Huge TNR trailer park project!

The TNR group I volunteer with is doing a massive feral cat spay/neuter round up at 3 trailer parks in Lexington. It has been in the works for awhile and tomorrow is the big day! I am in charge of one trailer park...will be the largest trapping project for me yet....daunting but exciting! I just finished prepping our garage. 18 traps, 6 carriers and a whole lotta towels, blankets and tuna. When I visited the park today, one of the kitties was curled up in a baby stroller...he was quite a friendly little greeter. It was rainy so most of the cats were hiding under the trailers. I hope to get some good action shots tomorrow if the weather is nice and sunny...paws crossed for that!

This project is so important not only for the cats but also for the people feeding and caring for them. They have a hard enough time making ends meet, yet they still manage to feed many cats. That is true compassion, kindness and generosity.

The goal is to get 20+ cats at each location. Stay tuned for an update this weekend!

All ready to go...



The recovery area...

Purring among the pumpkins....

Here is Chumbawumba aka the Rumba Ball enjoying the straw nest under the pumpkins in my antique wheelbarrow. Can you believe this precious girl survived on dumpster scraps for years while transporting kittens up and down the streets of our neighborhood? That is what one of my neighbors told me. When we moved in 3 years ago, we put food out on the front porch for her and her 2 little orange sons and the rest is history. We TNRed them all and now she spends lots of time in our bed though she still insists on going on outside adventures. I worry about her, but she refuses to be a full time indoor kitty. Who could resist a sunny, 70 degree fall day among the pumpkins???

Halloween Owl Nesting Dolls for the Pfatt Update!

Time seems to keep escaping me lately!! Almost forgot to post these little fellas before tomorrow's Pfatt Marketplace October update! I am offering a set of six hand painted Halloween owl nesting dolls. Hoot hoot! Hope you like them :)!

Home Makeover for the Auto Body Shop Cat Colony

I wanted to update you on my progress with winterizing the auto body shop's cat colony. Many thanks to Susan who purchased two of my Halloween circus animals which helped fund this project!! The kitties and I are so very grateful. I ordered feeding stations and feral villas a few weeks ago. I assembled them last weekend and was able to get the colony "makeover" underway this past Saturday. Most of the kitties were not sure what to think, but as you will see, my buddy, Jimmy, was a wonderful assistant through the whole process. When I arrived on Sunday to feed the crew, I could tell that they had been exploring their new shelter and had been nesting under the tree in their new straw bedding.

Assembling the insulated villas and feeding stations on my back patio.



Hugging Jimmy as we unload everything.



Raking out the trash from under the tree to prepare for the straw bedding.



Adding straw to an existing shelter. They guys at the body shop put this out for them. It's one of those luggage carriers you attach to the top of your car with a cat door cut out...very clever and purrfect for a large, multi-cat shelter!



Jimmy testing out the straw. I think he approves!



Spreading straw under the tree.



Feral villas tucked under the tree on top of the straw....should be lots of cozy, dry places to snuggle this winter!



Diesel enjoying the view from one of the villa's rooftops.



Feeding stations in use...the larger raised one will be great when it snows.



Tip for all you feral cat caretakers...straw is the cheapest, BEST way to keep kitties warm and dry! It reflects their body heat and will not mold, mildew or freeze when wet like blankets and fabric beds. One bale of straw cost me $8 and it goes a long way.

Kitten and Cherries...

Yay!!! Just finished up the last one (for now). I'll be delivering these to Cradle Will Rock tomorrow...paws crossed that the owner likes them and that the customers like them even more :)!
This one is my personal favorite. Never would have guessed that the kitten one would be my top pick, right??!

Circus Elephant Painting

...and here is no. 2! I put the finishing touches on this one this morning and had hoped to get the kitten painting done, but I had to take 3 cats to the vet and went on a wild goose chase tracking down heart medicine for another one of my furkids. They keep me busy that is for sure! So, it's back to painting momentarily. Happy Tuesday!

Henry Hedgehog and Apples Painting

I have been working on a series of paintings for a local children's boutique called Cradle Will Rock that I just LOVE! The decor and clothing is whimsical, colorful, fun, retro, vintage and funky....my perfect combo! I just wish I could shrink into the adorable clothes. The owner designs and sews the majority of the clothing, and she uses a wonderful mix of patterns and prints. I wanted to complement her aesthetic and come up with a concept that would fit right into her style. So, I decided to paint backgrounds and borders that look like fabric prints with painted animal "patches" in the middle. I just finished the Henry Hedgehog and Apples painting and am now working on completing a Kitten and Cherries and a Circus Elephant.