Heartbreak - Losing Sunshine in The No Generation

I believe in some blending of hope and sunshine sweetening the worst lots. I believe that this life is not all; neither the beginning nor the end. I believe while I tremble; I trust while I weep.

- Charlotte Bronte

Sunshine

I was asked to help this beautiful new-born kitten by a kind young man named Christopher who contacted me through Facebook.  He met a kind young lady named Victoria at the vet.  She found the kitten, an apparent orphan.  They both brought the kitten to me late Wednesday night.

I originally posted their photo on Facebook to ask for help, along with a plea.  Although there were a handful of shares, and close to 400 people saw the post, no one responded to help.  I agreed to take him.  I believe it would have been better if someone with more time and energy nursed him, for his sake.  But there was no one.

He came rather strong I thought.  He fought valiantly the first 18 hours, but then he seemed to weaken last night.  I fell asleep on the sofa.  I was exhausted.  I didn't wake to feed him again until this morning, and he was already fading away.  I blame myself.  I think if I had woken in the middle of the night he would have had a better chance. 

I feel sad when I ask for help and there is silence. I feel sad when I think of Jesus saying the harvest is great, but the workers are few.  He commanded us to therefore pray God sends more workers into the harvest.  I pray this. 

I have a name for this new silent generation.  I call them The No Generation. 

These two young people who brought me the new-born kitten were Good Samaritans, lovely young people who I pray will never change.  Yet, they put their trust in me and I failed them and I feel terrible. 

Sunshine passed away this morning despite all my protesting and prayers, despite all my efforts to keep him warm and to wake him from the sleep I saw him falling into, and despite all the animal rights and welfare activists hollering on Facebook.  He stopped taking the milk, his suckling grew weaker and weaker.  I am greatly saddened, I feel helpless, and yet I still have faith.  I said yes.  I still believe it would have been better for the kitten if someone else had said yes.  But there was no one willing. 

Victoria, the lovely young woman who saved Sunshine, bought formula for him.  She bought a lovely carrier for him that when I look at I want to cry.  She brought him wrapped in the softest blankets. 

I do not know if Sunshine was a he or a she. 

Godspeed, Sunshine.  Your memory is eternal with me.

I pray God sends more workers into the harvest. 

I pray for a Yes Generation.

Victoria, Christopher, I am so sorry. 

Then the righteous will answer Him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry and feed You, or thirsty and give You drink? ’When did we see You a stranger and take You in, or naked and clothe You? ’Or when did we see You sick, or in prison, and come to You?’ And the King will answer and say to them, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me.’ - Matthew 25:35-40

Mission Accomplished! Finally!

I finally trapped Wanda.

Wanda in the trap, finally

It took me forever.


Wanda was altered on Feb 27th. 


Mission accomplished. 


Thanks, Wanda.


Thanks to my friend, the other lady of the cats, for believing I could do it and sponsoring her alteration.


Godspeed, Wanda!

Beautiful Wanda

Busted

 

Creamy Arrives in His New Home

I am happy to report Creamy arrived in his new home in the USA.  He was safe and sound and I am very thankful to God for this. I am grateful for the good care that was taken of him at London Heathrow by the vet staff there. I am grateful to his new family for offering him love and a good home, a family who were not only committed to making it happen, but did a lot of work and research to that end.  I am thankful to all of my readers who shared their money and information and emotional support and held my hands through it all as I was very nervous.  Finally, I am thankful to Creamy and for the day he appeared in my life.  I marvel at the transpiration of events. Thank you all for your kind and wonderful hearts.  His new family has sent me many wonderful pictures of him enjoying his new home.  Enjoy.  There are also several more recent pictures on my Altered Cats! Cyprus Facebook page if you would like to see more of Creamy in his new home.



Altered Cats! Cyprus on Facebook


Thank you all again. 

Creamy Goes to California

Well, I finally found a home for a cat.  In California.  Creamy is just adorable and I can totally see why his new mom fell in love with him.  I did, too.  Someone left Creamcicle , now known as "Creamy",  at the park a while back.  He was young, still a kitten, and terrified.  But he has turned into a lover and with his irresistible charm, and darling expression, he has found himself a home with a lovely lady and her family in sunny California.  I wonder if he will be the first Cyprus cat there?  I have started a fundraiser to raise money for his expenses.  I ask if you could donate and share my fundraiser.  I would really appreciate it. 


