09/19/2026
Around town, feral cats can definitely be a nuisance.
But then there’s George and we get asked often why we just don’t keep her inside. George is technically a feral cat, but she hasn’t been “just another feral cat” for a very long time.
Since 2021, George spent much of her time at Zig’s Station, where she claimed the place as her own. She became part of our everyday routine, and before long, customers knew her just as well as we did. People looked for her when they stopped in, asked about her when she wasn’t around, and learned pretty quickly that George does things on George’s terms.
She even has her own merch, which you can request! 😉
George came into our lives as a kitten and even though we could not get close to her for at least 2 years, we didn’t give up on her. And yes, we did sponsor her to be fixed during the Trap-Neuter-Return (TNR) program, which is when we found out George was an actually a female but her name remained the same.
Eventually, George moved up in the world. She got her own space, with her own door, at Steimle Garage. But if you ask George, it has another name entirely, it’s George’s House. And really, we’re just allowed to use it.
George has a routine, too. Yes, our feral cat has a social calendar. 😂 Her days start with very early morning walks to the station to see the coffee group, but first she can’t resist stopping at the library gazebo for a little playtime with “Dad,” and then taking the stroll with Dad back to George’s House.
If you’ve seen this (and you know Craig), you know how adorable it actually is! ❤️
George is still George, though. She is feral, and she isn’t a cat who can simply be “caged” inside and expected to be happy. She needs the freedom to roam, explore, visit her favorite places, and follow the routine she has created for herself.
But the beautiful part is that she also knows she has a safe place to go every night.
George’s House is her home base. It is where she can get out of the weather, settle in, feel safe, and know that she is cared for, while still getting to live life on her own terms. She doesn’t need to go dumpster diving since she gets her full course meals daily, including treats before bedtime.
She still gets to come and go as she pleases, patrols her territory, sit on dog watch, and continues to be one of those little characters that makes a small community feel like home.
We completely understand the frustration with large numbers of unmanaged feral cats. But George’s story is a little different. She is cared for. She is known. She has a routine, a home, a “Mom & Dad”, and an entire community of people who have grown pretty attached to her.
She started out as a feral cat just hanging around the station and somewhere along the way, she became family.
She’s not just another feral cat. She’s our George and we hope she finds her way back home safe. Life just would not be the same without Craig’s best friend 😞
