Tip of the Month Archive 2005
July
How to Build a Coalition
(The Importance of Networking with Others: Part 2)
Congratulations! You have formed a group. Now what
do you do?
It’s helpful if you begin networking with
other groups and individuals with similar concerns
since there is strength in numbers. Coalitions are
the cornerstones of creating successful change within
a community.
There can be many different types of coalitions.
For feral cat groups, potential coalition partners
include spay/neuter organizations, rescue groups,
or even some veterinarians, shelters or humane societies
. What is important is that each member is working
together to reach a common goal. Here are several
ways to find partners:
- Visit a website such as www.worldanimalnet.com
and do a search in your area for these groups. Search
engines such as Google or Yahoo will also provide
you with local contacts.
- Ask group members, friends, and family about
the other organizations they are involved with.
These contacts might be able to help you reach your
goals in ways you may not expect.
- Meet with people in civic organizations, religious
institutions, local volunteer groups, etc.
- Look on this
page to find feral cat organizations in your
area. Contact them, even if they aren’t very
close, because they may have networked with people
near you.
- Launch a listserve for your group. Listserves
are a great way to communicate and brainstorm with
the group’s members and it is an effective
way of distributing information to a wide audience.
People are busy and can log on when their schedule
allows – late at night, on the weekends or
in the early hours!
What Next?
Make a list of all possible partners and ask them
if they’re interested in working with you. Remember
that this will be a mutually beneficial relationship
and give them details about how you can help them,
not only how they can help you. Explain how a TNR
program will reduce the number of cats coming into
their group/shelter. Can you take their calls about
feral cats? Let them know what role your group will
play in this collaboration.
If they’re amenable to your proposal plan a
meeting face-to-face. The links below will direct
you to more extensive information on what to do then.
Additional Resources
June
The Importance of Networking with Others
An important goal that feral cat caregivers should
adopt is often overlooked - the importance of networking
with others. It’s easy to get caught up in the
routine of feeding, trapping, and transporting cats
to clinics and you may not realize the benefits other
people can bring to your operation. They include:
- Moral support.
- Resources. Do you need to find a low-cost spay/neuter
clinic? A pet store that donates food to rescue
groups? Other people may have already found the
resources that you need most but haven’t had
time to find.
- Help with trapping and transporting.
- Someone to feed your colony when you go on vacation
or move.
Tips on Networking
- Look on this
page to find feral cat organizations in you
area. Contact them, even if they aren’t very
close, because they may have networked with people
who are close to you.
- Consider joining our Feral Friends Network (FFN)
if you are experienced with TNR and are able to
lend a hand to people in your area.
- Post doorhangers around your neighborhood or any
neighborhood where you see a colony of cats. Provide
your contact phone number so people can contact
you if they are a) interested in helping, or b)
already feeding or doing TNR. You can order doorhangers
here.
- Join an e-mail listserve. Both Yahoo and Google
have groups that people have formed to discuss feral
and stray cats. There are even groups that are location-specific.
- Ask if you can post flyers at local pet stores
or veterinarian offices.
- Meet with people in civic organizations, religious
institutions, local volunteer groups, etc.
Additional Resources
May
Get Money to Trap-Neuter-Return (TNR) and Feed a
Colony of Feral Cats
You have a small colony of cats that you’ve
been feeding. Clearly they need to be neutered, but
how can you afford to do it?
Check out this
excellent resource and see below for additional ideas
that have worked for other individuals and small groups:
Spay/Neuter and Vaccinations
Cat Food
- Ask local pet stores if they will donate their
damaged or expired food to you.
- There may be a pet food bank at a local shelter
or another location in your community. See if they
will donate leftover food.
- Buy only what dry or wet food you can afford.
The cats do not need anything fancy – they
just need to eat! And you need to save your money!
- For more information on obtaining donations of
food, click here.
Feeling Really Ambitious? Start your Own
Organization!
