Friends for Life for Ferals

Feral cats are those who have become wild. They or their mothers were abandoned, and unlike stray domestic cats, they avoid human contact. Until recently, animal shelters had little choice but to euthanize feral cats brought to them. Not only are the cats too wild for adoption, they are severely stressed by being caged and handled.

Thanks to organizations such as Alley Cat Allies, a new strategy was developed: trap/neuter/return or TNR. The cat is humanely trapped, spayed or neutered and vaccinated against rabies. While under anesthesia, one of the cat's ears is "tipped," i.e., a small portion cut off, to mark it as having been neutered. The cat is then released near a caring person who ensures a food supply and shelter.

When feral cats are simply removed from a site, more cats arrive to take their place, but TNR creates a stable, sterile population. The unwelcome behaviors are alleviated: no more rival fighting, courtship yowling, pungent urine or countless new kittens. Vaccinations greatly decrease the threat of rabies.

A TNR program needs several components: a veterinarian willing to work with feral cats and with the flexibility to take them in when trapped (ferals are notoriously poor at keeping appointments); people willing to trap the cats, then provide food and suitable outside shelter; transporters to and from the vet clinic; and funding to cover surgical and medical costs.

We have finally been able to start a TNR program, thanks to the efforts of a dedicated volunteer, the help of Needmore Veterinary Clinic, and caring citizens in Morgan County. In three months 27 cats have been humanely trapped, neutered, vaccinated against rabies and returned. Starting with a thousand-dollar grant and a generous gift from Michael Hofe of HCI Mortgage in Berkeley Springs, we are now looking toward fund raisers such as a "Spay-ghetti" dinner and donations from the public to continue this long-needed project.

We don't think cats should have to die because somewhere along the line an irresponsible human abandoned them or allowed them to breed. They also should not have to become pests, searching for food in human habitations, in order to survive. Without our help, they are often ill-fed and unable to resist disease while producing litters several times a year. TNR has been proven to work.

For more information on this program or to become a volunteer caretaker or transporter in Morgan County, please call Carrie Durst at 304 258-9224 during business hours.

Please help us keep feral cats safe while reducing population growth. Every dollar you donate will go directly to TNR. Make your check payable to The Humane Society of Morgan County and enter TNR on the memo line. Send it to:

Friends for Life for Ferals Humane Society Post Office Box 705 Berkeley Springs, WV 25411

Or click here to donate online. Thank you.