The Feral Cat Rescue Project

Kittens - Spot cleans Biscuit

2012-01-23T09:28:00.000-08:00

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.

Expectations

2012-01-17T11:26:00.000-08:00

An iPhone Hipstamatic photo of Coppertop, a fearless friendly orange feral. She'd like some petting with her breakfast, thank you.

It's surprising how cats that weren't raised with people still manage to show us pet-like behavior when they're comfortable with you. It makes me happy, too, to know that at least some of them trust me this much.

The regular feedings give these feral cats some hope, I guess, and hope leads to great expectations. Those good expectations cause some kitties - the more fearless ones - to start acting more like pets. And their expectations are rewarded.

Those that expect love, get it. It reminds me to have more positive expectations from life, too.

Black is Beautiful

2012-01-11T19:45:00.000-08:00

Pocket camera photo of one of our lovely black kitties; Nano KayKay. I think she was born around 2003 or so, but I lose track, sometimes. She's one of the ones that got tamed as a young kitty but never found a home. And for some reason, I often don't think of her when I'm trying to find new homes for kitties.

On the other hand, she seems pretty happy and well-adjusted here, and while she'd love to be someone's special kitty those relocations are always somewhat traumatic. So she's just here, hanging out with the other cats. Except she gets to go in the house on a regular basis, where she freshens up her resume as a housecat.

I think she accepts her lot in life, as ultimately we all do, just because it's what's familiar and comfortable. It's not a bad life for a cat, even if it isn't perfect.

Widget Thinks About The Great Outdoors

2012-01-09T09:37:00.000-08:00

Contemplating, imagining what is going on outdoors... I was clearing out my phone photos and found this Hipstamatic photo of Widget Cat, taken on a visit to Bob's motor home.

Widget is in the enviable position of being the one and only cat in that household. So as you can imagine, he's rather spoiled. He gets fussed over and loved and cared-for. And do you think Widget appreciates this? Is he grateful for having a life many other cats can only dream of? Well, he certainly soaks up the attention! He expects (and receives) prompt catering to his needs. Yet he spends much of his time thinking about getting out into the world, as you can see in this photo.

Tabby cat Widget was an indoor cat for most of his life, since he was captured as a 7 week old feral kitten. And for most of his life he was happy with that. But he was bored sometimes, too, and at some point he began scheming and pondering the world outdoors. Through some cat genius, he managed to figure out how to open that door and the rest is history.

I understand, really, because I have that same feeling from time to time. It's a wishful thinking about things that could be, instead of things that are. Wherever I'm at, like Widget, I sometimes find myself wishing I was someplace else. I guess it's the "grass is always greening on the other side of the fence" syndrome.

For Widget and I, the world we long for is a world of our imagination. Widget does not think about being cold or wet while imagining the outdoors and I don't think about the time-consuming drudgery of city life. In his tiny little head, Widget thinks about all the interesting things that could be happening, about adventures and games and exploration. Me too.

Like Widget, our little imaginary worlds-out-there are full of adventure and new discoveries. It is truly the land of hopes and dreams. Missing, though, are all the real life problems and negatives that are an inconvenient part of reality. It's no wonder that something out there always looks better.

Soon Widget will go out into the world, to explore and discover.... then he will be back meowing at the door to be let-in. Perhaps I will do the same.

Eyes Full Of Hope

2012-01-03T11:16:00.000-08:00

A feral tabby cat at feeding time, his eyes fixed on me, expectantly. Those eyes glow with hope and intelligence: He makes direct eye contact, trying to discern the meaning of my actions or perhaps making a silent plea for assistance.

I snapped this pocket camera photo with one hand while tossing out food with the other ...the ferals have lost most of their fear at feeding time, due to years of positive reinforcement - so it's an opportunity to get photos of cats we might otherwise never see.

Such a beautiful tabby - relatively fearless and clearly very smart; I'm glad to see he's in such great shape. I try to offer adequate food and shelter but there are other forces at work to make their lives difficult. Of course, we can all say the same, can't we? We try our best but there are always things working against us. Life is like that.

January 2012 Desktop Wallpaper Cat

2011-12-31T19:39:00.000-08:00

The FREE desktop cat wallpaper for January 2012 - it's Dora the Explorer! And yes, I know we had a photo of Dora three months ago for wallpaper (an extreme closeup) but this photo was just too good to pass up. Dora is a beautiful and rare lilac dilute tortie ...and still adoptable too, although one would have to be very patient with her. If you're close enough, patient enough, and loving enough, drop me a note.

This photo wallpaper above is formatted for a wide screen monitor and is fairly large - although it can be stretched or crunched easily for any desktop. There is also a standard 4:3 version is below:

SIMPLE HOW-TO INSTALLATION: Click on the image of your choice to see the full size version, then right-click on it (one-button Macs, use CONTROL-Click). If you get the Blogger Lightbox view you might need to click "show original" in the lower left corner, or just proceed to the final step: In most browsers you can set a photo as your desktop by RIGHT-CLICKING on it and selecting "Set as Desktop Background". - This also saves the image to your computer.

If you have any problems or issues - or tips/suggestions - just let me know in the comments.

The Feral Cat Memorial 2011

2011-12-28T15:07:00.000-08:00

At the end of the year, I take some time to remember kitties of have passed away in the last 12 months. It's a very difficult thing to do every year but this year seems even harder. This year's list is shorter than last year's, but the names on it are all too familiar and tragic.

Kay Kay : 1995-2011

Kay Kay was my sister's cat... the family cat, really. She was originally rescued by my children from abandonment as a kitten. They grew up together. She was a pet and a good kitty, and is missed. At least she had a good life.

Punk Tom - b. 2003-ish died October 21, 2011

A star in this blog; featured on the cover of the 2009 calendar and appearing frequently ever since, Punk was a unique-looking feral cat. His appearance made him look fierce but he was really a very shy boy. The cause of death is unknown but he was losing weight at the end and spent his last hours in the warmth of the house. Remember him when you see his picture on the calendar: We'll never see his beautiful face again.

Bobtail Tortie - 2004-2011

Appearing in some popular posts, bobtail tortie was the sister of Lowjack, whom we lost last year due to coyote predation. Bobtail was sick before she died, like Punk Tom. Like Punk, she spent her last night indoors - at least she had a little warmth.

Beige Cat - ? to 2011

Next to Punk Tom, she was the most unusual looking cat in the feral colony. We don't know what happened to her but her loss is more than likely due to coyote predation. Another sad end to a unique life.

The others I have to mention in this memorial weren't feral and had too-short lives. They should have had homes, instead they have burial sites. This is why I feel like I can't do this anymore. In fact, it's hard for me to even write about this.

Wishe, Rescued Kitten - lost July 6, 2011

Poor Wishe, she was the sister of Spot. They were both abandoned and rescued together. Wishe was part Maine Coon and a beautiful cat. We kept her in at night but she was allowed out during the day. One summer day, she did not return. We hunted and called, to no avail. It broke my heart. She would have been a great pet for someone but she was stuck here - and that cost her everything.

Florida, rescue kitten - April 5, 2011 - November 20, 2011

Poor little Florida was the sister of Georgia (a tortie) and Squeaky (a tuxedo cat) and the tamest of the bunch. She loved people. She died of unknown causes although we suspect some kind of poisoning. We'll never know. It was all very sudden. She would have been a perfect pet if someone had only cared enough to adopt her. Her sisters Georgia and Squeaky are still here with us.

Feral Kittens

Life is very hard for feral kittens. Disease, possibly feline leukemia, took this entire litter one by one. Most of them were gone before we knew (what with them being feral and all) but we tried very hard to save the last survivor....

Tiny Tabby

Such a beautiful boy! I wiped myself out with vet bills and days and nights of care trying to save him - all to no avail. Such a short life, so much pointless suffering....

All these beautiful kitties... there just isn't enough love and care to go around, I guess. Whatever is done, isn't enough. And my own heart can't take all this pain. And it's all for nothing.

