TIM CoverArmed Forces Pest Management Board






Technical Information Memorandum No. 37

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GUIDELINES FOR REDUCING FERAL/STRAY CAT POPULATIONS ON MILITARY INSTALLATIONS IN THE UNITED STATES

Published and Distributed by
DEFENSE PEST MANAGEMENT INFORMATION ANALYSIS CENTER
Forest Glen Section
Walter Reed Army Medical Center
Washington, DC 20307-5001

January 1996

TABLE OF CONTENTS

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

This Technical Information Memorandum (TIM) was prepared by Captain William J. Sames, IV, who wrote the first draft based on his experience at Fort Sam Houston, Texas. Reviews of the draft and comments were provided by: Mr. Wayne Fordham, COL Ruth Lynn Hooper, CPT James W. Jones, Mr. Dennis D. Kuhr, MAJ Zia A. Mehr, Mr. Martin Mendoza, Mr. Robert Wardwell, and MAJ Richard K. Whittle. LTC William Inskeep II, VC, consultant to the Army Surgeon General, circulated the draft among his veterinarian colleagues and provided many useful comments. We especially thank the staff of the Humane Society of the United States for their review and comments that infused the draft with a good humane perspective.

We also thank the Kness Manufacturing Company Inc., Tommahawk Live Trap Company, and Woodstream Corporation for providing drawings of live traps.

Dr. Richard G. Robbins and Dr. Peter J. Egan of DPMIAC/AFPMB provided the comprehensive editing and coordination of review comments, respectively. Finally we wish to thank the staff of DPMIAC who assisted in the printing, collating, and mailing of this TIM.

DISCLAIMER

Mention of a specific product, trade name, or manufacturer does not constitute an official endorsement of these products, but are provided for illustration and information purposes only.

FOREWORD

Feral/stray cat control can be a thankless undertaking but is a task that must be conducted when the situation arises. The goal of this TIM is to provide a number of possible approaches, point out issues to consider and outline the coordination necessary to guide decision makers in tailoring sound approaches to feral/stray cat management on military installation.

If readers have suggestions or corrections to improve any portion of this TIM, please address them to Editor TIM # 37, Guidelines for Feral/Stray Cat Control, Defense Pest Management Information Analysis Center, Forest Glen Section - WRAMC, Washington, DC 20307-5001, FAX (301) 295-7483 or phone (301) 295-7480 or DSN 295-7480.

PURPOSE: To provide guidelines for the removal of feral/stray cat populations on military installations in the United States in order to prevent injury or disease to DoD personnel and pet animals kept on the installation, to provide for the welfare of feral/stray cats themselves and of wildlife on the installation, and to provide recommendations on how to develop a cat control program that obtains general public input and assistance.

REASONS FOR FERAL/STRAY (henceforth referred to as feral) CAT CONTROL

1. Feral cats are animals that are no longer under human control, but live and reproduce in the wild, usually in close association with humans. Humans have neglected these animals, which live exposed to disease, hunger, weather and attack from dogs, humans or other cats and animals. Some of these cats may survive for several years before succumbing to starvation, disease, dogs, other animals or motor vehicles. Failure to prevent or control a feral cat population amounts to inhumane treatment of animals.

2. Feral cats can harbor and transmit a variety of fatal and non-fatal diseases to domestic cats and other pets. These diseases include rabies, plague, parasitic worms, external parasites such as fleas and mites, feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV), feline leukemia virus (FeLV), feline distemper or panleukopenia, feline infectious peritonitis (FIP), and various bacterial infections.

3. Feral cats can also harbor and transmit fatal and non-fatal diseases to humans. These include rabies, plague, ringworm, internal and external parasites, toxoplasmosis, bartonellosis (formerly known as cat scratch fever), allergies to cat hair, and secondary bacterial infections from cat scratches and bites.

4. Feral cats living in close association with humans can also damage buildings, contaminate food supplies, and kill birds and other wildlife. Parasites such as fleas are often a problem in areas inhabited by feral cats.

