Here are the female cats on my radar that I want to trap:

4 in the Christian Quarter;

3 in Jewish Quarter parking lot;

about 5 along the Jewish Quarter street nearest to the Western Wall;

2 being cared for by Margo, an Armenian lady (not Rose).

I sallied forth at 11 PM tonight to trap one of these 14 cats,  (When you go late at night, the streets are quiet, so you see a lot more cats, plus it's MUCH easier to trap without all the pesky humans milling about.)

The first female was a kitten screaming from a place where it couldn't get down. For those of you who know the Old City, the kitten must have jumped down from the rooftop over the Muslim Quarter at the end of Chabad Street, and then could neither get back up to the rooftop nor safely jump the distance to ground level.

.   It was just me and a very concerned Arab there.  We didn't have a ladder high enough to reach the spot.  After much head-scratching, I decided to go up to the Muslim Quarter rooftop.  The Arab (whose name turned out to be Samed) came up, too.  I lowered the trap down, using the sheet I had brought as a cover.  2 police officers appeared and asked us what we were doing.  They were satisfied with our answer, and moved off.  

I've done somewhat dangerous rescues before, but this took the cake.  As I climbed down onto the 1st of 2  rickety-looking metal store awnings, the 2 policemen came by again, and ordered me to come back up.  I said that "I have done more dangerous things to rescue animals"  (actually, I can't remember a more dangerous incident in rescue),   They insisted that I come back up.  I said, "I only weigh 60 kilo.  I'm not a great big man---just a little lady.  The roof will hold me".  (I was SO not sure!)  Then I had to step on top of the air-conditioner to get to a lower rickety-looking metal awning.  The police and Samed, and now a second jolly-looking Arab ordered me not to step on the air-conditioner.  I guess they all held their breaths as I proceeded to do just that, and then onto the final destination of the kitten's metal awning.  (Fortunately, the police actually left!)  I put canned catfood on a spot where the kitten eventually ventured out, began ravenously gobbling the food, I grabbed the scruff, packed him into a white bag, then into the trap.  Samed hoisted up the trap, while I climbed back up.  Put kitten in bathroom ---gave more food and worming medicine, and headed back out to find one of the females on my radar, but found 3 in one place NOT on the radar.  Trapped a big black one, and she is now meowing in the trap in spare bedroom.  (It's 3 10 AM, and I have no idea why I'm still awake.)  I hope all goes smoothly tomorrow getting to the shelter, etc...

TV-Watching Kitten

     3 weeks ago, I was feeding 2 cats in the main square in the Jewish Quarter, when the square is full of people going to and from the Western Wall on Shabbat evening.  At that moment, a young couple saw me and asked what to do with the kitten they just found.  I invited them in for Shabbat dinner, and had a lovely time----They are med students in London.  Anyway, the kitten was taken last week by my new Russian angel friend from Tel Aviv----Svetlana-----who has found homes for 4 kittens so far.

Woody Has Joined the Great Hall of Cats

Today, at 12:23 PM (3 and a half hours ago), Woody was laid to rest.  Even though he was so wobbly-weak, and even after I gave him a tranquilizer to prevent his usual fear of traveling, he wanted to take a stroll outside and take up his usual command post, supervising each eventful non-event in the parking lot.  My finger on his throat felt him silently purring in the taxi.  His last moments were full of the kisses that were so familiar to him, and, of course, an ear massage. As I wrote out the 256 shekel check (after the 20% animal- rescuer discount), I told the secretary that ---- somewhere in Jerusalem------- the is a brand new "best cat", because we just lost the current one.  I walked with what was left of him up the rosemary-covered slope of Mount Zion and placed him with excellent company in my secret "Mew Life Cat Cemetery", by the foot of the Old City Walls, under the ground-hugging branches of a fragrant rosemary bush and pine needles, and a view across the Gehinnom Valley of the King David Hotel, the windmill, Yemin Moshe, and the rest of the New City. Due to his pleasant, sociable nature, Woody was named after the Toy Story star. In the past 3 years, he underwent 4 operations on a cleft palate which was causing food and drink to enter his lungs.  A CT-scan also showed a nasal deformity that caused constant infections.  Antibiotics weren't helping, his appetite plummeted, and yesterday he stopped eating altogether. I just put together a very short YouTube video of this funny, quirky fellow: So, if you look up at the night sky and see a square made of 4 stars, with 2 very fiery stars above it, chances are you have spotted the new constellation, "Woody, Demon Tank Commander." Special thanks to Batsheva and Shoshi Maisel who donated money specially toward Woody's last doctor's bill, and who loved him so (and to Jill Lesser, who was also a big fan, although she called him "Snot-nose"), and also to Lorraine and Karen who donated Woody's tank.  And deep thanks to all who have donated to cat rescue.   And, now that Yom Kippur is right around the corner, sorry for teasing Jenna Wilken about her visceral aversion to mucous, by pointing out Woody's many sneezed "Jackson Pollack creations" on the walls.   Tova Saul Israel Adventures Home: 02 628 3521 Cell: 050 761 2109