We are so incredibly excited to announce that one of our rescue cats is now at The Bookman in Chilliwack for viewing! She will be the “kitty in the window” for the next two weeks and you can complete adoption applications in store or using the link below.
Willow at The Bookman, Chilliwack exploring her temporary new home.
Details on Willow:
Willow is an energetic, loving, cuddly, curious 11 month old spayed female who came to us as a local rescue in Abbotsford. Her and her two sisters have been with us since early May and she is the first of them to be ready to find their new furever home! She is incredibly sociable once she’s figured out her surroundings and loves her chin scratches and treats. She’s good with young children and other cats! She has been fully vaccinated, spayed, flea treated and dewormed.
Her adoption fee is $250.00
If you think you’d be a good match for Willow please complete an application by clicking here.
One of the most common mistakes I read and hear when people are talking about cats is the misuse of the word “feral”. 80% of the time the word is used, it’s used incorrectly.
Stray vs Feral:
When I’m talking about a feral cat; I’m talking about a cat that is typically unsocialized with humans, cannot be touched, aggressive, territorial and fearful of humans. These are cats that were born outside and have had very little contact with a human. They are not a breed of their own and cats are not innately born feral. Meanwhile, a stray cat was once loved and owned by someone and will remember that humans provide them with food, they will typically stay near homes and places where people are in hopes of food. Some stray cats will sometimes pick up feral instincts depending on their environment, the time they’ve been out and circumstances, but they will never become a true feral cat. Feral mothers give birth to kittens that if not socialized with humans will also become feral cats, but if socialized under 8 weeks there is a strong chance of them being friendly and accepting of humans in a manner that is expected of a loving fur companion.
Feral Grumpy cat just chilling
But my cat’s feral, she bites me!
Just because your cat may be “spicy” or full of “cattitude” does not mean your cat is feral. If your cat is comfortable living indoors and accepts any form of affection from you (kisses, pets, hugs, being held, cuddling, chin scratches etc) then your cat is not feral- just spicy. Just like humans, cats too have different personalities that come with their own set of comfort levels, preferences and character traits. Some will like belly rubs, and others won’t, you as their human companion just need to learn their preferences and respect them for the individuals that they are.
If you find a cat outside that you know for sure is not owned by anyone in your area, and you’re caring for it (providing food, water and possibly even shelter from the rain outside) you can determine if the cat is feral or a stray by cautiously attempting to touch it. Is it rubbing against your leg? Is it accepting love? Does it like to come near you? If you answered yes to any of these questions then the cat is likely to be a stray and you should try to take it to a vet to be checked for a chip as it may be someone’s missing cat. If you answered no to all those questions, then it’s a feral cat and you should reach out to your local TNR (Trap, Neuter, Return) organization (Like Abby Cat Daddy and FCM Community Cat Trappers) so that the cat can be sterilized and vaccinated to prevent unwanted kittens being born outside and the spread of disease before returning it to the area for the cat to live out its days in its home (and preventing the Vaccum effect).
Why does it matter?
Wording matters, accurately describing a cat and their behaviour matters not only so vet staff and rescue volunteers can remain safe while working with them; but feral cats have very little support (this is improving) so we need to ensure all funds that are dedicated to ferals gets spent on feral cats and not strays- who do get more funding support. When we use the term incorrectly we are also undermining the meaning of the word.
Another reason why this matters, is of course the value of resources that are poured into the attempts to “rehabilitate” a feral cat to become an adoptable cat. This is something that we at Abby Cat Daddy are vehemently against and do not support. It is a waste of resources, as it can take months or even years to force a cat to accept touch or their new circumstances by means of fear, the process creates an immense sense of anxiety and stress on the cats that can lead to health problems down the line. Furthermore, those resources that are being used on a cat that doesn’t want it- could be going to a cat that needs it and will end in adoption. Feral cats need to be respected as the individuals that they are- are brought back to their homes quickly to prevent any unwanted stress on them. If a cat self-socializes itself with its caretaker and becomes friendly on its own terms, then fine- take them in and work on getting them to a point of adaptability, but it should never be forced or even the default when working with community cats.
You may be wondering what I mean by the title “Why We are not a Cat Removal Service”, let me fill you in on what it’s all about.
Many people, due to lack of experience or lack of positive experience with feral or community cats, will reach out to organizations that work with community cats like us to get a local community cat fixed; sounds great, right? But what they are also wanting is for us to take the cat away and move it to a new location. Which is not something we do- or at least that’s our last resort, as it’s always best for the cat, and the community, for the cat to be returned to where it calls home.
