Editor:
We have had at least six cats dumped in our neighborhood, and some have already starved to death.
There was an emaciated gray and white cat, which was seen walking slowly down 12th, who could barely stand up. We think it was very close to death.
Then we saw a yellow cat in almost as bad shape. Skin and bones, sick, no food for days, perhaps weeks. As of yesterday, it was around the stop sign by the railroad tracks on 12th Avenue, north of Main Street. It looks like it has days left.
Then a pretty-princess, long-haired light calico ran by our home off 12th heading for the Northside Park.
Except for her ragged coat and ribs showing, you’d still think she was someone’s beloved pet. Our neighbor is graciously feeding a big, yellow tom with its own collar that showed up a few days ago, and we have been feeding a white and gray female with a distinctive “raccoon” tail, even though she won’t let us within 10 feet of her.
All these cats seem scared to death of people even though they are starving. And then three days ago a black cat with white face markings and a weird second tail growing out of his back showed up. He had diarrhea, could barely walk and was so skinny I wanted to cry.
I can’t catch these cats. They are too scared, and slowly they will all die and the problem will be solved. Until the next batch is dumped down here.
I really believe people who dump their unwanted cats don’t know how they suffer for weeks before they die. They honestly believe that their cats will be “adopted” right away and find good homes.
They haven’t seen them trying to eat snakes, snails, anything that crawls when they can find anything. No wonder they get sick and lose hair and get so weak they can barely walk. And then they crawl off somewhere and die.
If you recognize any of these cats and they have strayed away or somehow disappeared and you still want them, they are down around the Northside Park off 12th in the neighborhood somewhere.
Mrs. Don Walthall
Sweet Home