Tag Archives: stray cats

Cool November stuff: Taking care of homeless cats in the cold … soups and a song

November 13, 2016 admin

Cece and Jett – fast becoming … distant aquaintances. … Three weeks ago one of Cece’s aunts was allowed to wander off into the woods, as folks were moving out of the apartment, under the gun so to speak. She is now, if not dead, one of the millions of homeless cats in America. Like them, she is relying on neighbors for water, food and shelter. pic:R.T.

We repost this excellent Deb Young piece on caring for homeless cats in wintertime, just in case you want to do the beautiful thing and help stray and homeless felines in your neck of the inner-city woods! Also: Check out Deb’s terrific help-circus-animals FB page on this website. You’ll learn so much about nature and wild animals! – R.T.

By Deb Young

Street cats, alley cats, wild cats, feral cats, homeless cats … there are a lot of different names we give to these free ranging felines. Most of the time, they take care of themselves, scavenging and hunting for their meals while also depending on the kindnesses of cat lovers, but things can get worse when the weather turns frigid.

In any neighborhood that supports a healthy (i.e, neutered and released) feral cat population, rodent populations are kept in check, eliminating the need for harmful chemicals and poisons, and protecting the residents of these neighborhoods from the diseases and damage rodents can cause to life and property. Cats are a practical and “green” solution to this universal problem. In addition, a family and neighborhood commitment to caring for a controlled feral cat population teaches our children that we respect life and appreciate the work these cats do for us.

This is why many animal supporters encourage community participation in maintaining their local feral cat population. If you count yourself amongst these supporters, there are ways you can help your local cats to get through the winter with a minimum of hardship. If you can get your neighbors involved, so much the better.

Cats don’t need a lot of space, just a space that is large enough for them to stand and move about and stay safe from the harshest outdoor elements. When the weather is at its coldest, the cats will be relying on each other for warmth, and will create their own tight spaces within their shelter. With that in mind, you can use whatever space and materials available to you to create a small haven.

Homemade shelters can be crafted out of nearly anything: from a sturdy cardboard box (think of the heavy cardboard used for packing television sets) to an anchored plastic garbage can to a few pieces of scrap wood that have been arranged as a buffer against the wind and snow and rain. The shelter should be large enough to accommodate several cats comfortably, but not too wide or tall. In fact, the smaller the size, the better the space will be equipped to retain the cats’ body heat.

Finally, be sure to locate the shelter in a safe, concealed spot where the cats feel securely hidden from predators and can watch their surroundings.

The cats will require extra calories and fat during the cold weather months in order to maintain their energy requirements. Canned cat foods are also a great source of high calorie nutrition, but because of their higher liquid content they may freeze during the coldest temperatures.

Feeding the cats at the same time each day will allow them to expect and rely on a schedule. If they do not know whether they will be eating or not, they will venture out into the cold to look for food, defeating the whole purpose for the care project. Having a dedicated “feeder,” or a small group of scheduled “feeders” who take turns, can make the process much smoother. Also important to the cats’ survival is fresh, clean water. Of course, snow is an excellent source for water, but don’t forget to check the water bowl regularly to make sure it hasn’t frozen during the night.

Feeding and water stations should be protected from the cold and placed as near to the sleeping shelter as possible so that the cats do not have to be exposed to harsh conditions when they need to eat or drink.

While the cats may not be able to thank you in ways you can understand, you will know that they have repaid your kindness with the absence of rodents, and you will know that it is all worth it.

Cece!

From PETA.ORG:

Hearty Vegetable Soup

Nothing can cure the winter cold quite like a big bowl of piping-hot vegetable soup. So the next time you’re looking for a dish that will keep you feeling warm, full, and satisfied, whip up a batch of this hearty soup.

6 cloves garlic, crushed
1 medium white onion, diced
1 Tbsp. dried basil
1 Tbsp. dried oregano
1 tsp. sea salt
1 tsp. black pepper
1 Tbsp. olive oil
32 oz. vegetable broth
28 oz. canned diced tomatoes, with juice
14 oz. canned white beans, drained and rinsed
2 small zucchini, sliced
2 small yellow crookneck squash, sliced
3 cups chopped kale
4 small purple potatoes, cut into cubes
2 small yellow potatoes, cut into cubes
2 small red potatoes, cut into cubes
6 cups water

In a large pot, sauté the garlic, onion, basil, oregano, salt, and pepper in the oil for about 5 minutes, or until the onions are translucent.

