"Remind me of this feeling"

Mom's words to me yesterday as we discussed for the millionth time how much our hearts hurt seeing strays or former pets at our door, crying for more.....everything. Remind her of how awful we feel at not being able to do anything for next time so we don't start up with a new batch of strays (that is if we move). "Can't we just adopt them, we're already feeding them?" I swear if we were well off we'd probably adopt them all. If it weren't for vet costs, I'd probably give in to her and say yes.

We'd take them to the shelter to be adopted or put down, except the one who needs help the most I'm afraid to touch or try and catch.. Tundra, who's been here since we got here, is so messed up looking now and I don't think she can see well anymore so she's so defensive of anything approaching her. Every now and then someone cleans her up though (her ears get all chewed up looking and bloody), so she must trust someone. Wish that person would take her into the shelter if they can't adopt her completely. She used to be such a beautiful white and fluffy and friendly kitty. Now? She's so thin and always looks depressed and her ears and eyes are bad... I know it's terrible, but Mom and I actually pray for God to put an end to her suffering.

Snickers is friendly but so skiddish again lately. Don't know why she's so scared again. So she'd be difficult to put in a carrier. Which sucks, cuz I think fleas are like eating her alive. That or she's got what feels like scabs for other reasons. And now she's all thin. Not that I expect strays to be plump, but we are feeding them regular meals almost every day so they should at least not be losing weight. Wish we'd adopted her when we first saw her. Now I'd be too worried of the parasites she'd inflict on my own babies.

Praline is not friendly, but he's thin and I wish we could at least take him in so maybe someone could be taking care of him. Praline and Snickers supposedly belong to a neighbor down the street (not sure where exactly). "Rescued" from the shelter for the daughter so she could have "a kitty". But the stupid mother relies on her daughter to be the sole person responsible for taking care of them. o.O Yeah, cuz kids make super judgement calls without parental supervision. Sharing in the responsibility is one thing, but she was so flippant about even taking advice from me about pet care. "Oh well tell my daughter." o.O Excuse me? YOU tell your fracking daughter! So yeah, they let their cats wander the streets, which I get some people do, but they also apparently don't feed them enough (if at all....). They're covered in fleas and carrying who knows what else.

Licorice... He/she's a beautiful black cat who talks A LOT. Mom says, he had to have had a loving owner once who talked to him/her a lot cuz he/she learned it from someone. Licorice still has a collar on (albeit a very dirty one). But he/she's thin. And now something's wrong with an eye. Infection or something? :-( Yet another baby, I wish we could adopt. We want to believe he/she somehow got out...that there's a concerned owner looking for their lost pet or waiting for Licorice to return....

Tundra was probably fed or cared for by the previous renter (the owner said her son had a cat?) since she was here practically from day one. Praline and Snickers were adopted by morons. Licorice is lost maybe.... Why do people take in pets if they don't intend to care for them? If it's too much, take them back! Maybe someone else can do better. Or even if no one else adopts, they'll be humanely put down and suffering will be prevented....

Soon as we're more on our feet to afford vet costs, we'll try and bring them to a vet or shelter depending on if we think we can adopt or if we think we can't handle long term vet costs... Pray with us that they either get rescued, end suffering, or are granted health and strength long enough for us to get financially better equipped. And pray their cries don't break our hearts anymore than they already do. Oy, and that no more strays find us! Ugh... Next time, when I tell her I don't want to feed strays, maybe she'll listen.... I'll shut up now....