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Compassionate Communities

Beckoning Cat Project's new initiative aims to help control feral cat population

D. EVERETT SMITH/Sun-Gazette Correspondent For over four years, the workers of the Beckoning Cat Project have been helping control the feral and stray cat population in Lycoming County. Pictured at top, from left, are Nicole Hennessey; Dr. Meghan Welch with Buttercup; Kerry Perry, executive director; and Amber Mace with Jasmine.

In recent weeks Kerry Perry, executive director of the Beckoning Cat Project in Williamsport, is speaking to local towns councils seeking assistance with the new Compassionate Communities initiative. This new campaign would help control the overpopulation of feral and stray cats in towns across Lycoming County.

“There is a difference between feral and stray cats,” said Perry during an interview at the Beckoning Cat Project’s Third Street storefront. She said that feral cats will have a hard time being domesticated. “What’s the point of getting one of them if they’re going to spend the rest of their lives hiding under a bed?”

While strays are cats that have been abandoned. However, she said there is always someone out there who provides food for cats as well as setting up shelters during the cold months of winter.

Perry said that she advocates for a “TNR” method to deal with such cats. This method is “trap” then “neuter/spay” and then “release” back into the area where it normally roams.

Besides the fixing the animal, the Beckoning Cat Project also provides shots for distemper, rabies and flea.

Normally, such a procedure costs about $67. She is asking for each town to donate $25 per each feral or stray that is caught. The Beckoning Cat Project will donate the other $42 per costs.

She added that each cat will have its ear tipped as a universal sign that it has been fixed.

“This is a common practice everywhere,” she said.

Perry also explained that by taking a TNR approach the growth of the free-roaming cat population will decrease, as well as males spraying, cats fighting as well as them howling at night.

“The cat will also stay in a more localized areas,” she said, because that such a cat would not travel and impregnate other cats.

“Two cats and their offspring can produce over 2 million cats in eight years,” she said.

She added that by controlling the cat population in this manner, this can be done in a humane way that does not involve euthanasia.

According to a pamphlet produced by the Beckoning Cat Project, destroying the cat “is not an effective or humane means of population control” and thanks to the TNR method, many of the cats will have “fewer health issues, decreased risk of certain cancers and no unwanted kittens.”

Perry hopes that this method, as well as support for this, will begin to build momentum within local governing bodies and support their efforts.

“If someone wants me to come and speak about our Compassionate Communities program, I would love too,” she said.

Surrounding county animal groups are also pushing for a TNR approach. According to information provided on The Nobody’s Cat Foundation website, which works in nearby Northumberland and Mifflin, that this “approach prevents suffering among the cats, protects public health (and) reduces stress on wildlife.”

By doing this, funds and other resources that are “desperately needed” are redirected elsewhere.

When asked how Perry became involved with working with cats, she said, “I have always loved cats ever since I was a little girl.”

The Beckoning Cat Project was conceived back in late 2013 when Perry began “to toss around some ideas” about how to handle the overpopulation of feral and stray cats in Lycoming County.

“I didn’t think adding wings to pet shelters to house more animals was the answer,” she said. Her attitude was to go straight to the source and have them fixed.

“And since January 2014, we have fixed over 16,000 feral or stray cats,” she said.

The Beckoning Cat Project employees on full time veterinarian who performs the operations. She is quick to point out, this is only for the feral or stray cats and not cats that will become pets. Perry said other organizations help with that.

However she added that her group is looking for a second veterinarian. “We only do this five times a week, we would love to be able to do this on weekends,” Perry said.

In the meantime, she said the Beckoning Cat Project is always accepting donations of food, litter, “pee-pee” pads, laundry soap and, of course, money. Yet, she is willing to talk to with anyone or any group about the vision of her organization.

“The trap and release program has been successful in other communities,” Perry said.

She added, “I really focus on the good we do here.” Perry went on to explain that when someone brings in a cat to get it fixed, it is released back into a familiar environment and everyone comes out a winner.

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