Everyone starts somewhere.
Hubby Joe & I had our very first encounter with feral cats back in the early 2000's when I was working at my very first animal related job. Even though I worked at an animal shelter that had an animal clinic and performed spay/neuter surgeries, we never dealt with or even talked about feral cats or TNR.
One day, while Hubby Joe was out jogging, a kitten limped out from behind a bush in the parking lot of a hotel about 1/2 a mile from our apartment. He was holding up one leg and holding closed one eye. Hubby Joe felt sorry for him and told me to meet him there after work with some cat food for the poor little guy.
When we got there that evening the limpy kitten was still there, and he had a friend. We came back to feed them the next night and found 4 kittens. The next night the kittens were there and a couple adult cats. Over the next weeks and months we found ourselves feeding a group of between 15 and 20 cats and a group of raccoons that peacefully ate alongside them every night. The limpy kitten that originally attracted our attention disappeared within the first week. To this day we joke that he was a paid lure that traveled from colony to colony faking a limp and holding one eye closed to trick soft-hearted individuals into giving them cat food.
Here's the thing... we didn't spay or neuter anyone. And I told you I worked at an animal shelter, right? I told them about our little adventure. NO ONE told us about TNR or recommended spay/neuter for these cats.
Early on, there was the occasional tiny kitten that I would hand catch with the hopes of adopting him or her out through the shelter. After one of them turned out to be an asymptomatic carrier of ringworm and then infected 2 of my shelter fosters who were then euthanized because the shelter didn't treat ringworm (a guilt that burns a hole in my heart to this very day), I stopped taking kittens from our feral colony.
My point is this:
I DON'T FEEL BAD that we didn't TNR those cats because WE DIDN'T KNOW BETTER.
Try to remember when speaking to someone that THIS may be their FIRST exposure to information about feral cats and TNR.
I trapped some cats this week for a really nice couple. The cats were fixed on Friday and I was planning to drive the cats back to their neighborhood Saturday afternoon. I must not have been clear about my plan and the couple was pretty distraught about the cats being back outside 24 hours after surgery. It was actually causing an argument between THEM. Normally we don't board cats. Especially not over the weekend when the clinic is closed. Part of me thought I should just drive them back anyway. But then I thought I should take my own advice & extend some understanding. This is the first time these people have ever been involved in TNR. I called the couple back and said, "I don't want you to be upset. I do this all the time and I know the cats will be okay, but I also know that you don't do this all the time and that means that this seems very extreme to you. I'm going to make arrangements to keep the cats until Monday." In this case, I really think that the trust and understanding built in this relationship will outweigh any additional effort put in by caring for the cats an extra day and a half. Also, this first TNR experience can effect how they view our efforts and their willingness to help in the future. Is it worth being a hard ass?
Some of us have been doing this for a long time. It's "easy" and "normal" to us. We forget that for "regular" people, it's not "easy" or "normal."
Try to remember where you started.
Try to remember the time BEFORE you were the "expert" or the "resource."
I know that animal people are typically not the best at being people people, but it's important to keep our people skills sharp.... people are our connection to the animals. If we can't get through to the people, it makes helping the animals much more difficult.
Monday, August 28, 2017
Book Reviews
I've decided to make a list of TNR/Community Cat related books I've read and then make some comments about my thoughts on them.
I'm not really intending this to be a complete literary review of the books so much as a way to give you a general idea what to expect so you can decide if it's what you're looking for at this time.
I'd love to hear YOUR recommendations too! If there's something you think I should read, please let me know. Or even better, mail me a copy so I don't go broke buying books!
Read it August 2017
Community TNR, Tactics and Tools by Bryan Kortis
LOVED this book from cover to cover!
I think this book could be useful for ANY community cat organizer from those starting out to those with tons of experience.
Very easy to follow format with lots of useful case studies and easy to read charts and illustrations.
Read it August 2017
The Evolution of the Cat Revolution by Becky Robinson
This is the Alley Cat Allies 25th Anniversary book. I really enjoyed it.
This book was very inspirational for me. I have posted a few of the quotes from this book on the wall in my office so I can see them every day.
I loved reading such a detailed history of Alley Cat Allies and the TNR movement.
Read it August 2017
Neighborhood Cats TNR Handbook: The Guide to Trap-Neuter-Return for the Feral Cat Caretaker
This book is VERY detailed. In my opinion, some parts are almost TOO detailed.
Neighborhood Cats usually does a very good job with facts and figures and truth and evidence, but this book has a section full of speculation and opinion and internet hype about pet food and nutrition that I, as a Veterinary Technician, actually find a little over the line. HOWEVER, the majority of the book is full of EXCELLENT information about almost every aspect of trapping and colony care you can think of.
