PANT

06/23/2024

A lot of misunderstanding about the “R”

Q: What does the R stand for in TNR (trap/neuter/r...) ? 🤔
A: RETURN, not Release!

The R in "TNR" stands for RETURN. After we've trapped and taken the cat to the clinic for spay/neuter, vaccines and ear tip, we RETURN them to the place where they were captured. We DO NOT release them to a different area, nor do we euthanize them. This distinction is IMPORTANT!

Community cats live in a 3-mile radius. Within this territory, they have established resources for food and shelter. This is their home and the area which sustains them; do not remove them from it (unless their lives are in danger). Community cats are territorial and will protect their territory from outside cats. When you TNR a cat and RETURN it to its territory, it will 1) no longer contribute to overpopulation, 2) defend its territory from outside cats, and 3) be a peaceful neighbor as undesirable habits like fighting, spraying and yowling will have been eliminated through spay/neuter. Releasing a cat just anywhere is akin to dumping it in a foreign place. Don't do that.

Education is key!!! 💡 Share your knowledge to protect and improve the lives of our community cats!

Original content provided by Stray Cat Project.






💙🐱

06/23/2024

❤️❤️

Many times that one cat may have been feral. Personal experience, here. 💔

06/22/2024

Our purring machine, Delilah, is on her way to her forever home and to meet what we hope will be her new best friend. Best wishes Delilah!!! 🐾

06/21/2024

Please view our kittens at Petfinder. If any of these kittens speak to your heart, complete an application at pant.org/adopt

06/21/2024

06/21/2024

Trap-Neuter-Return ( ) best practice:

Always try to feed community cats on a regular schedule; same time, same place. Then when it's time to trap, you know exactly where the cats will be and at what time!

Learn more at alleycat.org/TNRGuide

06/21/2024

Why the ear tip?

Feline Fact Friday: Ear-tips and why they're so important.

What is an eartip, and how does it protect community cats?

Alley Cat Allies walks through the facts:
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=vGdirv1_7CM&fbclid=IwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAAR1-rqKScE1gjVOF8em2spWSXuiDQEw9g89J3Ut55hq3lDjGysZ6cjUoksM_aem_Afb6c3rDxIQ75yv5LPuPhND7bJEs4t5LXXVDMQublSM2VEDVAIaMfdGlyjf_1MdlrhBgtSY1-Oo-4yFSJEK3nEIF

06/21/2024

This is a long story, but so worth the read.

You aren't going to return that cat, are you?

Do you judge other pet owners? We all do from time to time, it is human nature. It is how we REACT to that judgment that causes problems. A couple CCC members learned that about 8 years ago while helping a disabled veteran with too many cats. Ron reached out because he couldn't afford to feed them all.

Volunteers brought out food, but it was soon apparent that this was an out-of-control colony. What started off as 2 free kittens just a few years earlier, had exploded into 80 + cats. At first, Ron was delighted. He LOVED cats and kittens and shared his bed with as many cats as would fit. Unable to work and with only a small military pension for survival, he lacked the resources to get them spayed. And when the population exploded, he discovered that he couldn't afford to feed them all. In fact, he could barely afford to feed himself, but he always prioritized caring for the cats. Housing was too expensive and he wouldn't move into senior housing that excluded pets, so he lived in a travel trailer on a relative's rural property and expanded the living space with tarps and wood pallets. The trailer floor had rotted, so the cats could freely enter and leave through some holes in the flooring. It wasn't a great living situation for a human, but the cats looked happy and he adored them.

Ron was okay with getting them altered, but adament that he wanted many of the cats back. Since he was unable to feed that many the volunteers convinced him to keep just a few of his favorites. He relented, but he was NOT happy.

When a kitten he had wanted to keep was "accidentally" rehomed, he stopped communicating with the rescuers. :-( A neighbor reported that he had moved away with the remaining 5 cats in a travel trailer. He was camping on public land and in campgrounds and kept moving to different areas of the state. It was impossible to check in on him. He stayed in each location as long as legally possible, but these locations were time limited and required that he move every few weeks. Ron connected with a volunteer a year later for help with an ill cat. But then he went off the radar and nobody heard from him for 8 years.

