Mary a feral kitten

Here is my latest capture. She's the last kitten from the alley. One alley that is. LOL She was the unfortunate one to get left behind when I trapped all the Siamese. She is so cute. But, she will get returned to her home in a couple days. I wish I could tame all the feral kitties.

Valentine Raffle

Win a chance to win Bunny Valentine. Raffle tickets are $1 per chance to win. Drawing will take place on February 1st, so she can arrive in enough time for Valentines. Donations go toward TNR and food for homeless cats.

Raffle Winner

Congratulations to Jean for winning the snowman box. Wow, I am thrilled you won Jean and hope you enjoy you cutie pie. He is real special! Thanks everyone for your donations and emotional support. I am very grateful to have you as friends.

A college essay - I hope I get an A

Jennifer Carter
Informative Essay Draft

Controlling the Cat Population

In American culture, today pets are gaining more and more recognition as members of the family, cats especially. Unfortunately, there is still a dark side that many people don’t understand. That is the homeless population. Because of laws that were implemented over 100 years ago, that mostly put higher restrictions on pet owners rather than the homeless population. Millions of cats and kittens are put to death a year. Our nation should step up and make changes to ensure that we control the unnecessary killings and start protecting the animals that we love.

It’s costing you more to kill than you think. Did you know that a pair of breeding cats, that can have two or more litters a yea, can exponentially produce 400,000 offspring within 7 years? Did you also know that this cat overpopulation costs the American taxpayer $150 Million a year? Yet, there are better solutions that will not only cost less, but help control the population and facilitate happier healthier lives for the cats. This program is called Trap Neuter Release or TNR. The benefits to this program are not just financial. Cats that are spayed and neutered are not only healthier but also happier cats.

The first step is to change the misconception about feral cats. These feral or homeless cats are not wild animals. They are the offspring of cats that are left behind by their owners. They then become feral because they have no socialization with people. Pet owners allowing animals that are not spayed or neutered to freely roam the neighborhoods are also a big contributing factor to today’s homeless population. I know this all too well. In my neighborhood there are at least 5 cats that actually belong to different households. Yet, they roam the streets.

Homeless cats that are scared of people are called feral. These feral cats form a colony, usually near a food source and shelter. They don’t live glamorous lives as a matter of fact if they are not fixed their life can be rather brutal. Males fight for territory and breeding rights and the females have litter after litter until they die of exhaustion.

The unfortunate truth is that many people try to ignore the homeless cat population. Those who don’t feed them want them gone. Their first instinct is to call the humane society. But, most animal shelters will not bother with a colony of cats because they will just end up euthanizing them and costing the taxpayer money. There are also people who to trap and release the cat in another location. This is devastating to a cat. They will try desperately to get back where they came from. I the mean time starving or get into a fight by the local colony.

The best solution and one that needs to be implemented on a national level is a Trap Neuter Release Program. The cost for euphonizing is three times more than to spay or neuter. Plus most vets include vaccinations. So, the cats remain healthy and don’t spread disease. Cat colonies that have healthy non breeding cats are a benefit to both their lives and the lives of humans. Cat fighting and overall well being of the cats are better. Less kittens means less deaths and a more manageable colony.

It took heart break to get me to recognize the problem and was a turning point. It all started for when I bought a house that needed renovating. The house was condemned up until that point. There were squatters living in the back yard in campers and piles of junk that were a breeding ground for cats. That summer as I sat in my back yard I thought I heard a little bird chirping. It was hot that day, I remember. After my husband got home from work, I told him about it and he snuck into my neighbor’s yard and found that the sound was coming from an old fire pit. It was a 10 day old kitten. I ended up bottle feeding the poor little thing and she turned into the cutest little kitty. Four months later, though, I discovered that she had siblings. They were too old to be socialized, but I was determined to catch them to be neutered before it was too late. Unfortunately I was too late. All three siblings got injured by the alpha male and died slow and pain full deaths. This was devastating because I felt I could have saved them from their horrible fate. Since then I have done I all I can do to continue trapping and informing people of the problem. I have become a feral cat colony care taker in my area and have rescued nine kittens. I also trapped and released more than 8 adult breeding cats, male and female. Some of these cats have become a real joy to be around. They have won my trust enough to rub on my feet when I feed them. They no longer fight and are able to enjoy life outdoors without having to fend for food or breeding rights.

