By: Chrissie Cremore

TRAPPING...NEUTERING...RETURNING

These three words are constantly on the agenda for the PAWS-PATAS animal shelter.

Two feral adult cats can can have 3/4 litters per year; averaging 4/8 kittens. The astonishing fact is that in just 7 years a single pair of cats and their offspring can produce a staggering total of 420,000 kittens!

Many people do not realise that a feral female should be neutered before it is regularly fed. Surviving on scraps does not produce kittens but once a female is on a steady diet this will encourage breeding. One of the saddest stories known to the cattery was when someone had been feeding a colony in Mojácar which rapidly grew to at least 50 cats. The person who had fed them had not thought about neutering at all and then realised she needed help. PAWS-PATAS were able to neuter 20 but in the meantime someone had put poison down and wiped out the whole colony, including the ones who had been neutered. So please...neuter before feeding and avoid unnecessary suffering.

Depending upon the vet it costs 60/80 euros to neuter a female and 35/55 euros for a male. Every little helps and  here’s Lisa Hewitt giving PAWS-PATAS President Christine Knox €200 from a recent raffle held at Mingles Night at Valery’s in Mojácar. This amount will help neuter a few more feral cats, especially as “kitten time” is upon us again!

If you would like to volunteer at the cattery, foster or adopt a cute bundle of fluff and fun, please email: cats@paws-patas.org.

For abused/abandoned animals please contact your local police. Also PAWS-PATAS are able to help you with transport if you live in Holland or the UK.

For all other information regarding this animal charity, please check their website: www.paws-patas.org