D.C. can’t be adopted. He isn’t a nice cat. He’s been roaming the streets for the past seven or so years, doing as he pleases – impregnating all the lady cats he can along the way. “Dr. Dunn is going to love me,” said Forgotten Feline’s vice president, Megan Schubert, sarcastically of the “devil cat.” D.C.’s fate almost sent him to cat heaven, until Forgotten Felines came along.
Schubert and Elise Mucha, president of the nonprofit, took over the foundation in March and have doubled the number of cats trapped, spayed, neutered and adopted. Forgotten Felines also provides food for homeless and abandoned cats in the Keys.
“It costs about $3,000 in dry food a month to keep the colonies fed,” said Schubert, who spends her free time trapping cats and teaching the public about feral cats. It started for her about three years ago, when her Marathon neighborhood was populated by 15 wild cats that kept having more and more kittens.
“I took an interest in my cats, and then Forgotten Felines and helping all the cats,” she said. Partnered with Florida Keys SPCA and SNIP, an inexpensive spay and neuter clinic, Forgotten Felines has trapped 138 cats, fixed 129 (some moms and kittens are still in foster care), provided more than 30 veterinary visits and adopted out 35 cats.
“It’s an always-on-call job,” she said, while spending about once a week from 7 p.m.to midnight or 2 a.m. trapping feral cats Keyswide, from Key Largo to Key West. “It can be a little overwhelming between trapping and fundraising.”
Since Hurricane Irma, a lot of the cat colonies were destroyed or moved, and most people had the mindset of “oh, feral cats, they are such a nuisance,” but since taking over, Schubert said, community members like Ralph Lucignano and others have stepped up to take in the forgotten felines. “It’s huge having them help out.”
Dr. Michael Dunn of Keys Animal Hospital is also is a big help, raising $8,000 recently to support the spaying and neutering of feral cats for Florida Keys SPCA, SNIP and Forgotten Felines. “Luckily, lately, our cats have only been costing the price of vaccinations,” said Schubert.
As for D.C., he’s a free man-cat again, allowed to love on the lady cats with a lot less testosterone.
The organization is always looking for volunteers to help with fundraising and to learn about the trapping methods of the feral cats. To learn more about the organization, visit fb.com/keysforgottenfelines.
Black Tie, Black Cat Cocktail Party
On Sunday, Oct. 21, Forgotten Felines will be hosting an art auction from 5 to 6:30 p.m. in Marathon Community Theatre’s lounge, followed by a cocktail party at Plaza Grill. The art auction will feature the private collection of late nationally known local artist M. G. Motches. The theatre will have a cash bar, and it is open to public. Following the art auction, a $50 per person private cocktail party will take place at Plaza Grill with heavy appetizers and specialty cocktails included. To RSVP for the party, email forgottenfelinesfloridakeys@yahoo.com or text 305-942-1553.