Some of these kitties are in the calendar. Remember them when you see them. Our memories are all that is left.

As for me, I don't really know if I can do this anymore. Clearly, I'm not really saving anyone. I'm not doing any good. I wish things were otherwise but I would need godlike powers to make things right. But that isn't even close to reality. Instead, my pathetic efforts leave us with little but a collection of little kitty graves and a few memories.... So all that is left is emptiness.

I've tried hard to come up with something nice to say to close this post, but I cannot. It's too sad. These kitties deserved better than what they got. Life is cruel. All I can add is, hollow as it is, they had better lives than most feral cats because they were fed and cared-for. That's not much but it's something, I guess.

Only Fran, Up Close

2011-12-21T15:47:00.000-08:00

Enjoying a moment of sun, it's Fran the former feral... Rescued as a kitten, Fran was up for adoption for a while but she never found a home. Now she's used to life here, such as it is. Anyway, being careful to avoid disturbing her nap, this photo was taken with a 400mm lens from a good distance.

The way things have gone, I kind of prefer having Fran here compared to the alternative of sending her to a sub-optimal home. This is always the problem I have with adoptions, even though they're rare: The situations are often less than perfect and I have no assurance about the quality of life a cat will have with their new protectors. Too many people see animals as an accessory, like a potted plant - you know, something you have for recreational or esthetic purposes but is otherwise of no consequence.

These kitties are living beings with hopes and fears and dreams. Change stresses them, and I wish people cared about that. And maybe they do but it's hard to know. And I tend to worry a lot.

In any case, Fran has a life, such as it is. I try to make sure her basic needs are met. And while it is always better to be someone's special kitty, it isn't always the way things are. We just do our best.

Morning Sun Cat

2011-12-19T10:06:00.000-08:00

Greeting the morning sun and awaiting the adventures of the day, a tabby cat is bathed in golden light.

There is no doubt in my mind that kitties enjoy their lives when given a chance: They feel excitement, anticipation and if things aren't going well; anxiety. I try to give them good lives.

Speaking of which... little kittens Muffin and Biscuit have been adopted. I'd like to cheer because we have so many cats and so few homes, but I'm worried about them. They're little and I invested my whole heart and soul into helping them live. Will the new owners care half as much? Will they be careful? Loving? How can I know? So I worry....

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Photo via Nikon p7000 pocket camera : I haven't pulled out the big DSLR or medium format cameras in ages, now. I guess I just don't have the energy or something. Anyway, the Nikon does a great job.

Orange Cat Takes Some Sun

2011-12-14T06:06:00.000-08:00

The sun is low in the sky at this time of year and it is also rather rare - so every opportunity must be taken to allow its rays to warm ones fur.

I'm not sure which orange cat this is, from among the feral colony. I think it's either Coppertop or Gadget. In either case, I guess the sun felt good even though it was a chilly day. Apparently, it doesn't actually have to be warm in order to warm up some fur; just some direct sunlight does the trick. It's too bad we have so little of that right now - although really, we're doing better than a typical December so far.

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This was a pocket camera photo using my Nikon P7000, which I've found suddenly a joy to use once again, since the 1.2 firmware update made the autofocus work! It's really a great little camera and it has all the gadgets and button a self-styled photographer could want..

Just a Stripey Cat

2011-12-12T09:35:00.000-08:00

It's a pocket-camera picture of Widget the Cat, on one of his outings. Widget is the kind of success story I wish for but don't get often enough: he started life as a feral kitten, now he has a home of his own where he is a special kitty treated like royalty.

Widget is Bob's cat, not mine, and he lives in a motor home with Bob. He was exclusively an indoor cat most of his life but a while back he learned to open the door. Very clever little guy. Now he goes out regularly but Bob tries to keep him in at night at least.

We keep hoping for more success stories: Adoptable kittens and cats can be found via the Adoptable tag. You could be part of a dream.

More Hammie The Bobtail Cat

2011-12-08T09:41:00.000-08:00

More pocket-camera photography, this time featuring (once again) Hammie the Bobtail Cat. The pictures don't rival the big camera but I still like looking at all the kitties. Hammie is a favorite; he looks like a little bobcat but he's really friendly.

The tail that you see is all there is - just enough to flick about in a cute manner. He's always been pretty healthy, too, which is more than you can say for a lot of barn-type outdoor cats. We love Hamster T. Cat, aka Hammie.

Orange Feral Cat With Tire

2011-12-05T00:06:00.000-08:00

Orange feral peeks at me from behind an old tire that is used as a tarp weight. This was the morning feeding since, during this time of year, it's usually too dark to take pictures during the evening feeding.

While feeding, I carry a pocket camera with me - sometimes I get the best shots that way: The cats are more relaxed and have dropped their guard a little. After all, we've been doing this routine twice a day for almost ten years now!

If it isn't raining or too dark, I take several pictures. Most of them amount to nothing; I take them during the natural flow of the whole food distribution process to keep the ferals anxiety-free. If I took a lot of time to frame shots they'd get scared and run off. So mostly the pictures are trash but I thought this one looked interesting.

We've had several dry days in a row lately - very unusual for this area at this time of year; a place where rainfall is measured in FEET not inches. I'm happy about it and I'm sure that the cats are, too.

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pocket camera
Panasonic Lumix DMC ZX5

December Cat Wallpaper - Mojo

2011-11-29T09:43:00.000-08:00

Mojo is a half-tail brown tabby. Even though he is a feral cat, he's almost tame.

This photo wallpaper above is formatted for a wide screen monitor and is fairly large - although it can be stretched or crunched easily for any desktop. There is also a standard 4:3 version is below:

Feral Kitten

2011-11-28T16:25:00.000-08:00

A feral kitten, trying to learn about the world. It's a hard life, for sure. We try to make it a little better.

Hammie's Thought For The Day

2011-11-24T10:15:00.000-08:00

Hamster T "Hammie" Cat, the friendly bobtail feral, has many thoughts on many subjects.

To USA friends, Hammie says "Happy Thanksgiving Day" and blessings to all kitties and cat ladies everywhere.

Gadget, Fearless Feral

2011-11-22T15:49:00.000-08:00

A rare Hipstamatic view of Gadget the Fearless Feral, twin sister of the more often-photographed but equally fearless Coppertop. There is something in their genes that makes them, effectively, pets; they just aren't afraid.

Coppertop wanders here and there every day but her sister Gadget has a warm hay spot and mostly she doesn't come out all that much. Today, though, she has graced us with her presence.

Thank you for visiting us, sweet, chubby little Gadget!

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Hipstamatic 226
John S lens
Kodot XGrizzled film

Georgia On Her Mind

2011-11-21T10:02:00.000-08:00

Rescue kitten Georgia has something on her mind, it seems. She's an always-curious, always looking for adventure kind of kitten - a very tortie-like personality. Or maybe she's thinking about her tortie sister Florida ...she hasn't seen her in awhile.

Georgia always has things on her mind.

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Nikon pocket camera photo

Two Resting Feral Cats

2011-11-16T12:03:00.000-08:00

Today the wind blows and there is a cold, driving rain - but I took this picture yesterday afternoon when there was a rare bit of sun.

Every feral cat knows that when there is sun you must take maximum advantage; sun yourself and get warm while you can. But that was yesterday.

Today we have cold and the rain beats down and there is not a feral cat to be seen anywhere.

Yesterday, I knew enough to grab my pocket camera and get a few pictures because I never know when the next opportunity might be. Yesterday we had sun and calm and although it wasn't warm it wasn't exactly cold either ...yesterday.

Today is a day to hide and to try to keep dry. Today is not a day we want to wander around outside or sprawl out in the open for a nap. That was yesterday.

Today, we seek only shelter.

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Nikon p7000
Pocket camera

Fran The Hero Cat

2011-11-13T12:01:00.000-08:00

Fran the Former Feral may look like an ordinary Siamese-ish kitty, but she's really a cat hero. And we're all glad....

