Cats

TNR

Female cats naturally give birth every three months to an average of five or six kittens. Due to overpopulation, many of these kittens develop feline illnesses and suffer greatly before finally succumbing. This problem gets progressively worse over the winter months when food resources are scarcer and both kittens and their mothers suffer from poor nutrition.

Vets and animal welfare organizations agree that neutering is the most important step in both controling animal populations and improving animal welfare. Aside from reducing the population, it has the added benefit of keeping cats healthier (reduced transmission of diseases like FIV), cleaner (less spraying), and less aggressive (fewer fights for territory and mates).

HydraArk strives to maintain a more balanced population among the island's much-loved cat community with regular TNR (trap, neuter, release) sessions. We bring licensed vets to the island for a period of several days to weeks to spay and neuter, as well as provide treatment for infections and parasites.

Feeding & Colonization

A long-term HydraArk goal is the establishment of supervised cat colonies around the island. Members of a functioning colony will come around regularly for food, which will in turn make it that much easier to recognize individual cats and monitor the population for signs of illness. This will also simplify trapping eligible cats for neutering, vaccination, and treatment.

Volunteers will regularly feed and monitor each colony of perhaps 10 to 15 cats. Through donations, HydraArk will provide the food for this effort. We also would like to support others in the community who already feed cats by providing them with food. If you are a feeder or you know someone who is, please contact HydraArk.

Vaccination & Treatment

A program of systematic vaccination will reduce the transmission of such illnesses as cat flu, feline leukemia, and FIV. This, in conjunction with a balanced population level and regular, year-round nutrition, will take us a long way toward our goal of maintaining a healthy cat community on Hydra.

Dogs

Happily, the stray dog population on Hydra is small. We do endeavor to provide neutering, vaccination, and medical treatment, as well as to place these dogs in homes.

Donkeys

We will be bringing a large-animal vet to Hydra to consult with owners of donkeys, mules, and horses. This vet will provide information and advice as well as treatment. We need to collect a certain number of requests before we can plan such a visit. If you are interested, please contact us.

FAQ

If neutering and spaying are constant, will the cat population eventually disappear?

How dangerous are spaying and neutering operations?

Overall, sterilization is not an especially risky operation, and it is unusual for cats to develop an infection as a result of the procedure. After the operation, however, it is important to keep the animal warm and comfortable. The vet will inject the cat with antibiotics, whose effects usually last three days depending on the type used. This will also protect the cat from catching illnesses like the flu from other cats during the same three-day period.

Will the operation compromise my male cat’s capacity for self-defence?

No. This is an excellent question that provides the opportunity for a serious explanation based on vets’ opinions and scientific evidence. Your male cat will not become weaker or unable to defend himself. After the operation, his level of aggressiveness will decrease, which means that he will not feel the need to go and fight other cats as much as he did before. If attacked though, he will still be perfectly able to defend himself.