When people think of feral cat caregivers, I’m certain their image is immediately of a cat-obsessed female. But, in the CATpassionate Village world, the reality is definitely different and mixed.
This post is a tribute to the good men we know and the good men we’ve met in our work.
Good men we know.
In the five years we have been operating, the last two as a full-fledged non-profit, our all-female board of directors have been supported by amazing spouses.
One spouse, Ken, has done a lot of heavy lifting from the beginning. He has transported pallets, built shelters, provided protection on dark mornings, cleared grassy spaces, fed the cats in a pinch, transported cats to and from clinics, held down the fort at home and listened to endless talk about the Village work. Four other spouses have jumped in too, trouble-shooting IT-related issues, providing protection, stepping up to take in kittens, acting as a sounding board, also feeding cats when needed and holding down the fort at home when spouses are out feeding.
Good men we’ve met.
This year, we have had the privileged experience to meet many really good men who care for many feral cats. Lee, Ralph, John, Steve, Joey, Rafael (and Dolly), and Sam collectively feed in the neighborhood of 75 to 100 cats, 48 of which we have trap-neutered-vaccinated-returned (TNVR’d) with their active participation and on top of what they had already done in some cases.
Then, there’s Cat Man Chris, the epitome of a cat rescuer, caregiver and all-round cat hero.
These men give up time, energy and money to end the suffering of homeless feral cats. They make a difference every day and inspire hope for a better world for cats.
These are the good men we know and the good men we’ve met. They prove that real men love cats.
Sharon Espinola, President CATpassionate Village
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