RESPONSIBILITY FOR FERAL CAT CONTROL ON MILITARY INSTALLATIONS

1. The installation commander is responsible for the health and welfare of the human population on an installation. Problems with animals on an installation may have an effect on personnel health, morale, and performance; therefore, the commander is responsible for animal health and welfare as well. Because feral cats adversely affect human and pet health and welfare, they must be controlled. If there is a need for feral cat control on a military installation, the feral cat control plan shall be described in the Installation's Pest Management Plan and approved by the Installation Commander.

2. Feral cat populations can also damage government property. It is the responsibility of the installation commander to ensure that an adequate animal control program is established and functioning in order to prevent or reduce potential problems.

3. Most installations have regulations that assign responsibility among various groups for animal control. The installation veterinary service, security personnel and facilities engineers may all have specific responsibilities relative to feral cat control. Individuals who participate in feral cat control programs must also receive professional training in humane control techniques.

4. Personnel who occupy family housing have a responsibility to practice good animal husbandry with their pets and to follow installation regulations concerning animal care and control. Personnel living off post should also follow these practices to assist animal control efforts in the surrounding community.

RECOMMENDATIONS FOR A LONG-TERM FERAL CAT CONTROL PROGRAM

METHODS OF FERAL CAT REMOVAL

ANIMAL WELFARE

APPENDIX A

GLOSSARY

ANIMAL RIGHTS ORGANIZATION - An organization of people who believe that all animals have rights.

ANIMAL WELFARE ORGANIZATION - An organized group of people whose main concern is the humane treatment of all animals. Many are organized on a national level. At the local level, some of these organizations sponsor animal care and adoption facilities.

BARTONELLOSIS (CAT SCRATCH FEVER) - A disease of humans caused by the gram-negative bacterium Bartonella henselae. Humans acquire this disease when infected cats scratch, bite or lick them.

DOMESTIC CAT - A cat that is cared for by and lives with a human who claims ownership. These cats are considered pets and are usually friendly and approachable by humans. Pet owners should neuter cats not used for specific breeding purposes.

EUTHANASIA - From the Greek, means "good death." A proper euthanasia technique results in painless, rapid unconsciousness, followed by cardiac or respiratory arrest, and ultimately death (Appendix C).

FELINE IMMUNODEFICIENCY VIRUS (FIV) - A viral disease that compromises the cat's immune system. The cat becomes more susceptible to other illnesses and infections. The cat may show weight loss, loss of appetite, swollen lymph nodes, fever, and sores on the mouth and gums. The disease is spread from cat to cat by close contact. Preventive methods include isolation and testing a "new" cat before bringing it into contact with FIV free cats. There is no FIV vaccine. FIV does not infect humans.

FELINE DISTEMPER OR PANLEUKOPENIA - A potentially fatal, viral disease that attacks the cat's intestinal tract and bone marrow. The disease can be transmitted through the air, through close contact with infected cats, or through contact with places where infected cats have been. Symptoms include diarrhea, vomiting, severe dehydration, and fever. Vaccinations to prevent the disease can be given to cats as young as 6 weeks followed by an annual booster.

FELINE INFECTIOUS PERITONITIS (FIP) - A fatal viral disease of cats that affects very young and old cats or cats with FeLV. Transmission is usually by cat contact with contaminated urine or feces. Symptoms include a rough hair coat, loss of appetite, fever, or a change in personality. The cat may show no signs of the disease for quite some time or it may suddenly become ill and die. Vaccines are available for prevention but must be started early. Keeping uninfected cats away from other cats is another preventive measure.

FELINE LEUKEMIA VIRUS (FeLV) - A fatal viral disease that compromises the cat's immune system and results in the development of various types of cancer and other chronic illnesses. The virus occurs in saliva, urine and other body fluids and is passed from cat to cat through general contact, especially licking, biting or sneezing. FeLV is the leading fatal cat disease.

FERAL CAT - A cat without a tag that is living and breeding on its own in an urban or rural environment. These cats are usually descendants of other feral or stray cats. Small feral kittens can usually be converted to pets if removed from the environment at an early age and given adequate care. Feral cats may depend on food from human sources, whether or not such food is deliberately provided. The main distinction between domestic and feral cats is that feral cats do not live with or under the close supervision (protection, health care) of humans. Feral cats are usually not approachable, though some pet cats are equally unapproachable.

