Hyde Park Cats 2016 Calendar Now Available – Cats in My Yard Featured for October

We are included again (!!!) in the Hyde Park Cats calendar for 2016.

 

This highlighted link includes instructions on how to order this calendar from hydeparkcats.org

 

Every cat in a trap here has a story that deserves to be shared and celebrated, which is pretty much why I started this blog in the first place. Here are their stories:

HydeParkCatsCalendar2016

From left to right, top to bottom:

 

FIRST ROW, left to right:

Ferret, from the Jose and the Pussycats Colony, TNR’d in February 2012, and still feral and thriving outdoors. She has a cat bed outdoors with fresh, clean blankets every day. IMG01281-20121020-1306

Frostie MacCreamsicle, also from the Jose and the Pussycats Colony, TNR’d in March 2012. He is friendly so I fostered him and he was adopted by my friends, Eliya and Mary.

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Whip, the orange cat, is from the Boonie Colony, TNR’d in March 2015. We have not seen him since he was TNReturned outside, but he comes from a very large colony that is fed daily by a feeder who lets the cats in and out of his basement. IMG_0457

I trapped this tabby cat from the Eleanor Rigby Colony in March 2015. I let him go right away – he was already ear tipped but I don’t know who originally TNR’d him. There are multiple feeders on every block in this area. IMG_0655

 

SECOND ROW, left to right:

 

Wally, the black cat, from the V Colony, was TNR’d in May 2014. He was very friendly and very sick – the first vet I took him to advised me to euthanize him. I took him to another vet for a second opinion. He tested positive for FeLV, then reversed the test results, and was adopted by my friends Carlin and Kathy in St. Louis. Now over a year later he is still very much alive and thriving in their home. 12212066_868127303256882_1569841162_n

Garfield, the long-haired orange cat from the Armando Colony, was TNR’d in December 2014. I still see him periodically when I visit. IMG_0372

Mala, the black cat, also from the Armando Colony, was TNR’d in December 2014. She was very feral and also returned to Armando’s house once she recovered from her surgery.

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Cosmo Moon Eyes, this black and white cat from the Peacock Colony, was TNR’d in August 2014. He is still around and being fed according to his feeder, Ashley, a young girl in junior high who learned all about TNR from this process. IMG_7741

 

THIRD ROW, left to right:

 

Mr. Friendly, the brown tabby and white cat from the Rockstar Colony, definitely lived up to his name. He was TNR’d in February 2012 and his feeders wanted to keep him as an indoor/outdoor cat. He was still thriving later that year and I would see him periodically throughout the neighborhood. Unfortunately the following year he was killed by a car. My rescue neighbor and friend Kim found him and gave him a proper burial as he deserved. RIP Mr. Friendly. IMG01278-20121020-1302

None, the grey cat, was the first to be TNR’d from the Chester Colony in March 2015.  none

Joann tried to foster her indoors for a bit, but None turned out to be feral and was ultimately returned outside. Their feeder Chester feeds daily and they have shelter in this garage. IMG_0972

Popcorn, the brown and white tabby from the front yard of my very own colony, James Gang Colony, was TNR’d in September 2014. I named him Popcorn because he kept trying to pop out of the trap and made a mess inside the entire time. He is feral and still visits my front yard feeding station at night, although I have no idea where he goes otherwise. IMG_7992

Apple, also from the Chester Colony, was about five months old when we trapped her and her sister Ava in March 2015. Joann could not bear to put them back outside without trying to socialize them first. She ended up keeping both of these sisters where they are living their lives indoors with her and her other five pet cats. IMG_1076

We can’t wait to get these calendars to distribute as gifts for the holidays!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Another Sick Cat from the Peacock Colony

When I first started this blog in 2012, one of the first colonies I wrote about was the Peacock Colony. They were in sad shape. Monorail Colony This colony of three, elderly cats were ultimately trapped, fostered, and adopted out into a life of luxury in their retirement home in New Hampshire. I regularly keep in touch with the women who fostered and adopted these cats out. They are amazing animal rescuers and friends.

 

Since then, the owners of the house where these cats lived have either died or moved on, I’m not sure. But the house is currently empty.

 

The other week I was jogging by there and I saw this sick cat a few doors down. 10606616_548140335290352_1844762927439071290_n I don’t know what is wrong with this cat, but a cat who is dirty and wet usually means they are sick or injured, or unable to care for themselves outside. This cat is also ear tipped, but I don’t think I am the one who TNR’d him. He is somewhat cared for, because there is a flea collar on him. Obviously, someone put that on him.

 

I talked to the people who live there and they gave me permission to set up Tru-Catch traps. There were two little boys and three little girls that day who were very excited to talk to me and learn how to help the cats. I don’t have a network of people that help me trap, but these kids would make a great TNR Team. Children love animals and want to help.

 

I set up traps for 36 hours and checked on them regularly to see if there was a cat, and to refresh the food inside.

 

Unfortunately, the sick cat wasn’t caught, but I caught this handsome, healthy cat instead sometime around midnight. Surprise! 10420016_548491651921887_3220117886908498240_n I named him Cosmo Moon Eyes and took him to the low-cost clinic for his TNR spa package, and he recovered quickly. I let him back out with a fresh ear tip and looking a lot more relaxed. 16691_548931418544577_3416553102203701833_n The sick cat has obviously been on my mind ever since and I keep going back to check for him. Today I talked to the two little girls at the house and they told me they’ve seen him again in their yard, but that mostly he hangs out at the Peacock Colony house!

 

Perhaps he’s a hold out from that colony and just was inside while I trapped the other cats? Who knows, but these little girls gave me all kinds of information about their block, and their dad came out to talk to me. They told me I can try to trap again in their yard, which is great, because I have now also seen this black cat roaming around there. photo-8 This cat almost looks like he had a lion cut at one point, but the little girls said he’s out all the time. They are so curious about everything – they asked all kinds of questions about the cats, why I was running (“why are you all wet?”, “is running like exercise?”), the vet clinic I am taking the cats to, why I was helping the cats, and what I do for work. You should’ve seen their faces when I explained I was a flight attendant. There’s nothing like kids to make you feel like a rock star.

 

Keep your fingers crossed that I’m able to trap the sick cat. I’m working all week, so if anyone can help in the meantime, please let me know. Otherwise, I’ll keep trying when I’m back in town.

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