FFUR: The Foundation for Feline Urban Rescue

Rusty & Lulu

Rusty and Lulu are, to quote a member of our board, “like a Disney movie.” Rusty was a feral cat in our colony for four years before we were able to finally trap him during a blizzard in February. He spent three weeks in the hospital recovering from surgeries, but was never able to adjust to being indoors and with people. On a sunny warm day in April he was released back into the feral colony.

That day he befriended Lulu, the young daughter of one of our other ferals, Violet. Lulu, a tiny mackerel tabby with white feet and front, was finally trapped and spayed in June (we had been trying to capture her since Violet first brought her to be fed when she was only a few weeks old). She was so feral the vet refused to even have her overnight in the hospital because she could not be handled. But we kept her indoors in the carrier (fortunately she was very small) for several more days until she was more healed from her surgery.

Meanwhile, Rusty had kept vigil outside the back door the whole time she was gone. When we released her, they spent the afternoon rolling around in the grass together. They now live in the garden and on the front porch, a loving feral cat couple that is inseparable. They come when called for breakfast and dinner, and sleep on their little cushioned chairs on the front porch every night

Pumpkin

Pumpkin, the FFUR spokescat (that’s her stern little face on the business card asking “Have you adopted a cat yet?"), was brought to FFUR by one of the cats in our feral colony, Uncle Lyle, one morning at breakfast. At the time, Pumpkin was a small kitten with a large voice. Two years later she is still small and still has the large voice, but she has been working hard for FFUR. She is responsible for rehabilitating a feral rescue cat, Sinead, and has become a beloved member of a multi-cat household. 

Floyd

Floyd’s first owner moved out of her apartment and left Floyd behind. He spent close to a year on the street before being captured and adopted. He is now a happy housecat again.

Emma

Emma was a stray who had a very high fever. Initially, our veterinarians couldn’t determine the cause, but soon found a chicken bone lodged behind Emma’s upper teeth. Now she’s happy and healthy and purry!

Shelby

Shelby was one of a litter of feral cats born and raised in a sewer inlet. FFUR was able to trap her before she hit puberty and started having kittens. She is shy but gentle and much loved.

Lily

Lily was a stray who gave birth to four live kittens and three stillborn kittens. Soon after giving birth, she and the kittens were infected with Giardia, necessitating a long course of medication. All four kittens were adopted together, and Lily now rules the roost at her multi-cat home.

Seamus

“He’s not our cat anymore.” That’s what Seamus’ first family said when we took him off the street and returned him to the address on his tag. His previous owners were unwilling to have him neutered and didn’t want him spraying in the house. He was covered in motor oil from sleeping under cars. FFUR had him neutered and found him a happy multi-cat home. 

Maddie

Before she was adopted, Maddie (nee Bunny) was part of a feral cat gang. She was pregnant and had a hernia when FFUR rescued her. She was given necessary medical attention and fostered with other cats until she was well enough to be adopted. Two friends of FFUR adopted her and brought her home to live with them and their other cat, Indy.

Maddie is now happy and healthy and spends her days eating, sleeping, chasing pieces of fluff on the floor, and trying to figure out how to open that pesky bathroom door. 

Harry

One of the friendliest cats ever to walk the earth, Harry has never met a person he didn’t like and would be very good with children. Harry spent several months recovering from a serious injury, but is now in excellent health. He was adopted by a loving family with three young boys who love kissing his nose.

June Brown

June Brown (for the English actress she resembles) is a small tortoise shell with a big voice and an even bigger purr. When she was rescued she was skeletally thin, infested with fleas, mites and intestinal parasites, newly pregnant and FLV positive. Her ill health and FLV status made it too risky to continue the pregnancy, and she was spayed immediately. She is now in good health, parasite-free and beginning to put on a little weight, although she is still thin and will always be small (and thus very adorable). JB likes nothing better than to curl in a lap, on a shoulder or to sit on your chest.

Little JB has been adopted into a loving multi-cat family after having been diagnosed with lymphoma. It is hoped that she will have at least a good year left, but regardless, she will be loved until her passing and will not be dying a terrible and painful death on the streets.

Niahm

Niahm, an elegant and serene calico of immense intelligence and warmth, was rescued after several months of attempting to lure her. Starving and very underweight, she had been both eager to be taken care of but terrified of people and would sit in the bushes and cry pitifully.

Niahm has been adopted into a loving single cat household with a former dancer and lyric soprano. She literally rules the roost as she has a huge cat “tree” in her new living room. She is exceptionally purry and her new person says that “everyone” should get a cat from FFUR.

Baby Doc

Baby Doc has been adopted and has moved to his new home in Ann Arbor, Michigan where he is now an honorary “wolverine” (U Mich mascot).

Despite having moved during Hurricane Ernesto, he “weathered” the trip well. He is much beloved by his new college-campus household and has quickly adapted to his new digs. He counts himself as another FFUR success story.