National Feral Cat Day - October 16

As many of you already know, all but two of us cats are rescued ferals from when Mom and Pop moved to North Carolina 13 years ago.  They got us all spayed and neutered and released most of us back outdoors where they had built a shelter for us.  When they moved to another county three years back, they moved all of us with them, keeping some us us older ones in the house and building a shelter to house the rest of us.  You can read that story here from last year's post here.

Two Spot and Only as kittens before we moved them indoors.

Fifty percent of feral kittens die withing their first year.

All those years ago there was very little information available about TNR or ferals for that matter.  When Mom called the local humane shelter for assistance they told her they would only put us down if she brought us in.  (In most shelters, 70% of the cats brought in never make it out alive.  This rate goes up to 100% for feral cats.) She found Alley Cat Allies online and they gave her all the tips and advice she needed to trap, neuter and release us, care for us and finally tame us.

Big Guy at the original food station at our old house.

National Feral Cat Day was launched on 10th anniversary of Alley Cat Allies in 2001 to raise awareness about feral cats, promote Trap-Neuter-Return, and recognize the millions of compassionate Americans who care for them. Things are a lot different now, thank COD.  Every year, people in communities across the country hold hundreds of events on National Feral Cat Day to draw attention to the cause and make a difference in the lives of cats.

The screen porch of the new shelter at our house now.

Even if you are not caring for a colony of feral cats, there are a lot of things you can do to help them live out their lives with respect and care.  Here are some things:

* Get involved in getting bills passed in your state that will protect feral cats or stop the ones that are being passed that work against ferals.  Join Alley Cat Allies Feral Power network and stay on top of feral cat legistlation.

* Donate to Alley Cat Allies or a local group near you that assits ferals and their caretakers.  Humane Society of US puts out a great list of feral cat organizations but don't donate to HSUS - they use most of their donations for salaries and media.

* Donate your time or traps, food or shelters to a local group that cares for ferals.  See the link above for a list of feral groups.

* Get educated - learn about ferals, how to care for them and do TNR.  A great book is Neighborhood Cats TNR put out by a NYC feral group.  They also have lots of info on their website www.neighborhoodcats.org.


* Educate others about feral cats.  Join Alley Cat Allies or your local feral cat group  - Like them on Facebook, follow them on Twitter.  Spread the word about what they are doing and how to help to all of your family and friends.

Feral kittens up for adoptions are Freiend2Ferals in Asheville NC.

* Adopt a feral kitten.  If they are caught while they are still kittens, feral cats can be tamed and will be a loving addition to your home.  (Mom has tamed all of us - some still are very skittish and others took to indoor life like flies to butter!)  They still may take extra work to get them used to being in a home but it is so worthwhile. A good resource for taming kittens is from Save a Cat web site.

Mamacita has been indoors six years and enjoys her life.

See, there are lots of way to help out us feral cats!  Just pick one and get to it.  We are cool critters who deserve love, respect and to live in dignity.

National Grouch Day - Oct 15

Tabitha here with my grouchy face on.  It seems that today Saturday  October 15 is National Grouch Day. A day for the public to celebrate grouchiness and the things that make you grouchy! Here goes -
I don't like...

-having to wait until the older cats get served stinky goodness first - I am the biggest so I should eat first.

-being told to go away when I just want lovin'. A girl has needs.

-Pop sitting in my chair. I should get my chair when I want my chair. Find your own chair Pop!

-Woody sitting next to some other ladycat. He is MINE!

-being told to stop playing in the water bowl. It's fun! I don't care if everything gets wet.

I think I have covered it all. Go ahead be grouchy today. That is what today is for! What gripes have you got?

On a more serious note...Sunday Oct 16 is National Feral Cat Day. We are all rescued ferals at our place and we know how hard life can be. Stop back by tomorrow for our special post. In the meantime, do something kind for the ferals in your community.

Camera Critters

Photo Hunt - Public

Compromising Positions

Wordless Wednesday

Update on Kitten Cobbie (AKA Danica) and her buddy Angelica

Cobbie (now called Danica)

If you remember a few weeks back our Mom helped to find a foster home for a South Carolina kitten with FIV.  Well she went by to see how Cobbie was doing today. Cobbie's name has been changed to Danica and she is up for adoption along with another little FIV kitten named Anglica.  They are best buddies and we hope to find a forever home for them together.

Angelica - look at her paws!

Angelica and Danica were born around July of 2011. Angelica likes to lay around your neck and purr in your ear. Danica loves to play with people and with her buddy cat.

They both tested positive for FIV but know that FIV is not an automatic death sentence. Lots of kittens and cats live long and healthy lives. They just need to be inside ONLY and get regular vet check ups, good quality food and lots of love.

It would be great if they could be adopted together as they are very attached to each other and love to play and wrestle. An FIV cat should be the only cat in the home unless you have another FIV cat as it can be contagious but only to other cats.

Mom wants to reiterate that our Ivy has been living indoors with all of us for six years and she tested positive for FIV.  None of the other cats have had any problems health wise since Ivy came inside.  FIV is only transmitted to other cats via a serious bite.

If you would like to know more about these wonderful kittens, please leave a  comment or email our mom.  Feel free to repost, use the photos or tweet or post on Facebook.  We really want to get them a forever home while they are still young and cute!  If you can't adopt, then consider sponsoring one of them! It would help with their care and expenses!

Brother Wolf Animal Rescue's Adoption Center is located at 31 Glendale Avenue, Asheville, NC or phone 828-505-3440. Our hours are: Mon.-Sat. 8:00am-8:00pm and Sunday 8:00am-6:00pm.  Their web site is here. If you think you might want to sponsor one of them Angelica's page is here and Danica's page is here.

We will persist with this until we find them a home!!!!

Garden Thursday

Hey ya'll, Norm here today.  Us white cats have the best view of the garden from our screen porch.  I am honored to take you on a tour today.  We have mostly potted plants left now that it is getting cooler - pansies, mums, and some of our summer plants are still blooming. Plus we have pumpkins too.  Our birds have been busy at the feeders so we have lots to watch there!  Please visit the other gardens today at Cory's Cat Blog.

Nuthatch

Pansies

Chickadee

Mums

Geraniums, inpatients, begonia

Hope you enjoyed our garden today.  It is also MIA day for cats who have gone on a walkabout.  We had two kitties - Leroy and Bob who disappeared way back years ago and we never saw them again.  Both were only about six months old when that happened.  We hope some wild animal did not get them cuz they were smallish cats.  They were feral cats so we know no one took them in! Sending purrs to all the MIA cats out there.