Jo-Ann,

From what I hear, it is a well supported and practiced program.

I just stayed on Calabash Boom and it seems as if the feral population is well taken care of in that area.

The villa owner of the villa we stayed at likes the cats because they keep the rodents away and she tries to trap them everyonce in a while to have them checked and vaccinated.

We saw up to seven cats and all but one looked in good shape (we alerted the villa owner of the beat up one). We fed them twice a day. Most were very skittish but there were a few who let us pet them. There was a core group of about 4 of them and the rest only came very late at night and ran away if they saw me peeking at them.

We also saw a feeding station on the way up Calabash Boom.

I have worked in the veterinary field too and I was very impressed with the care given to the feral population on Calabash Boom. I'm not sure how it is in other areas.

Dear Lysa,

I do hope that the villa owner traps them not only to have them checked and vaccinated but to spay and neuter them. I commend people on all the islands who feed and care for feral cats but my highest accolades go to those who also get them fixed.

I personally know six (and there are probably many more) folks on St Thomas who do exactly that. They're not wealthy people by any means but spend a huge amount of their hard-earned money ensuring that not only are the cats fed but are unable to further contribute to the population problem.

My neighborhood used to be teeming with ferals but, thanks to donations from my customers to help with the cost of feeding and fixing (and a break in price from veterinarians) the passing years have seen a continual decrease in the feral population. Not that there aren't always newcomers on the scene. An invisible sign outside my place notes, "Animal Sucker Lives Here - Free Food!"

As well-fed and content as they all are, I rarely see a mouse or a rat these days (there used to be loads around) and the odd one that does show up is very dead meat by the time I find it!

Oh, yes, they definitely spay/neuter. I believe the animal care facility on STJ has a feral spay/neuter program i.e. price break.

The Humane Society of STT also has an active low-cost spay/neuter program.

I heard a very disheartening story the other evening from a couple who wanted to adopt a lovely kitten from some local neighbors. The wife mentioned that she would take good care of the kitten and take it to the vet to be checked and fixed. As soon as the neighbor heard "fixed" she refused to let them take the kitten, saying that the cat was too nice and pretty to be fixed and should be allowed to have kittens. These people apparently have close to SEVENTY cats on their property...

Unfortunately, those people are called "hoarders" and don't see the forest thru the trees when it comes to the safety and well-being of these cats they love so much.

They are actually loving them TOO much.

Unless someone is breeding a specific breed and does it in a controlled way i.e. breeding for the health of the line, then there is no argument for not spaying or neutering.

Spaying and neutering actually prevents certain forms of cancer, prevents infections (common in unspayed females), prevents behavioral problems connected with sexual maturity and helps prevent overpopulation and disease.

I worked in the veterinary field for @ 5 years. Can you tell :)?

Everyday thousands of cute dogs and cats are euthanized because they do not have homes. Go to your local shelter and adopt a pet!

Lysa,
Where do you stay at Calabash Boom? We have stayed at Sago Cottage for the past 9 years, and they have 5 or so semi-feral cats that we feed. They're a lot of fun to watch. The cottage's owner has had them spayed/neutered and their ears are tipped to show that they have been done. I have been a vet tech for 20 years at the same hospital! Good to talk to another tech. We have seen some pretty rough cats at Calabash, namely one siames cross male that was pretty tattered (and un-neutered!) and I believe he fathered at least one of the kitties at Sago. I haven't seen him in 7 years or so. I am sure he's gone to kitty heaven. My great wish is that if I ever got rich (like that's going to happen!) is to move to STJ and open up a cat hospital, and neuter all the feral kitties (& doggies) for free. My boss said that if I ever get rich he'll come too. STT Resident, I, too, have great admiration for those that try to get their neighborhood cats neutered, and those that support cat colonies. The Trap, Neuter, Return (TNR) policies really do work. Hopefully someday there will be no feral cats on the islands, as we in the states hope for the same. My thanks go to everyone that cares for these poor things. At least they don't have to deal with snow!!!!

Yup, we stayed at Sago Cottage this past December. It was our first time on-island alone. If we ever get a change to return "alone", we'll probably stay there again. We're heading back in December with hubby's family and staying in a larger house.

I loved the kitties! We named the housecat Earl cuz he looked like an "Earl". The only other one we named was a cat that none of the other cats seemed to like...we called him George Steinbrenner (we're Sox fans).

There was only one in bad shape and I never got a real good look at him cuz he was so skittish. But I couldn't miss the nasty gashes on his torso as I peeked at him from the kitched window really late at night.

Hubby and I are animal lovers...met at a vet hospital. He runs a doggy daycare, boarding kennel and offers training services right from our house. It's fun but a lot of work for hubby, thus the STJ vacation once a year. It'd be twice a year if we could afford it!

