Thank you for having a special place in your heart for ferals. Eighteen is an incredible number in less than a year. Badge awarded!
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Friend of Ferals Award Badge - Apply Here
- Thread starter Anne
- Start Date
Hi, we have been caring for ferals for many years. Have 13 in the house who, over the years, have been altered and socialized. We got them at a very young age. We are now caring for quite a few outside. Have successfully done TNR with most but still have 5 to go. I'm disabled and been in the hospital several times, so just haven't been able to move with this as quickly as I'd like. Many thanks to all you wonderful folks out there who genuinely care...
Good luck with the last five! Thank you for caring for ferals and giving so many a home. Badge awarded!
- Joined
- Jun 13, 2015
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I've always been a dog person. I've never owned a cat and was highly allergic. THEN, last winter I noticed a poor, freezing friendly stray in my neighborhood and started feeding him. His mother, had been in the neighborhood and fed inconsistency by neighbors. She showed up sick, starving during a snow storm. I was then committed to feeding them to get them through the harsh winter. She was pregnant again with her 4-5 litter and I knew I had to do something. Since then, I trapped TNR and or found homes for 8 cats. I'm down to 2, Mama and her huge son, Oscar. They have gone from scared, hissing pathetic souls to happy, well fed and safe.
I have three rescued, cat hating , dogs so bringing them in is never going to work so I've made them as comfortable as I can outside. They have a heated cat house and are fed twice a day. They wait for me every morning and my big boy Oscar jumps on my lap to be petted. Mama lets me pick her up and will sit with me as long as I am outside. Oscar was so stressed out when I first started feeing him, I never would have believed he is such a love. They follow me everywhere outside and greet me at my car when I come home from work. I just love them. And my allergies are all but gone. To see the transformation from hungry, stressed, scared to death to happy, playful, loving kitties is just amazing. I never thought I was a cat person but I'm hooked and committed to my babies.
I have three rescued, cat hating , dogs so bringing them in is never going to work so I've made them as comfortable as I can outside. They have a heated cat house and are fed twice a day. They wait for me every morning and my big boy Oscar jumps on my lap to be petted. Mama lets me pick her up and will sit with me as long as I am outside. Oscar was so stressed out when I first started feeing him, I never would have believed he is such a love. They follow me everywhere outside and greet me at my car when I come home from work. I just love them. And my allergies are all but gone. To see the transformation from hungry, stressed, scared to death to happy, playful, loving kitties is just amazing. I never thought I was a cat person but I'm hooked and committed to my babies.
Badge awarded! This says it all:
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- Joined
- Apr 12, 2016
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back when i lived with my mother we had a whole feral cat colony practically in our back yard. I kind of grew up with them. I would wake up in the morning before school and feed them, and the first thing i did when i got home was feed them. i really have to agree with the post above, it is 100% true, you get to see a kitty who is scared of people, to a kitty who is scared of not being around them . this summer I am definitely wanting to adopt a kitty who is feral, and get to raise them, like i did with our little cat colony when i was a kid. when i am older and can pay for this, it would be really cool to start a specialized feral cat program, who takes feral kittens that have disabilities, injuries, or birth defects and transform them from starving little babies to healthy little kitties who are not afraid of people, and afterwards find them a loving home. i really wish that there was a program out there like that, because it is sad how people don't want an animal just because it has a birth defect, or because it is not like a normal animal. i would just like to prove that a "special" kitty is really a purrfect kitty!
sorry i really don't care if i get the badge, although it would be cool to get, but that isn't important! i a more interested in telling my experience, and of the experiences i hope to be blessed with later in life. even though i am new here (and don't feel like i am aloud to say this ) thank you wonderful people for helping out a cat in need
sorry i really don't care if i get the badge, although it would be cool to get, but that isn't important! i a more interested in telling my experience, and of the experiences i hope to be blessed with later in life. even though i am new here (and don't feel like i am aloud to say this ) thank you wonderful people for helping out a cat in need
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@GraceTheCat
Well you certainly deserve the badge
and of course you can thank those who help out. That's lovely.
Well you certainly deserve the badge
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- Joined
- Apr 12, 2016
- Messages
- 137
- Purraise
- 32
Mani is there any programs to help feral cats with disabilities?
I really don't know as I'm in Australia, but you could start your own thread in this forum and ask if others know.
I think this is a really good idea @GraceTheCat As far as I know feral kittens born with disabilities don't survive long enough for you to see them. Usually the mother rejects them and they die before they're big enough to start walking around. There are certainly a lot of feral cats with injuries or serious illnesses that need help. I've heard of some shelters that have special facilities for cats that are FIV+ or FeLV+
I really don't know as I'm in Australia, but you could start your own thread in this forum and ask if others know.
If you get involved with fostering or TNR projects you're bound to come across cats like these sooner or later. Any little thing yo can do to help them would be greatly appreciated.
