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08/15/1995, 5 - FOLLOW-UP REPORT AND RECOMMENDATION ON THE ISSUE OF COUNCIL APPROVED FUNDS FOR A SPAY / NEUTER PROGRAM.
IIIN�► I�IIIII�I�� II�III MEETjNG DATE: II►uiu►I ci or san tins osispo - MBR: 0---ia COUNCIL AGENDA REPORT STEM NUMBER: From: James M. Gardiner, Chief of Police Prepared by: Cliff Chelquist, Administrative Captain Subject: Follow-up report and recommendation on the issue of Council approved funds for a spay / neuter program. CAO RECOMMENDATION By motion, approve and authorize the City Administrative Officer to execute a letter of Agreement with the County Department of Animal Regulation in the amount of $10,000.00 ($5,000 for each fiscal year of the 1995-97 Financial Plan) for the administration of a spay/neuter program. (As outlined in this report, these funds would primarily be set aside for treatment of cats owned by City residents. A portion of these funds could also be used for treatment of unowned or feral cats, on the condition that they are not to be placed back on private property without the property owner's express consent to properly feed and care for the animals, nor on public property because of the City's, County Animal Control's, and the State Department of Fish and Game's concerns with protection of habitat and wildlife from predators. It will be necessary for the City and County Animal Control to continue to work together to finalize an agreement incorporating this approach.) DISCUSSION Background At the June 20, 1995 City Council meeting, several citizens requested funds for a spay / neuter program and referenced the issue of feral cat colonies. The City Council approved funds for spay / neuter and expressed a desire that emphasis be given to feral cats. The Police Department was directed to research the issues involved in implementing such a program. Capt. Chelquist was assigned to complete this task and to make a recommendation. During the course of the research, Capt. Cbelquist contacted the. San Luis Obispo County Department of Animal Regulation, the State Department of Fish and Game, the Agriculture Commissioner of Sonoma County, and reviewed material from the Homeless Animal Rescue Team, HART. HAR.T representatives are seeking City financial assistance to spay or neuter feral cats that have been trapped from locations near San Luis Creek. Once the cats have been altered and vaccinated, it is the group's stated desire to release them back to the area from which they were trapped. Significant Impacts Research indicates that by supporting the return of the cats to the location from which they were trapped, the City could be placing itself in a position of conflict between many interests. It is also possible that we could find itself assisting actions that are a violation of law. s- i m ► ���� �i����N city of San tins osIspo amme COUNCIL AGENDA REPORT The State Department of Fish and Game was contacted because the feral cat colonies are close to the creek, an area that Fish and Game has in the past shown a strong interest in, and over which it has some jurisdiction. Fish and Game views feral cat colonies as a threat to wildlife and reacted to the possibility of City funding for such a program as "sponsoring predation." Both the local and Sacramento-based Fish and Game biologists were particularly concerned with the possibility of colonies being maintained in a "riparian" area such as creeks. Fish and Game officials also expressed the view that, depending upon how the issue of"ownership" of feral cats is defined and what provisions are made for their care, persons involved in programs to manage them could be in violation of section 5971's)of the Penal Code which states, "Every person who willfully abandons any domestic dog or cat is guilty of a misdemeanor." San Luis Obispo County Department of Animal Regulation provided Capt. Chelquist with a draft policy on the issue of feral cats and has taken a strong position that colonies should not be maintained on public property. Their position mirrors that of State Fish and Game on the issue of abandonment as defined in section 591�s)of the Penal Code. Both Fish and Game and Animal Regulation are concerned with the issue of disease control. This concern is based on their belief that feral cats cannot be consistently trapped, hence sustained immunization cannot be maintained. To maintain immunization, a cat must be trapped multiple times on a set schedule. All indications are that a cat soon becomes "trap wise" and hence does not receive necessary booster shots. A significant number of animals in one location also produces waste products which are conducive to spreading disease and can be offensive to humans. During talks with both County Animal Regulation and the Department of Fish and Game, Sonoma County was identified as a governmental agency which has done a great deal of work on the issue of feral cats. Interestingly, Sonoma County has also been referred to by animal activists as having a progressive ordinance. Contact was made with the Sonoma County Agriculture Commissioner who offered the following views. Sonoma County was forced to address the issue of feral cats because their policy of allowing colonies in public parks was challenged by the Audubon Society. The Audubon Society's position was that the cats were having a significant impact on bird populations. To address this conflict, Sonoma County initiated a four month process which resulted in an ordinance which recognized that feral cat colonies would not be maintained on public property. Groups who had been involved with the cat colonies were given a grace period during which the cats could be removed and relocated. The grace period has not yet expired and the County does not know if it will be forced to remove any remaining cats. The issue of feral cats on private property was addressed by setting a limit of four animals at any location and the establishment of an abatement process to be used when complaints were made. .S' ,11111111III1100' city of San LUIS OBISp0 ON! i COUNCIL AGENDA REPORT During the Council Meeting of June 20, 1995 pamphlets from the H.A.RT. organization were made available. In this pamphlet, two situations are referenced in which feral cat colonies have been dealt with, one in San Luis Obispo and one in Morro Bay. In both of these cases, the animals were trapped and relocated. As of July 13, H.A.R.T. continues to advertise in the EASY-AD for ranch sites on which to release feral cats. This would seem to indicate they are aware of the need to reduce their numbers from problem locations. The City Administrative Officer also discussed this situation with Mrs. Dianne Duncan,President of H.A.R.T., who indicated that, although obtaining alternate relocation sites is not an easy task, the H.A.R.T. organization might take on the responsibility of obtaining suitable relocation sites, not in the City. Conclusion Given the potential for conflict between various organizations and interests over the issue of feral cats and the uncertain legality of allowing or encouraging feral cat populations on private or public property, the City would be exposing itself to significant problems by lending financial assistance as earlier requested by H.A.R.T. representatives. It is recommended that City funds be primarily provided to reimburse San Luis Obispo resident cat owners for spay/neuter services, but that limited funds be made available for feral or non- owned cats under the conditions set forth in the recommendation, subject to a satisfactory program being developed between the City and County Animal Control. One important part of this program would be to develop excellent records as to where the cats were picked up and were released. In regard to owned cats, County Animal Control has agreed to issue the certificates, track the usage and bill the City annually. The administration of this program would be done at no cost and would put back in place the program as it was prior to the budget cut backs. This would allow a City resident to obtain a certificate to off-set the cost of alteration of two animals a year in the amount of$20.00 for each animal. The $20.00 rate is consistent with that of the County and would allow for 250 certificates per year. FISCAL EMPACTS: The total cost of the recommendation is $10,000.00 ($5,000.00 to be available for each fiscal year in the current Financial Plan). For the 'owned cat" program, Animal Regulation would bill the City at the end of each fiscal year for the amount of funds used. No administrative fee will be charged. Existing General funds are available to implement the recommendation. ��►��Illllp��lil��ll city of San lues OBISPO aftill COUNCIL AGENDA REPORT ALTERNATIVES: 1. That the City not re-establish participation in this spay/neuter program. 2. That the City limit the program to cats owned by City residents. 3. That the City implement the program as suggested by H.A.R.T. This alternative is not recommended for four primary reasons. First, the City loses all control over the use of the funds. No practical checks are placed on where animals are trapped or where they are released. Secondly, it places the City in a position of officially supporting a program that would be in conflict with the requirement of other agencies and the State law. Thirdly, this alternative doesn't adequately consider available information which indicates that trapping, vaccinating, altering and re-releasing feral cats is ineffectual. Fourthly, this action would negate the concerns of City staff, County Animal Control, and State Fish and Game concerning protection of habitat and wildlife preservation. 4. Establish a City policy that feral cat colonies will not be allowed within the City. A specific grace period would be given to groups now supporting them during which they may trap and relocate the animals. At the end of this grace period, the City will seek the assistance of the Department of Animal Regulation to remove any remaining cats. This alternative has the advantage of establishing a clear City policy which does not place the City in the center of future conflicts. The only reason this alternative is not being recommended at this time is that the County is currently reviewing recommendations on a policy to address feral cats. The City should withhold action on this alternative at this time until it can have the full benefit of established County policy. This may allow us to establish a policy with a desirable degree of consistency with that of the County. CONCURRENCE: The City Attorney concurs with the recommendation. ATTACHMENTS: 1. Letter from Stephanie Ruggerone, Director of SLO County Animal Regulation 2. Draft SLO County ordinance on feral cats 3. H.AR.T pamphlet 4. Page from the July 13 copy of EASY-AD 5. Information packet provided by the Humane Society of the United States (H.S.U.S.) 6. Letter from Ronald M. Jurek, Wildlife Biologist, State of CA Department of Fish and Game, to the Agricultural Commissioner of Sonoma County sm-A/ city Of san 10s ompo s COUNCIL AGENDA -REPORT 7. Position paper-from Victor Chow,Ph.D., and Peter Conners,Ph.D., of the Bodega Marine Laboratory 8. Position paper from John S. Coleman and Stanley A. Temple of the Department of Wildlife fe Ecology., University of Wisconsin 9. Eight newspaper articles 10. Two articles supplied by Daphne W..Fdhs-mig from.August 1995 "Cats".magazine ATTACHMENT 1 SAN LUIS OBISPO COUNTY HEALTH DEPARTMENT Division of Animal Regulation 885 Oklahoma Avenue • P.O. Box 3760 San Luis Obispo, California 93403-3760 4ji) (805) 781-4400 • FAX 781-1065 July 13, 1995 Capt . Cliff Chelquist San Luis Obispo Police Dept . PO Box 1328 San Luis Obispo, CA 93406 Dear Cliff, Per our telephone conversation, I am providing you with a copy of the proposal I have made to the County Board of Supervisors regarding language on feral cats I would like to see in our county ordinance. This has not been adopted into ordinance yet, but the language I have provided to the Board has been reviewed by County Counsel for form and effect . As we discussed, there are several issues that concern me regarding feral cats but my primary responsibility is for any public health and safety issues . I am also very concerned about potential abandonment under Penal Code 597s. Please feel free to contact me if you have any further questions or concerns. Sincerely, Stephanie Ruggerone Director tit1e9\s1ofera1.wpd A DEPARTMENT OF THE SAN LUIS OBISPO COUNTY HEALTH AGENCY - " ATTACHMENT 2 Section 7 - 13 FERAL CATS Any person involved in the handling of feral cats for the purpose of either surrender to the Division of Animal Regulation or for relocation in a TTVAR program shall utilize methods appropriate to the problem and humane to the animals . The following provisions shall apply to the handling of feral cats : A. The Division of Animal Regulation shall offer assistance to the public in control of feral cats by providing the direction and use of humane animal traps . Fees for the use of such traps may be charged as set by the Board of Supervisors . B. Where feral cats pose a substantial threat to public health and safety or to existing wildlife on public lands, the Division of Animal Regulation may, in cooperation with other agencies, assist in the trapping and removal of such animals . C. Local humane organizations and private citizens may participate in TTVAR programs on private lands or in joint cooperation with governing agencies on public lands with the following provisions : 1 . Animals trapped in such programs are not re-released on public land. 2 . The re-releasing of any animal from such a TTVAR program shall not cause a violation of the animal numbers allowed under section 4 - 13 of this Title . 3 . Animals involved in a TTVAR program shall not be released without arranged custodial care . S-7 ATTACHMENT 3 N co �. C 7 i M O U > y >O `- o � � raj "`� b ° � 3 p a ❑ °' a)cn t, O C G7 TSL S N Q� O N ° N ti5n �ayi o d m r • t� 1�1�� � "� y 1„ CO 'l7 a 76 d N t Ca.� N w C, C, y Cd U ❑ CES d �. 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Help cool the 'crisis of too many'. 0 .� a 0 cc o� � � }' tivD\, � no Z b �. z7 yO ai on U �+ s �4 a� O cd cn C1� CO 0 u + - w O 1.4 Q Q E 1a14 1-4 O 0 a� :Soo 00 c0 fA b i 0 ° 4J O U U Ly a Ci, (d U G� Lr U.0 00 U 4.w yy ^� �'� '^ "Q � 4J iJgo 3- 9 ATTACHMENT 4 Page 26 EASY-AD July 13, 1995 ' Thinking 1 Building Your Dream Home? Think of PALOM" DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION! SERVICES OFFERED: Site evaluation and planning • Preliminary custom floor plan & elevation AP Lmkuw AP • Bids within 48 hours (most plans); your plans or ours! • Building Department Permit submittals & CONSTRUCTION L1c.#387537 ervice Hometown Builder" 102017TH ST. • PASO ROBLES 238=55141 CARGO NETTING, 12'x16' treated, $134. CUESTA HAND FED TAME BABY COCKATIELS, with food, $50. EQUIPMENT 4540 Broad Street, SLO, 544-2540. each. 925-6403. UP TO 100% of Equity available! ! Call CALIFORNIA 1980 FIAT CONVERTIBLE, very Clea;., inside and FEDERAL BANK now, 238-1601 or 466-2020, ask for out. Needs engine work, extra parts included. Gina. Best offer over $500. 934-0933 VATOR - J.D. 690A parts machine, good un MOUNTAIN BIKE, 1990 GT KORAKORAMA XT equipped, CATTENTION 0.. 343-2314. $375. Brian 543-3669. RANCHERS! Responsible ranch sites des- ATTENTION HUNTERS! ! 49 days left until bird ely needed for release of ferral cats. All season. Get your older dog tuned-up or young pup been spayed/neutered/vaccinated and make started right! For Sale: Labrador Retriever mousers. Adoption is free. Feeding required. puppies, trained Labrador Retriever, and German e call Laura 545-8353 or HOMELESS ANIMAL Shorthair Pointer. RAJUN KENNELS, 237-1886. E TEAM 772-HART. Leave mess# e! MALE PEACOCKS, $30 each. Peahens, $20 each. MERICAN RED CROSS offers a variety of h White King pigeons, $3 each. 2 potbelly pigs, and safety courses on a regular basis. For details females, $15 each. Ice maker, $900, or best call 928-0778, 736-5110, or 734-8232 ext. 61855. offer. 466-6033. STEINWAY FRENCH PROVINCIAL Style console piano PRIME FAIR STEER, 1/4 or 1/2 cut and wrapped, with bench, excellent condition, $3295. English $1.75/lb. 929-3209. saddle, brand new Collegiate, 16" all around/jump- FOR SALE: Para Ordinance 14.45 with high capacity ing, $650 or best offer. Radio control Traxxis magazine, like new, $650. Ruger Blackhawk .45 Colt Hawk truck, best offer. 927-5874. Ivory grip, $250. Old model single six .22 mag HANDFED BABY COCKATIEL, very affectionate, $35. with scope, $250. Sharps 45-70 D.S.T. , $700. 473-1077. 541-1485. WANTED: TANNING BED and/or massage table. Pager # CAR AMPS, CD players, cassettes, alarms, new JL 542-7937. Audio speakers in stock. 466-5691. BIG SALE, FRI-SAT-SUN, 1100 Block Mission Street, SOUND 7SYSTEMS San Miguel, tools, antiques, anvils, furniture, • CAR AUtack, glassware, dolls, jewelry, miscellaneous, CELLULAhundreds of items. 7:00 AM to ? SECURRcom oplayers ioneer auto reverse•SALES•INSTCLD 502, $295. CLD 301 5 disc, $180. Quasar auto SUMMER SALEreverse laser CD player,new 0.$1 0. 925-3497subwoofetwo satellites with stands, new $180. 925-3497 . CAR ALARM,INSTALLED 99 After 5:00. ...................--.....................s 599 MOTOROLA CELLULAR PHONE...................................$4999 MISCELLANEOUS and medical electric wheelchair, 10-CD CHANGER WITH FMRF.................................. 329 commodes, file cabinet, 26" woman's bicycle, AM/FM/CASS.W/10-CDCHANGER..._.................. 547999 printer table, best offer. 929-1776 (H) REMOVABLE FACE AM/FM CASS............................. $1799° 549-3356 (W) . SONY 40 WATT BRIDGEABLE AMP..............................$89" FLOWER GIRL WEDDING DRESS - 6X, toulle, beads SONY 60 WATT BRIDGEABLE AMP............................ 129 and sequins. Basket and silk flower head wreath, SONY AM/FM/AUTO REVERSE ....................................$8990 $80. 481-7717. SONY AM/FM AUTO REVERSE PULLOUT................... $13990 $ WE BUY CARS"$ NEC SPORTS II PAGER..................................................$4999 1987 b newer - All makes and models. See our ad MOTOROLA LIFESTYLER&PAGER ..................-......... $5999 in the Auto Section. MCCARTHY WHOLESALE 541-CASH. JBL 10•WOOFER, PAIR.............................................. $10999 OVEREATERS ANONYMOUS H.O.W. concept meets Satur- JBL 12'WOOFER, PAIR............................... ............. $12999 days Sierra Vista Hospital, 9 am. The H.O.W. SONY REMOVABLE FACE CD PLAYER ...................... $19990 CONCEPT offers a disciplined and structured 101 NO. BROADWAY ,.,u "1°""xe0WN"'P°�'"""• approach to recovery from eating disorders. �PI�•' ® Mobilnet Members will share experience, strength and hope. �®Santa Maria AL ONI Contact Rosana 542-0979. _ _ __ TI M=111M,C LWIIan� �® 928-7400 L�C'A CdhduSa"ir PREGNANT? NEED HELP? We care! LIFELINE 481-4967. S-!o ATTACHMENT 5 vie I ,. :•; Dear Friend: 40 e '�' ` `-'f Thank you for contacting The Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) Baa . .• .. :��:..,..;.:,.-.,.. regarding feral cats. No one knows how many feral cats live in the United •,: States, but most experts agree that these uncontrolled cat colonies that live ,. ... . .r.}.:. a: r., ::; ` on city streets and in country towns are a tragic and serious problem. 4The controversy arises not with the issue that these populations must somehow be addressed and controlled, but with the manner in which ;copcAa��,dim,!#q: ;•:,fit concerned individuals and organizations deal with these cats. Some groups JI%i n itnl ;•. .:`•s° advocate live trapping feral cat populations, neutering them, and releasing the .. a. w•. j�+,ab+.f• !ry�s{ ;•Qr ,: ;+: T` ~`_' issue with this cats back to the area where they were found. The HSUS takes 7 - method for a number of reasons. The caretakers of many of these co onies , are undoubtedly dedicated and compassionate individuals who care deeply 41 about the cats they oversee. However, we believe that simply neutering an :. ..r,; perhaps feeding a population of feral cats does not address the suffering and x` inevitable death these cats experience, and in actuality prolongs such misery. Tr ' p!y�t' °*� Feral cats suffer from disease, starvation, abuse, poisonings, severe and fatal 3agCr(rt{�snIir+�`! a'.iaRu'•Medi9}y:'s,asµ.• . ;_,.�.: ..:_•. . . • .•;;��.�..•=;; �= injuries, exposure, and certain death after a few short and painful years. The average life span of a feral cat is one and a half to two years. An indoor cat can live seventeen to twenty years. seSo it ems that the question is not •Ei,.,,,�,.�,,;;ri1,., ,;_;� ,;, should feral cats live or die, but how will these cats die? Xle > a, ; . The tiAe>Ri: HSUS believes that feral cats have the right to a humane and painless 1 .ck �•t ::y: -•• death. When confronted with a feral cat who has been hit by a car, shot by Jrdaii ': a BB gun, poisoned by antifreeze, or mauled by abusers and left to die, the choice of humane euthanasia seems clear. Tragically, these types of 'i ! P' instances are the norm rather than the exception. 41 y ��. � •_,, ,.}�:���L �; %t3a I am enclosing information on the subject for your review. We must work at the root of the problem, which is abandonment of cats by individuals who lack the responsibility to have a companion animal. The HSUS is working to promote responsible pet ownership and help animal shelters find life-long homes for those animals who are adopted. 4 .x. . • Thank you again for your concern and compassion. Please don't hesitate to contact me if you have questions or need additional information. i erely, Vac?h-el Lamb Director, Companion Animal Care fl{c IIu01:111C$OCiefy'(1{the. Uuiled s(AWS 2100 1,Street, NNA',1YanhiliAwn,OC 20037 r 'r (202) 452-1100 FAX (202) 778-0132 Personal i PERSPECTIVES i sbdw smw- TOUGH Volume 15 CHOICES Number 5 ABOUT May 1992 FERAL CATS r Shelter Sense(ISSN 0734-3078)is published by The National Humane Education Center,a l division of The Humane Society of the ; It is essential for each of us to keep an openUnited States,2100 L Street,NW,Washington, mind: life is for learning, and old problems . 'D.C. 20037. printed on recyclettpaper. often demand new solutions. As George Bernard ,.. Subscription career for single copies:One year Shaw said, "Progress is impossible without f T. (10 issues)-38; two years(20 issues)-312. Subscription rates for multiple copies to the Change; and those who cannot change their same na1De and address: minds cannot change anything." 1-10 copies for one year-38 for first copy, S6 for each additional copy;two years-11 12 With these thoughts, I have been pondering for first copy, 310 for each additional copy. some of the new ideas put forth by individuals 10-49 copies for one year-35 for each j copy;two years-39 for each copy. 50 or and groups concerned about the plight of feral "'°R topics for one year-34 for earn copy, cats. Could the traditional approach of capturing and subsequently euthanizing these T years-37 for each copy. I animals be unnecessary or wrong?Should we let them live in alleys, fields, or garbage Sense may be Permission in whole or in hart with prior permission off The HSUS. g P; sites,sterilized but homeless, for as Ion as their wits reserve them? Is it better they The materials must be credited to -Shefrer live short and desperate lives at the fringe of society rather than die by our hands? My Senand must be use for;etyhe of educe inited al pur- answers to these questions are still, and will always be, the same: no, no, and abso- and must be used for the educational pttr- poses for which they are intended. lutely not! west Virginia residents may obtain a summary of The I Neurer-and-release programs are misguided. They don't prevent the suffering of HSUSb rtgisrnrwn and nnaocial documents from the feral cats, but instead extend and perpetuate it. They are half-hearted gestures that Secrctary of Sutc.State Capitol.Charlamn.WV 25305.icgi+trnion does not imply cndonement. ensure, for all feral cats, terrifying lives and tragic deaths—by traffic, exposure, abuse, disease, or dog attacks. Credits: j Sure, there are some feral cats who can scrape by for months, or even years,with little or no human intervention. Pan of us admires the tough and independent HSUS Vice President, Compan- qualities of feral cats, their courage in the face of terrible odds. But if we look a little ion Animals: Marc Paulhus closer,we will see that for each survivor there are hundreds of small mammals and Editor, Shelter Sense: birds that die in the jaws of these self-sufficient feline predators. Aren't these unnec- Geoffrey L. Handy essary victims just as worthy of our humane consideration? Assistant Editor: The solution to the feral cat problem must be approached both realistically and Jill Shepherd Quinney compassionately. Those who have provided care for cats in any situation cannot deny that all cats need more than once-in-a-lifetime veterinary care and.sporadic supple- © tml The HSociety of the mental feeding. They need protection from cruelty, from danger, and from privation. Unitedited States. All rights hts reserved. ; Feral cats should be brought in from the elements, tamed and adopted, if possible, or humanely euthanized if they cannot be placed. For feral cats, this traditional ap- proach remains the only practical and humane solution. In comparison, neuter-and- On The Cover: release programs amount to nothing more than subsidized abandonment. Cl Cats may look cute in the bird feeder, but the toll thry take on —Marc Paulhus, HSUS Vice President for Companion Animals songbirds, small mammals, and rr upiUlife makes this picture _.ything but cute. For more about the damage cats can do to wildlife,seepage G ❑ SHEE'?'ER SENSE-MAY 1992 SHOULD FERAL GATS BE EUTHANIZED? By Rhonda Lucas Donald Ever stalking and just out of reach, t , the feral cat lives on the out- 4'i ,W. skims—the outskirts of our vision, of our homes, of our care. These cats #T4 gone wild look so familiar,so seem- - ingly close. But they have a wary look �. •` Y. "' `�.= that most companion cats seldom express, and they consistently maintain 1.3 their lonely peripheral existence. Exactly what is a feral car?The term fosters quite a debate. A feral car is, . . 4 essentially, a domestic car. He is a companion animal who no longer is, nor ever has been, under the care of "• ••_ - people. He lives outside and by his �•: � �, own wits, finding food and water, ,w =s ,:• ., `' � " breeding, and surviving as best he can. He lives much like a wild animal, but he isn't altogether wild. In her book, Maverick Cars, Ellen "'-" �� 4,::�•.