This yanking our cat food and litter out from under us has been a real eye-opener for us. It showed us just how dependent we were on those pet food donations and that in a blink of an eye it can be taken from us. We are having to buy food and litter now to supplement everyone- which has depleted us to the point we can’t pay our non-profit fee right now. It is only $50.00 but there is only $27.50 in the account at this time. Like I said, a real wake-up call.
Thanks to Daniel B- Maureen B- Haley and Mercedes and two others who wish to stay anon. we had enough dry food this month to carry us through. I wish I could pull the food in at night- but visits to the feral feeders in the early mornings have revealed several unknown feral cats feeding from the trays. I don’t want to take that food away from the cats- there is one yellow cat that looks to be in pretty rough shape. I put up some slippery slant boards to foil the coons- but that ended up costing us dearly afterwards. The raccoons got so angry at being denied their free meal that they upended the ice chest that I store the dry food in and spread the food all over the backyard! So back to putting the stored food under lock and key at night. This morning, our donation of food consisted of one 16 pound bag of Friskies and two small bags of cat litter. We have heard nothing from the stores where we dropped our letters off hoping they would start to donate to us.
The skunks are eating the food as well but at least they don’t get angry and throw the food all over the place like the coons are doing.
Two days ago, I had to take Kota outside about 3:00 a.m. so while I was out there, I was refilling a few trays under the house. I felt a nudge at my hand, and so I stroked the fur and thought to myself- that feels really rough for a kitty. I looked under the wooden door and saw that I was petting a baby skunk! Thank God they are used to me feeding them so I didn’t get sprayed. Kota was in his pen so he didn’t get sprayed either- but it was a close encounter I don’t think I want to have ever again! I ended up setting out some scrambled eggs for the babies in thanks for not spraying me.
You see? Even the wild animals trust you.
That’s a blasted shame that you have to buy food that was donated previously. I had no idea that non-profit status cost a fee. Does it lapse, or can you just pick it up again when you pay the fee? I’ll be sending something more but it will be about a week.
Maybe put food and litter on your Amazon Wishlist to make it easier to donate?
Casey, this wishlist is driving me bonkers. I see the food on the list and yet others do not- so I am not sure what I am doing wrong? I’ll check it again. We only have one list,so again, not sure what I am doing wrong. We feed the solid foods- not the dyed ones- so cat chows, purina naturals purina indoors- just nothing with dyes as they are harmful to the cats. The dyes are to make the food more attractive to OUR eyes. I visited a cat food manufacturing plant back in the day and all the food that comes out of their hopper right after processing looks like chunks of charcoal. No one would buy that so they “pretty” it up. Again, I will check my list later this afternoon and see what I am doing wrong-
I see food on it, now! You can add litter, too – those of us with Prime can get free shipping, I think…
Also canned food!
Loved your story on the skunk. I had a family of them coming to my patio just like my feral colony. They were less afraid of me than the cats!
Finally had the complex capture them and re-locate them.