The Newest Chapter in Mr. Nelson's Life

Mr. Nelson Lounging in His New Home...inside!

Over four years ago, I began seeing him in the shadows, under a bush, sometimes scooting out of the under the house residence of Mrs. Gray and her family.   So quiet and so afraid.  For 3+ years I watched him roam the streets of Walnut.  Myself and others in town saw his need. He looked beat and battered, worn and torn and we couldn't catch him.  We put food and water out for him and tried over and over and over to trap him, so he could be fixed and vaccinated.   We named him Elusive, for good reason.  Finally in Nov of 2014 I was able to get him in.   At that time, he seemed healthy enough, other than fleas and mites and some battle scars. He was renamed E. Conrad Nelson in honor of the friend that sponsored his medical treatment, he remained elusive for months and then he appeared on "the porch" with Mrs. Gray and Zeva.  Months passed and he became tamer and finally one day just a few months ago, Mr. Nelson decided he could trust Kathy and they began a beautiful relationship.   Taking it slow and easy was the name of the game.  Mr. Nelson would wind between Kathy's legs and allow her to scratch his head and stroke his body, but please don't pick up!  In Kathy's world of porch kitties, having him tame enough to get in for medical treatment if necessary, providing food, water and shelter on the porch and daily visits was a way better life than the one he had previously.  A life that consisted of hiding in the daytime, roaming at night and wondering where the next meal would come from.

Then the facebook message came.  Someone Kathy didn't know, but is a friend and fan of the FB page wanted to know if we might consider him to be adopted.  Honestly, Kathy thought as soon as she discussed the situation with her, we would find it probably not what she was looking for and Mr. Nelson would remain a porch kitty in Walnut.

Not to be.  Rebekah is very experienced with working with animals with special needs and she had fallen in love with Mr. Nelson. References were stellar..not one good reason to say no...

Letting him go was so hard.  But look at him now.   It's been only 11 days since they came to pick him up and he has made huge strides in becoming an indoor cat.

The following is word for word the update I received just a day or so ago...

"Happy Monday!  Mr. Nelson's first week was full of progress and crossing boundaries.He loves talking, in fact he talks all the time.  It's hard to get on video because he mostly talks when Im not giving him attention.  He plays rough and gets spooked very easy, but also is quick to forget, as long as we give him ear rubs.  He is very loving.  The biggest achievement thus far is he is finally using the litter box and no accidents now!!!!  What a success.  Simply by bringing the downstairs litter upstairs with urine in it already.  He is a smart boy.  We are letting him decide when he wants to come explore.  Last night was the first time he walked down the stairs and into the living room.  He only hung out 10 min and as soon as I brought him back to his room, he was relieved and happy.  He feels safe there.  Today when I went to check on him, I was greeted by his sweet face looking out the window from his tower. (he loves that thing!).  He has some pretty bad battle scars: missing a lot of his teeth and a few of his claws. He is full of scabs and even ear damage.  I think he is deaf - either partial or total - Possibly even blind. Which explains a lot.  He clings to me so much when I come to his room.  But he doesnt hear me open the door even greet him.  Most of the time I have to get right up to him before he gets startled and realizes it's me.  It breaks my heart to wonder how long he would have had left outside before he would have been attacked. And having to stand guard his whole existence, deaf or blind is just heartbreaking."

  Im sharing with you all because you were all such a big part of his life.  I shared him with you all because I love him so much and could see what a great cat he is...now he has the chance to be safe and warm and healthy and loved.   Without you all urging me to post his pictures and his condition and all the details of his sweet life, Rebekah would never have fallen for this big sweet guy!   When I think of what he has come from and what he must have had to endure, it breaks my heart too.  I know there are so many more like him and to get to witness the transformation is a blessing and an honor.  He had found some protection and safe harbor on the porch, but this is way beyond what I could have ever provided for him.     You all were part of it! and I thank you.

And to Rebekah...you are his angel and we thank you from the bottom of our kitty loving hearts!

The Best is Yet to be...

Today is going to be a very emotional day for me.

