Cats are known for their independence, but when it gets as cold as it has been this week, even the most free-spirited of felines can use some help keeping warm.
For a colony of feral cats in Allegheny Township, that help came this week in the form of Ruth Ann Johnston of Kiski Township, who volunteers for Frankie’s Friends in New Kensington and is also a member of Leechburg-based Cat Crusaders, which traps feral cats so they can be spayed or neutered.
She didn’t want to guess at how much cold feral cats can handle on their own.
“I know these cats are pretty resilient. This is below zero,” Johnston said. “I really do not know how they do it, to be honest with you.”
The Allegheny Township colony was one of four where Johnston is helping cats by stuffing shelters full of new straw, as well as bringing over a few new ones to add to shelters set up by a man who lives there and feeds them.
The shelters she provided are Styrofoam coolers with holes cut in them, stuffed full of straw, encased in garbage bags for extra protection. The insulation from the cooler keeps the cats’ body heat with them, Johnston said.
Straw “is the best thing for insulation. It doesn’t get wet and freeze,” she said.
Johnston said they started working on this colony in late December. About 20 have been caught, spayed or neutered, and released. She figures there are seven to 10 more. Those already fixed have their ears marked so they can be identified later.
Johnston is going to keep at it “until I get everybody,” she said.
She had hoped to trap another one of the cats Tuesday but thinks it might have been spooked away.
“They’re feral cats. Most of them are very feral,” she said. “They don’t adhere well to strangers or any noise for that matter. I’m very quiet.”
Those interested in helping can contact Frankie’s Friends or Cat Crusaders.