In the United States alone, there are an estimated 60 million feral cats living on the streets, in back alleyways, and in other less-than-ideal places.
It is a bit of an epidemic, with so many animals being born and living with diseases, as there are too many cats giving birth and not being care for medically.
Many organizations are working on the "TNR" strategy, which stands for "trap, neuter, and release." Some feral cats are very friendly, but that comes after a lot of interaction with a human. I imagine the cats that Willie Ortiz feeds are very friendly by now.
For the last 22 years, Willie has been feeding the feral cats in his neighborhood, using any money he makes to pay for their food.
The veteran and husband will load up his van every night around 7 p.m. to visit all of the different colonies of feral cats in order to feed them. In the 20-plus years since he began, he has not missed a single day.
[H/T: Love Meow]
In 1995, Willie witnessed a cat being pushed away after begging for food. He could see how helpless the kitten felt, and didn't ever want another cat to feel that way. So, he began feeding all the feral kitties that he could!
In 2016, Kathleen Schlentz told more of Willie's story on GoFundMe. Every day for the last 22 years, Willie has worked hard to feed the cats.
He currently feeds about 16 cat colonies, which amounts to 70 cats in his neighborhood. Not only does he make sure the cats are fed, he also tends to their medical needs if they are sick or injured.
It takes Willie about three and a half hours each night to feed all of the cats.
Along with feeding them, Willie is very proactive about TNR. As soon as a new cat arrives in a colony, he tries to trap it so they can be spayed or neutered. It is a very important part of what Willie does to keep the animals safe.
"He's on the search every day for disguarded [sic] scrap metal," Kathleen wrote on GoFundMe about Willie's efforts. "People also call him to donate it and he has connections with various businesses that so kindly donate scrap metal on a continues [sic] basis. If there is anything that he can sell for a higher dollar, he sells it on Craigslist. Whatever it takes to continue his mission."
Willie's story has gained attention after he was covered by a local newspaper, the Hartford Courant. A GoFundMe page was also started to raise money to help him feed all of the cats. The goal was set for $5,000, but donations poured in and nearly four times that amount has already been raised for Willie!
If you are inspired by Willie's story, you can donate to the GoFundMe set up for him here.
If you would like to know in what ways you can help feral cats in your area, you can read these seven tips for helping feral cats get through the winter.
Please SHARE this kindhearted veteran with all of your friends and family!
