How To Help My Ferals During Hurricane Irma

[dustydiamond1]

CT 8:30 am Sunday. Scott still asleep, Gypsy keeping an eye on squirrels & birds out the window. I'm watching Irma info on the TV, I see that her path has changed. Is this better or worse news for you? Bless you and your crew for all the wonderful work done for your ferals. The shelters look very sturdy and safe. Probably a dumb question but they won't allow themselves to be trapped inside, will they? Prayers for all in danger. Keep us updated.

 

[maggie101]

When is the hurricane supposed to hit?

 

[daisyd]

I believe it's been today !

 

[artiemom]

When is the hurricane supposed to hit?

NOW!!

 

[dustydiamond1]

It's moving up the West coast of Florida but the Hurricane is so wide that wind and rain are pounding the East coast also.

 

[lavishsqualor]

It's raining A LOT and the wind is gusting at up to forty miles per hour . . . but it's going to get much worse. We're expecting to lose power in Orlando most likely sometime tonight after 11:00 pm, if not earlier. At that time we'll have sustained winds of up to seventy-five miles per hour.

 

[orange&white]

I've been watching the live news tracking the storm all day today. Praying for you and kitties...and everyone out there. Great job on the shelters....bless you and your crew!

 

[lavishsqualor]

Lights are now out here in Orlando. Winds have really picked up. Anyone heard from Sarthur2 today? She's on the west coast which has taken a beating all day.

 

[orange&white]

Lights are now out here in Orlando. Winds have really picked up. Anyone heard from Sarthur2 today? She's on the west coast which has taken a beating all day.

Looks like the last post from Sarthur2 was around 4:30 today. Hope you're all right.

 

[lavishsqualor]

We're all hunkered down around a camping lantern watching the storm. I live in a high rise downtown and have floor to ceiling windows. I wish you guys could see what I'm seeing right now! And the worse is yet to come! If Sarthur2 was was posting this afternoon I suspect she's fine but like me has since lost power. This storm is something else! I'm so glad I at least made an effort to help all my ferals. If I hadn't my anxiety would be tripled. Stay safe everyone. My partner is griping about me using battery power to post, lol. FYI Thirteen is on my lap purring and Atticus is hiding under the bed. He HATES storms so I figure the best thing is just to let him do his thing.

 

[dustydiamond1]

CT 8:30 am Sunday. Scott still asleep, Gypsy keeping an eye on squirrels & birds out the window. I'm watching Irma info on the TV, I see that her path has changed. Is this better or worse news for you? Bless you and your crew for all the wonderful work done for your ferals. The shelters look very sturdy and safe. Probably a dumb question but they won't allow themselves to be trapped inside, will they? Prayers for all in danger. Keep us updated.

" they won't allow themselves to be trapped inside, will they?" I meant by rising water, they won't will they?

 

[orange&white]

" they won't allow themselves to be trapped inside, will they?" I meant by rising water, they won't will they?

I would think if water started coming in the door and got 1/2" deep, they would run out to look for higher and dryer ground. Ferals are smart. They're survivors.

 

[surya]

The shelters are awesome. Your my hero too. Stay away from the windows and stay safe.

 

[Sarthur2]

Well, Irma was no fun! It hit St. Pete as a Cat 1, and in fact is still nasty out this morning.

I have no power, and am in my car charging my phone as I write this.

Limbs down everywhere, but I am safe. Many areas - Miami, Keys, Venice - hit really hard.

How are you doing in Orlando?

 

[maggie101]

http://www.naplesnews.com/story/new...ke-preparations-but-they-need-help/635291001/

 

[dustydiamond1]

We're all hunkered down around a camping lantern watching the storm. I live in a high rise downtown and have floor to ceiling windows. I wish you guys could see what I'm seeing right now! And the worse is yet to come! If Sarthur2 was was posting this afternoon I suspect she's fine but like me has since lost power. This storm is something else! I'm so glad I at least made an effort to help all my ferals. If I hadn't my anxiety would be tripled. Stay safe everyone. My partner is griping about me using battery power to post, lol. FYI Thirteen is on my lap purring and Atticus is hiding under the bed. He HATES storms so I figure the best thing is just to let him do his thing.

How are you & yours and your ferals?

 

[Norachan]

Hoping you made it through the storm lavishsqualor

 

[orange&white]

I just read that power is restored to about 40% of customers. Hoping you are all right and just need to charge your cell phone to give us an update, lavishsqualor . Let us know how you are as soon as you can.

Sarthur2 ... Glad to hear from you and that you're safe.

 

[lavishsqualor]

I'm happy to report that my ferals came through Irma unscathed, as did their newly built shelters. I'm back on a regular feeding schedule and everything looks really good.

I'm sorry it's taken me so long to update, but Irma did a number on my family. I actually thought that because I live downtown where most of the lines are underground that we would fare quite well and that our lights would be back on shortly. They've never been off for more than a few hours since we bought the condo back in 2004. Unfortunately, that wasn't the case. When we were given an estimate of five days I started looking for a hotel room. The only place I could find one was not the sort of place I would normally seek accommodations but they had power and vacancy and I considered myself lucky to get it because absolutely everything in Orlando and the surrounding area had been sold out.

That first night, after we got the cats situated in the room, my partner, daughter and I left to go walk around downtown to check out the storm damage. When we got back, our door was standing open and one of my cats was sitting in the hallway! Someone came into our room while we were gone and took my wallet, my phone and both our laptops. They also took my daughter's backpack, along with the key fob for my car. My wallet had my driver's license in it, my debit and credit cards, and my social security card.

Naturally, there were no cameras in the hallways.

We stayed there until Friday when our lights came back on but you can't imagine how glad we were to get out of there.

Normally, I'm able to give these kinds of things up to the universe and just believe that the person who took whatever from me needed it more than I do. The difference here though is that the event absolutely terrified my six-year-old daughter. The hurricane didn't phase her but the idea of people coming into our room and taking things has spawned nightmares and a whole lot of insecurity. That really REALLY irritates me. She can't seem to get over it so she's going to start counseling next week.

I think of myself as a nice, even-tempered guy. But when people mess with my family all bets are off. What if Thirteen, my cat that was in the hallway, had run off?? Each time I think of it I get madder and madder.

Anyway, I'm assuming that all members who were in the path of Irma are present and accounted for?

 

[orange&white]

Gosh it's good to hear from you!!! I was just thinking about you early this morning and wondered how you were.

Sad to hear about the burglary. I've been burglarized before (twice) and it isn't something that I've completely gotten over. There is a real sense of being violated that only people who have had the experience can relate to. Even if it is "just stuff", the rudeness and disrespect of thieves can shake your trust in humanity, at least temporarily. Having the police tell me that they didn't have the resources to go after burglars (non-violent criminals) so they weren't even going to try...did not help my feelings.

I hope your daughter will be all right. Children are so resilient, and sometimes less fragile than us adults because of their flexibility. I'm sure that you're a good role model and hope your daughter is loving and generous as you are. After the anger, and fear, and paranoia, the "basic good" personality takes over to calm all those negative feelings. Things get better. Time heals all.

But the great news is that you, your family and the cats survived the storm and lived to tell about it! So happy to hear from you.