It was Thursday evening that we discovered Spot the former feral was missing. He normally stays indoors at night but is out during the day. We have so many former ferals that we can't keep them all in.

We looked and called but no Spotsy. We have a coyote problem - to be honest, we feared the worst. Friday morning I was out looking again, calling here and there - when I thought I heard a weak meow. I hunted and called and finally located the sound: It was Spot and he was far up a 50 foot Spruce tree near the apple orchard. I think maybe something chased him and he saved himself. But then he was afraid to come down. I called and Spotsy meowed, but he just couldn't figure out how to get down.

Finally, I gave up. Then my sister came out and called some more. No luck. But while she was calling, Fran appeared. She looked at my sister. She looked up the tree.

Fran climbed to the lowest branch and called Spotsy. Spot answered but seemed to terrified to come down. He just meowed.... Fran called back but still no Spot.

After a bit, Fran gave a little kitty sigh and climbed the rest of the way up the tree ... in a moment, the meowing stopped.

Perhaps a minute later, Fran reappeared with Spot in tow, coming down the tree. Little Spot followed Fran with great care until they both reached the ground, then Fran went on her way while Spotsy took the opportunity to be picked up and held before being brought inside.

Fran showed Spot the way home. Spot spent a cold night in a tree but now he's had a meal and well-earned rest. What an ordeal for poor Spotsy...

A worn-out Spot takes a nap after his ordeal

Fran was Spot's rescuer; his firefighter. Congratulations, Fran - you are a cat hero. Thank you, Fran. I'm just sorry you never got the loving home that you deserve.

Hero Cat Fran

Just a Feral Tortie At Rest

2011-11-10T09:23:00.000-08:00

Life isn't so bad around here for a feral cat. It's not like being a pet but there is food and shelter. Compared to so many homeless cats, life is pretty good. This feral tortie is taking an after-breakfast break and enjoying a brief bit of sun.

I'm glad I can keep them going, even though with the economy the way it is I have to confess it's been harder to keep them fed. But so far I'm still managing. I guess, all things considered, these ferals are better off than many people.

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Nikon P7000 pocket camera photo

Just Mort The Cat

2011-11-07T17:32:00.000-08:00

Little Mort is not so little anymore; once a very sick feral kitten he was rescued and tamed but never found a home. He still hops on cars and brushes up against people, hoping to be petted.

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Nikon P7000 pocket camera photo

Big Fluffy Orange Half-Tail Feral Cat

2011-11-03T10:10:00.000-07:00

He's the son of "Son of Sickboy" and the only one in that family line to have half a tail: What you see in this picture is all there is, it's not the camera angle - he has a tail that's maybe 2 to 3 inches long.

Son of Son of Sickboy is a shy kitty, he tries to stay out of site and out of the way of people. He manages to stay well-fed though and seems to be ready for winter.

November Wallpaper Cat - Beautiful Tabby Kitten

2011-10-31T10:12:00.000-07:00

This adorable feral tabby kitten has the perfect color scheme for fall, and the leaves only enhance the seasonal look. Such a sweet face, it's too bad she isn't a pet.

The photo wallpaper above is in a new, larger size and is for wide screens. A standard 4:3 version is below:

INSTRUCTIONS FOR FREE WALLPAPER: Click on the image of your choice to see the full size version, then right-click on it (one-button Macs, use CONTROL-Click) - with the blogger lighbtox view, now you need to click "show original" in the lower left corner - in most browsers you can set it as your desktop wallpaper from there by selecting "Set as Desktop Background". - This also saves the image to your computer.

These images should work with pretty much any desktop - they can easily be stretched or squished to fit your needs.

If you have any problems or issues - or tips/suggestions - just let me know in the comments.

Tortie Georgia Looks At You

2011-10-26T12:14:00.000-07:00

Georgia, name derived from Curious George(ia), is looking at you. She still needs a home of her own and now here it is fall and the weather is getting colder....

You can tell Georgia from her sister Florida by the dark nose. Georgia is also much more independent than Florida, who prefers laps and houses over exploration and adventure. Florida is also getting a bit round around the middle since her surgery, whereas Georgia has so far managed to maintain her girly figure.

I've got a leaky old RV that I put them in at night. It's not like having a home but it beats being out in the cold and rain and coyote-infested wild.

Little Siamese and Hipstamatic

2011-10-24T15:58:00.000-07:00

Well, we call the little brown tabby "Hipstamatic" but she got that name by accident. A while back, I posted a picture of her using the iphone Hipstamatic camera app: It shoots pictures with a very retro, old film look. I posted it to Flickr with a title like "Cat, Hipstamatic" - and it became her name because that's what people thought I was saying. It's cute, anyway. The little Siamese doesn't have a name but he's the brother of the one and only adoption we've had lately.

I did some trapping at a trailer park for United Paws, and that went pretty well. We've lost some cats here, though, and that has made it difficult for me to post. I get to feeling down and it's hard to write. I'll work on it.

Still Searching...

2011-10-09T12:30:00.000-07:00

Recently back from her trip to the vet for spaying, this is one of the rescued tortie twins. I was going to say that this is Florida, but now I think it might be Georgia. It's hard for me to remember if I don't see them together.

She would still like a home - even better if it was a home with her sister. But then there is also Muffin (see previous post) ... so lots of kitties seeking homes, but few out there to share some love. How sad.

Fluffy Muffin Kitten and Friend

2011-10-05T16:55:00.000-07:00

The fluffy little dilute tortie/calico manx kitten is the one I've been telling you about. She was abandoned by her mom at about 5 weeks old, and left out in the cold for at least two days before I found her. The fact that she survived at all is a testament to her will to live.

Now she loves people and we're all done with bottle feeding and worming, and antibiotics and flea treatments and all that - and she needs a loving forever home. We're calling her Muffin for now.

Her friend, "Biscuit" is borrowed so that Muffin could have someone to curl up with at night. She is very fond of people but she missed having a bit of fur to snuggle with at night.

At Rest

2011-10-04T12:11:00.000-07:00

A feral cat, confident of being hidden, decides to take a nap. It's probably one of the last sunny days we'll see for the next 8 months or so...

I've been pretty negligent about posting, haven't I? It doesn't mean I'm not doing anything, though. And I still have a fluffy kitten I'm working on rehabilitating - hopefully I'll be able to show her, soon.

Tuxedo Kitten Wonders

2011-09-22T11:39:00.000-07:00

This cute little tuxedo kitten is actually the sister of the two torties for whom I've been trying to find homes. She and her sisters will be going to the vet shortly and I wanted you to see her.

I also have a very young orphaned kitten that looks like a little stuffed toy; all fluffy and mottled - with a stubby Manx tail; I'll photograph her once she's cleaned up and ready for her public appearance. She's only about 5 weeks old or so and I'm bottle-feeding her at the moment. What we need, are loving homes.

Feral Cat Whitey Rests

2011-09-13T12:39:00.000-07:00

Now a middle-aged feral cat, Whitey takes a well-deserved rest from his life of constant vigilance. He has more courage than I - he keeps going when I feel like giving up.

We still have the torties available for adoption. I hope someone takes them before it's too late. We lost several to diseases and predation. I'll deal with that at some point but right now I'm not up to talking about it. Suffice to say, this is why I feel like I can't do this anymore.

September Desktop Cat Calendar - Dora The Explorer

2011-09-01T13:56:00.000-07:00

Dora the explorer is a rescue kitten, still here and on her way to adulthood. Her relatively rare dilute tortie coloring makes her a rarity and her tortie personality makes her a delight.

The photo wallpaper above is in a new, larger size and is for wide screens. A standard 4:3 version is below:

How about Florida the Tortie?

2011-08-19T13:52:00.000-07:00

As you know, we have sister torties available for adoption (born April 6) that we've been calling Georgia - from "Curious George" and because we hadn't come up with a name for her sister, Non-Georgia. Bob suggested calling Non-Georgia, Florida. So at least tentatively, this is is dear Florida. She loves people, by the way. And if you adopt her you can give her any name you want.

