He said it to me in a low voice so he couldn’t be overheard by his boss as he helped me carry the feral cat in the trap to my car.

He had been worried since he learned the management of his company had called PAF because an unneutered male cat was spraying the premises. He fed the little feral cat every day in a quiet corner behind some pallets.

On the North Van waterfront there are many large warehouses and feral cats often wander inside amongst equipment and shelving. They find nice cozy places to sleep and stay out of the winter weather. And it’s good for a waterfront business to have feral cats around. Vancouver has a huge rodent population.

I explained how our Trap/Neuter/Return (“TNR”) program works to the management of the company and they were pleased to co-operate by taking the cat back after our veterinarian had neutered, vaccinated, tattooed, dewormed and defleaed their kitty. They also gave us a donation for helping them. The whole company now knows how a TNR program works and that it is the most humane, cost effective way to manage and lower the constantly reproducing feral population.

The compassionate and relieved employee is thrilled to have his little feral friend back and management is pleased that the cat is neutered and there is no more spraying going on in their warehouse. It’s a win-win-win situation – for the Company, for the employee, and especially for the cat ! It’s also a win situation for the residents of the local taxpayer-funded animal shelter as hundreds of future kittens won’t now be turned in from this area because of a roaming, unfixed male feral.

All animals deserve respect and attitudes about animal care have changed dramatically in the last 20 years. People expect more to be done. There is a more compassionate approach today and a requirement that we be good stewards for their care. As residents and donors we need to demand a TNR program be implemented at all our animal welfare agencies.

Photo of the little feral