Hi to everyone, Kat0121 directed me here I started rescuing ferals when we were posted to Germany. I rescued a 6 week old Silver tabby, she remained feral the whole of her life until the very end when she ventured into the living room one day and sat on my lap! For the first three years of her life the only reason I knew I had a cat in the house was because she eat the food and used the litter tray! When we were posted to Cyprus I volunteered to help at an animal shelter for cats, I also had 15 feral cats in the garden that I fed to. The birds cottoned on very quickly and would eat their food so I bought bird food and fed them as well. Then the Hornets arrived and started eating the cats food so I put two dishes out for them, I would have four or five hornets buzzing around my hand while I put the food down and I knew I was perfectly safe. When we came back to the UK my 17 feral cat died of old age, I didn't get another cat until two years ago I noticed a tabby in the garden, I suspect she had been abandoned so I started feeding her but I could never get close enough to take her to the vet, she brought a much younger Tortoiseshell with her one day and I fed her to, that was two years ago and they're still with me. Whilst I was feeding Lucy and Whisper I noticed a ginger cat eating the bird food so I called to him and he immediately ran to me, he was tame with a very sad story, happy ending though, I kept him. I have now noticed a beautiful young black cat with the most gorgeous Emerald Green eyes I've ever seen. She's about 7 months old and very vocal. She has made friends with Jasper and they play together however, I suspect she's feral because as soon as I look at her she shoots off and hides. She will only eat the food I put out for her when I'm not there. (I watch from a distance to make sure she is actually eating the food and Lucy and Whisper aren't pinching it). I'm hoping that as she's still so young she'll learn to trust me so that I can have her neutered, jabbed and chipped and she'll hopefully move in with me
I wish more people would give the feral cats a helping hand, it's not their fault they're feral. While we were in Cyprus, once a year a team of Vets would come and catch as many ferals as possible and neuter and spay them all, I wish England would follow suit. It's a sad life for a feral and a hard one.
I started rescuing ferals when we were posted to Germany. I rescued a 6 week old Silver tabby, she remained feral the whole of her life until the very end when she ventured into the living room one day and sat on my lap! For the first three years of her life the only reason I knew I had a cat in the house was because she eat the food and used the litter tray! When we were posted to Cyprus I volunteered to help at an animal shelter for cats, I also had 15 feral cats in the garden that I fed to. The birds cottoned on very quickly and would eat their food so I bought bird food and fed them as well. Then the Hornets arrived and started eating the cats food so I put two dishes out for them, I would have four or five hornets buzzing around my hand while I put the food down and I knew I was perfectly safe. When we came back to the UK my 17 feral cat died of old age, I didn't get another cat until two years ago I noticed a tabby in the garden, I suspect she had been abandoned so I started feeding her but I could never get close enough to take her to the vet, she brought a much younger Tortoiseshell with her one day and I fed her to, that was two years ago and they're still with me. Whilst I was feeding Lucy and Whisper I noticed a ginger cat eating the bird food so I called to him and he immediately ran to me, he was tame with a very sad story, happy ending though, I kept him. I have now noticed a beautiful young black cat with the most gorgeous Emerald Green eyes I've ever seen. She's about 7 months old and very vocal. She has made friends with Jasper and they play together however, I suspect she's feral because as soon as I look at her she shoots off and hides. She will only eat the food I put out for her when I'm not there. (I watch from a distance to make sure she is actually eating the food and Lucy and Whisper aren't pinching it). I'm hoping that as she's still so young she'll learn to trust me so that I can have her neutered, jabbed and chipped and she'll hopefully move in with me I wish more people would give the feral cats a helping hand, it's not their fault they're feral. While we were in Cyprus, once a year a team of Vets would come and catch as many ferals as possible and neuter and spay them all, I wish England would follow suit. It's a sad life for a feral and a hard one.
Welcome to TCS, and thank you for being so willing to care for ferals! They have far too few advocates around the world. Badge awarded!
