Saga of Hugo the Handsome by Dora Brown

A black and white ball of fur rests in my lap, purring rhythmically, interrupting himself occasionally to stretch up and tap playfully on my keyboard, added unwanted letter to my sentences-a self appointed editor. Two years old now, Hugo the Handsome is the picture of perfect feline contentment.

It wasn't always so. He came into my life by an act of violence. Born to a feral mother he and his brother and sisters were saved from starvation by a kindly woman who fed feral (“wild”) cats in the neighborhood. One night, she grabbed him by the scruff of his neck, stuffed him in a small carrier, and slammed the door shut. I tossed a towel over his prison to calm him, but he continued to yowl in protest. I took him to my house, planning to socialize (“tame”) him as I had done with other kittens, then find him a permanent home.

When we arrived home, I took a closer look at him. It wasn't very promising. He was dirty, thin, flea ridden—and utterly defiant. Green eyes glinting, he hissed and slashed his claws at me. My heart went out to him at that moment. I set out food, water and substitute cats' milk in my tiny bathroom and opened the carrier, hoping that he'd eat and settle down overnight. The next morning the food and water were gone, and so was the kitten!

He'd climbed up the shower curtain and upon discovery, again threatened me with those claws. I'd socialized several other feral kittens, and they'd all quickly succumbed to food and affection. In less than a day, they'd turned into cuddlesome, purring pets. Not this one!

After a few days, though, things began in improve. He'd allow me to touch him, but briefly. Then he began to purr and seek me out. Meanwhile, I was hunting for a permanent home for him. I found responsible people to take the other three littermates, but no one wanted this little guy. I hadn't named him, believing that doing so would create a bond, that he'd become my kitten, and I already had three cats. There was no room in my house--or my life-- for another cat.

You know what happened, don't you? One day I looked at him, and the words popped out, “Hugo, you're a handsome devil.” So I accepted the inevitable, and Hugo the Handsome became a member of the household. I'd wanted to find him a good home, and I did.

Glad He Didn't Have a Gun

Yesterday I got a phone call from a fellow that I had taken in cats for. He said that 2 new kittens had shown up at his place, that needed to be trapped and fixed. He thinks that the cats must be coming from one of two neighbors houses. That these folks have a puppy mill and that he has had problems with them in the past. He also mentioned that a boyfriend of the one gal had borrowed some traps from the Coalition and had taken in some cats for spay/neuter. It sounds like a case where someone started a TNR job and didn't complete it. Recently I got involved in another similar situation, where the colony caregivers started the job catching a few cats at a time, until they got down to the last few cats, then I got called in to finish up the job. Now it is quite a challenge to catch 1 or 2 cats out of+/- 30 cats that have watched all the others get caught, and are trap wary. I wouldn't mind spending hours catching the last 2 cats if I had gotten paid to catch the previous 28. But to spend hours and hours for one cat...not going to happen. (I say that, but what did I do but spend hours catching the main mama cat). My advice to future trappers if you have a big colony like that, set it up so that you are able to trap the majority of the cats in one go, then while those cats are having surgery and recovering, go ahead and catch the remaining cats. Get the job done then move on to the next job. Catch all the cats. TNR fails when you leave behind a female or that male cat who by some miracle has kittens the next spring. Also, follow up several months later with the colony caregiver to see if you missed any cats or if any new ones have shown up. You can then teach them how to target trap, using a plastic water bottle to hold the trap door open and a string to pull when the cat you want, goes into the trap. Or use a drop trap and let them sit there for hours while you are out trapping another colony.

OK, back to the story, having gotten the addresses I decided to take a ride out there and check out the situation. It was a pretty day for a drive, sunny and cool. I have had good luck in the past when I have gone knocking on doors, most people welcome the offer of help. The first house was a bit daunting with a big sign on the door announcing that trespassers would be shot. There were plenty of chickens, cats and dogs. I was greeted by a big friendly lab. I thought I heard someone inside but nobody answered the door, and I didn't want to press my luck. I have a tendency to knock on a door then step back and try to make myself look small and non threatening. At the second house an older lady was just coming out of the door. I explained I was with the Blanco County Cat Coalition and someone had mentioned that she may need help getting some cats fixed, she wanted to know who, I told her that a neighbor had had 2 kittens show up on his property and had thought maybe that they came from over here. She said that she would have to ask her son about it. She then went inside, while she was inside I saw at least ten cats who scattered when I looked over the porch rail, at least half were calico or torty's (meaning females). She came out and told me her son had said no, and that they only have one litter of kittens a year, except last year they had 2 litters but only 2 kittens survived because a neighbor's dog had come by and killed the other kittens. Well what could I say, except that I would leave my phone number in case they changed their minds. Also that if they did get the cats fixed and started running low on cats I would be happy to bring them more. She walked with me out to the car and while I writing down my phone number, out of the house comes her son. I was then told in no uncertain terms what he thought of people that didn’t mind their own damn business. And that on his own property he can have as many or as few animals as he pleased. I had to agree, but felt it necessary to point out it becomes other peoples business when his animals start showing up on other peoples property. He said then those people should shoot those animals, that is what he does. After he went back in, his Mom confided in me that his bark is worse than his bite, and that he doesn't even like to give animals shots, because he doesn't like to hurt them. I replied “well he may like animals but I am not so sure how much he likes people, so I will now back away slowly and be on my way.” Looking back on the interaction I can see that these folks were already defensive, that having so many dogs they have been questioned in the past about how they take care of them. The shame is that the cats will be left as is to continue breeding, and dying.

What Is a feral cat?

 

A feral cat is a domesticated cat that has returned to the wild, or the descendants of such an animal. Feral cats are not socialized to people and therefore are not adoptable. They don't belong indoors and are wary of people. However as members of the domesticated cat species, they are protected under anti-cruelty laws.

They are both predators and prey!

They lurk in the shadows, between dawn and dusk, in alleys, cemeteries and barns. They are predators, that stalk campuses, prisons and warehouses. They are prey, that hide in barns, culverts and parks. They are the feral cat, wherever there are feral cats you will find the feral cat trapper.