PONTIAC – The story of the street cats living in Jean and Fred
Priest’s garage has a happy ending.
Volunteers from Animal Care Network, the only Pontiac-based organization
that picks up stray and feral cats in the city, began setting live traps
in the garage.
The Priests had been feeding and taking care of the cats but they were
financially unable to continue caring for them. In addition, the brood’s
numbers increased as the cats had kittens and brought them into the
garage.
As of Tuesday, Priest said there was one more cat to be caught for sure,
but Pam Porteous of Animal Care Network believes there are at least four
or five more around the house, in addition to the seven the volunteers
have already caught. The four adult cats were too wild and had to be
euthanized.
The good news for the Priests, who became fond of the cats even though
they weren’t able to be domesticated, is that the three kittens are not
completely feral.
Porteous said the kittens will be evaluated for health and temperament
and are in a foster home to see how they adjust to human contact.
If they can come around and are healthy enough, they could be adoptable
in the future.
Jean Priest said she is very appreciative of what Porteous and the
Animal Care Network volunteers do and she plans to donate to the
organization in the future.
“They do such good work,” said Priest. “They are very humane about it.”