Please help!

I’ve been feeding stray cats every day without fail for 10 years. For the past 4 years, I have been feeding around 80 to 100 cats around my neighborhood in Shanghai. Sometimes, I am very saddened, when these cats are poisoned or caught by the cat catchers and sold in container loads to wholesalers for USD 7/cat in Canton, where it is considered a delicacy. Unfortunately, there are no laws in China protecting animals.

Now, even though my business is not doing very well, I am still feeding these cats and this is causing a lot of problems with my wife who thinks I am not in a position to feed them any longer. Of course, I will cut down on my meals if I have to, as I cannot see any of these poor cats (that I am already too attached to) go hungry. I was, therefore, wondering if someone could direct me to websites/people who would assist me with cat food. Later, if finances permit God willing, i would like to take these cats off the streets, neuter them and provide them with food & shelter.

Thanks,

Michael

Your situation is difficult, also because there are several different issues.

One is this raiding on homeless cats and selling them. 7 dollars apiece is a lot of money in China as far as I know.

They would be raided in USA too if there was just to get 7 dollars apiece withouth questions and without taxees, just like that.

What is 7 dollars in China, a days pay for a worker?

This makes it extra difficult to put money into them.  What is the point of you to put good money into them, when others just come and harvest them, like bandits on village peasants, and sells them for 7 dollar apiece?

You can perhaps have a standing, you as their caretaker are de facto their owner. And thus, raiding of them is stealing your property, stealing from you. And perhaps THIS way get help from the police??

Try also to be friendly with the police in your neighbourhood, so they perhaps will be more active to help you.

You had seen the Kurosawa film "The 7 samurays"?  Or the american copies "The seven wonderful"?

Next. You are feeding them, and say, If I get money I will also spay them and adopt.

I think you shall use your few money the other way around!

Begin with spaying them. As many as you can. So no more are born of these you protect. And their live will be easier.   (Look out at the  TNR -concept)

These who seem easy to foster and adopt, you try to foster and adopt, if you can and easily possible.

The feeding them as such, do have as your last priority.

That is my advice.

Good luck! 

  May God help you in your holy quest!

 Welcome to our Forums!

Dear StefanZ,

I am sorry for taking so long in responding to your response to my SOS. Before i begin, i must clarify one thing. The min wage in China is around  300 usd. But most factory workers make usd 400 and usd 500 with boarding  and lodging. Those usd 7/day labor wages are history. And besides all things, Chinese inflation is very high making everything very expensive. I, who have lived most of my life in Manhattan, think Shanghai is far more expensive than most cities in the U.S. I would say pretty much comparable to Manhattan, New York.

Having said that, yes, i agree with you. These cats must be neutered asap. But since i have also been training  them not to get to close to humans, they run even if i get too close to them, expect for a few who want me to pet them and carry them etc,...but they too, run from others. I have made a deal with a vet here who will charge me usd 50/cat to neuter. So the few i can get  hold off, i will have them neutered by next month but i just cannot stop feeding them. You should see the way they wait for me, some with 3 and 4 kittens. And as soon as i give them the food, they gobble it up like lightening...There is hardly any food available to them on the streets. The garbage cans are harvested by those people who gather bottles & plastic but the bulk of it is sorted out by a few who make edible oil out of garbage and sell it to these cheap restaurants...Of course, i never eat at those kind of places...lol. Hence, the cats are left with nothing. I see some of these cats go hungry for days and i cannot bear to hear their deep cry for help.

I have also brought home many cats and kittens and have them adopted...i would say at least over 50 kittens....

I would really appreciate if you could guide me to some websites/people where i can post for help on cat food as my resources are depleting very quickly.

Thanks and  warm regards,

Michael

Michael:  I know you're strapped for cash at this point but is there a rescue over there that you can work with?  Perhaps the vet will know.  You are going to have to try trapping some of your cats (glad you've made them wary of people; it will help keep them safe).  However, as you've learned, it also makes them hard to get when YOU need to.

