Feral Paws Rescue

Saving Feral Cats

 

 

 

Rainbow Bridge Our Loving Memories

 

 

This is the hardest page to do.  I have been part of the cat program at Avenal State prison from the start, working with prison officials to get a TNR program started. I have worked hand in hand with the staff and inmates at the prison. So many of the feral cats have been tamed by inmates at the prison and then placed into loving homes. I receive phone calls often asking to adopt a prison cat. They become part of the family for people that take them into their homes... and they have so much love to give to their new human owners. 

We try to keep in touch with people who have adopted the prison cats, though we have lost touch with many.  Some of the stories below are directly from staff  or strangers who adpoted a feral cat from the prison. Over the years of the feral cat program at Avenal, we have adpoted out hundreds of kittens and adult cats, both feral and non-feral, into loving homes.  This page is dedicated to the loving feral cats that have been rescued from Avenal State Prison, who were placed into loving homes and who then passed on to Rainbow Bridge.   We thank each and every one of you who have supported our fight to save the feral cats at Avenal State Pris

In Loving Memory of Billy

July 2004 - March 23, 2009

Billy had a heart of gold.  He was rescued from Avenal State Prison in July 2004. Billy was so little when we got him from the prison.  He was not fully developed.  We found when we took him to the vet that he had a heart problem.  Billy was a little angel he would go every were we went when we were outside.  He always wanted to be held and loved. Billy was on heart medication all his life after we rescued him.  On March 23, 2009 we went to check on Billy that had not been doing well the last week of his life. When we checked his little bed that he went to every night.  We found that Billy had passed away in his bed that night. Its been tuff dealing with Billy's passing.  For he was with us every day when we went outside right behind us walking.  Billy got along with all the cats and dogs he got to know during his life. Not a mean bone in his body. Just love. Billy had such a will to live. Billy's fight to live was so strong. We hope that now he is in the rainbow bridge. He will be able to run with all the other special cats in the rainbow bridge.

 

In Loving Memory Of Snarley

 

 

I would like to express to all that stood beside me during the very hard and tuff times I was going through with my loving cat Snarley,. That I rescured from Avenal State Prison Cat Program over 5 years ago. Snarley became very ill he's liver started to shut down that caused many other medical issues for him about 2 months ago. It was a battle in working with Dr. Holm at Abby Vet in Fresno. To understand why Snarley so healthly all a sudden became weak and ill. I have the up most respect for Dr. Holm's caring for Snarley. He always made Snarley feel special in his care. During Snarleys last month Snarley would see Dr. Holm every week. Dr. Holm would call and ckeck on Snarley as well during the week. Snarley was full of fight and spunk up to the day he passed away in my arms. Snarley would roll over when asked and would give kisses when you asked for one.When Dr Holm was checking him Snarley thought it was play time and would keep rolling over for Dr. Holms  He always showed Dr. Holm's his fight and roll over tricks at every visit with Dr. Holm.  Even his last visit with Dr. Holm's just two days before he passed away. Snarley wanted to play games in his check up with Dr. Holm's.  He had a sprit that was unreal. Many of you got to know Snarley and could see his fight for life and joker he was. On March 12, 2006 Snalrey took his last breath in my arms at 2:30am. It was one of the tuffest times I have had to face. Was having to let go of this special little guy. But now Snarley is in the rainbow bridge in the sky to run and play with all the speical cats. One day our paths will cross again. But until then Snarley will always be in my heart and throughts. Thank you for all that knew Snarley and helped me through this tuff time. Most of all I Thank Dr. Holm for all that he did for Snarley and the respect he gave to Snarley.

In Loving Memory Of Babes

 
 
All of Us at Feral Paws Rescue,
 
    Would like to take a minute to say THANK YOU! To all of you that have emailed us about this very heart breaking story about Babes! Not one of you that have emailed us about this heart breaking story even knew Babes. But yet she has touched your heart as she has ours!
    This update is very heart breaking to put on this website. On 10/23/2008  The owner of this cat "Babes" After we found several loving people that wanted to take this cat and give her a loving home. Instead of placing her into one of these loving home. Babes owners had Babes put down! This story just tears my heart out to put on the website as a very unhappy ending to this story! We are adding Babe to our In loving memory page on this website.
    I am coming to you this time with a favor.  A woman approached me this week at work and told me that she wanted to get rid of her daughter's cat.  It seems the daughter has moved away to college and could not take her pet with her.  Apparently this woman and her husband do not want to be tied down to taking care of the cat.  She asked if I knew of anyone who might want the cat.  I told her that I did not know of anyone off hand but to email me a picture.  I know when you look at the picture it is very sad...almost pathetic.  I asked this woman.  Did you tell the cat you were giving her away?  She looks very sad.  Anyway, I said I would ask.  The kitty, who I believe is named Babes, has been a pet of this girl since she was kindergarten age.  The cat is female, spayed, 15 years old, declawed, good health, up to date on all vaccinations and is a loving, house cat.  So if any of you know of someone who would want a true, loyal, loving companion, please let me know.  I know this is a tough one.  Looking at her, I could just take her in my arms and love her.  She looks just like one of my kitties that I had for twenty-two years. Just a sweet, little girl! Like I said, I had to ask...Thanks for looking and for listening to me ramble,  Sharon