Mr. Nelson will leave for his new furever home.  I've been telling him goodbye for days and trying to convince myself that he's not going far, I will get updates, he is so much better off and has the wonderful chance to be someones beloved indoor pet.  It doesn't change the fact that I will miss his sweet face greeting me every time I go outside.  Anyone who has won the love of a feral, or very frightened and distrustful stray knows what I'm talking about.  There is a bond.    Thank you all for loving him with me.  Some sent support when he was hurt and my friend Conee sponsored his spa treatment when we finally caught him   I woke up this morning to a 27 degree day and I can't tell you how happy I am to know that last night was his last one in the cold.  This is what we are about.  Making their lives better.   Better was when he found the feeding station. Better was when after 3 years he allowed us to catch him for spa treatment.  Better was when he began calling my porch home.  Better was when the wall came down and we connected in a physical way (be still my heart) and he found the warm kitty tube in which to sleep the day away.  But BEST is going "home".  To a place where his new mom knows feral cats and has the time, the love, the patience , the room to let him be "Elusive" as long as he needs to be.   He will blossom there.  He will have people to love him,  He will have kitty and doggie friends when he is ready.  He will be the KING he was born to be.   Mr. Nelson is a lover, not a fighter.  His personality is one of cuddling in bed and napping in the sunshine.  To know that he will be able to do these things and not fight to live on the streets, has made every frustrating attempt to trap, every walk in the snow or rain to feed, every worry that he didn't make it overnight, or that the ear mites were killing him, worth it.  

Mr. Nelson, my job is done.  You are on your way to the best life ever.  Thank you for blessing me with your little presence.  God brought you to me so you could end up right where you are going.  It was all part of His plan and the best is yet to be. "His eye is on the Sparrow" and His eye has also been on you.  I am so grateful to have been part of your sweet life!

Snow Birds!

Did you say BIRDS????

Mr. Nelson and Mrs. Gray

September is almost gone.  As most of you know, I am a 65 year old retired lady.  I smile as I say the word "retired" because I work harder now than I ever have when I got paid to do a job.   Loving the work you do makes it easy.  So easy, in fact, that you end up working way harder than you probably should.

It's been four years since the start of WIFCaP and I cannot say I am burned out.  BUT I am tired and ready for the change that is about to come for the winter.

My husband will join me in the retired status as of the end of the year.  It is only fitting that we try to spend some of our golden time together and free from commitment, which is what retirement is supposed to mean.

We have purchased a winter home in South Texas and on October 30th we will "head south".   That time is quickly approaching and I'm feeling a little like panicking!    How can I leave what I love to do?  How can I leave the porch kitties?

In my head, it is all worked out.

• I have purchased a Kitty Tube with heater for each of the 3 porch kitties.  They will be warm and dry.
• I have 3 of our board members that will come to be sure they have food and water daily. They will be fed.
• Same 3 and anyone driving by is welcome to come on the porch and give them some love. They will get more comfortable with other people.
• We have a caretaker across the street watching our house (along with everyone else in town..LOL...Small towns are great!)
• We have surveillance cameras and security system to protect them and our house.  I can even watch from my smart phone!

Picture of the new homes purchased for the porch kitties

In my head, I know they will be taken care of and fine, but in my heart, I will miss seeing them every morning for a few months.  I know the time will speed by and before I know it, the spring will be here and I will be back, along with a long list of TNR's to do.  Another busy season will erupt.

So what will I be doing in South Texas?  Number one thing is NOT to over commit.   I tend to jump in with both feet and forge ahead full steam.   My plan is to rest.  I want to be available to participate in the many opportunities to make new friends and do some new things, while also being free to take off on a day trip to the beach or local parks etc.  I am also hoping to begin writing Children's Books about Mrs. Gray, Zeva and Mr. Nelson.  Children's books that adults will like too! 

I am not abandoning WIFCaP by any means.  I will continue fundraising during the winter.  I will continue talking to people about their cat issues and educating about Spay/Neuter and TNR when I can.   I will be keeping the Facebook page, Instagram and Twitter accounts active as I count on our caretakers to take pictures of the porch kitties etc to post.    ALSO, Lois and Lori and even Laura from the clinic will be doing some minor trapping jobs and will be available for emergency issues while I'm gone. 

I'm pretty sure I will be connecting with a rescue or low cost spay and neuter when I am down south...I have one picked out and will visit when I get there.  More on that later, but pray I don't over commit.

Mr. Nelson

Thank you all for sticking with us on Facebook.  My fear is now that Mr. Nelson is "tame" and the challenge of taming him is over, you may become bored with us.  We NEED you....I need you to be part of WIFCaP on Facebook and beyond.  Your support has kept me going for these past 4 years.  We have done amazing things in Western Iowa and I have YOU ALL to thank for it.  

