What are Feral Cats?
Feral Cats are the wild offspring of unaltered domestic cats. Without human intervention, their population can grow exponentially.
At Cats In Need, we advocate a trap/alter/release approach to controlling the feral population.
Feral Cat Colony Maintenance: Many people contact us regarding feral cats in their neighborhoods.
These cats are usually the "wild" offspring of domestic cats that have been abandoned by their owners or somehow gotten lost. They are afraid of humans, and live their lives in constant search for food and for mates. Their unchecked mating leads to thousands of cats over just a few years.
Feral cats brought to the shelter, are to be put down right away or after a mandatory holding period. It is difficult to accurately identify a feral cat without a holding period, yet safely caring for a feral cat in a typical shelter cage, is very stressful for a feral cat. In addition, if space is limited at the shelter, an adoptable cat may be put down to make room to hold a feral cat.
That's why our local shelters are full and more than 10 million cats are each year in the US.
Cats In Need wants to change these statistics, and we need you to help! If you decide to do something about the situation instead of sitting in front of the TV...Here's what you can do to help: Trap/Alter/Release Program or Trap/Neuter/Release Program.
Trap/Alter/Release Program:
1. Obtain a humane trap. The local Humane Society or, Cats In Need can provide you one for a small, refundable deposit. We can also provide you with detailed instructions for using the trap. Or you can also check out a trap from your local humane society or animal control.
2. Contact the Inland Valley Humane Society at 909-623-9777, or your local Human Society, or your local vet about the no-cost spay or neuter for feral cats. Please call the veternarians first and ask about when to bring in the animal, and be sure to mention that its for Trap-Neuter-Return program for feral cat.
3. Bring the cat in to be spayed or neutered. The cat must be brought in a trap, and the tip of the ear will be clipped by the vet so that the cat can easily be identified as altered.
4. Allow the cat to recover for at least one day after the surgery, more for cats that were pregnant. You should keep them in the trap during this time, providing food and clean water for them at all times.
5. Release the cat after recovery back to the same area. Relocating cats is not a good idea unless they are in danger, since they can easy become disoriented. Altered feral cats will be less of a nuisance, since the behaviors associated with mating will be gone. The colony will be healthier, the population will stabilize, and the number of cats needlessly euthanized each year will be reduce.
Setting the Trap: Feed feral cats on a regular schedule for a least a few days at a regular spot. Now withhold food from the cats you intend to trap 24 hours before trapping. Continue to offer clean, fresh drinking water. Prepare one humane box trap per cat, lined with newspaper on the bottom, and baited with canned tuna in oil, sardines in oil, or mackerel. Bait and set your traps, then place them on the ground where you normally feed. Partially cover the traps with a large towel except for the entry. Move away so you’re out of the cats’ sight, yet don’t ever leave the traps unattended. If not every cat shows up within an hour or two, try again another time for the rest. Good news: If you follow steps 1-3, usually all goes like clockwork, with the hungry cats going right into the traps. Chances are, you’ll trap them all within an hour or less! After a cat has been caught, help her feel safe by quickly covering the rest of the trap with the towel. Relax… it’s normal for cats to thrash about inside. The cat will calm down once you’ve fully covered the trap. When you’ve trapped as many cats as you can, bring them in the traps to the clinic either that day or the following day, depending on which the clinic prefers, keeping the trip there as calm and quiet as possible. |
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