November 10, 2008

National Feral Day saves felines lives

By Janice Frazier
Special to the Times

The Pet Awareness Society for San Jose Animal Care and Services [PAWS for SJACS] teamed with SJACS for a first time ever event in which feral cats were fixed free on Tuesday, Oct. 14, in the Spay/Neuter clinic at SJACS.

PAWS for SJACS member Cathy Grovenburg [far left] and Janice Frazier [far right] talk to a new trapper at SJACS National Feral Day spay/neuter clinic on Oct. 14. Photos by Dan Dawson

“This was a great event for us because preventing feral cats from breeding without resorting to euthanasia is a primary goal of this agency,” said SJACS Director, Jon Cirelli. “Each time we perform a surgery, we know that it means there will be fewer homeless cats born. You can alter tomorrow if you spay and neuter today.”   

The event was in support of the National Feral Day [officially Thursday, Oct. 16] and designed to bring awareness to the situation of ferals around the country. Ferals are cats that are living outside without “owners,” cannot be handled, and must be trapped. Once fixed and recovered, they are returned/released and cared for but will no longer be able to reproduce; this process is called Trap, Neuter, and Return [TNR]. This is the humane method of homeless cat management, as opposed to euthanasia, which actually costs the public more money and does not eliminate the local populations as other cats move in to fill the vacuum.

PAWS for SJACS donated the $20 feral package per cat which included spaying or neutering the cat, rabies and FVCRP vaccines, and flea treatment. A total of 39 ferals were fixed, 19 males and 20 females, which is three times the usual number of ferals done in a day at the clinic. The clinic had two veterinarians on staff that day to accommodate the number of ferals. Twenty different parties brought in ferals and were thrilled to find out the service was free that day. When asked about their motives for being involved in TNR efforts, many individuals replied as did Des Tomasello: “This cat was in my neighborhood unfixed. She had kittens which I caught, tamed, fixed, and found homes for, but I don’t want that cycle to continue.”

PAWS for SJACS members assisted facilitating an efficient check-in process and offered support if the trappers needed further tips on trapping trap-smart cats. PAWS for SJACS member Cathy Grovenberg who lives on the Campbell/San Jose border, shared she was helping a nearby resident with ferals in their neighborhood and was very excited about the commitment by that family to help the cats. The pair are making sure the ferals are fixed quickly, providing appropriate shelter, and practicing proper feeding so as to not attract wildlife. Grovenberg and other PAWs for SJACS members are willing to help other residents learn the best practices.

A feral mother that was caught and brought in by Des Tomasello at PAWS for SJACS National Feral Day spay/neuter clinic.

With the two veterinarians on staff, the ferals were done quickly and ready before the usual pickup time of 5 p.m. Caregivers took their charges home for recovery in the traps, 24 hours for the males, 48-72 hours for the females, before returning them to the location they came from.

One SJACS staff member mentioned “It was nice to see so many individuals in their neighborhoods doing TNR. There is no way that we can get the homeless cat population under control unless everyone helps out.”

Ferals can be brought in to the SJACS spay/neuter clinic [2750 Monterey Road] to be fixed on a walk-in basis Tuesday, Wednesday, or Thursday from 7:30-8:30 a.m. The cost of the feral package is $20. Again, these cats must not be handled. Traps can be borrowed from SJACS with a $40 refundable deposit.

For more information on feral cats and TNR visit www.sanjoseanimals.com. SJACS also offers low cost spay/neuter appointments for friendly cats. Please don’t be part of the problem of overpopulation—make sure your cat is fixed. Call (408) 794-7201 to make an appointment. PAWS for SJACS members can help you learn how to manage feral colonies in your area; call (877) 729-7475, option 2.