If the caregivers provide protection for them, even a styrofoam cooler wll protect frm rain, snow and with a bit of straw, they can be warm.
---- GRAS <g...@optonline.net> wrote: > At least the cat colonies don't have to freeze in the winter in FL like they > do elsewhere. > > Most TNR groups that I know of in this area don't tests at all. > > > > From: felvtalk-boun...@felineleukemia.org > [mailto:felvtalk-boun...@felineleukemia.org] On Behalf Of Heather > Sent: Thursday, March 08, 2012 1:27 PM > To: felvtalk@felineleukemia.org > Subject: [Felvtalk] Fwd: TNR > > > > > > ---------- Forwarded message ---------- > From: Heather <furrygi...@gmail.com> > Date: Thu, Mar 8, 2012 at 1:23 PM > Subject: Re: [Felvtalk] TNR > To: felvtalk@felineleukemia.org > > > > Definitely not to argue, but to provide some perspective on high volume TNR > and the ACA (and Neighborhood Cats) stance on routine testing of TNR > ferals... > > > > While millions of cats are of course killed in shelters each year > nationally, the free roaming cat population on the streets may differ vastly > geographically. In my city (Tampa), there are hundreds of thousands of > feral cats. There are several of us constantly practicing TNR on the > "population at large" (or colonies where the feeders are not fixing--a huge > sore spot with us, too), meaning trapping pretty much every week, sometimes > more than once a week, cats who are not at our own colonies. Some of my > friends trap anywhere from 10 - 50 cats per week for TNR (and of course > kittens and such are rescued as much as space/socialization/fosters permit, > sick cats treated, etc.) Routine TNR's--not being rescued for adoption or > not being addressed/treated for illness are not tested. If we tested every > cat, we could only spay/neuter/vaccinate a fraction of the cats. There > would be far more (exponentially, we all know how cats can reproduce--here > it's hot and a mama will have 3 litters a year) cats breeding, spreading > illness. There would be more negative AND more positive cats, and therefore > since unfixed, also more positive (and negative) kittens being born on the > streets. In our city, we are serving the greater good by fixing as many as > possible. Since we all also do a lot of rescue, pulling friendlies/dumped > cats, or cats to be treated for illness, from colonies, I can say we run > into FELV fairly seldomly. Despite my own very high # of colonies, in > addition to helping people rescue and fix cats all over, I have run into > FELV the most of anyone I know and it's really just been in two areas, close > in proximity, where the feeders are NOT fixing the cats. Disease > definititely seems to proliferate where the cats are unsterilized, though of > course I realize it spreads in other ways besides reproducing. > > > > As TNR has steadily increased in our county, the # of cats euthanized at our > county AS has steadily declined--I can share a graph if anyone is > interested, the results are absolutely amazing and pretty much in direct > proportion in terms of euth decrease/TNR increase. Several years ago > 16K-18K cats were killed per year at this county shelter; now it is down to > around 9K. > > > > Even our own local Humane Society--which has the most awesome s/n/TNR > clinic, but was very firm on testing for years, finally conceded with the > ACA/Neighborhood Cats stance that, on routine TNR's not showing signs of > illness, the resources are best spent in sterilizing more cats than on > testing. They do sometimes call us while assessing/operating and say they > feel a particular cat needs to be tested. They are elated by the decrease > in shelter euthanasia as well. > > > > I have no qualms returning an FIV+ cat to a safe area with a good caretaker, > I had one FIV+ female who lived to be 14 outside until we brought her in to > live her last 9 months due to geriatric issues. Granted, this was on a > university campus where we often have cats live to be over 10 years old > (just a little different environment from the true streets such as fast food > joints, etc.). > > > > I hope me providing this perspective isn't resented--again, it's not > intended to argue, just some comments to explain why many embrace the ACA > perspective on not testing routine TNR's > > > > Of course everyone is entitled to their own opinion and best practices for > what they are doing. The overpopulation problem in Florida is insane, that > is one thing that goes without saying. > > > > Thanks everyone for caring about cats! > > > > Heather > > On Thu, Mar 8, 2012 at 12:26 PM, Beth <create_me_...@yahoo.com> wrote: > > I agree, FeLV should be put down or homed. I have returned FIV cats > > Unfortunately, Alley Cat Allies thinks they all should be returned & not > even tested. The place I have gotten ferals fixed believes this & refuses to > test ferals. > > Crazy. > > > _______________________________________________ Felvtalk mailing list Felvtalk@felineleukemia.org http://felineleukemia.org/mailman/listinfo/felvtalk_felineleukemia.org
