OLD BRIDGE — The most important part of dealing with a feral cat problem is educating the public, according to animal welfare advocates.
According to Anita Greenberg-Belli, a veterinarian and partner in the East Brunswick Animal Hospital, there are roughly 4,000 feral cats in Old Bridge.
Greenberg-Belli and Geoffrey Goyette, vice president of training and development at the Career Development Institute (CDI), discussed a Trap, Neuter, Vaccinate and Return (TNVR) program with the township council June 15.
“It’s long overdue,” Greenberg-Belli said. “One female cat can become pregnant multiple times and have over 100 kittens [during her lifetime].”
TNVR is a method of humanely trapping feral cats, spaying or neutering them, vaccinating for rabies and then returning them to their colonies to live out their lives.
This program involves a colony caretaker who provides food, adequate shelter and monitors the cats’ health.
According to advocates, TNVR has been shown to be the least costly as well as the most efficient and humane way of stabilizing feral cat populations.
“Through [TNVR], we look to reduce the amount [of cats] in the shelters,” Greenberg Belli said. “It’s not a good life. The large population stems from irresponsible people.”
Goyette said a TNVR program would help maintain colonies through volunteers at no cost to the township and make euthanization unnecessary.
He said his organization is dedicated to providing the animal welfare knowledge required to become a certified animal control officer, state-certified animal cruelty investigator, state-certified humane law enforcement officer and shelter worker.
Greenberg-Belli said feral cats live an average of 6.7 years while domesticated cats can live up to 17 years.
“We want to manage what exists, not for the feral cats to continue having babies,” she said.
Greenberg-Belli said the volunteers act as caretakers and keep records of feedings, spaying, neutering and vaccinations.
Goyette, who works with the Edison Township Animal Shelter, said five years ago the shelter was a high-kill shelter. A pilot no-kill program was put in place two years ago.
“The last 15 to 16 months, no cats or dogs were euthanized,” he said, adding this change was accomplished through the hard work of the many volunteer organizations involved.
“It was complicated and there were challenges,” he said.
He added there are feral cat populations in residential and industrial areas in Edison.
Goyette said for a TNVR program, a feeding protocol could be managed among caretakers.
A major concern is to avoid having feral cats and wildlife feeding together, which he has observed.
“We’ve seen a raccoon and cat feeding out of the same bowl,” he said. “We do not want that.
“We need people to provide oversight of the colonies. We are not looking to grow the population but to educate the people … education is key.”
Mayor Owen Henry said in the threeand a-half years he’s been mayor, the feral cat population has been a problem.
“We all need to work together,” he said.
A committee will be formed to discuss implementing a TNVR program, and members will weigh the pros and cons of the program and take into consideration opinions on both sides.
In related news, residents at the council meeting June 15 questioned recent actions by Police Capt. Arthur Carullo, who supervises the animal shelter, for shooting a feral cat.
Carullo explained that he was dispatched to an area of homes in Foxborough Village on a report of problems with feral cats. He said he made the decision that he did because of the condition of the feral cat, whose spine was exposed.
“This was about the quality of life of the residents,” he said.
Some residents said the cat should have been humanely euthanized, adding that Carullo is not a veterinarian.
Henry said they have more or less been reacting to people’s complaints about the feral cat issues.
“We will have to get everyone to contribute and get the problem under control,” he said.