Stray Cat Problem

I live in a small town (under 20,000) in a rural area, with a very small Humane Society and a very large stray cat problem.

Recently there was an article in our local paper about this problem and quoting the operations manager of our Humane Society as saying “if you’ve been feeding a stray cat at your house all summer, it’s yours.” According to this gentleman, the shelter is overrun with cats and he is trying to put out the message that the shelter is not a drop-off centre for strays. He states that people feed stray cats during the summer but want the Humane Society to take the cats in when winter comes and that is not how it works. This is in Canada where a cat left out in the cold could easily freeze to death.

Quite a few people here have been doing just that, feeding stray and abandoned cats all summer long. In some of my earlier blogs, I wrote about how I came to adopt my newest cat Tiger,(lovely boy in photo above) after trying to get the Humane Society to take him in.

This gentleman also went on to blame the lack of spaying and neutering for most of the problems. Of course this is true. What he doesn’t address is the fact that there are no low-cost spay/neuter clinics in this town. They (the Humane Society) don’t offer it, nor do any of the vets here. When you take in the cat you can’t just get him spay/neutered, by law he also had to be vaccinated for rabies, as well as all the other shots and tests. You will be faced with a minimum $500.00 bill. It seems that, in this town, low-income people are not supposed to have pets.

So here we are with winter weather fast approaching; it’s getting colder everyday and there have already been a few flurries. I have been searching all over the web looking at ideas other people have come up with to help the abandoned cats in their area.

The problem is not just giving them shelter, but keeping the snow out, and keeping it warm enough inside. We have an area that can be blocked off with tarps or space blankets to provide some shelter from the wind. The area is not big enough to put in bales of hay, which seems to be the most recommended way of providing warmth and protection. I have seen a product called the self-heating cat bed which I’m seriously considering as it is not too expensive. The most appealing item is a Microwave Disc that is heated and then inserted between blankets and will provide up to 12 hours of heat, depending on conditions. It sounds just about right, but pricey. It’s the best I have seen so far.

Adopting Tiger - My Newest Cat

I live in an area where there are many street cats. Some of them have homes but are allowed to roam outside during the day. Most are abandoned – kicked out or left behind when their owners moved away. Twice a day we put out food for them.
Four months ago we took in a very friendly and beautiful 5 year old orange neutered tabby. He was badly wounded, with a big festering cut on his chest. It was expensive getting him treated, plus the vaccinations and worming. Max is lovely, lovable, and gets along well with the other cat and dogs.
About a month ago a small, skinny, unaltered male cat started coming regularly to eat. He had scars on his nose and at one point a big puffy eye. He always wanted to be held and cuddled.
I found out from some kids on my street that he had been their cat, that he was 8 months old, and that he had been kicked out of the house. They now had a dog instead.
I called the Humane Society – this cat needed to be taken care of, vaccinated, neutered and found a good home. If left out too much longer he would become afraid of people and other animals, and would no longer be very adoptable. That’s if he survived at all.
They wouldn’t take him. First because they were full up – they are a No Kill shelter, and very small. Secondly, because I know who the owners are (or had been), I can not be the one to bring him in. His owners would have to surrender him themselves. This was not going to happen. They had put him out and washed their hands of him.
The next evening he came to eat there was a big storm brewing and I brought him in and put him in the sunroom of the house with some food, water and a litter box. For the next 2 days, when he wasn’t eating, he was sleeping. Probably the first time in a month that he felt safe enough to have a deep sleep.
Meanwhile, we started emailing cat rescue groups telling them his story and trying to get help. I made it clear that I could not afford the cost of neutering, shots, worming etc., which would add up to about $600.00. It was sad; because he is a sweet, loving, beautiful cat that I would be glad to keep.
After a few days he was let into the main part of the house. The other 2 cats aren’t very happy about him. He follows them around. My female cat just tries to ignore him but Max is having major difficulties. He has started spraying, something he never did before, and whenever the young one (named Tiger) comes close to him he just wails.
One rescue group, ARK, offered to have all the necessary done for a very low cost, if I was willing to adopt him. He went for his shots today. In 3 weeks he gets the booster. By the end of September he should be fixed. I’m hoping (praying), that some of the problems with Max will go away once Tiger is neutered and less of a perceived threat.
I have read that Feliway Plug-ins do a good job of diffusing cat anxieties. No one in my small town carries it so I haven’t had a chance to try it. Until I can get the Feliway and Tiger gets fixed, I have started putting Rescue Remedy in their water and some behind Max’s ears, cleaning and deodorizing a lot, and keeping the windows wide open. Thank God its summer.
Anyway, that’s how I’ve acquired my latest cat. He’s a brat, and he’s adorable.