Feral cats are not socialized to people. Some have never had human contact; others are semi-tame cats who were once pets. Often, they live in loose associations known as “colonies,” are well adapted to their environment, and can live safely and contentedly in alleys, parking lots, vacant lots, backyards, and a host of other locations—urban, suburban, and rural.

Some people believe that feral cats lead short, miserable lives and that, for this reason, Trap/Neuter/Return programs should not be implemented. We disagree. Most any caregiver can attest that feral cats can lead long, healthy, happy lives.

And while feral and abandoned cats may face hardships, we don’t think death is better than a less-than-perfect life. Many animals, such as raccoons, foxes, and field mice face hardship and do not live extraordinarily long lives, yet we would never consider euthanizing them “for their own good.”

We believe that all animals deserve compassion and protection for their entire lives — no matter how long or short that might be.

If you’re aware of a feral cat colony, here are some guidelines for determining what their needs might be and for helping them.

Determining if a colony is being cared for. Veterinarians who spay or neuter cats from a feral colony usually snip off the tip of one ear (this is called “notching” or “tipping”). Unless you see clipped ears, you should assume the cats are not altered; and, certainly, if you see kittens in the colony, there are sure to be cats who need to be altered.

Spay/neuter is the single most important thing we can do to help feral cats and is the most humane and effective way to control their populations. Not only does spay/neuter prevent more kittens from being born, it also decreases behavior like spraying, fighting, howling, and roaming. In addition, it greatly improves the cats’ health.

Spay/neuter should take precedence over socializing and adopting. Even if you do not wish to feed and care for them, you should still have the cats altered and returned to their habitat.

For trapping instructions, see our “Humane Trapping” fact sheet.

Feeding the cats. Look for evidence that a colony is being cared for: food dishes, water bowls, or shelters. If no one seems to be feeding the cats, put food out once a day, preferably dry food. Leave it in as inconspicuous a place as possible: under shrubs, behind dumpsters, or near walls, where the cats can feed safely. Don’t forget fresh water!

Stick to a regular schedule if you can. Consistent feeding will make trapping easier.

Minimize the number of feeding stations. Fewer feeding stations means less work and less chance that the cats will be noticed. It also makes keeping an eye on the cats and monitor the colony for newcomers easier. Feed the cats in areas as secluded as possible, away from human activity.

Do not feed at night. Conflicts with nocturnal wildlife are one of the primary reasons neighbors complain about feral cat colonies, and daytime feeding reduces the chance of wild animals helping themselves to the cats’ food.

Keep feeding areas clean. Change the dishes when they get dirty, and pick up trash even if it isn’t yours. Don’t leave empty cans or large piles of food. Dry food is less messy than canned, and if you feed only dry food, canned food will be a more enticing treat, making trapping much easier.

Managing a Colony. Watch for new cats, and have them spayed or neutered right away.

Keep a low profile. “Out of sight, out of mind” is the motto of many feral cat caregivers. Be inconspicuous in your feeding and trapping activities. If someone notices what you’re doing and asks about it, explain that altering and feeding feral cats decreases their numbers quickly and humanely. Most people will be supportive.

Share responsibilities. Have friends, co-workers, family members, or other caregivers who will feed the cats one day a week or colony sit while you’re on vacation. Perhaps they can socialize a kitten or keep a cat for post-surgery recovery while you continue trapping. The more people who participate in caring for a colony, the better off the cats–and you–will be.

Resources

Local veterinarians: Ask if they can put you in touch with anyone else who is caring for ferals for advice and support. Do they have a humane trap you can borrow?

Humane societies: Do they offer free or low-cost spay/neuter? Or medical care if you find a sick or injured cat? They may have humane traps to borrow or a volunteer who can teach you how to trap.

Pet supply stores: Find out if they have humane traps to borrow, rent, or buy, or referrals to volunteers or local feral cat groups. Tell them what you are doing, and ask for cat food donations, or request permission to set up a donation bin where customers can deposit cat food they purchase at the store.

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This fact sheet explains the basics of caring for motherless neonatal (very young) kittens.

If You Find Kittens

First, determine whether they have a mother. Mother cats may be out for several hours at a time, so try to wait somewhere unobserved to see if she comes back.

If the kittens have a mother, you have several options:
Take the mother and kittens into your home and confine them in a large cage or a small room such as a bathroom. This prevents the mother cat from moving the kittens and she will take care of raising them until they are old enough to be socialized and placed in homes. Once the kittens have been fully weaned, the mother can then be spayed and returned to her original habitat.

Allow mom to care for her kittens where you found them. Unfortunately, she may move them at any time, so try to make the location as attractive and comfortable as possible. Give her a comfortable shelter and provide food and water every day. If you catch the kittens when they are weaned they can be socialized and placed in homes.

Take the kittens from the mother, have her spayed, and raise the kittens yourself. This ensures that the mother will not move the kittens and they will be socialized to humans, but remember that in most cases it is best to keep kittens with their mother for the first few weeks of life.

If the kittens are indeed orphans, bring them into your home to establish their age, medical, and feeding needs. At this point, you must act quickly because neonatal kittens are fragile. Delay can be fatal.

Kittens should be alert and warm to the touch. If the kittens are cold and listless, they must be warmed up immediately. Chilling is the major cause of death of neonatal kittens, and can happen in just a few hours. Do not attempt to feed chilled kittens. Place the kittens in a box or pet carrier with a towel-covered heating pad set on low inside the box. Be sure the heating pad covers only half of the bottom of the box-the kittens must be able to move off the heating pad if it becomes too warm.

Determining Age

Under one week: Eyes shut, ears flat to head, skin looks pinkish. Part of umbilical cord may still be attached.

1 week- 10 days: Eyes beginning to open, ears still flat. A kitten this age is smaller than your hand.

3 weeks: Eyes are fully open, ears are erect, teeth are visible. Kittens this age are just starting to walk and will be very wobbly.

