A once feral cat made her feelings clear when the rescue group that captured her as part of a trap, neuter, release (TNR) program tried to put her back with her colony.
However, Momo, estimated to be barely a year old, refused to leave her carrier when they returned to her colony, instead opting to stay in the safety of her rescuer’s care.
Lisa VanZegern, alongside her 78-year-old mother, operates Cat Trap Fever in Michigan and is dedicated to TNR efforts for feral cat colonies.
“When we trapped Momo, we didn’t know she was pregnant,” VanZegern told Newsweek. “After she gave birth, unfortunately, the kittens didn’t survive due to inbreeding in the colony. Once we spayed her and prepared to release her, Momo gave us a look that spoke volumes—she didn’t want to go back.”
In a video posted earlier this month to their TikTok page @cattrapfever, they shared footage of the moment they tried to release Momo. The videos’ text overlay read: “When a cat decides they don’t want to go back to their old colony.”
Despite being shy and wary of humans, her hesitation to leave her carrier prompted VanZegern and her team to decide to bring Momo back to their sanctuary.
@cattrapfever We brought her back home. 🥰#fromferaltofamily
“We have a small sanctuary for cats who are in a gray area—not quite adoptable, but not truly feral either. Momo fit right in. She chose comfort and safety over the uncertainty of outdoor life,” VanZegern explained.
In 2023, 6.5 million animals entered shelters in the United States, according to Shelter Animals Count, up 4 percent when compared to 2022 intakes. Of 2023 shelter intakes, the largest percentage, 48 percent, were stray animals.
While there isn’t exact data, estimates suggest that there are millions of wild and feral cats in the U.S. Feral female cats have an average of 1.6 litters of kittens per year, while males are responsible for an average of seven pregnancies per year.
This makes TNR programs like Cat Trap Fever’s an essential part of protecting wild and feral cats from starvation, disease and trauma that can often be a big part of life on the streets.
The TikTok video has gained more than 157,000 views so far, with comments pouring in from users with love for Momo.
“She’s saying, ‘No more street life for me, I want sheets and warmth,'” user Chronicgrumpy wrote.
JW posted: “She said she’s not about that life anymore.”
