Policies and procedures:

Our methods are pretty straightforward. We capture feral cats and kittens with humane, non-lethal traps. Once in custody, we ensure that they are examined by caring veterinarians, who evaluate the animal’s health, and test for incurable, lethal disease (FeLV/FIV/FIP). Once cleared, adults are sterilized, and vaccinated for rabies; young kittens are taken into foster care until sterilization is appropriate. We deworm the animals as needed. We then attempt to socialize the animals for adoption; if the animal comes around, we place the animal into a responsible home wherever possible. Unsocializable animals (usually older animals) are surgically marked with a straight cut across the tip of one ear, and are then returned to their campus “home,” where they are supported and monitored for the rest of their lives.

Our costs average more than $60 per animal for routine veterinary services alone (this would easily run three times that if it weren’t for the kindness of the veterinary clinic we work with). This amount does not take into account the cost of food in the household and out in the field, or for medical expenses other than testing, deworming, vaccination and sterilization.

Note that we are also concerned about the other animal residents and abandoned pets on the UW campus, and will assist whenever possible in their rescue.

A few words

To those tempted to dump their pets on campus for us to deal with: We are not a shelter. We cannot, and will not offer ourselves as a repository for surplus pets. Abadoned pets will be turned over to Animal Control.

And to the students whose abandonment has helped create the feral cat population on and around campus: please do not adopt a pet until you are ready to assume the responsibility for its life.

FeLV, FIV and FIP

Animals which are confirmed as carriers of FeLV, FIV or FIP are humanely euthanized. We do not return infected animals to the field, where they would eventually suffer and die of the disease while spreading it among other members of their colony.

Many rescue agencies—even on the national level—have chosen to disregard testing and vaccination, due to the expense (and, we suspect, the hard choice that follows when the test results are not good). But we maintain that it is both cruel and irresponsible to return a confirmed carrier to the field, where it will continue to spread the virus and eventually die from painful, wasting disease.

We have never looked back from our policy to euthanize carriers of these terrible diseases.

TTVAR and feral populations

Once a cat is cleared and vaccinated, if it can’t be socialized and adopted, it is returned to its home colony, which is provided food and water on a regular basis by a caregiver. The altered cats vigorously defend their territory and food source, discouraging newcomers. Gradually, the colony stabilizes and declines over time. If the caregiver is diligent in managing and monitoring the colony, zero population growth is soon achieved and maintained.

This is not an easy process, nor is it inexpensive (especially if each cat is combo-tested and inoculated as well as sterilized, as we diligently practice and strongly recommend). But it works, and indeed seems to be the only method that does work in the long run.

Less responsible organizations, such as PETA, advocate and practice the eradication of feral colonies. This merely makes room for new, unaltered cats to fill the void and begin the cruel reproductive cycle all over again.

Songbirds and feral populations

Much has been made of the impact of feral colonies on songbird populations. There is little actual data to support the outcry. However, managed feral colonies have convenient, reliable food sources, which reduces predation considerably.

Finally . . .

We also have adoption policies in place. See our adoption pages for further details.