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Silver Award: Chonky Kitty Castles
Feral cats, or community cats, are considered a major problem in many communities. They usually suffer from poor quality of life due to overpopulation. Food is scarce and shelter is almost never available.
“The cats in our area have also had to deal with harsh weather; they are abandoned and sometimes treated as pests,” said Girl Scout Cadette Charlotte from Troop 1055 in Gloucester, who took on this issue with fellow troop member Amber. The two Girl Scouts decided to tackle this community issue as their Girl Scout Silver Award project, “Chonky Kitty Castles”.
Their goal was to help the stray cat population in their home counties of Gloucester and Mathews. They aimed to support programs that exist in their area and educate the public on how to care for the animals. They also wanted to provide informational materials that would give tips on actions to take to help stray cats, such as building feeders and shelters.
“Our goal was to let the public know how just a few kind actions can help control the stray cat population,” Amber said. “Most people love cats but cannot always care for them. There are not enough people to adopt unwanted pets or who can afford to take care of them due to their circumstances.”
Charlotte and Amber found in their research that stray cats are difficult to domesticate and that the recommended solution is to reduce overpopulation. There are programs offered that promote the trap, neuter, and release solution.
“We decided to create and distribute brochures to educate the public about the Community Cats program offered by Gloucester-Mathews Humane Society,” Charlotte said. “The brochures contain information on how to make a community cat shelter, a description of the Trap Neuter Release program and the easy steps to make cat feeders that could be donated. We also hosted a food drive to bring in more cat food donations.”
In addition to their public awareness efforts, Charlotte and Amber also constructed and donated ten shelters and feeders to the Community Cat program! Their educational materials will continue to be used by the Gloucester-Mathews Humane Society.
Great job, Girl Scouts!
