I finally got the okay from Operation Catnip for a mid-clinic nipping, so I set out to trap mamma Nose and her babies on Sunday night. I trapped her almost immediately. None of the babies. Even now.

She did great and got nipped yesterday. She was so quiet and calm except for a few frantic, almost secret attempts to escape the trap.

This morning I lugged her trap across the street to her colony and released her. She darted out and beelined for a food bowl. Lady was hungry! She didn’t show any extra fear of me than normal. And she snuzzled her kitty buddies.

And then I carried the trap back across the street. It was then that I finally noticed the lump on our side of the road. In the grey morning light, I thought (hoped) it was just leaves, but I knew better. It was a small black cat. Already in full rigor. Very much gone.

I cry for Lil’ Mamma not just because she had a tough life, and because despite that, she kept struggling to succeed. She had so many litters of kittens, and lived in fear for so many years until she was released from the breeding cycle. She was a good mom, strong and determined. And fierce! That girl was full of sass and vinegar. I can still see her sauntering up the driveway, her round belly waddling just a bit, her tail broadcasting that she would take zero shit from anyone.

Beyond that, as I count the kitties that have met an unhappy end just on our corner of the street, I have to feel for them. They just don’t have much of a chance. Only 25% of kittens born make it to their 6-month mark. On the streets, cats live an average of about 7 years. Compare that to 14-16 (sometimes even into their 20s) for indoor cats.

I cannot say this enough. because there is no need for these problems.

• Be a responsible pet owner.
• Get your animals fixed, and keep them up to date on shots.
• Keep your animals in your house or yard. Or on a leash. Period.
• Drive carefully through neighborhoods.
• Be a responsible human.
• Be a kind human.