Project feral cats

08/31/2026

https://www.facebook.com/share/17NZmghPMH/

Why does it seem like so many people are looking for kittens that are simply “free” or “someone needs to get rid of them”, but not necessarily looking for 𝙑𝙀𝙏𝙏𝙀𝘿 kittens⁉️

Do you really want to bring home a kitten who hasn't been vaccinated against common illnesses? Do you want to risk bringing contagious diseases into your home that could spread to the other pets you already love? Of course not!

Are you able to take on the cost of vaccines, veterinary care, and spay/neuter yourself and potentially wait weeks or months for an appointment???

Kittens can go into heat and become 𝘱𝘳𝘦𝘨𝘯𝘢𝘯𝘵 𝘢𝘴 𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘭𝘺 𝘢𝘴 4 𝘮𝘰𝘯𝘵𝘩𝘴 𝘰𝘭𝘥. 😱😱 A young cat can slip out the door during mating season, driven by instincts they don't understand, and suddenly you have an unplanned pregnancy on your hands.

❌ Then may find yourself posting “free kittens” too. ❌
And just like that, the cycle continues. 💔

How can you 🄲🄷🄰🄽🄶🄴 that vicious cycle?? 👇🏽👇🏽

✅ Adopt from a reputable shelter or rescue whenever possible. ✅ Choose a kitten who has received appropriate veterinary care. ✅ Ask questions.
✅ Make sure they are vaccinated, flea-treated, dewormed, and have at least have a plan for spay/neuter.

And if you're getting a kitten from someone giving them away, 𝗣𝗟𝗘𝗔𝗦𝗘 𝗗𝗢𝗡'𝗧 𝗟𝗘𝗧 "𝗙𝗥𝗘𝗘" 𝗕𝗘 𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗢𝗡𝗟𝗬 𝗧𝗛𝗜𝗡𝗚 𝗧𝗛𝗔𝗧 𝗠𝗔𝗧𝗧𝗘𝗥𝗦.
Because that kitten isn't really free if they come with preventable illness, unexpected veterinary expenses, an unplanned litter, or a lifetime of consequences.

🛑 STOP THE CYCLE.



Being a good pet owner starts 𝘣𝘦𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘦 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘣𝘳𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘬𝘪𝘵𝘵𝘦𝘯 𝘩𝘰𝘮𝘦.

08/24/2026

https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1cFiY6cgwL/

🐈 “WHY SHOULD I HAVE TO PAY FOR CATS I DIDN’T CREATE?”

Oh, we hear this one a lot. Usually right before:
“There are cats in my backyard. Can you come get them?”

And therein lies the problem.

You don't have to become a cat rescuer. You don't have to love cats. You don't have to open your home to a colony. But if your position is “I don't want these cats here, I don't want to contribute anything toward solving it, and someone else needs to come make them disappear”…

Well, congratulations. You've just described how we got here in the first place. 🙃

First Watch Rescue is not the municipal “Get These Cats Out of My Yard” department. We're a small nonprofit made up of people who work jobs, pay bills, foster animals, answer midnight emergency calls and spend our own time and money trying to prevent the next generation from being born.

Here's the part people REALLY don't want to hear:
Removing the cats you see does not remove the problem. If unaltered cats remain, more kittens will be born. Remove one colony and another group can move into the same resources. It's called the "vacuum effect" and that's why you don't see animal control driving around tossing every stray in to a truck to the pound, anymore. They determined that was useless.

That's why we believe in TNR+M — Trap, Neuter, Return + Manage. 🪤✂️🐾

Trap.
Neuter.
Return.
MANAGE.

Management means monitoring the colony, identifying newcomers, sterilizing new arrivals, keeping feeding controlled and responsible, vaccinating when appropriate, getting friendly cats and kittens into homes, and continually working to reduce the population over time. Because “feed them and hope for the best” isn't TNR+M. Neither is “get rid of every cat you can see and call it solved.”

If you want fewer cats in your neighborhood, we absolutely want that too. But somebody has to actually do the work. So instead of emailing a rescue demanding that they come trap the cats behind your garage at no cost to you, consider asking:

👉 How can I help?
👉 Can I help fund the surgeries?
👉 Can I help trap or transport?
👉 Can I make sure my own pets are sterilized?
👉 Can I help identify newcomers before they become another colony?

Because here's the uncomfortable truth: you may not have created the problem, but if you live in the community affected by it...you can either be part of the solution—or continue waiting for somebody else to fix it for you.

And First Watch Rescue? We're already fixing problems that other people decided weren't theirs. ❤️ We'll continue doing everything we can but we cannot be everybody's free backyard-cat removal service.

🐾 TNR+M isn't about asking whose problem this should be. It requires YOU to help do the work that actually stops the cycle. So let's get to work.

