534342noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8992595.post-1572409144545599142011-10-02T10:03:00.002-04:002011-10-02T10:07:22.172-04:00Kittens check in! Couldn't have done it without you.Awhile ago you endured <a href="http://wildrun.blogspot.com/2011/08/six-yes-six-kittens-abandoned.html">my rant about a crate full of kittens</a> that had been abandoned on my road. A number of you responded with donations large and small, and/or encouragement, to help get the cats fixed. I think you deserve the credit here! Five of the six are already altered (or in the case of one, scheduled to be altered) and in homes!<br />
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And not just "homes." They are the kind of good homes that send us back photos. Here's three!<br />
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"Frack" is now Mimi (a much-improved name)<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Sx5dDGScoxA/TohtbSrAiOI/AAAAAAAAEN0/uFVHQczc3nU/s1600/blogFrackMimi.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left:1em; margin-right:1em"><img border="0" height="295" width="400" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Sx5dDGScoxA/TohtbSrAiOI/AAAAAAAAEN0/uFVHQczc3nU/s400/blogFrackMimi.jpg" /></a></div><br />
Moses is Petie:<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-F1VsxIT2ExA/Tohtbv1Hc_I/AAAAAAAAEN8/K0WJMPGtnw4/s1600/blogMosesPetie.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left:1em; margin-right:1em"><img border="0" height="300" width="400" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-F1VsxIT2ExA/Tohtbv1Hc_I/AAAAAAAAEN8/K0WJMPGtnw4/s400/blogMosesPetie.jpg" /></a></div><br />
Orion is now Yoshie:<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-yn1FQ7EHdqE/TohtbsObL8I/AAAAAAAAEOE/rLe7olfwaIY/s1600/blogYoshi1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left:1em; margin-right:1em"><img border="0" height="364" width="400" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-yn1FQ7EHdqE/TohtbsObL8I/AAAAAAAAEOE/rLe7olfwaIY/s400/blogYoshi1.JPG" /></a></div><br />
Thank you again. I just wanted you to see the goodness you have wrought. And thank you to their adopters. Welcome to the Wildrun family!Wildrunhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09076048481680534342noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8992595.post-73602049334925918902011-10-01T09:03:00.001-04:002011-10-01T09:03:45.644-04:00I don't want a dumpster.But I may have no option. The garbage is piling up. Thank goodness I have the chicken coop in the barn to lock it all up in. The Barton Transfer Station is closed after being totally wiped out by the Flood, and all other waste disposal sites are for flood debris. "Home pick-up continues" but I don't have home pickup. I can't justify paying for the disposal of heavy heavy trash (cat litter) than I can fit in my vehicle. If I were to have to pay for bag tags for every bag of garbage I generate, my trash would probably cost me hundreds of dollars a month. You can only put one cat-box worth of cat litter in a single bag, and I dump 14 boxes twice a week.<br />
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Also, dumpsters attract critters and flies. In my nice cool barn, the trash stays fairly non-offensive. But out in the sun in a metal dumpster...not a good thing. Baking cat litter? This is not something I want to smell and I'm sure no one else wants to, either.<br />
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Maybe it's something I can just do in the short term. I just have no clue where I would put a dumpster where it wouldn't be the focal point of anyone driving up my quiet country road.<br />
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At any rate, I've made the calls to local trash removal companies, and we'll see.Wildrunhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09076048481680534342noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8992595.post-52371202200002633362011-09-30T22:17:00.000-04:002011-09-30T22:17:06.581-04:00Last two kittens in the cat facilitySmidge:<br />
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<iframe width="490" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/8awb-9aA2wY" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe><br />
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and Mariah!<br />
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<iframe width="490" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/obB0x5i9zbM" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe><br />
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However there are still three big kittens, and three tiny kittens, in the house. More of them tomorrow!Wildrunhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09076048481680534342noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8992595.post-11376635673295566332011-09-18T08:59:00.001-04:002011-09-18T09:00:19.009-04:00Orzo finds a homeI failed to note last week that on Thursday Orzo was adopted. His adopter ended up on a back-road adventure trying to get here, because a bridge was out, but Orzo is now safely in his home in Vestal (above the flood line, thankfully)!<br />