This book would be good for a SERIOUS trapper or caregiver, but would be way too much info for someone just casually trapping or catching one cat.
I'm not really intending this to be a complete literary review of the books so much as a way to give you a general idea what to expect so you can decide if it's what you're looking for at this time.
I'd love to hear YOUR recommendations too! If there's something you think I should read, please let me know. Or even better, mail me a copy so I don't go broke buying books!
Read it August 2017
Community TNR, Tactics and Tools by Bryan Kortis
LOVED this book from cover to cover!
I think this book could be useful for ANY community cat organizer from those starting out to those with tons of experience.
Very easy to follow format with lots of useful case studies and easy to read charts and illustrations.
Read it August 2017
The Evolution of the Cat Revolution by Becky Robinson
This is the Alley Cat Allies 25th Anniversary book. I really enjoyed it.
This book was very inspirational for me. I have posted a few of the quotes from this book on the wall in my office so I can see them every day.
I loved reading such a detailed history of Alley Cat Allies and the TNR movement.
Read it August 2017
Neighborhood Cats TNR Handbook: The Guide to Trap-Neuter-Return for the Feral Cat Caretaker
This book is VERY detailed. In my opinion, some parts are almost TOO detailed.
Neighborhood Cats usually does a very good job with facts and figures and truth and evidence, but this book has a section full of speculation and opinion and internet hype about pet food and nutrition that I, as a Veterinary Technician, actually find a little over the line. HOWEVER, the majority of the book is full of EXCELLENT information about almost every aspect of trapping and colony care you can think of.
This book would be good for a SERIOUS trapper or caregiver, but would be way too much info for someone just casually trapping or catching one cat.
Sunday, August 27, 2017
How Spitty Got Her Floofy Tail
There's a mystical place where kittens are put together & prepared for their life on earth. Most roll through the assembly line & out the door without a hitch. But this day the Assembly Line Supervisor looked up from his clipboard as a kitten floated by, and he pulled the lever to stop the conveyor belt. He briefly touched the sleeping kitten and then walked briskly down the hallway to the Special Services Division.
"Hey," he said to the guy behind the desk. "Look at this," he turned his clipboard around to show.
"That kitten has a rough road ahead of her," the other guy agreed. "What do you want from me?"
"Well," the Assembly Line Worker said, "I wondered if you had any leftover parts or something special I could tack on to help make up for what she's about to go through."
The Special Services guy sighed and said, "I'll check." He dug around under the counter for a minute and then stood back up. "How 'bout this extra special floofy tail leftover from last week's show cat shipment?"
The Assembly Line Guy exclaimed, "It's perfect!" And skipped back down the hallway to the paused conveyor belt. He attached the special tail, touched the little kittens face and whispered, "You're gonna be okay... Itty Bitty Spitty Kitty." Then he wiped a tear from his eye, pulled the switch to restart the conveyor belt, & watched the kitten continue on her way.
"Hey," he said to the guy behind the desk. "Look at this," he turned his clipboard around to show.
"That kitten has a rough road ahead of her," the other guy agreed. "What do you want from me?"
"Well," the Assembly Line Worker said, "I wondered if you had any leftover parts or something special I could tack on to help make up for what she's about to go through."
The Special Services guy sighed and said, "I'll check." He dug around under the counter for a minute and then stood back up. "How 'bout this extra special floofy tail leftover from last week's show cat shipment?"
The Assembly Line Guy exclaimed, "It's perfect!" And skipped back down the hallway to the paused conveyor belt. He attached the special tail, touched the little kittens face and whispered, "You're gonna be okay... Itty Bitty Spitty Kitty." Then he wiped a tear from his eye, pulled the switch to restart the conveyor belt, & watched the kitten continue on her way.
'Twas the Night Before Thursday
'Twas the night before Thursday & all thru the house,
ALL the creatures were stirring cuz THIS house is MY house!
The trap-shy kitten who refuses to be caught,
I HOPE with some canned food soon will be bought.
But tonight little kitten, a cold WIND is brewin',
With icey rain falling on kitten & human!
I rushed home from work to build you a shelter,
with cardboard & duct tape & Hubby, my helper!
For now I guess this is the best I can do,
Cuz you just don't believe I would never hurt you.
I just want to spay you & vaccinate against rabies,
you don't have to live here, just don't have any babies!
We'll try again tomorrow, & every day after,
We'll keep on trying cuz it really does matter.
To think of you cold is breaking my heart,
I wish more people would do their part,
To help feral cats in their ongoing plight,
It's for you little kitten that I keep up this fight.
ALL the creatures were stirring cuz THIS house is MY house!
The trap-shy kitten who refuses to be caught,
I HOPE with some canned food soon will be bought.
