Community of Cats

I visited Community Forklift in Edmonston, MD. It is a "nonprofit reuse center for home improvement supplies" that collects donations of new and gently used building materials and home essentials and make them available to the community at low cost.

I have visited here several times before, but this is the first time I saw the feral cat colony that lives behind their warehouse. They are clearly well cared for andf not afraid of humans, though I still kept my distance so I didn't spook them.

The area is very industrial with lots of nearby warehouses. There is also a railroad nearby. I'm betting these cats are doing a terrific job holding down the local rodent population there.

At the Feet of a Hero

Washington Gardener Magazine intern Josh Panepento recently visited Puerto Rico and took this pic of a feral cat resting at the feet of the Abraham Lincoln statue in old San Juan. Notice the pots of Foxtail Fern (Asparagus densiflorus 'Meyersii') and palms nearby adding a touch of greenery.

The Everything Bagel

 

Joni and Thomas of NativeRootScaping.com, 

based in the Washington, DC, area shared these photos and wrote:

Here are some photos of our cat, Bagel in our garden. Bagel was a feral cat, who as a kitten, became friends with our then puppy, Poppy. By November, as it was getting colder, we just had to take her in. Five years later and she’s the best cat we’ve ever had! She loves spending time in the garden, climbing trees, and frolicking in the neighborhood :) She’s still besties with Poppy and they love to play outside and cuddle inside 

Keeping Cats Out and Safe

Sarah Wilson's UK garden podcast, Roots and All, featured an episode on Cats in Gardens. She wrote, "This episode features Danielle Draper (@CatsProtection on Twitter) of Cats Protection. Cats are part of gardeners’ lives, particularly if you live in an urban area. Love them or hate them, you can’t get away from them and Danielle’s here to talk about learning to live harmoniously alongside the neighborhood feline. Whether you welcome cats into your garden or try to discourage them, Danielle offers great insights into cat behavior & gives tips on how cats and people can co-exist happily outdoors."

I listened to the show and it is specific to the UK, but I can attest that there is lots of useful and smart information on this program, including creating a dedicated litter area for outdoor visiting cats to keep them out of your planting beds.
You can listen at:
https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/roots-and-all-gardening-podcast/id1399040612
or at 
https://rootsandall.co.uk/thepodcast/page/2/

Catnap in the Shed

 

These photos were posted on Twitter by BHFeralCats (@BhFeral). They are a feral and street cat sanctuary in Balsall Heath, Birmingham, UK. They captioned this post:

"The #shed is in need of repair, but it is a cozy place to have a #catnap."

If you have a covered space that can shelter feral cats in brutal winter weather, consider leaving the door ajar and creating a comfortable sleeping spot with old straw, blankets, or other padding. 

The Mouthpiece (Meow-piece?)

This is the Sustainable Spokescat. He speaks for himself.
Haym says, "I'm a cat with a career, official spokescat for Sustainability Matters @smattersva. I birdwatch, I garden, I pose tirelessly for SM's Facebook and the local pawparazzi. My eco-commitment is real, as long as the treats keep coming.
"As a feral drifting from farm to farm, I was shot by a jerk who got off on hurting cats. It hurt so much, and the bullet's still in my leg."

"Here's me and a friend. #Amphibians are the best form of natural pest control in the garden, so I do my best to watch over them and keep them from harm. Very non-cat of me."

"So I didn't attend the @smattersva Plant Swap in purrson today, but one of my fans sent me a gift, a very special #catnip plant!! I love getting fan mail."

"Me in a jungle of stiltgrass, one of the worst #InvasiveSpecies. Now's the time to weed whack it, down to bare earth, before it goes to seed. Just don't weed whack any frogs or felines who might be lurking."

"Me, the eco-spokescat, leading the fight against #InvasivePlants. This one, mile-a-minute, grows at roughly that speed. Be careful when pulling; I stick to root chewing as the vine is barbed. It's edible, though, and potassium rich. I prefer it to bananas."

"Me starting seeds (in repurposed containers, naturally...) ;)"

"And me helping NRCS check out a hayfield that had just been converted to pollinator habitat. It was fascinating seeing all the native seeds germinating...though they didn't taste as good as they looked, sadly."

You can follow Haym, the Sustainable Spokescat at: https://twitter.com/spokescat

Be Gone, Begonias!

Fellow garden blogger Shirley Fox shared this photo and commented, "that shelf was intended to hold begonias! Begonias have lost their place."

I nabbed another photo of the tortoise-shell feline off her blog at https://rockoakdeer.blogspot.com where she said, "She arrived as a feral about four years ago and we began caring for her. Over time, she has become more friendly, but is still wild enough to remain an outdoor cat."

Oh Mama!

