1. Community Cat Programs

2. Speakers Bethany Heins Carrie Ducote Kaitlyn Simmons
Senior Manager, Regional Centers
Carrie Ducote
Senior Manager, Georgia
Kaitlyn Simmons
State Engagement Manager

3. The Problem
Carrie

4. Vacuum Effect
Bethany

5. Trap and Kill
Tried that, never been effective at eliminating or reducing populations
No community has killed it’s way out of the “feral cat problem”
Marion Island *
112 square miles in total land area, took 19 years to eradicate with using feline panleukopenia, poisoning, hunting and trapping, and dogs
Looking past obvious humane concerns, trap/kill is extremely costly*
Kaitlyn
Bester, M.N., et al., A review of the successful eradication of feral cats from sub-Antarctic Marion Island, Southern Indian Ocean. South African Journal of Wildlife Research, (1): p. 65–73.
Campbell, K.J., et al., Review of feral cat eradications on islands, in Island invasives: eradication and management, C.R. Veitch, M.N. Clout, and D.R. Towns, Editors. 2011, IUCN: Gland, Switzerland.

6. Trap and Kill
Kaitlyn
1. $1,036/square mile (approximately 40 adult cats from Faure Island; 22 square miles, no non-target species)
2. $111,658/square mile (57 cats from San Nicolas Island, 23 square miles, non-target species of great concern)

7. What Doesn’t Work Complaint driven impoundment Feeding bans
Recent study: “low-level ad hoc culling of feral cats” is ineffective at reducing their numbers
And might actually lead to their increase*
Feeding bans
Removing cats from caregivers
These cats don’t need “rescued” but they do need spay & neuter and vaccines
In the case an owned cat does slip into a community cat program it is more likely to end up back at home
Kaitlyn
Complaint driven impoundment typically resulting in death is not stabilizing or reducing the population of community cat
Recent study: “low-level ad hoc culling of feral cats” is ineffective at reducing their numbers
And might actually lead to their increase*
Feeding bans are ineffective
Caregivers love these cats
The cats already have a home and do not need to be “rescued”
Cats are more likely to make it back to their home or find a new home outdoors than in a shelter
Lazenby, B. T., Mooney, N. J. & Dickman, C. R. Effects of low-level culling of feral cats in open populations: a case study from the forests of southern Tasmania. Wildlife Research 41, 407–420 (2014).

8. Relocation Will always be the complaintants first choice
Not efficient or feasible long term
Encourage people to stop feeding
Bethany

9. The Solution Community Cat Programs
Recommended by ASPCA, HSUS, NACA, American Bar Association, Target Zero, Million Cat Challenge, Maddie’s Fund, etc…
TNR, SNR, Return to field, Cat Diversion Program, feral cats, stray cats, etc…
Generally consist of two branches: TNR and SNR
Goal is to keep healthy cats out of shelters
Carrie

10. What is a community cat?
Carrie

11. What is TNR?
Free-roaming cats are trapped, sterilized, vaccinated, and then returned to their original location
These cats do not enter the shelter
Can be used as an alternative to impoundment
TNR without SNR is inefficient
Free or very low cost
Bethany

12. What is SNR?
Shelter-Neuter-Return is taking community cats that have already entered the shelter, sterilizing them, and returning them to the location where they were trapped.
Must be paired with TNR and complainant mitigation
The cats have a home and someone is likely looking for them.
Enters Shelter
Evaluated for SNR program
Recovers overnight
Released
Moved to clinic for s/n surgery
Bethany

13. Complaint Mitigation There is a complainant and a caregiver.
Issue is rarely the cats being alive, but the cats being in their space or their behavior
Be responsive, patient and understanding
Resolve their issues
Kaitlyn

