About the Author

Who is Miriam?

Miriam is a local San Antonio, Texas resident since 2013. Before coming a Texas, I previously lived in a city called Waterbury, Connecticut. I know huge difference like... 30 states away. Why would I move out of a Cold Northern State to a  Hot Southern State. Well I met someone while playing a video game on Xbox and the rest is history. 

 

So how did I get to where I am today?

Well...  lets just say I never I mean like never ever imagined how many cats and kittens were a problem stray population wise. They were everywhere! I knew nothing about Trap, Neuter, Release, rescues/shelters, etc. Because it wasn't a thing where I previously lived in.  

So... as I am thinking it all started with one cat her name was grey kitty (outdoor old cat). And then there was Mila (she was a outdoor tripod that belonged to a neighbor her life was short). Another cat that gave birth with a handful of kittens that was like 7 years or so ago. Eventually one kitten that came into our lives. Her name is Viviana. Her paw was caught in a fence at the age of 6 weeks trying to get away from a human that had a garden (think of it as fairyland paradise) and that human didn't want any cats or kittens in their yard. Got a call about Viviana (before we officially called her that), to come get this kitten. I was working at a retail store at the time. I miss those employee discounts. I was a employee Baby Depot Specialist for Burlington Coat Factory. I got home and there she was on my side of the bed with those little pupils looking at me. 

And I'm like great... (because we were not allowed to have any cats or kittens what so ever in the home). My Significant other... wanted to wait until Monday for her (this was a Sunday) to see the vet. I told him no. This cat's paw is dead it needs a vet's attention now.   I mentioned there is a local animal hospital on the same street where I worked at the time. We were seen. They expected us to euthanize her because of the dead paw and the surgery to get it removed was expensive in their business. So Tiny (the temporary name), became our $1,000 kitten, her front right leg was removed, and she has a little nub. We call it her phantom paw. 

And the rest of that part is history, she is still with us turning 7 years old in July 15th, 2021. Over time more kittens came to our area reproducing and that's how we ended up with our additional two boys Haku and Ninja. Haku was born to Scarlett our outdoor long hair black momma cat (had two litters got her spayed after her 2nd litter, rehomed her since we were being evicted not just for the cats I refused to throw my kittens at the time, off into the street so they would get by a car demanded by a person. Ninja was born to a feral momma Silver. Oh I wished she was mine when she was a kitten. A beautiful white silver maine coon type of cat. But her momma did her job protecting her babies, feeding them (Viviana's mom), making sure they were taught how to survive. She moved to another area. Her kittens were rehomed same as Scarlett. Scarlett and Silver gave birth the same day. April 2015,  Battle of The Flowers Day Parade during a rain/hail storm,  Scarlett was indoors and Silver was outdoors. Took us 3 days to find them. 

So... time frame wise I want to say during the time of 2014-2016, we liked what we were doing. Went to craigslist (that's how I found homes for the kittens), I made sure they went to good homes. One went to a doctor etc. We took kittens and momma cats from craigslist sheltered, cared for, until this one case a woman who had maybe 14 kittens we thought we could take care of the sick ones (2017) because we've gone the vet with other ones for simple fecal in the eyes stuff, de-womer etc. I made a post for help because I felt like it was the right thing to do. So a volunteer contacted me and they came to my home interviewed etc. When they went to the vet this was a first (because we knew nothing of quarantine) it was the Feline Calicivirus. Yeah that was lovely. I re-contacted the person who had those original kittens and the momma to tell every single person she adopted those kittens to, to have them see a vet immediately. None of those kittens were vetted, and the moms they had were not vaccinated. My cats however were fixed, vaccinated, chipped, combo tested etc. I didn't have to worry about them. I had to worry about the other kittens that were not fully protected vaccine wise. And that's how we got involved with San Antonio Feral Cat Coalition. 

