Have you ever encountered a feral cat that, at first glance, seemed to have a connection with you? Well, it is actually not that easy to befriend and adopt them since they haven't been socialized with humans. It requires a great deal of effort for stray cats to transition into becoming indoor pets. However, just because it's challenging doesn't mean we shouldn't try.
Mig and Toup exemplify the beautiful friendship that can develop between humans and feral cats. Although Mig has known Toup since her high school days, it took time for them to become inseparable. Their bond also inspired Mig to establish her own rescue center called "The Biscuit Factory." If you'd like to support the rescue and rehabilitation of feral cats, you can visit their social media for more information on how you can help.
Meet Toup, a chatty fellow that spent most of his life as a stray until he was comfortable enough to join a household
Image credits: the.biscuit.factoryy
Mig and Toup have shared a bond for nearly a decade, but only in 2018 did Toup start his transition of becoming an indoor cat
Image credits: the.biscuit.factoryy
Bored Panda reached out to Mig to learn more about Toup and “The Biscuit Factory”. We wanted Mig to tell us more about Toup’s transition into becoming an indoor cat. She wrote: “Toup was running around my neighborhood for a few years before he felt comfortable enough to live indoors here. I saw that he was ear-tipped, which is a visual indicator that a cat has been through a TNR program, so I knew he was spayed or neutered and deemed okay to live outside. But I wanted to help him anyways, so I started leaving food outside for him on the porch, and eventually, he would let me pet him. Then, I started feeding him in my mudroom with the outside door open to help him feel more comfortable, and he slowly started spending more and more time inside. Now, he spends more time inside than he does outside, especially if it's cold or raining.”
Image credits: the.biscuit.factoryy
Image credits: the.biscuit.factoryy
Due to his clipped ear, Mig believes that Toup underwent a TNR (Trap, Neuter, Return) program, an initiative aimed at managing feral cat populations
Image credits: the.biscuit.factoryy
Image credits: the.biscuit.factoryy
Since there are more cats than resources to take them in, a lot of felines live out their lives as feral cats, but luckily for Toup that was not the case
Image credits: the.biscuit.factoryy
Adopting a feral cat is a process requiring a lot of patience and kindness. Therefore, we asked Mig to share any advice or tips that could help those who are considering this.“ If you’re considering adopting a cat that has lived most of its life outdoors, make sure to give them the time they need to adjust. These cats can be shy or timid, which can cause them to be often overlooked, but they still deserve a warm and loving home. The extra time and effort it might take to help them adjust will be well worth it, as cats like this often become very sweet as if they are thankful that they have someone to care for them,” shared Mig.
Image credits: the.biscuit.factoryy
After a year or two of feeding Toup, he began to visit more frequently, prompting Mig to make the decision to bring him indoors
Image credits: the.biscuit.factoryy
Image credits: the.biscuit.factoryy
Image credits: the.biscuit.factoryy
This transition ultimately allowed Toup to become accustomed to the comforts of indoor life and feel at ease as an indoor cat
Image credits: the.biscuit.factoryy
Since adopting Toup, Mig has founded an independent rescue organization, and we wanted to learn more about it as well as how it ties back to Toup’s story. Mig wrote: “ A few years ago, I started sharing Toup, along with some of my other cats, on social media and, much to my surprise, we gained a lot of followers. I’ve always loved cats and I wanted to do something positive with our newfound support, so in December of 2022, I founded The Biscuit Factory, which is an independent, foster-based rescue. Here, at The Biscuit Factory, we try to help our community cats in many different ways, including a huge focus on TNR, like the program we believe Toup once went through.”
Image credits: the.biscuit.factoryy
Image credits: the.biscuit.factoryy
Toup inspired Mig to take saving feral and other cats in need into her own hands and founded a rescue center called “The Biscuit Factory”
Image credits: the.biscuit.factoryy
“The Biscuit Factory” has been operating for almost half a year in Jefferson County, Pennsylvania. We wanted to know what are their hopes and goals for their future. “I hope that The Biscuit Factory gains more support locally, especially in the form of volunteers and foster homes. Feral cats are a community problem, therefore I would like to see the community step up to help. Eventually, I would like The Biscuit Factory to expand into having a cat café or ice cream parlor, where people can come and enjoy a treat with the kitties, and a large portion of the proceeds from this will help benefit the cats,” wrote Mig.
Image credits: the.biscuit.factoryy
Over the years, Mig and her family have saved 35 kitties with more to come in the future
Image credits: the.biscuit.factoryy
In this line of work, there must be a lot of challenges or misconceptions that are overlooked, so we asked Mig to share what they are and how she addresses them.
“The biggest challenge I have encountered working with feral cats is that, unfortunately, there are not many options for local low-cost spay/neuter clinics. So, I often transport large numbers of these cats several hours away, which takes a lot of time and planning,” wrote Mig.
“The biggest challenge I have encountered working with feral cats is that, unfortunately, there are not many options for local low-cost spay/neuter clinics. So, I often transport large numbers of these cats several hours away, which takes a lot of time and planning,” wrote Mig.
Toup's journey not only became a testament to the incredible bond that can form between humans and feral animals but also as an inspiration to save other stray cats
Image credits: the.biscuit.factoryy
And lastly, Mig added: “ I would like to thank all of the amazing people I have in my life to support my efforts in rescuing; my family, my partner, our foster homes, and of course all of our followers. I wouldn’t be able to continue helping cats if it weren’t for the support the kitties and I receive.”