Rancho Los Amigos cat saga continues ...

Los Angeles County Animal Care and Control officers have begun the trapping of cats--feral and friendly--who make up the colonies roaming through the old buildings of the Rancho Los Amigos National Rehabilitation Center. For years the cats have roamed, fed by volunteers. Some, such as the arresting Siamese above, find shelter in the roomy nooks and crannies of the old buildings' foundations.

But after months of controversy over the cats supposedly leaving feces and attracting fleas near more populated buildings -- including a childcare center -- on the center's campus, the county has declared they must go.

They're not going too fast though. County officers set humane spring-loaded traps--cats walk into the cages and a door shuts behind--last Saturday as well as Wednesday and Thursday of this week.

So far, they've gotten six, according to David East. He and his wife, Linda, both retired, have devoted themselves to the cats over the past few years and would like the county to just leave the trapping task to them and other members of a group called Fail-Safe 4 Felines. County officials said they tried that and the colonies only increased to more than 150 cats with evidence of five new litters.

"That's just not true. We're there every day," said David East. "There have been only one or two litters this year that we pulled out and got adopted."

He also said they estimate there are 130 cats remaining. And he also said he believes the sources of the fleas are the dogs he observes people walking and allowing off-leash on the grounds. "They're trying to blame the cats."   

So now, a little dance has developed. The animal control officers, pictured right, set the traps while the Easts--who are there every day--observe. They follow around the officer, take photographs of the traps, and wait for the cats to appear.

"We're not allowed to interfere or make noise," said David East. "We usually just stay across the street from wherever he's trapping."

The cats that are captured are taken to the county's Downey shelter. In the past, many of these cats had been trapped by Fail-Safe 4 Felines volunteers who had them neutered and then returned them to Rancho Los Amigos (a common strategy for feral cats which are nearly impossible to adopt out as house pets.)  So if the officers trap those cats, once they scan the cats' microchips, the volunteers are alerted and can pick up the cats within a day. The volunteers can also place holds on the other trapped cats and get them, too, after five days.

But they can't be returned to Los Amigos. So the challenge is to find homes for them all.

One has already been bailed out. "Tomorrow we are going to bail out another three and they will go to fosters," said Linda East.

One possibility they're looking into--a winery vineyard near Pasadena that wants nine feral cats. (Ferals are great ratters.)

Meanwhile, the Easts and other volunteers are doing their own trapping as well. "We've pulled out 12 to 13," said David East. The county animal control officers, he said, not only don't hassle them but ask when they will be back. "They want us to help," said David East.

We'll keep you posted on the cats' progress.

-- Carla Hall

Photos: Francine Orr / Los Angeles Times

Comments

[Helen Burns Failsafe 4 felines Volunteer]

Many friendly cats have been removed from Rancho, altered, dewormed, given all shots,an adopted out.
We can't stand guard over the property day and night to stop people from droping off cats in the area. Also some of the cats come from the shelter itself. Since they are located back to back cats that have gotten lose can filter over to Rancho. We have traped cats with collars an Impound Numbers from the shelter on them.
We work on donations and our personal money so it takes time We try to help all the cats on the grounds.
Helen Failsafe Volunteer

[Debbie Taylor]

Dear Carla,
Thank you for your thoughtful piece on the Rancho cats.
What a shame that a better, less radical solution could not be found. Many communities welcome the feral cats as they keep the rodent population down and work with rescue groups to ensure people and cats are well-attended to. It doesn't have to be a choice between the two.
Looking forward to your next posting.

[Amber]

I think the cats have a right to be there. If we continue displacing animals, that by no fault of their own,find themselves thrown out of the only place they know where will they all go? This is happening all too often. Are the skunks, racoons, birds, and squirrels next? Why the cats?

This is LA County property therefore I, as a tax payer, want them to stay. Many places have made special accomodations for feral colonies so why can't this be the case here? That's the only way. I think that the Health Dept.'s report is not accurate and it's attempt to scare the public is proof of the lack of evidence against these cats. Rabies? Come on. The statistics on their OWN website speak for themselves and contradict what they are saying. Stop fooling the public because we are on to you!!

[Kim]

These cats have lived here for a while, and have a right to stay. They have no place else to go, except what? Euthanasia? I am ashamed that my tax dollars go to such things as killing hundreds of thousands for homeless, or in this case, wild animals.
We do not catch birds and squirrels and kill them because they poop on things?!?*@!!!!!
And cats are ususally very clean animals anyways, they always cover their droppings.
Regarding fleas, any wild animal can carry fleas, as well as dogs nearby. It's less likely that TNR'd cats will have fleas since they would have had a recent Flea Treatment with their trip to the vet for alteration and vaccinations.
Rabies? C'mon now! I have been bitten and scratched by many cats, wild and domestic, never even worried me that I would get rabies. Especially when these cats are afraid of people, how are they going to bite you if they are running the other way as fast as they can?!?!
Leave them be, and let the volunteers and rescuers care for them!!!!!

[Joe]

These wimpy bullies have nothing better to do than round up abandoned cats who are just trying their best to survive. I really hope that in the next life, animals are in charge and humans are the 'animals'. And those that have abused and mistreated animals will be paid back.