2008 Woodie Awards
Campus Cat Coalition captures kittens in need
Marcinda Coil
Issue date: 10/11/06 Section: Campus
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Just before the fall students flooded the classrooms, seven kittens were found roaming in a dumpster filled with scrap metal here on the Bakersfield College campus.
"They were four to five weeks old, and it appeared the mother had put them in there," said Library Technician Carol Paschal, who is also a member of the Campus Cat Coalition.
According to Paschal, the kittens were rescued and then left nearby the dumpster in hopes that "Mama Kitty" would continue to feed them.
"We eventually moved them to a safer location," said Paschal, "and cared for them ourselves."
It took about a month and a half before all seven kittens were adopted.
What happened to Mama Kitty?
According to Paschal, the mama kitty was caught, spayed, and then released.
This is just one example of how the Campus Cat Coalition is trying to reduce the feral cat syndrome here on campus.
The coalition began in 2004, and is made up of 40 faculty, staff, and student members.
"It was spurred by the need to bring a number of people who were already working with cats individually, together as a group," said Paschal, "to form a cohesive and goal-oriented organization."
According to Paschal, the coalition uses the Trap/Neuter/Release program to help reduce the cat population, which also involves maintaining and monitoring the cats at their feeding stations.
"Based on their breeding habits," explained Paschal, "our campus cat population would be well over 200 by now, if not for the work we do."
Not only are the cats neutered, they are vaccinated when money permits it.
"Besides the obvious reduction in population," stated Paschal, "the benefits of a T/N/R program include healthier cats, a reduction in unpleasant male cat behavior, [and] the elimination of scavengers."
According to Paschal, the coalition has either adopted or neutered 85 cats, and now there are only 45 cats left on campus. All but two cats are neutered, "who will be caught as soon as they are old enough."
"They were four to five weeks old, and it appeared the mother had put them in there," said Library Technician Carol Paschal, who is also a member of the Campus Cat Coalition.
According to Paschal, the kittens were rescued and then left nearby the dumpster in hopes that "Mama Kitty" would continue to feed them.
"We eventually moved them to a safer location," said Paschal, "and cared for them ourselves."
It took about a month and a half before all seven kittens were adopted.
What happened to Mama Kitty?
According to Paschal, the mama kitty was caught, spayed, and then released.
This is just one example of how the Campus Cat Coalition is trying to reduce the feral cat syndrome here on campus.
The coalition began in 2004, and is made up of 40 faculty, staff, and student members.
"It was spurred by the need to bring a number of people who were already working with cats individually, together as a group," said Paschal, "to form a cohesive and goal-oriented organization."
According to Paschal, the coalition uses the Trap/Neuter/Release program to help reduce the cat population, which also involves maintaining and monitoring the cats at their feeding stations.
"Based on their breeding habits," explained Paschal, "our campus cat population would be well over 200 by now, if not for the work we do."
Not only are the cats neutered, they are vaccinated when money permits it.
"Besides the obvious reduction in population," stated Paschal, "the benefits of a T/N/R program include healthier cats, a reduction in unpleasant male cat behavior, [and] the elimination of scavengers."
According to Paschal, the coalition has either adopted or neutered 85 cats, and now there are only 45 cats left on campus. All but two cats are neutered, "who will be caught as soon as they are old enough."
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