Morpheus was trapped Jan. 3, 2025, on West Windsor Avenue in Tuscany Falls. He was an adult intact male. A resident had seen him on her outdoor cameras in May of 2024, but we were unable to trap him at that time. But this time our sardines proved to be irresistible.
Here is where the story gets really interesting. On April 3 of 2024 we trapped a young female cat, approximately six to seven months old, at the same house. She was a new mom, with four kittens about a month old that were found on a rooftop two houses away. Sue Ann Olsavicky and Mary O’Neill rescued those four kittens (referred to as the “rooftop kittens”), who were known as Riddick, Ripley, Lara, and Katniss. They lived with their mom Leia at Mary’s house and then Sue Ann’s house until they were weaned. Leia was spayed, got her vaccines, and released back at the same house. She still occasionally shows up on the outdoor cameras. Ripley (now Kiley) was adopted by a PebbleCreek resident, where she is a stunningly beautiful princess. Lara and Katniss (now Josie and Katie) live with a Vistancia resident where they cuddle together. Riddick was adopted by Mary, and he continues to be a handful just as he was as a kitten. Riddick is almost a carbon copy of Morpheus, and with their very distinctive coat patterns, it is evident that Morpheus is Riddick’s father. So, while Riddick was sleeping on the sofa in Mary’s house, his father was in a holding pen in the garage that we use for feral cats. We have now captured the entire family.
Once rescued, the Pet Companions Club got him his shots and his neuter procedure. Morpheus was obviously a pet at some point due to his behavior, but had become too feral being outside for too long. So, after his neuter procedure, he was released back at the same house.
Why do we release feral cats back where they were found? Because the territory is familiar to them. They know where to hide from coyotes, and they know where to find food.
Morpheus is a great example of why it is critical for us to rescue cats when they are still kittens. A kitten rescued before six weeks of age will not become feral. An adult cat who is abandoned in our community may not become feral if we can get to them in time. Feral cats need to be spayed or neutered to prevent them from adding to the population of cats.
We need donations to pay the veterinarian bills for our rescued cats and dogs. We have recently made it easier to donate to us by adding Zelle as an option. You can send us a donation through Zelle at [email protected], or send us a check by mail to The Pet Companions Club of PebbleCreek, PO Box 6106, Goodyear, AZ, 85338-0619.