Oh thank you
Hi, I am interested in earning my Friend to Ferals Badge. I have been doing rescue work since 1998. I volunteered at our local shelter, work TNR clinics, ran the adoption center, fostered, trapped, and currently feed. I have a colony in Baltimore city that I TNR'd in 2007 with a grant from the Snyder Foundation. There were roughly 100 cats. We went door to door in this neighborhood and convinced people to let us spay and neuter their pets also. The neighborhood is mostly renters and the cats end up left behind when the people move more often than not. I have 9 stops were I have set up feeding stations and shelters that I tend to with a friend. Do to volunteering at shelter for 12 years, I ended up with a lot of unadoptable kitties with medical or personality issues. I also take in my senior ferals when they get too old to survive outside and give them a warm sofa to live out the remainder of their time. Unfortunately, doing this on my own is very expensive, as is the care of kitties with health problems at home. Therefore, I had to stop volunteering at the adoption center and rescue to get a paying job at a veterinary hospital. I can get discounts on bloodwork and medications this way. In addition, my friend and I have had to cut back on the frequency of feeding the ferals, but surprisingly, some of the people in the neighborhood have started putting food out on the days that we do not come. They will also call to let us know if a new kitty shows up or if any cat is injured. People like that are far and few though, for the most part, they want to know why we can't take the cats away. You try to explain to them that it is not the cats fault, this is not what they want, but to survive they have had to adapt. Some of these cats were sleeping on a warm bed every night in a warm house, with food and water one day and living on the streets, terrified, the next day. It is very sad. Many of my 'ferals' are friendly, but I just can't take them all in. We do the best we can. I currently have 17 cats (mostly seniors) and 1 greatly out numbered little dog. Shout out to Best Friends
who came to Baltimore to help with our TNR efforts. They have helped me personally by TNRing my ferals at no charge which is HUGE! Thank you so much, from me and all the cats you have helped!!! We are furever grateful! I would not be able to do this without you!
Also, if anyone ever doubted TNR's working. I did a colony at a hotel in 1998. There were 45 cats. It is close by my home and I have always kept in touch with the caretaker and stop by often to check on them. Recently, someone stuck their nose into what has been an example of a successful colony by posting that this sick old cat needed to be trapped. They had driven by and seen her sunning herself in the parking lot. She is old, she is matted, she is skinny, and she was going to be brought in in the fall along with her sister. These cats were well cared for by their caretaker that fed them every morning at 6am for the last 18 yrs and her mom did it before her. The last 2 cats, roughly 19 yrs old, went to their caretakers home to live out their lives. The colony has died off, which is what TNR is about, the way it was meant to be. It took a long time, but no new kittens were born in all those years and eventually there were 2, now in a home. It is very sad but also amazing to drive over to my 1 st successful TNR colony. Bitter sweet.
I will miss them. Just had to add, I am now sobbing. Thanks.
Also, if anyone ever doubted TNR's working. I did a colony at a hotel in 1998. There were 45 cats. It is close by my home and I have always kept in touch with the caretaker and stop by often to check on them. Recently, someone stuck their nose into what has been an example of a successful colony by posting that this sick old cat needed to be trapped. They had driven by and seen her sunning herself in the parking lot. She is old, she is matted, she is skinny, and she was going to be brought in in the fall along with her sister. These cats were well cared for by their caretaker that fed them every morning at 6am for the last 18 yrs and her mom did it before her. The last 2 cats, roughly 19 yrs old, went to their caretakers home to live out their lives. The colony has died off, which is what TNR is about, the way it was meant to be. It took a long time, but no new kittens were born in all those years and eventually there were 2, now in a home. It is very sad but also amazing to drive over to my 1 st successful TNR colony. Bitter sweet.
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@Mani, I love the Sundar for President slogan. He would be the most intelligent candidate out there. Myself, I am advocating Bill and Opus, one more time.
I just finished up with a smaller colony of cats in Fairmont, West Virginia and just got asked to help with two more colonies in my area! Its a little overwhelming but I absolutely love it and feel like I definitely am making a difference in the lives of these cats!
I don't know If I qualify for this badge but from 2006- Present I have been taking care of feral cats, but in 2006 myself and my father had roughly 8 Plus feral cats that we took in as our own after taking care of them for months, their names were:
Murphy
Jeebs
Roach
George
Goat
Cookie
Chico
Oscar
and more
Since my father pasted in 2008 I was only able to keep one of those cats and continue to take care of her, her name is jeebs. This is her story, early in 2007 my friend came to my house knowing that my father and myself take care of feral cats and handed me a kitty that was bloody and hurt, he explained the cat got stuck in a rose bush and he got her out but she was hurt, so I spent the next 6 weeks tending to this little 4 week out kitty. Ever since then she has been known as jeebs and she has lived everywhere from San Bernardino in CA, to South el monte, and know lives in Austin TX with me, she has traveled the country with me and is all I have left of my father. Thank you for your time. I really enjoy this site and will continue to assist members and help make the site better. Thank you!
Murphy
Jeebs
Roach
George
Goat
Cookie
Chico
Oscar
and more
Since my father pasted in 2008 I was only able to keep one of those cats and continue to take care of her, her name is jeebs. This is her story, early in 2007 my friend came to my house knowing that my father and myself take care of feral cats and handed me a kitty that was bloody and hurt, he explained the cat got stuck in a rose bush and he got her out but she was hurt, so I spent the next 6 weeks tending to this little 4 week out kitty. Ever since then she has been known as jeebs and she has lived everywhere from San Bernardino in CA, to South el monte, and know lives in Austin TX with me, she has traveled the country with me and is all I have left of my father. Thank you for your time. I really enjoy this site and will continue to assist members and help make the site better. Thank you!
