While it is often difficult to know who owns or provides food for feral or community cats, they are clearly thriving in their current habitat, said Dr. Hayden. After being neutered, the cat is returned to that same location from which it was originally taken, but is no longer in a position to breed.
The program, supported by animal activist organizations like Target Zero and Alley Cat Allies, has achieved amazing results in communities across the country. Jacksonville, Florida, reduced the percentage of cats euthanized from 89 to 50 percent in the first year of its cat diversion program. After seven years of the program, the overall intake of community cats has been reduced by nearly two-thirds and the euthanasia rate is less than five percent, according to Target Zero statistics.
“Similar results have been achieved in several other communities,” said Dr. Hayden. “It’s a humane approach the will not only curb the cat population, but reduce many of the nuisance problems associated with feral cats, many of which are associated with mating behaviors.”
The program is also a positive step forward in addressing a disturbing trend at the county animal shelter, said Precinct 4 Commissioner Jim Clark, who has oversight responsibility for the facility. Of the 7,151 cats taken into the shelter in fiscal year 2014-15, only 51 were returned to their original owner − 3,918 were adopted out, but 2,294 were euthanized.
“Generally speaking, people don’t go looking for lost or missing cats they way they do dogs,” said Clark. “Our long term goal is to become a ‘no kill’ shelter, but we have to take steps now to make that happen. This is a start.”
There is also a beneficial economic component to the Community Cat Diversion Program. At present, the estimated cost of handling and euthanizing a cat is around $78. The cost of neutering provided by Texas Litter Control is approximately $40 per animal, according to Dr. Hayden.
“We acknowledge the community has a problem with feral and community cats,” said Dr. Hayden, “but euthanizing is not the solution anyone at the shelter wants. We want to reduce the kill rate and work towards a much better live release rate. Given a chance, this will work.”
For more information on the Community Cat Diversion Program, visit www.target-zero.org. For more information on the Montgomery County Animal Shelter, located at 8535 Highway 242 in Conroe, visit www.mcaspets.org.
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