Call of the Wild: How One Alabama Saint is Saving the "Cats"
A beloved 88-year-old Alabama woman is rescuing feral cats, despite mounting evidence the growing cat population is becoming problematic. Neighbors report trash raids, property damage, and missing mail.
GREENVILLE, AL — In a world that can feel cold, 88-year-old Brenda "Nana" Higgins is a beacon of sunshine. Nestled at the end of a gravel road, Brenda has dedicated her golden years to a noble cause: rescuing the town’s booming population of feral "cats."
"Folks abandon 'em, but Nana’s got plenty of love," Brenda smiles, pouring a 50-pound bag of kibble onto her porch. "They’ve got the most beautiful, thick coats. A bit chunky, but that’s just because Nana knows how to take care of the kitties!"
While Brenda brags about her “healthy cats,” claiming that one is even smart enough to unscrew jars of peanut butter, some neighbors do not appear to support her kindness toward the feral cat population.
"I think three of her 'kittens' were trying to hotwire my John Deere –Earl Jenkins, Neighbor
“You can’t secure a trash can anymore,” sighed Martha Clemmons. “They work in teams. One distracts my hound dog while two others raid the bins. I offered to drive Brenda to the eye doctor, but she said there wasn’t enough time because of the cats.”
"I love Brenda, but those aren't cats. Those are highly organized forest bandits," says neighbor Earl Jenkins. "Last Tuesday, I think three of her 'kittens' were trying to hotwire my John Deere. Chewed clean through almost a thousand dollars of electrical components!”
Brenda remains unfazed. "Earl is just cranky," she chuckles, shooing a 25-pound raccoon named 'Mittens' who bares a row of razor-sharp teeth. "The world's changed. Everybody's afraid of everything these days. The mailman stopped coming up the driveway months ago. In my day folks were tougher, since when is a grown man afraid of cats?”
"Folks abandon 'em, but Nana’s got plenty of love," Brenda smiles, pouring a 50-pound bag of kibble onto her porch. "They’ve got the most beautiful, thick coats. A bit chunky, but that’s just because Nana knows how to take care of the kitties!"
While Brenda brags about her “healthy cats,” claiming that one is even smart enough to unscrew jars of peanut butter, some neighbors do not appear to support her kindness toward the feral cat population.
"I think three of her 'kittens' were trying to hotwire my John Deere –Earl Jenkins, Neighbor
“You can’t secure a trash can anymore,” sighed Martha Clemmons. “They work in teams. One distracts my hound dog while two others raid the bins. I offered to drive Brenda to the eye doctor, but she said there wasn’t enough time because of the cats.”
"I love Brenda, but those aren't cats. Those are highly organized forest bandits," says neighbor Earl Jenkins. "Last Tuesday, I think three of her 'kittens' were trying to hotwire my John Deere. Chewed clean through almost a thousand dollars of electrical components!”
Brenda remains unfazed. "Earl is just cranky," she chuckles, shooing a 25-pound raccoon named 'Mittens' who bares a row of razor-sharp teeth. "The world's changed. Everybody's afraid of everything these days. The mailman stopped coming up the driveway months ago. In my day folks were tougher, since when is a grown man afraid of cats?”
