Hope grows up and begins her travel adventures

Little Hope has proven to be a strong little lady, so she's off to PA to foster with Cary, who will spoil her horribly. I love bottle-feeding kittens more than anything, but I have so much travel in the fall, it isn't possible. Even Cary has travel for work, and little Hope will be off on a car trip to Silver Spring on Wednesday. But I have to fly, and planes trump cars when it comes to kittens! Thanks, Cary, for fostering Hope!

Here's a somewhat less alien photo of her:



This is the most easy-care kitten I've ever had. Can you believe she is waterproof? No kidding. You put her under a warm faucet and the water just rolls off her. If you work hard to get her wet, she dries off in mere seconds with a towel. Most kittens end up getting subjected to long towelings or a hair dryer to make sure they don't get a chill. But not Hope!

The Terrorist Kittens will be staying with Valarie and Craig, Donna and Tim are taking care of the cat facility cats, and the one good thing about hunting season is people with guns are happy to house sit.

Farewell, Grizzly

Yahoo has a little popup on the lower right of my screen that shows the subject line of the email message if it is sent to my Yahoo address. And around 5:45pm the popup said "Grizzly."

It's never good when an adopter emails with just the pet's name in the subject line.

Grizzly apparently got out of the house on Sunday while the family was out of town, and was hit by a car. He was euthanized today due to injuries.

Plushie and Pickles came from the same colony.

Well, he had six years he might not otherwise have had.

Sigh.

One of the worst parts of looking through the old photos to find one of him was to realize how many cats are no longer with us. Some stubbornly live for nearly two decades, but disaster strikes so many.

Rest in peace, Grizzly.

Kitten Play

Set for fuel for the winter

The wood arrived today. Phil and Cindy hauled it out over two days, and hauled in as well their 4 month old son! What a cutie. He sat in his removable car seat and watched mom and dad toss wood out of the truck beds, into big piles that I'll now de-construct and stack.




There's something very satisfying about having this much wood on hand. I'll make sure I get the next batch in spring so it can season over the summer.

He tastes like chicken

Beats being a country back road cat though. Looks like he's got a great home. Here's his "feral" shot. What a lucky cat that Valarie and Craig got him a place so call his own! Well, shared with a puppy, that is.

Tuffy Two was the first cat neutered with The Leewit Fund

Thanks, Cary!

They say "we like it!"

Cat Command Central

The sentence that sums up my life should be: "People give me things."

This week, Donna and Tim gave me this very cool desk, which they needed to move from their mom's house. It has given me a good excuse to start to turn the downstairs den into my bedroom, in anticipation of putting the door on the stairs and shutting off the upstairs for the winter. It also completely changed the design of the den from "antique/traditional" (Mark's rolltop desk) to modern. And I need as much change as I can get.

That cute cat tree by the window was sent as a birthday present from Cary (whose dad is featured a few posts below). I'll need to get a better shot of it. The kittens are lovin' it.

I also rearranged the bedroom (well, dragged the bed to a new position, and vacuumed under it) which totally peeved Norma, the upstairs feral, as it messed up her sleeping spots. When I came up I discovered she'd found a new one...in the dresser drawer I'd left open. Ummm....hmmmm...I'm not sure that can remain an option, even if she does look cute as sin sleeping on my jeans. I also dragged yet more of my ex's furniture out to the barn.

We're getting there.

I came home to discover Nellie (one of my pet cats) is holding up her front paw. So it's off to the vet for her.

More posts to come, as I still have some more thank-yous and updates.

Yes, I am alive and rescuing...

Here, the three current little terrors have sat still long enough for a photo. They are now old enough to be fixed and get outta here:



And yes, little Hope is doing great!



I had some family responsibilities this weekend so did not spend much time on the computer at the end of the week. I also planned to buy a new washer this weekend, since my only-one-year-old-cheap-as-dirt washer succumbed beneath the constant assault of cat towels. This afternoon I realized I was rapidly running out of weekend and ran into town, planning on spending big bucks on a washer and woodstove. Well, the woodstove places are all closed on on Sunday, but not the washer folks, thank goodness. Thayer Appliance was able to fix me up with a top-of-the-line front loading Bosch washer, which they say I can load as heavily as I need, and which they tell me will save money on the dryer, because it has an extra fast spin that will remove more water. I kind of feel like the day I bought my first brand-new vehicle. I've never owned a washer this nice. But given that the last one died in a year ($350 out the window), if I'm going to do this much wash, I need a machine that will take it.

And please, no donations to help! The natural gas lease paid for this baby, and will also take care of the woodstove.

I was a bit bummed that I couldn't move forward on the woodstove, but I think I'll just call them and have them come on out, since the chimneys need work, anyway. I'm sure they have books they can haul along, or can show me models on my computer.

It's time to get the heaters in the cat facility and put the fans away. Another season zooms by. It's also time to pull out Tim and Donna's raised pet beds so the kitties can sleep off the floor. They like the vinyl floor in the summer (nice and cool) but notsomuch in the winter.

Thomas in his home, Adopter photo

Thomas is a lucky cat. Cell phones don't take the best shots, but nothing could mask the happiness here!



Here's Thomas when when he was partying with us in 2006.

I love getting photos like this.

All we need is a little Hope

Lesson #1 in TNR: When a new cat shows up, catch her now...not tomorrow.

Remember this cat? The new cat I saw at the Fast Food Feral feeding station in August?



Well, tonight I went to feed the FFF cats because Kat is out of town at a conference. It was dark by the time I got there, because I had to feed the south hill cats as well, and I also stopped by the library.

After I put food in the feeding station, I waited as I normally do to see if anyone would come out. I've seen Vannie lately, but I haven't seen the new cat since that day in August. Of course, I also haven't trapped, because I've been traveling (excuses, excuses -- I could have made time).

Well tonight there were all sorts of night sounds. The parking lot across the creek at Garcia's was jumping, and as usual they had music playing outside. There were all sorts of interesting bug noises, and a periodic sharp bird cry. No cats came out so I started to walk away.

Sharp bird cry? At night? Was it a bug of some sort? It sounded just like a newborn kitten. But it was coming from across the creek by Garcia's dumpsters, well away from any place a cat would choose to give birth to kittens. And if it were a kitten, it was the sound of a newborn, not a 4-week kitten that might have wandered away from the nest and was yelping for mom.

I drove the truck out and around to Garcia's and went inside to introduce myself. It always amazes me that we feed these cats every single day for years, and people never notice us only 20 feet away. The staff were amazed that there were cats at all, let alone a crazy bunch of people who took care of them. I asked for permission to poke around and they said OK.