4-5 weeks: Eyes have changed from blue to another color and/or kittens have begun to pounce and leap. Kittens this age will begin to eat regular cat food.

8 weeks: Kittens this age weigh approximately two pounds. If they have not been exposed to humans, they will likely be feral and unapproachable.

The following instructions are for kittens approximately four weeks old and younger. If the kittens you find can already eat regular cat food, see The SF/SPCA fact sheet “Socializing Feral Kittens.”

Feeding

Kittens cannot be fed until they are warmed-feeding chilled kittens is very dangerous. Do not feed cow’s milk-it causes diarrhea which can lead to severe dehydration. You will need KMR or other kitten milk replacement formula, along with special bottles for feeding. The premixed liquid formula is easier to use than the powdered form. These supplies are available at veterinary offices and pet supply stores.

Depending on their age, kittens will need to be fed every two to six hours around the clock. To prepare the bottle, pierce a hole in the nipple with a pin or make a tiny slit with a razor. Make sure the hole is big enough for the milk to get through. Test the formula on your wrist-it should be slightly warm, not hot, not cold.

After they eat, kittens need help to urinate and defecate. To do this, moisten a cotton ball with warm water and gently rub the kitten’s anal area. Waste will be mostly liquid at this point.

• 1 jar baby food meat (lamb, beef or chicken)
• 3 tsp. baby food carrot or squash
• 2 tsp. baby food creamed corn or barley (comes in a box)
• 1 raw organic egg yolk or 1/2 tsp. butter
• 3 drops children’s liquid vitamins
• 1/2 tsp. food yeast
• 1/2 tsp. calcium lactate or calcium gultonate
• Spring or distilled water to desired consistency

Health

In addition to chilling, there are other conditions which must be treated without delay:

Fleas can cause anemia in kittens and even death. If you notice fleas, you should flea comb the kitten as soon as possible. Do not use insecticides or any other flea products.

Diarrhea and upper respiratory infection (similar to a human cold) are serious and should be immediately treated by a veterinarian.

If a kitten cannot suck on the bottle, she/he may need to be fed with a veterinary feeding syringe (no needle).

Weaning At about four weeks of age you can begin offering canned and dry kitten food. The kittens will begin using a litterbox as well.

How Humane Traps Work

A humane trap is a small wire cage with a door on one end and a trip plate on its floor. There may be a second door on the back of the trap. To set the trap, push in then lift up the front door and latch it open with the small hook above the door. The hook is connected to the trip plate, so when you press on the trip plate, the door closes.

Where to Find Humane Traps

Traps can be borrowed from Friends of Feral Felines, or borrowed or rented from pet supply stores, veterinarians, or your local humane society. Traps can be purchased through pet supply stores, hardware stores or distributors like Tomahawk at (800) 272-8727 or Animal Care Equipment Services at (800) 338-2237.

Important Tips

Understand how the trap works before you set it.
Never leave a trap unattended.
Once the cat is trapped, keep the trap loosely covered with a sheet or towel.
When carrying a trapped cat, hold the trap away from your body.
Always be sure both doors are securely latched to prevent escape.

Conditioning the Cat to the Trap

Some cats can be trapped immediately, but more wary cats will need to be conditioned to the trap.

To do this, feed the cats daily at the same time in the same location. Place a trap in the area you feed. Open the door of the trap and secure it open with a piece of string or wire. Put the food outside the trap, but near the open door. Each time you feed, move the food nearer, then into the trap. The door should still be wired open. You can also use a cage, medium or large pet carriers, or a cardboard box.

Trapping

Set the trap at the cats’ normal feeding time. You may want to withhold food for one day prior to trapping to ensure that the cat is hungry enough to go into the trap. Line the bottom of the trap with a thin sheet of newspaper and put some wet food, mackerel, anchovies, or tuna in a paper or plastic dish set all the way in the back of the trap. Trail a tiny bit of food inside the trap from the front to the back.

To avoid accidentally trapping skunks or raccoons, try to trap before dark or just after dawn.

After the trap is set, hide out of sight-in your car, behind bushes or trees, or anywhere the cat cannot see you. Once the cat is trapped, approach quietly and cover the trap with a sheet or towel. This will quickly calm the cat down.

Hard To Catch Cats

For very wary cats, you may need two weeks or more of conditioning before they will go in the trap. You can make a trap more enticing by putting a bit of canned food, baby food, or catnip on the outside of the trap.

Cats love the smell of a pungent herb called valerian-try boiling some in water to make a strong-smelling broth. It is hard for cats to resist.

If ongoing trapping has caused some of the cats to become trap shy, try waiting a week or two before resuming trapping. A short break can reduce the cats’ fear of the trap.

Sick cats can be particularly difficult to catch. Try baiting the trap with warm chicken broth, warm water, valerian, or warmed up baby food.

Trapping Kittens

It is best to use a kitten-sized trap. If you cannot find one, tie a string to the door of a plastic pet carrier. Then run the string through the inside of the carrier and out the holes at the back. Set a brick or something heavy behind the carrier so it will remain stationary when you pull the string. Hide out of sight holding the string. When the kitten enters the carrier, pull the string and hold tight so she cannot push the door open. Keep the string taut until you latch the door.

If you are trying to catch a mother cat and her kittens, first catch the kittens and place them in a plastic pet carrier. Then set a humane trap and place the carrier with the kittens behind the trap. (The door of the carrier should be facing the back of the trap.) Cover the end of the trap and the whole carrier with a sheet or towel. The food and the sound of the kittens crying will lure the mom cat into the trap.

Selective Trapping

In colonies where most of the cats have already been trapped, you may need to control when the trap door closes so you can catch the right cat. This is called selective trapping.

Purchase a small hook (the type used for a hook-and-eye latch) at the hardware store. Attach it on the trap next to the hook that normally holds the trap door open. When the door is held open with your new hook, stepping on the trip plate does not shut the door. Tie a string to the new hook. Pulling the string will release the door.

