Throwback to Happier Times

A throwback to Happier times... Two years ago but sometimes feels like forever : a happy Hammie the bobtail cat smiles as he cuddles with me. He was such a sweet boy.

And he isn't the only one we've lost. It's been a rough year but I don't write about these things because there's no point in spreading the pain around. Just this one time, I will - to say that I am grateful for the time we had together. And that is my thanksgiving. This is a remembrance for the kitties who made my life better...

Love your babies. You won't have them forever.

Lucy, Hammie's bobtail sister

Lucy left us, too. Former feral cats often have multiple health problems and although I try my best, I fail way too much. I feel like I failed them, and I'm sorry.

Spot, a tiny cat even as an adult

Spot also left us. He was such a sweet boy, too. His health problems kept him small but he loved his family so much. And I loved him, too.

Katniss

Katniss has a sister who is still here, and seems healthy, thankfully. Her multiple health issues didn't slower down much. Now she is at peace.

I am thankful for having these cats in my life. They made me happier, made my world better. In another, better world, we would still be together. But I don't make the rules,

Thank you, kitties, for making my life better. I hope I did the same for you, while you were here.

Love your kitties. Make the world a better place while you can. Nothing lasts forever.

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Why is he called Microwave Cat?

I mentioned back on the first that November’s Cat of the Month is called Microwave theses days and that the reason was complicated. Well, a picture is worth a thousand words, they say, so here you go.

Back in the old days we had an old camp trailer that we used for a cat shelter. In 2011 we lost it to fire. I had hoped to replace it but that never panned out. I hit on the idea of finding old insulated appliances that could be turned into mini shelters. One such item was a broken microwave. The small tabby Tom we called Tiny immediately appropriated this one for himself. He not only camps inside it, but also sits on top to beg for food at feeding time.

Just as a verbal shortcut I started referring to him as Microwave Cat. And it stuck.

So that’s the story and the inside scoop.  Please consider getting our 2019 calendar. Every little bit helps.

When the Storm is Over...

A cat meet-and-greet, a welcome respite from the huge storms with their high winds and feet of rain. Many roads are still closed and water is everywhere, but a brief break that includes some sun is more than enough to bring everyone out for a little socializing, feral cat style.

We didn't get flooded out, here, but we were basically an island for awhile, unable to go anywhere and without electricity. We hope the break lasts because we're all looking a bit weary...

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Two After-Dinner Cats

Late afternoon meals, especially at this time of year, beckon one for an after-dinner nap. Actually, that's pretty much any time ... except for maybe early morning breakfast. Here we have  tabby and an orange girl just enjoying  a little sun and some sleepy time after indulging in a bit of cat food.

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Original Tabby Mom

She's been around for quite awhile, this tabby girl. Original Tabby mom is the mother cat that you see up there in the top bar with kittens. I just happened to get a photo of her again, and since last week we featured the white kitten on the upper right bar, I thought this was as good a time as any to show original tabby mom.:)

It's yet another blast from the past, so to speak. And speaking of which; you may not remember a post from a few years ago where I met a man (Caleb) traveling with his cat on a bicycle. That was a very interesting story! Well, day before yesterday, I finally heard from him. Apparently he found my Caleb and Marilyn post, and wanted to get in touch...which was great because I often wondered what happened to him.

So, Caleb tells me he's written a book about his travels with Marilyn the cat, and that sounded interesting. If you'd like to look into it further he has a web page for his book and a kickstarter campaign to fund it. I haven't seen the book yet but if it has a lot of Marilyn in it, it might be fun. Based on the video card for the book, it sounds like it might have a religious theme to it. Anyway, I hope it works out, and thank you for getting in touch, Caleb.

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To Tame A Feral Cat

The Smart Tortie, this photo was taken over the weekend with my camera phone, so the quality is not great, but it's the idea that counts. You can see some cat food here... it was a kind of lure, I suppose.

Two weeks ago, this adult feral cat had not been touched. At least, not voluntarily. She was born feral and had a natural distrust of people. This is her, from a while back.....

I called her the Smart Tortie because she was clearly curious about everything, and willing to investigate. This gave me an opportunity. Or maybe it gave her an opportunity, depending on how you look at it..

