After more than 6 decades of caring for her community’s unwanted and abandoned cats, Mary B. Clover is officially retired. For 65 years, Mary has been feeding and spaying/neutering homeless cats in every state she has lived in, from Iowa and Minnesota to South Carolina. For the last 25 years, the cats right here in Bluffton/Hilton Head have been lucky enough to have Mary looking out for them. Mary often had to fight off crows, buzzards and raccoons so her cats could eat! She has run into a few humans who felt less than hospitable toward her cats as well. Let me just say, the cats always win with Mary on their side!

It all started for Mary when her children were off to school. She took a job with her local animal shelter, feeding, cleaning and caring for the unwanted cats. That is when she began noticing homeless cats everywhere in her community. She started with food and moved on to providing shelter from rain and cold and medical care when needed. She never turned a cat away.

This role came naturally to Mary, who is a monthly supporter of PAL and has been a lover of all animals from the time she was a small child, “I get my love of animals from my grandparents,” stated Mary at our retirement lunch. “I’ve loved cats, dogs, ducks and all wildlife. I even had a pet duck that I raised from a tiny little thing.” I could see the sparkle in her eyes as she thought about the many animals she has loved.

Mary was definitely ahead of her time, working at the forefront of the pet population problem. She started Trap-Neuter-Return (TNR) before it was available in our community in an attempt, early-on, to curb the overpopulation of cats. Over the years, as rescue groups and shelters came into existence, she began arranging for the kittens of feral cats to be socialized and adopted.   

Another memory flashes across Mary’s face as she shares, “I’ve loved every minute of it. Caring for the cats has given me a reason to get up every day and do something good.”

Realizing that she needed a succession plan upon her retirement, Mary reached out to PAL a few years ago and asked for her cats to be cared for. I drove from cat colony to cat colony with Mary as she “trained” me on how to care for them. Put the food here, mix the food like this, pet this one here, this one will eat out of the car, etc. She knew each and every cat intimately and I took notes. It was amazing to watch her dedication and see the love on her face.  

I admire Mary deeply, and at 91 I hope to be feeding community cats and caring for animals just like her. It was a big job, and I was amazed that she was able to do so much on her own every day. PAL volunteer Harry Cassidy has taken hold of the proverbial feeding spoon and has built a team of caregivers to pick up where Mary left off. Every cat is spayed/neutered and their bellies are full. New cats that show up at one of the colonies are quickly trapped and TNR’d.

Mary’s last feeding station was turned over in July and she is officially retired!

Mary now has the peace of mind she was looking for. She no longer needs to get up every day and care for the colonies because a team of dedicated volunteers is following in her footsteps. They too love the cats and find great joy and satisfaction in knowing they are a part of something worthwhile. They carry on the good works of one woman who, wholeheartedly, demonstrated a lifetime of compassionate care.   

If you would like to help PAL in our efforts to care for Mary’s cats and all homeless cats in our community, please click here and consider following Mary’s lead by giving a monthly donation. Your recurring gift will help provide animals with vital resources, including vaccinations, spay/neuter and daily care.

Always for the Animals,

Amy Campanini
Palmetto Animal League President