10 Alley Cat Allies © 2025 Alley Cat Allies. All rights reserved. A veterinary professional can evaluate whether a cat needs to be brought to the clinic right away for an illness or injury. Contact your chosen veterinarian and describe the cat’s condition. If you can, share photos or videos of the cat. For community cats with mild issues, it may be best to allow them to heal in their outdoor home rather than trapping them. Ask about the animal hospital, clinic, or veterinarian’s policy regarding treating community cats (they may better understand if you use the term ‘feral cat’) as well as their euthanasia policy. Depending on their answer, you may consider consulting another veterinarian. Important information on euthanasia Euthanasia should only be considered if a cat is in terminal condition. Unfortunately, some veterinarians who haven’t been trained to work with community cats may suggest “euthanizing” (i.e. killing) community cats rather than treating them. Testing positive for Feline Immunodeficiency Virus (FIV) or Feline Leukemia Virus (FeLV) is NOT a reason to euthanize a cat. Learn more at alleycat.org/FIVandFeLV. Go to an emergency veterinarian rather than wait If a cat has an emergency condition, an emergency veterinarian may be necessary. Your usual veterinarian may not have space or could be closed for the day, though you can call them first to determine. Make sure the veterinarian is ready to: • Handle a community cat, including in a humane trap • Scan the cat for a microchip to determine if she has a family or is a colony cat Alley Cat Allies Feline Frenzy® in Tennessee
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy MjU4NDQzNg==