(Image Credit: CFJC News)

By Sydney Chisholm

FERAL CATS

TRU volunteers help Kamloops BC SPCA control the feral cat population

Mar 31, 2023 | 5:15 PM

KAMLOOPS – Friday (March 31) was Feral Cat Spay and Neuter Day at the Kamloops BC SPCA.

In just one day, the Kamloops BC SPCA Spay and Neuter clinic sterilized 22 feral cats.

“One cat over the course of 17 months can contribute 50-to-60 kittens to a population — and that’s just the females. 2 or 3 hundred cats in that colony,” clinic manager Misty Rivard told CFJC News.

According to Rivard, sterilization is the only option for population control. For that reason, caretakers of these feral colonies catch as many cats as they can and bring them in for surgery, but when they come in, they receive a lot more than the operation.

One Man's Opinion

COLLINS: Kelowna pediatrics closure a symptom of how far the level of care has dropped

18h ago

Two and Out

PETERS: Believe it or not, there is still reason to be optimistic about local media

Jun 06, 2025

Looped In

LOOPED IN WITH NIKKI OMEN: June 5, 2025

Jun 05, 2025

“We spay and neuter them, we give them vaccines, we deworm them and put in a microchip, then they take them home, let them recover,” she said. “Then they rerelease them to live out the rest of their lives but they can no longer contribute to that cat population. They are still in the colony but they’re not adding to it.”

The clinic suspended its events like this during the pandemic. Rivard says bringing the event back was difficult with staff shortages, but luckily, students and staff from TRU stepped in.

“The only reason we were able to bring in large quantities like that is because we do have the faculty and students from TRU Animal Health Technology who have volunteered their time,” Rivard explained.

Sonia Walczak, coordinator and instructor for the TRU vet tech program ,said students were very eager to participate.

“I had an overwhelming response, for volunteers, as this is a volunteer day for them,” Walczak said. “They were just overwhelmingly emailing, ‘Yes I want to help out. Can you pick me?’”

Those involved put their last two years to the test in a real-life situation.

Once they recover, the feral cats are returned to their colonies to live out their lives.

This was the second feral cat day TRU students participated in and it won’t be the last. Walczak says TRU plans to continue their partnership with the SPCA and participate in these events that happen twice a year.