Nine Barn Cats Placed So Far

Guess I'm on a roll. A miracle occurred today, I'd say. I get a call from an Albany woman, whom I've helped with cats. She feeds strays, wherever she ends up. I help her get them fixed. She always takes them with her, when her family moves. They've moved out of Albany. Getting a gun drawn on her, in the 4th and Main street district, a.k.a. Felony Flats, might have been the last straw. They are now renting rural. They are ecstatic to be out of Albany and out in nature with room and no meth heads again.

But, they'd not been able to catch one of the orange females they were feeding. A couple, neighbors of this family, split badly, next door to where they had lived in Albany, and the boyfriend kept the cat, whom he didn't want, out of revenge. She wasn't fixed and had a litter.

So these folks, originally from Corvallis, began feeding them.. I got all three spayed. When they moved, they took the mother and the one daughter, but could not catch the second female kitten.

When the woman called, she asked if I could go catch that female. She also offered to take in some cats. I was tentative, and said "How many can you take?" (while holding my breath).

"How many do you have right now in need?" she asked. It was a miracle, I tell you, a miracle. They have the room now, a barn, outbuildings, space. I said "Nine" with a grimace. She'd never take all nine, I thought.

But she said they would, out of respect for what I do, and as pay back for all the help. I took up the first four today.

I couldn't help but admire their new beautiful spacious surroundings. Beauty. Quiet. Darkness at night. And, no meth heads roaming. I was so happy for them. They'd made their escape.

The husband said he'd not seen his wife this happy for a long time. The kids think they're in heaven. They like to fish and swim and they're ten minutes from river or lake. And a long way from the crime and speedway driving of Albany. They told me I should move up there. I said I am hoping to make my escape one day soon.

So, five more cats were fixed today, from the Dilapidated Duplex colony. I trapped three more there tonight, while waiting on that couple. They didn't tell me they wouldn't be home. In fact, they said they would be home. They have one of my traps inside their place, allegedly with a cat in it. I have no idea where they were. I left a note on their door and left, finally, with the three cats, at 8:00 p.m. I had to go trap that orange left behind girl. And trap her I did.

So I have ten cats right now in custody. I have the five fixed today, going to a home tomorrow. I have the orange girl. I have three more from Dilapidated Duplex to be fixed tomorrow and a male who needs neutered, owned by a friend of the "Albany escapees" son, who is living with the family up there. I think that's ten cats. Four to be fixed tomorrow. Five to take to a new home tomorrow and one to return to her owners tomorrow.

And I might have an eleventh cat, in a trap in Corvallis, if that couple ever return home and call me. The man had a broken toe, he thought, and was going to the doctor this afternoon. But maybe it was worse than a broken toe and maybe he had to have surgery or something. UPDATE: It was much worse. He is in the hospital, legs swollen, possible heart failure. I hope he makes it.

Now I am going to work the emergency Lebanon situation, the Kind Hearted Woman colony. Six tame cats, six ferals. Grandmother is now in a nursing home. Granddaughter, who cared for the cats there, and her grandmother, is being told she must be gone from the house by Friday, by the one remaining son of the old woman. This will leave the cats with nobody.

So I have a place for these ferals to go now, also, south of Eugene, but I have to trap them. Only two of the six are fixed. The granddaughter is supposed to be calling shelters and rescues to try to place the tame cats and I hope she actually does that.

Well, at least I've placed nine ferals quickly. I still need a couple more barn homes to place everybody, but I am hopeful. And, I am very very tired.