Montrealers work together to protect stray cats during winter

Fall temperatures haven'tarrived yet, but a group of Montrealers is workingtohelp feral cats survive the coming winter.

In an effort to curb the city's overpopulation of cats, volunteers collaborate withthe MontrealSPCA'ssterilization project across nine municipalities and boroughs.

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Trap, Neuter, ReleaseandMaintainrelies heavily on volunteers to help trap straysand then look after them after they are sterilized.

For Vanessa Anastasopoulos, it's away to stop overpopulation whileensuringcats thatare too feral to be adopted or socialized still lead happy and healthy lives.

"I spend about 25 hours a week as a volunteer doing this outside of my full-time job," Anastasopoulos said. "I don't do other things with my spare time."

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Shelters made of styrofoam

Every year,Anastasopouloswelcomes volunteers into herPlateauMont-Royalhomeforan afternoon party where they assemble dozens of winter shelters made fromwhiteStyrofoam boxes.

The boxes are donated bya Montreal oncologist andAnastasopoulospurchases the other materials with her own money.

The sheltersare linedwithMylarfor insulation to provide awarm environment and covered with plastic on the outside to help protect against winter elements.

The event attractsneighbours, friends and sometimes complete strangers dedicated to helping homeless cats.

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"I am happy that we will build 70 shelters and I hope we don't run out this year but if we do we'll just build more next year. We do every year,"Anastasopoulossaid.

Strays can seek refuge inside and thesmall cut out door is covered with a flap so they are protected from ice, rain and snow.

"The Montreal weather is awful in the winter so you can imagine cats being alone at night in the cold," said Vronique Lanteigne, who has volunteered alongside Anastasopoulos for five years.

"Even with the shelter I am quite surprised they do survive."

Once completed, the shelters are placed on private properties before the snow comes.

'It's all out of our own pockets'

Aside from building winter shelters, volunteers give their time and money to tendtocats who live out their lives on the street.

They providefood,footbills for unexpectedvisits to the veterinarianand helpfind foster homes for abandoned litters.

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Anastasopoulos cares for cats mostly inthe Plateau and Rosemontboroughs.The SPCA's project, implemented in 2010, has resulted in the sterilization of about 1,000 cats,but she says overpopulation remainsrampant.

"We're probably caring for about 70 cats a day so that's a lot of cat food," she said. "It's all out of our own pockets."

Two organizations collect donations and provide dry cat food toAnastasopoulos and the group of volunteers, but she hopes more Montrealerswill want to help, whether that's by caring for feral cats or fostering abandoned kittens.

"I would like to see a time when people have a compassion for everyone, human and otherwise,"Anastasopoulos said.