February
2001
Homeless
Cats “101”
A “How
to” Guide
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Alley
Cat Allies serves as a clearinghouse of information for caretakers,
veterinarians, policymakers, the media, and many others. Founded
in
1990, Alley Cat Allies is part of an international effort working to
promote, foster, and develop humane, non-lethal programs for
feral and
stray cats. The goal is to reduce the number of feral and stray cats
through sterilization programs. Alley Cat Allies respects the
sanctity
of life, and the rights of individual animals, and embraces proactive
preventative control methods, i.e. Trap-Neuter-Return. The following
is an excerpt from the “Frequently Asked Questions” section
of their excellent and informative website (www.alleycat.org).
How can I tell if a cat is stray or feral?
Unfortunately, it can be difficult to tell the difference between
a frightened stray and a wild feral cat, at least initially. A feral
cat is one that is born and raised outside and has had little or no
human contact. Fearful of humans, adult feral cats are very difficult
to tame and most content outside. Because a cat will react with his
teeth and claws, you should never attempt to corner or grab an unknown
cat. Feral kittens, under the age of eight weeks, on the other hand,
stand a good chance of being tamed but must be trapped with a box trap
and never caught by hand. Most outdoor cats, whether stray or feral,
adult or kitten, will inflict injury if they are cornered and feel threatened.
This can cost the cat her life.
A stray cat is a domestic cat who has been abandoned or has “strayed”
from home and become lost. A stray cat may be skittish in your presence,
making it hard for you to decide if he is stray or feral. Because stray
cats were once companion animals, and thus know human companionship,
they can usually be re-socialized and re-homed. You should attempt to
find the cat’s original human companion.
The safest and most effective way to capture an elusive cat (tame or
feral) is to use a humane box trap. Once you have trapped the cat, you
can evaluate her disposition without getting bitten or scratched. Do
not remove her from the trap until she sees a veterinarian. Frightened
strays often calm down once they realize you will not cause harm, but
a feral cat will remain terrified and react by cowering in the back
of the trap. Do not attempt to pet her through the trap. Also, talking
to her will not calm her down. She will most likely feel threatened
and will growl, hiss, or even lunge at you through the bars of the trap.
I discovered some cats outside. Who can I call to come and get them?
The first step is to find out if the cats are tame or wild (see
above). If tame, then be sure to visit the Pets 911 “Found Pets”
section and enter the cats there (see sidebar above). Tame cats can
and should be adopted into loving homes. If you take them to a shelter,
be sure it is a “no-kill” shelter.
If wild, then the cats you found are probably the offspring of stray
or abandoned domestic cats, meaning that they are feral. There is no
agency or organization that will come and retrieve feral cats. Animal
control may come and trap them. However, they will likely kill the
cats.
Shelters, even “no-kill” shelters, find feral cats impossible
to adopt out because they are wild.
Wild or feral cats live in family groups called colonies and congregate
near food sources. The traditional approach in dealing with feral colonies
has been to trap and kill them, and most shelters and animal control
facilities still kill feral cats relinquished to them.
However, there is a humane solution! Feral cats can be managed with
a non-lethal method called Trap-Neuter-Return (TNR). Cats are humanely
trapped, neutered or spayed, and returned to their colony site where
a caretaker provides them with food and water.
Non-lethal management is more effective than trapping and killing.
When cats are removed, new cats move in to fill the vacuum and soon
another
colony forms. Conversely, sterilizing stabilizes the population and
improves the cats’ health and eliminates annoying behaviors associated
with mating, such as spraying and fighting.
Where can I find a veterinarian who will treat feral cats, preferably
at a reduced rate?
A good place to start is to ask your own veterinarian if he or
she would be willing to work with feral cats. Explain what you want
to accomplish
and ask about the possibility of a fee reduction for “rescuers.”
Remind the veterinarian that you are volunteering your time to serve
your community at the same time as enhancing the lives of the feral
cats. If your veterinarian is unfamiliar with the concept of Trap-Neuter-Return
(TNR), contact ACA and give him/her Alley Cat Allies’ fact sheets
for “Feral Cat Population Control: Implementing a Humane Sterilization
Plan” and “Guidelines for Veterinarians Treating Feral Cats.” If
you cannot work out an arrangement with your own veterinarian, do not
be discouraged.
Try contacting other veterinarians in your area until you find someone
willing to work with you at a reasonable rate. Ask local rescue groups
or humane societies to refer a veterinarian who provides low-cost spaying
and neutering, and who will be supportive of your plan. In addition,
both Spay/USA and Friends of Animals have national veterinary network
systems. For more information, reference the Alley Cat Allies website
and click on the Link button.
Once you have found a veterinarian, discuss in advance what has to be
done and establish a protocol so that the veterinarian provides the
services you need: spay (with dissolvable sutures) or neuter with an
injectable anesthesia, eartip, full exam, ear cleaning, three-year rabies
vaccination, and deworming.
How to Choose a Trap
There are a variety of humane traps available. ACA recommends traps
from two different companies: Tru-Catch and Tomahawk. All are live box
traps and require baiting with food to coax the cat inside, but there
are subtle differences.
The Tru-Catch traps are made of brown coated wire and come in three
sizes (prices range from $38 to $75). The trap door closes very quietly.
Tru-Catch offers a lifetime warranty on all equipment. Tomahawk traps
are quite similar but made with galvanized steel mesh and also come
in three sizes (prices from $40 to $65). The Tomahawk is lightweight
and economical and allows for several to be carried in a vehicle at
one time. See the ACA website for detailed descriptions.
This excerpt is reprinted with kind permission. Contact: Alley Cat Allies,
1801 Belmont Rd., NW, Suite 201, Washington, DC 20009-5164; www.alleycat.org;
Tel: 202-667-3630; Fax: 202-667-3640.
