Each week we highlight cats featured by NEIGHBORHOODCATS.org
On Wednesday, we brought Hollywood in for his scheduled dental surgery when without warning, he began struggling to breathe. X-rays and other tests found a benign but fast-growing polyp in his throat. The mass was partially blocking his airway and, without intervention, would soon cut it off. Hollywood went straight into emergency surgery to remove the polyp. While the operation was successful, our poor boy wasn’t out of the woods yet. After the procedure, bleeding from his nose and mouth wouldn’t stop and we had to rush him to a critical care hospital.
From the bottom of our hearts, thank you.
Susan Richmond, Executive Director
Neighborhood Cats
NeighborhoodCats has perfectly expressed why thousands of people have become cat colony caregivers...
"Why work with ferals? It’s a question we’re often asked.When there’s so much wrong in the world today, why choose to work with animals you may never be able to touch? Who must be trapped to get them fixed and handled carefully so you don’t get hurt? Who are misunderstood by many and resented simply for being there?
Because their lives have value. Because they feel want, pain and, yes, love like everyone. Because they’re innocent and need us. And because you want us to help them, something you make clear every time you donate.
Please consider a generous gift to our Holiday Rescue Fund and make it possible for us to save more of these precious lives in 2026."
Cat Caregivers: Unsung Heroes Appreciated Worldwide
- Turkey (especially Istanbul): Rooted in cultural and religious traditions that revere cats, feeding and caring for strays is seen as a virtuous deed; communities, shopkeepers, and even municipalities support caregivers, viewing them as guardians of a beloved urban tradition.
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Japan: Government-backed community cat programs honor volunteers who practice Trap-Neuter-Return and daily care; these caregivers are respected as responsible stewards contributing to humane population control and animal welfare.
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Italy (e.g., Rome): Stray cat colonies at historic sites are legally protected, and those who feed and monitor them are valued for preserving a cherished part of the city's cultural fabric.
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Greece and Cyprus: On islands and in towns abundant with strays, feeding cats is a common, heartfelt act of kindness that's socially embraced as part of everyday life and tourism charm.
Love Cats? Ready for a rewarding challenge? Answer a call to service...
Dedicate yourself to caring for the Abbey Lane Cats!
They certainly come in all shapes, colors & sizes don't they?
If you’re a Cat Lover this opportunity might be perfect for you. Think words like “dedication,” “purpose,” “commitment,” and “heartwarming rewards” as you read on.
I’m Doug Hines, the primary caregiver for AbbeyLaneCats.org in Hagerstown, MD. At 78, I’m still going strong with my daily duties, but for the cats’ sake, I need to plan ahead should the unexpected happen.
I’m looking for a like-minded local who shares a deep respect and love for cats as innocent beings in a humanly dominated world. Someone who could step in and take over colony responsibilities if needed.
This role requires true commitment—the cats must come first, above other life plans or potential moves. This is a long-term promise to safeguard these animals.
Ideally, you’d live nearby (the Londontowne Apartments area) to make the routine easier, as it involves multiple daily trips to the colony site.
Smokers need not apply. There is straw, dried leaves and twigs all over the place at the colony site.
This is a 7-day-a-week commitment, rain or shine. You’ll trek in all weather, shovel short paths through
Financially, unless you’re set, you’ll need to continually seek community donations for food and vet care—representing the cats to others is part of the responsibility.
It’s not always easy: Tragedies can occur, and you’ll face naysayer critics who don’t understand cats. If you have pets at home, you’ll have to balance colony care with their care too.
But there is magic—I can tell you that, after a lifetime of jobs, none of my past jobs were as personally rewarding as caring for this cat colony. Watching a once-feral cat warm up, greet you, and rub against your legs is profoundly gratifying and makes every effort worthwhile. You’ll get a totally new understanding of the phrase ‘Making a Difference.’
If caring for cats sounds like your calling, Contact me using the Contact Form on the website to get my contact info. Let’s chat about the cats, arrange a meeting at the colony site, and see how you might fit in.
Thank you for even considering such a huge responsibility. - Doug Hines, Advocate for the Cats on Abbey Lane
Daily Routine:
7:00am - Prepare and deliver food for the 7:30am feeding. Replace water and shelter warmers.
10:00am (summer) - Replace water & collect glass bowls (to avoid attracting daytime pests).
1pm (winter) - Replace water & collect dishes.
10:30am (summer) 1:30pm (winter) - Wash/dry bowls & choose food for the next meal.
7:00pm - Replace water & shelter warmers, Collect food bowls (to avoid attracting nighttime predators)..
7:30pm - Wash/dry food bowls & choose food for the next morning meal.
A Letter to Chewy...
on behalf of cat colony caregivers everywhere
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re: The Chewy Wish List Program
Chewy provides qualified animal welfare non-profit 501(c)(3) organizations (shelters & rescues) across the United States the ability to create a custom Wish List on Chewy.com to share with supporters for donations.
I wrote to Chewy to ask that they include colony caregivers in the their Wish List program. Doing so would positively affect hundreds of caregivers and thousands of cats.
I'm posting my letter here to encourage you, the supporters of AbbeyLaneCats.org, as well as the thousands of pet people throughout the Country, to contact Chewy and lend support to this idea.
To Chewy:
I’m writing to ask that, in addition to shelters and rescues, Chewy include colony caregivers in the Chewy Wish List program.
I am the primary caregiver for AbbeyLaneCats.org. AbbeyLaneCats is devoted to the care and well-being of a colony of feral and stray kitties in Hagerstown, Maryland. The work is entirely volunteer-driven, providing fresh food and clean water twice daily, essential supplies, shelters, feeding stations, and arranging for essential veterinary care. We are totally reliant on the generosity of local people for cat food and gift funding.
I depend on donations to feed my colony. I have an active Wish List on Amazon where I can create a list of specific products that donors can access to make orders. That process works, but it isn’t enough. Many people would prefer to purchase products from Chewy rather from Amazon.
Local colony caregivers are essentially volunteers who love cats. Generally, these people do not have the ability to create a 501(c)(3) and become formally recognized as a shelter or rescue. They are just people in the community who answer the call for feeding the cats down the street, in the back alleys, or in the woods.
Obviously, Chewy would need to set parameters for a caregiver’s acceptance into the Wish List program. There would be a need to validate an applicant’s authenticity and program eligibility. One way Chewy could verify a colony applicant’s legitimacy is having the applicant provide pictures of the colony cats, shelters, and feeding stations. In other words, an applicant would need to provide proof that a colony actually exists.
The benefit to Chewy in enabling caregivers access the Wish List program would be enormous. Can you imagine the increase in business? Maybe more importantly, can you imagine the long-term benefits for the colony cats themselves?
Please consider my request, and add colony caregivers to the Chewy Wish List program.
Thank You, Doug Hines, AbbeyLaneCats.org
