SAVECats: A MD No-Kill Community Cat Program

Welcome to our November 2024 Report and thank you for your sustained support for community cats!  We continue to provide TNR services to Anne Arundel County and work with our amazing volunteer trappers to enhance the lives of feral cats throughout the community

From Jul 1 to Oct 31, we performed 341 (!) feral cat surgeries in Anne Arundel County, with 160 spays and 181 neuters.  We continue to work with several partners in other MD counties to help 100s of additional community cats - with continuing funding from Irene C. Evans Charitable Foundation to support this work!

On this note, I want to share with you some stories about our adventures with furry friends.  Enjoy!

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Every day SAVECats gets requests for help. Here, we highlight an amazing story involving one such call for help, an unexpected crisis, and a happy ending!

Cool kitty-loving Heather was caring for a feral cat, call him ‘F,’ who had been sauntering through her neighborhood for years.  Back in May 2024, Heather noticed that F had a large wound on his head. Being an awesome person, she contacted SAVECats hoping we could help.  We could, and we did.  We immediately dropped off a trap and some info, letting her know that since Rude Ranch Animal Rescue had grant funding for emergency services for feral cats, we would cover any associated medical costs. Two days later, F was trapped and brought to Spay Spa & Neuter Nook, where he got the veterinary care and neutering that he needed.

All was well with F.  Until it wasn’t.  Just as F was leaving the clinic in his trap, this sneaky guy— apparently not slowed down one bit by surgery—broke out of the trap and vanished into the woods!  But we were determined to find him, so we set up multiple feeding stations in the area with trail cams, and enlisted help to track and find F. Fortunately, we knew he had not strayed from the area, as we saw him on the trail cams. In an attempt to catch him, we set up traps, but F managed to elude us day after day. Finally, about two weeks later, we finally caught him!  F went back to Heather’s neighborhood, his outdoor home, where Heather faithfully looked after him, and gave him medication to help him heal.

We are happy to report that the wound healed up and that F warmed up.  Heather sent us a note, which I share here:

“My husband met [F] last week. I think he was nervous to meet him because he is totally a cat guy and we have a cat already and he knew he would fall in love. Well he did. When I was hanging out with him, my husband came out and said ‘I think he wants to come in.’ So I have set him a mobile vet appointment to get a full work up to make sure he's healthy for if and when he chooses to come in. He has really opened up, loves being brushed and pet. He doesn't know how to play yet, I have a wand toy and he was so confused. We saw him coming around for years, but he would always run the other way until he had that wound on his head (which is healing very well, it's fully scabbed over and almost closed). I'm so happy he has come around! Oh and he has a real name now. It's Fritz. We are so grateful for you and all you've done for him.”

We are so grateful for you too Heather, and for all of the cat- and animal-loving folks we serve and work alongside. 

Heather also sent along another update about Fritz, letting us know that he is now a fully indoor cat.  Fritz has received significant veterinary care, including being treated for a parasite and dental work, all while being FIV+.  He is now living the good life as a pampered pet with fancy food and a kitty friend.  Heather tells that us Fritz is “eating like a pig” (he earned it) and that they “absolutely adore him.”

Fritz may have had a rough start, and a rocky road, but his story turned out so wonderfully. And none of this could have happened without a caring person and your support!

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Are you interested in helping SAVECats as a volunteer trapper? Please contact us at aacsavecats@gmail.com or at info@spayspa.org.

Thank you for all you do for the cats!