A feral cat trap, neuter and release project in Heidelberg (Gauteng), reliant on public donations in terms of food and towards sterilization/veterinary expenses, to enable us to assist, manage and care for feral cat colonies.
Feral Cat Assist is a community-based project launched to address the plight of feral cats in Heidelberg.
The co-operation and support of the community is essential to the success of such a project and made sustainable through contributions towards sterilisation costs and food donations.
Our aim is to establish an effective Trap Neuter and Release program which will ensure population control in feral cat colonies and prevent the birth of more kittens into a harsh and uncertain future.
We also monitor the colonies on a daily basis, trapping and treating cats displaying any signs of illness or injury. In cases where the prognosis is grim and our veterinarian recommends euthanasia, we follow his advice.
HOW DOES TNR HELP FERAL CATS?
Through TNR, feral cats can live out their lives without adding to the homeless cat population. It is very important to have all feral cats spayed/neutered because it is the only 100-percent effective way to prevent unwanted kittens.
Furthermore, by stabilizing the population, cats will naturally have more space, shelter and food, and fewer risks of disease. After being spayed or neutered, cats living in colonies tend to gain weight and live healthier lives. Spayed cats are less likely to develop breast cancer and will not be at risk for ovarian or uterine cancer, while neutered males will not get testicular cancer. By neutering male cats, you also reduce the risk of injury and infection, since intact males have a natural instinct to fight with other cats. Spaying also means female cats do not go into heat. That means they attract fewer tom cats to the area, reducing fighting. If cats are sterilized and live in a colony that has a caretaker, they may live more than 10 years.
HOW DOES TNR BENEFIT
THE COMMUNITY?
TNR helps the community by stabilizing the population of the feral colony and, over time, reducing it. At the same time, nuisance behaviours such as spraying, excessive noisemaking and fighting are largely eliminated, and no more kittens are born. Yet, the benefit of natural rodent control is continued. TNR also helps the community's animal welfare resources by reducing the number of kittens that would end up in their shelters. TNR saves lives.
