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FERAL CATS Sheilah Robertson, BVMS (Hons),
PhD, DECVAA, DACVA, MRCVS
TALKING POINTS
Scope of the problem
Stakeholders
Solutions
TERMINOLOGY
Pet cats
Indoor
Owned but free roaming
Stray cats
Socialised - lost /abandoned
free roaming
Feral cats
Unsocialised free-roaming
COMMUNITY
CATS?
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NUMBERS OF “FERAL” CATS?
60-80+
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Numbers in millions
WHAT IS THE SOURCE OF CAT
OVERPOPULATION? US DATA Pet Cats 85 million
“Community cats” 85 million
Female 50% 50%
Sterilization rate 85% 2%
Litters/year 1.4 1.4
Live births/litter 3 3
Kittens born/year 27 million 175 million
Kitten survival
Live at 3 months
75%
20 million
50%
88 million
Data from Dr J Levy; “community cat management”
WHO AND WHAT IS INVOLVED IN
THE DISCUSSION?
Wildlife
Native species
Environment/habitat
Cats
Invasive species
Humans
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DESTRUCTION OF WILDLIFE
Predation and loss of habitat
FREE-LIVING CATS:
AN ENVIRONMENTAL DISASTER
CAT WELFARE
High mortality of kittens
Shorter life span than owned cats
Trauma, disease, starvation, climate
RISK TO HUMANS
Zoonotic disease http://catvets.com/professionals/guidelines/publications/
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ZOONOTIC DISEASES
Bacteria
Cestodes
Ectoparasites
Fungi
Nematodes
Protozoans
Rickettsiae
Chlamydiae
Viruses
RABIES
RABIES
Greatest burden of human rabies is in
Asia (56%), Africa (44%) and South
America
>90% of human cases are transmitted
by dogs
55,000 deaths /year (underestimated)
Europe
~ 5 human cases/year
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RABIES
50% of the world’s population live in
canine rabies endemic areas
Accessibility and affordability of
post-exposure prophylaxis is limited in
developing countries
RABIES
Mass vaccination
programmes are the
mainstay of canine rabies
control
Target is > 70% of dogs
Parenteral
Oral
Dog destruction alone is
not effective
RABIES - RESERVOIRS
USA
Raccoon, skunks, fox
Europe
Fox, dogs, raccoon dogs, bats
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RABIES IN CATS
No feline-adapted strain
Infected with the
enzootic local strain
RABIES IN DOMESTIC ANIMALS
USA
JAVMA 2011, 239(6): 773-783
CDC DATA NOVEMBER 2011
8 y/o girl in CA
tested positive for
rabies
Survived
History of multiple
cat bite wounds
from feral cats at
her school
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….”Although cats are not the target species
for vaccination in terms of controlling or
eliminating the disease, they are an important
source of infection for humans in many areas
and vaccination of cats is recommended for
reducing the human rabies risk.”
http://www.rabiesblueprint.com/
CONTROLLING FERAL AND FREE
ROAMING CATS
Must have adequate scale to manage the size of the unowned cat population
Safe for the environment
Affordable
Sustainable
Acceptable to the public
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ACTIONS
Do nothing
Lethal control
Destruction, poison, infection, hunting,
trapping etc…
Non-lethal control
Adoption
Sanctuaries
Trap-neuter-return “TNR”
Immunocontraception
TRAP-NEUTER-RETURN (TNR)
OPTION
Non-lethal population reduction
Healthier and safer cats
Lower adverse impacts
Reduced public complaints
Live-trapping
Neuter
Ear tipping
Rabies vaccination
Euthanasia of ill cats
GOALS METHODS
DOES TNR WORK?
71–94% must be neutered for
population to decline Andersen et al. 2004; Foley et al. 2005
Assumes no immigration
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LONG-TERM TNR OF CATS ON A
FLORIDA UNIVERSITY CAMPUS
1415 acres
Historic cat removal
campaigns
unsuccessful
Levy 2003 JAVMA
LONG-TERM TNR OF CATS ON A
FLORIDA UNIVERSITY CAMPUS
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005
Cats
Total Campus Cat Population After TNR
Levy et al, JAVMA, 2003
OCEAN REEF, FL
Repeated removal of homeless cats ineffective
Community Association built Feral Cat Center clinic and holding area
1995-2002
1376 cats admitted
Population declined from 2,000 to 500 cats
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FAILURES OF TNR
1-year study in 2 Florida parks
Cat population increased from 81 to 88 cats
Highly visible colonies encouraged
abandonment
Castillo 2003, UF thesis
IRRESPONSIBLE PET OWNERS
Source of free roaming cats
Intact animals
“dumping” at managed colonies
Abandonment
FERAL CAT CLINICS
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Mission statement:
To reduce the population of
feral cats by sterilizing as many
as possible
TNR CLINICS
Spay and neuter
Vaccination(s)
Rabies
Parasite control
Identification
Euthanasia of sick cats
HIGH-VOLUME CLINIC
Organised for maximum efficiency
High cat numbers
Minimize stress for cats
Minimize cost
Fixed stations
Volunteers perform specific tasks
Cats rotate through stations for complete
care
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SAFETY FIRST
Volunteers
Cats never handled awake
Inject in trap
Wear gloves
Cats
Minimise stress
Constant monitoring
High medical standards
Only handle when asleep
ANAESTHESIA
Ideal anaesthetic
Injectable
Small volume
Rapid onset
Safe
Inexpensive
Reversible
Inject through side of trap
“TKX” ANAESTHESIA
1 vial dry Telazol (Zoletil)
4 ml ketamine (100 mg/ml)
1 ml xylazine (100 mg/ml)
Reverse with yohimbine 0.25 ml/cat IV
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TKX
Total mean dose
0.27 ± 0.09 ml
80% of cats
required only one
dose
Williams et al JAVMA, 15:220;1491-5, 2002
MORTALITY
7502 cats
55 total deaths (0.73%)
17 deaths - potential anaesthetic
complications (0.23%)
Similar to latest CEPSAF data
Williams et al JAVMA, 15:220;1491-5, 2002
A CAT’S EYE VIEW
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A CAT’S EYE VIEW
TRAPS – LABELLED AND
RECORDED
TRAPS – LABELLED AND
RECORDED
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ANAESTHESIA
ANAESTHESIA
ASLEEP?
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TAGGED AND SEXED
EXPRESS URINE
FLEA, HEARTWORM, TICK
TREATMENT
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EAR TIPPING
IDENTIFICATION
WAITING AND KEEPING WARM
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FEMALES ATTACHED TO
TRANSPORT BOARDS
CLIP
PREP – MIDLINE SPAY
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FLANK SPAY
CASTRATION
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SUPPLEMENTAL ANAESTHESIA IF
NEEDED
VACCINATED
RECORDING STATION
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REVERSAL - YOHIMBINE
RECOVERY AREA
RECOVERY
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MKB - ADVANTAGES
Faster recovery
THE FUTURE
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THE FUTURE
http://michelson.foundanimals.org/michelson-grants
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