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I'm not certain why most of my adoptions are coming from Owego/Binghamton. I don't mind, because the quality of homes has been great lately. I assume I no longer get inquiries from Ithaca because locals want to support their own Tompkins County SPCA (a good thing!). But it does mean I probably should shift my advertising and outreach to the south.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Pme99Llzr6k/TnXrGK9lY_I/AAAAAAAAENE/w_TKt0cO5Ts/s1600/Orzo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left:1em; margin-right:1em"><img border="0" height="301" width="400" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Pme99Llzr6k/TnXrGK9lY_I/AAAAAAAAENE/w_TKt0cO5Ts/s400/Orzo.jpg" /></a></div><br />
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And for good measure, here is Orzo's brother, Beans.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Uh7wgjYAGbM/TnXrGPRHMdI/AAAAAAAAENM/6AtsOLfkBSs/s1600/Beans.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left:1em; margin-right:1em"><img border="0" height="400" width="335" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Uh7wgjYAGbM/TnXrGPRHMdI/AAAAAAAAENM/6AtsOLfkBSs/s400/Beans.jpg" /></a></div>Wildrunhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09076048481680534342noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8992595.post-122426555053648872011-09-15T22:38:00.003-04:002011-09-15T22:38:50.536-04:00<object style="height: 390px; width: 500px"><param name="movie" value="https://www.youtube.com/v/od-kA1ZMxFE?version=3"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always"><embed src="https://www.youtube.com/v/od-kA1ZMxFE?version=3" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true" allowScriptAccess="always" width="500" height="390"></object>Wildrunhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09076048481680534342noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8992595.post-63993282228536730072011-09-12T07:34:00.005-04:002011-09-12T08:20:08.670-04:00Lots of kitten inquiries, and here comes AutumnYou know fall is here, when your adoptees are trying on their Halloween costumes. Apparently Henry didn't think too much of his cowboy hat (Photo snitched from Audrey's Facebook page)<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ZyH5vei4ecw/Tm3pHbD349I/AAAAAAAAEM8/P_VUPxQt27M/s1600/blogHenry.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left:1em; margin-right:1em"><img border="0" height="400" width="300" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ZyH5vei4ecw/Tm3pHbD349I/AAAAAAAAEM8/P_VUPxQt27M/s400/blogHenry.jpg" /></a></div><br />
I've been getting a flurry of adoption requests, and it's hard to answer them because some of them are far away (how far away is "too far away for me to manage?"). It's tough saying "no" to people who are over 2 hours away, because they feel it must be something in their application, when in fact it's just the nature of the beast. If something goes wrong, I have a hard time arranging to get that kitten back. If she gets sick right after adoption, I can't afford to reimburse a vet many states away. If the kitten isn't altered yet, I have to follow up on spay-neuter and, God forbid, what happens if this kitten gets loose, like Tyler did? I have one potential home that is on my way to my sister's recital in Clinton on Sunday. That works out OK because I could visit the home, drop the kitten off, they can spend the day with her, and I could pick her up on the way home if they decided she wasn't a match.<br />
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Some people are 5 or more hours away, and they would gladly drive all the way here. If the kitten were altered, I might feel comfortable enough to let them take the kitten that day, if I can speak with their veterinarian, etc. and it is a very friendly kitten. But if the kitten isn't fixed yet, even with the best of adopters, "anything can happen." Heck, the best cat owners I know have had cats get loose through no fault of their own.<br />
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And what if the person drove all that way, and I ended up saying "no?" I very rarely say no, but I have in the past when the person clearly is not taking the time to listen to me, is pooh-poohing everything I say ("Oh, I'm sure he doesn't need to be shut up in a separate room. Our dog LOVES cats") or if the person is alarmingly rough with the cat (I've had that happen only once). I know people sometimes don't follow my advice, but I want them to be the kind of person who will at least sit and listen to it respectfully. I can usually get a good sense of a person on the phone before meeting them in person, but that doesn't give me a good sense of their mate or their children. <br />
