Adopter photos - Here's Quercus

Formerly the bearer of names "Goose" and "Bro" Hasn't he grown up into a handsome fellow? It's hard to believe it's been over a year and a half. Thank you, Sarah, for sending this! Schuyler County HS people, this is one of your rescuees!

Now go check out some "so homely they're cute photos where the Blogpound is rescuing kittens whose owners will doubtless send her handsome shots like Quercus in a year or so.

Blackbird spends the week at Cornerstone

Cornerstone Veterinary Hospital generously offered adoption space for kittens, so today I trucked over a table, cage, and kitten, to see if we can find Blackbird a home with one of Cornerstone's clients. She was a bit astonished by the first dog that came in (fittingly, a rescue dog for Cayuga Dog Rescue)but otherwise seemed OK. I'll have to give a call tomorrow to see how she is doing.

They also said it would be OK to put out a donation box so perhaps we can one day purchase one of these for a permanent adoption cage at the clinic. I want the s505 with stand

Tonight I noticed Wings twitching one of his ears and discovered he had ear mites. Usually I treat everyone with Revolution on a monthly basis (which kills mites as well as fleas and requires a prescription) but due to difficulty obtaining the amount I need, I've been using Advantage instead for fleas (which doesn't kill earmites, but can be purchased now without a prescription). So normally I don't have to worry about earmites. Well, now I do, and everyone is getting treated, and that's a LOT of ears.

That meant I was in the cat facility for hours (hey, if you are going to do ears, you may as well worm all the cats as well) and the cats loved it, especially the big cats. I spent a lot of time just sitting on the floor, cross-legged with a cat in my lap.

Mark is blogging...

...at the National Recycling Coalition Conference blog

And here's his bio. I can't believe he submitted this:

Mark Darling is the recycling/resource management coordinator for Ithaca College, where he oversees a comprehensive recycling program and food scrap composting facility. He also serves on NRC’s College & University Council Steering Committee. This is Mark’s first go at blogging, but his wife has a blog about the cat rescue they run.

"THEY run." It's official. Mark is a crazy cat person, too.

Big O has a caretaker!

This is Big O. I don't think I've blogged on him before. Nancy rescued him from her yard in the town of Ulysses, because he was beating up her cats. She (and I) assumed he was just another unneutered male who needed a little surgery to lighten him up, but once he got to the vet, they could handle him on the table (he wasn't aggressive) and he was neutered and ear notched. (Oh, yes, I did blog on him, didn't I?)

Well, Nancy put up posters and spread the word. One of the people she spread the word to spoke to another person, and the report of Big O's blue eyes got to his caretaker in Trumansburg. It seems while she was away, her landlord took it upon himself to trap and "relocate" outdoor cats on his property. The person taking care of her cats accidentally let Big O out, and he was trapped and taken to a property near Nancy. Trying to find his way home, he ended up at Nancy's house.

Lucky for him, she didn't just drive him off or ignore him like many people might have. Big O, whose real name is Stuart Little, is going home. Apparently he's one of the semi-ferals who snuggles in bed with his caretaker when she's helpless under covers, but plays keep-away when you try to touch him during the day. My little Norma cat is like that.

Oddly enough, I actually know his caretaker. She has been here for one of our "crazy cat lady" potlucks that I used to hold. And (more stupidly of me!) she even has a poster up at my vet. Stuart's picture wasn't on it, but the other cats she is looking for were. I would have felt silly as heck if he were pictured on it, because I've looked at that poster any number of times.

(Post note. Stewy's picture WAS on the poster, but his photo erroneously had "found" written across it so I didn't look at it. Argh!)

So Stuart is going home! Nancy and I are thrilled, because we really had no idea what to do with him. It seemed clear he was a "pet" cat by the condition of his fur and the fact that he was skinny along his spine and ribs. He also is very affectionate with me, although very skittish and scared of strangers. Putting him in a barn seemed wrong somehow, but I've got no room for a new cat in my cat room...especially one who might be aggressive with other cats. Nancy was going to take him back to foster, to see how he did in a smaller room, but I was pretty certain if he went to her house, she'd be stuck with another pet cat, since adopting him out would be difficult, but he's far too charming to resist.

So Stuart's tale ends safely. He's a lucky cat.

A cat Sunday

This morning Miles was adopted, so I got my butt out of bed to clean the house and the cat facility early (for a Sunday). Once Miles was safely on his way, I came into the house and told myself it would be a good day to return the hay barn cats. So out I went again, got the two recovered ferals from their feral dens back into traps, and loaded them up on the truck. I'm sure they are glad to be home. The little gray, below, was a cryptorchid. He's now another healthy neutered barn cat. The female has only one tooth left! She's got a few years on her. No more kittens for her! This barn also feeds wet food, but she seems to have no problem eating dry.