I invite you to stick with us through this first winter's journey south.  There may be some new things,  the continuation of our same things and things we cant even dream of....

Happy Anniversary to Us!!!

Mrs. Gray Loves Her Bucket Water!

I can hardly believe that year four for WIFCaP is only weeks from complete!   I've been taking time to step back and take a look at where we have been, where we began and along with that, looking ahead to where we might be going.   It's easy to look back and see the successes (laced with some sadness, disappointments and failures) but looking to the future feels somewhat like looking at a huge mountain that needs climbing, then looking down at my feet and realizing I don't have hiking shoes.

When WIFCaP began it was pretty much me, along with a few very eager and excited friends that wanted to help.   We put together the Face book page and the web page and we hit the ground running for fund raising.  We found a vet that was willing to give us a discount and for almost 3 years, between AVC and SOS in Omaha we were fixing as many cats as our donations would allow.   A year ago we partnered with HVA for an even greater discount which afforded us to do twice as many cats on the same amount of money.   Dr. Sternberg and his crew has been wonderful to us and we value them beyond description!  I have volunteers that help when ever and however they can and their value is immeasurable too!

Along the road, we became incorporated, licensed and obtained our non profit status from the IRS.  All good news.   We have a great board of directors who I lean on for advice and emotional support when the decisions get hard.

Money has never really been an issue.  Our supporters are phenomenal!   When the need is there, they pull through like champs!  I can truly say that other than gas, time and wear and tear on my vehicle, I have not put any of my personal funds into WIFCaP.

In the four years we have been in "business", we have fixed approximately 1200 cats and in total helped around 1400.  That feels like success in any one's book.

We have been honored to be asked to do a workshop at The Iowa Federation of Humane Society's annual conference and will be speaking there again this September.  We have held educational workshops on trapping for several groups and have spoken to many city councils about the benefits of TNR. We've even taught children about the plight of feral cats. More recognition and success!

So why the daunting feeling of a mountain too big to climb?  The mountain is made up of all things TNR and for the most part the vast percentage of it is done my myself.

During year one, I think I had about 3 friends helping.  Most the help was supportive encouragement.  As the years have passed I have gained a couple wonderful volunteers that can actually help me trap and transport, at least during some of the times they have off or are available.  I have volunteers that will help during events and donate items for auctions, bake sales and other fundraising events.

Trapping:    Setting up trapping must co ordinate with Vet hours and property owners schedules and availability. Trapping is done normally very early morning or at dusk, in which case the cats get to spend the night in my garage.  Trapping doesn't just mean trapping, it means getting them to the vet, getting them back from the vet and then back to the property. Cats sometime spend another night  in my garage when it is not healthy for them to be returned the same day.   Then there is the trap cleaning and storage, until the next time.

Social media:  Face book has been one of our most important and wonderful ways to gain support and engage with our friends, fans and followers.   Every day posts are made, with pictures to keep WIFCaP in the forefront of the minds of those we hope will continue to encourage what we do.  Instagram and Pinterest are new venues that I'm now trying to use to offer even more engagement.  I'm guessing I spend at least an hour of my day on social media.  My husband would probably argue that it is even more.

Fundraising:  Constant.  Its seems we need to go from one fundraiser to the next in order to keep a balance in the bank account to stay afloat.  I try to do 4 eBay auctions a year, The Cat's Meow in September, Omaha Gives in the Spring and Tuesday Treasures occasionally.   We have other sources of mobile and internet fundraising like IGive, Paid2Save, Tagged, RESQWalk, and others and these also take constant promotion.

Bazaar and Fundraiser September 19th!

Bookkeeping:  Donations come in the mail and on Paypal...bills are paid...supplies ordered, all kept on Quick books to which I am daily keeping up to date and accurate.  Tax time comes quickly!

Daily correspondence: Phone calls, emails and face book messages come during all hours. These may deal with trappings that need to be scheduled, city community cat issues,  lost or injured cats, found orphaned kittens, or any other cat related question or concern someone might have. Newspaper press releases and other requested articles must be done too!

