Unlikely Cat Lady: Feral Adventures In The Backyard Jungle

In her sassy, humorous memoir, Nina Malkin describes life as an accidental cat lady. She and her husband noticed feral cats in their Brooklyn neighborhood, had their hearts stolen away, and then educated themselves about proper handling of feral colonies. Nina and Jason quickly became Trap/Neuter/Return (TNR) advocates. TNR is a grassroots effort to trap feral cats (a humane trap will run you $50), have them neutered and vaccinated, and return them to the wild. A true cat lover can not just feed feral colonies, encouraging continued breeding, so TNR is a true way to show humane support for animals. Nina lovingly names her cat-neighbors after rock stars Axl Rose and Sid Vicious, and throughout the course of the book, she teaches the reader to appreciate these lost and wild cats on their own terms.

This is the first published book i've seen that describes someone's experience with TNR, (trap, neuter, return) which is what everyone should do if you have a feral cat in your backyard. You look up your local cat rescue or SPCA groups to find who is supporting TNR in your neighborhood, you get a vet appt or find out when the next TNR vet day is for feral cats (many vets won't work on ferals hence a good idea to hook up with an existing TNR group, or just start your own), you buy or borrow a cat sized humane animal trap (20-40$), trap the cat, take it in to be vaccinated and neutered, and then if feral, release it back in the same location. And then, ideally, feed and monitor your TNR'd cats (their ears will be tipped so you can tell who you've done and who is unneutered). No more kittens or cat explosions, and you have the security of knowing the ferals in the area are protected against rabies. More and more people are getting on the TNR bandwagon. It's pretty easy to do, and you know you've done some good for the animals in your neighborhood. Feeding of course is not enough, because the animals continue to breed. Feral cats aren't easily adoptable, and many shelters will just euthanize them. They're in that middle ground between wild and pet animals, but with a little effort they can be given a niche to survive in the environment, and TNR is what they need, plus a bowl of kibble and some water. This is a light and amusing book that describes one woman's first venture into TNR. The only cautionary note was that I didn't like it when she let one cat out of the trap and didn't TNR him because she didn't find him attractive. It's a sorry thing when such care is only available to cute kittens. And if she didn't like him, why leave him unneutered to sire more just like him? And I wondered if she had gotten him vet care, if he would have made it, since he seemed ill. At least he could have been humanely euthanized rather than being let out, ill and still unneutered. But other than that one diappointing occurance, it was a reasonably good tale.

I enjoyed this book more than I had expected. It was not only a delight to read,but informative as well. Being a cat lover and having adopted my share of "outside cats", I certainly could relate to the author's experiences. I read parts of the book to my husband who agreed that she captured the essence of many of our own experiences. If you are a cat lover or interested in animal welfare, you will find this a worthwhile and quick read.

First, Flaca didn't wander into Nina and Jason's backyard. Nina spied her on the sidewalk down the block when she left her brownstone on her way out the front door and made the Psst, Psst sound and soon had a hungry and very sweet friend. Publishers Weekly must have forgotten the specifics of that meeting. Sadly, Flaca stopped showing up one day and Nina envisioned, first all the worst things that might have happened, then thought someone else may have taken her in. But soon, the little family of Momma and four tiny kittens did stroll into the back yard and latched onto both Nina's and her husband, Jason's heart. This true story is a journey for both the very kind people involved as well as their helpful friends and, of course, the cats. Nina named the momma cat Axl Rose and the 4 kittens Sid (Vicious), Nancy, Paul (a girl) and Raylene, also a girl. The investment of the time, energy, and their money was mainly a step in the desire to help feral cats, as well as to stem the proliferation of more and more colonies in their neighborhood. Education first was key to doing it right and Nina and Jason did it right. This isn't a how-to book, although it provides the information if one is inspired to get involved. It reads like a can't put down novel, for me. It's funny, it allows us a look into Nina and Jason's everyday life and it's also sad - just like all of our lives are, but especially when a life includes beloved animals. I've personally been involved with many stray cats over the past 13 years, having them spayed or neutered, then taking them to one or two cat shelters who then take them to places like Pet Smart on special days to find an owner. In the process of the testing phase though, I've lost 2 because of positive FIV or Leukemia tests, but I think more than 15 found loving homes through the adoptions. This was before T/N/R became so popular - and it's a wonderful solution. I've also added 4 to my own existing 2 house cats, which has been a mixed joy. I believe that's more than enough to classify me as one of those "crazy cat ladies", but age and exhaustion has put a stop to that. Read this book, guys. It's wonderful and inspiring.

This is a wonderful non-fiction book about cats, but it's so much more. It's about the beat of Brooklyn,the beasts that inhabit the borough (both four-legged and two) and rock and roll. Malkin writes about stalking and being stalked by wild animals. Although she feeds them and gives them names of dead and living rock stars, ultimately she learns they're not to be tamed but accepted on their own terms. She provides useful advice about dealing with a backyard invasion of stray cats, but in a narrative unlike any other animal book I've read. Think Marley and Me meets Hunter Thompson's Hell Angels.