|
|
|
|
|
|
"As caretakers we go about our daily tasks. We gather
strength from the feral cats and kittens we care for.
We experience their delight and their joy of the moment,
as well as their unconditional love and their pain. Our
lives are touched in an unexplainable way by their presence.
They show us things we never dreamed of and inspire us
to do the impossible. Only those whose lives have been
touched by a feral cat or kitten can truly understand
the passion, depth of commitment, respect and affection
that is forthcoming from a place within that few of us
realized existed."
Dona Cosgrove
Baker, Founder, Feral Cat Caretakers’ Coalition |
|
 The
feral cat caretaker is the direct lifeline to feral cats and
kittens. They offer them the right to life and provide the solution
for humane population control, and long-term managed care. This
can be a lifetime commitment. They personally furnish services
to feral cats and kittens that should be made available through
funded shelters, sanctuaries, foundations, humane societies
and many other organizations. Unfortunately, few of these organizations
provide for feral cats. The fact that most of the cats have
not had an opportunity to bond with humans, and must be captured
in traps, impacts their image and suffering, and renders them
unadoptable. In affirming their right to life, their plight
then becomes the responsibility of thousands of concerned citizens
who commit to their care with little or no resources, no rights
and no recognition. |
|
|
Caring for feral cats and kittens, living outdoors requires
dedication and perseverance. Feral cat caretakers provide outdoor
sheltering, food, medical attention, veterinary care, spaying/neutering,
vaccinations and whatever else, within their means, to increase
and maintain the quality of life of those within their care.
 They
do this in all kinds of weather, under the most difficult conditions
and sometimes miles from home. They find homes for, and take
responsibility for kittens as well as adults that have bonded
with them and have become too domesticated to survive outdoors.
The stray cats who join colonies in search of food must also
be taken out and given the opportunity for a good home. The
caretakers manage colonies by knowing each cat and identifying
any newcomers that need to be trapped and require surgery. Long-term
managed care includes on-going trapping, arranging for foster
care and kitten adoption. Caretakers attend to cleanliness of
the area and minimize dangers when possible. Much of their work
is labor- intensive and generally performed under adverse conditions.
Feral cat caretakers who encounter a magnitude of indifference
by their communities, often extend themselves to help other
feral colonies, become ardent activists and form networks. If
given the proper support, caretakers can offer a comprehensive
solution for their communities by implementing humane treatment
and population control of feral cats. By working with property
owners and concerned citizens they can establish an outreach
program that will enable all parties to participate in this
most worthy endeavor.
|
|
|
|
The caretakers ameliorate the plight
of the ferals, which is often dire and deplorable, including:
- Starving and malnourished feral cats and kittens, as well
as strays that have been abandoned, with little or no food
available and no population control in place.
- Abandoned kittens (from hours to weeks old) found in all
areas of the city.
- Cats and kittens that have been injured by traffic, guns,
packs of wild dogs and other circumstances.
- Cats and kittens boarded up and trapped inside buildings.
- Demolition of habitat in areas under construction, such
as houses and abandoned buildings.
- Emergency need for relocation or sanctuary
- Cats and kittens, starving and malnourished, being used
for rodent control on private property.
- Cats and kittens discarded on freeways and in public places.
The caretakers are subject to the realities of limited financial
resources and assistance, including:
- Depletion of personal funds to cover large veterinary
bills and additional caretaking expenses, resulting in inability
to sustain themselves or their cats.
- Inability to purchase "minimum" food requirements
for their colonies.
- Inadequate shelters and feeding stations for winter months.
- One or more cats and kittens in need of immediate emergency
care.
- Illness or death of the persons caring for several ferals,
perhaps after many years of managed care.
The caretakers would benefit from an
informed public and effective intervention. This support is
needed to assist with:
- Countering the influence of persons who oppose spaying
and neutering.
- Countering the influence of persons who oppose implementing
trap, neuter and return.
- Feeding and trapping under hostile conditions, including
threats of physical violence to the caretakers and/or the
feral cats and kittens.
- Educating and assisting persons who are feeding feral
cats, who do not have experience in trapping or are unable
or hesitant to do so.
- Educating and negotiating with private and commercial
property owners, management in large corporations, universities,
refineries, government bases and other locations, regarding
the successful trap, spay/neuter and return method, with
managed care.
