Tears for Cats

Cats die

and autumn

leaves fall

beautiful but

dead none the less.

Water meanders

in brooks

with cheeks-full

of tears

for dead cats.

Hope lives

as cats die

and I cry

for those that live

no more.

Sad, sad, sad…why?

cats die

and I

can’t do anything

more.

All of these sweet kitties (in the link below) died at my local animal control facility within about 6  months time – these were just the ones I had photos of.  I knew each and everyone of them. Despite a tremendous amount of effort, I was not able to help any of these in time. This was over 3 years ago and the plight remains the same throughout the United States. I have gotten out of rescue after 5 years of intense work. It was simply too hard. The rescue I started “half the way…home” has been taken over by other rescuers who work  hard to help as many cats and kittens as possible. Still, the number killed daily remains high. It is heartbreaking.

Recently I read a Facebook posting by a distraught rescuer who is doing just what I used to do to help get cats out of animal control before they are killed.  Go to the animal control facility, take photos, play with the cats, leave them there and go home (the hardest thing to do of all), write emails, text, or call to beg and plead for filled-and-overflowing rescues to take just ONE more…all the while the clock ticks…anxiety rises. At the end of the day you call animal control and hear the words…no longer available. Tears fall as they die and so does a part of your soul.

This is hard stuff folks! It isn’t happy and it isn’t talked about much. No one wants to hear about it…no one wants to do it….and no one wants it to continue. But it does!

Please support rescues so they can help more!  And please work to make legal changes in animal welfare in your community so those that do end up in animal control will be more apt to find a home again. And PLEASE spay/neuter your pets and community/feral cats so there will less that go into animal controls to begin with.

Gone But Not Forgotten: http://www.facebook.com/274120029275228/photos/?tab=album&album_id=318259014861329