Our cats deserve better than being killed because our inability to care. That is why I encourage people to start a TNR program of their own. It is simple and there are plenty of volunteers in your area that may be willing to loan you traps and set you up with free to minimal medical expenses. The Feral Cat Coalition can direct people to programs at free spay and neuter clinics for those who would like to help. It is my dream that the useless killing of these homeless cats be stopped. In an age where pets are sometimes like children to their owners, it should be possible to petition to make changes in our laws that govern our homeless cat pro and change the minds of those people who are helping to create the problem. Government programs should encourage pet owners to spay and neuter, not just punish. Cats bring joy to the lives of millions. Why do we pay them back with a death sentence?

Update on Moses

Well, I feel very fortunate to have all the cats I do at this point. I have been bringing them into my office so they can watch Moses. He loves the company and always wants to eat when he sees them. It is so sweet. All my therapy animals. I call them. Moses has eaten a whole can of soft food this morning and I am sure he will be fattened up in no time. He is cleaning himself right now. A good sign. The crust on his eye is gone, so I am thrilled about that. I will keep you updated. Moses has a long road ahead of him. He will be caged here in my office for a few weeks, at least. Then I will see what I will do. Chin Chin has been walking around the house now. Always skittish, but it seems to get better every day. I figure that Moses will be happy with all his buddies. We'll just have two cats that don't care for humans. Someday, they will warm up to us, I am sure, but at least they will be spoiled as much as they can be.

Poor Moses

Moses was living in a dirty basement, hiding under cupboards. We had thought he escaped thru a door we left open for him. When I rescued him he was too old to be tamed and he escaped from his cage, so I could not control him. We decided to let him live in Joan's basement. She has a feral colony that lives under her house. So, at least he would have shelter. He never escaped and Joan stopped putting food and water in his location because we thought he took off. Today, I was over there scanning in homework and I hear a cry. I called Joan and she captured him and we moved him back home. In my office. He immediately start drinking the water when he say CC and Dana. He remembers them, so now I am keeping him beside me for months, if I have to. He has lived a horrible life the last couple months. I am so sad for that, but he will be taken care of here. This now makes 10 cats. I am glad I have a big house, but this is gotta stop. I have the kittens for so long they are like a family. I don't think anyone could give them a better home. That is sad. Really. Pray for my Moses here. He is so dehydrated and emaciated and his eye is all crusted over. I hope he is happy now and learns to accept me. This place is paradise from where he was, so maybe he will finally get it.

Kitten Update

I have been letting Pete and Suede, the foster kittens out of there room. They love the basement. There so much room to chase each other. Too cute. Dana is here tolerating. She's getting better. Then there is Chin Chin, she gets stuck in the library. She is too skittish to have space to roam. She does love the neck massage, though

~Christmas Raffle~

Donate to help my homeless kitty rescue and earn a chance to win this Wonders of Whimsy snowman box. $1 per chance. Winner will be announced December 10th, just in time for Christmas. Good Luck and Thanks for your support. (Post this to your blog and receive a free entry)

Kitten talk

If you follow this blog, you know about the little Siamese that was a hisser and then turned to mush after I pet her. Well, here she is. Look at those eyes. She is still very weary, but moving her into the library with everyone has been great for her. She doesn't hide ALL the time. I set a bed up for her in a nice spot where she could feel hidden. This is not that spot, but she is being really brave staying there each time I come in. I named her Chin Chin..I know funny, huh? Well, she has the fur of a chinchilla. Gosh if you have never felt Chinchilla...OMG. I have the luxury of being around fur coat companies when I am in the mountains and I tried one on. Like butter. I am not advocating the fur trade. I am just using it as an example. Anyway, Chin Chin is going to be our forever cat. My husband does not know, but I doubt she will ever adjust to anyone else. She is soooo soft though who could not want her. heehee.

Raffle Time!

