*** CAUTION slightly GRAPHIC***I have a pregnant cat and I'm thinking of letting her have her kittens

BAAAAAD IDEA!

OK people. I've got to rant here for a bit. I'm going crazy with people calling me about having known pregnant (here-to-forth referred to as pg) cats. It wouldn't unnerve me BUT....these people are actually entertaining the idea of letting these outdoor homeless cats HAVE their kittens. What is wrong with people? OK, OK, I know, the idea of spaying a pg cat with the knowledge that you will be aborting kittens is not very savory. But either is allowing more unwanted kittens to be born into this world.

Spring is around the corner. In a matter of a month, the Animal Shelter and Humane Society will be brimming with kittens. And like we all must come to grips with, they WILL be killed because there ARE NOT ENOUGH HOMES OUT THERE. There will be signs on every street giving away "FREE KITTENS". There will be kittens put into boxes and left in dumpsters, drowned in creeks and god only knows what else.

While kitten abortion is not anything that anyone wants to do, it is necessary. If that pg girl is allowed to have her kittens and they are actually found homes, then that is 4-6 kittens at the KCAS and HSKC that will be killed. This statement is not to defame either organization. It's just a matter of fact.

In the name of all that is holy. Get that pg cat spayed NOW! I have spayed countless pg cats. Some I didn't know were pg. Many I did know. But I have no remorse. Simply because, I don't want to see sweet little living fluff balls killed. Can you imagine how hard it is for the people who have to do that job?

Worse yet is allowing a FERAL cat to have her kittens. She will hide them and it might be very difficult for us to find them all and TNR them later. And even worse yet, if she has her kittens, and we trap her, and haul her off to be fixed, we may be leaving a litter of kittens in peril because their mother has been taken. At this time of year, Gina and I are very careful to check cats to make sure that they are not showing signs of nursing. And our vet will not spay a nursing female. He will call us immediately and have us pick up the cat so we can return her to her kittens. But God only knows if we will ever get HER in a trap again.

Something to really consider is this. Even with all the rescue work being done to find cats homes, this truth remains. For every cat or kitten I PERSONALLY take into my program and find a home, that means ONE cat or kitten WILL be killed at HS or KCAS because THERE ARE NOT ENOUGH HOMES OUT THERE.

The ONLY humane solution is TNR (Trap-Neuter-Return). It's proven and it works. But not if the spring rolls through and people get all weepy about having to spay a pg female. It's ludicrous.

I can assure you that that pg girl cat didn't wake up one day saying "Hey, I think I'd like to raise myself a family, I' think I'll go out and find a tomcat to impregnate me". NO! What happens is that like many humans "in heat", the girl and the boy get together and the results are less than perfect. The tomcat basically rapes her. If you haven't seen cats having sex, I assure you, it's not a pretty sight. Then she is miserable and pregnant for the better part of 63 days. If she is a homeless stray or feral she likely won't be getting the proper nutrition to bring about a healthy litter. But even if she is, I'm sure that the birthing process isn't something she was looking forward to. I had a cat give birth in my garage last spring (the night before I was taking her in to be spayed). I was horrified by the yowling. I would have done anything to take that burden off her. Burying the dead kitten wasn't fun either.

Then to add insult to injury, this homeless female cat has to worry tirelessly about the wellbeing of these kittens till she can ween them and teach them how to fend for themselves in the elements. She will practically kill herself to care for her kittens. And heaven forbid if she is hit by a car and her kittens are left defenseless somewhere (like my Toby who was found with a broken leg on the side of the road next to his dead mother). If she is feral, she will teach them how to be feral and there will be more, very hard to capture feral cats out there for Gina and I to chase after like maniacs.

If you have a pg cat in your neighborhood or know someone who does, please, Please, PLEASE have them call me. 616 560-0555. I'll do right by that girl cat and the 4-6 totally unrelated but already born kittens that will be killed later in the shelters.

And if this cat is owned, then shame on the owners for not having fixed her before allowing her outside or in the same room with an unaltered male. But forget that. If these people are wanting their children to witness "the miracle of birth" (like i have heard so many say), have them march their kids down to the shelter or look at the statistics and let them understand the gravity of DEATH.

