How we Benefit the Community

A neutered cat is a healthier and happier cat. Feeding stations keep cats out of trash cans. Fewer cat fights and territory marking makes for quieter neighborhoods.

Trap-Neuter-Return (TNR) is endorsed by the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA) as "the most humane, effective and financially sustainable strategy for controlling free-roaming cat populations" and "the only proven humane and effective method to manage homeless cat colonies." Several other humane associations have also endorsed community-based TNR programs with on-going responsible management as the most viable, long-term approach available at this time to reduce wild cat populations.

Several bird conservancy are oppose TNR. They dispute its effectiveness at reducing wild cat populations, and claim that free-roaming cats are responsible for much of the decline in bird populations on the Island. Rather than TNR, they recommend that free-roaming cats be taken to local animal shelters or euthanized. CATs, while recognizing that each side of the argument can be directed by emotion, believes that this argument is inflated and that removing wild cats “en masse” can harm the environment and even birds as rats can then take over. Euthanizing healthy cats is inhumane, and even more expensive for public officials than TNR. Overseas research and local experience of TNR shows that community cat populations indeed decline when using TNR. We have evidence in Bermuda where cat populations at feeding stations over the past 10 years have reduced by over 50% due to TNR. In the U.K., the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds states that there is no evidence that cat predation "is having any impact on bird populations UK-wide".

BERMUDA WITHOUT CATs

• No humane management of stray and abandoned cat population in Bermuda.
• Unchecked growth of homeless cat population.
• Threat of disease and injury to pet cats.
• Random euthanization of cats, including pet cats.
• Aggressive behavior of wild cats that have not been fixed.
• Starving population of stray and abandoned cats filtering into residential areas raiding uncovered dumpsters, bins and trashbags for food supply. Unattractive emaciated homeless cats in large numbers island-wide will reflect poorly on Bermuda and its reputation as a civilized vacation destination.

CATs is not operating in isolation from the rest of the world, but following well-established scientific findings and operational methods surrounding the territoriality of cats, which have concluded that culling is not an effective means of controlling these populations.

Our ultimate aim is for CATs to no longer be needed but until that time we will continue to do our best to curb the population growth and care for the unwanted cats of Bermuda. We cannot do this without you. 
Your support is greatly appreciated.