March 1, 2004

In my "spare time," I volunteer for a non-profit Cat Rescue group in Rhode Island called "PawsWatch." The work that I do with PawsWatch is SO important to me. I just finished putting together our Spring newsletter (written by the *fabulous* Kathy MacPherson), and I wanted to post it here... This is all about PawsWatch. Also, below the newsletter, I have "before and after" pics of one of our rescues (who happened to be an abandoned tame cat):

PawsWatch
for the "Other Cats"

Who Are The "Other Cats?"

        True story. Ann Morris, of Tiverton, found a stray cat huddled under her porch one February. It was bitter cold, and the cat was obviously not doing well - very thin, very dirty, trying to nestle under papers and trash. Ann, who lost her husband the previous summer, was home a lot, and had a soft spot for animals. Although the cat would not come to her, Ann put out food, and talked to her in a soft voice. She set up a box full of blankets where it was out of the wind. Ann called around, and asked at the shelter, but no one was missing a scruffy calico cat. So Ann named her "Minnie" after her childhood cat, and decided that she had a new friend. Minnie stayed. She wouldn't come in the house, but she was always near the porch. Minnie had kittens in the spring. Ann's daughter caught two and took them home, and the other two stayed with Minnie. Next spring, one of them had kittens too, and Minnie had another litter.

        (Sound familiar?!) Ann's income was limited, and she got worried about feeding them all. She started making phone calls, to see if anyone could help her. The town animal control officer said they only responded to calls for stray dogs, not cats. A large shelter nearby told her she could borrow a trap and bring the cats in. Since the smallest kittens were 6 months old by then, they would be hard to tame, and the shelter warned her that they would be euthanized. Ann tried four smaller "no-kill" shelters in the next states, but all were full.

        One day, Ann received a phone call from the police. They told her that the neighbors were complaining, and if she did not get rid of the cats, they would have to take them away (to the shelter, which would kill them). But how could Ann allow that? She loved and cared for her little family. Especially now that she lived alone, they were her world.

        A month later, Ann went out to the mailbox in the morning and found Minnie's first kitten, Patches, lying on the driveway, with blood coming out of his mouth. Patches was dying, and clearly in hideous agony. She took Patches to a vet, and was told that he'd been poisoned. Three days later Ann found Minnie, dying in the same unspeakable agony.

        Ann called the police. The policeman was friendly and concerned, but pointed out that Ann had been told to get rid of the cats. They agreed that it was pretty clear who might be poisoning the cats, but told her that without "concrete evidence" there was nothing they could do - although it is a felony to poison cats, due to the extreme suffering involved.

        Over 3 more months, Ann's cats all died in the same way, except little white Lacey. Ann shut the garage door one day while Lacey was inside. She let the little cat into her house, and now keeps her inside so she won't be killed, too.

These are "The Other Cats." The ones no one else helps.
PawsWatch is for them.

All About PawsWatch

1) What is PawsWatch? PawsWatch stops reproduction before cat populations become excessive. We are an 8 year old network of Rhode Island volunteers, based in Newport. PawsWatch teaches Rhode Islanders to trap cats which can't be handled. We then provide vet care including neuter and vaccinations; followed up with adequate food and shelter.

2) Why should we support PawsWatch, when we already have a good shelter?
Simple: For the "other cats." Existing organizations will only help "adoptable" cats. Many, many cats are too frightened in institutional environments, to ever allow socialization. They account for a huge percentage of the cats which are killed annually in the US. Ann Morris' situation is very common. (We've been called to assist over 1000 cats in similar circumstances, in 2003 alone!!)

3) Is PawsWatch "no-kill?" The phrase "no-kill" no longer means "no-kill," because every institution now defines it differently. Many excellent organizations are considered "no-kill" because they kill only what is considered unadoptable - which includes what we call "The Other Cats." * (What else can an adoption-based program do, with a cat like Minnie?! Minnie hissed at Ann for the first 6 months, whenever she got too close!) PawsWatch acknowledges the rare (.01% in 2 years) need for euthanasia by its original definition: "…to relieve unbearable and irreversible suffering." (In 2003, one with advanced stomach cancer.)

4) Does PawsWatch work with the Potter League of Newport? Our first several meetings were held at Potter, with encouragement and information provided by Executive Director Christie Smith. Now when Potter receives phone calls asking for help with unsocialized cats, they refer the calls to PawsWatch. And when PawsWatch receives calls from people asking for help with tame pets, we in turn refer to Potter. Potter's educational programs include information about our approach, and we have visited Potter as guest speakers.

