1. Q: I discovered some cats
outside. Who can I call to come and get them?
A: The first step is to find out if the cats
are tame or wild (refer to question
#3). If the cats are tame, they may belong
to people living in the neighborhood. Observe
the cats to determine if this is so. Post "lost
cat" flyers throughout the neighborhood. After
a day or two, if you get no response and you decide
they are lost or otherwise not owned, you can
register the cats online at Pets
911 in the Found Pet section. If you must
take the cats to a shelter, be certain it is a
"no-kill" shelter.
If the cats are feral (wild), animal control
or a municipal shelter is the only agency that
may come and get them, and the cats will most
likely be killed. Even "no-kill" shelters find
feral cats impossible to adopt out because they
are wild.
Fortunately, there is a solution. Feral cats
live in colonies and congregate near food sources.
Feral cat colonies can be managed with a nonlethal
method called Trap-Neuter-Return (TNR), in which
cats are humanely (and painlessly) trapped, spayed/neutered,
and returned to their colony site where volunteer
caregivers provide them with food, water, and
shelter.
Trap-Neuter-Return (TNR) is the only chance feral
cats have of living safe, healthy lives, while
ceasing their reproduction. But TNR is a hands-on
project requiring commitment from one or more
volunteer caregivers, often with help from feral
cat advocates living in the area.
For information on starting a nonlethal feline
management program, see Alley Cat Allies's factsheets
(available in the Resources
section):
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2. Q: What is the difference between
a stray cat and a feral cat?
A: A stray cat is a domestic cat that has been
abandoned or has strayed from home and become
lost. A stray cat may be skittish in your presence,
but because stray cats once knew human companionship,
they can usually be re-socialized and re-homed.
A feral cat is born and raised outside with little
or no human contact or is a stray that has lived
outside long enough to revert to a wild state.
Adult feral cats usually cannot be tamed and are
most content living outside. Feral kittens up
to eight or ten weeks of age, on the other hand,
can often be tamed and placed in homes.
Click here
for more information about Socializing Feral Kittens.
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3. Q: How can I tell if the cats are
stray or feral?
A: Observe the cat's appearance and behavior.
A stray cat is likely to approach you, although
usually not close enough for you to touch him.
If you put food down, a stray cat will likely
start to eat it right away. A stray cat is often
vocal, sometimes talking insistently, and may
look disheveled, as if unused to dealing with
conditions on the street. A stray cat may be seen
at all hours of the day.
A feral cat is silent, will not approach humans,
and generally will be seen only from dusk to dawn,
unless extraordinarily hungry and foraging for
food. A feral cat has adapted to conditions and
is likely to appear well groomed. If you put food
down for a feral cat, he will wait until you move
away from the area before approaching the food.
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4. Q: My neighbors (or the landlord)
are complaining about the cats. What can I do?
A: Ask what their specific complaints are and
try to resolve them. Making sure that all the
cats have been sterilized will reduce or eliminate
most objectionable situations and behaviors. If
the cats are soiling the neighbors' gardens, place
(regularly cleaned) sand or litter boxes at the
colony site. Consider building a cat fence that
will keep the cats in (or out of) a specific area.
If neighbors voice health concerns, make sure
that the cats are up to date with their vaccinations
and share their medical records with your neighbors.
If the issues cannot be resolved and your neighbors
insist that the cats be removed, assure the neighbors
that, although removing the cats will not guarantee
that new cats won't move right in, you will begin
searching for relocation sites, and do it.
ACA factsheets to help you deal with neighbors'
complaints are:
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5. Q: I don't want anything
to happen to the cats, but they can't stay here.
Where can they go?
A: Why must the cats be moved? Read question
#4 before deciding to move feral cats. With
very few exceptions, feral cats should remain
at their original colony site. Cats create strong
bonds with their territory and with one another.
If you relocate them, they may become disoriented
and separated from one another. If you relocate
the existing colony, new cats are likely to move
into the area and form a new colony.
However, relocating feral cats is not impossible.
In fact, in some locations that are not safe,
relocating a colony is the best option for the
cats (see question #6). It will
only work, however, if you follow strict guidelines.
If relocation really is the only option, see ACA's
factsheet, Safe Relocation
of Feral Cats .
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6. Q: How do I determine if this is a
safe area for the cats?
A: Answer the following questions to get a sense
of whether an area is suitable for a feral cat
colony.
- Has the colony been in that location a long
time? If cats have been in an area for many
years, they can survive there even though there
may be hazards (see fifth bullet).
- Are the cats cared for? Does a regular caregiver
provide food, water, and medical care?