Shannon Ball of  Pensacola, Florida, shared this photo and story:

"Mama cat is a feral cat that has hung around our house for years. I managed to trap her. (I do the TNR for the feral cats around here.) When I released her back into the wild, I did not see her for approximately 6 months.  Then one day, I looked out of my kitchen window to see two birds bomb diving a cat. It was Mama cat. I went outside to see her, but her foot had been severely severed in one place and she was limping. I tried to catch her to bring her to the vet, but to no avail. All I could do was sit out water and food for her. This I did through the winter, and come spring she was hanging around on a daily basis. She still walks with a limp, but she now makes our front yard her home.  She does not like to be petted, but will come around so I can talk to her and she enjoys hanging around all our plants and in the summer the occasional cool bird bath.  I do not fill this bird bath, because I feed all the birds in our backyard with the dogs, and feed all animals that come from the woods in the front of our yard. She enjoys laying in the bath in the middle of summer with our Florida heat to cool herself." 

Invasive Cats

Louisa of Thanksgiving Farms in Adamstown, MD, shared this photo. She said: "When planting cats in the garden make sure to leave room. They like to spread. They prefer a sunny location in the morning with cool afternoon shade. Some cats are invasive like the one pictured. She has attached herself to a soft, low growing mondo grass. To keep cats from multiplying please spay and neuter. I always recommend planting cats in the garden. They add movement and interest to any setting."

I visited Louisa's home garden and came across this kitty and several other feral cats. Here (below) are the best captures I could get of these flighty felines.

See a previous Garden Cat share from Louisa here: https://catsingardens.blogspot.com/2015/09/warning-invasive-species.html

Profile Pic vs Tagged Pic

Your Profile Pic

Your Tagged Pic

Lou Nicholls ‏(@loujnicholls) shared fun this post with us:

“This is Phil cat. He has a very big personality and even a few fans J. Sometimes referred to as cat pest, murder kitty, or shout-y Cat, he often features on my Twitter and Instagram, and yes, he's not adverse to fame!”

   “I know I'm biased, but he's kinda special He moved in with me in 2011 at a time that I was very low, he was living feral, but had been someone's pet at some point previously. Possibly, the previous tenants at the flat I was living in, no one knew for sure. Anyway, Phil and I have literally traveled the country together. We have moved house 6 or maybe 7 times. We've gone to my dad's for holidays, which is about 500 miles away, and all of this he has taken in his stride.”

   “He is possibly the happiest, most chilled cat ever. If I'm upset, he chases his tail to make me laugh, he stalks me if he's got the devil in him and swipes me with velvet paws. He's never scratched me and meant it only ever by mistake.... he is also a formidable hunter!”

   “I think he's around 9-ish, but he brings home rabbits rats and mice like a pro! The mice he eats straight off, which I think is a throwback to when he had to fend for himself. Unlike most pet cats, he never plays with them ... which I'm very thankful for He is an excellent judge of character and I'll often watch his reaction to people to suss them out. His full name is Phil Macavity, which often raises eyebrows.”

Adopt a Garden Cat

 :

I recently stumbled across the Island Cat Resources andAdoption (ICRA) garden cat adoption page.  If you know someone in the Alameda, CA, area who has room to adopt some garden cats. Please share the following information:

Do you have a protected garden or yard area that would be a safe home for a cat or cats in need?

ICRA has rescued a number of cats that, despite our volunteers’ concerted efforts, are not comfortable enough with people to become house cats. Although these cats are called ferals, they are not wild or aggressive, just extremely shy. They need safe outdoor spaces in which to live out their natural lives. Some of these cats, in time, will allow petting from a trusted caregiver; others will keep a safe distance but enjoy playing or sleeping in the garden while you are nearby. Most are curious about people, and will interact with you (to a greater or lesser degree) at feeding time.

We’d love to relocate one or more of these cats to your garden where they can live in safety under your caring and watchful eye. Your main job would be to provide daily food and water, and some shelter from the winter weather. We will guide you through the process of acclimating the cat/s to their new home, and support you if you encounter problems.

What Garden Cats are looking for:

• A safe yard, free of pesticides and free of other pets that may not want them in their area.
• Shelter from the rain with warm bedding – a cat or dog house, a porch or even a child’s play house
• A regular feeder. It is best to feed daily and not leave too much food out that will attract unwanted critters (wildlife) – which means if you are heading out of town for a few days, best to have a petsitter or a neighbor take over the feeding.
• Places to hide – under decks, behind established bushes or logs
• A bowl of fresh water – best to change out the water every couple of days to keep the mosquitoes away
• A home that will love them like pets and treat them like pets and take the cats with them when/if they move or find another safe yard to move them to. (We have great advice on how to do either.)

Garden cat caretakers attest to the wonder and enjoyment of having these beautiful animals in their lives:

“Bruce and Tortie Girl are often curled up like Ying and Yang on their feral cat heating pad on my back porch when I open the door to feed them each morning. They jump up from their slumber and greet me; Tortie Girl rubbing gently against my leg and Bruce keeping an arm’s length but meowing the whole time as though to say, ”Hello, but please hurry up with breakfast!” –Merry, Oakland

“Mama is doing so well, she looks so healthy and lolls around on the deck acting like Leona Helmsley at the Palace Hotel.” –Cindy, Alameda

You can make a huge difference in the lives of these cats, with only a small amount of effort. We know you will find it rewarding.

