Though not specifically used for birth control in the past, the drug has been used by vets for years to treat feline disorders. It contains progestogen, a hormone group that's been approved by the FDA for humans, according to the web site, and has more recently been found to be effective enough to provide good population control for feral cat colonies that are being properly managed. Management is key. You can't just give it to them and walk away. It has to be given repeatedly, just as people must take birth control pills on a schedule.
It's not the best option, but it's less costly and easier to administer than capturing every stray that needs it. Anyone who manages a feral colony can attest to the sometimes losing battle of getting all the cats "fixed" before the next batch of kittens is born.
The best option, of course, is surgical sterilization, but that's not always possible, or affordable by the volunteer groups and individuals who come forward to help these animals. Seldom does a community ever provide this degree of humane animal control, which is why it's more a citizen-driven effort.
The idea of an oral contraceptive for wild animals is not new, either. For years, wildlife experts have used drugs to control populations such as horses and raccoons. Why not cats?
Those who have been using FeralStat for a while are pleased to note that there have been no new litters of kittens, the cats look healthier, are less aggressive, and no side effects have been reported, even for the male cats and kittens who have ingested the drug.
The biggest drawback to oral contraception for these cats is that they are not as likely to be captured and vaccinated or checked for medical problems at the same time. Still, it's a very big step in the right direction for feral population control.
While it's important to be aware of the annual explosion known as kitten season it is critical that we all do something about it. It makes more sense to control the population than to simply continue the killing sprees most communities engage in. Over time, the problem can be controlled humanely, and expenses to do so will decline as the need to do so falls. This is far more effective than the old "trap and kill" methods in use in most places today. As I've always said, if killing them worked, why hasn't it worked yet? [Dr. RJ Peters established a rescue shelter in 2002, primarily for cats, and has rescued and re-homed more than 1,000 animals.]
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Dr._R.J._Peters
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