[Vision2020] Caturday (March 30, 2019)

[Moscow Cares]

These ferals have their very own guardian angels on Caturday.

Courtesy of the Herald Record (HudsonValley, New York) at:

https://www.recordonline.com/news/20190328/newburgh-volunteers-are-feral-cats-guardian-angels?utm_source=fark&utm_medium=website&utm_content=link&ICID=ref_fark

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Newburgh volunteers are feral cats’ guardian angels

Remember that last toothache you had? The searing pain, the hunger because you couldn’t eat, just wanting it to be over now. Imagine you couldn’t communicate that pain to anyone and had to suffer endless days, weeks, months. Then in walks an angel who will take care of you. Lil Demskie is one of those angels, in her little corner of the feral feline world.

Demskie is the president of Newburgh SCATS (Save Cats), formed 19 years ago to fight the Town of Newburgh to keep cats in the town shelter. It took a new administration a year later to win the fight.

Demskie and her volunteer foster homes haven’t stopped helping area feral and abandoned cats. She and her husband, Larry, are the caretakers of some 10 cat colonies in Newburgh, the town and city. And every day, no matter what the weather, they feed and care for each colony. They trap, spay or neuter, and return the adults; kittens are placed for adoption.

New cats show up. Some are abandoned house cats. The socialized ones are placed in foster homes, when there’s room, until adoption. If they’re not adopted, they live out their lives in their foster homes. Sadly, when foster homes are full, the tame, frightened, abandoned house cats must learn to adapt to life outside in a colony. They are subject to predatory animals, traffic, harsh weather, parasites, disease, malnutrition and more.

It’s hard enough to come up with funding for spay/neuters, vaccinations and food for SCATS’ colonies and adoptable cats, but when emergencies arise, SCATS needs help from the community.

Demskie had been feeding Cheeks, an 8-year-old feral, in one of her colonies for six years. Recently he started drooling constantly, and she knew he needed dental work. She took him off the streets and he is now living in Demskie’s bedroom.

“He doesn’t want to leave; he’s scared,” she said.

An estimate for a full dental for Cheeks will cost SCATS $900. A recent vet visit also revealed he needed surgery on his bladder. An unfriendly feral, Cheeks is not available for adoption and will live out his life with Demskie.

BW, another black and white who is at least 7 years old, recently fell off a ledge and bruised his hip. Bloodwork revealed he is a diabetic, and he is also in need of a full dental.

“He is a big, friendly cat,” said Demskie. “He is available for adoption, but he has never seen a dog.”

BW is OK with people and other cats. He has been in his foster home for five years.

To help support their cats, SCATS has an Adoption Center & Thrift Store at 154 North Plank Road, Route 32, in the Town of Newburgh. It is open daily, 11 a.m.-6 p.m. Available kittens and adult cats have their own area in the shop where potential adopters can see them without cages.

From someone whose heart breaks for these felines, I am grateful there are angels like Lil and Larry out there caring for them.

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Photos . . .

Newburgh SCATS is currently caring for 8-year-old Cheeks, who recently had bladder surgery and a full dental.
http://www.tomandrodna.com/MoscowCares/Caturday/Caturday_033019_01.jpg

BW is a friendly, 16-pound black and white cat, who is diabetic and needs dental work.
http://www.tomandrodna.com/MoscowCares/Caturday/Caturday_033019_02.jpg

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“Caturday” by Linus Petit
http://www.tomandrodna.com/MoscowCares/Caturday/Caturday_by_Linus_Petit.mp3

Seeya 'round town, Moscow, because . . .

"Moscow Cares" (the most fun you can have with your pants on)
http://www.MoscowCares.com
  
Tom Hansen
Moscow, Idaho
 
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