��;' ;;,,`r:+.,+'�"`-��`_.r�'��►��-, Perry Berkeley quotes Roy Robinson, a specialist in cat genetics,who explains K'"'Arrington how we have domesticated the cat over Even so, these cats are largely unap- thousands of years and why the cat has proachable. They must be trapped in The question of responsibility is at the become dependent on humans. First, order to be handled, and once trapped, heart of the feral cat issue. he points out, cats retain juvenile often will not go near a trap again. characteristics that encourage depen- Some scientists argue that because often miserable lives of these animals as dencv into adulthood. Second, they feral cats live fairly successfully in the tragic,and they do what they can to have'a reduced adrenal response that wild, they should be considered wild end•the suffering by trying to tante the requires them to be protected. Third, animals and treated accordingly. Dr. cars and put them in homes or by cats have undergone a reduction in Andrew Rowan, director of the Tufts humanely ending the animals' lives. brain size. "These changes are the Center for Animals and Public Policy, changes of many generations and are says, "A cat that's never been handled The UFAW Method not undone overnight," Berkeley says. by a human is not a pet."This leads In the early 1970s, the Universities "We may say that the feral cat has him to the question that is at the heart Federation of Animal Welfare `gone wild' or`returned to the wild,' of the debate over the fate of feral cats: (UFAW), a group based in England, but this is not the same as being a wild "Are these animals really our responsi- was one of the first to attempt neuter- animal." bility?" ing entire colonies of feral cats and Not completely wild then, the feral For the most part, people have then maintaining the colonies by cat, in fact. seeks out humans to aid in treated feral cats as if we are responsible providing a constant supply of food. In survival. Unlike most wild animals, for them. Sometimes this sense of their booklet, "The Fate of Controlled feral cars locate themselves close to responsibility comes as a result of the Feral Cat Colonies," UFAW lists no people. problems the cats can cause. Some fewer than 14 reasons why feral cars Feral cats do benefit from humans. people attempt to stop the nuisance by need to be controlled, including the Many people feed feral cats and some eradicating the cats. Others feel obliged "sheer abundance of cars; the unpleas- even go so far as to neuter them and to feed these fringe cars and ease their ant sight of cat corpses,or of individu- provide veterinary care when needed. struggles somewhat. Still others see the als in poor condition; annoying ,S- / 3 SHELTER SENSE-MAY 1992 caterwauling; fighting; the foul sightr IR IT A don't see what eventually happens to and smell of cat urine and feces: and ; ^ their charges. The feeders see the cats the disturbing of rubbish bins and A at feeding time. If one or more doesn't scattering litter,"among other things. show up, they may miss the animal, The neuter-and-release method was No T R E S Fa 5. but they don't see what has happened devised to combat these problems. to him or her. `They are operating in a UFAW reported on eight main- bit of a vacuum,"she says. "The rained colonies, tracking the individual s' caretakers don't realize that if the cats animals in them over a three-year '� � s aren't there, something bad happened period. Each of the colonies had as J. �A to them. They're not on holiday in the human feeder, althoughsome of the � 'r' 'i � X Bahamas. feeders were more dedicated than �' Because animal control officers others. Their conclusion is char"the .;i ,01A�IZA W Elly often do see what happens to these cats, neutering and returning' programme t���jll!_11;ALL,39_` they know what their fates are. The is now the most humane, cost-efficient, Ji ti animal control officer picks up the cats and effective means of population '- �• after they've been hit b cars, ingested �jj Y Y control available." � i *.��•_ ,,.:� 1't poison,succumbed to illness, or From the standpoint of some people suffered a terrible injury. Newkirk io are working to solve the feral cat advises ACOS not to"ignore the many rroblem, the neuter-and-release experiences they've had—the many method seems to be an acceptable way - bad endings that these animals meet." of handling these animals. But is this LfflGan Lesile/Alley Anlmais She wants to encourage those in method the best for the cats? shelters who must deal with this The neuter-and-release method is problem: "You are doing the right What About the Cats? considered by some to be the solution to thing.And a lot of people think you In theory, the sterilization of feral the feral cat problem. But what does are. I wouldn't have believed that life car populations could be acceptable this method mean for the cats? for cats is as hard as it is if I hadn't seen under the right circumstances. Bur it for myself. Life is more than food." finding the right circumstances can be advocate of the neuter-and-release problematic. Ingrid Newkirk, national method. She believes, as does The The Malevolent Public director of People for the Ethical HSUS, that euthanasia, although Ellen Kowalski, a Maryland resi- Treatment of Animals (PETA), says unpopular, is the best solution to the dent, recently wrote to Cat Fancy this method is acceptable as long as the problem. magazine describing how the feral cars cats are I) isolated from roads, people, "The usual responsibility we have she rescues in Baltimore are used for and other animals who could harm for per cats is suspended when it comes "target practice" by kids with "BB them; 2) constantly attended to by to ferals. It's not responsible to leave a guns, firearms, and even bows and people who not only feed them but child on the railroad tracks and walk arrows. The cars in the area are well care for their medical needs; and 3) away. It's not responsible to essentially fed,"she says, "but they have eye lodged in an area where the weather is do the same thing to cars by re- infections, abscesses, sores, and de- constantly temperate.As Newkirk says, releasing them to the streets, even if formed limbs." Kowalski has very "I don't think this kind of place exists they're neutered. You have to play God strong opinions regarding the neuter- in America." whether you neuter and release or and-release method: "This practice Newkirk worked in animal control euthanize. It's a matter of responsibil- should be called the neuter-and- 16 years. In that time,she saw a lot ity." abandon method because that's what .eral cats. "The ones I picked up Newkirk believes that part of the the advocates are really doing. These always had something wrong with reason why those who neuter and people congratulate themselves for them—they just can't get along in a release are so vehement that their neutering feral cats and saving unborn concrete society." Newkirk is not an methods are preferable is because they kittens from lives of misery. Then they 5-1� SHELTER SENSE-MAY 1992 return the neutered cars to the same soon produced a litter of four kittens, one-half years that this colony was lives of misery." all of whom were successfully homed watched, 40 kittens were"homed" and The concerns of the people living [adopted]. One of the males was 200 cats neutered. Reports on other near feral cat colonies also need to be diseased and was humanely destroyed colonies tell the same story: large addressed. Neutering cats does not (as was another of the original old numbers of original members vanish or keep them from digging up gardens, males), but the other six adults were die and new cats come in on their own fighting,getting into garbage, or neutered. During 1987, three more or are dumped there by people. causing any of the many other prob- entire immigrants joined the colony." lems cats can cause.Additionally,cats During the time this colony was The Fallacy of Territorial Defense need to be protected from people who monitored, nine of the original 19 cats Many experts agree—and UFAW's dislike them and may try to harm either disappeared or were killed or report indicates—chat cats do not them. People may become especially euthanized because of illness,while 17 defend their territory to the degree that disturbed if, as in most of the cases new cats entered the territory.This they prevent new cats from entering it. studied thus far, the numbers of cats in colony grew by eight cats despite the Dr. Carol Haspel,associate professor at the colony increase. rather hasty deaths of almost half the LaGuardia Community College in "We applaud the efforts of people original colony. In another study New York, has studied urban feral cars who care for ferals," says Marc colony, the number of feral cats rose for years and written many articles on Paulhus, HSUS vice president for from 70-80 to 100 in one year, even the subject. She says cats occupying a companion animals. "But they can't though the number of feeders dropped certain area "absolutely do not" keep stop their caring at stopping reproduc- to only one person. During the six and others out, "particularly if there is a tion; they need to go on to taming and feeder." She describes feral cats as finding proper homes for these ani- opportunistic consumers who "easily mals." - • __ p + .: coexist and tolerate others well." In fact, recent studies have shown that The Inevitable Immigrants rather than living an isolated, indepen- Ironically, the clearest picture of dent existence as traditionally thought, why the neuter-and-release method feral cats tend to form social groups may not be an appropriate solution to similar to the way lions do. the problem of feral cats comes from One of the main reasons given,then, UFAW's own report on the feral for maintaining feral cat colonies—to colonies they monitored. prevent the influx of more cats—is For example, one colony had 19 cars actually a fallacy. Neither does the living in "semi-disused garages." neuter-and-release method save the cats During four subsequent inspections, from injury and disease,or people from the researchers found that"two entire the unpleasantries associated with free- [unsterilized] immigrants and one �' roaming cats. Of UFAW's 14 reasons kitten"joined the colony and were for controlling feral cats, their neuter- neutered. "Two dead cats were found « " and-release method actually seems to and one cat disappeared, thus leaving a eliminate just one: "the profusion of colony of 19 neutered cats and one Lillian Leslie/Alley Animals kittens." untrappable male. The next inspection...revealed that one cat had This photo fromA14Animah,agroup A Question of Legality died in a car accident, and three others dodoes nimm m Balti pore,MD,sboups Under interpretations of some state had been killed by two uncontrolled the strttgglaofl*on the smia This cat's anti-cruelty laws, neuter-and-release stray dogs.The dogs were soon left eye has been blinded Gun pe&&are programs can even be considered removed from the area. Seven immi- embedded in her nose and near her right illegal. In Florida, for example,a grants had taken up residence in the rye, which is nearly blind also.Alley person who assumes care of any animal garages:six males and a female who Anlanalsdaania&ve"neurerand rnlease is deemed its legal custodian. Florida s (J 6 SHELTERSENSE—MAY1992 Statute 828.13 (3) specifically states: euthanized. Finally, the connection + , "Any person who ... has charge or between spaying and neutering and the h custody of any animal and who feral cat problem needs to be emphati- y abandons any animal in a street, road, cally stressed. E !�" or public place without providing for Many will argue that life for the s the care, sustenance, protection,and cats, no matter how brief, traumatic, or • �:%�.-' _ shelter of such animal is guilty of a difficult, is preferable to humane death. -`1• ^'–` misdemeanor of the first degree . . . " To this, Ellen Kowalski comments: In addition to criminal violations, local "Those who believe euthanasia is cruel ordinances may also require those should consider that the only differ- defined as legal caretakers to license, ence between euthanasia and abandon- i• ! tag, and confine cats. mens [what she calls the neuter-and- ' release method] is that euthanasia is Finding the Best Solutions merciful and quick, and abandonment ' The most important step to solving is slow and painful.The end result is the feral cat problem is education. the same—death." People need to understand that, Cars do not belong on the fringe. although it seems the most directly They belong inside the circle of ul, feeding stray or feral cats—like humans, who have domesticated them. t,._uing city pigeons—perpetuates a Human companionship and care are as + Lillian Leslie/Alley Animals problem. Where there is a food source, essential to them as food and water. It there will be feral cars and the suffering may be too late for the many feral cats The solution to the feral cat problem and discomfort that accompanies who already lead lives masquerading as lies in taking responsibilityfor these them. People need to be taught to use wild animals. But it is the responsibil- animals Responsibility means rescuing humane traps and to know that the icy of all involved in community the cats and either taming them and most helpful thing they can do is catch animal protection to help ensure that placing them in homes, or humanely feral cats, if they can, and take them to no others have to endure this tragic life ending their lives, but nothing short of a shelter to be adopted, if possible, or on the outskirts. ❑ either. UPSETTING THE BALANCE-THE CAT AS PREWOR As most owners of outdoor cars know,one pet cat can kill a fair number of wild animals during his or her lifetime. Several recent studies, however, reveal startling statistics about the actual impact cats have on small mammal and bird populations. • Using a Bedfordshire, England, cats,and birds aren't even the majority of During the I 1 months of rhe test, village as a rest site, Peter B. what cats catch—small mammals are. their five cats killed at least 187 animals, Churcher and John H. Lawton asked They extrapolated their figures for the mostly small mammals. resident cat owners to save the whole of England and determined that Of spedal interest to the team was remains of animals their pet cats cats kill about 70 million animals a year, the number of songbirds killed,as these brought home. All bur one rat owner 30-50 percent of whom are birds. birds are in decline in the state.They participated. •In Virginia,Dr.Joseph C.Mitchell,an estimated that Virginia's one million lased on their findings, Churcher ecologist at the University of Richmond, cats kill up to three million birds yearly. _.a Lawton estimated that between and his colleague,Dr.Ruth Beck, Says Mitchell:"The figures may be one third and one half of all house conducted a study using their own pet conservative because the study only sparrow deaths can be attributed to cats. Continued on neapage SkFZ TER SENSE-MAY 1992 + _ r 3�. Moreandmorestudies demonstrate the devas- tating effect outdoor cats evas- tatingeffectoutdoorcats can have on wildlife . populations.Mostof these studies involvepet ;• cats.Since itisreason- able to assume thatferal. ' *' catsareevenmore efficienthuntersthanpet �. cats,the damage they inflict on wildlife species could he evengreater. Joseph R.Spies Continued from previous page counted confirmed kills--not cases in chief threat to some bird populations, experts suggest that feral cats are which cats ate their victims or left the especially grassland birds living near even more efficient hunters. bodies hidden.Three million song- farms." Unowned felines, therefore, may birds is not an outlandish estimate.If •Dr.William George,professor of contribute even more than per rats it's even half that number,that's a zoology at Southern Illinois University, to the declining numbers of small drastic impact."Their study also believes that cats may be the primary mammals and birds in urban and found the cats to prey on frogs,whose threat to hawks,not because they prey on suburban locales. numbers also appear to be dropping. the hawks,but because they compete Some say that this is natural- - In another study,Dr.Stanley with them for food. cats are merely predators doing what Temple,professor of wildlife ecology •In the shire of Sherbrooke,Australia,it they are supposed to do. However, at the University of Wisconsin, is now illegal for pet cats to be outside , domestic cats are not natural to the concluded that"house cats are between 8:00 p.m.and 6:00 am.The environment.They have been probably the principal predator of cats are blamed for dwindling numbers introduced to it in vast numbers and birds and small mammals in many of the rare lyrebird,who lives in the at high densities.The small mam- areas of rural America."Using figures shire's forests.Cat owners will be fined mals and birds living in any given from Wisconsin and Illinois,he found $100 each time their cats are caught area evolved with other predators, that outdoor cats kill 47 million outside at the wrong time. but not cats. Adding cars to the rabbits a year—"more than human Although many of the predation equation upsets the balance,with hunters kill with guns."Temple studies focus on pet rats—well-fed and disastrous effects on the animals and points out that"cats may also be the cared-for cats who live in homes— the ecosystem. ❑ 5-17 ATTACHMENT 6 (916) 654-4267 April 29, 1994 Mr. Eric Lauritzen Agricultural Commissioner/Sealer Sonoma County 2604 Ventura Avenue, Room 101 Santa Rosa, California 95403-2810 Dear Mr. Lauritzen: This is in reply to your February 23, 1994, letter requesting information on feral cats and their effects on wildlife. Under separate cover, I have sent you a bibliography on free- ranging domestic cats in relation to wildlife. Here are my comments on the list of seven claims you've heard from "feral cat colony" proponents: 1. Premise: "Cats fill an ecosystem niche, and if removed will only be replaced by others in greater numbers". Domestic cats (Fells catus) are not part of any natural ecosystem in the world. Natural ecosystems are systems of interactions among native species and natural physical features of the environment. Free-living domestic cats, whether living independently of people or in close association with them, exist in natural or landscaped open spaces only because people introduced them into these places. There is not a natural ecosystem niche that cats fill, although cats often thrive in natural and artificial environments. They survive where, through their capabilities, they have managed to carve out their own "niche." Their successfully taking advantage of what the habitat has to offer ("filling a niche") is possible only to the detriment of other species. In wild lands, urban-fringe open space, and in some urban open spaces where wildlife can survive, the cats compete for available space, food, and shelter until some balance is reached. That balance may mean that some of the prey and competing predator species can no longer survive in the area. The cats' competitors would be at a disadvantage where the cats are well-fed by people. Where free- ranging cats obtain supplemental food and care from people, the niche includes the food and care regime. Mr. Eric Lauritzen April 29, 1994 Page 2 Food supplied by people inadvertently or purposefully for cats would attract not only local cats, but also other animals. The concentration of cats would become an attractant to other cats passing through, as well as to people who are intent on abandoning pet cats. In some areas, as in the inner parts of London, England, cat densities may be hundreds of times greater than in rural areas. In such settings, if cats were removed in one small area, other cats would soon swarm into the area from the surroundings. Fortunately, most communities in California do not have-the extraordinarily high cat densities present in the London area.. In most places, removing most or all of the cats and the food sources would be effective in significantly reducing free-ranging cat populations to low numbers to alleviate nuisances or to protect wildlife, necessitating only occasional follow-up control. Certainly, not all cats can be removed over a broad area, because stray and feral cats can be expected wherever people live. However, those cats would not become concentrated in one area if the supplementary food is not present. 2. Premise. "Managed colonies allow for a defined and consistent level.of predation on wildlife. This is better than cyclical buildup of cats and therefore increased predation, at least at times. Purposefully managing for domestic animal predation on protected wildlife is not legal. We are evaluating this issue with regard to existing State policies and laws. A consistent level of predation by catsin controlled colonies far exceeds natural predation levels. This is the case even if cat colony size .is only six cats, which, according to some cat management proponents_, is about.the minimum number for a stabilized, functioning colony. A small group of six cats roaming over a few dozen acres .of open space exists at a population density that is greater than that for all local native mammal predators combined. Round-the-clock., year-after-year predation by even this small number of cats is significantly detrimental to local wildlife. Cyclic buildups of cats to large numbers are also sustained by supplemental food in the form of local handouts or garbage, since native prey populations cannot normally support. such large cat populations. It is important to recognize that truly feral, free-living domestic cats are not,colonial in nature. Rather, "cat colonies" are human creations, brought about by regular provision of handouts or by inadvertent supplying of dependable amounts of edible garbage. C-19 Mr. Eric Lauritzen April 29, 1994 Page 3 It would be better for wildlife if concentrations of stray and feral cats were promptly and significantly reduced and any supplemental food were removed. 3. Premise: "Rabies inoculated cats in colonies actually create a public health buffer, between the wild population and domestic animals, ultimately protecting humans. " Whether rabies inoculation of cats in colonies would serve as a public health buffer is a public health issue, which must be addressed by California Department of Health Services and other disease control agencies. Often, feeding sites for cats become feeding sites for skunks, raccoons, foxes, and other native wildlife. These native species are susceptible to rabies. Cat colony management, by inadvertently attracting wild mammals to feeding areas, would increase the risk of public health hazard, rather than alleviate it. Rabies is only one of many diseases of free-living cats. Other cat diseases are also important to consider as significant health risks to people, other cats, and wild animals. However, veterinary checks and inoculations given cats destined for managed colonies are designed to detect and prevent only a few of the more serious cat diseases. Also, not all stray or feral cats attracted to a feeding area can be trapped for health exams and inoculations, and some cats that are trapped once will ever again allow themselves to be retrapped, so they would unlikely receive boosters, nor could they be rescued if they became diseased. Any "managed" cat colony would at one time or another have at least some cats that have not yet been sterilized, inoculated, or re-inoculated. A concentration of cats in a feeding area could attract the domestic cat's predators, such as coyotes, mountain lions, and bobcats. This would expose the wild feline species to cat diseases, such as feline leukemia virus (FeLV), which could be carried by a cat that had not yet been processed for TTVAR. We now know that mountain lions are susceptible to FeLV. Also, in such locations, mountain lions would be a public safety factor. 4. Premise: "Parks, especially those adjacent to residential areas will always be at risk of reintroduction and therefore managed colonies, who protect or defend their territory, serve to exclude other cats from entering the territory. " The argument that sterilized cats in managed colonies, because they become territorial, exclude unsterilized newcomers is an oversimplification. Newly established groups of cats do not exclude newcomers attracted by the food or potential mates. Older, well-established colonies may discourage unsterilized newcomers initially, but, through persistence, newcomers can eventually join such groups. The British literature on the development and evaluation of "neuter-and-release" management contains many examples of ��4 Mr. Eric Lauritzen April 29, 1994 Page 4 cat colonies that have been joined by unsterilized individuals. Abandoned and stray intact cats are often attracted to managed colonies. Even colony proponents recognize this phenomenon and routinely advise caretakers to be on the watch for cat immigrants and to try to catch and process them before they can breed. One of the serious management difficulties colony managers face is the illegal abandonment of cats at the colony. Often, caretakers of colonies must keep feeding sites secret to avoid attracting attention to places where the public might dump their cats. Abandonment of cats is a continual problem, and colony management actually may serve to reinforce the illegal practice by giving the public the impression that someone will take good care of their abandoned cats. Establishing colonies in parks or other such locations might actually inspire people to abandon cats at well-known feeding sites or areas that appear to them to be likely places for cat colonies. S. Premise: "Cats cannot be eliminated or eradicated from "at risk" areas such as described in #4 above. " Although eradication may not be feasible in many situations, significant reduction of stray and feral cat numbers is practicable by trapping and removal. Public education and enforcement of regulations on cat ownership is necessary whether or not cat colony management is practiced in an area. Removing garbage, handouts, and other human sources of food that attract strays cats would significantly reduce the numbers of cats that would stay in that area. Cat feeding stations perpetuate excessive numbers of cats in an area. 6. Premise: "Properly cared for, and regularly fed cats, will not be as apt to prey on wildlife as unmanaged populations. " Well-fed cats do not loose their hunting urge. When free-roaming cats are well-fed from artificial sources, they are free to prey on a wider range of animal life than do truly feral cats living totally off the land. Whether a local concentration, of cats is simply fed or is'managed in formal colonies, the numbers of these predators in the vicinity of the feeding station exceeds native predator populations. A group of subsidized, free-ranging cats may exist in their home range at a density many times greater than that of raccoons, coyotes, or skunks. Such intensive, year-round predation in a local area is detrimental to native species. Indigenous ground-nesting and ground-feeding birds, rabbits, rodents, and other small mammals are subjected to consistent, unnaturally heavy predation. Predation is not the only negative effect cats have on wildlife. Harassment of wildlife by cats and spread of their diseases are other significant concerns. If some of the resident species have already been eliminated by excessive cat predation at a site, no natural re- establishment can occur until cat population density has been significantly reduced or �= a2l Mr. Eric Lauritzen April 29, 1994 Page 5 eliminated. Harassment and disturbance by cats there would preclude regular use or re- occupancy of otherwise suitable habitats by migrating and immigrating ground-dwelling wildlife. This would be a serious impact in such areas even though no wild animals were actually killed by the cats. Attracting wild mammals to cat feeding areas heightens the risk of wild animals transmitting diseases among themselves. Also, cats could transmit diseases to wildlife. Cats in managed colonies cannot be tested for, nor inoculated against, all possible diseases, and worming and de-fleaing are only temporary. Concentrations of cat feces, if not removed regularly, could become an unnatural, concentrated source of roundworm eggs, which would be a particularly hazardous situation for young wild mammals, such as raccoons and foxes. Cat colony proponents frequently advertise for help in relocating feral cats to "safe" areas in rural areas, wildlands, and other open spaces. With regard to wildlife, cat colony relocations spread cat predation and associated problems and should be prohibited, especially when such areas are public lands. What colony proponents consider to be safe areas or sanctuaries for unwanted cats are often good wildlife habitats. 