Last winter, Ron reconnected with one of the volunteers. She was delighted to hear that he was okay and that he still had 3 of the cats that were neutered and returned to him 8 years earlier. Ron mentioned that he had rescued a 6-month-old female kitten while camping in another county. "Princess" had shown up starving. He moved her into his trailer and she was soon cuddling up with him at night and traveling around the area as he looked for places to boondock or camp. The volunteer asked if he would he like help getting her spayed? No answer. He ghosted her.

The volunteer felt bad but knew why he'd stopped responding. Ron was afraid the young cat would be rehomed if he allowed volunteers to take her in to be spayed. The cats were his family and the last time volunteers tried to help him, they had rehomed one that he wanted to keep. He'd learned that it was best to keep your head down and keep moving around to avoid attracting the attention of people who might judge his living situation and take away his cats.

A couple weeks ago, Ron reappeared. Princess had been attacked by a dog and had suffered a degloving injury on her tail. All the skin and fur was gone and it was obvious she was going to need the tail amputated. He was nervous about losing her to rescuers, but he reached out for help anyway. He loved Princess.

Volunteers took her in to have the tail amputated and she was spayed, vaccinated, treated for parasites and microchipped at the same time. Yes, they were tempted to find her a "premium" home. But they returned her to Ron.

Upon hearing of the situation, several rescuers were critical of their decision to return the cat. How could they do that? The owner lives in a tiny travel trailer and lets her outside! She might get injured again! Did you see the cheap grocery store kibble in her crate? And she has fleas!

These are all valid concerns. We know many of you would disagree and understand the conflict, but here are the 4 reasons why the volunteers suspended their judgment and returned her anyway.

- Free cats and kittens are everywhere. He WILL get another cat. He will ALWAYS have cats! And that free cat is not likely to be altered. Rehoming Princess won't keep Ron from owning cats, it will just keep him from owning HER.

- If they rehomed Princess, Ron would not trust "rescuers" again if he needed help. Why would he trust them to help with spay neuter for the next stray or free cat he finds? What would happen to his cats if he was hospitalized or had to go into a care facility?

- Ron needs his cats. He has lost everything in life and his cats are his main reason to live. His health is poor and he cannot afford housing or many of the conveniences that most of us enjoy. But he loves his cat family.

- Princess has an owner. Millions of cats in the U.S. don't have an owner or a reliable food source. Princess is in the upper percentile of cats simply because she has food, shelter and someone who loves her. Right now, there are tame cats in your community that don't even have that. Don't believe me? Volunteer at a shelter or agree to help with phone messages or emails at a shelter or rescue. If it hurts your heart returning a cat like Princess, remember that you can save the life of a cat at a high kill shelter or foster a tame stray that WANTS to be indoors. Or you can volunteer to foster a kitten that is going to be returned to his colony after TNR because there aren't enough foster homes.

Princess is healthy again and is back home with Ron. It isn't a perfect home, but Princess doesn't know this. She just knows that she loves the human who saved her. Now that she is spayed, vaccinated and microchipped, she is better off than she was before. Because she is back with Ron, her foster home has space to take in a cat who has nobody at all. Don't worry, a volunteer is maintaining contact with Ron and is committed to being a safety net for his cats if he can no longer care for them.

Before you judge the quality of an owned pet's home, think about the consequences of your judgment.

06/18/2024

For those of you who donated to Charlie’s care, thank you! He is doing great and is finally off to his foster mom’s. ❤️❤️🐾

06/17/2024

Summer weather tips

Summer officially arrives this week as well as our first string of "feels like 100+ degree" days in the Philadelphia area! ☀ 🥵 Please do whatever you can to keep our feline friends safe and cool! 😻❄️

06/17/2024

A quick overview of. Most importantly, the vet appointment needs to be scheduled before you trap.

