Caring For Feral Cats in Italy

Antonio65

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I've been feeding a colony of feral cats for the past 16 years or so.

The cat colony dwells where I work, so it's handy for me to help them. Of course the cats have changed over the years and the current "dynasty" of feral cats that I'm helping is totally different from the one I started with. The current colony includes at least 12 cats.

My two home cats come from that colony. My elder cat is the last survinor of the original dinasty, none of them is still alive that I know.

I bring them food everyday in the morning and I leave them enough dry food and fresh water for the whole day. They are provided with plastic bowls and I also prepared them beds for the night in sheltered places.

The place where I work is closed during the weekends, but I have got a special permission to access the site everyday of the year, at every time of the day.

I also purchased a live trap cage for cat in 2012. With this trap I trapped at least 10 cats, I had 6 females neutered in the last two years, I captured several others kittens.

Since last August I caught 10 cats (2 females, 8 kittens). The females have been neutered and released, the kittens have been rehomed, the last one the day before Christmas.

Every rehoming is thoroughly screened before giving them a kitten. I require that a form is filled for every cat given in adoption so that the new owner knows what duties and rules apply for an adoption.

Since 2000 I think I have had 20 cats neutered and I have rehomed not less than 35 kittens. I have bought many tons of food and spent some 25,000 euro for them so far.

I also try to help other rescues when I can. At the moment I have a feral cat in my courtyard. I feed her too, though I would like her to trust me more.

Thanks for your attention
 

Primula

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Antonio, fantastico! You definitely deserve a ferals badge.

BTW, did you know that plastic cat bowls can cause chin acne? Better to use glass or China dishes.
 
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Antonio65

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Antonio, fantastico! You definitely deserve a ferals badge.

BTW, did you know that plastic cat bowls can cause chin acne? Better to use glass or China dishes.
Thanks Primula, I'm just doing what my heart tells me to do. I wish I could do more, but time and money are my main obstacles. If I hadn't to work I could have more hours to help those unlucky furry friends. I also have to take care of my elder cat that in the last year cost me much more than a fortune in vet bills and treatments.

Yes, I know that plastic bowls can give skin problems and allergies, but more than once those bowls had been stolen by someone who likely doesn't appreciate what I'm doing. Sometimes it seems that the cats play or fight with the bowls. If they were glass or china they would be broken once a week.
Plastic bowls are cheaper and more resistant.
 

Primula

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Antonio, what is the stray cat population like in Italy? Do people keep their cats inside & have them fixed as we in America advocate for?
 

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@Antonio65  metal feeding bowls, or even army mess containers, would do the trick.  Keep and eye out for metal dishes in charity or goodwill shops, even ask the shop attendant to write a note that you're looking for them and could any be set aside for you.  Also, as an idea, you could put up adverts with tear off contact strips, asking for any old metal fishing tackle bowls, army bowls/trays, or maybe your local South Indian or Pakistani communities might be looking to upgrade metal bowls so oftenly used in their cooking.  Or you could take the opportunity to rummage through garage and jumble sales, though this ideas proves extremely dangerous with a collector of nonsense such as myself.

Well done though on tending to and feeding your flock, I'm very proud and honoured to know you  
 
 

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I've been feeding a colony of feral cats for the past 16 years or so.

The cat colony dwells where I work, so it's handy for me to help them. Of course the cats have changed over the years and the current "dynasty" of feral cats that I'm helping is totally different from the one I started with. The current colony includes at least 12 cats.

My two home cats come from that colony. My elder cat is the last survinor of the original dinasty, none of them is still alive that I know.

I bring them food everyday in the morning and I leave them enough dry food and fresh water for the whole day. They are provided with plastic bowls and I also prepared them beds for the night in sheltered places.

The place where I work is closed during the weekends, but I have got a special permission to access the site everyday of the year, at every time of the day.

I also purchased a live trap cage for cat in 2012. With this trap I trapped at least 10 cats, I had 6 females neutered in the last two years, I captured several others kittens.

Since last August I caught 10 cats (2 females, 8 kittens). The females have been neutered and released, the kittens have been rehomed, the last one the day before Christmas.

Every rehoming is thoroughly screened before giving them a kitten. I require that a form is filled for every cat given in adoption so that the new owner knows what duties and rules apply for an adoption.

Since 2000 I think I have had 20 cats neutered and I have rehomed not less than 35 kittens. I have bought many tons of food and spent some 25,000 euro for them so far.

I also try to help other rescues when I can. At the moment I have a feral cat in my courtyard. I feed her too, though I would like her to trust me more.

Thanks for your attention
That's wonderful @Antonio65  Thank you for everything you've done for your colony.

Wear your badge with pride!
 
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Antonio65

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Antonio, what is the stray cat population like in Italy? Do people keep their cats inside & have them fixed as we in America advocate for?
Primula, in Italy people live mostly in apartments, so the chance for their cats to go outside is minimal. Those who have a house with garden and yard do let their cats outside, and you can easily imagine the consequences. All my neighbors have lost at least two cats each due to car accidents.

