Free TNR 101 Workshops in the Triangle, NC Area

Multiple local rescue groups, shelters, and Wake County Animal Control are partnering together as the Wake County Cat Committee.  One of the action items is the plight of the feral cats in this area and how to address those needs.  Alley Cats and Angels is pleased to be part of this ground-breaking committee and thanks all the participants for their love and dedication to the animals.


Would you like to learn more about how you can help feral and free roaming cats?   If so, please attend one of the following TNR 101 workshops.  Workshops will be held from 7:00 PM to 8:00 PM and are free of charge.

• November 1 at the Wake County SPCA (Raleigh, NC)
• December 6 at SAFE Haven for Cats (Raleigh, NC)
• January 3 at Cat Angels Pet Adoptions (Cary, NC)

The November and December workshops will be lead by Alley Cats and Angels' Vice President, Marie Brewer.

See the attached for more information:

• Local low-cost spay/neuter options: http://alleycatsandangels.org/SNResources.pdf
• TNR 101: http://alleycatsandangels.org/TNR-101.pdf
• Detailed TNR and feral colony management information: http://alleycatsandangels.org/TNR-FeralColonyMgmt.pdf

TNR (trap-neuter-return) works!

We spent a good part of two springs and summers doing TNR at a colony downtown Raleigh.  I took on the colony at a request of a friend (surgeries were paid for, just needed trapping and transport help).  Initially, thought there were about 14 cats.  The first night I trapped two summers ago, I caught five cats in 20 minutes but sat back to watch the cats after I put out food.  I counted at least 22 cats and that was only the ones that would come out when people were around.  I TNR'd 23 cats from that location and took in kittens and then turned the project over to our TNR Task Force Leaders, Tricia and Marie, who thankfully took it on.  The two of them TNR'd a bunch of cats and we took in the kittens.  Tricia and Marie P persevered until every cat had a cropped ear (which is the goal with TNR - make sure you TNR ALL the cats in the colony).

Marie P stopped by the colony last night to check on things and the colony made it through the entire spring and summer without one kitten appearing.  The caregiver will contact us if any new cats show up or if they see a kitten, but all is well.  This is proof positive that TNR works. (And a big thanks to Tricia and Marie P.)

If you would like to learn more about TNR, check out the below websites or email us at tnr@alleycatsandangels.org.  If you're interested in becoming part of our TNR Task Force (we always need lead trappers and trapping assistants), please email us at tnr@alleycatsandangels.org.

• http://www.alleycat.org/
• http://www.feralcat.com/
• http://www.feralcatcaretakers.org/
• http://www.neighborhoodcats.org/
• www.indyferal.org/
• www.americancat.net/
• www.urbancatleague.org/
• www.bestfriends.org/nomorehomelesspets/resourcelibrary/feralindex.cfm
• www.humanesociety.org/issues/feral_cats/qa/feral_cat_FAQs.html
• www.aspca.org/adoption/feral-cats-faq.html

 

Update on the Weather Girls

Spoke with Dr. Jodi's office this morning and Sunny is doing well.  She is very playful, has a good appetite, and her head is coming along nicely.  The earliest she'll be able to come home from the vet is Thursday, although she might need to stay longer -- we won't really know until Thursday. 

I thought you'd enjoy a picture of Windy when she's not wet and "screaming".  She's mind blowing cute and her ears don't seem quite as big (although they are pretty darn big) when she's dry with all her long hair.

Thank you everyone for all your kind words and warm thoughts for Sunny and the other Weather Girls.  We are very happy we could take these babies in.

The "Weather Girls"

Yesterday, we introduced you to Sunny, the Siamese mix with a hole in her head.  Dr. Jodi said she did really well today with the procedure on her head.  Because the area cannot be completely closed, Sunny will need to stay at the vets for about a week so she special wet-to-dry bandages can be applied, which will help encourage tissue growth.

The other three kittens are tabbies and we've dubbed the litter the "Weather Girls" - Sunny, Stormy, Cloudy, and Windy. There are two very "floofy" tabbies and one short-haired tabby.  They received the full spa treatment (baths, ear cleaning and ear drops (terrible mites), claws clipped, etc.) last night after being examined by the vet and they were not at all appreciative.  Their foster mom took one picture which she dubbed "Windy and the silent scream".  See below. 

Sunny

The Weather Girls chilling in a carrier

Windy and the silent scream (look at those big ears!!)

Meet Sunny...with a chance

There's a television show on the Disney Channel called "Sonny with a Chance", well, this little kitten is named Sunny and after several weeks of working to get her turned over to our care and finally succeeding, she is now Sunny with a Chance.

Sunny and her siblings, three pretty tabby kittens, were born to a feral mom and were finally relinquished into our care.  Sunny has a head trauma with some part of the skull visible.  However, other than her head, she appears to be healthier than her siblings.  Her siblings are terribly underweight for their age.  Sunny and her siblings have an appointment with Dr. Jodi at Harmony Animal Hospital today so we can work on getting these babies all healthy and happy and then find them great homes.  Pictures of the tabby siblings forthcoming.