The
nation's feral and abandoned cat population is approximately 73
million strong.
These
unaltered, free-roaming cats live behind restaurants and supermarkets,
near dumpsters, alleyways, apartments, colleges, parks, and in
our own backyards. They are everywhere!
Feral
cats were once domesticated a few generations back -- somewhere
in their past, an ancestor was a housecat. Feral cats
are "wild", but they're not "wildlife"
-- they aren't like squirrels or raccoons. They need food, shelter,
and care, just like the cats living in our homes. They are not
able to exist on the food they find or catch, despite what people
believe.
This
forgotten population of animals often live short, brutal lives.
They must scrounge for what little food they can find, they are
exposed to all types of weather, and if they get sick or hit by
a car, they suffer and die silently.
Society
treats feral cats like trash -- as though they're disposable.
Because most feral cats are unadoptable, they are trapped
and killed at our SPCAs and HUmane Societies. Most of the time
there is no help and no other solutions are offered at all.
There
IS a humane way to stop the breeding without killing the cats,
however. It's called TNR (Trap - Neuter - Release) and most important,
M (for Manage)! TNRM is the humane, non-lethal
solution to cat population control.
If
you'd like to help by trapping feral cats in your neighborhood,
see our Trapping section on
the Caregivers page -- and call us to schedule an appointment
at one of our upcoming Spay/Neuter Clinics
-- call 215-357-4946.
