DCFoF: Chase

August 6, 2010

Alison O'Hara says: I live in just outside of Madison, Wisconsin, and in addition to working full time, I have been doing volunteer feral cat rescue for six years. Our rescue, Dane County Friends of Ferals, is entirely volunteer based, and we try to focus on helping those cats that other rescue groups cannot manage. The true ferals, the really scared ones, the sick ones.

This orange kitten is a boy named Chase. He and his sister Ruby came to DCFoF with their mom when they were about three weeks old. Even though their mom was feral and hissed at me every chance she got, I still felt so sorry for her. She weighed only four pounds and was still practically a kitten herself. She required more than a week of sub-q fluids, dewormer, and antibiotics, and she was so dehydrated from diarrhea that she was producing no milk. The kittens had diarrhea too and were covered in it. I felt bad giving them baths though because they looked so sad and pathetically tiny... :o(

The good news is that they are currently with one of our foster parents who has experience with caring for really young kittens. It will be quite a while before they are ready for adoption though. Dane County Friends of Ferals will adopt them to indoor homes, and prior to adoption they will be healthy, spayed or neutered, vaccinated for FVRCP and rabies if old enough, and tested for FeLuk (tested for FIV too if old enough). The mom will stay with our rescue too until she is healthy and spayed, and if she remains feral she will be adopted to a farm or rural home that provides shelter and care. Sometimes the feral cats do decide they like people after all, and if this is the case we will adopt her to an indoor home.

All Photos Courtesy of and ©: Ryan O'Hara

Dane County Friends of Ferals is a group of dedicated volunteers committed to creating a better future for feral cats with a mission is to establish a no-kill standard and to promote the value and well-being of Dane County's feral cats
If you live in Wisconsin, please consider helping by donating, volunteering, or adopting

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Comments and LOLs:

Kayli - 13 years, 9 months ago

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307 points

Look at those eyes!

Leonie - 13 years, 9 months ago

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What beautiful blue eyes. :D I hope mum and babies all get good homes. :)

It's wonderful what you and DCFoF do for these cats, Alison. :) Keep up the great work. :) All these little sweeties deserve a chance, and it brings a happy tear to my eye to know there are people who help them. :')

holy Cuteness - 13 years, 9 months ago

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Love this one...

lisaboese - 13 years, 9 months ago

674 points

Oh, what a terrible start in life for the kittens, and poor Mama!!!! But you saved them, thank God; thanks for doing the work you do!!!

misshelen - 13 years, 9 months ago

Tweet This LOL

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23 points

Kephara - 13 years, 9 months ago

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289 points

I love you, Chase!

SnowsMama - 13 years, 9 months ago

31 points

What a wonderful thing you are doing for these cats and their babies! It is so hard to see and hear about the hardships they have to go through. I am a big softy when it comes to cats of all sizes, shapes and color no matter where they live.

amycats - 13 years, 9 months ago

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641 points

Everyone else has already said it -- and I love these eyes, too! I now know a lot more about "DCFoF" and have learned about some other great sites. Keep up the good work!

Smooch - 13 years, 9 months ago

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736 points

You wonderful person, helping tiny babies (and mums) like this have a real chance at a happy life with people who love them! Chase is so cute, how could you not fall in love with that face and those big blue eyes? I'm with Kephara - I love you, Chase!

KtiiyKatty Mom - 13 years, 9 months ago

It has all been said already and I "ditto" every remark about the wonderful work you do. Thank you for saving our little friends and for giving them the love they so deserve.

docsquid - 13 years, 9 months ago

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642 points

docsquid - 13 years, 9 months ago

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642 points

This little boy is so beautiful. What a terrible start he has had in life, but how lucky he is to be cared for and loved now.

kittycatluvr - 13 years, 9 months ago

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125 points

he cleans up well. cute!

CareAboutCats - 13 years, 9 months ago

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326 points

What a great story! Thanks for the work you do - you are making a difference to these cats. Chase is sweet!

mma - 13 years, 9 months ago

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1405 points

Shirley - 13 years, 9 months ago

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267 points

Poor little ones! Thank you for your love and kindness to all of these precious babies and mothers. How could anyone not love this sweet little face.

Lynda - 13 years, 9 months ago

94 points

Thanks for all that you do !!

FurryBeasts - 13 years, 9 months ago

4 points

What a beautiful little one! And hats off to you and your work with DCFoF, as you have endured the wrath of the WCC and their campaign to exterminate ferals from WI. Even though we are from OK, I had many talks with Ted O'Donnell of Don't Shoot the Cat and six total letters to Gov Jim before he put his foot down and told the WCC "Not in my state". Hats off to all who helped and made this rescue and this beautiful kitten possible.