7. Premise: "Maintaining cats in a managed colony, is more humane than trapping and humane euthanasia. " This position has been refuted by the Humane Society of the United States. Knowingly subjecting wildlife to excessively heavy predation and to cat-borne wildlife diseases should become part of the discussion on humaneness. Damage to wildlife by cats is intensified when people feed stray or feral individuals, concentrating them in areas where intensive predation and disease spread occurs. The anecdotal claims of you have heard from cat colony proponents are based chiefly on literature of groups that use this control method in England. The Universities Federation for Animal Welfare, the British organization that developed the neuter-and-release cat control scheme, conducted their own assessment of it in 1988, following a decade of development and testing around the country (UFAW Animal Welfare Research Report No. 4 (1990), by W. C. Passanisi and Dr. D. W. Macdonald). The authors concluded: "This survey was instigated to examine the fate of various controlled feral cat colonies. We have documented several case histories where members of a colony have been trapped, neutered and returned to site, and have attempted to examine some of the factors that may have accounted for the success, or failure, of each method of control implemented. The 'neutering & returning' program is now the most widely used method of feral cat control, and the consensus is that it is the most humane, cost-efficient, and effective means of Mr. Eric Lauritzen April 29, 1994 Page 6 population control available. Virtually everyone involved in cat control who was interviewed during this study commented that that (sic) neutering schemes have worked better than any available alternative might have done. We must stress, however, that, other than anecdotal observations and subjective opinions, there is no evidence that corroborated this widely-held view." The authors also wrote: "Combined with the views of over 80 people intimately involved with or affected by feral cat colonies, this information suggested that neutering cats and returning them to the site of capture is an effective method of population control; more humane and cost efficient than any other currently available alternative. However, we stress that the preponderance of anecdotal evidence, and the paucity of real data, make it virtually impossible to give an objective assessment of this method." I hope these comments will assist the County in its review of its ordinances in relation to free-ranging domestic cats. If you would like to discuss these points further, please write to me at the letterhead address or telephone (916) 654-4267. Sincerely, Ronald M. Jurek Wildlife Biologist Nongame Bird and Mammal Program cc: Kevin Reilly, DVM Department of Health Services Sacramento, California Mr. Brian Hunter Department of Fish and Game Yountville, California ..�' o8 ATTACHMENT 7 Feral Cat Feeding Programs: Impacts on Wildlife Feral cats are common inhabitants in many of our natural environments, particularly where these lands border on urban and suburban neighborhoods. Feral cats were once domestic pets or are the offspring of domestic pets, now living a wild lifestyle. Often they outnumber the natural predators in these habitats. Cats are extremely capable predators that can unfortunately catch and kill many species of birds and small mammals, including some of our most beautiful songbirds. They may affect populations of not only their prey such as meadowlarks, California quail, field mice and brush rabbits, but also of native predators that depend on these prey, such as long-tailed weasels, great homed owls and grey foxes. Recently, a number of groups and individuals have begun to sponsor "catch, neuter, release, and feed" programs directed toward feral cat populations. These well-intentioned people hope to reduce the numbers of feral cats and improve the health of those that remain by their actions. However, such programs are totally inappropriate in areas supporting native wildlife which are at risk to predation by cats. First, releasing neutered cats into the wild will not reduce feral cat populations. Although it does reduce reproductive capacity, cat populations, like those of most mammals, are limited by survival of kittens to adulthood, not by reproductive capacity. Only a few reproductive cats in a population, or a continuing source of newly abandoned cats, is sufficient to maintain population densities at levels that impact wildlife. Second, well-fed cats still harm wildlife. The scientific evidence on this point is clear and indisputable. Extensive studies by scientists in England, Wisconsin, and other areas have documented the enormous numbers of wild birds and mammals taken even by domestic cats that are fed daily by their owners. Moreover, feeding feral cats, whether neutered or not, will certainly increase local populations of cats. A dependable food source is one of the most important factors in sustaining high densities of almost all predators. A supplemental food source for cats increases their population density and also gives them a competitive advantage over native predators such as hawks and owls that must survive with the uncertainties of fluctuating natural food resources. Feral cats maintained at one site may affect native wildlife over a very large area. Our own studies of radio-collared cats near Bodega Bay have shown that an individual feral cat may range more than a mile in a single day. Thus, a feeding station for cats may increase the risk of predation for birds nesting anywhere within that distance of the station. The desire to improve the well-being of feral cats is certainly understandable. However, in environmentally sensitive areas, feeding efforts will only serve to sustain high densities of feral cats, to the detriment of native wildlife populations. Victor Chow, Ph.D., and Peter Connors, Ph.D. Ecologists Bodega Marine Laboratory ,D 0A7 ATTACHMENT 8 How Many Birds Do Cats Kill? John S. Coleman and Stanley A. Temple Department of Wildlife Ecology University of Wisconsin Madison, Wisconsin 53706 No one has yet collected enough data to predict exactly the number of birds killed by rural free-ranging cats. Nonetheless, our 4-year study of cat predation in Wisconsin, coupled with data from other studies, allows us to predict a range of values for the number of birds killed each year in Wisconsin. We estimate that 1.4 to 2.0 million (mean = 1.7 million) free-ranging cats live in rural areas of Wisconsin (Coleman and Temple 1993). We further estimate 23% of these cats' prey are birds (Coleman and Temple, unpublished data). This figure is consistent with other studies reporting that roughly 20 - 30% of free-ranging cats' kills are birds (Fitzgerald 1988). The number of animals killed by individual free-ranging cats varies greatly. At the extremes, some cats kill no prey, while other individuals kill more prey that they can consume. One rural cat was recorded to kill 1690 animals in 18 months (Bradt 1949). Mean numbers of kills per cat reflect this variation. Low estimates of 14 kills per cat per year have been reported for free-ranging urban cgts (Churcher and Lawton 1987). Rural cats seem to kill at least twice as many animals as do urban cats (Eberhard 1954, Fitzgerald 1988), possibly because urban prey populations are lower. At the high end are estimates from diet studies of rural cats that indicate at least 1-kill per day per cat, resulting in over 365 kills per cat per year (Errington 1936, Parmalee 1953, Eberhard 1954). Other studies report 28 kills per cat per year for urban cats and 91 kills per cat per year for rural cats (Mitchell and Beck 1992). Using these figures, we can make a range of estimates of the number of birds killed annually by free-ranging cats in rural Wisconsin. Estimates are based on the formula: (number of rural cats)X(number of kills/cat/year)X(proportion of kills that are birds) using low values: (lowest population estimate, twice urban kill rates, lowest dietary %) (1.4 million) X (28) X (0.20) = 7.8 million bird kills by cats in rural Wisconsin S-- �� using intermediate values: (mean population estimate, intermediate kill rate and dietary %) (1.7 million) X (91) X (0.25) = 38.7 million bird kills by cats in rural Wisconsin using high values: (highest population estimate, kill rate, and dietary %) (2.0 million) X (365) X (0.30) = 219 million bird kills by cats in rural Wisconsin The range of these estimates is large, but even the lowest estimate indicates that rural free-ranging cats kill millions of birds per year in Wisconsin. These estimates do not include predation by urban cats. Calculations that included the lar;e numbers of urban cats would. of course, be higher. In a northern state, such as Wisconsin, most of these kills occur in spring and summer, although predation at winter bird feeders can be substantial. Many of the spring kills would be nestlings and fledglings. The majority of kills are song birds, but larger birds are also killed, especially as nestlings. High densities of cats are the result of supplemental food and protection provided by humans. We (Coleman and Temple 1993) estimate that, in some parts of rural Wisconsin, free-ranging cat densities reach 114 cats per square mile. To put this estimate in context, such densities are several times higher than the typical combined densities of all similar-sized native predators (foxes, skunks, opossums, raccoons). Clearly, free-ranging cats are a major predator of birds in rural Wisconsin. Literature Cited Bradt, G. W. 1949. Farm cat as predator. Michigan Conserv. 18:23-25. Churcher, J. B., and J. H. Lawton. 1987. Predation by domestic cats in an English.[UK] village. J. Zool. (Lund.). 212:439-456. Coleman, J. S. and S. A. Temple. 1993. Rural residents' free-ranging domestic cats: a survey. Wildl. Soc. Bull. 21:381-390. Eberhard, T. 1954. Food habits of Pennsylvania house cats. J. Wildl. Manage. 18:284-286. Erringron, P. L. 1936. Notes on the food habits of southern Wisconsin house cats. J. Mammal. 17:64- 65. Fitzgerald, B. M. 1988. Diet of domestic cats and their impact on prey populations. Pp..123-147, in The domestic cat: the biology of its behavior. (D. C. Turner & P. Bateson, eds.). Cambridge University Press, New York, New York, 222 pp. Parmalee, P. W. 1953. Food habits of the feral house cat in east-central Texas. J. Wildl. Manage. 17:375-376. Mitchell, J. C. and R. A. Beck. 1992. Free-ranging domestic cat predation on native vertebrates in rural and urban Virginia. Virginia Journal of Science. 43(1B):197-207. February 24, 1994 ATTACHMENT 9 .. . .`.. •.. O Nm'a L+ Q,p p ++ ^y" _ pp D = �.5 rs o m � a, e60 � is _ Amy ABCd-- . 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That violates their efforts to catch and remove By Joni Wynacht vaccinate, alter, and'ieleua�t. the few rem=++;ng felines. MOERO BAY—What do you the idea is being Pmmo6ed es p t �and several departmentn�ti� polices State Parks do_wben a group of mousers humane alternative to week at the R°ck warms peop a nP in your sin However. not all �. The key in dealing with feral not m feed the wild cats width °th00dor]aalpadcY weifarecagemxatiemartppeit cat colonies, said the memoran- The oomr: aE"m Emil idea —the Humane Z. dum, is to become aware of the have than two the landmark for te unique characteristics of the more than two decades. cat oolmdPs"is actively being co- the Unitedt, Spates has ocma pot` I situation in your area and deal Several tical:esiaents hate been 'Cod by several cat-oriented A against it; and some re6ar 0o it i. with the cats before they get out feeding and watering the cats for interest groups e000rrtiag m a. as:inhumeoe snLeidized eLen �'. of control. many years and the state wants s ate ofd ptepated ; Some options with DepertmenL Department aE Parka ,' pry them m stop. ofParfm and Reaeati®` -:..'. i controlling the cat population The Homeless Animal Rescue are: Team(HART),a lord ardmal wel- g°0°PII.as TTVAR(hap,test, Please See WOW,Page9,.. • Enforcement of existing reg- fare group, was given $2.500 Sy ulations against dumping, feed- the Mario Bay City Council in the been able to trap have been spayed The rats are efficient hrmtee m& and maintaining feral cats spring to catch, alter and remove or neutered,given veterinary care and help ranchers keep rodent �. in state parks. the cats from Morro Rock. and vaccinations,she said. ulations down. That bunting ' Work with cat groups that Diana Dmacan, a HART vohm- Some have been adapted out and ability is what worries state perks will trap and remove cats for teer, said the group has removed others have been taken to area officials. adoption or some other alterna- 30 cats once June 22 from their ranches where responsible owners Vince Cicero, a biologist with tive. desolate home But the problem is have promised to feed and water state parks,posted the signs which • Humane live trapping and starting over agamthe cats. point out that caring for the azd� removal of cats to local animal F1re found a new dump off just But the group is now out of mala is a crime, as is dumping control facilities, done by today[Monday],"said Duncan The ranch space and hopes to fed two them there in the firstp most recent te marDepartment of Parks and Recre• the Rock was trapped at more sites before the state decides ation staff park volunteer staff, male The cats which has ofsaved. very pregnant fe- to have cats pat dawn instead Please see Cats,Pa e 3 student interns volunteers from --_ �� 0 wildilife oriented interest groups cant predator present. They do cold in the winter." may be necessary ���� have an impact All cats boat HART has made The U.S.Department of Agri- previous efffew culture's Animal Dam Con- regardless of whether they are fed- at the Rods but last year the few � frog Unit iADC) responds to all We have a resource maints. cats they managed to catch were kinds of wildlife problems, pri- Continued from Page 1 Bance responsibility out there, diseased and had to be put down. 4t marily involving carnivores. We've always had complaints and This year the cats are healthy and [ ADC has contracts with 36 of 58 "We're trying mremove the rats we've always had cats." just two have died from disease. I Cicero county governments said he aplauds thBut HART i permanently,"said Cicero.'There's pe s now out of money m do animal control/ a certain small group of people many people who have cared for m continue the efforts.And Cicero animal removal where an agri- who like to bring them out there the cats over the years and said the state will not provide any cultural resource is threatened and dump them. It's a natural respects their humanitarian ef- money.I asked,"said Cicero.'The preserve that we want to be for forts. But the time has come for answer I got was'No. wildlife." the cats to go. But the state's cat problems Cats,no matter howBut thanks m HART and other won't end at Morro Rock. Signa been in the area will never be con. groups,the current danger to wild- cant populations live at Morro sidered"native." life is now minimal. Strand Campground and could be 'They're not in the best interest The Sun Bulletin visited the at Morro Bay State Park of the wildlife," said Cicem He areas of the Rock where numerous Morro Strand concerns Cicero be. said people have seen the cats cats could be seen in the past rause snowy plovers nest in the There were no cats to be found nearby sands. climbing high on the ruck face where en Both Duncan and Cicero estimate Cicero wants m post signs at the Cons nest dan�red Pe un there are just five m eight cats left campgrounds to try and stop 'T don't know ifthey re a danger Volunteers continue the effort to dumping. m the Peregrines a not' said catch the remaining cam and fed 'Personally, Pd love tb catch Cicero. He noted that Morro Rock amore suitable home. someone doing this [dumping a is also home to various small ro- Tor the cat's sake," said Dun- cat],"he said The crime carries up dents,lizards and some songbirds. 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A eL' g. u O 1° w A° wq c�L o 3� Cy002 v rA NEW a, Y a C e d > a N y 3 d e a.� ° A +L-' 0 c`g L'>.'c m E O C m y 3 N d•�,d L `07„'AO w .L+ 0a .�arAyal—CL) Y C 3 zi 61 E a).0 y m Z E"' '` �-0>,C + 0 Y V.0 riAFoAo � .0 tax� `�° o� y ay � NoSE � o3S. Z ma�'m5a� mo �Am y « t� ao YAm« 4 Op 2O wO C w U �yyF3cCy _ ecyn«e=a s p "LrwQ = yUo 2e� aoea cc .� s s, low W6m �.5 V mCl 2 .Oy T T pp'O J N d N Z O A N p m y h > ::. yy O W O O� = e r .��.•' 61 C � ... � A p A 0 Tuesday,May 5,1994 THESANDIEGO UNI( Catstiny wildlife areas we have left," neutering by a colony"manager"or Peugh said. "caregiver,"who feeds the qts and won Feral feline advocates "This isn't as bad as building de- also keeps an eye out for sick ani- true velopments on wildlife habitat, but mals and newcomers. "i ruffle officials' feathers it does go in the same direction. The Feral Cat Coalition has that "It's not just birds, but small ro- treated and neutered about 3,000 It Continued from A-1 dents and reptiles that also suffer," qts since November 1992,Shapiro cold he added. said. spec "If (cat lovers) want to be hu- How many colonies are there in 11 ■ In Sonoma County, where the mane, they need to be humane to San Diego County?"A lot,"he said. rese Board of Supervisors is considering the entire food chain." "We have some people who are rare an ordinance this afternoon that For Peugh,the solution is to trap feeding 30 qts. Others are only ator would prohibit the feeding of feral the qts and euthanize them. feeding two or three." area qts on county property; "I think there's a lot more hu- Shapiro echoed the comments of 11 ■In Morro Bay, where a recent manity in that than having rats run- cat advocates around the state cone City Council decision to provide ning around mangy with disease or when he said that well-fed feral qts ro 1 $2,500 for trapping, neutering and dodging cars,"he said. will probably kill fewer birds and cat-i re-releasing feral cats in a nearby But Sid Shapiro, an accountant other wildlife than unsupervised nem state ecological reserve drew sharp who is the volunteer coordinator will qts. m criticism from state park officials; for the Feral Cat Coalition here, However,a recent study by Stan from ( a And in San Diego, where San said simply, "I'm not about killing Temple, a wildlife ecologist at the logk Diego Audubon Society President cats." University of Wisconsin, estimated R Jim Peugh said he has recently seen The coalition—along with many that a single feral cat kills between nese evidence that a feral cat colony is other small, like-minded organza- 28 and 365 animals a year,about 20 and; being fed on city-owned wetlands at tions around the state—traps feral percent of them birds. A Famosa Slough. cats, inoculates and neuters them, The estimated 1.4 million feral ficW "It's not humane to subsidize a and returns them to where they cats in Wisconsin therefore kill pro+ predator that's going to eat three to were found. somewhere between re million feed four birds a week, especially in the Often the cats are brought in for and 219 million birds annually, re- Globe Slain student actor ,. remembered fondly . i., Continued from A-1 The couple were among 14 Uni- versity of San Diego master of fine arts students studying at the Old Globe Theatre this year. They ` e were among seven second-year stu- dents in the two-year p rogram who were scheduled to graduate in three weeks. ;a They were walking to their cars -_�• �.:- after attending a cast party for the %' j •. closing of two plays,"Dirt"and"Jar r ja the Floor; when several bullets ` d'I �- were fired at the couple from a passing truck Lentz was struck in the head, ' r neck and back and died soon after arrivingth at e hospital. Burtnett, who was shot in the arm, was John Lentz(left) and Dhyana Burtnett appear with Maurieio Men treated and released. Stewart(right) in a recent joint Old Globe/USD production of"AM "(Burtnett) is emotionally quite upset," said Jennifer Schelter, 28, who is also a member of the mas- drug activity, the homeless and versity• yesterday to mourn for 20.0 ters program. "She told me it was yotmg male prostitutes. Lentz and cope with the crime cal n so frightening and incomprehensi- Last June,Jose Leonel Espinosa while police searched for a suspect. ble to them that someone would was shot and killed in a robbery Old Globe administrators — in- start shooting. They thought attempt while opening up a Balboa cluding artistic director Tack O'Rri- . wmV 1 UNION-TRIBUNE A-15 ' The argument that a well-fed cat Yates. helped craft the ordinance being won't attack wildlife "just isn't Still, many cat advocates argue considered by the Sonoma County true,"Temple said. that close management of cat colo- Board of Supervisors today. "Anybody who's had a house cat nies steadily reduces the total num- The ordinance proposes stiffer that eats Friskies knows that." ber of feral cats. penalties for abandoning and failing 1 Jurek said feral cats probably "The thing that makes it work is to neuter pet cats; establishes that I couldn't single-handedly cause a a caregiver who is there every day, it is not appropriate to maintain cat species to become endangered. managing the colony," said Knapp colonies on county property; and I 'But in some of our ecological of the Sonoma County Humane So- calls for phasing out a cat colony in reserves we have birds that are ciety. Spring Lake County Park over the rare.. . and a superabundant pred- "You remove the kittens (for next 18 months, according to Eric I ator could tip the scales in those adoption).If a cat is critically ill,it is Lauritzen,the county's agricultural areas,he said- euthanized.Other cats are placed in commissioner. I That's why state park officials foster homes." Knapp insisted cat colonies will e complained in March after the Mor- Meanwhile, all the cats are neu- work if they are located away from s ro Bay City Council gave a local tered, he went on. "The mission is endangered species habitat. d cat-lovers group $2,500 to trap, to get these colonies to zero d neuter and re-release feral cats through attrition." But Clyde Nance, of Sonoma', from several local colonies, includ- Critics say the caregivers don't ' Madrone Audubon Society, said he n ing one at Morro Rock State Eco- keep any systematic records that hopes the ordinance will send a e logical Reserve. would prove their point. clear message: cats are not part of d Rare birds that live in or near the Nevertheless,Knapp claimed the the state's natural ecosystem, and :n reserve include peregrine falcons population of a cat colony in a Santa rural areas are no place to maintain 0 and ground-nesting snowy plovers. Rosa city park plummeted from or establish colonies of them. After hearing from state park of- about 75 to six under the manage- "These are well motivated peo- al ficials,the city immediately told the ment of a Sonoma group called For- ple,"Nance said of the cat lovers he ill pro-cat group that it is illegal to gotten Felines. locks horns with. m feed or release any animals at the Along with that group and the "They're just misguided and mis- reserve,said Morro Bay Mayor Bill local Audubon Society, he has informed:" Kevorkian _ = ' He will seek legalization of assisted suicide Continued from A-1 t ing Mr. Hyde's suicide and used their common sense," Humphry said. Since 1990, Kevorkian has helped 20 people take their fives. Five of those deaths have come since Michigan outlawed assisted suicides in February 1993. ` Yesterday's decision marks the first time Kevorkian's practices �. have been tested in trial.Until now, prosecutors' attempts to charge him with murder and assisted sui- cide have been blocked by judges on ASSOCIATED PRESS ` constitutional or other legal Dr.Jack Kevorkian gets a hug Old Gabe Theatre MARK HSS grounds, with the result that the from his sister, Margo Janus, icio Mendoza (center)and Leonard Proselytizing doctor had never had after a jury acquitted him of m of"Arms and the Man." to face a jury. aiding in the suicide of a The Wayne County assistant 30-year-old Michigan man. prosecutor who argued this case, y 8 Timothy Kenny, declined to say n for 20-minute solo of wonderful comi- whether his office will bring any crime cal material." more prosecutions against Kevorki- 1968 Volkswagen bus, behind the spect. His class of only seven students an, doctor's suburban Detroit home m was like a famil s ndin un to 12 Supporters and opponents are and within sight of the Royal Oakj n R._ Y, Pe H _u :_ -.L-- _----_ n_,:__ n_____ S- 3� WON ur Flu Over ,ontroversial roposals to By PAT KIN � NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC Curb Colones of Stray Cats ALEXANDRIA, Va.—Until the law caught up with them, the 20 stray Research supports their point.Feral cats cats of Riverside Park led a have nearly wiped out parrot populations Charmed existence on some Caribbean islands. One study in The portly tabbies spent their days Britain estimated that the country's 5 wandering sun-dappled bike trails and million house cats kill 70 million small lolling on the rocks overlooking the Poto- animals each year, including 20 million mac River.Dinner came on schedule every birds. day,a huge mound of cat chow toted in by A recent study of radio-collared farm feline-fancying neighbors of this leafy cats in Wisconsin estimated that free- National Park Service land south of Wash- ranging cats kill 19 million songbirds and ington,D.C. 140,000 game birds in the state each year. The lucky creatures belonged to a man- Feral cats also threaten reptiles. They aged colony, an outdoor welfare plan for have reduced the density of ground lizards abandoned cats, underwritten by devoted in the desert parks near Tucson,Ariz.,and volunteers. Such colonies,consisting of six eradicated generations of young marine to 100 cats,are rapidly spreading across the lizards on at least one island in the United States. California alone has more Galapagos archipelago off Ecuador. than 100 of them. Colonies intensify the problem. "What In some circles,however,they're wear- you get is a dense pack of predators," said ing out their welcome. With increasing Ron Jurek, an endangered-wildlife biolo- frequency,bird lovers and other conserva- gist with the California Department of Fish tionists resist locating cat colonies in parks, and Game. "Normally, there aren't more on beaches and in other natural areas. than about a dozen predators per square "Someone has to take responsibility," mile." said Louise Holton, who three years ago Caretakers insist that.their well-fed cats helped found Alley Cat Allies,the national aren't that interested in prey."Cats are just feral cat network,based in Mt-Rainier,Md. a scapegoat,"Holton said. legislative director for the National Audui= "There are 60 million abandoned cats out But animal behaviorists say that a cat's bon Society. 'But politicians see-,hovq there" brain is wired to hunt, even if its belly is controversial this is and say, `Hey, this i` But Peter Stangel, program directorof full. Nor do bells and declawing reduce a cats.rve got better things to do."' the Neotropical Migratory Bird Institute, cat's efficiency, they say. The cunning . College campuses are a frequent scene.oi said: "Cats are really ferocious predators. hunters simply adapt to the handicaps. these battles. Students often abandon cats They should be kept inside.Colonies of cats Several states have tried legislation. when they move on. . should be removed." Animal-control experts argue for licens- Florida Atlantic University in Boca Ra- Using a concept developed 20 years ago ing, mandatory sterilization and limits on ton is a case in point With its president's in England,the network teaches cat lovers the number of cats anyone can own or care blessing, a librarian maintains a colony of how to manage colonies of feral animals. for. 35 or more cats on the campus, even Self-appointed caretakers feed and wa- "We get constant complaints about though the campus is a sanctuary for ter the cats daily and see to their health cats,"said Alvina Pitches,president of the burrowing owls, the only ground-nesting needs Every cat that can be trapped is Virginia Federation of Humane Societies. owl in North America. vaccinated and sterilized. The volunteers "They hang around bird feeders,they yowl The number of owls has dwindled since usually pay all the bills, sometimes for as all night or there are just too many of them the cats arrived, said Sheila Mahoney, a many as 150 cats. around." zoology professor. Caretakers rescue unwanted cats from But anyone who takes on the feral cat the short,brutish lives that strays custom- lobby quickly learns how strong it is. One far, the cat lovers seem to have the arily lead and save them from a one-way survey estimates that 15 million Americans upper hand, perhaps for the same reason trip to an animal shelter. About 6 million feed 35 million feral cats. that books about cats are best sellers and unwanted cats are euthanized in the Unit- Earlier this year,a coalition of California cat food sales outpace baby food sales.Cats ed States each year. environmental and animal-rights groups are the most popular pet in the United The rescuers often move cats into natu- thought it had the votes to pass a law States. ral areas to isolate them from cars and requiring owners to sterilize all free-roam- But in Riverside Park, the cats lost. human cat-abusers. That puts concentra- ing cats. Despite hate mail, letters to newspapers, tions of the animals close to birds and other Ailey Cat Allies,which supports sterili- and threats, the Nationat Park Service in vulnerable wildlife Conservationists are zation,originally supported the legislation. April began trapping the animals and particularly concerned about threatened or But when caretakers found that they, too, delivering. them to the county shelter, endangered songbirds. would be considered owners, they where they face probable euthanasia launched an emotional campaign that de- feated the bill. "These people don't subscnbe to ecology principles," said John McCaull, California S-0 AAARCH rS r494 1 FEATURES♦ADVICE ♦ ENTERTAINMENT ♦ TV♦ COMICS Y e• 1 J Q � i. 1 •.