Pets4Vetsoftheozarks
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Pets4Vets of the Ozark’s is a part of Veterans Helping Veterans of the Ozarks. Our mission is to rescue stray cats and dogs, rehabilitate them, and rehome them with veterans in the hope of healing some of the wounds associated with military service. We do give priority to veterans, but the general public is welcome to adopt as well.
Rescue Project Update: Day 1
Today’s plan was simple.
Fix the nursery.
(Which is technically the laundry room, but around here it’s the Kitten ICU/Nursery/Chaos Containment Zone.)
The goal was to put plastic walls around the bottom two feet so when kittens inevitably have digestive opinions that end up somewhere other than the litter box… cleanup will be much easier.
Before anyone corrects me… yes, I know they’re probably called something else.
I have absolutely no idea what they’re actually called.
At this point, every construction term has completely left my brain. They’re plastic walls now. That’s the official name. 😂
The only thing I actually bought today was the plastic.
Everything else? We already had it. Paint, spackle, tools, random project supplies…
Being married to an electrician means there’s a pretty good chance that if I need something for a project, it’s already hiding somewhere in the garage.
Unfortunately, once I got home my brain said…
“Well… you can’t put plastic walls over ugly walls.”
So now I have to patch holes.
And if I’m patching holes…
I might as well paint.
And if I’m painting…
I might as well use the five gallons of donated paint that’s been sitting in the garage waiting for its big moment.
So my quick little project has officially turned into an entire room makeover.
Here’s the problem.
My brain does not allow unfinished projects.
Once I start something, I have to see it through.
The downside?
I also refuse to organize anything else until that project is finished.
So for the foreseeable future, the rescue is going to look like my brain.
There are tools everywhere. Paint supplies everywhere. Cat stuff moved into random rooms. Nothing is where it’s supposed to be… except in my head, where it all makes perfect sense.
To me?
It’s an organized system.
To everyone else?
It probably looks like a tornado stopped by, grabbed a coffee, and decided to redecorate.
Meanwhile, Bob and Sable have absolutely zero interest in helping.
Jean brought them a new toy the other day, I finally found batteries for it, and they’ve spent the afternoon having the time of their lives while I crawl around the floor pretending I know what I’m doing.
If anyone needs me for the next few days, I’ll be somewhere between painting walls, installing… plastic wall thingies… and wondering why every “quick project” somehow turns into three more projects. 😂
07/14/2026
Rescue Update: I have not been abducted by aliens. 👽
I know I’ve been suspiciously quiet lately, and a few people have checked in to make sure I’m still alive. I am. Mostly.
After almost 30 years of ni****ne, I decided it was time to finally be done with it. I quit va**ng months ago and switched to patches and lozenges. Now I’m down to the tiniest patch and trying to kick ni****ne completely.
Turns out my brain has filed a formal complaint.
For some reason, I honestly thought giving up the va**ng part would be the hard part.
Apparently my brain was standing in the corner going, “That’s adorable. You think this is about the vape?”
Nope.
It’s about 30 years of my brain expecting ni****ne to show up for work every single day. Now it’s wandering around like an underpaid Walmart employee asking everyone, “Has anybody seen Steve? Steve was ni****ne.”
Last Monday I tried cutting ni****ne completely.
That… was a terrible life choice. 😂
I spent most of the day either crying or trying not to cry. I wasn’t upset about anything. My brain just decided that literally everything deserved tears.
Unfortunately, rescue didn’t get the memo.
That same day we had to say goodbye to one of our TNR cats. The next day we had to make the same decision for another. On top of that, we had three pregnant community cats whose surgeries also meant ending pregnancies. I firmly believe those were the right decisions to prevent even more suffering down the road, but they’re still emotionally heavy days.
Trying to process all of that while my brain was simultaneously throwing the biggest ni****ne withdrawal tantrum of its life was… not exactly ideal timing.
Some days I can barely remember why I walked into a room. Other days I stare at Facebook for 20 minutes and somehow accomplish absolutely nothing. My motivation packed a suitcase, left a sticky note that says, “Good luck,” and disappeared.
So if you’ve been wondering why Pets4Vets has been quieter than usual, that’s why. The cats are still getting taken care of. TNR is still happening. I’m just operating on approximately two brain cells, and they’re both currently arguing over whose turn it is to function.
If you’ve kicked ni****ne after years of using it, tell me… when does your brain decide to stop throwing a toddler-level tantrum?
Thanks for hanging in there with me while my brain slowly remembers how to exist without a substance it’s been expecting for the last three decades. ❤️🐈
07/06/2026
A little update from me… 💙
If you’ve noticed that I’ve been a little quieter or slower to respond to messages, comments, or social media lately, I just wanted to let you know that I’m okay.
Life has been a little heavier than usual, both at the rescue and my personal life, so right now I’m simply taking things one thing at a time. The cats are being cared for, and that will always be my first priority. Everything else may just take me a little longer.
This morning was one of those mornings that reminds me why rescue can be both incredibly rewarding and incredibly heavy. I took three community cats in for TNR today. One sweet girl isn’t doing very well, and there’s a possibility that the kindest thing we can do for her may be to let her go peacefully. Those decisions are never easy, and they never stop hurting.
On a brighter note, I also made an unexpected trip back to SAAF with our newest intake, Arrrchie. 🧡 Arrrchie is a handsome orange guy who’s missing one eye, and it appears he’s been living that way for quite some time. Today he’s getting neutered, his rabies vaccination, FeLV/FIV testing, and a full exam, including having that old eye injury evaluated. Our hope is that once he’s all patched up and medically cleared, he’ll be ready to start looking for the forever home he deserves.
So if I’m a little slower than usual, please know I’m not ignoring anyone. I’m simply taking life one thing at a time and giving myself a little grace while I work through a busy season.
If I could ask one thing, it would simply be this: be kind. You never know what someone else may be carrying.
Thank you for your patience, your encouragement, and for continuing to support this little rescue. I truly couldn’t do this without all of you. ❤️
P.S. Arrrchie will be getting his official introduction soon. We figured a one-eyed orange cat deserved a proper pirate name. He’s already working on his “Arrr,” although we’re still negotiating whether he’ll accept payment in tuna or treasure. 🏴☠️🐟
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