Ok, I'm done now. I know most of you who read my blog are of a like mind as me. I too, was heartsick when I first learned that kittens were aborted during spays...even though I'm pro-choice. But I quickly got over that and we all need to. FAST!

Thanks for listening to me rant.
Carol

It may not be a nice thing to think of, but consider this.
Would you rather spay this pregnant cat and allow her to have a nice stress and kitten free life, OR......

Allow her to have her kittens and sit in the knowledge that these kittens who are already born are going to be killed at one of the big shelters because her kittens are taking up the homes that they might have had.

All cats are inside now

Hello Feral Friends-

Today I moved the final kitty inside. Tennessee was left in the garage until he was no longer showing signs of his URI. I do have him in a cage in the cat room but at least he is INSIDE. This is great for me because this means that I no longer have to heat my garage at the cost of $5-7 per day.

Martha came in the other night. Gina helped me get her into a carrier for transfer. We decided that the name Martha didn't suit her so we are now calling her Felicity. Not sure that name suits her either but I'm hoping it at least makes her a little sweeter because all she does right now is sit in a kitty condo and swat at me. But she does have the loudest purr I've ever heard.

Tonight Bender was out and about in the room and allowed me to pet him. He also engaged in some "string on a stick" play. He will still swat at me, but he has sure come a long way.

Sigsbee, Joe and Tennessee are on eye meds 2x daily and Piper is finishing up her anitbiotics for her old URI. Tennessee still has 7 days of pills to take. He will eat the pill if I wrap it in some american cheese.

I'm sick as a dog. Running a fever and coughing my head off. Hopefully we will all be in good health soon.

: ) Carol

Lenny

To me, Lenny is out of sight, but NOT out of mind! Lenny was lucky enough to be requested to hang out with my only remaining Cedar Springs kitten, Lyle. OK, Lyle isn't exactly a kitten anymore, he's like 6 months old. After Allen Alopecia was adopted by Marianne, Lyle was left all alone. And he was driving my foster mom, Pat Baxter CRAZY!

So Lenny was taken to stay with Lyle at the Baxter home. Lenny and Lyle are getting along very well and enjoy each other's company.

Lenny has always been very social and accepting of other cats. He was cage mates with Lila, the lilac point siamese until she was adopted a few weeks ago.

Lenny is a sweetie! He is super loving and outgoing! And he is that wonderful "black" cat that you have always wanted. Personally, I love the black kitties best! He has a tiny bit of white on his chest, but otherwise, he is pitch!

****Check back to see updates on Lenny here at this blog post.

Tennessee (AKA Tux)

This is Tennessee! I call all tuxedo cats Tennessee when I meet them. As in Tennessee Tuxedo! But this is the first one I've ever had in my care, so I'm actually naming him Tennessee. I originally took him to The Humane Society where they named him TUX, but he didn't do so well there. He was returned to me last week. He is getting over an Upper Resp. Infection so he is currently staying in the heated garage so as not to infect anyone. But soon, he will come into the cat room. I can't wait.

When Gina and I first came to the farmhouse for the initial rescue (of 13 cats), we cornered him in a room off the porch and finally was able to grab him. He is a really wonderful old boy. I'm not sure of his age, but he is at least 7 or 8 years old. You've heard the term "LONG IN THE TOOTH" to describe a person of many years. Well, this boy is really long in the tooth.

The other night, Erica Carranco was over visiting him and petting his chin. She said to me, "gosh, it feels like he has some ickies under his chin". I hadn't felt any ickies before so I swiped my hand under his chin. What I found to be ickies were actually his upper fangs that hung down so far that they felt like pimples on the underside of his chin. Funny!

He is very sweet and gentle. I know he will be an amazing cat for someone once he starts feeling better. Nobody likes having a cold. I'll keep you posted on how he is coming along.