- Starting your own 501(c)3 non-profit organization
allows you to apply for grants and receive tax-deductible
contributions.
- An organization is a great way to unite the people
in your area who care about feral cats.
- You will have the ability to do TNR on a larger
scale, therefore helping even more of the stray
and feral cats in your community!
Additional Information and Ideas:
April
Learn How to Hand-raise Orphan Kittens
| 0-1
weeks = eyes closed, ears down, can’t
walk but can move around, 2-7 oz
2 weeks
= eyes begin to open, ears open, begins to crawl,
4-10 oz
3 weeks
= eyes open and begin to change color, begins
to walk, baby teeth come in, 7-15 oz
4 weeks =
baby teeth in, eating solids, walking and playing,
8-17 oz |
|
Order
your own “Neonatal Kitten Care Kit" here!
Kittens who need help will often
be vocal. Even if you know the colony and you know
there is a mother cat, keep an eye on the kitten(s)
to make sure the mother comes back. If the mother
does come back, watch where she moves the
kitten(s) so you can take them once they are weaned
and trap and spay the mom to prevent future litters.
Always make sure the mom cat has adequate shelter
for her and her babies. If after a few hours she does
not come back she may have abandoned him and
you will need to bring the kitten
inside.
- Immediately bring the kitten
to a warm, dry place, cover in a blanket or towel
and keep near a heat source such as a warm water
bottle or heating pad on low (microwaving rice in
a sock for 2-4 minutes is a quick and easy alternative).
- Food is very important.
Do not ever feed a kitten cow’s milk –
it will make them sick. If pet stores and veterinarians
are closed and you cannot obtain milk replacement
(such as KMR - Kitten Milk Replacer) you can mix
the following ingredients and give it to the kitten
in a dropper or appropriate bottle.
- One 12oz can of evaporated
skim milk, one 4 oz can of evaporated whole
cow's milk, 4 oz of plain yogurt, and 3 egg
yolks. Do not give kittens regular cow’s
milk!
- Mix all ingredients and strain.
Heat to room temperature. This will last for
4 days if refrigerated.
- All kittens must be burped after
feeding. Hold the kitten upright and gently pat
it's back.
- Kittens under 3 weeks will need
to be stimulated to urinate and defecate. Use a
warm damp cotton ball to simulate a licking motion
on the kitten’s genital and anal area.
- If kittens have mucus around
their eyes or nose gently wipe with a warm damp
cotton ball.
*Use your best judgment. If the kitten
looks sick and is barely moving take him immediately
to a veterinarian.
These are by no means complete instructions.
Please download this free Hand-Raising
Orphaned Kittens booklet and visit the links below.
FAQs
Factsheets
March
How to Safely Recover a Feral Cat After Surgery
If you must hold a feral cat after surgery (due to
illness, complications from surgery, or quarantine)
the following steps must be taken.
- Set up a recovery cage by lining it with newspaper,
a small litter box, food, and water. Take a cardboard
box with a hole cut out of the side and place it
inside the cage to give the cat a place to hide.
*Instead
of the box, consider investing in a feral cat handler
or den. While the cat is inside the den,
the door can be closed and the den easily lifted
out. This makes it easier for you when you need
to clean the cage or release the cat back to his
home.
- Transfer the cat from his trap to the recovery
cage. Place a cover (old quilts and blankets work
the best) over the cage and keep it there at all
times.
- Keep noise to a minimum. This means no music,
no tv, and no loud talking! See: Dos
and Don'ts of Stress Reduction (for Cats and for
Trappers)
- Trap dividers, yard sticks, or wooden rods may
come in handy when you need to move the cat to clean
out the cage.
- If the cat needs medication, ask your doctor to
give it to you in liquid form or capsule so they
can easily be put into his wet food. Feral cats
cannot be pilled!
You can read about and purchase recovery cages, feral
cat handlers/dens, and other equipment from:
yahoo 
