Fix is in: Large-scale Edmonton Humane Society clinic provides feral cats health care

Trap, neuter, return program The Edmonton Humane Society is conducting its first large-scale neuter clinic for feral cats. Miriam Valdes-Carletti explains.

Trap, neuter and return: the TNR method is how the Edmonton Humane Society hopes to address the overpopulation of feral cats.

This week, the society's first solo large-scale TNR clinic brought in three colonies of about 50 feral cats from the countryside.

The humane society says one female cat that isn't fixed can have an average of a dozen kittens per year, and if her offspring don't get fixed, the number can grow to more than two-million cats born in eight years.

"They can certainly be a nuisance for property owners and create other problems with animals living outside, and it's also not healthy for those cats," Liza Sunley, the chief executive officer of the humane society, told media on Thursday during the clinic.

The humane society takes the opportunity to provide other services for the cats while they're in their care, including vaccinations, particularly for rabies, and deworming.

Humane society veterinarian Dr. Michelle Meckelborg says the rural cats do best on their own outdoors as they've had little to no contact with humans.

"They're not easily rehomed," Meckelborg said. "They don't make great companions in a home, so this tends to be a really humane way of providing medical care."

To help keep track of the cats, a small tip of their ear is cut for future identification. Meckelbord says the province doesn't collect data on them.

"That's part of why we're doing this to determine numbers, so we're relying on community members to get in contact with us to say, 'You know what? I need help.'"

The humane society says it plans to keep using the TNR method after the clinic is reviewed.