Shuttered NC flea market will be torn down soon. But the cats left behind need homes

The group convened after sunset, whispering as they entered the vacant Buckhorn flea market, scanning dark corners and dimly lit stalls littered with trash for signs of their prey.

Cat traps set earlier that day remained empty, food bowls intact. The group — two women and a boy led by Independent Animal Rescue volunteer Jacky Rosati — fretted about whether they would have any success, with a family collecting castoffs after having to vacate their stall when the Orange County flea market closed June 30.

A child banged a metal pole on the concrete floor in another part of the building, and the noise echoed in the empty space. It was sure to keep the cats away, the women said. They reached the end of the building, peering through open double doors at the weedy hillside. The din of traffic on Interstate 40/85 lay just beyond.

They’ve been hunting cats since July 1, Rosati said, and had caught at least a dozen by mid-August, including a female named Tacoma who had lived in an old truck in the parking lot for at least a year.

Another cat is “very pregnant,” she said, “and the last thing we need is them tearing down buildings with tiny kittens in them.”

The Buckhorn Jockey Lot and Flea Market will be demolished soon. A new property owner, R+L Carriers, got the Mebane City Council’s approval to build a trucking terminal in July, and the $13.1 million deal for the land closed in late August.

Some of the feral male cats on the property have already moved on, but a few remain, Rosati said. The feral life doesn’t work for all the cats, she explained.

“The problem is these cats were born here. They’ve had shelter their whole lives. They’ve had food their whole lives, so if we just put them out in an arbitrary feral colony, they’re going to have to fight for food, they aren’t going to have this type of shelter,” she said.

Healthy, social cats need a home

Flipping through the photos on her phone, Rosati rattled off the names of cats her family and others have adopted from Buckhorn. She stopped to point out photos of Sherbert, Sahara, and siblings Tori and Tony T.

The cats so far have been “very healthy,” testing negative for FIV, feline leukemia and other diseases, Rosati said. A team from IAR, a nonprofit Durham-based animal rescue group, is vaccinating and spaying and neutering them. They’re also checking area animal shelters and scanning any microchips to ensure they aren’t lost pets, she said.

The kittens “are becoming extremely social and doing really well,” she said. One, a tiny kitten named Laramie, stole her husband’s heart.

“She is now his love,” Rosati said. “He came to me the other night and said, ‘I have a problem,’ and I said, ‘What’s that?’ He said, ‘I think I need to adopt her.’”

Construction coming to flea market

The project replacing the flea market will build a 135,950-square-foot building on just over 82 acres, with room for a 53,600-square-foot expansion, truck wash and maintenance buildings, and a fueling island.

The new owners “were really awesome from the beginning,” giving them permission to trap cats until construction starts, Rosati said. The flea market’s owner was not as helpful, but a woman who had worked in the office advocated for them, she said.

Some of the Buckhorn cats are still available and are among at least 200 cats and kittens being cared for by IAR that need a good home, Rosati emphasized. IAR could also use more foster families and provides feral cat spay and neuter services for a suggested donation, she said.

Most of the cats need an indoor-only home, although a few will make better “barn cats” and need just food and shelter from the weather, Rosati said. They can’t be kept indoors, but they make good mousers and can “earn their keep,” she said.

Cat rescue takes patience and ‘magic’

The hunting party turned from the door, moving through the building until a male black and white cat appeared, crouched in a doorway of an adjacent building. Rosati, cage in hand, broke from the party and slowly moved toward him.

“They’re so displaced with all the stuff going on,” volunteer Lisa Selfe said. “When they start tearing all this stuff down, they’re going to be really freaking out. That’s why we wanted to get them out, because what are they going to do? They have nowhere to go.”

A child’s shriek broke the silence, startling the cat into the shadows. Rosati returned, frustrated. They debated whether to give up for the night, but the cat popped around a nearby corner. He watched, moving between the faded beams of the florescent security light before stopping in a doorway.

Rosati moved toward him, speaking in a high-pitched voice.

“Is she talking to that cat?” a volunteer asked.

“She’s working the magic,” Selfe said, and the group hung back. Other cats had reacted violently when cornered, but showed up again when they heard Rosati’s voice, she said.

But Rosati returned to the group this time without the cat. They packed up, planning to try again another day.

What to know about adopting cats?

▪ All cats are spayed or neutered, vaccinated, microchipped, and treated for fleas, ticks and worms

▪ Barn cats need a permanent shelter — no cat houses or temporary structures — and food. Help is available to acclimate them to a new location, Rosati said.

▪ Applicants must be 21 or older and live within 60 miles of Durham County. Existing pets must be spayed or neutered. vaccinated, and have an established veterinarian.

▪ Get more information at animalrescue.net or by email at info@animalrescue.net.

How much does it cost?

▪ $200 for a pair of cats or kittens

▪ $125 for a single cat; special rules apply for single kittens

▪ $100 for a senior (age 7 and older) or special needs cat

▪ $150 for a pair of senior cats

The Orange Report

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