Eightball

Last Sunday morning, I noticed a plea from a neighbor, about an injured community cat.

I messaged, saying I have humane traps to share.

My neighbor lives two blocks away, so I dropped off the trap and showed them how to use it.

Image provided by neighbor.

I was texted that the trapping was successful, and they were on their way to the lost cost spay/neuter clinic nearby a day later.

Word was that Eightball's injury was severe, but some antibiotics, stitches, and a day or two of rest would do the trick.

He was also neutered, the 'N' in TNR.

I picked up the trap after Eightball was released Friday morning, with his info written on a piece of tape.

And surprise!

While on my evening walk that day, I spied Eightball a street away.

Black cat, with a huge shaved area...that's him!

I'll keep my eyes peeled for future sightings while out and about in the 'hood.

I've made a donation to All About Animals Rescue in Eightball's name; they are a important resource for our community.

I've turned off the comments for this post, as this was all handled by Eightball's carer; she feeds about four community cats, plus has four cats inside.

Our trap may have made it possible, but we did little to make this one cat's life better; our neighbor did the heavy lifting.

Purrs for Eightball.

***

The Hubby and I thank all who wished him a Happy Birthday!

😽

TNR the SFC*!

National Feral Cat Day® is October 16!

Alley Cat Allies created National Feral Cat Day in 2001 as a call to action to raise awareness about community cats (also called feral or stray cats), promote Trap-Neuter-Return (TNR), and empower the millions of compassionate people around the United States who care about cats and kittens to drive change on their behalf.

*Stray or Feral or Community cats

We ❤️ feral cats!

Be Kind to All Wildlife

3 March is World Wildlife Day: Official Website of UN World Wildlife Day

2 March is International Rescue Cat Day celebrates and raises awareness for rescue cats, as well as for the shelters and centers they come from. Founded by  Yorkshire Cat Rescue UK.

We can do much better at aiding wildlife and cats, anywhere and everywhere on Earth!

Let's each do our part; we all love wildlife.

❤️ 🦁 🐈 🦒😸 ❤️

Fix 'Em!

 The last Tuesday in February is World Spay Day.

Let's draw attention to the importance of spaying and neutering pets during a time when many animals begin to reproduce in the spring.

At the Ice Sculpture event in downtown Mount Clemens, Michigan.

And adopt, don't shop.

Trap - Neuter - Return Works.

We know this, so spread the word.

Chat up a neighbor, the person next to you at the bookstore or library, the cashier when you buy you lottery tickets.

Sure, having a celebrity say it is great, yet the lone soldier on the battlefield can have an impact too.

Visitor

Am NOT thankful, to have a new cat wandering the yard in the bitter cold.

We pulled The Cat Hotel out from storage in the garage...

...added heaps of fresh straw, and set it on bricks.

Cat tracks!

And a pic through the window of our visitor!

 Thankful that we have a comfortable shelter, straw, and water bucket; the remains of Sweetie and Celestial Paddy O'Malley's outside life.

Should this fine kitty choose to hang around, we will put out food.

And if said kitty becomes a regular at the food bowl, then our humane trap will reappear, for no cat wanders our yard without TNR some day.

Let's Hop!

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Just Tip It

National Feral Cat Day® is 16 October

Alley Cat Allies created National Feral Cat Day in 2001 as a call to action to raise awareness about community cats (also called feral or stray cats), promote Trap-Neuter-Return (TNR), and empower the millions of compassionate people around the United States who care about cats and kittens to drive change on their behalf.

We cannot adopt our way out of the cat overpopulation; sterilizing community cats is the only choice we have to save their lives.

Veterinary and scientific professionals are at work to find a non-surgical procedure to sterilize cats: read about it here.

Huge thanks to the low-cost spay/neuter clinics, local rescue and foster groups; the public who've attended TNR classes and care for their own clowders; the relentless advocacy of national groups like Alley Cat Allies and Best Friends, plus the countless TNR groups in every city, and every state.

We love our cats, so why not love ALL cats?

❤️ 

'Ear Ya Go

It's Sweetnesday!

Loved catching the shadow of Sweetie's ear peeking over the edge.

Her other ear was tipped when TNR'd in 2009.

Sweetie is deaf, or mostly so, but she can surely turn up the volume when she wants something.

And she has her own refrigerator now.

Image grabbed from interwebs

In our quest to make sure Sweetie gets plenty to eat, we often have 1/2 empty cat food cans.

To carry the cans from upstairs to the kitchen fridge often means walking past Da Boyz with cat food.

In order to make sure the food remains in good condition, but to tease Manny and Chili Bruce less, this wee refrigerator is just the ticket.

It's adorable, just like Sweetie.

😻

Saugatuck

For a family wedding, we were in Saugatuck, Michigan.

For more information on this quaint town near Lake Michigan, try here.

While many folks were walking dogs in the shopping district, of course I managed to find CATS!

These babies had been TNR'd, as they have eartips.

This cat did not enjoy close human proximity.

These two were so very friendly!

While traveling through town, we pulled over because I was sure these were cat cutouts in the window shutters!