•an a ii:•• ' rYCrwWRa—relp/r rite Susan Pfeiffer,a member of the Stanford Cal Network,helps"manage"a community of stray cats on campus.Below, a laral cal in its cage at the Santa Clare County Humana Society.It will almost certainty be killed. There are millions of stray cats in the U.S. What to do about them has divided animal lavers from here to Washington,D.C. Ccl Flopfit BY MDM HALEV�W� Cat'caretakers' STANDING beside a rain-slick Menlo Park stmt,shivering In the come together dusk,Rosana Deal is explaining why she comes here every dayfight legislation bringing food and water for then homeless cats. '1f you're a person and you can speak,you can ask for help,you can go •CAT kWer"to some,m to a shelter,"she says."A cat can't ask for help." sponsible humane legale- And feral cats need help.Everyone who works with animals agrees that clan to others,Assembly Bill 302 marked a melor eecala- there are too many feral sats—30 million to 60 million nationwide,the tion in the feral roc wars—even spillover of a pet-cat population of 60 million to 70 mllllon.They ago though It never made It to a hear- that most are prey to starvation and disease.Even Uwae who sympathize L-9' rlong wtth feral cats concede Nat,ideally,there wouldn't be an The lues-the bill cls rly drew y—that W cats bathe over the bill clearly ye drew would be owned pets. the bne between the two sides In ly debate,and pollddred•new- But people who share a love of animals can dltagree, sometimes ly farming, greeo-roots network passionately,about how best to help there Such Is the case with feral of feral at aretaken tate,who are at the center of an emotional,often bluer debare that henAB 302 would have required the owners of cm who are al- divided the animal community.It has pitted small groups of cat lovers lowed outdoors to have Nem against some of the country's largest animal-welfare organizations. In- sterilised or face wapeelfled clu the Humane Society of the U.S. and the Audubon Sole floes fL mendfigure of$100 per at dthg Y ry - was often mentlened).71n bill's See CAM.Was SL backers amid that It wall mimed at domestic, pet cats;nationwide, only slightly mac than half of pet cane see spayed a neutered. irs$ �•,.'. •�-• The problem was the bill's den. NUon of"owner"—"any person providing are or summurhce for �vt' �•.� ■period of 30 days or longer"— which would have included am- :: taken of"managed"feral tat col- -'�".•'.., onies. \p Despite an irdtlal List of more than h60 supporters—including ' national heavyweights such so the Fund for Animals,the Audu. bon Society and the Humane Sod• ery of the United State,ma well sa a number of sage and local Mural-welfare groups—AB 302 was withdrawn In January with. out ever going before a commit- tee.In Inge February.at the last minute,Audubon decided not to try to have another bill lntro- //gg See LEIGSSLA77OX Ptrde SCCA�� San Jow Mercury New a Uvinq a Tileeday.March I5,1994 The 60 million-cat question ■CATS horn Pigs IC Susan Pfeifler of organ tic"they fear want to the Stanford Cat Network reduo the homeless Cit possible, feeds stray rata tion o the quthem way pt Wili g near her office by rm+ndm{them up and IdBloi on campus.The Attie Leait of"of fl&is group claim it a bWe queldmn What is a feral nae humanely. cat?Some an them as wild.nun reduced the raiding pests.wiDing out D4W feral tat and small mammals, spreading. population at dismiss and Posting a eat to - --lm-1-control officers. Others Sp0 from see them u innocent, starving, 500M tto less then arun4danwatluted victim of hu- 300. man irresponsibility—deserving of ore, and an Opportunity to Live out their lives N the Mid Bassa s Diu In in the aemhd sow.sorr. comp.It's led he to become pat of-a nationwide network of Inds- loa anlmals for the Humero Sod- and recently It's bean focused on some of them,1 support themvlduthat they've and groups who estibelieve, �,esu cher United Stas ehhes lea John McCaull,the society's Call- but 1 thunk they're wrong an this that they've found an effective, fall. Before that M ws deputy forma legislative director. Issue." humero ray o thech, the fere! director of Animal central in Satz McCaull lobbies in Sacramento At the Humane Society of San. cora y, en.m the "managed Franclsco. "Managed colonies for the wciety's probwd.prom- u Gua valley.they're hying to ung la 1O eight be a solWtm H them were digereus wildlife agenda,and he find Out who's right."We're still feeding a group of con,and stn limitless volunteer caretalten. -ks a bbl lire on feral cats. doing research to find out which Ing to Its health.the"caretakers" and pnucted lands set side. "1 have not seen a shred of side we do su of manged calcium take on the That ls not the reality.In urban pp Hayward. spokes responsibility of trapping each ��oaa feral tau you mea DmataaGlL LiIaLmWue aNre�Oeoittg are a b[ of good arguments m cot sad having It se back The aaos K nowhere near a Pm ed N a wropoputstion. both sides." the a cats are n released batt Into te�colony—they're truly Liv- growth manner,that colony can- 'There are problems with feral Caretakers claim that by keep ng Lives of ban despersuon." taken ore able to control and cats,Liters really are,"says Exw. Ing tabs on a colony of cora over Ststl6Jca.and the testimony Of monitor cats,"McCaull sari.**In utive Director ChrisWe Arnold. time—sting that dl adult cats local orumal shelter directors do one breach they'll may what a She clue insmnm in of t --k. sportingo are stenlired, sporting newm- paint a din plectra.In California good Job they're doing,and in the ing shelter workers — shour ■ em and trapping them,removing during the '90s, 400,000 eau ■ next they'll say. 'Of course we thud of the ah then 0.9 injuries any litters that are born and year ane being aGhamad in shel- can'[ keep track of all thou Wt year were eat scratches and dopang out the kittens—they tate At large Bay Area shelters, om." an ' blue— d describesferal lot- r•^stabilize and even reduce the only 1.5 to 2 percent of the aben- McCaull was the primary lob tons routinely brought in with up. number of eau Theoretically a coned and any cats brought in pyo[ for Assembly Bill 702, s per respiratory N ptratory Infections colony,unable to reproduce Itself, ere sat reunited with owners: failed attempt to regulate outdoor keep their eyes from opening. will eventually dike out. another 15 percent or s are cats (see accompanying story) "Then are always spllu in hu. "It's a new form of animal inn- adopted. that succeeded in uniting feral. mane organization," says Ar- trol."says Carole Hyde,president The Humane Society of Santa catcaretakers s never before. cold."It's really hard to make a Aka Humero Banary'. Clans Valley Impounded almost 'There's a little minl-move- general statement. The bottom of the Pleb Hyde Is helping Data tom her 20,000 Lia at Its Banta Clars ment of feral cot advocacy Line,whether you take a'humare' twee[era!tau—Bladder,Pandaer shelter in fiscal 1997;during the groups," says McCaull. "And or an 'animal control'approach. and Ginger — into a managed sane period It killed mora tlan there was no pleasing them.They Iswhat's going to ao- be most produ colony by teaching her how to 14 000.Shelter official,estimate didn't Like the bbl,they don't like Live to help the animals?Who's trap them.The two woman stand that inure than half of the Ice- Audubon,they think we wen out going to be most productive to and chat new the overgrown pounce em ware feral,and that to round up tau—which u rot help the people?- grounds of S[. Patrick's Semi. practicably W of thox would true." tarok Hyde- that there's nary.waiting for one of the rata have been eutbaNred because Nation Wino a Stanford to a split In the Weal their wander Into a their behavior or heath Winograd, trap Hyde has Liam Law student specializing in ani- nity. "No one wants excess anE sat in the bushes across the e-White e. despite his °W-nyhb kw and a member of male — ro one wants tamale street overall paslmlsm, m proton the the Stanford Ca Netwarlt die- killed u Melte.The division In doethat the "good-faith efforts"of eon..=...=. agree.He ticks off plain when, over how you get there."And she 'managed ccolony"teped holque tart tr,.mm,al�W heroic tsdivid- he mye.feral uta see abler at- knows that,with 400,000 cots R by itself, wive the problem of Labs-His pred. os wn't tack: Riverside Park In Vkguua, tog killed yearly In California.million of homeless cots."But 1 diplam,.de In a 1992 editorial where the National Pak Semi a something has to change. thunk it's an Important appeoseh published In■Hanuue Society of announced it would begin Lisp. "Regulation's Coming." she to the problem It's a very hu the.Ox, ping cats. Georgetown Univenl, says."People should be aware of 'way;it doom'[involve kWn- "I have OePondering some of ty. Sonoma State University. it If they care." ung.It brings out the beat In us" the now,Ideas put forth by Idt- Pe+uaylvWa,where the rumor is .SuppOrten point out that vidusis and groups concerned that the Pennsylvania Game Crane- Maryland-based Alley Cat Allis about the plight of feral uta. mission will begin enforcing a —the only feral-cat organitatfon Could the traditional approach of regulation against nelea. Liu operating on a national level— capturing and suWegnnuy s- Into the wild. (A Commasnon has more than 700 caretaker thWsing these animals be wume. spokesman says Nie is news to groups and Individuals on Its esury or wrong?" wrote Marc him.) California's state parks. mailing list in California alone. Paulhn.'Should we let Nem Live Remont which is considering a locally they Point to the success m alleys,fields,or garbage arts, cat-liwrmng ordmana. . of the 5-yearold Stanford Cat sterUited but homelgsa, for u Winograd calls the feral cat Network, a private network of long as Neu wits preserve them? controversy'the darkest how of caretakers that claims to have"' My, My towers to then quer- the humane movement." duced the university'scons;feral cat a are still,and will always be, 'Thu is the issue Nat's going population from 500 to under the Sane:m,no,and obwlaf LY to divide the movement until the 700.and W be holding it steady a =,!- current tier of leadership — that number. White claims not to be familiar which comes from animal control. "I don't know why this ruses with the article. "I'm asumutg where authanasla V a matter of people's hackles,"Hyde says. that the reference noes rot relate muco— falls away. I think a .Over the phos from Washing- to managed colonls," he says. this leadership starts to drop out, ton,ft's hard to tell If Kan White's Ca advocates K familiar with You'll as the meritahty,sun to hwkke am raised. But he has 14 though.and keep it an hand. shift,"says Winograd,whose aw definite opinions about managed It's pan of their evidems that ter got him Involved in CWfg for colonies. major animal mrgaristia_tm have homeless animals when he was a "'1 believe Nen are were ezam- it In for feral cat. 'Wen-ager in San Diego. Pies of colons that work,"says But their spend Lie u reserved 'These groups do so many Whim.vie President of onmpism- far the national Audubon Society, wonderful tnmgs. 1 volunteer at /et^ A humane proposal, or a law with hidden claws? ■ LEGISLATION The Assembly bill had from Pape IC -. -- galvanised feral•Cat forces oucea tar the current . ..... ...` . ... ................... The reason: AB 302 had galva- Ilk*never before.A new nized feral-cat forces like never before. A new coalition of care- Coalition of Caretaker taker groups came together to ......................................................................_.. fight the bill. It included Mary. groups Came together to land-based Alley Cat Allies, . ........................................................=- which initially supported fight It. - AB 302, as well as the Palo Alco "There was never any desire to Humane Society and the Stanford make this a 'cat-killer' bill." he Cat Network- !t claimed the bill says. "It did not expand animal- tion was.unenforceable. unconstitu- control authority to round up ally vague,impossible to com• cats did not expand it in the Ply with — and that it singled slightest." MCCauli and others.. out feral cat caretakers. "We thought it was a ca[killer Point out that animal control-' and it penalized kindness," say agencies already have all the alar; Rich Avanzino, president of the thonty they need to round ue. San Francisco Society for the Pre- f oral caw; what stops them,[hey,. vention of Cruelty to Animals SAY' is either philosophy or lack, and one of the most outspoken of funds, ri supporters of feral caw. He out- I Personally did not want Au,. lines several scenarios, involving frubon to aay we advocate round:: the sometimes high cost of spay/ g sl feral caw and Ducting thettf_: neutering and the scarcity Of vet. "Butto sleep." MCCaull continues.;" erinarians in some areas, that have some groups said, 'We do. could have made the bill difficult have to be hones[ — if cats ane.- for caretakers to comply wi out there.not spayed or neutered? The anti 302 forces tasked what and no one claims ownership'' for amendments to the bill that unatelly,she gtet?yg W do? Unfor• would, among other things, have and eutha-' exempted feral cat caretakers nas[a— may come into play.,, from Its provisions.The Audubon Cat ImpaCt reports Society recused. This leads some caretakers to The defenders of feral cats won'" just ane conclusion: a round when AB 302 died. But If you won'[ ICE us care for the it's clear that the battle is just.- what way is left? ; cats — and attempt to reduce their population—our way,then beginning. McCaul! says the Au-� dubon Society may look into the" Cats va.birds Possibility of requiring an ageri. cy, such as Stanford University,'-' "We had always feared the that condones a cat colony—and'- true reason for the bill was tot receives state funds—to file an.- W address the environmentalists environmental impact tenon. concerns about depredations ofAnd the California Veterinary populations,..felines to songbird Medical Association has intro Avanzinu sayg way duced a bill in the current Assem•.. the bill would "The only wad answeredave bly session — AB 3646 — that that problem would have been too would require rabies vaccination&` validate a round-up-and-kill pro. and licenses for owned cats state-' era! supporters Avanzino claims that see. as wide ho one passed Any local eClClntin oes.ly .such-. DPi hers of the bill told Jose and one under consideration. him they intended w use if. if it in Fremont, would still apply S' Passed, as a justification (ar they yet stricter standards rounding up and killing feral caw, the statewide bill. ~' "It's difficult to understand While cat caretakers are loath how an organization that e n to speak out against licensing?... ly has a dedication to animalswhich b Y a cunt certain species for ethnic able way togeta handle a John McCau118 CeliforNa le overpopulation,some fear that It,.; lative director for life Audubon too,will help open the door to the' Society, denies the charges. slaughter of feral Cats, -'- -Miles Hdn. Wfidhfe acrofear. `�ee a of e �� sates groups Coo Iter oars'"she of said. Counters Feinstein of the Audn- bon Society, "Phis is kind of lire colonies of feral cats �� the natural ones." By Steven A.Capps our new threats to California wild-. Previous attempts to deal with OF rrE ouNmmr STAFF life," warned Terry Mansfield, the feral cat isms on a statewide. chief of the wildlife basis have fated in the face of op- Misguided animal lovers are division of the state De=tent pig— and very vocal —inter- . feeding and caring for hundreds of Fish and Game. eat groups lice the Humane Society colonies of feral cats around Cali- and the Audubon Society,on oppo- fornia — at the expense of song- "The establishment and long-- site sides of the feral cat issue. birds, small animals and even en- term maintenance of feral cat colo- The latest effort,legislation re- dangered species that fall prey to ares increases serious predation q�ing all este to be licensed, is the semi-wild felines,state wildlife Pressure on local wildlife,including pending in the Assembly but is officisle O,, ground-nesting birds and small "neer " og the au- A National Audubon Society of- rhe saPd�ly endangered , Assemblyman Tom Hannig- ficial is the Bay Area likened the an,D-Fairfield situation to the invasion of killer Biologist Ron Jurek,the depart-_ 'Tve never carried an animal bees. State biologists estimate menta leading authority on feral bill beforeso all this hate mail California, although erect. of,yvildlife. No matter how well there are "many millions" of feral cats,said: ,"There is a constant lose cats in. caught me by surprise,"he said numbers are not known. they're fed they still hunt. That's The issue,however,is coming to "Feral cat colonies present seri- _ ' a head on the local level in Sonoma _--.. -- [See CATS,B-3] County next month.The Board of Supervisors has Scheduled a May 3 ♦ CATS from B-1 Rich Avanziao,president of the ming to discuss a proposed ordi- San Francisco SPCA, said, "We nance aimed at feral cat popula- friends and foes hear People say these are not nate- tions. ral to Golden Gate Park.Well,nei-. Nobody knows how many feral of feral Cats ther are the rhododendrons.What cats are in Sonoma County. The what cats do." is this crap about the feral cat be- ing the plague of the world?" Department of Fish and Game be m There are now hundreds of sour SPCA reduction plan lieves there may be 100 separate up and down the state,includ- H�organization is dedicated to colonies. Forgotten Felines, a ing Dasa in Golden Gate Park and . reducing numbers of feral and Sonoma County.volunteer group W Lincoln Park in The City, Z Bay on the North Coast and at ` abandoned cats under a m first cares for feral Stanford University. The colonies trapping them, sterilizing them and Sterilized 5,000 feral cat captured have from air to 100 cats,but typi- and returning them to live out their ing a recent four-year Period. sally are from 10 to 50. lives in Parke,beaches or wherever Sonoma County agricultural O they were found. It is only effec- Commissioner Eric Lauritzen bas cVn j Golden Gate's feral cab tive, Avanzino said,when coupled proposed increased penalties for V Bird lovers blame a colony of with the SPCA's other efforts, abandoning cats,and requirements feral cats for decimating the Cali. which include campaigns against , that cat owners spay or.neuter jforma quail population in Golden p�neuter g rd free spay therm frecats e. More they controv�ereial, Gate Park "We do not think it is appropri- however, is his proposal that no red "The native California quarte ate that the feral cats be rounded cats be allowed to live on coup near extirpated th in Golden Gate up and killed."Avanzino mid.. propenes county Park. said Arthur a Feinstein,pia Biologist Jurek thinks other- Dan Knapp, executive director gram director for the Golden Gate Ater of the Audubon Society. wise-The Fish and Game Depart- of the Sonoma County Humane Chapter Feral cat protectors, however, went sees the trap-end-sterilize Society and a member of the For- say there is no evidence the cats are eystem.as merely a way to preserve gotten.Felines feral cat care group, doing harm in Golden Gate Park or feral cat populations, at the ex. argues that such a ban is unrealis- anywhere else.' PenBe of wildlife. tin Then is no way to eliminate ".The feral cats really aren't "We're dealing with the percep- the cats,he said. making a substantial dent in the tion being promoted that the steril- The capture-and-sterilize meth- songbird population in Golden ized and well-fed cats in these cola od can reduce colonies of 50 or 60 Gate;said Leigh Polly,a San Car- roes are not a harm to wildlife,"he. cats to eight cats in just a few years, be woman who helps capture feral raid wIle3'are. They are incom- Knapp claimed "And the bird. cats so they may be spayed and patible with wildlife." population,and rodent population neutered and than released. That does not atop the efforts of certainly can handle eight cats,"he "Pm not•Bore that anybody peon lice Polly. "When we see a said should try to eliminate all feral cat or a colony of cats,we're taking "There is much debate upon the cats,"she raid. "I think feral cats can of that colony,"she said.She feral cat colony on wildlife in gen- are part of the environment.May- belongs to a small,group of like. eral," Said Lauritzen. "I've talked. be there's a purpose in feral cats minded cat lovers called the Na- to a lot of people and there is a wide kr1>ina a certain number of birds" tional Alliance for Companion Ani.. range of opinions on the role of a mals. cat colony. 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FAN BLADESOfficials, cat lovers remain polarized ACCESSORIES British biologist,cat source.It is the availability of food killed.Sealy said tharFairfax Counry LIGHT KITS - p ert p resses disma y which determines the density and animal shelters found homes for all ex ex range of a feral cat colony, and of the cats. at fate o_ f Riverside which serves to attract cats to a Tabor and Alley Cat Allies face Park's feral cat colony given area. stiff opposition from wildlife advo- Following years of research on an cates. Ed Clark, president of the by JAY CHESHES urban cat colony in an affluent dis- Wildlife Center of Virginia, a pro- Stair writer trice of London, Tabor developed• fessionaIly staffed veterinary facil- More than a month after contro- what he calls his vacuum theory. ity, says that among the thousands versy surrounding stray cats in Riv- According to the theory, removing of injured wildlife treated each year. erside Park ended with the removal the stable cat colony from River- car attacks rank among the top of p N i N of the cats, Park Service officials -'side Park creates a sort of vacuum the list as cause of injury. p g!t and cat advocates remain polarized. which will eventually be filled by a "With all of the conccm about;Ioban Feral cam rove populady known as motley gathering of cars, essen- pollution problems it is si_ai5c nit rha, alley cars or sways,are once�orrrsdc dally bringing on greater problems we see far more cat crack animals dui f felines which have reverted to the wild in the long L.,The only effective we do poisoned animals:' said Clad: For years a feral tar colony at Riverside solution to the cat problem,accord- who owns three cue. 'To say chat it is Park survived on picnic debris,garbage, Lng to Tabor, would be the removal wotseforadorr sticcattobeeudiamzced - and food supplied by neighborhood cat . of the food source or the stabibza- than for that car to kill other animals - F j lovas:gr}py ofav}��T1�� tion of the existing feline colony every day is a logic which evades err- 3e doral auachimcna to the cats. through sterilization,a method used Dr.Joseph Mitchell. a Universir. S. y'? When concerned bird watchers increasingly in Britain. of Richmond ecologist said."Son_- _ alerted the park service to the feral "It's virtually impossible to say birds, small mammals, and reptiles -y cat presence,a prolonged and often that another cat population won't are no[ prepared to deal with �' emotionally charged debate erupted return to this area;' said Tabor. predator like cats, who can easils . _. .. over prvgosed feline removal ef- The Park Service's nanrul resource catch and kill these species. The Sunday,July IG & 17 forts.Today cars no longer occupy manager,Dan Sealy,calls into ques- only solution is to keep c: darkened riverside crevices and the don the validity of Tabor's findings. doors. We know that cats w i feral cat problem is no more. "His theory has no basis in scientific even if they're full. Even if each of Legacy bi.^.oeulzrs Alley CatAlbes,a national organ- research. It's all based on obsertia- one million cats killed one songbird zadon which works to promote dons which have not undergone peer each, that is significant.- alternative methods of dealing with review.Other research has proposed Mitchell thinks there should be a d guide feral cat colonies, brought British that cat colonies bring in other cats comprehensive statewide study on biologist and cat expert Roger Ta- for mating purposes. The idea that the real impact cats have on native bor to the park July 6, where he they act as a stable colony has not wildlife. "We need a major project. p'�' toured the 'now cat-free grounds. been proven.We need to keep in mind You can always make assumptions ve exhibit of birds of prey. Tabor, who has pioneered steril- that there are no rabies in Great Bfit- but without real data it's hard to izadon as a means of dealing with ain, while Virginia has high rates of develop policies." feral cats in Great Britain, said he cat rabies." Alley Car Allies hosted a seminar was distraught by the outcome of Sealy said that tremendous com- and conference on the feral car s Red-tailed hawk. the park situation. muniry concern on both sides of the issue at the Bellevue Hotel in the Tabor has done extensive research issue prompted extensive research District of Columbia July 8. The ter __11 L ® on feral cat populations in Great into the problem. Sealy and other group, which maintains several fe- J` Q Britain and their impact on the ur- park service officials reviewed sci- ral cat colonies in the Washington sorer" . ban environment. He said that the endfrc materials on the impact cat area, hopes to develop strategies ndria cat removal will only exacerbate the populations have on native wildlife, for adopting widespread steriliza- mons) problem including Tabor's own writings on don asanalternativemeans offeline 1. 12-5 Feral cats are a territorial breed the subject. Extra effort was made population control. They estimate 5544 which remain concentrated in stable to ensure that none of the 28 adult that 15 million Americans feed 35 A , T autonomous colonies around a food cats removed from the park were million feral cats. PnT �ac,It el'" Juty 14,1994 ✓ J 5-39 MUU U MEN! Ank Cats Source of Cof f Plague lfo/ � To S ATLANTA - Cats that roam WILIALIFE CCNTI2CC TECHNCCCGY MAGAZINE newly suburbanized areas in the in conjunction with Southwest are a growing source of human plague, federal health NATIONAL ANIMAL DAMAGE CONTROL ASSN. officials warned. Before 1977, domestic cats WILDLIFE CONTROL were not known to transmit hu- man plague,the Centers for iINSTRUCTIONAL 'SEMINAR ease Control and Prevention on reported. But since then, cats have been identified as carriers February 10-12, 1995 in at least 15 cases. Nordic Huls Resort and Conference Center Cats can pick up the disease from infected fleas or rodents and Itasca, Illinois pass it on when they bite,scratch or lick humans. If an infected cat A THREE-DAY CONFERENCE has mouth lesions, even its Focusing on practical wildlife control techniques and the breath can transmit the bacteria. practical aspects of maintaining a wildlife control business. About half of infected cats die, but the disease is rarely fatal in people. Program includes instructional demonstrations by industry The increase in cat trans- leaders and wildlife biologists, both the federal and state, mission to humans is linked to covering specific animals, techniques, business practices, the suburbanization of the South- public relations, biology, disease, euthanization methods, west, where the plague is com- population dynamics, wildlife damage identification, monly found,said Kenneth Gage, acting director of the CDC's trapping ethics and legalities, along with displays and plague section. demonstrations of innovative products by manufacturers. "People are moving out, building new houses or setting As animal populations rise, the importance of continued up mobile homes. They have a education in the animal damage control field becomes junk pile or a wood pile where rodents live,right at their house," essential to both wildlife control operators and state and he said. "People turn their cats local government agencies. This seminar will increase your out, and then they bring infected effectiveness in dealing with human and animal conflicts. fleas or a dead rodent back to the house." For Information contact Peggy at WCT 708-858-4928 Since 1944,362 cases of hu- man plague have been reported. At first,the disease was found in only California,Arizona,and New Mexico. But during 1984-93, the MOVING? We don't want you to miss a disease was reported in 13 states as the bacteria moved eastward single issue of Wildlife Control Technology. to Texas and as far north as Mon- To be sure you don't miss any issues please give us six weeks tana. prior notice for changes of address. The Post Office will not He recommended that resi- p 9 dents of newly suburbanized ar- forward magazines. Include both your old and new ad- eas of the Southwest keep the dress, and when the new address will take effect. area around their houses.clear Send all information to:, I of trash,treat pets with flea pow- R.J.E. Publications der, and keep them from roam- POB 5204 ing freely. Denver Post 1994 Glendale Heights IL 60139 July-August 1994•Wlldill s Control Technology•39� y� ATTACHMENT 10f I e t4,,, ,• _ j '.. _ - rte, ,,..