Dear Diary Sunday...

Sometimes my Gods and Goddesses come into my life and give me lessons to put things back into perspective. It is not all about how horrible MY life is and how frustrated and upset I AM and I thank them for reminding me of that. Others are much worse off than I am and I am put her on this Earth with a purpose and I was reminded of that purpose yesterday morning.

My mom and I walked down to The House to feed the cats. Many, many of my cats I had not seen since Thursday, including my favorite cat, Clover. I had also not seen my two midget kittens for awhile, so I decided it was time to brave not only the shitty weather, but The House itself and enter it. When I did, I was overwhelmed. Lying right in front of me was the lifeless body of one of the kittens, I don't know how long it had been dead. I quickly wrapped my arms around myself knowing that things were going to be worse, instincts do that for me. I knelt down and picked up the kitten, checking for signs of trauma...Nothing. I then began to go upstairs, hearing movement but not seeing the usual amount of running and hiding cats. I entered the upstairs and was rather surprised to find one of the bedroom doors shut. I went to it, opened it up, and in the room was all of my cats, throwing themselves at the glass window, having been locked in there since at least Thursday, with no food and no water. I hurried and turned around to go outside, knowing that they would begin to follow like the scared, feral cats that they are. Thankfully I had put the food and water already down outside and they all ran to it. I left the house, gathered up my belongings and headed home, and the emotions that were running through me were not on the level of anger...It was something new. I had not even shed a tear as of yet.

I got home and called my contact with No More Homeless Pets and started off the conversation with, "Tjori! Is it a DONE DEAL that this woman is taking these cats?!" She could hear the anger in my voice, said that it was a definite DONE DEAL and then asked me what was wrong. That is when I unloaded on her what I had found. Not only is there now a dead animal in the house (and keep in mind, at this time I have not shared with you how many dead birds I had found in there as well, all decapitated) but now somebody who could only have the trust of those animals had managed to get all of these feral cats into ONE ROOM and left them there to die! She immediately got off the phone with me and started her calls. In 10 minutes she called me back to let me know she had rearranged her work schedule, she would meet me over there in 15 minutes and we would assess the situation.

She met me and we entered the house together. She bagged the small, once beautiful cat, and we went through the house, room by room. She was taking the cat to a vet who works with No More Homeless Pets to have a necropsy and then she dropped the bomb....Starting today we would be trapping the cats and a friend of hers, who has an unfinished basement, would willingly let the cats stay with her for two weeks until the other lady moves them to Colorado with her. I know can see light at the end of the tunnel!! I finally called Dylan, as we were getting together, and told him what had happened, and was finally able to shed tears for that beautiful kitten...A kitten that should have never had to have lived the way that he did or experience in his short time span the true cruelty of what people can do.

The sad news....The necropsy came back last night and the cat died of parvo....A very contagious and lethal disease. Thankfully all of the cats but that small one and one other have had their shots. However, all of my clothes, my shoes, everything had to be doused in bleach to kill the Parvo, as I could bring it home. Thankfully, as well, all of my cats are current on their shots.

It take days like yesterday to remind me what my purpose is. It takes days like yesterday to remind me that I am going to make a difference in this world. It takes days like yesterday to remind me that even on my WORST days, there are creatures that are much less fortunate than I am. Those cats have only begun to understand that a human does not have to be evil, be abusive, be cruel, but is able to love them, care for them, and not bring them harm. Those cats have seen the inside of Hell, have lived in it, but are still able to show me affection and love. I will aspire to be like them, but I also know my purpose is to protect creatures like them, to defend them from that evil, and to make sure that those that are cruel to animals pay for that.

I have a goal.....And as soon as I know those cats are safe, things will start to happen.