My latest obsession

In late November one of the pod casts I listen to all the time started doing a live video stream as they recorded. It was on a Tuesday night at a responsible time so I decided to have a watch. it finished around 10pm and so I decided next time I would watch in bed on my new tablet. So next day I set about downloading the android app for U stream so I could watch.

I had not used U stream directly before so I thought I'd find a live stream to get myself acquainted with the ins and outs. Looking at the categories I noticed Animals and thought that would be perfect. Clicking on it, one of the top streams was FFRC a cat rescue centre in Ohio where the cats roam the centre. I clicked it on and 4 hours later I was still watching it.

I came to learn the chatters names, although I have never chatted there myself as the tablet is annoying for typing on. I learnt just how much time they spent watching the cats and thought wow some people have too much time on their hands. Then I began to see that family they created, the rescue cats were their virtual pets, they worried for them, they cried when something went wrong and cried with happiness when adoptions happened and I grew to respect and love every one of them. I have to mention that this is just day one of watching.

I logged off quiet early so I didn't get to meet the glue that holds the centre together, that happened the next day. I turned on and there was a lovely lady chatting to people on the cam, this is Jacci. She owns and runs (together with a fantastic team of volunteers) the centre and all the chatters love her. She has such dedication, she gets up with sun (well before) and goes to bed late and sometimes has to get up in the middle of the few hours she gets to care for a sick cat or a broken camera. Yet she still greets everyone with a smile and for a special few a great big hug. She knows every single cat, and can tell them all apart which is amazing as some have very few differences, but she is rewarded back when boxes times comes along.

First time I heard the word boxes I thought, it was just a time for the cats to play in boxes. What I came to learn is that the good chatters (and occasional lurker) sends the centre things in the boxes before the cats get to play with them (though sometimes the cats don't wait and climb in before hand). I am constantly amazed at the generosity of the people. I have been close to tears along with Jacci when someone has sent something she so desperately needed. I must admit that I have sent a donation when I got some money I was not expecting, the first thing I thought is, I must share my good fortune with Jacci. So I can understand why people help.

I have my favourite cats of course but I'll save that for another blog post but the reason for this one is that every year they are part of a competition for money where the most votes gets the prize. It is an amazing $10,000 this time round and so far they are in the lead but, the gap is closing up and they need a little help. If you have time please go to www.tinyurl.com/ffrcvote in the search bar type friends of felines and the state is OH they are in Defiance and press vote. If you bookmark the page, next day it will place FFRC in the previously voted for section so you won't need to search once you've done it once. You can vote once a day and it is a lovely way of helping out without it costing you any more money. Though if you ever wanted to donate I'm sure Jacci would send Kitty kisses your way.

I hope one day to do a tour round America with my partner and I now know at least one stop will be to see the Kitty's at FFRC.