FLEAS - The cat flea, Ctenocephalides felis, is an external parasite of cats. The adults feed on cat blood and lay eggs that fall off the cat and onto the ground. Many eggs fall off the cat when it is in its resting area. The eggs hatch and a worm-like larva develops. The larva eventually forms a pupa that may lie dormant until conditions are favorable for its emergence as an adult. A change to a higher carbon dioxide concentration is one favorable factor. Fleas are a common vector of feline tapeworms. Flea populations fluctuate, and when flea populations are large, excess fleas seek out other food sources, including humans. Cats living under a building may cause flea populations to increase to the point that they work their way into the building and attack the occupants.

MITES - Various types of mites infest cats and cause skin ailments. Ear mites are perhaps the most common. Symptoms include a dark, waxy, odorous substance inside the cat's ears. Ear mites are an irritation to cats, which may react by scratching or periodically shaking their heads.

NEUTER - To remove the sex organs from an animal (i.e., the testicles of the male and the ovaries of the female). Spaying is a term for neutering a female.

RABIES - Rabies is a lethal viral disease associated with mammals. There is no cure for rabies, but it is preventable. Annual vaccination of pets and continuous elimination of feral animals in urban areas reduces the likelihood of a rabies outbreak. Pre- or post-vaccinations are available for humans who may be exposed to rabid animals. For details on rabies vaccinations, consult your local medical authority.

RINGWORM - A disease caused by several types of fungi. Ringworm causes discolored patches of skin and in some cases intense itching. Treatment is with topical antifungal creams but the condition may disappear on its own. Hair follicles infected with ringworm may cause the hair to turn gray, fall out, and leave temporary bald spots. Cats serve as reservoirs of these fungi, and the fungi are transmitted by contact with infected cats or humans.

SPAY - To remove the ovaries of a female animal.

STRAY CAT - A cat that normally lives with and is cared for in some manner by a human but has temporarily or permanently wandered away from its home or, because of neglect, associates with feral cats. Stray cats may or may not be friendly, depending on the amount and type of human care they received as kittens. Most strays have been abandoned by their owners.

TOXOPLASMOSIS - Toxoplasmosis is caused by a protozoa, Toxoplasma gondii, which lives in the intestinal tract of cats, where the sexual stage of the life cycle is completed. In most cats and humans the disease is asymptomatic; however, in pregnant women the fetus may be adversely affected. Exposure to Toxoplasma during pregnancy, especially in the second trimester, may result in abortion or premature birth. Surviving infants may show neuropsychic retardation, chorioretinitis, hydrocephalus, microcephalous, epilepsy or deafness.

APPENDIX B

List of Animal Control Equipment Suppliers

Disclaimer: Armed Forces Pest Management Board listing of animal control equipment suppliers does not constitute endorsement of these companies, their policies or their products. Other animal control companies or dealers exist and these will be added to future versions of this guide. We recommend that the purchaser contact several companies, including local farm, ranch and feed stores and sporting goods dealers. New listings of equipment dealers may also be found in pest or animal control magazines or journals. A survey of animal control equipment suppliers will allow the purchaser to select and purchase the appropriate control equipment at the best possible price.

Kness MFG Co Inc., Highway 5 South, P.O. Box 70, Albia, Iowa 52531-0070

800-247-5062, fax 515-932-2456

Margo Supplies LTD., Site 20, Box 11, R.R. #6, Calgary, Alberta, Canada, T2M 4L5

403-285-9731, fax 403-280-1252

Tomahawk Live Trap Company, P.O. Box 323, Tomahawk, Wisconsin, 54487

715-453-3550

Wildlife Management Supplies, 640 Starkweather, Plymouth, Missouri 48170

313-453-6300, fax 313-453-6395, 800-451-6544

Woodstream (Havahart traps), Lititz, Pennsylvania 17543-0327

717-626-2125

APPENDIX C

HSUS General Statement Regarding Euthanasia Methods for Dogs and Cats

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