5) How is PawsWatch funded? The volunteers of PawsWatch organize two large fundraisers annually, and the proceeds pay our vet bills. We constantly receive donations, and whenever possible we host smaller fundraisers. We have just signed on a grant writer. When one of our cats or kittens "graduates" (tames up enough to become a pet), we accept a $45. adoption fee to cover its expenses. We keep overhead very low, with a fully volunteer staff.

6) Why don't we help dogs, too? We love dogs, but for cats there is quantitatively greater need. The homeless cat population in the US is colossal. Unlike dogs, wandering cats are considered par for the course; yet they suffer just as much.

7) Do we want to create "colonies" of unsocialized cats? Actually, our goal is to end populations of unsocialized cats… but to do it in a humane fashion, caring for the existing animals instead of just killing them. Colonies die out naturally, once reproduction is halted.

8) Should I feed the stray cats in my backyard? The goal is to provide care to homeless cats, but not to feed Mrs. Smith's cat from down the street! Once you have determined that the stray really is homeless, the answer is: "Yes! But you must also neuter and vaccinate" (which is where we help). There's an old wives tale that feeding strays creates strays. Nonsense - the strays are already there, so don't starve them!

9) What area does PawsWatch assist? Rhode Island. At present, we are most active near Newport, Jamestown, Bristol, Westerly, Tiverton, Kingstown, Providence, Pawtucket, and Cranston. We also get calls from all over the state from people who can't get any other group to help them.

10) Is that "ear-tip" really necessary? Yes, it is. Our vets identify an unsocialized cat which has been neutered and vaccinated by cutting a flat "tip" edge to one ear. It prevents our bringing the same cat in twice for surgery! Without this tip, when an animal control officer picks up an unsocialized cat, it will be killed. The cat's only hope for survival is if it is identified by an "ear tip," and if it winds up at a facility which cooperates. Fortunately, this movement is growing by leaps and bounds, and more and more facilities each year recognize the significance of the ear tip.

11) Some people think it's better to just kill stray cats because they might kill birds. In fact, birds make up a very tiny percentage of a wild cat's diet. And our cats are not surviving by hunting; our graduates are all fed and sheltered. Naturalists' studies show that human habitation is destroying the song birds' habitat - not cats. (Australia's situation is quite different, but this is not Australia.) It's also proven that neuter/vaccinate programs have better longterm success at reducing cat overpopulation, than slaughter.

12) Is my donation tax-deductible? Yes. PawsWatch is a 501c3 non-profit organization. If you use United Way, we are charity #8587.

14) Do you 'test'? "Testing" refers to a check for antibodies to feline leukemia, or feline immune deficiency virus. To do justice to the answer, we include a separate, boxed article (please see next page).

15) Why don't you always return my call on the same day? All messages received at PawsWatch are dated and time-stamped. Our "whiz kid Jenn Bonoff**" goes through them every 3 days at the latest. Calls for pregnancies and emergencies are returned first. If you're comparing how fast we call back with large, established organizations, you might remember that they have large, established budgets and paid staff. Our typical volunteer rises and cares for strays, then works a full-time job, then transports cats to vet care, then checks on trapping projects, then returns phone calls and e-mails. Do we feel bad that we don't always respond within 24 hours? Yes, but we are very proud that for the first time ever, someone will help "The Other Cats!" (And if you pitch in and give us a hand, things will get even better!) (** meet Jenn on page 2)

16) Who are your vets? Whoever will help! Under the leadership of Dom Munafo, Newport Animal Hospital has been number one. Max Balmforth, Mike Kenfield, and Chris Bert have all helped. Vivian Gela and Animal Advocates have been unparalleled in their rescue achievements. Many others vets chip in.

18) Where can I learn more?
www.pawswatch.org
www.feralcat.com - Terrific information from our peers in San Diego, the Feral Cat Coalition
www.alleycat.org - National organization in DC, leaders of this work throughout the U.S.
www.amby.com/cat_site/feral.html - Articles and links to other sites

20) Will it work? It will work, because the concept is appropriate to the times. People don't want to kill cats, period. And overpopulation must be stopped. This approach works. Nationwide, proponents of this method have achieved an astonishing growth rate. As Rhode Island representatives, PawsWatch has already established a consistent track record of responsible management and high quality care. Your help will make the difference.

Noelle

To anyone who has not yet met the beautiful and sweet Noelle... my Christmas kitty.

This is the little girl from the big warehouse colony in Pawtucket... Mary (who feeds there) saw a car pause and drive away, leaving behind Noelle and 2 kittens -- at that point, in great shape and obviously just out of someone's house. Passers-by quickly took the kittens home. Noelle (mom) was not sighted again for a few weeks, when she reappeared, obviously unable to compete with the ferals and starving to death. She is recovering BEAUTIFULLY and she is the sweetest little thing I've ever seen. (Needs a home...)

Before:

After:

I'm now clean, warm, and my belly is full with good food!

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