Starting Rescue

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How to Start Rescue -- "Spectrum of socialization"
"Spectrum of socialization" -- my term "hard stray", "true ferals" are very much less common (honest!), traumatized stray, shy stray -- My rough definitions of these terms -- Names are important.

A Rescue Glossary
Glossary of terms we use, including some made up by Gesine and others.

"Feeding" vs. TNR
"I feed these cats -- after all, what am I going to do, let them starve? But I can't bear to trap them, and I can't afford to have them spayed and neutered anyway if I did trap them. Besides, if I did that, then they wouldn't trust me anymore."

Comparing different definitions of feral
The idea of a spectrum, is important to emphasize.

Hard stray, feral, what names we use influence the world
Spectrum of socialization concepts --

TNR - Teaching it, arguing it
Often you have to educate local governments about TNR - what it is, how it works, how trap/kill does NOT work, etc.

No "magic rescue" -- You must do some work
TNR is hard -- there is no "magic rescue". Two humps that beginning rescuers have to get over, are a) Isn't There Someone Whose Job It is, To Do This? and b) How come rescue groups aren't just magically taking these cats away for me? Some ideas. Remember -- our being blunt and honest, is meant to help you avoid the many mistakes we've made -- mistakes which usually involved cats dying, who didn't have to die.

DOING ETHICAL RESCUE
Avoiding new rescuer mistakes. One big issue is, it is crucial to list as FOUND, any remotely touchable cat.

About starting with a colony
Some basic steps when starting with a colony.

Books, download, course -- on TNR
Can download HSUS' "Community Approaches to Feral Cats" for free -- if don't have Acrobat Reader (to read a PDF file such as the book is in), can download it for free.

Cat Rescue in Ethnic Communities
By Sarah Hartwell, www.messybeast.com

Doing rescue, with neurotic public!
A common scenario -- YOU'RE not crazy!

Gloves - can be scary to cats
Gesine's thoughts on mutual vulnerability

INSTRUCTION SHEET FOR VETS FOR DEALING WITH HARD STRAYS
Good to give vets a "please do this" sheet for hard strays, especially when getting a new vet used to dealing with hard strays

INSTRUCTIONS FOR VET on TREATING HARD STRAY CATS
You can do a lot with the "carrier take-apart, drape with towel" method; there are other ways to contain a cat for treatment; sometimes they need to be tranquillized or sedated for treatment. I think it's good to give the non-sedating options a try first, as you may be surprised. Some kitties-in-taming have "white coat syndrome", and are intimidated by vets/medical offices, so they will allow more to be done, than they'd let you do at home. Don't assume vets know this stuff -- discuss! /train

ISSUES--TRAPPING FEMALES
Issues around trapping pregnant or lactating cats, choices and consequences.

LEARNING to give MEDICATIONS
Rescue people often learn to give a number of medications to cats (antibiotics, wormers, probably the most common). It is VERY important to be VERY careful with this! and to "err on the side of caution" especially when you're first learning this stuff. Get info from several places, first of all a vet, a good vet book, and the internet -- but DOUBLE CHECK all info you get!

Looking for help -- and sad realities
Searching for local rescues; feeding without s/n is NOT a kindness

Looking for lost cats -- great site
Very informative site on how to look for lost cats.

RESCUE LOG FORMS
Rescue log forms in several formats.

SOURCES of supplies etc. -- Lists of stuff to keep on hand
You can start simple and work up!

Some bookmarks to begin with
A bunch of links on topics like ferals, kittens, taming, vet stuff, mailorder sources. See also our BOOKMARKS section! this is just some to start with!

Starting a RESCUE GROUP
Various issues about this -- can do "blitz trapping" more effectively than can individual rescuer.

Talking
Approaching people to suggest s/n

Trapper safety (from humans)
Often we're trapping in scary neighborhoods

WOW -- critical thinking course
Link to a free course on critical thinking

We caught the kittens, what now?
Also see the FILES on Neonatal kitten care, about taming, etc.

What to Do if you Find a Stray
by Leslie Wilson

When property manager throws you off the site
This often happens when change property managers -- Some ideas on what to do!

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