I then went downtown to pick up a new ferret hammock for the off-site adoption cage that we'll be setting up at my vet's, and some kitten chow. My current slings look a bit too shabby for a vet's office.

Then I treated myself to a newspaper, a cheese omlette, and coffee at Manos. $5.75.

I went to feed the fast food ferals, and got a rare glimpse of Vannie. Can you see her on the bridge? She's the same color as the leaves. She's such a pretty girl.



Click on the photo for a larger view.

When I went up to feed the South Hill cats, their feeding station was MIA. I hope Mark moved it. I left food at the same spot.

Luther (Jack) grows up.

Here's a shot of handsome Luther (renamed by Mark; he used to be Jack--I do believe this is his third name). We have him in the house with us and he's a joy. He plays and talks, and likes to lay next to you. He is has an Oriental body and beautiful glossy black fur, with gold eyes.

And not a single white hair on him.

Hey, Annette, your baby's grown up! Luther is the last of the kittens from Espie's litter.

Feeding the humans, too...

Tonight was the Empty Bowls Benefit Dinner for Loaves and Fishes in Ithaca. My friends Martha and Hilary usually host the wine table (Martha is a Finger Lakes winemaker) but they were going to be out of town. Martha requested the generous wine donations from Finger Lakes wineries (i.e. did all the real work), and Lisa and I agreed to host the table in their stead. Mark was going to be there, but realized this week he had to be out of town for a conference. It was a wonderful time with wonderful volunteers.

Local artist potters create bowls, and attendees chose their bowl and enjoy a dinner of soup, salad, and bread, donated by local restaurants (and the soups were incredible).

The couple who adopted Bro and Blackberry were there (musicians! I didn't know!) and they are doing great.

Jennifer and Gail of Kitchen Chair played the first set, but it was too busy at the wine table to get a photo of them. I don't get to see the two of them as often as I'd like.





I haven't been involved with Loaves and Fishes in the past. I was astounded with how fast and efficiently they worked, and how well they all got along. The guests were delightful. It was a great evening, and if I don't get to help with hosting next year, I'll definitely be there as a supporter/guest.



Thanks, Martha, for asking us! It was a great time.

Yawn...sorry....

Hey, sorry for the lapse in posting. Just like my kitten friends here, I've been tuckered out. I have email yet to answer, and cats to rotate after Miles goes to his new home and frees up a whole RUN (I believe some of the kittens will move in there). Many, many things to do.



Oh look, it's warmer if you lay ON your brother...

Miles has been adopted!

16-year-old Miles has been adopted! He's off to the vet for his pre-adoption checkup and then he's out of this 4x8 run to a real home.

I'll have to put a sign up on the front door of the cat facility so all the "walkers" on the road who say "hi" to him daily when they pass by have a few days to say goodbye.

Not really what we needed right now...

Six new kittens (and one raccoon today--big fellow!) But at least we appear to have gotten all the kittens so none are left out there alone. Three adults were fixed today (and eartipped and rabies vaccinated), and one already-neutered cat was vaccinated and returned. I had an appointment for two females, but the vet said they could fit in an extra male. Then one of the females "turned into a male" which was nice for the vet (less time to spend) and nice for me (less money to spend and the cat could be returned the barn quickly). So I still have one unneutered cat here with an appointment for next week. And there are maybe 10-15 cats left at the barn to catch. There are at least two who are not eartipped/neutered.

Tomorrow is trash day and it's going to be a huge load. Between cat litter, trapping trash, trap covers that were destroyed, towels that should be retired, and the junk that was kicking around my old quarentine room that I cleaned out, my truck will be full. I'm also going to put some stuff out with our "free" sign next to it, by the road. This stuff has gotta go.

Tristan is now Tyco...

Which is cuter? The cat or the toes? I'm having a hard time deciding, especially since the toes took the picture and sent it on to us!

Sign of the times.

I have a Yahoo account. I really like Yahoo.

For years, when I have logged into Yahoo each day, front and center was News.

NEWS!

Now front and center are neat videos. Just now I logged in and was treated to a link to a video of Lego-type people riding someone's neat homemade rollercoaster.

As a civilization, we are in real trouble. We've gone from News to fast-moving Lego people as Your Top Story Today.

The next time someone tells me I am a fool for helping an elderly person with 14 feral cats and kittens, I'll think of the dummification of Yahoo, and pat myself on the back for helping someone free themselves of the slavery of months and months of finding homes for unwanted kittens every single year.

Yahoo used to keep me updated on what was up in the world. Now I have to go click for news, but I can view "fun" videos without effort. In this new age, anyone who tells me I'm wasting my time "just" helping people with cat problem should go play with their TV remote for 1/2 hour, and then come back and tell me (really!) again that I'm wasting my time.

