Tips & Tails TNR and Rescue, Inc.

26/08/2024

***UPDATE: Foster and sponsor found for this guy! So happy he doesn’t have to live at Food Lion. He will be available for ADOPTION following a 2 week quarantine and socializing to assess his personality***

Trapped this little gem last night and he is going for neuter and vaccines this morning. He has all the traits of being friendly and adoptable (he basically walked up to the trap while we were setting it). He is responding well to being pet inside the trap.

Is there anyone that can take this guy in? He is around 14 weeks old. I hate to put him back out at the Food Lion but our intake is closed 😞

25/08/2024

Got to spend a little time with the Saved By The Bell cuties tonight! Pre-applications are open for these babes.

2 of the boys are scheduled for their leg amputations 9/20 and they are best buds - it would be awesome to adopt a pair of tripods 💕

23/08/2024

16/08/2024

Thinking about expanding your family? Don’t forget to check out the beautiful mama cats that risked their lives to create all the cute kittens.

These kitties are babies themselves and so deserving of forever homes. Sweet and very affectionate, they have proven to acclimate well with other adult kitties (and dogs in most cases) in foster care. It truly is a myth that only kittens can bond with people and other pets. Please reach out for more info!

16/08/2024

Over the years we have met so many great people - from adopters, to donors, to volunteers, to even people standing in line behind us at a pet food store - we love and thank you all for supporting us and this crazy life of rescue. We truly cannot do this without YOU! 💕

16/08/2024

We are starting to get some little personalities with the Saved By Bell babies!

Their applications are open for pre-adoption and will be ready to come home early October after their spay/neuters.

*Note that Zack and AC Slater will likely be tripods! This surgery will happen prior to adoption. 💕

16/08/2024

15/08/2024

Good reminder! If you see people responding to posts to take a free kitten, share this bit of knowledge with them. It is rare to get a “healthy” kitten from the individuals posting them. Expect basic vetting plus at least one illness to pop up to add to that. Kittens have extremely fragile immune systems and a mild bug could cost them their life.

95% of the cats/kittens we bring into rescue need medical care beyond just the basics yet our adoption fee remains way lower than the actual cost to get their basic vet care needed to be ready for adoption.

If You Think Shelter Cats are Expensive, Wait Until You See the Price of a FREE One!

How many times have you seen a post like this?

Wanted Free Kitten -- We are a loving family and will be a great home for a kitten. We went to the shelter last week and they want $125 for a kitten! That is outrageous. Who can afford to pay that for a kitten? That is way beyond our budget, so we are hoping for a free kitten.

When I saw this post on NextDoor there were already several responses from people offering free or "inexpensive" kittens. One woman proudly claimed that she lets her cats have kittens as a "community service for people who can't afford the insane shelter adoption fees."

Are rescue and shelter adoption fees unreasonable? Several years ago, my coworker "Annie" chose to adopt a free kitten to save money. She knew I was involved in rescue and asked me for recommendations for affordable vaccines and altering. Annie was certain that a free kitten was going to save her a lot of money. Since money was very tight in her household, I had her make an appointment at Feral Cat Spay Neuter Project for the kitten's spay. The cost for spay, initial vaccines, microchipping and treatment for parasites were going to be only $100. A bargain! But she still needed combo testing and follow up rabies and FVRCP vaccines. That was going to add another $125 to her total. At $225, this was more than the adoption fee for a fully vetted kitten. But before she could take her in to be spayed her free kitten became very ill. She spent over $1,200 trying to save her life.

What are the costs in your community? In our area, adoption fees for fully vetted kittens tend to run between $100 and $150. This includes a wellness exam, age-appropriate vaccines, treatment for fleas and worms, spay / neuter, FIV / FeLV testing and microchipping.

We are fortunate to have low-cost options in our community, but most areas aren't so lucky. At a regular vet clinic, expect to pay $250 on the low end and up to $800 for more expensive clinics. If your free kitten has a common health issue like an upper respiratory illness, add $150 to $500 to your total. For a major medical issue, it could be thousands.