The reasons why we don’t simply remove the cat(s) are based on science & evidence-based methods for feline (and other species) population control.
Now, what science am I talking about? Well, studies have shown that when we remove an invasive species from an area, others of that species will just move in and thrive due to the “vacuum effect”. The above graphic demonstrates this well. However, we’re going to take this a step further.
I want you to imagine that there’s a small lake, with tiny rodents (squirrels, rats, mice) and birds and some flowers all living on the lake’s shores. There are trees and bushes for protection and shelter. Beautiful place for some cats to live, right? There are food and water resources, and shelter. The basics of what all mammals need- including cats. So imagine there are 4 intact female cats and 2 intact males all of the sexual maturity, so there’s screaming and fighting amongst the 6 as the males’ fight for a partner and then the females fight off unwanted attention, the males are also spraying as a means to mark their territory. This is when we get called in, to prevent unwanted kittens and to remove the “disturbance” or “nuisance”. Now, if we remove these 6 cats, neuter & vaccinate them and they go to barns, those 6 cats are going to be stressed out from the change of scenery, the new faces and being unsure of food sources. 8/10 of these cats if not contained for 6+ weeks (safely) will leave and not return as they have no association of to where they are; and of those remaining, past the 6-week containment or half will end up leaving or getting sick from the stress
In this same scenario back at the lake, a pregnant from another colony is looking for a new place to give birth to her kittens because her colony was disturbed by construction. This lake still has the resources available and there’s no competition for them, so she makes her nest and gives birth to her litter of 6; half male and half female. It only takes them 5 months to reach sexual maturity and it’s only two months after that that another 18 kittens are born while the original female has already found another mate and has given birth to 2 more litters in this time. This is what is known as the vacuum effect. We have not addressed the root cause of why the cats have chosen to reside in this area, we have just made it easier for more to move in. However, if we do TNR (Trap, Neuter (vaccinate), Return), those same 6 cats will still be there not reproducing but preventing new ones from using the resources. This is how TNR is most effective in population control.
Furthermore, the typical complaints we as rescuers hear about intact cats are that they smell, they spray, and they fight. But once these cats are neutered, they lose the very hormones that cause these behaviours and can usually live quiet and typical lives without causing any problems for people sharing their space.
These same arguments can be made for wild dogs, hogs, cats and even squirrels.
And this is why we are not a cat removal service.
Below are links to more resources regarding TNR and the vacuum effect.
We all know cats big and small are obligate carnivores who hunt their prey in the wild.
Your little fluffy may look like a domesticated animal, but at the end of the day, cats are still wild animals with primal instincts. You may notice these instincts in action when you go to put your cat in a carrier to go to the vet, when they see birds through the window or when you corner them by accident. These are enate reactions or urges that cats have programmed into their minds in order to survive.
Why do I bring this up? Well, it’s because more and more research is showing that in order to have happy and healthy cats we must provide enrichment for them to stimulate their minds, their muscles and let them be their true selves. Jackson Galaxy coined it best by calling it “Kitty Mojo”. Many behavioural and health concerns in cats are actually due to environmental stresses and boredom.
Steps you can do to enrich your cats life is simply “active play” with them; these can be as simple as a laser pointer for 20 minutes, or a mouse on a string etc; but as a word of the wise- never end an active play session with a laser pointer as it deprives your cat of the “win” switch it to a string toy, or a cat-specific plush toy for them to claw or bite into.
Another thing you can do is to stash food in certain areas around your house, high and low and make them “hunt” for their meal; this stimulates them to have to work for their meal, keeps their brain occupied and keeps them moving to increase blood flow and prevent obesity in house cats! Not only that but it helps build up the confidence of many timid or shy cats.
The last thing you can do that I’ll write about here is you can “catify” your house by ensuring that a) there’s one more litter box than cats in your house b) provide adequate places for your cat to sleep, claw and climb and c) add wall furniture for your cat to climb and jump, while also providing alternate ways for your cat to get away from anything that may spook them.
Your cat is part of your family, and if your family member wasn’t doing well mentally you’d help them right? So make sure you’re doing this with your cats too! Make sure your cat gets their vaccines and wellness exam once a year by a board-certified vet to ensure they stay healthy and to address any concerns you may have.
If you’ve been following me (Abby Cat Daddy) for a while then you have most likely have read the acronym TNR; but what is it exactly?
