Making a difference, one at a time . . . It takes a rescuer

It was easy to see that the very elderly couple was at the end of their rope. There was a colony of feral cats in their neighborhood, and mostly on their property. Time was when they had felt sorry for these homeless, starving creatures, and the big-hearted couple had started feeding them. They had even learned to love a few of them.
That was then. Now, though, the couple had lost their patience, perhaps triggered by a complaining neighbor and their own health conditions due to aging. Even though a good friend had helped get some of the cats trapped and neutered, there were still many who had not been caught. The couple had decided they “want the cats gone”!
The good friend who had been helping this couple also realized the problem had become too big for him or them to deal with. Since the couple did not want the cats to return after they had been trapped for spaying & neutering, he turned to a local no-kill shelter for help.
The folks at the shelter referred him to independent rescuers–two kind-hearted ladies who visited the couple and explained to them that they would do what is called TNR–trap, neuter, release. At first the couple was cooperative. However, when they realized that the “release” part meant that they would be returned to the couple’s property, the couple balked, and wanted to take the cats to be euthanized.
The rescuers tried to help the couple understand some facts: To eliminate cats from the property (or colony), only makes room for more cats to move in. Yet, a colony of spayed/ neutered cats will not grow, since healthy neutered cats will discourage other ferals from coming in. In addition, neutered cats are less prone to fight, become diseased, spray urine and control the rodent & critter populations. Therefore, over time, the colony is reduced.
Due to the couple’s mindset, only a few adult cats and two kittens were trapped. The kittens are now being fostered and have a good chance to find a loving home. The dedicated rescue women are temporarily sheltering the adult cats until a new possible colony can be found for them. It is not easy and they are calling on all of their resources.
Although the rescuers gave it their best efforts, it is a heart-breaking situation for all concerned–the elderly couple, the neighborhood, the rescuers, and, of course, the cats.
Yet, there are success stories. One particular colony in El Monte has seen no new cats or kittens since trap, neuter, release (TNR) was done a few years ago.
A colony can start when an un-neutered cat is abandoned or escapes. These cats survive by hunting and accepting food if they are lucky. If conditions are right, other cats will join and become a colony. As kittens are born, the colony grows and the cycle continues. People who feed ferals must find ways to get them spayed and neutered.
As part of our continuing desire to focus on those in our community who care for unwanted animals, we are highlighting here the work that animal rescue organizations and individuals do in helping homeless pets find homes. That they are not then overwhelmed by cycles of litters and litters of kittens. An unspayed female can have one litter of 5 kittens per year–this would mean an additional 350 cats in 4 years!!
You can be part of successfully controlling a feral cat colony. For excellent information on the issue of feral cats, including how TNR benefits the community: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trap-neuter-return, http://www.pasadenahumane.org, www.aspca.org/adoption/, www.fixnation.org/about-tnr/

TNR is the best way to handle feral cat colonies. Agencies such as FixNation in Burbank offer such services free of charge. -Photo by Terry Miller

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