Our Stories
An Unexpected Encounter for Two Trappers
By Laurie Frederick
A semi-long story but those involved with TNR will probably chuckle at the end.
A few days ago, returning home from feeding our cat colony, we were coming through the gated entrance of our neighborhood. We saw a woman walking down the road with a suitcase. She seemed lost and she definitely looked out of place. We stopped and asked if she needed help and she asked what direction the gate was. I explained that it was right around the corner and asked if she needed a ride to the gate. She responded "Yes, if you don't mind". This is where it got weird and all our binge watching of serial killer drama shows kicked in.
As she stepped toward our vehicle, I noticed she was barefoot. So, this woman is walking down the road of a high-end gated community with a suitcase and is barefoot??? And she was able to get IN the neighborhood but doesn't know where the gate is???
I am thinking: Crap! Did I just invite a SERIAL KILLER into our car? At the same time, if something unfortunate had happened to this woman, I didn’t want to just leave her there and be THAT person. Maybe a domestic situation? I really didn't sense a threatening energy from her but this was a VERY strange scenario.
My mind was racing and in the span of about 2 seconds, I glanced at the door pocket where we keep our pepper spray. A few years ago, my brother who is a cop gave us all "professional strength” pepper spray and flashlights as Xmas presents. You can never be too safe! I have had it in my car ever since.
I assessed the situation.
1. It's me AND Kez. We can hold our own. We can take her.
2. If we can't, we have pepper spray (and lots of flashlights).
3. The gate is only a couple blocks away so not a huge risk. AND, if she is there casing the neighborhood, we will transport her out of the gates and away from neighbors.
4. If I am just being paranoid, we will have helped a nice lady in an unfortunate circumstance.
I conclude that it's fine. I am just being paranoid, and we should help this woman with a short ride. I turn and open the back door. Oh shoot! I realize that we have several TNR cat traps back there and a person can't fit in there with the current setup. I turn to the woman who is looking wide eyed with a scared look on her face as she is backing away from me. I apologize and tell her that I had forgotten that they were there and that “I can rearrange real quick and you can fit right here".
Barefoot woman: "No, it's fine… it's ok… I will walk" (still backing away).
Me: "Really, it's no problem. it will only take a minute."
Barefoot woman: "No, no… I will walk" (backing farther away).
Me: "The gate is right around the corner. We don't mind. Really."
Barefoot woman: "No, I will walk. Thank you. Thank you. Bye. I will walk."
So, in the end, I am pretty sure this woman thought WE were the serial killers. She probably thinks she barely escaped being abducted and stuck in a trap in a dark back room of some dank building. So, fellow trappers (fellow serial kidnappers), we are all probably a lot safer than we imagine about something bad happening to us while out and about trapping cats.
Porch Kitty
by Pat Dames
I remember the evening I saw this very scared, very thin, and very hungry grey tabby at my back door looking in through the sliding glass door. The eyes were intently focused on the dishes of kibble on the other side of the glass. She was staring with such longing. So of course, I put food out for her. As I got a better look at her I could see that she had a string hanging from her mouth, possibly a fishing line. I also learned quickly that eating dry kibble was painful for her so she received wet food. She would not venture near me except when I held out deli meat and would even let me pet her while she devoured the meat. Within a minute or two she would realize that I was there and would lash out. The scratches were worth it though. I received a voucher from Austin Humane Society to get her checked (and spayed if needed) and I easily trapped her and off we went! She was scared and quiet on the ride but I was relieved that one way or another, she would get the help she desperately needed.
Sadly, the outcome for this girl that had quickly found a place in my heart was not what I had hoped for. Her time out in the world struggling to survive had taken it’s toll. Besides testing positive for FeLV (feline leukemia), it was believed that she had cancer in her mouth and probably other areas. The decision was made that letting her go was the most humane thing to do.
Sometimes the outcomes are not pretty when we trap cats. But we know we make a difference, In the case of Porch Kitty, she would never be in pain or ache from hunger again. And even if only for the last week of her life, she was loved.