Trapped Cat Saved by a Burger!

Mommy was reading her Facebook postings and found this story. We all think that the person/persons that put this poor kitty down there should have to eat dog food for the rest of their lives. But, the story is great and actually has a happy ending in sight, so we are happy too.
Everyone have a great Thursday and enjoy the story!

Last Tuesday, two Minnesota Department of Transportation (DOT) workers were cleaning a pedestrian walkway on the Richard Ira Bong Memorial Bridge, which connects Duluth, Minn., with Superior, Wis., when they got quite a surprise.
DOT employee Christopher Smith was just doing his job, sweeping debris out of the path, when he heard meowing.
Smith looked over the edge of the bridge and found an orange cat trapped on a pier cap — a concrete ledge that tops one of the footings of the giant structure.
The pier cap, 80 or 90 feet above the water and 20 feet below the bridge decking and made of un-climbable concrete and steel, left the cat with no way to escape his predicament.
Unable to contact his co-worker, Gary Wright, who was operating a sweeper on the bridge, he called the police.
Superior, Wisc., police officer Bradley Esler answered the call.
“A couple of DOT workers had reported that there was an abandoned cat that was on a pier abutment about twenty feet below the bridge decking that appeared to be abandoned and cold and was meowing,” he said.
When Wright finally saw the police car parked near Smith, he went to check on his colleague and found Esler and Smith trying to figure out how to help the agitated feline.
Their first attempt involved dangling a nylon strap down to the cat to see if it would use the device to climb back to the roadway.
“Our thought was we could hopefully put the strap down there and the cat could self-rescue,” Wright said.
The cat had other plans, though. The feline seemed to calm down after he rubbed against the strap a few times. But it soon became clear that the cat had no intention of climbing a nylon strap, so they quickly came up with another plan.
Wright remembered a safety harness bag he had inside his truck. They decided to run the strap through the handles of the bag and prop it open with a piece of wood.
They baited the rescue trap with Smith’s lunch, a venison burger, in hopes that the cat would be hungry enough to succumb to temptation and facilitate his rescue.
“Honestly, as soon as the bag touched down on that pier cap, the cat jumped in it and I pulled as hard as I could to close the bag and pulled it up,” Smith said.
The cat was eating so hungrily that he didn’t even seem to notice what was happening. “I’m thinking the cat had been down there for some time,” he said.
When Esler and Smith released the cat from the bag, he instantly started purring, and the two fell in love with him. Both of them talked about keeping him.
The Animal Rescue Federation in Superior took the cat into its care. They gave the lucky feline, a Manx or Manx cross about 1-1/2 years old, a special name to commemorate his rescue.
“Ira was named Ira after being found on the Ira Bong Bridge. We named him Ira Bridger. He is a manx. He has a stubbed tail with a little kink in it. He has large feet for walking on snow,” said Jessica Grant from the ARF.
And the story continues: Esler is serious about adopting him.
“I am interested in keeping the cat,” Esler said. “I went to visit [him] and he’s just a happy camper, jumping from person to person. I think he knows it was almost lights out.”
Esler also said he’d like to find the person who he thinks “pitched it over the side” of the bridge.
“It would really tick you off if you would have seen it down there,” he said.
Wright agrees with Esler’s suspicions. “We found it hard to believe the cat got down there on its own,” he said.
Ira will remain at the ARF shelter for seven days in case the owner comes back to claim him, Esler said.
“I was hoping this cat was a girl so I could name her Bridge-ette,” Esler said. “But this cat’s lucky for many reasons, so maybe Lucky.”

(note from the mommy...I found this story on one of my facebook posts but it is actually pulled from Catster http://blogs.catster.com/kitty-news-network/2011/04/04/trapped-cat-saved-by-a-burger/, with sources listed as the Duluth News Tribune and Northlands News Center and I thank all for sharing the wonderful story)

For Shell and those who loved her

This will be a quick note from the mommy but we wanted to say we are sorry to hear about Shell and her departure to the Rainbow Bridge. We have followed her story and have been purring and praying for her all along. We know the decision was difficult to make for MaryAnn but we know that Shell knew she was loved and that is all we can ask for.

So, farewell, Sweet Shell!


Snuggles and purrs,
Taz, Runt, Charles and mommy, Anna, in Illinois

Bad mommy!

