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!

Kids Join US!!!

As you know part of the mission of Western Iowa's Feral and Homeless Cat Program is to educate those around us about the benefits of TNR.   Who better to start with than the kids?

Its taken two years, but I finally got permission to give a presentation to the 2nd Grade at our elementary school.   What a success!  The kids were interested and eager to learn and join in the discussion of how to care for cats with no owners and who are to afraid and shy to become pets.

We even made a craft of a feral cat with an ear tip!

The word must have gotten out, because the next week I was asked to return to make the presentation to the 3-5th graders.   They too, we very interested and ready to add to the conversation.  I enhanced the presentation a bit because of a longer attention span and instead of a craft, I gave them a poster to color and take home to remind them what it meant if they see a cat with an ear tip.

Having some kittens to cuddle made the class extra fun!

I guess sometimes its hard to know if you have any effect on the kids and if any of it sunk in.  But we got proof positive this last weekend.   We had lots of baked goods donated to our "Eat  a Dog - Save a Cat" food booth for True Junk's May Daze.  I put the offer out to five kids to come out and help us sell cookies at at a table downtown to raise enough money to help the kitties.  Their goal was to raise $80 which is enough to give a kitty the "spa treatment", which is spay/neuter, vaccinations, complete medical checkup with ear cleaning and food.   Four of the five came down and did an fabulous job! And yes, they raised $80!

Cookies - fruit and WIFCaP information!

Not only did they sell cookies and fruit, they told people about our program and distributed flyers and posted hand made posters asking for food donations!   I've already received one donation towards food.

I am so blessed today, after such a great weekend for WIFCaP.  We made $500 as a result of the food booth and the kids table.  Thanks to Linda Schumacher who made a great team leader for the food booth, we will be doing it again in October!

So Much for Black Cats being Bad Luck!

With Halloween just around the corner, I thought it would be fun to look up some information about why black cats are connected so closely to witches and Halloween, bad luck and superstition.
Sprinkled in are pics of some black cats we at WIFCaP know and love!

Dating back to the ancient Egyptians , it was believed that black cats were sacred, so they worshipped them. An Egyptian goddess called Pasht was said to have had the body of a woman and the head of a cat. Since the Egyptians believed that Pasht had nine lives, they also believed that all cats did.
The Egyptians were so respectful of black cats that when one died, it was preserved as a mummy, just as Egyptians rulers were. Cemeteries have been found with mummified bodies of thousands of black cats, plus mummified mice to accompany them into the next world!

Our Beautiful Zeva - One of WIFCaP's first for "spa treatment"!

 Another tidbit found on the internet:

"If you believe that a black cat crossing your path is bad luck, you believe in witchcraft.
Legend has its that in the 1560s in England, a father and son threw stones at a cat that had startled them on a moonless night.
The wounded cat ran into the nearby home of a suspected witch.
The next day the old woman was seen in public limping and bruised, and a superstition was born which caused the burning alive of innocent women in the seventeenth century."

But there is actually more written in folk-lore about the GOOD LUCK black cats bring than bad...here are a few!

Black cat, cross my path
Good fortune bring to home and hearth
When I am away from home
Bring me luck wherever I roam

- Old English Charm 

* Freya, the Norse Goddess of Love & Fertility drives a chariot pulled by two black cats.

* To dream of a black cat is thought by many people to be a lucky omen.

* Many theater folk love cats, perhaps because they, too, were once ostracized and shunned. It is believed that a black cat in the audience on opening night portends a successful play.


* In the south of France, black cats are referred to as "matagots" or "magician cats." According to local superstition, they bring good luck to owners who feed them well and treat them with the respect they deserve.

* Fisherman's wives kept black cats while their husbands went away to sea believing that the black cats would prevent danger from occurring to their husbands. These black cats were treated like royalty and were considered so valuable that they were often stolen. At one point, they became so expense that few fisher folk could afford them.

Whenever the cat of the house is black,
The lasses of lovers will have no lack.

