Today I want to talk to you about the danger that coyotes pose to feral cats. I live next to a horse farm. I have many wild cats in my house. I have always left them food and water. As a result, some of them have chosen to settle here. A couple of the Momma cats have had their babies here. I guess they feel safe. They are not safe.

Coyotes roam the valley here. I can hear them at night barking and howling in the night. One of the things coyotes love to eat is feral cats. Over the last two weeks, more than six cats, between my house and my neighbor’s, have gone missing. Of the April litter, only one in three kittens remains. It makes me very sad to go out in the morning to the lost cats. One day they are there. The next day they are gone, never to return.

One night last week I was walking to my fire pit to make sure the fire was out and I heard the coyotes closer than I had ever heard them before. They sounded like they were no more than a quarter of a mile away. They were quiet and noisy. In fact, he made me run back to my house. I’m not too scared of living in this valley. The sound of a pack of coyotes feeding is truly chilling.

The last remaining kitten has actually let me go over and pet it. Last week he let me pick it up and hold it. I spoke to him very softly. At that moment, I decided that I was going to rescue him. Of all the feral cats that have gone missing, this is one I can save. None of the others will let me touch them or get too close. They walk away to a safe distance and look at me if I hold out my hand. This little guy is the only one who has let him make contact.

I made an appointment with my vet and put him in the carrier. He cried for about 15 minutes very hard. I put Sade on and spoke to him in a low voice. She calmed down. We were very scared at the vet. He put his head in the crook of my elbow and tried to hide. He was shaking like a leaf. He got the OK from the vet and I brought him home.

While at the vet, I asked about feral cats and coyotes. I was told that people were calling with reports of missing cats. There were ten missing from one person and six missing from another. The vet told me it was a good thing I was rescuing him.

I am delighted to report that the internal cats have taken it very well. The first few days were a bit rough. He got the hisses and meows from the older cats. He stood his ground and has been quite brave. Everyone is calm and they all seem to be getting along. The transition was pretty quick.

If you have feral cats and live near coyotes, be aware of the dangers. I’m not sure there is more to be done than try to tame them and find them a home. However, as in my case, not everyone wants to be tamed. You can only save those who choose to allow you to get close to them. Do the best you can. A life saved is important!