It's Toronto's other homeless problem.
While there has yet to be a citywide census like the one done for their human counterparts, the number of stray, feral and abandoned cats living wild in the city is said by animal groups to be anywhere from 100,000 to 250,000 -- a major problem for cat lovers and haters alike.
"This has become an epidemic. It's an emergency," said Ferne Sinkins, president of Toronto Cat Rescue, a 13-year-old charity that treats and adopts cats living wild in the city.
"The problem has become so big, so out of hand, there have to be drastic measures taken to correct it."
All sides agree the roots of the problem are twofold: Careless owners who fail to sterilize their animals and leave them free to roam outside, and the uncanny ability of cats to multiply.
An unspayed female can produce three litters a year after she's about 6 months old. Each litter can comprise two to five kittens, which in turn begin to procreate after six months.
According to the Toronto Humane Society, a pair of uncontrolled breeding cats and their offspring could statistically produce more than 80 million cats within 10 years.
FOUND EVERYWHERE
Colonies of feral cats, which are formerly domesticated or wild-born felines that survive without human contact, are found in every nook of Toronto, from back alleys, industrial parks and ravines to abandoned homes and sheds. Their numbers range from a dozen to 30 or more per colony.
It is not an easy life: The life expectancy of a homeless cat averages two to five years. Food is scarce in winter, illness is common, attacks by other animals frequent.
And extermination awaits many. Unless they are caught young, true ferals can't be socialized or adopted. As it is, the city's animal shelters are chock full of domesticated cats waiting to be adopted by a margin of three to one compared to dogs.
300 EUTHANIZED
Each year, Toronto Animal Services euthanizes anywhere from 300 to 500 feral cats, which are impounded upon complaints by residents.
"This is a community-generated problem and it's the community that needs to take the responsibility for what ultimately ends up happening to these animals, whether it's euthanasia or displacement," said Eletta Purdy, manager of animal services.
"I can tell you, my staff doesn't want to be performing any more euthanasias than they absolutely have to."
The mandate of animal services is to enforce the city's bylaws, which prohibit stray, unlicensed and nuisance cats. "There's a reason for the bylaw," said Purdy, noting some feral colonies harbour diseases like feline distemper and calicivirus, which pose a health risk to other cats with whom they come in contact -- never mind nuisance problems like spraying and property damage.
But the agency's work is at odds with some local animal groups, which prefer to maintain feral colonies with food and water. Volunteers trap ferals at night, bring them to the vet for vaccinations and sterilization, and then release them back to the colony in a process known as TNR: Trap-Neuter-Release. Wild kittens and adults that can be rehabilitated are put up for adoption.
The city "looks at the homeless cat problem from the point of view -- as they're supposed to by mandate -- as to what extent it's a nuisance to people," said Sylvia Fraser, chairman of Annex Cat Rescue, a 10-year-old charity with about 60 volunteers.
ANIMAL'S POINT OF VIEW
"Groups like ours look at the situation from the point of view of the cats," she said. "If you love cats, well, we're providing a service. And if you hate cats, we're also providing a service in terms of population control."
Annex Cat Rescue and others work in partnership with several local veterinarians, which offer a discounted price on sterilization. But the practice of feeding and watering ferals is controversial.
"The feral cat is somewhat opportunistic in that it's going to look for somewhere to live, something of a warm den site and a food source," Purdy said. "If we, as people, foster that, then we can actually create a worse problem than there already is."
Purdy acknowledged the dilemma faced by well-meaning animal lovers who don't want to see colonies starve or suffer, but she warned, "If it's not done really well and effectively, then it can propagate the problem."
While there are differences of opinion, Fraser said groups like hers, which include Action Volunteers for Animals, Toronto Cat Rescue and Kensington Market Stray Cat Rescue, share a common goal: "The desire for the city to fund low-cost spay-neuter clinics," she said.
'BREAKS YOUR HEART'
"It breaks your heart," said Carol Hroncek, a Toronto business analyst by day and volunteer cat trapper by night, who has seen first-hand the consequences of lax sterilization.
Hroncek goes out once a week with bait -- tuna or Kentucky Fried Chicken works best -- to trap feral cats. She houses them overnight in her bathroom and brings them to the vet the next morning, where they are sterilized, vaccinated and have their ears clipped for identification. She said she has seen "heartbreaking" cases of malnourished and ill cats.
"I'm reacting to a problem that could be resolved, it could be addressed, if people were responsible for it," she said.
"I love (the work) because I know I'm trying to make a difference and I have that compassion for the animal. But again, my ideal would be that we didn't have to exist."
Lee Oliver, spokesman with the Toronto Humane Society, said that if the city aggressively enforces licensing bylaws as it intends to this year, the increased revenues should be dedicated to sterilization.
"Right now, the city gets $1.184 million in licensing fees from responsible dog owners and cat owners," he said.
"Let's call it what it is. It's a cash grab. And if they're going to go after every cat owner in the city ... they should be responsible for that money and set up some low-cost spay-neuter clinics and promote it in a big way."
To that end, Councillor Paula Fletcher, chairman of the parks and environment committee, said the city will move this year to dedicate all licensing fees to animal care, with a big push on spaying and neutering.
LOW-COST STERILIZATION
Up for consideration is the funding of low-cost sterilization, either at city clinics or in partnership with veterinarians, she said. All animals adopted-out by animal services will be sterilized, and the city will look at ways to ensure other animal organizations, such as the Humane Society and pet stores, also offer only spayed or neutered cats for adoption, she said.
The city may also consider a bylaw requiring cat owners to have their animals sterilized, with some exemptions, Fletcher added.
"Spay and neutering is the most important thing we can do to curb the unwanted cat overpopulation in the city," she said. "Animals will fare better in this city."
GETTING THE FACTS
For more information on feral cats:
- Alley Cat Allies, a comprehensive U.S. site on feral cats, alleycat.org
- Toronto Cat Rescue, torontocatrescue.ca
- Annex Cat Rescue, annexcatrescue.on.ca
- Action Volunteers for Animals, actionvolunteersforanimals.com
- Toronto Humane Society, torontohumanesociety.com
- Toronto Animal Services, toronto.ca/animal_services
