The Humane Society of Cozumel is proud to be working in cooperation with The Iberostar Hotel Cozumel and Iberostar Paraiso Playa del Carmen in a humane program to control the population of feral cats on their property.
Cats have a tendency to gather around hotels as there usually are tourists willing to feed and pet them. Of course, this can easily get out of control which will lead hotels to –understandably- want to get rid of them. However, studies and experience have shown that, as long as the source of food and shelter remains available, other animals will soon take the place of the ones removed. These will be eliminated again and it becomes a never ending story. If instead, a stable colony of spayed/neutered and medically attended cats is permitted to stay in the premises, these will prevent newcomers from moving in and also keep rodents at bay.
George the Iberostar cat in Denver CO
One program that has followed this idea and effectively solved the problem for hotels in Costa Rica, Panama, St. Thomas, US Virgin Islands and Dubai, is called THE CAT CAFÉ. It consists of having a designated area for hotel cats to be feed. These cats have been spayed or neutered, vaccinated and de-wormed, and their health is monitored by both the hotel and us. You will notice that they have a notch in the left ear which is the international hallmark that they have been sterilized. The hotel feeds them in this designated area and guests are welcome to go feed them there if they want to. It is very important however, that as guests you DO NOT FEED the cats from your room or in the restaurants. Your cooperation in this is ESSENTIAL to ensure the success of this program. Not all guests like cats around them and Cat Café is a good way to keep them from begging around the tables or rooms. A cat may approach you for just the want of love or a scratch behind the ears, and having a Cat Café in place it is not necessary for guests to feed them.
We would also like to extend a huge thank you to Denise Carder of the Cat Network in Missouri for helping us establish the Cat Cafe program with the Iberostar Hotel. She not only worked tirelessly on her two week vacation in Cozumel trapping the cats and establishing them to their feeding area, but also donated funds to spay, neuter, vaccinate and deworm all the cats.
The hotel cats are available for adoption. If you fall in love with one of the hotel cats, our volunteer Andrea will assist you in taking the cat home. George the cat was adopted last Spring and is now living the life in Denver, Colorado! Update July 8, 2010: We are pleased to announce that the mother of George has recently been re-united with her offspring. She left the island yesterday with Beth and Eric to join their furry family in Denver, Colorado.