TNR means Trap, Neuter, Return. This is the method most commonly used in North America for community cat population management. It is the most effective and humane option out there as well.
When a TNR group is notified of community cats living in an area, they go out and look it over to ensure there’s no immediate threat to the cats, they then set up feeding stations to build up a routine with the cats to get them ready for trapping. Once a routine is established the team will then not feed the cats the day before to ensure that the cats are hungry, they then place out the live traps with food to attract the cats, once the cat enters the cage far enough it automatically closes. Once the cats are all caged they are then brought to the vet for sterilization surgeries! The cats will be spayed or neutered, vaccinated with the appropriate vaccines, dewormed, flea treated and receive pain medications by injection along with an ear tip to identify them later on as already been TNR’d. Once the cats are done the vets will put them back into their traps with a bit of food while they recover from the anesthesia. Once fully awake and they have eaten, the TNR team brings them back to where they were trapped and released.
But why do they return the cats? TNR groups will return cats to where they were found for numerous reasons. But mainly because that is the cats’ home. That area is what they know and it will continue to provide for them or they wouldn’t be there in the first place. Groups will also seek out a caretaker in each of these areas to ensure they get adequate food and shelter, and to monitor the cats for illness and injuries. Another reason we bring cats back is called the “vacuum effect”; which is what happens if we remove cats from an area, other cats will move in as the territory is no longer claimed and the cycle will just continue. You can learn more about the “vacuum effect” by clicking here.
Besides the obvious benefit of reducing the number of community cats having kittens, we are also improving their quality of life by getting them vaccinated, neutered cats are also less likely to develop many common diseases, less likely to fight and contract viruses and infections. The other benefit for people sharing the same area is that the cats aren’t fighting or mating so noise complaints drop drastically AND cats are less likely to spray after getting neutered. It’s a WIN-WIN for the cats and the humans!
When TNR groups discover cats with medical issues or kittens, they will make sure they get the care they need by whatever process their respective organizations have. Remember, the main goal is to community cat population control in the most humane way possible, while honouring each and every cat that we come across for who they are and not for who we want them to be.
**Added shortly after posting; but it is important to note that the vet (or the volunteer) will check the cat for ear tip, tattoo and chip before proceeding with the operation. So if it is someone’s cat who has gone missing we may connect them once again.
Should your household cat (indoor only) ever escape the house by accident there is a lot to know about the state of being your cat will be in. They are not the same loving cat once they are in “protect” mode. I’d love to write a full article on this as it is so intriguing and can help so many people get their cats back home; however, this resource (linked here) goes into detail so that I don’t have to! You can rent traps from the local BC-SPCA shelters and you can also reach out to FCM Community Cat Trappers or Heart and Soul Community Cat Trappers to get assistance trapping your missing cat.
There are several clinics and programs in the Fraser Valley dedicated to helping get your furbabies sterilized, however for some they are not as well known. Below is a list of some of such programs and how to contact them. If you know of a program or clinic that offers free- affordable spays and neuters please email AbbotsfordCats@gmail.com with information and links and I will add them to this list. Please don’t forget to chip your cat! It’s affordable and can save your cat!
FCM Feral Cat Management Community Cat Trappers Spay and Neuter Program: FCM has teamed up with two local vet clinics in Chilliwack to offer affordable sterilization surgeries. The process is quite simple, simply click on the link below, chose a clinic, complete the form and send the payment as directed. FCM will then send you a confirmation and you book the surgery as normal with the clinic chosen and FCM pays the clinic on your behalf. Prices just start at $110 CAD. Click here to learn more.
Heart and Soul Dog and Cat Rescue Society Pregnant Queen’s Program:Heart and Soul will take on the care of your pregnant cat along with her kittens, once the kittens are of weaning age (8 weeks) they will spay mama and return her back to you while adopting out the kittens. There is no charge with this program. They will also offer to neuter any intact males living in the home (felines only). To apply for this program please email them directly at HSDCRescue@gmail.com
Langley Spay and Neuter Clinic: I think the Langley clinic is probably one of the best-known programs in the Valley for affordable sterilization procedures. With neuters starting at just $102 and spays at $130 they are quite affordable and easily accessible with their online scheduling. To book a procedure or to learn more about this clinic visit the link here.
Fraser Valley Humane Society: Offers discounted sterilization surgeries for Mission residents. These include spay/neuter/chip/vaccine/viral testing/ parasite control for $100. This is only offered to those families or individuals who demonstrate a financial need for support. To learn more click here.
