Views from the “Feral Catina”
Do you know this cat?
Many years ago here on Curtis Street, a benefactor built a modest structure to house and feed a community of feral cats. Sadly, the last our first generation of fixed ferals passed during 2020 but this fall, a new generation is discovering it. Among our visitors, have been a number of cats who clearly have collars, bells, and homes.
This post is a way of reaching out to our neighbors to see if anyone recognizes these little four-footed marauders so we can help them get home. They’re plundering limited supplies for homeless cats—and frankly—they’re probably also cheating on the diets they’re served at home.
Here are the profiles of some of our most frequent guests:
Meet “SPOT”
Spot’s already a favorite. “They” are a very small-sized adult or perhaps more of a teenager who has been non-specific about their gender. They’re sporting a tuxedo and short hair and sometimes comes dressed in a beautiful sparkly collar with a tag and bell. We caught the name “Spot” on the tag once, but not the number. Since that interaction, the collar has sadly disappeared. Enjoys “Fancy Feast.”
Meet “Ginger”
Ginger has been one of our regular visitors for a long time. We’re frankly a little concerned about his Garfield-like eating habits. We believe we know his name because he’s been spotted at home with his sister Eleanor. He has contributed to the community with a routine patrol of the chicken run in pursuit of rodents. Always a welcome service.
Meet “Greyboy”
We don’t see Greyboy often, but frankly, he’s just gorgeous with a shimmering grey coat and tuxedo markings. He looks well-fed and cared for. He does not wear a collar. Apparently, he’s just too cool for that.
Meet “Minnie”
Minnie is also a fan favorite (okay, they all are). We’ve decided that she’s a dilute tortoise which is a sex-linked marking for females. She’s extra small and we think quite young. She’s also very timid. In early 2021 we plan to double-down on efforts to trap her to confirm that she’s been fixed. Can’t afford to grow the population.
Meet “Little Man”
If we’re right about identity, this little guy was trapped this summer and neutered so he’s not a risk to local females like Minnie. He’s been seen patroling the neighborhood from blocks away.
[In case you wondered, yes, we’ve made up the names so we can keep track of individuals.]
Wait! I know that cat!
If you believe you recognize any of these cats, reach out to me via my pseudonymous email at louiebblack@gmail.com. Be sure to include the words “Feral Catina” in your email. These videos were all taken between Dec 6–12, 2020 in the Westbrae neighborhood of Berkeley, California when this story was first published but Ginger, Spot, and Minnie are still regulars at the end of January 2021.
I’m also happy to chat if want to know more about how we’re capturing these images and monitoring these cats for health and such. Again, just use the words “Feral Catina” and I’ll get your email.
