My Feral And Rescued Cats

Status
Not open for further replies.

Jcatbird

TCS Member
Thread starter
Top Cat
Joined
Dec 5, 2017
Messages
10,301
Purraise
58,378
Location
United States
I am on a limited income but have managed to rescue and rehome 32 cats. I ask everyone I meet if they know anyone who will give a fur ever home. The vet, the post man, the grocer, my doctor, nurse, tax preparer and contact every rescue group in this state and those nearby. I still have more to go but getting there.

These cats were being shot, burned, tortured and abuse. I gained their trust, started feeding them and one by one brought them in to calm them for adoption and vet care. It is a long and pricey process but some shelters offer discount vet services, spay/neuter and immunization. Go online. Network!

Many pet food and pet supply companies will send you coupons if you contact them. I called. DON'T give up. If you are a cat guardian you're a kitty hero! Try to get them homes. I am still trying to get some Savannah cats, a Blue Smoke, Calico, Marbled Tabby, Gold tabbies, Grey tabbies etc. adopted. I won't give up either. 32 have been saved I am amazed but it tells me the possibility to get all adopted is there. Don't give up! Kitty Kudos to you! Look around you. Someone you cross paths with is looking for a nice kitty. Maybe someone on this site!!!

Do not listen to negative comments. You are doing the right thing. If you are not part of the solution, then you are part of the problem. I rarely have time to post but wanted to reply to all of you. Keep your chin up.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
  • Thread Starter Thread Starter
  • #3

Jcatbird

TCS Member
Thread starter
Top Cat
Joined
Dec 5, 2017
Messages
10,301
Purraise
58,378
Location
United States
Shhhhh! Don't tell anyone. We just got forever homes! By the way...... my name is Turtle. We are part of 32 kitties who have gotten homes. We were rescued. TNR can also be, Trapped , Neutered and Rehomed! Catbirdlady still has more to find homes for so everyone keep your paws crossed!
 
Last edited by a moderator:

kurocatlady

Amateur Cat Lady
Young Cat
Joined
Nov 5, 2017
Messages
35
Purraise
117
Location
Singapore
Thanks for the Friends of Ferals badge!!! So proud to wear it! :)

Jcatbird Jcatbird :
Turtle is soooo cute! Thanks so much for taking the time to leave your inspiring and encouraging comment <3 Cat heroes like you really make me feel better when I encounter troubles in my caregiving! I can only imagine how challenging it must be to rehome 32 kitties!

However, in Singapore, it's quite challenging to re-home strays, and animal welfare groups support the idea of strays being left in the places which they've made their home as long as they are sterilised, healthy, not in danger and someone is caring for them. There are a few reasons for this:
1) Majority of our population lives in small high-rise apartments, so to get a stray that has been roaming outdoors all its life to immediately adapt to life in a small apartment is daunting for both owner and cat. We do always try to rehome kittens to neighbours or shelters though.
2) Land availability is limited and very expensive so the local shelters are small and always full with kittens and puppies. Most people who wish to adopt a cat would generally turn to shelters first. It's also easier for a cat that's been living in captivity to adapt to life in an apartment.
3) Owning a cat is illegal in public housing (which is what majority of us live in). The authorities don't actively prosecute cat owners, but if you let your cat go roaming outside and neighbours complain, the authorities can have your cat taken away. Yea it sucks and cat welfare groups and cat lovers here have been trying to campaign against it.

Fortunately, the housing estates in Singapore are quite pleasant and safe for stray cats. The weather is tropical all year round, natural predators are few (snakes are the most dangerous but residents usually call the police as soon as they see one), ownership of assault weapons is banned, animal abuse is illegal and citizens are mostly law-abiding except for the occasional psychopath. If I could, I would still wish to take in all the cats in my area and give them a permanent roof, they are all so lovable! But I hope by sharing more about our situation, this allays the concerns anyone may have about these kitties living outdoors. If you have further questions, feel free to message me!
 
