I hate this...

There are four dogs living at The Institution. Maybe next week I'll get it together and post pictures. Each one is, in his own way, awesome.

 

No one else would want them.

 

There are...five cats. I think. Oreo is ours. He's old and blind in one eye and he gets to come in by himself and eat every day because the other cats are mean to him. HA! I show them.

 

Casper was white when he was born, he is Siamese-colored. Sparky is black & white and Casper's brother. Casper is aloof and a roamer. Sparky is...sparky. Mean to the other cats, and cuddly as all get-out if you sit down with him. He reminds me of The Not Nice Kid.

 

Ben is ours. He's an orange cat and AWFUL. Passive. Needy. When he sits down with you? It's not NEXT to you or BESIDE you...he lays his head up by your neck and curls into your body. Super smart and not too worried about anything...he's The Nice Kid.

 

Last two are...wait. That's six, isn't it?

 

Damn.

 

Spitz was the runt when he came out...that didn't last long. Feisty and funny and take you OUT...no fear. Groucho has a black mustache...get it? Very polite...he probably wore a tux in a past life. And wore it well...

 

So there is this cat in our outside garage...she is actually Spitz and Groucho's mother. Homeless. Shows up, eats my food, breeds, reproduces and leaves. Only this time? She left too soon and even though she was no Mother Teresa, I'm pretty sure something happened to her. There are five two-week-old kittens in my garage. There were. We haven't seen Mama Cat in four days. The kittens never stop screaming.

 

We tried feeding them but...five kittens? They weren't interested and if it was one? You might could coax it but...five? And then we're sitting here looking at everyone being gone all weekend and...

 

I hate this. I really really really hate this and I will cry all weekend in public places but...

 

...we took them to the pound to be put to sleep.

 

It's better than starving to death or dying of thirst or freezing to death.

 

That's what I keep telling myself. I hate this.

 

I really really hate this.