I went out to the dumpster, shined my flashlight into the bushes, and there she was. The black tuxedo cat, only two feet off the parking lot, curled up protectively around something.

I talked to her and she didn't run away. I put a handful of food down, and went back to my truck for my crate. She was still there when I came back. I hoped she'd be friendly, but she wasn't. She slunk a little bit away and there was her single kitten, still with placenta attached, but dry. I slowly reached for the kitten and Mom showed me what a good Mom she was. She was going to take my hand off, thankyouverymuch. I slowly moved the flashlight toward her nose. She smacked it, but backed away. I scooped the kitten and afterbirth out of the gravel and leaves. There was no nest. Maybe she had been giving birth somewhere better and had been flushed out by another cat, and had to give birth here. I don't know. But the kitten was very cold to the touch and was dry. She knew enough to be protective, but not enough to bite the afterbirth off and eat it. There were fresh adult cat feces right nearby, as if she had had a bowel movement while giving birth. Or perhaps, again, she was being threatened by another cat (cats when facing down will sometimes have a bowel movement).

Of course, I did not have a trap with me (sigh). I left a pile of food near where the kitten had been. Mom was now glaring at me from about 15 feet away by the shed.

The staff came out and I showed them the kitten and the mom cat. I covered the afterbirth with the towel so they only saw the cute little face and not the dirt covered disgustingness attached to it. To someone who understands it, its no big deal, but it was pretty nasty looking. I told them I would be back in the morning with a trap for mom, and to look and listen for more kittens. I gave the my card and told them NOT to touch the mother...to call, just CALL if they needed help.

I have to take Lily into the Ithaca vet tomorrow to be spayed, so the timing is good, at least.

I had planned on going out for soup and salad, but headed home instead, feeling bad that I didn't have anything to warm the kitten up with.

Then I realized I was on a fast food strip.

So here's a new lesson. If you need fast food to use for temporary heating pads, a cheeseburger is NOT hot enough. However, two large fries are. Just keep them in their containers and tuck them under the towel on either side of the kitten, and put a small towel over all three.

There you go. Finally, a really good use for McDonalds fries.

So here he/she is. The spitting image of Mom.



She's very upset right now, because I won't feed her until she's thoroughly warm.

When rescuing tiny kittens, 1) Warm them up 2)Hydrate them, then 3) Feed them. Hopefully she got a little milk from mom, because there are important antibodies in mom's milk. If I can catch mom fast, maybe she'll take this kitten back.

I pinched the umbilical cord with a forceps, and sliced off the afterbirth with a scalpel blade. I took the forceps off after about 20 minutes. She's snuggled up in a towel on a heating pad. She's been there about an hour and a half, so I'm thinking it's time for some water with a tiny bit of KMR in it, and I even have a tube of Bene-bac. I am now going to cruise the kitten care pages on the web to make sure there isn't anything I've forgotten.

Her name is Hope.

Barn Sale this weekend

I'm getting rid of some stuff I had planned to Craigslist and did not (don't worry family...no personal stuff). If anyone wants to come and hang out, here's the link to the Craigslist post! I'll be sure to have a six-pack on hand for anyone who just wants to chat and sit in the sun for a little bit ("hanging out" is for friends and adopters, OK, not the general public).

I can see it now - 45 people driving up going "where's the beer?"

Break it!

I heard this song while driving in the darkness to Toronto, and I immediately cranked it. I heard it once more on the way home, and had to do a bit of surfing to find the artist.

Like all music videos I post here, I suggest you turn up your speakers and close your eyes for the first go-round, to come up with your own vision. However I the video itself made me smile...a woman chucking stuff out of her farm house seemed somewhat...familiar.

But still, shut out the video and just listen the first time, especially if you are at that point where you feel its time to make some changes in your life.

Where have I been?

I have been at the most recent seminar by Speaking of Dogs in Toronto, Canada, just a short 6 hour drive away. It was excellent. If you ever have an opportunity to see Gina Phairas (of North Carolina) and Shannon Cummings (California) teach, go for it. Day One was about "assessing your dog assessment" and hours of insight into decision making at animal shelters as well as dog behavior and assessment information. What was most remarkable about these two trainers is they made many parallels between dog behavior and human behavior. Because training a dog also involves teaching the owner to help train the dog, I came home with all sorts of insight into communicating with my cat adopters, and even people I interview for work. This wasn't just a seminar about "dog training"...it was a seminar about communication.

Some attendees brought their well-behaved dogs. They fidgeted less than I did.





Before I left on Monday, I mentioned I was interested in visiting some shelters and asked the conference coordinator if she knew what time Toronto Animal Services shelters opened. She insisted on escorting me straight to two of their shelters --East, and South (they have four). The staff were extremely friendly, and the shelters were clean and spacious. At both shelters, cats were housed either in large-sized traditional metal cages, or runs where buddy cats shared a chair, comfy cat beds, and toys. East had more traditional housing (except that some of the cats enjoyed dog-sized runs) and South had large glass fronted rooms in additional to more traditional cages.



I am a sucker for tubby cats, and this lady knew it. I can only resist the animals I visit at shelters because I know I have almost 20 at my place looking for homes as well:



Aisles were very wide, brightly painted, and quiet. The staff joked about how they had so many dog walking volunteers, the dogs sometimes didn't know if they were coming or going. Two dogs were picked out to be transferred to rescue while I was there.

I would have liked to have visited more shelters and other agencies, but I had to have the car safely back at the Corning/Elmira airport by 6, so had to leave Toronto around noon.

Ontario has a Dog Owner's Liability Act that essentially includes a ban on pit bulls An appeal was heard last week.

As usual, a big thank you goes to Donna and Tim, who looked after the cats while I was gone, and all the people who hung out at the house. Donna is now off volunteering with a shelter in Kentucky and had to drive through that awful windstorm to get there. I hope her drive home next week is uneventful, and she has a rewarding experience!

Kittens in the house

This will be a bit lively around here as I have moved the kittens in the house to socialize them more, and let Lily (their mom) dry out so she can be spayed next week.




After I finish blogging I'm going to curl up with my mug of tea and the book Cleo sent. I had a nice "mailbox morning" these past two days. Thanks to both my moms for remembering I'm turning 46 pretty quick!



I suspected 45 was going to be an earmark year. Little did I know, huh? I'm looking forward to year 46, and I'm thinking this time next year I'll look back on something quite remarkable.