Add the broth, tomatoes with juice, beans, zucchini, squash, kale, and potatoes. Cover the pot and bring to a boil.

Lower the heat. Add the water in batches, stirring occasionally.

Simmer for about an hour, or until you can easily pierce a potato with a fork.

Serve immediately. Store the remainder in the refrigerator or freezer.

Makes 10 to 12 servings

****

Mexican Noodle Soup

By Ashley Palmer

This noodle soup was inspired by our growing PETA Latino community! The popular Mexican dish, referred to as “sopa de fideo,” is versatile and can be altered to your liking. Want a thicker base, spicier flavor, or splash of lemon juice? No problem!

4–6 large tomatoes, cut into large cubes
1 medium white onion, cut into large cubes
1 clove garlic
2 Tbsp. vegetable oil
1 16 oz.-pkg. cut fideo or 1 16 oz.-pkg. angel hair pasta, broken into 1-inch pieces
32 oz. vegetable broth
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 Tbsp. pepper
2 Tbsp. oregano
2 Tbsp. cumin
Chili flakes, chopped serrano chilies, or diced jalapeños, to taste (optional)
Cilantro, soy sour cream, and sliced avocado, for garnish (optional)

In a blender, purée the tomatoes, onions, garlic, and oil. Transfer to a large pot and cook over medium heat.
Add the noodles, broth, salt, pepper, oregano, and cumin. For a spicier soup, add the chili flakes, serrano chilies, or jalapeños. Cook for approximately 12 to 15 minutes, then simmer until the noodles are tender.

Garnish with optional toppings, as desired.

Makes 10 to 12 servings

Coconut Curry Soup

The list of ingredients might seem a little long, but don’t be scared. You can leave out an ingredient or two, and the soup will still be delicious. The only required items on the list below are the coconut milk, a little salt, and some curry powder, if you ask me. The rest is up to you.

To make a more filling meal, try serving the soup over noodles — udon, soba and even budget-friendly ramen work very well.

And to spice up the dish, add a few drops of Sriracha to the broth after ladling it out.

Enjoy!

1 cup broccoli florets
1 Tbsp. olive oil
1/4 onion, sliced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 carrot, julienned
3 white button mushrooms, sliced
1 12-oz. can coconut milk
1 cup vegetable broth
Juice of 1/2 lime
1 tsp. salt
2 tsp. Madras curry powder
Perfect tofu (optional)
1 Tbsp. chopped cilantro

•Bring 2 cups of water to a boil in a small saucepan over high heat. Add the broccoli and cook for 1 minute. Drain and set aside.

•In a medium sauce pan over medium-low heat, add the olive oil then the onions. Sauté for 2 to 3 minutes, or until just soft. Add the garlic, carrot, mushrooms, and cooked broccoli and cook for an additional 2 minutes.

•Add the coconut milk and broth to the pan and stir well. Add the lime juice, salt, and curry powder, then let simmer for about 5 minutes, being careful not to let the soup boil.

•Remove from heat and serve the soup with perfect tofu and chopped cilantro.

Makes 4 servings

And a tune for you! This year posted during November! – R.T.

InCity Voices

Caring for feral/stray cats

June 24, 2013 admin Leave a comment

Trap, neuter, return and monitor programs for feral cats: Doing it right

There are millions of feral cats in the United States. Feral cat
population control is a difficult and emotional issue and has been a
topic of heated debate for many years. PETA has in the past trapped,
neutered, returned, and monitored feral cats (and still does, in
favorable situations) but not without hesitation and serious
concerns. Our experiences include countless incidents in which cats
suffered and died horrible deaths because they were forced to fend
for themselves outdoors, whether managed or not, and have led us
to question whether these programs are truly in the cat’s best
interests.

