Helping Feral Cats

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According to Alley Cat Allies, a feral cat is

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

Feral cats are not the same as recent strays - feral cats are essentially wild animals. CAP (or any other shelter) cannot adopt out feral cats because these cats are not domesticated. One may be able to tame feral kittens who are approximately 6 to 8 weeks by removing them from the colony after weaning. These kittens will be wild at first, but should tame down easily with LOTS of human contact and handling. Feral cats often form colonies and may attract attention in the neighborhood, although studies have shown that feral cats are not responsible for significant urban wildlife decline nor do they pose a health hazard (in fact, they are very effective in reducing rodent infestations).

When individuals trap or report feral cats, the animal control unit or even a shelter will generally have to euthanize the animal because feral cats are not adoptable. The humane solution to cat colony population expansion is trap-spay/neuter-release. CAP supports this solution with our feral cat program--the Feral Cat Assistance Program (FCAP).

If you believe that you have discovered feral cats near your home and would like to help these cats, first determine that the cats are indeed feral and not strays or the neighbors' outdoor pets. You can make this determination by observing their behavior and appearance over a period of time (read this FAQ on Feral Cats). If the cat is a stray, you may want to put up "found cat" notices in the neighborhood, search the missing pet databases, file a found pet report at CAP and other local shelters and facilitate the return of the cat to its family. If you have determined the cats are feral, contact FCAP at 281-262-5577 for information on trapping the cats, having them spayed/neutered and returned to their territory. Monitoring the welfare of a feral cat colony is not only interesting, but rewarding...both for the cats and for you.

Resources on feral cats: