Feral cat program succeeds

Project Bay Cat was officially launched last year to curb the homeless cat population growth through aggressive spay/neuter and adoption programs, as well as to protect bird habitat and improve debris management along the path.

To reach the program’s goals, the collaborators of Project Bay Cat have worked together to achieve success on several fronts, including stabilizing the feral cat population, reducing the cats’ environmental impact, and educating the community while enlisting its help.

With over 170 cats living along the popular trail in 2004, one of the program’s primary goals is to stop the homeless cat population from growing. To this end, volunteers have diligently trapped the cats to have them spayed/neutered, tested for disease, and vaccinated. Spearheaded by Homeless Cat Network volunteers and thanks to the veterinarians from San Mateo Animal Hospital and Crystal Springs Pet Hospital, 92 percent of the cats that live along the levee pedway have now been altered. This has successfully stabilized the population’s growth. Homeless Cat Network also created an aggressive fostering and adoption program and found homes for over 60 kittens and friendly adult cats.

Due to its dedicated spay/neuter and adoption efforts, Project Bay Cat has already reduced the number of cats living along the levee pedway by 30 percent, thereby exceeding the program’s initial goals.

To protect birds and their habitat and reduce debris along the levee pedway, 10 cat feeding stations were built by Homeless Cat Network and installed along the trail. Appropriate locations for the stations were jointly identified by the three groups, with special consideration given by Sequoia Audubon Society to insure that the stations were placed away from bird habitats. The program’s effectiveness is a result of keeping the cats well-fed and concentrated away from avian nesting sites.

To educate the public about the unique program and encourage community involvement, the city of Foster City erected four Project Bay Cat signs along the levee pedway. Because the homeless cat problem is a result of animal abandonment, which is an illegal and inhumane act, the signs discourage abandonment and inform the public to call police if they see suspicious or malicious activity. The signs also ask the public not to feed the cats unless they are registered through Homeless Cat Network as official feeders.

The successful completion of Phase II marks the transition from active program development to ongoing maintenance. In Phase III, volunteers will continue to provide food and water to the homeless cats while also working to trap the remaining unaltered felines for spay/neuter surgery. Homeless Cat Network is seeking additional volunteers to help feed the cats, foster and socialize kittens, and to humanely trap cats for spay/neuter.

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