Background
Objectives
The problem
Feral cats live a precarious existence on the outskirts of human habitation - hotels, hospitals, flats, factories, workshops, tourist resorts, parks, etc. - trying to overcome hunger, thirst, disease, traffic, machinery, extremes of climate and most of all, their fear of the humans upon whom they depend. Each generation becomes more and more fearful as they learn that they are among the most unwanted castoffs of human society. For safety and security, feral cats often band together in colonies which vary in size, depending on the availability of food, the prevalence of disease, the safety of hiding places and other general living conditions. Despite the popular belief that feral cats are self-sufficient, independent animals, the truth is that their lives are dominated by constant fears for their safety and the continual search for food. Because feral cats do not belong to anyone and therefore usually have no-one caring for them, they often become the targets for human cruelty and abuse. Should they become ill or are injured, there is no veterinary care available. They either recover slowly after much suffering or dir from their injury or illness. If a lactating queen becomes sick or is injured, her kittens will starve, die of cold or be killed by predators. Feral mothers often unwittingly keep their babies in unsafe and unsuitable places, such as storm drains and gutters, where helpless kittens are in danger of being swept away by heavy rainfall. Within the feral colony, vast numbers of kittens can be produced annually, thus multiplying the problem. These innocent arrivals into a cruel world have all the odds stacked against them and add enormously to the suffering within the colony. The need for ACA
ACA consists of dedicated volunteers who will carry out a variety of tasks involving the cre of feral cats. Once located, each feral cat colony must be monitored to establish numbers, general state of health, living conditions, etc. Once this data is on hand, a decision about the future of the colony will be made. If the living conditions are suitable and all concerned want the cats to remain and if there are dedicated people to feed and care for the cats on an ongoing basis, the cats will be trapped, sedated and sterilised (spayed or neutered), treated for worms and innoculated against disease. They will be returned to the colony under the watchful eye of the Colony caretaker who will feed them daily and check on their continued health and well-being. If it is decided after careful monitoring that the colony site is unsuitable as a permanent feral cat colony, because the general poor health or rate of injury of the cats, or if their presence is unwanted to the extent that acts of cruelty are imminent, the cats will be humanely trapped and euthanased. Alley Cat Action will run an ongoing educational campaign to inform the public about the ploght of feral cats and to show what must be done to prevent further suffering. This will be done by means of the distribution of leaflets, publishing press articles, radio talks, displays, etc. How you can help
Here are ten ways you can help:
Volunteers are needed for the following:
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