Description
We love Feral Friends Sanctuary!
These shirts exist now, in limited quantities and sizes!
$10 from every shirt will go support the shelter! This allows for production costs and licensing costs to the original artist, John Ream. If we are out of your size, let us know and if there is interest beyond this run, we will do another. All shirts produced with this image will benefit Feral Friends!
Feral Friends Sanctuary consists of one person who dedicates a heroic amount of time to rescuing and sheltering vulnerable feral populations here in Winnipeg, providing TNR and medical care, food, and dedicated shelter in both urban and rural purpose built shelter compounds. She is supported by two dedicated fundraisers who run periodic auctions, facilitate donations and organize fundraising events.
Feral Friends is NOT funded by any external body and relies on fundraising actuvutues to continue their work. We have a long history with them as they have helped manage a feral colony that has lived on our area for years in addition to her usual colonies and has helped us and others countless time with advice, resources and moral support. So we are very happy to be able to return the favour with your help. Read our interview with Feral Friends below.
___
This special edition benefit shirt features fully licensed artwork from (then) Bay Area artist John Ream, who has allowed us to license the image specifically, explicitly and exclusively for use as a benefit to Feral Friends.
“The idea came after hanging out with a buddy of mine who’s a huge King Diamond fan — he dresses up as some version of him every year. One Halloween, we got to talking about how cool it is that King Diamond dedicates albums to his cats.
___
King Diamond’s love of cats is well documented:
‘He wrote the song “So Sad” about the loss of his white cat, Ghost, and wears a necklace in memory of a black one, Magic. “I never pass any of our cats in the house without getting down and saying hi,” he says, “and there’s a level of communication with cats that is mind-blowing. Treat them completely like humans, and they’ll give so much back.”’ – King Diamond, quoted in an interview with The Village Voice
Thank you for your support! As always you can support Feral Friends directly as well.
Feral Friends Contacts:
https://www.facebook.com/feralfriendssanctuary/
https://www.instagram.com/feralfriendssanctuary/
——————————-
Feral Friends Sanctuary
interview with Eye and Ear Control Records
EAEC: What inspired you to start helping feral cats, and how did your organization come
to be?
FERAL FRIENDS: I have always loved cats and cared for those that were living outdoors.
When I discovered several feral colonies in the industrial areas of my neighbourhood, I started
caring for them. These cats and kittens, the lives they were living, and all of their
struggles….they loved eachother, and I loved them. In starting Feral Friends, I hoped to share
the cat’s photos and stories, as I wanted people to see them through my eyes. I hoped to
educate people, and I kind of hoped that maybe people might donate cat food……lol…I was
spending most of my pay on the cats.
EAEC: What kinds of things do you do to support feral cats and their caretakers?
FERAL FRIENDS: I try to support other feral caretakers by providing them with supplies such as heated water
bowls, shelters and food if I can. Sometimes, I have extra of the above that people have
donated to me. And I try to be available to provide advice if asked. I appreciate other people
who do what I do! They are great people! I have helped some caretakers by trapping cats and
getting them into low-cost clinics to be spayed/neutered/vaccinated. Sadly, low-cost clinics are
getting harder and harder to find.
EAEC: How do you handle caring for and managing feral cat colonies?
FERAL FRIENDS: I cared for two feral colonies every single day for over 6 years. There was no
electricity, and the cats were in really sketchy areas. I was almost assaulted on more than one
occasion. I would bring hot water in the winter and lots of kittens dry. A bit of wet.
I often had to shovel them out, as some chose to live under structures rather than in the
shelters I provided. I was there in snowstorms, thunderstorms…any weather, as these cats
depending on me. I also hid a trail cam, and every day, I switched the SD card so I could see
what cats were coming to eat. Was anyone injured? Pregnant? Any new faces? Any kittens I
didn’t know about? That cam was essential, as ferals prefer to be invisible. My cam showed
me the 8 I was feeding was closer to 15.
EAEC: Can you share a favourite success story that shows the difference you’re making?
FERAL FRIENDS: There are so many great stories!
One success story is Sherman. Sherman appeared on my cam at the colony as an older kitten.
Sherman survived two winters before I managed to trap him, and he was so scary!! He hissed
and spit, rushed at me from inside the trap. He was volatile.