Set your modified trap as described above, and hide out of sight holding the string. Put extra food in the trap, as many cats may go in and out before the right one does.

Post-Surgery Care

After spay/neuter surgery, cats can be held in their traps for 24-36 hours until they are ready to be returned to their habitats. See our Post-Surgery Recovery Care fact sheet for details.

This fact sheet is intended to provide a basic overview of feral cat medical issues.It should not be used to diagnose an animal, nor is it intended to provide veterinary advice. For more information on these issues, or if your cat is injured or sick, please consult a veterinarian.

Feral cats do not experience significantly more or worse medical issues than do housecats. In fact, feral cats may actually be healthier as a population than domestic pet cats. This is because feral kittens will develop natural immunity to a variety of illnesses. Nonetheless, prevention and early treatment of medical problems play an important role in helping all cats to live long, healthy lives.

Some people believe that feral cats lead “short, miserable lives” and that for this reason, Trap, Neuter, Return programs should not be implemented. We disagree. As most any caregiver can attest, feral cats frequently live long, healthy lives.

And while feral and abandoned cats may face hardships, we don’t think death is better than a less-than-perfect life. Many animals, such as raccoons, foxes, field mice, and others, face similar hazards and do not live extraordinarily long lives, yet we would never consider euthanizing them “for their own good.”

We believe that all animals deserve compassion and protection for their entire lives-no matter how long that might be.

Prevention

Spay/neuter improves cat health and behavior and eliminates the risk of certain types of cancer. Cats who are altered by Friends of Feral Felines also receive a medical exam, standard vaccinations, and treatment for certain medical conditions (including many of those listed below).

Feed the cats regularly (dry food is important for dental health) and provide fresh water. Keep dishes clean.

Treatment

If you notice anything unusual such as eye discharge, limping, or sudden unexplained weight loss, take the cat to a veterinarian. For tips on catching sick cats, see The SF/SPCA fact sheet “Humane Trapping“. If your regular veterinarian does not treat feral cats, call other caregivers or feral cat organizations for referrals.

Depending on the nature of the illness or injury, the cat may stay in the hospital, return home for further treatment, or may be returned directly to his habitat. If you will be treating the feral cat at home, you should have a large cage, such as a dog kennel or crate, in which to confine him. Provide a small litterbox and plastic food or water dishes. Follow your veterinarian’s instructions for administering medication. Even if treatment is lengthy, a cat can be returned to her colony once she has recovered.

Feral cats may be harder to treat than most pet cats, but do not be discouraged from seeking veterinary care. Long-lasting injections, liquid medications, crushed pills, and other methods are available to make treatment as easy as possible. And the minor stress of confinement and treatment is well worth it-remember, you are helping to save a life!

Definitions

Abscess: A puncture wound that closes over on the surface of the skin while infection spreads below the surface. If an abscess opens, you will notice blood, pus, and a bad smell. Otherwise you may see a lump under the fur anywhere on the body. An untreated abscess can spread infection throughout the body.

Ear mites: Microscopic parasites that irritate and inflame the ear.

Feline Immunodeficiency Virus (FlV) and Feline Leukemia Virus (FeLV): Feline diseases of the immune system. FIV is transmitted cat-to-cat via biting, and FeLV is transmitted cat-to-cat via saliva or from mother to kitten. Many cats remain asymptomatic while in others, secondary infections may develop. FIV and FeLV affect less than 2-4% of the feral cat population-lower than in domestic pet cats. By stopping breeding and fighting, spay/neuter further reduces the incidence of these diseases.

Feline Infectious Peritonitis (FIP): A viral disease which many cats (domestic and feral) are exposed to but that few develop. There is no reliable test or vaccine.

Flea allergy: Some cats have a severe allergic response to flea bites, resulting in hair loss, scabs, and/or severe itching. In most cases, eliminating fleas greatly reduces symptoms. Flea infestation in kittens can also lead to life-threatening anemia.

Gestation: A cat is pregnant for approximately 64 days.

Gingivitis: Gum disease. It can be a secondary infection of FeLV or FIV, or can occur on its own. Symptoms include swollen gums, loose teeth, over salivation, and difficulty eating. Left untreated, it can become life threatening.

Lactation: Mother cats produce milk until kittens are weaned at approximately four to seven weeks of age. Lactating females should not be spayed until the kittens are weaned.

Lice: You may notice the eggs, which look like sawdust but cannot be brushed off the kitten’s fur. Lice often requires repeated treatment with special shampoos available from your veterinarian.

Ringworm: A fungal skin infection. A veterinarian should check suspicious lesions. When handling a cat suspected of having ringworm, you should wear gloves.

Distemper (Feline Panleukopenia): Distemper is relatively rare in feral cats-most have developed a natural immunity. Most cat vaccinations include a component to prevent distemper.

Roundworms and tapeworms: Intestinal parasites. Some cats are asymptomatic, or you may notice worms in cat droppings.

Upper respiratory infection (URI): A viral infection similar to the flu in humans. Symptoms may include nose and/or eye discharge, noisy breathing, and/or sneezing. URI can lead to secondary infections and in some cases can become life threatening if untreated.

Neighbor Conflicts

While most people support the concept of humanely caring for feral cats, conflict can sometimes arise. One of the best ways to prevent conflict is to ensure that the cats are spayed or neutered and feeding areas are clean and inconspicuous. Following are the most common reasons people complain about feral cats, and ideas for addressing their concerns.

Wild animals. Feed cats during the day and pick up any leftover food once the cats have eaten.

Kittens. Spay/neuter will prevent more kittens from being born. In some cases, feral kittens can be socialized and adopted.

Spraying, fighting, howling. Neutering quickly reduces or eliminates these behaviors. Regular and sufficient feeding will also prevent fighting.

Cats using yard as a litterbox. Caregivers can place covered, sand-filled litter boxes in their yards, and/or offer to periodically clean the neighbor’s yard.

