Calis Beach and Fethiye Turkey Discussion Forum
Calis Beach Forum => Calis Local Charity Announcements => Topic started by: snowtop on October 22, 2014, 10:49:44 AM
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Before i start, i am a 100% animal lover.
There are plenty of Owned cats round here, some people feed around 5 or six cats every day. They do not seem to be the problem, its the strays that i am targeting on this post.
The wooded area by KAAN hotel is getting more and more cats all the time. Because they are being cared for, it is encouraging cats from all over the place.
There are just too many of them!!
They keep crapping on my bit of soil by the pool and it stinks.
The noise they make when they have a fight, (which is frequently), is NOT music to the ears
We also get the Tom's marking their territory which includes my property and it stinks.
Can you try and move your care area to a more uninhabited area thereby giving us humans some space please.
This post does not alter the fact that,if you are involved in these cats, you do sterling work.
This is more of a request than a complaint.s
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Same thing with the wooded area opposite Zayra(1) more and more cats every month...
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have you tried a deterrent such as pepper/cinnamon on the soil by the pool? failing that a sprinkler should deter them( can one put a motion detector on these i wonder!)
With the cats going to one area it should be a lot easier to start getting the un-neutered ones 'done' which will greatly alleviate future problems.
Maybe you could also help getting some "homed"
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I do not wish to get involved with these cats.
I am more of a dog man than a cat man. I am not encouraging the cats, nor do I want anything to do with them.
I would not harm them but I do not want them on my property.
If I had wanted a cat I would have had one before now.
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Hi Snowtop, the short answer is no they cannot be moved as they have to be close to where the feeders live as they do not have motorised transport, also they have to be in overgrown plots of wooded areas so they cannot be seen from the road or overlooked by houses and there are so few areas like this now with the on going building programme.
All the cats taken to these feeding stations are neutered and well fed, they are also hidden in these large plots so they have no real need to go off anywhere.
The feeders know all the cats for their stations and if any strays find their way in they get picked up and neutered.
I think the cats that are doing any spraying around your home must be local private cats which owners refuse to have neutered and the same for doing anything in your garden areas, as I said earlier the pod cats should not be straying unless someone near you is feeding them at their home.
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Hi Snowdrop,
We had a similar problem on our complex :( we purchased a water pump gun range about 45 foot from a shop along the Gunlukbasi Road worked so well without harming the cats we took one home with us
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Yes good idea Geoff - no harm done and problem solved :-)
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And great fun too :D
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Wouldn’t it be more sensible and possibly kinder to put the strays “to sleep” instead of neutering and then having to continue to look after them because nobody else wants to?
Dogs and cats without owners must face a continual struggle to eat and keep warm and there must be many injured or diseased that crawl into a space to die in pain.
I admire the efforts of people that raise money to care for animals although I don’t agree with a lot of the sentimentality that goes with it. Pain, suffering and cruelty is horrendous and to put time and effort into stopping that is what I would contribute to if it helped. To continue to use the time and effort to keep strays going doesn’t make a lot of sense to me but I am open- minded and willing to hear the arguments for it.
An animal doesn’t know if the injection you give it is an anti-biotic to make it better or something that will end their life so I don’t see that as cruel. Better that than to be run over, attacked by a larger animal or die slowly and painfully from a disease.
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If only it would be that simple to "put to sleep" some of the stray humans on our streets! These people in Animal Aid and the like do an incredible job looking after the animals and to just kill "strays" because they are in the way belies belief. >:(
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I didn't say that.
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Wouldn’t it be more sensible and possibly kinder to put the strays “to sleep”
An animal doesn’t know if the injection you give it is an anti-biotic to make it better or something that will end their life so I don’t see that as cruel. Better that than to be run over, attacked by a larger animal or die slowly and painfully from a disease.
Actually, Bluwise, you did say that. :(
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Sorry, where does it say,
"just kill "strays" because they are in the way"?
Like I said, I'm open-minded to hear the arguments for and against and was giving my opinion. At no point did I intend to come across as un-caring or heartless - and I didn't think I had.
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Your right Bluwise you did not say that.
I'd also suggest that emotive guff like putting to sleep stray humans on the streets do not help the situation either.
