Some of you might remember me. My orange tabby was stolen around a year ago ... you've probably seen my signs ... here's a photo album of him, just in case you see him
Photo Sharing by MyPhotoAlbum :: MyPhotoAlbum :: photos of mac (https://losttabby.myphotoalbum.com/view_album.php?set_albumName=album01)
My search for my cat has led me to many other stray orange tabbies that needed rescuing, and it prompted me to start a group focusing on the stray pet problem in Sonoma County. Please contribute information if you have a stray on your property as others are desperately searching.
StrayPetNetwork : Sonoma County Stray Pet Network (https://pets.groups.yahoo.com/group/StrayPetNetwork/)
I'm writing today to discuss the problem of stray cats in the county and what can be done about them. I have come across so many stray cats and our county shelters are now housing around 500 of them. The problem is getting much worse as people dump cats in this economy.
Here are my observations and thoughts. Feel free to comment ... I want this problem to get better and I need your help ...
1. Of course every stray should be spayed and neutered but this is very difficult. I just saved a cat that was living in a forest amongst bobcats, foxes, coyotes, etc. It took me 6 weeks to trap him but now he's safe... so I know the difficulties of catching these cats. Can we not put together an experienced rescue squad that will do this work for us? Can we not pay these angels so that they can do this work without starving? What would it take ... a dollar a week from each of us?, two dollars a week? I believe that using animal control is risky ... even if they do trap the cat they might mistake a terrified domestic cat as feral and euthanize ... am I right about this?
“Realistically, over 12 years, one unspayed female, with all her unspayed female offspring, reasonably can be expected to be responsible for over 3200 kittens if there is no human intervention<sup>.”</sup>
2. Ferals or strays that are not fed and provided with shelter live an average of 2 years in the wild. Disease, parasites and predators take their toll. If you ever lose a cat in this county then your cat could be one of these strays, so this affects all of us. I have met many angels who feed these animals and try to provide shelter. A lot of these people are struggling to survive themselves ... Can we not establish a kitty food bank or something? Also, low cost shelters can be made from cheap materials by volunteers ... can we not support the folks that are keeping these animals alive? How would we do this? Any ideas?
Winter Shelter - Spay and Stay (https://www.spayandstay.org/wintershelter.htm)
3. I am one of these people, rescuing cats and struggling to survive. I'm a business woman and my income has dropped dramatically in this economy. At the same time I have been recruited by the universe to save cats. I have personally saved 10 to 15 cats ... I've lost track. Most have been placed in loving homes but one is under my bed at the moment and he needs an outside run. I'm currently needing a donation of fencing, lumber or chicken wire to provide him with this. If you have some old stuff laying around that you don't need then let me know. Maybe we could stockpile stuff like this for other rescuers in need?
Ok, I know that I'm an idealist and that these concepts are difficult to pull off and manage... but it can be done. The shelters are doing a great job but they're overwhelmed .... and a shelter environment is safe but not great for a cat. I've worked with our shelters and I'm NOT putting them down in any way but we need to do more.
How do we organize all of this and actually begin to make a difference? Your suggestions are greatly encouraged and appreciated.
Thanks for caring,
Rosanne
Clancy
11-20-2009, 07:04 PM
How do we organize all of this and actually begin to make a difference? Your suggestions are greatly encouraged and appreciated.
I admire anyone willing to help the kitties, and my suggestion is that there is no need to re-invent the wheel.
Forgotten Felines makes a huge difference in the lives of thousands of feral and stray cats in Sonoma County, they need people just like you, why not donate your time and energy there?
Welcome to Forgotten Felines of Sonoma County and Thank You for Visiting (https://www.forgottenfelines.com/)
AllorrahBe
11-20-2009, 10:17 PM
Greetings, Cat Lovers!
I recently moved over from the Big Island of Hawaii. Here's the deal there... there is a group called AdvoCats. It's volunteers who love cats and who have started the group to feed the millions of strays along the Kona Coast. They also provide humane traps so you can catch the ferals. Then you call AdvoCats and they come and pick up the cat and get it spayed or neutered by the Humane Society. The HS regularly has low-cost spay/neuter clinics where they do up to 120 cats per day! Then the AdvoCats volunteers take the ferals to places where they can be released safely, where volunteers feed them every day. It's not perfect, and the shelters are full, but this at least keeps the colonies more manageable.