Very very few people with a house and garden keep their cats indoor all the time. I have a garden and a backyard but my cats aren't allowed outside. I have trained them with harness and lead and I have taught them to walk outside on lead only. My elder cat is so docile that I can easily walk her on the sidewalk with no problem, just like a dog. This is what I used to do until last September, when she got ill and had to undergo heavy therapies that weakened her a lot. My other cat is too edgy to be taken out on the street.

After teaching them what the boundaries of our property are, since last year I have allowed them to stay outside without much supervision because I know they won't go far.

The situation for stray and feral cats in Italy is as follows.

All cats without an owner are either stray or feral and are property of the State that designates local authorities for their welfare, namely the mayors in all towns and cities.

There are specials state laws to protect all homeless cats. They can't be harmed, killed or harrassed. Cats that gather in a colony cannot be moved unless a situation that could endager them arises, like a new building project.

A colony can be taken care of by a volunteer. This person will register with the mayor and the local health office, will declare that they want to take care of the colony and will describe the colony (number, sex and age of cats). On officer from the health office will come over to check the site and will issue a certificate. From that moment on the town council will pay for the neutering of all the females from that colony trapped by the colony carer. In some more fortunate cases the council will pay for the neutering of males and for the food as well. I rarely took advantage of this aid from the council because I should refer to certian vet practice which set their own rules, like taking the cat in at certain days or times, so I go to a vet of my choice when I have trapped a cat and I pay out of my pocket. The duty of the colony carer is to mantain the colony in good health, to avoid problems with the neighbors and to control the number of cats through TNR.

Any other person who should interfere with or threat the life and health of those cats could be prosecuted by law and face up to 18 moths jail and/or 10,000 euro fine. Though this sounds like a perfect world, we have hardly heard of such a sentence issued.

The same penalties are applied for the death of any other animal, pet or wild one. Only cats, though, have such a protection and privileges.

Declawing of cats, ears and tails cutting for dogs for aesthetic purposes are prohibited in all the country, and no veterinarian with the slightest sense of ethic would ever do that.

Italy, as we use to say, is long and narrow. It has an area of 1.6 times the New England which you are familiar with


Mindset and attitude towards animals vary greatly from north to south. The most devoted to the animal welfare is the population in the northwest area of the country, where I live. It is calculated that 30% of all pets live in this area, which is less than 20% of the total area of the nation. Here most people are prone to any gesture for the welfare of their own pets and other animals, and do care for unlucky animals and charities. When moving east, and even worse to south, the situation may change dramatically. To the extent that in the further south regions animals are seen nearly as objects, they rarely receive cures when needed and even the number of vet practices and clinics is hugely lower. This is due mainly to cultural and economic reasons.

In my nearby city, Turin, there are not less than 120-130 vet practices and clinics for a population of less than one million people.

In the south of Italy, for the same population, the number of veterinarians can be 20 times lower. As is their skill.

The results are that in the north Italy stray and feral cats are taken care of by several thousands people, laws protect them and there's concern for their welfare. Just think that for homeless dogs a pond in each town is required by the law and the council has to pay for all the expenses. No cat or dog is ever put down when they are homeless. They are kept in council ponds and catteries for life until they find a home. Our laws forbid any unnecessary killing!

The further south we go, the less these rules are applied and the regions further south there are no ponds or catteries. Stray dogs and cats wander on the streets, live on garbage and are usually targets for bored and violent kids. When some brave volunteers create some rescue for those poor animals they won't receive money from the council (which should be obliged by the law but pretends not to hear) and live on donations. Most of the times they ask people in the north to adopt their dogs and cats because they know that these pets will have a better life in northern Italy.

Pets are allowed in all commercial premises in my area. A dog with its owner can walk into a bakery shop, a pharmacy, a clothes shop, a bar or restaurant, post offices and so on. Should a shop owner express their will not to have pets in their premises they have to justify their request to the town council, but their request might be rejected in the highest interest of the pets.

Our area is very pet-friendly!

Elsewhere in Italy pets can enter the premises only if a sticker on the window shop tells them that they can

As you can read, the situation is quite mixed and complex over here.

If you have more questions you are welcome to ask! 
 
 
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Antonio65

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@Antonio65  metal feeding bowls, or even army mess containers, would do the trick.  Keep and eye out for metal dishes in charity or goodwill shops, even ask the shop attendant to write a note that you're looking for them and could any be set aside for you.  Also, as an idea, you could put up adverts with tear off contact strips, asking for any old metal fishing tackle bowls, army bowls/trays, or maybe your local South Indian or Pakistani communities might be looking to upgrade metal bowls so oftenly used in their cooking.  Or you could take the opportunity to rummage through garage and jumble sales, though this ideas proves extremely dangerous with a collector of nonsense such as myself.

Well done though on tending to and feeding your flock, I'm very proud and honoured to know you  
 
Brian007, the pride and honour to know you all are mine!

I will have a thought about the metal bowls, thanks for the tips!
 