•„- he cat has become America's A neutered male favorite pet. Thinking about named G.W. this national love affair with Perthes on a wall felines conjures up stereo- near the alley typical scenes: We imagine the family where he and his tabby playing with his catnip-scented ed feral cloth mouse or clawing at his scratching managed I post in the living room. colony reside in Our homes, however, represent only Washington D.C. one of the environments in which cats survive. An estimated 50 million cats live in a free- rt }'•R�;A "�'"'< ranging state within our nation's borders. These animals ::':.-•, '' FAM are "feral," a term used to describe domestic cats that _ have reverted to the wild, as well as their progeny that are born into that state. nonlethal control, is promoted by the national organi- Much like their domestic counterparts, feral cats have zation Alley Cat Allies and other regional groups. It is, supporters who want to ensure a safe and comfortable however, regarded skeptically by those members of the existence for them. To that end, hundreds of people feed animal welfare community who believe the only solution feral cats on a daily basis. Many also humanely trap to feline overpopulation is euthanasia. All feral cats,they the cats, then take them to veterinarians to be sterilized feel, live miserable lives and the kindest option to select and vaccinated. Proponents of what is known as the trap, for them is death. Another faction views Felis domesticus test, vaccinate, alter, release (TTVAR) approach, these as an annihilator of other species. From this group's individuals return the cars to the sire of their colony if viewpoint,TTVAR promotes ecological disaster. the area is safe, shelter is available and the animals are "A cat is a cat and that's that," concluded T.S. Eliot. healthy.The feeding routine continues as the cats live out But in deciding how to deal humanely with feral felines, their natural lives. it might be better to begin with a question instead. A cat This method, also known as neuter and release, or is a cat and what is that? 36 AUGUST 1993 /CATS <i i �tt � I ♦ II / 1 / I ♦ f I P, A Biological Perspective each female's range within the colony overlaps portions Roger Tabor is a wildlife biologist/ecologist and a of other females' ranges. Toms.maintain ranges approxi- director/scientific officer of the British Naturalists mately 10 times larger than .those of the queens and Association. He's noted for his BBC television series Cats occasionally mate with queens from other areas, thereby and for his book The Wild Life of the Domestic Cat. strengthening genetic lines by preventing inbreeding. In Tabor suggests we consider the animal's origin. The rural areas, where food is less plentiful, there will be little domestic car appears to have evolved in Egypt as either a overlapping since it increases competition for resources. variant of the African wildcat or as a cross between it Where does TTVAR fit in.this scenario? According to and the jungle cat. Tomb paintings indicate the species Tabor, removal of cats from any area is ineffective if evolved in conjunction with development of towns, food and shelter remain. The vacuum created will be where the ancestors of our contemporary cats found food filled by other cats. Tabor's studies of sterilized colonies to scavenge and rodents and birds upon which to prey. in London's Fitzroy Square show that neutered animals Encouraged by such conditions, domestication had maintain their group identity and do not permit unal- occurred by approximately 1500 B.C. Since then, the tered cats to move into their territory. species has not changed its survival tactics. Another fact that cannot be ignored is that the cat is Field studies indicate that cats' ranges are dictated f by food sources and feline population density for a given area. In an urban setting, feral cats may be drawn to an alley by food discarded Although he from a restaurant kitchen. Rodents are belongs to a, also attracted and supplement the cats' controlled "+ diet. Shelter is available under porches colony(note and in the yards of houses. A few kindly the tipped residents begin feeding the cats. Exploit- ear), 3-year- `. r.::. ing these conditions, queens propagate old Smokey � •, near the food sources. Where food is is still wary '� Q i . m plentiful or, in Tabor's words, "focused," of humans. CATS/AUGUST 1995 .' y Il �' y� 191 not decimating their avian prey. Studies show that, on continents, s _ ���-�.'•r_� the larger portion of the free-ranging Information .;--. cat's diet is composed of small mammals. Again,Tabor cites the need to look at the whole picture. Small x mammals generally go through popu- lation highs and lows.At a high point, the cat helps maintain stability by Want assistance from those involved? r preying upon this "doomed surplus." The following organizations offer a As the population gravitates toward a variety of reports, guides, fact sheets, This young feral cat has been retrapped cyclic low, the cat rions are focuses onn species and video)pamphlets and rapes (audio so he can receive medical attention. whose Like Tabor, veterinarian Dr.Jenny both scavenger and predator. For Remfry has spent decades studying • Universities Federation for Animal some people, that basic truth is rea- feral cats. She is a pioneer of the Welfare (8 Hamilton Close, South son enough not to employ TTVAR. TTVAR method. In her former Mimms, Potters Bar, Herts. EN6 They believe feral cats decimate prey capacity as assistant director of 3QD, England) dates from 1926. populations. Tabor disagrees, stating Britain's Universities Federation Aiming for "science-based" solutions that, when presented with accounts for Animal Welfare (UFAW) and as a and "a balance between the humane of cats' impact on prey species, we veterinary consultant for the World treatment of animals on the one should ask questions to "understand Society for the Protection of Animals hand and human needs on the the methodology of the people con- (WSPA), Remfry has worked with other," UFAW has changed almost i ducting the investigation." Studies neutered colonies in the must account for density and produc- United Kingdom, Tunisia, - '^ rivity of the prey population. Prey Morocco and Greece. - ... mortality from other sources, nesting She helped form Britain's abundance and alternative food of Cat Action Trust (C.A.T.), the predator should also be known a 24-chapter organiza- precisely. Too often, data from a tion that has been imple- single study is extrapolated to make menting TTVAR for statements about predator/prey almost 20 years. relationships on a national or even Remfry notes that in r international scale. A British study, sterilized colonies, health widely quoted in this country, illus- improves and fighting _ __ traces Tabor's point. between males is mini- Conducted by Peter Churcher and mized. The cats are more John Lawton, the study in question affectionate toward each other and Daddy Penguin and Ricky wait for a meal.Their focused on the effect of cat predation their caretakers. Familial structure is colony has been controlled for five years. on house sparrows in a single village. maintained and new members do single-handedly the way feral cats are In the United States, the results have not move in until attrition provides viewed. Before UFAW's sympo- been misconstrued to indicate that openings. sium in 1980, feral cats were widely cars destroyed approximately 30 Such positive results are achieved regarded as pests to be eradicated. percent of the sparrow population in by careful planning. Remfry's outline Afterward, feral cats had a visibility that village. When the cats were for success includes discussing and respectability that encouraged studied, however, they were catching the program with the cats' feeders; humane control. birds from the post-winter popu- getting expert advice; finding a The Ecology and Control of Feral lation prior to the hatching of the cooperative veterinarian; determining Cats (1981, 99 pages, $5). A col- spring chicks. By year's end, the when euthanasia is necessary; foster- lection of 14 excellent papers written actual sparrow population in the ing, taming and homing of kittens; by ecologists, animal behaviorists village averaged several thousand; providing housing for recuperating and veterinarians for the 130 birds caught by the cats adults after surgery; determining UFAW's ground-breaking represented approximately 5 percent financial responsibility and acquiring symposium in London. of that number. equipment. The Fate of Controlled n "There is no denying that cats Cats should be tested for feline Feral Cat Colonies by ln1 catch birds," says Tabor. "The signif- leukemia (FeLV) and feline immuno- Warner C. Passanisi and icanr question is, are they knocking deficiency virus (FIV).Those that test David W. Macdonald € down the populations?" With the positive should not be returned to (1990, 48 pages, $7). A survey exception of some island populations, their colony. Decisions on whether or commissioned by UFAW and carried s Tabor contends that feral cats are continued on page 40 38 AUGUST 1995 /CATS S- j3 About Neuter-And-Release I out by the Wildlife Conservation provides neuter-and-release assistance 91214; 800/747-8069 with credit Research Unit of Oxford University's (including traps) when a colony's cards). The proceedings of ACA's Department of Zoology. The authors supervision is assured. The result: impressive seminar in Washington on examined eight "neutering and "drastically reduced" pet births July 8, 1994, featuring Roger Tabor, returning" sites in or near London throughout the city. Jenny Remfry and other experts. (parks, hospitals, an unused garage) Guide to Trapping, Neutering and interviewed over 80 people to and Caring for Feral Cats by Donna • Forgotten Felines of Sonoma County determine the method "better than R. Bishop, published by AfA and (1275 Fourth St., #366, Santa Rosa any available alternative."They argue Animal Umbrella (1991, revised CA 95404) began in 1990 with Donna for more systematic data-gathering, 1994, 18 pages, $5). Question- Best and three other women. Today, more serious research and a national and-answer format on the rationale with 400 members, 100 volunteers center to assist in the effort. and procedures of neuter-and- and 32 trappers, FFSC has neutered release. Complete, detailed, easy-to- more than 6,000 feral cats. • Cat Care Society (5985 West 111" find information. A Guide to the TTVAR-M Method Avenue, Lakewood CO 80214), of Feral Cat Control (1994, unpaged, founded in 1981 by Dr. Linda East, • Alley Cat Allies (PO Box 397, $30). A collection of useful items has been neutering increasing Mount Rainier MD 20712) was for successful "Trap-Test-Vaccinate- numbers of feral cats as part of its created in 1990 by Louise Holton Alter-Release-Maintain": includes, larger goal of reducing cat over- and Becky Robinson to promote among other things, a sheet to report population. CCS lends out 25 nationally the nonlethal control of details on each cat colony, a sheet traps, instructs feral cats as both effective and to advise veterinarians of desired in trapping humane. ACA's 3,000 members come procedures and provides • from every state; newcomers find and a form some funding CARS local mentors through ACA's Feral to get food for neutering. (N3M Friends Network. Last year, 42 donated from "We're seeing ��f/ ' national organizations attending the stores. Excel- FORGOTfENFELINES " o $aooma fewer cats," says 10'" annual Summit for the Animals lent essay on f C..... Kathy Macklem,executive director. passed ACA's resolution for "trap- working with animal-control people, Humane Management of Feral sterilize-release" wherever favorable humane societies and municipal Cats by Kathy Macklem and Audrey conditions and ongoing manage- governments. When questioned about Boag (1995, 1 page, free with nlent are assured. the steep price, Best focuses on SASE). A pamphlet, designed not Set of eight fact sheets (1993-94, the high value of the information to overwhelm. It dispenses basic 2 to 6 pages each, $3 contained in the packet. "If someone information on trapping and taming for the set, free with had told me four years ago I could get while conveying concern: "Keep $15 membership). all this, I'd have mortgaged my house the welfare of the cat foremost at Authoritative presen- [to obtain it]." all times," the booklet urges, tarions on many whether the intent is to tame, neuter- topics: implementing • Audrey Boag (PO Box 714, and-release or eurhanize. a sterilization plan, Conifer CO 80433) was a founder in building an outdoor 1992 of Denver's Alley Cat Allies — • Alliance for Animals (PO Box 909, shelter, relocating no connection to the Maryland ACA. Boston MA 02103), 11 ferals, taming feral kittens, rabies, Boag's organization neuters and formed in 1988 by m health issues, wildlife predation, releases 700 feral cats annually and Donna Bishop (nownotes for veterinarians. does a lot of taming. executive director) and The Control of Feral Cats (1985, Feral Friends: A Guide for Living six others. Responding 15-minute video produced by With Feral Cats by Audrey Boag to hordes of unaltered UFAW, $20). UFAW's method (1993,30 pages, $4). Booklet written pets and abandoned explained. Cassette fits VCRs sold for people the group can't help > strays in Boston's in America. directly. Basic information on trap- inner city, AfA goes Focus on Ferals: Moving from ping. Good sections on tarring feral door-to-door in hous- Pest Control to Birth Control(1994, kittens and hand-rearing orphan ing projects; works one on one with 6 audiotapes, $54; order from kittens. Ends with the plea that we individuals who lack information, Audio Archives, 3043 Foothill "all shoulder some of the responsi- money or access to veterinary care; Blvd., Suite 2, La Crescenta CA biliry for the wild ones." C CATS/AUGUST 1995 39 S Adopting a feral cat, teaching it to trust ixty million feral cats live in America. STheir number soon will surpass that and becoming its lifetime caretaker can of domestic cats. Most are born into a feral existence, others find themselves on be a rewarding labor of love. the street for various reasons and grad- ually become wild. Except for escaped or abandoned house cats, few "wild" cats are spayed or neutered, and experts by Mark Browne estimate their numbers increase by as many as S million cats each year. Can these cats be saved? Can they become loving pets? In many cases, yes, but it takes patience, work, dedication ffilriv and much time and love. It may require months or years of bonding before a once-feral cat feels at ease with its care- taker, and it may never feel comfortable with other people. Feral cats usually bond with one person. For that reason, rffFjFPaF its essential to expose them to as many other people as possible in a safe, quiet atmosphere. DOMESTICATING . ' l ,,rte j 4• II� Y. J J - J 1: i is feral \'firal, 'fer-\adj. [ML feralis, fr. L fera wild animal (fr. fem. of ferus wild) L + -alis -al] 1. having been reared in isolation from all or nearly all-human contacts : not socialized 2 a : existing in a state of nature : not domesticated or cultivated <-- and semidomestic animals> b : having become wild 28 AUGUST 1995 / CATS A.S �� Should feral cats be domesticated? trap it. He or she can ensure the ani- often are long, rectangular enclosures Many believe the humane approach mal is in good health,vaccinate it and with an opening at either end and are is to euthanize them. Others feel it's alter it before you begin your work. available through most animal shelters better to sterilize and release them. The younger the cat, the better for a small fee. The drop-doors fall at Still others find it rewarding to adopt your chance for a smooth transition an angle(which is safer for the animal) a feral cat, teach it to trust and from ranging to dependency. And, when the trap is tripped by the ani- become its lifetime caretaker. generally, it's easier to domesticate mal's stepping on a trigger plate in the females, although plenty of males center of the cage, away from the The Ground Rules have been successfully tamed. door. But many traps are potentially There are no easy answers. But if Feral cats can inflict nasty bites, dangerous to animals. Avoid those you are interested in domesticating a which may carry a variety of contm- with dropping, guillotine-Type doors: feral cat, there are basic guidelines inants. Consider having a prophy- A cat could easily bolt for the closing that will help you achieve success. lactic rabies shot to protect yourself door and become pinned in the First find a supportive veterinarian against contracting the disease, in narrow space, perhaps resulting in with whom you can discuss your the unlikely event you're bitten by injury — or even death. Also, make plans and who has the ability and a rabid animal. Rabies is much more sure the wire mesh is small enough to experience to work with ferals. Many prevalent in raccoons, foxes and prevent the animal from wedging its are reluctant to treat them and can bats, but "better safe than sorry." head between the bars. quickly list reasons why domesti- The first order of business is to Place the trap away from human cation shouldn't be attempted. Make catch the cat. A humane trap and a traffic, preferably in a sheltered area sure the veterinarian is aware you'll can of smelly sardines or mackerel where rain and cold winds aren't be bringing the cat in as soon as you should do the trick. Humane traps a problem. Don't wait for the cat to stroll into the trap. Instead, arrange to check it four times per hour. FE Most feral cats feed in the evening and early morning. Don't place the can of fish in the cage. Feral cats are too assure for that. ThL C Sey'll work the can to the side of the cage and pull fish through the bars without going inside. Instead, "w' _ place the fish on a newspaper or paper plate.Position the back end of the trap kap over the food, pushing it down until ` some food squishes through the mesh of the cage bottom. Most MW i r of the food will be { stuck under the trap L=HUQ was and the cat will ;x' ffOiI ,afl-wOaynfhf.Of+ h _ e no choice Qge ultlte;basemenf'an but to cross the r " i' tri late to et a6andonedschool�ag: P-P g '� M it. Line the bot- :, thongs Cut. epted:.herl ew:aYVnera' @ tom of the trap 1eSS�fhm1A" with newspaper, eely:01mo MR ears except where the t it food , 10ter. � s. Cover h e' f1�5 the �� ( Se top top and sides with 9' an odor-free towel or blanket. Bear in mind that your smells will frighten the cat and keep it away from the trap. Don't wear perfumes or scented deodorants while trying to capture a cat — the strange smells will greatly diminish your chance of success. Once the cat has taken the bait and is securely in the trap, determine a if it's a lactating female (look for enlarged tears). If so, you must either T CATS/AUGUST 1995 29 5�_ �6 Adilk Before yY}, .,r f T' ,7yii� ,1 4s. �.: � J ,. ..... ..::.... . After ' foo .T�.o -ye ars,.ogo;ez ferals..Ueo;Nelson. capture the kittens immediately or r release her. You must make a quick first it will and Kerry(wI10.`Was decision.Time is of the essence. While only examine ;JUS t-'a:.kitten'atthe:tlme n 'rel vinq W++" some veterinarians won't spay alac- these at night were.livmg man alley:m' ' rating female, if yours will, consider or when you're V.Washington D.G.They. doing so then returning her right not there. Later, .' K away to her kittens (literally as soon it will take a few are;noW.maeh-10Vet , and pampered as the anesthesia has begun to wear steps closer even off) so they can continue nursing. when you are there. This is only advisable if you have Don't be surprised if been able to capture the kittens or the cat spends most of its Wearing your oven mitt, begin gently know where the nest is and can check time hunched up in a corner or in petting the cat. Don't expect it to rub on the mother frequently. the litter box. This is natural defense against you. Chances are it will still Take the cat to your veterinarian behavior and it won't last. growl and hiss. If it tries to bite, don't as soon as possible for a complete Over the next week or two, spend shriek or jerk back. Lower your gaze examination, including tests for feline as much time as possible talking and move the mitt to the floor of the j leukemia, FIV, worms and external softly to the cat in order to create a cage. This will signify submission and parasites. Ask the doctor to try to bond with it. Never raise your voice put the cat more at ease. Once it stops determine the cat's age. or stare at the cat. This is aggressive attacking,you're ready to move on. Now for the tough part: You and behavior, and the cat will feel threat- The next goal is to lift the cat. the veterinarian must decide if the ened. Lower your gaze and look away Don't attempt it on day one or even animal is a good candidate for domes- frequently. Avoid noises and sudden day ten; chances are it will rake at tication. Is it young enough? Is its movements around the cat. Don't try least three to four weeks before the cat overall health good? If tests for feline to stroke or handle the cat yet. When trusts you enough to let you try this. leukemia or FIV are positive, the ani- you put food, water or clean litter in Start by placing your oven-initt- mal is not a good candidate. the cage, wear a heavy oven mitt to covered hands on either side of the After you've gotten the go-ahead protect yourself against scratches or cat, so the mitts touch under the cat's from the veterinarian, have the ani- bites. Drape a towel or sheet over stomach. Gently begin to raise the cat mal altered. This will make it calmer your forearm to create the illusion of to standing, but don't lift it. Expect and easier to tame, and if it escapes it a barrier so the cat is less tempted to growling and hissing the first time won't contribute to the feral popula- bolt for the door. In addition to cages or two. After a few days, lift the cat a tion explosion. Finally, because the with a front or a side door, cages are few inches. Talk in your most encour- cat will be heavily sedated after also available with a top door, which aging voice, and set it down gently. surgery, you'll have a relatively safe reduces the chance for escape. Try this for a few days, until you feel opportunity to transfer it to a larger Talk to your veterinarian about the cat accepts your peculiar behavior. cage to begin domestication. providing a mild sedative in the cat's Now try it without the mitts. Let food each day, and offer a few treats, the cat sniff your hands as much as it Inside, Looking Out but sparingly. Don't overload its wants so it can become familiar with The cage should be in a quiet, digestive system—feral cats have few your scent. flea-free room where other animals fat reserves and their systems aren't Next, introduce the cat to the (and other people) are not allowed. used to rich treats — and don't leave room outside the cage. This is a criti- It should be at least five times the size much food in the cage. An overfed cat cal time in domestication. Don't be of the cat, large enough for it to tends to be less friendly. surprised if you fail the first time or escape to a back corner if it feels After two or three weeks, name the two; keep trying until it works. Lift threatened. Eventually, the cat will cat. A one- or two-syllable name is the cat gently from the cage (be explore the rest of the cage. You better for training as animals learn sure you're wearing enough padded e ' can help it become more curious by shorter words more quickly. Use it clothing for protection, but keep your leaving treats at the opening. At often and always in a soft voice. hands uncovered). Set the cat down 30 AUGUST 1995 /CATS s'-117 i and offer it food on the floor or table the light off. if other cats try to muscle They're too busy just staying alive. In near the cage. In some instances, a in on the newcomer's sanctuary, most cases, the former feral will even- stronger tranquilizer may be helpful expect it to fight for its turf. tually consider you and your family for this portion of taming. to be part of his colony. Strangers still The cat may cower or run into a Realistic Expectations will be viewed as enemies, and the cat corner the first few times. Don't try to It may take several weeks or even will hide when they're present. catch it right away: You can terrify it months for the cat to seek you out Domesticating a feral cat can be a all over again by backing it into a for affection. It usually happens, difficult and painstaking process. But corner or lunging for it. If it hides, though, and when it does you'll be the reward of knowing that you have leave the room. Come back after a amazed at how quickly the cat will saved it from a possibly miserable, few minutes, sit on the floor near the progress in a short time. It will short life, given it a warm, safe home food and speak softly to it. This is probably never be like your other and put food in its mouth is well where all those hours of bonding may cats, however. Feral cats rarely play: worth the effort. C pay off. The cat will feel reassured by the sound of your voice; even if it doesn't come to you this time, it might the next. Eventually, the cat will look +. !ik� •r e h outside the cage. Saye! Biodegradable! Introduce human members of your household to the cat and have them Scoopable.?take over your tasks. One should putJ- �the food, water and clean litter in thecage, all the while talking gently. Someone else should lift the cat from A,r711 .. the cage. Another could stroke the cat �, •�., `jr F while it's on the floor. Once the cat accepts (if not enjoys) �I. •. II : �' �: p these new people,you can begin intro- during your pets to the newcomer. Other cats may be tolerated, but it ���t•'�11 111' ';. < could take a while. Expect grumbling, , �I�Y spitting, hissing and even occasionaly-��It' -��" s -a fights. Most cats, however, reach a mutually agreeable treaty after a fewCc confrontations. Your concern should be to keep them from injuring them- selves in the process. Dogs, on the other hand, may never be accepted. /• �,��.'� �� � -� � Remember, the cat probably had to A,�� �•' .•' run from them in the wild so it's not likely it will forgive or forget. Declaw- �• �'/i�//����/�( •c,{.' � 1` c V ing is an option you may want to /•. discuss with your veterinarian. ����• I'1 l wa This much accomplished, it is time to introduce the cat to the rest of the house. Provide an escape area for the FIELDfresh Cat Litter is safe because there's no clay dust cat for those times when it becomes too stressed.This can be as simple as a to breathe or ingest.And it's made from the corn plant—plentiful and cardboard box in a dark closet. Place the cat in the box; then leave the door renewable. So it's biodegradable, compostable, even flushable. Liquid ajar to allow it to explore. Provide a litter box, food and warer and keep wastes form soft, scoopable, flushable lumps. I \I Now available in a uniquely designed, easy-to- carry, easy-to-pour box!To learn more, call 1-800-537-3370, ext. CATS. ,M 9 571 T91 Hav-A-Heart traps are ideal for catching ferals. 't CATS/AUGUST 1995 ��� 7PHIEF 'CDD DIR FlN DIRMEETING AGENDAFIRE CHIEF DATE ITEM # CrAPy�UDIR C6fOUCE CHF REC DIRUTIL DIR p PERS DIR P o4-o U U �,a..� cu�.Q�.cv� .�, ems., � ,, l ►�.e��e.