Bethesda (Vocus) June 7, 2010
The next time you’re in Atlantic City, take a break from the casinos and shopping and have a look at the permanent residents living quietly under the busy planks of the city’s Boardwalk — a colony of famous feral cats.
In 2000, Alley Cat Allies, the national advocate for stray and feral cats, launched a city-endorsed Trap-Neuter-Return program and has continued caring for the cats over the last ten years with the help of volunteers and services from the Humane Society of Atlantic County. These feral cats — like all feral cats — are not socialized to people and are not adapted to living indoors. Instead, the cats live healthy, natural lives in their outdoor homes.
“With Trap-Neuter-Return, the cats are humanely trapped then neutered and vaccinated by a veterinarian, which improves their lives by eliminating the stresses of mating and pregnancy,” said Becky Robinson, president of Alley Cat Allies. ”It also prevents future litters of kittens — which stabilizes the colony size.”
Under standard Trap-Neuter-Return protocol, the cats have the tip of their left ear removed while still under anesthesia from surgery. This ‘eartip’ identifies the cat as having been neutered and vaccinated.
After surgery, the feral cats are returned to the boardwalk where they are closely monitored. The Boardwalk Cats are given fresh food and water regularly and have comfortable shelters for the colder months. Alley Cat Allies hosts regular clean-up days to remove litter and debris in order to keep the habitats clean.
The Boardwalk Cats Project serves as a model for similar programs across the country.
To learn more about Alley Cat Allies’ Boardwalk Cats Project and find out how you can help, visit AlleyCat.org/BoardwalkCatsProject.
About Alley Cat Allies
Alley Cat Allies is the nation’s leading advocate for stray and feral cats. Their web site is http://www.alleycat.org .
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