Please contact us for more information on becoming a garden cat guardian. Email us at gardencat@icraeastbay.org or leave us a voicemail at 510-869-2584.

If you can’t host a garden cat but know someone who can, please share this information.

The Mouse Stalker

Kirk Ryan Brown is the current President at GWA: The Association for Garden Communicators and is a popular garden speaker. He posted this photo on his Facebook page, which I asked to share.

Kirk wrote: "This is the front of house and very native garden of Rob Proctor and David Macke in Denver, CO. [Seen as part of the Perennial Plant Association recent annual meeting's private garden tours.] The back of house is a riotous mix of annuals and perennials. This is the cat that is the most social of their pet residents. Here, seen hunting for a mouse that was scurrying through the underbrush of the wild entrance. She is the social companion to a feral group of hidden felines."

Urban Farmer

Phantom is a feral cat on an urban farm in downtown Silver Spring, MD. Note the tipped ear. Lynn Koiner says, "He and his brother, Spirit, are part of a local trap-and-release program. They keep down the rodent and rabbit population on the one-acre farm." To learn more about the Koiners urban farm, go here.

Key West Kitties

Kirk R. Brown, a garden communicator and speaker, shared these photos of the feral cats of Key West, Florida: "On my recent visit, the Ernest Hemingway House showed off its 58 movie star cats. They are indifferent to tourists. Of course. But each is a master or mistress of capturing the attention of anyone passing by. All of them carry the polydactyl (extra-toes) gene. Some are deeper in the pool than others."

   "The guide told us that this orange tabby (pictured below) was the dominant cat of the collection. Polydactyl by breeding not by name. And cleaning as we watched."

   "Most have been neutered or spayed. They say they allow only one litter per generation. (Obviously, at some time in the past, they were less concerned about overpopulation.) in this current generation, they are excited about breeding an obvious polydactyl male with a similar female. They are selecting for this recessive. I don't know if there are any other genetic side effects to this appearance, like kidney or liver problems or chronic people avoidance..."

Roman Cat Sanctuary

Planning a trip to Rome anytime soon? Cat lovers should add the Torre Argentina (Roman Cat Sanctuary) to their must-see bucket list. As profiled on Atlas Obscura (http://www.atlasobscura.com/places/torre-argentina-roman-cat-sanctuary), "this archaeological wonder was excavated as part of Mussolini’s rebuilding efforts in 1929, revealing extensive multilevel temples that lie sunken 20 feet below modern street level. Besides several different temples, Torre Argentina also contains part of the famous Theater of Pompey, upon whose steps dictator Julius Caesar was betrayed and killed in 44 BCE. Today, volunteers at Torre Argentina care for approximately 250 cats."

The location has its own web site here: http://www.romancats.com/torreargentina/en/introduction.php, where you can donate or "adopt" one of the felines. Many of the cats are disabled or are from abusive households.

Photo at top by Jakub Hałun (Own work) [CC BY-SA 4.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0)], via Wikimedia Commons.

Photo at bottom by Wknight94 (Own work) [GFDL (http://www.gnu.org/copyleft/fdl.html) or CC-BY-SA-3.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/)], via Wikimedia Commons.

Here Comes Trouble

Gin Kilgore of Chicago, IL, wrote, "We adopted a feral cat last spring as a last ditch effort to keep rats out of our yard. Total success and I love him so much, even though he won't let me get hear him and hisses at me when I bring him food. He's holding out fine in the cat cave beneath our stairs in this frigid Chicago weather. His name is Trouble, He came with the name and it is apt."

A Gentle Giant

Daryl Pulis of America's Home Grown Veggies weekly radio show writes: "Alex first showed up a few years ago wanting nothing but food. He gradually decided that we were okay and I was able to get him into a crate, checked for a chip (none) and get him vetted. He wanted no part of being inside, despite our best efforts. Even when he was drugged after neutering, he tried to dig out of the greenhouse. A couple of years ago, he decided that sleeping on our screened porch in bad weather was okay -- as long as we didn't close the screen door. When the door was closed, he tore through a screen and jumped 8-feet or so to the ground to escape. We learned to keep the door open.  
   "We made him a specially insulated box and put a heating pad in it for him for the winter before last, and that was ok. He was content to sleep on the porch with the open door and he eventually followed me in and out of the utility room when I was washing clothes and gardening out front.
   "This past winter in Georgia, it was just too cold, with temps below zero. I brought him and his bedding into the utility room and we toughed it out. He hated having the doors closed. He tore the curtains, shredded the carpeting by the doors and otherwise expressed his disapproval . It was rough on both of us, but he came back in every night if coaxed. 
   "There's more to the saga, but the big news is that he likes it here with us and is getting used to the other cats (he's number 9) and no longer considers them an automatic threat. It took a couple of years, but now Alex is now happy to be inside and snuggle."
    Daryl adds: "He always listens to me when I record America's Home Grown Veggies. He's the only one who doesn't try to get in front of my monitor or bounce a (loud) ball to get my attention as some of the other cats do. He waits quietly until I'm done and then makes a beeline for my desk for a cuddle. It was certainly worth the work it took to tame him."