This makes me proud!

sarahp

sarahp

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A friend borrowed my traps to fix a bunch of ferals that have been running around her neighbourhood and multiplying.

She's borrowed the traps a couple of times, but been too scared to actually trap. She finally did it though over the last couple of nights, and trapped 5 cats - 1 male and four females all pregnant!!

She felt down saying she killed a bunch of kittens, but say there's an average of 4 kittens per litter who survive - that's 16 kittens she stopped from running around her neighbourhood, and those cats would have had at least one, if not two more litters this breeding season given how early it is, and the first litter would have most likely have been old enough to have their own litter by the end of the season too since we live in a warm climate and breeding season goes forever. She has probably stopped 50+ new cats from running around her neighbourhood this year alone
Not only that, but you don't know for sure they're pregnant until they actually get in there, at which point it's too late, so there's not much she could have done.

Anyway, just wanted to share the story
She still has 2 more cats that she knows about to catch, and who know how many more she doesn't know about!
 
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going nova

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Oh my goodness! The number of cats in an area is always bigger than I imagine. Our two cats turned into 7. We've spotted some ferals hanging around places we frequent, and if we visit those places often enough we wind up seeing more than a few cats.

for your friend. Little by little... Maybe one day there won't be such an overwhelming population of homeless cats.
 
eilcon

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Your friend has a done a wonderful thing for the cats and the neighborhood.
 
cc12

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Good job. One good trap can stop thousands of homeless cats being brought into the world.
 
ldg

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Sarah, that is amazing!
Of course she's feeling down, it isn't easy. But I'm sure, thanks to you, she also understands what sad lives they might have led - and that's if they survived.


That's just incredible.
to you for empowering her!

Laurie
 
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sarahp

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She felt much better once I explained how much good she did
 
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cat-tastrophe

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I'm sure she didn't intentionally abort the kittens, but I'd hardly call it "good news." I'm not in favor of intentionally aborting kittens, feral or not, they still have a right to be born.
Tell your friend that she's doing the best she can!
 
gayef

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Originally Posted by Cat-tastrophe

I'm sure she didn't intentionally abort the kittens, but I'd hardly call it "good news." I'm not in favor of intentionally aborting kittens, feral or not, they still have a right to be born.
Tell your friend that she's doing the best she can!
Click to expand...
Opinions on the topic of spay/abort differ, especially amongst those who care for feral colonies. Taking care of a feral colony requires keeping the number of cats in the colony low to reduce the risk of injury, disease and overpopulation. If females within the colony are allowed to become pregnant and/or deliver kittens, then those kittens (who will also be feral) will need to be trapped, spayed/neutered, vaccinated and fed which can be costly and problematic all on it's own. By practicing responsible TNR (Trap, Neuter and Release) protocols, sarahp's friend is outwardly showing her love of cats by lowering or even preventing the risk of injury, illness and overpopulation in the colony she cares for.

We can all relate to your feelings that kittens are wonderful little beings, however, in feral colonies, allowing kittens to be produced both quickly and effectively defeats the entire purpose of reducing the numbers in that colony. Most of the people I know of who care for feral colonies do so with money from their own pockets. Some may have assistance from their local rescue groups, but many do not. Adequate health care expenses of a large colony is prohibitive financially. This is yet another reason to keep the numbers in the colony low. It enables the caregiver to take better care of the existing cats by reducing the costs associated.
 
skimble

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When those of us that do TNR take a feral cat in to be spayed or neutered there is not always a way to tell if they are already pregnant.

And keeping the population down by TNR is one aspect, keeping the suffering down is another. Have you ever found a kitten dying from flea anemia? It's a sad death. I rushed many kittens to the vet and they died on the way. Feral cats hide their kittens so we cannot get to them to help.

The costs is out of many of our own pockets. This is a huge endeavor that we take on with love.

Maybe "cat-tastrophe" would like to volunteer to help out a local TNR group while she and her younger sister are still in high school. (I did read where you said you were not an adult yet, right?)

Or maybe volunteer at your local shelter so you can help those cats. That way when you are an adult you might start your own group to help the cats in your area.

So yes, aborting kittens is not something most of us would choose to do. But, watching kittens suffer is something we dislike even more. None of us wants any cat to suffer.
 
ldg

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Originally Posted by Cat-tastrophe

I'm sure she didn't intentionally abort the kittens, but I'd hardly call it "good news." I'm not in favor of intentionally aborting kittens, feral or not, they still have a right to be born.
Tell your friend that she's doing the best she can!
Click to expand...
Cat, I think perhaps you missed this post by a very experienced rescuer (posted in this thread Um, I think ones pregnant... what do I do? :

Originally Posted by hissy

...And "Cat" this is for you- you apparently have never been involved in active rescue where you find yourself with a lapful of kittens too weak to move, too diseased to live or carrying infection that will take their life in a matter of days or weeks. I have- I could tell you stories that would curl your hair and destroy your heart.
That is the REALITY of rescue of strays and ferals and I have been doing this work privately now over 30 years. When someone lets their cat in heat outside because the meowing and posturing is driving the owner crazy, that cat is gone in 60 seconds to mate. She can be mated with more than one tomcat and carry up to three litters at a time. When the first litter is due to be born, all others are pushed out at the same time. It can make a real health issue of premies, and genetic problems and all sorts of problems. Unlike the ethical breeders who allow their cats to mate with approved toms where they have studied the bloodlines, the genetic issues etc and are looking to improve the breed- strays or cats let outside aren't controlled, they mate, they mate hard and some even get injured in the intensity.

Asking a vet to spay is the responsible action for strays. There are too many cats out there that are still having kittens and once you have a kitten die in the palm of your hand, trust me, you never forget it and it brings you to the realization that not all kittens need to be born and some should never have been conceived. That is the reality in my world, and I think you should be grateful you have never experienced what myself, Laurie or Amy and other rescuers have dealt with in our lives. It changes your life forever-
Click to expand...
Part of the problem with feral cats, especially in local areas, is that there can be a lot of inbreeding. It is illegal and immoral for humans to intentionally inbreed - you cannot marry your brother or your first cousin. Cats do not make these choices, they react to instinct. The sad fact is that many kittens should not be born. Of course there is no way to know - but there are so many existing cats without homes, to let ferals breed is simply irresponsible.


Laurie
 
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