~ English Proverb

(the above from fullcirclenews.blogspot.com)

Also black cats and all cats are honored and held sacred in the county of Japan.  

AVCheryl with a black kitty we were able to find a home for!

It seems the bad luck superstition has overpowered the good luck and because of it, black cats are the last to be adopted and the first to euthanized in shelters.

Arya-found wandering and alone now belongs to Kathy's son!

What we know is that black cats  are lovely creatures and each that we have had a joy to know, has been more than purrfect!

Sherman found in a ditch outside a distribution center, has a new lease on life with Linda!

When a black kitty finds it way to AVC or WIFCaP we are thrilled.  We always know a piece of our heart will leave with them when they find their furever home!

Edwyn - found in Walnut and adopted  by our friend Autumn in Omaha!

We hope you will all have fun during this Halloween season, but please, if you own a black cat, keep it inside and safe.  And if you are looking to adopt a new cat/kitten...wont you please pick a black one??

A Winter Wonderland of Wondering!

We are experiencing our first winter storm of 2012.  Looks like we will for sure have a White Christmas!  Its blustery cold out today.  As I watch my indoor kitties look out the window, I wonder what is going on in their head.  Are they happy to be inside?  Are they wishing they could go out and "play" and make kitty angels in the snow?  What goes on in my head is how many there are out there that don't have a warm cozy window to peer out of...I don't mean our community cats so much.  I know they can survive, it's all they have ever known.  They most likely have a warm hole somewhere and even other warm kitty bodies to snuggle with when the going gets tough.  I'm thinking of the ones who have been thrown away, or abandoned or have gotten themselves lost.  How do they handle it, not being "street wise" like Mrs. Gray, Franks and EJ?...

I am grateful that we have been able to rescue several from the throws of winter.  These are at AVC, waiting and hoping for a new home to call their very own.

This is Sylvester.  He was found in a field by a farmer.  Thinking this nice boy had been attacked, he took him to AVC.  We found him to be friendly and very lovable!  He is currently being treated for a severe case of ear mites and a skin infection and very soon he will be ready to find a new home.  We are happy he is out of the field.

This is sweet Roscoe!  I found him on my porch last week crying.  He is a beautiful boy who is just as friendly as anything.  He likes his space, but when given the choice, he will crawl right up into your lap and heart!

So at least these two aren't out in the blizzard, wondering where they are and when and what they will get to eat.  Being in a cage at AVC is much better than that!  BUT what would be the best??? A forever home with a family.....like yours!!

For Carolyn!

Very often when we have cats surrendered to AVC we don't get much of the story behind why they are being left to find a new family and a new home.  What we see is a frightened kitty that hasn't a clue why it's home is now in a kennel or cage.  Dogs barking around them and strange people poking and prodding and asking questions only adds to their confusion and fear.   AVCheryl does a fantastic job of acclimating our adoptable kitties to their new surroundings and making them feel loved until they find their new forever home.

Recently we had two kitties brought to the clinic by a the family of a lady who claimed she couldn't care for them any longer... we get that alot.   Both cats have found new homes and are doing very well. Today we received this sweet note.

" I am so happy the cats are happy and loved.  Sherman was a little bashful when it came to another cat.  She'd get on my lap and be so loving.  Ernie was really loving too, so they really should enjoy their new homes.  Carolyn " 

It is so evident from this note that the decision to surrender her two cats was not an easy one for Carolyn. She knew them well and is missing them.  What a difficult decision it must have been to let her beloved pets go.  I want Carolyn to know how much respect I have for her for doing what she knew was best for her animals.

We at WIFCaP are delighted that we could find homes for these two kitties and put Carolyn's heart at rest.

While we see people discard their pets to fend for themselves in the streets or drop them at the clinic like a goodwill donation, this opened our eyes to those that must surrender because of health or age issues.   Carolyn knew that bringing her cats to AVC would give them the best chance to have a new lease on life and it worked!!  Rest easy Carolyn, your babies are being well taken care of and if you can make it over to AVC, there is always a kitty handy that will be willing to sit in your lap awhile!

