People caring for feral cats provide them with food, water, and shelter.
They may also be trapping them and getting them neutered or spayed (usually through a low-cost program). Then, they are returned to the area they were taken from after they are fixed.
October 16 is Feral Cat Day, a great day to thank outdoor cat caretakers.
My experience with feral cats started in 2012 when my husband and I fed a feral cat in our yard. My husband built him a cat house that winter. Well, we assumed it was a male cat. He was already fixed through a Trap-Neuter-Return (TNR) program. We fed him for a couple of years, and we could not pet him during that time. Then, one night, after a catfight during the night, he disappeared.
In 2017, a feral cat had kittens in our yard. It was a surprise as we were not feeding any outdoor cats then. Since then, I’ve been caring for any feral cats that show up in our yard.
When the cats are in the caretaker’s yard, it’s easier to care for them. Many community cat caretakers travel to different locations daily to provide food and water and monitor the cats. Also, because of the work of responsible caretakers, the cats are fixed, and their cats stop contributing to the cat overpopulation problem.
Thanking a Feral Cat Caretaker
The best way to thank a feral cat caretaker is to help them or donate money or food.
- Give Food. Buy them a bag of cat food (check if they have a preferred brand). They may have an Amazon wish list.
- Help Out. Offer to help with trapping cats for a Trap-Neuter-Return program. Or perhaps you could help them transport the cats or care for them while they are in the traps. Or offered to feed their cats when they need a break or go on a vacation.
- Donate to their GoFundMe or YouCaring fund. Be sure the person and cause seem legitimate before donating if you do not know the caretaker. Some caretakers seeking funds will have a Facebook page sharing the story of the cats they care for, and you may also be able to donate through Facebook.
- Say Thank You. If you cannot give time or help financially, you can thank them for all they are doing for the cats.
Thank You Messages for a Community Cat Caretaker
Here are some example thank you messages. You could include a thank you along with a donation.
- Thank you so much for caring for the cats. Your efforts may go unnoticed by many, but I appreciate you for helping the cats.
- Thank you for all your work to TNR, our community’s outdoor cats. The cats are happier, and people in my neighborhood are thankful to no longer hear cats fighting.
- I am grateful for you and your support of the feral cats. Thank you so much for your kindness.
- Thanks for feeding the community cats. I admire your dedication to them. You’ve inspired me to start a TNR project in my area.
- Thank you for taking care of the cats in your yard. I’m so happy they have full bellies every day, and I enjoy seeing them relax on your deck. They’ve been a joy to watch.
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