Feral Tails

05/08/2026

We've had quite the day.
Thank you Muskoka Bay Animal Clinic for getting our big Goober in so quickly.

Let Zeus's new position be a lesson for all. Wildlife is on the move and while GPS fencing keeps the loved ones on our property, it does NOT keep wildlife out.

05/08/2026

Being a small rescue with the heart of Golden Tempo & Secretariat we have surpassed helping 510 cats in 17 months. We normally look forward but sometimes the numbers are jolting to our systems.

We have the utmost respect for our friends in other rescues & shelters. The saying power in numbers is exactly what it takes to help so many kitties.

We by fluke just recently detained a cat that had been maliciously relocated by a neighbour, to a busy area likely for sadistic reasons returned to his owner and got them on board to fix the old boy.

We have seen outrageously high numbers get into shelter to be adopted as pets, what a HUGE success!!

We have helped some significantly injured animals onto better days or peaceful passings.

We have had some wonderful barn placements and our networking is growing each and every single day.

We have met some of the kindest, hard working people we've ever been privileged to meet.

I have not done the math of the amount of kittens we have now prevented from being born on the streets, but this year's quarterly numbers are in. Right now we average 1.25 cats a day we bring in and figure out.

Looking forward we aim to change the world for as many cats as possible, if you've never saved & changed the life of a feral cat, you may never understand the quiet gratitude, but for us the evil we see is what propels us to keep looking forward so we hopefully see less animals in horrible situations.

Thank you Comfie Cat Shelter for opening your doors to sooo many kitties.

Thank you Furever Homes - Cat Rescue/ TNR program for always being there for us.

Thank you Lynne Fadden for being a super hero, your kindness will never be forgotten, proud to be able to walk in similar shoes as you.

Thank you Anna Bifolchi for all your hard work with the Godderich colony, you deserve a metal for your marathon😘

Lastly, thank you to all the people making the call to get help getting your kitties snipped!! It starts with you🩵

05/02/2026

Sensitive topic; it's important that until you've walked a day in rescue/shelter life and fully understand just what reality is, it's like our parents taught us, if you don't have something nice to say than don't say anything at all. Rather put those words into action in whatever manner you can to take the overpopulation crisis into some sort of positive outcome. We are a firm NO JUDGMENT rescue and ask only for respect and kindness to be given to those walking in our shoes, not just in our rescue but EVERY rescue.

Drowning/shooting cats or kittens is a much more barbaric way to deal with the situation than a pregnancy spay, leaving cats unaltered creates a snowball of grim possibilities for the cats AND KITTENS, it's the REALITY of the world and why each and every one of us get up all through the day & night to man traps, drive MILLIONS of miles to fulfill the logistics of what rescue takes, spend as much time as we can to figure out the best plan for each and every cat/kitten.

Big HUGS to every vet, vet tech and team member at high volume spay/neuter clinics. We FULLY support you and will protect your mental health any chance we can.

We may not all agree on this very sensitive topic, but please be respectful. In other words, if you don’t have anything nice to say . . . scroll on.

04/28/2026

We want to express how much gratitude we have for the Ontario SPCA and Humane Society Barrie and District Animal Centre Spay/ Neuter vet clinic. They have helped with us with countless spay/ neuters, vet exams, vaccinations and peaceful endings.

Today we said goodbye to Cocoa a Siamese cat we took in, in January. She was battling what is believed to be cancer. A community cat that touched the lives of a lot of Baysvillians. She wouldn't have made it through the winter in her fragile state. She found comfort in the warmth of our bathroom, didn't have to struggle for food or water. She was loved, even though she didn't want human interaction.

Her decline was imminent and the decision was made unanimously between community members and family members.

Her passing was the kind of peace one would hope for. Easy, calm & with love.

The people who make up this clinic are always smiling when we come in, always willing to help, always treating us and more importantly our kitties with love & respect. We couldn't & wouldn't be here without this fundamental clinic.

I was fighting back tears, trying to be strong knowing clinic team members have to go through so much day in and day out. As the tears rolled down my face smiles and kindness was on clinic team members faces. I couldn't have asked for a more comfortable, peaceful and loving ending.

For all that you do, it is graciously noticed and appreciated. You guys are hero's & we are blessed to be able to work with your clinic helping as many kitties as we can🩵

04/24/2026

Today we embrace the hard days that were met with many happy days before.

