Sorry, I know there is a cat group but I do not understand how to go there and ask them the question.
There are 2 feral cats more or less living in our garden since they are kittens (they are about 8 month old.
We feed them we even build them a cat house but we do not want to own any cats (long story).
We are worried that in the summer when all the doors are open the male will come in and mark his territory in a smelly fashion. So we thought we could get him neutered as we probably could catch him, (the female is a lot wilder). BUT we do not want to be registered as his owners and were told that if we take him to the vet he would have to be chipped etc etc.
Melissa, thank you. You voiced what I wanted to say but I didn't know how to put it eloquently. You did, and I know what you've had to go through with all the kittens you foster. It is undoubtedly Dominique's decision as to what she wants to do but you set out what my both my head and heart tell me. Prevention is so much kinder than what they inevitably have to endure.
Oh Goddess please, no more unwanted kittens in this world!
Please be indulgent with my enthusiasm, I am an exhausted foster family and involved every week in TNR programs. My heart breaks a bit more at every naive BonCoin advertisement offering free kittens. France is drowning in unwanted cats and kittens, and the shelters can't kill them fast enough. Sterilisation is the logical response.
Why wait until there are too many kittens (because there will be)? That will be just another dose of animal suffering on your doorstep that could have been avoided. Do you need financial help, traps? Living rough is not pleasant for feral communities, and road kill can never replace sterilisation. I want us to do better than India with regards to animal protection.
The behaviour of an uncastrated male cat puts it at much higher risk of serious infectious diseases such as those already mentioned - FIV and FeLV.
You have said that “we will not have the male neutered as it would take away its capacity to look after himself.” This is a myth as sterilised cats will still hunt and look after themselves just as adequately as before, it is their upbringing that determines these facts.
You also say that “If the situation should deteriorate i.e. too many kittens, we will reconsider. So far the road has taken care of any that was around, these two seem to have avoided the road so far (one of the reasons we do not want any cats, is that too many are squashed in front of our door).”
There are already too many kittens in the world; to introduce more is simply irresponsible. It is a well documented fact that well fed cats, feral or otherwise, will reproduce MORE kittens, so if you are feeding them you really should take on the responsibility and have these cats neutered, especially as there is help available should you wish. It would be so sad to just watch unwanted litters of kittens run over on the road, to do something now will avoid this happening.
It's a lot to consider Dominique, I know. At least you can be reassured now about the microchipping situation (i.e. that you won't be 'lumbered' with ownership) and that there are schemes out there that can help with sterilisation if you decide that's the best course.
SFN's brill if you need answers or suggestions about something. I'm sorry that the discussion went a little off topic but please don't let that stop you asking anything else you need to know if the situation changes with your two 'guests' or anything else at all for that matter. Best of luck with them.
Hi Valerie, thank you very much for coming back to my question and your support as well as the others that offered help, even if some of the help was a tad extreme. I did not post as I did not want to add water to a mill race that looked like bursting its banks.
I do have a fairly pragmatic approach to cats having lived in India for quite a while were there was no questions of neutering them.
We have been discussing their future with my husband and decided that they will live their life without our interference other than feeding them when they are around and asking the neighbours to drop them some food when we are away.
we will not have the male neutered as it would take away its capacity to look after himself.
If the situation should deteriorate i.e. too many kittens, we will reconsider. So far the road has taken care of any that was around, these two seem to have avoided the road so far (one of the reasons we do not want any cats, is that too many are squashed in front of our door).
Apparently Lemon Juice works or Orange peel (bit messy though) and a weak solution of Tea Tree Oil apparently. Shall try lemon juice this pm and let you know.
Maybe it's the texture or something? They do seem to find the strangest places. I'm waiting for the freezing weather to start when mine become reluctant to go out and choose to ignore the litter tray. I'll be chasing them all over the house.
I was thinking could you put something on the doormats they don't like the smell of, and therefore would not linger, but might that stop them then from coming in the house as well?
I have just bought 2 new doormats and trying to find what I can put on them to stop the cats peeing on them...............they will come in to do it, I don't know what it is about doormats!! Don't want to put them down until I find something!!
Great stuff. Dominique seemed concerned mainly with the 'ownership' issue which you've just answered for her. She didn't actually mention euthanising them but I think if the tom comes in to pee in her house she might shoot him, lol.
Yes, they will be registered to the Association but as a feral cat. There is absolutely no point in mass euthanasia etc etc..........the way to win the battle, although we will never win the war is sterilisation.
Excellent. Thanks Sally - sounds exactly the sort of thing Dominique needs in her particular circumstances. So, just for clarity, they'll be chipped at the same time to protect them but registered as feral, not to Dominique herself? If so, that sounds perfect.
