Okay. I'm just gonna get on here and write.

(Wringing hands)

Wow.  Where did the last seven-or-so months go?

I last checked in back in July, I think, as a major, home makeover was underway.  And which came to an abrupt halt one day when the AC failed.  A couple weeks later, with the AC restored, my momentum was gone.

But, ya know, nature abhors a vacuum and the void was filled in late July when a neighbor, only very slightly know to us, died unexpectedly following a brief hospitalization (62-year-old woman from late-stage cancer).

She left behind one grown, loser son who lives out of state, three dogs, 17 live cats and a dead one.  And all this.

And on and on.

Of course, I didn't know about all this when I offered to feed the cats until something could be done.  Actually, I didn't even know there were cats until Tony came home one day to relate the woman's health troubles to me.

After a couple of weeks visiting the house, with its flea infestation and awful stench, we moved the cats to our garage--easier said than done--where they were caged individually, but were clean, fed and treated for any obvious conditions.  Not ideal, I know.

The situation was improved somewhat when Tony built a spacious-by-comparison pen around the cat cages, so they could have a bit of freedom to walk around a little.

When the weather was fine in the fall, we opened the garage door so the cats could enjoy the fresh air fom the outdoors.  Tony also put in some heat lamps for warmth this winter which are working well.

I contacted lots of animal welfare organizations and wrote an article for a local online tabloid.  Two cats were adopted through Friends of Felines, a group that has also made occasional donations of food and cat litter.  A local pet store, Pepper's Pet Pantry, donated some food and towels.  Some have donated cash--especially my sister-in-law, Julie, who learned about the situation when Tony and I were in PA at Thanksgiving.  She's a godsend in so many, many ways.

I learned that older cats are very hard to find homes for; that down here in Calvert County, there are no places for these cats to go; that you never know what goes on behind closed doors; that one's supposed loved ones can be real assholes; and that I hope nobody will want to takes pictures of my mess after I'm dead.  I'm gonna be working on that last one.

We also have the two dogs.

Sigh.

And then it was fall.

Comments

[Margaret]

Yikes--what a huge mess! Good for you for what you're doing to help, no easy answers though. I know my husband lost the energy to do much the last couple months of his life. His van looked a bit like one of these rooms, as does his side of the garage. It will be a project for many friends and I to tackle when I'm up to it.

[Pam Jones]

I knew most of this but seeing it in pictures added a whole new level of understanding. And shock. You and Tony have done what all of us should but few of us do. "Like a good neighbor Annie is there."

[Karenth49]

Meow, meow, MEOW! Meow kind,mew creative, meow seriously generous! Meow meow rare! We meow meow so fortunate they care!