Six years ago Audrey Stratton made 85 feline friends on a jetty during a walk around Mission Bay. Today, she works to help maintain their health and safety.
The jetty houses a colony of feral cats and has become a drop-off spot for people who can no longer care for their feline friends.
According to Stratton, long before she found the cats, there was a colony of 25 living around the jetty. They were all neutered and tagged. As time went on, people began dropping their cats off and the feral population grew. By the time Stratton came around, there were 85 cats with a large population of them born and raised feral. Over the course of three months, she documented the cats in a binder with photographs and information on each one.
“They are attracted to the jetty because of the amazing weather, social structure amongst other feral cats, fresh fish from the fishermen and, most importantly, a dedicated group of feeders who come daily to provide fresh food and water,” Stratton said.
“I fish here every so often,” said James Harrodson, an Ocean Beach resident. “I see a couple of cats every time. They sit beside me because they are smart, you know, they know I am about to pull a fish out of the water or a potential lunch for them. They look rough but they are incredibly friendly.”
When she first interacted with the cats, Stratton noticed that no one was helping them. Many of the cats had serious medical issues, some were struggling to recover from repeatedly birthing large litters and most of them had battle wounds from years of fighting. She learned that the City of San Diego was threatening to capture and euthanize the cats if no one presented an effective alternative. The alternative, Stratton determined, was a process used by many rescue organizations called TNR (trap-neuter-return).
“The only solution is to TNR and maintain the colony until there are eventually no more cats,” Stratton said.
With the help of the East County Animal Rescue and the Feline Cat Coalition, an organization of which Stratton is a board member, Stratton humanely traps, neuters and releases the animals, or completes TNR. The animals are tagged, given whatever medical attention they are in need of, and then released back to the jetty.
The work done with the jetty cats has been recognized by other feral cat advocacy groups as a perfect example of successfully managing a colony through TNR.
“We know our efforts are helping the situation because we have gone from 85 cats to 35 in just a few years,” Stratton said.
Many of the feeders have bonded with the cats and feel responsible for their safety and well being.
“All of the caregivers come on dedicated days of the week,” Stratton said. “I am there every Tuesday and occasionally stroll by on the weekends when I miss the kitties. There are four caregivers who come throughout the week.”
While some people enjoy caring for and feeding the cats, others are more concerned about the condition of the jetty and the safety of the other wildlife in the area.
Some of the usual complaints filed with Animal Services are concerned with the food that is left out for the cats. People are worried that the leftovers will attract rodents to the area, but the most common complaint has to do with the bird population.
According to a study done by the Smithsonian and the Fish and Wildlife Service, feral cats are responsible for the death of thousands of birds each year. According to the San Diego Audubon Society, San Diego is home to a large variety of birds, many of which are already endangered. The fear many have is that these cats are contributing to the dwindling populations of many of these birds. According to Stratton, that does not seem plausible.
“The jetty cats are fat and happy,” Stratton said. “I spend hours there every week and have never once seen a single cat kill a bird. Out of all the stretches of shores in the world, why can’t the cats have a few yards of it?”
For those interested in feeding and or visiting the jetty cats, the caretakers have a few pieces of advice.
The first is to never approach a cat too quickly or aggressively, this will scare the already skittish cats away and potentially instill a fear of humans.
The second is to not approach them with the intent on picking them up or petting them. A fair and safe distance should be kept between the cat and the human. Allow the cat’s behavior to determine how the interaction will go.
Finally, bring cat food and your patience. The best times to visit are in the early morning and just before sunset. According to Stratton, when a caretaker arrives or a fisherman selects a spot, the cats will come out.
“If you spot a fisherman and sit near them for a little bit you are bound to see a cat appear,” Harrodson said.
For up to date information on the cats, to get involved, or to report an injured cat, visit the Facebook page Jetty Cats – San Diego. For more information about the Feral Cat Coalition or to donate, visit www.feralcat.com.