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Missing cat returns home after more than 3 months
10/17/2014 7:13 AM by John M
Jack (“the grey and white cat that monitors the 2700 block of E. Broad St.”) went missing just over 3 months ago. Yesterday he came home.
From his family:
After three and a half months of having gone rogue, Jack the cat finally surfaced at 25th and E. Grace! He had allegedly holed up in a vacant house, but the real story will always be a secret between Jack and the streets…
I’ve learned two things from this experience: First, there are a LOT of gray and white cats in Church Hill. A lot.
Second, I never want to move – this the most compassionate group of neighbors anyone could ask for. Thank you all so much for your calls, texts, posts, and friendly waves just to let me know you were still looking out for our buddy cat. I’m so grateful!
That is wonderful news!
I’m so glad he’s home! I wish he could tell the tales of his adventure!
This is so great, and I will always believe that Jack heard his Mama considering getting new kittens and thought he better get himself home — or at least found. So happy for them both!
So glad he’s back on Broad St.
So glad Jack is back! I worried for him!!
Oh my gosh that’s awesome! Great news! Glad to see you’re safe little Jack!
Aw, this makes me so happy! A family reunited!!
OK, I’m going to poke a hornet’s nest here, but I have real question about cats in the neighborhood: What is going on with the lady who feeds the colony of feral cats at the end of Franklin in Sugar Bottom (or whatever we call that area as Franklin turns towards Williamsburg Road)? Maintaining a feral population of domestic animals is bad for the environment in every objective sense – just ask the wild bird population in that wild area. I ask because I hear so many comments about preserving wild areas, but the folks propping up this feral cat population might as well be sitting there all day shooting all the actual wild species in that grove of wilderness. Cat folks – what is the appropriate and humane way to manage a feral cat population, and is the other wildlife in the area a consideration?
@ chpn , Thanks so much for all of your support. So glad he’s home!
@Next Friend – I am not familiar with that particular situation, but from what I understand, humane societies typically recommend the “TNR” (or “Trap, Neuter, Release”) method of keeping feral cats under control. The idea is to humanely trap the cats, fix them so they can’t reproduce, then release them into the area they came from – because of the way feral cats are, (feral cats are different from domestic cats), they will naturally return to whatever habitat they had come from. You can spot a cat that has been TNR’ed by a “tip” on his/her ear – this is done while the cat is under anesthesia for the neutering procedure.
Like I said, I’m no expert, but this is what I understand is considered the “most effective, humane” way of keeping these cats under control. You can read more about it on Richmond SPCA’s page: http://www.richmondspca.org/page.aspx?pid=553
To be clear, Jack was most likely hiding in an abandoned house and was not a part of a feral cat colony.
@9, I had no idea anyone was feeding them. I haven’t seen any cats down there in ages (over a year). The proper way is trap/spray or neuter/release but in this case, i assumed they had died off… that’s what tends to happen with ferals, especially when spayed.
Jack’s mama – definitely wasn’t saying Jack was an outlaw – very glad he is home and safe!
I see a woman feeding the feral cats every day in the early morning. I’m 100% sure she means well but I just wanted to throw this out there so folks who know how to deal with this sort of thing knew about it. Even if they are spayed and neutered, feral cats are a bad thing for the neighbors and wildlife.
Hey Jack’s mama — Any idea who was feeding him while he was away? How did you finally come to know his whereabouts?
So glad Jack made it home! I always kept an eye out for him on my walks.
@alli – a kind lady contacted me as soon as she found him yesterday. Her four year old daughter had picked him up and brought him into their house! She checked out CHPN and realized this super-friendly cat was the E. Broad street kitty. He hung out with them until I got there! I’ll be honest- I didn’t think it would really be him, and I was shocked when I saw *my* little buddy!
As to who was feeding him this whole time, we’ll never know. It is possible that he wasn’t being fed regularly; he may have been finding things (including cat food for strays) for himself. He’s lost a good 3-4 lbs I think.
He could have been over there all along, or that could have been where he was spotted as he was making his journey home from wherever he had ended up. I think when I teach my French students to tell stories in the past tense in a few weeks, I might make it an assignment for them to come up with “les grands aventures de Jack le chat”- their own version of what may have happened … We’ll see what they come up with! 🙂
I bet I know exactly who was feeding him, she is a nice lady and a long time resident. Glad he held up and got found before worse weather set in.
As far as concerns for colonization- I sympathize with both sides, but agree it needs humane management. If you are truly willing to get involved (and not just complain) there are resources.