Conflict Resolution

Listen closely and ask questions. A person might start out by saying the cats are “bothering” them, but on further discussion reveal that cat droppings in her flower garden are the specific problem. In another case, a neighbor demanded—without explanation—that a caregiver stop feeding cats in the neighborhood. After asking several questions, she discovered the neighbor was upset because he didn’t like cat footprints on his new car. To keep the peace, the caregiver bought her neighbor a car cover and he never complained again.

The person’s concerns may seem reasonable, they may not, but it is important to listen respectfully and be constructive. By asking questions and offering solutions, it becomes possible to focus on the person’s specific concerns rather than their generalized objections to feral cats.

Sit down and talk. Calmly share your concerns with the goal of amicably resolving the problem. It can be a good idea to prepare a small packet of written materials in support of caring for feral cats. If relations are seriously strained, community mediation services may be beneficial.

Offer concrete solutions. Once you have determined what the person’s specific complaints are, you can address them. If you haven’t had the cats neutered yet, do so, and let your neighbor know how much it will improve the cats’ behavior while gradually decreasing the size of the colony. Offer to keep litter boxes in your backyard for cats to use, or put a cat fence around your yard. Don’t be afraid to brainstorm—creative ideas can save lives, as demonstrated by the case above.

Explain the value of Trap, Neuter, Return (TNR) programs. TNR is the most humane and effective way to control feral cat populations and minimize the most common concerns people raise about feral cats. Be sure to explain the ramifications of trapping the cats and taking them to an animal shelter: most will be killed since feral cats are not candidates for adoption. In addition, more cats—probably unneutered—will move back into the area starting the cycle all over again.

After spay/neuter surgery, feral cats should be kept in a safe location and monitored for approximately 24-36 hours until they are ready to be returned to their habitats. The holding period may be longer if any complications were encountered during surgery.

Do not let the cat loose in your house or attempt to transfer her to another cage. Transferring is difficult and if the cat gets loose, you cannot properly monitor her recovery. If you expect an especially lengthy holding period due to medical complications, contact The SF/SPCA Lifeline for Feral Cats for advice, 415-554-3071.

Prepare the holding area ahead of time. A garage, extra room, bathroom, basement, or laundry room can work well. The area should be quiet, sheltered, and off-limits to any other animals. It must also be warm and dry. Following are guidelines for post-surgery care:

Prop the trap up on bricks, chairs or anything to raise it off the floor a few inches. Make sure it is stable and sturdy.

Underneath the trap, place a disposable tray with a little kitty litter in it or a piece of plastic topped with newspaper. This will absorb any urine or spilled water.

The cat may be groggy after surgery, but should be fully awake by the evening. There may be a few drops of blood on the paper in the bottom of the cage, but that is normal. When you get home, place the covered trap in the recovery area and leave the cat alone for a little while.

That evening, offer the cat food. Open the trap door one to two inches and slip in a couple of small plastic or paper dishes. You can refill them with dry food and water from outside the trap.

Make sure both trap doors are securely shut and latched. The cat will usually move to the end of the trap away from you, but always be cautious when opening the trap door.

If necessary, dishes can be moved around with blunt sticks. Do not use anything sharp that could injure the cat.

Feed the cat once or twice a day during the holding period.

Recovery and Release

Males generally need 24 hours to recover and females a little longer. You want to be sure that the cat is eating and drinking, and that there are no signs of infection (discharge from surgery site, bleeding, or swelling).

If the cat seems lethargic beyond the first day, or if you notice any of the above signs, the cat should be brought back to clinic to be rechecked.

The cat might not urinate or defecate during the first day or two of the holding period. This is normal.

Once the cat is eating, is alert, and has clear eyes, he can be returned to his colony habitat. Try to release the cat as close as possible to where you trapped him, and choose a time of day when fewer people will be in the area.

Feral Cat Relocation

Relocating feral cats should be undertaken as a last resort after all other alternatives are exhausted. Because feral cats bond strongly to both territory and their caregiver, it is best to leave the cats where they live. Most often, there is no reason to remove them from their habitats. Ferals become well-adapted to their territory and can live safely and contentedly in alleyways, parking lots, vacant lots, backyards, and a host of other locations—urban, suburban, and rural. While there may be a few barns or sanctuaries that accept feral cats, in all cases the demand for space is much higher than what is available. Finally, relocating all or most of the cats in a colony can open up a void that allows unneutered cats to move into the area, starting the cycle all over again.

ALTERNATIVES TO RELOCATION Q & A

(Q) “I found a group of feral cats. Where can I take them?”

(A) If you have found a colony of feral cats, it is best to have the cats altered, return them to where you found them, and provide them with food and water each day. Even if you choose not to provide ongoing care, you should still have them spayed and neutered and return them to their habitat.

(Q) “My neighbor is complaining and threatening to trap the ferals I care for.”

(A) First, be sure all the cats you care for are neutered—this prevents the causes of many neighbor complaints. Next, explain that Trap, Neuter, and Return (TNR) is the most effective and humane way to reduce the population of feral cats. Explain that if they are trapped and taken to the animal control agency the cats will be killed and more cats—probably unneutered—will move back into the area starting the cycle all over again.

Talk with your neighbor and find out what their concerns are, then be creative and see if you can reach a compromise. If the cats are using your neighbor’s yard as a litter box, set up sand-filled, covered litter boxes in your yard, or offer to periodically clean up her yard.

(Q) “My colony is in a dangerous location/a location where construction will soon start.”

(A) Start immediately, and gradually move the cats to a safer area. Every few days, move the feeding location a little further away from the danger, and a little closer to where you want the new feeding site to be. The cats will follow. The longer you are able to extend the transition, the easier it will be for the cats. Keep feeding stations to a minimum and place them in secluded areas.

(Q) “Can I relocate a feral cat to my friend’s colony in the park?”

(A) No. You cannot relocate to an open, unmonitored space such as a park, parking lot, pier, etc. For relocation to be successful, the cat needs to be confined for an extended period and you cannot do that in an open space.

