There are many feral (wild) cats in the neighborhood. What should I do?

It is important to first determine if the cat is feral or stray. A stray cat can usually be handled with just a little time and patience. Most of these cats have been previously owned and somehow became homeless.

Feral cats are true wild cats. They have never been handled by humans and act very terrified or aggressive if someone approaches them. These are cats that must be trapped, and sedated in order to be handled by humans. If the cat is feral, it is VERY important to alter him if you or someone else is feeding him. There are an estimated 60 million feral cats in the United States. A big contributor to this problem is people feeling sorry for these cats and feeding them, but not getting them altered. This allows the population to grow and soon a few cats can grow into hundreds. Unaltered cats lead difficult, often-shortened lives due to disease spread during fighting and mating. It is difficult for the unaltered female feral cat to care for herself if she is constantly pregnant and raising kittens.

If the cats are feral many shelters have programs available to alter feral cats for free. All you have to do is humanely trap the cats and bring them to a participating Vet. The cats are then altered, their ears are notched (for future identification purposes), and then re-released to the location they were trapped.

Altered feral cats that are fed regularly often lead longer, healthier lives. Some people think feral cats should be trapped and euthanized. However, studies have shown that if a colony is removed this way, a new colony usually moves into its place. If you have questions regarding feral cat programs please call your local animal shelter.

-Dr. Sue Marshall, Feline Medical Center, Inc.