Your input needed regarding feral cats

val heimerich

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Hi, I'm Val. I volunteer with 4 animal rescue groups and write cat rescue articles for examiner.com in my Sacramento, CA home. Hubby and I have 11 rescue cats of our own (yes, we are insane).

As the contact person for one feral cat group, I get a lot of calls from people who are having trouble with feral feeders in their neighborhood. You know the story - their yards are trashed and have become cat boxes, it smells, is noisy, etc. Here is one composite example:

A homeowner (Bob) feeds 25 feral cats in his yard. A neighbor (Susan) is frustrated by the noise, smell, and destruction that the ferals create. She talks to Bob, but he continues to feed the cats. When Susan looks for advice about the problem, she is repeatedly told that she must use a lot of her own time, energy and money in order to change things for the better.

As shelters, cat-lovers, veterinarians and rescue groups, we generally approach people like Susan by way of our own tunnel-vision. We care about the health and safety of the cats and, while sympathetic, we don’t normally check out the issue from Susan’s side of the fence. For example, we may suggest that Susan:

- buy special mulch, chicken-wire and soil amendments to apply to her yard
- use coffee grounds on soil and plants
- wait several years for TNR to reduce the number of cats
- buy/rent cat traps & monitor them around the clock to catch cats in them
- transport trapped cats to a shelter
- get them spayed or neutered
- socialize the ferals if needed and then find a home for them

If I was Susan and was already angry and tired from the troubles caused by Bob and the ferals, I would not take kindly to being told that I was essentially responsible for fixing this problem I didn’t create. And with budget cuts and decreased donations, most city & county shelters and non-profit rescues simply can not afford to take in ferals.

Some people that are frustrated by the situation end up putting out poison for the cats, or taking them to the river to drown them. In their minds it is an easier, faster, cheaper and more effective solution to the problem.

I am seeking productive suggestions that can be given to people like Susan – ideas that help the problem from her point of view rather than just from ours. I would appreciate any thoughts you have. Please PM me for my contact information.
 

ldg

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Val, I'm going to be very interested in other responses (if there are any) - and if anyone contacts you other than through this thread with good ideas, we'd really appreciate it if you'd share them!

When people come here looking for what to do about ferals being a problem, we first address the TNR aspect of it. We obviously have lots of links to information we can provide. We help people search for low-cost spay/neuter programs in their areas - we help them figure out where to borrow or rent a trap if they don't want to buy one - we help people socialize ferals if they want to go that far.

...but if people are posting here with the question, for the most part it's because they care enough about the cats to want to do something about it that benefits the cats.

That said, sometimes we get people who are unable to TNR due to time, expense, or physical handicaps. We provide as many resources as we can to help them find people or an organization that is willing to do the TNR for them, or help them with advice on how to try to find foster networks or shelters that can help or that may know of someone who can help....

We also get people who care about the cats, but, like your "Susan," don't want to be responsible in any way - they just want them out of their yard.

I honestly don't know what to do about the "Bobs" of the world. We actively discourage people from feeding strays and ferals if they are not going to follow through with TNR.

I assume you are already familiar with the TNR orgs in Sacramento, and there aren't volunteers to help in a situation like this?

The very basic problem is that the cats are there - and Bob, in his mind, isn't responsible for them being unowned either.

Sadly, if the Bobs of the world aren't going to TNR.... I am aware of very few options for the Susans of the world.

Obviously step one is to try to get the Susans of the world to TNR, or to find people who will.

If that doesn't work, the next step is to help Susan talk Bob into TNRing. I'd get her the information she needed to give to Bob - where the cats can be sterilized at the lowest cost possible. In the meantime, taking all the steps to keep them out of her yard is really the only choice.

After that... only two more things come to mind.

1) If the law supports it in any way, get a court order for Bob to stop. I doubt this is a reality, really. I know of very few places with leash laws for cats; I don't know if sterilization is required by law anywhere; the legal definition of ownership is different everywhere. In some places it is as simple as "providing care" for the animals - so if Bob legally owns the cats and they're damaging her property... I guess the courts have some way to address that. ????????? But I suspect that's as much of a hassle as TNRing the cats oneself - a different kind of hassle, but one that involves time and expense for little reward.

