uggh, and then there's people like this:
http://www.thestar.com/News/GTA/article/544293

sadly, i know a few, all involved in 'rescue'. one of the heads of a cat rescue here (not the one i was involved with) has 70 cats.

when i was running the TNR program, i also sat on the board. so did the foster coordinator. between us, we pretty well ran the day-to-day operations of the rescue - i know i was putting in 25+ hours a week, not including time with my foster cats (and i fostered 90% of the special needs cats). one of the original board members, foster home, and trapper, very highly regarded in local rescue circles - we had some issues with how many cats he had (around 15), as he was bringing in cats outside of the program, and another volunteer, and a VET, had raised concerns about the state of his house. so i can't even imagine 83 cats. me and the foster coordinator worked to move all our cats that were with him, and stop his volunteer duties with us, as that was not the behaviour/image we wanted. he went to the chair of the board, who got her back up and started to support him (b/c like i said, in rescue circles, he could do no wrong, even if cats were not being properly cared for, 'oops'). the foster coordinator called me all upset. so when the chair of the board called me - keeping in mind me and the foster coordinator were at that point essentially irreplacable - i just expressed regret that the board wasn't going to be supporting their coordinators in their positions and in the work they did to run the rescue, and that it was a shame, but we really wouldn't be able to continue as coordinators without the support of the board - really, as volunteers (meaning have fun finding someone who would take care of cats with the medical issues i was dealing with), or as board members. suddenly, we had the full support of the board chair....amazing how that works.

there are people who think what we did was wrong, but oh well. all those comments after the article about how what the couple did was good - they're hoarders! feeding colonies, and 'often' trapping? not good enough! no way all those cats got yearly check-ups, or that they would notice quickly enough if one cat got sick....you can't. again, those nice, well meaning people....

 Quote: jennifer mullen

The experience of most trap-spay/neuter-release programs across North America and in parts of the UK (that I know of), even where the cats are fed, is that the populations naturally reduce and eventually die out. It's a long-term method of eradication, but effective.

For me, and not everyone got this, especially people who just love cats without thinking - but my goal was to eradicate the populations. I support TNR b/c, at least in urban areas, it is the most effective way of doing so.

Its refreshing to see other people are recognizing this technique. This was actually the basis for my eagle project, building shelters for these cats, with removable tops and sealable doors. After an acclimation period, the cats start living in these "houses," and are much more easily captured for a neuter and release.

Wow you guys, I knew there were feral cat programs but never really looked into how much work it actually is. It sounds like something I might like to help with someday.

Jennifer, how did you guys afford the TNR? Where I live a cat spay is over $150 and a neuter over $100. Do you guys get special discounts on ferals?

John, we looked into building shelters, but b/c we were dealing with urban populations in downtown Toronto, it wouldn't have worked. I've seen some really cool feral shelters though. We always used the humane traps and baited them (usually with a trail of small bits leading to the back of the cage where it would trigger). We did build a net trap for a couple of hard-to-trap cats that were the hold outs in a couple of colonies.

Angela, the rescue is a registered charity, so we got donations, but most importantly, we had grants - a Petsmart grant specifically for TNR, as well as a grant we got every year from a US charitable foundation - the person who'd set it up was into cats. It helped that one of our volunteers (she was also a feral recovery home, and actually my landlady until I moved to where I am now) wrote grant applications professionally and knew where to look. Adoption fees also helped with costs, though generally would not cover full vet costs associated with each cat.

The rescue had relationships with several vets, generally the discount was 50%. Throwing in blood tests/screenings, most feral neuters probably cost around $80-90 and spays $110ish. We got billed on a monthly basis by each vet. We did sometimes extend our discount to other trappers, but b/c we got monthly billings, you had to use your judgement about whether the person would pay up. The last year I was doing it, the Humane Society had started a super-cheap TNR program, but we had certain issues with their procedures, though we would lend traps for people to use to take cats in there.

The rescue didn't accept surrenders but between stray cats trapped in TNR (we did not release back cats that weren't feral, with one notable colony exception) and the trapping of kittens (ideal time 6 weeks, 6-8 weeks generally for taming) and adopting out, the rescue averaged about 100 adoptions/year, and TNR'd another 100-120/year (at least when I was still involved with it).

