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Unless they are really scared or sick, ferals are generally fastidious about using a litterbox. It’s part of their natural defenses to cover their waste so predators can’t easily find them. If she is truly feral, don’t be surprised if she hunkers down in the litterbox for a while. Start by letting friends, family and co-workers know that you’re looking for someone to adopt the cat. If those avenues fail, place fliers in veterinary clinics and pet supply stores.

The authors asked caretakers to report the initial size of the colony and to estimate the size of the colony after approximately 8 months. This study was conducted across 132 colonies that initially totaled 920 cats. The authors reported that the total number of cats declined from 920 to 678 (a 27% reduction). They reported 151 deaths, 149 disappearances, 238 adoptions, 498 births and 103 immigrants. However, taking into account all of the aforementioned parameters, the final cat population should be calculated as 983, not 678. Consequently, the reliability of the estimated cat numbers is questionable (i.e., human error in estimating the number of cats); it was not based on a scientifically accepted way to estimate abundance.

Feral cat colonies have been reported to control rats in urban areas (Glass et al. 2009), but this statement is questionable. Further, cats may prey on rats, but that does not mean they stop preying on other animals in the area . Switching prey occurs depending on the abundance of certain prey species; so when rat populations go down, feral cats in the area will target other animal species, such as birds, frogs, etc. While catch and kill advocates cling to outdated thinking and hyped-up stories, the people studying, teaching, and defending public health recognize that feral cats do not spread disease to people.

If you see or sense that she isn’t sure about it, just stop. Being attuned to her and stopping before she has to forcefully tell you to stop will prove again to her that you aren’t a threat. Ferals love string–string reminds them of mouse tails–and they loooove mouse tails!

Below, we discuss the pros and cons of creating TNR cat colonies. We investigate peer-reviewed, scientific literature to determine if TNR is an effective way to reduce feral cat colonies and whether the method is humane. Historically, scientists have debated the effectiveness of vaccines given at the time of surgery, arguing about whether a single vaccination alone can confer clinically significant immunity. Recent studies have alleviated these concerns by demonstrating that cats do develop a strong immune response following vaccination at the time of spay/neuter. Although the exact duration is unknown, immunity against rabies and panleukopenia following a single vaccination may persist for years.

Researchers surveyed 103 cat colonies from 1991 to 2000 and found that some of the colonies increased and others decreased. The authors found that cat immigration from nearby neighborhoods was around 21 percent, and that the immigration was due to abandoned cats from nearby neighborhoods. They concluded that TNR programs alone may not decrease cat populations unless nearby residents are educated to neuter their own cats and not to abandon cats. Maybe the best proof that feral cats are not a health risk is that feral cat caregivers are healthy. No study has ever shown that colony caregivers have any increased risk of disease, despite their regular contact with feral colonies.

Treat your cats to a luxury cat tree house they are sure to enjoy. A combination of plushness meets the height cats crave for in one a kind design. Finally, a piece of furniture that combines a climbing cat tower and a cat litter box into one wooden cat furniture.

In the U.S. alone, only 3% of free-roaming cats are neutered or spayed, leaving all the unneutered cats to continue reproducing and growing the feral cat population. One female cat has the ability to produce roughly 100 kittens in seven years1. This high rate of reproduction among feral cats is why feral cats account for 80% of the cats that barrage animal shelters.

The house’s length and width should be at least equal to the distance between the cat’s nose and the root of its tail. However, the cat’s shelter’s length and width should not be more than 25% larger than the distance between the cat’s nose and the root of its tail. One good possibility is cedar wood because it’s rot-resistant, durable and a natural insect repellant. Additionally, this type of wood is anti-fungal and smells great.

Feral and stray cats are the greatest source of cat overpopulation in the United States. A large percentage of feral cats are euthanized each year and governments are trying to implement “catch and kill” programs to decrease the cat population. Feral cats deserve to be treated humanely and be given a chance at a healthy outdoor life. Wikipedia defines a feral cat as a free-roaming cat that is born and raised in the wild. A stray cat is a pet cat that has been abandoned or lost and has reverted back to its “wild” instinctual self in order to survive.

On the other hand, if you have no plans to keep them, you may decide to keep the cat segregated for the remainder of their stay with you. Strays that are used to being taken care of may have a “homeless look” about them. Feral cats are used to taking care of themselves, so they often look clean and healthy. Hold cats overnight following surgery, and always return them to their original site of capture. Trap dividers are commercially available and may be used to humanely restrain cats for injection.

