About our work
From 2000-2006- Twice yearly in November
and February we sent a team of two very experienced veterinary surgeons and two
veterinary nurses, plus at least 4 trappers to catch the cats.
We were loaned a
disused operating theatre and clinic. We trapped and neutered
approximately 50 to 60 cats each day.
We had an established routine that worked extremely well. As
this was the only time that these cats were seen by a veterinary surgeon, they
were treated as if privately owned much loved cats. They were not only
neutered but checked for any ailments, problems etc. They were de-wormed and
treated for fleas and ticks; they were given long acting antibiotics and long
acting painkillers for any after effects and also a multi vitamin injection. The
teeth and ears were checked and cleaned if necessary; the tip off the left ear
was taken off so that they were not trapped again.
After treatment they were
kept in overnight in a quiet room and the next morning checked before they were
returned. We made sure that all the cats that we returned were being fed
regularly by local people who love cats. Any tame cats we fostered out to local
fosterers who work with us and they were found homes. After being released, the
feral cats should be in excellent health and as they were being fed, will have a
good chance to live happily in the good Ibiza weather. 23 visits
have now been made and we have neutered over 9000 cats.
To sum
up: Our work is winning. We see the results all over Ibiza where whole
colonies have been neutered and are looking fatter and healthier like privately
owned cats! Many more people are now hearing about our work and are contacting
the team when we are in Ibiza. We advertise our visits in the local newspapers
and give our contact phone numbers and the result is very heart warming. We hear
from so many people each time asking for our help that we cannot usually get
through the list and have to leave some until our next visit. We know that we
have a long way to go but we are optimistic for a chance of a better future for
the cats of Ibiza as the numbers start to go down as the result of humane
control.
From 2007 to Present - We have been unable to use the old clinic and now use local vets at a very good discount, none the less, our cost have almost doubled. Our twice yearly visits continue with a large team of volunteer trappers. We treat and neutered the same amount of cats. In 2012 we are appealing for E300,000 to buy a permanent vetinary clinic to be managed by a local Ibizan vet and assisted by volunteer vets. We are now joining forces with Asociacion Gatos Atendidos (AGA), a Spanish registered charity to work together on our project to buy a vetenary clinic.

