The Cat Farm

Have you heard about the Twelve Cats of Christmas?   It is an heartwarming story of the local  animal welfare community coming together for a doomed colony of 12 cats and 2 kittens.  Two humane organizations, representatives from 6 different rescue organizations, and several members of the public who had never been involved in cat rescue - all coming together during this season in which we celebrate life, to give life to these wonderful cats.

After sulking, carping and complaining for the past couple of days..and contemplating either a return to Corporate America or a stint as a confirmed hermit….

I sent out another email and somehow this one basically went viral locally.  More responses started pouring in and as I began to make my calls, somewhat warily, I was stunned at the quality of people I’m connecting with.  I am THRILLED!!  We can start pulling these poor cats - FINALLY!!

Most of the fosters I’m accepting for these guys have from 0 to 2 cats at home, so they can really put a lot of time and attention on these guys.  That is what is needed in order to make the transition from calm feral to family pet.  I’m beginning to see some hope for these guys.  HSSV has been so patient and so supportive, but these cats need to come out now!

I pulled the first one today - the young chocolate point siamese.  He’s pretty fluffy, so he’s not a true siamese, but who cares.  He’s adorable..and scared to death.  I delivered him late in the evening to his foster home. They have one resident cat who doesn’t think much of the idea of a feline guest, but they assure me she’ll get over it.  What wonderful people!  I’m liking this line of work again!

Unbelieveable!!  I just fielded a hostile email berating us for using “scare tactics” to get people to volunteer when “clearly” these cats were never in any danger.

Huh???

Okay, let’s review this….

12 cats who cannot be touched.  They are not going to be adopted out.  They cannot return to their old neighborhood.  There are more “barn cats” waiting for homes than their are barns to home them…unless you count the barns who’s cats are picked off by coyotes a week or two after they arrive.

A bazzillion responses to email requests for help. The emails are sent out 24 hours before these guys are going to be put down.  The responses are still pouring in at the deadline. So, of course, we assume that there are at least 12 competent, qualified, willing and able people in this pile of responses so we commit to pull all 12 cats.

Which saves their lives.

Now we are wading through the responses and some people are mad the cats are still alive past the deadline?

I’m not sure what I need more - a vacation, a drink, or a new line of work.

Wow - we got a HUGE amount of replies to our emails.  We haven’t even begun to wade through them but there are so many that surely there are at least 12 people who we can count on to take a cat for two months and get it tamed down. Ann and I talked with HSSV about 3 pm today and committed to pull all twelve cats!  They are going to hold them for the couple of days it will take to wade through the responses and match them up and get the cats to them.

I love to see this kind of thing happen!!

Well, not really.  It’s supposed to be the end of busy season, but lately there doesn’t seem to be a lull in the action.  I got an email from Ann,  the Godmother of All Things Cat and Rescue in this area. She wanted to alert me to a situation that was “right up my alley.”  That phrase always worries me.  But, I wasn’t worried this time - we are full, I am spread too thin in my life, I’m moving, AND it’s the holidays.  So sorry. Can’t help. Good luck. Good bye.

Hah.

That worked for a few hours. Another email.  And a few more as the pleas for action started circulating around the local rescue community.   A bunch of “doomed” Siamese cats. Decendents of an abandoned pet who’s classless owners not only dumped her outside when they moved, they didn’t even bother to get her spayed.  So she did what cats do and made a bunch of babies.  Naturally there is the good-hearted neighbor who feeds them, but can’t take them herself as she already has 4 cats.  And, of course the story wouldn’t be complete without the bad neighbor who hates the cats and does unpleasant things to them.  There are allegations of BB guns, attack by dogs, “leg hold” traps. Until the whole mess erupts and animal control is called in and the poor cats are trapped and taken to the shelter.  Since they are feral - cannot be touched, let alone adopted out, and, since their “home” is a hostile and dangerous enviroment, they can’t be sterilized (spay/neuter) and released. (TNR for Trap-Neuter-Return). They will be held for the (current) legal minimum of 72 hours and then put down.

But that is where this story changes direction. These cats were taken to Humane Society of Silicon Valley. who has then contract to provide the housing for trapped cats within the City of Sunnyvale. They are held for the legal minimum, and then evaluated for temperment and health, and if they’re lucky, are put up for adoption. However, if they are sick (with something that can’t be treated) or are feral, well, then they are put down.

These feral cats should have been put down, but they were not. And, they have Beth Ward to thank for that.  Beth, the VP of Animal Care and Customer Service, reached out to the rescue community to see if any of them could be taken and socialized.  This was the request I refused.

Initially.

But, Ann had me in her sights. We routinely tame adult feral cats and those skills were needed for these cats.   I succeeded at staying on the sidelines for almost a week, but with time running out I finally capitulated and agreed to train any volunteers “they” came up with on my techniques for taming, but that was it.

Today it turned into “my” project.

HELP!! I need 12 experienced foster homes!!