- Have the cats been sterilized? If not, is
someone willing to start trapping and sterilizing
the colony?
- Do the cats have shelter from inclement weather?
- Have there been a lot of cat injuries/fatalities?
What has been the cause? Has or can this cause
be reduced or eliminated?
It is always preferable to leave a feral colony
in its present location (see question
#5), but if a threat to the cats' health and/or
lives makes it impossible, see ACA's factsheet,
Safe Relocation of Feral
Cats.
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7. Q: I have been feeding cats for a
while and they are reproducing. I can't feed them
all. What should I do?
A: As soon as possible, you must trap the cats
using humane box traps and have them spayed or
neutered. Contact local groups involved with feral
cat issues to find out if there is a low- or no-cost
spay/neuter clinic in your area. (Trapping feral
cats sounds complicated; in reality, it's a simple
and rewarding process, and it doesn't hurt the
cats.) When the cats have been spay/neutered and
vaccinated, return them to the place where they
were trapped. (Kittens up to eight or ten weeks
old can often be tamed, sterilized, and adopted
out.) You and other volunteers must then provide
ongoing food, shelter, and care to keep the feral
cats healthy and safe. Check with local shelters
to see if there is a food bank operating in your
area that can defray part of the cost of food.
For information about traps, trapping, the Trap-Neuter-Return
process, and feral cat colony management, see
ACA's factsheets:
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8. Q: I can't touch the cats, so how
can I get them to the vet for spay/neutering?
A: Do not try to touch them! And never
attempt to catch a cat by throwing a towel or
blanket over just the cat. Never use tranquilizers
on outdoor cats. The risk of injury (to you and
to the cat) is too great. Many feral cats die
when public health officials insist that unvaccinated
cats be killed and tested for rabies after an
"unprovoked" bite.
As soon as possible, trap the cats using humane
box traps and have them spayed/neutered. Don't
wait, thinking that the cats will get used to
human presence and become tame enough to catch.
They won't, and while you wait, several litters
of kittens will be born.
See question #11 for sources
of traps. For detailed guidelines on trapping
techniques and supplies needed, see Alley Cat
Allies' factsheet, Humane
Trapping Instructions for Feral Cats.
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9. Q: I've been told that cats should
be indoors only, so isn't it cruel to leave them
outside?
A: The safest place for your tame companion cats
may be indoors, but the best and usually the only
environment suitable for feral (wild) cats is
outside. Feral cats who have undergone TNR and
live in managed colonies can live healthy, content,
and long lives-often as long as indoor cats. Finding
homes for feral cats is not a realistic option.
Humane societies, animal shelters, and other animal
organizations rarely accept them for adoption
because they cannot be touched or held by people
and are, thus, "unadoptable." Shelters usually
kill feral cats without a holding period and animal
sanctuaries rarely have room for them.
- To fully understand the niche feral cats occupy in the environment and why they are content in their outdoor homes, Alley Cat Allies recommends TNR: Past, Present, and Future, by Ellen Perry Berkeley. It is available from ACA for $7.99 - see Marketplace.
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10. Q: There are several cats to be trapped,
but I only have one trap. Will that do?
A: Generally, no. And it is not advisable to
trap a cat, then transfer him to a carrier so
you can use the trap again right away-the danger
of injury (to the cat and to you) or escape is
simply too great.
Look for individuals or groups in your area who
loan out humane box traps. Ideally, you should
have as many traps as there are cats. If this
is not possible, aim for trapping all of the cats
in two or three sessions. If you repeatedly introduce
traps to a colony, the cats will figure it out
and become trap-shy. Of course, the number of
cats you can trap during each session also depends
on how many cats your veterinarian is willing
to sterilize at one time. For more help with trapping
feral cats, read the ACA factsheet, Humane
Trapping Instructions for Feral Cats.
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11. Q: Where do I get traps and which
are the best to use?
Humane box traps are available from the following
companies:
- Tomahawk Live Trap Co. P.O. Box 323 Tomahawk,
WI 54487 (800) 272-8727 www.livetrap.com
- ACES (Animal Care Equipment & Services, Inc.)
P.O. Box 3275 Crestline, CA 92325 (800) 338-ACES
www.animal-care.com
Ask for "Tru-Catch" traps.
- Heart of the Earth Marketing 205 High Street
Fruitdale, SD 57742 (800) 526-1644 (605) 892-0154
(Fax) www.animal-traps.com
Ask for "Tru-Catch" traps.
