Suzie Q and Piper
(a true story of loved feral cats)
As told by Scott Gepford to Lisa Terzo 2014
Many people do not understand what the word ‘feral cat’ means and all too often dismiss the cats as some sort of nuisance without trying to understand their existence, or give a thought as to how they could have a hand in assisting these creatures to continue to live in their colony in a way that is healthy and non-intrusive.
There are many programs in our communities nationwide which provide valuable assistance to those kind-hearted individuals with the ability to reach out to help these feline creatures who share our planet. Here is a story from one of those caring individuals who sought the resources available from Alley Cat Advocates and with his kindness and their combined compassion was able to help two special cats in his city.
My name is Scott Gepford, and I live in Kentucky. In 2007 I started work as an instructor for a truck-driving school. My schedule was such that I encountered two young calico cats each day. I am quite certain they were sisters by observing their behavior as well as noticing that their calico markings were similar. I looked forward to seeing them each day and it was clear that I had fallen in love.
I began bringing kitty-food to work each day and ensured they had clean water to drink. Eventually, I named each one. I named one little girl Suzie-Q, and the other one I called Piper because our office was next to a plant which produced steel pipes. So now they had names. I am pretty sure they knew my name too. ( I could swear that their eyes and little meows each morning implied “Hello Scott - you know you’re our favorite human, right? “
With my knowledge of feral cats, I knew that their lineage was that of domestic cats who had bred and produced kittens which ended up being abandoned for one reason or another. In other words, they were accustomed to making their way in the world on the streets and often were referred to as ‘alley cats’. It would not be beneficial to attempt to rehabilitate them as house-cats. However, providing them with a modicum of veterinary care would be tremendously helpful to their quality of life. Furthermore, ensuring that they were spayed or neutered would make sure the size of their colony would not increase and result in more feline deaths.
My next step was to figure out the best way to accomplish this goal without spending lots of money, or causing undue fear for my furry friends.
I was fortunate to meet a wonderful lady who worked with an organization called Alley Cat Advocates. She and her associates listened to me to understand the situation with Suzie-Q and Piper and told me about the “Trap and Release Program”. The idea behind this program was to gently ‘trap’ the kitties in safe and humane cages and bring them to a veterinary clinic where they would receive necessary immunizations and spay or neuter procedures. They would then be released back into the environment they already understood and embraced.
I followed the instructions Alley Cat Advocates had given and brought Suzie-Q and her sister Piper into the clinic. The next morning I picked them both up and released them back to their favorite spot outside of my office with their dishes and my love and wished them well. I told them to stay in touch with me. Both of them clearly said “No problem, Scott. You are always going to be our favorite human-creature.”
I continued to see them daily for our “chat” and breakfast. One day, Suzie-Q didn’t show up. She never did after that sad day. However, I heard that a family in the nice neighborhood beyond our office had taken her in. I wish her the best, knowing that those folks got a loving kitty friend. Piper, on the other hand, prefers to continue to hang out with me and the other fellows at work and still is to this day in June 2014. --- S. Gepford
(a true story of loved feral cats)
As told by Scott Gepford to Lisa Terzo 2014
Many people do not understand what the word ‘feral cat’ means and all too often dismiss the cats as some sort of nuisance without trying to understand their existence, or give a thought as to how they could have a hand in assisting these creatures to continue to live in their colony in a way that is healthy and non-intrusive.
There are many programs in our communities nationwide which provide valuable assistance to those kind-hearted individuals with the ability to reach out to help these feline creatures who share our planet. Here is a story from one of those caring individuals who sought the resources available from Alley Cat Advocates and with his kindness and their combined compassion was able to help two special cats in his city.
My name is Scott Gepford, and I live in Kentucky. In 2007 I started work as an instructor for a truck-driving school. My schedule was such that I encountered two young calico cats each day. I am quite certain they were sisters by observing their behavior as well as noticing that their calico markings were similar. I looked forward to seeing them each day and it was clear that I had fallen in love.
I began bringing kitty-food to work each day and ensured they had clean water to drink. Eventually, I named each one. I named one little girl Suzie-Q, and the other one I called Piper because our office was next to a plant which produced steel pipes. So now they had names. I am pretty sure they knew my name too. ( I could swear that their eyes and little meows each morning implied “Hello Scott - you know you’re our favorite human, right? “
With my knowledge of feral cats, I knew that their lineage was that of domestic cats who had bred and produced kittens which ended up being abandoned for one reason or another. In other words, they were accustomed to making their way in the world on the streets and often were referred to as ‘alley cats’. It would not be beneficial to attempt to rehabilitate them as house-cats. However, providing them with a modicum of veterinary care would be tremendously helpful to their quality of life. Furthermore, ensuring that they were spayed or neutered would make sure the size of their colony would not increase and result in more feline deaths.
My next step was to figure out the best way to accomplish this goal without spending lots of money, or causing undue fear for my furry friends.
I was fortunate to meet a wonderful lady who worked with an organization called Alley Cat Advocates. She and her associates listened to me to understand the situation with Suzie-Q and Piper and told me about the “Trap and Release Program”. The idea behind this program was to gently ‘trap’ the kitties in safe and humane cages and bring them to a veterinary clinic where they would receive necessary immunizations and spay or neuter procedures. They would then be released back into the environment they already understood and embraced.
I followed the instructions Alley Cat Advocates had given and brought Suzie-Q and her sister Piper into the clinic. The next morning I picked them both up and released them back to their favorite spot outside of my office with their dishes and my love and wished them well. I told them to stay in touch with me. Both of them clearly said “No problem, Scott. You are always going to be our favorite human-creature.”
I continued to see them daily for our “chat” and breakfast. One day, Suzie-Q didn’t show up. She never did after that sad day. However, I heard that a family in the nice neighborhood beyond our office had taken her in. I wish her the best, knowing that those folks got a loving kitty friend. Piper, on the other hand, prefers to continue to hang out with me and the other fellows at work and still is to this day in June 2014. --- S. Gepford