- Negotiating the rights of the feral cats to remain at
their original location (if safe).
|
|
|
|
In addition to the costs for spay and neuter, caring for feral
cats and kittens requires veterinary care and treatment. This
includes vaccinations, parasite control, flea control, boarding
fees, diagnostic costs, x-rays, blood tests, extended care,
injuries, emergency care, surgery, medicines and miscellaneous
medical supplies.
Spaying, neutering and veterinary care can be prohibitive.
Currently, few veterinarians offer a sufficient discount to
caretakers. The caretakers generally pay for services out
of their personal finances. Some caretakers have the money
to pay for these additional costs, but many do not. If money
is not available for these expenses the caretaker will be
financially depleted and emotionally drained. Lack of financial
assistance and food will make it impossible for a caretaker
to continue to spay and neuter the feral cats and kittens
and implement long-term managed care. All too often, this
miserable and inequitable situation confronts the dedicated
caretaker.
Caring for kittens can also incur extensive veterinary and
medical costs. Costs for each healthy kitten for surgery with
the required tests can be a minimum of $75-$100. Multiply
this by 10 to 20 kittens, which may be just the first of those
captured during kitten season, and you have a financial situation
that is beyond the means of the average caretaker. If the
kitten is not healthy, expenses can total hundreds of dollars
or more. If the kitten is under five weeks of age or hours
or days old, they will require specialized foster care and
feeding. In these instances, an experienced caretaker to care
for younger kittens and those with compromised immune systems
is necessary. The lack of availability of experienced persons
who can commit to this type of intensive care for kittens
is overwhelming. Providing them with financial assistance,
equipment, support and training would allow more persons to
commit to this most important service.
Special food plus additional veterinary care and medicines
may be required for eye infections, worms, ringworm, mange,
upper respiratory infections, debilitation, and other problems
associated with kittens born of malnourished feral mothers
can add to the caretaking costs.
The personal cost to the caretaker for preparing one healthy
feral kitten for adoption, from the moment it is trapped until
socialized and ready for a new home, averages about $275.
|
|
|
|
Adult cats
 The
cost of feeding a feral cat an average quality food is about
$5 per week. The cost for above average food can be twice
that amount. Cats that live out of doors that consume low
quality food develop weakened immune systems. They can become
sickly and require veterinarian care. Caretakers should be
able to provide their cats with a good quality of food, but
many cannot afford to. Food supplements should also be added
to the food as most ferals live in highly stressful situations.
Powdered garlic in small amounts and powdered Vitamin C, about
150 mg. per can of food are minimum supplements. You can resource
holistic supplement web sites for additional information regarding
food and supplement requirements.
Kittens
Food for kittens is expensive. Special kitten food is necessary,
as well as milk replacement for those not yet weaned. Good
quality kitten food is $20 plus a case, with dry food around
$12 for four pounds. Milk replacement is approximately $5
for 8 oz. to $22 for powdered. The food costs for one kitten
each month are huge. During kitten season a caretakers can
encounter from 10 to 40 kittens, and foster care may be required
for several weeks to months. What does the caretaker do in
such circumstances when finances are not available to provide
proper care for those they have taken into their hearts and
homes? Kittens show up in the bushes, on doorsteps, under
houses and apartment buildings, in alleys and so on. Children
bring them to their friends and families in an attempt to
save them. Assistance for the feral kittens and recognition
of the caretaker’s commitment to them must be brought
to the attention of an uninformed public and city governments.
90% of all kittens are born to feral mothers.
|
|
|
Examining the list of supplies a caretaker uses provides
a small glimpse into some of their requirements. Following is
a minimum suggested list of supplies.
| Ant Powder |
Garbage Bags |
| Boots |
Paper Towels |
| Bowls |
Plates |
| Cages |
Raingear |
| Carriers |
Scissors |
| Can Openers |
Storage Containers |
| Cage Liners |
Tools |
| Enclosure for Transit |
Towels |
| Flashlights |
Traps |
| Food Containers |
Water Containers |
Then add in large carriers and large cages for recovery and
special enclosures for kittens during foster care. Supplies
for building innovative shelters and feeding stations, bedding,
camouflage and waterproofing for shelters and feeding stations.
Shelter materials must be waterproof and warm for the winter
months. Providing customized shelters for a colony of 20-30
feral cats can cost a minimum of several hundreds of dollars.
