Operation Catnip Peterborough

Since it's a blustery, snowy day and winter is fast approaching, we wanted to bring to light one of the issues that comes up for discussion every year: Each winter we ask ourselves if we should continue with TNR spays during the coldest months. For female cats, the belly has to be shaved, and it is worrisome that this will leave bare skin exposed to the elements, increasing the risk of frostbite. But if we don't spay, there will definitely be kittens early in the spring, per...haps even during the coldest months, and then survival of the litter becomes a concern. This is an example of how much fur is shaved, and the growth after 10 days (Thank you Buttercup, for modelling this slightly out of season haircut!) She is healing quite well and the hair is growing in quite quickly, probably due to her winter coat coming in. Since we do not have a facility, we aren't able to keep ferals inside for longer than a couple days while they heal. Buttercup has luckily been contained indoors since her surgery, and is loving it! We are still debating whether to keep going with spay surgery, especially considering that most females we have encountered this year have had 3 litters since March. It's a very sad life. We are grateful for all of our volunteers and caregivers who have opened their homes and warm garages up to give these gals space and time to heal over the years.

Meow-vember has been such a busy month for us! So many of our moms this year have had two litters, some were even pregnant with their 3rd. We have been busy trapping, spaying, and socializing many of these moms and their litters, so there are no kittens left to fend for themselves in the cold winter. We've been forgetting to make a post about some of our dads! Here are a couple of very handsome boys who live on a sheep farm - they were neutered, vaccinated and given a flea/wo...rm treatment as part of their spa day. They were returned to a caring family, in a warm, woolly barn. No more fooling around for these guys! The holidays are fast approaching, and it would mean the world to us if you considered supporting Operation Catnip (or any other animal rescue/TNR group!) during these difficult times. We thank you all for the ongoing support! Despite the pandemic, we have been trying our best and have still managed to help hundreds of cats and kittens this year. Every dollar goes to our TNR program - no amount is too small! We are grateful for every bit of help we receive! Please keep these kitties in your thoughts this season. E-transfers can be made to [email protected]

With the holidays coming up, we are wanting to run a fundraiser to help our current colonies and future colonies. With the amount of trapping and vet visits we have been running through before the real cold weather sets in, our funds are depleting and we need your help! We want our loyal supporters to let us know what kind of fundraising activities you'd like to see on our page! Please comment the letter : A) Raffle... B) Auction C) Virtual gala D) Other - suggest an idea! Please make sure it can be done virtually as we won't be doing anything in-person due to COVID. See more

This starts in a few minutes, tonight at 9pm EST on TVO!

Will you help this special boy find his forever home?

The Peterborough Humane Society is pleased to be hosting a Spay / Neuter clinic for cats on Wednesday & Thursday of this week (November 25th & 26th) by appointm...ent only with the Ontario SPCA & Humane Society. Interested community members can reach out to staff at 705-745-4722 ext 204 and speak to Heidi about availability. Spaces are filling VERY fast, and are close to selling out this service, The Peterborough Humane Society continues to support the great work being done for animal wellness today, and is looking forwarding to what it will be able to do on a larger scale in the near future once they are in their new Centre. https://peterboroughhumanesociety.ca/

Important reminder with the cold weather/snow! Animals will crawl in whatever sheltered/warmer spaces they can find, and that often includeds cars! Please tap your hood & wait a few minutes before turning your car on.

These kittens were born in the woodpile near a house, on a rural property in Otonabee. Their mom, White Fang, had been fed by the caregiver a couple of years ago, but she disappeared and hadn't been seen for some time. Until she showed up again one day, visibly pregnant. Once she brought the kittens out, the caregiver was able to secure all 4, slide them into a carrier, and bring them to safety. Many thanks to Humane Society of Kawartha Lakes for taking these cuties in!! White Fang was trapped, spayed and returned a few days later. She has a warm shelter to stay in, as well as daily food and water. We are so fortunate to have such compassionate caregivers!

Meet some of our current residents! These sweet babies have unfortunately been overlooked with all the kittens we have coming through recently, if you are inter...ested in an adult cat please have a look through our website! We have many wonderful adult cats in need of a forever home. If you are interested in meeting any of these cuties please call us at 905 885 4131 to book an appointment!