(Post-note, a.m. - What a little rant! :) I still love Yahoo, but I hope it doesn't slide so far into the entertainment league that it stops being my source for what's happening each day).

Meet the Big O

This is Big Orange. I suppose he'll need a new name soon, but he showed up at Nancy's house pummeling the tar out her pet cat and her recently neutered feral friend. We assumed he just needed a testicular excision. However upon his arrival at the vet, it was discovered that not only was he neutered, he was ear notched (I'm an eartip fan and we wouldn't even have thought to look for notch). So obviously testosterone was not the cause of his fighting itch.

So what to do?

Well, he has an upper respiratory, so that buys some time while we look for his owner. SOMEONE arranged to get him fixed. The vet figures he is seven years old, and to my knowledge, no one in this area has used a notch for about three years...although perhaps there is a vet who is still notching.

He can't go anywhere until he is over the snuffles. Until then, he is rapidly becoming a real smush. He can be picked up, petted, cuddled but...yes, BUT...he has that look in his eye that says "I'm only letting you cuddle me because I plan to murder you in your sleep and make my escape."

But he is SUCH a handsome boy. With Big Blue Eyes.

Pictures tell the story...

Thank you, Nancy, for your help, and for not laughing too much at me (I was a bit scattered today). (note: viewers should click on the photos to get the "vastness" impact).

And this barn has the biggest darned spiders. Shudders!

OK, OK, I'm up.

And there's a bear in the front yard. Really. That's NOT an excuse to sleep another hour. So I think I'll have a cup of coffee and wait just a little bit before packing up the truck, thank you!

I didn't think Nick (our indoor/outdoor cat) could get quite that fluffy. Impressive.

Trying not to be a morning wimp

I took off four half-days this week (working 11-3) so I can trap cats in the afternoon/evening and take them into the vet for vaccination in the early a.m. I made a vet appointment for T-F, 8:00 am, failing to take into account that I would be working a full day on Monday and would not have time to trap in evening for the Tuesday appointment.

Brain fart.

I nearly wimped out and said "Oh well, I'll call the vet and say I won't be in Tuesday a.m." Although I knew that if I got up early...REALLY early (like 4:00 am) I probably could set traps at one site and catch a cat or two before the vet appointment. And that would be a start.

There once was a time when I trapped "nuisance" wildlife every weekend and got out of bed at 4:30 with just a minor groan. I quite often set traps all night and slept in my truck (those were the days!) to vaccinate raccoons.

I'm getting old. Now I find it irrational to get up that early.

Anyway, when I was tucking in the kittens tonight I gave myself a good mental kick in the butt, dragged out all my traps, got my trap covers, paper plates, a plastic spoon, and came inside the house to crank open cat food cans and tuna (to pre-mix into Gladware so I'm not popping cans in the field) and I'm just getting ready to set my alarm for 4:00 am.

I'll set the traps in the morning and grab a few newspapers to camp my butt at Manos for a few hours. I can also go to the 24-hour Wegmans to stock up on bait cat food for the next few days. Maybe I can even find my ragged old Wildrun sweatshirt from my wildlife trapping days.

In case you didn't know, diner waitresses are really nice to early morning contractors. It's a whole different world. Even the nicest waitress is twice as nice at 5:00 am to the scattered crowd of working class men getting a cup of coffee. And I say men because, without exception, I have been in the only woman in the diner in the morning dark hours as the sun rises. And the waitresses treat me like gold. I want to hug them before leaving and say "You didn't just make my day, you made my LIFE."

Also...

I feel badly because today, for the first time all summer, I had to say NO. I got an email from a person who had caught some older feral kittens that had been running around their place since June. I started to think how I could fit them in...then realized there was just no way. No way at all. So I emailed back and offered to try and get them fixed at my vet's discount rate. That's all I can do right now.

I usually try to take all kittens from my immediate area, but these guys are big and wild so need an expert handler and lots of work. I can't just pawn them off on a small-kitten foster home. And there is no room here, especially since some of these re-vax ferals are going to be new ferals that need holding and fixing and the vet may not be able to fit them in until next week.

There comes a time when the line is drawn. Today the line was drawn. I've said yes to vaccinating 20-30 ferals this week. I have to say no to more kittens.

See you in the morning!

Coffee and Kitten Today, Sunday

If you have time for a gorgeous drive, please feel free to stop by today, 2-4. Please don't come early as I will not be here until 2:00. We have two new kittens (one has not yet been FeLV/FIV tested but can be pre-adopted) and eight others still available!

If you aren't up for adoption, feel free to just come play with kittens! Someone has to drink all this coffee (bait: there is also chocolate....)

Email info@americancat.net and I'll have someone watch my email to send directions if needed.

Post-note: 2:43, and we have two visitors. Looks like Ginny has a fan!

Post-note: 4:00. Ginny and Whiffen are adopted!

