Whether climate change is the reason or not, it has definitely been warmer in Michigan this past fall and winter. This means the breeding cycle of cats is now occurring all year long.
“Don’t think cats only have kittens in the spring and summer,” says Carol Manos, the founder and executive director of Carol’s Ferals.
Carol’s Ferals is an organization that has a mission of ending the feline overpopulation in West Michigan. They accomplish this by educating the community and through their Trap-Neuter-Return program.
With around 60 active volunteers, the organization spayed or neutered more than 1,300 cats in 2012 and also found new homes for at least 200 cats.
“We broke all records this year,” Manos says.
She says it’s been an unusual year because of the warmer weather late in the season. Unfortunately, this means many kittens were born when it’s too cold for them to survive. Manos believes this “sad truth” and the feline overpopulation can be easily prevented if all stray or feral cats are fixed, and that it’s the responsibility of the community to help make sure this happens.
The idea behind the Trap-Neuter-Return (TNR) program is that by fixing the stray or feral cats around your neighborhood and then returning them to where they were found, it prevents even more cats from being born.
Manos says TNR is basically “controlling your neck of the woods.”
The reason this is important is that by fixing only one female cat, it prevents another 11,000 cats from being born. A cat’s first litter can contain as many as 12 kittens. Within six months, these kittens can start having their own litters. Considering the breeding cycle of cats is only three months, one can see how quickly the situation can get out of control.
So, what do you do when you see a stray or feral cat in your neighborhood?
“Don’t wait,” says Manos.
If you’ve never trapped a cat before, the Carol’s Ferals website contains a lot of information and resources to get you started. The first step, Manos suggests, is to fill out the needs assessment form on their website. This will alert a volunteer who will respond to you within a day.
“Don’t trap a cat without a plan,” Manos adds.
Once a cat is brought in and fixed, it can then be returned to where it was found, or if it’s a friendly stray, it might be lucky enough to find a home. Carol’s Ferals has a cat re-homing program that includes a posting on PetFinder.com.
In some cases, feral cats can also find a new home in a barn somewhere spending their days catching mice. Manos says these “mousers are the green alternative to rodent control.”
Applications can be found on the organization’s website for those wishing to adopt a friendly cat or a barn cat, and also for those who have the ability to foster cats or kittens. When kittens are too young to be fixed, a foster parent is required to take care of them until they’re older. Carol’s Ferals provides everything that is needed, however, the person must have transportation to get the kittens to and from the facility.
Right now, Carol’s Ferals has approximately 120 cats or kittens at their facility or in foster homes waiting for adoption. Open adoptions take place each Sunday from 2-5 p.m. and Wednesdays from 6-8 p.m. at the northeast side facility.
Manos stresses that taking in unwanted pets is not a part of their mission. She also asks that people don’t just drop off stray or feral cats without filling out the needs assessment form first and speaking with a volunteer. They take in cats three nights a week and like to know what they’re getting ahead of time.
Since there are no paid employees at this nonprofit, voicemail and email are not always checked daily by the volunteers. The best way to reach the organization is through the website -- either through the needs assessment form or by filling out an application to adopt, foster, or volunteer.
Volunteers are always needed at Carol’s Ferals and for a variety of duties. Veterinary students who want to volunteer can receive hands-on training as well. Financial donations and supplies are always appreciated, too, and a list of items needed is on the website.
Since 2006, Carol’s Ferals has fixed more than 6,300 cats, making a big dent in reducing the feline population in West Michigan. Next time you see a stray or feral cat roaming around your neighborhood, contact them. Here’s how to get more information and become involved:
Source: Carol Manos, Founder and Executive Director at Carol’s Ferals
Writer: Heidi Stukkie, Do Good Editor
Images provided by Carol’s Ferals, with photography by Claire McGinn.