2) Work on getting Susan to involve the community. If she's aware of the problem, others likely are as well. Maybe draft a letter for the Susans to use. "Are you aware of the unowned cat problem in our neighborhood?" kind of a thing. "As you may know, someone (or some people) in the neighborhood are feeding stray cats but are doing nothing to curtail their breeding. The (person) (people) feeding the cats means well, but as a neighborhood, we need to deal with the problem that none of us personally created. .....and basically enroll other people to help trap, transport, &etc.

It still means work, time and likely expense for the Susans of the world.

But until TNR is a recognized method of animal control in a community, and is supported by funded low-cost sterilization programs, and where colonies are supported is decided at the community level to begin with, I don't see that the Susans of the world have many choices about what to do about the cats the Bobs of the world are attracting.
 
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val heimerich

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Thaks for the input - you really know your stuff!

Local laws here involve next to nothing, aside from saying how many cats a person can claim ownership of. The head of the local Animal Control said they can help trap some of them and then euthanize them. Personally I don't see HUMANE euthanasia as a terrrible thing - beats running loose, fighting for food, getting hit by cars or getting poisoned. But not everyone agrees. Anyway, even if some are trapped, "Bob" is going to keep putting food out, which will attract more cats to replace the missing ones.

While "nuisance" laws apply to dogs, none are available here for cats. This makes it tougher on the Susans, who just want something to change. But even if we could get some laws passed (I have some connections in the CA legislature), how can we address the needs of the Bobs and the Susans, without messing things up for the real TNR feral folks?

I based the Bob and Susan tale on a particular call I had recently, although I'd had similar ones before. In this case, the neighbors had gotten together and gently talked to Bob, who refused to do anything - even when they offered to fully fund the spay and neutering! Others near me with similar situations have trapped cats in their yards (legal) and then poisoned or drowned the cats (illegal but very tough to prove). The last thing I want is to make people feel like cruelty is the only option, but I'm afraid the standard advice we give them makes it the "better" alternative in some of their eyes.

I'm getting some folks here together for a brainstorming session soon, and hope to come up with some ideas. I'd like to create an educational packet that could (ultimately, on the national level) be available to Bobs, Susans and local shelters that could provide a meeting ground in the middle. Sure, it won't work all the time - maybe even most of the time - but in might work in some cases. Every little bit helps the cause.

I've written articles about local rescues, ferals and overpopulation during my brief tenure with examiner.com - but have plans for many more. If you'd like to check them out, go to http://www.examiner.com/x-44548-Sacr...escue-Examiner.

Thank you so much for your input - I'll keep you posted.

Val
 

ldg

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I assume you're already familiar with materials available at Best Friends and Alley Cat Allies?

Just in case...

http://www.bestfriends.org/nomorehom...ts/thenetwork/
http://www.bestfriends.org/nomorehom...sourcelibrary/
http://www.alleycat.org

And you may find more helpful material or links at the Stray Pet Advocacy website.

I know California has a particularly split personality when it comes to cats. A number of places have banned declawing - yet L.A. courts just recently ruled against pursuing TNR until environmental impact reviews have been conducted.

We're having a somewhat similar problem in NJ. The Fish and Game Council is exploring the possibility of reclassifying free-ranging cats as "exotics" so they can be hunted - yet NJ animal control basically supports TNR with its legal definition of ownership of cats designed to exclude TNR colony caretakers. Two bills have been held up in committee for over a year - one would restructure animal control to support local TNR efforts and make management & coordination easier; the other simply would create a committee to explore the feasibility of a statewide low-cost spay/neuter program (as a part of animal control, above and beyond the program funded by license plates here).

Have you contacted anyone from San Diego? http://www.feralcat.com/

Another excellent resources is the NY program, Neighborhood Cats http://www.neighborhoodcats.org/

If you want to work at things from a legal angle, the state-level position in NJ might be useful to you in your efforts in terms of passing laws that can help the Susans but not screw things up for TNR efforts: http://www.state.nj.us/health/animalwelfare/stray.shtml

Originally Posted by NJ State Position on TNR

Trap, neuter and return (TNR) is the non-lethal population control technique utilized in managed cat colonies to humanely capture, vaccinate, identify, and spay or neuter (sterilize) cats. Kittens and cats that are tame enough to be adopted should be sterilized and placed into homes. Adult cats are returned to the colony where they live out their lives under the supervision of the colony caretakers and other community volunteers. Cats will need to be re-trapped periodically to update their vaccinations and receive medical care.

