By Lorraine Houston

Since forming in 1994, Toronto Cat Rescue (TCR) has successfully adopted almost 2,000 rescued cats through the invaluable help of foster homes and pet supply stores participating in their adoption program. Through a program of spaying/neutering, microchipping and adoptions, TCR works to reduce the number of stray and abandoned cats humanely and compassionately.

TCR is often the last hope for a homeless, abandoned, sick or injured cat. Each cat rescued by the group is spayed or neutered, microchipped, and treated for any medical needs. The cat is then placed in a foster home to await adoption.

In addition, volunteers offer assistance to people feeding feral (wild) cats.

The term 'feral' is used to describe cats who are the offspring of stray or abandoned domestic cats who have reverted to a 'wild' state.

Feral cats are a byproduct of companion animal overpopulation and have been overlooked for decades by most communities. People's neglect of domestic pet cats has resulted in abandoned, lost and purposely 'discarded' unsterilized cats.

Raised without human contact or interaction they are generally wary and fearful of humans. Despite the high mortality rate among the kittens, the feral cat crisis continues, especially in urban areas. Stray and lost cats survive by finding the easiest source of available food by scavenging through garbage and leftovers and from handouts provided by sympathetic people.

Like most animals in the 'wild' they will not attack if unprovoked but will defend themselves if threatened or cornered. Their strongest instinct is to run.

People who care for feral cats typically do not go looking for them but rather come upon them by accident. They are caring individuals whose intentions are to help the cats and often their first impulse is to begin by feeding them. This is indeed helpful however the only real solution is to take further action by sterilizing all members of the colony to prevent future births.

Pioneered in the United Kingdom over 20 years ago, humanely trapping, sterilizing, vaccinating and returning feral cats to their original colony site is now the preferred method of control. This type of control is not only humane, it is the most effective means to end colony growth. The result is that a colony naturally diminishes over time.

The determination and persistence of a caregiver to humanely trap and sterilize will be of immeasurable benefit to the cats. A sterilizing program results in healthier animals, eliminates the undesirable behaviours and also helps to stabilize and reduce the size of the colony.

Attempts to eradicate whole colonies of cats usually fail because other strays soon fill the ecological vacuum created.

I received a call recently from a woman in Toronto's west end who has been feeding a colony of feral cats for almost two years. The colony has grown considerably in that time and despite efforts to care for, feed and sterilize the cats, financial constraints have severely limited those efforts.

A collaborative attempt is now under way to help the cats in the colony. TCR and Action Volunteers for Animals has offered to work together with the caregiver to sterilize each member of the colony and find loving adoptive homes for the kittens and socialized adult cats. This will not be any easy task. The cost alone to achieve this undertaking will be exorbitant and in fact, TCR is estimating the cost will amount to about $100 per cat.

Says TCR spokesperson Fern Sinkins: "We need the active involvement of many members of the community to continue to reduce the number of cats and kittens in our city."

The project has been named after the first cat removed from the colony, Princess Grace, who gave birth to four kittens the day after arriving in her foster home.

The 'Princess Grace Project' needs the following items and volunteer assistance: financial support (a tax-deductible receipt will be issued); digital camera; microchip scanner; computer; raccoon size Have-A-Heart Traps (these are humane traps); and condo cages.

Volunteers are needed to foster nursing mothers with kittens; foster for socializing; help set up the Have-A-Heart Traps; transport cats to the veterinarian; raise funds; coordinate other volunteers; and initiate a 'Sponsor a cat' program.

Anyone wishing to assist the Princess Grace Project can contact Jan at 416-538-8592.

For more information about Toronto Cat Rescue visit www.torontocatrescue.com

Thanks to Alley Cat Allies for the background material on feral cats.

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