{"id":8072,"date":"2015-08-12T20:41:51","date_gmt":"2015-08-13T00:41:51","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.hagarty-on-wine.com\/OnWineBlog\/?p=8072"},"modified":"2015-08-12T20:41:51","modified_gmt":"2015-08-13T00:41:51","slug":"the-cats-meow","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/www.hagarty-on-wine.com\/OnWineBlog\/the-cats-meow\/","title":{"rendered":"The cat\u2019s meow"},"content":{"rendered":"

Fauquier ferals feel the love of committed caregivers<\/strong><\/p>\n

The natural beauty of Fauquier County is legendary. The landscape encompasses rolling farmland, deep forests, and mountain views; all graced with streams and rivers of uncommon beauty.<\/p>\n

But within this pastoral setting a silent population of some 20,000 feral cats freely roams the countryside; roams, survives and multiplies.<\/p>\n

A \u201cferal\u201d is a domestic cat who has largely reverted to some of form of wildness. Often it is multi-generations removed from hearth and home.<\/p>\n

Young feral kittens can be socialized and re-introduced to domestic life more so than an adult. But for the most part, feral colonies keep their distance from man and resist domesticity.<\/p>\n

\"FeralSo how do they survive? Being natural hunters help. But there is also a group of compassionate men and women who are drawn to caring for and controlling the population of these silent, peaceful beauties.<\/p>\n

SPCA<\/strong>
\nThe Fauquier SPCA is central to addressing the needs of feral cats in the county. The private shelter contracts with the county and receives funds in the form of grants to care primarily for dogs and cats. But all animals in need come under its watch.<\/p>\n

One most often thinks of the SPCA when it recues livestock from deplorable conditions. Saving a starving, ribs-exposed horse is a sad and graphic reminder of the care the society provides helpless creatures.<\/p>\n

But they also play a pivotal role in caring for feral cats in concert with help from citizens committed to their well-being.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe started our trap, neuter and return program back in 2008,\u201d said Caroline Folker, manager, community relations with the Fauquier SPCA. \u201cPeople were bringing in a large number of cats in to be euthanized. They might have started out trying to feed five or six cats but by the following year had a population of 50 or 60.\u201d<\/p>\n

In the last six years, the clinic has spayed or neutered over 2,600 cats. While the number may seem modest given the estimated county-wide population, the reproduction rate of the animals means tens of thousand of ferals have not been bred as a result.<\/p>\n

Folker underscores the effort is entirely run on donations and grants and not funded out of the general shelter budget. Why? Some people in the community are not in favor of doing it. \u201cThey think we\u2019re helping the ferals stay out there rather than being euthanized. They don\u2019t want them on their property,\u201d Folker said.<\/p>\n

But the program respects the wild state of the cats. It provides food, shelter and an opportunity for them to live their lives on their own, responding to their unique natures.<\/p>\n

Some people may not be aware that both the feral population and disease are controlled through the humane effort of the society and its caregivers.<\/p>\n

Once cats are sterilized they are given rabies vaccinations and parasite prevention. The caregivers commit to feeding and providing housing for the ferals upon their return to the wild. Since the colonies can\u2019t reproduce, over time the population declines naturally.<\/p>\n

The program is not targeted to all citizens in Fauquier County. \u201cWe are not trying to make people keep and care for cats that they don\u2019t want,\u201d Folker said. The society learned early on if people were persuaded to trap and go through the neutering process at some point many lost interest in the effort.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe are trying to reach those people who are already committed. We\u2019re not trying to persuade anybody. The caregivers will continue to look after their cats whether we help them or not, and they will never euthanize them,\u201d Folker said.<\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Trap, Neuter, Return<\/strong>\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Volunteers anchor feral cat program <\/strong><\/p>\n

\"SPCA\"If you choose to have a family cat spayed or neutered by the Fauquier SPCA, it\u2019s going to cost $50 for a male and $65 for a female. A fair price given the average cost by a veterinarian is in the $200 to $300 range.<\/p>\n

But sign up for the feral spay\/neuter service and that cost drops dramatically; $5.75 and $15.75, respectively. But there are a few caveats.<\/p>\n

First, caregivers must to commit to feeding and providing shelter for any feral that is sterilized and returned to the wild. And the waiting time for the procedure ranges from a few weeks to three months, depending on the number cats in queue.<\/p>\n

Nonetheless, it is an impressive cost savings for caregivers. And the benefits are multifold for their furry charges.<\/p>\n

Typically the SPCA will wait until a substantial numbers of ferals have been identified for treatment. Then a clinic is held at its Casanova shelter.<\/p>\n

\u201cIf we get 50 cats needing sterilizing, we\u2019ll hold a daylong clinic,\u201d said Judy Hagerman, a coordinator who volunteers in arranging the sessions. Some clinics have treated over 100 ferals in a day.<\/p>\n

\u201cI get a list of the caregivers and take it from there. We set a clinic date, arrange for volunteer vets and interview the caregivers prior to the procedure. We have 100 traps available and instruct them on their use,\u201d Hagerman said.<\/p>\n

Dr. Pat Denny, owner of Pender Veterinary Clinic in Fairfax, provides his services for free four or more times a year. \u201cI enjoy doing it. I think it\u2019s a good cause. People trap and bring in the cats. It\u2019s all orchestrated by very good people. I\u2019m just a small cog in the wheel.\u201d<\/p>\n

Well perhaps. But the sterilizations would not take place unless Dr. Denny and many other volunteer vets provided their surgical skills at no cost.<\/p>\n

Denny reinforces the value of the program by saying, \u201cIt\u2019s healthier for the animals. There\u2019s not as much fighting within the colonies. And it\u2019s better and safer for other wildlife\u201d such as birds and small game.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s also been proven that fertile cats will not enter a \u201cfixed\u201d colony. This reduces both fighting and disease. And over time natural attrition reduces the size of the colonies.<\/p>\n

For more information on the Trap, Neuter and Return program call the Fauquier SPCA at 540.788.9000. Or, visit http:\/\/www.fauquierspca.com\/<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Published in the summer 2015 edition of inFauquier magazine.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Fauquier ferals feel the love of committed caregivers The natural beauty of Fauquier County is legendary. The landscape encompasses rolling farmland, deep forests, and mountain views; all graced with streams and rivers of uncommon beauty. But within this pastoral setting a silent population of some 20,000 feral cats freely roams the countryside; roams, survives and […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"spay_email":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_is_tweetstorm":false,"jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true},"categories":[5],"tags":[829,826,830,827,828],"yoast_head":"\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\t\n\t\n\t\n