1:00 am again. No title

Isn't it odd that when we were teenagers, we hide our diaries, and now people are putting their journals on line? Thirty years ago this would have been unthinkable and narcissistic. And now it is just....narcissistic.

30 years ago I would have picked up a dictionary to learn there were that many s's in "narcissistic." Now I just highlight and right-click. Scary.



Once again, I sat down to write a heartfelt post, and have stopped at photos. They are from last night in the cat facility, where I went to sit on the floor for an hour, to decide whether being with the cats still made me happy, and whether I should remain in rescue. I'm in such a state of flux now, I can't really tell what makes me happy and what I'm doing because I have to do it.

Had the cats turned into a "just have to do it" thing? How could I tell when I was painting house and mowing lawn, traveling for work, and having to shove their care into the cracks of time I have, feeling anxious the whole time?

So I took a little time to sit with the cats last night and tonight, and take stock in what I'm going to do with myself from now on. They were in heaven to have me down on the floor on their level. Wings just wound around and around and around... In short order, everyone came over to say "hi."

In those hours I was able to come to some conclusions about what did and didn't make me happy. The cats made me happy. Friends made me happy. Kind people made me happy. Being outside made me happy.

So the next morning, Bear and I took a walk up to the top of my the hill to look at MY farm. My farm, my farm, MY FARM! This farm is going to be something that helps people some day. It's going to be my tiny legacy. Life doesn't hand you a beautiful 58 acre farm on a platter for no reason. Our lives are short, things are a bit scary right now across the world, and I've got a gem in my hands. Land is going to be important. I'm keeping it, and something needs to be done with it.

Bear follows me like a dog up the hill. Coming down, he likes to wait until I'm way ahead, then come roaring down behind me, just like Nick used to. Only Bear is 16lbs of hard muscle. It's like a train thundering down the path.

After work, I zipped into Ithaca (uncommon for me on a weekday) to pick up smoke detectors, as one of mine malfunctioned today. And cat litter, since any trip to Ithaca means buying cat litter. I spent a comfortable half hour picking out books at the library, and wandered over to Mustard, book in hand. I had never been there. The waitress steered me to a table right next to a reading lamp, lamented the lack of a liquor license when I queried about wine, pointed out a wine shop across the way...the wine guy was a hoot...a corkscrew and wine glass were on my table when I returned. I cuddled into a new restaurant with a book, soup and salad, a glass of cheap but good NYS wine, and no ghosts of Christopher Robin to bother me. When I corked up my mostly-full bottle of wine to leave (after paying my meager $10 check) I realized I was going to be sauntering down the street with an open container. I had considered gifting the remainder to a new arrival, but I was the only one left in the place. The waitress fetched me a bag. I joked that I knew all the old cops, so it would be a young one who nabbed me. She joked that she knew all the young cops, so I should be plenty safe.

Speaking of cops....

It was late when I got to campus to feed Gillian, so I stopped to let the Campus Police know I was there before I started skulking behind buildings. I figured I would just report in and go, as I probably wouldn't know the officer at the desk. Explaining I was a crazy cat lady would be bad enough. But L. was on tonight, and she ushered me into the office to sit, just I had when I'd worked there almost 20 years ago (it was a far shabbier dispatch office back then). It was all computers, screens, crackling radios, alarms, and ten-codes, just like two decades ago when I used to bottle-feed kittens under the desk. We talked seriously, we talked humorously, then the guys wandered in from the road and office, and we all laughed. They joked about hiring me back (they are hiring officers how). I joked that the academy would likely kill me. L.suggested that perhaps they had a old ladies division and mimicked rocking back and forth in a chair. I suggested that perhaps she could just take the director's job and I could be in communications again. I stayed for over an hour, and suddenly recalled what it was like to simply feel at ease.

They are such good people.

I wandered out to feed Gillian across the way at the abandoned compost facility, and her bowl still had food in it. I breathed a sigh of relief, because I continuously worry she is not being fed during the week. I was wrong, and it was good to be wrong. But I wouldn't have known if I hadn't checked.

It was late when I got home, and poor Bear came down to meet me at the barn at a run as I unloaded cat litter. I fed kittens, I cleaned the cat facility, scooped up cats for a hug, and came in to my house.

I took a vacation day tomorrow, because I need one. Who doesn't?

This has been a good start to remembering, forgetting, and beginning again.

1:00 am? When did that happen?

I was going to write a post about a calming session in the cat facility, but I also made another vow to get to bed at a reasonable hour. So I'm afraid it will need to wait until morning...when I have other resolutions I also need to meet as well. See you then!

Could have been worse, but...

Most shelters made it through OK, it appears, although some experienced some damage. Some of the ones I talked to expressed concern that maybe next time, people might not evacuate.

From the North, to the South, we worry about you. It must be hard to evacuate, but we feel so much relief when we hear you are safely inland. There's no way to know whether a storm will be a Gustav or a Katrina, until it is too late.

Stay safe. Stay safe.

Adopter photo: Maestro!

Maestro's owner is moving between apartments, so he's crashing with Valarie today, and it looks like she used him for portrait practice. Isn't he a handsome fellow now!

Maestro is Cosmo's brother.

Gustav links

...Are below. Click here.

On toenail paint -- totally frivolous blog

About three weeks ago, I was invited to a girls-night-out near a pool...and all the women had painted their toenails but myself.

How does one get to age 46 without noticing such things? Then while ushering speakers two weeks ago, on a casual day off I noticed one speaker, dressed in chic comfortable casual, had painted tootsies. My eyes went right to her feet. Huh. Whoever thought toes would complete an ensemble!

So the other day, for the heck of it, when Walmart proved to be completed OUT of cat litter, I stopped in the cosmetic aisle and spent $3.50 on nail polish...my first such purchase in maybe 20 years. Oh, I think I bought a bottle of clear polish somewhere in there to fix runs in pantyhose and for that "just in case" fancy event. And I did once invest in a manicure at an airport once, just to see what it was like.

So yesterday I painted my toenails, and went off to a family picnic in sandals. I figured family would be amused...and forgiving.

Yes, indeed, people remarked on my toes! My niece Emily had nails of pearly pink, and we sat on the porch with Eliza (paintless for the moment, but known to paint her toes), talking about the female fashion in general, from toenail-painting to how many times women wash their hair.

So, my question to you-all out there...how many of you paint your toenails? And are there others of you, like myself, who never have in their lives considered doing so?

I have to say, it is a frivolous and fun experiment. When I mentioned to Nancy that I had relinquished and tried it, she laughed and said "We'll turn you into a girlie-girl yet!"

