Share the Truth Pocket Guide

SHARE THE TRUTH ABOUT CATS A Pocket Guide alleycat.org COMMUNITY CAT Smithville, New Jersey

The truth is one of our movement’s most powerful tools to save cats and kittens. Misinformation costs millions of cats their lives every year, so Alley Cat Allies works to set the record straight to protect them. But we need your help. By educating people on the facts about community cats, we can stop the cruel, lethal policies that result from false and dangerous claims. This Pocket Guide will help you learn and share the most critical truths about cats.

You can do more to SHARE THE TRUTH: alleycat.org/TruthAboutCats Follow Alley Cat Allies for the most critical cat updates and information: @alleycatallies @alleycatallies @alleycatallies @alleycatallies @alleycatallies COMMUNITY CAT Jarrettsville, Maryland

Cats have always lived outdoors. SHARE THE TRUTH ABOUT CATS alleycat.org/TruthAboutCats COMMUNITY CAT Villas, New Jersey

Cats have lived and thrived outdoors for thousands of years, and it is their natural environment and their home. Today, we call them community cats. Policies that impound, and kill, community cats in shelters under the misguided notion that they “belong” indoors are fundamentally flawed and ineffective. Cats who live outdoors do not need rescuing and deserve protection and respect. Learn more: alleycat.org/CommunityCats FACT: Cats live outdoors— always have, always will.

Trap-Neuter-Return works. Killing doesn’t. alleycat.org/TruthAboutCats SHARE THE TRUTH ABOUT CATS COMMUNITY CAT Royersford, Pennsylvania

TNR is the only humane and effective approach to community cats. Through TNR, cats are humanely trapped, brought to a veterinarian to be spayed or neutered, vaccinated, microchipped, and eartipped, then returned to their original outdoor homes. Catch and kill in shelters, meanwhile, is an endless cycle of slaughter that does not reduce cat populations nor benefit communities. Learn more: alleycat.org/TNR FACT: Trap-Neuter-Return (TNR) is the only humane and effective approach to community cats.

Cats are not the real threat to wildlife. alleycat.org/TruthAboutCats SHARE THE TRUTH ABOUT CATS DOMINO Poughkeepsi, New York

Leading biologists and environmental watchdogs agree that climate change, habitat destruction, pollution, and other human-led factors are far and away the top threats to wildlife. By advocating for TNR programs and policies that curb human activity that is the true threat to ecosystems, we improve the lives of cats, wildlife, and us all. Learn more: alleycat.org/CatsandWildlife FACT: Cats are not the real threat to wildlife— human-led development is.

Community cats live healthy lives outdoors. alleycat.org/TruthAboutCats SHARE THE TRUTH ABOUT CATS TAMARA AND MARMALADE Shepherdstown, West Virginia

Community cats can live as long and fulfilling of lives in their outdoor homes as indoor cats do in theirs. And, they have equally low rates of disease. If the cats’ health is a concern, TNR is the primary way community cats receive rabies and FVRCP vaccinations and treatment for any other medical issues. Learn more: alleycat.org/Cat-Health FACT: Community cats can live long and healthy lives outdoors.

Studies show cats are not a public health risk. alleycat.org/TruthAboutCats SHARE THE TRUTH ABOUT CATS COMMUNITY CAT Smithville, New Jersey

Cats and people live healthily side-by-side. All cats are extremely unlikely to spread rabies, toxoplasmosis, or any other diseases. People have a far higher chance of contracting toxoplasmosis from eating undercooked meat or unwashed fruits and vegetables than from a cat’s litter box. Additionally, vaccinations provided during TNR improve cats’ health and address community health concerns. Learn more: alleycat.org/Rabies FACT: Cats are not a public health threat.

Community cats don’t belong in animal shelters. alleycat.org/TruthAboutCats SHARE THE TRUTH ABOUT CATS COMMUNITY CAT Baltimore, Maryland

Community cats are generally not socialized to people or adoptable. In shelters without lifesaving programs, these cats will be killed. In any shelter environment, community cats are highly stressed and very susceptible to disease. A community cat should only enter an animal shelter as part of TNR. In some TNR programs, cats are spayed or neutered at the shelter’s clinic! Learn more: alleycat.org/AnimalShelters FACT: Community cats are too often killed in shelters.

Not all kittens need rescuing. alleycat.org/TruthAboutCats SHARE THE TRUTH ABOUT CATS COMMUNITY CAT

If you see kittens alone, their mother is likely close by, and her instincts make her their best caregiver. Kittens should never be separated from their mother to be brought indoors. Watch for a few hours to see if the mother cat returns. If she does, you can help by providing her an outdoor shelter, food, and water. Learn more: alleycat.org/LeaveThemBe FACT: If kittens outdoors have their mother cat, Leave Them BeTM.

Relocating cats is a last resort. alleycat.org/TruthAboutCats SHARE THE TRUTH ABOUT CATS COMMUNITY CATS Buena Vista, New Jersey

Relocation of community cats is an absolute last resort and should only be considered if a cat is in imminent danger. Community cats are highly bonded to their outdoor homes and the other cats in their colonies. Relocation rips cats from these homes and places them somewhere unfamiliar, which is extremely stressful and disorienting for them. Learn more: alleycat.org/Relocation FACT: Community Cats are bonded to their outdoor homes—relocation is dangerous.

Veterinarians should know how to care for community cats. alleycat.org/TruthAboutCats SHARE THE TRUTH ABOUT CATS ALLEY CAT ALLIES SPAY AND NEUTER EVENT Folsom, Louisiana

The veterinary community plays an essential role in the humane treatment of community cats by serving as a resource for the public and providing direct care, including spay and neuter. All veterinarians should learn how to handle community cats, provide TNR services, never kill a cat based on FIV or FeLV diagnoses, and share knowledge and resources to help save community cats’ lives. Learn more: alleycat.org/Veterinarian FACT: Every veterinarian should know how to respond to the needs of community cats and offer TNR services.

Cats Are Community™ alleycat.org/TruthAboutCats SHARE THE TRUTH ABOUT CATS SMOKEY AND MR. MEOW Atlantic City, New Jersey

A community’s compassion can be measured in the treatment of animals—particularly community cats. Local officials should allocate funding to provide low and no-cost spay and neuter, other veterinary care, and food resources for cats. Animal control officers and shelters should work together with veterinarians, advocates, and caregivers on the ground to provide TNR and other services for community cats. It takes everyone! Learn more: alleycat.org/CommunityRelations FACT: To protect community cats, a community must come together.

Thank you for helping to save the lives of community cats by joining us to Share the Truth. It is compassionate and committed advocates like you who make a huge difference for cats in your communities. Learn how to help community cats: alleycat.org/ CommunityCatCare Give to save cats’ lives: alleycat.org/Donate Purchase TNR materials and guides: alleycat.org/Shop Find more resources: alleycat.org/ Resources-Page Get the latest Alley Cat Allies updates: alleycat.org/SignUp

About Alley Cat Allies Founded in 1990, Alley Cat Allies is the leading advocacy organization for cats with a mission to transform and develop communities to protect and improve the lives of all cats and kittens. Together with our over 1.4 million supporters, we work toward a world where cats are valued and every community has humane and effective programs and policies to defend them. Through our fearless advocacy, humane care, education and outreach, and law and policy activism, we empower and mobilize citizens, advocates, grassroots groups, shelters, veterinary professionals, and elected officials across the United States and around the world to improve their communities for cats through nonlethal, evidence-based approaches. Our website is www.alleycat.org.

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