Feral Cat Solutions

06/02/2025

Ten winter kittens, six from one farm in Greenville, heading for their forever 🏡🐈‍⬛homes! Thanks to all who helped with this, those who trapped these kittens, those who socialize them and those who donate to us so we have the supplies to be able to care for all of the kittens born outdoors. No more outside for these guys.
If you have it in your heart to help support us now is a great time to help us build up our Kitten fund. We are fixing a lot of cats and finding that quite a few of them are pregnant. This is a predictor of an early kitten season we would sure like to be ready for it. We provide all of the supplies for our kitten, Fosters , and we place all of the kittens with rescues and shelters so they all go to responsible indoor homes. Every single kitten needs to be socialized. We have a team of devoted volunteers that socialize the kittens. Even a donation of $10 would help us so much.

23/01/2025

We are still here to help folks with outdoor cats in Kent county. Be in touch by email to schedule for TNR with us starting the beginning of February. Taking a wee break and working on some large colonies in GR to try to head off major baby making. Our email is [email protected] to get on our schedule. Kindly send first name address and brief description of the situation. We will get back with you:)

20/01/2025

A repeat of an old and good video. Still good information.

20/01/2025

Hypothermia in Cats what you can do

Hypothermia is a medical emergency, and occurs when a cat is exposed to the cold for a prolonged period of time. In this article, Dr. Rhiannon Koehler explains the symptoms, treatment, and prevention of hypothermia in cats.

20/01/2025

Fix The Future is our Future

How the BISSELL Pet Foundation is Saving Lives Through Adoption, Spay/Neuter Programs, and Disaster Response

20/01/2025

LOTS of good information here.

Very long informative post with a flyer on what to do if you Find a lost Pet 🐾

Please read in it's entirety and please share 🙏🏽

FOUND PET TIPS - COMMUNITY HELP NEEDED 🐾

We are seeing many found pet posts across our community, and we want to extend a big THANK YOU to everyone holding onto these animals, even for just a night, while searching for their families. The act of keeping a found animal for even 24 hours dramatically increases their chances of reuniting with their family and prevents them from entering our overwhelmed shelter system.

The Current Challenge
In addition to animal shelters in our community and across the nation facing a crisis with increasing numbers of animals entering shelters with decreasing adoptions and pet reclaims there is critical space shortages. Our own local municipal animal shelter, the Kent County Animal Shelter is undergoing a renovation project which will last 3 months. The shelter will be moving to a temporary location during this time.The temporary location is about half the space of the animal shelter meaning half the kennel space.

There is need for community support now more than ever!

We're asking our community to be heroes - when you find a lost pet, consider holding onto them while searching for their family. This small act of kindness could mean the difference between a happy reunion or a pet lost in the shelter system.

Found a Lost Pet? Here's Your Step-by-Step Guide

Immediate Actions (First 24 Hours)

1. Safely Contain the Pet
- If possible, safely approach and contain the pet. If this at your residence contain the pet in your yard or home
- Take clear photos and note the exact location and time
- Provide water immediately, and food if the pet appears hungry
- Keep found pets separate from your own pets initially

2. Check for Identification
- Look for a collar and tags
- Have a veterinarian scan for a microchip (most offer this service for free) there are two 24-hour microchip scanning stations in Kent County.

📍Scan Station #1
Kent County Animal Shelter
740 Fuller Ave NE
Grand Rapids, MI 49503

📍Scan Station #2
Kent County North Campus
4191 17 Mile RD NE
Cedar Springs, MI 49319

Many police departments also have microchip scanners.
- Take note of any distinctive features, markings, or behaviors

3. Document Everything
- Take clear photos of the pet from multiple angles
- Note exactly where and when you found them
- Record any identifying characteristics
- Color of collar, harness, etc
- Keep a log of your search efforts

4. Start Local Search Efforts
- Canvas the immediate neighborhood where you found the pet
- Contact the Animal Shelter to file a Found pet report and inquire if they have been contacted about a missing pet with the same description of the pet you found
- Put up bright, waterproof signs at major intersections near the finding location
- Ask neighbors if they recognize the pet
- Check with nearby businesses, especially if they have security cameras

5. Working with Shelters
- Contact the Animal Shelter to file a Found pet report and inquire if they have been contacted about a missing pet with the same description of the pet you found
- Inquire about Stray to Foster, many shelters now offer these programs and will provide support and supplies to you for the found pet.
- Provide them with photos of the pet and your contact information
- Inquire about courtesy posts on their social media