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The general public is also getting more and more used to the idea of "roadside adoptions" (making all arrangements via phone and internet, and taking possession of the pet at a halfway point). Except in very rare circumstances, I am uncomfortable with these. Even if the adoption seems excellent, I don't like promoting the idea that this is a good way to do adoption. It can be in exceptional circumstances, but I am uncomfortable with it as a general practice. I have heard from the local shelters who end up with some of those pets (usually puppies)when the rescue (in a far-off state) can't take the pup back when the adopter gives it up four months later because the cute little pup has grown up into a big boisterous teenager. This is less of an issue with cats but still...adoption is adoption.<br />
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What adopters also don't understand is that there is a new kitten market out there. I have had people inquire who want to adopt my cutest dirt-cheap $50 kittens---to "re-adopt" them for $275 in low-kitten areas. This means I end up being extra-careful with legitimate adopters who just want to kitten to adopt. Good adopters don't understand why I'm being cautious--because truly good people don't understand that there are not-so-good people out there.<br />
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(If you just thought "Oh my God, people actually do that?" then you know why good adopters are also bewildered).<br />
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I've also had people who seemed like good long-distance homes pull out the night before or the day of my drive to their location. "Oh, we found another kitten at our local shelter last night. We'll send a donation for your time and expense." In 100% of those cases, I've never received a donation, and with adult cats, that means I've invested in a follow-up vet exam and second FeLV/FIV test that the cat would not normally have needed. I'm always shocked when this happens, because the person seemed so nice, and so enthusiastic. How could anyone say "Oh, sorry" the morning of adoption. Why did they GO to another shelter if they had confirmed an adoption with me?<br />
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There is no point bringing up all these situations with the good adopter who doesn't understand why I'm asking 100 questions of them. They just say "But I wouldn't do that." And they probably wouldn't. But because people have in the past, I have to weigh the well-being of the kitten, any my emotional well-being, against my assessment of their personality via phone and email. It's a tough call.<br />
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But let's not get too dramatic. Most often the issue is just spay/neuter. Spay/neuter is the foundation stone of stopping euthanasia in shelters. If a kitten is fixed, I'll even gladly drive them 4-5 hours to an excellent new home, if time permits. But if the kitten isn't fixed, there are too many loose ends and extra worries, and I just don't have time for extra worries. I can adopt an unfixed kitten to a home ten miles from me and know I can pick her up for her spay/neuter appointment that Friday, help find her if she gets lost, or get her to the vet if she starts sneezing two days after adoption. I can't do that when someone is far away.<br />
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There are so many kittens out there. We are not yet at the point--as with puppies--where spay/neuter has succeeded so well that someone must reach out a few states to adopt a homeless pup. If there isn't a fluffy kitten on Petfinder this week, there will be a fluffy kitten on Petfinder next week. I really want it to be MY fluffy kitten that people end up adopting, but sometimes it may not happen.Wildrunhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09076048481680534342noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8992595.post-4507361381345710482011-09-11T11:22:00.003-04:002011-09-11T11:36:39.922-04:00Goodbye Facebook (sort of), Hello Again BloggerLast week I stumbled across this article that states <a href="http://news.discovery.com/tech/seven-popular-website-dying-110825.html">Blogger is a dying web site.</a><br />
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I love my blog dearly, but have used it less often in favor of Facebook, which is more immediate. Until this week, that is, when Facebook shot itself in its foot by changing its format into this confusing mess that takes away all that was helpful about Facebook. They've split the news feed into "top stories" and "recent posts" and only people I visit frequently show up on the feed (I'm told I can change this, but it has not succeeded for me). They've added a ticker on the right, which means instead of getting all your info in a nice simple stream, you have two places to look. <br />
