JOAN

[Guest guest]

I get cats dumped here where I live pretty often. I usually have someone who wants a cat and that helps alot. I do what needs to be done to see that they get safe. My cousin lives in WV next door to my dad. I have contacted the Humane Agent in their area and they keep telling me that there are NO LAWS GOVERNING CATS but if someone shoots one for tearing into their garbage they show up then... Well, why not do something BEFORE a cat is killed instead of afterward?? Doesn't make any sense to me....

There are ways to catch some cats, may not sound very nice but they work. There are Hav-a-hart traps that catch them, unharmed and then you can do what needs to be done (hopefully sedate and vet them and return to their area to love but NOT reproduce). If you start an organization in your area to do this, MOST humane agencies will work with you to catch these cats and s/n. There are always ways to help get these poor kitties either altered and returned to their homes or find someone or a group who works with ferals. Takes some work but it is soooo rewarding to see them go someplace safe and happy, and not living on the streets taking chances with vehicle accidents...

I know I have not been online much lately either. I have the flu and also lost two senior dogs last week. One was a Mill Dog with inoperable mouth tumors and the other was a 14 year old Yorkie with stomach cancer. Between my flu and the little ones and their problems, I have had my hands full too. I can just imagine what the messes are like with those little tummies.... Poor babies!! In the last few weeks, I did something very silly, I BOUGHT an alligator to save it from certain death. OK, now what do I do with a two-foot 'gator named Gucci? (I didn't name him, my husband did!!) This little guy is about two feet plus and loves to be held and have his head rubbed. If you walk past his tank, he will his if you ignore him and don't stop to visit. Talk about really odd... Anyway, he has a mouth deformity and it was most likely from a nest-mate biting him in the lower jaw and causing this injury. He eats just fine and loves Goldfish...

I have seen some of the problems you encountered lately with another "rescuer" and I totally think that was wrong and just downright evil of her to do what she did to you. She had NO right whatsoever to do that and she should be ashamed of herself. But, we both no she has no shame or remorse for anything she does to anyone. Yeah, I also found out she has made some horrible racist comments about you and a few others. Not nice regardless and I do apologize for giving you grief over it in the past, all is far in love and war but it was still wrong and I apologize.

Many people make mistakes when they fall into the wrong circle of friends. I can name you several who have "seen the light" and come to me and apologized. Now, they too are on the "list" and have been targets by the same people you called your friends. As I stated to you long ago and will do so again, if you ever wanted to know anything about me and what goes on here, all you had to do was ask. We are all on the same side basically, we are for the animals and their needs. No one does things exactly alike and those of us who do not accept being bullied are thus harassed and trashed by those who have now also turned on you. Yes, some people are simply NOT very good with people and yet they claim to be activists for abuse of all sorts--including that against other humans.... I guess that says alot about their crappy attitudes, doesn't it?

None of us who are intelligent are trusting of others, and for reasons like what you have endured recently, but I assure you that I am as honest and real as it gets. I don't want fans for friends but I am in this for the animals only. If I can help you help those cats in your area, then we BOTH accomplished something worthwhile- friends or not the CATS WIN.

If you need my help, I am here for your cats. I simply don't care about the past, we don't live forever and it is the NOW that matters. I have seen what bitterness causes us to become and I have decided that it simply isn't worth it to be bitter forever. It makes us old before our time too, and I am not willing to let my looks go yet!!! LOL

Just let me know what you need for those ferals and we can work on getting them food for the winter and hopefully someone close to you will have a few no-kill traps so the cats could be altered and either returned to their area or a sanctuary or a facility for ferals. The choice is yours....