*****Check back for updates on Tennessee within this blog post!

Martha - Barn Cat

Martha is pretty shy. I would venture to say she is feral. But she will allow petting, so she is coming around....but it's slow. I want very much to bring her into the cat room but she is never in her garage cage carrier. He likes to squeeze between the roof of her carrier and the floor of the cage loft. So in order to move her out, I'd have to try to scruff her, and I can't because there is no room for my fist between her neck and the loft floor above her.

So she will have to stay in the garage for a bit longer. The second I see her in the carrier, I'll close it and bring her inside.

It may be futile, but as long as she is at my house, I'll try to work with her. If she doesn't come around, I'll find a barn home for her.

I had my doubts about Bender too, if you remember. But he is coming along nicely.

Time will tell with Martha. I'll keep you all posted. Until then, if you know anyone who wants a mouser for their barn/stable, let me know....Martha would be awesome! And she'd like to be out of her cage, I'm sure!

*****Check back for updates on Martha within this blog post!

Sigsbee

Sigsbee is a really beautiful sleek gray DSH. At first when I brought him into the cat room, he was super shy and wouldn't leave his open door cage. But now, he is Mr. Runabout! He is a little skittish still. When I walk into the room he gets a little startled and runs for the safety of his cage carrier. But it's not long till he is out and about again.

Back when he was still in the garage cage, I would open a can of soft food and he would step to the front of the cage and poke his arm through to try to get my attention. It was as if he was saying "Me first...Me FIRST".

Now whenever the stinky soft food is presented he goes ape! He will quickly eat his food and run over to the plate of another cat and go to town on their portion. Today I put him in is cage and closed the door allowing the others to eat their vittles in peace. I was only going to leave him in there for a few minutes, but I had to run an errand and forgot about him. When I returned an hour later to do the morning clean-up ritual, he had dumped his litter box and made a sufficient mess for me to clean up. I may have to re-examine this little system of mine tomorrow.

*****Check back for updates on Sigsbee within this blog post!

Sigsbee on the prowl looking for the stinky soft stuff!

We affectionately call him PIGSBEE!

The post meal licking of the chops!

Fry

I call Fry, "SHY GUY FRY". He is a gorgeous long haired tabby with white. But he is very shy. He get along fine with other cats, but prefers to hang out by himself. His favorite spot currently is one under a bank of tables where the heat duct runs. He loves to be warm. With his beautiful long coat and heating vent just beside him, he is having no problem there!

I named him after Fry in the cartoon/tv show Futurama. He is just a nice guy. And like Fry in Futurama, he is in a whole other place (well Fry on TV is really in the same place, but at a point way far into the future...which seems like a whole different place). He's a little unsure how things are going to turn out, but he is making the best of it.

When I drag him out from his "heat tunnel", he lets me hold him and cuddle him. He likes to be stroked and is always sweet and gentle. He's just shy, that's all. Is that such a crime?

*****Check back for updates on Fry within this blog post!





Fry looks exactly the same in both of these pictures. I would love to get an action shot of this guy, but he never gives me one. I know he can move cuz he uses the litter box and eats.

Often times, I can't find a cat in the cat room. They have found a new place to tuck themselves into or joined Sigsbee in an open cage. But with Fry, I always know where he is....in his heat tunnel.

Tommie

Tommie is a super sweet, loving boy! He is not ultra demonstrative like Penelope. He is more laid back. If he were a person, I'd see him hanging out listening to Bob Marley. He will get into hardcore playing when the laser pointer comes out. He likes to get up to high spots and watch from above. But whenever I enter the room, he comes down from his perch to say "hello".

He was always really gentle, but shy at first. He has really come out of his shell since being invited inside the cat room.

My favorite memory of Tommie is when I brought Mimsie back from being spayed. I was short on cages and I put her in with him. I wasn't sure how they would get along, but there weren't a lot of options....I was dealing with 20 cats at the time. Mimsie was really woozie after surgery and still kinda dragging her back legs. Tommie let her come into his lair and nuzzled right up to her and made her feel safe and at home. Tommie is a gentleman.

If you like your boys big and beefy and lovey, dovey, Tommie is YOUR MAN!