I am so sorry, I totally spaced the raffle. I will get that out in the mail tomorrow.

The two winners are
Janet Cross and Loretta Carl

Feral Cat Day!

Yep. I never knew it existed either. Thanks to all who care like Alley Cat Allies and Rocky Mountain Alley Cat Alliance...plus many more. I hope we all can take a moment to do something to help. One....stop leaving your cats behind!! Or how bout, think before you get yourself a pet. There are too many people who do not care and it devastates me to think just how many. I am dealing with a situation here. A family down the block moved to England and left this sweat kitty to freeze and starve. I will have to capture him or her and take it to the Max Fund ( A no kill shelter) I have way to many in my home now to add another, unfortunately and it seems no one in my neighborhood is nice enough to do the same. Let's pray that we can all make a difference. More importantly is to educate people. Thanks for everyone who follows me lowly blog and all the generous donations that I have received. Without you I could not make it happen!! THANK YOU FROM THE BOTTOM OF MY HEART.

I spy a kitty?

Oh what the library has endured the last year. Poor leather chair. Getting beat up. Whatever right? My brother told my husband whatever meant F' it/you. LOL I said it to my husband the other day. That was funny! Now he gets it though...and says,"that's messed up." Still funny!
So, the kitty I spayed yesterday is hiding under the chair. She is still her old self. Hiss then mush after I touch her. The magic touch. Someday, she will get sick of hiding! Thanks again to Joan for taking the wild male. He was too big for socialization, so she took him in. She named him Moses. Too Cute. He is pissed to high heaven right now, though. In a cage...uggh. I hate it, but he has to get used to his new home first.

Pete & Suede

Pete & Suede, yep I named them at the vet. LOL I put them in the library, so I could trap the other two in the laundry room for their surgery today. That was rather frustrating, we were not prepared and I had a headache. So, Pete & Suede will have the library now because I think they need more human contact as well. I am in there a lot, so it is better than the laundry room. I broke down and place them on Craigslist. I hate doing that because I like to make sure I am getting a good home. I'd rather keep them than send them off to such a thing.

SNIP SNIP today!

I took these two to the vet this morning. The Siamese was crying the whole time. Poor thing was so scared. I'll have to keep them in the library for the night. I have to trap the two wilder ones tomorrow morning. I was thinking of using my drop trap, but I am worried about how this will work and if they will even get under it. Thank god for my friend taking the oldest one off my hands. He will be in a kennel in her house coming out of surgery. He will be hating humans for a while. But he will have a warm home, food and other animals to hang with. So I am happy for him.

Halloween Raffle & ETSY SALE

I need to get 4 kittens fixed with shots this week, so I need to raise some funds. So, I am offering 15% off anything from my ETSY shop, plus I am posting a much needed raffle. One entry per $, plus an extra entry for posting on your blog. Drawing will take place next Wednesday so I have enough time to get it mailed.

Kitten Pictures Vault

Okay, I feel bad. Yes, I have not blogged in what feels like a very long time. I finished my last week of 2nd term. I have one week off, so I am making feral cat shelters with my friend and neighbor Joan. I am also clipping the 4 kittens this week. Joan is going to take the larger "wild" Siamese. I still have not found homes for the other 3. I will probably keep one of the other Siamese, because she turns to mush when you pet her, but is still a "hiss & runner" so, she will take a lot of work. But, I am hoping when I can get her alone for a long time, she will eventually be okay to some degree. They are getting so big I worry that I won't find homes for my two other kittens. Uggh, if I could keep them. Cat lady for sure! (These images are of the litter I rescued in May. They all got loving homes within a few days. Can you see why? All together now...AWWWWWE!

Heartfelt gift from a friend

Remember the litter I rescued months ago? I pulled this photo from that folder.
Look how tiny. She is like a little bear. Now living with a family with her little Siamese sister. I wish I could see how these kittens turned out. I only had them for about 4 weeks.

Well, anyway, my friend Joan painted these and gave them to me for my birthday. They were so sweet! Aren't they fabulous? She is so talented! The colors match my office perfectly. Now, I have something special to remember them by.