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I feel like the execs at Facebook enjoy herding their faithful users around like cattle every few months. "Let's see what they'll do if we make them go THIS way now..." "HAHAHAHA look at the hits on our help pages!"<br />
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Well, I'm not a cow, and <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pk7yqlTMvp8">cats are notoriously hard to herd.</a> So I'm jumping ship, even though part of my paying job is promoting social media. Blogs are, after all, the very first child of the Social Media concept.<br />
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I will use Facebook to keep up on my friends and colleagues who are there. Facebook is still the best, most immediate tool for instant information (vital right now, with people trying to find resources to recover from the flood). But it is now more of a corporate community tool than a personal one, and I find my friends, family, and adopters enjoy the blog more, anyway.<br />
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So stuff it. Blogger is far from dead!<br />
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I also appreciate the original, simple format of Blogger. I find that the fancier a blog format gets (whether on Blogger or any other hosting service), the less likely I am to read it. I want to click and read. I don't want to have to search around on sidebars, or wade through crap on the top to see if there is an actual recent post.<br />
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To those of you who have faithfully clicked here to find nothing day after day, I am committed to posting here again, as well as linking to blogs with a similar focus.Wildrunhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09076048481680534342noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8992595.post-54948691102451588282011-09-10T07:18:00.000-04:002011-09-10T07:18:08.683-04:00Kitten monsters...but cute onesToday, Saturday, will be a day of getting things done. I need to get photos of all these kittens to update their Petfinder pages. Their current photos show them as little furballs. I need to follow-up with people who have been emailing about adopting. Things are getting so confusing that I think I need to build an Excel spreadsheet to keep track!<br />
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Sunday I plan to be open for adoptions for anyone crazy enough to come all this way to see a kitten they can't pick up yet (because they won't be fixed until next week). Local adopters can take a kitten on foster-to-adopt, and they need to relinquish the kitten when his or her spay/neuter appointment comes up.<br />
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Don't you want to have this little paper-shredder in your life?<br />
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<iframe width="560" height="345" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/V4xFbD959eQ" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe><br />
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Yes, Kathy, that is your envelope. Your slings arrived, and I'll post on them today!Wildrunhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09076048481680534342noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8992595.post-69081310154033442752011-09-10T06:58:00.003-04:002011-09-10T07:32:01.302-04:00Humane Society of Binghamton Needs Help!From the Humane Society:<br />
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<blockquote>The Flood of 2011 forced the Humane Society to evacuate our 2 Jackson Street Binghamton shelter and temporarily suspend operations. All the animals have been relocated and are safe. We are now working on the first phase of the recovery plan in an effort to return to full operations as soon as possible. <br />
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We are aware the shelter sustained damage and have received preliminary reports of 4 feet of water in the building. The extent of the damage cannot be assessed until we are able to return to the building. <br />
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When we evacuated we were unable to take food or supplies and are in need of the following:<br />
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Pedigree adult complete nutrition dog food<br />
Canned dog food<br />
Purina kitten chow<br />
Purina cat chow<br />
Canned cat food<br />
Cat litter<br />
Paper towels<br />
Hand sanitizer<br />
Laundry Soap<br />
Dish Soap<br />
Large heavy duty garbage bags<br />
Towels and blankets<br />
Monetary donations are also needed. <br />
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All supplies can be taken to 1946 NYS Rt.12, in the town of Chenango (Next to Allen Veterinary Hospital) where we are temporarily housing the animals. Allen Veterinary Hospital is assisting us with housing some of our animals which is allowing us to provide a more comfortable environment for all of them. We are grateful beyond words! <br />