'Trap training' is the best way to ensure successful capture for trap/neuter/return (TNR) appointments for stray/feral community cats.

Get the cats used to the trap by leaving it in the feeding area, with the door tied open with twist ties. Leave it tied open for a few days. Then begin to move your food bowls close to the trap, then put the food bowl just inside the trap; and every day move it further back in the trap until after a week the cat is eating all the way in the back of the trap, right where you want the cat to go for successful capture. The afternoon before the vet appointment, feed as you normally do, but this time set the trap.

Here are some more tips ... https://www.neighborhoodcats.org/how-to-tnr/trapping/hard-to-catch-cats

‼️Please do not trap a cat unless you have an appointment for TNR or you know of a walk-in clinic in your area.

06/17/2024

Hard facts!

Cat owners (often first time, inexperienced) tell me since their cat will be indoors only, they don't plan to have him/her spayed/neutered. I've heard/seen it play out countless times, when a female cat goes into heat the owner will literally be physically unable to keep her inside. The cat's yowling, destructive behavior (clawing at doors and windows) and waiting by doors for the first opportunity to bolt out faster than anyone can possibly grab her will make her victorious. Same for males. Their sense of smell is 100K times more sensitive than humans' and they will be forced by their raging hormones to find the females (up to 5 miles away) in need of what they have to offer. No excuses, GET YOUR CAT(S) SPAYED/NEUTERED!!

06/16/2024

These two little girls hit the jackpot and found their forever home together. Congratulations Amelia and Allegra, we are so happy for you. 🎉💕

06/15/2024

You are capable. You are somebody.

06/15/2024

We help do our part and do the best we can. 💕

Releases should always indicate you left the cat better off than you found him! We can’t “save” them all, but we can do our best to improve the lives of ones who cross our path. 🧡

06/15/2024

Guidelines for neonatal kittens

If they do not have their mother cat, neonatal kittens--or kittens under 4 weeks old--require round-the-clock care and support.

We have guidelines for neonatal kitten care, and the supplies needed to provide for them, here: https://ow.ly/heYh50SiUNk

06/15/2024

Neutering is a good thing!

Male cats who are neutered are less likely to fight and defend their territories.

Diseases are less likely to be spread, and fewer injuries will happen because they aren’t fighting, which leads to much happier and healthier male cats.

Make sure all male cats are so they aren't beat up, injured, & suffering.

06/13/2024

Update: Charlie is responding to medical treatment and is doing much better. His medical bills are still adding up and we haven’t reached our goal yet. If you can donate, we would appreciate it very much. No amount is too small.

06/12/2024

Sorry the print is so tiny, zoom to enlarge. The pics aren't the best, but the descriptions help. And even after years of experience, it's not always easy to positively identify gender. Even vets get it wrong. (Hint: a cat without testicles may be a previously neutered male or a female.) Sadly (especially for the cat,)I've had more than one neutered make have his belly cut open by techs or vets who thought he was a female.🤬😿

06/12/2024

Pop your Balloons when you are done with them and throw away to keep wildlife and outdoor domestic animals safe.

06/12/2024

🌟 𝗧𝘂𝗲𝘀𝗱𝗮𝘆 𝗧𝗶𝗽 - 𝗧𝘄𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝗟𝗲𝗴𝘀 vs 𝗦𝘄𝗶𝗺𝗺𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝗦𝘆𝗻𝗱𝗿𝗼𝗺𝗲 𝗶𝗻 𝗞𝗶𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗻𝘀 🐱

Our blog post this month discussed Twisted Leg Syndrome in Kittens, which is a serious condition that causes one or more of a kitten's legs to twist and become deformed, making walking difficult and painful. Left untreated, it can permanently cripple a kitten.