And no, there will be no blog photo of my toes. While I'm comfortable enough flaunting my feet and scrawny legs in public (because I figure what nature gave you, you should be happy with) no one needs to be exposed to a feature photo of my feet!

Where oh where have I been?

I need to be sure I post while traveling or my family thinks I've fallen off a ladder painting my house. I guess my blog is my Internet wide "medic alert" system.

Last week I was off to staff meetings for work, in New Jersey, and then zipped down to Philadelphia for the always-excellent Pennsylvania Bar Institute Animal Law Conference (held each year in three locations in PA). Sadly, they always update their calendar, and no links remain to the course. It is a stellar program, and a tribute to the PBI that they consider this topic so important. I spoke to an individual from VA, and they hope to hold a similar program there!

They have an exhibit area, so attending professionals from the field of law can meet with animal welfare proponents (and of course, many animal welfare professionals also come as attendees as well).

I highly recommend this conference, and will try to blog it in advance next year, so people know of it and can register.

Two of the kittens went with me. Luckily, the weather was cool and parking was always in parking garages, where I could nip down to feed them in their very large crate. One hotel wanted a $75 cleaning fee (bringing the cost of the room to $300!)for the benefit of possibly-allergic future visitors (have you no pet-friendly rooms?) I finally ended up "just not asking" at one hotel, and making sure the kittens never came out of the bathroom so the room was not exposed to cat dander. They are still so small that all they did was curl up on my towels (not the hotels), suck down their dinner from a bottle, and sleep.

The biggest kitten stayed at home with his mom.

Sadly, my clothes and luggage are probably a larger source of allergens for future visitors than any bottle baby kitten I might haul along with me. I should keep that in mind when I travel, and give my luggage a periodic vacuuming.

Gustav weakens to Category 2

Keep hoping and praying! It would be nice for this to be just a test of the emergency management processes put in place since Katrina resulting in minor damage only.

I'm thinking that if New Orleans dodges the bullet on this one, they should throw a big New Orleans style celebration to thank everyone for taking the warning seriously (let's not slide into apathy for the next one), and bend their attention toward levees that still need repair. Anything that made them nervous this time around should be at the top of the to-do list....

Hurricane Gustav and Gulf Coast pets/animals

Hurricane Gustav is headed for the Gulf Coast. A massive evacuation has taken place, but of course there are still people and pets in the path of the storm, and the storm could shift to the east or west.

Petfinder.com has a blog with updates on the storm, and information they receive from members and organizations involved with regional support.

If you learn of other blogs or up-to-the-minute online sources, please post them in the comments, and I'll add them to this post. I'll be moving this post to the top of the blog each day.

Updates: The following sites also have up-to-date information:

Best Friends Animal Society via their Twitter feed.

Animal Rescue New Orleans (ARNO) via their home page.

Nola.com forums (Thank you, Connie, for the ARNO and NOLA links).

FEMA has a registry for people attempting to local displaced family members

Let's hope and pray Gustav that lessons learned from Katrina shine, and rebuilt levees hold. So far we've seen a successful evacuation, and pet-friendly evacuation buses. Let's see what else we've learned.

Music to mow to.

Yesterday I was mowing and this song came on the radio headphones. I thought I'd share.



The only other version of this on YouTube had scary promo photos of Montgomery Gentry. The lyrics on the screen distract from the song, but you can always close your eyes.

I appear to have caught myself a stomach bug. Lovely.

"You can't see me!" Adopter photo

Holly mentioned this photo when I ran into her yesterday, and I told her it sounded way too blog-worthy to pass up. And Yes, Holly makes her beds. It's just that Jack unmakes them.

A wandering Saturday

What a sweet day.

Got up. Made coffee, bottle-fed kittens, cleaned the cat facility, hugged cats, read newspaper with Bear on the porch with coffee and some (old) donuts. Lamented that 6 donuts is too many for a single person to eat before they are no longer fresh (small store, no bakery, can't buy less than six). Checked garbage level in garbage cans, and money level in wallet, and determined trash run could wait until next week. Washed dishes, picked up house, answered email. Drove to Ithaca, fed Fast Food Ferals and South Hill Cats. Waved at staff member at lumber yard. On the way to the Farmer's Market, passed lawn sale. Uh oh. Turned around. Found tacky artificial tree that I've always wanted ($75 in stores) for $7. Bought tacky tree. Discovered it had tacky dragonfly string lights already on it. Laughed. Went to Farmer's Market. Knew no one, but enjoyed the crowds. Noted that flowers go for $15 a bunch. Didn't buy any veggies because I could get them from Spencer farm stands on the way home. Drove to various stores looking for planters on sale to grow fall lettuce on the porch (failed; nothing on sale; I'll find something in the barn I can use instead). While in Walmart, grabbed a cart and stocked up on 8 bags of cat litter and 2 bags of Purina Indoor Cat cat food. Now I don't have to go into town at all the rest of this week.

Ran into Holly (Jack's mom) in Walmart and got updated on Jack's health issues, and enjoyed some human conversation as well! Parched...bought a soda off the McDonald's dollar menu. Started to head home and then realized I had meant to get a library card because I've re-read all the books in the house (previously I used Christopher Robin's card). Turned around, drove to the Tompkins County Library 25 minutes before closing, got myself a library card, and took out three books. While leaving, ran into Nancy J. on the sidewalk, (adopter of Romulus, Wizard, and Rune). Went out to dinner at Diamonds (she paid to save me the walk to the ATM; I'll pay next time).

Great conversation. Real human contact!!!!

Drove home. Scraped paint off the house for an hour. Put tacky fake tree in the Great Room. It looks wonderful! And seven feet tall. Laughed at tree again. Mowed until dark. Called my mother. More great human contact. Went out and bottle-fed kittens. Cleaned cat facility. Tucked Bear into downstairs of cat facility for the night.

Counted myself damned lucky. What a great day.

Friend/adopter's grooming blog

I've been enjoying reading Nancy's grooming (plus) blog Hair of the Dogs at http://hairofthedogs.blogspot.com. It nice to have blog friends close by, so I don't feel quite like such an anamoly. There just aren't enough hours in the day to talk to everyone by phone, so it's nice to be able to check in on other people's busy lives at any hour, by blog.

If you haven't been following the blog comment I've learned this week that beautiful Ramona and Harper from the Caturday blog(who live in NH) came from Paradise Gardens, which is about an hour and 45 minutes from me, and does great work. Caturday is a blog I've been reading a long time, and they do great work, too, taking gorgeous photos for their local shelter, and probably a lot more I don't know about.