I want to make it clear that I am NOT complaining.  I LOVE this "job" more than anything I have ever done and my passion for it has not waned n the least bit.   BUT I am also at a point that I know I cannot continue doing it all at the same pace as I'm trying to do it now.  I was hoping that I would have a trapping team in place by this time four years later.  Also a fundraising team.    The truth is I don't.  Not everyone has the same passion for TNR as I do, or the time to do it like I do.  I need to step back and decide what year five will  hold.

The remainder of 2015 is going to be a very busy one for me on a personal level.   I will be headed to VA in September for a week to attend my grand daughter's wedding.  Immediately after that, I head to San Antonio for another week to give my stepsister a break and care for my 93 year old step mother. I get home 3 days before "The Cat's Meow".   In October I am going to Florida and South Carolina to visit my BFF of 50 years to celebrate our years of friendship.  I will be gone for 2 weeks.   In November, my oldest son and his family will be visiting from the east coast, before they make a permanent move to Belgium to head up a Christian kids Camp full time.  THEN sometime in November or early December, my husband will retire.  We have purchased a home in South Texas where we will spend the bitter cold months in winter...hopefully from at least December through March or April.

What does this all mean for WIFCaP?  I'm actually trying to figure that out myself.   I will have a busy August trying to get everything caught up before all the fall activities descend!  I know that Angie and Lois will be able to do some small trappings if necessary when I am gone, even over the winter.   Mrs. Gray, Zeva and Mr. Nelson will be cared for by Becky, Cheryl and Molly...on a daily basis.   I've installed surveillance cameras so I can keep an eye on them (the cats, not Molly, Becky or Cheryl)!  LOL! Much of what I do on face book and social media I can do from Texas.  Also auctions and fund raising.

So, as I write this, I realize that not that much has to change other than my mind set of always wanting to progress and do more.  I am going to need to be happy with what I CAN do  by myself, and be happy for all the extra help I can get.  I need to pace myself and not get sucked into the lie that we have to grow...we have to get bigger and better and do more and more.  Nope...  I am one person and I am 65 years young and I have limits.

So, mountain, you just turned into a molehill.   I can climb you in flip flops!

Thanks for letting me vent!

Help us find our new home!

Two little kittens that need a home!  Both are very friendly and both are female.  They are not litter mates but the get along great!  Please call Kathy at 712-784-2490 if interested..  Both will be fixed and vaccinated before they move on to their new furever home!

We Have an App for That!!!

In this day of smart phones and computers, WIFCaP is staying on the leading edge of what is modern and what our followers want.

Fundraising is changing and the whole corporate world is seeing the advantage and benefit of using incentive and cause driven marketing.

Sounds high-tech and confusing, but in a nutshell, all it means is that you don't have to take out your checkbook to write donation checks all the time!  You can shop, eat and travel  and even exercise while still helping  your chosen cause all at the same time!

If you have a smart phone, you can donate to WIFCaP by downloading these apps and using them to save money, shop at charity minded stores (big box and local) or to take a stroll with a friend!   The apps are FREE!

What could be better?  Shop - Save - Enjoy - be healthy!   All the while part of your investment towards purchases and your investment in your health is donated to a charity of your choice.  We of course hope you will choose Western Iowa's Feral and Homeless Cat Program!

So take your pick!  Whether you are in the Omaha-Metro area or anywhere around the country, you can help in a fun and painless way!  Businesses what to give part your your expenditures to WIFCaP!  Download the apps from Android app store or AppleStore on your phone!

1. Paid2Save
This one is the most all encompassing app for ALL our fans and friends, no matter where you live!  When downloading use the Reference Code 93241 and a portion of your purchases will come to WIFCaP!  Purchase items online, or use the local offers and coupons and enjoy savings and cash back!   Want double cash back?  A one time fee of $29.95 will get you that for LIFE!  AND $12 of that fee is immediately donated to WIFCaP...this is not an annual fee!

PS. If you are a merchant or know of any other non profits that might like to know how they can use this app to gain new customers and donors, contact Kathy at Kathy@wifcap.org for more information on how to get in on this awesome opportunity to save and earn! 

2.  IGive - get signed up and then download the app.  Be sure to give yourself a password.  If you are allready on Igive you can go into your account settings and add a password before the download.  Thousands of online merchants offer cash back and great values!

3. TAGG - Together a Greater Good - is limited to the Omaha-Metro area and is growing every day!  The merchants listed with give at least 5%  of your purchase directly to WIFCaP if you have the app downloaded, show the cashier and they "tagg" your purchase!  Its amazing how quickly the funds add up!

