Cat Condos

Last night at dinner, we were discussing an article which appeared a few days ago in The Toronto Star. Apparently the city is going to build a few cat townhouses here and there throughout the city to protect feral cats from bitterly cold winters, such as the one we have just had!!

Feral cats are known to keep the rodent population down so they are good animals to have around. In fact, we started feeding two feral cats, who appeared at our back door this winter. I don't normally feed strays, but it was so cold and one of the cats was so very young, that I just couldn't look into their sad little faces and say no. We now buy an extra bag of cat food every week, sigh!

These city homes for cats will house between five and ten felines depending on how accepting the cats are of each other. The more cats that club together, the more warmth they generate and one presumes that each of them will be able to find enough food to keep going. Then again, there will be kind souls, cat lovers from the general public, who will, I'm sure, provide food and water for them on a regular bases.

Fluffy the Feral Cat

I'm so happy to know that our city has a heart and that we are using a natural method to control vermin. Even before reading the article, I was actually toying with the idea of building a small "cat house" this summer, outside somewhere, at the back of the garden. I always remember the story of a woman who had a cat, an outdoor cat, who never came in the house. On very cold nights she would turn on an electric light in the cat's house to give it some added warmth. Our three indoor cats are so spoiled. Coddled on cushions in the warmth of a family home, they sleep their days away, guaranteed that their food dish will always be full.

There are children in this world who should be so lucky.

Have a plentiful day!!