A newly formed animal welfare group in the Western Isles will embark on a trap, neuter and return programme to protect the islands’ colonies of feral cats from ill health and harm.
Western Isles Support for Cats and Kittens (WISCK) has been launched after Cats Protection closed its volunteer-run branches on Skye, Orkney, Lewis, Harris, Barra and Uist late last year.
Feral cat colonies exist all over the islands, with female cats breeding constantly and kittens often suffering from parasite infestation, hunger and danger of injury or death from vehicles and other hazards.
Now WISCK has steped in to tackle the problem and will work to trap, tame and socialise the kittens and get sick and injured cats to the vet.
WISCK’s Lewis and Harris chairwoman Alison Smith said: “The Scottish SPCA is working with us as we begin a programme of trapping female cats and kittens, lending us traps and other equipment so that we can get them indoors and prepare them for neutering and release – or socialisation and re-homing, if that’s possible.
“What we need most is public support. We need money to feed cats, heat their pens and get them treated at the vets. We need volunteer fosterers who can give over a room or a water-tight outbuilding to foster feral kittens.”
Donations are welcomed. People can contact WISCK via Facebook or by email at wisck2020@gmail.com.
A spokeswoman for Cats Protection said that finding volunteers in remote areas had been challenging. She added: “It is also important that all cat care is carried out to the welfare standards required by the charity.”