Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association 1993, 203, 449–452. Neutering of feral cats as an alternative to eradication programs. Journal of Applied Animal Welfare Science 2002, 5, 15–28. Implementation of a Feral Cat Management Program on a University Campus. Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association 1996, 209, 2016–2020. Current issues in the control of stray and feral cats. “The reduction in intake was most likely… due to several factors, including a decrease in kitten births via neutering, decreased nuisance behavior associated with breeding and territorial defense, and creation of alternatives to impoundment”. Īlachua County, Florida: A two-year University of Florida study, reported in The Veterinary Journal, documented a 66% decrease in shelter intake of cats from a “target” zip code in Alachua County, Florida, as compared to a 12% decrease from the rest of the county.
There were no changes in procedure or code to account for this decrease”. Orange County, Florida: Following the implementation of Orange County (Florida) Animal Services’ TNR program, researchers reported: “Complaints have decreased gradually, and only rarely has it been necessary to move colonies… despite the change broadening the definition of a nuisance complaint in the last two years, complaints decreased in FY 2000/2001. Three years later, nocturnal vocalizing had been greatly reduced and was not detected by the authors at any time during the three-year census”. Long Hansen’s Disease Center in Carville, Louisiana, where researchers reported that “unwanted noise from cats fighting and from mating calls was commonly heard during nocturnal visits to the cats’ living areas before the study. Hospital campus: Similar results were observed three years into a TNR program at the Gillis W. Although their research methods did not allow them to evaluate the program’s impact on the population of campus cats two years later, researchers noted that, “based on the decrease in the number of complaints… those who remain are less of a nuisance than previously they were”.
University campus: On the Texas A&M campus, researchers documented the removal of more than one-third of the free-roaming cats for adoption following the implementation of a TNR program.