Feral cats flourish in high foreclosure community

[Liberal_in_LA]

In areas like Mountain House -- in 2008 the small community of 8,000 was considered the most "underwater" community in the country -- families abandoned their homes and sometimes their pets.

Although Mountain House is no longer the poster child for foreclosures, residents are dealing with the legacy of thousands of feral cats.

Abandoned and feral cats and kittens can be spotted most anywhere. In fact, an extra-large feral cat lounging on a rooftop was mistaken for a mountain lion in late July.

But thanks to efforts from a group of animal-loving friends who have formed the Mountain House Feral Cat Rescue, dozens have been taken in since May. The group has begun trapping, spaying and neutering, and either releasing or adopting out neutered cats to try to curb the growing numbers -- which they estimate at about 1,500 to 2,000.



At Patricia and Bryan Harrison's home in Mountain View, eight kittens happily bop each other on the head, tug at each others' ears and zip in and out from under a couch. Two others sit in the couple's bathroom.

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Two feral kittens rest in an area where they can become acclimated to people at the home of Bryan and Patricia Harrison in Mountain House on Friday. their wide blue eyes and quiet demeanor would never lead anyone to guess the kittens were less than 24 hours off the street.

http://www.mercurynews.com/breaking-news/ci_21392735/wild-cats-prowl-mountain-house

[jsmirman]

1. TNR or TN and ADOPT

Those who would abandon their animals are beyond contempt, although I have enough contempt to spare for them.

Those who abandon their animals and do not bother to spay or neuter are serial killers.

[monmouth]

3. One of the wealthiest Avenues in Florida is Worth Avenue in Palm Beach. It is also home to a very

large colony of feral cats. The snow birds come down in the fall, leave after Easter and just let the animals out to fend for themselves. I agree, they are animal killers..

[Warpy]

6. I'm not going to second guess anyone in crisis

and I know shelters tend to be full in kitten season, which runs April to July. They might have gotten turned away at multiple shelters, they weren't thinking clearly, and the kitty just got left outside.

TNR is a great program since feral cats do provide a service by eating insects and rodents. Some of the cats with strong memories of their first homes can be tamed down and turned back into house pets. The ones born feral can likely not be tamed down. Kittens can be fostered and made suitable for adoption.

I'd rather spend less time on what happened then than figuring what to do now. TNR is a great program. It's not perfect, but it's better than letting litter after litter be born and die miserably of parasites or illness. There will always be a few cats that are too smart to fall for the traps and ferals will always be with us.

Why yes, I'm a Crazy Cat Lady who has tamed down strays and rehabbed them and found them homes, why do you ask?

[jsmirman]

9. I'd like to believe you that most people make a best effort

But I just don't think that's the case.

And also, as I'm guessing you are, I'm a person who will protect my animal(s) with my life.

[fleur-de-lisa]

2. Lots of ferals in my neighborhood in south Louisiana too . . .

mainly descendants of pets abandoned after Katrina. I trap them and have them spayed/neutered, then release them. They usually hang around afterward, so I kind of adopted some. So sad . . . why don't people spay/neuter their pets?

[Liberal_in_LA]

4. thank you for taking care of the innocent animals

[Guy Whitey Corngood]

5. I for one welcome our new feline

overlords.

[arely staircase]

7. is this that pussy riot i have been hearing so much about?

eom

[Liberal_in_LA]

8. why yes

[joeybee12]

10. I have a colony of 50..every once in a while there's an adoptable cat

that I catch, but sadly far too often they are really feral or have been on their own for so long the only thing you can do is stop them from multiplying and making sure they're still fed. This is Vegas and the feral cat population is out of control.