Thank you so much to everyone who has bought shelters so far, there will be a lot of warm kitties this winter! Our amazing volunteers will be making MORE, so we are no longer sold out (just waiting on numbers, so please be patient as we figure it out & make sure we have enough!). There are many single cat Rubbermaid bins left. We will have another pickup date next Saturday from 12-3 in Peterborough. Please message our page to order (let us know your preferred pick up time). ...We want to thank everyone for your support this year so far. This fall has been extremely busy for animal rescues & TNR groups, as our main kitten-catching-season was delayed because of Covid. It has been a weird year for sure, we’re all trying our best and we appreciate everyone’s ongoing support. We’re hoping that everyone is taking this weekend to reflect and stay connected to each other and the land. Enjoy the beautiful leaves and this sunny day! from @ccchisa76 on instagram https://instagram.com/ccchisa76?igshid=5wpx5xm6stev

Queen Street Cats are one of our top supporters, and we are also their top supporter. Please help by sharing their post and help them help Persephone

Unfortunately not all news is good news, and we want to acknowledge the very real side of working with vulnerable animals. These kittens were from one of our colonies, fostered by a wonderful volunteer who put so much love into these babies. This is one of the most heartbreaking parts of animal rescue, but they knew they were safe and loved. Thank you to everyone who showed them care and love.

It’s nice to know that our neighbours approve of our shelters!!

We’ve had lots of questions about shelters/winter warmth - please use STRAW, not hay or blankets for outdoor kitty bedding. We use straw to line all of our shelters. The cats often rearrange the furniture, and create a cozy sleeping nest - it can get very toasty in there and stays dry during the winter. Blankets may seem comfy to us, but if they get wet and don’t have a chance to dry out, they become very cold and uncomfortable. If you’ve ever had to use a wet blanket or towel to try to stay warm, you know it doesn’t do a great job! You can find straw at many local farms/farm supply stores.

ONLINE FERAL CAT CARETAKER COURSE 2 MORE SESSIONS OPENED!! Our friends at Community Cats Toronto are gearing up for 2 more Feral Cat Colony caretaker worksho...p. This one will be held ONLINE (via Zoom)!! October 17th & November 21st from 10am to 12pm, with an optional 30 minute question period afterwards. This is a great chance to get your certification at home instead of driving into Toronto!! Learn how to properly care for your local homeless cats including: what is TNRM, how to trap, vetting and recovery spaces, some best practices for managing the colony (dealing with injuries, building shelters, feeding / watering, etc...). But your certification isn’t just about learning!! It also allows you to register your feral colonies and access many benefits through us (Oshawa residents) , Toronto Humane Society, OSPCA, Community Cats Toronto, Toronto Animal Services and other organizations. Benefits such as: free or low cost spay / neuter & vaccines; free or low cost feral cat shelters; access to cat food bank; access to trap loan programs; free education and support; advice on where to get supplies & lower cost vetting as necessary; in some areas (like Oshawa) this certificate allows you register colonies and therefore be exempt from local bylaws that may otherwise affect caretakers; and various other programs. Hope to see you there!! EVENT INFO: https://www.communitycats.ca/workshop-registration OTHER RESOURCES: https://www.catstats.org/toronto https://www.oshawa.ca//trap-neuter-return-manage-program.a https://ontariospca.ca/wha/humane-education/community-cats/ #OshawaTNRM

Remember this little guy from a few months ago? He was about 6 months old when he showed up in T & M's backyard. They decided to trap and socialize him - something that ended up being quite difficult! This little guy was very elusive and was having none of this trap business! He was finally lured into the trap by the smell of tasty treats, and found himself at the vet. He was neutered, vaccinated, and released into a crate at T & M's for socialization. As he became accustome...d to his new environment, the covering was gradually pulled back to allow him to see more of his new home. Still very skittish, he wanted nothing to do with M & T! But they persevered and spent many hours talking to him, introducing him to toys, and just sitting in the same room with him. Fast forward 3 months: Loki is out of the crate and loving life! He has started rubbing up against legs, and is certainly settling in well. He still likes to sleep in the carrier sometimes, but he is quite happy enjoying his new digs! It can be challenging and time consuming to socialize older kittens and adult cats, but it can be done with an abundance of patience and love. Kudos to these dedicated caregivers for going the distance. We wish you a happy life together, such a lucky Loki boy!

Amazing! Shout out to local cat cafe Toe Beans Cat Cafe, who just adopted out their #283 cat!

