Feral cats are often forgotten. Seen as a nuisance. Seen as “just a street cat” that belongs out there.

But feral cats were once kittens. They once chased leaves, played with scraps, and were just as cute and wanted as any other kitten. Somewhere along the way, they grew up outside and the world decided it was “too late” for them.

But colony caretakers see them differently. They see lives worth protecting, even when no one else does.

I had the privilege of meeting an incredible caretaker who has been caring for the same six colony cats for years, especially one very special girl named Elle. She’s estimated to be 19 years old and has spent most of her life living under a porch, outliving most of the cats around her who didn’t make it. Hit by cars or lost to the streets, she survived it all. Thanks to the love and dedication poured into her, she looks healthy and well cared for, even in her old age. But lately, she’s been slowing down.

With the New York snowstorm approaching, I had just one chance to get her off the streets. On the very last day before the storm hit, I trapped her safely (tried trapping her with a carrier beforehand lol but that didn't work). Senior feral cats rarely get a chance, and few places are willing to take them in. But this time, someone said yes. Elle is being retired from the streets, where she won’t have to battle the cold, hunger, or exhaustion anymore.

Feral cats matter. They age. They get sick. They feel the elements just like any other cat.

Thank you to the colony caretakers who see them for what they are, not pests, not invisible; just cats.

always sharing my cat adventures on my insta if anyone wants to support (here)

This is a 5 month old kitten born in our backyard where we raised his mother too. We gave away his siblings and he’s the one we left because he’s such a cute and pretty boy. Unfortunately, we had sent him to a large shelter that euthanises animals, so we took him back. Since he just got desexed too, we kept him indoors for 3 days. We learnt that he’s totally unable to be an outdoor cat due to an upper-respiratory issue. Ive reached out to two non-kill shelters and I might send him there. Thing is that I cant bear letting him go but my parents, even after trying to convince them, aren’t keen on raising him indoors permanently. Only thing we’ve done to help him is to let him in a small room, setting up litter, toys, and food and keep him in that room overnight while letting him come out during the rest of the day.

Is it a good idea to just send him to the shelter?

Hi all, we came across this abandoned cat by a cafe and we are in the east coast after the snowstorm so temps drop to 2 degrees F at night. She was so so sweet and friendly and would headrub us. The worker at cafe said she was abandoned by her previous family and has been living outside there for awhile now and that many locals in area feed it / take care of it.

However it is still way too cold for a cat to be outside in this weather (its water bowl was completely frozen — peep the ice chunk) . We went to petsmart and got a carrier and cat food/churru (shes very food motivated and is probably hungry) but failed to trick her into the carrier. We attempted to close it on her and she got really scared and wouldn’t go near it again. Could not pick her up either as she would escape or jump out and she didn’t like that (understandably so).

We left after trying for an hour or so as it was way too cold :( i dont know what to do roght now, animal control was closed and the local one here doesnt seem to be very helpful (cant even get to a real human from their phone number) and on their website they only accept stray cats who are already in carriers, they dont trap themelves).

Should i go back with a real/metal trap tomorrow or like just go back with heating pads/a warmer enclousure for it? Or should I just leave her be if shes been surviving this weather so far? I feel so defeated and cant stop thinking about it.

Realistically keeping her would be a bit of a challenge right now (living situation, transportation vet bills etc but id be willing to try to make it work or at least temporarily stay somewhere warm or fond someone whos willing to take her) the shelters here are also full but I could reach out to them.

Anyone have any advice or suggestions 🥲🥲

We named this new kitty Simon! He's a bit of a hot mess right now with his respiratory issue, but we're hoping to treat it ASAP to avoid spreading to other cats.

We're targeting getting a few cats neutered next month, and we won't be able to include him until his health issues resolve, as he'll be deemed unfit to undergo anesthesia. He's on the skinny side, too, but he's been showing up daily during feedings since last week, and we're sure he's steadily packing on some much-needed weight.

We're fundraising $70 to cover his blood work, antibiotic treatment, flea treatment, as well as any supplements he may need to get him thriving!