I also ask and would appreciate your prayers for a safe journey for him.  I will be sitting on pins and needles until I know he has arrived at his new forever home safely.  This is the first time I have sent a cat abroad and it is a long journey for him.  Thank you. 

Creamy, I pray for the absolute best for you.  I love you and I will miss you.  Thank you for the time we have had together.  Thank you for coming into my life. 

How Do They See Themselves?

Narcissus so himself forsook,

And died to kiss his shadow in the brook.

- William Shakespeare

There have been incidents in the Cyprus news lately that have animal lovers very upset.  One was a dog deliberately dragged to death while tied behind his owner's car on Christmas morning in Limassol.  Apparently his reasoning was that the dog was disobedient.  He had sent the dog to training school and when he got him back, he was still disobedient.  So I guess this somewhat less than human being figured he would show the dog.  He killed him.  He said in the event he was not successful killing the dog by dragging him, he had a hatchet in the back of the car to kill him with, just in case.  (Astoundingly, he had a Plan B.)  The police arrested him.  What will happen?  Not much.  This is Cyprus.  This is the Mediterranean.  This is the mentality. They tolerate it.  Is everyone here like this?  No.  Are there a lot here like this?  Yes.  So it is not just a few freaks?  No.  It is a freakish cultural attitude.  It is a distinctly Mediterranean cultural attitude.  You will find it in Greece, in Italy, in Spain, in Malta. I have artist friends there. I hear the same things about poisonings, cruelty, neglect, illegal hunting of birds.  I have tried to figure it out for a long time.  I have been here 8 years.  I think I finally have a clue that, felicitously, I happened upon.  I will go into more later, because I need to do some more research and think more about it. 

But suffice it to say at the root is a wrong, misguided belief about their place in the world they live in, that, unfortunately, has its roots in Hellenism.  Remember I am Greek American. I have a unique window into this world.  I can say what a lot of expats here can't, and not be accused of racism. 

On top of the Christmas incident of the poor dog being dragged to death in Limassol, there was a situation over Christmas where a Cyprus rescue group's dogs where being housed in a  Cypriot kennel, owned by a former municipal worker, where neglect and cruelty where discovered.  You can read about that tragedy here: http://cyprus-mail.com/2013/12/29/squalid-kennel-shuts-down/ 

You can read about the tragedy in Limassol here: http://cyprus-mail.com/2013/12/27/dog-tied-to-car-and-dragged-to-death/

It was a just a few weeks ago that while I was walking my dog I found a live puppy tied up in a bag at the village dump.  It has been on-going that where I am living my cats have been vanishing into thin air.  My landlord believes my neighbour is killing them.  I have effectively been shut out of three of my feeding stations. 

How do they see themselves?  When they look in the mirror, what do they see?  It is something to think about. 

Narcissus does not fall in love with his reflection because it is beautiful, but because it is his. If it were his beauty that enthralled him, he would be set free in a few years by its fading.

- W.H. Auden

Thank You Cats in Need Cyprus!

Murphy, a female from Sammy's just before release

 

I want to say a big thank you to Sue and Jayne of Cats In Need Cyprus, a registered Charity in the Isle of Man, who have pledged to pay for the alteration of 20 of the cats I care for. I am over the moon for their kind offer to help. Without Cats in Need I could not have done the work that I have done in the past. They donated my traps, and have aided me with bills over the last three years, not to mention been a shoulder to cry on and lean on and vent, as I have not many people to talk to here. 

 

Releasing Murphy

 

 

 

They help others besides me - there are many kind people here who once upon a time moved to Cyprus, some to retire in the sun, others hoping to have a better life, who never dreamed that one day they would be doing exactly what I am doing and exactly for the same reasons. They reached their limit of the suffering they could witness while standing idly by. What joy is there in the sun when others around you are suffering? I can tell you first hand it takes the wind right of your sails. I am a happier person now. I cannot relieve all the suffering but I sleep well at night knowing I am doing what I can. This is such rewarding work. 

 

Releasing Clinton

 

 

Sue and Jayne have both been visitors to Cyprus and
themselves were both moved by the plight of the abused, abandoned, sick, injured, homeless, ignored, and poisoned cats here, and that is why they started their charity. Sue and Jayne and Cats in Need Cyprus make a difference and make it possible for people like me to be in the fields and trenches doing what I do. 

