Building demolition

    We're often asked by other Feral Cat Program volunteers how we handle the demolition of buildings with feral cats known to live underneath the buildings.  Below is a summary of our experiences.  As usual, your mileage may vary.  

     The last several years, the SMU campus has become notorious for its seemingly endless demolition of old buildings, buildings the feral cats have used as shelters their entire lives. For the most part, our experiences have been good ones.  Education, communication, and administrative support have been key in resolving the issue in responsible, legal, and humane ways.

 

    Why do the cats go there?

    The crawl spaces under the buildings are cool in the summer and warm in the winter; bugs and rodents are available prey.  So it's easy to understand why the cats are attracted to these protected spaces.  In the past few years, the SMU campus lost to demolition an entire block of fraternity houses, 3 student apartment complexes, 1 classroom building, and several university-owned homes adjacent to campus -- most with cats living underneath or nearby.  So our experience has been broad and on-going.

           

 

    Best-case scenario

    Thinking green, thinking in environmentally forward ways, SMU's administration recognizes the value of spay/neuter Feral Cat Programs, and we have been able to maintain our program, even in demolition areas.  Very minor allowances have been made to assure the safety of the cats.  Using common sense and humane considerations, we have a very high escape and survival rate of cats living in demolition situations.

 

    The most common concern -- cats under buildings

    The largest, most common, and very real concern is the problem of cats being trapped under buildings during demolition.  When cats are known to live under buildings, escape routes should not be boarded up or blocked in any way.  As long as the cats have their usual escape routes intact, there should not be a problem. The cats will almost always escape in time, especially if there is more than one escape route. 

       

     Once escape routes have been protected, feeding areas can be moved outside the demolition area, and the cats will follow the food.  In our experience, cats will continue to return to their buildings for as long as the building stands, but once actual demolition of the frame begins, they should be allowed to leave and find other shelter options.   

   

    How far away should I relocate the cats?

    Not far.  According to Alley Cat Allies and other animal care societies, relocation is not a viable solution.  Cats have a strong homing instinct and are usually killed in their attempt to return to their original location.  But cats can be moved, a few yards at a time, to nearby shelter options already in existence, or shelters provided by volunteers, as pictured above.  (Recently demolished apartment complex on the right, shelters on the left, cats in the middle.)

 

    Inform, ask, educate

    Unfortunately, during one project, construction workers did unknowingly block entrance/exit routes under buildings. This is simply standard practice, not meant to cause specific harm.  Of course this is always done during the day, when the cats are almost certainly under the building, and indeed they were.  We called the project manager's supervisor and were allowed to personally open whatever holes necessary to provide escape routes for the animals.  Not only was this a common sense, humane decision, but it also prevented a public relations problem and prevented legal action from being taken against the university.

 

    What legal action?

    "Cruel confinement" is considered animal cruelty under Texas law.  Three instances of animal cruelty are a felony.  Law enforcement does prosecute felonies.  A claim of "private property" is irrelevant.  Just as one is not allowed to abuse a child on private property, neither is animal cruelty allowed on private property.

 

    Who can help?

    If you are concerned about cats (and other wildlife) trapped under buildings that have blocked escape routes, please act quickly as sometimes normal communication necessary to resolve the problem can be slow.  We've found the construction workers themselves to be the most helpful and interested in helping the cats.  They often are as concerned about the animals they see as you are.  Stand outside the fence and talk to them first. Can they help maintain escape routes?   If that doesn't work...

 

Getting cats out of the demolition area

    Sometimes the problem is not the actual building, but the ability to escape from the demolition area. At one time, the fence boards went all the way to the ground, in the picture below.  Cutting a cat-size hole in the board created an escape route without compromising the security of the demolition site.   The sign on the tub educated interested individuals as to the game plan.  We had an older cat living in this area, so going under was a better solution for her than climbing over.

                  

 

    While there will always be bad apples, I've actually been surprised that most sane people are concerned about animal welfare and are willing to help.  Unless specifically prevented from being able to do so, the vast majority of cats will survive a demolition project; they will find other shelter nearby.  That's been our experience on the SMU campus, and we hope that with a little diligence and cooperation, your experience can be just as positive.  It definitely takes due diligence and daily monitoring, as we often found solutions "un-done" by uninformed individuals.  But it's worth the effort:  Save a life; save a universe.