winter newsletter 2014

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ast!February,!my!13/year!odyssey!came!to!an!end.!I!trapped!my!feral!cats!for!the!last!time.!But!let!me!start!at!the!beginning.!

I!first!saw!Maggie!in!the!fall!of!2001!down!by!the!Hudson!River.!I!named!her!Magnificat!after!the!Bach!masterpiece.!The!name!suited!her.!She!was!magnificent.!She!looked!like!a!miniature!black/white!yak!in!her!plush!winter!coat.!!

Once!named,!I!felt!responsible!to!care!for!her.!I!set!up!a!small!wooden!shelter!and!stocked!it!twice!a!week!with!dry!food!and!water.!She!watched!from!afar,!just!out!of!reach.!!

Winter!came!and!so!did!the!snow.!A!skinny!shorthaired!cat!made!his!appearance.!I!named!him!Armando.!I!saw!him!curled!up!with!Maggie!on!frosty!mornings.!Armando!never!would!have!survived!that!first!winter!without!Maggie’s!warm!fur.!

Feeding!the!cats!twice!a!week!wasn’t!working.!I!began!seeing!holes!around!the!shelter!–!OMG,!RAT!HOLES!!One!day!I!found!a!squirrel!frozen!solid!inside!the!shelter.!How!many!animals!was!I!feeding?!!

I!rethought!my!strategy.!The!ferals!needed!daily!feedings,!not!too!much!and!not!too!little.!Too!little!and!they!wouldn’t!survive.!Too!much!and!I’d!be!feeding!rats,!pigeons,!squirrels!and!the!occasional!raccoon.!That!could!attract!the!attention!of!Parks!employees.!I!feared!them!the!most.!What!if!they!denied!me!access?!What!if!they!called!Animal!Control?!!

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W I N T E R ! 2 0 1 4 !

Winter!tips!!Many!of!us!come!across!cats!or!other!animals!living!outdoors!in!the!winter.!While!it’s!best!for!cats!and!dogs!to!be!inside!if!possible,!there!are!ways!to!make!the!frigid!winter!temps!more!bearable!for!

these!furry!friends.!!

Shelters!are!inexpensive!and!easy!to!make.!It’s!important!to!know!how!to!make!it!a!safe!place!of!refuge.!Size!is!important.!If!the!shelter!is!too!large!it!won’t!trap!

the!cat’s!heat!inside.!

For!insulation!straw!is!the!best!material!to!use.!Whatever!you!do,!

don’t!use!towels,!blankets!or!folded!newspaper!as!they!absorb!body!heat!and!will!actually!chill!the!cat.!Avoid!hay!as!it!can!irritate!

the!nose!or!cause!allergies.!

For!food!and!water,!use!bowls!made!of!thick!plastic!that!are!deep!and!wide.!They!are!more!insulated!and!will!not!freeze!as!quickly.!Set!them!just!outside!the!shelter!and!

change!frequently.!

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THE!ARTEMIS!PROJECT! WINTER!2014!

2!

Luckily,!there!was!room!beneath!the!fence!to!slide!a!caddy!with!bowls!of!food!and!water!onto!a!ledge!in!the!tunnel.!The!cats,!sun/worshippers!that!they!were,!learned!to!follow!the!few!sunbeams!that!made!their!way!down!into!that!dark!tunnel.!They!thrived.!!

It!was!a!thirty/minute!round!trip!for!me!to!feed!them.!Sometimes!I!was!tired,!sometimes!I!was!sick,!but!I!went!out!every!day.!I!knew!the!ferals!would!be!hungry.!When!they!spotted!me!they!head/butted!each!other!in!joyous!anticipation!of!their!meal.!!

The!days!turned!into!months!and!then!into!years.!Maggie!and!Armando!were!joined!by!another!cat!–!Dexter.!I!put!out!extra!food.!However,!Armando!become!emaciated.!They!were!all!trapped!and!taken!into!LSVH.!Armando!was!terribly!sick!and!euthanized.!I!spread!his!ashes!down!in!the!tunnel.!Dexter!was!treated!for!a!deep!gash!in!her!leg.!Then!she!and!Maggie!were!released!back!into!the!tunnel.!!

