National Feral Cat Day!

On National Feral Cat Day, The Cat Corner would like to raise some awareness about feral cats and feral colonies. Many people may have dealt with feral cats or seen cats wandering their community but might not be sure how or if they can help. Through our own experience and education from Alley Cats Allies here are some FAQ regarding feral cats, how they come to be and what you can do to help! 

What is a feral cat? 

• A feral cat, also referred to as community cat, is a member of the domestic cat species, but are not socialized to people and are not adoptable. 

​Where do feral cats come from?

• Most feral cats are those that have been previously abandoned by owners, or were kittens that were born outside and never learned to trust humans.  

Is a feral cat the same as a stray cat?

• Not necessarily. Stray cats are more often previous family pets that were lost or abandoned. They are generally more tolerant of humans and can often be rehabilitated to live in a home environment. Feral cats have lived outside most or all of their lives and often do not trust humans and are much more difficult or impossible to rehabilitate. 

How to help feral cats and feral colonies.

• Instead of catching and euthanizing feral cats it is actually less costly and more effective to TNR or Trap-Neuter-Return. Groups of cats are territorial often congregating around a food source and if a colony cannot breed they will eventually die off. There are many local organizations who can help with TNR and local low cost spay/neuter clinics willing to fix and vaccinate a feral cat if you can trap it. Clinics will "ear tip" a fixed feral, if you see a cat with their left ear clipped slightly that means they live outside but cannot reproduce.
• Provide shelter in the winter. Even if you do not want to attract local cats you can easily build shelters for local rescues or feral cat colonies. Learn more here: http://www.alleycat.org/resources/feral-cat-shelter-options-gallery/www.alleycat.org/resources/feral-cat-shelter-options-gallery/
• SPAY and NEUTER your pets! Indoor/outdoor cats who are not fixed might be contributing to the problem of feral cats! Kittens born outside put a huge strain on rescues and shelters and many kittens end up being euthanized because of the limited resources to care for them. 

Don't want cats around your house? There are ways to discourage cats from living nearby without killing them or harming them.

• Don't leave out food. Cover all garbage and access to a food source.
• Apply cat repelling fragrances such as orange or lemon. Coffee grounds, vinegar, lavender oil, lemongrass, citronella and eucalyptus also deter cats.
• Install and automatic, motion activated water sprinkler. www.contech-inc.com

Need more help with cats in your neighborhood? Alley Cat Allies is here to help! Visit them at http://www.alleycat.org/get-help/

Helping a feral cat does not contribute to the problem! Maintaining a community of spayed/neutered feral cats helps prevent future feral kittens!