Over time, she started coming close to me at feedings, to get the maximum opportunity at food. The first time, I just brushed her back while she was concentrating on eating. This startled her and she jumped back. But she didn't go far. She went back to her food and I went back to feeding. We did that more and more.

Last Thursday, I stroked her back while she was eating and she didn't run away.  Soon, she started purring. By Friday she came to me, purring, anxious to be petted.

She really enjoyed her petting. She purred and purred...

Now, probably petting and food are at least equal priorities for this feral cat. She has learned - taught herself, really - that at least one person is okay. Now petting is something we anticipate... she leans into my hand and quivers with delight.

This morning, we touched noses for the first time.  It's a small victory, perhaps. But it is also proof that even cats born wild - adult ferals, can sometimes be tamed, under the right circumstances.

I always called her Smart Tortie because I could tell that her level of curiosity was strong. Curiosity can sometimes be dangerous for feral cats - but sometimes, it can save them.   Her little poof of a tail quivers with excitement as she is petted. I used to call her Smart Tortie.....

Now I'm calling her Little Bunny Rabbit.




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Helping:
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Lonesome Roads

Way back in 2009, I got a glimpse of a tabby tux tom walking down a nearby dirt road. The lighting was bad and he was far away, but I took his picture anyway. For some reason, it made me think of a song by Green Day, Boulevard of Broken Dreams:

I walk a lonely road - the only one that I have ever known.
Don't know where it goes - but it's only me and I walk alone....

I walk this empty street, on the boulevard of broken dreams...
I walk alone.

My shadow is the only one that walks beside me.
Cold and hungry, I must keep moving.
Sometimes I wish someone out there would find me.
Until then.... 
I walk alone.

My original post and photo is here. ...Somehow, the lyrics seem appropriate for the lone feral cat. It's a sad and lonely life, but it's also the only life they've ever known.  Well, since that time, the lonely road cat, or Lonesome Roads, as I now call him, moved in closer to the colony. Perhaps he found the temptation of food, albeit sometimes meager, too much to resist. Or perhaps he needed a friend.


Lonesome Roads is still pretty standoff-ish and he definitely goes his own way. But he has friends now, and food. And a dry place to sleep. For a feral cat, it's not so bad.

Lonesome Roads isn't quite so lonely anymore.



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Helping:
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Good Mother

I started calling this tabby Good Mother for her attentiveness to her little son, Star Cat. He was part of a litter she had right before being spayed, and she has remained close friends with him to this day. They are inseparable.

Probably many cats deserve this name; so many mother cats sacrifice themselves for their kittens; it's enough to make a person cry. We've read stories about mommas who've suffered terrible injuries during heroic efforts to save their babies. I could go on and on about that because there are so many stories. This tabby never had to face that, thankfully, but I'm sure she would have done anything she could. So she earned her name.

Sometimes you don't have to be literally a mother to be a good mother: I was just reading about a kitty who was lost during a wildfire evacuation in Texas in a rural area. She was gone for two years and her family never expected to see her again. Then one day, she showed up and they were so happy to see her! And... she brought a little friend. She was not a mom, really; she had been spayed at a young age. But somehow, out there in the woods and loneliness, she had found a little kitten and befriended it. She acted as a mom. And she brought her little adopted friend home....  Read the story of Sushi here.

August Desktop Wallpaper Cat - Willemina, Remembrance

We have followed so many feral cats throughout their lives - from kittenhood until the very end, including this one. Willemina looked so much like her late father, Willem DeKooning. He was a Maine Coonish kitty with an adorable personality and not too much brains. We'd say the same of Willemina, and now she is the August Cat of the Month for your free desktop wallpaper calendar.

The above version is for WIDE screens. It's native size 1920 by 1080 to cover cinema displays. This size also fits 1600x900, 1366x768 - up or down in size quite a bit... basically any wide monitor size. You should pick your wallpaper based on the aspect ratio, and this one is for all the wider sizes. Now, older "wide" monitors like mine will leave a little bar at the top and bottom (mine is 1680x1050, it's an older "wide" resolution) but it will look fine - especially if you change your desktop background color to black.