Feral Kittens Play

2011-08-15T17:23:00.000-07:00

Feral kittens - new arrivals - have a fun game in an odd location. An anonymous feral mom brought them from their safe hiding place to the open air: and right next to the car's tire. An intentional act, I think... a gift, even. Not a gift to us; it is a gift to them.

What greater sacrifice could a mother make, and what greater love, than to offer up her babies in the hope of a better life for them? I can only imagine the fear and the hope in her little cat brain. It is a wish borne of desperation - and a greater act of love could not be found among humankind.

Cat mother wishes only for a better life for her babies. She wants to save them... If only I could make that cat mother's wish come true. She doesn't know about the torties, already tamed, who can't find homes. How could she? But I know....

The kittens play and they learn about life. They don't know about this drama that is seeming to unfold; the one where their mother offers them to the humans in the hope of saving her babies from the feral life - but the humans can't take them. And you know what? I'm glad they don't know because at least for the moment they can have some joy. We all have plenty of time to cry, later.

This tiny little tabby tom(?) is especially curious about the world. Here he plays with a plant. A moment later I was able to tempt him with a bit of deli sliced turkey; I captured him and held him for a while - before returning him to his unknown fate.

We all wish there were more homes. The mother cat has great hopes for her babies; that they might be saved by the people. I can't tell her how things really are. Such beautiful babies, I would tell her, but there just isn't enough love in the world to give them even a tiny share. Not enough love for them ...nothing left over for her babies.

There's no room at the inn...

I wish that were not so, but it is the truth. It's the thing that brings so many tears in the night. While I wish I could believe in the loving world I once believed in, I can't: I know the terrible truth.

Tortie Kittens Need Love, Too !

2011-08-10T10:56:00.000-07:00

All made-up, colorful and pretty ..and no place to go! Aww. Georgia, the four month old Tortie kitten seems like she's looking for love. She and her sister, Non-Georgia, are a pair of friendly, smart, and charming tortie kittens that were rescued.

Non-Georgia (above) and her sister are the cutest things to me! I love them and I think torties in general are adorable. But for some reason they can be hard to adopt out. Which is sad. Personally, I think they are wonderful; they have that special tortie-attitude that is unique to this coloration. I want to have them for my own but I'm already maxed-out on cats. And they deserve some love.

Georgia and Non-Georgia aren't really box trained but you can work with them; they are very smart. They need a loving, safe home. I'd work with whomever adopted them for shots and spaying as they get old enough. I just want them to be well-cared for.

I hope someone will save them! Our rescued tortie from last year was not adopted and became a victim of coyote predation before the summer was over. I still haven't recovered from that one and I don't need more things to cry over.

Wouldn't you like to save this little face?

Anyone can use the contact links to get hold of me here - or on Facebook or Twitter. Maybe these torties can be spared the fate of last year's rescued tortie kitten.

Oh Punk

2011-08-09T11:52:00.000-07:00

It is the Summer of Punk, the oldest feral tom cat in the colony. Do not let his looks fool you: You might think that he's the meanest cat in the colony too but Punk is actually a sweet little scaredy cat. He's the kind of guy who would have been someone's adorable lap kitty with just a little luck, but things didn't go that way for him.

I'm not sure how old Punk is, really but I might guess that he's anywhere from seven to ten years old, which is almost miraculous for a feral cat. He's been hanging out closer to the people, lately; perhaps he's just gotten tired of the feral life.

The Fran of Summer

2011-08-06T17:36:00.001-07:00

Just an ipad photo of Fran. Summer has finally arrived and I am doing more outdoor stuff, such as a little cycling to take some weight off.

In other news, we had an adoption today! A little Siamese kitten was abandoned yesterday, and today our postal carrier lady asked for it. Now if only someone would take our little tortie kittens.

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Widget the Cat Questions My Intentions

2011-08-04T22:36:00.000-07:00

Widget the Cat seems to be wondering what I'm up to, perhaps curious or is that a look of disdain? We'll never know, I guess.

Feral Kittens, Cats, and Toys

2011-08-02T06:34:00.000-07:00

A little play experiment with cat toys and feral cats... I tossed out a couple of cat toys in the yard to see what would happen.

Fran is the first to move in. Okay, technically she isn't a feral cat but a rescued as yet unadopted kitty. But she loves these toys. Soon she has help.

"Little Tabby," definitely a feral, moves in to help Fran with the fun. These toys were provided by Patti "Mewmart" Arnold of Etsy Catcalls - thank you. ...Eventually we moved to a porch to continue the action. Remember the sickly-looking feral kitten from the July 28 post (post before last)?

She loves it! Just a feral kitten, she didn't know that there were such things as toys. Delightful! She had a pretty good time until "Good Mom" cat 'borrowed' this one...

Good Mom had a lot of fun too, and even played a little playful tug of war with the little kitten as well as other kitties...

They had fun and I tried hard to not interrupt with my incessant clicking. Things started to slow down, finally. Then Star Cat got involved...

And then it was three times as good. Everybody played. It seems like feral cats are reasonably cooperative - at least when it comes to games.

I could go on but I think we have the general idea; feral cats love to play with toys. The fact that they aren't pets doesn't really alter their basic personalities. ....Star Cat enjoyed the pillow toy too:

Star Cat stands up to hug his pillow. ...I think it's fair to say that a good time was had by all. And of course, there will be many more adventures yet to come.

August Desktop Wallpaper Calender - TV

2011-08-01T05:50:00.000-07:00

TV Cat was named by my daughter - for looking like a cat you'd see in a pet food commercial on television.

The photo wallpaper above is in a new, larger size and is for wide screens. A standard 4:3 version is below:

Feral Kitten

2011-07-28T10:02:00.000-07:00

Not always a pretty site... every kitten is beautiful in my eyes but the reality is that pretty much all feral kittens are sick and most of them don't make it - except for human intervention, anyway. I haven't captured this one, except with my camera.

If a kitten is rescued, it still will often have long term health problems because that's the way of nature. In the real world, most living things are sick most of the time. In a first world country with modern medicine, we've forgotten that. I know because I have to live with this everyday.

If a kitten gets captured and manages to get beyond the sickness, then there is the question of homes: There aren't enough of them and as heartbreaking as it is to see a sick kitten, it is at least as heartbreaking to capture and tame a feral kitten, and nurse it back to health, only to have to turn it back loose in the feral colony because there is no place for it to go. And in this regard, I'm just about at the end of my rope.

I have kittens but I do not have homes for them. And this is sometimes too painful to talk about.

Posing

2011-07-25T12:30:00.000-07:00

What's missing is the motion: This is one of our feral cats - the chubby black girl we see in the occasional photo. Here she is busy posing for me, trying her best to look cute - as long as I keep my distance. I added a couple of photos to better appreciate her efforts.

I think even feral cats want to be loved, it's just that their fear gets the better of them. And that is sad.

Right now, though, our cute feral girl wants to be noticed. So we're rolling around...

Peeking to make sure the human is watching... then striking a pose:

Suspicion

2011-07-20T11:35:00.000-07:00

I get this all the time; that, 'What are you looking at?' stare. Feral cats are usually happier when they are unnoticed. It's safer that way.

Widget, Coppertop on Van Roof

2011-07-18T11:21:00.000-07:00

Well we've finally had a break in the dreary weather in this part of the world. It's a brief break, for sure, as it will be back to raining tomorrow. In the meantime, though, Coppertop and Widget take advantage; sunning themselves on the van roof.

I also took advantage of the brief reappearance of sun by taking a few pictures. So we're all getting something out of it.

Blog The Change For Animals - July 15

2011-07-15T13:23:00.000-07:00

Well, I just found out about this TODAY, thanks to the wonderful Patty of the Art & Sew Forth blog mentioning this cat blog. Thank you.

