Here's how our program works:
To reserve space for your colony cat(s) to be spayed/neutered:
- Call us at 650-261-6665. Leave your name, a phone number where you can be reached and the best time to call, and the number of cats for which you want reservations. A volunteer will return your call within a few days.
- Clinics are conducted on Sundays. The cats you bring must be in traps or carriers. No cardboard carriers or soft carriers will be accepted.
- No cats with collars will be accepted.
- For instructions on how to trap your cats, go to Humane Trapping Instructions.
- You must trap or confine the cats the night before the clinic: it is crucial that they be fasting when they come to the clinic. Vomiting under anesthesia is a life-threatening situation. We may not treat a cat who arrives with food or water in the trap or carrier.
- Cover the traps or carriers completely, using an old towel or sheet. This calms the trapped cat and keeps him or her from self-injury.
- Place them in a warm, dry area safe from predators-not outdoors!
- Drop your cats off at the clinic at the scheduled time. Bring them with their covers! The covers will be used to cover the cats after surgery and will be returned to you at the end of the clinic.
- There is some risk. At the Peninsula Fix Our Ferals clinics, we assume any cat may be feral. Therefore a pre-anesthesia exam is not possible.
- Surgery will be conducted that day. Pick up your cats on time! The cats will be placed back in the traps or carriers after surgery and will recuperate from the anesthesia in the traps. Males can be released after 24 hours; females should be held for three days before release. Food and water can be placed in the traps after you take the cats home from the clinic.
- We do not offer testing for FIV or FeLV (feline leukemia).
- Admittance to the clinic indicates the caretaker's agreement that very sick cats may be euthanized at the attending veterinarian's discretion. We make every effort to contact the caretaker before taking this step.
- Release the cats where you trapped them. This is very important, for cats are territorial and may become disoriented and vulnerable if released in an unfamiliar area.
At the clinic, your cats will be:
- Spayed (females) or neutered (males). Females will have buried absorbable sutures; males will not have sutures. Females also get a tattoo along the incision site.
- Vaccinated for rabies (if 4 months or older), panleukopenia and upper respiratory diseases.
- Have a small notch put into the top of their right ear, to tell you and others that they have already been fixed and have a caretaker.
- Treated for ear mites, minor wounds, abcesses, and infected teeth.
- Given fluids under the skin and a prophylactic antibiotic injection.
- Given a dose of Revolution or other topical to rid them of fleas and some internal worms.
- For an additional donation request of $15 to cover our costs, your cat(s) can be microchipped. Let us know if you would like this service.