We haven't forgotten the older 4:3 "TV" ratio screens either! My sister still has that, at 1280x1024 or 1024 by 768. I have an old laptop that uses this ratio, too! The one below is that standard ratio (not wide) and will work on anything from 640x480 on up!

SIMPLE WALLPAPER HOW-TO: Click on the image of your choice to see the full size version, then right-click on it (one-button Macs, use CONTROL-Click).and select "Set as Desktop Background".(Firefox) / "Set As Background" (Explorer) - This also saves the image to your computer. Using Firefox, it will usually look best if you use the options "Stretch" and a black background, like this:

The latest versions of the Chrome browser make it a little harder: Right-click and select "Save image as..." Remember where you saved the file. Then go to your desktop, right-click, select the "Desktop" tab, click "Browse" and navigate to the place where you saved this file. Select the file and click OK.


Any problems or questions? Leave a comment and we'll see if we can work it out. Or visit me on Twitter or Facebook.

Want to help? Check out the sidebar!  Give the gift of CATS! Check out my art prints for sale. T-shirts, too. All of this helps take care of the kitties, and thank you in advance for participating!

Willem DeKooning died a few years ago of immune mediated hemolytic anemia when he was 7 years old. His daughter, Willemina, passed away last week after fighting a long battle with cancer. She was 10.

 Thank you for being a part of our feral family.

Spotsy On Patrol

Spot is on patrol, keeping an eye on things and generally enjoying the nice weather we've been having. Although Spotty is a little boy - always smaller than average - he still manages to fit in somehow.

I remember when I found Spot as a tiny abandoned kitten. He was so sad and alone. His kitten picture graces the "Top 10 Cat Names" page, and you can see it on the sidebar! Back then he was all whiskers and not much cat.... I tried to find him a home with no luck, but instead he grew up here - and grew into a gentle and sweet kitty.

Spot is the NUMBER ONE friend of rescued kittens. When lone feral kittens arrive here, Spot is the one who will bathe them, curl up with them, and give them a play partner as they grow. You couldn't ask for a better kitten babysitter. That's just one of the many reasons why we love Spotty.

Bike Tour Caleb and Marilyn the Cat

Caleb and his cat, Marilyn - on a long-distance bicycle tour - all for the glory of God. That's what Caleb told me, anyway, when I met the two of them recently in Lincoln City, Oregon.

I spotted a bicycle parked with a cat tethered on a harness right next to it. Needless to say, that got my attention, so I walked over to say hi. It was at that point where Caleb showed up and told me his story. He tells me he's ridden over 3,000 miles with his kitty. From southern California all the way up to Spokane, Washington (well north and east of me) ..and now back down the coast, headed for who knows where.

 This is where Marilyn rides, much of the time - on Caleb's shoulder. She has a child-trailer bed, too, though. But she generally prefers to ride on her owner's shoulder, with some breaks taken in the handlebar bed, which gives her a third location to ride.

Marilyn in her handlebar bed. She's a very docile cat! And she seems happy. I hope she is, anyway. She's certainly seen far more of the country than most cats, and Caleb clearly loves her (and she loves him).

Anyway, I have Caleb's contact email if someone wants to get in touch with him, but I won't give it out to just anyone. You have to have a good reason - such as a major publication that wants to write about Marilyn the traveling cat. I think it's worth knowing more, don't you?

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Also: Don't forget to get your free desktop wallpaper of the July Cat Of The Month!

Old Calico-Tabby Girl

Another senior member of our feral cat family, Calico-Tabby is a shy girl who often hangs out on the peripheral area when I'm feeding, waiting to pick up food that falls close to her, or just waiting for me to leave.

She looks a lot like the one I called Original Mom or Grandma Feral Cat - she was the best mom, and hasn't been with us for a few years; she passed away on September 24, 2009. But this old girl is probably her daughter. I don't know her age but I'm guessing she might be 10 years old. That's definitely a senior cat, if we were talking about an indoor pet - it's very old for a feral cat.

We love all the kitties and we appreciate the beauty and color she contributes to the colony. Basically she's just a quiet, peace-loving girl looking for a little food and a dry place to sleep. It's all one can ask for, really.