Ticks also like to burrow down into the ears of feral kitties; they crawl in when the cats are asleep. Many people don’t bother putting a collar or tags on their cats, so the fact that these are missing doesn’t necessarily mean that they are homeless. Stray or lost cats may approach homes, cars or even people, even though they may hover at a safe distance.

How to take care of a cat that lives outside

When the tests come back for FeLV, FIV, and FIP, and if there is a positive result, discuss your options with your vet. When there is a positive test result for any of these, ask for a second test to be done if possible. Some of the initial tests only test if the cat has been exposed to the virus, which does not necessarily mean that a cat has the disease.

The one thing you can rely on is that cats will generally stay around their new location as long as there’s food to be had and there isn’t any more competition for it than there was before. It’s important to note that this behavior does not mean that the cat is a good candidate for living indoors. Alley Cat Allies does not, in general, recommend trying to socialize a feral kitten over 4 months of age.

The truth about the cat’s shedding is that every cat lover must accept it because this is a normal, natural event in a cat’s life. But it is hard when renting because landlords do not want to allow pets. Reply I have some cats that I have gotten from behind supermarkets. Viva Bolova holds a degree in journalism from the University of Kansas. She spent 14 years doing work for major brands and writing for various publications. Now she writes on travel and pet-related topics and has experience as a PR expert for an international airport.

Hold cats only a short time before surgery.

But, with TNR, the sterilized cats are returned, preventing large numbers of unsterilized cats from moving in. The breeding stops and feral cat populations are gradually reduced naturally over time. The “ear-tip” is the universal sign of a spayed or neutered, vaccinated cat. Because he’s spent many years in close proximity to humans, he is somewhat less “wild” than many other ferals and may, sometimes (when food’s involved), allow his caretakers to pet him. The difficulty of helping feral cats is that they tend to multiply very quickly. Rabies is a core vaccination for all cats—an absolute necessity.

Although it may be emotionally difficult, spaying pregnant cats is truly a humane course of action. Delivering and raising kittens outdoors is stressful for both the mother and kittens. The mortality rate of feral kittens is high—often more than 75 percent die within the first several weeks of life. Additionally, pregnant queens often migrate prior to delivery to find a secure nesting site. Even if the queen chooses to deliver her litter nearby, it can be very difficult to locate her nest. Furthermore, if she perceives any threat, she will likely attempt to move her kittens.

Also, they are often found alone near houses, asking for attention. If you’ve heard those stories about “barn cats” who never had any veterinary care and just lived out their lives “on the farm,” don’t believe it. Barn cats often live a short and unhappy life, dying from too many litters, easily treatable diseases or parasites. Free-roaming cats find many of their meals in rodents that are living around your home. Having feral cats controlling the rodent population can prevent rodents from making their way into your home and getting into your food supply.

If you’re considering adopting a free kitten, learn some of the things to keep in mind, from potential health problems to socialization issues. Food and water can be delivered from a safe distance through the bars into the bowls—which are secured by zip ties. Loosely covering the trap with a towel or cloth will help to provide the cat with a sense of security, reducing stress. Caregivers and medical personnel should be aware of the best practices for the process of neutering and vaccinating free-roaming cats. Understanding a cat’s level of socialization can help you act in their best interest. Community cats have a wide range of behaviors and degrees of socialization.

Try to see things from a scared kitty’s perspective, and then adjust yourself so you aren’t so scary. Reading out loud is one of the best things you can do, because she will get used to you and your voice. The more she sees that you are there and aren’t threatening her, the more trusting she will become. One of a cat’s most effective defensive tools is the ability to hide. You will be amazed at how small she can make herself, what tiny holes and cracks she will be able to get herself into to hide from you.

Of course, most of this depends on the individual cat, but there are a few things you pretty much can count on with your feral cat. She will be skittish and distrustful of strangers all her life. She will hide whenever there are loud noises or sudden changes to your household. Cats in general don’t like change, and this goes double for feral cats.

It is common to think that the solution to a cat overpopulation problem is to simply relocate the cats. Sure, this method will get rid of the one cat, however, this method is extremely counterproductive. Once a cat is eradicated, this opens up a spot among the colony for another cat to come in and take its place.