4. ResQwalk - Great idea to get you out there walking and help a kitty in the meantime!  Download the app, select Western Iowa's Feral and Homeless Cat Program as your charity and go!  Your miles walked are added to a weekly pool and the funds are divided up at the end of the week and we get a check!  Easy!

So, what is the benefit to WIFCap?  Kathy will say the biggest one is that she can spend more time trapping and helping feral and community cats and less time fund raising!

We hope you will choose at least ONE of these ways to help our cause.   It's easy and fun!  We will be forever grateful and eager to help if you have any questions about how it all works!

Get out your Smart Phone to Help WFCaP!

A brand new way to help Western Iowa's Feral and Homeless Cats!

This is the new way to donate and to save money (even earn money) for yourself.  

First thing I want to say is that there really are no strings attached.  It is a FREE download app that will give you tons of deals and shopping discounts.  If you use our reference number 93241 when prompted as you download, WIFCAP will begin benefiting from everything you buy and everyone that you show the app to, who downloads it too...forever!

As you know, I spend hours fundraising, and with this app I think I will be able to do less begging for money and more of what our mission is...TNR and helping those outdoor kitties that have no voice.

I have been working with Karla Horn in California for months to get this up and running for us.  It is a wonderful opportunity and I hope you will think so too.  I really appreciate Karla for thinking of us and working so hard to get us going.

Now we need YOU!  Visit our special P2S website at http://p2snonprofit.com/index.php

click the blue box that says "Watch the Video"...it's short, sweet and simple!  Then download the app using our reference # 93241 !  Then use the app to shop!  You will get discounts and deals, you will get cash back (NO annual fee) and only if you want you can get double cash back on your purchases  by purchasing a one time $29.95 option to do that....HALF of that amount is donated to WIFCaP if you use our reference #93241 when downloading!  Remember this is a one time fee , half comes to WIFCaP and you get double cash back on all your purchases....forever!  Many credit card companies are offering double cash back, with $100 annual fees...nope not us!

This can be an amazing way for us to grow our funds without asking you for any money!  Tell your friends!  Tell your Family!   Tell your co workers!  

Also.....One last bit....if you are a shop owner or retailer of any kind, you can apply to offer your own discounts and deals on this app!   There are tabs at the top of our website that explain all that with videos and lots info.   If you have questions, our rep Karla Horn would be more than happy to answer.  You can reach her here!  Just tell her WIFCaP sent you!

Karla Horn
Paid2Save fundraising specialist 
 928.853.1251
karlahorn@msn.com
www.karlahorn.mobi 

We hope you will join us in this new adventure that incorporates social media technology!  Thanks for hanging with us to see what a small grass roots effort can do!

   

OmahaGives 2015 is almost here!

 For the 2nd year, WIFCaP will be part of Omahagives...a 24 hour giving opportunity sponsored by the Omaha Community Foundation.   This event runs from 12:01am to 11:59 pm on Wednesday May 20, 2015.  We have been working HARD to get people excited about this event because the opportunity for WIFCaP to realize a large amount of funds to keep helping outdoor cats is amazing.

We will be having a table at the OmahaGives Fair at Weitz CEC on the UNO Campus, so we are in hopes that many will be able to visit us there and help us keep watch on the leader board!

 Molly has been making Memes like crazy and they are so cool!  Love them all!   We are tweeting and using facebook to market this event and we are so in hopes that many of our followers from all over the world will participate.  I may offer a free T-shirt to the person who donates from the furthest distance.

We will be eligible for hourly prizes and bonuses, but best of all, we have had our own supporters offer up pledges to match funds.  We have $1800 in matching funds.  We are so grateful for the trust our follower put in us...so much that they would be kind enough to offer funds that will double a portion of the donations that come in through OmahaGives.

Last year we raised $2600 from this event.  Was was pleased beyond description, mainly because I didn't put very much effort into it.  I wasn't sure how it all worked and I was out of town during the training sessions and I just plain didn't catch the vision.  This year is different!  I am super excited to see if we can double our gifts from last year...that means $5200....it would be awesome if we can do it and I feel sure we can!

So, please...if you are reading this and you only plan to give ONE Gift to WIFCaP this year, let it be on May 20th!

