Avaliação de estratégias de bem-estar para felinos comunitários em campi: manejo populacional, alimentar, sanitário, melhorias ambientais e arrecadação de recursos

Abstract

The crime of abandoning dogs and cats on university campuses is an unfortunate reality throughout Brazil, putting not only the well-being of these animals at risk in these spaces but also public health and wildlife. The Federal University of Minas Gerais, in 2019, formalized its Permanent Commission on Animal Policy on Campuses (CPPA), whose main objectives were the ethical population management of domestic fauna and wildlife surveillance, in addition to raising awareness among the academic community to reduce possible conflicts and abandonment of animals. Despite the annual funding provided by the rectory to care for the community dogs and cats at the veterinary hospital, resources are insufficient to meet all demands. This work aims to analyze the results of well-being, population management, sanitary, dietary, and environmental improvements, along with fundraising strategies developed by the Gatos de Minas initiative, created by the author of this research. Gatos de Minas carried out high-intensity and high-quality Trap-Neuter-Return (T.N.R), resulting in the surgical sterilization and anti-rabies vaccination of 51 felines, preventing the birth of 288 new animals on the Pampulha Campus (PC). In food management, the main challenges at PC included the lack of caregivers and daily food in some units, loss of feed due to rain, and consumption by dogs and wild animals. At Saúde Campus (SC), loss of feed due to rain was the only problem identified. Feeding stations were installed on both campuses to address these challenges, providing safe shelters for cats and their food. A solidarity food bank was created for PC's felines, which provided food in adequate quantity, quality, and frequency for all animals, totaling 809,5 kilos of dry food and 3.045 units of wet food from March 2022 to April 2024. The largest population focus on PC, mainly composed of elderly cats (8/13) with a high level of food insecurity, received nutritional management consistent with their physiological needs, environmental improvements, vaccination, and parasite control updates, in addition to the establishment of bonds between animals and their caregivers through positive interactions. At the end of this work, all community cats at Campus Pampulha were food-secured and had good body scores. The results of this study demonstrate that high-intensity and high-quality T.N.R. is an effective strategy for feline populations on a university campus. Close monitoring of resident felines ensures efficient colony surveillance concerning reproductive status, avoids food insecurity, and guarantees animal well-being, providing a dignified and healthy existence for community cats at all stages of their lives.