The Situation

Each and every day brings a new series of challenges, surprises, joy, sadness and many unpredictable events that can activate all sorts of emotions. Sometimes we find ourselves anticipating what we believe tomorrow may bring and then tomorrow comes and the situation for that day has you wondering how things happen.  Sunday was one of those situations for me.

It was supposed to be a day of relaxation and some leisurely fun.  Watching some Steelers football, enjoying the kids and taking in the beginning of fall weather, but it ended up becoming a worrisome night with little sleep.

My husband owns some rental properties and on occasion, you have a tenant that wants to “skip” out on paying up.  Generally the kind of person who has those kind of scruples doesn’t leave the place in such good shape.  My husband has been doing this for more than 30 years now though, and he deals with it and moves on while trying to maintain a positive outlook.

My husband was alerted by a neighbor near one of his properties that a tenant did just that - moved out.  So he went to the home and aside from finding the place in shambles, he found seven kittens that were clearly two different litters and found only one mama.  No food, nothing - left behind as if they were discarded meaningless possessions for someone else to clean up and get rid of.  In all our years of owning rental property, I have seen many things, but never anyone leaving behind a living creature to see if it would survive.

Those kittens and that mama came to my home.  We spent hours trying to de-flea, feed and care for these beautiful little gifts from heaven.  Pictured above is one of the bigger ones.

The reality set in that we really needed some help because they were so very frail and their chances for survival appeared more bleak than we initially thought.  Blood dripped from them as we tried to get the fleas under control.  Some couldn’t even walk or try to eat and drink.  The mama…well, she was only the mother to three of them so, she didn’t want to feed the others.

I began reaching out to friends, family and neighbors.  The neighbor kids came over and helped keep them warm by wrapping them in blankets and offering a gentle hand to hold and cuddle them.  Phone calls were made, decisions and arrangements were being discussed.  We put them to bed with a heat lamp to keep them warm.

That night, I didn’t sleep very much mostly because of the worry.  I knew I had to have a plan of action in place and I realized that this was something far beyond my own ability to fix. My mind raced with thoughts about  why people do the things they do.

When I arrived at work on Monday, I immediately emailed everyone in the office explaining the situation.  One reply came from a co-worker who put me in touch with some ladies she knew from Ohio who started their own non-profit organization. That’s when I met Beth and Ashley from the Back Street Cat Rescue.

These ladies took these kittens in and the mama, too.  They dedicate their lives to rescuing cats and kittens.  I immediately felt relief knowing they would be in the hands of rescuers and I met with them immediately after work.

Some of the stories Beth and Ashley shared were of unbelievable cruelty and heart wrenching circumstances of what people do to animals - from abuse to abandonment and it happens every single day.  These women run the rescue out of their own pockets and rely on charitable donations, but when those donations don’t come in, they keep the organization going on their own dime.  It’s not for them. It’s for any cat or kitten that was no longer a priority to their owner -  a discarded possession that deserved good care and love.

If you are ever looking for a cause to support, I suggest you consider this one - Back Street Cat Rescue, 214 Maple Ave, Bethesda, Ohio 43719.

I learned first thing this morning one of the little seven, didn’t make it. That’s my situation for today.