OmahaGives24.org

Choose WIFCaP!

Mrs. Gray Loves Her Red Swing!

Mrs. Abigail Gray

To me there is no other picture that depicts how happy Mrs. Gray is.  Her list of options was short when I first heard that there was a mother cat with five babies, ravaging the garbage bins in town to find food for herself and her little ones.  If it was going to take anything to get me to jump into developing a TNR program with both feet, this was it!  I realized that if Animal Control got them, their future was bleak.   I think back at the days, weeks, months and years that I trudged thru rain, snow and heat to make sure there was food in their little feeding station and to stick around to visit and build trust.  I watched the numbers reduce really quite quickly (isn't that the point of TNR?).  We will never know what became of Jenny, Tony, McGee and Palmer, but having Mrs. Gray and Zeva stay has been a blessing.  I will never forget the first day Mrs. Gray followed me home.  Zeva followed not long after.  They are HOME here and that warms my heart.  I doubt I will ever really hold either one of them in any place other than my heart...but having them nuzzle me and wind their way around my legs, to see the happiness and the peace they have, makes physically holding them insignificant.   They show me love in so many ways.  I am their "person" and I now count them as family.

April Calendar....FULL!

True to the part of our mission statement that says:"To educate community members on the importance of spay or neutering ", WIFCaP has 6 scheduled meeting/ workshops/ events in April that will focus on the importance of responsible pet ownership, TNR, and ways to help WIFCaP...Just in case you think WIFCaP is asleep at the wheel....LOL!

April 13th: Kathy and Lois will attend a workshop to learn how to effectively fundraise for ‪#‎OmahaGives‬

**Please note:  Omaha Gives is a 24 hour giving day sponsored by the Omaha Community Foundation and American National Bank.  This one day event can raise thousands for WIFCaP.  As YOU donate, we can receive matching funds, and bonuses to go along with your gift!  Mark you calendar for this day!

Later that same day, Kathy will attend the Elliott, Iowa City Council meeting to give them information about TNR and offer assistance to help them get something started in their community.

April 17th: Kathy will attend a student volunteer fair with our Oakland helper, Gayle at Riverside High School in Oakland, Ia. Here, the kids will learn how they could help WIFCaP. Kathy will be helping the students download the ResQwalk App onto their smart phones, to show how easily a person can help our organization!

April 23rd: Kathy will head to Denison Iowa to give a trapping workshop. Denison is expressing interest in starting TNR in that area and they need help to get started on the right foot!

April 25th: Orschlens's Atlantic IA...adoption event and information about TNR, barn cats and responsible pet ownershiip. This is a SWIAC event (Southwest Iowa Animal Coalition). Organizations represented will be WIFCaP, Pott County Animal Shelter, Montgomery County Animal Rescue, People for Paws and Lusco Farms Rescue...

April 30th: Low cost spay and neuter Clinic, Harlan Veterinary Clinic in Harlan. One day only...Cats only...$60 includes vaccinations...call Kathy for details...712-784-2490

 Ongoing- and as ever, we continue to trap in our region.   To date this year, we have given spa treatments to 74 cats.   April is another busy trapping month!  Stay tuned to see what a small grass roots effort can do.   Donate by clicking the donate button at the top left side of this page, or click the Donate page on the right to see ALL the many ways we can use your help!

Spring is Heating Up!

As February comes to an end and Spring is on the horizon, WIFCap is "heating up" for a very busy spring.

Kathy's garage can get quite full during trapping season!

Kathy has been busy taking calls from people with cat overpopulation problems and she has been spotting local kitties that need help too.

Lost or abandoned cats need help!

She is keeping a log of incoming and upcoming problem locations and to date, she has a wait list of 81 cats in the local area that need help.

Some of these cats are running in towns creating issues with mating, howling, fighting and getting in the trash.  We work with communities to get them fixed, vaccinated and hopefully to a location where they can be fed daily.  Our goal is to keep the cats in the area in which they are found because this is HOME to them and if we remove, others will most likely take their place.

Rural cats have a job, but population control is a must!

Some cats are part of a rural colony that is being fed, perhaps by the property owner but are creating a never ending supply of babies that struggle to survive.  Did you know that a tom cat can wander ten miles a day...?  Think all the places he can "visit" during that roam!

We are happy that some communities and many more individuals are coming forward, asking for help and offering to also financially back this effort in part or in full.

