Angel in Need

     Hello! I'm new here and I joined because I was searching up how to help stray and feral cats! So here's my story.

     I go to this algebra class every Thursday and Friday. This takes place at a highschool. I love roaming around the school and one afternoon, I saw cats. Two large cats and a little of kittens. I have a soft side for cats and I tried to befriend one of the large cats. At first, it ran away several times. But after a while, I sat in front of the school dump and waited. It did come back, and I was glad. I spoke softly to it and held my hand out to it when it retreated to the dump. Surprisingly, it slowly approached me, no food needed. It rubbed against my arm and allowed me to pet it. It even allowed me to pick it up. But I had to get back to class. After the class went on break again, I went out and looked for her. I named her Angel. She's black and white, and extremely beautiful. When I found her, I approached her how I did when I first did. But she ran away. Maybe it was because I did not bring food the second time? Or her behavior is affected by the time of day? I would love to befriend this gorgeous cat, like how I did for the first few minutes. I need advice, please! I'm desperate to save Angel and her family's life!

Angel sounds more like a stray who has had a rough time. If the kittens belong to her, she may be wary of your harming them. She doesn't know you, so you will have to earn her trust.

Just visiting with her or feeding her isn't really enough. You must develop a plan for her and the others. Do you have room at home for all of them? Do you have the means to have them all fixed and keep their vaccinations up to date?

If not, please try to find a rescue group or shelter that can help you. Vetting them all will be an important step towards getting them adopted.

Good luck and keep us posted!

I do have a plan for her! I am currently a newbue volunteer at the Furry Friends Rescue! I will tell them ASAP, but I cannot keep the cats for myself. My home does not have enough room for them and my parents dislikes cats, greatly. But I would like to try to befriend Angel so she could trust me each time I come to her and her kittens. I will take a picture of her once I get her to trust me enough. I promise to keep up to dare on her and report about her every Thursday and/or Friday!

And sorry about the horrible grammer, I tend to type fast.

  Welcome to TCS!!!  You are such a good cat-guardian & I am thrilled that you have joined our site! Bravo on being an alert, compassionate and responsible citizen who actually DOES something to solve problems, not just complain.

        Thank you for befriending Angel, giving her a name and special attention. That is such a blessing & it sounds like you have a real talent for getting a cat to trust you. I am so glad that you are there to look out for the kitties and their little ones. Plus volunteer work on top of school ---- you must be a real dynamo!

        If the kittens are young enough, when your group comes to trap (either to spay, vaccinate & release OR to place in their shelter) Angel, it may be possible to catch them and then they can be brought in and tamed. I appreciate that your family wont let you keep the cats but you are doing the best thing in seeking help from Furry Friends Rescue. In time, as you get more experience in handling feral cats, you might be able to make some side money as a cat trapper! Sometimes even lost cats become so frightened that they revert to being "feral"....it can be very hard to tell if a cat is lost, dumped or truly wild...when they get trapped, the truly feral cats get very, very quiet but tame and semi-tame cats will meow for rescue.

       I am looking forward to those pics of Angel & little family. Meanwhile, I am keeping you all in my thoughts and prayers

The youngest kitten I've seen by far is about 3-4 months old. I know there are more than two kittens, though. There is a gray kitten, which I believe is the youngest, who hisses A LOT. It's skinny and nearly furless. I fear for it when winter comes. I am only twelve, so I'm not exactly the wisest and such. Next week, when I see Angel and Stormy (I named the gray kitten that because of it's personality and color) again, my friend and I plan on bring dry cat food for Angel, and strong, smelly, mashed-up, boneless tuna for Stormy. Of course, water is the best choice for cats like them. Is there some way we could put the food inside the dump, without scaring away the cats (and getting hissed at by Stormy)? I could try to use some kind of lever to lift up the food and put it in the dump without startling them, but I want to try and make contact with Angel again. She already feels like my long lost partner, though Ive only known her for a few days.

Good! The people at the rescue will give you tips and help with trapping, fixing and possibly finding homes.

One thing I would caution. When you interact with Angel, just be careful. If she is spooked, she may swat at you or bite you. Not knowing her background, just be careful. A cat bite can get a nasty infection and you do not need that!

It would not hurt you to get a tetanus shot, either. Most rescuers get one periodically.

Another thing...cats do not like their food close to their sleeping quarters because it can draw predators and other animals.  If you are going to feed them put it some distance away from their hang out.  If you can find a place where it will not get wet, even better.