Image: L. Gomes / PML / Christy Moschopedis, founding member of FCM Community Cat Trappers said it is important for cat owners to spay, neuter, and ID their cats.

By Laurice Gomes

Cats and kittens

The overpopulation of cats in Chilliwack; the need to spay, neuter, and ID cats

Jul 22, 2022 | 6:00 AM

CHILLIWACK — Christy Moschopedis is a founding member of FCM Community Cat Trappers and has a message for cat owners in Chilliwack—spay, neuter, and ID your cats.

“People allow their intact cats to roam—cats that are not spayed or neutered, often without ID,” Moschopedis said, as she stroked a grey cat named Eddie, lazily stretched out on her desk.

The animal advocate said that most of the kittens currently in foster care are wild-born kittens, picked up off the streets, along with “really scared mums”.

“We get them into foster and let them raise their babies in foster and then bring the babies in,” she said. The organization then spays the mum, spays and neuters all the kittens, and ensures they all have IDs.

Image: L. Gomes / PML / Oreo resting on a chair.

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Another scenario Moschopedis said the organization often encounters are cats that have been in the same neighbourhood for “years and years”.

“Everybody assumes it has an owner, but by the time we get to them it’s because somebody has said this cat is injured or this cat doesn’t look healthy, something’s wrong with this cat,” she said. “We find that the cat doesn’t actually have owners, and they often test positive for vaccine preventable diseases—FIV is a big one.”

Feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV) attacks the immune system, leaving the cat vulnerable to many other infections.

“It’s transmitted by bite wounds,” Moschopedis explained. “Intact tomcats spend most of their time fighting for territory and transmitting FIV—it’s endemic, it’s everywhere in Chilliwack, and there’s no FIV vaccine.”

Despite a full house, Moschopedis spends one-on-one time with the cats, getting to know their personalities and idiosyncrasies. Some of these cats had homes, she said, but without microchips, there was no way to contact the owner.

Image: L. Gomes / PML / Moschopedis spending one-on-one time with a friendly feline.

With cost of living on the rise, she also remarked that there are low-cost spay and neuter programs available at the Chilliwack SPCA, Chilliwack Animal Safe Haven, and FCM Community Cat Trappers.

“Most rescues will do a surrender in exchange for spays,” Moschopedis said. “So, what that means is if your cat has gotten out and gotten pregnant, a rescue can take on those kittens as a surrender and spay mum for free.”

Image: L. Gomes / PML / A cat currently under extra care due to health concerns.

Pulling up a spreadsheet to show all the cats awaiting a home, Moschopedis said part of the problem is feral cats all over Chilliwack.

“How that happens is owners allow their intact cat out, the intact cat gets lost, kittens are born on the street, they have no socialization, they’ve never been around humans—wild kittens,” she said matter-of-factly. “Then they start breeding one another, and before you know it, we’ve got a colony.”

Again, Moschopedis stressed that a step in the right direction would be for owners to spay, neuter, and ID their cats to help curb the overpopulation of cats in Chilliwack.

Image: L. Gomes / PML / Low-cost spay and neuter programs are available at the Chilliwack SPCA, Chilliwack Animal Safe Haven, and FCM Community Cat Trappers.