A friend also used those wooden garbage bin holders that open from the front....she cut openings for entry, put in a shelf for more sleeping space, filled with hay or straw, or even smaller individual Styrofoam cubicles without lids, and it housed about 10 or more cats. BTW - Rubbermaids also make great covered litter boxes for multiple cats. Cut an appropriate opening in front, depending on cats' needs (low or higher threshold), and presto, litter box with a lid! Natalie
-----Original Message----- From: felvtalk-boun...@felineleukemia.org [mailto:felvtalk-boun...@felineleukemia.org] On Behalf Of MaiMaiPG Sent: Sunday, March 11, 2012 9:11 AM To: felvtalk@felineleukemia.org Subject: Re: [Felvtalk] Fwd: TNR Plastic rubbermaid totes will help too. If you cut a hole toward the end on one of the long sides and leave the lid on top, you can stuff it with a little hay or pine needles (no cloth please, it holds water). Cutting the hole this way lets them get further out of the weather and feels safer than putting it in the middle or on a short side. The top acts as a roof, repelling water and wind and makes it easier to tend to the box. I like to put a little Sevin in for fleas during the season. On Mar 11, 2012, at 12:03 AM, <dlg...@windstream.net> <dlg...@windstream.net > wrote: > 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 _______________________________________________ Felvtalk mailing list Felvtalk@felineleukemia.org http://felineleukemia.org/mailman/listinfo/felvtalk_felineleukemia.org _______________________________________________ Felvtalk mailing list Felvtalk@felineleukemia.org http://felineleukemia.org/mailman/listinfo/felvtalk_felineleukemia.org
