Article & Photography by Abigail Borries | Owl Staff
An orphan kitten rescued in streets of Baltimore, at just 8 days old.
Countless cats are rescued every day, but have you ever wondered how much work goes into saving one? There are many resources available and many passionate people who take the time and effort to come together to form groups and organizations across the nation.
One organization is The Feline Rescue Association, a non-profit organization that was founded in 2007 with a goal of helping abandoned, feral, and homeless cats in Baltimore and surrounding areas. The volunteers work tirelessly, donating so much of their own time and money towards the wellbeing of community cats.
“Cat rescue is just so fulfilling. I have never felt more purpose and direction in my life than when I became a volunteer,” states Kaitlyn Jensen, a volunteer and foster with the Feline Rescue Association.
The most important aspect of cat rescue is also the most underappreciated: trapping. Volunteers take to the streets with their traps and supplies, with the goal of getting as many cats as possible to a clinic to be spayed or neutered, vaccinated, and treated for any issues when applicable.
This is commonly referred to as TNR (Trap-Neuter-Return). These cats are then released back to the same colony they were found. The purpose of TNR is to prevent future cats from being born, so that one day, the feral cat population will be under control.
“Baltimore has a cat problem,” says Jensen. “There are far more cats than there are people, and a humane solution is a lot more difficult than you’d think. This is where TNR comes in.”
“Even with all of these resources, and even with all of the funding that Maryland provides towards TNR, it’s an uphill battle.”
TNR is so important, and the cat population is so out of control, because cats are particularly successful at reproducing. A female kitten can reach sexual maturity, which is when their heat cycles start, as young as four months old.
Cat rescuers in Baltimore are lucky to have plenty of resources, such as The Baltimore Animal Rescue and Care Shelter (BARCS), Baltimore County Animal Services (BCAS), and The Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA). All of these clinics provide low cost (or even free) spay and neuter, vaccinations, and other resources for community cats found in Baltimore.
The biggest obstacle rescuers face is actually getting an appointment for these services, because they function off of government funding, so they are often booking months out.
“Even with all of these resources, and even with all of the funding that Maryland provides towards TNR, it’s an uphill battle,” states Jensen. “Cats are just reproducing faster than we can TNR.”
The Feline Rescue Association will happily accept donations, supplies, and most importantly, volunteers. Anyone that has interest in volunteering and can help with either TNR, fostering, administrative work, fundraising, or even just transport, should head over to baltimorecats.org.