Cosmo(ic) coincidences

The other day, I received a gift from the Stouts, which will take care of Lily's spay, plus some.

"Here is a pittance in memory of two friends - Russ Colton and John Goodrow. And for Linda Barton, who did something freakishly nice for us when she absolutely did not have to. :) Love, C and G, Peet and Paat."

And on the same day I received an adopter photo of Cosmo (kitten photo here), one of the kittens that C and G rescued. All grown up and obviously well-loved:



Here is to kind people all across the spectrum, who are friends to one another, and by being friends to the person next to them, reach out an unknowing hand to another person down the line.

Pass it on. Just pass it on.

With much love to you all, from Cosmo's rescuers and the friends they honor, to Cosmo's adopters.

The Wildrun Clan

Caging feral momcats

I snitched this caging option from a visit to Paradise Gardens Animal Haven in nearby Woodhull, NY.

You take two standard wire dog crates of the same size, fold the back doors in flat on the floor, cover the bottom with towels, and provide attached bowls of food and water for mom, and low bowls for the kittens. The cages are held securely together --back to back-- with plastic wire ties (cable ties, zip ties, etc.) This provides room for the kittens to play. I added a sling in case mom wanted to get away from the kids. So far she has not wanted to.

In this set up, there are doors at both ends, so you can easily clean the cat box, or replace food, and play with the kittens.

To get mom and her babies out of the previous cage and into this one, I placed the plastic lid to the Rubbermaid bin that is her bed right over the top of her and her kittens. And held it SECURELY when I moved the bin from the small cage to the new set up.

SECURELY! :)

Isn't it a great setup? This is the second year I've used it, and it works great. The best way to learn new things is to visit other rescue organizations and shelters.

Just a quick plug for Niagara Falls

While I was traveling from Buffalo to Pittsburgh, it came to light that another speaker had never seen Niagara Falls! Well!

Should you ever be in Buffalo, the trip to Niagara is a mere 20 minutes, and it's easy in, easy out. The highway will spit you right out into the parking lot, and if you get there early, you may even be able to park right by the pathway entrance, as we did.

The American falls are only a 7 minute stroll into the park. You can walk over to the Canada side via footbridge. The signs as to whether a passport are not required were vague. They basically said that U.S. citizens should be able to get back with photo ID and supporting documents, but frankly, I don't walk around with my birth certificate in my pocket, so I guess it's time to get a passport if I wish to visit my neighbors to the north.

From the Canada site:

If you are a citizen of the United States, you do not need a passport to enter Canada. However, you should carry proof of your citizenship, such as a birth certificate, certificate of citizenship or naturalization, as well as a photo ID. If you are a permanent resident of the U.S., you should bring your Permanent Resident Card (i.e. green card) with you.

Get a passport.

Parking is only $10, and a ticket for all the of special tour options was under $50. We just walked in to visit the falls and headed out again. Given how quickly I got to Buffalo (3 hours) if I ever need to just get away for two days and do something fun and simple, I may zip over to Niagara and do all those silly things I've never done, like the Maid of the Mist boat tour.

The people watching options are endless, so while going with a friend would be optimal, going alone would be fun as well.

What is feral?

While traveling, I learned of a Critter Control franchise owner who was found guilty of animal cruelty for capturing and dispatching three feral cats in response to a complaint by a TV station concerning a colony of cats behind their building.

A pest-control operator will have to get his license re-certified but is not facing jail time after being convicted yesterday of misdemeanor animal-cruelty charges in Henrico County.

But Keith Copi, who operates the Richmond-area Critter Control franchise, said after court that the convictions further cloud animal-cruelty laws and will make it difficult for homeowners and businesses to deal with nuisance animals.

"You'd be better off trying to get rid of a homeless person camping in your yard than having to deal with a stray cat," Copi said.

He said that state laws defining so-called companion animals are so inclusive that animals ranging from house mice to snakes might be covered by state animalprotection laws.

Copi received three 12-month jail terms, all suspended, and was fined $250 for each of the three cats he gassed.

He acknowledged in Henrico General District Court yesterday that he gassed the cats he trapped in June in a parking area behind WRLH Fox 35 television studios in the 1900 block of Westmoreland Road. He said he was not aware of an emergency law passed in February banning the use of a gas chamber in killing companion animals; nor did he know that feral cats must be euthanized by a veterinarian.

Here, WVRA, a Richmond radio station, discusses whether feral cats should be considered companion animals.

Here is the Richmond SPCAs timeline in blog format (bottom to top)

The Richmond SPCA is responding to this situation by training community members in trap/neuter/return.

As a former wildlife control contractor who handled cats, I frequently spoke at wildlife conferences and explained to my colleagues that the killing of cats, whether feral or friendly, was not permitted by a non-owner. In NYS, if a stray cat shows up at your rural barn, no, you can't fetch the gun and shoot it. The cat could be someone's pet. In addition, it is illegal to dispatch a cat with a firearm in a non-emergency. CO2, while considered "humane" in the wildlife control field, is reviled in domestic animal control, and is often illegal for use on non-wildlife. In places where gas chambers are still used for dogs and cats, members of the community are fighting to end the practice.

The issue is not, to my mind, whether a feral cat is a pettable companion animal. It is whether a third party on the scene is capable of telling for certain that a cat in a trap is a born-on-site feral cat, or a lost pet cat. Or, whether that feral cat might in fact be treasured by someone. My Fast Food Ferals are neutered and rabies vaccinated. They are fed every day. Whether or not they can be petted, one can argue they have been provided with all the same care received by an outdoor pet cat. They are loved by the person who cares for them. Does "companion" really require physical contact?

Animal control shelters exist (and hold stray animals for 3-5 days by law in most cases) specifically to sift out the wanted from the unwanted. If your cat doesn't show up for a day or two, whether on your front porch or at your feeding station behind the local TV station, you can go to the local shelters to see if your cat is there.

If a wildlife control business sets traps and immediately kills your cat, you don't have that option.

In this situation, it appears to me the contractor used his natural resources text as his guide, rather than domestic animal control and animal cruelty laws. On one hand we can point at wildlife control manuals that state CO2 is the most humane option for dispatching raccoons, skunks, etc. and on the other we have state laws that specifically forbid its use on a raccoon-sized animal like a cat, on the grounds that it is inhumane. How can that be?

Is it any wonder that wildlife control contractors are confused?

Luckily, in NYS we have a wildlife control manual that gives WCOs a heads up on cats.