You can help by clicking our DONATE button top left sidebar!

We would ask that our supporters and those interested in what we do, to remember that we are not a shelter, or a rescue.  Our focus is on TNR...Trap, Neuter and Return or Release...we have no physical building or place to house surrendered pets.

We want you to keep your kitty - how can we help?

We would, however love to work with people for find ways they can keep their pet and in some instances, we can offer assistance in finding a new home for a cat that cannot be kept.

We are so fortunate to be working with Harlan Veterinary Associates and Referral Center in Harlan Iowa to help as many cats as possible.  We thank them for partnering with us and giving us quality care and kindness!

Dr. Matthew Sternberg and his team are awesome!

Please call  or email us if you have questions !

Tribute to Buddy-Boy

I normally make a new blog post about every few months.  Who knew I would make two in the same day?.  My last post was about how we hate seeing kittens born into the feral world that end up with suffering and disease.

I struggled with whether or not to even post about the events of this afternoon, but I am because if I don't, they will stick in my head and I wont sleep. For that reason, I won't post this on our Face book page. If you've come here from there, expect to be sad.  This post is more for me to vent, than for you to be informed. I try very hard to post positive stories and successes...to keep everyone up beat and laughing.  So I will post here, where I can bear my heart and soul and cry a little. 

At around 4pm today I received a call from our City Clerk from City Hall.  I am on the city council and I am on the city committee for Animal Control and everyone within at least a 20 mile radius of Walnut knows I am the CAT LADY.  I have instructed City Hall to please call me if there is ever a hit by car  or dead cat found in town.  I want to know if it is one of the ferals from our colonies or someones pet that we can gently inform of its demise. 

Today was only the 2nd call informing me of a dead cat that Ive gotten...only this time it was "well, he's almost dead".  I flew to city hall to find "Buddy-Boy" laying at the bottom of a dirty cold plastic bucket in the back of the city pickup.  He had been found at the side of main street almost directly in front of City Hall.  Jim (city supervisor) picked him up  (thinking he would die any second),  and put him in the container, set him in the back of the truck and called me. When I looked in, Buddy encircled the bottom, but he was breathing and he was trying to raise himself.  I knew right away that he was most likely beyond medical help, but I could not stand to see him suffer.  Jim drove me and Buddy back to my house, we loaded him in my car and off to HVA I went.

Would he even live the 20 minutes it took me to get him there?  He did.  When I took him in, he was not only breathing but he'd uttered several "mews".  As we waited for help from Becky at the clinic, I had a chance to get to know him.  He was strong.  Even though his body was literally skin over bone, he was a large long haired male cat...looked like a Himalayan. His fur was matted and dirty...but as I reached into the bucket and stroked his head, he immediately raised it and said hello with a sweet meow and began to purr.  It was apparent to me that he had had no home for a long time.  His weight, the condition of his fur....and then they came to the surface.  The fleas.  There were hundreds if not thousands of fleas on this poor baby.   We were so fortunate that we could get him to a vet that could humanely end his suffering and help him go peacefully to the Rainbow Bridge.

I traveled the 17 miles to the clinic in a panic.  Worried that he wouldn't live long enough to get him there, Worried that he would live til I got him there.   My mind was spinning, wishing there would be a miracle that maybe he would not be as bad as I thought he was, but inside knowing that was a pipe dream.  

I traveled the 17 miles back home in a stupor. A mixture of anger, sadness and confusion.  Wishing I knew his story. Why hadn't I seen him in town EVER before?   How did he get where he was?  Who hit him?  Who left him?  It was apparent that he had known the love of a human before.  He responded to my touch with a purr...he relaxed at the sound of our voices.  He was not feral.  He was old...he was tired and he was gone.

I cant shake the sorrow tonight.  He touched me so.  He made me realize that what we do in TNR and educating people about spay/neuter is so important.  It matters and it works. What happens to lost and abandoned cats is horrific.  They do NOT fend well for themselves. You cannot put a cat out and expect anything other than starvation, infestation, infection and battle scars, let alone the loneliness and the fear.   Buddy is a testament of strength.  If not for that, he would have been gone a long time ago.  His suffering encourages me to keep doing what we do.  I will eventually sleep tonight, knowing that the last thing he felt was the warmth of a clean and caring clinic, the touch of a hand that wanted so much to hold him and love him and the last words he heard...."It's ok Buddy...you will be fine...we love you, beautiful boy...." 