Respectfully yours,

Joanie

, nonhumanavenger wrote:>> Cats dumped there too? I can certainly believe it. Sometimes I wonder why I even make an effort, because the problem is so huge. YOUR cousin has all those cats who she doesn't care for? That must really bother you a lot. I mean, it's horrible for ANYONE to do such a thing... But, when it's someone you know, it bothers you in a way that other cases don't. > > Yes, I know what you mean about not being able to catch some of the cats. A while ago I was on a feral cat list in which there were many members who came down on those of us who admitted to only feeding some of the cats in our areas. They claimed that there is always a way for anyone to catch cats, which is so untrue. There are several cats who won't enter a trap no matter how hungry they are. People think that any cat will go into a trap. BULL! Cats can be pretty observant.... watching other cats being caught in traps, and then they simply won't go in. Some of the members in that group were saying that we were part of the problem and that we had no business joining a group that welcomes "the true feral care-taker". So, needless to say, I left that group.> > By the way, I would like to apologize to you for having not responded sooner. I've been on line a little but, for the most part, have been a bit more busy with the cats here lately due to a couple of upset tummies. I'm sure you know what that's like.... Upset tummies can cause quite a mess in the house. Anyway, given our history, your olive branch means a lot to me. I suppose I have, as you said, become "a black sheep in the ranks" so to speak. I wouldn't exactly word it that way, but I guess that's accurate. But quite honestly, that isn't why your olive branch means something to me.... Although I have recently experienced a rude awakening, your olive branch has been offered at a time when things have been more difficult.... and, oddly enough, when no one else has been kind enough to extend the hand that YOU have extended to me (yet another awakening).> > As far as you being unjustly harassed.... It might not mean much to you (and I would understand if you said that it doesn't), but I really did think that you assumed certain things of me. I thought you assumed I was on a certain "side" when I really wasn't at the time because I didn't know any of you guys who were "doing battle". I guess that was my first mistake.... a mistake because, if you were the type of person who assumed such a thing, you wouldn't be offering me this olive branch. My second mistake is that I trust too easily. Actually, I really don't trust people for the most part but I do tend to trust those who I think are good friends. I need to be more careful in the future with regards to who I consider as friends. Don't get me wrong... I'm not in this for friends or fans either.... But I just thought that it was great if I did make friends along the way. Not something that I set out to do, but I thought that friends work together much better. Ya know what I mean? Maybe not, but, whatever the case, I am willing to accept your olive branch and go on record as saying that I was wrong about you... which is why I am responding in the group rather than privately. > > And, again, I do apologize for not getting back to you sooner. I wasn't on line much, but your message was in my thoughts and I do appreciate it. So thank you. And I hope to communicate with you in the future on a very different note than that which we have communicated on in the past.> > Sincerely,> > SinDee> > > the_hardluck_hounds > Mon, 6 Nov 2006 7:18 PM> Re: SinDee> > Oh, cats are dumped here too and there are few rescues for them > either. I could tell you of a cousin in WV living next door to my > dad. That heifer has obout 25-30 cats and does not feed, nor alter > them and does not keep them confined. They get into the neighbor's > garbage adn all sorts of things, along with being killed on the > road. I have personally contacted the Local Pound (Cabell Co., WV) > and they will not do anything. I also see many cats here in this > area who are homeless but I simply can't catch them and merely feed > them (they are all ferals) and hope for some help in the near future > with T-A-R (trap, alter and release).> > If you need help (and I have heard that you have become a black > sheep in the "ranks", if you know what I mean), then I give you > permission to email me to ask questions. I will help you to collect > donations for trap-alter-release and to feed ferals in your area. It > is not an easy task and neither is it cheap.> > And one more thing, that side of me that gets nasty, it only shows > up when I am unjustly harassed and bashed for NO obvious reason. I > merely defend myself and if it takes being nasty to do so, then so > be it. I work solely for the animals, I am not in this to make > friends or earn fans. The animals in need ARE my concern and I work > to help any and all who are in need.> > The door is open, Cynthia, now are you woman enough to walk through > it.> > Joanie > ______________________> Check out the new AOL. Most comprehensive set of free safety and security tools, free access to millions of high-quality videos from across the web, free AOL Mail and more.>