Sago is great! They had 1 cat named Mustache who was so friendly. He would climb on your lap and take a nap and just wanted some lovin'. Unfortuately, a few years back, I think something attacked him and he died. You can read about it in the journals at Sago. His sister is there still, the little siamese cross, a grey and white cat with a Hitler mustache, a female tiger, and a male tiger and white. You can touch them if they're eating or looking for food but they are skittish. The big tiger and white male is getting a lot friendlier. Where are you from? We are in NH. At least all the kitties have nice warm weather and bushes to hang out in. I know that they nap on the chairs at Sago...lots of cat hairs, but I'm used to that!! Isn't the view at Sago the best? I just wish we could enjoy it with a cat in our laps, as we sit and sip on a libation. Hope you can go again soon and spend time alone with your hubby and the cats.

Just one funny story about a feral. "Boofy" started hanging out here - a lovely big male tiger - and he was a real gentleman, didn't bother my fixed gang at all and they accepted him with equanimity.

As is their way until they really trust, Boofy would eat the food but refused to let me touch him although he'd comfortably sit a few feet away from me and listen to me talk to him. This went on for a month or so until, one Friday night when as usual their Friday night "special" is fresh steamed mahi-mahi (!) I held out a chunk of fish and suggested he take it out of my hand. He walked up slowly, grabbed the piece of fish, backed off a few feet and wolfed it down, then he sat down and, staring right at me, suddenly let out a hissing, spitting, yowling stream of foul invective such as I'd never heard before.

Well I just ROARED wth laughter. "Some nerve you've got!" I spluttered. "Language like that to the hand that feeds you?"

He stared at me for a couple of seconds and than lay down, rolled over on his back and spread his legs for his tummy to be rubbed. A total lover from that point on - guess he just had to get something out of his system.

Sounds like he had to show you that he was really a tough guy underneath all that fur. Most of 'em are just big marshmallows at heart. Can I come live outside your house? I would love specially prepared mahi-mahi once a week! You're great for taking care of the fuzzies. Keep up the good work.

Great cat stories, especially yours STT Resident, really cute.

Forget the mahi-mahi. Can I come for the tummy rub?????????
I'd even purrrrrrrrr.

One Love Ironman

Ironman - how would you feel about being neutered, though? After the tummy rub, of course...

Hahahahahaha!

I read about Mustache in the journals at Sago. Sounds like he was well loved. Great journals too! I might have left a rather-too-long 6 page entry myself, most of it about the kitties :).

"Earl", the tiger/white male, would sit by me on the stairs and let me scratch him but he wouldn't come over near the adirondack chairs. He would only venture as far as the birdbath to get a drink. Let me tell you, I almost had a heart attack when I saw him up on the railing drinking out of the birdbath! One missed step and he'd be a gonner over that railing. Sheesh!

Hubby and I also live in NH right on the MA line. We're both from MA.

I should also tell you that on our last day, "Earl" left us a present at the bottom of the stairs. It was pretty gross (one of the reasons our cat is a housecat) but it was also very nice of him :)!

Almost forgot, you mentioned the view from Sago....oh yeah!

The view of the East End and BVI's was amaaaaaazing. It was also fun to go to the East End and see the view of Calabash. My first thought was: "We're THAT high up?"

The best part of the view was watching approaching showers come at you like the front line of an army. It was crazy watching that wall of water approach and knowing it was headed our way!

This December, we're staying on Johnson Bay right on the water. It will be our first time down near the shore. Hope we like it :). Who am I kidding, of course we'll like it!

I'll have to check out your journal entry next January when we next visit. "Earl" is becoming a lot friendlier than he was a few years ago. Maybe he'll turn into a cuddler. The cats often leave glops of mystery meat for the visitors. A little welcome present I guess. I don't look too closely. Of course, we see a lot of gross anyway in our business!

I love watching the showers heading across the water. sometimes the BVI's just disappear in clouds and it's like they're not there. Did you get any rainbows? Beautiful!! It sounds like you're going to become a STJ regular. Hope the trip to Johnson Bay is great. Right on the water sounds cool! We went to Aruba last month and our resort was right on the water/beach. It was great to hear the waves crashing all night long, but Aruba is a lot hotter than STJ, and not so pretty, but, am I going to give up a trip someplace warm when NH winters are cold? Nope! But STJ is where our hearts are.

Ironman, Lysa and I will do your neutering for you. We'll use a local anesthetic, inject it right--you know where. Then we'll see if you still want your tummy rubbed.

"Ironman, Lysa and I will do your neutering for you. We'll use a local anesthetic, inject it right--you know where. Then we'll see if you still want your tummy rubbed."

Lucky for him, he won't need an e-collar!

Yikes, that's pretty bad, huh?!!

Just a note, when you see one of the cats, offer it some water! We put some in a saucer and the kitty was so happy!