Felines Lost & Found
E-mail has a way of making or breaking one's day. This past week two different messages in my in-mail box set the pace for some serious thought. The first was from a gentleman who complained that a neighbor had moved, leaving behind several cats which were becoming an annoyance. He asked for help in finding a product to deter them from coming around his yard - "anything, short of shooting them." The last phrase raised my hackles, but my anger soon turned toward the thoughtless clods who had without a backward glance abandoned the cats who had depended on them for food and shelter.
The other letter, although similar in subject, was from an entirely different viewpoint: Matthew lives in an apartment complex and because residents are not allowed pets, he has befriended a number of stray cats, who now depend on him for food, water and affection. His landlord, the Grinch, has demanded that Matthew get rid of the cats, or he will take matters into his own, with a veiled reference to killing them. Matthew's closing remarks were heart-rending: "I have experienced some significant health problems, and these cats have
given more to me with their presence than I could possibly relate. So
I'm sure you can understand how I feel about the situation. (These
wonderful cats mean everything to me.)" My advice to both writers was essentially the same: "Try to locate a feral rescue group in your area. They may be willing to try to capture the cats, have them neutered, and provide foster care until permanent homes can be found." This is not the first time nor the last for this kind of advice. Feral Rescue Groups have quickly become the backbone of the drive to rid the nation of homeless cats; not by killing them but by neutering them and either returning them to their colonies, which hopefully will dwindle by attrition, or finding homes for those that can be rehabilitated. Other groups rescue animals doomed to death at pound. Living Free in California, Best Friends Animal Sanctuary in Utah, and New Yorkers for Companion Animals are outstanding examples of these groups.
How Can You Help? Donate cash or goods.
Spay and Neuter
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Volunteer.
Volunteer help with feeding and fostering is always needed. ARF in Florida even has an online application.
These are non-profit organizations and your donations are not only sorely needed, but tax deductible. Living Free has posted a Wish List for its needs.
Some day the pet overpopulation problem may be a thing of the past, but these volunteer groups, although making great strides, are fighting an uphill battle. Until the general population accepts the practice of spaying & neutering their companion animals, the resultant unwanted litters will continue to flood into the feral cat population.
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