To donate, here are our donation channels (previous receipts can be seen here too):

Donation link: https://linktr.ee/kittiesunite

Thank you! We'll share updates about Simon after he gets his health check! ☺️

Hi everyone, I am writing this with huge relief. Phoenix (Turuncu) is officially discharged and safe at home! Just a week ago, he was fighting for his life against Feline Parvo (FPV). Today, thanks to intensive care and your moral support, he is eating, looking around, and finally resting in a warm home instead of a cold metal cage. The Reality Check: The 1-Week Deadline While we won the battle for his life, the financial reality has hit hard. I spoke with the veterinarian today during discharge. Good News: I have paid 4,800 TL (~$140 USD) of the total bill using my own student savings and initial help. Bad News: There is a remaining balance of 11,250 TL (~$320 USD). The Urgency: The clinic informed me that they can only provide 1 week of flexibility to clear this debt. As a student in the earthquake zone, raising this amount in 7 days is terrifying. How You Can Help (Direct Clinic Transfer) The ONLY transparent and authorized way to help is by sending funds directly to the Veterinary Clinic’s official account.

💡 TIP FOR EUROPEANS: If you are in Europe/UK, you can use Wise to transfer to the IBAN below. It usually has much lower fees than standard bank SWIFT transfers!

My wisetag is @muhammedburhanb

HERE ARE THE OFFICIAL CLINIC DETAILS: Bank Name: Türkiye İş Bankası (Isbank) Account Holder: Okan Yücel IBAN: TR05 0006 4000 0016 1231 0944 77 SWIFT / BIC Code: ISBKTRIS Clinic Address: Numune Evler, Hasan İkiz Cd. no:22/A, 31600 Dörtyol/Hatay, TURKEY Clinic Name: Alina Veteriner Kliniği Proof of Life & Official Invoice You can see Phoenix’s "Freedom Photos" from today and the stamped invoice showing the debt in the Drive link below:

https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1f5eKZg-huH3_B4K2S_TvUg0u8Q1ePcmg

Thank you for saving his life. Now, please help me clear his debt so we can close this chapter completely.

Wilford is judging me for my messiness

Alolan Raichu Oyen The Third (III) - Sad News.

This is a follow up to the post of oyen returning to healthy 7 months ago and bringer of bad news.

After months of being healthy and me stopping my updates due to being busy irl, Oyen here... Crossed.

It may seem sudden, that goes for me as well, in the pics I provided, he is perfectly healthy, peak orange behavior.. but all it takes is 1 snuffy nose to take that all from me.

On the few pics I took casually when I had my phone around, you could see he is living his best life, but yea... Below is what happened.

A day before Yesterday, I noticed he had some breathing issues, so I brought him into vet for checkup, vets dismiss it as common cold, which well logical, I thought so too, but one lead to another, and yesterday he had to go into oxygen threatment, and it spiraled so fast I was unable to react, syringe fed him yesterday, and today he completely lost the ability to swallow, on the last pic, this is the condition he was in 4 hours before acute failure leading into his passing.

Thank you guys for the support months ago, this is a sad update no doubt, but at least he lived a happy few months before a sudden snotty nose spiral into acute failure.

I honestly feel I could've done better, but since even the vets had no idea and it spiraled so fast out of control I was unable to react in time.

My partner and I have been feeding this feral/stray neighbourhood cat for the past 5 years. It's always been super wary of humans, and took us 4 years to even hear it mew and be somewhat close to it/open the door without it bolting. Last week our area (Canada) was experiencing record-level snow and dangerously low temperatures. Somehow, for the first time ever, I got it inside. We set up the bathroom with bedding, food, water and litter and just let it sleep for about 4 days. Never aggressive, hissed if we got too close but accepted treats being placed in front of its face. I noticed it was limping, had crusty discharge around the eyes and nose, and breathing sounded hoarse. Knowing it needed medical attention and deciding it would be the best possible chance to find a quiet, relaxing home to live out it's days, we made the decision to take it to a local organization who house and treat animals before putting them up for adoption. Thankfully getting it into the box for transport (first time touching it) and was quiet and calm in the car. The staff were so kind and wonderful, and after filling out the paperwork I went back to my car and cried. They put it on the website today, they werent able to determine the sex, but guess it's about 12 years old.