For help in choosing a specific trap, see ACA's
Selection of Traps
and Equipment. For detailed information on
trapping, see ACA's Humane
Trapping Instructions for Feral Cats.
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12. Q: Where can I find a veterinarian
who will treat feral cats, preferably at a reduced
rate?
A: First ask your own veterinarian, then ask
other vets, rescue groups, and humane societies
if they know of a veterinarian or clinic that
provides low-cost or free spaying/neutering and
will support your TNR plan. Full-fledged spay/neuter
programs, some specifically for feral cats, operate
in several parts of the country. To find them,
click here.
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13. Q: Is there anything special my veterinarian
should know about working with feral cats?
A: Yes! If your vet is new to working
with feral cats, be certain to provide him or
her with the ACA training video, Trap,
Neuter, and Return: A Humane Approach to Feral
Cat Control, which demonstrates techniques
and equipment used by veterinarians who frequently
treat feral cats.
Read and view this material yourself, as well.
Then discuss with your vet what has to be done
and establish a protocol to get all of the services
you need: spay with dissolvable sutures, neuter
with an injectable anesthesia, eartip, full exam,
ear cleaning, vaccinations, deworming, and early-age
spay/neutering.
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14. Q: Do I need to test the cats for
Feline Leukemia (FeLV) or Feline Immunodeficiency
Virus (FIV)?
A: ACA does not advocate universal testing of
feral cats. We base this position on the experiences
of large feral cat programs such as Operation
Catnip in Florida and North Carolina, which has
stopped testing altogether. Results at their clinics
indicate:
- The percentage of feral cats infected with
either FeLV or FIV is very low: three to seven
percent are infected with FeLV; about two to
five percent with FIV. These percentages are
about the same as indoor cats.
- Because testing produces a significant rate
of false positives, healthy cats are frequently
misdiagnosed and killed.
- The cost of testing outweighs its benefit
and diverts resources from more effective efforts,
especially sterilization.
Increasing the number of animals who are spayed
and neutered is the single most effective way
to help control the feline overpopulation crisis
and improve the health and living conditions of
stray and feral cats. Despite concern over viruses,
there is no feline disease that ends more lives
than euthanasia due to overpopulation.
For more detailed information on this issue,
see
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15. Q: Why should the
veterinarian eartip?
A: Eartipping identifies feral cats who have
been sterilized and vaccinated. Eartipping is
completely safe and it is painless because the
cat is under general anesthetic when the procedure
is performed. Eartipping provides immediate visual
identification which alerts animal control that
a cat is part of a managed colony. It also helps
colony caregivers track which cats have been trapped
and vetted, and identify newcomers who have not.
For more information on eartipping, please see
the Eartipping: Feral
Cat Identification Protocol factsheet.
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16. Q: I took my feral cats to the veterinarian
for sterilization. How do I know they are recovering
properly?
A: After surgery, cats need at least an overnight
stay in the clinic or in a home where they can
be monitored. Keep the cats in their traps with
clean newspaper underneath. Keep the traps covered
with a sheet or towel and leave the cats alone,
except to check on them. Avoid reaching into a
cage unless absolutely necessary and then wear
protective gear. Even when drugged, feral cats
may react fiercely by scratching and/or biting.
Females need a couple of days to recover. Males
can be released after a night. Normal behaviors
during recovery include deep sleep, head bobbing,
wobbly movements, fast breathing, and shivering.
Bleeding from the left eartip is normal but should
stop by the following day. Abnormal behaviors
during recovery include continued bleeding from
the surgery area, vomiting, difficulty breathing,
not waking up, and grogginess 48 hours after surgery.
If a cat displays any of these signs, call the
veterinarian immediately.
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17. Q: I've been trying to trap a particular
cat, but the cat refuses to go into the trap.
What should I do?
A: If after repeated attempts a cat will not
go into a trap, take a break for a week or two
(except in the case of an injured cat). A short
break can reduce a cat's fear of the trap. During
this time, feed that cat and others in unset traps
for several days. Place the food first by the
entrance of the trap, then inside, then over a
period of days gradually move it closer to the
back. Feed in the same place and time as always.
The cat will see other cats eating inside the
traps and will likely try it, too.
When you are ready to trap again, withhold food
for 24 hours up to three days (for a very "trap
savvy" cat). Never withhold water. You
can make a trap more enticing by dabbing bits
of jarred baby food (not containing onions), or
catnip on the outside of the trap. Also, cats
love the smell of a pungent herb called valerian.
Make a strong smelling broth by boiling valerian
in water, then douse the trap with it.
If you are still unable to trap a cat or if the
cat has learned how to steal bait without springing
the trap, consider using a drop-trap instead.