The New Jersey Department of Health and Senior Services (NJDHSS) defers to local officials to determine the appropriateness of allowing a managed cat colony at a site within a municipality. Municipalities considering managed cat colonies are encouraged to develop standards through ordinance or their regulatory authority to insure these recommendations are developed in a manner that provides an organized community program with proper accountability and oversight by the Health Officer.

State Law and managed cat colonies/ impounding cats: Cats are considered a domestic animal species and are therefore protected under the State's animal cruelty and animal control statutes. With respect to State statutes regarding the impounding of stray animals (N.J.S.A. 4:19- 15.16), NJDHSS would consider a managed cat colony as described above to be ‘on the property of the owner' and thus not falling under the category of "stray" animals to be impounded. However, if managed colony cats begin to create a nuisance or public health threat, a re-evaluation should be conducted. The managed colony should be discontinued if solutions to such problems are unable to be instituted.
The people at www.feralcat.com may have suggestions to help your brainstorming session on how to handle things at the local level. A number of townships in NJ are actively fighting the reclassification of cats to exotics because they've implemented TNR as a part of the animal control policy and it is working and saving them a lot of money. I can put you in touch with people that would likely be willing to talk to you about how to go about it and how to structure things - though it may be more useful to you to talk to CA cities/towns that have taken those steps.
 

StefanZ

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A great thread!


Originally Posted by Val Heimerich

- buy special mulch, chicken-wire and soil amendments to apply to her yard
- use coffee grounds on soil and plants
- wait several years for TNR to reduce the number of cats
- buy/rent cat traps & monitor them around the clock to catch cats in them
- transport trapped cats to a shelter
- get them spayed or neutered
- socialize the ferals if needed and then find a home for them
For the individual owner, giving them ideas for means to make cats unwelcome into their gardens is very useful. Quite many feel it troublesome with cats. Not only homeless! Not seldom the real trouble is with a neighbours cat. Especielly if not spayed. Making their needs in the garden, climbing on the cars are two common complains... Pissing around especielly on the garden furniture or on doors, and shrieking are another complains. Or chasing the resident cat. (common with toms where the neighbour dont care much)

About the coffe? I dont know. Our cats, esp eth older one, loves coffe, it works on them almost as cat nip...


The main point about TNR from the Susans point of wiew isnt NOT to reduce the number of cats in that colony in several years. The main point for Susan the homeless are much less of a nuisance being neutered than being fertile. This helps already after a couple of month or even sooner!!!

No pissing around. Or at least, much less.
Much less of shrieking.
Much less of fighting. Against each other and against resident cats.
Easier to adopt for a spontaneus adopter.
A TNR programme, ie includes also somebody taking some care of them and giving them some food, makes also they dont need to scavenge the trash bins as much as uncared homeless cats...
Apparently sick cats in the TNR-colony are thus taken care of. Thus - lessening the risk of spreading diseases to residents.

There are surely also others pro´s with the same idea: much less nuisance for the neighbours, AND their own remaining live is much easier.



One more point for your list:

Remember the tale of the good shepherd who makes himself big trouble to find the lost sheep, and carry it back to the other, 100 healthy sheep back at home.
This tale is about God and humans, or the parisher priest and his folks. But nothing says it isnt ALSO about the reality and real sheeps and other animals. The Bible has many examples of caring for animals welfare.
This is thus more or less a moral and or religious duty to try to help the homeless. Either to making a decent live as homeless, or to try to adopt them.
Although Bobs way isnt the very best way to help them, so to speak. Unless he has also planning for the next steps: TNR and or adoption, like LDG mentioned. Himself or with help of some rescue group.

- I will write more about this later on, I must soon go to the days work...
 

hissy

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If they are true ferals, Susan can deter them in several ways

Visit a barber shop or beauty salon and ask for all the hair trimmings on the floor. Bring the hair home and sprinkle it like a border around her property. The human smell will deter ferals- but strays who are being petted and stroked by Bob, may not be so fearful.

The scarecrow is another alternative way to scare away unwanted cats. It is motion activated, sets up to your garden hose, and comes on only if something moves near it to set it off.