(Q) “I’m moving. What should I do with my feral cats?”

(A) The answer depends on where you are moving and how many feral cats you have. In some cases, the best thing is to find someone who will take over the care of your colony. It’s good to plan ahead and start sharing duties with someone (or several people) even if you think you’ll never move. Finding a new, responsible caregiver allows the cats to remain in their home territory even though they’ll be losing their caregiver.

If you will have a backyard in your new home, another good option is to take the cats with you. With a little planning, safe transportation, and an appropriate destination, you can successfully relocate the cats with you.

TIPS FOR SUCCESSFUL RELOCATION

If other alternatives fail and relocation becomes necessary, consider the following important tips:

Before you start

Make sure all cats are spayed or neutered prior to relocation.
Have a plan and a place to take the cats before you start trapping.

Items to have ready

Humane trap(s)
Cat carrier(s)
A place to comfortably and safely confine the cats temporarily in their new location. A large cage, a cat condo, or a dog kennel can work well. Some people use a garden shed or a small room in their house. Just be sure the cat cannot escape.

Catching the cats

See “Humane Trapping” fact sheet.

Transportation

The cats can be transported in humane traps or in standard carriers. If you are driving, make sure the temperature is maintained at a comfortably cool level. Secure carriers in the vehicle by using seatbelts if possible. You may want to lightly cover the traps or carriers, but do not block air circulation. Do not leave food and water in the carriers, but do stop to offer water every few hours.

If you are flying, take the cat in the cabin with you rather than placing it in the cargo.

General relocation recommendations

Relocate more than one cat from a colony, if possible.

Feed on a regular schedule—preferably twice a day. Meals should include both wet and dry food. Rattle the food in a box or bowl each time you feed so the cat associates the sound with food. Give the cat treats occasionally as well.

Cat(s) will need to be confined for approximately three weeks. Some people keep relocated cats confined for longer, but it is important to pay attention to the individual cat’s comfort level. If you confine her for too long, she may run off once released.

Cat(s) should be confined where they can see and smell their new surroundings (especially other cats, the caretaker, and the feeding location).

Set the confinement cage/room up so that it is as clean and comfortable as possible. Be sure there is adequate air and light available.

Talk to the cat and let him see and smell you several times a day—especially when you bring food.

When you release the cat into its new yard, continue feeding on the same schedule as before.

Once released, maintain access to the room or cage where the cat(s) were confined. Leave out bedding and litterbox for smell. Some people sprinkle the used litter around the yard.

Consider erecting a cat fence, enclosure, or other barrier to prevent the cat(s) from leaving your yard.

If the cat disappears, walk around the neighborhood and rattle dry food, calling to the cat. Continue leaving out food and canvassing the area. Don’t give up.

Feral Cats and Public Safety

Do feral cats live short, miserable lives? Are outdoor cats a public health and safety risk? Do feral cats threaten birds? The answer to all these questions is a resounding no.
Trap, Neuter, Return Programs Enhance Public Safety

Feral cats are naturally inclined to keep away from humans. In addition, when cats are fed away from populated areas, contact is further minimized. However, when caregivers are prevented from feeding, the cats are forced to forage populated areas in search of food. Soon compassionate individuals begin feeding the cats close to work or home, thus increasing the cats’ proximity to people. Trap, Neuter, Return (TNR) programs, accompanied by ongoing colony management, instead reduce the chance of contact by keeping cats away from human population areas.

TNR Humanely Controls Feral Cat Populations

TNR and colony management are also effective in reducing the number of cats, and therefore, the number of chance encounters with humans. Prevention of TNR or the use of lethal methods, on the other hand, actually allows the population to continue multiplying. A survey of feral cat caregivers conducted by The SF/SPCA found that every caregiver who implemented a TNR program saw their colony stabilize or decrease in number. In San Francisco’s Golden Gate Park, one feral cat colony has been reduced from 85 cats to two through TNR. And after caregivers at Stanford University started a successful TNR program, the campus cat population reached zero population growth almost immediately. Today, through natural attrition and the adoption of tame cats, the colony has decreased by over 50%.

In contrast, Sonoma State University administrators implemented a trap and kill program over the objections of campus cat caregivers. Less than one year after the cats were removed, more cats were again living on campus. At Georgetown University, school officials trapped feral cats and took them to the local animal control agency where the cats were killed. Less than six months later, 10 new unaltered cats and 20 kittens appeared on the campus.

Are Feral Cats a Risk to Public Health?

A study conducted by Stanford University’s Department of Environmental Health and Safety (EHS) found virtually no risk to humans from feral cats and diseases associated with cats. EHS also concluded, after consultation with the Santa Clara County Health Department and Stanford’s Department of Comparative Medicine, that there was a general consensus that feral cats pose virtually no health and safety risk to individuals.

Rabies

As they are not a natural vector for rabies, cats pose a very low risk for contracting and spreading this disease. In 1998, only three cats tested positive for rabies in all of California.

There are no known cases of a human ever contracting rabies from a cat in the state of California. Rabies is more prevalent in some species of wildlife, and in Europe, a very successful oral rabies vaccine has proven an effective, economical, and humane form of rabies control.

A study in the July 15, 2000 issue of the British Medical Journal confirms that “contact with cats, kittens, cats’ feces, or cats who hunt for food was not a risk factor for infection.” The author continues, “No significant associations were detected between infection and presence of cats (whether adult or kittens), the diet and hunting habits of the cats, or cleaning a cat’s litter tray.” The study concludes that eating undercooked meat is the primary risk factor in contracting the organism.

TNR Reduces Costs to Taxpayers

In addition to being the most humane, effective, and healthy option for controlling feral cat populations, TNR is also the most cost-effective. TNR and colony management by compassionate individuals is accomplished wholly at private expense while trapping the cats and taking them to animal control agencies requires taxpayer dollars for intake, housing, handling, feeding, killing and “disposal.”

Do Feral Cats Lead “Short, Miserable Lives?”

