# 2 cats back with the colony



## Greenport ferals (Oct 30, 2010)

Last Friday was a great day. Two cats who I haven't seen since their release six weeks ago showed up. 
One shy little black kitty could have been around all along but in hiding. I saw the other one, white and black AJ, hunting in the field above the barn. 
I recently posted a question in this forum about why ferals leave the colony. Some of them spend up to a month in a large cage, getting familiar with the place, and I get very attached. When they vanish, it's like losing a pet. 

So I am thrilled that two more, anyway, still consider this their home. Now I have eight that I know of, which brings my "success" rate up to 60%. 
Better!
Here is a shot of my favorite breakfast bunch:


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## mimitabby (Apr 20, 2010)

your cats look beautiful and healthy. congrats!


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## Mitts & Tess (Sep 4, 2004)

Happy Day! Nice set up for feeding. Fingers crossed the rest find their way back to their home and food source.


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## Greenport ferals (Oct 30, 2010)

Thank you both. 
It's always a temptation to take on more ferals; I would love to save more. But eight is a good number for me financially. (I have five at home, too.)


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## Jeanie (Jun 18, 2003)

Oh, what lovely cats! The black one, of course, is my favorite. :heart I'm so glad you're taking care of those beauties. They look very well cared for!


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## MinoulovesPrincess (Nov 3, 2010)

Great feeding station. Wish I could do that here.


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## Janis (Aug 26, 2010)

They are beautiful. Yes, the black is my favorite, too.


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## Greenport ferals (Oct 30, 2010)

*Taba*

I love them all. 
And the ones who are too shy to come in and eat while I'm there, too. 

Junior (the black one,) Stripes (gray) and Otto (orange longhair) all came from local rescue groups that contacted me. 

Taba, the little white/tiger has a special place in my heart. She was my first personal rescue. 

One day in September I took one of our group home residents to his job at the local recycling facility. I had seen cats there from time to time. It was a chilly, rainy day and as I drove through the yard - there were big trucks coming and going and the whole messy, filthy place looked worse than usual - I saw a small, wet, white and tiger cat trying to jump up into a Dumpster. 

That was it. I felt like I'd been stabbed in the heart, I felt so sorry for it. I knew if I didn't help that cat there was something wrong with me. 

I went back and talked to the people in the office and they agreed to set a trap Friday morning. That's spay and neuter day at the Humane Society.
We set two traps and caught two cats - one of them was Taba. So I first saw her on a Wednesday and by Friday afternoon she was fixed and living in my barn. 

She was so wild that I gave her extra time in the big cage - 6 weeks. Now she is quite a sweetheart and even lets me pet her while she eats.


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## Jeanie (Jun 18, 2003)

What a wonderful ending!


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## MinoulovesPrincess (Nov 3, 2010)

That is so so great. Love to hear stories. Like this. Good luck and bless you.


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## Greenport ferals (Oct 30, 2010)

*Early Thanksgiving for ferals*

My Mom roasted a turkey today and gave me the innards, which she cooked separately. As a vegetarian, all I could think of was - gross.

But my love for my barn cats won out and I actually cut the stuff up for them. Little black cat Junior LOVED it; so did Taba. Stripes and Otto picked at it, but left the plate for those two to devour. 

Happy First Thanksgiving in your new home, cats.


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## Mitts & Tess (Sep 4, 2004)

Just curious. Do you notch the ear of the ferals? Looks like one has a V notch? Or how do you mark the one that have been S/N in your neck of the woods?

Its always great to hear success stories. Go Girl!!!!! Keep up the good work.

Thought Id mention that food banks give away cat food. If your needing to add on to your colony and dont have the funds check with a food bank. feed store, if they have open bags, Target, walmart, petsmart give open foods to us also. Even cat items that have been returned!


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## Greenport ferals (Oct 30, 2010)

Most of the cats in my barn colony have been ear-notched. They came from different places. Most were true ferals. When they were trapped one alternative would have been to return them to their original location - thus the ear-notch, which would help in IDing those who had already been fixed. 
If I have a say in it, I specify no notching, since these cats will all be familiar to me. 

Thanks for your tips on scoring free or reduced-price food. I have considered it, but these cats are my responsibility now. I would feel kind of uncomfortable asking for help. Just like in my personal life, ha ha.


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## Jan Rebecca (Oct 14, 2010)

They do look healthy! The grey one reminds me of my Tuffy.


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## Greenport ferals (Oct 30, 2010)

I drive the seven miles round trip daily to feed them, and look forward to it every single day. I love it when they come running from their hiding places or jump into the barn through the cat door in reponse to my "Kitty, kitty, kitty." 
As they all crowd around to be fed, that is the ideal time for me to sweet talk them, pet two of them, and reach out a little more to the others. They have all come so far. 
Thanks for all your encouragement. 

Jan Rebecca - The gray male, Stripes, is unusual. A tabby pattern, but dark gray, light gray and white. A picky eater, skinny, he has finally put on weight for the winter.


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## LynneP (Dec 15, 2010)

I find that animals in our colony often disappear during the summer and return in the fall, especially if there is a storm. They act as though they have never been away. But occasionally there will be an issue, such as kits or ear mites. Be sure to check the returnees carefully. 

I have a young male now that appears to have transferred from one colony to ours. He's very thin and I'm getting him fed and rehydrated. I think once toms get past the juvenile stage that the more dominant ones push them out and they have to get accepted elsehere. Fortunately our uber-queen has permitted him to remain. Oddly enough, he is human-friendly, so he may have originated from being 'dropped off'. We get that from city people, being rural but close to Halifax and Sackville, Nova Scotia.


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