Digital Outreach

6. Online Posting Strategy
- Post on neighborhood apps (Nextdoor, Ring, Petco Love Lost)
- Share on local Facebook pet groups
- Post on local lost pet websites
- Use platforms like Pawboost
- Include:
- Clear photos
- Location and date found
- Basic description (breed, color, size, gender, spay/neuter (look for a tattoo)
- Your contact information

7. Check Existing Posts
- Search "lost pet" posts in your area
- Look through local shelter websites
- Look at Petco Love Lost
- Check community bulletin boards
- Review local lost pet databases

Extended Care (Beyond 24 Hours)

8. Temporary Fostering
- Provide a quiet, secure space
- Continue feeding and basic care
- Document any medical concerns
- Take daily photos of the pet
- Keep searching and posting updates

Owner Verification

9. When Someone Claims the Pet
- Ask for photos of the pet
- Request specific identifying details
- Verify vet records if possible
- Meet in a safe, public location
- Document the reunion with photos and contact information

Prevention Tips

10. Community Education
- Encourage microchipping
- Recommend ID tags with current information
- Suggest pet registration with local authorities
- Promote proper fencing and leash usage
-Offer fence repair assistance to neighbors
- Share the importance of current pet photos

Important Notes
- Never assume a pet is abandoned
- Never assume pet is neglected, some pets may have been missing for a duration of time and they lose weight
- Keep searching for at least 30 days
- Update and share often, remove finding posts once resolved
- Follow local laws regarding found pets
- Contact animal control for injured or aggressive animals

Remember: Your efforts to help keep this pet in the community greatly increase their chances of reunification with their family and help preserve vital shelter space for emergency cases.

19/01/2025

We are looking for a new community cat caregiver for a home that an elderly couple moved out of as they could not care for the home and live independently any longer. There are approximately 20 cats it is at this intersection. I believe this is Bellknap lookout. We would love to find someone who would be able to feed and put freshwater out there or maybe a couple of people that would switch off days helping these cats so they do not starve. I believe there is some trapping that needs to be done in the spring. We would assist with that. I was hoping to share this in some neighborhood groups to try to facilitate a new caregiver to look after this colony. We have permission to feed on the porch. Please be in touch if you’re able to assist with us ideally, we would have a couple of people that live close by that could pop in every day and spend about five minutes feeding and putting out freshwater.

19/01/2025

We have straw!! if you need straw for your colony CATS come and get it now. It is on my driveway all bagged up and ready to go. The address is 3825 Benjamin Avenue Northeast 49525. If you need to get some additional straw into your shelters or if you’re creating a space frantically today, this straw is available now.

19/01/2025

One by one. That’s how we help them. We can help more with all of you helping us help. Let’s expand that circle of helpers. You help one and the next person helps one. A common misconception is that you have to have some special skills to help an animal. A lot of the contact that I get about animals that are in needunfortunately the people don’t want to lift a finger. They just want to report it to me. You can help we can give you the resources. Collaboratively, we can make a big difference. from a woman that has a litter of kittens loose in her house and three other litters and a very sick feral in cages in my mechanical room. We can do this. Let’s all throw down.

18/01/2025

Please please bring allllll pets indoors. It’s going to be dangerously cold.

🚨 The temperatures are not only going to be brutal, they are going to be deadly here in Detroit. For some dogs, he will be too late. This weather is dangerous. If you ! Detroit Dog Rescue’s is always available by going to DetroitDogRescue.com

🚨 Right now, the team is gearing up for a rigorous schedule. We are loading straw, dog igloos, crates, our rescue vehicle packed with medical equipment and all the tools we will need to save lives.

🚨 This is the kind of weather where we see intense frost bite, some dogs will be alive but frozen to the ground or metal barrel “dog houses”. What our team is about to see in negative temps will be heartbreaking. Please be easy with them and please . Message our hotline now for reports.

🚨 Lastly, bring your dogs inside! It is too cold to keep your dogs outside in these temperatures.

18/01/2025

18/01/2025

Our services are free. We supply our fosters with everything they need to take care of the cats in our care. We would be most appreciative of any donations from our Chewy list. Thank you for your support.

Our organization is committed to working in our community to keep the population of outdoor cats down and minimize the suffering endured by unaltered outdoor

18/01/2025

Straw is what you want to use in your cats shelter.

Winter shelters for community cats come in all shapes and sizes, but if you're doing it right, they'll all be stuffed with one thing: straw. Fuzzy blankets m...

18/01/2025

This is fairly rare but we do see it.

📚 Our BACK TO BASICS SERIES: Pregnancy vs. Pyometra

Can you tell? Is she PREGNANT or does she have a LIFE-THREATENING CONDITION?

Pyometra is a bacterial infection of the uterus of an unspayed cat. It causes the uterus to fill with pus, often making the cat appear pregnant. This is a VERY SERIOUS condition that needs veterinary attention immediately as this infection can be fatal.

