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If you're involved in animal/cat rescue to any great extent, and/or are very active on social media, you are probably aware of Ashley Morrison, Youngest Old Cat Lady, and know that she died by suicide last week. I learned this Sunday night just before bedtime when I opened my Instagram to send a reply to our former cat-sitter, and the news was all over my timeline.
Ashley was one of our clients at Feral Cat Spay/Neuter Project. One week ago, last Monday, we spayed and neutered her last foster cat and her kittens. Ashley had just had gall bladder surgery and her mom brought in the cats. She was interacting with us via Facebook Messenger about how wild these cats were coming out of anesthesia. I assumed I would get to meet her in person once she recovered fully and was bringing cats to us again. Now I'm having to make social media posts for work about her loss.
Everyone at clinic was wrecked yesterday. Ashley asked people to send donations to us, and by the end of the day yesterday over $12,000 had come in. I think we would all give that money back to have Ashley with us again. I have to keep reminding myself she had reasons for making the decision she did. But there are not many people as good as she was in the world--I'm sorry, but there just aren't--and this leaves a gaping hole not just in the rescue community but in the world as a whole.
Ten days from now will be the second anniversary of my mom's death and I'm feeling a lot of things right now that I don't feel big enough to hold.
Go tell someone you love them. Be kind to an animal. These things matter.
Ashley was one of our clients at Feral Cat Spay/Neuter Project. One week ago, last Monday, we spayed and neutered her last foster cat and her kittens. Ashley had just had gall bladder surgery and her mom brought in the cats. She was interacting with us via Facebook Messenger about how wild these cats were coming out of anesthesia. I assumed I would get to meet her in person once she recovered fully and was bringing cats to us again. Now I'm having to make social media posts for work about her loss.
Everyone at clinic was wrecked yesterday. Ashley asked people to send donations to us, and by the end of the day yesterday over $12,000 had come in. I think we would all give that money back to have Ashley with us again. I have to keep reminding myself she had reasons for making the decision she did. But there are not many people as good as she was in the world--I'm sorry, but there just aren't--and this leaves a gaping hole not just in the rescue community but in the world as a whole.
Ten days from now will be the second anniversary of my mom's death and I'm feeling a lot of things right now that I don't feel big enough to hold.
Go tell someone you love them. Be kind to an animal. These things matter.
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When we ordered our most recent batch of chicks, the hatchery threw in a free chick who turned out to be a rooster, which meant we had two roosters, and they've been fighting a lot. We haven't wanted to kill either, and nobody else in our area wants a free rooster (except for the stewpot), so we've been desperately hoping they could come to some sort of arrangement.
April 6th when we weren't home they had a huge fight, and one of them came out of the fight bloodied and with one of his eyes swollen shut. He's recovered well, and they're not fighting any more, but he's been very subdued and quiet since then.
When I read your suggestion to be kind to an animal, I thought the rooster could use a nice thing, so I fed him some crumbs from a leftover croissant. He enjoyed them a lot! He even let me pet him a little - he hasn't wanted much handling since the fight. It was a really lovely calm moment. Thank you.
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