Feral cats do not experience significantly more or worse medical issues than do housecats. In fact, feral cats may actually be healthier as a population than domestic pet cats. This is because feral kittens develop natural immunity to a variety of illnesses. Spay/neuter further improves cat health by reducing wandering, mating, and fighting.

It is also not uncommon for feral cats to live ten or more years—a lifespan comparable to many domestic cats. And while feral and abandoned cats may face hardships, we don’t think death is better than a less-than-perfect life. Many animals, such as raccoons, foxes, and field mice face similar hazards and do not live extraordinarily long lives, yet we would never consider euthanizing them “for their own good.”

Opponents of TNR have also argued that potential cruelty by malicious humans is another reason why homeless cats should be rounded up and euthanized. In order to ward off the potential painful death of some animals, they argue all homeless cats should be killed as a preventive measure. This argument is as preposterous as it sounds.

Predation
Every reputable study to date has shown that claims of cat predation affecting bird and wildlife populations are wholly overstated, and that the true causes of population declines are factors such as habitat loss, pollution, pesticides, and drought. Cats are also widely recognized to have low success at bird predation. Studies have shown that the bulk of a feral cat’s diet consists of garbage, insects, plants, and other scavenger material. Unless we are going to conclude that studies on four continents are all wrong, feral cats should not be unfairly implicated in any perceived decimation of wildlife populations.

Socializing Feral Kittens

Kittens who are not exposed to humans early in their lives learn from their mothers and quickly become feral. However, if they are caught and handled at a young enough age, feral kittens can be socialized and placed in loving homes.

Remember that spay/neuter is the single most important thing you can do to help feral cats. It is best to alter as many cats in a colony as possible before you begin socializing.

Kittens under four weeks old can usually be socialized in a matter of days, and kittens up to eight weeks old can take approximately two to four weeks to socialize. 10- 12 weeks old kittens can also be tamed, but it may take longer. Taming feral kittens over 12 weeks old can be difficult and they may never be fully socialized to people.

Getting Started

Kittens cannot be socialized while they are still in their colony. They must be brought inside and confined so you have regular access to them. If you cannot do this, have the kittens altered and return them to their colony.

Kittens can be taken from their feral mothers when they begin weaning-at approximately four weeks of age. To determine a kitten’s age, see The SF/SPCA fact sheet “Basic Kitten Care.”

Housing the Kittens

You will need to confine the kitten(s) at first, preferably in a dog crate, large pet carrier, cat condo, or cage. If you do not have a cage or carrier, you can keep the kittens in a small room. Be sure to block up anything they could crawl into or under and remove anything that could injure them.

Do not let feral kittens run loose in your house. They can hide in tiny spaces and are exceptionally difficult to find and coax out. In addition, a large room can be frightening and hinder the taming process.

If possible, kittens should be separated from each other to facilitate taming. Left together, one kitten can become outgoing and playful while another remains shy and withdrawn. If you cannot separate them, the kittens can be housed together, but be sure to spend time alone with each one.

The cage should contain a small litterbox, food and water dishes, and something to cuddle in like a towel or piece of your clothing.

Food is the key to taming. Make dry kitten food available at all times and give the kitten a small amount of wet food at least twice a day. The kitten may hesitate to eat in your presence at first, but be patient. Eventually the kitten will associate your presence with food.

Chicken-flavored baby food is a special treat that almost no kitten can resist.

How soon you begin handling the kitten depends on the kitten’s age and temperament. Older kittens and those who are more feral are harder to handle. With these kittens, start by offering baby food or wet food on a spoon through the cage. Once they are used to this, you can begin handling them.

Younger and less feral kittens can be picked up right away. Wear gloves if you will feel more comfortable, as it is important to be confident and gentle when picking up any animal. Wrap the kitten in a towel allowing her head to stick out. Offer baby food or wet food on a spoon. If she does not respond, dab a tiny bit on the end of her nose. Once she tastes it, she will soon want more.

When petting a feral kitten, approach from behind his head. Gradually begin to pet the kitten’s face, chin, and behind the ears while talking gently. Try to have several feeding/petting sessions (15-20 minutes) with each kitten as many times a day as you can.

Progress will depend on the kitten’s age and temperament. Each day you will notice improvement-falling asleep in your lap, coming towards you for food, meowing at you, purring, and playing are all great signs. Once the kitten no longer runs away from you but instead comes toward you seeking to be fed, held and petted, you can confine her to a small, kitten-proofed room rather than a cage. Siblings can also be reunited at this point.

Expose the kittens to a variety of people. Everyone should use low voices at first, and approach the kittens in a non-threatening manner.

Important Tips

Handle feral kittens cautiously-nails and teeth are sharp.

Do not give kittens cow’s milk-it can make them sick.

Once the kitten is willing to play, offer toys and use a string (not yarn) or a cat dancer for him to chase. Do not let the kitten bite, scratch or play with your hand.

If the kittens are staying awake at night, try to play and socialize with them more during the day and cover their cages at night with a towel or blanket.

Leave a television or radio on (not too loud)during the day so the kittens get used to human voices.

What is TNR?

Trap and Kill

As a general rule, feral cats cannot be adopted into human homes, and relocating them to another area is extremely difficult. Therefore, in most cases, if feral cats are taken to an animal shelter instead of being altered and returned, they will be killed. Besides being inhumane, trap and remove is only a temporary “solution,” opening up an ecological void which more cats— unneutered—will eventually fill, starting the breeding process all over again. Trap and remove, then, is an endless cycle of breeding and killing, while TNR is a lifesaving and permanent solution.

Case Studies

A survey of feral cat caregivers conducted by The SF/SPCA found that every caregiver who implemented a TNR program saw their colony stabilize or decrease in number. In San Francisco’s Golden Gate Park. one feral cat colony has been reduced from 85 cats to two through TNR. And after caregivers at Stanford University started a successful TNR program, the campus cat population reached zero population growth almost immediately. Today, through natural attrition and the adoption of tame cats, the colony has decreased by over 50%.

