Autumn has always been my favorite season. I love the brightly colored falling leaves, sweaters and boots, the crisp kiss of frost in the air, and harvesting the last of summer’s vegetables from the garden – fat pumpkins in orange and white, twisted gourds, and even a few squash and zucchini that still cling to the vine. But fall is also a reminder that winter and all its hardships for outdoor and community cats is right around the corner.

For those of us who care for outdoor critters, the seasons have their own rhythm. Spring means making sure that winter debris like old straw is cleared away, that shelters are repaired after a hard season of snow and ice, and that feeding stations are cleaned and often replaced.