Saving the cats of Timberline
By Nate
(Jen Rinaldi helped me translate my story into human)
My stomach continuously complained as I tried to hunt around my domain, but with 123 of us, there really wasn’t much available in the way of rodents. My black coat, once my best feature, was filthy and matted, but I didn’t care as eating something, anything was far more important than grooming.
We had a place to live, this trailer that had holes in the floor so we could come and go as we pleased, but still, life was not easy. My friend Grey had just had two kittens (sadly all her body could support) and I was trying my best to help keep her fed as she struggled to produce enough milk to give her kids. I feared for all of us with winter coming on.
Grey’s teeth and eyes were in bad shape too, as many of us here because we were malnourished and forced to eat things that are unspeakable for creatures as grand as us. It was so it was hard for her and the others to eat even when I could bring food, and time was running out, I just had to think of something!
Then one day a man in a dark uniform scouted around. I think because the humans who lived next door had seen so many of us. Did the humans care? Were they worried? Did they see how we were suffering?
I approached this human, for you see, he was my only hope. I took a shot and rubbed on his leg to get his attention. When he saw me, he reached down to pat me, but I ran because I feared humans but still wanted him to see where we lived. He followed as I showed him where we were entering the trailer. He peaked through the window, his face sad as tears came to his eyes. I knew then that he would help us.
It wasn’t long after I saw the same man in the dark uniform, this time he came with others. They had rectangles of all sizes. I feared the smell of these boxes, but something in me kept me from running, the smell of food and clean water!
My brothers and sisters all took notice as the humans left the cubes, the smell of the food within them taking the fear from us. Some of us ventured into the cubes to find that the doors slammed shut. I watched as my friends who were trapped yowl in fear thinking that they were going to cat hell. I comforted them as best I could, somehow in my heart knowing that help was on the way.
The next morning the man in the dark uniform came back with helpers and collected those of us too sick and injured to move. Among them were my friend Grey and her kids. The other humans collected those who were trapped and took them away. “No! please don’t hurt them.” I howled.
The man saw me and said something to me, but since at the time I didn’t speak human, I didn’t understand, but I did stop. I looked at him because his face was sad and gentle as before, then something in me told me to trust him so I slowly came forward and allowed him to stroke my once regal coat.
“I’m taking your friends to Pet Allies a place that can help them,” he said as he caught me too. I froze and struggled but, in the end, I was too weak to resist. He lifted me into a dark soft box with food. Around me I could hear my friends, so that calmed me. Perhaps we are going to a better place I said to Grey whose box was next to mine. She was licking her kittens, purrs emanating from her as she looked at me and said. “Nice to know some humans can be trusted.”
Almost a year later, I am one of the last of my tribe left to be adopted here at Pet Allies, the place that took us in. I have come to trust humans although I still don’t like being lifted as such a thing is beneath my kind to endure. My coat is black and beautiful again, and my foster moms have given me lessons on how to be human, they even gave me a human name ‘Nate’.
The humans at Pet Allies are raffling off land to help pay for our care, so if you have a tribe of your own consider buying a few tickets. When I find my furrever home, the land will be raffled off so hurry as I am a gorgeous being who will be adopted soon. Please come visit me!
Help Save the Timberline Cats
As of September 27, 2021, 123 cats were removed by animal control officers from one home in the Timberline trailer park in Show Low. These cats arrived at Pet Allies primarily over 2 days and immediate medical and emergency care was put in place. Pet Allies estimates the cost for care of these cats will exceed $60,000. In order to cover that cost, the shelter is raffling off 40 acres of undeveloped land East of Holbrook, Arizona.
1 raffle ticket ($20) will fund the cost of vaccines for one cat.
5 raffle tickets ($100) will fund the cost of spaying or neutering and vaccines for one cat.
15 raffle tickets ($300) will fund the cost of dental care, spay or neuter, and vaccines for one cat.
Tickets will be sold until the last cat from this case is adopted. Join in the fun, you could win 40 acres, and you'll save lives.