Kittens-2-Go

This morning was kitten delivery time. Tristan, and Ernie and Bertie went off to their new homes.

The first stroke of luck came when I drove by a yard sale right before Tristan's new home, did a doubletake, took a U-turn, and purchased a cat crate that had never been used, for $10. It's large and lovely, and now one of these dumpy crates I've been using can go away.

Then Tristan lucked out with THE cat-perfect apartment. Here he is checking it out:



And here are the cool ledges, and his new friend, "Kitty."



I would say Tristan has found an apartment and owners who suit his "I'm the most important aspect of this room" attitude. I'm not sure if Kitty agrees, but I'm betting they'll be best of buddies in short order.

I didn't remember to bring the camera in when I delivered Ernie and Bertie. Ernie decided to prove the theory of "if there is a hole, kittens will find it" by somehow managing to disappear in the kitchen. There was one little hole up under the cabinets, and that's where he went. But we plopped Bertie in front of a can of tuna just outside the hole, and Ernie crawled back out again to share the treat. Duct tape took care of that hole. They then proceeded to zoom around the downstairs at high speed, oh-so-happy to be out of a cage.

So three are more are safely into homes, and the vet fund checks that each adopter donated will help vaccinate the ferals I plan to catch next week when I take half days Tuesday-Friday to trap.

Thank you for adopting a formerly feral kitten!

Here's a shot of Kitty, in case his owners want to snag it:

For the fun of it...

Here is my old logo for The American Cat Project. Our slogan was "Touch the Dream...No More Feral Kittens." Sadly, about two years ago people began making assumptions about my politics based on the logo (what--Democrats can't fly the flag?) and I seldom use it now. The American flag flies on our house daily ---right next to the Earth Flag! Maybe I should incorporate the Earth Flag into this logo somehow?

PLEASE tell me there is a Cafe.press site...

...that sells T-shirts with this on it! Thank you to brina for posting it to comments!

Oh cool, it is a New York program and they have a team for a Lollypop Farm fundraiser near Rochester.

If it sits still, I can blog it.

Such is the price of a borrowed camera. As much as I would like to photograph kittens, they are in the next county by the time this camera seizes its image.

But Ditz found the Lands End box, and she ain't goin' nowhere.

I made an appointment for my cat Nell at Veterinary Care of Ithaca for a lump on her chin, which has since disappeared. Ditz needs a rabies shot, and seems to have issues jumping. So instead of Nell going to the vet Saturday, looks like it will be Ditz.

Don't tell her.

Volunteers needed in Syracuse for cat seizure.

If you live in the Syracuse area, they need adult volunteers to help care for cats seized in a situation related to the Cortland seizure. Donations are also needed.

The Cortland County SPCA continues to need help.

Cat Lady clothes

It's very dangerous to fall into the cat lady clothing syndrome.

If you spend all your money on cats, you don't have money to spend on clothes. And the clothes you do buy need to be durable, or they will shortly fall apart. But they are going to get covered with mud, cat litter dust, cat fur, and kitten glop. If you buy cheap-cheap big-box clothing, it doesn't last ten washings before you look...like a cat lady.

Last week the Land's End overstock catalog came out and if you get to the computer IMMEDIATELY you can sometimes actually purchase some of the things they have listed there. Wait more than a day or two, however, and all that is left is extra-small, if that.

And sometimes what comes in the mail just isn't what you thought you were buying, because the photos on the webpage and catalog aren't as large as the standard catalog.

This time I lucked out. The shoes ($16.99, a splurge, but still cheaper than K-mart sneakers) are actually quite trim and very comfortable. I expected them to be clunky. I may go back to see if they have another a pair in brown, now that I've seen these.

The grey top was an initial disappointment. I pulled it out and realized it was "just a gray sweatshirt." But it is very soft, and the waistband is false...it doesn't sit tight around the hips, which is why I hate sweatshirts.

The blue top is actually a pajama top, but only those of you who read this blog will ever know. I plan on wearing it as a shirt. Land's End said it was "violet." Ummmmmm.....No? It's actually too heavy to wear in bed, IMO. The tops were both something like 7.99 and are quite good quality.

The socks? How could I resist? All my polartec socks (which are normally $29.00/two pair--I ask for them for Christmas and birthdays and they last a couple of years) have holes. I like them because they dry out fast and are warm when you are shoe-less. The only ones left on-line ($9.00 for two pair on sale) were leopard print.

I just had to do it.

I just HAD to.

And that's when you know you are a cat lady.

More Coffee! More Kittens!

Last Sunday was such a success, I'm going to be open again this coming Sunday, but just from 2:00-5:00 pm.

Email for directions. Info @ americancat.net

And yes, I will blog again. It's just not as much fun without photos! Maybe I'll go wrestle with Mark's camera again.

Hugs...

