Community Chat

[violann]

Just wanted to briefly mention to all Friends oF Ferals not to forget to provide water. With all the outside water around here frozen, Maggie goes for water even before crunchies or meatsies, which we have been offering every time she shows up. There are probably other sources for food available, but perhaps not too many for water.

[rustysmom]

I always put out fresh water before I leave for work in the morning and it is the first thing I do when I get home from work and then check it about every hour when I am home and replace when it turns to ice which does not take long in this weather. I hate that they have to go all day and all night with no water but when I am around I make sure that they have it. One of the ferals that come around my house went straight for the water the other night and there was food sitting right next to the water bowl. Broke my heart. All I can do is what I am doing but I wish it were more.

[savetheanimals]

You can get heated water bowls and heated bowls for soft food. I have a combo one for the water and food. It works great. Plus I have a doghouse (no dog), which I have full of straw and partially covered the door for more protection, plus I put dry food in there also. I truly believe that is what everyone should do to help the animals. We have saved over 20 stray cats since we have lived in this house (about 10 years), brought them to our no kill Humane Society and all of them got adopted. I will never stop helping as long as I am around.

[rustysmom]

Does the heated water bowl need electricity? I assume it does. Where I feed the cats, there is no electrical outlet on that side of the house. I feed them on the carport. Where we live we are not supposed to be feeding them but I can't not feed them. Someone has to take care of them, I get so upset when I think of people just dumping them, not taking care of them. I have about 5 hanging around now and I feed and water them daily and talk to them. Ms. Kitty has been hanging around for almost 2 years now and she will let me pet her if I am sitting on the porch steps but if you try to pick her up she will attack you. She is somewhat trusting but not completely. I am so attached to her. I have not seen her since Monday evening, trying not to worry about her, she has done this before, and always come back. There is a little black and white one who comes to eat all the time and will hang out on the porch steps by the back door but will run when you go out to feed her and will come back when I go back in. She is there all the time now and one of the black ones has been coming around more so I am hoping Ms. Kitty is not feeling crowded, thinking there is too much competition. I hope she comes back. As far as a dog house goes, I would love to have one for them but since the community in which I live does not want us feeding them, I have to kind of hide the fact and I think a dog house would draw too much attention. If I still lived in our old house which was more of neighborhood, instead of a "community", "development", I would have one, but can't here. I don't want to be fined or kicked out. But as I said, I can't stop feeding them. They depend on me.

[savetheanimals]

Yes the heated bowls need electricity. I plug the extension cord in my garage and run it out to the bowls. I know some places don't want you to feed stray cats (I will never understand that), but there are other things you can use as a sleeping place. Bench with partially enclosed bottom or outdoor type table enclose most of the bottom, a cooler with a hole cut open on the ends. There are things you may be able to put out there that are not obvious. Always make sure to use straw not hay, or blankets but make sure to change them when they get wet. Thanks for helping your stray cats!

[rustysmom]

We live in a double wide and the skirting is insulboard with bricks skirting around it. The bricks are staggered so where the insulboard has rotted over the years so there are holes in it. The cats go in these holes and live under the house. It may be cold under there but at least they have shelter from the wind. It needs fixed but if I fixed it the kitties would not have any place to hide. There are several openings front and back so they have plenty of entrance/escape routes. Like I said, it may not be perfect but it keeps the wind and rain off of them. We have heat tape on the water pipes under the house so they may give off enough warmth to give them some heat. Not really sure. I know we had a really bitter bitter cold winter last year here in Ohio and I was so afraid that my Ms. Kitty would not survive it but she did and she stayed under the house. Ms. Kitty has been spayed, one of the neighbors who is a cat lover did a TNR with her a few years back, she even has the clipped ear, so I know there will be no babies from her, but not sure about the others.

[Katmary]

One other thing I wanted to add is the cats will drink out of anything, so be careful of leaving a water bucket with chemicals in it. I feed a Mom and her two daughters and they kept sitting on my water buckets last summer. I finally realized they were sticking their paws in for water, even though I had water out for them! They also drink out of the bottom of my pots where the extra water runs, even though the water's dirty. I'm sure they were each taught to do this when young, but it still surprises me when I put a big tupperware container out for them filled with fresh water each day and they still continue to check the pots. I dump out all I can after storms or put it out of their reach after seeing them so this, and put an extra water bowl in with my pots in the hopes that they'd pick it first.

[Topaz Gem]

All of you who help these kitties are heroes in my book. I always look for stray kitties in my neighborhood, but the outdoor kitties are all fat and happy and obviously have good homes. I guess I should consider myself lucky, but at the same time, I'm able to help and I can't find any kitties that need help right now. Maybe someday...

P.S. I do give generously to animal charities, especially Best Friends and Alley Cat Allies.

[mewsmomtoo]

Just want to echo what TopazGem said. All of you who help care for the kitties are heroes in my book too. Thank you for what you do for the ferals and the strays! Alley Cat Allies is a fount of information and Best Friends is an amazing rescue - I was lucky enough to get a feral placed there because we had to amputate one of his back legs.

[violann]

Maggie has not visited for the last 4 days. The worst part of loving a feral.