Oh, T I know exactly how you are feeling. I only have 44 in at the moment but in a private house with no outside facilities, they take up every nook and cranny, crates here, there and everywhere and it has reached breaking point here and for me as well.
I know you hate to say "no" but for the sake of those in your care, as for those in mine, at some point we have to concentrate on the ones we have. There comes a time when we can take too many and then, if we fall ill due to the stress and the constant demands put on us, who is going to look after them all then.
The general public see their cat as the only one that needs taking in and they CANNOT comprehend the pressure all rescues are under this year. I feel it is my fault that some of my kittens are not feeling well, but it is not due to my care, it is due to the indiscriminate breeding of litter after litter and then passing them onto someone else when they realise they cannot sell them and it is costing them money to actually keep them.
The kittens we help rarely have the best start in life and we are left to pick up the pieces which puts even more strain on us - if only we always got the healthy ones!!
Take a deep breath T, look at those 60 cats in your care and think how they are alive due to the wonderful work that you do. I know you would like to help every cat that comes your way or is reported to you and I know you do your best to do that. BUT to be able to do that you have to be healthy as well and working yourself into the ground to help one more will affect all those 60. You have said "no" - I know it didn't work this time - don't feel guilty for saying no, there are 60 cats that you did not say no to and that's 60 more than some other people have helped.
Keep your chin up, Teresa, I do know what it is like and sometime it feels never ending, I have felt like that just now, but we must be proud of what we have done even if we think it is not enough.
Sorry to go on. Thinking of you.
Lesley x