A campus cat-astrophe

[Kappas Are Yummy]

I saw this today in the paper, I can't believe that even at SMU people are supposed to put up with this hippy garbage. I see the cats around campus all the time and I always wondered what weirdo would leave food out for them. I say that if the cats want to live on campus, they should catch mice to eat or be removed like any other pest (I'm looking at you Jim Copeland).

From today's Daily Campus:

http://www.smudailycampus.com/vnews/dis ... be71b73b4b

Campus kitties gain faculty and staff support, yet still in need

By Ben Briscoe, Layout Editor, bbriscoe@smu.edu
November 29, 2005

You may have noticed them before. Eating, scurrying, meowing and hiding behind campus foliage. But for a small group of faculty and staff, these wild cats need more than a casual glance in their direction; they need representation.

According to a brochure for the program, the Feral Cat Program “consists of volunteers who monitor, evaluate and provide humane care” for the campus’s approximately 71 cats in 12 different, established colonies.

The program began several years ago when an elderly women who lived in the SMU area became concerned about the number of homeless cats in and around campus.

“Working with KittiCo, a local non-profit rescue group, she began the feeding and Trap, Neuter and Return protocol on this campus,” said Jacqueline Bradly, a faculty member of the English department and a volunteer for the program.

Although the program cites that SMU has one of the smaller populations of cats than is typical for its size, the FCP says it’s still in need of more volunteers, with only six currently.

One aspect of the program includes feeding and monitoring. According to FCP’s Web site, a feeder’s job consists of setting food out for the cats keeping an eye out for any injuries or illnesses. This is estimated to require one to two miles walking and one hour of time.

The Trap Neuter and Return portion of the program works by first trapping cats humanely with trained volunteers. Those captured felines are then taken to the vet for examination, spaying or neutering and vaccination. After that, the cats are given a painless “ear-tip” for identification purposes, and finally, they are returned to their colony to live out their lives “as natural as possible,” without reproducing. So far this year, 10 cats have been sterilized under the TNR.

Bradly stressed how rewarding working with the cats can be.

“I volunteer because it’s good for both the body and soul, and you can’t say that about too many things in life. I get in my walking exercise a couple nights a week, and I do a good deed by feeding a homeless animal. It’s a win-win opportunity,” she said. “Giving back to the community is always worth the effort.”

IMAGES Administrative Coordinator Althea Webb agreeed with Bradly.

“I’m in it because I love animals. I love cats in particular, and it’s something I can do to help see some of them cared for. There are too many of our fellow creatures that aren’t cared for, are mistreated, abandoned and especially left to reproduce uncontrolled, making the problems worse and worse. I’m thrilled to be in a position to do something substantial to improve the situation even for the small population we have here. Besides that, it’s a way to participate in the well-being of SMU,” Webb said.

The brochure cites other ways to help out the program, such as donating through gift cards available on the Web site, driving slowly through campus streets and driveways, keeping your distance from the cats, whose behavior is often unpredictable, and not disturbing the feed stations or traps displaying FCP labels.

Although the program is partially funded by the Summerlee Foundation and KittiCo, Bradly said donations are still needed to cover the funds that must be independently raised for supplies and emergency medical care of the cats.

The FCP, supported by the KittiCo Cat Rescue and The Summerlee Foundation, will be outside Hughes-Trigg on Thursday seeking more volunteers and selling gift donation cards for the holidays.

If you have any concerns, complaints or would like to know more about the program, contact the SMU police at (214) 768-3333 or leave a voice mail with the FCP at (214) 768-2960.

[NavyCrimson]

sounds like some folks with too much time on their hands

[crazy horse]

Ever been to Athens Greece?

They have an entire national garden just for feral cats - no dogs allowed. Literally hundreds, if not thousands of cats and kittens running all over the place. People drop food off and occasionally snag a kitten for a pet.

Its a cat lovers paradise.

[NavyCrimson]

LOL!!!

[mustangbill67]

I am not a cat person but I do not see what the problem is. It looks like these people are solving what could be a serious problem in a humane way that serves the entire SMU campus.

[MustangSally]

Well, in my experience, it's not a problem that there were cats on campus, but that there were cats EVERYWHERE.

I lived in the SMU owned apartments on Binkley, and there seemed to be a new litter of kittens outside our building every 2-3 months.

But how do you humanely decrease the cat population? I dont know, but there's a football gameday promotion there..."Come to the Memphis game, take home your own kitty"

[mustangbill67]

This appears to be a Trap Neuter and Return program that should substantially reduce the cat population over time. I guess with the ever soaring rat population in all areas of Dallas, including university park, having a few feral cats around is probably not a bad thing.

[abezontar]

actually wouldn't a rat kill a cat, they are about the same size and i would venture to say that the rat is probably much tougher than a cat.....maybe if it was one rat against a group of cats, but when was the last time you heard of a rat lviing by itself

[couch 'em]

just releast a bunch of dogs on campus. they'll take care of the cats.

then we have a bunch of stray dogs.....but at least they aren't so selfish.

[Spaz]

Mustang Sally....Tell the story of MikeT's T-top and the cats

[mustangbill67]

actually wouldn't a rat kill a cat, they are about the same size and i would venture to say that the rat is probably much tougher than a cat.....maybe if it was one rat against a group of cats, but when was the last time you heard of a rat lviing by itself

Man, what part of town do you live in with rats as large as cats? I have seen a lot of rats,some in Dallas residential areas, but mainly on downtown streets in major cities late at night. They are all much smaller than a feral cat.

[friarwolf]

You have got to be kidding........unbelievable.

Can you imagine the conversation going on amongst the "feral kittie" local population? "Hey guys, have you heard? There's this college that offers us food and protection for free!!!!! The only thing is you might have to let them "clip you" but it just unloads the equipment, it doesn't stop you from having fun! Let's go before they say the program is full!!!!!!!"[/b]

[ponyplayer]

You have got to be kidding........unbelievable.

Can you imagine the conversation going on amongst the "feral kittie" local population? "Hey guys, have you heard? There's this college that offers us food and protection for free!!!!! The only thing is you might have to let them "clip you" but it just unloads the equipment, it doesn't stop you from having fun! Let's go before they say the program is full!!!!!!!"[/b]

really.....quoting a cat.........can i try some of that "kool aid"......

[RGV Pony]

Suprising as it may seem, this was not the first time I've heard about a university-sponsored feral cat program. UTPA had a similar article written about it two years ago. How in the world did such info stay around in my head for so long?

[Peruna_Ate_My_Rolex]

You have got to be kidding........unbelievable.

Can you imagine the conversation going on amongst the "feral kittie" local population? "Hey guys, have you heard? There's this college that offers us food and protection for free!!!!! The only thing is you might have to let them "clip you" but it just unloads the equipment, it doesn't stop you from having fun! Let's go before they say the program is full!!!!!!!"[/b]

Actually, I figured the conversation would go something along the lines of "Meow Meow Meow Meow...Meow Meow Meow Meow...Meow Meow Meow Meow Meow Meow Meow Meow."