We usually feature stories about our Voucher Program for pets on this blog, but did you know the Sacramento Area Animal Coalition (SAAC) runs a Coupon Program for feral cats as well? This month’s story provides an inside look into the life of a feral cat colony caretaker: the perseverance; the dedication; and of course, the cats! Read on:

Solo, a feral kitten, is kept safe in a cat trap before and after spay/neuter surgery. Feral cats cannot be handled by people. The towels on the outside of the cage reduce sensory overload and allow the cat to feel hidden and secure.

This is Solo, one of the 11 kittens born to three different females in the colony in our neighborhood this year. Today she received a health check, vaccinations, and was spayed at Sac Spay & Neuter Clinic with the help of a free spaying coupon from SAAC. Thank you!

We’ve been angling to catch her for a while. She’s 8 months old now, a bit too wild to be socialized. But, earlier in the year we were able to catch three of those 11 kittens, socialize them, and adopt them to a wonderful family who took all three. Unlike Solo, whose mother hid her too well when she was a tiny kitten, her three siblings were successfully fostered into a forever home.

There are still 4 kittens left to catch, and two of the mothers. Solo’s mom was caught and TNR’ed [Trapped, Neutered, and Returned] last month. The other young mother is playing coy. The third mother is a senior. She’s the mom of most of the cats in the colony. She’s wiley . . . but we’re hopeful we can finally catch her.

Thanks for all you do at SAAC!

Have a wonderful New Year!

Christina Bellon, Sacramento