14. Mitigating Complaints- Conversation
Gather information first thing
Name/address/phone number are crucial
Get the details, as specific as possible
You can only help when you know the details
Sometimes a home visit can help
What are the issues?
What is the behavior?
What are solutions to address that specific behavior?
Sometimes helping them understand the behavior can help them understand the solution and that the behavior (not the cat) is the real issue
Explain the program and offer solutions
Tailor the solution to their specific issue
Sterilizing helps with spraying, fighting, population control
Offer deterrents and humane solutions
Kaitlyn

15. Deterrents
Carrie

16. Kittens! Leave them Check on them TNR them at 2 pounds
Wait Until 8 (Hillsborough)
Safe at Home (BFLA)
Mom Knows Best (Orlando)
Carrie

17. Shelter Staff’s Role Gather information from the person bringing the
stray cats in
Location impounded
How long has the cat been there
Are there other cats
Was the cat trapped or is it friendly/they were able to pick it up
Complete the Stray Cat Surrender Form
Educate the citizen about TNR and SNR (let them know this cat may or may not be coming back to their neighborhood)
Ask them if they would like to know more about TNR or help with the cat problem in their neighborhood
Let them know someone from the CCP will be reaching out to them to help address any concerns they may have
Safety first
Bethany

18. Success! 2012–2015: Albuquerque, New Mexico
Cat intake decreased by 38 percent.
Overall shelter death decreased by 82 percent
2012–2014: Baltimore, Maryland
Kitten intake decreased by 39 percent
2014–2017: Pima County, Arizona
Feline save rate increased from 56 percent in 2013 to 91 percent in June 2016.
Carrie

19. 3051 2911 205 1030 93% 62% 77% Cobb County Kaitlyn 362 SNR/551 TNR
2015
Cat Intake
2911
Cat Euthanasia
1030
Cat Save Rate
62%
Overall Save Rate
77%
2016
3051
205
93%
Kaitlyn
362 SNR/551 TNR

20. San Antonio
Bethany

21. Resource Bubble Unsocial, Non SNR Eligible
Community housing, ideally outdoor
Barn Cats
Treatable / Manageable
URI, sarcoptes, ringworm
Specialized surgeries
Neonatal Kittens
Alternatives to shelter surrender
Reduced Intake
Surrogates
Canine Population
Mindset shifting
Bethany

22. Getting Started Find partners Check your ordinances
Speak to the shelter
let them know you
want to help
Speak to elected officials
Funding and program design
Reach out to Best Friends
Kaitlyn

23. Funding Partner with local veterinarians, aim for $50/surgery
Donations
Build this program into your budget
Grants
Best Friends
Maddie’s Fund
Petco
Petsmart
Bethany

24. Speaking to Elected Officials
People want this - eight in 10 (78.4%) of Georgia residents prefer TNVR for managing community cats.
Doing nothing is not an option, these programs are the only proven way to stabilize and reduce populations
Fiscally responsible - ACOs chasing cats is not efficient use of tax dollars
Carrie

25. Elected officials, cont’d
Shelters do not want to euthanize healthy animals and neither does the public
A national survey* commissioned by Best Friends found that:
The public strongly opposes lethal round ups of cats
If given the choice to leave a stray cat or bring it to the shelter for euthanasia 81% of individuals would leave him there and do nothing (5% did not answer)
Carrie
Chu, K. and W.M. Andereson, Law and Policy Brief: U.S. Public opinion on Humane Treatment of Stray Cats, 2007, Alley Cat Allies: Bethesda, MD.

26. Speak their language
TNVR is a common-sense, cost-effective solution for controlling stray cat populations by preventing additional births instead of trying to house, feed and euthanize more cats. The process is simple: cats are caught, evaluated by veterinarians, vaccinated, sterilized, and returned back into their original habitat. The goal? Keeping these cats out of shelters, saving taxpayers money, and saving the lives of thousands of cats every year. The simple truth is that current methods of animal control are inhumane, expensive, and ineffective. TNVR, on the other hand, just makes sense. It’s a veterinarian-approved, animal-friendly alternative that also protects and promotes the health and wellness of residents and saves taxpayer money.
Carrie

27. Questions / Concerns?