Every February, the Humane Society of the United States promotes Spay Day USA to encourage people to save animal lives by spaying and neutering their pets. Shelters and veterinarians across the country take part in this life saving day, many times offering spay/neuter surgeries at a reduced fee or offering other incentives. The VHS will be doing our part on Tuesday, February 28, when we reach out to three feral cat colonies and their caretakers in an effort to help better control the number of free roaming cats in our community.
Feral cats live among us, their territory overlapping our own. Their colonies can form anywhere there is adequate food and shelter. Many people will interact with the cats on a daily basis in a caretaker role that provides the basic necessities. Some people enjoy their presence while others find them to be a nuisance. Few people are aware anything can be done to improve the situation both for the cats and the community they live within.
Feral cats are the offspring of lost or abandoned pet cats or other feral cats who are not spayed or neutered. Females can reproduce two to three times a year, and their kittens, if they survive, will become feral without early contact from people. Spaying/neutering feral cats prevents the colony from expanding. It is the only permanent, 100-percent effective method of birth control for animals. If all of the cats in a colony are spayed and neutered, the number of cats in that colony will begin to decline over a period of time.
Many of these cats have not had human contact and will often shy away from human interaction. For this reason, trap, neuter and release is the safest, most effective way to ensure that these animals are spayed and neutered and not continuously contributing to the overpopulation problem. Once they have had this one time surgery, they will be rereleased into their colony. Our participation in Spay Day USA will allow us to make an impact on three separate communities as well as educate the public on the importance of spaying and neutering.
Humane traps will be set in three different locations beginning Sunday morning. The goal is to humanely trap ten cats from each location. A number of these cats will be dropped off at the VHS on Monday morning (February 27). The remainder of the cats will arrive Tuesday morning. For more information or to set up photo opportunities on this important day, please contact Sydney Long at (812) 426-2563 ext. 211.