Homeless cats do not die of old age. Highly contagious diseases are
common, as are infected puncture wounds, broken bones, urinary tract
infections, brain damage, internal injuries, attacks by other animals
or cruel humans, automobile accidents, and terrible living conditions
like freezing or stifling temperatures, scrounging for food, and
being considered a “nuisance,” through no fault of their own.
Moreover, free-roaming cats also terrorize and kill countless birds
and other wildlife who are not equipped to deal with such predators.
Having witnessed firsthand the gruesome things that can happen to
feral cats and to the animals they prey on, PETA cannot in good
conscience oppose euthanasia as a humane alternative to dealing with
cat overpopulation.

Each situation is different, but it is never acceptable – no matter
how noble the intentions – to feed cats without providing them with
medical care, vaccinations, and spaying or neutering. Doing so would
serve only to endanger the cats and perpetuate the overpopulation
crisis and its tragic consequences: the needless deaths of millions
of animals every year.

If you’ve determined that you have the time and resources to manage
a feral cat colony, and the cats are in a safe place, i.e., they are
isolated from roads, people, and other animals and located in an area
where they do not have access to wildlife and where the weather is
temperate, please be sure to follow the following minimum guidelines.

Guidelines for Managing a Feral Cat Colony

The responsibilities of a feral cat colony caretaker include ensuring
that all cats in the colony are humanely captured, sterilized,
vaccinated against rabies, provided with a sanitary feeding station
with fresh water and food, given access to shelter, treated for
illnesses and injuries, and accepted by neighbors and landlords. A
properly managed feral cat colony is healthy and stable, i.e., no new
kittens are born.

Health
Find a veterinarian with whom you can establish a good rapport and
who can be somewhat flexible – feral cats don’t always keep their
appointments! Consider the costs of what will be needed for each new
cat: spaying/neutering, ear-tipping, a full exam, ear-cleaning, a
three-year rabies vaccination, deworming, and long-lasting flea
control. Estimate your budget depending on the number of cats in the
colony. Be sure that you can cover these expenses, in addition to
unexpected costs for taking care of injuries or illnesses.
If you notice a cat whose behavior or eating habits has changed, who
has dull eyes, a dull coat, or discharge from his or her nose or
eyes, or who is lethargic – all possible indicators of bad health –
retrap the cat and take him or her to your vet. It may help to work
out a plan in advance with your vet to provide you with antibiotics
for minor health problems.
Stay organized! Maintain veterinary records on each cat. This is
where ear-tipping becomes vital: While the cat is anesthetized for
sterilization, the vet should remove a quarter inch off the top of
the cat’s left ear. This will help you identify the cats who have
been sterilized and vaccinated against rabies. Microchipping is also
a safe and effective way of tracking the cat back to you in the event
that he or she is lost.

Food and Water
Find a dry sheltered spot to feed the cats, or build them a covered
feeding station (this can simply be a canopy made out of a large
domed trashcan lid held up by four wooden posts). Locate the feeding
station away from sleeping and eliminating areas. Feed roughly 5.5
oz. of canned cat food and 2 oz. of dry food per cat each day. If the
food is gone in 15 minutes, you might need to increase rations. If
there’s food remaining after an hour, put out less. To keep bugs at
bay, grease the outside of food bowls with cooking oil. Remove
uneaten food and clean the feeding station every day to prevent
attracting other wildlife or irritating human neighbors. If it’s not
possible to attend to the feeding station every day, buy automatic
feeders.
Clean water should be available at all times and kept a short
distance away from the feeding station. Cats sometimes refuse to
drink if it is too close to their food. In cold weather, place water
bowls in the sun to keep them from freezing.

Shelter

If the colony isn’t already occupying an abandoned building, shack,
or other structure, they will need a sheltered place where they can
escape the elements. Build them a simple shelter or put an ad in the
paper for used doghouses, which can be easily modified by making the
entryway cat-size and adding insulation. Shelters must be waterproof,
windproof (in colder climates), and elevated off the ground. Use
straw or hardwood shavings for bedding (softwood shavings are toxic),
do not use blankets or carpeting, which retain moisture. Change the
bedding twice each year, and spray or dust the shelter surface with a
non-toxic flea control product

Be a Good Neighbor
Inform local residents about your activities. Attend town meetings,
write to your local paper, and/or go door to door. Make yourself
available and accessible if questions, problems, illnesses, or
injuries arise. Discourage cats from using neighbors’ gardens and
sandboxes by making your own giant litterbox with sand in a simple
covered, wooden frame. Place the sandbox away from busy areas, the
cats’ feeding station, and sleeping spots. Clean the sandbox daily.
Resources:
Alley Cat Rescue (ACR)
301-699-3946
Spay USA
1-800-248-SPAY
Tomahawk Live Trap Co.
1-800-272-8727

For more informataion on feral cats, visit peta.org.