*****Check back for updates on Tommie within this blog post!

UPDATE! Tommie has been adopted. He is now living in a wonderful, loving home with Shannon and her two children, two dogs and fish! Her daughter Patriella fell in love with Tommie and he with her. I took him to their place last week and he felt right at home. A happy success story!

Joe

Joe is back with me. Valerie adopted him but decided that he wasn't a good fit in her home.
Joe is going to be best served in a quiet household where he can be giving lots of love and individual attention. He might need to be worked with to become more comfortable in his new surroundings. He is fine with other animals.

He is happy to be in his crate sitting atop his carrier/bed. He hasn't left his crate (to my best knowledge) since he was brought into the cat room. He does LOVE to have his belly rubbed and neck scratched. There is really nothing that this big lug doesn't like except being picked up and pulled out of his cage. It's his comfort zone and that's really fine with me. He can stay in there as long as he likes. I'm sure in time, he will be at ease enough to come out and socialize.

Other kitties come and visit him (namely Penelope...the head of the cat room welcome wagon). He doesn't seem to mind the visits at all. He is at ease with other kitties and he is good with me. He's just a big scaredy cat and prefers to be in a small enclosed area. It's funny cuz he was an outdoor kitty when I met him. But times change I guess.

Joe is FIV positive. But he poses no threat to other cats now that he is neutered and has no fight left in him. Too bad he wasn't neutered as a young lad, he may not have caught this disease. He is in good health and just a total love bug!!!

*****Check back for updates on Joe within this blog post!

Bender & Piper

When I first met Bender, I swore he was feral. I had little hope of him coming around. As it turns out, he is just a little scaredy cat who tries as best he can to assert himself by hissing. He is a lot like my own cat, Buzzby who is semi-feral. Both are very loving and love to be petted, but if you try to pick them up, they are not quite so comfortable with it!

Bender bunked solo all the time he was in the garage. But now that he is in the house, and his cage is open, he is visited by Piper. I think Piper and Bender are boyfriend and girlfriend. As boyfriend and girlfriend as cats without sexy stuff can be at least! Piper is always in Bender's cage. They hang out together in the upper loft area.

Piper had a upper resp. infection but it's over now. She's a little wheezy though so she will be on a different medication for a bit to clear it up. Bender hasn't come down with anything (nor have any of the others, so I don't believe that she is contagious).

Piper is not as shy as Bender. She is friendly, but I think all the medication I've had to shove down her gullet has made her a little leery of me. She is very comfortable having me lavish attention on her while she is up in the loft with Bender however. I'd love to see them adopted together. I think they are really good for each other.

It's funny how the dynamics change when a new cat is added to the mix. Had I not moved Bender into the cat room, I might have never seen this softer, gentler side of him! The progress he has made over the past few weeks is nothing short of astounding!

UPDATE 02/14/07:
Tonight when I went in to check the cat room, I found Bender and Piper's cage completely empty. I looked around and didn't see either of them. Then I looked up! Sure enough, these two pals found the highest perch in the room. I engaged them in a little "string on stick" play and they went for it. Even Bender indulged in a little "normal / domestic" cat play. Then we went to "laser pointer play" and Piper was very enthusiastic. Bender doesn't get this type of play yet, nor does Fry or Sigsbee...but I'm sure one day, they'll catch on too.

*****Check back for updates on Bender & Piper within this blog post!

Penelope

Penelope is the ambassador of the cat room. Whenever I walk into the door, she is right there to greet me. She is the most adorable and loving little thing. It's amazing that she didn't pass the friendly test at The Humane Society. I suppose it was because she was just scared with all the sights and smells there. Here, everything smells familiar. And she's one of the first to give a little sniff to one of her family members.

She is a social butterfly and visits all the kitties who aren't comfortable leaving their cages yet. All cages in the cat room are open wide for free roaming. But some are not ready to leave the nest (at least NOT while I'm in the room). But Miss Penelope will wander in and out of their cages and make sure everyone is doing fine. She's like the girl in school who joined every club and everyone knew her and loved her for her outgoing personality. But she isn't in the least bit conceited, even though she is really quite pretty!

