Help! That Tabby Cat in the Quad is Cute!

Meg Campbell, Features Contributor

If you’ve been in the quad at all over the past few weeks, you’ve probably seen Timbits, the unofficial campus cat. With Timmy’s popularity, the Canisius Zoological Society would like to remind everybody about the proper way to take care of stray cats.

A feral cat may be poorly groomed and not spayed/neutered, whereas a cat who has wandered away from its home is more likely to be well groomed, receptive to capture and fixed. A cat with a notched or “tipped” ear may indicate that they have been neutered and returned to the place they were trapped. If you find a cat you suspect to be feral or stray, contact a reputable agency like the SPCA and post on local lost pet pages to see if they have an owner. Alternatively, get in touch with a local vet and have the cat scanned for a microchip.

Contrary to popular depictions, you probably shouldn’t run back to your dorm to grab a saucer of milk “Aristocats” style. In the absence of cat food from the store, some human foods will do in a pinch! Cats can eat meat like chicken (who wants to figure out if they like drums or flats better?) and low-sodium tuna.

If you have any questions, don’t hesitate to reach out to a local vet or animal advocate — we all want to see Timmy in the spring!