Wild cats receive generous bequest

American Gail Sheffield was so passionate about the welfare of local feral cats that she left them $400,000 in her will, reported the Advocate this week.

She left a bequest of $100,000 to the Montana-based Feral Cat Consortium, while the Flathead Spay and Neuter Task Force received a legacy comprising her home, valued at around $300,000.

In her professional life Ms Sheffield worked as an assistant district attorney before studying anthropology at Tulane University.

In her free time however, she was devoted to feral cats and attempts to capture, neuter and release them back into the wild.

Mimi Beadles, founder and executive director of the Flathead Spay & Neuter Task Force, said to The Advocate that the generous bequest would allow the organisation to continue well into the future, taking the pressure off their fundraising drive.

Wendy Guidry, of the Feral Cat Consortium, said that the legacy would enable volunteers to spend more time trapping cats rather than fundraising.