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<< Previous   of   Next >> (click to enlarge) These cats were strays but now have a loving home.   ADVERTISEMENT   Related Stories • Cat lovers try to reduce feral population by trapping, neutering 5/27/08   CONTACT THE HERALD Robert Frank, City Editor frank@heraldnet.com   Published: Friday, May 30, 2008 With care, feral cats can often be tamed By Kristi O'Harran, Herald columnist Feral cats do not always have to be returned to the wild after they are spayed or neutered. Quite often they can be tamed. As we wrote Tuesday, Nancy Wahl, 53, of Granite Falls, a critical-care nurse at Cascade Valley Hospital in Arlington, spends her days off showing humans how to deal with feral cat colonies. Usually, wild cats are fixed, then released where they were found. Ferals are good at catching mice and rats. The ultimate idea is to eliminate wild colonies, but humans have to be willing to trap and fix the felines. One trio of Wahl's catches, including Nessa and Ali, shown in the picture at right, were trapped just off Cavalero Hill near Lake Stevens. They found a great indoor home where they lounge and cuddle. "They live in Monroe with a lovely family, along with their sister, Cinda," Wahl says. "Their mother was spayed and returned to that home. People are still feeding her, as well as a few other strays." Wahl is a self-professed "cat lady." She is fascinated by that often-maligned image. "So many people demean them and talk about them as if there is something wrong with them," she says. "Do you know what I have come to find out? Most cat ladies are well-educated middle-aged women who just care and are trying to help." For more information about taming feral kittens, e-mail Wahl at nwahl@netzero.net. Work continues today at Union Slough in Marysville to improve the health of upland grounds by removing invasive plants such as Scotch broom and blackberries, and planting native trees and shrubs. Four-legged workers -- 60 goats -- have been chomping weeds all week, says Mike Sato, director of communications, education and involvement with People For Puget Sound. Today the goats have helpers: about 140 seventh-graders from Edmonds. "I call that dual-species restoration work," Sato says. "A hilarious way to save our Sound." Our declining economy is pretty scary, from the price of gas to the cost of food. Some may not think getting a free snack is worth sitting through a Franco Zeffirelli film, but to each his own. If you want to join a viewing party for "Romeo and Juliet" during a Sundays with Shakespeare: Films at the Library program, show up at 1:30 p.m. Sunday at the Oak Harbor Library, 1000 SE Regatta Drive, Oak Harbor. The show is free, as is the popcorn. Fun Fact: My grandmother, Doris Brayton, was a member of the Utsalady Ladies Aid some 60 years ago. That's nothing, as the group had its first meeting in 1908. Celebrate its centennial from 1 to 4 p.m. Sunday at 78 Utsalady Drive, Camano Island. There will be strawberry shortcake, just like they served to welcome seven members at that first meeting. Sweet. Columnist Kristi O'Harran: 425-339-3451 or oharran@heraldnet.com.

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