We trapped yesterday morning and had 15 cats in about an hour. We also took in 2 kittens who are approximately 4-weeks old. There were seven brand new kittens (one litter of 4 and one litter of 3) born the night before but we were unable to catch the mama cats so we left the kittens with instructions for the caregiver to snatch them up when they are 4-weeks old and call us. Fortunately, it's not a shopping center colony, but a front/back/side yard colony. Started when someone dumped a couple of cats. There are no real low-cost spay/neuter options in Nash County. We heard about it from someone who adopted some barn cats from us. And although Nash County isn't really in our TNR area (we can't do too many TNR proejcts that are 40+ miles away from us because we all also work full-time jobs in addition to working other areas of the rescue for Alley Cats and Angels). There are many "fertile myrtles" out there and what was once a few cats has grown to a colony of approximately 75 cats. And by the time we're done, I believe we'll be taking in many, many, many kittens form this colony also.
So, loaded up the SUV with 15 traps, a drop-trap, carrier with two kittens and headed back to town to drop them off in a volunteer's garage (soo thankful someone has a garage as 15 traps would not have fit in my hall bathroom - where I typically house the cats before/after surgery, plus the kittens were going to be set up in the bathroom). This morning, got up bright and early, headed to the house, loaded up the cats (thank you Darren for doing all the loading) and drove into work bright and early to change cars so the cats would make it to the spay day on time and I could make it to work on time!
One cat has a very bad eye and is being sent over to another vet. If it has to be removed, that's a huge hit to the budget. Below are some of the pictures of the project.
4 comments:
YEAH!!!! (wait - mom got distracted by the cute)
GREAT JOB!!! It is such hard work and we are so proud of you for doing it!!
Great job! Thank you for taking on such a large project!
How wonderful of you to do all this. With TNR, do you get any help from your state at all? So far as I know my state does not participate in one. I have not seen that many stray's or feral's in my area. I started feeding one last summer, and when it got 35 below zero I brought her in. I got her spayed and inoculated, in hopes to release her after she healed. But now she doesn't want to leave.
I would love to keep her forever, but her and my cat don't get along.
kraftekat - no, we don't receive any help from the state. We raise the money to do this through donations, portion of the proceeds from our yard sales/other fundraisers (of course a good portion of those fundraisers go to fund our core programs - adoption program and barn cat program). We have received a couple of small grants. But mainly I just ask people for money to help do these large colonies. We haven't raised enough to do this entire colony, but I'll find the money to get this entire colony done.
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