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Manhattan Co-op Opts for TNR When the residents of a pre-war co-op building near Columbia University decided to turn their rear courtyard into a playground, they attracted more than the children! Also turning up to enjoy the new sandboxes and jungle gyms was a colony of feral cats who spent their indoor time prowling the basement of a large supermarket in an adjoining basement. The co-op recognized the valuable rodent control offered naturally by the cats and so rather than vainly trying to get rid of them, they chose the humane route and asked Neighborhood Cats for help in getting them neutered. After gaining the supermarket's cooperation, trapping took place both outdoors and in the market's basement. 7 of the 8 felines had been nabbed by press time and neutered at the Humane Society of NY's feral cat clinic (with the 8th still being hotly pursued). Once the weather is warm again, a motion-activated sprinkler installed in the children's play area will teach the cats to steer clear of that part of the courtyard. This first-ever TNR project approved by a Manhattan co-op board will hopefully serve as an example to other buildings on the best way to deal with the cats in the back. |
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December 10, 2002