�' U � Ck 66 ICD b b Ccs il 1 I - �o �V U �CkwvkA tkg� s . U Gid �ti.SCu.SS wnda LLttj, C,t� V�& GtnJ 16L � d VVI w-ar _ w5 �b bv� aAPLA lkvz-4 1 U uu�l ukk CQ,I t , -C/��s UAkd UaA JJV ;V . tVt ems. SP 1KZkk,� q9-rT'5 66 IIA-U 6LM,A tlu�/L VA-kT, uw:to �t� tkZ M-C6jn`-> TC) urs �Q,5 �-✓ b ICU ftulj . V,�UtL UAkAI UY- s �a �rLltie.+� dnSeusS �,In,,,s �d.�a vv.. uvw�-e. U di�cu.Q, 9 6 Pfd lk' aPrva ab U &AA,A CV-AV� V�k� a(yA tkc U AUG-10-95 FRI 03 :49-PM HUMANE SOCIETY OF SONOMA 707 5421317 P. 01 t Humane Society of Sonoma County P.O. Box 1296 Santa Rosa, CA 95402 (707) 542-0882 0 Fax: (707) 542-1317 Fax Memoranpym Total Pages Executive�Director's Office From: Dan 'napp, Executive Director Date: S 10-%�— Subject: Feral Cats Fish and Game have taken a formal position against establishing feral cat colonies based .upon the premise that wild domestic cats enhance predation on wild bird populations. Their ultimate recommendation is that all feral cat colonies be trapped and removed from wild lands. As the Animal Service Agency for the City of Santa Rosa, we have taken a contrary position based upon hours of research and over three years of successful experience. The following comments are based on this research, discussion with international experts, and a practical approach to solving our local feline overpopulation program. The Feral Cat Control Program has been very successful. This success started with admitting that.... Removal of feral cats from public parks is impp,5sible. Controllinact is possible_ Cause of Colonies Feral cat colonies are created by a combination of abandonment and uncontrolled breeding of domestic cats. The location of feral colonies is determined not usually by native food sources, i.e., birds, reptiles, insects, but by the availability of scavengab!e items, i.e., garbage. Public areas-especially parks-attract feral colonies due to the ever ready presence of humans. Humans leave food in garbage bins, feed cats, and abandon cats. We have found that closing garbage bins, and prohibiting the.feeding and abandonment of cats helps to reduce the problem- but it doesn't stop it. Colonies Cannot Be Successfully Trapped Out Cats are prolific breeders. One sexually active pair can create a population of fifty or more cats between March and October of each year. Wild cat colonies cannot be successfully trapped and removed. Felines have existed forever due to their tenacious ability to survive almost all onslaughts. This is due in part to their wonderful ability to use humans and coexist with us in their owns territory. Operating under a set of guidelines, AUG-10-95 FRI 06 ;0t) page 2 Feral Cats 06/30/95 understood by their colony, a group of cats will hold an area, called a territory, and defend it's boundaries. When an attempt to trap out a territory is made, three things occur: Some cats will become trap wise, and not be trapped. Remaining cats breed. The offspring will assist in quickly repopulating the territory. • Because of abandonment and uncontrolled breeding of nearby domestic cats, the weakened or open territory will be repopulated. • Research has shown that established colonies tend to have a higher population of females. Cats are not anti-social, but build their inter-relational structure upon a matriarchal system. Females tend to bond with aunts, nieces, grandmothers, etc...and will stay closer to the food source than males. Males will wander beyond the territory and can travel up to five miles away from the food source. Should the colony have existed for some years in one territory and an attempt be made to trap and remove, research has shown that the cats that repopulate the territory will be predominately male. This is significant, in that the higher mix of males will result in a higher breeding rate among both feral and domestic cats. Consequently, trapping and removing an established territory can increase the cat populationwithin o ten metrial s of the territory. Recognizing this research, the trapping 9 and removala colony would be irresponsible. It should be noted that wild cats can not be adopted. Trapping and removal means killing the cats. To effectively keep an area at a minimum number of feral cats, a daily trapping program would need to be implemented. This is neither time or cost effective. Controlling Impact We cannot control the problem, by ignoring it. In a perfect world, we would not have feral domestic cats in parks. If it were possible, residents would own their cats, the critters would be sterilized and no feline would ever be abandoned. We do not live in a perfect world, and until we can fund and receive public support for a daily humane trap and kill program, the best solution to the problem of feral colonies rests in minimizing their impact Impact Research has shown that cats are opportunistic killers. Given the choice between scavenging or being predators, they will choose to be scavengers - but will continue to kill wildlife. So the question of impact is mute. Cats do have an impact on wildlife. The real question is whether this impact is sustainable. Research has shown that in:non-island environments feral cat colony impact•on bird life is believed to be sustainable. Where this impact is not sustainable is in areas where endangered wildlife may be present, or on closed environments, such as islands. Secondly, research shows that bird predation by cats is less than their predation of rodents, insects, and reptiles. Studies do not support the premise that bird populaduns are being threatened by cats. In fact, research shows that habitat loss and encroachment by humans is the tilmithought significant predator of groundnestingbids. e.g., opossums are AUG-10-95 FRI 03 :51 PM HUMANE SOCIETY OF SONOMA 707 5421317 P. O3 Feral Cats 06/30/95 Page 4 kill programs are implemented, we have found that the program eventually is sabotaged, or derailed due to lack of support. Volunteer support for the sterilization program of cats in public parks is significant. It would be very difficult to attempt to enlist the help of volunteers to trap and kill cats. Yet, a network of volunteers, following established guidelines', can provide significant assistance in reducing the impact of cats through trapping, maintaining, and reducing the numbers through attrition. The majority of organized volunteer groups are not working to increase the numbers of cats, but instead are supporting a population control program through an immense_contribution of man-hours and donated goods. Santa Rosa's support has utilized the non-profit sector and private resources to implement a practical solution to a difficult problem. Summary If feral cat colony maintenance opponents can offer some detailed recommen- dations that would replace this successful program and have the same if not better results, pet population control organizations would be delighted. In a time of limited resources, there should be great reluctance to remove a working program, in the interest of doing nothing...because "it will help address the problem." Control of feral cat colony growth through maintained colonies may be an imperfect solution in an imperfect world, but it works. 1 Suggested Guidelines are published in AGuide To the TPVAR-M Method n_f Feral Cat Control,published by Forgotten Felines, 1275 Fourth Street 9366,Santa Rosa,CA. 95404. Results: a very important segment of a larger program In Howarth Park the colony size has been approximately eight cats for the last three years. The impact of the cats is minimal and sustainable in comparison to over fifty cats per breeding season. We have had the same success in numerous other areas. Combined with the requirement of owners to sterilize their outdoor cats, the feral cat colony program has helped to reduce by 7% the number of cats coming to our shelter. Cats represent 50% of shelter admissions, and if animal control costs are to be controlled- and the public health assured-the overpopulation of cats must be diminished. Impact Of Disallowing Sterilized Colonies In the control of domestic pets, we have found that the solution does not rest in ignoring the problem. By disallowing a sterilization and colony maintenance program, as suggested by Fish and Game, the colonies would return to their original population levels. The gender mix would be predominately male, compounding the domestic cat overpopulation within contiguous neighborhoods. We have also found that killing surplus animals does not diminish the breeding of those still alive. Nor, does an animal control program have a broad base of support when it is based on killing animals. When trap and 5 � T � • tx, s Al r t f�V�`� p' �1 � °y��V''•LbWrL��-�' _'y } .�fYk�j\��r�� Jam%•. L \ 1 �� t 4 X M �.. }� - �yTrlw�n�'^;fY'tF5' �� ���y � y v .�� �d •a f � � tom„'. y ak'Hl �Flyi�(�'1:" �+`'ti'§`i� Yif Nit C.y _S+ c - 7c+� � cs �T w?RI+ S ityr� r r r, ,a r LO, Tj �,f��t'yy� �Ih'YT yt{-y R r\f _ 3 jA/LJII i ��.t S�i��`:?K�2 a;, • 'i l t ✓1f31uh La cd ■ AUG-10-95 FRI 03 :52 PM HUMANE ' SOCIETY OF SONOMA 707 54::�161r' N- 05 e BBHA�-lOii Beyond the Hearth: Helping the Homeless Cat til studies at Tufts University School of Veterinary Med. From rural areas to city blocks—in bans. I idne, the term feral cat has no legal significance. "The alleys, parks, schools, hospitals, and law recognizes two categories Of animals: wild and domesticated. Being wild or domesti- empty buildings—a problem walks on cited has nothing to do with the tun- "little cat feet." Beyond the safety and T comfort of cat lovers' hearths live what rgAf Tito perament of a particular animal,' ST£ ' explains Mr. Tannenbaum. "Th. lay. authorities estimate is 33 million home- AND s4.� 4&,�/? ' ciass�es in animal in OnC or nr}_e•of less cars. The situation is distressing in R��Q X REQ these categories depen�;ng or. and of itself.But the situation is exacer- As'E whether it belongs to a species that is bated by divisiveness within the animal. classified as either wild or domesdcat. welfare community that pits cat lover `�� ed," against cat lover. belongs to a species designated as "It is a very controversial issue at the moment," wild, state government holds ownership of that agrees Andrew Rowan, director of the Tufts Center wild tal is verausfor the people.Thus.state that for Animals and Public Policy, which, is June 1942, ernment has almost unlimited power over what may or gOv- hosted a feral cat workshop to identify issues and share t happen to to that animal. If, however, an animal belongs information. According to Rowan. the controversy ear- may may not hh ters on whether these cats—cats that aren't under g s species t deli gnested as domestic, the law human control and ownership--are suffering. "One tic" the animal as the property of its owner not the of the state. Although local rtdinn:,_e; can group—the 'trap and removers'—says that the animals property are enduring deplorable conditions, and the best thing attach certain conditions to animal ownership (for exarn- to do is euthanize then. The other side--the 'stezilize pie, you cannot abandon your animal on the side of the and releasee—says that under MfT9i^ circumstances, road;you must vaccinate your animal against rabies), an these animals can have an acceptable lifestyle, and you owner also has certain rights. State government cannot don't need to euthanize them.' just sweep in, round up all cars promenading through the neighborhood,and do what it likes with them. What's in a Name? Where does the homeless car fit into all of this? Mr. Tannenbaum believes the law would probably view the When discussing the plight of these cats, commenta- homeless cat as a domestic animal, subject to local o:di- tors tend to use the term feral art somewhat loosely.The nanees but not subject to the encompassing power of most common definition, however, and the one we use state government. However,the law is somcrines incon- in this article, is that feral cats refers to cats born away sismnt in dealing with cars that are attache.! to house- from a borne and human contact. holds (see CATNIP,Vol. 1, No. 3, 1993, "nuc Law and Feral kittens may either be the offspring of a feral your Cat.' pp. 4.6). Hence, at this point, the law hasn't mother or the offspring of a mother with a home who yet resolved how to deal with unattached, homeless chooses to deliver and raise her litter away from home. cats "We need guidance in this arca. Who owns them? Socialization—becoming accustomed to human con- Anybody? It really is a mystery,' says ML Tannenbaum. tact—oto-m in the early weeks of a kitten's life. Feral Meanwhile, into this legal vacuum step animal-welfare cats that have not had this early exposure to human con- advocates,waging an impassioned war of words as they tact are unsociolrsed.They are extretaely wary of humans argue their opposing opinions on how to help the and usually Flee on sight A may,on the other hand,is a homeless cat. socialized animal that was formerly part of a household. For whatever reason,the stray is fending for itself.While Trap-and-Remove a srray initially may be wary of human contact,it Usually • he traditional approach—in fact,the approach most regains its trust in humms relatively quickly. humane societies, animal-control agencies, and mem- Cats and the Law bers of the American veterinary profession presently support—is to humanely trap homeless animals and Can the law shed light on any aspects of the current r=ovc :hem from the site. After examurireg them, pro- emotionally charged debate? Regrettably, the law offers fessionals euthanize any very sick or badly injured aa.i- little guidance on the subject of feral cats--or cats in mals. Professionals then evaluate the remaining animals general. Indeed, according to Jerrold Taaanbautn, an for sociability and euthanize animals deemed unsociable attorney and clinical assistant professor of enviroamen. 4 G7xn Profile of a Model Caregiver cries are prepared to work with sterilize-and-releasers on certain For almost 12 years,Joanna Bruno has keeps records on all the ata,can show that aspects of the feral cat problem. been one of several caregivers of a several of"her"con have lived more than For example, when Merritt colony of sterilized and vaccinated feral 12 yeah Ms.Bruno aov4butes this longevity Clifton, editor of Ar.imai ?aoplt can at the Fernald State School in to the excellent conditions at the school:sev- and a proponent of responsible Waltham,Massachusetts.Ms.Bruno oral hundred enclosed acres,many buildings sterilize-and-release, was casting knows each of the present 15 can by name. to provide shelter,and a team of seven deli- about for funding for a iniowd "CGn have been fed on these grounds Bated feeders. survey of feral cat caregivers, sinm time immemorial,"says Ms.Bruno, Ms.Bono doesn't believe"you can Carter Luke of the biSPCA who is also president of Animal Umbtrlla, teach people to respect animaf rife,if the agreed to fund the project. Inc„an organization dedicated to addressing best you can offet Is death."But at the the pet overpopulation problem by offering same time,she as aspect on honestly held Common Ground subsidised sterilization programs."An opinion that differs from her own.What Although the two sides in the important thing we learned when we spayed she cannot toleram is pet owners who do dispute have different approaches and neutered the cats was that the status of not sterilize their pen,thereby contri-buting to the problem, they do agree or. the cats improved.Suddenly,someone to the hotnelas=1 problem. "They think one thing: the cause. Both sides wasn't just feeding the cats,they were cared of us as crazy at people-But if they were cite the irresponsible per owner. fot Iltey weren't just cats hanging around, halfway responalble,we wouldn't have this Per owners who do rwt sterilize they became resident eats."Ms.Bruno,who problem." their pea, who allow their unster. ilized and unvaccinated animals to them from a distance. If caregivers can easily identify roam,and who do not tag their pets for idcndficadon are colony "regulars," they can quickly recognize any new- directly responsible for the large number of homeless rats. comers and put them through the program. "The feral cat population could probably be cut by Ms. Holton stresses that only sterilized feral cars about 90 percent in 3 to 5 years if you could stop should be returned to the site. Caregivers should find recruir hent from the domestic population." says Mr. foster homes for socialized strays and feral kittens 8 Clifton. Recruits are everywhere: the pregnant house- weeks or younger until permanent homes can be found hold cat whose owner abandons her or the pregnant for them. household cat who has her kittens "beyond the hearth." Never the Twain Shall Meet? In addition, most unneurered, free-roaming males will eventually wind up joining colonies and fathering feral It may seem there is little hope for uniting the two kittens.And cats who wander away from home without camps—so entrenched are their views. However. field identification also swell the ranks of the homeless cat observers say that in the last few years,bridges have been population. built. A number of humane societies have invited propo- Hence, as we wonder about solutions to the homeless nems of sterilize-and•relcase programs ro make presenm. cat problem,we caring cat owners should make sure we tions. And some humane societies, such as the MSPCA, are not unthinkingly contributing to the problem in while not endorsing sredlizc-and.release, are not vehe- some way. Are our cats sterilized, supervised, and iden- mently opposed to it either. Indeed, some humane sod- tified? a FOR YOUR INFORMATION ORGANMATIONS PUBLICATIONS Alley Cat Allies Animal People P.O.Box 397 '' Published monthly by Animal People,Inc. Mount Ramie;MD 20712 P.O.Box 205 Animal Umbras,Inc Shushan,NY 12873 Box 1324 Maverick Cat::)=n=mlen with feral Cats East ArligMn,MA 02174 by Ellen Perry Berkley Maasachusem Society for the Prevention of The New England Press Crudy to Animals(MSPCA) P.O.Box 575 350 South Huntington Avenue Shelburne,VT 05482 Boston,MA 02130 Tufts Center for Animals and Public Policy Tufts University School of Veterinary Medicine G 200 Westboro Road North Grafton,MA 01336 6 CATNIP ^rAUG-10-95 FRI 03 :54 -1:'M HUMANE SOCIETY OF SONOt 707 5421317 P- 07 CATNIP41 A NEWSLETTER FOR CARING CAT OWNERS Cathy is asking a timely que7giom.Pain management, break your ankle and your dodos 26 sou to.est Grp, you for both animals and humans s a developing old o I do as you are told if it bunts you to put your foot on the p' gh' f research and knowledge. floor.IiEewise,some veterinarians believe that pain can Do cats feel pain?How can we really serve a useful purpose by encouraging know?Cats can't tell us!When they yawl ixjured animals to'rest up.' fir!' and hiss as though they aro in ex�crueiatsi:g "It i hand to However, we believe that when an ani- agony, often'bey an ea:pra=xg Stress mot _ ural is already'resting up'(unable to move pain.And certain pbysiologieal signs of Polite > �u around)in a recovery cage follbu ng treat- Pain, cal." merit,pain no longer serves the same useful pain,such as increased bears rate,rapid purpose.So, wben m doubt, we give pain brratbing,aced abnormal temperature,also --r/.d.+ show up in the bedtby at that is simply medication.And we teacb our students to stressed by its annual ebeduT at the veterl- do ltkeaase. narian's office. Pain management,as we said earlier, is a The sensation we call'pain•it a cam- developing field.!t is only recently that a pkx transmission of informason from a e wide range ofsafe pain mediartions bas pan*ular point in the body via the spinal become euarlabk to the veterinary pro(es- card to pain rmptors in the brain. Thr Sion. Hens,all of ua in the profersict degree or intensity of pain an carnal fedi depends boib f om students to tatperie aced veterinari• on the individual animal and the partiadar arnvm- ans— ,continue to learn better ways to treat and alleviate staters. For example, moria bow athletes appear to feel the suffering of animals. little pain during a game, but once the game is over, they Editor's Note: Do you have questions you would like may experience a great deal of pain, answered in Catnip? Write to the Editor, Carn.;, Tufts The at transmits neural messages the same way we do. Univ ty School of Veterinary.Medicine, 203 Harrison So we have no reason to beUeve nus do not feel pain• Cer. Avenue,Boston,MA 02111. TM FERAL CAT:CULTURAL D1T'FERENCES Humane sorieda iad]a l3aattd MCmgdcm h:are a&Er=ent policy tv.ud feral uta thea do most-humane societies in the United States.In the UK,the routine approach to dealing with feral cats is to stealve and:relesse thaw. unlike in the U.S.,where the smdard approach is to tmp and remove them.(See CATNIP,Vol. I.No. 12.March 1994.'Beyond the Hearth:Helping the Home- less Gt,'pp.4-7.) Dr.Terence Bate,chief veterinary officer of the Royal Society for the Prevmtion of Ctvelry to Anianls QtSPCA),the largest huttuae society in the U.K.,confirms that the RSPCA advocates staaiziag fe M acs, r provided that those respoaale follow RSPCA guidelines to g==tm humane procedures.After nerilization,the RSPCA advoates retumiag cats to their former site,as long a these is rangiver to take cat of : them and the c amens of tate site welcome them back. 'it. i. t.. _ The RSPCA also assists those who want u impletaer�t sterilize-and• .; ' telease prosmm.'We arc prepared to pay half the cost of having the ats neutered.'says Dt.Bata Ice addition,the RSPCA loans traps tri ash cats. Unlike the taajotiry of veterinarians in America,British vetetinuiaas do not object to the sterilize-and-tt3ez_sc approach when cira sums warrant iL AUG-10-95 FP,I 03 :55 PM HUMANE SOCIETY OF SONOMA 707 5421317 P. 08 BEHAVIOR What the Cat Dragged In oes the feline companion that purrs demurely on Dr. Fitzgerald's analysis of these worldwide stu,"-s your living room sofa wreak ecological havoc offers some insights into cats' hunting -and eating habiti. when you ler it ouhide? Some media reports claim the Cats that live on continents prey primarily on small r..am- answer is "yes." These reports have painted a grim pic- mats such as mice, rats, squirrels, and young rabbits. ture of cars threatening population levels of songbirds (Birds comprise a significant but much smaller part of a and other animal species. In response to the perceived earls diet than mammals.) And in latitudes below 35 threat, various individuals and groups concerned about degrees,such as the American South and Southwest, rep- the welfare of wildlife have proposed protective mea- tiles also make up a small portion of many cats'diets.Cars sures ranging from educating car owners, topassing enc virtually no fruit or vegetables other than grass. licensing and curfew laws, to eradicating some The bunting habits of cars on oceanic feral cat populations. But responsible cat islands, however, differ greatly From the owners may well wonder if such measures habits of cats on the mainland because of are really necessary. big differences in the types of prt;- 'able. Many ocean islands have few, if any, The Nature of Cats native terrestrial mammals. Land mam- mals that are present are usually rats or Hunting and eating small animals " cats that arrived as passengers ou visit- has always been a matter of necessity ing ships and learned to survive in their for cats, not merely a lifestyle choice. new island habitat. Because, on islands, Unlike many mammals that thrive on vege- sea birds are often plentiful and mam- tarian diets, cats are obligate carnivores: mals are scarce, island cats typically they must have meat (or dietary supple- prey more on birds than do their ments derived from meat) to survive.It land cousins. Studies show that •_a:s is not surprising, then, that along with their protein. island settings can severely depress and even elimira:c dependent metabolisms, cars have evolved highly effec- populations of some bird species. (Sec "The Die: of rive hunting behaviors. In the wild (or in the barn), a Domestic Cats and Their Impact on Prey Populations,' mother cat helps her kittens develop the skills they need by B. A Fitzgerald,in The Domestic Cat: The Biology of to survive by bringing them live prey and teaching them Its Behavior, edited by Dennis C. Turner and Patrick to hunt—and kill. Bateson,published by Cambridge University Press.) For centuries, the predatory nature of cats has been one of their most endearing and valued attributes. Ancient Egyptian farmers must have found a kitten's Is Feline Predation a Threat? playful game of stalk and pounce every bit as entertaining Although we can determine what cats cat through as do present-day cat owners.But people have not valued observation and analysis, it is far more difficult :o assess the hunting behavior of cats solely for entertainment.For whether feline predation threatens the survival of sop, millennia, people have also prized cars for their ability to cifiic animal populations. (Clearly, it does.affcct the sur- control rodent populations in granaries and pantries, vival of individual animals.) It is, alas, nam--c's u,, :har most of each year's crop of fledgling birds and baby What Cats Eat mammals never reach adulthood. If all survived, the wildlife population would soon surpass a habitat's In mole recent times, naturalists and biologists have capacity to support such growth. Predators like cats conducted many studies to determine the relative num- help maintain nature's balance by preventing the explo- bers and types of animals that domestic and feral cats sive population growth of prey species. (Likewise, eat. Biologist B. M. Fitzgerald, of Ecological Research depleted populations of prey animals limit the number Associates of New Zealand and formerly of the New of predators that can survive.) Zealand Department of Scientific and Industrial Although many studies describe cats' hunting and Research, has spent much of his career studying preda- feeding habits, few studies have attempted to treasure cors—cats in particular. According to Dr. Fitzgerald's the effect of feline hunting on prey populations. One seek analysis of about 60 studies of cat feeding habits, cats study, conducted in the early 1950s, sbowed tl,a; while are opportunistic hunters.A cats prey depends on what farm cats could control the population growth of ,ats in is available, what is easiest to catch, and (if there are farm buildings, cats could not eliminate rat populations. altematives)what the cat likes to eat. The cats were probably unable to eradicate the existing 4 CATNW AUG-10-95 FRI 03 :56 PM HUMANE :Styl:iETY GF 'SONOMA 707 5421317 P. 019 Belling the Cat populations because they were (ess able (or willing) to capture adult �esop,in his fable"Belling the Cat," "belled"and"nonbelled"cats were able to rats than younger (and smaller) tells the story of beleaguered mice capture wildlife.But while the study shows rats.The cars did,however, prevent that consider ways to outwit a cat.One that cats with bells can catch prey,it doesn't reinfestation of the buildings after mouse suggests tying a bell to the cat's indicate whether these cats caught greater the rats had been exterminated. neck.But the plan falls through when no or fewer numbers of animals than cats mouse volunteers to"bell the cat." without bells. Many cat owners do for mice what mice Dt Paton has two possible explanations Predation in an cannot do for themselves-they fasten a bell for why bells may not be effective in pre- English Village to their cat's collar,hoping the bell will alert venting cats from catching prey.When cats More recently, Peter Churcher, a Prey to the cat's approach-A recent survey, hunt,they wait patienly and stalk so slowly master's degree candidate, and however,suggests that such efforts may not that the bell may not ring.And even if the Professor John Lawton of York be effective.David Paton,a zoologist at the bell does ring,the unforrunatc prey may University conducted a study of cat University of Adelaide in Australia,partici- learn too late that the sound means danger. predation in it small English village. Pated in a study to determine the effect of So,should you bell your cat?Evidence The research team enlisted the assis- bells on the hunting success of cats."What suggests that a bell may be less effective tante of all but one of the owners of we did was simply go and quiz people who than people once thought.But then aga'ut— the 70cats in the village.At the out. had cats with and without bells,and we what's the harm?It