How to find a "backup feeder" and trapping friend in SoCal?

Dear All,

It's been about a month since I visited here but I hope all your trapping is going well!

I have a friend in north Orange County, CA, who has been feeding a colony for TWELVE YEARS! Back pats for her. But her mother is very old and very sick now, so my friend needs help feeding her colony and trapping occasionally (one kitty is injured right now, for instance, and she needs assistance catching him/her). Now that I live out of state, I can't be there to help.

Though she and I have sort of "been around" the animal community in SoCal for many years, it just doesn't seem like anybody will lift a finger for feral cats. The few feral friends we know are so strapped & overwhelmed themselves that asking them to help would be a little mean.

Can any of you help us figure out how to find a reliable, kind person to help my friend?

I read about someone putting an ad in the paper in San Francisco once, but that seems like it could attract weirdos! I don't know. Your suggestions appreciated.

--wildgrace

Hey Wildgrace....I would suggest your friend contact the Best Friends Network:

(435) 644-2001 ext 123, or e-mail them at [email protected]

They can send out a request to all network members in Orange County to see if anyone can be a backup.

Katie

Hi Wildgrace,

(What a lovely user name!!)

Maybe I am stating the obvious, but please, encourage your friend NOT to overlook her own neighbors. If she has been wise, she's been pointing out the little benefits of a managed colony over time. If she hasn't, well, it's time to start the PR dance :-). Bid "good morning" to this one and point out that there haven't been any kittens being born on your block for some time. Say "Hi!" to that one, and ask if they've noticed the mole damage to their bulbs has decreased thanks to the cats' efforts. And so on.

It always surprises me how easily we assume that our neighbors are cat-haters. I say that because, in very many cases, when I have gone ahead and made a contact with someone, I find out that they are mostly like you and me, just sometimes, ignorant. So many people don't seem to get listened to these days -- I spend lots of my time on the phone hearing people out! <G> Then, after they've had their say, most of the time, I can offer them some bit of information that makes 'em stop cold, go quiet as they think that over, and then things change a lot for the cats!

(Of course, I am NOT perfect at this -- witness my "Grrrr" post and my frustration with someone who has been caring for cats for some time in my own East Coast neighborhood. BUT, we'll figure that one out too -- sometimes it takes me a while to do the thing I most do not want to do!! :-) So I am half offering you advice, and half, offering it to myself!)

Anyway, if a neighbor will agree to help out and eventually take over, isn't that the best deal of all for the cats?

Somthing to keep in mind is that the other caretakers probably would also like to be able to take a little time off. If they could take care of yours while you are on vacation, and vice versa, everyone would be happy!