Instructions for building a drop trap can be found
in the Factsheet section of the ACA website, entitled
Drop Trap Instructions.
This material includes a materials list, step-by-step
instructions, and illustrations of how to build
and use a drop-trap to catch the obstinate feral
cat.
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18. Q: Can I use kittens to catch the
mother?
A: Yes, but DO NOT put kittens in the trap set
for the mother! If the mother becomes frightened
in the trap, she could seriously injure the kittens.
Instead, put the kittens in a closed trap or a
small cat carrier. Set the trap exactly where
you found the kittens. Place another trap directly
in front of the carrier, like a train. Cover both
traps with a sheet EXCEPT for the trap door of
the empty trap. The mother will hear and/or smell
her kittens and, looking through the door of the
set trap, see her kittens at the end of the "tunnel"
in the other trap. Thinking she can get to her
kittens this way, she may enter and spring the
set trap. If the kittens make no noise, place
a tape recording of kittens mewing in the trap
with them.
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19. Q: There's a pregnant feral cat outside.
What should I do?
A: You have three options to choose from:
- Trap the queen and bring her indoors to have
the kittens. The kittens are more likely to
survive if born indoors although the mother
may experience stress from being confined and
become less able to care for her kittens. To
reduce her stress, provide a warm, secluded,
quiet area for her to give birth and nurse her
litter.
- Provide a warm, outdoor cat shelter and the
queen may choose to have her kittens in it.
There is no guarantee.
- Trap the queen and have your vet determine
how far along she is and whether or not to abort
the unborn kittens. The mother cat would be
spayed at the same time. Some vets will not
perform abortions if the mother is close to
giving birth, so you should consult your vet,
and consider your own feelings, about this possibility
ahead of time.
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20. Q: A female cat had kittens outside.
What should I do?
A: You should trap and sterilize the whole family.
How you proceed depends on the age of the kittens.
- Don't trap a mother who is nursing her kittens
unless you can catch the kittens, too. Tiny
kittens cannot survive away from their mothers
for long.
- If the kittens are newly weaned (usually four
to six weeks), ask if your veterinarian can
perform surgery and return the mother within
48 hours. Even though eating solid food, very
young kittens are unlikely to survive without
their mother for body heat and protection. (If
your vet cannot meet this time frame, wait until
the kittens are older to trap the queen.)
- Try to trap the kittens no later than eight
to ten weeks of age. The sooner they have human
contact, the easier it will be to socialize
them.
- At twelve weeks and older, kittens can be
sterilized, vaccinated, and returned to the
location where they were living outside.
For specific information, refer to the following
ACA documents:
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21. Q: I just found a newborn kitten
and the mother is nowhere to be seen. What should
I do?
A: Do not be too hasty to move a kitten. The
mother may be in the process of moving her litter
to a safer area. Watch closely for several hours,
but no more than a day, to see if the mother returns.
If not, and the mother has abandoned one or more
very young (neonatal) kittens, their only chance
to survive is bottle-feeding. This is an intensive
process not unlike caring for newborn human babies.
There's a lot to learn, but once you know it,
the process will become second nature.
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22. Q: Do feral cats need shelter?
A: Yes, like almost all living creatures, feral
cats need warm, dry shelter to protect them from
extreme temperatures and wet weather. You can
build a shelter from plans or use a strong box
or crate insulated with waterproof material thick
enough to keep out wind and cold. A large shelter
can provide a haven for more than one cat. Two
sources of information on constructing cat shelters
are:
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23. Q: I am moving, and I can't take
the feral cats that I am managing with me. How
do I find someone to take over their care?
A: (This question deals only with feral cats,
not with domestic cats.)
It will be easier to convince someone to assume
care of a feral cat colony if the all of the cats
have been spayed/neutered, vaccinated, and eartipped.
Complete this process if you have not already
done so.
Start making inquiries as soon as possible;
this could take some time and you want to have
arrangements in place well before your move. If
you don't already know your neighbors, introduce
yourself and explain the situation. You may discover
that others in the area are also concerned about
the colony you care for.
If there is a feral cat organization in your
area, ask if they have a volunteer near your colony.
Place flyers requesting help around your neighborhood,
in pet stores, and veterinarian offices. Include
only your name and telephone number on the flyer,
NOT the location of the colony.
If all else fails, consider relocating the colony.
You must follow strict guidelines to successfully
relocate a feral cat colony, and it will take
time, energy, and effort. To learn how, see ACA's
factsheet, Safe Relocation
of Feral Cats.
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