Posts tagged "FeralCat"

Now that you know all there is to know about feral cats and TNR, why not go help some of the ferals in your neighborhood?

• The Humane Society of the United States offers state by state feral cat and trap-neuter-return resources.
• The ASPCA has a FAQs page dedicated to everything you need to know about ferals and trap-neuter-return.
• Alley Cat Allies provides information on feral cats, trap-neuter-return, and how to caretake a colony of ferals.
• The New York City Feral Cat Initiative has tips on how to socialize feral kittens, including some great hands on video tutorials, recorded webinars covering everything from how to get your community involved with trap-neuter return to what you need to know about ferals, TNR and the law, and downloadable PDFs (information to give neighbors, signs to put up to tell feeders not to feed during trapping) to help you during a trap-neuter-return project.
• HavaHart sells a Stray Cat Rescue Kit that includes everything you need to trap-neuter-return.
• And if you want to promote your support of feral cats and trap-neuter-return, several organizations offer merch with proceeds benefiting TNR and rescue efforts, such as FeralforLife.com t-shirts (above), Alley Cat Allies tote bags ($5), and USPS Feral Cat Caretakers' Coalition postage stamps ($19.10 - 21.35/sheet of 20).

October 16th is National Feral Cat Day.

Wait, National what Day??

Feral cats are felines that are more wild than domestic. They like the company of other kitties more than they do humans, and are more likely to run than come up for a scratch under the chin. They aren't dangerous or rabid, just unsocialized. Think of them as the feline equivalent of a squirrel or a pigeon -- they'd rather live outdoors than in a home.

While there aren't any concrete numbers on how many feral cats live in the United States, according to national feral cat advocacy group Alley Cat Allies, scientists estimate there are as many cats living outdoors as indoors (and there are 82 million cats living in homes).

Where do feral cats come from? The Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) says,"Feral cats are the offspring of lost or abandoned pet cats or other feral cats who are not spayed or neutered. Females can reproduce two to three times a year, and their kittens, if they survive, will become feral without early contact with people."

Some ferals end up at city shelters, where they are euthanized because they are deemed unadoptable due to their unsocialized nature. The rest try to survive in abandoned lots, backyards or under caretakers who take it upon themselves to feed colonies of cats.

National Feral Cat Day is meant to educate the public, so Paw Nation is dedicating today's posts to the cause, giving you the low down on how to help feral cats through programs like Trap-Neuter-Return, what to do if you know of a feral cat colony in your area, and even looking at the funny side of trying to help ferals one kitty at a time.