National Feral Cat Day 2012

Today is National Feral Cat Day and I am celebrating! Five years ago as I began every day of every week of every month  feeding a lonely feral cat named Toby, I could not have imagined that today I would be part of feeding over 50 cats on a daily basis, having helped numerous communities set up managed feral colonies, having spoken to five city councils asking for the freedom to let this method have a chance to work; having medically served over 170 cats and kittens  and spayed and neutered over 130 outdoor feral or community cats.   Western Iowa Feral and Homeless Cat Program (WIFCaP) started because two women sat together and worried about an outdoor cat named Toby, and knowing that there must be more like him that needed help..  After much research and study we agreed,  the only solution would be to start a TNR program.  The next step, how???

Not wanting to go into all the finite details of how it all came together, it suffices to say, I decided to dive in head first. alone and pretty much by myself to say " I'm committed, I'm ready and I will do what has to be done to change things."  When I found out that I couldn't get grants unless we were a 501c3 I dug and whined and figured out how to get that done.  I did it!  And it didn't cost WIFCaP, taxpayers, donors, or me a cent!

So along with several of my best friends and my sister along for the ride,  we are incorporated in the state of Iowa and we have been granted our 501c3 tax status , which means our donors can use their donations as a tax deductible expense.  We have been inspected and have passed that inspection to receive our Iowa Animal Shelter License.

We have met all the requirements of the state and the IRS  to do what we need to do to help the helpless or homeless feral and homeless cats in Western Iowa.  We do that for the legalistic reasons only.

 If you could see our hearts, none of that matters.  What matters are the huge numbers of cats that have been left to their own devices.  What matters is there are abandoned and left behind cats and kittens that have no where to go. Our passion is to manage colonies and supply food and water so that they can survive the only way they know how.  And so that their numbers do not continue to increase.

For me, the only thing that really matters is that we keep trying and keep helping and keep educating about the importance of  TNR.

We are used to hearing negative comments about our work.  We regularly hear how dumb and stupid our  method is. Mostly we hear nothing, we get "looks" or the silence that indicates no interest at all in what we are doing. So... When we hear the positive, we celebrate.  Thank you!  To Shelby Iowa for "getting it".  for understanding the method, embracing it and counting it as valid.  Thank you! To all those sweet cat people that feed outdoor cats, those who take the friendly ones that need a home, for giving them the love they so deserve.  Knowing they have found a place in your heart helps us ignore the hole they left in ours.  Thank you most of all to AVCheryl, our wonderful vets, Kris, Cheryl, Pam and Becky that help so much and understand my passion, because they too are "infected" with the same passion.  And last of all, but not least, THANK YOU to our supporters, for without them, we could not function one day!

Today, on National Feral Cat Day we celebrate feral cats!  Not that they are there, but that there are others like us that are helping them!

Our First Ever Auction is UP and RUNNING!!!

Taking a hint from a fellow local cat rescue, Feline Friends in NE, we decided to try an online auction for ourselves.  Kris, Pam and I put our donated items together and set up a new facebook page Wifcap Auctions!  Here we listed the items, set the dates and let er go!!  We are amazed and blessed to see what is coming of this fun event!  As I write this on Tuesday, we have nearly five full days left before the closing bids can be made.    The word SUCCESS comes to mind!  We have had offers from others to donate items, so we are currently collecting items so that we can do another one!  A fun and easy way to make funds for our kitties in Western Iowa!  You can visit our facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/WIFCaP2 . This Irish Linen tea towel is a very hot item for this auction!

Western IA Feral Cat Program Going Strong !

Sharing our most recent Newspaper Article.  We thank The Walnut Bureau for allowing us to submit photos and occasional articles!

Western Iowa’s Feral Cat Program had a successful first five months.  Kathy Humann, who has volunteered her time to help feral and free roaming cats in and around Walnut has set up 8 active feeding stations where the animals receive food and water on a daily basis.  Donations have come in from local supporters as well as from face book contacts nationwide.  WIFCaP is currently working with the Mullin Foundation to receive their official tax status as a tax deductible 501c3.