 

Jayne came to visit me and meet the cats at the park and my house while she was in Cyprus recently.  Here she is showing me cat tapping on Scoopy Sox, with Cindy Lou Who at her knee, and Starlight in the background.

 

 

We are all necessary to make a change. So are all of you that come and see my pictures, who spread the word just by commenting, and give me your moral support as well as your kind donations, which for some of you I know takes food off your plate just so you can give to the cats here, and sleep better yourselves. There are those of you who write me privately and lend me your ear and encourage me, who keep my spirits up, who send me funny pictures. Those who cry with me when I lose a cat. Those who cheer with me when I finally trap one. There are the veterinarians who put up with me calling them at all ungodly hours and many times a day, who see me at my worst, who slip me medicines and offer me their services after hours. Thank you all. 

 

Petey watching me try to trap Wanda - no I haven't got her yet, doggone it!

 

 

I may not have a big crowd here but they are loyal and true and good people. Again I thank you all. Please I ask you to donate to Cat in Need Cyprus to help Sue and Jayne continue to help us. Please offer them a big thank you in the comments for visiting me while they were here, and for offering to help me and the cats I care for.

You can give to Cats in Need Cyprus at this address.

http://www.charitychoice.co.uk/cats-in-need-cyprus-77881

 

Thank you!

 

Pegs at the park

PS  You can keep up with my most recent altered cats, thanks to Sue, Jayne, and Cats in Need Cyprus kind donation, here on my Facebook page, Altered Cats Cyprus.

What I Take With Me to the Feeding Stations

 

 



My car loaded up for the feeding station rounds



I thought you might like to see what I take with me when I go to the feeding stations.  I take a lot more with me than I used to. 


I bring several bottles filled with water.  I fill them from my home drinking tap (there are two taps in Cyprus).  The cats drink so much water I cannot believe it.  The kittens drink a lot, too.  When the water bowls are empty, and I fill them, that is the first thing the kittens run to get.  It's especially important in the summer in Cyprus to supply water because there is no rain.  I do provide it all year round.



Lots of large water filled plastic bottles go with me

I used to take the kibble in separate, doubled plastic bags - doubled because one tiny cat claw and it is over for the kibble in the bag.  It was convenient because I knew how many scoops to put in each bag for each station.  But now it would ridiculous.  I would be scooping all day.  Now I put the whole 15 kilo bag of kibble in the back seat and a scooper, and fill and refill a plastic bag as I go from one station to the next.

The whole 15 kilo bag of kibble goes with me in the back seat

I take another tote bag for canned food, plates, tissues to wipe the bowls, and extra plastic bags for trash and dishes.  This tote bag came with me from America, it's from LLBean.  It's sturdy and great with all the pockets for organizing smaller stuff.

Plastic plates, tissues, canned food, plastic bags, a scooper for the kibble

I occasionally switch out the bowls at the feeding stations and bring them home for a good cleaning, so I carry some extra bowls with me, too, in case some look very dirty.

Large clean bowls for swapping out dirty ones

Also, when they are not both occupied, I keep a small carrier in the car for emergencies.  I only have two small carriers.  I could really use a couple more.  My other carriers are enormous and are for dogs, too big for the car or to actually carry.

A small carrier and a soft blanky

I often take my camera. 

My Camera

And at night I take a flashlight.  This one uses no batteries and is a wind up.  It fits perfectly between my inside upper arm and ribcage for hands free.  I have used lots of different flashlights and lanterns and this is the best.  Batteries fail at the worst times, and so do bulbs. 

A wind up flashlight for hands free at night

And I usually keep a trap in the boot of my car, a couple of beach towels large enough to cover the trap, and a peepee pad.  I keep a can of trapping bait in my camera case.

A trap

Canned fish for trapping bait

Sometimes for an occasional treat I will bring a big bottle of milk.  They like that.  I have also taken them yogurt before.  Most like it, some don't. 

A big plastic tote is best to actually carry from the car, because they are easy to clean, waterproof, and strong.  The one I use now is from IKEA and it is giant. 

So there you have it. That's what I take with me to the feeding stations. 

Oh, and this doesn't go:

Lulu

I try to make sure all the cats are out of the car before I leave the house!  Sometimes I have been surprised halfway down my home road, and have had to turn back to drop off a cat or two. 

Sometime I forget stuff, or run out of kibble, that's a bummer, but I am never very far from home.