Yes Animal Aid does a fantastic job with all its good works, but it would probably take the work of 20 Animal Aids to solve the problems faced by stray animals alone in the Fethiye area, never mind the rest of Turkey. And if we cannot do everything, then perhaps it is time for some fresh and perhaps radical alternative thinking on the issue. Particularly as the number of strays - from my own observations - is not getting smaller, but actually increasing.
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The answer to the problem of stray cats and dogs has to be a complete neutering scheme, which I understand is going ahead in many areas of Turkey, there may be a short term increase in the amount of strays but that should even out in a short space of time. I am not a cat lover, but I understand that many people give up a great deal of their time to ensuring the abandoned cat population are cared for and fed. Hopefully the neutering scheme will cut the number of strays in a short space of time.
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I believe the average life of a street cat in Turkey is about 3 years.
In the short term, if those cats are actually getting nutrition and medical attention, one would expect that lifespan to both increase and be somewhat better quality. That increased lifespan will mean temporarily more cats - hence perhaps your perception that the 'problem' is worse, - together with the fact they arent hiding away in pain, injured, starving etc so are now more visible and congregating in safer colonies.
In the medium and long term, as those same cats will have been neutered the number of strays will fall drasticly. The only other action required to solve the long term problem is to EDUCATE locals from a young age that animals must be neutered and cared for properly, and that having acquired a pet it is a responsibility for the whole of its life.
getting an Animal 'put to sleep' is not that easy in Turkey, to put a healthy stray to sleep would not be considered appropriate in the local culture.
Sadly i also know some expats just turf animals out whe they return to the uk.
I am not an AA member but the work they have done with street animals has made a big difference to the dog situation, give them time and a little patience to work with the cats!
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Thanks for the info hubblebubble.
I too admire the work done by AA but I also have sympathy for snowtop. There isn't an easy answer and as USB says, sometimes we just have to consider other options.
I was trying to be realistic in what is a very emotive subject. The distress is felt not just by those that want to care for the strays but also by those that feel their property is being abused by the cats.
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Don't jump on me here but what is it with expats in Turkey,stray dogs and cats ?People seem to get very involved.I do not like any animal suffering but I think we have to realise that even with all of the kindness shown to them a lot of these animals would be better off dead.You also need to think about those who don't particularly like animals and have to put up with dogs in and out of restaurants,following you home,biting you,masses of cats making a mess in gardens etc and the regular dawn chorus that when one starts they all do.
Well looked after quiet pets in your own home = okay.Strays = nuisance and bother.
I'll get me hard hat now
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I think you may need it Steve A ! ;)
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I think I will Bluwise but just making an honest observation whilst trying not to be offensive
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In short,there is no answer to this.
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There are always answers...
one could move, or choose to get a dog and train it to chase cats out of garden, or look up cat deterrents such as ultrasonics or pepper etc.... The pump water pistols have also been suggested.
There are far bigger problems in the world.
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Hard hat time Steve A,you don't have to put up with it,
You can always stay in the Uk.
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Hard hat time Steve A,you don't have to put up with it,
You can always stay in the Uk.
You see this is at the heart of my question I suppose,why do expats get so worked up over the animals to the point of "if you don't like it stay away"
When we first started coming to Turkey there were very few cats,now there are loads of them and we encourage them by feeding,putting in one place,letting them into homes,gardens etc.
There is a great argument for a cull to prevent any suffering ,heartache ,extra work etc.
I just don't get it
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"Move" - "Go back to the UK" - what on earth is that about?
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The point that is being missed here is that it is illegal to euthanise a healthy animal.
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I assume you mean in Turkey?
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The point that is being missed here is that it is illegal to euthanise a healthy animal.
Is it? If it is, then its never stopped various belediye in Istanbul doing it.
Curiously, there doesn't seem to be the same infestation of stray animals there. At least not in the areas I frequent.
Just saying like...
JF
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It's just wrong to euthanise any living thing.
The quality of life of a starving cat is much better than a dead one.
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It's just wrong to euthanise any living thing.
The quality of life of a starving cat is much better than a dead one.
