Need help with rescue operation

Can anyone advise me how to approach a 'diplomacy' issue? First a little (?) background.

I got a call from a friend, who got a call from a friend, who saw some

feral cats running 'round a parking lot in our neighborhood. It's right next to a local 'alternative' school. My friend's friend, Kimmery, saw

about five cats there. She did some checking around and found out a teacher there has been feeding these cats for over two years! She wouldn't agree to stop feeding 'em and let us start to trap 'em unless

we talked to the principal. So I called the school to try to convince them that we have to neuter/spay them, and/or relocate them. I was psyching myself up to being the 'diplomat'.

When I called the principal, their tune had really changed. He found out just this week that the cats are using the sand-lot in the playground for the daycare center that's attached to the school. Guess

what for! One of the kids picked up a turd and was playing with it, so

suddenly we're their buddies. Oh, and it looks like there are at least

nine of 'em! Of course, they'd rather we trap them instead of animal control, 'cuz as ferals, they'd have about a 99.999% chance of being euthanized.

Well, I trapped five of 'em the first night (busy night!). It didn't occur to me at first, but a couple of friends have pointed out that the school people are kinda playing us. We've decided that since they are responsible for the population of this colony, they should help out financially with their speutering and relocation. This is where the diplomacy re-enters the picture. I've been racking my brain about how to present this to them in a way that will appeal to their interest in

helping the cats.

Has anyone encountered a situation like this before? Have you come up with just the right approach? We're also hoping to spin this into an opportunity to do a humane education visit, but that's down the road. I'm just not sure how to approach them initially to hit 'em up for support.

Any ideas? TIA. Paul T. O'Leary Desktop Insurgent 'ptoleary at chorus dot net'

Paul,

Simply tell them the truth, you have helped THEM out, don't let them turn that around on you. If they want to continue to receive your assistance with these animals, tell them you need help in return. Being a school, they should know, with teamwork anything can be accomplished (also this would set a good example for the kids). Both sides should be able to reach an understanding compromise. Let me know how it turns out.

Good luck and thank you for caring, Kimberly Dodd

I agreee in fact. The only thing that kinda makes that difficult to assert is that we approached them initially about trapping them. It's not like they approached us to help them with this. Still, they did say they preferred we trap them over Animal Control, so maybe I can play that somehow.

Thanks for the encouragement. I'll keep you posted. Paul T. O'Leary Desktop Insurgent 'ptoleary at chorus dot net'

Good luck

Since this is a school, maybe a learning experience can be developed from this. Each class could adopt a cat and the kids could pay donations for its medical, food and adoption out. new owners could let the kids know how the cat(s) are doing etc. maybe it could be presented as a combination learning experience and a challange.

Good Luck

I think that's a great idea. Probably $1 per child, or if the school is large, 50 cents, should cover the initial basic costs for spay/neuter and first vaccinations, and give you the education opportunity that you would like within the school. I am sure that some of the children's families would be able to and would choose to continue to assist with costs for booster vaccinations and food. That really wouldn't be that much divided up amongst many people.

Well, it's actually an 'alternative' school, one set up for at-risk kids, and those who have had their share (or more) of 'experiences' with the school system. I'm sure they'd be just as sensitive, if not more so, to the kitties' plight, but unfortunately the student population is pretty small.

My wife talked with the teacher who's been feeding 'em, and she seems very receptive not only to a fundraising campaign, but to an education program around this. Sounds like that's gonna take off.

The cats themselves are another issue. I trapped five the first night! Three nights later (my next chance) I got two. The first five (Agnes thru Edith, I'm naming them alphabetically) are all speutered (only one male!), and most of them are becoming friendly.

The other two are another story. Fern, although she's settled down the last day or so, started out a total stompin' feral! I put an aluminum roasting pan (y'know, that thick foil) in her cage as a litter pan. She destroyed it! Tore the aluminum, even bit into it! Greta started out somewhat more tame, but being in with Fern kinda spooked her. Yesterday, I was at the vet clinic taking care of their cages (that's how I get a discount on their care). Fern & Greta were in a dog kennel with a bottom try that you can pull out without opening the kennel itself. Since Fern had trashed her litter-pan, I wanted to clean that tray, so I pulled it out from under them. Well, this created an opening between the bars big enough for Greta to get thru! I thought I'd left the door open. I actually caught her and, not knowing how she'd escaped, put her back. She re-escaped within seconds! I got her in a net next, but she wriggled out of that before I could get her into a carrier.

So now she's secreted into some cranny of the basement of my vet's clinic, which is not only cluttered with stuff, but stacked with dry food! All she has to do is slash a bag; her choice of flavors. I've got two traps down there, hoping she'll go for stinky canned food. I am blessed to have such a patient and understanding vet.

Oh, and the teacher says there are at least two more out there, and she's pretty sure one of 'em is pregnant. What next??!?

Sounds to me like 'what's next' is some Rescue Remedy in the water bowls of the two wild ones! I've had it work on my tame but grouchy cats, and several people have mentioned using it on ferals.

Anita in Olympia