Sunday, October 10, 2010

October 16th National Feral Cat Day

Light is the task
where many share
the toil.
--- Homer
National Feral Cat Day
October 16 is National Feral Cat Day—a day for us to think about the outdoor cats in our neighborhood. We often see these cats ducking behind the supermarket or sunning in our backyards, and many of us dig into our wallets to feed them. Who are these cats, and how did they get here?
Feral cats exist in every community. These cats are the same species as domestic cats, but are not socialized to humans and can’t be adopted into homes. Instead, they live healthy and content lives in family groups called colonies.
The best and most humane way to help a feral cat is through a program called Trap-Neuter-Return, which ends the breeding cycle and helps cats and people coexist peacefully. Alley Cat Allies’ website
www.alleycat.org is a great source of information on Trap-Neuter-Return and the importance of spay and neuter for all cats.
Did you notice the above cat's clipped ear?
Feral cats are ‘eartipped’—a portion of the left ear is clipped while they are under anesthesia—and then released to their original colony site. These cats have been either spayed or neutered and usually vaccinated too.
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HAVE A HELPFUL DAY!

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