My bf and I take care of over 140 feral/homeless cats on the streets everyday (in over 20 different spots), 365 days a year for several years now, they are spayed and neutered/vaccinated, treated for illnesses as much as we are able (including going to far lengths both medically/financially--when not unkind given their temprament, some are friendly or close--and far lengths to trap them in drainpipes or wherever they might be if they are ill and difficult to trap). We have treated colonies successfully for scabies both multiple cats at a time or individual ones, we have a friendly feral in our bathroom right now recovering (very well!) from liver disease. We have brought in CRF cats to live out their lives, unblocked ferals and continued them healthfully with dietary management and supplements.
I live in Florida where fortunately, weather is pretty easy on the cats--it is unfortunately also why there are so many feral cats down here, they can reproduce year round due to the climate, and, the climate of course doesn't "control" the population otherwise either. I have known about Caboodle Ranch since 2007, back when there were far fewer cats (150 or less I think) and many of my contacts went there with good reports. It seemed to me in the last couple of years from the things I was hearing that there were problems. Caboodle Ranch took in many feral cats from situations/rescuers in Florida who's colonies were otherwise facing death/extermination; they also took in many friendly pets from people who, for whatever reason, were no longer 'able' (or willing, my guess in most cases) to care for them. To me, that would account for the 400 who the ASPCA says (probably correct) were dying for attention and went right into carriers. I am not sticking up for Caboodle, nor the other side, but I would love for even some sort of a misdemeanor neglect/cruelty/stupidity charge to be brought on every person who dumped their friendly pet there, thinking that for $150, they were going to get the love, attention and medical care needed amongst hundreds of others that they themselves were apparently not either willing or able to provide to them on a one-on-one (or two or ten--I doutbt these people had 700 cats) basis. It sucks that we rescuers are dealing with such large volumes and many life and death choices. Since the people on this group are people who chose life for FELV+ cats (which even some rescuers might not), I would hope that choosing to spay/neuter (TNR) and care for a feral cat for their life on the streets would be an act that is respected (there are people who believe that not euthanizing an FELV is cruel as well, unfortunately, or even believe it's wrong for them to "take homes from healthy cats"--an opinion that really bothers me). We are choosing life for these feral cats, making their lives better, and ensuring they do not contribute to the overpopulation problem. It is a lifetime commitment, some may not do a very good job at it just like some owners do not. We are making the best of a bad situation, and actually doing something to fight the overpopulation problem that results not only in so many living on or being born on the streets, but then also ending up in shelters. The way I see it you are either part of the problem or part of the solution. Whether you think feral cats should live outdoors or not, spaying/neutering (TNR) serves to reduce the number living on the streets. Those practicing TNR are part of the solution. People who haul feral cats in to be killed at shelters, on tax payer dollars, could instead be taking them to a spay/neuter clinic. I have no idea what to make of the differing reports on Caboodle's status in the time leading up to the raid, but I wish the people who dumped their pets at a large scale sanctuary might have to justify their actions rather than just shake their heads and say "but we gave him $150 and trusted him". It is sad for those who perhaps were dealing with serious illnesses such as cancer, etc., but I'd be willing to bet a lot of those people were just moving and not taking the cats with them. > ** > > *From:* felvtalk-boun...@felineleukemia.org [mailto: > felvtalk-boun...@felineleukemia.org] *On Behalf Of *Marta Gasper > *Sent:* Tuesday, March 06, 2012 10:26 PM > *To:* felvtalk@felineleukemia.org > *Subject:* Re: [Felvtalk] caboodle ranch - other side of the story links** > ** > > ** ** > > <<consider how many times TNR's put domestic cats back on the street if > there were feeders? (I'm not one of them, but consider that, before > condemning the guy.)>>**** > > **** > > You mean the policy of returning cats to a feral colony if the colony has > a feeder?..how that fits into this situation? TNR is for ferals not > housecats.**** > > Though in some cases_such as mine I trap cats on the loose, ferals or not. > If feral they go to a feral colony, if not I try to find owner, education > goes so far, most people will want to keep the cat in/out but at least the > cat is neutered now and won't be making more. If possible I take in the > cat, list as found and if it is not claimed I put him up for > adoption_taking in all tame cats is just not possible but I do try to bring > in the declaweds and kittens._ I don't just abandon the cat out there, I > make sure it has shelter and a feeder.**** > > I know very well this is considered cruel by a sector of the pop and > that's ok, we all have a right to our opinion. **** > > **** > > But I don't understand how this fits with Caboodle, you mean because he > had all these cats roaming the property and they weren't taken care of? If > so I would say that since he said Caboodle was a sanctuary that implies the > cats are to be taken care of, if sick taken to a vet etc._Very different > from a feral colony where the intentions are the same but nobody wants a > colony of sick cats and yet there are ferals that will die rather than walk > in a trap; I know I had one of these. We tried for half a year to trap him > and in his last months it was evident that he would have had to be > euthanized. We just could not, and one day we found him dead. It happens > often and makes caretakers feel awful.**** > > **** > > A sanctuary OTOH is expected to treat each and every cat. A sanctuary is > not just a place to leave a pet, walk away and forget all about it. That is > why a person is expected to fund the cat care. Granted some of the cats > could have been dumped at the place and no money to support them. But it > wasn't the majority, and if CG couldn't afford them did he ask rescues to > take them? I don't know that, I can't side with either story but just > wanted to comment on that remark abt TNR and how it fit with the CR > situation, I think it doesn't.**** > > Marta**** > > http://homelessnomore.webs.com/**** > > ** ** > > **** > > ** ** > > ** ** > > **** > > ** ** > > ** ** > > ** ** > > ** ** > > ** ** > > ** ** > > ** ** > > > _______________________________________________ > 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 > >
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