Frequently Asked Questions
What exactly is a feral cat?
Feral cats are 'wild' offspring of domestic cats and result from
pet owners abandoning and/or failing to sterilize their pets,
allowing them to breed uncontrollably. Feral cats are unsocialized,
unowned free-roaming cats. They generally do not allow handling by
humans and must be trapped in order to be presented for veterinary
care. They, however, are NOT a wildlife species and can not fully
fend for themselves. Unattended, they survive, but do not thrive,
breed prolifically, and lead meager lives shortened by malnutrition,
disease, trauma, and high kitten mortality. They can become public
nuisances and make up a large portion of the cats euthanized at
animal shelters. Just one pair of breeding cats can produce two
or more litters per year can exponentially produce 420,000
offspring over a seven year period.
What can be done to prevent more feral cats?
First and foremost, responsible cat ownership must be promoted,
focusing on sterilization, the wearing of identification, preventative
health care and keeping cats safe at home.
Is there a safe, humane and effective method of controlling existing populations of feral cats?
Yes, it is called Trap-Neuter-Return (TNR). Cats are trapped by
caretakers, neutered and then returned to their 'home' for release.
Caretakers feed and monitor the health and reproductive status of
the colony. Millions of cat-lovers in the United States feed and
care for feral cats. The American Veterinary Medical Association
supports the use of Trap-Neuter-Return to control existing colonies
of carefully supervised feral cats, provided they are located in
safe areas away from wildlife refuges and bird sanctuaries.
How does TNR compare to other methods of controlling feral cats?
Substantial debate surrounds the appropriate response to the
presence of feral and free-roaming cats. The traditional approach
to controlling them has been extermination by trapping and
euthanasia. However, large scale trap and kill programs have not
been widely implemented or successful and frequently result in
public outcry. TNR has become an increasingly popular method of
managing existing colonies of feral cats. Neutered cats display
fewer nuisance behaviors such as spraying and fighting and can
not reproduce. Over time, colony size should decrease due to
attrition. In addition, TNR has been shown to be more cost effective
than trapping and euthanizing feral cats since most states require
impoundment and holding prior to euthanasia and since private
volunteers are more likely to trap cats for surgery than for
euthanasia.
What if I need to pursue other methods?
TNR however beneficial is not always the best option in every
circumstance. If you need to purse other methods of feral cat
management you should contact your local animal control. Our
local Animal Control can be reached at (334) 501-3091. You can
also contact your local animal shelter. You can reach Lee County
Humane Society at (334) 821-3222.
How can graduates of a TNR program be identified?
The tip of the left ear is removed. Ears are tipped, rather than
notched since notching may occur as the result of fighting,
especially in tom cats and may be mistaken as a sign of previous
TNR.
What about small kittens?
Because the mortality rate of feral kittens is 50% on average,
kittens should be tamed and kept as pets or humanely euthanized.
Kittens older than 3 months of age are difficult to tame.
Information on taming feral kittens is available at
www.feralcat.com
or by ordering a video tape entitled Socializing Feral Cats (9-Lives
video series) from the San Francisco SPCA by calling 1-800-211-SPCA.
More information on raising very young kittens can be found in the
kitten care handbook at
www.kittenrescue.org.
What about sick or injured cats?
Unless treatment can be entirely performed at the time of
neutering (ex: cleaning a wound), humane euthanasia should be
performed. Ongoing treatment cannot usually be safely and
reliably administered to a feral cat.
What about relocating feral cats to a new site?
Relocation of feral cat colonies is frequently unsuccessful and is
not advised since cats possess strong homing instincts and will try
to return to their original home base or colony site. If relocation
is necessary, cats must be confined for several weeks at their new
'home' location prior to release.
Is there a national resource for information concerning feral cats and TNR?
Yes, Alley Cat Allies is a national nonprofit organization that
actively promotes TNR as the accepted method of feral cat population
control throughout North America. They serve as a national resource
and authority on all aspects of feral cat management using TNR. To
learn more, visit their website at
www.alleycat.org.