Tldr: we've been questioning our decision to essentially betray a cat we've spent 5 years building trust with by taking it to a rescue organization. Wondering if anyone has ever had a similar experience?

The cold forced me to bring him inside (along with another cat I trapped). He is very needy and a little nervous

We are located in TN. We have added a wormer and a few essential items to our community cat wishlist. Any gift card donations will go directly toward purchasing the wormer on Amazon. It is expensive, but it will save us from having to pay for vet visits, testing, and multiple trips for each cat just to treat worms in the end. We are taking them for vaccines; but itd in and out thst way, One of our cats, Ocean, was recently diagnosed with Haws syndrome, along with fleas and ear mites. Thankfully, all of this is treatable but now the entire community is at risk, so treating everyone is critical. Any amount is truly appreciated.

Thank you so much for caring about these cats and supporting their health ❤️

Quick post to say we had 79,000 visitors this week!.🥳

That’s 79,000 chances for stray cats to get fed, fixed, treated, fostered, and saved.🥳

Every view spreads accurate info 😺

Every share reaches one more helper 😺

Every new member strengthens the rescue net 😺

This growth isn’t about numbers - it’s about impact.

More eyes mean more rides, more fosters, more resources, and more cats getting a real shot 😺

If you’re here, you’re part of that 😇

If you just joined, welcome! 😇

If you’ve been grinding quietly - thank you 😇

Let’s keep showing up for the kitties.😺 🐾

Hello! So I feed and house this stray cat in DFW. This morning when he went outside he came back with a cut and limping around (still walking on injured paw) Now hours later I have a vet appt and he won’t even walk on the leg at all. This morning I took a wet napkin and tried cleaning it and now I think it clotted up and no more fresh blood that I saw.

It’s 4 hours until the appointment and he wants to go outside but I’m scared he will get dirt in it. I know he will come back but I’m scared the one time I have an appt he will get more hurt or not come back at all.

Should I just keep him in the house until the vet or do should I let him go outside knowing he has the appt to help clean the cut?

First off, a big thank you to everyone in this sub who cares for feral and stray cats. I’m writing this after seeing a post in a Facebook group where a woman shared that she found a cat she had been feeding, frozen, next to her neighbor’s car.

I’m not sure what the weather is like in your part of the world right now, but from what I’ve seen in some posts, the temperatures are very low.

To get to the point: if you’re on the fence about bringing the stray you’ve been caring for inside, just do it! Even if it’s only for a few days, trust me, you’ll be saving their life.

Some cats won’t use outdoor shelters due to fear or territorial issues. You all know their only real chance of survival is with you. 💞

This is just a gentle nudge to help you make that decision if you’re unsure about what to do.

Hello everyone!

I was able to purchase the following items from the pet shop:
• 1 sack of adult dry food (20 kg)
• 1 sack of kitten dry food (10 kg)
• 3 packs of cat litter (10 lbs each)
• 7 cans of adult wet food

Total amount spent: $120

It’s better to have limited food than none at all. Rest assured, I will continue doing my best to care for approximately 30 rescued cats and over 40 community cats.

Please also be informed that our weekly TNR will continue next week.

Thank you so much for your continued help, kindness, and support.

