November's Charity of the Month is... Operation Catnip, TNR

November's

Charity of the Month is...

OPERATION CATNiP

Nominated by Veronica of ScrappyRat

Text & photos courtesy of Operation Catnip

Who we are... Founded in Raleigh, North Carolina in 1997, Operation Catnip is an all-volunteer organization dedicated to reducing feral and free-roaming unowned cat populations through sterilization.

What are feral cats ? A feral cat is a domestic cat that has developed a natural fear of humans. Most ferals are the offspring of stray or abandoned household pets or a failure to spay/neuter them. Raised without human contact, they quickly revert to a wild nature and form colonies where food and shelter are available. 

Most feral cats are acclimated to their outdoor lifestyle and would not adjust well to an indoor home. More importantly there are not enough homes available due to the over-population from a lack of sterilization. Feral cats make up a large portion of the cats killed at animal shelters.

What can be done to help feral cats ?

The plight of feral and free-roaming unowned cats has captured the hearts of animal lovers for many years, but only within the last two decades has a non-lethal option for their control become more widely available. Called “trap-neuter- return” or TNR, this humane alternative involves trapping, sterilizing, vaccinating, ear-tipping and re- turning the cats to their colonies where they are looked after by their caretakers.

Through TNR we can greatly reduce the numbers of unwanted feral and stray cats which lowers the intake and euthanasia rates at animal shelters. This saves tax dollars and leaves more space at animal shelters for adoptable cats. TNR also addresses the public health concern about rabies, and reduces annoying behaviors such as cats fighting and spraying. This solution is believed to successfully reduce birth rates and improve the overall health of the colony.

How does Operation Catnip fit in the solution?

Operation Catnip is a nonprofit organization that operates a high-volume, no-charge clinic where feral and free-roaming unowned cats are spayed/ neutered and vaccinated. 

In addition, Operation Catnip operates a voucher program through which feral and free-roaming unowned cats are sterilized at local veterinary clinics with a small co-pay from the caretaker. 

Our clinics are run entirely by volunteers (veterinarians, vet technicians and trained lay people) and are capable of sterilizing over 100 cats in a matter of hours. All cats have the tip of their left ear cropped, which identifies them as sterilized.

Who makes Operation Catnip possible ?

Feral Cat Caretakers - Operation Catnip is a spay/neuter clinic and does not participate in the actual trapping of cats. We partner with those caring individuals who have become part of the humane solution by responsibly maintaining feral cats in their communities. In order to use the Operation Cat- nip program, these caretakers must assume responsibility for trapping and transporting cats to and from the clinic and en- sure adequate and continued care for the cats for the remainder of their lives.

Volunteers - Operation Catnip is run entirely by dedicated volunteers. Licensed vets perform all spays and neuters while vet technicians, vet students and trained lay people provide technical and administrative support. No experience is necessary -- we are happy to provide any necessary training. Operation Catnip is always looking for volunteers to staff its clinics, perform administrative tasks or assist with publicity and fund-raising projects.

Donors - Thanks to the veterinarians and other volunteers who generously donate their time, Operation Catnip can offer its clinics free of charge. However, the cost of medical supplies is very high and Operation Catnip relies entirely on donations from the public to run its clinics—we receive no government funding of any kind. We estimate that the cost to sterilize and vaccinate each cat is at least $26 so please consider a tax-deductible donation to Operation Catnip.

SUPPORT

Operation Catnip

ViSiT their website

LiKE their Facebook Page

MAKE a donation

PURCHASE an item 

from a Team EFA member

whom supports our COTM program

THANK YOU !

The Feral went out on a chilly night...

Written by Patty of Catcalls

Illustrated with EFA member products

The feral went out on a chilly night...

She prayed to the Moon to give her light...

For she'd many a mile to go that night

Before she reached the town-o, town-o, town-o...

She'd many a mile to go that night

Before he reached the town-o !

*

She stopped by a farm for she did hear

The rustling of stalks and a few kitties cheer

But she hissed and she fled

when the devil did appear...

Past the owl and the bats

to the town-o, town-o, town-o...

Past the owls and the bats to the town-o !

*

Three creepy old dudes did greet her there

But she looked them in the eye

with her eerie green stare

For she was mindful of the little one in her care

That's why she traveled

all the way to the town-o, town-o, town-o...

Why she traveled all the way to the town-o !

*

She grabbed her bag

And she donned her tie

Then she joined the parade

to get candy corn Mice !

Then she raced on home

to share her scrumptious delight

With the little one in the den-o, den-o, den-o...

The little one in the den-o !

*

HAPPY HALLOWEEN to all your outdoor kitties !

Patty of Catcalls

nominated The Feral Cat Rescue Project

which won October's Charity of the Month

You can click HERE to visit their website !

and

HERE

to read Patty's first COTM article

The end of the month is close by and we hope that you will be able to send in a donation to The Feral Cat Rescue Project... You can find the quick link to their website on the left hand column of this blog or you can click on their logo/name above.