You know, I just try to help the poor feral cats and give some a chance to be pets. That's why I originally called this blog Feral Kitten Rescue. But homes are so hard to come by. Many tamed kittens end up staying in the feral colony because nobody adopts them. And then we always end up losing some to coyote predation.

The ones that survive at least have two meals a day and warm places to sleep at night, but they're still not in loving homes. We need to see more adoptions.

Since this is a day to recognize people who help animals, I want to recognize possibly the world's greatest cat trapper and rescuer: Jodi of the Cat Eyes photo blog. Be sure to visit her blog. I've never met her but I know she's busy running around all over the place trapping and rescuing kitties - and gets no credit for it. So I just want to say, thank you.

Visit: Cat Eyes

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Two Tabby Feral Cats at Rest

2011-07-14T12:28:00.000-07:00

Two tabby feral cats, just relaxing and napping after breakfast. This is their most contented time.

I took too much time off for my birthday, probably, so I haven't posted much since the weekend. It happens. The kitties still get attention every day but I don't always schedule time to take pictures of them.

This is also coyote season and I worry about how many cats we will lose. The most heartbreaking, of course, are the ones that were tamed as feral kittens and put up for adoption - but nobody adopted them. We lose some of those precious pets every year. :( It's so sad. I do what I can but I can't guard them 24/7 - if only I could. I wish there were more homes because I have several kitties that could be adopted and kept safe instead of living in danger among the colony.

More Kitten Party, Adorable Tortie

2011-07-08T11:26:00.000-07:00

After all the play time, the newspaper-shredding and the wrestling and tossing of the Catcalls-provided kitty toy, it's time for a rest for the (I think) non-Georgia tortie baby, who is joined by Dora the Explorer - who is also a tortie of the muted variety and still a kitten herself. And both are very adoptable...

Cuddling with the catcalls toy so beloved by the tortie group - these pictures were taken with my pocket camera, by the way, so they are not the best. But I think they are still cute enough to share. :)

Part 1 of this kitten party, from day before yesterday, can be found here. Kittens need homes!

Kitten Party!

2011-07-06T10:15:00.000-07:00

I have kittens for you! Little feral kittens that need homes - where are my kitten adopters, hmm? The orange tom still has a residual cold but everyone else is doing well. This group of 4 kittens features two torties!

It's a tortie party! Yes, I know you can only see one in the picture above. From the time these babies were teeny tiny, one of the two torties has always gone her own way. She's sweet but perhaps a bit more aloof than average - and very curious about everything. We've called her Curious Georgia. You'll see her below....

So there you have it! Four kittens that need safe, loving homes. Because being a feral cat isn't all that great. Their mom is spayed now, btw.

It's The ... Thing - Tree Monster

2011-07-03T11:30:00.000-07:00

I was wandering around one day when I happened to spot this thing on a tree branch, just sorting floating there; a bundle of fur, defying gravity. What is this thing? I asked no one in particular. I had my pocket camera with me so I snapped this quick photo. No doubt the National Enquirer will be interested in my capture of some unknown creature. Perhaps it is the legendary Chupacabra!

You just don't see fur on a stick that often. Here we have an unknown animal that appears to just grow out of a tree branch. Well, sort of. I decided to go and get my big camera and try a different angle.

When I returned with the DSLR and long lens, I decided to circle wide around the creature so as to avoid riling it up. I mean, who knows what could happen. After making a wide half circle I finally got an angle to capture the frightening visage of the Great Tree Monster. Prepare to be horrified!

The Tree Monster has name - it's Punk Tom. Punk is known for doing unusual things. I didn't know he slept in trees before. Apparently he can hang on in his sleep. And now I feel guilty for disturbing his nap.

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Pocket camera: Nikon P7000
DSLR: Canon 20D w/400mm L lens.

July Desktop Calendar - Sphinx The Feral Cat

2011-06-28T12:24:00.000-07:00

His pose reminded me of The Sphinx - the Egyption statue not the cat breed. I decided to call him Sphynx for that reason. He is one of several orange toms in the feral colonies.

The photo wallpaper above is in a new, larger size and is for wide screens. A standard 4:3 version is below (also in a new larger size):

Bailey At Rest

2011-06-23T09:33:00.000-07:00

Bailey is the cat that received his name by a vote of the readers! You may recall Bailey as the Lonely Road cat that had a little poll run to give him a name and Bailey was the result. He's still around and still mostly keeps to himself.

Feral Cat X-Ray Hitler

2011-06-20T09:56:00.000-07:00

Okay it is a stupid name but it comes from a time when my daughter still lived here and I haven't thought of a better one. Anyway it's kind of funny if you don't take these things too seriously. This cat is the offspring of the late Shemp the tuxedo tom and is now a middle aged feral.

We lost Shemp in 2010.

Time For A Rest

2011-06-16T07:49:00.000-07:00

It's been a long day of exploring, walking around smelling stuff, visiting with other kitties, looking at things... it feels like it is time for a nap. There is a time and a place for everything in the world. There is a time to observe. There is a time to participate. There is a time to try new things. And there is a time to rest.

Coppertop the friendly feral has had a long and busy day and now it is late afternoon. This is nap time, at least for a brief moment or two. After all, "now" is the only time we really have - when you think about it. And we don't need a fancy place, either.

A warm car roof will do quite nicely, thank you. Just a little break, before we go explore once again. ...Sleep well, Coppertop.

Tabitha in Thought

2011-06-14T10:29:00.000-07:00

Just Frankie's sister, Tabitha, contemplating the world. Tabitha is a highly intelligent and friendly cat. She's a little jumpy, sometimes (easily frightened by loud sounds or sudden movement) but other than that she's a friendly cat. She's somewhat bossy with other kitties, though.

Hidden Tabby Cat

2011-06-13T10:21:00.000-07:00

A tabby cat hides in the grass and feels secure in this well-hidden location. Pocket camera photo.

Sleeping Little Tabby Cat

2011-06-09T09:49:00.000-07:00

Little Tabby got his name because he was smaller than the other kittens. We have a long history going back to Little Tabby's days as a very tiny kitten left to fend for himself a bit young, along with his all-white brother. Recently, I happened to see him asleep near a log and snapped this pocked camera picture.

About a year ago I wrote an update about Little Tabby today - in that post, you can follow the story of Little Tabby from kittenhood through tough times, to today. To get the whole story of little tabby, go to the post Little Tabby Today and look at the other blog posts linked there.

We love our Little Tabby.

Little Lion, A Story

2011-06-07T06:01:00.000-07:00

Little Lion

The sun breaks across the fields and pastures; I stir from my safe sleeping spot. Now is the time for me to venture forth to find food, as with other creatures of the wild.

I sit for a moment to contemplate the fields. Birds now chirp and in the distance my sensitive ears pick up a stirring in the grasslands. Creatures large and small, predator and prey, all begin the great dance. This is my domain. I am a lion.

Sliding gracefully through the fences, my paws feel the cold and the moisture of the ground – but not only that; they pick up the tiniest vibrations. I hear the sound of the wind through the tall grass.. and so much more. The grass is taller than I but my ears, my nose and my paws tell me what is nearby.

I venture forth into the wild world, a lone hunter seeking sustenance. A mouse would taste good right now but a bug will do.

All my senses are on full alert. I must be on guard for everywhere there are things that wish me harm. They would like to make a meal of me. Can you imagine that? I must stop and listen and smell the air, alert for danger and for food.

Suddenly, in the distance I hear another sound. This one is different from all the others and I have come to know it well. The sounds that greet my ears tell me that soon I will have my breakfast.

I turn and begin slowly stalking, focusing on this new sound while remaining alert for enemies. In the distance I hear the scurrying of paws, some clanging and new footsteps. I pause to consider the possible dangers. Despite my best efforts I cannot contain my excitement and I begin to trot and then to run. I must pursue my meal before it gets away.

Leaping obstacles at full speed, my predator instincts are now focused on a single purpose; that delicious morsel of breakfast upon which I now pounce.