In Loving Memory of Toula

  Sure miss you my little Toulie-Bear... 

Toula was a very loving cat. He was rescued from Avenal State Prison in August of 2000. He was totally feral when he was removed from the prison. He went to a loving home that worked with him and tamed him. Toula was a inside cat from that point on. On July 19, 2005 when Toula's owner came home from work. They found Toula had passed away in his sleep on the bed next to his toy!    When taken to the vet to see why Toula had passed away. It was found that Toula's heart just gave out. No other health problems were found. Toula was laid to rest at the Fresno Pet Cemtery

 

Loving Memory Of Hardy

Beloved Ramsey 2005-2007

 

     

  

In Loving Memory Of (CBM) Crooked Back Momma

 

 

  I am sorry to have to tell you, but CBM passed away last night in her sleep.  

 
    May 4, 2007 I am glad that she was able to spend the last of her life in safety and peace with me. She was getting older and had a very hard life at the prison.  Too many litters of kittens, poor diet and such.  She had not suffered any trauma or shown any sign of illness.  She just seemed to relax and she even got more friendly.  Gregg and I both could just sit there and pet her.  I think that she felt that she was safe and did not have to be on guard 24/7.  She peacefully passed over in her sleep.  Gregg found her this morning. He had told me that she was getting slower and he felt that she might leave us.  We are both happy that we could let her spend what little time we could give her in safety and comfort.
  
    On November 19, 2006 CBM (Crooked Back Momma) was adopted into a loving home. In fact CBM was well known at Avenal State Prison. She lived on Facility Two. She is totally Feral.Staff & Inmates always looked out for her. For she was crippled in her back area. She had a very strange walk to her. That caused her to walk very slowly and she was always by  her self. Never seen with other cats. As if they knew she was crippled and didn't want anything to do with her. Medical staff always went out to her and made sure she was fed daily. So many wanted to take her home. But she was trap smart and to trap her was just something that wasn't going to happen.  When the TNR stopped at the prison in February of 2006 . The prison was starving her to death. When I got CBM in a trap in August 2006.  She was half dead. She is a older cat that has lived her life at the prison. I was contacted by one of the staff at the prison that cared for her. On November 16, 2006. They just learned that I had her. They wanted to Adopt her.  I explained that she was near death when I got her from the prison. She had went under care of Dr. LeBeuf at Kings Canyon Veterinary Hospital. She had to have alot of her hair shaved for it was a mess. She was then spayed and put on medication. She was so starved, and dehirated. She needed much care. I am so happy to say she was placed with a staff member from Avenal State Prison on November 19, 2006. This is the place she belongs! To live her life with someone that cared so much about her.  When I drove up and gave her to this person. They just cried couldn't believe that they were getting to adopt her. This is a very happy story or a very special cat.

In Loving Memory Of Freddie

 

   Freddie past away about a month ago.  It was really hard on Marc because his father past away about a week before.  Marc had come home from his fathers passing. He had boarded Freddie for the week he was gone.  He picked Freddie up and brought him home.  He said that Freddie was glad to be home.  He walked around the house played with his favorite toys and then went to his favorite place to take a nap and never woke up.  Marc checked with the place where he boarded him. They said Freddie showed no signs of not feeling well and Marc never saw it either when he brought him home. The boarder said that Freddie was loving and playful the whole time. It was sad for all of us. Freddie had a great life both at the prison and  at  home. He was a great lucky cat.

This is a very sad story of one of the cats from the prison. That belonged to inmates was hand raised by the inmates from a kitten. In this photo Freddie is laying on a house the inmates made him to stay in when they were not in the area. It was a two story house they built for Freddie.  He was one of the first cats to be fixed. Lived at the prison for years. When Warden Kathy Mendoza-Powers stopped the program a Freddie was adopted to a loving new home.  About a year ago. Freddie was a inside cat when he was taken home from the prison.

