i hate the turnarounds from afternoons to day shift...i want to stay in bed like those suction cups currently looking pretty darn comfy.
the whole cat thing is bothering me...how do folks properly care for 100-200-300 cats when i am freaking out over 40 with paid staff during the day and me here all and every night to keep an eye on things?
cat rescue sucks...there just are too freaking many. i am on the look out for a good quality single bed and frame so i can periodically sleep with them and multi-task doing double cuddle duty while i sleep.
rescue is not just warehousing bodies and making sure they eat, drink, pee and get their meds..a quick word and a pet here and there is just not enough for their emotional wellbeing. they need sustained and consistent, personal and one on one time. we can't take the cats for group field runs to brighten and add fun to their day. they are stuck where ever we stick them and it becomes up to us to ensure that each of them feels happy, valued and loved...individually.
that's tough.
Lots of wonderful soul searching thoughts here! Kudos to you all that posted.
For me personally, it is always heart wretching that although there is room in my home for more, I try to limit it to 10.(special needs and ferals) It's a matter of logistics, time , finances, ect...
Carol, I think adding the bed or futon if you can find room is a good idea. I haven't visited SAINTS so not sure of your layout. Here's what I did. My cats had a winter room - a large bedroom in my home - just for the cats. Commercial tile on the floors, climbing aparatus and perches for window watching. Eventually I added a futon, and a cheap vhs/tv combo(no cable in that room) and made a point of sitting in there for a few hours each day and watched a movie. VHS tapes are available for next to nothing as second hand stores. If I needed a nap I'd choose that room. Over time even my ferals started curling up on my legs or sitting beside me.
As time progressed I wanted to improve the quality of their life and started using another room which was much cooler in the summer. That room faced the back of the house and it was ideal to have a large outdoor cat room built attached to the house. While most people lounge in their yards on nice summer days (I've heard people not in rescue get to do this Ha!). I would lounge on nice cushioned ones in my outdoor cat room, read a book, with cats perched,or lounging on me. They enjoyed having outdoor access which was completely enclosed - yet allowed them fresh air, bird watching and enjoy the smells of summer. The dogs became accustomed to viewing the cats and they in return became used to seeing the dogs.
I'm not saying that's the answer for everyone and depending on the layout of their home may not be possible. I just thought I'd post as it may give someone ideas as to what may work for them.
Keep up the fantastic work everyone.
Marianne