Hey guys-

This might get long and if it does, I hope you will forgive me. I went this morning to pick up the traps. I shouldn’t have bothered, Can you say circa 1945? These traps are crap (sorry but they are) It looks like once the cat gets inside of them, they can get right back out! I still haven’t figured it out and neither did the humane society who had them. Just said they were the only traps donated to them. George is going to look at them tonight to see if he can make them safe.

There are 8 good traps available in Salem- but only enough gas money to get up to salem and back one time (which would be the trapping day). Plus the cats have multiplied or more have arrived and many look pregnant so leaving them behind isn’t even an option.

I don’t know what I was thinking that 18 traps would fit in my truck. It isn’t going to happen- so I am going to have to make multiple trips on delivery and pickup days and again gas is an issue.

I went to see Mike today. I can finally walk on my foot. He looks so bad guys, it just broke my heart. His lungs are so congested that when he breathes, he rattles like a skeleton hanging in the wind. They have him on oxygen and it doesn’t give him much relief. He was pale, he’s lost a lot of weight and he wasn’t making much sense when he did talk to me. I left wondering if he was ever going to come home again it was that bad, Please, please please keep him in your prayers.

I know it’s tax time but if you have any spare change lying around would you toss it this way? I can then fill up the truck, run up to salem pick up the good traps and still have enough monies left to do multiple trips on trapping and pick-up day. I deliver the cats on the 28th and pick them up on the 29. There is one kitten who has stolen my heart. She is black and white and her head tilts to the left and she circles to the right. I suspect she either got hit by a car or she is a survivor of distemper.

At any rate- that’s what lies ahead for CATS right now. If you can help- thank you- if you can’t that’s fine too. I just don’t know who else to ask.

7:12 update- stopped at the storage place to drop off my good traps. While I was there I noticed one of the kittens “stumble drunk” weaving side to side, wobbling, falling down. It went under the motor home and Chris was able to slide underneath and grab the kitten who was snarling and biting-but Chris had her gloves on and stayed safe. We popped the baby into one of my traps and I took it home.

This litten might not walk good but she can bite. She just nailed me with her canines and she went deep. She bit through all the protective gear I had on. The gloves are so bulk, I couldn’t scruff her tight enough and she turned her head and gave me all she had. I have done all the preventive measures I know and the tip of my finger is going numb. I’ll watch it carefully and I have started antibiotics just in case. It’s been a long time since I’ve been bitten.