Primula

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Antonio, quite a different situation in Italy than in America. No tax dollars here would go towards neutering & spaying feral & colony cats. Those of us who want them fixed have to pay out of our own money, which we do. In fact, TNR (trap, neuter & release) hasn't been round that long here. So far as I know, it came about because of "kill" shelters (which still exist) that had to euthanize kittens & cats for lack of space. So the alternative to that is TNR, which works well for unadoptqble cats or cats that are happy outside and in a colony.

The worst thing in America and the reason I will not eat meat is factory farming. I believe it's in Europe too and it's truly despicable.

Bravo to kind Italians!
 
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Antonio65

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Are there such communities in Italy?
We have small communities of Indians and Pakistani in Italy, but not so many and not right here where I live. They usually work in sheep and cattle caring in farms.
Antonio, quite a different situation in Italy than in America. No tax dollars here would go towards neutering & spaying feral & colony cats. Those of us who want them fixed have to pay out of our own money, which we do. In fact, TNR (trap, neuter & release) hasn't been round that long here. So far as I know, it came about because of "kill" shelters (which still exist) that had to euthanize kittens & cats for lack of space. So the alternative to that is TNR, which works well for unadoptqble cats or cats that are happy outside and in a colony.

The worst thing in America and the reason I will not eat meat is factory farming. I believe it's in Europe too and it's truly despicable.

Bravo to kind Italians!
When shelters run out of space several cats and dogs are taken in the care of foster families. I know some of them who have many pets waiting for a final adoption.

I do not eat meat as well. Unfortunately factory farming is one of main businesses in Europe. Vegetarianism and veganism is gaining over here, they have calculated that between 10 and 15% of people in Italy won't eat animal products. Shops and restaurants have to take this in account if they want to meet this new trend.
 

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"The situation for stray and feral cats in Italy is as follows.

All cats without an owner are either stray or feral and are property of the State that designates local authorities for their welfare, namely the mayors in all towns and cities.

There are specials state laws to protect all homeless cats. They can't be harmed, killed or harrassed. Cats that gather in a colony cannot be moved unless a situation that could endager them arises, like a new building project.

A colony can be taken care of by a volunteer...."
This is an amazing and wonderful program! Good for Italy.
 

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The situation for stray and feral cats in Italy is as follows.
All cats without an owner are either stray or feral and are property of the State that designates local authorities for their welfare, namely the mayors in all towns and cities.
There are specials state laws to protect all homeless cats. They can't be harmed, killed or harrassed. Cats that gather in a colony cannot be moved unless a situation that could endager them arises, like a new building project.
A colony can be taken care of by a volunteer. This person will register with the mayor and the local health office, will declare that they want to take care of the colony and will describe the colony (number, sex and age of cats). On officer from the health office will come over to check the site and will issue a certificate. From that moment on the town council will pay for the neutering of all the females from that colony trapped by the colony carer. In some more fortunate cases the council will pay for the neutering of males and for the food as well. I rarely took advantage of this aid from the council because I should refer to certian vet practice which set their own rules, like taking the cat in at certain days or times, so I go to a vet of my choice when I have trapped a cat and I pay out of my pocket. The duty of the colony carer is to mantain the colony in good health, to avoid problems with the neighbors and to control the number of cats through TNR.
Any other person who should interfere with or threat the life and health of those cats could be prosecuted by law and face up to 18 moths jail and/or 10,000 euro fine. Though this sounds like a perfect world, we have hardly heard of such a sentence issued.
The same penalties are applied for the death of any other animal, pet or wild one. Only cats, though, have such a protection and privileges.
Declawing of cats, ears and tails cutting for dogs for aesthetic purposes are prohibited in all the country, and no veterinarian with the slightest sense of ethic would ever do that.


The results are that in the north Italy stray and feral cats are taken care of by several thousands people, laws protect them and there's concern for their welfare. Just think that for homeless dogs a pond in each town is required by the law and the council has to pay for all the expenses. No cat or dog is ever put down when they are homeless. They are kept in council ponds and catteries for life until they find a home. Our laws forbid any unnecessary killing!
The further south we go, the less these rules are applied and the regions further south there are no ponds or catteries. Stray dogs and cats wander on the streets, live on garbage and are usually targets for bored and violent kids. When some brave volunteers create some rescue for those poor animals they won't receive money from the council (which should be obliged by the law but pretends not to hear) and live on donations. Most of the times they ask people in the north to adopt their dogs and cats because they know that these pets will have a better life in northern Italy.

Pets are allowed in all commercial premises in my area. A dog with its owner can walk into a bakery shop, a pharmacy, a clothes shop, a bar or restaurant, post offices and so on. Should a shop owner express their will not to have pets in their premises they have to justify their request to the town council, but their request might be rejected in the highest interest of the pets.
Our area is very pet-friendly!
Elsewhere in Italy pets can enter the premises only if a sticker on the window shop tells them that they can
Wow! This is the best news for strays and feral cats. This is what it should be for all of them.

This law should be an International law :nod:
 
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