Sunday, December 25, 2011

Pam's TNR Blog Christmas 2011


Week before Christmas 2011

This was one of the busiest weeks of the year! Suzie and I trapped 13 cats for the Tempe clinic on 12/18. Three additional cats were caught the next night for a total of 16 cats from this location. I did another job at two locations in one neighborhood on Tuesday night for a total of 23 cats plus three cats the following night for a total of 26 cats on that street in central Phoenix. It was interesting that a neighbor on the next street emailed ADLA about some missing cats he was feeding...turns out they were being fixed that very day! He was grateful we could help. The entire neighborhood contributed donations towards this effort. This was an example of what people can do in their neighborhoods to help stabilize the free-roaming cat population. It works at lot better than simply complaining about the cats and causing ill will among neighbors.

On Wednesday night we had a mass trapping in 85019, our target zip code. Free-roaming cat spays and neuters in this zip code are being funded by PetSmart Charities over a two-year period. This is to show that targeted s/N of cats works to stabilize the cat population and to see if fewer cats end up in open-intake shelters. Suzie was trapping at three locations and helping me trap in an alley where a caregiver we had helped previously was feeding five cats. Grant was trapping in a nearby apartment complex where the gentleman was also feeding 12 cats (or so he said).

Trapping "Alley Cats"

After we finished in the alley, Suzie headed off to check traps at her other jobs and I met up with Grant at the condos. Grant had called me saying "there are LOTs more cats here...can you bring more traps?". I asked "how many" and he said about 25 traps! I only had four more traps in my car having loaned some to Suzie who was short on traps. When I got to the feeding station at the main dumpster, he had 12 traps filled. As it turned out, there were cats living in an abandoned condo where they had access  through a hole in the wall. It was trapping nirvana! Unfortunately, we did not have enough traps. And additionally, we did not have enough vet slots for the next day (Thursday). We'd have to come back next Wednesday night to trap the remaining cats. It was difficult leaving knowing there were cats needing to be fixed. There was a little humor that night despite the desperation...a cat got up in the dumpster and found some crab legs. Grant found him munching on his dinner!  

Early Thursday morning Suzie and I headed back to the alley and trapped one more cat for a total of five cats. We had a total of 30 cats at two vets including my three from the second night trapping at the previous nights location. This was from six locations! There were also six more cats at these two vets, three were also from 85019 making this a total of 30 more 85019 cats in 2011. And I'll be back out there next week to round off the year with not just one (at the dumpsters) but at another location across Camelback Rd. on Monday night to trap 20+ cats.

Below is a photo of a kitten sitting in a mess of "stuff" left on the patio at the abandoned condo. We'll try to catch her next week. The photo was taking through the broken locked gate that provided access to the hole in the condo wall where the cats live...

Kitten on the Condo Patio


Suzie did catch the last calico mother cat at one of her trapping locations. It turns oout I had been after this cat last summer. We started comparing addresses andI'd trapped for a neighbor there previously. This cat went to the vet on Friday. I'd like to thank Suzie and Grant for their tireless efforts in trapping, transporting, and aftercaring cats. We need twenty more of you!

We can all make a difference in the lives of homeless cats. We are fortunate to have PetSmart Charities helping us fix cats in 85019. But we also need help fixing homeless cats in other parts of the valley. It is the end of 2011 and we all want to pay less in taxes. Consider a tax-deductible donation to the ADLA Spay Neuter Hotline. Specify "TNR" when you send in your donations. % of donations go pay our veterinarians for spay and neuter. And please patronize our wonderful vet clinics. Without them our TNR program could not exist. We are on track to fix over 10,000 cats in 2011. Please help us make 2012 an even more successful year...Thank you.

Donations can be mailed to:

The Spay Neuter Hotline
P.O. Box 33093
Phoenix, AZ 85067

Thank you for your support and have a Happy 2012!


Tuesday, December 13, 2011

Pam's TNR Blog - December 2011

December 2011

We started off December by trapping 83 cats in the first week. And, ALL 83 cats were trapped in our target zip code, 85019.

