Lost pets on PetConnection.com

A fellow volunteer at the Animal Shelter sent out an email saying her cat is lost. She sent a link to her posting on PetConnection.com's lost and found cat page. I decided to take a look, even though she lives in Kansas and I live in Missouri. We live close to the border.

When I went to the site, there were probably 100 cats listed just in this area. I just cringe when I hear that a cat or dog is missing. I had a terrible time about 5 years ago when my cat, Gaby, was missing. She was actually stolen, but I didn't know that then. For more on that, click here to be directed to my website to read Gaby's story.

I have seen a lot of cats, kittens and even a puppy dead on the side of the road. I have probably seen 10 or so in the last month. Please keep your pets indoors! I know that occasionally, a pet will run out of the door or somehow escape your sights. As a general rule, it is essential to always be able to see your pet. Don't tie them up outside unattended. (I see this all the time!)
Don't let them out in the backyard, even with a fence. Sit outside with them and enjoy the air.

My cats are never, ever outside without me. I cannot risk it. Gaby was nearly killed and I won't let that happen again.

I am fostering two cats who were abandoned

I belong to a Yahoo group for feral cats and a woman on there posted a message about cats needing to be fostered.

Two cats who were abandoned in a vacant house when the renters moved will arrive at my apartment tonight. I will be fostering them until they can be adopted. All I know is that one is black and one is an orange tabby. They are going to the vet today and will be brought to my apartment this evening.

The owner of the house would have had to bring them to Kansas City Animal Control and even kittens are euthanized there so I knew they wouldn't have a chance, being adults.

It seemed pretty bleak for them. I saw the post and throughout the day, my thoughts kept returning to those cats. They had already been abandoned and now they face death simply because their owners were irresponsible?

I have space here, I thought. So, I will have an extra litter box to clean and two more mouths to feed. If it means saving their lives...then I am willing to do it.

My boyfriend doesn't seem too thrilled with this whole "cat rescue" thing. We currently have 3 cats here. I have two cats of my own (adopted them in 1999), and a feral cat (Annie) that I am taming. So, now we will have 5!?! Wow, it will be really interesting around here!