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I!mostly!fed!the!ferals!from!the!dog!run.!However,!every!so!often!the!gate!to!the!tunnel!was!open.!I!entered.!The!tunnel!was!a!surreal,!subterranean!world.!The!most!bizarre!people!lived!there.!I!began!carrying!pepper!spray.!!

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Maggie!and!Armando!were!quite!a!couple.!I’m!all!for!platonic!love!but!the!other!kind!means!more!mouths!to!feed.!I!read!about!a!way!to!control!feral!cat!populations.!It!was!called!TNR!–!Trap,!Neuter/Spay!and!Release!back!into!their!environment.!The!cats!couldn’t!reproduce!and!would!keep!most!other!cats!out!of!their!territory.!

When!spring!came,!I!trapped!both!Maggie!and!Armando!and!took!them!to!LSVH.!They!tested!negative!for!the!bad!diseases!–!FIV!and!Feline!Leukemia.!The!vet!defleaed,!dewormed,!gave!them!their!shots!and!spayed/neutered!them.!It!was!now!up!to!me!as!their!caretaker!to!give!them!a!good!life.!!

I!would!gladly!have!taken!them!into!my!house!but!Maggie!and!Armando!were!totally!feral.!They!bloodied!themselves!against!the!bars!of!their!cages.!These!animals!would!never!be!happy!indoors.!!It!would!take!a!miracle!for!them!to!come!in!from!the!cold.!Reluctantly,!I!released!them!back!into!the!park.!

That!summer,!big!things!were!afoot!in!the!park.!Earth/moving!equipment!came!in.!Ten/foot!fences!went!up.!A!dog!run!was!made.!Maggie!and!Armando!retreated!to!a!railroad!tunnel!adjacent!to!the!dog!run!and!beneath!the!West!Side!Highway.!I!was!now!cut!off!from!the!cats.!!

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THE!ARTEMIS!PROJECT! WINTER!2014!

3!

Many!of!the!homeless!were!nice.!They!liked!having!the!cats!around.!Perhaps!they!recognized!kindred!spirits.!After!all,!the!ferals!and!the!homeless!were!both!castoffs!from!the!“real”!world!above.!I!sometimes!found!barbeque!chicken!and!potato!chips!beside!their!food!bowls.!I!questioned!the!menu!but!appreciated!the!sentiment.!!

In!my!travels!through!the!tunnel,!I!came!across!impressive!campsites.!There!was!an!astonishing!array!of!gently!(or!not)!used!furniture!taken!from!the!street.!Some!folks!had!extensive!libraries!with!impressive!titles.!One!guy!even!managed!to!get!his!bike!over!the!ten/foot!fence.!

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Not!everyone!was!nice.!I!had!to!replace!the!cats’!feeding!station!many!times.!It!kept!getting!trashed.!Once,!someone!set!fire!to!their!winter!shelter.!!

My!cats!–!for!that’s!what!they’d!become!–!lived!a!precarious!existence.!I!had!precious!little!control!over!their!lives.!I!lived!in!fear!of!being!finally!and!irrevocably!cut!off!by!park!improvements.!!

Every!Halloween!I!worried.!Malicious!people!can!do!hideous!things!to!black!cats!on!Halloween.!Fourth!of!July!brought!its!own!set!of!challenges.!Try!explaining!to!a!cat!that!in!a!few!hours!explosive!charges!would!be!going!off!in!their!hood.!And!then!there!were!hurricanes!and!blizzards.!!

Somehow,!Maggie!and!Dexter!survived!everything!Mother!Nature!could!throw!at!them.!I!was!in!awe.!However,!they!couldn’t!survive!the!ravages!of!disease!and!old!age.!No!one!does.!!

Last!winter!was!brutal!–!minus!fifteen/degree!wind!chills!in!midtown.!I!guarantee!it!was!colder!down!by!the!Hudson.!I!donned!three!coats,!two!pairs!of!pants,!three!hoods!and!one!scarf.!I!held!the!scarf!in!my!mouth,!trying!to!cover!exposed!skin.!By!the!time!I!got!down!to!the!dog!run,!my!scarf!was!frozen!stiff.!!

