...... Frequently Asked Questions
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1) How does a neuter-and-release program reduce the number of free-roaming cats?
2) Why not simply trap and euthanize them?
3) How does HCP find cats in need of services?
4) How does HCP get the cats to a veterinarian?
5) How does HCP keep track of which cats have been altered?
6) Is the trap-and-release procedure dangerous for the cats or the volunteers?
7) Besides arranging for feline spaying/neutering and vaccinations, how else does HCP help free-roaming cats?
8) How is HCP funded?
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How does a neuter-and-release program reduce the number of free-roaming cats?
Spayed and neutered cats no longer bear offspring, resulting in a colony whose cat population stabilizes and will diminish in time. Studies have shown that cats in colonies are territorial and generally do not accept newcomers.
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Why not simply trap and euthanize them?
According to Richard Allen, D.V.M. of Best Friends Sanctuary in Utah, "...euthanasia have been ineffective in controlling feral cat populations because the remaining ferals become more fertile and reproduce more to fill up territory that was vacated by the euthanized cats. Moreover, euthanasia increases the spread of disease because the remaining cats have to fight it out to see who is going to inherit the vacated territory."
HCP believes that all animals, including homeless cats, have intrinsic value. They have a right to live and humans have a responsibility to help them exist with the least amount of suffering. We feel that what happens to them matters to them.
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How does HCP find cats in need of services?
When our program began, people discovered our existence mainly by word-of-mouth. As we became more firmly established, we started to get referrals from veterinarians, shelters, businesses, individuals, and media exposure. The Homeless Cat Project, once notified of groups of cats, assesses each site to ensure that a human caregiver will feed the cats daily, provide adequate shelter, and monitor the animals for injuries and suspected illnesses. Calls come in daily from people who want "their" cats spayed and neutered. We maintain a waiting list of sites to receive HCP services.
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How does HCP get the cats to a veterinarian?
Veterinary appointments for the cats are made by designated volunteers. HCP volunteers use humane traps baited with food. When a cat is trapped, he/she is moved to a holding area (usually a volunteer's home) and transported to a participating veterinarian the next day. This arrangement ensure that cats will be available for surgery; furthermore, the animals will have fasted prior to the operation. During the surgery, the cats are given rabies and distemper shots. The veterinarians will usually perform courtesy checks of the cats' teeth and ears.
Cats are generally brought to a heated recovery site the same day and cared for until they can be returned to the original property. Since dissolvable sutures are used, cats do not have to return to the vet for stitch removal.
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How does HCP keep track of which cats have been altered?
Cats that have been spayed or neutered by HCP have a tattoo in the right ear to identify the colony in which they live. The cats' left ears are tip at the top to allow volunteers and caregivers to distinguish, even from a distance, which cats have been altered. HCP enters information about each cat on a form that allows us to keep a data base.
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Is the trap-and-release procedure dangerous for the cats or the volunteers?
HCP's mission is to reduce the number of free-roaming cats. We are all aware that uncontrolled breeding leads to vast numbers of cats that exceed the demands of the territory. As cats leave an overpopulated area to fend for themselves, they are subjected to starvation, exposure to weather extremes, accidents, disease, and cruelty by humans. When HCP traps cats and bring them to a participating veterinary facility, we recognize that the felines experience stress; however, the result is a greater quality of life for them. Freedom from hormonal demands enables the cats to enjoy better health. Preventing the births of unwanted kittens is our primary goal.
Despite the fact that HCP volunteers are subjected to some risks, we are willing to provide the cats with opportunities to experience some degree of comfort in their lives.
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Besides arranging for feline spaying/neutering and vaccinations, how else does HCP help free-roaming cats?
HCP volunteers also maintain several feeding stations, where there is no caregiver living on the property. Cats are fed daily by our volunteers. In addition, HCP has a small foster care program, where friendly (probably abandoned) cats are sheltered with a volunteer until permanent, loving homes are found. In addition, we have educated many people to the plight of free-roaming cats and garnered much support for our neuter-and-release program.
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How is HCP funded?
The Homeless Cat Project depends on tax-deductible donations from the public to pay for veterinary bills. HCP volunteers are not reimbursed for gas, phone, food, most supplies, or other expenses. We hold large tag sales during the year to help replenish our treasury. If you would like to make a tax-deductible donation to help HCP reduce the number of free-roaming cats, please send a check or money order payable to the Homeless Cat Project, P.O. Box 80256, Springfield, MA 01138-0256. Thank you for caring!
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