No Caretaker.... No Colony
- Kathy Gabrielescu
- 5 days ago
- 2 min read
25 years ago I started as a young feeder. I knew nothing about TNR. I just knew the cats were hungry. Thankfully as soon as I realized they were mating I jumped into action. I called animal control to ask how to get the feral cats into my cats carriers so I could get them fixed. I was met with aggressive resistance and told TNR is just neutering cats and dumping them back outside to die. My only thought was "that's insane". I fully intended to make friends with neighbors, talk to the property owner and be there to care for the cats until the end.
It seems I was an oddity. Today most people who feed do not want to fix the cats nor do they feel they are responsible for their care. We face it every single day. Beyond the infuriating knowledge that without TNR they will simply grow in number we also know that as cats become sick or injured they WILL die slow agonizing deaths. There will be no caretaker there to take them to a vet for treatment or for a humane end to their lives.
I have personally managed and eliminated 2 feral cat colonies through TNR. In the process of caring for these colonies I faced simple things like upper respiratory infections that can be treated and do NOT need to lead to death. In other cases I faced injuries so severe that the only answer was euthanasia to end horrific suffering. Either way I was there to provide for the cats. Every day they were monitored not only by me but by every cat friendly person I had spoken to across the neighborhood. They all knew they could call me for help. I received hit by car calls, de-gloved limb calls, "I saw a new cat", one looks sick..... No matter what I sprang into action. After all I was doing this for the cats not for me.
While feral cats face difficult lives and we don't always get to opportunity to make sure the end is humane every single feeder should be doing everything they can to take care of the cats until their last breath.
Feral cats require more care than our indoor pets. They are subject to harsher environments, cat fights, heat/cold, wildlife and access to tainted food and water.
It is not reasonable, responsible or humane to simply abandon them to an uncertain fate. Feeding cats means you need to be a responsible caretaker from the first can of friskies until the last cat is gone. Feeding feral or stray cats should never be seen as a hobby. It is a responsibility and one with life or death consequences.
We believe so strongly that this is the only humane option for caring for feral cats that once you have successfully joined our 50 Feral Fix and continued to take care of the cats we do not abandon YOU or THEM. Whenever possible we are here to support our Feral Fixers so they can actually be caretakers.
Your donations help us make sure we are there to help.
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