This breakfast doesn’t have fur. And although it disappears quickly, it has never run away. This meal, you see, is provided by strangers who leave it for all my kin and me. I don’t know why they do this, but I am glad. The ones who leave the food are called people. They are large and sometimes I am afraid of them. But I like what they bring for me. Yes, it is for me! They know me, somehow, and they call my name.

The people call me Little Lion – and that is what I am.

Food and a nap

2011-06-06T10:12:00.000-07:00

Pocket camera photo - TV Cat grabs some leftovers as Punk Tom takes a rest from his many tom cat duties, yet continues to reign over his subjects.

---

The duties of senior tom are many. Punk watches for danger, mediates disputes, protects the young, challenges overly assertive boys. He’s done it all. He’s seen it all. For Punk, these must be the golden years of tomcattery. No more big fights, no longer having to watch ones back at every moment.

We still guard the colony, though, overseeing our children and theirs and beyond… a meal makes a good break in this routine. And sometimes, it is good to just nap.

Yet another feral tabby

2011-06-04T09:59:00.000-07:00

I said there would be more and here we are... yet another tabby, so many of the poor things among the feral cats that I haven't really named them all. As I mentioned in the previous tabby post, some of them just don't stand out enough. That makes me sad because they are individuals and I think they deserve recognition as such. So here you go, tabby cat.

In other news, Dora and Spot are back from their trip to the vet, sponsored by United Paws. Spot had an instant recovery, Dora is taking longer. They are very adoptable kitties and you will find them on this site if you poke around.

Tortie in the shadows

2011-06-02T09:23:00.000-07:00

Under houses and barns, under cars and farm equipment, anywhere that is unseen; a feral cat prefers the shadows and small spaces of the world. It's safer that way. And why take unnecessary chances?

This middle aged (or possibly even senior!) feral tortoise shell kitty has reached maturity by exercising caution. She's wary....
All her life, there has been someone providing food. She knows that and has a certain tolerance for people - as long as one doesn't approach her.

The world is full of scary things, large and small... mostly large. If you remain unseen, you have a chance at a little peace and quiet. If you are lucky, there will be only an occasional camera to disturb you.

Just Another Tabby Cat

2011-05-31T10:31:00.000-07:00

This kitty looks a lot like Tabitha (pronounced Ta BETH ah in honor of comedy duo Bob and Ray) but it isn't. For one thing, this feral cat is male. For another, you can't get anywhere near it. He's part of the contingent of feral cats that don't have names, even though I try to keep track of them all as individuals.

I actually kind of feel bad about that. I want every feral cat to have the dignity of a name. It's difficult, though, with cats that aren't friendly and/or aren't seen all that often - especially when they don't have real stand-out features. I guess I just have to accept my inadequacy in this regard.

I'll have more to show later... oh, and don't forget about June's desktop wallpaper (previous post).

June Desktop Wallpaper Cat: Fran!

2011-05-29T19:06:00.000-07:00

You could almost play Find the Photographer in her eyes! Originally shot for my Cat Eyes t-shirt series (bottom of blog), This high-detail photo of Fran is our June Cat of the Month free desktop wallpaper.

The photo wallpaper above is in a new, larger size and is for wide screens. A standard 4:3 version is below (also in a new larger size):

Even Coppertop is tired of the weather

2011-05-27T16:36:00.000-07:00

It's another damp day - between showers now but the ground is wet. Even-tempered Coppertop, the cat that is never upset by anything, well... even she is getting really tired of this winter-like spring.

We've arrived at Memorial Day weekend. Usually big around here: We're a destination spot. But it's going to rain almost all weekend. I don't know why anyone would still come here.

Coppertop wonders, too.

At Rest Feral Cat

2011-05-26T09:03:00.000-07:00

Taking a break in the day, a fluffy ginger feral cat rests. I think this is post-feeding, too, which is all the more reason to relax for a little while.

Grass snack cat

2011-05-25T10:00:00.000-07:00

Sometimes indoor life seems a bit boring. Dora the dilute tortie and former feral kitten sneaks out and grabs a quick grass snack while nobody is looking. Dora was named for Dora the Explorer because she's always poking her nose into things ...and scheming...

Oh oh ..... caught!

The eyes tell the story. Shortly thereafter, Dora was returned to indoor life. Foiled again...

Star-Cat Random

2011-05-24T10:01:00.000-07:00

The general crappy NON-spring weather looks like it will continue indefinitely so I haven't been getting many opportunities to take pictures. Here's a random Star Cat snapshot, anyway. He is the son of the Good Mother tabby we've seen here a few times. I remember I have also referred to him as Star Cat and Spotlight cat because of this photo.

Today is supposed to be the ONE non-rainy day we get so of course I have to work. I'll try to get something as soon as I can. Anyway, I'm not really complaining. The kitties don't care much for all this rain either but we all manage.

If You Have An Itch ...

2011-05-23T09:00:00.000-07:00

It's true, if you have an itch, scratch it. Advice from Hammie The Cat. A candid moment for mini bobcat Hamster, enjoying a good scratch.

If you happened to see the feeding time picture from yesterday, Hammie would have been just off camera to the right. Hammie, like many of the feral cats, has his own official spot for feeding. He expects food in a certain place ...otherwise, it must not be for him! He will wait patiently until everyone else is fed in their spots, in order for food to appear at his official dining point.

I'm not getting too many opportunities to take pictures lately; time and a ridiculously wet spring have made it difficult. I was just lucky to catch this one, as Hammie's unguarded moment gets shared with the world.

A few of the many

2011-05-22T09:41:00.000-07:00

It's feeding time - a few of the many feral cats that show up for feedings. This is just one of 4 feeding points and there are many cats here not visible in the picture.

You Are Interrupting My Game

2011-05-20T09:52:00.000-07:00

Pesky Cat seems just slightly annoyed with me... I happened to see her slithering around outside so I thought I'd grab a quick pocket camera picture of her. But she seemed irritated by the interruption.

Oh! Pesky and Spot are playing a mutual stalking game and I interrupted. Sorry!

Play on!

Scruffy Willemina Cat

2011-05-19T10:06:00.000-07:00

Willemina always looks pretty scruffy and unkempt. She has one clean leg, though - the only one she remembers to bathe. Willemina is the daughter of Maine Coon, the late Willem DeKooning ...no brain trust himself, his daughter is known around here as The World's Dumbest Cat.

Why does she have that name? Well, she's hard to feed because she's distracted by shiny objects. One has to put the food right under her nose and dart away quick lest she follow whatever is moving at the moment. Also, when trapping other ferals, you can count on catching Willemina at least three or four times.

She has a good nature, basically speaking. Perhaps that is because she isn't smart enough to be vicious. I can pet her if I'm careful but handling is not recommended.

Tortie Barn Cat

2011-05-16T19:26:00.000-07:00

One nice thing about an old farm with a lot of ancient, broken-down equipment is that it gives a kitty many many places to hide. And that's a good thing.

A lovely feral tortoise shell cat gives us a quick look before disappearing under a farm truck.

Cat Does Not Trust Me

2011-05-16T09:49:00.000-07:00

This kitty suspects that I'm up to something - it has that "What are you trying to do?" look; obviously skeptical of my intentions. When I looked at the photo later I couldn't decide which feral cat this is. At first I thought it was Curly, but decided that it was not.

The Good Mother Cat ..plus a dream

2011-05-13T15:10:00.000-07:00

Pretty feral tabby, called the Good Mother cat because - back when she was a mom - she worked so hard to find a better life for her kittens. And after she was spayed, she remained life-long friends with her son, Star Cat. Here she's sitting atop a feral cat holding cage.

Nothing to do with anything else, really....

The Genesis Item

I just received a beautifully gift-boxed item from my Twitter friend Pink80sGirl: It's a rosary necklace she created. (She does a beautiful job of photographing her work, doesn't she?) As for this particular piece; I don't know what it is about it but I like it. It also feels like it has a history, though, even though it's new. Okay, I know, I'm getting into nutty land here, but you can indulge me once in a while, right? And yes, I'm completely away from talking about the cats ...for the moment. It comes back to them, though.

