Amanda Ondrof of Communities Promoting Animal Welfare shows off a trap during a discussion about the organization’s ‘Neuter the Neighborhood’ program at the Irvington Public Library.
Grace Araujl of Irvington has a colony of 17 outdoor cats she is caring for.
Feeding them is expensive, but she—and a neighbor—have paid to get them all fixed.
“It’s $118 for a spay,” she said. “I can handle that.”
Araujl is just one of the many people in the community of Irvington who want to help the cats. Twenty people showed up for the “Neuter the Neighborhood” Program that was recently presented at Irvington Public Library by Communities Promoting Animal Welfare NJ.
CPAWNJ is a nonprofit that recently received two grants to help with the cat population in Irvington. The “Summerlee Sustainable Solutions Grant” by the Summerlee Foundation and the United Spay Alliance, includes the enrollment for one person in a Community Cat Program Management course through the University of the Pacific. Upon completion of the course, CPAW will propose a project and the Summerlee Foundation will provide funds between $4,000 to $8,000 for targeted trap-neuter-return (TNVR) in Irvington.
The Community Foundation of New Jersey also awarded CPAW $4,000 as part of their Great Companions Grant cycle. These funds are earmarked for fixing pet cats in the same area.
CPAW Board President Amanda Ondrof, spoke about the community cat problem at Irvington Public Library. With the grant money the focus will be on pet cats in Irvington that need to be neutered.
“We would love to help you,” Ondrof said. “We think that will help the future because a lot of these outdoor cats start as indoor cats.”
Pet spay/neutering will be free. CPAW currently has 40 spots available. They will be targeting people, asking, “Does your cat go outside?” For those who do, they will get priority. If they get more requests, they will be offered low cost spay and neutering at $100.
CPAW is applying for new traps for those who want to help if they have the time.
Ondrof educated attendees on how to trap cats prior to bringing them to CPAW to be neutered. She warned not to leave the traps unattended over night or you may catch a skunk or a raccoon.
Most cats are released the day after they are neutered.
She also educated attendees on terminology. A feral cat is unsocialized to humans. A stray is socialized, perhaps a cat left behind. Neuter is a term for either male or female cats. Spay is specific to female. An ear tip is a universal symbol that a cat was neutered.
“Cats who aren’t cared for are bad neighbors,” said Ondrof. “They fight, yowl, have health issues…After surgery they are healthier. They aren’t mating, fighting…Cats who are cared for are better neighbors.”
Ondrof told attendees that moving cats out of an area doesn’t work because other cats will move in. “Trap and kill is not a solution,” she said.
According to CPAW, TNR is the only humane, effective solution to a high outdoor cat problem. Ondrof told the story of Ethel, a TNR cat who is 18 and still alive in Montclair. “Well cared for,” said Ondrof.
Other facts Ondrof shared are that 80% of cats in the USA are born outside, three out of four kittens don’t make it if born outside, a mother cat can give birth as much as five times a year.
Through CPAW’s TNR program, community cats are trapped, vaccinated for rabies, neutered, and returned to their outdoor homes for continued monitoring by their caregivers.
“We’re really excited to bring this program to Irvington,” said Ondrof. “We want these cats neutered.”
CPAW has been working in Irvington since July 2023. They’ve trapped and neutered 194 cats since then. “We’re really proud of the work we’ve done,” said Ondrof.
To learn more about CPAWNJ, visit: https://www.cpawnj.org/.
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