 "Photo: Heather Zarbaugh")
More than 30 feral cats roam campus, and now they have a team of caring students working to keep them nourished and healthy.
A student organization called Comet Cat Coalition (CCC) assists Facilities Management in managing and caring for the feral cats on campus.
Since the CCC started in Sept. 2007, more than 16 cats have been trapped, neutered or spayed, vaccinated and released. No new kittens have been born on campus since September, said Heather Zarbaugh, president of the CCC.
Designated feeding stations have been set up by the organization on campus for the cats.
"For safety reasons, I can't tell where the feeding stations are, but we have six feeding stations on campus," Zarbaugh said.
Next to the feeding stations are the trapping cages. Enticing food is placed in the trapping cage for several weeks until the cat feels comfortable going in the cage. Once every couple of weeks the traps are set and cats are taken to the veterinarian.
The organization had a bake sale April 14 - April 18 and sold dog and cat treats. They raised $135 for the organization to help pay vet bills.
The goal is to keep the cat population under control. Feral cats have been on campus since the 1980s, Zarbaugh said.
The CCC will be starting an educational program with Waterview Park and University Village about responsible pet ownership to further help control the feral cat population on campus.
Most of the cats live underneath buildings on campus and in drains. Shelters are going to be built for the cats by the organization, Zarbaugh said.
The CCC discourages adopting feral cats because the cats are deemed too wild for adoption once they reach 8 weeks old, as they are not open to human interaction.
"They usually come out around 6 o'clock on Friday night," Zarbaugh said.
CCC discourages leaving open cans of food for the feral cats because they litter campus and distract cats from designated feeding centers.
For more information, see the CCC at www.comet-cat.com.
Be the first to comment on this article!