Help save the feral/homeless cats of Courtney Palms
- by: Feral cat caregivers
- recipient: Courtney Palms HOA board
Several feral cat caretakers have dedicated hundreds of hours and thousands of their own dollars to TNR (trap-neuter-return) the feral cats at the Courtney Palms condos, in Tampa, FL. Not only have the cats been spayed/neutered so they will no longer reproduce, but they have also been vaccinated against rabies, Rhinotracheitis, Calicivirus, and Panleukopenia (aka FVRCP).
The caretakers monitor the colony for newcomers, and immediately have them fixed and vaccinated as well.
Unfortunately, at a recent HOA meeting, FOUR people of the Courtney Palms condos voted to hire a professional trapper (aka "exterminator") to remove the cats and take them to Animal Services, where they will be KILLED because they are not adoptable.
Not only is trap and kill ineffective, but hiring a professional trapper/exterminator is also going to be VERY expensive to the community.
I called a trapper to get an idea of what the costs will be and was told by this particular trapper that his fee would be $375 for the first four cats, then an additional $125 PER cat thereafter. Such an expense will surely result in increased HOA dues for the condo owners.
TNR is the most effective way to naturally and humanely control the homeless/feral/stray cat population. The "vacuum effect" prevents removal/killing from working.
We offered to educate the HOA on the traits of feral cats, and offer an alternative to trap and kill, but they have been very close-minded thus far.
If the current fixed/vaccinated cats are removed, more WILL move into the territory, and reproduce.
A rep for the HOA claims the cats are "unsightly" and "dangerous" to the community's residents and pets. What the HOA board hasn't considered is how "unsightly" rats will be, when the cats aren't around to keep the rodent population down.
Feral cats fear people and dogs, therefore they are NOT a danger to anyone.
The HOA clearly does not understand the unique position they are in by having people willing to spend their own money to spay/neuter/vaccinate the community's cats.
Additionally, 2 condo owners have threatened to poison the cats. What these people don't realize is that not only is this illegal, but they are also going to harm CHILDREN, pet dogs and cats, as well as wildlife.
We need to stand up to protect these animals, and convince the HOA board to work WITH the caretakers to control the population humanely and effectively -- while saving the homeowners money in a tough economy.
These cats are feral, so placing them into homes is not an option. Relocation is not an option either, since they will try to find their way back, and likely be killed along the way, while crossing roads, etc.
They live outside, but that doesn't mean they deserve to die.
As you are aware, over the past several years, several caretakers have maintained the feral/stray cat colony at Courtey Palms, via TNR (trap-neuter-return).
Please understand what a unique position your community is in, in that most communities do not have people spending hundreds of hours and thousands of dollars out of their own pockets to have homeless cats fixed and vaccinated, FREE OF CHARGE to the community.
It may seem like a good idea to just have the existing cats trapped/removed/killed, but it's not that simple. 20 years of studies have proved that this technique is not effective. To do so anyway is frankly a waste of what ultimately will be thousands of dollars, when you have to re-hire a trapper/exterminator again, and again, as new cats move into the "available territory."
You will surely have many very upset owners/residents on your hands when they realize how costly this venture will ultimately total -- not to mention the fact that you are aware the cats will be killed by Animal Services.
Several people have tried to communicate with you, so that the board and community may be educated concerning the traits of feral cats and effectiveness of TNR, but we have experienced only resistance (from the board).
Fact is, there is a better alternative to trap/remove/kill.
The goal of this petition is to help you realize that there are many of us who don't want a trapper hired, nor the cats killed -- a much greater number than those few who don't understand the traits of feral cats, and therefore voted to have them trapped/removed (and ultimately killed).
The signers of this petition hope you will reconsider supporting the caretakers' efforts, and be receptive to reviewing/reading printed information regarding the effectiveness of TNR, and reasons why trap/kill will NOT work.
In essence, you will be throwing money down a bottomless pit if you hire a trapper/exterminator because MORE CATS WILL MOVE IN once the current ones are removed, and they WILL begin rapidly reproducing.
The caretakers are more than happy to continue monitoring the existing colony, and TNR'ing any newcomers. However, if you have the existing colony removed and killed, the caretakers will no longer be around to trap/neuter/vaccinate the newcomers -- and there absolutely will be newcomers.
Please note that one unsterilized female cat may have 16 to 36 kittens in ONE year, which means the problem would likely get out of hand very quickly, as people continue to move out and leave pets behind, or allow their unsterilized pets to occasionally go outdoors and breed.
Please also understand that LIKE YOU, WE TOO want to keep the homeless cat population down, but the difference is the approach.... costly (to the homeowners) versus FREE, inhumane versus humane, wrong versus right, ineffective versus effective.
You may be interested to know that one caretaker spent 15 hours over a five-day period, trapping a newcomer who was very pregnant. The cat was taken to the Humane Society the following day, the pregnancy aborted, and the cat returned to her home after being fixed and vaccinated. Due to the intervention of this caretaker, one cat didn't turn into 7 or 8.... and eventually, 40 or 50 over a relatively short period of time.
Based on the rate that was provided to us by one professional trapper/exterminator who was contacted, in order for them to dedicate 15 hours on trapping ONE cat (as the caretaker did), it would break down to $6.25/hour -- and that does not include their fuel expense, or any other overhead expenses.
Furthermore, this pregnant cat was caught by the caretaker using a less intimidating drop-trap. She would not even go near the wire traps (which were also set). And it just so happens that professional trappers/exterminators do NOT use drop traps because they are much more labor-intensive and cannot be "left and checked on later"... someone must be present to pull the string/rope to drop the trap/net over the cat, then transfer him/her into a wire trap.
Please keep in mind that exterminators like the one mentioned above are motivated only by profit. Unlike the caretakers, they do not have the dedication/patience to spend as much time as necessary to prevent births/more homeless cats because they are not driven by compassion/love... but rather dollar signs.
It only makes sense that if you hired a trapper, and they realized this particular cat was pregnant, they would prefer NOT to trap her right away, and instead wait for her to give birth, so that you will continue to have them come back again and again, and pay them PER cat/kitten!
A major benefit to having the cats around is fewer RATS, SNAKES, and BUGS !!
One reason you gave for not wanting the cats around is that they are "unsightly". However, I think we can agree that residents will surely find rats/snakes/bugs much more unsightly than cats.
A 2nd reason you gave for wanting the cats removed is because they are a danger to the community's residents and pets, but that simply is not accurate. Feral cats fear people and will run away if approached. Additionally, because they are vaccinated against rabies, Rhinotracheitis, Calicivirus, and Panleukopenia (aks FVRCP), they will not be spreading disease. Fact is, feral cats have no higher rate of disease than pet cats.
Keep in mind that the caregivers did not create the over-population problem, but rather responded to it, without adding to the problem.
Please consider working WITH them to control the population of homeless cats living at Courtney Palms, and also allow for specific feeding areas, away from the breezeways. The cat-lovers in the community would be happy to cooperate with not feeding in inappropriate areas, if there were no concerns that the cats were being starved/neglected.
TNR works -- and we know it -- but don't just take our word for it. Visit any of the following web sites for the many examples of how removal/killing would be like spinning your wheels and getting nowhere.... as money flies out the window:
http://www.neighborhoodcats.org/, http://www.aspca.org/, http://www.bestfriends.org/, http://www.hsus.org/, http://www.humanesocietytampa.org/, http://www.nmhp.net/, http://www.alleycat.org/.
Thank you for your time and consideration.
"The greatness of a nation and its moral progress, can be juged by the way its animals are treated." -- Gandhi
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