I had been rescuing cats and kittens my entire life but there was one cat who introduced me in to the world of TNVR and changed me forever. In July of 2011 a cat appeared outside of my house in Tampa Heights. Pure white, covered in wounds, blood and dirt. Rail thin. My heart sank, and I had to do something but had no idea how to help. After some searching on the internet I discovered a local low cost animal clinic which offered “TNR”. I had never even heard of the process but I rented a trap and crossed my fingers!
When I finally trapped “Chalky” it was obvious that he had a rough life. He was unsocialized, FIV+, covered in deep scars from fighting and had a huge ring of scaring around his neck from a tight collar or being tied up.
He recovered with us from his TNVR and stuck around. After about 4 months we were finally able to get within a few feet of him and eventually he crossed the threshold of our front door when tempted by food. Chalky continued to be cared for at my household as a “porch cat”. His personality blossomed over the next few months.
He began to trust us.
Fast forward another 2 months…Chalky became and indoor only happy house cat and gained his first best friend Brown. He was so grateful for his comfortable environment, his full belly and the endless snuggles. He lived happily with us until his passing in 2016. My life was never the same. Chalky was an inspiration and every cat and kitten saved is in his honor. He was a warrior and proof of all the love these cats have to give. They are all worthy of love and respect. Chalky’s Cat Crusade was founded in his honor.