But tonight little kitten, a cold WIND is brewin',
With icey rain falling on kitten & human!
I rushed home from work to build you a shelter,
with cardboard & duct tape & Hubby, my helper!
For now I guess this is the best I can do,
Cuz you just don't believe I would never hurt you.
I just want to spay you & vaccinate against rabies,
you don't have to live here, just don't have any babies!
We'll try again tomorrow, & every day after,
We'll keep on trying cuz it really does matter.
To think of you cold is breaking my heart,
I wish more people would do their part,
To help feral cats in their ongoing plight,
It's for you little kitten that I keep up this fight.
Sunday, August 20, 2017
Poverty Impacts Community Cats Too
This week I did some recon for an upcoming mass trapping by driving through the mobile home park in which the cats live.
This mobile home park has been an ongoing challenge for trappers in the area for reasons ranging from difficulty locating the cats, to difficulty identifying the feeders, to people actively sabotaging the trapping by placing food next to the trap as soon as the trapper walks away to check another trap, to people just not keeping in touch or taking action when litter after litter of kittens are born. We've never been able to achieve a high enough sterilization percentage to maintain population control or see population decline.
The people who have worked in that area in the past have been out there, working one on one with people, building relationships... really doing the work to make things happen... but this area is still a problem.
As with everything, there is both positive and negative. The positive is that in this community, most of the people WANT the cats to stay. They embrace the cats role as natural rodent control and they enjoy the cats company. The people who take care of the cats are very attached to them, have names for them, know when to expect them, and feed them on a regular schedule.
After visiting the mobile home park the other day, I think I have a better understanding of the situation and the problems surrounding this project. The people here are living with a level of poverty that many of us have never experienced, and yet, they still do their best to take care of hundreds of free-roaming cats. Some in the community have mental health issues, some have literacy challenges, but overall it seems that the biggest obstacle to TNVR in this particular area is the insular nature of this kind of community. If they can't do it for themselves, it doesn't get done. Rather than let someone in, it just doesn't get done.
When I left, I pulled over to enter my next destination in my GPS and I couldn't help feeling a little privileged sitting in my nice Jeep with my nice sunglasses and nice smartphone. I also felt a little overwhelmed by how much work I know this project is going to be. Not just now, but consistently and ongoing.
My most basic plan for almost any situation is R.I.T.M. (I'm still hoping to find an acronym that will make a cute cat or TNVR related word, but this will do for now.) Research, Inform, Trap, Monitor.
Research:
I've started my Research with my recon trip and I'll continue it during my Inform phase.
Inform:
I'll be walking door to door during outreach. Since I already know there are some literacy issues in the community, although I will have my pretty pamphlets on hand, I'm thinking my bag may be mostly filled with dog treats & catnip toys for personal pets. I'm also planning to bring my little rolling crate with these cute polka dot cardboard ice cream cups, potting soil and cat grass seeds, so when I start a great conversation with someone we can start a cat grass plant together. I thought it could be a cute photo op too... write the date with a sharpie marker on the container & take a selfie together & when I come back we can take a photo of how it's grown. I noticed there is a LOT of gardening going on around these trailers, so it may be a good way to start conversations & do something cute for the cats. I need to try to get people to understand that our insistence on spay/neuter is not just us trying to insert ourselves in their business, it's to make the cats lives better.
Trap:
Sometime next month there will be a mass trapping event. Since we already know that even with the cooperation of some residents, others will still try to sabotage us, I plan to have enough volunteers with me to have the traps monitored at all times.
Monitor:
I plan to "incentivize" a couple of our problem residents who tend to "like" kittens and not take action when needed. I might do this by giving them some kind of "title" like "'Area Captain" and setting up frequent "Status Meetings" that will keep me in the area, keep me in contact with people, but also let them feel like they are an important part of the process rather than someone who is being "monitored" or "checked up on."
So there you have it.
Poverty doesn't just complicate the lives of the people we interact with. And it doesn't just effect their personal pets. It effects the free-roaming cat population as well, which circles back around and effects trappers, rescuers, shelters, Animal Control agencies, and ultimately the community as a whole.
TNVR works. We know that. But it's TARGETED TNVR, with as close to 100% sterilization in a given area as possible that reduces shelter intake & euthanasia rates. Without a comprehensive strategy that includes laying the groundwork & building the relationships needed to break into these isolated communities AND a consistent and ongoing monitoring plan that maintains relationships and continues to trap as needed to retain control of the population, we can end up being no more effective than the old days of random trapping here and there.
Clearly, it is the LARGE organizations that need to take the lead with regards to Community Cat Programs. Individual trappers, rescue groups, HVSN clinics, and smaller organizations simply cannot be expected to have the resources to keep on top of it all. Community Cat Programs that can organize and coordinate resources throughout a large geographic area, collect data, connect people, and monitor the "big picture" are essential for finding and targeting areas that are being missed with current methods.