Sorry, but not sure I understand what you are saying here. Is it a joke - has it gone over my head? :o
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I like animals just as much as the average person does but I do have a problem with all the cats which seem to think that my garden is their toilet and fighting ground. I do think that AA do a great job, particularly with the street dogs but they are a little bit like the Dutch boy with his finger in the dike trying to hold back the flood waters when it comes to cats.
A few facts: an average cat has 1-8 kittens per litter and 2-3 litters per year. During her productive life, a female cat could produce more than 100 kittens. A single pair of cats and their kittens can produce as many as 420,000 kittens in just 7 years.
You would not have to miss many on the neutering programme to see that there will be a serious problem. no matter how many water pistols you deploy.
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A lot of what Pete says is true, it's an impossible task trying to prevent so many cats as we are setup at the moment which was being done by two people for the whole of Fethiye, this has now been reduced to one!(and she's on holiday)
How about volunteering some of your time to go cat catching in your area a few mornings a week?
If everyone looked after their own backyard we could get over this problem quite quickly, we have traps cages free neutering service at the shelter.
Any volunteers?
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Just a little bit concerned about that Dutch boy............. ;)
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It's just wrong to euthanise any living thing.
The quality of life of a starving cat is much better than a dead one.
Sorry, but not sure I understand what you are saying here. Is it a joke - has it gone over my head? :o
Sorry bluwise, but your reply has gone over my head also.
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The problem would be a whole lot worse with out AA that is for sure...
I don't agree that the quality of life of a starving animal is better then a dead one and I really not trying to evoke an argument here, I am a cat lover thru and thru and not ashamed to admit it, one of my cats in the uk is a substitute child that is for sure, a few years back I saw a young cat or old kitty by a bin in Fethiye and it was starving filthy had a great big gash on its back and was so pitiful that I do admit I said to my husband it would actually be better off dead then live the life it looked like it had,,, there is a big difference in an animal being a street animal and getting food and being healthy to a pitiful existence for some of the worse off ones :(
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I was speaking to a local English lady who lives in Fethiye. She told me she is glad there are stray cats around as they do a good job around the bins in eating food that has been left and also killing rats, mice and cockroaches. She told me that without these cats the place would be a mess.
Now, these are her words not mine and I have never thought of the situation in this way as we don't have the problem where we live in Scotland. We have only had one stray here I fed it over a couple of weeks and rang the local Cat's Protection. They gave me a cage to catch it and then they came and picked it up. They spayed it for re-homing and called it Harvey.
I too am a cat lover and I know in the area where we are in Calis, the A.A. do a very good job. As does our Dutch neighbour who feeds the stray cats, which have been spayed and they all look very good and very health. We are lucky we don't have a problem with them soiling our garden, probably because we have fields next to us. :)
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It's just wrong to euthanise any living thing.
The quality of life of a starving cat is much better than a dead one.
Sorry, but not sure I understand what you are saying here. Is it a joke - has it gone over my head? :o
Sorry bluwise, but your reply has gone over my head also.
I was asking as I wasn't sure I understood what you were saying - as in any life is better than none if I have understood you correctly?
If so, I totally disagree and Karennina's post is one example of why. I also disagree when you say, it's wrong to euthanise any living thing.
Why would you want a creature to suffer?
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Did Harvey have a sex change as well?
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Come on Scunner that must a least deserve a visit from the "Quote Police" ;) ;)
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Didn't mean to upset anybody, but sorry, it's my point of view.
Your are right to say " where there's life, there is hope". A starving cat still has a chance of feeding, a dead one doesn't..
It's too easy a solution to employ euthenasia
There are many alternatives and answers, but as always , it does cost money, resources and time as many people have already mentioned.
Jacqui, your point re cats keeping rodents down and also reducing food waste rings true . As a child , I used to visit my Grannies farm where they had four or five cats.none were spayed and were probably related. They were fed minimally in order that they did there jobs. Hunt and eat mice and rats that threatened hay, straw and animal feed.
Hugh.
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Wonder how many people have read these postings?Wonder how many people put in their 2 pence worth?Dont need to wonder who have replied to Tinkermans request for help neutering their 'problem' cats...........NONE!
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Not sure if anyone has volunteered? Maybe some from those that support the idea of neutering have offered to help?
