Welcome
To My
Feline Family Home Page
This page is dedicated to my
eight
cats and to feline lovers everywhere!
Meet My Feline Family
My Feline Family Photo Gallery |
Over the Rainbow...In Memory Of...Pixie... |
Over the Rainbow...In Memory Of...Murphy... |
My Feline History
(every cat is unique!)
Updated - February, 2008
Sixteen years ago when we moved into our house, a stray cat (KiKi) was
living in the garage. It took a year and a half to get her to trust me.
Every time she heard the back door open she would take off. I would put
food out for her and she would come back when I was gone, to eat. Well,
she finally ended up inside and is a marvelous house cat now. She is the
oldest cat we have. Two years after she came in to the house we wanted
to get her a play mate so we went to a Humane Society Shelter to adopt
another cat/kitten. Well, I will never do that again! We came home with
4 adult cats (Princess, Murphy, Smudge & Kit) that were doomed to be
put to sleep. They were perfectly healthy cats, however, one of the cats
(Smudge) was un-adoptable as he was very anti-social, afraid of people,
and very timid. He spent 3 or 4 months on one of the dining room chairs
day in and day out. He ate at night when we were not around and would
sneak to use the litter box. In time, however, with a lot of patience
and love, he came around. It has taken years though. So now we had 5
cats (all indoor cats). Now for cat number 6 (Cocoa). My husband Terry
has a favorite fishing hole where he likes to fish (he fly fishes) in
a nearby town. After feeding this cat (potato chips, french fries, etc)
that hung around the fishing hole for about a month, Terry finally told
me about this little kitten that was mooching food from all the fishermen.
That evening a big thunderstorm was coming and we decided to take a ride
to the fishing hole to see the kitten. When I saw him I picked him up and
headed for our van. What a beautiful little kitten, 4 pounds and starving.
Well, he now weighs 14 pounds! On Christmas eve 2007 I noticed Cocoa acting funny.
He did not want to move or eat. The day after Christmas I took him to the vet
at 7:30 AM. It was determined that he had a bladder blockage. He had surgery to remove
kidney stones. He was so ill we did not know if he would live or die. It was then
determined he needed a second surgery to remove more kidney stones. After 2 weeks at
deaths door he started to get better. He come home and with a change of food he is doing fine.
Now for cat number 7: (Sammy) showed up at our house one day and started living in
our garage. He was part Siamese,no front claws and had short fur. Dead of winter.
At the time, we had friends visiting us from Europe and I could not hardly wait
for them to go home so that I could bring the cat in the house. I sat many times
in snow storms on our back deck with Sammy in my coat keeping him warm. It is a
miracle that I didn't get pneumonia. The summer of 2006 Sammy was diagnosed with
cancer, Lymphoma. He had a tumor in his right eye. It was removed and he was given
tablets. The tumor soon grew back so he started on Chemotherapy. The tumor, the third
eye lid and the tear duct were removed. So far nothing has appeared for several months since
starting the Chemother so we hope that at the end of his treatments the tumor
will stay away. **Note: It is 13, November, 2007 and Sammy has been in remission
for many months now and only has to return to the vet for his yearly check-up.
Number 8: (Cookie) She was another kitten about 4 pounds
running loose in the middle of our small town at a stop and go light in
traffic. We picked her up and took her home. The last one, number 9,
(Maize) was a litter of 4 kittens born in our garage this past summer.
We found homes for 3 of the kittens after we had them spayed/neutered
and got them all the shots they needed. The 4th kitten was more feral
(wild) than the other 3 and hid every time we went to show her. We soon
realized that she was not adoptable. She has adjusted to living with us
and our other cats and gets along great with them. She has brought new
blood to our old cats as they all seem to like to play with her. She is
still very shy but is coming along fine. I never dreamed I would have 9
house cats. I should buy stock in cat food and cat litter! Hahaha. We also
have 4 adult cats in our garage. 2 female and 2 male. We have "live-trapped"
one male and both of the females and had them "fixed." Then we released them.
They are feral (wild) cats and human contact with them is limited. One of the males
is coming around, however, as he will let me pet him and is getting quite
friendly. We may be able, in the end, to find him a home...
On 3, August, 2007 Murphy passed away in his sleep. He will be forever missed...
What is a feral cat?
The term "feral" means "untamed" or "wild"; therefore a feral cat refers to an untamed
or wild cat. Feral cats may be previously owned cats that were abandoned and reverted to
a wild state or a cat that was the offspring of a feral/stray mother and never had
significant human contact.
What is the difference between a stray cat and a feral cat?
A stray cat is a cat that has strayed from its home, perhaps in search of a mate. These
lost cats are usually a bit more comfortable around people but may eventually become
wary of people and revert to a more feral state. Their offspring, if born outdoors and
without human contact are likely to be feral.
What does a feral cat look like?
Often times it is hard to see feral cats; they tend to be very wary of humans and therefore
we often only get fleeting glimpses of them as they scamper away. If you did get a good look,
you would see that feral cats look just like housecats - a wide range of colors, hair length
and body size is represented. If they aren't finding proper nutrition, their hair coat and
body weight may appear unthrifty. Often they are intact (not spayed or neutered) which will
result in the male cats having testosterone-linked thick cheeks (called shields) and the
females having distended, pregnant bellies.
Where do feral cats live?
Feral cats live everywhere outdoors: in parks, industrial areas, downtown, in neighborhoods,
etc. They often congregate around a food source, such as a restaurant, a farm, a backyard food
bowl or in a public park with garbage cans. Groups of feral cats are considered a colony.
Can feral cats survive on their own?
Feral cats are domesticated cats that have reverted to a wild state. Because they are domesticated
animals, they are not well equipped to live successfully as true wild animals, such as lions or
bobcats. In addition, our communities contain lots of hazards for a cat including cars, dogs
and diseases. If intact, females will become pregnant adding to the physical demands that her
body must endure. So while some do survive for a period of time living as a feral cat, it is
often a life of suffering unless a human provides assistance.
What assistance can I provide for feral cats?
There are many different ways to help feral cats. Often the most pressing issue to relieve
animal suffering is identifying a caregiver who is dedicated to providing the colony or individual
feral cat with a reliable and balanced food source. Once this is established, the caregiver must
ensure that all the cats are sterilized (spayed/neutered) so they can no longer reproduce. Cats
are very prolific reproducers - a single female cat will usually have about 8 kittens per year
(2 litters of four kittens). Sterilization is often accomplished with the assistance of local
organizations that are dedicated to trap-neuter-return programs for feral cats. Volunteering
time and/or donating money to organizations that help feral cats or promote pet sterilization
can also have a positive impact on the feral cat situation. Another very important thing that
can be done is educating people about pet overpopulation and the need for responsible pet
ownership and sterilization.
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Links To My Other Pages!
Animated Cat Gifs |
Cat Tails |
Cat Graphics |
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AOL Page |
Cat Tails 3 |
Feline People |
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