I had to open his kennel with barbeque mitts on and place his food inside using tongs.
He was vicious. I worked and worked with him for weeks and eventually risked offering him
treats in my hand. He grabbed my hand with his claws, and it hurt so bad, but I just sucked in
my breath and did not move my hand. When he let go, I distracted him and slid it out.
I kept doing this with him, and he learned to be gentle to my hands. As time went by, I got to
pet him. And he graduated to being allowed loose in his room. He was a little crazy initially, but
calmed once he didn’t feel so overwhelmed being loose. I kept working with him, and now
Sherman is a big dork. I can carry him around like a package, rub my face all over him, rub his
belly…. I never thought this terrifying cat would become the quirky boy he is now. I don’t he
even knows how to growl now. He is a completely different cat.
EAEC: How many cats are currently directly in your care, and how much time in a day do
you spend caring for them?
FERAL FRIENDS: I currently have 11 cats in my yard that I feed and shelter. Indoors, I currently
have a grey and white one that I just took in, two kittens – one who has been very ill – FatFace,
Bimpy, and Lily, the elderly cat. Plus, my own. I get up at 4 am in order to feed everyone. Give
medication. Clean litterboxes and kennels. Getting dishes washed. Anything else that needs
doing before I head to work at 8 am?
EAEC: In addition to the urban barrel cat colonies that you work with and your in-house
shelter cats, you also have a rural colony with established living structures that you
manage. How many cats live at that colony, and how are they doing?
FERAL FRIENDS: Relocating those ferals was a crazy time, but it needed to be done in order to
save their lives. Fiona, Dot and Aubrey live in an old guest house with an outdoor run.
Sam, George, Daisy, Sara, Gracie, and Gracie Grey live in a large garage with an attached
outdoor area. And Cameron, Elsie, Cathy, Princess Moonpie, Gingerbeast, Scaredy, Richard,
Michael, Trevie and Smudgy are in the new structure with three fully insulated sheds. The cats
are loving their new homes. They are safer than they have ever been.
EAEC: How can people in the community pitch in to help with what you’re doing?
FERAL FRIENDS: We have an auction every month in order to raise funds.
And once a year, we have a yard sale. Donations are always welcome, or people can support
by bidding on our auctions or attending our yard sale. Cat food donations or gift cards for
places like PetValu are always welcome. Monetary donations towards my vet account – Feral
Friends (Erin Shattuck) at Machray Animal Hospital help. Ordering things off our Amazon List.
EAEC: Why is it so important to educate people about programs like trap-neuter-return
(TNR)?
FERAL FRIENDS: TNR is the only way to manage feral colonies or stray cats. It allows the cats
to live their lives without the stress of fighting over territory, constant litter of kittens, spreading
illness or disease. It manages the population. We have a real cat overpopulation problem in this
city, and cats are suffering and dying. It’s awful.
EAEC: Are there any partnerships or resources that have been especially helpful for your
mission?
FERAL FRIENDS: Feral Friends would be having a really hard time affording the constant food,
supplies and vet visits without the help of 2 very special ladies – Darcy and Annette – that run
our auctions and organize our yard sale. As well, the caretaker of the relocated colonies was
one of the best things that could have happened. To have someone willing to basically donate
their time and property to the cats….wow! On top of that, I have had many rescues accept my
cats and kittens – Manitoba Mutts, Tails of Freedom, Ksens Kittens, Thunder Bay Humane Society, WHS, Winnipeg Kitten Adoption, Rescue Siamese. D’Arcys ARC has been my biggest ally. They have accepted at least 100 or more cats and kittens from me over the years.
EAEC: What’s something your organization could really use right now, and how can
people help?
FERAL FRIENDS: At this time of year, I go through tons of kitten dry, such as Purina Kitten
Chow. That is likely my most needed item at the moment.
EAEC: If someone wants to get involved—whether by donating, volunteering, or
spreading the word—what’s the best way for them to start?
FERAL FRIENDS: If anyone ever has items to donate to our auctions or food to drop off, the
easiest way to do so is to contact the ladies on our Facebook auction page – Feral Friends
Sanctuary Online Auction – to make arrangements.
Or email me at feralfriends.wpg@gmail.com.
