Even with such intensive care, 16 million guests is still a lot of people, and with a lot of people comes a lot of food. With a lot of food comes a lot of food waste and litter. With food and litter comes VERMIN. Disneyland was certainly the "Mouse House" - in more ways than one.
You know where I'm going with this. I spy with my little eye...kitties!
The story goes that shortly after Disneyland opened in 1955 the cats migrated in, presumably from a local trailer park. At first they were chased off and treated as a nuisance, but when the mouse population noticeably declined shortly after their arrival, Walt decided the cats weren't such a bad idea after all!
The cat colony quickly became an integral part of the park's daily operations and maintenance crew. Still to this day, they are considered Disney's feline employees (or as Disney calls them, "Cast Members")!
Disneyland is the perfect stomping ground for cats, it provides safety, shelter, community, and food - four major factors for any successful feral cat colony.
Are the Disneyland Cats Feral or Stray Cats?
Feral cats and stray cats are not the same thing.
Stray cats are cats who have been socialized to people at some point. These are lost or abandoned pets. They can usually be successfully rescued and adoptable, however as their time in the wild increases and their human interaction decreases, they can become feral.
Feral cats are not socialized to people. They are fearful of people and survive on their own, usually never to become indoor pets. However, kittens born to feral cats can be socialized at an early age and adopted to homes. The cats at Disneyland are feral cats.
It behooves Disney to not allow the cats to become too socialized. As feral cats, they are excellent mouse hunters, independent and wily, hiding during the daytime and rarely seen by guests (which is the key). Cast members are instructed not to pat or interact with them. If one of these cats becomes too socialized, Disney will adopt it to a loving home. The same goes for any litters of kittens that are found.
In 2007, reportedly at the urging of longtime animal rights activist Bob Barker (we all remember how he ended every episode of the Price is Right with "Help control the pet population. Have your pets spayed or neutered."), Disneyland instituted a preventative health program of Trap-Neuter-Return for their resident feral cat colony.
Aided by local organizations including FixNation and Best Friends Catnippers, Disneyland developed a successful protocol for continuous care of the cats. This care includes TNR (Trap-Neuter-Return), adoptions, regular shots, and good food.
The cast members at Circle D Ranch (who also take care of the park's horses and goats) also help look after the cats. They provide food and shelter for the cats with 5 discreet permanent feeding stations and well-concealed cat houses around the park.
Walt Disney used to say that Disneyland was "all started by a mouse", but cats are the ones doing all the work!
Read more:
Differences between Feral Cats and Stray Cats
The Feral Cats of Disneyland
TNR at Work - Disneyland Finds Balance with Feral Cats
The Cats of Disneyland
After Dark, the Dirty Work at Disneyland Begins (LA Times)
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