Natthecat - 13 years, 9 months ago

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∞ points

This is another OMG! kitty--what I actually say when I see one. Amen to all commenting above thanking you for the work you do and the adorableness of this kitty.

Natthecat - 13 years, 9 months ago

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∞ points

Docsquid's caption made me laugh. Bathed cats are a sorry sight, if necessary.

cabcree - 13 years, 9 months ago

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2 points

I love seeing his little tongue sticking out. so cute

Nefenjo - 13 years, 9 months ago

84 points

Everyone commented on the big blue eyes, but you should be aware that they won't stay that way. All kittens start with blue eyes - you can tell by the first picture that they're starting to change, maybe to green. Granted, I find eyes gorgeous no matter what color they are...

ksilver - 13 years, 9 months ago

155 points

God bless you for the work you do for these kittooms!

ksilver - 13 years, 9 months ago

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155 points

Boodie - 13 years, 9 months ago

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111 points

Awww poor little mites, glad to hear they are doing better.

Auriga - 13 years, 9 months ago

104 points

I have a feral kitty in my house. He's still skittish (knocks on the door and the phone ringing will send him under the bed), but he's finally realized that cuddling is pretty good.

erika - 13 years, 9 months ago

13 points

I know the momma cat will decide she likes people after all, because she met YOU! Thank you for your uncompromising devotion to cats.

MrsMoncrief - 13 years, 9 months ago

34 points

what a heart-felt story! i have experience with very young kittens, too. it's always a blessing to see them thrive after all those hours of hard work you put in!

thinkbliss - 13 years, 9 months ago

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20 points

Little kitty Yoda with those ears. He will be a wise one. You guys are awse for saving these kitties. You bring joy to them and their humans that adopt them.

mama kitty - 13 years, 9 months ago

Beautiful little kitty. Thank you for what you do for the furry creatures on this earth. (Even when they hiss at you!) :)

demiller - 13 years, 9 months ago

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295 points

demiller - 13 years, 9 months ago

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295 points

Jim Maney - 13 years, 9 months ago

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Hey look! I match the floor.

BirmanMama - 13 years, 9 months ago

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951 points

Amazing work you do for these neediest of kittens. Chase is a real cutie.

Catiam - 13 years, 9 months ago

220 points

Oh how cute. He has the most beautiful eyes.

Tracee - 13 years, 9 months ago

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115 points

What a cutie!! I rescued 2 feral kittens last year & while it took awhile before they became humanized, it was worth all the work =)

MoreKittens4Me - 13 years, 9 months ago

131 points

Thank goodness there are people like you in this world. Makes me think the human race isn't ALL bad.

I wish I could afford more than a one-bedroom apartment so I could follow your example!

kibblegirl - 13 years, 9 months ago

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1057 points

Chase is a really handsome orange tabby. He and his sibling and mother are lucky to have DCFoF in their lives. Thank you Allison for all you do for these little catties. I love stories with happy endings like these and I am glad that they are adopted to inside homes only.

itigger2 - 13 years, 9 months ago

277 points

Bless you for all your kitty and Chase is adorable with piercing blue eyes

Girl Cat - 13 years, 9 months ago

I was feral and one of three plus my little mom. My forever mom fed us for two full months everyday and tried to round us up to all come home with her. We stayed hidden and my little mom and brothers went off without me. New mom found me under a bush (by mistake) and I am home forever - 8 years later. Don't give up on ferals. Especially orange ferals. I rule the house and love my brothers here. Chase is a prize, Flat and I like him and his BLUE eyes.

trstrap@aol.com - 13 years, 9 months ago

These blue eyes may change - but they are Siamese blue and hopefully will keep their color. Ferals are great animals and can be wonderful pets - they take patience and love - but it is worth it.

Catphotographer - 13 years, 9 months ago

43 points

I rescue ferals also, it has been very rewarding and very sad. I di have a very young feral momma deciede she liked people, well me at least, I cann now hold her in my arms and she is a tortie. All of her babies were tested spayed nuetered shots and adopted. I have 13 ferals at my home and have rescued over 60. Keep up all the good work, you are rewarded in the smiles of all those kitties. :)

Amy - 13 years, 9 months ago

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182 points

Such a sweet boy. Beautiful eyes and expressions. (Though, in this one, doesn't look like he's having quite a good time.) Keep up the great work of rescuing these feral kittehs!

JayPea - 13 years, 9 months ago

234 points

I hear that Wisconsin is still trying to pass a law making it legal to shoot feral cats. I live in Minnesota, which has had that law for many years, and it is heartbreaking. Idiots with guns take that as permission to shoot any cat they see, tame or not, on its own yard or not. A collar and tags is no protection. If you live in Wisconsin, please let your legislators know that you are against passing this law. No cat will be safe if they do.

wolfgirl66 - 13 years, 9 months ago

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