Advocating for Change and Compassion in the Community: The Story of many Choco cats

🐾 Advocating for Change and Compassion in the Community: The Story of many Choco cats 🐾

In the heart of Bucks County's Quakertown, where history has witnessed the dark shadows of puppy mills and exploitation, we stand united in a call for change. Our community's past has been marred by puppy mills and other forms of animal cruelty that no living being should endure. These practices have left a mark that touches both the lives of our animal friends and the very essence of our community's conscience.

It's important to acknowledge that alongside these issues, our community has seen the deeply embedded history of white supremacy and privilege. This history has woven itself into the fabric of our surroundings, impacting every corner of life, including our relationship with animals.

As an AAPI minority in this community a longstanding hub of USA's white supremacy,, the echoes of these challenges reverberate in my own experiences. The effects of animal breeding, often driven by profit and negligence, have cascaded into our lives, leaving a trail of abandonment and suffering. I've witnessed the continuous cycle of animals being left in rural areas, a stark reminder of our collective responsibilities.

The negligence extends further, as animals have been used in ways that defy ethical boundaries, revealing a disheartening disregard for life. My efforts to ensure their well-being, even as an adult, remain shadowed by the specter of history. Every visit to a shelter becomes a reminder of the larger narrative that has shaped our community's actions.

It is disheartening to see that these industries, which perpetuate cruelty, continue to be sustained and even supported by the community. The taxes and income generated have unfortunately come at the cost of innocent lives, while turning a blind eye to the consequences.

Furthermore, the targeting and violation of my civil rights, stemming from my efforts to responsibly care for abandoned animals, is a painful reality I face. Not only has the local animal welfare community been a hotbed of white supremacist clandestine and psychological operations, but  this cycle is deeply interwoven into the fabric of our community. It is a stark reminder of the work that still needs to be done to create an inclusive and compassionate environment for all. Especially in this new era where AAPI persons and families such as mine, can finally report incidents to police.

Together, let's seek change. Let's work towards a community that rises above the shadows of its history and paves the way for a compassionate future. By acknowledging our past and present, we can shape a brighter tomorrow, where every living being is treated with respect, compassion, and the dignity they deserve.

 🌟 #AdvocatingForChange #CompassionateCommunity

Another Choco Cat

Choco cat case challenges:

Consideration-- to help Integrate a Domestic Cat into Barn Cat Colony

In the world of feline care, the dynamics between domestic cats and barn cat colonies can raise important considerations. While barn cats are usually adept at living in semi-feral conditions, the integration of domestic cats into such colonies can bring forth unexpected challenges.

Recently, the story of Choco, a "dumped", unneutered domestic cat -- who would rather chase butterflies and eat grasshoppers, knocking over plants to catch them-- highlights the complexities of this scenario. 

Barn cats are typically semi-feral by nature, having adapted to life in outdoor environments. They form cohesive colonies based on mutual cooperation rather than strict territoriality.

Choco's unneutered status has probably led to probable increased aggression, especially towards other cats. His aggression, coupled with domestic self-interest that doesn't serve the practical and communal neighbor's barn cat colony, exploded in the past 31 days. Witnessing the neighbor's larger barn cats obviously chasing and stalking him into our yard after nights of loud fights in the dark. Territorial tendencies, led him to seek refuge on stormy nights at neighboring homes.

Domestic cats, like Choco, have often been accustomed to indoor living. When introduced to barn cat populations, they may struggle to adjust to communal and semi-feral dynamics. Unneutered domestic cats, can further complicate matters due to heightened aggression stemming from territorial instincts. Not to mention cause an explosion in the feral cat population.

As caretakers and animal advocates, it's crucial to consider the well-being of both barn cats and domestic cats like Choco.

 There are different "working cat" shelters that focus to integrate cats into barn cat colonies: including spaying and neutering to mitigate aggressive behavior. Some offer Trap and Release (something to consider in Choco's rehoming plight). His behaviors show he needs affection more than food. And may already be too traumatized to be taken in for domestic adoption. Though it doesn't solve his roaming and deer tick issues of being a transitional cat who likes to climb on humans.

Responsible care entails distinguishing between barn cat populations' natural dynamics and the specific needs of domestic cats seeking a new home. 

The story of Choco serves as a reminder that understanding the distinct characteristics of different cat populations is essential for their successful coexistence. To compassionately consider their differences, we can create harmonious transitions for friendly felines who deserve a home.

Better times to adopt an animal

Focusing on the happy and positive aspects of life are easier in a positive economy. For many families who try to fit into USA mainland culture;- having a companion family animal is actually an economic burden in spite of the compassion and "upstanding person" status.

