CMA 2016 #211 · Agenda item attachment · Aug 1 2016

TRIPLE R PETS Compiled and Written By: animal disaster relief Triple R Pets RELIEF RESCUE PO Box 86, Western Springs, IL 60558 REBUILD [phone removed] phone [phone removed] fax www.triplerpets.org A Case Study of the Effectiveness of TR on a Feral Cat Colony QUESTION Does a TR trap/neuter/return program stabilize or reduce the feral cat population of an established colony fed and sheltered by a responsible caretaker in an urban neighborhood? BACKGROUND The environment for this study was a two-block-square radius centered on the colony. This area is a mixed density urban neighborhood in Chicago, Illinois at approximately 6300 S Cicero and adjacent to Midway airport. The neighborhood included: Single-family residences • Multi-family apartments • Alleys, backyards and garages in various stages of maintenance • Small businesses on the ground floors of apartment buildings • Midway International Airport with hangars, storage, open fields and runways • One abandoned and boarded up multi-story residence The area is an ideal habitat for feral cats. The feral cat Figure 1: Cat 2 Prior to TNR colony caretaker lives in a single-family residence with a small, well-tended backyard and a well-kept garage accessible via an alley. Between the garage and backyard, a feeding station and several small shelters built from plastic storage containers are provided for the feral cats that compose the colony. Rover forest Lite Haly 1 Pen Weed Sinn w zind Si 2m01 St Fringepric Part ate gan i party ILLINOIS rukfiol COOK 1 trel Eld Y8-17S4. -foreet View • Hyde Park WAIt Ave W. 5921 2 countryside EAT SE Figure 2: Map of Colony Location, Chicago, IL

TRIPLE R PETS omar disaster foret RELIEF RESCUE A Case Study of the Effectiveness of TNR on a Feral Cat Colony REBUILD RESEARCH From July 2006 to April 2007, Trap and Remove was the method used to control the feral cat population. The removed cats were either adopted to private parties or surrendered to a shelter. The colony's numbers steadily increased from one cat to eleven cats despite removal of kittens and strays (see Figure 3: Trap and Remove Colony Statistics). Status Date Population 4 Jul-06 Female Cat 1 arrived with three older Kittens B, C and D 6 Aug-06 Adult Cats 2 and 3 joined the colony 8 Sep-06 Two new kittens E and F are born 6 Oct-06 Kittens E and F are surrendered to a local shelter 10 Dec-06 Kittens G, H, I and J are born Kitten K born Jan-07 10 Feb-07 Kitten K is surrendered to a local shelter 9 Mar-07 Kitten D disappears 11 Kittens L and M are born Apr-07 Figure 3: Trap and Remove Colony Statistics EXPERIMENT From April 28, 2007 to September 8, 2007, a Trap, Neuter and Return (TR) method was implemented and maintained. Eleven feral cats were spayed and neutered and provided with basic medical care (See Figure 4: Trap, Neuter and Return Timeline). S/N Date Cat Gender M Kitten C Apr 28 2007 M Kitten H Apr 28 2007 Kitten G M Apr 28 2007 M Cat 2 Apr 28 2007 Kitten I M Apr 29 2007 F Kitten J Apr 29 2007 F Jun 9 2007 Cat 3 F Cat 1 Jun 9 2007 Jun 9 2007 Kitten B M Kitten L M Sept 8 2007 Kitten M M Sept 8 2007 Figure 4: Trap, Neuter and Return Timeline © Triple R Pets 2009 February 5, 2009 Page 2 of 5

TRIPLE R PETS animal disaster relief RELIEF HESCUE A Case Study of the Effectiveness of TR on a Feral Cat Colony REBUILD DESCRIPTION OF THE TNR PROGRAM Volunteers of Triple R Pets, an animal disaster relief, not-for-profit organization humanely trapped the cats. Cats were transported to PAWS Chicago's Lurie Clinic, a low-cost spay/neuter facility where the cats were spayed/neutered and eartipped, and where they received antibiotics, pain medication, rabies and distemper vaccinations, a Cook County rabies tag, parasite control for worms, fleas, ticks and ear mites, and a microchip individually registering the cat to Triple R Pets. Each cat was registered in the Triple R Pets feral cat database, and, in November 2007, the entire colony was registered as a managed feral cat colony with Cook County under the Cook County Feral Cat Management Ordinance. The colony's caretaker continued to monitor the colony for new cats. The costs for the TR program as described above were covered by donations made to Triple R Pets by the caretaker and other donors. Volunteers for Triple R Pets donated all time, labor, transport, and miscellaneous costs. The PAWS Lurie Clinic provided the veterinarian services at low cost to Triple R Pets. Figure 5: Cat 2 One Month After TNR Services February 5, 2009 © Triple R Pets 2009 Page 3 of 5

TRIPLE R PETS animal disaster relief RELIEF RESCUE A Case Study of the Effectiveness of TNR on a Feral Cat Colony REBUILD RESULTS From June 2007, two months after implementation of the TR program, to February 2009, the colony showed a steady decline from eleven feral cats to three feral cats (see Figure 6: Trap, Neuter and Return Colony Statistics). Only one stray, recently abandoned and very social, cat attempted to join the colony which allowed her to exist at the periphery of its territory. This cat was identified by the colony caretaker, and the cat was easily removed from the colony, spayed, and privately adopted. A steady reduction in the colony population has been since from April, 2007 to February, 2009. Date Population Status 11 April, 2007 Baseline when starting TR Program Kitten I (M neutered) and Kitten H (M neutered) 9 June, 2007 missing Cat 1 (spayed) is surrendered to a no-kill 8 October, 2007 shelter 7 Kitten C (F spayed) missing November, 2007 5 January, 2008 Kitten B and Kitten M missing 6 June, 2008 Cat 5, a stray, joins colony 5 September, 2008 Cat 4 (F spayed by private vet, adopted) October, 2008 Kitten - (M neutered died) December, 2008 Kitten J (F spayed) last seen Three Cats Remain - Cat 2 (M neutered, age February, 2009 3½ years), Cat 3 (F spayed, age 2 1/2 years); Kitten G (F Spayed, age 2 years) Figure 6: Trap, Neuter and Return Colony Statistics © Triple R Pets 2009 February 5, 2009 Page 4 of 5

TRIPLE R PETS animal disaster relief RELIEF RESCUE A Case Study of the Effectiveness of TR on a Feral Cat Colony REBUILD CONCLUSION The Trap and Remove method fails to control the feral cat population of a single colony in an urban environment. The Trap, Neuter and Return method stabilizes a feral cat colony's population and ultimately reduces the number of cats in that colony (see Figure 7: Trap, Neuter and Return Colony Population Tracking). Other feral cats are not likely to join the colony; a stray, socialized and abandoned, cat may attempt to join the colony but can be easily removed from the colony by the # of Cats in Colony 12 10 Trap and Remove Program in Place Trap, Neuter, Return Program in Place Figure 7: Trap, Neuter and Return Colony Population Tracking © Triple R Pets 2009 February 5, 2009 Page 5 of 5