Sunday, September 30, 2018

At Long Last, Beulah



The cat who started Operation Slim Pickens has at last been trapped.

I wasn’t going to set the traps this Sunday. No one was working at my job-site today, so no one would be present to check the traps. I would have had to ride out several times in the evening myself. It is true that, by bicycle, my work-place is only six or seven minutes away. But it was not something I wanted to do on a gloomy, cold, last day of September.

Time, however, was ebbing. The cold that made me reluctant to venture forth actually spurred me on. Fewer cats come out less often from whatever warmth they have found as the dark months succeed the light, so being able to trap them becomes more difficult. As well, trapping on chilly nights brings more discomfort to captured cats waiting for recovery. So I set the traps.

I used a new weapon tonight. Reinforced by the Colonel himself, I placed small pieces of Kentucky Fried Chicken as bait; I had just heated them in the micro-wave oven before placing them in the cages. The scene set, I retreated.

I was not hopeful, though: as I departed, I saw that the only two cats present were a long-haired white cat with a floofy black tail – who had been spayed in a previous operation – and Bijou, neutered last week. I assumed that I would be releasing one or both of these hungry creatures when I returned.

Not fifteen minutes later, I received a call from a colleague, the man who feeds the feral colony. Not having been apprised of my operation this evening, he had come to disburse his food. I figured he was about to tell me that I had caught a cat who already had been fixed. Instead, he delighted me by announcing that the little mother-cat we had initially tried to capture was finally in our grasp.

Beulah is currently in my apartment, very quiet in her cage, covered with a blanket. She is uninterested in food, unsurprisingly, and, due to her impending surgery, has run out of time to eat. I will give her water through the night and, in the morning, take her to her rendezvous with sterility.

We were very fortunate to find homes for all of Beulah’s kittens. I don’t know if she had had any previous litters, but I doubt we would have been so fortunate in placing any more she may have birthed. That eventuality is no longer. She was a wonderful mother, attentive, loving, patient and careful. Her reward, whether she knows it or not, is that all of her kittens have homes, and she will never have to worry about any more.

At long last, Beulah has been captured.

12 comments:

  1. Hallelujah! :-)

    Fabulous, fabulous job! Hurrah and happy dance! Fortunately, she won't remember a thing about the vet clinic and the spaying, and she'll soon be back in her home territory.

    Well done to all!

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  2. That is wonderful news! Well done on your perseverance which has paid hugely. Beulah will have a much better life now with no more kittens in her future.

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  3. THAT is the BEST of news! She has been responsible for much beauty but...also much concern for her babies. I am so glad she has been found and now no longer able to have kittens.

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  4. Oh, I'm so glad to hear that! I was worried that you might not be able to catch her before she had more kittens. Perseverance rewarded!

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  5. Congratulations on trapping Beulah! That's great news. I'm so glad she was caught before the cold weather arrives and before she had more kittens. Good job, John!

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  6. Oh that is the best of news! Concatulations!

    I mentioned that I had put down my beloved Sweet Pea on Sept. 1. Well it looks like God thought I was lonely. A week ago Sunday I opened my door early to feed a couple of ferals and a cute tuxedo cat also appeared on my front porch. I’ve never encountered such a friendly stray, climbing in my lap, licking me, just wanting attention AND she is ear tipped so who knows where she came from.

    I sent an email to my neighborhood listserv asking if anyone knows her—got no response. Let my local animal shelter know in case someone is missing her. I hope I don’t hear from them as I’ve already fallen in love with her. She’s wary of other cats but has already gotten used to my Oliver and I even witnessed a quick lick from her to Oliver’s head this morning! She spends her days and nights on my front porch in a little cat bed with little forays into my house, a little longer each time. I’ve named her Clementine and she will be visiting my vet shortly for a once over.

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    1. It sounds like Clementine was an inside cat at some point, and missed being one. That sounds like my latest, Raleigh. Well, Clementine landed on her feet with you and Oliver! Sweet Pea is no doubt happy that you are happy.

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  7. Beulah! At long last...no more kittens for you! YAY, nice job John and Co.!

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  8. The magnum opus of cat trapping! This is such wonderful news! We celebrate you and everyone who took part in this wonderful work.
    I’m so anxious to hear more about her.
    Any info would be welcome.

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  9. the ole adage; good things come to those who wait and in thiz instance it's a good all around ~~~~~~~~ conga ratz to you john and your colleague on a most successful TNR !!!! ☺☺☺♥♥♥ YAY !!!!!!

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  10. Glad she was trapped and no longer has to have kittens. Maybe she can find a home too.

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  11. Great news John! I'm off to read the "rest of the story".

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