How To Feed A Cat Colony Correctly?
Cat colonies are a reality in our towns and cities. There are several reasons why cats live together on the street, but it is mainly due to the lack of birth control and the abandonment of domestic animals. Things can be done to help them, like feeding a colony of cats properly.
Cat colonies: more than food
It has been shown that the only effective method of reducing the size of cat colonies is to sterilize them : births are reduced and, over time, they are made up of fewer and fewer felines. Moving the cats out of place only makes it easier for the other nearby colonies to divide and take their place.
Therefore, feeding a colony of cats is not enough: if you want to help street cats you must also give them the veterinary assistance you can and sterilize the animals that form it. You may also have to ‘educate’ your neighbors so that they understand what you are doing.
Although feeding them is not the only care that these cats need, because doing it in a healthy way, respectful of animals and neighbors is important. Start with these considerations in mind:
The problems of home cooking
Cats in stray colonies should never be given home-cooked food. There are several reasons why we should stop giving them the leftovers of our food or even cook for them:
The first reason is because that food is not healthy for them. Cats are carnivorous animals and our food usually contains cereals (such as rice or pasta), vegetables (pepper, tomato, carrot, zucchini, onion, etc.) or legumes (lentils, chickpeas, beans …), in addition to oil, salt and other spices.
Another reason is that homemade food on the street is dirty, odors and attracts insects and other pests. Not only are cats going to feed on that food: bugs and other animals will come to eat there, a situation that we would avoid with another kind of food.
Feeding a colony of cats: feed and water
For the health of the members of the colony, and for the cleanliness of the place, it is best to feed them with feed. The feed is dry food: it does not give off odor, it does not make the place where it is placed dirty or greasy . In addition, it does not attract insects or many other pests such as rats; they will not be attracted to him. And if it does spill it is much easier to clean up.
There is a wide variety of qualities and prices of feed to find one that is healthy for cats, but that also suits your budget. Feeding a colony of cats on a regular basis should not be expensive : in addition, a nearby shelter could help you or you could raise funds to help you have feed available at home.
We should never forget that cats should always have fresh water available. As they eat dry food, they especially need to drink liquids. We should always carry water with us and change the water they have in their pots once a day, not just refill them when they are empty.
Cleanliness is a must
Keeping the colony clean is very important. It prevents the proliferation of pests, the generation of garbage and also avoids bad odors or stains on the floor.
Of course, it also improves the quality of life of the cats that make up the colony. They are clean animals and, even if they live on the street, they will always live better in an area without dirt or bad smells. Health problems and infections are also reduced by living in a healthy environment.
Finally, we must not forget the neighbors: many people are reluctant to live near colonies of cats. We must show them that this area can be kept clean and healthy.
For this, you should avoid putting fresh food in the bowls or on the floor. In the case of using disposable containers, those that are no longer in use should always be removed, so that they do not become garbage or contaminate the area where the cats live.
However, the best thing for the environment is to use reusable bowls and plates : steel feeders or mismatched plates from our dishes that we can take home and clean periodically, without leaving residues in the colony.
It is important to remember that animal food should not be easily accessible or visible to passersby : it could spoil, it could be stolen, eaten by another animal, and even poisoned. Part of feeding a cat colony correctly is based on hiding the dishes with food and water in an accessible place for cats.
Feeding a colony of cats is the first step in helping street cats. However, it is not the only one: you have to provide them with veterinary help when they need it, and, above all, sterilize adult cats to prevent colonies from growing.
