First pilot of Medicine Hat’s trap-neuter-return program completed

Only one of the four colonies of cats she’s aware of has been completed.

“It’s a process and it’s going to be a long process there’s a lot of cats that we need to take care of,” Tooth said.

“It was certainly a step in the right direction and from that we were able to help some of the cats by being spay or neutered and the re-homing of the kittens, which was important.”

Tooth added the feral cats are in more than just the industrial areas.

“It’s also in residential areas, and there are pockets within the City of Medicine Hat that have those higher populations, we need to address that and help them,” Tooth said.

READ: Organizations launch long awaited trap neuter return program in Medicine Hat

The Medicine Hat SPCA and Persian Dreams and Canine Themes Rescue Society partnered on the project focused on an established cat colony, to help with feral cat health and ongoing overpopulation concerns.

While being spayed or neutered the cats also received vaccinations, topical parasite treatment, microchip, tattoo, and an ear tip to identify them as spayed or neutered.

The SPCA noted that 34 cats had a spay or neuter completed, and 35 kittens were transferred to rescue organizations.

The organizations said they are committed to expanding Project Snip and Tip to other areas of Medicine Hat as funding and resources allow.

Tooth said a female cat can have up to three litters of kittens per year.

“So in a cat female cats life span they can have upwards of a hundred kittens,” Tooth said.

“There’s a lot more that goes on in that sort of feral world that we don’t know about but ideally, that’s the location that they know, and the home that they know so if we can leave them there. They’ll be a lot happier.”

Tooth said the whole concept of feral is that the cats are used to living in the outdoors.

“If you can get them young enough, they can be brought into your home and live a very happy life,” Tooth said.

“Some of the ones spayed or neutered in the colony that we look after, they’ve actually become very friendly and they’re coming up to us and they’re letting us pet them,” she added.

“I think by having them spay and neutered it takes out a lot of that sort of primal instinct and that aggression and they’re much more friendly.”

Tooth would love to see the City of Medicine Hat come up with funds to help, but also encourages those in the community to support the cause to help these animals live a much happier and healthier life.

by Jesse Gill

First pilot of Medicine Hat’s trap-neuter-return program completed

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