When I first arrived in Fairlie one thing I quickly noticed was the number of stray cats in the area, particularly behind the main shops. Having volunteered at Cats’ Protection League for 3 years I believe strongly that a Trap, Neuter, Release Program is a really good way to go about reducing the number of stray cats and kittens without having to euthanise. This means that we are able to reduce the number of stray cats and also reduce the spread of feline aids and leukaemia to domestic cats.
You may think that trapping and euthanasia would solve the problem: no cats no issues, right? Sadly this isn't true. When you trap and euthanise you are just clearing the area for other cats to move in. My goal is to trap stray cats get them fixed, vaccinated, and identified so we can keep an eye on numbers and then release them into a colony so that we can ensure they are healthy and cared for.
The stray kittens ideally would be trapped, fixed, and vaccinated, and we would work to get them used to living in a home so that they can be adopted into a long term loving family. This model has worked well in other parts of New Zealand where the consistency of the program has significantly reduced the number of strays along with their negative impacts on the community and wildlife.
Want to know more about TNR programs? Well here’s some handy links that I find informative so you can hop down the rabbit hole and get learning!
Want to know what classifies a stray? Here’s the SPCA with a great definition:
https://www.spca.nz/advocacy/position-statements/article/stray-cats
Want more in depth benefits to convince you? Here’s some info from Neko Ngeru Cat Café:
https://nekongeru.nz/the-benefits-of-tnr-trap-neuter-return/
Btw did you know Neko means cat in Japanese and Ngeru means cat in Te Reo Moari? That makes it Cat Cat Cat Café!
Have more questions?
Want to see how you can help?
Flick me an email on info@fairliegood.co.nz and I will get back to you ASAP.