As for strays and lost pets, there's another group called ARCH (Animal Rescue Coalition Hawaii) and I believe they do some of the same stuff as AdvoCats, but maybe more for strays or lost pets. I'm not too sure.
And Petco has adoptions at their store every Friday and Saturday, where people can come and adopt clean, spayed/neutered cats and kittens who have already been cleaned up and had their shots. This operation is also manned by volunteers. They also bring some dogs and puppies, for those so inclined!
I'm sure anybody can find out more about these organizations... maybe they even have websites. But if you want a more direct connection, I have contacts at Petco and friends who are active with the feral population in Kona through the AdvoCats program. I'd be happy to provide more information if anyone wants to take this further.
Many blessings to all animal lovers, everywhere... they really need us more than ever, now, with the economy so bad and the weather getting worse!
And thanks, Barry, for giving us a place to share our concerns and our triumphs!
Love and Light,
Rev. Allorrah Be, CAHt.
Circles of Light Ministries
Santa Rosa, California
(707) 526-1247 [email protected]
Some of you might remember me. My orange tabby was stolen around a year ago ... you've probably seen my signs ... here's a photo album of him, just in case you see him
Photo Sharing by MyPhotoAlbum :: MyPhotoAlbum :: photos of mac (https://losttabby.myphotoalbum.com/view_album.php?set_albumName=album01)
My search for my cat has led me to many other stray orange tabbies that needed rescuing, and it prompted me to start a group focusing on the stray pet problem in Sonoma County. Please contribute information if you have a stray on your property as others are desperately searching.
StrayPetNetwork : Sonoma County Stray Pet Network (https://pets.groups.yahoo.com/group/StrayPetNetwork/)
I'm writing today to discuss the problem of stray cats in the county and what can be done about them. I have come across so many stray cats and our county shelters are now housing around 500 of them. The problem is getting much worse as people dump cats in this economy.
Here are my observations and thoughts. Feel free to comment ... I want this problem to get better and I need your help ...
1. Of course every stray should be spayed and neutered but this is very difficult. I just saved a cat that was living in a forest amongst bobcats, foxes, coyotes, etc. It took me 6 weeks to trap him but now he's safe... so I know the difficulties of catching these cats. Can we not put together an experienced rescue squad that will do this work for us? Can we not pay these angels so that they can do this work without starving? What would it take ... a dollar a week from each of us?, two dollars a week? I believe that using animal control is risky ... even if they do trap the cat they might mistake a terrified domestic cat as feral and euthanize ... am I right about this?
“Realistically, over 12 years, one unspayed female, with all her unspayed female offspring, reasonably can be expected to be responsible for over 3200 kittens if there is no human intervention<SUP>.”</SUP>
2. Ferals or strays that are not fed and provided with shelter live an average of 2 years in the wild. Disease, parasites and predators take their toll. If you ever lose a cat in this county then your cat could be one of these strays, so this affects all of us. I have met many angels who feed these animals and try to provide shelter. A lot of these people are struggling to survive themselves ... Can we not establish a kitty food bank or something? Also, low cost shelters can be made from cheap materials by volunteers ... can we not support the folks that are keeping these animals alive? How would we do this? Any ideas?
Winter Shelter - Spay and Stay (https://www.spayandstay.org/wintershelter.htm)
3. I am one of these people, rescuing cats and struggling to survive. I'm a business woman and my income has dropped dramatically in this economy. At the same time I have been recruited by the universe to save cats. I have personally saved 10 to 15 cats ... I've lost track. Most have been placed in loving homes but one is under my bed at the moment and he needs an outside run. I'm currently needing a donation of fencing, lumber or chicken wire to provide him with this. If you have some old stuff laying around that you don't need then let me know. Maybe we could stockpile stuff like this for other rescuers in need?
Ok, I know that I'm an idealist and that these concepts are difficult to pull off and manage... but it can be done. The shelters are doing a great job but they're overwhelmed .... and a shelter environment is safe but not great for a cat. I've worked with our shelters and I'm NOT putting them down in any way but we need to do more.
How do we organize all of this and actually begin to make a difference? Your suggestions are greatly encouraged and appreciated.
