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Update from CARA (Compassion and Responsibility for Animals), which looks after the stray cats of BGC.

So the Serendra Board blows off an invitation from City Hall. That can’t be good.

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Photos from Buffy the Vampire Slayer

I’ve been doing research on the problem of how to save the cats from the Hellmouth (formerly known as Serendra), and talking to animal rights advocates.

The urgent issue, in my view, is how to save the cats from starving to death now that feeding strays is banned in the Hellmouth (formerly known as Serendra). If the shop tenants and residents are forbidden from feeding these homeless cats, and people who have wandered onto the Hellmouth (formerly known as Serendra) are hassled when they try to feed the cats, how will the cats survive?

We forget that they are cats, and they are the perfect killing machines in cute form: Not helpless. If the food source in the Hellmouth (formerly known as Serendra) dries up, they will simply move to another area.

Unfortunately, shop owners are within their rights to call the city pound to round up stray cats and dogs, to be taken to facilities where they are likely to be killed. Some people just do not like cats and dogs, and they have the right to deprive themselves of the friendship of cats and dogs.

The animal welfare volunteers in the area of the Hellmouth (formerly known as Serendra) follow the Trap-Neuter-Return (TNR) program. “In a Trap-Neuter-Return program, community cats are humanely trapped (with box traps), brought to a veterinarian to be spayed or neutered, vaccinated, eartipped (the universal sign that a community cat has been neutered and vaccinated), and then returned to their outdoor home.” Afterwards the adoptable cats can be taken to shelters, where hopefully they can find humans to give them homes. But most of the neutered cats are supposed to stay feral, i.e. Wild, and out of sight.

When cats stay feral, they are wary of people so they will not approach you at “lifestyle” areas to ask for food, rubs, and photo-ops. This wariness helps them to stay alert and out of danger, as in cat haters rounding them up to be exterminated. And with neutering, they do not have kittens, so the feral cat population is under control. (No, cats will not become extinct. Hellmouths, however, close when there are no more souls to devour.)

Ideally, animal welfare volunteers should feed the stray cats at specific hours late at night, away from the areas frequented by people. This way the stray cats only come out when it’s feeding time, and do not socialize with the bourgeoisie.

The animal welfare volunteers, being kind and generous, tend to feed the stray cats at all hours, in popular public places. After all, these volunteers are busy people and have to fit the feeding times into their schedules. As a result, the stray cats get used to hanging out among people, putting them in the sights of the agents of the Hellmouth (formerly known as Serendra).

So what can we do?

Let the stray cats leave the Hellmouth (formerly known as Serendra). Help them leave, if you can (If you have cages and transportation, but you’ll have to keep them caged for a week, or they will return to the Hellmouth (formerly known as Serendra)).

And then, when the stray cats are resettled in an area where they will not be rounded up for extermination (Arrangements will have to be made with the owners/occupants), set up a cat feeding schedule, preferably late at night since cats are nocturnal anyway, and keep to it. Continue the TNR program to keep the population manageable. And stay away from Hellmouths.

If you have better ideas, other ideas, PLEASE tell us.

Clearly there has to be an information drive and awareness program for people who care about stray cats and dogs. We’re talking to humans. If you want to help, please let us know by sending us messages (your contact information will not be posted) in Comments, on Instagram (@jessicazafrascats), or by email (saffron.safin@gmail.com).

We cannot negotiate from a position of weakness. We have strength in numbers, and I do not know people with stronger convictions than animal welfare advocates.