I believe that large-scale Community Cat Programs are the wave of the future and the weapon that will turn the tide of this war.
This mobile home park has been an ongoing challenge for trappers in the area for reasons ranging from difficulty locating the cats, to difficulty identifying the feeders, to people actively sabotaging the trapping by placing food next to the trap as soon as the trapper walks away to check another trap, to people just not keeping in touch or taking action when litter after litter of kittens are born. We've never been able to achieve a high enough sterilization percentage to maintain population control or see population decline.
The people who have worked in that area in the past have been out there, working one on one with people, building relationships... really doing the work to make things happen... but this area is still a problem.
As with everything, there is both positive and negative. The positive is that in this community, most of the people WANT the cats to stay. They embrace the cats role as natural rodent control and they enjoy the cats company. The people who take care of the cats are very attached to them, have names for them, know when to expect them, and feed them on a regular schedule.
After visiting the mobile home park the other day, I think I have a better understanding of the situation and the problems surrounding this project. The people here are living with a level of poverty that many of us have never experienced, and yet, they still do their best to take care of hundreds of free-roaming cats. Some in the community have mental health issues, some have literacy challenges, but overall it seems that the biggest obstacle to TNVR in this particular area is the insular nature of this kind of community. If they can't do it for themselves, it doesn't get done. Rather than let someone in, it just doesn't get done.
When I left, I pulled over to enter my next destination in my GPS and I couldn't help feeling a little privileged sitting in my nice Jeep with my nice sunglasses and nice smartphone. I also felt a little overwhelmed by how much work I know this project is going to be. Not just now, but consistently and ongoing.
My most basic plan for almost any situation is R.I.T.M. (I'm still hoping to find an acronym that will make a cute cat or TNVR related word, but this will do for now.) Research, Inform, Trap, Monitor.
Research:
I've started my Research with my recon trip and I'll continue it during my Inform phase.
Inform:
I'll be walking door to door during outreach. Since I already know there are some literacy issues in the community, although I will have my pretty pamphlets on hand, I'm thinking my bag may be mostly filled with dog treats & catnip toys for personal pets. I'm also planning to bring my little rolling crate with these cute polka dot cardboard ice cream cups, potting soil and cat grass seeds, so when I start a great conversation with someone we can start a cat grass plant together. I thought it could be a cute photo op too... write the date with a sharpie marker on the container & take a selfie together & when I come back we can take a photo of how it's grown. I noticed there is a LOT of gardening going on around these trailers, so it may be a good way to start conversations & do something cute for the cats. I need to try to get people to understand that our insistence on spay/neuter is not just us trying to insert ourselves in their business, it's to make the cats lives better.
Trap:
Sometime next month there will be a mass trapping event. Since we already know that even with the cooperation of some residents, others will still try to sabotage us, I plan to have enough volunteers with me to have the traps monitored at all times.
Monitor:
I plan to "incentivize" a couple of our problem residents who tend to "like" kittens and not take action when needed. I might do this by giving them some kind of "title" like "'Area Captain" and setting up frequent "Status Meetings" that will keep me in the area, keep me in contact with people, but also let them feel like they are an important part of the process rather than someone who is being "monitored" or "checked up on."
So there you have it.
Poverty doesn't just complicate the lives of the people we interact with. And it doesn't just effect their personal pets. It effects the free-roaming cat population as well, which circles back around and effects trappers, rescuers, shelters, Animal Control agencies, and ultimately the community as a whole.
TNVR works. We know that. But it's TARGETED TNVR, with as close to 100% sterilization in a given area as possible that reduces shelter intake & euthanasia rates. Without a comprehensive strategy that includes laying the groundwork & building the relationships needed to break into these isolated communities AND a consistent and ongoing monitoring plan that maintains relationships and continues to trap as needed to retain control of the population, we can end up being no more effective than the old days of random trapping here and there.
Clearly, it is the LARGE organizations that need to take the lead with regards to Community Cat Programs. Individual trappers, rescue groups, HVSN clinics, and smaller organizations simply cannot be expected to have the resources to keep on top of it all. Community Cat Programs that can organize and coordinate resources throughout a large geographic area, collect data, connect people, and monitor the "big picture" are essential for finding and targeting areas that are being missed with current methods.
I believe that large-scale Community Cat Programs are the wave of the future and the weapon that will turn the tide of this war.
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Perspective & Understanding
Everyone starts somewhere. Hubby Joe & I had our very first encounter with feral cats back in the early 2000's when I was working a...
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Everyone starts somewhere. Hubby Joe & I had our very first encounter with feral cats back in the early 2000's when I was working a...