Feral Caturday

According to local reports, two cats have been temporarily removed from the colony at 15 Hawthorne: the white and grey male born last spring to Ethel, and his father, a large tabby known to nearby residents as "The Roamer." The night of The Roamer's disappearance, Tabby II, mother of the recent litter at 15, appeared on nearby doorsteps crying and looking for her man but was eventually consoled with a hearty meal.

The cats are currently recovering from neutering and shots at the ASPCA and will return on Monday, minus their manhood if not their pride.

In other feral news: a new litter has been spotted on Hawthorne III, near Nostrand. Hawthorne Street contacted our resident cat lady to find out what local residents can do to help the kittens survive this frosty season:

If the kittens are old enough to eat on their own, they should be trapped as soon as possible. Contact Slope Street Cats for help. If you can take a free 2-hour class you can then use their traps. Depending on how old they are, the kittens should be spayed and seen by a vet. The ASPCA does this for just a few dollars; you can ask Slope Street Cats for the details. Young kittens can be tamed and adopted out, though it takes some patience.

NEXT TIME: Ethel's new owner speaks!

Comments

[LM]

Yes, I know that many people like cats so much that they nurture the feral cats and colonies. And yes, I know that there are serious efforts underway to capture, neuter, and release these furry friends.

I like cats as house pets. I do not like them wandering free in my backyard (nimby, all right!?). They are the major predators of the birds that I cherish. They are also stink bombs that make it a challenge to use the backyard for human purposes. So, in my humble opinion and I believe in the opinion of many people, cats belong at home and those that have owners should be kept indoors. Feral cats are pests and should not be fed and coddled - just as rats and pigeons should not be fed and coddled.

I know is a controversial statement; but there it is.

[carrie]

Most sane people would agree with you that cats should be cared for, and indoors. Feral cats aren't there because people think they *should* be; they're there because some idiots decided not to keep their cats (and cats breed like rabbits). In other words, they're there because humans are flawed.

The people who trap and spay/neuter cats are your friend. I'd agree that feeding cats without assuring that they get neutered and spayed them is wrong, but I'm not sure it's any worse than doing nothing but complaining about it. At the very least, you gotta give the cats a little credit for killing mice and rats!