Spring is here and hormones are once again raging in the cat population. Already scores of kittens have arrived and many more are on the way. The urge to reproduce is strong, and the body changes during breeding season creating strong scents in the glands and urine to draw adult felines together. As the weather warms, males begin their alpha wars. Usually at night and often accompanied by their “songs,” they may wander far from their home territories in search of mates.

While Catalyst for Cats, Inc. has made a sizable dent in the feral cat population of Santa Barbara County in recent years, there are many intact cats still out there. Added to the equation this year, is a great number of abandoned pets due to the economic and housing crisis. We need your help more than ever to track down the ferals and misplaced animals so that we can continue to stem the tide of over-population.

Time is of the essence in order to catch the females before they drop their litters, as most are already pregnant. Trapping, spay/neutering and returning (TNR) the adult cats is essential to curbing tragic stories of starvation and disease for hundreds of unwanted kittens. Returning these cats to where they were trapped provides the good pest control only a feral can render to our communities. When kittens are found, fostering and finding homes for them is a rewarding endeavor.

Family groups or “colonies” are all trapped at one time, so it is important to take a head count before giving us a call. We will trap the group and it will be spayed/neutered, inoculated against diseases and fleas, and then the feral ones will be returned to live out their natural lives, but without the voracious breeding urges. Each individual will be identified by trapping address, gender and description, so if it isn’t feral, it will be held at a shelter and the owner will have a chance to find it.

Please visit our website, read about our cause, and fill out a volunteer application if you are interested in helping. If you prefer to help out monetarily, there is also a donation form there. The cats need us, the County needs us