I've had my two penneth of input into this but sorry, I won't be volunteering to catch any cats - and I can't be made to feel I should :)
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Iam the same as Bluwise,I hate cats why would I want to volunteer ,sorry
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Hi. I have just read this thread and feel compelled to post a comment in response. I must say, I am scared by the comments of some people who seem oblivious to the plight and challenge of the animals in Calis. I can understand the concern. The approach to animal welfare there is very different from where most of us come from. It can be overwhelming. It was overwhelming to me. But I am here to plead for the cause of the animals. Actually, I am one of the people who started caring for the cats in the very area discussed in this thread, near the Kaan Hotel. Many of them showed up on my doorstep, starving and ill or badly injured. We had never intended to have more than two cats, but we could not ignore the imploring, needy faces of these innocent creatures, born through no fault of their own, and merely doing the best they could to survive. It is what all beings must do somehow. Some of us are just luckier, through circumstance, than others. Through nurturing and love, the cats healed and became part of our family, accidentally at first, it seemed. Each one was neutered or spayed, most often at my own expense (until Animal Aid kindly allowed me to use their funds to continue the work). All the feeding and most of the medical care was at my own expense, and I do not reget one single kurus spent on these guys. Sadly, very sadly, several of them did die, despite our best efforts, each by some unfortunate circumstance. For instance, when Sammy was hit by a car and needed to be "put down" because his body had been destroyed AND taken over by blowflies, my husband and I sobbed on the vet's floor. That was a case where, yes, euthanasia was a blessing. That cat was a beautiful, loving, funny, energetic being. His absence, and the absence of every single cat we lost, still haunts me. Some of you may grunt in disapproval or say that our commitment to these "pests" is merely making up for some other sad lack in our lives, and that is certainly your prerogative to think in such a way. Though I would counter that there IS no other way but showing kindness to our fellow beings. Those cats, and some street dogs, too, saved us. They showed us that there IS a connection between humans and other species. There IS love and acceptance if only one allows it to happen. What could be a better outcome than that, I ask you? By the way, in case you think we just collected cats for fun, I tried for years to get other people to help out, or to adopt each new kitten or stray that came along. My appeals were completely ignored except that I did get homes for two kittens at last. I understand that most people are in Calis to live "the good life." I can't fault them for that; I wanted the same. But the good life can come in surprising ways. I will say, I have never had a better family than those cats, each with his or her own personality and unique characteristics. They changed our lives irrevocably. Their antics and their gentle, funny natures delighted us every single day. Their gratitude for our helping them was expressed, not by bestowing gifts or money on us, but with their cuddles and purring and following us around, coming on our laps when we were sad or upset, running to meet us when we drove up. Or by sleeping with their paw in our hand. Or any number of other expressions of friendship. Unfortunately, we had to leave Turkey. I explored every avenue I came across to find a way to bring as many of those cats with me as I could, even going so far as to get several micro-chipped and vaccinated. But I was unable to bring them in the end, having no place to bring them to. It was one of the saddest moments of my life to leave those lovely beings behind. I think about them every single day, and miss them with all my heart. In fact, if my personal circumstances allowed, I would gladly bring each and every one of them to me where they would have a loving home for the rest of their lives. I think about it every day. It is only because of the kindness, generosity and extreme caring and hard work of the Animal Aid people who came to the rescue and took over the feeding of these cats when I left, that I have any peace of mind about the situation now. When I read that some people are advocating euthanasia for Mugzy (who is an absolutely amazing creature, by the way, and has a bit of notoriety amongst people who know his story) or gentle Kirmi and B.G. or the gorgeous Skreech and Crockett, or BooBoo, who has the sweetest nature of any being I have yet to meet in my life, I feel sick and completely disheartened. I feel helpless to save them from so far away. And I am imploring you not to deprive them of their one safety net. Yes, I agree, many of these animals might be better off never having been born if their lives were doomed to suffering. That same could be said for many humans, too, yet we don't euthanize them. When we look at the bigger picture of the state of things, it seems to me rather short-sighted, and even arrogant, sorry, to believe that we have more right to existence than a cat. Even in Calis, the natural habitat of animals is being gobbled up by villas, resorts, roads, etc. at an alarming rate. There are, what?, seven billion humans on this earth. Where do the animals go? Are we to round up every non-human creature on this planet and dispose of it, simply because it is crapping in "our" backyard? I am sorry. I cannot, and never will, accept that kind of thinking. Why are we here, after all? What is our purpose? These animals are sentient beings. They DO suffer and they also DO reciprocate in kindness and love. This I know without any shred of doubt. And it is so wonderful to experience that connection when it happens. You can make a difference in the world by reaching out, as Animal Aid volunteers and others do, and in so doing, you might find, as we did, as many others do, that your heart is warmed and your life brightened as a result. There are solutions, if only we try. It might not always be easy or quick, but the effort could very well be worth it.
