These are some of the feral street cats that I feed every day.
They wait for me to come but are too afraid to truly trust.
And when I am away, there is no one to care for them 
This little guy had one green eye and one blue eye. He used to be such a lively character but one day he became very bloated and sick and then was gone.
The first thing I did upon our return from Germany was to put out food and fresh water, but sadly yesterday morning, I had the difficult task of disposing of one little white cat who had succumbed to heat and malnutrition. She wasn't one that I normally feed yet she came to me at the end. Such a hard life for these little kitties.
It seems that street cats are not the only ones who benefit from the food I put out. I often find doves gathered at the trays, too. I watch them pick up piece by piece and toss it back into their mouth.
Animals, as part of God’s creation, have rights which must be respected. It behooves us always to be sensitive to their needs and to the reality of their pain.
(Dr. Donald Coggan, former Archbishop of Canterbury)
Sometimes I wonder if I am exacerbating the problem by feeding the cats, prolonging their street life, but I just can't stand by and do nothing.
What would you do?
35 comments:
Oh, Tammy. This just makes me want to cry. Please keep doing what your doing. Your their guardian angel.
S
xo
You're doing a good thing Tammy - those poor little kitties need you.
When I used to work at the car dealership, there were 4 feral cats that lived in the back parking lot. A friend and I fed the cats every day and we even gave them names. I no longer work there, but my friend still feeds them. :)
It truly breaks the heart doesn't it? How can any creature be forgotten and unloved. Thank goodness these sweeties have you to show them love. If even for a short time.
Hugs for you Tammy!
xo Catherine
you said it all...you just can't stand by and do nothing...
shame your neighbours can't help out when you're not there...and even when you are...
I would feed them and cry!!
Keep feeding them Tammy, like Beach Bungalow said, you are their guardian angel. All creatures great and small...
It's hard to know what to do sometimes. I have fed feral cats and at times there are many but now there is just one. I don't know what happened to the others. A friend of mine catches them in a live trap and pays to have them fixed. I have not done that yet.
Keep on feeding them Tammy.
I'm sorry to hear of the little cats death. It's never easy.
You are an oasis for these creatures and are gathering good Karma. Don't stop.
Hugs
xoxoxoxo
My daughter has rescued quite a few feral cats. She has a few living with her. It's such a problem with no real solution! I think you are doing what your heart tells you to do and that is just fine.
Tammy,
Keep doing what you feel you need to do. Your dedication to helping these feral cats is to be commended. You have such a "kind heart". It is evident in all your writings. Love reading your blog.
How heartbreaking... but what a blessing you are to them! For a while they are able to feel loved by another. You are truly their guardian angel.
Dear Tammy
It is so beautiful and properly that you care some animals on the road. Really are creatures of God, and must have care ....
Olympia
I think you have a very sweet soul and you are doing what God would have you do. Bless you for it. ♥
Love, Linda
I think you are doing the right thing. Poor sweet kitties. Wishing you a lovely day! xo Heather
I'm so happy that you feed them and please continue. I feed our wild cats.
Hugs
Hi Tammy....What would I do? Same as you. Buy as much cat food as possible, grab the bowls, and fill em up!
Great job, Tammy. You GO girl. Someone is watching you and will pay you back, in due time. Susan
You are doing the right thing. :-)
Dearest Tammy,
You do the right thing but it is because of human neglect that you have to do this. That is the cause of all this suffering. Horrible short lives for those poor kittens. You can't all snatch them up and have them spayed and neutered; impossible task.
Let's pray that one day there will be more respect for all of God's creation!
Hugs to you and thanks for your words of comfort!
Mariette
I just love you Tammy!!! This post is awesome and I know that you are giving these kitties a better life while they are here. In my book, this makes you all the more special (and I already knew you were special : )
What goes around, comes around!
hugs from a cat lover....
I'd have to feed them too.
I've taken to throwing lettuce and scraps out by the trees for the little rabbits I see (don't know if the rabbits get the food though)
I now put a bowl of water out there too and it disappears quickly.