Thanks for caring,
Rosanne
psarahg
11-21-2009, 02:02 AM
I'm so sorry your orange tabby boy was stolen. What a heartbreaking thing to happen. In answer to the questions you raise, I want to give you some more information about Forgotten Felines of Sonoma County. We are a spay/neuter organization for feral cats, and through our Good Samaritan program, we can also assist in low-cost spay/neutering for stray cats. We are indeed an "experienced rescue squad" comprised of many committed angels, but we don't have the resources to do the work for you. We can, however, assist you in your trapping efforts, even though we don't have the staff to do the trapping for you. We try our best to share our experience and expertise with community members who can then take action to help the feral and stray cats on their properties or in their neighborhoods. We increase our numbers of spayed/neutered ferals each year, and we've helped so many people in their efforts to establish managed colonies, but it still remains an ongoing problem, as you have discovered. Please check out our website and read about the services we have to offer. I agree with the other posting that you might want to consider volunteering for our organization as a way to get connected with other caring, compassionate people like yourself. You're doing wonderful work on your own, and I have found that working with others towards this common goal has helped me feel less hopeless -- and less helpless. (I was a volunteer in our adoption program and have been a board member for several years.) Maybe all of us committed to rescue work are "idealistic," but I prefer to think of us as people working towards a shared vision. Look at our website, or call our office just to talk with someone. Please don't give up if you don't get a quick response to your call. As is the case with most rescue organizations, we sometimes get backlogged, but we try to help as many community members -- and cats -- as possible.
<style> <!-- @page { size: 8.5in 11in; margin: 0.79in } P { margin-bottom: 0.08in } --> </style> Hi folks,
Some of you might remember me. My orange tabby was stolen around a year ago ... you've probably seen my signs ... here's a photo album of him, just in case you see him
Photo Sharing by MyPhotoAlbum :: MyPhotoAlbum :: photos of mac (https://losttabby.myphotoalbum.com/view_album.php?set_albumName=album01)
My search for my cat has led me to many other stray orange tabbies that needed rescuing, ...
Peter O
11-21-2009, 10:22 AM
I suggest you read the September/October issue of Audubon Magazine - (National Audubon Society). The issue of domestic house cats whether feral or simply let out most of the time has consequences for the bird population and from there of course to everything else... feral cats DO displace native wild creatures who are in competition for food which feral cats take - in the case of birds, simply MORE birds are taken but in the case of other carnivores, well that is a problem. The real issue os responsible ownership and care. Taking 'care' of a feral population avoids the issue and cats who are feral and can't be trapped might have to be hunted - just as are pigs and goats on the Hawaiian islands or mongooses, and other interuptive and destructive animals which have been loosed in the wrong place by ignorant - if - well-meaning hominids. Peter
<style> <!-- @page { size: 8.5in 11in; margin: 0.79in } P { margin-bottom: 0.08in } --> </style> Hi folks,
Some of you might remember me. My orange tabby was stolen around a year ago ...
arthunter
11-21-2009, 02:04 PM
Thanks so much for responding ...
Forgotten Felines is a wonderful organization and they have helped me on several occasions ... they spayed my semi-wild cat for free and recently they have been providing low-cost combo testing for the strays that I am rescuing, .... and I was close to asking for a drop trap loan when I couldn't catch this last difficult cat ... they're the best!
The problem is that they don't do the work for you ... that's a problem because, in my experience, few people will take the trouble to drive into Santa Rosa, borrow a trap, learn how to use it, and deal with the whole process of trapping and neutering. People are busy, especially now, so this isn't criticism, it's just a reality.
Recently I rescued a cat that I named Lover. I got a call about him because he resembled my lost tabby. He was living under a building that was about to be renovated. The woman that called me agreed to feed him and then trap him. I brought her the food and the trap and gave her precise instructions about trapping. It was a lengthy process which entailed gradually feeding inside of the tied open trap. When the trap was set for real he walked into it fearlessly in 30 minutes. I came and got him, rehabilitated him, and found him a great home. He's an absolute sweetheart and no longer trying to survive under an abandoned house.
This is what I mean by intervention by an experienced person. This woman was very willing to help but she had a very busy life. Since I brought the trap to her and the food and told her exactly what to do, she was able to do it without it messing with her life. It didn't take much of my time or attention to do this. My involvement really came after the cat was trapped. He was in need of nutrition and loving care before he was ready for adoption.
