Feral felines forced to find new homes

After having saved countless feral cats from starvation throughout its stint, the Campus Feral Cat Program has been terminated on the A&M University-Commerce campus. The Campus Feral Cat Program began back in spring 2001, when several feral cats were discovered running around on University grounds. The initial idea was to feed and trap the cats, then spay and neuter the animals to help prevent a population explosion of feral cats, before releasing them back on campus. “The first cat was trapped in April 2001, and was still living on campus,” Dr. Robin Reid, the former head of the program, said.As of November 2007, the program was shut down and feeders removed from the various stations because the University no longer found the program necessary.Since it was shut down, the problem has escalated to raccoons, possums and the few remaining feral cats. “Last fall, before University Day, the wooden platforms that we used to hold the bowls for food and water disappeared,” Reid said. After investigating, Reid was told that Maintenance had removed them because they were attracting wild life and the excrement the animals left behind. These remnants caused a bad odor outside buildings across campus, especially under Binnion Hall.Reid was also told that Maintenance was to block all access to buildings on campus that other wildlife could get into, and that the fecal problem under Binnion Hall was going to be cleaned up at the University’s expense, once cleared of cats. “Later at a committee meeting (to discuss what to do about the feral cat program), I was told that Maintenance had trapped during the fall semester with a number of raccoons, possums, and campus cats (eight to be exact) being trapped and removed from campus.” Reid said The trapped former campus cats were re-released at the University’s Agriculture Barns, Reid was told by David McKenna, executive director of facilities. While there is no longer a program for feral cats on campus, the efforts in Commerce and Hunt County are still going strong.”Dr. Thompson has created a new non-profit organization, working with outside groups, called Prevent a Litter (PAL).” Reid said. Dr. Gary Thompson, a veterinarian in Commerce, started the program along with his wife Beckey. PAL helps with the overpopulation of cats and dogs in the area by spaying and neutering all animals that are brought in to shelters around Hunt County. It also allows residents in Hunt County who have unofficially adopted ‘wild’ cats and dogs to get these animals spayed and neutered at a reduced rate. “Our mission is to help reduce the amount of unwanted animals throughout the county, by doing these low cost spaying/neutering surgeries.” Beckey Thompson said