Feral Cats
Home  About Us  How to Help  Adopt a Cat  Feral Cats

Vaccination through Trap-Neuter-Release Is Key to Controlling Rabies

Feral cats are a community created problem. A feral cat is an unsocialized cat – either born in the wild to a domestic or feral cat, or a domesticated cat that has been lost or abandoned, and reverted to a wild state. All feral cats came from domestic heritage. The problem is a result of the behavior of the community, and the solution should also be a community effort.

The World Health Organization has studied the issue of rabies transmission and control extensively. World Health Organization does not recommended destroying animals to control rabies. Instead they recommend vaccination programs because they have been more successful in reducing the incidence of rabies transmission.

The key to controlling rabies is to vaccinate the animals that can harbor the disease. For feral cats, this is done through trap-neuter-release (TNR) programs. The cats are humanely trapped, brought to clinics where they are spayed or neutered, vaccinated for rabies and distemper, and ear tipped – ¼” of one ear is clipped, to indicate the cat is sterilized and vaccinated.

Elimination does not work – if a population of animals is removed and destroyed, bordering animals breed more rapidly, filling the gap with unvaccinated animals. Indeed, trapping and destroying feral cats is far beyond the capability of most towns! Caretakers dedicated to feeding colonies will be willing to trap the cats for a TNR effort, but will be unlikely to trap if they know the cats will be euthanized.

With TNR, cats no longer reproduce, the number of cats goes down, and costs and public health concerns are decreased. In addition, tame lost or abandoned pet cats and kittens young enough to be socialized can be evaluated for adoption.

For an excellent review of TNR, please go to: www.humanesociety.org/feralcats

What you can do to keep yourself and your family safe:
  • Get household cats vaccinated for rabies, and keep documentation. A vaccinated cat can not transmit rabies.
  • If possible, microchip your cat, so that if he is trapped, he can be identified, and traced back to you.
  • Keep your cats indoors. Wildlife look at cats as easy targets for attacks, and coyote are seen during the day regularly in Hudson.
  • If you see a cat frequently outside, and it does not have a collar, it may be an unowned or feral cat. She needs to be trapped, sterilized, vaccinated, and returned. (See below for TNR through MAAS)
  • If you are feeding a cat or cats outside, be sure to pick up food shortly after the cats have eaten. The cats you are caring for need to be trapped, sterilized, vaccinated, and returned to your property. (See below for TNR through MAAS)
  • If you see an outside animal acting either overly aggressive (rabid cats usually show this ‘furious’ form of rabies), contact Animal Control. Hudson: (978)568-9637, Marlborough: (508) 624-6983.
TNR through MAAS:
  • MAAS has experienced trappers that can assist caregivers with trapping. We also need your help!
  • Caregivers: we will set the traps, and ask that you check them regularly. When the cat is trapped, call us, so we can bring the cat to a safe location while awaiting TNR services.
  • Public Health and Feral Cat Advocates: we need donations to alter these cats – it costs $60 for a male, and $90 for a female cat to be sterilized and vaccinated. We don’t turn away folks based on ability to pay, but we cannot continue our work without donations. In addition, some of the clinics we use are far away, so gas money helps, too!
  • Volunteers: we need people to foster tamable kittens and already tame strays. We also need folks that can transport the cats to the feral cat clinics.
  • Reservations for TNR appointments can take a few days to a few weeks, according to what clinics are available, and our own volunteers’ availability
  • TNR, a community solution to a community created problem.
  • For assistance with a Hudson/Marlborough feral or stray cat issues, please send an e-mail to informationmaas@gmail.com.
 
All content copyright © 2002-2007 by Metrowest Animal Awareness Society
Metrowest Animal Awareness Society is a Massachusetts 501 (c) (3) Non-Profit Corporation.
Donations to Metrowest Animal Awareness Society are tax deductible.

View Our Stats