CATLINES Blog: space cats club

Space Cats Club Nonprofit organization dedicated to humanely caring for and controlling the feral cat population at Kennedy Space Center and the surrounding areas. http://www.ksc.nasa.gov/external/groups/spacecats/ Space Cats Club Picture The Space Cats Club is a nonprofit organization dedicated to humanely caring for and controlling the feral cat population at Kennedy Space Center and the surrounding areas. The Space Cats Club formally began the day before New Year’s 1996, with the rescue of Mr. No Ears, a beat up old tomcat who had lost both of his ears from years of fighting. Since then, approximately 100 cats and kittens have been rescued at the Kennedy Space Center (KSC). The origin of these feral cats can be traced back years ago, before the beginning of the Space Shuttle program. Over the years, the population has increased in size. Until Space Cats Club was formed, the practice at KSC called for sporadic trapping of the cats. The cats were then brought to the Humane Society shelter, where, being deemed unadoptable, they were euthanized. This process was not successful in keeping the ever increasing feral population in check. Space Cats Club has been successful in finding homes for all of the kittens that have been rescued, and caring for the feral adults, who are temporarily living at a site on KSC property. All of the cats have been spayed/neutered and vaccinated. Out of the 100 cats/kittens that have been trapped, 49 have been adopted, 21 are at the site, and the rest are being fostered by volunteers. Only a few have had to be euthanized because of illness or injuries. Space Cats Club has expanded it’s scope to include feral cats within Brevard County. Many volunteers give their time and money to care, sterilize and vaccinate feral cat colonies throughout the county. The Feral Cat Network, a branch of Space Cats Club, is currently involved in organizing a spay/neuter program for ferals, with the assistance of Alley Cat Allies and Brevard Animal Services. In the future, Trap-Neuter-Return, may become an acceptable form of control for feral cat colonies in this area, as it has in Europe and other parts of the United States. Space Cats Club is now organized as a Florida not-for-profit corporation, operated solely by volunteers and funded entirely through donations. All contributions are tax deductible. For more information on feral cats, visit the Feral Cat Coalition and Alley Cat Allies web sites. Line Authors: Becky Dowell and Cindy Johnson Curator: Becky Dowell Last Revised: June 14, 1999 [ Space Cats Club] http://www.catliness.com