Friend of Ferals Award Badge - Apply Here

[mani]

TARTARA the Friends of Ferals badge is for those who not only look after strays and ferals, but are also active in spaying and neutering. That is an essential part of being a Feral Friend. Are you able to do that?

 

[TARTARA]

TARTARA the Friends of Ferals badge is for those who not only look after strays and ferals, but are also active in spaying and neutering. That is an essential part of being a Feral Friend. Are you able to do that?

We did it in our cat !
We taking care on stray cats somewhere up to 10years, right now we feed 5 stray cats twice a day ! We are doing it by ourselves without any other help and we don't belong in any animal welfare group or something similar ! That's all !

 

[mani]

We did it in our cat !
We taking care on stray cats somewhere up to 10years, right now we feed 5 stray cats twice a day ! We are doing it by ourselves without any other help and we don't belong in any animal welfare group or something similar ! That's all !

Yes, most people spay/neuter their own cats. It is the cats who are left to wander. If we feed them without spaying and neutering we're allowing more and more cats to breed and to live really difficult and often painful lives.

This is an excerpt from our article on helping Stray/Feral cats:
What you should do is take care of neutering any cat that you feed. Feeding and not neutering is nothing short of cruel. You mean well, but in this case, it is the proverbial road to hell that is paved with good intentions. The cats will breed. The cats will also get sick and injured due to mating-related catfights. Within a few months, you're going to be way out of your depth and you'll end up abandoning the cats as you won't be able to afford that many and they will likely die of disease and starvation.

 

[TARTARA]

Ok... no problem... i can understand... !?
Have a good one !

 

[Mia6]

I have adopted 4 ferals and had them spayed and neutered

 

[mani]

I have adopted 4 ferals and had them spayed and neutered

Then you definitely deserve a Friends of Ferals Badge.

 

[Meowmee]

I have adopted 4 ferals and had them spayed and neutered

Thanks you

 

[Anchoress]

Lost count...of my cats over the years...I think 50 years or more... Not big numbers at once but a steadyflow that increased dramatically when I came to Ireland just over 20 years ago and saw the situation here. Oh and Orkney before that. Farming communities with a long history of dire poverty so critters had to ern thei keep same as people! It is easier now with more groups doing TNR work in towns. But atrocities like what was done on Tory Island..... Needlessly as there were organisations ready to take all the cats. I was not in Ireland then, Now there are many small voluntary groups of very caring folk. Who help finance TNR work... My cats iin Ireland have all been farm ferals. Looking at my two newbies! Who may well have been barn born to an outdoor cat. I am abed and they are at the bottom of the bed,, watching me! FIve days here now and this is the closest they have come... lol,,,, I have never even touched them and will not unless and until they are ready... I am sure I will wake one morning to fiind them IN bed with me... when they are ready.. Food is the great peace and progress maker. and loving patiently . Food as a luxury...

 

[mani]

Hi A Anchoress .. you already have a badge, and I can see you have a thread in Strays and Ferals, so we'll leave this post here and just say thank you for all you do.

 

[WarszawaScream]

I’ve previously done work caretaking feral cat colonies and volunteering at a local rescue, and am now in the process of doing TNR in my own neighborhood where we have a growing cat problem (all thanks to ONE particularly fertile male, “Stud”, whose neuter appointment is this coming Monday). Also just recently trapped a momma and her babies two doors down and am working on socializing the wee ones for adoption!

 

[fionasmom]

WarszawaScream Badge awarded!
Thank you so much for all your hard work on behalf of ferals in your area!

 

[casportpony]

Back in 2010 when we moved here, there was a feral cat colony living across the street from us in and around the metal barn there, and I would take food out to them a few days a week. Then, in 2015, the tenants who were also feeding the cats were evicted, so I started feeding them every day.

Several of them had already been spayed or neutered, but not all. So when I can, those get trapped, neutered, and released.

Back in mid-October, in downtown Gilroy, I noticed a calico cat & her two kittens in a parking lot, so I started feeding them whenever I was in the area, On the 28th, I noticed one of the kittens was injured (hind legs paralyzed), so I tried to catch it, but it scurried under a trench plate. I tried for several hours to get it, but was unsuccessful. I went home to get a net and a catch pole, and came back but failed again, so I decided to try to catch the other kitten. It was super hungry, so it pretty much ignored me while scarfing down the food. I reached down and caught it (scruff method).