Last edited by a moderator:
  • Thread Starter Thread Starter
  • #5

Jcatbird

TCS Member
Thread starter
Top Cat
Joined
Dec 5, 2017
Messages
10,301
Purraise
58,378
Location
United States
Sounds like the kitties have a great life there. Many may prefer the freedom! A community that is involved is great. I wish people in my area were more lenient with wild kitties. I live in an area where they are at risk from wild predators and , even worse, sick people. It is one thing for nature to intervene and quite another for humans to be cruel. I did a massive rescue here 10 years ago but now I find myself with a much larger population to save. It is a race against time for them due to the attitude here towards cats. The authorities would like to stop the abuse but it is a difficult thing to do. I lost too many! The rescue began with a head count of 76. I am getting two more spayed very soon. I have now separated males from females. There are only three adults that remain uncaught. All the rest are safe, getting medical care and getting homes as circumstances allow. I have done this in seven months. If I can maintain momentum then I hope all well be well in the next year. I am constantly on the lookout for resources and kitty adoptees. I never thought I would take this on at my age but necessity demanded it. I am very fortunate that my own kitties have tolerated the constant shift of new cat faces. I guess they remember when they were rescued. I have a wonderful cat family. My second to oldest female even took on mothering orphaned kittens even though she was fixed years ago. It's amazing what love can accomplish. I hope all of your kitty friends have a beautiful life and lots of petting from the community. All here send you greetings and great purrs!
 
  • Thread Starter Thread Starter
  • #6

Jcatbird

TCS Member
Thread starter
Top Cat
Joined
Dec 5, 2017
Messages
10,301
Purraise
58,378
Location
United States
Hi Anne! I love the idea of a feral cat badge. Encouraging rescues is so important to our society and to me personally. I have been rescuing / spaying/ neutering and immunizing for more years than I will admit. Lol I always get a lift when someone offers any affirmative comment or action. I am currently caring for 26 cats and kittens and preparing them for the hope a a permanent home. So far all 32 that have been adopted have tested as healthy and I have been able to do follow up checks to make sure they have adjusted well to their new families. I love visiting this site. It shows me that there are many of us out there who want to make a difference in the cat world. In my lifetime I have seen a definite change towards a positive attitude when it comes to saving cat lives. I would like to add my thanks to all of those who have posted their rescue stories here. I will continue my efforts, bolstered by the energy of all the heros here. Thank you for starting Thecatsite and thank you to all who aid in the rescues. Together we can make a big difference.
 
  • Thread Starter Thread Starter
  • #7

Jcatbird

TCS Member
Thread starter
Top Cat
Joined
Dec 5, 2017
Messages
10,301
Purraise
58,378
Location
United States
To all who are working for kitty rescues, here is some good news! I just sent two more kittens out to good homes. The total is now at 34 kitties rescued by good and loving people. A little black kitten named Cordial and sibling tabby named Painter. Both adorable.
 
  • Thread Starter Thread Starter
  • #8

Jcatbird

TCS Member
Thread starter
Top Cat
Joined
Dec 5, 2017
Messages
10,301
Purraise
58,378
Location
United States
More good kitty news. A pet supply company provided a grant to the county I live in. It is to provide a program called the, " Barn Cat Program"! I am so excited! Instead of putting down unwanted kitties, they will be given a chance at a good life as barn kitties. They will be fed properly, given immunizations, given shelter, spayed/ neutered and loved. They will be free to good homes. A wonderful thing! I found out about this through my networking to find help for my own rescues. I am going to try and help them find great places for their kitties while I am looking for homes for my tame kitties. They have offered to help me with getting some of my kitties fixed by helping me with transportation since I have vision issues. Oh what a wonderful world! Most of the time when I have reached out for help for my kitties I have found that the system is overloaded with dumped, lost or feral cats and kittens. I can't tell you how many times I have been told we are in " kitten season". No room at the Inn. However, just when I least expect it, I find that the person on the other end of the line says, " well, we can help." This help came unasked. Next week I will be working to get 9 rescued cats spayed or neutered. Nine in one week! They will get their shots as well. I am overjoyed. I have been doing this on my own, one cat at at a time. A very slow process, but necessary. Having this done will make it much easier for me to get kitties adopted and stop the spread of disease as well as pregnancy. I have found 34 great people to adopt so far but I have wondered how I would maintain this pace. With the help of my new friends and the supply company, I have renewed hope that I can keep going as before. I will continue the process and I hope this will encourage others to do the same. Don't give up! No matter what your age or income. There are rainbows after the storms. I have just had contact with a shelter that WANTS CATS! Amazing news. I will find out more about that soon. If everything goes well and they check out as a safe and good shelter, I will be sharing some kitties with them for adoption. I don't know how many they can take or any of the details but as soon as I know if everything is good I will post the information. Everyone, please keep your paws crossed for us on these new developments. The kitties here are wonderful!
 