might work some of the set of the study,the researchers gave looked at the proportion of cats that were time.If you do decide to give your cat a participating owners plastic bags taking different types of wildlife,"explains bell,be sure to fasten the bell to a break• coded to identify their cats. For a Dt Paton.When the researchers compiled away collar so your cat can escape if the year, between the summers of 1981 the survey results,they found that both collar snags on a branch or fence. and 1982, the cat owners retrieved the prey their cats brought home.Owners stored the care- than at the village perimeter (where, presun:aEty, it was fully bagged and labeled prey (sometimes in their house- easier for cats to hunt small mammals in surrounding hold refrigerators!) and handed it over to Mt Churcher fields). when he made his regular collection rounds. Some commentators have relied on Mr. Churcher's In addition to compiling a census of the types of prey and Professor Lawton's work to support the premise captured, the researchers also wanted to look at the that cats pose a major threat to bird population levels. cats' impact on the population level of a particular prey However, Mr. Churcher cautions, `I'd be very wary species.The research team decided to measure the cars' about extrapolating our results even for the rest of impact on sparrows because observers could count Britain, let alone America. I don't really go a ong with these more easily than the elusive rodents. the idea of cats being a threat.:to wildlife Ir ncc Cars In the spring of 1982, the researchers divided the vil- weren't there, something else weW&be killiio ;he spa;- lage into sectors and counted all the house sparrows. rows or otherwise preventing them frog, Because the early-spring sparrow population consists of only the birds that survived the winter, the researchers also estimated the post-breeding-season sparrow popu- Indirect Effects ladon. At the end of the study, the team compared the Cats' predation may have indirect effects on prey census data (including the estimate) with the total num- populations—and even on other predators. Professor ber of sparrows the cats had captured. They concluded Andrew Rowan, director of the Center for Animals and that cats were a major predator of sparrows in the vil- Public Policy at Tufts University School of Veterinary lage. They did not, however, conclude that cats were Medicine, wonders "if the actions of cats may some- wiping our the sparrow population, times threaten other predators more than prej species." The Churcher/Lawton study also shows the relative In the early 1970s, a survey by zoologist %Viiliam numbers of various prey animals the cats captured. George of Southern Illinois University suggested that Small mammals comprised approximately 65 percent of cats may compete with raptor birds for prey. Over a the cats' total catch. Birds (including sparrows) cam- period of several years,he and his students observed the prised the remaining 35 percent. Sparrows comprised hunting behavior of his three cats. The researchers 15 percent of all prey the cats caught. inventoried the prey the cats captured in the fields sur- Like other studies of feline predation, this study rounding the professor's house in southern Illinois. shows that cats adapt readily to the availability of prey. Professor George concluded that because the cats dined For example, rabbit consumption peaked in springprimarily on small mammals, they posed little direct when young rabbits were abundant. And birds com- threat to birds. Nevertheless, he suggested rhe cats' prised a higher percentage of prey in the central village I rodent consumption may have indirectly threatened March 1995 hawks that winter in southem Illinois. By reducing the 5 AUG-10-95 FRI 03 :57 PM HUMANE SOCIETY OF SONOMA 707 5421317 P. 10 wintertime rodent population,the cats left little prey in tors such as habitat clearance and habitat degradation." surrounding fields for the hawks.Professor George sug- Dr.Paton notes that habitat cicara.nce both reduces the gested, moreover, that domestic cars might reduce prey population size of native animals and improves access populations to lower levels than natural predators. The for predators like feral cats. "Feral cat populations just researcher noted that, unlike wild predators, his cars add an extra pressure to wildlife populations that are had ready access to cat food.This prevented them from already struggling to maintain themselves," he explains. .starving when prey became Dr.Paton notes that virtual- scarce, so they continued to ly all Australian cat owners ler hunt—further reducing the their cats outdoors. He ob- prey population. K.ZTTER serves (as did Professor Studies done in New l 1, George in Illinois) that be- Zealand suggest another pos- Linda Posey and her husband Lloyd describe rhe moment cause owners feed domestic sible indirect edea of at pre- a small white kitten arrived on their front porch-one hot cats, the number of hunting dation--one that may actually Houston Saturday S years ago is'a transformation." cats remains high even when be beneficial to birds. Dr. Although stories of dumped cam are fairly common,Knees prey is scarce. 'Domestic cats story has an unusual twist—his newfound cat peop a were Fitzgerald conducted a study confirmed noneat people.`We'd been married 23 years.We are uncoupled from the link in a forest where there had dont have any kids,so we'd gotten very used to the ueat- back to prey w ailability," says been a reduction in the num- cached lifestyle,'says Linda,recalling ber pre-Kitten days. Dr. Paton. (Feral cats _ nmral ber of feral cats. Soon there- How then did a"footloose and fancy Free'couple tush Australia, on the other hand, er, p overnight into doting cat people who unabashedly admit to « the population of ship "totally pampering"their portly 13-pound domestic short- are limited to a larg a extent rats (Rattus rattus) in the for- hair?The only expla-Ationiscat magic. by their food supply.') To est increased fourfold Noting There were a couple of things working in Kitts's favor. protect Australia's wildlife,Dr. that ship rats prey on birds For astart,chic fateful Saturday,Lloyd didn't find the kit. Paton recommends that and bird nests, Dr. Fitzgerald ten until early evening.So the Poseys didn't immediately domestic cats be neutered (to take him to the humane society:instead,they decided to wonders if a rat population keep him over the weekend.How long does a cat need to limit their contribution to that has burgeoned because work its magic?As any car owner can tell you---once you feral cat populations) and con- cars are scarce poses a greater dv idc to wait,you're a'gonet."And sure enough,within fined indoors at night (t0 limit threat to birds than a stable hours,the kitten was not only purring up a storm,he had hunting opportunities). feral cat population. Because shown the Poscys he was house trained,too.But the kitten of the complexity of preda• didn't play his master stroke until later that evening.When Linda was lying on the floor watching television,as she cus- Does Your Cat for/prey relationships, Dr. tomarily does,`the mew arrival curled up on my stomach Fitzgerald says, I get a little and went to sleep." Threaten Wildlife. concerned sometimes at the Since that first evening,IGtter has taken over the Posey Although cats in some loca- claims either for or against household.Initially banned from the bedroom,besoon claimed Lloyd's oval laundry basket.Next,he staked our his tions may threaten partittLar tats that are misleading Or spot on the bed and curled up next to Lloyd,who redres at prey populations, one can't aren't based on adequate a reasonable hour bccausc he has a"day job."(Linda,on draw broad conclusions about research. the other hand,is a writer who kecps—by her own adrnis- the effect of cars on wildlife in cion—an erratic schedule.) Today,Kilter leads a life of full- time leisure—looking in on Linda as she creates a fictional general. So if your outdoor cat Multiple Threats white cat in the mystery novel she is writing and training comes home with ti:e occa- Lloyd to spoon-feed him water drop by drop, sional mouse or bird, don't Even where the predatory And his name?'Never having been around cats,we did- assume the cat is a `fii,'ne behavior of cats seems to nit have a roster of good cat names on the tip of our delinquent." Your cats ,only reduce populations of prey tongues,"says Linda.'Bur,almost immediately,we'd taken doing what nature intended it animals, cats may not be the to this disgusting baby talk'Changing the foundlings to do. only cause. Before cats aamefrom Kitty-Car toKtttcrjust.sortofhappened.'We arrived with sailors and rationalized it was the`-ei German masculine ending,and But if you have reason to he was a male,'explains Linda.Well,the Poscys may not suspect your cat is a threat to European settlers, there have had a clue they were cat people,but a smell white kit- local species, you can try to were few small native preda- ten surely knew• reduce its hunting by kccping tors of the size and efficien- Ediarr Now: How did you chooseyour cat's ane? Send your nort to the Editor,eunrp,Tufts uanera,o School of Vctm4nery Medt�e, it indoors at night and during cy of cats in Australia. And 203 Harrison Avenue,Boston,MA 02111. "pie time" dawn and dusk David Paton, a zoologist at I I hunting hours. If you want to the University of Adelaide in Australia, has raised con- put an end to your cat's hunting altogether, vou- cculd terns about the possible effect of cats on Australia's join the majority of American cat owners who t,nv keep wildlife. Nonetheless, Dr. Paton emphasizes he is nor their feline companions exclusively irdoors. (See anticar, nor does he think cats are solely responsible for CATNIP, In" -or Out," Vol.2,No. 10,January 1994,pp. declines in local wilWe populations. "You have to put 1.3.) Your cat may adjust to indoor life more readily all of this into perspective. Many of the wildlife popula- Than you think! Q tions of this country have been disturbed by ocher fac- t CATNIP A24 st _t ►TI ®_ " CaCOntl cR 1 Chart +° + `� C.•�' 1ThACn t " mea. Prod' main prod th indux i e CIE :r, q•:` 'rz.5 .w+'a•a. "�.`.y I . .• : '.� i. co [hems ` nQ a s; UtCa`py, n �'., a •�. ` ,+ 1 den' , , _ , a r b + " Sec. ar Fri( dr oe fasts yea " �x 'r P � faz �*. y, w � a 1 ve se er V so 94 nr 1� q �� ".. .•a se al� i�, l' SSV sa 81 Se MARYFRAMPTON/ Lw AngelesT th p< Hettie Kram with friends at West Los.Angeles Cat Care Shelter, her longtime home, in 19f th. pr • t at b Mettle Kram; Longtime protector of Cat hi F By MYRNA OLIVER neutering the animals," she said with her usl w Q T+n+es STAFF wRlreR candor. "Why,one tomcat can service a whole tour r di t Hettie Kram,longtime resident manager of the Cat of females in heat without coming up for air." ni Care Shelter in West Los Angeles and president of its Miss Kram was also known for her talents t sa t supporting Cat Care Club Inc.,has died.She was 84. kitchen—cooking and baking treats for people as w fo Miss Kram, who since 1970 had lived at the shelter as cats. Her shortbread and jam-filled puff pastri in at ss Barry Ave., died July 21, her friend and were always a hit with shelter fund-raisers, and h fu associate Ralph Thurston announced Friday. recipes were featured'in many publications, includi e Rising daily at 4:30 a.m. and often cooking the food The Times. she fed her cats, which usually numbered about 200, She was an unusual cook in that, while she nev 2� the British-born Miss Kram devoted the last quarter- cooked by measure or written recipe, she could spc w century of her life to aiding abandoned and abused out the exact measurements in cups, spoons and p: cats. She named all her charges, and referred to sizes. She always baked and made her jams entire of herself by the nickname"Old Het." from scratch. U. Miss Kram shopped the city for bargains in canned Miss Kram claimed she learned her pastry tecl d+ tuna and old but safe chicken, cooked the cats' meals niques from the shipboard chef when she sailed ft T. and served them twice a day,cleaned their litter boxes Canada in 1939. Persuaded by an aunt to. take a di and hosed down their compound, took in unwanted earlier voyage than planned, she said the Chang cats and worked to find people to adopt them.She also saved her life;her originally booked vessel was lost, re campaigned for cats'rights. sea. Because of World War II, she never returned t :g "There have been lots of studies and experiments England, where her sister died in a bombing raid o tr done about how comforting it is for people, especially '-r London. fa the elderly,to have a pet to share their lives with. But As a child in England, Miss Kram had often tangle w try telling the landlords that. More and more of them with her father over his killing or abandonment of th di won't let people have pets, she told The Times in family's cat litters—perhaps an indication of he 1986 as she prepared to lobby the Los Angeles Animal future career. She labored in his factory,sold lir ju Regulation Commission to prevent landlords from and worked as a typist and a seamstress. .11 discriminating against people with pets. After moving to the United States in 1949, sh. of She was also a strong advocate of public education managed an office for pediatricians, often getting d: and free clinics for spaying and neutering, and made rebuked for taking lengthy lunch hours to volunteer i s+ ;ure that her own charges were sterilized. v "We are never going to beat this problem of at the cat Miss Kramhadrequested that any donations in hei n verpopulation of cats—and dogs—in this country memory be made to Cat Care Club Inc. or to the tl until we can educate the public about spaying and donor's favorite charity. 5 . I I:. Don Knapp,director of the Humane -- - ,ciery in Sonoma County,says the old Cat colonialism means, along with some tips: ,::shod of trapping and removing the cars • Trap. Colony caretakers try to ::s not solving his county's overpopulation Caring for cat colonies is not trap when cats are young and tame- roblem. "They'd breed faster than we purely the realm of people with cat able. Helpers trap by daylight to Auld set the traps and remove them. on the brain. Scores of ordinary avoid trapping the wrong kind of :,,thing was successful." Marin citizens do it. Some conser- animal, then cover the trap immedi- Su Knapp teamed up t%idI Forgotten vationists say it's hazardous to local ately with a cloth to calm the cat clines,a well-organized cat colony group wildlife. But if you decide to aid in down. You can buy or rent very 'ulunteca with Forgotten Felines crap, this effort, try to do it responsibly- humane traps from Big 4 or borrow +ay and release cars brought to their atter. Just putting out food for strays will them from the folks fisted above. un by property owners.They also patrol attract skunks, raccoons and other Caretakers monitor the colony fre- l ,r abandoned cars.The I luntanc Sucicn undesirables. It will also continue quently to check for new cats mov- ells+%ith low-:ust spaying and will place the unchecked growth of feral cats ing in, then trap the new cats too. ars deemed tameable. and probably destroy more local . Test the trapped cat for feline Knapp says that the number of wild cat, wildlife than well-managed care. leukemia. rough[into the shelter has declined by The cat colony management (N)percent since he started working with method that has become most pop- • Vaccinate the animal for rabies. Forgotten Felines three years ago. "The ular is called TTVAR-A. Before try- • Alter it; spay or neuter. Uudubon Society realizes chat it would be ing it, get assistance at the Cat • Release the animal back to the rA expensive to trap and get rid of the Caring Connection at (415) 435- colony. Or if the cat can be tamed, ats," Knapp says. "Here we have lots of 5457 or the Marin Humane Society caretakers sometimes help cats rued citizens and a well-organized at (415) 883.4621. In Sonoma, find a proper home. Taming primar- P char does their own fundraising.W1. call Forgotten Felines at (707) ily involves keeping the animal in a ;couldn't we help them?" 576.7999. confined space temporarily and Bird lovers and car lovers agree char in:: Here's an outline of what TTVAR-A offering lots of petting and holding. Jeal world,even•free-roaming cat would c spayed. But feral ca[caretakers say Lha: n an imperfect world, their methodas the Brandy ,nly humane solution to the ca[overpopu Smith,an infrr- I sears later,the cat killing has ended.The anon problem. mary nurse at cat population inside the grounds is down "We are the only people doing anythir.. co about 20 cars,and there have been no San Quenrin nets kit this tear. :o cut down on the feral cat population,•• prison,became a +ays Donna Best of Forgotten Felines. appalled upon The Humane Sutler bcc:une acti%el% 'Ask a bunch of Audubon Sociery people learning that involved in the car colour at San Quentin. :o go out with a trap and euchanize cats, over two hun- com incing the warden that the merhod Ind not many will raise their hands. dred cats a Would be effccti%e and donating food tc Fheyreanimal lovers too. year were Smith. The HumaneSucirt%clueslend "It's easy to stand back and make being rounded traps.Supply food and pro%ide lo+y-cost Jemands on city,or county government v up and eutha- spa%ing to a limited number of cstahlishcd Jo that job. But the county doesn't have nized in and colon%caretakers. It also provides a free kic any money to do it.They have six officer around the with cies on hu++ to do dujob corrccti%. for the whole county.They're nor going I grounds of the have the time to trap a feral car.There's prison.She nothing done.That's one of the reasons convinced the we're so steadfast about what we do." warden to let her set up = t. �- .�� ti ''�;Y_r' NAYNE WECHSLER.director of three feeding J areas inside ` ` r ' {. > WildCare in San Rafael,says about a third �E -he-injured birds brought into his the grounds. Adlife hospital have been hurt by cars. She napped 4_ Whether cars pose an impending danger is and spayed the another question,however,because cars and Wechsler has nor observed declines in the sprayed the Marin songbird population in recent years. area with flea --it's sort of like debating religion," powder.Two Wechsler says abmrt the colony issue. ........................................................................................................,...................................:...........................................:....................: i C_,,X6the conclusion of the Adoption Pact's first year it is clear that the animals have benefited, the community has benefited, and local government has profited through the reduction of costs normally incurred in killing animals.Thanks to the Pact,The San Francisco SPCA is saving more animals than ever, and the city of San Francisco can proudly claim to have the =; .Av t �.• T lowest per capita euthanasia rate R' THE SF/SPCA'S EXTENSIVE ARRAY OF of any city and county in the country. This has been accom- SPAY/NEUTER PROGRAMS LIMITS THE NUMBERS plished in One Of the most culturally and economically diverse OF YOUNG PETS COMING INTO SHELTERS SO urban areas of the United States. It was done without resort- THE ADOPTION PACT CAN WORK. ANIMALS SHELTERED AT THE SF/SPCA ARE SPAYED OR ing to coercive or punitive government mandated programs. NEUTERED AT OUR CLINIC FOR FREE PRIOR And it was done without any cost to the taxpayers. TO ADOPTION, AND THE SF/SPCA Is PERFORMING SPAYINEUTER SURGERY ON the Society commits itself to the Adoption Pact UNALTERED DOGS AND CATS AT THE CITY ANIMAL CONTROL CENTER BEFORE PET for the next year and into the next century we are reminded PLACEMENT. THE SF/SPCA'S CLINIC ALSO of the words of a wise person who once said, "Most people PROVIDES LOW-COST SURGERY TO PETS don't recognize. opportunity, because it is often dis- BELONGING TO THE GENERAL PUBLIC AND PERFORMS NO-COST SURGERIES ON THE guised as hard work."The Adoption Pact represents a great CITY'S FERAL CATS AND ON PETS BROUGHT deal of hard work successfully completed and tremendous TO US BY SAN FRANCISCO SENIORS. THIS opportunity yet to be realized. ■ YEAR,THE CLINIC OFFERED A NEW PROGRAM FOR SAN FRANCISCO RESIDENTS, PROVIDING FREE SPAYINEUTER SURGERY FOR THEIR CATS —PLUS$S CASH BONUSES FOR THEM! 4 makes this avenue of population control especially attractive. Yet eradication programs are ineffective". While attractive from a theoretical and short-term perspective, eradication has proven to be an elusive goal'=. Following trap/alter/release programs, mating behavior and noise is eliminated. The male urine spray smell is eliminated. Disease transmission to humans is a negligible factor due to the few diseases which cats can pass to humans. Rabies is one. There were only 2 cat rabies cases found in 1993 in the entire state of California,out of a current population of some 13 million owned and stray cats. The risk is minimal. Vector problems should increase with removal of stray cats, until such time as an increase in other rodent predators takes the place of the missing cats. Most of us would probably prefer to have a small, healthy feral cat population, rather than a larger Norway rat and seagull population in habitats where those are the only options". RECOMMENDATIONS We strongly recommend immediate issuance of vouchers for all unincorporated county residents to take their stray and "loosely owned" neighborhood cats in for free altering. The sooner the program begins, the sooner the reduction in shelter costs will occur. For the fastest method of notifying residents of the programs,perhaps a utility insert, or special mailing to residents could jump start the program fast enough to show reductions in shelter expense within 3-4 months. Two sample flyers are attached. One is for San Francisco SPCA's program, the other is for San Jose's. We have estimated that due to death of owned cats, in excess of 17,000 kittens are needed annually in Santa Clara County just for replacement. These kittens will need to be altered. It would be ideal to develop the trap/alter/release program in such a way that the 17,000 owners of kittens which need altering, and who could otherwise afford to alter their cat, do not use the voucher funds to the detriment of the stray cat altering program. 96% of owned cats in Santa Clara County are altered". From San Diego we know 97% of stray cats are not altered. There is no doubt which cat population is causing the huge;numbers of cat euthanasias at the shelter. It's time to get to work and start altering the stray-cats.now. 1 Zaunbrecher K,Smith R "Neurering of Feral Cars as an Alternative to Eradication Programs'.Journal of American Veterinary Medical Association,8/1!93 Vol 203 No 3:449-452(JAVMA) 2 Joc:hle W.M Joehle, 'Reproduction in a feral catpopulation and its control with a prolactin inhibitor"2nd Intemational Symposium on Canine and Feline Reproduction,Belgium. 3 Pedersen,N Feline Husbandry American Veterinary Publications, 19913-12 4 Berkeley EP Maverick Cars.New England Press. 191p- 5 Berkeley EP 6 Berkeley EP 7 Handy FL. 'Measuring your community's pet population,owner atritudes"Shelter Sense. Vol 16.No 5 May 19933-12 8 Mosier JE,LW Williams,R Nassar 'Study of feline and canine populations in the Greater Las Vegas Area"Aral Vet Res. Vo145,Not. 1984: 282-7. 9 Johnson K,Lewellen L,Lewellen J 'National Pet Alliance's Survey Report on Santa Clara County's Per Population" The CFA Almanac.Jan. 1994 10 Johnson K I 1 Zaunbrecher K 12 Zaunbra:her K Holton L,Manzoor P 'Managing and Controlling Feral Cat Populations".Veterinary Forum,March 1993 13 Clifton Merritt,Editor-Animal People on AOL 12/1/94 Pet Care-Animals and Society Board 14 Johnson K Let us now contgam costs: TestNaccinatelAlter=$52 on a low cost program VS 3 Day required stay at shelter=$70 VS Handle 3200 offspring=$224,000 41% of the known cat Population in Santa Clara County is unowned10. This equates to 168,463 cats which will, for the most part, be unaltered. Do we allow them to continue to breed,adding ever more cost to animal control budgets and taxpayer burden,or do we take the initiative to trap,alter and release them, reducing the number of fertile females to manageable levels? Now,before the start of kitten season,is the time to start trapping the cats. Every female trapped er by at now will reduce the number of kittens pay, od$140 be handled andle the 2 kittens esstimatedtotorsurvive this least 2. Do we spend$52 now on the spay, spring? There are volunteers in the community who care about cats. Animal agencies should aggng?. There take the lead in encouraging and enabling citizens to help out on this problem- Organization must be established within the commltizens w lly- This bl provide the es servicto es to trap thow WhaL en P do. Provide the means for the medical treatment, ssible outcome,provide both for those cats and take them to the veterinarians- But,for the best po areas with large colonies. Funding for a program of this type can take many forms: 1. Looking at the figures from San Diego,one can readily see that for a cost of(3153 cats xQ 2 per) $163,956 they have reduced the expenses at their shelter h i least 6ity cats'oadditional funds need be two year time span- This successful track record shows that in actuality raised--the program will pay for itself through less shelter costs. The,init l fundi veterinary alteringng for 0 could be taken from the shelter budget_ (San Diego,however,did not c y services. All services were donatedby etermanans and others' Medical supplies were purchased through contributions to Feral Cat t the 2. For those who prefer not to gamble with the shelter budget,o alternative owg them theu sonde of Supervisors to allocate seed money for a traplaiterfrelease program, YThe City of San.lose found surplus funds in the Animal Licensing savings to animal control bud also find sorb a surplus. budget Perhaps the County may 3. Alternatively,if a restricted pet product surcharge was proposed in flus county,for use only for pram seed money,and the surcharge would end as soon as the program was ti-ag/alteilrelease pros probably few in the pet proving that the shelter costs for stray cats and kittens were decreasing,p Y eased shelter costs would then more than fund the community would have an objection. The decr ongoing trap/alter/release efforts. be those who refer to continue the eradication method- The concerns gut forth are There may p or matin smell(of spray),vector usually centered around noise(cats fighting over territory mating), a quick and clean solution infestation,disease transmission or possible injury. The assumption From 198&-91, the number of dogs handled did not increase,but dropped a total of 5.7%. A more dramatic 20% drop was reported from FY92 to FY 94. Dog euthanasias then dropped 29.7%. SAN DIEGO ANIMAL CONTROL DOG STATISTICS 1988-1994 Total Claimed Adopted Euth. Reseamh Other 88-89 24070 5147 4355 13313 526 729 89-90 24177 5213 4540 13215 324 885 90-91 22549 4749 4357 12155 320 968 91-92 22707 4847 4493 12216 233 918 -- 92-93 19544 4342 4385 9791 239 787 93-94 18275 4014 4721 8592 159 789 Of the 3,153 cats trapped by the Feral Cat Coalition which were altered, 541/o were female,46% were male. Of the 1639 females spayed,the following characteristics were noted: 453 Normal 28% 691 In Heat 4296' 218 Pregnant 13% 216 Lactating 13% 61 Post Queening 417o 1639 100% Only 3%,86 cats total,were found to have been already altered. 17 cats were refused surgery for being under 5 months of age, or too ill. 18 cats died during surgery. 679 cats(22%) needed additional medical treatment—generally amoxicillin for infections,or ivomectin for mites or worming. Additionally, cleaning and suturing wounds and abscesses were very common. 