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TeaPhotography — My Feral Babies

Published: 2013-12-03 08:51:40 +0000 UTC; Views: 1517; Favourites: 96; Downloads: 0
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Description Dedicated to: such good friends and
for all they've done to be so supportive of "The Shelter Project" and for being such dear sweet friends.

They know my feral babies Winston (in back) and Raya (in front) and have tried to follow what I've shared about their story here on dA, and they just seem to adore them.
I know there are a few others who have enjoyed the stories of our Winston and Raya, too...
it's been quite a journey with them, since moving here...
and acclimating them to the best safety possible of our property.

They currently have two actual feral houses on the back porch, where they stay most of the time, a cat condo, with animal heating pads, which they are using frequently now.
The back porch is also where I feed them, and where their water is. That is their main home base. We've secluded it quite a bit, to make them feel secure, and so it tends to be a bit dark for good photos to get of them together...

Here, they are photographed together on our front porch during the day, which is common to see them there, when it is more sunny and warm.

If you are new to their story, Winston and Raya have each been humanely trapped by us, and spayed and neutered so that there would be no more kittens, from them, anyway, for us to continue to contend with.

When we first moved here, our immediate neighbourhood was full of strays and a ferals, and a couple strays had litters of kittens and even Raya had a litter-- we had many stories to go with all of this, of fostering what we could in our storage building, taking as many as we could to our humane society... we see relatively few cats anymore, and only Winston and Raya, are left... we've not seen kittens in the immediate area in a very long time, *knock on wood*

Winston is super "domestic" (with me) especially on the back porch, and somewhat here on the front porch. I can pick him up, and give him belly scritches anytime in those locations. I can pet him regularly anywhere else on the property. Raya, not so much, though I did know her first, before any new cat, when we moved here.
Meaning, I already knew my own cats that I brought with me- all indoor cats.

Regardless they both have come a long way, and are also tons healthier, for 100% outdoor feral cats, and just because Winston is that good with me, I am the only human he is like this with... in essence is really is still considered feral. It's strange, but it is true.