Here

A good day.

Tristan and Dude were adopted today. Plus two little kittens that I just picked up this morning. And two people who couldn't make it will hopefully stop by another time soon. It was a very nice turnout, with people straight through from noon to six. And I am quite tuckered now, and think I will go tuck the kitties in and head to bed.

Coffee and Kittens Sunday, October 1!

We're having a "Coffee and Kittens" tomorrow. This used to be a regular feature around here on Sundays. People would mostly come by to have good coffee, and subject the feral kittens to lots of holding and petting, to tame them.

(update, 11:00 pm. Cookies are all baked. Mmmmmmmm...house smells good. Thank you Mark, for doing the baking! Many RSVP's! It should be a fun time).

Taming hasn't been an issue this summer. Many of our kittens were born right here to feral moms who gave birth right upon capture, so they grew up in a home environment. We also have a few dedicated volunteers who visit regularly, so the ones that were wild tamed up quite nicely!

So I decided to be open tomorrow for a few adopters, since we have so many kittens available for adoption right now.

Nancy and Annette sent the info around via email, and now it looks like it's turning into a major event!

We have eleven kittens of our own that are seeking homes. Two of those are too small to go right now, but can have holds placed on them, or can be placed in a foster-to-adopt situation. I'll also be picking up two local kittens from a woman who rescued five and still has two left, and a couple of feral kittens. These kittens can be pre-adopted, but will definitely need a vet visit and FeLV/FIV testing before we would send them home with anyone. They will be downstairs, away from the upstairs kitten population.

Both adopters and "just visitors" are coming, so if you are interested, drop me an email at info @ americancat.net (remove spaces) and I'll send directions if you need them! It looks like it will be a nice day for a drive.

We'll be open from noon to six pm. Hope to see some of you then!

Don't blame just the husbands for forgetting anniversarys...

Conversation tonight:

"So what are you up to tomorrow?" Me, to husband.

"Well, I suppose you'll need want to spit-polish the cat facility," he says with semi-amusement (for Coffee and Kittens on Sunday, which I decided to hold on short notice). "However, it's our wedding anniversary so I thought we were doing something together." And yes, indeed, we had discussed at week ago how we planned to spend our sixth wedding anniversary (and ...17th year together?)

Oopsie.

So I'll clean in the morning, and Mark and I will be doing wineries in the afternoon.

Love you, handsome. Thank you for putting up with all these cats!

Doin' the kitty jig.

I was feeling a bit down about not having placed more kits this week. So I've been working on the websites, updating pet lists, making posters, etc.

And then I got this, which made everything all right (Shayna, send photos, send photos!!!). And Happy Birthday!

Hey Susan,

Just wanted to tell you that I've been really inspired by your blog, and today, my birthday, I decided to celebrate by doing a good deed- I'm fostering 3 kittens. I have a 10 year old cat, Atticus, who looks basically unimpressed by the whole kitten thing. He's pretty chill though. They are quarantined for 10 days because they came straight from Animal Control, and then I'll arrange introductions. The kittens are all litter-mates, an orange tabby and a grey tabby, who are always wrestling, and a very soft tortie. I haven't named them yet.

Anyways, thank you so much for your blog, and if you want to put my story- and photos- up, I'm happy to oblige.

Fostering rocks,

Shayna (and Atticus)

Note: If they aren't already, have those kittens FeLV/FIV tested before introducing them to Atticus!

Fostering saves lives. Period. If you are fostering kittens anywhere, for anyone, and don't have a blog, send photos and your story and I'll be happy to post it here! If you are fostering and have a blog, let me know when would like a link. I try to link when I see fun stuff, but I've haven't been as good at that as I could, this summer.

And Atticus is a very cool name for a cat. I think a kitten here may have to become an Atticus.

Venturing where I've never gone before...

...No, not some strange, foreign country. Well, maybe it IS a strange, foreign country.

No, I updated my American Cat Project web page.

I had to dig through years of email to find the log-in information. The web site is Alden's baby, but I wanted to highlight adoption of the kittens, and get the special events posted. I figured "Hey, I can do this." If I can blog here, and I can manage my Petfinder site I can update a page that's already built, right?

And other than one short scary moment where I bolded the whole index page (fixed!) I don't think I broke anything.

Thank goodness!

Fall colors

This weekend went fast. Friday I had to take little Bebe to the vet. She pulled her interior stitches (thank you, Gretchen, for mentioning you noticed a lump) and had a hernia, so she had to get opened up again and restitched. Then she pulled her EXTERIOR stitches overnight at the vet, and was stapled. Now she has an E-collar on, and I need to post a photo because she is quite cute, the little pain. This means she is unadoptable for two weeks, although someone could put a "hold" on her.

