Korvo and Smudge were discovered in a thicket, but after being rehomed, they have become famous in our Catvent Calendar.
Korvo and Smudge were born to a wild mother that visited a home in Raploch, Stirling, Scotland on a regular basis. She was fed by a caring local person who was worried about the wellbeing of the neighborhood’s feral animals.
Yvette Malone, a Community Neutering Officer, works in the region to educate and enlighten the community about the benefits and necessity of neutering. Yvette aids cat owners in having their cats neutered, as well as aiming to minimize the unowned cat population in the Forth Valley area by assisting cats living outdoors.
Korvo and Smudge, who were located in a garden hedge, were particularly difficult to track down since their mother was so afraid of humans that she and the kittens would flee if anyone approached.
“Fortunately, we were able to trap the kittens and bring them into our West Lothian Branch’s foster care while they were still young enough to be effectively socialized,” Yvette said.
“Because the mother cat was so watchful, she was incredibly difficult to catch.” I tried a variety of traps and enticed her with everything from catnip to rotisserie chicken, calmly waiting out of sight for her to enter.
“Eventually, the effort paid off, and I caught her using a manual trap with a long line connected, which allowed me to activate it from a considerable distance.” Knowing that we could finally get her neutered and treated at the clinic was such a wonderful feeling.”
Before being returned to the original location, the mother was taken to a local vet to be checked over, neutered, disease tested, and vaccinated. Adult feral cats cannot be adopted because they are afraid of humans and have past their socialization period. Instead, they are captured, neutered, and returned to their home zone, where they may feel safe and have their wellbeing monitored.
Cats are prolific breeders, capable of becoming pregnant as early as four months of age and producing up to 18 kittens per year. Males who have not been neutered are more likely to fight over territory, making them more susceptible to diseases including feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV) and feline leukemia virus (FeLV).
Feral colonies that spiral out of control are not only dangerous for the cats, but they may also be a nuisance to the neighborhood.
“The value of neutering animals cannot be emphasized; the advantages to the cats and the community are great,” Yvette remarked. This cat will no longer have to deal with the stress of having litters of kittens outside, and will be able to live a much healthier and happy life as a result.”
“In addition to assisting in the reduction of the unowned cat population, our community outreach programs also provide assistance to cat owners who may be unable to afford to neuter, with reduced neutering rates available.” We’re here to educate local residents about the benefits of neutering and, perhaps, make a long-term difference in the area’s cat welfare.”
Korvo and Smudge, the kittens, have now been reunited with their new family and are settling in nicely.
