San Diego, California News Station - KFMB Channel 8 - cbs8.comFeral cats rescued and brought to new cat sanctuary

Feral cats rescued and brought to new cat sanctuary

SAN DIEGO, Calif. (CNS) - About 50 feral felines from the Channel Islands got an 11th hour reprieve today when The Fund for Animals found shelter for them in Ramona.

The cats were trapped and flown to Ramona where they were scheduled to be euthanized, according to the Humane Society of the United States, who said all the cats would have been put down had a permanent home not been found.

Believed to be descended from pets brought to U.S. Navy-owned San Nicolas Island by military families, the cats were removed to improve nesting habitats for seabirds and other native species, according to Humane Society officials.

The San Nicolas Island fox and the federally protected island night lizard also will enjoy improved conditions with the removal of the cats.

The cats now will live out their days in a newly constructed outdoor habitat at The Fund for Animals' Wildlife Care Center.

"This project is a testament to the commitment of multiple agencies to find common ground and develop solutions for feral cats in areas with threatened or endangered species," said Betsy McFarland, senior director of companion animals with the Humane Society. "The cats from San Nicolas Island deserve the opportunity to live a full and happy life, and we're proud to provide that at our sanctuary."

The Web site DoGreatGood.com provided funding to construct the habitat at the Wildlife Care Center.

The federal government established a fishing ban around the Channel Islands in 2002, designating a 175-square-mile area as protected. No private or commercial fishing is permitted.