  • Thread Starter Thread Starter
  • #10

Jcatbird

TCS Member
Thread starter
Top Cat
Joined
Dec 5, 2017
Messages
10,301
Purraise
58,378
Location
United States
IMG_7367.JPG
This kitty found a home! Her name is Domino and I am missing her terribly. She always made me laugh! Her Mom abandoned her as a baby and I hand raised her. Maybe I should have taught her proper kitty posture! She is doing great in her new home with a darling little girl to love her.
 

trudy1

TCS Member
Super Cat
Joined
Nov 19, 2011
Messages
890
Purraise
1,214
Wow, you’re a goal to be achieved for the rest of us! Wouldn’t consider moving to sw Missouri? ...ha! I’d even buy you a John Deere cap and some chewing tobacco so you’d look local!

Don’t you wish everybody had your passion for these babies? Could change the world and it needs changing.

Keep posting...I need the good news.
 
  • Thread Starter Thread Starter
  • #12

Jcatbird

TCS Member
Thread starter
Top Cat
Joined
Dec 5, 2017
Messages
10,301
Purraise
58,378
Location
United States
Well you just have me a lift! I would proudly wear a John Deere cap! I have to admit , my spitting aim might not be up to standards. Lol Maybe the cats could teach me. I do wish everyone loved these lives like I do. I also see here on this site that many, many people do. I started posting because of how many great people were posting here. I felt that you and others were my kindred spirits. Maybe together we can spread cat fever. As they say, " United we stand"! It is true that there is strength in numbers. I have been working the cat rescues alone for the most part. When I have gotten help from others everything moved faster and better. I am slowly connecting with great people and it so uplifting. Not only do they spread the word that people will save kitties and that I have kitties that need homes, they give me renewed hope. I am re energized each time someone helps with what I am doing or is helped by what I am doing. I think it is all contagious! Hope. I am going to keep putting one paw in front of the other and HOPE that I can get every one of these kitties a safe home. I took 6 kitties to be fixed today with the help of a county program I discovered just a week ago. It came to my attention through another cat program I had been contacting for help over the last seven months. I updated them every time someone adopted a cat from my little rescue group. After getting the first 32 out they found this program and gave me the contact info. Just when I was getting exhausted I got great news from a source that I thought had no way to help. You just never know when something great will come from out of the blue! Your message to me today was just as great. Very kind words AND you made me laugh when I envisioned myself chewing and needing a spittoon. Funny you should mention moving...... I have been planning to do just that. I can't say I have driven a John Deere but I have ridden on one. Love the green and yellow! Ha! Tell me about Missouri.
 

trudy1

TCS Member
Super Cat
Joined
Nov 19, 2011
Messages
890
Purraise
1,214
Well before I moved to Missouri I lived in northern Arkansas so we could talk about both of them. Ah, the stories I could tell! When we built the house we live in now it’s two story and the back part faces the road. The deck runs the length of the whole back and is supported by four cedar beams vertically. So the locals asked my brother-in-law if we were from Louisiana!

Everything evolves around the local coffee place where they gather every morning around 6 to discuss what’s happening, rumors, and gossip...not that guys gossip, you know. So we fenced our 2 acres with horse fencing and two strands of barbed wire at the top. So the big question was “just what are they doing with that much fencing”?. Rather than tell BIL to say we were doing it to protect our cats which I knew they would not understand at all I just casually said “ tell them we’re raising hyenas! Which he did! Got strange looks for weeks after that!