Adopted

Peng - her name means Fair. Here she has a little cold still, but not that long ago she was a very very sick feral kitten. She was so sick, she looked dead. The vet thought she wouldn't survive. But with 24 hour care and medicine, we changed all that. Peng turned out to be a friendly and unafraid little manx - one who loves everyone and loves life. Today, she has a forever home with a loving family.

Bai, his name means white. Like, if we said Bai Mao - we would be saying white cat. It isn't clever but I had moments to name him before he went to the vet. He's a fortunate kitty. I was on my way to the vet with two sick kittens, Peng and Penny and I made a lucky grab, snatching this little boy from certain death. Dr. Yackley worked him into the schedule: Antibiotics, worm medicine and flea treatments saved his life.  Now he has a home of his own where he can be Bai hu .. the White Tiger.

Penny was named for a character on The Big Bang Theory. She has cute white socks and even when she was a feral she had a pretty laid-back personality. Then she became a pet. Then she got a home of her own.


This is what the Feral Cat Rescue project is all about. And it isn't just me, out there hunting for lives to save; spending my time and money rehabilitating the unloved cats of the world. No. It's really a lot of people. And it's you, the reader.

Thank you.

Gizmo, After All These Years

It's feeding time, and that's the only time you'll see him... Meet Gizmo, a rescue project original - photographed for this blog for the first time.

Gizmo has been with us since 2003, and he's a very shy boy. After his original vet visit, he ensconced himself in the "cat trailer," which we used for recovery and special care - and he never left. He was always a little shy but he was more nervous after his surgery, so even though he was always pet-able and friendly, you just wouldn't see him around; he preferred to hide out. He was just happier that way.

All that changed on the morning of May 11, 2012, when an electrical short in a ceiling light caused a fire that destroyed our rescue trailer. Most of the kitties made it out okay, the  most prominent of which were Basquiat and Gizmo, both senior cats who had chosen to live in the trailer rather than socialize.

After the fire, I thought I caught one glimpse of Gizmo, so I mentioned that he made it out okay. But then I didn't see him for a long time and I started to wonder if I imagined him in my desperate wish to have everything be right again.

Last Saturday morning, about 6 am, a nondescript gray tabby approached me, meowing. I hadn't seen him in a long time but I realized it was Gizmo. He finally let me approach him and give him a few strokes on his little furry head.

Since then, Gizmo has been showing up at every feeding, and he has let me pet him several times. AND, I finally got a photo of him! Oh, I won't see him for the rest of the day, but at least he's appearing a couple of times a day, which is more than ever before.

Thanks, Gizmo.  And we're really glad you are okay.

Lone Feral Kitten Inspiration

"Nothing is withheld from us which we have conceived to do."

I love this little kitten and I love the fact that she has brought herself through adversity to face the world head-on. The sole survivor of her litter, this tortie-tabby feral kitten is braver than most, showing that she is more than willing to find her own way in the world.

Her life consists entirely of firsts: First dangers, first explorations. First learning about how humans can give food. She keeps moving on, trying new things for the first time. She wants to see what's out there. Little feral kitten hasn't seen the whole world, but she's seen enough of it to know she wants in on the action. She wants to live. And I think this is her secret; she has the one thing we all need for a start in life. She wants to....

There are many hazards in life; from sickness to predators, and all have taken their toll. Sometimes survival is just luck. To give up is tempting and easy, for sure; just stop trying. And for those who do stop trying, I can't blame them. In fact, I understand completely. Some of Little Feral Kitten's litter was probably lost that way - it was just too hard to go on. I feel the loss. I can only hope we choose differently.


Little feral kitten is curious and eager to explore. She knows just enough to know there are dangers, but sometimes you have to take risks in life. In her heart, she has great expectations. Nobody knows what the future holds. Even we big-brained humans can only guess. But the adventure of life awaits, and who knows where it may lead?

We all know that life is hard, sometimes; we live it. If bad things aren't happening to us, then they're probably happening all around us. We may feel like it's divine providence we're still here. And of course, sometimes we just get lucky and things go our way. Either way, I guess you never know what will be, and sometimes one lives on hope alone.