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If you have any questions, please send an email to bhumanesoc@aol.com. We will respond as quickly as we can.<br />
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The Humane Society would like to thank everyone for their concern and generosity while we, likemuch of our community, rebound from this event. </blockquote><blockquote>Thank you.<br />
Karen Matson<br />
Executive Director</blockquote><br />
In Spencer, NY, Wildrun will accept donations to take this upcoming Thursday when I finally make a run to Schoharie to drop off their donations. I'll go by way of Chenango.Wildrunhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09076048481680534342noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8992595.post-43071103365852910362011-09-10T06:41:00.001-04:002011-09-10T07:20:01.962-04:00Pauli keeps a pup in lineAs I had mentioned earlier, Pauli went off to his new home...just in time to be surrounded by the flood of the century. His house was up on hill, so hopefully his family is safe. I'll send a message off to them today.<br />
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Their dog was just too much for small kittens, but Pauli let Enzo know he wasn't going to arch up, spit, and run away like a kitten.<br />
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<iframe width="560" height="345" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/LNrdCPIp5Nk" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>Wildrunhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09076048481680534342noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8992595.post-60872422020674512482011-09-10T06:38:00.000-04:002011-09-10T06:38:35.210-04:00The most perfect kittens in the worldYes, I have more kittens. A young woman and her mother contacted me with the same old sad story. Someone dumped a cat last year. They listened to the Hater Advice and "didn't feed her, but she stayed" (Hey, Haters, do you know anything about cats? If someone dumps a scared cat out in the country, she's going to stay where there's a roof, not wander off into the wilderness for some mythical food bowl). She had a litter of kittens this spring that survived, and then this second litter that clearly was not going to be able to.<br />
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The young woman rescued the kittens and bottle-fed them as best she could (which was pretty good!) and I took them on the condition they get mom and the other kittens fixed.<br />
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On the up side, these have been the easiest kittens I've ever raised. The practically feed themselves. They are LOOSE in my bathroom. They stay in their little box on it's side, and then toddle off to a cat box with paper towels in it and use it. The kitten with goopy eyes cleared up almost immediately with eye meds. They roll, purr, and play. If they test negative for FeLV/FIV they will have been the perfect kittens. Knock on wood.<br />
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Here is one, eating dinner:<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="300" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/evi9Jg93w1s" width="500"></iframe>Wildrunhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09076048481680534342noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8992595.post-46725329524450416462011-09-08T21:08:00.002-04:002011-09-09T06:57:43.247-04:00Owego<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-_x1LA7ZKGTU/Tmlm7_SLHXI/AAAAAAAAEMs/a9s_RXeT-Cg/s1600/blogOwego.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left:1em; margin-right:1em"><img border="0" height="225" width="400" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-_x1LA7ZKGTU/Tmlm7_SLHXI/AAAAAAAAEMs/a9s_RXeT-Cg/s400/blogOwego.JPG" /></a></div><br />
It's just totally overwhelming. I didn't even know that Candor (just eight miles from me) had gotten <a href="http://www.pressconnects.com/apps/pbcs.dll/gallery?Site=CB&Date=20110908&Category=NEWS01&ArtNo=109080807&Ref=PH&Item=0">totally nailed.</a> And Owego is just drowned.<br />
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Post Note: I am fine, and the cats are fine. Some past adopters have gotten flooded or near-flooded or are stuck in their villages due to flooding.Wildrunhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09076048481680534342noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8992595.post-14262113015093965362011-09-08T16:17:00.000-04:002011-09-08T16:17:00.275-04:00"You've Received An Award!"Maybe you've received an email like that, and you are pleased and surprised. You put their little html graphic and link on your web page to proudly display that you are a "great cat shelter" or "great cat rescue" or just a downright "great person" or "great blogger."<br />