Remember to let EFA know you've made a donation... you can

click HERE to

report it... by doing so we will be able to add the $ amount into the COTM running total.

Thank you so very much !

Taming Feral Cats

Taming Feral Cats

written by Patty of Catcalls

photographs by Chriss Haight Pagani

Feral cats are homeless cats. Though they are technically domestic, their lifestyle is definitely like that of wild cats. Adult feral cats are rarely able to be tamed. However, a feral kitten, if caught while very young, has great potential to become a socialized pet. A feral kitty who is able to escape a life of hardship, hunger, and fear is indeed a fortunate one.

Taming feral kittens must begin as soon as possible. A mother feral will give birth in a quiet spot in the wild and the kittens will not be seen for several weeks. At that time they will begin to romp around, and at 4-6 weeks they are ready to be weaned and can be safely separated from Mom. If possible, capture the mom as well for spaying before releasing her back into her area.

Depending on their degree of wildness, feral kittens can be tamed in 2-6 weeks. Individuals can differ greatly in temperament even within the same litter. One may take only a short time while another is very skittish and uncooperative. Patience! A feral kitty tamer must be endowed with great patience and be committed to saving these kittens from a life of misery. It is a very rewarding undertaking for those who have the heart.

These steps will help you to the goal of socializing your new feral kitten.

Containment I

Fear may drive a kitten to spit, bite, or scratch. You are a predator to him and he may try to escape. Have the kitten checked by a vet before taking them home. Keep them separate from other pets, wear a smock, and wash hands after each visit with your kitten. Keep him in his cage in a room by himself with a litter box, bedding, food and water.

For the first two days, do not handle him. Walk by, talk to him, make sure his needs are met, but let him get comfortable in his new setting. The use of your worn clothing as bedding may help the kitten accept you a little sooner.

Handling

After two days, place a towel over the kitten, and pick it up in the towel. If the kitten stays calm, pet it gently on the head from behind. Never approach from the front as it may be perceived as a sign of aggression. Open the towel out on your lap and let the kitten sit while you pet him. Talk to him as you do so. Be brief, then give him a little treat and put him away. Do this many times a day. You may also use a soft pet brush at times. This is similar to the grooming the mother cat would do and may help to make your kitten feel more at ease. A flea comb is another good tool to facilitate bonding.

Do not stare at the kitty. This is aggressive behavior in the wild and intimidating. Short glances and a lowered head will be far less threatening.

Play with the kitten using appropriate toys, but don't leave anything in the cage at first and especially no string toys.

Containment II

You should have a very differernt kitty after a week of consistent attention and care. At this time they can be left in a small room and placed in the cage only if necessary. Large rooms can be a bit overwhelming. Beds may also be a problem as they may try to stay hidden underneath. Be careful to kitten proof the room so he is free to roam without dangers.

If you are working with several kittens and there is one that is not becoming tame, place him in a separate cage in another room, away from the others. He will be more apt to become dependent on you and respond more favorably. It will prevent him from reverting to wild behavior.

Exposure

Once kittens no longer bite or scratch and seem happy in their new environment, introduce them to your friends ! Ferals tend to be one-man only creatures, so to be best prepared for adoption, gradually increase their exposure to others until they respond appropriately to all newcomers.

Placement

After 4 to 6 weeks, kittens who have progressed through all of these stages are now ready for adoption.

Families with no small children are the best homes for feral kitties. All of your hard work can be quickly undermined in a loud, busy, overly energetic home. A calm and quiet atmosphere is ideal for a little feral. The ideal home is one which will keep their pet indoors and will take two kittens together. If only one is adopted, it is best if a person is there a good part of the day.

If you have done your work outside of a shelter, be sure that you inform the adoptive family that the kitten must be neutered. This can be done as early as 8 weeks of age. Or you may want to neuter him yourself and ask the new owner to reimburse you.

Ferals live in a wild environment and take on wild behaviors. By making a 4 to 6 week commitment to a feral kitten to transform his life could be the difference between living only 10 weeks with fear or 10 years with family; 10 weeks with hunger or 10 years with happiness. If it is within our means to do so, let us do our part to ensure a better future for these little kittens.

Chriss Haight Pagani runs

The Feral Cat Rescue Project

which is October's Charity of the Month

Click HERE to visit their website !

To read about TFCRP

see October 2 EFA post HERE

Honoring National Feral Cat Day: Oct 16th

Saturday October 16th is National Feral Cat Day !

article written by Patty of Catcalls

Photographs & captions by Chriss Haight Pagani

"Believe me,

I know how tough it is to find good homes for kittens,

even beautiful ones like this poor little guy.

If no one claims him,

he'll eventually go back among the ferals

where I will continue to do my best to protect him

and all of them from coyotes and the other hazards of life."

