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FERAL CATS Sheilah Robertson, BVMS (Hons),

PhD, DECVAA, DACVA, MRCVS

TALKING POINTS

Scope of the problem

Stakeholders

Solutions

TERMINOLOGY

Pet cats

Indoor

Owned but free roaming

Stray cats

Socialised - lost /abandoned

free roaming

Feral cats

Unsocialised free-roaming

COMMUNITY

CATS?

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NUMBERS OF “FERAL” CATS?

60-80+

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Numbers in millions

WHAT IS THE SOURCE OF CAT

OVERPOPULATION? US DATA Pet Cats 85 million

“Community cats” 85 million

Female 50% 50%

Sterilization rate 85% 2%

Litters/year 1.4 1.4

Live births/litter 3 3

Kittens born/year 27 million 175 million

Kitten survival

Live at 3 months

75%

20 million

50%

88 million

Data from Dr J Levy; “community cat management”

WHO AND WHAT IS INVOLVED IN

THE DISCUSSION?

Wildlife

Native species

Environment/habitat

Cats

Invasive species

Humans

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DESTRUCTION OF WILDLIFE

Predation and loss of habitat

FREE-LIVING CATS:

AN ENVIRONMENTAL DISASTER

CAT WELFARE

High mortality of kittens

Shorter life span than owned cats

Trauma, disease, starvation, climate

RISK TO HUMANS

Zoonotic disease http://catvets.com/professionals/guidelines/publications/

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ZOONOTIC DISEASES

Bacteria

Cestodes

Ectoparasites

Fungi

Nematodes

Protozoans

Rickettsiae

Chlamydiae

Viruses

RABIES

RABIES

Greatest burden of human rabies is in

Asia (56%), Africa (44%) and South

America

>90% of human cases are transmitted

by dogs

55,000 deaths /year (underestimated)

Europe

~ 5 human cases/year

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RABIES

50% of the world’s population live in

canine rabies endemic areas

Accessibility and affordability of

post-exposure prophylaxis is limited in

developing countries

RABIES

Mass vaccination

programmes are the

mainstay of canine rabies

control

Target is > 70% of dogs

Parenteral

Oral

Dog destruction alone is

not effective

RABIES - RESERVOIRS

USA

Raccoon, skunks, fox

Europe

Fox, dogs, raccoon dogs, bats

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RABIES IN CATS

No feline-adapted strain

Infected with the

enzootic local strain

RABIES IN DOMESTIC ANIMALS

USA

JAVMA 2011, 239(6): 773-783

CDC DATA NOVEMBER 2011

8 y/o girl in CA

tested positive for

rabies

Survived

History of multiple

cat bite wounds

from feral cats at

her school

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….”Although cats are not the target species

for vaccination in terms of controlling or

eliminating the disease, they are an important

source of infection for humans in many areas

and vaccination of cats is recommended for

reducing the human rabies risk.”

http://www.rabiesblueprint.com/

CONTROLLING FERAL AND FREE

ROAMING CATS

Must have adequate scale to manage the size of the unowned cat population

Safe for the environment

Affordable

Sustainable

Acceptable to the public

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ACTIONS

Do nothing

Lethal control

Destruction, poison, infection, hunting,

trapping etc…

Non-lethal control

Adoption

Sanctuaries

Trap-neuter-return “TNR”

Immunocontraception

TRAP-NEUTER-RETURN (TNR)

OPTION

Non-lethal population reduction

Healthier and safer cats

Lower adverse impacts

Reduced public complaints

Live-trapping

Neuter

Ear tipping

Rabies vaccination

Euthanasia of ill cats

GOALS METHODS

DOES TNR WORK?

71–94% must be neutered for

population to decline Andersen et al. 2004; Foley et al. 2005

Assumes no immigration

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LONG-TERM TNR OF CATS ON A

FLORIDA UNIVERSITY CAMPUS

1415 acres

Historic cat removal

campaigns

unsuccessful

Levy 2003 JAVMA

LONG-TERM TNR OF CATS ON A

FLORIDA UNIVERSITY CAMPUS

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005

Cats

Total Campus Cat Population After TNR

Levy et al, JAVMA, 2003

OCEAN REEF, FL

Repeated removal of homeless cats ineffective

Community Association built Feral Cat Center clinic and holding area

1995-2002

1376 cats admitted

Population declined from 2,000 to 500 cats

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FAILURES OF TNR

1-year study in 2 Florida parks

Cat population increased from 81 to 88 cats

Highly visible colonies encouraged

abandonment

Castillo 2003, UF thesis

IRRESPONSIBLE PET OWNERS

Source of free roaming cats

Intact animals

“dumping” at managed colonies

Abandonment

FERAL CAT CLINICS

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Mission statement:

To reduce the population of

feral cats by sterilizing as many

as possible

TNR CLINICS

Spay and neuter

Vaccination(s)

Rabies

Parasite control

Identification

Euthanasia of sick cats

HIGH-VOLUME CLINIC

Organised for maximum efficiency

High cat numbers

Minimize stress for cats

Minimize cost

Fixed stations

Volunteers perform specific tasks

Cats rotate through stations for complete

care

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SAFETY FIRST

Volunteers

Cats never handled awake

Inject in trap

Wear gloves

Cats

Minimise stress

Constant monitoring

High medical standards

Only handle when asleep

ANAESTHESIA

Ideal anaesthetic

Injectable

Small volume

Rapid onset

Safe

Inexpensive

Reversible

Inject through side of trap

“TKX” ANAESTHESIA

1 vial dry Telazol (Zoletil)

4 ml ketamine (100 mg/ml)

1 ml xylazine (100 mg/ml)

Reverse with yohimbine 0.25 ml/cat IV

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TKX

Total mean dose

0.27 ± 0.09 ml

80% of cats

required only one

dose

Williams et al JAVMA, 15:220;1491-5, 2002

MORTALITY

7502 cats

55 total deaths (0.73%)

17 deaths - potential anaesthetic

complications (0.23%)

Similar to latest CEPSAF data

Williams et al JAVMA, 15:220;1491-5, 2002

A CAT’S EYE VIEW

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A CAT’S EYE VIEW

TRAPS – LABELLED AND

RECORDED

TRAPS – LABELLED AND

RECORDED

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ANAESTHESIA

ANAESTHESIA

ASLEEP?

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TAGGED AND SEXED

EXPRESS URINE

FLEA, HEARTWORM, TICK

TREATMENT

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EAR TIPPING

IDENTIFICATION

WAITING AND KEEPING WARM

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FEMALES ATTACHED TO

TRANSPORT BOARDS

CLIP

PREP – MIDLINE SPAY

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FLANK SPAY

CASTRATION

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SUPPLEMENTAL ANAESTHESIA IF

NEEDED

VACCINATED

RECORDING STATION

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REVERSAL - YOHIMBINE

RECOVERY AREA

RECOVERY

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MKB - ADVANTAGES

Faster recovery

THE FUTURE

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THE FUTURE

http://michelson.foundanimals.org/michelson-grants

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