Reducing population of unwanted cats is goal of Feral Cat Coalition

By David F. Ashton

The Bee, May 3, 2007, Updated Oct 30, 2009 (3 Reader comments)

Performing a spay operation in the mobile surgical unit is Marla McGeorge, DVM.

David F. Ashton / THE BEE

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On this particular weekend morning in late winter, it’s raining (pardon the expression) cats and dogs -- as we seek out the confidential location of the spay/neuter clinic operated by the Feral Cat Coalition of Oregon.

We’ve written about this unique organization in the past. People who feed stray cats voluntarily participate in this trap-neuter-return program.

Following our instructions, we locate the one-day clinic hidden away in an industrial district of Portland, and meet a volunteer coordinator for the program--Carma Crimins, a Woodstock resident.

“The goal of the program,” Crimins begins, “is to reduce suffering for existing feral cats, and prevent births and suffering of future generations.”

She leads us in to where the organization’s 24-foot mobile hospital is parked. We learn it is designed specifically for spaying/neutering feral cats, has three separate rooms: A surgery suite, with room for three veterinarians to operate simultaneously; a prep area, complete with sink and autoclave; and an anesthesia room.

One Sunday a month, the mobile hospital operates in Portland. Other weekends, it travels to other communities that sponsor their program.

“The reason we keep the location secret,” explains Crimins, is that we don’t operate a ‘drop-in’ program. We only want to deal with individuals who demonstrate a commitment to do what we request.”

What they don’t want, Crimins added, is people dropping off cats at the clinic, thinking that, somehow, someone will find the stray cat a good home. “This isn’t an adoption service.”

The program’s services are specifically for feral cats being fed by caregivers. The caregivers trap the cats, bring them to a clinic, and return the cats to where they are being fed with a commitment to keep on feeding the cat permanently.

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