How many of you have strays or ferals on your property that you're just not dealing with because you're too tired, too busy and other things take priority in your life? Or maybe you feel insecure about the process, ... afraid that you will trap wildlife or the neighbor's cat, etc. This isn't criticism, ... it's just reality ... Would it make a difference if you could just call someone about it and have them either do the work or set you up to do the work without a lot of hassle?
Rosanne
I'm so sorry your orange tabby boy was stolen. What a heartbreaking thing to happen. In answer to the questions you raise, I want to give you some more information about Forgotten Felines of Sonoma County. We are a spay/neuter organization for feral cats, and through our Good Samaritan program, we can also assist in low-cost spay/neutering for stray cats. We are indeed an "experienced rescue squad" comprised of many committed angels, but we don't have the resources to do the work for you. We can, however, assist you in your trapping efforts, even though we don't have the staff to do the trapping for you. We try our best to share our experience and expertise with community members who can then take action to help the feral and stray cats on their properties or in their neighborhoods. We increase our numbers of spayed/neutered ferals each year, and we've helped so many people in their efforts to establish managed colonies, but it still remains an ongoing problem, as you have discovered. Please check out our website and read about the services we have to offer. I agree with the other posting that you might want to consider volunteering for our organization as a way to get connected with other caring, compassionate people like yourself. You're doing wonderful work on your own, and I have found that working with others towards this common goal has helped me feel less hopeless -- and less helpless. (I was a volunteer in our adoption program and have been a board member for several years.) Maybe all of us committed to rescue work are "idealistic," but I prefer to think of us as people working towards a shared vision. Look at our website, or call our office just to talk with someone. Please don't give up if you don't get a quick response to your call. As is the case with most rescue organizations, we sometimes get backlogged, but we try to help as many community members -- and cats -- as possible.
arthunter
11-21-2009, 02:40 PM
This is an interesting point, Peter, so thank you for bringing it to my attention. I can only think of my own experiences when answering you but I do have a bit of experience with cats.
Firstly, if feral or stray cats are fed then I would think that they'd be less likely to hunt birds and other prey. They are born hunters but they also find value in the soft life ... a bowl with food in it has a lot of appeal. Also, if their numbers are controlled by spaying and neutering they will be a minority in the wild compared to the other creatures out there who freely reproduce. Simply shooting them? ... good luck with that idea in Sonoma County....
I've lived in the country of Sonoma County for over 20 years. During that time I've always had outdoor cats. I now live in an apple orchard with abundant bird life. I've been at this location for 13 years. In that 13 years I've witnessed maybe 10 bird kills due to my cats. I hate for this to happen but I do know that this is infrequent and that they prefer gophers. The bird life has not dimished in this orchard and I have two feral cat colonies right next door.
My last rescue involved sitting in a Sonoma County forest for six weeks. I was trying to pull a stray cat out of this environment because I had photographed bobcats, coyotes, foxes, raccoons, skunks, possums, etc. I did this with my hunting camera so all of the shots were wild candid shots. The photographs span a six week period and this is what I found.
There was one cat in the forest ... period. All of the neighborhood cats stayed close to their housing. He was skinny, struggling, not doing well. He was only coming out of hiding late at night to avoid predators. When I put food out he was often the last one to eat. In fact, feeding him without feeding the entire forest was a real problem. I finally had to resort to day feeding and day trapping to save him.
There were tons and tons of raccoons, all looking fat and happy.
There were lots of foxes, all looking well. Ditto for skunks and possums.
The bobcat was fat.
The coyotes never entered the forest so I never did photograph them.
I was dealing with a wonderful older woman who had lived in this location for a very long time. I thought that this was my cat and I was worried about the predators. She said that most of the creatures in the forest fed on the rabbits and other small prey, and these creatures were indeed plentiful. I didn't witness any suffering amongst the wildlife, but the cat was in real trouble...
Just my observations... I agree with the last posting about this ... it isn't the cats endangering the wildlife, it's man ... taking over their habitat, putting up fences, using chemicals, etc.
