AbbeyLaneCats.org is PROUD FRIENDS with NeighborhoodCats.org
We often support cats featured by NEIGHBORHOODCATS.org
Eight years ago, a little cat with tri-colored fur and a spotted pink-and-black nose wandered into Vince’s Staten Island colony. After feeding her for a few days, Vince said to the young feral, “I’m gonna name you Georgie. What do you think of that?” To his surprise, she looked him in the eye and meowed right back. That was the start of a lifelong conversation. After that Vince talked to Georgie every day as he filled food dishes and tidied empty plates. And Georgie, in her sweet, piping mew, always answered - until last week.
When Vince got out of his car, calling for Georgie, it seemed like any other morning. Then he saw her. His old friend lay motionless on a blanket where she usually napped in the sun, too weak to stand up. Squinting in pain, she was eerily silent except for the sound of her harsh, rapid breathing. Vince managed to slip the unresisting cat into a carrier and raced to a nearby vet. He couldn’t afford extensive critical care so, while the doctors got to work, he called Neighborhood Cats for help.
The results have just come back and - good news! - there’s no sign of cancer. The mass is ulcerated gum tissue caused by the stomatitis. Though Georgie’s condition is serious, it’s curable. With dental surgery and expert, supportive care she can be saved. But the procedure is costly and we can’t do it without you.
Will you donate to help Vince’s chatty girl get well? With so much life still ahead, she’s counting on all of us. Please give what you can for Georgie today.
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.