But does Trap Neuter and Return work?  While its still too early to know for sure what  impact the program will have in Walnut, Kathy has gotten positive comments from  some of the residents close to the feeding stations. Some have thought the cats were gone, but because of the food they are receiving and the veterinary services they have gotten, the cats are no longer fighting and creating nuisances.

In five short months WIFCaP has vaccinated 24 cats, spayed 7 females and neutered 15 males!    The females could easily have had two litters next summer.  If each of the 7 spayed cats were to have a conservative litter of 2 surviving kittens in each litter,, our feral cat numbers could have easily risen by 84! WIFCAP has also been able to find homes for 7 stray cats.

Kathy is looking to build a volunteer base for fund raising efforts and for foster care of the occasional lost cat/kitten.  If you would like to help, please call her at 712-784-2660.  You can also follow the WIFCaP activity on face book at www.facebook.com/wifcap2

It's About to be...

It's about to be Christmas, and no matter your background or belief system, Christmas is a time of joy, reflection, and hopefully peace.   We gather together with friends and family, we eat way too much and buy and receive way too many "things"  and we wonder what the year ahead will bring.

We send and receive Christmas Cards, some with the annual Christmas letters. I don't do Christmas letters.  I never have and I don't like them. I mostly don't care where everyone vacationed or who got what promotion or how the house sale went.   I hope that doesn't sound like Scrooge, I want it to sound honest.  What I care about I will already know about my friends and family.  I will know how they felt about getting that promotion because I would have been there to help celebrate.  I will have seen the vacation pictures while we sipped coffee or tea.   I will have helped with the moving after the big sale of the house or sent a housewarming gift that would arrived their first day in their new home.  I wont need to read it in a letter.

But this year, I actually considered sending a Christmas letter.  It wouldn't have been about my new garage, or the fact that my son is finally home from a 5 year stint in the US Navy.  It would been about my furry friends in and around Walnut.

I would tell them about Gibbs, who came to my porch after being left alone by his owner.  I would tell of his beauty and his gentleness.  I would whine about how the four cats don't get along, but we are working things out and he will stay.

And then I would tell them about Western Iowas Feral Cat Program.  How we have worked to spay or neuter, vaccinate and give medical care to 25 cats since August.   How we have set up six feeding stations to keep them well fed.  How they now have shelter and are living happy, healthy lives outside.

I'd tell them about Spider Mansion, which has become famous because of a feral cat who sunned himself in the window last winter...The soon to be demolished house will now live on.


I would tell them that each kitty has a name and there is a reason for that name.  I would tell them that while most have forgotten about these little creatures, we have not. 

I would tell them that through WIFCaP, we have met people all over the country that care as much as we do.  That we have friends out there that understand and support us.

I would tell them to do something for someone less fortunate.  I would tell them if we all did that, our world would change.

And I would say " Merry Christmas".

Luke 2:14

Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.

Smith and Wesson Find Their New Home and Head to the Mountains!

It is with great pleasure I can tell you that our little kittens found in Walnut have found their new home.  Susan and Rich Prince fell instantly in love with these two and headed back to their home in Castle Rock Co with both little boys in tow!

They have been renamed Smith and Wesson...and pretty much "shoot" around the house until they drop with fatigue!   We are looking forward to watching them grow and hearing all the tales of their new wonderful life!

Sweet Babies need a HOME!

Just like Einstein, these two were found outside drifting alone.  Hannah J. 's brother and his girlfriend found them.  They were filthy dirty, full of fleas, little bellies tight with worms and skinny.  Thankfully Hannah called me right away and off to AVC we went. 

They were there for the weekend and I picked them up yesterday!

These sweethearts have been wormed, given a flea bath, gotten their vaccinations, and have both been neutered.  We are calling them Mutt and Jeff.  Mutt is on the right, the smaller one and Jeff, the larger on the left.  Mutt also had a damaged tail and about half of it had to be removed.  He is in a bit of pain from it, but the stitches come out next week and he should be fine.    They seem healthy and tame.  They just want to explore and sleep, like all babies do!

