Feral cats are some of the most “battle-hardened” strays out there. They have learned to live on their own for years and do what they must to survive. When a cat has gone feral, it usually doesn’t do well, even when a loving human tries to rehabilitate it.
Mason is an ancient feral cat that is struggling with kidney disease.
We brought Mason in during a big Trap-Neuter-Return (TNR) event back in October. A developer had purchased a large rural property with several derelict barns, and was just beginning to bulldoze them, not realizing they were home to about 60 feral cats and kittens. We got permission to set up a feeding station and start trapping the cats to spay and neuter them and find homes for as many as we could. We brought in about 26 cats that weekend, including Mason. – Tiny Kittens
From his life on the streets, he had a badly injured foot and several abscessed teeth. With poor dental care, a street-cat with a broken tooth is bound to face infection and worse. When strangers got too close to him, his response was always aggressive and defensive.
Because of their “unadoptability,” most feral cats in shelters are euthanized.
The amount of feral cats euthanized in shelters is nearly 100%. Most people can’t handle the ferocity and aggression that ferals have as defense mechanisms. For Mason, an already aging cat, the shelter decided to let him live out his last months in comfort.
Mason was allowed to live in the shelter for his last few months, free of pain.
Mason’s many scars told us how hard he had fought to survive this long, and we were determined to give him a chance to experience comfort, safety and freedom from pain during his sunset months. – Tiny Kittens
Remarkably, Mason started to respond positively to being in a home. He loved to play but still reacted dangerously when someone tried to pet him. Those results were about the best you could ask for in a feral.
Then, something incredible happened.
The foster home decided to bring in some foster kittens. When Mason met the little ones, something clicked inside of him. The kittens loved to sit and cuddle with the feral! He didn’t just tolerate it, either! He welcomed the loving and innocent moments from the kittens.
Mason was fast becoming a “grandpa” to these little ones.
In one of the cutest scenes imaginable, Mason started to open up his heart to the little cats who were showing him love. While the video ends there, we can safely know that Grandpa Mason is going to be living out his sunset months with a bunch of rascal kittens who can bring the soft side of their cranky grandpa.
Mason’s story is important!
Cat overpopulation is a serious problem in many places. Part of the solution is keeping them off the streets and spayed and neutered. Feral cats also have a reputation for being ferocious, but it’s just the way they know how to survive.
At TinyKittens, one of our goals is to change perceptions about feral cats. We believe rescuing them and telling their stories through our livestream and social media helps people see that these cats have value. Their stories spark conversations about spaying and neutering, responsible pet ownership, and compassion all over the world, and that alone can make a huge difference! – Tiny Kittens
Check out the video below!
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