The Red and Black

Issue date: 10/11/07 Section: News

Media Credit: SARA GUEVARA Qui-Gon, a 1-year-old cat, poses Wednesday in Modaresi's home. [Click to enlarge]

Media Credit: SARA GUEVARA Shirin Modaresi, 27, a second-year veterinary student in small animal medicine, shows love to Benjen, a 5-month-old foster cat. [Click to enlarge]

They can be found lurking in the bushes of South Campus, scouting out North Deck or scampering across sidewalks by family housing.

They are the stray cats of the University campus.

Campus Cats is an organization trying to remedy this stray cats problem.

The goal of the Campus Cats program is "to humanely reduce the number of homeless cats on the UGA campus," according to their Web site. These cats can prey on wildlife and can spread rabies and other illnesses.

The organization practices "TNR, " or trap, neuter and return. Kelly Bettinger, a University research technician and the coordinator of campus cats, said the cats living on campus are feral cats, and they have never lived with humans.

Bettinger, a professional wildlife biologist, said the group first sets up a feeding station to get the cats to start coming to a set place. After one to two weeks, the group goes out at dusk and sets raccoon traps to catch the cats.

The next day, the cats are spayed or neutered and vaccinated. They are kept for a few days to be fed and looked after.

Finally, the adult cats are released where they were found and assigned a caregiver who monitors the cat. Caregivers also keep an eye out for new cats. The kittens are kept to be tamed and adopted.

Bettinger said this is a natural and effective way to reduce the population since the kittens do not go back out, and the adults are prevented from reproducing.

"It is important to realize that Campus Cats is not trying to make the UGA campus a utopia for unwanted pet cats - if you have a pet cat you cannot keep, please contact the Athens Humane Society," Bettinger said.

According to the Campus Cats Web site, there are an estimated 20,000 feral cats and kittens in the Athens-Clarke County area.

"On campus we estimate the population might be about 80 to 100 animals. To date, 48 of those cats have been 'TNR'd' and 59 kittens have been adopted out with five put in foster care," the Web site said.

"What needs to be done is to stop the source of feral cats - Campus Cats is in support of a mandatory state law to spay and neuter cats," Bettinger said.

If students see a cat on campus, Bettinger said to e-mail feralcatcaregivers@yahoo.com and describe the cat and the location where it was seen. Campus Cats will e-mail back and tell the student whether the cat has already been taken care.

The group is always taking donations and support.

"We would love it if campus groups would be willing to put on a fundraiser for us," Bettinger said.

She said the Campus Cats organization began in February 2006 and became a corporation this year. People have practiced the TNR method at the University since the late 1970s but not in an organized group, Bettinger said.

Oct. 16 is National Feral Cat Day.

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