Want more? As they say “ I’ve got a million of them”
 
  • Thread Starter Thread Starter
  • #14

Jcatbird

TCS Member
Thread starter
Top Cat
Joined
Dec 5, 2017
Messages
10,301
Purraise
58,378
Location
United States
Thank you! I am laughing like a hyena. More! I lived in a town in middle Georgia when I was growing up that could easily be the same place you speak of. It was a long, long, long ( heh heh) time ago and the world was no different! We lived in a very old two story house in a small town. We were known to have and love cats , however, a rumor got started about us. We had a large, solid black Great Dane dog named Katrina, that liked to go out the upstairs window after the cats when they wandered out on the flat area of the roof. ( An area Like a modern deck) Whenever we heard the screeching of car brakes on the highway, we knew that Katrina was on the roof chasing the kitties. We realized that this got us some attention from the long time residents there, but we were surprised to hear what the local gossips were saying. We were shocked to discover that besides letting our cats run around on the roof we were also allowing our black panther to run loose. I love it when people use their imagination! I think I would love Missouri and I really love your sense of humor! Hyenas! Ha!
 

trudy1

TCS Member
Super Cat
Joined
Nov 19, 2011
Messages
890
Purraise
1,214
Not to pirate your thread but one or two more stories then I’ll quit. When I was in Arkansas I worked for the National Park Service on Buffalo National River so we were the people you either really loved or hated intensely. A rumor started around that we were trading rattlesnakes for other animals with the state game and fish commission. But we actually traced the rumor to the source. It seems the state people were transporting a feral pig they’d caught in an open truck ...the big wooden box had lots of holes in it for ventilation. When they parked downtown for lunch a crowd of locals gathered around and asked what was in the big box. To prevent them from sticking fingers in the holes the state guy said “be careful, we’re transporting rattlesnake to stock on the park service lands.”. Well, that was the start of it.
The next day at a local cafe One fellow said “I was down on the river this morning and heard a helicopter overhead. Out of that copter dropped all these wooden boxes. When the boxes hit the ground they broke and out crawled all these beaver who ran across the gravel and into the river” yes, they hated beaver too.
We also had the grand wizard of the KKK about fifteen miles outside of the town where headquarter for the park was. Remember the State “adopt a highway program” where you could signup to keep a section of highway free of trash? Well the Klan signed up and got the section as you first enter Arkansas from southern Missouri! A big blue sign said ‘Welcome to Arkansas. This section of highway adopted by the KKK”. The state took them to court but lost their case. How did they get rid of them? It seems there was a requirement in the signup that any organization could be required to provide a list of it’s members. The state asked for the list and the KKK was gone the next day!

No more stories on this thread since I’ve probably overstayed my welcome. Pm me and I’ll tell you more....ah, stories...as we used to say “I’m full as a tick”
 
  • Thread Starter Thread Starter
  • #16

Jcatbird

TCS Member
Thread starter
Top Cat
Joined
Dec 5, 2017
Messages
10,301
Purraise
58,378
Location
United States
I don't see you as a pirate. I love the entertaining tails! I will pm you but don't stop writing here. Tell me about your kitties. I had a busy day. A rescue has a problem so we were at the vet. I am hoping everyone will send good vibes and prayers if they are so inclined. Twilight is a beautiful kitty. Mostly white with tabby markings. He had massive fleas when I got him. He was treated for that and worms but needed to get over that before being fixed. He has been weak so I am trying to boost him with special food and supplements for his immune system. He is a grateful kitty and purrs the minute I hold him. I have to keep him isolated from other kitties so I am spending a lot of time in the room with him. I find that the simple act of holding a sick kitty or person seems to make a difference. If loving him can make him well it will happen. This is the first of the group to have a real health issue but not the first kitty I have had to give intensive time and care to. He is on antibiotics and I am hoping that youth will act in his favor. Time will tell. I will update as I know. He has Bartonlla. I hope I spelled that right but if I didn't maybe someone can help me out. Apparently the fleas poop cause a bacteria to invade the kitty. I have seen it before when it caused eye infections but also when it just tested in the kitty's blood but did no real damage. This kitty has a more severe case so I thought it was worth bringing up here. Sorry for the negative news but it is an important subject to bring up. Considering the number of kitties that were on the property I feel very fortunate that this is the first real illness that has shown up. Had he not been dumped by someone but instead received basic care, he would not have gotten this illness. Flea prevention could have kept this from happening. To end on a brighter note, I pick up the six kitties that just got spayed tomorrow! Yay! I can't wait to see them. I really miss them even in this crowd! I also will be taking three more tomorrow to be neutered. Nine kitties in one week! Awesome! I never imagined that I could get that much done in a week. All because of that call out of the blue. Help finally arrived! Now Bee, Emoji, Liberty, Tortie, Tortuga and Kodiak will have a better chance of getting adopted. Less chance of having disease transmitted and NO endless cycle of feral babies. As soon as they have recovered I will start the hunt for their new families. In the meantime.... I will get to love them. I will attempt to post a pic that should leave you all with a smile.
 