The Dream

So anyway, I slept with the necklace on last night, because I'm just weird like that, and here is what I dreamed: I found myself in a house I'd characterize as a farm house; very plain. It seemed like a desolate area - it reminded me of some of the pictures Fran from Alberta posts of her area in the far north. Plus, Fran recently posted pictures of foxes, and that was probably the genesis because I found a dog in the house that kind of looked like a fluffy version of a fox. In the house, the living room just off the kitchen-dining area, I met a woman I did not know, who seemed to dress like the 50's or 60's with hairstyle to match. Everything was wrong for our era - but would have made sense 30 or 40 years ago. Even the TV was black and white.

This woman, the resident of the old house, is obviously a dog lover -- so we fussed over the dog for a while - then in typical dreamlike fashion it occurred to me that we had a theme of animals and the past. So I wondered if I could find someone special here, too. As I thought about that, there was a scratch-scratch at the screen door, so I went and opened it. There was a rail on some steps leading up to the door and on the rail were Miss Thing and Soda, two cats we've lost in recent years.

I was so glad to see them; I petted them and told them how much I missed them. They missed me, too. It was a happy reunion. But I also thought about how these were all things that could never again be so. I thought even as I petted the kitties about how all this was lost to the past and how only my memories keep them alive. Then I woke up...

I felt sad because... well, I guess because I seem so powerless to make the lives of these animals any better. I'd like them all to have loving, safe homes but I can't make that happen. There's nothing I can do to make that happen. Nothing. There just aren't enough people out there who care enough and are compassionate enough to give those good homes. But people are too into themselves. So many see a pet as a mere accessory instead of a living being. ...I cried.

I miss the kitties that have passed on.

Thank you for indulging my nuttiness for a brief time. I won't make a habit of it.

Feral Cats Gossip

2011-05-09T22:00:00.000-07:00

Feral cats on the farm, gossiping amongst themselves, as cats will, telling secrets and stories... entertaining themselves, perhaps with tall tales and idle gossip....

"Did you see what Tabitha did at breakfast this morning?"
"OMG, I can't believe it!"
"I know! Right?"

We can use our imagination, anyway. These kitties clearly have something to say. Perhaps they are talking about the cat hiding in the weeds, watching them from afar.

They are a part of our world but we aren't quite a part of theirs - not enough to be part of the conversation.

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Pocket camera photo

Fluffy Orange on Patrol

2011-05-08T19:17:00.000-07:00

Caught on film: Orange Fluff is out on patrol! That bunch of fur on the lower left is his swishing tail. He's very healthy looking for a feral cat.

Backlighting is always a challenge and sometimes there is just no "right" exposure. I shot this one on the fly but I thought it came out with an acceptable balance considering the high-contrast situation.

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Film photography: Canon A2 Fuji Superia 1600

Mort Hopes to be Petted

2011-05-07T17:33:00.000-07:00

Mort, adopted brother of rescue kitty Fran, longs to be petted and loved. Poor boy. I give him as much attention as I can.

Tortie Cat on Van Roof Expectantly

2011-05-05T10:50:00.000-07:00

Here is one of our feral tortie cats, perched atop my oh-so-decrepit van, looking for a handout. Since I feed treats there, sometimes, it's the place to be for feral cats in-the-know!

Poor camper van has had too many sick kittens live there... I hope to replace it someday.

MoJo 2 Half Tailed Cat

2011-05-04T12:09:00.000-07:00

Caught prowling the yard, a rare glimpse of Mojo 2, the half-tailed tabby cat. I remember when Mojo 2 was kind of a tame, friendly boy but it seems like even the friendly ones get more feral with time in the colony. It makes me sad when I think about it so I try to not .... well, he's reasonably happy I think, just shy. Mojo 2 is the son of Ms Thing and was named after Ms Thing's Brother, Mojo - who unfortunately was lost as a kitten.

Widget The Cat At Rest

2011-05-02T18:38:00.000-07:00

Well it looks like Bob's cat, Widget, has been having another outdoor adventure and he's been so busy that he managed to wear himself out. I remember when Widget was a cat that never went outside but once he learned how to open the door that all changed.

Of course, I also remember Widget as a tiny runny-eyed feral kitten my daughter scooped up one day because he couldn't see well enough to run away. And that all started his new life...

Bobcat or Hamster ...

2011-05-01T17:03:00.000-07:00

It's none other than Hamster (Hammie) the cat, who is looking more bobcat-like than usual here. Hammie is the bobtail brother of Lucy, whom I adopted. He's a shy boy but a very handsome cat.

Hammie was up for adoption for a while, but after 4+ years it's pretty tough; he's used to being here with the feral cats.

Just as a reminder of where we've come from, I managed to dig up this old photo of Baby Hammie, recently abandoned by his cat mommy:

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Hammie Today: Film photography: Canon A2, Fuji Superia 1600
Baby Hammie: Pocket camera, Fuji Finepix s3000

May Desktop Wallpaper Calendar

2011-04-29T15:46:00.000-07:00

The May desktop wallpaper Cat is Whitey, one of our mostly-white feral cats. This photo was part of my film series and was shot with a Canon A2 using Fujifilm Superia 1600 - which means it has some grain. I think it adds to the charm and it is tough to get those colors any other way.

The image above is the wide screen version. We also have a standard "4:3" version:

Spotsy Cat, Up Close

2011-04-27T19:01:00.000-07:00

Spot the Cat, up close and personal ...Spotsy is about 8 months old now and he really wants to be a pet. He's getting to be shy around strangers, though.

The weather around here is still rather winter-like. In fact, it seems like "spring" is coming later every year. What's the deal with that? Anyway, we had a semi-spring day a couple of days ago and I snapped a quick closeup of Spot (400mm) ... He's sitting on my lap right now, actually. He doesn't know he's an Internet star. :)

A Peek At Napping Cat

2011-04-26T05:28:00.000-07:00

Trying to avoid disturbing the poor thing, we peek at a napping orange feral cat. We've had occasional sun breaks lately and everyone tries to take advantage of them when they occur. Even when the air is cool, the sun feels so good on ones fur.

Conference of Mostly Black Cats

2011-04-24T22:45:00.000-07:00

At feeding time, we seem to have a conference of mostly-black cats here: Not sure who is on the left; on the right is X-Ray Hitler and in the middle is the real-life brother of Mort and the only other survivor from his litter, Panda. He certainly has grown, hasn't he?

A Kitty's FOOD?!? Face

2011-04-23T11:02:00.000-07:00

Licking chops in anticipation of a food, Coppertop is on the roof of my van where she sometimes gets treats. I thought it was a cute expression - grabbed with my pocket camera.

Little Brown tabby has a Half-tail

2011-04-22T10:00:00.000-07:00

So it turns out that Little Brown, the cute tabby we've seen in a couple of photos, actually has one of those half-tails we see sometimes in this feral colony. We see bobtails, too. A very pretty cat, I think.

Surf Tom cat

2011-04-21T11:05:00.000-07:00

Surf Cat, don't wipe out! I don't know, this tom was on the roof of my sad, needs-to-be-replaced van. I framed the picture high to avoid glare off the van roof and it just came out kind of looking like he's surfing or something. Doesn't it?

You have the rusty pump house roof for the wave.... some blue sky, and that expression on his face. Hang ten, duuude. ...It's kind of like an art piece.

Frankie Cat, Ol' Blue Eyes

2011-04-20T10:24:00.000-07:00

I don't know why we haven't had a portrait of this cat before. He's the original blue-eyed rescue kitten, no longer a kitten of course; it's Frank Sinatra, aka Frankie, aka "Old Blue Eyes" - the reason he got that name in the first place.

