Feral cat colonies are prevalent around office buildings, schools and apartment communities – places where the resources the cats need to survive, namely food, water and shelter, are readily available. The single most effective and humane way to manage their presence and provide for the cats’ health and wellbeing is through a concentrated effort known as Trap-Neuter-Return (TNR).
Through TNR, dedicated community volunteers, also known as caretakers, agree to trap feral cats, bring them to a spay/neuter clinic such as the Richmond SPCA where they are sterilized, vaccinated against rabies and provided with routine veterinary care at no charge, and return them to the only home they have ever known, which is the outdoor colony where they have been residing. Additionally, caretakers agree to provide food to the colony on a regular basis. TNR works because 1) cats are spayed or neutered, so they can no longer reproduce, which prevents their colony growing beyond a manageable level, and nuisance behaviors, such as yowling during mating, fighting and territorial spraying, are diminished or eliminated; 2) cats receive rabies vaccines, which prevent the threat of disease and keep the cats healthy and the community safe; 3) cats are provided with a regular feeding schedule, so they do not need to forage for food around the property.
Because feral cats are not socialized to humans, they are typically unadoptable. Should they be taken to an animal control facility, rather than be allowed to remain in their colony, it would likely result in their being killed. In addition, removing or simply relocating the cats from the property creates what is known as a “vacuum effect.” The existing conditions that allow the colony to survive in the area would just draw new cats, thereby repeating the process.
I often receive calls from individuals concerned for the welfare of feral cats living near businesses like the ones described above. These callers are usually concerned because they’ve learned that management has grown intolerant of the colonies and want them eliminated. When I contact business management to talk to them about humanely managing the colonies on their properties, they are fond of attributing motivation for the removal of the cats to the wishes of their employees or residents; however, most Richmonders desire a compassionate response to the presence of these companion animals. Fortunately for businesses, the compassionate response and their own priorities and interests align perfectly with TNR.
On Friday I’ll write about cool local businesses that have embraced feral cats and TNR. I’ll also show you some ways you can help support these animals.
It's good to know that people are thoughtful enough to find a solution that meets the needs of both the cats and those people near the colonies. I hope that the situation that happened recently at the TV station will never happen again. What a humane method.
Posted by: Liz in Richmond | October 15, 2009 at 11:08 AM
I live in a rural area and have a problem with feral cats in our back yard, eating our own (spayed!) outdoor cat's food. I don't think we have anyone local who is willing to treat these animals for free. Is there a resource I can use to look for someone?
Posted by: Sarah | October 16, 2009 at 02:51 PM
Sarah, thanks for your post. If you live in one of the counties in our service area - Hanover, Henrico, Chesterfield and Goochland - we provide the spaying and neutering and rabies vaccinations at no charge. I can provide you with resources in other counties if you don't reside in this area. Regarding your pet cat's food, you might consider placing it in an area that has a lot of activity (a garage for instance) - somewhere very close to the house, where people are often spotted, etc.
Posted by: Tamsen Kingry | October 16, 2009 at 04:08 PM