There are hundreds and hundreds of these neglected and abandoned creatures on the Sunshine Coast. A program initiated by Violet Winegarden of Happy Cat Haven in 1998 is making great headway in reducing the feral cat population and dealing successfully with a multitude of illnesses. The Happy Cat Haven volunteer in charge of this program received her training from Ally Cat Allies, a large feral cat
organization in the USA.
The abandoned or neglected cats who live to survive starvation and numerous other dangers become feral. They form their own colonies and co-exist relatively peacefully while they produce more and more kittens, many of whom die slow, cruel deaths due to malnutrition of the mother, terrible cold, upper respiratory and other illnesses. Females can have and attempt to care for two litters at one time; some kittens will be several months old and others only weeks old. With each litter, those that survive become more wild and their immune systems more weak.
The feral program team communicates with the individuals who have requested assistance and plan the humane trapping time in advance, based on weather and availability of a veterinarian. Any food source is removed if possible for 24 hours prior to trapping, and then traps are set with food. The traps are set on soft ground where possible, or on cardboard and covered with old towels or sheets, to calm the cat once it is inside the trap. All the while, volunteers move quietly in every effort to reduce any addition stressors as much as possible. Feral cats are already under tremendous stress to survive, and when they are trapped and transported it can be very frightening for them.
When the animal has been temporarily humanely trapped (usually a late night and early morning commitment) it is taken to one of the local veterinarians who supports the feral cat program. The veterinarian spays or neuters, vaccinates, de-worms and de-fleas each cat. If the cat requires further care (broken tooth extractions, broken limbs, abscesses, etc.) it is provided by the veterinarian and paid for by Happy Cat Haven. The cats are also tested for feline leukemia and feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV).
Following a recovery period, the cats are returned to their former premises. Happy Cat Haven provides feeder boxes, so that the local residents can provide dry cat food for the feral cats. Feeder boxes are designed to only allow cats to enter them, preventing
raccoons and larger animals from eating the cat food.
Each animal assisted costs over $125 while many additional expenses may occur (injuries, illness, etc). Typically, detailed records are kept of all services provided to each feral cat during any trap/neuter/release program.
A well managed trap/neuter/release program for feral cats has proven to be the most effective way of controlling the populations, while being a most humane solution to a problem created by humans through neglect and abandonment.
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