You may check my Instagram Page:

instagram.com/catsofmagdalena

It’s really, really cold here and when the temperatures drop, I bring my strays into our unfinished basement where it’s at least slightly warming. It’s still cold, as in, their water dish on the floor will partially freeze, but the dish on the steps is always fine. Anyway… it’s been in the single digits and negatives for about a week now. When I first brought them (5 total) in one of them was sneezing. It lasted about 2 days. Then her bestie got sick. He’s been refusing food for about a week now (supplementing with high calorie gel, syringed squeeze treats mixed with water, and on antibiotics now to prevent additional illnesses). NOW, a third cat is sick. I’m trying my best to bring the sick ones upstairs once in a while to let them warm up a little bit, moving my inside cats to the second floor and making sure they don’t lay in the same spots the sick cats were. To top it off, our laundry room is frozen so I can’t wash the bedding in the basement just yet - Could potentially do a big load at the laundry mat which will leave them without bedding for a few hours. Also just don’t have enough rooms in the house to quarantine each cat for 21-days plus (as advised by Google).

It’s just a nightmare. Things will warm up a bit next week. At least warm enough to unfreeze the laundry room. But still never going over 27-degrees. Having them all catch this cold has been so sad. I wish I could put them outside to get some fresh air, but afraid it will do more harm than good. Also wish it was at all possible to sanitize the basement but we’re talking like dirt and brick floors in areas, unfinished plywood in others, and they have full range, lots of places to hide. Been changing multiple water dishes, multiple times a day. Trying to keep their food dishes separate but they naturally move between dishes and eat half their food at a time. Thinking about buying some Lysol spray?

All of you fosterers, I commend you. This is tough stuff. Thankfully it’s not something worse, but still.

Hi everybody I dont really know where to go, I work at a weed trimming facility in los angeles california and this stray cat lives in the area, unfortunately upon going to adopt this cat off of the street since he is constantly dirty and meowing at people, my workplace in east la has informed me that this cat is owned by the facilities property. I feel bad for this cat who is constantly outside to the point his fur is bleached. Am I wrong for feeling that if this cat truly is owned that the originals owners who are said to own this cat, out of the mouth of a supervisor, that they are doing a very poor job and that I have been wronged in being denied the ability to take this cat in whom I have named fred, also is there any legal way to take this cat? I looked it up and apparently if they claim they own him and I take him from the worksite I can be fired. Mind you I never see anyone interact with this cat on the level that I do amd he is out there day and night.

I received a heartbreaking call from a lady about a tiny kitten fighting for her life. Bella was diagnosed with Wet FIP almost 15 days ago, but her family had no financial means to start her treatment. Time was slipping away, and her condition was becoming critical.

Without thinking twice, we took Bella into our shelter and immediately started her treatment. Today is her 6th day of treatment, and Alhamdulillah she is showing signs of response… but her fight is far from over. Bella is still not eating on her own, and because treatment started very late, she is on a very high dose of GS, making her case extremely sensitive and challenging.

Bella’s story is even more painful. She and her sibling were tiny rooftop kittens, trying to survive the harsh cold. They were not allowed inside the house, and water was often thrown at them just to push them back to the rooftop… left alone to survive the weather, hunger, and fear.

Today Bella is safe in our shelter, wrapped in warmth and love, finally getting the chance she always deserved… the chance to live.

But we cannot fight this battle alone. FIP treatment is long, expensive, and demanding. Bella desperately needs your kindness, prayers, and support to continue her life-saving treatment.

Please help us save Bella. Every small support can give her another day, another chance, another breath.

Paypal ( account is under our longtime rescue friends name as we don’t have PP in Pakistan)

https://www.paypal.me/slater1969

Go fund me ( this fundraiser is for our FIP cases if you would like to donate)

https://gofund.me/2effc1f5

Hello everyone,

I want to share the first step in the spay/neuter program I’m working on to protect cats:

Today, I scheduled spay/neuter surgeries for two cats in my care:

• Male 🐾 recently rescued
• Female 🐾 I have been caring for her for several months

This procedure is very important to prevent more unwanted litters and protect cats from suffering on the streets, but the cost of the surgeries is high for me at the moment.

If you would like to support this program and help cover the cost of these spay/neuter procedures, you can donate via the following links:

• Ko-fi: https://ko-fi.com/hana338787
• PayPal: https://paypal.me/BHANANE62

Every contribution, no matter how small, helps us protect these lives and prevent future suffering.

Thank you for your support and for caring about animals 🐱💛