News Article

Pictures from this morning:  First is of Central&Ferndale, what I have to deal with to find a spot to place the food and water down for five to six cats daily.  This is where the devil man lives and immediately throws my food out.  The cats and the food have no shelter right now.

The next is of Seventh where the kids have destroyed my shelters for these cats - this is what they have left - I did leave a note again for the kids telling them that this is the only home these cats had and to please not mess anymore with the boards and hut - all the other stuff was taken including the tablecloth to prevent rain getting in, the plastic bin was taken, and the hut was destroyed. 

The next is of the house that will be torn down on 4th & Pennsylvania - Sparkles and Limpy #2 will lose their only shelter here - as you can see them eating on the porch.

This is Third, with a few of the regulars, two beautiful greys, and a bully kitty named Bully!

And finally, one of the many raccoons I chase away daily, this one was at Central and Third.  Brat.

This is an article I was reading and shows what its like for me daily- and I go to 15 of these locations per day.  Boone is a town in Missouri.

BOONE LIFE: Husband and wife befriend, feed stray and feral cats

Christina and David McCullen have been looking after stray and feral cat colony since 2006

Cats emerge from their wooded refuge to the sounds and smells of Christina McCullen pouring out portions of food. McCullen looks after the feline brood twice a day with food and water. "If I could take them all home, I would," she said.

Christina McCullen and her husband, David, got more than they bargained for when they went out for dinner at a fast-food joint in October of 2006. The couple stumbled across a colony of stray and feral cats. These cats, who are either abandoned by owners or strayed from home, now live in the “comfy” setting of a wooded area in the midst of bustling Columbia.

The term “feral” is used for cats that are born into a cat colony and are free from human contact. Stray cats who are free from human contact for three months often stop purring and meowing, whereas feral cats will remain silent for the majority of the time.

“I saw these cats and immediately started throwing chicken nuggets and fries their way,” said Christina McCullen. McCullen volunteers at Columbia Second Chance Animal Shelter and also volunteers with its partner program, Spay Neuter and Protect or SNAP.




It’s mission is to reduce feral cat population through a humane spay and neuter program. Typically the cats are released back into their colony environment, unless they are suitable for adoption.



“If the kittens are caught early enough, they can be raised in foster homes until they are adopted,” McCullen said. The ideal time to catch kittens is between 6 and 8 weeks old. Sometimes taming the kittens at this age only takes a few days.



McCullen, who has names for all the cats, said she loves the cats. Twice a day she brings food and water to the cat colony. Over time, the cats have warmed up to her presence. As soon as she stepped out of the car on Feb. 26, four cats emerged from their wooded refuge and approached her car in the parking lot. One by one the cats sat around McCullen as she cupped out the dry food and emptied tuna packets on the ground.

Christina McCullen squeezes out packaged tuna food as she feeds dinner to a feral cat community. McCullen has names for all the cats; she and her husband have been feeding this partiular cat community since they first stumbled upon it in October 2006.

“If I could take them all home, I would,” McCullen said.