Sophie’s!Snacks!Try$out$these$easy$homemade$treats$for$your$kitty!$$

½!cup!whole/wheat!flour!½!cup!powdered!milk!pinch!of!catnip!½!cup!tuna!or!chopped!chicken!1!large!egg!(beaten)!¼!cup!water!1!tsp!cod!liver!oil!(optional)!

Mix$flour,$milk$and$catnip$in$a$bowl.$In$separate$

bowl$mash$oil,$tuna/chicken$and$beaten$egg$

together.$Add$to$dry$mixture$then$slowly$stir$in$

water$until$a$sticky$ball$forms.$Form$small$balls$

(or$shape$of$your$choice!)$and$place$on$greased$

cookie$sheet$1$inch$apart.$Cook$for$approx$20$min$

(or$until$golden$brown)$at$350$degrees.$Cool$

completely$and$then$serve.$$

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THE!ARTEMIS!PROJECT! WINTER!2014!

4!

The!New!York!Philharmonic!was!going!on!tour.!I’m!a!violist;!it’s!my!day!job.!The!tunnel!had!been!locked!and!closed!off!for!months.!As!always,!I!had!someone!lined!up!to!feed!the!ferals!while!I!was!on!tour.!However,!Dexter!and!Maggie!were!getting!very!thin.!Maggie!no!longer!walked,!she!shuffled.!Old!age!was!catching!up!with!her.!My!gut!instinct!told!me!they!couldn’t!make!it!until!I!got!back.!Not!this!winter.!!

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A!week!before!we!left,!workers!began!repairs!down!in!the!tunnel.!The!gate!was!now!open.!Still,!could!I!get!access?!In!the!past,!I’d!been!threatened!with!arrest.!Fortunately,!these!guys!were!different.!They!agreed!to!let!me!in.!Now,!I!had!to!trap!both!cats.!Getting!one!was!not!an!option.!To!survive!these!frigid!temperatures,!they!needed!each!other’s!body!heat.!!

Three!days!before!the!Philharmonic!left,!Artemis!volunteer!Joan!and!I!met!down!in!the!park.!I!brought!a!trap!and!a!carrier.!It!was!now!or!never.!We!entered!the!tunnel.!The!sounds!of!heavy!machinery!bounced!off!the!walls.!This!was!NOT!a!good!situation!for!trapping.!Trapping!cats!is!like!saddling!butterflies.!It’s!a!delicate!operation!best!done!in!quiet.!!

I!set!out!food.!Dexter!and!Maggie!were!ravenous.!They!inhaled!the!food.!As!Joan!held!the!trap!open,!I!scruffed!Dexter!and!put!her!in!the!trap.!Then!I!scruffed!Maggie.!She!put!up!quite!a!fight!but!we!got!her!into!the!carrier.!Joan!and!I!set!off!across!the!tunnel!floor,!flashing!two!thumbs/up!to!the!workers.!We!were!relieved!and!overjoyed.!!

We!took!them!to!LSVH.!That!night!the!clinic!called.!Dexter!was!on!oxygen!but!was!still!having!trouble!breathing.!!

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X/rays!showed!she!had!end!stage!lung!cancer.!It!was!time.!Joan!and!I!held!her!gently!as!we!let!her!go.!I!spread!her!ashes!in!the!tunnel!where!she!could!be!with!Armando!once!more.!

I!left!on!tour.!Maggie!remained!at!LSVH!in!quarantine.!I!couldn’t!risk!exposing!my!house!cats!to!disease.!While!I!was!gone,!Maggie!was!poked!and!prodded,!defleaed,!dewormed,!de/matted!and!X/rayed.!When!I!returned!she!was!NOT!happy.!She!huddled!at!the!back!of!her!cage,!growling!and!hissing.!

I!faced!a!dilemma.!Maggie’s!blood!work!came!back!surprisingly!clean!for!an!old!girl!of!fourteen.!However,!X/rays!showed!spinal!degeneration.!!I!couldn’t!put!her!back!in!the!tunnel.!She!was!too!old!and!it!was!too!cold.!!

We!needed!a!heart/to/heart.!I!went!to!radiology!and!got!the!elbow/length!leather!gloves!falconers!use.!I!reached!back,!clumsily!petting!her,!trying!to!explain!she!had!only!one!option!–!living!with!me.!!Then!I!heard!a!sound!I!never!thought!I’d!hear.!Maggie!was!purring.!!