Unfortunately, Bob is one of those clueless ones who feeds stray cats but doesn't do anything else for them. Bob believes wholeheartedly that if he stops feeding these cats, they will starve, nothing could be further from the truth. He will not stop feeding them no matter who asks him to. Since he doesn't neuter, his colony is growing- inbreeding and flowing over to others land. The "Bobs'" of this world will not listen to reason. He will not neuter because that will "hurt the cats' sex life!" Men are just wierd that way.

A local rescue group will likely not become involved because we are in the beginning of kitten season. They know that the kittens come first- as they are highly adoptable, and even though Susan calls them countless times for help- they probably won't answer her. If Susan says she will donate x amount of monies to the group IF they help- this might speed the process along- but it is doubtful.

The rub is, if someone can come in and get the speuter mobile to neuter Bob's cats, the noise will go away in time, the smell will dissapate and here will be less cats to contend with. God knows the state of the health of the colony- especially if it has inbred but if he only feeds, you can bet he doesn't vet any of them.

If Susan lived in Oregon (where I am) she would be out of luck if she managed to trap and neuter all the cats. The only alternative she would have is to return them to Bob's property and wait out the 6 month period when the toms would finally stop acting and smelling like toms. She couldn't take them to any shelter as they have stopped taking "stray cats" a few years ago. They take owner surrender but it costs about $30.00 per cat dropped off. Lots of cats out here get drowned in the river or dropped down sewer drains.
Because of the shelters not taking strays, people such as myself have been overloaded with Bob and Susan calls and our homes are full of cats- I have 24 currently. They live in our home or in a large attached cat enclosure we built several years ago.

Cats have no legal status. They are not legally pets- they are possessions.No one thinks twice about taking them in the middle of nowhere and dumping them off, or tossing them outside like the trash and forgetting about them. Until that changes, they will be on the short end of the stick every time.

Socializing ferals takes time, patience and a great deal of fortitude. It does happen, but not quick enough for most people. In my experience, they seem to feel that since they "rescued" kitty from the big bad world and brought him inside, he should instantly repay them by jumping in their lap and purring in their ear. Uh huh,,,,and pigs fly!

Susan is not alone in her gripe. You can't expect people who don't like cats much to rearrange their lives around others who are feeding colonies irresponsibly. The sad part about the scenario is that those of us who do feed responsibly and TNR are finding ourselves in hot water with the law that demands that we stop.

Susan does not need to be educated, the community does. I will PM you a name and contact number of someone who has gone leaps and bounds over and under the laws of her state to help feral cats. She is simply amazing and I am sure she would love to share with you her process.

Good luck with your mission- it is a large one-
 
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val heimerich

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Many thanks to all of you - great feedback and suggestions! I'm going to digest all of it, plus the info I've gleaned from feral rescues, then summarize it for the brainstorming session I have planned in several weeks. And thank you to all of you for your hard work and dedication to kitties!

Val
 

animalresources

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Originally Posted by hissy

If Susan lived in Oregon (where I am) she would be out of luck if she managed to trap and neuter all the cats. The only alternative she would have is to return them to Bob's property and wait out the 6 month period when the toms would finally stop acting and smelling like toms. She couldn't take them to any shelter as they have stopped taking "stray cats" a few years ago. They take owner surrender but it costs about $30.00 per cat dropped off. Lots of cats out here get drowned in the river or dropped down sewer drains.
Because of the shelters not taking strays, people such as myself have been overloaded with Bob and Susan calls and our homes are full of cats- I have 24 currently. They live in our home or in a large attached cat enclosure we built several years ago.

Cats have no legal status. They are not legally pets- they are possessions.No one thinks twice about taking them in the middle of nowhere and dumping them off, or tossing them outside like the trash and forgetting about them. Until that changes, they will be on the short end of the stick every time.
In your Oregon county, the hs states they accept strays (not ferals.) The county and largest city have provided some funding for cat sterilizations including feral since 2007. Cats are protected under Oregon animal cruelty law including a law that prohibits abandonment. Advocates or public need to file an official report even when AC or law enforcement say they can do nothing. Oregon law includes the duty of peace officers to arrest and prosecute violators of animal cruelty laws. A district attorney in Oregon who prosecutes animal cruelty cases reminds us that DAâ€[emoji]8482[/emoji]s have power in the legal system but need to know of community support, encourages lobbying DA's!
 
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