By Floating between San Pedro and Long Beach, the ghosts of long-gone fish canneries remain in the largely artificial, man-made Terminal Island.
But between warped wire gates, asphalt sink holes and rocks on the ocean, evidence the island once produced the most tuna in the world throughout the ’40s lives on, in the shape of 50-70 feral cats.
Many are thought to be the descendants of a rodent-control strategy used during the island’s booming fishing industry days, while others believe newer populations are introduced due to people abandoning and dumping them there.
This tomcat was a new face to Jeanne and the colony on May 3. The red irritation on his neck, Jeanne believes, is the start of mange, which is a contagious skin disease in animals caused by parasitic mites. Photo credit: Julia Goldman
No matter how they got there, each one is promised a meal and personalized name with the McClellan mother-daughter duo: 90-year-old Doris and 61-year-old Jeanne.
“We’ve had a lot of interesting things happen, I feel like we are supposed to be there,” Jeanne said. “There is something looking over the cats there. I know some people think it’s Terminal Island, there’s a bunch of cats’ – but on certain days, it’s pretty magical.”
Jeanne said cats first entered her world nearly three decades ago, when her coworker presented her a cardboard box containing four 3-week-old kittens that required around the clock care.
Never taking their leave, the New Jersey-natives have volunteered their time and money to help cats in need across Long Beach, picking up their duties at Terminal Island three years ago.
Now, every Friday and Saturday, individual felines at the island, like Up and Over, 007 and Shamrock await options of fish or chicken cat food from the pair.
From left to right, Penny Lane, Frankincense and Frankie enjoy a meal on May 3. According to Jeanne, Frankincense is the son of Frankie. Photo credit: Julia Goldman
The menu’s variety is a choice Jeanne attributes to her and her mother’s time spent volunteering at the Seal Beach Animal Care Center 22 years ago, where Jeanne learned that not all cats like fish, that Doris was a natural at restraining cats who needed medical care and that she loved caring for them – whether they were friendly, or feral.
“I had a soft spot, being an introvert, being the shy kid, being in the shadows, to help a cat that felt that way,” Jeanne said. “I always had a soft spot for them, I would’ve liked someone to do that for me.”
Preparations for the next feeding begin as soon as the pair returns from their last.
Jeanne, who works over 40 hours a week in the hospital business operations industry, credits Doris as the backbone of the operation.
With gloves on her hands, Doris begins the cat feeding on March 22. The process includes distributing meals onto plates, refilling water bowls, collecting last cycle’s dirty dishes and picking up any trash in the vicinity. Photo credit: Julia Goldman
It all starts with Doris washing last week’s stacks of ceramic and plastic plates, intentionally leaving rings of dish soap to the edges during the summers to help stop the ants from coming in.
Then, she visits PetSmart, where she said a staff member recognizes her and expects her return, retrieving cases of wet food and bulk bags.
For the menu, Doris clears cases of chicken and fish wet food each into two large clear plastic tubs and refills 15 old milk quarts with water.
Lastly, she loads everything into the car.
“When I come home on Fridays, everything is ready to go,” Jeanne said. “She’s doing the labor.”
The response was simple for Doris.
“Well, I’ve got the time,” she said.
When the big event comes, word gets around – and the feedings aren’t just exclusive to cats. With birdseed and kibble in mind for them, resident pigeons and even raccoons receive a meal as well. Photo credit: Julia Goldman
On the other days of the week that Jeanne and Doris are not present, The Port of Los Angeles Cat Alliance Team and their volunteers feed the cats.
However, the care does not stop there.
The two, who work alongside animals hospitals and rescues, will go on missions to trap and release the cats, to get them spayed, neutered or seen for medical crises.
“If we have an animal who has medical needs, [POLACAT] will share the costs sporadically,” Jeanne said.
The work however, has its challenges.
Originally, in the first year of feeding, Jeanne said they visited the island three to four times a week, but the cost of food, medical expenses and the labor on Doris was unmanageable.
“I feel bad that I’m not able to do as much medically, from all the work that we’ve been doing, I still have a $17,000 vet bill,” Jeanne said. “I’m limping along. I’m not good at fundraising, I’m not good at Facebook.”
Patting her gently on the back, Doris leaned over to Jeanne and said, “my little introvert.”
Monkeyface, as seen on the right on March 22, was one of Jeanne’s favorite cats from the Terminal Island colony. Jeanne said she had been trying to catch him to get him treated for the large mass on his shoulder for quite some time. During their feeding on May 2, the pair found him after he had been hit by a car; despite efforts to save him at an emergency vet, Monkeyface passed away that night. Photo credit: Julia Goldman
Despite the debt and hardships, Jeanne said it is the cats that keep them going.
But with each new medical crisis, and an ongoing issue of cats being dumped, with some being in-tact and creating even more cats, the demand for volunteers, resources and additional help increases.
To learn more about how to support and the ways to volunteer, check out Jeanne’s nonprofit, the Healing Heart Haven for Animals.
