Caring for ferals? You deserve an award!

Anne

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We had a writing contest about caring for feral cats this month with some wonderful submissions by members. Having read through the stories, I kept thinking this is the kind of understanding and care of cats we want to encourage here on TCS.

With that in mind, I'd like to create some sort of a TCS award badge, which will be awarded to members who care, or have cared, for feral cats. Participants of the writing contest mentioned will be eligible for the badge, as will be other members, once they share their story about how they care or have cared for feral cats. We won't be looking for literary merit, just to know that you care for feral cats will be enough.

So, first things first, please use this thread to share your ideas for the name of a this award badge. It should be relatively short, to fit into a nice graphic image. 1-3 words, not too many letters, nice, catchy and indicating caring for feral cats.

I'll start with -

Defender of Ferals

Caring4Ferals

Got ideas? Bring them on!
 

StefanZ

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I would like to find some nice remainder of this Shepherd and his lost sheep, when he takes his outmost troubles to find it and bring back home to his 100 healthy home sheeps.

But how to do it, especielly with my third language english?  You are welcome to up in suggestions / useful synonymes...

Perhaps:

"Shepherd of the lost sheeps - er . CATS"   sheeps in small letters, the er-sound too, cats bold letters.

An alternative may be, use whatever nice text, say the winner of this contest AND illustrated with the Biblical quotation. Matt 15:3  or whatever it is...   (shall seek out the place and edit).
 

feralvr

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Anne!!! :D What a super idea!! :D :clap::clap: Putting my thinking :think: cap on for ideas/suggestions. I would be honored to have a badge too. :hugs: :hugs:

1. Feral Cat Guardian
2. Feral Cat Protector
3. Feral Cat Advocate
4. Friend Of Feral Cats
 

pat

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Playing off Feralvr, I like "Friend of Ferals".  Wonderful idea.  Wish rescuing apparently starving/no-home kitties counted as ferals...how about the time I spent a year taming the kitty we later took in and named Tippy?  Would that count?  I would love to be worthy of the badge.
 

ldg

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Pat, I think it counts. :heart2:

Aw, what a wonderful idea Anne! I think the badge itself would help with "feral awareness." :nod:

I like Friend of Ferals or Feral furrever friend. :heart3:
 
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revenwyn

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I personally like "Feral Cat Guardian" but then again I am of the warrior/paladin mindset (sorry I play world of warcraft, and paladin is my primary class.)
 

StefanZ

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I personally like "Feral Cat Guardian" but then again I am of the warrior/paladin mindset
Yes, me too thinks  this guardian has good chances to shine a little extra, with this poetic touch..

And it also goes nicely with our biblical parables , the Gospels of Matthew (18:12–14) and Luke (15:3–7),

So it could be

                 : "Feral Cat Guardian"

                             Matt 18:12-14,  Luke 15-3-7

Feral Cat Guardian in big letters, the citates in small.

Something like that?
 

StefanZ

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Anne!!!
What a super idea!!
Putting my thinking
cap on for ideas/suggestions. I would be honored to have a badge too.

1. Feral Cat Guardian
2. Feral Cat Protector
3. Feral Cat Advocate
4. Friend Of Feral Cats
Defender of Ferals

Caring4Ferals

Feral Furrever  Friend.

Etc

I think we can use several of these.  Perhaps like a sort of grades.

Say, 

Friend of Feral Cats - badge,  can everyone buy and use, including symphathisers, voters, etc...

Guardian is the title of active caretaker of colony, and rescuer.

Protector is some sort of a honorary title, used as a medal.

for somebody not necessarily herself working with the cats.  

A  big time rescuer and fosterer, but may also be given to  others, who not being cat persons themselves, but do help cat much.  Example our forumite who had homeless cats nearby. Went to the city clerk in her village, and behold: this clerk without any fuss, promised the city will pay for catching and neutering, and help economically afterwards too. Just like that.  Isnt this clerk worth a badge of Protector of the Ferales?

