FEATURE — “Big Red” is an unusual cat with a remarkable story. Not only is he the largest feral cat to come to the Humane Society of Utah’s clinic in St. George, but he’s also the oldest at 4 years old. Typically, feral cats are much slimmer and considered lucky if they live to 5 due to the spread of fatal diseases. The feral cats treated at our St. George clinic are typically aged 1-3.
But Big Red’s surprising story doesn’t stop here. He was initially brought to us at the Humane Society in the spring of 2021 by Kris Neal, a woman who runs a local rescue called One More Chance. This rescue traps stray and feral cats and brings them to the Humane Society to receive services through our Trap-Neuter-Return program (TNR). TNR involves fixing, vaccinating and ear-tipping feral and stray cats, then returning them to their territory. TNR is a humane way to control the community cat population and stop the spread of rabies and fatal viruses, such as distemper.
Neal was worried when she brought Big Red because he looked unwell, and she thought he might need to be euthanized.
“He was badly beaten up and had horribly crusty and goopy eyes,” Kelsie Watters, manager of the St. George clinic, explained.
Currently, our St. George clinic only provides spay, neuter and vaccination services for the community. But after our veterinarian, Dr. Katie Gray, diagnosed Big Red with entropion, she decided to conduct entropion repair surgery since he had few resources as a feral cat. Entropion is a condition in which eyelids turn inward so that eyelashes and skin rub against the eye surface, causing great irritation and discomfort. Through the surgery, the inward part of the eye is removed so the lid can lay flat.
While at our clinic awaiting surgery, our staff got to know Big Red and fell in love with him.
“Normally, we don’t get to spend a lot of time with the feral cats we serve. But Big Red hung out in our office for some time. He wasn’t very friendly and had the grumpiest-looking cat face ever, but there was something special about him,” Watters said.
After his surgery, Neal took Big Red home to care for him while he recovered. The plan was to release him as soon as he healed entirely, but Big Red had plans of his own. Instead of running free, he stuck around Neal’s property and stayed inside a workshop on her property to let her know he now preferred living indoors. Curious if she could bond with him, Neal used protective gloves to get him used to touch, and with time, Big Red eventually let her cuddle him.
“This took us all by surprise,” Watters said. “We never thought in a million years this cat could ever be an indoor cat or would want to be held by anyone. He was very feral, so we thought he’d be much happier living outdoors.”
Watters points out that Big Red’s story is unique, and so she doesn’t want it to encourage people to trap feral cats in hopes of turning them into house pets.
“Handling these cats causes great undue stress, and so it’s important to recognize the majority of them do prefer living outside,” she said. “TNR is our goal for these feral animals, and it’s working well here.”
Feral, stray and free-roaming cats are the most at-risk animals in U.S. shelters as they are at significant risk of being killed if they enter shelters. As a result, many animal welfare organizations are working together to offer humane solutions for these cats through TNR. In St. George, these cats are protected by a community of passionate and invested caregivers that feed and look after them.
“The people here love the feral cat community, and they get upset if anything happens to them just like if they were their indoor pet,” Watters explained. “They are providing valuable resources and support not often highlighted, and we are so grateful for all they do to ensure these animals have the best quality of life possible.”
Today, Big Red still looks as grumpy as ever, even after his eyelid surgery. But, he’s got a softer side to him now, and he’s beginning to trust in his human friends, all thanks to our St. George staff and community partners. And thanks to Neal, Big Red is now living a life of indoor luxury with several other cat friends at his side.
Written by THE HUMANE SOCIETY OF UTAH.
Read the original article on the Humane Society of Utah website.