Depending on where Dominque lives there are several associations which with a contribution will send a "bon" for sterilisation and chipping of feral cats and they can remain feral with Volunteers like Dominque feeding them. They are also protected in the wild because they are chipped. The hospital I work at belongs to one in Angouleme but there is a larger one in Bordeaux so maybe she can contact them. Here is the link to their website.
Yes it does Sally. I've seen it happen before which is why I'm asking for it to stop now.
Dominique's main point was that if she manages to catch one of them and have it neutered, will it also have to be microchipped and she automatically then be classified as the "owner" which is what she's trying to avoid. I don't know if there are regulations in place about this or whether she can just (very generously of her) arrange for the chop-chop and then leave them be in the garden.
I shall apologise to the Forum but when there are innocent animals involved it will raise temperatures. I just want to prevent any more healthy cats being condemned. I will shut up now and take my leave.
This subject obviously has raised emotions, and why wouldn't it - everyone involved obviously cares deeply for animals, but I think it's enough, ladies. Can we please get back to the actual topic of the discussion Dominique started. She has not commented for a while so we do not know how she is getting on, whether she has the information she was looking for and what she may have decided -this could be because the conversation has gone completely off on a tangent so is unfair to her. Thank you.
I think there is no point in going on and on. It was your choice and you did what you thought right. Regardless of all the information to the contrary it is ultimately yourself that has to live with this. I cant see the point of he said, she said.
I have an uncanny Deja-Vu when they used to separate the eating utensils and chinaware and then sterilise them in HIV patients, regardless to evidence of the contrary that there was no need.
Then maybe the people who are voicing their opinions should not be doing it on the Hope page. After all if it is your page then it IS your responsibility and if it has an adverse effect on your projects with animals then maybe you should reconsider who should be in your group.
It would not be too difficult for you to make people aware of the blood tests so that they could decide for themselves what action they wanted to take if they had a positive cat.
SPA's regularly class positive cats as "pestiféres" and they are systematically PTS in refuges & fourriéres and by vets to stop contamination.
Blue Cross state that "Litter trays and food bowls should be disinfected after use to kill the virus" - are you talling me that these professionals are all wrong and you are right??
I did not say that I expected Hope to have the cat tested but when you put the advert on your page in July could you not have just asked the previous owners if the cat had been tested? I would not have known anything about this test and it's possible consequences had it not been for Lynn asking me to have it done. If I had kept the cat it could have infected my other cat & the neighbours' cats and if it had been rehomed by me in all innocence to someone it could have become ill and they would have to go through the same as I have - albeit without the hate mail! What did these nasty individuals who castigated me for what I did expect me to do? I had a dog (which I had homed last year and has difficulties) and I didn't want her to suffer and now I had a cat which was FIV+ and according to the vet could infect my beloved 14 year old cat. I was not informed that the blood test could be false, I was not asked if I wanted to wait and have another test later on -I was only thinking of what was the right thing to do for all 3 of the animals and that is a difficult thing to do when one is in shock.
I have scoured the net for information to a problem that I didn't know existed until Monday and I believe that I have done the right thing - if I had chosen the wrong path I would never have been able to live with myself.I have had support from a friend who is a member of Cats Protection in the UK who runs a cat's Hôtel and who also dealt with feral cats in the Pyranées and she has told me that I did the most responsible thing. I have also had lots of support from other cat associations. I'm sure you do sterling work for some animals but I'm afraid I think it is your organisation that let Manuchka down.
There is, it seems, an awful lot of panicking going on now and I just hope there aren’t to many moggies rushed to the vets in the next few days as a result. Yes the virus is a problem but let’s put it all in perspective, your cat is more likely to get run over by a car or shot by the local chasse than contracting FIV. Cecily Walker, I am more than a tad disappointed in your comments you made about Hope. Can I just remind you that Hope is not a refuge, we are a fund raising organisation and all pour volunteers work tirelessly throughout the year fund raising to help animals in need. We donate funds to support many animal refuges and organisations throughout the region and beyond. Our website provides a service for people who wish to rehome their animals, we make no charge for this service and many animals are re homed as a result. You asked us to place an advert for your cat and that is exactly what we did. We would not have had the cat tested for FIV as already stated, we are not a refuge. I am not going to get involved in this argument as everyone is entitled to an opinion and if they wish to make a public statement then they are entitled to do but please what purpose is there in making such a statement about an association that does so much good. The people who are voicing their opinions about the subject are not the voice of Hope, they are individuals with opinions and Hope will not take responsibility for any comments made. My problem is that you have made an adverse comment about Hope and to be fair, your comments serve no purpose but to possibly in turn affect the animals that we all work so hard to protect. I have said all that I need on the subject.