Dec 11, 2009

The Plight of Feral Cats - Part 2

It seems that one or two people think that my photos of feral cats look too good. The cats can't be feral, they reason, because they don't look like they are starving to death or critically ill...

There are some things you should know about what I do:


  1. You can be sure that all cats shown here were born feral. Just because I emphasize their beauty over their suffering does not transform them into pets. Those who say otherwise know nothing of my work.
  2. I take pretty good care of these feral cats. They are well-fed (for ferals) and if they get sick enough to catch, they go to the vet. In addition, I've known all these cats since their great grandmothers were kittens - and they know me - and so many of them have come to trust me somewhat. Nobody else can approach them as I do, however, because they are not really tame.
  3. For the most part I try to avoid showing pictures of dying cats, starving cats and critically ill cats. There are a FEW exceptions and those exceptions are related to rescued kittens, to show you how far they've come.
  4. I try to show the lives of feral cats through artistic, fine art photography instead of blunt crime scene-like photos of sickness and death. I hope that for most viewers this is understandable and sufficient.
  5. For those who can only be satisfied with the most gruesome depictions, you'll have to wait for the book. I will cover things more completely there.

For now, this is about as close as I will come to showing miserable kitty cats:



Illustrative of the Plight of Feral Cats #4

The tortoise shell in the foreground, subsequent to this picture, became so ill that she stopped eating and was found virtually lifeless. She is now under medical care and if she pulls through I will give you a better view of her.



I feel blessed for having the opportunity to help these cats. In our difficult economic times, I'm amazed that I am still in a position to keep working with the ferals. Many of us are only one paycheck away from being the human version of feral cats these days, after all, so I am thrilled to be able to do this. I also feel very inadequate at times because the need is so great and my efforts seem so paltry. Yet I have shared their otherwise-anonymous lives with you and, as long as I can, I will continue to do so.

Thank you.

2 comments:

  1. Beautiful cats, beautifully photographed. I know you work hard to keep these feral cats healthy and happy. They have a good life for feral cats, I think. Thank you for helping them.

    And any critics don't know what they are talking about, obviously.

    ReplyDelete
  2. I agree with anonymous above. I am interested in ferals and appreciate any picture you feel you should show us. I know the good and the bad from my own experiences with ferals. My ferals looked very healthy when I caught them, and indeed they may have survived some time without my intervention. But they were incredibly wild animals and when I released them into my room in the house set aside from them, they typically demolished the room until they found a safe hiding spot. They can look and be perfectly healthy, but when all is said and done, a feral cat is a wild animal and without help, does not have a great chance at a very long life.

    As for the sick ones, they have even less of a chance. Lucky for your colony you are there to help when you can.

    ReplyDelete

Comments are welcome! I always answer questions if I can.