Category Archives: Feral Cats

TNR Volunteers Needed for TCR’s “Help For Cats” Callers

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Toronto Cat Rescue is seeking committed volunteers in the GTA who are interested in joining a Trap-Neuter-Return (TNR) team! Training will be provided.

“Marblecake” was trapped/spayed/returned to the 707 colony. She was spared from having a litter this Spring. She shows up every day at mealtime and is enjoying life in her managed colony.

TCR receives a magnitude of desperate calls from members of the public who want to help the stray and feral cats in their neighbourhood. Due to lack of resources, we are often unable to help these callers, and try our best to coach them through the process. This can seem daunting and most people are not up for the challenge, so not as many cats receive the help they so desperately need. TCR would love to build a strong team of trained trappers, transporters and recovery homes to help our concerned Line 3 callers.

Currently needed roles – please fill in the form below if you would like to help!

Trappers/Transporters:
You will liaise with the TCR coordinator and colony caregiver in your local area to trap feral cats for spay/neuter/recover and release back to the colony. Depending on the number of cats in the colony and your trapping availability, the process could take up to several months before all the cats are successfully trapped and sterilized. A time commitment is required with colony projects, but we do have occurrences where only one cat needs to be trapped.

The trapped cat will have to be transported to a local clinic for surgery and to a recovery home after surgery, so a car (or a friend who can do the drive) is required with this position.

Recovery Homes:
You will liaise with the TCR coordinator and trapper to recover a feral cat after spay/neuter. Recovery time for males is approximately 24 hours and for females approximately 5 days. A small room or confined space in your home would be required for this.

TNR (M) is proven to be the most effective solution to manage the feral cat crisis. It is a fantastic way to help improve the lives of feral cats. If you would like to learn more or join up for this team, please submit an application today!

Donations needed:
We have a shortage of TNR equipment. Donations of humane live traps (both adult and kitten size) as well as medium sized dog crates would be greatly appreciated! Please call: (416) 538-8592, and leave a message after the beep with the item(s) you have for donation.  You may also make a monetary donation online via Canada Helps so that our volunteers may purchase the items in need.  Thank you!

Spring Shopping Benefiting Feral Cats!

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These stunning Swarovski Crystal Earrings and Necklaces make excellent gifts for friends… or yourself!  The Swarovski Crystal earrings have sterling silver backings and are $20.00 each.  The necklace is $49.99  and is made with beautiful pink Swarovski Crystals with sterling silver wire. 50% from each item is generously being donated towards TCR’s feral colony work in Mississauga (Sue G’s colony)!  Click on pictures to enlarge.

Toronto Cat Rescue volunteers are busy trapping cats to Trap-Neuter-Release(Monitor) at the colony, but there are many more to go and the funds are greatly needed to support the project!  If you are interested in purchasing a set of earrings or a necklace (or one or more of each!) please fill in the online form below and a volunteer will get back to you shortly. 

Feral Cat Feeders Needed in Scarborough

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Update: Thank you to everyone who offered to help – we now have daily feeders for this colony! 

Feral cat feeders are needed at a new TCR colony.  The 707 colony, located in the east end of Toronto at Kennedy/Eglinton, is desperately seeking dedicated feeders.  No experience is necessary.

Benjamin rescued as a young kitten from the 707 colony.

Feeding takes place daily between 6-7pm.  As a feeder you are asked to go weekly on your designated day(s), and put dry and wet cat food down. Feeders pay for their own food but will be given donations if we receive any. This is a great way to start helping TCR and directly makes a difference in the lives of needy cats. You stay in touch with the colony trappers to ensure any new cats are reported. The cats will be so thankful for your good deed!

Important note: There are 3 separate feeding areas within a one kilometer radius, so a car is needed. At one of the locations there are three cute kitties (spayed females) who are waiting for their meal when you arrive. It’s a delight to watch them fill their hungry tummies!