In contrast, Sonoma State University administration implemented a trap and kill program over the objections of campus cat caregivers. Less than one year after the cats were removed, more cats were again making their home on campus. At Georgetown University, school officials trapped feral cats and took them to the local animal control agency where the cats were killed. Less than six months later, 10 new unaltered cats and 20 kittens appeared on the campus.

One of the primary misconceptions about feral cat caregivers it that they “establish” cat colonies. In fact, the opposite is true. Feral cat caregivers are helping cats who are already there. And by working to feed and alter the cats, the caregivers are improving the lives of the cats and reducing potential problems. Through TNR, the caregivers are actively helping the cats and working to reduce their numbers over time. By feeding the cats, they are reducing wandering and other behaviors that may lead to “conflicts” with others.

How You Can Help

While it is advisable to provide food and water on a daily basis, for those who do not wish to take these steps, just having the cats altered will help a great deal. Here are three good reasons to get started with TNR:

1. It’s effective. Having the cats altered and returning them to their habitats is the quickest way to permanently reduce feral cat populations.

2. It’s humane. There are very few feral cat sanctuaries and even fewer volunteers seeking to adopt feral cats. If you trap the cats and take them to animal control shelters, they will be killed since feral cats cannot be adopted into homes.

3. You’ll be in good company. Tens of thousands of compassionate people are helping ferals by having them spayed or neutered. Join the crowd!

Trapping Tips

1. Set up a daily routine by feeding the cats at the same place and time. It is also important to identify all the cats in the colony.
2. Withhold food one day prior to trapping. Hunger is the key element in enticing them into the trap. Use any strong-smelling food, such as tuna or mackerel. which they find irresistible. Place newspaper on the bottom of the trap and trail bits of food from the front to the back, placing most of the food behind the treadle which they must step on in order for the trap to close.
3. When trapping, place the trap in a quiet, safe place, where they are accustomed to feeding and where you can see or hear when a cat is trapped without interfering in the trapping process. (Watch the trap from inside your car, house, or another area where the cats can’t see you). Do not leave the trap unattended as a cat in a trap is helpless and vulnerable to the weather, passers by, and other potential dangers.
4. Setting more than one trap at a time is helpful in completing the trapping quickly. Some cats, when they see their fellow colony members trapped may become trap shy. However, with patience, you can eventually lure the shy ones into the traps as well. Remember to securely lock the back door so the cats do not escape from the trap.
5. Once trapped, some cats may panic and thrash about. Place a cover over the trap (a towel or sheet works fine) to calm the cat. Do not panic and do not release the cat. It may difficult to trap the cat again that day. Cats may cut or scrape their faces in the trap. These injuries are usually superficial and will not cause permanent damage. Leave the cat in a covered trap for transportation to the vet. Do not let the cat loose in a room or attempt to transfer into a carrier. The cat will be safe and secure in the trap and will be ready for the veterinarian to treat. If necessary, the cat can stay in the trap for a day or two until the veterinarian can perform surgery. Remember to withhold food and water 6-8 hours before surgery. (Except for kittens)
6. After surgery, the cat can be placed directly back into the trap with clean newspaper on the bottom. Cats should be held for at least 24 hours and can be returned to the colony the next day if their eyes are clear and they are alert. Cats can be kept in the trap for a couple of days if necessary, simply slip food and water carefully through the back door, being sure to secure the lock.
7. If you need the trap for another cat, you can move the cat into a “transfer” cage especially made for this purpose. Do not transfer into a carrier. You could lose the cat. The transfer cage is made to fit snugly against the trap. The two back doors slide up to allow you to gently prod the cat encouraging her to move from the trap and into the transfer cage. It is helpful to have an assistant with you to do the relocation and even the trapping.
8. Return the cat back to their colony and make sure fresh food and water are provided. Monitor their health closely for the next week to ten days.

A Final Word About the Future

Until we collectively abandon our first notion of attempting to tame and place or relocate every feral cat, we will continue to be “behind the eightball” in our efforts to get ahead in the game of feral cat overpopulation. And until we change our perceptions of what natural cat behavior is by believing that the only place they can be happy and safe is in a home or a barn setting, the more we will fall behind in our goal to reduce the overpopulation of feral cats and reduce the unbelievable number that are killed each day.

Essentially, our progress depends on how much and how effectively we can reprogram our minds away from homing and relocating feral cats and towards trap-neuter-return (TNR).

While we are putting off trapping and sterilizing to wait for eligible and safe barn homes in which to relocate, or for openings in already overflowing sanctuaries (some of which are only equipped to cage the cats for the rest of their lives), more feral cats are being born.

While we put off trapping and sterilizing to wait for volunteers (who are not already inundated with their share of rescued strays) to devote their limited time and limited space in their homes to tame feral cats, more feral cats are being born.

While we wait hopefully for the local authorities or volunteer humane groups in our communities to develop programs to deal with feral cat overpopulation, more feral cats are being born.

Clearly, the ball is in our court. When so many thousands of cats-both domestic and feral-are killed every day, it is up to the compassionate individual to take definitive action with TNR.

The overpopulation of feral cats did not just happen recently. It has evolved over a very long period of time. While the exact number is unknown, there are an estimated 60 to100 million in the U.S. alone.

Many reasons account for the overpopulation of feral cats:

• cats were trusted to fend for themselves (and these are usually unsterilized cats)
• spay/neuter was not widely available
• spay/neuter was not affordable spay/neuter was not considered necessary by veterinarians until after seven or eight months of age, even though most cats are sexually mature by six months of age; many people were advised to allow their cat to have at least one litter before spaying
• early-age spay/neuter was not available
• animal agencies who place cats do not follow up on spay/neuter compliance
• the public was not aware of or concerned about the overpopulation crisis and the resulting high kill rates in our sheltersThis is by no means a complete list. But adding to the mix is the fact that cats are prolific-extremely prolific. The population was out of control years before the current movement to spay and neuter on a large scale.The most effective and efficient means of keeping ahead of the overpopulation of feral cats is through TNR. TNR is the method recommended thirty years ago by the pioneering scientists, veterinarians and caretakers in Denmark and England. The successful guidelines we use today are based on their research and recommendations. That is, the sterilization of all cats in a colony (not just either males or females) and returning them to their original colony site.