Rosanne
I suggest you read the September/October issue of Audubon Magazine - (National Audubon Society). The issue of domestic house cats whether feral or simply let out most of the time has consequences for the bird population and from there of course to everything else... feral cats DO displace native wild creatures who are in competition for food which feral cats take - in the case of birds, simply MORE birds are taken but in the case of other carnivores, well that is a problem. The real issue os responsible ownership and care. Taking 'care' of a feral population avoids the issue and cats who are feral and can't be trapped might have to be hunted - just as are pigs and goats on the Hawaiian islands or mongooses, and other interuptive and destructive animals which have been loosed in the wrong place by ignorant - if - well-meaning hominids. Peter
tarasun
11-22-2009, 12:37 PM
What Rosanne is referring to is not that Forgotten Felines doesn't do fantastic work...(where in the world would we be without them?) but though they help beyond description with ferals and now even offering low cost s/n with companions, the problem far outweighs what they can do. Daily, dogs and cats are being abandoned to fend for themselves in a very cruel and ugly enviornment. These companions are often left intact and their human guardians simply and ignorantly assume that they will fend for themselves just fine. These animals have not been raised by the very savy feral momma to run from humans, to avoid neighbor hood dogs and wild animals and none know how to avoid the rampant poisons, wild lfie or cars that only we humans are in charge of. These animals barely can survive on the few mice they catch and rarely catch birds. They are snagged in wire, stickers, pests, and drink polluted water. They are COLD and WET and run out of local garages and barns. They are chased and abused so that humans do not have to deal with them. Where do these animals go???? Our shelters are full. Each rescue is full. When we can get an appointment for spay and neuter...YES, this is wonderful and oh so absolutely necessary but where do these precious creatures go to live their life...born ONLY due to negligtence and cruel minded humans. Breeders think their wonderful purebreds do not end up being abandoned, abused, and left to stave in an orchard. Until there are homes for all, these people must stop the insanity and stop adding to the hideous problem. I have had just as many gorgeous purebreds in my rescue as I have had adoreable mixed breeds. The only way to stop this cruelty is to stop the breeding but, in the meantime, where oh where do our beloved animals go??? All they want and need is a responsible, humane person to share their world and offer shelter and food..AFTER they have been altered.
Some of you might remember me. My orange tabby was stolen around a year ago ... you've probably seen my signs ... here's a photo album of him, just in case you see him
Photo Sharing by MyPhotoAlbum :: MyPhotoAlbum :: photos of mac (https://losttabby.myphotoalbum.com/view_album.php?set_albumName=album01)
My search for my cat has led me to many other stray orange tabbies that needed rescuing, and it prompted me to start a group focusing on the stray pet problem in Sonoma County. Please contribute information if you have a stray on your property as others are desperately searching.
StrayPetNetwork : Sonoma County Stray Pet Network (https://pets.groups.yahoo.com/group/StrayPetNetwork/)
I'm writing today to discuss the problem of stray cats in the county and what can be done about them. I have come across so many stray cats and our county shelters are now housing around 500 of them. The problem is getting much worse as people dump cats in this economy.
Here are my observations and thoughts. Feel free to comment ... I want this problem to get better and I need your help ...
1. Of course every stray should be spayed and neutered but this is very difficult. I just saved a cat that was living in a forest amongst bobcats, foxes, coyotes, etc. It took me 6 weeks to trap him but now he's safe... so I know the difficulties of catching these cats. Can we not put together an experienced rescue squad that will do this work for us? Can we not pay these angels so that they can do this work without starving? What would it take ... a dollar a week from each of us?, two dollars a week? I believe that using animal control is risky ... even if they do trap the cat they might mistake a terrified domestic cat as feral and euthanize ... am I right about this?
“Realistically, over 12 years, one unspayed female, with all her unspayed female offspring, reasonably can be expected to be responsible for over 3200 kittens if there is no human intervention<SUP>.”</SUP>
2. Ferals or strays that are not fed and provided with shelter live an average of 2 years in the wild. Disease, parasites and predators take their toll. If you ever lose a cat in this county then your cat could be one of these strays, so this affects all of us. I have met many angels who feed these animals and try to provide shelter. A lot of these people are struggling to survive themselves ... Can we not establish a kitty food bank or something? Also, low cost shelters can be made from cheap materials by volunteers ... can we not support the folks that are keeping these animals alive? How would we do this? Any ideas?
Winter Shelter - Spay and Stay (https://www.spayandstay.org/wintershelter.htm)
3. I am one of these people, rescuing cats and struggling to survive. I'm a business woman and my income has dropped dramatically in this economy. At the same time I have been recruited by the universe to save cats. I have personally saved 10 to 15 cats ... I've lost track. Most have been placed in loving homes but one is under my bed at the moment and he needs an outside run. I'm currently needing a donation of fencing, lumber or chicken wire to provide him with this. If you have some old stuff laying around that you don't need then let me know. Maybe we could stockpile stuff like this for other rescuers in need?
