I made a promise to two people with good hearts who are struggling in keeping up with the amount of cats dumped on them in the past few years. I saw this colony so in trouble, so many sick kitties, hair loss from fleas, just sad conditions and my heart spoke out to say, “Yes I will help.” They were so happy, they both hugged me tight and said “Thank you, no one else will help us.”
Now as the days pass, I scramble to find enough traps to get this done. I found a place that will charge me $50.00 a trap to “rent” them, They say they will hold the check until the traps are returned- but years ago, I fell into the same sort of situation and the check was “accidentally” put through and the funds weren’t there to cover it. It got quite sticky there and I gave them a what-for because all the traps had been returned. So I can’t take the chance that the same thing will happen again. my argument in my head is that why would I pay $50.00 to rent a trap when I could go out and buy the same trap for $35.00 brand new if the funds were available?
We just got bailed out on our vet bill by all of you kind folk and here I am asking for money again. I think that is the most aggravating part of what I do. I have no problem socializing and working with these cats to find them homes. I take them in to be vetted and neutered and do all I can to lower their stress level and allow them to understand people can be trusted. But the hardest thing being non-profit now is ask for money, Because now it seems like I do it all the time. I don’t like doing it- I really don’t. I am not squirreling the money away to take a tropical vacation- it all goes to the cats. But it’s not like old times, people are struggling to pay their mortgage, their losing their jobs, their houses their lives. And here I am on the cyber corner of Life with my hand out and a tin cup asking for help. I don’t do this well. Put me in a room with a dozen true feral cats and I am in heaven. Put me in front of a grant form to fill out and I do such a poor job that they just dismiss me. I have asked repeatedly for grants, filled them out sent them in, entered contests. I’ve done all I can and it seems to always go to the big dogs, the ones who really don’t need the money but who hire people who can fundraise for them or write up grants.
I put it all out there every day. My phone rings off the hook, people pleading for me to take their cats and I don’t think that will ever end. We are down to 21 cats in the sanctuaries now. That is a low number for us- we generally have 33 and last year we went beyond and had 54 cats. So with 21 I can breathe again.
Now I am faced with making a promise, I am not sure that I can keep under all the circumstances here. To only neuter part of the colony serves no purpose- we have to get as many as we can in order to stop them from mating. My plan was to go in 5 days before the neuter date and set the traps up with cable ties keeping them opened and on the fifth day removing the ties and trapping the majority of the kitties who will by then be comfortable going in and out of the traps without incident.
Perhaps I wasn’t thinking clearly this time when I told Wes and Chris that I would help. Now I am looking for another miracle to complete this challenge for them and take the load off their shoulders. I can tell they love all these cats and they have kept the owner of the land from fulfilling his promise. He wants to just shoot all the cats and be done with it!
Anyway, I am always pretty direct about my life here on this blog. I have the added worry of this second ulcer on Mike’s good foot not healing and him potentially becoming a double amputee. To much stress, to much worry and even giving it to God it still plays in the back of my mind how to help Wes and Chris and how to help Mike.
As always thanks for listening. Feeling just a bit overwhelmed at the moment-
5:00 p.m. update- I have been in touch with a gentleman who will let me have 11 traps for one fee of $50.00. YAY! That we can work with- I can have these traps for one week and I have promised faithfully to return every last trap to him after the neuter and release.
On the question about the caretakers raising money. They live in a pretty shabby camper on the property and one is disabled. They live there rent free because they watch over all the equipment on the land. They have no money and no way to raise any as I have already asked them.
Mary Anne
Are Wes and Chris fundraising to help with costs? If not, they should be – photos of the cats in need, the situation, etc. can all help raise money. Also – I don’t know about your area, but some places have grants in place to help. It can be overwhelming for one person – which is why we all have to work together, everyone doing what they can, when they can.
I don’t know what’s in my PayPal account yet, but I’ll send something if I can.
I am so sorry for all the weight you carry on your shoulders. That is wrong how they manage the trap rental…… Can you post date the check for the turn in time or the day after. They probably wouldn’t even look at the date on the check if you didn’t ask. Better chance to stop payment that way. Continued prayers for Mike and for you in the days ahead.
The FCCO is an honest organization that always returns the deposit. Also KATA is right there in Sweet Home and no doubt would loan you traps.
As I mentioned, I will help trap these cats if you need the help. Suggestions: have a place ready for the trapped cats, cool, under cover. Place a tarp down and two, 2×4’s parallel with space between them on the tarp. Put litter down between the 2x4s. You’ll set the ends of the traps on the 2×4’s so if the cat pees, it will fall through the trap into the litter, makes clean up easy. Have folded papers ready to line the traps, as it’s hard on the cats to be just on the wire mesh. Have cage covers for each trap. You can drop wet food through the top or slip it carefully under the door on small paper plates. Using pee pads instead of newspaper to line the traps can help the cats stay dry and more comfortable. If you stack traps to transport, put plastic inbetween. Nothing worse for a cat than having a cat above pee and it falls through onto them. These are just some tips that make it easier to trap large colonies.
Hey Guys,
I just wanted to clear something up from this original post. I am in no way saying the organization I am currently dealing with is dishonest or crooked. That was not my intention in the post. I had a bad experience long ago in another state- not here in Oregon. and I was just going on that situation alone. It made me gun-shy so to speak. I knew there was someone out there who might understand my hesitation of writing a check knowing full well the funds weren’t there to cover it, and God was willing and our paths have crossed. That’s how it happened and I meant nothing disparaging toward anyone else. The plan is to trap these cats, get them neutered and bring them back to their original home. My hope is to get all of them all at once- but you never know until the trapping is underway how successful you will be. My fingers are crossed that all the traps will be filled at the end of the trapping session. Time will tell