Our Story, Their Stories
It is surprising that in a small city of deep community roots and abundant goodwill and kindness among its people, cats would have it so tough! Every one of our board members has been engaged in animal rescuing and welfare in one way or another, but the events that we experienced last year made it evident that a greater effort was needed to assist our community in caring for its feline members.
Michi's Story
Michi, a gray and white male tabby appeared as a stray on the driveway of one of our board directors. As her own cat's health was deteriorating, she hesitated to allow Michi to come inside, but set him up nicely with food and a heated shelter where he could comfortably wait for the end of winter. Their relationship deepened during those months of cold and snow. He learned to trust her and rely on her. He also showered her with affection, which she promptly reciprocated. She made sure Michi was neutered, vaccinated, dewormed, treated for fleas and free of any contagious viral infections. The plan was to allow him permanently into the house once her own cat passed away. During this period, she needed to leave town for a few days, and another board member stepped up to care for Michi. He was visited twice a day, once to be let out of his comfy corner, and once in the early evening to be allowed back in the warmth again. One day before Michi's mom returned from her trip, he went missing. A search for Michi revealed that he most likely had been trapped by a neighbor across the street, who would not disclose any further information. Michi never came back, his life having been deemed superfluous and irrelevant in spite of all the love he had to give. Our search for answers pertaining to Michi's fate revealed the existence of a network of cat trappers within our neighborhoods, and alerted us to the need to provide a humane, dignified, and legal alternative to these neighbors who temporarily forget about the sanctity of ALL life.
Palomo's Story
Palomo showed up out-of-the-blue and joined the outside cat colony of one of our directors. That way, he was granted instant shelter and good food, and a good set of eyes to observe him and interfere when and if needed. Soon he began to show signs of distress, acting lethargically and appearing barely able to walk up to the food station. That same day he was trapped and taken to the vet. He was FIV positive, had infections in both ears, intestinal parasites, and was suffering from a severe skin infection. He was also severely underweight and, of course, not neutered. A strange lump was found on his chest. An X-ray confirmed our suspicion: Palomo had an embedded beebee right in his chest, sitting millimeters away from his chest bone. Enough said! Palomo now is very healthy and happy, and has a forever home where he is treasured and pampered every day. [A picture of the x-ray will go here]
Lope's Story
One of our board members was awakened one night by the ringing of the doorbell. Upon opening, she found a group of Hillsdale College students holding a pitiful looking and very scared little kitten. They had just found him wandering in the vicinity of their dorm, hungry, cold, and completely vulnerable. Would she, the one known as the College cat lady, be able to take him in? Students are not allowed to have pets in the dormitories, and at that hour, their only choice was to leave the kitty out in the cold, unprotected and completely at risk. Lope, as he would be known, was severely underweight and covered in fleas, which had caused him to be anemic, and later demonstrated to have gastrointestinal problems, for he could not keep any food down. Little by little Lope found his way and regained his health. He also found a forever home where he grew up to be a friendly, plump and happy young cat.