In Loving Memory of Shy

  

      It is so sad to tell you we lost Shy last nite. Our hearts are so broken she was such a happy cat.  Always playing with the other cats. Always up to some thing to get into trouble. She was a bundle of joy in our home.  We will miss her so much.  Every one that got to know Shy just though she was the cutest little black bundle of joy. She will never be forgotten in our home.

 

 

If you have a cat that has been rescued from Avenal State Prison & has sadly passed away. Please email me your story and a photo and we will post it on our web page of  Rainbow Bridge   Email your story to feralpawsrescue@worldnet.att.net  

 

 

 

A Little Tabby Speaks for the Feral Cats of the World.
A true story By Marcelle Guy

The setting is a small business on the outskirts of town. Although it could have been anywhere in America. Feral cats have the lowest priority. If you don't see them, they don't exist.

"Touch me" she said. "It's so easy to leave me all alone with the memory of my days in the sun. If you touch me you'll understand . . . (words from the musical, Cats Memory )

I touched her. I understood. And it broke my heart.

Today she let me touch her.  Her little body was trembling with fear but I could not miss the very soft purring underneath the thick  coat of fur.  The encounter was very quick and in no time she ran back,  keeping a safedistance once again, watching me pour the fresh food and water into the bowls.  Step, step, step . . .   her little feet kneading at the ground as if it was a wool blanket under her feet instead of the sandy soil.  My task done, I stopped to talk to her for a moment.  She looked at me and meowed, her feet still kneading at the ground.  She was closed enough that I could hear her, still purring very softly.   

   A little tabby . . .   kind of cute but so tiny.  Probably just out of kittenhood.   I was ignorant of the problem of feral cats when I arrived at the premises several  months earlier.  I am a city woman.  I was shocked to find about three dozens  cats roaming around, looking for food after the place was quiet and all the customers were gone.  I started to feed the cats, not really knowing how to deal with this overwhelming situation. 

   These animals, obviously  homeless,  had no one to look after them.  They were no one's responsibility.   A nuisance according to humans around.  Some looked healthy enough, others were in need of treatment.  Different stage of growth, different colors.  I began feeding them and leaving water for them at night before I left the premises.  Some cats were friendly enough, most likely had been someone's pet at one time. I began the task of taming them, well enough to get them into  a carrier and take them to be fixed.
    The little tabby was special to me somehow.  She had been quietly studying me at a distance for a long time, wanting to come closerbut afraid to.  I needed lots of patience with her before I could get her
 into a carrier.    We were almost there. . .  when all of a sudden the cats disappeared.   I came in one Monday morning and all the cats were gone.  The place totally deserted!  No feline in sight!  The food dish hardly touched.   I filled the bowl  again that night and the food was still there when I came in Tuesday morning.    It was eerie!  Even the old black and white cat that everybody talked to and petted was gone. He had been someone's pet, abandoned to fend for himself.  I asked around and someone said the cats had been shot over the weekend.  "Population Control," he  added  I felt sick!   Wednesday morning, blood on the side of the water bowl.  Someone was still alive and wounded.  The place was tense.  I did my work, tears rolling down my face and anger in my heart.  I wanted some answers.  I wanted know the truth.  What happened?  The thought of the little tabby kept coming to my mind.  Where was she?  Where were they all?  Was she alive and too afraid to come out?  Did they think that I betrayed them?  A few tense hours passed . . .   Everyone was quiet and anxious at the office.     And then I heard it.  I heard a very faint meow outside the door.  I rushed out and there she was.  The little tabby.  She had
 her face in the bowl of food, as if trying to eat.  When she heard me, she looked up and let out a very weak meow again.  I then saw her face.  Part of her mouth had been blown away.  She was barely alive.  Her body had the smell of decaying flesh.  It was a miracle that she made it to the bowl of food where she knew I would find her.  It is as if she heard my prayers and wanted to give me the evidence I needed:  Her little body riddled with bullets.  Rolled in a towel, I carried her to the nearest veterinarian and I held her in my arms while she was gently put to sleep.   I heard her last words . . .   A very soft purr . . .   No doubt she said:  "Help us, please."      Her heart stopped beating.     She was gone.   And I alone cried for the little tabby.  The little tabby without a name, without a home.  The little tabby deserted by society.

     At my request, the veterinarian took x-rays, clearly showing the evidence.  Bullet fragments from a .22 rifle.  With this evidence, still in my closet today, the little tabby's prayers were answered.  Feral cats arriving at the premises were never shot again as a way to control the population.  A promise was made and kept.

In Memory

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