Stacy Horn

I was recently interviewed by Mike Keene and Norma Jean Gradskay, hosts of a new podcast dedicated the history of Hart Island called Talking Hart Island. Hart Island is the site of New York City’s potter’s field, and according to the hosts it’s the largest mass graveyard in the country.

You can listen to my interview here. But I highly recommend also listening to the other episodes that have gone up so far. The current one is about the Five Points, with Professor Tyler Anbinder. The Five Points are endlessly fascinating, and I can’t get enough about the history of what went on there. Finally, here are some pictures I took when I visited Hart Island years ago!

While heading uptown to take my foster kittens Jazz and Jingle to the ASPCA for their vaccinations and a check-up, I took a shot of Roosevelt Island and the Smallpox Hospital as my car sped by. Scroll down for a close-up view that I took a couple of weeks ago when I was standing in front of the hospital.

I’ve started fostering kittens for the ASPCA and I currently have two sweet girls who were born August 4th. They are very affectionate, and were curled up and sleeping on my chest just moments ago. When I come into the room they always immediately run up to me, they’re such a joy to have around. Everything is just better with pets in the house.

If I didn’t have three cats already I’d keep them. One of them is big enough to go to Adoptions, but the other needs another week to grow. I’d love to keep them together. Does anyone have any interest? I can’t post pictures publicly, but I can show pictures privately.

Below is one of my cats when they were teeny, and they were a little ratty looking at the time. I loved them for other reasons. Jazz and Jingle, the ones I have who will be up for adoption soon, are much prettier. It’s okay boys, you are gorgeous now.

Which reminds me, Jazz and Jingle are girls and I’ve never had girl cats before. They are phenomenally sweet, although just as feisty when they play. Has anyone noticed any behavioral differences between boy and girl cats? I haven’t while working with them at the ASPCA.

An actual song I sing to my cats when I find them like this.

Kitty in the sunlight,
do-tah-do-tah-do.
Kitty in the sunlight,
I’m so in love with you!

This is Bleecker in the sunlight. I so wish I could post pictures of my foster kittens, Jazz and Jingle, who are currently cloistered in the bedroom. They’re being treated for colds, but since I started them on doxycycline, they are bounding around like normal ferocious beasts, and gaining weight. This is great news, but it means they’ll be going to adoptions soonish. This is also good news of course, but bittersweet. I’ll just have to get more kittens.

I’m fostering kittens for the ASPCA. The ASPCA asks fosters not to post pictures of the animals (aka the most precious creatures in the whole wide world, which is what I have explained to Jazz and Jingle, who were very happy to learn that they have won the most precious contest, tied with Bleecker, Bali and Bodhi, of course, and really, if we’re being honest, tied with all the other creatures of the world).

But here is evidence of their existence, in my bedroom. I have them separated here because they were dealing with a bout of conjunctivitis and colds. I didn’t want my cats to catch anything, but I also need to keep them separate until I can make proper introductions and make sure that they are safe to be left alone with the big guys.

These are girls, by the way. I’ve never had girl cats! I wonder if there will be any difficulties with them making friend with my (neutered) boys?