2008 Woodie Awards
Like a purrfect neighbor
Issue date: 2/15/08 Section: Letters to the Editor
Dear Editor,
Well, it looks like the Trinity cats have made the papers yet again! I'm always interested to hear what our cats have been up to, as well as what our students have to say about it all. I was relieved to read that the largest proportion of the students interviewed seemed to enjoy the cats, finding their unique personalities a positive addition to life on campus. We in the Cat Alliance | Trinity (CAT) truly appreciate the kindness our students show toward the cats that we are charged with taking care of here at Trinity.
However, we also realize that there are some who don't view our cats as favorably - maybe due to an allergy to cats, or simply because they are not "cat-people." Hey, it does happen!
The "standard operating procedures" for trap-neuter-return programs such as ours allow student/cat contacts to remain healthy, when properly applied. CAT has set up feeding stations distanced from the residence halls - the Isabel station is at the level of the parking lot, well below the dorms - and CAT volunteers replenish the food supply at these stations daily. The purpose of this set-up is to keep the cats from "going door-to-door" soliciting dinner from campus residents. We don't want our cats to become nuisances, or be resented as beggars. On the other hand, we don't begrudge them a little treat here and there, either. Certainly the Coates cats get their share of goodies, and I imagine the same thing is happening for the Isabel cats, some of whom can be pretty irresistible.
For the well-being of all concerned - allergic students, the cats and the T-N-R program itself - CAT urges residents to observe the University's rules and to leave the cats outside. While we encourage students' interest in and interaction with our kitties, we don't encourage the establishment of "bad habits" for the cats, which will, in the long run, make them less desirable as neighbors.
Again, my thanks to all who have welcomed our kitties. I hope you'll help us to preserve the T-N-R program, so that the cats will continue to be welcome on campus.
Vee DuBose, Cat Alliance | Trinity
Well, it looks like the Trinity cats have made the papers yet again! I'm always interested to hear what our cats have been up to, as well as what our students have to say about it all. I was relieved to read that the largest proportion of the students interviewed seemed to enjoy the cats, finding their unique personalities a positive addition to life on campus. We in the Cat Alliance | Trinity (CAT) truly appreciate the kindness our students show toward the cats that we are charged with taking care of here at Trinity.
However, we also realize that there are some who don't view our cats as favorably - maybe due to an allergy to cats, or simply because they are not "cat-people." Hey, it does happen!
The "standard operating procedures" for trap-neuter-return programs such as ours allow student/cat contacts to remain healthy, when properly applied. CAT has set up feeding stations distanced from the residence halls - the Isabel station is at the level of the parking lot, well below the dorms - and CAT volunteers replenish the food supply at these stations daily. The purpose of this set-up is to keep the cats from "going door-to-door" soliciting dinner from campus residents. We don't want our cats to become nuisances, or be resented as beggars. On the other hand, we don't begrudge them a little treat here and there, either. Certainly the Coates cats get their share of goodies, and I imagine the same thing is happening for the Isabel cats, some of whom can be pretty irresistible.
For the well-being of all concerned - allergic students, the cats and the T-N-R program itself - CAT urges residents to observe the University's rules and to leave the cats outside. While we encourage students' interest in and interaction with our kitties, we don't encourage the establishment of "bad habits" for the cats, which will, in the long run, make them less desirable as neighbors.
Again, my thanks to all who have welcomed our kitties. I hope you'll help us to preserve the T-N-R program, so that the cats will continue to be welcome on campus.
Vee DuBose, Cat Alliance | Trinity
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