Glenbrooke News

by Peter Gaffney
I have been trapping feral cats in the canal area behind my house on Chatsworth Circle. Seven or so feral cats turned up about a week ago in this area. I have caught three so far (one two nights ago and then two kittens last night) in a Have-a-Heart trap. Animal Services from the city of Elk Grove came out and picked up the cats to take to the SPCA.

This is a very sad and distressing story for all of us animal lovers. On the one hand, we want animals to be treated kindly; on the other, a runaway population of feral cats could spell disaster for songbirds and other canal wildlife.

I would like to urge folks in Glenbrooke to please keep their own cats indoors. I have seen several pet cats in the canal while trapping. I am afraid one of these will wind up in my trap and I won't know how to contact the owner (these cats are wearing no identification that I can see). I am also worried that the housecats could fight with the feral cats or catch disease from them. Then, too, housecats kill a lot of songibrds whenever they can catch them.

This feral cat issue is a real problem I am trying to address in a humane way on a small scale.   If you have any questions, please call me for more information (685-0603). Thank you - Peter Gaffney.

On July 25 Peter asked that we post the following Flyer:

FERAL CATS TRAPPED IN THE WHITELOCK PARKWAY CANAL

Residents whose backyards face the Whitelock Parkway canal have recently noticed a sudden increase in the population of feral cats in the canal area. In response, we have begun a trapping program to humanely remove these animals. Using a Have-a-Heart trap (see photos above), we have safely captured the mother and three of the kittens. There may be three or four more kittens, so the trapping will continue in hopes of capturing all of the cats. The captured cats have been turned over to Elk Grove Animal Services, who in turn takes them to the SPCA for placement if possible.

Feral cats are a real problem for several reasons:

• · They kill native songbirds and waterfowl
• · They carry disease and can spread it to domesticated pet cats through fighting or other contact, usually nocturnal
• · They reproduce frequently and will quickly overrun a neighborhood.

PLEASE KEEP YOUR PET CATS INDOORS, AT LEAST AT NIGHT, AND PUT A COLLAR WITH IDENTIFICATION ON YOUR CAT. IF YOUR CAT WINDS UP IN THE TRAP, WE NEED TO KNOW WHO OWNS IT SO WE CAN RETURN IT TO YOU!

PLEASE CALL PETER GAFFNEY (685-0603) IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OR CONCERNS. THANK YOU FOR YOUR COOPERATION!