Thread: Cats at Work
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Old May 25th 06, 03:04 AM posted to rec.pets.cats.anecdotes
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Default Cats at Work

Just to fill you in on the Feral Cats At Work issue, I work at a steel mill.
The steel mill is bigger than 3 suburbs (feel free to look up a map of
Wollongong, you'll see the steelworks and associated services just to the
south of the town). There are *always* feral cats around here, they're
endemic. You can trap them all you like, and you'll still have a cat
population here. Most of the time you dont' see them, but at the moment -
only within the last week - have I seen kittens. Kittens are stupid (coz
they're kittens) and haven't learnt to avoid humans at all costs. This is
how I got IBKFergus - she was a lone kitten and chose having some chicken
over running away from the human. The adult cats are smarter than that, and
you only see them as a flash out of hte corner of your eye. The adult cats
will never be tamable, and probably not trappable (they are *smart*), but
the kittens have some hope. When you see kittens, it means that population
has gotten too big, and some are starting to come out of their hiding places
into human sight. Thats the time to call out the animal services people.
Otherwise the animal services people would be here all the time, and not
attending other places that do have cats that are trappable and want a human
home.

So, I have started the chain of events that may get the AWL lady out here
before the kittens grow up and have more kittens. Its a slow process cutting
through the red tape this place has (its like a government department) and
the management can always say "no" as AWL hasn't gone through the
mindnumbingly boring 'induction' course (2 days worth, at that) that allows
her on site without constant supervision from a member of staff. But at
least its a start.

Yowie