12/02/2025
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Wicked
The life of a cat existing in the wild can be wicked indeed. Such was the case with Elphaba, a wee black juvenile and NessaRose her tuxedo companion. Bonded to each other, and surviving in despicable conditions, these two girls are characteristic of situations where PRN is often asked to assist.
PRN was contacted by a rural landlord whose tenants had abandoned the home, leaving behind a horrific situation… trash, garbage, broken furniture, junk, and cats… tons and tons of cats, most living but some sadly deceased. With the extraordinary efforts of a dedicated trapper with a few volunteers, 21 adult cats and 18 kittens were removed from the property. Working with additional community resources, a number of the cats were TNR’d, while possibly adoptable adults, adolescents and kittens were taken in by a variety of rescue agencies.
One of the primary concerns with colony cats is their reproduction rate. Within 7 years, one single pair of unfixed cats and their offspring can produce up to 420,000 kittens. A female kitten is able to become pregnant in some cases at the age of 4 months. Kittens born in colonies often have little to no socialization with humans, making it difficult to adopt them into homes. Some colony cats will never adjust to life outside their outdoor community, but TNR is a humane method for managing feral cat populations. In TNR, cats are trapped, taken to a veterinarian for neutering or spaying, and then returned to their original location. This helps prevent further reproduction and, over time, reduces the size of the colony. TNR programs also provide an opportunity for medical treatment, ensuring the cats are healthy and not suffering from untreated illnesses or injuries.
Nessarose, the tuxie girl, seemed a candidate for potential adoption if a foster would be willing to patiently and calmly work with her, teaching her humans can be trusted and a source of love. As months passed, Nessarose, now a bit over a year old, became trusting of her loving caretaker and has blossomed into a precious love bug once she knows her people. Her sidekick Elphie remains an ongoing work in progress… her foster mom celebrates the tiny steps that show success… venturing out of her “safe cubby”, not hiding when mom enters the room. She remains untouchable but there is a definite softening in her eyes.
It is now time for Nessarose to find a family that will grant her a bit of extra time to gain her trust (they will then have the sweetest girl). And perhaps there might be some “good magic” where Nessa’s family might even consider allowing Elphaba to hitch a ride along, allowing her to live life on her terms, helping her future unfold.
Donors who support PRN thru allow continued work with individual critters like Elphie and Nessa, as well as continued efforts addressing the very real problem of feral and community cat colonies in both urban & rural areas. https://petrescuenetworkstl.com/donate/