If you know someone interested in adding a kitten or two to their family, be sure to tell them that they can save money by adopting from a local shelter or rescue. If they are skeptical, encourage them to call their vet and find out the fees ahead of time. Free kittens contribute to the homeless cat population in our country because their uninformed adopters don't realize the costs of vet care. If you can't afford the adoption fee for a spayed and vaccinated kitten, you absolutely can't afford a free kitten!

14/08/2024

This is so true!!! When we suggest this to adopters, we aren’t doing it hoping to “unload “ 2 … this is what we are trying to prevent!

Definitely the way to go! 💞

14/08/2024

**PLEASE SHARE***
Bonded brothers Slithers and Snape have had inquiries on them but no one that is willing to keep them together 😭. They both have a low-key personalities and love butt scritches and belly rubs. They don’t “show” well for meet and greets because they prefer to build trust first and are sweethearts once they do. Zoomies start around 8pm and they are so fun and goofy! Dog and cat friendly! Please reach out if you’re ready to adopt this gorgeous duo. They have been neutered, microchipped, done with FVRCP vaccines, rabies vaccine, FIV/felv and parasite negative.

**Transport to greater CT, RI, MA area available 9/1**

13/08/2024

Let’s talk about “The Vacuum Effect.”

If there is a space in an environment rich with amenities, nature will fill it. This occurs in cat colonies as well as many other animal populations. Even if the original population is removed, others will move in and use the provided resources.

It simply is ineffective to only remove cats from their colonies. Whether that be by taking them into rescue, moving due to a natural disaster, etc. it only creates an opportunity for more cats to move in. There will always be more cats. And they will always reproduce if they are not vetted.

Trapping, Neutering/Spaying, and Returning colony cats allow the spots in colonies to remain filled while decreasing the population over time and the opportunity to reproduce.

12/08/2024

PETSinc Affordable Mobile Veterinary is coming to the shelter Saturday, August 17th, 10 AM TO 2 PM!

All dogs must be leashed and all cats in a carrier. Please bring water for your pet during the wait.

This is a walk up clinic. No appointments needed. Wait time is expected so don't forget your water and extra patience.

713 Justice Blvd
York, SC 29745

10/08/2024

Always have a plan first! 🐈‍⬛🪤.

Spay/neuter in this area is by appointment only. Unless you have a safe place to keep feral cats, do not trap until 1-2 nights before your scheduled appointment date.

If trapping kittens in hopes of socializing and finding homes, do not trap until you have a place for them to go. Rescues and shelters are full and waitlists are long! There is no guarantee a rescue can drop everything take feral kittens in. There is a ton of logistics that have to happen for any new intake.

Remember that the majority (if not all) rescues are volunteer-based. They all have lives, families, and jobs they are juggling 💕 Be kind. Be patient. 💕

09/08/2024

The orange is strong with this little one 😂Screech enjoying a nap 😴

08/08/2024

Rainy day naps for the foster babes 💕

08/08/2024

***UPDATE : kittens are safe with rescue. Thank you everyone for helping save them!***

RESCUE ONLY! These 4 have until the storm passes to find rescue. The Good Samaritan holding them cannot keep. We absolutely cannot take them in or even sponsor with foster right now due to critical capacity and funding. Mom has been spayed and released. Kittens are eating and healthy. Approximately 7 weeks old. Can split in pairs if 2 rescues can HELP!

07/08/2024

It's 'Hump Day', and we need to make sure that we are preventing this from happening by having all pet and community cats spayed and neutered.

Help Friends of Feral Felines (FFF) continue our mission of providing subsidies to those in need who are helping community cats in and around Charlotte, NC get the community cats in their neighborhoods spayed/neutered and vaccinated through Trap, Neuter, & Return (TNR).

We'd like to continue to be able to sponsor low-cost TNR community cat clinic days!

Donate to FFF here ...

💛 PAYPAL (or credit card): (Link in our bio.)
https://www.paypal.com/donate/?hosted_button_id=NGBE59SK6F8XJ

📬 BY MAIL:
Friends of Feral Felines
P.O. Box 473385
Charlotte, NC 28247-3385

**All donations are tax-deductible.**

06/08/2024

Best foster buds Cynthia and Brick - adoptable together or separately 💕

06/08/2024

Saved by the Bell kitties 💕. Their foster mom is having too much fun with this crew

❤️🐈🐈‍⬛

06/08/2024