If you have a large carrier, you can use this technique:

Tie one end of a length of twine to the top corner of the carrier door (not the hinge side - the outside).  Loop it through one of the holes at the top of the carrier (or the top of the side, wherever there's a hole).  Push the door open as far as it will go.  Make sure the twine does not hang down inside the door opening.  Feed inside the carrier similarly to the way you feed inside the trap - food all the way at the back.

Once he's inside, slowly pull the twine so that the door closes.  You may need two people for this - one to hold the door closed and the other to run over and secure it.  You may have to prop the carrier door open.  Use something small and light enough so that when you pull on the twine, it will just move out of the way.  Don't use a prop if you don't have to - it will make a noise when it drops and alert the cat that something's going on.

Just remember, the twine or rope you use has to be strong enough to yank on without breaking.

I am sorry but I have absolutely no idea where you might get food.  You could try approaching stores and explaining your situation.  Any rescue group in your area may also know of resources.  You may have to go through the time and expense of becoming a non-profit rescue yourself.  That way you can accept donations and people can get a tax break (at least in the US.  Not sure how it works if you have to incorporate under China's laws)

Have you contacted any of these rescue organizations in Shanghai? Perhaps they can help: Animal Rescue Groups in SHANGHAI
Another list

Thank you very much for your suggestion on how to trap a cat, Ondine. A cruder version of the same technique is applied by these heartless cat catchers here. But presently i am not in  position to neuter these cats so the idea has to be put on hold for at least a month, when hopefully my work will pick up.. Now for the next week i am even busier then ever as my friend, who is a doctor in the military, wants me to feed the 50+ cats she feeds every night as she has to attend to her brothers surgery in another city for a week. How could i refuse as she is also a cat lover and really needed my help!

I have spoken to the few animal shelters here but all of them are living on donations and have no food to share. I will have to make more attempts in reaching out to someone in the States, as the U.S. is still the worlds No 1 epicenter for kindness & generosity.

Have to rush out now. Thanks for the advice and pls do keep in touch.

Michael

Hi Shanghaiman, just an idea that hit me but maybe if you found a rescue group in the US that wanted to adopt your cause maybe something could happen.   You know how there are "sister" cities sometimes with a US city and a city in another country.   Maybe a place to start would be talk to the big organizations like Alley Cat Allies and see if such a thing is a possibility.    Wishing you much luck and miracles.

Hi Bestfriend,

Thank you so much for your advice. I would be even more grateful if you could kindly contact someone on my behalf as now besides my own work i am feeding another 50 cats for a medical doctor friend of mine who had to travel for 7 days.. My life right now is in a (bit of) disarray. Recently someone poisoned 20+ cats in the compound of the building i live in. At least 4 cats were about to deliver and there was at least 3 two months old kittens that were killed as a result. I was furious and i am almost sure who killed them. But i cannot do much here in China. Although, this sick woman who did it is now petrified of me and gets off the elevator when she sees me. I am keeping  her scared as i don't want her to go on another rampage. I have taken some pictures of some of the the dead cats. If i had the funds, i would first neuter them, then rent some place on the outskirts of Shanghai for them to live...basically food and shelter.

Yes, i would love to align myself with some kind organization that could support this idea of food and shelter. Once i have some time, i will also search the web for same.

Thanks and warm regards,

Michael

Shagnhaicatman

Michael that is a truly hard situation and I wish you and the cats all the luck in the world - here is the way to contact Ally Cat Allies http://www.alleycat.org/page.aspx?pid=444 if you are interested.   My own life is quite of control as well so I cannot take on your cause personally but I hope this link is helpful to you.

Thanks Bestfriend, i truly understand. I will make time to contact the link and see where i can go with it. Thanks again and best wishes, Michael
 

Thanks, i have contacted some of them but not all of them...will do and see where that takes me...but by the looks of it all of themselves need  help. Thanks again, Michael