Community Cat Movement The Educational Wing Of Community Cats United, Inc
WELCOME
Animals
Lovers!
The Mission of the
Community Cat Movement:
To bring knowledge of the most effective community cat management solution (TNVR) mainstream through education, support, advocacy and work in order to prevent more homeless cats, improve the treatment of community cats, and change the status quo.
TNR Guidelines (How To)
From our friends at One of A Kind Pet Rescue
Here are our standard Guidelines to help you get started:
TNR (Trap-Neuter-Return) is the only humane and effective way to manage outdoor cat populations. The cats are humanely trapped, spayed or neutered, vaccinated, ear-tipped and then returned to their outdoor homes. No more kittens are born, so the population stabilizes and decreases gradually and naturally over time. In addition, the undesirable behaviors associated with breeding like scent marking, yowling and fighting stop.
Safety First (Preparation):
Never attempt to handle a Feral Cat.
Never attempt to transfer a Feral Cat from a trap to a cage or carrier.
Get the cats on a regular feeding schedule. Feed at the same time and place every day for several days. Remove any uneaten food and don’t leave food out overnight. The cats should be fed twice a day, as much food as they will consume in one feeding. Cat food and fresh water only – no table scraps.
Buy, borrow or rent humane box traps.
When You Are Ready to Trap:
When you’re ready to trap, withhold food for 24 hours so the cats are hungry. Then set the traps in the area near the feeding station at the time you normally feed them. Bait the traps with tuna or wet food. Drizzle some juice from the bait inside the length of the trap. Never leave the traps unattended – move far enough away so you don’t frighten the cats, but stay in the general area. Once a cat is trapped calmly walk over to the trap, place a towel or sheet over the trap to calm the cat and remove the trap from the area. The trapped cat can come directly to a clinic or can be held overnight in the trap in a secure area and brought in the next morning.
Males can be returned the day after surgery as long as the weather is good. Females need to recover in the trap for a few days. Feral Cats move from light to dark, so when you remove the sheet the front of the trap, they will move to the back, Then you can open the door just enough to slide in food and water, and change papers. Once she’s recovered for 2-3 days she’s ready to be returned to her outdoor home.
Feral Cats should NEVER be taken to a shelter.
Relocation of Feral Cats should only be attempted if the cats are in imminent danger and then only under strict guidelines.
WHAT IS
the Community Cat Movement ?
What is the Community Cat Movement?
This is a revoluntary project to bring Community Cats and Trap-Neuter-Vaccinate Return to the mainstream, making it equal to all other animals projects and causes. The time has come!
TNVR (trap-neuter-vaccinate-return of community cats is the lynchpin of the no-kill movement. When cats are spayed, neutered, vaccinated and returned to their outside homes instead of being placed in shelters and killed, there is more room in shelters to save dogs and friendly cats. It is a win-win. It is also a huge leap towards a no-kill way.
This is our movement! It's time has come! We ask each and every one of you to pledge your support to this effort . It can only succeed when we are all in this together.
In order to support this Movement, please do three things:
1. Join our Facebook page Community Cat Movement (link below).
2. Share this Movement on your social media outlets to spread the word.
3. Join our Email Club so we can update you on community cat issues.
(Email signup is below)
One part of this educational process involves recognizing and educating about one aspect of community cats each month. So, to begin our Community Cat Movement, we have 12 "Awareness Celebrations" that will each be covering a single month - packed full of information about one particular highlighted aspect of community cats and TNVR. It is our intention to continue these Awareness Celebrations each and every year to follow, until we have reached 100% of our GLOBAL community!
It is our job, together, to spread the word about the community cats and TNVR all over the world! Let's do it!
In the Words of a TNVR Hero
We don't TNVR these cats who need us without knowing that one day the dread we each face will be realized. We know that each day we spend with these mesmerizing creatures could, at any time, be the last. We always hope it will never happen, but we know. Their lives are not long by house cat standards and some live extraordinarily long lives by feral standards. And that makes us happy because it gives us more time. They make us happy as our relationships develop. A whistle and four legs spring out their hiding places as they recognize our signal, or the sounds of our cars. Just a cat, just vermin, not worth anything, so, so very untrue. Love abounds between us and them, trust is a measure of success especially when we've reached one and they respond to us so contrary to their nature. We each have those little heart flips when something new happens, each achievement, each new level of trust is as important to us as ( maybe more) than any milestone in the average person's life because we are doing the extraordinary. the unexpected work of reaching the lost hearts and souls of those abandoned. They aren't just cats, they are the special ones we've chosen to dedicate ourselves to. None of this comes lightly, we sacrifice in many ways, none of which we complain about because it's our nature. It's what gives meaning to our lives. It's also what will make the difference one day when people finally understand what it is the insane and crazy woman is actually doing. One day it will all make sense to them. In the meantime we celebrate our successes, we look forward to each visit we make with our special friends. Our hearts lift when they venture into new territory with us and finally break the barriers, we know we've made a difference and we know without a doubt that we matter. We know they love us, when they trust us, we know the bond is there. We may never touch them, but still the love is there, the trust as well. That's important. We've achieved something we never dreamed in our early years would matter so greatly to us, but it does. And then one day, the day we know will come, they day it ends, our hearts break, our tears flow, and pieces of our soul remain with them as they make their way to their everlasting home. Their memories, their stories, their presence in our lives is what makes us different, what makes us "not crazy", but compassionate in extraordinary ways. -Mitch