This blog was prompted by recent events which have actually been going on a long time. I realize the sense of urgency we all feel when we see the endless lists of animals in need of saving. Too often they are the ones in shelters that are marked for death when they've outstayed the required holding time, are too many, have been there too long, are sick, old, or considered unadoptable for any reason, often when no effort has even been made to get them veterinary care or adopted.

These calls come out weekly. The shelter has too many cats, there is a deadline set and they will be killed, no exception, no extension, no second chance. I applaud the many courageous and generous people who have stepped up, trying to save these animals. The problem is, this effort is not sustainable. There are limited resources, people get burned out, it becomes an emotional time bomb. Then there are the people who keep providing just as many cats, if not more, to replace the ones who do make it out or are killed.

I have in past blogs called for changes, mostly in the way the shelters are being run and the way people address the issue. It needs to be made a matter of public debate, with demand that political leaders also step up for changes. But there is more. In addition to rescuers taking in these animals and public outcry over their treatment at the hands of people working in government run institutions, there needs to be EDUCATION.

EDUCATION SAVES LIVES. 

How long will untenable situations be tolerated? How many more innocent animals must suffer until the demand for change occurs? How many more lives will be lost due to lack of knowledge?

There are low cost, even free options for spay and neuter. There is no reason to let cats or dogs breed in this day and age when literally thousands are killed simply because there are too many and not enough homes.

Education on options is only one aspect, education about the responsibility of pet ownership is a must. We no longer live in rural environments where it was once considered okay to let cats roam, breed and reproduce at will, where the elements often eliminated the majority of offspring. Now that we have urbanized much of the farmland around major cities, the issues surrounding animal control have changed. So should the approach of local shelters, as well as the public at large.

Animals are not disposable "things" to be played with then discarded, to be quickly and cheaply disposed of with all the compassion of a sanitation department.

They are living, breathing, feeling beings that deserve compassion and kindness.

In a perfect world there would be no feral cats, at least as we know them. The term feral refers to the wild state or resembling a wild animal, especially after escape from captivity or domestication. Where are they? Everywhere there are domestic cats. Why are they there? People. Who is responsible? All of us. What can be done? A lot, but it takes a sense of responsibility and caring, to get cats spayed or neutered, to not abandon or turn them out, to adopt cats from shelters or rescue groups rather than buying from breeders, pet stores or strangers.

The fact that there are so many feral cats means this is not being done on a large enough scale. Cats are amazing examples of superior survival instinct and adaptability. They are very capable of surviving on their own. They are also prolific breeders.

Is has been said that there is no natural niche for feral cats and therefore they should not exist. But in reality, what is a natural niche? Do humans have a natural niche? These cats are here because of us, so what is natural? 

Another fact is that the majority of these cats are still domestic and are actually tame with only circumstance to blame for the feral classification. But there are occasions in which cats are truly feral, usually after several generations on the streets. These cats will not allow handling, avoid human contact and will react like any wild animal if threatened. These are the cats that must be trapped, sedated, anesthetized, spayed or neutered, vaccinated, treated as needed, then released once they have recovered from anesthesia. They will not take to living in confinement, will never trust humans and cannot be tamed. This is considered truly feral.

These cats are best released to a well maintained, safe feral site, with responsible caretakers to provide food and water, to make sure all cats are altered, watch for new unaltered arrivals or injuries to the cats. Although considered solitary, cats do form social groups and colonies centered around a food source. And if left intact, they will breed. Once fixed, physical stresses from fighting, breeding and repeated pregnancies cease and these cats can live out their lives in better health.

Often, tame cats are found at these sites, those abandoned, turned out or lost. It is our goal to get these cats off the streets and into homes if possible. To give them a second chance. The problem is, there is often nowhere else for them to go and they are usually relegated to being put back out on the streets, since the only other alternative is death, part of the mass euthanasia of thousands of unwanted cats in shelters.


It is the goal of Orchard Animal Outreach to give these cats a chance, we try to take as many of these friendly cats off the streets and take in the hard to adopt cats from shelters as well as cats due for euthanasia due to time or space constraints. Unfortunately, we face many of the same problems as shelters, always in need of resources to provide such services. What would be a dream come true is an extremely generous donor with a soft spot for homeless cats, to provide us with a building to convert into a homeless shelter for the animals and the funds to continue our mission.