When monitoring and caring for cats in a feral
colony, if you notice new kittens, the goal is to
trap them immediately. They can usually be
socialized and adopted into permanent homes,
while mama gets spayed and returned to the
colony. That’s what happened to Chipper – she
went back to her colony after having what would
be her last litter of kittens, which all found
good homes.
Another aspect of managing a
feral colony is making sure that all of the cats
are doing well enough to survive in that
environment. On occasion, either declining
health or behavioral issues will make it
unfeasible for a cat to remain in their colony.
That’s what happened to Chipper four years
later. Luckily for her, she was in a Shadow Cats
colony – and they have a terrific retirement
plan! Chipper now has a comfortable, safe and
secure life in the Uptown section of the
sanctuary. She has settled right in, and while
she’s pretty reclusive due to her feral
background, you can tell that she’s glad to be
here…..and happy that Shadow Cats was looking
out for her.