August 20 is International Homeless Animals Day and what better way to use this day than to spread awareness on how you can help these helpless ones. Feeding strays when you see one is a kindness they experience often despite being such an easy task. It can be as easy as bringing a small bottle of pet food with you! While this is not a long-term solution for homeless animals, it’s still a kindness you can extend #AdoptDontShop
1- Always Transfer Cat Food into a Plastic Container
Aside from being easy to bring around, it also makes shaking your cat food easy! The rattling sound of cat food in a plastic container allure ALL CATS. I think it’s some sort of instinctive reaction for them, it makes it easy for them to come to you.
2 - Buy from your local market!
Cat food from grocery stores can get pricey, especially if you want to commit to this. I highly recommend getting your cat supply from your local wet market. Being a Cubao resident, Farmers Market has two-three Stalls that sells a variet of cat food! I usually get the cheapest to be able to feed more cats!
3 - Kittens = Wet Food
Since kittens don’t have strong monchers, giving them some wet cat food is recommended. The cheapest one on the market as of writing/that I know of is VitaPet’s wet cat food sachets at P26.00!
4 - On Cat Feeding Bowls
If you plan to feed the cats some wet cat food, bring some sheets of paper or paper plates (I get the smallest ones, the ones for fishballs) to serve your wet cat food on. You can reuse disposable containers for this as well. I reuse egg cartons, used plastic muffin containers, and any bowl-like container to put water or wet cat food in. Only invest in getting a proper cat feeding bowl if you’ve talked to the establishment the cat stays at. Otherwise, they might throw it away or some people might steal it. Again, based on my experience this happens!
5 - Some Cats Are Hostile, Be Careful!
While you might want to pet and snuggle street cats, always be careful when interacting with them since not all of these cats will be kind upon your first meeting. Note that these feral cats are not allowed to be adopted
6 - Some Cats are Shy, So Be Careful!
On the other side of the spectrum are the really coy cats. Be gentle with them, don’t make any sudden movements to spook them. Walk towards them slowly and talk to them to lure them in. If they run away, I still leave food where I last saw them since they usually come back when you’re gone.
7 - In General: Talk to them!
Street cats don’t have the privilege house cats do: street cats don’t get love 24/7, huhu. So interacting with them really helps boost their morale, at least based on my observation! It also helps in building that connection with them if you regularly feed them.
8 - Contact your local Cat Group!
Try to look for more cat feeders in your own community. This helps lessen the burden of doing lengthy cat rounds! Plus, you get to be part of a community! I joined the Cats of Araneta City group years back and it’s great.
Go out and get feeding!
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