Additional ongoing costs involve laundering, replacing bedding,
flea control and refurbishing feeding stations and shelters. |
|
|
|
 Foster
homes are a critical component of feral cat caretaking. Feral
cats and kittens born and raised outdoors are in constant
jeopardy. Theirs is a life without security. However, when
this is provided to them in a loving foster home, it is possible
for them to go from a semi-feral cat or kitten to a trusting
and loving feline presence. We do not recommend that adult
cats be taken from their colonies to be domesticated. This
is an individual choice that each caretaker must make. If
the home site is safe and is being managed by a caretaker,
it is best that they remain. However, feral cats can range
from those who walk up to you while feeding and rub against
your legs and allow you to pet them, to those that fly away
the moment they see you. When an adult cat bonds with the
caretaker and becomes "almost domestic", it is recommended
they be taken from the colony. They are no longer as instinctive
for survival as they should be and seek the love and companionship
of humans. This happens quite frequently, but the cats will
still need an extended period of adjustment in a home enviornment,
once they are taken from the colony. The caretaker’s
home is usually the foster home.
Rescued kittens need foster homes while they are being socialized
for adoption. If the caretaker does not have available space
other persons who have offered to help and have room in their
homes, such as bedrooms, bathrooms, laundry rooms, storage
rooms and even garages, are contacted to help place the kittens
and provide them with a loving and secure place to adjust
before they are ready for adoption. Foster care is a commitment
by very special people who are willing to give of themselves,
their homes and their time to lovingly prepare the kittens
for adoption. They are essential for the kitten’s survival
and introduction into society. This can take several weeks
or months. Under the best conditions, not all kittens or cats
will be adopted. This will add to an already overburdened
responsibility in many households. The need for foster homes
is an ongoing urgent need and many homes could be available
through networking, financial assistance, equipment, and education.
|
|
|
Relocation facilities for feral cats are a vital part
of providing a humane solution for ferals. With the expansion
of our cities and construction on locations that have been available
to feral cats and kittens, their homes are increasingly threatened.
Abandoned buildings, homes, apartment houses or any properties
that may either be torn down or under construction, may suddenly
become uninhabitable for the feral families that have been living
there. When the bulldozers arrive, they scatter in terror, sometimes
leaving behind the kittens, older cats, and those unable to
escape in time or are injured. The caretakers are usually the
first ones called to help, as they are all too familiar with
the urgency of the situation.
The first objective is to negotiate for time to assess the situation.
If no other alternative is available, the ferals will need to
be relocated to new location. Since we are dealing with feral
cats and kittens, this will mean trapping with possible immediate
relocation. As of this date, there are few places to relocate
a feral cat colony. The need is so great, that many caretakers
end up bringing them into their garages and homes or even boarding
them, to prevent them from being injured, killed or facing an
agonizing death from starvation. When the call goes out that
a feral colony is in eminent danger of being destroyed, it is
one of the most paralyzing situations that a caretaker can face.
There are literally no feral cat sanctuaries available on an
as-needed basis for the majority of feral cats in peril. Feral
cats are in desperate need of safe relocation sites and sanctuaries.
As the cats grow older, their need for a sanctuary can be vital
to their survival. |
|
|
 Imagine
that you are a caretaker and have been feeding and caring for
a colony of 20 cats for the past five years in an undeveloped
location somewhere in the city. You have devoted your time and
resources to their survival and they are your passion and joy.
All of a sudden, fences appear, places are boarded up and signs
are posted that construction will begin on a certain date. Strangers
and equipment are showing up daily and you know that the lives
of the 20 beloved cats you have cared for so lovingly are now
in jeopardy. The thought of them being homeless and destroyed
or injured is beyond comprehension. You know, that you must
fight for their survival and find a new place for them. But
who can give a home to 20 feral cats? Property development and
construction managers may tell you to "get rid of the cats
or they will be destroyed during construction." You may
have 30 days, if you are lucky. The feelings of vulnerability,
fear and grief can overwhelm even the most experienced caretaker.
These destructive circumstances are prevalent in all our cities
and occur daily. As the cries go out for help, there is little
that can be done under the present confines of our laws and
the scarcity of facilities available for feral cats and kittens.
Currently, the caretaker and their feral cats have no rights
and there are few safe places to take them.
Feral cat sanctuaries are urgently needed as a safe destination.
They can be established on modestly priced acreage away from
the cities. The sanctuary would become the home for ferals that
have no other place to welcome them and they could live out
their lives in a safe and secure enviornment. The sanctuary
could also serve as a center for workshops as well as educating
the public and school children about the humane care of feral
cats.
There is a pressing need for feral cat sanctuaries. |
|
|
|
|
