The P.G.F.F. ProgramOverview: 1. Plan 2. Trap 3. Vet 4. a. Return, or b. Socialize and Adopt 5. Feed and Care
1. Plan All P.G.F.F. projects are coordinated by P.G.F.F. officers and conform to this plan. The
first step is to evaluate the colony. The number and approximate ages
of the cats is recorded. The feeders should be identified and told of
the plan to provide care for the cats. If possible, the feeders and
neighbors should be recruited as volunteers for some phase of the
program. Determine the availability of foster homes for the
cats that are thought to be potentially adoptable. Determine the
availability of traps and trappers. P.G.F.F. will schedule
an appointment at the veterinarian's office for the number of cats that
are anticipated to be old enough to be spayed/neutered. Set the trapping day. Contact the feeders to be sure that they do not feed on the trapping day. Schedule trappers. 2. Trap Remind the feeders the day before, not to feed on the trapping day. The trapping should take place at about the normal feeding time, at the location where the cats are routinely fed. Cover the traps with a towel to reduce the stress for the cats. The
schedule of trapping day vs. veterinarian appointment will usually
require keeping the cats in a safe place, like a garage or basement
overnight. 3. Vet The cats in the P.G.F.F. program receive the following care: Spay/Neuter (except for pregnant females) Vaccination for Rabies (only) Microchip or ear tipping Veterinary charges will be placed on the P.G.F.F. account. Anyone interested in helping with the cost of veterinary services should make a donation to P.G.F.F. 4. As
domestic animals, P.G.F.F. feels that all cats deserve a safe indoor
home as part of a loving family. P.G.F.F. also realizes that there are
not enough homes to accommodate all of the free-roaming cats who need
them. P.G.F.F., therefore practices both Socialization and
Adoption (to the extent that foster and adoptive resources are
available) and Trap-Neuter-Return (TNR).4. a. Return In
most cases, there will be more cats than there will be potential
adoptive homes, and cats that have been spayed/neutered will be
returned to the location where they were trapped. P.G.F.F. does NOT support relocation of cats, except in a very few extreme cases. There
must be a dedicated caretaker, or better yet, a team of caretakers, to
manage the colony. This includes regular feeding of a healthful diet,
identifying any new cats that enter the colony so that they can be
trapped and sterilized, monitoring the health of the cats so that
appropriate vet care can be provided, etc. 4. b. Socialize and Adopt P.G.F.F.
offers a workshop in feral cat socialization. We have found that any
cat, regardless of age, can be socialized and become a suitable
companion. The limiting factor is the availability of the
foster or adopter who is willing and able to devote 30-45 minutes a day
to the process. The taming process may be a matter of a few days or
weeks or months, depending on the disposition of the cat and the amount
of time that the foster has to devote. Cats that have been
socialized and holistically cared for as prescribed by P.G.F.F. are
eligible to attend P.G.F.F. adoption fairs. The adoption of
a cat is not taken lightly by P.G.F.F. Adopters must be qualified and
approved by P.G.F.F. They must agree to NOT declaw the cat, and they
must agree to keep it indoors 100% of the time. In
addition, the cat must continue to receive a good diet, one that is on
a par with the diet they received when cared for by P.G.F.F. The adopters maintain a holistic approach in the care of the cat. P.G.F.F. provides guidance after the adoption. 5. Feed and Care The
holistic approach maintains that nutrition is a very important aspect
of good health. Fosters and caretakers feed a product that passes the
standards of the P.G.F.F. Basically, this will mean, a high-quality
food with no by-products or chemicals, like BHA, BHT or Ethoxyquin. Generally,
it is also advisable to add some forms of nutritional supplements. A
digestive enzyme replaces those lost in the preparation of commercial
foods, a probiotic replaces the intestinal flora that may have been
destroyed by conventional medical treatments. Vitamin C, particularly
Ester-C has been demonstrated to be beneficial in cases of upper
respiratory infection (URI). Some cats may need special treatment -- for immune support, for example. The regimen will be determined when the cat enters foster care or managed colony, and reevaluated periodically. P.G.F.F. can provide several kinds of cat food that is healthful. Supplements are also available from P.G.F.F. Anyone interested in helping with the cost of food and supplements should make a donation to P.G.F.F.
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