Lee County Domestic Animal Services (LCDAS) will observe National Feral Cat Day, October 16, by reminding people that Trap – Neuter – Return (TNR) and other humane programs for feral cats are in the best interest of the cats and the community.

A special grant has been awarded for the program in Lehigh Acres.

National Feral Cat Day was launched in 2001 by Alley Cat Allies, the national advocate for feral and stray cats and a recognized authority on Trap – Neuter – Return, a program in which cats who live outdoors are humanely trapped, spayed or neutered, and vaccinated. They are then returned to their colony.

Lee County’s Trap-Neuter-Return Program for feral cats began in 2009 to deal with the county’s estimated 98,000 feral and free-roaming community cats and to help reduce the shelter’s intake of feral cats for euthanasia. In the past all feral cats entering LCDAS were euthanized. Now with the TNR Program a non-lethal, more humane solution is offered. The program is open to all Lee County residents who are feeding and/or caring for feral colonies in their neighborhoods.

Additionally county-wide efforts will be boosted this year in the Lehigh Acres area with a $25,000 grant from Florida Animal Friend Inc.

The grant, targeted for the sterilization of ferals in Lehigh Acres specifically, was funded through sales of the Official Florida Animal Friend Spay and Neuter License Plate.

“Trap – Neuter – Return is the best course of action for feral cats, said Ria Brown, LCDAS public information officer, “because it ends the breeding cycle and stops nuisance behaviors associated with mating.” The agency’s previous program of trap, euthanize, and eradicate proved to be ineffective in reducing the feral cat population as prolific breeding continued to escalate, Brown said. Through LCDAS the cost of sterilization for TNR cats is free. Donations, however, are always appreciated and provide funding to sterilize even more cats, Brown said.

Residents interested in having ferals in their community sterilized should contact LCDAS at spay@leegov.com for more information or to make an appointment. Information about National Feral Cat Day is available at www.alleycat.org. Information about Florida Animal Friend License Plates is available at www.floridaanimalfriend.org.