72% of these stray female cats were either in heat,pregnant, or had recently had kittens. This is at least a three and a half times higher incidence of pregnancy than found among owned cats. Three studies have shown between 16-20% of owned cats have a litter prior to altering. A 1991 Massachusetts SPCA study found 20% of owned cats had a litter'• a Las Vegas Study reported 16% of owned cats reproduceds and in the 1993 survey of Santa Clara County residents, 16% also verified that their cats had a litter prior to altering'. Clearly,the project to trap,alter and release cats in San Diego County has had a dramatic effect on the number of cats handled and euthanized at their shelters,which even historical or nationwide downward trends cannot explain. Santa Clara County Animal Control has estimated that the cost to handle a stray cat for the 3 required days in the shelter, plus euthanasia and disposal is$70 per cat. There are still only three alternatives to handling the population of stray cats--1) alter/release/mnagement 2)exterminate/ euthanize 3)ignore- Unowned/wild.cats are routinely euthanized at shelters. Even though the kittens can often be socialized for placement,it does take a minimum of 2-3 weeks of intensive work. Shelters simply don't have the time,personnel or cage space to socialize the kittens. Many do not have foster care available for this work. The alternative,for the most part,is euthanasia. REPRODUCTION INTERVENTION AS AN ALTERNATIVE APPROACH In 1989 Stanford University officials announced a plan to trap and kill approximately 500 stray cats living on campus. As a result,Stanford Cat Network was formed- SCN was able to present an alternative solution in which they would organize,to trap,alter,release and manage the cats,to stop the progression of reproduction on campus. Because of their hard work,Stanford cats now have zero population growth as a result of diligent and ongoing trapping and spay/neuter efforts,and the population is declining through natural attrition. Over 60 kittens were caught, socialized and adopted out during the first season. By 1994,only 4 kittens were found on campus. The campus population is now estimated at approximately 300 cats. Stanford's current cat population is healthy and well-cared for, and its maintenance involves students,staff,and faculty. SCN has accomplished all of this without financial support from the University. SCN's successful five year program with a very large cat population demonstrates that feral cat colonies can be managed and kept under control,and that a workable,viable alternative to a rush for extermination does exist. In San Diego County the non-profit Feral Cat Coalition has trapped,altered and released in excess of 3,100 cats over the past two years. In addition to these cats,which were over 5 months of age at the time of altering,an unknown number of kittens were also trapped,socialized and adopted into new homes. Prior to this project,San Diego County Animal Management Information System reported an increase of roughly 10% per year in the number of cats handled by San Diego Animal Control shelters from 1988 to 1992 The increase peaked at 13%from Fiscal Year(FY)91 to FY92,with a total of 19,077 cats handled. After just two years,with no other explanation for the drop,only 12,446 cats were handled—a drop of 359o. Instead of another 10% annual increase,euthanasias plunged 40016 from 91-92 to 93-94. SAN DIEGO ANP AL CONTROL CAT STATISTICS 198&1994 Total Claimed &42Rkd Eath. Resm ch Other* 88-89 13929 202 2130 10976 7 614 89-90 15394 230 2224 12349 - 591 90-91 16849 238 2426 13561 7 617 91-92 19077 248 2577 15525 6 . 721 92-93 14143 180 2297 11121 - 545 93-94 12446 223 2386 9269 - 568 *Other includes: return to wild,transfer to correct jurisdiction,wildlife rehab,stolen, escaped,DOA,died in kennel,died in truck,died at contract vet,miss. NATIONAL PE's ALLIANCE PO Bos 5385,San Jose,CA 95153 40&363-0700 A REPORT ON TRAPiALTER/RELEASE PROGRAMS . By Karen Johnson The most commonly preferred method put forth by animal control organan�zations for control of cats has traditionally been to capture and euthanize ferallunowned.cats. Others,who refer to this means of control as the "trap and kill" method, consider it inhumane and objectionable on several fronts. A major factor has been that it has been shown that as soon as a cat is removed,a new one will move in to take over the food source.' Additionally, unless the cat is making an unusual pest out of itself,why should a wild animal be euthanized simply for not having a human address? After a 6 year study and daily observation of a feral cat colony, it has been documented that stray female cats start cycling when they are 4-6.9 months old', or as soon as the days are long enough. January and February are the start of the kitten season,with the litters born in March and April. These.cats have an average of 2.1 litters per year of 4.25 kittens'. 42%of the kittens will die by the age of 2 months of natural causes'. Many more will end up at the shelter. Those who escape early death and the shelter go on to be prolific bearers of kittens over their short life span of approximately 3 yearns. Taking the mortality into account,along with birth and death rates,the average stray female will have 525 litters in her lifetime,encompassing 223 kittens. At age 2 months there should be 12.9 survivors,roughly 6 females and 7 males(at maturity,roughly 213 of the stray cat population is mal0, due to the high mortality of females during first pregnancy and birth),which will decrease to 4 females over time. These 6 females will go on to have their 22 surviving kittens-each. Realistically,over 12 years,one unspayed female,with all her unspayed female offspring can reasonably expected to be responsible for over 3200 kittens if there is no human intervention. Some continue to advocate the trap and kill eradication approach. However,if eradication programs really worked, we wouldn't be faced with so many stray cats and their offspring at the shelters. Cats are territorial. They don't allow other cats into their territory to steal their food: Altered cats will stand their ground and guard their food source,will not have kittens,and will die in a few years. Remove the cat(s)from the habitat without changing the habitat and another cat will move in. . In 1994 the Humane Society of Santa Clara Valley found 37% of their cats euthanized over an 11 month period were either wild,or their unweaned offspring. Once the offspring of these feral cats are over about 6 months of age,it is nearly impossible to socialize them to the degree necessary to be placed as house pets. An unsocialized cat is an unadoptable_cat. The Cities and Counties pay for the handling of these stray cats and their offspring. Reducing the number of kittens born to these cats would substantially reduce the number of cat euthanasias at the shelter,thereby reducing the costs born by the taxpayers to handle and kill stray cats which cannot be socialized. ever. demonsrrmcd that this task i; not as simple ' *mrth RL. h;ne•\I I h.•rmenrul L•r the..,enrol,r as it would appear. Consistent failure of such Ieral,.1t la+pul.ut.,r.•h% nomrma f:;;a:Hdl 1J.An.ID 1.:I- attempts helped to make the administrators open + 3 Loma ,n 11wt. ro, an,i .da a c Alen: H,� Ivo4. to the prospect of trying a different approach.Ac- s3.W_1M knowledgement of the benefits derived by the pa- 4. Bn:ldc w:_The thrrtrcutt.rd.�L.,l:at ttu?.,xs A%11h a tients from the cats indicated the nisdom of stay- hosp ul hased g n.nn: popul.rttan. Ce mnd,Xt:u 1974.19; 309-3;2. ing with the program. Arrangements are being 3. Corson SA.Comm ELX.Gwmat:PA.et al.Po dogs omm made to extend the program for an indefinite pe- as nmrrbal eounirations 1irtlo m deal ps,rhmm. rind. Gmtpr P�yehiatn• 1977:18:01-72. ?: 0. Buvad LK. People-pet pa nnershV..W&tit 1979:17: Rdonnces 2-5. 1. Nc%ille PF.Remfn•j.Effects of neureringon ncogratps 7. Curtis P.AnimAs art g,vd f r the handicapped.per- of feral cars.tet Ree 199:1+4:+17-450. haps all of us.Sntithi,mtan 1981:11(7):-!8-i7. b VF 452 Special Report jAN•\La• Vol 203. No. 3.August 1. 1993 Tabic —. 1111l`,\'11111111 10ib[4.1 ,111 for Illi niuti11114 fl1'e.pa111 an 717111 Set of MW&Mkm Pawn .7r;nga./ at cat vaecir racdr Ams6oix DWI&$ tool G1aw Sat= 04rt 51.00 $0.65 50.75 $0.50 50.10 50.65 5150 Fendt 51.00 $0.65 50.75 50.50 50.10 $0.65 55.10 been the case had traps been relied on entirely.The proved health status was attributed by the authors history of having traps tripped and the cats released to improved diet and a reduction in reproductive in earlier endeavors lends validity to this conclu- and territorial behaviors, as well as a decreased sion. need to compete for food. From our data, the cost of conducting a cap- Although differences in vocalization are diffi- ruring/neute ring program would appear to be mod- cult to measure directly,unwanted noise from cats est. The greatest dollar cost would be experienced fighting and from mating calls was commonly during the initial phase of the program. Neutering heard during nocturnal visits to the cats'living ar- all the animals in the original colony within a rea- eas before the study. Three years later, nocturnal sonably short period would be essential for such a vocalizing had been greatly reduced and was not program to succeed.After the initial cost,only the detected by the authors at any time during the animals that would replace those that disappear 3-year census. from the original colony would generate any ex- The positive effect of pets on institutionalized penditure of funds. if the rate of death and re- people is well established,3.7 but the keeping of placement of the study colony is typical,the annual pets is often impractical in an instirutional setting. cost of maintaining a neutered colony also would Many of the patients at GWLHDC have long be modest. In the study colony, replacement cats regarded the cats as pets, and feeding and watch- numbered 2 per year,which would mean a cost of ing the cats is a regular daily ritual with many of the approximately $10.00 to 512.00/y. Neutering patients.Officially, the cats were regarded as a mi- would have to be performed soon after any new nor nuisance prior to the onset of this study,but the cats joined the colony to preclude production of attitude of patients and the administration has sp- litters of unwanted kittens. parently changed. Having been given a certain Kittens were not known to have been born into amount of status because of the study,as well as a the colony during the 3 years after the program was distinctive identifying badge from the car-notch- completed. This is beneficial because the survival ing, the patients and administrators are more pro- rate of kittens in feral settings is probably poor.At tective and possessive toward the cats. least 32 kittens (the number of fetuses found dur- The method reported here.is an alternative ing the neutering phase of the program)would have approach to the problem of feral cats.in.institu- been born into an ecologic niche that was esti- tional settings.The authors believe that it is effec- mated to be at or near capacity. Few, if any, such tive, humane, and economically feasible. The ef- kittens would have been expected to have had the feC[ivene55 of the program was demonstrated by opportunity to serve as replacements. Ironically, the low turnover and improved health of the col- trapping-and-disposal programs may in fact in- ony over the 3-year period. Unfortunately, objec- crease the survivability of kittens born into such tive measurements such as weight, age,and para- colonies by increasing the number of vacancies in sitic infestations were not recorded as the cats were the ecologic niche. initially captured. In hindsight, these data would A question remains as to the source of the 6 have been valuable in assessing the effect of our replacement cats that joined the colony during the treatment on the health of the colony. The cost of last 18 months of the study.The village 2.25 miles operator time was omitted from our amlysis be- away would appear to be the logical source, but cause that cost is most likely to vary,depending on migration from that area would mean the cats the circumstances and geographic location of the would have had to cross swampland and/or open feral colony,and this type of program is well-suited pasture. A more likely explanation is the practice to the activities of a volunteer organization that of dumping unwanted pet cats in isolated areas, could provide the necessary labor. For example, a which is known to occur near GWLHDC. This similar program has been instituted in the Carib- contention is supported by the finding that 2 of the bean,using veterinary student volunteers under the 6 new cats joining the colony were docile and ap- guidance of Dr.James Ross of Tufts University. proachable,indicating their familiaritywith human Eradication of feral cats from institutions is contact. possible;simple logic dictates that if the cats'food Over the study period, improvement in the supply is halted, then the ecologic niche occupied overall health of the colony also was apparent, as by the cats would shrink or disappear.The expe- judged by improved body condition. This im- rience of the administrators at GWLHDC. how- JAVNI.A. Vol 203. No. 3. August 1. 1993 Special Report 451 h.-1 4"Ji .m p,poian,m The first injury was an avul4eJ claw on a hind pau•; us.of the other was abraded skin on a lateral portion of cbstwo b" ora the-tarsus. The process of capturing and neutering ova a cook 1 month to complete. t °ed Won m q°"°/"""""° a in the 36 months after the program was com- AM st;,c o�,.;,,Wew:q pleted. 3 cats were known to have died and 5 oth- Pwram bvm a� ers could not be located and were presumed to have Pg;,-' a.r.Rwrm t'""ensni°'h"pao died or to have left the colony. Of the 40 cats ttomphhE . Yrta 18 tM tM=t��ootpMl�d known to have been alive when the program was F""'VA 5 completed, 30 were located and identified 36 �R.m,,,e twa months later. New litters could not be located•and t;m FCFM w" m none was reported by any of the patients since the Cw%v i ofin M h"M" 3D end of the program. NM to ee cdow at 3w on" � P gr Thw-y�tam For the 10 cats that were known to have died or were presumed dead, mean survival time after need to remove skin sutures at a later date. In surgery and release was 13.4 months. It was males, the testicular vessels were ligated while be. rumored among the GWLHDC patients thatat least ing tied to the vas deferens. Each captured and 1 of the missing 5 cats was adopted by a patient neutered cat also was given an sc injection of mul- who had subsequently left the hospital,taking the tivalent vaccine and an rM injection of rabies vac- cat with him. This could not be confirmed. cine. Since the completion of the project, 2 of the To permanently mark each neutered cat, a neutered cats have moved out of their social notch was cut in the tip of the left ear. The prox- group's immediate area and have taken up resi- imal edges of the notch were crushed with hemo- dente near the patient cottages 200 yards away. stats for 5 minutes to prevent hemorrhage. These cats have apparently been fed and handled Each calt was offered food and water after re- by resident patients and may be considered to have covery from anesthesia.Males were released at the become semidomesticated,although they were still point of capture 24 hours after surgery; females free to roam at will.This change in behavior might were held and observed for an additional 24 hours, have indicated a change in attitude on the part of after which they were released at the approximate the cats after their neutering, with a subsequent point of capture. preference for semidomestication and association Cats were observed on a weekly basis for 6 with the human beings in the area. months after the end of the capturing/neutering To neuter a male cat and administer the basic program. A census was taken at 18 months and series of vaccines recommended for cats (rabies again at 36 months after completion of the pro- plus feline rhino tracheitis/calici/panleukopenia gram. For cats known to have died, the cause of vaccine) cost approximately 55.15. To neuter and death was attempted to be determined by necropsy vaccinate a female cat cost approximately 58.75 or by history obtained from witnesses, if possible. (Table 2). Obviously, these figures do not include Cats chat were not observed at census time and for personnel time in the capture of the cats or the which disposition could not be determined by lo- professional skills of the veterinarian.Other aneil- cal inquiry were presumed dead. When date of lary costs such as disinfectants,surgical scrub soap, death could not be determined,the date of the cat's autoclaving surgical instruments, and surgical last sighting was used as date of death. gowns, caps, and masks are not included in these costs,but would not add substantially(probably no Resuks more than 50.75 per cat) io the overall cost of the At the time of the original census,44 feral cats, program. Because any animal population may be roughly allotted to 3 social groups,were living on estimated to be 50%male and 50%female,the ap- the grounds of GWLHDC(fable 1).in the 30 days proximate cost to neuter and vaccinate a feral col- between the time of the census and the time the ony was 56.95 per cat. In our small study, males capturing/neuttring program began, 3 cats died. outnumbered females 3 to 2,even further reducing Because 1 cat Was euthanatized after capture, 40 the mean dollar cost of the project. free-roaming cats were known to be alive when the program was completed. Of these 40 cats, all but Discussion 2 (both males) were captured, neutered, vacci- Eighteen of the cats in the program were nated, marked, and returned to their habitat. One hand-delivered by the patients, verifying the pa- cat was found to have severe chronic bilateral ori- rients'endorsement of the program.Their cooper- tis on examination after capture; this cat had con- ation doubtlessly reduced the time and resources siderable difficulty in ambulation and was eutha- that would have been expended to complete the natized.Two cats received slight injuries as a result capture portion of the program and made the pro- of capture, neither of which required treatment. gram probably more successful than would have 450 Special Report JA\'MA. Vol 203. No. 3.August 1. 1993 'ECTAL REPORT Neutering of feral cats as an alternative to eradication programs Karl 1. Zaunhrecher, DVM, and Richard E. Smith, DVM, MPH Many institutions, such as universities, hospi- removal of cats from a niche..ill create a vacuum tats. and nursing homes• experience an on- that then will be filled through migration from out- going problem with unwanted populations of feral side or through reproduction within the colony,b% cars. These cats generally are regarded as a nui- an influx of a similar number of feral cats that arc sante because of their noisy courting, territorial usually sexually intact.and removal of cats from an behavior• fecundity• and urine spraying by toms. established feral colony increases the population Attempts to eliminate the problem through trap- turnover,but does not decrease the number of cats ping and removal are mostly unsuccessful,because in the colony. removal of existing cats usually results in an influx If these assumptions are correct• they would of an equal number of new cats.' Earlier studies support the concept that trapping-and-remm-al have found that feral colonies must be supplied programs alleviate the problem on a temporary with supplemental food to survive under condi- basis only. Furthermore,the repeated influx of new tions of neutering and return to Site.1.2 cats into the colony increases territorial:and hier- The Gillis W. Long Hansen's Disease Center archic fighting, increases the probability that new •• (G%&*LHDC).a federal research facility and hospi- diseases will be introduced into the colony and ral in Carville. La• has a well-established colony of generally exacerbate the very behavioral patterns feral cats. The GWLHDC is a 300-acre institution for which feral cats are usually labeled a nuisance.' in an isolated rural area approximately 20 miles If population numbers could be stabilized and south of Baton Rouge. La. It is surrounded by turnover could be reduced, territorial behavior swampland and open pasture. Approach to the fa- within rhe colony would discourage migration into cility is pro%ided by a single road. The nearest in- the colony from outside,resulting in a group of cats habited area is a small village 2.25 miles away. that should be healthier•quieter,and more accept- Until 1988, the administration at GWLHDC able to their human neighbors. had intermittently attempted to eradicate the feline population by trapping and removal. The patients' Materials and Methods long-standing practice of feeding leftover food to Prior to initiating the study, a notice was the cats was discouraged by issuing regulations placed in the GWLHDC newsletter• informing the against removing food from the cafeteria.but these patients that the trapping-and-removal program regulations were consistently ignored or circum- .vas being halted and was being replaced by a neu- vented by the patients. In addition. cars that were tenng-and-resuming program. Patients were as- caught in traps were frequently released by the pa- sured that trapped cats would be returned to the tients. Even so, several cars were successfully colony, after being neutered. Two feeding stations removed from the colon every year, bur a notice- were located and observed. able reduction in overall numbers was never Cage traps designed to humanely capture cats achieved. The purpose of the study reported here were set near the cats' usual feeding and resting w•as to address the feral cat problem by stabilizing areas and were batted with commercial cat food. the feline population and by reducing rumover. Each captured cat was carried to.a holding area. rather than by reducing the number of cars in the Because most of the cats were refracton to han- population. In designing this study. the authors dling.a preanesthetic examination was uwally im- used the following assumptions: the'presence of practical and, other than a visual examination. feral cats in a place indicares an ecologic niche for could not be performed. After food was withheld approximately that number of cats: the permanent for 12 hours, the cats were given an r%t injection of From the nrpirtm.m ,a EpoJemn+lugJand Cummunit� acepromazine (1 mg) and ketamine (33 mg,kg of � Health.aha+I,1\eterm;n. \sedteme.Louisiana*arc Llnncr- body weight).Females were ovanohysterectomized stn ninon R,+t;e I_A 70S03•P41,4 Dr Lunbrecher'�present by use of standard techniques. A semiabsorbable aJJress t•i; Baler,�t. •.iran.w Latae. NY QQ83 synthetic suture material was used.eliminating the 'IAVNIA. \'ol 203 \,+ i. :\tt,usi I. luu3• Speetal Report 449 NATI®NAL PET ALLIANCE PO Box 53385,San Jose,CA 95153 408-363-0700 City of San Jose's Voucher Program The issuance of vouchers for residents to take their stray and "loosely owned" neighborhood cats in for free altering is a method which is proving to work in the control of stray cats. The City of San Jose has enacted such a program beginning in October 1994. After a slow start, the program took off in about January, 1995 after the local newspaper ran two articles on the program. The program has so far been well-received,and while it is still early, the Humane Society is reporting an unusually "light" kitten season, with no other explanation other than the voucher program. The Humane Society of Santa Clara Valley also reported they had an 11% decrease in the number of stray cat intakes for the two month period of March-April 1995 compared to March and April 1994. At the same time, stray cat intakes for 3 surrounding cities to San Jose has increased 4% at the same shelter. A similar program for dogs was begun on May 1, 1995. San Jose's program is very simple and has "no strings attached" approach. Even though the vouchers are issued by the licensing department, buying a license is not a requirement, either before or after the surgery. The only requirement is that participants must be residents of the City of San Jose. People request vouchers, either in person or by mail, and they take these to one of the 15 participating veterinarians. There is no limit to the number of vouchers a resident can obtain. The cat is "fixed" for free. The city reimburses the veterinarians at a set fee of$25/female, $15/male. If the female is pregnant the veterinarian reimbursement adjusts upwards to a maximum of$50 for a full-term pregnancy. For males with anatomical abnormalities, the fee can be increased up to $150 depending on the degree of surgery necessary to completely neuter the male. For the first 6 months of the program, the costs for all altering have averaged $21.07 per cat. The veterinarians have control over whether or not they will alter the animal. If an animal is too sick, or has other problems, the veterinarian can decline to do the surgery. Attached to the voucher is a short, anonymous questionnaire for the owner to fill out at the veterinarian's. This questionnaire asks ownership questions useful to monitoring the program's success and to determine who is using the program and whether or not they have any further suggestions for the program. The questionnaires are sent back to the department handling the program. So far, the reports from San Jose have been all positive. The veterinarians have had no problems, the people redeeming the vouchers like the program, and the city department handling the program have reported that all is working smoothly. Veterinarians who are not on the official list of designated clinics to do the surgeries are now clamoring to become a part of the program. Best of all, city costs to handle stray cats will be reduced dramatically in a very short time period. For the first 6 months of the program, approximately 2500 vouchers were issued. 2000 have already been redeemed. As of May, 1995 the city is redeeming 150 cat vouchers per week. Less than 100 dog vouchers have been issued, and none have been redeemed as of mid-May, 1995. Retain this document tor ' �.' I�✓� future cou�,cit meeting August 1i 1995 Gal.;%, it agendized San Luis Obispo City Council C: �Y�IA✓1C.Il.. 990 Palm St. RECEIVED �' 17UNK San Luis Obispo, CA 93401 AUG 4 199y . D. Cslae4we.l Dear Council Members, CITY COUNCIL CAN 1111r nOMOn. n4 Enclosed is information from the National Pet Alliance that might prove helpful in resolving the city ' s spay/neuter assistance dilem- ma. Issuing the certificates "no strings attached" (except SLO City identification, of course) as is done in the city of San Jose would eliminate any potential liability for you, and as for the Depart- ment of Fish and Game concern voiced by Captain Chelquist, the facts do not support their position. That department has never been re- cognized as an agency that concerns itself with preventive programs, but rather as a slow-to-react bureaucracy with the capacity to take drastic measures only after the problems have become unmanageable. Also enclosed are excerpts from an article which appeared recently in a Marin County publication, describing feral cat management pro- grams not only in that county, but in San Francisco and Sonoma Counties, all administered by huma'n'e societies and societies for the prevention of cruelty to animals . As you can see, these pro- grams have proven workable, economical , and far superior to ANY previously attempted eradication efforts . If the Department of Animal Regulation is truly concerned about pet overpopulation , . their concurrence with a "no' strings attached" policy should be easy to obtain. It is much simpler than the pro- gram they administer now, and would save tax dollars, while ensur- ing the success of the program. As representatives from several humane organizations stated at the June 20 meeting, feral cat management programs in San Luis proper have been successful because of their (our) efforts and those of countless citizens who have chosen to privately engage in such programs. It is now timely for the City of San Luis Obispo to take the initiative as a forward-thinking, concerned body. by sup- porting the citizenry in these efforts . On a KCBX talk-show on July 27, the director of Animal Regulation stated that there are no laws on the books to prevent us from car- ing for and controlling feral cat populations . What she did not say is that it is her intention to insert into the pet ordinance a clause that would prevent us from doing just that. I hope that the material I have provided you will expose that line of thinking for just what it represents; backward, police-state, and most im- portantly, unworkable. Please support the Citizens Task Force pet ordinance proposal . You would be doing the citizens of San Luis Obispo a great service. Siely for the Animals, Ma CQ. Green, Vice President, SLO County Volunteers for Animals