Who do I rescue?
Every minute of the day is filled with the stress of life and death decisions. If I go to the 9th ward will I miss the animal in St. Bernard who needs me? Where should I go today? Tomorrow? Who needs me most?
The biggest decision is where do I focus my efforts? Do I go to the areas where I know there are a lot of cats, but they are being provided food? Or do I go to the deserted areas where there may or not be any cats, but nobody is around to provide for or care for them--or even notice them? I had planned on the former when I plotted out my trip, but the conditions I found in New Orleans turned me to the latter. I generally had 12 traps in abandoned areas and 3 in colonies.
Sometimes my traps were empty, meaning there were no cats in the area. Sometimes the cats already had ear-tips, meaning someone had already trapped and "fixed" them. After a few days of having only those 2 types of situations I knew the area was clear and I could move on. I caught at least 21 cats in these such areas and it was very rewarding. They had no hope without me.
I shrieked with joy when I caught 3 babies and their calico mom. The man who stayed on the property didn't understand my excitement. Sadly they tested positive for FIV and I couldn't bring them back with me. But none of them will ever reproduce and spread the disease to anyone else, so that is something to be happy about.
The biggest decision is where do I focus my efforts? Do I go to the areas where I know there are a lot of cats, but they are being provided food? Or do I go to the deserted areas where there may or not be any cats, but nobody is around to provide for or care for them--or even notice them? I had planned on the former when I plotted out my trip, but the conditions I found in New Orleans turned me to the latter. I generally had 12 traps in abandoned areas and 3 in colonies.
Sometimes my traps were empty, meaning there were no cats in the area. Sometimes the cats already had ear-tips, meaning someone had already trapped and "fixed" them. After a few days of having only those 2 types of situations I knew the area was clear and I could move on. I caught at least 21 cats in these such areas and it was very rewarding. They had no hope without me.
I shrieked with joy when I caught 3 babies and their calico mom. The man who stayed on the property didn't understand my excitement. Sadly they tested positive for FIV and I couldn't bring them back with me. But none of them will ever reproduce and spread the disease to anyone else, so that is something to be happy about.
posted by Amy at
7:51 AM
