How 13 volunteers changed the lives of 13 working cats

In early March, SOKS received an alert about a colony of feral cats facing removal from a business property in Stockton. Those were community cats, which could live in barns or warehouses where they provided natural, eco-friendly pest control.

SOKS immediately jumped into action, rallying a group of dedicated volunteers to rescue the animals.

In just one night and one morning, we managed to trap 13 cats! They were safely moved to a garage in a volunteer’s house where they waited to be vaccinated and spayed or neutered.

Because we could not return the cats to their original location, we had to find them new places to live. Remember, those were working cats, not pets, so they could not be placed in people’s homes.

A wonderful friend of SOKS, who is also a cat rescuer, agreed to give our 13 felines temporary shelter. We drove the kitties to her property in the Bay Area where she set them up in a protected enclosure known as a "catio." That allowed the cats to roam freely without being exposed to any outside dangers (see the video below).

In the meantime, SOKS put out a call for help to find permanent homes, such as barns, warehouses or gardens.

We were so happy when many people responded and were willing to follow a special protocol to relocate our working cats. Proper introduction to a new place takes about three weeks of adjustment. During that time, a cat must remain in an enclosed large dog kennel with food, water and a litter box. Only after that can it be allowed to roam freely.

Ultimately, it took the combined efforts of 13 incredible individuals to save 13 precious cats. Those 13 people were all volunteers involved in the TNR process, driving and feeding the cats, cleaning their enclosures and organizing relocation efforts. Thank you to Rudi, Barbara, both Kellys, Vicky, Judy, Jeanann, Roberta, Susan, Gena, Fiona and Connor. Thank you from the bottom of my heart!

We are also incredibly grateful to those who took the cats in to give them a new life. Thank you!

https://video.wixstatic.com/video/62d451_b1867e182b8f442599019cd945a40561/480p/mp4/file.mp4

Check out the catio where we temporarily housed the 13 working cats!

Frankie's transformation story, part 2

Read part 1.

Frankie was gradually adjusting to the daily routine of changing his bandages, and his wound was finally starting to heal. During this time, our friendship began to blossom. Frankie grew comfortable enough to roam freely in the garage where we kept his kennel. One day, he even touched my face with his nose! I couldn’t help but start falling in love with this sweet feline boy.

A Creative Solution

Since Frankie never allowed us to clip his claws, I had to come up with a creative solution to prevent him from scratching his wound. Because his injury was near his neck, using a cone wasn’t an option. After some trial and error, I invented a contraption that worked perfectly. This allowed us to skip the daily bandages, giving the wound a chance to breathe while still treating it with manuka honey and silver spray.

Around this time, Frankie stopped needing his kennel and moved to a cozy bedding on the floor. He even started letting us pet him, though he still growled occasionally. He gained a few pounds, and his coat became shiny and healthy. Frankie welcomed everyone who visited “his” garage, including my female indoor cat. Unfortunately, he never warmed up to my little chihuahua, so I have to keep them in separate rooms.

Frankie's Past Unveiled

One day, I received a call from a woman who said she knew Frankie before we rescued him. She explained that his previous owner had passed away, leaving Frankie to fend for himself on the streets. Every day, he would cross a dangerous road to reach a cat colony where neighbors regularly fed the animals. Then, he disappeared for a while. When he returned, he had a nasty wound on his back. He became increasingly distant and wouldn’t let anyone near him. And that was when we met him.

Hoping for a Healthy and Happy Future

Today, Frankie is a healthy, 15-pound sweetheart. Thanks to Dr. Kim, his wound was stitched up, and soon it will be hard to even spot the scar.

I would love to find a forever home for Frankie because he is such a wonderful, laid-back cat. He is confident, calm, and loves sprinting through the house in the early morning and late afternoon. His favorite napping spot is on top of the armchair. While he gazes longingly out the windows, he doesn’t seem eager to venture outside.

And that is Frankie's story. Please contact us to adopt Frankie.

https://video.wixstatic.com/video/62d451_7f6d38e57c9c4a5ab9d3b919742439b2/720p/mp4/file.mp4

Frankie's transformation story, part 1

SOKS does not typically assist with cat adoptions, as our primary focus is on TNR (Trap-Neuter-Return). However, on very rare and unique occasions, we may look for forever homes. Usually, when we encounter kittens or friendly adult cats during TNR, we try to connect them with animal rescues as quickly as possible. Unfortunately, this has become increasingly challenging as rescues are overwhelmed with cats in need of homes.

Frankie’s story is one of these rare and special cases, and we are currently searching for a loving forever home for him. He is now a sweet, healthy boy weighing 15 pounds. Here is his story.

How We Met

In October 2025, during a TNR event, we noticed a large male cat with a severe wound on the top of his neck. A significant amount of skin was missing—approximately five inches in diameter—leaving red flesh exposed.

After trapping him, we took him to the Stockton Animal Shelter, where he was neutered and his wound was closed with numerous stitches. Initially, we planned to return him to his colony. But the day after his surgery, the cat was growling and hissing in his trap, and I had a gut feeling that I should keep him a little longer. I decided to call him Frankie because the stitches on his neck reminded me of Frankenstein’s monster.

A Turn for the Worse

We transferred Frankie to a large kennel, which included a spacious cat carrier where he could hide. Since he didn’t trust us yet, the carrier allowed us to safely close the door while changing his litter and refilling his food and water. At that time, he continued to growl and hiss whenever we approached him.

Unfortunately, the stitches didn’t hold. After a few days, the wound wasn’t healing, and Frankie also developed an upper respiratory infection. The poor boy was in bad shape!

Because Frankie was feral and would not let anybody touch him, we could not take him to a vet. I also did not want him to go under anesthesia again so close to his recent treatment. Instead, I gave him antibiotics and better food, but I wasn’t sure what else to do.

A New Treatment

After doing more research and consulting with experienced cat friends and veterinarians, I learned about using silver manuka honey as a treatment for open wounds. By that time, Frankie was still growling, but he was probably just trying to let us know he wasn’t feeling well. He had started to allow a bit more contact, too.

With treats as a distraction, Frankie allowed me to apply the manuka honey ointment directly to his wound. I then quickly covered it with three rolls of bandages. Since the wound was in a difficult spot, I couldn’t use a cone to prevent him from scratching it. Instead, I changed the bandages daily for six weeks. Slowly but surely, things began to improve and Frankie was becoming more friendly.

Contact us to adopt Frankie.