Buddy-Boy -Rest in Peace Sweetheart!

WIFCaP Success Story

People wonder why we push TNR...and why we are so happy there are less litters being born.  Had it not been for WIFCaP and your donations to Figaro's Fund, this sweet little girl may not have lived to adulthood and if she did, she would have most certainly lost 100% of her eyesight.  This is WIFCaP kitty, Arwyn.   She was found during a trapping on a rainy cold spring morning.

The day we found Arwyn

I remember that day like it was yesterday.  Cold, rainy and about as nasty as a morning can be.  The yard where the feral cat colony was located was alive with adult cats and several kittens.  I went into this project with the vow..."Im not taking any kittens!  We cannot deal with kittens right now."  I repeated that mantra to myself until I stooped to look into the shelter housing made of a wooden box set on it's side. The box was filled with a cold damp layer of straw...and inside, sitting just like this was Arwyn.  It was apparent that she could'd see anything.  Had she sight, she would have scattered like popcorn like the rest of the kittens did.  It was immediate that my mantra stalled, replaced by a new one "we have to help this one..." I scooped her up and off we went.   AVC was wonderful to work with as we accessed her eyes and it was determined that she had a severe case of herpes.  It was doubtful that she would ever have 100% sight, but hopeful that some would be regained. Thanks to Figaro's Fund we were able to begin treatment (did I mention the flea infestation??).

We fostered her and it wasn't long before Becky and Don came along and fell in love.  They have taken her to many Vet appointments and have given lots of medicine.  The very best has been done for her.  She is now a sweet adult kitty with enough sight be a typical Tortie....tons of fun, spunk and mischief!  She is loved beyond belief!  And by the way, two of her siblings were also rescued that day and homes were found for them as well.

Arwyn - Christmas 2013

This is why the unwanted litters are so important to prevent.  No only because of the numbers of unwanted cats and the nuisances they create in the community, but because those unwanted cats suffer.  Things like eye infections or upper respiratory infections that we easily treat our pets for, go untreated and the resulting pain and suffering for the animal is sickening.

We thank our supporters for giving funds to our Figaro's Fund to help other kitties like Arwyn get a chance to live healthy and happy lives.

 Figaro was a sweet baby kitty that was brought to us very ill and unable to make it.  We were so sad to see him go, but happy that he was in the warm arms of people that loved and cared for him during his final days.  The wonderful couple that found him donated funds in his memory.  Thus, Figaro's fund was born.  We have helped many kitties make it through medically tough times with funds that are designated there.

Figaro -the sweetest baby ever!

If you would like to donate just hit the donate button at the top left side of this page and be sure to add Figaro's Fund to the memo line.  If you watched the story unfold on our page about little Jasper who passed away of FIP and incurred a vet bill of $1000 and you would like to help, you can also add "Jasper" to the memo .  Find out more about Jasper here...Justice for Jasper

Arwyn's is a happy story of recovery and health.  Sady, not all turn out that way.  But we can sleep at night knowing we do our best from the time we take that first peek into lives of a colony until they are released or rehomed.

First Auction of 2015 is Underway!

Romeo and Juliet - Just in time for Valentine's Day!

Sunday February 1st at 9pm CST, our first auction will begin.   I have approx 60 items listed for bidding and hope that many will join the fun of a lighthearted auction!

Super Bowl Sunday has nothing on us!   We are looking for the best auction total ever, to start our spring TNR off on the right foot.

Our actions are found on Ebay.    It's easy to register as an ebay buyer and if you dont want to pay online, let me know and you can send a check or drop off your payment!    Once the auction is live, all you have to do is type WIFCaP in ebay's search box and all our items will list for you!

We offer all kinds of items...mostly I try to use things that are easy to ship and protect from breakage...

There are cat themed items and not...

We hope everyone will find something they like enough to make a generous bid.

Remember, this is not a bargain basement or a thrift shop.  We are trying to offer quality items with lots of appeal so that the bids will go high and the funds will mount up.

All of our items are donated.  Some are used, some new, some are hand made.

Our auction will run for 7 days, so you have lots of time to bid away!!!  Ends February 7th at 9pm CST.

Have fun.  Remember every $40 gets a full spa treatment for one kitty!