(US) Snip 'n Tip inspires humane management of free-roaming cat population

A new animal-control program in Riverside has quickly made a dent in the city’s feral cat population.

The program, dubbed Snip 'n Tip, aims to gradually reduce the number of free-roaming cats by trapping, spaying or neutering and then releasing them where they were originally found. A small notch is cut on the tip of the cats’ left ears to signify which animals have already passed through the program. Additionally, all cats are taken to a nearby veterinary clinic for full health screenings.

In 2006, the program’s inaugural year, volunteers gathered on two occasions to set traps throughout the city. The final tally for 2006 was 124 cats, 109 of which were spayed or neutered. Nineteen of the animals were adopted.

Volunteers with t Snip ’n Tip took part in another trapping the weekend of Sept. 22. They placed traps in about 20 locations throughout Riverside and Northmoor.

Shirley Oderkirk, co-director of Feral Friends, a division of No More Homeless Pets KC, said the impact to the feral cat population was almost instantaneous.

“The results are pretty immediate,” Oderkirk said. “They immediately stop having kittens, and there’s some natural mortality in the group. So, the numbers go down pretty dramatically.”

Oderkirk said although Riverside had an extensive number of feral cats within the city, they were also common in other communities.

“They are everywhere. They’re in every community,” Oderkirk said. “Riverside is no different than any other community.”

Oderkirk applauded the city of Riverside for approaching the feral cat issue in a humane fashion. She said the Snip ’n Tip program was also more effective than other programs because it prevented the cats from reproducing in the wild. Oderkirk also said neutering the cats eliminated aggressive tendencies in males during the mating season.

“A lot of communities take what they consider to be an easy way out,” Oderkirk. “They trap and remove, which usually means trap, remove and kill. When they do that, other cats just take their place.”

Mike Morrison was one of the many individuals who turned out to assist in the effort Sept. 22. Morris, a former Riverside public safety officer, said feral cats had been forming colonies around the city for several years. Morrison said he regularly spotted the cats roaming near apartment complexes and scavenging food from restaurant Dumpsters while he worked the night shift.

Now, Morrison and other volunteers are determined to manage the population in the most humane way possible.

“When the population goes unchecked, it becomes a real problem,” Morris said. “Something had to be done.”

Mayor Kathy Rose said $25,000 had been allocated for the program in the city’s budget last year. That first year only $7,000 was used, she said, leaving plenty of funds for future efforts.

The program was recognized last month by the Missouri Municipal League with an award for its innovative and humane parameters.

“I think this issue was always out there, and now we’re taking the position to do something about it,” Rose said. “We’re getting way better control on the issue.”

Reference: www.kccommunitynews.com

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