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Sometimes these awards are legit. They will usually mention something about you--an exact blog post you wrote, or something special you did. But quite often they are just a way for you to become a free portal to a web site that hosts Google ads. They want visits to their site generated by your page, so that visitors (your readers) will click on a Google ad and get them money.<br />
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That's all. Sad, isn't it?<br />
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So the next time your are offered an "award"..go visit the page offering it. If it hosts lots of ads, like Google ads, and especially if the "award" code is on their page available for anyone to pick up...it's no honor. They don't mind if just anyone lifts the code and posts their "award" because all they want is more traffic. They don't want to honor you. They want to use you. You'll often find that these web sites haven't even screened out puppy-mill ads from their Google ads (an option they have), and that this web site that told you that you do such great work rescuing animals, is actually making money from puppy-mill and for-profit breeder ads.<br />
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Does that mean anyone hosting Google ads is bad? Absolutely not. Just make sure if you are directing traffic to a site with Google ads, that you are doing so knowingly, and the ads are those you would want your readers to visit.Wildrunhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09076048481680534342noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8992595.post-34093558616927868922011-09-08T14:13:00.003-04:002011-09-08T14:22:22.766-04:00Last weekend...I met Stephanie and georg here to get their donations for the Animal Shelter of Schoharie last Sunday. And now it's underwater.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-C6ZsaMA_cgs/TmkFRAomh6I/AAAAAAAAEMk/Jhu7mqAj90k/s1600/PetesLegacy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left:1em; margin-right:1em"><img border="0" height="298" width="400" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-C6ZsaMA_cgs/TmkFRAomh6I/AAAAAAAAEMk/Jhu7mqAj90k/s400/PetesLegacy.jpg" /></a></div><br />
credit Alicia Rieselman, Facebook.<br />
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The Take A Break next door must be completely covered.Wildrunhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09076048481680534342noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8992595.post-66663995099539634442011-09-08T10:21:00.001-04:002011-09-08T11:27:54.299-04:00Worst over for me; worst to come for Owego/BinghamtonThe sun started to come up and I went outside to discover what I'm glad I did NOT know last night. The creek had relocated to travel down the road, and dumped back in across my field, just barely flooding the bottom of the barn. I pushed some logs out of the road so traffic could get through, then later this morning went out and shoveled off all of the debris.<br />
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If I had seen all that water last night, I would have had a fit. I'm glad I was oblivious.<br />
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I had three kittens slated to be altered at Cornerstone today. I was sure I could not get out, but I took my cellphone to check. It was worse than I ever could have expected. I couldn't even make it to the usual "you can finally get a signal here" spot, but luckily I could get two bars right where the flooding took the road, so I could let them know I wouldn't make it.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ZWK0Hp9p0Aw/TmjNpg7Jx9I/AAAAAAAAELs/q03ELLN1d-I/s1600/BlogFloodBackSideBarn.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ZWK0Hp9p0Aw/TmjNpg7Jx9I/AAAAAAAAELs/q03ELLN1d-I/s400/BlogFloodBackSideBarn.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-n59zv0L2W28/TmjNpq3lJEI/AAAAAAAAEL0/EB179n5Mugw/s1600/BlogFloodHowClose.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-n59zv0L2W28/TmjNpq3lJEI/AAAAAAAAEL0/EB179n5Mugw/s400/BlogFloodHowClose.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-2BKAV8T6Vb4/TmjNpxJAsfI/AAAAAAAAEL8/S7vgFbu-R-s/s1600/BlogFloodSittingSpot.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-2BKAV8T6Vb4/TmjNpxJAsfI/AAAAAAAAEL8/S7vgFbu-R-s/s400/BlogFloodSittingSpot.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-i8c35aypkqw/TmjNp8yyp1I/AAAAAAAAEME/TDB0_RQbdUg/s1600/BlogHVCreek.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-i8c35aypkqw/TmjNp8yyp1I/AAAAAAAAEME/TDB0_RQbdUg/s400/BlogHVCreek.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
This creek is normally so small you could travel down it in a kayak (if it were deep enough) and touch either side with your paddle. Seriously. Now it is filling the entire valley.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-jydDNOPsKBo/TmjNwMf_apI/AAAAAAAAEMM/8LD1LvpGbwc/s1600/BlogHVFloodBarn.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-jydDNOPsKBo/TmjNwMf_apI/AAAAAAAAEMM/8LD1LvpGbwc/s400/BlogHVFloodBarn.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Yy6oG4zgHEY/TmjOCMsiOzI/AAAAAAAAEMU/FKh-mVvbCiw/s1600/BlogRoadFloodHV.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left:1em; margin-right:1em"><img border="0" height="300" width="400" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Yy6oG4zgHEY/TmjOCMsiOzI/AAAAAAAAEMU/FKh-mVvbCiw/s400/BlogRoadFloodHV.jpg" /></a></div><br />