She just loves to be loved and really enjoys playing. Her favorite game is catch the stringy thing hanging from the stick. Her favorite perch is on one of the nightstand cubby. I only am able to catch a glimpse of her in her cubby before she's airborne and running to see me the second I open the door!

*****Check back for updates on Penelope within this blog post!

Operation Agnes Update

Hello Feral Friends-

Still no signs of the last elusive cat from Agnes' farmhouse. I suppose he is doing fine out there on his own. I pray that he is neutered. That's about all I can do at this point. Mike Welch will develop the film from the wilderness camera to let us know what he looks like. But I have my doubts about him ever stepping into a trap for us. We sure did a lot of good out there though.

I'm bringing the kitties into the house one by one. It's much easier for me to care for them in one room vs individual cages. Plus, it's warmer and they get more room to roam! I can't believe that I have adult cats in my house. God help me!

I'm going to make an blog entry for each kitty! If you think you know someone who might like one of these kitties, please send them a link to my blog and have them check them out. All cats are also on petfinder.com.

All cats are up for adoption! If you can't adopt...FOSTER! If you can't foster...SPONSOR!

You can sponsor a Farmhouse Cat by sending a donation. If you are interested in doing so, please contact me for the mailing address.

Please come back and visit the individual kitty's blog entries for updates on how they are doing as they become more comfortable in their new lifestyle.

Thanks so much!
Carol

Focus on Ferals Benefit - Saturday - March 10th

Hello Feral Friends-

Please come by Rocky's Bar and Grill on Saturday, March 10th and support Gina Marvin's Focus on Ferals Cat Rescue. Four really talented local bands will perform. The music will be great and you will have an opportunity to view art by Erica Carranco which will be auctioned on ebay the following week to benefit the charity. Here's a chance to have a great evening out and help feral cats too! I mean....truly....what can be better than that?

See you all there!
Carol

A picture is worth a thousand words!

Feeling Better Today

Hello Feral Friends-

For those of you who are worried about my having a nervous breakdown, I think you can rest easily now.

I made it out onto the roads today. I ran a bunch of errands and made it home safely to feed and clean up after the garage kitties. I found that both Fry and Martha have firm poop, so Fry came in this afternoon and Martha will come in tomorrow. To acclimate them, I have a cage set up in the cat room where they can stay inside for a few hours to feel safe. Then after that, I'll open the door and allow them to roam the room. Martha and Fry are shyer types so I am easing them into their new situation. Lucky is the cat that comes into the toy filled, comfy bedded, and brightly snowlit windowed room.

Sorry if I worried anyone with my mania yesterday. I think it's quitting smoking and the lack of nicotine in my system that's partly to blame for my anxiety! God help us addicts!

Have a groovy day!
: ) Carol

Crash's Landing Benefit - THIS SATURDAY!

Hello Feral Friends -

Here's a reminder for you! It's THIS Saturday! Be there or be....you know what!

FYI for all who want to support Crash's Landing. As you well know, Dr. Jen Petrovich has taken many of my Cedar Springs rescue cats. Any way we can support Crash's and Big Sids is a good thing. Plus, it will be lots of fun! I'll be there! Come and hang out!

Mark you calender's now for the third annual benefit for Crash's Landing: Cat Rescue and Placement Center on Saturday, February 10!

Crash's takes in unwanted, abandoned, and neglected kitties, concentrating their efforts on the stray population in the Grand Rapids area, getting them off the streets and into homes. Since opening their doors in Oct 2002, they have taken in 1677 cats, placed 1239, and currently has over 200 residents! Find out more at - - http://www.crashslanding.org/

February 10th from 6 pm - 1 am.
Juke's Bar on Leonard - - - 506 Leonard St NW, Grand Rapids, 49504 - (616) 458-5399
$5 suggested donation

Here is the line-up!
6:00 pm - Dublin Station
7:00 pm –The Willeys
8:00 pm – Truckstop Cobras
9:00 pm - Semi-Casual Bedtime
10 pm PotatoeBabies
10:30 pm The Sleeves
MISS PUSSYKATT Burlesque Show/Fire Breathing/Sideshow Extravaganza!
11:30 pm Bigfoot Fully Automatics / Bowling Green Ohio Cat Lovers
12:30 pm -DangerVille

All door admission goes straight to helping the cats. So come out, see some great bands perform, and support a good cause!