Signs of pyometra include a bloated abdomen, lethargy, vomiting, decreased appetite, excessive licking at the va**nal opening, blood in the urine, urinating outside of the litter box and more. There may or may not be discharge from the va**na. 🚨🚨 If your cat appears unwell, please take her to a veterinarian as quickly as possible. 🚨🚨 This can't wait. Pyometra can be avoided: spay your cat!

For more information about pyometra, visit https://www.thesprucepets.com/treating-pyometra-in-cats-4784166 or speak with your veterinarian.

Content provided by Stray Cat Project.
Graphic by Catadelphia

17/01/2025

How Do Cats Get Worms?
Cats most commonly contract worms after coming into contact with parasite eggs or infected f***s.

A cat may walk through an area with eggs or infected f***s, and since cats are often such fastidious groomers, they will then ingest the eggs or f***l particles as they clean their fur and feet.

Cats that live outdoors and regularly hunt small rodents are also at a higher risk of contracting worms because the worms can live in the muscle tissues of their prey.

After eating a rodent that’s infected with worm larvae, a cat can develop a worm infestation as those larvae develop to maturity in the cat’s intestines.

Can Cats Get Worms From Dogs? Yes, through their fleas and feral matter.

Types of Worms in Cats
The most common types of worms in cats are:
* Roundworms
* Hookworms
* Tapeworms
* Whipworms

Less commonly diagnosed worms in cats can even be fatal, including:
* Lungworms
* Stomach worms
* Bladder worms
* Liver flukes
* Heartworms

Common signs of worms in cats include:
* Vomiting
* Diarrhea
* Tarry f***s
* Weight loss
* Distended abdomen
* Skin lesions
* Generally poor body condition and a dull coat

As infestations worsen and symptoms progress, you may see signs such as:
* Weakness
* Dehydration
* Pale lips and gums due to anemia
* Low blood pressure
* Shock
* Death, in the most severe cases

Are Worms Painful for Cats?
Worms in cats can potentially cause pain. The migration of larvae through the liver, stomach, eye, or lungs would cause discomfort as the affected tissues become inflamed from the disruption.

This could present as:
* Belly pain, including gastritis due to inflammation of the stomach lining (potential nausea, vomiting, loss of appetite, food aversion)
* Eye irritation
* A change in your cat’s breathing rate/pattern

How to Get Rid of Worms in Cats
For the best results, contact your veterinarian.

What Happens if Worms Go Untreated in Cats?
Left untreated can be dangerous, even fatal.

Source: TNR Works

16/01/2025

January 20th. Intake is closed.
Kent County we want your kittens!!
We will take all the kittens off your hands and spay mama for free. Please message today!!
Kittens will be vetted and adopted to good homes. Kent County only.

16/01/2025

📚 Our BACK TO BASICS SERIES: spaying and neutering

Let's continue our discussion on reproduction.....

SNiP Now shared this very informative post regarding female fertility and reproduction. They wrote:
"We have had a few calls from people worried their cats are in pain as they are exhibiting symptoms of yowling and other unusual behaviors (rubbing all over items). What these individuals are describing is their female cat having heat cycles which can occur in females as young as 4-months of age. Yowling, rubbing, raising the behind up in the air (lordosis reflex), spraying, the desire to go outside and find a mate...are all symptoms that can occur during a female cat's heat cycle. Sometimes females can appear more loving and other times females can have more aggressive tendencies during this cycle."

Remember that spaying a cat will eliminate these behaviors as well as help control the cat population. Please have your cat spayed by 4 months of age!

Content and graphic shared from SNiP Now .

16/01/2025

📖Our BACK TO BASICS SERIES: the reality of Spay Abort

Spay abort—spaying a pregnant cat and therefore aborting her kittens —is standard practice in veterinary clinics that perform TNR surgeries. This is a sensitive and emotional topic that can be challenging for many to confront. However, many believe it is a key approach to addressing cat overpopulation, supporting the well-being of community cats, and lessening the burden on rescues and shelters by helping cats and kittens already in the system find homes.

During a spay abort, the veterinarian removes the cat’s uterus and ovaries under anesthesia. If the cat is pregnant, this ends the pregnancy, meaning the unborn kittens do not survive. Veterinarians do not consult with rescuers while the cat is on the operating table; it is understood and agreed at drop off that should the cat be pregnant, the pregnancy will be terminated and the kittens lost.

We recognize this is a difficult topic, and it’s natural to have questions or strong feelings. We invite open and respectful conversations in the comments to help foster understanding of these practices and their role in community cat care and population control.