Helping FMIPA-FaPsi Feral Kittens: What and Why
We go for the kittens because we found out feral adult cats simply can’t be tamed. The bigger picture: Preventing overpopulation.
The unoccupied Kantin Pakilun made a home for 5 kittens living in the area.
Nobody likes feral cats as they are often made unpredictable problems. Just about four days ago, we installed warning signs around abandoned Kantin Pakilun and Kantin Nasi Bakar as the socialization and ‘taming’ process is put in place. Here are things on what you should now about that.
What is a feral cat? According to Margaret R. Slater, DVM, PhD, senior director of epidemiology, animal health services with the American Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA), a feral cat is “any cat who is too poorly socialized to be handled … and who cannot be placed into a typical pet home.” Mrs. Slater definition fits with the feral cats in our campus. Too often, we found these ferals being both aggressive and defensive despite we know they are hungry and wounded. We haven’t yet estimate the number of feral cats. We are planning to do stray animal census in May/June 2022 but there are roughly 200–300 cats living in Universitas Padjadjaran Jatinangor campus at the time of this writing. This number could be increasing each month.
Here are our planned approach on the current kitten socialization program in FMIPA and FaPsi. The place is open for everyone to get involved.
Catch-Neuter-Return Programs: The Key to Helping Stray Cats of Our Campus
Many studies indicate that neutering programs are one of the best ways to aid feral cats and their colonies. Our catch-neuter-return program are geared toward preventing the cat overpopulation by catching and then neutering or spaying them. The feral cats need to be humanely trapped, examined, vaccinated, and surgically sterilized by veterinarians. Feral cats are then returned to their familiar environment.
The advantages include:
- Benefits for feral cats. Neutered cats tend to gain weight and have fewer health problems — such as breast, testicular, and uterine cancer. Spaying also reduces the risks that go along with pregnancy. Fewer females in heat also means fewer male cats attracted to an area, and so fewer risky cat fights.
- Benefits for people. Spaying and neutering feral cats offers population control. Behaviors like fighting and marking are also reduced, while benefits such as rodent control continue. Ultimately, less cat suffering also means less human suffering in the face of dying or injured cats.
Bonus Content: 5 Ways You Can Help Stray and Feral Cats
Helping the powerless is an obligation for everyone. Here are 5 tips we get from WebMD.com on how you can help the stray cats around you:
- Don’t contribute to the problem. “It goes without saying that you should spay and neuter your own cats,” says Linda P. Case, MS, author of Canine and Feline Behavior and Training: A Complete Guide to Understanding Our Two Best Friends. She also suggests keeping your cat indoors — not only for their safety, but also to prevent them from getting lost and ending up part of a feral colony.
- Don’t feed and forget feral cats. Feeding feral and stray cats is generous, but they need health care as well. If you can’t manage ongoing care, “at the very least, get the cat neutered,” suggests Case.
- Show you care with cash. A little money can go a long way to help a cat. Spay/neuter surgeries may cost as little as $17 (For Indonesia, ranging from Rp100.000–200.000) for shelters to perform, Contact your nearest Humane Society to find out if they’ve got a TNR program; if they don’t, they’ll know who does. You can also donate money to animal welfare groups through an estate or will.
- Volunteer your time. TNR and similar programs are often run by nonprofit organizations that rely on volunteer help. If you can’t aid in a clinical setting, you can be involved at the community level — contacting local veterinarians and businesses, writing letters, fund-raising, or staffing a booth at a community event.
- Become a colony caretaker. “In a managed colony, cats can live to be 12 to 16 years old,” says Slater. In fact, she adds, studies of 100,000 managed feral cats in TNR programs found that most were in good health. If you think you can provide ongoing shelter, food, or to a group of feral cats, contact your local Humane Society, veterinary hospital, or other animal welfare group to find out how to get started. But before you do, understand that committing to care for a colony is a big responsibility. The colony will become dependent on you, just as a domestic cat would be. If you go away or move, it’s vital you find someone else to care for the cats in your absence.
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Property of The Cat Corner, the Universitas Padjadjaran Street Feeding Animal Friend blog. This article is available for re-use.
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