I'm so stressed this morning....I can barely get out of bed!

Hello Feral Friends-

Staying indoors and dealing with all these cats from the farmhouse is making me mental. This morning, I was hardly able to get out of bed. I have never had a full blown panic attack, but I feel like sometimes I'm coming close to the verge of one.

I had anxiety over everything last night. And having waking nightmares of rescuing nearly frozen to death kittens didn't bring a sunshine and flowery morning.

Lucky for me, I called Dr. Langlois to find out how my kitten was doing and everything changed.

He said that little Renee was doing great and that her eyes were clear. So I asked if I could pick her up today. And he said no. I was confused. I got a little panicked. Then he said, you don't need to pick her up because she has found herself a home. Seems that one of the girls who clean the place at night has fallen in love with her and wants to adopt her! So he asked my permission to give the kitten to Erin and that was that. My baby found herself a home. I didn't have to find one for her...she found her own. And it was all because I freaked out last week and broke down crying in Bruce's office and begged him to treat her because I was not feeling up to the task. He kept her for me and it resulted in a wonderful thing...a home!

I followed up with Valerie today to see how Joe was doing. As usual when I adopt a kitty to a new home, I worry a bit how everything will go. With Joe I had a little more worry than usual because he is FIV positive and that's not something that most people are used to dealing with / understanding / and coping with. Thankfully for Joe, Valerie is a super loving and patient woman and she really cares about him. He was allowed out of his cage the other day and has found himself a comfortable / safe area in the rafters of her basement. He comes down to use his litter box and eat. Valerie is happy to allow him his space until he decides to socialize a bit more and come around to her and the other animals in the home.

My own cat Trixie is back to showing signs of diabetes so I have had to put her back on insulin. But that's no sweat for Trixie and I. We are good about getting and giving shots. She has been on insulin twice before and both times has reversed her diabetes. This is something that cats can do. I hope she does it again!

I am about to go and visit with Penelope and Tommie in their new room. Then I'll go freshen up and feed the kitties in the garage. I'm hopeful that I'll have the soft stools problem cleared up this week and I'll be able to bring them all inside to a warmer place. If everyone can just send positive thoughts out there to the universe, that would be great. Visualize me scooping litter boxes and finding only nicely formed kitty poops. OK! Visualize this NOW! Some people dream of hitting the lottery. I dream of cats with nice firm litter box deposits. Well, everyone can't win the powerball, but everyone can have a nice little tootsie roll deposits....Visualize this NOW!!!!

: ) Carol

Yeah Renee! You have a home!!!

And So It Begins....

Hello Feral Friends-

Months ago, I told Gina Marvin that I'd not be dealing with kittens. I said that "I'm just doing TNR. Kittens won't be part of my rescue work." She kinda laughed and said, "Oh wait and see....Kittens are all a part of TNR, you'll be taking in kittens". AND SHE WAS RIGHT!

So then I said, "OK, I'll take in kittens, but not adults. Adult cats is where I draw the line. I have no intention of adopting out friendly adults nor will I take them into my house or my kitten room."

So here it begins....

This is Penelope and Tommie. They are currently in my kitten room. They are not kittens. They are adults. And I think I'm in a heap of trouble! God help me!

Penelope likes to play with the orange string toy that I found at the
Crash's Landing Rummage Sale last fall.

She was never good at staying in her cage in the garage anyways!

Tommie likes the kitty condo just fine!
He likes the "kitten" smell.

Tommie is also quite fond of lying around and allowing his belly to be rubbed.
But hey...who isn't!

