FROM CAT CHAT WITH CAREN AND CODY: Happy Global Cat Day which has evolved from National Feral Cat Day®. Alley Cat
Allies created National Feral Cat Day® on its 10th anniversary
in 2001 "to raise awareness about community cats, promote Trap-Neuter-Return (TNR), and recognize
the millions of compassionate Americans who care for them. Because
compassion knows no borders, international participation in National Feral Cat
Day grew each year, reaching at least 20 countries with last year’s edition.
That mark has already been eclipsed this year, with engagement for the
inaugural Global Cat Day coming from more than 40 countries, from Australia
to the United Kingdom, Belgium to Brazil, Saudi Arabia to South Africa and
many more."
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| Courtesy of Alley Cat Allies on Facebook |
TAKE/SIGN THE GLOBAL CAT DAY PLEDGE! “I
pledge to be an ally to cats, including those who call the outdoors their home. I
will advocate for compassionate policies that protect every cat in my community.”
Today on this special day we are happy to have guest blogger Cherri Megasko writing about the importance of TNR (Trap-Neuter-Return). Cherri has been an animal lover all her life. In addition to caring for her own pets, she has been trained to rehabilitate sick or injured wildlife. Cherri is currently traveling the world with her husband, Greg, and Yorkshire Terrier, Winston. Please check out her pet and wildlife blog –
Cats, Dogs and Polliwogs.
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| This colony of feral cats was photographed on a roadside while scavenging for food scraps Sara Golemon (Wikimedia Commons) |
There are an estimated 70 million feral cats in the U.S. In
addition to the damage they do to wildlife and personal property, they
generally lead sick and miserable lives. Feral cats typically live in colonies
where they must constantly hunt and scrounge for food, breeding uncontrollably until
they are hit by a car, die of starvation or come to some other painful and
tragic end. Today, (October 16), is Global Cat Day. You can observe this
important day by learning about Trap-Neuter-Return programs in your area and
and volunteering to help where you can.
TNR
is one method of controlling feral cat populations. As the name implies,
feral cats are humanely trapped, transported to a veterinarian for a rabies
vaccination and sterilization, and then returned to their colonies. In
addition, colony caretakers regularly monitor feral cat colonies and provide
food, water and shelter for the colony population.
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As adorable as this feral kitten is, he is sentenced to grow up in a harsh and frightening world.
Image Credit:
Serkan Dulgeroglu (FreeImages.com)
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Who provides this
service?
There are many volunteer organizations across the U.S. that
support TNR programs. Funding for food and supplies generally is acquired from private
donations. Many local veterinarians will also provide discounted sterilization services
for TNR programs and some cities have government-funded TNR programs as well.
Why is TNR a good
option?
Although not without its challenges, TNR programs are more
effective in controlling feral cat populations than simply removing cats from
an area. The reason for this is that cats are territorial. When you simply
attempt to remove all the feral cats from one geographic area, new feral
individuals will move in and start new colonies. By sterilizing colony
residents and providing them with the basics of food, water and shelter, you
are controlling population growth and helping to maintain a disease-free
environment. TNR programs also include rabies vaccinations, which help protect
area wildlife and adjacent human populations.
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Many feral cats live dangerous and lonely lives.
You can help by donating your time or money
in celebration of Global Cat Day on October 16.
Image Credit:
Sener Aydin (FreeImages.com)
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How Can I Celebrate Global Cat Day?
TAKE/SIGN THE GLOBAL CAT DAY PLEDGE!! Participating in the Trap-Neuter-Return program is not
something that is advisable for an individual to attempt on his own. For
obvious reasons, there are many logistical, safety and legal issues that need
to be carefully considered. The first step should be to contact your local
animal shelter, veterinary clinic or animal control office to inquire about
programs that already exist in your area. Once doing so, there will be many
ways to become involved. Volunteers are often needed to transport captured cats
to veterinary offices, provide foster care as the cats recover from surgery, or
to be a colony caretaker. Donations of food and supplies are most always
welcome as well.