And, the other truth is, I love them as much as my indoor cats!


~~~~~~~~~

[ NOTE: Thank you, in advance, for any 's I may receive for this image. I am honoured and grateful that anyone would think well enough to it. So thank you from the bottom of my heart . I understand if you don't have time to comment, but thank you for any kind comments, too.
It's important to know this NOW, as I may NOT be able to do individual thank-you's for 's, or in case I cannot respond to each comment, either. Thanks for understanding.
And, if you just came to view, I appreciate that, too.
]



************
Respect � Tea Photography.
ALL work produced by Tea of � Tea Photography is protected, and shall NOT be reproduced, altered, or used in ANY kind of way.
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Comments: 56

TheDarkenedBride [2014-02-24 19:46:07 +0000 UTC]

fluffy cuties  

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maska13 [2014-02-09 12:09:58 +0000 UTC]

So cute faces

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Momotte2 [2013-12-18 09:40:04 +0000 UTC]

They are so sweet !

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TeaPhotography In reply to Momotte2 [2013-12-20 00:22:15 +0000 UTC]

Thank you my dear!!

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Doll-Ladi [2013-12-08 03:47:50 +0000 UTC]

 They are so adorable and look like they are best buddies I always enjoy seeing closeness like this among animals.Thank you for sharing their story and a big thank you for all the kindness you do for the benefit of animals.You are such an angel for caring and loving them and for giving them all a sense of security.They really are a gorgeous pair.


Love you Melissa   

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TeaPhotography In reply to Doll-Ladi [2013-12-20 00:21:48 +0000 UTC]

Yes I agree...

And I am glad you appreciate the story-telling part, too, it's just so many of my images have a story behind them.

Love you, too!

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Aussie-Blonde [2013-12-07 07:14:06 +0000 UTC]

awww sweet as, love it when cats get together..

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TeaPhotography In reply to Aussie-Blonde [2013-12-20 00:20:07 +0000 UTC]

Thank you, and me, too!

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Aussie-Blonde In reply to TeaPhotography [2013-12-21 09:21:15 +0000 UTC]

with pleasure Tea..just for U  

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bewilderedconfused [2013-12-06 04:33:26 +0000 UTC]

I just love this photo of Winston and Raya together!!! They seem to love it other!

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TeaPhotography In reply to bewilderedconfused [2013-12-07 02:39:32 +0000 UTC]

Thank you so much for this wonderful comment!
We really do think they love each other...
They are such great companions, and really only seem to have each other!

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bewilderedconfused In reply to TeaPhotography [2013-12-07 08:06:26 +0000 UTC]

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JocelyneR [2013-12-05 07:50:38 +0000 UTC]

Your feral babies are really beautiful, thanks to you, my dear Tea!

Thoughtful dedication to Teresa and Mel! 

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TeaPhotography In reply to JocelyneR [2013-12-07 02:38:34 +0000 UTC]

Thank you so much!
Thanks for everything!

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CarolynYM [2013-12-04 16:43:15 +0000 UTC]

You are a beautiful, dear lady, Tea  I love reading stories like this that have good endings

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TeaPhotography In reply to CarolynYM [2013-12-07 02:37:47 +0000 UTC]

Aww, well, that's so sweet...
I am happy you enjoy stories such as this!

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ArtBYbeverly [2013-12-04 02:10:10 +0000 UTC]

Aww what a lovely story, about your babies and absolutely gorgeous capture of them together Very sweet dedication to two wonderful people!!

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TeaPhotography In reply to ArtBYbeverly [2013-12-07 02:37:23 +0000 UTC]

Thank you so much, on all accounts!

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ArtBYbeverly In reply to TeaPhotography [2013-12-08 08:33:58 +0000 UTC]

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Geak-of-Nature [2013-12-03 21:15:38 +0000 UTC]

It's so nice that you've provided them with a safe, warm place to stay!

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TeaPhotography In reply to Geak-of-Nature [2013-12-07 02:37:01 +0000 UTC]

It took some doing over time to get it just the way we wanted it.
I think we are about as good as we can get, but we always come up with new ideas, too!

Thank you.

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Tigles1Artistry [2013-12-03 19:51:27 +0000 UTC]

Awww... OMG... Tea... this is just so nice of you.....
I love these two and of course Mel as well....
I guess our interest comes from the fact that here
in Portugal there are a lot of ferals, and the
population really does not worry too much about them....
They are not seen as a threat....
May be we are a bit "feral" ourselves...
I am really grateful for this beautiful gift my sweet....
I am speechless.....

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TeaPhotography In reply to Tigles1Artistry [2013-12-07 02:36:20 +0000 UTC]


I'm so happy you like this, and I know you loves these babies!

I think the situation of many ferals is very similar in many countries, because I have seen it the same in all of the countries I have been to, and I have heard of it in so many more, and you know I have been to Portugual. :aw:
But what is different, is something else you said... it is the perspective and attitude in general of the people of the country toward the feral cats which do tend to differ as a whole. This I know is true, and I find it fascinating. There are lots of reasons for the different perspective and attitudes of course.
But cats being domestic by species should never have become feral to begin with, so it's strange that they have been allowed to do so, and for example in countries where feral cats are more of a concern, it isn't that they are a threat to people as much as that they are a threat to themselves- and the idea of so very many sick, tortured, unloved, domestic animals left to turn back to "wild" without actually being "IN the wild" to be exactly properly equipped... some may not look so sick, but cats are great at hiding illness in order to protect themselves from being vulnerable.
But anyway, in some countries it is why as much effort as possible is made to bring down the feral population, whenever this is possible, and to find ways to help them... since they are not actually "wild cats" by species, but domestic cats.
I think the wild in myself, makes me very fascinated by this whole concept... I think many of us, DO have a wild side...

I love you so much for caring!

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Tigles1Artistry In reply to TeaPhotography [2013-12-07 14:08:30 +0000 UTC]

In fact my sweet sis...

If you have the time to look at this journal which I

did about the wild life in Lisbon 

WILD LIFE PRESERVATION IN LISBON, PORTUGAL
HELLO MY FRIENDS.... SINCE THERE HAS BEEN
SOME TALK ABOUT WILD ANIMALS IN URBAN
AREAS, I DECIDED TO DO A LITTLE
RESEARCH.... AND HERE ARE THE RESULTS
FOR THE LISBON AREA MAINLY....
I FEEL RATHER PROUD OF WHAT WE HAVE
BEEN ABLE TO ACHIEVE.....

LISBON...... A HOME FOR ANIMALS AS WELL AS PEOPLE.....

LISBON’S WILD LIFE RECOVERY CENTRE
Lisbon’s wild life is too precious to be discarded,
specially to its people....
In Lisbon... we live with jays, kestrels, turnstones,
seagulls, kormarans, owls, red squirrels, foxes... etc......

Turnstone by ~Albi748Seagull by `PixydreamA Very Curious Seagull by *SalemCatSeagull by ~scumdee
Blue Jay 05 by ~Jay-CoBlue jay 3 by ~purple007


you will see how things are developing now and

how we live with wild life.....

Have a lovely week end sweetie......

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crazygardener [2013-12-03 18:17:49 +0000 UTC]

Sweet!!! 

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TeaPhotography In reply to crazygardener [2013-12-07 02:23:53 +0000 UTC]

Thanks so much!

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crazygardener In reply to TeaPhotography [2013-12-07 12:37:16 +0000 UTC]

your so welcome my friend 

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chryssalis [2013-12-03 17:32:14 +0000 UTC]

I'm sure Teresa and Mel loooved these babies!!

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TeaPhotography In reply to chryssalis [2013-12-07 02:23:42 +0000 UTC]

Yes, I do think so!

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Fractalholic [2013-12-03 13:30:14 +0000 UTC]

Beautiful babies!!! Thanks so much for caring about them and actually
doing something for them rather just saying it's a shame like so many folks do!!

I have over a dozen now! It's all I can do just keeping up with feeding them! lol
I'd love to have a few of those heat pads for them to try but I'll never have money for that!
It would be great if you could maybe do a report on the pads you use and how well they
work or don't work!

Anyway, here's a small portion of my clan! lol     

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TeaPhotography In reply to Fractalholic [2013-12-07 02:07:44 +0000 UTC]

Thank you!
Yes, we are people of action, that much is true... animals are what we do in life anyway.

We had a lot more, in the immediate area, to be honest, but as we could not afford to feed so many, and care for so many, we took it upon ourselves to foster the tamer ones first, to prepare them for the humane society, and then when the kittens came we fostered them, and took them into the humane society, and we rescued a few others... and finally we were left with our two main ferals which we had grown quite close with, and plus we just knew they would always be too feral to be taken to our humane society... I did foster Raya's, [small striped one above] kittens, as soon as I could find them and that was difficult as they were turning feral... and it was at this point, we humanely trapped Raya and Winston, these last two, so that we would not have anymore growing populations in our area. This is too hard to deal with, and expensive for food, and difficult to properly care for.

So, we have not even seen new kittens in almost two years, and as far as other cats, just a couple indoor/outdoors that roam, but we know their owners.

So, we only have two of the heating pads, one for each, but they usually share one compartment together. They were donated to us, through the shelter, though, so I do not know how much they were.

They have continued to work since September so far... they seem to work well, so far... and have never gotten too hot.

Your photo is cute, I shall fav' it... it looks like we started out with about twenty or so plus also about four kitten litters, too, during the first Summer we were here... but our goal was to break the cycle and get it down to as few as possible, otherwise I can't imagine how many we'd have now, since cats can grow so exponentially!

But with a lot of work, we did that, and no cat was put to sleep in the process!

So we just have the two and it is manageable, even with our many indoor cats!

Good luck with yours, my friend!

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Fractalholic In reply to TeaPhotography [2013-12-07 04:26:52 +0000 UTC]

WOW! I'm kinda in the same boat now! I hope their done having kittens