Time to turn around. I could get two bars here, so I made my calls, took photos, and chatted with the folks who got this far with me.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/--B-ITpK00gA/TmjOg-cr2FI/AAAAAAAAEMc/Qws6QOOkNCA/s1600/blogBridgeFloodHV.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left:1em; margin-right:1em"><img border="0" height="300" width="400" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/--B-ITpK00gA/TmjOg-cr2FI/AAAAAAAAEMc/Qws6QOOkNCA/s400/blogBridgeFloodHV.jpg" /></a></div>Wildrunhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09076048481680534342noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8992595.post-85563861064538310432011-09-08T03:13:00.004-04:002011-09-08T03:27:11.739-04:00This is awful<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-pykY0sz6EPo/TmgrFhbAnII/AAAAAAAAELc/e_f69ww_FpY/s1600/blogstorm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left:1em; margin-right:1em"><img border="0" height="354" width="400" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-pykY0sz6EPo/TmgrFhbAnII/AAAAAAAAELc/e_f69ww_FpY/s400/blogstorm.jpg" /></a></div><br />
I'm standing outside, and all I can hear is water, water, water as my two creeks roar down my hill. The water churning down those creeks may be carving out bridges and flooding out my neighbors. My house is up on a hill, and water goes through one side of my basement wall and out the other, so I'm in no danger of flooding. But so many <a href="http://www.pressconnects.com/article/20110907/NEWS01/109070414/Fearing-worst-Flooding-could-surpass-2006?odyssey=mod|defcon|text|FRONTPAGE">others are losing their homes tonight.</a> It's insane and sad.<br />
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I've never heard such a roar. All I hear is water coming from the sky, and water coming down the hill. Donna and Tim moved with their animals, and their mom and her animals, into the second floor of their shop. I called my sister last night--she was at a rehearsal miles from home, and I hope she was able to make it back tonight, and that her house doesn't flood yet again.<br />
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All these people losing their homes to the water, with insurance that won't pay a dime because flooding isn't covered...<br />
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Facebook is a lifeline. It's the only way to find out what's going on, anymore. <br />
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Stay safe, everyone. Stay safe.Wildrunhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09076048481680534342noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8992595.post-78061127321315491742011-09-06T22:29:00.001-04:002011-09-06T22:30:45.729-04:00I loooove this photo<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-kQVtxSbJf6Y/TmbWI3S0i1I/AAAAAAAAELU/kaxWiM0ArKs/s1600/ZuZuJasperLivingRoom.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left:1em; margin-right:1em"><img border="0" height="400" width="300" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-kQVtxSbJf6Y/TmbWI3S0i1I/AAAAAAAAELU/kaxWiM0ArKs/s400/ZuZuJasperLivingRoom.jpg" /></a></div><br />
I got some precious "human" time when I zipped over to Binghamton on Sunday for a donation pick-up at Pete's Legacy Diner. george (Tiger Tom's new mom) was waiting in the parking lot, and Stephanie (ZuZu and Jasper, in the photo) found me when my tiny Kia emerged from the shadow of george's SUV. We had breakfast and conversation, and then she sent me this photo of Z and J. Beautiful, isn't it?<br />
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In addition to supplies for the flood region, Stephanie also sent a window perch to replace the beat-up one in the cat facility.<br />
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I did not make it to Schoharie this weekend. My power was out at my house on Sunday, and Monday it poured. So I'm aiming for this coming weekend to drop donations at the Animal Shelter of Schoharie Valley.Wildrunhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09076048481680534342noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8992595.post-62103633148962691952011-09-03T06:41:00.002-04:002011-09-03T06:41:46.963-04:00Veterinary Practice NewsWhile this is a web page rather than a blog, it looks like they have daily updates, so I'm blogrolling it. I thought others might be interested. It's <a href="http://www.veterinarypracticenews.com/">Veterinary Practice News</a> at http://www.veterinarypracticenews.com/Wildrunhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09076048481680534342noreply@blogger.com0