They are living in my cottage in a cage lent to me by Cheryl at AVC!  Our vets office is awesome.  This job of cat TNR and foster parenting is a big one.  Fulfilling and busy.  Without the help and cooperation of Avoca Veterinary Clinic, and from all of you out there that help me too, I would have already given up!  Some days I feel alone in this, but I know I'm not.  So thanks go out today to everyone involved with WIFCaP in any way!  I need you all out there to spur me on!

Please pass the word that these kitties are available!

You can have this kingdom, because I was hungry and you gave me food to eat. I was thirsty, and you gave me something to drink. I was alone and away from home, and you invited me into your home. I was without clothes, and you gave me something to wear. I was sick, and you cared for me. I was in prison, and you came to visit me.

Feral Cat Garage Sale a Success

Walnut Iowa's Feral Cat Program held a garage sale last Saturday to commorate National Feral Cat Day, which was October 16th.

Community members showed their support not only by purchasing items from the sale, but also by donating money and cat food.  The program collected two bags of dry food and seven cans.  Everyone who brought cat food or made a $2 donation was entered into a drawing for a kitty litter box full of treasures for their cat.  The winner was Petra Heiny of Walnut.

The sale was a huge success and brought in $500.  This money will go to continuing to spay and neuter all the stray cats of Walnut.  Thanks to everyone who helped support by donating or purchasing at the sale and to Kathy Humann and the rest of the Feral Cat Program Volunteers.

So sorry to be days late getting this article posted.  This one, I didnt write.  I was told that we needed to reduce the articles to once a month.  So this one was a nice surprise and I thank The Walnut Bureau for printing it!

Garage Sale was a big Success!

The day started off perfect!  A bright, crisp fall day was just the ticket for our garage sale.  This is part of the crew and customers that helped us get off the ground!  Pam, Linda, Cheryl, Becky and Amber!

We had such fun, educating (you can see our information table in the lower left) and meeting people that wanted to know or already knew about feral cats.  This is Cindy.  She lives in Avoca and has been a faithful caretaker of ferals in her area and needs help, so we can expand at some point and help in that direction too!

Living in Iowa's Antique City and living right on main street has advantages!  We were able to have many travelers stop by.  One couple from Wisconsin stopped by and told us of the 18th century mosaic quilt they had just taken to the University of NE Quilt Study to be authenticated.  They were nice enough to unwrap and show us!!!

Getting young people involved in community service is a huge thing to us.  Here is Amy and Marye from a youth group in town that came by to make our winter shelters!  Thank you girls!!!

And of course Kathy's cats had to get in the act!  Here is Lucy, checking to be sure we got everything unloaded from this box.  Such a helper!

Some of our customers, supporters from Omaha even came.  This is my nephew David.  He is a wonderful man who loves cats!!!  He has rescued two kitties that now live with him and is fostering a kitten at this time as well.  Here he tries to befriend Ricky, who is the shyest!

Our facebook friend Dawn came to help too!  She lives in a town about 25 miles from us.  So good to have her here and so glad to meet her.   Dawn and Kathy will go to the conference in DesMoines next Saturday together.  Right now....the name of the conference is slipping my ever-loving aging mind and I will add later...geez!

Anyway, all in all it was a great day.  The weather could not have been more perfect.  We had LOTS of people and they opened their pocketbooks for the kitties.  Many of them were very excited to hear about the cause and were eager to learn and to share what they know.  While I was totally exhausted at the end of the day, I, Kathy cannot wait til the next one!  We even had participation online.  Some of our facebook friends that were too far to join us, purchased items online and made donations to our chip in account. 

Much gratitude goes to everyone involved in helping to make this happen.  All of you who donated items to sell, that helped set up, that spent part of your weekend working,  that sent encouraging notes, who made things for us to sell, who came and purchased items here or online...we love you and appreciate all you do to help us. 