Alas, they aren't cats but squirrels, but they are cute.

Always on the look out for cats!

🐈🐈🐈

More Gifts

I removed my post for today, to share more 'hood gifts from this morning's walk

Peek!

Kittens

Often-seen stray

Nightfury

Boyfriend Sly

Although we are not experiencing the incredible heat as other parts of the world are, it's warm enough to avoid the afternoon and early evening.

When I can, I walk early, say around 8 or 9 am, then again after 7 pm.

Obviously, more kitties are out in the morning!

Note about the kittens:

A neighbor claims to practise TNR (Trap, Neuter, Return), and I offer to assist her with traps and the cost of neutering.

And yet, there always seems to be another batch of kittens.

I've been working with her for years, hoping she will allow me to help her, or to give me permission to trap all of the strays that she feeds to get them fixed.

So far, no luck.

However, if you know anything about me, I do NOT give up, especially when cats are involved.

😻😻😻

Love Week Day 5: My Outside Boys

I love Celestial George, Hobo, Sammy, and Paddy O'Malley, and am thankful for their presence in our lives.

George, 2008
Discovered in my office parking lot; I spent time before work, at lunch, and after work with George.
On the weekends, nearby friends fed him, and these are dear friends we still have today.
We finally figured out how to trap him; he was neutered and placed with a loving family.
George was named for the building security guard who'd brought his existence to our attention.

Hobo, 2009-2015
Hobo appeared in our yard not long after George was adopted.
Hobo never allowed us within a few feet, even when he once was covered in burrs.
Hobo escorted Sweetie to our food bowls, when she was heavily pregnant, but neither of her kittens looked like him.
Hobo would walk up and down the alley, and we later learned that he had other homes who fed him.
Sammy's appearance didn't bother Hobo, but when Paddy O'Malley arrived, Hobo stayed away from our yard to live at one or two of his other homes, with whom I kept in touch.
He just disappeared in the end; still makes me very sad.

Sammy, 2010-2014
Sammy always looked a bit disheveled.
He once wouldn't put weight on one of his front legs, and we trapped him to get him to the vet; an abscess, caused by a bite.
Later, Sammy's mouth seemed bad, and he was losing teeth.
Once again, to the vet for a dental, but the vet said he was too sick and infected for the procedure, so he was the first kitty I'd helped over The Rainbow Bridge.
Sammy was named 'New Guy', but when The Hubby went to pick him up from the low-cost spay/neuter clinic, he forgot 'Guy', and dredged up the name of his grandfather instead.

💗Paddy O'Malley, 2011-2021💗
Once Paddy discovered food, water, and shelter in our yard, he never left.
At first a bit shy, he became a love-bug, and was the only cat (so far) to NOT run away after being released from the carrier after being neutered.
The PO'M often had injuries; huge tufts of fur missing, or he'd scratch himself raw.
We trapped him several times, to get him to the vet, and the vet staff never quite believed that he was a community cat as he was the perfect gentleman while in their care.
I tried to coax him inside year after year, but he'd only step in just so far, before bolting back out.
In summer, 2021, I simply grabbed him from the porch during a rainstorm, et voila, he was inside.
I was over the moon happy, until he crashed and was too sick to go on.
The Hubby claims that he thought up Paddy's name, but he's mistaken.
I had traveled to Ireland in college, and Paddy's fur was the color of a poured pint o' Guinness, with eyes like Connemara marble.

Rest in Peace, my lovely, much-loved outside boys.
😽😿😽😿😽
Let's Hop!

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Friends in the 'Hood

We are sad to read that Angel Drake earned his wings.

Please visit 15 And Meowing to leave a note.

There are always new friends to wave at around us!

"Don't come any closer, lady!"

Window doggo!

This is Star; she comes running when I stop by.

Sneakers is often wary.

Note the eartip; someone is caring for this kitty.

Dub

You will note that some of these photos are close up, while others are farther away.

Over time, I've received permission from folks to step onto their property.

If I don't have it, I stay respectfully on the sidewalk.

New O Cats

We've had some visitors...

The long-haired cat in the middle photo is seen most often.

None are showing up with any kind of regularity, so I replace the water every morning, but don't put out food unless I see a cat nearby.

They'll learn that my presence means it's chow time!

We are thankful for The O Cats from before, who taught us a few things about luring strays in.

Always, Trap-Neuter-Vaccinate-Return is our goal, if the cats have no owners.

"If you feed 'em, fix 'em" is our motto.

Let's Hop!

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Last and First

 PO'Monday!

2nd to last photo of outside PO'M.

Last outdoor photo of The PO'M!

Inside Paddy, on my lap.

My love Paddy O'Malley stole my heart very early.

He appeared in the winter of 2010, and we TNR'd him in March, 2011.

Paddy was the only stray that I've trapped so far, who walked out of the trap after being neutered, and strode back to me for some hugs.  

All other cats ran away once free, and only returned when it was mealtime.

💕💔💕

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The Rainbow Bridge has had too much traffic recently.

Our friend Pocket ran off last week, and he is sorely missed.

Consider leaving a word or two of comfort; trust me, it really helps!

💔💕💔