The emotional attachment or bonding with a furry friend is heartbreaking for both sides when bills push life to the edge of disaster. And one veterinary emergency can cost well over $400. Even if you think nothing bad will happen, medications run much higher at full cost and then multiply it by 5, than those comparable for humans ie., prescription Eye drops.

During great Economic times, it's easier to cover these expenses. Also, when families are younger before ailments of old age set in. The less accident prone animals are usually disabled and some learn to be attentive to the house activities and alerting their families to forgotten things. They are however a far cry from service animals with helpful training. They can sometimes trip up their elderly family members on a staircase or by suprise, causing an accident that can harm either party.

So when you have the time and energy, the money, and money to cover housing costs and rent in another lockdown;- may be a better time to have a companion. In the meantime, fostering animals or volunteering at an animal shelter may be an easier solution. 

The flip side to this is trying to curb loneliness in an affordable way. Sometimes an animal can provide more emotional support than expensive therapy sessions. But is equally vulnerable to any toxic relationship a single person enters.

 Right now I am remembering the news of domestic violence shooting of a dog in Maryland. And an Instagram news report of a dog that was found hanged off a bridge in Hawaii. Both, Truly horrific and threatening actions where the animal's caretaker could have suffered serious injuries or death.

Also, the possibility of the animal caretaker dying unexpectedly or being hospitalized has risen. While economic downturns mean animal shelters are short staffed and underfunded to take in most animals who need shelter and rehoming.

So please, if you can spay and neuter any animals do it. Irregardless of the length you can keep them with you. It helps others help them going forward. And also decreases a population explosion within 3-6 years. Animal people can become exhausted and calloused from being the responsible adults for communities, and blamed for the shortcomings of other's decisions.

 Many people do have kind hearts, yet live on their own means without a seemingly endless expendable income for the animals. Please set aside something for your local community, or that one animal who you may help by trap and release. You'll spare hundreds of thousands of future puppies and kittens life from horrendous conditions to protect what little wildlife exists.

Shortage of Spay Neuter services

Since the pandemic, many humans adopted cats to keep them company indoors. It's been about 3 years. Recently, our rural suburban neighborhood has seen an uptick in stray cats, that are unneutered, sociable more than any indoor cat, and arriving with scratched up faces from fights. Not necessarily cat fights either since recent housing development displaced a racoon who's eaten tomatoes from the garden, climbed into vehicles for snacks, to breaking through the screen door to eat out of a sack of bird seed, and disturbing many neighbor barn animals and wildlife ie., Owls.

Our family cat (disabled) safety has also been at risk because of the surge in animals attracted to the lone bird feeder for seed. There's also the high risk of him being attacked by these dumped strays.

Though yesterday, sadly in the road, I saw a small body of what looked like a dog, in a place where drivers taking backroads short cuts are speeding at interstate highway speeds. 

While I attempt to find a spay/neuter TNR service this morning:- I found that even the local longstanding humane shelter (where I picked my first adoptee) has shut down services. And I have no inclination to adopt the friendly stray that keeps showing up after loud cat fights at the neighbors' cat barn. And on the roof in the earliest hours of the day. The vet bills in this area are high enough to put anyone into homelessness. Though, it's a nice thought kitty.

Because of this high cost pet issue, and also being the daughter of a foreign national;- I've become angered by the habits of those in the community-- who dumped their furry children on me in a sense-- when I had to focus of my life.

I say this because, Hawaii gave me a really positive environment almost devoid of these issues. Cats in Hawaii live outdoors and 80-90% of rentals don't accept them. I actually agree with this practice since I am a bird lover. While others force me to have animals or animals pick me to "ask" for help.

If I sound cruel in my age, it's not cruel to want to live free from ringworm, Lyme disease, ticks, bedbugs and other MRSA carriers in a tropical climate or any climate.

And leave the cat colonies to diminish.

If I had a say in Hawaii politics, since I left, I'd work to pass a bill to ban the military and any civilian from bringing companion animals that aren't registered for emotional support to the islands. And to require an amount put in escrow to ship their companion back to the mainland when they relocate.

Though I haven't seen the stray cat in several days, he's returned this morning and only wants to be on my lap while I text.

He even jumped at me to hug me one of the first encounters I had with the cat following me outside. It reminded me of a time one pitbull I dogsat saw me, and jumped at me to lick my face. The family started screaming in horror that he'd rip my face off. So it is heartbreaking when animals love you. It's saddening when the uptick in racism, violence, and a lengthy pandemic diminish help to get through these situations in any community.