Maggie!has!lived!with!me!for!nine!months!now.!She!still!loves!mealtime!and!sleeps!a!good!deal.!She’s!gained!over!two!pounds.!Sometimes!she!shuffles!out!of!“her”!room!and!looks!out!the!back!door!to!the!garden.!She!gazes!for!a!few!seconds!and!then!shuffles!back.!I!can!almost!hear!her!say,!“Been!there,!done!that.”!Maggie!is!happy!and!content.!I!pet!her!and!she!purrs.!To!me,!that!is!a!miracle.!!

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THE!ARTEMIS!PROJECT! WINTER!2014!

5!

CURRENT!ADOPTABLES!

York!is!a!true!beauty.!She!was!found!in!a!Bronx!park!with!her!litter!of!5!kittens.!She!has!become!the!official!office!manager!at!LSVH,!greeting!patients!as!they!arrive.!Her!two!favorite!pastimes!are!sleeping!in!the!copy!machine!and!sunbathing!in!the!lobby!window.!She!also!enjoys!playing!with!other!Artemis!cats!in!the!lobby.!!

Jada!is!a!gentle!and!playful!girl.!She!was!surrendered!with!her!hbrotherh!Jimmy!when!her!owner!could!no!longer!care!for!her.!She!has!lived!with!dogs!and!other!animals.!Her!photos!donht!do!justice!to!her!unique!markings!and!incredibly!soft!fur.!

Samantha$always!greets!visitors!with!a!friendly!meow.!She!came!from!a!terrible!hoarding!situation!on!Staten!Island!but!youhd!never!know!it.!Shehs!sweet,!loves!to!be!pet!and!is!an!all!around!fun!and!easy/going!kitty.!$

Jasmine!is!our!gorgeous!Golden!Girl,!around!12/14!years!old.!Her!owner!of!many!years!became!too!old!and!sick!to!keep!her.!She!is!a!lovely!cat,!with!a!beautiful!coat!and!brilliant!green!eyes.!Being!older,!she!may!require!extra!care.!What!she!needs!most!is!someone!who!will!find!fulfillment!in!helping!her!live!out!her!golden!years.!

Sofie!came!from!a!bodega!where!she!was!underappreciated!for!her!utter!sweetness!and!well/behaved!nature.!She!is!friendly!with!cats!and!warms!up!to!anyone!who!wants!to!befriend!her.!She!is!probably!1/2!years!old!and!loves!to!play!with!anything!that!moves!!

Tiger7s!owner!died!suddenly!and!he!was!sent!to!the!Animal!Control!Center.!His!chances!of!adoption!might!have!been!slim!due!to!his!8!yrs!of!age!so!Dorian!went!in!person!to!the!ACC!to!claim!

him.!Hehs!a!gentlemanly!cat!who!likes!nothing!better!than!snuggling!up!in!a!comfortable!lap.!And!he!has!one!of!the!most!unique!sounding!purrs!!

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Season’s!Greetings!!Your!donation!is!vital!to!our!work!in!helping!animals!that!other!groups!often!cannot!or!will!not!accept.!As!a!small,!neighborhood!hboot/strapsh!

rescue!we!are!often!the!first!place!contacted!for!an!animal!in!need.!Wehd!be!grateful!to!be!the!first!choice!for!your!end/of/year!donations.!Please!support!our!work!as!generously!as!you!can.!!Many!thanks!and!happy!

holidays!!~!Dorian!Rence!

Donations$are$100%$tax=deductible$To!mail!your!gift,!please!enclose!this!page!with!your!gift!and!send!to:!

The$Artemis$Project$

318$West$77th$Street,$#1B$

New$York,$NY$10024$!

Enclosed!is!my!gift!of:!__$25!__$50__$100!__$250!__$500!__$1000!__Other!You!can!also!donate!through!the!secure!paypal!method!on!our!website:!

www.theartemisprojectnyc.org!

The!Artemis!Project!318!West!77th!Street,!#1B!New!York,!NY!10024!

[Recipient]!Address!Line!1!Address!Line!2!Address!Line!3!Address!Line!4!

THE!ARTEMIS!PROJECT! WINTER!2014!