WHAT ARE FERAL CATS?
Feral cats are undomesticated (untamed or wild) cats. They can result from pet cats who give birth in the wild or from previous generations of ferals. Without human socialization, cats regress to their wild instincts. Becoming fearful of people, they form strong social bonds and often form colonies in places where they can find food and shelter ... behind restaurants, hotels, at campgrounds, in barns, auto salvage yards, neighborhoods, or at county dumpsites. There are as many a 60 million stray and feral cats in the United States.
The Humane Society of the US also features some FAQs about Feral Cats.
HOW CAN I TRAP FERALS IN MY NEIGHBORHOOD?
There are several videos on YouTube about using drop traps and humane traps. This link goes to a list of these videos: YouTube search for trapping feral cats
WHAT IS TRAP-NEUTER-RETURN (TNR)?
TNR is a non-lethal option for controlling the number of homeless cats. It involves humanely trapping the cats, sterilizing them, and then returning them to their colonies. It stops the cats from reproducing. TNR is a successful short- and long-term solution because it reduces birth rates and improves the overall health of the colony, which protects nearby pets and people. On a small scale, TNR can help control a caretaker's cost of feeding the colony. It can also help reduce community complaints associated with feral overpopulation. On a large scale, TNR results in fewer cats admitted to animal control agencies for euthanasia, thus saving taxpayers money.
TNR is a positive and life-affirming option for controlling overpopulation.
HOW CAN 1 + 1 = 420,000 ?
One pair of cats and their offspring can potentially produce 420,000 cats over a seven-year period, according to the Humane Society of the United States. How is this possible? Easy, considering that cats can get pregnant as early as four months of age, unsterilized females have an average of three litters each year, and each litter generally consists of four to six kittens! Spaying and neutering can prevent this crisis of numbers.
Feral cats are undomesticated (untamed or wild) cats. They can result from pet cats who give birth in the wild or from previous generations of ferals. Without human socialization, cats regress to their wild instincts. Becoming fearful of people, they form strong social bonds and often form colonies in places where they can find food and shelter ... behind restaurants, hotels, at campgrounds, in barns, auto salvage yards, neighborhoods, or at county dumpsites. There are as many a 60 million stray and feral cats in the United States.
The Humane Society of the US also features some FAQs about Feral Cats.
HOW CAN I TRAP FERALS IN MY NEIGHBORHOOD?
There are several videos on YouTube about using drop traps and humane traps. This link goes to a list of these videos: YouTube search for trapping feral cats
WHAT IS TRAP-NEUTER-RETURN (TNR)?
TNR is a non-lethal option for controlling the number of homeless cats. It involves humanely trapping the cats, sterilizing them, and then returning them to their colonies. It stops the cats from reproducing. TNR is a successful short- and long-term solution because it reduces birth rates and improves the overall health of the colony, which protects nearby pets and people. On a small scale, TNR can help control a caretaker's cost of feeding the colony. It can also help reduce community complaints associated with feral overpopulation. On a large scale, TNR results in fewer cats admitted to animal control agencies for euthanasia, thus saving taxpayers money.
TNR is a positive and life-affirming option for controlling overpopulation.
HOW CAN 1 + 1 = 420,000 ?
One pair of cats and their offspring can potentially produce 420,000 cats over a seven-year period, according to the Humane Society of the United States. How is this possible? Easy, considering that cats can get pregnant as early as four months of age, unsterilized females have an average of three litters each year, and each litter generally consists of four to six kittens! Spaying and neutering can prevent this crisis of numbers.