Operation Agnes - UPDATE

Hello Feral Friends-

Mike Welch continues to hunt down the last remaining cat at the farmhouse. It's trap wise and not wanting to be captured. He has his wilderness camera all set up and if anyone is coming around, he'll know what they look like soon. He has been tracking prints and doing the best job that anyone could possibly do.

Thursday Joe, the wonderful old FIV positive Siamese boy went to live with Valerie. This woman is a godsend to animals. All her pets are rescues from either The Animal Shelter or The Humane Society. Today she added Joe to her family of big cats and HUGE dog. This is a great day for Joe. He is the last cat I thought I'd place. FIV positive cats aren't in great demand. But since he is fixed and less likely to fight, he won't pass FIV on to the other cats. Until we are sure that he is acclimated to his new digs, Joe will hang out in a special crate all to himself until he is gradually introduced to the members of the household. Thank you Valerie for giving him a chance at a beautiful life!

Pat Baxter took Lenny to hang out with my only remaining adoptable kitten from Cedar Springs, Lyle. So Lenny is surely digging his new home with Pat and her wonderful and ever so easy-going husband Dale.

Today I cat proofed my Dad's old bedroom. I had used it for kittens in the past, but this time around, I had to do an extra thorough job of eliminating hiding spots because I need to socialize some of the more skitzy of the farmhouse cats. The project was very labor intensive, and the other spare bedroom's floor is probably in danger of collapsing under all the weight that's resting on it, but two cats are now in the house. Penelope and Tommie are both free of Upper Resp. Infections and have solid poop, so they are IN. By clearing out their cages, I was able to separate Mimsie from Piper and Sigsbee from Fry. Now, everyone has their own cage and I can better determine who's poop is still icky. Yeah...not all poop is icky! Betcha didn't know that. I know cat poop. And there is ICKY cat poop, and wonderful cat poop. Most everyone despite having fecal checks that read negative are having a bad case of diarrhea. Jeanine Buckner of Reuben's Room Cat Rescue suggested I try Forti-Flora by Purina. It's a pro-biotic powder that comes in what appears to be like a sugar packet. When sprinkled onto wet food, it is supposed to help create good cultures in the intestinal tract. Hopefully this stuff works soon. I'll keep you all posted. I'm also throwing some homeopathic remedies at them thanks to my dear homeopath, Juliet who is always willing to discuss what poop looks like or what color snot is coming from the nose and give me a solution! Viva Juliet!

This rescue business is about to drive me CRAZY! I'm beginning to realize why rescue organizations have a MISSION STATEMENT and stick to it. I have always been so wishy-washy and now I see why it's something not to mess with. I've taken in all these farmhouse cats...which I'm happy to have helped...don't get me wrong! But in doing so, I'm utilizing all my TNR cages and not able to focus on MY TNR MISSION! Which sucks.

Though, I will happily report that this week, I was able to TNR 4 cats. Three were from a gentleman on the SW side who has been feeding 4 ferals. After taking in two kittens last summer, he decided that there probably shouldn't be anymore, so he called me. We have just one to go on that project! And I'm helping a woman just a mile down 36th Street with her colony. We have managed to trap one so far.

I am reminded how much I love TNR by having taken on all these friendly farmhouse cats. The ferals are so low maintenance! They want nothing to do with you! Something I forgot when I reached into a large carrier that I was forced to TNR a really wild girl cat in this week. Oh boy, good thing I had my thick jacket and gloves on...otherwise, I'd still be bleeding! The ferals are easy. It's these friendlies that stress me out. Cuz I'm not able to give them the attention they want, need and deserve. Heck, my own cats don't get the attention they want, need or deserve! So it's always hard to go into the garage, and do the cleaning, feeding etc, and not having the time or energy to spend more one on one. Thankfully I have a dear friend and neighbor who comes by and does a little cuddling! But they can't seem to get enough.

Once all are inside, I'll be able to sit in the new cat room and do a little playing and try to get the scaredy-cats more social. Until then...I'll wait for the floor above my computer to come crashing down on me with all the stuff that I've crammed into that extra bedroom! If you don't hear from me for awhile, call 911.

: ) Carol