for the winter but I'll be in trouble this spring and summer! Somehow I'll
have to get them all fixed!

Thanks Darlin! I appreciate it!!!

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Gryffgirl [2013-12-03 12:11:48 +0000 UTC]

They are very beautiful!

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TeaPhotography In reply to Gryffgirl [2013-12-07 01:56:20 +0000 UTC]

Thanks so much!

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seven-s [2013-12-03 10:41:36 +0000 UTC]

They are so cute!

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TeaPhotography In reply to seven-s [2013-12-07 01:56:07 +0000 UTC]

Thanks very much!

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davincipoppalag [2013-12-03 09:55:52 +0000 UTC]

awww  they look wonderful tea

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TeaPhotography In reply to davincipoppalag [2013-12-07 01:55:57 +0000 UTC]

They are beautiful babies, Dave, and right now they are surviving a huge Winter storm we are having... but I think they have it better than most... it will be 20 degrees tonight, for us that's cold.. there will be some snow in the morning! It happens about once each Winter!

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davincipoppalag In reply to TeaPhotography [2013-12-07 09:10:29 +0000 UTC]

wow.. its been in the 50s here...

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jennystokes [2013-12-03 09:11:27 +0000 UTC]

Not looking to Feral now!

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TeaPhotography In reply to jennystokes [2013-12-03 09:16:42 +0000 UTC]

Exactly, right?
No they really are quite at home...
but, technically, I really do think they are quite feral.
I can't touch Raya at all, except on the head, while she's eating...
and even though I can do lots with Winston, I'm the only one who can, so...
yeah. But, you're right, they don't look it!
Thank you!

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jennystokes In reply to TeaPhotography [2013-12-03 09:42:11 +0000 UTC]

I don't know whether you read my Newspaper article from Beaucaire (where I live) in France?
The Town Hall has decided to capture all the Feral cats that live on the street and on the roofs.
They will be all 'murdered.'
A LOT of us have got together with vets. and Animal Rights Assoc. to stop this...........I HOPE we can do it.
I think the best answer is to neuter them all and to put them back.
Our Town is very old Medieval, we need these cats to keep the mice and cat populations in check.
Also educating people!!!!!!!!!!
SO sick of all this.
BIG hugs Tea

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TeaPhotography In reply to jennystokes [2013-12-03 13:27:52 +0000 UTC]

The only way to win, is for the LOT of you to do what you are doing with vets and Animal Rights Assoc. to stop this.. as you are. You can only do what you are doing to FIGHT against these insane crimes of insanity.

They are still so few are far between here and it costs a lot of donated money to raise such programs, but there are TNR programs, you know, Trap Neuter Release Programs, where that is exactly what is done.
Volunteers go out and humanely trap them, and bring them to vets and humane societies or wherever there is the medically capable resource to do the neuters and spays, and they are indeed returned to where they were from. It may be costly up front, but it cost-effective in the long-run, and it begins to balance out the populations in the areas over time.

I know it is very very frustrating!

Medieval areas, medieval practices!

Or just plain lack of caring, or willingness to understand?

It does get exhausting over and over fighting for animals, against the same issues,
I truly feel you on this.

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jennystokes In reply to TeaPhotography [2013-12-03 13:40:36 +0000 UTC]

Thanx Tea..........................yes!
I try to tell people all the tme...........'OK so you this now and then what???????????????'
WE are getting stronger by the minute.
SO exhausting especially in France, which is a 'macho' society and people will not spey and neuter.
BIG hugs

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TeaPhotography In reply to jennystokes [2013-12-07 01:54:41 +0000 UTC]

Exactly! It is very much some 'macho' attitude that prevents a lot of people from wanting to spay and neuter! We have seen that over and over again here, too... like girls bringing in litters of cats to the shelter, from the same cat, because their boyfriends feel it's not manly to neuter the male cat they have, neither spay their female. *EYE ROLL*
How crazy is that? Then this attitude causes this unnecessary overpopulating which then gets pushed off on everyone else to deal with.
Poor kitties!
I'd like to see these 'macho' guys show up with these litters, but they are too cowards to face us.

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jennystokes In reply to TeaPhotography [2013-12-07 11:32:57 +0000 UTC]

SO right in every way................completely fed up.
Then the Ecologists have a go, kill the cats BUT noone in that 'genre' ever speaks about educating!
BIG hugs

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Arte-de-Junqueiro In reply to jennystokes [2013-12-03 10:11:22 +0000 UTC]

Yes, that "old" response is sick!!! I hope that you and your "lot" win the day!!! 's

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jennystokes In reply to Arte-de-Junqueiro [2013-12-03 10:26:27 +0000 UTC]

We will.
Hugs

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gigi50 [2013-12-03 09:10:34 +0000 UTC]

Awww sweet dedication for the loveliest couple indeed

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TeaPhotography In reply to gigi50 [2013-12-03 09:17:09 +0000 UTC]

Thank you so much my dear Gigi!

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