from Neighborhood Cats (please cross-post):
This past week, word has become widespread on the Internet about a product called FeralStat - its manufacturer claims it is a safe, effective oral contraceptive for feral cats that only needs to be placed in the cats' communal food once a week.
According to an interim statement from the highly reputable Alliance for Contraception in Cats &Dogs (ACC&D):
*In numerous studies over three decades, FeralStat's main ingredient (megestrol acetate) has been found to pose serious health risks in cats, including diabetes mellitus, mammary swelling and tumors, uterine disease, pyometra, and skin disorders. Megestrol acetate is not now, nor has it ever been, approved by the FDA for use in cats.
*FeralStat is not yet known to have completed any formal review process or been subjected to acceptable, controlled studies.
* Because it is a food additive, there is no way to control the amount of FeralStat each cat ingests, and there is the risk of ingestion by wildlife and owned pets.
For the full ACC&D interim statement, please see the attached pdf file.
Neighborhood Cats strongly discourages anyone from using this potentially dangerous product for any purpose. For the latest developments in non-surgical sterilization, we recommend relying solely on information gained from the Alliance for Contraception in Cats &Dogs.
Bryan Kortis
Executive Director
Neighborhood Cats
212-662-5761
www.neighborhoodcats.org
23 comments:
Who cares? I'd rather take the risk that a cat MIGHT develop a disease later in life (though hopefully the cats in the colonies will be TNRed asap instead of given this drug forever) than have more kittens born. I say GO FOR IT
Has anyone done a long term study about how many female cats die while giving birth or perhaps how many starve to death while nursing six kittens and living on the streets? In a perfect world-everyone would be able to TNR all the outside cats (or better yet people wouldn't throw their pets out to become feral cats)-but we don't live in a perfect world. It seems to me that if FeralStat can save even one kitten from being born only to die in a shelter or on the street, than it is worth using. Most feral cats only live about three years-which is not long enough for them to develop any of the possible side effects. We are faced with an epidemic cat over-population crisis and if FeralStat can help control kitten births while we work on a long term solution, well great-we can use all the help we can get!
I agree with some of the comments here. I have a small colony that I'm caring for but you know what? I'm tired, overburdened and broke and I have to do something.
Everytime my ferals have kittens, I can't even get a return phone call from any of the so-called rescues in my area when I'm trying to find somewhere to take them other than the Humane Society. So I'm going to try it because I have no other choices.
Megestrol Acetate has been used for years by European cat breeders to effectively space out their litters and allow the males to remain uncaged. Of course it has possible side effects but certainly not as dire nor as certain as listed in this intro. I think if we weigh the dangers of simply being a feral cat from disease, starvation, traffic, parasites versus possible side effects of Feralstat, we might find that an oral birth control is a pretty darn good idea. BTW, the dangers listed for this drug are the same as those listed for the human birth control and yet we have approved the use of it for our wives, daughters, sisters, .... etc. Why not in feral cats? For every feral cat that dies as a result of this drug, there must be THOUSANDS of deaths prevented by controlling the birth of the ferals in the first place.
Bryan Kortis' "information" is UTTERLY FALSE.
It IS approved for use as feline contraception by the FDA, and it is PROVEN to have very few risks or problems.
It sounds like Bryan is trying to start rumors about a drug that will stop much suffering.
Could it be that these organizations don't want to see the feral cat problem handled so they can keep getting donations?
I too am overburdened with feral cats in bullhead city arizona where the only recourse for me is to take them in to animal control to be killed.
I keep running into people that work in no kill facilities who tell me to "get into reality."
the vets won't do me a bargain rate, that's for sure and I'm broke. basically, animal control told me to "put moth balls under my trailer so the cats would go away. yea, right!
where do I get some of this Feralstat? I just found out I can use wild carrot seed also as a contraceptive; it's $15 an oz. won't take me very far.
the cats are going in heat. next thing u know, I'll have to move to get away from the hassel of it all.
I don't like to see something die if I can help it to live, but if you got no money to change things, what can you do?
got 608 signatures on my TNR petition for this area.
I'm mad as a hornet nobody gives a hoot around here about cats.
scuse me. thanks Wildrun for a hopeful inspiring site.
sign my petition and help me be able not to trip over those cats out there each time I go outside. if I leave, they got nobody. nobody at all.
http://www.thepetitionsite.com/1/Save-6-Toes
you know, it breaks my heart. really. I'm helpless here. whatever made me think vets cared about animals and the 60 million animals who are euthanized yearly?
the vets I talk to here, it's all about the money.
sorry. had to get that off my chest.
my petition almost ready to send off. anybody know who I could send it to? a legislature person in Mohave County?
happy new year. the catwoman
I've been assisting mutliple colony caretakers by providing Feralstat for 2 yrs.
This is NOT a permanant form of birth control, but it does buy overburdened caretakers time to TNR.
So far there's been no kittens born at any of the 3 colonies.
I've instructed caretakers to watch the "residents" carefully for any unusual behavior, side effects or health issues. So far so good.
We did find one young abandoned approx. 8 month old kitten that had died while giving birth, she was not part of the treated colony.
One drawback is the cost of Feralstat, it's unrealistic for caretakers already burdened with TNR costs, food, shetler...
Before Dr. C @ TEAM Mobile Spay/Neuter Van began marketing his Feralstat they were simply prescribing MEGESTROL ACETATE.