Sweet Kirby came to us last year, near death, it's actually a miracle she survived months without a real meal, water and shelter in the blistering heat of the summer all at the ripe age of 18+

An emergency trip to Huronia, followed by an emergency appointment at the wonderful North Simcoe Veterinary Services weeks of sub q fluids, subtleties of care and love. Kirby didn't give up, she knew there was a bit more to life for her.

Once she stabilized we saw her off to her adopted home with none other than Cathie Davidson Goslar who is a HUGE hero of ours. She is a one in a million kind of lady & we are very thankful & grateful we are both neighbour's and have her undying support to our rescue.

Kirby had almost a year of unconditional love and care with the Goslar family. Cathie's hubby was often relaxing with Kirby and their beloved Chihuahua in the beautiful cottage setting of south Muskoka.

Unfortunately 18 years is a very long extended life for a kitty and after being lost/uncared for, for months her body finally stopped ticking the way it used to. While I write this in tears, Kirby you were loved by many! You gave us all strength in your story.

Kirby crossed the rainbow bridge on Monday and is now back running and playing like she once did, before we met, but I believe she is an angel looking down on the Goslar family, protecting them in the heavenly way.

RIP sweet Kirby💜

04/23/2026

FOUR HUNDRED AND ONE Cats fixed in one day.

This is the reason so many volunteers dedicate every waking hour they can, through any kind of weather, any kind of resistance, they show up, bait traps, check traps, book surgeries, travel THOUSANDS of miles all to help as many as they can. Special Vets & clinics have programs available for stray/feral /free roaming cats most other folks turn a blind eye to.

There is a real problem out there folks, spaying & neutering your pets is the first step. If you feed a cat "that's not yours", please take the next step and figuring out a plan to have it fixed.

Thank you to all the volunteers out there giving all that you do. You are incredible humans!!

04/18/2026

Please share, let's bring Mabel home🩵

04/17/2026

It's been a long run with a few of the cats we have seen off to their new chapters. Cats that broke my heart to adopt out or thought they couldn't be placed, my first cats as an established rescue, and some that just made up the social circle for a long time.

Nothing makes me happier to know they are living a better life than I could dream of. So much love from the families that have taken our boys & girls.

From crazy snow storms, to ice storms, to varmints, countless sleepless nights, countless trips to surgery, each and every day spent with these guys to get them to turn around and trust people. This is what it's all about. Yes I'll miss them forever, but knowing they get to live their lives to the fullest, far outweighs the sadness.

Freddy, Dillion, Misty, Jaws, Tubby, Maggy, Sister Hazel & last but certainly not least Mouse. I love you all to the moon and back and know I served you well. You'll be loved and well cared for, for the rest of your lives. Be good y'all💜

04/06/2026

I'd like to take a moment to express a different way of thinking about the stigma/myth "barn cats". Most people think "bad kitty - barn kitty" thinking its a life sentence for the cats filled with unthinkable conditions and no care. It has been my experience in most all barn situations that cats not only survive but THRIVE. We have seen some of the healthiest cats in barn placements, where they get often 5 or more people loving them, giving them treats, cuddling them, day in and day out. They have the constant stimulation they need in regards to hunting and burrowing. Animals LOVE straw and hay. It has been reported in multiple cases where cats do not utilize the heated tack rooms they prefer the barn tops filled with hay & straw.

Some of these "barns" are quite honestly cleaner than some homes. Farmers don't farm because they don't care, Farmers often care more about animal welfare than most folk. They have a broadened animal custodianship & husbandry knowledge level.

For those of you that don't know me, I am an outdoors person, a farmer of degrees, if someone were to take me from my situation and place me in a nice warm home never being allowed to be free again, I would end up very quickly becoming an angered and depressed person, with multiple attempts at regaining my freedom of the outdoors. We must realize that not all cats want to be an indoor house pet.

Barns aren't just for unpettable cats, Socialized cats do very well in barns, often rejoicing in how much attention they get.

Cats should always have some degree of socialization as relocation is difficult for them to understand, so the more work a rescue can put into getting them to come around the better their chances for sticking around.

It is important to see cats as the athletic hunters they are and be realistic about their fundamental needs in life.