Ok, I know that I'm an idealist and that these concepts are difficult to pull off and manage... but it can be done. The shelters are doing a great job but they're overwhelmed .... and a shelter environment is safe but not great for a cat. I've worked with our shelters and I'm NOT putting them down in any way but we need to do more.
How do we organize all of this and actually begin to make a difference? Your suggestions are greatly encouraged and appreciated.
Thanks for caring,
Rosanne
arthunter
11-23-2009, 12:15 PM
Thank you Tarasun,
You're right! ... very few people understand the extent of the problem and how much these abandoned animals are suffering. I was one of those people until my cat disappeared and I entered the world of the Sonoma County stray. What I found was disheartening, to say the least.
At my last rescue I had a neighbor purposely stealing my traps and destroying whatever food, water and shelter which I left for the poor animal. He was trespassing on his neighbor's property to do this, a property that was inhabited by animal lovers where I was given permission to trap and encouraged to do so. When I confronted this individual I was told that I should leave the neighborhood immediately. That even if the cat was feral, he was just fine. I was accused of being a mentally ill individual who just went into neighborhoods randomly without any regard for the residents. Nothing could be further from the truth. I was called to this property by the owners who wanted to see this cat saved. Btw, I was nowhere near this man's house, in fact he had to hike through a forest to do his damage.
When I finally trapped the cat I found him underweight and full of worms. It has taken this animal one week to recover from his ordeal and now he's like a normal cat,.... no longer trying to hide. I'm now looking for the owner of this cat so if anyone recognizes him then please let me know... he's a real sweetie and he deserves a second chance.
Found Large Male Orange Tabby - High School Road/Occidental Road (https://sfbay.craigslist.org/nby/laf/1474093988.html)
Rosanne
What Rosanne is referring to is not that Forgotten Felines doesn't do fantastic work...(where in the world would we be without them?) but though they help beyond description with ferals and now even offering low cost s/n with companions, the problem far outweighs what they can do. Daily, dogs and cats are being abandoned to fend for themselves in a very cruel and ugly enviornment. These companions are often left intact and their human guardians simply and ignorantly assume that they will fend for themselves just fine. These animals have not been raised by the very savy feral momma to run from humans, to avoid neighbor hood dogs and wild animals and none know how to avoid the rampant poisons, wild lfie or cars that only we humans are in charge of. These animals barely can survive on the few mice they catch and rarely catch birds. They are snagged in wire, stickers, pests, and drink polluted water. They are COLD and WET and run out of local garages and barns. They are chased and abused so that humans do not have to deal with them. Where do these animals go???? Our shelters are full. Each rescue is full. When we can get an appointment for spay and neuter...YES, this is wonderful and oh so absolutely necessary but where do these precious creatures go to live their life...born ONLY due to negligtence and cruel minded humans. Breeders think their wonderful purebreds do not end up being abandoned, abused, and left to stave in an orchard. Until there are homes for all, these people must stop the insanity and stop adding to the hideous problem. I have had just as many gorgeous purebreds in my rescue as I have had adoreable mixed breeds. The only way to stop this cruelty is to stop the breeding but, in the meantime, where oh where do our beloved animals go??? All they want and need is a responsible, humane person to share their world and offer shelter and food..AFTER they have been altered.
zkoolman
11-23-2009, 08:49 PM
Hello Rosanne: :):
Your posting caught my eye :idea: as we have a feral cat that we have been feeding for a few months. We live back in the mountains and after several recent run ins with a big racoon, we decided to trap her and have found a loving home to take her to upon her capture.
Having never dealt with a feral cat, what advice would you (or other WACCO readers) give to us in our path to domesticating her ??
Also, I am very handy and would love to help anyone who needs to make a cat run or whatever. I have access to some materials, as I am in construction and sometimes there is surplus or odds and ends that I could make available for free.
Thanks,
Loren
This is an interesting point, Peter, so thank you for bringing it to my attention. I can only think of my own experiences when answering you but I do have a bit of experience with cats.
