Fact: Although cats are descended from desert animals, they still need enough water to maintain optimum kidney health. While cats that eat only raw prepared diets or canned food may get moisture from their diets, cats on primarily dry foods MUST drink fresh, clean water to survive. I wish all cats had a constant source of fresh water. That would mean that if every individual in the world put out a bowl of water somewhere on their property, and keep it filled daily, they would be helping an animal. Its no biggie. Just one bowl of water per day. I now carry four large plastic containers full of water and use every last drop each morning. I dread the wintertime, as I will be filling the containers with very hot water before I go out into the freezing cold, will empty out the ice that is left in the bowls, and place hot water and hope that its liquid long enough for the cats to drink from. Its so vital to cats, and to us. I drink gallons a day, I also tend to exaggerate!
I went over to Wally's house yesterday to help him move a few boxes over to his new apartment. I also brought him a sandwich. I also went with the intention to move a new shelter that was built for me over there. When I got there, and the reason I don't go there during the day, there were a people milling about his house and the house next door. Of course I started to get flack about the cats and feeding them. I defended them as best as I could, continued to carry the shelter to the back, and left there just so discouraged. When I went there this morning, which is my first feeding spot each morning, the bowls, shelter, etc. were still there. So were the kitties, waiting for their meal. Before the raccoons came and got their fill. I am so tired of trying to defend these beautiful sweet cats and trying to explain to these ignorant human beings the importance of these animals being fed. I keep asking 'have you ever been without food for a long period of time?' - they just don't care. The flack I received was not by the young girl from days ago that I wrote about, its by the new tenants in this house where I feed in back of. Young black people. They just don't care. I still have to find a place where I can feel safe and comfortable feeding and sheltering them, especially when Wally moves completely, which is supposed to be tomorrow. The ideal situation would be that I get them all adopted.
Hi Janine,
ReplyDeleteTwo thoughts.
First, have you tried explaining that the cats will help control rats? My 4-5 cat feral colony is taking out 3-4 rats and a half dozen or more mice a week. These are only the ones left on my driveway that are intact enough to count. With mice it's usually just the noses and tails left. The rats tend to be whole but gutted. I suspect that the total kill rate is much higher.
Second, if you are getting a lot of pushback, particularly from multiple sources at a given location, it's likely best to just move your shelter/feeding station. If it ends up within a block or two of the original location the cats are very likely to find it. My concern is that these irrational people may end up taking out their anger on the cats. The ferals will probably be OK but a stray could be in serious danger as they are less wary of people and are easy pickings.
Brad
Thanks so much Brad. I will use the rat/mice approach along with my usual the next time. In the meantime, I cannot move the kitties a block over. I wish I could. I am contemplating asking someone on the other side of the back, on Parsells, someone on that street if they will allow me to place shelter behind there. Then I could easily call the kitties to this spot. And not deal with these people on Grand. But I haven't yet approached anyone as its hard for me to go into these neighborhoods during the day, and no one is out in the early morning.
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