What keeps Shaw and all the others going is the joy they see in families who adopt a kitten

SOLANO REGION, CA (MPG) - Inside a small, soft-sided colorful playpen are several little fur balls making the tiniest little meow sounds but these precious cat munchkins are a far cry from how most kittens enter this space. These came from "just a cat hoarder" which was considered far less cruel than the recent discovery of a cardboard box full of baby kittens that had been thrown inside a Leisure Town dumpster. The lid had been duct-taped closed. The kittens were starving and sick with bacterial infections. Volunteers from Solano Kitten Network rescued them.

For more than 20 years, Solano County has had a crew of angels working to save homeless animals, mostly cats, but with COVID-19 forcing the shutdowns of spay and neuter veterinary clinics there is a cat population explosion and the organization is desperate for more help.

"We see the worst of the worst," said SKN President Trina Shaw. "We get flea infested, in the gutter, and dying of Parvo. One fourth are from pregnant feral cats having their seventh litter outside under a bush." She deemed years ago that the ferals were the ones that needed help the most because they kill birds and poop in people's yards so people don't want them around.

"But, it is the irresponsible pet owners that initially create the problem by not spaying or neutering their pets," she explained. "Ultimately, they throw them out when they are in heat because they're screaming and their hormones are running rampant and the poor animals don't know what's happening to their bodies. Those are the cats that wind up starving, run over by cars, or eaten by dogs."

Shaw's passion is visible through her determined voice.

"There is not a good life for ferals and that's why my heart bleeds because [people] don't want to hear the horrible parts," she said. "They want that cute little kitten they got a few months ago. They don't want to hear about the homeless cats."

Shaw started rescuing kittens 21 years ago and formed an alliance with others who felt the same including veterinarians who were willing to provide low cost spay and neuter services, other volunteers, and vet techs. They have collaborated with other groups in Solano County but recently formalized their non-profit status so they would be able to improve their fundraising efforts. That's when the pandemic hit.

"There are no low-cost spay or neuter clinics in Solano County," she said. "The California Veterinary Medical Board has deemed spay and neuter non-essential. They are supposed to be doing emergencies only. They want everyone to stay home."

All fundraising efforts stopped like their carnival, food sales, and Bingo nights. The group has to rely on the community's donations and postings on social media with desperate pleas like when they had 21 sick cats.

During the outburst of this new feral situation and due to surgery recovery time, one volunteer drives two and a half hours to the nearest spay/neuter clinic and another drives back the next day to pick them up. In addition, females need five days to recover and they all need food and warmth before you can let any of them back out.

The group's Board consists of Shaw of Dixon, two Secretaries, Andy Thomson-Dunn of Vacaville and Kathy Hall-Neeser of Dixon, and Treasurer Anastasia Kalis-Miner of Fairfield who are all volunteers but Shaw admits it is more like a full-time job. There are also medical people, PR people, application processors, and 35 animal-loving foster families. None act alone.

"Like the others, I have a very supportive husband and three children who have been bottle feeding since they could walk. My oldest is 24. It's a family affair," Shaw said. "Everybody's got a pitch in and help and this is what we do." During last year's LNU fires, for example, the group had 26 displaced cats to find homes for.

"There wasn't a spot in our house that didn't have a crate stacked in it," she said. Her husband, who owns a diesel repair shop near downtown Dixon, has let her use some space in his shop and loaned a truck to the group to trap them.

While Shaw was growing up, she was allergic to all animals, and feels that's why she has such a heart for them now.

"I think that my whole purpose in this world is to save God's creatures," she said in a much softer tone. "I admit I've tried to quit many, many times because this is not always a pleasant hobby. Many times it is heart-wrenching."

Feral Facts

They learn of cats from phone calls or they see a dead kitty on the road, she explained. There is never one kitty so they have to find the others or they will re-populate. Because a cat is sexually mature at 16 weeks (four months,) the feral cat can reproduce rapidly and often abandons her litter. Kittens born without mothers do not learn to groom themselves or use a litter box, Shaw explained.

When they trap a pregnant cat, they allow her to have her babies and once all the babies are fixed, the mother gets fixed and they combo test for feline aids, leukemia, and other diseases. Then, the cat is returned to where it was living knowing it is not going to spread disease.

Shaw seemed almost indignant when asked about trying to find homes for the animals.

"We don't 'try.' We get the best possible home that we can after getting an extensive 4-page application, interviews, and home visits," she said adamantly. After seeing what they have seen, their extensive effort is justified. "We make sure they don't have seven children under the age of seven, they are homeowners, etc. adding that she has heard every story possible and every lie that can be said but they are all experienced now and know what it takes to be a good pet owner, she explained.

"Our ultimate goal is to get them a barn home, ranch-style living where they can be safe and it takes 21 days to acclimate a cat to its surroundings. The new owner receives a cage and instructions so that the cat gets acclimated to the new owner, the home, food, water so the cat knows it is a safe zone," she added. Good homes and responsible pet owners are always needed.

What keeps Shaw and all the others going is the joy they see in families who adopt a kitten. There are some families who still send Christmas cards with pictures and others occasionally call just to report on their pleasure with their pet, they said. They also tout the benefits of cats as they provide great companionship, are fastidious, clean, and are great at keeping one's home free of mice and bugs.

The group is currently looking for a free or extremely inexpensive storefront to open a thrift store where sales will benefit the organization. If anyone knows of such a place, please contact them. For more information or to donate to the Solano Kitten Network, see their Facebook page or call (707) 862-1400.