What is a Feral Cat ?
So, you ask, what exactly is a feral
cat??? Read on, and you'll learn more about a problem
that's causing a lot of suffering --- and costing you money!!!
Feral cats are the 'wild' offspring of domestic
cats and are primarily the result of pet owners' abandonment
or failure to spay and neuter their animals, allowing
them to breed uncontrolled. Feral cat 'colonies' can be found
behind shopping areas or businesses, in alleys, parks, abandoned
buildings, and rural areas. They are elusive and do not trust
humans.
Many people assume their animals will survive
when they move away and leave them behind. Contrary to popular
belief, domestic animals do not automatically
return to their "natural" instincts and cannot
fend for themselves! Already, U.S. animal shelters are
forced to kill an estimated 15 million homeless cats and dogs
annually. The alternative to humane euthanasia for almost every
stray is a violent end or slow, painful death. Many
"throwaways" die mercilessly outdoors from starvation,
disease, abuse --- or as food to a predator.
A pair of breeding cats, which can have two or
more litters per year, can exponentially produce 420,000
offspring over a seven-year period, And the
overpopulation problem carries a hefty price tag.
Statewide, more than $50 million (largely from taxes)
is spent by animal control agencies and shelters for cat-related
expenses.
In response to this staggering problem, the Feral
Cat Coalition was formed by Sally Mackler and Rochelle
Brinton DVM. The FCC is an organization that
traps and spays/neuters feral cats, then returns them to their
caretakers. This service is provided to the community at
no cost by licensed veterinarians and volunteers with one
goal in mind: reducing the enormous number of homeless, unwanted
cats.
Studies have proven that trap-neuter-release
is the single most successful method of
stabilizing and maintaining healthy feral cat colonies with the least
possible cost to local governments and residents, while
providing the best life for the animals themselves.
Spaying/neutering homeless cats:
More
on Feral Cats and the Feral Cat Coalition
Contribute
to the Feral Cat Coalition
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