Feral Cat Operation Cedar Key a Success!
A total of 45 feral Cedar Key cats were trapped, dewormed, tested for disease, immunized, given a topical treatment for fleas and ticks, and spayed or neutered. Their left ears were cropped for identification and all of the cats were returned to their original place of capture. The feral cats were mostly collected from areas of Dock Street and First Street. In addition, another 10 young kittens were collected and brought to a no kill shelter for adoption as pets.
Thank you to all the wonderful local people who contributed so generously to this urgent matter of feral cat overpopulation. A big thank you to Cats Angels Inc., SPCA volunteers Beth Hackney (President) and Kim Glickman (Director) who trapped, transported and cared for our feral cats. Thank you to the University of Florida Veterinary Institute of Alachua County, to Jim and Ellen Mady and to Doug McJordan for connecting us with Cats Angels.
Unfortunately, Alachua County also has a substantial feral cat problem and the UF Veterinary Institute cannot assist Levy County in any further spay/neuter programs. Cats Angels is assisting us with locating a reduced fee mobile spay/neuter veterinary service for cats to come to Cedar Key. When I have more information I will inform the community. This will be an ongoing process until we gain control over the situation. If anyone has a veterinary contact who may be interested in helping with the spay/neuter program, please let us know.
Thank you,
Doreen Bauer
Faraway Inn
10/17/2006 "The greatness of a nation and its moral progress can be judged by the way its animals are treated." Mahatma Gandhi. I would also like to share some educational information which I have obtained from the Feral Cat Coalition:
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.
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:
* Stabilizes the population at manageable levels
* Eliminates annoying behaviors associated with mating
* Is humane to the animals and fosters compassion in the neighborhoods
* Is more effective and less costly than repeated attempts at extermination --- costs for repeatedly trapping and killing feral colonies are far higher than promoting stable, non-breeding colonies in the same location. Vacated areas are soon filled by other cats who start the breeding process over again. | 