Firstly, if feral or stray cats are fed then I would think that they'd be less likely to hunt birds and other prey. They are born hunters but they also find value in the soft life ... a bowl with food in it has a lot of appeal. Also, if their numbers are controlled by spaying and neutering they will be a minority in the wild compared to the other creatures out there who freely reproduce. Simply shooting them? ... good luck with that idea in Sonoma County....
I've lived in the country of Sonoma County for over 20 years. During that time I've always had outdoor cats. I now live in an apple orchard with abundant bird life. I've been at this location for 13 years. In that 13 years I've witnessed maybe 10 bird kills due to my cats. I hate for this to happen but I do know that this is infrequent and that they prefer gophers. The bird life has not dimished in this orchard and I have two feral cat colonies right next door.
My last rescue involved sitting in a Sonoma County forest for six weeks. I was trying to pull a stray cat out of this environment because I had photographed bobcats, coyotes, foxes, raccoons, skunks, possums, etc. I did this with my hunting camera so all of the shots were wild candid shots. The photographs span a six week period and this is what I found.
There was one cat in the forest ... period. All of the neighborhood cats stayed close to their housing. He was skinny, struggling, not doing well. He was only coming out of hiding late at night to avoid predators. When I put food out he was often the last one to eat. In fact, feeding him without feeding the entire forest was a real problem. I finally had to resort to day feeding and day trapping to save him.
There were tons and tons of raccoons, all looking fat and happy.
There were lots of foxes, all looking well. Ditto for skunks and possums.
The bobcat was fat.
The coyotes never entered the forest so I never did photograph them.
I was dealing with a wonderful older woman who had lived in this location for a very long time. I thought that this was my cat and I was worried about the predators. She said that most of the creatures in the forest fed on the rabbits and other small prey, and these creatures were indeed plentiful. I didn't witness any suffering amongst the wildlife, but the cat was in real trouble...
Just my observations... I agree with the last posting about this ... it isn't the cats endangering the wildlife, it's man ... taking over their habitat, putting up fences, using chemicals, etc.
Rosanne
arthunter
11-25-2009, 08:22 AM
Hi Loren,
Thanks so much for saving this feral cat and for your offer of help with the cat run. I'll take whatever help I can get as I have a big, healthy cat now living in my bedroom and he's desperate to get out. I now have an outside enclosure which is pathetically small so he can go out and sit but he can't move around much. Please let me know if any materials are available to build something better. I'll be happy to pick up. 707-827-3616.
Regarding your feral cat: I did socialize a semi-feral cat that I found in my yard some time ago. She came to my open cat door one night freezing and full of fleas. I put some cat food right inside the cat door so that she had to come in to eat. I was careful not to bother her or scare her when she did so. Then I put a little bed right inside the cat door and she decided to use that. Gradually, with great patience, I moved her bed and food away from the cat door and into the room. Once again, I did not try to go near her. As time passed and she realized that I wasn't a threat she started to explore the house. When I saw this I started playing with her using a long stick with some string tied to the end of it and a feather tied to the string. I've found that playing with scared cats greatly reduces their fear. She is now almost tame and will actually sleep on my lap every once in awhile.
Here is what Forgotten Felines has to say about this subject:
Taming Feral Cats & Kittens! Welcome to Forgotten Felines of Sonoma County Feral Adoption Rewards (https://www.forgottenfelines.com/v4/tame.shtml)
Adopting Formerly Feral Cats! Welcome to Forgotten Felines of Sonoma County Feral Adoption Rewards (https://www.forgottenfelines.com/v4/bringhome.shtml)
I'm sure that they would give you great advice so do call if you have problems.
Also, there's a wonderful organization is St. Helena called "We Care Animal Rescue" that routinely tames ferals and tries to place them in loving homes.
wish list (https://wecareanimalrescue.org/feral_program.html)
I'm sure that they would help also...
Thanks again for caring,
Rosanne
Hello Rosanne: :):
Your posting caught my eye :idea: as we have a feral cat that we have been feeding for a few months. We live back in the mountains and after several recent run ins with a big racoon, we decided to trap her and have found a loving home to take her to upon her capture.
Having never dealt with a feral cat, what advice would you (or other WACCO readers) give to us in our path to domesticating her ??
Also, I am very handy and would love to help anyone who needs to make a cat run or whatever. I have access to some materials, as I am in construction and sometimes there is surplus or odds and ends that I could make available for free.