People and Animals Team-up Successfully (P.A.T.S.)
Better Lives For Cats with Trap Neuter Return
112 Cats Spayed and Neutered in 2021
THANKS TO TOH TNR PROGRAM
46 Off the Streets Thanks to Rescue Groups
Are you feeding a cat(s) or do you know someone who is?
In order to prevent kittens being born, please TRAP NEUTER and RETURN these cats. This site provides information about free or low-cost TNR services and colony management (shelter, feeding etc).
If you feed the cat for more than TWO days, consider the cat to be depending on you for food and care. You need to sterilize the cat ASAP.
Feeding and caring, for a colony of one cat or more, is a long term commitment. Please take a moment to consider the financial and emotional commitment you will be undertaking when you begin to feed that cat. The cat may live an average of six years and, in addition to daily food and water, may need vet care. The longer you care for the cat, the more the cat relies on you. And what will happen to the cat if you can no longer care for the cat? Having a back-up plan, (neighbors, friends etc), in case you become ill or sell the property, would ensure the continuity of care for the cats. Also consider your emotional involvement. Most feeders become attached to the cats but since you are not able to control and protect the cat, this can be quite stressful.
Hopefully, this site will provide some tips and help for the generous care-givers of the ferals.
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People & Animals Team-up
Successfully Inc (PATS)
Objective
PATS provides TNR service. TNR stands for TRAP-NEUTER-RETURN. We are not a relocation service nor do we have the time or facility to hold friendly cats or kittens for adoption & socializion. We do not remove sick or deceased animals.
Who We Are
Our goal is for all outside cats to be spayed/neutered, ear-tipped and cared for by a caretaker who provides water, food, shelter, sterilization and medical care.
P.A.T.S. is a recognized 501 (c) (3) charitable organization registered with the Internal Revenue Service and NYS Department of Law Charities Bureau (since 2003). We are organized as a not-for-profit NYS corporation. All monies that we receive are used in support of the programs operated by People and Animals Team-up Successfully Inc.
We file a Form 990N with IRS and a Char 500 & Form 990A with NYS Charities Bureau.
If you would like to donate (by check payable to PATS), send an email to feralpats@yahoo.com and we will provide the address to send the check.
We do not charge for services rendered but we do hope that donations will be given to the group to cover the vet expenses. However, in many situations, the people involved either have other uses for their money or simply can not afford the vet expense because they spend their money to feed and shelter the cats. And with some situations, there are no "people".
Fortunately, there are free surgery programs for the spay/neuter in some areas, there are vets who will render medical care and euthanasia for free or much reduced costs and there are rescue/adoption groups who pitch in and assist.
What is your donation spent on? The main expenses are food and vet expenses. Sadly, some cats need to be euthanized. This decision is made on advice after an exam by a vet. In addition to the exams, there are drug expenses to treat cats while being recuperated for upper respiratory, abscesses and ringworm and roundworms in kittens. Drugs are also supplied to colony caregivers for wounded animals that cannot be retrapped when injury is noted. Kittens are expensive as they need to be tested for aids/leukemia prior to adoption and they need shots and an exam before they can be housed for socialization. Often an adoption group will take the kitten and bear those expenses, but not always.
Then there is the cost of traps, dividers, carriers, dog crates, recovery cages etc.
P.A.T.S. does not pay volunteers for car expenses, water and electricity to maintain recuperation facility and laundry and trap cleaning nor are any salaries or compensation paid.
So where does the money come from? PATS received a grant from Pet Peeves in 2012 but it takes time to write a grant request. So mainly the money comes in from donations from folks that PATS assisted over the years and from the founders of the group.
Cat stats-2004 33 cats, 2005 40 cats, 2006 61 cats, 2007 67 cats, 2008 146 cats, 2009 156 cats, 2010 145 cats, 2011 218 cats, 2012 273 cats, 2013 266 cats, 2014 338 cats, 2015 277 cats, 2016 351, 2017 351 and 2019 373.
THANK YOU PET PEEVES!
Pet Peeves gave us a grant in 2012 so that we could purchase traps and holding cages. Thank you so much for making life easier!
How P.A.T.S. and you can TNR together
Trapping is best done at the normal feeding times of the cat colony. It is helpful to have the feeder present to pretend to be feeding the cats in the normal manner and to encourage them to accept the trap.
Trapping is done with humane traps. Normally the trap is the Tru Catch light 9" cat trap, about 30 inches long, 9" wide and 11" tall with a large trigger plate. Other traps used are Tru-Catch 36" by 14" high for the larger males or for night trapping. A box trap is used for multiple cats, particularly litters. PATS has a small drop trap but smooth surfaces are a requirement. All traps can be converted to box traps with the use of a soda bottle or stick and string.
suggests and the feeder purchases, for wounds or eye issues. The recuperation building is an insulated garage with screened windows and heat and air conditioning available as needed. Both female and male cats are generally kept for 48 hours to recover from the anesthesia and females nay be kept longer depending on surgery incision. Attempt is made to recuperate by colonies to minimize germ exposure.
TOH has a recuperation facility for the participants in their TNR program. PATS will recuperate the cats for one night at the Shelter or for the complete recuperation period, depending on the volume of trapping, the weather and the trapper's health!
