HSSC Fixes 201 Free Roaming Cats

Earlier this year, The Humane Society of Sumner County received a generous grant from the Merrimack River Feline Rescue Society as part of a pilot program to spay and neuter 201 cats.

This particular program concentrated on Gallatin. It is estimated that Gallatin has more than 3000 free roaming cats. These are not owned cats. They are both feral and friendly, living in alley ways, in the woods behind a home, in barns or anywhere they can find resources to survive. The problem is, only about 2% of them are spayed or neutered. The rest are reproducing at a rapid pace.

TNR, or Trap, Neuter, Return for free roaming cats saves lives through prevention. The program prevents breeding, and therefore reduces their numbers. It keeps them out of animal control facilities where, due to the large number of felines available, they have less than a 10% chance for adoption if they are friendly and a zero chance if they are feral. The “return “allows them to live out their lives in the area in which they are familiar. “Most free roaming cats are healthy and happy and have the necessary resources to stay that way,” states HSSC President, Sandra Cherry.

The Humane Society encourages you to help feral and free roaming cats. They have traps to lend. Call 615-822-0061 for information. Sumner Spay Neuter Alliance also offers traps to lend and free spay neuter programs for free roaming cats. Call 615-452-2233 to contact SSNA.