The feral program ran in two ways - the trappers/TNR, and the feeders. We shared information, obviously, and there was overlap in volunteers. Basically, the rescue had feeders in two areas of the city going out every night - Chinatown, and Kensington. Feeders monitored health of our cats, movement, etc, if a new cat showed up somewhere, that kind of thing. Trappers trapped the cats (duh), kept them overnight in the trap, and delivered them to the vet in the morning. They were then picked up by or delivered to the recovery homes, who kept them until they were recovered (not so much of an issue with the boys, though we liked to keep them for a day or two, females obviously longer). Feral recovery took place in dog crates/bathrooms, b/c of the difficulty in handling them. I scheduled regularly trapping of colonies as well as emergency trapping (that was usually me) if a cat was injured.

I started as a feral feeder, b/c I had adopted Mitch and it was a way for me to give back. It was also cool b/c it was a way to see the city in a whole different way - you have to trap and feed at night, and you're generally in alleys, so you have to feel comfortable with that, but you get to see a whole different side to the city. Actually, at risk of rambling on (I've already done that), they have an old info kit online and Mitch is on pages 6-7 http://annexcatrescue.ca/docs/acr_info_kit_2006.pdf ....I didn't write it. Mitch has no teeth now, and renal failure, but otherwise he's chugging along. Lear takes good care of him, he goes everywhere with him, which is nice b/c a couple of times lately Mitch has gotten confused about where he's going He is around 16 years old though.

When Mitch got hit by the car, it was the dead of winter, and cold, but Dave - the cat mentioned in the story - would always make sure he ate first. It took them a while to trap Mitch. Actually, a few years later, I was helping another feral feeder, and we noticed Dave was acting oddly - very vocal, and wouldn't come for the food, even when we backed away - we eventually got him that night (b/c he wasn't going for food it wasn't a textbook trap). He stayed with me overnight, so Mitch and Dave were sort of reunited, and then went into the vet, where he died (he had end stage renal failure). Dave was one cool cat though.

 Quote: Angela Burrell

Wow you guys, I knew there were feral cat programs but never really looked into how much work it actually is. It sounds like something I might like to help with someday.

Jennifer, how did you guys afford the TNR? Where I live a cat spay is over $150 and a neuter over $100. Do you guys get special discounts on ferals?

Those spay/neuter prices are ridiculous. A feline spay/neuter is $40-$60(no office visit fee) at the Arizona Humane Society. My county also runs a free spay/neuter voucher program though it has to be a pet that you own.

 Quote: Jennifer Mullen

The last year I was doing it, the Humane Society had started a super-cheap TNR program, but we had certain issues with their procedures, though we would lend traps for people to use to take cats in there.

What issues did you have with their procedures? PM me if you don't want to publicly post it.

PMing....

 Quote: cathy goessman

Those spay/neuter prices are ridiculous. A feline spay/neuter is $40-$60(no office visit fee) at the Arizona Humane Society. My county also runs a free spay/neuter voucher program though it has to be a pet that you own.

This is why my rescue always tries to get any vetting done on my fosters BEFORE they come to Canada (my dogs are all American). One of my guys was able to be neutered and vetted in the States for a grand total of $50.00. Last summer I had two dogs we were not able to do in the US, the male was neutered for $195 up here and the female spay was $250. Those were the cheapest prices I was able to get within a 60 mile radius including Detroit, even though we are a 501(c)3 rescue, no humane societies or shelters would give a discount to an animal that was not directly from their own shelter. It was frustrating.

I just neutered my young male (at 12 months) - "mature" neuter, dental and hip x-ray all together was $400. If I want to have his hips evaluated by an orthopedic specialist it is another $125 on top.

It's true. I PM'd Cathy, and most cat spays in Toronto, no discount, ran $200-400. The one clinic I can think of under $200 used cheaper/older anesthetics (we didn't use that clinic).

 Quote: Angela Burrell

Jennifer, how did you guys afford the TNR? Where I live a cat spay is over $150 and a neuter over $100. Do you guys get special discounts on ferals?

Locally ferals are free to spay through a shelter program. The vet clinic here has what they call wild mondays where they'll spay ANY feral cats that show up. They do an awesome job with all internal stitches and usually just one at that. They knock the tip off of one of their ears to easily ID them as altered. The one day I stopped by they had just finished a load of 80 feral cats and were in the process of sending them home.