The oft-photographed Fran (2) got her name because of him, although they're not directly related. (Well, Frankie plus Cat Lady Fran from Alberta). His face coloring is different from Fran, though.

Frankie is the adoptive brother of Tabitha and Gort, all were half-grown kittens about the time I started this blog, and even before when I talked about feral cats on my art site.

Frankie is now enormous... giant ...ginormous ...and he's still friendly (although very shy) despite having to spend most of his life outdoors.

Anyway, I wanted a blue-eyed cat for my cat eyes tee shirt collection ... I hope you're enjoying those. I've been trying to catch Fran sitting still long enough and finally yesterday I got the shot I wanted!

Fran, you may recall, had a bad eye when she was rescued as a kitten. We got her through all that and saved the eye but she does still look a little uneven and always will. While I was contemplating that fact, Frankie came along. He doesn't come up to me all that often so it was a welcome surprise. Being the dummy that I am, it took a minute to sink in, "oh, Frankie has blue eyes too!" and I caught this picture just in time. Frankie's eyes are a lighter blue than Fran - and each got a t-shirt of his/her own. (see near the bottom of the page) I know it's silly but I was proud of myself for finally thinking of the obvious.

Mission accomplished.

Just Feral Cats

2011-04-18T15:46:00.000-07:00

Nothing special, perhaps - just two feral cats. They aren't doing anything exciting, really; just trying to live their lives.

Skeptical Cat and Little Brown, photographed in a candid moment. Actually, when you think about it, what other kind of moments do they have? For them, everything is here and now. There is no tomorrow. Yesterday has long faded. That's how life is.

The difference between them and us; they know this.

Tabby Cat on Tractor Seat

2011-04-17T16:46:00.000-07:00

A popular napping spot when the sun comes out, even if it isn't terribly warm. Some of the usual cats we see here include Coppertop and Hammie but this time it's a different kitty - I think this might be the tabby tux I've called Lonely Road.

Scruffy Orange Cat in Thought

2011-04-15T09:43:00.000-07:00

I think this one was just wandering away from one of the feeding areas - he stopped to look back, as if contemplating the situation.

Looking scruffy and maybe a little thin, this feral cat is nevertheless reasonably well cared for, I think. At least they are all fed. This one is probably middle aged, maybe 7 or so. That's pretty old for a feral cat. I hope it is enjoying its life.

Perhaps Scruffy Orange pauses on a rare occasion like this, to wonder if perhaps there isn't more to life. I think we all have those moments. For Scruffy it would have been better to be a pet. But things are what they are, as Scruffy no doubt concluded - turning away again to wander off toward shelter to take a nap.

The Story of Mittens from the New Yorker (Cat News)

2011-04-13T09:18:00.001-07:00

It starts with a posting from back around the first of the year, how this apparently homeless cat shows up at this woman's house, it doesn't get along with her cats but she feeds it anyway... Free Range: Cat Fight : The New Yorker. Then the update on the story; how she takes the homeless cat to the vet. It's microchipped and the residence is 50 miles away. Except that owner basically dumped the cat. Well, you'll read about it here: The Wanderer.

I guess I wanted to post this news article so I could complain. The original owner adopted this cat from a shelter but then wanted to get rid of him because he "peed everywhere" ... You know, getting tom cats fixed will solve that problem. Why don't people bother to fix their cats? If you adopt a fixed male but you have an unfixed one at home, that will start the peeing thing going. It's just nature.

I know I shouldn't be the one to bitch about this. From the beginning I tried to concentrate on getting females in the feral colonies fixed in order to stop the population growth. That meant that sometimes when I trapped males I let them go. And yes, cat people will give me crap about that but you try coming up with a hundred bucks per spay/neuter on my income! Unless you are trying to manage a hundred of them too you just have no idea...

Anyway, since then I've also fixed a lot of the feral males, too. Pets are always fixed. Maybe the bottom line here is that if you are going to adopt animals then learn something about them first and know what you're doing.

Cat Snack Random Photo

2011-04-11T22:57:00.000-07:00

Perhaps it's "just a snapshot" but I liked this photo for the color. It has emotional impact - well, at least for me. The tabby is Gort, I think. ...taken in passing...

Siamese Talk with Fran Former Feral

2011-04-10T12:34:00.000-07:00

Fran loves to talk, I guess that's the Siamese in her! In this photo, I caught her saying something to me. Often I don't know what Fran is talking about - other than idle cat chit chat - but in this case I think she's asking, "Hey, when is dinner anyway?"

Once a very sick feral kitten, Fran was rescued, tamed and put up for adoption. Unfortunately nobody volunteered a home so she's still here with the feral cats ...although she does get to sleep in my van every night. She's more shy than I would prefer but I still think she's adoptable if someone were willing to work with her. I hope she's happy here in the meantime, anyway.

Lucy Cat in my Hovel

2011-04-07T12:06:00.000-07:00

Just a snapshot of former feral Lucy, my personal pet, hanging out with me in my hovel ...hanging on to my camera strap.

Lucy was abandoned by her mom when she was about 4 weeks old. I heard her cries and saved her. Now she's a permanent part of my life.

Wishe's Radar Whiskers

2011-04-06T10:21:00.000-07:00

Pocket camera profile view of Wishe the Maine Coon rescue kitten... her whiskers really stick out, entering a room before she does!

Here she's just contemplating life, I guess. I was just doing some low light camera test shots and Wishe ended up being the subject matter.

Dora The Explorer Kitten Close-up

2011-04-05T11:15:00.000-07:00

And she's all like, "What are you lookin' at?" But she really likes people; sometimes a girl just needs some quiet time to take a nap.

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Both photos with my bigger pocket camera: Nikon p7000

Star-Cat, Lurking About

2011-04-03T18:59:00.000-07:00

Also known as The Good Son cat, for his devotion to his mom, as well as Starlight or Spotlight (based on a previous photo) tabby Star is lurking about and probably thinks I haven't seen him.

Desktop Calendar: Our Maine Coon Shy Cat

2011-04-01T06:04:00.000-07:00

A Maine Coon that looks so much like the late Willem deKooning that I've taken to calling him Willie The Second - and now he's the free desktop wallpaper calendar for the month of April. I miss Willie and I'm grateful that there is something of him left here with us.

The image above is the wide screen version. We also have a standard "4:3" version:

INSTRUCTIONS FOR FREE WALLPAPER: Click on the image of your choice to see the full size version, then right-click on it (one-button Macs, use CONTROL-Click) - - in most browsers you can set it as your desktop wallpaper from there by selecting "Set as Desktop Background". - This also saves the image to your computer.

Again this month, I didn't do an IPhone/smartphone version because nobody asked for one - but if that is what you are looking for then drop me a note or make a comment below. Actually, if you have any problems or issues at all - or tips/suggestions - just let me know in the comments. There's always something I'm forgetting to mention. :)

The desktop cat calendar wallpaper is just my way of saying "thank you" for being here - to share the lives of these precious kitties. You are appreciated.

In other news... Our own Punk Tom was up for "Toughest Moggie On The Internet" ...today the winners were announced and he got 3rd place.

I didn't mention the contest here. I know you could have helped - but in a way I thought there were more deserving cats. Plus Punk is here and the contest is British so there's that. It would have been cool for Punk to win but third place is fine. I just thought you'd like to know. :)

Siamese Fran With Toy

2011-03-29T12:50:00.000-07:00

Siamese rescue kitty Fran just loves this toy! I need to get some more photos, though.

So here is the story: I got this package from Diana in NY of Diana Designs NY and Stylin Dogs Boutique. It contained three cute handmade cat toys with a note:

These 3 kitty toys are a gift from your friend Patty. She won them in a game I had and wanted your kitties to have them. Enjoy Diana, Giupetto + Gianna.

Wow, that's so cool. Thanks, Patty! And thank you Diana for passing them along.

In experiments so far, the kitties love them. It's been raining so much that it has been hard to get photos but I will work on it. :)

Purrr-fect Kitty Play Toy ...flies!