Operation: Evil Kitten
The cat is the best anarchist. ~Ernest Hemingway, “For Whom the Bell Tolls”
Remember the line in Monty Python and the Holy Grail about Death and its sharp, nasty, pointy teeth? I have seen Death in all its horrifying terror. In fact, two incarnations of Death. I found these tiny but merciless minions of the devil in my backyard. And I must say, there is nothing to mind one of one’s own mortality quite like a furry, spitting, hissing ball of Evil Kitten that has murder on its mind.
Thing 1 and Thing 2, as I’ve been calling them, are undeniably cute. (All kittens, it must be said, are cute.) I have no idea if either one of them will ever be able to live the life of a house cat. In fairness, the sweet cat I had as a kid was born feral. It’s possible, but the odds are against these guys. The lady at the rescue I took them too is already overwhelmed with kittens, most of whom are already tame. And, of course, just as cute as the Things. Her words were that they have a 1-in-100 shot.
Still, those aren’t impossible odds. I am doing everything I can, including spending part of my next paycheck, to help these guys. I know it’s just a drop in the bucket. I know that, despite my efforts, thousands of cats and kittens are euthanized every day for lack of good homes. All because people didn’t take the time to spay and neuter their pets. I’ve also caught the Things’ promiscuous parents, and they are awaiting fixing before release.
I can’t help but think of them as my cats. They were born in my backyard. I have been feeding them along with their parents. They can’t help being born wild. Despite their persistent dirty looks and death threats, I’ve come to really like them. I just can’t keep them since cat pee and deep scratches don’t go with any of my current decor.
I’m waiting to see how Operation Evil Kitten turns out. It won’t end with these two hellbeasts being put down. Whatever happens, they are getting fixed and living out their lives. I don’t know whether that will be the wild or someone’s house. All I know is that I’ve helped save four lives that many people might think are worthless. I don’t think like that, just like I don’t think people without homes are worthless. So much is our perception.
Oh, and if you’d like to get involved saving the feral cats, Alley Cat Allies is a great resource. They advocate the humane Trap/Neuter/Return method which is proven to help reduce feral populations. That means fewer lives needlessly lost.
And everybody deserves a shot at life…even the feline equivalents of the Killer Rabbit of Caerbannog.
Do you have feral cats in your area? What tips do you have to help them?
Prawn And Quartered 
We adopted a cat from one of the shelters. She is a total sweetie and the happiest cat we have ever owned. My sister wanted one of the kittens, but the shelter wanted too much so I talked my sister (using reasoning) to adopt one that was about a year old. All in all in worked out nicely, as I said she is the happiest cat, very quiet unless she wants to be fed or sits outside my door in my laundry bucket (when it is completely empty). My sister is convinced the cat thinks I am another cat. I am working on a post about her for my other blog.
There are times we come across a stray or an animal that has run away, we have been fortunate to either find owners for the ones that do not have one or the animal’s original owner if they were just lost.
A truly feral adult cat, one who was born to feral parents, might not be able to make the transition to inside living. In my opinion, in that situation the best thing to do is TNR. The kittens in your backyard may still be tamed if they are young enough – I’ve taken feral kittens as old as sixteen weeks and gotten them to make the transition to “house cat”. And a lot of stray adult cats belonged to someone at some point in time and can successfully make the transition back to civilization. It’s just that the shelters and rescues are overwhelmed and do not have the time, money or space to help every cat.
Thanks for helping these cats – they deserve a shot.
Reblogged this on pookie3680 and commented:
Beware of the bunny lol
You are to be commended for your efforts. And since you’ve admitted to feeding the adults, you need to know that some local governments would recognize the cats as belonging to you. Granted, most local governments don’t do a whole heck of a lot about strays. But if anything ever goes wrong with them, you could be responsible. That’s one reason why groups like Alley Cat Allies are so important. They provide support for people who care for feral cats.