**SOLD OUT** We have shelters for sale once again! Please share to help keep our feral friends nice & toasty this winter! They come in 3 sizes:... 1 cat - rubbermaid tote bin, $30 2-4 cat - wood, $40 4-7 cat - wood, $50 They are all fully insulated and filled with straw, which is hollow (think drinking straw!), and does not absorb moisture. Cats can bring snow in from outside on their paws and fur, and straw will wick moisture away - it is the best material to use for outdoor shelters. Hay and any fabric materials like blankets will absorb moisture and freeze - not offering any warmth to the kitties inside. Please message us to place your order, and be sure to include the following information: Name, phone number, number of cats, type of shelter wanted and which Saturday you will come for pick up. Once you have ordered, we will confirm your order and the pick up location by phone. Please bring cash - the larger shelters will need a large vehicle. Pick up dates for shelters in Peterborough: Saturday October 10: 12pm-3pm Saturday October 17: 12pm-3pm **It is recommended that the single tote shelters be raised off the ground to ensure that snow doesn't come into the entrance. We recommend using a skid/pallet, which can be found in front of some businesses along the Kingsway, or at Rehill. The wooden shelters are on feet.**

Happy October! Let’s start this month off right - we want to see your black cats in the comments!

This is tonight at 5pm EST on Zoom! It isn't too late to register, if you've ever had any questions about taming feral kittens, the good folks at NYC Feral Cat Initiative are here to educate! Register here: https://zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_JYa2TG3FRU-es8jJh1gW7w

We are still looking for barns or workshops that would be suitable to take some of our cats. They are fixed, vaccinated, and there are no adoption fees! They just need food, water, and a safe, warm place to live their best lives Please share, and if you know any farmers who are off facebook, please ask them if they're interested in some furry friends to help out at their farms!

Sharing for all our kitty adopters who can relate to this !!! Share your stories of how your feline friends are settling in #OASfamily

A free webinar opportunity September 30th at 5pm! https://zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_JYa2TG3FRU-es8jJh1gW7w

I'd be more than happy to answer any and all questions from this chubby cheeked cutie

The Tale and Trials of Thomasina! Operation Catnip was contacted to assist with three cats that were outside in a new development. After assessing the situation, we discovered that it was going to be challenging since there were no caregivers. We rely on caregivers to establish trust, routine, and regular location updates. We were able to capture one of the initial four cats that needed our assistance. All four cats (two kittens) required routine veterinary care, in addition... to finding a more appropriate place to live. With the construction in the area, we acted fast to assist these cats. Lil bean was captured and taken to a foster. The remaining two cats and one kitten eluded every effort made, to then disappear. After capturing one adult cat, it was apparent she was lactating. The homeowners discovered three infant kittens; they heroically crawled under the addition being built and rescued them. After being reunited, these kittens were weaned and adopted. After the first cat was trapped, Thomasina and her mother decided to leave the area. We then started a location process, where we desperately waited for sightings. We handed out flyers, put up posters, and even set up a trail cam, eagerly awaiting a sign that they were still in the area! Thankfully, our flyers had reached the right person, who notified us of Thomasina's location. We set up a trail cam and feeding station. All we were able to verify was that squirrels and raccoons loved playing in the food dishes. Where is Thomasina? Despair filled our hearts. Is Thomasina alive? However, we never gave up hope. Thomasina's angel called our information line and notified us that her neighbor had been feeding some black and white cats. After investigating, we set up the homeowner with a drop trap and trail cam. Several weeks went by, and we were unable to capture. By this time, Thomasina's mother had left, and Thomasina was approximately three months old. While the homeowners were on vacation, we were finally able to capture Thomasina! Our dreams finally came true. Thomasina is now living her best indoor life! Attached are photos exhibiting the process of how a cat is trapped using the drop trap technique. Volunteers will hide, wait for the cat to enter the trap, and pull the door to close or drop the trap, using a rope. The cat is then transferred into a tomahawk cage, to be transported. A huge thank you to everyone in the community who supported us while locating Thomasina. An even bigger thank you to Thomasina's angels. In such a short time, Thomasina has been thriving. She even can be caught now cuddling with one of the volunteers who helped capture her! Without you, she would continue to be outside, in danger, and without love. The search continues for Thomasina's mother, and we hope one day we can assist her as well.