You might start here. http://www.richmondspca.org/page.aspx?pid=554
There’s a lot to be said for keeping house cats in the house.
Some people anthropomorphize about their need to roam, and see new sites, and so on and so on. The truth is, cats kept indoors never get hit by cars or abused by sadists, they never kill songbirds, they’re less likely to catch diseases, and they most definitely live longer.
If you live in a tiny studio, that might not be sufficient territory for a cat, and it might suffer the health and behavioral consequences of boredom. Otherwise, a few rooms and good food (but not too much!), fun toys, play time, and four walls and a door will keep your furry friend alive and happy longer.
(We stopped letting our cats roam 25 years ago. It was one of the smartest things we ever did.)
One of my cats went missing for 6 weeks once. He was locked in a neighbor’s outdoor storage unit. I suspect he kept alive on bugs and water from the AC unit drip pan. Despite scouring the neighborhood for weeks, going door to door, posting flyers – the people never knew he was in their storage area. He showed up at home, 4 lbs down and smelling like gasoline. It ranks up there as one of the worst periods of time in my life – having a pet go missing is traumatic. I’m glad that Jack is back!
So glad Jack is back!!! If only they could talk.
Ok, there is no such thing as a feral colony of domestic animals. A feral can not (usually) be domesticated, and a cat can’t be both feral and domesticated. It’s one or the other. The lady who feeds the cats is Dr. Jack from church hill animal hospital. They’re not all feral. One of them is my friend/neighbors cat. Dr Jack is the one who turned me on to TNR, and I’ve been doing it ever since for the ones who show up around my place. I have to assume she’s doing the same. Feral cat colonies are not a problem for wildlife or for any other reason, especially if someone responsible is managing it. I don’t understand that concern at all. And even if I felt that was a legitimate concern, humans are far worse for the environment/wildlife than a feral cat colony could ever be. No one is propping up a feral cat colony for shits and giggles. Dr Jack cares about animals and I suppose, like myself, refuses to let them go hungry. My cats are all indoor cats. They kill lizards, and moths all the time. I don’t want them to, but they’re cats. They have a natural tendency to hunt and kill. Personally, I would be worried about a cat who didn’t hunt and kill. Anyways, I’m happy that Jack came back. It’s bothered me every time I thought about it ever since he’s been gone. I always thought someone must’ve taken him, because he’s so lovable. I just kept saying to my wife, who ever has him better be taking good care of him! I miss him climbing on my shoulders, purring and drooling all over me. I even miss him attacking me when I would try to leave. I had long since given up hope that he might return, but now he’s back where he belongs. Pretty awesome. Huge relief.
Not so sure you’re right, Eric.
http://io9.com/whats-being-done-about-all-those-damn-feral-cats-1212779224
@Eric – thanks! Jack is looking awesome and is keenly observing his street from the safety of my windowsill 🙂 We appreciate all of your love and support!
@14 Kimberly, glad he’s observing from the window sill. That’s how my cat observes, too. He never goes out. Where Jack appeared was near to me, and the woman who heard him meowing told me the story later that day. I’m so glad he is home!
First of all, so glad to hear that Jack made it home safely. I wish there were more happy endings for pets that go missing. Secondly, @Positive Hits – that was one of the most disturbing and offensive articles/propaganda pieces about controlling feral cat populations I’ve ever read. The author, a purported science journalist, is clearly a fringe-dwelling nutjob. To quote, “… our lovable house pets are stone-cold killers.” And, “there are cases when cat gangs maul unsuspecting people.” Seriously? And what are his best answers for controlling feral cat populations? Why “eradication,” of course. The author noted that “the most successful programs included trapping (then killing) and hunting (often with dogs)”. He also noted other “successful” eradication methods that involved “poisoning, secondary poisoning from rats and viral diseases,” at the same time admitting such methods end up killing large numbers of pet (owned) cats. First of all, TNR programs work. They are working, successfully, right now in C.H. Secondly, for those unfamiliar with how TNR works, In order for a veterinarian to spay/neuter, vaccinate and tip the ear of a stray or feral cat, they must have sufficient evidence that the cat will be returned to a “managed” cat colony where there is one or more committed individuals or rescue group who see to the feeding and care of said colony. The local SPCA website is a good place to read about TNR programs, but a general internet search will yield thousands of sites with similar information about this success population control program. Finally, a friendly reminder to owners of outdoor kitties. Do your cat and yourself a favor and get your cat microchipped and/or have him wear a break-away (safety) collar. For those Houdini cats who can’t seem to keep a collar on, the microchip is always the way to go.