The CES method literally means Capture, Sterilize, Release and it is a procedure carried out by some protectors and / or some municipalities that aims to prevent stray cats from reproducing non-stop.
The first thing is to be clear that stray cats will always exist in our neighborhoods, wastelands, parks or neighborhoods (the situation would have to change a lot so that this was not the case) and that we must help the furry to live in a pleasant and healthy.
Once this is accepted, it must be remembered that having the colonies controlled and protected is good for the city in which they are.
When we say controlled we refer to treated sanitary as well as hygienic and with a supervision of their relationships, that the animals are getting along, that they are not constantly attacking one, etc.
Ending a colony in an unethical and even criminal way will only lead us to be abusers of animals. It will not be possible to kill the stray cats in the area because others will come to take the resources with which the others survived.
The real solution for this, which is also ethical and satisfactory for all, is the CES (Capture, Sterilize and Release) method.
The system is developed in this way: the felines of the colonies are captured, sterilized (at the same time it is used to deworm and vaccinate them); sociable animals are put up for adoption and those “savages” are given a signal on the ear to let it be known that it is controlled and released in their territory. That colony will shrink due to the natural aging and end of life of your animals.
That is, the CES method interrupts the breeding cycle and shortens feline populations.
The consequences will all be beneficial
Without more new litters, stray cat populations will progressively decline. The annoying behaviors of cats in heat (howling, marking, fighting) stop. Furry animals are vaccinated and fed regularly. This incessant care creates a protection network, carried out by the protectors, institutions and volunteers that will be positive for both the animals and the locality.
To capture a feline from the street to follow this method, it is best to get help from an animal shelter because they already have experience in this matter. The first thing is to make sure that the cat has no owner. The best thing would be to have a microchip reader but if we don’t have it, we’ll see if there is a mark on the left ear that will tell us that it has already been sterilized and released.
Contacting a protection entity will also help us to catch them because they usually have a trap cage . Catching it with our arms, despite the fact that we have gained their trust little by little, can cause us a hard time and a few scratches.
The cage should be placed in a calm and uncomplicated place, in a flat area and / or where it is used to receiving food.
Succulent food will be placed in the bottom of the cage and on the door to “invite” you in.
The capture should not last long and when the cat is captured, we will wrap it with a blanket or towel so that the darkness allows the cat to be taken as calmly as possible.
Since it is not feasible to know when a cat is going to enter the trap, we should always have the collaboration of a veterinarian who approves the review of the animal without having requested a prior appointment.
Before dealing with these trapping routines, it would be good to let the people who live in the area where we work be known.
Once the health status of the collected cat has been recognized, the operation carried out and the precautions put in place, the ideal is that it spends 24 hours in the clinic.
Sometimes, due to lack of space or resources, this option is not possible. It is convenient that these animals have a house prepared to be able to hide.
In many perfectly synchronized CES, apart from these habitats there are organized volunteers with the protectors who feed and monitor the felines.
We want to remind from Muy Pets that most of the CES are still carried out by solidarity organizations or individuals putting the money and taking care of the animals themselves.
