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First I would like to start off by
giving a huge thank you for all
that you do. We had a feral
cat that kept coming to our yard last
winter. He would howl
and meow. It also appeared that he had an injured
leg. We
were able to get a trap from a Pawswatch volunteer. Once we
we
able to trap the cat a Pawswatch doctor fixed,
vaccinated, and treated the
cats leg. We released the cat
once he was recovered from his surgery. We
continued to see
the cat (affectionately named Oreo) in our yard. One
night
I heard him howl so loud. I also noticed he wasn't using his
leg.
We were able to capture him again and thanks to
Pawswatch volunteers he
was given a second chance. Oreo was
able to get the medical attention and
rest that he needed.
This photo was taken about 3 months after his
surgery. Oreo
never let us get close to him. He would still come visit
in
our yard. One day he sat still long enough for us to take this
photo.
I always believe that he would come around the yard
for a visit as his way
of saying thank you. Thanks again,
Sarah
WINSTON'S
STORY
Before
. . . . . . .. .. ..
After, what a pristine & handsome
boy!
Just before Christmas in 2004,
I was driving by a downtown bank and saw a thin and
dirty cat walking by it . Even though I was no longer
an active rehabber, I could not ignore such an obviously
hungry and cold animal. There were no homes nearby and
he was clearly a stray. I pulled over and got out of
my car but he was too frightened to come to me. I put
out the trap I always have in my car, but he would not
go near it, even with the tuna inside. He ambled across
the street and into a gas station, and then disappeared.
I was so sad for him.
From then on, every time I went downtown I would look
for him. Even though he was shabby, he had beautifully
wide face and extra toes. I knew he was special.
Meanwhile, two friends in the next town mentioned that
a white kitten had shown up at their back door looking
for food. I met my friends when they had adopted a kitten
from me that had been dumped on my doorstep in a box
in the middle of summer. They fed the neighborhood cats
and tried to fix and shelter the feral ones. I was a
little disappointed by their news because they had just
agreed to adopt another kitten from me. But I was happy
that the kitten was out of the winter cold and would
ask about him from time to time. I heard he was doing
well but I hadn't yet visited him.
Then in January I was driving home from Connecticut
and passed by their street. After driving over the Pawcatuck
River bridge, I was in the area where I had seen my
downtown cat and for the hundredth time, I looked around
for him. Then it hit me. White kitten? Could it be?
I called my friends and asked about their kitten. They
said I had misunderstood. Their new cat wasn't a kitten.
I turned around and drove to their house. Sure enough,
it was "my" cat; there was no mistaking that
wide face and huge paws. I was as happy as I could be,
seeing him safe and warm. He is a loving, chubby housecat
now. What a miracle that he had ended up with someone
I knew so that I no longer had to worry about him! I
called him my Christmas Miracle Cat. My friends call
him Winston.
LOVEY & BANDIT,
HAPPILY EVER AFTER!
Lovey - Just after her
rescue...so skinny...
Lovey reunited with brother,
Bandit - FAT & HAPPY!
Lovey & Bandit were part of a group
of 20 or so feral cats living in Woonsocket. The kitten
situation had gotten out of hand, and the caretaker, who was
doing such a fabulous job trying to maintain the colony, was
forced to seek relocation for the cats. Most were kittens and
therefore able to find homes. However, Lovey and Bandit were
older and wary of people. Since they could not go back, a barn
was found for them to relocate to. Now named Hank and Hazel,
these cats are happy and safe, living with their new friend,
Henrietta!According to their new caretaker "they are precious
the way they burrow into my open tack trunk and do all kinds
of antics…they are so busy scampering around and having their
discussions. I keep meaning to take pics for you…you will
melt...they are plump, healthy, and just fine.They are more
around when I am doing my stuff and they don’t run when I move
from here to there, but petting them hasn’t happened yet
although they clearly enjoy my company and are curious as to
my every move." Thanks to PawsWatch, and the diligent help of
some volunteers, these cats were able to be altered, receive
their vaccinations, and live happily ever
after!
The Harborside
Colony
 . . . . . . ..  Oreo -----------------------------------------Baxter,
my very first TNR!
It all began with a walk by the bay in
East Greenwich during the summer of 2002. I noticed a few
kittens and a mom, but I wasn't sure what to do! I reached out
to PawsWatch, who came to my rescue, showing me what to do and
loaning me the necessary supplies to trap them so they could
get vet care. 16 kittens were removed from the colony, tamed,
and found homes. Several adult cats received their
vaccination, were spayed or neutered and returned to the
colony to live out their lives. I have not seen a kitten in
the area since October of 2002! Today the colony has tapered
down to three healthy adult feral cats that I still take care
of today...almost four years later!
