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CPR For Cats Society, Inc, (CPR) is a not-for-profit, non-kill, organization dedicated to rescuing cats from Federal, State, and local park systems, where they have been born or dumped. We at CPR trap, alter, and vaccinate feral (wild) cats, as well as abandoned house cats and kittens from the parks. We have, recently begun rescuing dogs, as well, on a very limited basis.
One of CPR's largest programs is our feral cat program that we have developed to help get under control the feral cat populations living in our state, local parks and surrounding communities. Although, there is no precise definition of a feral cat, they are abandoned house cats that are too unsocialized to be kept in a typical pet home. They are often born in the wild and are afraid of people from lack of human contact. They usually live in colonies near any food source that they can find in neighborhoods, alleyways, apartment complexes, behind restaurants, on college and hospital campuses. Unchecked breeding, with females spending most of their lives pregnant or nursing, results in feral cat overpopulation even though half of the kittens die soon after birth.
Feral cats are a great challenge for our park's system cities and humane organizations because they comprise a huge percentage of the pet overpopulation problem in America and a large percentage of cats euthanized by animal shelters. Many end up at animal control agencies at a large cost to taxpayers and an emotional burden to shelter workers. Recently, a few agencies around the country have begun promoting the benefits of trap/neuter/return programs including reduction of animal shelter costs, impoundment's, cat complaints, and number of cats euthanized.
Most experts agree that the best and most humane way to manage this population of cats and gradually reduce their numbers is called the trap/neuter/return method. This method involves spaying and neutering the cats and returning them to their environment to be overseen by caretakers.
This approach is accepted by well-respected institutions and organizations including the American Veterinary Medical Association, Texas A&M University and Tufts University veterinary schools, Stanford University, and the San Francisco SPCA. This method involves trapping and having the cats spayed or neutered, then returning them to the environment they came from and looked after by caretakers.
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