I can't tell you how many times in my life I've felt like giving up. And I'm not proud of that. I always think I should be stronger.... better ....more determined. But I'm just what I am, flaws and all. I try to remind myself of what Little Feral Kitten teaches us: before you get anywhere or do anything, you must must have the "want to."

Really, my life is pretty good. I don't want to sound like I'm complaining. I hope your life is good, too! I do get sad sometimes, and sometimes I feel like the pathetic little things I do are all pointless. And maybe they are!  But for now, I want to continue.

I know that every path in life, whether great or brief, has a beginning, a middle, and an end.The longest journey starts with putting one foot in front of another. Nothing is withheld from us which we have first conceived to do. We may or may not make it, but to get anywhere we need to go on. That is, if we want to.

Please want to....

Little Torbie 600!

No, it's not 600 cats although I sometimes feel like it! Believe it or not, this is the Feral Cat Rescue Project 600th post. Wow, pretty amazing, especially since I didn't post regularly at all for the first year or two. :)

So for #600, here is our little brown tabby-tortie girl, a Torbie of delicate beauty who looks like a pet although she isn't. Maybe I'll even name her 600 for future reference. It's easier that Brown Tabby Tortie. ...She has her own little hiding spot here, complete with spider web. I  think I'm using a version of this for the October/Halloween calendar page next year.

While this girl is wild, you know that many of the feral cats in this farm area aren't really feral. They just don't have homes. There's a difference.

We've had a cool wet summer, mostly, but lately we've had a few nice days, so I was out doing some yard work and had an opportunity to sit in the shade.  I was joined, very quickly, by our friendliest cats, including Mort, Dora, Georgia, Hammie, Coppertop and Fran.  It was nice, and I'm glad they got a petting opportunity: I want them to feel like they belong even if they don't officially have a house to live in.

Covered in Fur, with Coppertop and Fran

They're happy and I'm glad. It's been too long since I've been able to spend extended time outside with them, bonding. In fact, it was over all too soon. And I don't mind all the fur.... it brushes off. The emotions, however, do tend to linger.

Rare Capture

IN FADING LIGHT: It was starting to get dark and I was doing my last round of feeding.... I always have a small pocket camera with me but if I use it at these times, it's after the feeding is done; I can't juggle cans of food, a bucket of dry food and a camera all at once!

So as the light waned, I was just doing my thing, feeding over by the burned-out cat trailer, when I saw this beauty (above). I had seen this girl(?) before: I knew this kitty had been in the feral colony for at least a couple of years, maybe longer, but I had never got a close-up look ..and not ONE photo!  Too shy, too quick to run away.  I saw her only from a distance.

I don't know if this gray and white "cow cat" (as I call the color pattern) was living off of hunting or if it snuck a bite of food after I left, I just knew I didn't see it at feedings, and only caught an occasional glimpse from far away.  But on this evening, suddenly there she was ... gray and white cow cat!

In my heart, I knew it was now or never. Even though my hands were filled with stuff for feeding the cats, I groped my pocket and pulled out the little camera - trying to avoid spilling the cat food at the same time. As I did this, gray-white cow cat began to walk away...  I could see this out of the corner of my eye. Yet there was no way to hurry, and even if I could rush the process, I knew that turning suddenly would make this ultra-shy kitty run.  I tried to remain calm, knowing after these years this might be my only chance at a photo.

I got the camera running an moved the zoom to max, all without looking toward the kitty to see if she was still there. When the camera was ready, I gently turned to look into the rubble of the destroyed cat trailer, only to see her walking away from me. Well, at least I could get a shot of her receding form, it would be better than nothing.

As I raised the camera to my eye, Gray-White Cow Cat turned one last time and looked at me. It was a pause that she'd never made before. She never had given me even half a chance to photograph her. ...Until now.

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Kitties come and go in our lives, and feral cats live their own lives largely in anonymity. I record them so that they will be remembered; so that they will remain a part of our family.

For this one moment, Gray-White Cow Cat decided to share her life with us. She paused and contemplated. But only for an instant...

...And then she was gone.



..