If I were LaughingRain I would contact YOUR personal vet, speak to him privately and explain your dilemma. Bring information on Megestrol Acetate and FeralStat (aka ingredients and dosages) then ask him to write a prescription for the Megestrol Acetate with the promise that YOU WILL continue to TNR while using this drug.
Also contact an area rescue, ask if you can write a grant under their 501(c)3 to obtain funding for either Megestrol Acetate or Feralstat.
Keep up the good fight.
***Remember Folks, If You Feed Homeless Cats They Become Your Problem.***
And What Are the "Side Effects" of a female feral cat having 2 to 3 litters per year ???? What about the suffering and miserable life that they will experience compared to the possibility of these side effects.
Anyone with half a brain should be able to understand that most of these poor creatures will never live long enough to experience the "side effects" of Feral Stat".
The organizations objecting to this clearly do not have the feral cats best interest in mind.
Job security is a powerful motivator.....
Hello, I do not agree with the previous commentator - not so simple
You know I have to agree with the majority of the posters who point out that feral cats have SO many hazards in their little lives that the possible side effects of using FeralStat seem to pale by comparison. I'm sick of watching kittens be born only to suffer and die. I'm going to order some FeralStat and try it. It takes time and money to finally get all the cats surgically altered and meanwhile the babies keep coming. As another post pointed out: this is the same drug our daughters and sisters are taking and nobody is howling about side effects for them. I'm usually right in line with Alley Cat Allies but I have to differ on this one. I'll check back and post results as I have them. Perhaps if enough of us caretakers try this product and can report good results, it will become mainstream and be a long overdue help in feral cat care.
I live in staten iland new york and we have a program that is called TNR (trap neuter return),The city pays for the spaying if you trap them and care for them for 72 hours after surgery.One can take a 4 hour course,they lend you the traps and show one how to trap and manage a feral colony.This is the only way that is fair to the cats.
I have used it for three years with a colony I have been feeding and it has been successful for me. I now have had a hard time getting it and have had an addition of 34+kittens.feral stat ghastly been a life saver...I don't want to abandon the colony, but if I am not able to get this product I can't afford the additional kittens, and I can't spay and neuter them...these are feral cats dumped in the country...I was part of their study until I got lax sending data...you can contact me
I understand their are states that do trap and release, but I have called here in Texas, no money no assistance , but for $50.00 I can use them...ha ha $50.00 x80....ha...not any assistance here...yeah it's more fair, but not cost effective...I'd love to do trap and release, I find here it's not what they say...but feral stat worked....
Here in Phoenix, AZ we have the program where you have the kitties trapped and fixed and then they return them to the same area in 48 hrs. It worked for us as I take care of feral cats. The only thing we worry about now is the coyotes.
Here in Phoenix, AZ we have the program where you have the kitties trapped and fixed and then they return them to the same area in 48 hrs. It worked for us as I take care of feral cats. The only thing we worry about now is the coyotes.
Well, this blog appears to be quite old, and I can't tell how old the comments are. In the meantime, it appears that now, in 2011, that FeralStat is no longer available. So we're back to TNR, which will never keep up with the birth rates. Not to mention, who can keep up with TNR? I'm broke, too. Sadly, not enough people care. Not vets, not local animal control, not shelters. As usual, cats get the short straw, or worse, blamed for upsetting the "natural balance" and decimating bird populations, etc. Well, that's not true, but even if it were, what would YOU do if you were abandoned in the wilderness? Wouldn't you eat what you could find? The cats I manage catch more mice than birds, since they're not very good at snagging birds. Is anybody complaining about decimating the mouse population? Well, I wonder how many dead kittens I'll find tomorrow...Or, worse, the saddest ones of all...the skinny, sick ones, that could have been prevented.
feralstat has been an answer to my prayers. The cats have not shown any signs of problems.
used feralstat for close to 3 yrs
live in southern new mexico where cats are treated like enemies the laws are draconian for all CATS
agree with the questions about safety
did find that mixing 3 ounces food for a dose--60 ounces food for feralstat marked for colony of 20 worked well
alternative is death for them
unfixed cats whether feral or owned will kill each other to mate
feralstat stopped the fights
to TNR here is a claim of ownership then one is a hoarder and all animals can be taken and killed
in a perfect world feralstat would not be needed
look around at the world we live in
have cats here that have been on it the whole time and are still functioning
as of June 2012, Feralstat is still not available. also, the info put out by the ACCD is junk--they don't like Feralstat because feralstat is cheep to buy. go to this link and read all the posts and alturnatives to feralstat:
http://www.topix.com/forum/drug/megace/TO5BM504OU9T4PASQ/p7
As one who has cared for feral cats and conducted TNR for many years, an oral contraception is crucial. Most colonies I become involved with would not exist at all if an inexpensive alternative to TNR is easily available. People wait til they have 20-30 cats on their porch before they call for help. Of course, if they had spayed the first female, this number would not exist. The usual reason is "It's not my cat." Well, now they have 2 dozen "not my cats." At that point it is an expensive and time consuming job to trap and neuter each one - with no one willing to foot the bill. Please - we need easy to use and find oral contraceptives.
Im in Pa. and have been taking care of a feral cat colony.....its now manageable but as we know could triple......this is so interesting! Ive got to get something....I cannot trap them! Two I have managed to tame but only after they were to sick to run away from me and I took them to the vet, got them healthy and fixed...they are now house cats :) any suggestions would be appreciated! please email me at bla1287@comcast.net
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