A feral cat rescued by Sammy's Forgotten Felines in Kamloops.

Image Credit: SUBMITTED/ Sammy's Forgotten Felines

Three pellets from a pellet gun were seen in the x-ray of a feral cat taken in by an animal rescue organization in Kamloops recently.

Jen Breckenridge of Sammy’s Forgotten Felines said unfortunately, it's not uncommon for feral cats to “be used as target practise.”

“It’s such a common thing the vet didn’t blink an eye,” she said. “It gets shrugged off. I don’t get why people think it’s okay to shoot animals.”

Deelia was the cat brought in by the organization from a rural property with four newborns kittens, along with two other adult cats from the property. The cat was in poor condition and having health issues, so was taken to a vet for an assessment, where the pellets were discovered.

While the pellets are not causing medical problems, it does put a spotlight on the cruelty Breckenridge sees feral cats endure.

“It’s common for feral cats to be shot at, poisoned and hit by cars,” she said. “Some people try to get rid of them, scaring them off, hosing them and other horrible things because they don’t want them on the property and there are no bylaws governing this.”

X-ray of feral cat rescued by Sammy's Forgotten Felines in Kamloops showing three gun pellets.

Image Credit: SUBMITTED/ Jen Breckenridge

Breckenridge said when her team is dealing with feral cats on rural properties the residents typically don’t claim ownership of them.

“The cats suffer and it isn’t their fault they were born, they’re just being cats doing cat things,” she said. “It’s the people that get upset. The cats either come into the rescue or get euthanized or are dispatched of in different ways by property owners.”

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Sammy’s Forgotten Felines works to protect, spay and neuter, foster and rehome the cats. These days they have so many cats in their care they are having to fix them and take them back to their rural colonies. They try to help manage the problem and educate the public.

“It’s a massive problem no one wants to take responsibility for,” she said. “We have these explosions of cat populations that quickly multiply and get out of control. The longer they are left, the bigger the problem, it’s frustrating and complicated.” 

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Last month the organization was able to fix roughly 30 cats. They distribute winter shelters on rural properties where they don’t have access to heated shelters and take in cats that are refused by other rescues.

“Feral cats don’t do well in animal shelter settings, they need the right set up and lots of patience.”

Sammy’s Forgotten Felines is in search of fosters and volunteers. They are over capacity and cannot take in many more cats in need at the moment. Breckenridge said the most helpful thing is when rural property owners care for cats on their properties and work with the organization until the cats can be fixed.

Go here to e-transfer donations to Sammy’s Forgotten Felines.

Go here for more information on the organization or to foster or volunteer.

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