Certainly not all cats are suitable for barn placements, but that does not mean barns are not suitable placements. If you've never walked into some of these equestrian/ cattle stables in King City, Orangeville, Coldwater, London, etc. I suggest you go take a look at them before automatically assuming barns are the black hole for cats.

Thinking a barn placement is an easy way out and rescuers should do more is narrow-minded. We have had cats in our care for months to get them from feral to more Socialized, meaning they won't scurry off at the sught of us. We make sure we know all the fine working details of the farms looking for a working cat & place cats appropriately. A horse barn with 20+ boarders wants a cat that's Socialized, where as a retired family, that loves cats and has a small hobby farm either familiar with relocation or willing to put the work in, is more suited for cats that aren't as Socialized.

Lastly even if there wasn't a cat overpopulation crisis, farms and workshops are still going to want cats for rodent control. Which is 100 times more humane than any pest control solution.

This is Sherman an overly handsome Socialized boy who absolutely LOVES his barn manager position and we couldn't be happier for the big guy.

Stephanie Ackland

04/01/2026

𝗢𝗻𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗰𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝘃𝗮𝗹𝘂𝗲𝘀 𝗶𝘀 𝘁𝗲𝗮𝗺𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸 𝗺𝗮𝗸𝗲𝘀 𝗱𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗺𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸!!

To solve a global issue you must work together and having friends or people that have the same end goals as you, well it makes life worth living & accomplishments & success easier💜

We received 7 cats from North Bay Humane Society, deemed unfit for pets.

We are hoping to connect with some lovely barns out Meaford way as we have 2 females going out to the Meaford Horse Sanctuary and always love making the most of travel.

𝘽𝙚𝙛𝙤𝙧𝙚 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙖𝙨𝙠 "𝙬𝙝𝙮 𝙖 𝙗𝙖𝙧𝙣?" 𝙊𝙪𝙧 𝙖𝙣𝙨𝙬𝙚𝙧 𝙞𝙨 𝙨𝙞𝙢𝙥𝙡𝙚; 𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙧𝙚 𝙖𝙧𝙚 1𝙢𝙞𝙡𝙡𝙞𝙤𝙣(the reality is much more)𝙘𝙖𝙩𝙨 𝙩𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙣𝙚𝙚𝙙 𝙥𝙡𝙖𝙘𝙚𝙢𝙚𝙣𝙩 𝙖𝙣𝙙 100 𝙝𝙤𝙢𝙚𝙨! 𝙎𝙤 𝙪𝙣𝙡𝙚𝙨𝙨 𝙮𝙤𝙪'𝙧𝙚 𝙜𝙤𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙩𝙤 𝙛𝙤𝙨𝙩𝙚𝙧 𝙤𝙧 𝙖𝙙𝙤𝙥𝙩 𝙥𝙡𝙚𝙖𝙨𝙚 𝙘𝙤𝙣𝙨𝙞𝙙𝙚𝙧 𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙨 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙗𝙚𝙨𝙩 𝙤𝙥𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣 𝙛𝙤𝙧 𝙘𝙖𝙩𝙨 𝙩𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙖𝙧𝙚𝙣'𝙩 𝙨𝙤𝙘𝙞𝙖𝙡𝙞𝙯𝙚𝙙.

04/01/2026

Hardly a day that goes by and I don't think about this tragedy.

Chris you are an inspiration to us all.

I hope you are with your son and enjoying LOTS of kitty love

In 2006, Chris Arsenault lost his 24-year-old son Eric in a motorcycle accident. The grief nearly destroyed him. ❤️

Then he found a colony of 30 sick kittens near the train tracks where he worked as a conductor for NJ Transit.

He took them home. Nursed them back to health. And realized for the first time since Eric died that he had something to do.

So he kept going.

He transformed his entire Long Island home into Happy Cat Sanctuary. Kept only an 8x10-foot bedroom with a mini fridge and a microwave for himself. Spent every dollar he made on the cats. His food budget alone was $1,000 a week. Over 19 years he cared for over 300 cats that nobody else would take. Feral cats. Disabled cats. Cats rescued from fighting rings. Cats that shelters had given up on.

His words: "After my son died, those cats gave me something to do."

On March 31, 2025, a fire broke out at the sanctuary. Chris escaped. Then went back in for the cats. Then went back in again.

He did not come out.

"Chris would have died for cats," his volunteer Frankie Floridia said. "And he ended up dying for cats. That's something we've always known about Chris."