The Colony
Chronicles
The Newsletter of
Forgotten Felines of Forsyth
Volume Two, Issue Two
April 2009
When Feral Cats Need More Than TNR
Contact
Information
Forgotten Felines of
Forsyth
302-A South Stratford Road, Box 3
Winston-Salem, NC 27103
Facts and Myths about Lost Cats
By Judy Jordan
A lost cat that is not recovered could take up with an established feral colony—or be the beginning of one. The following information may help you to prevent your cat from winding up in a feral colony.
If my cat doesn’t show up on his regular schedule I should wait a few days before searching for him.
FALSE. Cats are territorial. Your cat’s territory begins and ends at home which is his known food source. So, when he doesn’t show up on his regular schedule, SOMETHING IS WRONG—your cat may be injured, frightened or trapped in a shed or basement. A dominant cat may be blocking his return home. Don’t wait – start looking immediately to increase your chances of finding your cat. An aggressive physical search of your own property and those surrounding it should be your first objective.
If my cat hears me call, she will come.
FALSE. If your cat has been injured, frightened or is ill, she may hide and be completely silent. This well-known behavior is called the Silence Factor. A frightened or injured cat may experience everything and everyone as a threat – even you. The cat feels that moving or making noise may cause a predator to attack. This behavior is typically exhibited for seven to ten days but has been known to continue for up to 20 days. It is thought that hunger and thirst are what finally prompts the cat to break its silence or come out of hiding.
The humane management of forgotten
felines (feral, semi-feral, and stray).
I need to ask my neighbors for permission to search their yards.TRUE. Always ask your neighbors if YOU can search their yards, even if they offer to do so. Your neighbor will not crawl under a muddy deck or step through briars to look for your kitty. Remember that a cat can get into a space only as wide as its whiskers so look everywhere—under, over and inside brush piles, sheds, pipes, ditches, etc. Sometimes a cat will get into a fenced yard and can’t find her way out. Always search abandoned property or those that are under construction. Call loudly and LISTEN – your cat could have slipped inside while a realtor or construction worker was present and be trapped.
If you see a cat wandering, it may be lost.
TRUE. Always check the lost and found ads as well as www.lassiecomehomenc.org and www.forsyth.cc/animalcontrol to be sure that a cat you have seen is not lost. When a dog is seen loose or roaming, it is perceived as unusual but most don’t feel the same about a cat. Get in the habit of noticing cats that you see outside and, if you don’t recognize them, please check to be sure they are not someone’s missing pet. Even if you only spotted a cat briefly, still make that call – a person searching for their lost cat will gladly come and check out every sighting.
It is so important to have your cat spayed or neutered, even if it is indoors only. An escaped and intact cat will certainly contribute to the already excessive numbers of stray and feral cats. Additionally, a cat that is not spayed or neutered is more likely to fight and face heightened exposure to injury and disease.
If you have more questions about lost cats, feel free to email them to: catfinder@earthlink.net.
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