by Michelle Delaney
It was only a little over a year ago that I found a pretty little pregnant calico cat living in my garage. My big-hearted neighbor had been feeding her but the cat had found a small outside entrance into my garage rafters and decided to call it her home. Though she was a tiny little thing, she sure could procreate quickly; again and again. I was able to capture and find good homes for all but three of her offspring, a brother and sister from her first litter and a cute little 3-leg kitten from her second litter.
What to Do? I wasn’t a cat lover but little mama and I share a fierce motherly instinct. I wasn’t sure I would be able to capture her and the 3 offspring but with determination and cat food, I outsmarted the cat family of squatters and brought them to the vet.
After a complete health and wellness checkup, along with appropriate surgeries, the cats came home. I promised my husband I would release them back into the outside world after they recovered from their surgeries. However, nearly immediately they decided to adopt us.
Don’t believe that a feral cat can’t be tamed.
Which leads me to some news for those experiencing the same situation as I had.
The Lake County Animal Shelter is encouraging residents to participate in its on-going program to help decrease the feral cat population countywide. Through Operation Community Caturday, the shelter has already sterilized 500 free-roaming cats since the program began last year.
Trap-Neuter-Vaccinate-Return, or TNVR, improves the lives of cats, addresses community concerns, reduces complaints about cats, and stops the breeding cycle, according to leading cat advocacy group, Alley Cat Allies.
The shelter continues to sterilize and vaccinate up to 50 community cats on the last Saturday of each month and invites residents who are feeding outdoor cats to register online for a TNVR appointment. Appointments are now open for May 25
The cost of surgery is $10 per cat, paid directly to the shelter. Appointments are limited to three cats per resident per month, and each cat must arrive at the shelter on Friday between 6 pm and 7 pm, or Saturday between 7:30 am and 8:30 am.
All cats must be in a humane trap, be healthy, and be a minimum of four pounds. Trapping and returning the cats is the responsibility of the caregiver and not a service provided by the shelter. Residents are required to pick up the cats after surgery on Saturday afternoon and return them to the location where the cat was trapped. Operation Community Caturday is limited to unowned, free-roaming cats, and all cats will be ear-tipped.
To find out more about the Lake County Animal Shelter, visit 28123 County Road 561, Tavares, or call 352-343-9688.
For the most up-to-date information and photos of adoptable animals, follow the shelter on Facebook at www.facebook.com/LakeCountyAnimalShelter and Twitter at www.twitter.com/lakeshelterpets.
