Cecile the Culvert Cat!

This beautiful cat is Cecile, a tame stray rescued two days ago by one of our intrepid feral team members, Leanne. Leanne and the team have been watching out for this sweet girl all winter in a very difficult spot in which to try to care for a cat.

Here is her story.

PFA was contacted in October by an employee from a company in the north end of the city to inform us about two cats that had been living close by for sometime and were quite skinny. A member of the feral team went to investigate the area and saw a tabby cat down by the water that ran through the culvert. A feeding station and shelter was established for them and maintained by the feral team. Due to the open area around the culvert it created problems over the winter with snow blowing in and making it difficult for the cats to maneuver through. Frequently paths had to be shovelled out for these two cats as they chose to live in the culvert that ran under the road instead of the shelters we provided for them. After the big snow fall we had this winter the feral team knew this area would be snowed in but we had no idea how bad it would actually be. Their feeding station and shelter were not even visible when we got there. The snow was piled waist high and we panicked and shoveled as fast as we could to free these cats as they would have been buried alive if they were in the shelter or the culvert. We got the feeding station and culvert cleared out that day but there was no sign of any cats around. The next day we went back to dig them out again as the wind had blown more snow into the area. We then discovered that a snow plow had come and piled the snow up about 15 feet high over top the culvert entrance. What a terrible thought again knowing that these cats were in that culvert and there was no possible way for the feral team to move 15 feet of snow and no way the cats could get out without our help. We then realized that there would be another entrance on the other side of the road to the culvert. We lucked out and found it and dug like crazy to clear it out.

Cecile who was orginally Cecil as we thought she was a boy, slowly began to appear when the feral team went to feed. She would run when we approached the feeding station but would go behind the safety of a fence in a near by compound and sit and watch. We then discovered that she would actually meow and blink her eyes at us - something a feral cat does not normally do. She allowed us to get fairly close to her and one day she made an attempt to come closer but still did not let us touch her. We decided that she actually looked more female than male due to her small frame and face. With spring coming we knew we had to attempt to trap her as the thought of her having kittens in that remote area was dreadful. After two attempts at setting the trap we lucked out and got her. She went to the clinic to get sterilized and it was then determined that she was indeed female and was pregnant.

Cecile turned out to be a tame domesticated cat. Her story makes us both sad and happy. Sad for the fact that she was a tame cat that had to live where she did for so long over the winter in all that snow and happy that we rescued her when we did. Cecile is a little love bug who melts at the touch of a human and is so very affectionate and loving! It was truly a miracle and a happy ending for her and we can't believe she has survive through all of this. If anyone is looking for a snuggly affectionate lap cat she is the cat for them!

We are still maintaining the feeding station as we think her partner Wayne the tabby cat is still there. He hasn't been seen for sometime but the food is still being eaten. Let's just hope he too is tame and just another lost domesticated cat that we can give a better life to!

Thanks to Leanne and the feral team for their tremendous effort in watching out for the culvert cats. Now, we just need a nice adoptive or foster home for sweet, snuggly Cecile.

For more information on Cecile, contact us at saskpeopleforanimals@gmail.com.

-Alanna