HELP Get Susie Lenny Baboo & Tyler OFF THE STREET

PLEASE HELP! I am raising funds to donate to PAWS Peoples Animal Welfare Society, a rescue that assists animals in need all over Ontario. I care for four outside cats who NEED to get off the streets NOW! The wonderful people at PAWS have agreed to take these cats in, but they are in dire need of funding. My goal is to raise a donation of $2500.00 to thank them for taking in these desperate and vulnerable cats.


The story of Susie, Lenny, and Baboo begins long before I entered their world. Roughly five years ago I came to know about these beautiful cats who live beneath a deck that is located on the property of a local business. The cats belong to no one. I met a lovely person who visited them daily to check on them and feed them. I was told that these cats are all females who were TNR (Trapped, Neutered/fixed, Returned to original area) a number of years ago (10-12 years approximately now). TNR is the city's humane solution to controlling outdoor cat populations. However, many cats who have a potential to be rescued from the streets, socialized, and be kept indoors lose out on this opportunity, because they have been released back outside based on being labeled as "feral" or on the advice given by some rescue organizations. Re-trapping these cats can be particularly challenging, as they become wise to the live trap. According to the Toronto Humane Society , "euthanasia due to homelessness is the largest cause of death in cats." Euthanasia is when an animal is humanely put out of suffering when sick or injured. Killing perfectly healthy cats due to population control should be referred to as "culling". The number of homeless cats in Toronto is estimated to be upwards of 100,000.


In February of 2020 I discovered a timid, skinny, black cat coming to the area in search of food and shelter. He became "Tyler" and was not accepted by Susie, Lenny, or Baboo. Tyler isn't so skinny anymore because he has found multiple kind-hearted people who feed him in the neighbourhood. I do not know his sterilization status but people have told me they've observed him spraying. He still makes occasional bold appearances at the girls' area. Susie "the mama" has grown most trusting of me. She is white with brown and grey tabby patches. Her left ear is tipped to indicate she has been sterilized/fixed. Susie has a previous injury on her left arm that has healed crooked, giving her forearm and paw a decrepit look. She comes right out from under the deck when I arrive with food, and she lets me touch her head and give her scratches. Lenny (Susie's offspring) is less trusting of me but will be brave enough to come out from under the deck for one bite at a time then she retreats back under the safety of the deck to chew and swallow. Lenny looks like a smaller version of Susie, mainy white with grey tabby patches, left ear is tipped. Baboo (also Susie's offspring) is a long-haired tuxedo (also with a tipped ear) who will seldom even come close to eat. She generally will wait for me to leave before she eats even, although very recently she has surprised me by coming closer and eating a small amount in my presence. There was another black cat with long hair who used to be part of this colony who disappeared and never returned before I came into the picture, their fate unknown but most likely death. This is precisely what we are hoping to avoid for the destiny of the current cats. We need to get them off the street.


The original large winter shelter that was placed there previously was old and falling apart, so last winter I fundraised to add another large shelter for them. This winter I added a small shelter for Tyler, in case he has no where to sleep at night. I fed them anytime the regular person was unable to go. Then came a time when their feeder/guardian had to move out of Toronto. At that point I took over regular feedings along with my partner. In the five years that I have known these cats, I have made a number of observations which lead me to be concerned for their general safety and overall well-being:


1. Used hypodermic needles and syringes, other drug paraphernalia, empty alcoholic beverage cans and bottles, used condoms, human biological waste, among other random garbage have been found where the cats are fed, indicating this space is being utilized for illegal activities that create public health and safety risks.
2. One of the plastic winter shelters I had placed in the past was found kicked in, indicating someone is unhappy about their presence, and the cats' safety is at risk.
3. Susie has a previous injury on her front left forearm/paw that appears to be healed. She functions on all fours fine. However, it would be in her best interest to have it seen by a veterinarian. I do not know her actual true age, but as she becomes a senior cat she may no longer be able to defend herself with only one "good" front paw.
4. There are many wild birds that are native to Ontario whose homes are nearby the cats. Local residents have witnessed these birds being hunted by the cats. I have also found discarded bird feathers in the area where they live. Non-indigenous animals that we humans have domesticated and turned loose in the city preying upon these birds is definitely not fair to the birds.
5. Evidence of raccoons passing through the area where the cats eat in search of leftovers is not uncommon. Local residents have also remarked on the hunting of mice and rats by these cats. Since these cats were vaccinated over ten years ago (Rabies/FVRCP last three years maximum), they are vulnerable to contract diseases or viruses from other animals.
5. The cats' living location is next to a very busy parking lot, right next to a high-traffic intersection. Tyler and Baboo have been observed roaming the streets, and the risk of them being hit by a car is very high. The area is not secluded.
6. The property which the deck is on has been home to a multiple unsuccessful businesses, and there is a potential for the entire building and deck to be completely demolished in the future, destroying the place the cats call home.


I strongly feel these are all excellent reasons to get these cats off the street and into PAWS! As time has passed, these cats have grown more and more trusting of me. I have confidence that if these cats had not be released back outside once sterilized 10-12 years ago, that they would by now be socialized by humans, living in the safety of indoors. I feel fortunate to have connected with PAWS, an amazing rescue organization that specializes in these types of situations with homeless cats. They have put me in touch with a cat trapper who has 30+ years of trapping experience, who has kindly offered to help me get these cats off the street.

My goal is to raise $2500.00 for PAWS rescue as a gesture of appreciation for agreeing to take these cats into their care. Tens of thousands of animals have passed through their loving care since they first began 49 years ago, and they rely solely on donations. They are NO KILL and 100% volunteer run. Over ten years is a long time for cats to survive the harsh outdoor conditions Toronto offers, with extreme heat in the summer and brutally freezing cold winters. We can collectively harness the power of community to significantly change these cats' lives. Please be their voice and advocate for them today. Thanks in advance for your contribution to this cause.