Below are policies that we have established in order to clarify some of the issues trappers and clinic volunteers often face. Please read them carefully so that you understand what is needed to safely treat your colony of cats.
DEFINING THE ELIGIBILITY FOR OUR VOUCHERS
While we call cats “feral” cats, we are keenly aware that many cats in a colony are not feral, but semi-feral or fully tame. Vouchers are for any cat (feral, semi-feral or tame) that resides in a colony, is declared un-owned or abandoned and will be returned to the colony to be fed and managed indefinitely. These vouchers are not for pet cats. All cats using vouchers will be ear-tipped to identify them as belonging to a managed colony.
CATS MUST ARRIVE AT THE CLINIC IN A TRAP
Wire traps allow our anesthetists to safely “poke” the cat through the wire with the anesthesia drugs. All cats, whether truly feral or tame, are stressed and can bite or scratch. A bite or scratch from a cat initiates a process that requires quarantine of the cat for 10 days, boarding fees during quarantine, a bite report and potentially rabies shots for the volunteer. If you’ve trapped a cat in your colony that is friendly, please leave them in the trap for spay/neuter. You may bring carriers along for their recovery.
“FASTING” PRIOR TO SURGERY
Once a cat has been trapped, the cat should not eat after midnight the night before surgery. Water may be provided. Cats that have eaten just prior to surgery can regurgitate food into their airways while under anesthesia. This can cause death. However, kittens under the age of 4 months should not have their food and water withheld for longer than 4 hours. You may leave food in the traps overnight and then remove it prior to bringing them for spay/neuter.
CATS WITH UPPER RESPIRATORY DISEASES
Any cat or kitten displaying signs of URI will be evaluated by the Medical Director or a Tech at the clinic performing the spay/neuter. Cats and kittens with URI may be held until the end of the clinic to avoid any contamination. In some cases the cat will not be spayed/neutered if the Medical Director considers that the surgery might pose a risk to the cat.