Ferals

There is an abandoned hotel about a mile from my house and every time I pass it, I see several cats. I had a big bucket of cat food that my spoiled darlings didn't want, so I decided to feed the hotel cats. I went down yesterday and put down a fairly large pile of food. I went back today and noticed the oddest thing. There were 7 or 8 of them laying in the parking lot sunning themselves. They are the fattest bunch of strays I have ever seen. There was food EVERYWHERE! There was at least 5 different kinds. I checked the pile I put out yesterday, and it was barely touched. There were also no kittens or what appeared to be nursing mothers. They didn't run away or even seem surprised to see a human. Everyone in town must be feeding these cats. They just looked at me like "just put it over there." I would love to know the story on these cats. Some of them are gorgeous. They are mostly all black or all white. I saw 1 gray and 1 orange tabby. I'm still going to go by and check on them. It's nice to know there are good hearted people around here.

There are a bunch of ferals over by the Sonic Drive-In (fast food joint) by my house. They all hang out by the dumpster, but someone put a crate there, and I saw a lady one time dump water out and put new water in. I think it's great that someone cares for them. I think they live in the apartments behind the place.

That's so refreshing to hear a good story like that, especially when we see all of the horrible things that some do to these angels. Refreshes my hope in humanity!

Is that abandoned buildings eventually get destroyed and rebuilt. Add to that the fact that these cats are inbreeding within the colony causing the new kittens to be born with problems that they don't need and that I won't go in with here. If possible, contact Alley Cat Allies and see if they have someone near your area that can go in and TNR these beautiful cats. Feral cats are not safe, not outside, and if they do get trapped then homes can be found for them where they can be safe and loved. I urge you to contact these people, those cats deserve a chance to be fat and happy in someone's home if at all possible. They may look fat and happy, but they are also scared at times, chased and terrorized by small kids and mean adults. Plus they all need to go see a vet to see if they really are as healthy as they look. (I will step off my soapbox now) this is just a subject that is near and dear to my heart.

Alley Cat Allies

I contacted them now via email about the ferals running around at work. If they cannot help, I'll try and contact the local no-kills.

I am going to see if I can find out something about these cats and this building. I know it is in some kind of probate limbo right now and has been for several years. A small church congregation is using part of it right now, and I suspect some of them may be caring for these cats as well as the police officers who park there sometimes. It is right across from the police and fire department. There are several animal rescue agencies that were not here when I lived here 5 years ago. The military base is doing wonderful things with animal rescue and adoption, also. They are finding foster homes for the pets of Marines that are being shipped out to Afghanistan and Cuba. I think they have opened a no kill shelter. The county shelters here euthanize only when they are overflowing. I am hoping to find a job on base soon and will try to do some volunteer work with the animal agencies. I would do it now, but security is so tight, they are not issuing passes to anyone who doesn't work inside or isn't military. I know I'm rambling, but I was so happy to find out that this is finally happening here.

Let's hope that this is the beginning of a new trend that will sweep the nation! God knows there are enough feral colonies out there that could use this type of love and attention.

Dear KrazyKat2:
Your story was so funny, one of which I can relate to because I am a feral cat caretaker. I was taking care of some cats then all of a sudden there were all kinds of people taking care of them. The little buggers were at a buffet everyday, which was great. Most ferals suffer at the hands of humans. They have natural predators, dogs, but humans by in large do the most damage.

Let me tell you a heartwarming story. To all of you who are not familiar with feral cat colonies, please note, not all the cats you see in the colony are in fact feral. Now for my story to prove that point.

The cats I spoke of earlier that inherited so many caretakers where no so lucky a couple of years ago. I was the only one feeding them. They lived out by the lake front, where the only shelter is rock bolders used as breakers. Anyway these poor cats had to brave the harshest weather summer and winter. I was out there everyday giving them food and water and one day a lady approached me and asked if I came out everyday to take care of the cats. I told her yes and she continued by telling me that her cat, a torti, had accidently gotten in her husband's truck and rode out the the lake front one night, jumped out of the truck, and was missing from her home for 6 months. She said then one night last week her husband was out here and he heard a cat crying under his truck. He looked under his truck and there was the cat they thought they would never see again. They had this cat for 14 years and thought they'd never see her again and never had any idea what had happened to her. I told her that I knew exactly what cat she was talking about and I was just about to make the decision to pick her up and bring her home because I knew she was spayed and was obviously someones pet because she was so friendly. I just figured someone had dumped her as they do so many out there. The lady couldn't stop thanking me for taking care of her cat because she said, without you, I know she would have died.

That was a great day for me. This little cat found her way back home. And to add to this already unusual story, I was getting my hair cut at a new hairdresser and we were discussing pets, what else? She began to tell me the story of her friends cat who accidently found it's way to the lake front and how a nice lady took care of it while it was out there and miraculously it was reunited with them. I said really, give me the details. Yes, it's the same lady and same cat and me, the same nice lady who kept it alive. How ironic was that?

My work with ferals is difficult and as my husband puts it "It's going to kill you." However, stories like the one I just wrote about make it all worth it.

Most cats will gather together at a common place where there is food. I had one cat she had two litters before I finally was able to trap her. I still have two of her kittens from the second litter. Anyway, she would show up occassionally here to be fed after she was spayed, then she migrated to another managed colony down the road a piece, and then she vanished one day. We didn't see her for months and searched the back roads thinking she met with a tire, but never could find her.

Then one evening the phone rang and this gnarly voice asked me if I was the lady who had all those cats. I said I was and he told me that he had a cat that was feeling poorly and could I come over and take a look at her. I said I would and took off to his place. Come to find out, the cat was feeling poorly was our very own Funny Face that he had found and adopted as his. He called her Panda. Now she lives in the lap of luxury tended by this man and his children.

That's a wonderful story. When I have ferals dissappear I want to think they have gone to something better. Unfortunately, the areas where I feed my cats (industrial section and bad neighborhoods), there is nothing better.

I have a friend who neutered a feral who hung outside her house and one day he just never showed up. A few months ago the receptionist from my vets office called me and said a lady brought in a big, beautiful cat who had a ear tip and they were wondering if it might be one of mine. After the description and address where he came from I knew he couldn't be one of mine. She went on to tell me that this lady had adopted him and he had a wonderful life. I was so glad. Then one day me and a fellow rescuer are chating and I tell her about this cat. Come to find out the cat was around the corner from her house and he was in fact one she had trapped and neutered sometime earlier. She was so glad to here he was doing good. There are angels in heaven looking out for these babies!