The question came up, 𝘩𝘰𝘸 𝘪𝘴 𝘛𝘸𝘪𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘥 𝘓𝘦𝘨 𝘚𝘺𝘯𝘥𝘳𝘰𝘮𝘦 𝘥𝘪𝘧𝘧𝘦𝘳𝘦𝘯𝘵 𝘧𝘳𝘰𝘮 𝘚𝘸𝘪𝘮𝘮𝘦𝘳𝘴 𝘚𝘺𝘯𝘥𝘳𝘰𝘮𝘦 ?
In Swimmers Syndrome, the kitten's legs go out to the sides and the kitten cannot get up on all fours. They can appear like they're swimming like a frog - paddling their back legs out on the sides while on their bellies. However, in Twisted Legs a kitten's legs twist and become deformed.

In either case, the kitten will need to be seen by a veterinarian and/or veterinary physical therapist sooner rather than later if the situation is going to be able to be corrected.


If you would like further information on Twisted Legs vs Swimmers, here are two articles:
Swimmers Syndrome - https://zurl.co/mjua
Twisted Legs - https://zurl.co/1pj9

06/12/2024

Yesterday was World Pet Memorial Day. This poem is too beautiful not to share.

They saw you watching over them
As they finally closed their eyes
They smelt your scent as they breathed
In and out for the last time

They heard the way your voice broke
As you told them they were loved
They felt you as you held them
With your gentle, farewell touch

And now they watch each morning
As you pass their empty bed
They watch you lose composure
And they see the tears you shed

They hear you bear the silence
Of the footsteps that are gone
That walk across your heart each day
Like echoes of a song

They feel the pang of emptiness
You get when you’re alone
In moments when you realise
That they’re never coming home

But in their darkest moment
You were there to hold them tight
And they just want the same for you
So you can feel alright

So they’re sewing you a rainbow,
Weaving ribbons through the sky
So they can let you know
That life is good beyond goodbye

So next time it is raining
And the sun appears as well
Just feel and look and listen
To what they are trying to tell

They’re telling you it’s spring there
With its showers and its sun
Where there are endless fields for them
To play and stretch and run

They’re telling you they sleep upon
The biggest, softest beds
That they have stitched from all the clouds
That float above your head

They’re telling you they’re not alone
For there are many others
And they’ve been reunited
With their parents, sisters, brothers

They’re showing you their rainbow
So you know they won’t forget you
And to tell you they will always be
So happy that they met you

And they’re telling you they love you
And though they’ll be dearly missed,
Not to worry, ‘cause it’s beautiful
Beyond the rainbow bridge

******

Becky Hemsley 2022
Beautiful artwork by Paige Keiser https://linktr.ee/paigekeiser

It's World Pet Loss Day today. Sending my love to those missing and remembering a beloved pet 🐾🌈

This poem is in my book for grief and loss:
https://amzn.eu/d/cTbydMN

06/11/2024

‼️WARNING: picture contains a graphic image.‼️

Charlie is the sweetest little boy. He was brought into our program from a colony we have been managing for a period of years. During his intake exam, we noticed a few small scabs on his belly and he was sent to his foster with ointment to treat them. After a few days, it was apparent he had something much worse. He is currently being treated at the vet and doing much better. Needless to say, his vet bill is a lot.

If you can donate to help defray some of these costs, please go to our website pant.org and click on DONATE on the right side of the page. Or you can send a check. Our goal is to raise $300 to help this little boy. Thank you for your support!

06/09/2024

Two more females that won’t be having anymore kittens! Congrats to our trapper!

06/06/2024

Interesting information. We always hear about the litter box.

UPDATE: It appears some are having difficulty accepting new information/better ways to get an indoor kitty to stay close/come back. Here's a link with reportedly safer/ successful methods.

🐈🐾🐈🐾🐈🐾🐈🐾🐈🐾

My local pet lost and found group made a very helpful document to help locate missing cats. It is localized but has great info. Definitely put food out and if you have access to a trail cam, security camera, or baby monitor, use those to see if it’s your cat coming home to eat. Most indoor lost cats will stick around the area! Don’t lose hope, he/she will come back

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1w_zaGvpHrtKsOSnZTXdSGNSgd_5cRhk9/view?usp=drivesdk

06/06/2024

It’s the only chance some cats have.