Little One in our garden. She ate at our house for six years.
Feral Cat Advocacy and Education
You might wonder why feral cats need an advocacy organization. Well, not all humans are excited to see cats in the garden. The Washington Post recently published a story in the gardening section that touched on conflict between cats and bird advocates. The bird people say that cats outdoors are killing large numbers of migratory birds. The Alley Cat Allies spokeswoman, however, says that humans kill many more birds with cars, etc., than feral cats do, but she agrees with bird advocates that companion cats should be kept inside or closely supervised while outdoors. The article also mentions bibs for cats, a recent invention that interferes just enough with cats’ coordination and timing to make it hard for us to catch birds but not enough to keep us from jumping around and having a grand time outside.
The first thing humans need to learn to make effective policies for cats is the difference between stray cats and ferals. Stray cats are socialized to humans and will converse with them or be friendly while ferals are unaccustomed to human contact and are very wary. Stray cats can be adopted into homes and thrive, whereas ferals are too uncomfortable to live inside. Alley Cat Allies advocates trap, neuter and release (TNR) and a return to life in their colonies for ferals.
The second thing they need to understand is how fast cats can reproduce if they aren’t spayed or neutered. Animal control policies that rely on rounding up homeless cats and euthanizing them don’t really work to control cat population because more cats are always coming. Research shows that TNR reduces cat populations over time.
National Feral Cat Day Celebrations
Some communities celebrate National Feral Cat Day by organizing spay/neuter clinics for feral cats. Volunteers at the veterinary school at the University of Tennessee in Knoxville performed operations on 108 feral cats, WBIR reported. Feral cats even got attention in the nation’s capital. NBC Washington reported on CatNIPP, a Washington Humane Society TNR program. In addition to the National Feral Cat Day initiative, this group traps, neuters and releases 70 or 80 cats every month.
Other communities celebrate by improving life for ferals by updating habitat or improving ferals’ relationship with humans. WNDU reported that volunteers of the Michiana Feral Cat Initiative in Mishawaka, Indiana, built shelters out of Styrofoam to help keep ferals warm in the winter. A community in New York made 16 October a special day to adopt semi-feral, or barn cats, the Hudson Valley Press reported. In California, the group Catalyst for Cats celebrated by reminding other humans the service feral cats perform by controlling the rodent population, the Santa Maria Times reported. According to the article, cats provide a much “greener” rodent removal than placing poison in the yard.
More than 200 communities celebrated National Feral Cat Day celebrations this year, Elizabeth Parowski of ACA said. In addition to events, several cities, including Baltimore, Washington and Chicago, have officially adopted a TNR policy for feral cats.
“There is a national shift taking place, where cities and communities are looking for humane ways to care for stray and feral cats—and not resort to killing healthy animals. And we’re here to help,” Parowski said. ACA sells gear that can make for great openers for conversations about TNR.
On a personal note, Mack, one of our garden kitties, is at the vet for his neutering operation as I finish this story. So far this year, my humans have taken in six. At the moment, we have one more to go, a little black girl we call Twinkle.
{ 8 comments }
Just wanted to let you know I reprinted your article with full context and link back to Anipal Times website. Just wanted to share what a great job you’re doing!
Great article on a very important subject. I am a cat, and I love watching the birdies outside. Now I do go outside too, on a leash and in a harness, with a ooman with me at all times. I have never once tried to catch a birdie. I even met the chipmunk one day outside too. I saw him, but I think he’s my friend cuz he visits me on the patio door stoop withtin 12 inches of where I’m sitting watching him. I think if a cat is well fed, they have no reason to hunt prey on their own.
Thanks for sharing, Hemmingwayscat. I’m glad you like the article. We have more coming up about feral cats!
Excellent article; this is important information. However, I think the distinction the article mentions between stray and feral cats isn’t quite accurate. Technically, strays grew up around humans while ferals didn’t, but feral cats can become friendly with the person who cares for them. If they’ve lived outdoors for a long time, they may not adapt well to life indoors, but I’ve lived with ferals who were trapped as older kittens or adults who adapted very well to life inside. However, most cat rescuers don’t have the space or resources to take in cats who are doing well in their outdoor homes, so if they can stay there safely, that’s the best place for them to be.
Wunnerful artikle. Beary informative. TNR iz da way to go.
Very good article. Looking forward to read more about it we do believe that TNR is the way to go.
I am a feral kitten, actually. Humans tricked me with food and sequins when I was a couple months old. I’ve been inside ever since. I’m mostly a loner, but I have crawled into bed with humans when they really need me, and at 2 1/2 years old, I am even starting to like petting. So, Anne Thomas is right that sometimes ferals can thrive living inside.
I feed four of them that we have at work. I feed them to save the birds. Everyone of them are very human shy which is a good thing
Comments on this entry are closed.