You are such a kind, sweet soul Tammy. You MUST do this - there is no way you could not. And bless you. I wish there were more people in the world like you. Hugs, Diane
I'm so sorry that you had this sad task to perform, Tammy. You truly are their Angel so please keep feeding and putting water out for them. I follow several animal rescue pages on Facebook and, in Greece, they treat their stray animals abominably...I've seen some horror stories that have stayed with me for days. My heart goes out to the animals and can really make me hate humans. :( It's heartening to know that people like you won't stand by and do nothing to help. THANK YOU! xx
Hi Tammy,
It's such a sad problem and doesn't seem to have an end in sight. Pet overpopulation is such a horrible thing that causes so much pain and suffering. Sorry to be so morbid, but I'm all too familiar with unwanted cats and dogs.
North Carolina has the highest pet overpulation (which equals the highest "euthanasia") rate in the nation and this area in particular is horrible. Yet I can see people giving away or selling pups in the WalMart parking lot every single weekend. Dog breeding (and fighting) is big business around here.
I'm so sorry for the little one that died. There are so many. It's a tough call, but I'd probably put food and water down for all that I could. They've already been born and at least they can find a little kindness from you. Thank you for helping them.
Even though it is not the perfect solution, it is the best solution. Your brief contact with God's furry friends, gives them some comfort from starvation and I would be doing the exact same thing. It is so very sad, but thank goodness for caring souls like you, Tammy.
Maureen
Oh! Feed the little kitties for sure. I am glad they have you looking out for them. Every cat I have acquired arrived to my home neglected. You make me smile. :) Kit
Hi Tammy, My heart knows how you feel..in Hawaii they have a huge feral cat problem, but people got together, trapped them spayed and neutered them and keep them feed..they don't try to tame them but just make sure they don't keep having more kittens..My work in the past with the SPCA gives me such great love and respect for people like you who have such a tender and kind heart❤
Oh Tammy, I'm so sorry that you found one of the kitties dead. You're doing the best you can and it's such a disgrace that no one else takes care about the poor kitties when you are away for a while. I'll never understand how people can see animals suffering and not feeling the urge to help. What does this say about all these human beings?
Sending you a big hug for feeding those sweeties,
Julia
PS: We've been without power for most of the day yesterday and the day before. I'm afraid it will go off again today, so I have to rush to get some things done that need electricity :-). I promise to e-mail you within the next days.
considering the tears in my eyes, I would do just what you are doing. I've done it in the past and will continue marching (or feeding, or transporting or whatever) on. People like us are needed to let God's creatures know they are cared for, even if it is only ONCE. It breaks my heart that you seem to be alone in your endeavors with these sweet kitties.
Oh Tammy, this just breaks my heart. I think you are doing the right thing by feeding them. Just look at those faces...how could anyone just pass them by when they are starving and afraid. Thank you for caring.
I would feed them too. Do they have a spay and neuter place that will do it on the cheap? *sigh* God bless you for doing what you can for these lovely animals.
big-BIG hugs,
Cheryl
Sweet Tammy--- I so know your plight--- we don't live in the city-- but we live in the country where there is NO shortage if feral cats. We put out food several times a day so that they won't go hungry. Sometimes they come to our door and sit and wait for us to feed them. We do have someone who takes care of feeding the kitties when we travel-- but I still worry that they won't " feed them as good as we do!!" we fret over these kitties so much!!
Vicki
Oh Tammy I do exactly what you do. They are Gods creatures and should know that someone loves them. You are so sweet.
This is such a difficult subject to address. You know how I love animals, and cats especially are my favorite animals, however I do not feed the feral cats who visit our garden. We cannot leave food outside due to foxes and raccoons etc., and the danger of rabies (hopefully you don't have that dreaded life threatening disease in Kuwait). You are very kind hearted to feed these kitties Tammy - I'm sorry you also have to deal with the much sadder happenings too!
Mary X
Poor thing. What a sad thing to come back to after your trip. Glad your kitty friend found you at the end. Bless your sweet kind heart. I love you!!
So heartbreaking. I would feed them too. Thank you for caring for these otherwise-unloved creatures.
Here in the U.S. we have lots of education and clinics where people can get their animals spayed and neutered for a discount in order to try and alleviate the starvation of animals when they over run an area. We don't have anything like your population problem though. Probably because the animals (bigger animals like cougars, bears, wild dogs etc.) here keep them in check.
I would do the same thing though...I couldn't watch them starve if I could help it. That one cat that you said bloated...there might be people out there putting poison out for them too. I love your quote you posted. You can only do what you can do...angels could do no more.
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