From Texas Floodwaters to Second Chances: July 4th Texas Hill Country Flood
By Sarah Burkhart, The Big Fix Cat Homeless Cat Project
July 4th, 2025 was a horrific day for those living near the Guadalupe River in the Texas Hill Country. We had a catastrophic, once-in-a-lifetime flash flood that devastated our area. Over 10-13 inches of rain fell overnight, causing the Guadalupe River to rise 26 feet in under an hour, resulting in at least 119 fatalities in Kerr County alone, as well as massive destruction of homes, vehicles, and campgrounds. People weren’t the only ones affected. It is estimated that up to a thousand pets and animals were killed, lost, or displaced.
Soon after, we at The Big Fix Homeless Cat Project, were made aware of a situation at Bumble Bee Hills, which was one of the subdivisions in Hunt that was hit the hardest. The majority of the 30+ homes were decimated by the influx of water and debris, yet somehow, a colony of 15 cats miraculously survived. One was even found by a good samaritan helping with cleanup inside of an oven! We found them hungry and scared, fighting to survive with sheer willpower. Our volunteers went out to feed them daily and slowly gained their trust. We were surprised to discover that several of the cats were tame, including a rare male calico! 
We began to trap the cats to get them spayed/neutered, vaccinated, and treated for any medical concerns. The cats had unfortunately been drinking out of the contaminated river to survive, and several were not healthy enough to be immediately released after surgery. Respiratory issues were rampant and we ended up taking 8 of the cats back with us to personally foster. Also, one cat that we trapped had a serious eye injury and another group graciously offered to cover the vet bill to have the eye removed. Amidst the chaos, the cat’s owners were found and they were happily reunited with their cat, Clover!In the meantime, it took several long weeks for the rest of the cats to finally decompress. It was amazing to witness them transform over time from feral to fabulous! “Killer,” an orange and white male, who initially hid in the corner of his crate while seeming utterly terrified of people, gradually turned into more of a “Lovey,” who would sashay out of his crate to get pets and ear rubs while loudly vocalizing his joy at attention! He was soon adopted out along with his best friend who looked like his mini-me! As of today, they are reported to be ruling the roost in their new home!
And then we had the two inseparable cats, a tuxedo and a black cat, who tested positive for Feline Leukemia. A sweet older couple in Kerrville offered them an indoor home and they are now living in the lap of luxury! The stunning young snowshoe was quickly adopted out and has adjusted well to her new loving home thankful, I’m sure, to have a warm bed to sleep in, clean water, and food that she doesn’t have to chase down. And then there was the dilute calico… oh she was a fiery little furball that stole my heart. When we found her, she had a bloody nose and was breathing like Darth Vader.
The vet gave me three different rounds of antibiotics to try and treat her respiratory infection. She hissed and swiped at me with her murder mittens every time I stuck my hands in the crate to scruff her so that I could give her the life-saving medication. Then one day I noticed that her body seemed a little more relaxed and she even offered me the prized slow blink. I was slowly, but surely winning her over! Every day brought progress until I was finally able to hold her. To my surprise, she loved it! We developed a special bond and she would let me hold her and love on her and even kiss her precious little nose. To see this much transformation in such a short period of time was incredible!
My cup runneth over. Once they were healed physically and honestly emotionally as well, one of our amazing board members took the three remaining cats home. Her husband built a fabulous catio on their back porch and after a few weeks to transition, they were allowed to safely explore the back patio and yard. We may not be able to save them all, but for these cats whose paths crossed with ours, their lives will never be the same again. And my hope is that the trauma that they have gone through seems like nothing more than a long ago bad dream and they will now get to live out the rest of their days in peace, doing what they do best by just being cats.
We have been helping cats for over 20 years, but we are a very small group that is only able to help because of the support we receive from generous donors. Whether it is $10 or $10,000, it impacts the lives of innocent feral and community cats and kittens. Thank you for your support and for caring for the least of these.
Mission Meow is proud to announce that The Big Fix Cat Homeless Cat Project has received our April 2026 Grant for 💰$1,615!
This grant will fund essential equipment to support post-flood colony management and safety, including:
✨ Trail cameras
✨ Sonic deterrents
✨ Catch net
✨ Rechargeable spotlights
These tools will help monitor, protect, and safely manage vulnerable community cat colonies impacted by the devastating 2025 floods.