It's Time to Speak for Feral Cats in the Gulf States
In the past 10 days, animal groups nationwide have correctly focused
on saving the lives of companion animals that Gulf States residents
were forced to leave when they fled from Hurricane Katrina. It is a
massive, ongoing effort that people all over the U.S. are aiding, and
every day more pets are rescued.
Stray and feral cats, however, as well as the people who care for
them, have been overlooked. Yes, we've seen a couple of media reports
of caregivers wading through flood waters to find and feed their
colonies. But yesterday, the head of the largest, richest humane
group in the U.S., fielded questions from concerned animal advocates
around the country—and he never even mentioned stray and feral cats.
Alley Cat Allies is the only organization working to help the large—
and soon to be larger—numbers of outdoor cats in the Gulf region.
How We Are Helping Now
It is likely that many free-roaming cats died in the hurricane, but
we know that many more survived and are in desperate need of help
now. Since Tuesday, August 30, ACA staff and volunteers have been
hard at work:
Searching out the post-hurricane locations of feral cat colonies
Organizing an emergency response team to cover areas not served by
other animal groups
Coordinating humane trapping with Noah's Wish to rescue cats from
devastated neighborhoods
By today, feral cats who survived desperately need food and
veterinary care. They are suffering from hunger. ACA is working to
get resources to caregivers but we need your help now to identify
where feral cats are and ways to get food to them.
What's Coming in the Months Ahead
Surviving cats that have not been spayed or neutered will begin
reproducing. Sexually intact pet cats who are not rescued will join
feral colonies; their offspring will be born feral. Our goal is to
provide the veterinary and other resources these cats will need
throughout the period of reconstruction. Spay/neuter facilities and
Trap-Neuter-Return (TNR) are critical to controlling the numbers and
welfare of free-roaming cats. Unless compassionate humans help, the
stray and feral cat population is certain to explode in just a couple
of "kitten cycles."
It is also critical to get information about feral cats to shelters
and animal control personnel and volunteers—to let them know that
feral cats should not be taken into shelters. This is a waste of
precious resources and precious lives. Feral cats are not adoptable
and will only be killed in shelters. Let shelters and agencies know
that outdoor cats must be neutered and returned to safe outdoor homes.
If you have knowledge about feral cat colonies in the disaster area,
please e-mail [email protected] or call 240-482-1997 and provide
as specific, detailed information as possible.
In the past 10 days, animal groups nationwide have correctly focused
on saving the lives of companion animals that Gulf States residents
were forced to leave when they fled from Hurricane Katrina. It is a
massive, ongoing effort that people all over the U.S. are aiding, and
every day more pets are rescued.
Stray and feral cats, however, as well as the people who care for
them, have been overlooked. Yes, we've seen a couple of media reports
of caregivers wading through flood waters to find and feed their
colonies. But yesterday, the head of the largest, richest humane
group in the U.S., fielded questions from concerned animal advocates
around the country—and he never even mentioned stray and feral cats.
Alley Cat Allies is the only organization working to help the large—
and soon to be larger—numbers of outdoor cats in the Gulf region.
How We Are Helping Now
It is likely that many free-roaming cats died in the hurricane, but
we know that many more survived and are in desperate need of help
now. Since Tuesday, August 30, ACA staff and volunteers have been
hard at work:
Searching out the post-hurricane locations of feral cat colonies
Organizing an emergency response team to cover areas not served by
other animal groups
Coordinating humane trapping with Noah's Wish to rescue cats from
devastated neighborhoods
By today, feral cats who survived desperately need food and
veterinary care. They are suffering from hunger. ACA is working to
get resources to caregivers but we need your help now to identify
where feral cats are and ways to get food to them.
What's Coming in the Months Ahead
Surviving cats that have not been spayed or neutered will begin
reproducing. Sexually intact pet cats who are not rescued will join
feral colonies; their offspring will be born feral. Our goal is to
provide the veterinary and other resources these cats will need
throughout the period of reconstruction. Spay/neuter facilities and
Trap-Neuter-Return (TNR) are critical to controlling the numbers and
welfare of free-roaming cats. Unless compassionate humans help, the
stray and feral cat population is certain to explode in just a couple
of "kitten cycles."
It is also critical to get information about feral cats to shelters
and animal control personnel and volunteers—to let them know that
feral cats should not be taken into shelters. This is a waste of
precious resources and precious lives. Feral cats are not adoptable
and will only be killed in shelters. Let shelters and agencies know
that outdoor cats must be neutered and returned to safe outdoor homes.
If you have knowledge about feral cat colonies in the disaster area,
please e-mail [email protected] or call 240-482-1997 and provide
as specific, detailed information as possible.
