FlinthillsFix
Paws to Love's
Prevent-A-Litter Program

If a feral cat could communicate with you, she’d tell you she “HAS a home, thank you very much.”  Her home is outside and, not being socialized to humans, she prefers her outdoor home and cat companions. 

Of course, no one wants their neighborhood overran by any kind of critter, and with the production rate of cats, those “few” cats that call your alley home, can turn into more than a hundred in less than a year.

What has been and what is being done?  Of course, some people will resort to killing stray cats.  Not only is that an inhumane way to deal with the problem, it is only a very temporary fix.  Feral cats are drawn to areas with food sources.  Destroying the stray cats in a neighborhood only creates a vacuum, an ever-present food source that will attract yet another new group of ferals in.

So, what is the solution?  All across the United States, a method of controlling feral colonies, called TNR, or Trap-Neuter-Return (or spay, in the case of a female cat), is being practiced with great success.

TNR involves setting “humane traps,” and enticing feral cats into the trap with food.  Once trapped, the cat is delivered, remaining in its covered cage, to a pre-arranged veterinary hospital where it is sedated and then spayed or neutered.  After recovery, these cats are returned to the exact location they were trapped in to return to their colonies and live their lives out.  

It is important to note that TNR should only be done by those who have been instructed in the proper procedures, and only on your own or private property when requested and with the full permission of the land owner/occupant. 

Why is TNR more successful than just destroying a cat colony?  After you read Jeannie and Tawyna’s story below you will understand why.

Allow me to introduce, Jeannie, a good friend and mentor in all things feline, and her friend, Tawyna.  Jeannie and Tawnya met through the Cat Association of Topeka where TNR is part of the mission statement and belief system and they have been carrying out TNR (following the request and permission by the land/cat owner) for over 5 years now.

Their most current adventure has been trying to trap the 42nd (and final) cat, Juno, from a colony that was in danger of being trapped and destroyed. 

After receiving a request from a landowner,  Jeannie and Tawyna began this past Spring and  trapped, neutered and relocated most of the adults and caught, fixed and have been working with and trying to place the kittens (22 in all).   Several litters were born after they trapped the mothers and one litter was found deep inside the middle of a bunch of pampas grass--in a little kitty nest.

Jeannie and Tawyna have endured horrible mosquitoes, dreadful heat, etc. and have caught opossums and raccoons in the traps meant for these cats.  They have encountered poison ivy, up close, from trekking through the woods trying to find kittens they knew were born.  And, most recently, have been having to deal with hedge balls falling at just the wrong time--scaring Juno away from the trap or away from the food they had put out for her. 

Jeannie and Tawyna, both work fulltime but are truly dedicated to furthering the mission of the CAT Association in regards to helping ferals.   While they sometimes help hands on, because they both work full time jobs, it is often through offering education and guidance to those people actually wanting to do TNR they make the biggest difference.  If someone calling wants the cats trapped and hauled off (destroyed), they try to convince them otherwise, but won't help if that's what they're wanting. 

I asked Jeannie for a few thoughts that she would like to share with our readers, her thoughts are as follows:

Lots of people put out food for ferals, but this isn't helping to fix the problem--it's actually making it worse by making healthier, well-fed adults that have healthier litters of kittens which survive into adulthood. 

The current method in our community of trapping and killing ferals isn't solving the overpopulation problem for the long term.  By trapping cats and pulling them out of the area where they're feeding, this is actually creating a vacuum whereby more cats just move in to tap into the food source which is still there.   Lots of ferals take advantage of dumpsters behind restaurants, grocery stores and apartment complexes--anywhere that food is taken out as trash. 

Contrary to popular belief, or from misinformation, most feral colonies are quite healthy--having developed solid immune systems from becoming survivors through harsh winters and survival of diseases. 

Managed feral colonies can actually enhance a neighborhood by keeping rodents down and so forth.  By TNRing them, you reduce many of the behaviors that people complain about the most--recurrent litters, fighting between males, noisy mating process, etc.   As the cats pass away from whatever causes, the colony just eventually disappears.

Human irresponsibility created this problem--these cats are offspring of tame cats--peoples' pets--and I feel it's up to us to find humane ways to solve it.

About Feral Cats from Ally Cat Allies

A feral cat is not socialized to humans.
Either she was born outside and never lived with humans, or she is a companion cat who has strayed from home and over time has become unsocialized to humans.

Feral cats should not be taken to animal control pounds and shelters.
Feral cats’ needs are not met by the current animal control and shelter system. Feral cats live outside, but are killed in shelters. Even no-kill shelters are not able to place feral cats in homes. Learn more about the animal control system.

Feral kittens can be adopted.
Feral kittens can often be adopted into homes, but they must be socialized at an early age. This is a critical window, and if they aren’t handled in time, they will remain feral and therefore unadoptable. Learn more about kittens and socialization.

Feral cats can have the same lifespan as companion cats.
And they are just as healthy, too. The incidence of disease in feral cats is just as low as in companion cats. They live healthy, natural lives on their own, content in their outdoor home.