Billee and Gunsmoke went to their new home today. Mark and I spent the afternoon at a family function, and during my drive home, it was clear that fall has arrived:



I still haven't purchased a shrub for Sammy's grave in the cat garden, and I've been meaning to get a mum in the meantime. But every time I think of it, the garden places are closed. On the way home tonight I passed a little roadside stand that was just someone's house. I thought perhaps they'd have a paybox, but the resident came right out even though it was past 5:00 on a Sunday, and a I purchased a great big mum. Yesterday I found a little winged cat at Agway, so now Sammy has his memorial, until next spring when I can find him a good shade tolerant shrub.



I have many people who have inquired about kittens, so hopefully some will get homes this week. One especially nice couple would like indoor/outdoor kittens (I only adopt to indoor homes). However, I have a few people with "found kittens" that I cannot take because I am full, and perhaps we can make a connection there. Better a very good indoor/outdoor home than being left on the street for the winter!

If this weren't such an neat photo...

I would be thinking "Oh God, more kittens." These are the mystery kittens. That mom cat? She's spayed. But the vet noticed she was lactating so we returned her as soon as possible. Apparently her kittens did NOT die unattended while she was at the vet (thank goodness; I always have nightmares about that). Mom is still lactating weeks later, feeding these two kits, even though she was fixed weeks ago.

Click the photo to get the gamboling impact. I initially cropped it to bring the cats out more, but it lost that feeling of "feralness"--not to mention the autumn season--so I put up the original.



So it looks like it's time to trap more kittens! This is the same place where we got these kittens who, coincidentally, JUST got fixed to be available for adoption, and are now tamed and ready to go.

Great shot, Valarie! It's not often someone has a camera in hand to get a feral momcat and kittens in the frame.

Borrowed Mark's work camera...

....but the shutter is too slow. Out of an hour's work I got one nice shot:



...and I finally gave up after too much of this...



...and left the cats to have fun with the "backdrop" I had been using...



Isn't Ginny a cutie?



OK, I did get an OK shot of Charlie smiling:

Everyone is replaceable...

I had to laugh when I was at my college for Homecoming Weekend. I had provided wildlife control and rescue services there for almost 15 years, and I've been a bit worried about whether or not the ducks and ducklings have been watched over after I left. The baby ducks jump in the fountains and can't get out without their duck ladder, which gets removed every winter. I needn't have worried, as I see the ladder was installed this spring without me nudging anyone:


And a staff member appears to have taken it upon her/himself to make sure they fly safely south. Is this funny or what? You may need to click the photo to read it:


Bless them. I assume the faculty have a sense of humor, since the sign apparently has been up awhile.

Dogs definitely deserve better.

(Welcome About Cats readers! It's mere coincidence that we have dog blogging above the fold today. More cat blogging below! Hope you enjoy both, and thanks, Franny, for the link!)

There are few animal organizations I admire more than Dogs Deserve Better. They have taken a problem (chained dogs) and made it their own. Tammy Grimes is passionate without being...well...as over the top as some of the rest of us are. I admire her ability to balance common sense with firm moral action. And now she has been arrested for removing a suffering dog from a chain. Now, she knew she might be arrested. That's not the issue. The issue is that the owners of the dog have not been charged. Please visit the Dogs Deserve Better site to read and view about the incident yourself (Note, the page is in blog style. Read from the bottom up).

Note to anyone in a similar situation. Humane officers are not the only agency that can respond to a case of animal cruelty. Call your local police as well. If they refuse to respond because it's "not their job," nicely ask that they log your call as received on their written log or computer-aided dispatch (also, almost all police calls are recorded, but tapes might only be kept for a week before being taped over, so check back if ASAP if you need proof that you called).

To have charges of cruelty lodged (in the state of NY) tell police you wish to file a written deposition. Even if they try to tell you it's not a crime...politely but firmly insist on filing a deposition. Once there is a paper in the system, someone has to do something with it. They can't just dump it in the trash. Someone has to make a decision, and someone becomes accountable for that decision...not just you. Don't expect police to file charges based on what you tell them. Ask to file a written statement yourself. If they still refuse because "they don't do animal calls", put what you witnessed in writing, make a copy, and leave it at dispatch. Let them decide what to do with it.

Maybe it ISN'T a crime. For example, if a dog has food, water, and a dog house, no matter how dirty or sad he is, this physical and emotional neglect may not be against the law. But chances are good your local police are not familiar with animal cruelty law, so don't take their "over the desk" word for it. Ask to see the law and if they are too busy or don't have it, politely ask to leave your deposition for someone to review when they have time.

Never be rude to police or officials, and always persevere. I once took a witness and his deposition to the local DA for a signature for a seizure warrant for a kitten that was dying on a city porch. The DA told me (in front of the witness) that "he didn't have time for kittens; he was working on a murder case." Luckily, as we walked out, I passed the city judge's office and he was working late. He graciously took the 10 minutes required to review the evidence and issue the warrant. The witness, who had previously been PO'd with me for "not doing anything" (he had wanted me to take the kitten from the property without a warrant) apologized and expressed his shock that we were treated so poorly in an attempt to get a dying kitten veterinary care LEGALLY.