Our mommy has been so "busy" that she hasn't let us post on our blog. As you can see by this picture, Runt is giving her the cold shoulder routine (really cold, as the snow will show)

but at the end of the day, he is snuggled right in the blankets, near mommy for a little cat nap.
In other news, The Princess, aka Taz, has chosen the front bedroom as her domain and is hissing at all that enter, except mommy, who brings the food. Fortunately, this works for the boys as that room is too girly for them and it works for mommy, since the litter box is in the bathroom, immediately outside the bedroom door and easily accessible for princesses and boys alike.
Mommy has been sewing again, which is a good thing since she doesn't like us to lay all over her fabric and messing up her quilt blocks. We think it's fun to wait for mom to lay every thing out, turn to get her camera and then play chase and race through the middle!
So, to all our furry friends, we bid you a wonderful Wednesday!

A woofie named Madison

We got word today that one of our online woofie friends has left for the Rainbow Bridge. Madison would occasionally blog on his human mom's blog about his insight into life and the life of a dog with a quilter for a human. Mommy would often read us Madison's blog posts and we liked him, even if he was a woofie!

We just want to say here that we will miss your posts, Madison, and that we are sending our snuggles and purrs to your human family to help them deal with your leaving. Run free, Madison, run free!

You can read about what Madison's human has to say about his passing on her blog post:
http://amisimms.wordpress.com/2011/02/22/what-a-dog/

So, we'll be back soon to report on Mommy's return and how she is trying to get in good with us again, but for today, we are signing out.
Snuggles to all!

Mommy's leaving us!

Well, cats and kittens, the suitcase is out and the mommy is putting stuff in it...and not shorts and t-shirts but the same type of clothes she wears here at home. Why, oh, why would she want to go somewhere as cold as here? More importantly, why would she want to leave us here alone?

Mommy: Well, where I am going has been hit with the same goofy weather that the lower half of the US has been experiencing...should have been a little warmer than here in Illinois, but doesn't look like there will be much difference.

 Well, we think it stinks! Now, we won't have you to snuggle with or to get to fill the food dish whenever we want!

Mommy: Aunt Mary will be coming in to make sure you don't starve (not that that would happen anyway) and to give you snuggles and cuddles. I expect you to behave like well behaved felines and not to give her any trouble. Oh, and Taz, try coming out so she can see you once or twice...that way she won't worry.

 We're going to miss you, mommy.
I'll miss you too but I don't leave for a day or two, so let's snuggle some.
 No, we're too busy right now...

Just a quick note

Several of our cat friends are not feeling well and we just want to pop in to say "feel better" and "we're purring for you"...Special wishes to feel better go out to Momo and KC and her daddy, Charley.

Have a great Sunday everyone!
Taz, Runt, and Charles

Friends helping friends

One of the blogs that mommy checks most days is the Cat Blogosphere, where we cats are working to take over the internet. I mean, where can you find out about the latest feline fashion trends, who has found new forever homes and who needs a little help from their friends to get over a medical or financial bump in the road?
http://www.blog.catblogosphere.com/

Today's post is to help get the word out about the later-friends helping friends-and it's a double dose of help, with the current auction helping out Chrystal and the new cat house that is being built.
http://dogsandcats.typepad.com/blog/
The emergency auction to help out Bugsy and Gracie will begin on Monday, the 31st. Take a second and check out the offerings and we bet there is something you will fall in love with and need for your very own.
 Snuggles and purrs from all of us here in Illinois,
Taz, Runt and Charles

Here is the notice from the Head Auctioneer-Gracie:

We are having one for Chrystal to help get $$$ for a new cat house, that auction will end on January 30 at 11:59 pm est. We also are holding an emergency auction for Bugsy and Gracie from the Happy Cat Family, which will begin January 31st.  Read about them here:
http://www.happycatfamily.net/blog.html 
Much needed $$$$ are wanting for the big vet bills already in need of payment plus more medical things to happen to get these two back on their paws. Not only is one kittie in need from the Happy Cat Family but two. Please check things out as there are many wonderful items and some pretty jewelry that is purrrfect for that special dress up night out for your mommies. Gracie~Head Auctioneer
http://furriendsofcb.blogspot.com