Mind you during 2015 or 2016 I had to leave BCF, January 2015 because during those times of 2013 and up I was going through a rough time it wasn't just a job, moving to a new location, having culture shock, allergy attacks (god Texas is such an awful state for allergies), I had developed over time a medical diagnosis that finally decided to reveal itself. I never had like severe medical problems until I came down. I had what I thought was normal you know like back pain, upset stomach every once in awhile etc as you get older. I went to doctors, specialists they didn't know what was wrong with me. Until I saw a rheumatologist. I was diagnosed at the time with Fibromyalgia and a rare Autoimmune Disorder; Mixed Connective Tissue Disease hint the name Mixie. 

So yeah you can kinda get the jist. Labs, blah blah blah. So what did I do when not working. Well I focused on being a person who took care of cats and kittens at a limited number so I can make myself you know feel productive while trying to take control of my chronic conditions. I became the cat lady, I was the adoption counselor, the medical person for SAFCC, the foster home interviewer, the adoption event coordinator, the adoption center manager during my medical retirement. I wanted to focus on feeling good about myself, not feeling like I am not valued in a community, I wanted to learn as much as I could so I could succeed in the world of cats and kittens. I'm not just a chronically ill person who sat a home being "lazy". I wanted to enjoy my time after researching MCTD that patients who were diagnosed with this disease depending on the stage they were in that they meant nothing just waiting for a death sentence of the 10 years left to live. I had to climb a lot of battles to get to where I am today. 

When did I learn about Trap Neuter Return? 

Well that part was from my old residence before getting evicted, by my old neighbor who owned Grey Kitty and Mila. My S.O. purchased a trap thats made by Tomahawk I think. That metal slamming trap before we knew about TruCatch traps (those are sooo much better). The one cat (probably was Viviana's sibling) another black cat she was producing kittens. She was caught. And brought inside. And then... Mr. I feel so sorry for her, she's crying I hate to hear her cry. Guess what he did, he let her out of the trap and she ran in the home. Never physically saw her again. Since she was never litterbox trained you can follow where I am going here. We did not see her until... two months later. In a closet. During the process of eviction. I did not go in the closet, someone else did and thought she was a bear. And I called my so saying Schrodinger's Cat is Alive.   He came home, Grabbed her with gloves and put her back outside. Her name was the Phantom Menace. Yes she had food and water, because of my first three Viviana, Haku and Ninja. Weeks later she found her way back home. And a captured a photo sent it to him and said the Phantom has returned for vengeance.  She had laser eyes when the photo was taken. I wish I had that photo but it was on an old cell phone. -sigh-

2017 and nowish...

I left San Antonio Feral Cat Coalition back in 2019, December. Had burnout, and other stuff. Oh! Before I forget. I made a group back in 2018 called SA Cat Rescue (facebook) for the purpose of networking and so people could stop blowing up my phone over kittens. I knew there were other people like me who could bottle feed kittens, shelter moms,  you know to get them out of my home/phone. As of today it is the biggest success portal wise to get information out there, have community involvement, education and stuff. I still foster independently, foster for Helotes Humane Society, I own a business called Black Spot Cat Corner that's supposed to be a rescue just for momma cats and kittens. That's on a slow progress... Why? Covid hit , people couldn't pay their bills, shelters were locked down including rescues.

So why Cats of Texas?

I wanted to make not only a difference but make a business out of it. I feel there is so little about cats market wise that it is needed. I want to see this as a job opportunity out there in the future for people who are cat rescuers or advocates and make some kind of living by publishing stories, advertising local cat businesses, have rescues noticed, have local community groups published, have photographers that want to open their avenue of business and show their work on my news outlet, people who are like me chronically fascinating that want to put some kind of value in their life. Have only no kill shelters listed on newsletters to bring people their way. Have local small businesses notices for either making pet products or showing community support fundraisers,  anyone that's like a 1099 who is a strong animal advocate that values the same thing we do for our community. I have given so much to my community it's a passion that has helped so much and I want to make sure I get back what is given by having advertisements featured on newsletters, making a good impact of what should be good impact having people give faith back to ourselves that something good happened. I am tired of the ugliness that strays are not being helped especially our felines. Let's make Texas a better place for our feline friends.