TNR Handbook - Neighborhood Cats

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The Neighborhood Cats TNR Handbook 6. Work to change municipal laws and animal control policies In some municipalities, there are laws which effectively outlaw TNR, such as bans on feeding any animal outdoors, or limits on the number of animals a resident can “own” with “ownership” defined as feeding. In other locales, animal control may have a policy of trying to trap and remove any free-roaming cat they spot, neutered or not. To openly practice TNR in such communities, these kinds of stringently hostile laws and policies must be addressed. Effective advocacy of TNR on this level requires a certain amount of expertise. If you are just starting out and are relatively new to TNR, consult with more experienced activists before meeting with the town council or the head of animal control. See if there is a feral cat organization or program locally or nearby with the knowledge of how best to present TNR in this context. Or for advice, contact Neighborhood Cats (headcat@neighborhoodcats.org) or Alley Cat Allies (www.alleycat.org). • Poisoning threats Occasionally when a feral cat colony is unmanaged and in crisis, a threat to poison is made. In many jurisdictions, poisoning is animal cruelty and a crime, even a felony with a possible prison sentence. Check your state’s laws by calling your local SPCA or animal control agency. Find out if poisoning is an offense and what the penalties are. People who threaten or actually attempt to poison are usually ignorant of the fact that this conduct is a serious offense. One way to deter them is to let them know. Make up a “Poison” poster similar to the one on page 102. Print out copies on bright neon pink paper and post them around the neighborhood in question, leaving a few extra copies in front of the suspect’s residence or place of work. It’s extremely unlikely anyone will ever be arrested, let alone convicted, as a result of information gained from the flyer. So you can rest easy about having to pay the reward. But the flyer nonetheless has two important effects – it alerts the would-be poisoner that he would be committing a crime and it also lets him know others are watching. Not many of this type of person will care enough about getting rid of the cats to risk going to jail. The Poison Poster should only be used if there is a reasonable suspicion of possible poisoning. It should not be used simply because you’re afraid someone is so angry, he might try it. Something concrete like an articulated threat or the mysterious death of a cat should be the threshold. Otherwise, you could be needlessly planting the idea. • Fleas One reason someone may give for wanting to rid an area of feral cats is fleas. The problem can become severe, especially if the cats’ shelter is in an area favorable to the insects, such as the crawl space beneath buildings. At a workplace, employees may complain of flea bites and repeated attempts to fumigate may fail. The theory then goes – 13
The Neighborhood Cats TNR Handbook get rid of the cats and we’ll get rid of the fleas. This is much easier said than done and there is a better way. Every animal has parasites in their system. When the parasites, such as fleas, are so plentiful that the condition reaches the level of an infestation of the animal, this is a sign that something is wrong with the creature’s health. Healthy cats have strong immune systems and do not become flea infested. They may carry a few, more or less depending on the time of year, but not to the point where it would become a serious problem to others sharing the same environment. Situations where feral cats are causing flea infestations are almost always unmanaged ones with unneutered, poorly fed felines. Neutering the cats and providing them with regular food and adequate shelter boosts their immune systems and usually eliminates the problem. While the cats are in surgery, the areas infested can be fumigated and the cats given flea medication so everyone can start off clean. In addition, by managing the colony and deciding where the cats will eat and sleep, they can be drawn out of locations which fleas favor and away from the immediate areas where people live and work. • Keeping cats out of gardens & yards A common complaint about feral cats comes from people who don't want them in their yards or gardens or on other parts of their property. Trying to work with propertyowners to alleviate this problem is a better way to protect the cats than arguing the felines have a right to go wherever they want. Listed below are several products and methods for attempting to control the cats’ movement. In our experience, the motion-activated sprinkler is very effective when the area in question is well-defined, such as a garden or a backyard, and not too large. The other methods have worked for some and may work for you, too. Motion-activated sprinklers Motion activated sprinklers work by emitting an infrared field that you set the boundaries on. “The Scarecrow,” listed below, has a range of 45 feet. When a cat enters the infrared field, the sprinkler shoots out a burst of water for a few seconds in the general direction of the animal. This rarely gets the cats wet, but does frighten them. Before long, the cats learn not to enter the field and the sprinkler is rarely triggered. At that point, the sprinkler may become unnecessary. The device won’t work in winter conditions because the water will freeze, but if you start using it in warmer weather, by wintertime the cats will be trained. Two on the market include: The Scarecrow, by Contech ($79.00) 1-800-767-8658; www.scatmat.com/Products/Scarecrow/ Spray Away, by Havahart ($89.99) www.havahart.com/nuisance/cats/cat_repellents.htm 14
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TNR Handbook - Neighborhood Cats

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