“The cat was one of the last animals to be domesticated, thousands of years later than the dog and readily reverts to living wild,” says biologist Roger Tabor in his book Understanding Cats

For many years it has been a widely accepted statement that the life span of cats living outdoors was less than three years, more often even closer to one year. The fact is, however, that there is no scientific background for that statement and, in addition, no one has been able to ascertain who or what group is responsible for initially reporting it. To the contrary, Alley Cat Allies and others, especially in the U.K., who have worked with ferals on a long-term basis, have found that the life span is in actuality closer to 10 years.

Since that time a shift has occurred. Attitudes have evolved (especially in the U.S. and U.K.) toward cats as companion animals, including acknowledgment of the humane treatment that is their right. Humane groups in the U.S. hold the theory that all cats, whatever their circumstances, are better off indoors in a traditional home environment. For some, yes. For others, no.

Besides the fact that relocation is difficult and can only work if strict guidelines are followed, relocations can sometimes plunge a fearful and stressed feral cat into a situation more precarious than the one he was taken from. Unfamiliar surroundings, established cats and other animals, and a multitude of other factors can cause relocation to be a miserable fate for a cat who was previously happy and assimilated into his old environment.

Animal behaviorist and author Peter Neville has this to say in his Claws and Purrs: Understanding the Two Sides of Your Cat: “In so many cases … feral cats would have fared better if they had been left to take their chances on the wild side rather than put in the halfway house of the animal sanctuary for sometimes a lengthy, or even a lifetime, sentence. … [In the wild state] it will usually have acquired sufficient immunity to local viruses to survive … and will be able to live on those highly evolved wits.”

For the sake of feral cats we must come to the realization that they can live safe and happy lives outdoors in an urban environment. This concept is not new and has been prevalent in England, a country we can all agree is in the vanguard of “animal-friendly” nations, and where feral cats are accepted as part of the urban wildlife. We must not let misinformation and misguided feelings of guilt about returning sterilized ferals to their environment undermine our ultimate goal to control their populations through non-lethal means.

• It is true that some feral cats (particularly kittens) can be tamed and placed in homes and it is also true that in some cases a feral colony has become established in an unsafe environment and must be moved. But until we stop focusing on homing and relocation as primary goals, and focus on TNR-with emphasis on sterilization-we will rapidly lose ground. We will never get ahead of the game in population control, and we will never get ahead of the game in changing people’s perceptions about cats as accepted and welcome members of our urban environment.
• TNR is the kindest act a dedicated caretaker can perform to assure the health and long life of the colony
• To make matters worse for the feral cat, accurate information about true cat behavior has been lacking in the U.S. An understanding of ferals and their ability to survive, and to be “fit and robust” (Tabor) in their wildness, is only recent in this country. Even the term “feral cat” was largely unknown by the general public until fairly recently, and still, as many caretakers find, requires frequent explaining. According to SPAY/USA in their Winter 1999 issue of Network News, “Ten years ago we heard next to nothing about feral cats. Thanks to intensive work-particularly by Alley Cat Allies-these cats began to be recognized.”
• Sanctuaries, as previously mentioned, are full to overflowing and can also be a stressful and unhappy existence for some cats-especially if they spend all or most of the time caged. Additionally, such wonderful and conscientious sanctuaries as Best Friends in Kanab, Utah, are only able to take in six new feral cats per month, according to Karen Green, animal placement assistant at Best Friends. “We receive requests to take in as many as 600 cats every month, both domestic and feral,” Green says. “The ferals we do take are usually only those with very special needs, medical or otherwise. We counsel many of the people who call us to implement a TNR program in their area.” Green has also observed the stress factor for ferals who are removed from their familiar surroundings.
• There is a gray area in which we find our feral friends, who may already be safe and happy in the environment in which we found them.
• Because of this shift in perception, cats are now the victims of new stigmas equally as serious as those under which they lived during medieval times. They are now seen as killers, devastators of wildlife, spreaders of deadly disease, and polluters of the environment (are cats the unfortunate mirror we are now holding up to ourselves?). Cats are killed daily by the thousands because of these perceptions-shades of the Dark Ages-but with the salve to our collective conscience that it is for their own good. And keeping all of them exclusively indoors is for their own good too. But is it really?
• Because the cat is now the number one companion animal in the U.S. and in the U.K., our society is forgetful that this is a recent role. Around 4.000 years ago in ancient Egypt, cats made their way into homes from the wild. In the 1500s, only the most daring would admit to liking a cat. Even by the 1800s, cats were “still stigmatized by the taint of witchcraft, which had left residual antipathy and antagonism towards cats,” says Tabor in Understanding Cats.
• Tabor, one of the world’s foremost experts on feral cats, has been studying them since the mid-1970s. He maintains that feral cats living a wild existence can manage extremely well in most cases to maintain healthy, happy, and relatively long lives.
• Feral cats are the result of lost and abandoned cats left to breed unchecked and are a significant percentage of the overall number of felines who make up the numbers of unwanted “surplus” animals. They don’t fit into the behavior patterns we expect to see in our domestic cats. Still, we have lumped domestics and ferals together in the same category as “companion animals.” Yes, ferals are offspring of the companions who share our homes, beds, and laps, but the definition of feral-existing in a wild or untamed state-reveals how much we must change our perception of these wild creatures.
• The horrifying reality is that, within a matter of a few years, cats have not only become the number one companion animal, but also the animal most killed in our shelters. The facts are stupefying. We live in a country where 17,000 cats are killed each day-healthy cats, both domestic and feral. Population control must be our number one priority. Non-lethal control.