“Where do cats sleep at night,” you wonder as you prepare to feed the friendly neighborhood cats before the sun goes down. Whether they’re ferals or strays, cats are typically self-taught to find a sheltered spot before the night falls to ensure they’re safe and secure.
But even then, they’re known to sleep with one eye open because they’re aware of the dangers lurking in the dark. Before we answer the question, we need to differentiate between ferals and strays. Feral cats are what we’d describe as “wild” cats.
They roam the streets together, team up to find food, work together to seek shelter, and turn to each other to protect the territory. They’re scared of humans because they’ve never been rescued off the streets. They’re more than happy to stay outside.
Stray cats, on the other hand, are “abandoned” cats. They’re familiar with human affection and attention and they’re roaming the streets because they’re hoping someone’s going to rescue them.
They’re dependent on humans to feed them even though they’re known to catch rodents, bugs, and crawling creatures to get by. They’re sometimes scared of humans, too, but they’re happy to meow and purr when they’re sure you want what’s best for them.
When you’re wondering how to help your neighborhood ferals and strays, don’t throw away your cardboard boxes or blankets.
Build them a shelter, provide them with food, and protect them when they’re attacked. Contact rescues and shelters to check whether they’re able to help, too. Whatever you do, don’t turn your head away from them – help them as much as you’re able to.
We can assure you that you’re not the only one wondering how to help. We’re bringing you a story about a police department that decided to build a cat condo for a local calico cat that kept coming back to the station.
When the Boston Police Department noticed a cute calico cat roaming around the Boston Police Special Weapons and Tactics base, the police officers didn’t think she’d stick around. But the calico continued stopping by every single day.
She would show up out of nowhere during the “chow time,” hang out with the officers and shower them with affection. She would wait for them to come back from calls and missions and demand attention. She would meow and purr, roll on her back, and demand belly rubs.
Over time, the calico grew closer and closer to the officers. She was the head of the team. She was the one everyone talked about. She was the one everyone wanted to hang out with.
Of course, the officers started bringing her food, shopping for cute cat bowls, and Google searching things like “Can cats eat tuna?” and “Can cats get sick from eating raw meat?!”
On top of that, the officers took her to the vet, spayed her, and chipped her to ensure she was ready to become the unofficial mascot of the BPD SWAT Team.
She was healthy, happy to hang out with the officers, and excited for the future. She was a sight for sore eyes, but she was even more adored for the fact that she was friendly, cute, and cuddly. She was the star of the team and she knew that.
But, there’s always a but when we’re talking about cats – especially calico cats. She was stubborn and she didn’t want to be adopted.
She wanted to roam around, explore the neighborhood, and do whatever she wanted to do during her free time. She cared for the officers, but she didn’t want them to take her home or force her to sleep at the station.
So, the officers started experimenting with different cat condos she could use when she comes by. She didn’t think she’d ever have a home, that’s for sure.
She was suspicious of the cardboard boxes and excuses for cat condos she was presented with – the officers didn’t know how to build proper cat condos, but they were trying their best.
She preferred napping on the officers’ cars, but she warmed up to most of the cat condos she received over time. Fast forward to today, the officers decided that she deserved a better home and surprised her with a huge handmade cat condo.
Boston Police Department took to Facebook to share a few photos of the officers setting up the calico cat’s new home.
By that time, the calico cat was named SWAT cat and she was over the moon with her present. Her new cat condo was as big as a children’s tree house, made with plenty of padding for warmth, and equipped with a bunch of features meant to keep her as comfortable as possible.
Officer Jamie Pietroski, a 15-year veteran of the Boston Police Department, was the one who made the condo, but the rest of the department helped, too.
Jamie stayed up late working on the SWAT cat’s condo for weeks, but he wanted to do something nice for her. He believed that the SWAT cat deserved a condo worthy of her title and he wanted to make sure she knew how much every single one of the officers cared for her.
When the calico cat saw the condo, she didn’t know what to do. She sniffed around the entire thing, climbed on the deck, and meowed her little heart out. She rubbed her teeth around the corners of the condo to mark her territory and the rest was history.
She thanked the officers the only way she knew how – she snuggled with them, “made muffins,” and retreated to her new home. The doors of the Boston Police Department are always open for the SWAT cat, but the officers are happy they were able to surprise her with a condo worthy of her value.
We love you, SWAT cat!