The R Word
A male cat, who recently showed up in our Kyoto program area.
One of the hard aspects of helping cats who are living outdoors is worrying about their ongoing safety. Though no cat should have to be exposed to the constant danger that outdoor life brings, it is inevitably the kindest and best outcome for some. Cats who are born outdoors, and unsocialized to humans, can suffer huge amounts of stress when confined and forced to interact with us. The stress contributes to health issues that can eventually turn their life sentence into a death sentence. In addition, there is already very limited shelter space available, creating a constant need to prioritize more vulnerable young and/or socialized cats. Finally, returned cats hold a place in the community, preventing new unaltered cats from coming in and continuing the cycle of suffering. Japan Cat Network fully endorses and supports the Trap, Neuter, Vaccinate, Return movement (TNVR) as a humane way to help stray and abandoned cats in communities. Here are five important points for helping unsocialized outdoor cats to have the best quality of life possible by returning them to the community in which they are found.
This unsocialized tortie mama was spayed and returned. Her baby was rescued and rehomed.
1. Remember the males
Since the females are the ones who have the kittens, we often see interventions focusing on them. However, the males are very much a part of this equation, and can also create a lot of suffering without neuter. Unaltered males disturb resident cats, are noisy, have very smelly urine, and wander around a large area in search of females. They are much more likely to annoy people living in communities, which puts all community cats at risk for retaliation. In addition, an unaltered male cat’s instinctive drive to fight often results in serious puncture wounds, which then abscess and become infected. Many will not survive this process, and suffer a long tortuous passing. Another serious outcome of puncture wounds is the spread of diseases such as FIV (sometimes called cat AIDS), which is present in great numbers throughout Japan’s stray cat population. FIV+ cats living outdoors do not have the immune system protection that indoor cats have, nor do they have the more positive prognosis of a normal lifespan.
This male cat’s serious wound (likely a fight wound that abscessed) was repaired during neuter surgery, and he will stay in shelter for rehab.
2. Require the vaccine and ear tip
Cats living outdoors are continuously exposed to viruses, and their living conditions impair their immune response for adequate defense. Upper respiratory viruses can cause eye loss and even be deadly for cats already struggling, not to mention the more quickly fatal parvovirus. A vaccine gives cats a much better chance, and studies show that even one vaccine can provide ongoing protection for years afterward. This is why the TNR movement around the world is moving towards TNVR, to include vaccination. When our goal is not only population control but also in providing ongoing quality of life, vaccination is an essential part. Testing for FIV and FELV can also be important for determining health issues in the area’s population. There are different opinions and case by case scenarios as to whether or not positive cats can safely be released. If there is any chance that the cats might be headed to shelter or rehoming, it is much easier to have them tested at the time of surgery. If the budget is tight, the most important aspects are sterilization and vaccination. Many clinics now offer discounts for cats given ear-tips, and this should always be done if there is any chance whatsoever of release. Compassionate adopters won’t mind, if things change, and the little cut from the tip of a cat’s ear is a clear sign of community membership. It will make the cat more welcome to residents and help to prevent future unnecessary trapping by volunteers.
In Japan, “Sakura Neko” are identified by the small v-cut in the top of a TNVR cat’s ear.
3. Rehabilitate first, when needed
All cats should be kept and monitored for at least 24 hours following surgery, especially during cold weather. Cats coming in with wounds or other serious health issues should be kept longer so that there is less danger after release, for example, from large repaired wounds reopening and becoming infected. It’s safest to try to make this rehabilitation time no longer than around a 2 week period, so that the cat does not lose their place within the territory. Most unsocialized cats will be very very stressed when kept in a cage indoors, and may stop eating, which can be life threatening. Stress relieving efforts should be employed, such as fully covering the cage; providing a loft bed for hiding away during cage cleaning and feeding times; keeping the cage in a quiet and less busy area; limiting interaction; and feeding tasty/attractive foods. Cats are sometimes misidentified as socialized simply because they don’t defend themselves or actively resist contact. But, this complete lack of response can mean that they are actually freezing in terror. A socialized cat will welcome contact, will move around the cage fairly comfortably, and will readily eat in the presence of humans. While it may take a day or so for any cat to feel completely safe in a new environment, if there are no visible signs of beginning to relax and feel comfortable, the cat should be considered to lack socialization.
Tall cages with loft beds allow for better separation for safe cleaning and feeding of unsocialized cats.
4. Relocate only as a last resort
It is common for residents to insist that cats not return to a particular area after trapping. Efforts need to be made to explain why return is an important part of solving the problem of unwanted cats living outdoors in the community. Without return, a vacuum is created and will soon be filled by other cats, only to start the cycle all over again. While there might be cases in which there is a significant danger that warrants consideration about returning to the original area, it’s important to leave relocation as only a last resort. Cats are very territorial, and even when careful relocation policy guidelines are followed, released cats are often never seen again. Having a dedicated feeder in the new area will not mean that cats are able to find food and water sources, or safe areas for sheltering, without prior familiarity in place. In addition, new cats will naturally be challenged and actively deterred from remaining in the territory by any cats currently living there. Potential success involves keeping the new cats in a safe but confined space, within the new location, for a certain amount of time before release. This allows the cats to get a better awareness of living aspects in the area, and also allows their own scent to become part of the new territory. Organizing that can be very difficult, depending on the circumstances, but it is the only real chance for cats to acclimatize and remain in the new area.
Territory is very important to the safety of cats, and they are instinctively driven by ongoing concerns related to this aspect. Like this community cat, most are always on guard.
5. Return and maintain
When it’s time to return cats to the original location, it’s usually best to plan the release for a secluded place in the known area, after dark. It’s common not to see unsocialized cats for a day or two following release, perhaps longer. If there’s a way to leave out food and water without attracting complaints or predators, that can help a fearful cat to better recover and to readjust out of sight. Returning cats to an area must be followed by ongoing feeding, watering, monitoring, and sheltering provision, in order for the process to be an effective population control, as well as to provide quality of life. This aspect requires dedication, reliability, and a conscious effort to keep any feeding (or toileting) areas relatively clean. Volunteers already feeding locally might be willing to expand their area slightly, if given support for doing so. The more people involved in ongoing care, the more likely there will still be coverage when/if one caregiver is unable to show up. There are also ongoing maintenance issues, that will be easier to manage with shared responsibility, such as newly abandoned cats or those living in the area who suddenly need medical attention. So, it can be helpful to cooperate with and to support other cat helpers in the area to ensure the ongoing happiness of TNVR cats.
Ensuring ongoing food access is an important aspect for quality of life.
Nobody wants cats living badly in the community, whether they like cats or not. We all want the same thing, in that regard. That is, less cats struggling to survive on the streets. TNVR is well researched to be the most effective way to achieve that outcome, and to also allow for the best quality of life possible, for many of these cats. When provided with enough space and appropriate interaction, unsocialized cats can indeed be socialized to patient caregivers and given an excellent quality of life indoors. This is a very admirable labor of love which is in constant demand. The question often comes down to one of available volunteers or resources, and priority of use. Living day after day as an unsocialized cat, in an overcrowded shelter or stressful home environment can be a torturous existence that some do not survive for long. As hard as the Return can feel, it’s important to put the cats’ needs first, and help to provide them with the most suitable life, under the circumstances. For more information about TNVR, check out these articles:
Best Friends TNVR stray cats overview
This terrified male is the same cat as the one in the first picture. He has since been trapped, neutered, vaccinated, and returned.