However, I have to say, now that I am no longer a humane officer, with a uniform, a badge, and some small clout to walk into a DA or city judge's office after hours, I probably would have just taken that kitten, left a note on the owner's door saying something like "Because you weren't home, I though you would want me to help your kitten who was in distress. I can be reached at...", and gone to the vet with him immediately. At the time, I followed standard procedures--and risked the kitten's life by delaying--because I worked for an official agency and wanted to keep my job. My job at the time was ALL ABOUT following criminal procedure. It was about following society's rules and my employers rules---and that was secondary to the kitten's life at the time.

The kitten's life shouldn't be secondary.

And neither should Doogie's.

Gifts by mail...

These beautiful quilts came for the shelter cats...THE SHELTER CATS, DITZY! NOT YOU!...in the mail late last week. The post office window is only open a few hours a day so I wasn't able to pick them up until recently.

Aren't they beautiful? Ditzy thinks so. Should I perhaps call them afghans instead of quilts, since they are knitted? There was no note with them, but a little bird gave me a hint who might have sent them. I'm sure the cats in the cat facility will just love snuggling into them now that the weather is getting colder.

Thank you so much! Gifts like these...that someone put so much work into...really touch the heart. How can you conceive of a stranger caring so much to make and send them? It's incredible.

Snuck down from the hill to blog...

We have friends over, and for the first time in the six years we've lived here, we are having a campfire up on the hill. But I snuck down the hill to blog while everyone else is partying. Just photos....



Today I did a food inventory and realized I had more than enough to share. So I hit three colonies in my immediate neighborhood and left food and in some places, straw for shelters.



Valarie mentioned that a neighbor had seen kittens near her intersection, so I checked out the area but didn't find any...yet. There are lots of places to hide under these old cars.


I stoppped at the neighbor who is overrun with kittens to leave food and list of the prices for spay/neuter. No one was home when I arrived, but a gentleman drove up while I was there and I told him I could get the males done for $20 and the females for $35. They have internet, so hopefully they will email me when they are ready to go.


This is what a "feral" cat should look like. Cuddling in on a bed on a porch, fixed, vaccinated, and fed.

Back to the party. It's a long chilly walk back up to the top of the hill, but there are friends and biiiiiigggggg fire.

Best birthday present ever....

Gunsmoke and Billee have been adopted!

(Birthday's not until Monday, but so what!)

Vet trip update

Guess who's off to the vet to get fixed? Kittens ya'll sent in your hard-earned donations for. Thanks!!!! In a big, big, way. Bebe and Ella are tamed and ready for spays tomorrow. Nancy's feral "Little Orange" (great big orange is what I'd call him) is also going. Then Friday, Charlie, Whiffen and Dustin(foster names: Oreo and ...I forget again, Nancy), and hopefully Dude (i.e. Runs-With-Sissors) will get done.

Then other than the little guys who are off to stay with Annette to grow up, everyone here is done. There are still three adopted kittens left unneutered that I need to follow up on.

And the street cats. Yes, the remaining street cats. There are cats in Swartwood, cats at Valarie's, cats at the neighbors, a kitten on Krumtown Road, and a number of emails that I just haven't even answered yet.

Cortland SPCA Update

They are doing a great job keeping their website updated.

I've lost the camera...

...just in case you were wondering why the photo-blog is a word-blog recently. Drat it all. Mark is going to bring home a borrowed camera so I can photograph the growing kittens for the Petfinder site and send nicer photos to people who have inquired about cats.

That's the only problem with hauling a camera everywhere as a blog-prop, including under bushes. Losing it is a very real possibility. I have a second camera, but it saves to a floppy disk, and I don't have a floppy drive any longer, since lightning struck the office.

I've been wandering about in a daze for over a week, hoping I'll come across it. I may yet.

Cat shelter for those with a checkbook

Ain't this pretty?. $200 for the largest model. They should stick a second door on the other side, and sell a painted model as a cat shelter for those folks who want their outdoor cat or back porch feral to have a snug place to live.

Cortland SPCA still needs help.

Judy reports:

It's Sunday night, and I've just returned from volunteering at the Cortland County facility. It is a shocking sight - you know 275 cats is a lot, but when you see them all in cages, in long rows, in stacks of 2 and 3, you really get the complete picture. It felt very much like the Best Friends facility in MS, after the hurricane. Hundreds of cats. Please keep blogging about this, if you can. They are going to need volunteers for a long time to come.

Information about volunteering can be found on the Cortland SPCA website, It has been updated, and is heartbreaking.

