Since starting my research on feral cats

Since starting my research on feral cats, I have found myself humming the tune of "Memory" from the Broadway musical Cats. Fragments of the lyrics pop into my mind, "All alone in the moonlight…The stale cold smell of morning… I remember the time I knew what happiness was…" This has not been an easy subject to study.

We have all probably seen a homeless cat, and in these rough economic times, we are likely to see more. People unable to pay the vet bills or who are forced to leave their homes, may leave their cat to fend for itself on the streets. In a study done by Alley Cat Allies in 2007, it was found that 81% of people responding believed it was more humane to leave a cat on the street than to turn her into a shelter, with a high risk of euthanasia.

Even if we do not see them on the streets, they are there. "There is no good number on how many feral cats there are," says Karen Kraus, director of the Feral Cat Coalition of Oregon. "But just because you don’t see them, doesn’t mean they’re not suffering." Feral cat colonies can exist behind shopping centers, in parks, in abandoned buildings, and in rural areas – just about any place where there is a source of food.

The problems associated with feral cat colonies are:

frequent and loud noise from fighting and mating behavior

strong foul odors from unneutered male cats spraying to mark their territory

flea infestations

visible suffering from dying kittens and injured adults

Feral cats are also blamed for spreading disease. A study conducted by Stanford University's Department of Environmental Health and Safety (EHS) found virtually no risk to humans from feral cats and diseases associated with cats. Cats are not a natural carrier of rabies and pose a very low risk for contracting and spreading this disease. As for FIV (feline AIDS) or FeLV (feline leukemia), feral cats and indoor domestic cats have approximately the same rate of infection from these diseases.

There is a distinct difference between stray and feral cats. Strays have had human contact, they will meow, and may even approach you with curiosity. Unfortunate circumstances have left them homeless. Ferals, in contrast, have never had human companionship, they will run from you, and will hiss in defense. They are the wild offspring of either a stray or feral cat, born and living outdoors.

Another difference is that stray cats are adoptable; feral cats are most likely not. Although there has been some success with domesticating feral cats that are less than three months old, most attempts at domesticating adult wild cats fail. "Many well meaning people, convinced they are ‘saving’ a feral cat by bringing him indoors, end up condemning the poor creature to a life of hiding under the bed and being in constant fear." [New Jersey Animal Rights Alliance]

An often voice concern associated with feral cat colonies is the impact on wildlife, though there is some controversy on this matter. Some indicate -- generally nature preservation groups – that free-roaming cats pose a major threat to wildlife. Other studies show that the major threat is the destruction of habitat, with help from pollution and pesticides. And it’s been reported that communications towers kill up to 50 million birds a year.

Despite some saying there is no way to know the exact number, an article appearing in National Geographic News (September 2004) states, "Some feline experts now estimate 70 million feral cats live in the United States, the consequence of little effort to control the population and of the cat's ability to reproduce quickly." Cats mate frequently and female cats as young as four months old can become pregnant. The average gestation period is 67 days allowing a cat to have multiple litters in a single year. Litter size varies, but averages 4 – 5 kittens. Although fertility may decline as a cat ages, unlike humans, they do not experience menopause.

Controlling population is exactly the objective of TNR programs. TNR stands for Trap-Neuter-Return. TNR is an effective, internationally recognized program by which cats are trapped, neutered, and returned to their original location. They are also often treated for fleas and mites, and vaccinated for rabies and distemper. A feral cat caregiver, usually a volunteer rescue worker, feeds the cats on a regular basis and brings them to a veterinarian if they require medical assistance. The resultant group of cats, including any new cats entering the caregiver's sphere, is known as a managed feral cat colony.

Numerous studies show that TNR programs are effective. In 1994, the San Francisco SPCA started a Feral Fix Program. A report they issued in 2006 indicated that adult cat euthanasia dropped 82%, kitten euthanasia dropped 93%, and animal control impoundments dropped 65%.

This last item alludes to another significant benefit of TNR programs – cost savings. After instituting a program of neutering feral cats in Orange County, Florida, community spending dropped by over $655,000. That was the cost difference between neutering versus impounding and euthanizing. In addition, there was a 25% drop in resident complaints about feral cat disturbances. Similar cost benefits were seen in San Jose, California where a no cost spay and neutering program was offered for both stray and owned cats. For every $1 spent on this program, $5 were saved in animal control costs.

TNR is a community solution to a community problem. The ASPCA and the Humane Society of NY now run major feral cat programs promoting TNR. But in many places, it is still a grassroots effort and it is a program that requires lots of constant work. And there is a significant amount of management to be performed. Anyone taking on this effort needs to get training. It’s not a simple matter to trap an entire cat colony at once, coordinate with a veterinarian willing to perform all the sterilizations, and find a place where the cats can safely recover following the procedure. It’s an ongoing, continuous effort to monitor the colonies.

The Humane Society of the United States is supporting TNR programs much stronger now than it has in the past. An excerpt from their web site states:

The Humane Society of the United States believes the best and safest place for cats to reside is in people's homes. Our focus in the past has been geared specifically toward pet owners, encouraging them to act responsibly, have their cats spayed or neutered and keep them safely confined on their property. This would reduce the number of abandoned and unaltered cats who are the originators of most feral cat colonies.

While we continue to educate pet owners in this manner, we also recognize that currently there are millions of feral cats living outside homes in the United States. The welfare and control of these cats are an issue in almost every community. Effective strategies for permanently reducing the homeless cat population are essential and Trap-Neuter-Return, when properly implemented, offers such a solution.

Their website, www.hsus.org, is also an excellent resource for information on the feral cat situation and provides links to other resources.

How Can You Help?

First make sure that all cats within your care are spayed or neutered. It’s a sad fact that even indoor cats sometimes escape the safe confines of their home, unable to find their way home.

Become a spokesperson for feral cats. Help educate others in the community. Many may not see these fearful creatures, or assume that when they do, it is someone’s pet outside to play. Learn to recognize a feral cat.

Ignoring feral cats is precisely what perpetuates the problem. Learn what is being done in your local community and speak to the politicians, advocating your support of TNR programs. At the time of this writing, I am unable to determine if there are any TNR groups working in the Hampton Roads area. If you are aware of any programs, please email me at PetTails@LifeWithDogs.us.

Also consider contributing to such causes as the Virginia Beach SPCA’s HOPE (Help Out Pets Everywhere) program. This helps provide food and clinic services to people having money problems in these tough economic times, thus allowing them to afford keep their pets. Send a check to VBSPCA, 3040 Holland Road, Virginia Beach, VA 23453; to make a credit card donation call 427-6387; donate online at www.vbspca.com.

With our help, the number of feral cats can be reduced and these homeless cats can live longer, healthier lives.