Wednesday, February 15, 2017

Perspective

Today, exhausted, from yesterday and from hauling two cages up to the relocation site, plus Autumn and Gracie, to join four other county park cats already there, I am finding perspective on the park cats.

It's all I can try to do.

It's not easy to solve cat overpopulation issues anywhere.   This one was particularly difficult due to the distance and people involved.   I was not the one called about the cats in the park.   I'd been dutifully trying to solve an equally difficult situation however, only a few hundred yards out of the park.

Another woman was called by someone who found kittens on a trail in the park.  Then someone called the county and the local shelter to complain there were starving and dying kittens.  I heard that people were talking about the problem with folks running booths at the state fair, too.  But no one would do a thing.

The local shelter gets adoptable cats, from the public and you pay to take them there, or from other overloaded shelters, like from California, even the midwest.  They don't go out and solve local overpopulation issues.  That has become the domain of the lone unfunded but dedicated volunteers.  We get no publicity and if we get talked about, its probably bad-mouthing--ridicule.  We can do nothing right, but we keep going.

I got involved in the county park and it was not easy or cheap.  The camp host hid cats from us, got cats from people, then let them free roam the park and breed in the bushes, where sick starving parasite ridden kittens would eventually come crawling from, begging for food with sad eyes.  Or some camper would hear them crying.

Over 50, close to 60 cats and kittens were helped.  I haven't figured the numbers yet.  We took all kittens out, that is, those the camp host would give up.  And many adults.   She'd call me and want me to come get a cat right now.  She was no help and finally might fess up she had another unfixed cat in her RV.   I tried to like her.  I wanted to pretend she wasn't the biggest part of the problem.

Last night, I finally lost it completely, with her.  Julie had paid for her site, so she could help get the last cats, the ones she had helped breed, and had fed, and claimed to love.  Not that long after I drove up, she was out and about, which sure doesn't help catch cats, and thinking my visit was all about visiting her, apparently.  Her cats were out roaming, which makes it impossible to set traps.  I'd just catch them, over and over.  Then she makes an accusation.  She claimed Toyko, a cat she had declared to be hers, and who had been living in her RV, had been dumped by Julie so Julie had to take him.

This lie was the last lie I would take from her.  I let her have it.

I feel guilty today.  It's not PC to tell people the truth but it doesn't help a person at all if you don't.  But its sure ingrained you have to be nice no matter what and when I'm not nice and I wasn't to her last night, guilt sets in later, even though she has treated me like some kind of a slave for months.  She continued then unfortunately to impede efforts to catch the cats last night the remainder of the time I was there.  If only maybe I could have held my tongue, I think to myself today, in the fog of exhaustion like I am.  I'd held my tongue with her way too long already.

It is what it is.

On another note, I took Autumn, who has been very upset, and I knew she wanted her family, and Gracie, to the relocation site, and set them up in two large crates.  One of them has two doors, so I opened the end door wide, and jammed the opening against the other cage opening, with its door wide open, and zip tied the two cage openings together securely.  Both cages have shelves.  The cage with the second side door, for access, has the litterbox, water and food.  I set them up right next to their four family members in the next cage (the cats are all related at the park).  Kujo, Little T, Sonar and India are in those two cages.

Autumn relaxed visibly.


Autumn, looks up at me

Autumn and Gracie, ready for rest

Little T

Left to right, Kujo, India and Sonar





10 comments:

  1. The sad thing is that the host will not think she is a problem. I hope I'm wrong, but that is often the case.

    Time to look at your numbers again to see what an incredible number of cats you've helped. And then look at the sweet faces around you now to see how happy you've made them.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Yes, it is that time. And time to take a long winters nap with cats.

      I sincerely doubt the woman will change. I hope to be wrong.

      Delete
  2. Anonymous5:27 PM

    Some times you just have to open your mouth and call out people who behave so badly. It may not have helped the situation, but I should think you felt better afterwards for having spoken frankly to her.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. It did not come out as I had wished. I was too tired and too stressed and then her accusation, well, what came out, was long held back, I'll say.

      Delete
  3. Oh, Strayer, it must feel like continually knocking your head against a brick wall. To try so hard and to get so little support…I wouldn’t have the strength. I feel like I should say something encouraging, but it would seem false right now, so I can but tell you that I care and that I hope you feel better soon.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Anonymous2:38 PM

    I don't believe in being politically correct. I believe in being morally correct. "Be the change you wish to see in the world." ~Gandhi. You do that, my friend. That is what matters. Hugs.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. That's how I see it, actions count. thanks.

      Delete
  5. I can only echo the sentiment of others here. You are an awesome human being.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. thanks Darla, just wish I could get the rest.

      Delete

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