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According the SPCA of Texas website, there is a population of about 60 to 100 million feral cats in the United States. Feral cats are once domesticated cats who have been dumped or abandoned by their human caretakers. They are lonely animals who generally have a mistrust of human beings. They live in groups known as colonies. Most experts, including the American Veterinary Medical Association, Texas A&M University and Tufts University veterinary schools and Stanford University agree that the best and most humane way to manage a feral cat colony and gradually reduce its numbers is through the trap/neuter/return (TNR) method. This method involves a colony caretaker getting involved to spay and neuter the cats and return them to their environment. A caretaker would typically provide food, water and shelter for the colony on a daily basis. Benefits of the TNR program are that it will control the population of the colony, lower the disease levels of the colony, improve bad behavior such as spraying, breeding and fighting, and the colony will maintain the area where they live, keeping the rodent population down and keeping other cats from joining. Organizations that practice TNR will notch one ear of the cat to signal to colony caretakers or other trappers that the cat has been spayed/neutered and should be released if trapped again. As of Nov. 5, 2004 we are a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization, we are beginning our efforts to seek funds to begin a free spay/neuter program to feral caregivers and fosters. For more information on ferals, please visit our Articles/Links page.
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