I signed up on my email to receive google alerts on feral cats.  Its amazing EVERY DAY how many articles and how much activity is going on in this area.  The word is getting out and people are beginning to notice!

National Feral Cat Day Garage Sale Fundraising Event!

October 16th is National Feral Cat Day!

To bring awareness to our new program and to fatten the "kitty' for your TNR Program, we are holding a huge garage sale on SATURDAY October 15th

100% of the funds will go to WIFCap!!

Lots of Garage Sale items!!!  Make us an offer we cant refuse!

BRING A DONATION OF CAT FOOD or a $2.00 donation to recieve a chance to win an awesome Kitty Basket!  A basket filled with kitty things, for you and for your kitty!  Even a "National Feral CAT Day" T-shirt!!

BOY SCOUTS will be on hand to sell their wonderful popcorn.  Come and stock up for the winter

WINTER SHELTERS are going to be constructed during the hours of 10-noon. Our Walnut Youth group is coming to help us get ready for cold weather!

EDUCATION TABLE:  Information about TNR and what we do will be available.

NEW ITEMS:  We plan to have available some handmade items, like crocheted dish cloths for you to purchase...AND some kitty catnip toys...come early, these will go fast!

HOT CHOCOLATE for a free will donation!

You might even catch a glimpse of my kitties.  This is Lucy at our last yard sale event!!

The Walnut Bureau September 22, 2011

Walnut Iowa’s Feral Cat News

Did you know that October is National Feral Cat Month and October 16^th is officially National Feral Cat Day??? To commemorate this date, Walnut Iowa’s Feral Cat Program will be host to a huge Garage Sale event. The sale will take place SATURDAY October 15^th 8am-5pm at 400 Antique City Drive in Walnut. ALL PROCEEDS will go to continue the work of the group to spay/neuter, vaccinate and return the feral cats in our community and to find new homes for friendly strays.

“We are finding that there are more friendly strays than we first anticipated” says Kathy Humann. “ We treat these just as we would the feral cats. They all get their surgery for sterilization, vaccinations and a clean bill of health. So far we have had great success in re-homing the friendly ones.”

The Avoca Veterinary Clinic in Avoca has been a God-send for the group. “If it weren’t for Doc Hoffmann and Dr. Schultz we couldn’t do what we are doing. They are able to give us the flexibility we need and we’re confident that the kitties are well cared for.” Kathy adds.

The sale will include vintage glassware, Christmas items, TVs, and tons of other items. There will also be a CAT FOOD DRIVE. Bring a can or bag of cat food or a $2.00 donation for a chance to win a litter box full of kitty treasures!!!

An information table will also be set up with information you might find interesting about the importance of spaying and neutering your pets and your community cats.

For information, questions or to get involved, call Kathy Humann 712-784-2660 and follow them on face book at www.facebook.com/wifcap

Cheryl and Tom True - Our True Inspiration!

BONNIE... Sneutered by WIFCaP August 2011

Dont you love her ear tip?  I call it her ruffle!

On our facebook page and in most of my writings, you dont hear much about Cheryl and Tom. They are both busy working people but they have a huge place in their hearts for cats!   They are both Crazy Cat People and have been helping the strays and ferals of our town for years.  In the past 22 years they have sneutered 66 kitties!  It's truely amazing how their love of these little animals has helped so many kitties live long and happy lives. 

This is Butterscotch, lovingly known as Mrs. B.  This is only one of the fun feeding stations that Tom has constructed.  Dont you love the welcome mat???

Little Max was found wondering the streets of Walnut about a year ago.  Just a kitten at the time, Tom took one look and fell in love.  He took him home to their "haven"  and little Max fit right in!

 I remember the day Cheryl found Toby.  He was about as big as my hand and was squealing while trying to climb the lattice work in the courtyard of Cheryl's shop downtown.  We tried to find a mama with no success, so Cheryl became that mama/ He has grown into a most beautiful boy.  Click for a closeup of his eyes...they are not quite blue and not green..like aquamarine!