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Cats, unless a nursing Mom, are kept for 48 hours for the anesthesia to leave the system. Many vets will direct that a nursing Mom be released 24 hours from the surgery time to avoid kitten death. PATS follows recommendations that cats be kept for 2 days and that aborted cats be kept 3 to 5 days. Some cats are extremely stressed during recuperation and do not eat. In this situation, the cat may be released at the end of 36 hours, particularly if the cat lives in a sheltered backyard colony. Cats are released where they were trapped.
​ If you need suggestions in providing shelter, feeding, locating trappers or low cost/free vet service, feel free to call or check the webpage here for hints.
I can not stress enough that starting to feed a cat or cats is a COMMITMENT. The longer you feed the cat, the more that cat depends on YOU. And if you supply shelter (which you should), the cat needs the sheltering annually. In my opinion, to start feeding cats, or to provide shelter and then stop, is quite cruel.
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Winter time is hard. Ideally, you need to shovel a path for the cats from their shelter to the feeding area. It is also great to spread straw on the ground after each snowfall so that the cats are dry while feeding. After snowfall, it is also helpful to check that the snow has not blocked the cats' exits from the shelter. Of course, at the end of the snow season, all the straw needs to be tidied up so the area looks neat. Hot water is needed at the time of feeding or added to the canned food fed while the cats are present.
Summertime the cats also need water. A lot of folks put ice cubes in the water dishes as it keeps the water cooler longer. During the summer, the raccoons usually dirty or spill the water supply over night, so fresh water every morning is required.
Canned food is always an issue. In the winter it freezes quickly and is wasted. In the summer the flies lay eggs in it and can spread worms to the cats if they eat the eggs with the food. So canned food is best fed while the cats are present. Saves money also!
Trapping is normally attended by the trapper. On occasions, the trap may be left in the set position with the feeder checking on the trapping progress. After the cat is trapped, the trap is covered with a sheet to calm the cat and the trapper takes the trapped cat to the recuperation site and the cat is taken to the vet the next day for surgery. With non TOH surgery the cat is picked up that afternoon from the vet and transported back to the recuperation site. TOH cats generally remain one night at the TOH recuperation trailer and the second night with the trapper.
The majority of the cats do not eat the day they are trapped. Food and water is withheld the night prior to surgery. Feeding is not resumed until early evening after surgery. Some females do not eat the day after surgery.
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Town Of Hempstead residents have a free program with the local shelter (516-785-5220) and the program provides the surgery, vaccines (rabies & 4-1), flea med, ear-tip and recuperation at no charge to residents. PATS will trap and transport.
PATS recuperates in a large 36 inch 2 door trap, either 12" or 14" in height and width (Safegard). Kittens are recuperated in Tomahawk 2 door trap, 30" long by 10" wide and 12" high. The trap is layered with newspaper which is changed a minimum of twice daily. The cats are fed canned food, generally Friskies, mixed with water, 2 plus times daily on a paper plate. Cats may be medicated with a liquid or crushed pill antibiotic, if the vet provides or the feeder purchases, for wounds or eye issues. The recuperation building is an insulated garage with screened windows and heat and air conditioning available as needed. Both female and male cats are generally kept for 48 hours to recover from the anesthesia and females nay be kept longer depending on surgery incision. Attempt is made to recuperate by colonies to minimize germ exposure.
TOH has a recuperation facility for the participants in their TNR program. PATS will recuperate the cats for one night at the Shelter or for the complete recuperation period, depending on the volume of trapping, the weather and the trapper's health!
​​
Cats, unless a nursing Mom, are kept for 48 hours for the anesthesia to leave the system. Many vets will direct that a nursing Mom be released 24 hours from the surgery time to avoid kitten death. PATS follows recommendations that cats be kept for 2 days and that aborted cats be kept 3 to 5 days. Some cats are extremely stressed during recuperation and do not eat. In this situation, the cat may be released at the end of 36 hours, particularly if the cat lives in a sheltered backyard colony. Cats are released where they were trapped.
​
If you need suggestions in providing shelter, feeding, locating trappers or low cost/free vet service, feel free to call or check the webpage here for hints.
I can not stress enough that starting to feed a cat or cats is a COMMITMENT. The longer you feed the cat, the more that cat depends on YOU. And if you supply shelter (which you should), the cat needs the sheltering annually. In my opinion, to start feeding cats, or to provide shelter and then stop, is quite cruel.
Winter time is hard. Ideally, you need to shovel a path for the cats from their shelter to the feeding area. It is also great to spread straw on the ground after each snowfall so that the cats are dry while feeding. After snowfall, it is also helpful to check that the snow has not blocked the cats' exits from the shelter. Of course, at the end of the snow season, all the straw needs to be tidied up so the area looks neat. Hot water is needed at the time of feeding or added to the canned food fed while the cats are present.
Summertime the cats also need water. A lot of folks put ice cubes in the water dishes as it keeps the water cooler longer. During the summer, the raccoons usually dirty or spill the water supply over night, so fresh water every morning is required.
Canned food is always an issue. In the winter it freezes quickly and is wasted. In the summer the flies lay eggs in it and can spread worms to the cats if they eat the eggs with the food. So canned food is best fed while the cats are present. Saves money also!
