With the feral cat population in Philadelphia running wild, many of the cities animal lovers are taking action. Kathy Lehman, the Supervisor of Paley Library Circulation and Reserve, is one of these animal lovers. Her efforts have made more than five feral cats on Temple University’s main campus very happy. Thanks to her efforts they now have a home and food in there belly.
Nestled in between Paley Library and the Tuttleman building is the Tuttleman Courtyard. This space is primarily utilized by students and faculty as a quiet place to eat or study, but it also provides a sheltered environment for many of the campuses stray cats. We spoke to Kathy to get her side of the story.
“It all started pretty casually I had noticed some cats in the courtyard and one day I decided to feed them… And then I started reading about real feral cat communities and making your own feral cat shelters. And my husband and I built a couple feral cat shelters out of a couple 100-gallon Rubbermaid tubs.” Kathy Lehman.
Every morning Kathy hauls a 25 pound bag of dry food from her office to the courtyard. She fills a large bowl to ensure none of the furry critters that call the courtyard home go hungry throughout the day. She also empties four cans of wet food that provide extra nutrients to help them get through the winter.
Her dedication to this cat community does come at a price. She spends nearly 60 dollars a month on food alone. Despite receiving discounts at the PSPCA she also expends a lot of money on Spaying and Neutering and Vaccines for the cats she rescues. If you’d like to help out Kathy accepts cash donations and also offers advice on building and maintaining your own feral cat communities. If you’d like to learn more about cat rescue programs in the city visit PSPCA website or Morris Animal Refuge’s homepage.
Be the first to comment