Last, but certainly not least are Scooter and Tara.  Tara is Scooter's mother.  Tara appeared in Cheryl's courtyard with 2 kittens.  They lived there happily for months.  One of the babies dissappeared and Cheryl brought them into the shop.  Nice to have shop kitties, but not so nice that they were destroying merchandise at night when no one was there!  Would have loved to have hidden video to watch that party!   They now live at "True Haven" and even have their own enclosed kitty kondo...

There are others that hang around True Haven and we will focus on some more of them in the future.  One thing is for sure, lost kitties seem to find their way there.  Its no wonder, Cheryl and Tom's love for cats is on the radar!

WIFCaP is happy to have Cheryl and Tom as part of our group.  They dont have time to post on facebook, write blogs or help with other things.  What they do in the background at their "haven" is way more than most us do all together.  We are happy to begin giving them some relief in cat food bills and vetting. 

Awesome Art by AA

Today I'm featuring one of our very good friends and supporters, Autumn Armstrong.  Ive know Autumn for a couple years now.  She is a friend of my daughters, a cat lover and a great artist.  She paints kitty-atures...  Autumn will take a picture or pictures of your cats and create a fun and winsome painting for you!

Autumn tries to capture your kitty's personality and she does a  great job of it!

Autumn has been cartooning and painting for years, but has recently combined the two.  By the request of many friends, she started creating her Kitty-atures and has started her business as Art by AA!

You can follow her on facebook @ Art by AA

I almost forgot to mention that Autumn and her family adopted one of Walnut's friendly strays a year or so back!  Edwyn had strayed into my yard, and Autumn took him in!

By the way, be on the lookout for our new logo, which will be created by Autumn!

Walnut Iowa's Feral Cat Program News

Walnut Iowa’s Feral Cat Program Update:

August was the first official month of Trap Neuter and Return of feral cats in Walnut. We’ve had much success. We were able to trap, neuter, vaccinate and return 5 feral cas; trap, neuter vaccinate and re-home two strays, and vaccinate and find a home for one kitten.

Einstein was the kitten found in town by Hannah Johnk. We found her a foster home and put her up for adoption at the Avoca Veterinary Clinic in Avoca. Doc Hoffman and Doc Schultz, along with Donna have been fantastic in helping us with our program. Einstein ultimately went home with her foster mom, my comrade in feral cat tending, Amber Heiny.

Einstein is doing well. It is a huge responsibility to own a cat. One must see that they are vaccinated and spayed or neutered to keep from continuing the overpopulation and risks that come with free roaming cats. Amber has taken on that responsibility by being sure that Einstein has her vaccinations and when the time is right, to have her spayed.

WIFCaP wants to urge all cat owners to be responsible as well. Please see that your pet is spayed/neutered and that they have the necessary vaccinations. It is irresponsible humans that have caused the feral cat problems and now the only way to prevent its increase is to properly vet our animals. If you would like information regarding what you can do to help, please see our website at www.takepittyonthekitties.blogspot.com or our face book page at www.facebook.com/wifcap You may also contact Kathy Humann at 712-784-2660.

The Spider Mansion!

This is the 2nd feeding station that we set up in Walnut.  It's an old abandoned house that we've seen cats living in.  Its a mess...all windows are broken, its totally falling apart.  We first dubbed the structure "The Mansion", but having walked thru it, we have decided "The Spider Manson" is a way better fit!

These pics of the windows and the inside of the porch, show the destruction.  I've seen cats fly down into the hole to hide when we come in.

 

There is feces and other litter everywhere.  Including evidence of drug usage.  This place is being used not only by cats, but by people too.

Anyone know what this is???

I must admit I felt a little like CSI when "touring" this place.  I didnt have a flashlight, but I wish I'd had a gun....just in case!

It is on the city council agenda for next month to be abated for abandoned and nuisance property. 

In the meantime, we will continue to feed the kitties here.  This coming up week, I will start to trap here and see what we find.  I dont know if there are 2 or 12!