The Bugaboo
Crew
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Abbee, before...a shy feral------------------Abbee, after -
finally safe!
Abbee was found in the blistering
cold of winter, living outside of restaurant with her
two brothers. She was about 5 months old when she was
'trapped', and, boy oh boy, she defined the word 'wild'!
Since she had never had contact with a person before,
her normal defense was to act terrified. PawsWatch was
able to help me get them the shots and fixed, but I
felt bad about releasing them --- I felt they could
be tamed. They were placed with another local rescue
group, where they were tamed and adopted out to great
families. I, however, ended up 'taming' Abbee. She was
a bit of a 'problem kitten'. She was hissing and lunging
at me - I couldn't even touch her! I decided she could
live with me until she became tame enough to adopt out.
Well, the very first night she stayed over, I woke up
to hear my little wild-child purring up a storm in her
carrier! It took only a few days for her to come around,
and although she was very, very timid, she would snuggle
with me in bed at night. In the meantime, she fell in
love with my other two cats (she had been tested for
diseases so it was ok for them to mingle). Surprisingly,
they loved her back! How could I take her away from
the person she grew to trust and the 'brother and sister'
she loved? Needless to say, Abbee became a permanent
member of the family. She is still a little shy, but
every night she comes to bed to snuggle and purr and
show how grateful she is!
Tony & Cleo needed
extra TLC...
Tony & Cleo, with a
new fluffy friend
Tony (tiger and white male) and Cleo
(black) were siblings trapped in Providence. They were orphans
and trying to stay warm underneath a dryer vent.
Once captured, it became apparent
that they were both suffering from upper respiratory
infections. Despite treatment, their eyes became involved
in the infection and each kitten had to have it's right
eye removed by Dr. Kenfield of Portsmouth. They were
neutered and spayed at the same time.
An adoptive home was found quickly for
both siblings to stay together. Their mom is a police
dispatcher and dad is a firefighter, and the kittens
named "Tony and Cleo" are getting along great with the
family's five year old Maine Coon.
Ginny's Story....she was almost
'put back'!
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Ginny!What a pretty girl! ...........................Kathleen,
thanks for rescuing me!
Ginny was trapped at a desolate fish
processing plant in Narragansett where the food was
inconsistant and the shelter had to be hidden. Some of the
workers were kind but others threw out the food dishes and
kitty condos. The feeder was very ill and the long term
prospects of these cats being cared for were poor.
When I trapped Ginny she was small and
so pretty. I really wanted to tame her and saw glimmers of
hope when I worked with her, but she was already fully grown
so the chances of success were small. She never meowed, even
for food. I was caring for so many cats at the time that I had
to be strong and make tough choices. I kept being told "You
can't save all of them" and I tried to believe it.
I
was reluctant to release Ginny back to her colony but I knew
that if I kept all of the cats that might tame up someday I
would be unable to continue rescuing any cats. So I drove to
the fish plant, quickly got out of the car, put the crate on
the ground, and opened it, all without trying to feel my
disappointment and fear for her. But unlike most released
cats, she did not bolt from the cage. So I picked up the cage,
held it upside down, and shook it. No cat. Then I heard the
tiniest little peep. Ginny's first word! I'm sure she was
saying "I don't want to go back there!". At least, that is
what I heard. I slammed the crate door shut, ran to my car,
slammed the car door closed, and breathed heavily. I told her
she was NOT going back and we would just have to work
something out.
A few weeks later a wonderful woman saw
Ginny on Petfinder and knew she was the kitty for her. She
didn't even mind the ear tip and said that it was proof that
she was a special cat. After several long conversations and
reference-checking, Shari drove the long distance to pick up
her new sweetie-pie. It took some time and patience, but Ginny
is now a loving family pet, who sends me a Christmas card
every year and even helps her mom with the
gift-wrapping!
Henry's Story...A kitten with a
Flipper?
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Henry shortly after his
rescue....................Henry now
- very handsome!
One time my mom was out, and I was
doing homework. When my mom came home, she was carrying an
animal crate with a kitten in it. She took the kitten out, and
I saw that it had three legs, and in place of the front left
leg, there was a flipper. Then I realized that it had only
half a tail. My mom said it is a boy, so we decided to name
him “Henry”. I asked my mom where he came from and why he only
had three legs and half a tail. My mom said that Henry was
born like that. Then she said that Henry’s mom is feral and
had her kittens in a machine shop. There was a guy that works
there and feeds them. When he came into work that day, the mom
and her babies were eating, and then they saw him and ran
away. Since Henry only has three legs, he was not able to keep
up with his mom, so the man was able to catch him. Now he is
nine month old and as I sit writing this article, he is
playing with my other cat, Victoria. Henry is the fastest cat
in my house.
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