InCity Letters, InCity Voices

We have a cattitude problem!

February 13, 2013 admin Leave a comment

By Alisa Mullins

The news that free-roaming cats are responsible for killing up to 3.7 billion birds and 20.7 billion mammals every year—a death toll that makes cats a greater threat to wildlife than nearly any other human-linked cause — is enough to make any cat lover cringe.

You might think that the solution lies in simply keeping Mittens inside, and that is certainly an important step toward protecting not only wildlife but also cats. But a new Smithsonian study indicates that “owned” cats account for the deaths of only about 29 percent of the birds and 11 percent of the mammals killed by cats. The rest are killed by the estimated 80 million stray and feral cats eking out an existence in our nation’s alleys and barns.

Eighty million — let that number sink in for a moment. That’s nearly 6 million more than the estimated 74.1 million cats living in homes — and that’s not even counting the unwanted cats turned over to animal shelters every year, who also number in the millions.

How did we end up with so many homeless cats? A female cat can come into heat at as young as 4 months and can have as many as three litters of six kittens every year. In seven years, one female cat and her offspring can produce a staggering 370,000 cats.

We have a bizarre double standard when it comes to cats and dogs. Someone who would never dream of letting a dog roam the neighborhood thinks nothing of allowing a cat—altered or otherwise—to do so. Similarly, people often move away and, rather than taking their unwanted cat to an animal shelter, simply leave her sitting on the doorstep. “It’s OK,” they assure themselves. “She’ll catch mice.”

Even animal shelters have a double standard. Some backwater shelters make no accommodations for cats at all. One shelter in rural North Carolina was simply turning cats loose in the nearby woods until PETA built a structure to house the cats.

Some “no-kill” shelters refuse to accept cats because they are harder to place than dogs. In Easton, Pa., the homeless cat population exploded after the local shelter became “no-kill” and was perpetually too full to accept strays. One shelter in Ohio has the following message posted on its Petfinder.com page: “Due to the overpopulation of cats currently at our shelter, we are not taking any cats or kittens at this time.”

A shelter in California enacted a new policy last year to refuse to accept “healthy” feral cats and even justifies this by saying that such cats “help control the rodent population,” although it makes no mention of the billions of songbirds that feral cats also “control.” Can you imagine a reputable shelter having a similar policy for stray dogs?

Those who promote feral-cat trap-neuter-return programs have a similar double standard. If we wouldn’t encourage people to abandon their own cats in a parking lot or at the end of a country road, how can we say that this approach is acceptable for any cat? Feral cats do not die of old age. They are attacked by other animals, are hit by cars or succumb to exposure, starvation, parasite infestations or deadly infectious diseases. PETA receives calls every single day about free-roaming cats who are shot, drowned, poisoned, beaten, set on fire or subjected to other horrors.

If we want to get serious about protecting wildlife—and cats—we need to change the way that we view cats. We need to start thinking of them as our best friends, our beloved companions, our lifelong responsibility. Like dogs, they should be licensed, included in “leash laws” (i.e., required to be kept indoors unless accompanied) and, most importantly, spayed or neutered. This is the only way we will ever start to put a dent in the staggering homeless cat problem—and allow America’s wildlife to breathe a sigh of relief.

InCity Feature, InCity Letters, InCity Voices, Uncategorized

Taking care of stray/feral/street cats in winter‏

November 3, 2012 admin Leave a comment

By Deb Young

Finally, be sure to locate the shelter in a safe, concealed spot where the cats feel securely hidden from predators and can watch their surroundings.

The cats will require extra calories and fat during the cold weather months in order to maintain their energy requirements.Canned cat foods are also a great source of high calorie nutrition, but because of their higher liquid content they may freeze during the coldest temperatures.

While the cats may not be able to thank you in ways you can understand, you will know that they have repaid your kindness with the absence of rodents, and you will know that it is all worth it.