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Swampy I cannot find the words. From one animal lover to another, I feel your pain. Xx
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All so true and you are a lovely person i go 3 times a year and throw food in the overgrowth and feed the ones that come the villa, but so sad to leave them knowing that most wont survive, but try and make them happy when i am there x
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The approach to animal welfare there is very different from where most of us come from.
Thats because it's not where you've come from.
I tried for years to get other people to help out, or to adopt each new kitten or stray that came along. My appeals were completely ignored except that I did get homes for two kittens at last.
Maybe they simply didn't want a cat(s)... did that ever cross your mind?
JF
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Thank you to those of you who read my posting, and for your kind responses. As to the person who wonders whether or not I ever thought about people NOT wanting to take on cats, I believe you have missed the point of my posting, and I am sorry if I have written in a way that you have misunderstood. I am merely telling my story and making an appeal on behalf of the animals. It has not been easy for me to do so. Thank you for understanding.
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Swampy you are a beautiful person with a big heart. Yes the cats do keep the rat population down, and by neutering so many cats Animal Aid has made it harder for an unneutered cat to mate with another unneutered one. I share your concerns for your little family that you had to leave behind. all of them loved so much. from what I have read it is peoples opinions not law. There are many people that advocate euthanasia for humans but its not law. for each person that complains about the cats there are another 20 that love them, and I don't really think the people that complain would purposely hurt the animals if push comes to shove, I think most of them would jump on anybody they saw harming animals. well I hope so anyway. I hope we are not living among people that are so self centred they cant open their hearts to the plight of innocent animals.
Big respect for the Animal Aid charity that devote their lives to helping animals in distress. and also to all those that help out in the shops and stalls and by donating unwanted belongings. and attending fund raising social events. I am always happy to know that whilst I am enjoying an event the animals or the local children are benefitting, its a good way of giving something back to our Turkish hosts..
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What would the vermin be like without the cats?
Unfortunately when those of us who only ho;iday here they suffer when we go home if we feed them too much. I only feed the bin cats when we go home with our leftovers but we do have 2 lovely neutered cats who appear as soon as we arrive and hardly leave till we do. They appear well fed and are afraid of the bin cats. I give them the odd treat but dont feed them properly.I dont want them becoming dependent and then we go home. i could never harm any animal but 19 following me from the bins is too much.
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what a lovely story. wish i had know you i love cats very much as you said they have minds and ways of there own. i help with the cats feeding station with a treat to show that they are not forgotten and we care. i brought one cat over from england and doing very well. but as you said when they are ill and need help i get them well and quietly they stay with me. the feeding stations are a very good idea as the weather has been bad they have food and shelter and looking good. we all cannot be the same but cats are my friends and enjoy ther company. animal aid do a good job and thank them all for helping with all animals.
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I hoped you would post your opinion Flipper, nobody loves cats as much as you, and you have been helping at the feeding station since the beginning. I know you and your husband help out all animals not just cats, and spend your own money on food, vets bills etc. So whatever our opinions lets raise a glass to the ones who do care and don't just talk about it.
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Cheers, Echo girl1.
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Thank you, Flipper and Echo Girl. I am glad there are so many other cat/animal lovers there. And I am incredibly grateful to you.
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I am not a cat person, I feel more for the stray and abandoned dogs in and around Calis, but I admire any of the people who put themselves out to look after any abandoned animal. Without them we would all be the poorer, even the people who do not care about the animal population must admire the people who do.