Many shelters will be celebrating National Feral Cat Day through spay/neuter opportunities, awareness programs, and other types of fundraisers. An important note here is that feral cats ARE domestic cats just like stray and pet cats are. The difference lies in how each of these relates to humans. A stray cat was once a social animal, abandoned or perhaps lost, and can be resocialized and adopted. Even a feral kitten, if caught young enough, can be socialized and made into a good pet. But a true feral cat will never interact well with people and is, therefore, to be left in the wild. It, like all wild cats, has a place in the world as a created species and has a right to share space in nature along with the big cats.

Socialized cats are cats that are friendly toward people. Kittens who are held, played with, fed, and in the presence of humans will grow up to be social. If these interactions do not occur while the cat is in it's kitten phase, it becomes almost impossible to penetrate the fear and anxiety the cat will have developed. A stray cat has the potential of rebonding with humans since it was raised in that environment, but the feral cat will only bond with the members of it's own cat community and remain wary of people. It is highly unlikely that he will ever be relaxed in a home environment and will always prefer the outdoor life.

It is not easy to tell a feral from a stray. In our eyes, they all look the same. Yet for those immersed in cat rescue and adoption, it is helpful to know if these 'neighborhood strays' are really strays that can be returned to a loving home or ferals that should be trapped, neutered, and released back into their colony. Here are a few helpful hints. Try to do your observing while the cat is in it's own environment and not after you have trapped it. He will not be acting normal after being captured. These are not hard and fast rules, but rather helps. If several of these characteristics are present, you may well have a stray that has been living with ferals.

"This is an example of what I call mid-tail or a half tail cat.

I'm not sure how to describe it. Among the local feral cats

there are some genetic oddities including

various bobtails and twisted tails.

There are also a few mid-tail or half-tail cats.

This is not due to injury; it is a genetic mutation."

1. Any cat that approaches you that you can pet is probably not a feral.

2. A cat that approaches houses, cars, and porches is more likely to be a stray. Ferals will usually stay clear of such things and prefer to hide.

3. Strays tend to be alone. Ferals are more likely to be in a colony.

4. Strays may look at you, blink, or make eye contact. They may have their tail up which is a friendly gesture. Ferals tend to crawl, crouch, stay low to the ground, and protect their body with their tail. They generally avoid eye contact.

5. Strays will be more vocal. A meow or purr to your questions is possible. Ferals are quiet and prefer silence.

6. Strays will go out during the day; ferals prefer night.

7. A stray may appear very disheveled and unkempt. A feral will be much better groomed, like a cat in the wild would be. Males may have a bigger head, thicker neck, and a few scars from fights since only about 2% of ferals are neutered. High testosterone levels may produce a spiked hair look, 'stud' tail- hair loss, greasiness, or bumps at the base of the tail due to hormones.

If you have trapped the cat, the confined behavior displayed also varies between strays and ferals. A feral is basically untouchable. He will remain tense and unsocial, ignore people, toys, and maybe even food. He is likely to stay at the back of the cage and may even rattle, shake, or climb the cage if frightened. He will not respond to any household sounds and be much more likely to be aggressive and lash out with ears back and eyes dilated. A stray, on the other hand, may be approachable and allow you to touch him. He may come to the front fo the cage, even rubbing up against it. Over time he will relax and may play with toys. The sound of cat food cans or bags may arouse interest. Hissing or growling is likely if frightened.

"LowJack was very shy but potentially

adoptable early in his life.

Like too many kitties, though, he didn't find a home

and ended up remaining with the feral colony."

Once you have determined what kind of cat you have, follow up with appropriate action.

For scared stray cats, everything possible should be done to maximize their chances of adoption into a home. For calm stray cats, it will be easier to find them a good adoptive home. For feral kittens, get them on a good socialization schedule to prepare them for adoption. For feral cats, return them to their colony home outdoors as soon as possible. Of course, your local shelter is the place to get help from.

By educating ourselves and others about the characteristics of a feral cat, perhaps we can begin to change some of the negative attitudes and cruel treatment that often accompanies their kind. Perhaps we can help find homes for the non-ferals, trap and release the ferals back into their natural environment, and change the mindset that they are useless, good-for-nothing menaces. Trapping, neutering, releasing, and perhaps even relocating colonies are all helpful life-giving ways of allowing the feral cat to co-exist on his own little piece of the planet.

Check to see what your local shelter has planned for National Feral Cat Day... And if there are kitties roaming your neighborhood, get a notebook, take your list, get your binoculars, and start your own cat watch !

"A mostly anonymous feral cat rests in the shade -

disturbed by my photography

but not willing to leave a comfy spot."

Chriss Haight Pagani runs

The Feral Cat Rescue Project

which is October's Charity of the Month

Click HERE to visit their website !

To read about TFCRP

see October 2 EFA post HERE