Community Cats and Kittens of CT

21/07/2024

, LA

23/12/2023

23/10/2023

14/10/2023

Fall is the time of the year when mice, chipmunks, and even squirrels may decide that your house is the perfect winter Airbnb. You may want to deter those pesky interlopers without hurting them. But did you know that peppermint oil, one of the things that is highly recommended as a deterrent, is toxic to cats? This volunteer sure didn’t!

Peppermint oil can cause liver failure if ingested and breathing problems if inhaled. And cats can get the oil on their fur and lick it off. Who knew? So this is an autumn reminder that before spraying anything around your cats and dogs, please make sure it is pet safe.

28/09/2023

We sometimes have people ask about ear tips so we thought we would take some time today to explain. An ear tip is when the top of a cat’s left ear is removed or “tipped” while the cat is under sedation during spay or neuter. (See adoptable Belinda pictured here.) People sometimes don’t understand why a cat in a rescue would be tipped. Others are occasionally angry and argue that the cat has been “mutilated”. We understand the outrage, but we still support the tip.

You see, when a community cat is trapped outside and brought in for tnr (trap, neuter, return), they don’t always know- and can’t always tell- if a cat is feral or a friendly stray dumped outside. If the cat seems feral they are tipped. That way anyone who sees the cat when it is returned outside will know that it has been spay/neutered.

That tip shows at a glance that there is no need to trap the cat again. The tip shows that the cat is not making babies over and over, most of whom will not survive. The tip shows that the cat will likely have a better and healthier life and will definitely not be adding to feral cat overpopulation. The ear tip is sometimes referred to as a “hall pass” for community cats.

So how does an ear tipped cat end up in a rescue? Well, sometimes after the surgery the cat will calm down and can be identified as a friendly cat who was abandoned outside and was just freaked out by the trap. The trappers or caretakers may then reach out to a local rescue like Protectors of Animals to see if we can help. Other times, maybe months or even years later, someone will earn that cat’s trust, take them in, and teach them all about beds and laps and kindness. If the cat eventually becomes adoptable that person may reach out to a group like Protectors of Animals for help.

Once in the shelter, the ear tip is a sign that the cat was once outside- cold, hungry, struggling, but is now safe, warm, fed, loved. The tip shows that the cat had a rough past but is not defined by the past; that it is capable of trust and love. If you are looking to adopt, don’t walk past an ear tipped cat. Sometimes being abandoned outside means that they are the cats who most want to go home.

We wish that no friendly cat was ever ear tipped. We also wish there were fewer community cats and that friendly cats were never abandoned outside. Maybe someday. But until then, we understand the need for cats to be ear tipped. And we know that the ear tip is actually a symbol of the people who cared about that cat and tried to help.

14/07/2023

😺🐾😺

Thank you City the Kitty and Red and Howling 😻

13/07/2023

03/06/2023

County Humane Society

15/05/2023

file:///var/mobile/Library/SMS/Attachments/e0/00/12394D6E-E474-4077-B4D9-861440C9A799/IMG_4779.mov

Rescue madness

14/05/2023

🥰🥰🥰🥰🥰

13/05/2023

This is the "he s feral + mean + we don't want him back" kitty who is decompressing + sleeping the " I m safe now" sleep of peace! I love the big beat up toms with the big cheeks who I can see just need a little time to come around! TNR WORKS!

13/05/2023

13/05/2023

Matching spot 😸

09/03/2023

09/03/2023

😂😹🙀

09/03/2023

THIS IS ONE OF OUR FOUNDERS OF THE RESCUE. Nice Leslie!!!❤️❤️❤️