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Dealing with Cornwall’s feral cat population
birds in certain areas of America. Link be- lieves that, although they might still have the hunting instinct in them, local feral cats that are fed don’t have to truly fend for themselves. “There are several feral cat colonies in the city,” she outlines. “It’s actually pretty good for us because, when one member of the colony gets sick, the owners of the station bring them to us.” According to OSPCA cruelty investigator Bonnie Bishop, spaying 52 females would in turn prevent 21,840,000 kittens being born in poverty over seven years. Cats are capable of creating one litter of kittens over a 60-day period. Even though colonies do exist through- out the city, Link urges residents that want to get rid of their feline companion to not simply drop them off there, as feral cats can become quite territorial and aggressive. In- stead, she urges that potential cat owners inform themselves prior to adopting a fe- line pet, in order to make sure that cats are the right choice for them.
FRANCIS RACINE francis.racine@eap.on.ca
CORNWALL | Summer vacation is right around the corner and, with that, is bound to be well-deserved time spent outside, enjoying the warm weather. But don’t be alarmed when you see several feral cats in the Cornwall area. According to OSPCA SD&G branch manager Carol Link, it’s all part of the plan. The Trap Spay Vaccinate Release (TSVR) program, introduced to the city in 2008, has one simple goal: to slowly reduce the population of feral cats in the most humane way as possible. Members of the feral feline population are trapped, brought to a veteri- nary office where they are spaded and then released once more in the wild. These felines are the result of a domestic cat being abandoned or lost and left to fend for itself. The offspring of the said cat are usually never handled by people and will usually become terrified when approached
Although several feral cat colonies are present in Cornwall, OSPCA SD&G branch manager Carol Link stresses that the Trap Spay Vaccinate and Release Program cur- rently in effect has been a big factor in the reduction of their population.
by humans. “Here, at the shelter, we don’t tend to take in feral cats,” says Link. “It’s not very humane to take in an animal that is used to being free and putting it in a cage. Also, they tend to self-mutilate when they are left in cages.”
Instead, Link explains that some Cornwall residents have built feeding stations. This has also helped the population in limiting the ravages they could potentially cause throughout the city. The feral cat popula- tion is often blamed for the loss of several
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