Trap/neuter/return programmes
The proliferation of feral cats in our villages may cause health problems for both cats and human. It can also affect our environment and tourism. Our aim is to compassionately improve the health and living conditions of both feral and domestic cats.
Cats often contract serious diseases and injuries when they fight to claim their territory, or mate. Additionally, the unconstrained multiplication of the cat population can lead to malnourishment and nuisances.
The solution to this is our programme of trapping, neutering, and returning the cats to the site of capture. This limits the increase of the cat population in the wild, provides an effective protection against malnourishment and disease, and also offers the other advantages of neutered cats. See the Neutering Fact Sheet for more information on why neutering is advantageous for both the cats and their human counterparts.
When we are informed of a cat problem in a village or town, we ensure that the following steps are taken:
- Perform an investigation of the extent of the problem, and an estimation of the number of cats involved.
- Contact the mayor to request official support for the trap/neuter/return programme in their municipality. In order for Les amis des chats to become involved, the council must issue a byelaw (arrêté) that confirms and recognises the right of Les amis des chats to commence a trap/neuter/return programme in the community.
- Once the byelaw has been issued, the mayor and other locals are requested for volunteers to help in the trapping of cats and transporting them to a local vet. The traps must be checked frequently, and therefore it is imperative that local people perform this task. This is no easy task, but so far we have been very lucky in finding enough people in each village to help out. One of our representatives may provide training on setting the traps and dealing with the cats.
- The vet may check for certain fatal diseases, which if these are identified, the cat must sadly be put to sleep to prevent spreading of the disease. Otherwise the vet neuters the cats that are brought in and identifies them with a microchip under the name of the municipality or Les amis des chats, as stipulated in the byelaw (see the Code Rural). This provides certain legal protection for the cats by indicating that the are owned.
- Cats are re-released back into the area from where they came, to ensure that they are familiar with feeding possibilities and shelters. It is unfair on the cats to release them in another area, where they have no resources or local knowledge.
Les amis des chats provides the village with a method of controlling the local stray population, without harming the cats.
In some cases where people have taken things into their own hands, it has been known that stray cats have been rounded up and shot or even poisoned. The intervention of Les amis des chats is intended to avoid these situations. Stray cats still live in the village but their population is controlled.
Following a successful trap/neuter/return programme in a village, the council is of course asked for a donation towards the veterinary costs. If you require more information about our trap/neuter/return programme, don't hesitate to contact us.
How are we doing?
Since we were founded in 2000 more than 950 cats have been trapped, neutered, and returned by Les amis des chats. Currently we have a total of more than 40 arrêtés.
