October 2007: Feeding a cat after rescuing it from underneath a derelict building in Castlegar BC.
A typical day in the life.
Volunteering for cat rescue work at a shelter is a very rewarding avocation. If your city has a feral cat population, chances are there is at least one dedicated shelter or volunteer organization out there that works to alleviate the suffering of these cats by following a humane trap, treat, release program. Spaying & neutering helps keep the feral population down. Provisions are made for food and such shelter as these cats will permit humans to provide. One shelter I volunteered with not only had a specific area on premises reserved for the ferals, it had contacts to farms where the healthy cats were welcomed as barn cats. Search for local programs in your area on the Web. If you don't know where to begin your search, try placing a call to your local Humane Society or SPCA. Such programs commonly work with these organizations.
Bear in mind that animal rescue work of any kind takes a considerable amount of stamina. It means early mornings. It means braving the elements under all conditions. It can mean crawling under derelict houses. If that seems a little too daunting, but you still want to volunteer to help cats or other animals, most shelters & organizations have a volunteer program and are usually in need of capable, dedicated help. I managed a volunteer program at a doggy daycare/pet boarding facility that allowed people to volunteer on a more casual basis with the animals. Of course, foster homes are always needed - however this too, requires extra skill, stamina and patience, as cats entering foster care are often traumatized, recovering from injury or requiring medication.
For several years, I maintained a feral cat feeding station in East Vancouver. It was a fantastic experience yet it was not without heartbreak. Over time I developed relationships with specific cats, and it was very difficult to accept that as much as they appreciated me, they fiercely resisted all efforts by me to adopt them and provide a safe, warm, forever loving home. These cats frequently endure abuse from human beings frustrated by their presence on their property, and it would devastate me when one of my "buddies" would turn up in an obviously abused condition. Eventually, I was no longer able to afford to continue to operate my shelter, which fed a small group of 4-8 cats a day. I also had 10 cats of my own during that time, 5 of whom were rescues, so as much as I loved these little wild felines, I had to close up the shelter.
One of the most wonderful (and crazy) experiences of my life was the time I spent domesticating a litter of 3 feral kittens which had been left in my care. They certainly kept my 7 other cats hopping! Those are the kind of memories that make this work worthwhile.