Kitten Street Team - Trapping the Elusive Tori

Dakin’s Kitten Street Team (KST) has been in action for nearly a year. Responding to public reports identifying outdoor feral cat colonies, the all-volunteer KST goes to the sites to humanely trap the adults and kittens, bring them to Dakin for spay/neuter surgery and rabies vaccines, then return the adults to the outdoor cat colonies. Kittens under eight weeks old enter our adoption program to be socialized and eventually placed with families.  This is the story of an adult who let us know she was ready to give up the colony life.

“I got a call from the colony caregiver that a cat was dragging her hind legs,” remembers KST volunteer Anna Marie. “I set a trap then waited.  Half an hour later the trap door was closed, but no cat was inside.  I reset it and waited.  Forty-five minutes later, there was a cat inside.”

Tori started meowing pleasantly. Feral cats are typically silent, so Anna Marie was intrigued. She brought Tori to Dakin where she was diagnosed with a broken leg and a shattered pelvis…and found to be not feral. Her leg was amputated, and Anna Marie took her home for foster care. Tori loved to snuggle. “I almost think if she had to choose between food and affection, she’d pick the latter every time,” Anna Marie noted.

After Tori’s staples were removed, she had an adopter and began a wonderful new life. Another life changed by the diligent and patient work of the KST volunteers!

What you can do to help KST

We spay/neuter feral cats because the life of a kitten born outside is harsh. Most don’t live through their first year due to the dangers of outdoor living, including weather, disease, and predators.

If you are caring for, or aware of a colony of feral cats in your neighborhood, please let us know. If they’re kittens, please call 413.781.4000 and hit “1” when the recording starts. If the colony is all adults, please submit this form and be sure to provide detailed info about their location.