It was Mr. Copi who was charged with animal cruelty---not the TV station who hired him. That is the most important lesson for WCOs. When it comes down to the wire, the one held responsible is the one who took the final action. The business owner is expected to know the law, even if the TV station made the call and paid the bill for the removal.

Most of my friends who are WCOs have made arrangements with their local shelter to accept the cats they capture. Many of them include a donation with any cat they bring in. Some even are involved in TNR, if the landowner is willing to pay them for it. Others wisely say "no way, I'm staying right away from cats."

However, I do know at least one business who catches cats and then dumps them--unneutered and unvaccinated--at farms (with permission), thinking this is humane. This is also illegal in NYS, permission or no.

Unfortunately, in this case it still appears as if the point is being lost. The question isn't "is a feral cat a companion animal." The question is "how do we tell with 100% certainty that one cat is beloved and another is not?" Answer: "You can't."

Domestic animal control laws were put in place to protect the public and safeguard property (the pet). That is why there is a holding period. That is why cats and dogs should be handled by DOMESTIC animal control specialists (or with the cooperation of domestic animal control specialists), not strictly by wildlife control specialists for hire.

Only a holding period -- or reporting a captured cat as "found" to your local shelter -- can answer the question "does anyone care for this dog or cat?" before the decision is made to kill it or give it away.

Happy to be home

Thank you to Cary and Donna for taking care of my clan (house-sitting, even!) while I was traveling for work. Cary even sent me kitten photos daily, and took wee little Tinkerbell (aka Scrabble) home with her to continue bottle-feeding because she wasn't keeping up with her sibs.

I came home to a shining clean cat facility and very happy cats. Well, except feral Lily, who hissed at me when her kittens came tumbling over to say "hi" to me.

It's good to be home

Emergency kit returned, and new FFF cat

I gathered together the very simple stuff that I normally carry in a cat crate as an "emergency kit." This is different from the standard trapping gear I have when I go out to catch cats. So we are back in the saddle again.

I went and looked for the kitten, and did not find him. In the light of day I could see there were four houses very closes by, one of which had called me about kittens before. So I left a note on that person's door to call me if the kitten surfaced...if he had not already.

Then I went to feed the Fast Food Feral, and this fellow was crossing the bridge to come over to eat just as I arrived.




He (or she) is new, and young--maybe just under a year old? He also doesn't seem feral. He just sauntered away, and stopped to look at me several times. So I'll get some traps out to catch him next week.

This is why Trap/Neuter/Return works. Not, as often claimed, because resident cats will keep new cats away. It's because the caretaker(s) visit every day to feed resident cats, notice new cats, and remove or sterilize them before they have kittens.

Reality check

I headed out tonight to feed Gillian in Ithaca, with some errands in mind, and a personal experiment that involved a diary and a dark restaurant. For some reason I thought it would be enlightening. In a way it was. But I don't much care anymore.

It was nowhere near as enlightening as the drive home. When I came down a dark straight stretch of Crumtown Road, there was a small yellow kitten in my headlights. Maybe seven weeks old.

This was nothing that hasn't happened a few score times before. I pulled over and could hear him mewing plaintively in the weeds. Good sign! Tame kitten! Probably dumped only that evening by some jerk. I stepped out and mewed. He mewed back, but farther away. I turned back to the truck.

And realized I had nothing. No net, no cat food, no pillowcase, and not even a damned flashlight for God's sake!

WHEN DID I STOP CARRYING RESCUE EQUIPMENT? WHAT THE FREAKING HELL HAD HAPPENED TO ME?

The kitten and I played a tormenting dance of echoing mews in the darkness until finally for the first time in my life I was forced to leave a kitten behind. With a flashlight, a can of tuna, and a net, catching that kitten would have been no big deal. You just locate the kitten, toss some tuna into his flight path, wait until he starts gnawing away, and net him.

But somewhere along the line, my own problems, my job, and lately my self-absorption over Christopher Robin's "walk-away" eclipsed something that has been core for me for 30 years. Not only was I without those basics, but I had driven around that way all summer! This wasn't one day's lapse. This was some huge hole I had let develop, and now there was a little mew in the darkness paying the price. I could keep chasing him in vain, and if he possibly had a momcat around, I would be chasing him farther away from her. Normally I would have flashlight and could cast around to find a glimmer of eyes.

But I had no flashlight. Not even a flashlight!

So I left him behind. There wasn't enough gas in the truck to get home and return, and the gas station in Spencer only takes credit cards at night. It was going to be morning before I could return, and I can only hope he uses typical dumped-kitten defense and just stays put. Luckily it is warm and not raining, and he was right near a house (no one home; I left a note). I don't even have all my friend's phone numbers programmed into my cell phone so that I could call for help. Another thing I've just neglected to do.

Driving home I was in shock, thinking about all the other holes I was letting grow larger and larger, eating up what used to be "me." I began making mental lists of what I need to do this weekend and early next week to stop this backslide.

I have been doing a lot to keep things in order. And that's important. And I've been happy with the progress--and still am. But what is "order" if you forget what you were doing all of this for? I've created this bunker mentality. That's got to go.

I have people coming to look at cats this weekend. I've also been putting off putting some of the really shy guys into foster homes (because if are unhappy in a foster home, it means some really tough decisions to be made).

Wildrun was so named because that's what I used to do: run around and catch wild critters--including wild cats. Such a simple thing. Yet all these other things developed over time: the spay/neuter movement, the cat facility, the public outreach, off-site adoptions, open houses, etc. Not to mention work, as well as just the day-to-day of life. And somewhere along the line, I took the cat crate out of the truck so I would have the space to haul some mundane thing (probably trash), and never put it back.

This isn't a matter of TIME. This is a matter of PRIORITY.

No comments on this post, please. This is something I just need to work out this weekend. I'm sure you've all had your own "oh shit" moments in your life. I just had one of mine.

Amazing Snarky Blog!

I was running through my bloglist today and picked up Fugly Horse of the Day from Pet Connection.

I've only spent just a few minutes reading it, and hey, this is a damned good blog about horse welfare, horse rescue, ethical horse breeding, and professionalism, with no punches pulled. I found the snarkiness contagious...it makes you want to arch your neck and start kicking out about your own cause as well.

Yes, I do believe you can be a blog about "professionalism" even while using terms like "freakin' asshat." I doubt I could pull it off, but Fugley Horse does.

Hey, it's Friday! Be wicked productive at work today, and at quitting time, run like hell! Have a great weekend.

