ROOT OF THE PROBLEM

"Ferals cats are responsible for most of the cats that end up in the shelters because most people get their domestic cats fixed. Feral cats do not and just reproduce by the gazillions. Knowing they are the problem, that's why so many cats are killed in shelters," co-founder Leslie Vogt of the Northern Colorado Friends of Ferals in Fort Collins explained.

The program started because Vogt had been on a humane board but realized that they were not doing anything for feral cats, so when she termed off that board 14 years ago, she and co-founder Jan Link created the organization.

Knowing that feral cats are the problem, Vogt said her organization started at the root of the problem: "Go after the feral cats and get them fixed if you can."

It is generally assumed through no fault of their own that feral cats are a result of a domestic cat being lost or left to fend for itself. The offspring are not socialized to people and belong to no one.

The life expectancy of feral cats depends on the colony. Vogt said cats in a good colony with food, shelter and vaccinations live a pretty long life.

Colonies often are comprised of about 12-15 feral cats, but the largest colony that No Co Friends of Ferals dealt with had 101 feral cats.

"It was kind of a hoarder situation," Vogt said.

"Feeding the cats is really important," she said. "Not feeding is not the answer at all. You hear that all the time. Oh, you shouldn't feed the cats, but then they wander around, get into the trash, they are destructive, they spread disease, and they are a nuisance, and they aren't getting fixed because they aren't going to be at the same place, so that we can come trap them.

"Feeding stations are really good; we know where they are going to be, trap them all at once, get them fixed, and you are done."

In addition, feeding stations keep the feral population healthy.

Diseases that are common in the feral cat population are distemper, respiratory problems, rabies (although it isn't widespread) and ringworm, which spreads rapidly but is not painful and is treatable. Many feral cats have abscesses from fighting, but most injuries are treatable.

Feral cats could be a much smaller problem if there were more TNR programs (trap, neuter, release) but TNR programs are hard to come by. Northern Colorado Friends of Ferals treats feral cats in Colorado, Wyoming and now Nebraska.

At 5 months old, a kitten can reproduce. They typically have two to three litters a year, and hence the problem quickly gets out of hand.

Without volunteers, the No Co Friends of Ferals wouldn't exist. Vogt was quick to praise her volunteers, especially Hannah Knox.

Vogt said, "Not only did she go to Kimball and back, the next day (Sunday) she worked at the clinic from 8 a.m. until 5:30 p.m. (when they treated 123 cats), and then Monday, she returned cats to Kimball. And she is in school."

Vogt said she thought that Northern Colorado Friends of Ferals could probably solve the feral cat problem in Kimball with just a few clinics.