The fight for the right of these cats to eat on a daily basis continues. Thanks to one blog follower who helped me design a pretty effective letterhead for CATS I have distributed those letters to nearly every grocery store in the three towns surrounding us. One major chain has stepped up and said he will call me when they get any broken bags or boxes. I will take it and hope the calls start coming in soon.
We were recently blessed with the arrival of all these canned food for the kitties so we have been mixing the dry with the wet to help make it expand and last longer. It’s getting a bit dicey now feeding in the wee hours of the morning when the more elusive ferals are about and hungry. So, unfortunately awake at that hour are the skunks, the coons and the possums. I always know when these animals come to the banquet table, because in the mornings, the trays are tossed about- the water bowls are muddy and floating in the water is dry kibble (no longer dry). I am thankfully able (so far) to talk to the skunk babies until they slide back under the shop or the shed and then put the food out without getting sprayed in the process. I lay out the eggs for the skunks, hoping the food they should be eating will be the food they want instead of dry cat food!) My friend has chickens free range and keeps us in eggs most of the time. But it seems lately, the skunks prefer the ease of eating dry cat food instead of cracking an egg!
So the fight continues on our end. Some cat lovers in the neighborhood after my ad went online- has called and pledged on bag of food a month- which we will also take. We will just have to see how this goes. Currently, we have 8 cats in the house and main enclosure. Nineteen free roaming cats who have access to two enclosures 24/7 and 5 new strays recently dump one who I fear is pregnant- Pushing for this cold weather to continue to finally stop the mating cycle. This cycle has not stopped here in Oregon for three years now!
It wouldn’t hurt to call your contact in the chain store now and then if you haven’t heard from them; not so much as to be annoying but just to let them know you are looking. Otherwise, I am glad that some company in the district is willing to help, even if it is only with broken bags.
Some cats will eat scrambled eggs with butter. Not a complete food, by any means, but a quality protein to add to the rotation.
Hi,
I sent you 4 bags of food from your Amazon Wish list. They should arrive on Tuesday. I hope it helps you out some. I can’t afford to do much but I believe in what and how you do the t!
I sent you 4 – 16lb bags of Purina. How much dry food do you need in a month? I will try to help out consistently.
The challenge I face is the dry food outside at night. It is being plundered by the coons, skunks and possums. But until I can get the latest dumped strays inside and safe, I have to keep feeding at night because in the wee hours of the morning is when the other ferals eat right alongside the wild critters. I’ve tried making the feral feeders inaccessible to the coons- but we have on strong male that just tears my work down. Totally frustrating and the price we pay for not living in town. I don’t like feeding the wildlife- they shouldn’t want to eat cat food instead of their normal food- but because it is so plentiful and easy to get- they go for it. If it was just the cats we might squeak by on what is currently being donated by one chain which is two bags a week. The other critters is what messes this up.
If you feed the cats at the same time daily, then they’ll know to show up and eat…leaving nothing leftover for the other critters. Our water bowl is full of mud every morning, from the raccoons washing their hands. Here’s hoping the cats begin to get the message that you are there to help them.
Just to clarify, we feed twice a day. Morning and dusk. But when Kota wakes me at 2:00 a.m. to go potty and I go out there and see empty trays and strays scrounging for food, I fill the trays again and hope they come back before the wildlife does so they can get their much-needed food.
Valerie, the food arrived yesterday. Thank you so much!