A solution to Cal State Long Beach feral cat problem?

Cal State Long Beach has a new program to deal with a feral cat population. The Long Beach Press-Telegram reports:

CSULB officials began developing a new feral cat management program this summer after stating that coyotes were being attracted to the campus by the presence of cats and cat food.

Volunteers have long operated numerous feeding stations on campus to care for the cats, while also making an effort to spay and neuter the felines.

The university consulted the caretakers while developing the program, which calls for making food available to the cats only during daytime hours.

The new program "is very close to what the volunteers were hoping to achieve with the care of the feral cat population on campus," said CSULB spokeswoman Toni Beron. "It's not everything they wanted, but they were not necessarily taking into consideration the needs and concerns that were being expressed by others who were also watching the situation."

CSULB will authorize the feeding stations and register volunteers. Unauthorized feeding stations, any after-dark food or any cat shelter will be removed.

Volunteers will be responsible for ensuring the cats are spayed and neutered and for removing socialized cats for adoption or return to owner, if possible, the program states.

But Leslie Abrahams, a cat caretaker, said that the program goes too far by reducing and moving the feeding stations, arguing that it will disrupt the cats' lives. Because cats are territorial, many will continue to return to the location of their original feeding stations, she said.

Comments

[Nancy Peterson]

If It Ain't Broken, Don't Fix It

As the feral cat program manager for The Humane Society of the United States, I said much more than was reported in this article. Not only did I offer my assistance and send several pages of comments concerning CSULB's poorly thought-out feral cat policy to Mary Stephens, Robert Quirk, President Alexander and Chancellor Reed, I also provided these comments to Kevin Butler.

I have received no response from college officials other than Ms. Stephens. She acknowledged my letter and responded that the college was working toward a resolution with those involved on campus. The college's new policy makes it very difficult to properly care for the cats and jeopardizes the progress the caretakers have made in reducing the number of feral cats on campus.

Thanks to caretaker efforts there are approximately 80 feral cats currently being cared for on the campus. Many kittens, young enough to be socialized, and adult cats, formerly pet cats, have been removed from the campus and adopted. However, most feral cats cannot be adopted as pets and should be returned to their territory following Trap-Neuter-Return and receive continued care. People like Leslie Abrahams provide a real service to the college.

Therefore, I'd give the college's new policy an F grade. If anyone would like to read my comments, please contact me at npeterson@humanesociety.org. To learn more about Trap-Neuter-Return, view our short video at www.humanesociety.org/feralcats.

[Michael]

Hi, I commend this initiative as it puts some control into an ad hoc situation. Although it is humane etc. it seems to perpetuate what is seen as a "problem" by a large number of people.

We (people) created the feral cat problem. We must resolve it humanely but we must tackle it for the sake of the cats and ourselves.

Regards
Michael

[Brien Comerford]

Plaudits for all the kind souls that tirelessly endeavor to protect feral cats and displaced creatures.

[Replace CSULB Leadership]

Let's remember that Toni Beron is paid by the University as a PR person. Her job is to spin the facts.

As a former CSULB student, I give her comment "It's not everything they wanted, but they were not necessarily taking into consideration the needs and concerns that were being expressed by others who were also watching the situation." and grade of F-.

Who is she trying to fool? The public! That's her job.
By restricting the feeding hours to daylight hours the University knowingly increases the chance that the local human population will have increased awareness of the cared for colony and dump cats.

By restricting the feeding hours, the college knowingly restricts the ability to recruit working volunteers. Can you delay your start hours until 9 AM or make it from work to the college by 4:30 PM to provide free volunteer hours and skill to feed the cats?

By restricting the feeding to daylight hours, the college increases awareness fo the colony to those with unfounded fears of feral cats.

It would have been better to specify early morning and evening feeding times combined with the requirement that no food be left available for cats and other critters at the time the volunteer leaves.

I applaud the volunteers for their efforts and appreciate their seeking help from other TNRM groups the last year to make improvements to this program they provide as a free service to the college. I am happy to see the numbers drop from the 1984 reported number of 300 down to 80 as a result of their gifts of time, skill, cash, resources and caring..

The posting by the HSUS representative exposes the truth about the lack of cooperation on the college's part.

It's time to replace Mary Stephens, President Alexander and their PR spinning top Toni Beron.