I Found a Cat(s). What Do I Do?

All of the following information came from Alley Cat Allies.

 

Stray and tame or feral and wild? This is the first and most important question if you find a cat outside (of course after you determine that he/she does not belong to someone in the neighborhood!). The steps you take next are determined by the answer.

A feral cat is a cat who has lived outside his whole life with little or no human contact and is not socialized. A stray cat was lost or abandoned and may have lived away from human contact long enough to revert to a wild state. Feral cats avoid human contact and cannot be touched by strangers.

To make the distinction, observe the cat’s appearance and behavior. A stray cat is likely to approach, although usually not close enough for you to touch him. If you put food down, a stray cat is likely to start eating right away. A stray cat is often vocal and may look disheveled, as is he is unaccustomed to dealing with conditions on the street. A stray may be seen at all hours of the day.

A feral cat is silent, will not approach humans, and generally will be seen only from dusk to dawn, unless extraordinarily hungry and foraging for food. A feral cat has adapted to conditions and is likely to be well groomed. If you put food down, the cat will wait until you move away from the area before approaching the food.

If you determine the cat(s) is a stray, register him online at http://www.pets911.com/ in the Found Pet section. You can also take the cats to a shelter, but be sure it is no-kill. Kittens up to about 8 weeks of age can usually be socialized and therefore also taken to a shelter/rescue.

If the cats are feral, animal control or a municipal shelter is the only agency that may come and get them, and the cats will almost certainly be killed. Even no-kill shelters find feral cats impossible to adopt out because they are wild. It is important NOT to call anyone out, but there is a solution.

Feral cats live in colonies and congregate near food sources. They can be managed with a nonlethal method called Trap-Neuter-Return (TNR), in which cats are humanely/painlessly trapped, spayed or neutered, and returned to their colony site where volunteer caregivers provide them with food, water, and shelter. TNR is the only chance feral cats have of living safe, healthy lives without reproducing and maintaining and creating these colonies.

We often feel compelled to provide indoor homes for feral cats. We want to nurture and care for those we perceive in need. But it isn’t what’s best for feral cats. They have lived their entire lives without direct human contact. Their arsenal of survival instincts includes wariness of humans in general and a sharp fear of confinement. A key component of a feral cat’s security is his ability to flee from perceived danger.

Being forced into a house or other structure can be the most frightening experience possible. S/he may appear to acclimate, or at least may stop hissing and cringing, but s/he is never at ease and never stops looking for a way to escape. A feral cat’s home is where he has spent his entire life. Feral cats form strong bonds with one another and with their territory, bonds that define their daily existence. They may be warm indoors, but they are content outdoors.

The misperception is that feral cats live short, miserable lives. The truth is that the well-being of feral cats is most often compromised by behaviors associated with mating and giving birth to endless litters of kittens. Spaying/neutering significantly changes this. Males no longer fight and roam. Females no longer bear kittens. Feral cats in managed colonies frequently live 10 years and longer.

To begin implementing TNR, determine what cats you want to sterilize and line up the resources to do it. Alley Cat Allies has a list of feral cat and spay/neuter organizations at www.alleycat.org/orgs.html. They can assist you in the following steps.

1. Count how many cats are in the colony/colonies and start keeping records on the cats now. (See this fact sheet.)

2. Locate and learn how to use the equipment need to humanely trap. The most important equipment is one or more humane box traps. Ideally you have one trap for each cat, though this is not always feasible. Traps are available from a Feral Friend in the area who lends traps and assists in trapping. Some large TNR programs have established “trap depots” where you can borrow traps. You may be able to borrow traps from a humane society or animal facility, but if you do this, you could be required to return the trap AND the cat, who will mostly likely be killed. Always determine a humane society or animal facility’s policy before borrowing their traps!

3. Establish a relationship with a veterinarian or a clinic that will work with feral cats. This must be done before trapping begins. You can check for organizations in your area at www.allwycat.org/orgs.html. If you don’t see someone, start with your own vet, explaining what you hope to accomplish and the benefit to your community. After you find a vet, establish a protocol to ensure everyone involved understands what to expect and that you get all the services the cats need.

• With feral cats, appointments cannot always be kept. The clinic must be flexible.
• Find out how many cats the clinic can accommodate on a single day. This information will guide your trapping activity.
• Establish protocol ahead of time for euthanasia of very ill cats, aborting pregnant females, and testing for FIV/FELV. If a vet insists on procedures you do not want, refer him/her to information on feral cats at http://www.alleycat.org/.
• Each cat will require a spay/neuter procedure (under anesthesia that can be administered while the cat is in the trap) and ear tipping, and any other treatment as each cat requires.
• Figure out the costs so you can estimate a budget. Some vets will offer discounts and if they don’t, ask. If the cost is too great, as for financial help from neighbors and businesses where the colony resides.
• Arrange a warm, quiet environment in which the cats, in their traps, can recover from surgery. Your only involvement at that point will be to monitor their recovery and prepare to return them. Cats cannot regulate body temperature under anesthesia, so see that they do not get cold.

4. Ask friends, neighbors, or other cat advocates to help. Determine how you and others will care for the cats before and after surgery, and on an ongoing basis.

5. Review the Humane Trapping Instructions here.

6. Trap, neuter, and return the cats. They should be returned to their established colonies as relocation is difficult, time-consuming and problematic. It is not recommended except under extreme circumstances.

7. Provide cats with long-term care and feeding.

With the time and energy that goes into trying to socialize one adult feral cat, dozens of cats could be sterilized and dozens of friendly stray cats/kittens could be placed for adoption.For a plethora of resources and how-tos, click here.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SnJCYApTrww

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