The injured one was still under the trench plate, so I left food and water by the opening. When I came back at 2 am, it was curled up by the food and I was able to grab it. It was in bad shape, so I took it to the animal shelter where it was checked by a vet and later euthanized. It has a ruptured bladder and a possible fracture.

On Monday the 30th, at 5:45 pm, I went back with a trap to catch the momma. By 6:15 pm she was caught. Here in my county, they do feral spay/neuters on Tuesdays & Thursdays, so the next day I got "in line" at 5:30 am. They limit the number of spay/neuters to the first 15, so you have to get there early.

Sorry about the blurry picture.

Before moving here, I was part of a group that was responsible for feeding, spaying, neutering, and providing vet care for a bunch of cats at a horse boarding stable.

Well that's my story.

 

[Norachan]

Thank you for all you are doing casportpony Badge awarded, of course.

 

[casportpony]

Thank you for all you are doing casportpony Badge awarded, of course.

Norachan , thanks!

 

[amjswj]

Hi all- I have trapped, brought inside and socialized 6 cats- so far! (Actually, 5 fully socialized so far with #6 in progress— early stages!) One came from a parking lot in AZ, one from a dumpster in VA, and the rest came to us themselves ( we live in a rural area). It has been a long socialization process for each of them, as they were all adults— the longest was nearly 2 years of effort. However, they are now the most loyal and loving companions anyone could have. Here’s (attached)the most recent addition to our home- he is now known as ‘Oreo’ and has been inside for only 2 weeks. He arrived during a major blizzard and we trapped him and got him inside where it’s warm. Took him to our vet first thing and he’s an intact male with no chip. So, he has his ‘appointment’ next week. He’s just figuring things out and I can’t touch him yet, but he will come around quickly I am sure! Feral cats are special!

 

[Norachan]

he is now known as ‘Oreo’ and has been inside for only 2 weeks

Oh, so handsome! He looks a bit like some of the tuxedo feral cats I care for.

You deserve a Friend of Feral Cats badge for all your hard work

 

[price053]

I don't manage a colony yet my Bella and my Timmy are both a product of someone losing them or putting them out. My Timmy is my outside stray/feral he is the sweetest bobtail I have seen, my Bella was a rescue from my hotel that I work for. She was a year long effort! My friend Kwik was so instrumental in getting her to my home and vetted. She is by far the prettiest cow kitty I know ( but I am byist) think I spelled that right. I just want to say to all who help these beautiful babies thank you from the bottom of my heart and they are lucky to have each and everyone of you.

 

[Norachan]

They're both beautiful cats! I remember your thread about all the trouble you went to for Bella. I'm glad to see how happy she looks now.

Badge awarded.

 

[price053]

They're both beautiful cats! I remember your thread about all the trouble you went to for Bella. I'm glad to see how happy she looks now.

Badge awarded.

Yes I remember those days and they were very trying and nerve racking. Thank you Norachan. Thank you I think they are too they are my heart Bella is a trooper for sure and one of my resident cats I can take in the room and they get along

 

[bfmay]

Hello. My story is not unique in any way. We had an apartment complex (now demolished) a block from my house and when tenants were forced to leave several left behind their cats (don't get me started!!). Within a couple of years our neighborhood was overrun with cats and kittens, and wandering tomcats who happened through on a regular basis. Many of these cats looked horrible and I'm sure had unthinkable diseases. It was to the point you could call it an infestation of about 50 stray/feral cats and growing. Poor babies! I had never owned a cat and knew nothing at all about cats, but after the 2nd litter of newborn kittens magically appeared in my flowerbed I knew I had to do something. I went online and read everything I could about feral/stray cats and I began to feed them to lure them to my property, then trap them. One by one each trapped cat went to the vet for spay/neuter, vaccinations, worming, ear checks. I just said to the vet, "Do whatever it is cats need." After about 2 years neighbors started commenting that there were no more litters of kittens appearing on their properties. Imagine that! But still, I could get no help in trapping the remaining few. All told, I trapped and released 36 cats. Now, 5 years later, we still have about 12 cats remaining (all spayed and neutered), longtime residents of the neighborhood, and never any kittens. Some of these 12 have attached themselves to me and my property, and have become almost pets. Others have gone to other houses where the neighbor was happy to feed them, even though that neighbor had not wanted to help trap. We never have wandering toms anymore. These cats are now lovely, sweet members of our community and everyone enjoys them.