FORT NORFOLK, Va. - In 1923, historic Fort Norfolk became the home of Norfolk District, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, which started out with 27 employees.
But those first employees were not alone.
Urban feral cats roamed the 19th century stronghold, one of the best preserved War of 1812-era military fortresses in the United States. And while no one knows their exact number, stories passed down by employees over the years put the numbers of feral cats as high as 100.
A few employees would volunteer their time and resources to feed and look out for the cats; some cats were adopted by employees. But there was no formal program to manage and control their population.
That changed in 1992 when the district formed an all-volunteer Feral Cat Management Program. At that time there were 62 feral cats, including a few strays.
The FCMP is a trap/neuter/return program (TNR). Each cat is caught in a humane trap and taken to a veterinarian to be examined, neutered, inoculated and given any necessary treatment. The veterinarian clips or notches the cat's ear tip to indicate that the cat has been altered. The cat is then returned to Fort Norfolk to live its feral life.
The FCMP provides food, water and shelter as well as veterinary care, which includes all necessary vaccinations and testing and treatment for feline diseases. Norfolk District's program is modeled after Alley Cat Allies' TNR Program, a nonprofit national network that links caretakers and helps educate the public on the humane management of feral cat populations.
The FCMP is funded through the district's Corps Cat Fund, which consists solely of volunteer donations. The program has all but eliminated the conception and birth of new kittens and over time has significantly reduced the cat population. The eight cats that remain in the program live in a safe, healthy environment.
"The cats here are an integral part of the urban wildlife scene at Fort Norfolk, and they are beneficial to the environment," said Lane Killam, one of the original FCMP caretakers. "Fort Norfolk is located on the Elizabeth River, and the feral cats help control the rodent population. They are generally leery of humans and non-aggressive."
The eight feral cats at Fort Norfolk, with names like Yoda, Mackie, M.J., Mr. Blackie, Maxie, Honey, Bear and Prissy, have become somewhat social with their FCMP caretakers.
"I grew up on a farm with cats in a very cat-loving family," said Betty Waring, who has fed the ferals here since the 1980s. "It has been one of my greatest pleasures to take care of these wonderful animals over the years. When I arrive at work each morning, the cats run to greet me with their tails up high. Their love is unconditional, which matches that of our great group of caretakers here."
Each feral cat has its own unique personality and some are real characters, Killam said.
In 2001, Mackie won the Alley Cat Allies' Photo Contest, and her likeness was featured on a syndicated cartoon strip. And Bubba, who recently died, had a video posted on YouTube, "It's All About Bubba," which was produced by FCMP caretaker John H. Newton.
Sometimes stray or abandoned cats show up at Fort Norfolk, like one that the FCMP group found and named Jimmy Kat. Longtime caretaker Anita Bradshaw said caretakers bring cats like Jimmy Kat to the veterinarian for a health check, and then find them a loving home.
The Norfolk District caregivers found a new home for Jimmy Kat a few weeks before Christmas.
"I love each of these cats as though they were my own, and when we lose one, it hurts just as much," Bradshaw said. "I'm a true believer in our program. If a feral cat colony is managed correctly, the population can be controlled in a humane way."
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