Caring for community cats
The Humane Society of Imperial County always tries to stress the importance of having pets spayed and neutered. We have come to realize that in conjunction with having pets spayed and neutered, we really need to stress the importance of TNR just as much.
TNR stands for trap, neuter, and return. This is the process of humanely trapping community (feral) cats, having them spayed or neutered, and returning them back to the area from which they came. All feral/community acts that are spayed and neutered will have their ears tipped when under anesthesia for their procedure. Ear tipping signifies that the cats have already been spayed or neutered.
You might be asking, “What exactly is a community or feral cat?” These are cats that were born as a result of irresponsible pet ownership and grew up un-socialized, thus causing them to revert to their wild instincts. Many people mistake them as “aggressive” when in fact they aren’t, they are just scared. These cats are often recognized by being fearful and running away from people as soon as they are approached. Feral cats are commonly found in urban areas and in alleyways, which is why some outdoor cats are sometimes called “alley cats.”
Cats are considered “free roaming agents” and are allowed to go where they please, and because of this some people have a problem with these cats. On a daily basis we receive numerous phone calls about feral cats in neighborhoods and people wanting them removed or even euthanized. Many people feel that these cats are a nuisance and cause more trouble than they are worth. Contrary to popular belief, feral cats are beneficial to our community and they actually have a working purpose.
The cat overpopulation is a result of irresponsible pet ownership and not enough people caring to care for these animals. It takes just two unaltered cats to produce literally hundreds or even thousands of cats in just one year. The problem quickly spirals out of control and the cats are ultimately the ones who pay the price. There is an estimated 3.4 million cats entering shelters every year all across the United States and almost half of those are euthanized.
A common term associated with feral cats that many people are not familiar with is the “vacuum effect.” The vacuum effect refers to feral cats already living in a particular area and the colony that they have established. These cats are territorial and they keep new cats from coming into the colony. When a large number of cats or all the cats in a colony are removed and not returned, this allows for new cats to move in and quickly start the cycle all over. When community cats go through the TNR process properly, literally everyone (both people and cats) benefit from it.
Feral cats that are spayed/ neutered and returned to their areas eliminate the vacuum effect. Over time the existing cats will begin to disappear.
They will die of natural causes, unfortunately they are sometimes hit by cars, or they just decide to find a new area to live in. These cats also help keep down on pests. In conjunction with being fed by community members, feral cats with hunt and eat rodents and bugs. They do a great job at keeping pesky pigeons away, preventing them from leaving presents on your car in the morning. They also do very well in controlling rodent and insect problems on farms or in feed lots — community cats make great barnyard cats!
In recent years there has been a shift in referring to feral cats as “community cats.” Because these cats exist as a result of the community, it is our responsibility as a community to make sure that they are all taken care of and that their numbers are not overwhelmingly high. It is important to remember that if you are feeding a colony of community cats, you must make sure that you are spaying and neutering them as well. The Humane Society of Imperial County provides a low-cost TNR program for the community for only $10 per cat through Animal Action League, or for $20 through a veterinarian that we use in Mexicali (which we are able to get in to much quicker). We also have humane cat traps available for rent as well here at the shelter.
It is also important to remember that community cats deserve the same amount of respect as any animal does.
It is illegal to intentionally harm and/or dump these cats. Harming any animal or dumping them is punishable by law.
Please call the shelter during regular business hours to schedule your low cost TNR appointment or to obtain more info on how to properly TNR community cats in your area.