Sometimes I could just cry

This morning several new cats showed up in the yard. I am starting to lose count (and hope) I set out a trap- not expecting much except to perhaps capture my own, but hunger drove one cat into the trap fairly quickly.

I ran him upstairs in the cat room where he has been serenading me since. He is skinnier than he should be, a mackeral tabby. Earlier, I went upstairs and sat down on the floor calling to him gently. He came right to me! Turns out he is neutered too! (TYG!)

So I got in my car and drove down my road and the back roads I knocked on every door asking the people if they have a cat matching his description- they don't. He is either lost, or someone got tired of him (he has sprayed the cat room in his angst) and they dumped him off here. My other cats are not liking him much at all, and I am faced with what am I going to do with him? I will keep him up in the cat room for about a week to see if the others will get along with him eventually. Try to find him a better home in that time, and if nothing else, just turn him back outside minus the cat fights.

I just don't know what to do anymore. They just keep arriving here- it's maddening! I know that no one out there has the magic answer, but just earlier, when he was all curled up in my lap and purring away shows me that at one time he was a cherished pet? So what happened? He turned into a problem urinator and someone tossed him outside! He has already missed the litter box twice, so I started him on antibiotics after talking to the vet. But geez he is such a love and he deserves someone to take him in and love him back! Wish me luck that I can find this person- and not just some barn where he can earn his keep by catching mice.

MA, have you considered a classified ad on Petfinder? A good number of the folks who post on there insist on vet references and adoption fees, so you should be able to screen potential adopters. I would hate to see a guy used to a life as a pet spending the rest of his days outside in a barn...but of course it beats the other alternative.

best of luck, sending find-a-great-kitty-parent vibes...

You are getting a rash of these lately, aren't you? That really s*cks! I know that I have a reputation in the neighborhood as "oh, you're the person with all of those cats?", and wonder if they don't tell their friends and family to drop off all lost pets by my house.

The more you help, the more that show up sometimes....but would you do it any other way? *sigh*

((((*****hugs*****)))))

MA , I am so sorry and really don't know what to say . But I want you to know that my heart is going out for you and your husband . I keep you all in my prayers and I also will pray for the cats
((((((( HUGS )))))))

Well right now I can't get him to eat. I got his mouth open and see he has rodent ulcers on his tongue- so I need to get him healthy before I can even adopt him out. Right now I am syringe feedig him broth very slowly and even that causes him misery, he does that low growl hissing noise when food is in his mouth....no wonder he is so skinny- I can't even take a picture of him, my digital camera battery is to low-

poor little guy I hope he is okay, he sounds alot like isadora, she was such a love bug but wouldnt eat and at take time I was not as skilled at force feeding as I am now. I hope he has a much happier ending then she did. I just don't understand how people can just dump cats!

It seems when people 'hear' of a cat person, they will drop cats off in that vicinity. You know, the disposable method, not my problem type of thing.

I wonder how many cats are actually dropped in your area, or did this little guy just search out a place? Since he is so skinny he must have been outside for quite awhile?

Have you thought about advertising your sociable cats in other nearby towns/cities? Local papers, church halls, etc could be a cheap source of advertising available cats, especially when they are dropped on your doorstep.

I'm sorry I can't loan you a couple of million dollars to tide you over in the meantime MA. But the first lottery I win, expect a call...

LOL! Thanks Kass- I keep buying those pink lottery tickets in the hopes that someday I can really make a difference.

Puzzle (that's his name) is quiet now. I put a snugglekitty upstairs with him, and cleared out a closet and put a bed inside, so he is curled up in the closet now asleep. I am grateful for the peace and quiet and haven't gone upstairs to check on him afraid to wake him up and start his serenade again!

aww poor baby , I feel so bad for him . Bless you MA for taking care off Puzzle .

Oh Mary Anne, You've had quite the summer of ferals. Poor Puzzle, I know you don't want any more to come to your door, but at least he is in a safe place and won't just die out there - cold, hungry, in pain and alone.

You have to wonder, do people drop them at "the cat lady's house" to alleviate their slight guilt at abandoning a sick animal to die slowly.

I don't know. But something is going on, to have these all of a sudden arriving in almost droves. I haven't seen that one unique cat that was as big as a small bobcat in quite awhile, so I hope it was owned and found.

I went upstairs with Mike's help and we took Puzzle's temp. Poor kid is packed with stool, so that may be another reason why he won't eat. I piped classical music up the stairs, and he is quiet for now. God, he is a love though!

Oh my! MA I am so sorry that you are feeling overwhelmed. What you do is very very hard, and although it can be so very very rewarding, I know it can be very heartbreaking too. My love and prayers are with you, your husband, and all of your 'family' there with you.


This boy sounds like he is need of some serious help. Perhaps that is why God has sent him your way. You're definitely an angel to animals no matter what type.


I'm going to be praying extra hard for this boy to get better, and also that once he is well you will be able to find him a very lovely home.


I have nothing but absolute admiration for you and what you do MA.

Hissy,
You do so much for cats in need. I will keep you and Kitty's in my thoughts and prayers.

I can feel your frustration here. People dump pet cats off at the park on a regular basis. It makes us sick. Luckily we've found homes for most of the tame ones. We are running out of our resources though! One lady took one of our dumped tame ones that turned out to be diabetic. He would have not survived long there. I just don't understand people...*sigh*....

CATS ARE NOT DISPOSABLE!!!!!!!

What is WRONG with people?

MA -

My greatest resource for taking dumped cats is a woman in Albany with a 23 acre goat farm. She has no inside cats- her son is allergic, but she has at last count 15 cats she has gotten from me in the past 3 years. She keeps telling me she has to take a picture and send it to me at milking time in the morning, the goats are in their feeder, and the cats are sitting patiently behind them waiting for the milk to squirt in their mouths! LOL I made several surprise visits to her over the years, and have always seen my ferals looking in optimum health! But she has a lot of my rescues

that is great that you have someone that is willing to take alot of them! Rich and I really really want to get out of NJ and get a big piece of land somewhere mid country. I just keep hoping my little store will someday get big enough to support a catrescue!

PrincessPurr , never give up hope . One day it may happen

MA that is great that you have that person who took all these wonderfull cats .

Ok I am gladly eating my words! This evening Puzzle's mom and dad showed up! They had been on vacation and just got home and had left their animals in the care of a friend. Puzzle (whose real name is Murphy) went hysterical with delight to see them! They had found my note I left at homes where no one answered and came over to see if he was theirs! They were appalled at his skinny condition, and insisted that when they left him he was robust and healthy. They were gone for 3 weeks . So he has been returned to them. They live on the back road behind our property. Apparently Puzzle worked a screen loose and escaped one evening, the friend didn't tell them he didn't want them to worry! They also were really smitten by Kahuna, who was up laying with Puzzle, as Kahuna is my ambassador kitty and calms them all down. But I told them sorry Kahuna has a home and a darn good one at that!

MA, that is WONDERFUL!!!!!!

I am so happy for Murphy and his family that they found each other!