It Starts With Us

A couple years ago while on a walk, John and I noticed a slew of cats at this house. Soon after that I stopped to ask the residents if the cats were spayed/neutered.

An elderly couple lived at the house and had started feeding a cat. Then another appeared and another. Eventually there were over 18 cats and we found out none were spayed/neutered. I knew we had to do something or they would continue to breed and eventually pay with their lives.

So I talked with them about humanely trapping, neutering and returning them. I let them know that we would pay the costs and all they had to do was give us permission to be on their property. They agreed.

So the trapping began and John and I successfully trapped and neutered them all. Mission accomplished.

A friendship developed between the four of us and we frequently went to check on this elderly couple. Sometimes taking food and gifts at Christmas. They loved the visits and we enjoyed being there.

Now fast forward to today. Sadly the woman passed away 2 years ago and her gentleman companion was left. He continued to care for the cats and we continued our visits.

Unfortunately 2 weeks ago he felt he needed to return to Ohio where his son lived. He moved but the cats remained. There was no way he could relocate them, which we knew. Sadly though the cats were not just going to stop showing up each day for food. They had been fed for many years now and the routine was embedded. John and I knew we had to step in.

So we have taken over the job of feeding this colony. My heart breaks because I know they must wonder where their previous caregiver is. And to make matters worse, the daughter of the deceased person who now owns the house…. plans to put the house up for sale.

I am more than distressed. Once this happens we will lose access to the yard to feed. So now I’m in the process of trying to find someone with another colony or a barn and some acreage that we could relocate them to. I haven’t had any luck yet but I am hopeful.

In the meantime, we will continue to provide food for these cats. The daughter refuses to feed them but does let us access the yard, which is good. She wants to have the cats euthanized. Sigh. That’s not in our plan.

We need prayers and hope. This situation is of no fault to these animals. It just breaks my heart. Hopefully with the current real estate market, we will be afforded the time needed to find a solution.

Spaying and neutering is of utmost importance. It prevents situations just like this one. There are low-cost options available everywhere. Please help those that cannot help themselves.

Until next time (when I hope I have better news),

Hannah

Catching Up

It's been forever since I've posted.  Got sidetracked.  But here I am with some new pics of the feral kids.  

Tipper used to be all skittish and scared.  Wouldn't let anyone get near him.  Typical feral.  But as I went out each day to feed he decided we weren't so bad and let me pet him.  Now he loves the petting more than food and will wait to eat until his head is scratched and he is thoroughly petted.  So cute. 

His fur was so bad and now look at this handsome guy.   All beeeeutiful. 

Next is Gordon.  I've only recently been able to pet him.  Just once.  He'll let me get closer to him so there is progress but he continues to keep his distance.  He dances around like he really, really wants to be loved on but he is just too scared.  Bless his little heart.  

Anyway, he looks good and we're happy to be able to watch over him, know that he has good meals each day and that he is loved. Isn't he a handsome boy?  He does wear too much eyeliner but what can you do? ;-)

I'll have pics of the rest of our gang soon. 

Until next time, 

Hannah

Lost and Found

Sunday I did feral trapping.  Trapped a boy we call Tipper.  The tip of his tail looks like he dipped it in milk.  Here he is after surgery and recovering at the house before his release.

I hope to get pictures of him in the upcoming weeks to show his improvement. 

About the title of this post.. it's not John and I but pretty much all else.  It's probably only a matter of time before it is John and I.  We seem to be misplacing things often. 

And truth be told I'm actually anal about putting things back where you get them from.  That doesn't seem to be working here.  A while back it was John's keys.  We have a place for our keys.  All hanging real nice on this key rack I painted long ago.  Here it is here.

Ok, so it's not that nice. Actually it looks pretty messy but the keys are all together.  And if you put them where they go then you'll always be able to grab them when you need them.  Such a good idea!  

But John usually carries his keys around in his pocket.  I think he's worried I'll lock him out.  Anyway, we're working in the yard one day.  He has his keys.  They are not exactly *in* his pocket.  He just had them sorta hanging from the pocket.  New concept I guess.  So we're breezin' around the yard doing yard stuff.  Later he needs his keys.  "Have you seen my keys"

I tell him I did.  Hanging on his pocket earlier.  They are not there.  My lord! someone had stolen his keys right off his pocket!!!!  So we search. And search. And then we search more.  We probably spent a good 40 minutes looking for these keys.    They were no where.  And we kept going back to the places we had already looked repeatedly.  Neither of us trusted the other  one to do a good job looking.  Still no keys.  

We kept returning to the yard.  Going over and over the places we were in.  I'm sure we looked like fools out there in the front yard bent over scouring the ground for these keys.  Keys are nowhere.  We have not left the house/yard.  Where the heck can they be?!  And as we are standing there scratching our heads, John sees something shining in the branch of one of the crepe myrtles.  Yes, I said branch of a tree.  

Sure enough it's the keys!  They are hanging on this little branch about 4-4 1/2 feet off the ground.  I look at him.. "did you not remember you hung the keys from the tree for crying out loud?"  But he hadn't.  As he was moving back and forth around the yard, the lower part of the branch snagged the keys from his pocket and the branch must have snapped back and the keys ended up on the other branch.  Such a fluke.  We laughed and laughed.  Then I insisted he put his keys on the key rack. 

This past week we lost the cell phone.  Uh.. John lost the cell phone.  Ok, he misplaced the cell phone.  He's heading out the door to meet his brother.  Then comes right back in.  "Have you seen the cell phone?"    

Until next time, 

Hannah