08/22/2026

Do you love cats? Do you love a challenge? We have two 5 - 6 month old kittens that were trapped, will soon be sterilized and vetted. We had hoped they would turn and become adoptable but they are proving to need more time...maybe a LOT more time. We could return them to where they were trapped but they have some minor health issues that need cleared up first, plus they're already been indoors for three weeks. Moonlight and Shadow really need a foster or adopter. If you can find it in your heart to give them a home, either temporarily or permanently, plese contact us. Ask for Cheryl.

08/10/2026

https://www.facebook.com/share/r/19FokKPvQy/

07/05/2026

To our Project Feral Cats family…

I’ve been meaning to write this for quite some time.

Many of you have probably noticed that our page has become much quieter than usual. It wasn’t intentional, and it certainly wasn’t because I stopped caring.

Life has simply asked me to slow down.

As many of you know, I have been recovering from a serious ankle injury that has taken much longer than I ever imagined. At the same time, my daughter has been facing significant medical challenges, and I have been spending much of my time helping care for her and walking beside her through this difficult season.

Between the two, my heart has been pulled in a different direction for a while.

I have missed sharing our rescues, our TNR work, the funny moments, the victories, and even the hard days that we’ve always faced together.

Please know that Project Feral Cats is not going anywhere. Our mission remains the same, and the cats are still very much in my heart every single day. Right now, I’m simply doing the best I can while balancing family, healing, and the work that means so much to me.

Thank you for staying with us through the quiet. Thank you for believing in what we do. Thank you for caring about the cats who so often have no one else.

Your encouragement, your kindness, and your support have carried Project Feral Cats through so many years, and I know they’ll carry us through this season as well.

I look forward to sharing more with you again soon.

With gratitude,

❤️ Wendy
Project Feral Cats

05/23/2026

https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1GVu3sWjV7/

Many of our students, instructors, and followers are deeply involved in seeking humane solutions to mitigate dog and cat overpopulation and the impact of free-roaming animals on the environment, public health, and animal welfare. We're impressed with this newly published systematic literature review on this topic.

Title: Comparative effectiveness of culling and birth control in free-roaming animal management: A systematic review
Authors: Anastassiya Perfilyeva, Olzhas Zhorayev, Kira Bespalova, Yuliya Perfilyeva
Citation: Preventive Veterinary Medicine. Volume 254, September 2026, 106916
Link: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0167587726001352?via%3Dihub

After reviewing hundreds of papers, they concluded, "Culling has limited, context-dependent effectiveness, whereas birth control within integrated strategies more consistently achieves sustained outcomes across domains. Effectiveness depends on coverage, duration, and addressing drivers of population inflow, including abandonment and uncontrolled breeding."

05/22/2026

Look what I got from Amazon today
😁🐱😁

05/20/2026

💛 Let’s talk about something not discussed enough in rescue: Compassion Fatigue

When you’re feeding colonies, trapping, fostering, or advocating—it adds up. The long days, tough outcomes, and constant need can take a real toll.

Some signs of compassion fatigue:
🐾 Feeling emotionally drained
🐾 Difficulty “turning off” your thoughts
🐾 Feeling guilt when you rest
🐾 Losing joy in things you once loved

If this sounds familiar—you are not alone.

At Friends of Feral Felines, we see you. We appreciate you. And we want to remind you:
✨ Rest is not quitting
✨ Boundaries are healthy
✨ Saying “no” sometimes allows you to keep saying “yes” long-term

Take care of yourself the way you take care of your colony! ❤️

📖 https://www.bissellpetfoundation.org/compassion-fatigue/

05/11/2026

PROJECT: Cat Hotel 🐾

A little update on something very special we are building for Project Feral Cats. ❤️

This cat hotel will be a safe place for feral cats that have nowhere else to go… a temporary space for recovery after medical care, trapping, emergencies, or while we work to find placement for certain cats that need extra help.

It is still a work in progress, but seeing it slowly come together means so much to us. Every board, every kennel, every little step forward represents more cats we will be able to help in the future.

Thank you to everyone cheering us on and supporting Project Feral Cats along the way. We cannot wait to keep sharing the progress with you all. 🐈‍⬛✨

05/08/2026

GRAPHIC CONTENT WARNING ⚠️

This is Donatello. 💔

When we trapped him, we knew he was badly injured… but we had no idea how horrific his wound truly was until the veterinary team shaved and examined him.

These photos are difficult to look at.
They are also the reality many abandoned and unaltered cats face while trying to survive on their own.

Infection.
Pain.
Starvation.
Injuries left untreated for weeks—or longer.

This is why TNR, monitoring colonies, and stepping in when cats are suffering matters so deeply.

Because of fast action from our Project Feral Cats team and emergency veterinary care, Donatello survived. 🐾

He still has a long road ahead, but he is safe tonight—and healing.

Thank you to every person who donated, shared, and helped make his care possible. We truly could not do this work without you. 🙏

If you would still like to help with Donatello’s ongoing medical care:

Venmo:
PayPal: