Friend of Ferals Award Badge - Apply Here

mani

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It's awesome that this site supports the helping of strays and other feral cats. We rescued a stray/feral (living at my Grandmother's. My Grandmother must be magic because she tamed her.) as well as 3 kittens. We rescued them all at different times. 1 kitten about 5-6 years ago. He is no longer with us.. :sniffle:
We took another in about 4 years ago and he is a happy outdoor cat who roams all over our 20+ acres as a friendly barn kitty, and another who is a permanent indoor cat due to the fact that she is extra small and somewhat fragile. Still just as playful though. :redheartpump:
:catlove::purr::climbcat::runningcat:
I'm so glad there are so many other helping all those lost kitties! :redheartpump:
C CaramelKitty that's wonderful. Of course one of the best things we can do is spay or neuter, and I'm thinking that is a part of your care? :)
 
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mani

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I don't know if I would qualify, but I'll give it a go :D
My family and I have rescued and/or tamed 5 strays/ferals- one lived under our house, two we adopted from a woman's apartment parking garage, a kitten who was living in somebody's garage, and one who started hanging around to get fed. We have also found homes for a litter of kittens who were living with their mom (whom we adopted) under the house.
Hi BellaGooch.. Lovely to hear what you have been doing with our feral friends. I believe from your posts that spaying and neutering is a part of your care, which is wonderful.
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CatladyJan

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I would say technically my work with feral cats began about 2 1/2 years ago when I had just moved to a new location and started a new job. There were 2 black kittens and an older black cat in our work rest area. I was told the black momma has been coming there for years having kittens that usually didn't have a good outcome. I started feeding those black kittens and one was fairly friendly it didn't take long before I was able to put him in a crate and bring him home. I made progress with the other black kitten, had him in my outbuilding and he managed to escape. Fast forward...the next year she had 2 kittens of which one disappeared and I socialized the other. I was not able to get the mom because she would already be gone. This year she came back and had two litters of which I have socialized 7 and in the process of getting them rescues or homes. I also finally got momma she is spayed and she was my first and only release.
 

jefferd18

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I have been feeding a colony of kitty cats over at Hoods parking-lot for ten years now. Every night, without fail, I take a large bag of Fancy Feast and some can food and proceed to drive or walk over to that dark and frankly dismal place. Enduring years of hostility by the police and the employees who can't stand cats, only strengthened my resolve to help those felines. However it was only two years ago that I decided that those cats deserved better, a home of their own, and that is when I tried my hand at trapping them. I have proudly caught nine cats and three litters of kittens, all of whom have been taken over to my vet where they have been spayed/neutered and adopted out.

My feral cat failure lies with not being able to catch the mother cat or the old tom. The old guy left last April and was never seen again and the mother cat was run off by the dirt-bags who work for Hoods.

I have two cats left to go. Wish me luck. :)
 
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mani

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Good luck! :)
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Antonio65

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However it was only two years ago that I decided that those cats deserved better, a home of their own, and that is when I tried my hand at trapping them. I have proudly caught nine cats and three litters of kittens, all of whom have been taken over to my vet where they have been spayed/neutered and adopted out.

My feral cat failure lies with not being able to catch the mother cat or the old tom. The old guy left last April and was never seen again and the mother cat was run off by the dirt-bags who work for Hoods.

I have two cats left to go. Wish me luck. :)
You're doing an amazing job!
Good luck with the last two cats.
 

TofuHimmie

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Hi!

I am taking care about 12 stray cats in my neighborhood. Have been doing this for 3 years now. Some of them now take shelter in our garage / car port (it’s sheltered well). We are crowdfunding to get them neutered / spayed. We also managed to save one kitten from losing her eyes due to chlamydia.
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jeanw

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I have been feeding a group of about 30 feral cats for years. It's a long story - it started out as 2 cats that my much older friend fed. She had no interest in getting them fixed and has since gotten too old to be involved at all. I fed them and then when I had a travel job they were fed (usually) by the 30-somethings adults that also live there. Then I fed them again daily for about 4 more years (travel job had ended) with the 30-somethings feeding them some times.

Just over a year ago I found out that if I didn't do the feeding/watering, the cats weren't being taken care of. So I have been really committed to feeding them every day. I feed them Iams and give them filtered water to drink. Their feeding time is at about noon which isn't ideal but under the circumstances is best. The location is about 7 miles from where I live now and it is rural. I try to put only enough food so that it will be eaten before dark and be less attractive to wild animals.

As you all know, caring for feral cats is not for the faint of heart. Several that I know of and probably many that I don't know of have been "lost" in the last several years which is really hard for me to cope with. I've taken in 2 over the last 5 years and have 2 other cats already and live in a very small place. There are at least 3 or 4 others I would like to take in but my house is really small and they are not very socialized. I'm working on it.
 

Jcatbird

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J jeanw We do know how much work it is. Thank you for taking the responsibility and giving them love and care. If they are not spayed and neutered, that’s the next thing that really needs to be done or you will have an increasingly large colony and the job becomes much more difficult. Thank you for being one of the humans who cares and is willing to save lives!!Bravo!! There are organizations out there that might help you with the spays and neuters. You are a great kitty guardian!
 

Meowmee

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They are all tnr except one who I am still trying to get after over a year. She vanished for a few months and then showed up again on cams etc. and in person but she usually runs away if I see her. She had obviously been freshly dumped when she showed up and I tried to get her twice but she ran away. She and two boys remain now. 2 others I tried to save, brought them inside etc. but they passed in December and June.

I think my remaining guys are still chasing her away because one was screaming at a cat across the road the other night. There is a much larger colony in a sump nearby so I have been told so she may be eating elsewhere. Jezibel who passed in June after her enucleation was already tnr when she showed up 6 years ago. 3 vanished 2 years ago before tnr, one was Merlin’s brother Marlon, a near twin, and Merlin is inside now after biting me 2 years ago, and very happy as an indoor only guy.
Thanks, it is such a sad situation for all of them, it makes me so sad to wonder what happened to them all who vanished. I hope some were taken in or maybe someone’s cat. I saved someone’s lost cat 2 years ago who was outside for a month in a huge storm. He had a collar and tag. Unfortunately I saw him listed as lost again 3-4 months ago but he did not turn up here again as far as I know.

Thanks for the badge😻
 
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mani

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You're certainly trying your best to look after your colony, Meowmee. That's wonderful. :)
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Meowmee

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You're certainly trying your best to look after your colony, Meowmee. That's wonderful. :)
Badge awarded. :thumbsup:
Thanks 😀 It is not easy for sure with everything going on in our lives lately.
 
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