trudy1

TCS Member
Super Cat
Joined
Nov 19, 2011
Messages
890
Purraise
1,214
D3FF469E-591F-4335-ABB5-7B193E1128A4.jpeg
831DEA4D-9FBF-444B-8238-6DB183CBE2CB.jpeg
I have 7 at home, all rescues. Henry is our latest as seen here.
There is Dolly, a red tabby, Molly who came to us when the ups driver opened his truck to deliver a package, spunky who is our skizoid baby. Then we have three in the basement garage left from the eleven we tnr’d and adopted out. They are sweety, Morty and tigger. I’ve enclosed a pic of Dolly at rest. We live in a rural area where farmers don’t s/p their barn cats so the population spills over to our house.

You wanted a story. We used to live in deep east Texas right on the Louisiana line. My daughter, who was about 13 (marrin age) was with us when we were unloading stuff. We had not been there 10 minutes and this boy shows up. He’s a junior in the local high school . My daughter has this rescue cat and she was petting it at the time. So making conversation he said “what that cats name?” She told him Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart but wolfy for short. He thought for a moment, knowing he had to impress the parents, and said “say, wasn’t that a real person?”.
That gave us a hint of what she might be in for so...After he left I told her she couldn’t date anyone whose first name was initials like BJ or anybody named after an animal like “Bear” or”Snake”.
 
  • Thread Starter Thread Starter
  • #19

Jcatbird

TCS Member
Thread starter
Top Cat
Joined
Dec 5, 2017
Messages
10,301
Purraise
58,378
Location
United States
Ha! Well..... I have a rescue name BJ and I have a Mom rescue that I named Goldilocks that had three babies. I named the three babies after bears. Lol Too funny. None named snake though! Once again I love your story. I did not post yesterday for two reasons. One was that I lost a rescue kitty I had worked with for seven months. Twilight was one of the most gentle kitties I have ever known. He wanted nothing more than to give love and affection to all. I was with him to the end and it broke my heart. No matter how many kitties are around or how many times you have lost one it never gets easier. I brought him home afterwards to bury him at his home. He loved me to the last second and purred until his last breath. At least I know that I was able to give him comfort, love and finally, his freedom. I am most grateful that this abandoned kitty came to me and that his last months of life were free from outside threats, fear, hunger and lack of love. I will use those thoughts to keep going and remember him with each other kitty I get to rescue. I feel it was a gift to have that kitty give me so much love in such a short time. The other thing that delayed my post was that other kitties needed hel. I had to collect the nine I had spayed or neutered this week. I am tired and they are mad! The boys especially. I had to spend half the evening just apologizing to them. Today they are feeling much better. I think I am already forgiven as I had an offering of canned chicken waiting for them for breakfast. I do love cats! They are forgiving creatures. Now that these kitties have been fixed there is a good chance they will be adopted. They will get a chance for that within a couple of weeks. There is interest in them already. Thank goodness! The totals this far are 34 adopted, one lost and 11 almost finished with preparation for adoption. Now! The bigs need! There are new babies born to a feral. Ouch! She had seven. I am already getting them used to my voice and having me in the building they are in. Mom is allowing that much. They already look up when I call. The best news of all is that they already have a safe place to go if I can catch them. I am going to give it my best. If I can get Mom, she will be fixed and realeased with immunizations. I will feed her and try to tame her as well. That leaves only three others in my area to work on. I started with the hope of finding homes for at least 57 cats and kittens out there that I thought I could prepare for adoption. I am well over the halfway point and beginning to think I may exceed that number. If the 11 that are near being prepared are adopted and I can catch the kittens to place then I will only need to TNR three and prepare 12 more for adoption. It's a process! If I ever make it to zero I will be celebrating! I think I can. I hope I can! My own pet cats will probably be throwing a bon voyage party for the last one to go! I'll post on the progress of getting the kittens.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Top