Defender of the Ferales may be somebody who participates in debates. Writes articles, active on forums, stands up and talks with people, one of these or all.

Etc...

What do you think?
 
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Anne

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Great ideas here, so glad I started this brainstorming thread!

Stefan, I don't think we could do "grades" with these. People will be earning them simply by sharing and telling us what they do. I think we'll be fairly lenient too. To me, anyone who has a story like the one posted on the latest story contest is worthy of such a badge. The badge will be linked to a page with more resources about feral cat care, so hopefully, like Laurie said, it will help raise more awareness to the issue. I'm 100% ok with awarding the badge to anyone who rescues, as rescuers know a lot about feral cats and often rescue kittens who would otherwise be entirely feral. Advocating for feral cats totally count to, if you're actively involved, either in your community or online.

I'll keep the thread open for a few more days, for more suggestions to come in, then start a poll. I'm afraid 3 words has to be the very max, and then they would have to be not too long (at least one of them should be "of" or something short like that). Otherwise, it will be too hard to read on the size of badge that we can do on this system.
 

sevenwonders

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I like "Friend of Ferals" or "Feral Guardian"

I have to admit, they give me as much (or more) joy than I give them, IMO.  
 

StefanZ

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As it is to be badges here on this cat site (and possibly another one too), the word cat isnt necessary to mention. Everyone here knows/ understands this anyway.

Thus all proposals above are eligible - as all can do without cat...

 It is "just" the bible citates we must do without.

Bud if we are thinking on physical  pins as the next step - these can have some more text.   So cat must be there, and perhaps even the bible citates - if this is our wish.
 
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Anne

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Oh, I'm talking TCS virtual badges, but they will be seen by visitors/newbies, who may not know what we mean by "ferals"? I agree though, this being on TCS would be a good clue ;)
 

sevenwonders

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Oh, I'm talking TCS virtual badges, but they will be seen by visitors/newbies, who may not know what we mean by "ferals"? I agree though, this being on TCS would be a good clue ;)
I think that is another GOOD reason to include the word "Ferals"...

it will surely peak their curiosity and encourage them to discover who the Ferals are,

and hopefully they will feel led to help out in their own ways  
 

feralvr

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Defender of Ferals

Caring4Ferals

Feral Furrever  Friend.

Etc


I think we can use several of these.  Perhaps like a sort of grades.

Say, 
Friend of Feral Cats - badge,  can everyone buy and use, including symphathisers, voters, etc...

Guardian is the title of active caretaker of colony, and rescuer.

Protector is some sort of a honorary title, used as a medal.
for somebody not necessarily herself working with the cats.  
A  big time rescuer and fosterer, but may also be given to  others, who not being cat persons themselves, but do help cat much.  Example our forumite who had homeless cats nearby. Went to the city clerk in her village, and behold: this clerk without any fuss, promised the city will pay for catching and neutering, and help economically afterwards too. Just like that.  Isnt this clerk worth a badge of Protector of the Ferales?

Defender of the Ferales may be somebody who participates in debates. Writes articles, active on forums, stands up and talks with people, one of these or all.

Etc...

What do you think?
I am in agreement of taking Friend of Feral Cats out of the list. I think it is all to common and I think I have seen it elsewhere already - even bumper stickers.

I really like Feral Cat Guardian :heart3:
 

callista

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I personally like "Feral Cat Guardian" but then again I am of the warrior/paladin mindset (sorry I play world of warcraft, and paladin is my primary class.)
Ditto! Except with D&D instead of World of Warcraft. I know they're not the most powerful class, but there's just something about the charge-and-smite-evil bit that I can't help enjoying.

It's a bit of a balancing act, isn't it? You know they won't be happy indoors (most of them, anyway) and you can't find them all homes... so you can't control their lives... but you still have to try to make a little world where they can live happily as semi-wild animals.
 
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