TNR the SFC*!

National Feral Cat Day® is October 16!

Alley Cat Allies created National Feral Cat Day in 2001 as a call to action to raise awareness about community cats (also called feral or stray cats), promote Trap-Neuter-Return (TNR), and empower the millions of compassionate people around the United States who care about cats and kittens to drive change on their behalf.

*Stray or Feral or Community cats

We ❤️ feral cats!

Just Tip It

National Feral Cat Day® is 16 October

Alley Cat Allies created National Feral Cat Day in 2001 as a call to action to raise awareness about community cats (also called feral or stray cats), promote Trap-Neuter-Return (TNR), and empower the millions of compassionate people around the United States who care about cats and kittens to drive change on their behalf.

We cannot adopt our way out of the cat overpopulation; sterilizing community cats is the only choice we have to save their lives.

Veterinary and scientific professionals are at work to find a non-surgical procedure to sterilize cats: read about it here.

Huge thanks to the low-cost spay/neuter clinics, local rescue and foster groups; the public who've attended TNR classes and care for their own clowders; the relentless advocacy of national groups like Alley Cat Allies and Best Friends, plus the countless TNR groups in every city, and every state.

We love our cats, so why not love ALL cats?

❤️ 

National Feral Cat Day: October 16

From Alley Cat Allies website:

In a Trap-Neuter-Return program, community cats are humanely trapped (with box traps), brought to a veterinarian to be spayed or neutered, vaccinated, eartipped (the universal sign that a community cat has been neutered and vaccinated), and then returned to their outdoor home. 

Community Cats are at Home Outdoors

Cats living outdoors is nothing new. For most of their natural history, cats have lived outside alongside people. Evidence shows cats began living near people over 10,000 years ago, before the pyramids were built! It wasn’t until very recently, with the invention of kitty litter in the 1940s, that so many cats began living indoors only. Community cats are truly at home outdoors, just as countless cats have been for thousands of years.

It's hip to be tipped!

Paddy O'Malley, TNR'd in 2011

Sweetie, TNR'd in 2009

Making Copies...

This morning, I spent a few hours at All About Animals Rescue, volunteering with about 20 co-workers.  Half of us cleaned kennels and attached tags to feral cat traps, while the rest created trap covers cut from donated bed sheets.  We used a template (about 57" by 32"), and churned out copy after copy of covers.

On Sunday, October 15, All About Animals is having $10 Community Cat Spay & Neuter Blitz, so they will use all of the trap covers they can get!  Cats need to be covered up to remain calm.  We made a huge stack of covers.  

They expect 120 cats, all from TNR (Trap-Neuter-Return) situations.

An example of the cat trap covers that we made

This was the final cover, made by yours truly!

All About Animals, in Warren Michigan

The TruCatch traps are roughly 30" by 10" by 8", with a quiet trap door that is activated when the cat steps on the lever plate.  Made from coated-wire; the cat NEVER touches metal.  The fabric cover blocks the view of all of the hubbub going on.  All About Animals loans out dozens and dozens of traps, plus offers low cost spay and neuter operations during the week.  Sweetie and Patty O'Malley were both 'fixed' there, as well as Angels Sammy and Hobo.

All About Animals does important work; I am glad to donate a little bit of time to a great cause...and my office co-workers are too!

Intermission Over

A long holiday weekend, a vacation day off from work, and excellent weather kept me away from the computer.  The Hubby and I spent some quality time together (read: we went out to lunch and watched a lot of Wimbledon tennis on TV!)

Trying to keep up with my daily exercise, I managed to snap a few photos of some of the critters that I recently had to pleasure to meet:

Sly, striking a post

Sly and his brother Sneakers live at the 15 minute mark on my evening trek; I first nabbed some photos of them here.

Handsome fellow

This gorgeous grey fellow was casually walking down the street when he stopped to allow me to worship him for a little while.  I believe he is cared for at the nearby house, where I've seen feral cat shelters, although this guy was very tame.

Persephone

Persephone is Aries's 'sister', meaning she and Aries live at the same house, which is our backyard neighbor.  Persephone spends all of her time in the front yard, where I see her as I'm walking by.

Muddy Waters

Evidence!

Two babies...

...and three more!

There are raccoons around too; they use the cat's drinking water to wash their hands.  Almost every morning, I find muddy water...and a raccoon hand print!  A couple of weeks ago, I spied five baby raccoons in a tree at dusk, which is why my phone took such blurry photos.  Could they be the rascally creatures making mud in our water bowl?  I sternly warn Patty O'Malley, Sweetie and Aries to avoid any raccoon, because they can be really mean to cats, and especially kittens.

I'll visit all of my blogging friends soon, to catch up on your news!

Missing MK

MK, so handsome!

Please take a moment and visit fourwhitepaws; MK (photo above) is missing, and The Cat Guy is very concerned about his friend.  Send some warm purrs and hugs, and we will all hope that MK makes it home soon.

P.S. Nancy (in the comments at fourwhitepaws) is also missing Midnight, so let's pray that all ferals with homes...get back home!

Random Kitty Stuff

Sleeping Graham

Adorable Annie

Floofy Angel

Check out the cute top I found, for knocking around the house.  It's incredibly soft, which makes perfect pajama-wear.  A bargain from a re-sale shop!  Don't be jealous, Sheebie from Katnip Lounge!

Next, the photo of Graham was taken while he was asleep IN MY LAP!  Yep, my lap, and it was a joy to have him there for a long time.  Little Annie was just so adorable too.  Both looking for a furrever home!  Once again, I joined the Paws for the Cause crew this weekend during their adoption event.  Their big project last week was to trap an entire feral colony, to relocate them to their new home on an organic farm.  The old property was sold to developers, and will soon have large equipment moving around.  Re-trapping feral cats is NOT easy, since they avoid the traps!  Also, a feral cat colony must be contained for a period of time, since they can run away to find their old location.  Fortunately, the farm has a suitable place where the cats will have lots of room and shelters, but they won't be able to get out.  Once they are acclimated to the new surroundings, then they will remain close at hand.

And then a photo of Angel, taken just moments ago.  She is my honey-bunny, my little cookie, my floofy sweetie.  She's just plain cute!