About the 707 Colony:

In early December of 2011, TCR was contacted by a woman, who had been feeding
approximately 15 feral cats and kittens since April, 2011. She was moving to another
province and needed someone to continue feeding the cats. TCR receives dozens of calls like this each day, and it’s impossible to answer every plea, but luckily, one of our volunteer colony caretakers was able to assist. Besides helping with regular feeding, Trap-Neuter-Return (Monitor) began immediately. To date, 14 cats have been trapped and sterilized. 10 of these cats are females, and that has already reduced this year’s springtime litters substantially. About 80% of last year’s kittens did not make it – a sad statistic that we encounter all the time in feral colonies, hence the urgency of TNR(M). Friendly cats and kittens (like Benjamin in the picture) were taken into foster care. Most of them have already found their forever loving homes.

Further assessment of this colony reveals that there are actually about 25-30 cats. To date at least $2,000 has been spent on TNR, including spay/neuter, vaccines, parasite treatment, ear tipping and medical problems. Donations are needed to continue the TNR efforts until the remaining cats are all spayed/neutered. Please donate via CanadaHelps – make sure you make a note your donation is for the 707 Colony.  All help is greatly appreciated.

Roselawn Feral Colony

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Written by: Joanne – Feral Colony Care Giver

The Roselawn Colony is located near Roselawn Ave. and Marlee Ave. in Toronto. During the winter of 2007-08 I happened to notice a number of cats were gathered outside in a small park near a residential and semi-industrial area in my neighbourhood.  I started to bring food to the cats and constructed winter shelters for them as well. During subsequent years, with the help of TCR, I began a program of trap-neuter-return (TNR). I was also able to find forever homes for many of these cats that had become more sociable to humans and/or were semi-feral. The endeavour was very successful, with the result that no kittens were born in the colony during 2011!

The colony cats are provided with water, wet and dry food at least once per day, as
well as winter shelters.  Neighbourhood strays frequently find their way to the colony (or are abandoned there by their owners). These unfortunate cats are all taken to the vet and are provided with medical care, if needed. So far, wonderful homes have been found for all of these socialised cats. With ongoing colony care and management, it is hoped that the Roselawn Colony will remain small, disease-free and kitten-free in the years to come.

Do you want to help the Roselawn Colony?  Donations are always greatly appreciated to purchase food and supplies for the cats, along with medical expenses for the newcomers.  You may donate online via CanadaHelps or visit our Ways To Donate page. Every dollar counts and is greatly appreciated.

Patches in Newcastle

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Meet Patches: pre-trapping

Patches is a big and fabulous boy who joined the Newcastle feral colony approximately 10 months ago and has been through the TNR (Trap-Neuter-Return) program with Toronto Cat Rescue. It is possible that at one time Patches was a pet as he shows the ability to receive and give affection to his colony feeder. Unfortunately his time outdoors has made him leary of humans and he is unhappy if brought indoors.

Lately, Patches health has been suffering. He has been having difficulties eating and salivates profusely and demonstrates pain when he is chewing his food. At times, he will even open his mouth wide and howl in pain. He has been eating a bit of wet food, but continues to lose weight due to not being able to eat properly.

Due to his issues with his painful mouth he is unable to groom himself and he has become quite a mess. Recently he has also suffered an eye injury or contracted an eye infection and his eye looks incredibly sore and painful.

Patches getting help at the vet office

As you can see from his pictures, this brave big boy needs some TLC and vet care ASAP. After several weeks of trying to trap him, trappers finally caught this boy this weekend with a drop trap, and brought him to a TCR vet. His medical care has been quoted at $600 by the vet that is currently taking care of him, and this is mostly to fix up his mouth as it is abscessed. The vet had to shave his entire body because his mouth was so bad he stopped cleaning himself. After his surgery Patches will recover in a feral cat recovery home and he will then be placed in a barn so that he can have the best of both worlds for a feral cat like him: warm and safe shelter, as well as the freedom he so desires!

Donations are needed and greatly appreciated to help TCR with Patches medical bill – please donate today!  You may donate online via CanadaHelps or visit our Ways To Donate page. Every dollar counts and is greatly appreciated.