Submitted by L. Gorrow.
I moved from King County to Pierce county (Tacoma) two years ago. I noticed what appeared to be homeless cats and kittens in my back yard and neighborhood. I had not experienced this in King County.
Over time I have learned that two of my neighbors feed homeless cats. The problem was made substantially worse after people went back to work and abandoned their COVID cats, either to rescues or put them (unspayed and unneutered) outside.
We cannot find fault with the kind people who give them food. I did wonder why these people did not also get them spayed and neutered. Many neighbors complained about the situation.
So I stepped up, took 3 feral 2 1/2-month-old kittens in to socialize and find homes for. Everything went reasonably well until it was time to get them neutered and vaccinated, so I could place them in homes. I could not find a discount or a full priced vet who was willing to neuter a semi-feral kitten.
I then contacted over ten rescues and various humane societies (including Pierce County) and all I got was a recorded message with no return call or just an automated email. Because I am not a licensed rescue I got an automated message, ignoring my circumstances and directing me to a web site where I could get in a long line with people who are looking for discount spay/neuter services for their domestic cats.
I cried.
Every time I consider trapping the feral cats and kittens in my neighborhood and getting them spayed and neutered, I realize it is not doable unless someone with the resources to spay and neuter steps up and partners with people like me.
Every time I see another of these cats or kittens that I could help, I wonder why agencies whose job it is to help them will not. And now I know why my neighbors have become so angry and calloused about it.
To the writer, you may already know this, but I have had great success with Pasado’s Safe Haven in Pierce County. They are a mobile spay/neuter clinic positioned behind Graham Hay Market in Graham. I was in a park where people kept dumping unspayed cats. Janice, the contact person, was fantastic! I got 8 kittens spayed/neutered without charge. Let me know if I can be of further assistance.
You’re right. Neutering should be done less expensively if you are fostering feral cats. In 2017 I adopted, with the help of a neighbor, a feral cat. Frosty is still with me. Once of the first things I did for Frosty was to have him neutered. Frosty is my guardian and I am completely under his control.
I cry too. My friend took in a pregnant feral. Unfortunately he doesn’t understand exactly what “feral” means & can’t figure out why the kittens are the way they are in their behavior. These cats & kittens need to be fixed. Being from Florida, where there is a feral cat program, where the cats are fixed, there is random food out for them, etc. Feral cats do have a place in the environment. We as humans need to learn about that, & how to stabilize the population. I’ve questioned why washington doesn’t have same or similar programs/funding for this obvious problem.
Was it not an option to have the Humane Society take those cats in? They spay/neuter all the animals they shelter before adopting them out.
Mary, The Humane Society of Pierce County euthanizes feral cats and kittens if they feel they are not immediately home-able. Most need some socialization. My neighbor coaxed two lovely abandoned cats out from under a deck where they were living and took them to Pierce County Humane Society. He trusted they would be cared for and homed. When he called to tell them he had found a home for them, he was told they were euthanized. I have been to the Pierce County Humane Society on Central three times with friends who were wanting to adopt. I have never even seen a cat for adoption that was more than 9 months old. You can guess what happens to the ones that are. They probably do their best but are tragically underfunded.
L. Gorrow,
Your writing touched my heart. I would like to help you get your cats spayed or neutered. Contact the Editor see if they will give you my email.
I donate to our Local Humane Society of Tacoma-Pierce County. They currently are at full capacity for cats for the 3rd time this year. Also currently having their 3rd adoption event to try to make room to help more cats & kittens. The last event they even adopted at no fee, shows their desperation to make room for more cats
All our local rescues are at full capacity & have limited resources. I believe they are doing what they can with what they have. All depend on donations. The people doing this work are angels & they love cats.
My wish is for Pierce County to have a community volunteer group to find & coordinate Veterinarians who will volunteer minimum 4 – 8 hours a month or quarterly to spay & neuter cats- feral for free and other cats at significant reduced fee or free. Possibly have benefactors donate to cover some of the costs. I will donate.
For feral cats a Vet can prescribe gabapentin to be given to the cat prior to appointment to help them relax & make it easier to handle them. Of course it is their right to opt out of working with ferals.
My suggestion for my neighbors of Pierce County, don’t get angry take Action. If you can:
1. Donate any amount to a local rescue or Humane Society.
2. Volunteer at the above. Even a few hours a month has impact.
3. Contact your City &/or County & State representative ask them to consider funds to help with the feral & dumped cats & to acknowledge the problem.
4. Spay & neuter any cat you are feeding outside. A female can have 3 litters a year. It is physically brutal for them to do this outside and many die due to complications. It is a difficult life.
5. Contact your local Veterinarian see if they accept reduced fees for spay and neuter or if they know any who do offer it.
6. If you have an appointment for your cat Keep It. Don’t let it go unused.
I truly believe if each of us does what is with in our power to help we can make a difference in this problem.
Diana a cat lover
What happened to Northwest Spay and Neuter?
KM, It is required that feral cats and kittens be brought to Northwest spay and neuter in the cage they were trapped in. Keeping them anywhere in the cage they were trapped in is inhumane. It is possible to coax them into a larger, friendlier kennel with food, bed and litter until you can get them to a spay neuter clinic. But how do you them get them back in the small cage they were trapped in? Again, inhumane. Not to mention the assembly line once you get there and numerous reports of unfortunate outcomes.
So nice to hear from such compassionate and action-oriented people! Thanks for your input. I contacted all of the resources that were mentioned, multiple times. The heroic vet at Lakewood Vet was able to give two of the three feral kittens vaccines. But not to little Roy (see article picture). Little Roy was biting through garden gloves and drawing blood. We joked about having a tourniquet on hand. An evening and morning dose of gabapentin made him wiggy enough that the vet, in wrestling stance on the floor with the carrier and a towel, was able to administer his vaccines. Roy is now the sweetest, most affectionate and perceptive of my four cats. Unfortunately, most vets will not work with even semi feral cats and kittens, at any price.
In cold, rainy December I trapped, spayed/neutered, vaccinated and homed 11 feral kittens and 2 feral cats that my neighbor was feeding and/or housing. Three more were spayed/neutered, vaccinated and returned to her shed. That was with the wonderful assistance of Feisty Felines Tacoma. Abbey has since retired. This month (July) I contacted Pasado’s Safe Haven in my plan to do the same for 8 more cats and their recent litters of kittens that my other neighbor feeds. Sadly, I have gotten no response to two emails explaining my situation and need to Pasado’s Safe Haven. I have been a generous supporter for many years.
My question is the same as Kalli’s. Why has (relatively well funded) Washington state failed us so badly in the funding of feral spay neuter clinics?