Kitty City, a colony of homeless cats in West Radford, is tended by Edwin Ramos who lives nearby. Over the years, this colony has dwindled from what is thought to have been 40 cats in the early 90s to 14 as Ramos, with the support of Radford Animal Hospital care for them and follow a trap-neuter-vaccinate-return policy.
Ramos, who visits the cats many times a day, “just to check on them and make sure they’re safe,” he said, is alert to scratches, coughs, runny eyes or difficulty swallowing.
Even fed, neutered and vaccinated, the lives of feral and stray cats isn’t easy and small memorial stones in sunny spots in the wildflowers under the overgrown chain-link mark little graves.
It’s hard on the caregivers too. Remembering an aging white stray he named Gargamel, who met him in the road so reliably Ramos thought of him as “The Greeter” trotting out of the weeds or through the snow to him.
“Just a super-sweet cat,” he said. “He would eat in my car. I would turn my heat on because he was always wet when it rained. He would let me pet him and he would head-butt me. I love him and miss him so much,” Ramos said.
Cats have come and gone, so have caregivers. This is the fourth summer Ramos has been with them. Support for Kitty City is always welcome by pitching in to the Kitty City Refuge fund at Radford Animal Hospital to help cover any medical expenses, and food.
“They really like 9-Lives. They will avoid eating any other dry food and pick out the bits they like,” he said laughing. Learn more about Kitty City on their FB page at www.facebook.com/pages/category/Interest/Kitty-City-922869471254988/
