Paws Inn dilemma

[Teresa Pawcats]

Ellie next open day will be when the sun shines  meanwhile work progressing well and health even better 

[Ellie]

Exciting Stuff Teresa! 

Just imagine what I could do with Buckingham Palace and a few bob in my pocket.

I`m sure Claire will feel another open day coming up

Just caught up with this thread and I knew from the start that Grumpy would be getting the shovel out  As others have said T you know what you are able to do  just take care 

Shall be watching this space for the date of the next open day 

[Desley (booktigger)]

Good luck T, I hope it doesn't take too much more out of you.

[Gill (sneakiefeline)]

  oh T 

[MBll]

Mags, that site is a mess, most of those people would most likely be unsuitable, i want a kitten for my GF etc

Ohhhh so you know the site i was talking about (not the tree site)     Many apologies it was late when i made that  stupid post & was tired but i should have known better about posting on the site ...not a site i would recommed. 

[Angiew]

does that mean we'll have a used but well cared for lawnmower on the purrs auction "surplus to requirements"?

[Christine (Blip)]

Just imagine what I could do with Buckingham Palace and a few bob in my pocket.

The gardens there would certainly make an excellent rescue centre and they are wasted as they are 

[Teresa Pawcats]

Exciting Stuff Teresa! 

Just imagine what I could do with Buckingham Palace and a few bob in my pocket.

I`m sure Claire will feel another open day coming up

[ems]

 

Exciting Stuff Teresa! 

[Teresa Pawcats]

Ruth I havent said that, I have compromised. 

Does that man a whole block?

I just looked out the office window and for some strange reason husband and son are digging up my lawn; What an earth do you thing that means I`m so excited.

[Millys Mum]

Im glad you have come to a decision T 

Mags, that site is a mess, most of those people would most likely be unsuitable, i want a kitten for my GF etc

[Garfield&Gypsy]

have you thought about expanding by advertising for fosterers instead of stretching your own resources to the brink?

i'm sure that there are people near to you who would be willing to help out on a short term basis through the kitten season?
ignore me if i sound too positive but i've no idea whether its difficult or not to recruit fosterers!?! this would allow a temporary solution and once the relationships are established with the fosterers they could probably lend a hand at the same time each year. this also reduces the need to build more pens.

[Angiew]

Ruth I havent said that, I have compromised. 

Does that man a whole block?

[Teresa Pawcats]

That is very kind Mags but my phone never stops ringing with people wanting kittens as it is and I am bombarded with emails; my problems are insufficient resources for the work I do.
My Pens have been full all winter and my concern is for mothers and babies; I have an abundance of collapsible Pens which I am reluctant to use because of the risk of cross infection, also most collapsibles are not large enough for families once kittens start to move around. I think I have now solved my problem will let you all know how it goes.

[MBll]

regarding  kitten season etc   would it help if i post on other site Im on  for homes as there seems to be lot of folk posting ...kittens wanted...kitten/young cat wanted  ... wanted young cat 6 months to 1 year old


All it would need is you rescue name & contact details.......just a thought

[ems]

Well here is my pair of hands Teresa, hope that they can be of some use!

 

[Teresa Pawcats]

Ruth I havent said that, I have compromised. 

[Kittybabe (Ruth)]

A new pen it is then    As long as you are comfortable with it T, that's what matters. Have you convinced Rob yet?

[Teresa Pawcats]

I suspect you have already made up your mind, Teresa 

How well you know me Christine, I have taken on board everyones kind advice and made a decision late this afternoon.There will be compromise but I suspect the Paws Inn cats will gain overall.

[Christine (Blip)]

I suspect you have already made up your mind, Teresa 

By complete coincidence a very dear but temporarily mislaid friend who lives up your way contacted me out of the blue yesterday.  He and his wife adore cats and have four rescue cats themselves.  I sent him the link to Paws Inn (what am I like  ) and he has already emailed back to say that he doesnt dare look.  But I am sure he has.

Thing is, I believe his wife works part-time...

[Angiew]

don't get upset by what I'm going to say 'cos  I don't mean it in a bad way but can't think the words....

work smarter not harder!

if you really are going to put more effort in then do it to get some people to help.

(and I know you've probably tried all you can and keep on trying to do just that but at the end of the day you have to not overstretch yourself physically (and financially!))

 

[Millys Mum]

I think the real question is will you take in extra cats even without the new shed? If yes then the extra purpose built shed would make things easier imo.
  definately consider the long term

[Harna]

Sending you positive vibes and the strength to make the decision that is right for you . . . . . 

[Gill (sneakiefeline)]

In have to go with most of the others and say that your health must come first and only you know what you can cope with within the human resources and the financial ones that exist.

You do so much already and I think its a catch 22 almost , cos if you got more pens , they would be full come next kittening season and so it rolls along.

