Feral Cats Anyone?

I'm a relatively new volunteer with the Humane Society of Louisiana. The director just called and asked me to respond to a request from an elderly couple to trap 20-30 feral cats.

The couple has been feeding them, but can no longer do so. I'm supposed to trap the cats and bring them to an animal shelter where most, if not all, will likely be euthanized.

Does anyone know of a sanctuary within a few hundred miles of New Orleans that would take them?

Is anyone interested in adopting one or more?

Any help or advice is appreciated cause I'm not sure I can play a part in a cat's death.

Thanks, auntybug.

regdog - thanks for the links. I filled out the email form for Alley Cat Allies and left a phone message with Cat Haven, located not too far away in Baton Rouge.

I'm supposed to start the trapping process tomorrow but will try to delay it if I can find them homes or a feral cat sanctuary.

tj - regdog's links led me to info that talks about the TNR approach you mentioned. It seems to be the best, but in this case, the elderly couple is no longer able to feed the cats. I talked with a friend about the possibility of a volunteer in the area willing to feed them if I trapped them and brought them in to get neutered. I'm waiting to see if one of his numerous connections will be able to help.

Shakesbear said:

There's a pub not far from me that has a colony of feral cats. A couple of years ago the RSPCA (Royal Society for the Protection of Animals) organized a neutering and spaying programme for the cats. Isn't there an equivalent organization in the US that could assist in some way with the cats? And putting animals down does not seem to match the word 'humane' - has there been any local publicity for this?

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I hear ya! I was a little surprised that the director didn't mention any alternatives.

I will meet with the elderly couple tomorrow. At that time, I'll find out just how feral the cats are. Some may be Katrina survivors - lost when their owners left for what they thought would be a typical 2 day evacuation. Except for the animals I adopted, I'm new to the whole rescue scene and don't know if they could survive without someone feeding them. But, from what I've read, when dealing with feral cats, the RSPCA's approach is best. I'm just trying to make sure they get at least one good meal a day.

Seems like there are many groups involved in the TNR of feral cats. And many vets willing to do the neutering for free. As far as publicity - not yet, the call just came in this morning. It's something to keep in mind. Thanks for another great idea.

Thanks for your offer to help, backslash. I should have more info by Friday evening, but at this point, it's good to have options - even if that means driving to NC. I hope the construction on 85 is finished. A few years back, we went to a family reunion in Virginia Beach at one of my sister's house and got stuck in the road construction traffic for a few hours. Funny coincidence, on our trip back home, four different car loads of family members ate at the same restaurant in Greenville. We must have missed each other by minutes. Okay, maybe that's not funny, but it was a coincidence!

Hope you have a wonderful birthday, backslashbaby.