Shelters did get painted...

...and thank you to Jackie, who drove all the way from Hornell, and Nancy, who always seems to be ready when something needs building or painting. We brought in one new shelter (that still needs the hinges and roofing material). Jackie painted the feeding station and Nancy gave the new shelter another coat of paint. I cleaned the old straw out of the existing shelters, but only painted the outside, because the insides were damp from this awful wet weather we've had all season, and need to dry out without insulation board and straw in them. The shelter that is farthest down the channel had clearly been submerged by flooding. I'm sure the cats will appreciate a clean, dry space!

We had an enjoyable lunch at Garcia's, and I highly recommend the place. It's very good Mexican food, at a decent price. The vegetarian options were great. I've never had a spinach or a potato burrito, but I risked it, and they were excellent.

The staff at Wickes were, as usual, wonderful. All in all, it was a great day full of great people. I'll be going back to paint the inside of the two remaining shelters, which shouldn't take long, and put the hinges and roofing material on the new shelter. Then in October, the cats will all be trapped, flea-treated, and get their booster shots. All ready for another few years of life on the wild side.

Thank you to everyone else who offered, who would have been able to make it on alternate weekends!

September 11

It's foolish to say "never forget," as I doubt any of us ever will, however, it's always important to say take time to remember. This site is tribute to rescue dogs and their handlers, but it's impossible to ignore the human sacrifice that day.

Note: there is music, so if you are work, turn the speakers down. If you are aren't, or have a surfing-friendly office, turn them on.

Zeke works on his telepathic powers (adopter photo)

"...more treats...you will bring me more treats..."

(You want to know how I know Zeke got a great home? The .jpg from the adopter was titled "My boys.")

Shelter Painting

Whoops! With my furball Ivan requiring veterinary attention, I have lapsed in my communication. It looks like the weather for tomorrow is sun in the morning and storms in the afternoon, so I am going to go ahead and say "it's a go" for shelter painting. Let's say 11:00 am. If you can make it to Wickes Lumber on Route 13 Ithaca tomorrow, September 9, let me know at info@americancat.net and I'll send more info and directions to those who need it.

This will be a short painting project right on site where the cats live, with lunch afterward next door at Garcia's. We don't need a ton of folks, so if you can't make it, don't feel badly!

Cortland Co. SPCA needs help caring for seized cats

The Cortland County SPCA has found itself caring for almost 300 cats, seized in a hoarding investigation. The cats are temporarily being housed at the old firehouse in Cortlandville on Route 281, across from the discount beverage store, just past the A&W (if you are coming from the direction of Ithaca).

They desperately need volunteer help, cleaning cages and medicating cats. The number to call is 758-5424, however, if you are experienced with cats and can follow directions easily and can get straight to work, I understand you can go right down to the old firehouse and start helping anytime during daytime hours.

Kitten Kindergarten

Via Dogma.

Who says they aren't doing good feral cat research?

Oh. My. Go(sh). This is hilarious, fascinating, and these are some darned handsome feral cats. Ten minutes long, however.

Printer, free to good home.

First dibs to my local readers, one HP DeskJet 812C inkjet printer. You'll have to find and download the printer driver from the internet because I do not have the software, although I'll look for it. If there are no takers I will Freecycle it. It's been in my office unhooked for about a year, and I need to get it gone to set Ivan's cage up in my office.

Twelve Hundred Dollars.

Twelve. Hundred. Dollars.
Guess which vet I had to go to?

Post-note: Ivan is home, and his bill is now approximately $600 because he will not be hospitalized for three days.

My own vet, bless her soul, picked up the phone when I started leaving a message on her machine at her home this morning seeking guidance. I love my vet.

Why does this ALWAYS happen on a holiday!!!

My favorite personal cat Ivan has a urinary blockage. On SATURDAY. On LABOR DAY WEEKEND. $%#@$!!!!!!

My vet is closed so I will have to use an emergency vet. Locally, one of our emergency options is excellent (much $$$ but oh well). The other, I really really really do not want to use. They will charge me 300% more than any other vet, will subject him to tons of tests, tons of handling, and will insist on hospitalizing him instead of just catherizing him and sending him home with me.

Please, please let the good vet be available.

Poor Ivan. He is just peeing drops. It's not bloody, so there's probably little luck that it's just a urinary tract infection, although I've got him on antibiotics. He's been getting into the kitten chow for the past few weeks, so you have to bet he's got a urinary blockage.

And to think I yelled at him for dribbling on my backpack today. He wasn't being obnoxious or upset about kittens. He's in misery and can't pee.

Hoping for a near miss

graphic from noaa.gov

See where the eastern edge of the storm path crosses the NY boundary from PA? That's where we are. So maybe poor Owego will miss the brunt of this storm, after just barely drying out from the last one.