I agree that you cannot save all the cats in the world however big your heart is and however hard you try but I think that you give quality care now to so many and should draw the line at the numbers you have at the moment, which I know is hard for you to do when you know so many more need care.

I am sure Grumpy could be talked round too but in his place I am afraid I would have to put my foot down and say, lets think about this rationally, how much more can you realistically cope with and what happens to them all if you end up in hospital again and how long would you be able to manage with extra mouths to feed and caring to be done. What happens if you have new pens full of underage kittens that need 24/7 feeding and have serious health problems, how long would it be before the extra workload no longer becomes feasible. Would you be able to not to fill these pens with waifs and strays throughout the year and what happens when the next kitten season happens, cos there will still be no room at the Inn.

I think very deep and hidden in your heart you know the answer

[Liz]

teresa you do a wonderful job but your health needs to be a major concern to your expansion plans.  If Grumpy is like Robin my OH he will moan for a time and then give in gracefully and accept he will have less grass to cut!

In an ideal world we want to save and help all we can but as Dawn says debt is not good and there are always it seems more to help than homes so its a tough choice.

we would love to help here but its a closed shop so do our own thing and trap and neuter where asked by the locals and the strays who turn up get done and can stay if they want and are fed and have a safe haven but not all are as lucky as the ones we all help.

Good luck with your decision and Grumpy!

[Dawn (DiddyDawn)]

I would have to say I agree with the others.  I'm bursting at the seams at the moment and it would be great if we could all have new pens in the garden but financially for me at least, it's impossible.  Also when those are full, what are you going to do then, get another one built?  We aren't superhuman and making ourselves ill by overstretching ourselves is not helping anyone, least of the all the cats.  I suppose you have the advantage over Lesley and I as you do have a helper, but even so unless there's someone there 24/7, it's hard work.  I'm dreading kitten season as until I get my numbers down, I can't really do a lot but I do have spare pens and any I get in, if I take them will have to go in the shed.  Also, financially, I really have to start cutting down on my spending as far as vet bills, etc go, I am in debt and again, another reason why we have to be tough, without finances, it's another impossible situation.  We can only do so much T, and as someone else said, we can't save all the cats. 

[Tan]

T Hun

I would say if you and Claire can get another trust worthy person to help out on a perminatnt basis then yes to expanding cause your heart is so huge to not want to help all you can. But i would be worried for you to take more on with you and claire and Grumpy in the team.  I wish i lived nearer and would be already there everyday to help out.

Do you think it's possible to get extra pair of hands hun?
 

[Ela]

Possibly not what you want to hear but deep down I am sure you know it makes sense, I would agree with the others, you do so much already. Unfortunately (although we never say no) we cannot save the world, much as we would like to or think we can.

[Sheli_80]

From what I've seen you do an amazing job but you can only do so much before something gives. If you build more pens then you might find that by next kitten season they are full and you need more for the new kittens. I think you need to think of the impact it would have on you, if you end up ill through overwork what would happen to all the furbabes you look after so well just now.

Ultimately though only you can make the decision.

[Maddiesmum]

It has to be your own decision as only you know how you are feeling healthwise and if you can realistically cope.  Could you arrange for extra help from volunteers or something to ease your burden?

Good luck with whatever you decide Teresa

[Mark]

I think you do enough already. You can only spread yourself so thinly   

[JackSpratt]

Teresa, you do so much already. I understand what you're saying but you have to think in terms of whether the load will be too much (even without ciggies!) and make you too ill to care for the cats you already have.

You're an amazing lady and have made a difference to so many cats lives. You have to do what's right for you and yours as well as the cat population!

I'm sure Ruths right, and your hubby would be talked round if you felt in your heart that was the right thing to do.

[Kittybabe (Ruth)]

I guess T, its a question of can you handle the load permanently?

Grumpy has as much love as you do for the babies, so the likelihood is he'll give in, grumble a bit but he'll do it, but you do have to think of your health, you have to consider the extra work, and you also need to consider the financial burden of it if you're permanently full all the time.

I know you well enough that you never say no, you always find room at the inn... and only you can decide when the time is right to say it.

[Teresa Pawcats]

No room at the Inn and its kitten season, I am faced with a huge dilemma Do I expand to save more lives? or stay as I am .
I think I can squeeze in one more shed big enough to house maybe 3/4 kitten pens and providing I take it slowly and don't go back on ciggies I will cope with the added work, the downside is OH he feels I have "stolen" enough of our garden already and needs a lot of talking round to get him to agree to the idea. He has agreed to let me replace the greenhouse with a cat Pen but this is no good as the ferals use the greenhouse and I don't want to disturb them.I need to steal some of the lawn. There will also be the added financial burden of funding the Pens and the extra little lives.
The big question is
Do I fight for the extra garden to expand and save those little lives?
or Do I leave things as they are and learn to say No? which sometimes you just cant do.