Nothing beats a good wash

Tonight I was invited to a regular "Thursday Girls Night Out". It was great to sit and listen to people laugh in a group again. Having Nancy's dog Jack at our feet begging pizza crust was also enjoyably familiar. I do miss having Sadie around. It's fun to listen to new people and new stories. And I will have to go back for another gathering, since I went and forgot the bowl I brought!

Thanks for the invite, Nancy!

Afterward, I went and stopped at two stores for the "pre-back-to-school" sales, since the shelves are being cleared of summer stuff. Normally I have a fairly large expense that falls due this time of year--but no longer. It sort of made it feel like I had an extra $200 in the bank (even though I don't really). I permitted myself a small splurge when I discovered 5x6 pillar candles and some porch string lights on sale. In fact, the candles were so cheap (and are now confirmed to burn very well and smell great too) I may go buy them out tomorrow so I'll be set for winter. And the string lights...well, I've been looking at them all summer and couldn't justify buying them full price. Now I'll have an incentive to finish the trim on the porch so I can hang them. I'll put them on a timer, and I won't have to leave the two automatic porch lights on all night long. That should save a few watts, and make me smile as well.

When I got home there were kittens to feed! They get cuter every day.



Scrabble is still too small for my comfort, but she sure knows how to pull on a bottle! As you can see, they are also learning to wash. Lily let me touch her head today. She didn't much like it, but she put up with it, and she has been oh-so-good about me handling the kittens.

Okay, the dishes are washed, Bear is tucked in the barn, and it's closing in on 2 am. Time for bed!

A kitty litter box for humans

No, really!

Emmi explores

Emmi is checking out the big, big house. She started in the guest room, graduated to the upstairs, and down has ventured down. She deals well with being hissed at. When she's had enough of being followed by Ivan or Squeak, she growls, I hear her, and rescue her.

She very much likes windows.

Eight years of blogging

Yes, really!

It occurred to me that the Election is this November. I had begun my Cat Out Loud blog out of my disbelief that George W. Bush could possibly be elected way back then, and my fear that he would.

Eight years!

The blog lasted longer than the marriage. :)

And so did many of you.

Hug your cat, hug the ones you love, and send me a toast on the weekend, will you?

Oh, the dog? Oh, yeah, I guess the dog will do for a hug, too (just kidding; I love dogs, too)

Love you all.

Raise your hand if you remember the late, great, Edloe. If you do, you are a true cat blogger. And probably old, too. Ha!

If not, Google "Edloe" "R.I.P." and you'll see the most blogged cat on the internet. And you can read here about how cat blogging began.

Drat. If that link takes you to a registration window for the NYTimes, go here instead and then click on the very top link.

Letting it go.

I discovered today that Christopher Robin apparently took a solid week off and left town to continue his journey in storybook land...and left Gillian and the south hill cats to go unfed for what would have been seven days, without thinking to give me a heads up so I could feed them, or arrange for them to be fed.

I drove in tonight to feed them, and I should be able to get out each night the rest of this week as well. At first I was angry. Then I just took a deep breath and let it go. This is the way it is; the way it is going to be, and my getting angry is not going to make one whit of difference. In Christopher Robin's toy box, the rest of us are plush animals, and plush animals don't feel pain.

Lily's kittens are getting restless. It's time to set up a back-to-back cages with a box they can crawl in and out of. Bear is interested in them, but I'm not sure he wants to play with them...or eat them. So we'll just keep him away from the kittens until they are larger and mom is FeLV/FIV tested.

Nancy has a blog!

Local readers will know Nancy C., a longtime fosterer, friend, barn-painter, cat shelter builder, and all around life saver. She has begun a blog on her new venture into the world of dog grooming.

This is the third adopter/fosterer to start a blog! Valarie posts her photography on CNY Photography and Martha has begun Pots By Martha.

Saudi Arabia bans dogs and cats as pets

Every once in awhile you read something on the internet that causes you to think "this can't possibly be real"

And "If I post that, sure as heck in two days it'll turn out to be a myth, or misunderstood."

Out of the many blogs that are posting on the subject, that particular posts seems to address a variety of issues rather than just the "pets as ways for men to make passes" issue.

The kittens grow...

...But little Scrabble (at the far back, Scrabbling to get out) is still quite runty compared to siblings, so Scrabble is fed KMR an extra four times a day. Lily lets me take them from her, but when I remove the first kitten I usually lay a small towel over her head. I mean, look at that face? Would you take those kittens away? The day I decided to trust her is probably the day I'd get nailed.

She's such a good mom.

Willow is an older feral kitten we took at the same time as this family and he is not interested in taming up at all. He is a little wild child.



So what are garbage bags doing in a photo about kitten feeding? Well, they don't belong. But the next task is cat box cleaning. I'm about to let Emmi out of the guest room to meet the clan, but I'm not sure how fussy she is about shared cat boxes. So all the cat boxes are getting scrubbed, filled, and the cat box areas mopped.

Maybe we'll get an Emmi picture next. Maybe.

First up, Jack and Holly

Saturday, I finally made it over to Cayuga Heights to visit Jack and Holly. It took an emergency to do it. Jack was partially blocked, which he kindly announced by peeing brown urine in Holly's tub. She took him to the vet that very day. A urinary sample revealed crystals and blood, and now Jack is on Baytril (for his urinary infection -- the blood) and (must go look up brand of food!) for his blockage.

Male cats have very very narrow urinary passages. Some cats develop crystals and stones due to an imbalance in the ph of their urine. Because the passage is so small, they can causes blockages, and irritation. Irritation can cause infection, and scarring can narrow the passage even further. And we know what happens then!

Jack was lucky in that he had an observant mom, and he wasn't blocked. So hopefully his new diet will clear him up. He wasn't being a particular helpful boy about taking his pills, so I showed Holly how I put the cat between my knees and pop the pill down his throat, if the cat is a wiggler. She was already familiar with the move, but hadn't tried it on him yet.

I had a wonderful lunch with Holly, with Jack peering cautiously out the window as we sat on the deck, and she sent me home with Jack's dry food, and a load of canned wet food for the Wildrun cats.

It was great seeing Jack! He's grown up into such a handsome fellow, and has a huge handsome house to match.

Time to get blogging

As usual, it is the poor blog that gets the short end of the stick --- which means everyone who clicks here each day hoping perhaps to see something new is getting the figurative rolled up newspaper on the nose, too.

We're a bit short staffed at work: staff on work travel, staff on vacation, vacant position, so I've been busy. Nonetheless, I recognize that I've got things I need to wrap up in short order, and thanks that I need to post here before they are forgotten.