Photos From Cat World

I'm pretty sure that I'm the only person among my friends on Flickr, who has never gotten a photo displayed on Flickr's Explore page. It's the place where they put the best photos from each day. I don't know why that is, I guess there is something about my work that isn't good enough; pretty pathetic for someone who actually went to school to do this. -- It may seem like a minor point, and I suppose it is; it's just one little inadequacy among a million others that haunt me.

I think about stuff like that a lot. I have judged myself and found myself to be substandard. And I feel like others judge me, too. Some do, in fact, think that I've wasted my life. Far more don't think about it one way or another. At times I feel like I don't belong here, that there's nothing left but prolonging the suffering. At these times I feel like I'm just one more piece of human garbage, waiting to be picked up and tossed out.

The cats don't care, though, and I'm glad for that. I'm a scary human to many of them, but they still look forward to seeing me. I know it's just for the food, and that's okay: I've passed their test for acceptance. They aren't judging me for my failures. I try to remind myself of that when I'm feeling blue. Between me and the cats, I'm basically the only one who has to live with the thought of being unworthy of existence. And if I don't let that show, nobody has to know anything but me.

The cats don't think that way; they're happy to be alive. In Cat World, that's really the highest accomplishment. It's another day, another bit of food, hopefully some sun to lie in. What more could you possibly want? They don't know and they don't care.

For me, though, I can't let go of the past. My mistakes and miscalculations swirl around in my mind. I can stop thinking about them for a while and be happy. But then the sad memories come back, somehow. I can't escape. It's always "if only" this and "if I had known" that .... but there is no time machine to go back and fix things. And what kind of world would I find if I did?

You see, I believe that tiny changes in one thing, change everything else. If I could fix something in my past, who knows what the consequences would be - maybe good, maybe tragic. There's just no way to know.. It's the Butterfly Effect, another name for Chaos Theory: The idea that very tiny changes in one place can have a big and unforeseen effect elsewhere. I think that is true, even though fixing some things in the past would be tempting, for sure, I would also have to pause and consider the possible consequences. At least things in the here-and-now are a known commodity. And of course, it's not like I actually have a choice!

In Cat World, there is only the present moment. I DO think that cats grieve for lost friends, missing the companionship and the familiarity. They have long memories. Unlike humans, though, they don't seem to dwell on the past. They remember, but they live in the present moment.There is only right here, right now.

Maybe the cats are on to something. And I'd like to take their advice... if only I could....

Lucy My Cat

This is a Hipstamatic photo of Lucy, my pet ... or more likely, I'm her pet. She was once a feral kitten, only 4 weeks old when her mother abandoned her. She was kind of sickly back then, too - but not anymore.

Once upon a time a four week old feral kitten, sickly with upper respiratory infections and parasites, was left by her mother so nature could take its course. But the feral kitten didn't want to die... she hung on, day after day, getting colder and weaker, yet calling out for rescue. By chance a human found her and took her home, giving her warm kitten milk and medicine. And the rest is history.

Lucy has a mind of her own and a long list of likes and dislikes, but I never wonder how she feels about me. She does her best to never leave my side.

Kittens - Spot cleans Biscuit

Hipstamatic photo of Spot,still a kitten himself, cleaning the younger and more vulnerable Biscuit - a rescued kitten.

Spot was grateful to have a baby sister. He missed having a companion since his natural sister Wishe was lost on July 6, last year. He's been lonely. But with the capture of Biscuit and Muffin, Spot had a friend again at last.

Spot played with Biscuit every day. He bathed her and curled up with her. It was so sweet.  But now Spot is alone again; Biscuit and Muffin were adopted by an out-of-town family last month. Spot misses his friend.

We don't have very many adoptions so it's hard to turn any down but this was a tough one. And I worry about the kittens: The adoption was mediated through United Paws which is fine - they have their own method of qualifying people and I was told that this family was exceptionally well qualified. I felt like I had no say-so over this one, though, and I wasn't so sure about their qualifications. I can only hope that the kittens are okay.

In the meantime, Spot has to learn to be satisfied with the companionship of humans mostly. And he does like people, he just misses his baby sister friend. And I can understand that. Everyone needs a friend.