UTSA faculty and staff group celebrates National Feral Cat Day
An unusual cat finds the Roadrunner statue very interesting at Sombrilla Plaza on the UTSA Main Campus.
An unusual cat finds the Roadrunner statue very interesting at Sombrilla Plaza on the UTSA Main Campus.
Share this Story(Oct. 30, 2014) -- The UTSA Roadrunner Cat Coalition recently celebrated National Feral Cat Day to raise awareness about issues relating to feral and stray cats.
National Feral Cat Day is Oct. 16 and was started in 2001 to raise awareness about feral cats, promote the concept of "Trap-Neuter-Return," and recognize the millions of compassionate people who care for them through Alley Cat Allies, the only national organization dedicated to humane treatment of cats.
The Roadrunner Cat Coalition (RRCC) has celebrated National Feral Cat Day for several years, and this year staffed a table at Sombrilla Plaza on the UTSA Main Campus. Group members distributed literature about feral cats and how to care for colonies, provided information to cat owners about options for free and low-cost spaying or neutering services in San Antonio, and collected donations for the care of the campus kitties.
One member dressed in a cat costume prowled Sombrilla Plaza making friends and posing for pictures with students, faculty and staff, including President Ricardo Romo. View a photo gallery from the event on Facebook.
RRCC was formed nearly 10 years ago as a registered faculty and staff organization to care for the feral and stray cats that live on the Main Campus. Before that, several faculty and staff members independently fed the cats, but without an organized effort to spay and neuter, the number of cats was rapidly growing with many litters of kittens born each year.
With the RRCC program, the number of cats has decreased from more than 50 to less than 20, and their quality-of-life has greatly improved. The group provides daily feeding, monitoring and care for the campus felines. All newly identified cats are taken to the vet for shots and spaying or neutering. Unsocialized cats are ear-tipped to indicate they have already been cared for and are released back to their campus territory, where they are fed and monitored daily.
Friendly strays and kittens are fostered by a coalition volunteer and placed for adoption. The RRCC works closely with the UTSA Office of Facilities work control and grounds teams to respond to issues relating to the cats.
The group also works with the student organization PAWS (Protectors of Animal Welfare and Safety). PAWS also celebrated the day by hosting an information table at the Sombrilla, collecting nearly $100 to support the cats. RRCC is a volunteer group and does not receive any university funding -- food, supplies and veterinary expenses come from volunteers, members and donations, which are greatly appreciated.
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Learn more about the Roadrunner Cat Coalition and see a photo gallery of the National Feral Cat Day activities on Facebook.
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