The first job was for 37 cats; 33 cats the first night and four cats the second night. Grant, Barbara, Suzie and I trapped this first night and even filled all but one trap left out over night incuding a couple extra Suzie trapping in the morning in the alley when checking traps. The second night yielded only one cat but thanks again to Suzie's perserverence, three more were trapped in the alley once again. I do have to thank Suzie as I had a broken knee cap and could not do much lifting. Still, I was able to lift empty traps and bait traps.

The caregiver was so greatful for our help. He had called several years ago and never followed through. One of our schedulers called him as he was on the list of caregivers in the 85019 area. Because he did not do TNR previously his colony had multiplied exponentially. He was also grateful for the cat food I brought him as feeding 37 cats on a fixed income can be challenging. He was truly in need and these the the caregivers we want to help through our PetSmart Charities grant for 85019.

Alley across the street
where many cats were trapped

Suzie gettin ready to release cats in the cold morning


One ear-tipped cat happy to be home!

As if 37 cats was not enough, we needed cats for our Saturday clinic in N. Phoenix. We needed about 20 cats so I picked a 15-20 cat job in the 85019 zip code. Well, 15-20 turned in to 41 cats total! We trapped Friday night having to make an emergency run to Suzie's for more traps and having to double some cats up as well. We had 30 cats in on Saturday and trapped again Saturday night ending up with 16 more cats for Monday's clinic. Of 38 total traps only one trap was empty and we fear it tripped on its own. We did see more cats there so another round may be necessary. This job involved three caregivers in a neighborhood.

Still, we were happy with 83 cats in one week although this was certainly not a record. I had intended to enumerate the # of lifting and hauling steps but somewhere along the line I lost track!     

I am now at 2046 cats trapped in 2011. I am hoping to break my previous record of 2084 in 2010 and I think I will. This broken knee is a problem but I've never let broken bones stop me before. The immobilizer works great...I just have to move more slowly.

My usual plea for $$$...Please consider a Holiday gift to the many homeless cats on the street in our community. We can spay or neuter one cat for a $25 donation. This will prevent a litter of kittens in the Spring. Thank you for your support!

            


Monday, December 5, 2011

Pam's TNR Blog - November 2011

November 2011

November 2011 was a busy month for trapping. I trapped and fixed 171 cats in November despite the yard sale and Thanksiving! Those darn holidays always curtail trapping. The yard sale, however, was a huge success. We raised over $2,300 for spaying and neutering feral cats! So far in 2011 I've TNR'd 1,902 cats and hope to break my record of 2,084 cats TNR'd in 2010.

As always there are too many special and rewarding experiences to cover in this blog. The most memorable job was a colonly of 41 cats trapping in one night. This one was exciting because the caregivers indicated she had 20 cats and it turned out she had 41 cats! The photos included here are of "before" and "after" the cats were fixed. These were some of the most healthy and well cared for cats I'd ever seen. what was truly amazing is the spottlessly clean environment the caregivers maintained. I was impressed. This was "cat management" at its finest...


Before Trapping




After Trapping


Earlier in the month I helped Grant trap another large colony. We trapped a total of 26 cats. Thank you Grant for helping this caregiver in need. It took several nights of trapping and trips to three vets but ALL the cats are now fixed. It is so important to fix ALL the cats in a colony. One producing female can ruin the entire effort - those males roam great distances to get romance. Then follow-up is required for newcomers. Nothing about TNR is easy. I always say "they could not pay anyone enough to do this job". It can only be done by dedicated and committed volunteers...those who care enough to go the extra distance to make a difference.

Feeding feral cats comes with a tremendous responsibililty. If you decide to feed free-roaming cats, be prepared for a long-term committment. Cats must be fixed, fed, provided with shelter and veterinary care if necessary. And do not forget that you will have to be there for them meaning vacations may be few and far between. 

To help more caregivers in need we need donations. Many non-profits are asking for donations this time of year but a donation to ADLA for TNR goes a long way. 100% of donations are used to pay our wonderful veterinarians for surgeries. What better way to end the year then to prevent kittens in 2012. Make this your New Year's resoution - I am making it mine.

Donations can be mailed to:

The Spay Neuter Hotline
P.O. Box 33093
Phoenix, AZ 85067

Specify "TNR Program" in the memo.

Thank you for caring about the cats!