I skipped ‘No Kings’ and here’s why

Today is Saturday, March 28, 2026. Many of you took to the streets to reclaim democracy and demand a stop to the kidnappings of our immigrant neighbors. I was not there. I was on a phone call with a person supporting an immigrant family in Southwestern PA. Originally, I was focused on securing dog food […]

Why is Allegheny County Government Denying Me My Day in Court?

So here’s my occasional plea for your help. I am in the midst of three court cases stemming from events in August 2023. I was homeless for six months. I’ve been home for nearly two years, but things are tough. I depend on you to help me with living and legal expenses while these cases […]

24 People Donated Over $1800 to my Crowdfund This Week

Over the past four days, you’ve donated $1800 to my legal and living expenses fund. That’s just … wow. I set a stretch goal to raise $3,000 for the current round of legal expenses plus some unexpected living expenses, including a trip to an oral surgeon. Even with insurance, that’s harsh. I asked folx to […]

Contributing to This Cat Vet Visit Will Help Us Develop a New Pet Food Project

I developed a theory over 30 years ago while working in social service ministry in Western Kentucky – if we could find ways to help folx out with small problems, we’d avoid a lot of bigger problems. I saw this play out nearly daily in the rural community with no traffic lights and nearly 100 […]

Are you seeing this blog post? Great, let’s get more social

Recently, I changed the settings on our Jetpack subscription tool to send out a snip of each post with a link to read more. The email you receive gives you the option of reading the post at the blog or in a WordPress reader. And you can of course use your preferred RSS reader directly. […]

How to Prepare Winter Weather Shelters for the Cat Colony

Yesterday, I got the winter shelters ready for the cats. Sort of. I use airline dog crates XXL, held together with zip ties, and covered with one of those warm but thin quilt type blankets. The crates and quilts/blankets were also donated. I bought the zip ties. Winter will soon be here. Inside each shelter […]

The Reason My Cats Think I’m Horrible

Our second month of pet food distribution is underway. We have 50 total colony caretakers registered and 26 are active. All feed cats, some have dogs. Our main focus is dry cat food, especially during these winter months.  We’ll need bags of food in the 10-20 pound range. Smaller bags can be combined as well. […]

Countdown to the #BackYardSale: Go Back To Bed!

where to donate cat beds

Next on our list of items for (back)YardSale to benefit #PghCatFolx are cat beds. A bed is a very personal item to pass along. I find it very hard. But important. Lots of sizes and styles, some modeled here. Beds can be especially comfy for sick or injured cats, litters of foster kittens, aging animals, […]

I fail donors with complete self-awareness and no actual misgivings

I love the idea of supporting creators with a modest sustaining gift. Each month, a titch of my income goes to Substack subscriptions, some Act Blue candidates, and Patreon. Donors keep the interesting stuff happening. How I Waded In To The Pond of Promotion So I set up my own Patreon. Immediately hit a wall. […]

Was Dr. John P. Ruffing Your Veterinarian? Celebrate His Birthday!

Dr. John P. Ruffing

He would be 58 on Wednesday Sometimes, I wonder how life would be if he had lived past the age of 41. But then I realize that is pointless. I am pretty sure he would not read my blog (all the reading!) and would proud of my awards. I have countless stories. Right now, I’m […]