download/print - Neighborhood Cats

Amazon (www.amazon.com) for “Le Bistro” or “Petmate Le Bistro” will locate otherretailers.• Avoid overfeeding & attracting new catsOne of the advantages of TNR is that a neutered colony of cats will guard theirterritory against intrusion by new cats, who will likely be unaltered, thereby preventingthe reproductive cycle from starting up again at that location. The reason this occurs hasto do largely with the amount of available food. If there is just enough available toprovide for the colony cats, they are highly motivated not to allow newcomers to move inand share their meals. On the flip side, if more than enough food is always left out,what’s the harm in allowing a few guests to join in?As a caretaker, you can control the quantity of food. The key is to feed your catswhat they need to be well nourished, but not to be excessive and invite in the rest of theferals in the neighborhood. Over time, as the size of the colony declines, the amount offood provided should be reduced accordingly.• Clean up!One easy way to avoid friction with neighbors is to keep the area clean where youfeed. Pick up and remove empty cans, plates, plastic spoons, etc., even if someone elseleft it there. Not only is a mess unsightly for residents, it could be considered unsanitaryand result in a health code violation and fine for the property owner. If you can, helpkeep the general area clean and not only the feeding area. This will reinforce theimpression your presence at the site is a benefit to the community.• Don’t feed the wildlifeIf your colony is located in an area inhabited by wildlife, such as raccoons, skunks,coyotes or bears, you want to avoid attracting these other critters to your feeding station.The best way to do this is to not leave food out at night – most wildlife are nocturnal -and limit the time period in which the cats have food available. Alternatively, you canconstruct a feeding station which wildlife can’t access.The ideal method of feeding in a wildlife-intensive location is to put the food out fora certain length of time, like half an hour, once or twice a day during daylight hours.Feral cats are very habitual creatures and will soon learn the routine. “The food comesout at 9 am and is gone by 9:30, so better show up on time,” is what they’ll learn. Thisavoids leaving any leftovers for other animals to scoop up. If putting out the food andwaiting half an hour is not practical for you, then narrow the window of feeding as muchas possible. For example, put out the food when you go to work in the morning, thenpick up whatever’s uneaten when you come home. Whatever routine you develop, don’tleave food out overnight because that’s the surest way to train the wildlife when to comeand dine.With raccoons, skunks and opossum, it’s possible to build a feeding station whichthey can’t access, taking advantage of their inability to jump like a cat. Basically, youneed to build a flat platform raised several feet above the ground which the critters can’t31