I am in full admiration of the work you rescue peeps do. I couldn't. I'd spend half my time crying and the other half shouting.
But I have been on the other end now and again. During a family crisis years back, I found myself stuck with three hamsters. Of course, there was no way I wouldn't take care of them, but at the same time they needed proper forever homes with people that wanted them. I gave up looking for help after 30 calls to various shelters. They lived out their days in my house perfectly happy and well cared for, but a hamster doesn't take much looking after...
I think sometimes you have to stand back from the day to day of all the cruelty, neglect and suffering and remember that while some people are thoughtless, stupid and rude, others are standing next to you on your side.
The root cause of all this, we know, is too many cats and not enough homes. The neutering message is getting through, but not enough. I've never seen so many kittens around...
I would love for my next cat to be a fancy, classy, bells and whistles pure breed something or other, but with so many unwanted moggies around, it's not going to happen. My heart would be forever fixed on those cages...
Here's a deal for you Teresa, to give you the mind to carry on. When my 2 go to the Bridge, I'll give up their billets to a couple of your middle aged cast offs... but fingers crossed, not for a while yet.
Juliexx