Trapping these wild cats can be quite traumatizing.  These animals have never been touched by a human before, and once they see themselves trapped, they furiously fight to free themselves.  Some let out howls and cries that tear at your insides.  It is not unusual to see a bleeding nose or mouth, bleeding paws from the pressure against the wire trap as they struggle to escape. 

From the trap, the cat is transferred to another wire cage, called a "squeeze cage", (the squeeze allows the veterinarian to handle the animal without fear of being bitten or scratched).  The cat will then spend a long night in the volunteer's garage, crouched up in the covered squeeze cage, probably near shock and fearing every little noise and movement.  In the morning the volunteer takes the cat to a caring veterinarian, where it will be anesthetized, examined, tested for feline leukemia, and if free of the contagious disease, it is spayed or neutered.  Those testing positive for feline leukemia will not awaken. 

When the surgery is done and before the cat wakes, the veterinarian places the cat in a regular cat carrier and the following morning the volunteer will release the cat at the same location it was trapped. 

As traumatizing trapping may be, to watch them regain their freedom more than makes up for the trauma of trapping.  Once the carrier is on familiar ground and the door is opened, there is a moment of total silence.  Then, this blur of fur flies out of the carrier.  You would never know it had just come out of surgery as you watch this creature leap through the field until it disappears from your sight.        Ha . . . .  free again! 

You cannot help worrying about its safety and well being.  But in a few days the cat is back for food. 

A beautiful sight is to watch a colony of wild cats, each displaying a clipped ear.  At the time of surgery, so that the cat can be identified, the veterinarian clips the tip of the female's left ear and the male's right ear. 

Spay/neuter/release is a wonderful program and I wish everyone reading this would participate in some fashion by giving time or money to organizations dedicated to the program.  It is the only humane way to control this over-population of feral cats.  These cats are the results of human inadequacies; someone who failed to take responsibility for their animals.  I cannot tell you how many times I found cats suffering, barely alive, and had to take them to a vet to be euthanized.  They had been shot, poisoned, or was just too ill to fight any longer. 

It is kitten season again.  They are so cute...   and they will grow to be cats, and produce more kittens, that will grow to be cats, and...  

 

   

elle@svn.net