In addition are the home improvements, namely painting, at this point, because painting is affordable, and paint weather is running out day by day. Soon it will be winter, and all of this, indoors and out, needs to be finished up well before then. It's big house. And since its a dramatic house outside (red) I've decided it should be a dramatic house inside. I painted 1/8 of the Great Room and stared at it for three solid weeks before deciding that yes, I do want a dark brown ceiling. So, here goes!





Quite a change from the "barely tan" walls and white ceiling of yesteryear.

(As I sit here on the porch blogging, Bear -- the cat who managed to haul open a latched door in the barn and break out a window this winter -- right now cannot figure out that if he pushed the unlatched walk-through door of the barn right now, he can get out and join me up here at the house. It's not without reason that I call him "BoxOfRocks").

So watch for much-belated posts on every thing from donations, to new kittens, to friends.

Feline body types

I was reading over my blog comments today, and clicked on a commentor's name, and found their blog. I didn't read carefully , because, of course, I progressed straight to the photos. And after I reached photo number three I realized, these weren't mainland U.S. kitties.

It's interesting that when you look at photos on the various cat blogs, you can tell our wide-faced usually double-coated North American cats from the narrow-faced sometimes single-coated cats of warmer climes. There is some overlap, but after you've looked at enough street cats, on enough blogs, it only takes a click or two to realize you aren't in your own back yard.

Guess who's back.

We have a "no questions asked" return policy.

And sometimes, it gets used.

Emmi is back.

Thanks to everyone, for being there

Yesterday the song "You Find Out Who Your Friends Are" came on the radio while I was driving, and seemed fitting given that I had dinner with Nancy last night (kitten fosterer extraordinaire, shy-dog fosterer for the TCSPCA). The excuse was that she wanted to set up a blog, but mostly we talked, I ate her wonderful dinner, and we talked and I healed. And I didn't let her free until 11:30 pm.

Note to self: Buy a watch today.

She's working today, but I'm looking forward to seeing her new blog up and running, with her adventures in learning dog grooming. And maybe she can ultimately share some shy-dog socialization tips when she has another foster. Socializing cats is a picnic compared to socializing scared adult dogs.

Today I'm off to see Holly at noon, for lunch, to pick up cat food, and to visit with Jack. Jack has some urinary issues, unfortunately, and is being a bad boy about taking his pills. So there should be a blog post about neutered-male urinary issues coming up.

And I have emails from adopters and colleague that I have not yet answered. Whoever thought that cat rescue would bring so many great people into a person's life?

Anywhere, here's the song. And I think the best part about having friends, is the water in the face at the end. We all need a good cold dose of reality sometimes, and THAT's what friends are best at. :)

I could do without the gratuitous bikini shots, but hey, it is country music video sung by a guy.

After my trip to town, it's "clean the cat facility from top to bottom" day. I've been spending so much time working on the house, the cats are surely feeling lonely watching me out the windows. "Hey, come paint OUR rooms!"

For once...

An entirely different sort of animal tale.

Silence = busyness

My photo blog of Lily and her kittens was a bit of a cheat, the other day. Although I'm sure people would far rather see kitten photos and no words, than words and no kitten photos!

For the family and close friends, I just want to let you know that things are going pretty darned well, under the circumstances. The lawn is staying mowed, the house (exterior) is slowly getting painted, and the inside of the house continues to be defleaed (as I call it) of years of accumulated clutter, and room by room I am painting things up. Mr. Natural Gas Guy has been a regular visitor, and it is the gas lease that will enable me to keep this place. I hope I have managed to protect the property well enough with amendments.

As I dispose of things, and finish paperwork responsibilities, things are slowly becoming more and more manageable. I highly recommend streamlining life. I don't recommend divorcing to do it, however!

The next task to add is an overhaul of the cat facility, or "Tabby Abbey" as I've recently dubbed it (No, that is NOT the new farm name). Now that there aren't as many humans around, it seems like inanimate objects are getting names, rather like naming your boat or car.

There is SO much junk that just needs to go. Nuisance cages need to be disposed of. Tiny plastic crates that I have used need to be washed and bagged up. I haven't used them for years, but I do periodically give them away with kitten adoptions. People give them to ME, so I have a pile of them, and they are no good to me if they are dusty when someone wants one. There is just too much "stuff" in the "headbanger" room (very low ceilings, therefore the name). I mean, goodness sake, I even have an autoclave. I don't want to give up my autoclave, but it's just going to rot if it sits here unused. So I guess I need to call Mr. Autoclave Guy, get it serviced, and donate it to a local spay/neuter clinic.

I have some really nice stuff that people gave me, but I have not used for five years or more. It needs to go. Every extra few seconds I spend maneuvering around unused objects (or cleaning them--again) are seconds lost.

And yes, there WILL be a party when the bulk of this work is done!

Lily has a runty kitten who needs extra feeding, so I'll pick up more KMR tonight. I'm going to make a spay appointment for Lily at the end of next week, and put the kittens into a foster home. They will only be four weeks old, but she doesn't seem to be producing enough milk for them on her own, and she needs to return to her colony before she forgets the territory. She is a great mom cat, but she is truly feral. She loves her wet food, though, and pokes her head out and sniffs every time I walk by, just to check to make sure I haven't left her some.

I'm going to be traveling a bit in the future and will have a cat-savvy housesitter. So does anyone want to foster some itty-bitty kitties for for about five days in a couple of weeks?

Debra (of the Waverly colony) came up with the great idea of giving this batch of kittens "game names." So we've decided on Yahtzee, Sudoku, and, and, oh drat, I forget. Debra? One of them is already crawling out of box (the runt--which makes her easy to grab to feed). I'll probably bring the kittens in the house once Lily is FeLV/FIV tested. That will thrill my house cats to no end. KITTENS!!!

Debra is also building a poster for Espie and Dude. Debra has great luck placing hard-to-place cats by postering the world on their behalf. Dude and Espie need homes of their own. They are far too nice to be stuck here. I'm so busy with personal things, it's easy to get complacent. It's good to have people like Debra to give me a kick in the butt about finding these older kits homes!

I do have some leads on places for two of the scaredy cats, and Kitty Corn. And I may have found a poor fool who will take Storm as a "I know I can't touch her but I have a big house" cat. Storm is actually quite cuddly with someone she knows, so hopefully she would warm up in a new home over time. Again, these long-termers need homes. They can't stay here forever. I never intended Wildrun to be a permanent cat sanctuary.

So that's the update! More kitten pictures soon!